Life's Trivialities

Love-ly Layouts / Just Nick and Craftwell

As we creep closer and closer to Valentine's day and all things Hallmark ( :) ) I have another series of love-ly layouts to share with you. Those of you who know me know that we don't really do Valentine's day from a love, romance perspective but rather, an inclusionary type thing. The kids will select, write out and exchange love letters and there may be a cupcake or heart shaped snack for them but beyond that, it's not a big deal.

This was up on the Just Nick blog recently. You can see the details of the cut files used HERE. Last year, as a 6th grader, Nikolas was in Cotillion and the closing dance for the season with the Cupid Ball. It was a lovely affair held right around Valentine's day. I love this collection from Crate Paper and the patterned heart files from Just Nick were perfect for this layout.

In order to make the title stand out from the layered hearts, I had to cut an under layer for the word "cupid" (another Just Nick cut file). While the hues of that light peachy pink are the same, the shadows cast from the tone on tone create the border that divides the two.

I did back one of the patterned hearts in order to make it stand out from the rest of the patterned papers. The floral background is a bit busy and this grounded the photo elements. Love those pictures. I just wish that the lighting at the Women's Club had been better for photography.

This companion layout is up on the Craftwell blog today. It is another picture from the Cupid Ball. This, of the four "lead" dancers for the ball. Incidently, the young gal that Nikolas initially escorted down the receiving line, the young lady on the left of the picture (or on his right arm), is somebody he spent many a year in religious education with, Elizabeth. He is a bit of a shy kid so while girls still have cooties, it was nice for him to have that comfort of a known face as he braved the head of the line.

 

That pink background piece is actually the remnant from the cut file on the first layout! It made the perfect frame to highlight the patterned paper underneath. The patterned papers are mounted on top of a full sheet of embossed cardstock. One of the beauties of the Cut'N Boss and the large embossing folders. It's really the whole reason I'm a fan of the Cut'N Boss. The ability to have larger pieces of embossed (or in this case debossed) papers is exciting to me!

The odd debossed heart here and there I painted with my Peerless watercolors. I wanted a little depth to the white space and the watercolor filled that need.

What would a Valentine's day layout be without a doily? LOL! Hearts - check! Doily - check! Pink - check! Gold - check! I think I filled all the love-ly requirements for Valentine's day papercrafting, don't you? I can't think of anything I missed.

Thanks for stopping in today!

Just Dance, Dance, Dance

Another Scrappin' Sports & More layout was on their blog this Friday past! You can visit the post HERE. It was an absolute honor to be asked to guest design for such an awesome company! The paper quality is fantastic and so diversitle. Even though the primary focus is on sports, you could use the papers for so much more. And the quantity of paper that they sent me!! Wow!! I could make at least 20 more layouts!

I dry embossed some cardstock to match the elegant swirls in the grey and white paper. The little pull tab that says "love to dance" holds hidden journaling in a pocket behind the photo. I fussy cut the purpley pink Dance so that I could tuck the grey and white "just dance" behind bits of it thus creating the continuity of the title.

The letters making up "spring recital" I tried to mimic the letter types used in "just dance". Looking at it on the screen, I realize that one of my Cricut fonts, probably George would have been better for the recital... Aw well... Maybe later I'll go and swap them out.

Speaking of dance, Miss Mia has been busy dancing the days away! We took a bit of a hiatus from dance for a while. There just weren't enough hours in a day. But she's back at it! We signed her up for a two week long dance camp that runs from 9am until 4pm. She's pretty beat by the time she gets home but she is always eager to show us her latest new dance! It's uplifting to see her enthusiasm! The two weeks will culminate in a small recital on the last day. Can't wait to see it! (won't hurt to have new dance pictures to scrap either!!)

 

 

 

Daddy-Daughter Dance

These two have a special bond. Made even more so by the BIG (much anticipated) event tonight! Michael saved this date for her, just her. We rescheduled all kinds of plans around this special evening; the Daddy-Daughter Dance! She has been waiting WEEKS for this special night! She even napped, of her own will and testament, this afternoon (with the door open).

Her Daddy went out and bought her something very special. Made especially for his little girl and nobody else! He put it on her himself and she was tickled pink!! I think the significance of such a gesture was unrecognized by Mia. One day, when she's older, she will understand. Or, perhaps, once she gets to the dance, she will get how truly touching it was that her Daddy bought her a corsage for her first (EVER) Daddy-Daughter dance.

We curled her hair, put on make up, she is wearing my pearls (gasp!!) and he is in a sports coat and tie! I tried to make her little ringlets. Tried... No matter what I did, it was going to be beautiful and she was going to love it. I love that about Mia! Granny and I took her to the salon and had her nails painted; silver fingernails and pink toes. She even bought a special dress and shoes for the occasion!

My handsome husband!! Although, tonight, he is HER handsome Daddy. She told him so!

Showing off her corsage and finger nails! My absolutely beautiful daughter!! On the inside and out!

Mum: "Where are you going Boo?"

Mia: "To the Daddy-Daughter Dance, of course!!"

They were supposed to go to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. The wait was 30 minutes so alternative arrangements were made. Of which, we will wait for the details. I'm tempted to sneak over to the middle school and peek... I can't help myself...

 

Life is a Dance

This afternoon was Mia's dance rehersal for her big recital tomorrow. The whole "year" of dance is geared towards this grand finale!

Having a girlie girl for this Tom-boy mother is... well, interesting. Mia has to have full makeup and hair for both today, the rehersal, and tomorrow's recital. Um, well, yes... Nice that you share YouTube videos and full detail but nope, not gonna happen. For one, I haven't a clue. And secondly, she's not going to sit still for me while I figure it out. So, off to Serey we went. Yup, I paid somebody else to do my daughter's hair and makeup. The best $20 I have spent!!

I realized, seeing her hair all tight and snug back in a bun that my daughter is even more beautiful than I knew. I mean, we all know the girl has the most amazing blue eyes. But pull her hair away from her face, expose that long slender face of hers and she just takes your breath away.

The rehersal began with the finale. All the dancers from the studio were in the finale so in order to get everybody home at age appropriate hours, they began with the ending then worded their way through the rest. Each girl had to have black pants and either a blue or green shirt. It was cute to see the sea of blue and green moving and swaying up on the stage.

Mia's dance class, Dance Pups 2, did a ballet number to "When We Were 64". Each girl has a partner and they twirled then one of the girls sat on her partners knee. I'm not quite sure what Casey and Ashley were thinking when they partnered Mia to sit on Julia's knee, it ought to have been the other way around... But adorable, very cute indeed. Lots of effort and lots of smiles with very little coordinated movement. But fun! The girls had a blast in their limelight and enjoyed every minute of it!

Tomorrow is the "real" deal. I likely won't be able to take pictures like I did today and I doubt I'll even try. Being behind the camera is great for scrapbooking material but not for enjoying the overall experience. I want to see her dance, to see her frolick and smile. Hope you enjoyed your preview into her big moment!

Ballerina's Bundle

I had a TOTAL adorable moment today that I just have to share!! Mia takes a dance class on Monday that's a combo ballet and tap class. She LOVES dance! I don't know for sure and I'm not going to limit her but I believe this is going to be her "thing". You know that something that you are good at and get much joy and pleasure from? Dance and music her her "things", she owns them and gets such confidence from them.

Today we decided to put her hair in a pony. All good dancers have pony tails, you know?  Well, I looped the pony tail holder over in such a way that the pony was folded in half and it looked like a bun. She instantly KNEW it felt like a bun. Very proudly she turned to Michael who happened to be home for lunch and said "See my bundle Daddy?" with such pride!!

She told everybody at dance about her "bundle", her first bundle!! And, here she is, in all her glory, with her first "BUNdle"!! And doesn't she look like a real ballerina? Too bad Mum isn't used to this girly business and doesn't make very neat bundles!! LOL!!