The One with HE'S HOME!


Sunday, June 30, 2013

Daddy's hoooooooooome!
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 After what felt like the longest 23 days of my life we are finally reunited and everything is right with the world.
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So good to have you home Chris! Love you so much!

The One with the Studio Calico July Guest Designer - CARDS


Saturday, June 29, 2013

And here are the cards I made for my Studio Calico July Guest Designer projects:
A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME CARD

How to: Punch 1" squares from patterned papers and trim them in half to make triangles. Adhere the triangles across a white card in a quilt-inspired pattern then sew diagonally across each row. Stamp a sentiment across the bottom. Accent the triangles with a few sequins and wooden veneer asterisks. 

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), wooden veneer asterisks, sequins, sentiment stamp: Studio Calico; Cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: American Crafts, BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Jewels: Queen & Co.; Ink: StazOn; Sewing machine: Bernina; Thread: Coats & Clark
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HELLO FRIEND CARD

How to: Drop a rainbow of watercolors across the top of a white watercolor paper card base and let the paint run and drip down. Let the paint dry. Stamp a "hello" speech bubbles image in black ink across the center. Stamp "friend" inside the empty speech bubble. Embellish the card with matching colored sequins.

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), sequins, sentiment stamps: Studio Calico; Watercolor cardstock: Craft supply; Watercolors: Prang; Ink: StazOn
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LOVE YOU CARD

How to: Hand cut hearts from patterned papers then layer them over the bottom right corner of a kraft card. Tie a bow from pink chevron ribbon and adhere it to the bottom right corner. Place a wooden veneer "LOVE YOU" piece on the top left corner. Drop white spray mist across the card. Adhere buttons and jewels over the hearts. 

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), wooden veneer sentiment, ribbon, spray mist: Studio Calico; Cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Jewels, buttons: Queen & Co.
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LOVE CARD

How to: Trim a bracket shape from the bottom of a pink card. Trim the bottom edge of a pink patterned paper into the bracket shape and adhere it to the bottom of the card. Punch doily and scalloped borders from pink/red/white patterned papers and layer them down the front of the card. Wrap orange chevron ribbon around the right side. Stamp "love" in black on a tag with a notched bottom end, place a pink button over the "o" and adhere the tag over the ribbon. Tie more of the ribbon into a bow and place it above the sentiment. Add a row of jewels across the top and two more pink buttons as shown.

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), ribbon, tag, love stamp: Studio Calico; Cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Jewels, buttons: Queen & Co.; Ink: StazOn; Border punches: EK Success
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LOVE YOU CARD

How to: Trim a heart from scrap cardstock and cover it with scraps of patterned paper; trim the excess. Adhere the heart to white card covered with aqua patterned paper. Sew around the hearts with white thread. Write a sentiment next to the heart with a white pen and place three pink buttons above. Stitch to "x"s on the left side using white floss. Glue sequins across the heart to embellish and finish.

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), sequins: Studio Calico; Patterned paper: American Crafts, BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Buttons: Queen & Co.; Floss: DMC; Pen: Uni-Ball Signo; Sewing machine: Bernina; Thread: Coats & Clark

Whew! That was fun!

PS - congrats to the winner of the June 2Peas Garden Girl Blog Hop: Ashley Spiller! Email me at paigetaylorevans at gmail dot com to claim your goodies!

The One with Jane at 11 Months


Friday, June 28, 2013

Today is the 28th of the month which means sweet Jane is 11 months new! 
 Here are her done-at-home stats (that I'm just making up because I'm so tired - Chris comes home TOMORROW so I can take a nap! YAY!): 

 Length: 29" (75-90%) 
 Weight: 20 pounds 2 ounces (50-75%) 
 Head circumference: 18.25" (90-95%)

Jane's biggest achievement in the past month? She's CRAWLING! 'Bout time! I really need to post another video because she's getting good. It all started at the Short's house where we had Fathers Day dinner. She's really perfected the technique in just under two weeks.
Now that she can crawl she's always getting into mischief and taking Fox's toys from him. 
That makes him happy. Not! 
But really, he does love her. See, I've even got proof that he can do things besides hit her!
Last weekend she had a fever of 104 for over 4 days. No other symptoms. It was one stinkin' tooth comin' in! I hope it's not like this for every tooth she cuts! Poor sweet girl.
Her pain is my gain though because we got to snuggle for days on end. 
This is the number we like to see!
All better! Yay!
We are completely done spoon feeding. She feeds herself all three meals every day! And some snacks in-between meals.
 It's been so much fun having Grandma around to post pictures of Jane on instagram. Here are her latest and greatest snapshots:
In the last month her personality has really started to shine through. She's sweet, affectionate, kind, and always making cute noises.
 She can say her first word, "Uh oh!" (I posted a video a few posts ago, HERE).
Some more pics from her 11 month shoot - can't wait to scrap them!
If she's 11 months today, that means that next month is her first birthday! WOW time flies! Have I planned anything for her birthday? NO! I feel terrible! With Fox's 1st birthday I went ALL OUT and planned for months and spent lots of dough making his first birthday party the most amazing event we've had to date. But her birthday has been put on the backburner amidst our big life changes. I'm still hoping that we can do something fun in Germany though. Stay tuned. I'll whip something up :)
Happy 11 months Janey - you are the apple of our eyes!

The One with the Studio Calico July Guest Designer - LAYOUTS


Thursday, June 27, 2013

I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to guest design for Studio Calico for July! I made FIVE layouts and FIVE cards! I couldn't stop!
 BFF

Journaling says: Just another day in South Pas!

How to: Adhere strips of patterned paper around the edges of a gray cardstock background. Tuck die cuts into and over the border then sew around the edges. Paint a white section in the middle and let it dry. Drop white spray mist across the layout. Add a photo and Polaroid frame over the paint then add a white mini alphabet sticker title to the photo along with an acrylic dot, frame the photo with cork bracket stickers, write journaling below with a white pen, and stamp the date below the journaling. Place cork letters inside the frame on the bottom right corner and sprinkle buttons around the border. Hand stitch a large star using white floss onto the middle of the layout.

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), cork tag, spray mist: Studio Calico; Cardstock, cork (brackets, letters), date stamp, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Die cuts (number, Polaroid frames, sentiment), mini alphabet stickers: BasicGrey; Buttons: October Afternoon; Acrylic dot: Queen & Co.; Floss: DMC; Paint: FolkArt; Sewing machine: Bernina; Thread: Coats & Clark
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JANEY GIRL

Notes: I'm super inspired by the meticulous hand sewing Sasha Farina does on a lot of her layouts and wanted to give that technique a try. After piercing the holes I crawled into bed and sewed while I watched a movie. I love multi-tasking!

How to: Place adhesive across a chipboard circles piece then adhere circles punched from patterned paper to most of the circles; adhere the embellishment to the center of a kraft cardstock layout base. Tuck three photos under the left and right edges and add triangle sequins to the photos. Embellish the circles of the chipboard element with brads, buttons, sequins, the date made with white mini number stickers, and a cork "hello" tag. Stitch "x"s across the sides using white floss. Print a large title, place it across the bottom of the layout, use a paper piercer around the edges to make a template, lightly connect the dots with a pencil so you can see the holes and where you need to stitch, then stitch through with light blue floss. 

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), "LOVE" stamp, sequins, acrylic flower, cork tag: Studio Calico; Cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: American Crafts, BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Buttons, brads: October Afternoon; Chipboard circles: ?; Number stickers: Basic Gray; Floss: DMC; Circle punch: EK Success
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LAST DISNEY DAY

Notes: This has got to be some kind of record for the most photos used on a single layout :) I know I've done many many Disney pages in my life, but this one had to be documented because it was our LAST time there in who knows how long, wah wah.

Journaling says: In our four years living in South Pasadena we went to Disneyland 80 times! It was so much fun to just get up and go for a few hours before it go too busy. Walking out of the park this day was sooo hard - we don't know when we'll be back again, but wen we do I'm sure we'll say, "Remember the good ol' days when we used to come here every week?"

How to: Punch photos and patterned paper into 1" squares then adhere them in a grid across a ledge paper block. Hand stitch a large heart across the photos using white floss. Embellish the squares with brads and buttons. Place a white mini alphabet sticker title along the inside right edge of the heart and frame it with gray bracket stickers. Adhere the entire block onto a blue cardstock background. Tuck label stickers and a tag cut in half around the edges. Write journaling on the tag halves. Stamp the date on the bottom left corner. Add sequins and acrylic dots to the label stickers. Distress the edges of the layout. 

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), sequins, acrylic flower: Studio Calico; Cardstock, pen, stamps (date, sentiment), adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Brads, buttons, label stickers: October Afternoon; Acrylic dots: Queen & Co.; Stickers: American Crafts (brackets), BasicGrey (mini alphabet); Floss: DMC; Square punch: EK Success; Ink: StazOn
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  ME

Journaling says: Just a few selfies at the Venice Canals.

How to: Paint pink watercolor across the middle of a white cardstock background and let it dry. Add a photo to the top right and bottom left corners. Fussy cut flowers from patterned papers then layer them around the photos. Add buttons and sequins to some of the flower centers. Glue teardrop sequin trios in a couple places. Stamp lines under the flowers and journal on one set of the lines. Trim a label sticker and place the halves over the photos; add a white mini alphabet sticker title to the top right piece and stamp the date on the the bottom left piece.

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), sequins, journaling stamp: Studio Calico; Cardstock, pen, adhesive, date stamp: American Crafts; Patterned paper: BasicGrey, Studio Calico; Buttons, label sticker: October Afternoon; Mini alphabet stickers: BasicGrey; Watercolors: Prang; Ink: StazOn
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VENICE CANALS

Journaling says: On one of our last days in California we finally went to the Venice Canals. It really felt like we were in Italy! Fox even posed for me. 

How to: Trim 1/4" from the edges of a blue cardstock background, distress the edges, then back the edges with patterned paper strips. Adhere a photo to the center of the layout, tuck half of a label sticker under the edges, then stitch and "x" with white floss over the edges. Stamp a sentiment across the top of the photo. Punch 1" squares from patterned paper and trim the squares in half into triangles. Place the triangles in circles around and around the photo then stitch over the circles. Journal inside one of the rings with a white pen and place a white mini alphabet sticker title on the bottom right. Write the date with the white pen below the title. Embellish some of the triangles with buttons and sequins.

Supplies: Kit (Valley High), sequins, sentiment stamp: Studio Calico; Cardstock, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: American Crafts, BasicGrey, October Afternoon, One Little Bird, Paislee Press, Studio Calico; Mini alphabet stickers: BasicGrey; Pen: Uni-Ball Signo; Ink: StazOn; Square punch: EK Success; Sewing machine: Bernina; Thread: Coats & Clark
Now I'm wishing I could be on their official Creative Team! :)

The One with Everything To Do Between Now and July 8th


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Life is INSANELY CRAZY right now.
Like. 
OMG.
I just want to cry all day every day.
I should write an exposé about how difficult this entire process has been. 
How hard would it be to just send a packet in the mail with the orders to where we're being sent with every gosh dern thing we need to do?
Don't thousands upon thousands of soldiers get deployed and sent across the world every day?
I consider myself a knowledgable person, yet I find every step of this process a confusing labyrinth of losing battles with more forms, more paperwork, more signatures, more no's, more to dos, more "he says/she says", every day!
Sigh. 
Here is a glimpse of what we have to do between now and July 8th:

Saturday June 29th
12:30pm - Pick Chris up at the airport - yayayay! The kids REALLY miss Chris - 24 days is a long time!
Stop at PetCo and purchase crates for Joey and Rachel to fly in
Stop at Wells Fargo and get some Euros because I don't want to use credit cards because they charge an international fee everytime they're swiped.

Sunday June 30th
9am-12pm - Church
12-2pm, 5-10pm - Blog for the entire month of July for American Crafts cuz who knows when we'll have the internet set up in Germany.
2pm - Rachel and Joey have vet appointments for their international health certificates, rabies certificates, and microchip certificates - pay lots of fees.

Monday July 1st
6:00am - drive to Fort Lewis
8:20am - Fox has his physical
8:40am - Jane has her physical
10:00am - I have my physical
1:00pm - No-Fee Passport appointment. I had to drive all the way to Fort Lewis yesterday just to make an appointment. You have to make appointments to make appointments! SERIOUSLY NUTS! Originally I was told we couldn't fly to Germany without No-Fee Passports. And they take 6-8 WEEKS to process! But then yesterday I talked to a different lady at the exact same office and she said we CAN fly to Germany on our tourist passports, they just have to fill out some paperwork (surprise surprise) and then mail our No-Fee Passports to us in Germany. That's very good news. Very good news indeed. Moving along.

Tuesday July 2nd
9:00am - go to AAA and get Chris his international driving permit. I already got mine - it was the ONLY easy breezy thing we've done so far. Note to self - bring our own stupid 2x2" photo or else they charge 10 bucks to take one there. No thank you, I'll just take and print my own for 13 cents at Costco!
2:00pm - I have to drive all the way to Olympia to get Rachel and Joey's international health certificates signed by the state veterinarian and pay some outlandish fees. Bringing pets is a big fat pain, but Joey and Rachel are part of our family so we're doing whatever we have to to get them there!

Wednesday July 3rd
Fly to Utah for the annual Evans family reunion. Chris has to take official "time off" so we can go because the Army wanted him to fly straight from Texas to Germany but that's just not feasible to leave me hanging with two babies and a cat and a dog and a million bags! So any day that he's not in Germany after June 30th is vacation time used. Bummer dude.

Thursday July 4th
4th of July in Utah

Friday July 5th
Jay and Haylie's wedding!

Saturday July 6th
Fly back to Washington

Sunday July 7th
PACK PACK PACK

Monday July 8th
FLY TO GERMANY! Arrive at 8:30am on Tuesday!

So that's it! In less than 2 weeks we'll be in Germany! It's finally happening! There's a goal in site! Flights are booked! Plans are made! Let's get this show on the road!

Oh, and happy quarter-century birthday to my little brother Eric :) His wife, my sister-in-law, made the most adorable video montage to celebrate:

The One with June 2013 American Crafts Layouts


Monday, June 24, 2013

I took May off, but now I'm back with my June 2013 layouts for American Crafts!
TEN MONTHS

Journaling says: At 10 months you are eternally happy, smiley, and sweet. You are a great copier! Always moving and squirmy and lunging for toys. Sleeping through the night. Makes everyone feel so special. Waves "Hi!" and claps. Cutest girl ever!

How to: Punch scalloped borders from the Pebbles "Lakeside" and Crate Paper "The Pier" lines, layer them down a white cardstock background with a row of photos between, then stitch across the top of each scalloped border. Layer die cuts, stickers, buttons, wooden veneer shapes, and a Thickers title over the photos and stamp the date below. Write journaling between a pair of scalloped borders. Drop light blue spray mist around the embellishments. 

Supplies: Cardstock, date stamp, pen, adhesive: American Crafts; Patterned paper: Crate Paper, Pebbles; Wooden veneer: American Crafts (pennants), Pebbles (bird, bouquet); Stickers: American Crafts (asterisks, "cute", letters, number), Crate Paper (journaling spot), Pebbles (flowers, "hello"); Scalloped border punch: Fiskars; Die cuts: Crate Paper (heart, journaling spot, "you are"); Buttons: Dress It Up; Floss: DMC; Sewing machine: Bernina; Thread: Coats & Clark; Spray mist: Studio Calico
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KERRY PARK

Journaling says: This is the sweetest most glorious day that ever my eyes did see.

How to: Paint two sections of a blue cardstock background white and let it dry. Place photos over the paint. Punch dozens of circles from 6x6 patterned paper pads then cut each circle in half. Place the half circles in rings around the photos then sew around the rings. Add a few embellishments such as chipboard dots, enamel dots, an epoxy brad, and buttons, to the half circles. Place a Thickers title under one photo and add a bird sticker above. Place journaling stickers on the side and stamp the date below.

Supplies: Cardstock, epoxy brad, chipboard letter stickers, stamps (date, sentiment), ink: American Crafts; Patterned paper: American Crafts, Crate Paper, Pebbles, Studio Calico; Buttons: American Crafts (wooden), Crate Paper; Chipboard dots: Crate Paper; Enamel dots: My Mind's Eye; Stickers (bird, journaling): Pebbles; Paint: FolkArt; Sewing machine: Bernina; Thread: Coats & Clark; Circle punch: EK Success
 Until next month - maybe ;) I might need to take another month off depending on how "the big move" goes!

The One with the 2Peas Gardeners' Digest June 2013 Blog Hop


Saturday, June 22, 2013

The 22nd of the month means it's the 2Peas Gardeners' Digest Day - a monthly blog hop hosted by the Garden Girls! Below you will find a sneak of one of my upcoming layouts for the 2Peas Project Gallery a couple of projects from a scrapbooker that inspires me (Becky Williams), a list of 5 items that I've placed in my shopping cart, and a giveaway!

Here is a little sneak of the summer-themed layout that I created for the July 1st Garden Girl debut. Check out the rest of my Garden Girl creations HERE.
I'll post the entire layout on July 1st!
I've been working with Becky Williams through American Crafts for almost a year now (plus another year a year before that!) and am BIG FAN of her scrappy style. Since it's officially the 2nd day of summer, these summery and colorful layouts she made have me bursting at the seams to get outside and play in the sunshine!

Be sure to check out more of Becky's projects on her blog and her 2Peas Gallery.
Neon is IN! A lot of the clothes we're wearing lately have pops of neon so these enamel dew drop stickers by Freckled Fawn would make the perfect embellishment to my upcoming layouts.
I always hand cut my hearts and it takes forever and a day, so a heart punch by Fiskars would make the process sooooo much easier!
I want to frame this Lemon Zest 12x12 paper from the Citrus Squeeze collection by Webster's Pages and hang it on the wall...
An assortment of die cuts, cards, buttons, ribbon, and other ephemera from the new Travel Girl line by October Afternoon.
And last but certainly not least, still my favorite product these days, a 6x6 patterned paper pad called I (HEART) SUMMER from Simple Stories!
These fun products are only a click away!

I've got a giveaway to go along with this post! Just some extra goodies I've got hanging around begging to be scrapped including Pinwheels from The Pier by Crate Paper, Thickers from Mayberry by American Crafts, die cut cards from Hipster and Hey You! by BasicGrey, a smashbook type journal from BasicGrey, and two rolls of washi tape from the Valley High July 2013 kit from Studio Calico!
 Leave a comment on this post by Saturday June 29th letting me know what your summer plans are and I'll pick one lucky winner!

Next on the hop is Lilith Eeckels
Paige Taylor Evans © // Quinn Creatives DESIGN