Just me My Soldier and our 4 little chicks

suspicious activity.

mommy looks green.

all the time.

daddy told her she looked green yesterday and i think she didn't like it very much.

and she wants to sleep all the time.

daddy has been making supper every night and mommy?

is always in her pajamas.

i suspect it's something to do with that baby. hmmmph.

daddy says that when mommy was pregnant with me she went a little bit crazy.

and talked about selling all of her scrapbooking supplies.

well last night i heard daddy saying "ohhh Lordie, here we go again".

luckily, i hear this is only temporary insanity.

granny's cupboard

Studio Calico's May kit, Granny's Cupboard went live last night. And although it's sold out, there are several things still available...and i'd love to share what i made!

I got the Linens & Lace and Trinkets add-ons.

I also got Add-On Patterned Paper

and the October Afternoon Thrift Shop Sticker Sheet.

Many people loved Trinkets b/c of the colors, and I agree...but I have to tell you that Linens & Lace has a special place in my heart. It has a beautiful vintage vibe, and I love those envelopes. I made the layout below using Linens & Lace, plus the alphas and from the Main.

i've been wanting to document, word for word, this crazy bedtime routine that sadie and i have. it's a pretty simple page, actually. flowers hand cut from the girl's paperie cabbage rose paper (which may very well be my favorite patterned paper of all time), embellished with the k&co button flowers...and one of those precious maya road envelopes. i love these photos of the two of us and i'm so glad i got to use them on a page i adore.

this page is proof (in my opinion), that you can use only a few embellishments and  one paper to make a page that doesn't look super simple.

made using main kit, linens & lace, trinkets, and the october afternoon sticker sheet from the shop.

another one that is relatively simple. well, all of these, with exception of one are simple. i think pregnancy is going to make me into a pretty simple scrapper :)

can you tell how much i loved these thickers from the knick knacks add-on? holy cow! i used them on almost every single layout! note to self: order more NOW.

i also LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE the october afternoon paper i used here. i love it so much, i could only use it sparingly...since i only have the one sheet.

i know the main kit is sold out, but there is more patterned paper in the shop (and this sheet is in that kit)...the more patterned paper is a wonderful alternative. and i just really love the papers this month.

 

using the lovely linens & lace plus that stinkin' sticker sheet i love so much!

this one also uses my new obsession, the modern garland punch from martha stewart. hopefully it will be back in stock soon b/c you need it. *I* need it! thanks for letting me borrow yours, nik!

i made this one at the crop this weekend at vintagefest. how lame is that that in two nights of cropping, i only got one layout done?? to be fair- a. this was my first crop EVER and b.i was sucked dry creativity wise.

regardless, i sure do love this sweet little layout.

this layout is about the time we have left together as a family of four and how i want to make it special. again, i feel a bit of guilt for changing the family dynamic. but don't you always feel some sort of guilt as a mama?? i think it's part of the job description, ha!

this is another reason i love those maya road envelopes. you can use them as a lovely decorative edge to highlight your photos.

 

this one uses trinkets.

also the bracket border punch.

ehhhh, i'll be honest. i don't *love* this one. there, i said it!!! i don't love every layout i make!! but the important part is that the photos and words are down now.

it's a bit of k&co ephemera vomit here, isn't it? i went a bit out of control. HEEEE! but hey, it is what it is...i love these photos.

people ask me pretty regularly if i trash layouts. the answer is a resounding "no". this is just my opinion, but it's not worth stressing about layouts you don't love. like i always say, i don't think one day my girls are going to look at this and say...

"UGH...ephemera overload!!!". no, hopefully they will just enjoy the photos. :)

ahem, moving on...

 

this one uses the main and the two addons i purchased, as well as the OA sticker sheet. linens and lace is so soft and pretty. perfect for these easter photos.

please note that yet again i've used that girls paperie cabbage rose paper and those thickers. obsessed much??

this one is pretty self explanatory, all about the photos. all about how different my two little dollies are.

 

this one uses almost all items from the main kit, with the exception of a couple of things from trinkets.

the photo is printed directly on cardstock from the Cosmo Cricket Neutral Coredinations pack. Isn't it a gorgeous effect? I think it makes the photo look as if it was printed on linen.

the font used here is Fling.

this is for my NSD challenge at Studio Calico, Scrap your Opposite.

here is why this layout is my opposite (as if you can't tell, ha!!)

a. photo printed on cardstock

b. typed journaling

c. graphic, simple design

d. not super feminine.

when i completed this layout i said...HEY! i think i can do boy layouts...ha!!!

see more about all of the NSD challenges here. i so hope you will join in!

okay. one last thing before i end this MONSTER post that has taken me a bazillion hours to type (i sure hope y'all are still reading!).

 

April is running a promotion on American Crafts adhesives. Buy an adhesive and get a refill for free... uh, this adhesive junkie thinks that's pretty AWESOME!

you can get

dots

solid

or strips.

so take advantage, okay? :)

i hope you all have a beautiful wednesday...and that you enjoyed my epic post. teehee.

off to slave away on the nearly FOUR!!! year old's pinkalicious party.

it's a work in progress to be sure!

there is candy to be sorted and arranged

and garlands to be made:

 

love you all!

xoxo

NSD at Studio Calico

Studio Calico is having a big blowout on National Scrapbooking Day, which is on Saturday, May 1st.

I,unfortunately, won't be around...Harper's last soccer game is that morning and her Pinkalicious Birthday Party is that afternoon!

But I will be hosting a challenge that day.

Here's my challenge, shall you choose to accept:

Scrap Your Opposite.

What does that mean, you may ask? Well, it's simple. Scrap the opposite of the way you usually scrapbook.

Do a two pager if you only do one pagers. Do a simple, graphic style page if you are usually a detailed scrapper.

Here's a little peek of the page i made:

 

it totally looks like a boy page. Well, my version of a "simple boy page". and i'd say that's my opposite. :)

one more note about NSD. my friend noell (of paperclipping) is doing a live event for NSD this year. she will be taking scrap supply donations to help children under state custody (social services) make life books. PLEASE read all about it here. i can't think of a cooler opportunity to make a difference... i know i've got a huge drawer of goodies to give.

okay, gotta go. both of the girls are on amoxicillin and it's a mess around here. crying, crying, and more crying.

see you soon,

s

jenni love (oh, and flea market finds!!!)

okay. it's no secret i love jenni bowlin. love her.

i've loved her for years...long before i ever knew her at all. long before i could ever call her a friend.

as a matter of fact, i'm pretty sure this is my 192830128310284th post here declaring my love for her.

why? you might ask?

well, a million reasons. she's gracious, kind, lovely, a fabulous business woman....pretty much everything i want to be. she's inspires me in a million little ways, more with every year i know her.

her husband is fantastic, too. they are just a precious family and i loved hanging out this weekend.

(yes this photo is kind of stalkerish, but i wanted to photograph her in action haahhaha).

and going to a flea market with my flea market guru??
AAACKKKKKKKKK!

um, awesome.

even though that day? was the most morning-sickness i've had since i got pregnant. i mean, truly horrible. i was green.

but i popped a zofran and 20 minutes later? TA DA!!!  a new non- green stephanie!!

lorie and i took our time wandering around the HUGE Tennessee state fair grounds flea market for hours. and lots of the time we kind of just followed jenni to see what she was buying. HA!

it was so much fun just taking my time and chatting with lorie.

i ended up with a few things i LOVE.

hobnail milk glass (but of course!!!):

 

juice glasses (i collect these as well, i love love the colors):

 

pyrex (of course!)...the brooches are from jenni's shop she set up at the class site, aren't they beautiful?
 

see the two chicks on this children's juice glass? love!

 

tablecloth:

 

 

feels strange to be collecting fives now! thanks for this one, nik!

 

jenni's vintagefest shop was awesome. i went a tad crazy. luckily J loves my main purchase. he went nuts for it, but i knew he would.

we don't have a headboard on our bed, but i think i found something that will work...

 

 

helllloooo lover. :)

here are a few more things i bought from her:

 

 

 

 

i so needed a "fee farket" fix. seriously. it's been way too long.

i just wish i would have felt better. i could have just cried that i felt so sick the whole time.

but it was totally worth it!!

i got to hang out with some of my favorite people in the world, and laugh until i cried. or snorted. whatever.

i also met some precious new friends.

i'll share photos of people tomorrow...you know the things were the first photos i had to share. HA!

oh, and jimmy? did an incredible job. he's the best daddy ever.

xoxo

s

April Giveaway Winners

SCT Subscription Giveaway:

253

Vanessa M Santamaria said..Wow! Such great giveaways!!! I have been wanting to get my hands on a copy of this magazine for a long time! :) Have a great weekend with JB and the girls and good luck with that adorable shutterfly photo!

Elle's Studio Winner One (misc set of tags,etc.):

56

Jennie M said...

Love them!!!

Elle's Studio Winner Two (banner kit):

1

Linda G said...

I would love, love to win either one !!! GREAT stuff from both!!!!

way to go girls...send me your info at stephaniehowell8(AT)gmail(DOT)com

and i'll get the info out to the companies!

back soon w/ a vintagefest post!

xoxo

april sponsor giveaways!!!

before i tell you about the awesome giveaways this month, i wanted to beg (ha! i'm shameless) for votes again.

my birthday photo made it into the final round at shutterfly, along with 24 other photos.

i think you have through april 29 to vote, and you can vote once per 24 hour period.

i'm so excited about this!! spazzing out, really...SHOCKING!!

and i'd love you to help me out if my photo is your favorite of the bunch.

you can see it HERE. thank you so much!!

now on to the fabulous giveaway (s)!!!

my very favorite scrapbooking publication (run by the kindest, sweetest, encouraging women), Scrapbook and Cards Today, is giving one lucky winner a year subscription starting with the current spring issue

have you checked out their blog? it's awesome...with all sorts of challenges, inspiration, and weekly giveaways on friday.

If you go to the website, linked above, you can download the current issue for free. I promise you'll love it. You've heard me talk about it before. Great layouts, content, photos, and the icing on the cake? The team there is honestly the best I've worked with. I'd love for you to support them if you aren't already doing so.

 

Next up is Elle's Studio.

Elle put up a TON of new stuff this week and i love it all. 36 NEW items total!! .the colors are fantastic and those banners...sigh!

If you aren't familiar with Elle's shop, please go check it out. Like I always say, I love promoting small businesses run by women.

The new products you can purchase include: a vintage Sweet Summer line, expanded birthday and baby items, stamps, atc sized journaling tags, tiny tags and MORE! Don’t miss all these amazing items – they are a must have for cards, layouts and mini albums!

 

 

Next week they will have a step-by-step tutorial on how to make this adorable banner, so make sure you check out their blog or join them on Facebook!

 

There will be TWO WINNERS who will win Elle's goodies.

ONE winner will win the banner kit and ONE winner will win the selection of tags and labels.

Is it bad that I want to enter and win this? Is that inappropriate? HMMM.

Okay, so there you have it. Three winners. One magazine subscription, And two Elle's Studio winners!

If you are interested, please leave a comment by Sunday night. I'm leaving this one open extra long, since I'm heading out of town tomorrow morning and won't be back until Sunday.

Please say a little prayer for Major Howell. He's super excited to have his first weekend alone with the chickies. He will do an amazing job, just pray for ME that I can have fun and not worry!!

Love you all!

xoxo

s

 

for elise

i was asked to participate in an online wedding shower for the sweet and precious elise blaha.

the assignment?? post words of advice to elise as her wedding day approaches (this saturday!!!).

first let me say this...elise is beautiful, talented, creative, and best of all? kind. i'm a big fan of hers and i thought long and hard about what advice to give her.

after all, i'm no expert!

like i always say, no marriage is perfect, not ours...not anyone's. but oh, how i love my husband. how i love being his wife.

and i know how much elise loves...adores paul. it's apparent in her words and her smile.

i don't have anything deep, insightful, or magical to share.

it's simple.

love him with all of your heart.

tell him you're proud of him every day.

enjoy the special time you will share together before you have babies. it's such a wonderful time. even though you have been living together for a bit, this will be different. like waking up to Christmas morning every morning. savor it.

be strong. it will be hard when he leaves, but staying strong makes it easier for them to leave. so they can do their job.

don't forget about making out. like teenagers. it's the best. :)

i'm so happy for you and the beautiful future ahead of you. you will fall in love with him more as each year goes by. even more with each baby you have.

and you will get madder at him than you EVER thought you could. but making up? is the best part. :)

i love seeing lovely people in love.

congratulations and all the best in the world, sweet girl!

xo

scrappy sunday 4/17- confessions of a flea market queen

cardstock- core'dinations JBS

patterned papers- my mind's eye

 leaves, sequins- prima

punches- EK success bubbles and bracket

alphas- basicgrey

label- SC Home Front Collection

(BTW, once this collection is gone, it's gone...so make sure to get it while it's still around!!)

chipboard accents- crate paper

i have to say that this layout makes me miss junking MADLY. here's a secret, though. we *may* be moving to savannah relatively soon. think that will do it for me? ;) ;)

eta: i'm determined to stay positive and focus on my blessings. a family that is my home no matter where i go. :) so let's not talk about the bad parts of moving. i *will* stay upbeat about this...feeling sad or worried won't help me one bit.

another quick fix for my addiction? i'm on my way to nashville this thursday for Jenni Bowlin's VintageFest. 

on friday, we're hitting up the TN state fair grounds flea market. i cannot wait. and it's the icing on the cake that i'm meeting precious friends there. so looking forward to this trip!

okay. on with the layout supplies. this one is pretty easy to replicate, i don't think i need to give many instructions.

i went back through my blog archives, and collected some of my favorite photos of flea market/antique finds. (the dressform is cheating, it's not something i found at the flea market, and it's not old...i just needed another photo and liked the way it looked there. :))

layer some punched patterned papers, arrange photos in a grid, embellish grid with chipboard pieces and leave/sequined accents...and voila!

my favorite part though is the "advice". i'm glad i got these things down, i might have preggers brain at the flea market this friday and have to refer to this layout for direction. HEE!

okay, everyone...hope you have a beautiful sunday.

xo

this week

this week:

azaleas blooming

sprinkler playing

picnic lunches at the park

special breakfasts for two little chickies

tricycle riding

party planning

dry-heaving

zofran taking (THANK YOU LORD)

cat nap sneaking

grocery planning (and failing miserably)

restaurant eating 

**sidenote- it just took me 10 tries to spell restaurant correctly. it completely escaped my mind. had to google it. ?!?!?!?!?**

YA reading

toenail painting (have you seen piggy paint for the wee ones? it's the best)

dress buying

tax filing

doctor going

banner painting

parade watching

 

 

 

blogging.

:)

happy saturday!

back tomorrow with scrappy Sunday.

xo

s

details

first, and from the bottom of my  heart, THANK YOU! thank you for the outpouring of love and excitement that you've shared with my family the past couple of days.

i can't even tell you how wonderful i think you all are. thank you for your good wishes, for your joy.

so this picture clearly has nothing to do with a baby,

but it demonstrates all the waiting the girls are going to have to do over the coming months.

b/c they want a baby NOW! they try to talk to "him" (as harper says?!?!?!?) through my belly button. and i keep telling them how little the baby is, and how long we have to wait...but you try explaining that concept to them.

it's verrrry early days yet.

but i couldn't keep my mouth shut for a few reasons.

a. i'm RIDICULOUSLY tired. i keep trying to sneak upstairs and hide in bed, and then one of the girls finds me and that dream is shattered. no rest this pregnancy, i tell you!

b. i am already having creativity issues. with my last pregnancy, i HATED scrapbooking with the wrath of a million suns. hated it. the smell of my craft room made me dry heave. i am praying that that isn't the case this time, but i am already NOT feeling creative. that pertains to blogging, and y'all would have figured it out way soon.

as a matter of fact, i've alread gotten emails, FB comments the past week (MONTHS!!) asking if i was pregnant. and i kept saying no, but i guess the power of suggestion finally worked. HEE!

c. i was inspired by my friend April to go ahead and share that i was pregnant. April (HALLELUJAH!!) is pregnant after several rounds of IVF. she has been so open and transparent about the entire thing, and i've been so inspired and touched by her honesty. it's in my nature to share, so i just went ahead and told everyone.

d. is it bad that i knew everyone would know here as *soon* as i turned down a glass of wine? what? it's just not in my nature. HA!!

so here we are. i'm suspecting i'm due in december. and we are thrilled and terrified all at once. isn't it funny how it works like that?

jimmy, especially, can't wipe the grin off of his face:

 

he's positively giddy. if it was up to james carr howell, we'd have as many kids as the Duggars.

*shudder*.

and harper? she's in heaven:

 

we told her we had some big news to tell her.

she's been so worried about why i'm so tired. why i keep "wanting to BARF!!" her words, not mine.

she said "I THINK I KNOW THE BIG NEWS!!"

and jimmy asked her what she thought

and she said "THERES A BABY BRUDDER COMING TODAY!!!"

and we said not today and told her we had to wait but that yes, there was a baby coming.

and she said "OH, dat's the big news?? (insert sad,deflated look)

and j told her that there was a baby in my tummy right NOW!
and she said

"OOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH this IS REALLY GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!"

and then she jumped up and down and kept trying to pull up my shirt. and then we let her call our parents to tell them. it went something like this.

"BB? i have some WONDERFUL news you won't bewieve!!! I"M HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!"

i mean really, it makes me tear up just thinking of it. her age is so fun for her to experience this. i just know i'm going to have so many good stories. HA!

and sadie? not really interested. she just keeps pointing at me and yelling "BIG BELLY!!" (uh, thanks, that ain't baby you're seeing, sadie) and also "MY BABYYYYYYYYY!" in kind of a psycho way that frightens me a bit.

so that about covers it. and man, i am TIRED. must.sleep. i can't even tell you how long it's taken me to write this post b/c it's sad. teeheee!

one more thing (well technically three).

i wanted to share my sneaks for the May Studio Calico kit, Granny's Cupboard.

i got the main kit, linens & lace, trinkets, and more add-on patterned paper.

i've done four layouts, and I'd love to do more, but not sure if i will. Maybe I will have a burst of energy!!

Trinkets

Linens & Lace

 

Main, Trinkets, Linens & Lace, shop extras

oh dear Lord have mercy. if i don't end this post now, it will nevereverever get posted.

but i want to say this one more time...thank you. truly.

love you all, happy thursday!

xoxo

s