EXPLORER FALLS... Blog Hop and some fun challenges to check out...

If you have arrived here from Lauren's blog, you are at the right place.

Welcome to Lasting Memories 300th Challenge blog hop! Several of our design team members are playing along and offering up some blog candy, so be sure to stop by each of their blogs.

For our 300th challenge... you are to use anything from the photo/game "MARBLES" as your inspiration for your layout.

LMCB300

Here is my layout...

I used the bright colors and circles represented from the marbles as my inspiration.

Summer has started in our house.  We are still busy with some upcoming baseball tournaments, but was able to get out for an adventure recently to check out great nature practically in our back yard.  Love the outdoors, and anything to rack up those steps on my Fitbit is a for sure plus!!

A few challenges that gave me the GO to create this layout that I am entering are...

CHALLENGE YOUrself 30 - Use Geometrical shapes & Patterns and include YOU in photo.

COLOUR Q 348 - Night of navy, Only Orange, Certainly Celery, Cool Carribean + White

JUST US GIRLS #350 - It's WORD week... "SUMMER" word theme

I am also offering up this small RAK.  

Just leave a comment on this post, so I know you were here and you are entered.  Following my blog too would be a bonus, but not necessary for the prize.  :)

I will draw a winner on Sunday 7/10!!  

Thanks so much for hopping along with us! Next up on the hop is super talented LORI

Here is the order of the blog hop in case you get lost along the way:

Lauren

Michele

Lori

Haven

Tina

Sandy

Barbara

Lasting Memories

Life is an Adventure...

Well yes it is!!  Have been busy on the home front lately... so I rewarded myself by getting to my scrap desk today.  :)  It's also very rainy here... and I am missing the sunshine, the warmth and simply hanging with my family.  So I am reliving one of our favorite adventures... HIKING.
Here is a layout that I did about our hike to Cherry Creek Falls this past August.  It was muggy hot.  Not a very well marked trail... but once we found the prize at the end, we were happy.  Love finding and seeing things after a bout of exercise.  Advantages all around.

I'm up on the blog over at Sketches

 in Thyme tomorrow (10/14) showcasing this great sketch from Shawn Lahr. 

 SIT 168.  

You have until the end of the month to play along.  :)

I am also showcasing a challenge from Lasting Memories LM 262 happening now until October 30th using the theme...  "Summer time Fun and use Paper Flowers."

Well it's our summer adventure and my sunshine is a "flower" along with an embellishment in the bottom right corner.  

And then... to inspire me even further... I am joining a challenge involving 4 blogs!!  I was only able to follow 3 of the challenges... but so excited I managed. Head on over to join... (all blog links below) Challenge YOUrself I used photos with ME in them.  :)    Scrap our Stash
You can see my Aqua and Pink washi tapes on bigger photo.  :) My Scraps and More
And to follow this color combo.  Navy, yellow, caramel, aqua and pink.  Did just that.  :)
Thanks for stopping by.  Lots of inspiration to see... and challenges to join.  :)

Keep Calm and Hang On...

Well I am going to remain calm for the fact that I finally got to my craft room!  Where did the last few months go?  And in looking at this layout I did... where did the last 3 years go?  I swear I just printed these pictures last week.  Ugh!! With that said... I am showcasing the newest sketch over at Sketches in Thyme! This was perfect for my Before and After photos of a family photo op almost gone bad.  The stairs collapsed with all of us on them as the camera auto clicked at just the right time.  Too funny... but as you can see from some of our facial expressions, we all were not laughing.

Sketch # 160 by Rochelle Spears Come on over to play with SIT 160 for a chance at a fantastic prize!!  There are 4 sketches to play along with each month.  Lots of inspirations and some awesome Design Team member creations.  You will love it!! I am also entering my layout in 3 challenges that inspired me to create my page. First one is Challenge YOUrself # 21 - Use the phrase "Keep Calm..." and add the rest.  Well my title says it all.  "Keep Calm and Hang On."  You have until 9/4 to play along with this one. You also need to include YOU in the photo.  I'm 3 up on the left with blond hair and a purple sweatshirt.  :) Second one is Frosted Designs monthly Friday challenge - Use Metal and/or metallics.  My sunshine is silver glitter paper, there is a small whale clip at the top of right photo and there is a metal plaque below left picture that says "year to remember."  You have until 8/31 to enter this one. Third one is Color Throwdown 355 - Use Aqua, Bright Blue and Gray.  And then any neutrals as well.  You have until Monday to play along. Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time!  :)  And hopefully not too long of a break.  I have a list of things to make for people, so of course I will share them here with all of you.  Have a great day!!

ONE day at a time... - Lasting Memories ch # 224

Well Happy End or Start of the week to you all.  It's Sunday which means the next challenge is up over at the Lasting Memories blog.  It also means I got some scrapping in during a very intense and exciting football game with the Seahawks!  They are Superbowl bound again and we can't be more excited.  Taking ONE game at a time.  #GoHawks LMCB 224   It's all about "Captured Moments."  

Well not only is New Year's Eve a captured moment in itself, but I set the timer on my camera, put it on the counter, thinking we were all posing for the picture... and then I was pleasantly surprised to see my son on the left with his lovely bunny ears above my head.  :)  It's that perfectly imperfect picture that captured the moment of reality.  You have the entire month to join this challenge and the one that started last Sunday.  "Simple Pleasures" and now "Captured Moments." 

Come join us!!!

Lasting Memories Challenges

Which leads to my chosen word for the New Year!  A word that we try to live by or basically defines what we are thinking or want to think on a day to day basis.  My chosen word is ONE.  With the photo not entirely perfect, I learned this last year that other things don't always go as planned and perfectionism is just not an attainable idea.  I have never wanted to be perfect... but sometimes we might look like everything is perfect, as we are hiding behind a forced smile and it's not.  We all are dealing with something that causes hurt, anxiousness or worry.  

I am vowing to take ONE year, ONE month, ONE week, ONE day at a time.  

Everything happens for a reason and to worry too much about the future is pretty much a waste of time in the present.  Gotta enjoy the moment now.  

The challenge at CHALENGE YOUrself # 14 for this month helped me to start and complete my layout.  You are to include a photo of yourself and scrap about your one little WORD for the new year.  

My word is ONE.

I also used the sketch at SKETCHABILITIES # 130.  Great sketch!!

  

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I "Challenge" you to scrap about a captured moment, your one little word for 2015 or this great sketch above.   See you all soon!!  :)
Crash your Stash #2

ME at 44...

Good morning!!  ***  Go HERE for the Sketches in Thyme Hop  :) Hey everyone!  I'm here to share with you a layout for the latest challenge over at  Lasting Memories!!   It's the beginning of our September challenges.  They go all month.  Your chance to win a prize, be featured, monthly top 3 or GDT for the month of November are all up for grabs. LMCB #206 It's all about an "Asian Theme." Use papers, vacation photos, embellies or what I did... the infamous WASHI TAPE on your layouts. Here's Mine...

Journaling reads... Mom, Wife, Daughter, Friend, Hiker, Cheerleader, Coach, Photographer, Happy, Proud, Always needs Coffee.  :)

And that is just a tid bit of my life at the age of 44.

and a close-up of Washi Tape...

For the last 3 months, I have wanted to join in on the challenges over at 

a newer blog called Challenge YOUrself.  I finally get to!  You just have to include a photo of yourself and this month you are to scrap about your age right now.  There are a few more days to join for an outstanding prize.  And what better way to get YOU in your own scrapbooks.  

The colors over at COLOR ME Playful inspired me as well for my layout.  

Marina Mist, Tangerine Tango, Pink Pirouette and Very Vanilla.

I am sliding into home plate with this one.  Challenge ends Noon EST today!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Lots of fun things to join in on.  Hope you find the time.