Christmas 1956

 I didn't remember this photo being taken but earlier this year I found it among some older photos.  I was so happy to find this photo of my sister Sandra and I with Santa Claus.  My Mama took us to have this photo taken.  I was thankful the photo had the date!  

I used the Echo Park Paper Company Christmas Cheer Collection kit to complete this heritage layout.  I love Bazzill cardstock to mat photos and journal.  I used the Cricut to write the title on a journaling card from the kit and cut the photo mat.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

 Karina loved playing outside in the snow with Daddy!  This was winter 1978 in the new house.  

I used the Let It Snow Echo Park Paper Collection kit.  I cut the pine trees from Bazzill cardstock using the Cricut Explore Air 2.  I love using the Echo park enamel dots for accents. 

 

What a busy day today was!

Today is a chilly one for September.  My husband cleaned the pool this morning so the children can get in as soon as school is over.  It was dirty from the days of rain we had.  He had to clean the filter too.  I love that pool so much!  The new Hinspergers 14 mil solar cover is so much nicer than any others we have bought.  It keeps the pool a lot warmer!  So, tonight I am grilling hot dogs, rosemary potatoes, Blue Lake green beans, watermelon and s'mores.  Kids in the pool quickly and then Isabella heads to band practice.  Thursday dinner during band season is rough.  In fact Monday, Wednesday or Friday are the worst days for dinner.  We have to eat an early light supper as Isabella and JW leave some days at 4:30.  

Tonight we will watch Heartland.  That program is on Hallmark Movies Now and it is our favorite show!  Isabella has some crazy way to drag two episodes in at once so we don't know!  We can only watch one a night because we started with Season One during corona and there are 13 seasons...we are up to season 10.  They are filming season 14 now but if she keeps watching two a night I will run out of shows to watch!  I told her no more after I caught on last night!  Only one show at a time.  LOL!  BTW-have a look at the Heartland shirts my family's company, Southern Style on Fifth Avenue, made for us!  Love them!  I ordered a long sleeve one too!

  

Home for the Holidays

 Christmas 1982 

Christmas at Gram and Pappy Smith's house was the most fun!  We always ate Christmas dinner after opening our gifts.  They bought the BEST gifts!

I used the Christmas Cheer Echo Park Collection kit for the background paper, stickers, and chipboard.  Bazzill green and white card stock made great mats to accent the photos.  The title is from Miss Kate's Cuttables and I used the Cricut to cut it.  

 

Decorating the Tree at Pappy and Grams

 Daddy, Mama and Karina decorating my parent's home for Christmas! They love Christmas!

The Best Blueberry Muffins

I have to share this recipe for the best blueberry muffins I have ever eaten!  I was looking at People Magazine's August 17, 2020 issue.  A food blogger and author of Smitten Kitchen Every Day came up with this recipe after searching for a perfect blueberry muffin.  I have also been searching for a perfect blueberry muffin so I gave these a try.  I will keep this recipe in my favorites file.  The only thing I did not care for was that by the next morning the few that were left over were greasy on the bottom of the paper liner.  If you are not eating them all in one day I would recommend using the paper lined foil wrappers or slide a pretty liner over the greasy paper one.  Also, instead of using turbinado sugar I use the clear chunky sugars that are decorations for baking.  You could even use the colored ones...I almost used purple!  I love the crunchiness of that type of sugar...and so do the children!  You can find the recipe on her website at https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/08/perfect-blueberry-muffins/  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Scrapbooking Spring photos

Today we scrapbooked spring photos.  It is always hard to scrapbook photos that are not the current season or holiday but if you are sending them to be published you have to work ahead with the magazine's schedule.  

It was fun working with my granddaughter here to give her input and advice!  We got three double page layouts done!  That is my goal amount for each day and I am always glad when I get that many finished.  I am not a fast scrapbooker.  I fuss over the photos and want some Photoshop adjustments.  I stress over the papers and the decorative elements.  I know...it would seem that if is this stressful then why do I do it?  I simply and purely love to scrapbook.  I love my finished pages.  I have decided that it is my job to do this now.  It is my passion!  

Here are my latest pages.  

You can find many of my pages on my Facebook page, 1Nana2GirlsScrapbook. 

Also check out 1 Nana & 2 Girls Scrapbook on Pinterest!

You will find more inspiration on Instagram.