CreativeSnaps

its been a LoOoOoooooong time!!!

Really, it has.  My last post was over seven months ago!  I'm guessing no one really comes here anymore, but I plan on updating again :)  Things here are going good...I got really busy last winter, around the time I quit blogging, and it has been hard to find the time to get back into it.

BUT, something I"m super excited about that I did recently made me want to start blogging again.  I opened an etsy store (LINK HERE)...FUN!  I have lots of Halloween goodies on there now (and will be adding more).  Everything in my shop is printable, like:

printable bookmarks - perfect gift for young readers (I've already printed these out for Quinn and he is using them and anxious to give them to his friends at school_:

Goodie bag tags, customized just for you (more of these coming too):

and custom made photo cards:

and I cant wait to use these as cupcake toppers:

So I"m happy to say I'm designing - just for fun - again :)  My bookmarks are also available at polkadotpotato.com too. 

And if I do have any long, lost blog readers out there, please post a comment, I will give one of these Halloween treats to the first person who leaves a comment!!! :)

:)

Kim

Free template for 365 photo challenge

Hey!  I'm going to be posting weekly on the BHG Scrapbooks Etc blogs, and I just put up my first post.  It's a photo collage/template made for a week's worth of photos for those of us doingthe 365 challenge :) 

Check it out by clicking here :)

two things I love today...

This photo:



This song:


Things here are going good though...I know I've been mia on my blog, but I'm swamped with web work right now....but more fun/scrappy stuff coming soon :)

a funny :)

So this Sunday morning was kind of rough, Kacy was having one of those days.  She was acting kind of crazy in the morning, getting ready for church, after church, she just was grumpy and crazy and no listening.  So I said "Kacy must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today!"

Quinn said, "She woke up on the dark side of the Force." 

LOL!  I love my Quinn boy!  And Kacy thought it was funny too :)

I posted some more pics to my 365 project!  I missed a couple of days, but I'm not stressin' ...it takes the fun out of it!

:)
Kim

365 progress :)

I got my Project 365 uploaded, I set up a completely new site for it, link HERE (and there is a link  in my right menu bar, at the top).  I did miss a few days, Kacy got a stomach virus two weeks in a row, and the last thing I wanted to do was take pics (I actually totally forgot about it)....so in the days I missed, I put up extras I had from other days.

Have a great weekend!

Kim

Hello normal routine!

So today was the first day back at school after the long break!  Quinn asked to take two apples this morning, and I was like why????  He doesn't normally eat apples.  He told me he wanted to take them to his teachers :)   Anyways, everyone made it to work and school on time, so that was good!  We've been sleeping in late over the break!

My 365 challenge photo for today, January 5, 2009:  Look what the delivery guy brought to our doorstep today!  The kids will be SO EXCITED when they get home.  My forever friend, Jenn, who's wedding we were in back in October has been sending these to us every month for three months as a bridesmaid gift to me.  I mean, HOW AWESOME is that?  Thank you Jenn!  We love this gift!  Such a neat idea, she ordered them from  amazingclubs.com.  It comes with EVERYTHING anyone would need to have the perfect movie night at home....5  or 6 bags of popcorn (more than plenty to fill up the tub), yummy candy, chocolates, seasoning for the popcorn, gift card to blockbuster.... :)

Yesterday's 365 day challenge photo, January 4, 2009:  Kacy re-discovered the headphones that were hidden away in the back of the van yesterday.  So EVERYWHERE we went, she put them on her head.  I snapped a quick photo of her......:

I'm loving this challenge so far!  Definitely taking pictures of things/moments I normally wouldn't! 

Have a great week!

:)
Kim

Happy New Year!

First things first :)  I started the 365 day challenge this year (taking a photo every day for 365 days).  I'm totally excited about this.  I feel like I didn't take nearly enough in 2008.  One of the main reasons is my favorite lens broke and I never replaced it, but hopefully soon I'll be able to.   At the end of the year, I'm going to make a 36S photobook with my photos and captions..... so here are my first photos:

Day one, January 1 2009:  okay, this is before I actually decided to do the 365 challenge and is the only picture I took on the 1st...so its kind of random ....we were riding down the road and saw some deer.  Kevin was like "Shouldn't you take a picture of the the deer?" (lol)
 

Day 2, January 2, 2009:  The dreaded self portrait.  Yesterday was the day I actually decided to do the challenge.  I was sitting in front of the computer, no make-up, no fixed hair, and I just used my lamp for the lighting and this is what I got.  I don't take nearly enough pictures of me :)

Day 3, January 3, 2009:  The Crothers go to the Renaissance....they unveiled a new fountain recently that I was anxious to take some pictures of.  I have two pics that I really love from today:

 
 

I'm in a sepia-ish mood lately, can you tell?  If anyone out there in blogland is doing the 365 challenge, please share your pics!  I would love to see them!

As far as new years resolutions, I'm totally keeping with my main theme from last year (click here for more details).  It worked out great, got a lot of things accomplished, but I know I can do better :)  I also need to cook more and continue to LOSE WEIGHT!!!!  My total weight lost for 2008 ended up only being 18 pounds (I gained some back in November/December).  I want to make running a habit in 2009. 

Speaking of running, the Marathon Makeover defeated me....I was doing good until our 8 mile training run, my knee was hurting for six days after that run.  The next week was the nine mile run, so I ran that and my knee got a lot worse, and after that I was done.  I've had to slowly start getting back.  I took most of December off from running from fear of my knee getting worse.  This week I've been running with no pain, so I'm excited about that :)

Christmas was good, I gave the gift of photobooks and calendars mostly!  Here are some pics of the books I gave to my parents and sister:

I made this book from the pre-designed book available at Stories By Everyone at Scrapbooks Etc....I could not be more pleased with how it turned out!  The inside cover is this awesome patterned paper....love it!

I got an unexpected surprise toward the end of December, I gave some samples of my work for Noritsu to use in their booth at the upcoming CES (Consumer Electronics Showcase) and they sent me three copies of the bound book...its 8x8 and I LOVE it!  Most of these layouts I had never even printed before, despite the fact that some of them were 3+ years old (I need to print ALL my layouts this year....I need to make that a priority)  Here is a pic of the books, they have 40 layouts inside:

Anyways, thats a little update.  I'm hoping to be a better blogger in 09 as well!

:)
Kim

8 years of Christmas cards :)

2001

2002:

2003:

2004:

2005:

2006:

2007:

2008:

Posting all of these made me so happy!!! 

Kim

I always liked the title Webmaster :)

I started a new/part time job last week.  It seems like a whole lifetime ago that I was a fulltime Webmaster for WorldCom, ....its funny how things go full circle.  When I left my last webmaster job, it was like a huge weight had been lifted, I was leaving and never wanted to go back to that....but now, seven years later, here I am again, but with a refreshed feeling that wasn't there before :)  I am excited for this new opportunity, and thankful, and I get to work from home.  Does it get any better than that?  :) The job is temporary (goes until May), but that is perfect timing...just when the kids will be out for school!.....and the amazing thing, I wasn't even looking for a job!  I ran into a man at our new church who I did work for a long time ago, and he had a part time job available and asked me if I still did that.....

Lots to do this week!  We have to get our Christmas tree tonight, I need to get some pics of the kids for Christmas cards (I'm late on that), and I still have lots of gifts fo complete & order!!!

This song, I LOVE IT!  Listen, its a definite pick-me-up... my eyes are small but they have seen the beauty of enormous things...:) the David Crowder Band

I'll post some pics when I get a chance!

Kim

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Its 3:36am and I'm up thawing out a turkey!!!!  We are having Thanksgiving at our house this year....so it will be a BUSY day!  In the past, I've had Thanksgiving here, but it's been kind of a potluck where we cooked the turkey and other people brought the other stuff, but this year I'm cooking turkey, ham, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatos, fudgies, ....lol.... my MIL is bringing the dressing though :) 

One of the best memories of this Thanksgiving was seeing this drawing of Quinn's hanging in a local store window, it says "I am thankful for angels":

 

And here is a pic of Kacy in one of her Indian costumes (she has two now)....she has been singing Thanksgiving songs, being so excited:

Quinn did great during his Thanksgiving play, but I didn't  get very good pics!  His lines were:

 "Just as the pilgrims were thankful for their new home America, we can show thankfulness for our country by repecting our flag and being a good citizen."

He spoke very loud and clear and even got an applause (and someone told him afterwards that he might be a politician one day...lol).
'
Anyways, I'm going to try to get a couple more hours of sleep.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!  Oh, and check out the black Friday sales at polkadotpotato.com tomorrow!

:)
Kim