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Did you hear? I'm having a giveaway! For more details, scroll down, or click on this link to head straight over there, and click here to see what's included in the RAK!

I thought I'd share a big photo post because I'm starting to find that I'm getting mixed up the farther behind I am posting here to my blog! So, if I can keep up with my online gallery posts, I shouldn't hopefully get confused anymore. There's two layouts that I'm pretty sure I haven't posted, but I am not 100% sure. I need to go back through my posts and double check, but I'm too lazy. Maybe one day I will, but not now lol. 

These three layouts occurred back at the end of June, when Kyle's mom and step dad came up to visit. In the first layout, Addison was saying hi to grandma- they had just arrived. I wanted to stick with a green and yellow colour palette, and when I adhered the block sticker letters (they're actually the negative of the letters that were there at one time), they just didn't look right to me. I doodled the stitching onto each of the letters- I kind of like it. I love the homespun look, and that's how this looks to me.

Every piece of paper on that layout is scraps, save for the green polka dotted patterned paper in the background, and the grey piece of card stock everything is matted to. The flower embellies and the sentiment are Sandy Lion (dollar store), and the button is miscellaneous. This layout was also made using the week 1 sketch (July's) over at the monthly sketch challenge on scrapbook.com.

The next layout was made using another sketch, but this time I found it over at Page Maps (July 2009). A little later on that afternoon (when the grandparents arrived), the kids played in their pool and chased the new dog (to the grandparents) around. I wanted to especially highlight the picture of Addison switching hats with her grandpa- it just shouts all kinds of adorable to me!! Once again, all the embellishments on that layout are from the Dollar Store. (I have to admit, I'm quite impressed with the scrapbooking goodies our local Dollar Store carries...I think I should shop there a little more often!)

The last layout was done with my own brain power. I wanted to make this layout look like a magazine spread, because honestly, I {humbly} think it should be in a magazine! While the in-laws were here, they finally got my bed finished. 

Bed finished you're asking yourself. Yes, finished. What began as a project that I wanted done while I was pregnant and living in Saskatchewan (I couldn't do it myself because of said pregnancy), wasn't actually tackled AND/OR finished until 2.5 years later and in a totally new province. Kyle had been hanging onto his waterbed frame (who knows why), and he asked me if I would like to use it as the frame for our bed. Yes, I told him, but only as long as it was made over. I loathed the 80's finish on it, and the horrid 80's frosted mirror that came along with it. Tacckkkyyyyy was all I could think. 

I was a little afraid of how the mirror would look in it after we stripped the varnish, re-painted and aged the wood (which apparently was super simple- just mix half water and half paint, and once that dries, take steel wool and rub it over the wood. The more you steel wool your wood, the more antiqued/aged it becomes). But, it actually looks surprisingly good! (Now if only the mirror wasn't cracked). 

(And, on a side note, the red blanket that's on our bed in the picture doesn't actually belong there. My colour scheme in our bedroom is grey and aquamarine/bluey...the comforter that matches the pillows on the bed is too hot in the summer, hence the red blanket...)

I bought new curtains so that our room wouldn't feel so heavy and dark (because everything that belongs on our bed actually came in a bed in a bag- including curtains), and I love how airy and summery it feels. These were clearance at Fields, because they were (are) closing out. I also bought brown ones, which are still yet to be hung in my living room. Maybe one day! Mayyybeee...when I get the custom shelving units that my dad is kindly going to build for me, which will be placed on either side of my living room window! That would be the most opportune time! (Pictures will follow when said project is actually completed!)

OK, back on task. The strips of patterned paper are both Recollections (My Favorite Things), and the buttons are once again miscellaneous. The title work was stamped using Basic Black ink (SU), and the banner sticking out from the side of the picture is hidden journalling. The scalloped border punch is Martha Stewart.

And, speaking of visits, my sister and brother in law were down for the night, as I mentioned in yesterdays post. I got spoiled again today! The kids and I had a rotten sleep last night- we were up every hour overnight, for one reason or another. Just before noon, J noticed me trying to stay awake while we were hanging out in the living room. The kids began asking for lunch, and he offered to make the mac and cheese while I went for an hours' nap. Bless his heart! I actually got to sleep for an hour and fifteen minutes, and it was the most well spent (personal) hour I've had all week! 

I'm thinking that I'll have to go out and buy them some hershey's kisses and make them a card to thank them for their kindness to me over the last two days. Its really meant a lot! (Though, I'm sure they feel indebted to us because we're taking their kitty in as our own until further notice). On a brighter note, make sure you watch for more layouts with Neruda (kitty) in them from now on...once she gets accustomed to the kids and our house, I'm sure there'll be a lot of her! To help you remember who I'm talking about, here she is: