Summer Update

Hello everyone!  Wow!  I can't believe it has been so long since I've posted!  I have been so busy.  The kids are out of school for the summer and I've been having a hard time finding time to get in my craft room and create on my days off of work {and work has been insanely busy lately}.  I thought I would check in to say hi and update you on some summer plans.  And you'll also see my love of Instagram and another fun iPhone app I've just discovered!

As many of you may know, my son is a baseball player {and a good one at that}.  What can I say?  I'm a very proud mama.  The beginning of summer brought the end of the regular Little League season.  Once the regular season ended, Preston started playing for two traveling baseball teams.  He played for the Traveling All Star Team and also is playing for another traveling team of local kids.  My husband was one of the coaches of the Traveling All Star Team.  We have a lot of weekend trips ahead of us four tournaments all up and down the state of California.  At the end of this month...we'll be headed to Pismo Beach for a tournament.

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At the end of June, my husband and I took a trip to Santa Barbara.  It was not necessarily for leisure {there's a medical clinic there that we needed to go to for a few days}, but we did manage to fit some leisurely activities in while we were there.  No worries, everyone is perfectly healthy.

Not many people know this, but my hubby has a severe allergy to all milk products {it causes anaphylaxis and could kill him...we're not talking lactose intolerance here}.  So needless to say, there are very few baked treats that he can eat.  But while in Santa Barabara, we found a fabulous little cupcakery called Crushcakes.  It was our lucky day....because they happened to have had vegan cupcakes.  So we got James a cupcake...and he LOVED it!  A real treat for someone like James...who loves chocolate, but is rarely able to partake in the yummy chocolate goodies.

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While in Santa Barabara, we also walked around the Santa Barbara Courthouse and the Santa Barbara Mission.  California has a rich history.

 

The other day, I discovered BubbleFrame and Phonto for iPhone.  Fun new apps to make fun photo collages {BubbleFrame} and add text to your photos {Phonto}.  This little chevron beauty was made with both apps and then posted to my Instagram feed on my first day of a 14 day vacation period from work.  {I love instagram}.  You can follow me on Instagram {I'm carissawiley}.

 

I did manage to get in to my craft room a couple of weeks ago to create some projects for Lifestyle Crafts.  I'll post the projects in a couple of weeks...after CHA where they are making their debut.  But until then...I will show you that while my craft room is organized, there are times when it's a HUGE MESS!  This picture shows the aftermath of CHA project creating.  Of course...it was cleaned up as soon as I was done.  I can't stand to leave it a mess.  YIKES!  What a mess!  There were some fabulous projects that came out of this...so it wasn't in vain.  

And I have a new color palate as a result of this mess...Navy, Coral, Gray and Cream...FABULOUS!  You'll see that put to work in an entire collection of projects....once I post the projects from CHA!

 
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So, I have to know...have any of you crafty gals been watching TLC's Craft Wars?  My little girl, Elliot, and I have been watching it.  I'm still kind of up in the air about the whole thing.  But if you've been watching, I'd love to know what you think about it.  Leave me a comment in the comments section and tell me your thoughts...brutal honesty only.

Next week, the five of us will be headed to San Diego for a family trip to Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, the Wild Animal Park and to see the U.S.S. Midway.  We've been planning this trip for a year now...and we are all so excited.  

Now it's time for me to get some stuff in order for the trip.  I'm considering signing up for Online Card Classes Stretch Your Stamps class and downloading the videos to my iPad for the car ride to San Diego.

So that's pretty much my busy summer summed up in a bunch of pictures and words.  Once I get back from San Diego, I'll get back to crafting and make a video for you all!  Until then...you can keep up with me on Instagram and Twitter.  

 

Tim AndersonComment