Simple Stories and Petaloo Blog Hop

I am thrilled to be a part of a blog hop this week with Simple Stories and Petaloo. Check out all the fun details at Simple Stories and Petaloo. Tune in all week to both of them for some great inspiration and even some prizes !!

Here is what I created for the blog hop. I later threw in an insert, including a story about a lawn mower !! This was week 38 of 2013. Sept 16-22.

A look at both pages. I added the insert in on this photo.  I Simply put it on top of the right side(or the second page) of my layout. I have included a photo of the whole right side later on in the blog post.

 A look at the first page.

This picture was taken after we had planted some flowers in the front yard. Here is a closer look. I used some Simple Stories Homespun products. And the flowers from Petaloo.

 Maddie and her 4 missing teeth in the front. She had all 4 front ones gone all at the same time ! EEEK. Left a white border around the photo.

Noah and his Happy Meal Toy. The toy is all he cares about. I made a photo collage in photoshop, adding a circle to the middle. Making it just big enough to house my embellishment. Added some arrowed doodling to finish it off.

My journaling cards. The first one is from the new Sn@p cards. I cut the blue one down and adhered it to the yellow plaid card. Adding a sticker label from the new DIY line. On the bottom I took a thin piece of patterned paper and layered it under the blue paper for a great layered look. The photo is a close up of our flowers I had planted.

On the journaling card I added a sticker to the bottom to tie the 2 cards together. One the journaling card I added a blue Petaloo flower to add some dimension and texture. 

The last journaling card on this card is talking about Noah and his Happy Meal Toys. The Sn@p cards are really fun. Most of them already having some embellishments on them. This one had the hearts on the side. I added the Happy sticker and then stapled an extra heart on top of the red one for dimension.

Here is a look at the insert. I didn't take a photo of it seperately, so look closely. I had a few extra photos that I wanted to include from this week. I used a Simple Stories 6x8 Pocket Page. It was perfect for this little story I wanted to include. As always I added an Avery clear tab with the title inside.

The first journaling card has a photo of some of us going into Home Depot. Short story goes : Old lawn mower finally died. Decided to try to be like the "locals" and have very short grass. Like a golf course. The photo shown on the bottom is of Patrick mowing with the new lawn mower. Journaling reads something short of : Turns out we don't want to be like the locals. We returned the new lawn mower and bought a regular one. One that we can have longer grass. Turns out we didn't like the feeling of living on a golf course !

Here is the other side of the insert. Again, I put it on top of the first page for the photo.

The first card also has a photo of Noah in a big box. Well, after we got the second lawn mower back home and unboxed he thought he would turn it into his bed.  No joke. He hauled it all the way up to his bedroom, set it up with his 3 blankies, his clock, and his fluffy dog. He slept in it for the next 3 nights !!

Oh, the blue journaling card that is blue. It is from the Sn@p Cuts set. All the heart are cut out, I added some patterened paper that had the same size hearts on it to the back of the cut card. I doodled around some of the hearts for a fun and playful look. Lots of fun and possibility with those. Check them out ! I know all the new stuff that was introduced at CHA should be hitting stores fairly soon. 

The big photo is of Noah and Patrick mowing the lawn together.

Here is the second page of the regular spread.

Katelyn and her beloved Toothless (from How To Train Your Dragon) were united after a shopping trip to Target.

An instagram photo of Patrick and Noah. I added a cluster of Petaloo flowers around the fun arrow.

This is another Sn@p Cut piece. The word home was cut out and so I added some fun patterned paper to the back and left one of the letters white, cause I love white. It just pops. I added a sticker over the hear and a piece from the Homespun Bits and Pieces Set.  Fun and super easy.

One of my favorite things that Simple Stories came out with this CHA was the new Photo Overlays. I was in love and couldn't wait to play with them. This photo of Maddie and Noah walking their dogs was perfect for this overlay. And they are so easy to use, simply slip right in from of your photo in the page protector. Instant embellishment !!

Journaling cards. This first one is like a Polaroid frame. The second is one of me and Patrick's favorite songs. Found this online and printed out.

More journaling cards. This first one is one of my favorites. I added a photo to the bottom of the journaling card. Added one of the new Simple Stories Photo Overlays on top, along with some stick people stickers. The Petaloo ribbon along the top of the photo was perfect.

That is it folks for my contribution to the blog hop. Please remember to check out both Simple Stories and Petaloo all week for inspiration and a chance to win !!