"Don't cry because it's over. . .

...smile because it happened."  I swear Dr. Seuss was one wise guy.  Have you ever read some of his quotes?  What a profound man he was.  Anyway, I won't cry because my summer vacation with the girls is over...I'll smile because it happened.  I realize I'm extremely fortunate to have a job that allows me to be a stay at home Mom at all--even if it's only for 3 months of the year.

Speaking of not crying because it's over...while doing my DT work with Sassafras Lass's Mix and Mend, I went back to some baby pictures of my girls!  I haven't had any "baby" scrapping since I first started, so it's fun to go back with some of these shots and do them up in my style now.  Plus, I honestly don't think I'd ever scrapped either of these photos.

First up, Paige with a much younger puppy, Alex.  He's turning 12 this January, and still holding his own.  Paige has always LOOOOOVED Alex.  Probably more than he wanted to be loved, on more than one occasion.  In this layout, Alex had been sent down to doggie time out (the bathroom) for some offense or another.  I can't remember why he was there, but the point is that sweet little Paige just felt for him.  So she toddled herself right down there to the bathroom and climbed on top to give him a sympathy hug.  She truly, "had his back."

You can see from the expression on his face that Alex was so grateful for her attention and empathy.  Yes, sir.  The Mix and mend line is really user friendly.  In fact, it feels like you're cheating.  I didn't do much here beyound adding the chipflowers, borders, title, journaling and pearls.  The rest of what looks like some incredible layering, is actually already on the paper!

Next up, a picture of my Erin when she was two years old.  I had some fun with my brand new Martha Stewart butterfly punch on this one!  The owner of my LSS, Vanessa, had actually ordered the punch for herself, but I saw it and fell in love with it.  I've seen it used beautifully on so many layouts.  So, she very kindly let me buy it instead, and I promised her we could have shared custody.  :)

As always, you can click on the picture to see it in a larger size, but I also played with my macro setting to show off a few of the details.

I punched the butterflies out of a different sheet of Mix and Mend patterned paper and embellished with some Prima e-line pearls.  I love the delicacy of these beauties!

And then...

a little crochet flower and some prima ribbon and a chipboard flower, oh my!  Plus, one more butterfly.  I tell you what, I'm going to get my money's worth out of this punch!  Oh the possibilities!

And then, just when you thought Mix and Mend was only for girly or old fashioned pictures....I used it on a zoo (yes, ZOO!) layout I had started but gotten nowhere with.  All I had down were the pictures on the Basic Grey Just the Basics paper.  Then I gave up and threw the pages on my shelf.  They just happened to get pulled back down last night, and I saw how the Mix and Mend colors would look great with them!  I still had a ton of journaling blocks and borders to use up, and so....

I couldn't leave the fussy blue flowers and such on the journaling tag I used, so I covered the middle up with some Sass playing cards I had in my stash.  I was very pleased with how this turned out in the end!  And, I'm only a year and 2 1/2 months behind on scrapping these pictures.  :)

I would love to have some more "followers" for my blog here, so if you have any friends who enjoy reading the rambling thoughts of a mid-thirties woman, please send them my way!! 

Thanks for stopping in, and enjoy your Labor Day. 

P.S.  Despite my optimistic title, I may still internally cry a little tomorrow night.  Feel free to send some comments my way to cheer me up!