ScrapsByGracie: September 2015

Friday, September 18, 2015

International Day of Peace Blog Hop

Welcome to the

Today's hop is sponsored by

and they are giving away

one class of the winner's choice from their awesome catalog of classes.

All you have to do to win this fabulous prize is comment on each of the blogs.

That's it! It really is easy.

Of course, we would love it if you became a follower too.

Comment buttons can be found at the bottom of the post (on most of the blogs).

Now on with the hop!

What do you think of when you see the peace sign? For me it evokes the 70's and tie dye, so I created a tie dye inspired card using Faber Castel Metallic Gelatos and lots of distressing. I used my black Copic marker to create the peace sign and the word.

I think it is slightly reminiscent of a 70's tie dyed t-shirt. What do you think?

The official International Day of Peace is Monday, September 21st.

For more information on this day of observance and action visit

http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday

Don't forget to comment for your chance to win!

Thanks for stopping by today, your next stop is Kim ~ www.katydidcards.com

Here's the lineup in case you get lost along the way.

Theresa ~ http://scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com

Kim ~ www.katydidcards.com

Haidee ~ http://created2bunique.blogspot.com

Alicia ~ http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com

Sharon ~ http://piece-ofheart.blogspot.com

Connie ~ http://conniecancrop.blogspot.com

Sarah ~ www.sarahbiswabic.blogspot.com

Nana's Scrap Spot ~ www.nanasscrapspot.com

Lisa ~ http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com

Jearise ~ http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com

Friday, September 11, 2015

Music is Life Blog Hop

Welcome to the Music is Life Blog Hop

We sang our ABC's as children loud and off key!

We rocked out in our bedrooms with our friends to our favorite tunes.

We slow danced awkwardly to that memorable ballet with the boy we crushed on. We walked down the isle in to the wedding march as we married the man of our dreams. We sang a sweet lullaby to our babies as we rocked them to sleep. We sing our favorite songs as we drive the kids to school, annoying them the whole way! Yes, music is Life! It's everywhere in our lives!

Join us as we celebrate the wonderful Life of Music!!

You should have arrived from INSERT NAME AND LINK OF PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU. In case you didn't and you need to start at the beginning,

Connie Can Crop is our Drum Major in this Music is Life Blog Hop.

This is a one day blog hop and I appreciate your leaving a comment for all of these fantastic ladies who are here sharing their Musical themed ideas and creations.

I have a fantastic sponsor for this hop, Scrap & Craft

They have generously donated a fun fall themed kit full of cardstock, embellies, and a stamp set.

Please visit Scrap & Craft HERE

you can find them on Facebook HERE

What do you need to do to win? Easy... become a follower of each of the fabulous blogs in this hop and leave each of them a comment letting them know what you like best about their projects.

You will have until 12:00 am Monday to finish the hop and leave your comments.

Winner will be announced on Wednesday here at Connie Can Crop.

Be sure to follow everyone and leave a comment along the way!

Our instruments have all been tuned...time for the show to begin!

Our lives are filled with music.

I play piano and was in the choir, both in school and in church.

My sweet hubby plays the trumpet and was in band and orchestra in school.

Our oldest daughter, Taylor dabbled in piano and was in choir from 5th grade on (but her real talent lies in her art). Rachel, our youngest, however, has taken the musical talent to new heights.

Rachel has played viola and cello since 4th grade and trumpet since 5th grade, as well as piano.

In high school she was in the marching band, orchestra, Pantasia (a steel drum band) and Indoor Drumline.

She is now a sophomore and the University of Dayton and is in the Pride of Dayton Marching Band,

as well as, the pep and concert bands.

So my projects for today's hop are a few of Rachel's scrapbook pages featuring her many musical talents.

Findlay Trojan Marching Band in the 4th of July Parade.

Music Awards Ceremony 2014

First Day of Senior Year

Senior Night

Last year's UD Pep Band trips with the UD Women's Basketball team.

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to leave a comment.

Up next is Daphne.

Here is our complete line up in case you get lost along the way:

Connie

Melinda

Haidee

Veronica

Charmagne

Angela

Pam

Holli

Alicia

Sarah

Sharon

Theresa

Daphne

Miranda

Rebecca

Audrey

Jessica

Thank you for joining us on this magical musical adventure!

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Back To School Blog Hop

Welcome to the "Back To School" Blog Hop.

If you'd like to start at the beginning of the hop, click the graphic above.

If you are following the hop, you should have arrived here from Madge's blog.

This blog hop is a one day blog hop that is jam packed full of some amazing projects. We have had so much fun creating this hop and we have a wonderful line up with some oh-so-talented creators.

You will see some amazing projects having to do with a school related theme and have a chance to win some blog candy along the way.

In order to be eligible for the blog candy in today's hop you must leave a comment on every blog in the hop and become followers to all the ladies in the hop.

We have four terrific sponsor's for today's hop.

Pretty Cute Stamps - http://www.prettycutestamps.com/

They will be sponsoring a $15.00 Gift Card for the Pretty Cute Stamps store

SVGAttic - http://www.svgattic.com/

They will be sponsoring a $15.00 Gift Card for the SVG Attic store

Pink and Main - http://pinkandmain.com/

A free stamp set

Treasure Box Designs - http://treasureboxdesigns.com/

Is giving the winner three FREE files of their choice.

Now on with my project!

So as many of my readers know, I'm a photographer by trade.

I own my own business as well as work 9 months a year for Lifetouch National School Portraits.

My kids are grownup, the baby is 19 and a sophomore at the University of Dayton and the oldest will be 21 in December and she too works at Lifetouch. She is the third generation to work for this great company. Her grandmother, my incredible mother-in-law, worked there for many years before her death and my hubby worked there too for a year after college.

I've been with the company for seven years and Taylor just started her third year.

So back to school to us means something totally different now than what most people think of.

Here is a layout I did when I worked in a different territory than the one Taylor and I work in now.

The layout shows pics of one of our training sessions for a new season.

That's me in the orange.

Every day I miss working with this crazy crew of people.

They are some of my dearest friends and we keep in touch regularly.

Whenever I have a not so great day at a school, I know that these folks will understand!

Whether it be the fact that it was 60 degrees in July and is now in the upper 90's and the school (most of them) is not air conditioned or a student was uncooperative or a teacher was having an off day. These folks are the ones I vent too, because they get it. They know what it's like to get up at 3 a.m. and be on the road by 3:30 or 4 to drive a hundred miles to a school and photograph at few hundred students before lunch. I love them and wouldn't want to do my job without them.

But...all that said, we all love our jobs! We wouldn't come back year after year for the pay (LOL) but the amazing satisfaction of taking the autistic boys picture and actually getting a smile or taking the photo of the teacher year after year and today is the very last one as they are retiring at the end of the year. Those are the reasons we come back. Those are the reasons for the early mornings.