I’m also a very lucky woman.

(Everything from the new Kelly Girl collab by Kelley, Kellie and Kelleigh – coming tomorrow to The Digichick!)

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
Happy St. Patricks Day! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

I just gotta say that these “designer” types from The Digichick are putting WAY too much stuff in their Grab Bags, and they are pricing it WAY too low.  Seriously.  If you have ever purchased a Grab Bag from one of The Digichick designers, you know what I mean.

But, hey, I’m not gonna complain!  If they want to lavish me with their gifts for a measly little price, I’m not going to deny them that pleasure.

Here is a little sneak peek at some of the items I’ve been playing with this week!

Once again, I had time to scrap!  The floors were not crunchy (at the time) and the laundry was . . . sitting nicely in piles . . . okay, so I’m not completely caught up on my housework, but oh well!!

First up, I grabbed Danielle Engebretson’s Grab Bag.

Behind the scenes, Dani is the one who packs WAY too much into her way underpriced bag.  Well, Dani and Mari.

What I loved about this Grab Bag, besides the gorgeous elements, word art, and two complete kits(!!), was the incredibly versatile alphas and sets and sets of neutral, versatile papers.  When I saw ALL that she had packed into this bag, I was in shock!

AND, you can see that she has a boy kit and a girl kit in her GB!!  YAY!

Anyway, I played and came up with this layout!

Ah, how I love that boy!!  Everything on this layout is from Danielle Engebretson’s February Grab Bag.

After that rush of actually completing a layout, I downloaded Pamela Donnis’ Grab Bag.  Pamela is known throughout the Digi World for her extraordinary felty elements that she hand cuts.  Did you see the adorable Groundhog Day freebie she posted on her blog yesterday?  SO cute!!  You got a little sneak preview of her Grab Bag when I posted the buttons in the #speedclean post.

Pamela’s Grab Bag is SO much fun!  It is filled with 5 different kits with papers, a set of numbers, and felty pieces all related to the home: shopping, cleaning, saving, and dinner (oh, how CUTE is her felt food!?!).

I was immediately inspired to create a chore chart for Grant.  We had one for a while, but then it stopped being used, so I’m excited to start using it again!

Several people have requested that I create a chart to sell or give away here on my blog.  If I do it, it will be a lot of work, so I want to know that people will ACTUALLY download it.  If you like it, leave a comment and perhaps I’ll simplify it a bit so you can personalize it yourself!

Of course, you’ll have to dress it up with Pamela’s cute felt!!  Go grab these Grab Bags!!

I’ll be back tomorrow with my own Grab Bag reveal and some wonderful papercraft inspiration!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
Grab Bags at The Digichick Again!! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Grant (age 6) is really into learning.  He loves math and science.  Math is sort of a newer passion, but he’s been a science guy since he was about 2.

I think it all started with Finding Nemo.  He LOVED Bruce, the Great White Shark.  (“Name’s Bruce!”)  We actually purchased Finding Nemo when Grant was a baby.  As new parents, Mitch and I would watch it and get all choked up.  If you haven’t seen Finding Nemo, you really must.  So heartwarming.

Thus began Grant’s obsession interest in all things “under the sea”. Sharks, especially.  By the age of 3, Grant and I would go to the library to check out books and Grant would bee-line straight to the animal science section to find shark books.  He knew the names of ALL of the sharks, and he named their fins: dorsal, caudal, etc.  His 3rd birthday was a shark birthday, and I attempted to make a shark cake. Pretty sad cake, but he was thrilled.

Um, we actually own a movie called “Great White Death”.  Yes, we do.  However, his favorite shark movie has Mark and Rob in it (who have become friends).

Since the initial shark interest, Grant has discovered jelly fish, turtles, shells, fish, crabs, deep sea creatures and most recently, octopus.

A few weeks ago, we went to the library, where we checked out almost all of the books about octopus in the entire library.  He and Mitch have been reading all about octopus (“They’re Cephalopods, Mom.”) every night before he goes to bed.  One night, Mitch suggested that we might be able to go to the coast (that’s what we call the beach here in Oregon) to see the octopus at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.  Grant’s eyes lit up, so we went!

I used the Lost in Paradise digital kit by JanaM (The Digichick) and my own handwriting font created by Darcy Baldwin (Sweet Shoppe).

We had a wonderful time, and the boys got to touch some sea creatures and learn about all kinds of undersea life. We saw the big octopus and a bunch of smaller ones.  There was a shark movie and everything!!

Afterward, we went out for dinner and Grant ate some calamari.  It just sort of seemed to fit with the day!

Grant has share day on Tuesdays, so on Monday night he asked me to print out some pictures of our trip to the coast so he could talk about the octopus.  I asked if I could do a layout instead, and he was a little less than thrilled.  However, once he saw what I came up with, he was so excited!  I printed these digital layouts onto 8.5 x 11 paper (making them 8×8) and slipped them into an album so he could take them to school.

He said it was a hit!  He felt really special and he told them ALL about our trip to the Science Center.

Sometimes, I feel like we do the right thing with our kids. We do our best to nurture learning and provide activities that will cause them to dig deeper and learn more.  When Grant catches a bug, he and Mitch hop on the computer to discover what kind of bug it is.  When Grant learns about penguins in school, we watch March of the Penguins at home.  I just picked a silk worm off of Mitch’s shirt, and he said. “The boys might want to see that!”  He is so instrumental in nurturing their passions and I’m so thankful for that.

While I was in graduate school, one of my fellow teachers did her Master’s thesis on this subject, and ever since then I’ve vowed to make sure my kids are exposed to as many learning opportunities as possible.  My friend’s theory was that talented and gifted students are those students whose parents take an interest in their learning and provide them with educational family “field trips” outside of school.  Trips to the Grand Canyon, museums, national monuments, state parks, etc expand a child’s world view and make them excited to learn more.  I love that idea, and I think there is a lot of truth to it! How many road trips did I take as a kid?  A LOT!  And, I loved it.  Learning came naturally to me, and the thirst for knowledge grew in me.  I hope that my children experience the same thing.

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
Nurturing Learning is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

• I have photos all ready to be scrapped (chosen, cropped or whatever).
• I have my own new releases in the store so I don’t have to stress about that.
• My house is decent looking, and I know that if my husband catches me on the computer in the middle of the day he won’t care (because the floor isn’t crunchy).
• My favorite digital designers have released kits that are SCREAMING at me.  They just BEG me to use them.

So I do.

Remember the photo gifts I gave to my family members? Well, I made some for my sister-in-law with photos of her children on them.  CUTE kids.  Three cute kids (although I only got to two of them this week).  Ah, yes, we do produce gorgeous children in this Ratzlaff family!  Hee, hee!  Just doing our part!

The photos were ready, so I knocked out 2 layouts in no time at all using two new releases by my friend Elise Hansen.  Elise is the mother of boys, and she has an excellent selection of boy kits (wahoo!), but she also ROCKS the girl kits!  Check it out:

Credits: Resolution digital kit by Elise Hansen and Nikki Epperson, bling bling-bet alpha by Michelle Batton, Tag and staples from Digi Essentials #3 by Karla Dudley. Shadow actions by Kristin Rice and Traci Murphy.

And look what I did with her newest boy kit!!  I LOVE THIS KIT! I can’t wait to use it over and over and over.  I can’t get enough of blue and orange!!  Wish I could paint my walls blue and orange, but my hubby might freak on me.

Credits:  Imagine That digital kit by Elise Hansen.  Font by Darcy Baldwin. Shadow actions by Kristin Rice and Traci Murphy.

I think this Logan layout took me 20 minutes start-to-finish, and I LOVE it!! (And, isn’t he the cutest thing!?!  He’s like that ALL the time, people. Such a doll!)

Then, I tapped into my minimalist side and created this little number using several items by a new-to-me designer Karla Dudley.  If you like Designer Digitals style, you will love Karla!  AND, she’s at The Digichick!  We are so lucky!

Spring Anticipation digital kit, Digi Essentials #3, Digi Essentials #4 by Karla Dudley.  Shadow Actions by Traci Murphy.

(I posted this on Facebook earlier this week.  The caption said Salzburg, but this was actually Prague!  Oops!  I fixed it!  I just didn’t want my FB friends to think they were going crazy.  It’s not you. It’s me.)

IF I had a girl (or if my sister would send me photos of her gorgeous daughters), I would LOVE to use some of the new Girl Friday kits.  They make me all fluttery inside, and yet I think my boys would kill me if I used flowers and butterflies on their pictures.  REALLY, you have to see the Girl Friday kits!  (Shhh . . . Girl Friday is Nicole Seitler’s other personality.  Sometimes she’s all sugary sweet Sugarplum Paperie, and sometimes she gets a little sassy Girl Friday thing going on! I LOVE IT! We just need to show her what blue looks like. I want her to collaborate with Elise.  I think it would be a match made in heaven!!)

By the way, I completed all 3 of these layouts in about 2 hours, total.  Well, but then I had to fix the dates on the top two and the caption on the bottom one the next day because I’m nuts.

Are you interested in this digital stuff, but don’t know where to start? Then, you MUST check out Jessica Sprague’s classes.  She taught me everything I know about digital scrapbooking, starting with her Up and Running with Photoshop class, all the way through . . . well, everything else.  I’m starting a new class about using my Wacom Bamboo tablet in February! I’m so excited!  Jessica’s video tutorials are easy to follow and totally fun.  You will learn more in a single session of one of her classes than in months of trying to figure out Photoshop by yourself.  I highly (HIGHLY) recommend her!  Plus, if you ever have a problem, the ladies in her forum are so helpful and will make sure you get things straightened out right away.  Jessica will even email you personally if you need help!  She’s THAT awesome!

Have you scrapped lately? I’d love to see what you’ve been up to!  REALLY!  Link us up in the comments!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
Some Digital Scrapbooking Layouts! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Thank you SO much Laura!!  You are amazing!!

Isn’t it gorgeous?  Laura used some digital papers from Danielle’s Grab Bag (again!  LOL!) and my Star Spangled Template Set.  I love that she ran the glitter along the edges of the star.  SO elegant!!  When Laura decided to do this project, she really wanted to show the stars all tucked into her Christmas garland, however her Christmas stuff is still packed away (I mean, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!).  Wouldn’t that look awesome?  I’m totally doing it.  Seriously.  I’m hoping that my husband takes the Christmas stuff out of the attic on FRIDAY so I can start decorating.  I have so many ideas!  Including this star idea.  MUST MAKE STARS!

If you would like to see a little Star Spangled Template Tutorial I put together many moons ago, click here!

Want some more Star Spangled Inspiration?  Here ya go!

And, just for another Christmassy take on the template, let me remind you of this project that Dana did back in July.  Click on the pic to get the details!

I’m having so much fun with this blog series!!  I hope you are, too!

Don’t miss any posts in this series!

Click here to see the rest!

I gotta give a quick little shout-out to my fabulous little sister, Hannah!  It’s her 11th birthday today!!

Happy Birthday, Hannah!!  I’m so blessed to have you for my sister!!

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
30 Ornaments in 30 Days . . . Day 25 is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

Restful Papers and Trinkets and The Whites (which are so cool!) by Roben-Marie Designs

(Grant took this picture of us!  Can you tell?)

This one uses Heart of Thankfulness by Sugarplum Paperie (yummy!).

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
I scrapped a little! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

The boys had a lot of fun playing all of the games and “doing the loop” (as Grant called it) many, many times.  They have SO much candy, and I know there was more left over.  CRAZY.

The weather was perfect, the friends were plenty, and it was good, clean fun!  Cole wants to do it again tomorrow night!  How cute is that!?!

(using Danielle’s adorable Toil and Trouble kit)

An explanation: I KNOW the photos are terrible.  That is why they are so itty-bitty tiny.  Just because I didn’t get good pics doesn’t mean I can’t record the memory, right?

Mom, I tried to get a picture!  I really did!  Just picture a Spiderman (so, totally unrecognizable) and a Storm Trooper (with a mask, so totally unrecognizable).  I dressed up as a mom wearing a duck parka (aka, I borrowed Mitch’s coat and made sure I looked cute).  Mitch looked like he had just returned from a hunting trip (except MUCH more gorgeous) since he wore his camo.  You know, playing the part.  Incidentally, he shot a goose this morning.  Go Mitch.  {blech}

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
Halloween Fun! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs

I also created a new little sample for your viewing pleasure.  I just LOVE printing out gorgeous digital paper and using it in my papercrafting projects.  And, since I have this “thing” about grabbing up all of the new Sugarplum Paperie products I can get my hands on (I {heart} her stuff!), I used Nicole Seitler’s new High of 75 kit.  GORGEOUS.

And, while I’m at it, here is a layout I completed with this kit:

Yum!

Oh, back to my new release, eh?

Did I ever show you what Laura did with this template?  I can’t remember.  In any case, here it is again!

Gorgeous, huh?  Oh, and check this one out.

It was, like, the FIRST week she was on my Creative Team, and her project was highlighted on The Daily Digi blog.  Yeah.  Laura is a keeper!

(side note:  The Digichick Designers were featured on The Daily Digi this week!!  Go check out the post and grab a coupon!!)

I did a little bit of cleaning and repackaging this week, too!  I used to have a product called the Icicle/Carrot box.  It was actually 2 templates: one that was long and skinny like an icicle, and one that was a little fatter at the top, like a carrot.  SO, I separated them out. Now, the Icicle comes in 2 sizes, and the Carrot comes in 2 sizes.  Nice and neat.

FINALLY, I was cruising my favorite blogs this afternoon and landed on Creativity In Progress (Sunghee’s blog).  You have GOT to see the crazy things she has been working on!!  She made a spider out of my pumpkin template.  A SPIDER!  It is the most adorable thing!!

Click.  You have to see it.

A sincere thank you to my current sponsors!
Adhering Thoughts Vinyl Lettering

International Family Services - Adoption

Contact me to become a sponsor!
New releases at The Digichick, and some inspiration! is a post from: Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs