YIPEE! The Paper Issues Blog Hop!

Hello friends!

It's FRIDAY! (cue annoying Youtube video here) Woo HOO!
It's also the Paper Issues Tree Hugger Blog Hop!!!
Onto the show!!!
First one up:

The Call- of the Geese
Materials: Studio Calico Exclusive paper, Thickers and number border sticker, Bazzill kraft paper, Sassafras Lass Seamstress  Bouquet Whimsies, My Mind's Eye Stella Rose brads, Crate Paper buttons,  Maya Road leaf pin, corrugated paper from K & Company

This page was sparked by an environmental dilemma in my neighborhood- Canadian Geese are taking permanent residence in city parks. The York City Department for Environmental Protection started a culling program in 2009 after multiple bird strikes caused the crash of US Airways Flight 1549. Thankfully everyone on board that flight survived due to the valiant efforts of Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger, but this very event spelled trouble for the expanding flocks in NYC parks.

And then there were none.

Miss Lola and I visited the East River flock every day this summer. We witnessed the mating rituals and then the goslings at play yet twice this summer, the geese suddenly disappeared. I'm glad I don't have to explain to Lola where they went which,  according to The New York Times, was food banks across Pennsylvania. That is a very sad thing as Geese are one of the few true wildlife species left in New York City. (I never count the rats... or the nightlife... Are those one and the same?)

So I put this quick page together (20 minutes! That's a record!) telling the story of how Miss Lola learned to say HONK!
Rather, how she learned to SCREAM: HOOOONK!

Ahh the hazards of quickly jotting down what comes to mind first-
this journaling could have been funnier...

Being two, Miss Lola has the stealth of a runaway wilder beast when she chases Geese around the park. These animals are LARGE. 6 foot wingspans and 25 pounds on average. I watch America's Home Videos! I know what happens when Geese get fed up. So it's full alert mode to keep her from getting winged.

We miss the birds. Dearly.
We don't miss their poop.
And we're very VERY glad for Captain Sully Sullenberger.
But we still miss the Geese.

                                                            *************************

Gratuitous card project! My Mom's birthday is coming up in October. Since she never reads my blog I can show you her card (That's a joke Mom- LOVE YOUUUUUU!)

Front- LOOOVE that AC orange woodgrain!

Inside- Bag from Canvas Corp, Stamp from Micheal's 

Onto the next blog in this hop!
Don't forget to leave lots of love everywhere you stop. The more comments you leave, the more likely you'll win one of the many cool Blog Hop Prizes!

Here's mine (perhaps soon, yours?)

Flower destash! 3 Prima flower packs (1 opened-sorry), 1 Recollections pack and 2 Floral Doodles packs
with jewel centers are coming your way if you win my give away.

All you have to do is hit that follow button on the left and leave a comment to let me know. What? You already "follow" this blog? Ok just leave me a comment- LOVE ya!

PS: The Paper Issues Etsy store has a discount code for ya! Now you can snatch up all the lovely new paper goodies you've been dying to get! Click on this link- HOP25... for a 25% discount

And now the beautiful, highly intelligent AND creative genius of:

Joanna

Or head on over to the Paper Issues Blog Hop to get the full lowdown on the hop.

She's breaking my crayons!!!!!

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle
Joanna

Xoxo July challenge- clouds, stitching and kraft

As you know if you read this blog often I am a member of the True Xoxo Design team. Every month the design team BRINGS IT in order to inspire you and get you out of your funk (if you're funky) or away from your usual style (if you're in a rut) but always to have FUN with our fave hobby.

Rise- True Xoxo Girls DT page for July 2011
Materials: Bazzill Kraft, American Crafts cloud paper (as template) alphas and  grid stamp(on scallop border) K and Co frames, Sassafras star stickers, alphas and paper foldies, Maya Road star pins, GCD Studio paper clip, Uni ball white gel pen, bicycle brads from Eyelet Outlet, heart brad from My Mind's Eye

This month the completely UNmandatory list of things we wanted to include in our layouts was:

• at least 2-3 small photos
• Kraft or white background
• blue, orange and/or yellow  (any shade, patterned or plain)
• paper strips
• grid
• stars
• handwriting
• numbers
• bicycles
• food
• brads
• frames

Usually I try to include every single list item in my LO but that has led to crowding issues, as you may have seen in my "teaser" post. I also have to watch out because we have some great regulars visiting Xoxo now and they can light it UP. Was I complaining about not getting any critical (read: incisive and knowledgeable) feedback? Got some! Now I need to put what I learned into practice- thanks guys- you ROCK!!!!

Clouds are soooo cool!!! 

For this page I knew I wanted to scrap some great photos of Lola running around in front of a tiny Empire State Building with a balloon. I actually have some 4th of July images from 2010 that are perfect for this challenge as she's eating blueberries but they are lost in the great maze that is my Mac without iPhoto. When I have more time I will have to search for them manually- and find them amongst 20 THOUSAND other image files but I digress...

GCD Studio Soul Food paper clip

I also knew I wanted a kraft background as I love it but rarely use it. But where would I include paper strips or bicycles? The answer was obvious- ignore them. Not on purpose but after running around for a week trying to come up with a design, my brain apparently blanked them out. PHOOEY! So I promise to do every single item next month!

So join us over at True Xoxo- you'll love it! Also there's a great RAK for someone to win- why not you!

The Lolster is very much a Daddy's girl so when I get a VOLUNTARY hug everything pauses.

MuChOs SmOoChEs!
Michelle