shut up! it's true!

hip hoppin' the every day.

2012-01-25T23:52:00.001-06:00

my favorite part of scrapbooking is capturing the regular, every day moments. i would much rather scrap this type of stuff than another christmas or halloween. i like telling the stories.

it is fun to me. :)

i want to remember my girls and their goofy webcam self-portraits.

i want proof to show my son how he used to try to block himself off in the morning. cracks me up.

these are the memories i want to keep.

well, i should probably go now and return to the inside of a hallmark card or the middle of a lifetime tv movie.

sappy today.

oh...and you may be wondering to yourself..."hey! why didn't this chick refer to PINTREST and how she in inspired by it and how much she loves it and how it has changed her world?!?"

the answer to that, my friend, is because i have not tried it yet!!! all my scrapbooking friends AND all my teacher friends keep peer pressuring me to do so. i have not. i am afraid. i have to make a living. i have to coach. i have to FEED MY KIDS at some point in the day. i have a feeling all of that will go by the wayside if i delve into the pintrest world. :)

after my blog, stop by karen's:

PS- if you want to get on a really cool design team for an on-line store, check out the info HERE for scrap-a-latte!! it's a ton of fun and all the cool kids are doin' it! ;)

helmar and authentique...party rockin' in the house tonight!

2012-01-18T10:40:00.000-06:00

Shake that...dink dink dink dink dink da dink...

LOVE that song. :)

So this week HELMAR is hookin' up with AUTHENTIQUE to show off some cool projects and such. Since my lastest obsession is Project Life, I decided to use my Authentique products on a couple of my PROJECT LIFE pages. The paper was already in a 6x6 square, which was PERFECT! Plus, I really love their letter stickers. A girl just can't get enough letter stickers in life!

right side:

left side:

up close and personal:

but wait...there's more:

I used 450 QUICK DRY GLUE to adhere my chipboard numbers. QUICK FIX ADHESIVE RUNNER is THE VERY BEST and was used to adhere each and every photo and paper strip. The stamps came from UNITY STAMP COMPANY.

Have a super day! :)

2012-01-17T14:47:00.000-06:00

I am sure you know how well Unity Stamps work on scrapbook layouts. They are versatile and can be used over and over again. I do now know if you are aware of this...but UNITY STAMPS are absolutely PERFECT for PROJECT LIFE. Now today I will share with you a page of project life I did using IPPITY, but in the future I plan on showing the process and all sorts of other stuff, so check out my blog soon.

Sorry the pics are so bad. I took them last night and now I am thinking natural daylight would be better. :)

STAMPS USED:

date circle
banners
#1, filmstrip, crossword puzzle

And now...a quote:

I overheard one of my first graders this morning saying this to a kid from another class: "My teacher may not look old, but she has old lady brain and old lady eyes and gets old lady cold. I think it's a little crazy."

Funny how they repeat what they hear, cause I say that ALL the time. :)

Have a super day!

project life and unity..hip hop!

2012-01-11T21:11:00.001-06:00

soooo....i have been holding back on you all. yup. it's true. i got myself a secret and it's called PROJECT LIFE!! love this stuff!!! i got the kit last year and am almost finished with the album...well really i am on september, but unlike regular scrapbooking, it goes REALLY FAST! i will post pics of my 2011 album later. i am also using the porject life concept to finish a special vacation album from 2009!! it rocks! and i am going to create one for 2010 at te same time as i create 2012. i am crazy-high on project life!

here is my cover page/first page for my 2012 album:

aaaaand some extra up-close shots:

i am soooooooooooooooooo excited to have found project life. and LOTS of the unity stamps...ESPECIALLY the SMAK KITS and simple stories. in true jen erickson fashion, i could not complete anything scrap-related without kraft paper...not even this! i will FOR SURE post pics later of how i am setting up my kraft cards with unity.

have a super day. it was record highs the past few dys in the upper 50's. today we are supposed to be 19 degrees with 3-5 inches of snow. doh!

head over to see karen right about now:

back in black! (hip hop)

2011-12-29T00:04:00.002-06:00

so I decided to get all sorts of crazy and change up my blog a bit. i had NO IDEA i could do such things. :) and in honor of my new blog color, i am showcasing two layouts where my girls are in BLACK uniforms. i am tricky like that.

this layout cracks me up. cracks. me. up. megan has a crazy-strong kick and this picture just sums it up.

ok then, head on over to check out karen's blog:

all stamps:
SMAK KIT (nov)

hip hop and the erickson christmas card...

2011-12-15T00:05:00.003-06:00

i REALLY wanted to create a scrapbook page of our christmas card this year, but we were waaaaay behind in taking it. there was a point where i even considered skipping it (gasp!) this year all together. but we pulled it off....drum roll, please....

yeah, we went on LOCATION for our photo shoot this year. if you happen to see me on the people of walmart website, know it was for this reason only. :)

for cards of christmas past, go HERE.

and now for a little layout action:

have a super weekend and rest of the hop. i hope you get all of your holiday tasks completed, unlike me who is SUPER behind on EVERYTHING!

go see karen now:

stamps used:
THE HUDDLE
"like"
football
ROCKSTAR GRANDPA
month and numbers
stars
"noteworthy"

HELMAR HOLIDAY HOP

2011-12-02T23:59:00.001-06:00

Helmar Holiday Hop-

It’s that time of year where we all start thinking of the holidays so what better way to get your Holiday spirit than a great Helmar Holiday Hop? Filled with so much Holiday cheer and some amazing projects featuring all the different Helmar Adhesives.

Hello everyone and welcome to my stop on the Helmar Holiday Hop. If you have been following along, you should have hopped here from CAROLYN'S blog. If not, you just have to stop at the Helmar Blog and start from the beginning. There are goodies along the way and we don’t want you to miss a thing.

this layout actually looks waaaaay cooler up close than in a scan. i used helmar's CRACKLE MEDIUM on the letters and the snowflake.

i used a thicker coat on the snowflake for a little more of a dramatic look:

i went with a lighter coat on the letters:

but wait...there's more!!

on both layouts, i used my all time favorite quick fix adhesive runner helmar:

i also glued my chipboard letters on with 450 quick dry adhesive.

Make sure you leave a comment at every stop because the elves of Helmar will be giving away prizes to some lucky Helmar fans. Now hop on over to CHERYL'S blog to see another amazing Helmar Holiday project. The Holiday Hop will be open for comments until 11:59P.S.T December 4th , so take a look and enjoy a little holiday spirit from all of us on the Helmar Team. Thanks again for stopping by today and Happy Holidays.

hip hop with abby e.

2011-12-01T00:06:00.002-06:00

showing off layouts of abby erickson on hip hop day is fitting. the girl can dance. crazy good.

if i didn't work and had time to devote to being a

stage mom, i would totally try to get her into

show biz. she would be awesome.

abby is funny, charasmatic, smart, creative, and athletic.

she can sing and dance (especially to hip hop) like

it's nobody's business.

if she challenges you to a dance off, you will lose.

and take note of all my 8 1/2 x 11 pages. i LOVE doing these. i scrapped close to 15 years before trying these puppies and finally tried it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! if you have not tried yet, please do so!!!

after my blog, pop on over to karen's:

STAMPS USED
THE BIGGEST FRY EVER
numbers, 'noteworthy"
LITTLE LADY
numbers
label
lines
BAM!
vertical numbers
stars

RACHEL B.!!!!!

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

RACHEL!!! i am so sorry that i am the world's worst slacker! i went to sent you your stamps yesterday and can not find your email (with your address) ANYWHERE!! please email me again at coolkidprz@aol.com. i promise to be on the ball this time! :)

hip hoppin' with some sports layouts (surprise!)

2011-11-17T00:08:00.001-06:00

ok, really, it is no surprise. with three kids playing multiple sports all year long, i have got A LOT of pictures to scrap. a. lot.
first up:

abby's face just cracks me up during softball. she is totally serious in the field, but grinning like a fool while base running.

fall (followed closely by spring) is our busiest sports season. figured i had beter scrap it so i can remember it when the kids are away at college and i am laying around on the couch watching talk shows. :)

last:

a little non-sports looking layout. i got all sorts of crazy and went outside of my box on this one. :)

after my blog, head over to karen's:

wut up, winner!?!

2011-11-08T20:08:00.001-06:00

the winner of the random, but oh-so-cute unity halloween stamps is RACHEL B!!!
Rachel B said...

I love your scrap pages. They are ALWAYS inspiring. I think I should go buy a whole pack (or 10) of Kraft and do the baby's entire book with Kraft base... I love reading your journaling too! Your kids are so cute.

email me your address at coolkidprz@aol.com. :) congrats!

hip hop and a give away. :)

2011-11-03T06:22:00.001-05:00

last year we snuck in a trip to the pumpkin patch (where abby found the infamous DEAD PUMPKIN, see below). this year we were so busy with multiple sports (for 3 kids)every flippin' day, that we didn't make it. instead we grabbed some at THE WALMART (and i say "the" before walmart to give it the respect it deserves). the kids still got their MAGIC PUMPKINS so it was all good.

i do have a give away! it's a little late, but i figure if you are anything like me you won't get around to scrappin' those halloween pages til much later. sooo.... if you leave a comment here, i will pick a winner this weekend. said winner will recieve some random, yet super cute unity stamps! :)

after my blog, head on over to karen's:

gettin' CRAZY with Helmar!!!

2011-10-30T08:32:00.000-05:00

OK, so anyone who knows me knows that i am a scrapbooker through and through. i have NO desire to do anything else crafty...and i am ok with that. however, with that being said....i do have a confession to make: i, Jennifer Lee Erickson, used Helmar products to MAKE SOMETHING OTHER THAN A LAYOUT!!! shut up, it's true!!!

Look here....

see that blingy number 10?? i used HELAMR GEMSTONE GLUE to make it stick!

just for kicks, here are pics of the rest of the shirt. you can put t-shirt making on my resume now. :)

yes...it was my very first t-shirt. i was a little sloppy on the photo trasfer. :)

but wait...there's more!!! i was trying to put a photo in a frame and it was not fitting quite right. so, i took just a short bit of time to create somewhat of a mini layout to frame:

i used my glue:

and my ALL TIME FAVORITE adhesive tape runner:

have a super weekend and a candy filled halloween! :)

my little shoebox hip hop!

2011-10-19T23:56:00.001-05:00

first fo all, let me preface by saying that i have made THREE (count 'em!) blog posts in one week! apparently i am all sorts of AWESOME in the blogging world. :)

unity is having a hop today (and next thrusday, too) in conjuntion with my little shoebox. all of the pattern paper and tiny letter stickers (my all time FAVORITE THING!) in my layouts are from MLS.

so leave a comment on the blogs you visit today. a random winner will be chosen (by nov. 23rd at midnight) to win one MLS itty bitty and (waaaaait for it....) a MLS kit of her choice!!!

ding dang, y'all! that's sweet!

after my blog, go to ERIN YAMABE's blog.

STAMPS USED:
THE KIDS
tickets, notebook paper
HOT.
happy
months

and on a final note, HELMAR is having a design team call. it is only the BEST adhesive around. you can find details on the call HERE. be quick-fast like a ninja though, because the deadline is october 26th!

helmar is CRACKLE-A-KIN!!

2011-10-19T14:48:00.000-05:00

Crack may be whack....but HELMAR'S CRACKLE is AWESOME!!!

As you may well know, I am a simple scrapper. I like quick and easy (which is most likely why I adore this magical stuff).

However, I got all sorts of crazy and tried Helmar's CRACKLE MEDIUM (step 1 and 2) . Now, pay close attention to the name. there are, indeed, TWO steps. When I first tried it, I only used Step One and I did not get my desired effects. :)

Here is an up close look at the heart I used the Crackle on:

It is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO cool and it looks like this (for when you run right out and purchase it):

Stamps used: UNITY STAMP COMPANY
Paper and Stickers used: LILY BEE DESIGNS

Have a CRACKLE FILLED Wednesday. :) Jen

unity stamp company and spellbinders: 2 day blog hop

2011-10-18T08:05:00.001-05:00

Welcome to our TWO-day event!
You should be joining me from holly's blog, if not then head to the beginning on the Unity Stamp Co. blog.

With all the blog-swaps that are happening out there lately, I can't think of one more exciting than when the amazing women of SPELLBINDERS get together with the rockstars of UNITY STAMP COMPANY!

We can't wait to show you a special line of coordinating products featuring SPELLBINDERS dies and SAMANTHA WALKER for Unity Stamp Co. rubber stamps!

Not only are we thrilled to be collaborating on such a special 2-day event, but ONE of you will win ALL of the coordinating stamps and dies from the Samantha Walker collection! We will also have 1 winner each day from the comments that will receive 1 Samantha Walker stamp set and coordinating dies.
So be sure to enjoy our hop both days, leave comments on all of the blogs each day and check back to see if you won!

(winners will be posted on Wednesday, October 19th on the Unity Blog and Spellbinders Blog)

ummmm....i made a CARD today!! shut up, it is sooo true!! :)

Now please head over to tonya's blog.

In case you get lost along the way, please visit the UNITY STAMP COMPANY blog for a list of all the blogs in today’s blog hop!

hip hop chop chop.

2011-10-06T02:31:00.000-05:00

i am in LOVE with this dang 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook layouts!!!

look...here's another!!

i just can not stop. but i guess that's a good problem to have. :)
and my other obsession...HELMAR adhesive runner. that stuff sticks like NO other!!!

after my blog, head on over to karen's:

STAMPS USED:
BACK PACK NIGHT
words, books, apple, handwriting line
ON THE MOVE
circle numbers
stars
SWING BATTER
stars
baseball

happy holidays from unity! :)

2011-09-22T06:12:00.000-05:00

so you definitely need to check out the unity blog today for some new relase information regarding holiday stamps. they are super cute!

i did this snazzy holiday layout with newer stamps from simple stories and the itty bitty collection. and if christmas is not your thing, check out some of the halloween stamps from unity. they are, as my kids would say, "AH-mazing!!"

and check out this layout from andrea:

she is the top winner of my unity/keep it simple challenge. such a cute layout! ANDREA!!! email me your address (coolkidprz@aol.com) so i can hook ya up with some unity! :)

after my blog, go see karen:

love love LOVE simple stories!!!

2011-09-09T17:20:00.000-05:00

truth be told, i am a bit obsessed with the unity co-brand with simple stories! i LOVE them. it is as if someone got into my very own mind and made them just for me! they are fan-flippin-tastic! my all time favorite simple stories line is SMARTY PANTS, from the elementary collection.

i don't know if it is the fact that i have 3 school aged children or that i am a first grade teacher, but i just can't stop using these stamps. (SIDE NOTE: if anyone knows where i can get my hands on the elementary PAPER collection, let me know! it's been sold out everywhere!)

you can check out more product at the SIMPLE STORIES BLOG.

instead of a quote today, i will leave you with a TRUE STORY. this conversation took place on wednesday between me and one of my first grade students.

me: "you have GOT to start listening better. what's going on? what's the problem?"
boy: "i think i figured it out....my EARS ARE OLD."
me (straight faced and serious): "really? you think that's the problem? how old are they?"
boy: "i don't know, but i am pretty sure i have had them since i was a baby. they just aren't working right anymore."

have a great weekend! :) jen erickson

plain and simple hip hop.

2011-09-07T23:58:00.003-05:00

when i look at the amount of photos that i have to scrap in life, i am glad i am a simple scrapper. when i look at my i-phone and see all the new pictures i just took in a day, i am glad i am a simple scrapper. when i think of all my upcoming events and the photos that will acompany them, i am glad i am a simple scrapper. i REJOICE (can i get an amen!) in the fact that i am a simple scrapper.

it's about the only thing in my life that is simple, so i embrace it! if you have never tried it before, do so now. try to create a layout with my staples: cardstock, chipboard letters, a sharpie, ink, and unity stamps. you can throw in a few extras, but make it simple. email me (coolkidprz@aol.com) a favorite by spetember 19th. i will showcase some on my blog next hip hop for me (9/22). three layouts will be picked to win some AWESOME unity stamps. woo hoo!

so go simple or GO HOME!!!!!

after my blog, go see karen:

STAMPS USED
TWO HEADBANDS
number
stars
FLOOR SUNGGLE TIME
sweet moments
number
THEIR MOM'S A TEACHER
stars

chop chop, hip hop.

2011-08-24T23:22:00.000-05:00

happy hip hop to you. i just started school. it is VERY hot. we have no air conditioning in my district (well, it IS in the offices and administration building...). that heat sure wipes me out. i hate having to be in nice clothes and then sweating (just sitting there) more than i did in the morning when i worked out. gross. and trying to talk over three fans...tough. and first graders can't hang on to their papers very well when the fans are going full blast. i am praying for cooler days SOONER than later. :)

if you are likin' that number tape i used (down the side of the photo), it's from vintage street market. i LOVE it! versatile!

one more for the road:

after my blog, pop over to see karen's:

STAMPS USED:
HELLO, MY NAME IS...
name tag
kid face: old school unity
date
CONCENTRATE, GIRL!
basketball
numbers

goin' smaller...whaaaat?!?!

2011-08-11T07:25:00.002-05:00

yeah. that's right. i said it. GOIN' SMALLER. well, not permanently, but for sure going to dabble a bit. ya see, i have always been a 12 x 12 kinda gal. always. no desire to change. i have gone from the post bound creative memories (now we are talking WAY old school) pages to the top loading american crafts d ring type albums; that is true. however i got all sorts of crazy when i was creating CHA layouts. i busted out some 8 1/2 x 11 pages! again, i feel the need to say, shut up...it's true! see for yourself:

but that's not all...not it is not. see here:

(btw, i made the banner pop using helmar's pop dots)

yeah. i love it. and i challenge you this: TRY IT! if you have never done a smaller page, do it. peer pressure. :)

it reminds me of when megan (in the soccer pic above) was a toddler and i was heavy into scrapbooking. my husband was pretty well trained and would take no less than 3 pictures (35 mm camera style..another old school reference there) of an event or scene. he would boast, "i took enough for you to do a page!" granted, that was before when i really developed only 4x6 pictures...but seriously, with the smaller page size, it does not matter how many pics you have to scrap or even what size they are. and by the way...i was finished scrappping the smaller pages in record time!

by the way...unity is promoting a store today:

i {heart} papers

they are having quite the sale on older unity stamps. check it out!

enough talk. go see karen:

STAMPS USED:
HEY STUD
speech bubble
hey stud
SPORTS CHICK
banner and soccer ball
label

hip hop and sports.

2011-07-28T07:05:00.005-05:00

so now CHA is over and everyone is settling back into life again. i was not able to make it this year (even though i am merely a hop, skip, and a jump from chicago) due to the fact that my daughter's travel basketball team qualified for a national tournemanet. we went to bloomington illinois...where they made it to the CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!! we lost 37-47....but after playing 9 games that weekend, i am ok with that. :) the girls captured 2nd place for the 7th grade division. ROCK STARS!

this is my kid after 3 games. how she can still look so cute, i will never know. after one game, i would be a hot, red, sweaty mess!

woot woot and raise the roof! wait until you see the IRON-ON t-shirts i made for the weekend. :)

but wait...there's one more (layout)...keeping on the sports theme.

after my blog, run on over to karen's:

STAMPS USED:
NOT JUST TEAMMATES
life bingo card
label
basketballs, speech bubbles
SOFTBALL FANS
months
softball

A POST FROM THE HELMAR BLOG

2011-07-25T19:47:00.000-05:00

Wut up, HELMAR fans?!?! I got a quick-fast and NINJA like layout here for you today. I don't know about you, but I have approximately 50 million pictures to scrap....as of now...there will be even more pictures tomorrow. That is why I really enjoy poppin' out some quick and simple layouts. The GREAT THING about HELMAR is that the adhesives are strong and QUICK to dry. For this layout, I used the ever awesome ZAP DOTS to make it pop a bit.

I glued my chipboard letters on with my favorite QUICK DRY ADHESIVE.

But wait...there's more!!! I used my all time favorite HELMAR product, ADHESIVE RUNNER, to super stick down everything else! I am telling you...if you have not tried this product yet...you are MISSING OUT BIG TIME! It is the very best adhesive ever. It rolls on all smooth like BUTTAH! (that would be "butter" for those of you unfamiliar with a new jersey accent)

And by the way...the cool brick wall stamp I used was a new release from UNITY STAMPS.

Peace out, girl scout! :)

brand-spankin-new-hip-hop!!

2011-07-14T07:10:00.000-05:00

sooooo...in case you did not know, unity has a TON of new stuff coming out for CHA SUMMER next week. tons. i am especially diggin' the co-brands. and you can take my word for it...this stuff is fan-flippin'-tastic!
how about this, from simple stories :

but wait...there's more....how about this from bella blvd :

AHHHH....i have more up my sleeve, but i will save THOSE for later!! :)

be sure to stop by the unity blog today to get informed and se what is up. to see all the new releases, head on over to the unity website.

after my blog, head over to check out ms. karen:

hip hop and fireworks.

2011-06-30T02:19:00.000-05:00

hey there hip hoppers! are you ready for the 4th?!

my kids are. it is a big holiday full of family and festivities in the erickson household. we camp, cook out, do the parade and fireworks....EVERYTHING! as un-american as it sounds, i could do without the fireworks.....but i suck it up for one day. :)

hope your 4th rocks!

be sure to check out the unity blog for upcoming info and news on releases. angela has a boat load of new, cool stuff coming your way!

after my blog, head on over to karen's:

STAMPS USED:
GOOD TIMES
number line
number
film strip
FAIRY WINGS
heart
date stamp

all adhesives: helmar

2011-06-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

yeah...so apparently i like to subconsciously create a sketch in my head and use it over and over again in layouts. :)

so today there is a pretty good sale going on over at the unity blog. it all has to do with samantha walker and savin' some cash! check it out, quick fast like a ninja!

here's a sample of all the cool things you can do...

thanks so much for stopping by. now head over to karen's blog:

STAMPS USED:
EVIL LAUGH
six
crossword strip
alphabet letters
CHICK IS OUT
chick

married 15 years to my baby daddy.

2011-06-15T21:54:00.000-05:00

woo hoo. 15 years today. how crazy is that?!?!

love you ron. :)

paper used: best creations

adhesives used: helmar

short and sweet. hip and hop.

2011-06-02T00:04:00.002-05:00

soooo...this is my last week of school.

friday...the last day. i still have to pack my room, finish report cards, bind yearly journals for all 24 kids (yikes), have kids finish THEIR OWN scrapbooks.....the list goes on and on.

so, happy hip hop. no time for chat. i'm outta here. :)

after my blog, pop over to visit karen's:

STAMPS USED:
circle
number line
random numbers

alright, STOP...collaborate and listen...

2011-05-19T00:03:00.002-05:00

ice is back with a brand new invention.

something...grab ahold of me tightly.

sharp like a harpoon something something nightly.

will it ever stop?

yo, i don't know.

turn off the lights and i'll glow.

to the extreme i rock the mic like a vandal...

i could go on and on with my vanilla ice rhymes!

LOVED THAT SONG!

it was HUGE my freshman year of college.

and yes, i am pretty sure i got some of the above

lyrics WRONG. :) that's just how i roll.

bonus layouts:

again, i must explain that these layouts are really NOT CROOKED!!
i have no idea why my new scanner hates me so much....

after my blog, be sure to hit karen's:

STAMPS USED:
ICE, ICE BABY
number
face: old school unity
40
date: month and numbers
MR. PARTY
party hat
stars

i'm cookin', y'all!

2011-05-07T00:02:00.000-05:00

raise the roof for NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY!

good day to you and yours. :)

head on over to the unity blog to find out all taht is goin'on.

also...you can win a big fat prize of unity stamps!

and....this very recipe page!!

(shut up, it's true!)

all of the unity DT created a layout of her favorite recipe.

it has all been compiled and united into one COOK BOOK that is

(get ready for it...)

UP FOR GRABS!!!

meanwhile, back at the ranch....

i got a winner from thursday's post:

Thu May 05, 04:37:00 PM CDT

Lou said...

Super cool layout, Jen! Your journaling rocks, as always! And those stamps are freakin' awesome!!!

so lou, email me your info at coolkidprz@aol.com :)

hip-hop-i-gotta-a-prize-to-give-away-woot-woot!!

2011-05-05T00:05:00.001-05:00

how do you like the title of this here blog post? it's all run-on, and not really a sentence...but you get the point....

SOOOOOO...i will be randomly picking one lucky winner (or as we say in first grade, "weeeeeeener!") to win this fantastic stamp set:

oh yeah. that's right. you. can. win. it.

it's one of my all time favorite stamp sets right now.

i have 5 new layouts to scan, and of those five...FOUR

feature this stamp set. it rocks!

just leave me a comment and that's how you get your chance at it!

i will be picking sometime tomorrow...so stay tuned. :)

enjoy your blog hop today. now get yer boo-tay

on over to see KAREN:

oh yes...and if you are looking for a cool crop this weekend, come on over to scrap-a-latte. hope to see you there!! :)

happy itty bitty birthday, unity!!!

2011-04-30T00:01:00.001-05:00

so today is unity's 3rd birthdy! woo hoo and raise the roof!

all the dt members are using a favorite itty bitty stamp to showcase. mine is this one:

soooo super cute! i am using it all the time. see....

look! here it is again. :)

be sure to check out the unity blog today so you can get a chance to win some itty bitty stamps of your own!!

after my blog, go see miss lesley :)

2 things.

2011-04-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

first of all, i have posted this fantastic layout over on the unity blog. check it out. i used the co-branded stamps from jillibean soup. they also, are pretty fantastic.

sorry about the picture. my scanner is crazy right now. dark lines. wickety wickety wickety whack!

(criss cross will make you jump, jump!)

as for my 2nd thing:

i made the design team for HELMAR USA . they only have the VERY BEST adhesives EVER! seriously...no more chipboard letters falling off for me! when you use helmar...it is not EVEN coming off.

here is where you come in....

go to FACEBOOK and

LIKE HELMAR

you must tell them JEN ERICKSON sent ya.

you can get there from the helmar link above.

if i am he design team member to get the most hook ups :) , then i get to pick a name to win this fabulous prize package:

shut up, it IS true!

and yes, i DID use me some helmar too stick those letters to the scrap book page above. word.

tilt your head to the side, hip hop.

2011-04-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

WHAT is going on with my new scanner?!?!? i do not even know. but it is getting rather annoying how my layouts look crooked after i scan them. and i am also noticing a shadow problem toward the left as well. anyone else having this problem with their HP printer/scanner?? it's driving me crazy!!

after my blog, go and see karen:

STAMPS USED
ONE LUCKY CHICK
chick
OLD LADY
3, 9 (outlined)
number line
date stamps
name badge

flippin' sweet blog post.

2011-04-14T00:05:00.003-05:00

DO NOT TELL MY HUSBAND THIS...

but when i scrap these older pics from when my

kids were wee little peanuts....i TOTALLY want to have more!!!

o.m.g.

how cute were they?!!?

reality: i would NOT be an effective parent of more

than four. after teacing 24 first graders all day...there is NO way i could come home to more than three. plus, if i did get pregnant

again, we would totally be that couple on maury povich getting a DNA test. i could be all like, "look at him. look at my baby. he look just like his daddy! oh no you di'nt!"

plus also, i would need to win the lottery so that i could afford

another one AND get a tummy tuck. :)

BIG DAY FOR UNITY TODAY!!!

the unity design team and the ippity design team

are joining forces. it will be awesome. sort of like when napoelon dynamite and his pal pedro worked together to win the

class election. it's gonna be flippin' sweet.

check out the unity blog for other info and news!

today is different..after my blog..go to JIMMI'S:

STAMPS USED:
"sweet moments" ticket, hearts, "togetherness"

hip hop from the 80's.

2011-04-07T00:07:00.000-05:00

i am SUCH a chick from the 80's. seriously. i can remember it like it was yesterday. i went through middle school and high school in the 80's. i had my collar turned up, my jeans cuffed tight (peg leg), my arms adorned with jelly bracelets, my neon bright, and my hair big. and there was a period, in about 6th grade, when i thought i was a valley girl (although living in maryland). like omigawd! gag me with a spoon. :)

btw, my hair dresser tells me that big hair is coming back....which is PR-ITTY exciting for me. i am pushing the envelop as it is anyway. :)

after my blog, pop over to wendy's:

STAMPS USED:
numbers
notebook paper

april fool's birthday for me (the chick who still says, "yer mom".)

2011-03-31T00:04:00.002-05:00

yes. it is true. my birthday is tomorrow. april 1st.

and yes, i am well aware of just how fitting that

really is. :)

so if you live anywhere near the quad cities and want to celebrate and

have an adult beverage with me....

come to pk dugans in silvis friday night.

[all the cools kids will be there. :)]

as for the layout story...read it. i am a dork, i know.

i still retain a bit of my middle school mentality.

i just can't help it.

like when one of my first graders hugs me and then tells me i smell good, i ALWAYS say, "thanks!

i just farted."

it brings the house down.

i can not help it.

after my blog, pop by wendy's:

STAMPS USED:
lady chick
stars
speech bubble
arrow and days of the week

chello. it's time for a hip hop!

2011-03-24T00:11:00.004-05:00

ok. so i am on spring break right now. it is pretty super not to work right now...but man! the weather is horrible.

rainy and cold and windy. low 40's today...

rain snow mix tomorrow with a big flippin'

high of 28. boo!

on a sunnier note....

we have got some big stuff cookin' up at unity.

stay tuned. :)

after my blog, head on over to check out miss wendy:

STAMPS USED:
hand-drawn star
number 2
tiny letters
star
background stars

HELMAR USA DESIGN: GUEST DESIGNER SUBMISSION

2011-03-18T11:19:00.000-05:00

ok. so i know i have mentioned before helmar adhesives and my new found love for them. if i was in the soaps, it would be like my long lost twin sister (not to be confused with the evil twin sister)found me, in which life suddenly became so much better! :) seriously. this stuff rocks.

and as a scrapbookers, we use adhesive on every page...so it is a bonus to find some that really work. there is nothing worse than looking through old scrapbooks and finding random chipboard letters at the bottom of my page protecters and titles that no longer make sense. hate that!

but wait! there's more!!! the tape runner...it DOES NOT clump and goo up! shut up! it's true!!

i have used helmar adhesives on all of the pages in this post today. i especially like to glue my chipboard letters on with this:

i also have been using this glue at school with my FIRST GRADERS:

this one is my all time favorite for everything else (including, but not limited to photos and cardstock):

                   chistmas peanut: materials:
            adhesive: adhesive runner , liquid glue
                     stamps: unity stamp co.
                           ink: ragner
                          pen: sharpie
                  letter stickers: girls paperie
                       cardstock: bazzill
                       punch: stampin' up
                      ribbon: rusty pickle
                         other: paper

happy birthday: materials:

adhesive: adhesive runner, liquid scrap dots, liquid glue

stamps: unity stamp company

ink: ragner

pens: sharpie

cardstock: bazzill

punch: ek success

chipboard letters: basic grey

pen: sharpie

ribbon: crafts etc.

ballin': materials:

adhesive: liquid glue, adhesive runner

stamps: untiy stamp co.

ink: ranger

cardstock: bazzill

thickers: american crafts

punch: ek success

other: paper

be me: materials

adehsives: adhesive runner, liquid glue, gemstone glue

stamps: unity stamp company

ink: ranger

pen: sharpie

chipboard letters: heidi swapp

bling: crafts etc.

cardstock: bazzill

punch: stampin' up

other: paper

hip to the hop.

2011-03-17T00:06:00.002-05:00

wup up?!?

anyone live near the quad cities in illinois?!

it was like 65 degrees yesterday!!!

65.

come on summer. come on. :)

and a side note about that first layout....i can not believe how much my child changed in such a short period of time. it was about a 3 month transformation. no one could get over it. i still can't. it was like she just stretched out. and since that 2nd picture was taken, megan has changed even more. she is taller (i literally have to look UP to her to make eye contact) and the eye liner is darker. :)

after my blog, check out wendy's:

STAMPS USED
WHAT A DIFFERENCE
months
alphabet letters
TEENY TINY SOCCER CHICK
numbers
5
ruler

i-got-no-voice-hip-hop.

2011-03-10T00:02:00.001-06:00

my voice is all jacked up! it started mid-day friday. my 1st

graders were all like, "what's wrong with your voce? you sound funny!" it was pretty bad saturday morning, but by lunch time it was shot. you could hardly hear me. saw the doctor ssdaay...lucky me...it's viral. 7 to 10 days. boo.

i taught monday but my kids were out of school so my oldest, megan, came to help me. no so bad. tuesday...horrible.

it got so bad tat i got to FLICKERING THE LIGHTS (so annoying)

when i wanted the whole group's attention.

i took wednesday off to "rest my voice" (cause did ya know the speech pathologist at school said whispering is just as bad as trying to talk?! shut up, it's true.). i HATE not talking. i am a talker.

so, i think it's getting better. i will be back at school today. wish me luck! :)

SNAZZY NEW: UNITY TV!!!

so you need to check this out:

unty stamp co. tv

this is just the first of many episodes. woo hoo!

STAMPS USED

banner, paw prints, heart

tiny letters

after my blog, go to wendy's:

hip and hop.

2011-03-03T00:07:00.000-06:00

sometimes i sit and think and just CAN NOT believe that i am a

mother to a teenager. it just seems so crazy.

i still think of myself as pretty young and i can

remember very well my teenage years.

now i TOTALLY get why my dad had

such a huge problem with my boyfriend owning a van.

man.

crazy.

thanks for stoppin' by. now keep on goin' to wendy's blog:

STAMPS USED
ticket
scallop border

hip hoppin' with the cheerleader.

2011-02-24T00:01:00.002-06:00

NOTE: you MUST listen to the CHEERLEADER SONG (by deirdre flint) to the right of my blog on that little music thing. click on it quick fast!!! it cracks me up!

confession time:

i have a daughter who is a cheerleader. it freaked me out a bit

at her first game when i saw girls her age in atheltic gear ready to shoot some hoops and my kid is decked out in a a polyester skirt,

ribbon hair tie, and pom poms. my husband calmed me and reminded me

how super cute she looked and how excited she was.

you have to keep in mind that i am a die hard athlete. i am

aggressive and strong and like contact sports.

can you tell me the last time you saw a cheerleader

slide tackle another one? didn't think so. :)

so, i watched. and i smiled. and i loved it.

proof:

sooooo...i am pretty excited to have some cheerleading pictures to scrapbook. but the BEST part of the story is after her first game of cheering, we were watching her brother play basketball. unsolicited by me (i swear), she said (and i quote):

"just so you know mom, i am playing BASKETBALL

next year. it's more my style."

ha!

and former cheerleaders, do not take offense...

(CONFESSION TIME AGAIN)

i too, was once a cheerleader in 6th and 7th grade. (shut up! it's true!) when it came to chosing sports or cheerleading, i went with the sports. :)

and let me not forget to include a sports layout here. :)

dang. quite the story teller today. now head over to see wendy:

STAMPS USED:
CHEERLEADER
stars
girl face
BALLIN'
stars
basketball and hoop
dotted circle

hip hoppin' in slush.

2011-02-17T00:01:00.001-06:00

sooo...all the record breaking snow amounts we got last week are now melting. now we are having record highs (65 degrees today). go figure. it is one big fat mess around here. but i do enjoy the picture in this layout from the snow day. my 13 year old took it...so MEGAN ERICKSON, i give you photo credit here. :)

after my blog, check out ms. wendy:

stamp used:snowman

paper used: echo park

jersey shore hip hop

2011-02-10T00:01:00.001-06:00

in case you have not picked up on it yet, my youngest

is a spit-fire. the way she is not at 6...i can not IMAGINE

her as a teenager. should be interesting.

i am guessing i will be getting my hair done more often to

cover the gray she is giving me.

at least i know she will always keep me laughing. :)

how do you like her middle picture?

she calls it her

"oh no you di'nt" look.

seriously. it is what she calls it.

be sure to check out the the unity site for

the brand spankin' new releases from CHA.

after my blog, pop on over to my girl wendy:

STAMPS USED
ticket, stars, months
words

PATTERNED PAPER
echo park

snowed-in-hip-hop

2011-02-03T00:01:00.000-06:00

i did this layout for hip hop as a reminder that one day, it WILL

be warm again. let me tell you, winter has hit HARD

here in illinois! we got about 20 inches of snow in a 12 hours period

and THEN we had 50 plus mph winds so it was a FLIPPIN' BLIZZARD!!!

my husband is a cop and he was working in the worst of it. he said there was a snow drift that was about 3 feet taller than the

light bars on his SUV squad right smack dab in the middle of

our road. and here is the craziest part....

he had to go to walmart to get new windshield wiper

blades for himself and a few other deputies and in the WHOLE
ENTIRE SUPER WALMART, there were only 4 employees working!

four! and no one knew how to run the register so they rang him up by hand all old school style with a calculator! :)

i pretty much stayed in the house all day wednesday (snow day!)

in my jammies, so my pictures to share are poor.

you can check these out from my local news.

pop over to wendy's blog now:

STAMPS USED
the story
scallops

she's krafty. she gets around. she's krafty, all over town.

2011-01-27T00:08:00.003-06:00

can i get a shout out for old school beastie boys?!?!
woot woot! love them. and for those of you who don"t know my "krafty reference"check out this. although i am not beastie boy's crafty....i just love my krafty color background paper.

there is a lot going on over at UNITY this week. CHA is right around the corner and they have a TON of new releases coming out. lots and lots of cute stuff. that's what i'm talkin' about!

after my blog, go and see miss wendy:

STAMPS USED:
UNDER MY UMBRELLA
star
mini dots
SHE'S A BALLER
basketball/hoop, "champ"

pink...it's the new black.

2011-01-20T00:03:00.001-06:00

so, i teach first grade and the things the kids say sometimes just cracks me up. a few years ago, one of my boys (brennen) saw me wearing a pink sweater and said, "you know mrs. erickson, pink is the new black. you are in style." i was rollin'. :)

the "peace out girlscout" layout has some brand spankin' new stamps in it. they are co-branded unity and marah johnson stamps and will debut at CHA in a couple of weeks. sneak peak!!

after my blog, check in on wendy:

STAMPS USED:
PEACE OUT GIRLSCOUT
peace sign, black bar thingy, peace word
SHE LOVES HER DADDY
heart
est.
ticket

itty bitty hip hopitty.

2011-01-13T01:39:00.000-06:00

can i just say, if i had more money

(for a nanny and tummy tuck)...

i would TOTALLY have another kid!!!

looking back on a two year old abby in this layout

makes me sad that she is my youngest

and she's now 6!! what the heck!?!

where did the time go?

meanwhile, back at the ranch....

today is a day of itty bitty unity stamps.

they are so stinkin' cute (like my peanut abby).

you should check them all out.

i origninally got this stamp with plans

of using it on my kids' sports pages.

haven't done that yet. just this one. :)

i am liking how versatile it is.

after my blog, do a drive by on wendy:

stamps used:
check mark
star, fancy grid

love and hip hop.

2011-01-06T00:08:00.000-06:00

wut up, buttercups?!?! :)

i must share my new loves with you.

1. the(kinda)new teresa collins line.

i am just lovin' the muted colors.

2. helmar adhesives. omg! where have they been my

whole life? the glue will hold anything in place.

the tape runner goes forever without getting gooped up.

and it holds better than any tape runner i

have ever used in my entire scrapping life!

shut up, it's true!!

                                         check here for wonderful adhesive :)
           3. unity stamps. duh. they just keep knocking it out
of the ballpark when it comes to being creative and innovative.
  my all time favorites, of course, are the scrapbooking stamps.
          i like that i can use them over and over again
      on different paged. they are the gift that keeps
                              on giving.
                      so go and treat yourself.
                    i am SURE you deserve it. ;)

after my blog, pop by wendy's:

stamps used:
13
months

hip. hop.

2010-12-29T23:13:00.000-06:00

hey there! i hope y'all had a fantastic christmas and

are on your way to an even better new year!

be sure to check out the unity blog

today. i know there are many of the old

KOMs retiring and there is a chance to

win sime unity stamps simply by

posting comments on the dt blogs during

this hop. so check it out

(like a book in the library).

after my blog, hit wendy's:

stamps used:
flower
grid
block border

because 2 winners are better than one.

2010-12-29T14:59:00.000-06:00

Thu Dec 23, 10:09:00 AM CST

ma said...

That is just a fabulous page! What a great look on your son's face! I love seeing stamps used on scrapbook pages, thanks for sharing yours. And thank you for the chance to win some stamps.

Thu Dec 23, 07:31:00 PM CST

Dayna said...

Hope you feel better. I came across your blog from unity stamps and can remember seeing your layouts in the old Ivy Cottage Creations magazine...at least I think that was the name of it from so long ago!! Merry Christmas!

alright now chicks, you are the winners. email me at coolkidprz@aol.com to claim your FABULOUS prize. :)

makin' a list and checkin' it twice.

2010-12-23T00:06:00.001-06:00

ack! christmas eve tomorrow! i've been down with the (sickness)flu

for the past SEVEN days! i am a bit behind at the moment.

note to self: do NOT forget to get the

flu shot next year. or ever again.

every time i look at this picture of my son, it just cracks me UP!

anyway, in the spirit of the holiday season,

i would like to offer up some stamps.

no lie.

i will be picking a comment from my blog today.

that lucky chick will be getting a plethra of

unity stamps sent her way. :)

after my blog, go see wendy:

have a SUPER christmas!!!

STAMPS USED
circle camera
date stamp
circle grid

hip hop from the jersey shore.

2010-12-16T00:01:00.002-06:00

hey there. i was hoping to get our

christams card picture scrapped, but that's

not happening. i came home from school today and am feeling

SICK.:( sore throat and chills. so you

will have to wait until later to see

my mad scrapping skills on that photo.

in the meantime, here is the actual card:

(and again, i apologize to my mother-in-law and conservative aunt)

be sure to check out the unity blog for all sorts

of information about prizes and new releases from echo park.

you also have a chance to be picked to win unity stamps. just leave a comment on the dt blogs.

after my blog, go see wendy:

STAMPS USED:
circle arrow
stars
book it

only-15-shoppin-days-left-hip hop

2010-12-09T00:04:00.003-06:00

well hello, hip hoppers.

back again, i see.

happy holidays.

unity has got a ton of good things

going on this month. be sure to visit the

UNITY BLOG

and

UNITY WEBSITE

to learn of all the wonders and joys.

you have a chance to win some stamps and paper packs

by leaving a comment on the design team blogs.

woot woot. raise the roof.

btw....still working on the christmas card.

i will post it ASAP. :)

after my blog, go to wendy's:

STAMPS USED:
PROOF
alphabet letters
CHRISTMAS SMILES
grid
tree, snowflakes
CHRISTMAS EVE
alphabet stamps

wut up, stampin' kathy?!?!

2010-12-05T12:04:00.000-06:00

Thu Dec 02, 07:39:00 AM CST

StampinCathy said...

I just love all the fun themes to your Christmas cards. I know that your family and friends can't wait to see what you come up with every year. Thanks for the inspiration and a just at this cute stamp.

you are the winner! email jimmi with your info and she will hook ya up. congrats, guuuurrrrrrl! :)

jimmi.mayo@gmail.com

christmas cards from the ericksons...

2010-12-02T00:06:00.000-06:00

so every year for like EVER, our family sends a

very unique christmas card out. it had turned into quite a tradition and come october or november of every year, people begin asking what

we are doing for that year. the pressure is on.

this year (and i SWEAR i will post it as soon as we take it)

we are going with a JERSEY SHORE christmas.

ha! my husband is not thrilled, especially after the gun

one we did last year. too bad, so sad.

my all time favorite has been "dreaming of a white trash christmas".

and let me just say what you are bound to be thinking:

"my, how her scrap style has changed and GROWN

over the years....."

i know.

what is your favorite theme we have done?

got any ideas for future years?

just want to mention how AWESOME UNITY STAMPS are?

leave a comment and i will pick a chick to win this stamp:

winner will be posted tomorrow some time.

after my blog, pop over to see wendy's:

STAMPS USED:
crazy for christmas
circle with words around it, 25, flower circle,
tiny letters
star
peace on earth
letter stamps
"priceless"
circles
deck the halls
faces
worn grid
circle stamp
date: old kit of the month

wednesday hip hop....whaaaaaaat?!?!

2010-11-24T00:01:00.010-06:00

we've got our hip hop going on a day early

this week

thanks to thanksgiving on

thursday. so enjoy your turkey time and family!

there are lots of new sets of stamps being released today

as a co-brand with unity and BELLA BLVD!!!

check the out:

i used the "honey, i'm home!" kit in the layout above.

i used the lazy eyed owl

and cut the frame into brackets.

and in case you are thinking that the layout design look somewhat

familiar...you are CORRECT! i do a layout every year

with all 3 kids school pictures together.

i am sure if you look back in past blog posts, you

will find some. why re-invent the wheel, right?!

have a super turkey day, y'all! :)

after my blog, go see PAMELA'S BLOG

but wait...there's more!!!!!!!

right on the site!!!

2010-11-20T02:46:00.002-06:00

samantha walker stamps

cosmo cricket stamps

donna downey stamp

BREAKING NEWS!!!!! you can now get your bo-branded unity (slash-melody ross, cosmo cricket, samantha walker, and donna downey) stamps directly on the UNITY SITE. shut up! it's true!!

check out the UNITY BLOG today for all the details on ordering and shipping and sales. yes, sales. :) also be sure to check out other untiy design team blogs today for other project ideas.

have a super saurday! i will be at basketball tournaments all weekend for megan and ryan. i am really glad that i planned it out and was able to put 3 1/2 years between each kid when i had them. i can not imagine having 3 kids with basketball tournaments this weekend!! :)

chello, winner.

2010-11-19T14:45:00.000-06:00

Thu Nov 18, 10:29:00 AM CST

creative patti said...

I always enjoy seeing your LO's!! Great Work. Great little candy, so worth the wait. Thanks for sharing.

woo hoo for you creative patti! email jimmi for your prize. :)

jimmi.mayo@gmail.com

ho-ho-ho-hip-hop!

2010-11-18T00:01:00.020-06:00

i know you must be quite impressed with my clever blog post titles each week. :)

are you done christmas shopping yet? if your answer is yes, boo to you! i have started, but am no where near being finished. i will say that i will be shopping on amazon.com again this holiday season. i just love their free shipping and the fact that i don't have to stress in traffic or be behind "undesirables" in line at the stores.

but, i digress....

i will hook ya up with a little holiday joy today by offering up this nifty little stamp set:

just leave me a comment and i will pick a winner!

(please note that due to the fact that i am somewhat busy and occasionally absent minded, the winner post may take a few days.)

after my blog, jump over to wendy's:

STAMPS USED
HOLIDAY CHICKS
number 3
date
chicks: old school unity :)
TRIM THE TREE
alphabet letters

stocking winner...right here!

2010-11-14T10:54:00.000-06:00

Thu Nov 11, 07:48:00 AM CST

Lillian Child said...

What a sweet family you have! And your little girl's grin on your first layout is just too sweet. Stockings are a tradition in our family. My kids are in their 30's and they STILL get a stocking every Christmas. It's so much fun to come up with novelty items and to watch them giggle with delight!

woo hoo for you lillian!!! email me your info and we will hook ya up with aunt joy to get your personalized stocking. congrats! :)

coolkidprz@aol.com

ampin'-up-for-christmas-hip hop!!

2010-11-11T00:01:00.001-06:00

i just love journaling! so journaling christams stuff is right up my alley. whether it's bullet points like in the first layout) or a paragraph (like the second), try a little jouranling this holiday season. :)

also, if you want to see some super awesome stockings for christams this year, pop over to aunt joy's and check it out. all the kids have one, ron and i each have one, and our dog scout has a tiny one too! they pretty much rock. all the cool kids have 'em. :)

              I HAVE A GIVEAWAY!!!
leave a comment and i will pick a winner tomorrow. the prize is
            a "tall tree christmas
            stocking...PERSONALIZED."
          by aunt joy! shut up! it is sooo true!

in addition to this chance to win a stocking, you can also register on aunt joy's website to win christmas stockings every friday until christmas! bonus! :)

after my blog, pop over to wendy's:

stamps used:
CHRISTMAS PEANUT
sentiment, "top ten" circle
STOCKINGS
alphabet letters

thanksgiving table decor by jen e.

2010-11-04T00:07:00.000-05:00

yeah, so this week's theme is thanksgiving table decor.

if you know anything about me, you know i do not

make things (except awesome conversation and

my own sweet dance moves).

so, if i had to decorate a table for thanksgiving, i would

THROW THIS LAYOUT ON THE TABLE. :)

yeah.

after my blog, stop to see wendy:

STAMPS USED
leaves
word strip
circle grid

3-cheers-for-sports-hip-hop

2010-10-28T00:07:00.001-05:00

so, this week's hop is themed around encouragment. well, let me tell ya i am all about encouraging my kids with their sports. it was such a large part of my life growing up that it helped to form the (borderline amazing) person i am today. i am glad to offer my kids the same opportunities with sports. SPORTS ROCK!

if you want to in this stamp set:

leave me a comment and i will pick a chick tomorrow. :)

be sure to check out the unity blog because there are some super cute NEW STAMP SETS being released today.

after my blog, check out jen buck's:

STAMPS USED:
KUNG FOO FIGHTING
tickets
speech bubbles
dots
ON THE MOVE
baseball
library card
dots

hello winner.

2010-10-25T20:59:00.000-05:00

Wendy ten Hove said...

Hi Jen,

sooooo....
i picked the winner on friday. just got to posting it today. whoopsie.
anyway...congrats, girlfriend. email me you info. :)
coolkidprz@aol.com

Aaah... loved reading your story! So sweet and how can you 'not want' that cutie face? she looks sooo adorable! Loved reading about the story behind you having here, and I'm sure your husband is now in love as well! And later will play pool with her and then she will win and do a cute little happy dance, hi hi!! Love the layout you made!! Congrats on this wonderful little girl!!

Hugs, Wendy

thankful hip to the hop

2010-10-21T00:04:00.000-05:00

so this week's theme is

THANKFUL.

i did a layout about the youngest peanut of the erickson bunch.

the peanut who almost never was.

way back in 2003 my husband and i made a deal.

i wanted a third kid and he did not.

he was happy with two, a boy and a girl.

i just knew was meant to be the mom of 3.

(would have been nice to have 4, but that would require more money than i have, as well as a TUMMY TUCK.)

so, we discussed and negotiated.

after the dust cleared, i walked away with abby (see above) and ron got a new pool table. :)

(he will swear to this day that it was supposed to be a motorcycle, but that is false.)

i am SOOOOO glad we decided to shoot for a family of five.

abby is fan-flippin-tastic and in case you have not seen her dance moves: they are stellar.

ah yes....

you can win this stamp set:

i will be picking a winner tomorrow from
the comments on my blog today.

after my blog, pop over to see wendy:

STAMPS USED
cupcake
ticket
background dots

girls-rock-your-boys hip hop

2010-10-14T00:03:00.005-05:00

got a little old school rockin' out for ya by abby erickson. :)

after my blog, head over to see wendy:

STAMPS USED:
BOO AT THE ZOO
call of the wild
sick trick or treaters
HALLOWEEN CUTIE
bats, "halloween"
name tag
heart
date stamp

winner!

2010-10-11T09:24:00.002-05:00

Thu Oct 07, 09:36:00 AM CDT

Court said...

I LOVE the name of your blog. It's hilarious. And thanks for the chance to win some stamps!

you win, chick!! email me your info!
coolkidprz@aol.com
congrats! :)

hip hop and the magic pumpkin (charlie brown).

2010-10-07T00:01:00.003-05:00

We have a tradition in our family that was passed down by my Dad. I am not sure how it started or where my dad got the idea. it did not start with me, but with my younger brothers. When they were little, they got SMURFS in their pumpkins. :)

what you do is have your kids try to pick out a magic pumpkin. this can happen at the pumpkin patch (or in busy sports seasons) the walmart because the magic can happen anywhere! before the kids pull off the top, you need to be tricky and quick-fast like a ninja and sneak the small prize into pumpkin before anyone notices. one year we had to do a magic pumpkin chant around the house (because we were not sure if it was magical), while dad stood watch in the kitchen. if you don't do something like this, try it this year. it is exciting for the kids and such a fun family tradition to pass down.

in the spirit of magic and give-aways...leave a comment on my blog and i will pick a chick tomorrow to win this cute set:

after my blog, pop over to wendy's:

stamps used:
ticket
"good times" strip
pumpkin

hip hop...i'm doin' a crop!!!

2010-09-30T00:05:00.002-05:00

that's right...you heard it here...

i am hosting a journaling crop this weekend!!!

lots of people have mentioned needing ideas for journaling on scrapbook pages. i think journaling is the most important thing to include on a scrapbook pages (besides pictures and unity stamps, of course! ;) ).

so if you need journaling ideas and want to win some prizes (UNITY STAMPS included), come and crop at

scrap-a-latte

the crop starts friday night and runs thru sunday.

be sure to register ahead of time if you are not already a member.

NEW STAMP ALERT!!!!

check out the new scrapbook kits from unity!

i used them in my layouts this week.

i am in some serious like with the ticket one!

after my blog, head over to see what wendy is up to:

h{ippity} hoppity...rockin' non stop-ity!

2010-09-23T00:05:00.001-05:00

i know you are impressed with my clever little blog post title. i am tricky like that.

so today is a FLIP FLOP BLOG HOP!!! the unity girls and the ippity girls have flip flopped stamps and have created masterpieces (i am sure)with the switched items. i loved working with the ippity stuff, so be sure to check it out on their BLOG.

i will be on splitcoaststampers tonight at 7:30 pm (central) if you feel like chattin'. :)

after my blog, pop over to see wendy:

STAMPS USED:
SIDE PONY
dots, original
"here's the story"
YEAR 2
happy, date words
moment date stamp
book card
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
numbers
book card

hip hop and happy!

2010-09-16T00:01:00.002-05:00

wut up hip hoppers?! i got nothin' to say. too busy at school getting my first graders in line. did i mention one of them pooped on my floor?!?? yeah, first time in 17 years of teaching. that give you an idea of how crazy things are right now. :) but i am still happy, so it's all good.

once again, hop over to see wendy's blog next. :)

STAMPS USED:
THE STORY OF RAIN
tiny letters
hearts
angel
FINAL DESTINATION
arrow, date, compass

hip hop dance off!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-08T21:19:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZekB3m412A

start this thrusday's hip hop off with a HIP HOP DANCE OFF brought to you by me, starring my very own husband RON ERICKSON (check out his unique wrist twist dance) and my youngest kid ABBY ERICKSON (she should be on soul train). at the very least, it will put a smile on your face. at the most, you could come away with some AWESOME dance moves to try at your next party, dance, or street performance. :)

we will be chatting over at splitcoaststampers from 11am to around 8pm (centeral time). pop on over if you have time for some fun and prizes. good times.

after my blog, go see wendy:

so go listen to some old school hip hop and have a dance off of your own! :)

stamps used:
ticket
numbers

hip hoppin' it KRAFT-y like.

2010-09-01T21:45:00.000-05:00

i like kraft paper, yes i do! i like kraft paper, how 'bout YOU?!?!

if a scrapbooking law was passed which required all crafters to use ONLY KRAFT as a background color, my response would probably be, "YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" and then, "it's about time." or maybe even "woot woot!!" i LOVE kraft. love it. but anyway....

i am officially the parent of a teenager. do i look any different? :)
megan turned 13 on monday. happy birthday to my first peanut!

you can pop over to splitcoaststampers to day for some chattin' and prizes. i will be chattin' sometime around 7pm central time. come on ovah!

after my blog, get to wendy's:

STAMPS USED:
MUST BE GENETIC
circle camera
date stamp
NAUGHTY BOY
sad face
date stamp
grid background

hip hop!

2010-08-25T23:13:00.002-05:00

so, when i look at this layout, i can hear peter brady's cracky voice in the background singing, "when it's time to change, you've got to re-arrange...who you are into what your gonna be...shan na na na na na na shan na na na na." (ha! now it is in your head too!!)

i am excited to say that we have some new additions to the scrapbooking team. check it out at the unity website. your blog hop will now contain even MORE scrapbook pages!!!

after my blog, you are on the way to wendy's:

STAMPS USED:
name tag
film strip
tiny alphabet letters
alphabet letters
row of hearts

monica...YOU WIN!

2010-08-25T22:45:00.000-05:00

Monica said...

Oh, you are so funny. Love that your found the giant toilet paper roll and documented it! Thanks for the giveaway - I'd love that Sporty stamp set!

you win the sporty stamp set, giiiiiiirrrrrrrrl! email me your info:
coolkidprz@aol.com :)

back to school for me.

2010-08-19T00:02:00.000-05:00

so, after a wonderful summer vacarion, i am back to school today. as you read this, i am most likely in meetings and my neck is sore. however...the exciting part is we have back pack night tonight, so i get to meet all my new little peanuts. that is always fun!

i will be picking a winner for this smoothy stamp set:

as seen here:

enjoy the hop and head over to wendy next!

stamps used:
SCHOOL RULES
math symbols, rller, star, file folder
LOST & FOUND
beer bottle
laughter circle

dog stamp winner!

2010-08-15T08:33:00.002-05:00

Thu Aug 12, 01:44:00 AM CDT

Ola said...

Awesome layouts! And a very cute stamp set!

Thank you so much for sharing & the chance to win!!!

~Ola

okj83 at live dot com

congrats chick! email me you name and address at coolkidprz@aol.com. :)

yippity skippity...brand new releases from ippity!

2010-08-11T21:50:00.000-05:00

sooooo...today is a big day for unity's sister company,ippity .

check out this flyer for details of new release, chats, games, and give aways.

i addition to all that fun, i have more for you! just post a comment here on my blog and i will pick a chick who will win this super-cute stamp set:

you can make all sorts of sweet layouts (or cards) with this...for example:

enough talk...more unity. go to wendy's blog next...

stamps used:
SQUEEZE TOGETHER
tiny letters
film strip
ATTENTION GETTER
paw prints, heart, dog
alphabet letters

scrapbook news and review

2010-08-07T11:04:00.001-05:00

for those of you who don't know, i am lucky enough to be on the staff for scrapbook news and review. it is an online magazine that provides eye candy (which is my favorite) as well as articles and "how to" information.

the link is here:
SCRAPBOOK NEWS AND REVIEW

here is a layout i have in the recent (july) issue:

and here is a sneak peak from the an upcoming issue:

if you would like to see your stuff (and that includes the things i don't do: cards and altered items:) ) in an upcoming issue, check out the front page of the site and look for "CALLS".

have a super day!

christmas stamp WINNER!!

2010-08-07T10:44:00.001-05:00

Thu Aug 05, 08:38:00 AM CDT

Jasmine said...

Ha, ha...my kids say that about every place we go to: "They had the best _____ (insert favorite food of the moment here)I ever had." Cute LO, and that stamp set is super cute too!! A girl could make some super cute tags with those!!

woo hoo for you jasmine! you win the stamp set. email me your info and i will hook ya up!
coolkidprz@aol.com

it's hip hop thuuuuuuuuursday!!

2010-08-04T22:27:00.000-05:00

wut up! i can not believe that summer is coming to an end! i have been in my classroom the last two days getting everything ready for the upcoming school year. ron came in and did some man stuff (heavy lifting, nailing, etc.) for me today. but man, i have A LOT more to do! august 19th will be rolling around way so quick.

since i am in a bit of denial about how fast things are approaching, let's just pretend it's about to be christmas break instead! and to honor that, i will be giving away this stamp set:

just leave me a comment and i will pick a winner! :)

after you leave my blog, go here:

have a super day!

stamps used:
letters: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/1911-Alpha_G__Just_My_Type
girl face: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/793-UK320A_Middle_School_Madness
6: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2616-UK444A_Its_Your_Day
cupcake: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/1378-USK2011_Big_Polka_Dot_Cupcake
date: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2205-UK409A_CONFESSION_i_luv_unity

my sporty girls.

2010-07-28T23:28:00.001-05:00

side note: CHA rocked! it was great to see new product and old friends. i think the "big new things" for this show (and i saw versions everywhere) include: butterflies (still), banners, and tinsel. yes, tinsel. not sure how i feel about THAT one.

my favorites: unity (no duh), teresa collins (of course), crate paper cool colors and sweet school stuff), kaiser kraft (tiny alphas and finally some new CHIPBOARD LETTERS!!!), pink paislee (everything about that stuff..AWESOME), my mind's eye (lots of subtle glitter and VERY school kid/abc stuff and halloween people with bug eyes that were adorable!), and american crafts (classic stuff).

and to the people at my little yellow bicycle (who i now recall were also A FAVORITE): i do apologize for touching what i THOUGHT was a fake cupcake at your display. i was all like..."oohh, look at these cupcakes. the look so real...." that's where i touched the top and got frosting on my hand. whoops. i did noticed that your cupcake display was not there on the second day. i am concluding i was not the only one fooled. :)

STAMPS USED:
T-BALL PRINCESS
tiny letters, happy: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2850-KOMMAY10_A_Little_Happy
baseball: http://unitystampco.com/stamps?search=sports+squares
hello my name is: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2442-SBC102_Capture_Life_November_09_Collection
http://unitystampco.com/stamps/3039-SBCMy_Name_Is_in_stores_only
princess, star, crown: new samntha walker kit released CHA summer 2010 http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2964-SW717A_Girly_Dots_in_stores_only

SHOOTIN' HOOPS
ticket, arrows: new cosmo kit released CHA summer 2010
http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2919-COSMO737A_Joy_Ride_Icons_in_stores_only
star background: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/1995-US1016W_Stars_of_Worn

after you leave here, go here:

short and sweet hip hop post.

2010-07-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

man, oh man. please excuse my tardy hip hop post, but i am sick. i hate getting summer sick. spent all day yesterday on the couch with fever, chills, aches, sore throat...the works! i am going back to rest. enjoy the rest of your hip hop while i recover. gotta get ready to go to chicago in 4 days for CHA! :)

pop over to wendy's next!

aaaahhhhhh...FREAK OUT!

2010-07-14T23:12:00.000-05:00

my son ryan is one of a kind. the things he says just crack me up! the info in this layout is one of my all time favorite ryan quotes. it is so stinkin' true. when my almost 13 year old daughter starts to freak out, her dad and i like to quote ryan..."you know, your BROTHER says every girl has a freak out point....is this one of yours?!"

it sends her over the edge. :)

document, document, document!

BIG NEWS FROM UNITY!!!

i know! can you believe it?!!? feel free to say, "SHUT UP!" ...to which i will say, "IT'S TRUE!!!"

after you are done hanging out on my block...head over to wendy's:

stamps used:
"for the record": http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2370-SBC100_LeChic_Vintage_sept_09
"he said" http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2697-SBC105_Favorite_Things_Collection_includes_stamps_ink__paper
bar code, "funny", vertical numbers: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2442-SBC102_Capture_Life_November_09_Collection
tiny letters: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2850-KOMMAY10_A_Little_Happy
tiny background dots: http://unitystampco.com/stamps/2436-UK430A_Bitty_Backgrounds