FISH - Paper Issues

Notable Quotable over on the Paper Issues blog today.  

Here is the quote for inspiration.....

I obviously bent the rules a little and went with lake instead of ocean but still all a body of water right?  I say it works!  I used Simple Stories Cabin Fever for this layout.  I hand cut the title, but you could use a cut file.  

Everything is 20% off with my code:  Mary-Ann.

Adventure - Paper Issues

Paper Issues has a new Sketch and its fab.  

I kinda plaid around with it a bit.  But, it is just to get your juices flowing right?  

I used Simple Stories - Cabin Fever.  

Grab anything you want from Paper Issues for 20% off with code: Mary-Ann.

The Great Outdoors - Paper Issues

Morning. 

There is a new issues on the Paper Issues blog today.  The theme is The Unbe-leafable Great Outdoors.  Suggested ideas are:  Fall, using leaves, camping, hiking, back to school.  All those not so fun outdoor activities!!  

I had another photo from our Baxter camping trip to document.  I used Carta Bella Great Outdoors.  When I say the quality of this paper is by far the best, I mean it.  It is so sturdy and thick, I just love it.  

Go to the Paper Issues Store to grab this collection for yourself.  Add anything else to the cart if you want and use code: Mary-Ann for 20% off your entire collection.  Free shipping when you hit $60.00.  

Baxter week - mambi

We survived a week of camping in the deep woods of Maine.  We had several wildlife sightings, including 4 bears!!!  Instead of planning, I journaled my way through the week.  

Join me over on the me & my BIG ideas blog.  

Two camping trips and no bears

I must warn you folks that this here blog post is going to be photo heavy.  I could show you all the pictures from our two, deep in the woods camping trips, but I think that my computer would crash and you would ever return to my blog.  So I will just share a few of my faves.  Or ones that are important and don't show how terribly dirty my hair is.  

Our first Camping trip of the summer was to Baxter State Park, deep in Maine.  Yes Maine is beautiful country.  I grew up there, not appreciating what it offers.  I DO appreciate Maine, just not the deep in the woods parts of it!  Anyway, you are not interested in my whining so I will continue.

Here we are happy.  We always take a selfie entering the park on the dirt road.  Our bodies are clean and my hair looks decent.

We still like each other here.  Must be the first night!  I can see that we are set up behind us, I am surprised that we are willing to smile in a photo together after erecting the tarps.

The boys are off on a hike.  Can't remember where.  Wonder if I have a memory disfunction.

Roman and Tyler on a hike to the falls.  Oh!!!  That is where all the  boys hiked to in the previous picture!

Diggin in to MRE's cause that's how they roll.  We are at Little and Big Niagra.  My second hike of the trip.  Pretty impressive since I am still recovering from knee replacement! (you can clap now!)

Cheesy selfie on one of the boys hikes.

That's my boy, catching fish like he's in a derby.  He came back 20 pounds lighter after all the mosquitos sucked out half his blood!

Here we are, still smiling.  I think it is because we are on our way out of the park after 6 nights.  I KNOW that is why I am smiling!  This is the rock that gets painted by a local guy.  It's a tourist thing!

Yup, happy we are outta there and dirty!

Our next trip was with some chums to another section of Maine.  Deep deep in the woods. Deep deep down Richardson Lake, 100 miles by boat to a camp site called Black Point that can not be reached by car.  Did you hear me???  No civilization.  At all.  Period.   This is our third year (not consecutively) attending this extremely dirty event!

My boy driving in!   (only for a few seconds while Ang takes a potty break!)  The luxuries of boating with a toilet!

Please don't fret peeps, these are air soft guns with adult supervision.  

My pals.  This is before the excitement!  We had a mean game of chicken foot happening on this here table not long after this photo was taken.  

Seriously, have you evan cooked lobster for 17 people in the middle of no where?  Without running water?  Well, you have not lived!  They threatened to set the trash bags of guts right outside my tent.  

This would NOT be my husband fishing without a license, cause that would be illegal amongst one state trooper and one police chief!!  He is fixing the pole for one of the kids.

This is only half the bunch!  There are many many more kids and many many dogs.  Yes, that boy has his face deep in his plate of Maine maple syrup.  None can go to waste!

Getting outta dodge!  Just in time for severe thunderstorms!   

 This is the end of my journey.  I survived.  No bear sightings.  Thank you Jesus.  

Til next time.....

Jillibean Soup Blog

I am pretty excited to share that one of my Mini Album projects has been highlight or spotted over at the Jillibean Soup Blog today.  Click here to check it out!

Or, I shared it before on this blog and you can see the complete album here!

Our family camping trip - 2013

When I was a kid, we went camping every summer.  Was it fun then?  I don't remember it being a bowl full of laughs but I remember lots of things about it.  Like the one time we saw a bear.  I stopped going when I grew up, went to college, moved away and had other fun things to do!  Since we have planted roots so close to home, we started going back with my family for two years now.  Is it fun now?  Not so much for me or so I pretend:o)  But the fun thing about it is spending time with family that I don't see often.  My husband and son love it and it makes them happy.  So, I guess I do like it but won't completely admit it.  We did see a bear our first year back but not last year.  I hate camp cooking.  Camp cleaning.  Sleeping where bears can get me.  Hiking through the woods where bears can eat me.  Packing up in the rain.  

So, I thought I would create this mini using a Farmhouse Paper Company mini album and Jillibean Soup paper collection called Cold Avocado Soup!  The colors in this collection were just perfect for my outdoor excursion.  I threw is a tad of twine, tags and enamel dots.  

Thanks for going along on my adventure.  Its almost time to submit reservations again for this year!

Mary-Ann

CK Magazine!

I am super excited to featured in this months digital version of Creating Keepsake Magazine!  My creation is on page 39.  I designed a double page layout featuring FarmHouse Paper Company's Fair Skies collection of paper, chipboard and stickers. 

It has been a very bust two weeks here in the Maldonado household!  Roman had his last day of second grade (boo-hoo), we went camping (double boo-hoo), went to a wedding and toured Salem MA.  Here are a few photos of our journey.

On our way to Baxter State Park.  We were happy!

Still happy!

After 5 days of camping in the rain.  I think we were ready to be heading home.

At my Cousin Jason's wedding.  This was before my coughing fit, smack dab in the middle of the ceremony.  Can you tell my ear is clogged??

That is my handsome cousin in the back with his beautiful little girl. (This is my clogged ear!)

My boys planning our attack of Salem MA.  Watch out witches!!

The Hulk being attacked by a really creepy guy who just put out his cigarette!  

I think maybe I am a bit too short for this board.  If I were a tad taller I know that you would have believe that this was me with my handsome pirate!!!

Not sure if Bubba knew this witch wasn't real!

I need a torture device like this at home.  I think it would certainly straighten these boys out!

And then, there is happy mail!!!  Thank you A Flair For Buttons!  I love them all:o)

Now, off to get packed for our next vacation to Oklahoma. 

Mary-Ann