Past Due Monday's Update and Paper Purses...

Ok, I am very bad w/ keeping up w/ these Monday updates....

So what exciting stuff has been happening in the Disney Memory-Making World of Julie's Head during last week?

Most of last week was full of doctor and special appointments for my children, so my week was pretty full w/ all of that and my Scrapbooking/Memory-making table was neglected. A few fun moments in the week (October 19-25th) were:

* I had a ladies night-out w/ 4 of my girlfriends we chatted over tea and coffee and very delicious chocolate caramel cheesecake in front of the fire at one ladies house for almost 3 hrs...till her husband arrived home late from a business trip. It was nice to just rest and chat about life, food, our kids, an upcoming couples weekend and God.

* Our weekend was packed as well w/ having that same group of ladies and their families over for our monthly small group. I made a delicious, very fall pumpkin cobbler and festive orange rice krispie treats for the children. On Saturday, my husband helped the twins make mud-bricks for a school assignment (they are studying the ancient Mesopotamian culture) and we baked them in disposable bread pans in our oven...I also made meat loaf that night...no we didn't get them confused. And then later that night, we went to a Scouts event at a local Forest Preserve/Equestian Center for a horse drawn hayride in the dark and a bonfire w/ a marshmallow roast. During our hayride, Michael kept his eyes out for a possible floating pumpkin head and the Headless Horseman....

On Sunday, Aldine sang in the church choir and the twins went to a roller skating party in the afternoon....whew!

At lastly to share today, back in September was my future SIL's birthday and as an on-going email joke about what to get her...purses were not requested by my brother. I was having a conversation w/ my Mom about what should I do for her for her b-day? I was low on funds and didn't know what I could buy her. My Mom suggested I make her something and that is how Paper-Purses came to be....

Who knew huh?

Apparently there are how blogs and sites devoted to making Paper-Purses. Well I found 2 cute patterns from this one BLOG: Mel Stampz http://melstampz.blogspot.com/2008/03/purse-templates-galore-little-handbag.html and also from her site I made a mini scrapbook purse that she used the template from bfcraftclub.com designed by Joyce Jensen.

See my pictures below:

The mini scrapbook purse closed:



and it opened:



the middle is a 12 x 12 piece of paper cut in thirds then attached together to make one long strip and folded accordion style...it didn't quite turn out as the direction said...so in the future I will modify the instructions on this. As well I added some extra paper pieces inside to cover up the inside folds and make it look a little more presentable.

This is such a clever idea utilizing really 2 pieces of paper and some embellishments....I may try to make a Disney version of it...it would be cute for a little girl, yes?

and here is a very mini purse that I used as a card:



Enjoy....

Julie

The ZURG Years...

in keeping w/ the Recent Toy Story Theme, I thought I would share another JMM creation...

Do you recall how I told you all about Michael's fondness for all things Toy Story? Well that also includes any rides or attractions and characters at WDW that tie in to Toy Story. Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blaster ride in the Magic Kingdom to name one! It turned out to be a pleasant surprise to me, a un-planned delight when I found 2 specific pictures of Michael from his previous two trips to Walt Disney World. I was working on my Pre-Trip Report on the Disboards and posting some pictures of Michael from our '05 and '08 trips and discovered I had a picture of him in front of the statue of Zurg as you come off the Buzz Lightyear ride from both trips...

I had already started a collection of timeline pictures of my children together from each trip and planning for future ones in front of the Animal Kingdom sign and added in front of Mickey's house. Of course, we always take a picture w/ the Big Mouse himself each trip and my husband and I take a picture on the NYC back-drop too...we have 3 pictures from 6 of our trips.

So it was a very nice surprise that I had these 2 pictures and took #3 just this past March. These timeline pictures and memories inspired me to capture these pictures not just w/ all our vacation photos but to create special custom memory books that can be added to for many trips to come.

And why not share this idea in a Julie's Mickey Memories and More project...I can take your pictures from several trips or a handful of favorite pictures from a single trip and put together a custom book!

Here is one example:

Michael's Zurg book



Materials to get started (and what luck all the papers and stickers I already had):



One of the inside pages (his picture from 2005):



I since added his age and a small sticker to add a little more detail. As well the page proceeding this is a journal space to tell the story behind these pictures and book. Right now it just has the 3 picture pages and he looks mostly the same from the June '08 trip to the March '09 trip...but what fun it will be to add a picture from say a future Disney trip 5 yrs down the road...let's hope he's willing to play along still.

I'm working on the NYC book as I stated before and YES I will post pictures soon.

Julie

Back to the Monday Updates...on a Tuesday

I still have some catching up to do w/ some special things to share, but I didn't want another week to go by w/out getting back to my Monday's Updates:

* Potty-Training successes- after my initial post several weeks back, we went backwards w/ our training and on Sunday I declared "that's it!" I decided it was time for some hard-core training here...out goes the on the potty-every hour thing and wondering when is this going to happen, when is Margaret going to be ready or wanting to do her peeps and poops in her little potty-seat? After chatting w/ a girlfriend I just decided let's do the underwear and put some control in Margaret's hands...if it is disastrous, we can take a break and try again. Trying to just be more relxed and let it happen....Yes we've had a bunch of accidents and reluctance to sit on the potty, but yesterday 1 success and today 2! It even warranted a call to Daddy at work...by golly she may be getting it. Still diapers for nap and bed and UGH! wouldn't you know it I just bought two new boxes of diapers and already opened them...

* Disney on the Brain again- One of my special friends and followers is making plans to head back to Disney and her fun has actually enticed me out of this in-between Disney-funk I have been in. So YAY! We are getting closer to 1 the 1 year mark for our next family trip and that means even closer to when I can call and make our first DVC ressie request!

* No go on the Mom's Panel- no worries, it was fun to enter and it was fun to wait and see...but I'll still keep planning and helping anyone who likes my advice.

* Another JMM book in progress- over the weekend I started another custom Memory book of my husband Matt and I from 3 of our last 6 trips: pictures of us posing in front of the NYC backdrop at the Studios.

* Other what-not's- reading a great little book called Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed by Carolyn Mahaney and her 3 daughters. It is about managing your time w/ a Biblical and God-honoring/Eternal perspective. My first task...is to start waking up earlier and fill myself up in His Word and Prayer. They call it it the 5 AM Club...I'm shooting for the 6:30 AM club for now...

Julie

Go to your Room and Play with your TOYS!

A few Saturdays back, my family and I had a special outing that we had been looking forward to for a few months, maybe even longer. I had had heard rumors of two of our family's favorite films were to be re-released in anticipation of a new sequel and then a few months later I saw a blip in my Disney Visa rewards guide it was coming soon!

YAY!

I ripped out the little blip and placed it in my date book for the first week of October...

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were being re-released from Disney/Pixar together for a limited engagement to be show in 3D! We couldn't wait! We have a special love affair w/ these toys, especially our son Michael. We did not see them when they were originally released to the show, but have fallen in love w/ the characters of Buzz, Woody, Ham, Rex, Jessie and Bullseye. When Michael was around 4 1/2 he got his own room and the theme was Toy Story! My husband and I diligently painted his room a brilliant blue and hand-painted over 50 yellow STARS on the walls as a homage to Andy's Room (in the 2nd movie). Michael had pictures from the movies on the walls, plush characters on his bed, a Buzz Blanket (which he still sleeps w/) and a growing collection of toys and friends from these two movies. Since that room, we moved and he changed his room to a Safari theme w/ a huge mural on the wall, but his love for the Toy Story films lives on!

In our basement there is a special corner w/ his collection:

Buzz Lightyear "dolls", a talking Woody doll, a Mr. Potato Head, Etch n Sketch, Slinky-dog, various figurines, ornaments, cars, etc w/ the Toy Story Characters on them and a collection of Plush characters: Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Bullseye, Ham, Rex, Wheezy, Zurg...

What is it about this fun child's film that keeps our attention, that we watch in the car on just about any road trip, that we planned months in advance to go see again on the big screen?

Magic!

A child's joy!

Laughter and smiles!

The wonder of it all!

So back to that Saturday afternoon....Matt, I, my Mom and the 3 older kids hopped in our van and headed off to the show, w/ our tickets and 3D glasses already in hand





(Matt picked them up earlier in the morning). We arrived a half hour before show time and stood in line for our mini rope-drop...just like Disney huh? Michael even dressed for the occasion w/ his new Toy Story t-shirt from Grandma:



The theatre was opened and off we went:



Grandma bought us some big bags of popcorn to share (we bought her ticket) and we found some great seats! We settled in for our 3 hour long movie fest and got ready to remember, laugh and smile!

After the first show there was a 10 minute intermission and they had a fun trivia reel running inside the theatre:



Here are the twins and I awaiting the next show...


After it was over, we enjoyed the blooper reel during the credits then headed home for dinner. Our conversations in the car ride home and over dinner were all about the movies. Our favorite parts, things we liked the best and things we had forgotten about, well mostly me.

I never made the movie to movie connection of Dino-co before between Toy Story and Cars...and I don't think I knew at the end of 1 in the car "Hukuna Matata" was playing. So even after seeing theses movies many time in bits and parts, it was great to find some new magical secrets!

My favorite parts were:

In 1, when Buzz realizes he is not a real Space Ranger and is having tea as Mrs. Nesbit and of course when the toys come alive and freak out Sid. In 2, I love when Zurg tells Buzz he is his father and the blooper reel at the end!

We can't wait till next summer when Toy Story 3 comes out and see what new adventures the toys get into and what new magical memories are waiting!

Julie

A Child's First Disney Trip Book Completed

So as you may recall, my first Julie's Mickey Memories and More project was the Child's First Disney Trip Memory Book. I decided to start here, for various reasons:

* Idea stemmed from my friend's upcoming trip back to WDW w/ her 2 children next summer.

* The majority of people who travel to WDW/DL are families and are taking young children.

* Everyone wants a special and unique way to capture and remember those wonderful "FIRST" memories of their child. Even though I am a huge crafter and love preserving memories, I know first hand how busy one can be and time may fly away, months after that special moment or trip.

The basis of this book is to give Mom, Dad and Child a way to re-live those special first moments in a bold, kid friendly little keepsake book. The book you will see I specifically designed for a child between the ages of 1-6, but the design can easily be tweaked for an older child who may be going for the first time or for a child returning to Disney for the 10th time!

This book is my template...which gives me an idea of what works and doesn't and allow me to prepare to make more versions in anticipation of selling. Each future book will not be a carbon-copy of the previous and all will be a bit special in their own right. Which I think adds to the personal touch of preserving memories.

The next step is to create a little girl's version: to include more pinks and pastels and Princesses. Then I hope to create a stock and begin the selling process.

Come see my Child's First Disney Trip Memory Book:

"Do you remember the first time you saw the Castle walking down Main Street USA? or how about the first Disney character you took a picture with? or what about that first magical flight on Dumbo and seeing Mickey Mouse or Sleeping Beauty for the first time?

Keep those treasured Memories of your child's First Trip to Disney in this special lovingly handmade keepsake book"

Inside you will find 4 fun-filled sections, one for of each of the main parks at Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. There are special places inside for journaling, pictures and more, making each page full of your child's magical First Memories!"

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Here are some more of the pages and tabs inside the book:

DHS tab:


DHS Journal/picture pages:



AK tab:


AK Safari page:


Hope you enjoy this preview....back to preserving more Memories!

Julie

"On the BLOG again..."

Do you have the good 'ol Willie Nelson tune floating in your head now?

Sorry to keep my friends and followers hanging for quite some time. As most busy Moms, Dads, and just about anyone knows, sometimes the regular life stuff can creep in like a landslide and it takes several days to un bury yourself. Well, that is kind of what has happened to me lately, plus being sick, that didn't help much.

Still feeling a bit in the yellow on the sick meter, but today is a new day right? RIGHT!

So I am back on my BLOG again....yee-yaw!

There is plenty to catch up in my little Disney fun-filled-scrappin-memory-making little head, but where do we start?

* Music Time- Michael says "put that in your Mickey Memories"

* Paper Purses- who knew?

* Buzz and Woody in 3D!!!!!!!!

* A Child's First DISNEY Trip Memory Book- is done!

* Let's Go back in time w/ ZURG- one example of a Custom DISNEY Memory Book

Please stay tuned....

Julie