Thursday Quickie

I'm ridiculously behind in my Christmas shopping. Like "haven't started" way behind. Seriously. But I just had to post this video of my nephew Clayton learning to play pat-a-cake for the family...it's too cute! Everyone else can take a peek too, I suppose. Although I'm sure it's much more adorable if you're blood-related.

And since we're on the subject of pat-a-cake, here's a related layout of said hand-clapping game based on Sketch #6 at Inspired Blueprints:

I busted out some ancient WRMK papers, dusted off the cobwebs and went to work. Isn't that Heidi Grace ladybug stamp just the cutest thing you ever saw?

And how beautiful is my friend Alice? If you said "pretty darned", you'd be correct! Love this girl a ton, she really is the best ever!

Now I really, really, really gotta get shopping! Peace, homies!

What I'm Doing While I'm NOT Out Christmas Shopping Like I Should Be

This is the 10th day of Christmas projects over at Scrapbook Deals 4 U. Instructions are posted if you want to make one for yourself...It's FUN and EASY!

And there'l lots of room for creative license with the decorations. I used buttons, flowers and rhinestones, but you could do bows, glittery snowflakes, brads, tinsel...whatever your creativity stirs up!

And Kathy turned me on to a fun little sketch site called Inspired Blueprints. This layout is for the Sketch #5 Challenge.

Isn't my little buddy getting so big? Ask him and he'll show you with his arms up over his head! 7 months old already and getting ready for his first Christmas, I can't wait to see how he likes it.

Happy Shopping!

I know I say it every month, but seriously, Martha's SD4U kits just keep getting better and better every month! This month, I got to play with the Christmas "MEGA" kit...and is it ever! Check this baby out:

Isn't it amazing and adorable? And talk about lots of embellishments...full packs of "Say it in Crystals" from Prima and Daisy D's rubons...plus pearls, felt trim, "In Stitches" templates, floss, buttons, ribbon, transparencies and THREE different Christmas paper lines! Lemme tell ya, I have been having such a blast with this kit!

I made this fun mitten banner for my front door. If you want to make one, the SU message board is posting a holiday projects per day, honoring the 12 days of Christmas. You can find the instructions in the 5th day of Christmas. It's been so much fun!

I also made a couple of "Christmas-y" layouts. The first is of Ashley modeling the cap and nightgown her great grandma made her when she was just an itty bit. I have a picture of me wearing the same little kind of set when I was about her age. I think there's a "then and now" layout in my near future! The other one is just a few of my favorite Christmas things worth documenting...snowmen, good friends, beautiful table settings, and favorite ornaments...I just adore everything about the holiday season!

Then there's this collage I made and stuck in a frame I got at Michael's with my 40% coupon. I love the idea pulling this out year after year and putting it up with the other holiday decorations. I never get tired of these pictures of my family in their santa hats!

The Pink Paislee papers included in the kit are a fun color combination for both holiday and non-holiday projects alike. They're so bright and cheerful, and well...happy! So much so, they inspired the title for this layout!

And of course, the scraps were perfect for this birthday card I made for good friend's birthday this weekend!

I know, I've been a horrible blogger lately...but I think after the holidays, a blog-related New Year's Resolution is in order! Along with a couple of others...

Thanks for popping in and saying hi!

Life is Good

Last night our nation witnessed history in the making! I have never been more proud to be an American, and the euphoria has me floating still well into the day! I am so excited to see where Obama leads our Nation in the coming term, and feel so fortunate to participate in the changes that will shape our country's future.

That being said, I will quietly sneak down from my soapbox.

Life is good for other reasons, too! Look at my healthy, happy baby girl:

I do realize the photo quality is horrible, but I took the picture with my phone on a whim. She's been home for a month and clean and sober for the first time in quite a few years. I am so proud of her courage, strength and determination to do things differently. I continue to pray everyday for her, because I know this is just the very, very beginning of a very, very long journey, but each day has been a blessing and it's been nice getting to know her again. She's funny, adorable, and I missed her more than my heart would allow me to know.

Plus, the SD4U November kit has been a blast to work with! Bold and bright, it's right up my alley! A lot of you know I was sick earlier in the week, so I haven't had a ton of time to play, but I have gotten this layout done:

And I have two more in the works that I'll share when I'm done.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope your life is good today, too ;-)

Happy Halloween!

As spirits roam the neighborhoods at night,
Let loose upon the Earth till it be light...
~Nicholas Gordon

Something's Coming...

No, I'm not talking about a poltergeist or a chain saw weilding homocidal maniac...it's the November "Nonsense" kit from SD4U! A lot less frightening than a poisionous two-headed snake, it's jam packed with sweet treats instead! Take a peek:

Martha's kits are selling out over and over each month, so you'll want to pop over early on November 1st and order yours quick...it would be a horrible tragedy if you didn't get one...I'd hate to see you lose your head over it!

I *heart* Scenic Route

And their Sonoma line is featured in October's kit from Itty Bitty Scrap Shack...could I be any more excited? Well, maybe. If you add an entire box of Prima Sprites, coordinating mini brads, and matching buttons, cardstock, and journaling stickers! Just look at this beauty:

I've already created a few layouts and cards, and still have oodles of paper left! I have a feeling his kit will keep me busy for quite a while...But here's what I've done so far:


So that's my little share for today!

It's starting to get chilly outside, and today seems like the perfect day to stay indoors, make some cocoa, and get busy on my next layout with this fabulous kit!

OMG, and update!

Ok....*Deep breath, sigh of relief*

I think the whirlwind that is my life is finally starting to wind down.

(crossing my fingers)


I have been busier than I can remember being in a really long time. Juggling two part time jobs, babysitting, and scrapping up a storm to meet deadlines. The laundry is piled up to the ceiling, and the floors need to be mopped in the worst way, and my family doesn't remember who I am, but I think I see a speck of light at the end of the tunnel...

So, I'd love to share a few things I've been working on!

Scrapbook Deals 4 U has put up not one, but TWO gorgeous kits this month! One is called Hometown, and it's stuffed full of the October Afternoon line with the same name. Add some really cute Jenni Bowlin paper, some coordinating journaling blocks, and really cute hand cut felt flowers and stick pin embellishments, and you have this beauty:


The minute I saw it, I couldn't wait to tear into it. The colors are SO up my alley...my favorite combo right now without a doubt. Here's what came together:







And if that weren't sweet enough, I was also lucky enough to get to play with the Haunted kit featuring the super spooky Halloween line from Cosmo Cricket, too! This kit was filled with more handmade embellishments (including the cutest spider die cut ever!), Kaiser bling, black vinyl Thickers, and a 12x12 sheet of journaling blocks that I cut out and bound together to make an entire mini book. There was still tons of paper left over for a layout, candy holders, and cards:

Oh, and the best part...if you pop over to the SD4U site to order either of the kits, Martha will throw in a special mini kit valued at $8 if you mention you hopped a link from my blog! But you'll want to do it quick, this kit is amazing and it will sell out fast!

There's a clothes dryer buzz calling my name, so I'll leave it here for now. I've been working on lots more stuff that I want to share, so I'll be back later in the week. Till then, thanks for visiting!

Still Alive

Contrary to popular belief, I did not in fact fall off the face of the planet...though I'm sure there are a few out there that may have been crossing their fingers.

Nope, I'm home from a mini vacation, one that by better half and I never seem to get tired of...that's right, Vegas, Baybee! Well, technically the trip was to Laughlin, to celebrate the first anniversary of my absolute favorite couple (and my oldest friend from High School), Jodi & Paul:

Happy Anniversary, you adorable little lovebugs, you!

But seeing as Laughlin is just a hop, skip and a jump from Vegas, well...really who can resist? And of course my dad having moved there a few months back is the perfect justification...thanks dad, for thinking of me when it came to your retirement house!

Ya know, before I left, I was in a serious creative funk. No Mojo at all...completely spent, do not pass go, do not collect $100.

BUT all that is starting to change now, because Martha dropped of not one, but TWO gorgeous SD4U kits for the month of October. One features (oh so appropriately) the gorgeous October Afternoon Hometown paper line and is packed with some seriously cute embellishments, some hand made and one-of-a-kind! The other features Cosmo Cricket's Haunted line. Have you seen it? Seriously the cutest Halloween line out this year!

And that did it.

It made me totally, completely, over-the-top excited to scrap again.

Is it weird that paper makes me this happy?

A Couple New Cards

I got bit by the cardmaking bug again. He's a sneaky little bugger...he usually creeps up on me when I finish a layout or two with a super cute paper line or color combination I adore! I just can't seem to file the scraps away because they're so pretty! Case in point...look at this yummy color combo from October Afternoon:


The teal and green are my favorite combo right now, I think because they're bright enough to work for spring time, but also dark enough to carry over into fall when matched up with the darker teal cardstock. I'm playing around a bit with stamp coloring techniques, too. I colored this Imaginisce butterfly stamp in with colored pencils and blended with gamsol and a blending stump.


For the card below, I actually filled in the stamp with watercolor paints and a water brush. This is a technique that I think looks really awesome when you get it down, which I obviously haven't yet...but I am really enjoying the learning process!




I really wanted to add some machine stitching to this one, but my needle broke the last time I used my machine, and I keep forgetting to get a new one. I suppose I could hand stitch it, but that'll have to wait until later. The day is far to sunny and perfect to spend inside, so I'm heading out to have lunch on a patio somewhere. Thanks for stopping by!

A couple of layouts to share

I *finally* got in a little creative time last night, and was so excited to pull my SD4u September kits back out last night! I sat down at my table and immediately became totally consumed and before I knew it, it was 2:00 am and I'd completed a layout. I love when a project just falls together like that! This layout features all my favorite guys: The hubby, my adorable little nephew, my big brother, and of course, pops:

The star in the bottom left corner is actually made from clear acrylic...I simply glued a piece of patterned paper onto the back using zip dry and stuck a button in the middle and now it has some great dimension!

And as if that wasn't wonderful enough, I woke up this morning and realized there was nowhere I had to be for a change. I headed straigh back to the table, and had another layout finished before noon...bam! (it's for the September newsletter that's not even out yet, so shhhh! This is totally on the sly!)


My Photosmart is almost out of ink, so the color is a little jacked up in the photos...but you get the idea. I stuck them down with removable tape, so as long as I get over and get a new ink cartridge sometime today, I should be able to swap them out without much trouble.

In other real life news, I've been so completely, insanely, barely-have-time-to-sneeze busy. I gotta tell ya, now that I'm not working anymore, I sure am working a lot! Creative Imaginations has got me coming in to help them get ready for Scrapfest, so I've been packing kits and running errands. The week leading up to a big event like this just always gets a little nuts...so many last minute things to remember! In between that and babysitting a bit for my brother, I am helping Melissa unpack and shelve the gazillion boxes she's been getting in at the Scrapbook Garden from CHA! In a nutshell, I'll just say that *somebody* went a little nuts witht the Ranger and American Crafts...*cough-coughmelissacough-cough*

And when I do finally get home at the end of the day, I have been desperately trying to find time to design a new class for September, but so far I've just been too pooped! And the coming weeks aren't looking any less hectic....lots on the agenda work wise. Maybe if I drink enough coffee, I'll grow another pair of arms. Stranger things have happened, right?

If you needed

A little smile today, this oughta do the trick!

I spent the afternoon with this little peanut today, and though we had a little play time, he must have had a busy weekend growing, because he was pretty pooped out and slept most of the day. I actually found myself wishing I had my SD4U September Zach's Life kit with me to help pass the time! But soon enough I found myself home and at the scraproom table, and I was able to finish both of these:

I think the last 4 layouts I've made have been "boy" layouts without a single flower or butterfly! Honestly I didn't think I had it in me....who knew?

Ok, off to bed...it's getting late.

thanks for checkin in on me!

Kit Happy

And who could blame me? Just look at September's awesome SD4U kit featuring the Vita Bella paper line from Little Yellow Bicycle:



The colors are so rich and vibrant, and the patterned papers have a touch of foil in them, which is really cool. And once again, in true SD4U style, the bag this kit comes in is ready to bust at the seams from all the goodies packed inside! It features some funky Kaiser rub-ons, an entire chipboard alphabet, Creative Imagnations flex words, and ginormous bling, just to mention a few things. I'm just getting started working with this kit, but I'm excited to share what I've done so far:

And because SD4U's kits have been such a hit and selling out each month, they've added a bonus kit this month to boot! It features more Little Yellow Bicycle, but this time the line is Zach's Life with it's bold orange and navy color combo. This kit features an arrow shaped board book from Maya Road, Kaiser paint, Thickers Alphabet, coordinating cardstock stickers, and more! Check it out:

I'll be ripping into this one after the weekend, I can't wait! I have some big plans for those cool acrylic pieces!

Happy Birthday Hector!!

I love you hunny...cheers to a cerveza-and-golf-filled weekend!

Looking for some motivation?

This is straight from the SD4U Message Board, and is guaranteed to kick the creativity into high gear:

With Summer Scrapfest quickly coming to a close, do you find yourselves wondering what we’ll be doing with our free time the rest of our summer nights without a fun, SD4U challenge? Well, have no fear, because we’ve come up with a plan to keep you motivated and going strong! Each week, beginning August 11th, alternating members of the design team will be posting different challenges! We’re calling it "10 Weeks of Fun", and it’s sure to be just that and a whole lot more! Make sure to stick around and join us, and you could be the lucky winner of the Grand prize of a Guest Designer spot for November plus $50 worth of product from the SD4U store! Other prizes will be awarded, too, and your participation as message board members will be crucial in choosing the winners!The SD4U team is looking forward to all the fun, and we hope to have you join in!

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Come on over and register if you haven't already. Then join the girls and I in some exciting challenges, and maybe win a prize or two!

Butterfly Kisses

That's the name of the Itty Bitty Scrap Shack's August kit featuring Jenni Bowlin's Tangerine Dream patterned paper and jam packed full of beautiful butterflies:

There is butterfly patterned paper, die cut butterflies, and even an acrylic butterfly stamp from Autumn Leaves! The teal and coral color combination is exciting and a little different, and the the finishing touches encourage lots of attention to detail. Here are a few layouts I've made with it so far:

I think I've had the most fun deciding how to embellish the different butterflies! For this one, I cut one of the larger butterflies from the patterned paper. With an embossing pen, I traced and colored in the spots on the butterfly that I wanted to sparkle, then sprinkled some glittery embossing powder on and heat set it. And as a bonus, it turns out the embossing pen turned the paper a little blue underneath the clear powder...I love those kind of *mistakes*!

These butterflies were made from the Autumn Leaves stamp in the kit. I stamped these guys onto some white cardstock using teal ink. When it was dry, I simply traced the lines with my Sakura Clear Star gel pen for a subtle shimmer, and added a couple of rhinestones along the body. I attached them to the page with a dab of glue behind the body only, and bent the wings upward so the could *flutter* around the page.


Ok, I may have gon a little glitter crazy with this one, but the technique is fun! I took one of the diecut butterflies and cut out each of the upper wings. I covered them with diamond stickles and set them aside to dry. With another diecut butterfly, I covered the bottom set of wings with a coral ultrafine glitter using a glue pen. When that was dry, I simply glued the separate set of wings on top of the original set of wings using just a line of glue on the inner edges so the wings could pop up off the page. I added some fruit punch stickles to add polka dots to the upper wings, and a couple of rhinestones along the bottom set of wings.



In other blog news, I have been tagged by Alice and will be back with my exciting life trivia...try not to explode with excitement...

Thanks for stopping by!