New Layouts

Hi and a Happy Wednesday to YOU!

I had a lot of free time in the mornings last week...love that! I was able to do something crafty almost every day! I *never* thought I'd be one to enjoy crafting early in the am...but surprisingly I am! I drop off Jordan at school and by 8:30 I'm back and sitting at my desk drinking my cafe con leche, and crafting! woot woot! This week I was *not* so lucky as the boy got strep throat and instead of crafting I've been playing a lot of Operation, Skylanders, Legos, Power Ranger Samurai, etc etc! 

Here are a few things that I worked on...

New Layouts-

Here is one of my favorite recent layouts.

I love everything about it and that's odd for me. Needless to say I LOVE the photos of my little goober when he was 3 months old. OMG he had the cutest blue/gray eyes that would MELT my heart. He was a serious baby and would say *everything* with his look. This is the same boy who is a CLOWN today...go figure.

Also needless to say is that I am in LOVE with this new Echo Park This and That Charming line! The colors are totally me. First collection in a long time where I've ordered more after I received my 1st batch...love it! 

I cut up a card from the journal sheet and used an Ormulu fabric tag to create the hidden journaling. My daughter asked me a long time ago to only use my handwriting on my layouts and I've done it 90% of the time ever since. I usually do my journaling on the back of the layouts so not a stretch for me. This layout came together super quickly thanks to an awesome sketch by Jana Eubank!

Another favorite layout using Echo Park This and That Graceful.

This one is using photos of some of the family members at my daughter's High School Ring Ceremony! I can't believe I'm even saying that. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was playing with her life-size Barbie?!That's her favorite aunt, my sister in law, in the main photo they have such a wonderful relationship. Jessie was her girl way before she had girls of her own. I think every girl needs a Titi who she thinks is wayyyy cooler than her own mom! ;) I had Aunt Pam and I love her and all the memories we share together.

I thought the colors were perfect for these photos. I wished I would have made the circle in the background a little bigger, but I was *not* going to go back and re-do.

Here is something else that I'm loving lately...canvas. These are canvas butterflies from Maya Road. Not sure when they were released but I just got them a couple of weeks ago I think. Love the texture it adds to projects against the smooth papers and chipboard. I was at AC Moore last weekend and picked up a few canvas pieces from Canvas Concepts, can't wait to use them.

I'm not sure yet if I love or hate this one...

When I saw the sketch I envisioned such a cute layout with these papers and photo of my niece/goddaughter, but I'm not sure the results are what I was going for :(

Got the glitter ribbon at  Michaels during the holidays last year.  Used it on some wrapping paper and had a little left over. AC Moore has a LOT of different ones by American Crafts. I picked up a few SUPER cute colors.

These envelopes are by Martha Stewart. They are really super cute. They come with the little pink note card inside. Used some Elle's Studio Pennants both the True Love and the Birthday collections. Also some label stickers from the MME Miss Caroline collection. Again, not sure if I love it or hate it...but it's done! :)

Project Life-

I am LOVING this process! I have to take some good photos so I can post my progress. I was all caught up and then my birthday week came and POOF! I'm two weeks behind. Thankfully, all I have to do is print out the photos and add to album with some cuties and I'm done!

Thank You Cards-

I was spoiled rotten by my friends and family for my birthday this year! I honestly feel SO incredibly blessed that it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it! (I know what a SAP! but God knows my heart and he knows how truly grateful I am) I feel the need to let each and every person know just how much it all meant to me! So I'm making them all cards to show my appreciation for the party, gifts, dinners, lunches, etc etc. At the rate I'm going it might be time to make Christmas cards by the time I'm done! :)

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL end of the week and an even better weekend!

<3

Love * Overload *

Hello!

This month, inspired by Stephanie Howell,  I decided that I was only going to scrap about LOVE! People I love, things I love, etc. And then I would incorporate my left over scraps into my weekly layouts for February in my Project Life album. I'm *so* happy I've done it this way! I might make it a continuous system throughout the year.

Here are a couple of the layouts I've done in the last week...

I had posted this one already, but thought *something* was missing. I'm still not 100% convinced with how I placed the Ormolu paper chains so don't be surprised if I change it up a bit. 

I added the thread less stitching

and the little rub on quote with pearl. Overall I'm pleased with it...even if it has photos of me without a drop of makeup on! wahooo I'm brave! sorry :P

This is one that I LOVE! Not just because it's featuring my *awesome* kids!

But because this is my favorite Becky Fleck sketch...ever!

And this Echo Park Love Story line is SO pretty. I bought the entire collection and plan on using it again and again!  

I stayed pretty true to the sketch since the collection includes these awesome little tickets. And if you haven't noticed I'm a bit obsessed with banners and pennants lately!

And I also can't get enough of these Ormolu tags! So cute! I cut it up a bit and love how it turned out! They were just restocked at the bucket and I ordered some more.

Speaking of the bucket...I finally received my Dear Lizzy Neapolitan that I ordered back on the 10th! OH my!

I can tell you that it is SO much nicer than you can see online!

 The colors are gorgeous and it's so much more versatile that I initially thought!

love that! Somehow they ran out of some of the papers *after* they were in my cart...hmmmm...so I had to place another order today...yep, just had to :)

 

God wiling I'm playing with it next!

THANKFULLY I have nothing planned for the next 2 days since Jessie is away on her college trip! You know what that means...Jordan picking meals, movies and activities and then when he's nice and tuckered out...momma gets to plaaaaayyyyyy! at least that's how I'm envisioning it in my head!

I hope you all have a blessed end to your week and weekend!

<3



New Layout

Happy Friday Y'all!

I received the new MME Follow Your Heart by Rhonna Farrer collection this week and could NOT wait to play with it!

So much so that I created a "Christmas" layout with it! How's that for "non-themey" Glitter Girl ;)

This line is GORGEOUS! IRL the colors are so beautiful and soothing and fun all at the same time I love it! This one is the "Be Amazing" line and the other is the "Be Happy" which is equally as beautiful!

I got this kit from Kerri Bradford Studios 

 

Isn't it cute?!?! What got me was those hanging hearts! Going to cut them in a little bit to use on a Valentine's layout I have in mind!

I hope to use the hearts with a super cute paperchain that I've had in my stash since last year. Not sure if they even make it anymore, but it's super cute. Got it at Ormolu I'm SO glad that they are selling at 2ps now!

Have a WONDERFULLY blessed weekend! 

<3

*December Daily * Misc Layouts*

Hello fellow crafters and a happy Monday to you!

I've been a craftin' fool these last few weeks! Really getting some things off of my scrappy to do list every little chance I get. Here are some of the projects I've been working on...

My December 2011 Album...



It's finally done! Yay! Hadn't put the ribbons back on the rings for these photos, but you get the idea!   It looks so blahhh here, but IRL it's so vibrant and fun I love it!

I love that this year I didn't use traditional holiday colors and that I went with an unconventional size/album type. The album size made the planning of the pages a bit  difficult, but in the end I went with a layered page layout and it worked out great I think.  

Next year I will be going back to the 7 x 9 size as I LOVE the 6 x8 photos and I think they did look better...more uniform...last year. I was able to get in a LOT of photos and not have the album look too thick thanks to the layered format.

I printed the Ali Edwards Overlays onto white linen Bazzill cardstock (love the look) and put the main photo for the day/memory on that and then depending on the size of the photo 6x8 or 4x6 I would add the journaling either to the back of the page or underneath the photo on the front. I like how there is no rhyme or reason to it really...it just is! And I'm happy it's done!

Misc unfinished layouts that I *finally* finished!

I love this one. Love the colors, the paper and the memory! The layout itself only took me about 30 minutes to put together and then it took me about 300 hours for the title! grrrr. Have I *mentioned* how much I dislike titles?!?!

A super simple quicky I did using a Page Maps sketch and with Crate Paper's 'Paper Heart' collection. Gawd I love CP! Have you seen their new CHA releases?? oh em gee! Jessie took it and hung it in her room! <3 that!

I know by now everyone is tired of seeing this MME paper with the hot air balloons, but I just love it! I mixed it with some AC Chaps, OA, twine and called it a day!

Another quickie ...

I am going to MISS Sassafras! They had some of the *funnest* collections out! Thankfully I have a nice heft stash of SL ;)

I popped up the little flying monkey and the cloud but you can't really tell here. I took all these photos with my iphone and they are not the greatest, but they are here!

And lastly one of my beautiful girl a couple of summers ago...

I love how this one looks IRL. It's super blurry here, but the colors are so vibrant and pretty they matched her dressed perfectly...and to think it only took me 2 years to finish it! ha!

I just received the new MME- Miss Caroline, Follow Your Heart Be Amazing and Be Happy GORGEOUS!!! But first I have to work on my Project Life week 5! I'm LOVING it! This month I plan on using all Valentine's Day collections  WOOT WOOT!

Have a BLESSED week peeps!

Off to a great start!

Hello Peeps!

A quick post to show you the title page for my Project Life 2012!

The first photo on the top right is our FIRST family photo of 2012. Taken right after midnight on the 1st. We're so tacky....LOLOL Makes me laugh we can be so silly I love that about my family!

For my Project Life I don't document every. single. day. I don't document every single note/receipt/list. I admire the girls who can and do do that, but I would feel like a big failure if I even tried that! I document whatever I feel like at the moment. Whatever I think *wow* this is something that I think we'd want to look back on in the future.I tend to create scrapbook layouts about events more than moments so, for me, Project Life fills in some of the "voids" in my memory keeping.  Some of the things will then find their way into a more dedicated scrapbook layout, but just in case it's done for now!

I didn't order any of the prompt/journaling cards because I have 100's and 100's of  cards in my own stash that I need to put to use. I did order 3 of the Becky Higgins Photo Pockets, I think A, B, and E. There was one I wanted (I think F) that they had run out of, but I'm good for now. I can just make whatever I want if/when I need it. 

 I also did not order not one paper/embellishment/anything extra. Even as I was placing my last 2ps order of the year on the morning of the 31st! :P This is a GREAT way to use your stash throughout the year with all those little scraps that you just can't bare to get rid of! For my title page which was *totally* inspired by Stephanie Howell and Keisha Campbell...two of my absolute FAVORITE crafters...evah I used Basic Grey's  The Basics collection that I have been hoarding for a while now and I LOVE IT!!!

Bottom line is I have NO RULES for my Project Life this year. The only thing I do have is the album with the protectors in it and a stack of cards that I know for sure I want to use...that's it! I might use a few of the prompts from the LOAD challenges to capture the stuff I wouldn't normally, but other than that it's anything goes, baby!

I ordered almost 60 photos for my December Album so I hope to wrap that up this week. I also need about 4-6 more layouts in my 2011 birthday mini cuz next weekend already starts the first 2012 Birthday celebration of the year...my hubby turns 50!!!

Have a wonderful week!!!!

<3



Happy New Year!

To all my friends and family... from the bottom of my ♥ I wish for you Peace, Love, Happiness, and Health for 2012. I pray that infinte blessings rain down on you and your families. xoxoxo

Thanksgiving Album and A New Layout

Hello Friends!

Can you believe it...Christmas in  6 days?!? 2011 over in 12 days?!? 

This has been a year of ups and downs for our family. Lots of adjustments. Lots of firsts. But in the end, thanks to an Awesome God that we serve, the blessings FAR. FAR. outweigh everything else. We are together, we are healthy and we are happy. You really can't ask for more than that. I know I'll surely take it.

Yesterday hubby and I celebrated 19 years. uh, 19 years! of marriage! I can't even believe it. We met when I was 17 (1 month from my 18th birthday)  and he was 26! I was 17. That's how old Jessie is now!!! sheesh! We were kidding around saying that some years it feels like 190 years! hahahaha I love him. And he loves me. And that is not always an easy thing to do...poor guy :)  I'm grateful that I followed my heart for the right reasons 23 years ago. God is good.

I'm happy to say that I finished my Thanksgiving album. Yay me! Here are a few pics...colors are a bit off...

 

My Goober the day before Thanksgiving. I glued another photo to the back of this one here that shows the back of the vest he made and the turkey he drew on it...so cute!

Photo of the main table...only needed two tables this year because 1/2 of my guests came after dinner for dessert and the after party. :) So 13 of us had dinner and 26 of us had dessert :)  

So much to be thankful for. So much indeed.

I missed SO many photos I wanted to take. Thankfully both my SIL and cousin's wife had their cameras. I am going to steal some from them this weekend. shhhhh

That top photo of me and my friend Maritza was taken around midnight...I was lethargic by that time! LOLOLOL Last guest didn't leave until 2:00am! There are some REALLY funny photos of the "after party" but I'd like for all of them to still talk to me so I'll refrain from posting...for now. :) The look on my cousin's face is priceless...we are TROUBLE when we are together. But then again so are me and Maritza. OH my. I'm seeing a pattern here...are you?

I did something for this year's Thanksgiving Day album that I wish I would have done last year. I wrote the recipes out onto little index sized cards and put them in this little envelope! So cute, eh?! I just need to add all the journaling. I'm actually typing it out...something I *rarely* do as I love the look of actual handwriting on layouts, but I have a *lot* to say about that wonderful day. *good times* special times*

The kids are both out of school for the next two weeks YAY! Hubby's last day is Friday then he is off for 3 weeks...soooo I won't be having much quiet time to scrap so I took advantage of a quiet morning today before they all got up and made this little ditty...

Santa visited Jordan's school last week and arrived via helicopter! Jordan could *not* believe what he was seeing. He said that for sure Santa had come directly from the North Pole! I used Pink Paislee, a little bling and twine and called it a day! Really like how it came out. I think the color combo is what really makes me happy.

That's all I have. Just in case I don't make it back before Sunday. I hope you all have a wonderfully blessed Christmas weekend! Life is not easy some times. Life is short. But it's a blessing and a gift. So forget about the little stuff and

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

<3

December Daily Cover

Here's my 2011 December Daily album cover finally finished! 

I am completely loving this album already. loving it. I wish I would have had more time or been more dedicated to having the base done ahead of time like last year, but that just has not been the case :(  

Love my door knob, but I have to see which glue I use to make the flower center "hug" the top of the knob a little more.

We just got home from a basketball game and church. Thankfully, I slept in late this morning so I'm hoping to stay up and complete one or two pages.

It's been a loooong day and we have an ice skating party and then Sunday dinner tomorrow so we shall see how late I make it tonight :)

Have a beautiful Sunday!

<3

Twine Winner and December Daily Peek

Hello Friends!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! I am happy to say we had another wonderful holiday full of beautiful memories and laughs to last a lifetime! Photos and my finished Thanksgiving 2011 album soon!  

Here's a quick Thanksgiving layout using the new Basic Grey Picadilly line. SO cute!

 I have very few photos of ME with the kids...plenty of hubby and everyone else with the kids, but few me and them. :( I have set a personal goal to take at least one photo each month with them...whether they like it or not! :)

Now here is the winner of the Twine Giveaway from my last post...

In other blog contests I've always wondered if the Generator ever picked the number one and now I know! Yes it does! Congrats, Mary. Email me your addy and I'll get your package right out to you! Thank you for playing along ladies. More giveaways soon :)

Last night I was finally able to send my Thanksgiving photos to print so hopefully I'll have my TD album done soon! Love that it's sitting there waiting for me to just add photos and some finishing touches and it's done!

I also *finally* started to put my 2011 December Daily album together. Here is a peek

I finally settled on using this album. So far I've cut one of Keri Bradford's "The Pages" file. Obviously a beautiful clean cut with the Cameo. ;)  Added a Hambly Studios Transparency...love them! And how cute is my 7gypsies doorknob?!? love it! Already know what story I want to tell for today...it involves the return of a little elf ;) 

Gonna work on it some more now!

Tomorrow is Friday...yay! Enjoy!