A Lifted Layout

Wow! What a hectic week! We have been SOO busy, but I did manage to squeeze in a layout this week somehow! This layout was part of the Personalscrapper after crop challenge. We were to lift a layout from the crop that was done by someone else. I decided to lift a layout from my secret sis Star. Her layouts are always amazing and this lift is of her layout called INKED. You can view her layout on her blog at : http://starsstory.blogspot.com/ Go check it out, plus you will see what I mean when I say her layouts are amazing! I picked this layout to lift because it was so "not" me...meaning, it made me really do things differently then I normally do, and sometimes that's what we need, to think outside the box, and do something different. I am super pleased with how it turned out. I even went further outside my box and traced my sticker letters with a black pen! I was challenged in this technique from my Got sketch 103 class this week, so I really was gettin' out of the old comfort zone this week! LOL! I am super excited about this weekend. I get to have some friends over to crop! YEA! So I should be back soon with the layouts I finish up at our little get together this weekend! Enjoy you weekend!

Another week, another sketch!

Here is my 52 sketches/52 weeks sketch for this week. This layout was based on sketch #7. I really like this sketch, it brought to mind MANY ideas when I first saw it, so I was excited to use it. In fact, I plan to use it on a few other pages as I had more than one idea for it. I just LOVE this photo of my nephew Ryan peeking into his gift on Christmas morning before we got together to open gifts. He just couldn't wait! I am so glad I had my camera handy! I am slowly scrapping my Christmas photos, but I may never get caught up at one photo at a time, so look for a double pager here in a few days as I am currently working on it and hope to have some time to finish it during the week. And I promise you it will have more than one photo! The paper for this layout is from the December 2007 Personalscrapper kit and is by Deja Views. I also used American Crafts letter stickers and thickers as well as chipboard from Scenic Route the Roxbury line. Well, I'm off to run the ice fishing booth at my son's school carnival...hope I can stay warm..hehehe...after all in Texas it nevers gets that cold! So maybe I should just hope that the ice doesn't melt and I fall in! LOL! Now there's a pretty sight, hope no one captures THAT on film!

More Scrappy Crop Goodness!

Here is my final layout I did last week at the Valentine's crop over at Personalscrapper. I really like the way this page turned out. I combined paper from the Dec. 2007 and Dec. 2008 kits as well as embellishments from Making Memories that I got at the after Christmas sale. That red border around part of the page is the long sticker word strips from the 7 Gypsies 97% complete J is for JOY stickers. I think these are hard to figure out uses for, so next time you are wondering what to do with them, use them to frame part of your layout or photo! This layout is based on the Pencil Lines sketch for Feb. 15th. This was a fun sketch to work with and is very versatile for all picture orientations. I must say I usually shy away from Christmas pages. I have TONS of Christmas scrapbook supplies, really more than I could ever use, but yet this is the holiday I scrap the least. This year I hope to change that and do more Christmas layouts. In fact, I have 2 pages planned and ready to go with me to the CKC in April in St. Louis, if I don't get them done before then. I decided to work mainly on Christmas pages, first off because I have TONS of Christmas photos to get done AND secondly because it easier to just pack all Christmas stuff, it should reduce the amout of things I bring. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

We have a busy weekend planned. My son has a carnival at his school, a basketball game and a basketball awards ceremony . I also hope to plan some layouts I hope to make when I get together with some girlfriends next weekend to crop. Happy scrapping!

Use your scraps!

Hello all you cyber friends! Today I am showing off a couple of cards that I made using the scraps from my recent LOVE layout that I posted on Feb. 14th. I literally had 4 scraps of paper left over from this layout and instead of stuffing them in my scrap drawer I decided to create a couple of cards with them. I did have to add the cardstock, but the patterned papers were only trimmed a bit to make these cards. I found out when you limit what you can use your creating is much faster. Less choices to fret about I guess. I really love these colors, this paper is from Bo Bunny and the cardstock is from Stampin' Up- colors: ruby red, kraft and black. Very pretty color combo. I made these as sympathy cards as I was totally out and unfortunately needed one this week and decided if I had an extra it would really be nice so I wouldn't be making a card so last minute next time. So next time you are tempted to toss those scraps challenge yourself to see what fabulous creations you can make with them! You might surprise yourself!

Git 'R Done Wednesday and ROFL!

OK, I have had this idea for awhile about doing a layout about the shows I think are too hilarious. My son is always asking me why I watch reruns of the same shows time and time again and then always laugh at the same "lame" jokes. So I decided to do a page documenting my many years of watching these shows and why I always ROFL (roll on floor laughing) when I do. This layout literally took me 20 minutes to put together, but the hardest part was to find and print the pictures of the shows. It wasn't as easy as it sounds. Once that was complete it fell together quickly, even the journaling only took me 10 minutes, however, I was laughing the whole time so I am surprised it didn't take longer! I used the Chatterbox paper from the May 2008 Personalscrapper kit and then a Maya Road journaling sheer for my title. I also found a chipboard rectangle that says giggles on it to add near the top. This was left over from a mini album I did a number of years ago, glad I saved it all those years now! So now when I am 99.5 years old and sitting in my rocking chair drooling and cackling at an old 70 year old episode of Seinfeld you can look back at my scrapbook and see I really don't have dementia, I have always found this episode extremely funny! LOL! I have not seen any show as funny as Seinfeld really, each episode is SO TRUE....its like stuff you thought but were afraid to say cuz its so politcally incorrect! I mean come on, I've been watching it for like 20 years and its still funny. Roseanne on the other hand is funny mind you, but I really only have one episode that makes me ROFL and that is the one called Roseanne in the Hood..no shes' not in a ghetto...she is stuck in an oven hood. And my favorite line is when she tells herself "I'm the smartest one here and I'm stuck in an oven hood" (or words to that effect). The reason she says this is because her sister Jackie is trying to figure out how to unstick her and decides that maybe they should turn on the stove that she is standing on to heat up the hood so it will expand and release her! Now, maybe you aren't laughing right now,but if you hear Roseanne say it, you will believe me be ROFL!!!! Too funny! I'm laughing just thinking about it! My other favs: The Late show with David Letterman and the Simpson Movie. Very funny, very politically incorrect, but fun. Now don't leave me hate mail, if you don't like these shows that's fine with me its a free country. Now I should mention this layout was created for the Personalscrapper Valentine's day crop and no animals or celebrities were harmed by the making of this scrapbook page. Have a nice hump day and go GIT R DONE!

Use your stash Tuesday

This is the layout that I did for the circles and buttons challenge over at Personalscrapper for the online crop. I used sketch #6 from the 52 sketches/52 weeks site. I really enjoyed working with this sketch and plan to use it again and again as it is so easy to change up a bit to fit your needs. I also was able to dig into some of my old stash to complete this layout, including: EYELETS! Yes, folks I was eyelet crazed at some point and still have 1000's of them left...so I was able to use up quite a few here. The patterned papers are from MME's for the August 2007 Personascrapper kit, so it was about time to use these up. I also used a left over scrap of cardstock (the blue) that was just the perfect size for this sketch! I also used an old technique to me..I punched holes using my Crop-A-Dile at the bottom of the title block and then added a strip of red cardstock underneath to give some texture to my page. Try this sometime, it is easy and very eye catching! One other reason I like this sketch; it allowed me to use a LONG title, and not many sketches make that much room for the title, although I believe on the original sketch more room was given for journaling but for this layout I didn't have a whole lot of journaling so the long title was able to go in the space allowed for extra journaling. Hope you are having a spectacular week and get some time to use up some of your stash today! I have a really fun layout to share for Git R Done Wednesday but it is not my last 1/2 completed page. More on that page as its role as thorn in Lisa's side tomorrow!

Happy Valentine's Day!

And here is my first completed challenge out of the 16 we were given to complete at the Personalscrapper Valentine's Online Crop. This layout was done for the altered photo challenge. I used Picassa to edit the photo. I changed it to black and white, cropped it, and then used the GLOW feature to surround our hands with a glow. It looks much better in real life. I used these Bo Bunny papers I got from AC Bailey in November and also dusted off my Sizzix machine to make the letters for the word LOVE! I thought it was somewhat of a Valentine's themed layout to feature today. My son's team the Hawks almost won their first game today. It ended up being a tie...but they played very good and if it hadn't have been for a foul in the last seconds they would have won! It was pretty much a nail biter the entire game and we are hoping for a win next week! Gotta run and get back to work on my other 15 challenges! LOL! Have a good Valentine's Day and an awesome weekend!

Friday's Featured Blogger & thanks secret sis!

First off this is the package I received from my secret sister over on the Personalscrapper board yesterday. Here name is Star and she spoiled me with some really awesome goodies! The paper is some cute boy themed paper from Kaiser Crafts and the awesome rub ons to match are boy themed from Scenic Route, and I can't fail to mention the Maya Road tin FILLED with journaling sheers. They are definitely going to make journaling much easier. I also got TWO boxes of Nips but notice only one is showing, that's because I took one to work and proceeded to eat it all! I love it all, and can't wait to use everything this weekend in during the online crop at http://www.personalscrapper.com/ Now on to today's feature blogger.... this Friday I would like to introduce you to an AWESOME sketch site called So Sketchy. Allison comes up with not only awesome scrapbook layout sketches but card sketches as well. And her design team ROCKS those sketches with great examples. Go check them out at http://sosketchy.blogspot.com/ If you are out of mojo it will definitely help you find some fast! I love the newest sketch and hope to use it on a layout this weekend during the online crop. Well folks, I am off to finish up my floors, its the last thing on my TO DO list for the weekend, then tonight after basketball practice I plan on cropping a bit and working on some of the awesome SIXTEEN challenges over at Personalscrapper, hope to see you there!

Git 'R Done Wednesday

Hello folks! I was so excited about actually completing the last layout in my "junk" or "to be completed" drawer, but I am sorry to say it was not the last one as I originally thought. I pulled out the stuff to complete this layout and found a few pieces of paper and a picture with a title on it, so I guess that is the last layout that needs to be finished. So we will have one more edition of Git R Done Wednesdays where I post a layout that I left half done for an ungodly amount of time. This layout was minus any embellishments and journaling. The picture was mounted and strips of paper and the title block where with it, but that was it. I couldn't make it work like I wanted to, so I turned to my fav site when I am at a standoff ~ Got Sketch by Valeria Salmon! I quickly located a sketch to use by scrolling down on the sidebar where it lists the sketches by groups such as one photo, two photos etc. I decided my picture and embellishments were a perfect fit for sketch #69, and then my page came together in about 30 minutes from there. Easy peasy...you gotta love the sketch....some Seinfeldese for those of you old enough. I like the way this turned out, it is one of my favorite pictures of my son, he is on the HUGE ferris wheel at Mall of America's theme park and this layout has "laid" around since 2004 folks, so it was about time I completed it don't ya think?! I used Basic Gray's Mellow line from my September 2007 Personalscrapper kit. The colors complimented my photo well I thought. I plan on doing a bunch of housekeeping tomorrow so I can have lots of time to play this weekend as there is an online crop over at Personalscrapper this weekend, so I hope to get a lot done then. I will post what I get done at the end of the week! Have a wonderful "hump day" and catch back here soon!

Use your stash Tuesday

For today's challenge: Use your Stash Tuesday, I decided that I needed to use up two lovely chipboard album kits I got last year to give as gifts, but then never got around to making. Since I had planned on using them as Christmas gifts I decided to use them instead for two gift needs I had upcoming, one for my secret sister swap over at Personalscrapper and another for a gift for a friend at church. They went together very easy and the it was easier than I thought to cover the letters, I just adhered my paper, cut around the letter with my exacto knife and then used my Basic Grey file kit to sand it down. It was a bit messy sanding all that paper, but other than that I made them each in an evening. I have way too many kits like this that I buy with the good intentions of making for someone and then never do. So this year I plan on actually making up some of

kits to actually use for RAK's or birthday gifts etc. That will be a good use for some of my Use Your Stash Tuesday challenges. I

hope to give some of these kits I have been "collecting" to some good homes! This kit is by Breezy Designs and is in their Runway collection called Meadowbrook. I love the chocolate and blue colors, very pretty in person. Hope to see you back here again tomorrow for Git 'R Done Wednesday, and it will be a special edition tomorrow folks as I will be completing the LAST layout in my 1/2 finished drawer, hmmm..what ever shall I do with an empty drawer? Maybe buy some more paper??? I am sure I will find a way to fill it up all too fast! LOL! See you tomorrow folks!

Happy Birthday Mari!

Today is my sister-in-law's birthday! I won't give away her age, but she is really still at an age where you don't mind if people ask, but that won't last much longer! LOL! This layout was done for the pre-class challenge over at Got Sketch 103 (and yes, I did get my homework complete on time, even with a short power outage last night!). It is based on sketch #75 by Valerie Salmon at Got sketch. Tomorrow is our first class sketch for Got Sketch 103, and so I know I will be busy with it this week. For this layout created in Mari's honor , I used papers by October Afternoon from the August Personalscrapper kit. I absolutely love the journaling boxes from October Afternoon, they coordinate with your paper of course, but it is so fast and easy to jot down your journaling! Oh, and also in the pictures are my fur niece and nephew Junior aka June Bug to me and Sprint aka Sprinty to me. Aren't they the cutest? I am telling you June Bug is the most photgenic dog on the planet, I really think he likes having his picture taken! I will have something new to share with you for Use your stash Tuesday tomorrow, so check back and have a wonderful Monday!

Love is in the Air

Ok, I did it! I completed the 52 week 52 sketches challenge BEFORE the deadline this time. That was my goal for the week, never mind that it was only 12 hours before the deadline, but it WAS before the deadline people...This is my favorite sketch from them to date (of course there have only been 5 so far this year) but I LOVE all the diecut circle papers out on the market now. I bought this paper on a whim cuz I absolutely did not NEED any more paper, so I was SO happy that within a week of buying it I actually USED it! YEA for me! I have been saving these pics from 2004 for the "perfect" page, good thing it came along when it did, before I forgot even what we did and what year we did it in! I do want to thank my friend Angie for helping me find some pics of me and Jakob, as really I had only pics of him, but being the good friend she is, she had taken a few of the two of us together. I am also in the process of finishing up my layout for my "homework" in Got Sketch 103 that is due today, now did you notice that I did not do my homework first before I played??? Sounds like someone else I know, who will remain nameless, but must get this bad annoying habit from his mother! LOL! Well, better jet so I can complete my homework on time, I'll share that with you tomorrow! Enjoy your Sunday!

Friday's Featured Blogger

As promised I would like to share a blog with you that I have found particularly inspiring and useful in being "creative". This week I would like to feature Susanna at http://www.cardoftheweek.com She features inspiring papercrafting and scrapbooking blogs each week in her "best of the blogoshpere". If you wish you had more time to just surf the web looking for inspiring blogs about papercrafting or scrapbooking then you should check out Susanna's blog. She basically does all the work for you in her special features. And for February she has listed blogs featuring adorable Valentine's ideas from cards to cute little giftables, plus she has designed her own ADORABLE little download to meet all your gift giving needs for Valentine's Day, and its less then the cost of one of those singing cards!! So go enjoy, but be prepared to spend a lot of time! I know I do! Another little tidbit before I sign off to take my son to basketball practice, one of my friends Sheila over at the Personalscrapper blog shared this link with us today, it is a FREE download of some super cute little Valentine's day tickets, great to use on your layouts, cards or even to use to make your kid's Valentines! I printed off a sheet for myself, and plan to use it on a layout I am currently working on...so go grab yourself some freebies, gotta love those freebies!
http://www.memorymakersmagazine.com/crystaljeffreyrieger/HOMEMADE+VALENTINES++Digital+Tickets.aspx
Have a scrappy weekend folks, I plan on cropping a bit over the weekend and hope to have some goodies to show for it on Monday!

And the winner is.....

So without further ado, my son helped me draw the winner of the blog candy contest and it is MEL!!!!! So Mel please email me your address and I will get your blog candy prize out to you ASAP! What does she win you are asking? Well, she is winning one of each of the three cards that were in the running for the Papercrafts swap favorite, as well as as the cards above! Hope you enjoy Mel. Thanks to everyone who voted to help me decide on which card to take to my Papercrafts swap. The winning card was #3, which was the birthday card with the flower, done in Stampin Up colors: rose red, basic black and kraft..I love these colors and this really was my favorite as well, so I was glad that it won. For awhile I thought is was going to be a three way tie between all three cards but the third card won pretty handily. I am putting the finishing touches on my secret sis gifts for tonight and planning on mailing them in the next day or so. Most likely I won't be posting much in the next few days as I start a 12 week bible study this evening after work and then tomorrow I have jury duty UGH! So I will be there all day tomorrow and who knows how long thereafter, so I will most likely have to wait until this weekend to finish up the two layouts I am currently working on. I hope to be able to post them Saturday, but check back on Friday when I am featuring an awesome blogger here, you won't want to miss it!

More Artic Chill

Well, I did get something done last night besides watching the Steeler and Cardinals battle it out. WOW! What a game huh? It was so exciting, and even though I was rooting for the Cardinals, I must say the Steelers did a great job. I love games that are well played, exciting and where when you leave the room for a few minutes and come back the score is like totally turned around for the other team! In fact, I originally photographed my layout and started to upload it when I noticed that it had NO TITLE!! I guess I am not too skilled at watching football and scrapbooking at the same time, especially with a nailbiter like this game was, as I kept running into the living room to see what everyone was yelling about. But I was pleased with how this page turned out. Once again, I used Artic Chill by Fancy Pants from the Personalscrapper January kit. This layout is based on sketch #4 from the 52 sketches 52 weeks site. I love this sketch and will use it often I am sure. I used a quote from the Grinch stole Christmas for my journaling: " The Grinch with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling how could it be so? It came without ribbons, it came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. He puzzled and puzzled til his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more" Dr. Seuss. I love this story, and thought it was a great quote to use on this page. I also love the colors pink, eggplant and sky blue....so girly great for a Christmas girls page, not your usual Christmas colors! I didn't get my layout done in time for the 52 sites prize drawing, as I didn't read the fine print...it has to be uploaded by 11:59 PM EST and I am in CST...so I was a like 5 minutes past the deadline, but oh, well, I love the sketch anyway and was glad to use it. Go check out their sketch for #5, I am really liking the circle, and have my layout planned out for it, and HOPE to start much earlier then Sunday so I can get in on their awesome prize package for this week! If you make a layout for sketch #5 leave me a comment with your link so I can check it out! OOH..I haven't forgotten about the blog candy...I will be back tomorrow with the winner. I have to wait til my son gets home from school to draw the winner...thanks for playing ladies!