My Creative Endeavors

Croppy fun!

2012-01-25T18:06:00.003-06:00

The Personalscrapper Happy New Year's crop was a lot of fun and pretty productive for me! I got 5 of the challenges done. These are two of the layouts I was able to finish, the first one didn't really fit one of the crop challenges but did fit the challenge for week #2 of the 52 week challenges to scrap your family. This is my SIL, brother and nephew at the pumpkin patch last fall! I love this pic of them. I used the October Personalscrapper kit, featuring We R Memory's Autumn Splendor line. Letters are felt Thickers by American Crafts and Basic Grey minis (love these things!). Extras from my stash ( journaling spot by Paper Trunk, flower by We R Memory Keepers, Stickers by We R Memory Keepers (PS Oct. Kit) and calendar cut out by Paper Loft). Layout based on a sketch by Sketchy Thursdays. Sad to say, they are no longer going to be doing weekly sketches. I didn't have a chance to play along with them most of the time, but I always followed along and enjoy their sketches as well as the inspiration from those playing along!
The second layout was for the crop challenge : Mix 3 patterns of paper! I love these kind of challenges. I used the November Personalscrapper kit for the first time, featuring American Crafts Night Fall line. Letters included in kit are from Scenic Route (sure miss that company!). I used a lot of embellies from my stash on this one too! Ticket by Tim Holz, flower by Sassafrass Lass, calendar by Jenny Bowlin and family embelli from Rusty Pickle (this is an old one for sure)
This is a another page for my nephew's album, he just turned 2 last week! I love this picture of the 3 of them with the elk head my brother got hunting this fall.
Hope you enjoyed my scrappy crop fun folks! I'll be back in a day or two to share the rest of my 52 week challenges, can you believe we are in week 4 of 2012 already? Wow, hope 2012 doesn't blow by as fast as 2011 and hope I can complete all 52 of the challenges this year! Come join us at Personalscrapper if you would like to for the 52 week challenge, it's a great way to get those pictures in those albums and those memories in those books! Have a wonderful week friends!

Puppy Love!

2012-01-13T16:30:00.005-06:00

Hope everyone is ready for the weekend! I know I am! We started a crop last night over at Personalscrapper and I was able to complete a challenge last night! This is a record for me. I completed a layout of my nephew with his puppies using the June 2011 kit featuring Jillibean Soup Watermelon Gazpacho line. I am now down to scraps of this kit and am thinking about reordering some more, it is an awesome line...but that takes me to the age old debate should I get more of the old or wait for the new summer lines which I am sure are going to be awesome as well? Kind of like the Seinfeld episode where Jerry has to take Bania out lunch after Bania gives him a new Armani suit...remember that one? Ok, maybe you don't I may be the only one on the planet who has every Seinfeld episode memorized. I love Seinfeld and find that a lot of things in my everyday life can relate to a Seinfeld episode! Hmmm...maybe this is another idea for a layout!?! lol! This layout is a scraplift of Aphra Bolyer's layout shown above. You can visit her AWESOME blog HERE....I am sure when you do you will find lots of fun things you will want to lift, she is an awesome designer and does a lot of work for some of my favorite manufacturers like Jillibean Soup! Well, I better stop yaking and get back to the crop, I still have 9 challenges to try and complete! Hoping to spend most of the weekend cropping with just a wee bit of cleaning thrown it! Happy Friday the 13th everyone!

Happy Scrappy New Year!

2012-01-04T16:17:00.000-06:00

Here is how I spent my New Year's Day....scrapping, sketching, and buying a few new products! I was able to take advantage of a great 40% off sale at Scrapper's Boutique on New Year's Day, I could have went HOG WILD, but didn't! lol! They had some awesome new Valentine's lines (my fav is the new Crate Paper Paper Heart line!) but I contained myself to only things I could find an immediate need for (at least that was how I justified it to myself lol) So I came home the proud new owner of the new My Mind's Eye Kraft Fun Day lines! These lines are so versatile that I figured I could easily put them to good use! Well, I had vowed not to spend all day just gathering MORE supplies (eeks!) so I came right home and went to work drafting up a sketch for the January Personalscrapper sketch challenge! And then, with still loads of time on my crafty hands I was able to whip up a layout using the sketch and my new papers and embellies! This is the ONLY picture from my son's birthday party last month with his friends (gasp!) And I had to beg, borrow and steal to even get that. I had kept telling myself that I was OK with the one pic, but really I wanted to jump out from around the corners at the boys while they were playing video games and snap away, but I decided to keep my promise to my son and be a crazed camera momma...besides this ended up being one of his gifts and I figured with Xbox games being $60 a pop it was an easy way to save some $$! So here you have it, my one picture 14h birtday party layout...a bit different from his first birthday where I literally had 100 pics (even if they were all pretty bad...no digital camera back then in the "OLD" days!) and could have created 10+ layouts of just this one event! Don't you just love the kraft paper? I have always liked it and am so glad it is making a showing once again! All papers and embellies are from My Mind's Eye, letter stickers are American Craft Thickers. On another note, I didn't meet my scrappy goal of 100 layouts last year (I know...lame huh?) so I set my goal a little lower at 75 this year and am pretty sure I can achieve that one! One done...74 to go! Hoping to scrap more this weekend, so check back again real soon!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T10:08:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas to all my friends out there in blogland! Here is a sampling of the Christmas cards I made and sent out this year. I had fun making them all and it was nice to get out my much neglected stamps, dust them off and just play! I forced my self to use some of my retired designer paper by Stampin Up (I have WAY to much of it) and though I like it, it seems like the newer ones are always more appealing lol! I also did not buy any new stamp sets this year, I figured I already own enough and made myself pick and choose from them to create my cards. So proud of myself for using up some stash! I hope everyone is having a wonderful day with family and friends and I want to take this time to send out my Christmas wishes to you, my blogland friends. My wish for you is that you may be filled with joy, touched by His love and believe in the Miracle of the manager! Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday to my baby!

2011-12-24T06:26:00.001-06:00

Seems like just yesterday I was singing Christmas carols to him in my hospital room on Christmas Eve! Today my baby turned 14! He is the best Christmas gift I have ever received! Happy birthday son! I am so proud of the wonderful young man he has become. He is thoughtful, caring, kind and considerate of others. He is a talented clarinet player, lover of games and puzzles, tall enough to get things down from high places for his mother so she doesn't have to climb up on a ladder or step stool(which is a big irrational fear of mine) and most all he laughs at my jokes (well most of the time anyway!) It won't be long before he is driving, or so he tells me. He has lofty goals for his life and I am going to be right there beside him helping, watching and guiding him to those goals. And while I am not ready for him to grow up just yet, I am also excited for him and all that the future holds. Can't wait to see where his journey will take him in the next 14 years!

Race to the finish line!

2011-12-21T21:35:00.004-06:00

Well, the end of the year is looming and so is the end to this year's 52 week challenges over at Personalscrapper! This is a layout I quickly created tonight for the "Use stamps" challenge. This makes my 27th layout done for the 51 challenges that have been issued so far. As you can see I am lagging behind by almost 1/2 a year lol! But I still have a little over a week left, think I can do 25 more? Now that is what I would call a "pipe dream!" So since my time was limited to around 2 hours tonight to get this done before my Pilates class I decided to use some inspiration from my early Christmas gift to myself- my Scrapbook and Cards Today 2012calendar with sketches by Beck Fleck of Page Maps! This layout is based on a sketch by Becky included in the calendar and is also almost a direct lift of the sample page for this sketch, of course, I have altered it a bit to fit the supplies I had on hand, but it is definitely inspired by this AWESOME calendar! I am so glad I spent the $12 or so to get it, WELL worth it! Becky has the most awesome sketches out there in my opinion! These pictures are some of the less desirable ones from our trip to the Pumpkin Patch this last October. I decided shrinking them down this small lets me use them without the flaws being so noticeable. Papers on this layout are by Bo Bunny, Stickers from Bo Bunny, sticker letters by Basic Grey, cardstock Bazzill....and then stamps are from the set Fantastic Foliage by Stampin Up and here is the neat part, are you wondering how I get the image to look like this? Well, I stamped on the rust cardstock with BLEACH! The image bleaches out the color of the cardstock, it is so cool to see what color it will bleach too as you can never tell til it completely dries! Helpful hint: use the "gel" bleach for best results as liquid bleach is a bit to runny. Also these stamps had almost too "detailed" of an image making them look a bit "blobby", the less detailed the image the easier it will be. However, this is my only leaf stamp set, so I had to use it. If you decide to try stamping with some bleach, please link up your project in the comments section so we can all see your results! This is a fun fun technique and really simple too! Well, off to wrap up some gifts, gotta get going on that front so I won't be up all night Christmas Eve! Look for my holiday card share coming soon, I just mailed my cards yesterday, but hey, they should arrive the day or so before which isn't too bad right?

Sharp Dressed Man!

2011-12-13T23:10:00.007-06:00

Who out there does not just LOVE Basic Grey? I know it was one of the first manufacturers I LOVED when I first started scrapping! I have liked almost every line they have come out with. At first I really wasn't sure of this Out of Print line, I liked it but thought it might be a bit "girly" for boy pages...but since I just really liked the colors and prints I went ahead and got some...and boy do I LOVE it! I think it was perfect for this layout! This layout is boyish, yet kind of formal, just the look I wanted for this picture of my son in his concert band outfit before his big performance at Bass Hall this last spring! Isn't he handsome? This layout is a lift from a lift challenge at Personalscrapper of my cyber and IRL friend Kelly, you can see her awesome layout HERE. All papers are by Basic Grey, stickers by Basic Grey, journaling spot by Janna Wilson, letters by Cosmo Cricket and I used the cricut to cut out my giant bracket (note to self: USE CRICUT MORE!) Hope everyone has their shopping done! I hope to finish up my Christmas cards this week and get a few more last minute items (going to order at Amazon as I am THROUGH with shopping at the mall for the rest of the year!) and then if all goes as scheduled have some scrappy time to myself this weekend! Have a nice week everyone!

Fall is almost gone!

2011-11-28T18:54:00.004-06:00

It is starting to feel more like winter then fall here! We had a cool front move through this weekend and it sure feels more like Winter now! Trying to stay warm has zapped my mojo somewhat, but am slowly getting back to scrapping now that the house is almost decorated and my charity obligations are almost done for the rest of the year! I was participating in the 52 week challenge over at Personalscrapper but not sure I am doing very well with that, we are currently in week 48 and I have made exactly 30 pages so I am about 18 weeks behind...not sure if I can actually pull off alll 52 challenges are not, but I am still going to try. I am jokingly telling my son I am locking myself in my room on December 30th and coming out on Jan 1st with all the challenges done! lol! I wish I was a fast scrapper like some of my friends, but the truth is, if I complete 3 pages a week that is a good week for me! Even at an all night crop I am lucky to get 4-5 layouts done! So at this rate I will complete the 52 challenges sometime around Valentine's Day! This layout uses the wonderful October kit from Personalscrapper featuring We R Memory Keepers Splendor line (with a few embellies from my stash thrown in.) I love this picture of my brother and nephew taken while walking to the hayrack ride at Vala's Pumpkin Patch in October, my nephew looks like a miniature little man doesn't he? So cute! This layout was inspired by Debbie's transparency challenge for the October LOAD and I also added some chipboard so it will fit the Chipboard challenge for week 37 of the 52 week challenges! The transparency I have had in my stash FOREVER and says "Tall oaks from little acorns grow", I thought it fit this picture perfectly! I haven't used vellum on a page in forever, so I had to dig out my vellum adhesive and then used brads to attach it to my page securely! Papers and stickers are by We R Memory Keepers - Splendor line, chipboard acorns by Basic Grey, chipboard leaves are from Target dollar bin and letters are by Paper Trunk! If you are participating in a 52 week challenge this year make sure and leave us a comment we'd love to see what challenges you have been working on!

Hello my name is Derf!

2011-11-01T22:34:00.004-05:00

Well, we had a nice time at Trunk or Treat last night, our church sponsors a trunk or treat each year for the local kids, we went and passed out candy at my parent's trunk this year. My son is now officially to "Old" for Halloween! Bummer huh? So I have no funny pics to post this year of his costume, but luckily I get to scrapbook my nieces and nephews, so I can't wait to get my hands on their pics and scrapbook them! I recently created this layout for one of the Personalscrapper challenges and thought I would share. This is my son last year on Halloween when he went to our Youth Group costume party as DERF the Nerd and actually won one of the prizes for best costume! He did look pretty funny I'll tell you. I won this Jillibean Atomic Soup line as a crop prize from Personalscrapper awhile back and was saving it for a science fair pic, but then I realized it was perfect for this page! So I used it vs actual Halloween themed papers/embellies and I really like the way it turned out! Corrugated alpha by Jillibean Soup and foam letters by American Crafts. We still have this week to work on our Croptoberfest layouts so I am trying to complete at least 5 more challenges to get me to 10, although I think I already completed about 10 layouts total for October, but 5 of them weren't for Croptoberfest challenges. So if your mojo needs a jumpstart please come join us, you have until Sunday to participate and don't have to be a member to do so! I'd love to see you there!

Grow

2011-10-23T20:27:00.003-05:00

Another Croptoberfest layout completed today! This one completes the Fall tradition challenge for one of the 31 October challenges as well as week 16 of the 52 week challenges over at Personalscrapper! Every year for about 8 years now we have gone to Vala's Pumpkin Patch each fall, and I was stunned when looking back over last year's photos of how much my son has grown in just one short year! He is now pushing 6 feet! Wow! What a difference a year makes! I thought it was a fun layout to show the comparison next to the Vala's growth chart! Can't wait to see what next year will bring! This layout is based on a sketch by Valerie Salmon for her Got Sketch Express 2 class I just finished up! Valerie's classes are great, if you haven't taken one you should, in fact I think you can still sign up for Got Sketch Express 2 HERE! I will most likely be using the rest of the sketches in week's to come. All papers I used here are from Bella Blvd's One Fall Day line from last year. I loved that line, I think I can eek out another layout or two from the papers I have left, will be sad to see it go, these colors are awesome! Off to get some more scrappy time in before I have to go to bed, this layout I am working on now is just not coming together like I want...ARGHHHHH...hate it when that happens! I may just have to change gears if I can't get the mojo flowing soon and be back later in the week to share!

Croptoberfest fun!

2011-10-18T22:15:00.000-05:00

Many of you have heard me talk about all the fun we have with Croptoberfest over at the Personalscrapper boards each October, and this year is no different! I was able to create a challenge for Erica's die cut + 3 pictures challenge a few days ago using none other then my AWESOME October Personalscrapper kit featuring We R Memory Keepers' Autumn Splendor line! It is a great line and I really like the fact that we got one but TWO sheets of die cut paper in this kit! I just love this kit! These pics were taken on our vacation to Nebraska last week and are of my cute little nephew at Vala's Pumpkin patch enjoying one of the climbing areas. He just loves to climb! I am hoping to get some more scrappy time in this weekend and catch up on some of the 52 week challenges (I'm about 20 weeks behind-ughhh) as well as do one or two of the GREAT Croptoberfest challenges that the members are posting! Why don't you come join us? You don't have to be a member to participate and I promise it is LOADS of fun, plus FREE inspiration and LOTS of encouragement, an all around fun place to visit! See you there!

Fall family fun!

2011-10-11T19:22:00.008-05:00

We had a great extended weekend this last weekend visiting my brother and his family in Nebraska! We had perfect weather, good fun, good laughs and most of all good company! Just an all around great time! We had a a lot of fun visiting Vala's Pumpkin patch for the 7th straight year in a row! Fun to see it through the eyes of my little nephew, he had a blast, especially on the tractor! We carved pumpkins and I tried my hand at Keno (which is apparently legal here) and sadly I lost all the money I bet :o( We also had a marathon 2 hour gaming session at the Amazing Pizza Machine! We won over 6,000 tickets this year in just 2 hours between the three of us! In years past we have won about that many tickets in 4 years! HA! We should have bought a lottery ticket, we were scoring big wins, just not for real money! Since we are not going to be together for Christmas this year, we decided to go ahead and celebrate while we were together, to enjoy seeing each other open our gifts. Everyone loved their gifts and we enjoyed a delicious corn fed Nebraska ribeye for dinner! YUM! Can't wait to scrap all my pictures, here are just a few of the 270 I took! Guess I better start scrappin' tonight!

Puppy and Sketch love!

2011-10-05T23:15:00.006-05:00

So excited to be back to blogging, I have been busy busy behind the scenes creating, working and cleaning and now am ready to get back to weekly blog posts in my newly organized space! Here is the October sketch I created for Personalscrapper as well as my take on the sketch using the September Personalscrapper kit which is PACKED with the newest Jillibean Soup goodness! I love how versatile these papers are and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors! This is my littlest nephew with his "fake" dog, he loves to play with it and carry it around with him when he is out front. I think it's because this "fake" dog, doesn't mind being picked up and carried around by an almost 2 year old like the real one does! We are having a Croptoberfest over on the Personalscrapper message board, come join us as we try and create a LAYOUT A DAY in October! I know I plan to go for 31 layouts! Won't you join us? You don't have to be a member to join us their on the boards, hope to see you there real soon!

My new obsession!

2011-08-11T17:41:00.003-05:00

I don't know who first mentioned this new obsession of mine, but if I could remember I would most definitely have to thank them (or is it curse them?!!!) I have joined all the pinheads over at Pinterest and I must say it is SUPER fun, inspirational, and can become addicting quickly! If you don't know what I am referring to you can visit my boards HERE but BEWARE you won't be able to stop pinning....I have got so many GREAT ideas from my friends pins (thanks Addie for the scrapping organzination tips) that I am spending this weekend sprucing up and reorganizing my scrap space (and maybe squeezing in a bit of cropping to)! I have also already got so many ideas for Christmas gifts that I might actually be able to finish up my Christmas shopping before Dec 24th this year! Well, gotta go, I'm off to pin a bit more before supper, hope to see you following me at Pinterest soon!

August sketch

2011-08-07T14:50:00.007-05:00

Can you believe it is August already? Where did our summer go? My son starts back to half days with band camp this coming week and then one more week of break and then school will start! YIKES! So with the start of a new month is the start of a new sketch challenge by me over at Personalscrapper! Here is this month' sketch, but with a twist...this month's sketch was based on an AWESOME layout by my cyber friend and fellow scrapper Lydia! I just adored her HAND IN HAND THROUGH THE SAND layout so much I just had to make it into a sketch! So glad she graciously agreed to let me do it (thanks Lydia!)

For my layout based on this sketch I used a fun photo taken of my son on the Fourth of July while swimming in my parent's neighborhood pool with his cousins. My niece wanted him to float with her Princess floatie, and as you can see it was a bit small for him! I can't believe he let himself be photographed with it! I used papers by Bo Bunny (blue and yellow- LOVE their basics and dots line!) and Jillibean Soup (stripe) as well as Bella Blvd (pink). The title was created using rub ons (thanks to Jessica for loaning me the pink ones!), I like the way it looks, I haven't used rub ons in years, I think I'm going to start using them again, they really are fun and easy to use. Embellishments are by Little Yellow Bicycle and Jillibean soup. This was another one of those layouts were I combined a bunch of different manufacturers to get the look I was wanting. Hope you enjoy the sketch as much as I did, if you use it please link up your layout in the comments section so we can get a peek! Stay cool everyone!

Mr Sandman

2011-07-24T18:57:00.003-05:00

WOW! This summer is flying by! I can't believe the kids will be back to school in less then a month....where did the time go? I am ready for cooler weather, and I am also ready for some FOOTBALL!! But I love the lazy days of summer to, just wish they could be lazy and 80 degrees not 100+! LOL! I have been trying to keep up with our 52 week challenges over at Personalscrapper this summer so I don't end up being terribly far behind by the end of the year...and so I can meet my goal of 100 layouts for 2011. This is week 29 and this week's challenge was brought to us by Kim who gave us the challenge to do a layout with the theme "roughing it, dirty or outdoorsy". Since I don't "rough it" and my son rarely gets dirty (unless its an accident) I had to scrap a pic of my oldest nephew- who LOVES to be dirty. He has an inner radar for a pile of sand, puddle of water or mud puddle! If there is dirty nearby he will find it! This picture is from 2009 when we went to NRH20 and he dove right into the sand after getting out of the pool! I used sketch #229 by Trisha at Sketch Inspiration and the July 2011 Personalscrapper kit featuring Fancy Pants' Beach Bum line, which by the way is AWESOME! I was pleased to use one of my stamps (circle with dots) on this layout, it is an old foam stamp by Lisa Bearnson...and these I must admit are much neglected, so it was nice to use it. I'm off to get back to work on another one of the 52 week challenges (I'm eleven weeks behind YIKES! and trying to play catch up today while I have a bit of time so I can be right on top of week 30's challenge when it is posted tomorrow!) Have a wonderful week friends!

Summer Sketch fun!

2011-07-17T07:53:00.005-05:00

I have been enjoying the Summer Camp over at Personalscrapper this summer! The bonus challenge for last week was to create a layout with a song title. I had a hard time at first coming up with a title (well, actually I had several fun titles in mind but no pics to go with! lol!) Then as I was getting ready for bed one night the song "UR my Sunshine" came on a commercial and I immediately thought of this sketch I had made last September for Personalscrapper but NEVER used to make a layout....thus this page was born :o) I am also entering this in Practical Scrappers weekly challenge which is to use woodgrain on your layout. I LOVE the woodgrain look! This layout combines MANY different manufacturers using scraps I had left over from various kits etc. The manufacturers on this page include: Basic Grey (stripe), Fancy Pants (sun body), We R Memory Keepers (sun rays), Cosmo Cricket (background woodgrain), My Mind's Eye (larger dotted strip) and Bella Blvd (smaller dotted strip). A total of SIX manufacturers papers! The bigger letters are from October Afternoon and ae woodgrain as well. Smaller letters are from the Paper Loft and the journaling circle is from Jillibean Soup. This makes a total of NINE manufacturers products on this page! I NEVER mix it up like this, I tend to use all stuff from a line at once, but it was nice that I was able to use up scraps and things fell together so easily. These pictures are from our Washington, DC trip last August and are ones I took while we were waiting for the boat to pick us up from Mount Vernon after we had spent the day there. It was an awesome trip! I hope you can use this sketch, it would work great for your summer pics, if you use it don't forget to link it up in the comments section! Have a great weekend everyone!

Another Scraptivations sketch!

2011-07-07T21:37:00.005-05:00

I was honored to provide another sketch for our Scraptivations challenge this week! I am loving the tag trend lately and wanted to include it on one of my sketches. Go check out what the other ladies did using the sketch HERE! For my layout I used pictures of my nephew on his four wheeler he got for his first birthday! This boy is going to be a race car driver when he grows up, he is a natural! Papers are by Echo Park Little boy collection with white foam Thickers for the letters. Embellishments are from K and company (interstate sticker), Echo Park (boys will be boys) and journal spot that I mounted the interstate sticker on is from Jillibean Soup. Hope you will find time to use the sketch, and if you do, don't forget to link it up on the Scraptivations blog so you can be entered into this month's prize drawing for an awesome prize from Punky Sprouts!!

Second one hour challenge!

2011-06-30T21:25:00.001-05:00

I'm back with my second one hour challenge, this time using a Page Maps sketch by Becky Fleck (love her sketches!), and this time around I actually didn't cheat at all! Yay me!!! I was able to finish in one hour without any difficulty this time, having the sketch to guide me really helped. I used the new Jillibean Soup line called Watermelon Gazpacho which I received in my June Personalscrapper kit. All supplies are Jillibean Soup except for the big star brad by Queen and company. I picked up a lot of fun embellies from the Queen and Company booth during the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington this year! I love their embellishments, so versatile! This picture you might recognize from our annual Memorial Day trip to NRH2O waterpark...with our first time to take my niece who is 3! We had a great time as usual and really this was my only good picture of the whole day, so had to scrap it right away! Have a happy fourth everyone and take lots of pictures!

One hour challenge!

2011-06-25T17:04:00.001-05:00

We are having a summer camp over at Personalscrapper this summer! This was our first week of camp and it is my week to be camp counselor! So being a good camp counselor I had to find way to entertain the campers and what better way then some fun campfire games? Last night we gathered around the campfire and had ourselves a fun one hour layout challenge. You basically get one hour to create a layout...now for me that is a challenge! You can gather your supplies ahead of time, but you must create your layout in the hour time frame. Well, I did it, but it was a tough struggle...and I hate to admit it, but as I was getting this layout ready to photograph, I decided to add a few more things...so I cheated by about 3 minutes...I had forgotten my journaling, which I quickly added and then I also added the cameo and quote up in the top right square..and now I am happy with my layout, so this one is the "almost" an hour layout lol! We are having another one hour challenge around the campfire tonight too...and I promise not to cheat tonight (lol!)! Ok, deets on my layout...all papers by Crate Paper (Potrait line)...embellies a mix of Crate Paper (cameo), KI memories (remember sticker), Queen and company (pearls and rhinestone), Pink Paislee (cork elements) and butterfly is unknown...I got it a long time ago in a kit and don't know who makes it. Letter stickers are from the Echo Park For The Record line. This layout was based on a sketch by Allison Davis from her blog called SKETCH SUPPORT. This picture was taken at the Arlington Great American Scrapbook Convention this June, where I was lucky enough to get to meet two of my online Personalscrapper friends IRL! Both Debbie and Kelly were a lot of fun to shop with and are as sweet as can be in person. I hope to get to crop with one or both of them someday soon! It is so fun to actually get to meet your online friends in the flesh! Ok, I'm off to prepare for tonights one hour challenge..wish me luck and I promise not to cheat this time *wink*!

Water Park Fun!

2011-06-24T17:32:00.001-05:00

One thing we can say about this June, it's been HOT here in Texas, so we spent today cooling our heels at the water park nearby NRH2O...we had a great time, enjoyed the water slides, wave pool, my fav the lazy river and had fun taking underwater pics with my sister's underwater Kodak PlaySport Camera, it was a lot of fun! Great day with great friends beating the heat! I can't believe we are now half way through summer vacation- my how time flies when you are having fun! And to make my day even more perfect I'm scrapping tonight, so check back tomorrow to see some scrappy goodness!

Fun with color!

2011-06-22T15:43:00.001-05:00

It's another fun challenge at Scraptivations this week! This week's challenge is brought to you by Amy! The challenge is to create a layout using a split complementary color scheme...sound complicated? It's not! In fact, it can make your scrapbooking much easier, by helping you choose what colors will complement each other when creating your layout! Basically what you do is pick your base color (in my case red), then you use the TWO colors adjacent to your base color's complement (in this case green)...in this case blue green(kind of a turquoise blue) and yellow green (more of a lime green). Remember the complement of a color is the color directly across from it on the color wheel. So for my layout I used the colors lime green, red and turquoise blue with a bit of brown and navy blue thrown in as well...The papers I used here are from Jillibean Soup (lime green dot) and Echo Park (plaid). Letter stickers from Hobby Lobby (Paper Studio) with embellishments from Jillibean Soup, American Crafts (flair badge), Queen and Company (pearls and big brad) and Bazzill (flower). Pictures of my nephew feeding himself for the first time! Sweet huh? I hope you can play along with us this month at Scraptivations, the prize up for grabs is from Punky Sprouts and it is AWESOME...so what are you waiting for? Get scrappin'!

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T21:42:00.001-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Father's out there! This layout isn't really a true Father's Day layout, but it is of my brother and nephew, such sweet photos taken by my SIL. I just had to scrap them. We had a nice Father's Day celebrating with my Dad and spending time with the fam....even got some time in stamping with my niece and scrappin'time as well..can't beat that! This layout was one I made for my stint as this week's camp counselor over at Camp Personalscrapper! We are having a fun summer camp starting this week. You can earn badges by completing each week's challenge and this week my challenge is a scavenger hunt challenge! You create a layout based on the things on you "list", the more things you add to your layout the more points you get (20 points max) and the winner is the one with the most points! I used to love scavenger hunts....the best ones are where you have to do silly things...and in this digital age it is fun to be able to capture it on video or film...i.e. one of the challenges I saw online from a church group was to smile at someone and when they said "hi" to say "I have new socks!" and capture their reply on video...or go into a restaurant and then ask patrons for the parsley off their plates...or how about this one...get a picture of a human pyramid in the front yard of a stranger's house, but the kicker....the homeowner has to be in the pyramid! I was laughing so hard imaging people's expressions on some of these...however, in the times we live in now, it may be dangerous to do some of these things, people are not as friendly as they used to be and might not think these things are to funny! I know when I was a kid it was a common occurrence to have someone knock at your door needing something like a roll of TP etc for their list...and in my 15 years as a homeowner, I think I have had it happen only once that I recall...so not as common anymore. But back to scrappin'...this layout is worth 15 points...you can see my list HERE. For this layout I used My Mind's Eye papers from the Stella Rose line, buttons and puffy sticker are from that line as well. I also used my Stampin' Up punches for the flower and to add a bit of texture, I used my newest STampin Up sizzix embossing folder on the middle of the flower. Letter stickers are Thickers (blue) and My Little Shoebox (small grey). I hope you can join us at Camp Personalscrapper soon, I know I'm on a mission to earn all the camp badges this year!

Life of the Party!

2011-06-17T06:18:00.005-05:00

Another fun layout to share with you today! This layout uses the newer Basic Grey line called Life of the Party. Have I told you how much I love Basic Grey? It seems like their last few releases have been just my style, and this one more then any of their previous lines! I don't even really like to scrap birthdays per se, but this line is very versatile, bright, cheery, and it's not just for birthdays! Most of the "B" sides of the themed paper are totally non-birthday! This layout is of my son on his big thirteenth birthday...he got an Ipod Touch and it was a total surprise to him because I told him they were "too expensive" so he didn't think he was going to get one at all! All the papers and embellishments are from Basic Grey's Life of the Party line and the letter stickers are Thickers (daydream font- a fav of mine). I love the use of tags here, seems like they are appearing all over the place again, it's a trend I like and seems to go dormant for awhile and then pop up as the "in" thing every now and again, so glad they are back "in again! Have a wonderful Friday friends and look for another fun challenge at Scraptivations on Sunday....a little hint...it's colorful!

Scrapbook Bingo!

2011-06-05T13:22:00.002-05:00

Time for another fun challenge over at Scraptivations! This is my week to host the challenge and I have come up with a fun game of scrapbook Bingo! I love Bingo and decided to combine two of my fav things: scrapbooking and bingo for this challenge! For this challenge you will create a layout or project using the four items in your "bingo" i.e. across, up and down or diagonally. You can use more then these 4 items but you must use at least those four items on your layout or project. On my layout I scored my bingo diagonally and used: one photo, twine, season and punch(used my wave border punch)! With Scrapbook bingo everyone's a winner! My layout uses papers and embellishments by October Aftenoon, their Seaside collection. I also had fun with some twine I picked up online awhile back, love the look of twine, it's all the rage now and you see it everywhere, in fact, I need to get some more to play with! Don't forget to link up your layout for this week's challenge HERE by July 5th for a chance at a very cool prize! Can't wait to see what you Bingo!

Happy Memorial Day!

2011-05-30T21:49:00.007-05:00

Here marks the price of freedom.... Arlington National Cemetery, what a beautiful final resting place for our heroes. This view as we walked down the hill back to the metro after our visit last summer, was one I didn't want to forget, so I took this picture. I wanted to remember this sight, this reminder that freedom isn't free, and that I will always be so thankful to those who made the ultimate sacrifice and to those who serve today and served in years past to allow me and these 3 sweeties to live in freedom enjoying our holiday at the waterpark today, soaking up the sun, splashing and laughing and realizing the true beauty that comes with freedom. So thank you to our brave men and women, thank you for all you have done and continue to do!

Happy Memorial Day and God Bless the U.S.A.!!

The inanimate object challenge

2011-05-21T17:09:00.002-05:00

Our next challenge at Scraptivations is up today! Not only was this a very challenging challenge (lol!) but a fun one as well. Carly's challenge for us was to scrap an inanimate object. I had been wanting to document my advancement into the 21st century world of technology in my mid 40's but hadn't done so yet, so this challenge was a perfect opportunity to do. I even went out and bought some fun pinkish papers to use specifically for this layout, something I don't usually do. I wanted to document my first smartphone, a Tmobile My Touch, cuz I know how much things will end up changing and in 10 years this phone will most likely be pretty lame, even though I find that hard to imagine! However, it was about 20 years ago I got my first cell phone which was HUGE, I had a bag much like a purse to carry it in and just thought it was SOOOOOOOO wonderfully advanced, in fact, I never could have imagined a smart phone and all I could do on it! Guess, I'm not very imaginative and I am thankful there are those that are so that they can develop wonderful technology for us to use! The papers I used for this layout are Echo Park Life is Good. Echo Park has the most yummy papers! Letters are Thickers and the journal box is from Making Memmories. Hope you can play along with us at Scraptivations, cuz the prize up for grabs is a gift card to your fav scrapp store! WOW! To participate just link your layout on your inanimate object up HERE! Can't wait to see what you create! Blessings,

Fun with Life of the Party!

2011-05-20T07:36:00.000-05:00

Hi friends! I can't believe how much time has passed since my last post! Wow, time flies when you are having fun croppin' with friends! I spent a long weekend in Kansas City croppin' with some old and some new friends! Had a blast and wanted to give a shout out to my new friends at Archivers in North Kansas City, those girls are a lot of fun and know how to crop! Here is one of the pages I created while there. I love the new Basic Grey line Life of the Party! Fortunately for me Archivers had a lot of the line in stock so I could buy more (probably more then I needed) to supplement my May Personalscrapper kit. This line is now my fav line of the Spring! These are pics of my nephew playing in the tub, these bright colored toys matching the these Party papers perfectly! The flower is by Basic Grey (bloomers), the other two paper embellies are from My Minds Eye and were included in the May Personalscrapper kit. Letters are Thickers - love the faux stitching detail on them and the stars in the upper left corner are actually brads from my older stash, made by Making Memories. This layout was one I created for the Personalscrapper NSD crop challenge of : brads, buttons and ribbon (although I used ric rac which I hope counts as ribbon!) I can't wait to create some more layouts with this fun paper line, it is so much more versatile then just for birthdays! I have a lot more to share, but will do so later on, as I am off to work, but stay tuned tomorrow for my next Scraptivations challenge, it was a fun one and involved my cell phone....can you guess what it is? Well, you won't have to wait long, more tomorrow! Have a fun Friday friends!

Handmade sketchy fun!

2011-05-05T17:48:00.021-05:00

It's time for another Scraptivatingly fun challenge! This week's challenge is brought to us by Amy who is challenging us to make our own handmade embellishments! What fun huh? There are so many techniques to try, but I decided to make my own flowers out of tissue paper. I didn't have any pink tissue paper, so I stamped my white tissue with the By Definition background stamp from Stampin' Up in Pretty in Pink ink to give my flowers just a hint of color, and I love how they turned out. For the larger flower I used my Stampin Up scallop circle punch to punch out the shape for the flower- just a hint: fold the tissue paper into several layers (I did 5) to make it thicker and easier to punch through. The smaller flower I just hand cut, using 5 layers for this one as well. Both are held together with a brad. For this layout I used the May sketch I created for our May sketch challenge over at Personalscrapper. I love how this sketch turned out and plan to use it again on a birthday layout with stars soon as well. The pictures for my flower girl layout are of my niece taken on a recent outing we had to Hobby Lobby, she had a great time trying on all the fun headpieces/bows etc! We ended up buying a big pink flower for her hair instead of this flower headband. The papers here are from Personalscrapper's February kit featuring We R Memory Keepers Be My Valentine papers (don't you just love that little cuckoo card I cut out from the papers!) The circle is handcut from pink felt as are the circles in the upper right hand corner. Letters are Thickers from American Crafts and the brads in the flower center are from American Crafts as well- LOVE these glittery brads! All of these things except the tissue paper and felt were in the February Personalscrapper kit! I hope you can play along with us at Scraptivations this month, the prize is AWESOME a $10 gift card to your fav scrappy store...now how can you beat that? I can't wait to see what fun embellishments you come up with, I just know I am gonna have to copy some of your ideas! Don't forget to check out the other DT's layouts HERE, they came up with some AWESOME ideas that you won't want to miss!

Birthday fun

2011-04-26T12:52:00.003-05:00

Just popping in for a quick show and tell. I just realized I hadn't shared this card I created to match the adorable bag I got at Bath and Body works to wrap up my sister's birthday gift a few weeks ago. I was inpsired by these beautifully bright colors, don't they just cheer you right up? For the card I used a scrap of patterned paper from October Afternoon, the stamp sets are Just Believe and All Holiday from Stampin Up and ink/cardstock colors are Stampin Up's green galore and yoyo yellow, 2 colors I really don't use that much. I used my new Stampin Up embossing folder to addd texture to the top green galore panel and the punches used are all from Stampin Up. So next time you purchase a pretty gift bag, dig into your stash and see what you have to make a matching card, with the price of cards nowadays you can save quite a bit and besides that who doesn't love a homemade card?!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T01:47:00.002-05:00

"Up from the grave he arose, with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; he arose a victor from the dark domain, and he lives forever, with his saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!" ~ Robert Lowery (Up from the Grave he Arose)
Wishing Easter blessing to all you my friends! May His life teach you love and may His death teach you salvation and grace!

Scraptivatingly fun challenge!

2011-04-20T10:58:00.004-05:00

You all know how much I love sketches and this one by Tina as our third Scraptivations challenge,is super awesome and I was so excited to see it as a challenge, but then there was a TWIST...the layout had to be about YOU! Gasp! I have done a bunch of layouts about me, about my likes, dislikes, job, graduation etc...so I was at a loss of what to do. I mean I am very boring, my likes haven't really changed since I scrapped them back in 2009...that is how boring I am...just a routine sort of gal, so I thought maybe that was a layout (about how boring I am lol!) But then as I normally do when stumped I move on to another project, which was the next 52 week Personalscrapper challenge and it was ANIMAL. And there is was, my AHA moment, I was like I'll do a page about how I love animals! I have since I was a wee tot, and thus, decided to use these pictures of myself from 1970 (I won't tell you how old I am in these pics but I think you can kinda estimate! LOL!) I decided to use my newest fav line Echo Park's, For the Record...LOVE LOVE LOVE this line and it is the featured line in April's Personalscrapper kit (lucky me!) I absolutely love how this layout turned out and I really like it that I have another page scrapped just for me and my personal album. I hope you will play along, don't let the YOU twist put you off, it can be interpreted in so many ways, just think outside the box if you are stumped. I do plan on using this sketch again, as it is super fun and an easy sketch to work with! Can't wait to see what you gals come up wit for this challenge! Don't forget to visit Scraptivations and link up your layout for a chance to win an awesome prize from the Paper Trail!

Disney fun with Inspired Blueprints

2011-04-13T21:34:00.004-05:00

Here is a fun layout I created for the Personalscrapper 52 week challenge to use a large photo. This layout is based on sketch 67 from Inspired Blueprints. I haven't used on of their sketches in a while so I was glad I finally had time to play along with one of their fun sketches. I used some of my Echo Park Little Boy papers as well as some October Afternoon Night Light (this is one of my all time fav sheets of paper- I think I used like 3 sheets and am now down to scraps!) It was fun to use up some of my Disney embellies I have hoarded for a few years now. I loved this picture of my son and I taken in 2005 at Epcot Center on our Disney vacation, about time I scrapped it huh? Sticker letters are from Jillibean Soup and Cosmo Cricket. I really like how this turned out and so glad I was able to get this fun photo scrapped. I have been working steadily on several things but none that I can show you right now. This weekend I most likely won't get much scrappy time as I am on a hunt for some new living room furniture. Any places you would recommend? If so leave me a comment as I HATE shopping for major purchases and I have put this off much too long, it is time for new furniture and I am going to try and complete my mission by Sunday so I can get back to scrappin! Wish me luck!

Chloe's Challenge

2011-04-05T18:44:00.002-05:00

This is our second challenge over at Scraptivations challenge blog! This one was brought to us by Chloe who chose to challenge us to create something crafty based on this lovely picture! Who wouldn't love a room as fresh, bright (and clean!) as this? I know I would love sleeping or creating in such a place! What inspired me most about this picture was of course, the colors which were so bright and center stage, but secondly the clean crisp lines and then the minimalist feel to the room itself. So for my layout I tried to stick with primarily the lime green and yellow color theme but ended up throwing in a bit of orange/red. I used papers by Echo Park (green dot-Little Boy line) and Sassafrass Lass. I chose to keep the layout simple with clean lines like the pic, thus the more linear, color blocking design to the layout. I also stuck with minimal embellies (pear feltie and small flower from Sassafrass Lass) and a small title for which I used an Echo Park little Boy journal box with letters cut from my cricut for the "you" and "me" and small sticker letters from Making Memories, all keeping with the minimalist vibe I got from this picture. I was also inspired by that adorable rug in the pic, so I based by title on the word "you" found in the rug. The picture is of my niece and nephew from Easter 2009, aren't they adorable and dressed so sweetly in green to go with my color scheme (love it when that happens!) Now it's your turn, hop on over the Scraptivations and play along for a chance to win an AWESOME prize from the Paper Trail! Can't wait to see how you are inspired by this picture!

My first published layout!

2011-04-01T00:00:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to finally get one of my layouts published! My layout 100% Magic is being published in this month's edition of Scrapstreet Magazine! I have been a fan of Scrapstreet for awhile now, I love the wonderful articles they have each month, always trendy and current and with adorable and inpsiring layouts to boot! You can pick up a lot of good tips there as well, on all sorts of topics, my favorites include the technique articles and the one that focuses on journaling each month! This layout was created awhile back, it uses papers from Scenic Route's Cape Town line (loved that line and I sure miss Scenic Route). The chipboard letters and circle are also Scenic Route. This picture is of my son and my dad from Father's Day 2009, when we gave my dad a fire wallet for Father's Day! If you need a fun gag gift for an adult, this is a great gag gift! We picked it up at a magic show while in Universal Studios that year on vacation. This layout was based on a sketch by Julie Bonner when she was doing the 52 sketches 52 weeks blog (miss that as well, but luckily Julie is still sharing her sketches HERE on her blog!) Ok, enough tooting of my own horn, thanks for letting me share with you! Hope you enjoy your April Fool's Day, just remember to please BE NICE! LOL!

My first Scraptivations Challenge!

2011-03-20T22:56:00.004-05:00

Today is our first "official" challenge over at Scraptivations! I was honored to get to go first. This sketch is our first challenge, all you need to do to be entered into a random drawing for an awesome prize from The Paper Trail is to complete a layout based on this sketch and upload it to Scraptivations. For my layout I used papers and title block from My Minds Eye's newest line Stella Rose. To give the title block a bit more dimension I cut out the center title and raised it up by mounting it on a crocheted flower and mounting the title on brown cardstock to accent it more. The felt circle with heart embellie is from American Crafts. I love everyone's take on the sketch, all so unique even though they sprang from the same sketch! So hop on over to check out the DT's take on the sketch and for your chance to win an awesome prize for this month's sponsor! So excited for tomorrow, its the first day of class at Club Got Sketch! Can't wait to see what Valerie has in store for us tomorrow! It's not to late to join, just go HERE to join us, see you in class!

Scraplifting fun

2011-03-15T23:08:00.005-05:00

I had so much fun doing some "lazy" scrapping the other day. I am always blog hopping and finding layouts I would just love to lift, and yet, I never get around to actually lifting them. Well, the other day doing some late night scrappin' with my good friend and the mojo just wasn't there, so what's a girl to do but scraplift a layout. After all, I can't afford to waste the precious creative time I was able to give myself! This layout is a lift of Frances Sylvia from her blog FOREVER AND A YEAR...Frances' work is just awesome, love visiting her blog whenever I have time! For this layout I used my October 2010 PersonalScrapper kit featuring Jillibean Soup, which is fast becoming my favorite manufacturer now that Scenic Route is gone. I used this layout for my Week #7 52 week challenge over at Personalscrapper as well, which was the theme LOVE. I don't love anything more then these sweet faces...have you ever seen any cuter faces then these four???? These are my fav pics of my son, my niece and my two nephews from 2010. Just love the simplicity of this layout which allows these sweet faces to shine! Hope you all are having a good week, I'm hoping to do a bit of scrappin' tomorrow to get me over the hump, keep checking back, maybe I'll be able to actually finish one of the three layouts I have on my desk...then I've GOT to clean it off...who knows what is buried under that mess!

Winter Treat

2011-03-14T18:23:00.006-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! I have been busy creating here and there, which boils down to, everyday when I have a few free minutes I piddle around with whatever layout is on my desk...usually for increments of 30 minutes or less. It's frustrating sometimes, but I find I am getting better at it as I don't normally have hours of time to scrapbook on an average day, even though I wish I did! I completed this layout awhile back but never shared it. I used my Personalscrapper January kit featuring Echo Park Wintertime and Fancy Pants Hot Chocolate papers. This is one of my all time fav kits, just loved this die cut paper and that little bird! This is from 2008 pics of my son at Panera Bread enjoying a cup of hot chocolate after we went with the fam to see Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at Casa Mana (a local children's playhouse here in Fort Worth). This is one of those rare layouts I created without a sketch! Shocking I know, but see I really can design without a sketch, although I prefer not to. Well, I'm off to bed, this time change is doing me in....I must be getting old as it takes me longer to adjust to any little change in my routine lol! I am so excited for my first challenge at Scraptivations, don't forget to check HERE on the 20th, in the mean time, stop back by here cuz I did some scraplifting that I wanna share with you tomorrow, when I get some light to take a pic!

Exciting News

2011-03-09T16:57:00.002-06:00

I am so excited to share with you that I have been selected to be on the Design Team at Scraptivations! This is a fun new challenge blog that I am sure you will love as much as I do. Our first challenge is going to be up on March 20th, so I hope you will stop by and play along with us. I am looking forward to being part of this super fun site that will offer a great challenge twice a month. In the mean time I have been hard at work on our first challenge as well as my 52 week challenges and I will have more to share with you this weekend, so enjoy your Ash Wednesday and check back soon!

Sketch 105

2011-03-03T21:32:00.006-06:00

Not sure which I like more, this sketch by Liz Chidester from The Scrappiest OR Basic Grey's Wander line...I guess its a toss up, both are pretty fantastic! I received these fun papers from my secret sister last fall Erica from Personalscrapper. I just love the colors in this line, perfect for any type of layout really. I complete this layout for one of the 52 week challenges over at Personalscrapper, the category for this challenge was MEMORIES. This picture was take of my Dad, brother and nephew on my nephew's first birthday this past January and is for his album that I am making him (slowly but surely, well, the first year will be finished by the time he's 10, so that' pretty good huh?) I love this picture, this little guy is the most photogenic baby I have ever seen, he is always smiling for the camera, unlike a 13 year old boy I know who shall remain nameless.....but his time is coming, he is due to featured on the old blogo here next week, cuz I'm currently working on a layout of him LOL! This sketch was so easy to use, and I really like the simplicity of it. I'm lagging behind though, cuz I think they are up to sketch 109 over at The Scrappiest, so hoping to play some catch up this weekend, but then again Becky did put up some really awesome sketches over at Page Maps this week too....choices, choices... well, off to play before bedtime, hope you can get sketchy soon too!

Sketchy Sunday

2011-02-27T23:46:00.002-06:00

Here is the sketch I made for the Personalscrapper crop last week. I created this layout based on the sketch for one of the challenges during this crop which was to combine at least 3 kits to create your layout. I chose this challenge first as combining products is hard for me and really was super challenging to me, so I wanted to master it first. Here I combined papers from We R Memory Keepers Tiffany and Nonsense lines as well as Fancy Pants Summer Soiree line. These were my November 2008, February 2009 and July 2009 Personalscrapper kits and I am down to scraps on all three, really need to make some cards and finish these kits off! Letter stickers are by October Afternoon (Love their little stickers!) and of course, American Crafts THICKERS!!! Flowers are by Basic Grey and American crafts (thanks Melanie- got these in a goodie bag I won on her blog!) This is a picture of my nephew from last June, he loved his exerosaucer so much and would jump and play so hard that he would wear himself out! I hope you get some inspiration from my sketch and can use it soon, if you do make sure and share your lovely creation with us by posting a link to your layout in the comment section!

Scraptivated by this fun challenge!

2011-02-23T15:12:00.005-06:00

Just popping in to share a fun challenge completed for the first ever Scraptivations official challenge! Carly is a lot of fun, and I know this is going to be fun, motivating and inspirational challenge site! This was a fun challenge for me...the challenge was:
Would you rather...
*use a die-cut/punch or fussy cut something?
*scrap something hard to scrap about or hardly ever scrapped about?
*use a music title or a movie/TV title?
So for #1 I of course picked punches...cuz I'm as you know a basically lazy scrapper, cutting stuff out is work to me, but I ADORE my punches...so here we have punched hearts to meet the first criteria....#2: Scrap something hardly scrapped about: now that would be ME...like most scrappers I rarely scrapped about me, so for this layout I decided to do a page about how my niece and nephews call me Aunt WeWe...of course, this turns heads when we are out in public, since wewe is another term for a bodily function...but they are growing up so fast and the oldest one now just calls me Lisa, so I wanted to capture this memory before I forget it.....#3:I used Music title: for my subtitle around my circle I printed the title to Kesha's song We R Who We R...now I really don't listen to Kesha (really only heard this song on a blog playlist), but I have heard this song title before and really thought it was a great quote/title to use at some future point, just didn't know I was gonna use it so soon! LOL!
These papers are from my February Personalscrapper kit, featuring We R Memory Keepers Be My Valentine's line, which is really cute, I just adore this die cut paper! Had to use it up first! And that ribbon, it is already pleated for you, just beautiful if you are a ribbon lover! So glad I was able to get this kit as they are now sold out, but I am sure the March kit will be just as great, in fact, can't wait for the reveal next week!
So go challenge yourself and hop on over the Scraptivations and play along, its sure to get you out of your comfort zone and saving those precious memories!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T07:41:00.005-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day friends! I hope everyone has a special day spent with those they love! It will be a pretty routine day for us as we are pretty busy on Mondays as a general rule, but I do have a fun surprise up my sleeve for my son, although he will have to wait until after school to fully enjoy it, so hope he doesn't have much homework tonight as he does have basketball practice! This is the card I made for him letting him know I love him, he is special to me and I have a surprise waiting for him on his laptop! YEAH! I love surprises :o) This card was created for one of the challenges over at Personalscrapper where we are having a fun crop this week, check it out and I hope you will have time to join us there, lots of great stuff being created and shared! Papers for this card are from my February 2008 Personalscrapper kit and are from We R Memory Keepers Tiffany line. Hoping to finish up this kit in the next week as another challenge for the crop, so check back again soon! I used my Stampin' Up Everyday Flexible phrases set for the sentiment and used my decorative scissors (again!) to frame my square...one of these days I'm gonna get me one of those borders punches with the corner punch where you can punch around the entire square...hmmm...maybe I should get myself a Valentine's gift! LOL!
Hugs!

Just another Sketchy Sunday

2011-02-13T19:29:00.001-06:00

This is sketch I created for our monthly challenge over at the Personalscrapper forum. It is so fun to see all the wonderful creations using the same sketch and yet all the layouts look so different! For my layout I used Pink Paislee Cupid papers from the February 2009 Personalscrapper kit. I also wanted to use this layout for one of our 52 week challenges, where we are given a different challenge each week to help us create 52 layouts for the year and this one was a BORDER challenge. So I used my Stampin' Up border punch to create the borders along the my vertical paper strip and then I used my decorative scissors (blast from the past) to create a border around my handcut heart...it was like being back in first grade cutting out hearts and using fancy scissors! This layout tells the story of a special gift my son made for me back in 2003....he somehow had a heart eraser he had written on the front of it "I love Mom" and then on the back he wrote "verry much"...such a treasured gift, I just had to take a picture of it and then scrap the story so even if the eraser gets lost (although I keep it right on my desk and see it everyday) I will still have the memory on paper! I hope you will be inspired by the sketch and find time to create a special page about someone you love, and if you do make sure and link up in the comments section so we can all see your lovely work!

Blog Award!

2011-02-10T15:50:00.006-06:00

I was honored to be given this fun award from Jewels! Jewels has such an inspiring blog, cute kids and some gorgeous layouts! Hop on over and show her some love! Jewels, thanks for thinking of me with this fun award! Well, part of the award is that I must list 7 random facts about myself, so here goes:
1) I love to listen to talk radio instead of music while I drive
2) My favorite time of year is the Fall
3) I have NO patience with paper folding techniques, even simple ones. If I take a class that tries to teach it to me, I just sit and listen or talk my sister or my friends into doing the folding for me
4) I am a SLOW scrapbooker, my average layout takes 2 days to complete! *gasp!*
5) I cannot stand to glue ANYTHING down on my page until it is deemed "complete", just on the off chance I want to change something at the last minute!
6) I once locked the high school secretary in the school safe - by accident of course! LOL!
7) My favorite TV channel is TV LAND- love those old reruns of Roseanne, Bonanza, I Dream of Jeannie etc!
Now the second part of this award is to pass it on to some of my favorite bloggers, so here you go, all of these bloggers have awesome blogs that give me inpsiration on a daily basis, hope you enjoy!
1) Amy
2) Debbie
3) Carly
4) Teresa
5) Jenny
6) Stacy
7) Star
8) Lydia
9) Erica
10) Heather
These ladies all ROCK, wonderful layouts, great inspiration and a lot of fun times on their blogs, I hope you are inspired by them as I have been!

Sketch 103

2011-02-03T12:50:00.005-06:00

We are undergoing an unprecedented freeze here in Texas...its been below freezing for 3 days now and we still have more snow expected tonight as well and don't expect it to get above freezing until Saturday. The ice on the roads has caused massive closings of business' as well as schools, we are on our third snow day here! So what's a girl to do when she's snowed in? Well, scrapbook of course! So due to the snow and ice I have been holed up at home and was able to create this fun layout using Sketch 103 by Liz Chidester at The Scrappiest. I got the idea for this layout from a layout by one of my Personalscrapper friends Addie, you can see her layout of the same title on her blog JUST ME, when I saw this adorable picture of her son and the awesome layout, I got the idea to use the same title and papers to scrap this picture of my nephew last Halloween. I used Echo Park Wintertime papers and alphabet stickers and Fancy Pants' Hot Chocolate papers and card cut out from my January Personalscrapper kit. What a fun way to use winter themed papers on a nonwinter layout- thanks for that inspiration Addie! I love the way this layout turned out with the combined inspiration of Liz's sketch and Addie's layout :o) Makes the cold weather seem less irksome somehow! LOL! Who knows if I can get my driveway cleared off soon, I might be able to find more time to create! Stay warm friends and be safe on those icy roads!

Sketch 101 is fun!

2011-01-27T16:21:00.004-06:00

What a fun week this is! The Scrappiest one of my all time fav sketch blogs is celebrating their 100th sketch this week with a week of super fun sketches, loads of inspirations and fun prizes! If you haven't checked it out, you should! I must say I really miss being on the DT there and being one of the first people to play with Liz's fun sketches! I decided to play along this week as much as I can and was able to squeeze some time in last night to play with sketch 101. I used Echo Park's Walk in the Park papers from my September Personalscrapper kit for this layout of my cute little nephew. I was honored to be able to give him his first tub bath when we visited last October and I can't wait to go see him again, sooner rather then later, as he is growing by leaps and bounds! Everything on this layout, the doodlebug letter stickers, the Echo Park papers and stickers (lil' duckies), cardstock and American Craft flair came in the September Personalscrapper kit...this is a great kit company if you are looking for a fun kit company to join, you WILL not regret joining Personalscrapper, I've been a member since 2007 and have loved EVERY kit Erica has put out! I must say Echo Park is fast becoming one of my favorite paper companies, check out THIS preview of their new FOR THE RECORD line, it's on my must have list of new releases for this Spring! Don't forget to hop on over to The Scrappiest and play along this week, you will have a great time! Well, I'm off to work on sketch 102...or maybe I should go back to 100.....

Fun New Challenge Blog

2011-01-23T14:56:00.006-06:00

What a better way to start out the New Year with a fun new challenge blog! My blogging buddy and one of my Personalscrapper cyber friends, Carly, has started her own challenge blog. Through the end of January she is doing a practice run, getting things ready to run smoothly for her grand opening on February 1st! I love a challenge and if its a sketchy challenge I love it even more, so I knew this was one challenge I was going to take on! Now, mind you this challenge was fun, but for some reason my mojo wasn't with me yesterday when I had time to work on this fun sketch, so I ended up setting it aside and coming back to it today and guess what? I ended up finishing it up surprisingly quickly considering how slow and uninspired I was yesterday! LOL! I ended up using up some more of my May Scraptacular kit featuring papers by Bella Blvd's Man of the House line (my fav line by Bella so far!). Tied it together with some Basic Grey Chipboard letters and Crate Paper and Bella chipboard embellies, and I think it turned out great, although it may go down in the record books as my longest layout ever, and as you can see, that is really silly considering I used a sketch! LOL! Don't forget to hop over and check out Carly's new venture, Scraptivations, and maybe even try your hand at this fun challenge!

Sketchy Sunday

2011-01-16T23:13:00.000-06:00

Hi friends! Back with another sketch to share with you. I created this sketch for the December Personalscrapper monthly sketch challenge. The layout I created with it uses a mix of Fancy Pants' Like Father Like Son and Rough and Tumble lines. I thought they worked well together. I love this picture of my son on his 12th birthday, it was one of my fav pictures of him from 2009. I did get some scrappin' down this weekend while hanging out at Personalscrapper's New Year's online crop. Go check it out HERE....lots of inspiration not only in the challenges but in the lovely layouts everyone created! I hope you will find inspiration in my sketch and if you use it please post the link in the comments section so we can all enjoy your creativity! Have a wonderful week everyone!

Sketchy Sunday

2011-01-02T17:31:00.006-06:00

Wow, it's a New Year's miracle, two posts in two days! LOL! I was able to squeeze in some scrappy time earlier in the week and was able to create this layout based on a sketch I designed for Personalscrapper for the January sketch challenge. I had been hoarding these papers and stickers from We R Memory Keeper's Teen Angst line and thought they worked well with my photos from last New Year's Eve. I figured I had better scrap them before we rang in another New Year. I wanted to use all three of these photos, so I altered the sketch just a bit by making a collage out of the bottom 4x6 photo and making it two photos instead of one. The letters are Thickers, love these little ones, just perfect when you are have a big word but not a big space. The rub one was another hoarded item from my stash by Stampin Up (I will say I kept thinking, what if I found a better layout to use it on...and my hands were actually shaking as I rubbed it on...it was so FINAL! LOL!) But it the end it felt good to use up old stash. The ticket is by Tim Holz. This layout ended up being a bit different then originally envisioned on my drive home last Wednesday from work, but I still like it! Hope you can play along with the sketch, if you do please post a link here so we can all be awed by your creativity! Have a wonderful week and look for new sketches every other Sunday here on the blog, I think that's a fun way to get creative in 2011!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T17:20:00.001-06:00

I am really liking the idea of a resolution free New Year and instead picking a word to concentrate on and help influence and guide you in the coming year. When I starting contemplating my word I was thinking of BIG words, like "simplicity" or "abundance" and then it just came to me: "BE" That's it, sometimes the smallest word can pack the most punch. So in 2011 I will: BE creative, BE content, BE positive, BE thankful, BE loving, BE kind, BE the person God created me to BE, and most of all just BE. Roll with the punches, take things in stride, cast aside the little nagging doubts, appreciate the little things and the small blessings that we all fail to see right before our eyes. I don't have to change, I don't have to try harder, it's OK to just BE who I am. So sorry, no mountain moving changes or great wisdom here, so for those of you wishing I was different, your stuck with me! I'm just chillin' and BEing people...who's with me? I would love to know what your one little word is for 2011, feel free to share it with us. In fact, I think I feel a scrapbook page coming on about my ONE little LIFE CHANGING, LIFE ALTERING and MOOD ENHANCING word!!! More on that later! Happy 2011 friends, wishing you all blessing beyond measure!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-14T21:49:00.003-06:00

Long time, no post! I have been super busy getting my Christmas on lol! Not much scrappy news to share, but I have FINALLY finished up my Christmas cards and thought I would share a few with you....I have a few more I have made but ran out of light. All of my cards use Stampin' Up stamps, I decided it was time to dust 'em off and put them to use! Felt good to stamp again. I hope my friends like my cards. I was also able to use up some of my older Stampin' Up designer papers, they are all so perfect for cards. I have a lot of designer paper and it felt good to use it up. I am planning on making some journals with this paper as well...need to put it to good use, instead of hoarding it right? I don't think I'm going to meet my goal of 150 layouts for the year, so better set my goal a bit lower this coming year...I did get 93 layouts done, so that was pretty close. With only 17 days left in this year I would have to do some major scrappin' to meet my goal. I know some of you could do 57 layouts in less then 3 weeks, but considering I have had two layouts on my desk now for over 3 weeks waiting to finish, I'm not holding out much hope...but maybe I can eek out seven to make it an even 100! Well, better get back to work, gotta get some more presents wrapped and bought, and I still have some more decorations to put up! I hope to be back this weekend with those two unfinished layouts to share (that is if I can get my Christmas shopping and gift wrapping WRAPPED up LOL!) Catch ya again real soon!

My Little Sketch Book

2010-11-14T20:57:00.002-06:00

I am so honored to be the Featured Guest Designer over at My Little Sketch Book today! Liz's sketches are so fun, so inspiring and so user friendly! Absolutely LOVE them! I used My Mind's Eye So Sophie line for this page and embellishments and letter stickers from Jenni Bowlin and American Crafts. My favorite accent on this page was the burlap fabric I used to accent the larger picture, so fun to use up your stash isn't it??? I have had this fabric for a few years now and so glad to actually use it!! These pictures were taken by my sister in law in October when we went to visit my brother and his family in Nebraska, we LOVE roasting marshmallows in their fire pit, a quiet relaxing time, and some simple moments I don't want to forget! I want to thank Liz for having me as a guest designer this week, it was a lot of fun. I am looking forward to sharing some other work with you in the next few weeks! And don't forget to hop on over the My Little Sketch book to see what Liz and the other designer's did with this week's sketch, I know you will love it as much as I did! Have a wonderful week my friends!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T21:18:00.003-05:00

Hope ya'll had a Happy and safe Halloween! As you can see we had a crazy bunch for Halloween this year. Jakob was a nerd...Katie the Kat and Ryan went as the Swamp Monster. What a crazy crew and weird mix huh? Miss Katie the Kat couldn't stop admiring herself and thoroughly enjoyed all the candy she got. Ryan had fun trying to see how many houses he could get to in one hour and Jakob actually enjoyed being nerdy...his best saying this year was when Ryan asked him if he was going to go ahead and eat the Nerds they had just received at one house and Jakob replied, "I would but I can't eat my own kind"!!! How funny is that, Ryan and I thought that was SOOOO funny! LOL! So another Halloween has passed and the kids are all in bed, hopefully they won't wake up with a stomach ache with as much candy as they ate :o) I'm off to watch the Rangers game and maybe get a bit of scrappin' in, I have one layout almost done! Got Sketch 106 starts tomorrow, so gotta rest up, gotta make sure I don't fall asleep in class tomorrow. LOL!

Family Fun

2010-10-15T21:59:00.006-05:00

We're back from a fun time in Nebraska. The weather was down right hot this year, kinda funny, cuz last year we had snow! LOL! The time we went in 2007 was hotter, but this year ranked right up there, we wore shorts to the pumpkin patch! These are some of the highlight pictures of our trip. We actually carved the pumpkin like professionals this year. It was a cooperative effort between me, Jake and Mari, and it looks pretty nice I think! My little nephew is super cute don't you think, look at those teeth!!! He is growing up so fast. We had a great time at Vala's Pumpkin patch again this year, that place rocks! Loved roasting marshmallows, even if it was hot...and just enjoyed hanging with my brother, sis in law and nephew. Very relaxing and enjoyable time. Can't wait to go back again next year! Hoping to create a few pages this weekend, but gotta get those pesky household chores done first! And of course, a bunch of football to watch this weekend, GO BIG RED! Catch ya back here again real soon! Thanks for stopping by.

Pagemaps

2010-10-08T06:34:00.002-05:00

Barbara's challenge over at Personalscrapper for October 5th was to create a layout based on one of October's page maps. This is the layout I created based on Becky Fleck's Page Maps sketch above. I just love Page Map sketches! October had so many fun sketches it was hard to just pick one, I plan to go back and use at least one more during the Croptoberfest L.O.A.D. crop. For this layout created for my newest nephew's scrapbook I used October Afternoon's Fly a Kite papers and "sweet" sticker, that I had won on the October Afternoon blog (YEAH! and thank you October Afternoon!), kite, heart date box and cloud stickers from Echo Park (Personalscrapper's Sept kit- you gotta get this kit, fun...fun..fun) and Letter stickers by Cosmo Cricket (thanks Erica!) and American Crafts. The punch I used to create the border under the pictures is from Stampin' Up. Hope you have a great weekend folks...I get to spend some time with my cute little nephew (the one in the layout above) so we have lots of activities planned for the weekend, but check back next week, I will have more scrappy goodness for you as I will have to play catch up on the L.O.A.D Crop!

Why I love Personalscrapper!

2010-10-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post today, wanted to let you all know that if you are in the market for some great inpsiration, want to receive the latest and best scrapbooking products monthly at your doorstep without leaving the house AND want to be part of a GREAT supportive community of online scrapbookers, then you need look no further then Personalscrapper! I used to spend TONS (and I mean TONS) of time shopping for scrapbooking products to use on my page, I would go one place, find cute stuff I loved only to find out the stickers, ribbons, or other "matching" embellishments were sold out and may not be restocked anytime soon :o( I would then hunt and hunt to find something to match, and if I didn't then I would just forget about what I bought and move on to something else. While at the St. Louis CKC 3 yrs ago I met Erica and Personalscrapper, I was skeptical at first, worried I wouldn't like the kit OR that I was paying to much for it when I could find it "cheaper" somewhere else. Boy was I worried for nothing! The first kit that came I thought "well, its cute but it's not my style"....but since I paid for it, I needed to use it (why be wasteful) well, the rest is history, the DT at Personalscrapper had SO many great ideas that were included each month in the kit PLUS the other members on the message board shared their layouts and I was OVERWHELMED with ideas...in fact, I started wanting ONE more kit to do ALL the layouts I had ideas for!!! And by scrapbooking with these gals, I learned to think outside the box and be MORE creative with my kits so that now each kit that comes I am SOOO excited for! I have used a variety of papers, colors and embellishments that I most likely wouldn't have tried if they weren't in my kit. I also LOVE how everything coordinates, it takes the work out of it, I just pick my pictures to go with my kit and then go to work, no more searching all over and spending time "hunting" when I can spend that time "creating". I have got to know many of the gals at Personalscrapper over the last 3 years I have been a member, and I must say they are the nicest group of ladies I have ever met (well, not really met, but you know what I mean! LOL!) I would love to actually "MEET" them IRL someday! So if you looking for a kit club, I can HIGHLY recommend Personalscrapper, you won't be disappointed! If you don't believe me go check out Erica's blog HERE she is featuring a new member of Personalscrapper each day in October, so hop on over and "meet" some of the great gals that I scrap with!

Lisa's sketch challenge

2010-10-03T08:37:00.005-05:00

Hey, yes, it really is me with TWO blog posts in two days! LOL! As I mentioned in my last post I am the "host" of today's L.O.A.D. challenge at the Personalscrapper board for Croptoberfest. My challenge was for the ladies to create a layout based on my sketch above, but with a bit of a twist, they are to use a "fall" or "fallish" word in their title, i.e. Fall, cool, crips, pumpkins, Thanksgiving, leaves...well, you get the picture! The layout DOES NOT have to be a fall layout though, for example, you could do a LOVE themed layout with the title "FALLING FOR YOU"...fun huh? If you would like to play along I would love to see what you come up with, just post a link to your creation here in the comments section and share the love! For my layout using this sketch I used once again Crate Paper's Lemongrass collection with some 7 Gypsy's stickers and SEI and Jenni Bowlin letter stickers. This cute little guy is my little nephew, isn't he a QT? Well, I hope you enjoy the sketch and play along with me. I everyone enjoys what is left of your weekend...check ya later peeps!

Happy World Card Making Day!

2010-10-02T08:25:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted, the time has flown by and it doesn't really seem possible it was a month! My Thirty-One business has taken off and keeps me plenty busy, but I am going to try and be more faithful in creating weekly like I used to do, I really miss it! I always try and celebrate World Card Making Day every year as it makes me take time to make the cards I really do enjoy creating but seem to not do as much now that I scrapbook. These are some cards I created while trying to use up an older Personalscrapper kit. The papers are by Crate Paper the Lemongrass line, this was one of my all time fav Personalscrapper kits! I love Crate Paper's paper, the texture is just divine, so unique! I am actually planning on scrapbooking a bit later today, so check back tomorrow as I am hosting the October 3rd challenge for the Personalscrapper L.O.A.D Croptoberfest where we all try to make a layout a day in October, it is a alot of fun! Come join us if you want, I'd love to see you there!

BLOG CANDY ALERT!

2010-09-02T20:43:00.004-05:00

Ok, I gotta share this with you...my blogging cyberfriend Star is having an AWESOME giveaway on her blog HERE...I am so in love with this school line by Memory Works that if I don't win I am still getting it for myself. It would work great for any grade level even the older kids and that is hard to find something not too schoolbussy (is that a word) cuz I really don't like school buses, they are so non metro...ok, I really do like school buses, but I like a more sophisticated school line like this one vs a more kindergartenish one, plus I think you could use this line for pages other then school too. So hop right on over and enter to win, I promise I won't be too mad if you win instead of me :o) Enjoy your last days of Summer friends and I hope to actually create something out of paper to share with you this weekend, wish me luck!

We're Back!

2010-08-22T18:08:00.009-05:00

We're back from our week long trek to Washington D.C. We had a great time seeing all the wonderful sites, taking in all the history and enjoying all that this wonderful city had to offer. It was my second visit and my son's first. We saw so much but yet there were some things we didn't get to see. We really enjoyed the Air and Space Museum as well as the American History Museum. I LOVE Mount Vernon and we were able to go there by a lovely river cruise up the Potomac, it was a lot of fun...and on the way back Jakob was able to be my guide on the metro! We met some lovely people from all over the world while touring the various sites, everyone was so friendly, it was really fun visiting with friends from Australia, England, France as well as Indiana right here in the good ole' USA! We walked our legs off too...espeically at Arlington National Cemetery, which is beautiful but has a lot of hills...next time we will take a tour bus :o) Our hotel was right down from the Capital so we had some lovely night views and the weather was just perfect...mid 80's each day...a cool wave from the 100 degree temps here in Texas! LOL! School starts tomorrow and we are all set...ready to start back to a routine, this summer sure flew by. I hope to visit with you all again this weekend and share some more scrappy stuff!

Basic Grey Fun!

2010-08-11T13:56:00.005-05:00

I am busy busy with summer winding down and haven't had much time to blog or scrap lately. I wanted to share with you a layout I did awhile back for a Practical Scrappers challenge to use eyelets! This layout uses the Max and Whispers line from Basic Grey...I loved the colors of this line when I first saw it but didn't buy it right away due to it being a "pet" line, but after much contemplation I decided it was SO not a pet line and had TONS of uses...so I bought a little (well, not the whole line so that is a "little" to me! LOL!) I loved this picture of my son and his two cousins at the Ft Worth zoo in 2008 and thought the colors blended nicely with this picture. If you are looking to get some of the Max and Whispers line or some of the new Basic Grey lines you can go to EMBELLISH IT they have tons of Basic Grey and other stuff in stock all the time with great prices too! I'm taking the next two weeks off, going to be spending the last 2 weeks before school starts enjoying time with my son, so I'll catch up with my bloggin' friends at the end of the month! Stay cool!

My Little Sketch Book

2010-08-01T23:06:00.003-05:00

I am so excited to be guest designing on Liz Qualman's My Little Sketch Book this week! I just adore Liz's sketches, they are super fun to work with. This sketch was a bit of a challenge for me as it had lots of layering, getting me to step outside my box a bit...but that's a good thing for me and I was excited to play witht his sketch. I chose to use these pictures of my son feeding my nephew his breakfast at our hotel last June when we went to visit. I wanted a "sports" feel to my page as I was using the title Breakfast of Champs...so I decided to use my new Pink Paislee Starlight papers and embellies to capture that feel. I love the way it turned out. These papers are so versatile and not just for July 4th layouts! Go check out the beautiful work of the other designers (here), they are both awesome! Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday afternoon and hopefully I will be back sooner rather then later to share some more scrappy goodness!

Sketchy Friday!

2010-07-23T08:11:00.005-05:00

The time has come...my LAST sketch for Practical Scrappers * boo hoo* :o( I LOVE sharing my sketches, so if you know of any site needing a sketch, let me know, I would love to share! For this week's sketch I used my May Personalscrapper kit featuring My Mind's eye So Sophie line. The colors were perfect for this picture of my son and myself meeting my little nephew Wyatt for the first time! Letter stickers are from American Crafts Remarks and the small circles are Jenni Bowlin. Go check out what the other PS DT did with the sketch here...lots of good eye candy today! Hope you can play along with us using this sketch, would LOVE to see your work! Have a great weekend everyone!

Sketch 74 ~ Sweet Time

2010-07-19T22:01:00.001-05:00

I can't believe my time as a designer at The Scrappiest is almost at an end :o( I have enjoyed it so much, but yet I am excited to see who made the new DT and play along with them each week! My last sketch will be next week. I am sure I will find plenty to keep me busy, there are so many sketch sites I visit weekly just drooling over all the inspiration they showcase wishing there were more hours in the day to play along with them ALL! This week's sketch found me using some of my newest stash (mainly cuz I was too lazy to dig through my older stuff and this was still in the box! LOL!) I had just gotten Pink Paislee's 365 degrees line on sale at Stop and Scrap and couldn't wait to use it. I used the papers, clear sticker, cork buttons and journaling punch out ALL purchase at 40%!!! WOWZERS! These are some of my favorite recent pictures of my son, I captured them while we were out boating with my brother on his boat while in Wahoo, Nebraska last month. In the first picture you can see the "look" I get when I tell him to smile...and then in the second you can see the genuine smile/laugh at some joke when he doesn't know I have my camera ready to snap a pic! Love that smile!!!! I hope you will play along with us this week at The Scrappiest..Apron Strings is the sponsor this month and it is a GREAT prize! Good luck and can't wait to see your work!

Sketch 73 ~ Soar

2010-07-12T08:37:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday! Sketch 73 is up at The Scrappiest, and it is a really fun sketch, what I like to call a "squishy" sketch, one that leaves quite a bit of white space, which is a challenge for me, so I was really pleased with how this layout turned out. This layout is using the Echo Park Summertime line, just love this new company! Can't wait to get more of their new releases (like A Walk in the Park!) Letters are vinyl Thickers, these were an impulse buy that ended up being a good investment as they work great with some of the new papers I have gotten recently! The picure was taken a few weeks ago at Sandy Lake Amusement Park in Carrollton. I had never been before and it was really a lot of fun, this is my son and his friend Logan in the swing ride, which by the way goes WAY fast, faster then other similar rides I had been on, so I was glad I was taking pics vs riding rides, I would have been super dizzy! If you like Sketch 73 then don't forget to upload your layout HERE for a chance to win a great prize package from APRON STRINGS..check it out, yummy, yummy!

Lil' Lady Bug

2010-07-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

As promised here is my companion page to my Katie Bug page! For this page I used My Mind's Eye patterned papers and Basic Grey Basics background paper and stickers. The butterflies and word "discover" are from some old rub ons (I think 7 gypsies). Letter stickers are thickers. This page was inspired by this great layout by Amy! We were doing another fun game of Six Degrees of Separation, and for those of you who don't know what that game is, it is where you are given a layout to lift and then your lift is passed on for someone else to lift and so on and so forth until the original layout has been lifting SIX times! So fun to see the changes in the lifts! I really enjoy this game and am currently in another round, so when it is over I will share that layout as well! These pictures are from Halloween 2008, and I just adore red and black, so elegant don't ya think? Well, tomorrow's another week, and another reveal over at the Scrappiest, so tune in tomorrow for more sketchy fun!

sketch 72 ~ Katie Bug

2010-07-05T20:10:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday and Happy July everyone! For my American friends hope your fourth was a blast!!!! (hehe!) I just love it that Liz releases her sketches on Monday, just sets the week off to a good start don't you think? For sketch 72 I was in a bit of a rush as I had a BIG weekend of festivities planned with little time to scrapbook, so I grabbed the first two pics lying on my desk and got to work. Well, with this sketch it was super easy...I used mostly OLD OLD stash on this page, these papers are My Mind's Eye and from a 2007 Personalscrapper kit...the only NEW thing is my Jenni Bowlin banner and little red letter stickers...so IN LOVE with these things, I actually have to resist putting banners on every page I do! LOL! These pictures are from 2008 and are of my sweet little niece and my son...just loved this costume on her! I have a companion page to show you later in the week so check back in real soon, hoping to catch up on sharing some layouts with you this week! And if you like good deals head over to my other blog, 31 has two great specials this month!

Thirty- One

2010-06-29T17:41:00.007-05:00

Just popping in to share some exciting news with all my blogging buddies! I have just signed up as an idependent consultant for Thirty-One gifts! If you aren't familiar with Thirty-One you need to pop over to my new website and check out our catalog! There are some great specials coming up in July for customers and most especially for hostesses! If you see something you like you can order it direct from my website OR you can call me to order it for you...whatever strikes your fancy. If you are interested in hostessing an in home party or a catalog party you can earn lots of freebies for doing so at the time of your show and if you host in July you can even earn a $25, $50 or $75 gift certificate to use in the fall when the new catalog is released! WOW! Prices start as low as $5, so there is something for everyone! And to top it all off, I will be sweetening the pot by offering another freebie on top of this to anyone who books a show in July that is a follower of my blog- besides all the great goodies you get for being a hostess of at least a $200 show I will throw in a FREE MINI ORGANIZER which is great for organizing your scrapping supplies! I am also starting a new blog for my Thirty-One business, called Thirty One Gifts With Lisa, you won't want to miss out following me there as well! Can't wait to get together with you and plan a fun party for you and your friends!

Sketch 71 ~ Dough Boys

2010-06-28T17:29:00.000-05:00

Here is my take on this week's sketch at The Scrappiest! I used my May It's Scraptacular kit featuring Bella Blvd's Man of the House papers to scrap these funny pictures of my son and newphew at a yummy Mexican food restaurant we love on New Year's Eve 2007. I love the simplicity of this sketch. Everything is from the kit but the Thickers which are from my stash in one of my fav fonts called "Giggles". Hope you will play along with us, would love to see your interpretations of the sketch and who knows maybe you will get lucky and win the fab prize from ScrapbookDeals4U! Have a fantabulous Monday everyone!

Sketchy Friday!

2010-06-25T22:12:00.005-05:00

Once again I am honored to have my sketch up at Practical Scrappers! I hope you will join us and play along for a chance to win an awesome prize from Lucky Girl Crafts! This is really another awesome prize offered by the lovely Practical Scrappers sponsors! This layout uses more fun goodies from my June Personalscrapper kit featuring Fancy Pants' Rusted Sun papers. The letters are Thickers from the kit and the quote block is from Fancy Pants. I also used the "You Crack Me Up" (Scenic Route) sticker from an older Personalscrapper kit and a piece of misc chipboard flourish from my stash. I can't wait to see what everyone creates from the sketch! Have a great weekend everyone, I hope to get a few more challenges complete this weekend, some really great prizes on all these fun challenge sites, I feel like a kid in a candy shop! LOL!

Flower Challenge

2010-06-24T21:56:00.000-05:00

Here is a layout I did for this week's flower challenge over at Practical Scrappers. This layout was made from a kit featured on the Scrapbooks on the Go website using Crate Paper Samantha papers. This layout was also based on one of my exclusive sketches for the Sketches 101 class that I taught at the recent Scrapbooks on the Go crop. I just love the quote on the side of the page and think the flower sets it off really well. The middle of the flower is a jumbo eyelet from Stampin Up. Feel free to use the sketch and make it your own and then give me a shout out in the comments, I would love to see what you come up with!

Sketch 70 ~ My Best Friend Forever

2010-06-21T14:22:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday and Happy First Day of summer! Sure feels like the first day of summer here in Texas LOL! This layout was made using my recent photos of our trip to see my newest nephew in Nebraska! Isn't he a QT? This is my son holding him! I used my SUPER FUN June kit from It's Scraptacular! This kit was filled to the brim with Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety and the new Pebbles Treehouse line! Super bright, cheery and perfect for you summer photos! Letter stickers were the only thing not in the kit and they are from October Afternoon. We had an awesome time croppin' on Saturday! I met some great ladies and can't wait to crop with them again. I got a lot done and am planning on attending again in July on the 17th! The registration should be opening soon at Scrapbooks on the Go, hope to see you there!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T14:14:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! Here is a little card I made for my Dad using the So Sophie My Mind's Eye line papers, this card was SOOOO easy...I plan on duplicating it for other occasions, great way to use those scraps! Have a nice rest of the weekend everyone!

Scrapbooks on the Go Crop!

2010-06-17T20:18:00.003-05:00

I took a little vacation last week not only from my IRL job but from scrapping to go visit my newest little nephew. I will post some pics soon, haven't had much time to edit my photos as once I got home I dove right into some DT work as well as getting ready for my SKETCHES 101 class this Saturday in Hurst TX!! If you are local and want to attend there are still a few spaces left AND we still have crop spaces too! Above is a sneekie peekie at one of the sketches we will be using for my class. We are going to be making layouts AND cards using some of my very own sketches! If you like sketches, or you want to learn how to use sketches OR if you don't even know what a sketch is, you will just LOVE this class! We are going to have a great time and I might even give away a prize! Now, if you can't come to the class but can come crop that's fine, OR if you aren't local feel free to use the sketch and post a link to your layout in the comments section, I might feel inclined to give away a prize to one blog participant as well! If you decide to register for the class or crop email Shelly at Scrapbooks On the Go and mention my blog (MY CREATIVE ENDEAVORS) as she will be giving a special discount to my blog readers! YEAH! Hope to see you there!

Flower Girl ~ Sketch 68

2010-06-07T23:00:00.003-05:00

Happy Monday again everyone! I am so excited to share this layout with you today based on sketch 68 from The Scrappiest! This layout was super easy to put together and uses the new Bo Bunny Petal Pushers line. I really love this girly girl line, it is so bright and colorful! These pictures are of my niece picking flowers (really weeds) at her brother's baseball game a few weeks ago. She was so sweet and intent on picking them all! LOL! She got quite a collection! I bought just a few sheets of this paper and the chipboard at my local scrapbook store, just couldn't resist it on a little shopping run a few weeks back...I did have to resist the lovely summer line though, really wanted it, but decided to wait. Usually I don't even like Bo Bunny, but to like two lines at the same time is rare for me! So share with me your fav line that you really really want but haven't got yet or even that line you like me couldn't resist on your last shopping trip. I'd love to see your layouts with it as well so link up in the comments please! And if you want to use Sketch 68 at The Scrappiest you could win an AWESOME kit from Scrapbook Deals 4U and then you wouldn't have to buy ANYTHING! LOL!.. just link your layout here! Have fun creating everyone!

June Personals scrapper kit is up!

2010-06-02T07:11:00.007-05:00

I was honored this month to be asked to be the Guest Designer for June at Personalscrapper! I have subscribed to Personalscrapper for over three years now and each kit Erica creates is super awesome, packed with loads of papers and matching cardstock from the newest lines and manufacturers we love! This month's kit features Fancy Pant's Rusted Sun collection with a bit of Basic Grey embellishments thrown in! It is totally packed with summer fun! I have been able to create three layouts so far from it and have more in the works! These kits are shipping now so if you want one, you can grab it up here. The first layout is of my son at the water park hotel we stayed at on the last leg of our Florida vacation last summer in Orlando. This layout is based on a sketch I designed myself shown above. The second layout is pics of our first swim of the season from last weekend! LOVE using the little journaling/quote boxed from Fancy Pants, it's my fav thing about their lines! The third layout is a birthday layout of me celebrating with my niece, son and nephew at Red Lobster two years ago! These pics have horrible restaurant lighting, but converting them to sepia seemed to help! This layout shows, these papers aren't just for water pics! Can't wait to see your Rusted Sun pages, please link us up in the comments so we can be inspired by your creations! Here's to a great summer of scrappin'!

Sketch 67

2010-05-31T06:47:00.001-05:00

Sketch 67 is up today at the Scrappiest! Here is my take on it using an older picture of my son I found while organizing pictures. I used my Its Scraptacular May kit featuring Bella Blvd's Man of the House for this page. Everything on this page except the ribbon which is some Basic Grey from my stash and the letters which are Thickers are from the kit! Haven't used ribbon on a page in a long while and was fun! I am really loving these Man of the House papers! The May kit is now on sale at It's Scraptacular if you want to grab yourself one! Hope you enjoy your Memorial Day and thanks to all who served or are serving this great country - we appreciate your sacrifices.

Felt, Fabric or Tulle challenge

2010-05-27T23:42:00.001-05:00

Today's challenge at Practical Scrappers is to use Felt, Fabric or Tulle on your layout. I decided to dig deep in my old stash and pulled out these Fancy Pants felt embellies that I just had to have like 2 years ago but hardly even used!(shame on me!) The word "you", the flower and the scallop border are all felt. One reason I never like to use felt is I have trouble adhering it...but no more! I found a great way to quickly and easily adhere your felt accents but using Zip Dry Glue. I won this glue while at CKC St Louis, and it is awesome, much thicker then most glues and it dries VERY fast! But remember if you try it, just a dab will do ya! This picture is from 2008 when I took my nephew on a snake hunting excursion to the local Nature Center in Fort Worth. He loves to hunt for snakes, but we didn't see any that day, just possums, turtles, a deer and few praire dogs! The papers on this layout are from my May add on kit from Personalscrapper featuring My Mind's eye's So Sophie papers. Letter stickers are thicker and Jenni Bowlin. Well, gotta get to bed, hope you will join us this week at Practical Scrappers, dig into that stash and use some of your felt, fabric or tulle and dont' forget to post your layout/card for us to see here!

Sketch 66

2010-05-24T08:33:00.005-05:00

Happy Scrappy Monday! We are doing sketch 66 this week at The Scrappiest, and the prize for May is that awesome kit from It's Scraptacular! Only a week more left to win, so get to work on those sketches, any of them from the month of May qualify to get your name in the "hat" to win! The more you do, the better your chances! For this layout I used pictures of my little nephew with his dad (my brother) on his first lawnmower ride...so cute isn't he?! The papers are from October Afternoon's Weathervane collection that I have been hoarding for awhile now (yikes!). The chipboard accents are from Bella Blvd's Man of the House line and are in that yummy Scraptacular kit you can buy here! Letters are thickers (again). Hope you are getting ready for Summer...we made it official yesterday when we went to the pool for the first time! Fun for the kids, but the water was too cold for me! LOL! I've got some fun stuff in store for this week, can't show it yet, but check back again real soon!

Sketch Friday

2010-05-21T23:07:00.005-05:00

I am so excited about my debut as a sketch designer for Practical Scrappers! I just love what all the talented designers have done with my sketch and can't wait to see what all the other talented artists out their in cyberspace do with it as well! So please join us and link up your layout created with this sketch here. For my layout based on the sketch I used some oldie but goodie Scenic Route papers and chipboard embellishments from the Liberty line. And for a little something new I combined the flag banners from the new Pink Paislee Starlight collection as part of my title. I really like the way this turned out. I hope you will become a regular at Practical Scrappers and play along with our sketch each week, we have a fun one for you every Friday! Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Patterned Paper Challenge!

2010-05-20T08:32:00.003-05:00

For today's challenge over at Practical Scrappers, I used four strips of Scenic Route Cape Town patterned paper. I just love the masculine colors in this line! So fun and playful, perfect for a tween or teen boy! I just love this picture from last month of my son and his cousin at Joe's Crabshack were we went to celebrate my nephew's sixth birthday! Letters are Thickers Daydream font (again! LOL!) and I used my cuttlebut circle embossing folder to emboss my star. Super easy page, but these papers really draw the eye to the picture! Try it, it's a great way to use up scraps! If you want to participate in this week's challenge hop on over to the PS blog and see what everyone is doing to use up their stash of patterned paper this week! Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the debut of my first EVER sketch for Practical Scrappers! So excited to share this with you!

Sketch 65 and Its Scraptacular!

2010-05-17T08:45:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone, happy Monday! It's time for another great Liz Chidester sketch! Sketch 65 was a great sketch to show off some cute pics of my littlest nephew! Don't you love that hat! I used the Bella Blvd Man of the House papers from my new May It's Scraptacular kit! I must say this was my first kit with them, and it is spectacular! LOL! It was full of yummy Crate and Bella papers and embellishments! Everything on this page I got in the kit except I added some Stampin Up River Rock cardstock from my stash and I "doctored" the title block a bit by using some letters from Adornit from my stash to cover the word "BROTHER" on the sticker in the title and make it say "MOMMA'S" the chipboard letter for boy are from Scenic Route. I love it when you can use a sticker and "alter" it! So if you like what you see and would like a chance to win one of these kits, get your scrap on, use one of The Scrappiest's sketch for May and link it up on the blog to be entered to win a May Its Scraptacular kit! You will love it! Good luck and have a wonderful week!

Friday Sketch

2010-05-14T20:39:00.005-05:00

We are having our Lord's Acre Auction this weekend at our church and I always make a box of handmade cards for the auction. I struggled getting them done this week, but I made it and think they turned out pretty good. I was inspired by Gloria's sketch for today at Practical Scrappers for the bottom card. I love these colors! The patterned papers are by SEI from the Windsor collection and the cardstock is More Mustard by Stampin Up weird how they went well together. The top card uses all Stampin' Up papers and stamps from my stash. I got these papers from a friend, not sure of the name of them, but the cardstock is the soon to be discontinued Blush Blossom. The stamp sets used for these cards are (bottom card) Upsy Daisy and (upper card) Pocket Silhouettes and Refuge and Strength. I made 12 cards total (2 each of 6 designs) and these are two of the 6 different designs. I didn't get pictures of all them, as I was in a rush, but I am hoping to recreate a few of them for my stash before I forget my design LOL! So I will try and recreate them tomorrow and post. I did a variety of different sentiments from Get Well, Sympathy, Birthday, thank you and even a graduation card this year! Go check out Gloria's sketch and have a go at it, if you need some cards for your stash, this sketch was simple and will help you create some cards using your scraps real fast. The cards the design team created with it range from modern to elegant..something different for every taste! Can't wait to see your cards! TGIF friends, lets chat again soon!

Punches Challenge at Practical Scrappers

2010-05-13T20:07:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge over at Practical Scrappers is punches! I think we all have tons of punches, don't we? I know I started collecting punches as soon as I started to scrapbook! So go dust them off and put them to use! For this layout of my Glamour Girl niece, I used SIX punches! I used my newest punch the Upper Crest Fiskars Border punch I got at CKC St. Louis and doodled around it to give it more pizzazz. Then for my upper border I used my all time go to notebook paper punch by Stampin Up. I used my circle punch in the upper right top to punch a half circle which framed my heart punch accent. I also used my corner punch and my flower punch to add some more homemade embellishments. This layout is based on an awesome sketch by Julie Bonner, if you want to see some of her beautiful work as well as get some inspiring sketches, check out her blog, it is wonderful! This layout was made using my February Personalscrapper kit featuring Pink Paislee Cupid papers and accents. The letter stickers are all by Making Memories and were also included in the kit! Hope you will play along with us at Practical Scrappers this week, we want to see your punch projects, so make sure and link them up! Check back tomorrow for some card inspiration...I'm on a card jag this week! Catch ya later peeps!

Sketch 64

2010-05-10T10:01:00.002-05:00

Ok, here is sketch 64 isn't it just the most fun thing?!!! I LOVE that robot! Liz has outdone herself this time! This sketch was so fun for me, and one I plan to use again. I wanted to use the robot with some pics I had from Disney World, but just didn't have any great ideas on creating my "own" robot (since I didn't have a premade one)...I now have somewhat of an idea and can't wait to try it out. This layout uses the July 2009 Personalscrapper kit which featured the Fancy Pants Summer Soiree line, which is my all time FAV Fancy pants line! The pics are from a 2005 water park trip, fun time with my little nephew (who isn't so little anymore!) This was my first time using an underwater camera on people vs fish, a bit harder and really haven't done it since, although I thought these pics turned out pretty good. I also used my new Fiskars wave border punch on this layout! I got the Upper Crest and Wave border punches at CKC for $8 each, a real steal! I hope they have a few different ones for the same price when I go to The Great American Scrapbook Convention next month! I did stray a bit from the sketch here adding in another photo, but I LOVE the way this layout turned out! If you wanna see what I did with my other Fiskars punch, tune back in Tuesday, I have another fun challenge layout to share and it involves a LOT of punches! And don't be shy, come play with us at The Scrappiest this week...we wanna see what you come up with for sketch 64, plus there is another AMAZING prize for May...a chance to win a May kit from Scraptacular!

Happy Mother's Day !

2010-05-09T13:57:00.001-05:00

Happy Mother's Day friends! Hope you enjoy your day, relax and enjoy this awesome video we can all relate to! To me this defined exactly why I am a scrapbooker!

Pratical Scrappers Sticker Challenge

2010-05-06T01:00:00.002-05:00

Today is the big day, it is finally here, seems like a lifetime ago I created this sketch and this layout! LOL! This sketch was created for the April sketch Challenge over at Personalscrapper! Check it out here to see the lovely layouts the gals at Personalscrapper created with this sketch, just lovely! My layout uses October Afternoon's Good Cheer line of papers and stickers. For my title I used two OLD clear stickers from EK Success from my stash, a great way to make a long word like CHRISTMAS fit on your page! The tab sticker was great for my hidden journaling where I listed my son's Christmas gifts for last year. I also used some stickers by 7 Gypsies to make my own center for the felt (Stampin Up) snowflake. Simple page, used up some old stash...so all makes for one happy scrapper...ME! If you want to give my sketch a try I would be honored, if you do please post your link in the comments so I can go check it out! And starting in a few weeks I will be designing sketches for Practical Scrappers as well! So go check out what all the other DT members did to use up their sticker stash and don't forget to post your project on the Practical Scrappers blog so we can all see!

Sketch 63

2010-05-03T20:47:00.004-05:00

Has it been a week already?!! Wow, time sure flies...so how was your National Scrapbook Day? I did a lot of scrapping, but couldn't show any of my goodies until now as they were all for upcoming design team assignments. So glad to be able to show you my take on The Scrappiest's sketch 63...what a fun and EASY sketch, I think you will find the focus is on your pictures in this sketch, so it comes together super easy! When I saw all the circles it made me think of bubbles, so I immediately thought of these pics of my son and niece from Easter Sunday...the paper is an OLD piece of Pink Paislee Office Lingo paper from my stash and the thickers, journal box and circle accents are all from scraps of Fancy Pants Delight papers from my May 2009 Personalscrapper kit. I used some of the small flower/word rub ons from this kit to accent my circles as well. The word stickers are from Scenic Route Garden Grove sticker scraps...this was a great page for using up those itty bitty pieces of scraps! And if you want to give sketch 63 a try hop on over and check out this months prize!!!!! It is a super kit from Scraptacular - so gorgeous I actually bought one for myself! Check it out here, you are not gonna wanna miss this! Hope your Monday was enjoyable! I am so excited about this week, as Thursday is my FIRST reveal over at Practical Scrappers, so check been then to see my first reveal...hint...the challenge is stickers! Catch ya'll then!

Sketch 62

2010-04-26T13:49:00.001-05:00

Happy Monday, time for more sketch fun! Isn't that the best way ever to chase away the Monday morning blues? I just adored this week's sketch at The Scrappiest! I had been wanting to use the ever popular banners on a page, but really had no creative ideas to do so, so when I saw this sketch, I was so excited to use my new Jenni Bowlin banner stickers that I recently purchased, as well as my new October Afternoon Fly a Kite papers that I won on the October Afternoon blog! These papers are just divine, they just SCREAM Spring don't they?! And since no stores I have visited have these papers yet, I really feel lucky! This is another layout completed towards my year long goal of finishing my Disney album...I think the reason I didn't finish it is because I was trying to use only Red, black and yellow papers for my pages...but yet, this picture just needed more springy colors, and these papers were perfect! Hope you can participate with us at The Scrappiest this week, because it is your last chance to enter to win the awesome Paper Poppy Kit company kit! So what are you waiting for you better get busy! LOL! Have a great week everyone, I will be busy completing my DT work for my debut on the Practical Scrappers blog next week, so check back soon for some fun stuff!

My Little Sketch Book

2010-04-25T16:46:00.003-05:00

I was so honored to be a guest designer today on Liz Qualman's sketch blog, My Little Sketch Book. I almost couldn't believe how today's sketch fit my style! I even convinced myself she must of designed it specifically for me! LOL! I have wanted to scrap these pictures for awhile now but was having a hard time doing a one page layout with all 3 photos, and stretching it to a 2 pager didn't work either, so when I saw this sketch I knew that I could use them FINALLY! All papers are by October Afternoon and are from my September 2009 Personalscrapper kit. The stickers are also October Afternoon from the Cherry Hill collection, that I won on the October Afternoon blog recently. Those mini letters stickers are the new October Afternoon stickers that were also in my prize package (lucky me huh?) The red foam stickers are Thickers. I hope you can take a few minutes and drop by Liz's blog and see what the other two designers did with the sketch, they are AWESOME, leaving me wondering "why didn't I think of that", just goes to show you how one sketch in 3 different hands can turn into something totally different! Enjoy the last few hours of your weekend and tune in tomorrow for another fun layout!

Round and Round

2010-04-24T08:08:00.004-05:00

This is a fun layout I created for several reasons, first being I set a goal to scrap all my Disney trip pictures in 2010 (just a mere 5 years after the trip), and secondly, Erica at Personalscrapper challenged us to scrap a page with at least 3 4x6pictures on it (and her prizes rock, keeping my fingers crossed I win)! This page uses the March Personalscrapper kit featuring My Minds Eye papers..the journal box is by Elles Studio, the sticker(laugh) by We R Memory Keepers (and donated to the cause of a balanced page by my great croppin' buddy Janelle) and the sticker letters are Thickers! Simple page, but I really loved these pics of my son taken on the teacup ride at Disney and thought these bright fun papers captured the mood! So go challenge yourself, try to add more pics to a page, you know you have enough! LOL! Enjoy your weekend everyone! Tune in tomorrow, because I am a guest designer tomorrow at My Little Sketch book and can't wait to share my layout with you!

Exciting News!

2010-04-20T13:53:00.004-05:00

I am so excited to announce that I have been choosen to be a part of the Practical Scrappers Design Team! Practical Scrappers is a fun challenge site that encourages you to use your STASH! Each week a new challenge is issued and you are challenged to create a project using the featured item for that week. This week it is Floss, Fibers and Ribbons! Now, that is a challenge for me, I have a drawer full of these and yet rarely use them on a project! So hop on over to Practical Scrappers and try your hand at this week's challenge, get inpsired by all the lovely creations the current DT has created for this week's challenge and use that stash! I am so excited to be part of such a great site and even more excited to get to know the other DT members. I have listed links to their blogs on the sidebar, so go check out all their awesome work and join me in congratulating them on their newest challenge!

Sketch 61

2010-04-19T13:26:00.002-05:00

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend! It was rainy all weekend and even today here, so it was perfect scrapping weather! I have to say, this week's sketch from The Scrappiest, is just a blast to work with! I love circle sketches! For this sketch I added extra pics and a journaling block in the place of one picture. The circle paper I used had a scalloped edge around it, but since this was a masculine page I just cut it off and saved the outer border for another project! Yes, I save ALL my scraps! I used Bella Blvd's Camped Out line of papers and bits'n piece for the embellishments, this is a piece of 12x12 paper with a bunch of elements on it (the journal box and all the little words and circle in the upper left where from this sheet)...it is priced the same as a piece of paper, but you can get a BUNCH of embellishments for your project for under a $1 WOW! The circle paper is from Crate Paper's Lemongrass line. The stickers are of course, Thickers! These pics are from last Thanksgiving when we went to feed the ducks at a nearby lake and the boys decided to fish! Don't forget to play along with us at The Scrappiest for a chance to win a Paper Poppy Kit Company kit!! Happy Monday everyone!

Sketch Inspiration

2010-04-15T21:16:00.003-05:00

I got a chance to play along again this week at Sketch Inspiration! I loved the sketch this week and was also inpsired on this page by Practical Scrappers' challenge to use bling. I must admit, I rarely use bling but was inspired to use just a wee bit on this page...I still have trouble using a lot of bling! LOL! The papers are from Basic Grey Green at Heart from this month's Personalscrapper kit, really loving these papers. The buttons are from Scenic Route (they matched perfectly), the photo accent from Making Memories and the letter stickers are from Making Memories and American Crafts. The felt flowers and butterflies are cut from a Queen and Company border from a past kit, that I only had scraps left and then I added Kaiser Craft bling...I took a Queen and Company class at CKC recently and learned a lot of tips for working with their felt products! I can't wait to finish up the pages we made and share them with you, they were really adorable! Hope you have a chance to play along at Sketch Inspiration, I'd love to see your interpretation of the sketch!

Sketch 60

2010-04-12T20:46:00.005-05:00

I know I am sure ready for summer! These pictures get me excited about taking the boys to the waterpark again real soon! It will be opening on Memorial Day weekend and I plan to head there for opening weekend, but I most likely will spend little time in the water as it will be too cool for me, but the kids will love it, the cold water doesn't seem to bother them! LOL! Since I take so many of my pictures in the vertical position, this sketch was perfect for me! I didn't even have to rotate it! LOL! I used my August Personalscrapper kit featuring Scenic Route Garden Grove with a scrap or two from the July kit featuring Fancy Pants Summer Soiree thrown in! The stickers are from Scenic Route Garden Grove and the letters are fabric Thickers! The chipboard flower border is by Making Memories, I got this border pack for a Christmas gift, and it has been a great gift, almost used it up! I hope you will play along with us at The Scrappiest this week, this sketch is super easy to use, plus the Paper Poppy kit company is offering up a kit as this month's prize! WOW! Aphra's kits really are packed with fun stuff...so get your scrap on and post your link in Mr. Linky at The Scrappiest! Good luck!

My Guy Rocks!

2010-04-11T20:33:00.002-05:00

I am glad to report that my weekend crop was pretty productive (for me anyways)! I was able to get five layouts done and one 3/4 of the way done, just need to add embellishments and journaling and so my goal of SIX was almost met! I may be slow getting them photographed and posted, but I am so excited about them all, that I wanted to post one here tonight. This one is using the new Little Yellow Bicycle Gen Z and American Crafts Teen Angst lines that I recently bought and won respectively! This picture of my son at the Amazing Pizza Factory was horribly dark, but I was able to lighten it and if printed in black white it is not too bad...in the color version when it is lightened a weird halo like light is shining on top of his head! Be prepared for more of these lines, as I have more papers and picked up some embellies at Archivers this weekend, so I am planning on using them again, these lines are great for those tween and teen boys, and that is a hard crowd to find good paper lines for! Well, I am worn out, two nights of late night scrappin' has taken its toll, so I am off to bed but check back tomorrow, I will be posting my latest layout for The Scrappiest!

Pals

2010-04-10T07:25:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone! I so ready to crop the night away tonight! I am hoping to get a bunch of layouts done but we will see, I am known for talking more than cropping! LOL! Here is a layout lift I wanted to share with you all featuring papers from My Mind's Eye that I got in my March Personalscrapper kit. I lifted Michelle Lindenmayer's layout that you can see here, I just love the owls, but didn't have that paper, so I substituted...my goal is NOT to impulse buy just cuz I see a pretty layout! I've done that WAAAAY to much! I was also able to use up more of my old stash by using up an old EK Success sticker (Lazy Days of Summer)and those chipboard flowers from the dollar bin at Target that I got eons ago! The picture is one I took last Summer of my son and nephew that was a bit washed out with the sun, but by converting it to black and white it looks a bit better! Well, better get back to cropping, enjoy your weekend!

Blog chain

2010-04-08T07:00:00.004-05:00

I was tagged by my friend Star to be on a blog chain. If you haven't checked out her blog, go do it, it is just awesome, she posts some great layouts, and just to think I knew about her before she was a famous published scrapper! LOL!
I am suppose to list 10 things that make me happy:
1) winning blog candy! (just won over at the October Afternoon blog)
2) seeing my guy smile!
3) watching my team win (too bad that was just a dream this year) LOL!
4) reading a good book
5) painting my nieces toenails
6) see the trees bud out for the first time each spring
7) that first cup of coffee in the morning
8) going to the movies with my son.
9) going on vacation to a new place
10) Vala's pumpkin patch

Now I am to list 5 pieces of trivia about me: (which is more than you wanted to know I am sure)
1) I just got an MP3 player for the first time
2) I stink at reading maps
3) I only listen to talk radio when I am driving
4) I can't attend a sporting event without yelling (sometimes not nice things)
5) I really really want to go the Final Four before I die (wanna give me your tickets?)

Now I am to tag FIVE bloggers to continue to chain:

1) Pearl
2) Debbie
3) Kylie
4) Joni
5) Carly
Catch ya later !

Sketch 59

2010-04-06T07:04:00.000-05:00

My goodness I am a day late and a dollar short this week as they say! LOL! Just getting around to getting this posted! Very busy around here getting ready for CKC! Can't wait for a weekend of scrapping time with my friend! Here is my layout that I made for this week's sketch #59 over at The Scrappiest! I used an old picture of my son with a car we got for TEN CENTS at a garage sale, boy did he get his money's worth with this toy! The papers and embellishments are by My Mind's Eye and letter stickers are Thickers (daydream) and Jenni Bowlin. If you use this sketch, don't forget to link up your layout over at The Scrappiest's blog, the prize this month is another awesome one!!! A kit from this awesome company! Now who wouldn't want to win that! Well, off to pack frugally, which by the way is hard to do when you are going to a crop...I mean what if you get there and decide you NEED that one embellishment or piece of paper you haven't used in THREE years! LOL! Have a good week everyone!