Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Merry Christmas

The Cutting Cafe has some new images out, and I wanted to put together a Christmas card using some of the papers.

I've used CTMH cranberry cardstock as the base, and the printed paper is from The Cutting Cafe's Christmas Fudge set.  The banner is from the Christmas Colored Banners set.  You really have to see that set - banners made from stockings, bells, stars and snowflakes - cute!!  Finally the trees are from the Christmas Mini Colored set.  I've added some icicle stickles to the trees and prisma glitter to the "ground."  The ribbon is CTMH.

I have to show you the view from my craft room window this morning.  I hope this picture captures some of the beauty for you!  I am a born and raised Minnesota girl, but I still don't like the winter so much.  However, when God landscapes in this way, there's just no denying that this is a wonderful place to live!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Happy

Party Time Tuesdays has a 1-2-3 challenge this week.  This is the birthday card I am entering in the challenge!


I plan on catching up on blog reading and commenting this week.  I have been adjusting to my work schedule - I think when I wasn't working on Black Friday weekend, I was sleeping!  Jerry and I snuck away last night for a getaway.  We had a hotel certificate to use before the end of year.  The 21st anniversary of our blind date is on Thursday, so it was a nice time to spend some time together.  But it dawned on me as we were returning home that I am behind on Christmas!!  The weather outside is frightful today, and my warm sweater is so delightful (image the music in your head...), so I am excited to get going on the decorating, etc. 

Hope you're having a good start to the week!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Head over to Sassy Lil Sketches!

It's time for another design team reveal at Sassy Lil Sketches!  Here's Cherie's sketch for the week:



Pretty awesome sketch, don't ya think?  We have two generous sponsors for the month  - Paper Wishes and Sassy Studio Designs.  Look on my right sidebar for links to their fabulous sites!  Each time you play during the month, you gain an entry into drawing.  Sketches are released on the 7th, 14th, 21st (that's when I reveal), and the 28th.  Now you don't have to finish them before the next one is revealed .  Just have them done by the end of the month and link them up.  So easy to play!!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

O Christmas Tree

I lvoe to play along at Keep it Simple!  One of the reasons is because it's a true challenge for me to keep my paper crafting simple.  I just always want to add that little bit more!  The challenge this week is evergreen, and here is my card using a lovely stamp from Penny Black.

I used Bo Bunny Noel papers, and I embossed the tree.  It really is very easy to get two different embossing powders on one stamp such as I did here.  First, stamp with Versamark.  Then pour one color at a time.  On this image, I poured CTMH Olive embossing powder on the tree and tapped it off.  Then I poured Judikins tinsel embossing powder on the flying snow.  The sentiment is from CTMH's Evergreen set.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Yippee!

Just had to share that I was in the Top 3 at Frosted Designs!  I so enjoyed making this card for the entry!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Thanksgiving Wishes and a New Challenge at Sarah Hurley

First of all, I want to wish all my blogging friends in the United States a very blessed Thanksgiving!  I hope you are celebrating a warm and wonderful day with family.  We are at home today - our little family of 3 - and we are about to start our Thanksgiving meal.  First, I will get the turkey in the roaster (lots of little secrets to keep it moist!).  My family's favorite part of the day is when I start my cranberry-walnust stuffing in the fry pan.  A little butter, celery, and onions all sauteed with sage.  Yummy - that sure makes the house smell good!  Then I'll get to my deep dish apple pie.  Yes, I know that pumpkin is traditional, but my hubby wanted apple this year!  I am quite sure we'll all have had plenty to eat by the end of the day!  Have I told you what time I have to be at work on Black Friday?  Well, think of me when you go out shopping because I have to be at work at 3:15 am!  I think I'll be napping Friday afternoon!

Well, on to Sarah Hurley's challenge this week.  The challenge is masking, and here is what I came up with using Sarah's digi images:

I cut the banner from the December Daily/Christmas Journal digi kit, and laid them out on white cardstock.  Then I sprayed some pretty green Christmas green spray over the banners to mask the images.

Now, I want to share a Thanksgiving poem that I really love.   My wishes are sent to you for a lovely day!

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Lord, so often times, as any other day
When we sit down to our meal and pray
We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks. Amen. Now please pass the dressing.
But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks for what I'm thankful for.

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head.
I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know.

Thankful, dear Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that within my heart lives life's greatest treasure.
Thank you, dear Jesus, as you reside in that place
And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace.

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided
And bless each and every person that we have invited.
Amen! - by Scott Wesemann

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Little Midnight Frost for Christmas

When I went to the store to pick up some paper, Shane actually picked this paper up from Bo Bunny and said it was the most beautiful paper he has seen.  WOW, I knew I had to grab some and make a few cards!  Discount Cardstock is asking people to post some different Bo Bunny work on their wall, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to grab a couple sketches from CPS and Card Patterns and get to work.

CPS sketch:


Other than my white Bazzill card base, I use all Bo Bunny Midnight Frost paper for this card.  The ribbon is May Arts, the buttons and brads are CTMH, and the stamp is Penny Black.

Card Patterns sketch:




I flipped this one on the side.  Again, all but the card base is Midnight Frost.  The ribbon is May Arts, and the other embellishments are all CTMH.

For both cards, I used pop dots to make the snowflakes stand up a little.  The snowflakes were cut with my Slice FaLaLa design card.


Monday, November 22, 2010

Thank You

This is such a good week for giving thanks!  That's why I was so glad to see so many challenge blogs having "thank you" as their challenge.  I so enjoyed making this card!!  Here is my entry using all CTMH product:

The challenges I'd like to enter this card into are:
Heart 2 Heart Challenges - thank you
CARDS - thank you
Sentimental Sundays - thankful with a sentiment
Frosted Designs - distressing

Christmas Ornament

I wanted to make something for our tree this year rather than buy a new holiday ornament.  Now mind you, this won't guarantee that I won't stop at Starbuck's for this year's ornament!! 


The ornament I made is relatively easy, just a  little time consuming.  I was thinking that the materials would be a great thing to prep and then put together while watching your favorite tv show or movie.  Maybe a Christmas movie?  Anyway, I cut 2-1/2" strips of CTMH cranberry and colonial white ribbon.  I hot glued them onto a styrofoam ball.  I added a touch of Martha Stewart gold ribbon, and it was done! This week, Really Reasonable Ribbon is asking for a Christmas theme, and Our Creative Corner is wanting a 3-D Holiday project.  This works great for both of those!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Happy Birthday!

Party Time Tuesdays has a great challenge this week - easel cards!  They are so much fun to make - really addictive!!  Of course, I couldn't help but participate as I love growing my stash of birthday cards.  That is what Party Time Tuesdays is all about - making your birthday cards one week at a time!

Here's what I came up using Fancy Pants It's Your Day:
This is such CUTE paper, it was easy to create something festive!  I fussy cut those flowers from a sheet of paper.  The scalloped border holding the card up is a border sticker from the collection.  The Happy Birthday is also a sticker. 

Make a card today.  It does your soul good!!

It's the 21st - Sassy Lil Sketches Reveal!

I absolutely love the sketch that I worked with this month for Sassy Lil Sketches!  It is so much fun, and I had so many ideas for it!  Sassy Studio Designs so graciously offered digi images to the design team, and one of them in particular worked perfectly for my layout!
We had a cookie bake day at one of my sister's houses earlier in the month.  Oh my goodness, did her oven ever work overtime!!  I had pre-made my doughs so all I needed to do was roll and bake.  Shane came along and helped me roll, so you'll see him in the picture, too!  When all of us completed our many, many cookies, we counted and divided them up.  What a fun, fun day - and lots of new recipes!  My sister Patti is so generous to open her house like this!  I had never been to cookie bake before, and I didn't know there were games and prizes, too!!  This was a fun, fun day - and I am already thinking of games that I can do next year!!

Okay, now I suppose I should tell you a little about my layout.  I used my Slice Bon Appetit design card to cut the apron - so cute paired a little ribbon and chipboard from Cosmo Cricket, huh?  And now that you've looked at that the layout, doesn't that domestic diva image work perfectly?  This is Grace paper from Close To My Heart.  I've used Bazzill flowers, CTMH twilight buttons, brads, and swirl clips.  The gems are Imaginisce. 

If you have time this month, play along for your chance to win a prize from either Paper Wishes or Sassy Studios Designs.  You will have until the 5th of December to get any of work in for the month of November.  I'd love to see what you come up with!!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Better Living Through Scrapbooking

Here are the details for this week's challenge at Better Living Through Scrapbooking.  I've highlighted the options I've used in red:

“Family Tradition” challenge - Create a layout about a family tradition, event, or something your family regularly does together that is not holiday related.

Choose at least 2 of the following:
1. Use three or more photos from a family event, cropped to fit your page design.
2. Use paper or supplies on your page that are at least a year old.
3. Use the word “tradition” in the title of your page.
4. Use hidden journaling in your page design.”


My husband and I have had several conversations about tradition. Rather I should say that we have discussed how to veer away from tradition. Don’t get me wrong! I think tradition is wonderful for most families. But we have watched happiness take second place in order to accomodate tradition. So we have chosen to understand tradition in a different way. And that’s exactly what my layout is all about!

First I have to tell you that I totally copied this layout idea from the fabulous Becky Fleck and PageMaps 2.  I fell in love with the elements and thoroughly enjoyed creating this page! Let me tell you how I used paint. I used two colors – burnt umber and just a drip of antique white to lighten the color. Don’t be afraid to mix your paints in order to get the color you like! I used a simple foam sponge to apply paint to various edges. It works as well as ink and you can achieve a wonderful distressed look. The paper flowers at the top are simply circles that I cut with my nestabilities. By crimping the edges a bit, you can get a little 3-D look.

This is my last layout as a DT member at Better Living through Scrapbooking.  It has been a great time of learning through these layouts, and I hope that those of you that are playing along have had a good time!

Friday, November 19, 2010

New Blog and CD from Sarah Hurley and a YIPPEE for me!

Sarah istaking pre-orders for her new CD "Wonderland" that is being released on December 1st.  Here's a peek to give you an idea.  Click on the picture for more information about the special offer on the CD along with matching spray inks!

Also, Sarah has started a Christmas Crafting Blog.  Head over to see some great ideas!  Always fun stuff going on at Sarah Hurley's!!

Now for my yippee!! My card was featured over at the Create blog in the CARDS challenge gallery!!  How fun is that?!!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Yippee!

I was just reading blogs and saw that I made Top 3 at Party Time Tuesday for this card!  Yippee!!

Noel - Sarah Hurley Challenges

It's Thursday and time for a new challenge from Sarah Hurley Challenges!  I so love working with Sarah's papers and printables. Remember, that you don't need to use her digis to participate - just have fun with whatever you want to use.  However, I can tell you first hand that once you starting playing with her digi kits, you'll love them!  This week's challenge is embossing:
I used the pastel papers and elements from the December Daily kit.  I ran all of them through the cuttlebug with the swiss dots folder.  Just perfect with snowflakes! 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

5 - Better Scrap Newsletter Project

Have you signed up for the Better Living Through Scrapbooking newsletter yet?  There's loads of inspiration every month, tutorials, and sometimes even a monthly prize.  Go to the right sidebar of the Better Scrap page to sign up.

Here are the details for the newsletter challenge. I highlighted in red the ones I chose to use:

Hate growing older? Try to remember it for the good times you had.
Scrap your favorite Birthday memory!

Options (choose two):
1. Paint on your page using object other than brush (pencil eraser, q-tip, bubble wrap, etc)
2. Make an embellishment entirely from cardstock (okay, so I cheated and used some patterned paper, too!)
3. Use multiple layers of cardstock for a photo mat - try ripping, using a border punch, die-cut machine, etc, for fun!
4. Journal on a shape
5. Use a very bright color palette - vibrant yellows, reds, blues, and greens!

Aynyone that knows me well knows that I don’t ever have a big to-do on my birthday. I like to celebrate peacefully with just my husband and son. But boy, do I like to throw a party!! One of my very favorite memories is Shane’s 5th birthday back in 1994. It was the spring after my father passed away, and I thought we needed a good party to bring everyone together. I ordered up a clown, and we had everyone from both sides of our family in attendance. Shane also had loads of his little friends there to help celebrate the day. This party accomplished all that I wanted it to – Shane had a fabulous 5th birthday, and everyone that came that day had lots of good laughs!


Sponsor Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock “Polka Dots Evening Surf, Sunflower 80#, Brilliant White 80#”
Embellishments: Charlene’s Button Box
Adhesives: Plaid: All Night Media “Pop Dots”; Mod Podge “Dimensional Magic”

Additional Supplies Used:
Patterened Paper: Close To My Heart “Animal Cookies”
Printable Stamps: The Cutting Cafe “Birthday Fun”
Embellishments: Close To My Heart “Foam Numbers, Sunflower Waxy Flax, Organdy Ribbon, White Daisy RicRac”

Monday, November 15, 2010

Sassy Lil Sketches Card Sketch

I am a day late in posting, but be sure to head over to Sassy Lil' Sketches to see the card sketch!  There is absolutely some AWESOME inspiration for my fellow design team members, so be sure to leave some love!
Don't you just love Cherie's sketch?  Here's what I came up with using a digital image from one of our sponsors this month - Sassy Studio Designs:
Be nice to me, bloggy friends!  I am so very new to coloring, but I think she turned out all right.  I used my watercolor pencils and ranger blending solution.  That cute little phrase is from a very old CTMH set, and the paper is Echo Park.

You Brighten My Day

The challenge at the create blog this week is mini cards.  I didn't go with the colors of the season, but I ventured off into pink.  As you know, it's not a color I use very often at all.  But the warmth of Ranger's Worn Lipstick distress ink was calling my name!

These gorgeous stamps are from Darcie's Stamps.  I paired the Worn Lipstick ink with Core'dinations In the Pink cardstock.  I used diamond stickles to accent the dangles and flames on the chandelier.  The pin is from CTMH and the ribbon is SU.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

My Attitude Award

I received this lovely award from Dawn - thank you so much!!!  If you haven't been over to visit her, be sure to go.  She is amazing, and she has a great giveaway going on now!!

This award comes with a $5 gift certificate (isn't that amazing?!) to The Digis with Attitude store.  I just have to follow a few easy steps.  The first is that I must let you know about three things that make me unique.
  1. I have a very hard time sitting through a movie or television show.  I watch almost everything online while I am crafting.
  2. I am just starting to use printable stamps and digi images.  So many people color them so beautifully, and I just need to play for some time (or maybe years).  I do so love printable stamps and paper!  They allow me to match color in print shop with what I am doing - and the savings is enormous!
  3. I am a pretty good cook and I love to bake, but you won't find me ever rolling a pie crust.  Too putsy for me and store bought crusts are just as good.
Now I need to pass this award on to five more people and then display the award on my sidebar:
  1. Laurel - Seabrook Designs
  2. Marg - I Didn't Have Potatoes
  3. Amanda - Simply Scrapping
  4. Lisa - Mess 2 Magic
  5. Katie - Running with Scissors, Spatulas, and Sneakers
There are so many more people I would love to pass this on to!  Know that all my readers and followers mean the world to me!!

Christmas Tree

You know, yesterday we had our first snowfall.  And WOW, did we have snow!  It was heavy, wet, plentiful, and hard to drive in - even in 4-wheel drive!  I am glad that Jerry was behind the wheel when we were running errands.  When I got home yesterday afternoon, I put together one of these simple trees.  I found the recipe in Scrapbooks, Etc. It was fun to add my own twist and actually be making something just for me!

I used Fancy Pants Christmas Magic paper.  Once I had hot glued it to the styrofoam cone, I painted it with Clear Rock Candy Distress Paint.  I love that paint because it allows you to curl and work with paper so nicely when it's dry.  I didn't have matching buttons or brads, but I had clear buttons.  So I made some matchng buttons with Christmas Magic paper and Glossy Accents.  Have you made matching buttons that way?  SO easy!!  Just put a little glossy accents (or CTMH Liquid Glass) on the back of the clear button and set it on the paper. It dries very, very quickly, and then you've got your own handmade embellishment!  I threw some pearls here and there on the tree and freehand cut a star for the top.

Now, I'm going to leave you today with a picture of our front yard when we woke up yesterday.  Just beautiful!!

Better Living Through Scrapbooking Reveal Day

I hope you that you are thinking about your Bucket List layout from last week.  You've got until the end of the month to submit to Better Living Through Scrapbooking to be eligible for a prize!

This week we are challenging you to scrap about your charity work:

“The Greatest of These is Charity” challenge
One way to make your life better is through scrapbooking, another way is to do something nice for someone else. Scrap about something you do or have done for someone else. A loved one, a neighbor, a charity, etc.
Choose 2 of the following: (I've highlighted the ones I did!)
1. Print an element of your page (NOT a photo) using your home or office printer. This can be your title, your journaling, an embellishment, or anything else you can use on your page, but not a photo!
2. Use three brads somewhere on your page.
3. Use a chipboard letter or shape on your page.
4. Use the following quote somewhere on your page or in your journaling: “If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. . — Bob Hope””

It is so amazing to be involved with a charity! I am sharing this layout about one of the things that is truly near and dear to my heart. Do you ever go to the mailbox and just hope there might be a card or letter for you? Of course you do! We all love happy mail. It can pick us up on a hard day, and it helps us remember that there are people thinking of us – even if we don’t know it. My layout is about just that. I send handmade cards to Operation Write Home and Share-A-Card. Both organizations are tremendous and really have found a way to help others that truly need mail.

I created a kind of unique background for my page. I found this idea in Creating Keepsakes special issue, “101+ Creative Ways to Use Your Scrapbook Supplies” (page 54). I adhered several different pieces of chipboard to my kraft cardstock. Then I painted the paper and chipboard with Apple Barrel paint. When it was dry, I covered that with gloss mod podge. Now that takes a little time, but what a unique background with a fun 3-D effect! As you can see, my layout is pretty simple from there. I created my own embellishments using vellum, flowers, buttons, and ribbons. So fun to just pile things on!!

Sponsor Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock “Kraft #80, Black Linen #80,Primary Red Vellum”
Embellishments: Charlene’s Button Box; Discount Cardstock “French Vanilla Bazzill Flowers”
Adhesives: Plaid: All Night Media “Pop Dots: Mod Podge Gloss
Paint: Apple Barrel “King’s Gold”

Additional Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Close To My Heart “White Daisy”
Embellishments: Close To My Heart “Sparkles, Dimensional Elements”; May Arts “Black Wrinkled Ribbon”
Other Tools: Making Memories Slice; Making Memories Slice Design Card “Think Pink”

Friday, November 12, 2010

Bonfire Night

All rightie, in my previous post I showed you a sketch for the Hippity Hop Blog Hop sponsored by five different blogs.  I managed to fit in the layout today, so I wanted to show it to you.  As you hop, there are different elements you pick up to complete your layout.  You will see them in my layout - the sketch, 3 of something (mine are brads), ink (or paint or mist), lace, and texture/embossing.  Here's what I came up with:
When I took these pictures out, my only "uh-oh moment" was the lace.  I didn't know how on earth I would fit that in when the pictures are of a bonfire.  But I managed to fit some lace under the title.  I ran my letters through my cuttlebug with a Tim Holtz alternations folder for texture/embossing.  My ink is the gold paint dabber I used on the edge of my journaling box, flags, and on the letters.  My three brads are my three of something!

Items used: Lily Bee Catching Fall paper and stickers; CTMH barn red and colonial white textured cardstock; Tim Holtz Alterations embossing folder. CTMH waxy flax and brads; Random lace

Join the Hippity Hop Blog Hop!

There are five great blogs having a blog hop, and you should definitely participate!  Here's the details:

The Hippity Hop is a recipe challenge hop. It starts right here, right now and ends at 9 P.M. on Sunday, November 14th. You'll need to visit each challenge blog. You will get an element at each of the 5 blogs, Sassy Lil' Sketches, Scrap Fit, Crop Suey, Scrap Tiffany and The Cuttlebug Spot. Using the elements create a layout or card and post it to all 5 blogs for a chance to win up to 5 times.

Use this sketch starting at Sassy Lil' Sketches:

When you've finished your layout, link your layout using Mr. Linky on the blogs, and you'll be entered in the random drawing to win this fabulous prize from Scrap Rat

Now if you should hop and become a follower of Sassy Lil Sketches, let them know in the comments that I sent you!!  Have fun!  I am off to hop!!!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

CTMH Products

CTMH is having a contest on Facebook that goes through midnight tonight.  The challenge is to blog about your favorite CTMH and send them a link.  Oh my goodness - how would I ever pick one product?  I am quite certain you notice that I use a lot of CTMH.  I will forever love the years I was a consultant, all the things that I learned, and all the gorgeous product I taught with while I was with CTMH.  So to pick one thing - well, I don't know if I can do it!!  Let me tell you about some things that I can't live without.
  • CTMH cardstock - Yes, I know there are others that have white core or are sandable.  Well, I have tried them, and I am still here to tell you that CTMH makes the best.  At 41 cents a sheet, I'd say it's the best value around.
  • Waxy Flax - this has a dental floss-type quality, and it's perfect for stringing through buttons or making little bows.  It goes a long way, and when I am halfway done with a package, I order that color again.  Never want to run out!!
I could go on and on to tell you about all their great products!  If you need a consultant, go to Close To My Heart and do a search.  I can also tell you about some wonderful consultants I have the privilege of knowing, so don't be afraid to ask!

Happy Birthday

The purpose of Party Time Tuesdays is to keep on birthday cards.  I like that a lot because although I make a ton of cards, I don't always have a birthday card on hand when I need it.  This week they gave us a photo for inspiration:

I decided to make a stair step card:

I found some of the new Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 paper and picked up a couple of sheets.  Along with that I used CTMH's A Little Bit of Everything stamp set, Martha Stewart's Double Loop punch, and May Arts ribbon.  This is such a fun pattern, and I love the vintage-y way the card turned out.

This one is going in the Ladybug Crafts Ink ribbon challenge, too!

Sarah Hurley Challenge Blog

It's Thursday and time to find some new inspiration over at Sarah Hurley challenges!  This week Melly's challenge is to make an easel card.  If you are not certain how to do this, I am giving you a link HERE.  Once you make one, you'll find yourself going back time and again to make them!

I have used Sarah's December Daily Digi Kit.  Loads of papers, embellishments, and fun in that set!  Other itmes used are SU! Whisper White ribbon, Ranger Glossy Accents, Diamond Stickles, and a Petaloo Color Me Crazy flower.  Aren't the pastels pretty?  She has put together a fun kit that will give you loads of ideas!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

I really like Thanksgiving, and it's almost the forgotten holiday.  Such a great reminder to give thanks for all we are blessed with!


This card is made with images from The Cutting Cafe.  The card base is from the Shaped Card set, and the banners are from the All Occasion Banner set.  The Thanksgiving sentiment is also from The Cutting Cafe, and it is a 99 cent special called Happy Thanksgiving.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Sending Warm Wishes

You may not have heard from me as much lately, but I sure am doing artwork!  I've been doing a lot of design team work, so in time you will see it all!  Today, though, I wanted to put together a quick card for Sentimental Sundays.  I loved the sketch they have, and I knew just what items I wanted to use, so it came together relatively quickly!


I used CTMH chocolate textured cardstock for the base.  I think I noticed when I was browsing through the catalog that they no longer have textured cardstock.  I am very, very sad!!  I would be willing to pay more $$ to have all of my CTMH cardstock textured.  I love the many ways it sands.  I have tried other brands, but with out the solid white core, it's just not the same.  A few other CTMH items I used are Pretty Pins, Cherry-O patterned paper, and a Big Pink flower.  If you like these things, contact your consultant soon!  I understand that they are all on the retiring list.  The ribbon is May Arts and the gems are Mark Richards.

I also entering this card in the Ladybug Crafts Ink challenge (ribbon).

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Sassy Lil Sketches Reveal!

This is my second post for the day.  Scroll down to see my Bucket List album for Better Scrap!

Be sure to check out the new sketch at Sassy Lil' Sketches!  Look at my right sidebar to see the sponsors this month.  They are awesome, and if you check out the design team work today, the 14th, 21st, and 28th, you'll see some of the digital images used from our sponsor, Sassy Studio Designs.  Here's the sketch!

What's Your Bucket List?

That is the challenge this week at Better Living Through Scrapbooking.  It was a very heartfelt project for me, and I did a lot of thinking.  Our sponsors this month along with Plaid and Discount Cardstock are Charlene's Button Box and Punky Sprouts.  Here are the details for the challenge:

November Challenge #1 - “Bucket List” Challenge
Create a layout or mini-album about the items on your “bucket list” (things you want to do or see before you “kick the bucket”).

Choose at least 2 of the following:
1. Use only scraps of paper from your scrap paper collection in the album.
2. Use photos printed from a royalty-free photo website such as Stock Xchange to represent the items in your album from your “bucket list”.
3. Use color mist such as Tattered Angels, walnut ink spray, or your own homemade color spray to add some color to your mini-album pages.
4. On the cover of your mini-book, use various rub-ons for the title.


I was very happy to work with this Punky Sprouts album. These marvelous mini albums are so sturdy and have so much variety within themselves! I used Crate’s new collection, Restoration, for this album. So often I scrap in “boy” colors, and because this was for me, I wanted something pretty and soft. I used Plaid’s Mod Podge to adhere all my paper, and when the album was completed I sealed the covers with Plaid’s Matte Mod Podge. It’s a fabulous sealer so that your work on mini albums is protected. I splashed some paint across the front, let it dry, and then stamped “my bucket list” with Staz-On timber brown. The little butterfly resting on the banner is a button from Charlene’s Button Box. 

I splashed some paint on the corners and used rub-on numbers to mark my list items.  I wanted to go through and explain each of my items, but I put little titles on each page using letters from October Afternoon.  The journal blocks you will see on all my pages are printable stamps from The Cutting Cafe

Now I love fabric/canvas pages! Anything you can do on a regular page, you can do on canvas. Rub-ons adhere very well!
If you want to read my pages, just click on the picture. I took my pictures up close so that you would be able to do that. I wrote very honestly in my album. After all, it’s just between you and me :)
I will tell you what my mid pages are all about. This is an acrylic page, but I covered it with paper because I wanted to continue with the flow of the beautiful Crate paper. The journaling on the first part of this page says, “Pausing here…who knew it would be so difficult to write a bucket list? To think about ‘before the end.’ My guess is that I must be living a contented life…” (Look to the next page for the rest of this thought.)
I continue on the back of the rounded page by saying, "…because I am GOOD with what I am accomplishing and do not have any regrets. It is amazing if we let go and let God, our journey is all the richer." 
Those fabulous chipboard elements from Crate are just fabulous!
 
I am anxious to see what you come up with for this week’s project!


Sponsor Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Discount Cardstock “Kraft #80, Clove Felt #80”
Embellishments: Charlene’s Button Box
Adhesives: Plaid: All Night Media “Pop Dots, Mod Podge Paper, Mod Podge Matte
Paint: Plaid: Apple Barrel “Antique White”

Additional Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Close To My Heart “Colonial White”
Patterned Paper: Crate “Restoration”
Ink: Staz-On “Timber Brown”
Stamps: Close To My Heart “Felicity”; The Cutting Cafe “Jot it Down”
Embellishments: Crate “Restoration Stickers, Rub-Ons, and Chipboard”; Jenni Bowlin “Chipboard Banners, Bingo Card”; Close To My Heart “Colonial White Crocheted Ribbon, Black Legacy Writer, Sparkles, Number Rub-Ons”; Mark Richards “Assorted Gems and Pearls”; October Afternoon “Letter Stickers”; Bo Bunny “Mama-Razzi Flowers”; Prima “Natural Flowers”; Michael’s “Organdy Ribbon White and Gold”

Other Tools: Martha Stewart “Double Loop Punch”; Making Memories Slice Design Card “Bon Appetit”

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Christmas Gifties

I wanted to use a couple more images from The Cutting Cafe.  It's so fun to make things that are actually fun little gifties!  One of the cutest things is snowman poop, and Regina created some great images for this little poem in the Fun with Frosty set.

I also loved this hot chocolate template.  Go over to the website so that you can also see what the inside folder looks like.

Wish

It's time for a fun new challenge at Sarah Hurley Challenges!  This week we are using a sketch from our wonderful guest designer, Jackie.  Be sure to stop by and see the rest of the design team members work.  The samples using this week's sketch are just amazing!


I couldn't help but use Sarah's Spooky Halloween digi set again.  It's so bright and cheery - and I knew it would be versatile!! 


I pleated one of the border strips to add a little "fancy."  The buttons seemed to make perfect balloon/bubble type elements.  I folded up several of them to make a fun little flower to put above the word.  (Don't worry - I'll show you how to do that soon!)  This was a fun card to make from a great sketch!  I hope you have time to play along!!

This card also fits a couple of great challenges - Party Time Tuesday (anything goes with birthday sentiment on the front) and Sentimental Sundays (birthday with a sentiment)

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Happy Holidays

Regina at The Cutting Cafe has been so busy the past few days releasing new printable stamps! You have just got to go over there and check them out. I used a couple of new ones to make this cute little memo book for my purse.  If you need little gifties, these are just so much fun to make!!

The sentiment is from Christmas in a Square.  I brought it over to Print Shop and changed the color to a light purple.  The snowflake paper  is from the Snowflake Colored Background set.  I love that one!  The sheet prints at 7-1/2 x 10 inches and the whole set includes several colored snowflakes - light aqua, pink, clear, grey, and mixed.

The gems, solid cardstock, and ribbon are CTMH.  I also used Bo Bunny flowers and a Making Memories vintage pin.

Puppy Love

In our household, we are of the thought that every house needs a pooch.  Yes, they are trouble sometimes, and they make a lot of extra work.  But there is nothing like that doggie hug and that happy doggie smile just when you need it the most!

This layout is for Your Scrapbook Stash.  The challenge is to create using any Echo Park papers.  How easy is that?!  I used A Walk in the Park paper and stickers for this one.  I added some gems using the Imaginisce i-top tool.

I didn't realize that it's been so long since I've posted!  I have been busy looking for another job.  I have a couple really good leads (one of them is even teaching again!), and I'll know by the end of the week what I am going to do.

What I know right now is this.  Life is short - and I especially learned that after I had a mini stroke a few months ago.  For those of you that have been following me for awhile, you know that I have been blessed with many health issues, huh?  I say blessed in the most serious of tones.  I believe that God never allows more than we can handle.  AND I sometimes think that He allows things because we need a good wake up call.  With that being said, I am deciding to be very particular about where I work now, and that's why I am looking again. Respect and high standards of excellence are important to me, and I am quite certain God will lead me exactly to the right place!

It's also very busy with Shane at home again.  I LOVE that!  He starts cosmetology school full time in December, and I am very excited for him!  Maybe a little excited for me, too, because this is free haircuts and pedicures for life!!  Most recently I dyed my hair blond and Shane put some brown and red highlights in my hair.  Wow - was that tough to get used to!  But he had fun playing, and I am now having fun with something a little bit different.

After this post, I am heading to my recipe books.  This weekend is my sister's annual cookie bake.  She has had these for years and years, but this is the very first one I've been able to attend.  Shane and Jerry are coming with me, and I know everyone will be happy about that.  Some of my family members haven't seen Shane in over 2 years.  I'll be sure to share loads of pictures so that you can get in the mood for Christmas baking!

If you stayed with me, thanks for reading through!  Every once in a while, a girl's jsut gotta ramble!!

New Book, New Look!

Sometimes it just that time to make a change.  I've had this blog you are visiting for 12 years!  Wow, that's a lot of post and a lo...