My One & Only

I wanted to play along in the tag challenge over at Heart 2 Heart.  It's so much fun to grab some scraps and just create something small that can either be used on a gift, as an element for a card, or as a tag for a page. 

I grabbed the scraps I had from the promotional kit, Miracle. I rarely use light colors like this, so it was a treat to play with these papers! I used my Slice Vintage Findings card to cut out the butterfly and the tag. Other CTMH items used are Sparkles, Prisma Glitter, Colonial White crocheted ribbon, and two stamps from the My One & Only stamp set (discontinued). I like the way it turned out!

Perfect Memories

As you know, I can't resist a Bo Bunny challenge, so here I am with their card sketch.  You know this particular sketch is so versatile.  You can either create as is or add to your heart's content. 

You'll see that I flipped the sketch to fit what I wanted to do:

I cut "perfect" from a journaling tag that said "picture perfect."  Likewise, I cute "memories" from a journaling strip.    The bracket is a journaling block that I cut in half and mounted on a piece of paper to give it depth.  Isn't it great that there are so many elements in the Bo Bunny collections that we are able to pick and choose as we like?

I love the Mama-Razzi paper (and now I'm out of it!) because it has such rich, warm colors.  Watch for a new line from Bo Bunny soon - Cambridge - that also has those rich, warm colors.  I am certain you will see those papers in many projects from me!  In fact, all of their new lines are fabulous.  Leaning Curve especially intrigues me so I am (not so) patiently waiting for it to hit the stores!

Items used for this card: Mama-Razzi paper; Bo Bunny flowers, brads, and tag strips; May Arts silk ribbon; CTMH metal corner; MM stick pins

I. Simply. Enjoy. You.

And I do enjoy this fur ball of mine!  This is the reveal for Sketches in Thyme this week  The wonderful sketch is from Helen over at Scrap A Little Sketches,  She has some great work on her blog, so be sure to check her out!  I hope that I'll see you playing along!

I had to scrap these pictures of Sassy nesting in her little tower.  She barely fits, so it's funny to see her hiding in there!

Items used: Lily Bee paper, rub-ons, chipboard flowers and buttons; Petaloo flowers; Mark Richards metal gems; CTMH black cardstock

Shane and His Car

There was still time to play with the last sketch for July on Sassy Lil' Sketches, so I decided to scrap a few pictures that I've had on my desk.  Here's the sketch:

I used TPC Studio's Transportation paper for this.  I needed a simple sketch for these because I wanted the pictures to be focal and not get lost in the "stuff."  I just love the faces Shane made in these pictures!

There isn't much more on this layout - CTMH rub-ons and hodge podge alphabet.  That's it - cute and easy!

New Sketch at Let's Scrap!

I am so excited to be starting my venture with Let's Scrap this month!  If you nose around this Ning community, you will find wonderfully talented and truly kind women!  I don't even think I've told Cheri (the founder of Let's Scrap) this, but I chose to join in a few months ago because she's a MN girl!  LOL!  When she chose me for the DT, I did the happy dance, and I have loved getting to know everyone!

New sketches come out every Wednesday, and here is the sketch by Cheri for this week:

You have seen my results for this sketch a while back, but I am going to show you again:

The prize this week (yes, there are weekly prizes!) is a $25 gift certificate to Memorable Seasons.  What a great online store!  Give it a go, and see what you can come up with!

Better Living Through Scrapbooking

I am SO EXCITED to let you know about a new challenge blog that is starting up today - Better Living through Scrapbooking!  I am equally as happy to let you know that I am on their first design team!!  This is a challenge blog that is going to do just that - challenge you to scrap all the things you encounter in life.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  I am so thrilled to start this journey!  I also know that so many of you are going to be love taking part in these challenges!!

Here is the first challenge:

This week's challenge is to Scrapbook your scrapbooking!  Yep, you heard that right. We want you to create a layout or other paper crafting project that showcases some aspect of your scrapbooking hobby.

Chose at least two of the following for your project:
1. Journal about how you've achieved "better living through scrapbooking".
2. Use at least 3 photos of your scrap space.
3. Use the title "I Scrap, Therefore..." (finish the statement in your journaling.)
4. Create a scrapbook layout using photos of your scrapbooks.
5. Have someone take a photo of you surrounded by your supplies, then use that photo as the main image on your page.
6. Create a mini-album "tour" of your scrap room.
7. Journal a list of your ten "can't live without" scrapbooking tools/supplies.

Now what could be more fun than scrapping about this hobby that has brought so many of us together?!  I have a layout to show you.  I've used #1 and #3 in this layout:

First, I'll tell you what the journaling says:

"It took me until I was in my early 40's to discover that my passion and my little nook in the world truly is putting pictures to paper. There is nothing I love more than to sit down and create a page. I am never in a hurry - quite the contrary! I love putting my heart into a page. My albums will go to Shane one day, and I want him to look back and not only see my work, but feel me on every single page. It is my therapy. It is my relaxation. It is scrapbooking."

I've used quite a bit of technique on this, so I want to share that with you as well.  I used a lot of different elements to create the flowers on this layout. The deep red roses are American Crafts pink rosette ribbon. I misted them with coffee shop Glimmer Mist to deepen the color. I also misted the corners of the page with coffee shop. With the Prima flowers, I used a Ranger paint dabber (sandal) to cover each petal. I then misted them with tattered rose Glimmer Mist and then painted again with Ranger clear rock candy Crackle Paint. The petals roll easily then to give them a very antique look.
 
Other items used:  CTMH rub-ons and fancy pins; Tattered Angels embossed chipboard (this resists ink so nicely!); Melody Ross chipboard phrases; random ribbon


Take a minute to pop over to Better Living through Scrapbooking so that you can check out the amazing prize for this challenge!!

Along with that please take a minute to visit the other design team members.  They are amazing and you will love their work!

Chelsea Langworthy http://scrapbookingtostaysane.blogspot.com/

Beth Moore http://runswithscraps.blogspot.com/

Kim Sparks http://memoriesinthyme.blogspot.com/

Katie Turner http://telerobotic.tumblr.com/

Michelle Sanders http://funkyfreshcool.blogspot.com/

Are you excited to get going?  I can't wait to see what you come up with!!

The Marriage of a Family

I have a new sketch challenge going on over at Sketches4All.  I created a sketch for this challenge, and I'd love for you to play!

(Those pathetic looking circles are buttons or any other embellishment.  I never claimed to be able to draw - LOL!)  Here is what I came up as an example:

We celebrate our 20th anniversary at the end of the month, and these are pictures from our wedding day.  They are such precious pictures to me - and Shane was absolutely the cutest!  Jerry's mom made him the little tux to wear, and I am just thrilled to have that in his memory box.  Even though I have ong since finished our wedding album, I always knew that I would want to scrap some of the pictures again as we reached "milestone" anniversaries.

I hope you will come over and play!  I give a great prize away with every challenge!!

This layout also fits the challenge over at Adornit.  July's requirement is to use a button, paper as ribbon, and hand written journaling.  I used the Adornit July kit to complete this.  Isn't it just beautiful paper?!  I love the font of the alpha - very pretty!  The ribbon under the picture of Jerry and Shane is my folded paper ribbon.

Ei Ei O

Old McDonald had a farm...and these little boys visited it!  These are three of my great-nephews, and what adorable pictures!  My nieces post such wonderful pictures on FB that I can hardly wait to scrap them.  I've used Fancy Pants My Family paper for this page, and the sketch is from Cherie over at Sassy Lil Sketches:

Items used:  Fancy Pants My Family; CTMH rub-ons and ribbon; Slice Basics 1 card

The next layout I want to show you is a sketch from Cheri over at Let's Scrap.  Her sketches are amazing!  I am just showing you the left side.

I won a challenge over at Adornit, and they sent me whole big box of supplies - paper, stickers, clips - I was in shock over what I received!  I am so appreciative of all the fun things I get to make from their fun paper!!  (And if you like fabric, they just started making it!)  Anyway, I dug into that paper for this layout:

Items used:  Adornit paper; Slice Big Kids card (bear and phrases); CTMH brads, buttons; waxy flax, and tag ( I cut the banner and arrow free hand).  Yes that is Shane's hand in my mouth 20 years ago.  Sometimes we do the funniest things with our kids!!

It's Time for a Sketches in Thyme Reveal!

It is not my week to show you a layout (although I am going to make one!), but I wanted to remind you that there is a new sketch over at Sketches in Thyme.  These are such wonderful sketches, and I know you'd love playing along.  Head over there and give the Mavens some love for their great examples!!  This is the prize this week:

Easel Card

I have been creating every single day (and even into the night), but I realized that I have not been sharing!  A lot of the work I am doing is for design teams, so I'll have to wait until reveal day to show you those things!  I took some time off of layouts to make some swap cards for a group of my co-workers.  I have not made one of these easel cards before, so I had fun! 

Items used: CTMH Cherries paper and TLC stamp set; Unity stamp; Mark Richards gems; Kraft paper; random ribbon

I have the day off today - yippee!!!  Last night was kind of a tough night.  Machines didn't work, flowers and cartridges were missing.  That's always hard.  Those of you that know me, know that I take great pride in my teaching, so it's always tough when things don't go right.  But yesterday is past, and I'm here on my day off!!  It's a BEAUTIFUL day here (80 degrees and low humidity)!  I whipped up a tuna macaroni salad this morning  with all fresh veggies in it from the farmer's market.  Jerry and I are going to take the boat out on the lake tonight to picnic, enjoy the scenery, and relax.  Sound like a perfect night to me!!

Pucker Up!

I can never pass up the opportunity to make a card for the Bo Bunny challenge!  I have been working with all their most recent collections, and for this card I pulled out some Sunkissed.  Here is the sketch:

And here is my take.  I've used all Bo Bunny products - paper, sticker, flower, and chipboard.

Don't you love all those bright summer colors?!  That lemon and lemonade sticker are really cute! Have a great week everyone!!