25 Days Until Christmas 2011

Wow, it's been a long time since I updated my blog or did anything crafty. I miss my creative time. Working full time leaves little time to do things that I want to do. My free time is spent doing things that I have to do. Oh well! Maybe in time it will all get easier. Anyway, here is the cover to my 25 Days Until Christmas book for this year. I love the way it turned out. Obviously, I'm already far behind on this book, but I'll be able to print some pics this week, and quickly put pages together. I keep this book very simple, so I should be able to get many pages done in one night. We'll see! Considering I haven't even decorated yet, it's pretty obvious that I'm behind on pretty much everything!

I hope you're having a great day. As always, thanks for stopping by!

Fall Layout and Card

Here's a fall layout and a card that I made recently. I love Fall! ♥ I used some Making Memories items that I bought on clearance at Michael's a couple of years ago. I really miss the Making Memories collections. They haven't come out with anything that I truly love in quite some time. I only have a couple of those silk fall leaves left. I need to get some more for my stash.

I hope you're having a great day. Thanks for stopping by!

Bootiful

I used some brand new American Crafts Nightfall on this layout. My background sheet is Tim Holtz ink resist kraft. This photo represents the end of an era, because only one of my girls dressed up for Halloween last year. Time passes by too quickly! This is based on a sketch by Stacey at Inspired to Scrap.

I hope you're having a great day. Thanks for stopping by!

WCMD Cards

Wow, it's been a month since I updated my blog! Well, I haven't been creative lately. Just too much going on. I'm searching for a full-time job. That's a depressing process! Anyway, I made three cards yesterday for World Cardmaking Day. Epiphany Crafts issued a couple of challenges, and since I won some really cool Epiphany tools a while back from Cosmo Cricket, I decided to play along! I'm glad I did, because I WON one of the challenges! I am a very lucky lady! Anyway, all three of these cards has an Epiphany button on it! Their button makers are totally cool!

I hope you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy Life - Crate Paper RANDOM!

I am the luckiest lady I know! I won the ENTIRE Random Collection from Crate Paper! Thank you, thank you, thank you Crate Paper!! I love this collection!! I had to create a layout immediately!! I used this CUTE photo of my girls that was taken when they were at band camp! I love it! You can click on the layout to see it larger. I used the awesome sketch at Sketchy Thursdays! Thank you to my most wonderful and amazing blogging friend Chris for the reminder to USE the Sketchy Thursdays sketches!! I started off my misting my layout because the sketch has misting on it, but my Glimmer Mists are ALWAYS clogged (drive me CRAZY!!), and it just looked awful, because the drops fell on my layout in big ugly drops! Blech! SO, never fear, I covered it up with the AWESOME blue paper! Success! Love it!

I hope you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch Layouts!

I created all of these layouts using sketches by Stacey at Inspired to Scrap! If you've never taken one of her sketch clasess before, you don't know what you're missing!

I have you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

Creative Saturday!

I created three layouts on Saturday! Memorable Seasons was having a members' challenges crop, and I created all three of these layouts for challenges! It was really fun to spend a couple of hours scrapbooking!

Thanks for stopping by!

Make A Wish!

I love negative space! I created this page, and I used it as a challenge on a site that is doing members' challenges this weekend. I used some goodies from my Sassafras warehouse box! FUN!! Isn't Jessica adorable!?! Wow, this is from 2006! Time passes by too quickly!

I hope you have a great day! Those of you on the East Coast . . . stay SAFE! Thanks for stopping by!

More layouts!

I've been neglecting my blog lately, but I don't think anyone really visits it anyway, so that's OK! Here are some more layouts I've done lately! The first one uses an awesome kit from Inspired to Scrap! I love, love, love the grid design that I created! The next two use Crate Paper! I love Crate Paper collections!

I'm wrapping up all DT duties at the end of August, and I will then be scrapping for ME!! Just for me! I won't be doing challenges, etc., unless I LOVE them, and I will be creating only things that make me happy! Remember that? Remember not using sketches or challenges or even thinking about what's on another site, blog, or message board? Remember creating a layout just because you wanted to preserve the memory? I am NOT saying that I haven't loved each and every DT that I've been a part of, because I have! They were all wonderful opportunities, and for them ALL, I'm so thankful! It's all been a creative journey, and I would change that for anything! However, I think somewhere along the line I've forgotten about doing what I want to do! No more! Beginning in September, I'm doing my own thing and I'm going to be having FUN!

I hope you have an excellent Friday, a fantastic weekend, and as always, thanks for stopping by!

Some layouts!

All of these layouts are based on sketches from the last sketch class at Inspired to Scrap! There is going to be another awesome sketch class in August!! Check out Inspired to Scrap for more information! The layouts ALSO use the amazing kits at Inspired to Scrap!! Check them out in the I2S store! They're an AMAZING value!!

Also . . . I2S is having a DT call! Be sure to check it out on the forum!

I hope you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

I created this layout for a challenge at Memorable Seasons for the last scrapper standing contest. I was kicked to the curb two weeks ago, but I'm still playing along, because I like the challenges. This week we needed to create a layout using no photo, at least 20 of something, and patterned papers from 3 manufacturers. No photo, no problem. I have 36 manufacturers on my layout, and I apologize to those that I left off! I already know of a few that aren't on there! My patterned papers are from Pink Paislee, Cosmo Cricket, LYB, and Authentique! This layout also shows my love of sewing on my layouts, my Thickers obsession, and how I love Primas!! This was fun! I love it!

I hope you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

LWE Marching Griffins

I created this layout using the NEW amazing July/August STORYTIME kit at Inspired to Scrap! I ♥ it! This is also based on a sketch by Audrey at Memorable Seaons. It's for the LSS contest, and even though I was kicked to the curb, I'm still playing along. I did a lot of inking and distressing on this layout!

This is my favorite part of the layout! I stitched a star! It looks AWESOME!!

Here's a close up of the smaller photos! You can see my talented girls in action!

I've had these tickets in my stash for a while, so I used them because I loved the stars with the wood veneer stars! I added some Technique Tuesday stamps to the layout too!

I hope you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

How Do You Like My Moustache?

I created this layout for a last scrapper standing contest, and I did not make it through this round! Oh well, I love this layout, and I really don't care if anyone else does!! :) This is GCD Studios Funhouse that I won off the Moxie Fab World! The collection included a moustache on a stick! Isn't that the coolest thing ever!?! We had fun taking silly photos with it! I cut the background with my Expression. I love that big circle scallop shape!

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! We enjoyed the parade and the fireworks very much! I love the way our town celebrates! Thanks for stopping by!

New Glitz!

Glitz is coming out with THREE amazing new collections! Check out their blog for a FULL look at this collection . . . Dance In Sunshine! Plus, you can leave a comment and post about their new collection for a chance to WIN it!! Pretty cool, huh!?! Thanks for stopping by!

Another Glitz collection!

Glitz is featuring another beautiful new collection on their blog today . . . Beautiful Dreamer! Gorgeous! Check out the entire collection on their blog!

Glitz Vintage Blue!

I really LOVE the new collections by Glitz! This is Vintage Blue! Isn't the blue and yellow color combination gorgeous!?! I love it! Check out the Glitz blog to see more!!

Inspired to Scrap "STORYTIME" kit!

This is the NEW July/August "Storytime" kit at Inspired to Scrap! Be sure to check out the kit in the Inspired to Scrap store! Plus, you can buy the kit with the August sketch class, AND you can also pick up past kits for $15!!! WOW!! That's really an incredible deal!! Here's what I've created so far with this AWESOME kit!

I love what I've created so far! This kit is very versatile!! The double-sided papers are awesome!! It's a great mix of Crate Paper and Studio Calico with a couple of other surprises thrown in!! Be sure to check it out in the Inspired to Scrap store! You'll love it!

I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!! Thanks for stopping by!

The Graduate

This is the layout I created for the 1st round of the Last Scrapper Standing contest over at Memorable Seasons. I really had fun with this!! Tami issued the first challenge, and I love that she said NOT to used themed paper that went with your photo. So, when I was thinking about what I was going to do, I was originally going to use Halloween paper for a Harley-Davidson layout of my husband. The black and orange WORKS for H-D layouts! However, then this graduation idea popped into my head. Graduation from junior high school is a milestone, but it's really the beginning of the next journey that my daughter is going to take . . . into high school!! Journey = travel collection!! YES, I like it! So, I embraced that idea and pulled out a favorite travel collection, Making Memories Panorama, and I love the way it worked! I used papers, the tape (love the tape!), tags, a postage stamp, pennant flag pins (love these too! one says "dream" and the other says "live"), buttons, flowers . . . all from that collection!! And then the clothing tag!?! That came from a pair of jeans, and could it be any more perfect!?! It says, "Embrace Your Independence - This is your life. Put all of your energy into it and show off your intelligence to the world! You are unique & beautiful." WOW! I love that!! I couldn't have planned it better!! You can click on the layout to see it larger. Anyway, I made it through the first round, and I hope to make it through the second round! No matter what, I'll be creating with all of the challenges all the way through the contest, because that's how I roll!

I hope you're having a great day! I can't believe it's the last day of June! Thanks for stopping by!

Some Cards

I am WAY overdue on getting some cards out in the mail! I'm horrible with making the cards and MAILING the cards! Not sure what my problem is! Anyway, I got some done, and I will get them out . . . hopefully today!! I used a sketch that was posted on the Crafty Steals blog! They are celebrating the 2nd birthday of Crafty Steals! I love that site!

Here's a close-up view of one of the cards. I actually made three! I used Basic Grey Max & Whiskers for these cards. Love the colors in this collection.

I hope you're having a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

My Princesses

I need to finish up my Disney layouts! I'm almost there!! Here are some cute pics I took of the girls while we were at Downtown Disney outside the huge Disney Store. CUTE! I used a kit that I got from Memorable Seasons.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Some Blogs WON'T Let Me Comment!

I'm not sure what's going on, but certain blogs will NOT let me comment! If you visited me and left a comment, and you didn't get a comment back on your blog, it's not because I didn't try to leave a comment!! I cannot! If I have to select "Google Account" when I leave my comment, I am unable to leave a comment. I have no idea WHY! I am signed in, but Blogger is NOT recognizing this! I'm really getting aggravated and confused as to why this is happening! I feel like I'm going CRAZY!!

EDITED TO ADD: Uncheck the "Stay signed in" box and then sign in. It will then work! Weird!!

Five Layouts In One Day!

I'm not sure what was going on with me yesterday, but the scrappy mojo hit, and I created five layouts in one day! The first one uses an older kit from Inspired to Scrap! The photo is from 1998!! Wow, aren't the girls CUTE!?! I scraplifted a layout by Tami when I created that layout! The second layout uses a kit from Memorable Seasons. The third layout features one of my all-time favorites . . . Cosmo Cricket Snorkel! I love the Thickers on the Harley-Davidson layout! Shiny silver! Nice! The last layout is Basic Grey Lauderale. So, that was FUN!! Creating all day long is really a good time!

I hope you're having a great day. Thanks for stopping by!

Totally Us!

Moxie Fab is one of my favorite blogs! Every Tuesday, Cath posts a Tuesday Trigger. If I'm not in card mode, which I'm usually NOT, I admire the Tuesday Trigger, but don't usually create anything for it! Not this week! Lightbulb moment! The Tuesday Trigger can inspire my layouts!! Yeah baby!! So, this is my layout that was inspired by the Tuesday Trigger! As soon as I saw the photo, I thought of this Pink Paislee paper from the 365 Degrees collection. I know this paper is completely different from the pattern in the photo, but it's what I thought of! I decided to scrap a self-portrait of the four of us, and this is TOTALLY US! I love self-portraits! The sewing and the glitter white chipboard Thickers really were inspired by the photo too! I kept this layout clean and simple, and I love it!

Besides immediately thinking of that particular patterned paper, I also noticed the mirror and the flowers. Well, the mirror inspired me to use the silver sparkly brads, and the flowers inspired me to use a Prima trio. I just couldn't do pink flowers though. Pink wouldn't work with this page, so I took the liberty of using orange instead which really worked with my page AND the cute Pink Paislee flip note I used for my journaling! :)

Here is the photo that was my inspiration! Hopefully you can SEE how it inspired me! Thanks for stopping by!