So Excited to Share...

I am so excited to share that I am joining this amazing team:

I have loved Lily Bee across the years.  Some of my favorite projects are made using Lily Bee products!  I couldn't be more excited to represent such a great company. 

Kristen is super sweet and I am honored to have been invited to the team.

Speaking of the team, whoa nelly!  Some of my biggest scrappy crushes have been on that team for a while.  Best part, many of my scrappy friends just became a part of it too.  I feel very lucky today!

Newest additions:

Leslie Ashe

Andrea Budjack

Heather Leopard

Deanna Misner

Nicole Nowosad

Becky Williams

Someone pinch me!

Behind the Page: Make Something Out of Something

Ever have a brilliant idea and are able to execute it?  I wonder how many times that has actually happened.  How many times have I had a real idea or plan before I started pushing paper?

I don't think it has been that many times.  Instead, many of the best, most creative ideas have come from discovering something along the way.  Many have come because my project just needed that step up at the end.

Sometimes, there are happy accidents.  A spill or rip. 

A bad cut along the center of a large paper flower?  One that resulted in a bit of crookedness and a very asymmetrical half flower.

Or it can be a cloud.  One of those flat-bottomed clouds.  An idea is born.

 

Those flat-bottomed clouds added the last touch to this layout.  It made that whimsy happen.  I finished it off with a large, mixed font alphabet.  I love this photo and the meaning it holds so I wanted it to have a special place to rest.

 

A little bling for the two girlies!

Those clouds...happily realized and then executed a few times over.

Making something out of something.

Sunday At Home: Thanks to Mom and Dad

Steve and I had a Sunday away from home...thanks to my mom and dad.  This weekend was all about wedding festivities for one of Steve's friends.  Since it was being held an hour away, we decided to make an event of it.

We drove down yesterday and had a leisurely lunch at a cool restaurant in Mystic, CT.  Then we went to the beautiful ceremony and reception, followed by sleeping in until 9:30 this morning.

Breakfast at a diner and a pretty ride home...it was great!  Yes, I am behind in chores and scrappy assignments.  But I am right where I need to be in life.

A perk?  Bonding time with my kids and their cousin Xavier as well as Nonnie and Poppi.  They had a great weekend away from home too.

Here is Nonnie with some of the grandkids!

I went with the Count Your Blessings ideas and the thought of adding numerals popped into my brain.  I simply combined a bunch of Bella alphabets to make the left side.  It is a familar design for me, yet...it is different with the numbers! I used a variety of Bella Blvd products to create this layout!

This Sunday and every Sunday...

family makes all the difference...when we are at home or away.

Behind the Page: Seeing Stars

I recently grabbed some Royal Christmas from Webster's Pages and started a layout.  It featured a picture of my daughter holding our Christmas tree star.  Of course, being the thematic girl that I am...I had to incorporate other stars.

I don't own a star punch so I looked for the common and versatile shape in the various Royal Christmas papers.  I found many...cut them out and scattered.

 

To jazz up the stars, I added some Dazzle Me Gems and some journaling strips.  I also drew rays using a ruler and pen.  It is subtle, but gives it a little extra.

 

 

I handcut the window too and just adore it!  I simple layout, made beautiful with Webster's touches!

 

Pretty trim...more stars on the strip and it all completed with one little crown...

 

all inspired by one star!

 

 

Sunday At Home: Those Screens

Screens are everywhere...phones, computers, TVs, the Wii, Leapstars, DSi.  It is hard to get away from them.  But we set parameters.  We have time limits and windows of play.  My kids try to push it though.  It is a constant push and pull.

Summer is easier to promote no screens because it is all about the outdoors.  I caught some cute photos of Nathan and decided to scrap about the topic of screens. 

 

I used Jillibean Soup here.  How fun are those collections...they can keep me off the screens for sure!

I went big title here...love that trend!  I put the "no" on one of journaling circles and just layered.  I love the amount of embellies that are available.

 

You know what...from the looks of his smile, Nathan doesn't seem to mind the lack of screens.  We need to recreate this all fall and winter too!

Behind the Page: It has been great!

There are a few companies that really make my heart go pitter patter.  I walk into their booths at CHA and wish and dream and hope.

Bella Blvd. is one of those companies for me.  It has always just been easy with Bella products.  I love that feeling...no stress, no pushing paper, the ideas just flow.

I had the pleasure of being an on-going guest designer for them this year and it was awesome.  Today marks my last gig with them in that role.

Here is one of the layouts I made for the blog.  I totally mixed product here.  I found a stripe with green, blue and yellow and ran with the rest.  Why do I love Bella?  That Happy Times card starts this layout out with the right tone! 

This photo is of all of Steve's college friend's children...(that is a mouthful).  We used to spend a ton of time together as a large group.  Life happened and many of us went on to marry and/or have children.  We got together at our house last summer for a weekend of fun!  This picture of all the kids is priceless! 

But, why do I love Bella?  Well, that We're Friends Because College sticker made this layout fall together...I went with the black and white touches because of it.  The sunrays were thought out because I wanted happy. 

 

 

Today may mark my last gig with them in my current role, but I will be a fan forever.  And, who knows, maybe someday...

Monday's Musings: That Smile We Share

That smile....
it comes when you see someone you love.  Kids, husband, friends, family.

You don't force the smile or even think about it.
It just creeps and then takes over.

It changes your mood.  It takes away pain.  It makes you take pause.

I love to share in that smile.

But it is equally as cool to witness it.  I see it every night when Steve walks into Nathan's room for a snuggle.  I see it when Ella is hanging out with Daddy on the green chair.

Even though I am not in the exchange, I get to share in the smile.  Because those parts are mine too.  We created that together.

 

(Supplies:  Teresa Collins Vintage Finds including chipboard, stamps, dimensional stickers, borders, rhinestones, buttons and twine)

 

The dad he is...the joy that exists.  It is perfect and timeless.  It makes everything else okay.

 

And that makes me smile.

 

 

Sprinkling Some Love: Part 2

I shared some of the inside pages of my Webster's Pages Sprinkles craftbox project!  I made a mini album from the goodies.  Most of my ideas came from using the trim in unusual ways.  It was fun to explore.

Here are the rest of the pages.

I went with a pictureless page here...just love the papers and made a heart with the trim.

This mini was really fun to make!  I love the Sprinkles concept and I know you will too!

Sprinkling Some Love

So I am sure that many of you have heard about the new monthly Sprinkles Craft boxes that Webster's Pages is offering.  It is a small box full of treats just for you...because you deserve it.  The little boxes are only $10.00....WHAT!

The September one sold out quickly...if you are looking for information about October's box...go here!

I got to design with the September box and it was soo much fun!  I kept my mini clean and simple, yet it is so pretty.  A gift for a special friend...

Here are a few pages.  I will share the rest this week!

First, the cover...all I added was trim and the accent.  I love the metal clip.

A little unique twisting of ribbon and little touches...the pages themselves are so pretty, even without the extras.

Here is the dimension...

 

The book will make a great gift...a sprinkling of love from one friend to another!  If you are interested, there are downloadable, step-by-step instructions over at the Webster's website.

 

 

Behind the Page: City Love

I have been to many gorgeous, peaceful places.  Some right in my backyard.  I love those places that conquer up peace and make you think.  Those places that clear your head.

I make sure to look around and take that deep breath.  To listen to what my center has to say.  It is most open in those places, away from the hustle and bustle of life.

This summer, that place was Savannah.  I fell in love.  I felt in touch with all of it.  It was during a weekend where I had no choice but to be open.  I was exposing myself and being the most vulnerable I have ever been. 

But something about that place made me believe...made me relax.

It might have had something to do with the handsome man who walked right next to me along every sidewalk.  He held my hand and we dreamed big dreams.  Steven made Savannah even more special.

I had to scrap about her....the city that stole my heart.

 

I used new Lily Bee on this...I have some stash left from my CHA work.  This Persnickety collection is soo pretty and I adore the honeycomb paper.  I cut it apart to create the affect of sun rays. 

I am glad that I scrapped this topic and recorded my feelings about such a peaceful place.  Brings me right back to center.