Driving By: Halloween Fun

Driving by today...lots of fall fun!  Halloween looked like this today!

 

Fall soccer is almost over...which means I won't be so crazed!  Life is good though!  Especially when it is full of little treats with details and butterflies.

 

Used the Best Friends collection to create these!  I am scrapping, trying to catch up on sleep, happy that we dodged a bullet with the storm and praying for all who were effected.

 

 

Monday's Musings: By My Side

It is comforting to know that you have someone by your side...

walking through life with you.

Someone who won't leave, won't abandon, won't judge...

Someone who makes you feel braver, stronger than you might feel alone.

The comfort comes in the fact that no matter where you walk, who you encounter...that person will be right there...sometimes leading the way, sometimes glued to your side and sometimes stepping back so you can take the lead.

That person for me is Steve.

I made this layout about our journey to Savannah.  It was so much more than just a weekend getaway.  It was life changing for me.

 

 The story explains it...

It was truly noteworthy...

The comfort comes in the fact that no matter how things work out...good, bad or ugly, I will always be okay.  I will have him by my side.

Sunday At Home: Fun Before the Storm

Hurricane Sandy is on the way...I can't believe we are looking at losing power again...one year after we lost it for one week.  I am praying for all my family and friends.

I am inland so I am not sure how bad it will be....interestingly enough, I drove toward the storm today.  I went home to West Haven.  My high school besties and I decided to carve out girl time and get together.

It felt like the old days within minutes.  We all still look pretty good for being 29...

It started off like this:

 

It quickly turned into this...

 

 

I am so lucky to have great friends.  Can't wait until the reunion!

 

This is what Sunday at home should look like!

 

Thursday Trending: Around the Edges

Everyone knows how hot diecutting machines are...it is a major trend to cut words, overlays, borders and embellies.

I will admit it, I don't pull my machine out enough.  We have an office that is also my scrap room and I can't fit the equipment on the desk.

I still love the idea of a unique background that has curves or interest or jags or all of the above.  So I try to replicate the look by cutting around the edges of patterns.

See the layout below:

I cut around the pattern to create the background.  I put it on a neutral base and layered from there.  I like the curve it give and how the patterns, numbers or words inside the shapes really pop.

I created my title using mixed fonts...another trend I love!

I finished it off with a looped ribbon and some chipboard, all layered up!

 

I used the Vintage Finds collection by Teresa Collins to make this page!  So....do share!  What is trending in your world today?

 

 

Behind the Page: Little Touches

Happy Wednesday...mid week, last soccer practice, crazy day...but it is almost Friday.

I am sharing a page today that incorporates a bit of whimsy and some little touches that make me happy.

I used the new Best Friends collection from Webster's Pages.  The colors are really cool in this collection.  I went with a black and white photo that I adore...it showcases a real moment full of laughter.

 

I started with a Clean & Simple base...pink!   I decided to pop the light color and the photo with the bright blue.  I love those little kids riding on the bike so I hand cut them from the sheet of paper.  I love how the balloons serve as a corner frame to the photo.  The layout needed some moment so I added the little butterflies.  The part of the brown transparency serves to close the top of the layout.

 

I liked the Laugh transparency and the Perfect Accent, but it felt plain and unbalanced.  So I added the brown strip and the string, making it like garland.  Little touches.

The title was triggered by the laughter in the photo and the youthful feel of the kids riding the bike.  I thought of the phrase...like giddy schoolgirls.

And the story, of course!  I love the process of creating...seeing a page come together.  Little touches make it!

 

 

Monday's Musings: It Seems Like So Long Ago

I know I have posted many times about how fast time is going by...

The kids are growing like weeds, life is crazy busy...it is a whirlwind.  I am scrapping many photos right now of events or moments that happened only a few months ago.  Yet, they feel really far away.

I have blogged here before about how great it has been to meet my family on my biological father's side.  Steve and I continue to look back fondly on our trip to DC and the time spent with my brother, his wife and daughter. 

When I look at this photo, it seems like it was so long ago.  It feels like forever since I went to Georgia.  Everyone is well...thank goodness for Facebook.  Scrapping these moments allows me to return in time.  Think about those feelings and reflect.

This was a great day...a great experience.  I am so thankful.

(Supplies:  Scrapbooking From the Inside Out October kit)

 

Knowing the importance of these moments as well as feeling like time is moving reminds me to hold tight.  I feel so compelled to have at least one strong bonding moment with my kids each day.  Not just homework and dinner and showers.  But reading books and cuddles.  Conversations about what they worry about or what makes them happy.  Tickles and jokes even when it is time for light's out. 

 

Because I know that these moments are amazing...yet, time will go quickly.  I don't want to be left feeling like it was so long ago...

 

Although I know that is inevitable, I am determined to make memories so strong...they won't soon fade.

Behind the Page: New Webster's

I had the chance to dig into my box of the new Best Friends collection by Webster's Pages.  Such a pretty collection with a fresh color scheme and lots of Webster's whimsy.

I fell hard for this sheet of paper. It is full of boxed speech bubbles.

These had to be a part of my first layout.  I decided to use make a layout that was boyish and structured.  I started with the yellow base.  It really added some pop.

 

I placed a cream cardstock base to balance all the colors I wanted to use.  Then I just hand cut and layered the speech bubbles.  I decided to place a long title in them.

 

I added details using the new Best Friends overlays, some patterned strips and a chipboard button from an older collection.  I added the green trim as a bit of garland to give the layout a curve. 

 

Such a great collection to showcase one of my favorite photos of Nathan and his cousin.  Go grab some Best Friends now...it is shipping this week!

Tuesday Technique: Stamp Your Heart Out

There is a new challenge up over at the Lily Bee blog...it involves using stamps to create your own cardstock background.

I am really enjoying stamping these days.  When Melissa Mann issued this challenge, I had an idea.  I decided to use all the word blocks to create my own grid.  I inked, stamped and tried out my idea...I did not like my design.

Back to the drawing board.  Sometimes this happens.  When it does, I walk away.  It is like a fight with your spouse.  Leave the situation, give it space.  You love it so you will return with fresh eyes, ready to fix things.

Often times, a new idea presents itself in the time I have walked away.  Such an idea popped in...I was determined to make my own spider web using the Lily Bee stamps.  I looked up how to draw a spider web and discovered that you should start with an X.

Off I went, back to repair things with my layout.  I feel like we made up.

To create this web, I drew my X with a pencil and then added other straight, diagonal lines.  I grabbed the dotted line stamp from the Christmas Cheer line...that stamp went right over the pencil marks to form my straight lines.

I decided to make the curved lines using a line of hearts stamp from the Persnickety collection.  I placed the heart stamp on a curve on my stamping block.  Then I just planned out how many hearts I would need to ink.  The top curve required 8-10 where the inside curves only needed 3-5 hearts inked.  It really was a piece of cake.

Out for Publication!!

With such a big element, I kept the rest of the layout simple.  A journaling index card and some banner triangles...just a few patterns and colors.

Lily Bee stamps offer so much...how will you use them on your next project?  Head to the blog to see how to participate in the challenge!

Monday's Musings: Farewell Scrapstreet

Four years ago, I stumbled upon a very different and very fun website.  I found a call looking for new staff members to write for an online magazine, Scrapstreet.com Magazine.

Now...you must know that I once had dreams of being a writer.  An author.  I have often thought of writing for a scrapbooking magazine or other publication.  Maybe even a self help book.

Just like that, there was this call and I was excited.  Could I grab a spot on that team? This new scrapbooker who was just refining her style?  I remembering reading the scrap book, Find Your Groove right around the same time.  I was not in my groove back then.  But the girls saw something in me. 

I met the women who would serve as my mentor and, more importantly, my friend.  Dora is wildly creative and would dream up all these cool challenges and contests.  I dove into it all and fell in love with this hobby.

When I made the team, I knew I wanted to write about journaling.  I developed, wrote and edited over 50 articles about how to enhance journaling.  It is my passion in this hobby.  To me, a layout is a layout...until you put the story down.  Then it becomes a record, a treasure.

Through Scrapstreet, I have met many friends.  Some still in my life as acquaintances, some good friends I can't live without, some forever sisters no matter the distance time and life has provided.  Each summer, I get to make a trip and spend time with these girls.  I know it is the best thing to come from Scrapstreet.

(Supplies:  October kit from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out)

I went looking for one thing...

yet walked away with so much more...I will miss you Scrapstreet!

At Home: Cobwebs and a Halloween Front Porch

Fall hits and I always get the decorating bug.  Who doesn't like to make the home cozy and warm during this season.  I have a particular affection for pumpkins and all the colors of Autumn.

I decided to decorate my front porch for Halloween this year.  Truth be told, it is my autumn front porch with a bit of cobwebs.  Little tweaks and tips and you have a pretty entryway into your home.

 

I keep this black chair and table out through spring, summer and fall. A few mums add the color I want.  I wrap my plastic mum pots in burlap to make them look prettier.  It is easy to do and is inexpensive.

 

 

I was surfing on Pinterest recently and saw pumpkins with custom designs and writing.  I decided to use a good Sharpie marker to write the word, "Welcome" on mine.  It was super easy.  First, I wrote in pencil and then I traced in black.  It wasn't dark enough so I used a marker that was made to write on CDs...it was waterproof.  To get the marker to set, I used the blowdryer. 

Then the Halloween part.  I picked up a bag of cobwebs for $1.49.  I have to admit this stuff wasn't that easy to work with.  But it does look cute....and so real that my nephew was afraid to enter my house last week.

 

It says this stuff should catch onto any edge.  It didn't so I had to be creative.  I adhere the top of the web to my porch roof using sticky clips...I do like the way it scallops.  I also had to use some push pins to catch the ends.  I just simply wrapped extra webbing around the pin to hide it.  I also used a butter knife to tuck the webbing under the siding.

Now my porch is festive.  I may have to ask a relative to dress up like a witch and sit in that black chair for Halloween.  That will finish off the spook.

Blog Hopping: Lily Bee Love

Happy Friday everyone and welcome to the Lily Bee Design blog hop!  You should have come from the super talented Summer Fullerton's blog! We are here today to share projects using the new collections:  Persnickety, Christmas Cheer and Autumn Spice.  It is the new design team's chance to say hi and get to know you better!

For my project, I mixed and matched all three collections! 

I went with the cream base from the Persnickety collection and built from there! I chose the patchwork quilt rows from the Autumn Spice collection because I felt like they conveyed my theme of family.

I added little details like the stamped circles and the banners cut down into different sizes.

I continued the circles below and even added some bling to enhance them.  I love the tiny alphabets...they make long titles easy to create!

Supplies:  Persnickety (Papers:  Finicky, Index Journaling Card), Christmas Cheer (Paper:  Figgy Pudding, Cardstock Stickers, ABC Cardstock Sticker), Autumn Spice: (Paper: Brown Sugar, Clear Stamps)

In the spirit of the week's theme, we will be giving away a variety pack of 12x12" papers from all three lines for one lucky winner on the Lily Bee blog post.  To be eligible for this awesome prize leave a comment on everyone's blog posts including the Lily Bee blog.

Your next stop is the blog my lovely and creative friend, Patricia...

In case you missed any blogs, here is the full order!

Ursula Schneider

Summer Fullerton
Stacey Michaud-that's me
Patricia Roebuck
Melissa Mann
Lisa Dickinson
Leslie Ashe
Heather Leopard
Deanna Misner
Cindy Liebel
Becky Williams
Andrea Budjack
Amy Heller
Lily Bee Blog

Happy Hopping!

Who Knew: Card Making

I have never fancied myself a card maker.  Not like some of my card making idols.  I typically struggle with how to make an interesting card.

But, lately...I have discovered a new side of cardmaking.  I love using 6X6 pads because of the smaller patterns.  I also love the creativity of working with a small space. 

Here are two new cards that are up on the Lily Bee blog today.

I mixed and matched the collections to create these.  I went with color combinations to help me mix and match with ease.  The first uses softer colors.

Along with cardmaking, I have discovered how useful stamps are!  Hello final details and sentiments!

My second card uses a primary colored scheme.

 

I love those number circles from Christmas Cheer.  I also used the circle stamp from Persnickety to create the white circles along the top. 

 

 

If you consider yourself a card maker or not, you should head to the Lily Bee blog...there are amazing cards up today!

 

 

Tuesday Tip: Use that Xyron

Especially when it comes in pink houndstooth!  I love the Xyron sticker maker that Teresa has designed.  I used it for my most recent layout.

 

I knew I wanted multiple frames in random places. These are different mirrors and they fit the theme of my page perfectly.  I knew I wanted the picture on the bottom. What I didn't think of was the placement of my journaling. After surveying my options, I decided to add a strip along the top so it complimented my design, yet didn't distract from it.

I was able to run the thin strip through my Xyron sticker maker and have it lay very flat on my page. Since an 8.5 X 11 piece of paper fits in the printer, your journaling strip can be the same width as your page.

I also ran the small mirrors and die-cut ticket through...the Xyron is super useful and cute!

How perfect!