Love This Kid

My guy....he makes my life bright.  He shares his thoughts and ideas and love freely.  Today he saw me working around the house, cleaning and getting dinner ready.  He volunteered to help.  It turned into an hour of vacuuming and him learning to do his own laundry.  He was happy to help.  He knew he had saved me an hour of work.  He is so kind.

I made Nathan the subject of a new layout, in order to celebrate the theme of honesty.  The March kit from Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is full of goodies geared toward helping you tell your stories about honesty.

 

I focused on the boyish papers in the kit...the orange, blues and reds.  I am so in love with the wood veneer shapes!  There is a bag of embellishments that really helps me be creative.  And I have this handsome kid to use as my subject!  I love this photo.  It really captures his quiet soul.  I kept the page simple, really focusing on pops of color.

 

I wrote about how honest he is.  He wears his heart on his sleeve. I am a lucky mom!

 

 

 

 

Top 10 of the Year

Before I welcome in the New Year, I wanted to look back on 2011...it was a great scrappy year for me!  I joined two amazing teams and remained on two that I adore.  I played around with my style a bit...further trying to get in my groove.  It seemed to work on a productivity level...knowing who you are as a scrapper allows you to work freely and quickly!

This year, I had many favorites.  Some speak to me because of the design and others because of the story!

Here we go:

This is a recent one...I love the bold pink and how the hearts worked out.  I am so excited about the Clean & Simple Webster's line...

I love this photo of my son...it is my absolute favorite!  I love the randomness of this design too (ironic since it features Crate Random).

I adored my entries for the Bella team...I was actually between this one and another I did, but it is out for pub...so this one it is!

I just like how free this one is and that side strip...makes me happy!

Again, something about the banner and the clustering...I know, it is a Crate layout!  I really love their stuff!  Crate are you listening...I love you!

A sentimental one...Trish and I go back a long way...I really struggled with this paper line by My Mind's Eye for a few days...then it all just happened and I was so thrilled with this...

 

Same My Mind's Eye line...I meant to do a sunshine ray thingy here...didn't work and this is what I ended up with...love those accidents!

I just love the loops on this...shows off the patterns!  And I love Lilybee!

This one has such a story...it means the world to me!  Webster's Pages....

I think the photo on here makes me swoon...and I love the black, white and red!  This is using Teresa Collins!

I think this is my favorite from the year...it just speaks to me on all levels.  I got that "I love this" feeling as I made it! Those dresses...I LOVE them... Webster's Pages!

It has been a productive year...I can't wait for the next one!  I have a bit of a fresh start with a new look for the blog...now onward to creating!  Here's to many more layouts to come!

Happy New Year!

At Home: Celebrations

at home this weekend, we were on the go...constantly.

We went on the Polar Express, had a playdate, saw the fire truck Santa and hosted a brunch.  We are a tired bunch.

I took some photos of my front porch and how it is styled for the holiday...but the honest truth is that I didn't even have time to edit them. 

So I will share a layout and try again next week!  or maybe even on a different day this week...because this is real life and things happen!

Tonight, a layout...one I made a while back but didn't share...it features My Mind's Eye and came from the October My Scrapbook Nook kit!  The boards are up and running again over there so come for a visit!

This layout is about my husband and his good friend, Jay...funny story.  They had a boy, named him Tate.  We had a son, named him Nathan (Nate).  We had a girl, named her Ella.  They had a girl, named her Stella.  and we both have dogs named Cooper.  Makes me giggle every time!

How I love this color combo!  That blue with the yellow...love it!

Happy Sunday!  I hope your weekend was full of fun and family!

Behind the Page: Using It All Up

Happy Saturday!  I am so craving the weekend today!  I hope to scrap a bit and take a ton of photos!  I wanted to share a page and give some background about how it was built.  I always love reading about how others construct their pages!  Everyone has a different take and it is interesting to get inside the creative mind!

I made this layout recently with my October Nook kit!  It features My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Sunshine...I have to say that this color palette is amazing!  I have been attracted to soft, almost monochromatic layouts recently so I gave it a whirl.

I started this page with the photo and the background papers and kinda built it up.  It was a process of adding different sized rectangles or strips in the right places.  The jazzy gold with the circles is meant to bring the eye to the photo. 

I made my own chipboard frame.  I love the look it gives to the picture.  I simply grabbed the packaging from the MME brads and used my Elmer's Craft Knife to cut out a rectangle.  I adhered it with pop dots!

I decided to add handmade hearts.  I used the old fold-a-rectangle-in-half-and-cut-half-a-heart-on-the-not-folded-side.  You open it up and have a symmetrical heart!  I then cut the inside of the heart out and used it to overlap.  I purposefully placed it up top because I don't do that often and I like how it brings out the photo.  I added little touches like the brads and the pin to give it all texture.

This element is heavy so I needed balance on the other side.  That led me to the bottom cluster.  I knew I wanted to put the circular brad and the numeral 7.  But those things didn't have enough substance.  So I added the stamp.  I actually stamped right onto the page, but it didn't look right.  So I stamped again on a piece of cardstock, cut it out and placed it over the other image with pop-dots.  The banners and twine give it the final touch of balance.

The touches of blue are placed in a visual triangle.  And those dark brown strips are from the cut-off strip of the 12 X 12 paper.  I like to use up as many of my materials as possible.

What is your process?  Link me up...I would love to see!

Monday's Musings

I find myself stopping lately.
Right in the middle of a moment.
To tell myself to freeze it and live in it for a few minutes.
To look around as if I am watching from somewhere else.
and to be grateful.

It is pretty cool and helps me to appreciate how many blessings I have...

I am feeling very self-reflective lately. 

Proud of the goals I have set this past year and how I have achieved them.  I pledged to push the reset button at work and I have.  I have told myself to develop some consistency and I have.  I wanted to be a better mom...more getting down on their level, sharing hugs and telling them the good stuff. I have and will...

I have a few things to focus on.  Things that are big...
but I believe I can do it. 

Once lost, I feel found.

Calls for a layout...

I used the October kit from My Scrapbook Nook featuring My Mind's Eye...beautiful kit, beautiful collection!  I love the little touches of bling!  I found inspiration in the strip that has the collection's name on it.  Instantly knew that I had to do this layout!

It is as important to step back and think about your hard work, celebrate it...as it is to do the work!

There are many more musings to come!

Scrapping for Others

Scrapping for other people is interesting...you are left with images you may or may not know the back story for.  There is also a certain amount of pressure as you want to leave them with a special keepsake.

Scrapping for others can be totally rewarding...especially when it is someone you have watched grow and blossom into a beautiful and talented young lady.  The subject of my latest layout is a former cheerleader...I was her coach for three years.  She made me nuts!  In a good way...

She was so driven and motivated.  I knew she would be successful in life.  And she is.  A teacher, just married, a great friend.  She actually know owns my first home...I am thrilled to know she is experiencing the positive energy the house holds.

I made this layout about her, for her.  It celebrates her wedding day!  I have several gorgeous pictures of her gorgeous day and hope to scrap them all for her.

Here is my first attempt:

I wanted the layout to be classic, simple...yet have enough bling and pop.  Just like Trish!  The papers in the My Mind's Eye Lost and Found line have lots of pattern.  To make the layout calm, yet interesting...I did a bit of handcutting!  I hope she loves it!

I used this layout for a Designer Showcase Challenge I am hosting over at The Nook this week!  I used the beautiful October kit!  The challenge is "A little bit goes a long way!"  Come visit and play along!

Scrapping for others keeps you fresh and makes you open your design eye differently.  Totally fun!

Where did that idea come from?

Where do you find your scrappy inspiration these days?  I am super addicted to Pinterest and you can find small elements of inspiration in other craft projects, gifts, and home decor photos.  I also love scrolling down my favorite scrappers blogs because it always makes me want to scrap!

We are having the last day of our virtual crop over at the Nook and there is so much eye-candy!  Our theme is "A Midsummer Night's Dream" with everything Shakespeare inspired!  I hosted two challenges and one of them involved the quote, "What a deformed theif fashion is."  I put together this inspiration board full of Elizabethan fashions.

The challenge is to steal inspiration and incorporate it into a layout!

Here is my take:

I know the layout is not Elizabethan...but it doesn't have to be.  What I did do was replicate the ruffle around the lady's necks.  Hence the scalloped circle with the smaller scalloped chipboard.

And the idea for the burlap twine under my title came from the corsetting on the dresses.  I knew I wanted to do a criss cross of some sort and this is how it turned out!  I love the little monochromatic detail it gives!

Inspiration is everywhere!  Maybe you just found some from the fashion above.  Thanks Shakespeare!

Supply Obsession

There are a few essentials that I cannot live without:  scissors, patterned paper, a good alphabet.  Maybe the simpliest, yet most powerful supply...my pen! 

It helps me to journal, which is a must do on every page.  I need a sturdy pen, fine point...Zig Writer is my man!  It helps me to add small details like dots to boring letters.  It also helps with adding frames of all sorts.

I relied heavily on my pen for this layout:

Good, old, reliable Kraft can be jazzed up with a pen!  I used it to add some pizzaz here and to make all the circles pop!

I started with the journaling spots and some smaller circles I cut from polka-dotted paper.  Once I had it laid out, but not glued, I decided to doodle the circles.  My technique?  I used the Happy circle to make the larger circles for the green #2 one.  I used the orange #3 to make the circle for the Happy.  And so on... In essence, I just made use of the supplies in front of me!



The rectangular shape here is not pen.  I used the Jillibean Soup stamp in the August Scrapbook Nook kit! This kit is so fun...beautiful bright oranges!  I did use my pen to make the lines and journal!

Speaking of journaling, be sure to sign up for Leah's journaling class over at the Nook.  She is such a talented writer and will have so much to share.  We are having a Virtual Crop on August 19th and 20th so be sure to come and play!

Bring your pen!  I know I will have mine!

Getting Creative

I got a trim card in the new August Nook kit...full of pretty ribbon.  I wanted to see what I could make from it.  There are numerous sources of inspiration over at Pinterest...it got me thinking...and playing!

I decided to make my own double decker ribbon flower. 

 
I twisted and turned and created the canvas petals!  Then I looped to make the gingham ones!  If you are interested in more information, head over to the Nook to see my technique class!

Here is the layout that showcases the flower:

I used the August kit featuring My Mind's Eye and Jillibean soup to make this layout!  I adore orange and this kit has a lot of it!  Check it out!

So, spill it...link me up...show me what you have gotten creative with in the past week!

Summer Lovin

You need a few things for the perfect summer...good weather, sunshine, happy kids, freetime and lots of activities!  It has been busy...but it is about to get good...real good!

Disney here we come...I can't believe this trip is here!  We are packed, have gone over the details with our housesitter, the kids are tucked in.  I can't wait to see their excitement.

Perfect summer day...has ice cream!

This is from a perfect weekend we just had hosting many friends and their families!  We got Ben and Jerry's...the kids were loving it.  There were some adults who were pretty happy too!

Made this layout using the fun-filled August kit from My Scrapbook Nook...loving these colors.

Looks perfect, huh!?

Hoping your day is full of sunshine!



Wishing you a very....

Only Two Days!

Every morning I get the countdown from the kids about how many days until Christmas.  That is the second thing out of their mouthes, right after they find our friendly house elf, Dash!  Oh Dash has been found many places...one morning swinging from the chandelier, another hanging upside down from a hook.  It has been fun.  But there are only so many hiding places!!!

I have another Christmas layout...about the tree, yet again!  I had to once I saw these adorable chipboard ornaments! 

Growing up, my mom always had theme trees.  All gold for a couple of years, victorian with feathers and birds, the year it was all wooden...including the garland.  And she filled every single spot on that tree.  Wrapped every branch with the lights.  It was quite a sight and something I won't ever forget!

Off to finish planning the dishes I will make for Christmas!

Before I go, here is the January kit from the Nook!  Looks awesome, huh!