Friday, April 30, 2010

a few more layouts...

I was thinking I had already shared these on my blog...but I can't find them - so I wanted to add them quickly.

I used Cosmo Cricket - Garden Variety for both layouts.

I just love the bright colors and fun patterns - yep...you know I love my polka-dots! :o)

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I also used THESE chipboard letters - love the wood-grain style.

And if you look very closely you can see the tiny red letter stickers that I used. 

They are perfect for sub-titles, journaling, captions, etc. 

You can see all of the available colors here.

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That's it for today...but be sure to come back tomorrow. 

I have some fun things to share for National Scrapbook Day! :o)

that's it...

I'm going to town to buy myself some beautiful spring flowers.  cut flowers.  in a vase. 

Because I certainly can't enjoy the live flowers growing in my flower beds when they look like this:043010_snowandflower_filtered

Honestly.  It's the last day of April.  Let's hope May brings SPRING with it!

Last night was the annual Pinewood Derby.  All three boys entered cars.  Of course, Josh's was the only "official" racer, but the little boys had a good time too.  Brad was awesome and helped all three boys create the cars just like they wanted to.  I was proud of him for not taking it too seriously like some dads do (no one in particular...but you know what I mean, right?).  He just wanted the boys to have a good experience, have fun, and enjoy making their own cars just like they wanted.

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The track they used last night was older...and a bit greasy...check out Josh's fingers.  eww.

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I especially loved that my tender-hearted kiddo was such a good sport this year.  Even though he didn't win, he was happy for the boys who did.  He smiled.  He had a great time.  There were no tears involved.  none.  I am so proud of him!

So...since the weather outside is so icky, I'm hoping to stay inside tomorrow and enjoy some more scrapping time - with a little house project or two thrown in.  How about you? What are your plans for NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY?!?

Thursday, April 29, 2010

silhouette blog hop...

 Welcome Blog Hoppers! :o)

I am so excited to be participating as one of the stops on today's Silhouette blog hop!

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I love using my Silhouette - it's so versatile and easy to use.  I can find almost any shape or image I could ever need in their store - and they are constantly adding more incredible pieces...at least once a week!  I also love that I can cut out any font or ding on such a variety of materials...and that's just the tip of the iceberg!

I fell in love with the "cute fruits" set as soon as I saw it listed in the "new designs" section last week.  It went straight into my cart and then I daydreamed for a few days about how to use it.  I have several ideas...but this is the one I was most excited about:

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a few close-up pictures:

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silhouette_cherries

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super cute fruits...right?!?

I used several different Cosmo Cricket papers for all of the piecing work (see my supply list below).  I love it - it's bright and fun and happy and it's going to look great above my kitchen cabinets.

I also fell in love with the dear lizzy bicycle and couldn't wait to cut it from vinyl and put it on my wall in my office - right above my magnet board:

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Thanks for stopping by - please come back and visit me again soon! 

Don't forget to stop by the Silhouette blog for fun ideas every day! 

There's also a big sale this week on Silhouette shapes - only .75 per shape!  Or you can buy a subscription for 10% off.  Products in the store are also on sale - buy 2 get 1 free!  Be sure to visit their site!

Your next stop on the blog hop will be to the super sweet and immensely talented:

Nichol Magouirk!

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have a great day! :o)

cosmo cricket stamps (and a chance to win)...

Hey there everyone!  I know what you're thinking - wow!  this girl is amazing - two posts in ONE day! lol.  I would love to spread these out a bit, but I'm just too excited to share with you - so go ahead and think I'm amazing...I'm sure I'll prove you wrong when I go a week at a time without posting someday, lol.  Anyway... on to the important stuff!!

Have you seen these yet?!?  Obviously, if you jumped over here from the Cosmo Cricket blog, you have...but they are BRAND NEW - and they are awesome!

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Cosmo Cricket has teamed up with Unity Stamps and created these fabulous stamp sets for us!

Here are a couple of projects I created yesterday:

a sweet little card:

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and a layout (which is also on the Cosmo Cricket blog today):

cc_unity_sewcute_layout_wendysue

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Speaking of the Cosmo Cricket Blog...you might want to pop on over there if you haven't been there yet today - especially if you'd like a chance to WIN some of these great stamps for yourself! :o)

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

american crafts and pebbles...

Two super cute scrapbooking companies are joining forces this week - American Crafts and Pebbles.  Today it was my turn to share some fun creations on the American Crafts blog using AC and Pebbles combined.  I have to say that combining the products from these two manufacturers seemed very natural - the colors and styles coordinate so well! 

Here's a peek at one of my projects...but you'll have to visit the blog to see the entire thing - and a few more projects I created!

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Every day this week, designers from both companies are mixing and matching to create super fun projects to share with you.  Be sure to check the American Crafts Blog and the Pebbles Blog every day this week to see what we've all been working on -- and be sure to leave a comment each day to be entered into a random drawing to win some Pebbles and American Crafts goodies from the newest collections released at this past winter CHA show. :o)

Monday, April 26, 2010

a week long celebration...

I just wanted to pass this information along, in case you didn't already read about it.  I'll be participating...I hope you will too! 

(This is straight from the Creating Keepsakes site):

As scrapbookers, we know that one of the best days of the year is National Scrapbooking Day. In addition to that May 1 Saturday extravaganza, the Creating Keepsakes team will be hosting a weeklong online event entitled "Celebrating Scrapbooking: CK's Countdown to National Scrapbooking Day."

So mark your calendars to join us here at Club CK and also on the CK blog April 26-May 1. We'll be celebrating with amazing articles and activities like these:

* Tips for organizing stickers,

* A downloadable cover of Creating Keepsakes magazine where you can easily add your own layout to the cover,

* Photography tips for portraits and layouts,

* Videos from CK contributing writers and Dream Team members sharing their all-time favorite layouts,

* Lots of page sketches,

* Creative challenges,

* Free fonts,

* Downloadable journaling spots,

* Top tips for journaling, design, and techniques,

* And so much more!

You can even download a blinkie in anticipation of the celebration.

Join us each day throughout the week. Plus, set aside the full day on May--we'll have new happenings every hour, and you won't want to miss out on the fun!

--Brittany Beattie, Club CK social director

join me today...

...over on the Making Memories Blog for a fun little design technique challenge. :)mm_sanding_layout2

{I cannot access my hotmail account today so if you need to contact me, please use this e-mail address}

Friday, April 23, 2010

i wish this would work...

Dear snow,

Please go away.  I am so over you.  Granted, you are beautiful...and you do have a lot to offer...but sometimes even the most beautiful things need to take a break.  You have overstayed your welcome.  I know you think you are welcome here whenever you want to come.  What, with our ski resorts and snowmobiles and such, it's understandable how you might be confused.  But I am here because I want to be your friend.  The kind of friend who is willing to be honest with you.  We had softball tryouts last night.  softball.  In case you did not know, softball is NOT a winter sport.  That means we have moved on.  We tried to be subtle...our tulips are coming up, our grass has started to turn green, we have even been buying short-sleeved shirts and sandals.  But you just don't seem to get it.  You really need to go now.  Take a break.  Enjoy your vacation.  Come back again in 7 or 8 months.  We'll be happy to see you again when you arrive.  But for now...please just go.

Thank you.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

happy earth day...

smiley_planet_earth

{source}

I think I have Nick Jr. to thank for Seth's excitement over Earth Day.  Seriously - he's been asking for over a month..."how many days until April 22nd?"  Apparently, today there are several new shows and lots of fun activities going on over at Nick Jr. today.  I'm sure he's counting down the minutes until Kindergarten is over so he can come home and celebrate Earth Day - because his "Nick friends are helping to save the planet all day long"!

He was so excited (??) for Earth Day that he couldn't sleep last night.  I was up late working, so he joined me in my office and drew his very own Earth.

seth_earth copy 3

Right after he woke up this morning he ran into my office and asked if it was Earth Day.  Then he asked where his earth was (I'd stacked a few papers on top of it in my efforts to clear some working space on my table) - he pulled it out and sat it on top of everything so I wouldn't forget what today was.

Only two more hours...and the celebration begins! 

I hope you enjoy Earth Day as much as we are going to!  :o)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

another piece...

...of vintage groove jewelry.  This one was inspired by a bracelet I saw that was created by a friend of Laura's.   I just added my own twist to it - that's what is so fun about this vintage groove jewelry making collection - it's possible to create dozens of jewelry pieces with the same elements and they will all be a bit different - love it!

mm_bracelet1

Have you tried it yet?  Would you like to?  The nice folks from Making Memories are doing a random act of kindness for their Facebook fans. They will be choosing one winner every day!  All you have to do is become a fan, visit their FB page daily and post a comment to be entered in.  Go HERE to get started.  Good luck! :o)

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

dare to dream...

Last week I was asked to join the talented gals at the Get Sketchy blog.  The sketch was a fun one - I really enjoyed working with it and it inspired me to do something a little bit interactive. 

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You can see the sketch and the Get Sketchy team cards here.

I was so excited to use some of the gorgeous pieces from Little Yellow Bicycle's Clothesline line. :o)

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Monday, April 19, 2010

home again, home again, jiggity, jig...

We're baaa-aack.   Did you even notice I was gone? lol.  We pulled in the driveway earlier tonight, unloaded the van, unpacked the suitcases, threw some clothes in the washer, bathed the kiddos, and everyone else crashed.  I, however, have not so much as checked my e-mail the entire time we were gone, so I had to sneak in a little bit of computer time before my head hit the pillow. 

Just a little re-cap of what we've been up to - in the last 8 days we:

  • logged around 2000 miles on the good ol' mini-van
  • spent 8 solid days together (in very close quarters...all six of us...good times! ;))
  • ate way too many deep fried items
  • rode on a bus/shuttle 6 times
  • saw Mickey, Minnie, and various other characters
  • learned to draw pooh bear
  • sat outside Disneyland while the entrance was closed due to a bomb threat
  • rode on Splash Mountain TWICE - no waiting line during the fireworks!
  • lost a little 4 year-old for a short time (traumatizing to all of us)
  • spent a bit of time at the ocean
  • collected shells
  • didn't sell our house while we were gone (darn!)
  • hiked a little
  • visited an old mining/ghost town
  • spent some time with Brad's mom (but missed her on the way back home)
  • spent time with my family
  • took a bunch of photos
  • enjoyed some great weather and sunshine (we all got a little color after a long long white winter)
  • shopped
  • drank a lot of water
  • watched more scooby-doo episodes than I can count (actually I just listened, but the kiddos watched them all the way to and from California...how did people ever take little kids on road trips before DVD players were put in cars?!?)
  • discovered exactly how brave Zach is (and how unbrave someone else may or may not be)
  • used a GPS for the first time ever (borrowed from my parents...but I think it's going to be at the top of my wish-list now  -  seriously...maps schmaps)
  • enoyed being "unplugged" (i didn't even use my cell phone)
  • remembered how nice it is to come home...no matter how fun the trip was...

I will definitely be blogging more about our trip - and sharing some pictures - but being gone for over a week has definitely put me behind schedule - lots of fun things coming up...I'll share more soon! :o)

Friday, April 09, 2010

vintage groove necklaces...

Last weekend, I spent some time sitting here...

conference_jewelry

...at a fold-out table in front of the TV watching General Conference and creating some fun necklaces!  We were actually supposed to attend the Sunday Morning Conference Session in Salt Lake City, but since Mother Nature decided to dump a foot of snow on us the night before, we decided to stay home - and off the slick and snow-packed roads.

I was excited to spread out my new Jewelry-making goodies I received from Making Memories - their new Vintage Groove Jewelry Line is amazing!

Here is the first necklace I made:

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And the second:

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I've already worn both of these necklaces and received so many sweet compliments - it's so fun to be able to say I put them together myself!  And the best thing about it is that ANYONE can do it!  It's so easy!  You can go to the Making Memories Jewelry site to see demos, photos, and read tips and tricks - then you can make your own fun jewelry too!

Thursday, April 08, 2010

abode cards...

While I had all of my fun ABODE products out last weekend to work on this layout,

I decided to make a few fun cards too.

They are really simple, but I love the bright colors and they will be good to have on hand:

ac_blender_card

(gotta love the names of these papers too...the one above is called "rockin' lane"

I love the Remarks Sticker sheets included with this line -

lots of cute "punny" phrases and super cute images! 

Don't you just love that blender??

ac_couch_card

(the main paper I used on the background here is varnished -embossed- and it's called "somerdale road")

 

I made two more cards as well - they are actually my favorite of the four -

and you can see them on the American Crafts Blog HERE. :o)

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

family family family...

This is a spread I created last year for Making Memories - love the FLUTTER collection! :o)flutter_layout_2pages

The pictures of the project aren't great...but they're all I have.

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You can see their "remodeled" version of my layout here...it's for an "intermediate SLICE class."

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Be sure to check out their site to see where they will be teaching soon!

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Patterned Papers - pink brocade, green lattice, pattern stripe

Trims (butterflies and pom-poms)

Flowers

Slice

Vintage Findings Design Card (It's on SALE here right now!)

Foam Tabs