Wednesday, March 31, 2010

road trip and relax...

I guess I keep thinking if I continue scrapping spring and summer photos the SNOW will STOP FALLING on us!  I hope it works!

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You can see (and purchase) all of Cosmo Crickets JOY RIDE line here.  The fun black chipboard letters can be found here.  And those cute little black letter stickers (tiny type) are here and here.

And here's one more layout with some photos from a trip to the lake last summer...the same lake that, today, is one huge ice cube!

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snorkel_layout_detail1

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You can find this fun summer line of products, called Snorkel, here. 

I like using these to add dimension to my pages...I go through a LOT of them!

Won't you go scrap some summer photos too?  Maybe if enough of us do it, we can usher in the sunshine! :o)

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

a mother's day layout...

Since Mother's Day is just around the corner (not really...but sort of), I thought I should probably scrapbook last year's photos.  So last night I sat down with a few photos I've had sitting here for quite a while and pulled out my brand new packet of beautiful  "I Do" papers from American Crafts.  And here's my layout:

mothers_day_09_spread

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mothers_day_09_detail2 mothers_day_09_detail3

And since I ended up with several scraps of patterned paper, I decided to go ahead and use them up.

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leftovers_card_iloveyou2

It was a pretty productive night, wouldn't you say?

mothers_day_set

supplies2

patterned paper (small print and large print)

lullaby thickers (in charcoal) - i love these.

white textured cardstock

3" organza flower (isn't it gorgeous??  It took me forever to find these online and I finally found them on amazon (why have I never thought to look on amazon for scrapbooking supplies before???   i think I'll be buying more colors very soon! I especially love this crisp white flower.)

trim (cream lace)

border punch (this one and this one)

corner rounder

journaling block

my favorite journaling pen (I usually use the 03 tip)

trinket pins

5/8" ivory grosgrain ribbon (I bought mine at Robert's, but I think this is the same ribbon on Amazon)

Monday, March 29, 2010

me & you...

It's not very often Brad and I are in a photo together.  I can't remember which one of our kids snapped this picture last Spring, but I love it.  Not that we're looking our greatest or anything - this was taken at Brad's mom's house - it was the last day of our week-long vacation last year.  We stopped at her house in southern Utah on our way home from California...so this is after about 8 hours (straight) in the van...ah, good times.  (and we're crazy enough to be doing it again in just a few weeks!)

Anyway...it's just a little 6x6 page I made for Making Memories - using the Flutter Collection.CHA_Winter2010_Projects_10

I cut the "me & you" right out of the photo with my Slice, then I raised the photo with foam squares (I LOVE those things!)

flutter_6x6_meandyou_layout_detail

I keep hoping if I look at enough Spring photos and products, I might be able to convince myself that Spring is coming.  The snow in my front yard kind of hinders that line of thinking though.  And so does tomorrow's forecast - yep...more snow!  Oh well...at least today is looking kind of sunny, so far...

supplies2 

Slice Digital Die-Cut Machine

Words & Expressions

Patterned Paper

Felt Flowers

Green Trim

Foam Adhesive

Friday, March 19, 2010

inspired by a photo...

My latest Making Memories blog assignment was to use this photo ad as inspiration for a layout:

Here's a little peek (or two) at the layout I created:

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pb_inspired_layout_detail2

You can see the entire layout and read about how I was inspired by the ad by visiting the Making Memories blog today. :)

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Patterned Paper (I cut the vine from this sheet) (this is the background)

Slice

Slice "Home Sweet Home" card

3-dimensional accent flowers

My favorite white cardstock

my favorite journaling pen

and tons of these foam squares (behind almost every single hand-cut leaf)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

crazy cute...

I sure do love this little guy - he makes me smile every single day. 

He is super sweet and sensitive and smart and crazy cute!

cc_layout_crazycute

This layout was published in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine.  I made it shortly after The Boyfriend line was released by Cosmo Cricket.  I loved it then - and it's still one of my favorites! 

I thought I'd share a fun little trick I used to create the title. 

The "CRAZY" portion of the title came directly from this sticker sheet:

I wanted to add the word "CUTE" and I wanted it to coordinate with the "CRAZY."  So...I used my scissors to cut the background of the sticker sheet - removing the entire piece around the empty "CRAZY" squares.  There is a slight border around these stickers.  I only needed four spaces for the word "CUTE," so I cut one piece off and I was left with four "frames."  I placed these on the layout where I wanted to add the word "CUTE."

Next, I took the alphabet rub-ons that coordinate with this line:

And I added the gray letters within the sticker frames.

cute_detail

I love that there are so many coordinating elements to every Cosmo Cricket line - it makes it easy and fun to create pieces to use along with the cute existing elements.

cute_journaling

Of course, I also had to add hand-written journaling with my favorite pen...and you knew there had to be machine stitching somewhere, right?

Friday, March 12, 2010

gumball gifts...

A couple of weeks ago I was at Walmart and I found myself wandering down the Easter Candy aisle.  (imagine!!!  peeps, anyone??)   There were so many cute little "basket stuffers" everywhere.  But when I saw these super cute mini gumball machines, I couldn't help myself - I had to buy one of each color. 

bumballs

There was also a big empty box that had previously been filled with pink machines - but I couldn't find any pink ones anywhere.  I brought them home and sat them in my office - and today I decided they would make cute little gifts ANYTIME of the year - obviously not just for Easter.  They are cute with their little gingham bows, but I wanted to dress them up a little more, so I pulled out some super cute American Crafts products and got busy.

gumball_gifts 

gumball_gifts_blue

supplies2

yellow grid paper

star ribbon

rub-on letters

rub-on pennant

soccer ball embellishment

white cardstock

circle punch

corner rounder

gumball_gifts_yellow

supplies2

yellow grid paper

ribbon

rub-on letters

rub-on bird

sticker sentiment

Wouldn't these make super cute party favors?  or fun game prizes?  or bribery tools/rewards? :o)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

do you wanna...

...vote?

 Scrapbooking Tips and Tricks

You can help Creating Keepsakes choose the cover for their next issue of Tips & Tricks.  You can read their blog post about it here.  Or you can go directly to the candidates here.  (yes, I created one of the options...and they told me I could tell you which one, but I don't want to - just vote for your favorite!)

...win?

33803_Spiral_Journaling_Book

Making Memories is giving away a sample of their new FLUTTER collection to three lucky winners!  Be sure to visit their blog and leave a comment for a chance to win.  You can view (and purchase) the entire collection by clicking here.

...peek?

ac_boutanique_layout_detail1

I created a layout for the American Crafts blog using their super fun Spring line called Boutanique.  I can only show you a peek here, but you can visit their blog to see my entire layout.  You can also view the entire line (and purchase it, of course) here!

Monday, March 08, 2010

bits and pieces...

   ...just a few random things I wanted to record on my blog.  Let's get the creepiest thing over with first:

snake_filtered

Yep...that's my kid (the good looking one, of course) - holding a huge, heavy, scary snake.  Did I mention it was huge?  and scary?

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Good thing I have a zoom lens on my camera, because I was NOT going to get any closer to that thing!  snake3_filtered

For the Blue & Gold banquet, the scout leaders arranged for this really fun and entertaining (and educational) presentation - it involved lots of reptiles, lots of excited kids, and plenty of uneasy moms.

I have also been spending some quality time working on a little project I like to call "taxes."

taxes1

What?  You don't use your laundry basket as a garbage can/sorting aid?

taxes2

Piles and piles...stacks and stacks...

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organized and filed away...and now everything is recorded on a spreadsheet and ready to drop off to our accountant. :)

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of course, there was plenty of this involved:  (I think these cans are the cutest!)

diet_coke

And...I added back some blonde.  what?  you didn't know the blonde was gone?

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It was.  I decided to try being a brunette last autumn.  I liked it for about a week.  new_hair_color_110409

Then it started fading.  And it got ugly.  Very ugly.  Add that to the ugly haircut I got on New Years Eve...and I've been pretty unhappy with my hair for several months.  Glad to have found a new hair girl I am happy with (my last favorite hair girl had TRIPLETS (gasp!!!) in December, so I have no idea when she'll be back to work).  I kept some dark...but I think next time I'll get a little more blonde added back in.

One more random thing...I am so grateful for a sweet friend who dropped by with delicious homemade bread "just because." :o)

homemade_bread

...okay, that's all for now...happy Monday! :o)

Thursday, March 04, 2010

enjoy the little things...

I made this frame last autumn for O'Scrap...and I think it's one of my favorite "home decor" pieces I've ever put together.  The frame is from Target - it has three 4" x 6" openings...meant for photos, but nobody says they HAVE to hold photos, right?  I removed the glass and went to town!

enjoy_frame

I absolutely LOVE O'Scrap's felt flowers - they are thick and sturdy and the colors are gorgeous.

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The chipboard letters are actually from American Crafts - one of my favorite fun styles - Jewelry Box.

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I've always been a fan of O'Scrap's sampler papers - I love gingham and dots! :o)

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Those buttons aren't regular buttons at all...they're button hugs - two different sizes that snap together!  And I've definitely inherited my love of words from my mom - she loves a good quote, and so do I...this is one of my faves. :o)