Auntie Pool *The ScrapRoom*

Now I want you to know that allowing strangers (and friends) to get a gander of these thighs was a difficult decision...but I sucked it up for the sake of my niece and memories that needed to be captured :) An impromptu trip to Tennessee wasn't in my plans for that summer but my sister was very sick and in the critical care unit of the hospital. I spent some very  precious time with my niece Grace in her kiddie pool.

The chipboard icons come in the kit and the birdie was perfect to cover a dark area on my photo.

You can also purchase the entire package of coordinating chip icons in The ScrapRoom Store!

The scalloped border punch is from Martha Stewart and reminded me of waves.

  Doodlebug brads, button from the kit, Micheals dollar spot felt flowers and AC Thickers of course :)

My trusty Cricut and the Straight From the Nest cartridge for the tree. The little bird needed a place for her nest.

October Afternoon journaling spots from the February Embellishment kit.

Journaling cards are also included in the February Flavor of the Month Kit!

Stop on by The ScrapRoom and check out some amazing deals, there are many items in the store and a great clearance section in addition to the kits :)

Don't forget to enter my giveaway by commenting on the previous post by February 14th!

For You Santa *The ScrapRoom*

Leaving cookies out for Santa is a tradition I really miss. No more wide eyed wonder at the empty plate in the morning or arguments about which cookies were Santa's favorite. The truth came out this year during a conversation we had while I was looking through photos and the kids were peeking over my shoulder. Matthew admits that in his later years he would sneak downstairs and eat some of the cookies! (and I thought Eric was the one!) He looked so guilty admitting this even though he knows now that Santa wasn't eating them :)

More Christmas goodness from the December Flavor of the Month kit from The ScrapRoom.

Fussy cut the banner from patterned paper and added some Thickers :)

This Santa is from the Winter Frolic Cricut cartridge, I love that I can reverse the image with the Expression. Added some Stickles for that extra bling factor.

Now I'm off to "snuggle" with my teens and watch a movie. Christmas was my holiday off this year and starting tomorrow I have to pay the price for having 4 days off (if you don't figure being on call and called in) with a 4 day stretch over New Years. Adding in Wednesday and a 12 hour call slot on Thursday :( I really need to look at the big picture when I'm signing up for call and not do that to myself!

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Kisses *The ScrapRoom*

Mimi has a habit of sitting in my lap and giving me hugs and kisses, hopefully she'll never outgrow this habit! My sister in law Debbie took these photos, Thank you Debbie!

If you check out The ScrapRoom Blog you can see my tutorial on stitching :)

Fussy cut the string of ornaments.

This "package" is stinkin' cute! Added the baker's twine bow with a little Tombow glue.

As you can see by my last 3 posts... The ScrapRoom's Flavor of the Month kit is awesome!

One more layout to share form this kit coming up :)

Welcome... *The ScrapRoom*

home baby Mariel! Only 14 years later :P I started Mimi's baby album when I first began scrapbooking but quickly became sidetracked. It was hard to stay motivated with such a small selection of baby patterned papers. Over the years I've learned to adapt other collections for my needs. The Dear Lizzy "5th & Frolic" collection is a perfect example. Grey + bright pastels = baby!

Inspired by a Susan Stringfellow sketch.

The splatters remind me of confetti and add some softness.

Inked the edges of all the patterned papers.

Mimi's first nurse was one of my best friends, Brenda. Love the photo of Eric holding her for the first time. I was able to crop out most of the dark background.

Is this garland stinkin' cute or what!?

Love this "Polaroid" paper, perfect for journaling.

Some of the lovely chipboard included in the kit.

Pop on over to The ScrapRoom and look through the store, Tammy has past kits for sale and more!Then head on over to the blog for even more inspiration :)

123 U R Sweet as Can Be *The ScrapRoom*

Crate Paper "Acorn Avenue" has an eclectic mix of papers and embellishments, just right for everyday photos and Fall too! It can be found in the November Flavor of the Month" kit at The ScrapRoom. This line is one of the four different lines in her "Flavor of the Month" kits. Whenever I have a photo I love, I tend to make it the only photo on my layout and this one was no exception.

The number chipboard really caught my eye.

The Next Katniss  was created with Cosmo Cricket's "Smore's Love". I love it when I can use a themed line for a non themed layout :) The sweet little owl seemed appropriate along with the trees for an archery layout.

This layout is based on a sketch by sketchinspiration.ning.com and is part of The ScrapRoom's sketch challenge for the month.

The letter stickers aren't included but the chipboard leaves and trees are, and half of a chipboard sheet!

Stop on by The ScrapRoom to check out this months kit and the The ScrapRoom Blog for inspiration!

Work It! * The ScrapRoom* (Out for Publication)

I was giddy with excitement when I saw the November ScrapRoom Flavor of the Month kit! It was full of great new product like  Pebbles "Seen & Noted". Bright colors and fun patterns...right up my alley :) I love to take the icons in the paper and make my own embellishments, like these flowers.

Of course I had to use my Cricut :) Made these tags by cutting a regular sized tag apart and placing a piece on either side of the photostrip.

A few circle punches and a heart punch and voila...a cute flower!

The centers of the aqua flowers are from the sticker sheet included in the kit.

Basic Grey has the greatest little letter stickers, just the right size to create small batches of journaling.

Can't wait to use some more of this line to

create another layout and some cards. The sticker sheet has a few perfect sentiment stickers!

Pop on over to The ScrapRoom and check out Tammy's awesome kits and check out the ScrapRoom Blog for some inspiration!

Living In Paradise

That's how I feel when I'm walking around my yard marveling at the beauty God has created! Each year I take multitudes of photos that just beg to be made into a layout. The problem is that they are all so colorful it's hard to choose paper and embellishments that don't compete.This year I gave in to the color and used some gorgeous floral Basic Grey paper with even more colorful flowers :) The pop of yellow on the left seems to balance it nicely.

My interpretation of a Creating Keepsakes sketch.

 

I love Basic Grey sticker sheets. They have so many cute icons, aren't the birdies sweet! Martha Stewart border punch and my ever favorite Thickers.

 

I loved how the sketch mixed squares with circles.

 

Prima and Recollections flowers.

Splattering on the background helped keep it from looking too stark. 

 

Another sticker from the sheet, such a pretty journaling spot.

Dad is slowly getting around. The catheter in his chest is quite annoying to him and necessitates sponge baths instead of showers. Hoping the new fistula will be ready in another month or so. Thankfully it's football season and he's semi distracted!

Matthew had an awesome last game of the season with several tackles, 2 quarterback sacks (one sent the quarterback to the hospital :/ Sorry to his Mom), and he ran a 2 point conversion in for his first ever points!!! They moved him up to Varsity for playoffs, hope it goes well. My nails will be gone before the game is over :(

My poor Mimi is burning the candle at both ends. Volleyball, Colorguard, Student Council, Peer Helping, Health Careers Club and I could go on! She is sick with an ear infection now. Thankfully her last Colorguard appearance will be next weekend, so no more practices in the cold & rain.

Off to bed, work tomorrow. As they say...no rest for the wicked!

 

1st Salon Haircut *The ScrapRoom*

 The Flavor of the Month kit from The ScrapRoom, is full of awesomeness! This layout uses the Persnickety line by Lily Bee Design. Each design has the very trendy chevron pattern on the "B" side in a coordinating color! Perfect for any project. 

Mimi was thrilled to have 1st salon haircut last year. I think the stylist thought I was crazy...but that's not the first time I've gotten those looks :) You can see how much she has changed by looking at the photos in this previous post. She has contacts now and her braces came off in October of last year.

 

The "Recipe Card" (step by step instructions) are available at The ScrapRoom if you are a subscriber. Each month our designers create a recipe card with one of the kits available!

 

Fussy cut the "You" banner from the index journaling card, slid the rest of card behind photo and then added the "You" on top with foam squares.

 

Thickers...Yum!

 

So easy to draw lines for journaling. No trips to the computer or preplanning involved, just the way I like it!

Used spray ink to color the "Terrific" and backed with dark paper.

Fussy cut the embellishments ( they look like the Wedding Ring quilt pattern) added a threaded button and foam squares.

My Dad came through surgery without problems but in a lot of pain. He has an incision from just below his elbow to his armpit and a catheter stitched to his chest on the other side to get dialysis from until the new fistula is ready. Spending lots of time helping him get around as he isn't suppose to put pressure on either side or lift anything bigger than 5lbs.

On a happy note...Matthew was nominated as a Homecoming Prince candidate. His picture was on the school Facebook page and will be in the local paper. Unfortunately it looks like a mug shot!

Thanks for stopping by :)

Leaving On a Jet Plane *The ScrapRoom* {Out for publication}

The Peter, Paul and Mary version just popped into my head when I came across these photos. You younger gals won't have any idea what I'm talking about, I'm showing my age again! The Amy Tangerine line "Ready, Set, Go" was part of my Flavor of the Month kit from The ScrapRoom and it worked perfectly for this layout. This was the the first time we'd ever flown as a family and the first time ever for the kids.

 

Cut the giant "United States" with the Stand and Salute Cricut cartridge. It was the 1st time I've used the 12"x24" mat and it was pretty easy. Deciding where to position the paper is another story.

Smooch spray ink in the background. I can't believe I'm using this stuff on almost every layout. There was a day when I said I hated it!

 I love it when a collection comes with lined or grid paper, it makes journaling a snap :)

Fun icon stickers and cute little puffy stickers

I was a little nervous about flying as a family and I think Matthew was too :)

I know these Thickers are from a previous Amy Tangerine line but they worked perfectly.

Check out the The ScrapRoom Blog for more fun ideas!

The Easter Bunny Was Here!

This particular year he was at our church and left dozens of plastic eggs right out in the open! Matthew was all of 2 1/2 and Mariel was 6 months, my how the time flies. These photos were taken with the cruddy camera I had at the time. Every single background I took with this camera is DARK :( No amount of Photoshopping will help, believe me I've tried. I decided I would just scrap them anyway and make the best of it. 

Most Easter paper is light and pastel, not really what is needed for these pics. Miss Caroline by My Minds Eye seemed a good fit. Used a sketch I found on the Scrapbook Trends submissions site.

This was one of those layouts that I fussed and fussed over and just didn't like. Finally called it done and gave up. I decided it's because the paper is just too light for these dark photos. Unfortunately nothing else in my stash seemed appropriate for Easter photos.

 

This sweet little bunny is from the Kate's ABC's Cricut cartridge. Layered and accented with Prima paper flowers, Doodlebug & Kaiser Kraft pearls, marker and Glossy Accents.

 

 Used (come on, you know what comes next...) Thickers! 

 

Accented with some Little Yellow Bicycle  leaf pins and Crate Paper diecuts.

Hope you had a great weekend! It was rainy and cold here. Gave me an excuse to scrapbook :) Spent today with two of my favorite friends and our kids. First we visited the local antique mall and shops, then we went to see "The Odd Life of Timothy Green." Loved it! Sobbed through the end. It's a good thing I nabbed extra napkins, my friends both needed them too :) The kids just couldn't see why we were so emotional. You just can't appreciate the feelings it invoked unless you've been a parent. I'm not Roger Ebert but I give it 4 stars!

HMS Art Fair * The ScrapRoom*

We R Memory Keepers Hall Pass is the featured second half of The ScrapRoom's September Doubleshot Kit. Love the colors in this line! The kit is full of cute brads and versatile wooden buttons, and baker's twine.

When I saw the bracket diecut in the kit I immediately thought of a layout I'd done for a sketch challenge at Club Creating Keepsakes. "Big Smile" was chosen to be published in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine. This time I changed it up a bit, using different photos sizes, changing the title and journaling placement, then creating a banner to span both pages.

As seen in the January/February 2012 issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine. Copyright Creative Crafts Group.

Went for an artsy look with some splattering and used spray ink on the wooden buttons

and then did some dry brushing

Created the badge by layering punches and a fabric brad. Turned out pretty darn cute if I do say so myself :)

Stitched the centers from the border punch to create the banner.

Now the journaling.

Pop by later this week for yet another layout using the WRMK Hall Pass line. Love to see your comments :)