Finally!!!

It's about time! We finally have an In & Out Burger in Utah! and I was finally able to get there for Lunch!

The place was packed and the line went around the restaurant. The drive-thru takes up HALF of Target's parking lot... but it was quick and we were able to find a table-for-two in the far corner... Yum, it was SO worth it.

My grandma Mimi would be 99 today. Man, she would scoff at such a comment. I remember teasing her, we would ask her her age, and when she'd shave a dozen or so years off, we'd call her out with our stellar math skills... subtract 10 from whatever year we were in... wow, we were smart! Smart-asses...

She was a fun lady, and a great sport. I sure wish my youngest sisters knew her the way I did. I REALLY wish Belle & Jules could know her.

Happy #99 Mimi! I love you!

December means Time for Fun

Head over to Sketches: Creatively Yours for a contest, a freebie and lots of great creations! Hurry!

If you're motivated to enter the contest, be sure to say I sent you!

isn't this kitty cute?

Hurry.... there's more cuteness!

Another Assignment Posted

About the same time we were celebrating Julian's 3rd birthday, my layout of his 1st birthday photo shoot was created then posted at Sketches: Creatively Yours.

I don't know why it took me 2 years to get to these photos, I guess I didn't want to mess them up. Once I started looking through them, I had a really hard time choosing just two... they were all so cute. I finally decided on these sweet shots of Julian with his mommy. I am so inspired by the relationship between my sister and her kids, she's a great mom.

The sketch I followed for this layout was created by Ann Seleshanko and the papers are MAMBI from last year's fall collection.

I've actually been anxious to share this layout on my blog and was unable to until it was posted at Sketches: Creatively Yours. I just got a little busy once it was posted so I'm a few days behind.

I can't believe it's been 2 years since these photos were taken, and how big Li'l J is now! He's my buddy.

Kudos for a 2nd Consecutive Day

The week got by me and I didn't even realize that Scrapbookers Clubhouse had awarded me with Kudos of the Day for the second consecutive day (11/18) for the invitations that I made for Belle's Zoofari this summer.

I used Creative Imaginations paper, Bazzill Cardstock, my Cricut Zooballoo cartridge and some fun embellishments for the Elephant's ear. Each was different, most had flowers with iTop brad centers. The tiara elephant was a special copy for Annabelle.

The invites were MME "tickets" stuck into a pocket behind the Zoofari Elephant.

I was inspired by a Cricut elephant that I saw somewhere online. I don't remember the where. I thought I had bookmarked it but if you created an elephant with a red and white Hawaiian print (where mine is leopard spotted) thank you for the inspiration! Please let me know so I can credit you properly!!

Blogging via mobile

I just saw a little phone icon on my Blogger dashboard & wondered, "hmmm... would it work?" so here we are, testing it out. I'm always amazed by technology!



*edited via computer to fix the title. I will have to work on that :)

Kudos!

Today I found out I received Kudos of the Day at Scrapbooker's Clubhouse for this card:

This little creation took on a life of it's own when I started out with just white cardstock and some almost clear sequins. The Fall Ball mini crop that happened over this past weekend at SBCH featured a challenge to make a Celebration card that included the use of sequins. My sequins were rescued from a camisole and had been laundered enough that the colors were practically nonexistent. I used some alcohol ink directly on each sequin and they came out these great colors... which got me thinking "peacock" and after a quick web search for peacock clipart, I realized that the neatest ones I saw looked surprisingly like stamps I happen to have and I remembered a photo I had taken earlier this year. I really struggled with the "time to quit" on this. I couldn't figure out what I could do to embellish it further, then I realized that I was overthinking it.

So, some Autumn Leaves stamps, CTMH inks and a little creative license brought this fun little card to life and today it was honored with Kudos. I am very happy with the honor!

Tag!

A darling tag sketch is up at Sketches: Creatively Yours. You should definitely check out the beauty that is there.

I did my tag before I did any other challenges because it just fell together. I love to do small things like Altered Trading Cards and Tags. They are a great way to use up those little bits that are too cute/lovely to toss in the recycle bin.


This proceeded from a piece of blue paper that resembled blue jeans to me. I used the copper eyelets because of that resemblance. The paper needed a little bit of "oomph" so I had at it with a flower stamp that I found in Michaels $ bin and some denim colored CTMH stamp ink. I followed this with an Autumn Leaves swirl stamp and pink embossing powder. I double-stamped and smudged the ink a bit so that I could get a misty sort of look. The word "adore" is from a Making Memories sticker and the "I Love You" is another sticker - the source escapes me. The flowers are Prima and the button is a Making Memories vintage style button. The sketch is by Ali MacDonald.

Don't forget to drop by Sketches: Creatively Yours and see all the inspiration that there is to be had there.

Happy Birthday to my Lil Buddy

My adorable nephew Julian turned 3 yesterday! I can't believe it's been three whole years since he first melted my heart and he still does an incredible job of this heart-melting every day that I spend time with him.

Today we went to Disney on Ice and he got to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Aladdin and the Genie (also lots of princesses were there to entertain his big sister, but he didn't care). After the show we went to Olive Garden (his request) and then we went to my sister's house for Cupcakes.

Last weekend when we were together, we got to talking about his upcoming birthday and Annabelle asked if I would be making cupcakes for Julian's birthday. I agreed that I could do that and as I asked him what kind he wanted we found out that the requested cupcakes should be "Blue Ones" and their frosting should be "Blue with sparkles". I asked if they needed to have Lighning McQueen on them and he nearly screamed "YES" in his excitement.

I did as requested, with the help of some premade decors for the cupcakes. I'm a fair hand at cake decorating - when I'm in the mood - but you wouldn't think so when looking at these fun little things :)

All that counts is that the kids loved 'em, they tasted great and we don't have them floating around OUR house!!!

a new sketch-new inspiration

Sketches: Creatively Yours has been updated with another new sketch by November Guest Sketch Artist: Ann Seleshanko and some great projects! This team I am working with is incredible! I'm inspired by all the talent!

Weekend Plans?

How about a Mini Crop?

Scrapbooker's Clubhouse is having a Mini Crop this weekend, starting in the afternoon on Friday, November 13 and running through Midnight, Sunday, November 15. Join us for Challenges, Prizes and lots of Fun!!

**just for fun I created the above image using scrap blog and their free images**

Third Time's a Charm?

I am buzzing over being "featured" on Scrap Scene for a third time! The first time was out of this world! I had done an article for the "Scrappin' Green" feature on Scrapbookers Clubhouse's blog and I was shocked to see a picture of my project featured on their blog; the second time was earlier this year when I did a month as a Design Team member at Scrapbooker's Clubhouse; and this time it is announcing the Design Team for Sketches: Creatively Yours! I don't know why this is such a cool thing for me, but there you have it...

interested in the latest feature? of course you are... Scrap Scene: New Scrapbook Designers

Perhaps I should prepare a speech?

Nah... that's just silly...

Assignment #1 Complete!

My first assignment for the Sketches: Creatively Yours design team is complete, turned in and posted along-side some great work by others on the team... check them all out, you won't be disappointed.

The sketch is by my dear friend Ali and let me just say, she always knows how to force me out of the ole' comfort zone. This sketch almost kicked my butt... then the inspiration came after my bedtime one night when I wandered over to my paper cubby and found 2 sheets that I've loved for a long time but had no idea what to do with. That was it... the challenge of a sketch needed the challenge of papers (the layout itself and a previous post will tell the tale of the challenge of my layout-subject).

"In Spite of Chaos"
Journaling: "I have the hardest time following the simple rule: "clean as you go" so I am always trying to scramble through piles. Luckily I am able to create.... In Spite of Chaos."

Papers are some unknown brand that I got from Big Lots! a few years ago. I've loved them but never had "the project" for them. The photo is what my table looked like as I was working with the paper for the layout... (I actually made some progress in that area today)

The flowers are Cosmo Cricket Blackboard. Alphas are Thickers and "other". Ric Rack is velvety and is from Making Memories. The semi-circle chipboard is from MAMBI and was painted yellow then stamped in CTMH Sweet Leaf green ink with a herringbone stamp.

Sketch# 24 from Sketches: Creatively Yours is by Ali MacDonald

New Blog Header

It's time for a change... I still love Scrapblog.com for my stuff - since I don't have any fancy (make that any) image creation/editing program. I just decided to simplify and have fun with the image that welcomes you to my little piece of the WWW!

Besides, who could resist our little tea party host?

Inspiration

It's amazing what can inspire you to do something. I had the smallest strip of paper left from a page of replica sheet music and the words to the tune turned a bunch of scraps into this:

supplies:
Making Memories - Vintage Findings
(papers, tags, pin, sheet-music, ribbon)
Making Memories - tiny type alpha stickers
Prima flower
ProvoCraft (gold/cream embossed paper)

More Vintage - This Time - ATCs

Well, true to form, instead of packing up and putting away all those lovely scraps and bits and pieces, I put them to work for me. I used my leftover Vintage Findings bits and pieces with some other fun things to create both sides of this "I {heart} Vintage" ATC.

See that flower center (on the left)? That was made with my I-top brad maker. I love that gadget. I've used it several times on several projects. So far, I've covered brads with bits of ribbon, canvas, paper and even a piece of a doily. I am in love with brads and bigger is better! :)

Creating in Chaos

I tried to do my sketch assignment for Sketches: Creatively Yours last night. I was feeling creative even though it was past my bedtime. When I found the papers I wanted to use I realized I had no photos for the layout.

The fact that the entire table was a study in chaos didn't even faze me at first. Then I decided I would document my huge weakness. I took photos of the area and sent them to be printed. I'm not proud, but I am who I am and it is what it is.

I try and try to put things away as I go but I'm always so engrossed in the latest project, and when I try to clean up the bigger mess, I end up inspired to use the scraps or embellishments I find and there goes the whole idea of cleaning.

If this is who I am, then why not create my story about it?

That's just what I'm going to do... and then, maybe, I'll clean up...

It Can Be Easy to Be Green

I'm trying to be green. I think many of us are. In our office we have paperless methods in place and some are actually not so complex that it's a no-brainer to use the paperless method... some are more complex and time consuming, making them really difficult to keep up on.

We have some things that just can't be paperless and in those cases we use reams of copy paper. Each ream is wrapped with a sheet of paper that is roughly 15" x 22"... often these are not recyclable due to the glue used to seal them shut... you could tear/cut off the glue parts or you could save these large sheets of paper that have a pristine white side (the inside) that could be used for gift-wrap, mailing, kids' art, etc.

There are sheets of chipboard which one of the gals and I both take home for our own purposes; hers is for her little one and his preschool to use for art projects and mine is for making boxes and chipboard shapes for creating.

The crazy thing is that there are some reports that we pull and if there isn't a report for that day, instead of getting a pop-up window, it prints a sheet of paper with the line "nothing to print" on the top. So many of the girls shred these... ok so they're recycling but wouldn't it be even better to reuse them? I have put them back through the printer and used them to tape credit card receipts to, who cares if the in-office people see "nothing to print" in addition to the actual information on the scanned paperwork?

Just think of all the uses for things that might otherwise be wasted... including this great link that was featured in today's Scrap Scene email: How About Orange: Make a Gift Bow from a Magazine Page

Vintage-The Presentation and Card

I finished the Mini album for my supervisor but it wasn't "Complete". It needed to be "presentable"....

I couldn't just put the finished album in an envelope, I considered a tissue wrap but in the long run, I have a lot of chipboard and I had some papers and trims left from the project so I customized a box to fit and match the mini. I fastened a length of ribbon on the box bottom and used an eyelet to attach the ribbon in a loop around the buckle, so that it closes on the box like a belt.

The card was made using some extra pages that I had prepared and had decided not to use in the album. I used the same distressing technique for the gold foil doily parts and some stippled walnut ink on aone of the flowers. The paper was some I've had lying around for quite some time that was the perfect touch.

I left the package on my supervisor's desk, she took it home without opening it (after all, it was addressed to her and her hubby so it's fitting that they open it together) but I haven't heard anything. I am sure she loves it. After all.... I do!

I will post details on how to make the box in a day or so...

Part of the Team

I am proud to say that I'm on the Sketches: Creatively Yours design team from Nov 1, 2009- March 31, 2010!

I have been quite lax in my creating lately and I know that this is the spark to get me back on track! I will be taking a few hours to clear out the disaster known as my workspace (I just can't seem to clean as I go) and then I'm going to get busy!

Please come on over and see the range of talent that is on our team.... It's good to see some friends on there and some future friends as well... check out the announcement here.

See you there!

Vintage Findings

I have been very nonproductive in the creative world lately. My last creations were some invites for Belle's "Zoofari" back in August. I had the idea to make a Mini album for my supervisor's wedding gift - which was also in August - and I have finally been working on it.

With the Making Memories Vintage Findings line; some foil heart doilies and some Alcohol Inks; I've been working on being inspired.


If you decide to antique a foil doily with alcohol inks, go sparingly because the alcohol blending solution takes the gold off if you use too much or press too hard. I liked this in some cases because it added to the age and distress of my project. I used bronze on the gold. On the darker doily (with the purple blossom) I used Stazon ink and the alcohol blending solution in a similar manner.

I also used a bit of antique brass Glimmer Mist on some of the papers and embellishments.

I was going for the look I would expect to see if I was pulling this book out of my grandmother's things. I wanted it to look aged and vintage. I stopped just short of this on the book's cover. I kept this part pristine at the edges, as though it had been wrapped in tissue and cherished.

I am officially in love with Making Memories Vintage Findings (who'd have guessed - since I'm a Making Memories gal?)

Happy Birthday Belle

In just a few more days she's going to be a great big FOUR! I can hardly believe it! This past sunday (most of) the whole family got together at the zoo for "Belle's Zoofari". We all enjoyed time with the kids and seeing the animals. It was a very nice day, not too hot and not too much rain while we were there.

I had seen the Kid Tough cameras by Fisher Price a few months ago and decided on the spot that this was what I would get for her for her 4th birthday, especially when I found they had pink ones. By the time I was actually in the market, I couldn't find a pink Fisher Price camera so I ended up with a Vtech Kidizoom camera. It seems like it will be a great thing. Just the ability to take a picture on her own had her quite excited. She even has what it takes to stage a photo, telling people "you ladies move over this way" and telling me "move over a little more, move closer to the middle". What better way to break in a camera than a trip to the zoo? I couldn't think of one, and it was great that so many family and friends were able to come and join in the fun.

It was a fun, and exhausting day! I'm so glad she had a good time... and I hear she crashed when they got home (a big deal for a non-napper).

I love you Annabelle, Happy Birthday sweetie!

Alternate Forms of Communication

I have been horribly neglectful of my blog, I've been obsessed with Facebook (mostly for games) and Twitter... (which you can see by the updates posted on the right). I tend to forget I have a blog at times... how many social resources do we need??? I'm not sure I have the time... or at least I should be dedicating some of it to other things, right?

I have a hard time because I'm still not so sure anyone wants to hear anything I want to say... maybe it's true... maybe not... I'll keep trying, and in the meantime my Twitter updates are still posted here too :)

Featuring Kate's Paperie

The thing about being home sick for two days is that you get to see a lot of tv when you're not getting a lot of sleep. Yesterday I caught an episode of Martha Stewart and she was featuring a paper-covered box with papers from Kate's Paperie. I have spent quite some time perusing the website and I'm officially in love. There are so many beautiful things there, I will be in the poor house if I don't watch it. The prices are good, but there's just SO MUCH to want.

The site is as beautiful as the products on it. I love when you find a website that has had a lot of thought put into it, that is so inviting and easy to maneuver as well.

I hope everyone has a chance to visit Kate's Paperie very soon.

Cowtails?

Just when you least expect it, the girl throws you off kilter. I mean "Cowtails?"

How can you look at her with a straight face? Or are you supposed to? She does seem to enjoy making people laugh.

As soon as I saw the pictures on my sister's Facebook page, I knew I wouldn't be able to resist capturing this moment in miss Annabelle's life.

She finally has enough hair to put into some resemblance of a "piggy tail" and she gets pensive, "Mommy, Why are they called Piggytails? I will call them Cowtails. Cowtail, Cowtail, COWTAILS!!!!"

Supplies:
Patterned Papers: Making Memories Chloe's Closet
Flower Embellishments: Making Memories Chloe's Closet
Rubon Letters: Scrapworks
Journaling Block: Hambly
Sakura Paint Pen for journaling.

Captain of His "Ship"

Yes, I feel just like poor Mickey here. I'm tired. 4:30 is too early...

This is Mickey after a long day of errands. He's not a real fan of the long day in the car routine. Harlee could go and go. We could take her on road-trips but not this fella. His idea of the perfect ride is down the road, to McDonalds, get a burger and go home. He'd settle for fries if he was forced. But a whole day of stopping here and there for this and that, he has little patience for it.

At 5, it seems as though he's finally coming to terms with the fact that if he wants to go - he's gotta suffer through it ALL. It used to be tricky taking him because he'd start acting up when I assume he was just plain tired. Now he is better about relaxing - or trying to. He seems to be always needing to know where we are logistically and he's always standing in the back seat, right between the front buckets, watching. We've taken to calling him the Cap'n when we're out and about because he reminds me of an old time sea captain, standing at the helm watching.

On this particular day, I was actually able to get him to lie down next to me on the back seat and ALMOST (as you can see) go to sleep.

Fix It

I'm sure that those of you who are parents understand the joy that you feel when your children recognize that you can fix anything. I get that same joy through my sister's kids. She told me one day that Julian had told her he wanted me and my friend to fix one of his toys. I felt so honored.

I didn't have a photo to commemorate the story but found one of him busily playing that was just right anyway.

The color scheme was based on this month's color challenge (issued by Trina) at Scrapbooker's Clubhouse.

I used scraps - MME Kaleidoscope and KI Memories (stars), Stamps - MM and Autumn Leaves, Alpha Stickers - Basic Grey. Shape paper is Jenni Bowlin. And I used my sewing machine! This is a rarity!

BUT I had a great time stitching and sewing. So much so that I even made a card with all stitching and no glue (with the exception of the glue dots holding the flowers on.

Color!!!

Someone asked me what my favorite Disney song is and I have so many but this one always makes me smile!

I've got the Disney CD Classic Disney V.1 and that has an extended version with a very cute "And white, and plaid and blue, green, white, yellow and toodinz 'n' and and and right and and stripes with blue and a black and Plaid! and a....a

oo and ...vut vut, vait a second, vut vut's going on wid all da colours?

Blue, red, green, green, white, white, black....

vut ever happened to just plain old lavender blue dilly dilly dilly dilly.......dilly
....silly"

Silly, indeed... but FUN!

Tea with Princess Annabelle

When I saw these photos of my niece on my sister's Facebook photos page, I had to get prints! Sure, they're blurry (the kid moves quickly and constantly), but in a wallet size they came out so darned cute!

I created this layout using one of the sketches on Becky Fleck's Page Maps site for March 2009 and using some of my stash of flowers and buttons and DCWV Whimsey papers.

Solid

I haven't sewn on a layout for so long, and recently I keep thinking - with each new layout - that I ought to drag out the machine for this... this time I really wanted to... because I did!

My process was backwards from the beginning, I started with a scrap of Hambly left from another layout, some MM paper and a photo of my mom and sisters (and sweet Julian). From there I just searched my messy table for stuff to go with the two. A torn scrap from the recent Scrapbookers Clubhouse kit, Prima Say it with Crystals, Prima journaling card and some Maya Road ribbon from the same kit came next.

I topped it off with felt flowers from Making Memories nd Heidi Swapp centered with MM velvet brads. Although I had my title in mind from my first selection (the bricks of the hambly) I wasn't settled on the title "Solid" or on the Basic Grey alphas (also from the SBCH kit)... they came about after the final placement and stitching of the MM RicRack.

Who could resist this face?

Certainly not I!

This layout was done using the April kit from Scrapbookers Clubhouse.

Upon first glance, I was a little worried about using this kit, mostly because it isn't something I'd immediately grab if I was shopping... but as I started working with the elements together, I started wishing I had more of it so that I could do MORE!

The papers are Fancy Pants: Delight... doublesided, they are so fun and flirty! The flowers are Prima Essentials 8 and the felt is Prima Devine Flirty Felt. I had all of the darling buttons in my MM button stash.

"Happy Girl" by Martina McBride is Dani and Belle's "theme" song, so my title was inspired... by the quote, which is so very Belle!

Wish I Was Here

I have been holding onto this picture for about 10 years now. I don't even remember how I came to have it, I think it was a color copy from work that was a discard. All I know is I love it.

This is my paradise.

I finally pulled it out and did something with it, mounting it on a canvas board and adding just a tiny bit of stuff, some flowers and seashells, perfect, right?

It's hanging on my cubicle wall at work and it's like a little window to paradise.

Guilty Pleasure!

"Greenie Day"

Happy St. Pat's!

Mimi, my grandma, used to call it "Greenie Day" and she would show me this lovely shamrock pin. It never had the tag removed until I got her jewelry. I now wear it every "Greenie Day" to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and to remember my grandma.

I hope you remember to wear your green and if you don't, I hope you don't get too many unwelcome pinches ;)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Cute as BUTTONS

I've been hoarding these papers for far too long now. They were just waiting in my "Boy" paper section for this fun picture. This layout was done for my friend Ali's challenge at Scrapbooker's Clubhouse to do a curved title.

I'm terrible with using buttons but have seen some great clusters lately (including and especially some by Ali) so I decided to try my hand. I liked it as I was putting it together and now I like it even more with the addition of the layer of star brads.

This handsome little man is my darling Nephew Julian and we were at his Aunt Nancy's wedding waiting for the ceremony. He Bogarted my Starbuck's cup!!!

My iPod

It all started with the Rockfessions post cards... I did a few and to my delight and surprise, I won an iPod Shuffle.

It's a cute little red goodie. I couldn't believe the amount of music that can fit on something that teeny. I hadn't used it for the first 7 months I owned it. I was not yet interested. Then as I started thinking about the whole convenience factor of an electronic device for music instead of lugging cds from car-to-car (mostly for my niece, who would always ask for a cd I didn't have with me) I started thinking it was time to move to the 21st century.

I started using the shuffle and became rapidly addicted to the variety of music at my fingertips. Then my sister offered to sell me her iPod classic. I was happy with my shuffle but then again, it would allow for even more variety...

SO... I now have the Classic... and have given my sweet little red Shuffle to my best friend... it's time for her introduction to the 21st century... and my Classic is loaded with almost my entire (paltry) cd catalog. I haven't listened to these things since I bought them and now I can hear them whenever I feel the urge.

Here's a list of random artists:

1. Nora Jones
2. Metallica
3. Boston
4. the Thompson Twins
5. Nelson
6. Hanson
7. Kenny Chesney
8. Martina McBride
9. Poison
10. Duran Duran

Honorary Design Team Member

I was so honored to be asked to be on the Design team for Scrapbookers Clubhouse. I had so much fun last summer as a Guest DT member so of course I didn't hesitate to say YES!

Among the duties of a Design Team member, my favorite is the challenges. I was asked to offer a seasonal challenge so I created this fun and frilly bit of sweetness

I got most of the stuff on this from Michaels... the only things not from Michaels were the Basic Grey stickers, the Heidi Swapp transparent overlay butterflies and the flower/button combo.

The eyelet squares are gift cards from the dollar bin! and can you believe that awesome felt coaster? I didn't have a clue how I'd use it but I knew it needed to be on some creation or other.

This is a picture of a quiet moment with my niece on her mommy's lap at her Aunt Nancy's wedding.

I hand wrote an excerpt from Martina McBride's "She's a Butterfly" song lyrics around the main image of the layout.

I just love that sweet little bug.

So my challenge, if you can't tell, was to create a layout using LOTS of yellow and at least 1 butterfly. I am challenged, myself, to create with yellow, so I offered everyone the same challenge I was trying myself with.

The best part of being on the design team is that it's allowed me to leave the scrapbooking drought that I was suffering under. I have created many cards over the past several months but haven't done a layout in LONGER than the amount time that I've neglected my blog!

I hope to not do either of those things again! I've got a lot going on but not so much that I can't record it and share!