Life, or something like it

Wowsers. It's been a rough couple of months. I have had almost no scrap/craft time. With homeschooling, we already have limited time. I bought and put up storage unit in the sub-basement and have been trying to get that into some sort of organized chaos. But then I had an extended family member's surgery, we have been spending time there helping out. The kids were sick, although GM's kept us homebound most days, we could still function. And luckily LC's fell the weekend after the blizzard and with HGH's cancelled we didn't miss coop. Last weekend my darling wonderful husband took the kids out for the whole of Saturday. Although the house was a mess (& typically that means I'd still be a mess), I found peace and relaxation. Craft time. Movie time. Internet time. joyous! I feel like a weight is starting to lift.

So the latest layouts


> When J & S came to visit, GM monopolized S's time with Barbie play. S then dressed up GM to look like one of her Barbie's. I sprayed the heart & doily with glimmer mist (either TA or homemade), Lettering with Silhoutte, tulle under the plain doily, Prima & Martha Stewart for all other embellie's.

This background was stamped with versamark using FPD stamps and clear embossed. Then I used TA glimmer mist on the page. I actually made it during the weekend that J&S visited. We enjoyed a bit of just scrappy girl time, so I thought it was perfect for our scrap time together. American Crafts letters, Prima flowers, tissue paper for a base to a prima flower, old denim and scrap lace for ruffle, Hobby Lobby for butterfly. The vintage button is attached to a sizzix cut tag which houses the journaling.

CSD November Challenge

Wow, I just looked and I posted 2x last week. That's like a record or something. Yes, I'm laughing right now.

This double page layout is for the Candy Shop Design monthly challenge of "we are women, hear us roar" which uses animal/animal prints. They also have a Dirty Little Secret Challenge posted as well. The sponsor is Blue Moon Scrapbooking.

I used Glitz design pp. and stickers. The #1 prize was BG capella paper. The ribbon was old. I used ?spritz? and then glimmermist for shimmer. I did get to play with All Night Media's Embossing Liquids for the bubble design and the line above the journaling. I used Katie Pertiet, Designer Digitals, Frightful kit for the iron fencework and spider web. I used MM foam stamps and paint for the title. The brads are MM. used 2 different alpha stamps with SU! basic black ink.

Mish Mash

The 21 day challenge. I really narrowed my choices to the top 3 areas of my life needing the most attention. 1. exercise. 2. Spiritual 3. creativeness. #2 is really the most important aspect in anyone's life. #1 should be up there after #2. But #3 is the one I chose. Mainly having had almost 1 1/2 years off (just sporaidic bits of creative pleasure) I really could use making this a daily part of my life again. And with homeschooling 2 little pickles the days seem short on time. So I've made it a priority to spend at least 10-15 minutes crafting everyday. Yesterday was the first day that I thought I hadn't achieved my goal, but then realized if you count that I actually installed my new Adobe PSE9 and chose photos to print out. Then I actually did achieve my goal. Today, I've searched for crafting ideas for a Thanksgiving party the kids have next Thursday.

I have completed a layout and 2 altered household items. Here's the completed layout.

Journaling: Don, I'm so very blessed to have you in my life. You're a wonderful husband, man, friend, father. I couldn't have dreamed a more perfect match for me. Thank you for choosing me. I love you. Lisa

The photo is from this August in Michigan. I had it printed out with Jason Gaylor's Valentine brushes. That is one of my favorite brush sets and a frequent go to item. I received them as part of a Jessica Sprague class. But one of Dixie Pieces challenges this month is to create a layout about someone you're thankful for. So this lends perfectly into that.

JGaylor Valentine Brush set; PP -Heidi Swapp with 2 of the attached diecuts (still have the extra one to use), HS - stamp (oh-my, using this old "aDore" stamp just tickled me all over); TH-ink, stamps, sizzix die, alcohol ink (used the alcohol ink to die the crystals & rhinestone in the button); SU!-ink, marker: MME-diecuts (photo mat cut in half as photo corners and scallop under the ribbon and the flower above the book page die cut & below the button) used TA-glimmermist on all of them; twill ribbon-old kit? (I think from label tulip); Joann's - lace ribbon, heart ribbon with gray paint pen; Stamps-g studio, Basic Grey; Prima crystals; Hero Arts Rhinestone; vintage button & jewelry piece.

Lots of fun to create. and the best part. It makes me smile every time I look at it. You can't ask for more than that.

Last Dixie Piece Challenge

This was the golden oldies. Buddy Holly songs "Oh Boy" was the one I picked. I kept with the simple graphic styles of the 50's. I pulled the rocketships from the net. I used my oldest Daisy D rub-on's. The world balloon is from Patti Knox at Designer Digitals. And I used my EK Success punch to create the ribbon effect with the cardstock. I thought the Bazzill shaped cardstock added a nice touch to this.

The journaling reads "Oh Boy! That was my exasperated cry upon seeing your room on Tuesday morning. Dad had helped you clean your room up on Saturday. Overturned chair, lots of miscellaneous bits and pieces all over was what I saw. You came into the room and said “It’s my rocket ship, and I’m not finished playing yet.” Then proceeded to show me how it worked. Then I see how everything is laid out so perfectly for your next adventure. I love your imagination!! So now I see, it’s really "….{{title lead in of }}OH BOY ROCKETSHIP

The word bubble reads "This is what happens when you land on the moon and don’t have your seatbelt on." LOL Son, you crack me up.

Dixie Pieces Challenge #5 Country Pop

This weeks challenge is country pop and we only have some titles from Carrie Underwood. But that's ok, because as soon as I saw the title Jesus Take the Wheel, I knew. I actually used jean material cut with my sizzix for a layer on the tissue paper flower and for the swirl. Over the top of that a little pearl action by prima. I must say at $3 for a package I have issues using a whole piece on one layout. And neither of my stash swirls really met my needs. So I cut out 2 swirls and placed them how I wanted them. Love the final look. I used glimmermist like crazy - the green "apple", 2 different on white cardstock for my journaling tag and a spritz even on the denim. All the pp is MME. I finished off the tag with my fave FPD stamp set.
My journaling reads:

The first time I heard this song, I was so enamored. It touched me to my core. I remembered not letting God into my life and the destructive path that I was on myself. How Jesus led me back to his flock. And most importantly it reminded me that I need to let Jesus take control more in my own life even now that I’m part of His flock. Especially now, because I can’t go this life alone, I need help in each and every aspect of it: my relationships (Don, kids, family, friends, and acquaintances), my home, myself (patience and strength), our home school, church, and help realizing that even when I don’t agree, that His will is more important and must prevail. Jesus, take the wheel.

Now I need to put the date on, I keep forgetting the date lately. duh.

Wk 3 DP

This is for week 3 at Dixie Pieces. It was such a fun layout to work on and I think it turned out so cute. I'm seriously loving all of the inspiration prompts they are having. I've made a promise to stick with it until the end so that I can get a few more layouts completed and so that I can try to get back into a groove, which is easier said than done.

For the DixiePieces Glee Club challenge. The assignment was alternative. And this was my take. My inspiration was actually my bff who is alternative. I would have liked to added homemade doodles to the background, however, I didn't have the time this week. (It was suppose to be uploaded by Friday 11:59 pacific time, I didn't get it up til Saturday am as it was). If you life the purple TH sizzix file folder, you will find the journaling.

This coming week's assignment is Children songs by Raffi. They also list certain titles that you must use. The layout idea came to me last night for "Apples and Bananas", now to pull off the layout idea without getting stuck singing the song ALL week long.

Pencilline sketch 205

My layout for the pencilline sketch. Uses Bazzil Basic Cardstock & MME pp, which I love and have been holding onto forever.

Lost, now found

I just found these digi layouts that I haven't put up here before. All of these use supplies from Designer Digitals. I love their stuff for digi scrapping. I have several more from earlier this year, but these are my fave's.

I love how looking at your pages can take you back to that moment. Moments that might have been totally and irreversibly forgotten. I must remember that this- This is why I want to scrapbook.

oh the joy of

finding scrappy time almost everyday. It's been particularly pleasurable this last two weeks to have a wee bit of time to create. Ok, so sometimes it's simply 10 minutes for the final spin of the dryer. A couple of days it was 2 minutes here and 2 minutes there during the kids school time (both being busy on their own things). A couple of days it was 1/2 hour to 1 1/2 hours of totally me doing whatever I wanted. And yes, that does mean I'm a bit sleep deprived at the moment to make that time a reality, but it's ok because

Ain't She Sweet introduces our new dog Roxy. Each photo mat is actually folded over so that each piece opens. Then houses journaling about the photo or dog is on the inside.

And this card "you are sweet" was made with the remnants.

These were both completed for dixiepieces glee club.

Challenges = completed layouts

This was a sketch from Pencillines. Using that grab bag of Pink Paiselee goodies that I ordered last month. Fun.
Supplies: Pink Paislee=PP, tape, alpha stickers, border strip & journal note; EK Success Punch; Cosmo Cricket alpha stickers; Arrow - negative of a scenic route chipboard, painted with MM paint (eat your carrots) & sprayed with TA glimmer mist (Sugar Maple).

Completed for the MME challenge #15: Thank You. Seriously, I so love MME.
MME = PP(breaking free, Out & About, Ooh La La); die cut (ooh La La); Brad (Lost & Found); Journal Tag (So Sophie); Other - ribbon from JoAnn's, Crate Paper, Thread, Mini Mister with water, Tim Holz Watermelon alcohol ink & Pearl Ex Duo Red/Blue; Heidi Swap Bling flower & photo corner (cut apart).

A long time coming

Well with a mess of a basement (and craft area) my paper crafting has been almost non-existent. However, I took the baby gift album (that was started in JULY) down to my sister's over thanksgiving and then finished the pages on my 40th birthday. (I sent the hubby off with the kids for the day). So as I get them edited I'll post a few here. The first one was also finished in July.

more digi

Finally had a day early in September to do a few digitally. I have a few more that I'll post later.
My Whole Heart

My Aspiring Chef making breakfast for me on Mother's Day.

Chillin' - LC fixd his Dad a nice spot in the shade to relax complete with drink during a yard work day.

Baby Robin - we were blessed to have the nest so close, we saw the bitty birds peeking out of it, and then in no time saw momma or daddy bird teaching eating and flyings skills. This was on the later end of the flying skills.

Page 1 of Shabbona Lake - Planning to do a page 2. but not there yet.

I think I found some mojo

it had been gone for a while, but I think it's starting to come back to me.

I did these layouts for Wescrap NSD crop.

this was the make n take of paper casting. You are a timeless treasure bringing joy and happiness to my heart (the heart is paper casted). I wanted something to look like the center of a clock, so I found my DD-Mary Ann Wise - circle it brushes. Then typed the text within that. I actually color washed the paper, but when I ran it through the printer I goofed & put it on the wrong side. So I color washed after running which led to a bit of bleeding but not too bad.

This uses MME pp, SU! cs & ink; the journaling is DD-Patti Knox text bytes and the mat pp is recolored Katie Pertiet given away free for a color challenge at DD.

This was a cook it up challenge. My recipe was paint, brown, 5 buttons, ribbon, and a 1 word title. The Magic Moments card pulls out & holds the journaling. I finally broke open that bottle of crackle medium I had to have on the letters. I love how this turned out.

OMG I made....

CARDS!!!! I know it's really hard to believe.

This one was for a spring card challenge at Color Me Daisy . It uses scraps of paper, the chipboard/flower were scraps left over from my MIL's album, and the stamps were new to me: TH....yeah.
This was super simple and uses the leftover scraps from my all scrap layout below. Gotta love eco/budget friendly scrapping!!

Layouts, layouts everywhere

For the Wescrap challenge 17 - a double page with at least 5 photos.

For the wescrap DT contest - 3 other ladies and myself planned a mini crop- we each had to plan a challenge - mine was to use only your scraps to create a layout.

This was another almost all scraps layout. The only thing new was the sheet of cardstock. IRL it rawks.

This is an all digi layout for the 30MM at Designer Digitals. Although it took me 50 minutes and 5 days to finish it. LOL

More layout challenges

This is for my Wescrap contest challenge. I was giving another "recruits" challenge to use PP, cardstock, and alpha stickers only. So this is what I came with.

This was my first try for the above contest. However, I used a punch and a marker to add definition, so I didn't think it truly qualified for the challenge. I also used the very old SEI sporty line.

This was for a wescrap sketch challenge in March.

Challenges and Crops

OK, I'll try to get some of the latest pages up.
These first pages are part of the on-line crop at WeScrap a weekend or so ago.

Wescrap Challenge: new beginning - meeting Nick
Wescrap Challenge with Time or a timepiece: Forever Logan
Wescrap Challenge: Sketch My loves
Have you ever used the glitter thickers by American Craft. I've used other thickers and they are wonderful. These glitter ones, don't seem to stick though. I had to use my mini-glue dots on them.

Wescrap Challenge Color: Coral Reef (all digi layout) used DD - KP frame & on the edge flourish. The rest was me, myself, & I.

This is for the everyday inspiration challenge (from last week) at Designer Digitals. Also used the free tag from the color challenge (just recolored to add to my layout).