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.

Have you seen this?

If you haven't seen this, you need to go look.

Cupcake gift card holders This video shows you how to do it.

Kerry's Christmas version A to die for Christmas version. Just love it. I'm so going to have to try this.

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.

21 Day Challenge Starts Today

Are you familiar with Rhonna Farrar’s 21 Day Challenge? She does it every year. It’s where you pick 1 thing you would like to make a habit of or 1 bad habit you would like to break. And you spend time everyday for 21 days on it, and you are supposed to have an art journal about it as well.
The cool thing is Rhonna blogs everyday inspiration to keep you going. She is so sweet.

I actually almost did one the very first year that she did it. I picked my goal and tried to do it sans creative journaling. I just didn’t even come close to having a minute for myself at that time in my life. So needless to say, I did not last very long.

Well, she is doing it again – starting today. She has a kit for sale at House of 3 for the creative journaling part, but you don’t have to use it to participate. She has some free art from last year available on her blog. And you don’t have to use that to participate either. The BIG thing is she says to only pick ONE thing. That is where my trouble lies. I feel so OVERWHELMED in so many areas of my life how do you choose one. Possible ideas: Spend time with God daily – Prayer, reading Bible
Enjoy quality time with my kids everyday – not doing school work or reading books to them, but playing with them for at least ½ hour.
Organize my house.
Clean my house. (I get grouchy when my house is a sty.)
Do something creative every day. (I get kind of grouchy if I don’t get creative time.)
Eat healthier.
Exercise.
Lose weight/Get in Shape.
Try a new recipe once a week.
Give up Chocolate!!
Give Positive thoughts to myself to counter self doubt.

So many things to choose from – all important.

OK. So I've also decided my art journal will be a hybrid creation. I want to mix some digi goodness with some really messy and some just plain want to try things. I've started my day one journaling, but am having difficulty finding my circular word template. Now to decide what to do.

I'm off to the farm now. We have to install a new cast iron wood stove. Since the stove weighs 480 pounds and the farm has 40 acres. Be back Sunday.

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.

Too Much Glitter

Don't get me wrong, I love a little sparkle. But with the nearest scrap places within my reach being Hobby Lobby and Michaels, I tend to go for paper packs as oppose to individual sheets. And it seems that any pattern I love all has been embellished with glitter on every sheet. I love glitter sheets, but seriously, do I need every page I make to have glittered paper???? Sorry, just venting a bit.
On a positive note, I made a trip to Archivers today. If it's been a while since my last visit, I'm always super excited. But this is my 3rd trip in the last month, so I'm sort of like, not. Although Don went with me and scoured the store on his own. Upon entering a section he was in he pointed out a couple of items and then continued to look. To which, I, of course, had to emphatically and publicly declare my eternal love and devotion for him. And thanks to his scouring, I did end up with some religious Christmas stamps that are not coming out of my budget. And out of my budget some gorgeous prima flowers, pearls and white pen (as my 2 have gone missing).