Happy Monday!

Happy Monday all! Although I have to say I'm feeling a little bit sad today. That's because both my boys are heading back to school this week and while it was hard (oh so hard at times) having them home all summer long with no naps (our first summer without them) I will miss them both dearly while they are gone. Darian will be heading off to Kindergarten on Thursday but before that Brandon will be going to his new preschool Little Village on Wednesday. I'm excited but incredibly nervous for them both. I know they'll do fine, right? (quick someone tell me they'll do fine! lol).

Okay so I thought I would share another GCD Studios project today. This is another layout I created with the new summer release Vintage Boys.


And oldie but goodie photo of Brandon that I decided to rescrap from an older layout that just wasn't doing it for me anymore - I'm allowed to do that right?

...

I used some Making Memories Canvas Alphas for my title. Love the look of these! I was able to find all the letters I needed in colors that coordinated with my papers from the Passport and Fa La La collections.

I'll be back tomorrow with some more projects to share. Thanks for stopping by! :)

Buddies

Just wanted to share a quick layout I created using one of GCD Studios new summer releases Sunny Days. This is such a fun collection that just screams sunshine and happiness!


This is a recent photo of my boys with their cousins Ollie and Una during our family vacation in Ocean City this past July. Aren't they the cutest?!?

I have a few more GCD Studios projects to share that I created this past month so stay tuned for more posts in the upcoming days. Thanks for stopping by! :)

Got Sketch 89

Happy Wednesday! I can't believe this week is already halfway over - it is just flying by right now. Next week is a big week as the boys start school but before then this mama is heading to Somerset NJ on Friday and Saturday for a Scrapbook Expo. I'm taking some Basic Grey sponsored classes with the amazing Kelly Goree and then plan to shop til I drop. Anyone out there going to be at the Expo as well?

I wanted to share my contribution for this week's sketch over on the Got Sketch? blog. I had fun using one of my Studio Calico kits for this one - love all the bright colors and patterns.


I went a little pop dot happy on this layout - one can never use too many pop dots can they? LOL


Thanks for stopping by! :)

Something old and something new ...

How do you like that for a blog title?!? LOL Seriously do you ever hate coming up with a title sometimes for your blog posts? I know I do. Ahhh but I digress ....

Okay seriously the reason for my title is that I wanted to share some Pebbles projects with you today. These are projects I completed a few months ago for my design team audition (hence old for me) and I am just now getting around to posting them on my blog (and therefore they are new to you). Genius I tell ya! ;)

All of these projects were created using the Skipping Along Collection. Thanks for stopping by!

"H2O" 8 1/2 x 11 layout

"friend" card

Die Cut Button Flowers

"bloom" tag

Happy Birthday Darian!

I can hardly believe that my sweet baby boy is five years old today. I still remember the day he came into this world, all 8lbs 9ozs of him, making his presence known and capturing a piece of my heart while he was at it.

Darian you are sweet, kind, generous, thoughtful, silly, spunky, smart and all around the most wonderful little boy I know and I thank my lucky stars every day that your daddy and I were blessed to have you. Love you tons little boy!

Hand Stitching Tips and Tricks

Hi Everyone! Been another busy week here as summer is winding down which accounts for the lack of blog posts - sorry about that. I did want to mention that I have another blog post up on the Pebbles blog today. This time I'm sharing some hand stitching tips and tricks. I absolutely love the look of hand stitching on my paper crafting projects - it's such a fun and easy way to add some more dimension, texture, and visual interest to whatever I'm creating.

Here's a card I created using the Lil Miss Collection from Pebbles. This is such an adorable collection for little girls!


I simply took one of the fabulous stickers and hand stitched along the image outline. Super easy but super cute!

...

I've shared lots and lots of information about hand stitching techniques, tips and tricks, and even how I store my floss and what needles I use over on the Pebbles blog so be sure to check it out! Oh and while your there feast your eyes on what some of the other design team members have created as well - talk about eye candy!

Hostess with the Mostest!

Happy Monday! I am so excited to be the "hostess" this week over at the Pebbles blog. I decided to kick things off with a fun challenge. How many of you out there own a die cut machine? Or maybe MORE than one? Yep, I most certainly fall into the latter category - I admit it! LOL So how often do you actually USE that die cut machine? If you're like me it's certainly not enough. So my challenge to you is to break out that die cut machine and give it a starring role on your next paper crafting project.

Here's a layout I created for this fun challenge using the Lil Buddy Collection from Pebbles. LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors of this collection!


Okay so those of you out there that know me and my family know that Darian is not "technically" five yet since his birthday is August 24th but I took these photos a few weeks ago to use as his 5 year portraits and that's close enough for me! LOL


I love using the shadow feature on my Cricut Expression when cutting letters, numbers, and shapes. It gives the die cuts so much more oomph - don't ya think?


And check out this totally cool number border from the Graphically Speaking cartridge. Seriously I have just been WAITING for a birthday since I bought this cartridge so I could make a layout using this border - so cool!

Well that's all I've got for today. Head on over to the Pebbles blog to see what some of the other design team members have created for this challenge. And keep checking back with the Pebbles blog this week. On Wednesday I'll share some of what is inspiring me lately and on Friday I'll share some of my hand stitching tips and tricks! See you there! :)

Happy Birthday Mary!

SURPRISE! Mary, this post is dedicated to you my sweet friend. I hope you have the most wonderful birthday ever (ahhh - to be 30 again! LOL) and know that you've touched the hearts of so many with your friendship including mine.

Now hop along to this blog here and see who else has some special birthday wishes waiting for you! :)

Black River Designs Projects ...

Hi Everyone! Can you believe it's Friday already?!? I swear this week has just flown by and my poor blog has been neglected as a result. Well I have a few fun projects to share that I created with some of my Black River Designs goodies so here ya go ...


My little cutie Brandon just last summer - I can't believe how YOUNG he looks in these pictures! He still has a baby face but he has definitely changed so much in just a year. *sniff, sniff*


And here's a fun little card I put together with the scraps I had out on my craft table. Notice I used a lot of the same basic design principles on this card that I used on my layout. Makes it super easy to put a card together quickly - I've already got all the materials out that I need and my mind is already working in a certain direction.



Thanks for stopping by! :)

Got Sketch 88

Just a quick card to share for today that I created as a contributor for Sketch 88 over on the Got Sketch? blog. I used lots of Melissa Frances goodies on this one - I've been totally obsessed with her stuff lately. It's just so PRETTY!


Be sure to stop by the Got Sketch? blog and see what the other contributors have created as well. Thanks for stopping by! :)

A vacation layout!

Can you believe that I took nearly 700 photos during our Ocean City vacation this year. Yep I did! I think the actual number was 687 or something like that. Granted I'm a little trigger happy when it comes to my camera and I can probably just trash about 500 of those photos as being repeats, blurry, off-center, and so on. But still - that's nearly 200 photos left with lots and lots of memories to scrap. I better get busy, huh? LOL

This layout only has 5 photos on it but I think it pretty much sums up how we spent our vacation - on the beach, playing in the water and digging in the sand, together as a family, making great memories.


Of course I used some more goodies from the August My Scrapbook Nook kit for this layout. Seriously I've made 3 layouts with this kit and still have PLENTY of stuff left. You should really check them out if you haven't already and be sure to read this post here about the current contest they're running through August 15th.

And a few detail photos ...




And speaking of vacation we're heading off for another little mini-vacation today so the blog will be quiet for the next few days. Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Got Sketch 87

Just wanted to share the layout I created as a contributor for this week's sketch on the Got Sketch? blog. I'm totally addicted to photo collages right now (can you tell? hee hee!) - they just work so perfectly for scrapping events with lots of photos like this trip we took with our friends to the Philadelphia Zoo.


I got to use some fun goodies from the July Studio Calico kit and add-ons on this layout. Love those die cut borders by K&Company. So CUTE! Thanks for stopping by! :)

Just BE ...

I wanted to share another layout I created with the August kit from My Scrapbook Nook. This layout is about my need to just BE. I'm always looking ahead to the next thing and sometimes I forget to sit back and enjoy the moment so I created this layout as a little reminder to myself. :)


Lots more yummy October Afternoon Road Map on this layout along with some fun Maya Road chipboard pieces and a cool tag and charm both by 7 Gypsies.

And a few detail photos ...




I'm still working my way through this amazing kit and hope to have more projects to share shortly. Thanks for stopping by!

Destination Boyhood

Hi all! Just wanted to share my first layout as part of the design team for My Scrapbook Nook. I'm using their August kit which is just chock full of October Afternoon goodies from their Road Map line. LOVE the colors and patterns in this line - you all know how I feel about my bright and bold primary colors. LOL


I took these photos of Darian just this past month so technically he's not 5 years old yet. As a matter of fact he informed me this morning that his birthday is in just 21 days (as if I didn't know) BUT it's close enough for me and I took these to use as his 5 year portraits. Doesn't he just look so grown up?!? I cannot believe that my baby will be going to kindergarten in less than a month. Where has the time gone?

And a few fun detail photos ...




Thanks for stopping by and be sure to come back tomorrow - I'll be sharing another layout I created using this kit! :)

Strut Your Scrap!

It's contest time again at The Nook and we want you to Strut Your Scrap! Between July 26th and August 15th you have the opportunity to win a $75 Nook gift certificate AND to send a free kit to a friend!

Here is how you play:

Upload three projects that you have made from recent Nook kits anywhere on the web (blogs, facebook, etc) and let people know that you have officially Strutted Your Scrap! Post back to this thread with a link to where you strutted. Then, tell people about this contest and have them drop by this thread and let us know where they saw you strut!

At the end of the contest every pair of names will be entered into a random drawing and the Strutter will win the $75, and the person who saw you strut will win a free kit!

For example: I post my three projects on my blog. I tell people about this contest and the Nook and link to this thread so they can go say they saw me, and then post here to say I did that. My ten friends drop by and say they saw me strut. My name is chosen and both my friend and I walk away winners.

It really is that simple!

RULES:

1) Projects must truly be kit projects and must include at least three items from that specific kit on your project.

2) These do not have to be new projects.

3) Anyone in any country is eligible, provided you are not a current DT member.

4) The more people who see you strut, the higher your chances are of winning. You may strut your stuff in more than one location.

5) You must use a recent Nook kit (May 2009-August 2009).

Don't have a Nook kit to work with? Well get started with the AMAZING August kit. Seriously this kit totally rocks. It is filled with all sorts of yummy October Afternoon papers and lots of other goodies to go along with it. It's a $38 value for only $28 - can't beat that!

So what are you waiting for? Let's see you STRUT! :)

Lil Buddy Project

Happy Saturday to you all! Just wanted to share a quick project that I created using the new Lil Buddy Collection from Pebbles Inc. I absolutely adore this collection and the color combination is just wonderful. I mean who doesn't love blue, orange, and green together for a boy line? Throw in some robots and dinosaurs and I'm in heaven! LOL


For this project I jazzed up a a simple 12x12 frame I had purchased from Michael's by inserting a corkboard mat with a 8x8 layout in the center. I used the adhesive corkboard sheets from Karen Foster Design for the mat and just kept the backing on (you can find these at Michael's as well). It just so happens that the wall color in Darian's room is the same exact shade of blue as in this line. I created this frame to hang on his wall and he can hang tickets, memorabilia, etc on the cork. Plus I can easily swap out the layout in the center of the frame as the seasons change or as he gets older. Fun right?