I'm Back...

...well sort of. We've been home since Midnight on Friday but I have been sicker than a dog since we returned. Our vacation was so fun. I have been away from the beach too long. The moment we stepped out of the van and I smelled the ocean air (we were in Hilton Head) I was lovin' it!
We all faced a little bit of illness at some point of the trip (sore throats, mainly), and mine hit right when we were driving home. So I've been home physically, but mentally I haven't had much going on. Today was the first day I felt like doing anything, and that just involved a little computer time. I'm dying to stamp since it has been almost two weeks since I did anything, but the creative juices just aren't flowin'. I wanted to post something, so here is a card I made for Ryan's birthday back in Feb. I love how it turned out. It was just one of those cards that went together quickly and the result was fabulous! Dontcha love all the stars?

Hugs,

Dots of all Types

Have I told you before that I love polka dots? Well, I do. Look at all the dots on this card. This card is another SU CASE, I believe I saw a similar card in last month's Stampin' Success. I don't know if there is a name for the technique, but I've wanted to try this out for some time now-the punched circles on the top of the card. I think it is such a cool look, punch out shapes in the same color card stock as the background. It gives the tone-on-tone look I love. It is subtle yet striking! Try it! The polka dot paper is from the soft sky prints pack. I used the stamp set, All in A Row and then tied some wide choc. chip grosgrain ribbon to pull in another color for accent. This is another SUO card. Have a great day!

Hugs,

SUO!

SUO? Don't know what that means? You probably do, but just in case, it means Stampin' Up! Only. With more and more amazing new stamping companies popping up all the time, it sometimes is hard to find projects made with only stamping up supplies. There is nothing wrong with that, but as a demo we can only demonstrate SU stuff. Do a search in the gallery on SCS with these letters and you'll see tons of amazing cards that use only Stampin' Up! supplies. While my collection of non-SU stuff keeps growing, I do try to remember to post SUO stuff regularly. If you visit my blog regularly (Thank-you, BTW) I think you'll see a good mix. Anyway, here is a card I did last week. It is a CASE from a brochure demo's can give out to potential hostesses (sorry can't think of the exact name of the piece of literature). I don't have the set, Big Flowers, but I have Big Pieces so I used that. The sentiment is from Stem Sayings. Thanks for stopping by!

Same Paper, Different Use!

Along with my Scrappin' mission, I'm trying hard to use up some stuff I have that I have not been using. Designer paper is the big one. I just forget what I have, and tend to use what is out on my desk at the time. I went digging through my stash and found some more My Minds Eye paper and put it to good use. Look, I actually scrapped one of the other boys! Since t-ball is almost over for this season, I was feeling the pressure to complete Joshua's page from last year's team. I made my own baseballs and stamped two bats and a mitt from a retired SU set, Sporting Goods (I think). The title is cut from my Fruit Smoothie alphabet sizzix set and my cuttlebug. Nice, quick, and easy!

After completing this page, I had scraps of this paper sitting on my desk so I decided to make a card with it too. The stamped images are from the Verve Visual set, Anniversary Birds. I did some fancy cutting around some swirls in the paper and nestled my birds behind it. I love the sentiment- Together, The Perfect way to Spend Forever." I think this will be Tim's anniversary card. We are coming up on 8 yrs on the 1st of July. Thanks for stopping by.

Keeping Up!

I didn't think I would get to scrap at all this week since I have been a busy little beaver getting other things done in preparation for our vacation. Two amazing sketched were posted this week on the Got Sketch 101 Class site and it was killing me that I wasn't going to get either of them done. I am great at procrastination, especially when it comes to packing. I took an hour this afternoon and worked on sketch #4 (I'll have to go back and do #3 after vacay) instead of packing and laundry. I pulled out some Dashing paper and the Red and Bashful print paper from the Summer Picnic pack to pull the colors together for this page. I then used Navy and Choc. Chip for my accent colors. The sample page had some very cool fabric flowers on in and as much as I would love to give them a try, I really struggle with myself to add flowers to the boys pages. Sometimes it fits, but most of the time it doesn't. I stuck to my trusty stars and added a few scallops. I wanted to use more chipboard for my title, but I didn't have all the letters and didn't want to mix my fonts, so I used my cuttlebug and the Olivia alpha dies. Two of the things I am loving about this class is that Valerie and Jana use a lot of pictures on their layouts and then they make it even easier by using the pictures in their 4x6 size. I almost always crop my pictures, thinking I have to to make them work. Cropping isn't that time consuming, but when you don't have to crop AT ALL, that makes for a quick page. So the funny thing about this double page spread that I did was completely leave off a 4x6 picture. I went and cut up two shots (the ones on the left, stacked on top of each other), when I went to put the page all together I realized my mistake. It was an easy fix since I had a lot to say, so I used 4x6 cs to make my journaling block. Thanks for stopping by! Hugs!

NMBS Blog Challenge!

You have heard me speak of the GSG and the amazing swap cards I get from those girls. Well, I am also part of two other swap groups that are equally talented. One of those groups is called NMBS. Just this week we also decided to start a group blog to show off some of the great talent of it's members. One of our members, Teresa Shaw (Inkfully Yours), took the time to get the blog started and even posted the first challenge. Anyone can play, so feel free to post a comment here with a link to your card or blog. The challenge this week was a Limited Supplies challenge. Check out the Blog Here.


Use: black and white and 1 accent color, flower stamp, and a mandatory accessory of Bling!

Here is my card! Thanks for a great challenge, Teresa. Can't wait to see what the next Challenge Hostess comes up with. Hugs,

A Quick One!

I'm busy getting ready for vacation, plus my mom was just visiting and I've been planning for a workshop I have tonight! Here is a quick card I put together yesterday and will be demo'ing tonight. Thanks to Beate and her awesome sketches, this came together quickly. I really wanted to show this stamp set because of how cute it looks when you paper piece the birdie. Plus it is a great way to show off some ds paper. I was able to show 4 different prints from the same paper pack! I used Pomegranate for the card base and then paired it with the Bali Breeze paper. The photo corner is the ribbon slide from the styled silver HPH! Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day. I do have some posts scheduled while I'm gone, so you shouldn't be left without some eye candy! It's like I'll never be gone. Hugs!

GSG Featured Swapper!

This week, Vickie Waugh was the lucky girl on the GSG Blog to being picked as the Featured Swapper. Check out her gallery or her blog and see what good stuff you'll find. I chose to case this card (mainly because I heart that owl). The only thing holding me back from getting that set is the set SU has coming out in the new Fall/Winter Catty with owls. I also loved the colors in the dp Vickie used. I finally used the last image from the Billy set that I haven't shown you yet. Isn't he cute with that froggie on his head?

I colored Billie with my copics. The white cs is embossed with the dots and Flowers embossing folder. I then stamped the plain embossed circles with some images from the Little Pieces stamp set in Really Rust, Old Olive, and Choc. chip. I decided to use the Olive twill ribbon to give it a more boyish, texture (since I kind of used a girlie embossing folder). My sentiment is layered up on the designer label punch, 1 inch circle, and the large oval punch. I attached some brass brads and sponged around the edges to finish it off. Thanks for the inspiration Vickie!

Got Sketch 101!, #2 of #2

And no I don't mean that #2,lol! Can you tell I hang out with my little ones all day. So I told you I was on a scrappin' mission and after my last page, I was feeling a little guilty that I copied the sketch and sample exactly from my Got Sketch 101 online class. While I loved how my page turned out, I thought I'd give it another try since I have plenty of pictures to scrap. This just shows how versatile a layout/sketch can be. I did switch things up a bit and added some creativity, but it is the same basic layout. Nicholas was born with so much hair, I couldn't wait any longer to get his hair cut. He had 4 hair cuts before his first birthday. It was kind of a running joke and I laughed every time I took him in because the girls always asked me if I wanted the "first hair cut special" since it would be the first cut for most babies his age. I'd laugh and tell them "no, this is his X # cut." I saved a lock of hair from each of the boys first cuts. I'm quite proud of myself since I made my own pocket for this page. I folded some acetate in half, stitched up the sides and along the bottom, placed the hair in the pocket and then added some ds paper and stitched along the top to close it off. How cute is this, and my stitching is pretty straight. Practice makes perfect! One more quick thing, as I was finishing up this page I stopped by the Stamp Something Blog and this weeks challenge was to create something monochromatic. Well this page fits that challenge, weird how I started it before I saw the challenge. I must have been channeling them,lol! TFL!

Hugs,

Got Sketch! Class, Sketch #2

Today, Valerie posted the second sketch for the class. Her page is amazing and the sketch was fun. I loved her title so much that I copied the page exactly. I guess mine is a little different since I used different colors, but if you are taking the class this page will look very familiar. Here is Nicholas's first time in the pool. I am using up some of my old supplies, so the paper came from the retired Simply Scrappin' kit, Island Blossoms. While I have always loved the kits (like I've told you all before), I really love the changes SU made to them in the last year. The old kits contain this really thick designer cardstock. It is a little hard to work with compared to the ds paper they put in them now. I also am so used to the double sided paper. I felt a little lost with only two choices of ds paper to work with. Hey, look, I got to use pink on a page! I tell you, I squeeze it in when I can. I think the celery and apricot help balance it all out along with the tempting turquoise. I love it! TFL!

Not So Last Minute!

I'm a bit proud of myself. Usually when it comes to cards for my loved ones, I am a last minute girl. I am great at getting out BRAK's to my swap group girls, but to my family and friends, I am usually whipping it all together on the day of the occasion. I really am super busy in the next two weeks and I have my crafting time scheduled down to the minute (okay a slight exaggeration, but it feels like that). Today was my day to finish the Father's Day cards for the 3 terrific DAD's in my life-my Dad, my FIL, and my kids' DAD! I already posted the first card I made for this Occasion back on this post (it was when I first got the Pond Life set from PTI). Here are the two cards I finished today.

The fishy card is for my DAD. He loves to fish, so I chose these images along with strips of the Father Know's Best dp from PTI. The base is a 4 1/4 square card of choc. chip, then layered with a 4 inch square of Summer Sunrise. It's all tied up with a piece of Summer Sunrise twill ribbon.
This second card is for my DH. He is an amazing DAD to our three boys and works very hard to provide for us. It is because of his job that I am blessed and get to stay home with the boys. I love it, I only wish Tim's hours weren't so long. We leave for vacation next week, and it feels like he has been working everyday this month, just so he has 10 days off at the end of the month. He even has to work on Father's Day :( how sad is that. He knows he's loved, I just hope this card helps make his Sunday a little less poopie! This card is double duty (triple duty if you count the occasion it was made for). I'm behind on the last two challenges from the GSG Blog. I'm not quite sure I got the sketch challenge exactly right, but it was close enough for me since I was going off my memory. The other Challenge was a Ways to Use it Challenge. I had to dust off my crimper for this one. It is a fun tool, I just never think to use it. I crimped up the bottom strip of dp and the middle oval layer. I added some distressing and Antique Brass brads to give it a more manly feel. Done!

Hugs,

I'm on a Scrappin' Mission

Yes, you will be seeing a lot of pages in the coming weeks. I really am hoping to finish (or at least get close) scrappin' 2007. I just joined an amazing online Sketch class, Got Sketch 101. The logo is in my sidebar, click on it for the details and how to join. Jana Wilson and Valerie Salmon are running the class and providing 12 sketches with full instructions and how-to's on putting the pages together. The coolest thing about this class is that all products used are Stampin' Up! That was the big selling point for me. Plus it is making me accountable and I know I will get these pages done. Today was day one of the class and this is my page I created with the sketch. Let me tell you, I spent more time on this page than I ever have on a scrapbook page. There are tons of extra details I normally leave off, but boy do they make a big impact. I flipped the sketch, since my photos were landscape oriented. The photo mat is actually a pocket and is holding two little tags that you can add pictures to or extra journaling. I used River Rock textured cs for my base and the colors and ds paper are from last catty's hostess scrappin' kit, Creative License . The title was created with my cuttlebug and an Alphabet set that is actually part of the Cuttlekids line. I added clear buttons lined with designer paper and stitched with linen thread. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Monday!

This Little Piggy

I do scrap the older boys, I swear. I just have way more pictures of the baby's 1st year and I'm trying hard to get caught up. Wait, does that ever happen? Probably not, but I'll keep pluggin' away. Here is the other project we did yesterday at my little downline meeting. There ended up only being three of us, since one of my girls couldn't make it-we missed you Crystal :( Pretty simple page. 12x12 choc. chip base and the ds paper is from the Summer Days scrappin' kit. I used a scrap map I found on the SU demo site and I pulled this page together. The large P, is a On Board Chipboard letter covered in ds paper. Each of the girls had the same layout, but their pages turned out so different since the pictures they scrapped were from different events. If I had thought ahead, I would have taken pics of each of their pages to show you. Oh, well, next time I guess. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your Sunday! I'm taking the boys to church for the first time (kind of, we've been before but never on a regular basis which is what I am hoping will happen this summer). Tim is working, so his mom is going to go and help me out. Good thing there is Sunday school for the older boys. They'll enjoy that and not have to be so quiet. God Bless!

Hugs,

My First Circle Card

For some reason I can't get a bigger picture to upload right now. I'll try later. Anyway, isn't this just the cutest card?! It is my first circle card. After I got back my latest round of swaps from the GSG, I knew I had to try one. Every card I got back was amazing, but I really fell in love with Kristie Bare's card. I used her's for the style and changed everything else up. I used the Bali breeze ds paper, along with the coordinating stamp, A Beautiful Thing. Check out how it opens and where you can place the sentiment. Isn't that cool! The brad at the top acts as a hinge, so the top circles can swing open. This is one of the projects my girls are doing this afternoon. I think they'll really like it. I also think it would work well as a fun embellishment for the right scrapbook page. It could act as a great way to hide the journaling of something that was maybe a little more private. Have a great weekend. It is HOT here, so the boys and I are hoping to get to the pool.

Hugs,

A Challenging Challenge

The sketch challenge over at SCS really had me fighting with this card today. I love the sketch but I think I made at least 5 changes to this card before it felt right. I used some of the Basic Grey, Phoebe paper again since it was still on my desk (notice a theme here, yes, I haven't cleaned my stamping space in a while!) I also used some yummy satin May Arts ribbon. Layered up my punches again-round tab and scallop circle. The butterfly is from the set, Time Well Spent. I colored it in with my Copics ( my other 14 finally arrived today-yippee!!) and then made her all sparkly with some Stardust stickles. Here is a close up of the detail. To finish the card I added some white dots with my gel pen to the scallop circle and balanced the top right with some of my dew drops. I'm lovin' the fun, girly colors!
Check back tomorrow for a look at what we are doing at my first official downline meeting. I got my third recruit last week and the four of us are getting together to stamp tomorrow afternoon. I can't wait!
Hugs,

My Zoo Crew, and I challenge you!

Aren't these colors great together? I love this combo-kraft, blue bayou, soft sky, chocolate chip and wasabi. I am giving you an unofficial color challenge. Try this combo out and post a link in the comments section so I can see what you came up with.

I have had this page in my head for some time now, but I needed to actually get my pictures printed up. I love digital, but it seems I wait forever to get my pictures printed. The page is based off the sports page layout in the Spring/Summer catty. I used the Wild About You (I hope it does not retire yet!) set to ink up those adorable zoo animals. I used chipboard for my title and ended up adding some pop of color to two of the letters by smooshing the chipboard directly into my Wasabi ink pad. This page will go into the baby's album since it was his first visit to the zoo. We are blessed to have a wonderful zoo and botanical gardens right downtown, Cincinnati. Tim's parents give us a season pass each year for Christmas, it is a generous gift, but one we use over and over.

I Get So Excited!

I do, I get so excited for my Swapping/online friends when one of them is recognized for their talent, whether it be getting on Stampers Showcase, picked for a design team, a featured stamper, or Published in a craft magazine. There is just so much amazing talent out there so it is quite an honor to be recognized by one of our peers. This week, Maren was chosen as the feature stamper on SCS. She was also picked as the first guest designer for Unity stamps. She is so deserving, check out her gallery or her blog and you'll see what I mean. This is the card I made, which was based off of this card of hers. I used the SU set, Pretty Amazing along with the colors, Pomegranate and pale Plum. The ds paper is from Basic Grey, the Phoebe pack. I added some stitching, buttons and some of my beloved Pomegranate satin ribbon. Have a great day!

The last of my Class pics

Here it is, as I promised. The last of the projects we did at my Simply Scrappin' Summer Days class. This was the double page spread. I love how many of the die cut stickers there are. You could add as many or as few as you wanted and still have a ton left over. I posted the individual shots of both the left and right side and then posted a smaller pic of the two pages together so you can see how it all fits together.

The pictures capture the visit we had last summer from my sister and her two girls. It was over the 4th of July and the weather was perfect. We spent two days out at the lake and the kids did a ton of swimming and tubing.

End of Soccer season and Happy JUNE!

Yes, it is the end of Spring soccer, and YES it is June. The boys each had games yesterday and I stayed up late Friday to pull together two quick cards. I used the GSG Mini Sketch Challenge for my layout. You could pick any layout used in the Spring/Summer Occasions mini to CASE. I went with the layout for the little 3x3 card on pg. 14. I did turn it into a full size card and used Jersey Shore ds paper since it was still on my desk from the Bird trio.

I made this same card twice but with different color combos. Joshua's team was the Orange Tigers (so this card is for his coach) and Ryan's team was the Blue Buffaloes (that card was bashful and brilliant blue with accents of wasabi). I was in a rush out the door this morning and never took the picture of the blue card. I wanted post both of them together (plus I liked the blue card better) but oh, well. Thanks, Maren for a great challenge. We are at the lake today, hoping to get the boat running. The water is too cold for the boys to tube, but I'm sure we'll cruise the lake and do some fishing.