Cricut Fun

Some days you just have to break out the cricut to keep the kids happy, this was one of those days. Andru loves to look at my Create-a-Critter cartridges. He was able to pick three he wanted to put together, he choose a gingerbread man, gingerbread house, and an apple. He is always so excited when he can push the buttons himself.

He had to pose with each one and instead of saying "Cheese" he said the name of each item.

Because no one in my family likes to do anything main stream, he picked neon green and pink for his elements for the gingerbread house.  So I decided to enter them into the thepapergirlschallenge for this month, which was to use neon colors.

Thanks for stopping by and look for something exciting going live on Friday.

Altered Frame

On occasion I like to make a little something for friends or family so I can share my scrapping habit. I made this very simple covered frame for my friend to hold a picture of her and her son that I took at the Branson, Missouri Hot Air Balloon Festival this year. I started with a wood frame I picked up at Michaels for a dollar, traced the frame onto my paper then used my craft knife to cut out the middle. Added a little dark brown ink to the edges and cut the balloons and pin-wheels out from some scrap pieces of Echo Parks Sweet Day, I had left from another project. Embelllished with some stickles and it was done.



Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great day. 

Traditions

Everyone has their traditions, mine is a make ornaments for everyone each year. The last few years have been hand painted pottery in the shape of stars, chipboard letters covered with scrapbook paper, last year was a corn starch ornament that the kids and I painted. This year, thanks to Pinterest, I made scrabble tile name ornaments. We aren't able to get presents for everyone, but I do like to give something. 

Growing up Santa Claus alway brought an ornament each year, and I have carried that tradition on with my kids. I also love that every ornament on my tree has a story and is personal.  

Thanks for stopping by, Hope you enjoyed all your Christmas Traditions this year.

Scraplifting

As I'm sure all scapbookers or even crafters know we apprecitate when another crafter uses our ideas. My local Scrapbook Store, Scrapbook Generation does weekly sketches and also has several kit of the month clubs. I love the sketches but can't always order one, and they sell out quick. So when I stumbled across this layout, I just knew I had to try and recreate it on my own. It took lots of patience but I really am happy how it came out. I just have to add my journaling card to the empty space and its good to go. I love the way Echo Parks Sweet Days paper went with the photos of my son and his since before birth buddy playing, when we went and visited her in August.



Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful Christmas!!

Kiwi Lane Design by Number Challenge & Mid Week Mojo

This week I decided to participate in a whole new challege set by a Paper Crafting company Kiwi Lane Designs. This company creates "frames" they are stencils that can be used to create different designs and make scrapping quick and easy. Each month they hold two challenges, I entered into the Numbers Challenge, use only ODD numbered templates for a layout.  I used the sketch from this weeks Mid Weeks Mojo (see it here) and took out both challenges at once. I have had this picture of me and my mom cooking authentic mexican food for Cinco de Mayo since well May 5, 2012. I was just itching to scrap them and this layout was perfect. I got a little, okay complete help with the title from my great on-line crafty friends.

Cocinando la Comida Mexicana con Mama

Transparencies

Here is my go at a layout using a transparency, I have several from kits that I have always been to scared to use. I had these pictures of my son ripping his christmas presents open from two years ago. I used the overlay that looked like snow flakes on the left side. Thanks for looking, please excuse the horrid picture.



Coral layouts.

Time for another 10 layouts to add to the already huge photo albums. I have been trying to scrap some older pictures of my oldest son from the many visits we had prior to getting full custody in 2007. It is crazy to think he is 11, I really don't know where the years went.

Coral 2



Coral 3a -

Coarl 4

Coral 5 - I took about 10 pictures of this one and this was the best, although it is blurry.

Coral 6

 

A Little Dabble...

On very few occasions I have to make a card. Now I am not a card maker by any means but I like to give a homemade card for any occasion I can. One of my very good friends got married yesterday, and I whipped up this card to give to him and his lovely bride. Having all boys I do not get to use pink very often and when I do I feel like I go a bit over board. I think for having such a short time frame to complete it, because I procrastinate, it came out very nice.

Thanks for stopping by, and checking out my dabbles.

Perfectly Pearl.. YAY!!

Another series down and another 10 sketches complete. Here are my Pearl layouts... Lots of fun stuff in these pictures, visits from family, days on the lake, a few birthdays, pregnancy photos, and really old photos of my now husband and his son from when he was 3 or 4... Just great photos all around

Pearl #1

  Pearl #2

Pearl #3

Pearl #4

Pearl #5

Pearl #6

Pearl #7

Pearl #8

Pearl #9

Pearl # 10

Getting Crafty with ATCs

Time for another round of ATCs, this swap was a Fall theme. Always getting to take creative liberty with the theme, I choose to do a campfire under a full moon hidden by some clouds. I stepped out of my comfort zone and used some chalk for the wisps of smoke, and was that an interesting time figuring out just how to get them light enough to bring across what I wanted. I eat lunch with my friend at a park every week and found some sticks that would work perfectly for my roasted marshmallow to sit on. I have never used a real life element on any kind of page. I think they came out pretty well definitely a step up from the last two I completed.

Mid Week Mojo Series Pearl #1

Another week, Another Mojo sketch. I truly enjoy each Wednesday at 10 am when the new sketch is revealed. It just shows that no matter how long you do this craft you can always go a different direction. This weeks sketch is no different, just a simple layout with minimal elements really highlights the picture. I chose to use this wonderful picture of my sister and brother in law walking hand in hand with Andru during their visit in May. Andru was so happy to see his Nina and Uncle Sean. 

Turquoise Layouts

Here they all in all their glory.. After a four day marathon scrapping feast, I am Totally Turquoise! Thankfully all the layouts this series are one pagers, well except one that is the Learning is Fun one.



Amethyst Layouts

I am currently 40 weeks behind on my mojo sketches from http://www.scrapbooksteals.com/. A weekly sketch is given each Wednesday and it is up to "us" to follow the sketch or use as a jumping off point. I have a very hard time using the sketch to the exact specifications so mine are always a little different.

I am very happy to be back in the game and working on my insanely huge pile of pictures. It has gotten so bad I rarely take pictures of anything besides the holidays or new adventures.

Here are my 10 Amethyst layouts and my take on this weeks The Paper Girls Challenge blog post.

Amethyst #1



 Amethyst #2

Amethyst #3,

Amethyst # 4

Amethyst # 5

Amethyst # 6



 Amethyst # 7

Amethyst # 8

Amethyst # 9 & the paper girls blog!

Amethyst # 10



Amethyst #5

Another week down, another sketch from www.scrapbooksteals.com. This weeks was a simple layout I tweaked it a little to use this half a bracket I had left over from last weeks sketch. I love the bright colors which I am not accustomed to using. Having only boys I tend to shy away from yellows and pinks but it just seemed to work for the happiness in this picture. This picture is from a trip to North Dakota last July for my nieces 1st birthday. It is rare for Andru to actually sit with someone other than myself so I always try to get a good picture when it happens. My dad is the best grandpa, he loves his grandkids so much. I am very thankful to have him in my life to help me give my kids things my husband and I wouldn't be able to without his help. I love you dad, and Andru loves his grandpa.



Balloons over Branson

In October, I just happened across a news story for a Balloon Festival in the town just 30 minutes south of us. I decided to load up the kids and take them to experience one of my favorite memories from when I was a kid. I remember being so cold but the balloons were so pretty. I bundled up both kids and, pulled up some grass and watched the balloons come to life. Caleb was so cold even in his jacket and a blanket, Andru was wrapped up just like a burrito like Caleb. Not once did the kids complain, they just oo'd and ahh'd over the balloons. It was well worth the trip in the cold.