More Than Just Color

So it's Penguin Day!

2012-01-25T23:54:00.004-05:00

{ Mojo Monday #225 }
{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge CFC36 }
{ create: Square Card Challenge 01/19 }

Evening all! Hope your week is going well! I created a Clean and Simple card tonight. YAY! The photo is messed up because it is almost midnight here and I took the photo in my kitchen. Baaaaad. I made this card for my sweet friend Tara who invited two friends and I for Game Night last week. It was a night full of laughs, and of food and wine, poker and a game I never played before, Bananagrams? LOVED! Anyway, I wanted to give her this Thank You card for inviting us and having hosted such a fun night. I really needed some time with the girls!

{ The Design }

The Design: I used the Grand Calibur again. I had trouble with it the first time I used it. Tonight it was happy with me. I used my new EK Success Zig Zag punch. LOVE!!! My stamp is from (digging through the pile of mess on my desk....ah!) Studio G, and the butterflies are from a Hambly overlay.

{ My Inspiration }

I followed the Mojo Monday sketch very closely, with hardly any variation. I loved that the sketch had four slots. Each butterfly represents the four of us that night. CAS-ual Fridays wanted a clean and simple card using ONLY black and white, in honor of Penguin Day. Hee-Hee, too cute. Wish I had a penguin stamp!

Thanks for stopping by!!! Have to rush and link these up! I have like 9 minutes!!! See you again! And don't forget, it's CARDS Week at Color Combos Galore, so go play!

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

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Thanks you so much for visiting me,
your sweet voices make my day! :) :)

Project Supplies:

{ Just 4 You } Card:

Stamp: "just 4 you" ((Studio G))

(click to shop for items)

American Crafts: 12x12 Cardstock - Black	American Crafts: 12x12 Cardstock White	Hambly: Overlay - High Tea Black	Marvy Uchida: Square 1Â½ Inch
Martha Stewart Royal Butterfly Punch	Martha Stewart: Scallop Dot Edge Punch	EK Success: Zig Zag Chain Edger Punch	Jenny Bowlin: Fountain Pen
Cuttlebug: 5x7 Polka Dots Embossing Folder	Spellbinders: Grand Calibur	3-D Foam Discs White - 1/8" Thick	Tombow Mono Adhesive - Permanent
Tim Holtz Design Ruler	Tim Holtz Kushgrip Snip	Xacto: Laser Paper Trimmer

InLinkz.com

CCG 216 ... A Shaped Cupcake Card

2012-01-24T16:05:00.006-05:00

{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #216 }
{ Card Patterns: Challenge #149 }
{ The Ribbon Reel: Challenge #20 }
{ DYSU Challenge: Challenge #55 }

Hello everyone! Did you all get snow? We did on Saturday, LOTS of it. The children made their igloos and I ended up getting sick. Feeling better today and I can't wait to share my latest card.

It's CARDS, TAGS and OFF-THE-PAGE Week at CCG! Because it is National Pie Day (Jan 23), I decided this week's theme for Challenge #216 is "Sweets and Treats": Create a project using a sweet or treat image.

The colors are so yummy and the challenge was quite simple. I had so much fun creating my card!

{ The Design }

The Color Combo: I just love how happy these colors are. I used everything from "Ducks in a Row", an older October Afternoon release. Great thing about their products, it doesn't ever get old. Ever. I distributed a lot of the "Vanilla Ice Cream" color throughout the card. For the "Blue Sprinkles" color I used the Lullaby paper, sheer ribbon and buttons. I used the Sleep Tight PP, a Copic Marker, and twine for "Banana Cream Pie", and my "Pink Fondant" was their circle tag from the Label Sticker sheet and This Little Piggy paper used in the banner strips.

Featuring products from October Afternoon

The Design: Okay, the way I made the cupcake template was very primitive. I downloaded and printed an image, cut it out, then traced it onto the PP, and cut again. I suppose it would be easier to have a die, but I don't have it. I decorated the filling with dimensional paint and yellow Stickles. The cupcake liner was passed through a crimper and I used a Dritz tool to create the faux stitches. See HERE for a tutorial I wrote at the old CCG site about faux stitching.

{ My Inspiration }

The Card Patterns challenge this week is shaped cards. I did not have a round card die or template so I decided to make the cupcake shape. I varied the design by creating a banner strip and circle tags for the lace strip design shown in the sketch. The Ribbon Reel Challenge required ribbon/lace/buttons/twine. A little hard to work in the lace, but check, check, check and check. The DYSU challenge wanted colorful mixed patterned papers. Check.

Totally fun!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by and having a look!!! Hope you will pop over to Color Combos Galore as well as the other challenges I played. This Combo Challenge ends along with last week's Layouts, Mini-Albums and Off-the-Page Designer's Challenge on January 30th, 11:59pm USA/EST. Hope to see you there! Please visit each Designer's blog and see what they created for this gorgeous palette!

Bente Fagerberg
Kelly Holbrook
Tomomi Nomura

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

Post Comment
Thanks you so much for visiting me,
your sweet voices make my day! :) :)

Project Supplies:

{ Happy Birthday } Cupcake Card:

Paper Crimper (Fiskars); Serrated Tracing Wheel (Dritz)
ribbon; buttons; dimensional paint

(click to shop for items)

American Crafts: 12x12 Cardstock White	October Afternoon: Ducks in a Row - Lullaby	October Afternoon: Ducks in a Row - Sleep Tight	October Afternoon: Ducks in a Row - This Little Piggy
October Afternoon: Ducks in a Row - Labels	Martha Stewart: Die-Cut Lace Tags	Imaginisce: Snag 'Em Stamps - Happy Birthday	Divine Twine: Lemon
Copic: Yellow - Y06	Ranger Stickles - Scattered Straw	Jenny Bowlin: Fountain Pen	Marvy Uchida: Nesting Punches - Square 1"
Tombow Mono Adhesive - Permanent	Xacto: Laser Paper Trimmer

InLinkz.com

CCG 214...A Card and Sketch Challenge

2012-01-10T23:36:00.012-05:00

{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #214 }
{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge #34 }

Color Combos Galore Challenge #214 for CARDS and TAGS went up yesterday. Looks the same, but really, it's not! It's an extension of last week's colors but CARDS Week has a different Inspiration Photo and Designer's Challenge. This time the challenge requires you to use the Inspiration Photo as a "sketch" for your card or tag design. For this week's theme I decided to celebrate couple of non-traditional holidays:

Silly thing to celebrate, right? Didn't know that there was a National Bubble Bath Day or even a Bath Safety Month, too funny. Here is my card:

{ The Design }

The Color Combo: It's a lot of fun to come up with color names for the themes of the Inspiration Photos. I almost called one of the colors "Nude", LOL. For "Golden Candle Glow", I used Crate Paper's Traditions paper and gold glitter glue. The cardstock and sentiment tag is the "Porcelain Bathing Tub", the "Therapeutic Sea Salt" is the gray stamping ink and silver glitter glue and finally, "Scented Candles" was used in Crate Paper's Phrase Stickers, also in the twine and buttons.

Featuring products from the Crate Paper Portrait Collection

The Design: I wanted to try embossing vellum. This was the first time I used my Grand Calibur, I had some trouble because when I sandwiched the Cuttlebug folder and layered the plates as directed, it was not going through. If anyone can tell me how to do it right, please, I need to know! I used an owl stamp (a Studio G dollar stamp from Michaels) and then a gray UniBall sparkling pen to outline him and for the faux stitches. The circle tag is actually cut out of the inside of another tag from the Portrait Phrase Stickers.

{ My Inspiration }

This week at CCG, you are required to use the Inspiration Photo as a sketch, the Cas-ual Fridays Challenge required the use of chipboard. I also got mixed up with two other challenges that expired last week: Scrapbook Trends Create: blog challenge was using vellum, and the Shabby Tea Room wanted wings and colors - I didn't use their colors, but I was inspired by the owls and bedskirt.

I started dieting again. It's my first week. I am doing Weight Watchers. Last time I did it I lost 50 pounds in a little over 3 months. I am hoping to achieve that again, and not let myself go afterwards.

Wish me luck!

Well thanks for stopping by again!!! This CCG Challenge is running concurrently with last week's CCG #213, both will end on January 14th, 11:59pm USA/EST. Hope you will play along too! Please visit each Designer's blog and see what they created this week for this gorgeous palette!

Bente Fagerberg
Kelly Holbrook
Lilith Eeckels
Tomomi Nomura

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

Post Comment

Project Supplies:

{ Thinking of You } Card:

owl stamp, gray ink (Studio G)
buttons (Autumn Leaves)
gray sparkle pen (UniBall)
twine

(click to shop for items)

Crate Paper: Portrait - Traditions	Crate Paper: Portrait - Phrase Stickers	Crate Paper: Portrait - Borders	American Crafts: 12x12 Cardstock White
WorldWin: 8.5x11 Translucent Vellum	Maya Road: Classic Label Chipboard Coaster	Ranger Stickles - Silver Ice	Ranger Stickles - Gold Ice
Jenny Bowlin: Fountain Pen	EK Success: Abstract Flower Edge Punch	Marvy Uchida: Nesting Punches - Square 1"	Cuttlebug: 5x7 Polka Dots Embossing Folder
3-D Foam Discs White - 1/8" Thick	Tombow Mono Adhesive - Permanent	Tim Holtz Kushgrip Snip	Xacto: Laser Paper Trimmer
Spellbinders: Grand Calibur

InLinkz.com

Paper Bag Mini-Album...and a CCG COMEBACK!!!

2012-01-02T07:00:00.025-05:00

{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #213 }
{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge 12/23}

No more Ning network.
Color Combos Galore is back on Blogger!!!
Hello and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!! What is so great about new year's is that we can wipe the slates clean and start fresh. It is also the most opportune time to start something new, new chapters, new beginnings. I explained in depth why I made the decision to leave the Ning website on the new CCG challenge blog. It really came down to time and money. It's been over two years since I had the challenges up on Blogger. I am very excited about it, it will be a whole lot easier to maintain and will function much better. The first challenge is already up. Take a look-see...

So we are celebrating New Year's Day with a "Resolutions Challenge" and the colors are DEEEEE-VINE!!! The Inspiration Board has slightly changed (I just LOVE the new design with the stacked photo, digital washi tape and new details section). You know I had originally designed the Board to look like a file folder. Sort of something you either pull or put away in your inspiration "files". I originally got the idea from the way I personally work on projects, with a challenge task sheet on my desk with ideas and notes, colors and sketches tacked on. Really fun, so I definitely kept that. The big change is in the scheduling of the challenges.
Aha! Drumroll, please....

Challenges will be posted on the 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd each month

One Color Combo posted every TWO WEEKS, twice each month, alternating layouts and cards each single week, using a different Inspiration Photo and Designer Challenge for each.
for example, EVERY MONTH ON....

- the 1st: Combo A - Layouts, tags, mini albums, off the page projects (this will run for two weeks)
- the 8th: Combo A - Cards week (same combo, different Inspiration Photo and Designer Challenge, for cards)

Both Combo A Challenges will close at the end of cards week (the 14th)

- the 15th: Combo B - Layouts week (same as above)
- the 22nd: Combo B - Cards week (same as above)

Both Combo B Challenges will close at the end of Cards week (the 28th)

So for Layouts Week, I created a Mini-Album. Here are some closeups:

Closeup #1: a) Brown paper bag folded in half. b) For the banner tips, I used a square punch and punched the end of the strip diagonally to get perfect banner ends (TIP ALERT!!).
Closeup #2: a) Butterfly pins created with quilting pins, a punch and hot glue. b) Accordion flowers with snipped creases.

The Color Combo: The damask and houndstooth print from the MME Forever Classified paper as well as the inked doilie and brad was my "Burst of Champagne" color. "A Clean Slate" was distributed all throughout, including the pearl brad. The gray Stickles and twine was my "Silver Bells", and the punched edge MME Favorite Party paper was my "Hope n' Taupe". The black and kraft were my neutral freebie colors.

{ The Design }

Featuring products from My Mind's Eye

The Design: I started with a paper bag, deco-scissored the edge and Stickled it. I cut a square from the MME Favorite Party paper and punched the edge. I cut another square from the MME Forever Classifieds paper and layered on top. The scrolly label was cut out from the same paper. I used a makeup sponge to stamp the golden yellow on the doily, and added glitter around the inner edge. I then cut a one inch strip from the MME Princess Pintuck paper and created two accordion flowers from it. Here is where I stuck on the two MME Gertie brads. I dug deep into my stash for those rub-ons (and how old are they?) to create my little title banner. Hot glued the butterflies to pins, wrapped twine around, a few more touches of Stickles and was done.

{ My Inspiration }

While searching for a challenge to accompany the Resolutions Challenge, I went through my feeds and came across this challenge over at the CAS-ual Fridays blog. Okay, this was totally fun! LOVED the idea of using a brown paper package. I immediately thought I could house all of my resolutions in it. PERFECT! Though in the end, with all the glitter and gold, it doesn't look so simple and casual, but it was really simple to make and super-quick too!

Now only if I can scrap this quick from now on! Wouldn't that be great!

Thanks for stopping by!!! You still have plenty of time to complete the CCG Challenge, it's for Layouts, Mini-Albums and Off-the-Page Projects only and it ends on January 14th, 11:59pm USA/EST. Hope you will play along too! Please visit each Designer's blog and see what they created for this gorgeous palette!

Happy Scrappin'!!!!
xoxo

Post Comment

Project Supplies:

{ Resolutions 2012 } Mini-Album:

Letters: "resolutions" (Making Memories); "2012" (Mustard Moon)
Misc: chalk ink (ColorBox); quilting pins (Dritz); deco-scissors (Provo Craft); brown lunch bag

(click to shop for items)

My Mind's Eye "Forever" Classified	My Mind's Eye "Blush" Favorite Party	My Mind's Eye: "Blush" Princess Pintuck	My Mind's Eye Gertie "Delightful" Decorative Brads
We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy Bakers Twine - Neutrals	Wilton Paper Lace 4" Doilies	Ranger Stickles - Silver Ice	Ranger Stickles - Gold Ice
Martha Stewart Deco Flowers	Martha Stewart Royal Butterfly Punch	Marvy Uchida: Nesting Punches - Square 1"	Xacto: Laser Paper Trimmer
Tim Holtz Design Ruler	Scotch Adhesive Applicator Gun	Tim Holtz Kushgrip Snip	Ranger Ink Blending Tool
Martha Stewart Scoring Board	Imaginisce I-Bond Tool

InLinkz.com

Some Thoughts...

2011-09-07T07:03:00.001-04:00

Twas the night before school started, when all through the town,
the parents were cheering...It was a riotous sound!
By 8, kids were washed and tucked into bed...
Where memories of homework filled them with dread!
New pencils, new folders, new notebooks too!
New teachers, new friends...Their anxiety grew!
The parents just giggled when they learned of this fright-
and shouted upstairs:
Go To Bed! It's A School Night!!
....M.Jordan, Letter to Parents 9/6/11

This year, my littlest one is starting first grade, my middle son is graduating primary school, and my oldest is starting his second year at middle school. And Mommy? Mommy is starting the first day of a new phase in her life. I don't know what it will be like later this morning when I return from drop-off, leaving my little baby to a full day of school. Last year my daughter had half-day kindergarten, and I had her for the other half of the day. But not anymore. It will be the first time all three of my children will be gone all day. Will I be jumping for joy? Probably not. Will I rush out and get a manicure? My hair done? No. Knowing me, I will get some housework done, then sit for a while in their rooms, reminiscing their days as babies, when I enjoyed them and my time as a stay at home Mom. It's been a great 10 and a half years. I was very fortunate to be able to stay home and raise them. I will remember all the great moments of their lives, their first steps, first foods, and their laughter. I will remember them running around, nagging at my knees and accompanying me on errands. I am gonna miss them. And the moment they are in my arms again will be a great one.

Yes, the first day is going to be tough, maybe the next day too. The third? Hmmm.

I will be in my scrap room. Yeah, I think creative endevours will be just the right medicine!

Looking forward to catching up with everyone and scrappin' again,

xoxo

Scrappy Chics Kits: July Kit Projects!

2011-07-06T00:00:00.007-04:00

Okay, okay. So things have been a bit hectic. These are really dark photos and not the way I want to show these, but tonight will have to do. It's been a long, exciting week. So much I want to shout out, but I need a raincheck. In short, here are the projects I made with the Scrappy Chics kits, and how I loved it!! First time working with Echo Park paper, ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE PAPERS!!! Below are the Sassy Lil' Sketches that I drew my inspiration from. (BTW, I was the lucky winner for May's card sketches....SWEET!)

That black rose is Maya Road black satin pleated trim that I made into a flower. I added the scallop lace and hot glued that into a flower as well.

some faux threadless stitching here and my first try at paper piecing....
kinda cute?

and these two, again from Sassy Lil' Card Sketches:

a dressed up little Maya Road Cameo chipboard (May kit) with Paper Glaze, and hand-stitching

A-dorable little flag banners and scallop border exclusive in the kit, the zig zag is the MME die cut, and the raffle ticket was cut from the Newsworthy paper. (My favorite card...I think, not sure)

Here is this month's kit:

Isn't that awesome? Tons of papers, great embellies and exclusive items too.

Subscriptions are as low as $25. Can't beat that.

This month's kits are still available, if not, get on the mailing list!

http://scrappychics.com/kits.htm

More exciting news! Color Combos Galore has a new Design Team!

I need a separate blog post about that!

http://colorcombosgalore.ning.com/

I need to update a few posts, I feel very rushed.

But i need to get some sleep.

Sorry I have to say Goodnight folks,

hope you are well and thanks for visiting me!

Scrappy Chics Kit Projects: Getting Sassy!

2011-06-05T23:54:00.004-04:00

I say it every time. Scrappy Chics Kits are soooooo fun to work with! For this month, the kits feature the Daily Junque Collection from Pink Paislee, delicious Stella and Rose, Jenni Bowlin and more! WOW!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE these lines! I have three projects to share tonight using sketches from Sassy Lil' Sketches. I am posting quickly, I will add the deets soon. Sorry, the kits sold out in one day!!

{ Project 1 }

Using this sketch:

Then I went over to their card sketch site, Sassy Lil' Card Sketches and picked up two more sketches!

{ Project 2 }

Using this sketch:

{ Project 3 }

Using this sketch:

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: June Kit }
{ Sassy Lil Sketches: Challenge 5/21}
{ Sassy Lil Card Sketches: Challenge 5/07 and 5/21}

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #1

2011-05-05T22:14:00.007-04:00

This month's Scrappy Chics Kit included the Jillibean Soup Blossom and Webster's Trendsetter Collection along with American Crafts, My Mind's Eye, Maya Road and Tim Holtz yummy goodness! Here are all the Design Team projects I made. I have four, I absolutely LOVED this kit!!!!!

{ The Design }

Featuring Jillibean Blossom Soup Collection
My adorable two! He is soooooo sweet with her!

{ My Inspiration }

The sketch I used is from Sassy Lil' Sketches, I am loving playing with these sketches lately! Since I was working with the kit and the Color Combos Galore Designer's Challenge was a siblings theme, the lovely spring colors of the Jillibean Soup products and Webster's green butterfly paper were the perfect mix for these photos. Because I usually do one photo designs, I was thrilled that the sketch, kit, colors and themed challenge worked together so nicely that I could finally add these photos to my album.

The Color Combo:
I used the colors from Color Combo Challenge #190 from Color Combos Galore. This week's theme was to focus on siblings or pets. Though in the end I there was a bit too much pink added to the mix. I try to use kits for these challenges, but when I do that, the colors are a bit off. I can't do that anymore.

The Sketch:
Variation #1: I started my design with the area for the scalloped borders on the bottom, I started here because I was also playing the Two Peas Products You Love - Die Cuts Challenge where we had to use die cuts in a new way. Playing around with the Jillibean Soup die cuts, I discovered that the border circles nested perfectly in the scalloped die cut circles. So I cut them in half and spanned the width of the floral border strip. Once I had that down, then I could measure out the size of my photos and other papers. For the large border across the photos, I hand cut the butterflies from the Jillibean patterned paper, then added a pop dot to the first butterfly for dimension.
Variation #2: In the original sketch, the wider patterned paper was sketched behind the photos. I placed it in the background, behind the cardstock. Also notice I did not extend the cardstock above the photos too much for the title. After trying that, I decided to cut the cardstock down instead, leaving a little margin on top and set my title above. I originally left the title alone as "moments", but just when I was about the call the page "done", I added the little K&Co tile letters from my stash.
Variation #3: I added the Jillibean Soup journaling die cut in place of the journaling strips for the ten reasons why I love seeing my son and daughter together like this.
Variation #4: I finished my design doodling a border around the page to ground the whole design and added an embellished corner using the Jillibean Soup cardstock stickers.

Project Supplies:

{ Moments } layout:

From: Scrappy Chics Kits, May 2011 kit

Trendsetter paper - Style 105 (Webster's Pages)
Blossom Soup paper - Fresh Cilantro (Jillibean Soup)
Blossom Soup Cardstock Stickers (Jillibean Soup)
Blossom Soup Die Cuts (Jillibean Soup)
Rainboots Thickers - Daisy (American Crafts)

From my stash:

Cardstock: White (American Crafts); Chowder (Bazzill)
Letters: Embossed stickers (Studio K)
Border punches: (Martha Stewart)
Other: brown, black pen (Sakura); pop dots (American Crafts); linen thread

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }
{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #190 }
{ Sassy Lil Sketches: Challenge 4/21}
{ Two Peas Products You Love Every Which Way: April - Diecuts }

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #2

2011-05-05T22:13:00.008-04:00

{ The Design }

Featuring Webster's Trendsetter Collection
My niece, the Fashion Institute of Technology graduate. So glamorous!

{ My Inspiration }

Jen Gallacher's Stretch Your Sketch Classes at Two Peas. A free class each month and it's a GREAT challenge!!! See the bottom of the post for the link. LOVE the idea of stretching the sketch! I never take a sketch literally, only because I feel strongly that in order to stretch your creativity when working with a sketch you should definitely not copy the sketch EXACTLY as it is shown. Find ways to adapt it, to interpret it differently while sticking to the sketch. I feel like I am challenging myself even further when I try to think of ways to creatively take an element of the sketch and vary it. LOL, even more of a challenge for me when I am working exclusively with a kit. Not so easy. But I love to challenge myself!

The Sketch:
Variation #1: The title. Instead of one HUGE title, I used the Fashionista pattern paper that had a lot of text on it and thought of a long word for the title.
Variation #2: The border strip. Cut out the bracket design from the District 45 paper for the long border, layered another strip from the Leaders paper and cut out a a stamped border.
Variation #3: The circles. Lots of them. I am not a fan of circles on my pages. So I used doilies and flowers cut out from the Leaders paper. Brushed the doilies with the fluid chalk and glitter glued both the photo and flowers. LOVE how it turned out, might become a fan of circles now, hee-hee.
Variation #4: To finish the layout, I added more strips of papers and filled the space with a lot of hand cut elements! I love the little "hat" I gave to the girl piece. Cute!

Project Supplies:

{ NYC Fashionista } layout:

From: Scrappy Chics Kits, May 2011 kit

Trendsetter paper - Style 105 (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - Accessorize (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - Handsome Vintage (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - Leaders (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - Fashionista (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - District 45 (Webster's Pages)
Blossom Soup Cardstock Stickers (Jillibean Soup)

From my stash:

Cardstock: Vanilla (Bazzill)
Letters: "nyc" (Studio K); "fashionista" (Bo Bunny)
Punches: border (Martha Stewart, Fiskars); 1/2" circle (EK Success)
Stamps: Classic Borders (Recollections)
Inks: "Orchid Pastel" Fluid Chalk on letters, "Olive Pastel" Fluid Chalk on border stamp and doilies (ColorBox)
Other: glitter glue (Studio G); doilies

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }
{ Scrappy Chics Kits: April Kit }
{ Two Peas Stretch Your Sketch: April 2011 }

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #3

2011-05-05T22:12:00.009-04:00

Wow, three challenges rolled into one. Haven't done that in ages! I found that the Embellish Magazine color scheme was perfect for the kit, so I concentrated on those colors for the card and The Shabby Tea Room's challenge was so perfect for me because I LOVEEEEEE butterflies, so that was fun to play along with too! I remember years ago when I used to combine many more challenges than just three. Those were the days!

{ The Design }

Featuring Jillibean Blossom Soup Collection

{ My Inspiration }

The Sketch:
Variation #1: Round or Square? I chose square! I definitely wanted to use white as my base, but it was so plain, so I embossed it with a Fiskars template. Instead of a spray of flowers like in the sketch I punched out tiny butterflies from the Jillibean Fresh Cilantro paper and cut out the large butterfly out of one of the Jillibean circle die cuts to fit the Shabby Tea Room butterfly challenge.
Variation #2: Used the Jillibean Soup phrase die cut as my sentiment and moved it over from the center to the left side of the die cut circle, also from the Jillibean Soup die cut sheet given in the kit. I added a pop dot for dimension.
Variation #3: I received the Webster's Pages Trendsetter trim what to do, what to do....that's right! Where the sketch called for a scalloped border along the right side of the card, I tucked in the ribbon! The adhesive was pretty tricky, I used Martha Stewart's All Purpose Gel Adhesive which held up pretty darn well!
Variation #4: There are the three tiny circles on the lower left of the card. I placed my three little stickers that say I 'heart' you. Cute!

Project Supplies:

{ Friendship } card:

From: Scrappy Chics Kits, May 2011 kit

Blossom Soup paper - Fresh Cilantro (Jillibean Soup)
Blossom Soup Cardstock Stickers (Jillibean Soup)
Blossom Soup Die Cuts (Jillibean Soup)
Trendsetter Trim (Webster's Pages)

From my stash:

Cardstock: White (American Crafts); Kraft (Bazzill)
Punches: butterfly (Marvy Uchida)
Other: embossing template (Fiskars); pop dots (American Crafts); linen thread

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }
{ Embellish Magazine Color Trends: Square Cards }
{ Mojo Monday: Challenge #188 }
{ The Shabby Tea Room: Challenge #59 }

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #4

2011-05-03T23:55:00.007-04:00

My next project was inspired by this great challenge site I found, CASE Study, real fun!!! You are given an inspiration card and then you CASE it. CASE means Copy And Steal Everything! This week's card is by their April Muse, Silke Ledlow.

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

I do not have many cardmaking supplies, like an embossing template she used to as the border around her card. So working with this month's Scrappy Chics kit, I lifted her floral border by substituting it with the My Mind's Eye Stella Rose transparency frame. The idea popped into my head and I thought it was quite fun to try it. I assembled the Webster's Trendetter papers, punched border strip, and base for the chipboard frame which I traced and cut from the Maya Road Chipboard Frames given in the April kit. Then layered the transparency frame on top. For the original framed quote with pearls, I used the insert of the Maya Road chipboard frame added the Jillibean Soup letters and stuck in Queen & CO black pearl dots. I did not CASE the flower and ribbon. It was a fun challenge, hopefully I can come back and play again!

Doesn't the kit look divine? LOVED IT!!! I still want to do more with this kit, the Trendsetter and Blossom Soup Collections were so much fun to work with. Go check out this month's kit details at Scrappy Chics Kits!

{ Call Me } card:

From: Scrappy Chics Kits, May 2011 kit

Trendsetter paper - Handsome Vintage (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - District 45 (Webster's Pages)
Trendsetter paper - Accessorize (Webster's Pages)
Stella & Rose Gertie "Little One" Transparent Frame (My Mind's Eye)
Blossom Soup Cardstock Stickers (Jillibean Soup)

From: Scrappy Chics Kits, Aprill 2011 kit

Chipboard Frames (Maya Road)

From my stash:

Cardstock: Kraft (Bazzill)
Punches: border (Martha Stewart)
Other: "Nightfall" pearl dots (Queen&Co)

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }
{ CASE Study: Challenge #37 }

CCG Inspiration Board #189

2011-04-22T13:23:00.001-04:00

Shine On!

The colors are beautiful and the additional inspiration challenge with shine and shimmer is going to be fun! Hope you get to play this week! I have some projects on my plate right now but I will have mine up on Tuesday or Wednesday. Click on the Inspiration Board to catch the Reveal, the design works are beautiful!!!

I also LOVE the lyrics from the song this week:

Open up ya eyes, and watch the sunrise
One point we have to make clear,
Love are gonna spread around the world ya know.

Me love ya, comes out of devotion.
To rule ya, spread to the world.
In Trenchtown, I'm on my mission,
Where we praise the day, straight away,
All the nation.

Let me be the love that comes from the sun,
Let me be your rainbow rising up,
Every single race, out of space,
we'll shine on, ey, shine on!
Let me be the love that comes from the sun,
I wanna be your love light from above,
shine on, shine on, shine on!

Repeat

Let the sun shine down on your face,
No need to feel wrong, you're in the right place,
And me know that you feel
what we are gonna tell you now,
So, gather all your friends around and,
Come join me down the club, got the song,
and gonna move you,
So prove you're right, feel it tonight now.

Let me be the love that comes from the sun,
Let me be your rainbow rising up,
Every single race, out of space,
we'll shine on, ey, shine on!
Let me be the love that comes from the sun,
I wanna be your love light from above,
shine on, shine on, shine on!
All over the world!

Open up ya eyes, and watch the sunrise
One point we have to make clear,
Love are gonna spread around the world ya know.

It's one of the ways I feel about CCG, what I have accomplished and what I bring to you each and every week with the Color Combo Challenges. The joy of having brought so many people around the world to one place, to share our craft, our friendship and love. How I try to encourage each and every one of you to do your best and shine on!!!! You all make me proud! Thank you for being there each week and having so much fun with it!!

xoxo

Links on this post:

Color Combos Galore

CCG #186 and Sketchy Thursdays

2011-04-06T21:45:00.031-04:00

{ Color Combos Galore #186 }
{ Sketchy Thursdays Challenge: 3/31 }
{ Midnight Rooster: March Kit }

It was a Scrappin' Day!!

First off, I want to thank you for all your lovely comments last week! I truly soooo appreciate you coming here and taking the time to write me a note, it was fun reading them! Glad you liked those sneaks, I just posted all my projects. They are in the previous post, so keep reading! I would love for you to look at them too! :D

Well, YAY!
Finally!
I am so happy to be scrappin' and posting again! I think I have posted more in the past month than I did in 2010. Though I have made 3 other layouts for CCG, I haven't posted those yet.
Will do.
I had mind to create for this week's color challenge, because I just love teals and yellows and grays. So when my Midnight Rooster came in the mail the other day, I was thrilled that it had a lot of the teal and yellows. I used the sketch from this week's Sketchy Thursdays.
This one was due tonight.
I am saving Nadia's Once Upon a Sketch with Kraft it Up!. Going to play that this weekend. They have a longer grace period, which is nice!

The Inspiration Board for this week:

COOL HUH?

{ The Design }

Once again bad lighting, I was a bit frustrated so Debbi helped me with the photo enhancement. Thanks girl! I have had this photo of Jabran hanging on my fridge for over 5 years. This was taken at my parent's house when the kids had a sleepover. I just love the folded jeans, white t-shirt and Gap cap. He looked so freakin' cute! I am so glad I finally put it on a page! Thinking of a title, the first thing that came to mind was the song from Neil Diamond, which I thought was Rebel in Blue Jeans. Because it was so fitting. When I Googled the title so I can hear the tune, turns out it the song title is Forever in Blue Jeans. Uh-oh, that is not what I have been singing all these years! LOL!

{ My Inspiration }

The Color Combo: For this particular combo, I wanted to concentrate on the grayish taupe and off-white, have a lesser dose of the teal and then some yellow. My yellow is a bit off, but I wanted to stick to the kit. It would make more sense to go through my stash, then I would get the colors spot on. But I need to ~~finish~~ start on using up my kits!

The Sketch: The Designer's Challenge was to create a project with a lot of layering, or staggered elements. This week's sketch called for some layering, so that fit in perfectly with the color challenge! Though the sketch called for a horizontal design on the left side of the page, I went with a vertical. A little interesting! Everything else about the sketch stayed the same. See where it shows a spot for pattern paper behind the layers? For that I almost added a grunge dotted stamp, not behind the layers, but next to, right behind the photo, but decided against it. It probably would of looked okay, but I couldn't envision it, so I left it clean.

I have closeups, but they are not ready. I am tired tonight. Need sleep.

I published two posts today. So please keep reading?
They are my projects for those sneak peeks I had up last week.
I am looking forward to you seeing them!

xoxo

Project Supplies:

{ Forever in Blue Jeans } layout:

From: Midnight Rooster - Floating on a Song, March 2011 kit

School Spirit paper - Ruler (Crate Paper)
Documentary paper - Souvenir, Window Seat (Studio Calico)
Modern Homemaker paper - Flour Sack (October Afternoon)
Seaside paper - Seashells (October Afternoon)
Togetherness Ready Set Chip (Cosmo Cricket)
Garden Variety Buttons (Cosmo Cricket)
Annual Classics Paper Whimsies (Sassafras Lass)
Baby Blue Cottage Blossoms (Prima)
Paper layered butterflies (Sizzix)

From my stash:

Cardstock: Dock (Bazzill)
Letters: chipboard (Heidi Swapp)
Border punches: (Martha Stewart; Fiskars)
Inks&Paints: white, gray ink (Studio G); white dimensional paint

Links on this post:

Color Combos Galore
Midnight Rooster Kits
Sketchy Thursdays

Scrappy Chics Kits: The Reveal!

2011-04-02T21:41:00.001-04:00

Finally, I can Reveal!

Doing a quick post, will have to edit this post later tonight, but wanted to put my pics up! The week is catchup up with me!

This is the awesome kit I got to work with!

Scrappy Chics Kits: Sneaks! { Day 2 }

2011-03-31T17:02:00.013-04:00

More Spring Fling! &
New!! Color Combos Galore sneaks!

So how do you like my new blog?
I love the new design, so happy with how it turned out.
Pretty blues and grays.
I switched my playlist to the music I always scrap to.
Though I miss my upbeat tunes,
I think my scrappy music is more fitting.
I hope you are enjoying it.
Still trying to figure out how to adjust the volume.
So torn with having a blog with music or without.
Yesterday I announced I have joined the design team at Scrappy Chics Kits.
L-O-V-E T-H-E-M!!!!
Here are some more sneaks using the April kit, Spring Fling:

I recently discovered the Graphics Fairy blog, yeah I know, where have I been? I was actually looking around for a vintage label to use on my blog when I found this image of some cute birds. It just cracked me up! I can't wait for you all to see this card!

Kit: Scrappy Chics - Spring Fling (April '11) plus
Cardstock: American Crafts (white); Punch: Martha Stewart (border); Digital: Graphics Fairy (birds), unknown vintage frame; Edwardian Script (font);
Other: Studio G (glitter glue); ColorBox (fluid chalk); Offray (ribbon); fabric trim piece, Dritz tracing tool (faux stitches)
When Melinda asked me to include a project with my layouts, I have to say, that scared me a bit. Projects? I am going to admit, projects are never on my scrapping to-do list. Just layouts and cards. But you know what? I have to start sometime. So I decided to create projects that I can gift for birthdays and Christmas.
Done.

Kit: Scrappy Chics - Spring Fling (April '11) plus
Rub-ons: Basic Grey (sentiment); Punch: EK Success (leaf);
Other: Studio G (glitter glue); linen thread
Check back tomorrow when I can finally show them all!

You know, this week has really set me in a sneaky mood!
So I have decided I am going to start a little tradition....
On my color challenge site, there are sneak peeks of the current challenge.
But for my lovely readers here,
I say, why wait until then?
(wink)
See you there!

Thanks for looking!
Have a fantabulous day!
xoxo

Links on this post:
Scrappy Chics Kits
Scrappy Chics Blog
The Graphics Fairy
Color Combos Galore

Scrappy Chics Kits: Sneaks! { Day 1 }

2011-03-30T03:37:00.008-04:00

It's official!!

I am so excited about this!
Scrappy Chics Kits has a new Designer.
Me!!!
I LOVED these kits the minute I saw them.
Now I am thrilled to be designing for them!
What I love most about these kits?
The GREAT mix of papers and embellishments.
And there is A LOT to create with!
After working with my debut kit, I still have plenty left over!
Just take a look at their current kit HERE.
You will see that I am not kidding when I say it's FULL of scrappy wonderfullness!

Here is a peek at the April kit, Spring Fling:

This kit goes on sale April 1st.
Warning....
These kits sell out fast!

I will be back with more sneak peeks tomorrow!

Thanks for looking!
Have a fantabulous day!
xoxo

The Links:
Scrappy Chics Kits
Scrappy Chics Blog

2011-03-14T02:29:00.000-04:00

Dress You Up in My Love....

The colors are alive.
The inspiration photo is gorgeous.
The Designer's Challenge is butterflies.
And I am so excited for all of it!
The song you are hearing right now?
It's what's playing right now at CCG.
Head on over and play along!

Oh So Dreamy!

2011-03-10T15:32:00.028-05:00

A card for CCG #182
This week's Inspiration Board?
Soft, smooth, gorgeous!
Oh, and the colors, they're pretty neat too!
(wink)
The song you are hearing right now?
It's what's playing right now at CCG.
Love how it TOTALLY suits the inspiration photo this week!

{ The Design }Here is the card I made for the challenge. I managed to get some creating done. I had a terrible time getting good lighting this week. I was hoping for sun today, but to no avail. So I had to take the photo indoors and it was yucky. Either my point and shoot camera is a terrible one, or I just stink at photography! I played with the different camera settings and lighting, but it photographed either too dark, too yellowy, too grainy, and way too frustrating. So I added the glow. I like the pretty glow!

From Studio Calico: Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket Everafter (Hey Diddle kit); Stamp: Studio Calico (Yearbook kit)
From my stash: Cardstock: Colormates (white), Bazzill (cream puff); Punches: Martha Stewart (bracket), EK Success (fleur de lis), Fiskars (unknown); Stamp: Sassy Stamps (floral leaves); Other: Chalk, Ink, unknown ribbon

{ My Inspiration }

{ Color Combos Galore #182 } { Pencil Lines Sketch 227 } The Color Combo: The Designer's Challenge was to create a tone on tone project using three of the colors and one color as the accent. I chose the silver as my accent. The last color was a little tricky because I meant it to be a gray with a hint of green. It didn't realize until after the Reveal, when I looked at my bedroom comp, that it hinted more green than gray.

The Sketch: When I saw this sketch, I knew I wanted to make a card. Simple. Easy. A bow in place of the title and the HOME stamp was my journaling spot.

{ Some Details }

The Deets: I really tried to make a bow. Key word: tried. I really don't know how to do them. I will keep practicing though! I think it looks flat and smushed, lol!

In the second closeup, get ready for this....I whipped out the corrugator-crimper-maker thinga-majiggy from WAY BACK WHEN. I used a 2.5" square piece of cardstock, punched the edges, then ran it through the crimper. I think that is the width you need to punch once all around.

I used two different lace punches, sanded the edges a bit and chalked them. I ended up having to chalk the HOME image with pencil because I didn't have a deeper gray ink.

This color challenge is over now, however a new one will be revealed later on tonight. Stop by and play along with us, Studio Calico's Waleska Neris will be joining us again and the colors are divine!

Thanks for looking!
Have a fantabulous day!
xoxo

The Links:
Color Combos Galore #182 | Pencil Lines Sketch #227 | Studio Calico | Waleska Neris

Where to Shop:

Who's That Girl?

2011-02-28T11:43:00.007-05:00

Me!
Remember me?
Well, I am blogging again.
Hooray!
After a super long hiatus from the blog world.
Time flies.
A lot of ups and downs.
But things are finally back to normal.
I am so eager to start page making again!
But first, I want to bring my blog up to date.
So I want to share some pages I haven't posted here yet.
Here are three pages I created combining Color Combos Galore and Pencil Lines:
These are the new Inspiration Boards I created for CCG.
Don't you just love them?

starting with the most recent....

Gorgeous blues with the yellow!
I just love this Inspiration Photo.
All the letters.
Awesome.
Made for a fun Inspiration Challenge!
The Designer's Challenge: Use a monogram.
Sketch: Pencil Lines Sketch 197.
Kit: Scarlet Lime (Apr '10).

Supplies: Scarlet Lime (Apr '10), Martha Stewart Butterly and Border Punches (2)

I think that is the most whimsical layout I created.
It was a lot of fun for sure!
I used a Making Memories die cut paper as a template to cut the houndstooth paper.
The 3.00 symbolizes March 2000.
I know, it looks like 3 o'clock, doesn't it?

then....

How GORGEOUS is this cake?
I was so excited when I found the photo.
I knew the The Inspiration Challenge was going to be fun, fun, fun!
My favorite:
The Designer's Challenge: Use border punches, ribbons & trims.
Sketch: Pencil Lines Sketch 192.
Kit: Scarlet Lime (Feb '10).

Supplies: Scarlet Lime (Feb '10), Martha Stewart Border Punches (2), Pop-Dots (tons)

On this layout I just kept layering and layering.
With an old heart punch, that was my first attempt at creating a banner.
yeah, ok.
I also tried pulling thread through ribbon.
I don't usually use ribbons on my layouts.
Though I love to collect lots of them. :)
Loving these Marta Stewart border punches!

and one more.....

Sigh.
Such a beautiful photo.
Our theme for June was weddings.
For the Inspiration Challenge it was either use lace or stitches.
We went with stitches.
Although I was a bit reluctant, because I have never sewn on my pages.
But I did it.
Not sew, of course.
Faux stitching.
Here is the Faux Stitching Tutorial I created for this challenge at Color Combos Galore.
The Designer's Challenge: sewing on the page or use faux stitches.
Sketch: Pencil Lines Sketch 190.
Kit: Scarlet Lime (Mar'10).

Supplies: Scarlet Lime (Mar '10), Martha Stewart Border Punches (2), Prima Crystals

I used a paper piercer to create stitchless holes.
Very faint, can hardly see it on the border.
But that's okay.
Not sure how I made that paper flower.
I was trying to do something else and ended up with this.
I tried a pink stamp on the letters.
Not quite the pink I was hoping for.

I have more to share, but I will put that in another post.
Heading over to CCG to pick my Gallery Fave for today!
Thanks for stopping by!

Hope you have a wonderful day!
~Janet

OH OH OH!

2010-06-03T20:43:00.005-04:00

Am I excited!
Beyond words.
I have been bursting at the seams.
Waiting for today.
Hard work.
All worth it.
And now I have relaunched Color Combos Galore.
The Redesign.
The Girls.
The Layouts.
The Reveal.
The Plans.
Nothing short of FABULOUS.

For over four years, this has been my goal.
To inspire others with a world of color.
And now, I am taking it further.
And it's so exciting!

It's challenges....with a twist.
Where imagination meets inspiration.
As scrapbookers, we know the importance creativity plays in designing our pages.
For a long time, I have been pushing your creativity through exploring new ways to use color.
And now....
We are going even further.

Creativity is more than just using your imagination to generate new ideas.
Creativity is a lifestyle, a way of looking at the world.
When creative ideas seem to be hiding,
we turn to outside sources for inspiration.

That's where Color Combos Galore comes in.
We invite you to delve deeper into creativity.
Through the challenes that will allow you to open new doors of inspiration.
Many returning features and a lot of exciting things to come.

The new Color Combos Galore strives to help you discover inspiration and color through new eyes.
Where color and imagination meet inspiration.

Our first challenge,
Color Combo #145
ARE YOU READY?
HERE WE GO!
LET'S PLAY!
....enjoy!!!!

So who's designing with Color Combos Galore?
A list of amazing, talented, wonderful, awe-inspiring ladies!

Let me announce the 2010 Design Team!

ANABELLE O'MALLEY
ANNE-MARIE TEO
DEBBI TEHRANI
DENINE ZIELINSKI
JAIME WARREN
JANA EUBANK
JANET PERAFAN-BABAR
JANIS MEDINA-MAGHINAY
JULES McKENNA - DE LUMEN
KIM MORENO
LADY GRACE BELARMINO
LILLY ROSE
MICHELLE LANNING
PIRADEE TALVANNA
RIA MOJICA
ROREE RUMPH
SARAH KLEMISH
SUSAN DUPRE
YUKA HINO

So what are you waiting for? Step outside your box... We dare you!

REALLY??? Has it been THAT long?.....

2010-01-12T10:28:00.014-05:00

The last blog post I made was February 2009! Is that the last time I scrapbooked?

WOW, I can't even remember! Well, A LOT has happened in the year, bad stuff that I really don't want to get into, but there were highlights! I celebrated a milestone birthday (my 40th), my nephew finally got married -- something I thought would never happen, they had a son (my first grand-nephew), my Father turned 80, and I reunited with my 6th grade class through Facebook. Facebook is awesome, I have found and reconnected with so many friends from 20-30 years ago! I am also able to keep in touch with family in other states, whom I never really kept in touch before. So I am happy about that too!

Anyway, it's a New Year and I wanted to start creating again. I have really missed it. So, I took my Studio Calico kits, my adhesive and paper slicer, and with my Color Combo and sketch in hand, I SCRAPBOOKED!!!! YAY!!

Pencil Lines Sketch #168, my FAVORITE sketch site!!! I am always inspired! :D

From Color Combo #139
by Janet Perafan-Babar

blue skies
misty blue
tranquil green
toasted olive

Studio Calico Jan '10 kit: Cardstock: Bazzill Dotted Swiss; Patterned paper: American Crafts, Studio Calico; Letter stickers: October Afternoon; Label stickers: Studio Calico
Studio Calico Dec '08 kit: Chipboard letters: Basic Grey; Snowflakes: Making Memories
Other: Bazzill CS; Fiskars border punch; circle punch

Thanks for coming back! Have a super-fantabulous day!
~janet

Are you here?

2009-02-10T23:15:00.000-05:00

I haven't been. Since November. Almost 3 months. Ouch. I have neglected my little spot here. Hope your holidays went well and I still want to wish you all the best for 2009! I have not heard this song, Give it 2 Me by Madonna, on the radio yet. Last week I was watching Ellen, she was dancing to it - so FUN! I immediately added it on to my playlist. I love rockin' to this music, hope you do too!

Tiff Sawyer said... "Hi Janet, this is the first time I've visited your blog and your music had me rockin off my chair, way cool.."

Lain Ehmann said... "I have been totally rocking out to the music on your blog for the past half an hour -- great choices!!..."

thanks for commenting!! ;)

I have been in such a scrapping slump the past few months. That is too long without my mojo. Despite the fact I made a resolution to get more pages done this year, I only have two, which were made for Color Combos Galore.

Triple the Sketch #41, I scrapped 12x12 and I likey!!! I was always afraid of all that space but I am lovin' it. Only when I have to scan the layout four times, stitch and blend do I reconsider using this size.

From Color Combo #107
by Janet Perafan-Babar

pointsettia
angel white
christmas green
santa's boots

From Scarlet Lime's Dec kit: Making Memories, SEI, Narratives patterned paper; buttons. Other: Making Memories and American Crafts letter stickers; October Afternoon word sticker; American Crafts pen.

Two Peas in a Bucket Classes: Celebrate the Seasons - February 2009, these classes look like a lot of fun! You should definitely check them all out. All the classes are in their Education section. This class was to create a February themed layout. A sketch was provided, which I used and made into a one-pager.

From Color Combo #109
by Amanda McCain

coconut
strawberry creme
raspberry swirl
black licorice

Patterned paper: Rusty Pickle, Making Memories, American Crafts, KI Memories, Scenic Route; Other: Chatterbox chipboard letters, Making Memories journal page, Doodlebug frills, K&Co paper ribbon, American Crafts pen.

And finally, I can show it!!! MY FIRST PUBLICATION!!! I was lucky enough to have my layout included in Scrapbook Trends' Go Digital Idea Book. I cannot tell you how excited I was when I finally saw it! And the look on Rianna's face when I showed it to her? Priceless.

my layout on page 111

As always, thanks for stopping by!! Hope you are enjoying the music!

Have a super wonderful day!
~janet

Pencil Lines, Color Combos and more!

2008-11-24T15:30:00.037-05:00

Okay, so I haven't been here in ages. I have been so busy with work and home, life, the Color Combo blog, and not feeling very well throughout. My anemia has gotten worse, the last time I got my blood checked, my iron level was at 5 (normal is 13). The doctor couldn't believe I was actually walking, normally levels that low you'd be dizzy and very weak. Doesn't help that I am a smoker. But I didn't feel any of that, well, maybe just very lazy and sleepy. But I was able to see straight and drive and did start feeling better after taking care of myself a little wiser. But recently it started again, I have been getting dizzy just coming up the stairs or picking up things from the floor as well as very frequent, pounding headaches. By the time 8pm rolls around, I am ready for bed. No energy whatsoever. Very unlike me. I am supposed to be scrapping and relaxin'!!

I am doing my best to raise my levels up with a double dose of iron pills and eating foods with high iron content. Haven't kicked the habit yet, but I feel a little better. Work still stresses me a bit and after the boys get home, the headache is pounding. Love them to pieces, but they are just very loud!

On a lighter note, the kids are doing great. Zayn is completely done with his baby teeth and actually pulled the last one himself. Something I never had the guts to do for myself! So with DH on the road Zayn had no choice but to be brave. Sorry honey, I have to hold the camera. LOL, I am just too squeamish for that. He did it though, and realized how silly he looked on the playback because it didn't hurt a bit! Jabran is doing very well in Kindergarten and Rianna is content just being a princess. Thanksgiving is at my house, although our family consists of 4 sisters, a brother, 5 spouses, 13 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and two wonderful parents, my turkey and stuffing will be devoured with my Mom and Dad. Everyone always spends it with the in-laws and I got none, so they come to my house.

Well no more talk, want to get to some layouts that I really want to share with you all!

Pencil Lines and Color Combos Galore

Pencil Lines 110, I never use purple, in fact, I don't like it. So this was definitely a challenge for me, once I started working with the colors, I loved how it looked!

From Color Combo #96
with Caroline Ikeji

concord grape
cottontail
split pea
hurricane gray

Pencil Lines 108, along with Suzy Reap's Journaler's Junction Challenge to simple journal using the 5W's of a story. Easy. Yes, Jabran is screwing pegs onto the gondola cars of his puzzle. He was only 3 here.

From Color Combo #94
with Sasha Farina

goldenrod
titanium white
coal
electric lime

Pencil Lines 105, a very loose interpretation of the sketch. I flipped it to the side. I used Studio Calico's Iconic and other SC goodies.

From Color Combo #92
with Stephanie Howell

sunflower
alabaster
charcoal gray
silver

some more Combos...

I actually used spider stickers! These were in my stash from 4 years ago. But aren't they so cute?

From Color Combo #93
with Waleska Neris

orange
funky gold
floral white
deep orchid

Design Team member Belinda Venables made up this combo. This is my niece and grand-niece on her christening. They were both so tired, but I truly love this photo. I was flipping through my photos looking for a pic of my daughter to use for this combo and came across my niece's dress. How PERFECT!!

From Color Combo #91
with Linda Harrison

black
hot pink
kraft
white

and some for Sketch This!...

Sketch This! #74. Cool sketch, first time I filled the page with a photo.

Sketch This! #70. We had taken this trip a year earlier. This year I went along with his class, I grabbed these seats and was thrilled when I got this shot!

Sketch This! #69. Not much story here. Just my beautiful Zayn.

Thanks for listening and looking.
Hope you all have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving!

~janet

Getting funky....

2008-09-23T13:24:00.009-04:00

So how cool is this song?

I grabbed it from Belinda's blog. Actually, I swiped three songs from her playlist. The video is cool too. I had never heard of Robbie Williams, turns out he has been around for years...I am so out of the loop it's embarrassing. Anyway, I need to search and listen to more of his songs. My new favorite. So I got into a funky mood and changed my playlist.

You know when your washer machine starts going thud-thud, thud-thud, thud-thud as you are washing your towels, yeah, it means it's about to break. So now it's broken. I can't wait to get it fixed, but there's something about doing 6 loads of laundry in an hour and a half at the laundromat. Big feeling of accomplishment. And relief.

And I am happy to say I finally scrapped a paper page. I have been on a digital streak and the last time my hands rolled out some adhesive was back in August. Yup, clearing mounds of laundry will do that to me. Felt good to take out the trimmer, you know? So my comeback page was for the color challenge. This week we have Michelle StClair, she wanted red and gray, and this is what we went with. I dug way deep into my stash and found Studio Calico's January kit that was perfect for the colors:

gypsy red - marshmallow - powder blue - deepest gray

I combined the color challenge with my design for Sketch This. I talk about how similar my son and my father are. I see a lot of my Dad in Zayn.

Here are a few more for Color Combos Galore:

Week 89 with Nicole Eshelman, one of my favorite scrappers of all time. She wanted aqua and butterscotch:

aqua - butterscotch - baby blue - fever pink

I used the colors for Pencil Lines Sketch #102: I really had a hard time with this sketch. But I am really happy how it turned out. I also went a little too light on the pink scallop.

Week 88 was with Layle Koncar, she wanted aqua and brown:

aquamarine - pale turquoise - deepest brown - goldenrod

Here is what I did with the colors using Pencil Lines Sketch #101. Zayn was really having a bad day.
Sorry. You can't always get what you want, buddy.

another one for Sketch This.

and last but not least, one of my new favorites. I remember taking these photos of Rianna atop of my kitchen counter. She was acting a little crazy, just playfully screaming into the camera while I snapped away. Totally fun. This was for Janelle's Sketch#66:

and so another super long post for not having updated in over a week. But I do super appreciate you coming by and visiting!
Have a great day!!

They're Here!!!

2008-09-12T14:28:00.004-04:00

The newest additions to our creative team at Color Combos Galore! These girls are amazing and I am thrilled to have them!

Nikala O Brien
Belinda Venables
Delphine Paslin

Visit the color challenge blog for more!

And the winner for the October Afternoon Hometown RAK is......

Arlene said...
ok...one last guess and I will leave you alone. Belinda Venables? Mel Nunn?

September 10, 2008 11:11 PM

Congrats Arlene! Please send me your address!

I've Got a Secret!

2008-09-08T23:06:00.013-04:00

Guess it, and you will get a prize!

I can't tell you the whole secret....yet. I can tell you this, I have added three new designers to the Color Combos Galore blog! And they are FABULOUS, their pages always knock my socks off! Wanna guess who they are?

I have 3 goodie boxes: one from October Afternoon's Hometown Collection, Pink Paislee's Pop Fashion Collection, and another one from Basic Grey's new Urban Prairie Collection. The first person to guess correctly will win. There are three answers, three winners, one box for each winner. Here are the clues, start guessing!!

One is from France.

Two are from Australia.

Three are brunettes.

One was just chosen to join a major manufacturer's design team.

One is an amazing freelance photographer.

One was recently published in Simple Scrapbooks magazine.

One was discovered while playing the color challenges.

One is a sketch artist.

Two are fellow PEAS.

Good luck! I will be making my announcement on both blogs Friday morning, the 12th, so you have until then to leave your comments on this blog! CCG DT girls, no cheating!

and so I'm back....

2008-09-03T08:52:00.009-04:00

Again, I haven't blogged in a long while. It's back to school day today, so soon I will have more time for me and things will be more calm. Zayn started 2nd grade, we rushed like crazy, I slept through the alarm and we got there late. Horrible. No pics, even forgot to unload the camera. We will just make pretend tomorrow. Jabran's paperwork got messed up and he couldn't start today, isn't that so messed up?

I will post some back to school pics tomorrow, today I will play catch up and share some recent layouts. Would love for you to say hi and come cheer me up! Really depressed how the day turned out.

Color Combos Galore
This week's Combo #87, we have Sharyn Tormanen, she wanted green and black, and I was thrilled when she ended up choosing this combo!

aqua - black - kiwifruit - tangerine

my page using Pencil Lines Sketch #100. Love these whimsical circles, first time trying something like that out.

Last week for Combo #86 we had the super talented Jennifer McGuire. It really amazes me how she comes up with new techniques all the time. LOVE her! She wanted kraft and green, I checked her gallery out and didn't see much purple, so I sent her this combo:

fuchsia - parakeet - buttercream - caribbean

my page using Pencil Lines Sketch #99:

here is a make-up for Combo #85 that I didn't have a chance to do. We had Two Peas in a Bucket's Garden Girl Sarah Klemish that week. She is totally awesome, her style and pages are so unique! Her choices were turquoise and celery and this is the combo she chose:

lagoon - sunshine - dairy queen - avocado

my page, also for this week's sketch at Sketch This!:

Sketch This!
Here are two that I did for the Sketch This! blog.

#64,

#63,

Thanks for stopping by, have a super great day!
~janet

Trying to keep up .........

2008-08-18T13:00:00.016-04:00

Crazy. Hectic. Too much happening at once.

I can't believe it has been a month since I updated here. Sometimes I feel I have to give myself a shake and say, snap out of it and get with it! I need a battery recharge or something. Between work, home, errands, the kids, work on the color combo blog, creative team work, Two Peas in a Bucket, friends' blogs, page calls, there something that gets neglected for a while. (Ha, ha. Except my kids of course!) I need to organize my time or something. How does everyone else fit it all in every day? Gosh, I really have to hand it to you. Those who have all this on their plates AND MORE!! Want to give me some pointers? :)

Well, exciting things have happened in the past month, really exciting, and you'd figure I would be here first to shout it out, but I haven't.

But my great news? WHOA!

One of my layouts was picked up by Scrapbook Trends for their new book, Go Digital! Seriously, I am ecstatic over that, it is my FIRST PUB!!!! Yeah I have been on the e-zines a few times, but never been pubbed in a magazine or idea book and I am just over the moon! Can't wait!!

I was asked by Two Peas in a Bucket for their July Pea Profile. I was one of three, the others were Davinie Fiero and Emily Pitts.

I won this month's Designing With 2008 Calendar contest at Two Peas!

Three things, but I am really happy about all of it! It's been a good month! So, starting with the most recent, here are some new pages I did:

Valerie Salmon's Got Sketch
I love getting Valerie's sketches in my inbox! They really are so fun and it's truly an honor to be on her team.
Here is my take on #67:

Two Peas' July Pea Profile
Two Peas is so FUN and GREAT! They asked me to create some projects for them with products they were going to send me. I said, GREAT! and YES!! They sent me KI Softies and Maya Road journaling sheers. Here are the projects I created with them, see the little flowers? I added Maya Road little chipboard frames, rub-on stitches and used the KI photo corners they sent me as well for the petals:

and a card:

Color Combos Galore
I haven't done the last two combos, but I will this week! We had two CK Hall of Famers back to back. For Combo #82, we had the wonderful Lea Lawson! She wanted red and aqua, and I made up this delicious combo!

persimmon - swimming pool - passionate pink - green tea

my page:

And for Combo #83, we had Karen Wilson-Bonnar! Her choices were red and orange and this is the combo she chose:

orange fire - granny smith - custard - mango

my page, also using Pencil Lines Sketch #96:

Sketch This!
Here are two that I did for the Sketch This! blog. Janelle's been cranking some really fun sketches!

#60, the winning layout for the Designing With Calendar contest at Two Peas! I LOVE this layout! Love the Elsie sports paper!

#61, I flipped this one on it's side:

An Oldie but Goodie...
I made this one a while back, I had made this page one night and had mind to post it the next morning at Two Peas. Then I saw a call for multi-photo layouts on the e-zine magazine, Scrapbook News & Review. So I submitted a bunch I had in my gallery and threw in this one. The next morning, after posting this layout to my Two Peas gallery, I saw the email requesting it. WOW, well I had to take it down right away.
So here is the page, using Anilu Magloire's Pencil Lines Sketch #70. the 24 means minutes, not seconds, oops!:

Well, thanks for the super long post!!! Hope you have a super great day!
~janet

Color Combos Galore and Sketch This

2008-07-22T09:21:00.001-04:00

The new colors are up at Color Combos Galore! Our Guest Designer this week is Jennifer Gallacher. She wanted red and gray, and this is the combo she chose, YUMMY!!

dark slate - wasabi - milkshake - hibiscus

I absolutely love these colors! Well, here is my page, I also did it for Janelle's new sketch at Sketch This!, #59. LOL, these photos just crack me up!

I swear, she didn't say a word to him. Too too funny. Well, I am signing off now, too tired to think of anything interesting to write. Plus I have got a SUPER long day ahead of me. Wish I could just crawl back into bed.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!
Hugs,
~janet

Sketch This!

2008-07-16T20:58:00.006-04:00

So how is the week going? I am excited, my husband is coming home tonight. YAY! He has been gone since last Monday. Then he goes back out again in the morning. Gotta get this house in shape, I got a couple of hours left. But came on here to show you this week's sketch at Sketch This!, it's a great one, LOVE the frame and the tilted photos on the sketch, hope you get a chance to do this one!

That's it for now. Hope you are having a great night! Chillaxin! I hope to be able to scrap tomorrow night and bring out some more stuff. Studio Calico and my Scarlet Lime came in this week!!! WOOHOO!!!

thanks for stopping by!!
~janet

Color Combos Galore and Pencil Lines

2008-07-14T11:14:00.005-04:00

The new colors are up at Color Combos Galore! Our Guest Designer this week is Vivian Masket. And she gave me a wonderful inspiration piece and this is the combo I pulled from it:

punch - banana cream - deep saddle brown - gulf stream

here is my page using Pencil Lines sketch #93. OMG, LOVE this sketch!!!!

EDITED TO ADD:
Published: Scrapbook Trends Digital Idea Book
See my great news HERE !

So glad you stopped by, hope you are having a wonderful day!
~janet

Debbi's challenge and Triple the Sketch

2008-07-14T10:56:00.007-04:00

One of the best things about the online community at Two Peas is developing friendships with wonderful people. Debbi T is one of them. I don't remember exactly when we met or became as close as we are, but I am glad we did. Recently I was telling her about me not being able to sit down and scrap like I used to. She wouldn't hear of it. She told me to create a page that night. Allrighty I said, then challenge me with something. She told me create a page using purple and make it about me. ACK! She knows me too well, I never use purple and really only scrap about my children. She knew she got me. But just like her, I love a challenge. So I hung up and off to the scraproom I went.

So here is my page. I found this sketch that night at Triple the Sketch, it was perfect:

Gosh, I HATE my nose!!!!

Journaling reads:

My most challenging moment was...Singing "When I Fall in Love" on stage at my sister's wedding.

My favorite school subject was...Math. I scored 100 on my High School Algebra Regents Exam.

The strangest thing that ever happened to me was...Hearing a voice in my head saying, "that is the man I am going to marry" two seconds after laying eyes on my future husband.

The scariest moment of my life was...Surviving a head on collision with a light pole, without a seatbelt, holding on to dear life to the steering wheel. I bent it backwards.

My favorite movie is...Death Becomes Her.

My greatest fear is...Having my car plunge into the water and not being able to save my three children.

If I could change my name, it would be...Spelled Janette. So that people will pronounce my name right.

My biggest accomplishment in life was...Natural childbirth. A whopping 11 pound 1 ounce baby boy!

My biggest dissapointment in life is...Never being a size 10.

Thanks for the challenge, Deb!!! :)

And thanks so much to you for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
~janet

Happy 4th!

2008-07-07T10:00:00.004-04:00

So how was your holiday weekend? Safe and fun, I hope!

The new colors are up at Color Combos Galore! Our Guest Designer this week is Stacey Michaud. She is a loyal player at the challenge and we are happy to have her!

norwegian blue - light slate gray - white smoke - burgundy

here is my page:

As I said in an earlier post, the fair is fun, but on the rides I am feeling dizzier and queasier as each year goes by!

Have a great Monday!

xx
janet

I finally did one!

2008-07-02T10:39:00.001-04:00

I created a paper page! I have been doing digital pages for over over a month, my scrap room was a mess, couldn't even tell I had a desk actually, and I wasn't managing my time properly either. I started cleaning my area Monday night and was suddenly inspired. I did my layout for Sketch This and HMITM. The HMITM challenge was to use the whole alphabet on your layout, so I did mine like this:

sigh.....kindergarten.....Jabran....in kindergarten this fall... wow.

Have a great Wednesday!
xoxo

Can you take the ride?

2008-07-02T07:14:00.003-04:00

Hey how are ya? Hope your weekend was good. My husband came back on Friday after a long week on the road. Love him dearly, but it was a nice break. Experienced reveal night at Studio Calico. That was fun and exciting. Boy, they did an awesome job with the kits this month! I think I did some damage to my credit card. We cleaned out the boys room on Saturday, still sorting through stuff. Amazing how things accumulate. Then went to the fair at Giants Stadium on Sunday. Unfortunately, whenever we go there I realize, besides on my birthday, how old I am. I can't take the spinning rides anymore! Zayn had me going on all the big rides within his height restrictions. The last one really did me in, and I was sick. Ugh! Feeling queasy just thinking about it. Can you imagine, front seat, a huge circle ride where your car speeds to the top, not quite making the full circle, then heads down again only to go up again and when it reaches the center of the top, it stays there? So you are upside down and just screaming your head off regretting ever getting on this thing?

No, too much for me. But I will return next summer for sure and we will go on them together again.

Did my layout for Color Combos Galore. Davinie Fiero is our Guest Designer and she is so talented! LOVE her layouts and cards! She is the last of our guests to request something with pink. Yes, there have been a lot of pink going on, but the GD's get to choose what color to base the combo on and they have been choosing pink lately. I don't mind, I have a lot of pink to scrap about!

cranberry - alabaster - landscape grey - ballerina

I used Pencil Lines sketch #91:

and combined this with the journaling challenge which was to write about a before & after. This was on Rianna's birthday. She was wearing a dress and I wanted a quick photo. But she didn't want the picture taken in that dress, she wanted to change into her Cinderella costume. She wears that costume almost everyday and it has pretty much turned into a rag. So I was sort of arguing with her and here is her 'I'm putting my foot down' face. But she eventually responded with a smile!

Well, that's it for now. It's going to be a beautiful day today!
xoxo

I'm still here!!!

2008-06-27T16:30:00.010-04:00

I am super excited for the reveal over at Studio Calico tonight! Still haven't had the time to scrap, when I used to sit down after the kids were in bed and I would play with my paper and adhesive, now, I just want to sleep. But I am staying up til midnight for the reveal, my credit card is on my desk and ready for some serious authorization! Between the sneak peeks from the DT and at Studio Calico, I am soooo getting me some! It all looks REALLY GOOD. I have to scrap! I have to scrap! I also ordered some stuff online and it came this week. It is still on my desk, crying out "come play with me!!!" , I touch, admire, and sigh: "I will play with you later, I promise". Most of what came in are the RAK's for Color Combos Galore, so I will be shipping that out soon. I miss hanging around Two Peas and have only squeezed in a layout once a week. Each one I have done this month has been digital, although, I love the digi, I have to paper scrap!!!! Someone help me!

Haven't scrapped and of course, haven't updated all week. My daughter turned three on Monday. It's incredible how time has flown by. I was truly blessed with her following the boys. I so wanted a girl, and never found out the sex of the baby. I love my boys, but I really needed a little girl. And what an experience that was when she was born. I cried, and cried, and cried. The joy, the emotion, seeing her taken to the warming table and seeing girlie not boy parts. Oh MY!!! It was wonderful! She amazes me. She is funny, beautiful, sweet, and at times, reminds me of me in her actions and personality. I love her to pieces!!! And even though I am a bit saddened that she is growing so fast, I am SO enjoying her grow. She just has to slow down a bit. But YAY! She is three! She got her ears pierced a few weeks ago for it. I have been procrastinating for a long time. It was supposed to be done at 6m period, then I said 1yr, then at 2yrs old, but never went. I was too afraid of the pain for her. We started talking a lot about it for months, and I was 'preparing' her for the pain. Finally one day I was getting her dressed and I said to her, "You look pretty as a princess". She responded, "Yeah, I need my princess crown, my princess shoes and my earrings". Her voice was like making a list and dragging out the last syllable. Like, lah-lah-laahhhhhh, lah-laahhhhhh, lah-lah-laahhhhhh, too cute. Anyway, that was it, I decided to go that day and get them pierced. sigh.

choosing the earrings:

getting ready...she is so excited!

marking the spot:

just making sure it looks good:

here we go!!!!:

ok....

one, two, three!!!

uh, yeah that kinda hurt!

The pain hit her a little when they pierced her other ear. But it wasn't so bad, she is just too cute. You can see the rest of the experience on the video here......

And of course, I created a layout for this momentous occasion. These are the colors for this week's challenge at Color Combos Galore. Kimber McGray is our Guest Designer this week, she is on the Sketch This! design team with me, and she just ROCKS those sketches with her cards!!! Here is her choice of colors:

saddle brown - icebreaker - pink illusion - tomato

I used Pencil Lines sketch #90:

The pink was a little hard to get in there, it's almost invisible, but it's there.

Wow, this turned out to be a really long post!
Thanks for stopping by, hope you're having an awesome day!
Janet

Is today the 17th already?

2008-06-17T11:33:00.031-04:00

Wow, time is flying by. Started working from home and now I have no more energy or time to scrap. Oh no, I don't want that to happen!!! Going to have to figure out how to get to it.

I have two layouts that were from the Color Combo challenges. I used Pencil Lines sketches and only products from The Lily Pad for both. I am SO in love with their stuff! For Color Combo #75 we had Jaime Warren. These colors were fabulous! She wanted the blues and pink from Pink Paislee line and we just took it from there. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE this combo! This is Pencil Lines #88:

punky orange - deep mahogany - cyan - cerise

Koo-koo heads.

And this week, Suzy Reap is our Guest for Color Combo #76. She is so fun! She sent me a ribbon image for inspiration and I pulled the orange and blue and added that deep red. This is also for Pencil Lines Sketch #89:

barn red - green jewel - floral white - melon orange

Here my daughter is doing what I call the "zip it" scene from Austin Powers. I would ask her if she would like to sing a song together. Oh yes, Mommy! So I'd start, she'd zip me. I would start again, I get zipped. And on we went. Here my niece was doing it with her a was quite surprised. Too cute.

<

And finally, this was a birth announcement that I made up for my niece's daughter. My sister's daughter's daughter. Ok, I will say it, my Grandniece. I swear, I am not that old!! Me and my niece are only four years apart. She is in that layout above with my daughter. She asked me to do these announcements and I was a little hesitant at first, didn't know how to design it, but when she sent me this amazing photo, I was SO inspired!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
tah-tah for now!
xoxo

I am SO HOOKED!

2008-06-04T10:59:00.015-04:00

Before I post the layout for Color Combos Galore and Sketch This!, I want to share with you what has been taking up a lot of my time. Do I have time to spare? No. But I am hooked on this game! The boys play these computer games at Miniclip.com and they came across this one. I can't stop playing it. You have to prepare and cook flatbread sandwiches to customers that pop in to your place. With the money you receive, you can buy a soda machine or another toaster and can upgrade both. To make the sandwiches, customers tell you what they want and you have to put a few ingredients together onto your bread (there are three meats, five other toppings and four sauces in your kitchen), place the bread into the toaster and serve. If you take too long, they get "angry" and leave. You can stall them by giving them a soda and if you get their order wrong, either it comes out burnt from the toaster or they won't take it. As the levels go up, the customers flood in and it's a frenzy. You can have up to five customers at one time. But once you start remembering the difference from a Chicken Flatbread, to a Pesto Chicken, to a Chicken Ranch Club you can prepare them fairly quickly. Hahaha, I am a nut, but I think it's fun. The kids laugh at me as I play! Give it a try:

Flatbread Express

Create, cook and serve up delicious food for the hungry customers.

Play this free game now!!

I haven't done a layout since last week. Slacking off, my desk is a mess and losing my mojo over it, then my printer decided not to print anymore. So it's digital for now. Monday Color Combos Galore #74 went up and we have the funny and talented Angela Daniels as our Guest. I first saw her on Scrapbooks Etc's Scrapbook LifeStyle videos. I loved and miss those videos! So it was a real honor for me to have her design this week for us. She told me she wanted orange and green so I sent her a few combos and she chose this one:

black walnut - international orange - ivory - kiwifruit

Since I can't print any photos I created a digital page and combined it with Sketch This!. I absolutely love this photo of Jabran and Rianna. We had just come from the park and I was walking behind them towards the car (aw, miss that Envoy). They looked adorable.

It's a gray day today, but hope you have a good one!!
tah-tah for now!
xoxo

The BIG news!

2008-05-31T13:23:00.013-04:00

I am just THRILLED!

Pencil Lines has chosen my layout from the Readers Gallery for their April favorite!!!!!!!!

THRILLED, I tell you! This is the layout they chose:

I absolutely LOVE that layout, it was a great sketch to work with. Thanks so much! That made my day!

Color Combo #73 and Sketch This!

2008-05-28T08:47:00.008-04:00

Oh what a busy week!

Jabran had his birthday party this weekend. He changed his mind from a Ben 10 theme to a Speed Racer one. When I went to Carvel to choose the cake, I showed them what colors I wanted from a Speed Racer sticker I had. They asked me if this is the image I want on the cake. I said, Wait, you can do an image? COOL! But the sticker I had was too small. So I went home and searched the internet for wallpaper images. Jabran chose his favorite, unknowing that it was for the cake. I tell ya, that cake turned out awesome!!!

Here are some layouts I did from his birthday both using this week's FABULOUS combo at Color Combos Galore. Kim Moreno is our guest this week and she wanted red with yellow so I sent her this:

golden - black - dove white - deep red

This one is for Sketch This!. Also played Scrap your CRAP (use more than 5 photos) and the Journaler's Junction (find a little humor in life), the artificially colored, high sugared drink, the blue tongue result, ok, made the best of it and took a pic.

this one is the one I made for the color blog. This is the first time I actually remembered to write down what the children got on their birthday. Take a look at that cake! Super awesome!!

I am bursting! I received some exciting news in my email this morning but can't reveal yet, I will hint, one of my layouts was chosen as a favorite, for the whole MONTH!!! Whose you say? I can't tell ya, but its BIG! Woohoo!!

tah-tah for now!
xoxo

Color Combo #72 and Sketch This!

2008-05-20T08:42:00.002-04:00

The boys finally fixed their room.

Rianna flushed toothpaste down the toilet.

My husband fixed it.

Yesterday, she flushed a new bar of soap.

My husband is out of town. Will be for two days.

Have Jabran's 5th birthday party on Saturday.

And my head is spinning.

So how was YOUR Monday? Less chaotic than mine, I hope.

I have two pages to share and then I am off.

Color Combos Galore #72 went up yesterday. Our guest this week is Molly Peckham whose work I really love. She texturizes, adds dimension like you wouldn't believe. Really amazing pages. Well she wanted pink and blue so I sent her this combo:

navajo turquoise - clove brown - cosmic latte - fever pink

I created my page and combined it with Pencil Lines and the Journaler's Junction synonym challenge. This photo is hysterical, I came up from downstairs one day and found her sitting on my bathroom sink. Like this. She got a hold of my makeup:

and my page for Janelle at Sketch This!. Combined it with Scrap your CRAP. The challenge this week is to use foam stamps. Yikes! These are the only foam stamps I saved. Used white paint on yellow cardstock. Fun crap. Rianna and Rebecca. Cousins. Live only two blocks from each other. Sisterless. But they have each other.

Have a great day!
tah-tah for now.....

Happy 5th Birthday Jabran!!!

2008-05-17T17:04:00.022-04:00

I wanna go to Friendly's, yeah yeah....(the kids love that commercial jingle). And great advertising that proved to be because traditionally we get a Carvel cake and celebrate at home, but Jabran wanted to go there for his ice cream instead for his 5th-OMG birthday. Great advertising I tell ya!

For the most part of the day we stayed home, got some birthday wishes from family:

Then I headed out with the kids. First we went shopping at Toys R Us. I had wanted to get him a Ben 10 bicycle, but when he saw the Speed Racer bicycle, YEAH, right in the FRONT of the store, BIG DISPLAY. Reeled him right in, he forgot all about the endless hours, energy and love he had dedicated to Ben. It IS a far more beautiful bike so...we bought him that. Zayn got him some Transformers figures and Rianna got him Bionicles.

Awesome bike, huh?

And we walked around the store like this:

Afterwards we grabbed a quick bite at Wendy's dollar menu. The $80 bicycle killed me. Then went home to pick up Dad for dessert. He had a late lunch so he wasn't worried about dinner tonight, but by the time we picked him up he wanted to eat. So off to Friendly's we went. I have not been there in over 20 years! I was still imagining sandwiches and toothpicks, NOT. Adorable little kids menu and yummy looking foods for us.

SO we ate. AGAIN. We got WAY too much food. The kids got the Royal Razz, a drink that made their teeth and tongues blue, NIHH-CE, and some sliders. We got a bunch of other stuff. Almost didn't have room for dessert, but that is what we went there for, so we HAD to get some. The choices, OMG, colossal! Jabran was THRILLED with his and the employees made it extra special for him when they were singing their special Friendly's birthday song as they brought it out.

He had a good birthday. Next week we will have his party. YAY!!!

Now a tribute to his first FIVE years. All the pages I made of him (some are from 2006, so bear with me). The pages are in the order I created them, starting with pages of him alone then followed by a set of pages of him with others. Hope you enjoy the show!!! (You too, Jabran!)

Also, speaking of food......I forgot to post this last week.

Valerie Salmon asked me to design her sketch this week at Got Sketch?. Her sketches are always so great.

It's about the battle with my weight. I have gone up and down. In my adult life, my highest was 225 and my lowest was 155. Never mind what I weighed after I had my children. I am not counting that because that is swelling. I went on Weight Watchers in 2006, a year after my third child was born. I thought after the third you become skinny as a twig. No, not me of course. Well my daughter was already a year old and I was still at my highest weight. I did WW, loved it, and lost 50lbs. Now, a year later, I am up again, 45lbs. So I am almost back to where I started. I get overconfident, I start to eat a little more thinking it won't hurt, then it catches up, then I give up and say F-it. Just wish I could see my goal number on the scale.

I have to keep up with the blogging so that the entries aren't so long, but thanks for looking! I hope I gave you something to smile about. Hope your weekend is great!

tah-tah for now.

All rolled into one...

2008-05-16T10:29:00.013-04:00

I haven't blogged in a while, computer woes, hope you all had a great Mother's Day!

We went down to Pennsylvania and toured the Crayola Factory then shopped at the Crayola Store. I had to buy the big tower of 150 crayons. Cute, the most I ever had was 64, remember those?

Just realized I have to unload the camera so I will post some pics later.

Do visit us at Color Combos Galore, play along and you can win a RAK from me!!! Janine Langer from Pencil Lines is our Guest Designer this week. She suggested a green with a ledger and so I sent her this combo:

yellowhammer - green anjou - bistre - lemon chiffon

We are also celebrating Janelle's 50th sketch on the Sketch This! blog. Post your layout or card designs and you could win a RAK!

I combined the two with the HMITM challenge. Another RAK giveaway!!! I LOVE to play this challenge because it helps me add more to my pages and that is something I am a little afraid to do, but then I love how my layouts turn out each time I play!!! Francine's recipe this week was 10 stamps, 10 flowers, 10 buttons and 10 pieces of chipboard. So I hardly ever stamp and rarely use flowers but I gave it a shot!

and made this:

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

My second son is turning FIVE tomorrow.

Note to self: need to buy Kleenex.

I had to laugh.....

2008-05-10T23:33:00.005-04:00

Okay, it's late Saturday night, my DH is away and I have a page and a card for my Mom to finish. Changing my playlist once again because I need to listen to something quiet tonight. Wait, that makes sense, doesn't it? Well, I hope you all are enjoying the weekend!

Wanna laugh? Here is an email my SIL sent me, tooooo funny!

Anonymous said...

God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones that I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference ...

Now that I'm 'older' (but refuse to grow up), here's what I've discovered:

ONE - I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
TWO - My wild oats have turned into prunes and All Bran.
THREE - I finally got my head together; now my body is falling apart.
FOUR - Funny, I don't remember being absent minded.

FOUR - Funny, I don't remember being absent minded.

FIVE - All reports are in; life is now officially unfair.
SIX - If all is not lost, where is it?
SEVEN - It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.
EIGHT - Some days you're the dog; some days you're the hydrant.
NINE - I wish the buck stopped here; I sure could use a few.
TEN - Kids in the back seat cause accidents.
ELEVEN - Accidents in the back seat cause kids.
TWELVE - It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere.
THIRTEEN - The only time the world beats a path to your door is when
you're in the bathroom.
FOURTEEN - If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would have put them ON MY KNEES!!
FIFTEEN - When I'm finally holding all the cards, why does everyone decide to play chess?

FOUR - Funny, I still don't remember being absent-minded.

SIXTEEN - It's not hard to meet expenses...they're everywhere.
SEVENTEEN - The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
EIGHTEEN - These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the
hereafter... I go somewhere to get something and then wonder what I'm hereafter.

So who else besides me feels this way sometimes? hahaha

I am feeling the love for red.....

2008-05-07T19:10:00.036-04:00

Falling behind on my blog again. I did change the music and colors...for now. Oh, and I still need a cool banner.

Like the music? It's is my housecleaning music. That's why I hardly get it done, I am dancing with the kids when it's on. :)

So I will catch up on my week. This weekend we were supposed to go see Thomas the Train in Maryland, but the tickets were sold out. Yeah, I forgot to reserve in time. So we will go to the one in Connecticut or maybe the one scheduled for Pennsylvania later in the summer. Wanted to meet up with Debbi Tehrani afterwards for dinner, but I will have to meet up with her another time.

I want to write something interesting and give you a chuckle, but nothing really funny happened to me this week. Bookstore, market, post office, meals, baths, snacks, bedtime stories... yeah, certainly don't want to bore you with that. I did lose Rianna at the market yesterday. Yeah. But I am not proud of that moment and it wasn't funny so I will just leave that alone. Really have to declutter the house, my scrap supplies and the kids toys need organizing. Jabran is turning 5 on the 17th and I need the house ready for the party. He wants a Ben 10 theme. They are growing up so fast. The other morning I saw my daughter and she looked so mature. I mean mature like she is already turning 3 and really looks it. She lost that toddler look. Where did my babies go? I started bawling, yeah. Really would like one more, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

Before I share what scrapping frenzy I have been up to since my last post, I HAVE to share my favorite blog entry this week. I was literally in tears laughing so hard because I SO can relate to this, but hers is much worse!!! Check this out: Crazy hair at Lisa Dickinson's blog! So freakin' funny!

So here are some pages I'd like to share, and they all have RED, YUM!

Color Combo #69 and Pencil Lines
This was for Color Combos Galore #69 last Monday. We had one of my favorite scrappers, Lisa Dickinson as our guest. She suggested tiffany blue and red so I sent her this combo:

seal brown - carmine red - tiffany blue - buff

This is what I created with the colors using Anna Bowkis's sketch for Pencil Lines #82. Okay, I LOVED THIS HAT!!!! Jabran was exactly 18 months old here. Too freakin' cute!

Color Combo #69 and Sketch This!
Here is a digi. I haven't played with digital products since March and kinda been missing it. The page was for Sketch This! using Lisa's colors from Color Combo #69 again. Also combined it with a really cool journaling challenge where Emily gave us a Random Word Generator and I had to use one of the words it spit out at me. One of them was baffle. Okay, so this story is scary at first, but a bit funny afterwards. We we all in the living room, Jabran was about 10 months old minding his own little business on this mechanical swing. I had asked my husband to move him a little closer to me on the couch. Just as he was bringing him over, BANG! It BROKE! I was stunned to see Jabran on the floor like that, but he wasn't even crying! We checked him and he was fine, but I needed to grab my camera before we got him out.

NSD at Two Peas
Here is one that I did for Jennifer Pebbles chat on Saturday. Layouts take me for-EVAH to finish and I was surprised I whipped this up in time. Here is what she said:

So take 3 minutes: Grab the following (fast-don't think about it)...

one sheet of cardstock
one piece of pattern paper
one tag
one label
one stamp
one sticker
one rub on
one brad
*optional: one embellishment/chipboard/acrylic etc.*
and either one photo or skip the photo.

I got off the chat and headed downstairs. My ink got smudged and I didn't finish the journaling, but it took me 43 minutes. Does it look it?

Color Combo #70 and Pencil Lines
This was for Color Combos Galore #70. This week we have Cindy Liebel as our guest this week and I just love her work! She wanted red and gray so I sent her a bunch and she chose this one:

slate blue - taupe gray - seafoam green - fire engine red

These colors screamed patriotic to me, so I found this picture that I had taken when we were going to the NY Aquarium last summer. There was a fire truck in the parking lot and we asked if we can take some pictures. I used Debbie Jewell's sketch for Pencil Lines #83.

Sketch This!
And finally, another digi for this week's Sketch This!:

and that's it! Thanks for looking guys! Tomorrow I am headed back to the NY Aquarium, YAY! Love that place! Zayn's taking a school field trip there and I am a chaperone.

Wonder how many kids I am going to get, wish me luck!!!

...yes, it's been two weeks since my last confession....

2008-04-24T22:28:00.014-04:00

April 24. A day I dedicated to catching up on my blog.

And what a great two weeks this has been! Full of surprises, joy and of course, some layouts.

So MUCH to share with you, seven posts, so you just have to keep reading until you reach the bottom! :)

Let me finish off this night of catching up with two layouts I made this week.

One is an assignment for Got Sketch? #58. Also combined with The Journaler's Junction where we used only adjectives in the journaling:

Patterned paper: American Crafts, Scenic Route, Prima IOD, Pink Paislee; Chipboard phrase stickers: Scenic Route, Imagination Project; Die-cuts: Scenic Route, Making Memories

and this one was a Creative Team design for Sketch This! #47. I used two circle punches on the Prima IOD Dude paper to create the circles on the background grid paper. Used this week's colors again at Color Combos Galore.

Patterned paper: Imagination Project, Dream Street, Prima, Hambly; Letter stickers: Jenni Bowlin; Star accent: Heidi Swapp

Color Combo #68 and Pencil Lines

2008-04-24T21:41:00.010-04:00

YAY! Nicole Harper is our Guest Designer this week at Color Combos Galore. And I just LOVE her style! I really admire her work. She is a design team member of both Studio Calico and Pink Paislee and they are both sure lucky to have her. So when she accepted my invitation for Combo #68 I was both honored and thrilled! We worked on these colors together and our final result was seal brown,(pale) mustard, celadon and pumpkin. Once again I left my layout for last minute and went to Pencil Lines #81 for some inspo. It is a multi photo sketch that I hardly do, but had the perfect pictures already printed years ago when I made page kits with products like Sandylion, Jolee's Boutique, and REALLY REALLY old ugly paper. Remember all that stuff from 2003 and 2004? Yeah. I did have something in there that I did use on my page.

yeah, that's really old! But I loved the little butterflies.

So this is what I came up with for both challenges.

Patterned paper: SEI, Scenic Route, 7 Gypsies, Sassafras Lass, Making Memories (journal); Chipboard letters: Heidi Swapp; Chipboard flower: Imagination Project; Brad: Queen&Co; File tab: October Afternoon; Butterfly accents: EK Success

I am a Grand-Aunt again!!!!

2008-04-24T21:14:00.008-04:00

My darling niece had another baby!!! Her second, a baby girl born on Friday, April 18 at 8:35pm.

And her name is Mikaela Grace. Beautiful.

So this is the crazy that happened.

We had a baby shower already planned. I made the invitations and it was scheduled for the next day. My niece called me on Thursday asking whether I dressed my children in their own clothes or did they wear the what the hospital provided. I told her I always dressed them with their gown, cap, mitts and booties after their first bath and were wrapped in their own blanket as well. Everything matched. She decided to do that and needed to buy that and bottles. She didn't know what she was having or that there was a party planned for her in two days. So I told her to hold off, we would go together the following week. Then we started talking about water breaking and that I never experienced that moment of puddle or leakage. It was always popped for me. She said she hadn't either but would never want her water to break in public and I should be grateful mine never did.

So what happened?

For medical reasons, she was scheduled for a C-section on the 30th.

Well her water broke in her office in the afternoon in NYC.

They had no car.

They borrowed one from a friend, drove from the city to Long Island and admitted her.

She arrived 9cm dilated.

Her husband had a 'Ricky' moment and left the keys in the car.

She pushed for over an hour.

And brought Mikaela Grace into the world.

We still partied the next day, mostly on speaker phone!

Scrapjack! and some tea!

2008-04-24T19:04:00.009-04:00

So now that I found my new favorite challenge, I played again. It was Kelly Purkey's turn to be Scrapjacked!. Also played How Much Is Too Much where Elizabeth's recipe was 7 rub-ons, 3 photos, 7 stickers, 5 flowers, 0 buttons, 0 ribbons, and The Journaler's Junction where Heather had said to use only adjectives in the journaling. Well, when I created the layout, I remembered the gist, but not the specifics and ended up with extra journaling. Oh well, got a little mixed up.

Again, working with old photos that printed horribly on my old (and long time ditched) HP printer. And because these were printed long before I knew about dpi and resolutions and levels, they are very dark and not crisp at all. But I still haven't bought ink (which will cost me over $50 for several cartridges) so it will have to do.

The story behind these photos is that Zayn always asked me for some of my tea. I am not a tea drinker by habit, prefer the coffee, and don't drink decaf unless I am pregnant. So he has never had it at this point. When I did make some decaf tea for him, he was, well, the photo says it all!

Patterned paper: Sassafras Lass, Scenic Route; Cardstock: Bazzill; Letter stickers: Sassafras Lass; Rub-ons: Doodlebug Designs (stitches); Fontwerks (rub-ons); Epoxy sticker: SEI; Flowers: American Crafts; Prima

Sketch This! DT !!!

2008-04-24T18:42:00.007-04:00

So Janelle Richmond decided to combine her Sketch This! layouts and Sketch This! Cards sites. She had a new Design Team call and sent out this sketch to the applicants, team members had to reapply as well.

So this is what I created for the call and was THRILLED when she asked me to stay on the team! YAY! HUGS, Janelle! mwah!

Patterned paper: Scenic Route, BoBunny, KI Memories; Lettering: Jenni Bowlin, Collage Press, K&Co; Journal die-cut: Scenic Route; Sticker trim: KI Memories; Chipboard flowers: American Crafts

Color Combo #67 and Pencil Lines

2008-04-24T18:27:00.005-04:00

Well, I ran out of ink on my printer.
My scrapbooking budget was depleted.
So I decided to use up some photos that I already had printed.
This photo was in my living room but the glass on the frame broke. I came across it while searching for a photo for Color Combo #67 where Chris Dodaj was our Guest Designer and our colors were coral pink, wheat, orange and an orange-red. Needless to say, it was a MUST SCRAP! I took Jolene's sketch for Pencil Lines #80 from that very day and made this. I just LOVE IT!

Patterned paper: Sassafras Lass; My Mind's Eye, Prima; Lettering: K&Co, Jenni Bowlin; Phrase sticker: My Mind's Eye; Journal tag: Sassafras Lass; Buttons: SEI, Making Memories

They loved it! Scrapjacked, OLW and HMITM

2008-04-24T18:12:00.008-04:00

So I created this layout for OLW (BEST) and Scrapjacked! (LAURA KURZ). I have played OLW before but not Scrapjacked! and it was fun to play! I was super happy that my layout was chosen as a FAVE for both sites! YAY! I was so happy and honored! COOL!

Patterned paper: Pink Paislee; Lettering: Imagination Project (chipboard); American Crafts (rub-ons); Die-cuts: Making Memories; Chipboard heart: Heidi Swapp; Stamp: Technique Tuesday; Pen: American Crafts Slick Writer

Another layout that caught someone's attention this week was this one for How Much Is Too Much #75. Paula's challenge was 5 for 5: 5 patterned papers, 5 stamps, 5 brads/eyelets, 5 rub-ons and 5 other embellishments. This was a bit challenging for the stamping, but I did and it won. She sent me a Scenic Route paper pack which I loved! Thank you so much Paula!!!!!

Patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket, My Mind's Eye, Creative Imaginations; Cardstock: Bazzill Kraft; Brads: Making Memories, Queen&Co; Rub-ons: American Crafts, K&Co; Stamps: Autumn Leaves (flourishes), Art Impressions (dots), Savvy Stamps (flowers on chipboard) ; Letter stickers: American Crafts; Chipboard circle: Maya Road; Button: Foof-a-la; Tab sticker: Creative Imaginations; Paper ribbon: K&Co

Woo-hoo!!!!

2008-04-09T11:16:00.009-04:00

I am so excited to tell you that Scrapbooker Online has chosen my Color Combos Galore challenge blog for their challenge this month! YAY!! That is so cool! I have been working on these challenges for so long and love it dearly. My main goal was to open up a world of color for you and experiment new colors. There are so many ways to creatively work the combo into your layout. It's easier than you think! And when you use it right, you get something pretty amazing! So I am pretty happy I have inspired so many of you. So when Carolyn Lontin asked me, I have to tell ya, I was pretty thrilled. Well they chose their favorites from the archives and are starting with Combo #61 for their first week and will post a new one every Monday in April. Check it out and hope you play along with them! And go over to the blog and try this week's colors!

Week #1:

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: Fancy Pants, October Afternoon; Lettering: American Crafts (chipboard), K&CO (tiny letters); Journaling sheet: Making Memories; Arrow die-cut: October Afternoon; Buttons: Foof-a-la

Week #2:

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: Imagination Project (background); Basic Grey (circles); Phrase sticker: Scenic Route; Journaling die-cut: Scenic Route; Large brad: Creative Imaginations; Tree eyelet: Treasured Memories

Week #3

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: SEI, October Afternoon, Basic Grey, 7 Gypsies; Lettering: American Crafts, Scrapworks, Mustard Moon; Phrase sticker: 7 Gypsies; Pebble clip: Making Memories; Flower, heart sticker: Bazzill Basics; Buttons: Foof-a-La; Rub-ons: Die Cuts With a View; Tag template: Deluxe Cuts; Other:Chalk

Color Combo #66

2008-04-07T09:45:00.006-04:00

How another week just flew by! Time for another color challenge at Color Combos Galore. This week I am thrilled to have Emily Pitts as our guest designer. Luv ya, E!! So go on over and see what she and our awesome team did!

My title comes from my digital files. It's the very first one there and I always see it when I am searching for photos. So it was about time that I used it. Zayn was about 3 here. Such a cutie!

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: Hambly, 7 Gypsies; Cardstock: Bazzill Kraft; Letter stickers: Chatterbox; Stickers: Collage Press (ledger tape); Making Memories (chipboard tag); Die-cuts: Making Memories

Color Combo #65

2008-04-01T09:52:00.004-04:00

The challenge went up yesterday. Crazy day yesterday, couldn't get anything done. But how I love these colors! So fresh and feminine. Our guest designer this week is Catherine Bodine, so go over to Color Combos Galore to see the new layouts this week from our awesome team. Love what they did!

I went clean and simple with a photo of my beautiful daughter. What a blessing she is. Funny, when I pulled out my stickers and said to my seven yr old son Zayn, "Hmm, what title should I put here, what comes to mind when you see this picture?". He said "Uh, cutie pie?".

So a title was born.

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: Scenic Route Paper; Cardstock: Bazzill Avalanche; Letter stickers: American Crafts; Buttons: Foof-a-la; Journaling die-cut: Jenni Bowlin Studios; Rub-ons: Heidi Grace Designs

Friday? Already?

2008-03-28T10:08:00.014-04:00

So again another week has flown by.

Out of all the challenges I bookmarked this week to do I only got two layouts done this week. But I managed to cram seven of those challenges into this one!!

My main focus was HMITM #75 where we had to use 5 patterned papers, stamps, brads/eyelets, and 5 other embellishments. This is a Debbi Gaydos sketch. Some of the other blogs I played for were Double Dog Dare Ya (create your own embellishment with paper and brads) and Creative Therapy where we were asked where do you go to find your center? Unfortunately I don't go on vacations, or have a sitting chair or a sun porch to relax in so I chose my Mother's cooking because of what I feel whenever I take a bite. Brings me back to growing up and living a stress-free life. And that's enough therapy for me!

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket, My Mind's Eye, Creative Imaginations; Cardstock: Bazzill Kraft; Brads: Making Memories, Queen & Co; Rub-ons: American Crafts, K&Co; Stamps: Autumn Leaves (flourishes), Art Impressions (dots), Savvy Stamps (flowers on chipboard); Letter stickers: American Crafts; Chipboard circle: Maya Road; Button: Foof-a-la; Tab sticker: Creative Imaginations; Paper ribbon: K&Co

I WON!!

2008-03-26T18:48:00.013-04:00

I got the email just before dinner from Karen at Creative Therapy.

I won the first catalyst for my Gone layout (see my original blog post HERE). It totally made my day!!! How cute is that picture? It's such a cool challenge, go play if you haven't already!

This is the winning layout:

Color Combo #64

2008-03-24T14:30:00.007-04:00

New challenge is up on the Color Combos Galore and I am super excited to have Elizabeth Joy as our Guest Designer! And I have a new designer too, Lilly Rose!! She is just AWESOME!

I made this layout for the challenge. It was to use a deep yellow, brown, green, and orange. Yummy!! I was searching for pics and this was just PERFECT! They are not looking at the camera, but I love it anyway.

SUPPLIES: Patterned paper: Scenic Route, Making Memories; Cardstock: Bazzill; Letter stickers: Making Memories chipboard alpha, Doodlebug, and Reminisce; Phrase stickers: Junkitz; Die-Cuts: Making Memories, Scenic Route; Buttons: Foof-a-La

I was unsure about adding journaling, the arrow spot was so empty and somehow looked unfinished, so I drew the journaling lines and just started writing. Now I don't know if I should of left it alone. Oh well, too late.

It came!!!

2008-03-20T14:17:00.014-04:00

ahhhh!

I love my mailman for bringing this to me today.

I love my husband for buying it.

I love these products and the companies that make them!!!

Love Elsie, Paper Trunk, Tinkering Ink and Imaginisce papers.
My 5th Avenue journaling pages and Garden Party!
More American Crafts Poolside and Fieldhouse.
Doodlebug stickers and Bazzill chips inspired from Studio Calico.
I am into the decorative brads now so I got some really cute ones.

Now, I SERIOUSLY need to start scrappin' !!!!

It's the First Day of Spring!

2008-03-20T08:27:00.014-04:00

But it feels like Christmas to me!
I got my shipment from Rocky Mountain Hobbies the other day.
Can't wait to play with all these goodies!

This is what I got...

I am soooo excited over the American Crafts and Jenni Bowlin spring line! These are so colorful and happy products! I love the red, green, blue and white combos.

I also received some more goodies from the Making Memories 5th Avenue line. I love this line! I couldn't decide between Elizabeth and Sophia, so I got both. But I have more of Elizabeth's line because of the pink! And I saw the Blossoms & Buttons in use at Studio Calico this month so had to get that, too!!

And now for the browns. Not as exciting, but I ordered some Basic Grey, they are very subtle so maybe it'll make a baby page or something for my little girl. And some older papers from SEI and MME. Why? I don't know. I had liked them when they first came out and never got them. But I am super excited over the embellishments I got!

And more is coming today!!!!

Too Many Challenges

2008-03-19T08:42:00.024-04:00

I LOVE challenges!

All of my layouts are created based on at least one challenge. So yesterday I bookmarked 16 challenges that I want to play with this week. I then planned out how I was going to incorporate different ones onto each layout. So it's actually 17+ challenges since that is a challenge in itself!!

I was excited to find a new one with some girls from A Million Memories called Creative Therapy and this is their first challenge, though the preferred word is catalyst: Something that you lost. It could be something good like weightloss, or terrible like a person, or heartbreaking like a friendship.

I did lose something, or thought I did at the time.

I had a best friend in high school who I never kept in touch with after I started college. She had left for Europe. I regretted not maintaining the friendship because I really missed her all these years.

At the time I was contacting classmates for a possible HS reunion. I had found several of my friends as well as my one other best friend and it was so great talking to them, but I couldn't find her.
So in my depression, I made a layout.
The day I posted the layout to Two Peas, someone told me I should Google her name.

OH, DUH!

I did so immediately and found a comment she left on a website. I emailed the owner of the site and she told me that Christine was a very good friend of hers. Christine was in Italy.

Imagine my surprise!!!! I was THRILLED and told the the woman she must contact Christine and forward my number and email. The next day of posting that layout there was an email from my long lost best friend.

I found her!

And it was GREAT!!!

So this was the layout I made at the time. I used Color Combo #42 and combined it with HMITM #54 (4 PP, 11 embellies), OLW #11 (Gone) and a couple of other Two Peas challenges.

SUPPLIES: Pattern paper: Sassafras Lass, Around the Block; Cardstock: Bazzill (Java, Green Tea); Chipboard letters: Creative Imaginations; Fabric letter, brad, oval metal tag: Making Memories; Alphabet stickers: K&Co; Chipboard phrase: Scenic Route; Journaling card: 7 Gypsies; Transparency frame: My Mind's Eye; Chipboard square: Imagination Project (Gin-X); Felt flower: American Crafts; Decorative tape: Heidi Swapp; Elmer's Paint Pen; hole punch

Got Sketch? #53

2008-03-18T10:08:00.026-04:00

So I made another one for Valerie Salmon at Got Sketch?. I just love her sketches and was thrilled when she asked me to design some for her. Here I converted her 12x12 sketch to an 8.5x11. I almost set the calendar sticker down when I realized that it was for the 2007 calendar year and 6/23 was not on a Thursday as when she was born in 2005. So I used another month and cut off the June part and laid it on top. Isn't this Collage Press paper so yummy?!! It's from their Scrooge & Marley line.

Supplies: Patterned paper: Collage Press (background), KI Memories (lace CS), Making Memories (spiral journal), American Crafts (bird); Chipboard: American Crafts (letters), Fancy Pants (swirl), Maya Road (scallop and cirle frame), Heidi Swapp (heart); Rub-ons: Fancy Pants; Calendar sticker: Imagination Project; Misc: Green crystal, Paper Glaze, Embossing powder.

Color Combo #63

2008-03-18T09:34:00.010-04:00

A new color combo is up at Color Combos Galore and Alicia Geiss is our Guest Designer! This challenge started at Two Peas and it's really fun to play. You are given a 2, 3 or 4 color combo and you have to work it. Sometimes they are colors you love, sometimes not. Sometimes you just never thought of putting them together. The fun part is trying them out and realizing how good the colors came out on your layout! So go on over and play some!

Okay, so I decided to do it

2008-03-17T16:47:00.008-04:00

I finally created my blog. I spent the whole day setting it up. I did this one and one for my color challenge that I host at Two Peas. I called it Color Combos Galore. I still have to design a cool banner. I cannot do that now. I am tired. and hungry.

...

2008-03-16T15:39:00.001-04:00

...

More Than Just Color

So it's Penguin Day!

{ Mojo Monday #225 } { CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge CFC36 }{ create: Square Card Challenge 01/19 }

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Stamp: "just 4 you" ((Studio G))(click to shop for items)

CCG 216 ... A Shaped Cupcake Card

{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #216 }{ Card Patterns: Challenge #149 }{ The Ribbon Reel: Challenge #20 }{ DYSU Challenge: Challenge #55 }

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Paper Crimper (Fiskars); Serrated Tracing Wheel (Dritz)ribbon; buttons; dimensional paint(click to shop for items)

CCG 214...A Card and Sketch Challenge

{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #214 }{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge #34 }

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

owl stamp, gray ink (Studio G)buttons (Autumn Leaves)gray sparkle pen (UniBall)twine(click to shop for items)

Paper Bag Mini-Album...and a CCG COMEBACK!!!

{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #213 }{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge 12/23}

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Letters: "resolutions" (Making Memories); "2012" (Mustard Moon)Misc: chalk ink (ColorBox); quilting pins (Dritz); deco-scissors (Provo Craft); brown lunch bag(click to shop for items)

Some Thoughts...

Scrappy Chics Kits: July Kit Projects!

Scrappy Chics Kit Projects: Getting Sassy!

{ Project 1 }

{ Project 2 }

{ Project 3 }

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: June Kit }{ Sassy Lil Sketches: Challenge 5/21}{ Sassy Lil Card Sketches: Challenge 5/07 and 5/21}

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #1

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Trendsetter paper - Style 105 (Webster's Pages)Blossom Soup paper - Fresh Cilantro (Jillibean Soup)Blossom Soup Cardstock Stickers (Jillibean Soup) Blossom Soup Die Cuts (Jillibean Soup) Rainboots Thickers - Daisy (American Crafts)

Cardstock: White (American Crafts); Chowder (Bazzill)Letters: Embossed stickers (Studio K)Border punches: (Martha Stewart)Other: brown, black pen (Sakura); pop dots (American Crafts); linen thread

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #190 }{ Sassy Lil Sketches: Challenge 4/21}{ Two Peas Products You Love Every Which Way: April - Diecuts }

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #2

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Links on this post:

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }{ Scrappy Chics Kits: April Kit }{ Two Peas Stretch Your Sketch: April 2011 }

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #3

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Links on this post:

Scrappy Chics Kits: May Project #4

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Links on this post:

CCG Inspiration Board #189

Links on this post:

CCG #186 and Sketchy Thursdays

{ The Design }

{ My Inspiration }

Project Supplies:

Links on this post:

Scrappy Chics Kits: The Reveal!

Scrappy Chics Kits: Sneaks! { Day 2 }

Scrappy Chics Kits: Sneaks! { Day 1 }

Oh So Dreamy!

Who's That Girl?

OH OH OH!

REALLY??? Has it been THAT long?.....

Are you here?

Pencil Lines, Color Combos and more!

Getting funky....

They're Here!!!

I've Got a Secret!

and so I'm back....

Trying to keep up .........

Color Combos Galore and Sketch This

Sketch This!

Color Combos Galore and Pencil Lines

{ Mojo Monday #225 }
{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge CFC36 }
{ create: Square Card Challenge 01/19 }

Stamp: "just 4 you" ((Studio G))

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{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #216 }
{ Card Patterns: Challenge #149 }
{ The Ribbon Reel: Challenge #20 }
{ DYSU Challenge: Challenge #55 }

Paper Crimper (Fiskars); Serrated Tracing Wheel (Dritz)
ribbon; buttons; dimensional paint

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{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #214 }
{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge #34 }

owl stamp, gray ink (Studio G)
buttons (Autumn Leaves)
gray sparkle pen (UniBall)
twine

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{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #213 }
{ CAS-ual Fridays: Challenge 12/23}

Letters: "resolutions" (Making Memories); "2012" (Mustard Moon)
Misc: chalk ink (ColorBox); quilting pins (Dritz); deco-scissors (Provo Craft); brown lunch bag

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{ Scrappy Chics Kits: June Kit }
{ Sassy Lil Sketches: Challenge 5/21}
{ Sassy Lil Card Sketches: Challenge 5/07 and 5/21}

Trendsetter paper - Style 105 (Webster's Pages)
Blossom Soup paper - Fresh Cilantro (Jillibean Soup)
Blossom Soup Cardstock Stickers (Jillibean Soup)
Blossom Soup Die Cuts (Jillibean Soup)
Rainboots Thickers - Daisy (American Crafts)

Cardstock: White (American Crafts); Chowder (Bazzill)
Letters: Embossed stickers (Studio K)
Border punches: (Martha Stewart)
Other: brown, black pen (Sakura); pop dots (American Crafts); linen thread

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }
{ Color Combos Galore: Challenge #190 }
{ Sassy Lil Sketches: Challenge 4/21}
{ Two Peas Products You Love Every Which Way: April - Diecuts }

{ Scrappy Chics Kits: May Kit }
{ Scrappy Chics Kits: April Kit }
{ Two Peas Stretch Your Sketch: April 2011 }