ABC Challenge at SOS

A=  alphabet stickers
B=  buttons by Stampin' Up!; Blossom Soup papers by Jillibean
C=  cotton thread for buttons

Thank you, Shopping Our Stash, for providing inspiration for me to finally finish my daughter's 2005 scrapbook; yes, it only took me seven years!

My scrapbooking story/My Scrapbooking Mission!
Goals:

1. Work towards catching up on my scrapbooking.
2. Use old stash up.
3. Shrink the pile of partially completed layouts and work them into my scrapbook album.

I am primarily a card maker (more instant gratification), but a few months ago my daughter Kathryn asked me when I was going to make more scrapbook pages.  Kathryn loves looking at my scrapbooks.  In 2003 (when my twins were babies), I set aside every Wednesday for their grandparents to babysit and I spent the day scrapbooking!  I created a full 12x12 baby album for each of them.  I have made small 7x7 albums for each of them for ages two and three, and a small vacation album.  I started a 12x12 Christmas album and 12x12 school albums for each of them, but those have not been updated for 2005 and beyond *sigh*.  (Goal #1 - Work towards catching up!)

I also started one 12x12 scrapbook of both of them starting with my baby showers.  I scrapbooked chronologically and included a 2-page layout for every month plus birthdays and holidays, so by December 2003 it was a full album.  I started scrapbooking 2004 similarly (in a second album), but we moved from NC to VA, so the weekly babysitting/scrapbooking was over.  In August 2007 the girls went between grandparents for a couple of weeks before school started and I finished scrapbooking 2004.  At that point I gave myself permission to scrapbook whatever inspired me and worry about chronological order later on when I could fill in the gaps.  As a result I have a pile in my craft room of incomplete and completed layouts sprinkled over the years for 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011 but most of 2005 was complete.  (Goal #3 - Shrink the pile!)

I realized I had every month and/or holiday represented in 2005 except for September 2005.  I searched through my 12x12 collections and scrapbooking kits, but I could not find any coordinating papers.  Then I began perusing my 6x6 pads...do you scrap with 6x6?  I usually save these for card making.  I liked how these Jillibean papers worked with the girls' pajamas.  Not my favorite layout, but done is better than perfect.  (Goal #2 - Use old stash!)

Onward to start scrapbooking 2006!  And this time it won't take 7 years :)

Happy Friday!

Grandparent's Day die cut challenge at Cut It Up

  It's time to Cut It Up again and this time we are celebrating "Grandparent's Day."  When my daughters were in elementary school, there was an annual school-wide celebration assembly for Grandparent's Day.  I chose various pictures from those special days and created a mini book.

Here is a peek inside:

 My mom with each of my twin girls.

Mom and Julia; my dad, Kathryn, my m-i-l, and my mom.

Kathryn, me, Julia, and my maternal grandmother.

Once again we have two sponsors each with a prize to be won:

As Cute as a Button

$20 Coupon Code

AND

Die-versions

$15 gift card

I am also following the Decorate to Celebrate blog and their current challenge is:  #82 "Decorations for Grandparents Day or Birthday."  My mini is acting as my mom's birthday card and this mini is filled with pictures of her and her grandchildren!  A perfect fit for this challenge.  (Thank you, Lisa, for encouraging me to enter this challenge!)

Supplies:

die cuts:  SEI luggage tag (yellow tag; cover); Rusty Pickle sentiment tags (white tags on p. 1)

paper:  SEI "Holiday Hoopla"
adhesive:  Xyron
alphabet stamps:  American Crafts

Now let's see how this challenge inspires you...do you know someone who is/is about to become a grandparent you could make a card for? What about a layout of you with your grandparent(s)?  Just remember to include a die cut on your project and link up at Cut It Up and Decorate to Celebrate by September 3rd.

Happy Friday!

Core’dinations Design Team Call

Core'dinations is having a design team call for the September 1, 2014 - March 31, 2015 term.  I played with my Core'dinations card stock collections to create a couple of back-to school gifts for my daughters' teachers, Ms. Wai and Mr. Harris.

If you are not familiar with Core'dinations card stock, it is a textured card stock that embosses beautifully and has no white core!  You can sand the card stock to reveal the color core as much (tree, acorns) or as little as you like (grass).  On this pillow box filled with trail mix I embossed and sanded the acorns, tree, and part of the squirrel:

Supplies:  Core' dinations "Nostalgia" super assortments papers; SRM acrylic box; Cricut "Create a Critter" squirrel and "Everyday Pop-Up Cards" tree; Cuttlebug embossing folders "Seeing Spots" and "Swiss Dots"; Tim Holtz wood grain embossing folder for tree and acorns; Martha Stewart grass border punch; Imaginisce leaf paper; Punnylicious sentiment; Making Memories sanding block; Costco Kirkland Trail Mix; Xyron, foam tape, and 2-way glue pen.

I also made a water bottle tag, creating a pocket for a "Tea2Go" packet for a back-to-school teacher gift:

Supplies:  Core' dinations "Nostalgia" super assortments papers; SRM "Congratulations" sticker sentiment;  Cuttlebug embossing folder "Harlequin";  Cosmo Cricket "The Boyfriend" papers and ribbon;  Making Memories mini brad and sanding block; 4C Tea2Go; Xyron and photo tape.
I have two crafting passions:  creating teacher gifts and card making.  I am a some-time scrapbooker, but my heart is into creating little gifts or greeting cards.   Here is a card I made recently using Core'dinations' "Nostalgic" Kraft-Core card stock for the base layer:

Supplies:  Core' dinations  Tim Holtz/Core-dinations kraft-core "Nostalgic collection" card stock lattice embossed and sanded down;  thank you sticker sentiment  placed on top of a bright blank red polka dot label sticker; stone twine bow; Xyron; black card stock; kraft card stock; PTI tag die.
This is a black sheet of Kraft-Core card stock; the collection has a rainbow of warm colors, all with kraft core.  I love kraft card stock!

I also own some Core'dinations Whitewash card stock, Black Magic card stock, and Glitter Silk.  There is lots of fun to be had with each of these collections.  As you can see, Core'dinations card stock is beautiful when sanded, but torn edges or wrinkling it gives wonderful depth and texture to your projects too.  For more inspiration using Core'dinations card stock check out the Core blog.  And if you are a fan of the chalkboard trend there are Chalk Core collections too...hey, I'm just here to enable...

Happy Wednesday!

Sparkle & Shine, Ren-Yi!

  My bloggie friend, Ren-Yi is getting married on August 22nd.  I "met" Ren-Yi during my six-month design team term on Little Tangles last year.  Ren-Yi was the DT coordinator and she was fantastic to work with.  All fun, no drama :)

Ren-yi's friend, Beverly, is having a surprise bridal party linking event starting today, August 18th and running through September 1st.

Since Ren-Yi and I were on Little Tangles together, I had to use my Neat and Tangled "A Lot to Say" die, "Sparkle and Shine" stamps, and "Winter Wonderland" sequins for her virtual card!

Pop on over to this post on Beverly's blog to congratulate Ren-Yi and see all of the congratulations card inspiration.

Happy Monday!

Reminder post: The SRM Challenge...still time to play and win SRM goodies!

There is still time to play in the monthly challenge for The SRM Challenge blog.  There are four ways to have fun with SRM products:  color challenge, sketch challenge, theme (Back to School), and inspirational photo.  It is your choice!  You may enter once, twice, three, or four times for a chance to win SRM products.

(My Graduation circular sentiment is Stickers By the Dozen, Take 2: Graduation; and I fussy cut the 4" doily's outer layer to work with the sketch.)

I also chose the sketch challenge to create a baby card.  The sticker by the dozen "Oh baby" is from Take 2 Baby and label by the dozen (pink scallop) is from "Bright Blank".  I love layering my SRM stickers for interest and color:

Which challenge jump starts your mojo?  Just remember to add at least one SRM product to your creation and link up at The SRM Challenge.  I hope to see you there!

Happy Friday!

Inspired by a Song challenge

 It's time to Cut It Up again; the challenge this fortnight is "Inspired by a Song."  My layout is of my daughters' 8th birthday party in 2010 at a local animal park.  The inspiration is from Deep Purple's 1987 hit "Call of the Wild."

Will you join in the fun?  Include a die cut somewhere on your project and you could win a $10 gift card to Fleurette Bloom!

You have until August 20th to link up your die cut "Inspired by a Song" creation at Cut It Up.

Happy Friday!

The SRM August Challenge - Back to School

The SRM Challenge blog has four ways to have fun with SRM products.  Our monthly challenge has four different options: 

color challenge, sketch challenge, theme (Back to School), 

and inspirational photo.  It is your choice!  You may enter once, twice, three, or four times for a chance to win SRM products.

I chose the Back to School theme to create a gift bag for my daughters' Autism teacher.  The sticker sentiments "you're the BEST!" is from Congratulations and "it's the little things that count" is from Life is Good.

Which challenge jump starts your mojo?  Just remember to add at least one SRM product to your creation and link up at The SRM Challenge.  I hope to see you there!

Happy Friday!