Not to busy lately...

I have been busy the last couple days, doing some repairs due to some adhesive problems I was having, and I spent some time yesterday getting my card sketches and idea book that I keep updated with some of the new cards I had made. I also started a binder for Layout sketches and any other helpful tips, etc.

I think I mentioned the Jessica Sprague class I took, "Stories In Hand" and I'm really glad that I chose to work on this. Usually I just look through the book first until something catches my eye and then I write out the story in a word document and save it. Some are being written directly to my children, and they each get different answers to the same questions sometimes, so I'm going to be kept busy by this for quite some time!

It has already proven useful though. One of the first questions I answered was about being read to as a child. Not 3 days later I came across this picture of my dad reading a bedtime story to all 3 of us kids. The entire journaling is taken from the "essay" I wrote in response to the Stories in Hand prompt. I really hope my mom does hers too as I think it would be awesome to know more about her.

So here is the LO I did using the Basic Grey Boxer collection. The picture was taken in 77/78 and I'm the one in red.

And this was a card I did to fulfill some of my design team responsibilites.

A couple more resolutions and a few more cards

ScrapCentral has started a challenge a day and yesterday's challenge was to make 5 cards for 5 different occasions. I took it as an opportunity to keep building up my card inventory. And I had some fun, playing with new supplies.

The other resolutions that I have made this year is to try to live a healthier life. And I also took a class from jessicasprague just before Christmas called Stories in Hand. I made a small album filled with memory prompts to help you write your own stories. My goal this year is to do at least one per week, but I'm hoping to do even more. I've already done two and I'm so far really enjoying the process. I know that alot of them will end up on a scrapbook page and that really excites me. I try to include as much journaling as possible on my layouts and am looking forward to using my creative skills to make my stories more than just pages and pages of typed answers. I also made my mom one, so we have been encouraging each other and I think that will help too. The reason this is so important to me is because I have 3 kids, and 2 of them really don't know anything about me or about themselves when they were little, and since I'm planning to make them albums this year anyways, I think this will just add a whole new level to a basic scrapbook.

Happy New Year

I know it's been awhile since I've written, but I was taking a little time off to enjoy the holiday season. Hope everyone had a great holiday filled with family and friends and free time! I must admit though that I was ready for Mercedes to go back to school and Brad to go back to work, so I can have the house to myself for a few hours again! I find it so hard to create when they are around because it always feels like I get interupted just as I'm getting going, which is one of the reasons that I do most of my creating after they are both in bed! lol

We had a good, but hectic, Christmas up in Edmonton, spending time with Brad's family. His dad had a really bad fall and has been in hospital for about a month now, so we tried to spend as much time with him as we could. We also got in a couple visits with friends, and Mercedes and I took Jessilyn & her boyfriend out to dinner one night and it was soooooo good to see her again. I was a little freaked out about meeting my daughter's boyfriend, but I was very impressed with him and was glad that he was able to come along. Jessi totally made Mercedes day by telling her that next time we are up, Jessi will spend a day with Mercedes doing whatever she wants to do. You can only imagine the joy in my heart upon hearing this. I so enjoy seeing my 2 girls together and look forward to them spending more time together. Because we were so busy up there, I was a little stressed out and suffered severe withdrawal from my scrappin supplies! lol Next year I am definately taking a little scrappin survival kit up there! It just drove home the fact that I do use my creative time as a stress reliever and was very glad to get home and get back into the groove of daily creativity.

ScrapCental just finished having a week long crop with loads of challenges so I had lots of motivation to get scrappin! And I made my scrappin resolution for this year...I plan on scrappin all of Jessi & Nyal's baby pics so that I will have some full albums to give them next year at Christmas. And my general resolution is to try to live a healthier life this year.

Well, enough about me, let's get to the latest projects...

This first one is a 16x20" canvas that I made for my brother for Christmas. It is filled with pictures of our dad who passed away in 1986. The quote I used has become one of my favorites when using pictures of him, and I used colors that work well in my bro's house.

These are a couple layouts that I made as part of the Scrapcentral challenges

And all these cards were also made to fulfill challenges. I was glad to get back into cardmaking mood also, since I really depleted my supply at the Farmer's Market and then as Christmas gifts.





And that is what I accomplished in the last week. I am trying to keep a running total this year to see how much I get done so as of today at 2:30pm I have made 2 LO's and 12 cards so far. Hopefully I'll be back soon posting even more cards and LO's! :)

I can't believe how fast this week went...

It seems like it was just yesterday that I was posting about the Farmer's Market! My husband's father took a really bad fall a couple weeks ago and he is still in the hospital. He is 85 years old and generally in really good health, but he apparently smacked his head so hard that he was knocked out. When they finally went to the dr. the next day they found out that he had a major concussion, bruised brain and fluid on the brain. According to MIL he is starting to get better, but it doesn't look like he'll be home for Christmas. My dh is really shook up about this so we are really glad that we will be up there in 2 days.

The reason I wrote about FIL is because MIL and SIL usually do a whack of baking each year, and for obvious reasons they haven't had the chance to do any, and me with my big mouth offered to make some before we come up and I'll make a couple other things when we get there.

I think I'm finally starting to take advantage of my own sleep rhythm...I took at least 3 or 4 naps yesterday, and then I was all primed and ready to get alot done while everyone else slept...and it worked great! I have at least 3x as much energy at night then I have at any other time. I started working on stuff around 9 pm and finally finished at 4am....I wrapped all the presents, made a canvas and did the Christmas cards that didn't need to be mailed.

Tonight I am testing my theory again...took a couple naps earlier and then woke up around 9 pm and have so far made a pan of squares, 5 dozen whipped shortbread and I have a pan of sugar coated pecans in the oven and when they are done I think I'll hit the hay and do a couple more things tomorrow.

Sorry no pics today, but I'll try to take some tomorrow.

Farmer's Market

Not the best pic, but I forgot to take my camera so I just had my bro take this with his phone. It turned out to be a really good day. There were over 50 vendors and the first couple hours were really busy. It was supposed to go until 6 pm but the storm was moving in so most people had left between 4:30-5:30 in hopes of beating the bad weather. Luckily we live in town, but we still packed up a half hour early.

This was my very first Farmer's Market and I was really happy with how well it went. Brad had come with me last night and we did most of the set up and then this morning my mom came with me first and then my sister came by and sat with me for a couple hours. After that Mercedes and my niece Britten came and were my little helpers.

I had gone into the experience hoping to make enough money to cover the cost of the table, and so when I had that covered within the first hour, I was pretty happy. It turned out to be a good day and worth the time I had put into it. I did however manage to spend half of what I earned there anyways, but I got few fun things. Whenever I make money with cards/scrapping I try to put at least some of the money back into it, so I bought a set of stamps and the Close to my Heart idea book and a couple other little things. I've never used any CTMH products before, but so far I'm impressed.

So all and all a great day and now it's onto the next project...a Christmas gift for my brother and a dvd slideshow for all the distant grandparents.

Been pretty busy...

Sorry that I have been having a tough time keeping up my blog, but I really have been busy! I just found out yesterday that I got a table at the up-coming Farmer's Market. I'm a little nervous because this will be my first time doing it, but as long as I make enough to pay the table fee than I will be happy! Brad is making me some little risers to go on each side of the table so that we can set up the cards and the front ones won't be blocking the back ones. I will have all my cards there for sale, and my mom has a few things she wants to put out too. I've got some business cards so I will be displaying some of my canvases and scrapbooking to see if there is any interest in custom scrapbooking. I'm sure the whole experience will be a learning experience but it will be interesting how it all works out.

Here are a few of the cards I made in the last couple days.

Lots of new stuff to look at...

I haven't been very talkative lately, but I'm still keeping busy scrappin and card making and Christmas gift making and all the other things that pull me away from my computer. Anyhoo, here's just a few of my projects over the last couple weeks.

A few more projects...

Not only did my order come today, but I also tried a new technique that I had learned at ScrapCentral summer school. It's what I used to make the glittery squares on these first two cards. They really do look so much better in real life though, but you get the idea.


These cards were made with the We R Memory Keepers Nonsense White out paper. It's bright and busy and has my mind swirling with ideas of how to use it.

This card I made using my Cuttlebug Build a Flower dies and embossing folders. I used alcohol inks on glossy paper to make the paper that I used to cut out the petals. The patterned paper background is 29th Street paper and the sentiment was also cut out using a cuttlebug die.

And another LO already!!! The second that I saw this paper I knew which pictures I would use...it was like the paper was made specifically to match her swimming suit! This was a fairly easy layout to throw together since I just used the one background page and then did some exacto work to cut around some of the flowers to slip the picture under.

I also got a package of the Basic Grey Eva collection and I just can't wait to dig into that paper....love all the pinks and I'm secretly hoping that one of my friends will have a baby girl next year so I can use all these pinks for her baby book...otherwise I'm sure that Mercedes will supply me with lots of girly opportunities to scrap.

Today we got our first sticking around snowfall, so the time to hunker down and scrap the winter away is almost upon us and I'm excited to see what new things I will learn and accomplish over the next few months. :)

Another Layout

I'm amazed that I was some how able to complete 2 layouts after not making any for 3 months! I do have a couple cards though to account for my time over the last couple months. I also haven't bought much new patterned paper lately, but I have an order coming this week, so I'm really excited that I'll be overflowed with creative ideas! lol A girl can dream! lol

I also realized today that I officially need to get started on some Christmas gifts...I hate waiting until the last minute but I am currently waiting on a few things that I need for some gifts. But keep checking cause I should have a few fun projects over the next little while! :)


Here's a list of supplies and journaling found on this layout. :)

pp - Basic Grey boxer collection
chipboard circles - Basic Grey (I think)
Gold glitter - unknown
gold ribbon - unknown
stamp - Rubber Stampede
ink - ColorBox Gold
Red stickles
Title font - Huntson
journaling font - Times New Roman

Journaling: This was your first year of choir and you looked so cute in your little choir gown. And yes, like a softy mom, I cried when I first saw you walk out onto the stage, and though he may not admit it, I’m pretty sure that your dad got all choked up too!I am so impressed with the work you do for choir. Every Tuesday morning you have to be at the school at 7:30 am for a one hour practice before school. We are lucky to live in Cardston as they have some world class choirs and it is something you really enjoy.When we went to your Christmas concert you had told us that you couldn’t wave when you saw us, but you were allowed to wink at us. It took a minute or so for you to locate us in the audition, but luckily I have a loud camera and you that’s how you found us. As soon as you saw us, you just gave us the cutest, most exaggerated wink ever, and we were just so impressed how well you are doing in Choir.

Just a couple more pics...

Not that I'm biased or anything, but is she, or is she not the cutest little gypsy you have ever seen? lol She was doing all sorts of poses for me, but these two were my favorites and we took these just before her and Brad went out to start trick or treating. Two hours later she came back home with a pillowcase full of candy!! Luckily she likes to share with her mom and dad! lol

Here's another one of those purely Mercedes poses! :)

And what halloween pics would be complete without pics of the pumpkins. The little orange one was Mercedes' and the other one is the one that Brad carved. Instead of putting a candle insise we used this little led light that kept changing colors, so I was trying to get pics of it in all the different colors.

I think my brain is already asleep....

Here is the list of supplies and journaling for the following entry

pp - Cosmo Cricket
CS - Bazzill and unknown
Chipboard Letters - K&CO. painted white and then sprayed with Pink Bubblegum Glimmer mist
Wings and Crowns - I used a grungeboard negative space and sprayed with Glimmer mist onto white cardstock and then cut them all out.
Brackets - unknown also sprayed with Glimmer mist
Flowers - Primas and Forever in Time
Photo Turns - Basic Grey also sprayed with GM
Bling Brads - Heidi Swapp
Decorative scissors - Fiskar's
Gems on Title - dollar store
Gems on Crowns - Hero Arts
Regular hole punch - make the half circle cuts.

Journaling: Ever since we moved to Cardston you and Britten have been the best of friends. Of course you love all your cousins, but there is something special about the relationship that you have with Britten.

One of the things we find interesting is how close you two are even though Britten is four years older than you. She is your cousin, friend and sometimes we call her your second Mother. Britten really watches out for you and I think that at least half of everything you know, you learned from Brit.

You’ll sing a new song, do a new dance or say words that I didn’t think you knew and the answer is always when I ask “where did you learn that?” “BRITT!” You’ll say with a big grin. Britten even pulled out your top teeth because you didn’t want anyone else to do it (nor would you let anyone else even near your lose tooth).

We sure are lucky to know Britt!! Oh where, oh where would we be without BRITTEN!!

It's a miracle...ok, maybe not a miracle...

But it is definately a surprise for me to have gotten a 2 page layout done!!! I haven't made a new LO in at least 3 or so months. Been so busy with all the cards I been making, so it was fun re using my scrappin skills.

The material list and journaling are all listed in the above post. Sorry for any inconvenience just been one of those days! lol

Something other than cards!!

I made this for Brad after he finished his rehab. The lyrics on the left side are for the song "One Step at a Time" by Jordin Sparks. The picture of Brad is one I took as soon as we got home, and the picture of the flowers are fireweeds and Brad was presented with a fireweed pin and an attached piece of paper explaining them. The three circles down the middle say "Totally Special", "completely loved" and "Keeping it Real". The bottom circle is the date Oct 23 2008 which is the date he finished rehab.

Supplies used:
16" x 20" stretched canvas
Acrylic Paint - DecoArt - white and Morning Mist Grey
- Americana Prussian Blue
Lumiere - True Gold
- Super Sparkle
- Hi Lite Violet
CS - Core'dinations Vintage Collection
CS - White Wausau
Lyrics font - P22 Ruthie
mirrors - dollar store
Gold photo corners - peel offs
Chipboard swirls - Bazzill
Fireweed pic - from the internet - defination of fireweed - Eileen Nauman DHM (UK)
Save the date stamps - Gelatins
Sentiment circles stamps - Autumn Leaves
Gold ink - Colorbox
Gold embossing powder - Personal Stamp exchange
Glue pad - Tsukineko
Krylon Clear Gloss
Gold ribbon - unknown
Crystal gems - unknown
Alpha Letters - Tim Holtz Grungeboard
La D'ore - DesignaSize liquid adhesive
La Dore - Gold Flakes
Glossy Accents, Mod Podge and pop dots.

More Christmas Cards

Been making lots of Christmas cards lately getting ready for a couple Christmas craft shows that I'm hoping to do in December, so it's nice to get started this early so I'm not scrambling when the time comes.

I'm just loving this My Mind's Eye Be Merry collection...I'm such a sucker for the red, blue and pink...love those colors together.

This next card was kinda fun to make. I used the Making Memories wordfetti stickers and cut them into a star and 3 hearts. I used double sided tape and gold leafing for the borders and then for the borders of the star & hearts I used La D'Ore liquid adhesive and then more gold leafing. Definately one of those cards that looks much better irl.

These last three cards are made with Sandylion Let It snow paper, dollar store ribbon, and some cute little snow man stickers that my mom found me for free! Gotta luck free stuff!

All the sentiments used on these cards are from Hero Arts. :)

A few recent cards...

I haven't gotten as many made lately as I would like, but life has been interferring with my scrap time! Luckily things should slow down here soon, so I can get back into the swing of things. And of course it is the time of year when gifts need to be started so I'm trying to get motivated. I give little cloth bags with 7-10 cards inside to teachers, aunts, cousins, etc. I'm also going to make a picture puzzle for my sisters family.

World cardmaking day

World cardmaking day was this past weekend and with help from the crop at Scrapcentral, I managed to get a whack of cards made! Last week I had an order for 10 thank you cards and an order for 20 sympathy cards so I focused on those the most, but managed to get a couple Christmas ones done along with some others using new techniques and of course, I'm still loving my bug! I also did alot of cards with alcohol ink backgrounds and I love how serendipitous those backgrounds always are...you can never make two the same.