Scrappy Bookworm

You Are Two.....

2012-02-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

I am so in love with the color combo of pink and brown. I just cannot get enough of it :-).

This layout was inspired by another layout posted on Bella Blvd.'s blog during Challenge week. One layout by a designer featured a block of hearts placed on a piece of vellum. I knew instantly that I wanted to try this myself. I varied mine by using different shaped hearts and more of them. I also stapled some hearts on to add some dimension (I could have also sewn them on). And I really liked the results. I am super anxious to try this same technique with butterflies!

Due to the business of the heart block, I chose to keep the rest of the layout pretty simple to keep the focus on the photo.

Here's my wonderful girl on her birthday:

Up next and in keeping with my brown and pink theme, is "Making Cupcakes":

Leia has really taken to "making" with mama and on the day of her birthday she was right up there with me making cupcakes. Loved this!

This layout is based off of sketch #308 from Sketch Inspiration. I am really making an effort to make sketches my own and this one is an example of that. I kept to the general layout design, but really tweeked it to fit me and I am very proud of the end product. Too often I find myself getting frustrated trying to stick to a set design, but not this time :-).

Hope everyone gets off to a good week. I am starting out with one sick child and plans to start work on a new blanket for Leia.

The Red Tent.....

2012-02-26T07:25:00.001-08:00

Just finished this a few days ago......

This book was AWESOME. And I do not know why I had not known about its existence until my mom was given the task of reading it for her bookclub. Surely this book is on some university class' syllabus??? I wish it had been on one of my mine....

Here is a little overview of the book from Barnes and Noble...

Few stories can evoke a time and place as vividly as Anita Diamant's compelling tale sprung from the pages of the Old Testament. The Red Tent is the story of Jacob's daughter, Dinah, and Jacob's four wives, who all served as Dinah's mother at some point in time[......] As Diamant explores the trials and triumphs of ancient women, she brings a foreign yet beautiful world to life as seen through the emotional filter of Dinah's eyes. This lush, evocative tale transcends time and brings new life to the Old Testament, lending a feminine touch to the mighty word of God.

This book was simply enthralling and I say so because the relationship between Dinah and her mothers is so complicated and interesting. This book is truly a book of fiction, elaborating on the life of a "minor" Biblical character, but it offers a glimpse of life through the eyes of a woman as well as gives us a taste of what life was like for her, something that seems to be under-represented in historical documents.

Before reading the book my mother did warn me--a 31 year old possessor of an English degree--that there were some graphic, possibly disturbing scenes. And she was right, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. LOL. Thanks for looking out for me mom!

Hope this inspires someone to pick this book up. (I actually got mine from the library--love the smell of library books.)

Have already started my next book, Homecoming by Cathy Kelly.

Happy reading!
Michelle

Bella Blvd....

2012-02-24T09:10:00.001-08:00

This week over at Bella Blvd's blog, they are having an awesome challenge week hosted by Shannon Tidwell. Each day this week, one new challenge is posted and all who participate will be entered to win a big prize.

The first challenge this week (Monday) was to use Bella's Cute Cut's on a page. Here is my take:

Super excited we finally got some snow so I could bust out the Winter Wonder line!

I used the "I {heart} Winter" Cut Cut and lots of other Bella goodies.....

I am low on Bella products (and anxiously awaiting the release of their new lines), but I think I have enough left to participate in at least one more challenge :-). I have to say that I find LOADS of inspiration from Bella's blog as well as their design team members and this week has been great!

Happy Friday.

Michelle

Winter's First Snow.....

2012-02-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

Where we live in California, we usually get our snow long before February. This season however, has been so dry :-(. FINALLY though, we got some snow on Valentine's Day! We were super excited and had to take a few moments to play in it before taking Hayden to school.

And finally with the first snow, I was able to bust out my winter stash! Super excited to use these Pink Paislee papers!! Love the addition of the pink and kraft to the traditional winter colors. I also sprayed my doilies with pink mist--I had recently seen a layout by Stephanie Howell where she misted her doilies, so I felt inspired and gave it a go...I {heart} doilies!

I want to apologize for the poor picture quality. I think I must have been feeling a tad bit lazy and did not want to re-shoot, re-download.....

Hope everyone is finding time to scrap--I know I am. I am trying to fit in a whole lot of scrappy fun whenever possible, because I know, in two short months, my free time will probably evaporate as I tackle the addition of a newborn :-).

Michelle

Your Laugh is Contagious.....Basic Grey.....

2012-02-17T15:55:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I wrote about my "style" as prompted for an online challenge. In it I mentioned that I am not a very linear person---everything has to be slightly messy/wonky or I feel wierd--however, I had just completed a very linear, clean layout which totally proves my style is ever changing! Here it is:

Very neat, non-messy and I love it! Putting this together I wanted the focus to be solely on the enlarged photo and I thought that a simple, clean layout would achieve that.

I actually had a lot of fun working with these products from Basic Grey's Kissing Booth line. I think part of it has to do with the fact that there is a lot of brown and pink in my daugter's wardrobe:-). Really, everything came together super fast.

When working with Basic Grey, I tend to find that a little bit goes a long way paperwise. The border strips I used were super great because they had all the finishing touches that I like to add without me having to do any of the work--sewing, layering. I did alter them slightly though: On the bottom strip I popped the button off, added a canvas flower, and stapled on some pink twine. For the top border strip above the photo, I cut it into a smaller piece, trimmed the red fabric off, and stapled two canvas hearts onto it.

Well, off to do a little bit of scrapping while baby is asleep!

Michelle

February Challenge at Burlap and Buttercups....

2012-02-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

One of the first challenges this month at Burlap and Buttercups is the "What's Your Style?" challenge. To participate I had to create a lo showcasing what I think is my style AND well, this was really hard. I don't think my style fits in just one little category. My style seems to switch from lo to lo depending on my mood, my papers, my pictures, inspiration..... For instance, I just finished a lo that is totally linear, which is something I rarely do. In fact, linear layouts tend to bother me, but this time it didn't .

So I guess, I qualify as an eclectic scrapper, flitting from style to style.

For my example, I chose this lo, made from the February kit (which I am so in love with).

So here's a shabby chic/vintagy layout in neutral tones feauturing my ginormous baby bump :-). Thanks for letting me share!

Michelle

Happy Birthday Maleia......

2012-02-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

This smart, beautiful, funny, independent little girl turns 2 today!

I cannot believe how much she has grown in this past year....no longer my little baby, she is now my sweet little girl. I have decided to share a few of my favorite layouts featuring this wonderful little girl in honor of her birthday. Here they are, in chronological order:

Maleia, you have changed our lives since entering the world two years ago and none of us can imagine life without you. Everyday spent with you brings a promise of sunshine and laughter. We are so blessed.

Happy Birthday Maleia!

Love you baby girl.

Mom, Dad, and Hayden

Fall Fashion....

2012-02-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

Continueing on with my doily obsession....Introducing Leia's idea of a Fall Fashion statement!

I love that she still likes to wear her Halloween costume! And really, it goes so great with the jeans and bike helmet:-).

AGAIN, I made this using the January kit and add-on from Burlap and Buttercups Kit Club. This time I set out to make it a point of using the My Mind's Eye papers included in the kit. I had been really stumped as how to use them because it's a kraft collection and all of the patterns are a bit dark and similar. After playing with them for a bit I decided to layer them and break them up using the blue Basic Grey paper (included in the kit) and doilies from my stash. To further break up the kraft monotony that threatened, I layered everything on top of the dark brown paper from Simple Stories (also in the kit). And voila, I solved my problem! I was actually quite pleased with the finished project and still keep going by and looking at it! (I know, I am a dork.)

Hope everyone is having a great day with some fun, scrappy plans!

Michelle

You Are Eleven.....

2012-02-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

Super proud of this lo. Why?? Because of that awesome column of numbers with the eleven circled in stitching. Yes, I was feeling quite clever when I came up with that. LOL. In January's Burlap and Buttercups Main Kit, the Simple Stories sticker sheet which was included, came with an abundance of numbers, something I really wanted to utilize. (I know, I used way too many comma's in that last sentence.) When deciding what to do with my son's birthday photos I actually decided upon using the numbers first and then built my page around them.

Love these pics of my son! He was so HAPPY because we surprised him with this really gnarly bike that my husband picked out for him. Suprises are so great!

In other news, I have been obsessing over the reveal of the new February kit at Burlap and Buttercups. I keep looking at it everytime I pop online. I actually, have some pictures awaiting it's arrival (once I saw the peeks, I had some pictures taken of my pregnant self that I thought might work with it.)

Well that it's for now, but will be back soon with a lo I finished up this morning for a CHA challenge over at TwoPeas.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Michelle

Laughter and Smiles.....

2012-02-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

Happy February! Cannot believe January is already over....February is always so much fun. Leia's birthday is on the ninth (she'll be two), Valentine's Day on the 14th, Daytona on the 26th (should probably mention I am a NASCAR fan), and a trip to the zoo planned for sometime in between. Lots of fun this month :-).

Back to scrappiness.....First of all, I want to mention that I won Burlap and Buttercup's January Sketch with a Twist challenge! Woo-hoo! Winning is just the icing on the cake though, I really just like to play along :-).

Second, here is a duo using American Craft's Chap:

I bought this line of paper with my son in mind--I have the hardest time finding paper that goes with boyish themes that I acutally like. I FINALLY finished his last little league layout, thought I ought to since the new season starts this month, lol. And then, because I was inspired by the papers I made a card using a sketch from Two Peas.

Happy Wednesday.

Michelle

How to Bake A Perfect LIfe.....

2012-01-30T20:07:00.000-08:00

Finally, I have finished a book! LOL. Yes, I swear I love to read.....it's just hard to fit in with my other obsessions :-). Actually, I think I find excuses such as I am "too tired," which is the truth, but I really love to get into a story and it wouldn't take too long for me to fit in a chapter a day---I am so happy when I am in the middle of a good book, so I have to make it a priority.

So here is what I read:

I have a thing for reading stories that involve food, in this case, bread. I love food, I love to watch people make food (which is why I never tire of Chopped re-runs), I love to make food, I love to eat food.....so of course reading about food is right up my ally!

This book had some of my favorite components: Various point of views; blasts to the past; and a look at female relationships. Of course there was some romance too. I wish there had been some more closure/details about certain aspects, but overall the story had me cheering and crying along with the women in the book, which makes it worth the read!

Happy Monday!

Michelle

P.S. Have already started a new book-The Red Tent by Anita Diamant! Woo-hoo, I am on a roll!

January Challenges at Burlap and Buttercups.....

2012-01-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

I love to do scrapbook challenges--they are like little homework assignments that the school nerd in me craves! LOL.

I did two challenges from Burlap and Buttercups for the month of January. First up is the "Banner Challenge."

This kit is SO versatile and the colors are absolutely gorgeous. Really liking th pop of orange Basic Grey paper. And speaking of "pop," I have become completely obsessed with pop dots! Must head to the store soon to get some more...

The second challenge I participated in was the "January Sketch with a Twist" challenge. What we had to do was use the sketch and add distressing.

Again, this kit---the colors are amazing and they worked so perfectly with the darker, more fall like colors in the photos. I followed the sketch pretty closely, changing up my photo sizes and moving my journaling around. For the distressed elements I inked my paper edges and the white Jenni Bowlin alphas (which I wish I had more of).

Thanks for letting me share!

Michelle

Love You Always....

2012-01-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

Have reached the final step of my baby quilt and thought I would take a break and do some scrapping (I think I was having withdrawls).

This next lo is for the Scraplift A Garden Girl Challenge over at Two Peas. I am always eager to jump into this type of challenge because it usually forces me to try something new. For this, I chose to lift the misting done on a card by Justlulu and apply it to a layout. Here's the result:

First off, this is my first chance to play with Basic Grey's Picadilly line and I will tell you my inner hoarder was shouting at me to buy multiples of all this gorgeous paper! LOL. I also played with some Spellbinders dies--my favorites--to make the flowers. I chose to go with a verticle look to my layout, stacking photos, papers, and journaling. At the last minute I decided to add some banner strips on the lower right hand corner along with some twine and a really cute button.

Finally, I think these are my favorite to date pics of Maleia. I just think she looks so pretty and so grown up--at 23 months, I think my baby has turned into a little girl! Love her to pieces.

Happy Scrapping!

Michelle

What I Have Been Working With.....

2012-01-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

This is what I have been working with this week:

This is my other hobby--playing with fabric! I have been on a sewing hiatus for awhile; I had been (until Christmas!) in desperate need of a new/upgraded sewing machine and had put all my sewy plans on hold. Now I am ready to go! My first project is a simple quilt in some of my favorite girly colors for our new baby which shall be arriving in April. Yeah! I am so excited!

Happy Thursday!!

Michelle

Keeping Warm...

2012-01-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was bored (I actually could have been doing a million other things, but I think pregnant ladies deserve lots of time to do nothing) and following links when I stumbled upon Got Sketch?, a sketch site I hadn't seen before. I instantly fell in love with their most recent sketch,#136, probably due in part to Kimberly Neddo's take on it :). I thought I would get out some pics I had yet to scrap along with Bella Blvd's perfect winter papers and got to work.

Ah, I sure love this boy and his willingness to pose with a marshmallow mustache!

I am trying something new with sketches--just looking at it and then putting it away, so that I can really give it more of a "me" look AND of course, my lo looked pretty much like the sketch. LOL.

Hope everyone is having a nice, relaxing Sunday!

Michelle

Happy New Year....

2012-01-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

First off, Happy New Year!! I am really looking forward to all the good stuff 2012 is going to bring and I hope you all are to!

Second, I have another Christmas layout. Suprised?? Not really. I am an obsessed woman this year, so much so, that I think I might have had enough material to do a December Daily this year. Will have to consider doing one for 2012!

Here it is:

I was so pleased with how this layout turned out! I found a sketch at Creative Scrappers (#188) that was very "scrappy" and this is the final product. I kept really close to the sketch, turning it into a two photo layout instead of one. I misted snowflakes onto the kraft--a technique I have been dying to do all fall :-). Loving how it all came together, especially the speed in which I popped this one out--something that I really appreciate when I have such an ambitious stack of photos I want to scrap while I am still in the holiday spirit.

Okay, enough.

Happy Scrapping!!

Michelle

Two Christmases...

2011-12-31T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is my daughter's second Christmas--such a difference from last year--and I wanted to share a new layout celebrating this.

When I was looking at this pic, I thought "Wow, she has really grown since last year," which prompted me to post a layout from last Christmas.

Love those little cheeks! Last year she wasn't too interested in opening presents; she could walk, but crawled mostly; she was so smiley for the camera....where has this little baby gone? Now she talks up a storm; runs fast; can open presents like a pro; and can drive her new princess quad all by herself. Time sure flies.....

Happy New Year! Hope everyone is looking forward to great things in 2012--I know I am!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #62....

2011-12-30T09:01:00.000-08:00

This is my final project as a Design Team member for Sketchabilities as I have come to the end of my second term. It has been with great delight that I have been able to contribute to the scrappy world by inspiring others with Karan's sketches.

So, here it it, Sketch #62:

And my take:

Gingerbread houses! This is the fourth year we have done this and the first year that Maleia was able to participate with us (yes, I have my own gingerbread house). Last year we had a TERRIBLE time getting our houses to stay together, so I was super excited to find "pre-built" houses and they worked great (and I got them for only 5 dollars instead of 10).

It was a lot of fun to watch Hayden decorate his because he took it so seriously and put in a lot of effort. I, on the other hand, went kind of basic before handing it over to Leia, who suprised me by not eating all of the candy and frosting--only some!

Happy Scrapping!

Michelle

Holiday Cheer.....

2011-12-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

I am loving, that even though Christmas has come and gone, I am still in the holiday spirit when it comes to scrapping my pics. Last year, for some unknown reason, I went all bah-hum-bug when the holidays were over and packed up all of my Christmas scraps and put them away....Not this year though, I am still going strong.

Here are two layouts I would like to share:

Handed my camera over to my husband Bodie to take a pic of Leia and I, and he actually got my entire head instead of cutting it off! Way to go babe! The colors I used in this layout are so cheery--gotta love the red polka dot ribbon!!

Love this pic even with the sun glare in the left corner! We have so much fun going to get our tree. My husband and I go Griswold style and sing Christmas carols very LOUDLY on the way there and back, much to our son's embarassment! LOL. I also really like how my husband refuses to give up the tough guy look when I take pics :-).

Happy Scrapping!!

Michelle

I {heart} Scrapping Christmas....

2011-12-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

Back with more Christmas scrappiness......

Scrapping Christmas is by far, my favorite memories to scrap if you haven't been able to tell! LOL! Am so excited everytime I look at my growing pile of Christmas layouts :-). In fact, I am dying to start a new one, but being the good girl that I am, I always make sure my other "stuff" is done before I sit down to work on something. So after getting out from in front of the computer, I have one more load of laundry to fold and two pies to get out of the oven AND then I am free to scrap (as long as my children allow me)!

Hope everyone is as excited about Christmas as we are at my house!

Michelle

More Christmas.....

2011-12-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

These next two layouts I want to share, I just L-O-V-E! The combo of the pictures, the colors, the glitter....they all just make me happy!

First up is Celebrate...

I must note that this layout was inspired by one of Megan Klauer's creations--a scrappy blogger that I admire and might possible blog stalk :-).

And here is Memories...

These two layouts represent all my reasons for scrapping---the moments captured in pictures; the beautiful, vibrant papers; the sparkle and embellies; and the feeling of happiness that seeps out of me into my layouts. I love this hobby and am so very thankful for it.

Happy Holidays!

Michelle

Sketch Challenge.....

2011-12-21T11:26:00.000-08:00

I did this next layout for the December Sketch with a Twist Challenge over at the Burlap and Buttercups blog. Along with with the sketch, you had to use Sparkle.

For the sparkle I used my new favorite sparkly alphas from American Crafts as well as added some sparkle via red Stickles to the little red flower in the right hand corner--all products found in the December kit and add-on from B&B.

Really happy with how everything turned out, especially the picture of Maleia--I thought it was so pretty with her standing against the beautiful green Christmas trees.

Michelle

'Tis the Season.....

2011-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

Finally I can post a Christmas layout! Here it is:

This is my hubby putting up our Christmas lights! I don't know about you, but seeing the lights go up really means it's Christmas time to me. I {heart} this guy so much for braving the chilly cold to put them up!!

Hope everyone is having a great season, I know we are. We just decorated our tree yesterday--finally! We get a live tree and I am super paranoid about having a tree up too long and it drying out, so we usually wait until about the two-week mark before Christmas to get it. Well it is oh, so lovely after decorating it with the kiddos and I can not wait to share the lovely pics!

Am off now to try a new recipe for Smores Pancakes (any excuse to make desert for breakfast is great) with my son then a day full of wrapping, scrapping, and laundry! LOL!

Merry Christmas!
Michelle

Sketchabilities #61....

2011-12-15T07:39:00.000-08:00

Sketch #61 has to be my FAVORITE from Karan at Sketchabilities. Here it is:

And here is my go at it:

I am so happy that I took these pictures with Maleia inside a photobooth. It was so much fun :-). I have no idea why I haven't done this before! Now if only I could get the whole family inside one....

Anyways, when I was thinking about this sketch these pics came to mind and I ended up having a blast making a superfun and colorful layout--my favorite kind!

Happy scrapping!

Michelle

Holiday Cards....

2011-12-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Here with a super quick Sunday post! Wanted to share two super, simple holiday cards. First up is a card I did for the first December challenge over at Burlap and Buttercups. The challenge was to use non-traditional colors for a holiday card along with one of the given techniques. I used the color combo of brown, yellow, and light blue---colors all found in their November kit--along with using a border punch as my "technique."

Up second is a card I did using Crate's Peppermint collection--love the addition of pink to the color pallette! Once again I used "Joy" as my holiday sentiment because, well, I am not at all original when it comes to cards! LOL.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Michelle

More Bubbles Please......

2011-12-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

Maleia LOVES bubbles and not just during bathtime! Lately, if I am standing at the sink and the basin is full of soapy, bubbly water I will hear "more bubbles" and there she is standing with her hand out waiting for a donation of bubbles :).

Since I can't handle a camera and do dishes at the same time, I focused this next layout on bathtime:

For this layout I had recently been inspired by an inspirational piece on the Basic Grey blog which featured lots of overlapping circles flowing across the page. I knew I wanted to do a layout with something similar and thought it would really work good with a "bubble page." I had also really wanted to use these papers from October Afternoon which had not been working with any recent pics...with that in mind I snapped some shots of Maleia in the bathtub--a virtual blank space thanks to a porcelain white tub!

Thanks for letting me share!

Michelle

Fall Photos...

2011-12-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

Last fall was the first time I ever did an "official" fall photo shoot with my children. This year, after completing my layout featuring this year's photos, I though it would be fun to compare the two shoots here on my blog. So here is last year's:

And here is this year's:

I think it is so crazy to see how much they have grown, especially Maleia! I also had a much harder time getting pics this time--Hayden was a piece of cake; Maleia not so much :-). Last year she couldn't walk yet; this year, she runs and has a mind of her own! LOL!

Well thanks for letting me share!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #60...

2011-11-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

Here it is, Sketch #60:

And here is what I came up with:

I had so much fun working with this sketch (I think I ALWAYS have fun)! What I really, really liked about it were the flowers floating off the pages--I know, such a minor detail, but it gave me the idea to add more floating flowers--or in my case, hearts. I love how a sketch can send you off in so many places...

Hopefully, myself and the rest of the Sketchabilities design team have inspired you to give this sketch a go! And please, post your creation and your lo may be featured on the blog!

Happy Scrapping!

Michelle

Full of Joy....

2011-11-26T13:24:00.000-08:00

I did this lo soon after I recieved the November kit from Burlap and Buttercups, but held onto it until the sketch challenge was posted on their blog. Here it is:

This was such a fun lo to do! Everything came together so easily thanks to both the sketch and the kit! I also did something new (for me) with thread by bunching it up and layering it underneath the brads--am really liking it--it's fun and sort of messy looking!

Off to play a game of Monopoly with Hayden!

Michelle

Scraplift Challenge.....

2011-11-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

For their second November challenge, Burlap and Buttercups issued a scraplift challenge which I totally jumped at! I have loved this layout by Anna Sigga. I love it's simplicity and its white space. So here is my take on it.

I have recently become obsessed with white doilies so this lo was just perfect! As a side note, I cut a journaling card down to size for the title which is very obvious in the picture, but in real life it is hardly noticable :-). TFL!

Michelle

Fall Fun.....

2011-11-17T09:03:00.000-08:00

I recently subscribed to the Burlap and Buttercups monthly kit club and I am loving it! This next lo is one I did for their first November Challenge--Use stickers on a lo. Well I used two :-). Here it is:

I have had the idea of doing a lo with chevrons ever since I saw I tutorial by Marcy Penner, so this is my first go at them. They turned out okay--not as neat as I would have liked them, but they look like chevrons, so it was a success. LOL.

These pics were super fun to take--it was a combined effort between my son and I. And I will admit, I dressed my daughter in yellow to match the papers in the beautiful kit. Is it bad when you start buying and dressing your children in clothes to match a particular line of paper??? I hope not :-).

Michelle

Sketchabilities #59.....

2011-11-15T07:51:00.000-08:00

We are halfway through the month and that means a new reveal at Sketchabilities! Here is sketch number #59:

And here is my take:

I was actually super excited to see what the rest of the design team came up with and I was NOT dissapointed. There is something so fun about lots of small pics :-). Getting lots of pics on one page can be a bit of a challenge, but Karan's sketch made it super easy!

So please stop by and see what the rest of the team did here. Make sure and upload your take on it with Mr. Linky and you could be one of the next featured designers!

Have a great day!

Michelle

Trick or Treat.....

2011-11-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is a page I made based off of a sketch from Kelly Purkey's new Sketchpad class. I was super inspired by the sketches and this is what I came up with:

I really loved the circle element in the lo and I tried to include more circles throughout it to tie it all together. I added the buttons and orange bling at the last minute--I had been looking at it for awhile and both my son and I decided it needed "more," so that is when I decided to add them and I think it works. I was also BOLD and stitched a zig zag onto the photo--yes, I am living on the edge these days! LOL.

Well, hope everyone is having a great day, I know I am. Just sat down to eat a bowl or two of homemade chicken noodle soup and am enjoying it :-).

Michelle

All Dressed Up.....

2011-11-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

Ah, Halloween finally came and now it's time to scrap the pics! My first lo features my family which consists of the villian from Scream, a lovely lady bug, and a San Diego Charger fan! (I know I am missing, but I had a hard enough time getting pics of this impatient threesome!)

Hope everyone has a happy weekend!

Michelle

Crate Paper Farmhouse......

2011-11-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

I have been so good these past several months when it comes to buying scrapbook goodies--I have really been being honest with myself and only getting what I will use. Usually I would see a new line and have to have everything. This meant that my stash was borderline out of control-LOL.

When I took these next photos I knew I wanted to use Crate Paper's Farmhouse collection--so I carefully went through the line and bought just what I thought I would use. AND after having done two layouts I am down to scraps which is GREAT! I have conquered these papers and can move on :-). (My husband is seriously grateful for these turn of events--he was quite taken away with how much I had been getting---not upset, but not quite understanding why I had to have so much!)

So here is the first lo:

I used the 10/27 sketch from Sketchy Thursdays for this one. I ended up making it a three photo lo which meant moving everything to the side to accomodate. I had recently been seeing lo's where scrappers were layering their banners, so I tried it out. And I added lots of twine because that is my thing :-).

And here is the second lo:

I had lots of fun layering paper for this one! I really thought that the papers went really well with the pic. I just love fall flowers.....

Well thanks for looking! Have a great rest of the week!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #58....

2011-10-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

Time for another reveal from Sketchabilities! Here is Sketch #58:

And here is my take:

This was a really a great sketch, there is just something I love about circles. I also really like how when you use a sketch you can choose to interpret it your own way. For my lo, I chose to to keep the circles, but add in a rectangular picture instead of cropping pictures into circles. I did this because I am a big chicken when it comes to cutting my pictures with something other than my paper trimmer :-). I also did not use as many paper strips behind the circles. I had fully intended to, but as I was placing them I got to a point where I thought, "That is just right."

I used oodles of Bella Blvd and Jillibean--they really hit it off with their fall lines!

Would also like to note--because it is quietly driving me nuts--that my title is slightly off kilter! LOL. I thought it was straight when I was glueing it down :-).

Anyways, please link your take on Sketch #58 using Mr. Linky--we would love to take a look!

Happy Scrapping!

Michelle

The Weird Sisters.....

2011-10-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

I finished reading this a few weeks ago:

This book was recommended to me by my mother who was given the task of reading it for her book club (I am totally jealous that she is in a book club and I am not). AND I thoroughly enjoyed it! In fact, I almost went to the shed and dug out my Shakespeare anthologies :-). Shakespeare??? Well, the three main characters are named after his characters and of course, their personalities are closely entwined with their namesakes.

Not a fan of Shakespeare, don't worry--I got wrapped up in the three lives of the very different and difficult sisters. When the book opens the characters are at low points--almost rock bottom for two of them--and it was great to see them grow and become better people. Not to mention I think the author did a really great job of exploring the relationships among siblings.

Recommend this!

Happy Friday!

Michelle

So Cute It's Scary.....

2011-10-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

I found this at Old Navy and knew it was going to be Leia's Halloween 2011 shirt. And here is the lo it inspired:

I also have to mentions her jeans--which you cannot really see--because I absolutely LOVE them! They are grey, bootcut style jeans with embroidered flowers and butterflies and they are so awesome! I just love it when I find that perfect something :-). Again, from Old Navy, and I tried to order a second pair online but they were out. Grey is just such a great color. Sort of wish they had them in my size. LOL. Anyways....back to the lo!

I used the October Add-0n kit from Paper Posies (you can see it here) along with a few things from my stash--transparent, white doilies from Maya Road, twine from the Twinery, and some extra alphas (orange ones) from Bella Blvd.

I will be honest, when I first saw the lavender cardstock I wasn't really quite sure about it because it's not a totally traditonal Halloween color, BUT it really works!! I really think it might be my new favorite cardstock color! There is just something about it when paired with the orange and the green--to me it is just perfect!!

Have a great day!

Michelle

Picking Fall......

2011-10-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

In Tehachapi, fall means apples. And for me, that means lots of photo ops! So here is the first of several apple/fallish layouts:

I love these two kiddos SO MUCH, even though they give me great difficulty in picture taking. LOL. Hayden gives me the "I'm too cool to have pictures taken" look and well, Leia just won't look at me! But oh well, I still get some good pics despite them.

I made this lo with the October kit from Paper Posies which features oodles of Jillibean Soup and Bella Blvd. I had been anticipating the arrival of this kit since the reveal went up last month! Had pictures just waiting for it!

I also have to say, that it is just so refreshing to scrap autumn--don't get me wrong, I love summer, but I was ready for a change!

Happy Tuesday.

Michelle

Sketchabilities #57.....

2011-10-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry I am super late posting this.....had to leave at 6:30 a.m. to take kiddo to an out of town football game and did not leave time enough in the morning to post. My apologies.

So here it is, Sketchabilities Sketch #57:

I just absolutely loved how this page turned out! The sketch made it such a breeze to put it together, leaving me oodles of creative time to play with papers and embellies instead of agonizing over the placement of everything! I was super pleased with the sewing I did on the paper filters I used. I thought it was gonna be somewhat tricky because the filters are so thin and my sewing needle is so big, but they didn't rip! Am also quite in love with the Nightfall line from American Crafts--love the addition of blue to the color palatte!

Well hope you all head on over to Sketchabilities and check out what the rest of the design team did! I am sure their work will inspire you to give this sketch a go--and PLEASE make sure and link yours up because we LOVE to see what you all do! Happy Saturday!!

Michelle

Butterflies.....

2011-10-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday! Hope everyone has been having a great day--I certainly am! I slept until 8:40 this morning!! Woo hoo!! That has not happened in forever and I am feeling great--it's amazing how nine hours of sleep will make you feel :-). (I usually average about six or seven if I am lucky enough to not wake up with wicked heartburn or have to visit the ladies room in the middle of the night.)

Well I have a lo to share; one that I did with an add-on kit from Studio Calico's last kit:

Had super fun with this lo--used one of my favorite techniques where I piece papers together all at a wonky slant and then stitch them together. Also got to use the super cute butterflies from Pebbles. My only regret is that AFTER glueing all of the Maya Road chipboard buttons down, I decided I would have liked to have laced them with the blue ribbon. I did not have enough buttons to spare, so I left them alone--maybe next time :-).

I really like this pic of Maleia--her blond hair looks so golden and so NOT like my husband and I's hair. We both have dark hair. So where in the world???

Michelle

I Heart U......

2011-10-06T13:13:00.000-07:00

Finally it's fall......at least for now! In my neck of the woods the weather changes quickly and sometimes radically. I was running the air conditioning in my car and fans at night a few days ago AND TODAY we have SNOW in the mountains! So, lets say I am really enjoying the cool weather while we have it because it is supposed to get warm again :-).

Anyways......a lo I finished about a month ago but haven't shared yet:

I used a mix Amy Tangerine and Garden Cafe, both from American Crafts, for this lo. The black and white chevron stripe fabric paper is probably my fave piece from the Amy Tan line. What is really great about it is that it punches well. I have tried punching fabric paper before with little success, so I was super excited when it worked! TFL!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #56.......

2011-09-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wow. It is the end of September and it is fall. AND it is time for the final reveal for the current design team at Sketchabilities. Here's the awsome sketch from Karan:

And here is what I did with it:

I really enjoyed working with this sketch--I just loved the grid design and had fun deciding what to do with my pictureless boxes. I used Echo Park's Country Drive and found they really complemented the colors in my photos--seriously, the striped pattern matches my daughter's dress pretty closely! I made my own flowers for the lo and am really happy with how they turned out--they took time though (Why is it that the simple things always tend to take more time??). I did move my journaling to another spot because my title was sort of gigantic :-).

So please, if you haven't already been there, head back to Sketchabilities to see what the rest of the design team wit AND please share your take on the sketch with us, we'd love to see it!

Happy Friday!

Michelle

Paper Posies.....

2011-09-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

I have belonged to Paper Posies' kit club for 16 months and I have LOVED every kit! Seriously, I have! This month's kit wasn't any different. September features October Afternoon's Boarding Pass. Absolutely love the paper and embellies--love it all! I was however faced with a bit of a challenge--I did not have any "travel" pics. I tend to scrap the moment (most of the time), so I was out of vacation pics :-(. BUT it all worked out because of October Afternoon's awesomeness! So here's the first of two layouts:

Really happy with the lo! First, I CANNOT believe Hayden is already in the fifth grade--it seems just like yesterday that I walked this kiddo into his first day of kindergarten. Second, this kid is tough to take pictures of! He is just as bad as his sister! LOL. He's gives me only one or two shots and then he is off. Makes me sad--he's too cool for mom......

Here's my second, more simple lo:

This lo sort of drove me nuts a bit--I kept feeling like it needed more--maybe some mist on the gold grid paper or a few more embellies.....But what drives me even more crazy is this awesome pic of my kiddos and since that is what ALL of my lo's are about, I left it alone.

Well, off to watch the season premier of Law and Order: SVU! Happy Thursday.

Michelle

Eye Contact.....

2011-09-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have a couple of lo's that I have just finished and I promise to share soon....But until then, please have a look at what I am dealing with.....

No matter what, she won't look at me whenever I have my camera out! At only 1 1/2, she's already tired of the mamarazzi! What am I to do?? LOL! She's still cute though!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #55.....

2011-09-15T06:55:00.000-07:00

Today is reveal day over at Sketchabilities!! Sketch #55 has to be my fave so far! Check it out:

And here is my take:

What I really, really liked about this sketch was all the embellies lined up vertically on one side of the pics! It was just so fun to mix and match from my stash.....I had grand intentions and was plannning on making homemade flowers, but I looked at my all my new "stuff" from American Crafts and knew the Delights and Flair were just what I wanted! I added some Studio Calico hearts and some of my favorite buttons from Crate Paper and I loved the end result!

Make sure and head on over to Sketchabilities to see what the rest of the design team came up with AND please link your lo up because we would love to see it!

Happy Thursday!

Michelle

Sketchabilities Design Team Reveal......

2011-09-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

Again, I am super proud to announce that I have made the design team for Sketchabilities!!

This term, Karan, was so honoured with the amount of talent that applied that she increased the team from 15 to 21!! With lots of talent from around the world, the next three months are sure to be great! Can't wait to see everyone's work!

She Makes Me Smile....

2011-09-06T14:11:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of Marcy Penner's work--her use of white space is just awesome, BUT a little intimidating! I was browsing through her blog and thought: "Why not give it a try?!" So here's my take and the funny thing is--I didn't have very much white space left! LOL!

This time instead of using mist, I tried out April Foster's confetti tutorial and it worked pretty good. I had never used Modge Podge before so I was not sure how it would dry or how much to use so I went with a light touch and am pretty happy with how it looked. (The second time I used this technique I used it on a piece of patterned paper and went even lighter with the application because I wasn't sure of how the color would turn and I ended up with very little discoloration).

On another note--can you tell I love American Crafts???? Seriously, you should see my stash!!

Happy Tuesday!

Michelle

Sketchabilities.....

2011-08-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

I am probably the one only one who will say this, but this last part of August has moved so slowly. So it was quite a surprise today when I realized it was the 30th, which means time for a new sketch at Sketchabilities!! Here's a look at Sketch #54:

And here is what I came up with:

I was really excited about this sketch when I saw it--circles are one of my favorite elements to work with! I started out by misting my background, something I do almost everytime that I scrap now! (I can't believe I used to be so afraid of the whole misting phenomenom.) I layered circles using pretty papers from Simple Stories, added a kraft doily, threw on some tiny sculpted flowers, and mix and matched my alphas. I finished it off with some stitching to mark the path of a butterfly.

Make sure and head on over to Sketchabilities to see what the rest of the design team came up with and remember, if you link up your take on Sketch #54 you could be the next guest designer! Can't wait to see your projects!!

Happy Tuesday!

Everyday with You.....

2011-08-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of my favorite lo's.....

This is the first lo where I kept everything kind of monotony and I love it!! I was also pleased to have used a good mix of product instead of sticking to just one company and being all matchy-matchy. There is Basic Grey, Sassafrass, Cosmo Cricket, American Crafts, and Studio Calico. All of the products I used were in this month's kit and it's various add-ons from Studio Calico.

These pics are pretty special too. I took them one recent Saturday morning when we walked to the park at seven thirty in the morning (notice Maleia's hair is all frizzy--I hadn't done her hair yet). We had so much fun playing. We had the park all to ourselves and it was nice and cool. On the way home Hayden and I talked about lots of stuff which is always great because often times he is super busy with his "stuff" or he's tight-lipped with the details. I just felt so lucky to have the two of them, they make every day a great day....

Hope your Friday is awesome or as Maleia say's it "aw-me"!

Last Game....

2011-08-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

My son made the All-Star baseball team for the nine and ten year old division this year which was so exciting! It meant a lot of traveling, but it also meant a whole lot of fun! I have lots of photos to scrap and have narrowed it down to three one page layouts. This is the first one I have finished:

This was the photo taken after their last game. It isn't the best because there is a horrible shadow running across the entire picture (I didn't have the guts to try and move not only the team but the dozen other parents with cameras to a different spot). HOWEVER, the picture captures some really great smiles and I love it!

I chose to use October Afternoon's Boarding Pass because I thought the colors complemented the sunset-ish colors in the pic. I also got to use my new star punch and new fave technique--applying "confetti" or stars in this case to my page using Mod Podge! Ever since I saw a tutorial on applying confetti by April Foster on the Studio Calico blog, I have become obsessed with it and am liking the result. I am a little timid with it still, but that is how I approach any new technique :-).

Well hope you all have a happy Wednesday, I know I will--today is the first day of school for Hayden which means lots of pics and new pages to scrap!! I

The Help.....

2011-08-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am a huge believer in reading the book before seeing the movie, so when I saw that The Help was coming to theaters I decided it was time to read the book......AND I could NOT put it down!! Before I go any further though, I must apolgize to my children because when I get this obsessed with reading a book I tend to do the bare minimum. Luckily for them, I am a super fast reader! LOL.

This book was so great! I absolutely loved how the book was told from three different perspectives--I always find that this narrative approach is engaging as well as super effective, especially in a book that is dealing with a subject matter that is very dynamic.

At first the book was sort of hard to stomach because I just felt so disgusted at the behavior of the white characters (minus Skeeter's of course). It is still so hard for me to believe that human beings treated other human beings like that. I mean seriously, having a second bathroom for the help because colored people carry diseases that can make white people sick....seriously, how did that sort of logic exhist??? So after I got over myself, I read the book for what it is--a story about how three women--two black and one white--worked together to tell their stories and make their lives better. And how in doing this, it proved that "We are just two people. Not that much seperates us. Not nearly as much as I thought."

The Help had me crackin' up one moment, crying the next. It was excellent! And I just have to say, Minnie's revenge is a just reward for Miss Hilly's behavior!

Hope you pick this book up if you haven't already!!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #53.....

2011-08-15T06:01:00.000-07:00

Time flies by, I can't believe it is the 15th already which means it's time for a new sketch at Sketchabilities! Here is the sketch:

And this is what I did with it:

So head on over to Sketchabilities and check out what the rest of the design team came up with! AND remember, if you share your project with Mr. Linky, YOU could be chosen to be the next Guest Designer!

A Bridgeport Fourth of July.......

2011-08-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

This past Fourth of July, we were able to head up to Bridgeport...

Bridgeport (California) has an AWESOME celebration. The town has only a population of around 500, but it pulls off an amazing extravaganza full of food, fun, old fashioned games, a parade, food, and a great fireworks show that draws a whole lot of people!! (I know I mentioned food twice, but the yumminess is so good!)

The day was jam packed full of fun. We started with the most delicious Red, White, and Blue Pancakes at the Hayes Street Cafe (I so wish I had taken a picture, but dealing with Maleia at a restaraunt is challenging and I am lucky if I get to eat my full meal). From there we headed to the parade. While waiting, Bodie and I took turns following Maleia up and down the sidewalk and she was too cute for words! I swear, she had this little bum wiggle that said she knew she was cute stuff! LOL. After we witnessed the pretty lively parade (some parades are dreadfully dull) we went to the courthouse to check out the games schedule--we had bribed Hayden to do the Grease Pole contest--and then we went back to Grandma's house and watched the mud volleyball game while Hayden and the cousins took turns jumping into the river. We again, were eating. This time, it was giant burritos from the Jolly Cone.

Later that day we watched Hayden attempt to climb the greased pole while I ate a fantastic strawberry funnel cake. I wished I had been able to eat it all.... Next it was off to Bodie's aunt's for a BBQ where we got to spend lots of time with cousins and finally when dark arrived--fireworks! Now, I did not get to see the show :-(. Somebody, who shall remain nameless, did NOT like the big booms, so I went to bed with that little someone snuggled up next to me....Luckily, without my supervision, the boys did not loose any body parts while letting off fireworks.

It was a great time and I highly recommend the Bridgeport festivities. Next year is actually going to be their 100th consective running of the festivities so I am sure whoever makes it will be in for a great time!

Michelle

Summer Bliss....

2011-08-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have lots of Basic Grey's Hopscotch--when it came out I bought almost everything! I just fell in love with the colors and the patterns and the bloomers....and lucky me, it has proven to be very versatile. This line came out in the winter and it is somewhat Valentine-ish, but I have used it for so much more. In fact this is probably the fourth beach layout I have done with it:

I really think the colors complement the sandy, neutral colors of my photos. I also used a leftover piece of a KI calendar--see, this is why I don't part with my scraps very easily, I use them.....occasionally! LOL!

Anyhow....darling daughter just got into some flour so I am off to rescue my kitchen! Happy Saturday!!

Michelle

Sketchabilities #52.....

2011-07-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

It's the 30th, so that means a new sketch is up over at Sketchabilities!! Here is a look at sketch #52:

And this is what I did with it:

When I first saw this sketch I knew instantly that I wanted to use the circle as a typed journaling spot. To do this I made a template by cutting a circle out of computer paper, marked where I wanted to layer a photo over it, and placed it up to the computer screen as I typed. I liked the results, but I wish I had made my circle a bit larger so that some of the type didn't go right up to the edge of the circle--next time I will remember this!

I chose to base my color palate on the photos--orange, blue, green, and yellow--and this worked great because I had just gotten my July kit from Studio Calico which was full of paper and alphas that worked. Am especially in love with the green and cream paper that serves as the foundation of my lo--wishing I had ordered more of it....

Just Add Water....

2011-07-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

This week's challenge over at Two Peas was to lift a pea. This was a no brainer because I have been loving Sophia Crespy's lo "My Little Farmer" ever since it found its way into my faves....Here's my take:

I believe that these photos of my two kiddos are so far my favorites taken this summer. And let me just tell you that I heart Echo Park--their paper kits are so easy to work with (here I used Splash).

Happy Tuesday!

Dirt Girl.....

2011-07-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

Leia loves to play in the dirt. She will sit right down in it and play forever. I should also mention that she loves to eat dirt too :-). Anyways....I was playing with my camera while on vacation and was attempting to take photos of my kids in front of this old, red shed. Well, I was "attempting" you see, because my kids were NOT cooperating. When Hayden took off and Maleia plopped down in the dirt, I got down there with her and took some shots. This is what I came up with----and please notice how good of a job she is doing at ignoring me:

I love this picture! One of my goals this year was to photograph the moments in between the smiles---the everyday things that make up our lives. So far, I am accomplishing that goal...with Maleia. My son and husband are a little better at evading the camera. LOL. Oh well, I will just have to work at being a little more sneaky like a ninja when photographing those two...Good luck with that!

Made this lo with mostly the June kit from Paper Posies. LOVE this kit. It is mostly Simple Stories, a new paper line, and I am just adoring the papers and stickers that go with it. And please notice the awesome stiching in the right hand corner--I finally got out my new attatchment for my Sew Easy and used it. It had been sitting there all wrapped up in its packaging for a couple of months! LOL. I am so bad at buying things and forgeting I even got them......

Happy Tuesday!

Lake Adventure......

2011-07-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is October Afternoon's. I find so much inspiration there.....which leads to this next lo. Last week OA posted an Inspiration challenge where we had to take something done by one of their designers and use it as inspiration. I chose a lo titled "Ayala's Birthday" by Jen Jockish (of course I chose one by her--she's my scrap-crush!). Hers is way more awesome than mine, but this is what I came up with:

One of the reasons why I heart Jen Jockish is her use of patterned paper--she uses a lot of it. Often it is in bits and pieces. This allowed me to use bunches of OA's Campfire line which I have been hoarding since Spring :-). My only regret with this lo, is that my paint splatters didn't splatter as I wanted, but since it isn't really a science I went with it....

Happy Sunday!

Sketchabilities July 15th Reveal....

2011-07-15T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yeah! It is is finally here!! My first reveal for the Sketchabilities Design Team!!!! Here is the sketch.....

And here is my take.....

This sketch was so incredibly fun to work with....I kept pretty close to the sketch, just moving the title and journaling to accomodate my larger pictures and my little banner which I made out of tags from the Margarita line from American Crafts....and hot pink ribbon--just a pop of color to make this lo even more fun :-)

YOU MUST check out the rest of the design team's work---they really hit it out of the ballpark!!

Happy scrapping and can't wait to see everyone's take on this fab sketch!

Room

2011-07-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

While on vacation last week I was lucky to find some time to read Room by Emma Donoghue. I had read a good review in People magazine and thought I might like it. I was right!

Room is the story of Jack and his mom. Jack's mom was kidnapped seven years ago and has been held captive in a room since then. When the novel begins we meet Jack, who is not only celebrating his fifth birthday, but telling the story---and this is why this story captivates. A five year old narrator both softens and magnifies the horrific premise at the same time. His POV also offers a fresh and unique perspective--Jack doesn't know he is a "victim"--Room is the only world he has ever known.

An excellent and fast read--highly recommend!

I Caught U Reading....

2011-07-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

I think I completed this lo in record speed (which is still not very fast, but quicker than norm...). I have been out of town for the last couple of weeks with vacation and sports, so I was ready to sit down and scrap when I finally arrived home with no where else to be!

This next lo features (and I know I say this often) one of my top 5 pics of Maleia. I took this one morning when I was bee-bopping around the house and I peaked in on her in her room and this is what I found:

Oh, my goodness! The lighting was just perfect and finding her so quietly focused on the book made my heart skip a few beats!! And her wild and crazy hair makes me giggle everytime I look at it, because this IS Maleia every morning......Ah, I am so lucky to be a mother....

Got Cupcake?

2011-07-02T13:58:00.000-07:00

These are some of my fave pics of my daughter because they really capture the art of eating a cupcake---when you are 16 months!!

I used the very lovely May kit from SC as well as some alphas from my (disturbingly) large stash.....I really kept it super simple, letting the pics really shine. I did machine stitch some zig zags onto the three Fancy Pants filters WHICH really made me nervous---the tissue is so thin and fragile, but they held up well (thank goodness).

Happy weekend.

Lovely

2011-06-24T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to scrap this photo for quite awhile.......

I took this picture when Maleia was about seven weeks old--we were waiting by the bleachers for Little League Opening Ceremonies to start and I remember thinking about how hard it was just to get my son, new baby, and myself to the park at eight (or nine?) in the morning. My days of traveling light were over!! LOL.

Kept this lo super simple and used some pretty paper from the Lawn Party kit from Studio Calico.

Have a great weekend!!

Sassafras

2011-06-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

When I saw the reveal of Sunshine Broadcast I was SO EXCITED. And yesterday I was finally able to use it!!

This lo is based off of Sassafras' June sketch. I used pictures that I recently took of Maleia on a beach trip. As usual, the lo was really easy to put together with all of the goodies that Sassafras supplies. The hard part was actually taking the pictures--this girl is constantly on the go and has taken to not looking at me if I have my camera :-)

I tried out a new flower making technique also (lower left corner--see the star) that was up on October Afternoon's blog yesterday. Easy to make, but next time I need to be a little bit more careful (and maybe more patient) laying the hearts out--flower came out sort of wonky!

All-Stars

2011-06-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

There is a reason I don't bake cookies---I eat them! I just finished a cup of milk and three chocolate chip cookies and it isn't even lunch time yet! Aack!! Oh well, they were yummy! Enough with the mini-confessional.....

Here is a lo I did featuring my son and his cousin Bailey:

I actually did this for last week's Sunday Sketch over at Studio Calico and used their June kit, Paper Moon. Had super fun making it--I love it when I get to use stars!

This lo is pretty special to me. These two kiddos are only months apart and this picture really captures how close they are. Seeing the two of the them side by side in their baseball/softball gear is great. It makes me sort of sad though, because it is a reminder of how grown up they are getting.....

Happy First Day of Summer!!

Play With Me

2011-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

I have been a member of the Paper Posies kit club for one year now and I have to say that I love all of the girls there--ALMOST as much as I love the kits! LOL!

This lo, made using the June kit from Paper Posies, features my two kiddos playing around in the backyard on Hayden's old little bike--how he is able to actually sit on it and peddle around amazes me because I have tried it and it hurts!!

I titled this lo "Play With Me" for two reasons: First, Maleia just adores her brother and loves to play with him; Second, Hayden was an only child for nine years and when Maleia came along he had that playmate he had been wanting for years! I never tire of watching the two of them play together.

A Discovery of Witches

2011-06-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we headed to San Clemente for a mini-beach break. I really enjoy going to the beach with my family; playing in the sun, sand, and surf is one of our favorite past times. HOWEVER, my absolute favorite thing about going out of town is that I get to read---usually uninterupted--on the way there and back! Baby sleeps, son plays DS, and hubby drives. All I have to do is make sure hubby doesn't miss an exit. That's it. The rest of the time I get to read!! Woo hoo!

I have been working on A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness for a while and it has been KILLING me! Not because it was awful, but because I LOVED it so much and there wasn't much time to read it!! So this beach adventure was the perfect time to put this book to rest....

This book has all of my favorite elements: darkness, intrigue, action, suspense, romance, magic, a great cast of characters, and witches, vampires, and daemons! (Okay, so maybe daemons aren't really my fave, but they work in this novel.) ADOW also reads a bit like a Dan Brown novel--specifically the Robert Langdon series. I say this because the book offers a look back at history, it's players and relics. Of course, it's all fictional, but it's great!

Lucky for me, ADOW is the FIRST in a TRILOGY!! Yeah! (I suspected this as I was getting way too much unexplained information as the pages were ticking down.) But unlike the Twilight series (yes, I jumped on that bandwagon and am firmly camped with Team Jacob) which I read AFTER all the books had been published, I am going to have to wait until next year for the second book :-(

Have a happy day and really hope you check this book out!!

Sketchabilities

2011-06-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

You have no idea HOW excited I am to announce this, but I made the design team for Sketchabilities!!!!

The term is from July through September, so look for my first reveal on July 15th!! Honestly, I am going to have so much fun doing this!

A Scrappy Lift

2011-06-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

Jen Jockish is one of my fave artists--her work constantly inspires me. So, when Two Peas announced announced that their weekly challenge was to scraplift a project I decided to participate by lifting her lo "Funny Face."

I stuck really close to her lo, but used different embellies and papers of course. This was a really fun page to create and it came together really fast.

By the way, as I was working on this I took a close look at Maleia's face and realized her little nose was red--what kind of mother am I to let her nose sunburn?? The rest of her face looks good and she wears a hat in the sun.....oh well, will just have to apply an extra layer on her cute little nose from now on!

Soup Spotting

2011-06-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! I made Jillibean's Soup Spotting for this week! I was super excited when I got the e-mail yesterday! My friends at Paper Posies had suggested that I submit it and I thought I'd give it a go! Thanks girls!! (I made the lo with Paper Posies' May kit) Things like this just simply make my day :-).

My name is Michelle and I am a hoarder....

2011-06-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it, I buy more supplies than I use. I cannot resist the allure and seductiveness of a new line of paper products. It is an obsession. One that I have to monitor with constant viligance :-) But, with that said, I think I have taken hoarding to a new level with a October Afternoon. I LOVE their papers and everytime I order product something of theirs always sneaks into my cart. LOL.

This next lo makes use of some of my OA stash!

I used three different patterned papers and all of them are from a different OA line--Modern Homemaker, Seaside, and 5 & Dime. THIS is the reason I hoard OA--their lines are so versatile--they work with each so well. And just so you know, I just ordered more of these papers! What if I run out?!

On the more technical side, I based this lo off of a sketch from Creative Scrappers. I stuck really close to the sketch, only adjusting my title and journaling because my title was insanely long! Hope you like!

Mad Dash for Some Sunshine.....

2011-06-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, enough with the June Gloom. I want some sunshine and some warmth! LOL. I have had two layouts finished that I wanted to take pics of, but we haven't had any sun :-( Lucky me though, 'cause finally the clouds parted and I was able to dash outside (in my jammies)and snap some shots!

Oh, the places Maleia will go!! Dr. Seuss inspired this lo
(check out the title). My daughter seems to always be in motion and I hoped to capture that here.

Going to the park is a regular thing for my family and when we are there I follow my daughter around the entire park. I will admit I have ulterior motives for going to the park, (which may include waring a certain busy little girl out so she will have a nice,long nap) but I really enjoy watching her explore. It seems as if everytime we go, she is doing bigger, more complex things. Of course, that's when she isn't chasing blackbirds and crows!

Butterflies

2011-05-31T10:33:00.000-07:00

I am obsessed with butterflies!! They are my go to--when I think a lo needs a little something a butterfly is sure to fix it! LOL

For this lo, I set out knowing I wanted to showcase the butterflies using punches and misting (my favorite technique at the moment--I know I was late to jump on the bandwagon, but I am here now!). I also knew that I wanted to make my ribbon "curl" which I did by holding it in place and carefully sewing the ribbon (had to make sure I didn't accidently sew my finger to the lo).

I actually quite liked the results--I think it really showcases my progression as a scrapbooker. I REALLY did not start scrapping until the summer of last year and when I look back through my albums I get a big sense of pride at how far I have come.

Happy scrapping!!

Pigtails and Sand

2011-05-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

For me, I often get lost in the quest for the "perfect" picture and forget the little everyday moments that are so much more important than rather or not everyone's smiling, the light is great, the background looks good.....so I am trying to take more photos that capture life just as it is.

This next lo is such an example. This picture is of my daughter playing in the sand. She's not looking at me, in fact, she is looking at some birds :-) But what I love about this photo is that she is sitting crisscrossed in the sand, with her little pigtails, and she is squinting her eyes in just a way that she reminds me of my husband.

Have a great day!

Missouri Spring

2011-05-22T13:15:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I was reading through my fave blogs and I came across a sketch challenge at October Afternoon that I thought would work perfectly for all the pics I wanted to scrap from a recent visit to my parents.

I love going to Missouri to see my parents. I always take lots of pictures, trying to document everything--even if it's only a minor detail. Like seriously, who takes pictures of asparagus on vacation?? LOL. I approached my journaling with the same purpose--small details that only myself and my parents would probably understand, but I wanted to get them down so that I would always remember them. TFL

Have a great day--I sure am!

P.S. Reading fabulous book!!

Make a Wish

2011-05-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

For this lo I used my Studio Calico kits from April.

I am addicted to patterned paper, but sometimes I have to tell myself to stop and add some sort of cardstock to give the eye a place to rest:-) So, that's where the little block of journaling on some kraft came in!

I was able to use some of the new washi tape from Hambly Studios for this one. I have to say it is so much fun to just rip off a piece of fun colorful tape and just slap it on! (Okay, maybe I just didn't "slap" it on).

Be back soon, have several projects ready to share :-)

Little Miss Sunshine

2011-05-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun this past weekend scrapping for NSD. I spent lots of time online looking at my favorite sites and picking out challenges to do. I completed a total of four layouts with two more in progress!

This layout I did for the Sketch challenge over at Studio Calico. The sketch I chose is based off of a layout by Stephanie Howell.

I think I went a little crazy with the patterned paper on this one, but I love this line from Pebbles!! This is the second recent lo I have done using a blank tag and I am really liking them--have put them on "must buy" list (What isn't on this list??). The papers and the black alphas are from my March Paper Posies kit--I always seem to blend my kits with stuff from my own stash because I just can't help myself :-).

What I really like most about this one though, are the pictures. They just seem to capture her attitude and happiness along with her adorable little teeth!

She Loves to Read

2011-05-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

I am always reading to Maleia, so it just melts my heart into a little puddle when I catch her "reading." Seriously, she babbles on and on as she flips through the pages, often pointing at different parts of the pictures as she goes. So this weekend when I saw that one of the challenges for NSD at TwoPeas was to scraplift a Garden Girl I thought of a lo by Lisa Truesdell that I really liked (okay, I like all of her work). The lo is titled "Storytime" and I thought it would be the perfect time to document Maleia's own story.

I pretty much stuck to Lisa's design. I did increase the lo to a 12x12 and I also added two more pics. Almost everything is Sassafrass with a little bit of Webster's page thrown in. I really loved how I worked with three different lines from Sass and they all worked so well together.

This has been a really great weekend scrapwise! Have already finished 3 layouts for various challenges :-)

April Challenge at Paper Posies

2011-04-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

This month at Paper Posies the challenge was to make a lo containing 3 specific items. They were: border strips from Crate's Portrait collection; the text paper from Echo Park; and the title had to include the word "record" in it. Here's my submission:

Once again I busted out the mist--I am getting braver and braver every time!! What I really love most about this lo is the black doiles from Maya Road--they added just the right finishing touch.

Another Springtime Layout

2011-04-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share a layout today before I head out on a little vacay with the kiddos......This is a lo I did using a whole bunch of papers from October Afternoon's Modern Homemaker line (with a little bit of Lilybee, Crate, and Sassafras mixed in).

I really wanted to do a quilted, pieced together look and this is what I came up with. I must say I have so much fun sewing on my layouts :-) I believe my husband thinks I am wierd because of this, but what does he know???

Sweet Spring

2011-04-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

When I first saw the new Dutch Mustard Soup line from Jillibean soup I instantly loved it. I just love the combo of brown, yellow, and green. AND the hearts just made me swoon!! Anyways, I finally ordered the line and once I had it in my hands I wondered why had I waited so long???

I am currently doing Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook 3 class so I used one of last week's sketches for this LO as well as used the word "sweet" in my title to play along with one of the Sweet Peach Crop Shop's April challenges.

Have a great day!

Mr. Darcy's Diary

2011-04-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

I swear it--I AM a bookworm! You couldn't probably tell because I seem to have only posted scrappiness since starting this blog, but I do read, a lot. However, sometimes my scrappy self takes over and that is all I do with my free time:-) Well, good news--I read a book!!

Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange was great! Up until this point I have been very careful to not read any Jane Austen spinoffs. I firmly believe that you cannot mess with a work of art. But I saw this book while shopping on my Nook and I read the reader reviews and I thought that possibly this book might be okay. What really sold me was the thought of getting inside Darcy's head--I mean honestly he is my favorite male romantic figure--and I think this book was successful at doing that. It surely was not up to Austen's standard, but Grange did a great job of expanding upon the story without ruining it. Highly recommend!!

SI Sketch 214

2011-04-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

I hadn't scrapped a sketch from Sketch Inspiration in a while, so I thought I'd give this week's a go....I really like how this turned out! I had been wanting to do a big cluster of butterflies for awhile and since Maleia is looking up in this photo I thought it might work. The sketch had two banners on it, but I chose to make just one and moved it to the side to better fit the orientation of my papers. I also misted--if you look closely! I am still a little timid with spraying of ink onto my paper :-) I used Echo Park's "For the Record" line, cool doiles from Maya, and sunshine yellow for a little pop! Overall, this lo makes me very happy!!

Signs of Spring

2011-04-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

I just love it when I see the daffodils start to emerge from the ground! It's usually still cold and miserable, but just seeing them warms me up inside and puts a little bounce in my step :-)

I made this lo using the gorgous Into the Woods kit from Studio Calico. I just love, love these papers from Cosmo!

Paper Posies March Kit

2011-03-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

I first subscribed to the Paper Posies Kit Club in June of 2010 because I absolutely loved the kit, which featured Pebbles, that Michele had put together. This kit (March) features Pebbles again AND I love it! I have to say that I hadn't really paid much attention to Pebbles during all of the CHA releases so when I saw these gorgeous papers I could not believe I had missed them.

I had so much fun working with this kit. The colors and all the polka dots.....I was in heaven! And those cute little puffies from KI worked perfectly! Luckily Michele had a paper add-on this month, so I have lots more to work with :-)

Michelle

Today We Danced

2011-03-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I got my new kits from Studio Calico in the mail (I love you UPS man!!) and could not wait to work with them, BUT I didn't really have any pics ready that would go with the color palattes. I didn't let that deter me though!! I plopped my daughter in my car 'cause it had some neutral tones and this is what I came up with:

Of course, we had a blast while taking pictures....I turned on some Maroon 5 and we got jiggy with it. LOL. Overall I am pleased with the LO. I got techniquey with the mist--go Michelle!!--and did some layering. I used the hot pink to play off of Maleia's flower and typed my journaling which is something I haven't done in a while but wanted to use the super cute paper clip from KI.

On another note, I want to send prayers and well wishes to all those who have suffered in Japan. Each morning as I look through the pictures and stories I find myself in a state of utter disblife at the thought of what they are going through. My heart goes out to each and everyone of them.

Michelle

Sweetly Smitten with Sassafras

2011-03-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

I have been dying to use my Sassafras "Sweetly Smitten" paper, so I was excited when I realized that this picture went rather well with the colors--the yellows, grays, and of course that pop of color in my daughter's shirt. I also used sketch #67 from Inspired Blueprints.

I have to say I am really liking the alphas I used for "Crazy." They are new Hardcover Thickers from American Crafts and I love that they are fabric. It's a tiny detail, but I am crazy for them! LOL (I also have them in two other colors--of course!) I also used paint on this LO. I had promised myself to try some new techniques and this time I splattered some yellow paint around my LO. Now this was so stressful because paint is permanent and I can't entirely control where it lands, how it splatters.....so I took it easy, figured less was more for this first foray, and came up with results that I quite liked.

Michelle

Wishing for Spring

2011-03-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

I am so over winter. Am tired of the gray skies, the cold temps, and the chilly winds. In an attempt to scrap myself out of this cold weather funk I chose to get my spring on with the the new Hello Sunshine line from American Crafts.

I based this lo off of this week's "From Start to Finish" video at TwoPeas. I was pretty pleased with the finished project, however I wish I had stitched around the sun--of course I thought of this way too late.....next time!

Michelle

A Scrapping Coma.....

2011-03-02T06:08:00.001-08:00

Okay. So I started reading The Red Garden as I said I would, but........I have been in a bit of a scrapping coma this last month. All I do with my free time is scrap.....or do laundry! (Seriously, how can one man and one boy make so much laundry??) I cannot seem to get my head out of all the delicious paper and embellies long enough to sit still and read. Oh, well. I had the best intentions. Let's just say when I finish it I will certainly offer up my take on it.

Smiles,
Michelle

Alphas and More

2011-02-26T16:59:00.000-08:00

I just absolutely love the versatility of Basic Grey's Hopscotch--it seems I am using it everywhere!

And please notice the alphas I used for the word "adores"--I saw these and become instantly obsessed with them--stalking every online store I could to find these AND finally they showed up at Two Peas. Ahhhhhhh.....felt so relieved to finally get them!

Sweet Baby Love

2011-02-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

I LOVED scrapping this picture. It was not the best quality picture (I am still a bit of a spazz when it comes to my camera settings), but it was so cute and totally captured this adorable moment.

I used the add-on kit, Lollipop, from Studio Calico. This is the first month I have worked with any of their kits and I am absolutely in love with all the paper and embellisments!! The color palette is just delicious! Am looking forward to seeing what they have in store for March.

Finally....

2011-02-17T11:21:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am the queen of procrastination....my apologies. Wanted to share a new lo featuring Maleia. Made this using the February kit from Paper Posies which I am LOVING!!

I tried out my new cloud punch from Fiskars which I debated about getting forever--am so glad I took the plunge and ordered it!

February's Choice

2011-02-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to see Alice Hoffman's new release, The Red Garden" when I was browsing the shop on my Nook (by the way, it is way TOO easy to buy books on the Nook). After reading summaries and reviews, I knew it was the right choice for this months. If it anything like Hoffman's Blackbird House, which I read several years ago, than it promises to be a great read.

Beginnings......

2011-02-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

I have been dreaming of creating a blog forever, something to combine both my loves--reading and scrapping--as well as a place to put my English degree to use before I get so rusty that I forget how to write! LOL.

So these are my "official" goals for my blog:
    1. To share my scrappy life with others.
    2. To read one book a month (I wanted to do two but my
        procrastinating self said to start slow) and share
        my thoughts, questions, critiques...in a book club style
        format.
    3. To make myself laugh and smile everytime I log on :-)

Not too bad I think! Well, I will be back tomorrow with my book selection for February!!

Smiles, Michelle