BIRTHDAY TREAT BAG

I can not believe how many amazing paper crafting blogs that are out there in the blogging world. So much talent!! I recently stumbled upon, and now stalk, a new one to me called Fun Paper Candy. You can find a link for it to the right and in this post. Talk about talent! She has the most adorable cards and projects. I scrapjacked this cute little bag idea from Tammy's blog. Here is a link for the tutorial: http://www.funpapercandy.com/2010/05/just-for-you.html


It is super easy to assemble and was screaming to be paired up with this digital image from Whimsie Doodles. I colored the image in using my Copics and added a little Glossy Accents on the candle for dimension. Another birthday project down, many many more to go.

THE GREETING FARM'S TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY BLOG HOP!!

Today is a very exciting day over at The Greeting Farm, they are celebrating their two year anniversary! As part of the huge celebration they have invited everyone to participate in a Blog Hop and they are giving away prizes...yes that's right I said PRIZES!!

If you are not familiar with The Greeting Farm you are missing out and I strongly suggest you head right over and see what they are all about. You will thank me....though your wallet may not. :)

Here is my contribution to the blog hop. It is the Soccer Anya Digi Stamp. I made this card for one of my daycare babes who has just recently signed up for soccer for the very first time. She has invited my family and I to her first game in a few weeks and I thought this would be a great "way to go" card for her. This is my first time making a easel type card and I have to say that I am hooked. The soccer ball is paperpieced and the word "goal" is cut using the Cricut Soccer cartridge. I added a little Glossy Accents to Anya's soccer ball for dimension.

To see all of the wonderful creations that are part of this celebration please head on over to The Greeting Farm to see their master list of participants...you may even want to shop a little while you are there.

SWIMSUIT SEASON - LO

Oh my goodness how I love these photos!!! These photos were taken of our niece Alyssa when she was little. We had bought her some swimsuits for her first trip to Hawaii with her Mom and Dad and put them on her for a little fashion show. I just LOVE babies in swimsuits!! They always look so stinking cute and our niece is just the cutest!!

The title was cut using the Quik Kutz "Venus" font set and the swimsuits are paper pieced. I tried to make the pink bikini resemble the bikini we bought Alyssa. She is definitely a bathing suit cutie!
As a follow up to my previous post; our anniversary dinner was delicious. The girls did a great job and our steaks were cooked to perfection thanks to the assistance of a Paula Dean recipe. Can't go wrong with Paula Dean!

OWL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - CARD

20 years ago today I married my high school sweetheart and my best friend! I guess the old saying is true, ""time flies when you're having fun", because it has hardly seemed like 20 years...and we sure have been having fun.

Here is a quick card that I whipped up for my sweetie in honor of our anniversary. The stamp is called "Heart Owls" from Hero Arts. I have been itching to use it since I bought it on sale several months ago. I used my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder to emboss the card and the patterned paper is from my scrap stash.

Tonight our darling daughters are cooking dinner for us.......which should be interesting as the oldest really doesn't cook and our 13 year old is just starting to cook a few things for herself now and then. Our oldest brought home some steaks, and when I asked her how she was going to prepare them she said, "NOT A CLUE". Yep should be interesting. ;)

SAND, SHELLS, AND FINS - LO

These are without a doubt the most precious professional photos that I have ever seen. Each one of these little finned cuties have attended my daycare at one time or another. Three of them are now in school, only the littlest one has remained but will be leaving me for school in September.

The only embellishments used on this LO are a set of Ariel Sparkle stickers and some stickles. I didn't want to over do it and over shadow the adorable photos.

BASEBALL - LO

I got the idea for this LO from a magazine several years ago, I don't remember which magazine as I tore out the page and kept it until I was ready to use it and threw out the rest of the magazine. The LO I scrapjacked was much more detailed with paper-pieced balls and stitching. Since I am still scrapbooking photos from like a gazillion years ago and take 300+ photos on a simple day trip I thought quick and simple would be better. So I raided my sticker stash and found these Stickopotamus baseball stickers. I used my Stamped Cricut cartridge to cut out the title. Quick and simple.

OUR BEACH TRIP - LO

We took a day trip to Bodega Bay a few years ago and brought our niece, Alyssa with us. She is so stinking adorable and loved spending the day at the beach.

The title was cut using the Base Camp Cricut cartridge and the rest of the details on the LO were made by tearing the cardstock into the shapes I needed.

The cutest story about the sand dollar pictured in this LO: our girls and Alyssa were combing the beach for sea shells with no success. There was a older couple walking along the beach that called to Alyssa and our youngest daughter, Caitlin and asked them if they noticed this item in the sand. There were two sand dollars right there in a area that they had just inspected, one for each girl. Both girls were very excited to find sand dollars in such great condition and they were huge!! Scott then confided in me that he had seen the couple drop them for the girls to find. That couple whoever they were, sure made those girls' day special with their found treasure!

GET WET - LO

In honor of summer I thought my next several posts should showcase LO's that reflect a feeling of summer.

This is a LO that I completed of the kids playing in our backyard sprinklers. Nothing says "summer" more than kids in sprinklers running and screaming their little heads off. Don't ya think?

Simple LO using a paper-pieced faucet, hose and sprinkler head. The title was made using the All Mixed Up Cricut cartridge.

YOU'RE FINTASTIC - CARD

I made this card for a "fin-tastic" friend. I know you have all seen this stamp numerous times before from me, but it is one of my favorites. It's the Mermaid Anya from the Greeting Farm. I can't tell you who makes the patterned paper as it is from my scrap stash. Looking at this card and the papers now, it seems really bright, almost too loud, perfect for summer.

ONCE UPON A TIME - CARD

It is that time of year for us....birthday season. It seems that from now until the end of January we are overwhelmed with birthdays, several per month. Here is a quick little card that a did for one of my daycare kiddos. She is all about princesses.


The image is Princess Anya from the Greeting Farm. The chipboard stickers are from Imaginisce and are just too cute.

To make the medallion embellishment, check out the tutorial at http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com/2010/06/its-tuesday-tutorial-time-and-were.html

It was super easy and quick to make. One birthday card down...many many more to go.

YOU MAKE ME SMILE - CARD

I just love this image from Penny Black. It's titled "Love Conquers". The little snail is simply adorable.

Gamsol and my Prisma pencils were used to color the image in. The papers used were borrowed from my scrap stash and the "for you" sentiment is a Studio G dollar stamp.

Have a great weekend everyone and HAPPY 4TH!!

CARAMEL APPLES - LO

We just love going to Apple Hill every fall. We love picking our own apples, checking out all of the craft booths, sipping apple cider, buying apple pies for the holidays, but most importantly we LOVE caramel apples!!

Simple LO using a paper pieced caramel apple and the Don Juan Cricut Cartridge (at least I think that was the cart I used) for the title.

Looking at these photos makes me wish for fall and a trip up to Apple Hill.

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!! - INVITE

My new motto,, "do not let life's obstacles get in the way of things you love to do". I have neglected my blog and my love of card making and scrapbooking because of various things thrown my way. Well no more!! I have a lot of catching up to do.

This post is actually something I worked on back in March before I threw in towel, so to speak. I hosted a Mardi Gras crop night at my home. Below is the invite and treat bags I made for the event. Gotta love the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More Cricut cart.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler.....LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

HATS OFF TO THE GRAD - LO

Here is another graduation LO that I just completed. That is 2 down, I must be on a roll. The LO is a page kit from Cut-it-Up. I love their page kits, they are quick and most of the work is done, you just put them together and add your own touch to them. They always include a lot more die cuts and paper pieced items to complete the LO's, but I only use half of the kit so I can add more pics. Most of their directions only show one pic on a LO. Considering I take a ton of pics, I would never ever get half of my photos scrapped if I followed their LO suggestion. LOL

SUMMER STORM - LO

Just how cool are these pictures that Scott took? Last summer we had the most amazing summer thunder and lightning storm. The sky was gorgeous shades of purple (which just happens to be my favorite color) and there were maybe a hundred lightning strikes. It was just beautiful.

Very simple LO. I don't know if you can tell in this pic, but the background paper, matting paper and the paper used for the house, ground, tree and title are all various shades of purple. The title was cut using the Don Juan Cricut Cartridge. Photos by hubby, who I think did a pretty good job capturing the lightning.

SUNSHINE AWARD

Wendy from http://www.lvscrappin.blogspot.com/ was sweet enough to honor me with this award. Her talent is amazing and I highly suggest taking a look at her blog. Thank you Wendy!!


Now to nominate 6 people for this award:

http://going-buggy.blogspot.com/ - Her blog is amazing! She is very talented and has a great eye for papers and details.

http://athousandsheetsofpaper.blogspot.com/ - A fantastic artist. Her use of the Copic markers makes me look like a pre-schooler.

http://grammashouseofcards.blogspot.com/ - All of her cards are simply adorable and she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met!!

http://www.craftyjsplace.blogspot.com/ - Another sweetie and very talented lady.

http://stampowl.blogspot.com/ - Her cards are too cute. Check out her post of today with the Easter Babes....too stinking cute!!

http://inkblotsbytrd.blogspot.com/ - Another great blog showcasing wonderful talent.

Be sure to stop by their blogs to see what I am talking about...the talent involved in this hobby of ours just amazes me!

BRIDAL SHOWER FAVORS

I just love the Tags, Bags, Boxes and More Cricut cartridge. It is so easy to make some really quick and simple favor boxes. I made several of these for a small bridal shower for one of the gals that I play Bunco with.

I cut the boxes out at 5 1/2 ". This size is perfect to hold 4 of the Ghirardelli chocolate squares, which I tucked into a couple of circles of tulle before placing them into the boxes. The stamped image is from the Figures of Speech set from Stampin' Up. I finished them off with a few primas, mini pearls and some bling that I had laying around.

HOORAY FOR THE GRADUATE - LO

As you can see I am very behind on my LO's. By the time I get caught up with Britt's high school years she will have children in high school that I need to scrapbook. LOL

I just finished this one last week of Brittany's high school graduation. I paper pieced the rolled diploma and cap from a pattern by Cropy Cats. The title is cut from the Alphalicious Cricut cartridge and the "08" is cut from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge.

YOU'RE #1 - CARD

There is no way I can take any credit for the make up of this card. I shamelessly scrap lifted it off of the Greeting Farm gallery board. There are many takes of this card on the board. I just love it! Whoever came up with this little idea first is definitely very creative!!

The stamp is an Ian stamp from the Greeting Farm. I added Glossy Accents to Ian's helmet and used the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder to imitate the texture of the "football". The sentiment is a Studio G $1 stamp from Michael's.

Now to wait for one of my nephew's to hurry up and have a birthday so I can give it to one of them. ;)

HAPPY BIRD-DAY - CARD

Here is another birthday card that I made for my BIL and another cute stamp that I do not own. If only money grew on trees....sigh. The stamp is from a Stampin' Up set called Pun Fun. I also used the Spots and Dots Cuttlebug folder. Super simple card.

SPOILED ROTTEN!!

Here is my new stamp shelf that Scott and my FIL built for me this week. I admit I am totally spoiled rotten. My hubby never ceases to amaze me. The shelf fits perfectly behind the bedroom door. When the door is opened you don't even realize the shelf is there. As you can see I have already filled it up and am trying to figure out where to put another one.

HAPBEE BIRTHDAY - CARD

I wish I owned this stamp, it is adorable. I was fortunate enough though to receive a couple of the images in a swap so I put together this card for a friend. I popped up the second layer and used Glossy Accents on the balloons and gifts. The sentiment is a Studio G $1 find at Michael's. The border punch (I think it's Martha Stewart) was a real find at Michael's at 75% off!!!

WE SCARE - LO

This LO was very very simple. I lifted the idea from a LO displayed at Green Tangerines. They had the adorable monster paper displayed with a LO very similar to this. These photos were taken while we were at Disneyland on the Monsters Inc. ride.

BORN TO BE WILD - LO

How stinking cute does Josie look in these pictures? These photos were taken several years ago but looking at them now (she is now 5 1/2) they capture her personality perfectly.

I am always at a loss at how to scrap professional portraits. I am afraid of working the pages to much and losing the focus on the photos. So I kept this one very simple with the flame papers and Jolee's motorcycle sticker. The metal strip I stumbled upon at the Scrapbook Expo back in November. The title was cut using the Street Signs cart for the Cricut.

Just check out her little smile/smirk in the second photo, ADORABLE!!