PUMP IT UP - LO

I love LO's that incorporate a lot of pictures, especially since I tend to take a ton of photos at every event.

This LO is really super easy and quick to complete. I just stuck with the 3 colors of card stock to match the inflatable play equipment in the photos, added a few random circles, completed my journaling on vellum and added my title, cut from the Mickey Font Cricut cartridge, to finish. All in all, only took me about 45 minutes. I think I took the longest time on it making sure my blocks all lined up neatly.

Kind of plain and simple but used quite a few photos so I am happy with it.

CELEBRATE WITH BELLA - CARD

This birthday card for a friend was inspired by the martini glass charm that I re-purposed from a gift that I received at Christmas. I am always pulling buttons off old clothes or looking at old beads, rhinestones or sequins to use them for my crafting. So when I saw this charm hanging off the label I thought of Cosmobella and her martini glass. A few circles of colored card stock, kraft paper, bling, ribbon and a Studio G sentiment and the card inspired by a mixed drink gift set is complete. ;)

I THINK I CAN - LO

This LO was very simple and very quick to put together. The photos are from a trip to the Train Museum we took our niece and a few of the daycare babes to. They have a huge play area on the second floor with 3 huge play train tables. One of them has a tunnel and a clear dome you can pop into in the middle of the table and watch the toy trains as they ride by you. Super fun!

The title was cut using the Base Camp Cricut Cartridge and I cheated with a pre-painted wooden train embellishment from Michael's. Like I said, simple and quick.

LOVE KEEPS OUR HEART'S WARM - LO

I know, I know, yet another snow day post. :) I really love this one though as it is not too often that hubby and I take pics of ourselves....and even rarer that I actually scrap them, as I HATE being in front of the camera and am way more comfortable behind it. The girls took these pics of us and I could not help but scrap them as we had so much fun that day and well...I love this man of mine. LOL

The snowmen are a pp pattern from Cropy Cats. Nothing else really to this one except a few buttons and a heart punch.

Great, looking at these photos, I realize I hate this jacket, makes me look like the Michelin Man. LOL!!

SANTA BABY - LO

Is this not the cutest Santa you have ever seen? These photos are quite old of my nephew Landon as he is 4 years old now, but I could not help but to share this LO I did of him dressed up in his Santa outfit.

The title and Ho Ho Ho was cut using the Cricut Base Camp cartridge (a oldie but goodie), the presents are Quick Kutz dies and the Santa is a paper piece pattern from Windows of Time.

Anybody else just not quite ready to admit that Christmas is over? Sigh.... :)

ALL ABOARD - CARD

Here is a birthday card that I made for my sweet little nephew Ashton, who turned 1 yesterday. My SIL threw the cutest party for him with a train theme. She even dressed him as a little conductor, complete with pocket watch. TOO CUTE!!

Back to the card, the image is called Billy Rides a Train and was purchased from Pink Cat Studio. This is my first purchase from them and certainly will not be my last. Tons of cuteness there! The background paper is Charles from October Afternoon and the embellishments are a few strays I had laying around.

I am really happy with the card overall, but I do need tons more practice with my Copics and still struggle coloring and shading really small areas with them. I tend to stick to simple images with minimal detail thus making it easier to color. I will have to challenge myself to use more complex images. Hmmm...I guess that means more stamp shopping. ;)

Here is a pic of the cutest little conductor you will find anywhere!!

A FABULOUS BIRTHDAY - CARD

If you have not checked out the Slumber Party Cricut cartridge yet, you must. This cart is just fabulous for those that have girls of any age. We have a young friend, of the family, that is celebrating her birthday this weekend. I decided to make this card for her to match the cute little Barbie make-up kit we got her.

All of the cuts from the Slumber Party cart were cut at 2". The sentiment is a Studio G $1 stamp from Michael's. A little ribbon and some bling and you have a fabulous card for a fabulous little girl.

I also made a some treat bags for the chocolate shoes, sunglasses and lipsticks that I made for her to hand out to her party guests.

SNOWMEN ARE THE COOLEST - LO

Here is another LO of our trip to the snow. Doesn't this look like a picture tutorial on how to build a snowman? LOL The snowman is a paper piece pattern from Cropy Cats and the title is cut using the Opposites Attract Cricut Cartridge.

Hope everyone is having an excellent Monday!!

IT'S SNOW TIME! - LO

I just love the photos on this LO. We had the best time that day in the snow. Ever the ladies that we are, we posed ever so gracefully for the 3rd photo from the left. This is one of my favorite photos of the girls and I. It truly captures our relationship with each other. We are always silly and totally ridiculous, but I would have it no other way!!

Did you all notice my new watermark? A BIG BIG thank you to my friend Jeri from Crafty J's Place for not only creating the watermark for me but for being ever so patient as I attempted to get it copied and pasted on my photos. I admit I am very challenged when it comes to this kind of stuff but after a dozen or so e-mails back and forth and lots of swearing on my end, I finally got it. Thank you Jeri!!

DIY LIGHT TENT

I am not sure if anyone else out there in blogland has this same problem (I really don't think so as so many of the blogs I stalk have awesome pics on their posts) but I REALLY struggle to get good quality photos of my projects once they are completed. I have tried all sorts of light, different spots, and different settings on my camera, but it never fails to disappoint. I always have a glare, or a shadow, or the color is off.

Until now that is......look what hubby made for me....a light tent!! I am so excited. He found this tutorial on how to make an inexpensive light tent and whipped it right up for me. The total cost of the materials was right around $20. Cheap compared to what the light tents tend to go for...but better yet...it really does make a difference.

Here is the front view of my light tent.

The top and sides are covered with fabric.

This is a before pic of one of my cards prior to having the light tent. Lately I have been trying to take photos outside for better light.
Here is a photo of that same card taken using my light tent. A big difference...right? Yep hubby did good. :)

THE SECRET'S OUT

I can now share my exciting news with you all. I have been chosen along with several other fantastic ladies to be a DT member for a new challenge blog called CRAFT US CRAZY.

At Craft Us Crazy you are welcome to use any and all company brands and products. We would love to see all walks of crafts...decoupage, stamping (Rubber or Digital), altered, 3D, LOs, Die cut projects, anything as long as its made by your talented hands and it follows the Challenge theme!!!

Please join us on February 3rd for our very first challenge!! In the meantime please take a peek at the other DT members that I am honored to be working with:

Jeri M
Mary B
Jeanette C
Christina P
Bettina B
Rebekah L
Lynne H
Lauren M
Sam J
Julie T
Sharron M
Frea K
Genevieve S
Lori H
Tammylee N
Maria A
Kym W
Savahanna V
Kim G
Guylaine S

ATTITUDE!!!

Yes I have it, or rather my blog does. My good friend, Jeri of Crafty J's Place, queen of the attitude herself :), presented me with this blog award.

The best part of this award is that it comes with a $5 gift card to Digis with Attitude when you complete all of the requested requirements. Cool right? You can get all of the details here.

The first requirement is to list 3 things that make you different from everyone else. This is super hard for me as I really do not give myself that much thought...LOL.

1) I totally crack myself up. While I understand that everyone thinks they are funny...I honestly think I am down right hysterical....and I have been told by my hubby and two daughters that I am all alone in this thought. Hmmm....

2) I am OBSESSED with notebooks. I mean obsessed obsessed. I have them for everything and anything: menu notebook, to do notebook, diet notebook, house decorating notebook, Christmas planner notebook, deadline notebook, and I have a notebook that lists the notebooks I plan on altering. It's a sickness and I am sure that there is a 12 step plan somewhere but I am still in the denial stage and not ready to get help.

3) Fire and flames FREAK me out. I was in a house fire when I was younger and really do not care for any type of fire. Campfires are not my thing, we do not use our fireplace and it took me forever to be comfortable with a gas stove. Silly I know but what are ya going to do?

The second requirement is to pass this award along to 5 other bloggers...that is hard as there are so many I admire, but I do stalk these ones more than others:

Amy at A Thousand Sheets of Paper

Debby at A Scrapjourney

Cindy at Cindy Haffner's Corner

Rachel at Paper Crafting Place

Sheri at PaperCrafty

The third and final requirement is to post this award in your sidebar with a link back to the Digis with Attitude Challenge Blog.

Thank you Jeri and Digis with Attitude for this awesome award.

HAPPY DANCE, HAPPY DANCE!!

I am doing the happy dance today for a couple of reasons. The first one I can't tell you about just yet, but make sure to check back with me in a few days. The second one is because hubby is making me a light box so I can take better quality pictures of my projects. He purchased most of the supplies yesterday and is off today and tomorrow so I am really hoping he will be productive and complete it before Wednesday. ;) I will make sure to provide pics once it is completed.