Top 11 of 2011

Its almost that time..time to say good bye to another year and welcome in the new one. So many things happened in my life this past year, some amazing, some not so amazing, but I wouldn't change one of them for anything. They have helped bring me to a wonderful place in my life...I am so excited to start the new year with my sweet family, and see what God has in store for us!!
As I was thinking back over the past year, it also made me open up the scrapbooks, and look and reflect back on not only the experiences, but how my love for this wonderful hobby has grown, and how I have changed in my style.
I thought it would be fun to do a top 11 of 2011...so below you will find my favorite layouts and projects from this past year, in no particular order because I couldn't decide! :p

I want to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to visit my blog and share in my and my families stories..and also share your love for this hobby with me. Many of you have became friends throughout this past year, and I am very grateful for each and everyone of you!

Have a happy new year! :)

Long time no post

Does anyone else feel like this month has flown by at super speed, and that hardly any of the things you wanted to get accomplished this month got done? I really hope I am not alone in this! I had so many plans for this month, both crafty and otherwise, and I don't know that one of them actually came together all the way for me. My hubby says that I worry too much about the plan, and I know he's right, but sometimes I just wish it would go according to my play one day! lol :)

With all of that being said, we had a fabulous month...we were crazy some days with all the running around we had to do, but other days, we did nothing but lay around in our pajamas all day long! :) I hope that the holidays and the time leading up to them were fabulous for you all and that you got time to just sit back and enjoy a little, I did this year, probably for the first year in a long time...and I loved it! Maybe Derek is right when he says I need to let my plans go...don't tell him I said that though! hehe :)

Anyways, I did finally get some time to sit down and get crafty and I have a layout to share with you today that goes along with the new Sketchy Thursdays sketch. I definitely switched this up quite a bit and made it mine. Here is my layout:

I love this picture of my sweet girl :) I am pretty happy with this layout...I feel like there is something missing, not sure what though...any suggestions?? Would love to hear them! :)

Here is the sketch for this week, another fabulous one! :)

Hop on over to Sketchy Thursdays to get all the details, and I hope that you get time to play along! Have fun with this one and make something you love! :)

Be back soon with some more craftiness, I promise! I am going to really try and step it back up after the first of the year...more posting, more projects, and I always love a good giveaway or two! :)

One more thing before I go...I am debating on Project Life for 2012...would love if you all would post any thoughts or advice from your own experiences!

Have a blessed weekend! :)

Exciting News!!!

Happy Saturday!! :)

I hope you are all having a fantastic weekend! I just got home from work early, so mine is definitely getting better! :)

I just wanted to pop in and share some exciting news! I am very honored to have been selected as a new member of The Paper Bakery design team!! Amazing kits, and there is always so much inspiration on the blog...very excited to be a part of this team! Make sure you head over and check it out!!


Have a blessed weekend, and make time to create something you love!

Life Documented

Every year I try and make my mom a calendar for Christmas. She is not a scrapper, so I like to make her a full size calendar that she can turn into a scrapbook at the end of the year. I am getting a pretty late start this year, so hoping I get it finished by Christmas! Eeek...that is not very far away! Yikes, I better get busy!!!
For the calendar this year, I am using the Year-O-Graphy line by Simple Stories...I think this is a beautiful line, and it is actually making this a fairly easy project for me.

When I saw this weeks Sketchy Thursdays sketch, I thought it would be super cute as the cover page for my calendar! I actually really love this sketch, and will probably mix it up a bit and use it on a few other pages throughout my calendar.

Here is the sketch for this week:



Very fun sketch with so many possibilities!! Make sure you head on over to Sketchy Thursdays and see the amazing inspiration that the design team has for you this week, and get all the detail to play along for you chance at a fabulous prize!!

Have a great week, be blessed, and create something you love! :)

Handmade Holiday Blog Hop WINNER****

Thank you so much to everyone that stopped by and left such sweet comments! I think this was a fabulous blog hop, and I now have TONS of crafty ideas for the holiday!! :)


The winner of my envelope mini album is.....Stacia!!!

Congrats Stacia! I have your info, so I will get this mailed out to you asap! Hope you enjoy it! :)

I'll be back later this week with some new projects to share!

Handmade Holiday Blog Hop!!!

I'm back!!! :) I know its been awhile, I have found myself super busy, and hardly having time to breathe, let alone get crafty. However, I do have a few fun projects I hope to share with you over the next couple of weeks...starting with this little mini I made as my project for the Handmade Holiday Blog Hop!

Every couple of months some of the ladies from Club Ck get together and do a fun blog hop...Amanda ( not me, but a pretty awesome Amanda nonetheless ;)) is our fearless organizer, and she does a fabulous job..so if you didn't get to my blog from Melissa's then make sure you head over to Amanda's blog and start from the beginning.

For my project, I thought it would be fun to make a little envelope mini album...this is actually a Little Yellow Bicycle kit that I picked up at my LSS, but it comes together to make a very fun and cute little album...you could use this to give as a gift, to fill with a specific event from the holiday season, or as a fun spot for some notes and journaling from the season...you could even take it apart and add it to your December Daily or whatever holiday project you might have going.

Here is my album, and it is using the Wonder & Wishes collection by Little Yellow Bicycle.

I think this is just the cutest little thing! :) AND since I am already in the holiday spirit, I would like to GIVE one of you this very album...all the hard work is already done, you can just add pictures and enjoy! :) Keep for yourself or give as a gift ( I promise I won't get mad! lol)

So if you would like a chance at this mini, just become a follower of my blog and let me know, also let tell me some of your plans for this holiday season! ( If you are already a follower, leave a comment letting me know, you will be included in the drawing as well!) I will randomly select a winner on Monday Dec 5th.

Hope you all have a very blessed holiday season, and get inspired as you hop along with us this weekend! :)

The next stop on the hop is Mandi!



Best Day EVER!!!

Here is my page for this weeks Sketchy Thursday sketch. Loved this one, love them all really! :)

I am really happy with this layout, and it game together so super fast!

Over the summer we took our girls out in the boat for a couple times, and the first time we went out Miss K kept saying this is the best day ever...so awesome Mommy! :) Gotta love that kind of enthusiasm! :)

Hope you get a chance to play along with Sketchy Thursdays this week! Head on over and check out the fabulous sketch, and a chance at  a great prize!!

***This weeks sketch will be up for two weeks since we are taking off for the holiday, and our sponsor was generous enough to offer up 2 prizes!! So you have two weeks to get your layout finished up and linked, and then you get a chance at 1 of 2 prizes!!***

Have a blessed day and create something you love!

Little Yellow Bicycle Cycling Team Project

A few months back Little Yellow Bicycle had a call out for Cycling Team members...a monthly rotating team who gets to work with amazing product for a very generous and amazing company. I was honored to be chosen as a part of their Head of the Class Cycling Team.
My project went up on their blog TODAY!! :)

Here is my project and a little info:


My oldest daughter will be going off to kindergarten next year, and I wanted to make something bright and fun to store all of her papers and drawings in...I loved the fun patterns and colors of the HC collection for this project.

For full product list and a little how-to please head on over to the Little Yellow Bicycle Blog.

I want to give a shout out to all of the other fabulously talented ladies that were on the Cycling Team with me, and a big congrats to the new ladies that will stepping up with the collections. Also a BIG HUGE THANK YOU to LYB for this amazing opportunity!

Have a blessed day, and be inspired! :)

 

So Cute...So Stinkin Cute

Its Thursday, so you know what that means...a fabulous new sketch is up at Sketchy Thursdays!
Here is my layout based on this weeks sketch:

This little stinker...she had some fun one day while we were out shopping with the new make up Mamaw bought her...I couldn't help but laugh, she was so proud of herself. :)

Here is the sketch for this week:



Very fun and versatile sketch! As you can see, I switched it up quite a bit, but you can definitely still see some elements from the sketch, and there are so many possibilities with this sketch! I know I will use it again and again.

Hope you take the time to head over and join in this week for a chance at our fabulous prize!



Grateful

This month really reminds you of the blessings you have, all the things you should be grateful for...so when I recieved the inspiration photo and quote for this month, I knew immediately what I wanted to do!

Tessa from Precocious Paper is hosting an month long event "Attitude of Gratitude", basically journaling, scrapping, blogging, whatever method you chosse, but just doing something to express what you are grateful for, the blessings in your life. I thought it would be wonderful to play along, and a wonderful journal that can be there for my girls when they get older, to read about things that were/are important to me, maybe help them to get to know the women I am today.

So I paired my PPD photo along with Tessa's project, and made a Gratful journal. I used a Fancy Pants brag book, and hope to fill it with lots of journaling, some photos, and mini layouts. Here is the fabulous photo for this month.

Here is the cover of my journal..I was inspired by the inspirational quote, the plates, and the deep fall colors.

( my attempt at staging my project..not sure I completely pulled it off. LOL)

I hope that you take the time to join in with both challenges this month! :)

The ladies at the PPD have lots of fun prizes lined up this month, so make sure you play along and link up your project by the 15th of this month for a chance to win...and also don't forget to show your favorite designer how grateful you are for them, by heading back to the PPD after you finish the hop and voting! :)

Thanks for stopping by, now you are off to be inspired by the talented Debby.

Favorite Things

My three favorite people in the whole world! :) I love this photo of Derek and the girls, and when I saw this weeks sketch, I knew it was perfect for the photo, I have been wanting to scrap it since I took it, but it never seemed to fit anywhere, every time I tried scrapping it it just wasn't right...does that ever happen to you? I find it happens alot, I get my heart set on a certain photo and a certain layout, and by the time I am finished its nothing like I thought :) This one though, once I got it going, came together so easily and exactly like I wanted! :)

Lots of Authentiques Uncommon on this layout...I love the colors in that collection...I threw in a little Studio Calico Classic Calico wood grain to "man it up" a little. :)

Here is the fabulous sketch that was the start of this layout:

Make sure you head on over to Sketchy Thursdays, and not only get inspired, but play along for your chance at a FABULOUS prize from The Paper Bakery! They are a fabulous kit club, I have tons of kits from them, and Sarah is such a sweetie! So you definitely want to get your chance in for this great prize...and look at that sketch! Who wouldn't be inspired?

Oh, and make sure you head this way Saturday! My post on the Little Yellow Bicycle Blog will be live!! My first post as a member of the Cycling Team!!! I still can't believe it!



New Sketchy Thursdays Reveal!!

Its Thursday, which means a new sketch is up over at Sketchy Thursdays!
This weeks sketch is another fabulous one!! :)

So many possibilities with this sketch! All that area for journaling, white space, anything and everything you can think of could come from this sketch.

Here is my take:

I decided to measure out some different angles strips instead of the torn edges. I really like the way this one came together...the only part I'm really not happy with is the journaling. I had thoughts of writing this wonderful letter, and then I get to that point and my mind goes blank, I can't find a spot where I like the journaling, it just turned into a big mess...so I just kept it short and sweet. Still not 100% happy with the placement, but you'll have that I suppose. :)

Hope you all get a chance to play along this week!! Head on over to Sketchy Thursdays to get all of the details and play along for this weeks fabulous prize! :)

Sketchy Thursdays

It's Thursday, which means a new sketch is up over at Sketchy Thursdays, and it also means this is my first layout as a design team member! I am still kinda shocked that I am a part of this team with all of the other amazingly talented ladies. :)

Here is the fun sketch for this week:

Here is my take:

I want to say thanks to the talented Jen Jockisch for the title inspiration...she recently had a layout up at the Crate Paper blog, and sisterhood was her title, the minute I saw it I knew I wanted to use it for these photos. :)

I switched the sketch up just a little bit, which just shows how very versatile this sketch is...hope you find time to join in this week!! Head over to Sketchy Thursdays and see what the rest of the design team created, and join in for your chance at this weeks fabulous prize!!

PolkaDot Door Blog Hop

I was extremely honored when I was asked to be a part of the blog hop this month along with all of the other extremely talented ladies at PolkaDot Door. For those of you who haven't heard of PDD, they are a wonderful challenge blog who every month give you an inspiration photo and you create something that you love by what inspires you...you get the chance to hop along and learn about some new amazingly talented ladies, and play along for some fabulous prizes.

I am not going to lie, when I saw the image for this month, I was stumped, for quite awhile. I sat and stared at this photo, I asked friends, I even asked my hubby....and wouldn't you know it, he was the one who finally helped me find my inspiration. Talk about a shocker!! LOL!

First I will show you the photo for this month, and then I will try and explain what inspired me, because I can almost guarantee you won't be able to tell from my layout. ;)

Here is the photo for this month:

Very adorable photo, I was just super stumped...I was taking it way to literal, and was really struggling with it....so when I showed the hubby, the first thing that he noticed was the "sibling rivalry" in the photo....of course his solution was use pics of the girls arguing...at this point I was desperate, so I started going through photos to find that I didn't have any of them not getting along, not playing around and just being the buds that they are...so I got to thinking, and they really don't fight much, they are best friends, soooo....I decided to scrap that. The fact that right now there aren't those kind of issues, but that I know one day it will happen, I just hope they get past whatever it is to stay as close as they are now.

Then once I decided not to be as literal, I started looking at the photo in a different way...I was then inspired by the pops of red against the light blue, the patterns of the outfits and how they contrasted so beautiful, the sprinkling of the little gold and green circles along the floor,...and I was inspired...I knew exactly what I was going to do.

The reds are photographing really off on here, but super cloudy day, and I am still learning PSE. :)

Now please hop along and see what all of the other fabulous ladies have created:

Lindsay

DeeDee
Amanda (You are here)

Debby

Aki

Nicole

Valerie
Smitha

Sabrina

Joanne
Marivic

Tammy

Diana

Mazlina

Polkadot Door Designs

This month's prize sponsors are:

Berry71Bleu is giving away a $20 shop certificate to the Challenge winner.

UmWow Studio is giving away a prize package to the blog hop winner.

Scrappy Doodads is giving away a complete kit to the featured designer!

Thanks so much for hopping by my blog, I hope you are inspired to create something you love. I hope you take the time to not only visit all of the other ladies, but play along yourself! Make sure to link your creations up at the PolkaDot Door!!



I'm still here :)

Hi all! :) I know its be awhile, but I promise you I am still here! :) I have so much going on right now with projects to get done and the kiddos, I swear I need a few more hours each day and then I *might* get everything done that needs done! :) I'm sure you can all relate! :)

I thought I would hop on and share a new layout.

These are some pics from last year that I hadn't got around to scrapping yet....I can't believe how much the girls have changed in just a year...I am really not prepared for how fast they are growing up!

Had some fun layering and playing around on this layout! I am really happy with the way it turned out....I had to add in a banner, of course :), but I tried to kinda change it up a little.

I used Crate Paper's Farmhouse almost exclusively on this layout...I love all of their new lines...just got the Random collection in this week, finally! Hoping to get some scrappy time SOON!!

Heading out to the Pumpkin Patch this weekend, so hopefully all those new photos will inspire me to get crafty!! :)

What projects are you working on these days??