The Squirrel Hole

Two of my weakest links

2012-02-15T22:51:00.000-08:00

To make a card and a baby card at that. Almost. Impossible. Yet, I had to have it to put in the box tonight to be mailed tomorrow.

Brights on a grey day.

2012-02-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

My one layout from the crop last night. I used American Crafts Margarita line for this layout with the exception of the Thickers which are from Dear Lizzy, the mini ticket strip and the star pins which are from Maya Road. The picture is of my cousin and sister from the Oregon State Fair. The edge of the base paper is painted with Picket Fence Distress Stain and dotted with Jenni Bowlin's Lemon Drop paint.

Risk a little

2012-02-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

Light gray card stock layered with a Basic Grey doily reverse side up. I used the same doily as a mask on the dark gray card stock and spritzed apricot chalkboard glimmer mist. Scraps from the Soiree-Pink Paislee line and Jenni Bowlin. Felt word, hearts, and dots from K&Company and doily overlays from Maya Road.

This layout features a fashion risk I took, wearing a pair of heels out to run errands. Surprisingly, they were more comfortable than one would think.

Other bits and pieces

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

While making and working on the Twelve Months of Minis, I have also been puttering around the studio doing other things. For example, I am currently going through my layouts and putting them into the new American Crafts D ring binders I got fro Christmas from a very thoughtful Hubs. Of course, knowing me as well as he does, he realized that I would want to personalize my albums and bought me three with plain chipboard covers, so I have been covering those and moving the layouts into them.

While sorting the layouts, I have come across some that are either unfinished or are in need of repair. Yes, journaling is my weak spot and I canNOT stress to you how aggravating it is to have to repair layouts due to less than stellar adhesive. For some of you, I am sure you completely understand my level of intolerance for this.

These are the two piles currently sitting on my sewing table. The one on the left is the unfinished pile, while the one on the right is the repair pile. Sad that they are about the same size. I am this close [ ] to using Gorilla Glue or E6000 on them.

I have also been trying to find my desk after my return from CHA. As always, it was incredible and I was fortunate to be able to take some classes while there, but this is what my desk looks like after emptying the suitcases.

In addition to the projects already there, I added two mini books, a bunch of jewelry projects, and some incredible mixed media projects. Honestly, the hardest part of sorting this disaster is not getting side tracked by the cool things I come across.

Beginning of something new

2012-02-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

Way back in October, I was purging through my supplies and realized I have hoarded a large amount of chipboard mini albums. I have no idea why I thought I would need this many, but I did realize I needed to come up with a way to use them soon. As usual, while laying in bed trying to sleep, the idea of a mini per month for 2012 was born. I know this isn't a new concept as there is Project Life, (overachievers ;), and whatnot, but it is a commitment I think I can fulfill.

I, of course, had every intention of having all 12 books covered and ready to fill with memories on January 1, but as life would have it, I didn't. Something called Breaking Dawn, the holidays, and laundry came into play there. I will say that I did have the books all gathered in one place AND even had made a list of which book would be for what month and what papers I wanted to use. I will also confess that at the time of this blog post, I have no idea which notebook holds said list...

The main thing is there are no real "rules" for me. It isn't a daily thing because 1) my life isn't that exciting and if I did it daily, would be 26 days of cat and house cleaning photos with the 4-5 pictures of actual events, and 2) there is absolutely no way I would keep up with a daily journal.

So far, January's book has 26 pages while February's only has 16. That is okay. I will record the days that stick out, the ones I remember to take a photo for. I have almost finished January's book, (printer issues- GRR!!!), and have February's ready to go, painted and papered. This week, I will pull out the March book and start covering it, so hopefully I will be ahead of the game.

Enough blah blah, here are some photos of the books.

I used a Tattered Angels album, covered with one of my all time favorite lines, Bo Bunny's Snowy Serenade, mixed with a glimmer misting. The snowflakes on the pages are a Martha Stewart punch, the cover has My Mind's Eye sticker letters, crepe paper, ball trim, Thickers numbers and a plastic glitter snowflake from Target layered with an organza flower and a Prima center. The flower was made for me during a swap. I did the journaling on tags I cut from white card stock and tied with four colors of baker's twine.

I am by no means going to show every page because that would just be tedious to both myself and the readers, but these are a couple of the favorites. I was super excited to learn how to print the photo booth strips from the Incredi-booth app on 4"x6" paper for a cute mini strip. I love things in miniature.

February is a Maya Road album featuring another favorite paper, the Love Me Do line from My Mind's Eye. I didn't have quite enough to cover the inside pages, so I snuck in some Making Memories paper. I must note that for the first time ever, I didn't really worry about what paper went where, I just covered the pages and let it be. Normally, I make sure there are equal alternations in the pages. While I will admit that there are no same papers facing each other, it is still a random mix of how they all line up in the book. At least as random as I can be in this.

Two books used and two lines that have been in my stash for at least 2 years used. That is a really good feeling.

It has taken a year

2012-01-23T16:59:00.000-08:00

for me to finish this layout. A year. That is just sad, really. The layout itself came together very smoothly, which for a one picture per page scrapper like myself, that is impressive with the 15 pictures on this page. I LOVE the colors and have used this line for at least two other projects.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to do with the journaling. I wanted it to be on the doily obviously, but did I handwrite it or type it? And if I typed it, how was I going to make sure it was in a circle? So incomplete it stayed.

Until today when I sat down at the computer, actually read the "Help" section on my word processing program and figured out how to type in a circle. Then I was faced with what to say. How did I impart in a 4.5"x4.5" space how special it was and is to me that my Grandma and I were both born in January? How did I say that simply sharing the month with her made me feel special, gave me a bond to her that has even 18 years after her death, continued to warm my heart in this otherwise dreary month? I just typed and let what ever come to mind become journaling.

One of my favorite parts of the layout is the feathers. I love feathers and adding them to the page just gives it a fun and different touch to me. I also added a few red bling in homage to the garnet, January's birthstone.

Another chance

2012-01-18T23:55:00.000-08:00

A lot, (most? all?), of people wax poetic at the start of the new year. Resolutions, goals, fresh starts, new beginnings, etc. I am not usually one to be a part of all that cause I am honest with my personality and I know that I have to do these things on a day by day basis, with the exception of choosing a word for the year. A word to live by, a word I use to remind myself of the path I am trying to forge. It is simple and not my original idea. I know Ali Edwards does it every year, as well as Christina Kane and many more.

It is a great format for those like me who somehow lose entire days and wake up, say, on January 18th wondering where the first two weeks of the month have gone. I try to come up with a word that works in many situations, a word that can be part of a saying or can stand alone. This year, my word is:

2012 is the year for me to RISK. Risk everything, risk it all, take fashion risks, the list goes on. So, expect to see this word show up in various places in my life this year. I will not be irresponsible, but I am not going to necessarily play it safe anymore.

One of the places I have been lately is a quick trip to Oregon to celebrate a very special lady's 65th birthday. While on the 36 hour journey, I was able to steal a few moments with this beauty and am so blessed to be an auntie to her and her sister.

(Risk image from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2011/04/04/why-risk-must-be-your-best-friend-in-todays-business-climate/ )

Let's Get Caught Up

2011-12-06T14:02:00.001-08:00

Wow these last few days have just zoomed by! I have been working on the DD. Here are the pictures of the recent pages.

Hope your December is so far full of joy and merriment!

Off to a good start

2011-12-02T10:21:00.001-08:00

(Chuckle!) So here is the day one page of my DD. I am off to a great start so far! Let's hope I can keep it up! ;)

On the agenda for day two's photo to take: A picture of a list. That should be easier enough as I have list everywhere!

It is upon us!

2011-12-01T10:55:00.001-08:00

Whether you look at December with a bit of dread because it marks the end of another year or if you see it as the last hurrah before a brand new fresh year, it has arrived. And with it comes another chance for yours truly to complete a December Daily journal.

Yes, as you may or may not recall, I have metnioned, (promised, sworn, guaranteed), that I was going to see this project through in the years past and each time, I have quietly allowed the project to go unfinished, to hang over me as incomplete.

Well, not this year!

I have forgone the grandiose plans of an in-depth account of the next 25 days and of creating something each evening inspired by that days events and photos. Instead, I have decided that for me, I need to follow the KISS method.

Oh, and I should mention, I also had a friend in this endeavor. Yep, my dear friend, Daniela, told me that she was creating a December Daily kit, complete with the stuff you needed for the journal as well as daily inspiration on her blog and frankly friends, I decided it was best, (i.e. easiest) for me to let someone else do the dirty work.

See, Daniela has already put all the papers together along with the matching number stickers, journaling cards, and quote tags, plus a wonderful little baggie of holiday flotsam and jetsam to decorate with. How much easier could it be? In addition to all that, she offered a deal if you purchased the new limited edition Tim Holtz Winter Distress Inks and the kit together. Music to my ears.

And here it is:

I am about 75% done with the inside pages, prepping them to be ready to pop in a photo and/or journaling. I have added pieces from my own stash, pieces that I can now find in my supplies thanks to my purging, but truthfully, you wouldn't need to add a thing. This kit has everything you need except glue and the memories. This book came together so quickly and perfectly. If you want to do the December Daily trip it isn't too late to grab one of these for yourself or even to have for next year. Now THAT would be a head start!

The Art Life Shop's December Daily Kit

In addition, I am going to post my pages daily and I want to share with you the picture sheet that I will be following for the next 25 days to help me with my task. I discovered it on Pinterest, but here is a link directly to the author's blog. She has some incredible lists and suggestions for photos.

Katrina Kennedy

25 December Daily Photo Ideas

1. Something Red

2. A list

3. The Christmas tree

4. Presents wrapped under the tree

5. Something warm and tasty

6. A candy cane (or many)

7. A wreath with a red bow

8. Stamped and addressed Christmas cards

9. Santa Claus

10. Away in a manger

11. Ribbons and bows

12. Something sticky

13. Reindeer

14. A decked hall

15. Silver bells

16. A hippopotamus

17. Under the mistletoe

18. A cup of cheer

19. Toys in every store

20. A winter wonderland

21. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

22. Holiday greetings

23. A shining star

24. Children, sleeping

25. The number “25”

My Gear & Technique

Through December I will shoot a lot with my 50mm lens to help with lowlight situations. I will grab my 70-200mm lens for stealth close ups and details from a distance.

I’ll shoot a lot on some days, only a shot or two on others.

I will enjoy the month and make sure I’m in at least a few photos!

Katrina Kennedy

Capture Your Holidays: Through The Lens

Sorry, I tried to upload the pdf but was encountering problems that I have no doubt are user error. :) But here is the list, nonetheless.

Lastly, in news of the scrap space, the purging continues. I am SO close to being done, but now am at the point where there is piles on the floor that just don't really go anywhere and I feel like I have been doing this for so long that I am ready to just dump it into the donation boxes and say, "forget it." All I want to do now is create. I know, first world problems, right?

Here are a couple of photos of the drawers that make me smile every time I open them because 1) they are so colorful and 2) it is all finally in one place.

Pinterest Inspiration

2011-11-15T11:21:00.001-08:00

I am still purging. Between all the Twilight events this month and going through stuff, I don't have anything crafty to show at the moment. I do have some fall/winter outfits that I have put together from inspiration I found on Pinterest, my newest addiction. The main thing about these outfits? Most of them, if not all pieces are thrifted! With one glaring exception. Actually two pairs of a glaring exception-- my boots. I believe in investing in good boots, ones that are classic and all leather, that way you can literally wear them forever. I have a pair of brown and a pair of black, both are the same style from Frye. They don't show up that well in the photos, but I will include their details.

First, I love the trend of flowy button up shirts untucked over jeans. Such a cute, casual look.
Shirt: Unknown brand, $5.99 Thrifted (still had the original Mervyn's price tag attached for $24.95)
Jeans: David Bitten, $8.99 Thrifted
Earrings: Lucky Brand hoops with birds, discount store years ago
Boots: Frye "Veronica Slouch" in Dark Brown

Leather jacket: Wilson's, $9.99, Thrifted (still one of my best finds)

All about the animal print! I love animal print pieces, but realized I didn't have any. A quick trip to the thrift store remedied that situation.
Shirt: No tags, $5.99 Thrifted, (LOVE the fit of this one!)
Jeans: Hudson, $8.99 Thrifted, (Seriously, some of my favorite jeans ever AND these are boot leg tucked into boots-- another Pinterest inspiration)
Jewlery: Old
Boots: Frye "Veronica Slouch" in Black

Here are those Hudson's again! For boot legs, they tuck well using this trick: http://styleberryblog.com/boots-jeans-a-new-year-style-tip
Sweater: Banana Republic, $6.99 Thrifted
Jewelry: Old

*Note-- the hideous messy bun hairstyle is actually a Pinterest idea. It is the sock bun method and the end results are pretty awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FV-YO46E8Y

I love this outfit, though there are a few kinks to work out. Actually, just one. The shirt. This one is really too bulky for the look I was going for, plus it is too busy with the front pockets and snaps.
Shirt: Roper, $2.99 Thrifted
Jeans: Miss Me, Christmas gift from hubby last year
Boots: Frye "Veronica Slouch" in Dark Brown
Belt: Lucky, $4.99 Thrifted
Necklace: Forever 21, old, don't recall price but certain it was under $10

Here is the hair out of the sock bun:

These last two photos are kind of silly. One is of my "Bella" outfit. It is my version of Bella's Honeymoon getaway outfit from the upcoming "Breaking Dawn." The other is my most recent and one of my favorite thrift finds.

Dress: Sag Harbor, $15.99, Consignment shop
Belt: Forever 21, $3.99
Shoes: DV, $12.99, Marshall's

THIS Sweater!!! No kidding has to be one of the most cozy, comfy things ever. I know someone handmade this wearable blanket. I has buttons and POCKETS! I have lived in it since purchasing it a few weeks ago. And the best part? My cost: $1.98. No kidding.

So those are my favorite fall outfits inspired by Pinterest. Next time I post, hopefully it will be of creative goodness!

In upheaval

2011-10-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

When I said, "Let's do this" I am not sure this is what I meant. This is what my scrap space looks like right now.

A complete disaster. That thing under all of those piles and protectively surrounded by the bins of stuff? It is my desk. This is what happens when I get all fired up.

The reason for this chaos? See that black bookshelf in the right hand corner? It and its identical partner have just left the building, folks. After three years, it was time to part ways. I am getting a new shelf with openings all of the same size that will hopefully utilize my stuff better.

One shelf, Lora?

Yes. ONE shelf.

So you know what that means...PURGING! Yep, less is more. Christmas is around the corner and I want to be able to create easily, which I have realized means getting rid of the excess. What you can't see in this photo is the piles of stuff behind me, piles meant for different people or groups.

And honestly, every time I put something in one of those piles, I feel better and when I actually box it up and send it on it's way to a new loving home, I feel AMAZING!

By the way, thank you to all of you who left comments on my last post. It literally brought tears to my eyes how sweet and genuine they were. Thank you for making my whole week with your kindness.

"Let's Do This"

2011-10-19T10:17:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't really fallen off the face of the Earth. I haven't totally crawled under a rock and I haven't gone off the grid, although all of those seemed like good ideas recently. Suffice it to say, I went through a pretty emotionally draining summer with family and while everyone is perfectly healthy, it took a larger toll on me and my creativity than I would have anticipated.

But yesterday was the first time in a very long time that I woke up feeling like myself. I had the old Lora attitude of looking forward to Monday, with all it's fresh opportunities. I was ready to be an contributing member of this sitcom called Life. In other other words, "Let's Do This."

And I did. I created my first layout in two months. I love the Jenni Bowlin Holiday lines the she launched this year and this paper was begging to be used, so I found enough of my desk to work with and made a layout featuring none other than that cutie pie niece of mine.

The paper really did most of the work for the layout, needing little embellishing. I added the spider and lace tapes to the present word border on the bottom, a Maya Road calendar page, and the super awesome wood spools star buttons from Prima. I have a tendency to have little "bags of crap" that accumulate in my stash. These generally contain the flotsam and jetsam of projects past. I can't get rid of them because the stuff is still great, but they don't really go with anything else either, so there they sit. I am proud to say that the trick or treat bag, the orange frame, the ball trim, the photo turn, and the orange pinked corner, (which is another frame just tucked under the photo), are all pieces from one such bag. There! See I DO use them. Eventually.

The last piece is a journaling tag tucked into the treat bag. I love how the house and tree silhouette adds a little sumpin' sumpin' to the overall layout and I black stickled the tree for a bit of detail. While the title on the journal card said, "Tonight's Memories," I decided it was perfect for my memories of spending time with my niece recently and how much she loves to dress up.

I don't scrap a lot of Halloween layouts. Maybe because I don't have kidlets to take photos of, maybe cause the Hubs and I don't really dress up or go anywhere. It certainly isn't for lack of Halloween related scrap stuff! I have decided to try and scrap it more though, since it is a holiday I love and try not to focus on having a "Halloween" photo for the paper, but more month of October memories that can also work.

Oh, and by the way, I am SO glad to be back!

Funky, funk, funk

2011-09-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

That is the state I have been in lately without the bellbottoms and groovy hair. I seem to have hit a rough funk on the creative side of life lately that I am slowly coming out of. This last weekend was full for my family. We had a very good friend visit from NYC and I wanted to make her something, so I whipped out the mini below in a matter of hours and was shocked at how cute it came out. There is something to be said about lines of paper with matching quote stickers.

Sorry for the horrible photos. These were taken in my lap in the car as the Hubs was cruising at 65mph over the ridiculous CA freeways here. I am surprised they aren't more blurry. With a breakfast that took way longer than planned and multiple false fire alarms, I simply ran out of time to snap photos before leaving the house.

Two-fer Tuesday

2011-08-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

I haven't been scrapping much or even thrifting much lately. I have been reading. A lot. I realized that I finished four books in the last five days, including the Hunger Games trilogy, which I am still digesting.

I have made the following two layouts in these past few days, both featuring new lines from CHA-S.

Featuring Amy Tan's line with American Crafts. This is the second layout I have made with this line and I have to say, her style so meshing with mine. I LOVE the color blue in this line. I had to scrap this photo as it made me smile because it is so my cousin and it shows her funny side that usually results in us on the floors, laughing so hard the tears run down our legs.

This is a layout that started as one of my sketches. I used pieces from Basic Grey's Indie Bloom line, which I LOVE. The colors are so yummy. The little pom-poms are made from twine and there is a blog on how to make them here.

Monday (Page) Maps

2011-08-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

It began with inspiration from Becky Fleck's Page Maps books and turned into this.

The random thrift art post

2011-08-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

This is a totally random post with a totally random story to go with it. As I am sure I have mentioned at least once, I love to thrift. I mean, I REALLY love to thrift. It makes me feel like a kid on Christmas morning. So yesterday I went to a nearby town that I had heard had good thrift stores and a fair number of them in a small radius. I happened upon two pictures that weren't something I would describe as my style, but I was drawn to nonetheless.

Here is where the random story comes in. It wasn't random in that it is off topic, but more what happened. I took the two pictures to the counter and was making small talk with the cashier. Here is how the conversation went down.

Her: "These pictures are interesting aren't they?"

Me: "Yeah, I am guessing they are kind of old."

She picks up the picture, puts her nose to the back of it and inhales deeply.
Her: "1950's."

Me: "I beg your pardon?" (As I tried to not let my jaw hang open in disbelief).

Her: "You can tell by the smell, they are from the 1950's."

Thought in my head: "Are you messing with me?"

I have to admit, friends, when I got into the safety of my own home with my treasures, I cautiously sniffed the back of one of the pictures. I am pretty sure I can guess what the 1960's and the 1970's smelled like and I know the 1990's smelled like Teen Spirit, but I am not sure what the 1950's smell like, but I smelled nothing.

Friday's Finish!

2011-08-19T16:19:00.000-07:00

Whew! It feels good to get things off of the "Please Finish Me" list. I started this pair of silhouettes for my aunt back in May and just couldn't get the right touches to finish them and send them off to her. Ah, but finally, I have.

They started as two white ceramic discs that could be hung up. It was a stroke of genius that I realized if I added duct tape to the ceramic base, it would make it more easy to decorate. I am not sure if you have ever tried to paint or decorate a piece that has already been fired, but it is a pain in the tush. My aunt has a thing for zebra, so this was the logical choice in my mind.

Then I added the burlap and printed the silhouettes on sticky back canvas. I picked a boy and a girl cause as life would have it, my aunt has a boy and a girl. It was the back piece that I struggled with until I remembered I had a Cricut and I can cut pieces to size.

I deconstructed a record album cover for the scalloped circle, painted it, Rock Candy crackle painted it, and then Walnut Stain inked it. I also re-colored some of the beads from the hanging wire to make them more fitting for the color scheme.

Funny, now that I am looking at them, I think they need feathers....

See my dilemma with trying to finish things?

Have a great weekend!!!

A mini and a steal!

2011-08-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

First let's show the steal. The Hubs came to me a little while back and said those magic words we all want to hear.

"I want you to buy whatever organizational pieces you need to get your scrap studio functional and make sure that you don't cheap out on your pieces. They need to be investment pieces, something we will have for a long time. No more temporary fixes."

Okay, maybe you don't dream of hearing those words, but I certainly did. So in my new quest to organize my space once and for all, (hopefully), I have been looking for pieces that I think will stand the test of time. Like map cabinets or flat files as they are also called.

On the first Sunday of each month there is an antiques show in Alameda. The Hubs and I went and LOOK WHAT WE FOUND!!!

Isn't it awesome! It is from the UC Berkeley labs of the 1960s and has a stainless steel top added. I am going to paint it eventually and put it on castors, but I was so excited to snatch this piece. It was at a huge discount compared to what these go for online new, plus it is old! I immediately filled it with everything from 2 jumbo Clip-It-Ups, all my paints, chipboard letters, and a bunch of other stuff.

Now onto the mini. There are quite a few photos, so bear with me. This is the mini I did for our Independence weekend trip to LA.

Us being complete goobers on the completely cool donkey at Olvera Street.

Mini pocket for the extra bits you tend to gather on vacation.

SERIOUSLY. BEST. SANGRIA. EVER!!!

It was close to 100 degrees the day we went to Hollywood so the shots are having some exposure issues.

There is an almost identical photo of my mom from about 24 years ago.

Ol'Blue Eyes lived in the house on the left and a famous, yet fresh, prince spent time at the one on the right.

The Jim Henson Theater Company, previously owned by Mr. Charlie Chaplin, who is obviously still peeking in to watch over things.

Hollywood High School. Alma Mater of John Ritter, Judy Garland, Carol Burnette, and a bunch of others. The other photo is the entrance that you may recall from "Beverly Hills Cop."

The House of Blues on the left and The Viper Room on the right. A little macabre, but still a part of Hollywood.

Behind us is The El Capitan Theater, fully renovated by Disney. It was phenomenal.

Speaking of Disney, while at The Happiest Place on Earth, we even got to see The Mouse.

It was a driving kind of day.

Club 33. Walt's personal club. Look it up if you are curious, it is an interesting story.

All of my "mistakes" while journaling, which is why I rarely journal.

A technique tute on Tuesday!

2011-08-16T09:27:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is my loose glitter fix. Well, it isn't actually mine, since I got the idea from Natasja Verbeek, but this is how I do it.

Gather your supplies: tray, Gluber, loose glitter.

Peel off one side of the film from the Gluber and pour the glitter over the circle. *Note-- you do not need to cover all of it. Just get a nice amount down.*

Use your finger to spread the glitter around the Gluber. This is why you don't need to totally cover it to begin with. You can always add more. While you are spreading it with your finger, push the glitter into the Gluber. This will help it not flake later.

As my niece says, "Da-Da!" While this trick doesn't completely eliminate the mess of working with loose glitter, (seriously, I still had it all over myself, but maybe that is just me), it does cut down on the flaking once on the project.

At this point, you can brush off the excess. I was pretty rough with mine, using my fingers to rub the Gluber to remove as much extra as possible before peeling it from the backing and sticking it on my project. Also, while it looks like there are spots I missed, the Gluber is covered and once adhered, any light spots disappear.

So, as I laid in bed on Saturday night, I was thinking about how cool this turned out and what else I could do with Glubers when inspiration struck! I had to force myself to remain in bed and wait until morning to try my idea.

If a Gluber works so well with glitter, then how would it do with micro beads? I have always loved the look of micro beads, but the idea of trying to adhere them gave me nightmares, so the jar sat on my shelf, taunting me.

Haha! No more!

I used a 2" circle punch to match the size of the Gluber, punched an image from the paper, and followed the same process as above.

Again, rub those little boogers into the Gluber to make sure they stay. It can take more abuse than you might think.

Oooh, pretty!!! At this point, I am literally doing my "I am a genius" dance. If you have never seen it, you are totally missing out.

I know, I know! I even made a card! I was thinking how cute would these be as centers for larger Glubers that you make into flowers? I tried it but they were way too big for the card.

Get out the loose glitter and micro beads, my friends. The time has come to make them earn their keep!

How many manufacturers?

2011-08-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

Nine. Yep, I included items from nine different manufacturers to make up this two-page layout. Not sure if that is my all time most used on one creation, but it is still quite a few. Let's see, there is Martha Stewart, Echo Park, Cosmo Cricket, American Crafts, Pink Paislee, Sassafras Lass, Webster's, My Little Shoebox, and one company that I can't recall their name. Hear paper and polka dot paper are Sassafras, the yellow damask is Echo Park. Journaling tags are Pink Paislee and the title is from American Craft Thickers, of course. The yellow tiny letters are MLS, the buttons are Webster's, the glitter is Martha, and the large dots? Well, I am SO glad you asked!

Those are GLUBERS!!! No kidding! Natasja Verbeek of CC's design team showed me this technique back at CHA-W and I finally figured a way to use it. AND, AND, AND I have special twist on this concept to show you tomorrow that I am VERY excited about. Let's just say, it is time to start pulling out that loose glitter we all love but hate to have end up all over our layouts for the next few years.

Home Sweet Home

2011-08-10T16:38:00.000-07:00

So I am going to do my best to post even though Blogger seems to be having some trouble.

I woke up to this beauty the other morning. I have been trying to grow an orchid for at least five years and I have never succeeded in getting one to bloom, but that stops here! Can you see those other buds? Oh yeah, those are four more waiting to show their glory!

This is what my desk looked like, (still looks like), while I was creating today. I totally wipe out any surface. But it is all in good fun. This is what I was putting the finishing touches on:

The other project from the second Tim Holtz class that I took a week ago. This is a canvas with pieces of his paper stash stacks adhered and then covered with beeswax. I decided to make mine into a house complete with windows to the people who live there.

See the man on the left? He is actually in love with the lady over on the right. Unfortunately, it is unrequited as the lady desire is obviously in love with the man in the window with her.

Here is another inhabitant peeking from her window. See the little girly on the pig underneath the window? That was a found piece from the stacks shared with me by my BFF, Daniela.

I loved the boy and his dog and his little bro peeking out of the ornate window to the left. Oh, and as a little bit of tongue in cheek, I used the floral patterned paper for the triangle under the rulers. It is flowers in the attic. ;P

"She..." series Part I

2011-08-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

"She..." by Kobi Yamada

This book features quotes about empowering women. I was directed to the book by Elizabeth Kartchner on her Dear Lizzy blog and have since decided that it is something that every female I know should have. It was while thumbing through the book that I hit inspiration to do a series of layouts based on the quotes featuring pictures of the women in my life.

I started with an idea and a white sheet of 12x12. I used my clear Sakura Glaze pen to write a secret message on the page.

Its there, I promise. The Glaze pen works like a resist in a way. Let me tell you though, clear ink on white paper is a pain on the eyeballs. While I was working, I had a special helper.

Her job? Keeping me thoroughly entertained with her attempts to hide and to kill the ribbon attached to my distressing tool.

What do you mean this space isn't for me? It is obviously the perfect size!

Her other job was to be where I least expected her to be when it was time to put stuff away. Remember the secret message?

I had totally planned for this to be pinks and blues! Funny how you can start with a plan and then the creative just takes over.

I love how the Glaze resisted most of the paint. I did have to wipe the excess off with a paper towel, but I can see using this technique with other Glaze colors.

Another mess of embellishments at the base of the log. I made the log with sticky back canvas that I painted and then stamped the wood grain on. Cady's wings are from Pink Paislee's butterfly stickers. I had to sacrifice two butterflies for them but it was worth the cost. The little red and orange mushroom? Those are flat backed glass pieces that I found at a local stained glass store. Cute, huh?

Summer Moments

2011-08-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

Summer is my favorite time of year. I love the warmth, wearing tank tops and shorts, it staying light longer. One thing I am not necessarily a fan of is ice cream. I know, I should have warned you to sit down before I dropped that bomb, right? I don't care for ice cream, it generally gives me a tummy ache. With the exception of ice cream from Thrifty's. Now there are no Thrifty's that I know of in existence, but thankfully their buyer, Rite Aid, has kept some of its stores with an ice cream counter where you can get some of the original Thrifty ice cream flavors. Now they also have some "new" flavors, like the caramel apple one they offered the other day, which if you ask me should have been called "Shrek Boogers and Toe Jam" cause that is what it looked like to me, BUT they do still have my all time favorite, Chocolate Malted Krunch.

I snapped these photos back in June. I was so surprised and excited to find this at the local Rite Aid, I just had to commemorate it with pictures and a layout. You see, I remember from the beginning of Lora's Memory, going to Thrifty's and getting an ice cream with my grandma. I can remember when I was finally allowed to have two scoops instead of just one. It was finally decided I was mature enough to handle two, my second choice being the brownie one, and I felt SOOO grown up.

This is the first layout I have done since the beginning of July. Sad, I know. I must have been going through layout withdrawal, cause I even journaled!!!

I used Basic Grey papers, AC Thickers, a random mess of embellies, and my new Stampin' Up! doily stamp with Versamark ink to create the resist on the kraft paper. I even pulled out the Cricut for that blue die cut peeking from the corner.

I would love to hear what reminds you of summer? Running in the sprinklers? The sound of the ice cream truck?

Tim Holtz Tuesday!

2011-08-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

How cool would it be if Tim Holtz was a guest blogger or was doing an interview with me? Totally, right? Yeah, but he isn't. BUT, I do have a project that I created with him. I was fortunate enough to have the chance to take a class with Mr. Holtz over the weekend. This is my second opportunity and I have to reiterate that he is such an incredible spirit. You know those people you meet who are genuinely beautiful in heart and thought? That is Tim Holtz. Okay enough poetic, onto the creation.

This is one of two classes I took with Tim on Saturday. (Like how I dropped the "Tim" as if we are on a first name basis?) It is called "Patchwork Pandemonium" and it is a technique-centric experience. Every one of those patches was created with an ink, stamp, and/or paint technique. As he put it, it was "a five hour aerobic workout without ever leaving your seat." No kidding, but I LOVED every moment of it. And the amazing thing was each persons turned out different because we are all driven by different colors.

On a side note, I have to say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my readers!!! Truly. I was in my local scrapbook store today to grab some distress stain and a lovely lady informed me that she read The Squirrel Hole. I have to say that completely made my day, ( and I was having a rocky kind of day). So I just want to let you all know that I appreciate you taking the time from your life to spend a little bit of it with me. You all warm my heart.

Monday's Random Five-- A Little Rant

2011-08-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Lets be honest. I try my very best to positive. I firmly believe that if you insist on looking at the sunny side of things, then in time, you will have mostly sunny days in life. It is my humble opinion that the Universe gives us what we expect to get and I have tried to train myself to expect good things. But, even as positive as I try to be, I have "my things." You know, those little bits of sand that creep into the odd places of your bathing suit and cause ridiculous amounts of irritation? So, just because, here are five of those bits of sand.

1) Tip jars. Every where. I have a simple response to this-- NO. Wait staff make tips because, generally, they make less than minimum wage and the tips are the difference. Someone who takes my Starbucks order can forget it.

2) People standing too close to me in lines. BACK UP. You will not get there any sooner by stepping on my heels and in fact, depending on my mood, you might not make it at all.

3) Out of control/disrespectful children. This pertains to anyone under the age of 18. I have certain levels of tolerance, but once that is reached, I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. Yeah, I am one of those people. And I am proud of it. Trust me, I NEVER acted that way as a child. I asked. My mom's response? "Are you out of your mind? I would have killed you!"

4) Cell phones. I LOATHE them. I think that they are the bane of all existence and they are the truest sign of the degradation of society. My phone in particular takes photos, sends text and multi-media messages, can surf the Internet, and hold music, but it drops 99 out of 100 phone calls I make. It is called a phone, not a multi-media gadget that sometimes can make calls. And that is just one thing on the long list of complaints I have about the stupid things. You really don't want me to start on people driving with cell phones. I repeat, bane of all existence.

5) Facebook. Does that really need an explanation? I didn't think so.

Okay, I promise I am back tomorrow with the start of new somethings WAY more interesting than my little complaints.

Monday's Featured Artist- Amber D.

2011-07-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Or, as I like to call her, Bams, but you must get her permission before you call her Bams. See, Bams and I go WAY back. Like to 1984. When she was born. Yep, no kidding, I have known her that long. Crazy, right? Well, not really when you consider she IS my cousin. BUT, do not begin to think that my feature of her has anything to do with partiality, (okay, well, maybe a little bit), because honestly, this girl is talented.

Amber is a college student and a mother to two adorable handfuls of kid energy. She is a wife, a sister, an aunt, and a friend. She has a great sense of humor based in much sarcasm, (my native tongue), and a unique sense of style, which she can rock out in her thrift store and vintage finds.

Amber has a true eye for beauty and that is reflected in her photography. There are a lot of people out there who can take pictures. They go to school, practice, etc. Then there are those individuals who have a gift within to be able to see the perfect shot. Amber is one of those people.

Amber can also manipulate photos into fantastical images. She surprised me by taking a picture of me and turning it into this:

Her graphic designs for her Alice in Wonderland altered book were so amazing to me that I could literally stare at them for hours. For instance, this one with the white roses painted red and the Rabbit Hole that Alice tumbled into.

Or how about simply her art? Yes, along with all of this, Amber is an artist. She has an amazing ability to draw not only what she sees, but what she sees in her heart and mind. This is something she has always been able to do. I remember her drawing a perfect Garfield for our grandmother when she like five years old.

I love the Walrus! He is amazing to me. Drawing is not something I do well, so to see someone else be able to just sketch something out that isn't stick figures always impresses me. And, honestly makes me a little jealous.

Take a moment to check out Amber's blog, The Secret Life of an Artist, if you have a chance. She is constantly coming up with new things to show and inspire with.

I LOVE Questions!

2011-07-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

I figured I would take a quick break to answer some questions I have received on my blog. I wouldn't want y'all to think they went unheard. In fact, the reason I require my "approval" of all comments is so that I can make sure I read each one. I would feel really bad if I missed one.

Serene and Susan both asked about the drips on the "Favorite Villain" layout from Wednesday's Use What You Got post.

*The drips were part of the original paper. I did not add that, just cut out the specific drips I wanted to add over the mat and photos. You can do something similar to this with a paintbrush and watered down paint that you dab across the top of a page and then hold up to allow the paint to drip. It probably wouldn't look as thick as this border, but I have done it and it looks smashing on velvet brocade paper, (see first photo below). You can also highlight the drips with Glossy Accents, like I did on the music paper below. As I was considering this question, I came upon an idea of mixing some Perfect Pearls or maybe a drop of alcohol ink to some Glossy Accents and seeing if that could recreate the effect as well. This is an untested theory as of yet.*

Susan mentioned on Monday's Random 5- No Rhyme or Reason that she was thinking of picking up Mark, the cute little Weeble looking guy made for the SMASHbooks, yet wasn't sure what to do with him.

*I have Mark and he is totally worth the $2 price tag, even if you do not own a SMASHbook. I think he would be awesome on a layout that featured him with a word bubble, giving advice to whomever is in the photo, like possibly a man who has four daughters? ;) If nothing else, he is fun to look at and make up voices for.*

Serene, also referring to the No Rhyme or Reason Random 5, asked what the Hubs t-shirt said.

*This one is right up your alley, Serene! Or more specifically, up your darling hubby's alley. It says, "The Mighty Marvel" and features Hulk, Captain America, Wolverine, and Spidey in profile. Could it have a future as a piece of wall art next to Wonder Woman? Quite possibly, my friends, quite possibly.*

Amber brought up the question, "Aren't you allergic to lilies?" regarding the picture of Lily wearing one on the Simply Saturday in Pastels post.

*Yes, I am and I have now voiced my Achille's to the world in case someone is looking to do me in. Just a note-- it does take me a while to be affected by their noxious smell and it only works with the Asiatic lilies, like Stargazers and Tiger Lilies. I can lay down in a bed of Callas and be fine. That is because Callas are not really lilies, just FYI. And there is your tidbit of useless knowledge for the day, folks!*

Last, but certainly not least, while it wasn't a question, a number of you wished my poorly kitty to be well soon back on the Busy Thursday post. I just wanted to say thank you for the kind wishes and that she recovered fine. It seems she has ear wax issues, which I am sure is WAY more information than you really needed, and needed to have some drops to make her right as rain.

KISS Wednesday- Using What You Got

2011-07-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

This isn't a post about how you should use what you have in your stash. We all know we should use what is in our stash. This is a trick that while obvious, I often overlook or even fight against. It is using your patterned paper to embellish for you. Sounds simple enough, right?

Papers like Webster's and Prima are perfect examples of papers that have so much embellishment already built in for you. How much you add beyond that is personal aesthetic. I did this layout of that goofy niece of mine and I let the paper be as much of a lead player as a background one.

I wanted to use the dress forms on the Webster's paper, so I added a flower brad to the tops of them. For me, this page is very simple in it's amount of embellishing and it's design. It only took me about an hour to finish this one from conception to display, as opposed to the regular two hours plus it takes me to complete a layout.

Another simple page is this one of two silly shots taken at the Eclipse premiere last year. I wanted quick and kind of campy to match the photo, (or more specifically, the photo of me in what the Hubs call a Katy Perry pose), and this Marah Johnson for Creative Imaginations paper kept calling to me.

This was another one (hour) and done. Nothing too over the top, just a glimpse at that few moments in time. I used my cutting blade to cut out some of the red drips from the top and slid the polka dot paper and the photos underneath.

Pretty underwhelming when you think about it, but I find many times that I pull out a piece of patterned paper and I struggle with how I would be able to work photos into the existing print without losing any of the main parts of the pattern. For examples that utilize the papers, as well as feature fantastic embellishing for true works of art, check out either Webster's Pages or Prima. The members of their design teams are crazy talented.

Tire-Swingin'

2011-07-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

This is a layout of my cousin that I made while in Tennessee last weekend. I used mostly elements from a Scrapping From The Inside Out kit that I won recently. I pulled out the large floral paper, which is by Basic Grey, and though I wasn't sure I really wanted to use it for this photo, when I read the title of the paper, I just knew I had to. It was called "Tire Swing."

This is a rather pale type of layout for me, but the photo itself is vibrant, I think the pastels allow it to take center stage without a lot of competition. The borders on the bottom are the bar code strips from the Crate Paper base, (light blue), and from a sheet of Sassafras Lass, (cream scallops), used in another project. I also used my Epiphany Crafts epoxy maker to make some flower centers from the reverse side of the scraps of "Tire Swing." This title is Thickers.

I cut a partial frame from the top of "Tire Swing," then picked individual blooms to pop-dot over flowers in the frame to make it 3-D and left a large petal going off the page. Unlike many of my other layouts, this one should still fit in the page protector, though it will hang out the top.

Monday's Random Five- No Rhyme or Reason

2011-07-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hello, readers!

I am back from beautiful, (humid), Tennessee and finally recovered to a point of being my original self. Here are five random things on my radar that are truly random.

The beautiful retreat house in Normandy, TN.

(Note to self, angles ARE your friend.)

Meet Huey, short for Huge, one of the resident cats at Hatch Show Prints in Nashville, TN. I doubt they need a terrier on duty with Huey in house.

Still amazed that we are looking down the barrel of 5, (FIVE!!!), years together.

Totally loving, yet completely intimidated by my new SMASH journal from EK Success. I want to make it fabulous and I want one in every color.

And just when I felt like I was pretty talented, I see something beyond words amazing like this hand painted piano from The Junk in Our Trunks. Seriously? Just the idea to do this makes my ideas feel novice. This is phenomenal. No need to put a vase of flowers on it, you have the perfect poppy that will never die right there.

KISS Wednesday- Heroic Canvas

2011-07-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hello, readers! The Hubs and I are back from (very) sunny L.A. We decided to use the long weekend to play tourist in the City of Angels and I have to say, we both had an awesome time! I know L.A. gets some serious flack, but I have to say there were a number of things that L.A. has that I would put W-A-Y above my local stomping grounds, like customer service for one. But I digress.

For today's Keep It Simple, Silly post, I am featuring a canvas that needs a total of five things to complete. You need a t-shirt, Mod Podge, a foam brush, scissors, and a canvas. That is it. Add a few hours to harden and this is a quick project for some original home decor.

It started with a t-shirt that I loved. The image on the shirt, that is, not specifically the shirt itself. I bought this Wonder Woman tee at Comic-Con four years ago, (don't judge), because I LOVED the relief type image and the touch of bling. Yet, I had only worn it a handful of times, so I decided I wanted to figure out another way to keep the image but make it more useful.

I used a 12x12 wrapped canvas with deep sides because I wanted to have the image wrap around the sides as well. I like the look of canvases that have the image continue around to the sides. I cut the front of the shirt from the back and positioned her where I thought she looked best, while making sure I had enough material to cover all edges. I pulled the shirt front off and spread Mod Podge all over the front of the canvas.

*Now let me add a side note here. I had recently purchased Fabric Mod Podge and thought this was the perfect opportunity to try it. I started with it and realized as it dried, it creates a shiny, hard finish to the fabric. This was not the look I was going for, so I decided to change to the Matte Mod Podge to seal the art.*

I laid the shirt on the wet surface, positioning it so that the edges could be wrapped and that it was straight. To wrap the edges, I added more Mod Podge to the edges of the canvas and wrapped them at the corners like you would wrap an edge of present. I stepped away and let the base coat dry.

For the top coat, I used Matte Mod Podge and I tapped the foam brush across canvas to pull up the nap of the fabric. I did run the brush over the rhinestone areas and then followed by wiping them lightly with a paper towel so that the bling stayed sparkly. I was trying to get a more soft, hazy canvas look as opposed to a shiny glass picture look. The first coat actually caused some odd white spots on Wonder Woman's hair, so I applied a second coat and focused on those areas. Once it dried, it was exactly like I wanted and even The Hubs was impressed with how it turned out.

Here is the side view so you can see the edges that I was trying to get.

This was such an easy and fun project that has great impact. The Hubs does wear hero shirts and when they get kind if raggedy around the edges, I am going to do this to them as well and make an entire series. I think this would be wonderful for a little kid's room and it is fairly inexpensive if you get the canvases on sale.

Happy Fourth!!!

2011-07-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Photo: From the Temecula, CA blog

Simply Saturday in Pastels

2011-07-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yes, pastels. You know, those soft colors that I am not particularly fond of? Well, here is a layout in all that soft goodness. My newest niece. And can you guess her name just from the picture? Yeah, I am tricky like that.

Friday the First!

2011-07-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

Here comes the holiday weekend! Hope that you and your family have a wonderful and safe holiday. Oh, and make sure that you read the rules of any parks that you happen to go to. You wouldn't want to follow the rules. ;P

Busy Thursday

2011-06-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hey, y'all! I know I said I would be doing a post with a tute for the flowers today, but one of the furbabies isn't feeling well, so it is off to the vet for us. That being the case, I am going to keep it simple with the posts for the next few days by posting just a project. Thanks for understanding!

Monday's Random Five- Wardrobe Lusts

2011-06-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Since last Monday I showed five new pieces I have recently added to the wardrobe and that I love, here are the current five pieces that I am lusting after.

The Brookee clog from Aldo. I LOVE these! And I am quite comfortable in shoes with this kind of heel and sole. This shoe is very "scrappy" to me.

The perfect pair of bootcut white jeans from Joe's at Nordstroms. I really want a pair of white jeans, with their crisp, summery freshness.

Yellow with lace and fabric flowers, need I say more? LOVE this cardi from ModCloth.

Oh, the Tamara T-Straps from Frye shoes, how I have drooled over you for months. I have worn my Frye boots to death and I am sure these would become my most loved sandals.

Last but certainly not least, the Hathaway Tote from Fossil. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this bag!

Saturday's Scrappy Moment

2011-06-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

A quick layout before I head off to a 12 hour crop with my bestie. When we were in LA for CHA, she spotted Langer's Deli, a restaurant that had been featured on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and wanted to try their famous pastrami sandwich. Being an avid Food Network fan myself, I was total game. When they served our sandos, I whipped out my Instax and snapped these shots to memorialize the moment.

I used Crate Paper for the backgrounds and glued a folded piece of pink crepe paper around the blue circle. The burlap circles were "mistakes" from another project and the "Remember" die cut from My Mind's Eye hides two journaling tags that I tied with silver twine I saved from a clothing tag. Old silver glitter chipboard letters and felt Thickers in brown. Hot pink bling from Mike's and a few scattered vintage buttons, along with some velvet fringe trim and AC polka dot ribbon. The rosette flower is a favorite trick of mine that I will feature on Thursday. The white rose die cut is K&Co., (I think!), and the chipboard flower is two layers from Basic Grey with a vintage button in the center. The purple crochet flower is from a deconstructed cardigan and the yellow one is from the very talented Serene. Finally, the heart is something I made and the little girl charm is a shrinky made with Greeting Farm stamps.

Two-fer Tuesday

2011-06-21T11:11:00.000-07:00

Normally we do Tool School on Tuesday, but I wanted to step away from that this week and show you these two layouts that I created last year. They have been absent for almost that long, waiting to hear if they would be published, which they will not be. That means they are free to be shown here!

This was created originally for a book call. I relied heavily on the gorgeous Prima paper to provide most of the embellishment and added some handmade organza flowers, The Art Life flowers and ephemera, and some bling. The rosette ribbon was from a discount store and I found it right before it hit the scrapbook market in all it's current gloriousness. I also tore the top paper in the right corner to expose some music paper behind it. It is a detail that I have used a few times since. I like the hidden and exposed feel it gives.

This one was for a magazine submission. I used an old Scarlet Lime kit. I love the black, red, tan, and white combo and it fit perfectly with this photo of the Hubsters and me, which I have to admit is one of my all time favorite photos of us. I broke out the craft knife for this layout. I thought the floral background paper provided some of the best opportunity to add more texture to the page.

I cut certain features and rolled the edges, then inked them with Distress Ink to make them more defined. The is a favorite trick.

Monday's Random Five- Summer Clothing Faves

2011-06-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

These are the five pieces of clothing that I am really loving right now.

A perfect dress that channels the class of the 1950's or 1960's to me. A steal at Forever 21 for $25.

A cute lightweight sweater for the perfect nautical look. Another Forever 21 find for under $15.

I LOVE the 1970's inspired boho look and this top is perfect. One of my thrift store finds for a few bucks.

Cute, comfy, and easy to wear. Love the colors, (notice a trend?), this is another thrift store find for $10.

The perfect boho-ish dress. Love the longer hem and the fabric is like a whisper in the heat. Forever 21 for $23.

Friday's Finish!

2011-06-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

This project has been hanging around my desk for almost a year, if not a year. I feel kind of ashamed to admit that, but there are other projects that have been around a lot longer and they are still incomplete. A friend I saw the other day had a tote that said, "The Queen of Unfinished Projects." I seriously need one of those.

This layout was waiting for the journaling. I wanted it to fit in the blue frame, but I also knew if I attempted it in my handwriting, it would look like heck and I would like this layout even less than I do now. Did I just admit that out loud? That I do not love, nor even really like this layout? Yes, I did. It happens sometimes and we just have to roll with it. I love the pictures, I love the colors, I love the memories, so that is enough for me.

KISS Wednesday

2011-06-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Here is another simple colors layout, but that isn't really what made this layout simple. I used a sketch I had drawn up before for another layout, only this time I changed the orientation. Here is the original sketch in my book.

Here is the layout I made using the sketch only changing its orientation to feature the photos on the top.

As soon as I saw these pictures of my cousin, I knew I wanted to make a layout that gave the feeling of movement, the feeling you get from a dandelion being blown into the wind. I played with it in my head and then recalled the sketch I had made for another layout and realized by shifting it, I would be able to set the pictures up to tell the story and impart the feeling. By using a sketch I already had and limiting my colors, I was able to make a quick and lovely layout.

Tool School- Getting the Basics

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

I have another basic tool to feature today. Now most of the basic toolkit list that you will find probably do not mention a paper piercer, but I have found that they are important. I have the We R Memory Keepers brad setter.

Yes, me, a brad setter. I know I don't use brads very often, but this little dynamo has helped me in so many situations. In fact, last weekend, it was my life saver. Someone at a retreat was having trouble with her the hole in her beads being too small for her project. My brad setter rectified the issue and she was a happy lady.

The purpose of the tool is to poke the hole for the brad, then you use the head of it separate the legs of the brad and flatten them out. No more poking those little demons under your fingernail, which is great.

But, I have found that this tool's application goes WAY beyond setting brads. I use it to hold tiny embellishments down while I am gluing them, to punch holes through a button I wish to sew onto paper, to pluck little sticker letters from their sheets, (oh, yes, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type, I am talking to you), to push pieces of die cuts that are not fully cut through, to grab pieces of paper left behind in dies, punches, etc. The applications are endless. It is one of the tools I consider most necessary.

Monday's Random 5- Memorial Day Special

2011-05-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

Today's random five are focused around five different outfits in my life that were all red, white, and blue. I am very patriotic and have always been, so I have also always expressed it in my attire.

1) Eighth grade: This outfit, which was by far my most patriotic, was purchased for a contest I was in, but I wore this outfit SO many times that the navy blue shorts and jacket almost faded to royal.

(Can I be honest and tell you that I would totally still wear this outfit, including that awesome hat, and so wish I had it?)

2) Freshman year: White t-shirt with a puppy on it holding an American flag in it's mouth, blue jeans, red heart earrings, white leather Keds. I am not making this up.

3) Senior year: Western shirt with a blue bodice covered in white stars and sleeves that were red and white striped, blue jeans, and boots. I am surprised there is not a picture of me in this shirt because I remember wearing it A LOT.

4) 24 years old: Navy blue tank top with a sequined flag on the chest, camo green shorts, white Skechers with rhinestones and tiny little metal rhinestone flags on the laces. (I had/have a blue, red, and silver pair of Skechers that I loved too).

5) 32 years old: Red and white striped sweater, dark wash jeans, blue clogs, navy and white polka dot headband, and my sailor monkey earrings.

Some things just never change and my love of the red, white, and blue is most definitely one of them.

Sunday's Special!

2011-05-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

This is a project that I dreamed up a year ago for a design team entry. Obviously, we know how that went. ;P

I used a bird house found in the $ section of Micheal's, a piece of wooden dowel, and a blank 3x3 wood block. I drilled a hole in the block, (which totally surprised me by being hollow!), and the bird house with my nady-dandy Fiskars hand drill. Then I covered the block with a paper bag that my friend uses for her store. My medium was, you guessed it, Mod Podge, which by the way, I have erroneously called Modge Podge for years until I was chastised recently that I was in fact, saying it wrong. I may just start calling it, "that amazing gel medium that comes with the funky 70's inspired label" and then no one is offended with my mispronunciation.

I wrapped garden twine of the dowel and glued to to both the house and the block, then glued a pile of random flowers and the birds over the entire piece. Most of these flowers are from The Art Life Shop, who is the same store that uses those darling bags that I used to cover the base.

Such a fun little piece that has huge impact, yet took little effort to make. Love those projects!

Tool School- Getting the Basics!

2011-05-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

How many times have you looked at a class and it says to bring your "basic tool kit" with you? Ever wondered what exactly is IN a basic tool kit? Well, I have a page here that breaks down my own personal description of the basic tools needed for a class and then some extras that always seem to be a good choice. For the next few weeks, I am going to be picking these items from the list and featuring them on Tool School Tuesday, cause you can't drive the dozer until you learn to man the lawnmower first, right? ;-P Some country girl wisdom there for you.

One of the single most important things that you will put in your tool kit is scissors. Seems like a no brainer, I am sure, but you would be surprised how many classes I have taken and had to share mine, (not that I mind sharing), because the person next to me didn't have a pair. No kidding. My suggestion is make a real basic kit that contains doubles of certain things so you do not have to pull them out to create at home, things such as scissors. Use a coupon and pick up a second pair of your favorite all purpose bad boys and a pair of your favorite fine snippers and leave them in your tool kit. That way you won't have to borrow mine. :)

While I am not very specific as to brands of most things, when it comes to scissors there really is only one choice in my world. The red handled Tim Holtz branded Tonic scissors.

Now, remember kids, Auntie Lora does not get paid for any endorsements, nor has she received free product unless specified. That being said, this is the third pair of these scissors I have owned, the first pair disappeared after a class, (hmmm...), so if Tonic wants to send me some, I certainly wouldn't say no. ;-P

In all seriousness, I have two pairs of these scissors because they are that awesome. I have a pair on my desk and a pair in my kit. I have now tied a blue ribbon to the ones in my kit in an effort to keep them from running off. Why do I love these scissors so much? First, there is this:

Yup, rubberized, pliable handles so there is no extra metal piece putting pressure on your fingers. Love it! Then it comes down to how they function. I have cut wooden dowels, metal necklace links, legs of brads, the little bails on the backs of buttons, cardboard, thread, yarn, and jute with these puppies, then turned around a cut a piece of paper with them. There is no misses, no nicks in the blades, nada. They still work like butter. I would say that 99% of the time while creating, I will reach for these scissors to cut just about anything.

My second choice in scissors is fine tipped pair and I have three pairs of Cutterbee brand fine tipped scissors, one pair that stays in the tool kit and the other two hang out on the desk.

Can you guess which pair belong in the tool kit? I love these scissors because they really can get into the detailed cuts on some of my projects.

While I have found that these work best for me, I am not quite as adamant about them as I am about the above Tonics, but I do strongly suggest having a pair of fine tipped scissors in your kit for those intricate cuts.

Monday's Random 5

2011-05-23T20:10:00.000-07:00

So today is more like random four, BUT two of those are projects. I was going to do a post called "random two in blue," but I snapped these cute kitty pictures today, so I just had to add them and that kicked it up to four. I suppose my fifth random thing could be a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my mom. If it wasn't for her, there is a lot that wouldn't be, including, but not limited to, me. Okay, on with the show!

First, this is a layout of a really good friend. As you can tell, the Hubsters has been friends with her since w-a-y back in the day. (Seriously, when were skinny ties in?) Anywho, she is one of the awesome additions I got by default when the Hubsters and I got married.

I wanted to keep it simple because the Anna Griffin patterned paper is just about all the pop! this layout needed. The Pink Paislee Artisan Elements are colored with a Copic marker and have a little bit of bling added. Here is a close up of the title and journaling. Oh, and that skinny tie!

Those are of course, Thickers. Shocking, isn't it? So I must have been in a blue mood, but in a good way, because the next layout I finished featured it as well, this time with one of my all time favorite subjects to photograph.

There's another butterfly! Seriously, do you use things in your creating that under normal circumstances you tend to avoid? I am not a butterfly person, per se, but I have been using them frequently. Maybe that is because Jenni Bowlin makes great ones. So, this layout is about my niece playing on her great-grandma's headstone. While Cady-bird did not get to truly meet her G.G., I hope that I can share enough memories with her and Lily-bee as they grow so that they will know her.

The final line in the journaling is that I can hear my Grandma saying that Cady playing here and me taking photos is alright. I had some mixed feelings about this moment and these pictures, but I truly heard her say it was all okay and that is why I had to scrap it. I am not sure why Cady chose Grandma's stone to play on, as there were a number of other ones that I and my family were showing interest in, but she did and it again shows me that children see things that us adults miss. I am not entirely sure Cady was playing alone.

Now onto my other two randoms of this Monday. I continue to adjust to life with fur-babies. They are funny and their personalities have completely surprised me. The one I expected to be shy is in fact the extrovert and a bit of a trouble maker, which should come as no surprise since she is the one who adopted the Hubsters, who is a mischievous soul himself and the one I expected to be dominant, is in fact, a scaredy cat.

This is Lotus Chief and I swear she will be the end of me. There are times I can literally see her plotting and I wonder if she is plotting my demise. If she could only figure out how to work the can opener, I would be useless.

One of these things is not like the other one.... Every time I see this picture, I think of that jingle. The Hubsters left just a smidge of the closet door open and I went into a panic because I couldn't find General Fuzzface. Then I saw the opening and viola! there she was. Silly kitty.

Random Five- Indulgences Right Now!

2011-05-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

Hello, readers. Here are my Random Five for Monday, this time with my current indulgences.

1. Starbucks Peanut Butter Chocolate Mini Cupcakes-- OH! Heaven!!!

2. The smell of coconut and the reminder that summer is closer today than it was yesterday...I think...

3. Watching the finals of Dancing with the Stars. So NOT a reality show person, but I love to watch people boogie!

4. Thinking about Chris Hemsworth in Thor. All I can say, "hubba-hubba!"

5. Last, but certainly not least, spending time with the two new furbabies in my life.

What have y'all been up to?

Friday's Finishing Touch

2011-05-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am a little late today, BUT it is still Friday here on the WC. I am reserving Fridays for my lost of unfinished projects. I am not sure if you are anything like me, but I have a hard time completing things. I get bored, sidetracked, etc and they sit around partially done and waiting for those "finishing touches."

Friday is where I will feature a finished project. After this post, I will try to take before and after photos. Today though was a project I got a little ahead of myself with as far as blog recording. This is an altered box I started with my friend, Daniela, last August, (I think), and it sat unfinished until now.

I love the mosaic technique that she created with pieces of torn paper. To finish it, I added ribbon, flowers, the feet, and some Stickles. Here is a closer view of the top where I tried to create four specific fairy worlds.

So, that is one more thing off the "To Finish" list. I would love if you shared your own finally finished pieces with me. Or maybe I am the only one who has trouble seeing a project to completion....

Technique Thursday- The FIRST!

2011-05-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

Bear with me everyone as this is my first video and it is a bit rough. For this first tutorial, I had a request on how I make the niches in the altered books. Here is my first shot at this!

It is on my new YouTube channel as well. Get that here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSingingSquirrel

KISS Wednesday- Simple Color Combo

2011-05-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

For this first KISS Wednesday, I am going to use a simple color combination. While my personal style tends to be busy and very colorful, I believe you can make beautiful creations by simplifying your methods. For this week, I decided to limit myself to only using five colors on the layout-- black, kraft, white, red, and yellow.

I started by pulling everything that fit that description from my stash. I had the page design in mind and selected a stack of things that could possibly work. If there was any of other color than one of my five on the embellishment, I did not choose it. After I selected my pieces, I picked out photos. I pulled photos much the same way as I pulled embellishments. I used the stack of already printed pictures and pulled ones that 1) would work well as is with my color scheme and 2) were photos of people I don't scrap often. When I was done I had about five pictures that I thought could possibly work.

For the page I cut and 11"x11" square from the center of the kraft paper, laid the red scalloped Bazzill paper over the cut, and put the smaller piece of kraft in the center of the Bazzill to create the look of a red frame. Then I laid out the embellishments along the bottom. Once I got the basic scheme, I tried the different photos. Now, this process may seem kind of backwards, but it does work for me when I have an idea for a layout that isn't photo specific.

I decided on the picture of my brother and sister-in-law. It couldn't be a more perfect photo for this layout, as they are dressed in the perfect colors and it is such a lovely photo of them. Once I had the picture, I was then able to add the calendar page behind them and adjust some of the embellies to be more specific, such as adding the "h" sticker to the the black polka dot button and adding the squares of stamped paper behind some of the embellies. I also added the measuring tape ribbon and the title at this point, basing both solely on the photo. My sister-in-law was about 4 months pregnant with their first child so I cut the ribbon off at 9 and tried a few titles to convey what I saw in this photo.

By keeping my color combo simple, I was able to create this layout quickly and still be really happy with it.

Tool School Tuesday!

2011-05-03T19:37:00.000-07:00

Tuesday is going to be the chance to go back to school, so to speak. No tests, no bad yearbook photos, but hopefully a chance to learn something new about a tool you may have or may be looking at adding.

On this first Tuesday, I am going to touch base on the Dymo label maker. This form of journaling was popular a few years ago, but I find that it is still the perfect touch. Recently, I made a mini album that had a number of different type of pages in it, acrylic, card board, and canvas. The Dymo labels seem to work not only in the design of the book, but they adhere well to the different materials of the pages.

I have this Dymo labeler. It has three disks of letters, numbers, and symbols. I liked this one because it offered symbols like a heart, as well as a lower case disk that looks like cursive. I wanted the old school hard plastic labels and mistakenly bought the new high-tech labeler that is all digital. I still have it too and it is neat, but frankly, this little pink tool is hand powered whereas the other one needs batteries and the labels have texture where the other one is flat and the text looks like its from a printer.

This little guy is easy to use too, though when I ran out of tape the other day it did take me a few moments to load the new roll correctly. It had been so long since I had needed to change it and I yanked the old disk out before thinking about it, so I had my few moments of looking like a monkey trying to figure out an algebra problem, but I did get it.

In the mini I mentioned, I decided that I would use two disks for the journaling, the upper case disk for the beginning of names, phrases, etc. and the lower case cursive disk for everything else. Below is a picture of the curl of tape in the Dymo that I created while flipping from page to page and making the journaling.

Instead of cutting it off after each phrase I decided to just use the space key on each disk and cut when I was done journaling. It seemed less time consuming. Flipping the disks in and out was simple and I only lost my place once, but that is because I was distracted. When I ran out of tape in the middle of a word, I didn't worry because the beauty is that you can cut it very close and make the tape match nearly seamlessly.

You can see in this photo that there are actually a couple of places where I cut the tape and the matched it back to make it flow. I actually ran out of tape while punching the word "saying" right after the "y." The other cuts were because I got a little snip happy and cut the phrase wrong. All wrong, in fact. The line through the "o" is just a glare actually.

I find in a small space, the Dymo is a great way to put the needed information in without feeling like it is heavy handed in the journaling. PLUS, it is easier to correct your mistakes.

I love how the two disks created this more unique font for me. Dymo tape also comes in other colors, such as pink and blue, so you can match it to your project.

Hope this was interesting. If you have a tool in mind that you are curious about, please let me know. If I own it, I will see what I can do for you.

Sunday's Special- Punky Sprouts Mini

2011-05-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

Each Sunday, I will try to bring you a new special project, something I don't feature any other day of the week. This week it is a mini album featuring the Memory Makers retreat that I attended last September/October. There were 8 of us from the MM Forum that were able to make this maiden voyage and for many of us, it was the first time meeting each other. While I felt I knew them, I had not met any of the ladies I was flying to Texas to spend four days with, so I was uncertain how the weekend would pan out.

I am so happy to say again that it was FABULOUS!!! Everyone was exactly the person I had come to know and love on the boards. Truly genuine and so much fun, I counted each one as a whole new blessing to my life.

Okay, enough of the waxing poetic, right? Onto the mini!

This was a kit put together by the very talented Suzy West. I purchased the kit back in December because I knew I would find the perfect thing to showcase in it and I did. I have to add that this Punky Sprouts album is not in it's original form as I did add some pages since I had so many pictures I wanted to use.

The top page is a picture of all of us in front of the cute scrapbook store. Then I used an acetate journaling block to make the "menu" which leads us to the photos of dinner the first night we all arrived in Texas. On this bottom page, I hand sewed, (which is why it looks like a 2 year old did it), the card stock to the canvas page with turquoise floss, spritzed the white flower with Smooch spritz, and the dot in "enjoy" is an earring given to me by Kathi, who hosted this retreat.

The patterned paper is Glitz, the acetate and rub ons are Hambly, and the glitter dot paper is Best Creations. The lime green card stock is Bazzill, I am sure.

A few more photos from dinner that first night. The next two pictures show the two tag pages and the overlays I created for them from the acetate journaling blocks. In the second photo, the black and white resin rose was another earring and the black and white pom pom is crepe paper cut with fringe scissors and rolled.

The page covered with the polka dot paper is one that I added. The flower on the second page is a piece of glimmer misted lace rolled and glued to a larger blue flower with a button center. The bottom two photos are an acrylic page that I covered one side of with the chandelier acetate. The zipper flower is a piece of Maya Road trim and the polka dot ruffle on the bottom picture is crepe paper again cut with fringe scissors.

In the top photo, you can see that I tore off the top layer of the cardboard page from the album. I did this same thing with the front cover, only I did not glimmer the page like I did the cover. In the bottom picture, the cake journaling square is actually a Glitz acetate piece.

The top canvas page is misted with a mask. The second two photos are the front and back of an added page. The ribbon at the top is actually two pieces that I contrasted and wove through the original holes of the page, (it was a pre-punched paged for another type of book). I tied a few charms on the end, one being a tag with two Epiphany epoxies and the other is a Maya Road crystal colored with a Copic.

These top photos are another page I added that is acrylic and covered with some pieces of the Glitz and Best Creations. The bottom picture is the inside back cover. I painted the lime green square to fit behind the acetate block.

I used my Dymo labeler for the journaling in this mini because I felt the black and white went really well with the colors. I want to thank Lisa, Kathi, and Serene for the photos. If it hadn't been for you snapping and sharing great pictures, I wouldn't have had much to feature in this mini!

Monday's Random Five

2011-04-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

My random five bits for this Monday are:

1. I wonder if Mother Nature is EVER going to decide what she is doing....

(these were taken at the same time with my phone the other day)

2. I devoured this book, which is not surprising as I had been eagerly awaiting the next chapter...

3. And I was beyond words pleasantly surprised by this. If you are a fan, I would highly recommend it.

4. Enjoyed giving the Hubsters his first ever Easter basket yesterday. I loved his exuberance over such a small thing. Of course, I added a bottle of wine to the goodies.

5. Speaking of the Hubsters, he is off this week and although it is only Monday, I am really enjoying his being home with me during the day.

So, what are five things in your world that are on your radar right now?

Going places

2011-04-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

In July a dear friend will be welcoming her first baby into this world. This new little man will be one of the most loved children ever and I am so very excited for both him and they family eagerly awaiting him.

I wanted to make something for Baby W that was unique to his situation. His parents are both active individuals who spend a lot of time outdoors going, seeing, and doing things, so this little man will have a very active life as well. I kept thinking about the Dr. Suess book, "Oh, The Places You Will Go" and how I might figure that into my handmade portion of the baby gift. It came to me like many of my ideas come to me, in the wee hours of the morning when I should be sleeping instead of thinking of things to create.

A travel themed frame to showcase a travel photo! I used a map of the state where Baby W will reside and Modge Podged it onto a wooden frame. There is a small red indicator for his hometown and I used TGF's "Hugh" to make a shrinky charm in essence of what I imagine Baby W to look like when he is older. The "W" is a wood letter wrapped in gardener's twine. Looking at this now, I am going to add a compass charm to the "W" as well before I wrap it and send it on home.

**I also want to give a quick thanks to those who gave me feedback regarding tutorials and classes. I am currently in the process of figuring out the best way to proceed.**

Need some feedback

2011-04-12T14:57:00.000-07:00

I am considering some changes in Lora-land and was wondering if y'all would take a moment to answer two questions for me. Be honest, do not fear my feelings as I sold them years ago.

1) Would you be interested in being able to purchase class kits from me with full color instructions?

2) Would you be interested in how-to videos and/or video classes from me, and if yes, is there anything in particular you would want to learn?

Thank you in advance for taking a moment to let me know. I have been getting mixed feedback and only started thinking of how I can improve.

Sunday's Round up

2011-04-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

It seems like it has been an exceptionally long week. I am still a little shell shocked that it is April. Already. One of the busiest months for me. I have 6 birthdays in this month. S-I-X! All close family too. Actually, 5 1/2 because the newest addition is due in about a week's time.

Today, this little hambone is two. Wow. I have known this beautiful little soul for two whole years. Amazing. According to Gramma, she has a whole vocabulary, including the words, "mess" and "nassy" (nasty), which I would pay to hear her little voice say. She is about to a big sister, something she will love and hate with equal passion throughout her life.

I am (finally) scrapping the pictures from the Memory Makers Texas Retreat of last fall. It is fun to look at them and remember how enjoyable that trip was. I can't wait to do it again this year.

Spent yesterday catching up with two of my favorites, this lovely lady and the beautiful wine country we are so close to. Wine, friends, and sunshine really is a recipe for a great day.

Prepping for this in only a week's time. Can't believe it came up on me this fast. Seriously, April 16 sounded like it was forever away.

For The Record class

Today is time to enjoy the quiet, the laziness, the fact that I have nothing that has to be done right now. It is all about finding the peace when you can, right?

All by myself

2011-04-06T08:06:00.000-07:00

Why is it that as soon as I typed that, I heard the song in my head? Ugh. (Haha and now you probably have it running through your head too!)

I have to take a moment to give myself huge props because I made this skirt ALL BY MYSELF! No pattern, no nothing other than an idea. I know, I know, it is a simple skirt with an elastic waistline, but still! ALL BY MYSELF! That is important and we must not forget that piece.

I used the adorable fabric from Stampin Up! that I JUST had to have. I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but aha! Here is my way to get the most out of it. I have a feeling we are looking at what will be one of my staples for the summer wardrobe. It is easy to put on, comfortable, and cute, plus super lightweight, so I won't melt. Oh, and the 10 flowers in my hair? Do not think for a moment I won't be sporting this look sometime for more than just pictures.

P.S.- Keep the comments about the white legs to a minimum please. As my friend, Daniele, says, I was pasty before Twilight made it cool.

A day with Heidi

2011-04-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I was fortunate enough to take a class with Heidi Swapp. I have used Heidi's creations for years, but meeting her in person gave me a whole new perspective on this talented lady. First, she is funny. Like really, truly, genuinely make you laugh, completely surprise you with her comments funny. I love that quality. She is also one of the most real people I think I have ever met. Her spirit is good and you feel good just by being around her. Plus, she said she liked my sweater. ;)

I started the morning with her Daily Junque featuring, you guessed it, the Daily Junque line she designed for Pink Paislee. I love this album so much, I am not sure how I will be able to stress it. The colors of the line are so me, with the navy, muted red, green, yellow, and cream. LOVE it! Then all the air mail, typewriters, maps, globes, etc. Could it be more perfect? Doubt it.

This is the cover of my book, which is personalized.

If you look closely, on the left is Heidi's siggy and a little note from her. Such a doll! I plan to use this book to capture the odds and ends of the year. Just those little bits that make up life, or more appropriately, the junk that makes it a great trip.

I actually just added that little ATC with the "C" on it. I made that in January at CHA with Lisa M. Pace and I figured this was the perfect place for it. I made a note on the back of when and where it was from.

Here are a couple of my other favorite pages from the book. There are pennant shaped pages, acrylic pages, and I even used the glassine-type envelope that held all the ephemera pieces in the book. I figured I could tuck bits inside it.

The afternoon class was this adorable flip out book featuring the Soiree line, another total hit out of the park. So much vibrancy in this line. While it is birthday or party themed, I totally agree with Heidi that it is way more versatile than that. I plan of using this to showcase a few of my favorite photos from our trip to upstate New York last year. The trip's main focus was celebrating our niece's 1 year birthday, but that wasn't the entirety of the trip.

Cute stuff, right? I have to say that the white paper with all the flowers is a total favorite. I would have a couch covered in fabric with that print, a dress in it, maybe even wallpaper. Not all three, mind you, just one of the above.

2011-03-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

First, I want to thank everyone for your incredibly touching comments. They brought tears to my eyes and I realized how truly blessed I am to have such an incredible group of beautiful people around me. As for the favorite song question, I appreciate the answers. I LOVE music and I am always looking for new to me songs.

I don't have much to post other than I am almost through Season 1 of "LOST." ;-) Here is the random winner for the giveaway.

Congratulations, Elaine! You were comment #4, (hopefully the widget stays, having some trouble with the silly thing!), so please send me your addy and I will get the box out to you ASAP! Thanks again to everyone who commented.

Floral Abundance

2011-03-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

**I will draw the name for the giveaway tomorrow, so if you would like to be part of the drawing please leave a comment on the post below by midnight PST today, 3/29.**

My "For The Record" class is live for those in the Bay Area. Here are the details for sign ups at Scrapbook Territory's blog. This last weekend, I spent catching up with my cousin from Utah, grabbing some creative goodies, and watching Lost with the Hubsters. I know, we are a bit late to the party, but now I get to watch it start to finish without waiting long periods of time.

I also found time to make this wall art. I have had the paper mache heart in the stash for a while and decided it was time to put it to use. I have been itching to use the ginormous bottle caps from the new Maya Road release and this was the perfect place to do it.

Some new twine from Pink Paislee's "Soiree" release, a lot of GCD/Melody Ross from last year's release, Stampin Up! library clips that I am totally in love with, and a LOT of flowers, some Prima, some not. I used Modge Podge for the cover of the heart, the satin finish for the dictionary paper and the fabric for the lace and velvet. I also used the satin for the inside of the bottle cap.

That is a piece of left over sewing pattern paper, misted with Smooch ink, and Modge Podged onto the back. I left it wrinkle for more texture.

This now hangs above my dresser, which I would have taken a picture of it there IF the lighting in this house wasn't so cave-like. It is right next to my three displays of necklaces and it makes me smile when I have to get dressed and inspires me when I am picking out jewelry.

!!!200 Posts!!!

2011-03-23T10:07:00.000-07:00

Holy wow, 200! I know for some who have hit the thousand mark that doesn't seem like much but for me, it is huge.

I am going to showcase a(nother) mini that I recently finished featuring my Grandma. I am sure I have mentioned it, but my Grandma was very much a part of my early life, helping my mom raise me. Grandma's love is something that I will carry for the rest of my life because she is a huge part of who I am today. It took me years after her loss to really look at photos of her or actually allow the memories to sink in. I avoided it for so long because it hurt so bad. I am getting stronger in baby steps and this mini is one of those steps. It took me almost two years to finish this.

I love the photo on the right espcially because it has my Grandma, my mom, and my great-grandma or G.G. in it and all three of these amazing women raised me.

You can't really tell, but in the photo on the left, she is wearing red Keds. I have always had a penchant for red shoes, I wonder if it is hereditary?

My favorite page of the book. These were some of her best colors and I love this senior picture of her. She looks so beautiful. My mom tells the story that while you can't see it, the back of Grandma's hair was dark brown. Such a rebel!

Yep, that is little ole me at about 4. We were in Pismo Beach, I believe.

This last one was probably the hardest for me in a way. Grandma is standing on a corner in San Francisco. I know exactly where it is and I could be there in less than an hour. But even if I flew, it would be empty...

Just for giggles, I figured I would share what a typical Lora-esque mini looks like from the side. There is no chance of ever getting it to lie flat or close like normal. I never worry about the placement of embellishments, much to my own chagrin at times. And the Siamese cat? Grandma had them for all the years I knew her. I have a very weak spot for those particular persnickety furballs.

Okay, so enough with the sap and onto the giveaway, right? That is why you are really here isn't it? ;P All kidding aside, I have a USPS box that I have been packing with "extra" supplies. These are things that are perfectly usable, but I know in my heart that I will never use them. I also know for a fact that there are 6 craft books in there. Beyond that, it is anyone's guess. Leave a comment today telling me your favorite song right now and you will be entered. I will draw from the comments next week and contact the winner for their address. I will pay for S&H as long as you are in the U.S. If you are International, I will ask you pay for S&H.

Some people who make my world brighter!

2011-03-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

***First! This is my 199th post, so tomorrow will be the big 200! I am going to have a giveaway celebrating it, so be sure to check back!!!***

I just finished an album that Teresa Collins had as a make and take at CHA featuring her new Posh line, which I must admit, is so much fun to play with. I love the hot pink in with the black, white, and grey. I am certain I am going to have to grab some 12x12 papers from this line to add to the stash. With all these little girls in my life, I have no doubt that these papers will be used again.

Speaking of little girls, I decided that is who I wanted to feature in this mini. It is only 4 pages long and I struggled with what topic I could focus on with only four pages and then it occurred to me that at this moment, there are four little girls in my world right now. I think I get to preoccupied with past events or future plans to just seize today. Right now, these four mini-females make my world a brighter place. I didn't want to forget that.

I will probably add a page for my soon to be born niece, Lily-bee. I used iPhoto to antique the photos, a feature I have wanted to use, but had yet to find the right format. Each page as a fold where I will write a bit about the girl and each page has their initial.

The initial is flocked white and black chipboard, (a part of the stash I am finally tapping into again!), and doesn't fully show up on this page. I will probably add hot pink to it to make it pop.

I also hit a huge score at the local thrift stores today, which hasn't happened in a while. It seemed meant to be as I used exactly the cash I had in my wallet for my purchases.

One of the best was I went to a store that I rarely EVER go to because the parking lot is a pain and I walked in to find the lamp with the bow on it! I had just left the G with the lampshade and they are perfect for each other. The lamp and the scissors were the scores of the day for me.

I have really been into the silver plated piece lately. I plan to put flowers in them throughout the house. I have seen this in Victoria and Romantic Homes magazines and am always drawn to them. Oh, and the Santa tee? Random, I know, BUT I have wanted that silly shirt for two Christmases and just wouldn't pony up the $10, (can you say cheapo?), but obviously my wait paid off cause I got that one for $2. Oh, and yes that is another copy of Eclipse. I had to have it because of the red pages.

Gotta share another pic of these uber-cool scissors. They are metal and at least a foot and a half long. I have hung them above my sewing machine.

I think I am going to repaint them to distinguish between the scissors and the thimble. Whatever I do with them, I just love them!

The shadowy side of life

2011-03-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

I know everyone has those days. Days when you really feel like it would have been safer to stay in bed and keep the blinds closed. Days when the pay off of getting dressed isn't worth the effort to get there. It is completely normal to have these days.

I had two of these particular days at the beginning of last week. I really just wasn't in the space to fight the daily battles. I know how lucky I am and I am in no way saying my life is bad, but I was just a bit raw on these two days and it didn't take much for me to feel the sting.

Journaling reads: Normally I am a fierce warrior, taking on life's battles at full charge, but today my walls are down, exposing that fragile piece of me that I usually protect from the world. So please, speak with soft words and be gentle with me for today. Tomorrow I will be back in full battle gear and ready to fight.

For the first time, I made a layout that focused on the feelings I was having at that exact moment, the true thought running through my mind. This layout is more torn and grungey than normal for me, because I was feeling more torn and grungey. I must admit that I completely destroyed a piece of Webster's paper that I didn't intend to, so I had to re-evaluate the process, but the end result made me feel better and isn't that a large part of what creating is about?

Spring is coming! (I hope...)

2011-03-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

I feel like Puxatawny Phil, but I am predicting spring will be upon us very soon. I say this as I stare at the grey clouds rolling in and the damp sidewalk outside my window. I have been staying inside as much as possible lately. It is warm in here.

Speaking of inside, I finally did something that I have been meaning to since January. I made a focal wall in the studio with a grouping of some of my favorite pictures. It is a collection I have been accumulating for years and I love how it turned out. I can see adding more to it as I find the pieces.

The square canvas on the bottom right is probably my all time favorite. It and the rectangle canvas are by Papaya and I LOVE her art.

I am teaching a class at Scrapbook Territory featuring the "For The Record" mini book that I showed here. I am hoping that my next class will be this adorable springy banner using new Maya Road and Sassafras Lass.

This class will be called "Life's Little Words" and will allow the student to personalize their banner with a two, three, or four letter word on the front. I chose "FLY" and used the fourth piece to feature one of the little bird and heart chipboard pieces that comes with the MR banner kit. The key piece of this banner is that it is interactive.

The top pieces lift to show a picture and quotes related to the chosen word on the front. Each student will get a full banner and word set from Maya Road, which will leave them with more than enough chipboard to make at least one more banner AND a Glossy Accents to embellish with!

Oh so charming!

2011-03-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

Last night was one of the nights where I was on the fence about creating. I didn't really want to, but knew I should. I have decided when I am in that mood, I will try to create something small to keep my mojo moving and continue the sense of accomplishment.

I had picked up the new Maya Road cameo chipboard pieces from The Art Life Shop the other day and I knew I wanted to make an off the page project. So here is my first one.

I think it still needs a "little something" like a lace bow or a fancy crystal about the cameo piece, but I wore it today and I have to admit, love it. Here is a close up of the cameo piece.

I used Crate Paper's Restoration line and a plastic flower from Michael's. A touch of Stickles and some Glossy Accents and ta-da! A custom cameo.

Of course, I couldn't stop at just one! Nope, making these is like eating one chocolate covered almond. I am so fooling myself thinking I am not going to sneak back for a few more.

This one is featuring some of my favorite papers from GCD Studios and while it doesn't appear in the photo, black diamond Stickles. It has to have some bling.

Lastly, I ,(FINALLY), finished a charm I made at CHA of 2010. It fell apart shortly after walking away from the booth where I made it and I have been meaning to fix it since. I am sure you will be glad to hear that I did and it is finally in a wearable form now.

It is hard to tell, but it says "me" on it. It was the word I was using last year because I realize that things I want in life start and end with me, with my own power to create fabulousness, that I am the one person ultimately in control of how I approach life.

For The Record, it IS a record!

2011-03-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

I LOVE the Echo Park, "For The Record" line. Absolutely love it. When I saw it at CHA, I knew I had to have it and as soon as my local store had it in, I went and grabbed it up. The colors are fabulous, the designs just gorgeous. It wasn't but a day or so before I realized I had the perfect medium to display the line.

I would use an old record as the covers for a mini album!!! I had fostered this idea for another project, but it was just too perfect for EP's papers. I mean, seriously, there is a sticker that says "For The Record." How much more obvious can it be? I used the Bind It All to punch the holes, (fear not, my warranty had already expired), and while my operation of the Bind It All leaves some room for improvement, I was thoroughly impressed with the little pink machine's ability to punch through the record.

I used all the EP papers and most of their stickers for embellishments for the album. I did add some card stock roses and bits and pieces of other embellishments, such as the American Crafts red rose trim on the front. It is hard to see in this photo, but the letters are "I" and "U" with a chipboard heart between.

I wanted to make a few notes to the Hubsters about some of the reasons I love him. I chose all B&W photos, but color pics would have worked just as well with this line.

On the strip paper, there was one that looked like a ruler. I cut each number out to use as the numbers for the different reasons.

Because EP's papers are double sided, I was able to use seven papers to make the pages and use both the front and back. I did 12 reasons and the front page is a dedication page.

The back page is a piece of border paper that looks like a list where I will list more reasons that I love the Hubsters, such as the fact that he is a beautiful writer or that he is very generous.

When I showed this to him last night, he seemed very touched by it, which is the whole reason for something like this, right? I hadn't added all the journaling yet, but its addition will give him something to look at later.

I am hoping that this will be a class I can teach at the local store. I think it would be something that people would enjoy doing and that the colors of Echo Park's line alone will draw them in like a moth to the flame.

A way oldie, but a favorite

2011-03-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

So, I am buried right now. Thankfully, it is buried under a project, because last week, it was water. The Hubsters and I live in a bottom condo unit and it seems that the three units in this building are on the same drainage pipe. Well, after years of kitchen sink use, a pipe with a 90 degree angle is bound to back up and being on the ground floor, that water will reach your house first. While I enjoyed the week off from making dinner, I did not enjoy not really being able to use my kitchen.

So, while I unbury myself from this current project, which I hope you will love as much as I do, I am going to show off a canvas I made two years ago, (I KNOW!), for my dear Dad featuring his heroes. I used printable sticky canvas, beeswax, old dictionary papers, stickers, and some real bullet casings to create this.

The pictures are not the greatest, but this is hanging in a very narrow stairwell at about 6 feet high. Why that high? Because right after I gave it to my dad, he walked upstairs, grabbed a hammer and a nail, and put the canvas on the wall. And he stands at 6 feet tall, so to him, it is perfect height. And his reaction to the gift meant to me that I had done good. ;)

Finished another project from Monday

2011-02-24T16:05:00.000-08:00

Or was it Sunday I started all these projects? Ugh, the days blend after a while. What is a highlight for me is making something like this.

It is a t-shirt for a cousin of mine. The stamped image is Ebony from The Greeting Farm and she kind of reminded me of all the personality of the two year old the shirt is for. I stamped it on the shirt with Versacraft ink, heat set it, and then painted her in with fabric paints. The name is done with a vinyl mask cut with the Cricut and more fabric paint and the flowers are left over strips from another project.

I had to use Willow the Bear as my model because I didn't have a child model handy. ;-P There are a few more of these super cute kidlet tees on deck to be made and distributed to my friends and family. I am also thinking this would make for a cute onesie for a new arrival.

What I have been doing for the last few days

2011-02-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to post these photos because some of this, especially the pink and red project, has been dominating my desk and preventing me from doing anything else. So, first, let's look at the long overdue Valentine's configuration box.

I added some elements from The Art Life shop's monthly kit and then bits and pieces of my own. I had been playing with this idea since January, but when time came to assemble, I hit a wall. Honestly, some of these little boxes aren't as detailed as I would like, but that is okay too. Don't be surprised if I add to this next year. And, I still have one little box that didn't fit. I am going to make it a separate Valentine's shadow box.

Some more images of the little details on this decoration.

Once I finally cleaned off the desk from this project, I went a little crazy. That was Monday and I started five other projects that day alone. One of the projects was a re-visit to the UTEE and Perfect Pearls molded creations. Remember the hearts? Well, I found another cute mold set and I think plastic embellishments will be one of my new favorites.

I am loving these and I promise that some of them will be on a layout in the near future. Notice that some of them have a hole punched in them? Well, that is because in addition to making these to put on paper creations, I thought it would be cool to add them to cuff bracelets.

That is some grungeboard embossed with GCD Studios Chip Art tools, an UTEE flower, and a brad. My first flower cracked and the holes in the leaves are too small to put a brad through, but I think this is a good first attempt. A prototype, you might say.

Then last night I tried to make some cards. There are seven different situations that I need to make cards for at the moment and frankly, I am dreading it. I honestly am stumped when it comes to cards. I did make these two, one for an engagement and the other for a birthday, (obviously), but it took me as long to make these two cards as it did for me to make all the UTEE flowers. Sad, I know. And, I still have five more to go.

A day with Julie Nutting

2011-02-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

It was a special chance for me to take a class with the very talented Julie Nutting yesterday. I have to tell you that I have been following her blog and her work since I caught a piece in Somerset magazine. I love the creative use of papers, patterns, and colors she adds to each piece. And, I have to tell you that she is just as lovely in person as she is in art.

Here is the piece that I made during her class at Scrapbook Island yesterday.

I LOVE the colors! Look at the depth and texture. The girl was created from a pattern that Julie had made for us and then we "free handed" the hair. There is layer after layer of yumminess on this piece and I can guarantee that I will be using these techniques again and again.

The face has such character, even without specific features. Actually, I think it is because it doesn't have features that it has more character.

Why it has never occurred to me to use paint on bubble wrap for polka dots before is beyond me, but you can bet that I will be doing it again. And again!

I loved the layers for the skirt and how it created movement. Such an incredible class and I hope to get to take another one from Julie!

Lovin' the Love Day!

2011-02-15T13:17:00.000-08:00

First, let me preface this with the honest fact I LOVE Valentine's Day. It is hands down my favorite holiday. I love all the mush, all the schmoopiness, the colors, seeing all these people walking around with flowers. I simply love it.

Yesterday, I got up and put on one of my two Valentine's outfits. Wearing it loud and proud. You can't see it, but I am also sporting a large red crystal covered heart necklace and a Valentine's pin on the jacket. (Sorry for the blurriness of the shot, I accidentally clicked the Manual Focus and couldn't for the life of me figure out what I did wrong. Seriously, stumps me for about an hour every time. I learn lessons hard obviously.)

It seemed my darling Hubsters was channeling me somehow when he came home sporting a hot pink striped shirt. He admitted he had worn it for Valentine's Day. =) God, I love him!

The house was of course decorated, my favorite spot being the mantle.

(Don't you just LOVE the little printer's blocks? I scored these forever ago.)

We got dressed up and went to an early dinner. Admittedly, we are getting to the point where we prefer to go out at 5:30 and avoid the crush that comes with later times. I was sporting my new Valentine's gift, a phenomenal Betsey Johnson necklace that the Hubsters picked out all by himself.

Ans last, but certainly not least, let me share a Valentine's tag I made on Saturday, thanks to my dear friend, Daniela and The Art Life Shop. As soon as I saw the cat, I HAD to make something with it!

Hope you were surrounded by love on your Valentine's Day! XOXOXO!

A little more CHA

2011-02-11T10:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I meant to blog the rest of this on a Friday, just not THIS Friday. Oops! My definition of "tomorrow" may need to be re-evaluated.

Okay so what is left from CHA? Hahaha, that is a joke actually because with over 8 miles of booths, there is no way two posts can cover it. But here is the remainder of my experience there.

Before I get started in the breakdown of specific booths, I am going to give some overall observations. Silhouettes, circus, and rosettes are BIG trends in the lines. You are going to see A LOT of these and from many different manufacturers. There is a return to the 1960's feel with wood grained papers, embellies, and at least three companies I can think of right off the top using orange, yellow, hot pink, and brown in a line. I have a feeling that they are just heralding in more of this for the future and would not be surprised to see the retro-funk show up even more at CHA-S.

The industry has heard the call for the tools to make our own embellishments and they are trying to get them to us as fast as possible. There are the Glubers, the new flower dies from Spellbinders, and Foldies from Sassafras. Epiphany Crafts has created a great selection of tools to make your own epoxy pieces and buttons, furthering the genius of their offering with resin pieces that embellish the epoxy and pre-cut felt flowers to add them to as well. It goes beyond flowers and bits to Studio 490 who has put together die cut pieces you can use to create altered art bases.

Now, onto some more pictures!

Maya Road- Always fabulous! They have some great mini banners coming our way, as well as the silhouette pieces and have added three specific things I really want-- the large canvas dress form piece, the smaller dress form bits, and the 4" bottle cap!!! They are also releasing more colors of their pleated ribbon, which means more handmade flowers for me.

Here are some examples of the Studio 490 products I mentioned above. They are really neat little pieces and range in size from a few inches to fit on a layout to stand alone creations.

Sadly, while I loved the new Jenni Bowlin, Pink Paislee, Anna Griffin, Hambly, Sassafras, Webster's, and Epiphany crafts, I didn't take photos of their booths. I know that these companies have posted their new goodies on their blogs, but I am sorry I wasn't a better photographer. I am going to blame it on still not feeling 100% while I was at CHA.

Thinking pink, red, and cardboard?

2011-02-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

I was inspired to do this layout thanks to a call over at Scrapbook News and Review for cardboard base layouts. I got a package in the mail last night and decided right then to reuse it. I cut it down to 8x10 size, a whole new size for me and went to town. I have all of my Valentine's embellishments and papers on my desk for another project I am working on, so instead of doubling the mess, I dug through the pile to find the pieces for this layout.

Now I must tell you. This was supposed to feature a photo booth strip of dear Hubsters and I, but I tucked said strip into a planner that I cannot currently find and am seriously fretting I have given away without taking out the picture. (Sigh.)

Nonetheless, I LOVE this little layout! It has a bunch of goodies on here that make me happy. Jenni Bowlin patterned papers, (one of my all time faves of hers), Sassafras Lass metal brooches which I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! There is a new resin rose snuck on the bottom from Stampin Up! that are so sweet I could just eat them up, the crocheted cherries were a find on an old sweater scored at the "G," and I have really wanted to use those red glittered clothes pins from K&Co. since I snagged them last month. Add to that the awesome Making Memories mini frames and some of my all time favorite Pink Paislee chipboard letters and I have combination of girly happiness.

One of the many things I will miss..

2011-02-09T15:29:00.000-08:00

*Edited 2/9/11-- I JUST realized I never posted this! LOL!It was a draft I had saved from November of 2009! I have no idea where my head was when I typed this, but I know that my feelings expressed here still ring true!

about Paper Popsicles is the incredible kits that Melissa put together every month. There was so much product in these kits. With my last kit she sent me, I created 2 layouts, 4 cards, 4 tags, and a mini book and there was still some pieces left over that I could use! I did add 3 sheets of card stock and the mini book, but really, who doesn't have that in their stash anyway? And if I wasn't so into having a ton of patterned paper on each layout, there would have been way more for me to play with. With permission from Melissa, here are the projects.

Seriously, how fabulous are all these goodies?

A brief pause for a layout

2011-02-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

Let's take a quick moment from the CHA breakdown for a layout I pulled off today. The prompt was "All About Me" and while I am fairly certain it would take more than one page to tell you all about me and that it would be boring as well, this has a few good facts.

I used Pink Paislee's Old School line combined with some of the lovely Lily Bee Catching Fall. Jillibean Soup adds some of the embellishments with the corrugated buttons and number ribbon, Maya Road gives us the yellow ruffle ribbon, Nikki Sivils the corduroy brads, and the big blue flower is courtesy of the Cosmo Cricket Glubers make 'n' take at CHA. The mini ruler and flash card are from an old kit, the little chalkboard, (LOVE!), is Darice. There are some Thickers, (green), some more Jillibean, ("school"), more Lily Bee with the banner, and Pink Paislee's 365 Degrees sticker strip. Oh, and can't forget Jenni Bowlin journal strip at the bottom and some of my favorite baker's twine.

School of LORA
Journaling reads--
I: am the oldest grandchild on both sides.
-am the only one of my siblings to have naturally dark hair.
-always dreamed of being a pro-cheerleader and Miss America.
-have practiced my Oscar acceptance speech a million times at least.
-was Grand Champion Spelling Champ for 4 years.
-was also Grand Champion Tractor Driver and Grand Champion Swine Showman.
-am a Twi-Hard.
-used to play the trumpet.
-hate the color black.

The CHA High

2011-02-03T22:37:00.000-08:00

Attending CHA is indescribable, truthfully. Walking the 8 miles of new and inspired product alone would be enough to put most people into overload, but add into that seeing those individuals who inspire the items we as a group come to love, getting to participate in make and takes or classes with the new goodies, and all the projects that hundreds of people put together for show in the booths. Throw in a healthy dose of travel, sleeping in a hotel room, trying to look cute while schlepping a 40 pound recycled Little Yellow Bicycle bag full of hand outs, catalogs, and bits and pieces, and ice it with dinners with friends who are just as overwhelmed as you and the outcome is one needs a few days to process. (Unless you are like my friend, Daniela, and you come home ready to rock 'n' roll with a million new ideas.)

I can't believe it has only, (already!?!), been three days since I got home from LA and I am just now coming to the surface of all of the input. I have been trying to put a little on the Memory Makers forum each day for my pals over there, so some of this will be a repeat. I am going to try and take two days to get down what I saw so I don't overwhelm, (bore), any one brave enough to actually read this.

Let's start with favorites of the show. Hahaha, favorite is relative, kind of like picking your favorite child. Not something that can be done.

In no particular order, I most loved:

October Afternoon- their new Rocket Age and 5 & Dime collections totally knocked my socks off! I *almost* wish I had a son so I didn't have to try so hard to use the Rocket Age line with it's adorable little boy, his bear and bot friends, and all that retro yumminess. It is blues and oranges and looks like it is right out of the era of Leave It To Beaver. 5 & Dime is a knock out as well, with it's retro colors in pinks, reds, and aquas and I am seriously excited about getting my paws on it when it arrives at Scrapbook Territory.

(Me in front of the cool wall of the October Afternoon booth. Loved the vintage-esque posters!)

Cosmo Cricket- Julie Comstock is a genius and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new Glubers! They are essentially a 2" diameter glue dot, but there is so much more to them. They will make it so everyone can make their own flowers, fabric, paper, or otherwise. I have a dear friend who suffers from tremors and it has greatly affected her ability to create her own embellishments, something she dearly loves to do. Glubers will give her that creativity back, I am sure. While doing the make and take at the CC booth, I met the incredible Natasja Verbeek, who is very talented and kind enough to share her super rocking mini album with me. Natasja saw my unadulterated excitement over the Glubers and she showed me that they not only make these gorgeous flowers,

but the Glubers also will revolutionize how I, at least, use loose glitter. Look at this!

Yes, that is the Gluber, turned into a fabulous glittery polka dot that not only did Natasja sew through with her sewing machine, but it traveled all the way from The Netherlands and not a spec of stray glitter ANYWHERE! I kid you not, I ran my finger over it and came away clean. I am thrilled.

Crate Paper- I love these papers so much. I have a thing about thick paper, it makes my fingers happy to touch it and it makes me happy to use it. Crate Paper totally delivers on the quality of paper AND their lines are full of great colors and wonderful embellishments. This time, they knocked it out of the park form me. The Portrait Collection with it's yellows, greens, grays (!!!), and creams is just amazing. So amazing in fact that I stared there and drooled over it for two days before I realized it is a wedding based collection! It actually made me wish my wedding colors had been that glorious!

The Emma Shoppe collection is full of yummy pinks, turquoise, yellows, and greens, the colors bordering on that perfect edge of muted but not pastels. So girly, yet rich, it is another collection that I am going to love creating with. I am in the phase where I am demanding new color combos from manufacturers and while I wouldn't say Emma Shoppe is a new combo, Crate Paper has managed to make it feel fresh and exciting.

Crate Paper also released two other lines, Story Time and Home, both great lines that I loved, but Portrait and Emma Shoppe were just a bit more me.

GCD Studios- Sigh. How I would love to walk the hallowed halls of the real GCD Studios. This is another rock star company whose papers are thick and linen like and totally make my tactile senses scream in joy. There was a lot of Circus going on in the new releases among manufacturers and GCD Studios Funhouse Collection was by far my favorite incarnation of elephants, monkeys, and the dreaded clowns. Again, the soft muted colors that are not pastel, but yet have that vintage feel to them were PERFECT with the circus theme and while I haven't been to the circus since before my Grandma passed away, I will be creating some pages with this line reminiscing the times I spent with her under the Big Top.

(Daniela and I showing some of our true colors at the GCD booth.)

GCD also had two other lines that I did a fair amount of drooling over, starting with Soul Food by Melody Ross. I loved her two lines for GCD last year and Soul Food is another winner with classic 1960's/70's images of ladies and the bold color combination of orange, yellow, pink, and brown. This line is definitely FUN. I was also drawn to the innocence and the monotone beauty of Sweet Surrender. I did a layout a while back that was all whites and it is still one of my all time favorites. Sweet Surrender reminds me of the softness of that layout and how much I enjoyed creating with the white on white theme.

Last for tonight is the always stellar production by Tim Holtz. As he works with a number of different manufacturers to bring us all his creative goodies, I am just going to call it all his. If you need to know a list of who he works with, please let me know and I will post it for you. Tim is a man with the vintage soul. This time around he created Frozen Charlotte dolls, pocket watches, number plaques, and, and, and....!!! Seriously, those are just to name a few of his newest and greatest that had me drooling in the booths time and time again during my 48 hours in LA.

This bottom picture, though blurry as all get out, has one of my other favorites of the Tim Holtz collection-- grunge blocks! I love the look of the vintage printer's blocks for letters, but I know first hand how spendy the real versions are. (And, YES, I WOULD glue down real ones to a layout if they weren't like $5 a piece!!!) I want to send Mr. Holtz a thank you for bringing me these vintage goodies without the vintage price tag.

So, if you powered through this to the end and actually read any of that, tell your S.O. that you are owed a neck rub. ;) Be back tomorrow with a few more things from CHA!

It is a rare occasion

2011-01-29T11:00:00.000-08:00

This layout I completed the morning we left for Lake Tahoe is a rare breed for me. I do not normally use so much from one line on a single layout. If I use the paper, I generally use embellies from other sources and vice versa. Not so with this GCD Studios heavy layout.

The only things NOT part of the Melody Ross for GCD Studios line is the alpha letters, which are of course AC Thickers, the bling which is two Heidi Swapp frames cut up, the red Bazzill card stock, and the one black fabric flower that I have had so long I am not sure who made it. Funny thing about this layout is that it actually started with some pink and red Anna Griffin paper and was going to be mostly yellows, pinks, and reds. Once I started playing with it, this just came together and I still fought it, because I was worried it was too matchy. But when the Voices are happy, they won't take no for an answer and this layout made them very happy. Even with all the matchy pieces. :)

Home early

2011-01-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

So the dear Hubsters and I headed off for three days of snow filled fun in the beautiful Lake Tahoe on Wednesday. I love Tahoe, it is picturesque and I love to ski, though this time we had decided to try snowboarding. Wednesday was great, we took out time, drove up in the mid afternoon, had dinner, played some slots, then headed off to bed to start early in the morning.

Thursday dawned bright and beautiful and my body revolted. I was sitting at breakfast having a total deja vu moment from the previous year. Headache, nausea, cold sweats, body aches, extreme desire to lay down immediately. Nothing helped, not coffee, not toast, nothing. I remembered sitting in almost the exact same position in 2009 and going through these same symptoms, so Hubsters pulls out the trusted iPhone and tries to see what it could possibly be.

Going on the experience of the previous year, I grabbed some Excedrin and went back to the hotel for some sleep. Waking up a few hours later, I felt better, which was much in the same vein as my prior experience. Eh, just a migraine induced by the travel, elevation, oxygen pumped into the casino, etc. Off to the slopes we go. Of course it is too late to schedule a lesson, so much against my better judgement, I allow Hubsters to convince me to rent snowboards and head to the snow covered hills, sans experience. Remember that scene from Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts returns to the store on Rodeo with the really rude sale women and tells them their treatment was a BIG mistake. HUGE. Imagine that scene interjected here.

So, now having ignored the dizzy spells on the conveyor belt ride up the bunny hill, I strap both my feet onto the ice skateboard and gingerly head down the hill.

Note to self: Those puppies move fast and you are not 17 any longer. Falling down on solid snowpack will bring tears to your eyes, hurt to your pride, and a serious pain to your backside.

I now perform this lovely little jerk-hard-grab-something-for-stability movement every time I cough or sneeze because it make my tailbone feel like it is exploding. NOT cool.

To say the least, the snowboarding attempt was at best, a failure. We planned to return the next morning for lessons, but we never made it. Within the hour, I was experiencing the queasiness, cold sweats, want to lay down immediately thing again and was crawling back to the hotel room. I spent 45 minutes in the fetal position in the tub with the hottest water possible pouring on my body, then plowed onto the bed, where I passed out again for hours.

Now, let me continue to make this long story long by pointing out I consider myself a pretty hardy sort. I have lived in some drastic conditions, my home in Oregon is at 3000 feet elevation, I have skied for many years on many different mountains, I have hiked with packs, kayaked the Puget Sound, built platforms for Boy Scout camp tent, and I travel frequently. I do not get motion sickness, even in the most extreme situations and can read a book in a warm car on a mountain road.

So, when the Hubsters suggested I might be suffering from Altitude Sickness, I looked at him like he was crazy. Me? Altitude Sickness? No way.

Then we woke up this morning. I felt good. I was ready to give the slopes an afternoon try. Until about two hours after I woke up and I popped that first bite of croissant in my mouth. It all went downhill from there.

Now, 12 hours later, I am sitting in the comfort of my own home. We called it quits on the trip and brought my wimpy butt back down to sea level where I seem to be doing a lot better. Hopefully tomorrow will dawn with no queasiness and I can take on my impromptu trip to LA for CHA with a clear head.

Creating up a storm!

2011-01-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

It has felt SO good, too! I have made four layouts, four cards, and a bracelet in one week. That is a great feeling. I discovered some page kits I had purchased when an online company had closed and I have used the heck out of two of them. I am so sorry that the company is no longer, because obviously, I really like their groupings of products. Some of my new creations I am going to send in for possible publication, so they won't show up here for a while, but here are a few I can share.

First, one of the four cards I made. This is from the papers in one of the kits. The butterfly patterned paper is Melody Ross for GCD Studios and I have to say, they make some of them best products. I have also used this same piece for a layout that turned out great. I paired the butterflies with Co'redinations card stock, which I have also been using a lot of. It doesn't really show up in the photo, but I watermark and UTEE'd the background with a butterfly stamp. The rosette is one I put together after punching the edge with a Martha Stewart edge punch.

Second is a layout I did featuring a saying I really like. I kind of feel like I came up with this saying myself, but I am sure it has been said before lil ol' me. If not, I am trademarking it. ;)

Jillibean Soup's patterned paper seemed perfect for this. A twig from the yard, some Prima and Maya Road flowers, a little baker's twine, and a K&Company wooden bird grounds the picture of home. There are journaling cards in the envelope talking about the location, the people who live(d) here, and other important tidbits.

A close up shows some K&Company bling that I added to the Maya Road resin flowers. Home really is where your song begins.

Still love ATC's

2011-01-20T11:50:00.000-08:00

I know that the ATC craze goes in waves, but I still love these little canvases. I recently(ish) participated in a swap of ATCs on the Memory Makers Forum and I was amazed at the level of talent the artists came up with. It was a first time making them for a number of them and while I knew they were incredibly talented, they all still knocked out of the park.

Everyone made two cards for each player. There were two words that we could use as inspiration for the design if we wanted. One word was "Warm" and the other was "Change." I mulled over these words and came up with some good ideas, but I really wanted to do something different. I knew what first came to mind when I thought of these words, but I wanted to create something from further down the list of association. My first ATC focused on "Warm."

Embossed wood grain on rich red, with an iridescent "crackling" fire, and warm words. I love how if you pinch this pink tissue paper, it will crackle. Also, this is probably one of my all time favorite stamps and I love any reason to use it. The log is actually a real piece of stick covered in Modge Podge.

My second ATC came in a flash of inspiration and is one of my all time favorite creations. I kept laughing while putting them together.

The "quote" I put on Marie is: "A little change is nothing to lose your head over." Hee hee, I am so funny! That cheeky quote alone would be enough to make me love this card, but it also incorporates some of my other favorite things. The glass glitter on the edges is my favorite Champagne color from Stampin' Up! and there is a feather in Marie's hair, attached with a piece of old costume jewelry I had. I also used a bit of the same jewelry to make the necklace. Then we come to the back ground, the part I love the most.

It started like this:

Bright turquoise blue with glitter. Still pretty, but not what I was going for. So I added some Rock Candy Crackle Paint and a little Walnut Stain Distress Ink and we have this:

I LOVE this! The aged patina makes me so happy I want to make a big piece of it and hang it up to look at everyday.

Such a great start to the new year!

2011-01-18T11:50:00.000-08:00

I came out with a bang and then fizzled like a dud firecracker. All smoke and no action. I have been preoccupied lately, to say the least. I was sick, (again), and have been trying to rebalance my schedule. Somewhere, my brain has decided that the best time to be fully functional is from 1:00am to 3:00am. Nice, huh?

Anyways, I have been creating when I can. I also put away a pile of stuff in the scrap space AND bought another table for it so now the Cricut and the sewing machine have a place to hang out other than under my desk. I was inspired by the creative geniuses on the Bombshell Stamps design team and had to lift their ideas of taking stamps off the page and onto other mediums. How about stamped UTEE hearts for Valentine's?

Aren't these cool? You can poke a hole in the top to make them charms or add magnets to the back. So many options. The color comes from adding some Perfect Pearls to the melted UTEE. Finally a reason to use those things!

Once you have poured the UTEE into the mold, (I used small metal cookie molds) and it starts to harden just a bit, then push the stamp gently into the surface. I used Brilliance ink. This step takes some practice. I ended up re-melting my first three attempts and almost ruined a stamp because I pushed it into the hot form WAY too soon.

Next there was a how to on adding stamped images to wood bangles. I LOVED this idea and in spite of not being able to find my plain Modge Podge, I ignored the Voices and used the glitter M.P. I used Danita's Alice in Wonderland stamps available from Cresendoh because I had yet to try them and I really wanted to. I totally heart this woman!

I stamped and colored my images before cutting them out and decopauging them onto the surface. On this bracelet I added some rub ons and mini pearls that I used Rock Candy Stickles to adhere.

I loved the outcome so much that I went and bought more M.P. to make a second, non-glittery one, this time featuring Danita's Frida Kahlo stamps. I tried to keep the bracelet more simple and focus on bright colors.

I think it is more fitting to Ms. Kahlo's personality and her culture. I used Glossy Accents to adhere the gems to this one. Super fun and super cute!

If you would like to see more in depth tutorials for these projects, head over to Alison's blog for the bracelets and to the Bombshell Homepage to find a link to Diana's UTEE hearts.

Another round of Top 10

2011-01-02T15:09:00.000-08:00

This time I am looking at the things "off the page" I made this year. I love the unique and using things in new ways. I joke that nothing is safe, nothing is sacred because if I can glue it down, I will use it.

A mini canvas and a handmade flower, two of my favorites.

A banner, something that I would repeat for many more occasions.

Another mini canvas, only this time attached to the neck. I have, in fact, worn this from time to time.

A purely happy accident. Over sized Maya Road bottle cap, some feathers, and an old necklace go far.

Melissa Frances post card book becomes wall art. Lots of vintage yumminess here.

A very proud moment for me. Two canvases all of my own creation, including the drawing.

Started in 2009 and finished and delivered in 2010. These canvases were made as a gift and were super fun, super grungey, and have to say, super cool.

My first Punky Sprouts album from my first For The Luv Of Art kit. Of course, featuring a really awesome moment in time helped make it more fabulous. And remember I said if I could glue it down, I would use it? Can you say Burger King Kid's Meal Toys?

A Halloween Tussie Mussie for a friend. This project was so fun and every time I see it, I smile.

And last but not least, one of my favorite brain children of the year, my Christmas morning album.

So, tomorrow is a new beginning for me. I have decided to put everything off until then and start fresh. I am looking forward to more projects, more ideas, more posts, more photos, more friends, more everything in the new decade. Much love to all!

Everyone else is doing it!

2010-12-31T13:01:00.000-08:00

And I hate to feel left out, so here is my Top 10 layouts for 2010. These are some of my favorites, though there are still a few that I cannot put up because I am awaiting to hear if they will be published.

Of course featuring that cute little one I call "niece." Loved the colors and the pictures of this one.

A midnight inspiration. Kind of out of character for me in it's simplicity, but I love it.

Featuring one of my all time favorite lines from Dear Lizzy.

With a photo like that, how could you not scrap it? Pink, green, and black, a favorite combo.

One of my first layouts for a For The Luv Of Art challenge. Love, love, love the colors on this page!

An all time favorite brainchild of mine. Sticks, heat embossing, paint splatters, and my favorite neutral.

Totally funky colors and absolutely awesome people.

This layout moves me every time I see it. I think I was channeling her spirit when I made it.

LOVE!!! The colors, the flowers, the embellies, just everything. I could eat this layout up!

10.

So proud of the handmade element to this one. I know it is very recent, but it had to have a spot.

And just because, I am adding an extra one. This would be my favorite layout that was a push for me. It isn't really my typical colors, though I did revisit them in my favorite #8 above, yet when I finished this, I was really drawn to it and how it had come together. It was based on a sketch from My Mind's Eye.

Bonus:

Thanks for playing along with my recap. Guess what? Tomorrow, on the first day of a new decade, I will do another Top 10 recap, featuring my favorite ten non-layout creations of 2010. Have a fabulous and safe New Year's Eve!

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

A happy and blessed holiday from the lovely San Francisco!!!

Christmas Eve!

2010-12-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it is already Christmas Eve! I hope everyone is snuggled into the bosoms of their loved ones and enjoying the magic of the holiday. I want to tell you that each of you mean so much to me and I am thankful every day for you.

My darling hubby treated me to a performance of my all time favorite, The Nutcracker, last night in San Francisco. It was fabulous!

Wishing you the best!

Feeling the Christmas spirit!

2010-12-14T00:47:00.000-08:00

I went to a Holiday Crop over the weekend and was able to get *most* of my Christmas cards done. I also started this layout and finished it at home. I love the Cosmo Cricket holiday line with it's mix of colors-- purples, grays, greens, and reds. I have held onto this photo of my niece for a year waiting for the perfect layout for it and I think I found it.

Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, American Crafts Thickers, Maya Road ribbon, MS embossing punch and twine, misc. brads and buttons

I made the flowers surrounding the photo, including the ribbon ones. I was going to completely surround the picture with, but figured it would 1) be too much and 2) take too much time. Instead I am very happy with how it looks.

Another thing that is totally Christmas time is Jeff Guinn's Santa-centric novels, starting with The Autobiography of Santa Claus. I highly recommend these novels. They are fabulous and especially wonderful at this time of year. I would imagine that kids would enjoy these stories as much as adults.

Countdown to Christmas is ON!

2010-12-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it is only two weeks away!!! Crazy! I am going to try and keep Olga's post at the top of my blog through the end of December or until we raise the money to get her adopted.

Remember this post? It was about being asked to be a Featured Member at the Memory Makers blog. The write up can be found through the home page or from here. If this is your first time to my blog from MM, WELCOME!!! Hope you will find some inspiration as you poke around and as with all blogs, I LOVE comments!

So, I am going make a quick update about my December Daily. I have four whole pages done! And not even in chronological order! Not surprising how my brain works. Tomorrow I am off to an all day crop with The Art Life and Scrapbook Territory, so I plan on catching up then, but here are the completed ones so far.

Day 1: My Mind's Eye Colorful Christmas paper and cut outs.

Day Three: Imaginisce Polar papers, Pink Paislee journal block, American Crafts Flair badges, American Crafts Thickers number, everything else from stash

Day Four: Kaisercraft Christmas Carnival papers, Martha Stewart puffy stickers, Heidi Grace holly leaves, Mark Richards Crystal Domes, ATD letters, American Crafts Thickers number, and K&Co chipboard sticker

It has been a rainy few days and I think it is chasing out the odd creatures because I found this guy curled up in the garage yesterday and I have to confess, I have never seen one "in the wild" before, so it kind of freaked me out.

Then last night, I almost stepped on his pal, which in my defense, looked just like a little twig AND was lying right in front of my door. I am not sure if I like these crawlies or not. This little one is kind of cute, but the twig last night "ran/slithered" in front of me and it made me do the heebie-jeebie dance, so the jury is still out.

Giving what we can.

2010-12-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

Last night, my darling sister and I were curled up together in the nest watching our favorite show, Glee. It was a very moving holiday related episode where the students tried to raise money and gifts for the local homeless shelter. As they were singing to the faculty for donations, my sis said, "But they probably won't make enough." I turned to her and replied, "If they make enough to give one person a blanket who didn't have one before, it is enough."

It isn't about how much you can give. Every bit counts. A dollar to St. Jude's, a handful of change in the red bucket of the Salvation Army, a can of cat food to your local shelter. It all counts, because it is that much more than they had before you gave. I know in these times, it is harder to feel like we can make a difference, but we can.

Everyone has causes near and dear to their hearts. Mine happen to be children, senior citizens, and animals. I will admit that I am a complete sucker for these three. So when I read the story of Olga, I immediately did what I could. I am going to encourage you to do the same. There is an iPod Touch up for grabs from those who donate, blog, and Facebook this story, all of which I have done.

My challenge to you is that if you donate to Olga, it doesn't matter how much, and let me know that you did either with a comment here or on Facebook and I win the iPod Touch, I will draw a name from those who donated to receive the Touch. As far as I am concerned, I will have already won if we can get Olga adopted.

Also, up for grabs from me is a $20 iTunes gift card. You can get your name into the drawing for it three ways.
1) A donation will equal one chance.
2) Forwarding this on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter will equal one chance.
3) Blogging about it will equal one chance.

Pay it forward, my friends.

My big idea!

2010-12-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

Drumroll, please.....

...

.....

I found a really cool green binder at the Dollar Store and it sat on my table, taunting me to put it to good use. A school binder? An inspiration binder? Something for Christmas? The December Daily? None of these seemed like the right calling for it. Then inspiration struck.

A recording of Christmas morning! To me, there is nothing that signifies the culmination of the Christmas spirit like Christmas morning. The family gathered around each other, generally in pajamas, sporting bed hair, and sleep still blearing their eyes. There is chit chat, hands gripping coffee cups, and a special glow from the Christmas tree which seems reflected in the love showing through on everyones faces.

My intention with this book is to make quick one page layouts that focus on those moments. I have only gone back two years so far, but I may go back further. I want it to be a snapshot of who was there, where the celebration happened, and maybe even some things that were going on with those people.

In 2008, we were in Oregon for Christmas. My brother and sister-in-law were expecting their first child. I love this picture of my siblings and I curled up on the couch together, the last year before there were children in our lives, our last year before we crossed the threshold of being someone's child to having our own.

I used KaiserCraft's Ginko patterned paper border punched with an MS Around the Page punch, Bazzill dotted swiss card stock inked with Vintage Photo Distress, AC Thickers number stickers, K&Co chipboard sentiment, and a greeting card from the Dollar Spot at Target last year. The card holds the journaling.

This layout is from my niece's first Christmas and I love how these photos really embrace the feel of our Christmas morning and that Miss Cady-Bird is at the center of the action, much like she is at the center of our hearts.

This is based on red Bazzill card stock with a K&Co Yuletide patterned paper on the bottom, Me & My Big Ideas chip trees and bird, Making Memories snowflake transparency, K&Co Evergreen glitter tree and sentiment, and GCD Studios number stickers. The pom pom trim and snowflake brads are of unknown origins.

I know in the craziness that can be the holiday season, you might think that having one more project is just too much, but I certainly encourage you consider making one of these Christmas celebration books for yourself. It is a tradition that can be enjoyed for many years. If you do choose to follow me on this journey, I would LOVE to see your creations, so please, please, please share.

An icy slide into December!

2010-12-01T13:21:00.000-08:00

Wow! This year has zoomed by! December 1st already? It is time to start on my December Daily, I am working on the free class offered by Jessica Sprague, and I have a new project that I really cannot wait to reveal tomorrow. Hopefully it will inspire some of you.

This last half of the year has been a bit crazy, but it is starting to wind down. School will be ending in a few weeks, I am starting to find my routine, life is just good. I am going to play a quick catch up here:

My new favorite Thanksgiving decoration. They remind me of a balloon from the Macy's Parade.

Then there is my newest handmade Fall decoration. No surprise it is a banner, right?

Thanksgiving dinner was unconventional with no turkey. I feel like I did a lot of these that day.

But this turned out pretty darn good. At least that is what the masses said.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, darling hubby and I went to the mall and came home with this new addition to the family. It was SO much fun walking through the crowds carrying him. His name is Jingle.

And I found some more inspiration when I found the top of my desk last night. Can't wait to send this to my friends.

Okay, so that is about the last two weeks of November in Cliff's Notes. I will be back tomorrow to unveil another of my midnight, should be sleeping inspirations.

Brain Fog

2010-11-14T20:28:00.000-08:00

It has been too long and I am really sorry about that. These last few months seem like I have been accidentally pressing the fast forward button on the Life Remote. October was a whirlwind, something every weekend, but not enough time to dedicate to any of the events. Now it is mid-November and I *might* hit my stride again.

Since I was last here, I made the tough decision to drop a class. I had to come to terms that it didn't make me a quitter or weak, that it was a considered adult decision and it was okay. It gives me more time to focus on the other very demanding class and also allows me to not feel like I am selling a piece of my soul. We went to my Grandfather's memorial service, which in itself was an emotional roller coaster I wasn't fully expecting. One of these days I will realize I am human and tears are pretty darn natural. Oh, and that it is okay to cry.

I was so overwhelmed last month that I didn't pull out the full Halloween decorations. This is a first in years. Again, I have to be gentle with myself and promise that it is okay if I missed a year.

The hubby and I spent last weekend in one of my favorite cities, Seattle, to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. Crazy how fast THAT time has gone. Sometimes it feels like I have known him forever and others, I think he is a complete stranger. Or maybe just completely strange... We had a wonderful time. Seattle has a lot of the charm of San Francisco with a lot less of the grime, or at least it seems to me who has only ever spent extended stays there. I am sure like with all places that after living in Seattle you would start to see the tarnish.

I have also stepped back into the creative world, one toe at a time. I burst out of the funk with this layout which is now one of my favorites. They are both my own sketches and designed from my muddled brain. I love the mix of colors in this one and have to say that Indie Girl by Sassafras Lass has to be one of the best they have ever done, (IMHO), which is saying something because I own A LOT of Sassafras.

There is also some of my all time, can't fail favorite-- Pink Paislee. How they continue to knock it out of the park with their lines is a testament of their greatness. The turquoise ruffle ribbon, the pink letter stickers, and the AWESOME circle frames are all Pink Paislee. I couldn't wait to get my paws on these Artisan Element frames when I saw them on the Pink Paislee blog and I was not disappointed. I Glimmer Misted these with Mustard Seed and Lemon Zest. I have a feeling I will be picking up more packages of these frames to stash for later use. All the flowers with the exception of the pinkish-red ones are made by me. The white ones are Maya Road ribbon, the green ones are a ribbon as well, and the multi-colored ones are stacked vellum scrunched around a brad.

This layout didn't turn out exactly as I had planned, but close and it was important for me to do. Important in my heart. This is a picture of my family from my Grandpa's service. I wanted to convey how important they are to me. Without my family, I wouldn't be the person I am.

I used some favorite 7Gypsies paper, Fancy Pants rub-ons, Thickers, and a lot of trim. All the trim below is ribbon of some sort. I had originally pictured it all black, but then I changed the patterned paper and the different colors seemed to work better. There is black tulle framing the photo and I melted the edges to give it a crinkly appearance.

If you have read this far, thank you. If you just scanned for the photos and some key words, thank you. And if you are still a follower, I really thank you.

Boo time is around the corner

2010-10-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

and I have a new handmade decoration to add to the mix. I put together the adorable wreath below that my friend Nikki created as a class. Isn't this too cute?

It uses the super cute kids from the "Blackbird" line by My Mind's Eye. You can't really see it, but there is also a spider web stretched across the back and on the edges. I put this together last night while watching the Vikes ALMOST beat the Jets. So close, yet no banana.

The Squirrel Hole

Two of my weakest links

Brights on a grey day.

Risk a little

Other bits and pieces

Beginning of something new

It has taken a year

Another chance

Let's Get Caught Up

Off to a good start

It is upon us!

Pinterest Inspiration

In upheaval

"Let's Do This"

Funky, funk, funk

Two-fer Tuesday

Monday (Page) Maps

The random thrift art post

Friday's Finish!

A mini and a steal!

A technique tute on Tuesday!

How many manufacturers?

Home Sweet Home

"She..." series Part I

Summer Moments

Tim Holtz Tuesday!

Monday's Random Five-- A Little Rant

Monday's Featured Artist- Amber D.

I LOVE Questions!

KISS Wednesday- Using What You Got

Tire-Swingin'

Monday's Random Five- No Rhyme or Reason

KISS Wednesday- Heroic Canvas

Happy Fourth!!!

Simply Saturday in Pastels

Friday the First!

Busy Thursday

Monday's Random Five- Wardrobe Lusts

Saturday's Scrappy Moment

Two-fer Tuesday

Monday's Random Five- Summer Clothing Faves

Friday's Finish!

KISS Wednesday

Tool School- Getting the Basics

Monday's Random 5- Memorial Day Special

Sunday's Special!

Tool School- Getting the Basics!

Monday's Random 5

Random Five- Indulgences Right Now!

Friday's Finishing Touch

Technique Thursday- The FIRST!

KISS Wednesday- Simple Color Combo

Tool School Tuesday!

Sunday's Special- Punky Sprouts Mini

Monday's Random Five

Going places

Need some feedback

Sunday's Round up

All by myself

A day with Heidi

Floral Abundance

!!!200 Posts!!!

Some people who make my world brighter!

The shadowy side of life

Spring is coming! (I hope...)

Oh so charming!

For The Record, it IS a record!

A way oldie, but a favorite

Finished another project from Monday

What I have been doing for the last few days

A day with Julie Nutting

Lovin' the Love Day!

A little more CHA

Thinking pink, red, and cardboard?

*One of the many things I will miss..*

A brief pause for a layout

The CHA High

It is a rare occasion

Home early

Creating up a storm!

One of the many things I will miss..