Yippeee!! Another one!

I'm so happy! This one came together rather easily! Maybe the mojo is making a small comeback. I used the inspiration word TOGETHER at Bird Is The Word and combined it with the challenge at ACOT to use leaves on your page. I used a black prima leaf under the flowers. The page was hard to photograph due to the soft greens and washed out effect coupled with the black and the bright sunlight! I took at least a dozen photos and this was the best of the group.

Trying to get the mojo back!

Its been so long since I have posted or scrapped that I forgot the password for my blog. I don't know what is going on with me but I just can't seem to do much scrapping anymore! I took off Monday and today to scrap and play in the October ACOT crop. The crop came and went over the weekend and I never even looked at the computer. Yesterday instead of scrapping I cleaned all day! Today I decided it was do or die. And I did!! I actually scrapped a page! I used the sketch at Frosted Designs as inspiration and Crop Challenge 4 at ACOT to scrap about something you are thankful for. For me its my three kids. I can't imagine my life without them!

Off to see if I can find some more inspiration!

Halloween Parade 2002

Three days, three layouts! Its not what I'm used to but it sure beats 0/80 days!! I'm slowly learning to like spending time in my scraproom again. I haven't participated in any of the blogs that I follow in forever!!! I liked the sketch at Once Upon A Sketch but really wanted to scrap this cute Halloween photo that I kept seeing at the top of one of my photo boxes. So while I don't have any expectations of winning because the sketch has resulted in sooooo many beautiful, soft and feminine layouts.....I went with my Halloween theme anyway! The way I look at it is that this is the photo that inspired me...so this is the photo I scrapped!

I used papers by Dream Street Papers, LLC and embellishments from Dream Street and My Minds Eye. The big pumpkin came from Michaels last year. If you press it, it lights up. I'm fairly certain I got it for pennies on clearance! Letters are by Reminisce from the Graduation line. I bought them to do my oldest's high school graduation photos. He is now entering his senior year of college and I still haven't scrapped his high school graduation!! Yikes! LOL!

Lifted Spirits! -- Another long post!

This layout will always, for the rest of my life, have special meaning to me. Not that any photo of my mom and I is not special, but something happened while I was working on this layout. As some of you know, I lost my Mom on October 13, 2010. Since that time I've struggled with life without her. I talk to inadament objects constantly asking her to tell me she's ok, that she's happy, that she's 'with' me. It never "works" and I go on with the day with an ache in my heart like you could not believe. Losing my mom has been the hardest thing to cope with. She was my best friend. My confidant. My shoulder to cry on and the first person I turned to with news, good or bad. I miss all of those things but most of all I miss her voice. I miss talking to her. Shortly after she passed away my oldest son sent me a link to a YouTube video of Iz Kamakawiwo'ole singing his version of "Over The Rainbow". (You can click the link to see the video if you want.) From that day forward I've held that song close to my heart. Its not a song you will hear played on the radio very often, if at all. When I have needed to hear it I have always gone to that YouTube video.

I moved in July to this house where I have my own scraproom. After weeks of sorting everything out I have finally started scrapping a little bit. I did a layout yesterday using WRMK Fiesta papers.

Its cute I guess.  It can't help but be cute with the photos of the kids when they were so little!  But that was it...once it was done, I left my scraproom feeling uninspired, like I can't do it anymore. Last night I cruised around eBay to get an idea of how much I could sell EVERYTHING for. I have a LOT of stuff. I was ready to give up. I just haven't felt anything inspiring for some time. I've PUSHED myself to scrap but my passion and joy for this hobby are soooo diminished from what I used to feel. I breathed scrapbooking. It was a HUGE part of my life and I would steal every moment I could to play with paper and photos and ohh the embellishments. When I wasn't scrapping I was hanging out on ACOT's message board forging friendships with other scrappers or shopping online for MORE stuff. I have stopped that too. I poke into ACOT here and there but all of a sudden felt like I didn't belong anymore. Like everyone moved on without me. Its silly...I know that in my head. Of course everyone has moved on....but being without me has been MY choice, not theirs. I ignored my blog and then was disappointed when I logged on last month to show off my new scraproom only to find out that 21 people who used to follow my blog had stopped following me. Big deal, right? I don't even know who it is that left! I just know how many followers I had and how many I have now. Still...not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But I took it to heart...even though again, it was ME who ignored my blog in the first place!

Since i got my iPad in November, I've used Flipboard to view the blogs I follow.  In the last 3 months I have not touched it.  Today I was up before the sun and reached for my iPad.  I played a few games, checked out the local newspaper and put it aside.  About an hour later I reached for it again I touched the Flipboard icon.  I cruised through a few blogs and came to the new sketch from Sketchy Thursdays.  It was not the first sketch I had seen this morning but it was the first one that immediately got ideas running through my head.  I even knew the picture/paper I was going to use.  (That part was sort of easy as while I was sorting and putting things away after moving here I had matched up an OLD piece of Frances Meyer paper from 2000 to a 42 year old photo of my mom and me.  The blue just reminded me of the dress I was wearing.  Anyway, the paper and photo have been sitting on my desk for a while now so that part of it was a no-brainer.)  I don't know why I got inspired by the sketch....it shows using 3 photos and I only had one.  And I would not have used a circle feeling with that photo if left to my druthers.  But inspire me it did and I grabbed my coffee and iPad and headed into my scraproom. 

The layout came together rather easily although it was a couple hours to get it all glued down.  Maybe I need to stop rushing myself to "produce" a ton of layouts.  I usually don't spend more than 45 minutes on a layout and that's with starting blank....picking photos, papers, etc.  That part was already done!

While I was scrapping I had Pandora open on my iPad, set to my Jack Johnson station.  I happily sang along to Jack, U2, John Mayer and similar artists.  I finished the layout, took it outside to try to get a decent photo which I didn't...its too bright outside and too dark inside!  As I sat at my desk looking at the finished layout and thinking about my mom a new song started....I sat back and took a deep breath.  I have listened to this station on Pandora for almost 2 years now and have NEVER heard this song come up in the rotation but here it was....Over the Rainbow by  Iz Kamakawiwo'ole.  Tears flowed freely and I talked to my layout, telling my mom how much I loved her and missed her.  I started to clean up my desk.  I was once again uninspired and ready to leave my scraproom.  I did a few things in the kitchen, went out and got the mail.  I had ordered new checks and they arrived so I walked into my scraproom which doubles as my office to put them away.  I was not paying much attention to the music still coming from my iPad until I heard that familiar sound again.  No way.....could it be?  7 songs after it played it for the first time it was on again but this time in a version combined with "What A Wonderful Life".  The tears flowed again but suddenly it hit me.  This is what I was asking for all along.  It was my mom telling me that she IS ok.  That she IS happy and pain free.  That SHE IS WITH ME.  I shared what had just happened with my daughter and had goosebumps all over my body while I was telling her.  As I was telling her this a new song started....a song from the 60's!  Sugar Sugar by the Archies!!  THERE IS NO WAY this song belongs on a Jack Johnson station on Pandora!  But as I sang along I was smiling....the music my mom loved was from the 60's and "Sugar Sugar" was no exception.  My spirits are soooo lifted right now.  I just had to share my story AND my layout!!  I'm heading out to the pool with my daughter now though to make more memories that she can hold onto after I am gone, just as I have an entire heart full of memories with my own mom, even though she's not physically with me anymore.  What a way to start the weekend! (BTW - since I started writing this post Pandora has not thrown anymore songs that don't fit into the rotation...so I KNOW that was my mom!)

Well Hello There!! WARNING - Long post with pictures!

So I'm going to stroke my little ego and think that some of you may have missed me, wondered what happened, or both! I know that some of you know where I have been but for those who don't, in as short a version as I can muster, this is where I have been since I last posted on May 27. Be warned that there are a lot of pictures in this post! Anyway, in my last post I told you that we got the house we were hoping to rent for the next year until we are in a better position to buy. Fast forward to July 1...we moved in! But life was full of twists and turns and unexpected things between Memorial Day Weekend and moving day! Here is a picture of my OLD scraproom all packed up:

It took 42 boxes to pack all my crap up!!! And some bins and my three rolling totes were packed to the gills as well! Fortunately my scraproom was one of the first things to get packed up. I say fortunately because about a week before I started packing I woke with a terrible achy pain in my neck. I assumed that I had slept funny and went to work. Over the course of the next week, the pain increased and my neck was tilted almost to my shoulder which was the only way I could hold it without excruciating pain. I called a chiropractor and began getting treatment. He took xrays and told me that I had "some issues" but he could "fix" me. Over the course of the next 9 days I made 13 visits to said chiropractor (with a $15 copay each time). Towards the end I began to ask him if I should consult my regular doctor and perhaps get some pain killer as the ice and heating pad he had "prescribed" was just not cutting it! His answer each time was that he "could not recommend that". Now I KNOW that most chiropractors believe they can make adjustments without the need for drugs. I do NOT think that all chiropractors are bad....but I DO think the one I chose was in it more for the money than anything else. He HAD to realize that I was in much worse shape than he could "fix". At any rate, one day at work I was walking down steps and suddenly the pain was shooting down my arms and my fingers were tingling. I got SCARED! I KNEW then that this was more than some bones out of adjustment! I called my regular doctor who had me come in the next day. He felt around my neck, listened to my story and told me to cease seeing the chiropractor and sent me for an MRI immediately. I left his office with several much needed prescriptions in hand, headed to the MRI place and had the MRI done. That was on Friday. All during this time I have been packing AND painting in the new house, despite the pain. You know how it is....if Mom doesn't do it, it doesn't get done! Add in there that my daughter turned 13 on June 13th and in our family 13 is a milestone birthday. I was miserable and useless but did not let my daughter down....we had a great dinner at Osaka - a Japanese Hibachi restaurant, and she was very happy with her own Canon Powershot Camera and a new fancy lamp for her new bedroom!

 On Monday morning I got a call from my doctor asking me to come in as soon as I could. I left work and headed there (his office is just across the street from where I work). I was taken right in and he showed me the report. I had spinal stenosis and collapsed disc at c5/c6 and again at c6/c7. Top it off with the fact that my spinal chord had broken through the opening and was now exposed in two different places. I guess my face didn't show enough concern so my doctor (I LOVE this man...he's a WONDERFUL MD) took my hands and calmly said to me....I don't think you understand what I am telling you. If you SNEEZE the wrong way you could end up paralyzed. PARALYZED. OK, that got my attention. From the exam room he picked up the phone and called a nuerologist he was friendly with. I was given an appointment for the next day...Tuesday. Now keep in mind this is ALSO the day that my middle son graduated 8th grade with a full graduation ceremony. My appt. was at 2pm. Graduation started at 5:45. At 4:30 I walked up to the desk and explained that I had been waiting for 2.5 hours at that point and was going to have to leave to go to my son's graduation. They were great and told me to sit 5 more minutes and they would get me in and out quickly. I was obviously in pain and very crooked which ticked me off even more that I sat in the waiting room that long. Anyway....I get called back and the Physician Assistant pulls up on a computer my MRI and shows me the problem. She tells me that my ONLY option is surgery. I explain that I am moving on July 1 (its now June 14).  She says to see what the doctor says.  He enters the room, has me walk around the room, looks at the MRI on the computer and tells me that I need surgery IMMEDIATELY....that my spinal chord is compromised and I could be paralyzed at any moment and there would be nothing he could do.  Keep in mind its Tuesday about 5:00pm.  I am scheduled for surgery on Thursday at 9:00am.  They wrapped things up and off I went to Matt's graduation....with the pain and now FEAR!  

Mission accomplished!!  High School here he comes!  That evening we went out to dinner to the local "pub", joining all of Matt's friends and their parents!  It was a WONDERFUL night and I am so proud of my boy.  He is nothing short of spectacular in my eyes!

I spent the better part of the next day at work (I would be out till 8/1) for an hour or two tying up any loose ends I could, then the hospital for pre-admission testing, then to my MD for medical clearance...ekg, etc.  No food after midnight...no problem...I've had no appetite anyway!  Up bright and early and to the hospital by 7am.  Right on schedule I say goodbye to John and am wheeled into the Operating Room.  Next thing I remember is sitting up in my bed and the nurses freaking out because I wasn't supposed to be awake for another hour!  Oh well...surprise!  Here I am!  Surgery was a success and I felt like a million bucks for the next two days!  I got home on Friday morning and by that time the anesthesia was fully out of my body.  The million Bucks I felt like is GONE.  The pain was awful but it was a different pain than I had been having.  Over the next week it gets gradually better and I see the surgeon 1-week post op.  My biggest complaint is not being able to sleep and my toes in my right foot keep going numb whenever they feel like it.  Not easy to walk that way!  He says I am doing well, removes the bandages and off I went with a script for a sleep aid.  

That brings us to July 1.  Moving day!  It went rather smoothly thanks to the help of my oldest son, John, my brother, and several strong male friends of ours!  At the end of the day I was hurting pretty good so took my painkillers and headed to bed.  The next two weeks brings us to today.  I am 99% unpacked....the house is starting to feel like home.  The kids are registered for their new schools (mostly...Matt still has to meet with a guidance counselor in 2 weeks).  They are enjoying having a pool in the backyard and enjoying their summer even though they miss their friends!

And here we are today!  I am sooooo happy to report that I am feeling better..still not 100% but better every day.  And better yet....after a full week in this room purging, sorting, etc. I have my scraproom in order (more or less!).  There are still the rolling totes and a few smaller containers and odds and ends to be sorted through and put in their new homes.  But for the most part, I can SCRAP this weekend!!  Here's a bunch of pix of my new room!  I changed from the "Cricut Green" that once adorned my scraproom to pink and black with a Damask/Chandelier theme thanks to the curtains, vinyl wall art and lamp I got from Target!

This area is my die cutting center.  The black shelf was our old microwave cart that we no longer needed so I claimed it!!  It holds my Expression, all my dies and cartridges.  The cardboard boxes underneath I still need to sort through!  To the right are 6 Jetmax cubes that I saved from the 12 I had in my old room.  You will notice that the bins are still green but I got some plastic spray paint and will be painting the handles soon!!  Most of them are still empty. 

 This shows the cubes, my sewing machine, Vagabond die cutter and some plastic drawers.  The door is pretty close to the right edge....its not a huge room like I had but I actually like it smaller!  There;s my new lamp too!  I love it!

John hung ledge shelves for me...what a royal pain they are!  This one holds all my Glimmer Mists.  Do you think I have a problem?  LOL!  And above that is my chandelier wall art!  Love that too! 

 Two more ledge shelves hold my favorite photos of my family.  You can see my chandelier curtains too!  The pink sheers will be changed out....they are more of a rose color rather than the hot pink I wanted.  That's the bad part of ordering online.  Oh well...they were cheap!  Both panels for $6!  This view is from the right corner of the room, standing in the closet!

I have a shoe organizer on the back of the door holding punches, tools, etc.  I love that I have a DOOR that I can close!

 This view is standing in the doorway looking at the opposite wall from the first pix.  Its my Ikea Expedit shelving unit redone with pink and black bins and baskets.  Look closely...my desk has not been this clean in YEARS!!  The big bins under my desk house all my patterned paper.  Well not ALL of it.  But this is where I sort my pp by Manufacturer in alpha order.  It seems to work best for me.  I do have a few that break that rule....like holidays, Seasons, travel, Disney, etc. which have their own categories.  My printer is plugged in but the wireless connection isn't working so we still have to get that sorted out. 

 Above the printer is my new Embellishment Center!  I got it at Michaels and its not the Making Memories brand but was a LOT cheaper.....I'm thinking $25 after coupon.  I LOVE it.  It holds my stickles, assorted paints, some flowers in pretty tins and bottles, dew drops, Glossy Accents, etc.

And finally....here is where MOST of stuff is....a big closet with a preinstalled closet organizer in it!  Still needs to be fine tuned, but the base is there!

So THAT'S what I have been up to.  I hope to be scrapping again and blog hopping soon!!

Teresa Collins Versatility!

I seem to be on a Teresa Collins Designs kick today, but alas, I've used up the last of what I had! I really loved her sports and girly lines this year and hope she continues with more great papers! This first layout is using a sketch from Lets Capture Those Sketches. The color scheme/patterns are themed after my daughter's bedroom which is hot pink and Zebra striped. I added some acetate shapes by Making Memories that I have had for a very long time...but not nearly as long as the "girl" clothing tag. I've had that floating in my pink bin for years and its finally found a home on a layout! I snagged the photo from my daughter's facebook! Love that!

This layout is using Theresa Collins All Star line. I didn't have much left (except of ONE paper that I somehow accidentally ordered 12 of so have LOTS of that one left!). I again raided my OLD OLD OLD stash and finally used the Jolees Yankees stickers and the laser cut baseball border I've had for YEARS! I'm really glad to be using up some old stash. This page was a scraplift of Christy's page below for her May Scrapping the Boys Challenge at Challenge Masters.

Laugh

Well thought I was done for the night but as I was blog hopping, I saw that Liz Chidester posted a new sketch for the Sweet Peach Crop Shop. I love Liz's sketches and enjoy participating in her challenges and those at sites she designs for. Sweet Peach Crop Shop is a monthly kit club and I think that once some of my current subscriptions are up, I may give them a try. I have 3-4 that I like and will have to narrow that down to two as I can't afford everything that I want!

I am posting this at the Paper Variety as well, where the challenge is to use Stars on your layout. And finally. Challenge #17 at Punky Scraps is to use the word Laugh or Laughter on your layout. As soon as I saw the challenge I knew the photo I wanted to use! My poor son is being tickled by his sister and cousin!

All papers are Moxxie "Chillin Out". I cut the stars from the back side of one of the papers, made the flower rosettes from my Tim Holtz die.

Whoo Wants Cake

I bet you most of you who visit my blog often think I have just two kids!! I've actually got three! My oldest son, John, lives about an hour and a half away with his dad. It was closer to where he was originally attending college. Of course, he made some poor choices and left a 4-year college in favor of a Community College but I'm mom (AND I work at a 4 year State college) so what do I know! Add in the girlfriend who lives up there and it led to a more permanent arrangement than I would like. My firstborn will be 21 in just 2 1/2 months. I cannot believe it. I can close my eyes and be right back to the minute he was born. I'm very proud of him (even with the dumb decisions) as he has grown into quite a nice young man. He's a towering 6'2" tall and 200lbs which amazes me as neither his father or I are very blessed in the stature department!

This layout features a photo of my oldest (actually all three are in the photo) on his 19th birthday. He wanted a Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Icing so that's what I made. Yuck! He was the only one who enjoyed his birthday cake that year! LOL!

I used the sketch #82 at Lets Capture These Sketches and Jillibean Soup Owl Soup papers. I did fussy cutting to get the owls where I wanted them and a ton of pop dots. You can't really tell from the photo but the area with the photo on it is completely rasied up, as are a couple of the owls! I added a Tim Holtz rosette and a banner cut with a Cheery Lynn Designs die. I combined this with the Trend Watch Challege at Challenge Masters which was to use corrugated alphas. I LOVE Jillibean Corrugated alphas and have several packs in every color. My favorite are the white, as you can ink or mist them to match whatever you are working on, as I did here.

Well, I have to run now....have to ge the kids to their school dance and finish up some laundry. Its just started to rain here so that means no light to photograph any more layouts tonight! I do have one that I didn't post yet that I may blog later, but if not, have a great night and talk to you all tomorrow, my friends!

Happy Go Lucky!

It's been a little while since I used a sketch from Creative Scrappers as inspiration. And in fact, I was going to skip this one because it was very similar to one I had done earlier this month using Lily Bee papers. But then it just sort of fell into place! I was browsing the May challenges over at Challenge Masters and saw that the Stash Challenge is to use at least 4 different patterned papers. I can't believe that I used EIGHT! This photo of Matt has been sitting on my desk for weeks just waiting to be scrapped. I was originally going to do a layout about his obsession with video games, but as I was cleaning up some papers on my floor, I found this Best Creations page kit that I won which was filled with green papers. Most were in small pieces as it was a pre-cut page kit. so that's how I decided to go with this sketch! I'm not one to use a page kit "as is" so this was perfect! Lots of little bits of paper! I matted everything on black cardstock. Let me tell you, this is one heavy layout! So many layers! I added a Horseshoe and a gold coin with a shamrock on it as "lucky" embellishments. The title fits my son to a tee. Nothing bugs this kid....he's truly Happy Go Lucky! I just hope he stays that way!!

Sei Bella

I did this layout a couple nights ago but forgot to blog it! I was trying to participate in the Virtual Crop at MyScrapbook Nook but after days of trying to register without success, then finally getting registered and starting on the challenges, for whatever reason none of my posts would show up in the forums. So while there were really a lot of fun and interesting challenges there, I gave up. It was stressing me out!! But I got a couple layouts done anyway...so all was not lost. The challenge for this one was to use 10 or more pieces of chipboard on one layout which must be your own design...no sketches allowed! Yikes....I LOVE my sketches! The chipboard was easy once I decided to use the K&Co flowers and butterflies! I used Lily Bee Stationery papers, a Colorbok glitter chipboard journal spot, SCWV glitter chipboard letters, October Afternoon mini letters and my Martha Stewart Garden Gate border punch. The rest of the embellishments are K&Co.

I Love These Kids

 NOTE:  I will replace the photo tomorrow in the daylight.  The flash left a funky look!!

After two days of trying to register at My Scrapbook Nook, I am finally set and able to play along with their Virtual Crop that started yesterday and runs through the weekend. The first challenge I decided to play with was Challenge #10 - Go Wild With White Space. I coupled this with the Countdown Challenge at A Cherry On Top:

5 - Flowers; 4 - Blue Things (can be paper, elements, anything you like); 3 - Papers; 2 - Pictures; 1 - Frame

I used papers from Lily Bee, Pink Paislee and Fancy Pants. The chipboard foil rimmed letters are by Cloud 9 and the mini letters are October Afternoon. Flowers are Prima and Recollections. Wood Veneer heart bu Studio Calico (inked it to match) and all the buttons from my stash. I inked with blue then blended with white ink around the edges of the page and finished it off with red stitching. This was a fun layout....I don't usually leave so much white space.

Relax in Old San Juan

What a great day today was. The weather was perfect, it was my first Friday off (I have off Fridays from now until September) and I decided to pick the kids up early from school (just an hour) JUST BECAUSE! Way to rack up "Mom Points". My daughter has a friend sleeping over and they just left for a walk to Dairy Queen, we had a yummy Tostado dinner and the evening is still young which means I can keep scrapping! I've already done three layouts today and have already finished the laundry for the weekend, cleaned up the house last night and this morning and have very little to do the rest of the weekend except relax (and hopefully find a rental home to move to!)

This layout is John hanging out in the harbor in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico while we were on our family cruise back in 09. Seems like just yesterday! I used Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage papers for this page. Who would have thought they could work for this theme but the colors are so soothing. The letters for the title are also Pink Paislee. On the tag they are My Minds Eye and Glitz. The flowers I got in a baggie at Joanns and the muslin yo yo flower I just whipped up for this layout. As usual, I was trying to get more than one challenge in one a layout! This one is for the Supply List Challenge at A Cherry On Top - Sewing (faux or real), Fabric and Shipping Tag. I used the new sketch at Stuck On You Sketches. I really like this sketch and will probably use it again for a different theme!

12th Birthday Dinner

I could not get a straight photo of this to save my life. I promise, IRL it is STRAIGHT!

This layout is my daughter and one of her BFF's at Famous Dave's for my daughter's 12th birthday dinner. I used papers from the DCWV Stack Mango Frost. Letters are Jillibean Soup and the flowers are Prima. Rick rack from my stash. I used a sketch by Susan Stringfellow.

Mothers Day Blooms

I am going to attempt this post and hope that Blogger has their issues resolved! I am going through Blog Withdrawl!

This layout was done for the Mfr. Challenge at A Cherry On Top which is Martha Stewart Crafts. The photos are my Mother's Day flowers from 2010 and 2011. Every year John gets me these HUGE hanging baskets and they flower straight through till October! I usually throw them away about the time I start to put Halloween decorations up!

I used a sketch by Susan Stringfellow and only one lonely piece of patterned paper which is OLD I tell ya! Its from Prima's Stone Rose collection which has to be 6 years old already! The rest is just plain old cardstock which was strange for me but I couldn't match the colors up without having patterns that didn't fit the theme of the page! I used Martha Stewart Garden Gate border punch at the bottom. I LOVE this punch! Its so elegant to me! Letters are Making Memories and Pink Paislee foam letters that I colored to match the pink, orange and purples in the flowers. Flowers are Petaloo leftover from this month's Swirlydoos kit. A purple ribbon and bow from my stash and a journaling spot from American Crafts and it's complete!

You Color My World

National Scrapbooking Day/Weekend is winding down! How do I know? Well. This layout only qualifies for TWO challenges and one of them is not even related to NSD! LOL! I think I record was 6 during the heat of the weekend!!

Challenge #19 at A Cherry On Top is to scrap a page using one of your favorite paper brands. I love me some Lily Bee! They aren't my FAVORITE....that honor lies firmly with My Minds Eye....but I do love their colorful and happy prints!

And in conjunction with this, at Lets Capture Our Memories there is a sketch challenge to create a layout based on the sketch using only Lily Bee papers. Easy peasy!!

I used papers from the Hello Sunshine, Happily Lost, Domestic Bliss and French Couture collections on this page! I also used my new die from Cherry Lynn Designs for the banner! LOVE IT!!

Oh The Places We Would Go!

Did you ever wake up from a sound sleep with an idea for a layout in your head? That's what happened to me this morning. As I drifted off to sleep last night I was looking at the Studio Calico blog for some more challenges I could work on today. I found this sketch and bookmarked it for further perusal today.

 I've had Challenge #1 at A Cherry On Top on my mind since the crop started on Friday. We were to scrap a page about what we would do if we hit "The Big One" lottery! I actually wasn't going to do this one because frankly I have too many pictures to scrap about something that has very little chance of happening. Then I thought well.....it is a dream of mine....in fact, seeing Venice and Tuscany are number one on my "bucket list". So why not include this in my scrapbooks. Maybe someday I will actually get there and be able to look at this page and say I've done it!

Anywho, as I walked out of the bathroom this morning I saw this lottery ticket sitting on John's end table. It was a loser of course but *light-bulb moment* I can put it on my layout for Challenge #1. As I was still wiping the sleep from my eyes I opened my laptop, Googled a few pictures, called up the sketch, went immediately to my Basic Grey folder and found that the papers in the Curio line were just what I had in mind! And the layout was born! Just as quick as that!

It didn't go together as quickly but that is only because I fussy cut the flowers, and then fussy cut some more for just the insides and popped them up on foam dots. You really can't see it but the dimension is nice in real life. Then it was just a matter of lettering. I've had two different types of letters already on here for the "Oh, the places we would go" phrase and I still am not happy with it. I may take that off and just add some more flowers there.

The letters I used for "Italy" and the metal butterfly are from Recollections (Michaels) and the small letters are Basic Grey Life of th Party. Everything else on this page is Basic Grey Curio.

I have about 2 hours left in my NSD LONG weekend. I have an appointment to have my hair colored (I'm thinking of doing something funky too!) at 1pm then Matt has a game at 7 so that's it for me! Its back to work tomorrow and the start of Summer hours which means LONG days however, in return for those long days I will have off every Friday from now until September! I love that part of it but 10 hour days Monday-Thursday kick my butt for the first couple weeks!

Rock Stars!

Last one for me today! I can hardly believe I am saying this, but I actually think I am all scrapped out! I may get one or two more done tomorrow morning but to be honest, if I don't I am ok with that! What started out as a lousy day, has been quite productive scrappy wise.

This layout is once again for several challenges!

1. I used the new sketch at The Scrappiest! I was checking there periodically today as Liz usually posts new sketches on Mondays but with all the events of the weekend I wasn't sure if there would be one this week! Much to my happiness she posted it and it was an absolute perfect fit for what I was hoping to work on next! So much so its an almost exact replica of the sketch!

2. Frosted Designs challenge to use three basic shapes - I used a circle, rectangle and star.

3. Challenge #17 at A Cherry On Top - "Scrap anything about a musical show. You could scrap a concert, a piano recital, marching band practice, a talent show, or even someone playing Rock Band or Guitar Hero!" As you can see, I chose the latter...my son's playing RockBand 2! I know there was another challenge I had in mind with this one but it escapes me at the moment!

4.  The final challenge for this page is the Color Inspiration challenge at Studio Calico. Its not SPOT on but definitely in the right zone!!  The kraft threw me a little but its there in the guitars and the ticket is a light kraft color.

I used My Minds Eye Good Day Sunshine for the majority of this layout except the Gold rectangle on the left is Stella Rose and the lime green circle is Echo Park A Walk In The Park. I added a journaling tag from October Afternoon, a "Party Like A Rock Star" sticker from Bella Blvd., a guitar from Jolees leftover from my Bon Jovi layout from this weekend, letters by Scrapworks, numbers by Recollections and the star was a Sizzix diecut and believe it or not, I broke the stinking die when cutting it out! Ticked me off! I know it was one that I got on clearance at AC Moore last year and probably only paid $3-$4 for it but STILL....I bet I've only made 5-6 cuts with it and the darned thing cracked in half!

That's it folks....I'm going to sign off the laptop, bring the iPad to bed and do a little blog surfing to see what you have all been up to this NSD weekend/week!! :)