Jingle Belles- "We Three Kings"

This week, the Jingle Belles are challenging us to use three different types of patterned papers on our cards! Fun! I love mixing it up and my Christmas paper and embellie collection is put together using basically three different manufacturers: Crate Paper, Basic Grey and October Afternoon. I chose to work with Crate Paper and created this fun card:

I used 3 patterns from Crate Paper, a red loopy border, and an October Afternoon sticker strip that says "Let it Snow." I made the tag and stamped snowflakes and added the snowman chipboard. Easy peasy, bright and cheesy! :)

PTI May Blog Hop!

Hi Friends! Today is the May Papertrey Ink blog hop! The challenge this month was to use flowers! Here's my card:

I used the Papertrey Everyday Button Bits set for my flowers. The felt bee is one of my creations, also available in my Etsy shop! I printed the sentiment "thanks a buzz-illion!" on my computer and trimmed.

Thanks for stopping here along the hop! Enjoy all the creations... I know I will!

Smash Books!

The new Smash books are all the rage, and Archiver's has them! Not only are the books super fun, but all the delicious things that go with it are drool worthy! Check out this video on YouTube:

I plan to keep mine filled with stuff about me: goals, books to read, ones I've read, funny things the kids say, and just daily things or inspiration. Pretty much, whatever I want! ;)

A Favorite Photo

The challenge blog over at These Are a Few of My Favorite Things has requested the use of a favorite photo(s). I love this picture of Elan. It was taken on his fourth birthday in February and the eyeballs on the kid are just huge! I also loved that I captured the "4" fingers he was holding up and he's mouthing the word "four" in the background. I love pictures that you take and will never be able to recreate! This is a rather simple layout, but I really wanted the pictures to be the main focus. So, do you have a favorite photo that needs scrappin'? Join the fun if you do! ;)

JB- Sugar Plums!

Today, I am the Guest Designer over at Jingle Belles! I came across this inspiration board on the Paper Doll Romance blog and it was titled "Visions of Sugar Plums." I thought it would be a great prompt for a holiday card! It reminds me of the Nutcracker, and all that purple, glittery goodness reminds me of how sweet the holidays actually are!This is the card I came up with: I was inspired by the bottom right corner of the photo. I loved the garland and the ballet shoes, and how soft it all looked. So, I pulled out some sugar plum colors, coarse glitter, white ink and some scissors and went to town!

As I was crafting, 2 of my 3 shadows were close. So close, they wanted to make a skate card too. Ugh... I agreed and then they went to town with glitter, the Cuttlebug, ink and rhinestones. I love that they want to create, but they get everything out and make a huge mess. I still have coarse glitter on my desk... 3 days later!

Here is Anna's card. She is 6 and I believe she is adopting my "clean and simple" style. But the girl does love glitter, and more is, well, more! Her favorite tools- stamps and markers!

Here is Elan's card. He is 4. Anna was a bit perturbed that he kind of "copied" off of her card, but actually, he copied my card. How about those orange socks? He's quite the stamper! His favorite tools- the Cuttlebug and Glue Dots.I hope you will join the Jingle Belles blog this week and make a Sugar Plum card! With all this purplicious inspiration, I don't see how you could pass up the challenge! ;)

Can't wait to see all the creations!

Multi-Photo Layout

In the summer of 2009, I took the kids to the Zoo. It was a full day, but on the way home, we saw the Louisville firefighters checking their engines, lights and hoses outside the fire house. After stopping the car for a moment so the kids could watch, the fire Chief invited them to help. It was a kids dream... getting on the truck, spraying the hose, trying on gear and it was just my kiddos there- the firefighters gave them all their attention! It was awesome and I didn't want them to forget it.

Which brings me to the layout of the day... I loved all the pictures I took that afternoon, but I prefer making one 12x12 layout- that could be a problem with lots of photos. Problem solved when you print your own! I printed 6 photos at a 2x3 inch size and then arranged them on the page. I love lots of photos that capture the moment, and the daily stuff, like the "Fire House Pit Stop," are the days I want my kiddos to remember. That's what scrapbooking is all about!

Have a great day!

JB- Jolly Old St. Nicholas!

The Jingle Belles are at it again! This week the prompt is to use "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" on your card.
Seriously, this was my one and only Santa in my stash and it was on a journaling card. I used my Basic Grey "jovial" paper pad and the sticker is from October Afternoon. I inked up all the edges to make it look a little more vintage. Simple, yes, but that's just my style... roll with it, k?

Until next time, friends, happy crafting.

Teacher Card

Good morning, friends! A quick post today to share a cute card that I made for one of Anna's teachers. I used Paper Smooches apple from the "Falling for You" set. Let me tell you, I have used this apple stamp a lot! Love it and very versatile!
Like I said, quick post... Blogger is on my very last nerve.

Finally Toothless!

I love this layout... mainly because it features my oldest, Mac, who is 8, and his first lost tooth! He was the only kid in the entire second grade that hadn't lost a tooth- that's 75 kids with a mouth full of adult teeth and Mac still had all his baby teeth! He waited, and waited, wiggled and yanked and finally, his first tooth came out!He was so proud, and now smiles with his mouth open! Since his tooth fell out and this layout was made, he has lost another tooth! I believe they will be dropping out quickly now, but the first one, we will always remember!

JB- Christmas Past

Hey there! It's been a whirlwind of business since last Thursday! Derby week is a blast, but it takes me a few days to recover! ;) Then, we threw in Mother's Day the day after Derby, and sheesh... I'm still catching my breath!
Anyway, I had to get my Jingle Belles card done and posted before the deadline! Again, just in the nick of time! This week, the prompt: "Christmas Past." I used a vintage card from October afternoon as my starting point of "Christmas Past" and went from there. Adding printed paper from Basic Grey, felt embellie from MM, rosette ribbon from Am. Crafts, and the blue button? That really is vintage! I thought it looked great with the blue in the little girls dress!
Enjoy! I hope to breathing at a more regular pace by next weekend!

PolkaDot Door Blog Hop!

Hello and welcome! Today, I am participating in the first Polkadot Door Designs blog hop! It lasts through the week with tons of fun, inspiration and prizes! I hope you will join us and browse from one creative blog to the next!
For the first blog hop, Polkadot Door decided on an inspiration challenge to base a layout, card or project on. I love this picture of colorful goodness, inspiration is all over it:
At first glance, I was drawn in by the colors. So fresh, bright and springy! So, I based my layout on color inspiration:

Then, I really was digging those pinwheels. So, I made another project... lots of the same colors, but with a handmade embellie!
My two boys sharing a birthday party- this layout goes in my oldests book! ;)

A close up of the pinwheel:
Now it's your turn! All of the blog hop details can be found HERE. The blog hop list is below, and I encourage you to start at the beginning if you found yourself here first! After you cruise the hop and get loads of inspiring ideas, link up your creation at the Polkadot Door Designs site!

Kim {begin here}

Natasha

Geri

Amanda {you are here!}

Valerie

Jean

Diana

Nicole

Yvonne

Amy

Polkadot Door Designs

Have fun hopping, and if you create something, please leave me a link so I can check it out! A special thanks to Sarah and Rebecca for all their hard work putting together a fantastic blog hop!

Jingle Belles- No Designer Paper!

Hello y'all. I know my Jingle Belles post is up too late- past the 6 p.m. deadline, but it's my computers fault. My Photoshop was giving me fits and didn't feel like uploading and editing today. Hmph. Oh well, I finally did get it to work, so thought I'd share anyway.
This week, Jingle Belles said, "No Designer Papers!" No problem! I love jazzing up plain paper! ;) I used kraft and white (swiss dot embossed) and inked the edges of both in brown. Cut out my tree and embellished, added a sticker and some red jewels and my card was finished!

Mini Album

Hello friends. I hope you are staying dry, 'cause in these parts, it's awfully wet. The rain can stop now. I'm serious. It's Derby week and the weather really needs to make a full 360 degree turn before Thursday. Louisville is depressing right now... So, to lift some creative spirits, I'm going to share this mini album I made for Elan during my scrappin' trip with the girls. Each of my kiddos now have their own little album of favorites and they love them!

Here is the cover and order of pages:

"The End"These mini albums are very easy to create. I use 4x6 chipboard postcards and cover them with crumpled tissue paper. I simply attach the tissue with a glue stick and then take Glossy Accents glue to smooth around the edges to prevent the paper from pulling up. Punch two holes, add your binder rings, ribbon, photos and embellishments a ta'da! A mini album is born.

Runner Girl

I did it... I conquered it... I didn't stop and I didn't cry. I ran the KY Derby half Marathon- 13.1 miles! Even the day after, I feel great, besides a little soreness in the thighs! Next stop... Chicago Marathon, October 9!

My brothers, Adam and Nate and sister-in-law, Lara all ran and did awesome too! Here we are at the end, sporting our medals:

Elan and Stephen were there to cheer me on at mile number 7 going into Churchill Downs and then again at the finish line.Finishing strong at 2 hours and 30 something minutes! I did it, and I'm so dang proud of myself.