Banners

I've really been enjoying adding banners to some of my layouts lately, as you can see here & here. I've been using the True Blue MME patterned paper that has banners all over it and cutting them out, adding them to my layouts and stitching them on. A very fun look.

So, it seemed appropriate to also use them from the MME Tickled Pink line on Sage's 6th birthday layout:



At her party in September, we'd made some fairy necklaces and headbands using some fabric cut into flowers (along with beads, string and cut up coloured straws.) I'd kept some leftover flowers and wanted to add them to the layout.



I put several on a diecut label and added a button on top. Then I took a little more fabric and cut several smaller flowers to add in a cluster.

Thanks for looking!

Five for Friday

Five things I'm enjoying right now...

1. The fact that although I felt really badly on Tuesday with a cold, that today, I'm feeling almost 100%. Considering that my husband and one of my closest friends have been battling with their colds for several weeks, I'm glad that mine didn't last nearly as long.

2. That, as a result of the fact that MSS won't be having montly kits any more (not loving this, but it's out of my control), the DT at MSS will be having more challenges to inspire its members. Nothing seems to get me inspired as much as a challenge. You can look for these to start regularly in March. (And you can spot some sneak peeks of some of my layouts in #3 & #5.)

3. Scrappy mail. Since I bought my Cuttlbug back in December, I've been on the lookout for some nice alphabet dies. However, I've been unwilling to pay full price, so I've been checking out places like amazon.com and ebay.ca for some deals. The first ones I bought were:

Quickutz Central Park, which I bought on Amazon for $30. I used them on this layout:



Quickutz Cotton Candy, which I bought on Amazon for $20. I used them on this layout:



Quickutz Jolly, which my friend Susan got for me on ebay for $10. I used them on this layout:



And, as scrappy mail, I got the following two this week in the mail.

I used Quickutz Studio Classic, which I got on ebay for $35. (Regular, it's $120!) on Wednesday when I made this layout:


(Sorry, it's just a peak-- it's a layout I made for one of the March DT challenges that I mentionned in #2.)

I got Quickutz Reuse on ebay for $20. It arrived yesterday.

And then yesterday, I bought Provocraft Harmony set on ebay for $19.40.

So now I should be good.

And yeah, I can no longer justify buying any letter stickers. ;)

4. The sheets of Big Shot Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets I got at my SU! party last month. They work perfectly with #3.

5. And yes, another scrappy item (hey, what can I say? Scrappy stuff makes me happy. ;) ), also purchased at last month's SU! party ---- build-a-brads. It's no secret that I love brads, but these allow me to punch coordinating patterned paper (or stamped images) to make coordinating brads to use on my projects. I was worried that I'd hoard them, but I've used three so far. The one is in the photo above, with my Studio Classic die cut title.

Here are the other two:





These are also a few sneaks from #2.

And a bonus...

I posted a layout today on the MSS blog. I used a sketch from Page Maps (December 2010) and some MME & Fancy Pants patterned paper and Pink Paislee letter stickers. The flourish stamp belongs to my friend, Susan. Isn't it lovely?



Thanks for looking!
Have a great weekend!

My Paris Album, part 2

You can view Part 1 of my Paris album here.



As you can see, I kept most of these layouts pretty simple.









My biggest regret is not having better clothes and my hair done nicely for my photo beside the Seine. Ha!







My wonderful friend, Susan had brought me back the My Mind's Eye Lost & Found patterned paper from a trip to the States and I think I used up almost every scrap of it. It was just so perfect for these photos!

I loved how I could make it tie in even further with my photos.... like in this layout about taking the metro, I used a piece of pp that said "transporation" and "routes"...



... and on my final layout, about going home, this little bird with the cages just seemed perfect.



Thanks for looking!

My Paris Album, part 1

Now before you start to think that I am some sort of jet-setting, world traveller (ha! I so wish!), I need to explaing that this Paris album is made up of photos taken on our 6 hours layover in France, when we were coming back from DR Congo last February. By the time we took the train to Paris, we had about 2 hours to spend there.

Because these layouts are stored in the same album as my Congo layouts, I wanted them to have something in common with the Congo layouts, while at the same time, I wanted to display the vast contrast between the two countries. So, I decided to use kraft cardstock for it, but instead of the brightly coloured Pink Paislee and OA patterned paper that I used for my Congo layouts, I chose products from the My Mind's Eye Lost & Found collections (market street & union square).









For these two layouts, I used two sheets of the Market Street "Love" Beautiful Glittered paper and used the reverse side on both. Then on the next two layouts, I used a third sheet of it & used both sides.





Just like my Congo albums, I used some WRMK page protectors and slid in my photos and patterned paper with journaling.







For this layout, I used Challenge 16 on the MME blog to make it. This next layout is beside it in my album.



Thanks for looking!

Today is...

... my friend, Marlo's birthday and I wanted to share the card I gave her here on the blog:



I used some My Mind's Eye So Sophie patterned paper, my new SU! Elizabeth stamp (that I got for free at my party), along with a greeting from one of my fillable frames stamp sets from Papertrey Ink. I cut out the stamped image by hand and then used my SU! colour spritz tool to add a bit of "misting." I just love how this tool allows me to add the technique of misting to my projects, but doesn't get it all wet! It's wonderful. Really.

Okay, that's it for me. Just as I was going to bed last night, I felt a runny nose coming on. So I took some Cold F/X last night and again this morning, along with some Tylenol Cold & Sinus Daytime. When I came home for lunch, I took some more Tylenol C&S, but have still felt pretty crummy all day.

I'm not scheduled to work tomorrow & I pray they don't call me in, because I think I really need a day to rest and get better.

Pardon my rambling. ;)
Thanks for stopping by!

Five for Friday

1. I'm hosting my Crop for the Congo this weekend and am really looking forward to it. The turnout isn't as big as last year, but I still think it's going to be great. Hey, it's scrapbooking for 12 hours-- how can that not be great? ;)

2. Sage got a new friend this week. She's wanted one for a while now and as soon as I told her about the $500 we won last month and would be sharing, she knew what she wanted to buy with her share-- a FurReal Gogo My Walking pup:



3. I'm reading two books at once right now. I know. I don't usually do this-- I'm a "finish one first then start the next one" kind of girl. But I signed up for a Bible study and the book they're studying is Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I just started it, but so far it's very good. The other book I'm reading is Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel. This one is at Austin's request. He read the series and really liked it, so he wanted me to read it, too. I love it when my kids experience something and enjoy it so much that they feel I should enjoy it, too. This makes me feel important to them and loved. So, I'm reading it.

4. I started Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred this week and it is killer. Totally makes me want to quit. I'm not kidding.

5. I made 12 cards on the weekend and scrapbooked one layout on Tuesday night. I used a sketch made by Jennifer Gallacher at 2Peas for their January sketch challenge.



I posted it the sketch along with some bonus challenges on the MSS blog today if you'd like to check them out.

Thanks for looking!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

1. Three healthy children. My friend, Carol, posted about her friend's child who is very sick with cancer. So sad. Just makes me remember how fragile life is and that we shouldn't take it for granted.

2. My job. I've been working quite a bit this week (four days) with 2.5 days next week booked already and five the week after that. That means that I'll have some money to buy #3.

3. The new CHA releases will be arriving soon. I'm mostly looking forward to this and this (the first collection), but I'm sure I'll be picking up more, too. Hee hee.

4. Seeing this post this week-- so exciting to win things!

5. The super nice weather we've been having this week. I've heard we're back to "winter temps" this weekend, but I'm thankful for the short reprieve.

6. My house. I love it. Seriously. I would be very happy living in it for the rest of my life.

7. That things have been coming together well for the Crop for the Congo fundraiser I'm hosting this weekend.

8. For a SIL who loves my kids & is willing to take them for a sleepover this weekend.

9. That all of the packages I went to pick up in Walhalla yesterday were in. When I got there, they said one of them wasn't there, which would have meant another 40 minute drive later in the week. But the clerk went back to double check and found it!

10. That the grocery store in Walhalla had restocked their Diet A&W root beer. Not sure why the American version of this drink tastes better, but it does.

What are you thankful for today?

A birthday card

... that I made for a friend on the weekend.



I used some MME & Crate Paper pp that I found in my scraps, a Papertrey Ink fillable frame stamp and die and my Tim Holtz tattered flowers die. The sentiment stamped on the flower was from another PTI fillable frame stamp set. I used my SU! edge punch and added some stitching and spritzing with my SU! colour spritzer.

Thanks for looking!

Valentine cards, part 3

Happy Valentine's Day!

I just wanted to share the Valentine's cards that I made for the men in my life.

This one is for Austin. He's 11, going on 12 this Spring. (Did I seriously just type that? Wow!) I thought he'd appreciate the greeting.



I punched hearts out of My Mind's Eye and Stampin'Up patterned paper. The red text on white background heart is a SU! stamp that I used (another free set I got for hosting my SU! party.) The greeting is from the Signature Greetings set from Papertrey Ink. I tried to dry the ink with my heat gun, but it still smudged a little when Sage touched it. Oh well.



This next card I made for Cameron. It's a little girly, I know, with the pink, but I wanted to try this technique and figured, hey, it's Valentine's Day. I can get away with a little pink.

I stamped an SU! stamp repeated over the background with Versamark ink and then added clear embossing powder and heat set it. I used my Ranger Ink Blending tool to rub pink ink all over the background, leaving the stamped images clear. I realize this isn't a new technique to most people, but this was the first time I've ever tried it. I was quite happy with how it turned out.

I also used the Papertrey Ink Fillable frames #10 die and stamp, the same SU! heart stamp and punch that I used on Austin's card and then I stamped a greeting from Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames #8 set.



This last card is for Jonah. The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye. I punched again with my new SU! heart punch. I also used the Papertrey Ink Fillable frames #10 die and stamp, my new SU! Elizabeth stamp (behind the die cut), my new SU! colour spritzer and another greeting from the Signature Greetings set from Papertrey Ink.

I wanted to give something to Cameron & my kids for Valentine's, but I didn't want to buy anything. Last night, I came up with this idea and put one in each of their cards:



They loved them! Jonah wants to use his on a school day, so I will come and volunteer in his class for 2 hours! Should be fun! ;)

Thanks so much for looking!

Valentine cards, part 2

We've been working on getting ready for Valentine's Day.

Instead of handing out Valentine's cards this year, I bought bags of Valentine's smarties for the kids to give to their friends.





The boys worked on getting theirs done Friday after school. My little keener, Sage, had already gotten hers done earlier in the week.

And this year, I decided to do a little something for my R.O.X. volunteers. I made these cards with a pocket to hold a package of hot chocolate. These two were for two of my female volunteers, Kathy & Darlene:



I used My Mind's Eye patterned paper, some Prima flowers and Basic Grey buttons. The tags were made with my new Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames #8 die and stamp. I also stamped the coffee cups with my new SU! stamp that I got for hosting the party. The greeting is from the Papertrey Ink Fillable Frames #9 stamp set.



And I wanted to make one for our sound technician, Wes, so I decided to make one that was a little less girly.



Again, I used the same stamps and die, just with a different colour of ink. The paper is also My Mind's Eye, from their Valentine's line from last year and the button is Basic Grey.



In the inside, I wrote that I hoped the hot chocolate warmed them up in the same way that thoughts of their serving in R.O.X. warm my heart. A little cheesy, but true.

Thanks for looking!

Valentine cards, part 1

I decided to make some Valentine cards this morning and this is the first one that I've gotten done so far. It's for Sage.



I used the MME blog challenge card sketch as well as my new SU! color spritz tool and a new die with a matching stamp from Papertrey Ink. The sentiment stamp is from a Papertrey set called Signature Greetings.

Thanks for looking!

Playing with new stuff

I've been working on a layout this week that includes a photo of Jonah that is one of my faves. I took it in Yorkton at our last tae kwon do tournament in November. It was just before he was going to spar.

I decided to use my new My Mind's Eye goodies that I had won from Studio Calico in November and also thought I'd use the latest challenge/sketch that they have posted on their blog (you can check it out here.)

I had worked on this layout in the evenings this week. On Thursday, my friend, Susan & I went to Walhalla to pick up some packages we ordered, one of them being some dies with matching stamps from Papertrey Ink. When I opened them, I knew I had to incorporate one of them on my layout somehow. I decided to pair it with one of my new Stampin' Up! stamps from the Define Your Life set.

Here's how it turned out:



And a close up of the tag:



Have you been playing with new stuff lately?
Thanks for looking!

Five for Friday

1. I did Day 19 of the 30 Day Shred today! This means one more day and then I'm done with level 2. So happy about this! I'm really struggling with all of the plank position stuff and am hoping that Level 3 doesn't have as many.

2. I was asked to lead the warm up at tae kwon do on Wednesday evening. This was a first for me. I was a little nervous, but I think it went okay. I asked Sage how I did and she said that I counted "at exactly the right time." :)

3. We're having a potluck lunch at church on Sunday and I need to figure out what to bring for it. I was thinking maybe some pasta in an alfredo sauce with some broccoli. The trick is keeping it warm from 9:30am (when we arrive at church for the first service) until 12pm, after Sunday school. If I could put it in my slowcooker to keep it warm, this might work okay. Any thoughts?

4. I'm drowning in scrap goodies! I got my stuff from my Stampin' Up! party that I hosted a couple of weeks ago this week and am very anxious to play with it. Then, my friend, Susan & I drove to Walhalla yesterday and picked up our order which included some new dies, coordinating stamp sets, ink, a little bit of paper, etc. Can you say overwhelmed? Ha. Ha. I'll definitely be setting aside some time this weekend for some creative play.

5. I posted a sketch over on the My Scrap Shoppe blog this morning. For this week's sketch, I chose Sketch 138 from Creative Scrappers. Here's the layout I made with it:



Honestly, when I first saw this sketch, I dismissed it because I didn't think I'd make a layout with a large star on it. But then I thought of my daughter's "Star of the Week" photos and the memorabilia that went along with it and I decided that the star would make a great pocket to tuck those things into.



I used Bazzill cardstock and Fancy Pants patterned paper. I used my Quickutz Central Park alphabet dies and Cuttlebug to cut out the title and my star punch to make the little stars. Lots of stitching on this one.

Thanks for looking!

My Congo Album, part 5

Finishing up the last of my layouts from my Congo album. You can click on the links to see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 or Part 4.


A layout about the 3rd farm we visited. Probably my least favourite day of the trip. I got car sick from the long drive there and back and just found the whole time there kind of boring.


Some photos that I took as we drove by the Congo river in Kinshasa.


I wasn't feeling well the day we went to the artist market in Kinshasa, which was too bad, because otherwise it would have been a really fun time. The vendors were all calling: "Just looking! Just looking! Mommy! Come here to just look!" Too funny! I bought a carved black rhino for Jonah and some bracelets there.


After the market, we went to the zoo. It cost us $0.70 to get in and we paid for bottles of pop for $0.30. So we did get quite a bit of bang for our buck! The housing for the animals was quite sad, really. The highlight for me was being so close to the leopard-- he was gorgeous!




A layout I created with the pockets to document some of the fun little memories or "ways of the congolese."


(In case you're wondering what the pink stuff is at the top right hand corner, it's congolese toilet paper-- pink with the texture of crepe paper!)


A final page with thoughts on the trip as a whole and how it impacted me.

And that's it for the Congo!
Thanks for looking!