...to scrap at least two layouts per month. 

I want to move all the pictures I have out of boxes and onto some cute pages!  And since we have been working on our house and my scrapping room was one of the areas to get a  complete makeover, (Okay...it's not totally done yet....But getting there!) I'm excited to actually be able to accomplish things without having to move piles to get to what I need.  Yeah!!

Will I follow through with the scrapbooking??  Well.....I did give myself a break already by making it 2 per month, instead of one a week! lol.....  And I have some new motivation and inspiration.  I've joined a group at Scrapbook.com and after checking out the galleries, challenges, sketches and such,  I want to do nothing but scrap now!! 

While I was browsing the gallery there, I found a great resource for layout sketches.  A place called Page Maps.  O....M.....Goodness!  How thrilled am I to have this as a 'go to'??  Way thrilled!!  I'm good with choosing the pictures, and fine with selecting the colors, papers, theme, embellies, etc.  But how to put it on the page???  Not so good.  Thanks a mil to Jamie for helping me find Page Maps. 

And for all you card makers....Page Maps has some card sketches, too.  Best of all, all the sketches are available with a month's worth (10 layouts) on one page as a PDF download!!  You guessed it!  I'll be printing a page at a time and putting them in a binder so I can refer to them in hard copy in the future. 

I'm making plans to sort through photos on New Year's Day so I can start scrapping right away!

Weeeee!

LOC Merci Bouquet

Hello friends!
I've been busy with several projects around here.  Some of them involve testing out my new machine, a Sizzix eclips electronic cutting machine.  Samples of those efforts coming soon!

For now, I just have another card I made using my new Layers of Color stamps. 
This time I used the Merci Bouquet stamp set and this challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ for my inspiration.

 I think the card is a little 'off balance' so I'm going to add another flower in the upper left corner, but other than that, I'm pleased as punch with this one.

Thanks for stopping in.  Have a blessed day!


Credits 
SU!:  CS (Barely Banana, Old Olive), ink (Crumb Cake, Barely Banana, Pale Plum), punches (5-Petal Flower, Flower Trio)
Stash: white CS, pearls, jute, brad

LOC: Touch of Elegance

I have another card to share with you made from Layers of Color stamps, designed by Laura Kirste Campbell.

This is my second favorite of the cards I made the day my new stamps arrived.

I used the Touch of Elegance stamp set, choosing one of the images, but stamping only half of it.  The bottom layer is done in SU!'s Groovy Guava and the top layer, offset by half, in Really Rust.  The base CS is SU! Kiwi Kiss and the ribbon is SU! Crumb Cake taffeta.

If you want to see what lovely designs Laura is currently creating, check out her website here.


Thanks for visiting.  Have a lovely day!

LOC Nature Walk

For most of the past year I was following a company that had some fantastic stamps, very much in my style.  That company was Layers of Color.  Yes.....was!  Laura Kirste Campbell has closed up her independent shop, but the good news is that she is still designing.  You can check out her website here, and her new stamps can be found at Penny Black.

What I thought to be bad news for me was the fact that I wasn't able to put many of Laura's stamps into my collection before she closed Layers of Color.

Thanks to my friend Linda, (She hooked me up with a retailer who still had some stock of LOC stamps.), I now have four of my favorite sets in my collection. 

I was able to ink some up the very day they arrived in the mail! Yea!  I have for you today, my favorite of the four cards I made.

 

This is a very CAS card, for me, although it does have ink distressing as well as scissor distressed edges.  I used the flourish from the Nature Walk set and I just loved the way the stamped image came out, nice and crisp, and oh so lovely!  I couldn't bear to put anything else on the card that would distract from it.

I know I'm going to enjoy using these over and over again.  And......I plan to be diligent about collecting Laura's new designs.  They are just as lovely!

Thank you so much for making a visit here today!  Blessings to you!


Challenges:
Make it Monday: Anything Goes

Credits:
Stampin' Up!: Card stock (Cameo Coral, Close to Cocoa), Ink (Old Olive, Crumb Cake), Ribbon (Crumb Cake Taffeta)
Layers of Color: Stamp (Nature Walk)
Stash:  White CS

Color Throwdown #195

I love these colors!  Very soft.  Very feminine.  Very me.

I'm appreciating the digital paper files I've been accumulating over the past couple of years, especially since two of the three local scrapping stores have gone out of business.  I know many of you don't even have a local scrapping store, so having one left may seem like a wonderful thing.  The down side is that each of the three tended toward different styles, so we don't have quite the variety from which to choose anymore.
All that to say, that having digi files of DPs is great!  I can print and scrap whenever the mood hits. Yeah!

The papers I've used on this card come from two different sources, Trina Clark at DigiScrapKits.com, (floral and check) and Tabea at blog.sunshineartz.com, (solid pink).

Both of these ladies have wonderful digital scrapping supplies.

I used the Card Patterns Sketch #168 for my layout, but didn't take a photo in time to link up to that challenge.

Credits:
Stampin' Up!: Card Stock (Barely Banana-retired), stamp, ink, Eyelet Border punch, Top Note die
Sunshine Artz: pink digi paper
Digi Scrap Kits: checked and floral digi papers
Stash: white CS, ribbon, pearls


Challenges:
Color Throwdown - #195

SSIC #142: Isaiah 40:26

This week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ, Diane is the challenge hostess.  She has chosen Isaih 40:26 as her scripture.

Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, and that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.

 

Stop on over at the SSIC blog to read Diane's devotional.  It's very encouraging.

 

The challenge guidelines are:  Create a card that depicts any element of heaven-angels, music, clouds, sun, stars, blue, glitter, bling, etc.

Here's my card.

I've used SU! Brocade Blue CS for my base and mats. (Unfortunately this is a retired color!)

The two DPs as well as the images are by Trina Clark at DigiScrapKits.com.  (No stamping for me this time.)  Trina's stuff is so so cute!  Especially her newest kits depicting several nursery rhymes.  This is from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  Not only is it perfect for this challenge, but the sleeping bear reminds my of the Wee One who joined our family in March.

 

 

I popped the cluster of stars up with foam dots, added glitter glue to a few of the stars and some brads near the top of the card.  Easy to make.  Went together quick as a wink! And I'm ready for the next baby boy that needs to be welcomed into the world!

Thanks for stopping by.  Blessings to you and yours!

Challenges:

Stampin' Sisters in Christ: #142-Isaiah 40:26-Depict any element of heaven

Make it Monday: Always anything goes

SSIC #141: Psalm118:6

This project has quite a story to it.

Candace is the hostess this week at Stampin' Sisters in Christ and the scripture she chose is Psalm 118:6.

 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

The Challenge is to:

Do something on your card that you're "afraid" of!
(ie. something you wouldn't normally do, like if you’re a “CAS” girl, try to pile it on… or maybe it’s a technique you’re scared to try etc.)

Now here's my story.
I've spent a lot of time these last weeks on a big sewing project for hire, on top of having a new baby. (Ten weeks old now.) Which means I haven't had much scrappin' time.  Yet, when I go to my paper crafting area, there are all these usable scraps staring at me.  I have great ambitions to make them into pretty things because they are too good to just throw away.
The problem:  every time I sit down to make something 'using only my scraps', I don't like the way it turns out.

So here's what happened.
 I visited Lovely Linda's blog post here, and was encouraged to dig into my scraps---again!.  I was also feeling discouraged over all the big projects I have going that are moving slowly toward completion and wanted something to do that would be an accomplished project, done quickly.  And I have a little daughter who was wanting to stamp, and we hadn't done that together for a while.

I found a piece of SU! DP lying on the scrapping table and a piece of Cameo Coral CS, (which matched the DP!), already partially used.  I cut the card base to the best size I could.  Then I cut the DP to fit at the bottom of the card to make the front the proper size.  I  punched the scalloped trim on the DP for the outside edge, and then decided it would be cute to have that same edge on the inside, too.
I wanted to use my Spellbinders Label 14 so I cut out the second largest size for the front.  When I took it out of the die I noticed that the paper (another piece of scrap, just big enough for the die) had slipped and one curve was cut off the edge.  =(  Major NoNo in Nutty's book of doing things right!  But I decided to use it anyway.  Then guess what!!  It happened again on smaller die I cut for the inside! Argh!!
While my little Dinky was inking the Labels for the stencil effect, I went looking for a stamp set to use.  I found an old SU! set,  , that I haven't used in along time, and decided to make a bouquet with the flower and leaf stamps.  Lots of cutting out, but it went fairly quickly.  I had The Dinky girl stamp those, too, and it took us three tries to find the yellow we liked best! (Which just meant more stamping for her! =) )

As I was cutting, I wondered if I could possibly use this for the SSIC challenge for the week, but the chances of a card I was making on SATURDAY evening fitting in with the challenge that wouldn't be posted until the next morning were pretty slim.  Oh well, that just means more scrappin' for me! =)
I finished the card by gluing everything together, popping one of the pink flowers up with a dimensional, and adding pearls to the center of the flowers.
Voilá!  A finished card...made from only scraps.....And I LIKED it!  Done in one evening, and I stamped with my little girl.  A very pleasing accomplishment.

When I checked my blog reader for the SSIC challenge the next day, I found the above info.  I had a hard time thinking of something I'm afraid of, or haven't tried in stamping/scrapping.  Then I thought of my card of the night before.  And of the fact that it was the first time I had a 'scraps only' project turn out to be something I liked.  (Had to get over that 'fear of failing' to even try again.) And of how I used the two labels, even though they weren't perfect.  (A confessing perfectionist, here.)  I decided this card did fit in with this challenge.
I'm reminded of how we aren't perfect, but God accepts us when we are cleansed from our imperfections by the blood of His Son, and even though those imperfection still show.  He helped me conquer the dread of having it all come out wrong...again!  And of not having everything 'perfect' on the card.
I'm reminded of how God knows what we need, and won't let us have more than we can bear.  He knew I needed a 'pick-me-up' so the card came together quickly and beautifully!

And.....God knew I really wanted to start participating in the SSIC challenges again, but only have so much time while I'm still finishing these dresses I'm sewing.  So He orchestrated my time available, and the inspiration for this card to fit with the challenge.  Thanks, Lord!
God really does care about the littlest things in our lives.  And He does want to help us in every little battle we have to face, as well as the big ones.

Thanks for coming by!  Blessing to you! 

(If the SSIC team determines this does not fit the challenge, I'll gladly have it removed from consideration for the prize!)


Challenges:
Stampin' Sisters in Christ #141: Do something you are 'afraid' of
Make it Monday # 91: Always anything goes

Ooops! Big Time!

I suppose it doesn't do me any good to make a card for a challenge and then forget to enter it in the challenge! =(

I was in a hurry when I posted the card here on my blog since my wonderful husband and I were preparing to go out for a little early anniversary celebration.  I got everything up here in my post............but then forgot to linky at SSIC!!

I'm consoling myself with the fact that I made the card, within the time limit, and posted it here on my blog, so I think I'm good as far as my personal challenge goes!  =)  But I definitely need to plan better in the future and not have so many things on the 'list' that stack up on themselves and each other!!

I don't know which challenge I will use for this week's card, but I'm going to be more careful about the posting of it!  That's for sure!

SSIC 121 - Phil 2:3-4

So far, so good! =)  I'm ready with my one challenge entry for this week!  Yea!

The ladies at Stampin' Sisters in Christ have a wonderful challenge that posts every Sunday.  One of the DT chooses a scripture, writes a bit of encouragement, and then selects a challenge for the week based on all of that.  I really enjoy reading through these encouraging words and the cards made by the DT and other challenge participants are so lovely!!

I have entered several of these over the past year, and I hope to enter every one of them this year!  A bit ambitious, probably, since my 'realistic' goal is to make a card for one challenge per week, and there are so many other inspiring challenges out there!  We'll see how it goes! =)

For this week, Challenge #121, the scripture chosen is Phillipians 2:3-4:

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

The challenge is to make a 'Thinking of You' card.

Here's mine.

This is made with the second half of the digi DP CS (from the City Slickers kit at Everyday Mom Ideas) I used for the last card I posted .  And again the photo was taken with the flash so there is a glare. (Sorry! =( )

I stamped the swirl from the SU! Friendship Blooms set right onto the DP with SU! Real Red ink.  The sentiment is from the SU! Three for You set, stamped in Basic Black on white CS (from my stash), matted on a piece of SU! Real Red.  The flower is also from the Friendship Blooms set, stamped with Basic Black onto white CS, cut out, accented with a Filigree flower from SU! and held on with a colored brad from my stash.  Then I popped it up with a dimensional.  The ribbon is a double faced satin left over from my 'crafting days' of years gone by.  I tied three knots in it, then glued it down with two sided sticky tape.  Et voila! 

These aren't colors I usually do well with, but I'm really pleased with this card.  I'll be sending it to a friend who's been having a tough time in life the last several months.  I hope it will be a ray of sunshine in the midst of the clouds.

Thanks for visiting! Have a blessed and beautiful day!!

Challenges:
Stampin' Sisters in Christ # 121

Color Throwdown 173

One of my goals for this new year of 2012 is to participate in at least one card challenge each week.  For the first week of January, I chose The Color Throwdown #173.  The challenge colors for this week were:

I'm getting better at putting together black and white cards, but throw in that 'red' and I'm 'color challenged' to a big degree!  To make it easy on myself I used the sketch at Card Patterns (#147) so all I had to do was figure out how to make something with these colors.
Here is what I came up with.  As I look at it, I wish I would have done some things differently, but it's done.  And since I have a friend with a birthday this week to whom I will be sending it, I won't have to look at it for long! LOL

The card base is a digital DP from the City Slickers kit at Everyday Mom Ideas.  I inked the edges of it with SU! Basic Black using first a nylon stocking, and then a sponge.  I stamped the swirly from the SU! Friendship Blooms set in SU! Real Red right on the DP.  The flower trio is from the same stamp set.  I stamped it in Basic Black right on the white CS, then colored with Real Red from the Stampin' Pastels.  I didn't like how flat or dull that was, so I stamped the flowers again on a scrap, colored them with Real Red ink, then cut them out and popped them up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  The sentiment is from the SU! It's Your Birthday set, stamped in Basic Black.  The corners of the white are punched with a Fiskars corner punch.  I used the SU! 1/4" circle to punch the holes where I threaded the red sheer ribbon (which I found in my stash drawer).  Then I decided the white was too stark so before I glued everything down, I removed the ribbon and used the nylon stocking to rub some Real Red ink onto the edges of the white, and my sponge to ink the very edges with Basic Black.  You can't see these in the photo very well, since it was after dark when I finished and this had to be taken with the flash.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my first posted card of 2012.  Hope we'll be seeing lots more of each other this year than we did last year! =)

Blessings!

Challenges:
Color Throwdown #173
Card Patterns Sketch 147

A New Year: Looking Back and Ahead

I decided to start 2011 with a place to log all the things I do! =) I'll be posting here the projects I've been working on, plan to work on, hope to work on! OH, and the ones I finish, too! Maybe, this way I'll see how much I actually get done, and be a little more disciplined in the 'getting them done'!

I hope you find inspiration and encouragement here. And feel free to help keep me on track! =)

This is a quote from what I put in my sidebar last year when I started this blog.  My intention had been to use this as a place to track my varied fiber crafts, with the idea that I would be more motivated to work on them in an organized fashion if I was sharing them with others.

I included in the side bar a list of projects I was working on when I started this blog.  Some of them have been finished, others not.  Some of the finished ones were marked on here, some were not.  And.....there were others that I started during the year and completed, or didn't! =)

Unfortunately, I didn't use this blog to track, 'journal' or in any other way log what I did with my fiber crafts!!

Instead, as I found a wonderful community of paper crafters online, including many, many challenge blogs, I've used this as a place to 'hang out' with them.  It has been a fun, rewarding and encourging experience, one I plan to continue for this next year.

For any who are interested, I've been utilizing the features on Ravelry for tracking my fiber activities, and socializing over there with a great group of fiber artists.  Haven't left that part of me behind!  I've just found the best places for sharing the various interests I have! =))

Thanks to all of you that have become a part of my life here in blogland.  Each and every one of you has had an impact on who and what I am today.  May God bless all of you with Joy unspeakable and the Peace that passes understanding in the year of 2012.

Last but not least, I've created a new post signature.
I used elements from Sunshine Artz 'Darling Forever' kit and a lovely font from Open Font Library.

I may change it up a bit every now and then, but for now I like this one!

What do all of you think??