The Scrapbook Throwdown Day 3

Hello Again!

I really wanted to catch up today so I am submitting my second post of the day to be on day 3 of the Scrapbook Throwdown.  This has been so much fun and has caused me to scrapbook some of my own pics for a change.

 Okay, so today I pulled out the sewing machine and went to stitching.  I actually enjoy do stitching on my projects and my cards are what got me started, I would say that 85% of my handmade cards have stitching on them somewhere.  I believe it gives the project a certain element that says I want this project to be really special.  Because it takes effort to pull out that machine just for a few stitches! 

My layout today is my sweet grandson, you won't get to see his adorable face on this one Simply his SWEET little feet, in the hands of mommy and daddy.  I stitched around the entire 12x12 border creating a nice edge that I generously distressed.  I inked most of the edges of each element and stitched around the layered matte of my photo.  There are 3 different kinds of stitches in my layout and some didn't require thread.  I had the opportunity to use some new acrylic stamps by MME and also a metal crown that I've been wanting to use.  I'm tempted to put a little gesso on it.  I had even painted a piece of the corrugated part of some cardboard and finally got to use it.  Check out the pics:


Stitched around the entire 12x12 sheet distressed and gesso'd the edges

 

Topnote die already has stitching around the shape

  

Stitched around tag with no thread

Used my new text acrylic by MME Lost&Found 2

Added a little zig zag stitch to one of the strips

That's it for today folks and I have had a wonderful time creating these layouts.  I really want to thank Chrissie Tobas for inviting me to the challenge and to Latrice for creating this forum.

Blessings until Next Time!


"Remember with GOD All things are possible!



Scrapbook Throwdown Day 2

COLOR SCHEME CHALLENGE

Well yesterday I had such a hard time trying to link up my page and just found out what the problem was! I forgot to update my blog first.  Oh well, so I actually kept UP I just didn't link UP right.  So today you will see two post from me (hopefully.)

After going through my stash I found a Super Cute pic of  my now 17 year old daughter that fit perfectly!  This picure was acutally taken on a warm Winter day at the zoo.  She had on cutesy leopard ensemble including leopard leggings, collar and headband.  She was quite the fashionista for the zoo.  I love these pictures as she stared back at mommy pointing at everything, while resting very confidently on daddy's shoulders.  What a cutie!

I tried to use all of these arctic color choices and blend in the brown hues.   I also had to cut about 1x2 inches from my photos and just used the strips on  the layout just for fun, "waste not, want not " right?  This was fun challenge and less all the hoopla with the linking to the Scrapbook Throwdown page I had a great time!

Description: Color Theme Layout Challenge for The Scrapbook Throwdown
MME - Lost & Found 2, Prima Sprite blossoms, Dear Lizzy letters by American Crafts
Ink: Perfect Pearls & Antique Gold
Embellies: MME Buttons, flower stick pin by Little Yellow Bicycle

BLESSINGS!!

New Challenges

Day One - 4 x 6 SCRAPBOOK THROWDOWN

Hello There Craft Folks!

Just wanted to share some super fun stuff with you today I recently won a spot in the Scrapbook Throwdown Hosted by Latrice Murphy.  There will be 10 challenges with 10 different themes.  I am really looking forward to it and I am hoping that I will be able to keep up.

Today I was burning rubber trying to get this Layout done before midnight and I just might make it ( If I don't get too wordy.)  The challenge today was to create a layout using 4x6 pics.  I created this layout of me and my two daughters. It features a line of designer paper by BoBunny called "Olivia."  I did a bit of stitching on the edges of the background paper as well as stitching on the rickrack and ribbon across the top.  I cut out some of the flowers from one of the sheets and punched out a bird using the front and back of the same line of paper.  Pink chipboard letters and a jewel flourish.  I also tied some green toile around the matte of the picture.  It's not very elaborate or heavily embellished but I like it.  The designer papers are so lovely it doesn't need much.

 Well I think I made it!  Hoping to do better next time.  Check my blog tomorrow to see if I kept up!

Blessings and have an AWESOME Week!!

Crafty by Designs

Over at Crafting by Designs we are doing a forum called, "A Year In Cards."  The idea is to motivate you to create a stash of beautiful handcrafted cards for your inventory.  I have included a sketch and also a card from Tammy Smith one of the Designers at CBD.  I have also my take on the card.  So remember to keep checking my site for new ideas for creating your own STASH!!

Card Sketch

Sample by Tammy Smith

My Sample

And remember, With GOD All Things Are Possible!

Happy Thanksgiving & Crafty Goings On!

First I wanted to wish everyone the most Blessed Thanksgiving of All!  I pray that everyone will have a moment to sit and relax and enjoy all the wonderful things that the LORD has blessed you with.  I am so grateful for a great many things and the most important blessing of all is my Salvation!! I praise the LORD for giving me a new life in HIM and a Beautiful family to share my life with. 

I have a few things to share today before I am off to start my Thanksgiving festivities...Cleaning, Cooking and Lot's of tasting!

This Week at Crafting by Designs I hosted the challenge.  The theme was love and I needed to come up with a sample that would include the word LOVE and or a heart.  Here's my sample:

My Love tag with a hint of Christmas, tag is green & white and the house has textured snow paint on the roof.

Next I have few kraft bags that I decorated using of course the MME paper that I adore so much!

Here is a pic of a painter's tray I am altering.  This is such a fun project and I don't know when I'll be finished with it, there is always more embellishing to be done, but I want to make sure I leave room for pictures.

Lastly I got a new Tim Holtz die and it is to die for!! For some reason I am really into seamstress body forms and I think you can do so much with these cuts...If you haven't seen it yet check this out?

Purchased at Joann's it was reg $19.99 they had 40% off dies and I used the Michael's 20% off disc on entire purchase. Woo Hoo!!!

Well that's it for now Ciao Bella's and have a very blessed Thanksgiving!!!

Blessings & Challenges

Hello All !!
It's beginning to get really busy around my camp and I am getting antsy for school to start.  Being a home school mom can be exciting and scary at the same time.  You want to make sure everything is in order, you don't want to miss anything in your child's curriculum and this year I have my first Senior!! Talk about pressure and it is crafting that helps to ease some of the tension.  I so enjoy being a designer for The Scrapbooking Factory...it's like a little release because I enjoy what I'm doing.  However nothing can surpass a good daily dose of GOD's Word to keep me grounded.  I am so grateful that through all of the pressure and headaches and chaos, I know that the LORD is right there holding me up.  My power scripture is Isaiah 41:10:

Fear thou not; for I am with thee:

be not dismayed for I am Thy GOD:

I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;

yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand

of my righteousness.

AMEN!!

 Well Today I wanted to share a challenge that I participated in with Crafting By Design.  We were challenged to use scraps for CAS (clean and simple) Card.  The challenge was specific as we had to use 3 patterned strips, one solid, include ribbon (eek I forgot the ribbon) and a sentiment.  Well guess what I was ready.  You know the top portion of DP that you usually cut off but shows what the design of the paper is on the other side.  Well I just can't see clear to through them away sometimes because their so cute and I just know ONE DAY I'll be able to use them.  Well my day came and I made my card, HURRAY!!!  Here's my project:

The paper is by My Minds Eye called Lost & Found

This was truly a fun challenge!  

Well That's it for now.  Currently I am working on Layout kits for The Scrapbooking Factory that will be for sale at CKC - San Marcus Scrapbooking Convention.  Pray for me that my creative juices will continue to flow and that I'll create some fabulous layouts.

Until Next Time 'ciao Bella's

Back In The Groove

Hello All

Just checking in to share some Love, Some Crafts & Some Findings

I have been Working Super hard trying to get my crafting juices flowing and it has been hard!  I feel sad for my family, especially my husband as I am encroaching upon everyone's space with all of my craft stuff!!  My DH is so sweet he won't say much of anything about all of my stuff being everywhere, but I know that it is beginning to work a nerve.  I told him he could easily solve that problem by getting me that red two story barn portable that they have displayed at Lowe's.  He just looks at me and smiles.  Well anyway here is what I've came up with so far...at least I have items to put in my space at the Alamo Craft Co.

Sweet Little house using my My Minds Eye Lost & Found paper.

 The Neat thing about this sweet little paper mache house is that it is also a box and can be used to package a gift or to store things...endless possibilities.  I really enjoyed making this house, it took me several days because I continued to add something and then something else.  I'm pretty satisfied with it, but I haven't taken it to the store yet so there may be more possibilities that await this little house.

Recipe: Paper mache house - Hobby Lobby, MME- Lost & Found,  rosettes-Recollections-Michael's, heart shaped keyhole-Tim Holtz, Cricut Banner- Birthday Bash, Prima lace...an assortment of buttons, organza ribbon, other embellishments and glitter.

Next "It's In The BAG"  One of my favorite Items to create is the ordinary paper sandwich bags.  There are so many different styles that you can make with these bags and I really enjoy embellishing them to my hearts content.  Sometimes it is necessary for me to get out of my comfort zones of the pinks & whites and try something a little different.  I totally fell for a wonderful alternative with the Echo Park line called "For The Record"  This is an amazing ensemble of Red, yellow, greens, blues & white.  There's even red and white polka dots!  My Favorite design! I have chosen a few of the pages to share with you, but each page is generously decorated with fun embellies.  I even used grunge paper ( Tim Holtz) and die cut a butterfly and crackle painted it white (4th pic.)  This line also has some great die cuts which I have used throughout.

              
Here are a few cards that I also created this week, which I will be adding to my card collection at the craft mall.  I am hoping that they don't stick around long...maybe someone might want to bless someone special with them...

DP Fancy Pants line called The Girl's Paperie & $1 stamp from Michael's, corrugated heart w/crackled paint

DP - MME-Lost & Found

DP - Echo Park- For The Record

I'm so glad to be finally getting out of my drought.  It's pretty intense when you have all that you need to craft with and can't produce any work.  I think sometimes you may have too much and your brain gets a bit overwhelmed.  At any rate I'm slowly working myself back.  Also being involved with challenges can be an encouragement, so if you haven't joined a site that has weekly or monthly challenges, I think you should.  You can learn so much from others as well as throwing in your creativity into the pot.

Just a quick update on my class last Saturday....


I had a great time at The Scrapbooking Factory monthly retreat located in the Marriott at the RIM.  I went in only expecting a class of two and ended up teaching a class of 9.  I had a great time! Jane ( the owner) is expecting the new line of My Minds Eye (Lost & Found 2) Echo Park papers and more to come in soon.  I Can't Wait!!!  I am so excited, she knows that when that paper comes in and it's time to stock it in the store I am there!  Take a peak at some of this paper she's expecting, it is absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

MY MINDS EYE BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP

LASTLY just wanted to let you know that My Minds Eye is having a fabulous Birthday Blog Hop Celebration with the opportunity to win one of each line of their paper and the new lines are gorgeous.  I took about 30 to 45 minutes of my time today to play along.  It wasn't time wasted I got an opportunity to visit 7 of their designers blogs and see the new lines of paper in action. You can check the details here but you only have until July 31st to play along...YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Well I'm signing off and I pray that each new day will bring an abundance of Blessings from the LORD above!!   

Yummy Ice Cream Cones!!

Hello Crafty Folks!

Just desiring to be a little consistent with my post and I have a few things to share with you today.  We have a new challenge at Crafting by Designs, we are creating projects using the Cricut or Die Cuts.  I really enjoy using my Cricut, Dies & Punches it adds such a wonderful element to creations.   Right now I am hearting ice cream cones and Angie Kennedy Juda SU demonstrator had the perfect project card.  It was perfect for my newly purchased ( only used once ) petal cone die by SU.  This was a "must case" project and you can see her video on her Chicn'Scratch site .

Next I created a few other cards that really made me happy.  I am currently in a crafting slump and creations are just not flowing.  But here are two cards that hopefully will get me moving again:  Here's my cards:

Yep! Here's another ice cream cone and this is one of those $1 stamp from Michael's

$1 Stamp from Michael's...Sweet super thin buttons, birdie & cage stamp by MME

Well that's it for now I guess I'm going to go and look at my crafty workstation and hope for some creative juices to flow!! Send me some LOVE!!


 

Summer Theme Challenge & Great Deals

I don't know how it is where you are but the Summer here in Texas is purrrrty Hot Y'all !!!  We are also going through a draught which isn't much fun either.  So to keep Summer fun with a new sizzlin' challenge Crafting By Designs has come up with a Super hot challenge to create a card with a Summer theme.   Well if you know anything about me if I can make it pink I'll do it.  I think if I had to do something for Halloween, some how or another I would find a way to make it pink.  So here's my design, it probably wouldn't last long in the heat but it will last on this paper....yummy I hope you enjoy :-)

Used Once Upon a Princess Cart & jumbo scallop punch by EK

I guess the only fall back with challenges for me is trying to rush to get it done and then I look at the finished project after I have posted it and I see so many different things I could have done to make it cuter.  I wished I had stitched around the card....added a few criss-cross lines on the cone...made a faux stitching around the scallops... Maybe next time.

MY FABULOUS FIND AT  MICHAEL'S

I think I could definitely call my self a stamp collector and I don't mean postage.   I really like getting sentiment stamps and Michael's just put out the greatest stamps for a $1.  It is such an excellent deal and the stamps are wonderful.   I hope your local Michael's carries them.  Check it out!

Well I guess that's it for now...Stay Blessed and I'll post again soon!!