Dec 25

*Post Edited: I was chosen as a Sketchy Thursdays fave for this layout! Hooray!

Believe it or not, I actually have this week off from work! When Shelby offered to work for Carolyn and I so we could both have the week off, we were delighted and immediately said, "YES!" So in addition to enjoying time with my family and friends, traveling to and from Michigan, cleaning house and catching up on emails and blogs, I have managed to do a bit of scrapbooking!

I decided to play along with the Sketchy Thursdays sketch this week. Their sketches always seem to inspire me - they are the perfect style of sketch for me and I immediately feel creative when I see them!

This is the sketch they posted this week:


and this is my layout based on their sketch:

This is a photo of Spencer from Christmas 2010 and he was so happy to receive a gift card for some of his favorite places to eat. I combined this picture with some papers that have been in my stash for over a year now! They are from the Making Memories Mistletoe collection and I just LOVE the mix of bright green and burgundy in the papers!

I also used a large '25' from a package of chipboard numbers and shapes by Martha Stewart. They were already the perfect green and fit in with the number pattern paper. This large title will also qualify for the challenge on the Two Scrapbook Friends Forum to use a big title on your page!

Last, but not least, I added some machine stitching (love it!) with my Hello Kitty Janome sewing machine - perfect for my craft projects :)

I hope you are finding time to do a bit of scrapbooking during the holidays. I am happy that I am!

Little Nolan

My niece's baby, Nolan, is 8 months old now and what a cutie he is! Here are a couple of photos from our recent trip home :)

Here he is sporting his reindeer jammies - I am not sure if he is impressed with them or not! (Actually he looks a little like a reindeer in the headlights!)

And here he is doing what he does best - biting on anything he can get his hands on! He is going through that wonderful teething stage so he chews on everything and drools like crazy. He already has 6 teeth with more on the way.

He is a wonderfully good-natured little boy and he has brought such joy to our family. I love watching him grow and seeing his personality develop and I love seeing how much his mom loves him and delights in him constantly!

"A child is the greatest joy, the ultimate blessing!" Emily Laughton

Little Red Wagon #113

Today's challenge at Little Red Wagon was brought to us by Avril via Regan. With New Years coming up, Avril challenged us to create something with a theme of something new.

I chose to create a card to celebrate a new baby boy!

I broke out a new stamp from Whipper Snapper Designs called Jackson. Isn't he adorable! I colored him with my Copic markers and used some paper I had in my wagon by My Little Yellow Bicycle.

Because I used a Spellbinders die to cut out a window in the pattern paper, I had a piece left over that I used to decorate the inside of my card! This is not something I normally do, but I like the way it turned out.

If you can fit it in this week, why not join us over at Little Red Wagon for this fun challenge! We would love to see what you create :)

** Avril is leaving Little Red Wagon to devote more time to her family :( We will miss you Avril! In light of Avril leaving, we had a DT Call and we will be announcing a new DT member in the next couple of days! Be sure to watch the LRW Blog for our announcement!

Just Waiting...

Christmas Eve... it is cold outside but the sun is shining! The shopping is done, the menu is planned and the groceries are bought.

The gifts are wrapped...

the stockings are hung...

the table is set...

...and the waiting has begun. We will begin our Christmas Eve by going to church and hearing the Word and singing the songs and feeling the joy! Then the celebrating will start!

May your Christmas be warm and bright and filled with His presence!

Breakfast Strata Recipe

Christmas is almost here and I have a great recipe to share with you! It is a breakfast strata recipe that would be perfect to make during the Christmas holidays when you have overnight guests or you just want something special for your family. I tried making it recently and it was delicious!

This is a quick and easy dish to prepare and is best done the night before. Then the next morning all you have to do is pop it into the oven and let it cook for an hour while you make the coffee and set the table!

This recipe fills a generous 9 x 13 casserole, so it will serve 8 people easily. I made up a fruit salad and some scones to serve with it and we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast!

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try :)

Ingredients:

16 slices white bread, crusts removed
16 slices honey ham (or ham of your choice)
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese (1-2 cups)
6 eggs
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1-2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 cups milk
dash Tabasco
1/2 cup melted butter
Special K or crushed Corn Flakes


Instructions:

Set 8 pieces of bread into a 9″ x 13″ (23 x 33 cm) buttered, glass baking dish. Add bread to cover entire bottom of dish. Cover bread with slices of ham. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of ham and then cover with remaining slices of bread to make it like a sandwich. In a bowl, beat eggs and pepper. To the egg mixture add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk and Tabasco. Pour over the sandwiches, cover and let stand in fridge overnight. In morning, melt butter, pour over top. Cover with Special K or crushed Corn Flakes. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour at 350 deg. F. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Little Red Wagon #112

Happy Wednesday! Christmas is almost here! Are you ready?

It is my turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon this week. I saw this lovely picture of a seasonal wreath and I thought it would be perfect as an inspiration photo for a challenge!

I had a great stamp from Impression Obsession that fit this photo perfectly, so I used it to make a card! My Copic markers were used to color in the image and I paired it with paper from My Little Yellow Bicycle.

Then I added some ribbon, twine, brads and a bit of glitter to the berries!

I hope you have the time to join in on the challenge this week! We can't wait to see what you make!

Counting the Gifts

"Oh come Divine Messiah! The world in silence waits the day!"

#251. the 4th week of Advent and continuing to journey to Bethlehem

#252. the wonderful smell of Christmas baking!

#253. snow hugging bare tree limbs - transforming a grey world into a Winter wonderland

#254. working on handmade Christmas gifts - knowing they are not perfect, but made with love!

#255. making Mr B's favorite Christmas cookies (Gumdrop Cookies) using a recipe from his Mom and watching him enjoy a taste of his childhood

#256. looking forward to being with my family on Christmas

#257. good news concerning a friend's health

#258. watching a movie with Mr B that we both enjoyed!

#259. Christmas shopping with Spencer and finding the perfect gifts for the people on our list

#260. hearing people say "Merry Christmas" instead of happy holidays

#261. knowing that Jesus will fill the place in my heart that I have prepared for Him

What are you most thankful for during this special time of year?

Two Scrapbook Friends Christmas Blog Hop!

Welcome to Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas Creations Blog Hop with Two Scrapbook Friends! You should have arrived here from Jan's blog. Wasn't her gift card holder awesome?

I had a lot of fun creating today's project and I hope it inspires you to create something similar for your home or as a gift for someone special!

I started with an unfinished wooden word from Kaisercraft. Kaisercraft makes the best wood products - everything from frames and albums, to bookends, embellishments, etc. - and you can finish them any way that you like. For this project, I decided to cover the wood using My Little Yellow Bicycle's Wonder and Wishes pattern papers and stickers. Perfect for Christmas!

The paper was traced and cut to size for each letter and then I adhered it with Beacon's 3 in 1 Advanced Craft Glue - fabulous stuff! Once the glue dried, I sanded the edges of the paper, using Basic Grey's File Set, so it would have a nice, smooth finish.

Then the fun began! I added some coordinating stickers, along with twine, buttons and Stickles glitter for a bit of sparkle! I used foam adhesive on a couple of the stickers to add some dimension.

And there you have it! Another way to use scrapbooking products to create something outside the album!

Your SECRET WORD for today is... WE

Tomorrow you will hop to Sharon's blog. I can't wait to see what she created!

Be sure to leave a comment on each blog in order to qualify to be in the draw for a prize! Enjoy the rest of the Blog Hop :)

Little Red Wagon #111

Our challenge at Little Red Wagon this week is to create something in pink and green for Christmas. I love this color combination - especially at Christmas!

I started with a pre-made card base from Doodlebug Designs in lime green and then I cut out a fabulous tree from some pattern paper in my wagon and backed it with hot pink cardstock. I added an acrylic snowflake and a button with twine. Then for the sentiment I used a simple rub-on from Pebbles Inc. and I ended up with a very pretty card ♥

Now be sure to check out the other gorgeous pink and green creations at Little Red Wagon!

One Thousand Gifts

One of my favorite Scripture passages was read in church yesterday.

"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior... for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name." (Luke 1:46-47, 49)

This beautiful prayer of Mary as she carried the child Jesus in her womb, is often echoed in my own heart as I recognize the wondrous graces that surround me each and every day! A sincere prayer of gratitude forms in my heart and escapes my lips as I count the gifts - the precious gifts from God my Savior!

And so the list continues with joy in my heart...

#237. walking the road to Bethlehem through Scripture readings and prayer during this time of Advent

#238. sincerely looking in the mirror and recognizing my many faults

#239. letting God show me the way

#240. family gatherings with in-laws that I truly love!

#241. Christmas decorations that hold special memories

#242. a full moon that hangs like a brilliant Christmas ornament in the sky

#243. pretty lights on all the houses in our neighborhood

#244. my best friend letting me borrow her Christmas banner to hang in my home before she even had a chance to hang it in her own (thank you Carolyn!!!)

#245. hearing a peace in my Mom's voice when I talk to her on the phone

#246. getting updates on little Nolan and rejoicing that he is a happy and healthy baby

#247. knowing that God looks kindly upon the lowly and exalts the humble of heart

#248. a room that is lit only by the glow of the Christmas tree

#249. the wonderful smell of fresh balsam pine

#250. Mr. B - my heart's special love

May your days be blessed ~

Two Scrapbook Friends Christmas Blog Hop

Welcome to the first stop on the 12 Days of Christmas Creations Blog Hop with Two Scrapbook Friends! You should have arrived here from the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog.

I have the honor of being the first blog on your Christmas Blog Hop journey and I have created a home decor item that is perfect for a shelf, mantle or wall during the holidays.

I started with a Trinket Shadow Box from Maya Road for my project. Each compartment is the size of an ATC card - and I love ATCs! Then I used some papers and stickers from the Simple Stories 25 Days of Christmas line. This line is so gorgeous and has a bit of a retro feel so it was perfect for what I had in mind!

I took my Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink Pad and applied it to the frame. I didn't worry about giving it perfect coverage, as I was going for an uneven, distressed look.

Then I simply worked on each section separately. I cut my background paper for each block, added stickers, twine, brads, buttons and ribbon and even did some stitching. I made sure that I did some layering and I used some foam pop dots on the stickers to add dimension. I even added a couple of Wood Bingo Motifs from Maya Road. They were the perfect color and feel for my project! To complete my project, I added a yummy bow made from gorgeous burgundy ribbon.

I hope this little project inspires you to do some paper crafting outside the album! Home decor projects, especially during the holidays, are a great way to bring your scrapbooking talents out in the open for everyone to enjoy!

Your first SECRET WORD for the Blog Hop is... WISH

Tomorrow you will hop to Audrey's blog.

Be sure to leave a comment on each blog in order to qualify to be in the draw for a prize! Enjoy the next 11 days of Christmas creations :)

12 Days of Christmas Creations Blog Hop!

The countdown to Christmas is here and with that in mind, your friends at Two Scrapbook Friends invite you to countdown the 12 Days of Christmas Creations with them! Each day, for 12 days, a member of the Two Scrapbook Friends team, and a few special friends, will share some of the projects and inspiration that they have created to celebrate the Season.

Beginning on Saturday, December 10th, at 8:00 am, you can begin the hop at the first Friend's blog, where you will be sure to be inspired in your paper crafting! That blog will then tell you where you need to hop to on the next day!

You will need to hop from blog to blog, leaving a comment on each in order to quality to be in a draw for a special prize from Two Scrapbook Friends! Also, you will find a SECRET WORD on each blog which, when they are unscrambled, will make a special phrase at the end of the Blog Hop! Once the 12 days of hopping are complete you can email the phrase to us and we will enter your name in for another chance to win the draw!

The Hop will remain open from December 10th to December 22nd at midnight (EST). You can join in at any time. Winners will be announced on December 23rd on the Two Scrapbook Friends' blog.

Watch the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog on Saturday, December 10th, so you will know where to begin!

In the meantime, be sure to stop by the Forum for some fun Blog Hop Games! You will have an opportunity to win some Forum Buttons and Buttons mean Gift Certificates at Two Scrapbook Friends! See you there!