Scrapping Outside The Lines

Little Red Wagon #117

2012-01-24T14:50:00.005-05:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! It is my turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon this week and I chose the theme of Winter Wonderland! I want to see creations using a Winter theme :)

I made a fun little card using Frappe the Snowman stamp from Whipper Snapper Designs. Isn't he adorable? I used my Copic markers to color him in and then I had fun with some additional details.

I added some glitter to the top of his hat and the snowflake. Then I added some Liquid Applique to the top of the heart and the ground under his feet. (I just love that stuff!) The polka dot paper is from We R Memory Keepers Love Struck line - adore!

So there you have it - my challenge and some inspiration. Why not join in the fun this week and link up your Winter themed card at Little Red Wagon? We would love to see what you create ♥

Fab ♥

2012-01-22T12:58:00.005-05:00

I had the day off yesterday and between running errands and cleaning the house, I actually found some time to do a bit of scrapbooking! Yay!

As much as I like scrapbooking winter pages, I have to say I adore the bright, fun colors that a summer layout allows. For this page, I used photos of my niece Danielle and I paired them with papers from the new Echo Park line, A Boy's Life. The small patterns and the reds, blues, and yellows in this line are just too hard to resist (and yes - they totally works for girls pages)!

I splattered some paint on my background and punched out some butterflies and clouds. I also used some Smash Tape from K & Company that went perfectly with the colors!

I finished with some machine stitching and I even added some journaling!

Thanks for looking and I hope you find time to get creative on these cold, winter days :)

Little Red Wagon #116

2012-01-17T15:01:00.002-05:00

Happy Wednesday to everyone! Today we have a fun challenge at Little Red Wagon. Dee has challenged us to use two different ribbons on a project.

I started with an adorable stamped image from Whipper Snapper Designs, which I colored with my Copics and paper pieced the blanket!

Then I used some ribbon that has been in my wagon forever to meet the challenge!

I hope you will join us at Little Red Wagon for some ribbon fun this week! Plus you will want to see what the other Girlfriends created using ribbon - some awesome inspiration! See you there :)

One Thousand Gifts

2012-01-16T21:38:00.006-05:00

"What if finding love is as simple as recording 1000 gifts?" Ann Voskamp

Counting the gifts from His heart is a counting of all the ways that He loves me! My love list continues...

#275. sunshine on a cold, January day

#276. friends that understand and care when you have a bad day

#277. cozy new socks

#278. a special Rosary that was brought back from the Holy Land by a good friend

#279. my favorite tea pot - a gift from my boys ♥

#280. songs on the radio that make you want to sing

#281. an evening out with good friends

#282. having a job that I totally love

#283. turning on the fireplace at night and watching the room transform with its light and warmth

#284. the peace that is at the very root of my being - God's beautiful gift!

#285. my iPad that I use everyday

#286. hot chocolate on a cold day

#287. reading a good book late at night while Mr B sleeps soundly at my side

I ♥ Snow

2012-01-13T10:58:00.002-05:00

This is such a great time of year for scrapbooking! When the weather outside is freezing cold, all I want to do is stay inside where it is warm and cozy and work away at my favorite craft!

I decided to do up a snowy layout using photos of Spencer from a few years ago. I really miss the days when he was younger and loved playing in the snow for hours at a time... {sigh}

I based my layout on a sketch I found on the Canadian Scrapbooker website. I also borrowed the idea of hanging my snowflakes from my BFF and a recent layout she did!

I layered some Maya Road snowflakes with wooden snowflakes that I painted white and glittered using GlitterRitz! Then I added a gemstone that I colored with a Copic marker to match the red on my layout.

My title was created using my fav Jillibean corrugated alphas!

And I even added some journaling - which is something I am trying to include on all (most!) of the layouts I do this year!

Thanks for looking~

Fine Feathered Friend

2012-01-11T22:19:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of a whole day of cropping with Carolyn and Audrey! It was wonderful to spend an entire day being creative and I actually got a few things completed! One of the projects I worked on was a layout using photos of a gorgeous cardinal that visits our backyard frequently.

On the Two Scrapbook Friends Forum, Shelby had issued a challenge to use small photos on a layout. I normally use larger pictures, so I thought it would be fun to give this challenge a try.

I started by printing my pictures in a smaller Polaroid format. Then I used leftover bits and pieces of paper and embellishments and with a little help from Carolyn (brads) and Christa (title) I love how the page turned out!

I even used my all time favorite coffee stain stamp!

The only thing better than a day of cropping is a day of cropping where you actually get something done! Thanks for looking ~

Little Red Wagon #115

2012-01-11T08:22:00.003-05:00

Happy Wednesday to everyone! Our challenge at Little Red Wagon this week is brought to us by Rosanne and she chose the theme of Itty Bitty Yellow Polka Dot Bikini! How fun is that?

I decided to make a card using a stamp from Stamping Bella, Swingin' Mavis. This little kitty is adorable and I paper pieced her dress to make it yellow polka dotted!

Of course I used my Copic markers to color in the rest of the image and then I had fun with some paper from my wagon to create a bright and cheery card!

Be sure to pop over to Little Red Wagon to see what the rest of the Girlfriends created for this challenge! I will see you there :)

Counting Grace

2012-01-09T08:17:00.003-05:00

These past couple of weeks have been filled with grace as we celebrated Christmas with family and friends and then welcomed the New Year - 2012!

A new year is a perfect time to look back on the previous year and see all the blessings and it is also a good time to look ahead in anticipation of all the hope that a new year holds. I have been spending time doing both. There is so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to! My heart overflows! Will you join me with Ann in counting the gifts this year?

I continue my list with joy in my heart...

#262. quiet moments of prayer when the world around me disappears and my heart is touched by God

#263. unhurried days between Christmas and New Years

#264. my Mom and her faithfulness in praying for others

#265. the blessing of Nolan's first Christmas

#266. special gifts in small packages

#267. family gift-giving traditions that make us laugh

#268. the Christmas bell on our dinner table (a special keepsake from my husband's parents)

#269. safe travels over the holidays

#270. time to be creative

#271. when the joy of giving is greater than the joy of receiving

#272. a new year filled with endless possibilities

#273. feeling close to my family even though we are hundreds of miles apart

#274. knowing that 'hope' is my word for 2012

(photo from Ann Voskamp)

Please join me in counting the gifts and recognizing the grace! A pen, a notebook and a few moments each day will bring undiscovered joy to your life! May you be blessed.

Little Red Wagon #114

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

We are starting a brand new year of challenges at Little Red Wagon and this week Regan wanted us to make something using felt or flocking!

I had some yummy felt in my wagon that I have never used, so this was the perfect opportunity to play with it.

I used a Nestabilities die to cut out small scalloped circles from the felt and I put them together to create a flower. Then I topped it with a resin rose.

I used papers from My Little Yellow Bicycle, that were still on my table from a layout I created recently, then I added a paper doily, some stitching, ribbon and mini alpha stickers from Echo Park.

I hope you decide to join in the fun at Little Red Wagon this year! We have weekly challenges every Wednesday and they are a good way to use up your stash to create cards, layouts or any other paper crafts :)

In My Garden

2012-01-01T19:12:00.001-05:00

My first layout of 2012! I was on the Page Maps Blog this morning and they had an awesome sketch that I decided to play with. It was really different and I had fun making it my own.

I loved the clothesline idea in the sketch and I immediately thought of using some of my garden photos. Then I dug through my stash and found the perfect papers and stickers from My Little Yellow Bicycle.

I even had some mini clothes pins that I used to hang my photos with!

A bit of inking and some machine stitching added the finishing details.

What a great way to spend an afternoon before I go back to work tomorrow! Thanks for looking :)

Dec 25

2011-12-31T11:04:00.005-05:00

*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

2011-12-30T09:34:00.004-05:00

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

2011-12-28T20:06:00.004-05:00

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...

2011-12-24T11:58:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-23T22:28:00.005-05:00

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

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-19T07:51:00.012-05:00

"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!

2011-12-16T07:45:00.003-05:00

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

2011-12-14T08:50:00.004-05:00

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

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-12-08T12:15:00.005-05:00

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!

Little Red Wagon #110

2011-12-07T07:48:00.003-05:00

Rosanne is challenging us with a Vintage Christmas theme at Little Red Wagon this week. I decided to work with papers from Simple Stories and created this card.

I love the jolly old St. Nicholas sticker - perfect for this challenge! I added a delicious red bow and a button with twine as my finishing touches.

For some great inspiration, be sure to check out what the other Girlfriends at Little Red Wagon created! And don't forget to join in the fun!

Counting to 1000

2011-12-05T07:15:00.002-05:00

Counting gifts... giving thanks! Joyful gifts from His heart to mine!

#226. working as a family to bake Christmas cookies

#227. watching my children grow into wonderful young adults

#228. sleeping in on weekends!

#229. the pouring rain that washes the earth

#230. safe travels for Tyler

#231. chocolate chip cookies

#232. a pet rabbit with silly hair!

#233. spiritual preparations for Christmas

#234. my weaknesses that remind me of my dependance on God

#235. my family united in prayer for special intentions

#236. the season of Advent - waiting, preparing, longing, hoping

What graces are you counting today?

Little Red Wagon #109

2011-12-02T08:21:00.003-05:00

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon was... challenging! It took me two whole days to dig to the bottom of my wagon and find eyelets! That's right - remember eyelets? Well, Regan thought it would be fun to create something using eyelets.

I don't remember the last time I used an eyelet on a paper craft. Those sweet little round embellishments sort of went AWOL and have been replaced by brads on my projects. Nonetheless, I did find a couple and used them on this card.

I also used a new stamp by Whipper Snapper Designs - my new favorite stamp company! Is this snowman the cutest? I used my Copics to color him and I added a bit of Liquid Applique to his hat. The sentiment is a stamp from Impression Obsession. Both stamps can be found at TSF - my all time favorite store :)

So there you have it! Thanks Regan for a true challenge, but one that I am glad that I did. The eyelets gave my card that perfect finishing touch!

Be sure to check out what the other Girlfriends created using eyelets. There are some amazing projects!

Multitude of Grace

2011-11-28T19:34:00.007-05:00

I have to be honest... it has been a while since I have counted the gifts. But isn't that the way it often is? Our eyes are opened - our hearts are grateful - and we count the gifts. Then we become complacent once again and we fail to see.

There is so much to be grateful for and yet I am often blinded to the gifts. I am praying that I will once again have my eyes truly opened to His gifts, His grace, in the everyday.

So I begin again... recognizing and counting the gifts...

#212. traveling the familiar route home and the anticipation of being reunited with my family at Thanksgiving

#213. pumpkin pie with whipped cream

#214. playing Euchre with Mom, Spencer and Mr. B and having way too much fun

#215. baby cuddles with Nolan

#216. phone calls from Tyler

#217. crisp, juicy apples

#218. a good book that I can't put down

#219. a warm, comfortable bed and sense of security as I close my eyes at night

#220. sweet baby boys and fuzzy teddy bears

#221. knowing God is at work in my heart

#222. leftovers and laughter

#223. a competitive game of Buzzword with Jacob, Dianne, Emily, Spencer, Hannah, Megan, Mary, Patrick, Nathan, David and Elizabeth

#224. Mr. B getting us safely to and from each time we visit family

#225. making everyday Thanksgiving!

Little Red Wagon #108

2011-11-23T08:29:00.001-05:00

Today's challenge at Little Red Wagon was posted by Avril. She wanted us to create something in a Christmas theme.

I made up this little card using an adorable image from Willow Designs.

Isn't he just the cutest? I colored the image with my Copics and paired it with some papers from my wagon! A border punch was used on the black cardstock and a little button with some floss gave the finishing touch!

Thanks for looking! I hope to see you at Little Red Wagon with your Christmas themed project this week :)

Lily Bee Design

2011-11-19T12:10:00.005-05:00

Lily Bee Design is an awesome company with fabulous papers! I wanted to create a layout using their Jingle collection ever since we brought it into the store. Such great colors with a slight vintage feel to the them.

I based my design on the Lily Bee Sketch Challenge on their blog. I also added some Maya Road embellies - wooden snowflakes, transparency snowflakes, wood bingo number, organza roses ribbon and star stick pin!

The stick pin was white, so I used a Copic marker to get the color I wanted :)

Tim Holtz distress ink was used on the edges of my papers and on the wooden snowflakes.

My all time favorite product from Lily Bee is their alpha stickers! They are the best size and I love the colors they come in - 8 different colors on one sheet!!

If you haven't scrapped with Lily Bee products yet, you will have to give them a try - you will love them!

Little Red Wagon #107

2011-11-16T07:36:00.003-05:00

Happy Wednesday to everyone! It is my turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon this week :)

I love paper piecing stamped images so that is my challenge! For my inspiration card I chose a simple image that was stamped using an Impression Obsession stamp.

I used paper from Lily Bee Designs and then I added a rub-on sentiment, some floss and a button.

I even scored a couple of lines across the card for a little extra interest!

Simple and sweet. I hope you play along at Little Red Wagon - I would love to see what you create ♥

Such a Cutie!

2011-11-14T13:06:00.003-05:00

** Edit: I was picked as a fave at Sketchy Thursdays for this layout!

Remember this post? Well, I couldn't wait to use these photos on a scrapbook page and that is exactly what I did yesterday!

I found a great sketch at Sketchy Thursdays that I used for the basic design of my layout. Then I used an awesome corrugated sheet from Jillibean for my background. Love it!

This layout qualifies for Sharon's challenge on the TSF Forum to use blues on a layout - 2 pattern papers, two cardstock and two embellies!

My favorite are these amazing letter stickers from Lily Bee Design! Just the perfect size for a bit of journaling.

Have a great Monday and thanks for looking~

Burst of Color On-Line Crop at TSF!

2011-11-13T09:40:00.003-05:00

In celebration of Fall, Two Scrapbook Friends Design Team is hosting an on-line crop on the Forum!

Each of the DT members, plus Carolyn and myself, have all issued some sort of color challenge. Mine challenge was to use one of my favorite color combinations - pink and lime green - to create a card, layout or project.

This is my inspiration photo:

And this is the layout I created for the challenge:

This pretty little flower shop on Mackinac Island was amazing! It had flowers, home decor items and even jewelry. Loved it! And the outside of the shop was just as pretty as the inside - it had gorgeous gardens surrounding it, with little benches, garden art, potted flowers! It was truly a delight for the senses.

I used Amy Tangerine papers and embellies (love them!!!) and Thickers foam alpha stickers on my layout.

We hope you join us for this fun crop. You can join in at any time - the crop runs until next Sunday, November 20th. Check out the details here :)

Howdy Pardner!

2011-11-11T08:38:00.004-05:00

I think that the American Crafts fall line was my fav this year! As soon as it arrived in our store I was all over it! I loved the mixture of oranges, blues and browns. It would be really easy to hoard these papers - so gorgeous!

Last night I finished up a page that I started creating with this line over month ago.

I just loved working with it and I added some amazing Thickers foam alpha stickers for the title.

I hand cut the cloud from one of the papers, and added some journalling strips with stitching.

Now that the page is done, I feel as happy as the Jack-O-Lantern in my photo!

Have a good weekend~

Little Red Wagon #106

2011-11-09T09:04:00.002-05:00

Today's challenge at Little Red Wagon was to make something that says congratulations.

I didn't have a clue what I was going to do until I saw my messy scrapbooking table with some fabulous scraps laying on it. Perfect for a card!

We hope you play along with us this week and be sure to check what the Girlfriends made - you will get lots of great inspiration!

Have a wonderful Wednesday :)

6 Month Photo Shoot

2011-11-07T08:44:00.004-05:00

My niece had a photo shoot done for little Nolan. Six months old already! I can hardly believe it!

Here is just a sampling of the adorable photos her friend took for her...

What a bright-eyed little cutie he is! Such a blessing!

Halloween Treat Cone

2011-11-04T19:05:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a great Halloween!

I wanted to share a Halloween Treat Cone that I made. We offered a really fun treat cone at TSF and I liked it so much I felt inspired to create one of my own! So out came some cardstock, tulle, a couple of buttons, ribbon and patterned paper. And this is what I made!

A creepy spider button tied to a green one made the perfect center for my tulle bow.

Then I cut out a cat from the patterned paper and add it to the front of the cone.

A Martha Stewart drippy goo punch was used to create a fun border at the top of the cone. Lastly, I added a wire handle and some ribbon and filled the cone with candy!

Such a fun little project and I am already thinking of ways that I can decorate one for Christmas! Thanks for looking ~

Little Red Wagon #105

2011-11-02T22:00:00.002-04:00

Another busy week has come and gone! We have completed our back-to-back weekend retreats at work and it feels good to look forward to a more normal schedule once again.

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon was posted by Rosanne. In the spirit of Halloween, she challenged us to create something with monsters or the color purple. Since I am not fond of either one, this was a bit of a challenge for me, but I did manage to use the color purple on this very spooky card!

The stitching is compliments of Christa's sewing machine at the retreat (love it!) and I added some Glossy Accents to the windows of the haunted house. The spider web brad topped it all off perfectly and there you have it! My scary purple card!

Check out what the rest of the girlfriends made for this challenge by visiting Little Red Wagon - and hopefully you can play along!

Little Red Wagon #104

2011-10-25T14:15:00.005-04:00

It has been a terribly busy week with back to back weekend retreats with Two Scrapbook Friends! We returned home on Sunday from our first weekend and we leave again tomorrow for our second weekend! The first weekend was so much fun and I am looking forward to another wonderful group of ladies who will be joining us this coming weekend.

Despite the busyness of my schedule, I was able to complete a layout for the challenge that Regan posted at Little Red Wagon. She gave us this inspiration photo to work with.

Can you say gorgeous? I took the main colors in the photo (yellow and gray with a hint of turquoise) and used them on this layout.

I had this great photo of my niece, Sarah, that I took this past summer and when I converted it to black and white it went perfectly with this combination of papers I pulled together!

I added a few fun details, including some ribbon I borrowed from Christa and some epoxy stickers from Mary, and it all came together.

I hope you join along this week and create something using the photo. Then hop over to Little Red Wagon and link up your design. We would love to see your work :)

Little Red Wagon #103

2011-10-19T08:46:00.004-04:00

It's Little Red Wagon time! I love having a weekly challenge to look forward to!

Avril has challenged us to create something with a Fall theme. I had this adorable image called Falloween Cat that I used to create a card with. Perfect for this challenge!

I colored him with my Copics and paired the image up with these amazing papers from American Crafts. LOVE THEM!!!

Thanks for looking and I hope you decide to play along :)

Lemonade Cake

2011-10-16T09:47:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I found a recipe for Lemonade Cake! I love lemonade so the whole idea of a lemonade cake totally appealed to me. I gave the recipe a try and it was as good as I imagined it would be!

The ingredients are simple and it was easy to assemble.

The cake is really moist, with a great lemony flavor! There is even lemonade in the cream cheese icing!

I kept the cake refrigerated until I served it and it was sooooo delicious!

If you like lemonade you have to give this recipe a try! I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Lemonade Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
1 Lemon boxed cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Lemonade from concentrate

Glaze:
2 Tbsp Lemonade from concentrate
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp water

Frosting:
8 oz block 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 cup room temp butter (1 stick)
3 Tbsp Lemonade from concentrate
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Prepare:
Preheat oven to 350°

Spray 2 8" round cake pans generously with cooking/baking spray.

In mixer, beat all your ingredients on low for 30 seconds and then on medium for 2 minutes.

Keep the remaining frozen lemonade concentrate in the freezer...you will need it again.

Bake according to package directions until cake is set and toothpick comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in pan...about an hour. Do not remove.

When the cakes are cooled level them off so they are flat on top.

Poke holes in cake that wasn't cut using a fork.

Make your glaze. In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, lemonade and water.
Stir until smooth.

Pour equally over the top of the cakes..still in the cake pans.

Cover and let sit for at least an hour, but overnight is best in refrigerator.

Make your frosting. Cream butter and cream cheese together until combined.
With mixer on low add your lemonade and vanilla.
Slowly add in your powdered sugar and then beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until smooth.

When ready to frost remove your cakes from the refrigerator.
Loosen cake around the edges with a butter knife so they will release easily.

Frost as desired.

Enjoy!

Little Red Wagon #102

2011-10-12T08:13:00.005-04:00

Happy Wednesday to everyone! It is my turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon this week and I thought it would be fun to see something created with a ticket!

I used some papers and stickers from Simple Stories Generations and made this sweet card ~

I love the warm homey feel and the vintage colors of this line.

Please join in the fun at Little Red Wagon and link up your creation. I would love to see what you create :)

A Wonderful Weekend!

2011-10-11T09:19:00.005-04:00

This past weekend was a great time spent with family. I made a trip home on Friday to visit with my Mom and to attend a surprise birthday party for my sister, Mary! My niece, Danielle, planned the party which was held on Saturday. About 25 of us were hiding in her kitchen when she came home from a friend's house late in the afternoon, and she was totally surprised!! Unfortunately, I remembered to bring everything I needed to bring to the party, except my camera! That's right, not a single photo was taken! I was soooo disappointed!

Then I was on the road at about 7:00am on Sunday to head back home for our Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, salads, vegetable casserole and more were waiting to be prepared. There were just five of us for dinner, but we always make our traditional meal and it was wonderful!

I made up some place favors before I left for the weekend and they were a perfect compliment for our table.

I also hung my 'Giving Thanks' banner from the banner swap at Two Scrapbook Friends! It is so gorgeous and added a festive feel to our dining room.

As I look back on the weekend, I realize there is always so much to be thankful for. I hope your weekend was equally blessed.

Little Red Wagon #101

2011-10-05T07:01:00.000-04:00

For this week's challenge at Little Red Wagon we are supposed to make something with the theme of 'giving thanks'.

I decided to make a card using a sweet little stamp from My Favorite Things called Heart Stripes.

She is just so very cute and I thought she would look adorable with a fall outfit. So I used papers from American Crafts and did some paper piecing on her dress and boots. Then I used my Copic Markers to complete the image.

I also used a Die-namics die for the clouds, some Elzybells Stamps for the sentiment and I finished the card by adding some stitching, twine and a button.

I think this card is one of my all-time favorites! I just love the colors and how everything came together!

Would you consider joining us this week? Just make something with a 'giving thanks' theme and link it up at Little Red Wagon. We would love to see what you create :)

Book Club Fun

2011-10-02T09:56:00.002-04:00

Belonging to a Book Club has been an interesting and enjoyable experience. This past month was my turn to pick the book and host the discussion time. I chose the book The Help. It was a fabulous read and I also enjoyed seeing the movie with my Movie Club!

While I was thinking about hosting the club for our discussion about the book, I saw that my friend Donna-Marie was offering a cooking class at her new studio, Relish Cooking Studio, called Recipes from The Help! How perfect! Our Book Club readily agreed that we would sign up for a night of southern cooking and discuss the book at the same time.

Relish Cooking Studio is an amazing place! The decor is gorgeous and the evening of cooking was wonderful. Here are a few photos that I took while we were there ~

Yes, our evening ended with a piece of Two Slice Chocolate Pie (without the Terrible Awful!).

If you ever have a chance to visit Relish Cooking Studio you won't be disappointed! They have a number of great classes coming up and they sell the finest in cookware, spices, chocolate, utensils, etc.

Now I am off to grab a cup of coffee and start reading our next book, Irma Voth, by Miriam Toews. I hope it is good!

Little Red Wagon #100

2011-09-28T15:03:00.001-04:00

Happy Wednesday and welcome to our 100th challenge at Little Red Wagon! Wow! Time sure flies when you are having fun!

This week Rosanne wants us to create something with a postage theme. It just so happened that I had some great travel papers from Imaginisce in my wagon and one had postcards printed on it. So that was the inspiration for my card.

I combined one of the post cards that I cut from the paper with some gorgeous papers from MME Lost and Found Two. Perfect color combination! I also printed a sentiment on the post card by running it through my computer printer.

Then I added a paper doily, some pretty black ribbon, a small rosette and a layered butterfly that I cut with a Die-namics die! A sweet yellow gemstone added the finishing touch.

Why not consider playing along with us this week? Let's see if we can get 100 participants for our 100th challenge!

Banner Swap Sneak Peek

2011-09-27T20:26:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I am participating in a Fall banner swap and I thought I would post a sneak peek of my finished letter.

I love doing banner swaps! In this particular one, we all have a letter in the words 'Giving Thanks' and we each do our own design. Then we swap! Each piece is so different but when they are all put together it creates a gorgeous finished project that will be wonderful to display in our homes.

I will be sure to show you the finished banner when I get it all together! Thanks for looking ~

Little Red Wagon #99

2011-09-21T08:39:00.002-04:00

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon was brought to us by Regan! She challenged us to repeat a stamped image.

Now I will admit this challenge had me a bit... challenged! I wasn't sure what to do but then I was inspired by a card on the cover of one of the Scrapbook Trends Create magazines. It had a number of stamped butterflies on it, so I decided to give it a try.

I used a MME stamp and Memento inks for the butterflies. Then I found a Martha Stewart doily in my wagon, a very old rub-on sentiment and some gems. The paper is from PTI. And if you look closely, you will see that I actually sewed the butterflies to the card!

Have a great Wednesday and I will be looking for your creations at Little Red Wagon :)

Pumpkin Card

2011-09-20T10:12:00.001-04:00

I was visiting Dee's blog today and saw her Loonie Stampers Challenge and I decided to play along. The inspiration photo was so gorgeous that I just couldn't resist using the color combination to make a card!

This is the photo that was used. Isn't it stunning?

And this is my card!

I used a digi stamp, my Copic markers and papers from Jillibean Soup and Bella Blvd.

Then a bit of orange waxy flax, a button from MME and a touch of Glossy Accents were added for the finishing details.

Thanks Loonie ladies! I had fun playing along :)

Friends

2011-09-19T08:23:00.004-04:00

Happy Monday! I finished working on a layout yesterday that all started with a product challenge kit from TSF that contained gorgeous Cosmo Cricket papers and some fun little embellies! Then I found a great sketch at Once Upon A Sketch and decided to play along with their challenge.

I turned the sketch sideways and went with a 'friends' theme as that was one of the challenges on the TSF Back-to-School On-Line Crop. I used a photo of Spencer and Danielle that I took this summer. They are more than just cousins - they are best friends that always get along and support each other even though they live far apart.

I had fun using all my favorite techniques: distressing, sewing, paint splatters! I also loved adding a bit of lace, making an accordion flower and doing a paper ruffle!

Part of the challenge at OUAS was to add journalling directly on your photo. I used small alpha stickers to say what this photo was all about - cousins... friends!

Last, but not least, I added my signature button - my all time favorite embellie!

I hope you have a wonderful week with lots of time for scrapbooking. Thanks for looking :)

An Apple for the Teacher

2011-09-16T08:34:00.002-04:00

As part of the on-line Back-to-School crop at TSF, we were challenged to make something with an apple on it. I decided to use this fun image from Lori Boyd for a back-to-school card.

I used my Copics (love them!) and papers from Jillibean Soup.

It's not too late to join in the fun on the Forum! You have until Sunday at midnight to get your projects posted and you will be eligible for some great prizes! Hope to see you there~

Little Red Wagon #98

2011-09-14T09:02:00.004-04:00

Today was Avril's turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon. She wanted us to use twine on our project, so I made a card and added a bit of twine to it!

I started with a Lori Boyd image and my Copics. I haven't used them for a while and I enjoyed coloring this sweet image - School Time Lucy! The papers are from my wagon and I believe they are Kaiser Craft.

After I colored the image, I made a small hole at the top and bottom of the books, threaded twine through and tied them together.

This card also qualifies for the Back-to-School On-Line Crop at TSF for a school themed card.

Enjoy your Wednesday, and do join us at Little Red Wagon - we always love seeing what you create :)

Sweet Sarah

2011-09-12T19:41:00.004-04:00

A few months ago I took some photos of my niece, Sarah, and I have been waiting to scrapbook them. I finally had some time to use one of them on a layout this past weekend.

I started with a sketch from a challenge that I found on Once Upon A Sketch blog and some paper from Lost and Found Two by MME.

I worked with the basic design of the sketch and then I had fun with all sorts of embellies - rosettes, a bling swirl, rub-ons from BoBunny, butterflies punched using a Martha Stewart punch, an edge distresser and some Tim Holtz ink.

Part of the challenge was that the title of the layout must be a year and our layout has to include at least two lines of written journaling.

This layout also meets a couple of other challenges for our Back-to-School on-line crop at TSF. Shelby challenged us to use numbers on our layout and Christa challenged us to include handwritten journaling. Even though I can't win the TSF challenges, I am having fun playing along!

Thanks for looking ~

On Line Crop at TSF!

2011-09-09T19:50:00.002-04:00

Today was the start of a back-to-school themed on-line crop at Two Scrapbook Friends! Now that the kiddies are back-to-school it is the perfect time to get back into scrapbooking. On the TSF Forum, you can join in the fun as the Design Team and the two friends have posted a number of great challenges designed to inspire your creativity and get your mojo going!

My challenge is to create a layout or card that has to do with back-to-school shopping or your favorite back-to-school item. One of my favorite back to school purchases has always been a new pair of shoes. So I decided to use a photo of my son wearing his new shoes on the first day of school in 2005. For the title I used one of my favorite books from Dr. Suess, "Oh the places you'll go!"

Here are a couple of detail shots.

We hope you take this opportunity to join us for some on-line fun. You can participate in the chatter, have fun with the challenges and get some scrapbooking done! There are also some great prizes to be won for participating, so start digging out your supplies and clear a spot at the table! Then head over to the Forum and join in - I will see you there :)

Little Red Wagon #97

2011-09-07T08:47:00.003-04:00

Happy Wednesday! It is time for another fun challenge at Little Red Wagon :)

This week's challenge is to use die-cuts on your creation. I used my Cuttlebug and three fabulous dies from Die-namics to create my card.

I used the butterfly, ticket strip and pinwheel dies for this card. I also added a fun stamped sentiment, a button and some gems.

Why not join us this week? Pop on over to Little Red Wagon and take up the challenge! We would love to see what you create!

Summer Blessings

2011-09-05T09:15:00.013-04:00

It has been a wonderful summer! It started with an incredible trip to Mexico and I didn't think it could get better! Then I had an amazing time with my mom and sisters at a little resort in Michigan! Perfect! Then we enjoyed a delightful graduation party for my son and niece during which we were able to visit with the entire family! Doesn't get much better than that!

But then I was surprised with a totally unexpected visit from my sister Mary and her daughter and her little baby this past weekend! Oh my gosh! My heart was so filled with joy at seeing them as they came running into my bedroom at midnight on Friday and yelling, "SURPRISE!" that all I could do was cry! Luckily I was still awake and reading a book, but I wondered aloud a few times if I was actually dreaming! Happy tears just flooded out as my heart took in the reality of their visit! The next morning I woke early and peeked into their bedroom and my heart was full at seeing them peacefully asleep in my home. I crawled back into bed and whispered to Mr. B, "They really are here! It wasn't just a dream!"

I began counting graces with Ann many months ago and I still keep my list. Each day I make note of the wondrous gifts in my life and I have come to truly appreciate that 'all is grace' - all is a special gift from the hand of our awesome God! Each joyful moment, each realization of the wonders of nature, each tug of my heart as I feel a special love for someone - pure grace!

As I put pen to paper - or in this case fingers to keyboard - I scarcely know where to begin! But I will recount some special moments from this wonderful summer, beginning with my 'sisters/girls weekend'...

#201. time spent on the beach

#202. colorful umbrellas

#203. great summer reading

#204. adorable baby beachwear

#205. antique stores

#206. the outdoor farmers market on a Saturday morning

#207. sweet cottages with white picket fences that are so pretty to look at

#208. the perfect little resort that we return to year after year

#209. a great-grandmother's love

#210. having a picnic dinner and enjoying one of the best cheeseburgers ever from the Cheeseburger Festival!

#211. saying good-night to another perfect day

When you count grace today, what are you most thankful for?

Graduation Party

2011-08-31T20:51:00.004-04:00

We had a wonderful high school graduation party for my son and my niece this past weekend. We held it at a beautiful park in Michigan and lots of family and friends were in attendance. Of all the photos I took – and there were many! – these pictures are my favorite!

At the end of the day, Danielle suggested that they each let their balloons go, symbolizing their farewell to high school. Of course I was there with my camera and when I looked at the photos after I downloaded them to my computer, I couldn’t believe what I saw. These pictures totally capture the true essence of their relationship – their camaraderie, their playfulness, their connectedness.

I applied a special effect to the pictures with my photo editing software and I love how they look!

They say every picture is worth a thousand words, so I will let the pictures speak for themselves…

Their futures are bright with promise! And even though they will each take separate paths, I know that they will always be a wonderful support and friend for each other along the way.

Little Red Wagon #96

2011-08-31T08:24:00.003-04:00

This week at Little Red Wagon we are challenged to make something using a border punch.

Border punches are awesome and I made this fun card using a border punch, digi image and my Copic markers. Then I added some of my favorite ribbon, a bit of stitching and Glossy Accents on the bottle cap.

Let's see what you can do with your border punches! Join in the challenge at Little Red Wagon :)

Little Red Wagon #95

2011-08-24T07:25:00.002-04:00

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon is to use newsprint on our project.

I used some papers from MME that has a gorgeous newsprint pattern.

I used a flower and scallop punch to create a layered flower and I added a bling center!

Try to stop by Little Red Wagon and join in the fun! Check out what the design team has created and show us your own newsprint creations!

My Minds Eye Blog Challenge

2011-08-21T18:24:00.002-04:00

I decided to play along with the layout sketch challenge at My Minds Eye this month.

I used papers, brads and chipboard from the Lost and Found Two collection and it was perfect for a photo of my niece's little boy!

I decided to keep the layout really clean and I only added a couple of embellishments. I punched out some scalloped circles and made a couple of flowers. On one, I just added a brad that says, "You are so special."

On the other one I added a brad along with a couple of chipboard flags that I adhered to decorative pins.

I punched the scalloped border, added some awesome ribbon and finished with chipboard letters for the title.

Another sweet layout of a darling little boy! Thanks for looking ~

Relish Cooking Studio

2011-08-19T08:11:00.004-04:00

My neighbour and friend, Donna-Marie, has opened her own cooking studio in Uptown Waterloo! She is a professional home-economist and has authored four best-selling cookbooks. Opening a cooking studio, where she can share her knowledge and passion for cooking, has been a long-time dream of hers and I am just thrilled for her!

She has joined forces with her friend, Maria, who is a wonderful Italian cook that has shared Donna-Maria's vision of opening a cooking studio. I am sure they will make an incredible team as they teach us how to prepare great food while having fun in the kitchen!

Their studio will offer cooking classes as well as offering top quality kitchenware, tableware, linens, accessories, cookbooks and much, much more.

Their official opening will be Monday, August 29th. Drop in to see their fantastic new cooking studio space as well as their beautiful kitchen shop. Coffee will be on and the cookie jar filled! They are located at 56 Regina Street North, Waterloo, and you can check out their web-site here!

I wish you all the best Donna-Marie and Maria! I will see you on the 29th!

Little Red Wagon #94

2011-08-17T20:04:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that it is the middle of August already and that in a couple of weeks, school will be starting!

This week at Little Red Wagon, Regan is challenging us to create a back to school project. I decided to make up a little card for someone special.

I dug into my wagon and pulled out my Copic markers. It has been a while since I used them, so I thought I would color in a digital image (please don't look too closely at my coloring - I am clearly out of practice!). I paired my image with some Jillibean papers, brown ribbon and a button from my wagon!

Why not send a student back to school with a smile on their face? Make up a back to school card to give to someone special and then link up your creation at Little Red Wagon. We would love to see what you create :)

The Smallest Things

2011-08-16T13:29:00.006-04:00

I am playing along with another Sketchy Thursdays sketch this week :)

I loved this recent photo I took of Nolan (such a cutie!), my niece's baby, so I decided to pair it with the new Baby Steps line from Simple Stories.

I also added some brads from MME, a heart from Jillibean, and some twine.

I love the inspiration that a great photo and an awesome sketch gives me! Thanks for looking ♥

Little Red Wagon #93

2011-08-10T07:05:00.002-04:00

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon is to use a bird on your project.

I adore birds so this challenge was easy for me! I used a felt bird that was in my wagon and I combined it with papers from MME.

Then I used a Die-namics ticket border die with yellow cardstock to add a punch of color to my card. An SRM 'Thank You' sticker and a couple of gems created the sentiment.

Last, but not least, I used some ribbon and black twine to create a little nest for my bird to sit on!

Join us at Little Red Wagon this week - we would love to see what you create!

Journey

2011-08-07T16:36:00.006-04:00

I am still scrapbooking a trip we took to Mackinac Island, Michigan, a couple of years ago, and this week's sketch from Sketchy Thursday gave me some great inspiration for another page.

I used papers from the Destinations line from Simple Stories (my fav!) and they worked perfectly with the colors in my photos.

I added some Tattered Angels Chalkboard Mist to the background and did some machine stitching.

It felt good to squeeze some scrapbooking into my busy summer schedule! Thanks for looking ~

I Love It!

2011-08-05T09:06:00.004-04:00

I received the most amazing, awesome, perfect, wonderful gift for my birthday this year! It came from Carolyn and her daughter, Amanda, and it is a gorgeous hand-made quilt that they both worked on!

I actually saw this quilt when it was being made a couple of months ago and I fell in love with it. The colors are my favorite and I adore rag quilts. I dropped a few subtle (?) hints that I would totally love to get this for my upcoming birthday, but knowing the time and effort and $$$ that goes into a quilt, I never thought I would actually receive it. In fact, I totally forgot all about it.

So when Carolyn gave it to me I was seriously shocked, surprised and delighted! I held back the tears, but I was so very touched.

Thank you so much Carolyn and Amanda. This is one of those special heartfelt gifts that will be forever treasured. Hugs to both of you!!

Little Red Wagon #92

2011-08-03T07:27:00.002-04:00

Happy Wednesday! It is my turn to post the challenge at Little Red Wagon this week!

I thought it would be fun to see a card, layout or project with a critter on it!

I had this cute little alligator die-cut and I paired it with some left-over paper from my stash. Then I used a Die-namics die to make a great die-cut border, added a button and floss and I had a sweet little card in no time!

Check out Little Red Wagon for some fabulous critter creations this week and join in the fun!

Mexican Adventure - Part III

2011-07-29T06:00:00.010-04:00

I am back with another post about our amazing trip to Mexico. We came home with so many wonderful memories that I can't help but share a few more :)

The resort was gorgeous and there was so much that you could do there, but the food at the resort was definitely a highlight of each day! Unlimited buffets welcomed us through the day, plus there were 8 incredible restaurants throughout the resort that were open for dinner. We enjoyed trying out the Brazilian restaurant, the Steakhouse, and the Japanese restaurant... which was a show as well as a meal!

The fresh fruit and the desserts were my favorite part of each meal!

The Grand Palladium had 4 resorts in one and each resort has it's own look that made it unique.

The Riveria had these awesome sculptures in their courtyard.

We did a tour along the river that runs through the resort.

We enjoyed seeing the flora and fauna of Mexico.

These lovely critters were everywhere and they were the size of cats! Yikes!

Luckily the crocodiles were contained!

When evening came around, we were greeted in our room with a towel sculpture and chocolates on our pillow!

On Friday night we reserved a spot at the Beach Barbecue. It was amazing how they transformed the beach into a beautiful al fresco dining experience.

Mexican themed decor, more food than you could imagine, pleasant company and local entertainment all contributed to a great evening.

Another highlight of our trip was a massage on the beach!

The Resort had a top class spa on the premises and they also had beach huts near the pools and the ocean where you could enjoy a massage. Mr. B and I decided to have a massage at the beach and I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it was! Listening to the waves and feeling the breeze while someone massages you with hot oil... can you say heaven?

I feel very blessed to have enjoyed this special trip with my hubby. I hope we will have the opportunity to visit this beautiful area of the world again sometime.

Little Red Wagon #91

2011-07-27T13:37:00.003-04:00

Deanna over at Little Red Wagon has challenged us to make something using heat embossing this week.

I will admit, heat embossing is not my favorite thing to do and I had a really hard time coming up with an idea. Then I decided to make up a couple of candle jars for my patio table and I made up some heat embossed seashells to decorate them with!

I started with a recycled canning jar in which I put a layer of crushed seashells and a candle. Then I tied some jute around the top of the jar and added my embossed seashells.

To make the seashells, I started with Kraft cardstock. I used some Sizzix dies to cut out the shells and then I added some fabulous Zing Embossing Powder for an absolutely gorgeous finish!

Thanks for the challenge Dee! I would not have thought to do this if I hadn't been challenged!

Pop on over to Little Red Wagon to see what the other Girlfriends made! I am sure you will be delighted with all the great ideas :)

At The Cottage

2011-07-25T09:12:00.008-04:00

We had a wonderful get-away at our friend's cottage near Wiarton this past weekend. It is such a beautiful and peaceful place and we had a great time reconnecting with our dear friends.

Our friends are the most gracious hosts ever!

Tony and Mary are another dear couple that are a part of our small group of long-time friends. They also spent the weekend with us.

Mr. B and I totally enjoyed spending time catching up with all that is going on in our respective lives... weddings (congrats again Mary and Tony on your new daughter-in-law!), the comings and goings of our children, work, family, etc. We also enjoy lots of laughter and reminiscing about the good old days!

Since my birthday was on Friday and Mr. B's is tomorrow, we were surprised with a birthday celebration that included the most yummy cake ever! It meant a lot to be remembered and to celebrate with good friends.

One of our favorite moments at the cottage, was watching the sunset. The brilliant colors of the changing sky just take your breath away!

No we didn't fall into the water! I just really liked this photo so I thought I would include it in my post :)

Sunday afternoon came all too quick and we had to head home. We all promised each other 'the same time next year!' ...and I can't wait. Their cottage is just as this little quote says, "A little piece of Heaven on Earth!"

TSF Product Challenge

2011-07-23T07:47:00.000-04:00

Each month Two Scrapbook Friends offers a Product Challenge and I decided to join in this time! For the Product Challenge you purchase a small kit of scrapbook supplies for under $4.00 and then you are challenged to use a bit of everything in the kit to make up a layout, card or project.

The papers were so bright and fun this month! I worked with a one-page sketch from from Allison Davis at Sketch Support and I used a photo of my sweet niece, Hannah.

I added some alpha stickers for my journaling and I made a banner with a scalloped circle punch.

One of the items in the kit was a wooden washer. I punched a large circle from the pattern paper, covered the washer and then added the little embellie from the kit!

You can see other Product Challenge creations on the Two Scrapbook Friends Layout Gallery! Thanks for looking ~

Mexican Adventure - Part II

2011-07-21T23:48:00.000-04:00

We only left our all-inclusive resort twice while we were in Mexico. Once was to take a trip into Playa del Carmen, a city just north of where we were staying.

We were told that there were two ways for us to get to Playa del Carmen from the resort. One was to take a taxi, which would cost about $30.00 US. The other was to leave the resort, walk out to the main highway and wait for a local bus to stop and pick us up. The bus would only cost us $3.00 US. When I asked if it was safe for tourists to take the local bus, the concierge said, "Oh yes! They are safe and air conditioned and very comfortable." So we thought – why not?

Even though I had an uncomfortable picture in my head of local men and women riding the bus with us (complete with sombreros and carrying chickens and goats!), we headed out to the highway. The ‘bus’ was actually a minivan of sorts that accommodated 12 passengers plus the driver. Luckily one was arriving just as we walked towards the road, so off we went. Much to my relief, there were no animals on the bus and everyone seemed quite ‘normal’. (lol)

When we left the resort the sun was shining, but by the time we drove 20 minutes north, the clouds had gathered and it had started to downpour! We were going to be dropped off at the ‘bus stop’, which was about 5 blocks from where we wanted to be. (It was actually just the side of the road in an out of the way part of city.) As the driver brought the bus to a stop, the princess in me started to panic and I wanted to shout, "I DON’T DO RAIN!" Instead I turned to Mr. B and asked, "So, what are we going to do?" He said, "I guess we are going to get off the bus and start walking!" That was not what I wanted to hear.

Oh my gosh! Within the first half a block we were completely soaked. I mean completely! We had no umbrella (although a few locals offered to sell theirs to us for a 'good price!'), we had no hats, no jackets, nothing. We kept trying to duck into little stores and restaurants along the way, but eventually we had to just keep walking.

When we reached the main tourist part of town, Fifth Avenue, the rain started to die down a bit and the sun came out. So then, not only were we completely wet, but we were hot and sticky as well! Can you say FUN?

Eventually we dried out a bit and started to enjoy our time in the city. There were lots of shops selling everything from jewelry to clothing to tequila.

One of the first places we stopped in had the world's largest Tequila collection! It was amazing! Tequila bottles in just about every shape and size were on display and for sale.

Some were so beautiful it was tempting to buy them just for the bottle!

The buildings were colorful and interesting.

Local talent entertaining the tourists.

Fifth Avenue is a 2 mile long, pedestrian-only street that offers restaurants, bars, shops and hotels and it runs parallel to the beach.

We're not sure!?!

So, despite the rain and then the blistering heat, we had fun exploring this interesting city. We were also very glad to get back to the resort for a swim in the pool and a great dinner!

Little Red Wagon #90

2011-07-20T08:40:00.005-04:00

It is Wednesday and time for a new Little Red Wagon challenge! Rosanne challenged us to create something with musical notes on it. So I made a 'note of thanks' card :)

The card was created using some leftover papers from a layout I just designed. I love this color combo!!! Then I simply Sizzixed some musical notes, added a little stamped sentiment and voila!

Head on over to Little Red Wagon to see what the other Girlfriends created! You are sure to be inspired ~

Mexican Adventure - Part I

2011-07-18T21:46:00.008-04:00

I finally downloaded and sorted through most of the photos we took on our trip to Mexico. I want to do a couple of blog posts as a type of travelogue to document our vacation - until I have time to scrapbook all of them!

We stayed at the Grand Palladium White Sands Resort and Spa located in one of the most beautiful areas in the Mexican Caribbean, the Mayan Riviera. It is a 5-star resort in every way and we had the most amazing time!

The Grand Palladium has 4 different resorts in one huge complex and we were able to take advantage of all 4 areas. We arrived late in the day on Sunday, July 3rd, and our first view of the resort was just as the sun was setting. By the time we checked in and were able to walk around, the pool and beach areas were quiet and we enjoyed a gorgeous evening stroll around the property. It was absolutely beautiful! We got 'lost' a few times, but we were having fun just finding our way around and taking in the beauty of everything.

:: the lobby ::

:: one of the many bars ::

:: the pool area at night ::

The next morning we got a completely different perspective with the sun shining. We woke up early and again took a nice long walk before most of the other guests were out and about.

:: marble floors throughout the resort - indoors and out! ::

Our first view of the beach was breathtaking! The sun was shining so brightly on the water it was a bit hard to capture how pretty it was.

:: Mr. B found his spot right away ::

:: the wedding gazebo ::

:: walkway to the pool ::

:: a swim-up bar ::

:: the only photo you will see of me in a bathing suit! ::

:: enjoying a drink before dinner ::

This is just a small sampling of the many photos I took. Stay tuned for more of our Mexican adventure!

Introducing Riley

2011-07-17T08:36:00.000-04:00

We have a new member of our family! Our son bought a sweet little bunny a couple of days ago and named him Riley.

He is a lionhead rabbit and is only 6 weeks old. He looks big in the photos, but he is just a tiny little fur-ball that is as cute as can be!

We picked him up from a breeder about an hour away from our home and she had two caramel, one black and two spotted bunnies to pick from.

Here he is with his 'twin' - Riley is on the left. He has such a sweet face that we just couldn't resist choosing him!

All the way home, we were thinking of names. I think he looks like a Bob, but Spencer chose the name Riley. In fact we won't even be sure if it is a male or female for a few more weeks, so Riley will work either way. (I still like Bob the Bunny!)

Hopefully this little guy will be a healthy rabbit that will be around for a long time. He is a real cutie!

Little Red Wagon #89

2011-07-15T18:28:00.004-04:00

I am slowly getting back into the swing of things after being away on holidays, so even though our Little Red Wagon creations are supposed to be posted on Wednesdays, I am finally posting mine today!

This week Regan challenged us to use lime, pink and white on a creation! Love that color combination!

I made up this card, which is totally scraplifted from one on the internet. I am not sure who created the original, but I changed it to suit the colors I wanted and to work with the sentiment sticker I had. The hearts were punched using a Martha Stewart punch and the card front was embossed using a Swiss Dot embossing folder and my Cuttlebug :)

For more great card ideas using lime, pink and white, check out Little Red Wagon!

Hola! We're Back!

2011-07-13T09:29:00.002-04:00

Mr. B and I just returned from an incredible trip to the Mayan Riviera! I am still trying to get back into the swing of things and I have over 600 photos to sort through, but I hope to share our trip in a couple of blog posts in the next few days.

Espero que todo está bien con usted! (Hope all is well with you!)

Little Red Wagon #88

2011-07-06T07:32:00.000-04:00

This week at Little Red Wagon we were challenged to make a Christmas in July card! While it is hard to think about Christmas at this time of year, I went to my wagon and found some great goodies from Three Bugs in a Rug that were perfect!

I decided to make an easel card just because they are fun and easy and I haven't made one in a while!

Do join us this week at Little Red Wagon. We would love to see your Christmas in July creation!

Multitudes on Mondays

2011-07-04T08:42:00.002-04:00

I grew up in a 3-bedroom ranch style home that my Mom still lives in. The kitchen is not that big, but big enough for a table that would seat all 8 of us for family meals each day. Big enough to cook together in, clean up together in, share meals together in. Big enough to do homework in - even through University! It was the true heart of our home and still is when we go for a visit. It is the place we all seem to gather in. Even as teens, we would more often sit around our large kitchen table to chat with our friends than hang out in the rec room.

On the main wall of the kitchen we have always had a clock. The clock has been changed only a couple of times in the many years that we lived there, and the current clock has been there for as long as I can remember.

The clock seemed to have a special role in our family. It was kept busy keeping track of the the hours, the minutes, the seconds of precious time. Time spent with family. Time that told us when we needed to be somewhere. Time for loved ones to return from work or school. Time for meals. Time for bed.

The clock also seemed to keep track of the rhythm of our family. It chimes every 15 minutes and bongs on the hour. It was a background noise that most times we weren't even conscious of, but it kept us on track throughout the day. The coming and going. The schedules. The beginning and end of each day.

When I return home now for a visit, I am more aware of the clock than I was when I lived there. I am aware of how often I look at it throughout the day and I am aware of the pretty chiming sound it makes. I am aware of how it is an inanimate object that has interacted with our family throughout the years. A familiar piece of home that I.am.grateful.for! Silly? Perhaps. But home would not be home without it.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."
Ecclesiastes 3:1

#191. the kitchen wall clock in my Mother's home

#192. childhood memories

#193. family

#194. God's promises as recorded in the Bible

#195. the generosity of family and friends

#196. flower pots on my patio overflowing with growth

#197. the anticipation of a great holiday with Mr. B

#198. summertime

#199. reading a book that I don't want to put down!

#200. fun times and smiles on my son's faces

Little Red Wagon #87

2011-06-29T07:20:00.005-04:00

Happy Wednesday! It is my turn to post this week's challenge at Little Red Wagon!

In the next few days we have Canada Day in Canada and the 4th of July in the USA, so I thought it would be fun to see some patriotic creations!

Since I am an American living in Canada, I was torn as to which country I would honor. But, I had these really awesome 4th of July stickers in my wagon just begging to be used, so I decided to make up this fun red, white and blue candy tube.

The stickers and tube are from SRM Stickers and the ribbon is from my wagon. I did fill the tube with red and white jelly beans for Canada and I just love how it turned out!

So put on your patriotic hats ladies and let's see your creations! Be sure to visit Little Red Wagon and link up! It will be fun to see all the great cards, layouts and projects you create :)

Joyful Thanks!

2011-06-27T19:26:00.004-04:00

God is good! Our nephew Scott, who is 19 years old, was baptized this past weekend! It was a blessing to witness this fine young man choosing a life in Christ and being baptized in the tradition of his faith.

And so my heart is full of gratitude once again for the grace of Baptism and eternal life in Christ!

#181. Baptismal waters and new life!

#182. family

#183. knowing that only God can fill our heart's deepest longing

#184. music that touches my soul

#185. the warmth of the sun

#186. a second senior prom for Spencer

#187. formal flowers

#188. tender moments

#189. good friends

#190. lifelong memories

Sad Goodbye

2011-06-24T20:12:00.004-04:00

How is it that a furry little bunny can find it's way into our hearts in just two short months?

Ace, my son's pet rabbit that we only had for a couple of months, had to be put down today. He was a sick little bunny with a chronic lung condition that he likely had since birth. He could not be cured. We tried. Two long doses of antibiotics. Special formula food that we hand fed to him when he stopped eating and drinking. Lots of tender, loving care and prayers. But it just wasn't meant to be.

So with heavy hearts we had to say good-bye today to our little 4-month old fur ball. I reassured my son that he did everything he could to care for him and that maybe he was chosen to have little Ace for his short life, because he would keep him happy and comfortable and not give up as soon as someone else might have. A tough life lesson - to love and to let go.

And now I am grieving along with my son over a silly little bunny that I didn't even want in the first place. But he touched my heart and now there is a special place in it that will always belong to him.

Little Red Wagon #83

2011-06-22T11:56:00.003-04:00

Happy Wednesday! It is time for another fun challenge at Little Red Wagon!

Deanna's challenge to us was to make an Anniversary Card.

I had some gorgeous BoBunny papers left in my wagon from a previous project and I thought they would be perfect for an anniversary card.

I also added a large rosette, some lace and a couple of butterflies punched out using a Martha Stewart punch.

Why not join us this week by making your own anniversary themed card and linking up at Little Red Wagon? We would love to see what you create :)

A Multitude of Grace

2011-06-21T08:22:00.003-04:00

Counting gifts, counting grace, giving thanks...

#171. my baby turning 18 today! Happy Birthday bud!

#172. my two sons - my life's greatest joys!

#172. a man who loves his barbecue grill

#172. father-son moments

#173. long bike rides

#174. garden art that makes my heart happy

#175. Emily's giftedness on the piano

#176. playing Euchre with my guys

#177. senior proms

#178. feeling God's peace

#179. the security of familiar things

#180. warm days and cool nights

100% Fun

2011-06-18T20:45:00.005-04:00

It seems that I can only go so long without scrapbooking! Life is very busy and I don't always have the time to sit and create a page or a card when I want to. Then all of a sudden I can't stand it any more and and I just have to take the time for a creative outlet!

That is how I have been feeling the last couple of days. We have been getting in some amazing new summer themed papers at the store and I just needed to create something - so I did!

I based my layout on this recent sketch from Sketchy Thursdays:

I used some papers, stickers and rub-ons from Kaiser Craft's Party Animals Collection.

I also added some Twine from My Mind's Eye and some buttons from my stash.

Then, last, but not least, I add a couple of Studio Calico rub-on clouds! They were the perfect color and the grid pattern matched the paper perfectly!

I have always loved this photo of Spencer. We made a trip to Lake Michigan one summer and he just couldn't wait to get out of the car and feel the soft, white sand on the beach! The photo worked so well with the fun feel of the papers!

Little Red Wagon #85

2011-06-15T14:04:00.002-04:00

Rosanne has challenged us to create a Dad themed project this week at Little Red Wagon. With Father's Day coming up, this is the perfect time to celebrate the Dad in your life with a card, layout or special project.

I decided to make a card and I added a fun little heart fan element!

It was super simple to do and it can be folded flat to fit into the envelope!

The paper is left-over bits and pieces of Happy Together paper from Fancy Pants that I had in my wagon :)

Be sure to check what the other Little Red Wagon Girlfriends camp up with and join along with your own creation!

Counting Gifts

2011-06-13T08:29:00.007-04:00

Is there ever a greater blessing, a sweeter miracle than a new-born baby?

Precious little Nolan Michael, my niece's baby, was welcomed into the family of God through the Sacrament of Baptism this past weekend and we were very fortunate to have been in attendance! My heart was filled with the deepest gratitude for the gift of Baptism that God extends to each of us!

#161. Baptismal waters

#162. life in Christ!

#163. special prayers for a new mother

#164. my son accepting the role of Godfather with his whole heart and soul

#165. cousins that support each other at all times

#166. four generations of love

#167. man to man talks :)

#168. the love of family

#169. the passing on of faith

#170. a face fresh from Heaven!

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:16

Happiness Is...

2011-06-10T16:42:00.004-04:00

...freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and the weekend off!

Have a wonderful weekend :)

Little Red Wagon #84

2011-06-08T07:26:00.001-04:00

It's Wednesday and that means another great challenge from Little Red Wagon!

Regan has challenged us to use Mist on our project this week. I decided to change things up and do a layout instead of a card. I had a great photo of my brother, Brian, from his recent visit with us and I really wanted to use it on a layout so this was a great opportunity to do that.

I kept the colors really neutral and I used Charcoal Chalkboard Mist from Tattered Angels on my background. Then I added some stamping, stitching, layering, punching, distressing, folding, painting, ribbon and buttons! Oh yah - too much fun! The papers are a crazy mix of whatever I could find in my wagon that would match.

I really loved working on this page, because I really love my brother! Even though he is 7 years younger than me (with 3 other siblings in between), he has always held a special place in my heart. He is married to an absolutely wonderful woman and they have four beautiful children. And even though we don't see each other that often we keep in touch regularly and are still close.

I hope you decide to join us this week at Little Red Wagon! We would love to see what you do with Mist!

1000 Gifts

2011-06-06T22:50:00.002-04:00

This has to be one of my favorite times of the year! I love when the warm weather finally arrives and I know it is here to stay!

I find that since I have started counting gifts with Ann, I am much more aware of the wonder that surrounds me every day - especially in nature. I also find that I see beauty in places that I might have once overlooked. As I walk down a street or sit on my patio, I aware of the sights and sounds that bring me joy!

My heart is full as I continue to count all that I am grateful for...

#151. the coo of a dove

#152. spending time with my brother and his wife

#153. store window boxes filled with happy-faced pansies

#154. rhubarb coffee cake

#155. bike riding on a sunny afternoon

#156. furniture that looks like art

#157. thrift store finds that add character to my patio

#158. quiet, prayerful moments

#159. stone structures

#160. little girl giggles

May your week be blessed!

Zoology

2011-06-05T20:08:00.008-04:00

BoBunny has released the most awesome Zoo themed collection! It is called Zoology and it has papers in the best patterns and colors! It also has printed chipboard, stickers, rub-ons, etc.

I wanted to create a layout with this new collection so I combined it with this sketch from Sketchy Thursdays.

This is my Zoo layout:

I used some photos from a trip we took to the Detroit Zoo in 2008. I have so many pictures from that day, so this will help me to be one page closer to scrapbooking them all!

I started with a background of Kraft cardstock that I sprayed with Black Chalkboard Mist from Tattered Angels. Then I took a 'bite' out of a couple edges with a border punch! This was a really neat idea that came to me when I woke up yesterday and I couldn't wait to give it a try. (I must have been dreaming about scrapbooking!) I think it turned out really cool!

Then I broke into my stash of buttons and created a fun border that matched the papers really well.

I used the BoBunny alpha stickers that came with the Zoology collection for the journaling and I distressed the edges of my photos with a sanding tool.

I can't wait to do more pages with this collection! Thanks for looking :)

A Saturday Morning

2011-06-02T21:48:00.012-04:00

One of the greatest pleasures in life is spending a Saturday morning at the local Farmer's Market! The sights, the sounds, the smells... it is truly a wonderfully unique experience. We are very fortunate to have a great Farmer's Market about 10 minutes from our home and this past Saturday we spent a couple of hours enjoying every part of it!

As we walked around the market, I marveled at the abundance of the food, the diversity of the people, the incredible smell of the baked goods (especially the apple fritters!), the farm fresh produce, the wares of the local artisans and the interesting talent of the street performers.

I add to my list of God's gifts the countless blessings from the market... just a few of the things I am grateful for this week...

#141. the sweetest cherries

#142. flavorful teas from around the world

#143. fresh flowers

#144. pure maple syrup

#145. food that makes your mouth water just looking at it

#146. cheese (need I say more!)

#147. apples the size of softballs

#148. baskets of goodness lining the tables

#149. the city girl in me being intrigued by livestock

#150. the rustic beauty of the stalls in the barn

What are you thankful for?