Project Life, 2014: Week 22

I am finishing the year of 2014 with a posting of another Project Life Layout.  This is pitiful...here I am posting Week 22 and there are 52 weeks in the year which makes it look like I am less than half the way through! LOL!!!  But actually, I have completed some other layouts in the last half of the year so even though I am still woefully behind...it's not quite as bad as it looks!

But my resolution for 2015 is to start on time and keep up with it. I mean, how hard can it be to complete a 2 page layout weekly?!  (Probably, for me....very difficult!) But, I'm really going to give it my very best shot!!! LOL!

Here is 2 page spread of Week 22 which covers the last week of May (and over Memorial Day).

 I used Just Jaimee's May Storyteller kit with an Ali Edwards brush for the Week Card.

Here is the left side:

Kind of a minimum of journaling this week but I think I included enough information.

Here is the right side:

Whoops...well, lol...I just realized that in the bottom left photo I have journaled that David likes playing with his Tinker Toys...but, of course, these are LINCOLN LOGS!  Well, that's ok...easy to change when it's done digitally!  I will go do it in a moment.

And that's it for me for 2014. Wishing everyone the most fabulous 2015! 

Happy Crafting!!!

As the New Year Approaches...

2015 is literally right around the corner, isn't it? I'm always a little sad as the year ends but am excited about what 2015 may bring.

2014 has been a wonderful year...the high point is always when I am with my children and grandchildren and I had lots of opportunity for that in 2014. The wedding of my son to his bride was certainly at the top of the list, too.

The foot surgery...not so much...but I am looking forward to being pain free and hopefully am saving myself foot problems in the future!  I'm doing well...getting around well...but looking forward to when I can get a little more exercise!

I fell in love with these 3D cards designed by Lori Whitlock.  I am so very much hoping that she designs more for other holidays and events!  Here is the last one I made and decided to use it to wish someone a Happy New Year.  I love the way this one turned out, as well...gives the feel of a snowy, wintry day.

Here you can see the layers a bit more:

I love the contrast of the red bird against the white...so very pretty to me.

I am itching to get into my craft room but probably won't be able to for a few days! I have an out of town guest who is not a crafter and we spend our time together talking, eating, reading and yapping.  What a great friend...sure wish she scrapbooked or paper crafted, though! Anyway, she is a wonderful friend and I am so happy to have her here as we bring in the New Year.

Happy New Year to ya'all!

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Stamp Challenge Anything Goes HERE.

Happy Crafting!

A Belated Merry Christmas!

Christmas is over...a big sigh of relief is heard around the world...but I know many, like me, always feel a little sad that it is over.

We had a wonderful day filled with family....it was crazy, hectic but so much fun. David and Taylor were so excited about Santa.  I love Christmas through the eyes of the little ones.  So much magic!

I had made this 3D card for the grandkids which I gave them a few days before Christmas with a little treat.  I think the card was played with a bit too much and is now a heap of nothing but it was cute while it lasted.  And since I have the file I can make another one whenever! ;)

It was created from a file designed by Lori Whitlock who makes the most amazing stuff!!!

I just love the detail in it.  It cuts so beautifully on my Silhouette.  I am hoping Lori Whitlock comes out with more designs for other events!  The sentiment was stamped with a Hero Arts stamp and Memento pigment ink...and then embossed with clear embossing powder.

Here is a close up of the layers:

I think Santa would have liked this card! :)

Happy Crafting and for me...a day of resting! LOL!

I entered this in the Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp HERE.

Gift Card Boxes

I have further simplified my Christmas giving life by not running around and buying STUFF that people don't want or need and giving Gift Cards to my kids and their spouses.  I do get a few things for them to unwrap but the bulk of their gifts are in the form of Gift Cards.  I love a Gift Card (I don't know why I'm capitalizing them...but oh well!) so we do love giving what we love receiving, right?  Anyway, I wanted to present them in a cute way and have done all sorts of gift card holders in the past but came across some cute little box designs in the Silhouette Online Store designed by Jamie Cripps.  I thought they were so cute and promptly bought several files.  I had fun cutting them out and assembling them...using papers I've had on hand from previous years.  Mambi, Recollections and probably some DCWV in there, too.
The first one is just a cute little snowflake and the box is cut out of printed paper (Christmasy) but I used the white side for the outside of the box.

 The second one is this cute little holly box.

 The 3third on is with a Christmas tree:

...I already tied this one with some baker's twine.

And the last one is of a cute little Santa Claus look:

Here you can see how the boxes open:

There is actually a little box within a box...so cute!  And so easy!

Then I made a few tags which I tied on to each box.  I used an EK success punch and some Hero Arts Stamps for the "To:" and "From" and added some little Jolee's stickers to them.  Done! Easy! Fast! Cute!!

Today I go back for my first post op visit.  I am amazed with how quickly this old gal is recovering...barely a limp!!!  Bandages come off and I get to see that bad girl! :)

Happy Crafting and hopefully some de-stressing!

4 DAYS AND COUNTING!

The next few days will be busy for most of you, I'm sure!  Since I was having that horrid foot surgery last week I got most everything done before I knew I'd be laid up a bit.
Well, imagine my surprise...only 5 days post surgery and I am hoofing it!  Ok, well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration but I am moving around quite well and actually was able to get to my craft room yesterday for day of fun! :)

I had seen these 3 dimensional shadow box cards on the Lori Whitlock blog and decided to buy a file to try out.  Oh my goodness...it cut so well and was so much fun to put together.  They fold flat for mailing and then you just sort of "square" it back out to the frame shape.  I made this one for my son and daughter in law as they are celebrating their first Christmas as a married couple and I thought the 2 little red birds were just perfect.

It is constructed of 6 layers.  I cut all from 8 1/2 by 11 sheets of heavy cardstock.
Here you can see the layers a bit better...

The little snowflake was done with some Stampin' Up glitter.

And the Peace Love Joy sentiment was stamped with a Hero Arts stamp and with Memento pigment ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.

I love this card...it was such much fun and I'm hoping it goes through the mail well!

Happy Crafting and Happy Holidays!

Wham, Bam...Smack!

....in the middle of the holiday season.  Christmas is just 6 days away!
I've been out of the blogging loop for a while.  Where have I been you ask?  Well, having my foot butchered!

Ok, not really butchered but up until hour 48 following surgery that's exactly what it felt like!  Thankfully I am doing much better now and the throbbing has gone from massive to slightly less than massive!
Knowing I wouldn't be crafting much in the next couple of weeks (since I don't trust myself on stairs just yet and my craft room is downstairs) I tried to get a few things done in the past couple of weeks.  I made these ornaments for my scrapbooking ladies group with some blue vinyl, clear glass bulbs and a design from the Silhouette Store.  The tag is from a Hero Arts stamp and die set and stamped with Hero Arts silver ink.  I put a little "snow" in each ornament...I made 16 of them.  They worked up pretty quickly and I think the ladies who received them like them.
And since Scrapbookers believe in the "art" of preserving memories I thought the design was perfect!

As I'm not really able to be up and around and shopping (some benefit to having surgery this time of the year!) I have just been enjoying my nice quiet house with my pretty tree and lights.  What presents I did buy are wrapped and Hallelujah for gift cards! LOL!

And now a shout out for something totally different!  I love makeup and skin care products.  I am always looking for the next greatest thing...you know?  Things that will make me look 10 years younger (well, ok...2 would even be good!)...

I don't know that these products make me look much younger but they are fantastic!  What am I talking about?  Honeysuckle Soaps is a line of skin care products and soaps that are all natural. You can check the website out HERE.  I picked some up recently at a show and was skeptical but they were packaged in cool little bottles (and I am a sucker for packaging!) and I liked the minimal and not overpowering scents so decided to give the products a whirl.  I purchased "Glow Daytime Serum" which is an oil that I use sparingly on my face. My skin drinks the stuff up...and yep...those tiny fine lines around my eyes fade away!  It's true!

I also bought a bottle of the NightTime Serum which includes various oils (Vitamin E included) and extracts but also includes just a hint of lavender for that night time relaxation!  And it's all natural, too...and makes my face feel great as I settle down for the night.

I am so in love with this stuff I ordered more as gifts on Sunday and by Tuesday it was here!  I also have the Lavender body lotion that I put on before I go to sleep..nothing better than lavender at night for restful sleeping!

And it's all very, very reasonably priced and shipping is reasonable, too!!!
So if your face tends to need some nourishment and you lean towards natural things and not those icky chemicals that some of the high end cosmetic companies use give Honeysuckle Soap a try!  The company says they provide "food for the skin" and by George...I think they are right!

Give them a try....I think you will like it as much as I do!

Happy Crafting and Happy Facial and Body Products!

It's Beginning to Look...

...a lot like I"m getting more and more behind! LOL!!! I actually do not stress about the holidays any longer. What will be will be. I used to love all the decorating and baking, etc. But now I throw a tree up and barely bake...although my daughter does insist on some fudge each year! My family just tries to stay away from the sweets and since I have the biggest sweet tooth of all I just don't do all the baking any longer because I am the one who least needs to eat it! But I do love it. So I burn a pumpkin spice candle in my kitchen and pretend...while I get out an apple to eat! HA!

Tomorrow is St. Nicholas Day which we have always celebrated.  The children put out their shoes at night and then St. Nick comes and fills them with treats if they've been good...or switches and coal if they've been bad. I think I heard through the grapevine, though, that St. Nick may not come until tomorrow night to my grandkids as St. Nick's helper has not finished getting treats for the kids! LOL!

Well, here is the first Christmas card I have made this year.  At this rate I will have 2 done by December 31! LOL! But life is good, isn't it? No complaints! I've been doing other necessary things...like napping...and drinking coffee...and important stuff like that.

Here is the card I made with the Simon Says Stamp card kit for...what was it? November?

I used printed paper that came with the kit...and just cut a piece down to make a scene.  And NO...this was not my idea.  It was Shari Carroll's of course.  That woman always provides me with some AWESOME inspiration. Yep, she does.
The sentiment is included with the stamp set in the kit and has such a cute and fun look to it.

I added a little clear Wink of Stella shine to the tree:

And that is it for today!

Happy Crafting!

Coffee Chick!

I love coffee.  Just gotta have one, two, three four cups each morning.  OK, so I drink lite coffee so really it's just like drinking 2 cups. Just explaining myself!

For my card today I used the Simon Says Stamp Card Kit for October which included a really cute coffee/tea themed stamp set which is called "Friendship Has Its Perks". 

I got inspiration from Stephanie Klauck's card HERE.  I made a few changes to make it my own, of course, although I am not above totally copying people either! LOL!

Here is my version:

I made this card with my friend, Cyndi, in mind.  She loves coffee and  lattes from Starbucks even more than I! She is the original Coffee Chick! 
I colored the coffee mug with Copics.  And see that little shadow below the mug?  Well, that's from a stamp set which is über cool from Paper Smooches called "Shadows" which you can see below:

I think it is a very cool set!
Here is a little closer up of the cute mug:

Time to finish that second cup of coffee...or is it my third???!

Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all my American friends I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving! So much to be grateful for!

I love Thanksgiving...it was always a big holiday in my household growing up.  My mother, a fantastic cook, would get up really early to get the "bird" in the oven. I would awaken to the wonderful smells of a stuffed turkey roasting in the oven. We would watch the Macy's Day parade in the morning....eat in the afternoon and watch football. Such good memories.

And even though time has passed since I was a little girl it's fun creating memories with my children and their children.  So, today I will be heading to my daughter's for fun with family...especially the grandkids!

Here is a simple card I made with DCWV papers and a fabulous cut file from the Silhouette store.  It cut beautifully out of glitter paper and I just backed it with a printed paper.

Easy and I like the way it turned out. No additional embellishments needed, right?

I haven't cut much glitter paper on my Silhouette so I wasn't sure how it would do.  Sometimes I will cut glitter papers face down and flip my image but on this one I tried it face up and with a new mat to help me out...well, it cut wonderfully, as you can see!

Enjoy your meals...and if you aren't in the US I bet you have things to be thankful for today, too!

Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!

PS. I'm entering this in the Anything Goes Challenge at Simon Says Stamp HERE.

Thanksgiving Box Card

These little box cards have become quite popular....my friend, Christine, has made several adorable ones with cut files from the Silhouette Store. I was searching for Thanksgiving cards in the Silhouette Store and this little Lori Whitlock file popped up.  I just thought is was really cute and decided to make it for my son and his new bride (whom I may not see on Thanksgiving. *sniff!)  My daughter in law likes all things crafty so she will like this, I'm sure.  My son probably won't 'get it'! LOL!!!

Here it is:

I used paper from DCWV...love the colors and prints!

Gobble, gobble...isn't he cute?

And here is the sentiment stamped with a Close to My Heart stamp.

And another look at my little turkey...

All pieces cut out beautifully on my Silhouette Cameo.  I had no paper tears or booboos...even with the little teensy tiny beak!

It was very easy to assemble and it folds up for easy mailing.  I did make a custom envelope to go with it with some coordinating paper.  Stuck a little Washi Tape on it and had a cute "packet" to send my card in.

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

Happy Crafting!

P.S. I am entering this in the Simon Says Thanks/Thanksgiving challenge which you can find HERE.

Sympathy card

I seem to be in need of so many sympathy cards these days.  So very sad to lose loved ones, isn't it?  I always hope that my cards bring some comfort during times of loss.

This seems to be my sort of "go to" card for condolence sending...with a few variations along the way.  I love this daisy memory box die and it always works up so beautifully. 

The dotted line is from the Paper Smooches Dots and Dash dies.  A cool set to have on hand.
The cardstock is Papertrey Ink cardstock....a nice thick cardstock.

And the sympathy sentiment is one I got at a stamp show many years ago.  It stamps a nice clean image every time.


Well, today it is a "Rainy Day in Georgia"...a great day to craft or clean out closets.  Which should I do? I've already cleaned out a closet this morning so maybe I will treat myself with a little crafting time!

Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!

Project Life, 2014: Week 22 Birthday Party!

Week 22 which covered the last week of May for me posed another one of those scrapbooking dilemmas! I had too many photos for just a simple two page spread. We had a big event that week...Taylor's 3rd birthday party! I just had to do a 2 page layout totally devoted to that...so that's exactly what I did.

I used Party Pop by Melissa Bennett which has been retired. I've had it in my digital stash...don't even remember if I've used it before.

But I thought this kit with the bright neon type colors were perfect for the photos I had.

Taylor's party was at Chuck E. Cheese. My kids loved Chuck E. Cheese when they were small and now my grandchildren are continuing the tradition.  I hadn't been in many years and was quite impressed with it. Very clean, very efficient, and the staff members were all wonderful with the kids. Plus...they have COOL stuff to do! LOL! I never did get a chance to play Whack a Mole! HA!

Here is my two page spread:

 Get a load of her silly face!

Here is the left side up a bit closer for you to see:

We had lots of cutie pie kids at the party!
Here is the right side:

And that, my friends, is it for today!

Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!

Project Life, 2014: Week 21

I was so excited to be notified by Jaimee Kaiser of Just Jaimee that I won a one year subscription to her shop at Sweet Shoppe Designs!  Those digital kits can add up to a lot of $$$, too, so this was a wonderful win for me!

I quickly went to the store and downloaded the May, 2013 Storyteller kit.  I love the colors of this kit...so wonderfully "spring-like"!

So I did another 2 page layout for a week in May and here it is:

This was a typical week for us...nothing huge going on but is a great little snippet into my grandchildren's lives.

Here is the left:

See that cutie pie on the bottom left ... he is my friend's grandson, Logan.  Such a sweet little boy!

Here is the right side:

I love the silly selfie on the top left.  :) 

They have lots of fun just being kids but they learn a lot during their fun times, as well.  Look at the snakeskin we found at the park one day!

It is so cold here in Georgia...well, it is pretty cold nationwide, isn't it?  Just doesn't seem right to have below freezing temperatures and we are still officially in AUTUMN! I wonder what winter will actually be like!!!

So for today...keep warm and Happy Crafting!

Project Life, 2014: Week 20 Baseball

I decided to do an extra two page spread of my grandson's last spring T-Ball game.  I actually came across these photos after pretty much finishing the regular 2 weeks spread and I just didn't have the energy to redo what I'd already done.  Solution? Make 2 more pages!

I used a kit from Traci Reed called True Story. I searched online for some baseball kits but none that I saw were what I thought I needed so I went with Traci's kit.  I loved that the main colors were red, white and blue.  That worked perfectly I thought!

Here is the 2 page spread:

This was a very simple and quick set of pages to do.  No complicated templates to work with!

Here is a closeup of the left side:

It was just so darned cute seeing these little guys in their baseball uniforms.  American as apple pie!

Here is the right side:

So sweet...I love it!

And that's it for today.  Short, sweet, and to the point!

Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!

Project Life, 2014: Week 20

As I work on these pages I am reminded how full my life is...as well as my grandkids.  We are all so very blessed!

Here is the 2 page layout...I always like showing the pages side by side so my readers can get the effect of how they will look when they are printed. And it helps me, too...to make sure that things look relatively balanced!

I used Traci Reed's May kit. I really love these colors...so spring-like.

Here is the left side:

I used some Ali Edwards brushes or stamps for the "week twenty" and "so love these moments".  I applied a Just Jamie style over it from her March kit to gave it sort of an acrylic or plastic look. I don't use styles often enough. It always seems like so much trouble! LOL!
Here is the right side:

I love the photos of Wade with his daddy (my son in law).  He's such a good and involved daddy and loves his children so much! He is total hands on and works hard at his job so that my daughter can stay home and raise their children.

Get a load of the icing-less cupcake in the center.  That's Taylor's handiwork! LOL! 

You gotta give that kid a lot of credit! 

And that's it for today!!!

Project Life, 2014: Week 19

Moving right along...getting close to the halfway mark in the Project Life year!

Here is the two page spread of Week 19:

 I used my usual assortment of Tracy Larsen, Lori Whitlock, and Lily Pad templates as well as the big overall page templates by Becky Higgins. I used papers, cards, and elements from Just Jaimee's Storyteller for May.
Here is a closer look at the left side:

Wade turned 7 months and just keeps getting cuter and cuter.  On the 4th of May...his official 7 month birthday he had no teeth...but by the end of the week one had finally broken through the gum! Poor little guy...he's had a tough time getting that tooth through!

I love the pictures of the kids sleeping. So stinkin' cute!

And here is the right side:

I love that my daughter remembered to take pictures of them at their dental visit!

And that is it for today...!

Hope you find some heat in this cold weather!

Happy crafting!

Project Life, 2014: Week 18

Well, after the hoopla of the wedding the week before things got down to nice quiet week of a school program, a visit to the Atlanta Zoo, a baseball game, my birthday (!)  and other fun things!

I used Traci Reed's May kit because...it was May! Silly....

Here is the 2 page layout:

This week went a little easier because I didn't have hundreds of pictures to sort through and edit.  LOL!

Here is a closer look at the left side:

That's my Granddog in the upper left photo. She's a very smart Border Collie and belongs to my son and his wife.  She came and stayed with us for a week or so while they were on their honeymoon. Such a good girl...and she gets along great with our little princess, Isabella.
Here is the right side:

Even though they aren't the greatest pictures I love see the photos of David singing with his classmates. So cute!

Today was such a beautiful day here...we had such gorgeous weather. It was a fun day of tennis.  We had our season beginning matches today and I think my opponents had a particularly good time if you know what I mean! LOL!!!  Oh well...yep we lost but it was fun.

That's it for today...hoping to start on week 19 tonight!

Happy Crafting and Keep Creating!