Busy Time of Year

Busy Time of Year

I know this time of year is busy for everyone. You are all busy going to parties, making gifts or buying them (or both).

I wish I could share all the awesome crafts I am making to give as gifts. But since my BFF and some others read this, I sadly can't. Well, that is until after the holidays are over.

It's too early to make cookies, but I am trying to narrow down what ones I am making this year. My kids and family that visits don't seem to eat them. I like making them, but I feel like I am throwing them out right after Christmas because everyone is sick of looking at them. So maybe this year, I will only make two kinds. Plus of course magic bars. I don't think it's Christmas unless I make those. I don't know why I don't make them any other time of year. They fly so fast out of the pan, just between my hubby and the kids.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I hope you all got to enjoy being with family and enjoying their company. My son had to work that night, so we left grandma's kind of early and came home, he got a good nap in then headed off to work. I wasn't nearly as tired as I expected so I went shopping. Even though I did feel bad for the workers, and I could have waited for the sales, I got some great deals. And I didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn to get them either.

Well I hope to have a new layout on here sometime this week, been so busy here my head is spinning. (Plus you know I still have to clean and cook, etc.)

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; 

they are the charming gardeners 

who make our souls blossom.

Marcel Proust

Don't forget about the contest, I don't see any layouts posted yet.

Remember the submit button is on the top right column.

Fall

Fall Layout -
I used Basic Grey paper for this layout. It's the Mellow collection. White cardstock provides the background for this layout with distressing ink sprays, in eucalyptus and terracotta.

I didn't have the right ribbon for this layout so I made it myself. I took a green ribbon that matched the layout and with the help of my daughter, I used a white out pen to make the dash marks.

The buttons are from Spare Parts and just happened to match all the colors of the layout.

"Fall" is spelled out with stickers that came in the Basic Grey Mellow line.

I hope you like the layout. Please comment if you would like.

Also, don't forget about the contest. To add your submission layout, to my blog please click the add your link button on the right side of my blog.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday if you celebrate, if you don't, then I wish for you to have a blessed weekend.

November/December Giveaway

November/December Challenge

Over the next month I know things at home and with our families gets, well to put it nicely, a tad nuts. With the holidays fast approaching, we need some "me" time. So.... I decided to run a challenge.

Here are the rules of the challenge:

First, become a member of my blog, if you aren't already, and comment on a post of mine. 

(Make it a long comment, not a one worder.)

Second, make a layout using the above sketch and submit it my blog. Using the link button on the right side of this post.
(The link button will stay at the top right side of the blog until the end of December.)

After January 2nd, 2013; two lucky people will be picked for prizes.

First prize wins: A random assortment of 12x12 scrapbook paper (50 sheets), a Dusty Attic chippie, and a 8x8 album.

Second Prize wins: A random assortment of 12x12 scrapbook paper (25 sheets) and a Dusty Attic chippie.

Due to shipping costs, this is a USA only challenge. But if you are an international subscriber, please enter the challenge anyway, I can't wait to see everyone's layouts.

Good luck to all. I am excited to see the results. Past this challenge onto friends and family.

Another cool gadget that I put on my blog today is chat. If it says online, that means I am here and you can chat with me. If you are scrapbooking then we can bounce ideas off each other, so click the on the live support button and say hi.

Varsity

Varsity Football Layout -
Inspired by The Paper Mixing Bowl challenge for the month. I dove right in and made this layout for submission. This is my darling son, Brandon after football season had ended for the season, and sadly this will probably be his last game ever, except maybe the family backyard game during the annual Allis Christmas party.

This picture was printed on my new printer, I wish you could see how clear it is. I used Photoshop CS 2 to edit the photo and Topaz Labs Lens Effect to give the photo the rusty edge.

Chicken wire from Dusty Attic was used, as well as burlap and stickers on the layout.

To make the background, I used white cardstock sprayed with green ink. I centered the spray under the photo and mat so if it did drip (which it did) that the drips would mainly be underneath the photo and you wouldn't see them.

I hope you like my layout. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Come back to my blog everyday, there will be a surprise soon.

Ok don't judge me. I am sitting all snug in my craft room, listening to Christmas music, designing a layout, sipping Chai tea. The only thing missing is my BFF. But she has two new little ones to take care of so I highly doubt there will be any Christmas craft making for us this year. It's out favorite time of year to do crafts. Now, mind you, we do crafts all year in some form or another but we really really enjoy Christmas time. We normally make gifts for all the people we will be gifting.

Personally, I like giving so much more then receiving. Ok, I know what you might be thinking; yeah right! But no, I am serious. I love to give gifts, especially when I  made them. Although there are people that when you make them a gift, they think that you are being cheap. Sooooooooooo, not the case. I have one person in my family, that I have made a gift once or twice for, and that particular person acts like, "this is it?" It really hurts my feelings. As I am sure you can imagine, you put hours and hours into something, only for someone to be like that. Heartbreaking. Needless to say, that particular person, will no longer be getting a homemade gift.

But then there are others, that really appreciate it. Most people can buy what they want or need themselves. Christmas is not about the gifts but about family and love. I spend tons of time making gifts because I truly love the people I am giving too. All of them.

So again, don't judge me. I have a big list of people I am crafting for this year, so I need to start early and nothing to better get you in the mood, then some CHRISTMAS MUSIC on Pandora! :)

Have a blessed night and enjoy all you have, someone else out there has nothing and would give anything to have what you have.

New Printer!

My New Printer!
I got it!
I got it!
I got it!

Can you tell I am happy? lol

I tested it out and it prints beautifully. Although I haven't had a second tonight to print anything to go in my scrapbooks. I set it up, set up the wireless on 2 of the 3 laptops and printed one picture. But then motherly duty took over and I had to make dinner and do laundry. I probably will not get a free second besides the one I am using right now to tell you about my NEW printer, til tomorrow. Also I ended up doing some yoga (and was intending to walk on the treadmill too) but again I had mom things to do. There is always tomorrow. Right?

I can't wait to show you all how wonderfully it prints. And that the whole house can use it without having to track down a flash drive is a bonus.

Well... I hear hubby calling which means I have something that needs mom.

So I will see you all tomorrow.

Have a great night and enjoy the simple things.

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat Layout - 

This is a double page layout spread. I used the Authentique paper pack, like I used in the Poison layout. I told you I really love the papers. I used various embellishments from K&Company, Jolee's Boutique, Making Memories, Recollections and Creative Imaginations.

Lots of room for pictures or journaling on this layout. And if all else fails, add more embellishments!

To make the scalloped edge on the spider webbed paper, I used some old school products. A glass cutting board, Fiskars template with decorative edge and a rotating cutting knife. It worked for this layout. Quick and I had it on hand.

For rounding the corners on the papers, I used the Zutter corner rounder in 1/2 inch.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed your extra hour of sleep.

Please let me know what you think of my layout. Post a comment if you would.

Thank you and have a blessed day.

Poison

Poison Layout -
What a perfectly spooky Halloween layout, complete with creepy flowers and an eerily scary skull embellishment.
The papers are from the Authentique Paper line, all made in the USA. I love these papers! AC Moore just stated carrying them and I am excited. I am hoping it wasn't just for Halloween, I hope they are getting them for Christmas and so on.
The flowers are made by Recollections. The poison tags are made by K & Company. The skull embellishment is made by Jolee's Boutique. The base of the layout is simple black cardstock.
I can't wait to add a photo on this layout, but won't be able to until Monday.

My awesome hubby just bought me a new wireless printer. And it's arriving Monday!!!! The inks for the printer are cheap! Very cheap, and they use less ink then my current printer when printing pictures with the same outcome. The kids are excited, because there will no longer be a need to hunt down a flash drive to copy school work on to, then open it on the desktop computer we have, just to print it out. They will be able to print from their laptop where ever they are in the house. Ahhh, that will solve a lot of issues here. LOL!

Well I hope you like my layout. Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think.