Making Gifts for Life

Monday, December 31, 2012

New's Years Eve


2013
It will be a better year then last. 

All my dreams, I dream will come true. All my needs will be met and some of my wants. While I try to make the needs and wants of my loved ones top priority. All their dreams will come true.

My son will be safe when he enters the Marines and always come home happy and healthy. This is the one thing I wish for the most. My son is an amazing man already. But I need him here in my life. This July, letting him go will be the hardest thing I have ever done. I am dreading the day, as time is moving ever so fast towards that date. 

2013
It will be a better year then last.


I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's. 

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Merry Christmas Layout


Merry Christmas Layout -

I want to admit something, I love lots of embellishments but sometimes I want to do a layout that focuses on the pictures and not the embellishments. I want something simple.

I used K&Company papers to create this layout, set in rich colors of black, cranberry and evergreen. Adding cream for an accent color.

For the title and circle embellishment, I used new stamps I got, made by Recollections. I found them at Michael's. If you look close I added the date in the strips near the circle embellishment with cream paper and   a Martha Stewart writing pen. I inked the edges of the strips with black ink. The black strip above them, is a piece of cardstock I cut with decorative scissors.

The black doily was white and I colored it with a black sharpie marker. It worked out perfectly for this. It gives the page a little bit of elegance.

The buttons are from this awesome manufacturer called Spare Parts and you can find them at Hobby Lobby. Spare Parts makes all kinds of wonderful scrapbook embellishments, from buttons and flowers to brads.

I hope you enjoy the page. Please ask any questions if you have some.

Have a blessed day.

Blog Challenge - 1 Day Left!!!!


 
November/December Giveaway
(Reminder)
 
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. Pass this challenge onto friends and family.

Sunday, December 23, 2012


Days leading up to Christmas Day -

I hope you are getting to enjoy the time leading up to the day we prepare for months. I am trying to take little moments, in between all the wrapping, baking, cooking and cleaning, to enjoy myself and this holiday. This year I do realize that people have too much stuff and it's not about the amount you spend, but about the thought itself. I have known this for some time but I love to give, so it's really hard for me to put the brakes on and not overdo it.

On Christmas Eve, it is tradition to have my mom, dad and two brothers over to exchange gifts, play games and eat good food.

Christmas Day is spent with my hubby's family. They come around noon and we hang out, eat, open gifts and play gifts.

Then we have the night to spend time alone with the kids, this is my favorite time. I love to get to spend the quiet time with my babies. I know they are old now, but my mind, goes back to when they were little and it would take hours and hours to unwrap gifts, because they would get something they really wanted, and they would play with it. 

This could be our last Christmas together as a family for a while, so I am trying to make this one as special as I possibly can.

I hope you all have a blessed holiday.
Merry Christmas.






Thursday, December 20, 2012

November/December Giveaway

 
November/December Giveaway
(Reminder)
 
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.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Christmas is coming...

 
Christmas is coming...
 
Christmas is in less then a week. Are you ready?
I am not.
Not by any means.
 
I have so much to do before Friday. After that, all the actual stuff for Christmas day is done, but before I get my week off from work, I have too much to accomplish.
 
I love this season.
I love giving and seeing people smile.
 
I had the best person to be Secret Santa to this year. She is one of the many great teachers I work with. And I love her dearly, like all the others.
 
I hope you are enjoying your holiday season and that you are taking time to cherish the memories that you get to make this year. My son might not be here for Christmas next year, so I am trying to make this one as special as can be.
 
Love you all.
Have a blessed holiday and hopefully this weekend I will post some pages.
 
 

Monday, December 17, 2012

Glittery Gifts


Glittery Gifts

I opened a jewelry boutique, that has beautiful inexpensive, fashion jewelry.
Please check out my website.
If you order now until the end of the month, you get FREE SHIPPING!

Here is the website addy:
https://glitterygifts.kitsylane.com/index.php  


Sunday, December 16, 2012

O Christmas Tree...


O Christmas Tree

I made this layout using a sketch by Beggahuna. So first let me first say thank you for the sketch. Because I love it.

OK on to the details.

The papers I used are made by SEI, the paper line is Alpine Frost. And I just love, love, love the green paper. 

I used acrylic stamps by Inkadinkado with dark brown ink by Cat's Eye Queue, from Colorbox. I use these inks for everything I do. I use them so much that I bought the refills for my most used colors. And boy, am I glad I did.

The small white snowflakes I got when I went to the CKC in Buffalo a couple years ago and I have been hoping to use them on something.

I used small silver bling made by Recollections.

The trees, two striped strips, and background paper have inked edges. I used the dark brown ink on that also.

The two strips are 1" x 10.5" and 1" x 11". The trees stand 6" tall and have a base of 4". The large photo mat is 3" x 4". And the two small photos mats are 2" x 2".

I hope you enjoyed my layout.

Tis the season to be thankful for all we have, and this time of year be ever more mindful of how we act towards others. Just because we are in a hurry to get this or that done, doesn't mean that we can push and shove our way to this holiday. It's not about what we get for who or how much we get, it's about family and our love for each other.

**Let us keep the town and families of Newtown, CT in our hearts this holiday.**




Thursday, December 13, 2012

2nd Runner Up in the November Challenge

 PMB Winner Badge Appetizer Small
I won the 2nd runner up for the November Recipe Challenge for The Paper Mixing Bowl.

And my first challenge as a design team member will be January 2013.
Please visit and check then out when it's time.

The November/December Challenge is still going on and we are still accepting submissions until the end of December.

Please submit them using the add your link button at the top right hand side of this blog.

Thank you for visiting.

Have a wonderful day!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Heart & Soul


Heart & Soul -

This was actually a Dusty Attic Challenge in April of 2012, but I got stumped and really didn't like the pictures I had printed out. So I set it aside. I meant to finish it before now, but you know how life is. 

The picture of my daughter is in front of this awesome and very colorful store, called Craft Company No. 6. I thought that with the doors, being the same color as the background circle, it ended up being the perfect picture.

I love taking pictures of my kids. I wish they would both sit nice and pose, not make faces and act like fools but hey that is what they do and I love them anyway. I do the same thing when people take my picture, I am not a huge fan, so maybe the kids get it from me. Ha!

I hope you enjoy my layouts. If you have any questions or would like to leave a comment, do so below.

Thank you for visiting my blog. 
Have a great day.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Believe


Believe -

Very simple layout. It requires four pieces of paper. These papers are all for Authentique and they are double sided.

The "believe" title was a tag on a present that my son got a couple years ago. The poinsettia flowers are made by Prima, as well as the giant white flower, I used a decorative brad in the middle of the white flower. I layered many Prima flowers together, they all vary in size.

I inked all the papers with chestnut roan, Cat's Eye Queue by Colorbox. It gives them an vintage look and separates each piece from the next, just with a little ink. I really like the Colorbox inks, they go on smooth and dry fairly fast.

This picture was of my kids on Christmas Day 2009. 

I love Christmas. Because I love to give presents to everyone. It's my favorite thing to do. I wish I had time and money to either make something for people all the time, or buy them something they really want. If it makes them smile and makes them happy, I did my job. And that is the best gift ever.

I hope you all are having a blessed day.
Please leave a comment or ask any questions, in the comment section below. 

Friday, December 7, 2012

In the Spirit of Christmas


In the Spirit of Christmas Layout -

I made this layout for The Paper Mixing Bowl December challenge. I loved the idea of it. I wanted to stick close to the sketch because I loved it. I got to show my special doggie, Piper. She is an amazing Lhasa Apso, who is 13 years old and still running around like she is 1 years old. She does have some trouble seeing  but other then that the vet says she is very healthy. I love her so.

She gets so excited on Christmas morning. She knows she has presents and she will sniff them out. And try on her own to open them. 

I can't wait to see how she is this year. 

For the ornaments in this layout I outlined them in stickles for a shimmery effect. I added bows on each on for dimension. 

For the rub on title, I used stamp border scissors, then inked it with Olive cat's eye queue by colorbox.
I used a vintage round die cut, from K&Company, that I really liked.

I used bright yellow/gold cardstock for a color pop on this page.

The papers were from Authentique. I really like them a lot. I found them available at A.C. Moore.

I hope you enjoy my layout.
Any questions or comments, please post them below.

Have a blessed weekend.

Thank you for viewing my blog.


Christmas Party

Christmas Party
This weekend we are going to our first of many Christmas parties. Where there will be lots of food, cookies and some touch football between the men.
I can't wait to see all my aunts, uncles and cousins. We have so much fun together, laughing and eating until we have to rolled to our cars.
I hope to get a lot of good pictures to scrapbook.
What are you doing this weekend?


Sunday, December 2, 2012

Be Merry - While cutting down your Christmas Tree

Be Merry Layout -

This year, like last year (which was our first year), we went to a tree farm and cut down a fresh Christmas tree. We spent a lot of time looking for the right one. Every one had an opinion and no tree was the "perfect" one for us, until we saw this one. We all fell in love with it.

I used the Lost & Found Christmas Stack from My Mind's Eye. I love the colors of this stack. The olive greens and the cranberries.

The only thing I am not sure about with this layout is the stamped sentiment. I don't think I like it. I am thinking of ripping it off and replacing it with something else. I might.... I might.

But these papers, they are so pretty. Even more so in person. All the papers were inked with dark brown cat's eye ink by Colorbox. The vintage metal title frame is made by Tim Holtz's. The flowers are made by Prima and Recollections.

I made the pennants with tiny scalloped edged scissors. The green layer is 1.5" x 1", the damask layer is 1" x 0.5". I used a small heart punch to make the hearts.

The awesome, super intricate snowflakes are made by Dusty Attic. I love them. I love them so much I left them the way they were. I didn't ink them or paint them. They just happened to matched the layout perfectly.

I hope you like my layout.

Post a comment if you like.

Have a great day and be safe.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Fantastic News

PMB Designer Badge - Small

I made the design team for
The Paper Mixing Bowl!!!!

I am very excited about this opportunity. 
I hope to make some great layouts to share.

I can't wait to dive into it.

Let's see what I can create!

Have a great day!