Color Me Purple

A Rose by Any Other Name...

2011-03-14T21:48:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to grow my blog and realized I probably needed to change my blog address and name, so here it goes...join me now at KarenScraps! I've transfered over most of my posts and am starting all my new posts on the new blog. Hope to see you over there.

New Layouts

2011-03-08T14:43:00.000-05:00

I've been scrapping here and there and thought I'd post a few layouts recently completed. I'm pretty much caught up through October. The first layout is from a fun pumpkin patch trip with Auntie Kitty. The pumpkins are a cut from Create a Critter.

This next layout is from our trip to South Carolina. I think I'm a little stuck on photo grids lately - so many cute photos that I want to fit into one layout. The title is cut from Country Life and the journaling box is from Heritage.

This last layout is also from that October trip. Very simple. I think all three layouts mainly use DCWV stacks papers. A coordinating stack makes it so easy to pull together quick layouts. Thanks for looking!

March FaithKeeping

2011-03-01T14:11:00.000-05:00

It's almost time for another FaithKeeping event at Redeemer. Join us on March 12, from 1pm - 4pm as we create this Prayer for your Home framed layout project. At FaithKeeping we focus on projects that help you and your family grow in your faith. Our goal is to find creative ways to keep God's Word always in sight and readily available for helping us grow in our faith. For this project, we'll focus on praying for your home and the people in it. You'll need to bring a photo of your home. It can be of any aspect of your home. My photo is from our family room. I converted it to black and white and printed it in 5x7 size. Some of the cuts are from my Cricut (which will be available when we meet). I hope you'll be able to join us. There is a $5 fee to cover supplies and refreshments. Redeemer members can see the March CPR and bulletin for more information.

Joy of Love - Day 12 Photos

2011-02-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

Day 11's topic is "dreams." I'm still not sure about that one, so I'm moving on to Day 12 "the eyes." Oh, man, how I love her eyes! I got so many great shots this afternoon, it was hard to choose which to put up here, but these 3 are my favorites. Have I mentioned how much I love this girl?

Joy of Love - Day 10 Photos

2011-02-11T20:40:00.000-05:00

Day 10 - "spaces she loves" Hannah loves to spend time in her tent. She brings her "bankies" out of her crib most mornings and puts them into her tent where she can be cozy and comfortable. These shots were taken shortly after a nap - still a little sleepy.

Valentines Minus Red Dye #40

2011-02-11T07:03:00.000-05:00

Hannah has to avoid Red Dye #40, so we opted for non-candy Valentine treats this year. I picked up some mini notebooks and crayons and made these cute Valentines for her friends while she took a nap yesterday. I put a notebook and 3 crayons in a baggie, stapled a folded piece of red cardstock over the top, then printed out a sheet of labels on white cardstock. I simply adhered the labels and a few felt hearts to complete. They were super easy and I think they turned out cute! Happy Valentine's Day.

Joy of Love - Day 9 Photos

2011-02-11T06:56:00.000-05:00

Day 9's photo topic was "their passion or hobby." I don't think Hannah has a hobby yet, but she sure has a passion for shoes! She loves to play with them - move them into different containers, carry them around with her, take them for stroller rides, stand them up, sort them by color, and occasionally let her Barbies actually wear them.

Joy of Love - Days 5-8 Catch-Up

2011-02-10T06:51:00.000-05:00

Day 5 - what you LOVE to hate...moments when Hannah is crabby, screaming, crying, whining, being a typical 2 year old. Thank goodness these moments are short-lived.

Day 6 - who they LOVE...Hannah loves her daddy! These aren't my favorite shots of them together, but it's a typical shot of an end of the day exchange. A little belly busting and laughing. Sweetness.

Day 7 - Generations...this one was difficult. We don't live near family, but Hannah still has their love, I know. I try to make sure she recognizes her grandparents through photos - our albums, facebook, and little cards. Here she's looking at a picture of Grammy (what she started calling her on her last visit).

Day 8 - Love from the heart...so many options here because we are truly blessed. I chose a few hand-made things. Anyone who knows me knows I love anything handmade. Here are 4 afghans, or "bankies" as Hannah calls them, that we've received for Hannah. I can't knit or crochet, so these are even more special. They are soft and warm and absolutely beautiful. They keep my daughter comfy cozy. They are gifts of love for sure.

Joy of Love - Day 4 Photos

2011-02-10T06:34:00.000-05:00

It was pretty easy to decide on today's photos. What does H. wear? Shoes, of course! Holy Moly Shoes!

A Little Love, Anyone?

2011-02-04T14:10:00.001-05:00

Stopped at Scrapdoodles and picked up some pretty papers the other day. I think they must have been hidden, because these papers from sei are Gorgeous! and there was a stack on the shelf. I picked out 3 double-sided papers from their line called "With All My Heart". They have a shimmery/pearly foil that is so pretty! I had a project in mind, but ended up making a ton of goodies with these 3 sheets and one coordinating package of glittery die cuts. Here's a pic of everything together:

I still have a few odds and ends left over for more cards - just ran out of time! I used my Cricut to cut out the squares for the wooden frame and used them for a border on the layout. The "sweet" title is from the Calligraphy Collection cartridge.

There's a current blog challenge with sei papers with Abby #2 at Scrapbookaholic By Abby and I thought this would be a great entry with these sei papers. It was a quick project and I love how it turned out. I painted the wood frame (found on clearance) a light pink and used Mod Podge to adhere the squares. Then I just started adding and layering some die cuts. I used some tiny beads and wire to create the antenna for the butterfly (2 heart die cuts). Here's a close up of that area:

So, see what you can do with just 3 sheets of pretty paper? I love when my supplies are stretched and the results are so awesome and pretty! It makes me happy :)

Joy of Love - Day 3 Photos

2011-02-03T21:24:00.001-05:00

Awww! What a fun topic "Then and Now." While looking at Hannah's baby photos, I found this sweet one of C. holding her. I thought it would be fun to take a "now" photo of the two of them - 2 years later. My how they've grown!

Joy of Love - Day 2 Photos

2011-02-02T15:10:00.000-05:00

It's Day 2 of Photogaphy Class! Here's a couple of pics of H. in a very true tired state. She refused to take a nap today, so we had mandatory quiet time. She looks pretty tired to me. Poor girl.

There's still time to join in the photography fun - sign up at: Willette Designs.

Family Keepsakes Layouts

2011-02-02T11:57:00.003-05:00

Had a great time at Scrapdoodles yesterday - (BIG sale!) - as I picked out some papers to play with for my Design Team post. I ended up focusing on several papers from We R Memory Keepers and their "Family Keepsakes" line. I love picking out a few sheets of coordinating paper and at least one pack of embellishments. This makes it super easy to design a layout quickly. Here are my two layouts with these papers and embellishments. I ended cutting out some of the paisley and flower designs from one sheet to embellish both layouts. On the first layout I added a paper measuring tape piece from Cosmo Cricket's "Material Girl" line. The colors are very similar and really go well together in theme.

One of my favorite things on this second layout is the title. I like to play around with mixing fonts - I think it adds interest. For this title I also cut out one of the flowers from a sheet of coordinating paper and used it as an "o" and then again a smaller flower as the dot in my "i".

Willette Photography Class

2011-02-01T12:45:00.008-05:00

I am participating in a photography class this month sponsored by Willette Photography. Our first assignment was a photo of "doing" indoors using natural light. I'm sure most of my photos will be of my precious H. Here's today's pics.

What she's doing: being silly, laughing, playing, exploring, creating, inspiring, learning, infecting us with her laugh and spirit.

A Few New Layouts

2011-01-18T14:44:00.001-05:00

I've been slacking in the posting department. December and January are busy! But we had so much fun celebrating Christmas and then Hannah's Birthday. We're getting back into the "normal" groove of things and I wanted to post some recent layouts I've completed. I am pleased to report that I am pretty much caught up scrapping Hannah through August.

December Daily

2010-12-11T14:43:00.005-05:00

Cover and pages for December 1 through 9. Yippee!

A Little Glitz and Hoopla

2010-12-11T14:24:00.003-05:00

I just finished this layout for Scrapdoodles. I LOVE it! Even though it's turned cold here in VA, these fresh colors make me feel warm and happy. I used 3 different papers (all double sided) from Glitz Designs (called "Hoopla") and 3 of the coordinating transparencies. I also added a ton of yellow rub-ons I had in my stash forever (from Basic Grey).

Just for the record - I did correct the spelling error :).

Paper Reverie

2010-11-21T20:48:00.003-05:00

I found this beautiful paper at Scrapdoodles! It's from Making Memories and is their line called "Paper Reverie." I love how the brown and subtle shimmer complements this photo of our Hannah. The doilie and "Blessing" cuts are done with my Cricut and I made the accordion medallion with more of the Paper Reverie. The lace border strip is from Little Yellow Bicycle.

I also picked up some of the greys/blacks line from Paper Reverie. There was a huge stack of black shimmery sebra stripe - not normally my choice, but I could see cutting the strips and using them seperately - and I love how they turned out in this layout. I think the scheme looks great with these wintery photos.

Not wanting any of the paper to go to waste, and needing to decorate some (super inexpensive clearance find!) candles, I used more of the line to embellish these candles.

Moral of the story? Every once in a while, choose some papers that you normally wouldn't - you'll be challenged in your creativity and by keeping products in the same line or family, you'll more than likely be amazed at your results!

Happy Scrappin'!

More Fall Projects

2010-10-14T06:45:00.007-04:00

Here are some more fall projects to share. Have I mentioned how much I love the colors and smells of autumn? Yummy! The first project is a banner to hang for Thanksgiving. I used cereal boxes for a sturdier pennant base and then covered the pennants with beautiful papers from DCWV. The accordion circle takes a little time, but I really like dimension they add. I cut the letters with Cindy Loo. The acorns are from my backyard - I love them! We will be making this banner for our next FaithKeeping session at church.

Another quick project idea came from a magazine picture I saw. I love the natural look of using branches and the unpopped corn. It's a great centerpiece and fun way to use the scraps you just can't bear to throw away!
Lastly, I made a few treat bags for my little friends. The paper scraps and embellishments are mostly from Making Memories. I cut initials for the bags from Blackletter.
I'm off to another wedding this weekend. I'm sure it will be beautiful and I can't wait to have the photos in hand to create more projects! Happy Scrappin'.

Loving Fall

2010-10-07T12:18:00.005-04:00

Don't you just love fall? I love, love, love the crisp air and crunch of leaves. I love the reds, golds and browns. And I love new fall papers! I've been busy on a lot projects, which I'll share with you over the next few days.

First I'll share a project and a couple of layouts I made for Scrapdoodles. I used Making Memories and My Mind's Eye papers and embellishments. I was really amazed at the variety of Halloween-themed papers available this year! I'm not a big Halloween fan, but do enjoy the opportunity to dress up and eat candy! I made this cute table top tree using a wide mouthed canning jar filled with candy corn and a branch from outside. I then used papers and embellishments to create little "ornaments" to hang. Very simple and very cute!

My friend Cheryl let me use her family's cute Halloween pictures from a couple of years ago to make the first layout. The second layout features borders I made with the buttons and tag embellishments available from Making Memories. I also loved these sort of "spooky" photos I took last year around the house one very foggy October morning. Stay tuned this week and next week for a few more fall-themed projects. I think I'll go snack on some caramel apples before I get back to work!

FaithKeeping

2010-10-04T19:54:00.004-04:00

It's time for FaithKeeping at Redeemer! We're meeting this weekend, Oct 9, to fellowship and craft with a purpose! Our projects: a variety of greeting cards - I've so far cut out parts for assembling almost 300 cards. You'll make some for yourself to encourage your friends and family and you'll leave some for Redeemer's card ministry program, to encourage those who have requested prayers.

We will also be making these cute and clever bookmarks. They are actually made from recycled envelopes and sit right on the corner of your devotional or whatever book you're enjoying. They are super easy to make, and you'll probably want more than one. I hope you'll be there.

Wisconsin Wedding ... and Culver's

2010-09-14T13:05:00.004-04:00

We recently returned from a fun trip back to our home state of Wisconsin. Primarily we went to spend time with family and attend a family wedding. Hannah was invited to be a flower girl and for a 20 month old, did a fantastic job. This week I headed out to our LSS - Scrapdoodles in Fredericksburg, to pick up some travel and wedding themed papers. It was hard to choose! First, I pulled from Basic Grey's new "Wander" line and then stumbled upon some fun things from We R Memory Keepers. The blue and orange combo drew me in and I really liked the large blue checked and orange bordered die cut. I also picked up the pack of BG's "Wander" pieces - I love those things! When we go back to Wisconsin, we have a few spots on our "must visit" list, so I made a layout featuring pics from 2 faves - Rocky Rococo's and Culver's. Yummy!

The wedding selection at Scrapdoodles is great. I was drawn to the black and white paper and embellishments and created a double page layout along with a card and gift bag. The papers and pretty flowers are from imaginisce and the chipboard pieces are from teresa collins. The great part of Scrapdoodles wedding selections is that all the lines can be mixed and matched for some awesomely beautiful pages! Thanks for checking in!

Diaper Cake!

2010-09-14T12:54:00.006-04:00

I just love making diaper cakes for baby showers! This time I teamed up with my friend, Cheryl and together we made this super cute diaper cake for our new Vicar and his wife, expecting their firstborn very soon. All the adorable animal cuts were made with the Create a Critter Cricut cartridge. I think we used about 90 size 1 and 2 diapers.

Sketch Challenge with Crate Paper

2010-08-23T12:56:00.004-04:00

Crate Paper had a simple, very versatile sketch featured for August, so I decided to play along. I had a few pieces of their "Paper Doll" line left and some of the chipboard shapes, and it all worked well with these sweet pics of Hannah. I inked most of the edges and added a stitched border. On a side note, Hannah does not like the sound of the sewing machine for some reason and cried the whole time - I kept saying, "One more side!" until I finished. I hope you enjoy the results more than she did!

FaithKeeping

2010-08-23T11:47:00.003-04:00

It's almost time to start up FaithKeeping! I have so many projects in mind, it's hard to decide what to do next. For our session on Saturday, September 11, we will be making this wonderful little album created with recycled toilet paper rolls. YES - I said TOILET PAPER rolls! Our focus for faith building will be the fruits of the spirit. This little album will help us look into what scripture has to say about living by the fruits of the spirit. You'll fill your little book with tags that include scripture and prayers. Here are some pictures of my completed samples. I can't wait to see what you all come up with.

This FaithKeeping session is open to anyone who wants to join us at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Harrison Road. If you'd like more details, just leave me a comment and I will get right back to you!

Basic Grey "Oliver" Papers and Tips

2010-08-07T12:12:00.003-04:00

I was able to pick up a few papers from Basic Grey’s “Oliver” line. I also chose a pack of coordinating die cuts. I don’t know about you, but my crafting budget is often limited, so I like to get the most out of my supplies. With my 3 sheets of beautiful paper and 1 pack of embellishments, I created an awesome layout and 6 cards. The “Oliver” line is a bit boyish, but I thought they went very well with this photo of my daughter.

I used several of the coordinating die cuts on this layout. Some of the die cuts featured pictures of trains and I didn’t think I would ever use them, so I decided to alter them. This is how you get more out of your supplies! I used a heart punch and punched hearts from the die cuts I didn’t think I would use, then inked the edges a bit and created a border around my photo. The result is a unique element and now I don’t have a bunch of unused die cuts sitting in a box. I like layering the embellishments, too. On this layout I tied 3 of the tags together and wrote some journaling on 2 of them. The dandelion cut is from my "Lyrical Letters" Cricut cartridge. You can't tell by looking on the layout, but I cut a large square in the blue background paper so I could use it on a couple of other projects. I knew the red would cover it up and it's a great way to save a little paper. Here are the 6 cards I made using the paper scraps and tags left after I completed the layout. The only other supplies I used were white cardstock for the card base, and a few rub-ons and brads.

Pink Paislee Papers

2010-08-06T20:36:00.007-04:00

Had lots of fun at Scrapdoodles yesterday picking out some awesome papers to play with! Pink Paislee is a relatively new company and I picked up papers from 2 different lines. “Queen Bee” is beautiful patterns of golds, greens, and browns. When I saw the scalloped circle sheet – I knew I had to use it. This line is perfect for your outdoor photos. I used them to create this layout of Hannah walking in our yard earlier this spring. The small photos were cut using a square punch. I also used my Cricut on this layout to cut out the letters for the title (Opposites Attract Cartridge).

I also chose Pink Paislee’s “Bayberry Cottage” line - a couple of papers and a pack of die cut tags and embellishments. I really like the dark pattern paired with bright purples, greens, and blues. I was recently introduced to a wonderful song about marriage called "Walking in the Minefields" by Andrew Peterson and I used some of the lyrics to create a little album devoted to our favorite married couples – or those who have inspired us. Again, one package of coordinating die cut embellishments went a long way on this project and added simple, yet elegant touches. I love making these little albums - would you believe it's just one sheet of 12x12 paper plus embellishements? It's super easy.

Beach-y

2010-07-19T09:14:00.004-04:00

We didn't really hit the beach this summer, but Hannah sure enjoys any opportunity to get wet. The July challenge at Practical Scrappers is to use something you take to or find at the beach. I thought it would be fun to put a piece of beach towel on a layout and my dear husband conveniently ripped one, so I cut out this cute frog image from the towel to use. The letters and frame are cut from Cindy Loo. I think the layout is fun and summery and very beach-y!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-05T13:09:00.005-04:00

I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th! We spent the day with family and friends and way too much food - but it was so worth it. Today I was really looking forward to working with some beautiful patriotic patterned papers I picked up from Scrapdoodles in Fredericksburg. It's too hot to be outside today, so I've been spending H.'s naptime working on a couple of layouts.

In my first layout, I used more of the We R Memory Keepers "Old Glory" line. Don't you love the firecracker cut (from Stand and Salute)? I used it to replace the "i" in the title. The font is Storybook. The pearls are from Queen & Co. I paired them with a button from Fancy Pants to make the fireworks up in the right hand corner. Speaking of Fancy Pants, they recently came out with the "Family" line of papers that are so wonderful for summer and 4th of July pages. I used them for my next layout, featuring me and my H. eating our 4th of July corn on the cob. Any Cricut cuts on this page are from Graphically Speaking. The cute die cut is from We R Memory Keepers. If you want to see these layouts in person, stop by Scrapdoodles soon and pick up some of these awesome paper lines for your summer projects!

The layout design for this page is based on a sketch featured this week on Stuck on U Sketches. Another great challenge blog, Frosted Designs, is challenging everyone to use red, white, and blue, and stars and stripes on their layouts this week. Thanks to those blogs for the great inspiration!

Patriotic Banners

2010-06-18T12:29:00.004-04:00

I went to my LSS Scrapdoodles yesterday and picked up some of the yummy patriotic papers by We R Memory Keepers - the line is called "Old Glory." I think they are a bit nostalgiac looking. I thought they would be perfect for some of the 4th of July cuts off the A Child's Year cartridge. I used that cartridge and the Stand and Salute cartridge for all the cuts on these two banners. It's hard to tell, but I also misted each with Tattered Angels gold glimmer mist. I mounted recycled cardboard to the backs to give it a little more stability and connected everything with floral wire. A fun, patriotic project for the summer.

Father's Day Recycle

2010-06-16T20:09:00.006-04:00

I had fun creating this project out of some recycled material. I used a juice bar box as the base and part of a Cricut cartridge plastic packaging to cover the window. The patterned paper is a great hunting print from Reminisce, if I remember correctly. The cuts are from my Camp Out cartridge, except for "Dad" which was cut with Beyond Birthdays. I inked the edges. The last step was to fill the box with treats. Hope he likes it!

Sewing Project

2010-05-25T13:34:00.003-04:00

I took a break from paper crafting to work on a couple of sewing projects. Here's a 3 foot tall kitty I made for my daughter. I also made one in pink for my goddaughter. I think they turned out pretty cute! As long as I had the sewing maching out, I also sewed a pillow out of a set of Hannah's shirts a friend had embroidered and I didn't want to throw away, and sewed new curtains for Hannah's room. I do miss my paper, though, so bye-bye sewing maching - I'll bring you out another day!

Another Song Challenge

2010-05-11T21:20:00.004-04:00

This week's song at Scrap it With a Song is Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors". I picked up on the line "and that's why I love you" for the title for a layout featuring my loves. This was a quick one - I really like pairing a bright color with blacks/greys lately. The letters are cut with the Designer's Calendar font.

Busy Busy

2010-05-10T18:40:00.007-04:00

I've been crafting up a storm - but not keeping up with it all on my blog. Sorry about that, for I love to share. First, I finished a 22 page album for friends. Then I sat at my sewing machine with an actual pattern (it's been awhile!) to create a 3 foot fleece kitty for my adorable god-daughter. Of course, I had to fit in some card making for birthdays, anniversaries, and Mother's Day. And then a few layouts for myself and Scrapdoodles. I was lucky enough to come in just after they put the new CratePaper "Paper Dolls" collection out. It's so cute and very girly! The chipboard accents are awesome.

I also picked up a few pieces from Fancy Pants Designs new "My Family" line. The colors are great for any type of layout. They are also featuring a mix of acetate accents with fun glitter features. I loved the line "all because two people fell in love..." on the border sheet and thought of my parents. I've got 5 great siblings all because Jim and Sandy fell in love.

FaithKeeping

2010-04-26T12:37:00.005-04:00

It's time for another FaithKeeping event at Redeemer Lutheran Church. This project could be a wonderfully sweet Mother's Day project or an any day gift for yourself or someone you love. It's all about celebrating the blessings of relationships - especially our family. You'll need to bring a photo - 4x6 or 5x7 or even a few smaller photos. I made mine black and white, but you don't have to. The canvas we're using measures 8x10. I hope you can join us for a fun, creative time together on Saturday, May 8th - 9am until noon.

Scrap a Song Challenge

2010-04-20T14:40:00.006-04:00

A new challenge site just started up and it's called Scrap It With a Song. A song is posted each Monday to inspire your creativity. This week Elton John's, "Your Song" is the choice. I took the title and a couple of pics of my Hannah and me playing on a piano. I used my Hannah Montana cart for the patterned circle and the flowers and treble clef. The letters for the title are from Designer's Calendar. Visit Scrap It With a Song for more great ideas!

Blog Hop Challenges Completed

2010-04-17T08:31:00.003-04:00

Here are a couple of cards I made for the Practical Scrappers Blog Hop Challenge. Visit 365 Cards to see all their "white space" challenges for the week. I completed 2 of the sketches.

The first is for #47 and the second is based on #45. I love the cat from the Paisley cartridge and added beads to her collar and crown.

Challenges, Challenges, Challenges

2010-04-15T12:15:00.005-04:00

Practical Scrappers is having a Blog Hop involving lots of challenges. I answered their call for Glitter & Bling on the post below, and also have completed a few more. The first layout "Easter Flower" is based on a Practical Scrappers sketch. The paper scraps behind the photo reminded me right away of the LCMS cross. I incorporated the poem inspiration from the Scrap That Poetry challenge. It also meets the Cuddle Bug Spot "bling" challenge and the Pile It On "no stamped image" challenge.

When I went over to Sketchy Thursdays for the blog hop, I was inspired right away by their sketch. I really like banners, lately, so it was another excuse to create one on a layout.

The final destination on the blog hop is 365 cards. So, guess what I'm doing next? Yep! It's off to make some cards for their weekly challenge.

Glitter & Bling

2010-04-13T13:12:00.004-04:00

Practical Scrappers is having a "Glitter & Bling" challenge over on their blog, so I went all out. The glitter paper is from the Songbird DCWV stack (see post below for more on this stack). I also just got my Once Upon a Princess Cricut cartridge and was excited to play with it. I thought the Sugar & Spice title was perfect for my messy little cutie eating her St. Pat's day cupcake. I cut the shamrocks from Designer's Calendar - the green glitter used for those was actually from a sheet I had in my stash (originally meant for rub-ons - but worked even better here!). I also found some "stuff" in my odds & ends box to add bling - gems and shiny plastic flowers/shamrocks. This layout was a lot of fun to put together.

New Baby Book

2010-04-13T09:33:00.010-04:00

Friends of ours are expecting their second baby and I made them a baby book to record all those miraculous first-year milestones. I was excited to find the album at ACMoore on deep clearance, so I brought it home and promptly took it apart to recover it. I used spray adhesive to adhere the new papers and sanded the edges for a better fit. Almost all the papers are from the new Songbird stack from DCWV - very cute. It's feminine, but not too girly. I think it turned out very cute and hope they enjoy it a lot. On the inside pages, the only real Cricut cut I used was for the names of the months (Designer's Calendar cartridge).

I had lots of little pieces left over after the album was completed, so I made some cute cards and gave them to our church card ministry to use. What a great stack of paper!

Fun with Cosmo Cricket

2010-04-05T13:09:00.004-04:00

Cosmo Cricket has introduced several fun new lines. The colors are bright and the themes and patterns are just plain FUN! I picked up some double sided papers and the chipboard sheet (self-adhesive!) last week at Scrapdoodles in Fredericksburg and have had a blast playing with combining the patterns and oh-so-cute chipboard pieces. Here are 3 layouts I completed.
For the scalloped edge, I used my small circle punch to punch out starbursts from the "Sunday Picnic" paper and adhered them behind the border sheet.

Don't you love the e-i-e-i-0 border?

I had to use the chipboard chickies on a layout and figured our Easter egg hunt was an appropriate topic. I just cut skinny strips of paper and wove them in one corner to carry out the basket theme.

Check out the Cosmo Cricket blog for more great ideas with this line!

Templates from Crafter's Workshop

2010-03-25T14:30:00.003-04:00

Thanks Scrapdoodles for giving me the opportunity to play around with some new 12x12 templates from The Crafter's Workshop . Here are some of the layouts I designed using the "Flower Shower" template. I used my stamping ink for each, but in different ways. I think the "Oh So Pretty" layout is my favorite - I used a makeup sponge with the inks. I put the template on white cardstock when I wiped it off using a baby wipe to see what kind of water-color type effect I could get, and that resulted in the background for the "Friends" layout. The winter layout was made with my white opaque ink and a dauber. The templates are fun to experiment with - see lots more ideas on The Crafter's Workshop website.

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-03-18T14:38:00.003-04:00

I picked up some beautiful new papers at my LSS, Scrapdoodles, this past week with these photos of Hannah enjoying a beautiful spring day in mind. Scrapdoodles also happens to have a blog challenge going - to use a banner on a layout. I think banners are so fun! I've actually used them on 3 layouts since I saw the challenge last week, but this one is by far my favorite. I can't show the others yet because they are for a "super secret" project I'm working on - let's just say that project is 44 pages and counting! The papers I used here are from BasicGrey - the line is called "green at heart." I love the purple/green combination. The new Cricut cart "Tie the Knot" has this layered, scallop banner. Too Cute~

Scrapdoodles Layouts

2010-03-06T13:17:00.004-05:00

I am excited to be a new Design Team member at Scrapdoodles in Fredericksburg! I went in to the store on Friday to pick out some of their new papers to play with. I chose the Dear Lizzy "Spring" line and some fun SEI "Happy" papers. I was also able to pick up a keychain chipboard album from Maya Road. I used the chipboard separately on a couple of the pages below. It was lots of fun to play with these new lines. Be sure to stop by Scrapdoodles if you live locally and see all the new products coming in.

Birthday Coffee

2010-02-18T09:17:00.005-05:00

It's my birthday today and my fabulous hubby surprised me with a new single cup brewer. It's wonderful and it provided me with a great photo and layout idea that was perfect for Scrapdoodles first ever blog challenge. The challenge called for using some sort of household icons. I used paper from DCWV's Nana's Kitchen pack as a background and for some of the embellishments. I spelled out coffee with Don Juan letters and used Ashlyn's Alphabet for the coffee pot. Now I'm off to brew another cup - yummy!

Another Challenge at Practical Scrappers

2010-02-05T21:55:00.003-05:00

I just had to double up this week at Practical Scrappers. The Challenge this week was to use a die cut. I already had made this cute turkey and squirrel back at Thanksgiving. I used the Stretch Your Imagination cart to make these cute cuts. Hannah wore the turkey headband during dinner. I saved it so I could use it to scrap a page for Thanksgiving. When I saw the Friday sketch, I decided the layout would be perfect for a quick Thanksgiving page. Gobble Gobble!

Practical Scrappers Sketch Challenge

2010-01-30T11:06:00.004-05:00

Visit Practical Scrappers to see some great inspiration! The Friday Sketch inspired this layout of our Happy Hannah.

TIRE layout

2010-01-30T11:02:00.002-05:00

I had this photo from last summer's trip to Wisconsin waiting to scrap. When I saw the challenge sketch on another blog (I can't remember which one!) I knew this photo would be perfect. It was a sketch from several weeks ago.

Another Diaper Cake

2010-01-29T13:35:00.009-05:00

I just finished another diaper cake for a baby shower. I love making these for friends and family. I think they turn out so cute and diapers are always a great gift. I mean, you can always use a few extra diapers, right? Everything was cut with the New Arrival cart except for the butterfly - I used the Hannah Montana cart.

New Layouts and Practical Scrappers Challenge

2010-01-24T13:25:00.004-05:00

I was in a scrappy mood the last few days. Here's a few of the layouts I completed... This week at Practical Scrappers the challenge was to use at least 2 patterned papers. Can I just say I love patterned paper???? The "1st Teeth" layout uses 3 patterned papers.

Cute Giraffe Baby Shower Invites

2010-01-21T09:50:00.005-05:00

My niece is having a baby boy and I made the shower invitations. My first design had more animals, but I realized they would be too time-consuming to make 50 of them, so I simplified the design. I think they turned out so cute! I used MS Word to create the "baby shower" background sheet. The cute giraffe is from New Arrival.

Pretty Baby Book

2010-01-18T20:56:00.005-05:00

I just finished this pretty baby book for a friend and thought I would share...

Christmas projects

2009-12-24T13:21:00.005-05:00

Here's a couple of things I've been working on.

First, an advent calendar. I bought the kit/frame last year on clearance.I also used my Cricut to create a little nativity play set for my daughter. I used Paper Doll Dress Up and laminated the characters and put magnets on the back so she can play with them on the refridgerator.

Challenge x3

2009-11-03T12:45:00.006-05:00

Practical Scrappers hosted a "Tri-Challenge" this week with two other sites: Frosted Designs and Stuck On U Sketches. It was fun to try to combine all three challenges into one layout. The challenges were 1: use 3 ribbons, 2: use an owl, and 3: use this week's sketch. Even better, by participating in all three and posting to all three sites, there may be a prize. I really like the combination of patterned papers I used (DCWV Fall Stack). The owl is from the Wild Cards cartridge and Autumn came from Stretch Your Imagination. The large mat is from the new Winter Woodland cartridge. I turned the sketch on its side for my layout. Here's the original.

Final Order!

2009-10-30T09:25:00.002-04:00

It was a great mailbox day yesterday! A letter arrived from the courthouse which read, in part, "...the Court being satisfied that all the requirements of law have been met and that the best interests of the child will be served thereby, doth now by this Final Order of Adoption. DECLARE, ADJUDGE and DECREE that the child, Hannah Marie Hunter, is henceforth to all intents and purposes the child of David A. Hunter and Karen A. Hunter..." It was signed by the judge and we are so thankful and excited! I choke up just re-reading those words. I am so grateful to God and all the people He put in place to make this happen. Our girl is ours in every way.

Punch Challenge

2009-10-28T14:07:00.004-04:00

Practical Scrappers this week challenged us to use our punches. I used my Creative Memories paisley punch on a birthday banner project. I embellished each letter with a paisley. On the "35th" part I made a flower with 5 paisleys and a circle punch. I also used my scalloped edge punch for the borders. The foundation circles are from Mini Monograms cart and all letters/numbers are from Don Juan. I attached them with folded paper scraps. The papers are from My Mind's Eye.

FaithKeeping

2009-10-27T13:37:00.003-04:00

Hey Redeemer Friends - here is our next FaithKeeping Project! I hope you can join us on November 21st, 1pm-4pm in Redeemer's Fellowship Hall. This is a fun little project. If you want to add photos like I did, come prepared with small photos of things you are thankful for. I put my photos into a Word document, resized them to 1 or 2 inches, and printed them out on a sheet of photo paper. This is a great project to record your most treasured blessings this year.

Office Supplies

2009-10-23T07:08:00.007-04:00

Practical Scrappers this week suggested using office supplies in a layout. I love office supplies and any scrapper should know that some of the same embellishments can be found in the aisles of your local office supply store for half the cost as your local scrapbook store - colored staples, fun paper clips, plastic, corrugated cardboard, pens, and inks, to name just a few. Back to school time is a great time to find serious bargains that can be used on pages. My layout includes staples, notebook-look paper (though I used a Cricut cut), and I was inspired by office tags. I hope you like it - I love the way it turned out!

Numbers...

2009-10-23T06:56:00.003-04:00

Bitten by the Bug is hosting another challenge. This time Regina asked us to use number(s) in our layouts. I came up with two that I like. Of course my subject is my Hannah and I used my Cricut - Graphically Speaking mostly. Ten toes is my favorite. Enjoy!

Priceless Challenge

2009-09-30T20:45:00.006-04:00

Bitten By the Bug's challenge this week was to use the Priceless cut from Graphically Speaking, one of my favorite carts. I also used the Hannah Montana cart for the Girl cut and the large flower flourish. Thanks to my sister Kathy who made me a bunch of crocheted flowers. Enjoy!

Cutie Pie Layout

2009-09-30T19:49:00.004-04:00

I couldn't help myself from finishing this cute layout of my cutie pie. The butterfly is from Home Decor. I couldn't throw away the negative outline, so I glued it on the cream cardstock and cut it out to use on the page.

Cute Card from Sweethearts Cricut Cartridge

2009-09-24T09:16:00.003-04:00

I recently purchased the new Cricut cartridge "Sweethearts" and love some of the cute characters featured on it. The Kitten is so cute - perfect not just for a Valentine's Day sentiment, but birthdays, thank-you's, congratulations, or add a Santa hat for a Christmas card. Here's one of the birthday cards I made for a September birthday.

My Crop Strategy

2009-09-21T20:22:00.002-04:00

I'm planning on going to at least two crops in the next couple of months. I'll be going to a 1/2 day Croptoberfest in October and a weekend getaway crop in November. I always agonize over what to pack, so I'm working on a new strategy. For the last few weeks, I've been designing and laying out my pages, but not adhering anything. I just slip my ALMOST completed page into the sleeve, maybe add a few extra bling or coordinating papers and leave it for the crop. So far, I've got about 24 pages that I should be able to finish at the October crop. I won't have to worry about packing so much it takes me a 1/2 hour to "move in" to my crop space. Theoretically, I only have to bring adhesive. I'll let you know how it all works out.

Next FaithKeeping Project!

2009-09-14T13:18:00.004-04:00

Here's a peak at our September FaithKeeping project. These cute little purses can sit next to your favorite chair or on your nightstand. You can take them in the car, or give them as a gift. Each will store several cards with scripture verses and prayers for all occasions. We're meeting on September 26th - see the September 20th bulletin for more details or call/e-mail me for information.

The Great Escape!

2009-09-11T22:03:00.004-04:00

Tag I'm it!

This is contest entry for those crazy folks at TodaysMama and Cricut. Be sure to check out Cricut's cool new cartridges and the chance at $30,000 in travel for you and your friends at The Great Gypsy Escape!

1. If you could escape to anywhere in the world where would it be?

remote cabin near a lake

2. What song do you play when you are by yourself in the car?

Michael Buble's Feeling Good

3. If you had a night to yourself, and money was no object, what would you do?

go to a luxury spa and not feel guilty about it

4. What is your guilty pleasure?

just hand over the chocolate - preferably dark

5. What is the farthest place you have traveled away from your home?

Europe

6. Last book that you couldn't put down?

What to Expect - the First Year

7. When you want to escape into another time, what movie do you watch?

long PBS version of Pride & Prejudice

8. My favorite local escape?

I don't go very often, but there's a little tea shop downtown...

9. How do you escape on a budget?

dinner out in the gazebo (even better if it's $5 Dinner deal)

10. Best food you've ever had while on vacation.

most recently - Culver's Frozen Custard (not very exciting, but it sure was good!)

Cricut Celebrates 100 cartridges!

2009-09-11T21:52:00.003-04:00

Wow! Cricut is celebrating its 100th cartridge release "Winter Woodland" by giving away 100 cartridges. See the new cartridge at: http://www.cricut.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?id=361&s=1&sc=2 . And just for the record, I don't have all 100 cartridges. I only have 32 :)

09-09-09

2009-09-10T07:00:00.002-04:00

What were you doing at 9:09 pm on 09-09-09? I was enjoying some quiet time out in my gazebo and searching the web. The weather was breezy and cool - hinting at the coming of fall. I came across a great idea called "Chasing 99." It's a website and blog that challenges us to read the whole bible, just the New Testament, or just the gospels and Acts in 99 days. Day 1 is on 9-9. I am challenging myself to read the NT. It will take about 15 minutes a day. Certainly I can watch 15 minutes less of television, or 15 minutes less of Facebook or computer time. Maybe even 15 minutes of time with Mr. Cricut (gasp!). If you'd like to join me, go to www.chasing99.org to get the overview and schedule and then check out the daily blog at chasing99nt.blogspot.com. Be blessed!

Money Saving Websites

2009-08-28T08:11:00.002-04:00

Here are some of my frequently visited websites/blogs where I find coupons, good deals, freebies, and encouragement.

http://www.5dollardinners.com/

You really can make a meal for 4 or more with less than $5. The web author, Erin, has great articles and recipe ideas. Click on the “Bargain Meal of the Week” box located at the right and then find your grocery store to find $5 meal recipes/ideas.

http://www.couponmom.com/

This one you have to register/log in for, but it’s free. It allows you to find your store and look at all the sales plus coupons for great deals.

http://hotcouponworld.com/

print off your Target coupons here – Super Target lets you use their coupon PLUS manufacturer’s coupons for great deals – sometimes free or almost free

http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/

http://mommysnacks.net/

http://www.savingcentswithsense.net/2009/01/couponing-101/

http://www.momadvice.com/blog/ and http://freebies4mom.blogspot.com/search/label/Freebies

check in on Fridays especially for how and where to get free stuff

This will make you laugh!

2009-05-29T10:34:00.003-04:00

Hannah's laughing it up - I guess she thinks mom is pretty funny!

Free Hotdogs, Anyone?

2009-05-20T13:19:00.005-04:00

I've been signing up for a lot of free things lately. I got 2 day's worth of Parent's Choice Formula, a sample of the new True Delights Strawberry Chocolate granola bar (yum) and some Dunkin Donuts coffee in the mail last week- all for Free. Here's another good one I just signed up for: For a Free pack of Oscar Meyer hotdogs, go HERE

New Funny Video

2009-05-07T13:06:00.002-04:00

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2009-04-16T12:56:00.003-04:00

Hannah loves to stick her tongue out and watch when others do, too. It reminds me of my mom - she was always sticking her tongue out and trying to teach her grandkids to do it. Maybe she's been visiting Hannah!

The Cutest Bunny on the Block

2009-04-07T10:24:00.001-04:00

Super Saver

2009-03-30T20:49:00.002-04:00

I've been having fun this week learning the ins and outs of couponing. There are big bucks to be saved and I'm getting in on it. I've linked a few of my favorite sites that I've found so far (on the right). This past week I made french dip sandwiches and veggies for less than $5 - we ate it two nights. Our Gian Grocery store also has awesome "meal deals" each week. Last week I bought a bag of Tyson chicken strips for $5.99 (with coupon) and got FREE: large apple juice, quart of Edy's ice cream and bag of frozen crispy french fries! This week the deal is a rotisserie chicken (yum)at $6.99 and free 2-liter 7-up and free bag of Dole salad. I'll start keeping track for April and am excited to see how much I can save on groceries. Since my income is no longer coming in, I feel good about saving on the grocery bill.
Hannah is eating cereal now before bed - she seems to take it well and digests it fine (everything works its way out just perfectly) - and it gives us all a couple more hours of sleep - yippee!

Almost 11 weeks

2009-03-23T10:05:00.003-04:00

Hannah will be 11 weeks old this week. She just weighed in at the Dr.'s office at 10 lbs 5 oz and measured 22 inches. She's such a sweet girl.

Hannah Video

2009-03-12T15:06:00.002-04:00

Hannah's Baptism

2009-03-03T20:53:00.002-05:00

It's been such a great week! What a blessing to have my 3 sisters come to visit and share in Hannah's baptism day. We also had Grandma Kathy and cousins and friends stay with us or visit just for the day. Hannah will be surrounded with love and prayers always. My oldest sister Kathy and cousin Jeremy are Hannah's godparents and it was so heartwarming to watch as each met her and held her and interacted with her - she loves them already! I think Hannah loves all her aunties and cousins and grandma. David and I got several nights of sleep as they all took the night feedings and insisted that we let them. We are so blessed! Hannah was a perfect little angel for her baptism - she didn't cry at all as our pastor poured the water over her head. She let out a little cry shortly after and the pastor joked that it was an "Alleluia" or a thank you for everyone's prayers. We praise God that not only has Hannah been adopted into our family, but now she is also a member of God's family. Grandma Kathy made her beautiful baptismal gown and cap and Auntie Kathy made her angel blanket. Hannah has stolen many hearts!

Like Father, Like Daughter

2009-02-24T13:41:00.002-05:00

Too Cute!

Growing Girl...

2009-02-24T09:09:00.002-05:00

Hannah is now 9 lbs 4 oz and over 20 inches according to our Drs. appt. Sorry I'm slacking on the picture uploads! I'm getting ready for lots of visitors coming this weekend for Hannah's baptism.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T11:21:00.002-05:00

One Liners

2009-02-12T11:50:00.009-05:00

Mo-om! Hannah's at my window!

Okay, I guess we can hang out at this window together.

Got Milk?

Hannah got some new toys!

2009-02-09T11:04:00.002-05:00

Thanks to our friends at CMS (where Karen teaches) Hannah got some new toys - a swing and a play mat. The play mat has been very handy the last 2 nights between the hours of 1 and 3 when Hannah decided she wanted to play. We're working on being awake more during the day. :) I wish they made swings big enough for me - I think I would like rocking my day away!

4 weeks old tomorrow!

2009-02-03T11:55:00.002-05:00

Wow! I can't believe Hannah will be 4 weeks tomorrow. She's growing so fast: the little knit hat we took her home in no longer fits her head, she's eating over 3 oz, sometimes 4 oz, each feeding, she's sleeping for longer periods at nighttime (yeah!), preemie clothes are way too small. This morning I began to smell a foul odor, so I set about to change her - not a moment to soon! Coming out of the diaper and on to her back - it was a mandatory emergency bath and another load of laundry. :) You'd think I'd be annoyed, but I'm loving all parts of being a mom. Hannah's outgrowing her little bed sleeper, so last night we moved her from our bed to a pack 'n play bassinet. It's still in our room, so it's easy to get up with her at night, but now she has a little more room to stretch. I bought a little sling carrier so I can carry her around during the day and still accomplish other chores. We both like it - nice and cozy!

More B/W

2009-01-22T20:59:00.002-05:00

Here Jeannie - more black and white photos...Isn't she beautiful?

Hannah's Growing

2009-01-22T18:57:00.003-05:00

Hannah had a Dr. check up and weighed in at 7lbs 3 oz, 20 1/8 inches long! Good Girl is gaining weight and growing like a weed. Dr. said she's doing great. I took some black and white pics yesterday - there's something so peaceful and beautiful when you look at a little baby. Love her!

Hannah and Dugan

2009-01-16T16:20:00.003-05:00

I got this stuffed dog (Dugan) from "Santa" when I was in 2nd grade. He's been through a lot over the years. My brother Bob used to beat him up for fun and to make me cry. A couple times Bob beat Dugan's eyes off - but Dugan always came through the "surgeries" just fine. :0 Now Hannah gets to cuddle with Dugan - I think they both like it.

One week already!

2009-01-15T15:43:00.003-05:00

I can't believe Hannah is already over a week old. We are doing great. David and I are calling each other "Hannah hogs" as we take turns holding her, feeding, and changing her. David was so bummed to have to go to work. Hannah gave us a treat last night - 3 hours between a feeding instead of 2. Ahh - a little extra sleep. This is a wonderful time for me and I'm cherishing every moment - asleep and awake.

Funny Hannah Hiccups

2009-01-10T13:39:00.001-05:00

More Pictures of Hannah

2009-01-09T18:21:00.002-05:00

Pictures of Hannah

2009-01-09T18:16:00.001-05:00

Hannah is Here!

2009-01-09T18:12:00.002-05:00

Well - surprise!!!! Baby Hannah came earlier - 4 weeks earlier - than planned. All is well - she was born on Wed, Jan 7th at 0659. She weighed in at 5 lbs 13 oz and 18 3/4 inches. She is beautiful. Everything went very smoothly at hospital. We brought our Hannah home today (Friday). Enjoy these pictures!

Camoflage Diaper Bag

2009-01-01T09:48:00.004-05:00

David's jaw dropped when he saw this camoflage diaper bag - "Finally something NOT pink!" While is SC for Christmas, my fabulous sisters gave us a little baby shower. The diaper bag was a big hit, but I really got emotional over the handmade items - Jeannie made a little hat, Kathy made a beautiful afghan, and they both passed on some items made by mom. So Blessed! J. had a Dr. appt. Tuesday and she said that it's unlikely the baby will wait until Feb due date. We should expect her sooner. J. is 1 1/2 cm dialated. It's really real now. 2009 really will be our baby year.

2008-12-25T20:09:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! David and I are spending Christmas at Nini's (my sister's) house in SC. All my sisters and brothers are here and we're having a great time!

2008-12-21T20:11:00.001-05:00

2008-04-20T16:04:00.002-04:00

Here's the first few pages of my mini book. See the rest in my Creating Keepsakes gallery. (See Links to right.)

2008-04-20T15:56:00.002-04:00

Cover for the mini album I made. I took photos of our house in July when I was in WI. I knew we would be saying goodbye to this place soon and wanted to make a little something to remember some fun times growing up. This was a busy house with lots of fun memories and family moments. Enjoy!

Oh Fun - a new Blog

2008-04-20T15:48:00.003-04:00

It's Sunday afternoon. I'm home from church and lunch out and church meeting after that. I changed into my comfy clothes, made a cup of tea, and instead of grading all those projects I collected on Friday, I'm blogging. It's a rainy day - I'm feeling lazy. I'll get to the projects soon, I suppose. I know my eighth graders will be bugging me tomorrow wanting to know their grades. I should at least get a few done.
Kathy (my sister) called yesterday and asked if I would write a few lines - maybe in the form of a prayer - for the new family that will soon be moving into the house we all grew up in. It is kind of sad to say goodbye - there were a lot of memories made in that house. I'll work on the words later tonight. When I was back in WI in July, I took some photos of the house and made a mini book - I'll try to post some of those pages to share. That sounds more fun than grading my papers.