My Blue Eyed Boy

http://www.mymindseye.com/Products.aspI am really, really trying to make an effort to include pictures of myself in my kid's albums.  I hate doing it because I am never happy with how I look in photos, but I keep telling myself that my kids will appreciate it when they are older.  

 SUPPLIES

Apron Strings Designs Feb 2011 "Smaller than a Breadbox" kit. 

This page was based on challenge #34 over at Sketch Mania.  I turned the sketch on it's side to make it work better with the orientation of my photo and all the supplies I used were from the Feb 2011 "Smaller than a Breadbox" kit from Apron Strings.  I think this has been my favorite kit so far.  I love the Alphabet Soup collection from My Mind's Eye, so cute!

Read more...

Watching the Monkey's at the Zoo

When I originally got this photo developed I did not look at it very closely, so I thought that I had finally managed to get a nice picture of Isaac actually looking at the camera and smiling.  It wasn't until I pulled the picture out to use it on a layout that I realized he was actually sticking his tongue out at me.  

Why does that not surprise me?

SUPPLIES

Apron Strings Designs February 2011 "Smaller than a Breadbox" kit

American Crafts thickers

Jillibean Soup corrugated alphas

Royal Langnickel rub-ons

This layout is based on this week's Sketch Mania challenge #33.

Read more...

Happy Birthday To You

I had so much fun with this month's Apron Strings "Smaller Than a Breadbox" kit, especially the MME Alphabet Soup stuff.  This line is so cute! I completed 6 pages with the kit,as well as this card which I based on the sketch for this week's Sketch Mania challenge. 

SUPPLIES

Apron Strings Designs February 2010 "Smaller Then a Breadbox" kit

Carolee's Creations tiny type alphas

Read more...

Sketch Mania 11.24

Can you believe it, only one month until Christmas?!?! Yay!

The only problem is that means I only have one month left to get ready for Christmas. 

Darn.

I am never going to get all my good intentions accomplished. 

But at least I now have all (three) of my Christmas cards finished. 

I find it helps to have low expectations of myself. 

SUPPLIES

Imaginisce patterned paper, stamped sentiment

American Crafts Pearl cardstock

Prima pearls

We'd love it if you would join us for this week's Sketch Mania, this is the last week to get entered for this month's prize.

Read more...

Sketch Mania 11.17

Oops, I am a little late in posting my project for this week's Sketch Mania challenge.

Story of my life lately. 

Oh well, better late than never I guess.

SUPPLIES

Fancy Pants patterned paper, chipboard

Recollections kraft cardstock

Unknown buttons

Art Warehouse stamp

Ranger ink

Read more...

Sketch Mania 11.10

Every year I have good intentions of sending out handmade Christmas cards to all of our friends and family; but I've never actually done it.

So this year I am admitting my realizations.  I'm going to make cards for a few select people, like my grandparents, and everyone else is going to get an email.

So, with the card I made for this week's Sketch Mania, I am halfway done my Christmas Cards.  Yay!

SUPPLIES
American Crafts cardstock

Imaginisce patterned paper, ribbon and stacked sticker

If you'd like to see the sketch, you'll have to head on over to DeeDee's blog because Blogger is refusing to upload it for some reason. 

Read more...

Sketch Mania 10.20

I had quite a pile of photos from our little anniversary getaway back in July so this week's sketch for Sketch Mania was perfect!  I was able to get six photos onto a single page layout - I actually tried for nine in order to stay closer to the original sketch, but it required cropping the photos a bit too small for my liking.

SUPPLIES
Bo Bunny patterned paper

Bazzil cardstock

American Crafts thickers

Basic Grey brads

Bella Blvd sticker

Unknown ribbon

Read more...

Sketch Mania 10.13

I don't often have the opportunity to go browse at my local scrapbooking store since I usually have all three kids with me when I go shopping, but the other night I was able to go and spend some time practicing my sales resistance techniques. I did pretty good; I only walked out with about 40 sheets of paper... but since they were all on the sale rack ($0.25 each!) I don't feel too bad.  Most of it was "last year's model" but who cares, great paper is great paper... and when it is super cheap it is even better.

I just love this paper from October Afternoon's "Road Map" collection that I used for my layout for this week's Sketch Mania. I also found some awesome cloud paper from Pebbles Inc, I've been cutting it up and using it on everything lately!

SUPPLIES

October Afternoon patterned paper

Recollections kraft cardstock

Pebbles Inc patterned paper

American Crafts thickers

K& Co. mini alpha stickers

Read more...

Sketch Mania 10.06

For this week's Sketch Mania assignment I completed another page from Ellie's baby album... the dreaded 8x8 album, lol.  Actually this sketch worked perfectly for my purpose and the page was really quick to make. 

What is not so dreaded is this month's prize from BigScrapDeal.com, it's a whole pile of scrappy goodies including stuff from Chatterbox, Pebbles Inc and 7 Gypsies.
 

SUPPLIES
American Crafts cardstock, patterned paper

foam shapes, 

Unknown ribbon, thread

CK Stenography font

Read more...

Sketch Mania 9.29

I can't believe how fast the weeks fly by - it feels like it was just the weekend yet here it is Wednesday again.  I remember when I was a child I felt that time couldn't go by fast enough, but now I would give anything to have it slow down just a bit... especially when I see how quickly my babies are growing up.

When I saw the sketch for this week's SketchMania I knew that it would be perfect for some photos I took last April of Ellie eating one of her first, and favorite, solid foods.  She absolutely adores avocados and she eats them so often (what can I say, they're easy and healthy) that my two year old is convinced that they are called Ellie-cados.

  SUPPLIES

Bazzil cardstock

Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, tags

Jillibean Soup corrugated alphas

American Crafts thickers

Karen Foster charms

Pebbles Inc ribbon

Basic Grey brads

I have a whole jar full of Karen Foster metal charms that I bought when I first started scrapbooking many moons ago. I've actually come sooooo close to getting rid of them a few times thinking I'd never use them. Funny how I *loved* them and just had to have them at the time and now I look at them and wonder what I was thinking.  But it turns out that the little knife and fork were perfect for this page so I am glad I held onto them.  Maybe the rest of the collection is safe for a little while longer.

Read more...

SketchMania 9.22

As I was uploading my photo for this post, it occurred to me that I totally forgot about SketchMania last week.  Well, I didn't totally forget because I did complete my project and get it sent off to DeeDee, but I forgot to post about it on my own blog.  Opps. I will try not to let that happen again.

Anyway, here is this week's sketch and what I did with it.

and this is last week's.

SUPPLIES (for both pages)

American Crafts paper, buttons, foam shapes,

cardstock.

Unknown ribbon.

These are pages from Ellie's baby book and are 8x8.  I must admit that I am not really enjoying working in 8x8.  It feels too small...but that is what I started with for her album so I am going to finish it. I think I might also have limited myself too much by choosing to stick to the American Crafts baby line; I loved it at first but now I am kind of getting sick of it.  I am so fickle. Again though, now that I am over halfway done the album it is a bit late to change my approach.  Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Anyway, please come check out SketchMania.  This month we are being sponsored by the lovely Rachel May and you could win a beautiful prize pack of handmade paper goods just for playing along. 

Read more...

Sketch Mania 9.08

We just returned from an exhausting long weekend trip to visit family - well actually it wasn't the visit or the long weekend that was exhausting, it was the ten hours of driving each way that was the problem - so this is going to be a real quick post to show you what I made for this week's SketchMania.

I made this while I was gone using Rebecca's supplies.  It sure is nice to visit someone who has loads of great craft supplies.  Being able to scrapbook and make cards - now that is my idea of a vacation.

Ok, I'm already going on longer than I intended, so here is the sketch, and my take on it.

SUPPLIES
American Crafts cardstock

Recollections patterned paper, acrylic stamps

Chatterbox rubons

Oh, and this should be the last of the grainy iPhone photos on my blog.  No, I did not get a new D7, but my brother is getting one so he passed his Rebel XT on to me.  I am SO happy to finally have an SLR... now I just need to figure out how to use it.

Have a great day,

Read more...

Sketch Mania 9.01

Today is a sad, sad day.  I went to take pictures of my Sketch Mania layout only to discover that my camera has died.  I've known for a while that it needed to be replaced but I was really hoping it would hold out until Christmas time when it would be *reasonable* for me to ask for a new one.  But alas, it has officially bit the dust and I am not really sure what I am going to do about it.  Having just moved and bought new furniture, there isn't  room in the budget for the Canon EOS 7D I have been drooling over.  I am not sure which I would rather do - wait until I can afford the camera I really want or just buy what I can afford right now to avoid having to photograph my layouts (oh, and my kids) with my iPhone.

Well, for today anyway it is the iPhone camera to the rescue, so please forgive the poor picture quality. 

SUPPLIES

American Crafts patterned paper, cardstock

Unknown ribbon

This is an 8x8 page that I did for Ellie's 1st year album.  I decided to go with a really simple, one-page-a-month format and to keep the use of products fairly streamlined, mostly from the American Crafts Baby line. I also kept all the photos black and white to ensure a greater sense of continuity through the album.   Because the layouts are 8x8 and there isn't room for extensive journaling, I have been doing point-form journaling strips to record each month's highlights.  This is the 5th page I have done for this album so far; which means at this rate I will have it done by the time Ellie starts Kindergarten. 

To see what the rest of the design team came up with for this week's Sketch Mania, and to link up your own project, head over to the UmWowStudio Blog.  

Have a great Wednesday, 

Read more...

Sketch Mania 8.25

It's Wednesday so DeeDee has a new sketch posted over at SketchMania.

 I had a little bit of trouble with this one at first since I do not use circles in my scrapbooking very often.  I tend to be more of a linear thinker I guess.  But this sketch and both of the last Guest Design Team sketches at Sketchy Thursdays have used circles, so I am learning to love them.

Now, I fully admit that my finished card looks nothing like the original sketch; it kind of took on a life of it's own.  I really like the way it turned out though, and DeeDee has assured me that she does not mind the artistic liberty I took with her sketch.

SUPPLIES

October Afternoon patterned paper

K& Company patterned paper

American Crafts thickers, mini mark rub-ons

Recollections card stock

Unknown string

You can head over to DeeDee's blog to see what the rest of the design team came up with, and also to link up your own entry.  This is the last sketch to get an entry in for the $15 Crop Chocolate gift certificate.

Read more...

Sweet Baby Card

Just a quick post to show you a card that I made the other day but couldn't post because our internet connection hadn't been hooked up yet. 

I am really excited about this one because I tried something new - I embossed.  I know, I know, embossing is kind of old school but I have honestly never tried it before.  Well, I have done a bit of dry embossing with the Fiskar's embossing thing, but I had never ever tried the "real" thing.  Actually it was one of those things I swore I was never going to get into - like sewing on layouts, which I now do ALL the time. The only reason I even had any embossing powder was because I picked it up for like $0.10 at the thrift store one day thinking that my sister might want it. 

Well, it turns out that the whole embossing thing is actually quite easy and I discovered that I do not need a heat gun as my ribbon iron works very well to melt the powder.

SUPPLIES

Colorbok patterned paper

Making Memories Ribbon

Studio G stamped sentiment & image

K & Company brads

Martha Stewart border punch

Unknown clothes pins, string

Read more...

Sketch Mania 7.28

It's Wednesday so that means it is time for SketchMania and DeeDee has announced that the prize for July/August will be a $15 crop credit from the amazing folks at Crop Chocolate.  

If you've never been to Crop Chocolate, go... as soon as you're done reading this post! (WARNING Crop Chocolate is HIGHLY addictive, especially if you have a weakness for buying scrapbooking supplies and getting great deals). It is a "one deal at a time" website but they have a wonderful feature called the "la carte" which allows you to place the items in your cart and wait until you have reached the free shipping threshold to place your order; unlike some other DOD website where you have to pay shipping on every purchase.  They truly are wonderful over there - not only do they have amazing prices on gorgeous supplies and free shipping (to Canada too!) but they also have the absolute best customer service that I have ever encountered.  And for the record, I am not being  paid to say this, I am saying it because I really believe that Crop Chocolate offers a great value and is a company worth supporting.  However, if you do decide to sign up with Crop Chocolate, I would really appreciate it if you would do it through THIS LINK as it will give me the credit for referring you.

 SUPPLIES

Bo Bunny patterned paper, cardstock stickers

Bazzil cardstock

K&Company rhinestones

Pebbles ribbon  

Ki Memories chipboard sentiment

So if you'd like to be eligible to win the crop credit please join us for SketchMania. 

 

Read more...