My Favorites of 2011...

I have to tell you this was HARD to choose 12... :)

I had to WORK hard with this color combo--really like how it came together...

 Really liked how the paper did the talking to accentuate the pictures (first time I popped a picture up with a pop dot)

So excited that I could use these fun photo booth shots of my girl and her friend...

 just love all the stitching and misting--came together...I remember thinking I wasn't sure...

 these pictures CRACK me up!  I basically scrapped them the day I took them...something I rarely do!

 LOVE how the misting worked on the wood pieces as they were masks:

 these pictures crack me up!  Looks like she is talking...

 really like the paper, I had been HOARDING it FOREVER--happy note they re released it!

 really like how clean this layout feels...

 what can I say?  I LOVE the boy who is the man I married...made this from scraps....

 don't remember having to many pictures of my dad and I...really like the misting mask technique and the flowers I made with post it note....

 I talked about this one yesterday, just love the colors...

some observations:
*I have EMBRACED misting!  I remember the first time I saw it.  I thought it was messy--I didn't think I would ever use it! :)
*thanks to a better camera I get BETTER pictures!
*I feel comfortable in my designing "skin" I was so worried about finding my style I wasn't having fun.  Now I just create and it's a blast!
*pinterest has changed my life!  I used to print off ideas, try and bookmark where I saw layouts.  LOVE it, all in one place for me to look at!
*I have become more comfortable scrapping single pictures, SERIOUSLY was a hard thing for me to do before!
*I love to work with quality products!
*I've become more comfortable scrapping pictures of myself.

I have some designing plans in my mind and written down for 2012, I will EMBRACE them and make the best of it!  Thanks for the visit and Happy New Year to you!

Snow

Wanted to show my FAVORITE layout from the Note to Self kit.  I bought the snowflake mask at Michael's and have a ton of fun with them.  I live in the desert, we DO NOT get snow.  This happened to be a year ago--strange how time flies so fast.

Some closeups:

 one of my favorite things to work with in this kit was the corrugated sheet.  It was punchable!  I had to "work" it into the punch--it didn't want to go straight in, but once it was it punched clean.

I have to tell you my son's hat in this picture was borrowed from his grandma, it's just so bright and fun!  This particular hat belonged to one of his uncles WAY back when...hey, it works!

I plan on going through and choosing my favorite layouts of 2011 (something I haven't done before--my favorites of the year....) Hopefully I'll have time.  We took down Christmas down and did a CLEAN out and organize of the garage.  Felt kind of good to get it cleaned up!  Need to do it in several other places but that was a MAJOR one and I was SO glad that everyone was working together to get the job done.  (that was the part I was dreading--doing it by myself...)

I'm hoping to "play" some, but don't know if that will happen as we want to go on a hike while the weather is nice.  Thanks so much for stopping in for a visit!

taking a little break....

not from blogging NO way! :)  I've just had the spring cleaning bug hit me.  I've had nail pops that needed patching and painting, things that I haven't used, worn for a LONG time.  Time to donate so someone else can get use out of it and out of my house! :)  Feels good, feels like I can breathe....I still have other places that need cleaning but focusing on the small first so I don't get distracted.
Wanted to share some EXCITING!  The January kit from Scrapbook Circle, You + Me (cute name huh?)

LOVE the Kraft paper, red, and....it's just FUN!  I SO loved creating with this kit--keep tuned in for some pages!
 Well, my break is over! :)  Thanks for the quick visit--hope your day is AWESOME!

Nan's place

Hope that your day was wonderful yesterday!  We had a great time, it's been a relaxing day enjoying toys and being together.  I do have another layout to share from the Note to Self kit from Scrapbook circle.

 I took these pictures in June when I was in Washington state for a funeral.  I tried to capture the things that meant the most to me when I visited my nanny, it's an AMAZINGLY beautiful place that is dear to my heart.  The only thing I wasn't able to do was bottle up the smell, fresh green growing things....See the raccoon?  He scared me a bit, I thought he was a cat!  And they can be rabid, he was just curious and wanted some food....
One of my favorite parts of this layout is the mist I tried a technique (see the circles?) I sprayed a pool of mist and then dipped the lid into it and then "stamped" it.  I also used some acrylic paint behind some of the pictures it is a pearl tone.

I went on a date with my hubby today (the first showing is $5 at our local theatre), we went and saw Mission Impossible Ghost protocol, I was pleasantly surprised.  (I DID NOT like the last mission Impossible...) So if you are looking to be entertained, it's pretty exciting!
Well, must run--thanks for the visit!

The reason for the season--Merry CHRISTmas

I wanted to share a beautiful short video with you.  There are more celebrating the coming of the Savior and his birth which can be seen HERE.  You can also view them in itunes HERE.  I hope that your day is wonderful tomorrow spent with family--Merry Christmas.

teacher's gifts....

I rocked these out this morning...early...luckily I had all the things cut out and a vision of what I wanted to do and had ideas from HERE and HERE.  Thank you girls!  If I would've had more time I would've probably sewn BUT anyway....

 I literally had 2 minutes for these shots, hopefully you can make out what they look like.  I used my cricut to cut the actual tags & paper snowflakes.  Then I used the Elle's studio 'Tis the Season kit, and the Scrapbook Circle Jingle all the Way kit.  Love how they are all different but go together at the same time.  I left the back blank so that if they want to write they can OR if they want to craft with them (which they both do.) they can...
I wrapped some gifts today--yipee!  A little at a time and it will get done.  I'm off to clean up my mess :)  Thanks for stopping in for a visit!

Busy, busy!

how about you?  Kids have 1.5 days until they are out for Christmas.  That means parties, gifts for friends, teachers, concerts...general business.  it's all good but also crazy, my poor blog is getting neglected!  I do have a few more shares for you from the note to self kit from scrapbook Circle:

 

My challenge for this layout was to scrap about my One little word for 2012.  I decided to go with Embrace.  Basically don't sweet the small stuff, if it doesn't matter don't worry about it! :)  I really liked working with the corrugated paper that came in the kit it's TOTALLY cool!  The border punch is fairly new to me as is the framed punch I used for the title--HAD to use them together! :)  Really liked working with all that October Afternoon as well!

I tried to go to yoga this morning the one class at the gym that tends to relax me and drive stress away as well as being painful to stretch!  I got a call from my boy asking me to come to his class for a party (I wasn't asked to come--SURE I said!)  So, with that being said I must RUN!  Thanks for the visit today!

so I'm going to toot my own horn!

I finally have the time to sit down and get our Christmas card ready.  I realized as I sift through our pictures there really isn't a picture of all of us together--SO what!  I did have a picture of my hubby & I and then the kids so I used those.  I searched through SEVERAL cards online and just couldn't find anything that fit.  THEN then light bulb went on!  DUH!  You've got digital Christmas paper!  Truth be told I've been collecting digital items hoping one day I would be brave enough to actually do something with them.  Now, I know this isn't the fanciest card around but I'm pretty proud of the fact that I made it all myself.  NO help from my techno AMAZING hubby, or googling for videos:

what was even better it only took me 45 minutes to complete!  I ordered them at 4x6 perfect for A2 envelope size and I can pick them up in an hour from Costco!  WOOHOO!  One less thing on my checklist, AND I proved to myself that I can do HARD things! :)

supplies used:

pattern paper: Echo Park

type fonts: Apple typewriter, mr. and mrs. popsicle

not sure where the doilies came from it just says Christmas Giveaways

One more thing I wanted to share was about my December Daily.  I didn't want my pictures to have finger prints all over them (I'm printing them 2 x 3 from home...) so I am making my own protectors out of these:

yes, there are 100 in the stack, they were sitting on my desk from another project.  They work great!  here is what some of mine look like:

Thanks for reading through this post!  Hope you are having an AWESOME day!

Joy, small sized

so this weekend I was able to complete some friend gifts, very simple but SUPER fun!  I had scraps from other projects so these came together quickly for me:

supplies:

pattern paper: My Mind's eye

letters: pink paislee

snowflake, hollie: from Hobby lobby

ribbon: may arts

scroll cut at LSS, ornament from my stash (clearance some where!)

supplies:

Christmas balls, flowers from Hobby Lobby Christmas section

pattern paper: crate paper

scroll cut at LSS (added some paint and glitter

chipboard: Maya Road

ribbon: Michael's $1 bin, may arts

Sorry this is such a quick post have to go help a kid with something! :)  Thanks for stopping in!

How we do Christmas around here....Need, Want, Wear, Read

Okay, I don't like wrapping gifts--it could possibly be because I wait until the last moment--why do I wait? it's not like I don't have tape and wrapping paper...  This year while picking up some other things at my local Walmart I ran across this:

guess what?  I like wrapping presents now!  It's just like a tape runner AND it lets you have as much tape as you want--you are in control.  My kids can even use it and like it!

Tonight I am going to a cookie exchange and I'm taking my most favorite cookies!  My mom used to make these for us and I REALLY like Molasses.  here is the recipe:

Joe Froggers

Cook 10 minutes at 375 degrees

#1 SIFT:

8 cups flour 1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ginger ½ tsp allspice

#2

¾ cup water 1 Tbsp Rum flavor

#3

2 tsp. baking soda 2 cup molasses

#2 CREAM:

1 shortening 2 cup sugar

Add ½ of 1,2,3; repeat.  Chill for at least 3 hours.  Roll out on a floured surface ¼” thick, cut with cookie cutters.  If it gets to warm  chill again.

A few years ago my friend inspired me to SIMPLIFY Christmas with a focus.  a NEED, a WANT, a WEAR, and a READ.  I did it last year for the first time and it worked out AWESOME, it was like a serious weight was taken off my shoulders.  Christmas should be joyous!

Lastly I have a picture of one of my gifts, simple easy and QUICK to make!  (no worries this person doesn't read my blog!)

closeups:

 I bought the frames at Big Lots, didn't have to do anything to them they were perfect just the way they are.  The paper is October Afternoon, and glitter paper I picked up at Hobby Lobby.  I used my cricut to cut out the letters.  The flowers I bought a few years ago, I think they are prima....

Thanks for the visit, I know it's a little random--but I have been described as RANDOM. :)

Believe banner...

In October I was in charge of a class at church I collected and put together a banner (based on another sample)--it actually turned out quite lovely if I do say so myself! :)  I made a sample which will be gifted away...but I FINALLY got mine all put together and wanted to share it:

closeups:

  supplies used:

pattern paper: Lost & Found from My Mind's eye

chipboard, glitter paper, distress ink, sewing,

jewels, paint, cricut

various embellishments: Hobby Lobby Christmas Aisle

punch: Martha Stewart

ribbon: May Arts

With all the detail it did take me a few hours to assemble, I added the sewing to mine that was NOT on the sample...SO glad I got it done for this year's Christmas decorations! I'm off working on some other projects (presents, I'll share another time!)
Thanks so much for the visit!  Hope that your weekend is WONDERFUL!

Hello Tuesday!

the weather outside is FREEZING...for us in the desert it's cold, we have to cover our poor little plants so they won't get to cold.  NOT joking either.... I wanted to share with you some birthday cards I made using the Note to self kit:

Yep, they're the same! :)  I just used different colored baker's twine.  I use a little ink on the embossed bit and stamped! (I know--it's like some sort of miracle...)  All the pattern paper is Jillibean soup--really like the fun little flowers.
With it cold outside I decided to make some stew, I'm trying a new recipe:

looks yummy--smells DIVINE!  It's totally making me hungry... here's the link if you want to try it for yourself, HERE.

I'm off and running, I've gotten 4 presents put together, 3 wrapped and I want to assemble another before the kids get home!  BTW this is the first time in quite a few days I've been able to sit down and create, so BYE! :)