alligator love.

I wanted to share with you today a picture (in a layout) that CRACKS me up!  For this layout I used the new Only You kit by Scrapbook Circle.  This has got to be one of my ALL time favorites--my youngest face is priceless.  The handler insured the kids that they would be okay standing close to the alligator.  But he being 4 was smart--he was NOT going to take his eyes off that thing!  LOL!

I LOVE the stance to--he is ready to flee if he needs to!  This is actually a scan of the original picture, the original is displayed in the house for all to see and enjoy.  Do you have a picture like that?  A favorite that you have displayed but never scrapped?  Think about it--it's a FUN challenge to create something with a picture that you love!
I'm off and running today--thank you for the visit!

14th love day.

So I scrolled through past posts to MAKE SURE that I hadn't shared this before, I couldn't find it SO here it is, I used this for one of my "try out" items for American Crafts:

This Valentine's line has been out of print for a while--but I LOVED it and had a bunch of it as well as the little chipboard pieces--this was really fun once I figured out the dimension of the squares! ;)

 I actually messed up or the rubons were old... (it's what happens when you live in a hot place) I went to rub them on and only a little bit actually rubbed on to the paper!  What to do most of the project was done and I had already spent SO much time!  I made a "cover up" with the pink sheet of paper with the scroll work--perfect!  Necessity truly is the mother of invention!
I'm off to a busy day of soccer, have-to's, visit to the library, and preparation for departure to CHA!  Thanks SO much for the visit!

inspired words this Wednesday.

• "So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment."

  —Thomas S. Monson, "Living the Abundance Life", Liahona and Ensign, January 2012
  
  SO needed to hear this today!
  
  

Sunshine in Arizona

One morning last year I woke up and opened the back door to let the hairy girls out to go potty, I looked up over the houses to this view.  Yes, the dessert has the most AMAZING sunsets, but the sunrises aren't to shabby either.  I did not edit these pictures in anyway, this is what came out of the camera.  This is one of the American Crafts layouts I shared in the gallery for this month:

As I was working on the layout I thought I was done, then decided the title was missing something....a SUN!  So I found a cute sun in the silhouette store and cut it out--I thought sewing on the rays would give it a fun affect of "shinning".

 The first day back to school was actually okay with everyone, homework--of course!  But they all seemed to be happy when they came home, I WAS making chocolate chip cookies for the soccer dinner I'm helping to provide tonight.  Chocolate ALWAYS seems to calm the troubles. ;)

Thanks SO much for the visit today!

grandma brag books.

so for Christmas this year (and for the past several years) I've made brag books.  My grandma's both seem to really enjoy looking at the pictures.  One of them can't seem to contain her excitement and always opens it when she receives it!  This year I used two different lines of American Crafts.  Dear Lizzy Neopolitan, and Amy Tangerine Sketchbook (they are both the same pictures):

 you can see that this following album has two page less, I forgot to take a picture of one page and I wanted it to look even.  This is the album in the American Crafts gallery....

winter break is now over..sad..back to the schedule..no one seems to be excited but we are doing it!  Thanks for the visit today!

sweet together.

Sadly this is was my last month designing for Elle's Studio.  It's been a FUN ride of creativity, using FANTASTIC product and using up my stash.  This was my VERY first manufacturer design team and I felt TRULY honored to be a part--thanks Elle for giving me a chance!

closeup of fun:

 Little notes on this page:  This picture was taken back in October while my kids were on Fall break and we were in Flagstaff.  It's one of mine and my hubby's favorite places, we went to college there and that is where we met!  This particular park I only visited a few times as we only had one car when we lived there and most of the time hubby had it for work.  This visit I made sure we went and checked out the park, it used to be a wild life preserve (it's SEVERAL acres).  Now it's trails and trails with some exercise stops.  (dont' worry I have a layout coming up with pictures from that!)  This picture I took was really fun for me--hubs thinks it makes us look like aliens, I like the fact that it has us united. :)  Truth be told I think this is the first layout I've made of shadows--it was fun to make!
Most of the product I used to make this layout was sitting on my desk, leftovers from other projects and coincidentally (in an effort to use up my stash) the paper is all studio calico.  I used the Sweet Life tags from Elle's studio that can be seen HERE.

Body Surf.

in looking through my layouts, I found another one I haven't shared:

Closeups:

 

This is one of my FAVORITE pictures--pure joy on his face that I captured while standing about 30 feet away--he didn't even know I was there!  AND it was taken with my point and shoot.  This layout with all it's layers took me a bit of time adding this and that--as you can tell I LOVE that Martha Stewart seal punch!

I want to thank you for the visit today--it means a lot to me!

hello fast friday!

yesterday my speedy cards were featured on the American Crafts Blog.  My challenge was to make these cards in 15 minutes or less.  I had so much fun looking through what I had, the key to success in making quick cards for me is narrowing my selection to about 6 or 7 items to use.  (If I get to much going on I can't focus!)  These are the three cards I put together:
(this is all Amy Tangerine Ready, Set, Go):
this card includes stitching, embossing, stickers, and layering.

 (Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic):
this card has multiple layers and stickers.

 (Soho Garden):
this card includes stamping, punching, stickers, and layering.

I just love each of these cards!  They make me feel happy when I look at them--and they didn't take me all day to make!

Thanks for the visit AND letting me share my cards with you today!

elf helper.

yes, it's January-yes, I forgot to share this!  I made this fun layout using the now sold out All is Bright kit from Scrapbook Circle.

 some closeups:

I popped the main picture of the page with some pop dots:

 this picture just makes me smile, my girl running around with elf ears helping Santa give out treats--FUN!
Days are winding down for Winter break, it's been GREAT to not have a schedule and run around like chickens with our heads cut off.  yes, we have had FUN being together and just being.  The kids for the past two days have gone to the park and play and have a picnic--just them.  That may seem strange but we don't ever seem to have the time-they get a break from being inside playing video games but also they are TOGETHER-makes my heart happy.
I'm off to wash some laundry--I KNOW excitement!  Thanks SO much for the visit!

Happy New Year! my favorite 20.

it's been a bit quite around here--I'm taking the time to ENJOY these moments with my family!  That being said I want to share some of my FAVORITE layouts of 2012 with you:

yep, if you were keeping count that was 20 layouts!  That's out of 113 layouts....I was talking to someone on Sunday at church that  didn't know that I scrapbooked.  Seemed sort of strange that he didn't know that because I've known him for a while...anyway, his point was that it's a WONDERFUL treasure to have for my children and family.  Which I TRULY believe, I LOVE it, my hubby supports me and my kids LOVE to look at themselves and remember the fun stuff!  Another person on Sunday asked me if my kids ever get tired of me taking pictures.  Maybe.  But they are ALWAYS good sports because they know I will get the shot NO matter what! :)
2012 was full of creative BLESSINGS, published for the first time in Creating Keepsakes, making my first manufacturer design team with Elle's Studio, continuing to design for Scrapbook Circle (12 of my favorites come from Lisa's kits!), being asked to join the American Crafts design team, being published in Scrapbook Trends, making new scrapbook friends--thank you friends for the support and comments they mean SO much!  Thanks for the visit today--I hope that your new year is AWESOME!!