Advent Calendar!

Merry Christmas! 

Today is the first day of our very first family Advent celebration, and I kicked it off with this Advent countdown calendar box!  (Check out the Christmas them challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles!)

 I covered this Karen Foster Peek-A-Box with a Christmas paper collection by Making Memories, Sizzix Big Shot and sizzlits dies, American Crafts thickers, Close To My Heart distressing ink, various buttons, Glue Dots, gingham ribbon, bling and punches!

 

 Details!  The kits included numeral stickers, so I accented with black distress ink.

 

 I popped out the red in the paper with glittered hearts, to symbolize the love of God for us.

I chose "joy" for my cover to emphasize the Bible verse in Luke 2:10-11,

 ^"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

I hope you'll enter the Christmas theme challenge at

Scrapping Everyday Miracles!

gentle spirits: A Layout for Basic Grey Challenges and Let's Get Sketchy

Don't you just love butterflies?  I do!

 

I created this layout with the Basic Grey Sweet Threads collection from 2010 for Basic Grey Challenges, Challenge 93: Mix N Match.  The colors and patterns were perfect for this photo of my hubby in the butterfly bush holding a butterfly! **I also used deep purple brads from Basic Grey! Here is a pic from the Basic Grey.com site of one of the papers from the collection:

 

I based my design on the May Week 1 Sketch from Let's Get Sketchy, and here it is:

 

 

Hop over to Let's Get Sketchy, and join in the fun!

 

 

For my layout, I used Basic Grey Sweet Threads collection - from my stash - and the deep purple brads are from Basic Grey, too!  I also used papers from My Mind's Eye Lime Twist collection, Making Memories journaling note,Momenta font stickers, and a Sakura gel pen.  The butterflies were punched with a Martha Stewart punch, and the metal vintage butterfly is from Bo Bunny. 

 

**Enter my MULTI-prize giveaway for 750 Followers : CLICK HERE!

Winter: A Layout for Frosted Designs & Bird is The Word



Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge for November 2, 2012:  Here is the sketch!

 

I work with lots of sketches, one because I love them, and two because I have so many pics to scrap that I don't have time to spend coming up with the layout on my own!  I loved all of the elements of this sketch, and was able to incorporate lots of techniques.

 

I also entered this layout in the Bird is the Word challenge for October 22, 2012: Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall

 

Here is their site badge if you want to pop over:

 

 

I used "Winter" for my title, and found a great quote about snowflakes! 

For this layout, I used these products and tools:

 

Echo Park Winter Park Collection

 

Bo Bunny Blitzen Collection

 

Pink Paislee Daily Junque

 

gcd Studios *retired paper*

 

Making Memories Noteworthy SPiral Journaling Books 

 

American Crafts thickers Jewelry Box Metallic Silver

 

Marvy Uchida snowflake punches

 

Basic Grey tiny brads

 

embroidery floss

 

Ribbon and foam dots from Michaels Craft Store

 

 ***Merry Christmas 2012!***



What I Love At The Sea

 

I created this layout for these creative blog challenges:

 

My Scraps and More: Scrap Stash

http://myscrapsandmore.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=stash&action=display&thread=4041

I used LOTS of old plain flowers, and layered them, securing them with staples!  I was happy to use up some of these flowers from my stash!

 

4 Crafty Chicks: Metal

**I used metal colored staples, and metal paperclips.**

http://4craftychicks.blogspot.com/2012/09/challenge-106-metal-and-blog-hop-gdt.html

I frequently forget about using my stapler, although I love the result every time I do!  I also have had these paperclips for years,. and am so excited about using them!!!

 

Challenge Up Your Life: Patchwork

http://challengeupyourlife.blogspot.com/2012/09/challenge-up-yourlife-77-patchwork.html



 What a unique challenge!  I used a tiny square punch and lots of my favorite scraps of paper and created my mini patchwork!  I will certainly use this technique again!

 

I used these supplies, tools and products in my layout:

 

Simple Stories Year-O-Graphy paper collection

Fiskars tiny square punch

Prima flowers

Recollections flowers

Close To My Heart paperclips

Jenny Bowlin font stickers

American Crafts thickers

 Making Memories staples

Jenny Bowlin font stickers

Bazzill cardstock

 

This layout, and this photo, reflects one of my major personality traits - curiosity - especially about nature and even moreso about animals! One of my favorite activities when we go to any body of water is to search for animal life! And this layout reflects some of my favorite elements to use when I scrap - FLOWERS, pink, polka dots, layers and distressing!  What do you like about nature?

 

 

I Love U

Can you tell by this layout and my recent posts, well, all of my posts, what I am passionate about? You guessed it - being a full-time, all the time, blessed stay at home mom! I take mothering very seriously, and believe it is so important, especially in the early years. Everyday, my son is learning about God, himself, the world, other people, and how he should behave in it! I am so thankful to be able to witness and take part in these everyday events! This layout was inspired by the Scrapping Everyday Miracles challenge to scrap what I am passionate about, and that is being a lifetime mother! In this layout, based on the sketch by Creative Scrappers, is my youngest of 3 boys!

Besides my relationship with God and my husband, this little pumpkin is the love of my life. He was born in my heart, and wanted and prayed for for many years.

We love to celebrate the 4 seasons, and Autumn is one of our favorites! Our family is in love with life!

To create this layout, I used lots of patterned paper in layers, from several companies! 5 layers, to be exact, for the CES Challenge! I added lots of hearts to coordinate with the theme of my laytout, for the Fairy Tale Challenge, the Fussy and Fancy Challenge, and the Totally Gorjuss challenge! I love to use hearts anyway, so this was right up my alley! Next, I was able to finally use one of my most "loved" Christmas presents, the Sew Easy tool, in a few places on the layout to add some texture with bright orange stitches, thanks to the inspiration of Craft Your Days Away challenge!

I am entering this layout in these super challenges: Creative Scrappers Sketch #194

CES Challenges #72 Lots of Layers

FairyTale Challenge Blog #34 Love, Love, Love

Fussy and Fancy Challenge 56 With All My Heart

Craft Your Days Away #38 Get Stitchy With It

Scrapping Everyday Miracles Challenge #13 "Your Passion"

Totally Gorjuss #118 Lurve

I used these products in this layout: We R memory Keepers Autumn Splendor, CTMH, Pink Paislee, DCWV, EK Success, Sew Easy, Making Memories Scrapbook Stitches

100% Fall Fun

Oh I am so behind on scrapbooking my 3 year old son's photos! I know it is not the Autumn season, but Fall of 2010 is where I am chronologically in my photos! My goal for 2012 is to get caught up with current events, and stay caught up!

For this layout, I used lots of CHECKS/Squares! In the top right photo of my son, he is inside a bouncy house, behind a square-checked safety net. The pinwheel I created has a gingham checked patterned paper from Simple Stories. Look over to the right of my pinwheel and I have accented with 2 strips of American Crafts checked ribbon. I also found some super-tiny checkered ribbon in aqua by AC, and accented the left side of the page. My title card also has a grid pattern. And for my last gingham touch, I had one jumbo acrylic brad in aqua left in my stash that was just perfect! I am entering this layout into these 2 challenges:

CES Challenge 70: Check It Out

Craft Us Crazy Challenge #20: Anything Goes

I used these products for this layout: Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer, American Crafts ribbon, Bazzill Basics textured cardstock "cinder," EK Success black font stickers, Close To My Heart brads, and Making Memories Noteworthy journaling sheet.