Scrap Cards

After going on a scrapping bender, I found myself with some scraps laying on my desk.  I was tired of shuffling them around my desk and realized I had enough to make a few cards.

As much as I don't consider myself a "card maker", these just come in handy.  I've noticed people appreciating the cards I've made too. Makes it all worth it.

These two cards look so much better IRL, but I could not make them look the same on the computer. 

I'm sure if I wanted to I could make another ton of cards from all the scraps I have but I run in spurts.  I'll get there. ;)

Christmas Card Pics 2012

Every year there are tantrums, tears and frustration when it comes time for taking Christmas card pics....never mind the reactions I get from the girls.

This year, to change things up a bit, I wanted a different kind of pic.  I had an idea & got everyone's approval.

I put together a quick banner for a prop and had the girls get ready.

We threw this together so quick I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off.  I promised the girls it would be quick & fast if they cooperated & we gave it a test run before heading outside.

In FIVE pics I got the shot we decided to use.  Is it perfect? No. 

But we are rolling with it....and they are printed & ready to be addressed, stamped & mailed.

Gingerbread House School Fun

Every year the third graders build Gingerbread Houses in class.  Gianna has been looking forward to this day for a long time.  This is her kind of thing...CANDY!!

The teachers supply the "gingerbread walls" (cinnamon sprinkled graham crackers) & the parents bring in the "glue" & CANDY.

There are no rules, except using your imagination.  We didn't have a plan for our house but it we had fun with it.

The best part for me? 

Hanging out with my sweet girl.

Choir Holiday Concert 2012

Marissa joined the Choir in middle school.  She's had Monday morning rehearsals before school starts every week.  It makes Mondays *that* much nuttier but she enjoys it.  Tonight was their first concert. 

The concert was a mix of two bands & two choir groups but surprisingly, it was a quick concert.

For being short a few rehearsals due to Hurricane Sandy, they sang beautifully.

We are so proud of her. Looking forward to the next concert!

Butterfly Card

This card came together when I was playing with the Daydream Believer kit from Studio Calico.  I had put these butterflies aside to giveaway since they're not really "me", but then realized they would make a great card!  I think I can officially call that kit "done"!

I stamped a simple "Happy Birthday" on a cardstock strip and pop dotted the wings on the butterflies. 

The colors are prettier IRL, but they play off each other nicely.  Perfect card for a birthday!

Speaking Of Elves....

Zonko is BACK in TOWN! 

He arrived on Thanksgiving and has kept the girls on their toes trying to find him every morning.

This might just be my favorite.  Zonko found himself a girl!
 

Gianna had a hard time finding Zonko in this spot!  Took her a few trips through the room!

Dressing up the house today.  I feel so behind though I know I'm not.  Now if Zonko would play me some Christmas music I'd be set!

Jolly Little Elf

In honor of it being the first of December I am sharing this LO I made recently.  I've had this pic printed waiting to be scrapped for awhile now (I seem to do that a lot).  I even had the title printed on the back, all ready to go.  I finally grabbed the pic and dug through my stash of Christmas papers.  Finding these old Imaginisce papers that I used for the last December Daily I made.

I was trying to capture Gianna's playfulness in the LO.  She's always been a happy go lucky kind of girl, always ready for fun.  She was four in this picture.  Can this really be four years ago??  I remember taking this picture like it was yesterday.  Where does time go?? 

I re-discovered my Heidi Swapp date stamp for this.  Happy I never got rid of it.  I've got quite a collection of roller stamps going...not that I have a "problem" or anything.  Nothing I can't quit...but I don't want to.

Used my Silhouette to cut the two doilies, have I mentioned my love for that machine??  Makes me wish I didn't have a few other machines....

Hoping to get more Christmas-y LO's made.  I don't think I've done a lot of Christmas scrapping, which is ridiculous considering how much paper I have! 

Debating on doing a December Daily this year.  I'm inspired by everyone's albums I've seen on Instagram but don't want to fill up my plate more than it is.  I've got Project Life and well, there's Christmas and all that goes with it.  **sigh**  Maybe I'll do it afterwards, you know in January or something....

November 365

November is over. Already?? It seriously flew by!

It's been an interesting month to say the least. Now onto December!

Project Life October 2012

After waiting for some time and decent lighting I finally gave up and took these with my iPhone, at night.  Work with me.

I stuck to all my tricks for playing with Project Life: Washi tape, stamps and letter stickers. 

Simple. Simple. Simple.

My 12on12 for October.

Those top two cards happen to be my favorite on this page....if I do say so myself.

I had a ton of pics from the pumpkin patch (of course) so I narrowed it down to my favorites for the insert.

I like how this page turned out.  I think it has to do something to do with the stamps. I must say I am in LOVE with Kelly Purkey's stamp sets!!  She nails it every time!

This page was hard to do.  Re-living the days through the storm when we had no power for 9 days.  I didn't think it would be hard but it was.  I guess living in the dark can affect a person.  I have a bunch more pics from those days but I think I'll add them in an insert as part of the next month.

Got the idea for this card from Barbara on Instagram. 

I had a few pics that told the story but wouldn't all fit together on the insert so I turned it into a card like Barbara does. She is a genius!

 

On these two cards I used some Knock Knock sticky notes.  So fun and perfect for these!

I'm now working on November, but its been slow going with Thanksgiving and lately Marissa has a ton of homework that keeps her up late.  I try to keep her focused and help with what I can.  I wish she didn't have to stay up so late with that much homework, but she gets great grades so I'm not complaining much.  I'm hoping to work more of it this weekend as well as get the house decorated (finally) for Christmas....wish me luck!!

Thanksgiving 2012

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving.  We did.  I host the family every year, this year we were 15 in total.  It varies a little here or there but generally the house is full.

I wish I had manged to take more pics, but then again my plate was pretty full as it was.  I did mange to get some pics (food mostly) the day before.

I make this White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pie that's Joe's favorite. 

Can't have Thanksgiving in our house without apple pie.

And no meal is complete without some chocolate.  The girls made these.

Here are my little helpers the day before.  Both girls made the chocolate covered pretzels, and Marissa made the bacon wrapped water chestnuts.  They were both so much help to me both in cleaning and cooking this year.  I am so proud of their eagerness to help, more so in the kitchen than with the cleaning but I'll take what I can get.

I redeemed myself from last year's turkey!!  That was the first year it was dry but I blame the oven running too hot.  This year I used my bottom oven for the turkey and it came out PERFECTLY MOIST!!  I used a dry rub and butter to give it flavor and color and also went with a smaller bird this year.  There were no leftovers...in turkey at least.

We had a TON of food!  We couldn't fit it all on the table.  I always get "comments" on my over cooking but even though I kept things simple "OTHER" people brought more than they should and the table overflowed with goodness.  Luckily, everyone brought food home.

So now that this holiday is over, it's time to focus on Christmas.  I usually start decorating on Black Friday but both Joe & I were exhausted and didn't dig out the decorations from the crawl space.  I feel behind, but taking it easy felt great after all the rushing & cleaning last week.  Who cares if I don't get the Christmas Cards mailed before Dec. 1??

30 Days of Thanks

Wanted to squeeze in a quick post about the album I've been working on.  I started this during the Hurricane when I was feeling very grateful. I felt a mini album showing what I was thankful for would be nice.  I know it's very similar to a December Daily, but as much as I'd like to make one, I just don't think I'll be able to manage it.  I fell behind on my Project Life since the storm and have the last week of October to work on before I can share that.  I catch up and fall behind...story of my life.

I kept it very simple with a design I repeated through the album.  I dug through my stash and found some old KI Memories papers that I've been holding onto as well as my beloved Bo Bunny Dots.  I like using what I had on hand and actually doing something with it. 

I didn't do anything to the inside cover but I might go back and add some scraps I have leftover to it.  Used a Technique Tuesday/Ali Edwards stamp I had plus some Studio G stamps for the "title" on the card.  All the pics are Instagram prints that I printed at home 4x4 size.

I'm only sharing through page 5 since that's all I have done! Things have gotten a bit hectic and well, the holiday always does that to me.  I hope to catch up with this in small snippets of time here & there this weekend.

As for today, I am off to do my food prep for tomorrow.  I host every year and have about 15 people to feed tomorrow. 

What are you Thankful for?

On Repeat

Ever have one of those moments where you have an idea?  And it happens at the right time where you can put it into effect right away?  I did. 

I was thinking about some music playing in my mind & the thought came to me about documenting my favorite songs right now.  I quickly took screenshots on my iphone and printed them out. 

I used more of the Studio Calico "Daydream" kit, again using some pieces that I didn't think I'd use. I even made a card! (share that soon)  I think this kit is down to the last few things that I don't see me using and I'm considering it done. I'll be adding things I want to keep in with my other items and the things I won't be keeping to my donate pile. 

Close up of the pocket holding the list of songs from the albums (it continues to the back).  I could have added so many more songs from P!nk's album but kept it to just what I repeat a lot.  Yes, I'm a HUGE fan of hers.

 I used different Thickers than what was in the kit  but the rest is all kit.  I wonder if I can do it again with some other kits.  I think this was my favorite ever.

A Wish To My Dad

This time of year is always hard for me. 
Eighteen years ago today, my father died from lung cancer. 

I make a point of talking about him to the girls.  To give them an idea of how great he was.  He was the kind of man that would give you the shirt off his back.  He would do anything for his four daughters.  He adored us.  We adored him too.  He would have LOVED all his grandchildren.

I always wanted to marry a man like him....I believe I did.  I wish they could have met each other.

Sometimes I can't help but feel cheated that he didn't get to see us get married and have kids.  So many things would be different if he were still alive.  He was the glue that kept us all together. 

I wish he were still here.

I found this old picture of me following my Dad.  I don't know how old I was but I think I was younger than five.  I think I need to scrap it.  I love how it looks like an Instagram. 

Missing you Daddy. Loving you always.

Love You 2

Awhile ago, I had come across this picture of the girls and printed it out with an idea to scrap it.  It got put aside over and over again, until recently.  I was determined to get it scrapped and out of my "to-do" pile.

Usually I pull colors from the picture to match my papers, but this time I went with a love theme due to the signs the girls are holding. 

 I created the title then cut it out with my Silhouette.  I just love that machine!  I even used stamps on my LO!  It's subtle but it's there.  I've been on a kick of using what I have and not "saving" things anymore.  Like this paper.  It's from Making Memories a few years ago.  Why am I waiting?  Why not USE it??
I really, really have too much stuff, but let's just keep that to ourselves.  HA!

After making this, I realized that I needed to make another so each daughter has one in their album.  Hey, it's my way of using up my stash!  It was quick to do, since there was no thought required and most importantly, both girls will know how loved they are.