BIG SHOES TO FILL!!!!

So this is a fun layout for me...probably becuase it just happened this past weekend!!!  Sometimes good to scrap FRESH thoughts.

For John's Birthday (which was actually Monday), he was going to get new Bowling shoes....well since we decided to go bowling on Saturday, he got an early present.  Joseph thought it'd be fun to "try" to walk in Daddy's new shoes....hence this layout is born.     I used a sketch from SKETCHY THURSDAYS (see below my layout) and the paper & embellie are all Basic Grey Oliver (except for the sewing machine stitching).

LOVE * U -- Yep, another card???

I found a new challenge blog......since I'm "starting" to do cards, I figured I better get some inspiration from other gals and even some sketches....so I found TWISTED SKETCHES ... they have Card & Layout sketches...so I think I'll find myself over there a lot.

So, I started with this weeks card sketch.  and they add a "twist"...which this week is "EDGE"

So here's my card......drumroll please...  (for anyone new to my blog..I've always said that I DON'T DO cards.....so I'm trying to change my thinking and DO some!!)  -- I used Sassafras Indie Girl & Stampin Up scallop punch & some old KI Memories letters.

3 layouts for Design Dollies challenges

Ok...here is this weeks Design Dollies challenges & my layouts:
I also combined them with challenges at Memorable Seasons...so I'll list those too

1)  DD - Color Challenge  -- Navy, Mint Green & Ivory
     MS - Double Masking

2)  DD - Recipe - Red, 3 ovals, Flourish, Glitter & 2 PP's
      MS - Use all alphabet on one layout

3)  DD - Sketch  (only this one challenge)

Layouts: 1 Shadow-y and 1 w/photo by Joseph!!!

 This week I'm hosting the challenge over at FROSTED DESIGNS!!!  It's using RIC-RAC to make a circle on your project.  I gotta tell you...I'm soooo impressed with the projects the DT came up with!! 
Here is my layout for this project...  And here's the story behind the photos....our last morning on Fisherman's Wharf before heading north (last chance to see the Sea Lions)...and we were standing on the railing and I noticed our shadows in the water.... so I snapped a couple photos.  (that's why they're blurry....it's our shadow and the shadow is in the water... so it's a photo of OUR SHADOW REFLECTION IN THE WATER ....  I had to explain that like 10 times to my MIL...she kept saying "but you usually take such clear pictures")....(SIGH!!!)   --- I'm also submitting this layout over at SKETCHES IN THYME ..see their incredible sketch below my layout!!

And this week at Alphabet Challenge it's R for Roses.  I did this layout using a photo that JOSEPH took of John & myself while we were in San Fran!!  I used Webster's Pages (a hard mfgr for me to use normally). And I used a sketch from Stuck on you Sketches. 

Nikki...and LAZY "out of sorts lately" me...!

Well, I totally blew being synchronized with Nikki Sivils's blog on Sunday.  They "showcased" some layouts using their products and 2 of my items were there.
This Mini Album that I did of our recent trip to the Phoenix Art Museum (ok it was Mother's Day)....I used 3 different Nikki lines on this one.

And the PLAY layout I did recently and posted a few posts back....but here it is again.  (It's a messy layout!!)

GIANT WHEEL -- It's a Boy Thing!!!

This week, this is the sketch at SKETCHES IN THYME...

And here is my layout...

The Queen of Everything

Ok...I just have to share with you something that is TOO GOOD TO MISS!!!!

I found Paige and her BLOG THE BUMPY RIDE by following some scrapbooking website back to her..... well, I gotta tellyou...I"m SOOO glad that I did. 

Paige has named herself THE QUEEN OF EVERTHING...and after reading her blog for a while, I can attest to that!  She has hooked me up with some cool things, given some great tips & advice and most importantly has shared personal stories, both serious ones and funny ones...ALWAYS from the heart.

I love reading her blog everyday....  you should click on it and check it out.  You can read today's post....but I strong recommend reading a back through a couple days just to kinda get a feel for her .....

You may sometimes find a reference that you "don't quite" understand if you're a new reader....I just asked in my comments and she emailed me with an explanation (or a link to the blog post where she originally discussed)...gotta love that!!!

Check her out...you won't be sorry!!!     And Paige actually lives her in the Phoenix area...probably about 10-15 miles away from me, but yet we've never met!  Someday, I'm sure we will!!!

I DON"T DO CARDS!!!

I keep saying that don't I?   Ok, so over at SKETCHY THURSDAYS this week..they have a CARD sketch...  Now what do I usually do with a CARD SKETCH?????  I ususally make a LAYOUT....but I had some extra scraps sitting on my table after doing a layout, and the sketch was sitting there and well...... I DID a card...  Not a great card, but nonetheless, a CARD...

2 Ocean themed layouts

Hey..over at Design Dollies they do THREE challenges every week....you can combine them or do them all seperately.....

So, in this post are 2 layouts that combine all 3 of this weeks challenges:
First challenge is an Elements challenge to use WAVES....  I used an old Sassafras line called Whale of a Tale and fussy cut and popped the waves at the bottom.   
YOU LOVE THE OCEAN.....

Challenge 2 & 3 ---  This layout is their COLOR challenge & sketch challenge COMBINED.

COLOR:...Royal Blue, Teal & Orange...yep, I cheated a little and dug out Basic Grey Marrakech.  --- 

SKETCH:  When I saw the sketch, my initial reaction was NOT too positive...(making it a good challenge right?)..... I am so glad I stuck with it....becuase I LOVE how simple and nice this layout turned out!!!  Lesson learned!!!!

YOUR NAME IN THE SAND:  If you can't see it well, it's Joseph writing his name in the sand and then the tilted photo is a photo of the "finished" name....

Me & My Brothers

Over at SKETCHY THURSDAYS they have this really cute sketch...

I used American Craft Dear Lizzy pp's, glimmer mists, an "old" title tag from MME & mini alphas from Glitz.

 
 


 

No Man is a "Back to School" Island??

Yea, I got a little silly with the title and tried to figure out how to combine both layouts in this post into the title.... you're here...so it must've worked!!!

This week over at Alphabet Challenge the letter is Q --- Q is for QUOTES.
So here is my VERY simple layout of Joseph on some rocks at Muir Beach....when the waves rolled in, he was stranded on the rock for just a few minutes. 
I used the Quote...NO MAN IS AN ISLAND.

Also this week at Frosted Designs the challenge is BACK TO SCHOOL...  there are some really great projects from the DT over there and they are offering a prize at the end of the month!!!! 

For this layout, I used a photo of Joseph on the First Day of Kindergarten (last year) and a picture of his First Day of 1st Grade (last week).   Used Cosmo Cricket Boyfriend (all the new school lines aren't out yet?) and I also used a sketch from The Scrappiest for this layout!!

2 Layouts for Design Dollies Challenges

So, in this post are 2 layouts for challenges at the Design Dollies!!!

First, they have a color challenge --- KRAFT, YELLOW & WHITE!!!
Yea...this sounds like fun!!!  Kraft & yellow dots is Jillibean Soup, yellow swirly is Studio Calico.
I used a sketch from Sketch Savvy (see it below the layout) that was so perfect, I don't think I changed a thing!!   ---   -- EDIT:  I'm honored to report that Susan Stringfellow has posted this layout below as the sample layout for her sketch... (her sketch is sooo good that her own sample layout was picked up for publication and she had to remove it from the Sketch Savvy blog)....!!!

SWEET SUMMERTIME:

The second challenge at Design Dollies is their own sketch challenge!!

So, I was working with a photo of Joseph in his school uniform and I had out that fun chipboard clothesline from Cosmo Cricket.  I was having a little trouble getting it to "look right"...then I saw this sketch sitting right in front of me and even though I really like all the white space on this sketch...I was still able to use it, just ended up with less white space (or in my case, black space).  I intentionally put the title over the photo since the wall Joseph is standing in front of had a weird seam and some funky markings...I really like how this layout turned out!!  It makes me smile....and when I showed Joseph he smiled too...so that's good enough for me!!!  Thanks to DD for some great challenges this week!!!

SCHOOL UNIFORM:

Friday...DT posts...!!!!

This week at   Frosted Designs    the challenge is a RECIPE challenge....Here is a list of the ingredients -- you must use at least 5 of them.

1. Punch or punches   2. Felt    3. Ribbon    4. Pink, blue or purple   5. Flowers   6. Banner   7. Bird    8. Buttons   9. Butterflies  10.Glitter

For my JOSEPH layout I used My Minds Eye (BLUE-1) papers. The title is a BANNER (2) strung together with RIBBON (3). I have some BIRDS (4) across the very top right and an owl at the lower left. BUTTONS (5) in several places & a FLOWER (6) die cut above the journal box.

And at Alphabet Challenge the letter this week is P ... P for PUNCHES.

I used a Stampin' Up label punch and Bo Bunny's Block Party line and created this little fun layout of Joseph on the double decker carousel at Pier 39.

PLAY - Wet-n-Wild Challenge

This month over at SCRAPFIT they are celebrating their 1 year birthday.  So this workout (challenge) is "WET-n-WILD"  ...  use mist, paint, stickles, ink---any or all of them!! For an added twist get some paper wet, create something with it and than use it in your LO.

So, I got my white cardstock all wet....then I finger painted it....green & then a little red.  Ok, so it didn't turn out exactly like I wanted....so next I went to my Nikki Sivils papers and got a piece of My Sweet Cherry Pie all wet....crinkled it....tore it....and let it almost dry...then I inked the top of it and used that piece as a block on my layout.  Then I Nikki's Flaming Butterfly diecut scallop circle paper and cut out the inside and only used the outer scallop.  Some more Nikki Flaming Butterfly paper to make a flower and cover up something in the photo (the edge of a blue ball) & a Nikki Brad.... Title & journaling...DONE.  OH...since the background paper is so "lumpy" it's hard to get everything to stick...so in some places it's popped so that it sticks...it actually looks kinda cool...though you can't really see that in the photo.  So, here's my MESSY WET-n-WILD layout!!!

SCARY THING!!!

ok...so I ususally only post scrapbooking stuff here...but I need to VENT...so this is where I'm going to do it!!! 

I left work tonight at 3:45, picked up my son from his last day of camp (school starts tomorrow) and got home at 4:15.  Opened the garage door (remote) and parked, entered through the laundry room (Joseph - age 6 in front of me) and as I looked ahead in the hallway, I can see into the master bedroom and I thought "man, what did the dogs do to mess up the vertical blinds so badly"...then I realized that our bedroom arcadia door was "off" the track and leaning, my husbands top dresser drawer was open and his clothes were on the floor....  INSTINCT KICKS IN.... I yell to Joseph to STOP and come with ME NOW>>>>>>  NOW NOW>>>> back into the garage, and out into the driveway....... SOMEONE HAS BROKEN INTO OUR HOUSE......  call 911......   go get neighbors....  call husband to come home IMMEDIATELY.....   as I'm on the phone w/911, I walk over to the front of the house (which we can't see form teh driveway) and the front door is WIDE OPEN.     I peek in the front door and see that the TV is there, but the Wii is gone!!! 

So...long story short.....  they stole ALL our jewelry, (my husband doesn't wear his wedding band since he's a massage therapist and it would get all messy when he works)..... they stole my son's Wii all the accessories and games....the router to our "second" computer, lot of PC games.  An old purse of mine (the last one when I did a 'switch' a few weeks ago when I got a new one - hopefully if there were any credit cards in there, they are expired)..... a safe with some "collectible" money ($2 bills, silver certificates...etc)...  AND my CAMERA's!!!!!!    Our FLIP (with current videos not downloaded), ...and probably the worst is that in my jewelry box that they stole was 5-6 "tooth fairy" teeth....  luckily I scrapped the 1st two that he lost...but the rest are now gone!!!

They did not hurt our 2 dogs....LOUD barkers...obviously not much BITE!!!  They did not take my "main" computer or router....they did not take my son's wallet or his "spend", "save" and "give" jars....(full of cash)...and they are right next to our charging station which they completely wiped out.  There is no other damage to our house, including the door they broke into.....so as violated and terrible as this is...it really could have been much worse!!!    We do have to have our carpets cleaned though, from the police fingerprint dust..that crap is nasty!!!

So...I'm still around...although I have lots of research, receipt searching and phone calls to make...so if I'm not around for a few days or my posts are late...I apologize..... Life is getting in the way of scrapping right now, I'm guessing.  (although scrapping may be what keeps me sane)..  -- oh, they STOLE nothing from my scrap area...(too messy and intimidating to even get close too...lol!!!)

 

My son would not leave our side for the entire evening....can't say I blame him!
As I'm done and ready for bed, I realize that he's already in our bed....  it's going to be a long night!!!

BONGO BOY & BOYS WILL BE BOYS!!!

I've been doing so many challenges that are due around the same time, I'm going to have to double up in my blog posts....

So, here is Stuck on You Sketches sketch:

And my layout BONGO BOY

And at Sketches in Thyme :

VIEW from the BOAT

This week at SKETCHY THURSDAYS they have this sketch:

And my layout turned out like this:::

(San Francisco boat ride on the Bay...under the GG bridge, around Alcatraz...etc)

2 Dollie challenges!!

Two layouts for DESIGN DOLLIES challenges:

ELEMENTS challenge is a FRIENDSHIP layout in honor of Frienship day:


And SKETCH challenge:

This is my bff Erika & her family (our second family...really)...

FAKE? SMILE

The color challenge this week at DESIGN DOLLIES is Purple, Olive Green & Cream.  PURPLE.....NOOOOOO!!!!! 

Ok, so I looked over in my "recent" papers and found some MME papers I got in a recent SCRAPROOM kit...and I had this TOTALLY FAB sketch from SKETCH SAVVY sitting right in front of me...... well, one thing led to another ... I gotta be honest...I really like this one!!!    Love how challenges get me "out of my box"!!!

Design Team Posts!!!!

This week at Alphabet Challenge our letter is O --- O for OVALS.... now this is reasonably easy for a card...but I don't think I've EVER used OVALS on a layout...so after some fretting and lots of thought...I came up with this layout that I absolutely LOVE!!!!  (I'm allowed to love my own layouts right??)

And this week at FROSTED DESIGNS the challenge is CELEBRATE LIFE!!!  What a great and wide challenge!!!  I use these photos of Joseph playing tag with the waves of the Pacific Ocean...Celebrating Life and just being a boy!!!

TAAFOMFT - FAVE BAND???

The current challenge at My Favorite Things is your favorite BAND.....

Ok, so I have a "little thing you didn't know about me" moment.......

I'm NOT into music....  don't care, not musical, I listen to NPR (talk radio) in the car...TV at home.
(I will listen to Christian music if I listen to anything at all)

So.....this was a REAL CHALLENGE for me!!!!  So, the one musical thing that I enjoy is Kirtan (Chanting) ---   So there is a Grammy winning artist named Jai Uttal that I like and we go and see him every year when he comes to our local Yoga Studio.  He's really great and I use this time to worship ... God...my God, THE God, HE, HIM, My Savior.    The other part of this, which is quite ironic..is that my 6 year old son, Joseph, goes to the Kirtans with us (and has for 2 years now) and he LOVES music soooo much that he can sit there and stare at the drummer, singer....for OVER 2 hours and not get bored.....people are always amazed... ... the only problem is sometimes it gets past his bedtime and he gets tired...but he's still intrigued and on his best behavior!!!  (ok,,enough gushing...here's my layout)  -- (photo taken from Jai's website)

2 Layouts for SOUS

So, I've been lurking at Stuck on u Sketches for a while and finally got this sketch layout done.....only to find that I missed the deadline to get it posted on their site...so I'm sharing here anyway....

Because this weeks challenge is to do something SUMMER INSPIRED.....and I did a layout for that too....and I'm going to make the deadline this week!!!! 

So first is EXTREME SOAK (backyard w/Super Soakers).....

And then here is last week's sketch and my layout Our Little Star...