MDS Monday - Downtown Grunge

Yep, this is my 3rd post this week for MDS Monday.  Obnoxious.  And a tad embarrassing.  But I had to make a few pages with another one of my favorite downloads.  This one I use all of the time.  Downtown Grunge.  My go to frames and background paper.  Love it.  And once again, I cheated and used the templates!!  This first page made me cry as I wrote the journaling.  My son just finished his freshman year.  How did that happen?!

And these next two made me giggle:

I'm still creating away using as many photobook template pages as I can!  I think I currently have 34 pages ready to print!  Woot!!

Thanks again to the MDS Monday gals for the inspiration!  Have a great weekend!

MDS Blog Hop - Oh Snap!

Hello friends!  Thanks for stopping by for our MDS Blog Hop!  Today we have a new designer joining us - Wendy Weixler!  We're excited to have her share her talents with us!!  For today's Blog Hop, we're showing you what we've been working on.  I've been trying to make a dent in the jpegs on my laptop!! The more layouts I can get done, the better!  And what better way than MDS?!

I found a couple of photos from a visit to the vet I wanted to scrapbook.  A trip to the vet with two 85 pound dogs is always interesting.  Thank goodness my boys are old enough to help me!  My dogs (Marley & Pepper) usually realize about 10 feet outside of the vet's front door where they are and come to an abrupt stop.  This leads to one of us pulling the leash and the other pushing from behind.  I'm sure it's quite entertaining for anyone watching us.  We still laugh about one trip in particular…  Carter was waiting in the car with Pepper while Evan and I brought Marley inside.  (Seriously, we've learned it has to be done in "shifts".)  There were tons of other dogs inside so we had to hold on to her real tightly so she didn't go near them.  While I was trying to hold Marley's leash and sign in, she got wrapped around Evan's legs.  You know how when the back of your knees get hit, you automatically buckle?  Yeah, next thing I knew, Evan was on the ground.  I looked down and noticed that I had written all across my chest with the pen I was using to "try" and sign in.  I was sweating from the stress of it all and crying because Evan and I were laughing so hard.  It really felt like we were living out an excerpt from the book, Marley & Me.  We finally got settled and looked around.  Not one person in the waiting area, smiled, laughed or reassured us in any way.  For some reason, that just made us laugh even more…  Well, I'm happy to say that we survived that trip to the vet and they've seemed to go a little smoother ever since.  I really wish I had photos to scrap from that adventure.  But, here's a layout from a recent visit - Marley looks so sweet and happy to be there, doesn't she?!  Hmm…...

MDS Downloads Used:

Hi There (DSP and Bubble Punch), Retro Fresh Pocket Cards (recolored to Strawberry Slush), Downtown Grunge (frames), Paw Parade, The Best Year, Tickets & Tags

I love using pink and green!  With two boys, using girly colors feels like a treat!  The colors from the "Hi There" download are soooo fun!!  And I loved the "Oh Snap" sentiment from the Retro Fresh Pocket Cards to go with this page.  Once I recolored it, it was perfect!

Don't forget to follow along with our Blog Hop and see what the other designers have been up to!  Next up is Beth Rush!  Click the link below to hop on over to her blog!

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out the CURRENT PROMOTIONS here!!

Reminders:

• The NEW catalog is here!!  Click here to view the pdf!
• Have you seen our current promotions?  Check them out here!!
• Get monthly craft kits to your door!  Sign up for The Paper Pumpkin here.
• Clearance Rack Blitz!  Shop the Clearance rack here!
• Try My Digital Studio Express for FREE!  Download a 30-day trial here.
• Follow me on Facebook!  Click here.
• Going digi?  Check out the latest My Digital Studio downloads here.

Scrapbook Resolutions

If you are hopping over to find my Let's Scrap Blog Hop Challenge, click here!!!

The Let's Scrap Blog Hop is in full swing!  The "resolution" theme has really got me thinking about my creative goals.  Scrapbooking will always be my first love.  I recently returned from my bi-annual girls' scrap weekend.  My family always wants to see the layouts I created when I get home.  I just love watching the boys go through our scrapbooks and reminisce about special moments in our lives.  That is the reason I began to scrapbook and will continue to do so!  It has since become my favorite hobby and my creative outlet.  I also love having such a wonderful group of friends that share this hobby with me.

I do have some scrappy resolutions for the new year and I'll share them with you.  (Or, feel free to scroll down to my layouts - lol!)

1. To continue to document our family's history through each layout I create.  To focus on both the important moments in our lives but also the little things that I never want to forget!
2. I'm setting a big goal of 104 layouts in 2011!  It sounds like a lot - but I know it's doable.  It averages out to a 2-page layout a week!  I have a little dry erase board in my "studio" where I tally each page.
3. Do more digital scrapbooking.  I recently purchased the digital scrapbooking software, My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up!  (For info on this click here.)  I really enjoy traditional scrapbooking, but with all of the photos I take, it's easy to get overwhelmed.  I'd like to do photobooks for the boys' sporting events and some of our family vacations.  Everything else, I will continue to do traditionally.  I'm also very excited about doing photobooks and calendars for gifts - so fun!
4. Finish my son's school scrapbook.  I've gotten a little behind (gasp) and want to complete it in time for his 5th grade graduation gift.  (sniff, sniff - they grow up so fast!)

Do you have any crafty resolutions or goals for this year?  Leave me a comment - I'd love to hear them!  Need some scrappy time to get inspired?  Join me for Chicks & Chocolate the last Friday of each month! We have tons of fun and actually get some projects done!  If you're new to scrapbooking or prefer to make cards, I'll have some kits available to purchase.  (Which makes it fast and easy!!)  

I've been enjoying the Let's Scrap Blog Hop and all of the wonderful layouts in the gallery.  I've actually done a couple of layouts myself that I want to share.  Most of you know that I've been a scrapbooker for a very long time and have become quite the collector (or hoarder as my dear friend might call it) over the years....  Well, I'm trying to use up some of my stash.  So, even though Stampin' Up! is now my very favorite, I will post an occasional layout without all Stampin' Up! products.  (another gasp!)

One of the challenges I completed was from Carolina - to make a layout or card without opening up new packs of anything!  That was easy for me since I have quite a few half-used kits lying around!  Here's my layout:

Isn't that a sweet face?   My son Evan LOVES to read - which make mama very happy!  :-)  I loved documenting this in a scrapbook page!

My next layout is for Betty Anne's challenge.  Her challenge was to scraplift a layout from the Let's Scrap gallery.  I chose to scraplift one of my favorite layouts from Jean Marmo.  Here's my layout:

I loved all of the layering and inking that Jean did on her layout - I tried to do the same on mine.  This is Evan and our sweet dog Marley.  She adores him and sleeps right next to his bed every night.  I was so tempted to title it "Marley & Me" but opted for "The Best Bud."  I am a firm believer that every boy needs a dog.  (Or maybe every dog needs a boy?!)

I also wanted  to say a big thank you to all of the wonderful comments this week!  I've received so many congratulations on making the Stampin' Celebration Design Team and compliments on my projects.  It really means a lot to me and makes me smile!  Thank you!!

Well, that's it for today.  Shew, what a long post.... thanks for listening to my ramblings and checking out my creations!  Stop back by tomorrow for my take on the new Let's Scrap card sketch!

Boys, Dogs, and Baseball, Oh My!

Uh yeah..... where did the Summer go?  There has been lots going on since the last time I posted.  The boys are back in school.... but guess what?  I'm not!  Woo hoo!  I am officially a SAHM again!  So excited to be here taking care of our home, and most importantly, devoting my time and energy to my family!  It was bittersweet turning in my notice at the boys' school but I know it was the right decision and I'm where I need to be!  :)

The boys' sports are in full swing right now.  We have spent many hours at the football field and baseball field.  I'm taking lots of photos - of course!  I did get a chance to sneak away for a girls' weekend last month.  I went to the Scrapbook Cabin with 10 of my girlfriends.  I love, love, love that place!  We always have a great time - lots of laughter and a little bit of scrapping!  I've also been training for the 3-Day walk.  It will be here before we know it!  Thank goodness I have some training buddies in my neighborhood because those 12-15 mile walks would get really boring without them!!

I'm happy to be continuing on as a Contributing Design Team Member over at Let's Scrap.  This past month I've been "lurking in the shadows" though as I've been so busy.  I really miss it and am anxious to get back to scrapping with Cheri's awesome sketches!  The new Design Team rocks so make sure and check out the gallery for lots of inspiration!!

Finally, I wanted to share a few of my recent layouts:

This is a layout of the boys trying out their new inline skates that Santa brought them last Christmas.  The paper, gears and little cardstock stickers are from a kit I purchased over at Simply Obsessed.  Fun, fun!

I just love how this layout came together!  This is a picture of our sweet girl Marley - AKA, the sock snatcher.  If we leave any socks on the floor, Marley will find them!  You'd think this would keep the boys from leaving their socks lying around, but it doesn't seem to work that way!!  The supplies for this layout are mostly from a Paper Studio kit I found at Hobby Lobby.  Love that store!

Here is a two-page layout I did based on a sketch over at Let's Scrap.  I love these pictures of my son playing his first season in kid-pitch.  I never think to enlarge photos so I love when I see sketches that make me do it!

That's all for now!  Hope everyone is having a great week!
Happy Scrapping!
:)

A Few New Layouts

Whoa.... where have I been?!  I've been home and I've been scrapping like crazy...  I guess it's about time I share some of my work!

Last week was my turn to host the Friday Challenge over at Let's Scrap.  This was my challenge:

My challenge for you is to scrapbook a layout about the everyday or the ordinary.  I'm leaving this open for your interpretation but some examples are: your everyday routines or schedules or ordinary things in your life (maybe it's something you do everyday, your favorite beverage or a pair of shoes, etc., etc.)

I came across some fun titles while I was thinking about this challenge and my layout. 
Here are some examples:

• Just an ordinary day
• This everyday, ordinary moment
• You take the ordinary moments and make them shine
• A life less ordinary
• Everyday life
• I love my ordinary life...
• Pieces of my everyday life
• Not your ordinary fairytale
• A day in the life of...
• I love these everyday moments
• There is no such thing as an ordinary day
• "Time stands still best in moments that look suspiciously like ordinary life."  ~Brian Andreas

I did a layout about my two boys and chose pictures from an ordinary day at home.  I just love how it turned out and probably wouldn't have scrapbooked these photos otherwise!  Here's mine:

I also did a two-page layout based on one of Cheri's sketches.  This layout is near and dear to my heart.  It is a tribute to our sweet little dog Pickles, that we had to put to sleep several years ago.  I've had these pictures for a long time and just haven't felt like scrapbooking them.  When I saw Cheri's sketch, I immediately thought of doing a layout of Pickles and including the Poem "Rainbow Bridge."  Here it is:

If you've ever lost a pet, then you've probably heard of the "Rainbow Bridge."  If not, click on the right page to see it larger and you should be able to read it.  Soooooo sweet!

Finally, I did a layout of Swim Team from last summer.  This is another fun sketch from Cheri over at Let's Scrap.  Here is my take on her sketch:

I had a hard time getting a good picture of this layout for some reason.... but hopefully you get the idea!  I'm glad I finally got these pictures done - since there's only two more weeks of this year's swim team - hee hee!

Tomorrow a new sketch will be posted at Let's Scrap, so make sure to stop by and check it out!
Happy Scrapping!!

My 1st Challenge at Let's Scrap!

I was so excited to post my first challenge over at Let's Scrap as a Design Team Member.  I hope you get to play along!!   My challenge (Challenge #49) is all about making your titles POP!  I feel like that is always the last thing I think about on my scrapbook pages and I often rush to get my title done.  I want to jazz mine up a little and thought this would be the perfect place to start!

So, here is your challenge:  Create a layout using one of our LS Sketches and add a little pizazz to your title!  You must choose at least FOUR of the following to use with your title:

1)  Use multiple colors on your title
2)  Replace a letter in the title with something else (such as a button, heart, ribbon, etc.)
3)  Use paint on your title
4)  Emboss your title
5)  Use stitching on your title
6)  Use bling on your title
7)  Use metal on your title
8)  Use punctuation mark(s) or number(s) in your title
9)  Use ribbon on your title
10) Distress your title (sand, ink, etc.)

My layout has a picture of my son and our sweet dog Pickles that we had to put to sleep a few years ago.  They were just hanging out in the backyard and looked soooo cute!  Here it is:

 And here's a close-up of the title.

Here's how I met the challenge and spiced up my title:
1)  I used multiple colors
2)  I used ribbon
3)  I used metal (brad)
4) I embossed the title (it's hard to see in photo - but "cute" is embossed)
5)  I used punctuation in my title.

You have until 11:59 pm "Let's Scrap Time" on May 13th to upload your layout to the Let's Scrap Gallery.  Make sure to tag your layout challenge49 plus the sketch you used.  (Example:  challenge49, 3-31-10)  I have a fun travel-themed scrapbook kit from Colorbok to give away to the lucky winner!

How do you like to jazz up your title?