BLOG HOP!

This is so great, as I have just seen some of the coolest stuff while participating in the Pink Ninja Addicts' Blog Hop! The ladies have created some awesome handmade goodies, along with a great kit (they just have the cutest kits!) Hop on over to their blog and hop along. It is a quick and easy way to not only have a shot at winning some great stuff, but also to follow some very talented ladies and see some really inspiring projects! So glad to be introduced to all of their blogs, I know I'll go there often (along with buying a kit or two from Pink Ninja Addicts!)

Happy hopping!

It must be a full moon.

The kids are OFF THE WALL. I am ready to TEAR MY HAIR OUT. So I guess I'll scrap all day LOL. I have to make some stuff anyway, there is a lady opening a shop that sells handmade goods, and she wants some samples. I figure I can turn out some pre-made layouts, picture frames, and maybe even a little album or two by Friday, right?

I am going to warm up with some challenges, but I thought I'd post this layout I did for a challenge over at sketches4all. It was a challenge from the lovely Cindy, and she wanted to see some paint on the layout. I obliged, using one of my favorite techniques from long ago, bubble wrap painting! Very easy to do, and you can make it neat or messy, whatever you feel the layout calls for. I start by choosing the size bubble I need, as I have a variety of bubble sizes to choose from :) (I just can't throw anything away LOL) You then apply the paint to the bubbles (I usually use a brush as dipping it directly in the paint tends to get paint into the spaces in between bubbles, making it hard to get the imprint of the circles on the paper) and use it as you would a rubber stamp. It's that easy! Green background paper: Karen Foster. EK Letter Press Aurora Flora Flowers flower paper. Ribbon: RAK from a friend in the Netherlands, the writing is foreign to me so I can't tell you where it's from LOL. Charm on ribbon: imaginisce Chantilly charm, Now and Forever collection Love Knots in antique silver.

More crafting shortly...for now it's off to clean the kitchen floor as *somebody* didn't finish their milk with breakfast, and now the cat has spilled it ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Is it too early for a glass of wine? LOL

What a crazy week!

I have been trying to escape to the craft room all week, but it's just not in the cards for some reason. It has been thunderstorm after thunderstorm, mixed with random tornado warnings (strange for NH) and haven't been online in what feels like forever. Add to that my potty training 2 year old who is just so close to being out of diapers and it's a recipe for disaster!

This morning I was of the frame of mind that it didn't matter what happened, I was going to find time to get in there. I got up early, took a shower before the kids woke up...or so I thought. My husband works 3rd shift, so he had just come to bed when I got out of it. I was glad to be up before everyone, usually I'm showering at naptime! Well, when I got out of the shower and was dressed, I opened the door to find my husband standing there, staring at me, with my son's favorite blankie over his shoulder. Of course, I ask what is going on, and he replies, "I don't know, I just opened my eyes and he was staring at me in our bed." Looks like Mr. Troublemaker (a.k.a. Patryk) has learned how to climb out of his crib. Well, there's the end of life as I know it! Luckily we have the toddler bed all ready to go in the basement, knowing this day would come, but I did have to go out and buy a new gate to put in his doorway as this is an old house, and the opening is smaller than standard doors are nowadays. Looks like I'll be spending a little extra time in the craft room now, which happens to be right outside his doorway...I don't trust that he won't knock the gate right over!

So I am hoping to have plenty of new posts with new creations, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed...wish me luck! :/

Busy little crafter!

I have been pleased to spend time in my craft room this week, it has allowed me to complete so many great challenges for a couple of sites I like to play at :) I can only squeeze it in during Patryk's naptime, but I'm still thankful I get any time at all! He used to be such a light sleeper, and as the craft room is next door to his room, every little cut I made with my paper trimmer seemed to rouse him from slumber! Forget pounding eyelets (which I find I'm not turning to as much lately...it's funny, they used to be on so many of my pages! I can't remember the last time I put an eyelet on a page!)

This first one is a card for a card challenge at sketches4all, and I love how it turned out! It is a card sketch challenge from one of our great DT members, Stacy H-W. She has some great challenges, go check them out! K&Co Roam paper pad for all of the squares, just used both sides of one sheet. Brown handmade paper purchased almost 10 years ago! Marcella by K fabric brad in the center of the diamond. Karen Foster Birthday Wishes sentiment.

I did this layout for a variety of sketch challenges. One was for distressing, another was a word challenge using the word "Happiness," and a color challenge using green, pink, and blue over at a great challenge site Colorful Creations. I based it off a sketch challenge at sketches4all, too! It's a Liz Qualman sketch, and it's just lovely! One of the other designers at the site did hers and included these gorgeous handstitched flourishes, so I had to scraplift it here. I thought they were just perfect! Papers are from my scrap stash. Ribbon flowers handmade by me (tutorial can be found at Colorful Creations, just look for the ribbon flower challenge), with blingy brads I got in the dollar section of Target. Title letters Colorbok glitter stickers. MM metal clips Expressions on paper strip with an added rhinestone. DMC #603 for hand stitched flourishes. All paper is sanded.

This next layout was done for a challenge at Colorful Creations entitled "Calling All Strippers" LOL Just love the name of that challenge! This was fun to do as I have sworn to use up a lot of my scrap paper stash, which is just sitting in an old Pampers box, full to the brim, waiting for me to add more. Problem is I can't add more until I use some up! There's no more room! This is just a simple paper only layout, with chipboard letters from We R Memory Keepers Teen Angst scrap pad (the rainbow paper strips are from the same pad.)

This card was made for the Scrap Girl of the Month card challenge over at sketches4all, a challenge to use pink and brown colors, 2 buttons, and a ribbon. Do you know how hard it is to use only 2 buttons? I think I pulled it off here (and as I have a 2nd birthday party to attend on Sunday, it was perfect!) The papers came from my scrap box, I believe the striped paper is AMM, from 5 or 6 years ago! MM Cosmo ribbon pink and brown pack. DCWV Quote Sticker Stack "little lady". Pinkpaislee cardstock alphabets expressions in chocolate for the "happy birthday" and the "2."

Lastly, this card was made for the Colorful Creations blog challenge, and I loved how it turned out! (Next time, however, I will make sure to cut the vellum apron accent rounded instead of straight across!) Papers are again all scraps.

More creating is in store today during my son's naptime, so watch for another post, and feel free to join up at either sketches4all or Colorful Creations. There is so much great inspiration in both places, each with a great team of designers to provide challenges to keep you scrapping, and new ideas to freshen up your pages! Have a scrappy day!

Out of glue?!?!

A scrapper's worst nightmare! In the middle of a layout, it happened to me. How sad, as I had just squeezed the last drops of color ink out of my printer to print a plethora of pictures destined for layout greatness, only to run out of glue in the middle of the creative process. Oh well, that just means I *have* to go to the craft store today. Oh no! Poor me! ;-)

I made this one yesterday, based on a sketch somewhere out there in internet land, but can't seem to find where it belongs so that I can show it off! Oh well, At least all of the other challenges I have in queue have been noted so that it does not happen again! This is my daughter on her fourth birthday. She requested "16 braids," but had the thinnest, finest hair, making it near impossible, add to that the fact that I am a HORRIBLE braider...they didn't come out all that great, but she was thrilled. I was only able to squeeze 13 on her tiny little head. The best part for her was when I took the braids out, and she had "curly hair just like my sister." Why is it us women always want the hair we'll never have?

For some reason, my scanner appears to be making any layout with 3d embellies crooked, I'm going to have to fix this, as I am a stickler for straightness! Hope you all have a scrappy day, I'm going to attempt some ribbon flowers today for a challenge over at a new site full of challenges, Colorful Creations. They look really easy to make, and imagine the possibilities...I'll not have to worry about going to the store to get the perfect color of flower for a layout, I can just dip into my extensive ribbon stash and make my own!

Happy 4th weekend, everyone!

Hope you all get to enjoy the 4th weekend...I'll be spending it at the softball field. It is certainly more exciting than this spring season was, I'll tell you that much! It makes a difference when you have a coach committed to teach the kids softball, and not one with his nose stuck in the playbook! I've never seen Rileigh so focused. She is not only making plays, but getting hits and scoring runs! Amazing!

Made this layout yesterday for a challenge over on sketches4all and boy, do I love the results! I'd picked up this paper a couple of months ago (during the regular season of softball), and was sooo glad when I finally got to sit down and play with it! What great colors! With any luck, I'll be up there in my little craft room cooling down in between games later this afternoon, and will get to play some more, we'll see! Hope you all have a great 4th of July weekend for me!

MM Scrapbook Stitches in Ice Blue and Yellow across middle green/red cardstock strip, Bo Bunny flowers with random glitter brad from my stash, Colorbok Chipboard Alphas in Natural, Miss Elizabeth's Vintage Typewriter alpha stickers, DCWV Doodles Rub On "FUN", and Recollections Summer Flower Flower Stripe background paper. Yellow cardstock is DCWV textured (I think my scanner window has to be cleaned LOL it never does my layouts justice!)

Sketch Crazy starts!

The site I design for, sketches4all, has started a great new way to push through your pile of pictures with the introduction of sketch crazy! I am excited to have completed the first challenge with the following layout, which means I earn a point towards the title of Scrappy Girl of the Month, and a chance closer to winning a prize package! Woo hoo! What a great motivation to scrap, huh? Each creation counts towards the big prize, and seeing as I am SOOOOO far behind since my son was born (my 8 year old daughter is turning 4 in the layout below), it will help to get my little tush into gear cranking out the layouts! It is the inaugural month, so I'm trying to stay ahead of the game ;)

Click on over to the site and join in the fun by signing up and scrappin' some sketches!