*breathe*

I am so glad for the holiday chaos to be over.  If feels like ever since Halloween, life has spun out of my control.  However, it is OVER.  Really.  I'm soooo thrilled.  I was able to get two layouts done JUST. FOR. ME.  Amazing, I know.

I started out with this awesome page done using the current Scraptastic January kit, Button Box (well, one of the two kits for this month.)  It features this awesomeness known as October Afternoon Farmhouse, and I love the old-fashioned prints of the paper and all of the elements associated with it.  Like, really love.

 OA Farmhouse patterned papers (Guest Room, Church Social, Phonograph, Button Box, and Clothesline) punched with my CM square punch to create the blocking above and below the photo.  I used my EK edge punch for the dotted piece (although in hindsight, I wish I had used a plain piece of cardstock where the punches would stand out a little more.  The dots make the pattern of the punch get lost!)  Studio Calico chipboard alpha (front), Webster's Pages alpha (2), and My Mind's Eye Fine & Dandy alpha (teeth).  I used the OA butterfly sticker in the upper right corner, stitching messily with gold thread, and ending with a spatter of OA Sprinkler in Robot Blue.

 I love how the Clothesline paper has these fun banners to use.  This is my second layout in a week featuring this fun paper, and I still have a few strips of banner left to fussy-cut!  Love the stitching.

 I used these fun punched butterflies from the kit and bent their wings up slightly, adhering them with Eco Green Crafts Green Glue (awesomely eco-friendly).  Some of those buttons (like the fun, ornate wooden ones) were from the kit, while others were taken from my stash.  I have so many, and often forget to use them!

 Love these patterns (and that pic!)

Here's another for Rileigh's album.  I forced myself to go through my collection of papers and choose something I'd had for a while (which I think I'm going to have to do more often!)

 Sassafrass Lass Sweetly Smitten paper and stickers (border underneath photo, journal box, heart.)  See the upper right corner, where the word "happy" is?  I fussy-cut the patterned paper to make it appear to be a piece of tape holding the photo on.  Cool, right?  I had taken more close-ups in the fading light, but they came out blurry  :(  Oh well, you can see them pretty well in this first pic.  MM Moroccan Metal Label Holder (love the glitter!).  MM Vintage Findings Mini Fall Kit for the shiny flower/leaf up above the photo next to the "happy" sticker in the right corner, accented in Stickles (Tumbled Glass).  Balzar Designs stencil for the honeycomb design next to the pic, rubbed with pink ink...there was black ink left behind on the stencil, still wet, and I knew it would make for a great color combo.  So great in person.  SEI Dill Blossom alpha "total," Glitz Teeny Alpha in aqua for "{cute}ness."

 See that awesome metal frame?  I adhered a piece of Scenic Route Garland - Howard Road paper behind it to make the "adorable" sticker stand out.  More Stickles, and a button with Stickles in the center in the middle of the heart.

There they are :)  I got a couple of Valentine's cards in the store, head on over and check them out.  I am also *finally* putting the family-themed CD tin album in there as well...took me long enough!!  I hope you all had a great day, off to fold more laundry and take the tree down.

xx
Khristen