One Afternoon.....(use it#13)

Okay, I am sure many of you are like me, being way behind on scrapbooking. I have been spending so much time making cards (for the instant gratification it brings) that I forget about the boxes of photos waiting for me. First I have to sort, label, file, then scrap. Daunting task that I am not really up to.

The Use It! #12 challenge was a tough one- lots of things I don't typically use, but I decided to start using these blogs to catch up on scrapping. Well, I worked on this one last night for the #12, but didn't finish and now it is closed. I saw challenge#13 and realized that a few tweaks here and there would qualify this, so my final output is this single layout of my girls and I on sunny afternoon in the fall. Yes, I finally made it into a photo shot! Hubby is more alert to including me in the photos!

Each year we take a fall hike, enjoy the leaves changing color and doing lots of laughing! It really is a special time for us, one that keeps us connected, since they are really starting to spread their wings this year. Many friday nights have seen hubby and I going 2 different places doing drop offs or pick ups with the kids and not having our "friday family night." As I look back on this shot, I remember the hills, sliding down on our tushies because of the leaves, finding deer tracks, the smell of wet decay, the dam, skipping rocks in the water, finding ticks on us afterwards....all in a days play! Hubby tries to find that balance of not getting too girly and keeping us from getting to "tomboyish"- we are definitely HIS GIRLS!

supplies: CTMH choc and goldrush c/s. Misc chipboard letters- inked in honey and stamped with intrinsic background stamp, we are memory keepers paper.

#13 challenge: scraps- We are memory keepers paper from card projects, goldrush large scrap; bling- flowers and flourish rhinestones; die cut- used my cricut to cut out the 6" bracket; optional- use 4 patterened pieces of paper- stripes, flowers, distressed gold strip, 2 cardstock pieces. I think I managed to get this challenge right! Sketch #23 from Inspired Blueprints was used for the basis of this layout.

As I row my boat out today to finish my errands......yes, they are calling for up to 4" of rain today here in Pennsy and we are in a floodwatch. Enjoy the beginnings of a wonderful weekend (DH is coming home today from being on a business trip since Sunday...!)

Card #2, 2 Sketches 4 You 1st Annual Ultimate Card Showdown

2S4U is celebrating its first anniversary with the Ultimate showdown in cardmaking! This is my 2nd card of the event! I used Friendly Forest Collection of papers by Colorbok! What a fun card for a party or surprise party! I used American Crafts Ribbon, turned over for the plain green, prima flowers, button and cream waxy flax. Blue crystals for the eyes of the owl (he was actually on the corner of a piece of c/s in the paper pack that I just cut away to fit! CTMH cocoa c/s for matting. Inkadinkado for the sentiment and Sans alpha set for the PSSST......

Thanks for looking today!

1st Annual 2Sketches4You Ultimate Card Showdown

Well, I am throwing in my hat into the contest pool! This is the first year anniversary for this site and they are having the ultimate contest and the winnings are fantastic! 2Sketches4You does wonderful card sketches each week, this sketch was no exception, #27!

I actually used all CTMH papers, from the kit "Tickled Pink". The colors are baby pink, blush, hollyhock, crystal blue and sweet leaf. I took another picture to show all of the layers, which don't show
up in this photo. There are dots upon dots to raise the flowers!!!! The leaves are curled for added dimension. I stamped the flowers onto textured dimensional elements and popped out. I used one flower, our new crochet element and used a button for the flower middle.

Thanks for looking today!

I do remember, just not always when I should!

Ever have those kind of days? I have a book of months (like a perpetual calendar) that I write down birthdays for my friends, family, and customers. However, I don't always pull it out on the first of the month! So, I either get the birthday cards out VERY early or VERY late. I do remember, just may slip pass by the actual date. In my hubby's family, it is a given that you won't get your card before or even on your day- kind of a joke!

So, todays card is in remembrance of all of the people that I know had birthdays, but that I actually have forgotten to send out a card to. Happy Birthday!!!

The card sketch is from Midnight Madness SC4. Again, it was one of those cards that I really struggled with the middle image. I finally settled on the elephant, and came up with the saying afterwards. Like it when things work out that way! This card has many layers, all using 3d foam dots to raise up. Buttons are just stacked and attached with glue dots. The paper is from a misc matte stack, but all glittery! Watercolors for the elephant in blue and red. Really starting to like this technique.

If you click onto the photo, you can get a larger, clearer image....

Thanks for REMEMBERING to stop by!

Lions and Tigers, Oh My!

For Card Patterns Challenge #17, I created this cute Birthday Card for a little boy. Kris gave these cute mat packs papers to me and I just LOVED them! I knew right away the card that I wanted to make and it actually turned out the way that I imagined (not all of my cards do- LOL!) My baby has some jungle animal stamps that just worked perfectly with the papers.

For this card, I used a variety of techniques. I used watercolor pencils to color and shade the lion. I stamped the lion in autumn terracotta ink, colored with yellow, orange and choc pencils. I used the acrylic stamp set Adventure for the "grrr", but...inked the stamp in A/T ink, stamped off on a scrap paper, then stamped on my cardstock (which is textured). For the lion's head, I stamped him twice, colored once, cut his head out- he is popped with 3-d foam. I also have these great orange fibers that I wasn't sure what to do with, but used one of them for the main. Cut 1/2" pieces, folded in half, attached under the head with liquid glass (another great CTMH product!) More fibers on the card for the bow at the bottom.

All in all- love how it turned out and now need to find a boy to give it to! My nephew's birthday is approaching, though I think 12 is a bit too old....LOL!!

We are off for a double header of softball today, hubby away for a week, and a dirty house is calling my name! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

RAK and Card Patterns #16

I rec'd a RAK from my sister! How fun to open a piece of mail that isn't a BILL or JUNK! The other day KRISTEN posted this awesome card on her blog! I told her how beautiful and elaborate the details were on the card and that I had never used watercolors before. I guess be careful what you do ask for 'cause I got an piece of CS in the mail (with some other fab goodies- boy it is great to have a sister that shares a passion for a craft just like me, we send each other stuff all of the time!) Anywho...there I go again! So, I pulled out some pencils and using her tutorial, created this card. The only thing I would say: be careful of the other colors in the card! I just really noticed that the image is on white cardstock and my card is cream and the coordinating papers go well with cream. Oh well, lessoned learned. I even fussy cut the leaves outside of the image to give more dimension. How fun this was- I may have to try ordering some DIGI images now. Check out CARD PATTERNS blog, the sponsor is digishack and you could win some images!

Supplies: CTMH choc c/s, K&Co papers, watercolors, Swavorski crystals, olive organdy ribbon, scallop scissors.

Thanks for looking today!

Unscripted Sketches #07

More K&Co papers.....I am just about out of them, so this afternoon I plan to make a few more cards, toss the small scraps and call it a day! This is the 3rd post for today!

BR-T (a fellow consultant from CTMH) is one of the designers on this site. US#7 had the center piece a "flower" design, but the stripes on this paper is so "in your face" that a flower would not have worked so well. I have this new BIRD set from Mike's clearance section, I wanted to try it out. I stamped it first, then 2nd stamped on blue cardstock and cut it out. Added a sparkle for the eye for extra umph! I like how this turned out, but more importantly, I am creating a nice stockpile of cards for the teachers end of year gifts!

Have a great afternoon-