Weekly Challenge #23

Even though I'm not eligible to win any prizes this week, I'm still playing along with Scrapbook Steals mid-week mojo sketch.  I've been hanging on to these pics for several months, not sure what to do with them until now.  I had a lot of fun creating and coloring this week.  I struggled with how to do the title and then I had a brilliant idea.  I took chipboard letters and put them underneath my paper and rubbed over them with a crayon, just like we did with the leaves at the nature center.

I played around with different embellishments for a long time until I settled on these random leaves.  I used some silk leaves from my crafy collection and broke out my old stamps and embossed more leaves.  I even did some leaf rubbings using a fake leaf.  It's all kinda busy against the patterned leaf paper in the background, but by this point I was committed and didn't want to redo anything.  I did my journaling on chipboard and added some stitching to the frame using my Sew Easy.  Thanks for looking!

At last....I'm a winner!

I've been playing along with a weekly challenge at Scrapbook Steals and every week waiting to see if I'm chosen as the random winner.  This week (#22) I was finally chosen!  I can't wait to get my scrappy prize (even though I have no idea what it will be)!  Then, as I was still counting my random lucky stars, I check facebook and see that I was also chosen as the random winner of a contest I entered on the Glue Dots facebook page and I'm getting ANOTHER holiday prize package.  Can it be???? From weekly loser to random winner twice in the same day?  I seriously thought about stopping on my way home to buy some lottery tickets, just in case this lucky streak continued, but about that same time I  found out my precious little guy was home with the stomach flu.  Random luck comes to a screeching halt as I hurry home to comfort my little guy.  Even though tonight would be the perfect time to work on this week's Scrapbook steals project, I must put my scrappy obsession on the back burner.  At least I still have my priorities.  Is it wrong that I looked at my cute little guy sitting on the toilet with a bucket in his lap and wondered if this too could be scrapbooked??? Nah, some events just don't need to be recorded. 

Mid-Week Mojo Challenge #22

I am so glad that my friend Sarah told me about Scrapbook Steals.  Not only do they offer daily "steals" on super discounted products, but they challenge me weekly by giving me a new sketch to try out.  This week there were two sketches to try, and although I only had to do one, I decided to do both to increase my chances of winning. 
I started with this:

And made it my own:

For some reason, my pages are perfectly straight and level until I try to photograph them.  When I see them like this, I realize that photographing layouts is not my forte.  Oh well, you still get the gist of it.  Just rest assured that it's not as wonky in real life.

And since there were two challenges this week (with two chances to win something wonderfully scrappy) and since I just happened to be home with a horrible head cold, I went ahead and created a second  entry.  Rest assured, the nasal drip was contained long enough to complete this layout and I have sanitized my blog thoroughly, so none of you are at risk of catching this crud that has taken over my sinuses, my throat, and my nose.  I sound like a 90 year old chain smoking truck driver right now, but my craftiness must go on!

Here is the second sketch I had to work from:

And here is my version using a wonderful collection from Fancy Pants called Rusted Sun:

Thanks for lookin'!  And wonderful warm wishes for a wonderful Christmas season.  I'm hoping to get healthy enough to enjoy mine!

Imaginisce December challenge

I'm always up for a challenge.  Especially if it involves scrapbooking.  Having recently entered the "blog world" I am finding all kinds of inspiration. I came across a monthly challenge on the Imaginisce blog and I had to give it a try.  Here's what I came up with for my own version:

Now I just have to cross my fingers and wait to see if I can win the $75 prize package!  Who knew scrapbooking could be so suspenceful!

open up a can...

What a great way to give (or receive) a present!  I altered clean empty paint cans to make fun gift cans.  I started with empty unused cans that I bought at a discount from my friend's hardware store.  Then I added my favorite scrapbook paper using a layer of mod podge on the can and more on the paper.  Then I glued a ribbon or paper around the middle to hide my seams and decorated the lids.  Add ribbons to the handle and tie on a paint can key to open up the treasure.  Viola!  A gift can can be stuffed with soooo many things!  The quart size cans are perfect for gift cards or jewelry.  The possibilities for gallon sized cans are endless! 

I filled this can with my famous chocolate chip cookies and gave it as a gift to my son's teacher.  It's a great way to use up ribbon scraps.

My favorite thing about altered cans is combining fun prints and patterns and making them one of a kind.  I glued on a big silk flower and used some sequin ribbon for added bling.

They make great "masculine" gifts for our manly friends too.  I've customized them with sports themes, fishing themes, golf, etc.

Girly cans are great for shower presents.  Stuff them with baby goodies or make an adult version for a bachlorette party.  The possibilities are endless!!!

I made a snowman can by hand stitching a mouth and cutting a carrot nose out of felt.

I love to receive gift cards, but the little quart sized cans make giving them so much more fun.  I used plain red cardstock for Santa's suit, then cut white cotton batting for the trim and lid. I finished off with black velvet ribbon and a gold buckle punch for Santa's belt.  This would also be great filled with cocoa mix or tea or any kind of candy or snack mix. 

This week's challenge

I am hopelessly addicted to the Scrapbook Steals website.  They offer daily deals for discounted scrapbooking products.   Every Wednesday they post a sketch and challenge their followers to create their own version and post them to their website.  The following Monday they have a random drawing for some crafty prize.  I have yet to be selected as the random winner, but I faithfully enter every week and cross my fingers.  Because of this motivation, I'm scrapbooking more than ever.  This is my 21st entry and I was so excited to try my hand at a "girly" page featuring my beautiful niece.  I cannot complete a page without stitching something with my new Sew Easy stitch piercer that I stole from SS a few weeks back.  It is the bomb diggity! The paper is all from My Mind's Eye and it was just begging to be paired up for a super girly page. With a house full of boys, I seldom get to add "bling" to my pages.  I am covered in glitter, but I love it!

My inspiration

Here I go....

I've been a follower of many blogs and love the idea of sharing my crafty creations with other like-minded friends who appreciate creativity and craftiness.  The idea of having a blog is very intimidating, since I'm not at all technology savvy.  I'm going into this blindly and we'll see if I can figure out what I'm doing.  Here goes nothing.