B.

My layouts were featured on the Scrapbook Circle blog this past week in the Take 2 feature:

This was my original layout I made a few years ago--I loved it then and still like it a bunch.  I think it was because of the photo or the paper...I don't know I just LOVE it.  ANYWAY, here is my redo of the layout:

I took this picture on Mother's day of my brother and his family--I knew I had to scrap it...I added a little fun touch with this border.  I wanted to add the same color but a little darker (it was also included in the cardstock add on) I misted it with the gold mist by color shine-it coats it SO well.  With the paper being wet it was flexible I folded it then let it dry after it was dry I sewed it down to the page.

 

 My maiden name starts with a B so I added that to the top--super fun letter by the way.  All this wonderful product was found in the Let's Go on Adventure kit.  I really enjoyed this challenge--thanks for the visit today!

threeD.

wow, sorry blogger friends, it's been almost a week since I've posted last we have been BUSY, school projects, homework, soccer practices, and soccer tournaments...It's ALL good and fun and I totally ENJOY being with my family!  Speaking of which this layout was up on the Scrapbook Circle blog last week (there is a GIVEAWAY too!)--the challenge for this layout was "What I did on my summer vacation."  We got to experience our very first 3-D movie Iron Man 3 it was SO much fun!  My parents (who live near by )and my Aunt & Uncle (who were visiting from out of town came)

I think I love this layout because it came together rather quickly.  I tried an "experiment" and it worked, this was what it looked like:

I wanted to have the same color paper on the letter as the the cardstock on the background-I also couldn't decide which lettering to use.  After cutting the letters I covered it up on the front side with my base paper.  FUN stuff and a fun way to make my paper work for me.

Here is the obligatory closeups:

 

 Well, I'm off and running AGAIN--this time for LAUNDRY!  Thanks for the visit!

thought for the day.

Wanted to share a quote that came to my inbox yesterday:

"It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life's story will develop."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

birthday boy.

little truth pill, these pictures in color were not very good at all...Black and white they are FABULOUS--thank goodness I had an option! ;)  This particular layout was featured on the American Crafts blog yesterday:

 I had fun using my silhouette the circle background and lined cuts underneath the photo--challenged myself to use a few different cuts on a layout.
here are some closer ups:

 I used a mix of the Yes, Please line and the thickers are from The girl line as well....LOVE when I can mix product to make something fun!  Thanks for the visit today!!

happy birthday.

I wanted to share with you one of my items up on the American Crafts blog today:

I don't know if I have said lately but I LOVE the Soho Garden line--seriously one of my FAVORITES!!  This is going to be a QUICK one today, I've got kiddos coming home early from school and I'm working on some STUFF! ;)  Thanks for the visit!!

best birthday ever!

disclaimer: This post is part of a paid campaign with American Crafts, but all opinions are my own.

It's been a while since I've posted about Project Life, I'm still participating and I'm enjoying it SO much more now than when I started.  This is my third year with Project Life and I LOVE it!!  HERE is an example of one of my posts regarding Project Life. (to view some of my other posts just click on the link on the bottom of this post!)
I feel like I have found my groove in how I want to document my family's life and the stories that happen daily or weekly.  My kids and husband are much more involved with the process as well, taking pictures and wanting to save certain memorabilia.  They have caught the vision that project life is a super simple approach to scrapbooking, my boys have even helped me "assemble" a week as you don't need scissors or glue or any other tool!  I think my favorite part of Project life is that it is a back to basics way of memory keeping for my family.  I don't have to sew or add any extras if I don't want to (like I would normally do on a scrapbook page), I can keep it simple and it is STILL very meaningful.  I have shared my enthusiasm with a lot of my friends some of which have never ever scrapbooked, they LOVE the idea of preserving their own memories easily!
I am really excited for all of the new released core kits AND that I can go to Michael's to purchase them!  I really like that, because now I can really see with my own eyes what the colors are.  Michael's happens to carry one of the largest selections including two EXCLUSIVE core kits.  I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Dear Lizzy 5th and Frolic Core Kit.  It has a distressed feel to it, it also has a mix of light blues, pinks, greens, yellows and airy neutrals. AND has very CUTE icons that include birds, trees, foxes, houses, keys and clipboards.  I wanted to see how I could use my kit on a two page layout.

  Here is a closeup of the left side:

 Here is a closer up of the right side:

 Can you see where I used the cards?  There are three that are obvious (the journaling part has two then underneath the picture is one.)  I fell in LOVE with the yellow polka dot and wanted to work that onto the layout somehow--what better way to do that than by mimicking the butterfly on my niece's shirt?
 Here is a closeup:

 

I had a previous cut out mask of butterflies that I traced on the back of my card then hand cut the butterfly out and popped it up with pop dots.

I then punched with my circle punch out of four other cards to get this affect along top border:

As you can tell I feel very passionate about Project Life--it's FUN, EASY, and SO worth the effort.  I love when my kids pull out the books and remember the things that we have done.

Thanks SO much for stopping by and letting me share with you today, make it a good one!

happy day.

Today on the Scrapbook Circle blog this sketch went live:

I played along too--flipped a little and made it my own--really I had the sketch as inspiration!

Yes, Ella dog is 4--she really did like wearing the crown--she is such a ham!

 a few closeups:

 I wanted to mention there is a TOTALLY cool giveaway if you win!  This SWEET camera strap by Bluebird Chic:

 

All the details are found HERE on the Scrapbook Circle blog.  Thanks for the visit today!

steilacoom, wa.

I wanted to share with you my other layout I made for the American Crafts gallery this month.  It all started out with this wonderful newsprint paper from the Soho Garden collection.  I just happened to feel inspired to play with my water colors, colored pencils, and gelatos--as you can tell I went to town--SO therapeutic and FUN!  I knew that I would cover up most of the page with pictures but this paper was one of my FAVORITES out of the collection and I wanted to do something special with it.

Here is my page:

 this little town is where my mom grew up, where my grandma lived, and where I spent some FANTASTIC summers.  It's a town of special memories for me, about 3 years ago we were there for a memorial service for my aunt.  I took the time to walk the town with my camera and take pictures of the things that were beautiful or special to me.  I ended up printing each of these pictures at a 2" x 3" so that they would all fit.  I wasn't sure how I was going to make this layout but it came together and I am VERY pleased with it!
closeup of the title:

 little flower closeup:

thanks for the visit today, hoping your day is FANTASTIC!!

Swim.

So life has been a bit busy in preparation for school to start, back to school shopping, doctor's visits, dentist visits...anyway, I have a layout to share that was up on the Scrapbook Circle blog on Sunday:

I used the new Let's Go on an Adventure kit, it's full of SO many WONDERFUL embellishments and papers--LOVED working with it.  There is one paper by Crate Paper from the Pier line that really caught my eye and I knew that I had to fussy cut it.  I sketched my idea out and this page is pretty close to what I had imagined.
This is the paper:

I first looked at it and fell in love with the hexagon shapes, little did I know that they were umbrellas!  Either way the colors and shapes are just AWESOME!

 closeup of the umbrellas:

Thanks for the quick visit today!  I decided to do some first day of school pictures today for my older two so we aren't so rushed in the morning..they are MUCH more willing today and actually HAPPY to comply--it's like a Christmas miracle! ;)

cotton candy.

I wanted to share one of my layouts that is up in the gallery on the American Crafts site.  There is a ton of different inspiration in that wonderful area from all the design team members--seriously GO check it out!

For this particular layout I wanted to just mix and have fun with product there are things from at least 4 or 5 different lines.  I haven't done that before really on a page for American Crafts so it was a blast just playing and creating.  I'm SO loving the look of gesso and mist, easy quick affect.

oh, I forgot the mention the orange border is actually the leftovers from another project that will be coming to you later this month.  See, I was using everything! ;)
This picture was taken at the annual cotton candy party held by some friends of ours--EVERYONE is invited to come and eat as much cotton candy as they want!  My kids love it!  My youngest ALWAYS seems to out eat everyone with like 2 or three, I can just barely finish one!
Thanks SO much for the visit today--hope your day is GREAT!