Working Through My Stash and Tales of De-cluttering….

Good afternoon! In December we decided it was time to turn our office/my craft space into a bedroom for Weston. This was great for him, not so great for us in some ways. We had to find a place outside of our home to office (we’ve officed out of the home for 10 years now!) and I had to give up having a dedicated craft space. In order to do this, I had to really go through and purge a lot of stuff and get back to the basics. That means having 2 closets that contain two Ikea Expedit 16 cube shelving units. I had to be able to close those doors and have everything crafty contained in there. Plus, I had to move my beloved stainless steel top desk out to the garage 😦 So now I work in his room in the corner on a folding table, which I have pretty much ruined with paints and ink already. OK, not ruined in my opinion, but maybe in someone else’s 🙂 This would also explain the fact that I rarely use my Silhouette Cameo I got for Christmas. For some reason it’s in my bedroom on the other side of the house. It wouldn’t fit in the closet.

The reason I tell you all this, is that I need to publicly acknowledge that I may have a hoarding problem. 🙂 I have kits going back almost 2 years full of cute papers, neat-o embellishments, stamps, stickers…you name it. Tons of really cute stuff that I just put in a box fully intending to use, but never got around to it. I did an honest evaluation of my stash and determined first of all that all of those paper stacks (you know…the K&Co, DCWV, etc. stuff you get at Hobby Lobby and Michael’s) needed to go. There was no way I was ever going to get through them all. Plus, I once had hours on end to mix and match and coordinate different products and manufacturers. I have since learned the beauty of buying stuff that is already pre-coordinated for me. It takes the guesswork out of having a really well designed and cohesive page.

So that brings me to the point of this post. I have recently purchased some new goodies like the Maggie Holmes stuff from my last post, but I am seriously working on getting layouts done using those old kits. I have picked through some of them, so I may have to mix in a few new goodies. 🙂

That said, please don’t judge when you see (gasp!) paper lines from 2010, 2011, and early 2012. 🙂 I think that good design can trump the use of older products, or at least that’s what I’m telling myself!!

Here are a few pages I have been working on. I continue to struggle with 2 page layouts, but sometimes they just have to be done.

So go ahead and dig through that stash, who knows what you’ll find!! Have a great week!

Challenge Me Happy 12.15

Good morning everyone. I would like to take a moment to offer my prayers and deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in yesterday’s tragedy in Newtown, CT. As I learned about what happened, I could not hold back my tears. I can’t imagine what those parents must be feeling today. I love my children so much, and even though they may drive me a little bit crazy I could not imagine living my life without them. So today I am holding them a little bit closer, having a little more patience, and thanking God that my babies are still with me. (even the big stinky teenage ones, because they will always be my babies no matter how old they are!) 🙂

This week’s challenge at Challenge Me Happy is a word challenge. We had to use the word “Little”. As some of you know, my Sophie is quite the little lady (or diva) and so with that in mind I created this layout of her in her fall school picture. (Photography by LifeTouch)



I’ve been working through my stash since I cleaned out everything and found this Farmhouse paper pack from Crate Paper. I totally forgot I had it! Now I am off to spend some time with my kids, feed them lunch, and enjoy the chaos. Right now Sophie is telling Weston that “he smells like a rotten tomato” and he is laughing his head off. I love these moments. Enjoy your time with your family today and make sure to tell them how much they mean to you 🙂

Guest Designer!

Good morning everyone! I was invited by my very talented friend Ashley as Guest Designer for her monthly Sketch It Out challenge over at Club CK. Ashley creates some really fun sketches and I always enjoy her challenges with the twist every month. This was the sketch that she sent me to work with:


And this was my take on the sketch:


Supplies used: Patterned paper, stickers, alphas, journaling card-Echo Park; Ink: Ranger; Tag: The Paper Studio; twine-unknown; Washi Tape: SEI; Tape: 7 Gypsies; Pen: American Crafts

Here is Ashley’s layout:



As you can see, a sketch can be interpreted in completely different ways! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Challenge Me Happy 10.1.12

Hi everyone! The weather here has turned somewhat fall and I’ve been busy today getting out my fall decor 🙂 I love this time of year, especially since we have such hot summers…the cooler weather is such a welcome change.

At Challenge Me Happy, our challenge was “Anything Goes!”. This is an opportunity to show off your personal best. Here is my DT layout, with my two little munchkins 🙂


Supplies used-Patterned paper: My Mind’s Eye (Follow Your Heart collection), Echo Park, unknown from stash; hexagon mask: Studio Calico; Spray mist: Tattered Angels; Banner: Heidi Swapp; Alphas: American Crafts; Pen: American Crafts

Link up your best work at Challenge Me Happy for a chance to win a box of goodies from My Little Shoebox!

Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday 9.28

Good morning everyone! I got to make this snappy, as my daughter is going to be in a parade this morning and we have to leave soon. I wanted to share with you my layout for this week’s challenge at Frosted Designs. Our challenge this week is to use embossing on your project. I bought a Cuttlebug several months ago with every intention of trying to use it, but I just hadn’t got around to it. I’m glad this challenge came up since it gave me the opportunity to see what this neat little machine can do!

Here is my layout:



And a close up of the embossing:


Supplies used-Patterned paper, stickers: Echo Park; Pen: K&Co; Rub Ons: Pink Paislee; Alphas: StickO (I think!)

Be sure to link up your embossing project to Frosted Designs for the chance to win a beautiful kit from My Little Shoebox!

Club CK Happenings

This week has been a busy one for me over at Club Creating Keepsakes. It started off when I was notified that two of my recent layouts were chosen as Gallery Highlights. You can view them here. I really loved those layouts!!

In other CK news, I have to post my Issue Challenge entries for the last 3 challenges. I got a little behind with this! So, this challenge (#2)was to use a camera embellishment on the layout. I had these photos of Macie sitting on my desk and they almost got lost in the mess there. Luckily, I found them and was able to get her first day of school layout completed using Amy Tangerine’s Sketchbook papers.


Supplies used-Patterned paper, die cuts, sticker,alphas, fabric tags: American Crafts; Pen: K&Co; Cardstock: DCWV

Next up is Issue Challenge #3-to use numbers on your layout. As most of you know, I have a huge family. 🙂 Every time we are all together and go eat it’s always “Party of 7?!” We are a big, loud, fun (mostly LOL) family. My oldest daughter always laughs when she comes home from college because it’s “so loud and crazy” at home! I think she’s gotten way too used to the silence of her dorm, so we make sure to give her a good dose of crazy when she comes home :). Anyway, here is my layout that I am putting in MY book, with a little note about our chaos (once again using those Amy Tangerine Sketchbook papers) Journaling reads: “So we have a big family…but you know what? I wouldn’t change a thing! We all get along for the most part. I couldn’t imagine my life without the chaos we endure every day. That is what makes a house a home and our family unique. We will always have each other-I love my big family:)”:


Supplies used-Patterned paper, fabric tag, alphas, sticker: American Crafts; Punch: Creative Memories; Pen: K&Co; stickers: Recollections

Issue Challenge #4 has us using paper airplanes on a layout. The night before this challenge came out I had been working on a project, and it was almost done, but I felt like it needed a little something else. When I saw the challenge I knew it was the exact thing I needed to add. So I did. It’s not a traditional layout. I am using Heidi Swapp’s memory files to document our summer vacation. I plan on doing another separate post on that fabulous-ness when I am done with my project :).


Supplies used-Heidi Swapp Memory File folders, trims, and banner; Washi Tape: K&Co, 7 Gypsies; Sticker: Crate Paper; Punch: Fiskars; Pen: Pitt; Font: MS Courier New; Spray Mist: Smooch; Stencil: Crafters Workshop

And there you have it! Sorry about the long post, but I needed to get caught up 🙂 Stay tuned later this week for my Frosted Designs DT reveal and Challenge Me Happy DT reveal….

Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday 9.14

Hi everyone! Well this Friday marks my return to the DT of Frosted Designs. Yay! After Weston was born things got a little hectic, so I took a little time to get back on track. It’s so nice that the kids are back in school and we are on a routine again. This means a little extra scrappy time for me while Mr. Baby is napping 🙂

This week’s challenge involves using journal cards. I had these mini cards that came in the pack of Amy Tangerine’s Sketchbook die cuts. I used them in the little cluster next to the picture, and actually did my journaling on one of them.

Supplies used-Patterned paper: American Crafts; Die cuts and journal tags: American Crafts; Washi tape: K&Co, Up and Up, Spray Ink: Mister Huey; Stickers: StickO; Pen: American Crafts

If you would like to participate in this week’s challenge at Frosted Designs, simply create a layout or project using journal tags and link it up on their site for a chance to win a prize. I can’t wait to see your creations!

P.S.-I also would like to take a moment to congratulate my oldest daughter, Ashley. Today she is receiving her Aggie Ring (from Texas A&M). She will be graduating this spring with a major in Animal Science. I am so proud of her!! Be on the lookout for a layout about this momentous occasion soon 🙂 Have a great weekend!

Challenge Layout Catch Up!

How do y’all like my new blog design? I’ve been hard at work giving the page a little makeover!

I know I am not the only mom out there who is excited that school has resumed, right? 🙂 With all of the kids (but one) back in school I have been on a scrappy roll lately! I just wanted to do a quick post to show a few layouts that were done for a couple of Issue Challenges over at Club CK. I’ve been busy keeping up with those, as well as getting ahead on my DT work for Frosted Designs and Challenge Me Happy. I am looking forward to beginning my new terms with these great challenge blogs. Here is some of my latest work that I can show right now:

Issue Challenge–to use mini envelopes:

Supplies used-Patterned paper: Little Yellow Bicycle, Punch: Recollections, Pen: American Crafts


Issue Challenge-use outlining at least twice in your layout. This layout is a scraplift of a layout by Dina Wakley called “Glimpse” from Somerset Memories. It’s not an exact scraplift, but I like to give credit where it’s due! I love her work!


Supplies used-Cardstock: DCWV, Paint: Ranger, Stencil: Unknown & Studio Calico, Spray Mist: ARTC, Dylusions, Punch: EK Success, Recollections, Pen: American Crafts, Washi Tape: SEI, Stamps: Studio G


Supplies used-Patterned paper-Studio Calico, Crate Paper, Brads-The Paper Studio, Letters: American Crafts, Punch: Fiskars, Creative Memories, Frame: Heidi Swapp, Pen: American Crafts

And finally September’s Sketch It Out Challenge entry. I love Ashley’s sketches. Check out her blog and look at her adorable layouts. Here is my layout for her sketch:

Supplies used-Patterned paper and flags: Heidi Swapp, Pen: American Crafts, Punch: Fiskars, Letters: American Crafts, Cardstock: DCWV

Stay tuned next week for my Frosted Designs Team 1 reveal for the new term!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Quick Post with Challenge Layouts for this week

Just stopping in quickly to share my layout this week. My first layout is doing double duty. It is for the Issue Challenge at Club CK (use a clock) as well as Let’s Get Sketchy. I loved their sketch this week! This layout was also kind of a personal challenge to myself to use up old stuff in my stash. I’m really making an effort to do this more often. I have an obscene amount of paper LOL

Supplies used: Patterned paper-unknown from stash, maybe Basic Grey? and Paper Studio from Hobby Lobby; Stickers: unknown from stash, K& Co.; Alphas: American Crafts; Washi Tape-Queen and Company; Punch: Recollections

The second layout I want to share is for Scrapfit’s Workout #74, a sketch from Diana. This was a pretty simple sketch and wanted to keep my layout that way as well.

Supplies used: Patterned paper-American Crafts; Washi Tape-K&Co; Pen-American Crafts; Punch: EK Success; Mist: Dylusions; Alphas: American Crafts

Enjoy your weekend! I will be back soon with some exciting news….. 🙂

I Love Challenges

This week I was able to knock out three…count em…THREE layouts!! Yay! All of these were done for various challenges. The thing I really love about challenges is that:

1. They encourage me to try new things
2. They help me get motivated to scrap all of these photos that are sitting on my computer
3. They’re just plain fun 🙂

I’ve met some very sweet and talented people through these challenges. Especially with Erika’s Issue Challenge at Club CK. Not only is Erika a very talented scrapper, she is one of the nicest people I’ve never met. I say that because we haven’t met in person, but have known each other online for the past 2 years. Every week she takes the time out to really analyze and critique each person’s layout that played along with the challenge. I can not imagine how much time this must take, but her positive and caring words each week mean a lot to everyone who participates. With that said, here is my layout for her challenge this week–Use Hexagons. I love hexagons. Yes, they are trendy and are everywhere in scrapbooking right now. Do I care? Nope. Still love them!! 🙂

Supplies: Patterned Paper-My Mind’s Eye, Ephemera-K&Co, Carstock-DCWV; Letters-American Crafts

My next layout is for Warm Up #30 at Scrapfit (Doodling) and also for this week’s “thought” at *Thinking Through Design*. Their thought this week was on the use of chevrons in scrapbooking. Another trend that is hot right now that I love. It’s such so bold that I feel comfortable using it in smaller doses, like I did in this layout. This is not to say that at some point I might not use more of it, especially after getting so much new product! Not only did I use the gorgeous Amy Tangerine Sketchbook papers (that I FINALLY got!), but I did a little bit of my own personal doodling. Do you see it? 🙂

Supplies: Patterned paper, stickers, letters-American Crafts, Pen-Zig, Circle Cutter-Creative Memories, Cardstock-DCWV, Punch-Fiskars

This layout is for this weeks’s sketch over at Let’s Get Sketchy. I haven’t played along with them in a while, but I loved this sketch and thought it worked well with these pics. I did another layout previously with the same pics using different papers. This one is for my youngest daughter’s book. I wanted both of them to have a page documenting this special memory. This layout features the new Everyday Eclectic collection from Echo Park. Love those papers!!

Supplies: Patterned paper, stickers, letters-Echo Park, Cardstock-DCWV, Font-Ariel, Doilies-Wilton

As I was writing this post, I realized I had also done this layout just for fun. It’s Macie’s Easter layout using an old sketch from Creating Keepsakes Fast Pages with 4 x 6 Photos (an oldie but goodie):

Whew! Sorry for the long post. I’m also working on a post for my new art journaling blog so make sure to swing by and check it out tomorrow! I’d love to see you there as well 🙂 Take care, friends!!