Kai and Mylan's Valentine Cards

I'm going to be out of town next week so thought I would get my Valentine cards finished for the grandkids, because when I get back I'll have to get the candy treats ready to mail to them in Texas so they have it by Valentines Day.    I saw this sketch at "Sketch -N- Scrap" and knew it would be perfect for Valentine cards.    I'm also in a weekly challenge to make cards from prompts in two different yahoo. groups.   They are both for Valentine cards, one was only to use cream, black and pink on the card and the other was to only use black, white and red.   I decided to personalize the cards a bit and handwrite the sentiment.    Check out the details for this January challenge at
"Sketch -N- Scrap"  HERE  and see below for the sketch.

Crab Legs

We made a last minute run late morning of Christmas Eve for just a couple of items and they announced they had King Crab Legs on sale so Jason and Susan went back a bought enough for us the have them for lunch that day.   We already had all the ingredients to make tacos and fajitas for dinner that night so we definitely didn't go hungry on Christmas Eve.

For this layout I used the new double page sketch at "Scrap Much?!"   The first layout for the month is always a double page sketch so be sure and check it  HERE.

 I hope to see lots of you entering the challenges at "Scrap Much?!" this coming month, there is a new sketch every Friday and I can promise you they are all great.   So get ready to start scrapping.
And here is this sketch to start you off.

Waiting With A Calm Groom

Surprise, surprise, I'm still making wedding layouts.   I was looking through the album and I had a couple of layouts of Leslie in the area where the bride was to wait, but I didn't have anything of Jason waiting.   So I found these candid pics of Jason before the ceremony began, on the left side, with his best man and then visiting with his mother.  Then on the right side a couple of pictures just visiting with some of the guests and then right before the ceremony standing and getting last minute tie adjustments from his best man with the minister looking on and ready for the ceremony to start.

I really enjoyed working with the great new sketch just out at "Let's Scrap"  I really liked the layout of this sketch and I knew I had some great diecut paper that I could cut in half and use on the left and right side of the pages.   Then I just had to find other papers to go with it that would bring out the silver in the design.

You can see the sketch below and check all the details HERE  for Sketch #1-28-15 at "Let's Sketch", Plus read about the great sponsor they have for this sketch, Club Scrap. They have a great
prize with their latest Constellation collection.

With This Ring

Todays challenge at "Lasting Memories" is #226 and its anything goes with the month long theme of 'Life's Moments'    I've been busy the last few days doing more wedding layouts from my daughters May wedding.    She has seen a lot of what I have made but I'm trying to fill in and get every part of the wedding and reception covered because I am going to spend a full day with her in a couple of weeks and I want to take the album to them to look at again.     I couldn't believe I hadn't made a layout of them exchanging rings.   The photographer (in my opinion) didn't do a good job on some of the key ceremony pics but he did get this top one and then one of their friends got this close up of Leslie putting on Jason's ring and posted it on Facebook so I thrilled to have it.

There is also another challenge I will be entering this layout in.   "Scrapping 4 Fun" has challenge #34 posted  and its 'All About Love'  You can make anything that has something to do with love, a card, a layout, mixed media, it can be Valentine or Wedding theme like I did or just so its all about love.  

And a sidenote.   The photo of the layout didn't turn out as well as I would have hoped with the chine of some of the background paper and the the tile embellie.   I had add the clear quote square to the layout and just love that, but still felt like it needed something else, so I had this gold leaf and it wasn't standing out enough against the gold words on the paper so I matted it in black,   To go opposite of my title.   It was just a diecut and I put it on black and then matted it in gold.   But I digress, the picture of the completed layout I feel makes the leaf look like a banana and I promise in real life you can see its a leaf.   :)

So be sure and go check out the last challenge of the month  HERE  at "Lasting Memories."   You still have till the end of the month to do any of the challenges.

To check out the bi-weekly challenge at "Scrapping 4 Fun" just click  HERE.

HO HO HO

Love catching up on my Christmas layout and I get to use this one in two challenges.   Always great when that happens.

First off I found the challenge at "Bitten by the Bug" and used my cricut to cut my letters and make my layout title  'HO HO HO' .    I  had some pictures of my Grandson writing his letter to Santa on Christmas eve and knew I would pick from those to use with the title, just wasn't sure if I would find a sketch or just do something myself.    So I started looking at some other challenges and found the perfect sketch challenge posted at "Let's Get Sketch"  so then I looked thru my stash of Christmas papers and started to work.    I got it all put together but still wanted to add an embellishment so found this Santa brad and that was just the little extra I wanted.

You can see the sketch below and then check out all the challenge details.

"Let's Get Sketchy"

"Bitten by the Bug"

Merry Christmas 2014

Last year I think I had 20 plus Christmas layouts.   I'm thinking this year I might be lucky to get half of that.   I just didn't get as many pictures this year.     But I still have more to scrap.
I saw this sketch #98 at "My Scraps and More" on Friday and knew I would use it for a Christmas layout.   So today I started looking on my computer for what pics I could use and was thrilled to find these 3 in a row of my granddaughter Mylan.    We opened out stocking gifts first and the kids had Santa gifts and then we all had breakfast before we came out to open all the rest of the gifts.
Dylan found this one big one under the tree so she pulled it out to open first.   I have no idea why she was laying on it in the one picture unless she had decided it was to heavy to carry anymore.
I honestly don't remember what was in it for her but I love this series of pictures.

You can see the sketch below and then click  HERE  to see all the details of this challenge at
"My Scraps and More" 

Dylan and Grandma

We took a road trip to Orlando in October to meet our new granddaughter Dylan Macie.  
I spent as much time as I could just holding her,  there is nothing better than holding a baby.
She was born June 10th so we waited 5 months till everything calmed down before we planned
our trip there.   It was perfect timing.

For this layout I used the January 15th sketch at "Stuck?!Sketches"   I really liked the look of it and the chance to mix some different patterns, plus got to get into my doily stash too.    I just pulled out my 'baby' drawer of goodies and started pulling out papers to use and then found my embellishments there too, with the exception of the flower, it was in my fabric flower stash.    Then of course if you know my style, I usually mat all my papers.  I decided to go with another shade of pink card stock for the picture instead of the black I did on everything else.

There is also another January challenge going on at "Lasting Memories".   They have a new challenge every week and you have till the end of them month to enter.    The Jan. 11th challenge is #224 "Captured Moments' and I think this layout works perfectly as this was the first time I got to hold our new Granddaughter.   Such a special time.

So check out the details for the challenge  HERE  for "Lasting Memories"

So take a look at the sketch I used below and the go  HERE  to see all the details of the challenge at
"Stuck?!Sketches.

Happy 3rd Birthday

Our granddaughter had her 3rd birthday party last weekend.    They live in Orlando so we couldn't be there, but I had been saving the picture invitation that they sent out a couple of weeks before knowing that I would get some Facebook pictures after the party.

The challenge going on now at "Scrapping 4 Fun" is challenge #33 - Happy Birthday.
You can make anything you want birthday related, a card, a layout, or any other project.
Be sure and check out the details  HERE.

Cherish

I'm so glad I got this picture.   Caught my new son-in-law picking up my daughter, his wife of 7 months, picking her up at Christmas time and just swinging her around.    They were just smiling so big and happy I just had to scrap it.

I used the new Jan. 16th sketch at "ShopScrapMuch" I really like the look of this sketch and it's different than anything I've used for awhile.    I hope you will join in the challenge too.
You can see the sketch below and check out all the details HERE.

Puppies

I have been out of town and haven't scrapped in a week.   I was so glad to get home today and see the new sketch at "Sketches in Thyme"   I loved it and knew I wanted to use it right away.
So I looked thru some recent pictures looking for the right one to use.    I found this one just a few weeks old of my daughter and son-in-law and their two new puppies.    The one on Leslie's lap is Malcolm, and they just adopted him a few weeks ago from the humane society after they moved back to Missouri, and Chopper that is on Jason's lap they adopted this summer while they were living in DC.  Chopper is now a year old and Malcolm is 15 months old.     They are such loving pups.

Now who couldn't look at this picture and see the "Simple Pleasure" these puppies are going to bring to their furry parents Jason and Leslie.   I know it makes me smile. So with that being said, I'm going to enter this layout also at "Lasting Memories" for their challenge #223 Simple Pleasures.

You can check out the details of the "Lasting Memories" challenge HERE and see what the DT has created to inspire you.

You can see the great sketch # 138 at "Sketches in Thyme" sketch below and check out the details  HERE.

Chappell's

This is what I call fast scrapping.     We stopped for lunch today after working in the morning at this sports bar and museum.   I took these 3 pictures and then when I was looking for challenges this afternoon I saw the week 1 sketch at "Let's Get Sketchy" and it was perfect for my pictures.

I probably hadn't stopped at Chappell's in 15 years now so it was fun to go back again and see all the fantastic sports memorabilia they have here.    Where we sat the ceiling was covered in old college pennants an then another section of the ceiling had a 100 football helmets hanging from it.
Then of course there isn't a square inch of the walls that doesn't have photos or framed jerseys on it.

So check out the sketch below and read about the challenge HERE and let's see your layout.

Health for 2015

A new year is here.   Can you believe its 2015.   I can remember waiting for the millennium to arrive and now 15 years into it.      I've never been a big resolution maker for the new year.    But.....feeling so bad in December I decided I really have to take care of myself and put myself first for a change.
It's been ages since I've had my own doctor and had a physical but tomorrow is the big day and I have to say I'm so glad I made the decision to make the appt and get started on numero uno.

So its not a resolution just a new way of thinking.   I'm setting aside all the diet drinks I fill up on and really drinking lots of water everyday, and what do you know, I've found out I like water.    Plus I'm not going to think of my scale as the enemy but the weight loss has already started and I have to admit I want to continue to step on that scale in the morning and see a difference.

I used the sketch at "Sketches in Thyme" for my layout.    I like the number background paper as to me it represents a new year and new numbers to see changing on the scale.    Wish me luck everyone.

You can see this great sketch that was made for "Sketches in Thyme" by Bev Code below and check out all the details of the challenge   HERE.

Also over at "S.W.A.T" (Scrap Warriors Advanced Training) the first challenge for January is Drill #47 and its 'One Little Word for 2015'   and this is my word for the year and will be entering my layout at "SWAT" also.   Check out the details HERE.

First layout of 2015

I'm so glad I felt like scrapping today.    I feel like its been forever.    After I finished this I think I remember doing a pie layout right after Christmas.   the only other layout I've made in 2 weeks.
But I have my continuing Christmas album, one for Leslie and one for Kai, so there are plenty of places to put similar layouts.

I used the sketch at "Sketch-n-Scrap" for this layout.   I really liked that I could have a main picture and then some smaller ones to go with the theme.

All the paper and embellie stickers (not alpha title)came from the Carta Bella - 'So This is Christmas' collection.   Plus I also used burgundy card stock  to mat everything.

We have new challenges going again in my yahoo group scrappin-n-chattin again for the new year.

One was to use chevron paper on a layout and another new one was a scrap our stash challenge and one of the challenge was to use old alpha stickers on the layout and I've used two different ones I've had in my stash for ions.

You can check out the sketch challenge at "Sketch-n-Scrap"   HERE   and see the sketch below.

I'm baaaccckkkk

WOW, my favorite month of the year was a rough one.   I love December and all the holiday prep but this year it took its toll on me.   I made too many plans, trip to my son and daughter-in-law in Dallas for Thanksgiving and back to KC on last day of Thursday.  then 3 days at my brothers first of the month to help my daughter and son-in-law move back to Missouri from DC and from that 5 nights in St. Louis for a girls trip and from that I was home on the 15th and got the flu, luckily it was very short lived but did have 2 full days of a hard deep cough and ended up pulling/straining the oblique muscle on my right side and since then and still today I can't tell you how much pain there is with that.
Sitting at my desk is the worst so I've had limited time here.     But I need to blog this as I'm running behind with this.

Today is the reveal at "Shop Scrap Much?!" and I want to share my layout that I made with the sketch.

I love love love Christmas trees, and luckily with all that ended up happening to me in December, my hubby was kind enough to help me decorate before we left for Texas for Thanksgiving or I don't think I ever would have managed.    On the left side, is my favorite tree on the buffet in the kitchen.   This is a prelit and decorated 3 ft tree I found on clearance at Michaels 5 years ago for $39.  It is beautiful.
Then in my windowsill over my sink, I put this little 18 in. tree and some greenery. No lights but a lot of little cat ornaments hanging from it and sitting at the base (we are a cat family for sure)    Then our newest addition a 10' tree in our living room that I bought on sale after season last year.    We were not pleased with it,  lights kept going out and one branch would hold, so we called the company where we bought it from and they would not just give us our money back but are taking it back and we have full credit to use for something else with them.   So that worked out because for what we paid for it even on year end sale, it is not the tree I expected at all, so will find something else before the season starts next year.    Then since we ha the new tree in living room, I was able to move the 7ft tree into my craft room and enjoy it all season long.  (before this year the 3 ft tree had been on a table top in here for Christmas.)    

So that is the story of our trees and my month of December.    I hope to see a lot of you join in this double page challenge at "Shop Scrap Much?!"      Check out all the details   HERE   and see the sketch below.   You will love it.