A Christmas Smile

I broke out the cricut and a cartridge I had only used once, Lacy Labels.    It had the perfect cut for my die cut that went with the sketch at "Shop Scrap Much"     Check it out     HERE
and you can see the sketch they posted on Friday that I used for this layout.   I switched it up a bit as the sketch showed 2 square pictures but I went ahead and just did a different size.   I think what I ended up printing was 3.85 x 7.50.     I cut my red patterned die cut at 9 1/2"   It's a blend of papers and collections.   The background paper is Recollections, the red die cut paper is Crate Paper - Peppermint collection.   the striped paper is Echo Park - Very Merry Christmas,  a scrap I had left from another layout I made earlier in the day, then the green rectangle was from a very old Christmas pad of paper, so old I've lost the cover so have no idea what it was.   The Santas I had cut last month for a swap I was in and had some extras left.

New Challenge Site

I love finding new challenge sites for my addiction to making layouts and cards.    An online scrappy friend e-mailed a link to this new blog.     I just finished reading all about and now have it listed on my challenge sites to check every Monday as the first challenge goes live Feb 3rd.
The name of the blog is "GLORIA DESIGNS CHALLENGE"  There is a DT call going on now with a deadline of 1-12-14.    You can check out the blog HERE.    I will be back and entering their challenges, sounds great to me.

Cookies

The  grandkids had an ice and snow storm in Dallas area mid December and gave them a couple of days off of school.   Look closely and you can see the snow out the window.
They had lots of fun playing outside, building forts, sledding and on and on.    But then when it was time to come inside and stay warm they continued the fun with making and decorating some Christmas cookies.     It was definitely a fun long weekend they all had.
 I used sketch #172 at Lasting Memories.   You had to use the sketch and add your favorite embellishment.   I went with the fact that I could use a handmade embellishment that I had received in a swap and had been hoarding for the right layout.   You can check out the
challenge   HERE,  still plenty of time to enter your layout.

Tradition

I finally got my mojo back and spent the whole day reading scrappy blogs and scrappy.
"My Scraps and More Sketch Blog" is having a blog hop and also has a sketch to use and enter for a chance to win a great prize.    You can check it out  HERE
I really mixed up my papers here.   my 4 center squares were from Authentique Festive 6x6 pad,
The plaid border  and kraft colored strip was from Simple Stories - Homemade Holidays collection,
Some scrap card stock and a Santa I got in swap last year, and I used the border
punch I got on Archivers sell out the other day,   I love it when everything comes together.

Christmas Morning

We had such a fantastic and busy Christmas morning with 12 people around the tree it was beyond fun.     Also so busy I didn't get a lot of "perfect" pictures but plenty to know I would make at least one two-page layout.    I was thrilled to see the sketch at "Stick It Down" blogspot.    It was the perfect layout for some full size pictures.    You can check out the challenge HERE
All the papers (except 2 solid green background papers) are from the Bo Bunny - Silver and Gold collection.     I got this collection from my Secret Santa in the yahoo group I'm in.
Scrappin n Chattin.    I'm also entering this layout there for one of our January challenges to use at least 3 buttons on the layout.    I add three gold buttons on the red circle on the right hand side page.
I had a great day of scrapping and will be posting more later.

PL pages for 2014

I never joined the craze of PL pages last year but with the encouragement of a few of my online scrappy friends that did this last year I decided to give it a go for 2014.
So to get started and not be behind.   On New Years Eve, I made my title page for my 2014 PL album.
My focus has always been my family and my home so I thought it would be perfect to have pictures
showing all this on my title page.   I also included some goals for the new year and some plans.
(Yes, I know I have a spelling mistake in there)   Believe it or not I'm out of black card stock so can't change it right now.
The first challenge running thru the first of the new year at "Red Carpet Studio" is to use something
new on your challenge.     So my "new" is Project Life.   Check out the challenge HERE

Christmas Morning

Finally starting to do some scrapping after a long break over Christmas and New Years.
I got a couple of layouts made New Years Eve Day and this is my 2nd today.
But if you know me well, 2 or 3 or 4 a day is what I usually do with no days off.
We got the kids to sit and "pose" for just one picture before they got to start seeing what was in their stockings and seeing what Santa brought and then open all the other presents.   I took 3 pictures and this is the only one that had everyone sitting still and no blur from heads turning to look around.
I used the layout posted today at "Let's Capture Our Memories"   It's sketch #53 and I just used my patterned paper as the majority of my embellishments.   I really hate to add to much to paper that is so beautifully decorated around the edges.   So this sketch worked out great.    You can check it out
HERE