Collage

I have been trying to take photos since Skyler has been on summer break to remember all that we have been doing during her break - - it is easy to forget what you do doing any given day. So here is some of what I plan on using for our June layout. I have forgotten my camera so many times, but am still trying to keep up. I plan on making a scrapbook layout with a calendar for June, July and August with photos and little snippets of fun events.

"Amato" Photo Art

Here is my latest photo art order that I have completed for the last name "Amato." I think they made some good letter choices.

Please Vote! A vote and a Recipe Book Layout

First, here is a recipebook with stand I made. I have been wanting to make one of these FOREVER. So these last few nights when we have come in to cool down and wind down for bed, I have tried to do one tab at a time. I still need to make a few more tabs but for now, this is it. For each "tab page" I had some small pieces of matte board leftover from my photo art that worked perfect. I made a stand for the whole book out of some pieces of cardboard that I creased in all the right places. I used COSMO CRICKET paper, MY MIND'S EYE paper, Misc. paper, old sheet music, old printings from cookbooks, ribbons, buttons, and the bird is art from Charles Harper. If you get a chance to google Charles Harper - - he has some excellent pieces, some of which you will see in my upcoming layouts. I really love his work.

Second of all, I need some votes. I thought I had a great "find" at a garage sale yesterday. I stuffed this table and four matching chairs into my little Saturn and happily went home. However, before I bought them Skyler tried to tell me that the table looked horrible and should not be purchased - - needless to say I didn't listen. Then Paul came home from work. He adamently agrees with Skyler and wishes for the table to disappear - - and SOON. So, I am out voted at this point 2 to 1. Maybe they are right. . .but I don't think so. What do you guys think? (Maybe the power of other people's opinions will allow me to keep this table I LOVE!! ;-)

Love is Like a Ghost

I saw that Cathy Cullis had some awesome stitch art and I immediately fell in love with it!! That is what inspired this page (even though this in NO way compares to her detail or artistry). . .I see a lot more of this type of stitchery in my future. It was so much fun!! I would love to explore this area further.

Hooked

I am submitting this to the Scrappin The Outdoors blog by Megan Klauer.

We got a piece of mail the other day and I knew immediately I had to use it for some of the TONS of fish pics I have of Skyler. So a few stickers and thickers later and I got an EASY and very QUICK page done.

Something about Us

Megan's Challenge - week 4 - Scrap something about yourself that others might not know. . .This is meant to be a little bit of a funny page. . .I didn't journal everything that came to mind as this will be in my family scrapbook for future generations. . .but tried to make it fun anyway. I used my winnings from last week (THANKS MEGAN!) - - felt hand-sewn trees and button circles made by Megan - - these are Awesome!! If she starts makin these to sell, I will be buyin them up! I also used Bohemia Bungalow "You are My Sunshine" Accents from Scrapaganza's Clearance Rack as well as thickers from Scrapaganza as well (my first time ever using/purchasing thickers. . .I love them) and KAISERscrapbook paper as well as Stampin Up stamps and burlap material and cardstock.

Journaling: Paul and I love handlin wood together - hardwoods and softwoods, but we like hardwoods best; they last longer and burn hotter. Keepin our burner red-hot and full of wood keeps us all warm and happy. We love wood.

Positives of getting wood: Fun to do together, Good exercise, Produces a lot of heat, saves money on alternative entertainment.

My Turkey Layout

I am submitting this to the Scrappin The Outdoors blog by Megan Klauer.

Went a little crazy on these pages, apparently that is what I get for scrappin at midnight. . .but I don't do things twice, so this is it.

I used the following: Chipboard Tree I designed, 2 Megan Klauer Felties, Paper from My Minds Eye, Thickers (gotta get my moneys worth. . .), tags and stickers from Stampin' Up, glass stones for the cloud and a little gun sticker and letter stickers from Karen Foster Design.

Now I'm gonna go hang my head in shame for putting SOOO much on one layout =)

More Critters

I decided the tree I made the other day needed some more critters, so I came up with this little ladybug and turtle. These are seriously so much fun to make! I again used some old cardboard and some paper I had in my stash. The ladybug's head is some kind of brad-type thingy I've had layin around - don't even know where it came from. The turtle's eye is from a packet of brads that I have had for quite a while too. These will be fun to add to our outdoor pages - which I have LOTS to scrap about!!

Homemade Chipboard

I always love chipboard - but was wanting an alternative to spending money on what I want. Because of that, I decided to try my hand at making my own. I had some cardboard and started cutting. The bird is actually just cut out of a cardboard egg carton and then I sanded the edges, the tree is made from a cardboard box that held juice drinks - I added some paper (the green polka dot paper is "My Minds Eye"), sanded the edges, added a little button for a knot-hole. . .and I have my own decorated chipboard. Yipeee!! I think this means that now I have to use them on a layout. Hmmmm.

Wedding Gift Photo Art

This is my latest Photo Art creation. I have been getting more photos lately and wanted to incoporate them into this wedding gift for one of my friends. I still have to get this in a frame, possibly matted as well.

Here is my bag

While Skyler was busy on the sewing machine I was beside her working on this purse/bag (and watching to be sure she didn't end up with a needle through her hand.) We had a lot of fun working on these together!

Homeless in Maryland Layout

I am submitting this layout to the Scrapping Out Loud blog challenge for this week where they ask you to use a rub-on directly on a picture.

Ok - I haven't been into doing layouts too much lately, but I have had this one in my mind since the end of April. . .so finally got a few minutes to pull it together. I used up some of my new Thickers, the main paper is from My Mind's Eye, used buttons for the H, printed the "list" onto vellum, used scrabble pieces for April as well as a scrabble piece I embellished with paper and liquid diamonds ( think that is what it is called. . .) as a square just before the word April.

The journaling reads:

State forests really do suck; Never trust a map ahead of your instincts; Sometimes the shortest route doesn’t end up being the quickest or best route; Yep, ATV trails really are for ATV’s; Motel rooms are very germy, but sometimes are actually better than the alternative; Complimentary breakfast doesn‘t always mean tasty breakfast; Taxi drivers who drive an unmarked van are not necessarily serial murderers; You really can survive on two changes of clothes for five days; An 8-year-old really can eat more than a grown stressed adult; Being with your family, no matter the situation, really is the most important thing; There are many people worse off than us; Kindness really does go a long way; Home really is a beautiful place.

Books may be the only true Magic

Skyler and I had so much fun last night - we drew pictures together, we went to the library (again) and checked out the equivalent of a garbage bag full of books, we came home and began organizing her room (phew, a lot left to do there) then we read together for a while before bedtime.

THEN, I got the scrappin bug. I was workin on this page until almost midnight. . .Skyler loves to read and I love that she loves to read =D Then I was up until about 1:30 reading Twilight - yep, I'm hooked. Good thing I got to sleep in cuz even 6:00 came way too early this morning!

Altered Canvas Clock

Here is a clock I made for part of my niece's graduation present. I bought a canvas at Hobby Lobby and a clock kit. I then embellished the canvas with paper, ribbon, machine stitching, embroidery thread, buttons, rub-ons, a little wooden heart, sheet music, and a floral thingy I also bought at Hobby Lobby. I made the flower out of ripped pieces of a page of a book that I distressed with pink ink as she is and always has been into books and I added the piece of sheet music as she also loves music. She has a black and white room with pink accents - so I opted for this theme. I really feel it doesn't look complete, but am delivering it today so I am kind of outta time. I guess I can relax in the knowledge that kids that age really enjoy the money more anyway. . . :-)

My Baby

I am submitting this to The Story Matters May Challenge. It is how the "women" in our lives have affected us. . .I know Skyler isn't a woman. . .yet - but she has had an INCREDIBLE influence on who I am today.

I haven't been able to get motivated to scrapbook, so was looking through Skyler's old baby photos that are just stuck in the "cling-on" type photo albums and thought, "I gotta get some of these outta here." That was enough motivation to get at least this one scrapped. I pulled down her baby book to see what she was doing at that age and this is what I came up with. Hard to believe my baby is already 9 years old!! I always like the pages that use a lot of "white space," such as Megan Klauer does a lot of. However, my style is usually to cram as much information, pictures and paper into one layout - - so I decided to try a little less stuff this time. I got to use my chipboard ladybug I made, a scrabble piece I embellished with a piece of music sheet, some buttons and a milk cap. I used a large playing card to do my journaling on.

Graduation Card

Here is a card I did for my niece, Brittney's graduation from high school.

And now for the layout. . .

Here is the layout. I used some old sheet music which I burned the edges on for my paper, burlap for the Turkeys tag, bobby pins, cloth measuring tape, misc. tag, Turkey Lingo and "1st" embellishment from a magazine, embroidery floss and a Megan feltie circle.

My First Sale on Etsy!!!

Got my first official sale on Etsy. . .guess I'll be on the lookout for more hubcaps. . .so if anyone comes across some cheap ones, keep me in mind :-)

More Photo Art

I decided to list my photo art on Etsy to see what happens. . .Check it out here. This is a sample for the last name of Linde.

Father's Day Gift

My mom said that my dad would like me to sew a small leather bag for his Father's Day gift this year - - so since I'm a Daddy's Girl. . .Dad gets what he ordered.

Bad Hair Day

This is a pincurl expiriment gone bad. Skyler and I were cracking up so hard that morning when I took out the pincurls and her hair just kept getting bigger and bigger. :-) Thank you to Lisa!! I had never heard of this Wordle before and I had a blast making up papers with it!! Also - thanks to all of you as I copied a little bit of ideas I have seen on your pages - specifically I know Megan and Christina have outlined their words - - I lifted your

ideas for that. I also made a little ladybug - just used a pen and cut him out of craft paper. Thanks for getting me motivated to do my first page in a long time - even though I am not officially in the April challenge.

Also - for those of you who may be wondering - Skyler did not have to go to school this way - we fixed it before booting her out the door. . .I am not that cruel.

Cement Craftiness

Here are some projects that Skyler and I have been working on together. We actually had a lot of fun once we got the cement mixed up. . .Really only intended on making bird baths, but since there was cement left over, we quickly tried to come up with some other ideas before it became too hard to work with. The bird isn't done yet - it still needs some cement paint which will make it somewhat of a bluebird. I may post again once it is finished. Although I admit they look a little funky - I don't think they are too bad for our first attempt at this sort of thing. (Paul requested that I make him this Rhubarb Leaf Birdbath, so one of them will be one of his Father's Day presents.

Here is my latest Photo Art order. The last name here is "Klimpel."

And I just finished matting and framing this wedding gift - so here is the final product - it looks much better in person - I had trouble taking a picture without glare.

Skyler's Purses/Bags

Skyler and I decided that today would be a good day to classify as a "Craft Day" since rain was in the forecast for a majority of the day. So I dug through my stash and we decided to make bags and purses. Skyler has used the sewing machine with me in the past so was determined to try and run it without help this time. She did a lot of this sewing all by herself!!

Strawberry Jam

Skyler and I reaped the benefits of our hard work in our garden by gathering delicious strawberries and making our own jam. Skyler had requested that we make some jam if we had enough strawberries - - it was tough to stop eating them long enough to make the required measurement - - but we did it!

Meet Soks and Boots

Ok - no animals were harmed in the taking of these photos!! Thanks to Scott and Angie Z, we now have 2 new members of our family - even though they will live outdoors. . .We would like to introduce you to our new mousers and Sky's new buddies, Soks and Boots.