hello there!

I realize it's been awhile! I toyed with the idea of quitting the blogging thing but I guess I decided to give it another go! I've been scrapping quite a bit and have things to share but it's just one more step to get it on the 'ol blog so I've been skipping it. I got a few things from a fun scrapping weekend to share this week, I'll try and get something new up every day. We'll see how it goes.

laughter.

lots of laughter in this one. gosh these guys are so young in these photos! i actually remember taking these pictures in my mom's backyard. i think i was trying to get them to stand still so i could get a portrait of them. ha! i am so happy with what I got though.
{this is another layout from the Kelly Purkey sketchbook 2 class I took last month. still trying to use all of the sketches!}

caught.

this one started out as a pencil lines sketch, then I messed up the misting and had to pull the main elements off. once I started putting it all back together (with acceptable misting!) i just didn't like it so I changed it up. I used Studio Calico's Documentary line as I not so patiently wait for their new release Elementary.

winner!

Thanks so much for all the nice comments over the weekend! It was a fun blog hop and I'm so glad you could join me!

The winner of the Merry Moose set is Lori Subosits. Lori, email me your address to julieokada (at) live (dot) com and we'll get your set sent out.

Thanks so much!!

OCL Blog Hop + Blog Candy

Hi there and welcome to the OCL blog hop. Today I'm sharing a peek for the new set Merry Moose. It's full of very cute holiday Moose and this image which has no moose but is equally cute!!

Want a chance to win a set of your very own?? Well, leave a comment on this post (make sure you sign in so we can find you if you win!) and I'll draw a random winner on Aug. 22nd (1 pm eastern). The blog roll is below so you can check out all the other fabulous sneaks!

Here is where you can find all the fabulous OCL products.



Amber Hillman
Beate Johns
Beth Silaika
Bev Gerard
Broni Holcombe
Cambria Turnbow
Charmaine Ikach
Cindy Lawrence
Deb Felts
Debbie Corbari
Deborah Anton
Denise Marzec
Heather McNally
Holly McMillen
Jeanne Streiff
Joy Kennedy
~Julie Okada you are here~
Kendra Wietstock
Kisa Peters
Lori McAree
Maree Truelove
Michelle Fowler
Pam Hooten
Tammy Hershberger
Terri Thill
Vicki Garrett

so much love.

So much love. that's what I think when I see this picture. I fell like I've been saying that alot these days. These two kids of mine just keep surprising me with their good attitudes and generosity and kindness. And even though they're older and I don't get tons of cute sayings from them anymore, when I do they are fabulous! Just the other day Jack called me up at work to see if we could go to bed early that night, get up the next morning and get somewhere by 8:15. He wanted to practice for the start of school a day later. So funny. Cute funny. And so mature all at the same time. I'm so proud of them some days I could just burst with a heart full of love. So that's the inspiration behind this page now I need to find a picture of Jack and duplicate it for him. I'm planning on adding some journaling to it but the right words haven't come yet so that will wait until they do. Maybe a letter attached to back or put into an envelope. Have to think on that one.

studio calico grannys cupboard kit which it appears as though there are amazingly some left. I have used up almost every. single. bit of this kit. I may be able to squeeze one more layout out of it before I put the few bits of leftovers in my stash.

Our Craft Lounge + back to school

I've already scrapped this picture from last years 1st day of school but since I haven't printed this years photos yet I decided to scrap it again! I just had to use this cute school set from OCL that I haven't inked yet so I decided to scrap it for J to put in her album. I'm delighted to say that she has become a scrapbooker too! Yay!! Funny how it was 10 times easier to scrap for her than for myself. I'll have to trick myself into thinking I scrapping for someone else from now on. :)

I went the cardstock route so as to not take away from the cute stamps. I colored the apples with copics and added the apple green sparkly fluff to the leaves. Perfection! I stamped the abc123 in white onto a kraft cardstock strip. I wanted the strip there so it went with my other strips but i also didn't want to mess up the base of my page so it worked out! I used thickers for the title (big surprise) and a sprinkle of buttons for some fun. Hope you liked it!
Come on back Friday for the OCL blog hop. They're releasing a bunch of new stamps and I'll have one set to give away! The sneaks are up starting today so check out the OCL blog if you want to play along.

where did the time go?

another kelly purkey sketch. so fun to get a pile of layouts done. i say pile it's more like 3 but that's 3 in one week. way more than i usually do anyway. there are so many different ways to spin these sketches that I actually have a ton more pages i could do and it's only day 4!
back soon with more pages. next week it's back to school. i plan on scrapping all week their first week back just for fun!

courage.

another Kelly Purkey sketch class sketch. So close to finishing up my 2007 photos. Really think I just have Christmas left, but I'm going to try and get my son's school album caught up first! I think I may have kindergarten done and he's starting 4th grade next week. Kinda sad they're going back to school so soon but I do hope to get some major scrapping done...we'll see! :)
totally rambling today must get to work. boo!

Kelly Purkey sketch class

I started a fun new sketch class with Kelly Purkey and the Studio Calico girls (yes it's all Studio Calico all the time around here these days! I'm loving it over there) I'm caught up until today but haven't been able to share them until now. This is based on the first sketch and I loved it! The great things about her sketches is that they are totally up to you to interpret how you want. I've got the second one done and will share as soon as I can get a photo taken.

sketches.

These two layouts were based on a couple of different Sunday sketches from the Studio Calico blog. I busted these out in order to get ready for Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook 2
class. It was good practice and for the most part these came together so fast! I always have trouble deciding what font to use and where to put the title on my layouts. I also struggle with leaving room for journaling and then actually getting something decent down! I should probably take a journaling class LOL!!

The first layout uses Continental (which looks like it's still available).
Second one used Granny's Cupboard.





these two are actually a double page spread. haven't done one of those in a while. not my favorite set of pages but it will do! I used the partly sunny kit on this one. they didn't photograph very well for some reason but i'm sharing them anyway!

have a great day.

many thanks.

I had a birthday last week so I had to get to work on my thank you notes for all the wonderful gifts I received! I used the Our Craft Lounge set Fabulous Florals and my Studio Calico Partly Sunny kit. I used the donut chain punch and my trusty SU scallop punch. I have to say, I'm a little punch happy these days!

If your looking for a fun card sketch, check out the Friday sketch on the Our Craft Lounge blog. It looks like a fun one. In fact I'm going to get right on it as soon as I log off! There is also some CHA fun and some sneak peaks for the new sets.

have a super weekend!

you two.

Here's another layout with Studio Calico's amazing kits. It seems that I can no longer scrap with out them! I'm sure my other supplies are getting lonely but it's just so easy to pick up a kit and start scrapping, so that's what I've been doing (although not nearly enough!).
I did mix up the kits a bit here and even used a few bits from my stash. I mainly used Partly Sunny and added the flowers from Granny's Cupboard. Of course I had to throw a butterfly in there. It's not complete until a blinged out butterfly is flying onto the page. ha!

Even though summer has barely started, it;s starting to wind down for us. My kids get out of school at the end of May so we only have about 3 weeks of summer vacation left. Kind of a bummer! It's really been fun having them home.

the party.

inspired by a layout by jana eubank

Finished up the 4th birthday party with my studio calico partly sunny kit plus some bits and pieces from my stash. Glad to have that one under my belt since she's 7 now LOL!

more to share soon. hope you're all enjoying your summer!

adorable moves.

Last month I was one of the lucky winners of Studio Calico's new line Documentary! I just now got around to scrapping with it and I am in love! The colors are gorgeous and although it's a travel line it can be used for so much more! I was able to scrap a girly birthday picture and a boyish sports page with it. I have also fallen in love with their fab rips. I used up almost the whole pack on 2 projects and definitely need to have more. Here is link to the Anthology fab rips so you can check them out. Seriously one of the best products I have used lately!

finishing up.

I've had these divided page protectors for a while, been wanting to try them out for the events that I had a ton of pictures for. We took a weekend trip to Vail a couple of years ago and I had already scrapped a few of my favorite pictures. I wanted to include all of these photos but just couldn't scrap them all so I pulled out the divided protectors and went to work.




For this one I used the Studio Calico Partly Sunny Kit and a couple of Our Craft Lounge stamp sets. {fabulous flowers and life is} The strips on the top panel are from Studio Calico's Documentary line. They were actually left overs from a layout I did {look for it tomorrow} and I couldn't bear to throw them away! Good thing too because I happen to think it's perfect for this.



More from my Partly Sunny kit {trying to use some of it before this months kit arrives on friday and not doing such a good job! there is a lot there.}

On another note...I am so close to being done scrapping ALL of my photos from 2007! I have a few summer pics and of course Christmas. I always find those the hardest pictures to scrap, however I am going to bust out the divided page protectors again because not only do I have Christmas but the gift that year was a trip to Disneyland so I have all of those picture too! Now you can see why I don't have them done.

J now and then

I've been scrapping older photos for a while now so I thought I'd throw a current one in there for once. Kinda makes me want to keep doing some current ones but I'm on a roll and almost done with 2007 so I'm going to keep pluggin through it!
{this one made with the Studio calico kit Granny's cupboard}



This is J right after she turned 4. So cute and chubby and little. I miss the little her sometimes but am still glad she's growing into such an amazing gal!
{made with Studio Calico kit Partly Sunny }

Studio Calico Sunday sketch

Fun sketch from the Studio Calico blog. Super easy and fast...unless you have to add a bunch of stuff :)!
Have a great weekend.

wonder

The one good thing about being so behind in my scrapbooking is that I come across gems like thins from time to time. I love this picture and had forgotten all about it. This sweet girl is now 7 and I love who she is becoming but I have to say, I miss the almost 4 year old girl who never questioned her mommy and loved to blow dandelions.

layout made with Studio Calico kit "Granny's Cupboard" with a few bits from my stash.

fun in the sun

Took a trip to The Bay yesterday for some summer fun. The water was so cold it was hard to get in. Luckily there were slides and I finally talked Jordan into going down by herself. She went up and came back down the stairs 6 times before she decided to brave the waters. Of course she was glad she finally went down and I couldn't keep her off of it.

many thanks

Quick and easy card for my daughters thank you notes. I made them super simple so she could put them together herself...then she decided she didn't want to do it so I ended up finishing them up. Just as well, it would have been another week before we got them out that way!

I used some kraft cardstock (really need to branch out here and use a different color!), the OCL stamp sets Swingin by and Life Is and a little of what's left of my Cosmo Girl Friday kit. I think I may have to call that one done! I've used up almost the entire kit which is rare for me. I usually get sick of it so fast and then it just sits. I used some Copics to color the adorable owl. I'm still not very good at using them but I try!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

sc 285

Thought I'd try my hand at the SCS sketch challenge today. I used the OCL set Swingin' By and replaced the 3 squares on the right with the fun metal flowers from Making Memories.