back on the blog wagon

Hi there! I've been debating whether or not to keep this ol blog up and running and decided why the heck not! So I'm back, hopefully far more regularly than before. I'm trying to keep a layout count for 2011 so I figured if I uploaded them all here I'd have a pretty darn good record. Here are my first 4 layouts of 2011. I'm pretty attached to my Studio Calico kits these days so that is mainly what you'll see from me. I've used the Napa Valley kit and the Back 40 kit in these layouts.

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.

studio calico.

Been thinking (for way too long :>) about subscribing to one of the many kit clubs around. I finally bit the bullet and joined Studio Calico and couldn't be any happier! I love the idea of someone else doing the shopping for me and having alphabets, papers, cardstock and embellies that coordinate. I feel like I've gotten in a rut just purchasing "collections" and while everything coordinates because it was designed to go together I'm getting a little bored with it. I also got out of the habit of using things from different manufactures together. Also boring!

I got my first Studio Calico kit and am in love. I whipped out 2 layouts in one sitting the first time I opened up the package. The Joyland kit is a perfect mix of papers and embellies for all sorts of different layouts and I can't wait to get next months kit. Definitely ordering some add on's as well. I can tell from the sneak peaks I will fall head over heals with the next one too!

on a side note....both layouts above were inspired by sketches. Game On was a sketch by Jana Eubank and Lets Bowl is a Page Maps sketch (kind of :>)

swing time.

I've had this one done for a bit but couldn't get around to photographing it with all the sports and activities going on at our house. We are running from the time school gets out until after 7 almost every night of the week! I just love to see my kiddos having fun and getting better at the sports they love to play though so all the craziness is totally worth it!

sketches

I was browsing the Studio Calico blog the other day when I discovered that they do sketches every Sunday! I love a good sketch so I thought I'd play along. I've been in a rut lately and these were just the ones to get me out of it! Next, I'm going to try and get caught up on Jack's school album. Jordan is pretty much caught up but Jack is another story LOL! Boy pages are hard!

Have a great day! :)

a layout.

I finally have a layout to share, surprised?! I took an unintentional break from scrapping or card making and got the bug again this morning. I dragged all my stuff upstairs so I could keep an eye on my sick kiddo and I'm going to try and bust a few pages out.

This one I actually did last Friday night at the Archiver's crop.
I only got 2 pages done unfortunately but I just wasn't feeling it.
I don't know about you but if I'm not in the mood the ideas just don't come to me.




ETA ...I got my second page photographed so I thought I'd share it too!

some pages to share.

I went to Archiver's for a crop on Friday with some friends. We had a great time although I never get as much done as I hope! I got 3 done this time, so not too bad! :) I'm not even going to make you wait to see them all! Aren't I nice? Really I'm afraid I'll forget about them if I don't get them on here right now so here goes.



Don't you love these new American Crafts papers? Oh my goodness the sweetness pouring from AC's Dear Lizzie collection is killing me. Barb will have it in the store soon and she's got free shipping plus a fun ribbon promotion. For every $5 you spend in American Crafts products you will get a small spool of AC ribbon for free! Here is the link to all the AC stuff if you want to take a look and I will let you know the minute she gets Dear Lizzie in stock.



Basic Grey's Recess collection was perfect for these baseball pictures.



Here is some more Basic Grey for this 1st day page. I know it's a valentine
collection but I totally think it works here too!

I've got some cleaning to do and then I'm headed to the scrapbook room to get a few more pages in. It's a perfect snowy day for it too.

I scrapbooked!

It's my turn to host Stampbook Saturday on the TSG blog.
Stop by the blog to see all the details.

september calendar page {embellish-online}

September's page featuring Cosmo Cricket Earth Love from Embellish-Online.
I do have the rest of the calendar done but had to get it up on the wall so I could start using it. So I have not photographed them yet but will as soon as I get a chance!

On another note we have a fun new release week planned for There She Goes clear stamps!
The blog hopping and sneak peaks start tomorrow!

july's page.

Here are my July and August calendar pages.
July's page features American Crafts Letterbox collection and August features Cosmo Crickets The Boyfriend collection. Both are available at my favorite online scrapbooking shop, Embellish-Online. The current special is free shipping with a $50 order and the code to use at checkout is 4SP9HD .


And since I've been sharing photos I can't post with out one. Here is a shot from Jordan's first time on ice skates.

june's page

here you go with another calendar page! (hope you're not getting sick of them)
The papers are from Scenic Route (the halloween collection I think?). It came in a box of goodies I got for having a layout published a while back. I haven't scrapped any of Jack's baseball pictures so it was fun to do this one...kind of inspired me to do a few more or at least to want to do a few more.

I'm taking Karen Russell's online photography course and it's sucking up all my time (in a good way!) so I haven't done a ton of scrapping lately! And then I took the day off to have coffee and see a movie with a friend. We saw It's complicated and it was a hoot. I also got carded when I bought my tickets...I'm 35 people and they carded me for an R movie! I get carded ALL THE TIME but this one takes the cake!

march, april and may

here are a few more pages for my lovely calendar... lovely meaning it will soon be lovely but it is not so lovely as I spend all my free time doing it!

products used: Pink Paislee and Cosmo Cricket The Boyfriend . Available at Embellish-Online

Slowly but surely I'm getting these calendar pages done...more slowly than anything though. This is February's page! It does, however feature the oh so lovely Basic Grey Sugar Rush. LOVE IT! Basic Grey was first love....paper love that is LOL and I've sort of been cheating on them for some time now with all the amazing paper companies that are out there! I even hesitated buying this Sugar Rush cause I thought I probably won't use it...I am so glad I did! I have only made this one little page out of it but I was dreaming up valentines cards as I was gluing things down. I seriously {heart} this paper! Maybe I'm going crazy cause my kids haven't gone back to school yet, maybe it's the fact that I haven't scrapped in over a month.

Who knows but I'm glad I bought it and used it! Here is a link if you need to get some for your self. Sugar Rush . There is also a free shipping deal right now with all orders over $50. Don't know about you but I love free shipping. Here's the code too so you don't haveto go looking for it! 4SP9HD

Oh and the name of the store is Embellish-It Scrapbooking.

stampbook saturday

This is my January calendar page. Unfortunately, it is the only page
I have done so far for my 2010 calendar! I know...I need to get to work. I'm
back in the groove though and will get it done very soon. For details on this page
please visit the TSG blog for my Stampbook Saturday post.

supplies ~
stamps ~ Stick Together There She Goes
paper ~ su kraft, cosmo cricket jolly by golly
embellishments ~ american crafts Regards Thickers, cosmo chip stickers

TSG Stampbook Saturday

Hello! This week it's my turn for Stampbook Saturday. Head over
to the TSG blog for more details on my page!

almost here...

I totally realize that I shouldn't even be speaking the words Christmas yet, but it had to be done! I mean I got a Christmas page done and I wouldn't want to keep anything from you now would I? Plus I'm getting inspired by all the fabulous Christmas lines out there and really need to scrap some of my Christmas photos! I promise I won't show them too early...

thankful

The little ones in this picture are now 3 and almost 4 and there are 3 more siblings (2 different families :>) for a total of 7 grandchildren for my mom! This Thanksgiving it is my mission to get a photo of all of them. Wish me luck!

~ Supplies ~
Paper ~ Pink Paislee Amber Road, bazzil brown
accessories ~ Paislee cut outs, ac thickers, unknown flower