LONGING FOR SUMMER!

Even though spring is finally here it seems like winter is still trying to keep a hold of us with still chilly temperatures and lots of wind.  I am hoping that we are finally done with the snow. So, I am longing for summer...how about you? 

I decided to work with a pretty flower photo and a few butterflies that I took last summer.  The sketch challenge over at Sketches4all included the plus of using green.

Here is the sketch:

And here is what I did with it:

I am also going to enter this in the Scrap Our Stash Stash-a-Thon #9 Streamers which calls for using ribbon.  The white pleated strip is white satin ribbon.  

I hope that you have enjoyed this little part of last summer while we enjoy spring and long for summer 2014.  Thanks for stopping by.

BEYOND LUCKY. BLESSED!

Six days before our second son was born in October 1998 we went to the Liver Specialist for the results of David's liver biopsy.  He was told he had Hepatitus C and cirrohsis of the liver and would be dead in 3 years if he did not get a transplant.  Having been diagnosed HIV+ back in 1986 and already surviving those odds this was more heavy news at what was otherwise a joyous time.  He opted to take some new medicine called interferon as the odds of getting a transplant with his HIV status was slim. Recent tests have shown that the Hepatitis C has been totally eradicated and the cirrhosis stopped in it's tracks.  This photo was taken in early March 2014 with our secnd son - nearly 16 years later.  I would say that it is pretty obvious that David is certainly beyond lucky and that his good health is surely a blessing from God.  

I created this layout for Scrapbook.com March Page Drafts Sketch challenge.  

Here is the sketch:

And there were Twists - 

OPTIONAL TWISTS:
1. Do a layout about being lucky or being blessed.
2. Use the colors green and white; a St. Patrick's Day color scheme.
3. Use a graphic from http://www.pinterest.com/moniquefox/st-patrick s-day/

I met the criteria for all of the twists.  My title is a graphic from the pinterest page.

Here is my Layout:

I am also entering this layout into Sketches4All Cheryl's Challenge - use green and Word Art Wednesday challenge #125 Anything Goes.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

REMEMBER THIS?

Today I scrapped some old photos of my older son.  He's on the telephone...a phone with a cord!  I didn't realize we had corded phones since my kids were born - it seems like forever that everything has been cell or cordless.

I used a sketch from Scrapbook.com PageMaps #3, and Monochrome Green for the monochrome challenge (along with the twist of having some paint splatter on the page.)

Here's the sketch:

and the color:

Optional Twist: when I was little my parents would put teeny tiny footprints all over the house for St. Patricks day. . .for this twist have some paint splatter on your page

and my Layout:

I am also entering this layout in Scrap Our Stash Scrap-a-Thon challenge # 6 Sprinkles/Mist and Sketches4All Cheryl's Holiday Challenge - use green and Pinque Peacock challenge #3 Anything but a Card.

The wonderful bottle caps that are holding my title on the right and a green button on the left are from the Pinque Peacock shop.

Hope you have enjoyed this blast from the past.

Thanks for stopping by.  All comments greatly appreciated.

ENJOY THE PAGEANT!

Last night I worked on 2 pages of photos from our church Christmas Pageant. I used the Anna Griffin Winter Wonderland set of papers as well as lots of doilies and some Creative Imaginations mirror paper. 

For the first page I used the sketch for Drill #28 at S.W.A.T. (Scrap Warriors Advanced Training).

I painted my doilies silver and gold with Adirondack Paint Dabbers.  I am also entering this into Sketches4All March Madness challenge All Things Round and Word Art Wednesday challenge #125 Anything Goes.  

My layout:

For page 2 I used Feeling Sketchy Layout Sketch #83.  

I am also entering this layout in Word Art Wednesday challenge #125 Anything Goes and Sketches4All March Stash challenge - Anything Goes.  

My Layout:
 

I hope you have enjoyed joining me in remembering our Christmas Pageant.  It's a rainy day so I am looking forward to a day of creating so stop back later for more!

SOME WINTER SPARKLE

When I saw Craft Hoarders Anonymous latest challenge I knew just what photos I was going to use. Back in early December my son was so excited when we had our first snow of the season.  (little did we know then that it was the first of more snow than we have seen in years.)  Challenge #4 was to show some Sparkle, Glitz or Glam.

I had a pretty light blue paper that had sparkly silver snowflakes.  I matted that on a sheet of Navy Cardstock to set it off.  That snowy day we had gone to one of our favorite area parks - Lum's Pond. I had several great tree shots which I decided to work with first even though this would be page 2 of the photos.  I matted them all with a light blue and then the same navy as the backing page.  I added a big sparkly snowflake ornament to the bottom and some epoxy stickers and a few enamel dots.  The enamel dots are for Scrap Our Stash Stash-a-Thon Challenge #7 - Confetti.  

I am entering this in Scrapbook.com Monochromatic challenge.  

I thought I was finished but it just didn't seem quite 'sparkly' enough.  I took my glue pen and outlined all the photos and then ran an edge of glitter around them all.

Finally finished.

Here is my layout:

This is going to be page 2 of a 2 page layout from that day.  The first has photos of arriving at the park and my son Thomas...off to find the photos and knock that one out too!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope that you have enjoyed our memories of the first (of far too many) snow days this winter season.

VALENTINE'S DAY TAKE 2

Today's layout is for Scrapbook.com Boys Only challenge as well as for Scrap Our Stash Stash-a-Thon challenge #4 - Presents/Bows.  These are photos of Michael opening his Valentine's gifts from me.

I did both of these Valentine's Day layouts with the SEI With All My Heart collection.

Thanks for stopping by to share another little piece from my life.  All comments greatly appreciated.

IT'S JUST ME!

Funny title for a Valentine's Day layout isn't it?  Well, that is not where I drew my inspiration for the title.  Don't worry - Michael did not leave me alone for Valentine's Day. (actually now that I think of it he did - we celebrated the next day because of his work schedule)  I had done a 'Girls Only' challenge for Scrapbook.com and never realized that that there were men in the background of my CeCe Winan's photos from the Women of Faith Conference last September. So...I needed to create another. 

So here is my Girls only - just me!

I used a strip of wide lace fabric for Libby's Challenge over at Sketches4All - using fabric and a doily for Scrap Our Stash Stash-a-Thon Challenge #2 Cake Liner/Doily.

I just love the trims I got to use and that is a new die flourish on the heart that I got from my partner in a my Secret Sister Christmas Gift Swap over at Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium.  I've never had a delicate steel die like that but I LOVE it!  It's from The Memory Box and I definitely want more of them!

I hope you have enjoyed the start of my Valentine's layouts.  More to follow - hopefully later today!

Thanks for stopping by.  All comments greatly appreciated!  Please come again soon!

COLORFUL CREATIONS SPRING FLING BLOG HOP!

Welcome to the Colorful Creations Spring Fling Blog Hop!  I don’t know about you but the ladies here at CC are ready for some sunshine.  How about you???? 

To help us get ready to usher Spring in, we decided to have a Spring themed Blog Hop so all the projects you find along the hop will be themed around Spring. Make sure you visit each DT member’s blog!

You should have come from Xara‘s blog, if not, please go back to the Colorful Creations blog to start the hop from the beginning.

For my hop challenge I would like you to create anything BUT a card or a layout.

I decided to create an art journal page.

I started the way I always do by covering my page with gesso.

Next I added two shades of brown acrylic paint by drizzling and dropping the paint and spreading it with a foam brush.

I had some Adirondack Color Wash Mist in Espresso so I added a layer of that.

All winter I have been saving my coffee cozies as I knew there would be something fun to do with them.  I finally decided what to use them for!  I got out a variety of Sizzix floewr dies and...

after cutting them I colored them with various bright colors of acrylic paint.

As I painted each one I dabbed it onto my journal page to add some color and texture.

Next I took two shades of green acrylic paint and added some grass.

I assembled the flowers into layers and bent the petals up for more added texture.  I took some white stickers and added the phrase 'Spring has Sprung!' I placed the finished flowers around the page and glued them down using Glossy Accents so that I was sure they would stay put.

And the final results were:

Once you have completed your project, please head back over to the CC blog to upload your entry. Please tag your entry: SFPAULA. The more you play, the better your chances of winning this great prize courtesy of Colorful Creations!

ANY PROJECT NOT PROPERLY TAGGED WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THE DRAWING!!!






Now head on over to Christina V‘s blog and see the great challenge she has in store for you!

Remember you have to have your projects linked up no later than midnight, CST, March 29th.

Here is the lineup in case you get lost!
Michelle http://michellesscrapdesigns.blogspot.com/
Toccara http://www.lifeandcreationsoftee.blogspot.com/
Brandi http://luckyflutterbycreations.blogspot.com
Karen http://karenandkids.typepad.com/
Marci http://ascrapfrommarci.blogspot.com/
Xara  http://www.joyscraft.blogspot.gr/
Paula http://preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com/
Christina V. http://cardsbychristina.blogspot.com
Yasmina http://chezmina974.blogspot.com/
Sandrine  http://sandlo80.canalblog.com/
Christina P.  http://myembellisheddaydream.blogspot.gr/
Robin http://www.emptynestscrapbooker.blogspot.com
Colorful Creations (to link up) http://colorfulcreations2014.blogspot.com/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATHRYN PART 2

I am finally finished with the layout I started the other day.  It's the second page of my son Robert's girlfriend Kathryn's birthday in 2013.

I used the sketch from The Memory Nest's Make It Monday #13.  A lot of my layout is sparkly so I am also going to enter it in the Scrap Our Stash Scrap A Thon Challenge #3 Anything that Sparkles.

In case it is not obvious in the photo the icing on the cupcakes sparkle, the yellow sections have glitter in the paper and there are rhinestones and then there are the sparkly orange diecut stickers.

Here is the sketch:

and here is my layout:

I was hoping to get more creating done tonite but it is getting late and today was a long day and tomorrow is an early one so I am going to head off to bed and hope to get more done tomorrow!  

Sweet dreams to all and thanks for stopping by!

EVERYTHING GREEN WITH THE SCRAPS TO TREASURES TEAM!

Today the Scraps to Treasures team is sharing creations to inspire you for St. Patrick's Day which will be here on Monday.

I decided to create a quick card.  I went to my scrap basket and pulled out my green scraps.

Next I selected a sketch to work with from Scrapbook.com March Card Sketch #3.  

and now here is what I created:

Please head over to the Scraps to Treasure blog and see what everyone else created.  Then get out your scraps and make something and enter it to win a great prize!

COLORFUL CREATIONS MARCH 15TH CHALLENGE REVEAL

Today begins the second challenge over at Colorful Creations Blog for March.  This was a sketch challenge.  Here is the sketch I had to work with:

I still had photos from the Courthouse Christmas Party and they worked out perfect.  

Here is my layout:

I think it complements the other page I did earlier this year quite well.  Here you can see them side by side.

I hope that you will go by the Colorful Creations blog and add a layout of your own to this challenge for an opportunity to win a great prize.

Thanks for stopping by!

IT'S BIRTHDAY TIME!

Tonite I found a new challenge blog to play on - Punky Scraps!  

There was an inspiration challenge nearly ending.  Here's the inspiration photo:

The instructions were to create a birthday layout using the photo as inspiration plus a kraft paper background.

Here is what I whipped up:

I am also entering this layout into Pinque Peacock challenge #2 - banners and Scrap Our Stash Stash a Thon Birthday Challenge #5 - banners.

Just before discovering this site I had created a birthday card using Mojo Monday Sketch #336 so I was already in the birthday mode.  

Here is the sketch:

and here is my card:

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you enjoyed my birthday creations!

PRETTY IN PINK

This layout is for Paper Secrets March 1st Sketch Challenge - SPRING.  The instructions were to create a layout using elements from every letter of the word SPRING.  Each letter must be represented by a different item.

It starts out with this sketch:

Here is my layout:

My items are:

S - Sketch
P - Pink everything!
R - Ribbon roses
I - Inked edges
N - Name
G - Gems

As you can see I was in a very pink mood last night!  I am also submitting this to Word Art Wednesday for challenge #123 Anything Goes, and Scrapbook.com - Girls Only and Scrap Our Stash Stash A Thon Birthday challenge #1 - Cake/Layering.

I still  have a few more collage shots from my time at Women of Faith Philadelphia 2013 which I may get to later today.  

Hope to see you again soon!  All comments greatly appreciated.

CAN YOU RESIST THIS?

Today I had some fun doing white glue resist on an art journal page.  I shared the full instructions over at Scrapping Everyday Miracles.  Here's a quick run through of the steps and a photo of the final results.

Cover page with a thick layer of gesso.
Add a design with cheap white school glue.
Let air dry for at least 24 hours.
Add spray inks.
Blot with paper towels.
Drip on acrylic paint.
Rub on another color acrylic paint.
Print a scripture out in lines and cut apart.
Distress and ink the edges and the scripture.
Adhere to the page and you get this - 

Hope you have enjoyed this peek of my creation.  For full detailed instructions be sure to check out my Design Team post at Scrapping Everyday Miracles on March 10, 2014.

I am also entering this over at Word Art Wednesday for challenge #123 Anything Goes.

TAGS, BAGS, BOXES AND WHATEVER IN 3D!

Welcome to this month's blog hop with The Krazy Crafting Crew!! 

This month we are making Tags, Bags, Boxes and whatever can be made 3D!! 

If you just came by to visit with me, thank you, but I'd be thrilled if you would check out the entire hop beginning with our hostess, Janet at www.janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com

If you have been following the hop you must have arrived here from Miranda at www.nanasscrapspot.com

Janet is also offering a fantastic giveaway. 

Here's her description of the giveaway that you DON'T want to miss!!  Close To My Heart Cloud Nine Cardmaking Kit. Includes card bases, envelopes, cardstock, double sided paper, a stamp set, and washi tape, glitter tape and other embellishments to make 10 cards! Valued at $45.00! You can win this by leaving comments on each blog, and if you're not currently a follower, why not follow the blogs because there's always fun in this group and a blog hop each month to inspire you!

Here's my creation for this month's hop:

I started out with a size 8 shipping tag which I covered with a pretty SEI aqua and green patterned paper.  Next I took some templates and Ranger paint daubers and added two different patterns.  I edged the tag with a mint colored felt trim and white lace which I touched up the edges with a hint of Distress Inks.  Finally I added a Making Memories sticker that reads 'Spring has Sprung', a Scenic Route chipboard piece that reads 'Welcome Spring', 3 green and yellow Sassafrass chipboard flowers and two Hallmark Disney Tinkerbell stickers which I raised up by mounting on corrugated and adhering with Helmar's dimensional glue dots.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting with me today. Please leave each of us a comment and let us know how you liked our hop for your chance to win that awesome prize!

Now hop on over to the next stop with 

Katina at 

www.twochicsandacricut.blogspot.com

The complete lineup:

Janet www.janetscreativeworld.blogspot.com
Liz www.tryin2craft.blogspot.com
Christina www.cema1cema.blogspot.com
Lissa Marie www.somanycrafts.com
Lori www.Scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com
Zenita www.scrappinwithz.blogspot.com
Cicily www.pinkdalmatianscrapper.com
Jearise www.lorbysworld.blogspot.com
Miranda www.nanasscrapspot.com
Paula www.preciouspagesbypaula.blogspot.com
Katina www.twochicsandacricut.blogspot.com

A COMPANION

I'm sure the title is not what you think.  The companion is the page that comes before a page I shared with you on March 1st of my son Thomas and his new guitar this Christmas.  This is actually the first page - him finding where it was hidden and unwrapping it and getting it out of the box...

I used complimentary colors and embellishments but I didn't follow any sketch or anything else.  

Here's the page:

and here's a refresher for you of the 'after' page:

I am going to enter this layout into Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes challenge #122.  I am also going to enter this in Scrapbook.com March Boys Only challenge.