Monday, June 28, 2010

It's Manic Monday for sure! :)

Work Work Work. Just trying to get it all done before Wednesday comes and we leave for vacay. I love how the scrubster springs it on me that the van needs to be serviced before we go. Ah, okay..let me squeeze that in just like i am squeezing in grading finals, group projects and seeing all my clients in the next two days. ARGH! The funny thing is, I would have waited til the last minute anyway....shhhh! ;)

Just wanted to share a layout I did awhile back with the Serendipity May kit. I am feeling sentiment since the day is here the forum closes. I know change is good and having somewhere else to hang my hat does help but I do miss it already. Please check out the store for 70% off!!! There is some BG and Pink Paislee in there yet..not much but some ;)

I random embossed on this layout with my Quickutz and the polka dot folder. My good friend Susan Stringfellow does this on her lo's and i just love it! She is so inspiring to me and was a long time member of the DT over at Serendipity so this is cheers to her ;) Pls check out her blog!


I used my scraps, punched the with my Stampin' Up border punch and layered them....


I also used my Cuttlebug and Spellbinder's dies with some Core'dinations Cardstock.



Okay...time to run and get ready for work and Vacation!!! Only a few more days!!!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

It's Friday!

WOOT WOOT!

Can't wait to see the scrubster tonight. The weeks are long without him and the pool at MIL's is calling...scratch that...screaming my name! AND today I am headed to joyce's to meet her and andrea to scrap. My day last friday got cut short b/c henry had a 103 degree fever so I had to get him at daycare. My LBD kit came and I am going to work on that....yipeee!

Just so you know..this was supposed to be posted yesterday but I ran out the door thinking I scheduled it, LOL...so let's talk about Saturday :) So......

The scrubster and I had a nice night last night ;). I have to work today for a few hours and then we are heading over to MILs to swim and grill ALL day :) Can't wait to work on my tan.

There is a FUN FUN contest going on over at FTLOA this month and you have a few more days to get your entries in. There is a fun sketch to work with and it is being hosted by SRM! I love the stickers and use them often on my layouts. Here is my take on the sketch...I used lots of Webster's Garden Gala, an SRM sticker down there at the bottom, and a cluster of myStampBOX stamps, too.


I ran the banner from the PP {cut it out first} through my Cuttlebug:


Here is the cluster of myStampBOX stamps:



And I used some Diamond glaze on here for the water in the bird bath:



Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Be Inspired #90

How's the hump day going for you so far? I love Wednesdays because it's Cuttlebug Be Inspired day!!! This week we are featuring inchies. For my card, I cut inchies with some Spellbinders Dies with my Cuttlebug and then embossed them with various folders. The center image is an OA journal sticker with an SRM Sticker. The sentiments are myStampBOX stamps. Papers are OA and Core'dinations cardstock that I sanded.

Since I am still on cloud 9 from the DT announcement over at For the Luv of Art :0 :) :) :) :) I figured I would run with the color combo from Julie Ann's ad challenge again.


And, I am not sure if you can tell but I used my corner rounder on the right hand side of the card only. AND I even embossed the little sentiments :)


Speaking of cards! Here is another one I made this week with tons of Webster's Pages Seaside Retreat (Papers, Cardstock Stickers and trim are all Websters} with some Core'dinations Vintage Cardstock and SRM stickers over the circles.




And ...how can I forget a myStampBOX stamp on here!!! Love this set to pieces....I stamped it right over the cardstock sticker.


Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Monday! :) ;) ;)

Happy Monday! Thanks for all the awesome comments for the blog hop! Bettina announced a winner over at the myStampBOX blog so head over there ;)

And it is soooo happy for me today! I am so super excited to be part of Norma's new venture over at For the Luv of Art that I could just scream! Well, I might have a bit when Suzy called me, LOL, I did spill my wine. So, if you haven't check it out over there than please do. You will love it and I got my first kit on Friday and it is really fabulous.

Speaking of For the Luv of Art....This week's challenge was based on an ad from Anthroplogy {heart} and it had grey in it and you know me with my grey...I had to jump on it.

I made two projects. The first is this card featuring OA Road Trip, Core'dinations and a myStampBOX stamp. Their Road Trip stamp set and the OA papers are perfect for each other:





Next up is a fun little Card Book that I put together for Brain to take with him when he is gone during the week. He started a new job that takes him away M-F so I thought I would make him a little fun card/book to keep with him {yeah, right} when he is on the road. AND...the super cute Henry is modeling it for us today.

Look how cute the Henerator is posing?!!


Don't mind the cheetos infused shirt and fingers, LOL!



Here is the inside of the book...I just put in a few simple things. I didn't want it to be too big and bulky so he could keep it in the pocket of his laptop bag.



Here is the badge for him to where...



And the back has a pin so he can put it on his shirt. what are the chances he wears this? :)



Have a great week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

it is Blog hippity hoppity time!


Welcome to the Jump into Summer Blog Hop with myStampBOX and our preferred product partners (Helmar, PK Glitz and Kiki Art)! If you have just happened upon my blog today, you may want to head to the start of the blog hop, the myStampBOX blog .

Here is our Summer Blog Hop schedule just in case you missed anyone:

Ellen http://closeyourears.blogspot.com -------> you are here!!!
Ally http://yourmemoriescanada.blogspot.com back to the myStamp BOX blog The challenge for this Blog Hop was to take anything that makes you think of Summer and create a project that fits the theme.

Okay..enough of that boring stuff ;) Here are the goodies I made for today. Since I am blessed with being able play with both Kiki Art and myStampBOX goodies, I made two cards. This one is using some Kiki Art Water Rain paper and I stamped right on my trim with some Stazon. The stamp is from the cute cute Wishing You Sunshine set. It is soo so cute! I used my white craft ink from SU! on the clouds. AND I am so super lucky to have lots of Helmar goodies to play with, too! So each project here today includes some Helmar.


How cute are these rain drop bling cuties from Mark Richards?


The Butterfly fluttery tail is actually a Kiki Art Heart Bling! The Thanks stamp is from the myStampBOX Everyday Lines small box set. I looove this set. I just love to say, "thanks".


I used my Cuttlebug and embossed the Core'dinations Cardstock and Scenic Route Butterfly. Then I added some Shimmerz to the butterfly as well. The patterned paper is Kiki Art and the stamp in the upper right hand corner is a myStampBOX stamp Simple Sentiment.




You participate in the blog hop by leaving a comment on each and every participating myStamp BOX designer's blog and all of our partner companies' blogs as well. You have a chance to win a set of stamps sets! Our partner companies will offer up a prize as well. So leave a comment on all the blog posts and then return to the mSB blog and tell us what you favourite project was along the way for a chance to win!


Please hop along to the next blog, Maryfrances, and check out the Summery inspiration!


Have Fun!!!!!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Blog Hops, a Wedding Affair, mb's and layout...

I might as well start Monday off with a bang! There is a ton going on this week :) First off, the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog is having their Wedding Affair this week! Tons of goodies and give-a-ways.

Make sure you mark your calendars for the myStampBOX blog hop on June 17th! We will be joining forces with some of our preferred partners like Kiki Art so it will be FUN! Speaking of Kiki Art...check out this cute little sneak for this summer release!

cuuuuuute! I agree that summer IS fun ;)




Here is a layout from the Core'dinations and Imaginisce blog swap from last month. I love these photos of henry. He just cracks me up! I used a Sizzix embossing folder for the dots. I am loving it and I like the dots against the graphic papers from Imaginisce. And how fun are their chipboard stickers??? Perfect with some Core'dinations Core Essentials.



And rub-ons go great with Core. Just because there is a little texture doesn't mean you can't use it as your go to cardstock for stamping, rub-ons and printing.



And Have I mentioned my new favorite hang out? I am loving it over at the For the Luv of Art forum. It is a lot of fun and tons of inspiration. What could be better?
I still get very sad when I think of Serendipity closing but finding another place where you feel comfortable makes it much easier, that's for sure.



Friday, June 11, 2010

Friday!!!

Yeah for Friday!

We are off to the Wine Festival shortly. The day got away from me and I wanted to get a blog post in before the day was done and weekend is here.

Today was our last day of school and I made this little guy from the Little Black Dress June kit. I used a Martha Stewart paper piecing for the owl. I added the googley eyes and Core'dinations cardstock {not in kit} and the wing is from a vintage card that comes in the LBD kit.



The Hooray sentiment is an SRM sticker. These are so fun!




And in honour of the Wine drinking this weekend here is a layout from the LBD June kit. I just wanted to document how much I love sitting outside with a wine, good book and watch the kiddos run around. One of my FAVE things to do...

I ran these flowers through my Cuttlebug.




Have a great weekend!!!


Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Little Black Dress and Cuttlebug #87

Another week is just flying by and I am wondering how it is Wednesday already! Two more days of school here and owen is so excited.

Make sure you check out the Little Black Dress Kit club for the new June Kit!!! I love love love love kits that mix and match different paper lines. If I wanted a whole line of the same stuff, I could buy it on my own, kwim? But having a bunch of different stuff all mixed up is my kinda kit so make sure you check it out!

Here is a mini album I created with June's kit. You will love love the corrugated cardboard.

I knew this mini would be a perfect fit for the Cuttlebug Challenge Blog # 87 challenge for paint. On the cover, I painted and used Glimmer mist {not included in the LBD kit}. Then I used my Cuttlebug and Spellbinders dies to make the scallop shapes and then ran them through my Cuttlebug again using the Houndstooh 37-1153 and Textile Texture 37-1153 folders.


The kit comes with this fun sheet from a Life's Little Instruction book so I based my theme of the book on it...



And check out the tab. I used my tab punch {I use this guy 24/7} on one of the vintage playing cards that comes in the kit and then ran it through my Cuttlebug with the Moraccan folder 37-1909.


Here are the inside pages. Lots of Kaisercraft papers and other fun goodies! And I used some of the paperbag for these flowers....again...Spellbinders and my Cuttlebug...


I {heart} these cork letters from the kit!!!!!!!!!!







Thursday, June 03, 2010

Sun Fun!

Happy Friday! It is fishing Derby time here in our town so Owen is super psyched to get his hands on a fish. He loooves fishing. It amazes me how he concentrates when he is doing it, I wish he would concentrate like that when his teacher tells him to stop talking!!!! {sigh}

This is him last year when he caught the biggest fish and one a huge trophy! I was in the bathroom {located right next to the door that goes to the garage} and he and his pappy came barging in to show me the fish! It was priceless. Owen man-handled that fish and he wouldn't put it back on the ice, poor thing. It was a good lesson though on how we only catch what we eat. Guess who likes fish now? ;)


Oh and make sure you head over to Pagemaps!!! Websters teamed up with Becky Fleck this month and it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much fun! Click here for the June Newsletter.

Speaking of summer and fishing and all things warm and fun...here is layout using some Webster's Pages papers and myStampBOX stamps. You don't have to do a lot with this paper...just add your own little touches here and there.


I just looooooooove these fabric strips from Websters! I used this one just like I would trim.


Note the myStampBOX arrow that I added on the paper...just because it already has a pattern won't stop me! LOL! I cut out the title from my Cricut and then ran it through the Cuttlebug.


Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Happy Wednesday!


Do you have a little black dress that you can't live without? I sure do! and I just love love fashion, shoes, accessories and everything fun that has to do with clothes and feeling fabulous.

If you are like me than you have to check out this new kit club Little Black Dress. You are going to love it and I cannot wait to play with these fun, vintage filled kits. Yeah, I am so excited to work with their kits!!! They are the perfect accessory to my scrapbooking wardrobe.
We just got back from vacation and it was a blast! I figured today, I would share some photos that I took over the weekend. I wasn't feeling all that great when we left so I am glad I got it in gear to have some fun.

Here is Henry all decked out in goggles and his swimsuit with the life vest built right into it. Note his "real" swimming suit coming out from underneath it on one leg. Poor kid! LOL! but it didn't bother him so we didn't mess with it that day.



Goggles! Yippee!


And how about this shot! We {I will take most of the credit ;} invented a new game called Lake Ball. A designated person throws the ball off the side of the dock while you run and jump and try and catch it. Here is Brian flipping over trying to reach his {he missed} but his tatoo is looking fabulous.


And check out Big Lar {aka Larry, aka my dad} getting into the action! he got his on this try and no damage to his back, phew! He looks so good in his Tommy Hilfiger shorts we got him for Christmas, too.