Gettin' Picky!

Brian's Uncle sent us some of their photos from our Phillies weekend and I instantly fell in love with this photo of owen and I at the fountain in Philly. It's the fountain with the LOVE piece of art work is that is famous around the world.

Owen would not put this Philly Phanatic down all weekend. He went everywhere with us, it was so cute. He even tucked him in his own part of the bed. It just melted my heart because I always wanted to be the Philly Phanatic when I was growing up. It's on my Bucket List ;)

So the challenge over at the Get Picky Challenge Blog was to use a this awesome quote from Diane Ackerman. As soon as I read it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do and that I was going to use this photo.

I was drawn to this quote because Brian and I have chosen to try and travel as much as we can with the boys. Less money spent on the house, redoing the floors...stuff like that...and want to take this time and take the boys to as many places we can as they are getting older now and learning to appreciate it. I know growing up, I can't remember projects my parents did or the cares we drove. I remember trips to the lake, to Germany, to Florida....and that is what we want for our boys, too.

Here is my take. I used Core'dinations Black Magic and Echo Park goodies. I also used the Cracked Glass Technique over at the Papertrey Ink blog this week on the chipboard hand.

Here is the scoring detail on the black magic Core! I LOVE this CARDSTOCK!

So I printed the quote right on the Echo Park journaling card. And hid it under the photo. I couldn't fit the credits on the front so that is on the back.

Here is a detail of the journaling card behind the photo and the cracked glass detail on the chipboard. I also use the leaf dies from Papertrey Ink under the vintage button in the upper right hand corner.

CHA Bound!

Well, if you are reading this than I will be thinking of you in uber sunny California. I wanted to show you some of the layouts and projects that I created over at the Nook for their crop last weekend. It has been AGES since I got to participate in a virtual crop. It was so much fun and I was on a creative high from making CHA stuff for Core that I just kept right on going! Plus, it was 2 degrees here last weekend so we couldn't even go out and play in the snow.

I can't wait to get home and share some photos, with you from CHA. WE HAD A BLAST!

Here is a layout I did about Nutty Families (I don't need to explain a lot here). Lots of Jillibean Soup goodness on here. I don't know about you but I have been stalking their blog (and probably their booth right about now, LOL) these past few weeks. The background cs is Core Vintage.

I used my Diamond Glaze as an accent to the Jillibean journal sprout. OH and a BRAND new Elle's Studio journal spot, too.


And some Echo Park goodness here.

I ran the cs stickers through my Cuttlebug (put them on wax paper) and then I used my hammer and Cuttlebug embossing border for the cardstock edge. It's too big to run through the machine so this is an easy way to do it. Some ppl use a rolling pin but you need to really push hard so I bust out the hammer. Much easier and helps relieve stress, too ;)

Trick or Treat

Smell My Feet!!! Yes, a total kid at heart here...LOVE me some Trick-or-Treating :) :) :)

Here are a few shots of the kiddos this year....

Here is Owen as Frankenstein. Yeah for face paint!!! He always picked something where you needed a mask and we never got to paint his face so i was soooo stoked for this year's costume.

Cutest football player EVAH! Yes, henry said he wanted to be a football player! He loooves to tackle and play football so this wasn't a surprise. BUT if you knew me and brain's dad...you would know that we are EAGLES fans! ARGH......

A tab blurry....but fun! :) :) :)

This layout is actually of Owen last year. They had contest at school to decorate your pumpkin but it had to be inspired by your favorite book so owen picked a Christmas book about some snowmen putting a play together in the South Pole. It is a cute story b/c they felt that Santa forgot about them bc the were the South Pole, not the North Pole. So anywho...Owen made a snowman out of his pumpkin! 8 coats of white paint later and the carrot that wouldn't stick ;)

Supplies: Echo Park papers, stickers, and digi download. Core'dinations Couture Cardstock, Jillibean Soup journal spot. I LOVE this glittery Core cardstock!!! And you know I am not a glitter girl ;)


I raised some of the images.


I embellished the pumpkins, too. Ran one through the Cuttlebug...stickles...

Cards and More Card

I am on a card craze these past few weeks. One of the things that got me going were the Unity challenges that were going over WCMD. I did ALL of them! I started Sunday night and did half of them that night. I guess once you get in the groove, you get in the groove ;)

The cool thing is, I only have 4 Unity sets and 1 of the individual stamps so it really got me thinking outside of the box when it came to new ways to use them.

Here are a few of the cards I did with a Halloween Theme. I used Core'dinations Black Magic and Echo Park papers. The paper piecing for the first one is from Scrapbooks, etc.

pop up cards are FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Kimber ;)

These are the New Rox from Queen & Co. They are so cool! AND the orangey color is Gemstone CS from Core'dinations.



Here is a link to my Split Coast Stampers Gallery. I gotta tell you, I think I am going to spend more time over there. SO many great ideas and I love love to stamp!

WCMD Hangover

Yep, I spent a ton of time in my craft room this week. I have done 8 cards and a few other little things and I am not done yet, LOL! I have been in there all day today and need to take a break but something came over me. We even went to the pumpkin patch this weekend. I did a killer workout yesterday and the inner thighs are screaming so I am bloggin instead of hitting the treadmill today. SHHH!

Here is a card I created over the weekend using some fun Echo Park Halloween papers. I put the cardstock sticker on a piece of wax paper and ran it through my Cuttleubg. It peels off relatively easy. This one had some skinny parts on the tree so I had to be careful.

I rased the bat, stars and fence with Black Helmar Zap dots.

I also made this little gift box using a clear Pillow Box from FTLOA. I got to work with these ADORABLE MME Alphabet Soup papers and these 52 deck of cards is the CUTEST! I punched holes in the upper left hand corner with my Crop-a-dile and then attached them. I have a guy at work having a baby and I am going to give this (and the mini album I am doing that isn't finished yet) as a gift.

Have a great weekend!!!!