Where I Create

I love my craft room a.k.a. The Command Center

Here's what it looks like...

This is my main work area.

to the left where I sit...see my cool banners?

My alphabet stamps and Cricut cartridges.  I bought that shelf from a garage sale for $6.  It was from Pottery Barn for a magazine holder.

At the lower left is Carly's work station.  It's a lot messier than my area!

This is the inside of my closet.  I use an old computer station to hold my papers and other misc. items.  Yes, that's Zac Efron.  Carly was obsessed with him a few years back and I just haven't taken him down yet. 

This is one of the favorite things in my room.  These are photos of my dad when he was a boy.  I bought this kit a long time ago and it is a family, memory, sort of thing and because of the old fashion feel to it, I thought these photos of my dad would work perfectly with it.

It isn't much of a room.  Most items were purchased at yard sales or thrift stores, but it works perfectly for me and Carly and fits the rest of my house with randomness. 

Cute as a Bug!

I've been busy making the cutest bugs for my friend and coworker, Stephanie.  She's hosting a Cute as a Bug baby shower for a friend and I'm helping her with the bug decorations.  I never thought I'd say bugs and cute in the same sentence, but aren't these bugs cute? 
She purchased cupcake holders that look like grass and she will make these cupcake toppers.  The cupcakes will be placed on a cake plate with a bow (she's a pro at making bows) and used for both the dessert/cake and table centerpieces.  Genius!
Here are some of the bugs.  I made 40 all together, plus some basic blackout shapes of the bugs to use as confetti on the tables.  It's hard to tell, but most of these bugs have glitter paper and the dragonflies have vellum wings.

Now here's what I did with an old frame that I have:

Another photo:

Cartridges I used:
Walk in my Garden (bees, snails, ladybugs, butterflies and the grass at the bottom of the frame)
Pooh and Friends (worm)
Doodlecharms (beetle and dragonflies)
Just Because Cards (the words cute and bug)
Plantin Schoolbook (the words as, a)
The yellow oval was cut with my Creative Memories Oval cutter and the hearts are from a punch

I entered this project on The Paper Variety challenge blog.  This week just happened to be on bugs.  What a coincidence!  Check out the blog, there are great projects and challenges!

The Scrap Pile

I have way too many scraps.  I keep each color in their own ziploc baggies and I thought that was a pretty good way of organizing, but my scraps are getting too full.  I was internet surfing today and I found this link with a great idea for storing and using scraps.

I love the idea of cutting the bigger pieces down to 6x6 sheets and I plan on purchasing some of those bins for those sizes.  I make a lot of mini gift albums so this will be helpful for those and also for small cuts from the Cricut.

I honestly don't know if I'll toss scraps if I don't use them in a year, but I'll give it a thought.  Hopefully soon, I'll post photos of some cards done with these scraps.  HA HA HA!  That'll need to be my next challenge.

6x6 Baby Boy Page

Another challenge at Celle's Virtual Baby Shower was to create a 6x6 page so she can gather them and put in a little brag book album.

Here's my page:

I made these tags awhile back and I thought it would be cute on a page.  This is very simple, just a patterned paper block with a brown border and off-white photo mat.  I did ink the edges of the photo mat to match with the tag.

All it needs is a cute baby photo and she's all set :)

Celle's Virtual Baby Shower Challenge

Create a card based on a boy themed poem...

Here's my card:

I used some borders from a Border Punch Swap that I hosted awhile back on SCS.  I used some chalk pencils and a blending pen for the coloring of the boy/bug image.  I completely forgot I had them...  I tried to add some extra dirt on the knees and his face.

Wristlet (Is That What You Call It?)

I was messing around with some vellum flowers and glitter and one thing led to another and I came up with this little wristlet/bracelet.

I cut a 2" strip from a toilet paper roll and cut it in half.  Then I pulled some scrap paper to cover the top portion.  I used two strips of patterned paper for the top.  The top layer is from Pink Paisley.  After that, I attached a piece of ribbon to the back and then covered it over with the same blue scrap paper.  Then I just started adding flowers and then a glittered butterfly.  The green leafy thing was from a swap I had from last year.  In the middle of the vellum rolled flower is a silver bead.  It's simple, but very cute!

Zippers!

On the Trash to Treasure table, Karen brought a ton of other craft items that were her mother's.  She had one box filled with zippers.  I grabbed one of each color and thought I'd try to make those really cute zipper flowers/broaches that I've been seeing everywhere.  So...I looked through some UTube videos and then made some myself.

Thanks goodness for leftovers because I used some felt that my mother gave me awhile back and the trusty glue gun and came up with these two.

So easy!  I hope Karen didn't donate all those zippers because when the ladies in our Scrappin' in Patterson group see these, they are going to want to make some for themselves.

Here they are in blue:

Seriously took less than 5 minutes to make both.
1.  cut felt circle
2.  roll and hot glue the zipper a few times to create the flower center
3.  hot glue it down to the felt.
4.  squeeze a little hot glue around the center and glue down the zipper strip.  go slowly and hold down for a few seconds to make sure the zipper sticks.
5.  trim felt circle closely against the zipper

Easy Peasy...

CREATE

I finished all the details of the LOTW swap we did on National Scrapbooking Day.  Each letter was created by someone else.  I bought this frame at the Dollar Tree and added a few embellishments but not much.

C = me
R = Callie
E = Meghan
A = Susan
T = Karen
E = me again


Thanks ladies, now it's proudly hanging in the Command Center.

May Challenge

Pajama Party's May challenge was this:
make a card with an image of a mother with or without kids on it.  Use at least two DP and some flowers and three of something.  This is what I came up with:

I used pink paper scraps for the base of the embellishments.  There are three different DP and two solid cardstock.  The bottom strip is crimped.  Flowers in the corner were made with my SU! scalloped circle punch.  (trim it so all you have left is the outside scallop portion and then roll into a flower); added adhesive backed pearls to the center of each and then inked and flattened.  The Happy Mother's Day sentiment was actually given to me in a swap that I hosted awhile back.  The photo of my mom and me is on a piece of packing tape.  Have you tried that technique yet?  It gives a negative like feel to photos.  Basically, you make a copy of your photo on regular copier paper (can be black/white or color - I did it in both but liked the black and white better); then you take a piece (or pieces depending on the size of your image) of clear packing tape and cover your image; rub it all over to be sure it's really on there; soak it in warm water until thoroughly soaked in; then use your fingers to rub off the paper completely away from the back of the tape.  Try not to scratch the paper off because it will leave scratch marks on your transfer.  Viola!  It's that easy.

I did realize one thing...I really, really, really need a new camera.  I tried take close ups but they just turned out too blurry.  I sent this card to my mama for Mother's Day.  Hope she likes it.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!  I am blessed to have a wonderful mother who never seizes to amaze me.  Sometimes that means, I don't know what else to do but shake my head.  But nevertheless, blessed.

On this mother's day eve, I thought, wow my kids not only have me as their mother, but also my three sisters who are mother figures for them.  Since we have all lived together at some point throughout their lives, all three play big roles in their upbringing even as they are becoming young adults.  Each of us give them love and support, but each of us do it in our own ways:

Auntie Marlene (aka Yaya):  Yaya is so organized and driven which is completely opposite of me.  Give her a potential problem and she will research and find the best way to resolve anything.  You're not sure about something, she will track down any information available and then map out a plan to make it happen.  Yaya wants to know everything about what's going on in my kids lives so that she can make sure they are getting treated correctly and they are getting the best out of every situation.  She's a do-er.  When the kids ask me for information and I don't know the answer, I tell them to ask Auntie Yaya.

Auntie Sherry:  Sherry is definitely entertaining.  She can make any situation a learning experience whether it's to find out what to do...or what not to do.  My kids know how much she loves them and that she will do anything she can possibly do for them.  There's no doubt about that.  If it's going to happen, it's going to happen now.  She has a "Take No Prisoners" attitude about life that wears me out.

Auntie Caroline:  Caroline is someone my kids can always depend on - no matter what.  If they need it, she'll provide it.  She's turned my kids into travelers.  They have been able to see parts of the US that I have never seen.  Caroline loves adventures and history.  She hears about places and then goes there.  After she tries it out, she encourages the kids to go with her the next time.  She spoils those kids with anything and everything and loves to spend time with them.  Not to sit around and watch t.v., but to actually do things.  It's nice to see them participate in things that they wouldn't think they'd enjoy.  They are much more adventurist where I am content to stay home and do the same ol'.

So is it a blessing to have more than one mother...???  I think so.  The kids are getting a whole lot of love and of course a whole lot of crazy. 

More Titles

Absolutely LOVE these titles from P.S. I Love You Scrapbooking.  I'm so happy I was selected to be on the Design Team.  I must get more of these.  Not only do they look great, but they are made with quality cardstock and beautifully cut.  These are photos of Derek and Kevin's games.  I'm so happy they are back on the diamond and we get to cheer for them and their teammates again.  It's been way too long!

Go to the P.S. I Love You Scrapbooking ebay site to look at all the variety of titles she has.  She has a GREAT assortment and great prices.

Ugly Paper Challlenge

On Saturday, the Scrappin' in Patterson group got together for an all day crop honoring National Scrapbooking Day.  We h ad a LOTW swap, Trash to Treasure pile and an Ugly Paper Challenge.  Well, turns out the ugly paper was actually really cool.  And the best part...I won the challenge.  Here's the layout that won me the prize.

Here's a better shot of the paper...

It's just perfect for my San Francisco photos...  very urban and artsy.

Best part - the prize - a SMASH book.  I made one of these for my nephew but this is gorgeous!  I'm going to use it to keep all my creative ideas and custom orders, etc.  Woo Hoo

It's hard to read, but basically, it's a scrapbook of everything and anything you want to add...The "Pen" is one side pen and the other glue.  How awesome...  Thanks Karen for the fun prize!!

Retirement Gifts

I just completed the Paper Quilts I made for retirement gifts.  I hope they like them.

That's a photo of both of them together.  As you can tell, one person loves pink and is a breast cancer survivor.  The other person is all about Texas.  Since I knew I wanted to use a Texas flag and state, I went with the red, white and blue color scheme.  The flag and state are from the "50 States" cricut cartridge that I borrowed from a friend.

I just love gathering all things pink and then just putting each square individually.

And in this case, red and blue items.  Many of the embellishments are from a variety of swaps that I've participated in over the years.

Baby Boy Gift

Here's the gift I made for my cousins Greg & Justina and their new baby boy.  They are going with an under the sea nursery theme.  I used my Life's a Beach cricut cartridge and the Just Because Cards cartridge for the whale.

The photo is a little fuzzy, but still pretty good shot.

And a few close ups:

The rosettes are on the outside and attached to the glass.

The total size is 16x20.  The main portion is 11x14.  Each square is 3.25".  This just might be the cutest thing I've ever made.  :)