My Time To Color Challenge! :)

Hey all-

If you are one of my friend's I haven't had a chance to tell yet....I didn't get on the Design Team for Lauren Meader , but you should all see the women's work who did! :) Can you say, SIMPLY AMAZING!!!! These ladies are just awesome at their work. :) I am getting inspired and hopefully, one day, I will be awesome too! ;)

I saw that Lauren is doing different challenges every week and this week is a color challenge! :) Lauren, if you read this, I loved the colors you picked for this week! :) I didn't have exactly what you wanted, but I got close! :) I am so glad it isn't an "anal" challange! :) LOL! I had so much fun creating and this card just came to me. :) I did get a little inspired by the circles the colors were in on the challenge. Take a look at them here.

So, without further chatting (you know how I can get!!!) Here she is:

Ok....is she not cute and sassy?!


Not only is she cute, but look how she pops!!!

I love the saying, Born to Shop...not to mop! Can we all not relate??

What I used: CTMH Ms. On the Go!

CTMH Stamp Pads (chocolate, outdoor denim)

Marvy Stamp Pad (Black)

Staz-On Stamp Pad (Jet Black)

PrismaColor Colored Pencils (Black, Light Peach, Lemon Yellow, Crimson Lake, Warm Gray 90%, Dark Umber, Chocolate, AND.....Colorless Blender)

American Crafts (red cardstock)

Bazzill (yellow cardstock)

Stampin' Up (aqua cardstock)

Pop Dots

Thanks for looking and I will be back soon with another project! :)

Fun Ideas using Miss Lauren M's sketches and templates!!!

Hey all!! I have been creating up a storm here! Those of you who live here in Great Falls, may think I may have created the storm that came through yesterday...WHAT WAS THAT?! Aren't we in SPRING? Well if you don't feel like we are in SPRING..then you will love my ideas that I used using Lauren Meader's (http://laurenm.blogs.splitcoaststampers.com/page/2/)Saturday Sketches and her "Bun in the Oven" template from Papertrey Ink's Timeless Templates (http://www.papertreyink.com/timeless_templates.html). So..what am I waiting for!!!!

This fun little gift was made before I decided to try out for Lauren's Design Team....I had been wanting to use these fun summer colors! :) This was very simple and fun to do. :) Believe it or not. I was able to use one sheet of 12x12 cardstock for the card and box! :)

This is what I used: Bazzill 12x12 Cardstock (dotted swiss)
Best Occassions Mixed Media Pack (patterned paper)

Scraps for the punched out circles/polka dots

Heidi Swapp Bling Brads

White Tulle.

Ok...now on to where I decided to try for Miss Lauren's Design Team! :) I figured out what she was asking for on Tuesday of this week! AHHH...well you know me! :) I got my Thinking Cap on and started thinking of what to do to have her look at me other than screaming on my blog, "PICK ME!!! PICK ME!!!" So, this is what I came up with...I did one project with a card that is from her Saturday Sketches and her Bun in the Oven Template. I have put the sketch first and then the card! :) Lauren's Sketch

My card! :)

Look at the fun way to open the "oven"!

It fits a fun little candle in there! :)

My card interpretation with the Bun in the Oven Creation! :)

What I used: Bazzill 12x12 Metallic Paper

CTMH Serendipity Patterned Paper

Butterfly Wings CTMH Stamp Set

Black Staz-On Stamp Pad

American Crafts "Bling type" Cardstock (on card only)

Bling Stickers (Michael's)

Silk Flowers

Making Memories "S" clips

Circle Clips

***Last, but definately not least, is a card I did from this sketch! :)***

I loved this card! :) I used: Bazzill 12x12 Cardstock (sugar cookie)

My Mind's Eye Bloom and Grow (orange and teal patterned papers)

With Love (sentiment) and April Word Puzzle (square with flower) Stamp Sets from CTMH.

Orange Stamp Pad CTMH

Bling Stickers (Micheal's)

Wow! That was a long post! :) I hope you all enjoyed looking at my cards as much as I loved creating them! :)

I got Tagged!!! LOL! You all should play too!

Ok, if I have TAGGED you...here are the rules:



I was tagged by the lovely Dedra Long! :) I love her work, I am not sure I can tag her, so I will give you her blog addy: . Visit it, you will not be disappointed! :)

Ha Ha...Now the rules! Hopefully, I get this right. LOL! I think this is how it works:

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 10 blogs.
4. Put links to their 10 blogs.
5. Leave a comment for the nominees.

So now I have to pick 10 blogs (in no particular order):

1. Lauren Meader, very fun and creative! I love her videos and blog!

2. Teresa Collins, need I say more? She is a very lovely person and creative gal!:) I love how she looks at life and family!

3. Molly Irwin, I love her pictures and how she looks at life! :) I especially loved her blog about "Less is more" a week ago! :)

4. Lain Ehmann...I met her on Paperclipping Live and really love her blog and am going to do LOAD (Lay Out A Day) with her in May! :)

5. Suz Gray...I met her on Paperclipping Live and on the Crop Circle and love her work and she is one of the nicest people. NEVER has a bad thing to say! :)

6. Lisa Thomas- She is one of my long time friends and such a sweetheart! :) She has been through a lot and is still one of the nicest people I know! :)

7. Katie Vaughan, my CTMH dealer (lol, yes, she supplies my addiction!), but more importantly, she is my friend. :) I don't think she ever says anything bad! :)

8. Lorrie Jonas, is a freind from Crop Circle and just a very high energy gal! :)

9. Terri Bradford is a friend and also our moderator at Paperclipping Live! :) She keeps all the "baddies" away! :)

10. Ali Edwards is someone who inspires me and I am not sure she has time to play, but I hope she does. I am very inspired by her as I am with every blog I go to or I would not have all of you bookmarked! :)

Ok...I hope I have done thsi right and hope you all play along! :) If not...it's all good.

SWEET 24/7 !!!

This was perhaps the quickest, most fun I have had with a layout in a very long time! :) I saw a challenge (on Bitten By the Bug) using Cricut's Graphically Speaking Cartridge and I thought, "Hey, I have that cartridge! I should try this!" So, after I finished getting ready for class tonight, I came home, thought, and created! :) I had bought some Bazzill Dotted Swiss from 2 Daughter's Scrapbooking (http://www.2daughtersscrapbooking.com/servlet/StoreFront) that I wanted to try! :) BTW, Jayne at 2 Daughter's is running a wonderful sale right now. For 10 more days she is having a sale a day on each of our/your favorite companies. She is also having contests and more! Oh, I don't work for her...she has AWESOME customer service and is the sweetest person.
Anyways- I found some pics of Sasha that matched the dotted swiss very well and printed those out!
I only had to use the "24/7" part of the cart, but I saw so many cute things on the cart...I decided to use "sweet" and "simply" also! :) I hope you like it....I loved doing the challenge and will try again soon!

What I used: Bazzill Dotted Swiss "Pirouette" (I think) 12x12 cardstock

Bazzill Bling "Diamond" 12x12 cardstock

Making Memories Glittered Chipboard Shapes

Memento Markers Rose Bud

Bazzill 12x12 cardstock (the gray CS, I am not sure on the color)

Bazzill Bling Brads "Glass Slipper

CuttleBug Fun "Springy Flower" Card

I decided to have a little fun with my Cuttlebug (and join their challenge #26) tonight while my Bestie, Bex, was here with me! :) I used a Fiskars embossing plate with it to make my Fun, Springy Flower Card! :)

I cut out a flower shaped card twice (at 6" with the Expression) with my Cricut Wild Card Cartridge. I cut this shape in light purple and white Best Occasions Cardstock. I lined the two card cuts up and adhered the backside (square part) only together. Now, the card cuts out the flower shape on the front of the card with a square backing, but I wanted a circular back, and I didn't feel like messing with my Design Studio, so I enlisted my Creative Memories Circle Cutting System to do the job. I cut the back of the card at a 5 &1/2" circle and made sure that the circle template was overlapping the fold of the card so I wouldn't cut my card into two different pieces.

I then put my Expression into frame mode on the Wild Card Cartridge and cut the flower out in white and pink Best Occasions cardstock. I ran the pink and white flowers through the Cuttlebug (separately) with the dotted Fiskars embossing template and then chalked them with Pebbles Inc. Pearl Chalks (white was colored with pink and pink was colored with white). I did this to bring out the embossed dots a little better.

I did have to use my Fiskars rubbing tool to emboss the purple flower because it was a little too big to go through my Cuttlebug.

I "skewed" the flowers on top of each other (white on top, then purple "card", and last pink). Pierce the 3 layers (be careful not to go through the non-adhered white flower shape of the card) and place a Heidi Swapp Big Bling Brad though the three layers. Then adhere the white flower part of the card to the layers.

I finally stamped the phrase "lean on me" from the CTMH Friendship word stamps set, in CTMH Amethyst ink. I then took a clean Fantastix (tsukineko) pointed end tool and put a little Amethyst ink on the end and made three dots. Then on the inside of the card I stamped, with Amethyst, the phrase, "through happy times and sad", also from the Friendship set. I used the flower border from the same set and stamped the top and bottom of the inside of the card. :)

I just love the end product and hope you will enjoy it too! :) Thanks for looking and visiting! :)

You have to read this!!! (LESS IS MORE)

As most of you know, I LOVE reading my blogs! :) I have a decent sized list of blogs I go to everyday to see just what my "friends" are up to and/or what they create.

I was on my daily Blog Look and came to Molly Irwin's: http://mollyirwin.typepad.com/mollyirwin/ I will say....all of you should go there. She definitely wrote about the here and now today. She wrote about "less is more". A lot of us are struggling with the economy right now. Some have lost jobs, some have lost hours, some are just plain lost! :( I can barely get out of our weekly Walmart neccessities without spending a MINT on what we need! My mother-in-law will say we have more than enough food to feed a small country, but we have a lot less than we used to. We used to go out to eat every week...not so much anymore. I DO NOT miss it at all, in fact I am loving cooking. Those of you that know me, know this is a HUGE thing for me....I love making food...sometimes just to taste it and make my hubby and kids happy. :)

Yesterday was Easter for us. We usually make Easter just as HUGE as Christmas. This year was totally different. We did still get the kids stuff. Jon got some gift cards, so I didn't waste a ton of money on things that he would be breaking or tossing within a week. We got Sasha a book and some of her fave candies and a couple of pretty ponies from Michael's. AND YOU KNOW WHAT?!?!?! They were just as happy as if we would have spent a ton of money on them. I made a London Broil that was in the freezer from when SAm's Club ran a special on two HUGE London Broils for around $7. We had baked potatoes, rolls, and salad. No dessert today...there was candy and we were fine with that. It had to be our cheapest holiday meal ever. LOL!

Molly also said she was going to post some of her crafts she will be doing this week. The plus is that all of them will be made of stuff she already has! :) I really need to do that. I know I work for credit at the scrapbook store, but there are times I still spend money there, because I have to have what I want NOW! WHY!?!?! Why do some of us feel like this? The good thing for business owners is they can stay open because of people like me and there are a TON of us. BUT...the bad thing is that NONE of us that are spending are really getting all that fullfilled. Yes...I will admit that I love using the newest papers and tools. I love getting things as they come out, but really...is that the smartest approach with our economy now? Can I sell my layouts to pay my mortgage? HMMM.....it doesn't look like I was thinking when I was excited, huh? Nope I wasn't.

I am gonna try something. I am gonna try my best to scrap with what I have until I have gone through a lot. If I don't want it, it is going on Ebay...somebody will want it right?

Please, go to Molly's Blog: http://mollyirwin.typepad.com/mollyirwin/ , let me know what you think. She really knows what she is saying. :) Thanks Molly!

Finally my House of 3 Project!!!! YAY!

Ok.....it has been a week around here! :) We have been spring cleaning, crafting, battling illnesses, etc., etc.! LOL! I was even sick if you will believe that! Of course, as Garth always says, "You are always sick for only a day!" I can't help it....good genetics (Thanks Dad!) and the fact that I may very well have a garlic garden in my system! LOL! Poor Sasha is still sick and just pitiful! :( Nobody does sick quite like her! She is our resident princess in our home and so sweet, but lately she has just been hurting so not herself. :( I am hoping she is good this week or I am homeward bound.

Anyways- I got my House of 3 book done and love it! :) I am thinking of doing some as gifts and actually just using the fork and spoon page that has yellow polka dots on it for a cookbook gift! This kit is so versatile and I love it! :) Thanks Heidi, Rhonna, and Janet for creating such a fun project that literally is worth every dime! :) In posts below this one I go through some of the products used, but not all of them.....I was just on automatic creative pilot! LOL! I used Grundgeboard, perfect pearls mist, Stampin' Up's embossing template, my BIA, Teresa Collin's chipboard charms, ribbons from Michael's, My Mind's Eye rub ons, Tattered Angels Glimmer Chips, and some word charms from Tim Holtz (the real name escapes me right now).

I am also getting ready for Lain Ehmann's LOAD (Layout a Day) for May. :) I will post more on that later....definitely something that is GREAT for inspiration for getting a jump on scrapping! :)

I was going to say what I used on everything, but I used so much on my book that I can tell you the companies I used, but not exactly the names of everything. Iwill say that if you are alcohol ink coloring transparency of any type....the two I have done are the Prima Paintables that Tim Holtz used in his demos and I have used actual printer transparency and colored on the rough side that keeps the inks with Tsukineko's Fantastix! I love these for this type of stuff. I was SOOOOO depressed when I found out that Tim's Alcohol Ink pens were going to be $6 for ONE! So, I racked my brain and found these little treasures at Michael's for $4.99 for like 6 or 8 (I forget). They are so easy to use and cost effective for those of us who really can't afford the pens. :)

I also used some flowers from Petaloo and distress inks.....the list goes on and on. :)

House of 3 Project!!!!!

This was just some more of my project! :) This was so exciting to do and I am glad that the House of 3 ladies came up with this! :) Rhonna, Heidi, and Janet are so creative and you can really see who designs what....they put so much of themselves in their work! :)

House of 3 Project!!!!!

This book was so much fun to do! :) I finally finished it at 3:30 am Tuesday morning and the first time binding it was miserable! :) But my second time was a charm....unless you ask Jeanie....she caught that I did it wrong! LOL! It's all good though....not everybody can do their best work at 3:30 am! Not even me....Great Falls' resident night owl! And...not everyone is perfect...but if you look at the actual book....it reflects me and this family and I LOVE it! Binding can be fixed....your heart can't! :)

Really busy! :)

I actually got the pics of my House of 3: Housewarming Book done last night (Wednesday night/Thursday morning) and just need to upload them along with the 2 layouts I did. I tried something new on both layouts, so if they don't see like me that is probably why...I stepped WAY out of my box for them. :)

Got my Wally-mart shopping done last night and got a little Sam's club too. I met my mother-in-law at Walmart and we shopped for a while. She gave me my b-day money from her and Auntie and I picked out a BIG food processor and a waffle iron. I realized that I either buy stuff to help with what we eat or stuff to create. LOL!

I am probably gonna have to take Little Chica to the drs Thursday. Poor thing had a fever when she woke up at 11pm Wednesday night and it was almost 101 degrees. I guess I am officially the only one in my family who never gets sick. So, we may be very close to home this Easter. I was hoping to do something, but it probably isn't gonna happen. It's all good though...with old age Garth and I are really becoming homebodies. We are FINE holed up in our home with the kids.

The good thing is that my usual "Homebody", Jon, has been playing outside non-stop. He has been taking his bike out with his friend Devin. At first I was so scared to let him go off and have fun. I worry about him. I am the mom that walked her son inside the school and to his classroom everyday until he told me I didn't need to in second grade. Now, that he is becoming a young man....I can baby him even less. I am trying to raise a good son and want the best for him and hope that he is safe all the time. The good news is he came home safe, but covered in mud....TOTAL BOY!

While I am on the subject of Jon...I am so proud of him! :) My little (well, young) man got Perfect Attendance and Gold Honor Roll for this quarter in school! :) He is just the best! :) I just love how he glows with happiness and pride when he pleases himself with achieving what he wants in what he does. :)

Ok...it's 3:30am and I am so tired, but I needed to clean my craft area tonight. :)

Other Ramblings & My House of 3 Book! :)

Ok, everyone that I "leaked" to! :) LOL! I am done with my House of 3: House Warming Book, but I have friends that come to my blog and then I have a page one a web group I am a part of and there are people on there that would like to see my project too. Since I am going to be taking pics and pretty much posting the same thing on both pages...I will be putting it on the Beautiful Blog tomorrow or tomorrow night. Then for my buddies at the Crop Circle...I will be putting it on shortly after. For a couple of my 2 peas friends....it is coming....but not for a couple of days. Sorry... :) I am not sure how many MOSers see this blog, but I always send out a Update Email so you all will get that and if you are a personal friend of mine you will get it also.

It has been a FUNKY week this week to say the least. I am still waiting on my Scor-pal, but was promised it was coming...so hopefully soon. I would like to get my friend, Jeanie's back to her. She is so good she actually can score a card on her own....I will say it is rough to be spoiled with the tool's of today..I can't score a card to save my life! :) LOL! I also got totally screwed over (sorry about the language) by Paypal (well, not them some foreign people) and had to get everything reversed....WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH LOW LIVES IN THIS WORLD??? They break into things and steal stuff that isn't theirs and make life just miserable. Notice how it is hard for the victim to reverse everything than it was for the a$$H@%# who takes your stuff (money, goods, etc.)...and Oh, yes, I DID say what you think. What is this world coming to? I will say that Paypal does have good Customer Service! :) I really couldn't understand them, but they repeated when I needed it and we got everything straightened out. YAY!

I have had NO TIME this last week or this week and FRIDAY I am at MOMS for 12 hours !!!! AHHHHH! I love being there so much and I seriously need to get my bank up, but I have so much to get ready for in life and family things that I am screaming inside! I know some of you are more busy than me! I feel so bad for you!! :) {hugs to you} Which is the reason that some of you are not seeing any new projects yet. They are coming. :)

Oh, BTW, I have so much to do at MOMS that I really do need to be there....it isn't just a want thing...the severity of the case is making it a NEED thing! :) LOL! I am so dramatic...I know....I so wish I had Ali Edwards Chi (is this the way you spell it??)! LOL! For some of you that go to her blog....is she NOT the most calm individual ever? I wish I could be like that!

Ok...I am gonna finish binding my book and then getting it upstairs for pics tomorrow....which is happening between Miss Sasha (so sweet!), grocery shopping (since I used my bad word for the day..I will not go there), and getting Jon (my little man!! So cute)...oh and another Spring Cleaning room done (Miss Sissy-Kin's Playroom is next)...I may even post my rooms one by one as I get them cleaned! Some rooms may leave you saying, "Wow, Kath, I could have lived a life time with out seeing your (bathroom or bedroom)!!" So we will see! :)

Well....by for now...so, do you think I am gonna sleep tonight? ;)

Hey all! "Playing Catch Up!"

Hey everyone!

I will be taking pics of projects I have been working on tomorrow and posting them. Also, if I can get some stuff on ebay up...I may be posting about that too. I will only if it pertains to crafting though. :) I did finish one or two layouts last week and am trying to finish my House of 3: House warming book. It is a totally fun project and well worth the money if you are wanting something to create and have fun with. The possibilities are endless!!!!! I will be showing pics of this tomorrow to let you see it. I chose to do a BIG book this time, but if and when I do some for gifts they will be WAY smaller. :)

Oh, those of you who have not been to the House of Three Site, here it is: http://www.houseof3.com/ . Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are a wonderful site and I did have a problem with something downloading once (right when they started..they were maybe a DAY into it) and their Customer Service is the BEST!!!!!!! If any of you 3 (Heidi, Janet, and Rhonna)are reading....I am sending a shout out! I know Rhonna commented a few posts back (very sweet post, THANKS).

I did do a couple of gifts that I didn't take pics of because they were surprises, but my fave was one I did for my friend, Lori (Love, Love, Love HER) and it was Lauren Meader's "Bun in the Oven" template from Papertrey Ink. Here is the address for that: http://www.papertreyink.com/timeless_templates.html ! :) These templates are so great.....not only do you get the file to print out and use FOREVER, you also get ideas from her and her design team! :) I will make another one and show you how fun it is! :) Lauren ROCKS!

Ok....I just didn't want you all to think I forgot my blog! Last week was such a BLUR!!!