Valentine's Chipboard Mini Album

Four more days until Valentine's Day! It's just all but snuck up on me this year. I'm happy that I did have enough time to create something----although at first, I was not sure it was going to be a Valentine's Day gift. But as I worked on it, I knew it had to be.

We (my hubby and I) are very happy and lucky to be together this year. Last year, we were not as happy and pretty much on our way to a divorce. Thank God for second chances, forgiveness, and what I believe now is True Love. Hmm...sounds corny, but we got through some pretty bad decisions last year and it would have broken a lesser than True Love.

I am going to go right into what I used for this album and then share it after.

I used Pink Paislee's "Sweetness" Collection for most of the mini-album. The items I used from the collection are:
- "Sweetness" Chipboard Album
- "Sweetness" Glitter Sticker Elements (They are the blue ones.)
- "Sweetness" Cardstock Stickers
- "Sweetness" Doodads (They are the felt stickers.)

The paper I used for covering the inner chipboard pages are from the My Mind's Eye by Jen Wilson's "Totally Girl" 180 sheet paper pad.

I also used my bling "stash" for all of the bling and pearl "bling" on the pages.  I used ribbon from my ribbon "stash" for tying to the binder ring. The binder ring was one that you can buy from the office section of Walmart.

The couple of pink notes that you see with "Us" and "Love" on them are from my Heidi Swapp stash. Yes---I have a Heidi Swapp stash---Don't judge!!

On the front cover, for a little extra glitzy-ness, I used "Smooch" metallic accent paints in Snicker doodle and Sassy Pink.

Basically for the album, I found pictures on Facebook and downloaded them to my computer. Then I sized them in Photoshop and printed them. I didn't have enough pictures for the whole album, so I came up with the idea of using some of the songs that remind us of, well---US---on the pages that didn't have pictures. I took parts of the songs and wrote them on the pages and embellished them.

I will lightly explain each page's pictures (i.e. when taken) or lyrics/song-although I'll let the lyrics speak for themselves....if you are able to read my writing.

Front Cover

Picture from Gibson Park- April 2014

Picture from 2014-Before a Date Night

Some lyrics from P!nk's "True Love"

Lyrics from Kenny Chesney's "You Save Me"

Picture is from 20+years ago

Picture from 1998-right before we got pregnant with Jon

Lyrics from Kenny Roger's "Through the Years"

Lyrics from Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough"

Picture from September 2010

Picture from Summer 2014

Lyrics from P!nk's "Just Give Me A Reason"

Lyrics from One Direction's "No Control"

Picture from 2010 

Pictures from September 2010 and Winter 2014

Picture from Spring 2014

I hope you have a beautiful Valentine's Day! 

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Our Beautiful Tomboy Layout! (My Rare Flower)

This is a plumeria! Is it not beautiful?!?! It is AND it is also rare. Especially one this beautiful!

When people think of 3 year old little girls. They think of princesses, pink, having fun doing gorgeous hair dos, and probably the start of dance class. Funny enough, about 5 years ago, I felt the same way. :) I wanted a "Little Princess" of my own. I wanted her to be blond and blue eyed. :) I wanted her to have beautiful lips. I had dreams of putting her in dance classes and a closet full of PINK! :) Three years ago, that very prayer was answered. God sent me this gorgeous girl.

Blue eyes and BLOND, CURLY hair! :) I was in love the moment I laid eyes on her. Suddenly the 2 miscarriages and months of not getting pregnant seemed to be ok, because I was BLESSED with what I wanted! :) RIGHT?!?!?!

Well, let me tell you something. God always has a way of letting you know he is in control. :) He gave me the beautiful blond girl with the blue eyes. BUT....that is where it ends. HA! I have a three year old little girl that would rather be IRONMAN than a PRINCESS. She would rather wrestle and run and get dirty than dance. As for doing her hair????Even when she lets me and it looks perfect...she hates it. She lobes having her hair down and nothing done to it. And you know what??? I am SO ok with that! :) I definitely have a RARE FLOWER. I am so proud of her and she is (along with her Big Brother) one of the best things that has ever happened to me. They are my reason for getting up in the morning and breathing. :)

So now for the layout. :) I love catching these types of moments between Garth and Sasha. She loves her Daddy so much and if you ask anyone in the family....he is so in love with her. He really didn't put her down for the first year of her life. His mom would get so frustrated with him when we would go over for dinners. Garth made it a sport to be able to do everything with one hand. He cherished her and didn't want anything to touch her. LOL! And we wonder why she didn't walk until she was 16 months old! HA!

Anyways- These moments will always be cherished to me. :) They are something I hope I can remember even when I am old and senile! ;)

Here is the layout!

This was a rub-on for K &Co that I HAD to use on this one! :) TeeHee! :)

I just loved this tag from Ali Edwards for Designer Digitals. :) The journaling says: Date: February 5th, 2010.

Memory:  Oh my goodness, Sasha! You make your father and I smile with your "tomboy" ways.  We just LOVE that you are not the usual "girly girl".  You have always loved any type of Sport Helmet (football, hockey) and this day you saw Daddy's hockey gear in the laundry room. Daddy put his helmets on you and you really, really ENJOYED yourself! Of course, we weren't complaining at all!

Also from Designer Digitals I used this "Simply Sealed- Daddy's Girl" stamp by Katie Pertiet. :) I really went a little hybrid for this project! :) I love it! :)

What I used: 12x12 Patterned from WeRMemory Keepers (MVP Line), Basic Grey (Marrakech) for matting, DCWV Textured Cardstock for matting, American Crafts Thickers, K & Co Rub-ons (Cherish and You are so beautiful to me), heart bling (I am never sure where I get my BLING!), also not sure where I got my black jeweled brad. ;), Ali Edwards "It's all in the details" Tag from Designer Digitals (edited on PSE 7) and Simply Sealed Daddy's Girl digital stamp by Katie Pertiet for Designer Digitals.

Thanks for reading! :)

Hey Chicky! :)

Well, now that it's over...I can now blog the card I made for the Pink Stamper Design Team call. :) I didn't make it, but she has a smaller design team and there were a TON of people going for it! :) I love the work of the girls that made it! :)

I love this card for so many reasons. One is that it's cute...the other....it was so stinkin' simple! :) I just love the birds from the Home Decor Solutions Cartridge. That is where I got these two little cuties from, but cut off the long tails.

I used The Home Decor Solutions cart for the birds, because I wanted them to face each other I decided to glitter them, also, it is gorgeous and makes them POP! :) LOVE that! :) For the "Hey Chicky" letters- I used the Jubilee Cricut cart. The cardstock I used on this was Bazzill for the red letters and Bazzill embossed cardstock for the card base. I loved the leaves on this! :) For the patterned paper... I just couldn't resist American Crafts (Craft Fair) patterned paper and the birds on that! :) I did use a Zig paint pen on the eyes and the legs of the birds.I also used some bling from Michael's Dollar Bins. The glitter was from Michael's also.

"I look at you and I'm home."

I am so bad.....well, may be not bad, but behind! :) LOL! On June 25th, Lain Ehmann had an entry on her blog about home and what it means to her. She has moved from California to a new "home" back east (of course, the numbskull that I can be....I forgot, but I am sure as heck it is back east somewhere!) She said that she hasn't felt homesick like she did when she left for college. She realized that it was because "home" to her is where ever her hubby and kids are. :) I know a lot of us feel the same there! :)

She then gave us all a challenge to be inspired by and make a layout from this quote: "I look at you and I am home!" That beautiful quote came from Finding Nemo. :) I know I loved that movie but never got hit by that quote until I read a story from a REAL, LIVE person that it has touched. Is it not the most beautiful sentiment?



When I took this pic...I was making my "Weekend Me" book that Ali Edwards had on her blog a couple months back. I had all the pics taken but was so behind on everything that I haven't gotten it up on my blog yet. To this day, it is one of my most favorite projects that I have been inspired to do. :)

Garth and I were looking out the back window and I was trying to take pics of us together, but wanted it candid....so I just started snapping. Now if a lot of you know me, I can be comfy doing just about anything. LOL! So this pic was easy for me....it was Garth that needed to chill. :) But I told him to act like the camera wasn't even there. After 20 or so pics (I am a constant "snapper")this is the pic we got and I put it on my layout.

You see, my kids will leave and I will be heartbroken, but I know I will always have Garth here to love me. Not to sound sadistic, but we always chat and hope that we die like the old couple in The Notebook. I know I could never live and be ok without him and he says he feels the same about me. Yes, we are that mushy and have been forever. :) LOL! I believe if we didn't have some type of "mush" then we wouldn't have a marriage! :)

Anyways-here is the layout! Thanks Lain! :)

What I used: Jenni Bowlin Studios-12x12 paper, Recollections gem brads, Greenbriar International fabric rose pins with Perfect Pearl mist (homemade) and inked with Disress Inks (Ranger), Webster's Pages Jounaling Cards, Bling on the journaling card is from the $1 bin at Michael's, The Paper Company for matting my photo, Distress Inks (Ranger) for distressing and aging my photo that was printed in black and white and edited in PhotoShop Elements 7.

Saturday Sketch Challenge at Write.Click.Scrapbook.

Saturday on the Write.Click.Scrapbook. Blog was a sketch that seemed simple enough to follow. :) I did follow it for the most part, other than I flipped it. I just can't leave well enough alone. :)

Here is the sketch:

Here is my page:

What I used: Bazzill Dotted Swiss Cardstock, Rhonna Farrer die cut patterned paper, CTMH paper flowers, Doodlebug Designs mini brads, Making Memories heart shaped brads, Bling from Michaels, Flower Bling from Wal-Mart, Heidi Swapp Invisibles, inked Invisibles with Memento Rose Bud Ink, Journaled with Memento Tuxedo Black pen/marker, "Life's Little Moments" was die cut with the Cricut Cartridge Graphically Speaking.
Hope you like it! :)

My Time to Inspire Challenge! :)

Hey all! It's me again! :) Actually a lot sooner than I thought I would be blogging! :) For me, that is such a plus! :) I was doing a challenge for My Time for Inspiration (Lauren Meader's site) which is being done by a DT member of her's Kristen. Basically, they show you a picture of something and on the side of it they will show you the colors used. :)

Here is the challenge this week:

And here is my Layout! :) I hope you like it! :)

What I used: Cosmo Cricket 12x12 patterened paper, cardstock for mats is Bazzill (orange) and Stampin'Up (red and yellow)-although some were scraps too. :) Heidi Swapp Invisables chipboard stickers colored with Marvy Ink (red) and CTMH Ink (sunny yellow), Bling is from Michael's, used Bazzill Bling Brads and CTMH Brads, Flowers are Prima, Petaloo, and Making Memories, Journaling Tag is ColorBok, Bling Butterflies are from Walmart, Journaling done with Memento Rose Bud marker/pen. I used Adtech adhesive along with Glue dots. :)

"me" Layout

Ok...for all of you that know me, I have NEVER done a layout that is all about me! BUT....Lain Ehmann over at the LOAD Challenge had as a prompt to do a LO about "crazy family life" =, she put in there we could do a schedule if we wanted to. :) Then over at Scrapbook.com, they asked for a LO that is all about "me". I was like....YIKES!!! Does anyone scrap about themselves? Well the answer to that is: YES! :) And today, I became one of them! :)

I pulled out my Bind-it-all, my Teresa Collins Paper, Bling, my rose bud Memento marker and got to work.

I started with writing my schedule for during the week, during the school year on the Teresa Collins- Journal-It Girl 12x12 paper. I almost didn't have enough room on the paper and I didn't have enough pics of me for a 2 page LO, so I smushed it down a bit!

Next, came the pics...I have been trying to take more of myself for projects and pages and stuff so I did have some of those. :) So I printed one out in Black and White and another out in color. Then came the time to put them on....YIKES....I was gonna be taking up a lot of space with just 2 pics! So....I knew that BIA had a challenge to use your BIA for any project that wasn't a book. So, that is what I did. I put the BIA to work. I punched the holes and put my o-wire in. Once that was done, I put pink and black dotted ribbon through the o-wire. I finally put velcro dots on the bottom of each pic, so if/when people wanted to see my schedule....they could just lift the pic and there it was! :) I added a little ephemera too. :) The pink rose was cut from a card I got at Goodwill that just "spoke" to me! :) Then I added some small "me" touches and some bling and WALLA....a ME LO! :)

This is the layout, the top title portion has "me" and the bottom has, "Subject "2" changE", is that not the truth!!

The picture being lifted to reveal the rest of my schedule! :)

This is just the second picture being lifted, but you can see the velcro dot better! :)

What I used: Teresa Collins Journal-It Girl 12x12 paper

Memento Rose Bud Marker (fine tip end)

Me and My Big Ideas Icon Bling (crown)

Micheal's $$ Bin (heart bling images)

Michael's Bling (butterflies, flowers, reg. stones)

Creative Memories Letter Stickers

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