Summertime...and the living is easy! (Colorful Creations Blog Challenge)

Hey all! :) I am so excited because I finally sat down and did a digi layout for the first time in a long time. :) I was kind of at a loss for a paper and a glue layout, so I opened up my PSE and sat down and really had a BLAST! :)

Colorful Creations, one of my design teams I am on, is an online group for scrapbookers and paper crafters. We are all pretty tight knit. We share our lives and our happiness and downfalls too with life. :) I like keeping in touch with the members and love all of my "sisters" on the DT. :)

We have a TON of challenges throughout the month and one of those challenges is a Blog Challenge. :) For our blog click: HERE!

For our group site click: HERE!

The blog challenge for this month is HERE and it was the reason why I did this layout. I have been wanting to scrap this picture and still may do a couple of other projects with it. :)

And being that the prompt for this month was "Summertime and the living is easy (we needed to use this on our layout)..I felt that this was the best picture for it. We also had to use flowers and stripes. :) So, this is what I came up with. :)

What I used: Rachel Dickson (Sassy Elements (4 petal flowers, brads, joy, brads), Paper Pack one and two, and Alpha), Kitschy Digitals (Fresh Blooms Kit-Fabric flowers (fuchsia and blue with pearl), and Mom 2 Moo ("lovely" and pink shiny flower.) Done in Photoshop Elements 7.

Thanks for looking! :)

My Lime Light Sister has some BLOG CANDY and a favor!

Hey all! :) As many of you know, I am on The Lime Light Design Team. This DT is one of the special ones to me because it allows me to make things from my heart and give them to people who need them for whatever reason. Lime Light is a charitable design team and every other month we have a "task" or project that we work on.

The "task" we have right now is to make cards (Birthday, Thinking of You, Miss You, etc) for our soldiers in Afghanistan so they can send them home to their families and loved ones.

Right now, my Lime Light Sister, Joanne is having a BLOG CANDY giveaway on her blog.

Click: HERE for her blog.

Here are the deets from her BLOG:

We are making cards of all kinds for soldiers in Afghanistan that they can send home to their families and friends; miss you, birthday, thinking of you, etc. Here is what to do if you would like to participate:


1. Become a follower of my blog if you aren't already (thanx!)
2. Follow this link to The Lime Light and become a follower there (thanx! again!)
3. Post the picture of my candy on your page along with the following link to my blog to spread the word! (http://bigislandlady.blogspot.com/2011/07/joannes-blog-candy.html)
4. Make a card (or as many as you would like!) for a soldier and please leave it BLANK inside

USE NO GLITTER ON YOUR CARD, Stickles may be used.

5. E-mail me at cardsforourtroops1133@hotmail.com and I will send you my address of where to send your card

ALL CARDS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1st!!!!!

I will do a random drawing for the winner and you will win the goodies! So join in and HELP SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!!

Here is what she is giving away!!! WHAT A HAUL! :)

So, get over there and start!!! :) Thanks so much! :)

Summer Pics, Blessings, and a Layout! :) (sorry about the novel)

This little girl.....makes my whole family wonder: "HE made another one?"

My parents know exactly what I am talking about! The mouth (shape and what comes out of it at times!! EEK!), curly hair (although it is blond), smiley eyes.....from the bed head when she gets up in the morning to the fact she doesn't like bedtime....SHE IS ME! Sometimes I am not sure how I feel about this. I thought  Jon was like me with his personality, but hands down....Sasha is the reincarnation of me. :) AND....I love it.
I tell myself this all the time....believe me, being a mom to ME is NOT fun (sorry Mom). When we were trying potty training a few weeks ago. We had this conversation:
Sasha: "Mama? Can I ride a HOR-SEE?" 
Me: "Uh, Sash, I am sorry, but only big girls can ride a horse. And you don't use the potty yet. You don't even try."
You could tell this really burned her britches! And she was not about to let that go...NO WAY...and to be frank...at 4...I wouldn't have either. :) So....
Sasha: "Well, I AM NOT using the potty! Sorry, YOU LOSE!"
Me: *****speechless*****
In fact, I called my mom who told my dad and he started to chuckle at the WHOLE thing! Really? Does no one support me in raising this little girl who has more attitude at 4 than most teens? LOL! :)
Nope....I - AM - TRULY - ON - MY - OWN! But, it's ok.....I have a secret weapon:

That would be my best friend! :) That little girl actually listens to him. She cares what he thinks....and when I am at my wits end with both kids...although Jon (my son) will tell you he does NOTHING to upset his sister! LOL! Which is NOT true! He thinks it's funny to upset her! ANYWAYS...when I am at my wits end....he swoops in like superman and takes over. He will get home from work and actually ASK: "What can I do?"
Before you think he is perfect....he is not without some imperfections....which some of my closest friends and his mom know! ;) BUT.....I think the way he is...totally scratches away whatever may annoy me! :) Besides...Like I said: He deals with literally TWO OF ME! And can still be a dad and a role model for this young man:

Which by the way.....WON'T let me take any pics of just him! 

Now, I can't do a post without a layout or something creative. So, here you go, but I had to write the whole thing because this layout made me think of so much! :) I am truly blessed. :)

What the journaling says: Your daddy and I talk all the time about if you really realize just how funny and beautiful you are! You are so carefree and your spirit is amazing! The light you always have in your eyes makes everyday BRIGHTER!

What I used: Bo Bunny (Patterned Paper), My Mind's Eye (matting paper all chipboard stickers except for the butterfly), ribbon and lace (stash), Heidi Swapp (chipboard butterfly). Photo Editing: PSE 7

Thanks for stopping! :)

Colorful Creations has some BLOG CANDY! :)

Hey all!!! :) OMG! A month or so has gone by??? That is so unacceptable! :( I am so sorry! Summer is supposed to be S-L-O-W, right? NOT! Well, at least not for me. :) I will talk more about that in a couple days, but.........as you all know....I am on the DT for Colorful Creations! :) I love these girls....they are quickly becoming like my on-line family. :) We even have some international sisters too now! :) And I thought Canada was as "International" as I would ever meet! ;) HA! ;) Hey, being from Montana, you almost always will have a Canadian friend. I have a Canadian best friend....I will talk about her later though. :)

Onto the BLOG CANDY from Colorful Creations and their blog! :)

They are giving away this:

Awesome, right???? And all you have to do is leave a comment over on THE COLORFUL CREATIONS BLOG (NOT HERE!!!!) and become a follower over there too. :)

Thanks and I will see you here in a couple days. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY VICKI BLOG HOP! :) (WITH BLOG CANDY!)

Hey all! :) Welcome to the Queen Kat Designs' Birthday Blog Hop for our very own, Vicki! :) She is THE QUEEN KAT! ;) Hopefully you have come here from Valerie's Blog

Well, I just got onto the Design Team for QKD in April and I am loving it and jumped at the chance to show Vicki how much I appreciate her! :) I am in love with Queen Kat Stamps ! I always feel so lucky to have found out about them! :)

We each we asked to make a project using QKD stamps and if course I used one of my faves, Captain Frogger's Tiger Lily and made a card! :)

And, yes, I did use designer duct tape on the side! ;)

So, you know that I LOVE doing BLOG HOPS because I LOVE giving away BLOG CANDY! :) So, here it is!

It's a Basic Grey RECESS Collection Pack: which includes 18  papers, 1 sheet coordinating alphabet stickers, and 1 sheet of coordinating die cuts! :)

Just leave me a comment to be entered into the drawing for the Blog Candy. If you would like to follow me...that would be nice too! :) LOL!

Your next stop is: Loretta!

Here is the complete list for you! :)
Holley
Chris
Janie
Jan
Jules
Morag
Linda
Maria
Penny
Valerie
Kathy
Loretta
Wynneth
Gretchen

Thanks for looking! :)

Triple Tiara Tuesdays with Queen Kat Designs! :)

Hey all! :) It's Triple Tiara Tuesday for Queen Kat Designs! :) This week's challengers are: Holley, ME, and Morag! :)

We have a Technique Challenge for you this week from Splitcoast Stampers. :) This fun technique is so fun! :) I know you will enjoy it. :) The directions are here.

Here is the video: From Splitcoast Stampers Site.

Here is my example:

And a close up of the QKD Stamp I used: Jessie Barber's Fairy Romance Stamp

 

Here are the rules for Triple Tiara Tuesday:  Here are the rules of Triple Tiara Tuesday:- Each week 3 Royal Court Members will host a challenge on their blog.- You start at the QKD BLOG and visit the 3 challenge hosts on their personal blogs. (Leave us some love and a link to your project so we can return the favor. TeeHee! ;) )- QKD will offer up a $25 stamp gift certificate for the players to compete for each month. So if people enter each week, they have 4 chances to win the monthly prize of $25.- The contestants will post their link to their card on the Inlinkz widget on the QKD blog. (There will be 1 winner per month).

Thanks for looking! :)

Blog Hop for QKD-Introducing Ann Hsaio-Yen Howard!!

Hey all!!!! Man, I am just loving being on the Queen Kat Designs DT! :) I have been having a BLAST creating things with the artists that we are lucky enough to have creating beautiful work for us DT Members to work with. :)

Welcome to a mini blog hop introducing Ann Hsaio-Yen Howard! :) You have come here from Jan's Blog!

I have to say, Ann's art is tremendously fun and whimsical! :) When I viewed her art before wanting to be on this hop..I was instantly in love.I will tell you...I am not a girl who naturally likes cats...BUT when they look like Ann's...who the heck can't LOVE THEM! :)

Ok....so here is the cards I made with Ann's Digital Stamp "Spring Fairy"! :)

I just LOVED the Kimono on the kitty! :) LOVED IT! :) And those that know me know how much I love BUTTERFLIES....and Spring Fairy's wings look like butterfly wings...I about screamed in delight when I saw the wings on her! :)
Remember, you can get Ann's digi stamps at the Queen Kat Store! :)

Your next stop on Ann's Hop is: Janie's Blog!
Thanks for looking! :)