New Chapter

Checking back in from the frozen tundra...just got back from taking Tanner to school this morning when it was a mere 2 degrees. Brrrr...but we've been keeping warm by the fire and getting all kinds of things accomplished. So we're getting back on schedule and tackling the things that get put on the back burner during the holidays. My biggest goal today was to clean the oven. Fun right? I haven't cleaned it in the past 2 plus years I've lived here...because honestly it wasn't very dirty. But after Christmas something had overflowed and every time I have used it this week it's been filling the house with smoke. It was a good reminder each time to get it done! I also potted another Amaryllis bulb for the family room...my last one had bloomed it's last bloom. I love bulbs in the winter...bright spots of color always brighten your day...even if it's only 2 degrees outside! :)
This layout was one I made using one of the doilies from the kit. This is a picture of Chloe making silly faces into a mirror at a friends house. (Who happens to have lacy curtains which coordinated so well with the paper doily...don't you think?) She is the master at silliness, and has some super funny faces...we like to make them together which is something I always did with my dad when I was a little girl!
The turquoise flower by Bella Blvd. is held together with a brad in the center and I simply took the brad out so that I could use the individual layers of it, and then added the Sassafras Lass button blossoms for the centers. I also used the fabric with frayed edges to back my photo.

The tiny heart was cut out of the "Upholstery" KI Memories paper in the kit. I love this layout!

This next layout I titled "New Chapter." I had just gotten my haircut the shortest it had been in YEARS. Does anyone else do that? I am always growing it out and then cutting it off...growing, cutting, growing, cutting. It's a vicious cycle I tell you, especially when you don't have hair that grows all that fast! :) Right now I am growing it...but we'll see how long that lasts!

I don't love this picture of myself squinting in the sun, but this photo was taken at a very important part of my life and I wanted to remember exactly how I was feeling. Full of hope and optimism! I sanded the edges of my photo to give it a little "frame" around the edge...and adhered it to the Kraft cardstock using foam dots. Then I backed the Kraft cardstock on the black dots KI Memories patterned paper.

I used my glossy accents on this title again to make the letters a big more "glam." Man did my hand cramp up though! I also used some Maya Road spray mist to mist my smaller doily and then when it was dry, I cut it in half to adhere to opposite sides of the page. *Good way to stretch those supplies!*

I used a few buttons from my stash to thread the twill ribbon through that comes with this kit. And then I layered a few glittered flowers that I cut from the KI Memories "Upholstery" paper behind it. It gives it a little bling I think. I really loved the look of the mists on the doilies. Uneven and totally "freehand!"

In other Freehand news I am working on getting together a newsletter and am excited to introduce you to our guest designer this month Cheryl Ametewee. She did a great job designing with our January kit and I plan to highlight her work here tomorrow...so be checking back for that! Have a super Tuesday!!