Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Scrappy goodness...

As I had mentioned before...I got ultra productive with this kit! This is the layout I made about Coco the monkey in Mexico. The story is that my son Tanner is absolutely crazy about animals...and has been since he was tiny. While on vacation in Cancun a few years ago there was a man who was offering people to take pictures with his monkey. He took this Polaroid and then offered that we could also take pictures with our own camera, all for like 15 pesos. Such a deal! She was amazing. I have been to my fair share of zoos all over the world, but have never gotten that close to such a big monkey. In one of the shots she was literally sitting on my lap! And she was NOT light-weight! I remember studying her hands while she held mine and thinking "this is SO cool!" She was just like a really big kid and wanted to play with Tanner's toys and was also fascinated by his Keen sandals with all the straps. She kept trying to take them off and then put them back on again. Very curious....just like Tanner's favorite Curious George. Chloe, on the other hand, was scared to death of her and didn't want to get anywhere near her. Only in Mexico would you find a (very friendly) monkey on the loose...who would even stick out her tongue for you to take a picture with her. Only in Mexico! LOL.
I used a few of the Maya Road journaling spots cut apart to make the little black scalloped edge border. I also sanded the Cosmo Cricket wood grain letters to distress them a little. The "crazy" part of the title are from the sticker sheet included in the kit and I simply cut around them to make them a bit smaller. I used the Making Memories safety pin to attach the ribbon to my felt star. I used the green felt side up...but I love the blue polka dots on the reverse side as well.
I trimmed the flap off of one of the Maya Road envelopes and attached it to the top of the layout above my title and added a little fringed edge from the #2 fabric square underneath the long red strip. Oh, and I added journaling on another few strips of stacked masking tape to make it a little more opaque. (I told you I went crazy with the masking tape this month!)

This layout came together in a flash. I loved this vintage paper and decided I would scrap an 8x11 layout using the whole thing as my background. I added the sunglasses sticker to one of the Maya Road journaling spots and layered some papers at the bottom for a fun funky look.
I don't know why there is such a bad glare on these pictures! But of course you get the general idea. I shaped the orange Twisteez wire to make the word "dream" (which was super easy by the way) and then strategically stitched it on with a little embroidery thread that matched. I added a few buttons and a Heidi Swapp ghost heart to finish it off. I loved using that wire! It was one of my favorite things in the kit. It was really cool to see what everyone else did with it also!

Here is the last layout I'll share for today...a view from the side so you can see the details a little better. The number "3" was cut from the vintage flash card in the kit, with a pencil trimmed from the Cosmo Cricket paper with journaling added to it. I tucked one of the JBS mini bingo cards behind my photo block. The scalloped border underneath the photo block is masking tape that I cut freehand. I found that it's much too sticky to manipulate well if you try and use it straight off the roll. But if you stick it to your pant leg a few times to make it a bit less sticky you can cut it rather easily. (I think it even took on a bluish tint from my dark jeans, which I kind of liked.)
Lots of June Bug papers on this one...the one with the dots was a must-have, and possibly my favorite paper in the kit!
In other news we had the privilege of being reviewed in an online scrapping magazine called Scrap n' Art in their latest issue. It compares 30 kit clubs side by side and showcases projects made with our monthly kits. This online magazine is only $1.66 and issue and less than $10 for a years subscription! Such a deal!
Today was one of those perfect days. A day that hits the top of my "best day" charts. And I made a double dinner last night (does anyone else do that? I basically made 2 dinners at once so I only have to clean up a disastrous kitchen once) so all I have to do is heat up the chicken and noodles and we're set! Hope you had a great day! I'll be back with some more of my gallery tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

"Hall Pass"

...is our new September kit...and it's not to be missed!! This kit is packed with brand-new products from CHA from several manufacturers, and has cute vintage elements as well as an exclusive handmade fabric and felt star. It does have the appearance of a school-themed kit, but as you can see from the gallery it's very versatile and can work for so many different things. I'll post some photos of the kit contents here, and I also wanted to share the link for our Freehand Scraps blinkie: http://freehandscraps.com/images/fs-ad-120x120-sep09.gif

Have you taken a look at the GALLERY yet? Loads of inspiration, and very fun ideas, I love it! We welcomed Emily Spahn, who is just the sweetest person ever, as our guest designer this month. Love what she came up with! (She also qualifies as the busiest new mom I know!)

Take a peek at what you'll be getting this month!!
A shot of just the papers...yum!
A few of the embellishments.

And the little vintage keyboard key. LOvE it!
The exclusive handmade star!
Be sure not to miss out on this one! I'll be back tomorrow with some gallery goodness to share! Hope you have a great day!

Monday, August 31, 2009

It's almost time!!

I think this has to be my favorite day of each month...(even though it's a busy one!) I am sooo excited to get to share with you our brand new September kit tomorrow called "Hall Pass." The site is being updated and looks great, and every one's gallery is inspiring me this morning. (Even mine...looking at it all in the light of day makes me smile.) I wasn't feeling very crafty when I worked on a few of these projects, and it seemed like nothing turned out how I had planned, but looking at them all together I am happy with how they all came together. I made 6 layouts and an altered envelope for my gallery and I still have 4 sheets of paper and lots of embellishments left over, plus 2 more layouts just waiting to be finished. Holy moly, I think that's the most I've ever gotten accomplished for my gallery! So I'll share a few sneak peeks here and then you must head over to Holly and Amanda's blogs for their sneak peeks as well. So cute!
Okay, these buttons aren't included in the kit (MM Vintage Findings) but Lexi sent them to me...and they were just TOO perfect for this layout. Thanks Lexi!
The super cute handmade felt/fabric star (it's polka dotted on the back)...and yes folks this is the crazy page I made about a monkey in Mexico.

I also went a little crazy with the masking tape this month!! I have seen LOTS of people add it to their pages...but I have never tried using it before. The verdict for me was = FUN! The scalloped edge is just masking tape cut and then layered.
I love the way the Basic Grey June Bug line coordinates with The Boyfriend line by Cosmo Cricket. Such happy, cheerful colors! (Oh, and here's a little more masking tape! LOL.)
See you back first thing in the morning for our BIG reveal of "Hall Pass." It will be up for sale at 8:00 a.m. CST!

Friday, August 28, 2009

TGIF!

I have been under the weather the last few days...ugh! This is one of the busiest times for me...and fitting in spending 2 days on the couch was not on the to-do list! I am feeling much better this afternoon...thankfully. I think I may even take the kids out to eat for dinner. (Tanner is begging for Chinese.) And I am looking forward to a low-key relaxed weekend. No plans besides church on Sunday. Just what the doctor ordered!


I have been super excited to see our designers sneak peeks on their blogs...Samantha's is up HERE. I should be back tomorrow with a few peeks of my gallery.
I love how she outlined the wood grain chipboard letters! And that spinner is just too cute! Hope you have a terrific Friday!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Life is busy...

But I am enjoying it so much!! Productivity gives me a huge sense of satisfaction! I have a couple of things to share today. First is another sneak peek of my gallery. (NO it isn't the crazy monkey page...that one is still under construction right now.) I'm loving that glitter die cut star!
And as I was reading blogs today I came across this image HERE. I am totally loving this idea! Talk about going green and being eco-friendly. I bet I could walk downtown and find stacks of these pallets just waiting for a good home. They would even look good painted I think.

Hope you have an inspired night! Smiles!!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

He's mastered the bus...

His only complaint is that it's hot on the bus. Just looking at this picture makes me laugh! His first day when he hopped off...he ran around the back of the bus, not knowing that he should go in front to be safe. (Which also made it impossible for his shutter-bug mom to snap a picture, because she was too busy making sure he didn't get hit by any cars.) But today he had it mastered and once he made it across the street I snapped this pose. LOL. I love the fact that he gets dropped off right in front of our street. (Instead of 2 blocks away like when I was a kid!)
AND I also had to share a little peek of our *almost* here September kit! I have been having fun working with this one. I think I'll have to get the bus picture above printed to make a layout! Even though I am planning to do a few school related things with it, this kit is very versatile. It definitely will work for other themes than just school. For example, I just put together a layout of us meeting a monkey named Coco in Mexico. (Maybe I'll have to show you a sneak peek of that one tomorrow.)
Not only does this kit have two yards of adorable ribbon, but it also comes with 2 very cool pieces of wire as well. Wait until you see what our design team created using them! Lexi posted sneak peeks on her blog today...check it out!
Hope you are having a super week! I'm off to make dinner!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Baby card...

Today I went to a friends baby shower...and so last night I made a little card to take along. The paper is AC, the frame sticker is K & Co. and the chipboard in the middle is KI Memories.

In other news...I am officially exhausted today. This new school schedule is proving harder to get used to than I thought. I am not a "napper" (as in I have taken maybe 2 naps this entire year) but this past week I have already taken a couple power naps just to make it through. Add to that the fact that Tanner is having a sleep-over with his BFF and they have succeeded in wearing me out with all of their silliness. I hope they sleep as good as me. They have had so much fun already...it's been worth it. I'm taking them all to church tomorrow so I will get a little taste of what it's like to have 3 kids to get out the door in the morning. Wish me luck!

 
Designed by Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates