My Picasso's

The kids were watching PBS one day and were absolutely fascinated by Bob Ross the painter of all those "happy little trees." Both of them L-O-V-E art. Halloween was around the corner and suddenly they decided they knew exactly what they wanted to be. Artists! I used December's kit "Give" as the basis for my layout...and added a few things from my stash.
I cut apart this piece of Sassafras paper and then pieced it onto my cardstock. I added some stitching to frame it and also on each piece of the "sun-rays" or at least that's what they look like to me. One of the rays I substituted with a piece of the fabric from the kit to add some variety and make it more "me."
Aren't those frames just too perfect for a page all about my little artists? :)

I added a doily from our Jan. kit "Old Acquaintance" behind the flower on the paper. Love the doily. Love, love, love!

The little bunny rub-on is from my stash of Cosmo Cricket goodness.

The title is also from our Dec. kit. I always think my layouts look so much better in person, but I hope you can get a few more ideas of how to use those kits! Hope you have a great day!

Bits and Pieces...

I stopped and took a picture of this sign yesterday...it pretty much sums up my thoughts about this weather. Yep. Enough said.
And I got to do 2 of my favorite things last night...scrapbook and talk. My family jokes that I have the longest phone conversations of anyone they know. It's true. I am a talker. I kind of hate this new age of text messages, because I would much rather hear someones voice. But don't get me wrong the whole text message thing is a good option if you are too busy for a LONG phone conversation. But here I go again...talking. :) Let's get to the good stuff! I put together this page last night using bits and pieces of "Old Acquaintance" and added in a few things from my stash. Chloe likes shoes almost as much as her mother...but I think I still have her beat!
The "3" is from our July kit and the journaling spot at the bottom is from Oct 08 kit "Chit Chat." Yeah, I really do save all the bits and pieces of my kits. You can go to a crop with a few kits and put together some pretty fun pages. The title "Boots" is from our August kit and the turquoise sticker alpha is from our Nov. kit.

I asked her why she was wearing my boots and she said "cause Mom boots are cool." I think she's pretty cool. Hope you have had some time lately to get crafty. It's good for the soul I tell you! Have a great weekend!

Snow Day!!

I got a call this morning from our local school district at 5:45 saying that school was cancelled due to "inclement weather." So I turned off the alarm...and smiled a big smile and drifted back to sleep. The kids were super excited...because really is there anything better than finding out you get a snow day? We got so much...I'm anticipating a repeat snow day tomorrow as well. But just in case I shoveled this entire driveway...AND the road in front of the house because it's on my property and so the city doesn't plow it. When I was almost finished digging out...a nice city snowplow stopped and asked if I wanted him to do the rest. Hallelujah! My little Mini Cooper would never have made it out!

I definitely got my work out in for the day! Now the scrap studio is calling my name! Have a great night!

Newsletter (cross it off the list!)

Time again for another newsletter! I'm crossing it off my list as we speak...or um...type? Anywhoo in case you haven't signed up to receive it, here it is.

Freehand Scraps Newsletter
As the New Year has just begun…it’s a wonderful time to reflect on this past year. I know I have been doing my fair share of trying to document the details not only of this crazy holiday season, but also just the everyday random musings of our lives. That is why scrapbooking is the perfect hobby (can we really call it that though…I mean I think of rock collecting as a hobby) this is much more to me. It’s a passion! And there is no better way to kick start your documenting process than by picking up our newest kit “Old Acquaintance.” I really love this kit, I mean really, really love it. It’s very “me” right now…bright colors, unexpected details, quirky shapes, all things right up my alley. Isn’t it cute?? See I told you so!

This kit comes complete with loads of patterned paper, fabric, ribbon, paper doilies, a great vintage looking alphabet, and a great color combination!

And now I would like to introduce you to our sweet guest designer this month Cheryl Ametewee. Just look at what she made for the gallery this month! Seriously you have to head over to the gallery to see it all!

Here’s another from my gallery this month. I was definitely loving the doilies!
And as always I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued support of Freehand Scraps! You are the best! Happy New Year!

***************************************************************

As I mentioned yesterday...we are in for more snow this evening and tomorrow. I am secretly hoping for a snow day so we can go sledding and build snowmen. Have a cozy night!

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!!

Gallery!

How have you all been? It has been absolutely frigid in my neck of the woods! It has been in the single digits for the past several days and I just heard we're in for a bit more snow too...I'm NOT a fan! I prefer palm trees and flip flops, even Chloe wore a sunhat all morning around the house. We will have to be content dreaming of spring. (And trying to pretend that it doesn't feel like we live in Alaska!!)

Onto the gallery! This is a little card where some of my resolutions are kept. I like to write mine down, so that it seems more like a goal...or a to-do list. Since I am such a "list person." Many of these are my resolutions every year...and I don't think that's a bad thing! :)

A close up shot of the embellishments...aren't those Sassafras Lass button flowers the cutest? They were the perfect little accent for all of my projects!

This October Afternoon alphabet also comes with a full set of numbers which is always fun!

This layout I wanted to tell the story of how every once in a while I get a peek at what Tanner will be like as a teenager. He was going through a "hat phase" and was wearing one everyday when I took this picture. But really it was the look on his face that made me gasp at how much older he looked!

I added glossy accents to the alphabet letters to make them shiny and stand out more on this layout! I thought it really made them pop!

Here is the journaling...using the October Afternoon journaling spots. Perfect!

I pointed the spinner to "try me" to match his expression in the photo. I added a jounaling spot that I punched a hole in and then slit one side to fit around the arrow and then did the same with the cute Maya Road robot...just to add a little bit more detail.

I'll be back tomorrow with more! Have a great night and STAY WARM!!

Old Acquaintance

I hope you welcomed 2010 in with JOY! We had a quiet celebration here...the kids were wiped out by 9:15, and in bed asleep. I woke up this morning and it was a mere 2 degrees outside. Not my idea of a perfect start to the new year. I am ready for spring...but that is always how I feel after the holidays! So without further ado...I will introduce you to our latest kit "Old Acquaintance."
There are 10 patterned papers and 2 sheets of cardstock. Love them all!

This is the first time we have included Bella Blvd. in our kits and I think these "Blooms a Bella" are a perfect fit!

These sweet little Maya Road shapes just stole my heart! Perfect for embellishing a layout or a card! So easy to use!

Oh and the paper doilies! I could go on and on about these, but I'll just tell you how much FUN they were to play with!

Don't you just need one?

Of course you do!! I'll start shipping tomorrow morning! Happy New Year, I'll be back to share my gallery tomorrow! Looking forward to it! Have a wonderful holiday!