Girl, Lemme Tell You...

CHA Winter 2012: Creative Imaginations

2012-01-24T16:39:00.006-05:00

Have you visited Creative Imaginations' blog lately? They've started posting the new releases and they're fabulous!! Today. I'm sharing 2 projects that I created with the new Nautical line designed by Samantha Walker and the new Oceana line designed by Christine Adolph.

Don't you just love this color combo? Nautical is perfect for all of those Summer holiday layouts, beach photos, family vacation, and the sailboats are great for all of those little boy pages!

Layering the stickers and die cuts are a great way to create your own embellishments.

This next layout was created using Oceana. The variegated blues and browns will add a soft vintage flair to your beach themed projects. The delicate butterflies and dragonflies add to the versatility of this line. This collection is perfect for boy, girl, and adult scrapbook pages.

I created a frame by cutting the center from a die cut.

How gorgeous are those butterflies?

Stop by CI's blog to see the rest of the new releases and to check out what the rest of the design team created!

Until next post, happy scrapping!!

Scrap Yourself

2012-01-13T21:33:00.008-05:00

...that has been my scrapping motto for a long time now. That was also one of the motivating forces behind my participation in the 52 Week Project--so I'd have updated pictures for the scrapbooking pages about me. I believe that it is equally important to document my story as it in my family's.

Having said that, I have a layout to share featuring one of the pictures that I took last month. I used a couple of Basically Bare pieces: canvas leaves from the Blossoms & Leaves set and the film strip border from the Paparazzi Set.

I cut the film strip into pieces in order to use a strip as a border on my layout. I set aside the rest to use on another project.

I added crackle accents to the border strip for added interest.

The chipboard "48" was originally black and glittered, but I peeled the top layer off and then embossed using WOW embossing Powder in earthtone honey from the Suzy West collection. I just love the deeply textured look!

I took 2 leaves from the package, folded them in half and stapled close to the fold. I then used WOW’s “Call Me” stamp set to stamp the leaves.

Here’s a close up of one of the canvas leaves and the scalloped border that I stamped and embossed with WOW embossing powder in earth tone honey.

Creating the border was really easy. I pressed the cap of the embossing powder jar into my embossing ink and then stamped on my page as I would using any regular stamp.

I poured earthtone honey over the stamped image, dumped off the excess and heat embossed until completely melted.

That's all for today!! I will have tons of CHA projects to share...soon enough! Have a great day!

Happy New Year!!

2012-01-01T18:48:00.004-05:00

Well, another year has passed us by. I for one love the start of a new year. I know, I know, it's really just another day, but the feeling of starting something new makes me think of all the potential that may lie ahead. Hopefully there's a new job in the works...fingers crossed.

There are so many things that I'd like to do creatively...like start a new photography project now that I've completed the 52 week project. I'd also like to get a new blog up and running. I love this one, but I'm looking for something...different...who knows, we'll see how that goes. I have to admit, I've been a little lazy with more than a few of my projects...just a phase, I'm sure, but I need to snap out of that and be the artist that I know lies within me. I want to teach more, for sure. I love teaching scrapbook projects!

Anyway, I need to get my booty off of this computer and clean my kitchen!! Before I go, I'll share a couple of the last projects that I created in 2011.

This project was created using Petaloo's Darjeeling collection and Graphic 45's Tropical Travelogue line. The flowers and papers go together so beautifully and I though they'd look lovely as a hostess gift set. I pulled colors from the papers and then mixed and matched the flowers until it was pleasing to my eye.

I created this card for Basically Bare using the Dress Forms and Blossoms & Leaves sets. To see how step by step instructions check out this post.

iside of the card reads: "...may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson"

Thanks for your continued support. I look forward to sharing more with you in 2012!!

52 Week Project - December Photos

2011-12-31T23:15:00.000-05:00

Well...I did it!! I started this journey 52 weeks ago and I managed to see it all the way through. Granted some photos were taken a little late, a couple of photos are stuck on my cell phone, some I rushed through, and others I put a little more time and thought into, but I stuck with it and ended up with some pretty cool self portraits. Here' s the last of the bunch:

Week 48/52 taken 12.5.11 Shades of grey with a pop of color

Week 49/52 taken 12.10.11 A wise woman once said...

Week 50/52 taken 12.18.11 Decorating my Christmas tree in my pajamas and head scarf.

Week 51/52 taken 12.21.11 Last day of Autumn

Week 52/52 taken 12.31.11 I started started this 52 week journey with this photo captioned "feeling quite blah", but I'm finishing it with this photo of me with a big ole smile on my face because through it all, the good times and bad, I am still standing and feeling stronger than ever. I have a feeling that 2012 is going to be a great year!!

See ya next year!!

A "Peace"ful Birdhouse

2011-12-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

There is something about the Christmas holiday that brings out the altered artist in me. I love making new little trinkets and ornaments, and for the past few years, houses to add to my Christmas decor. I think it has a lot to do with all of the handmade treasures that we made for my mom as kids, that she still enjoys to this day.

I made this project for the Basically Bare blog. Cute, isn’t it? I think I have a place for this right next to the “JOY” frame set that I made last year.

When I spotted this weighted paper mache house on the clearance rack at Michael’s for .29, I knew I had to get it although I didn’t know what I was going to do with it…that is until now! I covered it with papers and die cuts from Creative Imaginations and added a couple of Stack-a-Bellies Birds to create my own little Christmas birdhouse.

I started with Basically Bare acrylic and chipboard birds and wings.

I ran the set through my Cuttlebug using the Script folder. I love the romantic look that this folder lends to the birds.

NOTE: I left the protective seal on the acrylic pieces when I embossed and then removed it afterwards. This is what the birds look like after they come out of the folder. If you ask me, they are beautiful enough to use on any project as is, but I had to take it a step further.

Using a sponge brush, I gently swiped white acrylic paint across the embossing and then painted the edges of one of the birds and one of the wings.

I used silver embossing powder to cover the second bird/wing set. Notice how the dry embossing holds its shape under the heat embossing. I love this technique!

After the birds were dried, I layered them on the bottom of the house.

Then added die cut foliage until I was satisfied.

Here's a close-up of the rooftop. I layered border cut strips to form the "shingles".

Hope you've enjoyed this post. Have a great week!!

Tanisha

8 Days To Go!

2011-12-17T23:35:00.005-05:00

Only 8 more days until Christmas...can you believe it? I certainly can't! I swear, I'm getting worse at getting my decorations up in a timely fashion every year. I bought my Christmas Tree a couple of days ago and it still sits...undecorated! I'm going to do it tomorrow, though...I promise. The good thing is I'm just about finished with Christmas shopping. I have a few gift cards to pick up and then I'll spend a few days next week wrapping everything up. I'm excited to see the looks on my boys faces when they wake up on Christmas morning.

Part of the reason that I'm so behind is the fact that I've been tied to my scrap desk...and boy what a messy desk it is. I'm busy creating CHA products to get ready to ship to CA, keeping up with my DT assignments and creating some stuff...just because.

I created this project quite a while ago, but never posted it here. I love making these little gift bags from dies. I put a lot of work into this one, creating a shaker box on the front for added visual interest. All of the dies are from Cheery Lynn Designs, the flowers are from Petaloo and the papers are from Pink Paislee's Queen Bee line. I used my Purple Cow Laminator to laminate the lattice die cut to make the shaker box.

This bag can be easily adapted to create a gift bag for any occassion. Here's another one that I created for Christmas along with step by step directions.

I know it's December and most people have their minds on the upcoming holidays, but I couldn't help creating a layout featuring some of my favorite pictures of Donovan from Halloween. This was the first time that he chose a scary costume and he really got into the acts. Check out his Zombie stance!

I used Pink Paislee Hocus Pocus collection, which suited my pics perfectly. I took apart one of the DooDads and used it to mat one of the small circle photos. I never thought I'd ever use a fly rub-on, but I found a home for them here...I mean what self respecting Zombie doesn't have flies buzzing about?

Well, that's all I have for now, but I'll be back later this week with an adorable altered project.

Have a fantastic week!!

What To Do With All Of These Christmas Cards?

2011-12-08T00:01:00.002-05:00

I've been on a Christmas card making frenzy! I mean between submitting for publication and creating for design teams and just plain making Christmas cards because they are my favorites, I have amassed quite a collection. So...what to do with them all? I mean, yes, I always think that I am going to mail them out, but the amount of postage that it'll take makes me think twice. Maybe one of these days, I'll set up an etsy shop or something. In the meantime, I'll just keep creating them.

Here are my latest Christmas card creations. They were all created with Jillibean Soup Christmas Eve Chowder collection. I just adore a cute Christmas line, don't you?

The first card was made for the Petaloo blog. We joined up with Jillibean for a joint blog hop. Tons of ideas were shared...check them all out here.

I made this card just because I couldn't help myself. Once I saw those adorable penguins, I knew I had to use them on a project. Each penguin on this card represents a member of my family (me, my hubby, and our 2 boys). Cute right?

Here's a close-up of our sparkling attire.

And last, but not least is a card that I created for the Basically Bare blog. I put up step by step instructions for creating the glittery embossed ornament. So check it out!

As always, I thank you for stopping by and leaving such sweet comments!! Until next post...

Getting Back on Track

2011-12-04T13:24:00.007-05:00

Well would you look at that...2 blog posts in one day!

I haven't posted here in a bit, but I think I have a good excuse. The events of past 2 weeks have been incredibly emotional! It started with the sudden death of someone that I admired, the coordinator for the OEM (Office of Emergency Management) team that I volunteer with. He was just days away from his 50th birthday and had a massive heart attach while driving to a fire. He was also the Captain of the fire department in my town. The following day my (non-biological) grandmother died. She was 88 years old and lead a pretty full life until she fell ill a couple of months ago. They had both touched so many lives and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew them.

So my Thanksgiving holiday was sandwiched between 2 funerals. I did get to spend the holiday with my family and I met my 3 month old niece for the first time, too. She's so beautiful...oh and did I mention that she's named after me? My brother gave her a "T" name, like his 3 sisters, and her middle name is Renee like mine. The events of the past 2 weeks have reminded me of how amazingly precious life is. I am definitely grateful for every moment of every day and for having the opportunity to come in contact with wonderful people.

I'm also grateful that I get to share my passion, right here, with you.

I whipped up this really simple, but elegant Christmas card using one of the foil papers from Creative Imaginations' Night Divine line.

This layout, featuring my adorable little monsters, was recently published in the Winter 2011 issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond magazine. I used and older line from Bo Bunny that I love so much, 'Tis the Season, along with some die from Cheery Lynn Designs and Spellbinders. Check out the Gadget Girls section of the issue or SB&Beyond website for your chance to win the featured tool, Spellbinders Presto Punch. It was really fun and easy to work with!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!! Have a wonderful week!

52 Week Project - November Photos

2011-12-04T12:59:00.004-05:00

One more month to go with the 52 Week Project. I didn't get that creative this month, but I've been a bit busy.

Week 45/52 taken 11.12.11 - The kids are in bed and now it's MY turn to hold the remote!

Week 46/52 taken 11.20.11 - I took my boys to see Phineas & Ferb's live show and captured this joyful look on my little one's face. The 3 of us loved every moment of the show!

Week 47/52 taken 11.28.11 Sooo not in the mood for photos, today!

5 more weeks to go!! Thanks for taking a peek!!

Two More Cards

2011-11-20T18:03:00.005-05:00

Hey there everyone!! I'm back again with a few Creative Imaginations cards to share.

I created this card by cutting 1 1/2" squares from 2 different sheets of Bazzill's Cancer Awareness glazed cardstock. I painted each square with one of the pink hues from the Luminarte Twinkling H2Os Think Pink kit. The glaze acts as a resist and allows the ribbons to pop against any added color. I adhered the squares to the card base and then stitched around them to create a quilt.

I painted the ribbon from Unity Stamps Embracing Hope kit and painted it with Luv-U-Pink Twinkling H2Os, then stamped on pink Bazzill cardstock. I trimmed around the ribbon, lightly spritzed with Apple Blossom Luminarte Shimmering Spray, added penwork and then adhered to the card using foam adhesive. I stamped the title, also from the Embracing Hope kit, onto pink Bazzill, trimmed and adhered with foam adhesive.

I created this card using Creative Imagination's Devotion Collection and Unity Stamps Enchanted kit designed by Marah Johnson. I embossed the stamped image, cut around it and adhered to the card with foam adhesive. I used Luminarte Twinkling H2Os to paint the edge of the oval and butterflies. I really like the sparkly effect!

As always, I thank you for taking the time to stop by!! Have a scrappy day!

CrafterMania

2011-11-13T19:22:00.003-05:00

Fancy meeting you here! :)

I just wanted to pop in quickly and share a few projects that I created for CrafterMania. What is CrafterMania you ask?? It's a new, members only website for craft sales and inspiration. Check out their Facebook Page for a preview of the first kit, which features products from Creative Imaginations.

Don't forget to become a fan on Facebook and sign-up to become a CrafterManiac!! Happy scrapping!

Featured on Scrapidees Blog

2011-11-07T14:40:00.006-05:00

I am thrilled to announce that I am the Guest Blogger on Scrapidees blog (a French sketch blog). Here's the sketch that I created for the DT. You HAVE to visit the site and see what the ladies over there created...they rocked it out!

I had fun playing with products here! I used Authentique's Journey collection, lots of different Cheery Lynn Designs dies, and masking.

I even added a little freehand doodles!

How fabulous is that Basically Bare chipboard dress form? I cut strips of film ribbon and layered the along the bottom and then added a die cut flower and butterfly wings and some rhinestones.

here's a close-up of some of the die cut flowers...

As always, thank you for stopping by!! Have a great day!

What's With All The Cards??

2011-11-03T23:12:00.004-04:00

It's been a while, probably a month, since I last created a layout. What's up with that? It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I need to change printers and don't have any inspiring pictured printed out...or maybe the fact that I've been on sort of an altered item kick...or just enjoying card making. I don't really know, but here are 5 more cards. I made these for Paper Craft magazine's WCMD contest.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope to have some layouts to share soon!!

Gift Wrapping With Petaloo

2011-11-01T10:50:00.000-04:00

It's the first of November and you know what that means...Christmas will be here in a flash!! I'm getting a head start on my Christmas gifts...OK, so I haven't actually started shopping yet, but I've created these darling packages to wrap my gifts in. I used Quick Quotes Cherry Truffle line and inks, May Arts ribbon, and Petaloo flowers and sprays to decorate each package.

For this package, I recycled a Maya Road tin. This will look fabulous filled with white chocolate covered pretzels or some other delicious treat.

I purchased a chipboard box from Walmart and can't believe how little time it took to make it look like this using fabulous products and a hot glue gun. I even added a little sparkle to the flowers using stardust stickles.

This is a tiny gift bag that just perfect for presenting someone with a cash gift or gift card. Clever right?

Last, but not least, I used paper, flowers, and twine to add flair to this fabric covered gift. Fabric is great to use on those oddly shaped items.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today. I hope you have been inspired to create your own holiday gift wrap...it's easier than you think!

52 Week Project - October Photos

2011-10-31T23:42:00.002-04:00

Can you believe it? 44 weeks down...and only 8 more to go until the end of the year. I've stuck with the 52 Week Projects!! I've snapped some photos a little late...ran out of ideas...thought of some news ones...and found inspiration from other participants.

Here are the photos that I captured during the month of October.

Week 40/52 - taken 10.15.11 in my backyard before heading to Maryland to hang out with my girlfriends at a wine festival.

Week 41/52 - taken 10.16.11 I love a sexy pair of shoes and fishnet pantyhose!

Week 42/52 - taken 10.22.11 creating something beautiful in my messy scrap room...

Week 43/52 - taken 10.23.11 One beautiful autumn day at Parker Farms

Week 44/52 - 10.30.11 One of my 2 costumes this year

Love the photo, but hate the fact that the belt is not in place...guess I have to just embrace that imperfection.

I had fun dressing up with my boys for Halloween...as always!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Happy Halloween!!

2011-10-31T00:12:00.002-04:00

Have I got a really great, super fun Halloween project featuring Core'dinations cardstock, May Arts ribbons, and Petaloo flowers.

I created a Halloween card and a few treat boxes...after all, Halloween is all about the treats, right?!

I traced a cube gift box onto 3 pieces of cardstock, cut and then formed into a box. I embossed the front panels for each item and used Core'dinations' sanding block to expose the core and then adhered to each treat box. I then added coordinating ribbons, flowers, and Spider dazzlers to complete the set.

close-up of the details

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Have a safe and happy Halloween.

Creative Imaginations Christmas Cards

2011-10-27T16:12:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone!! I created these cards using Winter Song, May Arts white ribbon and Luminarte paints for the May Arts and Creative Imaginations blog hop. Hopefully they'll help with getting you in the mood for the upcoming holidays. You know they'll be here before you know it!

On the first card, I mixed Vavoom Red and Sugar Plum (from the Holiday Sparkle kit) to change the color of the 1.5" linen ribbon and the flower to better match the patterned paper. I love the hint of sparkle that the luminarte added to each piece.

Luminarte works well on felt too!! I wanted to keep the color of the 2.5" Floral felt border white, but add some sparkle to it. I painted it with Ice luminarte (from the Holiday Sparkle kit) and then stitched it to white cardstock, after drying thoroughly and then adhered it to the card. The white on white adds so much texture to this card.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you found a bit of inspiration here. By the way, there's still time to check out the blog hop and comment for a chance to win some prizes.

What The Hay?!

2011-10-26T22:20:00.003-04:00

My boys sure know how to have fun! I took them to Parker Gardens this past Sunday for a day filled with hayrides, hay slides, and pumpkin picking. They even had a blast making up their own games...the favorite being throwing hay in the air.

Xander was very apprehensive about the hay slide, but once I convinced him to go (actually, I bribed him with the promise of chocolate candy) he enjoyed himself. Donovan was an old pro, having gone up and down the slide last year.

Doesn't this look like fun? They had hay EVERYWHERE!! Oh to be a kid again!

I can't get enough of that happy face!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Upcoming Class

2011-10-21T00:27:00.000-04:00

I will be teaching this Autumn Mini Album next month...

Croptoberfest 2011
Date: November 6, 2011
Where: The Stone Barn, Monroe, CT
Cost: $38.00

For more info, check out the Facebook page.

AND

Creative Expressions Scrapbooking Escapes
Date: November 19, 2011
Place: Concordville Hotel, Rte 322 & Rte 1, Concordville, PA
Cost: $38.00

For more info, check out the website.

Hope to see you there!!

Petaloo Frame

2011-10-16T19:20:00.000-04:00

I bought this frame eons ago and finally decided to put it to use. After painting the edges and covering the front with patterned paper, I picked several flowers from Petaloo's new Chantilly collection and Canterbury Berry Spray to decorate the front of the frame. By clustering the flowers along the corner, I am able to really draw attention to the photo (that I plan to put in the frame).

Canterbury Berry Spray- Brown

Chantilly Velvet Mini Blossoms - Cream

Velvet Poinsettias- White

Velvet Berry Picks- Brown

Chantilly Velvet Mixed Blooms

I hope you enjoyed this frame project. It could be a great gift for the upcoming holidays!

Enjoy your day,

Last Cheery Lynn Designs Post

2011-10-06T20:10:00.000-04:00

I must say, I had a wonderful time designing projects as a Cheery Lynn Designs DT member. For my last post, I decided to make 2 Fall cards. Fall has started here and though I'm sad to see Summer go, Fall's beauty is enough to kick me out of my funk.

My first card celebrates Halloween . I used Pink Paislee papers and Cheery Lynn Designs Going Batty, Nested Circle Stackers, and Victorian Picket Fence to add a few fun touches to the patterned paper.

I used Core'dinations cardstock and Coved Rectangle Nested Stackers, Dimensional Small Leaves 1, and Burlap Embossing Plate to create this card. Although I didn't use any patterned paper on this card, the dry and heat embossing and dimensional leaves really make it pop!

Thanks for stopping by,

WCMD Cards and RAK Winner

2011-10-03T13:23:00.003-04:00

I am so psyched that I was able to get some cards created for World Card Making Day. I had a pretty busy weekend with visiting my sister and going to Ranger's warehouse sale, but I made time to get in my scrap room.

I joined in on Pink Paislee's WCMD challenges and these are the ideas that I came up with.

1. Boo Skeleton Card for the Upcycling Challenge--the script background is actually chipboard backing from a package of Petaloo flowers.

2. 'Tea'rific Birthday Card using Michelle's Color Challenge

3. Joy Wreath card for the Stitching Challenge

4. Embossed Pears card for the Layered Stamping challenge

5. Poinsettia Christmas card for Dani's Color Challenge

The winner of my WCMD challenge is SHAR. Thanks to everyone who participated!!

Have a great day!

World Card Making Day Giveaway

2011-10-01T07:36:00.003-04:00

Happy World Card Making Day!!! I am giving away some scrappy products in honor of this fun paper crafting holiday. To be eligible to win, all you have to do is leave a comment here by 11:59 pm EDT on 10/2/11. I will randomly choose 1 winner to receive this RAK!! Sounds easy enough right? Feel free to share this info with your friends.

Of course, I have a few projects to share with you as well!! Have you picked up your copy of Paper Crafts Holiday Cards & More? Let me tell you, it's over flowing with gorgeous holiday ideas. I was lucky enough to have these 4 projects published in the issue.

Have fun!!

52 Week Project - September Photos

2011-09-26T23:32:00.003-04:00

Can you believe that the year is 3/4 over? I am 9 months into the 52 Week Project and I'm still having a good time taking these photos! As a matter of fact, I think week 36 is my all time favorite.

Week 35/52 - taken 9.5.11 Happy Labor Day!! I am in no way a grill queen, but I know enough to make it happen. I *heart* grilled food! (took this week's photo a little late)

Week 36/52 - taken 9.9.11 Of the 43 pictures that I snapped for week 36, I liked this one best because of my smile. Played around with some lighting.

Week 37/52 - taken 9.11.11 It has been 10 years later, since the attack on the towers, but the memory of that day will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Original photo of the NY skyline was taken July 1999.

Look in the upper right hand corner...see the cross? That's not on the actual picture. Apparently the flash caught on the photo and formed a cross in the sky...eerie right?

Week 38/52 - taken 9.24.11 A jeans and sneakers type of day... heading out to visit my mother-in-law 2 days after her mother passed away.

Week 39/52 taken 9.25.11 I caught a reflection of myself in my front storm door, making one of those faces that I wish I didn't make, but I can't help it! LOL!! Not the best photo, but the face is priceless!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Finding Inspiration: Self Scraplift

2011-09-25T12:22:00.007-04:00

One day one of my facebook/scrappy friends asked me how I managed to stay inspired. Her question instantly made me think of all the frustrating times when I pushed around elements, cut up papers that ended up going un-used, changed complete concepts, and searched endlessly for ideas. I told her that I wish I stayed inspired but when my mojo is at a low, I usually scraplift myself. I have found that by recreating a new layout from and older one, I can get over my creative hurdle and add a fresh new look to my project.

This layout, State Fair, is my most recently scraplifted project. The great thing about scraplifting is that you can recreate the entire project as is, by treating it like a sketch or simply extracting certain elements.

I love the "grunginess" of State Fair, the title and photo placement, the vertical line of tickets that lead the viewer's eye across the page, the outer mat, and the Hambly transparency (little circles). I took those elements and created This Girl. I maintained the "grunginess", but added some femininity to the page by using neutral kraft and pink elements. As in the first layout, I used luminarte to paint the lip of a cup to stamp circles and added splatters to the background.

I replaced the row of tickets with 2 velvet berry picks in brown from Petaloo's Chantilly collection to anchor the row of mixed blooms in cream and brown. I love these colors because they go really nicely with my skin tone and add a level of maturity to the layout. Placing the flowers in a horizontal line is one of my favorite ways to add flowers to my layouts. Not only is this a great way to mix and match my favorite flowers but it helps maintain space for other elements.

I kept the outer matting, title and photo placement the same and added the same style of transparency, in a coordinating color (this has to be one of my all time fave Hambly transparencies).

Journaling: has become a yogini and a zumba addict; rarely wears one shirt at a time; has nursed 2 babies; loves to smile and make others smile; is a student again; is passionate about scrapbooking and photography; has been with the same man for 17 years; is kind of clumsy; is flirtatious; has developed a new sense of sexy
photos taken 9.9.11
52 Week Project - Week 36/52

I replaced the gears with a layered velvet butterfly and scalloped envelop flaps that I tied with twine for a little extra texture and detail. The flaps actually open; this is also a great way to add hidden journaling to a project.

In the original project, I swiped paint around the edge of the layout. I used that same concept on my journaling strips in the new layout. I haphazardly swiped luminarte along the bottom of each strip and then adhere them to the layout, creating a visual triangle.

I used a couple of directional wooden elements from Pink Paislee to create additional horizontal lines and bring attention to the 2 photos where the subject (in this case, me) looked smaller than in the other 3 photos.

I added a touch of color to the flowers using the paint that was left over on my brush.

I had the concept of This Girl in my head for a while...just not the actual title. I had already created layouts titled I Am..., Many Things To Smile About, 15 Random Facts, 10 Things I Love About Me, Things I Love To Do...etc so I didn't want to revisit those. Then one of my good scrappy friends created a blog post with the title "This Girl", and I decided that it was perfect for my project!!

I hope this post has given you a few ideas for digging in your layout archives and revisiting a project that you loved creating!!

Have a great week!!

Caught On "Film"

2011-09-19T22:19:00.005-04:00

One of my fellow OEM volunteers captured this photo of Donovan, Xander, and I just before the Rolling Thunder ride last Sunday. When I look at this photo, there are so many details that jump out at me. Donovan, who is growing so fast, is in between sizes, so his new clothes are a little big. He loves skulls and hoodies. Xander also loves hoodies, but can be coerced to leave the house with his 2nd choice, his denim jacket. He always has a toy in his hand or pocket. In this case, he's holding a diecast car of Finn McMissile, his favorite character from Cars 2. I was captured wearing 3 hats: volunteer, mother, and photographer.

Photo credit: Ed Velez

Thanks for taking a little peek into my world! Have a great week!

Smile...it's Monday!

2011-09-19T03:30:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone!! I created a couple of happy projects using Cheery Lynn Designs dies.

I mixed a few new and previously released dies and created a faux embossed look with the Lattice 1 die by cutting it out of the same color paper as the background that I adhered it to.

Here's a close-up of the details.

Dies used:
Luggage Tag
Darling Daisies
Stacker Flower 2
Leaf
Victorian Romance Flourish
Lattice 1

Cheery Lynn Designs recently released a ton of amazing new die designs. I created these tags to
showcase a the dies that I received. For more ideas, check out what the rest of the DT created.

products used:
Leaf
Stacker Flower 2
Large Lace Faerie Queen w/ Angel Wing
Tiffany Border
Eccentric Circles Embossing Plate

detail shots

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Until next post...have a scrappy day!!

Creating Embellishments IOD Devotion Cards

2011-09-15T15:10:00.000-04:00

Good day blog readers!! Today, I have 2 adorable cards created with Creative Imaginations' IOD Devotion collection. This line has a wonderful vintage feel, loaded with incredible images. I just love the way the black makes everything pop.

I added a little sparkle to the "Believe" tag by painting the polka dots and sentiment with oyster luminarte paint.

I used the backside of one of the IOD butterfly die cuts as the wings on the dress form. I painted the wings with egyptian gold luminarte and the spritzed them with lime green lunimarte.

Here's a close-up of the wings...

...and the bottom of the dress.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!

A Swingin' Summer

2011-09-13T23:04:00.004-04:00

Summer is my favorite season. I anticipate its arrival and am sad to see it depart. One of the fun activities that I planned this Summer was to visit different parks and playgrounds with the boys. As always, the swings were a big hit!! Both boys made HUGE strides on the swings.

For one, Donovan finally learned to swing without a push. This is big for both of us because he was getting too heavy to push...my boy weighs 88 lbs! I had to really plant my feet and prep my wrists to push him. He credits his newly found swinging skills to his cousin Jaden who told him to lean back and spread his legs in a "v". Somehow this worked better that the way I tried to show him...LOL.

photo taken at Echo Lake Park

Mr. Xander has grown bolder on the swings. No matter how high I pushed him, he wanted to go higher! He just giggles and screams "higher, mommy, push me higher"!

photo taken at Palisades Park, Ross Dock Picnic Area

I love that such simple things make them happy!! Hopefully the cold weather stays away a little longer so we can enjoy more days at the park.

Enjoy your day!

Full of Bella Blvd

2011-09-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

Just pictures today...

Later,

Back To School Layout

2011-09-12T03:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday blog readers!! I am here with my first 2011-2012 school year layout. I used some more Simple Stories papers and quite a few Cheery Lynn Designs dies to bring to life the photos of my newly crowned second grader's first day of school.

I started by die cutting the largest of the XL French Flair Nesting Stackers and "stretching" it. You can see how I did that in this post. I used Arrow #2 and a portion of the Dutch Scallop Square Frame to create horizontal lines to direct the viewer's eye across the page.

I just love all of the detail and dimension that Cheery Lynn Designs dies add to each die cut!

I created my own owl embellishment by using foam adhesive to layer circles cut from the XL Scalloped Circles Nesting Dies and the Little Stackers Circle Nesting Dies. I cut the owl from patterned paper and then adhered to the layered circles using foam adhesive.

I die cut stars from the Dimensional button 2 set to use as embellishments and completed the title with letters cut from the Varsity Font set.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!!

I'll Never Forget That Day

2011-09-11T19:21:00.001-04:00

It has been 10 years later, since the attack on the towers, but the memory of that day will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Original photo of the NY skyline was taken July 1999.

Look in the upper right hand corner...see the cross? That's not on the actual picture. Apparently the flash caught on the photo and formed a cross in the sky...eerie right?

On A Roll...

2011-09-10T00:01:00.001-04:00

Every year I wait eagerly for Scrapbook Expo to come to New Jersey for several reasons. 1. Duh, it's a scrapbook expo...wall to wall paper and embellishments, need I say more 2. There are lots of people who share my passion rummaging about 3. I always happen to come across something amazing, that I just can't leave the expo without!! This particular time, that "thing" happened to be papers from Simple Stories. Oh.my.goodness!! I wanted to buy every single paper, but I was down to the last few dollars that I had budgeted for the expo (yes, I stuck very closely to my budget this year...yup, shocked myself). I had enough to buy one of most of the papers from the Elementary and 100 Days of Summer lines.

These papers have my name written all over them!! They are full of different patterns and colors but have that distressed/vintage look. You're probably going to see lots of layouts featuring this company here. Here are 2 layouts that I created this week using the Elementary line.

This one features my "Sad Grad", Donovan on the day of his Kindergarten graduation. I love that I was able to incorporate a lot of different patterns, but still keep the focus on the photos and the journaling.

journaling: I have no one but myself to blame for that sad look on your face. After we arrived home from your kindergarten graduation, I asked you to come outside so I could take your picture. I instructed you to bring your balloons, a star and a diamond in your school colors. You didn’t want to, but I made you. As you were about to take your position by the tree in front of our house, a big gust of wind blew in and nearly took your cap off. You reached up to grab your cap to stop it from blowing off and at the same time let go of your balloons. They blew away so quickly and you were devastated!! You cried so hard that it made my eyes well up. All I could do was hug and kiss you and promise to take you to the store where I purchased those balloons and buy you more. You stopped crying, but you were still really upset. Of course, as luck would have it, the store was completely sold out of those same exact balloons. I bought you 2 more balloons, but it just wasn’t the same. Photo: 6/2009 Journalled: 9/2011

I also created this layout using the Elementary line. It features my precocious little 3 year old, Xander. The same with the previous layout, I was able to use lots of different patterns, but keep the focus on the journaling.

Xander, it tickles me to hear you, a 3 year old, ask this question on a nearly daily basis. The even funnier part is that it’s not the question you really want to know. You want to know whether or not it’s Friday so you can take a toy to preschool for Show and Tell. Friday has become the day you look forward to the most! I can’t blame you; I mean who doesn’t love Show and Tell?

Whenever I tell you the day of the week, I am always sure to let you know how many more days you have until Friday, otherwise a really sad look will creep up on your face.
You don’t know this now, but you’re going to be counting down to Friday for many, many years!
Photo taken Summer 2010 age 2
Journalled: September 7, 2011

Thanks so much for taking time out to visit my blog! Have a scrappy day!

Mini Post

2011-09-09T00:01:00.002-04:00

I recently started creating store samples for The Crop Shop (Rockland, MA). This adorable mini album is just one of 3 projects that I have on display there this month. It features Echo Park For The Record and my super cutie pie, 3 year old Xander.

Inside pages

That's all for now...have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

Creating Just To Be Creative

2011-09-08T19:30:00.001-04:00

I love those moments when I don't have any projects due and I can just dig in my stash and create just for the hell of it. Having the freedom to use any product that I want and scrap whatever moves me is quite liberating...and fun and I think it even lit a spark under my mojo!

I started going through my Basic Grey stash. Seeing their recent DT call reminded me of how much I love their papers and that I haven't used them in a while. I came across the Archaic line which I had been hoarding for quite some time a knew that it was finally time to dust it off.

This past Earth Day, I took the boys to the Earth Day Party at our local zoo. While searching for the bear exhibit, I happened to see the "Please Do Not Feed The Bears" sign. Of course, I just HAD to get a picture of them by the sign...as a scrapper, my mind was reeling with ideas as soon as I saw it.

This layout about my hungry boys is the result of the marriage between that photo and those papers!

journaling: Don't let those sweet faces fool you, these two boys can eat! They are always hungry! The big one more than the little one. It's funny though, they never seem to be as hungry for broccoli as they are for sugary snacks!

It's been about 10 months since I last created a 2 page layout and it feels like it's long overdue!! I really had fun with this one! I used a hodge podge of basic grey papers (oliver, periphery, perhaps, lime rickey, two scoops, and marrakech) then mixed in some stickers from BG, pink paislee, sassafras, and bella blvd to highlight some of my favorite photos that I took of Donovan during his first (and so far only) soccer season.

journaling: I was really surprised when Donovan said he didn't want to play soccer after his first season. He had a great time with his teammates and learned a lot and we had fun cheering him on. When asked why he didn't want to play anymore, he said he just doesn't want to play and he likes basketball better. Since he's into basketball and karate, we don't press the issue. As long as he's getting exercise and enjoying himself, that's all that matters to us!

Here's a closer look at the 1st page...

...and a closer look at the 2nd page...

I think I need to do 2-pagers more often...uh, but don't quote me on that! LOL!

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Summer's Unofficial End

2011-09-05T03:30:00.001-04:00

Good day blog readers!! I have a super cute, dare I say it, winter layout to share with you today. It features Cheery Lynn Designs dies and an embossing plate.

Here in the US, we are celebrating Labor Day today!! This is always a bittersweet holiday for me. Sweet because of the 3 day "weekend" and delicious celebratory BBQ food....bitter because it marks the unofficial end of summer, which just happens to be my favorite season. I'm always sad to see summer go.

The end of summer means winter will be here before we know it. Although winter is my least favorite season, it's one of my favorite to scrap. My son LOVES winter and that means I get the best, happiest, most fun photos of him during the winter...especially in the snow!

I wanted the winter/snow theme to really standout, so I used a lot of white space to mimic the look of snow and lot of Snowflakes cut into different shapes. I even used Canadian Kaleidoscope Doily as a large snowflake embellishment.

I used my sewing machine to stitch varying lengths of horizontal lines down my layout and then added the snowflakes and half pearls to mimics falling snow.

As you can see in this close-up, I embossed the blue patterned paper with the Dots/Lines embossing plate for a textured, "snowy" look. I added snowflakes coated with silver stickles to a couple of the title letters for a fun look.

Supplies used:
Dots/Lines Embossing Plate
Snowflakes
Ribbon Eyelet Border
Luggage Tag
Index Card
School Days Font
Canadian Kaleidoscope Doily
Embossing Pad

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!! Have a safe and Happy Labor Day!

Monday, Monday

2011-08-29T03:30:00.004-04:00

Good day blog readers!

Every once in a while, I come across a photo that really speaks to me and I just HAVE to scrap it. In this case, the photo belongs to my friend Dolores. The picture is of her and her 3 daughters and she uses it as her facebook profile photo. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it!

I pulled out some very "girl friendly" Cheery Lynn Designs dies and Authentique Blissful collection and went to work creating a layout that was as pretty as those 4 smiling faces!!

I started by creating a few pleated flowers to draw attention to the photo. This one was created using the Frills and Hearts border. I also die cut a few Darling Daisies, Exotic Butterflies and Fanciful Flourish from cardstock and added them throughout the layout.

School Days Font finishes off the title to complete the layout.

I created this "Thinking of You" card using the same line from Authentique. Both the card and the layout are store samples and will be on display at The Crop Shop (Rockland, Ma).

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!!

52 Week Project - August Photos

2011-08-26T20:42:00.002-04:00

I really can't believe that August is almost over. I was just reminded today that Labor Day is next weekend!! Holy cow! I was so worried about preparing Donovan for the school year, that it slipped my mind. I've also been preoccupied with thoughts of hurricane Irene slamming into the state of NJ this coming Sunday. Hmmm, and earthquake (the 23rd) and a hurricane all in less than a week's time! What in the world??

Anywho, I have to give myself a pat on the back for sticking with the 52 Week Project that I started back in January. I really enjoyed taking these photos this month as I tried to put a little more emotion into each photo so when I look back at the end of the year, I don't see all cheesy grins.

Week 31--taken 8.3.11 Better known as my 37th birthday. I'm famous for making faces and I think I managed to capture one of my most infamous faces here. (Nomahegan Park)

Week 32/52 Takes 8.13.11 Just me...that's it! (Echo Lake Park-paddle boating with my sons)

Week 33/52 Taken 8.20.11 Feeling a little sad, pissed, angry, and a lot of frustration this week! Can you tell? (In my kitchen)

Week 34/52 Taken 8.21.11 No, I'm not naked (wish I were that bold)...I'm actually fully clothed...just wearing a tube style top. I like the look of this photo for some reason. I changed it to b/w and added a film grain because it reminded me of an old movie. (in my kitchen)

Want to check out what the rest of the participants are up to or even join in on the fun? It's never too late!

Until next post...have a great day!

Repetition with Cheery Lynn Dies

2011-08-22T03:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday blog readers!! I'm here with a quick post to show you how to use repetition to make some of the smaller dies that Cheery Lynn Designs offers really stand out on your projects.

I used 3 die cut apples to create this A+ Teacher card. Of course the apples could be swapped out using any number of our dies.

I created texture on the front panel of this card by embossing it with the Burlap plate and embossing pad and then finished off the title using the School Days font.

Here's a close-up of the dimension created by adding pop dot to my elements. I also added more texture by stitching the Coved Rectangle stacker before adhering it to the card.

Here's another example of using repetition to increase the impact of smaller dies.

I used Little Stackers Scalloped Circle Nesting Dies to highlight 4 stamped pumpkin faces on this Halloween card. Again, any of the smaller dies in the Little Stackers Dies sets could be used in the same fashion!

Other Cheery Lynn Designs dies used:
Coved Rectangle Stackers
Border Carnivale
French Flair Stackers

I hope this post has inspired you to pull out your smaller dies and put them to work on your projects!

Until next post...happy scrapping!!

Here's To Starting A New Week

2011-08-21T13:23:00.001-04:00

Last week felt a little like this...

Let's hope this week is much better!

NEW Petaloo Releases

2011-08-18T21:45:00.000-04:00

Hello there blog readers!

It took me a bit to get these projects posted, but here they are, without further adieu.

I used Petaloo's newly released mini Darjeeling flowers and products from the Chantilly and Canterbury collections to add flair and dimension to my Autumn and Christmas projects.

I mixed flowers from Darjeeling Hydrangea Mix and Darjeeling Mini Mix to accentuate this photo of my boys and me.

(all layouts are 8x8)

Lush Chantilly Velvet Mini Blossoms, and Velvet Berry Picks are perfect accents for this Christmas layout.

I added Sunflowers to the Canterbury Vine Spray to give this layout a little autumnal flair.

Canterbury Vine Spray and a mix of Petaloo flowers really take this card over the top!

Darjeeling Petites bring the patterned paper pumpkins to life on this card.

Chantilly Velvet Mini Blossoms and Canterbury Vine Spray add a wonderfully textured feel to this card.

Thanks for taking a look!!

Cheery Lynn Designs and Core'dinations

2011-08-15T03:30:00.001-04:00

Good Monday morning blog readers!! I'm here with 2 projects created for a special joint venture between Cheery Lynn Designs and Core'dinations.

I used Bella Blvd's new Christmas Wishes line and a couple sheets of Core Impressions cardstock for my layout. I used one sheet for the background and then used Cheery Lynn Designs dies, French Flair Stackers and the Ribbon Eyelet Border, to create embellishments with the other sheet. I love that this cardstock is already embossed, so all I had to do was lightly sand the cardstock using Sand-It Gadget to reveal the core color.

I also used Varsity and School Days fonts dies to create part of my title.

To create this card, I used the Dot/Lines embossing plate to emboss the front panel of the card and then used the Sand It Gadget to make it pop. I created a "rainbow" by die cutting 6 different colors of Core Couture cardstock with the smallest of the Little Stackers Scalloped Circle dies and stitched them to the front of the card.

I hope you've enjoyed this post. Be sure to stop by Cheery Lynn Designs blog and Core'dinations blog every day this week to see all of the fabulous work created by both design teams!!

Until next post... have a scrap happy day!!

Tanisha

Cheery Lynn Cards

2011-08-08T03:30:00.000-04:00

Good morning blog readers, it's Tanisha here with a post for creating your own embellishment.

I'm sure we are all feeling a little tightening of the purse strings nowadays. One of the ways that I've been avoiding feeling the pinch in my scrap budget is by creating a lot of my own embellishments and Cheery Lynn Designs dies are perfect for doing just that . Not only is making your own fun, but you really get the most out of your supplies, as well.

I started by cutting a 2"x12" strip from patterned paper and then adding a border to the edge using the Scalloped Diamonds border. I scored the strip every 1/4", accordion folded it and then attached the ends to create a pleated flower. I cut a circle using the XL Classic Stackers Circles, adhered the pleated flower to the center and affixed a piece of ribbon to the center. Next, I used the Little Coved Rectangle Stackers to die cut a piece of chipboard and patterned paper. I layered the 2 for stability, inked the edges and then adhered to the center of the pleated flower. Finally, I used the Varsity Font to create my sentiment.

Once the embellishment is completed, add it to the project of choice!!

I am also excited to share this project because it was published in Paper Crafts Magazine's newly released, Card Ideas For Paper Crafters.

I embossed the front panel of the card using the Dots/Lines embossing plate. After adding patterned paper strips to the front panel, I used one of the Classic Circles Nesting dies to cut a circle which I adhered using pop dots. I die cut the Grad Hat, which is now deeply discounted in the clearance sale section, and then added it to the circle.

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope this post has inspired you to used Cheery Lynn Designs dies to get the most out of your scrap supplies!

Until next post...HAPPY SCRAPPING!!

52 Week Project - July Photos

2011-08-04T14:13:00.003-04:00

Week 27/52 takes 7.6.11 I can not let a beautiful day go to waste, so after my chiro appt, I grabbed lunch at Panera (frontega chicken panini and thai chopped chicken salad) and headed to the park for a picnic of 1.

Week 28/52 taken 7.16.11 At my goddaughter's pool party...it's HOT...hence the scowl!

Week 29/52 taken 7.23.11 Enjoying a rare weekend at home, all by myself. I actually finished my book...uninterrupted!

Week 30/52 taken 7.30.11 Night out on the town at BB King's (NYC) with my sisters to celebrate my upcoming birthday.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Balloon Festival Part 2

2011-08-02T14:21:00.005-04:00

It's virtually impossible to choose my favorite photos from the balloon festival when each and every one was simply beautiful! The entire experience was incredibly breathtaking.

Since this post is very photo heavy, I'm going to go light on the words (LOL). Enjoy!

This is probably my fave of the day. Priceless!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Balloon Festival Part 1

2011-08-01T13:06:00.000-04:00

Last night was the second time that I attended the balloon festival and I tell ya, seeing hot air balloons never gets old!! I took Donovan with me last time, but he doesn't remember the trip because it was 4 years ago and he was only 3. Now that Xander is 3, I thought it would be a great time to visit again. The boys loved it and of course, Donovan proclaimed it "the best day ever in his life". My budding photographer and I took over 250 beautiful photos. I love how the flight pattern changed from my last visit. This time, instead of the balloons flying away from the spectators, they actually flew toward us and over our heads, treating us to an amazing view.

I have a ton of photos that I'd like to share over the next couple of posts. Today, I'm just sharing photos of the different USA balloons, they usually get a big rise out of the crowd...naturally!

Until next post...

Creative Imaginations 6x6 Pads

2011-07-27T18:56:00.007-04:00

Hey there bloggy friends! Have you heard the news? Creative Imaginations has released some of their new and previously released lines as 6x6 pads!! These are great for smaller projects.

I used Christine Adolph's new Boho Baby Girl 6x6 pads for the following projects. This line is bright and colorful enough to spice up any girlie project! I love how the 6x6 pad allowed me to get the full effect of the patterns!

I used this line to decorate a Bare Elements Veronika gift card holder. Before adhering the papers, I painted all of the edges with Rose Gold Luminarte twinkling H2Os {Wildflowers Petite Kit}

Here's the inside. I think this would make a perfect gift card holder for a baby shower!

I incorporated a lot of pre-existing Boho Baby Girl and Boy elements, along with the 6x6 papers, the signature collection cardstock basics, and Luminarte Radiant Rain shimmering sprays on this layout. The adorable little party girl is my friend Dolores's daughter.

I used a card from the journaler's pack and a die cut to highlight the 6x6 papers on this card.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today. To check out all of the other new CHA releases from CI, stop by the blog!

Have a scrappy day!!

A Little Patterned Paper Is All It Takes

2011-07-25T03:30:00.001-04:00

Good Monday Morning blog readers!! Today I'm sharing 2 projects: a colorful card using one of the new CHA releases from Bella Blvd and a layout using Creative Imaginations IOD Devotion.

I started the card by combinig the Folding Fan, for a play on words, with the Scalloped Diamonds border and a Stitcher Plate, for texture on this card.

I really wanted the fan to stand out, so I cut it from cardstock and black paper and then layered them together. I love a little bling (what girl doesn't), so I decorated the scalloped border with gems and then added stitching around the perimeter of the card.

You can see the texture created with the stitcher plate here.

My goal when creating this layout was to make something pretty using minimal pre-made embellishments. I fished through my stash and pulled out some of my favorite dies (11 in all) and went to work.

I cut several flowers and used pop dots in varying thicknesses to add dimension, added butterflies and flourishes for a little whimsy, and a couple of borders to ground the layout.

I used a doily die to highlight my title and finished it off with a large French Flair die to house my journaling.

Here's a close-up of the details

Dies Used:
Fanciful Flourish
Sunflower
Scalloped Diamonds Flourish
Border Carnivale
Tropical Flourish
Small Exotic Butterflies
Judy's Blooms
Darling Daisies
French Flair Nesting Dies
French Pastry Doily
Pretty Petal

Cheery Lynn Designs is currently having a DT call. Click here for details.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today!! Hope you have a scrappy day!!

Creative Imaginations Kid Doodle Collection

2011-07-22T22:08:00.003-04:00

Have you had a chance to checkout CI's new CHA releases? I created 2 products using Studio Basics 101 KidDoodle. It's hip, funky, fun, and full of fabulous images!! This line is so versatile and can be used on kid pages from music to sports and everything in between!!

How cute are those bomb images that I cut from one of the papers on this card? As soon as I saw them, I knew I had to create a card using one of my favorite sayings!

See how easily I was able to switch gears using the same line to create a sporty layout?

Stop by CI's blog to check out more fabulous new releases!!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T20:54:00.000-04:00

Bella Blvd - CHA-S 2011

2011-07-14T22:16:00.022-04:00

As promised, here are the projects that I created for Bella Blvd's booth.

"I-chat" using Midterm (previously released) This line is great for online junkies like myself, teens, gamers, college kids...

"Soccer Champ" using Making The Team

"Yummy Treats" using Too Cute To Spook

"Merry Christmas" using Christmas Wishes

"Boo" Card using Too Cute To Spook--I just love that sassy little cyclops chick!!

"B-Ball Kid" mini album using Making The Team

Don't forget to stop by the booth to check out all of the other projects!! Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Kids Kingdom

2011-07-14T20:55:00.006-04:00

We love it when Kid's Kingdom Traveling Jubilee comes to town!! It's a wonderful event that offers live (interactive) entertainment, displays, crafts, music, games, inflatable rides, a petting zoo, etc. It's provides so much fun and is relatively inexpensive!! There's no admission fee, just $1 per inflatable ride and the cost of food/snacks.

The boys and I went this past Saturday; I take them whenever KKTJ comes to a park near us. They never get tired of Bubblemania or the Lego station. This year, the reptile station caught their eye...especially the lady standing out front holding a boa constrictor!

The Wrecking Ball is one of the new inflatable rides...of course Mr. Donovan HAD to try it!

(click on each photo for a larger view)

I love capturing moments like this. Donovan is only 7, but has grown so much (physically and mentally) in the past year. He stands taller than most 9 year olds, he's becoming more and more independent each day and doesn't allow me (or anyone else) to kiss him, but moments like this remind me that he is STILL my little boy.

It takes a lot of concentration and skill to juggle and walk on stilts.

Of course Sir Xander had to get in on the action. He's such an independent little guy and has no problem making his presence known. Love that about him!

Thanks for stopping by and taking a little peek into my life!

Bella Blvd Sneak Peeks

2011-07-13T21:21:00.006-04:00

CHA is right around the corner. Scrapbooking manufacturers are busy prepping new products for display and scrapbookers are busy with the really fun part...creating projects!!

I had the pleasure of creating 4 layouts, a card, and a mini album using some of Bella Blvd's super cute newly released products. If you're heading to the convention, stop by the booth to see the wonderful display of talent and to say hello to Stephanie and the rest of the crew. Bella Blvd ALWAYS has such a popular booth!!

Here are sneaks of the projects that I created.

You'll have to stop by later this week to see everything in full!!

More From Cheery Lynn Designs

2011-07-11T00:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday blog readers!! Today, I am sharing a card for a precious new baby and a colorful layout featuring my younger son.

I have to admit, I'm mostly a scrapbooker, but I've noticed that more and more cards have made their way into my creation zone and my Cheery Lynn Designs dies are right there to serve as the perfect accents for them!!

For this "Sweet New Baby" card, I mixed some older releases with the new to create an adorable card for a boy or girl. I added lots of texture to the background by embossing with the XL Burlap plate and then used the Border Carnivale, French Pastry Doily, and the Scalloped and Classic Nesting Circles to complete the card.

Here's a close-up of the details

I created a cheery layout about my colorful character, Xander. He's so spunky and I wanted this layout to have that same feel. I started by framing the photo using the largest of the French Flair Nesting Dies and the Grass Border.

I added a couple of fun borders at the bottom using the Scalloped Diamonds border and by connecting die cuts from the smallest of the Little Nested Coved Rectangle Stackers dies to form a ticker border. I love how versatile the dies are. Just by simply connecting die cuts together, you can form a totally different look!

I finished off my title by using the adorable Varsity font set.

Detail shots:

NOTE: the easiest way to adhere the grass border without a big mess is to use a spray adhesive.

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Cooling Off

2011-07-10T13:36:00.004-04:00

Is there anything better than watching 2 little boys have a water gun fight? The expressions on Donovan's and Xander's faces are absolutely priceless!!

Say 'hello' to my little friend...

(C) Tanisha R. Long photos taken 5.29.11

Interactive V-Day Card

2011-07-08T22:17:00.003-04:00

Well, I guess I can say that I gave it the old college try! Paper Craft Magazine issued a new submission call for V-day cards, one of my favorite holidays to create cards for. I really wanted to make a bunch of cards to submit, but alas, I only created one. I've been so busy creating projects for CHA that I just didn't have the time. Sadly, that one wasn't picked up, but it was so fun to make.

I used Pink Paislee Daily Junque to create this interactive "Sending You Hugs and Kisses" card.

I decorated the envelope for a more authentic feel and then adhered a string of Xs and Os inside.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Cars 2 Giveaway

2011-07-04T21:19:00.002-04:00

Happy July 4th blog readers!!! I am thrilled to bring you another Disney giveaway.

Rev your engines as your favorite characters from Cars are back with Cars 2 racing into theatres everywhere on June 24th! Here is a brief synopsis of Pixar’s follow-up film to the Academy Award Winning Toy Story 3:

When star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix, Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage!

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY:

- CARS 2 t-shirt in youth sizes of S, M, L, XL

- CARS 2 set of 3 bumper tickets

- CARS 2 temporary tattoo sheet (2 per winner)

- CARS 2 puzzle

One winner will be chosen to win an item for a total of four randomly chosen winners!!! All you have to do is post a comment here by 11:59 pm EST on July 7th. Winners will be posted on July 8th.

Open to US residents only!!

As always, there are additional chances to win. Help spread word of this giveaway-- tweet about it on Twitter, post it on Facebook, or Blog about it and then post the links here and get an extra entry for each!! You can also get an additional entry by becoming a fan of this blog.

Have a great week and if you haven't seen it already, Cars 2 is in theaters now...check it out, we loved it!!

52 Week Project - June Photos

2011-07-03T23:21:00.002-04:00

OK, so I'll be the first to admit that I slacked off a little this month with taking my self portraits for the 52 Week Project. It's all good though, I'll get back on track this month.

Week 23/52 taken 6.4.11 This is my new favorite dress

Note to self: make sure strange piece of paper is not in the background before taking photo!

Week 24/52 taken 6.19.11 (late, but I got it in) Guest blogger challenge: capture a self portrait with a message.

Week 25/52 (photo not taken) Challenge: Self portrait with dad or something that reminds you of him.

I need more time for this one--I'll do it at some point.

Week 26/52 taken 6.28.11 I'll post it as soon as I can figure out how to get it off of my cell phone!

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!!

For The Birds

2011-07-01T10:50:00.000-04:00

Good day Blog readers!! Today, I have a gorgeous (if I must say so myself) altered project created using Cheery Lynn Designs dies. I purchased this unfinished wood birdhouse quite some time ago from AC Moore. I was cleaning out my scrap room the other day when I "rediscovered" it. Don't you love when that happens? I decided to give it an overhaul using Creative Imaginations luminarte paints, IOD Devotion collection and several CLD dies and an embossing plate.

After painting the edges of the birdhouse with playful peony twinklings H2Os, I cut panels to fit the 4 sides. Before adhering them, I embossed each using the Bricks and Stones embossing plate to give the walls of the birdhouse a textured look. Next, I cut the Border Carnivale several times and then layered the trimmed strips to the roof to form the shingles.

I cut the Victorian Picket Fence from chipboard and cardstock, layered the 2 for sturdiness, painted with oyster twinkling H2Os, and then adhered to the back of the birdhouse. I embellished the fence with the Grass Border and Exotic Mini Butterflies.

Here's a close-up of the one of the sides. You can really see the layered effect that I created using the border carnivale die.

I added a little shimmer to the edges of the shingles by painting each with luminarte twinkling H2Os paint in oyster. I used a heat gun to dry the paint and curl the edges of the paper.

Here's a close-up of one of the mini butterflies. I really like this size because you can add several of them and still have room on your projects for other embellishments.

I spritzed the "Believe" banner with lime luminarte shimmering mist to match the paper.

Here's a close-up of the grass border and victorian fence. These 2 are an amazing pair!!

I added strips of glittered dome pearls to the bottom of my project to finish it off.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope this post has given you a few ideas for ways to incorporate CLD dies and luminarte paints on your projects!!

Cars 2 Review

2011-06-22T22:35:00.000-04:00

The boy and I were so looking forward to seeing Cars 2 in the movie!! We had the opportunity to attend a pre-screening of it last Saturday and loved it!! Both Donovan and Xander thought the movie was awesome...so did I. I loved the strong message (the testing of the Mater/Lightning friendship) and the visuals were so amazing that almost forgot that I was watching a cartoon.

Winning!!

2011-06-21T00:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday blog readers!! Today, I have an adorable project created with the Signature Collection Camp line. As we all know, it's June, which means school is about to end (this Friday for Sir Donovan). If your children are anything like mine, then you will soon be bombarded with refrains of "I'm bored" and "I'm hungry". Boy if I had a penny...

I have decided to make up some fun games and ideas for my boys to keep them busy and out of the kingdom of boredom. I created these adorable ribbons to award them for good behavior, etc... Clever idea, right? These were super easy to create, too!

Instructions:

1. Punch 2- 1 1/2" x 6" strips, 2- 1" x 6" strips, and 2 circles from patterned papers.

2. Score and fold the 2- 1 1/2" x 6" strips every 1/4". Adhere both ends together. Press down to form a pleated circle and hold

3. Adhere 1 circle to the front.

4. Adhere the 2- 1" x 6" strips to the 2nd circle and then affix to the back of the pleated circle.

Optional: punch decorative borders in the 2- 1 1/2" x 6" strips before pleating for a different look.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

Time Flies

2011-06-20T03:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday blog readers!! I'm here with a couple of projects that I created for the joint blog hop between Petaloo and May Arts using Cheery Lynn Designs dies and embossing plate.

I matted a couple of the clocks with Scalloped XLarge Nesting Circles and Little Stackers Scalloped Circles and added a few Mulberry Street tie-dye daisies to the cluster.

I used a couple of the new dies, Fanciful Flourish and Border Carnivale to add a touch of whimsy to the layout.

I added a bit of texture using the Do It Yourself embossing plate and large embossing pad and die cut a couple of Keys. I wanted to soften the layout a bit, so I created a flower border using a few of the Petaloo tie-dye daisies. I also used CLD School Days font to complete the title.

I used Exotic Mini Butterflies, Little Stackers Nesting French Flair, and Ribbon Eyelet Border, which I cut in half, to add the perfect touches to this "Celebrate" card.
Close-up of the dies

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!!

I Heart Faces: Let's Hear It For The Boys!

2011-06-20T00:01:00.004-04:00

I captured this photo of my nephew, Jaden on the day of his 7th birthday party. He is such an animated little boy! I just love taking his picture!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!

Catching Up

2011-06-15T22:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know if it's the warm weather or the lack of mojo, but I just haven't felt like doing much in the way of blogging or scrapbooking. I've been spending a lot of time outdoors, putting a little more time at the gym, and desperately searching for a job, so it's been a long 2 weeks since I last posted any projects.

I hope to get back on track, but in the mean time, I have quite a few Cheery Lynn Designs projects to share with you today.

The first project is an 8x8 layout featurnig my handsome boys and Bella Blvd's Mr. Boy collection. I used several of the new dies that were released from CLD this month. To see more projects using the new dies, check out the blog.

Next up is a 12x12 layout featuring my "Little Monsters". This layout was published in the Summer issue of Scrapbooking & Beyond Magazine.

This layout was also created for the joint blog hop between Creative Imaginations and May Arts. I used Samantha Walker's Bloom collection.

How cool is that embossing plate? Perfect for Father's Day, right? I embossed a piece of Core'dinations cardstock and then lightly sanded the pattern to make it pop.

I used Jillibean Soup's Dutch mustard Soup collection on this "Thank You Bunches" card.

Scraps Of Color Reader Spotlight

2011-06-01T16:01:00.009-04:00

I have some exciting news to share!! I was chosen as the Reader Spotlight for the Jun/Jul 2011 issue of Scrap Of Color online magazine. I created the following projects for the feature and am so proud of the way each one turned out!!

Today Is A Gift features my little sweethearts...

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Echo Park; Border Punch: Fiskars; Misc: Button, Baker's Twine; Pen: Sharpie

Note To Self features moi, and highlights one of my 52 Week project photos.

Supplies Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, Echo Park; Gems: JoAnn's, EK Success; Rub-ons: Basic Grey, Pink Paislee; Hambly, American Crafts; Stickers: Echo Park; ink: Clearsnap; Border Punch: Fiskars, EK Success

Create Art Dressform Canvas is probably my favorite altered piece right now. I went to town and used lots of Luminarte here.

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Echo Park; Chipboard: Pink Paislee; Flowers: Petaloo; Rub-ons: Hambly; Stamp: Hero Arts; Shimmering Paint, Spray Mists: Creative Imaginations; Lace: SavvyNSassy; Ink: Clearsnap, Pearls: Mark Richards; Ribbon: Bo Bunny; Staz-On; Misc: Canvas

Hello Card
Supplies Stickers: Echo Park; Cardstock: Bazzill; Shimmering Mist: Creative Imaginations; Ribbon: Morex Corp; Ink: Clearsnap; Embossing Folder: Provocraft

Check out what Tiare, the SOC design team, and other scrappers created for the issue!! Thanks for stopping by!

52 Week Project - May Photos

2011-05-30T22:28:00.003-04:00

Five months have passed and I am still sticking with the 52 Week project. I'm so proud of myself!! Here are my photos for the month of May:

Week 18/52 -- taken 5.6.11 Just us 3 crazies having a good ole time!

Week 19/52 -- taken 5.15.11 My laptop caught a really bad virus, so while a friend worked to fix it, (he ended up having to wipe the entire thing) I had to squeeze in internet time on hubby's computer.

Week 20/52-- taken 5.18.11 Walking it off! Now that the weather is nice, I'm back to walking 3.3 miles at my local park, 2-3 times a week.

Week 21/52-- taken 5.29.11 (took this one late) Chilling in front of the house in my jeans and new jellies, watching the boys have a water pistol show down. Ahhhh, I love the warm weather!

Week 22/52-- taken 5.30.11 photo of Xander and I as we marched in our town's Memorial Day Parade. It was so had trying to hold his hand, the flag, and take the photo one-handed. LOL! This is my take on the lighting challenge.

...And The Cards Posts Continue

2011-05-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Just sharing a few more cards that I created for Paper Crafts Magazine Holiday Cards & More and Nov/Dec 2011 call that didn't make the cut. Luckily for me, I had 4 projects picked up for HCM, and 1 card picked up for the Nov/Dec call!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Cheery Lynn Post Monday

2011-05-23T03:30:00.001-04:00

My how quickly the days pass by when you're having fun!! Happy Monday blog readers!!

Today I am sharing with you a bright and colorful layout using Echo Park Papers and several of the Cheery Lynn Designs' newly releases dies.

Who says you can't use flowers on a boy layout? Certainly not me! I die cut Darling Daisies, Judy's Blooms, Sweet Williams, Fanciful Flourish, and Tropical Leaves from colorful papers to add a burst of personality to and carry out the theme of my layout.

I added a few Dimensional Butterflies and used the Varstiy 5/8" Alphabet Set and one of the Coved Rectangle Nesting dies to complete the title.

I used the Key and Scalloped Diamond Border dies to further embellish my layout.

Here's a close-up of all of the flowers I used. I just love the detail!

I found the perfect way to adhere the fanciful flourish without creating a big glue-y mess; I sprayed the back of the flourishes with Helmar's V2 Vellum adhesive and then placed it on the layout and there was no mess at all!

I also created this card using basic grey Origins and Exotic Large Butterfly #1 and the Frills and Hearts Border dies.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Be sure to check out the contest that we are currently running on Cheery Lynn Designs blog for your chance to win 1 of 2 shopping sprees.

Until next post...have a great day!!

Cards, Cards, Cards

2011-05-22T23:10:00.002-04:00

Just sharing a few cards that I created for one of Paper Crafts magazines past calls. Unfortunately, they didn't make the cut, but I love how each of them turned out!!

Thanks for taking a peek!!

Flutterby Butterfly

2011-05-16T03:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday everyone!! I have some really fun projects to share today! The Design Team over at Cheery Lynn Designs has been having a fun time creating with the most popular type of die...the butterflies! Oh yeah! We were challenged to think of some out of the box ways to use these dies and I'm sure you will find some inspiration in each and every project posted this week.

I created a set of magnets using the Exotic Butterfly Large #1, Exotic Butterfly Large #2, and Exotic Butterfly Large #3. I die cut each of the butterflies from a thin piece of chipboard (cereal boxes would work great for this) and 2 pieces of Basic Grey patterned paper for each butterfly magnet. I adhered the patterned die cuts to the front and back of the chipboard die cut using mod podge. Once dried, I added magnets to the back and pearls (that i made brown using alcohol inks) to the front. These were so super easy to create... I see another batch coming soon!

Here are close-ups of each butterfly magnet:

Cheery Lynn Designs has a bunch of brand new butterflies dies in store in different sizes, but there's also an oldie but goodie in the store!! The Dimensional Butterfly Bundles are still some of my favorite dies.

I die cut a few from Lily Bee papers and used them to embellish this birdcage along with a bunch of amazing new Petaloo flowers. I also used the largest die from the Classic Circles Nesting Die set to die cut a circle to line the bottom of the cage.

As you can see here, the amount of of dimension you get with these dies is just remarkable!

Petaloo Products used:

Canterbury Collection

Canterbury Roses x 6 Lemon (Yellow)

Canterbury Roses x 6 (Teal)

Mini Canterbury Asst. x 9 (Lemon Yellow)

Mini Canterbury Asst. x 9 (Marine Blue)

Flowering Vine Spray (Yellow)

Trumpet Vine Spray (Teal)

Devon Collection

Petites Mini Rose Clusters (Blue)

Petites Mini Rose Clusters (Yellow/Gold)

Glitter Critters Butterflies Dragonflies (Wht/Lt.Blu)

Thanks for stopping in! Have a wonderful week!!

NSD Projects

2011-05-09T09:20:00.009-04:00

Good Monday morning blog readers!

How was your weekend? I had a pretty busy one with Mother's Day and National Scrapbook Day falling on the same weekend!

I pulled out some of my favorite Echo Park products and scrapped the day away on Saturday, and of course I did so using some of Cheery Lynn Design's fabulous new dies! I participated in the NSD crop at scrapbook.com and even won a prize...YAY me!

On Sunday, I got up early and took an 1-1/2 hour Zumba class, then drove to South Jersey and had dinner at Red Lobster with my boys, my sisters and my niece and nephews. We wanted to dine at the Cheesecake Factory as we always have for Mother's Day, but the wait was 3-1/2 hours! I did grab a piece of snickers cheesecake, though.

Now on to the projects...I used the Fanciful Flourish die and the Darling Daisies to add some wow factor to this Mother's Day card.

I think the Fanciful Flourish may be my favorite new die...for this week! LOL! I used it here on this layout along with a couple of the Tropical Leaves. I created the rolled roses from 2 different XL Nested Circle Stackers die cuts.

Donovan's school hosts a "Calling All Women" event twice a year. Women who are involved in the students' lives are invited to come to school and have breakfast and see some of the things that the children do in school. Several of the staff members go around taking photos (seen here), so I figured I had to scrap it.

Thinking about going back and adding some journaling later...maybe. ;)

I created this layout using the Exotic Butterfly Large #2 die and the Frills and Hearts border. Once I die cut the butterfly, I matted it with a piece of coordinating patterned paper before adding it to the layout.

journaling: God, thank you for being in my corner & watching over me, especially over the past 2 years. I'm not the most prayerful person, but I know that you know my heart snd your place in it. Thank you for continuing to open my heart & mind. Thank you for continuing to protect my family & for your unconditional love. I don't know where I'd be without you!

Here's a close-up of the butterfly.

All of the projects in this post were created for scrapbook.com's National Scrapbook Day crop challenges. I had about 2 hours (1 hour for the card) to print photos, create, photograph, post each project in the gallery, and link it to the thread . It was quite intense, as it usually takes me a long time to finish a project.

I had to create a layout about a trip using 3-5 photos and this is the layout that I came up with. I took the boys to the Earth Day party at the Turtle Back Zoo last month. It was pretty chilly, but fun!

This project came from the challenge where I had to create a layout using a photograph of my favorite scrapbook tool. I also had to write 3-5 sentences about the tool. We all know how much I love fussy cutting, so my natural tool choice was my cutterbees. I have several pairs so I'll always be able to find a pair in the event that they get buried under the mound of paper on my desk. LOL!
Here's a close-up of the flowers that I fussy cut from Echo Park's For The Record line.

How perfect are these little die cut bees from October Afternoon?

Hope you've enjoyed all of these projects. I've certainly enjoyed creating them!

Have a great week!

Just Super

2011-05-06T20:16:00.005-04:00

Creative Imaginations new Super Hero line is packed with a ton of fun elements!!

Check out the die cuts and stickers that I used on this card. I adhered the die cut with pop dots, added stickers and stickles for a super birthday card! I tied a red ribbon around the card to mimic the look of a cape tied around a little super kid.

You can also get a glimpse of gingham cardstock that was released at CHA 2011-W.

The primary colors are wonderful for highlighting photos of my boys. Super Hero contains a lot of blank captions that can be tailored to create an endless array of projects!

detail shots:

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today, Have a super weekend!

Brand New From CLD

2011-05-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

Cheery Lynn Designs recently released 27 new dies/sets!! Stop by the blog to see what the DT has created with the new dies.

In addition to the new releases, CLD is going to give one lucky person a $25 shopping spree at Cheery Lynn Designs!! All you have to do is comment on each post between May 1st and May 8th!

I created the following 2 projects using Lily Bee Designs Happily Lost line:

New dies used: Judy's Blooms, Ribbon Eyelet Border with Piercing, Darling Daisies, Sweet Williams, Fanciful Flourish

additional dies used: Frills and Hearts Border, Pennant Die, Little Stackers French Flair

close-ups

Dies used to create this card: Judy's Blooms and Ribbon Eyelet Border

Instead of using it the border as a whole, I cut it in half lengthwise and used it as a border on my card.

I just love the amount of detail in these dies!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. Don't forget to checkout Cheery Lynn Designs giveaway! Thanks for stopping by!

Holiday Card No-Gos

2011-05-02T20:42:00.004-04:00

I know, I know...Winter hung on a little too long and Spring arrived by the skin of it's teeth, so I'm sure the last thing you want to see are reminders of Winter's extended embrace. It's all for a good reason, though.

You see, I created 18 projects for Paper Crafts Magazine's Holiday Cards & More call. I was completely ASTOUNDED when I received an email requesting 4...yes...FOUR of my projects for the call!! This is the most I've had in any one publication before! I'm super stoked...it's always a special treat to see my work in print !!

I'm sharing a few that didn't make the cut and saving the rest to submit for the Nov/Dec call. Wish me luck!

Let It Snow card-- made with Cosmo Cricket Jolly By Golly

Joy Card -- made with Making Memories journaling

Merry Christmas Tag -- made with Creative Imaginations Polar Christmas collection. I ran a strip of core'dinations cardstock through my dymo label maker and then sanded the letters to reveal the sentiment.

Thanks for stopping by!

Quick Cheery Lynn Designs Post

2011-04-26T00:01:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post to share a couple of Cheery Lynn Designs projects.

I created this layout using Creative Imaginations Beach Cottage Collection and one of the April photos that I took for the 52 Week Project and a sketch that I found on My Little Shoebox's blog. I used CLD's Floral Hearts die, Dimensional Butterflies Bundles, Scalloped Diamonds Border, Little Stackers Scalloped Circles, XL Nesting Stackers Coved Rectangles, and XL Classic Circles Nesting Stackers.

The layering dies are wonderful and so easy to used. I didn't want to use the entire Floral Heart die, so I simply cut small strips of paper, taped them to the portion of the die that I wanted cut (in this case, the flowers) and ran it through my cuttlebug.

I layered several different size circles, a border, and the dimensional butterflies to add interest to the center of the layout.

Just look at the amount of detail there is in the dimensional butterflies. They make me want to reach out and touch each one.

This card was created using Bella Blvd's Socialite Collection and collection andCLD's

Frills and Hearts Border, French Flair - Classic LG Stackers Nesting Dies, Little Stackers French Flair, and Dimensional Buttons 2 die

Thanks for stopping by today!

52 Week Project - April Photos

2011-04-24T23:31:00.006-04:00

Still hanging in there with the 52 week project!!

I was late taking my photo for week 13, but I did it!

Week 13/52 taken 4.4.11 My Xander is always underfoot whenever I'm in the kitchen cooking. Sometimes, he'll even spread a blanket on the floor and lie down while I cook. See him in the lower right corner?

Week 14/52 taken 4.5.11 -- Just me an my silly self! I like the clean and simple look of this photo. You'll actually see this one on a layout very soon.

Week 15/52 taken 4.11.11 Sitting at the park while the boys played.

Week 16/52 taken 4.23.11 Just a little peek - I snapped this in my living room before heading out to meet my good friend for a day of bowling.

Week 17/52 taken 4.24.11 Black on Black --I finally used the white backdrop that I put up in the basement. Loving this black dress from NY & Co...think I may see if the blue one is still available! I *heart* ruffles!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today!

It's Been A While

2011-04-17T10:30:00.000-04:00

It's been over a week since I posted some projects. I've been creating lots of stuff lately...just haven't been able to share, yet. The mojo gods have seen fit to smile down on me and I've been getting my scrap on. I created 18 projects (cards, tags, and a gift bag) for Paper Crafts Magazine's latest call (let's cross our fingers and hope something gets picked up), I have some DT things that I need to start....let's just say that I've spent a lot of time in my scrap room! All of you creative folks know how it is...when the mojo comes along, you just gotta go with it because there's no telling how long it's gonna stay or when you'll see it again.

Speaking of seeing something again...where the heck is the Spring? You know the season that's supposed to arrive around the end of March, beginning of April and usually leads us into the beautiful fun filled Summer. It's been cold...and rainy...and winter has stuck around just a little too long and is behaving like a woman scorned. I'm about to put out an APB on Spring. Seriously!

While waiting for Spring to show up...I guess I'll just have to carve out my own little Spring corner right here on my blog, by sharing some very "Spring-y" projects. All were created for Petaloo using Making Memories Flower Patch line.

First up is an egg shaped card all decked out for Easter. After creating this card, I felt like something was missing. I added a couple of crocheted flowers and it changed the look and feel of the card. The flowers were exactly the detail that I needed to complete this project.

Next up is a Spring Wall Hanging. Not only did those lovely flowers from the Devon Collection take center stage on this project, but so did the lush velvet butterflies. I layered them with paper butterflies to add dimension and make them pop off of the project.

Here are some close-ups

My friend Dolores supplies me with endless photos of her adorable little girl and although I have no problem using flowers on layouts about my boys, I can really get "girly-fied" with Elisa's layouts.

I used a lot of flowers from the Devon collection as well as a few velvet butterflies to highlight the photo. I love how effortlessly the colors mix and match. It's easy to find a combination to match with many different paper lines.

some close ups of the flowers and butterflies

I hope you've had a happy visit today! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Look Who's 3!

2011-04-14T22:26:00.003-04:00

Doesn't it seem like just yesterday when I told you all about Xander's Entrance? Well this past Saturday, my baby celebrated his 3rd birthday! We had a fun-filled weekend starting with a birthday party at his preschool on Friday, a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's Saturday morning, dinner at Friday's and ice cream and birthday cake at home Saturday night.

Happy birthday sweet boy! I love you!

Blog Hop Projects

2011-04-07T22:48:00.003-04:00

All this week, Creative Imaginations and Memory Box will be hosting a joint blog hop. Both Design Teams have created lots of technique based projects using luminarte and memory box's stamps. There will be giveaways each day, so stop by and check it out!

I created projects using 2 different types of papers along with Memory Box Stamps to show you the varied looks you can get using Luminarte.

For this birthday set, I created my own patterned paper by stamping with embossing ink onto cardstock and then heat embossing with clear embossing powder. I dipped a paint brush into Ginger Peach Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist and painted (instead of spraying) over the stamped images. I dabbed a paper towel over the embossed images to pick up the excess mist and the result is a lovely stark contrast between the background color and the embossed flowers.

I also created matching patterned tissue paper by simply stamping with ink onto the paper.

used the same resist technique on this card. This time, I used Mallard Green, Burnt Umber, and Yellow Rose twinkling H2Os on Glossy Paper and the result is a stunning watercolor look.

See how the yellow varies at the top of the card? That's actually the same color. I just diluted the paint with more water to give the lighter effect. Pretty cool, huh?

Thanks for stopping by today!

I'm A Moviegoer

2011-04-04T03:30:00.000-04:00

Good Monday morning everyone! I'm here, with a super fun All About Me page created for Cheery Lynn Designs. Anyone who knows me knows that I love going to the movies! There's nothing like watching a good movie on the big screen with some buttered popcorn on my lap and an ice cold pepsi by my side. When I saw the Saturday Morning Movies grunge embossing plate, I knew I just HAD to create a movie layout.

See the bag of popcorn under the photo? It was actually a gift card that my little sister gave me as part of my Christmas. I knew I would eventually get to use it. The movie tickets are from some of the movies that I've seen so far this year. I used one of the Little Stackers Coved Rectangles die to die cut the movie tickets. I painted them with a Luminarte paint dauber so that they'd better match the Graphic 45 papers.

I mixed the School Days Font (and negative space) with stickers to create the title. I embossed the Saturday Morning Movies using Core-dinations cardstock and then sanded, inked, and swiped with paint to further add to the grunge look.

here's a close-up of the tickets.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Luminarte + Memory Box Blog Hop

2011-04-02T14:35:00.001-04:00

Psyched About CI

2011-04-02T10:40:00.000-04:00

Hey there blog readers! Today, I have a layout featuring my blooming basketball star. Let me tell you, it's all about basketball in the Long household!! My husband coaches high school basketball and my older son plays at the Y in our area so I am super psyched about the Basketball products that have been added to Creative Imaginations already awesome line-up! I feel many more Basketball themed projects coming in the near future!!

As a mother of 2 boys, I nearly jumped for joy when I saw this super cute, brightly colored Super Hero Collection. The images in this line remind me of the times when I was a little girl watching Batman and Robin on TV.

I created this altered project to hang in my boys' room using a Bare Elements Rachel Wall Pocket. I simply covered the wall pocket with patterned paper and painted the inside with Egyptian Gold Luminarte. I cut "Super Kid" from patterned paper, matted with corrugated cutable and adhered with pop dots.

I created both of these projects in January for display at CI's CHA booth. Both lines are currently available for purchase.

Thanks for stopping by today!