Blessings

I found an old bookmark that read, "count your blessings and be grateful." It was a good reminder for me. And the one thing that I am most grateful right now is that I have four grandparents that I can call and spend time with. So, in a creative attempt to scrap the everyday, I decided to create a layout about my time with my paternal grandparents. The paper is Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934. Hope that you enjoy!

Don't Drink the water

It seems that everyone around me is getting babies. I am quite glad. Most of these people are folks that I love and adore and therefore would like to see raise new humans!

While checking out my friend, Amanda's blog, Crafty Paper Girl, I found a really fun challenge. It is a challenge blog that asks you to scrap your everyday miracles. While babies are born everyday, it is still a miracle. So, I decided to find a fun babyish photo and scrap my excitement over all these new folks inhabiting the world now. And there are a few more on the way.

The paper is Modern Homemaker, because I cannot let it go. And since the challenge was to use paint and computer generated journaling, this is the result. I hope that you enjoy!

Birthday time

I have been wanting to use this Bella image for some time. It is quite cute and playful! I colored the image and then started to choose paper. Yes, that is probably backwards of what I should have done, but it worked out alright.

In fact, it was swell! I got some Cosmo Cricket Social Club in my Apron Strings kit. I have been wondering what to use it on and then the Bella came. I was able to stamp the card base with a flower from Stampin' Up's Remembering You. I also used their Night of Navy ink. Then I layered some pattern paper and cardstock. Finally, I popped a flower on the image and called it a day. Hope that you enjoy!

More Christmas

Since I was making cards anyway, I started playing. I cut and organized scraps and began making tags. These three came together pretty quickly. It is always nice to use some old paper. Hope that you enjoy.

Christmas in June...and heading into July

I am gearing up for the holidays and trying to get my ducks in a row. There are only six months left until the holidays and I need to be ready. So, I headed over to Jingle Belles and worked on their Christmas card challenge. This week it is on layers. The theme is "all bundled up" and we were encouraged to use three or more layers. I look at this card and think... "I threw everything I had on it." I have a tag, a flower, a brad, ribbon and multiple pattern papers. Still, I am happy with the result.

Most of the papers are from Graphic 45. I cannot leave them alone when it comes to Christmas! Hope that you enjoy!

Cupcake Time

On a good recommendation, we tried a place called Yummy Cupcake. It was very good. There were four of us and thus we were able to split four cupcakes four ways. It was incredible! After sampling the red velvet, the yummy chocolate, the peanut butter chocolate and the lemon bar cupcake, we declared a winner. It was the lemon bar cupcake hands down! We are talking graham cracker crust, lemon curd and cream cheese frosting. Few things in life are better than this combination.

Naturally, I scrapped this momentous occasion, because as I remind AAA, "if we don't scrap it, it didn't happen!"

Paper is from October Afternoon 5 & Dime collection and the sketch is from ScrapHappy group. Not sure that I am done with this layout. I may want to add some more bling, but for now I am content!

Hope that you enjoy.

Father's Day

Be prepared! Father's Day is coming up and I finally got to sit down and put together some cards. Now, while my father and my father-in-law do not fully understand my cult...hobby, I meant hobby, they do enjoy the results. Both my father and father-in-law love getting homemade cards. In fact, at the ripe old age of 30 something, I have managed to make it to the refrigerator again! High praise! Hopefully they will enjoy these as well.

The paper is scrap left over from Adorn It Family Heritage. I threw in some old silk flowers, buttons and a hand cut heart. (Can you believe that despite my love of punches, I do not own a heart punch?!!) This card is scraplifted from a Papercraft magazine from 2008. It is one of my favorites and had several variations of this card.

Hope that you enjoy!

Gotta Love Dogs

Okay, so lately there has been a lot of dog connections in my life. The humane society and LAspca are sending me information. Lot's of dog documentaries have been recommended by netflix. Several of my friends are dog shopping.

It has got me thinking about Mischa and Paige, my two furry devils. Recently, as part of a photo challenge the prompt was to photograph your everyday miracles. And right now, my everyday miracle is that two dogs provide me unconditional love and continue to ignore my moodiness. When I am down or overwhelmed, I can count on a cold nose to nuzzle my hand. When I am running late and get home exhausted, I can count on two lovable mutts to show enough affection to take down the Grinch. Likewise, when I am tired and lazy and think I do not want to get out bed, I can count on two little whimpers that say, "we have to walk. You'll feel better afterwards."

In a documentary called My Dog, Greg Louganis said, "I don't want to be dramatic and say that they are my reason for getting out of bed in the morning...but, yeah." I totally get that.

Thank God for dogs!

Weekend Play time

For fun, Aaron, the Amazing Actuary (AAA) and I walk from the Venice pier to the Santa Monica pier. We call it the pier to pier walk. It is about 4 or 5 miles and it is a blast. So much to see! Venice and Santa Monica are usually good for inspiring food and conversations. And, of course, a sighting of our favorite bodysuit clad guitar player on rollerskates is always a winner!

This layout is based upon our most recent pier to pier walk with friends. There is a picture of them at the Venice pier and then one at the Santa Monica pier. The paper is October Afternoon's 5 & Dime. The layout is based upon a May Flaum class that I took a while back at Big Picture Classes. Hope that you enjoy.

Baby Showers

Got to visit some friends in Louisville and make it to Richelle and Dave's Baby shower. Took lots of great pictures and have even managed to scrap a few. Here are a few layouts telling the story of onsies, cake and other fun things.

Most of the paper comes from my Apron Strings kit. I have been having a ball using up my Five and Dime. I have also been seriously scraplifting from May Flaum. It is so easy to scraplift from someone so talented!! What can I say?