ornament time!

well, it's that time again - time to make some Christmas ornaments! I have been making ornaments for myself or as gifts for about 25 years! wow, that's more than I was going to admit. Anyway, I like to have a paper mache or wood base for my ornaments, and there usually must be some kind of sparkle. These ornaments are for a problem tree that I have. One of our trees is a Star Trek ornament tree and although the ornaments are REALLY cool and some of them do really cool things, its a dark drab tree. I needed to add some Christmas themed brightly colored ornaments so I chose the colors Aqua/teal, red, green, and Silver and there will be alot of stars.

This first ornament is all from the Mod Stack by Die Cuts With a View, with the exception of the little Santa's face which is from Altered Pages




















The second is a wooden star ornament using the Doodlin Around Stack by Die Cuts with a View along with buttons by Die Cuts With a View.




















Next I just had to try one of those button ornaments. I LOVE the way it sparkles on the tree but it uses alot of buttons and I just do not have enough teal buttons. I also added some sequins to fill in gaps.



















Next is a paper mache star ornament using some Making Memories papers and a fluffy silver pipe cleaner.

fall framed thing

You guys have seen my Christmas one and the summer one, well here is Fall. I used Melissa Frances papers from last year. I really love the glittered heart and leaf



You guys have seen my Christmas one and the summer one, well here is Fall. I used Melissa Frances papers from last year. I really love the glittered heart and leaf

he does love chicken

When we got Figaro, he was 5 1/2 weeks old and Perry gave him his first taste of Chicken - I had to take a photo, he was just so serious about it but he just had tiny little teeth. So cute!

I just got the "Where the heart is" stack by MME and I had to play with it.

Happy Holidays!!! Serendipity Scrapbooks Nov Kit! part 1 of 5

Halloween is over and its time to start looking toward the holidays. I have been in the mood for awhile and this kit really just pushed me to get some things done. First of all, just look at all of the goodies in the Serendipity Scrapbooks November Altered Kit - {SEE IT HERE} You may have to scroll down a bit to see this kit. I did this whole album and its 8x8" plus 4 layouts and I still have paper and embellishments left for cards. The papers are beautiful and all of the embellishments are really nice. I love that the Making Memories packaging for the embellishments has tags on the back that you can cut out and use. That's cool. And if you haven't used one of these big 8x8" Fancy Pants Mixed Media albums, you need to check them out. I love that you choose where to bind and how the pages will be used. I ended up cutting up one of the black felt pages to use for embellishments. I just love it.

Here is my mini album full of some of my favorite moments from last year.

Happy Holidays!!! Serendipity Scrapbooks Nov Kit! part 2 of 5

Happy Holidays!!! Serendipity Scrapbooks Nov Kit! part 3 of 5

Happy Holidays!!! Serendipity Scrapbooks Nov Kit! part 4 of 5

I loved making the mini album but I just had to do some layouts with these beautiful papers too. All of these are created using the Serendipity Scrapbooks November Altered Kit - {SEE IT HERE}

I used some Cuttlebug templates with the great Coredinations papers to make some really fun holly. I will be doing that again because I love the look. I also added some of the Licorice Pink Paislee chipboard Alphas from last months kit.

Happy Holidays!!! Serendipity Scrapbooks Nov Kit! part 5 of 5

Can you even believe I got all of this done from one kit! AND I still have papers and embellishments left over so you will see some cards made too.

These are my last 2 layout made with the Serendipity Scrapbooks November Altered Kit - {SEE IT HERE}

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderfully fun day and safe evening!

This layout is for the current Disney Scrappers Challenge - Haunted Mansion. We went to the haunted mansion at night and it was so cool. I got some great photos and some not so great. This one was super dark but cool so I altered it in PSE. And then I got this awesome collection of "Eerie" by Basic Grey and it had exactly the right colors and theme. I love the batty doily and the transparency.

Candlestick Jack * Basic Grey Eerie *

This is totally inspired by Linda Albrecht and her designs. She is just so talented! I had a great time creating Jack and I think I may have to try some of her snowmen.

I used all Basic Grey Eerie. This stuff is just so great, I can't seem to put it down lately.

The Sword in the Stone

Ok, so he didn't actually pull the sword from the stone, but he gave it alot of effort! This is in the Magic Kingdom from our 2005 trip.

I used Basic Grey Ambrosia with some jewels from Kaiser.

Are you Croppin?

It's the big Pimp my bra Crop Weekend at Serendipity Scrapbooks! Are you cropping with us??? I am!

My first layout is for the Julia Child's recipe layout challenge. I love Julia so much. If you guys haven't seen Julie and Julia - be sure to rent or buy it when it comes out. What an awesome movie!

I used some old Cosmo Cricket "Wonderland" papers and tags for my page.

Dessert please

This one got a bit pink on me, but I still like it. It's all Basic Grey Porcelain with some pearly Crystals from Prima.




This one got a bit pink on me, but I still like it. It's all Basic Grey Porcelain with some pearly Crystals from Prima.

Merrily on our way to nowhere at all!

I love Mr Toad's Wild Ride. I remember riding it with Jeremy and being tossed around and laughing so hard. That was at Walt Disney World and it was the best, but the one at Disneyland is okay. I even like the movie. Nancy and I took each others photo there when we were at Disneyland. I found this great October Afternoon paper that has text from the Wind and the Willows, but I didn't buy enough, so I will be using pieces of it for my pages. I also used some great Websters pages papers for the background and I hand wrote the lyrics around the page.

Laurie's Layout and Card Sketch #1

I just have to share this layout and card that Laurie shared using my Layout Sketch and Card from last Saturday! I just love these new Basic Grey Indian Summer papers and she did the most wonderful things with them. Check out her other wonderful creations HERE.

When life gives you lemons...part 1

Make a mini album! LOL! Today the pre-crop at Serendipity Scrapbook begins! The big crop is next weekend and we just cant wait so we are having some pre-crop fun. My challenge for the precrop is to create a very fun happy mini album. Details of the mini and challenge will be HERE in the Serendipity Scrapbooks Forum.

I used Bingo cards for the cover and lots of really old Lollipop Shoppe Basic Grey. My album isn't finished. I will be working on it this week with all of you. :) You just have to join in the fun!

When life gives you lemons...part 2

A Big Smile Mini album part 2. Details and info are in When life gives you lemons part 1

Tie a double bow

actually not tie - but it will look like you did! Check out the great double bow tutorial on Nancy Burke's Blog HERE. She created the most fun card and the bow is wonderful. I decided to give it a try with thinner ribbon for this layout. Since I am avoiding hot glue for awhile, I decided to hand stich mine together. Thanks for the tutorial, Nancy!

The papers are Basic Grey Bittersweet

Dye it!

I always make such a mess when I dye things but I just have to do it every now and then. I used the totally cool Basic Grey collection Eerie. For this page I dyed the white cotton lace using Shimmerz Mistz and the photo is just not good because it was raining here, but the color is darker and its definately shimmery. The orange bow is actually just household white string that I dyed using Tuscan Sun Shimmerz mist with a darker orange Adirondack color wash spray. This makes it more orange but I still got the shimmery pearly look. I just couldn't capture it in the photo.

Saturday Sketches #1

Hey - I was thinking I might post a 12x12 layout sketch and a card sketch each Saturday. Would you guys like to try some sketches? I would love for you to leave a comment and a link to your layouts or cards so that I can feature them here. If the response is good, I will keep posting more. I am no expert at sketches but I think the more I do it, the better they will be.

Anyone interested???

You guys just have to see all of the layouts that the girls over at Serendipity Scrapbooks created with this sketch! {SEE THEM HERE}

Here are today's sketches and my interpretation of the layout. I will try to get a card done to post as well. HAVE FUN!

Always Buds

Figaro and Savvy look soooo innocent in this photo don't they? LOL! I used some beautiful flocked silver paper from Hobby Lobby - I am guessing its their brand because there is no brand listed. I also made some flowers and used black flocking for the words.

Oct Serendipity Scrapbooks Kit Part 1

YOU WILL LOVE THIS KIT! I am not kidding, this is my favorite kit ever. I did 6 over the top layouts with 3 ornaments and I had papers and things left to play with later. Every single paper was 2 sided and wonderful so that made it hard to cut but I had a blast! Check out this October "I deserve it all" kit by Serendipity Scrapbooks **SEE IT HERE!**:

I love the Beautiful Pink Paislee papers and goodies, and then there are these papers from Dream Street with the awesome vintage kitties! - just look at these Pink Paislee black glittered chipboard alphas! Well, just look at my pages - they are jammed with these yummy treat-like papers.

I had to start with one of my very favorite halloween photos - the looks on their faces. They are my halloween hams.

Oct Serendipity Kit Part 2

here are my next two layouts, check out this October "I deserve it all" kit by Serendipity Scrapbooks **SEE IT HERE!**:

Can you just tell that I had too much fun with this kit??? I still have more left too! Anyway, it came in a priority box so of course I ripped it up and used it on my page! LOL!!! This kit could have been just Haunted Mansion or Tower of Terror layouts for me. The papers are so perfect.

Oct Serendipity Kit Part 3

here are my last 2 layouts using these wonderful goodies, check out this October "I deserve it all" kit by Serendipity Scrapbooks **SEE IT HERE!**:

Oct Serendipity Kit Part 4

I have to share my very favorite kit ever! (So far) but this is going to be tough to beat! Seriously, check out this October "I deserve it all" kit by Serendipity Scrapbooks **SEE IT HERE!**:

I have a black halloween tree that I got on clearance last year after Christmas so I am making ornaments with the leftover bits from the kits. For this first one, I covered a paper mache ornament from Hobby Lobby.

I {heart} kitties

Yep, that's me! And I know it is hard to believe but I was only 20 months old in this photo. I don't think mom ever stopped feeding me! lol The photo is from a slide that was a bit dark. I asked them to lighten it a bit but it is kind of blue. LOVE these Playtime Past papers from Graphic 45 for my old photos. I need to make a point of getting more done. This was for one of the Daily Challenges at Serendipity Scrapbooks - to use the unexpected. The little flowers are made by punching Starbucks cup holders, the yellow ruffle is a cupcake liner and the little blue tag is one of those things that holds bread bags shut.

Are you read to Pimp Your Bra???

Twisted Cherry Designs, a unique company to Serendipity Scrapbooks, has made these EXCLUSIVE albums for us at Serendipity Scrapbook!!!

50% of the sales from each bra album from Sept. 24th-Oct. 31st will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Organization. And don't forget to mark your calendars for October 16-18th for the Crop. We will be showing off our altered bras and raising money for Breast Cancer Awareness!

don't forget we have a TON of sponsors for TONS of give-a-ways!!! and Queen of the Crop gets to pick a past kit of their choice!!!

Jogger Bra


Racerback Bra


Full Cup Bra


And here is a special SNEAK PEEK of one of the October Serendipity Scrapbooks kits! Wait til you see all the goodies in this kit! Honestly - I have used alot of great kits from Serendipity Scrapbooks but this is my favorite! They will be available on Oct 1st so be sure to check it out!

Fave Halloween paper 09

New Basic Grey Eerie! Do you love this collection as much as I do? omgosh. This year there are actually several amazing halloween collections and I cant figure out which is my favorite - SO.... I have decided that I need to play with ALL of it until I can decide which is best! LOL!

Now I loved the MME "Spiders Web" because it went so well with my Batman photo where there was no orange and its perfect for photos of Noel and Pirates of the Caribbean. I have to say its the best Halloween collection for my non-halloween things that need those cool gold and black tones. But this "Eerie" has the great oranges, greens, and even a purple that I like -which, in itself is odd. I love these jouraling thingies and wait til you see the chipboard!

This layout is actually from a sketch by my good friend Kristin. THANKS KRISTEN, Love the flowers under the paper! {Here is her sketch}

Easter Afternoon

Yes, I am using the new Christmas Basic Grey "Eskimo Kisses" for an Easter layout. :) I just think alot of these papers are perfect for springtime and they just went so well with these photos I took last year of Alex and Savvy.

Paper Piercing

This isn't the old school lacey vellum paper piercing. Try it with cardstock and patterned papers. If you use your DCWV white core or Coredinations colored core cardstocks, you can get some pretty cool effects.

For this layout I made a journaling block with Coredinations, punctured holes and then sanded them to reveal the blue core.

Kreinik Iron on braids and threads

If you haven't checked out the Kreinik iron on threads - see them here:
http://www.kreinik.com/kshop/home.php?cat=8

I have had a few questions about the iron on threads and braids and also about the Clover Iron so I thought I would share my favorite tip. I love my little Clover iron but I burned myself far too many times and using the Teflon press cloth on top of the treads was annoying me because you kind of have to be patient and I am NOT patient. LOL! You can get pieces of adhesive press cloth for the bottom of your mini iron, but this still doesn't solve the burning. I found this tip online and tried it and now I never get burned and I dont have to bother with the press cloth at all. Here is the iron:


Now you get a Teflon Press cloth and cut a 4" circle about and wrap it around the tip of the iron, then wrap a wire around the neck to secure the cloth - making sure the foot area of the iron is smooth. You can even be clumsy and bump yourself with the til and not burn yourself badly! LOL! Seriously, this solved even my burned hands.

Getting in the mood for Halloween!

And playing with some totally fun Kreinik threads and braids! Here are the supplies I used for this layout. I think this is the first time I have left part of the iron on braids as a loop and not ironed it. I really like the look and I think I need to do some loopy flowers!

Kreinik Iron on 1/8" ribbon #6277 -3M
Kreinik Iron on 1/8" ribbon #6090 -3M
(ironed on between background papers)

Kreinik Iron on Medium #16 braid #6300 -3M
Kreinik Iron on Fine #8 braid #6300 -3M
(Ironed on for the vines - left some loose for dimension)

Kreinik Metallics Fine #8 braid #5555 -10M
Kreinik Metallics Very Fine #4 Braid #5520 -11M
Kreinik Metallics Very Fine #4 Braid #5535 - 10M
(hand stitching on paper leaves and felt flowers, and tied onto buttons)

Kreinik Blending Filament #052HL -25M
(Machine stitched around the perimeter of the inner background

Patterned papers - "Spider's Web" collection by My Minds Eye

Comfort

This is my brother and his dog, Brulee. I used Bloom and Grow papers from MME.



This is my brother and his dog, Brulee. I used Bloom and Grow papers from MME.