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Monday, May 30, 2011

Monday Muse - The One with the AMAZING DESERT

Its a holiday in the US...

The official kick off to summer...

Seems like this is the right time for this Monday Muse:


This is courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens.

Now, it inspires me on several levels...

The first, of course, is to EAT!!!

Followed closely by make a fruit salad, paint something, scrapbook, photograph something and finally EAT!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Friday, May 27, 2011

Friday Tutorials

Its going to be a LOOOOONGGGG and beautiful weekend here in our world.

We are excited!

Just in case you get some crafty time on this long weekend (or if its going to rain in your part of the world!) I've found a few tutorials to keep you busy.

I've been very recently inspired by the fabric flowers I see EVERYWHERE - on t-shirts, on headbands, necklaces, shoes, and, of course, scrapbook pages.

I'm not exactly a sewer...I mean, I can hem a pair of pants and put a button on a shirt. I can even fix ripped seams. I learned to sew rod pockets and straight seams for things like curtains and table cloths and napkins...and I've even been toying with the idea of a basic quilt. But, seriously, you might not find me sewing any clothing or more elaborate stuff. I've not even attempted sewing on my scrapbook layouts, though its all the rage.

That said, I find every flower tutorial I'm going to show you totally doable in every sense. I think any crafter should be able to manage these fairly easily or with minimal practice:

(just click on the highlighted link to get to the tutorial)

First up, a cute and versatile no-sew felt flower from Do More With Less:


While we are on no-sew, Artsy Crafty Babe has an adorable button flower pin tutorial:


In the extremely easy sewing category, Midwestern Sewing Girl has created these lovely little bead center circle flowers:


Also in the extremely easy category, Craft Leftovers has this super cute loopy felt flower:


And Pick Up Some Creativity teaches us how to make this adorable ruffle flower:


In the SLIGHTLY more challenging category (because there is folding involved!) we have these awesome Pointed Petal flowers from Creation Corner


And this super adorable pocket petal flower from Bayou Bags:


That's enough flowers to create a pretty significant garden!

Alright, go forth and CRAFT...

Have a GREAT WEEKEND!

Peace, ya'll!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Celebrate

Its time for my final FRIENDSHIP layout for Scrapbooking From the Inside Out.

This final layout is about my girlfriends...the one's who help me mourn, celebrate, and live life to the fullest....I haven't seen them all together in the same place since the baby shower for my first born...in case anyone is keeping track, that would be 5 years ago(almost 5!).

But before THAT, we all got together to celebrate my 35th birthday...it was AMAZING and FUN and a night I will never forget...to have them all around me at one time made me feel much like a queen.


These are the people I call when something cool happens...these are the women who help me celebrate all the little life things that truly matter...I miss them all SO MUCH!!!

Peace, ya'll!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Sneakin'

Did you see it?

The Scrapbooking From the Inside Out JUNE OPTIMISM kit sneaks?

They are stunning!!


Its a PRETTY one!!!

GO GET ONE RESERVED for yourself!!!

Peace, ya'll!!!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

ONE HOUR CHALLENGE

SFTIO is doing a One Hour Challenge over on the Club CK Blog!

Go HERE NOW and check it out!!

You have a couple of ways to be entered to win this beautiful kit:


Oh...and HAVE FUN!!!

Peace, ya'll

Weird Friends RULE

As I sifted though my many ideas about FRIENDSHIP for the Scrapbooking From the Inside Out monthly theme and kit, I couldn't help but smile over this girl:


Meet Teri.

Teri, meet the world...(well, my little slice of it anyway):

Teri and I refer to our selves as Weird Friends.

Why, you ask?

Well, because she is the person who not only brings out my..ummm....eclectic side, but she also APPRECIATES my weirdness.

And I appreciate hers.

She is the most genuinely transparent person I have ever met.

In fact, I hope to be as transparent as she is one day.

Its a beautiful thing...and besides, she understands that thing I have about gross feet...


Friends can bring out the crazy, silly part of us...in fact, I think that these kind of friends - the one's who encourage us to just go ahead and let it all hang out - are the coolest sort of friends. (I'm blessed...I think nearly all of my friends encourage me to just let it all hang out!) Do you have a friend who brings out your silly? One that you call when you want to do something totally whacky?

Peace, ya'll!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sister by Choice and a BLOG HOP

Its a month all about FRIENDSHIPScrapbooking From the Inside Out,

And we are CELEBRATING with a BLOG HOP!

If you are hopping with us, you probably got here from the AMAZING BLOG of the FABULOUS Nancy Doren! (can you tell I'm a fan?)

If you are just wandering through, head on back to FABULOUS Melissa Elsner and get started properly.

I have to say that I had TONS of ideas for layouts about friendship and this kit did not disappoint with options to bring my ideas to reality:


Believe me when I say that there are more than enough supplies to get to all my ideas (now if I only had the TIME to get to all my ideas!)

The layout I have for you today is about my friend Kathy...She is my sister by choice.

She is a marvelously grounded human being, but she is also extremely fun, completely thoughtful and highly trustworthy. This girl can keep a confidence!

Lots of people think we are "real" sisters, I because we get along so well. A few people tell me that we look alike, and I'll be honest I see a similarity. BUT if you could see her family, you probably wouldn't think she looks so much like me.

This girl has been my friend through thick and thin, and we have some CRAZY stories we can tell our children some day (or not, depending upon the situation, if you know what I mean). I just lover her to death and wish I could carry her around in my pocket all the time.

Sadly, she lives on the OTHER coast...so I don't see her much...after all that we have been through, tho, I know I wouldn't have made it through sane without her...she is truly my salvation!


Friends who are close enough to be blood are so special. Do you have somebody like that in your life?

Tell me about it!!! Leave me a comment about your close enough to be blood friend to be entered to win that GORGEOUS kit up top.

Then head on over to WONDERFUL Patti aka Colored Sprinkle Girl and check out her project. Make sure you leave her some comment love, too!

The winners will be chosen from all the comments left on all the blogs in the hop this time.

SO, be sure you visit each DT member and leave a comment on each blog before 5 p.m. PST on TUESDAY. The winner will be announced on the Scrapbooking From the Inside Out Blog.

C'mon! Lets celebrate our friends!!!

Peace, ya'll

Peace, ya'll!

Friday, May 13, 2011

Blog Hop Postponed

I hinted at a Blog hop in my post from Thursday (which Blogger was kind enough to unpublsih and I just now RE-published).

HOWEVER, due to the issues with Blogger, we will be postponing that little hop.

Stay tuned!

Peace, ya'll!

A Break from Regularly Scheduled Posting

Normally, I post layouts on Thursdays...

But here it is Thursday and no layout...hmmmm....

Well, THAT is because the Scrapbooking From The Inside Out Design Team is having a FRIENDSHIP BLOG HOP tomorrow.

So, stay tuned for that wonderfulness...we will be giving away a FRIENDSHIP kit to one lucky winner!

And, well...

I just don't know how to post on a Thursday without a layout.

So, here is the ONE challenge I managed to complete for the BPC Creative Crop that I participated in on National Scrapbooking Day. The challenge was to use WOOD or WOOD GRAIN. I used some tinted wood images to cut the circles and also used some wood brads:


Supplies: Printed grid paper - Pink Paislee; Cardstock - Reflections; Mists - Tattered Angel Glimmer Mist in Heney Dew Melon and Turquoise Blue;

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Teacher Gifts

I don't know if any of Jayden's teachers read my blog, but it does post to Facebook and I am friends with some of them there....

So, if you are one of Jayden's teachers:

SPOILER ALERT!!! DON'T GO ANY FURTHER!

Ok...

Now...

Lets get to this cool idea...

I found THESE COOL TAGS over on eighteen25 along with the cool Chinese take out box and had an idea.

So...

I gathered the tags and some old Heidi Swapp tape:


And nail supplies along with clear Chinese Takeout Containers.


Packed the nail kit items in with a bit of white shreds.


Then wrapped them all up with the tape and the labels.


I had to do five of them, but they were super easy and so cute all stacked together!!!



So, whatcha think? What are YOU doing for teacher gifts this year?

Peace, ya'll!

Monday, May 09, 2011

Monday Muse - The One with Pink and Glitter

So, the muse is actually this photo from Creature Comforts Blog. I can't get over how gorgeous the falling glitter is.


AND she gives you a great little color chart to use for your creation inspiration too!

This song came immediately to mind when I saw the photo:


Completely takes my breath away....

So, how would you use this muse?

Have a BEAUTIFUL DAY!

Peace, ya'll!

Saturday, May 07, 2011

NSD - a Counterfeit Kit

Its National Scrapbook Day - I can hear my husband laughing - and so I'm doing some scrappy things today.

I'll be keeping up with the challenges as I can over at Creative Crop, so hopefully I'll be able to post the results of those here at some point.

My first task was to put together a Counterfeit Kit for the May challenge. The inspiration kit this month is from WIP Kits:


I was most inspired by the colors - green, red and yellow. Here is my take:


Since I use cardstock so much, I added 6 sheets of cardstock. Mine happens to be all Bazzill this time, in shades of green, red and yellow.

I have 8 sheets of printed paper rather than 10:
     Trunk from the Pebbles Tree House Collection
     Sunset from the Pebbles Tree House Collection
     Pearl from the Pebbles Linnie Bell Collection
     Dots from the We R Memory Keepers 72 & Sunny Collection
     Gazebo from the October Afternoon Detours Collection
     Battenburg Love Notes from the Making Memories Love Notes Collection
     Green Apple from the Sassafras Lass Serendipity Collection
     Monday from the Cosmo Cricket girl Friday Collection

For letter stickers I used Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type in Yellow and Sassafras Lass letters in Script.

I subbed plain white shipping tags for the colored tags.

I also embellished the kit a bit and added border stickers from Crate Paper Neighborhood collection and Clear Stickers from the Little Yellow Bicycle Clothesline collection.

For the Die cut Collection, I substituted journal spots from Jillibean Soup and various die cuts from the My Minds Eye Quite Contrary collection:


The yellow dot ribbon was replaced with yellow scrunchie ribbon. I also added white pom pom trim, green pom pom trim, red ricrac and some twine. I am subbing Girls Paperie brads from the On Holiday collection for the Basic Grey brads.


Instead of dimesional chipboard, I've added Pebbles Chips from the Tree House Collection.


I further added to the kit with some felt items gathered from various sources:


Love how this kit turned out...and I'm totally ready to USE it!

Peace, ya'll!

Friday, May 06, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Today is my mom's birthday:


Ok, everyone sing along with me:

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you....

Have a fabulous day, Mom!!!

We love you!!!

Thursday, May 05, 2011

More Than Brothers

We are exploring FRIENDSHIP over at Scrapbooking From the Inside Out with this amazing kit:


My second layout from the kit is this one about my boys.

We have friends, two brothers, who lost their parents early in life. They have an amazing friendship and are two of the individuals we considered when we decided we wanted a second child. Its been AWESOME to watch how the lives of our boys unfold together...

We pray fervently that they will be the best of friends as well as brothers:


This was the first time I got to play with my new bumble bee punch...I love that thing!


Do you have a sibling you are friends with? or do you know somebody who's sibling friendship you admire?

Peace, ya'll!

Tuesday, May 03, 2011

My Own Counterfeit Kit

I’m something of a scrapbook supply junkie and have a studio full of amazing things not to be believed. Its more of an addiction than a hobby.

I have a particular weakness – kits. I’m forever looking at and longing after different supply kits. Its something of a thrill to see all those different and various supplies coordinated for me, and all I have to do is find some pictures that speak to me.

There are lots of different resources out there that encourage the use of the supplies you have to make your own supply kits.

Scrapbook.com has one HERE

Lain Ehmen has a little video on Making Money Selling Your Own kits.

But perhaps my favorite find was a site I recently discovered called Counterfeit Kit Challenge. It’s an awesome blog that encourages me to use my own stash to make something I LOVE…Kits!

They choose an inspiration kit each month from the many amazing monthly kits, each of their designers constructs their own stash-busting kit based on the inspiration, and then there are a series of challenges and blog-hops using those kits. Totally my kind of inspiration.

So, Counterfeit Kit doesn’t post their inspiration kit until the 5th of the month. But, I saw the new Lawn Party kit from Studio Calico and fell in love. Not only that, but I was pretty sure that I had a lot of the supplies or something EXTREMELY similar in my stash already. Just for reference, here is the Studio Calico kit:


Here is my take:



My version contains the following:

Cardstock (2 sheets each, various manufacturers)
Vanilla
White
Black
Ash Grey
Craft
Cream

Patterned Paper (1 Sheet Each):
Trendy (Crate Paper Crate Avenue Collection)
Fly Away (KI Memories Bloom Collection)
Diced Tomatoes (Jillibean Soup Old World Cabbage Stew Collection)
Dandy (Pebbles Happy Go Lucky Collection)
Head In the Clouds (My Minds Eye Good Day Sunshine Collection)
Bouquet (Crate Paper Portrait Collection)
Double Vision in Orange (Creative Imaginations Creative Café Line)
Vocab (Basic Grey Basics White Collection)

Embellishments:
Corrugated Shapes in Flowers (Jillibean Soup)
Hopscotch Fabric Bloomers (Basic Grey)
Mini Alphabet Stickers in Sunrise (My Little Shoebox)
Tiny Alphas in White On Black (Making Memories)
Patchwork Fabric Thickers Aqua (American Crafts)
1 yard of large ricrac in aqua
1 yard cream lace
3 sheets book pages, various sizes

I also made my own pennants out of 7 gypsies paper tape from the Venice Collection.

Now…to makes something amazing.

So…what do you think? How are you recycling things you already have to serve a new purpose? Share!

Sunday, May 01, 2011

FRIENDSHIP

Happy May Day, everyone!

My son asked me what May Day is...its hard to explain to a 4 year old.

How do I explain that single men and women dance around a pole with ribbons hoping to get entangled?  Its an odd thing to figure out. We talked about friends instead...much simpler.

Speaking of friends, its FRIENDSHIP month over at Scrapbooking From the Inside Out.

The kit is so gorgeous! I think I say that every month, but its SO TRUE!


Again, this month, I was extremely surprised about how amazingly versatile the kit was!

My first layout is about my first friend - my sister Kellie!!!


It has these really versatile and amazing zippers in it...I made a little flower - but more on that later!


Head on over to the Design Team Gallery and have a look at all the great inspiration there.

But before you go, tell me, who was YOUR first friend? What do you remember about them? Are you still in touch with them?

Peace, ya'll?