What a wonderful crop!! As usual, I didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I had hoped, but I did get something done this time!!

Several to share today, so let's get started!

An old time favorite, a lift challenge to get the mojo going! I combined two lovely layout's I found in the Life Preservers gallery to create this one , one by Laura Lee and the other by Wanita! Thanks for the inspiration, ladies!!

Back by popular demand! :) I hosted another one hour sketch challenge. As you know, I love to make my own embellishments but since I am a super slow scrapper I had to set that aside if I was going to pull this off in 1 hour! Sketch courtesy of Sassy 'Lil Sketches.




I started Friday evening off with working on the earlybird sketch challenge.



I also completed a couple of the Make 'n Takes as well play along in some awesome games!






I did finish up another layout, but you will have to wait to peek at that one! :)

My DT buddies has so many wonderful challenges. I hope to work on more of them this week! Awesome inspiration!! You can find them here!

One more day to get your ScrapFit challenge posted!! New challenge coming tomorrow!

Life Preservers April Alternate Kit

Wohoo! I finally found time to play with the April Alternate Kit from Life Preservers. I must say what a pleasure it has been. These fun, masculine papers from Scrap Within Reach have been such a treat!

Thinking the colors are perfect for black and white photos, I dug out some old photos of my dad. The sticker letters were to large for the area that I wished to contain my title, so I cut the excess off around the letters to make them fit.

Using the cricut, I cut the leaves from the gold cardstock in the kit. I used Ranger distress inks for shading, then added some stickles for a bit of splash (brown is from kit, green is from my stash)




I covered the chipboard clock with Rock Candy Distress Crackle paint. Using Metallic Silver Distress Crackle paint, I covered the key chipboard. After the paint dried, I rubbed it with Walnut Distress ink for an antiqued look.

Non kit items:
Stickles (purchased in Life Preservers online store); Opaline Pearls; Prima Say it in Crystals; Chipboard;
Clock; Rock Candy Distress Paint; Chipboard key; Metallic Distress paint; MM Vintage Findings; Staples; Stitching; ribbon

Next, I dug out the first photo ever taken of our farm. My husbands grandfather purchased the farm in 1946, later selling it to my father-in-law, and now my husband has acquired it. Being it has been a dairy farm for all these years, I just had to add some of the dairy chipboard buttons from Jenny Bowlin!!

Again, I cut the letters to fit in my Title area.

Non kit items:
Prima flower spray (from previous LP kit); Jenny Bowlin chipboard buttons (previous LP kit); buttons; 7 gypsies ticket (from previous LP kit); thickers; floss; distress ink; stitching; MM Vintage Findings; black cardstock; mesh

Last but not least, I created this little tag book for my purse. While shopping, I can never remember which colors of distress ink, distress paints, mists, stickles, ect that I have previously purchased. I also added sample colors of each product I own for matching papers, ribbon, ect. Of course I added several blank sheets at the back of the book for future purchases!!



I cut the tags using the School Plantin cricut cartridge. I used white cardstock in order to get a true feel of the colors.



Non kit items:
White cardstock; sticker

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Saturday, everyone!

The Crop at Life Preservers is in full swing!! Wohoo, I've definately been having a Latte fun!! I've got a bit of scrappy goodness to share with you today, so let's get down to business!!

But first, before I get into my goodies from the crop, I want to share with you my layout for the Scrap Bachelor Contest for week 3! We were to do a layout about music in our life. I used a sketch from Sassy Lil' Sketches for my inspiration.




Now, here are a few of the things I put together for the crop.

Newly posted, is my Build a Snowman Challenge!




I used my snowman to create a Valentine card for my son.





I hosted a 1 hour sketch contest using a super fun sketch from the ladies at Creative Scrappers!




Here is my version



I will be hosting another 1 hour sketch contest Sunday at 1:00pm Central. I would love to see you there!


Next is a Winter 2010 Color Combo challenge.

My example



That's it for today! Now, I am headed back to the crop to complete some of the other fun challenges and super cute make n' takes!! Stop back tomorrow and see what I was able to complete! Or, better yet, meet me there!!

ScrapFit Desgn Team Blog Hop

Welcome!!!

I’m so glad you have joined us for our ScrapFit Design Team Blog Hop! My teammates have created the cutest cards!!

Our challenge to you is to create a Christmas card using the quote: “Wishing you a Christmas full of Sparkle and a New Year full of Cheer!” Your quote can be either on the outside or the inside of your card. I can’t wait to see what you create!!

I made a couple designs but I couldn’t decided which one to post, so I posted them both!!












ScrapFit is giving a way an awesome prize package from Quick Quotes--Enjoy Life Journey Mini Book kit! How can I win, you ask. Leave a comment and sign up to follow each teammates blog as well as the ScrapFit Blog. (You get 1 entry for each blog you follow for a total of 10 entries) Do the Card Challenge and link it up to the blog for 1 entry. Join the ScrapFit Forum with a minimum of 10 posts will get you another entry. Do workout #8 for an additional entry. That gives you 13 possible chances to win!!

I’m giving away an RAK as well!! All you have to do is leave a comment, and sign up to follow my blog! If you are already a follower, just post a comment !! : ) Don’t forget to check out the rest of the team. *hint* some of the ladies are also giving away very cool prizes!! Your next stop is Katie. If you are just joining us you can begin the hop at ScrapFit.

Our Blog Hop ends on December 7th!

Thanks for stopping by!!

My Minds Eye sketch challenge

My Minds Eye has a sketch challenge going on. What an adorable sketch! Me being a huge MME fan, you know I had to give it a shot! While digging through my stash, this gorgeous vintagy floral pattern spoke to me. I just had to use it….the rest of the layout fell into place from there! Oh, and the adorable little girl in the photo is me!

This is the sketch we were to work from




And here is my version









After looking at it for a bit, I decided that the blue plaid was to bold to go all the way across the layout. I cut the end off the right side, but now it is to dark to get good photos! Oh well!! I'll try again tomorrow! Here is it is anyway!!




All of the papers used are from My Minds Eye, as well as the frame, overlay, die cuts, words, and all of the ribbons. Most of the products are from the Wild Asparagus and 29th Street Market lines.

Thanks for stopping by!

Home

And the plot thickens as we play the waiting game to see who moves forward to round #4! Our challenge this week was:
ric-rac
- paint
- at least one hand-made flower (made by YOU) - can be made out of paper, fabric, felt...whatever.
- 1 or 2 photos (no more, no less)
- Include the words "I'd rather..." in your journaling - make it long or short as you like.

I printed my photo onto cardstock so that it looks like canvas.



I hand cut some of the flowers from burlap then inked the edges with Tim Holtz distress inks.
The other flowers are hand cut from the flat side of a milk jug (seriously!) I cut the plastic from the milk jug into flower shapes, embossed them with my cuttlebug, then painted the backside so that the paint would go into the embossed groves, and wiped off the excess paint.



The title block was cut using the Cricut. I stitched the edged, dry brushed on some green paint, and added a rubon. I embossed the letters with the cuttlebug, sanded and inked the edges, and finished them off with some homemade glimmer mist ( thanks to my best friend ever!)




I printed the journaling on a transparency, then dry brushed paint on the back. I ended up covering more of the photo than I would have liked, but I still like the end results.

The journaling reads:
I am a country girl through and through. I know my parents would laugh to know that I loved living on the farm as a kid. I dreamt of the day I would marry a farmer and have a house full of kids of my own. Luckily for me, I met, and married the most magnificent man....a farmer. Gorgeous sunsets sprawling across the land. Sitting on the front step watching the stars with only crickets disturbing the silence. Stomping in springtime mud puddles...of course not when the kids were watching! How I loved having a garden. Even more, I loved canning. Watching the pantry fill knowing that it came from the labor of my hands. How I loved to work in the fields, driving tractor...the smell of the freshly turned soil. I even have to admit my love for the cows, and helping in the milking barn. Working side by side. I guess God has other plans for me. I know that he is using my illness for his purpose, though I don't see it now...and maybe never will. I really don't try to understand it. What an honor it is to know that he deems me strong enough to carry this load. I have come to accept it for what it is. I try my best to serve in the way he has chosen for me. I accept it. I deal with it. But yes, it is frustrating. I do get tired of being sick. I miss out on a lot. I do have my occasional pity party. I try my best to not let it bring me down. But some days, it really is only with the strength of the Lord that I carry this burden. I am so incredibly fortunate to have a husband and boys who are so understanding of the situation. But I really hate that I can't be at the farm side by side with them. Sometimes I feel so guilty knowing they are working so hard and here I sit. I know that it isn't my fault, and I understand that there is nothing I can do to change our situation. But sometimes, it makes me feel like a failure as a mother, and a wife. I am very blessed to have found a nice house that works for me in such a wonderful neighborhood. Who could ask for better neighbors?! I am privileged to have been able to establish a successful business here. Honestly, I miss my guys. I miss the farm. Really...with all my heart, I'd rather go home.