I love distressing!!

I really had no idea where I was going with my TS challenge, when I sat down. Once I got going, the ideas just came flowing! I love it when that happens! Makes creating such a sweet treat! I have to say, whether win or lose, I really like how this one turned out!



just a reminder, click on the photo to enlarge if you want to see the details.

Title - "This Day"
- one picture - 5x7
- 2 chipboard embellishments -Star, chipboard button, and grunge board leaf
- ink- masking, stamping, and distressing of photo, all embellishments, cs, and all pattern papers
- at least one brad -metal love brad on star, and two holding hardware
- 3 different ribbons -jute, black stripe, black gingham, blue gingham
- journaling including the words "this day..."

Journaling:
As I write, I am trying to adjust...trying to face the fact that my baby will be 16 tomorrow. I know that you have waited for this day for a long time, but I am just not ready yet. I miss the little guy that would snuggle up on my lap and fill me with slobbery kisses. How you would just fly in the door hollering “love you mom,” escaping as quickly as you entered. The weed bouquets picked on a whim were much more elegant than any store bought roses. You climbed this tree hundreds of times. I would have such a fit, afraid that you would fall out. You always worked so hard and I felt that you were cheating yourself out of being a kid. You are that same sweet little guy in a much bigger body. I’ve watched you grow and mature. I’ve seen your interests change to suit you. You are confident in who you are, not willing to compromise that for anyone. You’ve endured hardships beyond your years. I am so proud of the young man you have grown into. As much as I miss this little guy. I look forward to seeing what lies ahead. I have no doubt that you will handle what ever life brings you, with grace and dignity. You will overcome the obstacles in your path. With your strong sense of determination and strength, you will become all you dream and more.
As you have grown, so have the size of your toys, your stunts, and your dreams. I’m trying my darndest to keep up, but moms just take a little longer I guess. So, if you see tears in my eyes, remember that this day is not an easy one for me, but like before, humor me, I will adjust.


I created my own mask and inked some stars onto the background.


For the star near the center, I stitched the star shape onto the background paper, overlapping the photo a bit. I then cut out the center of the star with a craft knife. I inked the edges of the cutout. I placed a piece of pp on the backside of the background pp covering the hole.


I inked the edges of the photo. I really didn’t know if this was going to work, but I think it gave it a really cool effect!


I painted the star, then inked for the distress look. I inked the leaf with green, then did the edges in brown. I also inked the edges of the button, stamp, and “sales slip." Using the crop-a-dile, I punched a hole in the star for the brad(love)


For the letters, I left them plain natural, and just stamped the image.


Crossing my fingers, hoping to make it to the final round!

Featuring LP Alternate kit

Well, I survived another week in the Big Scrapper House at Lifepreservers!! The “producers” are starting to add more and more fun twists! This week we were to chose door #1,2, or 3, Meaning we were choosing our own destination, without knowing what was behind the door. I really lucked out! I chose a door that did not give me immunity, but I was safe from eviction! My challenge for the week was to use a recycled product on my lo! Perfect for the recycling master!! I created this tree from cardboard, and the leaves from the Mountain Dew bottle were so fun to make, I just had to create some more!!
The cardstock, pattern papers, and stickers were from the August Alternate Kit at http://www.lifepreserversclub.com/




Coming soon… My layout from the TS contest. The dead line is tonight. Will I move on to the final round?

Another crazy scrappy week!

Can you believe it is the 1st of September all ready?! Where did August go!! Oh ya! I was scrappin’ away!! I did 10 layouts and 2 cards! I am such a slow scrapper that it has to be a record for me!

September 1st means there is a new challenge posted on http://www.scrapfit.blogspot.com/ today! Pop on over and see what my teammates have created.

Here is your challenge...
Follow this routine to a T
1. use 3 patterned papers
2: use 1 solid cardstock
3: hide your journaling
4: use at least 2 photos
5: use at least 1 star in your LO
6: use at least 2 different ribbons



I had to try out my new Herringbone emboss folder. Love that one!! It is perfect for all my masculine pages.



Last night was the deadline for round #4 on my TS contest. I made it in under the wire with two minutes to spare!! Whew ! My heart was pounding! That is way to close for my comfort! Hurry up and wait! We will find out this afternoon/evening who moves on and who’s been eliminated. Cross your fingers for me!



Layout must include:
- one picture only
- at least 3 leaves (can be an embellishment, stamped, handmade, cut from paper, real leaves etc)
- stitching - machine or hand stitching (no stamps, rubons or stickers)
- some recycled piece of packaging - plastic, hang tag, price tag, cardboard, etc. (describe in your description if it's not evident what you used)
- journaling of at least 50 words including "I am not willing to..."

Journaling reads:
What?! Two boys and no girls?! I love kids, and I always looked forward to my
babysitting jobs. I was ready to be a mom. I really didn’t care if my babies were boys or girls, be it dresses, dollies, and pigtails or dirt, trucks, and frogs. But nothing in this world could have prepared me for the two of you! The unimaginable that the two of would think of! The dangerously crazy things you‘ve done! Behind all of the extreme boyishness, you are both so sweetly sincere, over protective of your family and friends, and all around fun loving. All this time I thought it was me who was to be your teacher, and guide you into life. But in time, I can see that you have taught me so much more, and expanded my world to a place that I never would have explored on my own. It is a good thing that you gave me time to learn and to adjust a bit at a time. I have even learned to appreciate your worlds of gun infatuation, military, and tattoos, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles, and paintballs! There is definitely no girliness in my world. No pink dancing princess with pigtails. No glitz, glamour, and bling. But I’m not willing to trade one minute of my life with you in exchange for a daughter!

I stitched the grid background.



From the photo I used :
Mt Dew bottle - leaves (I cut leaf shapes from the plastic and melted them with a heat gun to form a little texture
Orange pop case - leaves
Manila envelope - leaves (wet, scrunched, and inked)
Unionbay tag - leaves
Urban Pipline tag - I used the string for the apple stems
Prima packaging - the layer around the photo
Hollister shopping bag - leaves , burgundy layer (inside of bag), journaling strips (outside of bag)and basket ( I unraveled the handle and used the burgundy layer for leaves, and the kraft layer to weave the basket)
Another tag was used to make the strip and handles on the basket, but I don’t remember the brand name




Whew! Not only did I make it through another week in our BSH contest at Lifepreservers, I won a prize!! Wohoo! $10 off a future order. It’s a good thing to because Von has some awesome kits coming up in October. I finally had it narrowed down to two but really couldn’t make up my mind. Now I will just get them both! My challenge for the week is to scrap some recycling! Think I have that one mastered now!! He he I am off to dig in the recycling bin to see what else I can find!!

Gorgeous Card Kit from Lifepreservers Scrapbook Club

These papers from Collage Press are gorgeous!! Combine them with the fantasic goodies that Von finds and we have a fabulous August Card Kit from http://www.lifepreserversclub.com !!

I started out making this for the BSH contest at Lifepreservers Scrapbook club. We had to use an 8.5x11 sketch for inspiration. I then added some cardstock and a few more pp stripsand a little lace to turn it into a 12x12 to fit my album! Sneaky, huh!!

I just love the airplane paper!! I was perfect for the photos of our stop at the Space and Air Museum!




Non kit items were:
Tim Holtz mask was from a previous Lifepreservers kit
Tim Holtz Distress inks
chipboard star
corkboard star I cut from an old sticker
buttons
thread

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.

I know I am dating myself here!

Well, here is my entry for round #2 !



Our requirements were:
Layout must include:
- at least 3 pictures
- 4 different patterned papers (no more, no less)
- 2 colors of cardstock (no more, no less)
- at least one arrow
- buttons or beads
- must have journaling that includes..."If I were honest with myself...". It can be as long or as short as you like but must include those words.
- must be an original design - no sketches please!

I stepped outside my comfort zone on this one! I haven’t decided if I like how it turned out….not sure that it portrays the feel that I was striving for, maybe that’s it.

Like how I doodled the arrow, heart, and flower?! They actually turned out better than I had hoped! I sanded the black cardstock to reveal some white and used a glaze pen to doodle in the word "totally." Love that glaze pen! That is also the pen I used to doodle in the black checks.



How about the laces with the friendship beads…they were a must-have on here!




Who didn’t have a belt, or a half dozen?! I couldn’t pass on adding some “Madonna” lace and netting (mesh)!




The journaling reads:

An 80’s teen! Our clothing was gnarly, dude….Not! Oversized shirts w/shoulder pads, big gaudy belts, stirrup pants, and parachute pants, scrunched socks and jelly shoes. Don’t forget to top off the look with mega makeup and some totally radical chunky jewelry. Big hair….AquaNet…..need I say more?! We looked totally awesome! Well, at least we were comfy!! Seriously, It was a great era to grow up in. We were freer to express ourselves with out being ostracized. Communication had a whole different meaning. Families ate together and played together. Fun with your bff’s was packing as many people as you could in a car and heading to the Drive-in movie, or the local dance. Laws were freer. People seemed to be more sincere. Maybe it was just the stage I was at in life, that made the world seem that way. Maybe it was the way my parents raised us. McDonalds launched the chicken McNugget. Apple sold the 1st Mac. Boombox and Memorex. Rubik‘s cube. If I were honest with myself, I would have to say that being an ‘80s teen was like toooh-tally awesome!





Hope you enjoyed the trip through time! Thanks for stopping by!


p.s. I saw the typo on my journaling tag after all was said and done! But, I decided, it just wouldn’t be me without at least one typo!!

another sneak peak!!

Stepping outside my comfort zone here! I love the look of the clean layouts with lots of white space, but I really struggle with creating them myself. I decided it was time to give it a whirl!



Reminder!!! ScrapFIT.blogspot.com announces another challenge on the 15th…only a few more days!! Want a sneak?!

my TS entry!

As promised!

Our instructions were:

Get creative!
Use 1 photo
Use a circle - 3” or bigger
Use torn paper
Must contain “I wish someone had told me that…” in either the title or Journaling



You really need to click on it to really see it....doesn't look like much in this itty bitty photo!


I have two circles - a vintage paper doily, and a coffee cup coaster from a restaurant...really!!! (hubby and I were out for lunch when I spotted it. The poor thing was begging me to bring it home and find a better use for it. How could I resist?!)
Torn paper - polka dotted flowers, pink roses, leaves & vine, journaling strips

For a little extra creativity:

All flowers were handmade -
tore polka dotted paper, wet, smooshed, dried, and I added tulle to the two biggest flowers
Tore pink paper, chalked edges, stickled edges
Stitched lace
Stitched scalloped velvet ribbon

The leaves and vine are torn, wet, smooshed, dried, then stitched on
The journaling strip is the packaging material from Prima! Don't they have the prettiest packaging!!...and it just happened to match my pp perfectly!

The journaling reads:
I wish someone had told me that none of my dreams would materialize, but life would be bigger and better than I could have imagined. I wish someone had told me that I would spend most of my life struggling with health issues, but through it would gain strength. I wish someone had told me that, rejection and skepticism from relatives and friends, would open my eyes to sincerity. I wish someone had told me that through the harshness of my first marriage I would learn appreciation and forgiveness. I wish someone had told me that being a parent brings heartache as well as joy, and through it all, my children would be the ones to teach me to live more freely. I wish someone had told me that there is no perfect marriage, and that there is no perfect man, but that I would find a true night in shinning armor, who would come to my rescue time after time. I wish someone had told me, that although my life would not be perfect, it would be prefect for me.




I hope it was worth waiting for!!