GCD Studios SPOTLIGHT GAL MONTH!!!

Yeah - it's finally here!  At last, my month as a GCD Studios Spotlight Gal!

This is a layout I created for the Scrapbook Challenge NEXT TOP SCRAPPER! contest.  You would have thought the name of it would have given it away, but no, I had to read the rules.  I will remind myself next time, do not read the rules...of course, now having read them I began to doubt myself, my entry...'what if I don't make it through the first round?'  My son, Owen, he's my biggest fan and confidence booster - said of course you're going to make it!  Thank you Owen!

Enough of that self-doubt....after all, this was supposed to be fun!  My layout is called,

With Love, She Was Beautiful Inside and Out.

The challenge was to create a layout all about yourself.  Like so many others, I rarely scrapbook myself and here I was, being challenged to do it twice within the same month!  It's been an interesting time these last 4 weeks, and so I loved this paper from Melody Ross's Artsy Urban collection.  (I can not wait for the SOUL FOOD to be available near me!)

It really spoke the words I wanted to say -- YES, YOU -- IT'S TIME!  No more excuses....Lessons Learned....I am learning. 

I elected to do my own journaling hidden behind one of these great tags.  I used a generic tag, hid it behind the beautiful tag "Listen closely and you will hear what you need to hear." It's there that I hid words of motivation to myself. 

Thanks for dropping by! 

So Happy Together.....time to scrap a few wedding photos!

When I look at these photos I just really can't believe it's been 13 years already.  Honestly, where does the time go? What's worse, is that with all of my scrapbooking, I've yet to complete our wedding album.  Is that the craziest thing you've ever heard? And here I am, wondering how I can incorporate all the beautiful embellies I find, hahaha. 

Mike and I dancing....so many memories of that!  We both love to dance and we just had so much fun.  What would you expect from a couple known as the 'Wedding Dancers'?  Of course, I can't really boogie down to TOOTSIE ROLL like I used to, but who cares, we still love it!

A few of my latest little poppy flowers that I so enjoy making!

I selected a poem by Robert Frost that I enjoyed for the journaling.  It just moved me.  IF you're ever looking for inspiration, try http://www.scrapbook.com/ because they have all kinds of quotes and poems and they're categorized to make browsing very simple! 

Love how my little banner here turned out. So into the birds these days! And if you can't use the sweet little birds, butterflies and roses on a wedding page, well you might as well never use them.

 

Here's the beautiful sketch by Julie Bonner. Hope on over to MyCreativeScrapbook and give it a try yourself! There's an AMAZING prize. Have fun!!! 

Thanks for dropping by!!!

'Scrap the Scrapper'

When's the last time you took the time to really 'scrap' yourself?  I have to admit, it's probably been close to a year....pretty overdue I think. So, when I saw this challenge at My Creative Scrapbook

I decided to make it a priority.  

It's difficult to slow down and celebrate what you've been up to.  I mean seriously, baby's first steps, the big soccer game, first haircut - those events are just made for scrapbooking.  What about us scrapbookers and the moments that make up our lives each day?  I've been going through a lot lately and I must admit, trying to find the perfect embellishment that said what I was feeling was nearly impossible. Then I remembered this overlay I had picked up nearly 2 years ago.  Funny how the message still speaks to me....'Stop Searching, Create Yourself'.  Isn't that what we are all doing everyday? And so, I remind myself, "You will make mistakes.  You will learn and move on." 

"Noone is perfect.  You are beautiful, smart, creative and loved."  To be loved....when you are loved it's ok that the road was bumpy and the day was long, because you just know that there's a safe haven waiting for you.  That haven is my boys and my husband. 

"This time you will be ok"  This is what I tell myself and although I have my doubts they are fewer and I know I'm going to grow stronger each day. 

Lastly, something I need to remind myself daily, "With so much hurt in the world, why would you be anything but kind to yourself?"  And so, there are no black clouds on my layout, no haunted trees and no weeping angels.  I am free to Create Myself and I am creating a beautiful story.  

Thank you for dropping by!   

3 Perfect Beauties

What does this picture say to you?  This painting, 'The Beach' by Chris Wake, is the current inspiration over at ARTastic. What I really want to know is what has these 3 women wearing those vary odd expressions? Are they happy?  Are they sad?  Perhaps they have gotten a kink from sitting in those uncomfortable chairs all day long....but alas, who ever knows what inspires one to create? 

I love the painting, and although I nearly dared to 'bare' some pictures of myself, and others (who I would never torture like that here on my blog) settled deep into our own easy chairs at the beach, I decided instead to pick this beautiful photo of my husband's three little second cousins. 

   

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3 Perfect Beauties



I just loved how this photo resembled the lighting demonstrated in the painting.   Second cousins to my husband, these 3 girls are just so beautiful!  A little bit of envy on my part, not that my 2 boys aren't the most handsome children around (did I say that?) but I would love to shop for cute little dresses, if only once in a while:)

  

  I believe I hit all the diva points - beach pail, seagulls and beach paper.  I found this beautiful photo taken by by Gary Trabant and with some help from photoshop, changed the tone to fit my needs and voila, the 3 seagulls photo across the top.  I was sure I had no seagulls just lying around in my stash, but then again, who was I kidding?  While searching for the pail, I found a seagull button and so used it as well in the upper corner. I must say this is one of my favorite layouts! And that is why I love ARTASTIC!!!

Thanks for dropping by!

I hope I've inspired you to get started on your own creation! If not, check out my etsy shop for more inspiration! http://www.tiffanyscrapbooks.com/

Monday's Child

I knew a fellow, a fine young fellow
Off to work he did a bellow,
An ugly scamper, a lickity split,
He dropped so fast, it was quick, quick, quick!

Now he soon got up, that fine young laddy
But not before he hugged his Daddy.
If only all our life it were as simple as this...
To fall flat on your butt, wipe off your cuts and get a kiss!

And now, for my son, Owen's interpretation...
I'm sick as a brick,
I've lost my head!
I really need a piece of bread. 

LOL!

Happy Day to All!!!

Thanks to Monday's Child for this weeks prompt.

My Creative Scrapbook Challenge

I have to say, that as we speak I can't even get into my scrapbooking room -- it's complete chaos!  But, luckily for me, the hubby is away and I am left to my own devices and so took over the kitchen table.  With my work laptop on one side and my scrapbook stuff now taking over the other side, my Wyatt says - 'Mom, where are we going to eat dinner?'  Funny boy, who needs to eat?  hahahah. 

I decided to enter in the "Big Sketch Challenge" over at My Creative Scrapbook this month.  I just adore their kits, and I must say, that after being a subscriber for nearly a year they are piling up around me and so I must use them! This is the sketch....isn't it great? 

 And this is my take...Once Upon a Time. It was rough getting started because I just couldn't decide how I wanted to incorporate those circles.  I decided to use the flowers and all came together from there. 

 I want to share how I came up with those little birdies....they show up better here in the close up.

Close up of bird embellies I made

I came across this vintage postcard that was sent back in 1910 to my Great Great Grandmother...I think that's right.  I just loved it and decided to scan it and have some fun.  First I scanned the postcard, seen here.  Then using photoshop I copied the birds and then used some of the filters to change the colors.  I then printed, coated with a clear coat  and voila.  Hope you like them! 

 I messed with the colors a bit, and then decided it was cool enough to perhaps update my Etsy Banner...and so voila - here's what I came up with! 

Thanks for dropping by!  Please leave comments -- I'd love to know what you're working on! 

http://www.tiffanyscrapbooks.com/

A Gift for Samantha....



My finished calendar



My niece Samantha is turning 7 years old this month.  I can't believe how quickly the time passes.  She lives in Missouri and sadly, it's been nearly 2 years since I last saw her and it breaks my heart. So, for her birthday, and Christmas, I decided to create an Advent Calendar for her.  I had gotten two of them last year, thinking I would decorate one for each of my boys, but as I thought about that, I decided they could share.  After all, there are 24 boxes and how much candy does one need?  But, Samantha....she gets a calendar all of her own.  And I want to fill it with special items that are just for her, and that will have meaning beyond a chocolate bar.  What would you put inside it?  I'd love to know! 

The calendar is from Kaisercraft and is very simple to put together -- it's the decorating that takes time.  I spent a very frustrating 30 minutes trying to figure out just how I would assemble the boxes and decorate them, as the kit does not come with any instruction.  Alas, being at a Scrapbooking Crop has its advantages as a very wonderful woman, Michelle (A Time for Memories), was very willing to share how she had assembled a similiar project. And then I was off! Thank you Michelle!

If anyone out there needs help, I saved my template as it was a lifesaver, and made things so easy the 2nd time round!  Also, a few tips - don't paint this until you've assembled it, as I tried that first and the wood pieces swelled, making it very difficult to piece back together. 

I used a variety of items, but started with a Christmas Kit I had acquired last year from Little Red Scrapbook.  The paper is delicious for a little girl and was  very fun to work with -- it's Collage Press, Joyride Collection.  I decided to use pearls, ribbons, bling, but as far as I'm concerned, anything goes with these kits.  Each box is about 1.5" and so, anything that will fit on that size and allows for a label or number (as you may not want to create an Advent Calendar).  Make sure you plan your numbers appropriately as I ended up buying 3 packages of Thickers in order to do the numbers...a little expensive, but I just loved how they looked with the papers. 

After Samantha's project was complete, I moved on to our Advent Calendar and had some great fun with Webster's new line of paper and ribbon - Waiting for Santa.  I just loved it....so sweet.  Hope you enjoy it!

 Thank you for dropping by!  Please do leave comments!