Lets Scrap Sketch 138

This weeks sketch project on Let's Scrap!
The original sketch had ten photos' but you know me, and I have to have a large journaling area.
We have a particular way we open our gifts on Christmas so this is my layout of our family tradition. I did make the lamp my nephew is holding and plan on making another one for hubby and my bedroom. Visit us at www.letsscrap.ning for more inspiration!

The Greatest Gift Exchange

Something I've been contemplating today- the greatest gift exchange. I've been working on my DT project for Let's Scrap (reveal on December 30th) and had planned on titling it "The Great Gift Exchange" but decided instead for "Our Family Christmas Gift Exchange" because my spirit kept working on me about my term usage. The Greatest Gift Exchange is the gift of Christ, on a cross where he exchanged all my sin for redemption . How could anything else compare?! Nothing in this world, for sure. So during this wonderful Christmas season all thanks be to God for his incomparable gift!

All Things Christmas

What a surprise for Emma! We adopted kittens about the same time in September but her's disappeared in November. Her Nana and Pa decided to give her a new kitten for Christmas. My sister chose the kitten and I went on December 20th to pick it up. Michael and I had the pleasure of pet sitting until the big reveal on Christmas Eve. I don't know yet what Emma is going to name her but she's one of the mellowest, sweetest kittens we've ever known. She'll always have a soft spot in her uncle and aunt's hearts!

Bo Bunny & Kaiser Craft

I bought this little Kaiser Christmas tree last year but didn't get anything done with it! I just dressed it in Bo Bunny's new Tis the Season Line and it 's getting shipped to 3 of our nieces in Florida!

Lets Scrap #120 She's All That

This is our sweet niece, Audrey, who is all that and more. She's naturally pretty, vivacious smile, happy go lucky, imaginative and beautiful. She could so easily be ours, we love her that much! She loved this picture of herself so I sent the layout to her earlier today so she could see how much we adore her.

This was my DT layout for Let's Scrap sketch #120! I loved this sketch, which had a school theme but since I don't have kiddo's I don't have any school pictures. I loved the sketch anyway and found it very adaptable to so many different themes.

Tucker

Meet Tucker! I had a short list of names including Spencer, Chase, Ross and Tucker, and you know which one stuck. He tucks himself into my lap for naps, tucks his head under my chin for lovin, and has tucked himself permanently into my heart. This little guy, at not quite five months, has brought a tremendous amount of joy back to my days. As you can see, he loves to help me scrapbook as well, he has a real eye for paper! heehee

Happy Labor Day! Hope it's been a sweet time for family and friends. I just posted this layout for my DT Challenge at Let's Scrap. My challenge: Since it's football season and I'm a UT fan, use orange somewhere on your layout. The focus is to use inanimate objects to tell us something about you (with no people). My example is a tribute to the many word games I love to play!

I hope you'll play along. Visit me at www.letsscrap.ning.com to view the Challenge, got to the Forum and check out the Design Team Challenge14.

Coming Home

Meet the newest member of our little family! I met this little guy last week at Pet Smart. Jeff Ross used to say that you don't choose animals, they choose you. I have to agree! Once I held this little guy and he touched his nose to mine and then stretched out both arms to put them around my neck.... I knew he was meant to be mine. I waited a week because of travel but on Wednesday went and he was still there. I didn't think I'd get another tabby so soon after Ollie died but this little guy looks a lot like him and they had named him Alley Cat which was one of Allie's nicknames. There's a whole range of emotion behind bringing him home. I'll post again when he has a new name, but don't look for it for a few days, I'll give him a few days to get settled!

Scraps!

I absolutely love it when a plan comes together! Look closely, I had just used these Daisy D papers on Beauty on the Beach and then turned around and used them for my mom's Birthday card. Just added a chipboard tag from Colorbok, stamped a greeting inside and Voila! a handmade goody. I've been making cards for my family members for a few years, to the point, they are disappointed when they don't receive a handmade one.

It's kinda like life, you know! Everyday is full of little scraps that make up the fabric of our lives.... just something to think about! Have a blessed day!

Scrappy Saturday

Another quick project from today! This is the current sketch for Let's Scrap! Kim actually posted a card sketch but I stretched it to a 12x12 layout. Great sketch for using some scrap pieces! I also loved the angle, just something a little different. Go check out the real thing on www.Letsscrap.ning.com . It's a wonderful community full of talent and friendly folks. Come join me....

Mixing the Old and New

This is my take on this weeks sketch at 52 Sketches, 52 Weeks. The sketch itself is very simple but as I was working on this new photo of Olivia, the products I wanted to use kept growing. I think I almost over did it, to be honest, but I did manage to use a lot of older product. I used old Daisy D paper (who isn't even in business anymore), Paper Loft hinge,a cardstock sticker from AMM and a button from One Heart, One Mind, who also is out of business. It feels good to clean out some of my stash, considering I could open my own store.

I do love this photo of Olivia. Since months go by between visits, I'm newly struck by her beauty, inside and out, every time we get together. I'm looking forward to spring when she and Audrey get to come here for a few weeks!

I just finished a card swap my girlfriend, Ana Peralta, hosted on Let's Scrap and thought I'd give you a sneak peek. I mixed some old Crate Paper with brand new Marakesh from BG. I've had sheets of old Bazzill Chip Toppers in my stash and thought this was a great time to use them. The cake is a Quickutz die and I used Stickles and Liquid Pearls from Ranger to decorate it.

Liquid Pearls, a dimensional paint, which is tubed just like Stickles is one of my favorite mediums. I love the way it shimmers and it's perfect for water, icing, wax candles, etc. It does require some dry time, but I love the effect. Hope you enjoy this little card!

New Design Team Member

Okay , girls, I can't hold it back! I just got notified that I made my first ever DT on Let's Scrap! I am so very excited and honored. I love the team, Cheri, Kris, Allison and Kim and can't wait to spend the next three months under their helm! Congrats to all my fellow winner, even though I don't know who you are yet!! We are going to have a rocking good time! Woo hoo!

Together Always , you & me

It's not our anniversary or anything, it's our everyday love language. We so rarely get photos of us together that I jumped at the chance to get Anderson to snap these at Easter. Yes, I can still climb a tree at forty three! I know part of our purpose here is to be an example of the love God has planned for each of us in marriage. We aren't the norm, we understand, God has given us an extraordinary gift in the love we've found together. It's not always easy but it's deep down for all our lives. We pray over our marriage both together and separately every day and it's been an amazing journey thus far. Michael's been out of work for seven months, I'm self employed on straight commission but through all of this our love is stronger and we are learning to trust the Lord more. I'm not sharing this to gloat but give God the glory for all his goodness and faithfulness.

A shock of sorrow...

followed after we found our beloved cat, Ollie, dead in the ditch across the street. I had been out of town working for a few days and Michael said he hadn't seen him. We live out in the country and I didn't think about the possibility of him being gone, he's crossed our country road thousands of times in his nine years! I saw him right before I left and we found him the night I returned home. I won't be able to scrap anything about him for a while but had to post his beloved mug where I would see it .... pardon me if I cry... it's still a little too soon. Here's a toast to Ollie, our talker, meower, snuggler, drooler and rabbit catcher! We love you and miss you!

The Shorter Side of Me

I became cousin "it" in my search to grow my hair long enough to donate to Locks of Love. It took me just over two years to grow my hair from shoulder length to beyond my waist. I loved my long tresses until they started conflicting with my ability to drive where they constantly became tucked and pulled tight under my arms! It also became increasingly difficult to play with our puppy because I couldn't find him in amongst all the hair, even when it was pulled back. So, here's to a new, shorter me! At 43 it may have been a one time shot…. Then maybe not!

The Creative Side of Life

I hear comments all the time about being so creative. I teach classes at six of my local stores and hear days later how the girls were still raving about my layouts and projects. There's a part of me that gets a little proud sometimes and I have to reel in my emotions. This isn't really me, it's the Holy Spirit living in me, connecting me to people, giving me a strong eye for color and composition, enabling me to share my light in a quieter way.

Don't get me wrong. I have loved to sketch, draw and paint since I was a little girl, but walking with the Holy Spirit seems to have honed my instincts, my desire for the creative side of life, my love for people through teaching. It has opened up a way to look at the world a little differently, as I decorate, celebrate and document a life through photos.

This is from Sharon Ann's new Safari Girl from CHA Winter 2009. I have to admit, I think we were all a little apprehensive not knowing how the economy was going to affect the releases from manufacturers. I was more than excited by all the great introductions, including this adorable line.
My top picks from my vendors were the new brown Narratives from Creative Imaginations, All of Little Yellow Bicycles, four in total, Prima who is always spectacular and Melissa Frances. I will try to upload some more photos very soon!

My first Blog!

Okay, this is my first shot at blogging. I actually didn't think I would ever go there but when you're trying out for a designer position on a scrapbook site , what's a girl to do? Valerie Salmon posted a call for guest designers on her Got Crafts website and I would so love to do that, with of course, all the extra time I have in any given day. But you must have an on-line gallery or blog and since I didn't have one I had to find one.As now, I should be packing up and leaving for a four day stint on the road, but this captured my interest this morning and here I still am! I will just call mom and dad and let them know I'm going to be late, because I don't actually have to be anywhere until 11:00 tomorrow morning. One of the perks of being self employed. :-)