Something Creative again!

Wow!  Two posts in 2 days and something creative to boot!  I'm thinking I need to give credit to Shimelle and her challenges this weekend as well as starting to feel a little festive and thinking about the holidays (just a little!).

The challenge was to create a pocket page for your Journal Your Christmas album for the holidays.  I pulled out my stash and this is what I ended up with.  Quick and simple, but fun for sure and it's all stuff that was sitting around waiting to be used!  Bo Bunny striped paper and Bella Blvd houses paper and sticker along with a Jenni Bowlin journaling block and some cards from my Becky Higgins Project Life and there you have it!

Not sure what we're up to this afternoon, but enjoying not having to work today for sure and might even get into some more crafty stuff yet today!

Cheers,

I scrapped on NSD!

Well, Happy National Scrapbooking Day to all my scrappy friends!  There are all kinds of games and challenges going on all over the place! 

I was trying to get in on some challenges today since it turned out (surprisingly!) that I'm home.  I wanted to try the one hour layout challenge that Scrapdango was doing for their "Be Inspired" Crop this weekend.  I got the layout done and was all good on time until...  the computer decided it wasn't going to cooperate!  I had to reboot the computer twice (for whatever reason?!) before I got the pictures off my camera though I did miss the one hour deadline as a result. 

The good news is that I scrapped some of my own pictures today and had fun doing it!  The challenge was to be inspired by one of a couple of clock images that the host posted.  That's where all the brads came from and then we needed to use ribbon (ric rac for me) and more than one font.  Love me my Thickers and chipboard lettering (in this case from Basic Grey)!

Have a great day and be sure to cheer very, very loudly for the Canucks tonight!  We're going to be kicking some Blackhawk butt here in the next bit though I have no illusions about it being a cakewalk!  Think it should be fun hockey to watch!  Enjoy!

Have a fabulous weekend!
Cheers,

I scrapped!

OK, so last night I actually managed to start a new book and do some of my own scrapping.  I find with planning new classes and then prepping them that I'm not scrapping as much of my own stuff.  Last night, I needed to work on a layout for a challenge for the online crop at Scrapperie this weekend and I had so much fun pulling this together with a combination of new and old!

I fully admit that this layout was inspired by one I saw on Jana Eubank's blog and I'm all good with that.  When you want something to be fun and easy, then make it fun and easy!  I got to play with some new Upsy Daisy papers, a new Cuttlebug embossing folder and a new Fiskars border punch, but also got out some older Making Memories paper, stickers, buttons and lettering!

Anyway, here's the challenge I posted...

Recipe Challenge - use the following on a layout!

An imperfect picture - Feel free to add more than one picture and the other(s) may be perfect if you wish!

Buttons or brads - Your pick!
Journaling on a journaling spot of some kind
A paper technique - tearing, distressing, rolling, etc
Stitching - get out your machine, use a sticker or rub-on, do it by hand - it's all good!
Ink or Paint - Your pick!

Feel free to add other things to your layout as long as it has the items in the above list! I sure did!

My layout has...
An imperfect picture - Fea blurry picture, but it's the only one I have, so I scrapped it!
Buttons or brads - buttons
Journaling on a journaling spot of some kind - done on the block with my title as well
A paper technique - tearing, edge distressing, embossing and punching
Stitching - I used a sticker!
Ink or Paint - ink on a lot of the edges after I edge distressed

Check out this and all the other challenges as well as games and other fun going on all weekend at Scrapperie!

And, yes, I've been saying for ages that I'm going to start reading again and just can't seem to find the time.  Well, I picked up a new book on a whim the other day, The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly, and have started it and am really enjoying it so far.  I used to be a voracious reader and want to get back into it for sure!

The boys have gone to get haircuts this afternoon, Matthew is sleeping and Sophia and I are just kind of hanging out.  A nice quiet afternoon for now...  And then it's off to work for me tonight!

Have a fabulous weekend!
Cheers,

Exciting News!

*Denotes Team Leader:

Book of Me – *Misty Miller - Jessica Shurts - Lisa Tottle
Book of We – *Janet Ball - Karen Watson
Book of Him – *Robin Lachnit - Sharon Scheydt-Rittler
Kitchen Keepsakes – *Suzanne Blickenstaff
Scraplift – *Elizabeth Rosemond - Tammy Folk
Journaling Prompt – *Colleen Heidrich – Ashley Hamman
Blog Challenges – *Stacy Rodriquez
Going Green – *Amy Bender - Karen Lefebver
Recipe – *Suzann Jones – Melisa Kreamer
Color – *Kristi Beisel – Jennifer Campbell - Sharon Bertolino
Cards – *Jamilie Rader – Sheri Fink – Samantha Strachan
Sketches – *Audrey Yeager – Robin Novak
Technique – *Dana Tatar - Kim Score
Ad/Art - *Jennifer Bliss – Shana Dilldine
Photography – *Renee Smith
Altered Items - *Danielle Hayes

Yes, the exciting news is that I've made the team at Challenge Masters and I'm excited about it!  There are monthly challenges for all the topics you see above and starting in December there will be new challenges posted weekly. 

To get things kicked off this month though, all of the teams posted their challenges on the first, so you NEED to go check out this master challenge thread HERE and you can see all of the challenges together!

I'm creating and posting the journaling prompt challenges and you can check out my challenge HERE!

OK ladies, here it is! I'm so excited to be able to bring you our very first journaling challenge!


We're going to start with something that I hope won't be too hard for anyone since I know journaling can be challenging at times. So, speaking of "time", that's exactly your challenge is going to be - related to time. The nice thing is that this topic can take you so many places and can be serious or light.


There are basically only 2 criteria for this challenge (other than the standard ones set by the blog) and that is that your layout must have some journaling (though there won't be a set amount) and that the word "time" be somewhere on your layout - title, journaling, quote, etc.


I hope lots of you can play and I can't wait to see all the creative directions this will go!

Come on over and check things out and hope to have you play with us!

Cheers,

Quick one!

Morning all!


Well, I worked late last night and I'm off to work again this morning, but that's really of my own doing. I was scheduled to work tomorrow, but George was asked to come in for a few hours, so one of the girls at work was nice enough to switch with me! We're going to have a busy weekend, but George is off Monday and then Tuesday is the holiday for Remembrance Day.

I'm posting a layout I did a couple of weeks ago for the "So You Think You Can Scrap" contest at YMBD. Sorry to say that Catherine actually had to cancel it because there appeared to be some unfortunate gathering of votes when that was not the way the contest was laid out. Sorry it had to end, but I understand. Anyway, this was my last entry and the idea was that we had to use some shape other than a circle or square as the background of our layout, so as you can see, I used a star! This was totally out of my comfort zone, but it was fun!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Star paper is Creative Imaginations. Patterned paper is Sassafrass. Misc ribbon and brads. Lettering is Doodlebug. Tickets and felt man are from September Scrapperie Battle of the Sexes kit.

Guess that's about it since I need to get moving here! I'm hoping to be able to do something creative in the next few days as well! Have a fabulous Scrapdango kit I'm playing with right now!

Have a great day!!
Cheers,

Contest Layout

OK, well as some of you have already seen from my previous post about voting in the "So You Think You Can Scrap" Contest at YMBD, I made it through to Round #3 with the layout above. The challenge was to scrap a layout in the colours of our favourite flavour of ice cream as the main colours and mine is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, so there you have it. I'm hoping to make it through to the next round too! I'll post that layout once the voting is done!

And just a reminder that at Scrapperie, for the rest of October, if you order the new Apple Orchard kit (or the October Hocus Pocus kit, featuring papers from My Little Yellow Bicycle and Making Memories), Sandi will donate 30% of all proceeds to the American Cancer Society, via Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. It's just a little something she wants to do to help give back and hopefully one day, to help find a cure.

Just a reminder about the crop this weekend at WeScrap too! Come and join us for some wickedly good fun!

Cheers,

Get Your Scrap On Blog Challenge

The challenge this week at Get Your Scrap On was with a sketch and the design team was asked to create a card and a layout based on the same design, so here's the sketch and both of my projects!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper and sticker are Cosmo Cricket's "Get Happy" line. Versamark stamp pad. Embossing Power is by Stampendous. Stamp is by Hero Arts.

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Cosmo Cricket's "Get Happy" line. Sticker is Cosmo Cricket. Arrow is Creative Cafe by Creative Imaginations. Happy Face Stamp is by Gelatins. Ink is Palette Black. Border Stamps are Kelly Panacci for SandyLion. Title is American Crafts Thickers chipboard. Journaling is done with an American Crafts Slick Writer.

Pretty much everything from these projects came from April's Scrapperie kit called Spring Break. The colours in this kit are prefect for boy layouts and I love the fun stuff in it!

Cheers,

Slow Sunday

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is American Crafts. Lettering is American Crafts foam Thickers. Buttons are Autumn Leaves (Foofala Bag of Buttons). Misc fabric. Flowers are Prima. Brad is Making Memories. Ribbon is American Crafts.

OK, not just Sunday, but all weekend for that matter! I haven't gone to the massage therapist in a bit and it's catching up with me. I've had a back back/headache for days. it comes and goes a little depending on what I'm doing/not doing for it and what I'm taking, but I really do need to go again!

The above layout was one I did yesterday for the current challenge that's going on over at Scrapbook Heaven. We had to use at least 2 pictures, 15 of something, 4 textures and there had to be hand written journaling on it. It was definitely a challenge, but fun for sure!

I had a very lazy day yesterday and scrapped a bit while the kids napped, but George was volunteering at the city open house, so we were taking it easy! He's already out moving the grass this morning before I head off for work. It's the last day of our 3 day anniversary sale with 50% off all regular priced items in the store if you can believe it! I didn't move from the till on Friday night for the 6 hours I was there!! Not even sure what'll be left to sell by today...

Well, guess I'd better go start thinking about getting ready for work here!

Have a great day and I'll be back with more posts soon I hope!

Cheers,

Colour Challenge and a new Scrap Diva!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is We R Memory Keepers. Rub-ons for the title and the date are Creative Cafe (Creative Imaginations). Stickers for the date are Doodlebug. Foam lettering for the title is American Crafts Thickers. Brads are Making Memories. Photo Anchors are (very old) Scenic Route.

What a fun layout this was to do and it was for the challenge blog Get Your Scrap On! I've very happy to say that I'm now on their design team as a Scrap Diva and you'll be seeing my work once a week on the blog! This was the first challenge for the new team and it was a colour challemge that you can check out on the blog! Come check it out and play along. There's a prize to be drawn for this challenge that'll be announced later in the week.

I did use a sketch as inspiration for this challenge too and it was one of Becky Fleck's Page Maps for May. These are amazing sketches that always seem to come together so easily for me!

Hope everyone had a wonderful National Scrapbooking Day! We had a wonderful day around here than involved me sleeping in to start with! George went out for a hair cut and I hug out with the boys and made lunch. Nathan had a nap and after that, we all headed out for me to get my driver's license renewed! We made a quick stop at Michael's for George to get some craft paint and then he stopped (as a surprise) and got me to pick out a new pair of shoes as an early birthday present! Sweet guy!

Came home and watched some of the NASCAR race and Ryan was 6th, so not too bad. I also finished off my layout and it's about time to call it a night since I work again tomorrow!

Enjoy your Sunday everyone and come check out the challenge!

Cheers,

Dance Fever!

Did this layout this afternoon for a challenge at Scrapbook Heaven. I also used my current Scrapperie kit called Spring Break. The idea for the ribbon came from Jennifer McGuire's 101 Things You Can Do With Your Scrapbook Supplies (pg 33). The title is Making Memories foam stamps that I used paint with and cut out and then outlined and put Stickles on. Had fun with this for sure and just played and tried some things I hadn't done before.

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Cosmo Cricket. Misc ribbon. Title and paint for the title are Making Memories stamps and paint. Used Stickles on top and an American Crafts Slick Writer to outline them. Rub-ons are Creative Imagainations.

Yeah OK, that picture was taken a few years ago and we were probably rockin' out to Rod Stewart or something, but it totally reminds me of my mum and being a kid dancing around the house! I was so happy to have found this picture just because I figured it was one of those silly everyday things that I'd never find on film! Little things make me happy!

Well, off to work here again tonight and it's probablt going to be a busy one because of the weekend crop the store is hosting! We have all that going on as well as a crop in the store. Good thing there's extra staff on tonight!

Cheers,

Get Your Scrap On!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Japanese Origami paper. Title is American Crafts rub-ons. Misc brads. Bamboo Stamped image is by Delta Creative. Japanese stamp sticker is ProvoCraft. Ink us Palette Burnt Umber.

This layout was done for the new challenge at Get Your Scrap On! which is a fun new challenge site - go check it out and let them know I sent you! The challenge was to scrap some pictures from a trip. I picked these ones of my mum's visit to come and see me when I was living in Japan because she just recently found the card on the layout and gave it to me.

It was really hard seeing her go after her being there for about a month. When she left, I gave her the card. I made a pocket for it on my layout and scanned the inside and that's what's on the front of the pocket with the card in it! The bottom funny picture of me was on the back of the card and was taken from the main floor of my apartment in Japan looking up towards me in my "loft", which is Japan means barely enough room to sleep and sit up!

Well, I'm off to work here in just a bit, so I'd better run! It should be fun because it's the first crop in the new store and it's a full house tonight I think!

Cheers,

New Double Page Layout!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Basic Grey. Title work is Making Memories chipboard and rub-ons. Paint for chipboard is also Making Memories. "Everyday Life" rub-on is Creative Cafe by Creative Imaginations. Misc brads. "Love" lettering is American Crafts Chipboard Thickers.

This was done for a couple of challenges and I had a great time scrapping these "old" pictures. it's hard to believe that Kyle is almost the same age as Nathan is now in these pictures! Such a cutie and still is!

That's about it for now as I should be in bed! Worked until midnight and always have trouble winding down after work. Not sure what we're up to tomorrow, but I guess it'll partly depend on how the kids feel since they've been sick. Think they're both on the mend though!

Cheers,
Colleen

PS Only 2 more days to get your name in for the blog candy I mentioned in this post!

A Fun Valentine's Day and some scrapping!

OK, so the major fun for the day consisted of dragging out the blanket from our bed and the pillows from the living room into the large entrance area and having me lay down so the kids could climb over and jump on me! I took the pictures of Nathan and Sophia as they jumped over me and then kyle came and laid down beside me and wanted me to take his picture. He was feeling somewhat better today as you can see though he was still sick and worn out more than anything. Seemingly on the mend though thankfully...

This was me trying to take a picture of Kyle only to have Nathan want to "See! See!"

This was the picture I was trying to take before with Kyle and all his muscle that he likes to show off!

After wearing the kids out and getting them some lunch, everyone went for a nap. Kyle stayed up and we cuddled for a bit after the kids went for their naps. He had lunch on the safe again and though that was quite good. After they were all down, I managed to get a little scrapping done and did this layout for a Scrapperie Challenge by Shannon (Swell) that was to use a Love Song title as part of your layout, so I used the "Always" by Atlantic Starr.

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned Paper by Basic Grey and Moxxie. Title lettering is American Crafts Vinyl Thickers and EK Success Bookworks. Flourish stamp by Autumn Leaves. Ribbon is American Crafts. Hearts are cut from Moxxie patterned paper. Round Embellishment is a Sandylion Stamp. "Love" stamp is Studio G (Hampton Art).

We had a nice dinner after George got home. We don't do too much for Valentine's but he was very thoughtful and sent me a card in the mail that arrived yesterday. What he wrote in it and the simple fact that he thought to do that actually made me cry. He brought me a little bouquet of chocolate roses today too.

For any of you that read my blog yesterday and read about my woes with Sears, here's the update! I talked to the manager this morning and she apologized telling me that they had called everyone on the list and that somehow we just weren't on the list. HELLO - not my problem! She said she give me a free sheet, but I planned on getting more than that when I saw someone in person.

I went tonight and the girl had been instructed to give me a free sheet, so she could refund one or comp me one for next time. I asked if there were extra prints - which there always are because they try and sell them to you when you pick yours up. There were 3 sheets and she started by asking which one I wanted and I was looking at them trying to figure out what to say to her to make sure I got all three and then she suddenly suggested just that! I ended up with some B&Ws with a vingette that's quite cute. I'll post some when I get the chance! I have to say that the girl tonight was very apologetic and sympathetic as well!

OK, think I'd better get to bed here! I have another layout to post tomorrow as well!
Cheers,
Colleen

Quick layout and a tag!

This came together so quickly with this sketch from my NYCScraps.com class and the stuff from the January Scrapperie Canivale kit! I had to take a picture of this one rather than scanning it because the flowers made it too lumpy!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned Paper is KI Memories Pop Culture. Misc felt flowers that I got in an RAK! Title lettering is American Crafts Chipboard Thickers.

I also got tagged by Katy, here so here goes!

• You must post the rules before you give your answers.
• You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name.
• Each fact must begin with that letter.
• If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name.
• After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers.
• At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).

My middle name is Jill...

1. Japan is a country I lived for 3 years and absolutely love! It would be fun to take George and the kids someday...
2. I think having crisp, clean sheets is one of the little pleasures in life!
3. Living in the moment is something I'm really striving to do and not worrying too much about what's ahead of us.
4. Lists are my friends, so this is right up my alley! Yes, I'm a lover of lists! Sometimes I write things on my list that I've actually done just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing them off and seeing that they're no longer on my list of things to do!

OK, I'm going to tag...
Sandi
Joelle
Tobi
Tara

PS...I haven't forgotten about your tag Tobi and it's on my list to blog tomorrow!

Well, think that's about it for now. Not an exciting day by any means, but I got a break with Kyle at preschool and the kids napping, so it's all good. Kyle is very excited because he's going to stay with Nana and Grandpa this weekend! And then I'm working my regular shifts and George may get some overtime on Saturday, so it'll be a working weekend for us and some alone time with Nathan!

Have a great night and keep yours eyes open for some Blogoversary candy and a double celebration since I just went over 10,000 hits! Some fun stuff on the way!

Cheers,
Colleen

A New Layout!

OK, so I decided to try something new and I'm currently taking my first online scrap related class. It's called 1 in 48 and it's done by Hillary Heidelberg at NYCScraps. The idea is that you get a sketch for a layout every 48 hours and that's how long you have to try and get your layout done. The first one was posted today and this is what came of it!

Supplies: Patterned paper is all Basic Grey. "Celebrate" sticker in the title and the title rub-ons are Making Memories. 2006 is American Crafts Thickers. Misc flat top eyelets.

Jen has a blog questionnaire today, so I thought I'd play!

#1- What is your favorite color?
Right now - red

#2- What is your favorite meal?
This is a hard one because I like so much ethnic food! I've been craving Japanese food though lately - tempura yam roll!

#3- What is your latest scrapbook project/page?
See above!

#4- Do you have a pet or pets? If so, what do you have?
No pets in our house right now!

#5- What is a funny thing that happend to you in the last month?
Hmm...apparently not a very funny month since I can't think of anything other than the million funny things Kyle said in the last month!

#6- Do you wear lipstick or lipgloss?
I wear lip glass pretty much all the time.

#7- What is your least favorite room in your house?
Probably the computer/scrap area (common area) or maybe the living room

#8- Preference- plaid or stripes?
Stripes for sure!

Well, better be off to bed!
Cheers,
Colleen

Another layout tonight!

I just finished this layout tonight which is basically a letter to Nathan telling him all about the things he's doing at the age of 2! I think it'll be fun for him to have some layouts/letters like these to look back on as he gets older. I got inspired by a DT challenge over at Scrapping Bug to do this challenge without pictures! I also got to use these stamps that I hadn't used yet either and I love them, so expect to see more of them!

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Sassafrass Lass "Playtime". Tittle is a misc epoxy sticker, a DCWV chipboard letter and some American Crafts Thickers.Stamps are Kelly Panacci for SandyLion "360 Degrees". Ink is Palette Black.

Just a little reminder of the Gratitude layout challenge that I posted here on my blog a few posts ago as well since you only have until the end of the month to link me up! I'd love to see some more!

Cheers,
Colleen

Scrappy Goodness!

Well, I think the cyber crop I participated in on the weekend and the reorganization and clean-up of my scrappy space has really brought my scrapping mojo back! I even did a few of these cute little bags today while the kids were napping. Sorry the picture is dark, but the light wasn't great by the time I got around to taking the picture of them!

Paper is all Basic Grey and this is partly for a challenge at Scrapshotz to use up your Basic Grey before the new lines come out and everyone wants to buy more. The idea is that you've got about 4 weeks to do 20 layouts (3 mini projects like this or cards equal one layout) and whoever does it gets entered into a draw for a gift certificate! Fun and considering how much of it I have, it shouldn't be a problem!

Here are a few of the other layouts I've done in the last week as well...

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Daisy Bucket. Stickers are Creative Imaginations Creative Cafe. Journaling rub-on and "adorable you" rub-on are also Creative Cafe. Title is American Crafts Thickers #7 and rub-ons.

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned papers are Reminisce and Basic Grey. Epoxy stickers are Making Memories. Misc flat top eyelets. Arrows are Reminisce. The "3" in the title is Creative Imaginations and the lettering is Me and My Big Ideas.

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is MME Bohemia (old!), Paper Heart Studio, and Frances Meyer. Title is Carolees Creations sticker, American Crafts Thickers, and L'il Davis rub-ons. Sticker is Creative Imaginations Creative Cafe. Journaling has stickers from Creative Memories and AC Thickers.

There's not really too much else going on around here. I'm still not over these bugs though thankfully not contagious anymore. Just feel like I'm run down still. I went for a massage tonight thankfully and my headache is now gone, so that's some improvement!

I'm working tomorrow night and hoping it doesn't start to snow before I get home after midnight some time. George gleefully called me from work today and asked if I'd heard the forecast and when I said I hadn't, he happily filled me in on the news that there's supposed to be a lot more snow in the next few days! Not looking forward to it at all though he is! And is seems like if there's snow anywhere this year, it's at our place! Wait and see...

Better run for now and get some sleep!

Cheers,
Colleen

A SOS Blog and Layout Challenge

As part of my Sisterhood of Scrap weekly duties, I issues a blog journaling challenge today.

This time of year after the craziness of the holidays and with the not so great weather can be hard for a lot of people. I think it's more important than ever to remember all those little things that we're thankful for whether it's the great cup of coffee you had at breakfast, a little time to yourself or a kiss from someone special.

My challenge is for you to blog a list of 10 things you're thankful for today - big or small! Even better would be for you to turn that into a layout or mini book. I've been working on a mini book that I'm adding to a little at a time and it's on my blog as well!

** I'm also happy to be offering a little prize for anyone that actually does this as a layout as well. You'll have until January 31st to comment to this thread with a link to your layout and I'll randomly draw someone's name to win!

My gratitude list today...

• my morning cup of Starbucks (brewed at home)
• a cuddle from my "big guy"
• my commute being as far as the living room
• having gotten the dishwasher unloaded, reloaded and on before 6am!
• my health (even though I may be starting to get a cold)
• friends old and new
• continued learning about who I am and where I want to go in this life
• knowing that I always have the unconditional love and support of my family
• the kiss from George just before he leaves every morning and when he comes home after work every day
• the shining little face of my "little guy" when I get him out of bed and the warmth I get when I hear that excited "Mummy!" every morning

I think on my agenda today should actually be a layout about exactly this though I have a few others running through my brain too. Here is the mini album I've been working on that some of you have already seen, so if you have, you have to excuse me posting it again and my plan is to do another layout or 2 for it today, so I should have something new to post tomorrow! Come back and check!

OK, well think this is it for my gratitude post for the day! Let me know if you've blogged this because I'd love to stop by your blog and check it out! Thanks for stopping by mine...

Cheers,
Colleen