Inspiration Elevator Guest Designer Post

Hi Everyone!  I'm thrilled to be the guest this month at Inspiration Elevator.  It's a fabulous group with an even more fantabulous group of ladies to work with.  Here's the scoop on what they're all about:

Our main purpose here at IE is to challenge ourselves, each other and YOU to take the creative process to the next level;  to inspire growth and change in our scrapbooking beyond the mundane.
You can catch us on Facebook  and share your creations there; we'd love to see how we have inspired you!

This month's challenge is issued by the talented Wendi Robinson. Her first time to issue a challenge for IE and it's a great one! Here is her challenge in her own words:

LOSS... One thing we as scrapbookers do is post about lots of happy things, wonderful moments, things that make us smile, and things we want to remember. Too many times we avoid scrapping the not so memorable, or sad times. Most of us have experienced a loss of some kind, whether is be a loved one- sometimes it's expected, sometimes the loss comes too soon and unexpected. Other times we lose a pet, a job, feel like we've failed at a situation, or loss of a friendship. This time, let's scrap those harder moments that come into our lives. Scrap about a LOSS of some kind.

So yeah, wow, quite the challege because we don't often scrap about loss, right?  At first I thought whelp I'll do a memory page about one of the many beloved pets we've lost over the years.  Then tragedy struck our house and we actually one of those beloved pets quite unexpectedly. :(  My sweet Bella girl went far too soon and we're not quite sure why, but she passed peacefully in my arms at home.

Here she is:

She was a family dog, but ultimately my sweetheart.  I miss her dearly and knew I wouldn't be able to scrap anything about losing a pet.  So on to plan B which was to scrap something a little more raw and real.

This is how my page started - heavy journaling about my chronic illnesses and how they essentially made me feel when I learned I could no longer work outside the home as a teacher/administrator, coach my daughter's soccer team, teach Sunday school, or do the things I normally was able to do with ease.  I'm diagnosed with lupus, gastroparesis, fibromyalgia, chronic daily migraines, Raynaud's Syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and so much more that comes with all those but I won't bore you.  To say I was devastated would be a major understatement.  I fell in to a depression and I didn't even really know it.  I kept plugging forward with a half smile on my face trying to the best I could for my family, hanging on to my faith the best I could, and trying to trust there was some type of reason for all this.

Seriously though?  I just felt lost.  My loss was of myself.  I didn't know who I was anymore.  My identity had become so wrapped in being a teacher, a mom that could do it all, a Sunday school teacher, a wife that was able to meet all her husband's needs and keep house, a friend that could do things, etc., etc., etc.  That was all gone! Gone!  I was sad, frustrated, confused, and yes angry.  But the sadness is probably what took over most.  I cried alone...... alot.  No one knew how much.

I worried how we'd pay bills going from a two income household down to one.  I worried about ever being able to function as a 'normal' person again.  None of illnesses have cures and the fact is one of them doctors don't even know how to deal with or adequately treat. :-/  I worried about being able to see my children grow up and still do on some days. The worry consumed me and as it did I found I had less and less people to turn to.  It's funny how you discover the peeps who will truly be in your corner when the chips are down.  When you can't kick it like you used to you'll know who your trues are, believe me.

So while I never thought I'd share this snapshot I took when I felt at one of my lowest points and turned my eyes up to God and literally cried out, I felt compelled to do so for this challenge.  The above photo I think sums it up pretty well.  I was shattered, depressed, and lost.  I felt I couldn't really tell anyone because everyone I knew knew me as such a happy being.  It finally took one of my doctor's nurses to say it was okay to be depressed in my situation.  Her exact words were "who wouldn't be?"  But even if someone isn't in my situation, it's still okay to be depressed. It's beyond a persons control when this happens, when this lost feeling takes over, and help needs to arrive in some shape or form.  I'm thankful for the day I received some kind words and the guidance to seek some help.  I have no shame in that.  

If you are in need of help or kind words, please know there is no shame and help is out there for you too!

Thank you for taking the time to read through my post, I know it's a bit heavier then what I typically put up and my LO isn't quite as whimsy, but the challenge called for this I think.  I'm also glad to say this photo was taken about 4 years ago now and life is much better.  I'm not going to say living with a heap of chronic illnesses is a bed of roses but I've learned how to adjust.

Now off you go to visit the rest of the lovely ladies to their amazing creations!

   Wendi Robinson

Katherine Sutton

Lisa Moen

Lisa Speigel

Ann Jobes

Jayne Morgan
Michelle Hernandez 

Guest Designer: Scarlett Salamone (happy you're here!)

Precious - Let's Scrap

It's that time again!  Another spectacular Let's Scrap sketch has been posted and you have the opportunity to play along for your chance to win a fun prize from this week's sponsor.

Having one teen graduated from high school (how is that even possible?? pfft! I'm far too young for that...LOL!) and the other a freshmen this year (double pfft!! for that) it has become increasingly more difficult to get pictures of them.  So what's a mama to do?  Take pictures of her goat babies of course!

This is Twilight, one of my loves around here on the farm, and I was super elated she actually stood still for this shot!  You don't even know how incredibly hard it is to get goats to cooperate for photoshoots until you have them trying to nuzzle your face while doing so.  I don't mind the nuzzles just wish I wasn't deleting so many photos after. ;)

The sketch this week was perfect for me to use to highlight her precious beauty on a gorgeous Fall day.

For the background I used on the newest ScrapFX stencils, Hash (2014290) to create a bit of country texture with some paste.  I also added bits of glitter glue to this when it was dry but you can't see the sparkle in my photo - bummer.  I really struggle capturing glitter at times.  I then stamped some subtle chicken wire patterning in a greyish tone around the background using my ScrapFX Chicken Wire Stamp (2013382).  In real life this is a really great touch - photo not so much against the mustard background. Of course there are the chippies and then the leaves were also stamped using a ScrapFX stamp onto some patterned paper.  

Here is this week's sketch I used:

My take is from the left side and I adjusted the photos to suit my needs.  I love being able to make sketches meet needs in this way.  Whether you use both sides and make a double page spread (you go with your bad self!), pick a side, adjust it to meet your needs, or follow along precisely, I do hope you play along! 

You can see the rest of this week's DT takes and link at Let's Scrap, here.

Take care and I'll see you soon as I have so much to share my to blog folder is bursting. O.o

Happy!

Greetings!  This is a late night post for me as days are busy, but it is a happy one!

First off I must share I've joined the Let's Scrap DT - Woot!

This is super exciting as back in the day it was one of my very first teams and now to be back with them is a joy.  There are oodles of changes as well.  Gone are the days of the Ning site.  While this is a bit sad, I think ultimately it is pretty cool the challenge site is now blog based - it makes it a lot easier for all of YOU to play along!  There is also a Facebook page for anyone on that social network so be sure to check us out there too!  This is where the chattiness happens. ;)

My first sketch reveal was with this team thos past Wednesday and here is what I came up with:

I've been working diligently on using my stash and I love this October Afternoon line with the Campbell Soup kid-like images so much.  I couldn't resist using them on this card.  The background here is a heat embossed resist using some of the new ScrapFX cloud stamps and NeoColors II, can you guess how much I love these stamps??! ahahaha!!

What I love about this technique is how it allowed the details of each stamp to still shine through.  Here you can see the word happy much better than in the first picture.  You'll also notice the little confetti speckles in the upper right hand cloud.  The color seeped into these areas yet resisted the clouds - love that.

Here is the sketch I based my design off:

And now it's turn.  Create a card, or LO if you choose, and link it up to the Let's Scrap site for your chance to win a prize from this week's sponsor.  Hope to see you playing along! :)

Until next time, take care!!

Life's Tough

Hey There!  It's been busy, busy around here since Fall weather has decided to make an appearance a tad earlier than normal.  The chill in the air and and just under 40 degree mornings means we've been kicking it in to high gear to make sure the farm is prepared.  It makes for long days and a tired body at night that is for sure.  But I still have managed creative time and have back logged projects to share, so let's get to that shall we?

This page was created for ScrapFX and documents my baby girl's concussion she received playing softball, much to her dismay - ha!  The release of medical stuff from ScrapFX was perfect for my family sadly - yeesh.  We are a bit of an accident waiting to happen with two very active teens, a hubby that works with police dogs, and well you get the idea. ;)

I'm pretty smitten with the newer Ripples Stencil (2014155) and used it here to start off my background with some paste.  I thought it'd give the feeling of being dizzy you know??  Once it was dry I went over it with some paint and then added some stamping with the Spiral Spots Stamps (2014153)  to further the feeling.  The Life's Tough (2014183) wordlet was painted black and then splattered with some colored string gel.  I think it's definitely symbolic of all the chaos we were feeling at the time.  The string gel is also used throughout the page in other spots.

Here you can see one of those medical pieces in action.  This piece is from the ironically titled Ouch Pack (2014165).  I think it's kind of adorable for an ouch piece and would be perfect for little booboos on toddler type pages, etc.  But my big girl deserved it too. ;) 

Another piece from the Ouch pack and lots and lots of stars to compliment the ones on the other ouch piece.  I'm so glad I picked up a bunch of those mini stars ions ago when they were on clearance at Ms.  They're terrific to splatter on a page every now and then, a big mess to do so, but worth it. :D

So yeah life can be tough when you're a teen and catch a concussion playing the sport you love, but you live through it, your mom scraps it, and then you die a thousands deaths because gasp! the whole world is going to see the picture you already posted on FB.  LOL.  Ahh well, what'cha going to do??

I hope you all have beautiful days!  I'm off to do more chores on the farm and delight in the fact that the sun is at least shining.  Take care and remember ScrapFX is still having their DT call!!

ScrapFX DT Call!!

Greetings Friends!  Thanks for popping by today, you'll be glad you did because I have exciting information to share.  As my title states ScrapFX is having a DT Call and you won't want to miss out on throwing your creative hat in on this one, their products are beyond amazing to create with!! :D  Here are the deets for you:

Love playing with chipboard?

Obsessed with stamping?

 Passionate about stencils?

Scrap FX is offering an exciting opportunity for talented and innovative artists and scrapbookers that love getting creative with these products, and love to inspire others to create.

Do you fit this description?    What do you need to do?

Please submit three projects:  two layouts, and one other project of your choice (can be an art journal page, scrapbook layout, canvas, altered project, cards etc.)

Submissions do not need to use Scrap FX products, but we want to see what you can do with chipboard, stencils and stamps.  Be yourself, we want to see the real you in your designs…..we are after a variety of styles that will relate to scrapbookers, papercrafters and mixed media artists…..so don’t be shy, have a go!

You will need to have an active blog of your own, and a facebook page.

The duration and starting date for the Design Team term is negotiable.  You will receive a generous starting kit, and new products every month, of which you are required to create three projects per month.  DT members must be exclusive to Scrap FX for chipboard products only.

Email your submission to: scrapfx@netspace.net.au   including your address, phone number, and a link to your blog.  Please also list your social media links (such as pinterest, instagram etc.)

DT Call is open worldwide, and will end on the 1st October 2014.

The new team will be announced on 14th October 2014.

So don't delay, get those chippies, stamps, and stencils out and start playing!!  Create some über spectacular projects and send them on in.  I wish you all good luck and happy crafting!

1st Car

Hey Sweetie Peeps!  Here today to share up a LO I recently created for ScrapFX featuring my oldest and his new to him car. ;)  Yes, we roll like that.  There are no brand spankin' hot rods round here, but to say he was thrilled with getting my car, as I got a new to me car to fit my goatees and hay in, would be an understatement.

This page started off with a sheet of the new Basic Grey Highline (well I guess it's not that new anymore - ha!) and some gesso.  From there I splashed on some mist with a paintbrush and added my texture with paste using the Tyre Track Stencil (2014177) from ScrapFX.  While I waited for that to dry I layered up my photos with some others papers from the collection's 6x6 pad, outline my title chippie, and cut out my transparency piece (a new item to ScrapFX).

Once my paste was dry I went over it some mist in metallic colors to add a bit of color and then sprinkled that randomly with silver embossing powder while still wet.  A little blast with the heat gun and some additional funky texture was created.

To finish off the page I added in some stamping.  I'm totally hooked on it these days and can't seem to complete a project without it.  Here I used the ScrapFX Gear (2014176) and Hash (2014137) Stamps.  The Hash stamps were used first as a background stamp providing a little interest and breakup to the misted background.  I love these little stamps and know I'll be using them a lot on my mixed media creations.  The Gear stamps were stamped using VersaMark, sprinkled with silver embossing powder, and heat set.  The last touch on the page some outlining with Liquitex fluid ink around the edges of the photo layers and the page itself.  

When I got done with this page I looked at it and thought of the Blues Brothers, LOL.  Don't know why, just did. I was ultimately just glad to have scrapped a page though.  This was the first one done in a long stretch of time.  I'll be back to full mojo soon I think. ;)

Until then thanks for hanging in there with me. :)

Smile and the World Smiles With You - Canvas

Hello!!  My oh my, it's been quite the long time since I've blogged but it's time to blow the dust off and share up some creations again - wahoo!

Today's creation will give you a little insight as to what has been keeping busy over the past several months and let me tell you, it has been so worth it!

Meet Penelope, she is one of the Nigerian Dwarf goat kids we brought on to our little farm we started up this spring.  Yes we started up a farm!  Super exciting and a whole lotta work - phew.  It only seemed appropriate one of my first creations after being away from my crafty space for what seemed like foreva' would be to showcase one of my farm cuties - showing off a cheesy grin too, ha!

 

 I started constructing my little country scene by adding in some stamping using my ScrapFX stamps.  The cloud stamps are hand carved ones I made using the Clouds and Raindrops stencil as a template and the flower stamps are the foam ones available in the store.  The chipboard piece here is one of my favorites, it's a fairly new release and there are a whole bunch of pieces similar to this one but using different large words and smaller phrases below. The font is so fun and I love the perfect print below, don't you?

To create the background of the canvas I worked some layers and added my various acrylic paints.  I love being random and messy during this stage.  No real plan just slapping on the mediums.   I also knew I wanted to use one of the little mini suns here but it just wasn't cutting it on it's own, worked out perfectly inserted in the paperclip sun though.  Love it when I can seek out layering tidbits on my table like that. The leaves were also stamped from ScrapFX foam stamps and then colored with various shades of Neocolors, watered down to blend, then fussy cut to be added to the canvas.

Don't you just love Penelope's cheesy grin?  She is such a little sweetheart!  Definitely worth the time away but am so glad to be back.  Still feel like I need to find my full creative again but it'll come.  I've got more things to share and am slowly finding my way in to routines between 34 chickens, 5 goats, one of which is in milk so I milk twice a day, gardening galore to try and replace a good amount of my family's food, and oh did I mention piglets will be coming to the farm in November??  Ahahaha!  I love this life and can't wait to share it with you through my art.

Take care dear friends, be blessed.

Sharing Some Loves - ScrapFX Style

Happy Friday to You!  Today I'm sharing up a couple sneaks of projects I currently have posted to the ScrapFX blog featuring some of my loves.

 

 This first project features my love of the country life.  I'm so blessed to have my dreams coming true of building a homestead that involves chooks (chickens), goats (yay!! can't wait to bring my babies home next month!!), and a larger scale garden this year.  There is a tutorial posted on how I built up my background so be sure to pop on over and check it out. :D

Even though you can't see him in this shot - my boy is surely one of my loves!!  Here he is all decked out with the other gal that shares his heart.....ahh, young love is so sweet.  This altered piece will be gifted to his girlie today. Can't wait to give it her; she is a darling.

You can head on over to ScrapFX to see the full reveal if you'd like, I'd love it if you did!! :D

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! - Skissedilla April Sketch

Hey There Scrappy Peeps!  Its a new month and that means a fab new sketch is up for you to play along with on the Skissedilla blog!  

This month's sketch was created by the lovely Linda O.  I'm thinking this one will be used again in a variety of ways - it was super fun and my page came together in a snap, no easy feat for me - for reals!

I had such fun this month using some spectacular papers sent to us from Studio Tekturek.  These papers are wonderfully thick and I delighted over all the bold colors and various designs to choose from.  They were certainly the perfect choice for these hilarious and sweet photos of my girly and her BFF from a photobooth.  Girls do just wanna have fun, don't they?  

Here you can see the patterns and colors of the papers a bit better.  The one thing I get a bit bummed over about creating 8.5x11 pages is the struggle in posting pictures on the blog that are big enough without overloading people's browsers - ha!  So forgive me if I overload you with closeups.

For the background I layered up some gesso rather messily and allowed it to dry.  Then I slapped on some acrylic paint in messy fashion and added in some ColorShine using a credit card.  To break up the mass of yellow with a touch orange I sprinkled on some glass beads and added in some neutral stars and clear pink sequins.

For the title I cut apart a 2x3 card included on a 12x12 sheet of the papers from Studio Tekturek and used a strip from the bottom of a 12x12 piece for the Sweet Memories portion.  I seriously can't believe how many bottom strips with great wording/design I've tossed away in the past.  I need to incorporate these little treasure strips a bit more I think.

One last shot showing off the word blah - I just had to include it because it made me giggle.  I loved the card filled with all the blah, blah, blah words and quickly cut one out for this corner.  I added a cut out star and ScrapFX  mini feather to balance it all out and a trickle of little glass beads and some mist splats.

 

Like I shared earlier this was a really quick scrap - well at least for me - I didn't labor over this page for days on end - LOL!  I know its because the Skissedilla sketch made it really simple for me to get going with an idea and run!  I do hope to see you join us.  We have a great selected scrapper this month, the other DT have terrific inspiration for you to check out as always, and there is a fun RAK up for grabs!!

Let's Celebrate!! Life, Projects, and a 500th Post Giveaway!

Hello! Hello!!  Oh my word has it been a while since I blogged.  Its amazing how time flies in a blink and life consumes you.  Thankfully it hasn't been all busted pipes and frigid temps this time around but rather baby planning has sucked up lots of my moments!!  Now before you go getting ideas in your head thinking I'm about to blow up with a big belly and get crazy cravings - ha! - let me clarify.  This is the kind of baby we're expecting:

Yep a little Nigerian Dwarf doeling named Twilight.  Isn't she darling??  Oh yeah and she'll have playmates too!

This cutie lil' wiggle worm yet to be named and 

This little cuddle bug we think will be named Lucy Liu.  I got to bottle feed this sweetie pie when we visited her and it was like the best thing eva' I tell you!  So amazing how quickly she sucked her portion right on down then licked her little lips so satisfied.  Adorable I tell ya'.

So yeah.  Beyond making sure our kennels were very much cared for over the tough winter we had I was in full preparation/learning mode for my little dairy goats.  We have plans to raise them up to become good lil' milkers and there is lots to do to get ready for them to arrive thus my absence, so please forgive me.  I still managed to create amongst all this though and therefore have oodles to start sharing again with you!  Hopefully I can be better at that. ;)

This Celebrate card is the perfect choice to kick things off with I think.  First of all it was made for my newest Design Team - Turtle Soup - a fabulous community of scrappy peeps where challenges, sketches, conversation, and friendship is shared.  Second, it has a ton of my fav ScrapFX products on it.  I love how easily a card can come together with their chippies and stencils.

I have to give props to my girl Luckie on the inspiration for the background.  She always is so brilliant with using her stencils so I had to give her style a whirl in my own way.  To create this background I outlined the ScrapFX Numbers Collage Stencil (2014020) with my Micron pen on my patterned paper.  Next I colored in portions of the numbers with my NeoColorsII.  To blend down the colors I used a waterbrush until I was satisfied with the look.  It was as simple as that.  I think the only thing I may do different next time is let the colors bleed out of the shapes a bit more to give it more loose watercolor type look (Luckie does this look brilliantly - check her out!!), but other than that I like it.

To keep the celebration going since this is my 500th post - geesh if I actually blogged more I could have surpassed this long ago LOL - I'd like to have a giveaway!!

A while back I was asked and given the amazing opportunity to read and review the book Gilt Trip by Laura Childs.  As I've read and reviewed a couple of her books before I leaped at the chance to do so again!  Here's a little snippet about the book:

"Louisiana businessman Jerry Earl Leland served only a fraction of his five-year sentence for white-collar crime, thanks to some political connections and a few greased palms. But he won’t have long to enjoy his freedom… After Jerry Earl’s early release, his wife, Margo—a much-married Garden District doyenne—throws an extravagant Get Out of Jail Free Party, complete with a Zydeco band, champagne ice luge, and waiters in ties and tails. The guest list includes many prominent New Orleans socialites, as well as scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand and her best friend, Ava Gruiex. But sometime during the swirl of partying and drinking, Jerry Earl is brutally murdered—then stuffed inside a clothes dryer.
Carmela has earned a reputation around town for solving murders, and when the grieving widow turns to her for help, she can’t say no. But Jerry Earl took a lot of people to the cleaners with his underhanded business tactics, so Carmela’s going to be hard-pressed to identify which of his enemies was steamed enough to kill him. As she sorts through Jerry Earl’s dirty laundry, she needs to collar the killer before another victim is set to tumble dry…"

Good stuff, right??  I must admit I'm a bookworm at heart.  I love books but here is the thing - once I start I either really get in to a book or I don't at all and toss it aside.  These scrapbooking mystery books are ones I CANNOT put down!!  I don't know how I was never aware of them to begin with but all I know is I'm hooked on the adventures of Carmela and Ava.

At the heart of this book is the mystery to be solved.  It will surely keep you on your toes as you try to put the pieces together along with Carmela and her best friend Ava.  One minute you think you have it all figured out and then the next something else pops up to change your mind and keep you turning pages.  Then there is the whole scrapbooking element.  Carmela is a scrapbooking shop owner and while she has become known for her murder mystery solving skills on the side she still has to work for living.  As a reader, you're invited in to her shop and see her work day unfold.  She holds classes, stocks inventory, shares tips, etc.  These tips are then passed on to the reader.  Carmela holds a passion for scrapbooking and papercrafting as much as we all do making her a character I could easily relate to and see myself going to if she owned a real shop.

So I have two signed copies of this book up for grabs.  If you'd like one of them just leave me a comment and I'll post winners on Monday to this thread.

Take care and have great days!!

   

ScrapFX Sneaky Peeks

I'm up on the ScrapFX blog and the new release of beach theme items made me oh so happy!  Not only are the chippies, stamps, and stencils super magnificent - it also gave me yet another reason to warm things up around here even if its only in my creative thoughts.

I had a glorious time playing with my watercolors, ScrapFX Wave Border (2007168) chippie, and Random Dot Stencil (2013172) to create a nautical background.  Then layered up some new and old beach themed chipboard to embellish the page.  I just lurve all the new coral pieces to bits!!!

During December and January we had freestyle months on the blog so the Steampunk release of chippies kind of got overlooked.  I've been smitten with this Headgear Lady (2013377) and Chickenwire Heart (2013375) since I received them so I thought why not try and mix them up with a beach item and showcase both?  I succeeded in my venture as the branch like piece on this canvas is actually meant to be coral - I love when stuff can be dual purpose don't you?

If you'd like to see the full reveal of these projects, and I'd love for you to go check them out, you can click here.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Skissedilla #232 - King of Our Jungle

A new month means a new sketch is up at Skissedilla.  #232 is cool and funky, leaving lots of room for your creative wings to stretch.

The lovely Nabon created this one and we can't wait to see what you come up with.

I decided to warm things up a bit around here and create a page about the King of our Jungle - haha!  This lil' kitty is soo furry and truly looks like a little lion as he struts his stuff about the house.  I was so glad to capture this photo of him as he was lounging on my lap.

I put my ScrapFX Hexagonal Pattern Stencil (2013167) to work on the background with some paste and blotted it with a variety of paints in both matte and metallic colors.  While that was drying I went to town stamping my leaves using the ScrapFX Leaves A Simple, Stamps (2013344) with black paint on my Amy Tangerine patterned paper - still love this line.  I then cut these all out and arranged them.

Next I began altering all my jungle animals to go along with the theme of the page because how can you have a jungle theme without some wildlife, right?  The lion was done up with metallic paint for the body and metallic paint mixed with texture paste for the mane.  The giraffe was painted with a combo of regular acrylic and metallic paints.  The gorilla - even though he is hard to see :( - was done using some black lava paste.  He has a really cool texture that is very gorilla like. The giraffe, gorilla, and rhino (not shown here) are from the ScrapFX Zoo Animals Pack (2012235) and the lion is from the Cat Family Pack (2012225).  I love that you can make these pieces look realistic with a few simple touches.

Here you can see a bit of the rhino - he was altered using some coarse texture paste mixed with a combo of metallic paints for the body and had his horns colored with a white gel pen.  You can also see the various layers, bits and bobs of sequins, jewels, buttons, and punched bits used to pull the rest of the page together.  Yes, I had a bit of fun with this one for shiggity. 

I hope you'll have some fun too and join in at Skissedilla.  Come check out what the rest of the DT created, along with our selected scrapper, Riikka!!  She even has a video to share of her process - you don't want to miss that.  Plus we have an amazing sponsor this month - Studio Tekturek - and I know you'll want to try and win some of their gorgeous papers.  I can't wait to get my hands on some. :)

Until next time, take care! 

Its February - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year??! Yikes, yes I know its been a bit but January was a wee bit rough round here, as it was for many peeps.  

The bitter, frigid weather definitely took its toll and gave us plenty of work to do keeping up with our kennel to ensure the dogs were always safe and comfy cozy.  And just in case you can't tell that temp reads -22 which was without windchill. Blah - so done with winter here!

There has been lots of this too - plenty of frozen and bursting pipes.  Nothing like hearing a waterfall letting loose in your wall in the middle of the day!  Haha - I joke - but I was freaking my beak at the time for real.  All I could think of was our well running dry.  A little over dramatic am I? Perhaps, but it was bad.  Hubs had to leave work and make the hour drive home since I couldn't get the frozen shut off valve to budge. Sigh.  

I've learned to Embrace the Moment.  I've been creating in amongst all this - but blogging and most social media has just eluded me.  A lot of times things have either been running slower than molasses or not at all due to high winds.  Its okay..... 

Embrace the Moment.  This tag is one of three I created with some inspirational sayings on them featuring ScrapFX chipboard, stamps, and stencils.  I'll share the rest soon.  The thought is to set these free with some happy mail - so glad it looks as if that can finally happen this month. 

Also on the tag front is the little mini I created for a Guest Spot on the Scrapbook Creations Magazine Blog.  You can find Part 1 of my posting here and Part 2 of my posting here.  Part 3 will be featured next week Wednesday.  Super thrilled to be over there with such outstanding talent.  I'd love for you to pop on over if you feel so inclined.

Thank you so much for visiting today!  I have indeed missed blogging and look forward to sharing oodles of things over this coming year with you.

Take good care!!