Needing some R&R

Hi Scrappers!!!! So, I wanted to drop by quickly to share a couple of layouts. I am currently recooping from a procedure I had on Tues. As all of you know, I had back surgery in April....a fusion of the l4-l5 and the l5-s1. Well, I am having a lot of nerve pain in my legs, so my dr. thinks the screws in my back may be interfering with some of the nerves.

Ok, now for the scrappy stuff. First I have a layout of my beautiful mother. I used a lot of papers from Echo Park. A little scrappy tid bit....I used the Prima packaging on my layout. Notice the doilies....wonderful way to recycle!!!!

Just to let you know, the background is a dark gray. The title shows up much better in person, but when I photographed and edited the layout, it looks much darker than it is. This particular layout is not in my comfort zone with all of the flowers, but I loved the finished product.

Next is a mix of Crate Paper and SRM. I was challenged to use the new calendar stickers from SRM and this is what I created....

As I looked at this after the fact, I noticed a few things that lacked a little detail, but overall I love the concept. I hope you enjoy and as always, I hope you are inspired!!!!!


Have a beautiful day!!!!! xoxoxoxox

Random Ramblings

Can you believe it is Thursday already????? Wow, this week has really flown by. I figured since I haven't blogged in a few days, I would go ahead and drop off a layout I had done a couple of weeks ago. Two page layouts are really a challenge for me but I decided to plunge right on in and give it a go. I am not "in love" with it but I like it....KWIM?????

 

 Anyway, not much going on this week except for a fabulous football game and lot's of choir practice. Here, I will share a few pics of the kids.....

This was Abigail on Monday. She looked so cute so I just had to get my camera and take some pictures. She doesn't mind thankfully. She eats up the camera!!!! I wish I could say the same for my boys.

These were taken at Caleb's game Monday night. He got three tackles in and stopped the other team from scoring. I was so proud every time I heard his name called over the intercom. I wanted to stand up and say...."That's my boy....Yep, he's mine!!!!!" I refrained though. Wouldn't want to embarrass him to badly.

I wish I had a recent picture of Landon. I miss him terribly. I never knew how bad it would feel to have one of your kids graduate and leave! Sometimes my heart just aches because my family doesn't quite feel whole!!!! 

Oh well, that's enough out of me. Just wanted to touch base with all of you. I don't how far you actually read when looking at my blog. Some of my rambling is for me....I have to get it out!!!! I wish all of you a happy Thursday. I have some projects I am working on right now for The ScrapRoom so stay tuned.....fun fun stuff!!!!!! Hugs to all xoxoxoxox

My cup overflows....

When disappoint comes my way, it never takes long for me to find the silver lining. I know those little quotes can be so cliche' but, I really do try to think with the cup "half- full". I guess it comes from my mother...she never was the kind to dwell or waller in self-pity. I love that she passed that way of thinking to me. I have had 4 rejections in the past month....not just 1 but 4!!!!! It didn't really hit home for me until today. My daughter has been working on her campaign for student council this week. I watched and helped her all week long....but today after campaigning, giving her speech, hanging up posters with her campaign slogan....Abigail learned what it was like to be rejected. She didn't win!!!!! Oh, it killed me when she gave me the news. But guess what????? She told me that when she received the news that she did not make it, she excused herself to the bathroom, had a brief "cry session" and returned to her class composed and stoic. Wow!!!! After I held her and told her how sorry I was for her loss, I began to tell her how proud I was of her and to never quit trying!!!!

So guess what???? My 4 rejections are nothing compared to my daughter's 1. First of all, Abigail is like my walking breathing heart outside of my chest and when something hurts her, I feel all sorts of conflicting emotions....no one hurts my babies!!!!! Second, I am so proud of her....I am so proud that even though she lost, she is ready and willing to put herself back out there again. And Third, what really makes my heart go pitter pat....she lives with her glass half full!!!!!! A lovely young woman after my own heart!!!!!

I think, sometimes, rejection can be a good thing. It makes you do a lot of self reflection...but it also makes me personally, want to step up my game. Learn, watch, and grow...and never never lose focus as to why I love what it is that I do.....to tell my story!!!!!

Now that I am through babbling on and on.....here are some layouts I have been working on...

(This layout was inspired by my friend Aphra Bolyer)

Enjoy and I hope you are inspired....Have a wonderful weekend!!!!! Hugs xoxoxox

Four Lovely Girls

Just wanted to pop in for a minute and drop off this layout I have been working on. I am a huge Crate Paper fan and was so excited to get my hands on the "Random" collection. It is a luscious collection of colors and so very perfect for girls of any age range. If you get a chance to play with these papers, you will not be disappointed. For an added effect, I splashed some Mr Huey's white paint and an OA Sprinkler paint...I forgot the color but it is in the Boarding Pass Collection. Gorgeous, gorgeous paints!!!!

 

I hope you are inspired....

Prom

Hi Scrappers!!!! Best Creation has a new line called "Simple Elegance" and it is simply lovely!!!!! Mix it up with their "Mr. & Mrs." line and you have a beautiful mix of black and white shimmery goodness!!!! When I got those papers in my hands, I immediately knew what I wanted to do with them. So often we immediately think of weddings, but I went back to another milestone....Prom!!!!! My son Landon and his date made it easy for me since their color scheme was black and white. Mix in some silver glitter paper and the whole scene was set!!!!!! Here is what I came up with....

So, what do you think???? I used a die designed by Donna Salazar for the flowers made for Spellbinders. Aren't the gorgeous????? I hope the next time you think formal, you will look to Best Creation....Glitter and Glam is what they do best!!!!! Until next time....Hugs xoxoxo

SRM and Bo Bunny

Hi scrappers!!!!! I am so excited to be able to share my work with SRM Stickers and Bo Bunny. SRM Stickers has been showcasing a "Paper of the Week" every Monday and a chance to win the collection. I chose to work with Bo Bunny's "Barefoot and Bliss". I have tons of  beach pictures I have taken over the last few years and was so excited to get my hands on these papers. The colors and theme are so fun and vibrant....it was such a pleasure to be creating these lovely keepsakes to treasure for years to come!!!!! Here are my layouts......

 Next I made a card....

Lastly, I made a keepsakes box to keep all the shells my kids have collected while at the beach....

So, what do you think???? I was so pleased with the final results! I hope you are inspired to get those beach pictures out and start scrapping them! But first, you must go to the SRM blog for your chance to win some Bo Bunny "Barefoot and Bliss" along with SRM stickers. Pair the two for an amazing finished product!!!!!! Happy Crafting!!!!!

Sweet Tea

Hi Scrappers!!!! Have I told you how much I love my nieces???? Well, I do and Rheagan is no exception!!!!! Rheagan is the newest member of the family and she is the loveliest little ray of sunshine on the planet!!!!! I don't know if you remember, but my sister, 6 months later, is still recovering from a very difficult delivery. But, I believe God always replaces the bad with something GOOD, thus you have Rheagan. That little one is the happiest baby I have ever seen. She wakes up smiling and goes to bed smiling!!!! My sister has truly been blessed with a beautiful child!!!!!! Anyway, at 6 months old, Rheagan is such a ham!!!! She has discovered that inside a tall glass of liquid lies the sweetest flavor that has ever crossed her lips....SWEET TEA!!!!! Now every time she sees someone with a glass, she wants what is inside it!!!!! So, I thought I would scrap about one of those times while we were at a restaurant in Destin. Landon was holding her and got his first encounter with Rheagan and Sweet Iced Tea!!!!!

 I used my kit from The ScrapRoom. This month, Tammy gave us some pieces of the fab line from American Crafts...Amy Tan's Tangerine!!!!! I just love the vibrant colors and patterns in this line!!!!
Anywhoo, that's all I have for you today! I hope you have a wonderful weekend making memories with your family. Until then...... Hugs xoxoxox

Thank you!!!!!

Wow....you gals are just amazing!!! I had a bad day and you totally rallied to my side just when I needed it!!!!! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!!

Yes, today is a NEW DAY!!!! I woke up with a renewed energy and an eagerness to press forward!!!!! I guess we all have those days!!! With that said, I have a new layout to share. Once school started for the kids, I decided I would participate more in blog challenges. As I have said in the past, I looooove sketches!!!! Well, BoBunny has a fab sketch challenge going on right now. I am a huge BoBunny fan and thanks to my lovely friend, Frances Sylvia, I now have several BoBunny lines to play with....so again, THANK YOU Frances for your sweet RAK of scrappy goodness!!!!!! Here is the sketch....

And here is my layout....

 

I so love the colors of this line!!!!! Such a perfect fit for my Abigail!!!!!! This picture was taken back in January during a visit in Dallas with some friends of ours. It also was the first time Abigail had ever played in snow. Being from the south, we so rarely see snow, especially when there is enough to cover the ground. 

Thanks again, to all my lovely scrappy friends!!!!! You gals ROCK!!!!!

 Hugs xoxoxoxox

Not my day....

Well, I just found out that Bella Blvd. has made their selections and I am not one of them. To say that I am disappointed is an understatement. Right now I am having my own little pity party. Makes me question my talent and whether I have what it takes. Don't listen to me...I rarely ever complain...it is just not in my nature. Anywhooo....here are my submissions. I promise...tomorrow will be another day!

Happy days

Hi Scrappers!!! I just wanted to share one of my latest creations. I recently got my summer pictures developed and once I got them in my hands, my creative wheels began to turn. Do you do that???? All it takes is for me to see a beautiful picture of one of my kids or family members and the first thing I want to do is decide how I want to scrap it!!!! To me, it is never so much about the design of the page rather than finding a way to showcase the picture...that one precious piece of moment in time frozen forever on film. Pictures dictate the direction of all my layouts, but isn't that what it's all about....preserving those memories????
Ok...before I show you my layout I have a confession to make........I have a crush!!!!! Who might you ask???? Well let me show you....

I don't know if it is that whole bad boy image that I like or if I am just a glutton for punishment. Either way, he is nice on the eyes!!!!! Yummy!!!!

Now for my layout.....

I made this with my kit from My Creative Scrapbook. I loved the little crochet flower!!!! And the Simple Stories papers are just fabulous...mix that with some October Afternoon and you have perfection!!!!!

Fall Fun

Happy Labor Day!!!! Hope all of you have enjoyed a relaxing stress-free weekend!!!!! I cooked a nice large meal today and had a house full of kids which is just the way I like it!!!! I won't keep you long, I just wanted to share another fun layout using the "Hello Fall" line again by Best Creation. I really wanted to work a lot of leaves into the layout so I pulled out my Quickutz Revolution and a leaf die and die-cut several leaves with multiple patterns. Once I had my leaves, then I began to work on the design of my page. And this is what I came up with....

Well, that is all for today...Short and sweet!!! Keep those feet propped up....Labor day is not over yet!!!! Until next time, Hugs to all of you!!!!!

Hello Fall

Yay, I finally can share one of the layouts I've been working on for Best Creation. I am just loving their "Hello Fall" line with all the beautiful shades of Fall colors!!!! I hope you enjoy this line as much as I have!!!!

See, what did I tell ya!!!! Gorgeous, Right???? Gosh, this line just sings "Fall"!!!!!! I am having so much fun working with these lovely papers....as a matter of fact, I have one more layout, but that will be revealed on Monday. So, if you are looking for some Fall inspiration, head over to the Best Creation blog to see what else the DT has made with "Hello Fall". I just know you will be itching to get your hands on these papers!!!!!!