January Play Dates Scrapbooking Class | ProPlayer

Play Dates | Pro Player

This month I've got game. No, really! I just made 4 super layouts from the ProPlayer My Reflections Paper packet (just $9.95 plus tax and shipping) plus a few extra cardstock sheets (okay, and one Creme Brulee B&T leftover from my retired Veranda paper packet because I ran out of CS...) These paper packets are a seriously amazing deal!

Close To My Heart has always come up with terrific trendsetting supplies and artwork and hasn't failed here. Listen, ladies, even if you are put off by the decidedly masculine colors because you need GIRL stuff.. never fear! This paper works for your favorite team: Team You! Whether you've got Little League, Super Bowl, or Gamers in mind, this is a great package to cover the Big Day. (Detail closeups of L1 below).

"Non stop fun" is from Later Sk8r and worked again for my missing  Complements My Stickease.
"Adventure Time" is on the zip strip!

Here's a closeup of my borrowed Veranda Creme Brulee' B&T.

I went with the two WOTG layout patterns to showcase a training session for work at one of our local air ambulances, AirMed (Layout one, L1, above), and for my boys who love playing with their dump trucks inside and out (L2, below).

Stamps are from Later Sk8r (retired), Fast and Furious and the Cricut Artbooking stamps,
plus April's SOTM (also retired). Journalling will go on White Daisy CS strips in the middle black portion.

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I stamped the dumptruck first in black, then on a White Daisy CS sheet in Creme Brulee, and I cut out the dump to overlay with a little 3D Foam Tape.

The third was inspired by my friend, Karen Pedersen (L3, below). Red and blue are my son's favorite colors and they fit so perfectly with pictures I took of his recent broken arm (Merry Christmas) and seemed to embody his whole attitude about the experience, perseverance and accomplishment. Game on!

The title is made from a retired alphabet, but the Complements have a similar title design.

Sometimes we must make do! I didn't have any ruby shimmer trim, so I cut some Ruby CS and
added red Glitz glitter gel over the top. Nothin' wrong with using what ya got!

This sentiment is from Later Sk8r (retired) and was perfect!

I also put together a 4th layout with the scraps and 2 slate CS sheets for the traditional "Gamers" in our home, Brandon and the "Wii" little ones, the exact theme of the ProPlayer pack. And the layout is straight out of Make It From Your Heart, Vol. 1. Easy peasy!

I just love pennants! To keep your Ruby Chevron ribbon from fraying after you cut it, just run a thin line
 of Liquid Glass along the cut edge and let dry a few minutes.

Pop up your title with a little 3D Foam Tape.

These clear squares are from the retired Clear Windows, we used to carry,
many a moon ago when I started with Close To My Heart. They seemed to add the
right accessory and shape with this paper and super-clean layout pattern.

Journal tag and pocket "secured" with twine to match the other embellishments.

You can make these layouts with just a few basic supplies next month. Get started with the Basic Kit now ($29.95 plus tax and shipping) and Happy Scrappin!

Warm wishes,

Week In The Life | Thursday Photos + Words

Well. It's getting to mid-point and I am having a hard time writing things down and taking pictures. I can't believe how much harder this is from the last time I did WITL. Life gets in the way which is the story of mine. Oh well.

Garage is finished (mostly).

Most of Brook's homework is online this year. She is part of a pilot program at her school where she has to go to several websites linked through a main online suite and upload her homework assignments into a chat where she can post discussions. It reminds me of college. My how things have changed.

 

At her Activity Days program with our church, Brook learned about babysitting. She didn't want to go to this one because she felt she already knew all she ever wanted to about the subject. After getting a bag full of games and entertainment for the "kids", she was glad she did and got started right in with reading to Garrett.

 

Brook's planner, today.

Warm wishes,

Week In The Life | Wednesday Words + Photos

Time has a way of getting away from us. I'm grateful for Week In The Life and the fact that I can choose to make this as simple or extravagant as I choose. Simple today.

Whatchadoin' Mom?

The ever-present sippy. 

At the table for dinner. Sweet blues.

I picked up these placemats at a toy store at Gardner Village.
Now we play the States Game most every night. Our fifth grader
is going to be the best in her class at capitals!

A little different Selfie.

View while enroute home. This cloud was just highlighted so
vibrantly. I hate that I am not a skilled enough photographer
 to accurately capture what I see.

Well, as usual it didn't take long for me to fall off the wagon in taking pictures and documenting my day. I think this is in part because I am a fail at Project Life in general. I have been stalking Ali's and Becky's sites for a few years, but have yet to actually start. I occasionally get ambitious and take a ..photo or two... for a day. Or two. Then they sit on my hard drive or uploaded to be printed.

And I am busy. Being a mom is hard work! Lol! The other thing is I keep trying to do this with CTMH supplies, but think I may have to break down and buy Becky's kit in the interest in getting them done.. Getting better though. This is another step!

Week In The Life | Tuesday Photos + Words

I really fell off the #weekinthelife wagon. Hard. Man, this is difficult. Having a really hard time taking pictures and documenting. Had to go back and fill in the gaps to my log on Wednesday. Oh, well. This is me. And I'm rolling with it. At least I know it's just not me feeling defeated; feeling a failure in that I can't seem to get any crafting done; worrying I am not getting done what I need/want to in the craft room. I really am that busy. Kids. House. Work. School. Brandon. Kids. House. Dinner. Diet. Kids. House. Homework. Snacks. Brandon. Kids...

Pretty introspective today. It's 9/11 and while that is starting to fade from people's thoughts and emotions, it still means a lot to me. See my thoughts here.

Went to work today and didn't take a single picture. I spend so much time there, but I hate having an hourly picture of the same view over and over. I can't show what really goes on behind the scenes, so it's frustrating to not be able to document this the way I want. So I won't. You can see how much time I log on my dailies. Too much.

Love the clouds. The weather is sometimes brushed off as unmeaningful, reduced to basic chatter when people don't know what to say to each other. But I love it! Heavenly Father has provided such a beautiful place for us. Loved how the sun shone on just one spot on the mountain, with the tumultuous clouds of the passing storm just above.

 A flag in every yard. This was one of the best things that happened after 9/11. People grew impassioned and patriotic. Remembered their pride in this great nation. There were flags everywhere! You couldn't look without seeing the Stars & Stripes. Do you remember? Oh, I loved this. If you miss this, look up your local 9/12 Project chapter and invigorate your community.

 Homework in the 5th grade is mostly on the computer. Aidan is jealous of the learning "games" Brook gets to play everyday. I think it's ironic that the schools tell us parents to limit kids' screen time.... and then assign computer games as homework.

 The Sippy. Still such a part of our lives.

 Dinnertime sitting next to one of my faves.

Enjoy your week!

Warm wishes,

Morton Update | Mother's Day Card

First, thanks for staying with me the past few years, and following my blog! We've been mighty hectic around here (really, since Colt was born) and I've had a hard time setting things down and crafting, let alone sharing any of it.

Here's what you'll find, today:
1. Mother's Day
2. Morton Update
3. Mom's Card - tutorial

1. Mother's Day
I'm kind of proud of myself. I'll tell you why in a sec. For Mother's Day, my family really gave me the royal treatment! I got to prop my feet up while they cleaned the whole house top to bottom (waxed floors and polished the wood railings, even!) I received chocolate, handmade gifts, and a wonderful home-cooked meal and I didn't have to do the dishes! While they worked like slaves, I used my time wisely. This is the proud part. I got a rare opportunity to craft for several hours while they cleaned and cooked. I was able to accomplish quite a bit during that short time and crafted some last minute gifts for others. I'll share one with you today, and yippee! I have a few more to share this month, too. I hope you had an amazing Mother's Day with your friends and family as well!

2. Morton Update
Before I go on about my cute little family, I want to remind you that during May, with your $35 purchase, you can still pick up a Dream Pop paper packet for National Scrapbooking Month for only $10. It's super cute and fun and just right to perk up your day! Pick it up here. Okay, now on to the fun stuff! We just returned home from four-wheeling in Delta, UT. Delta, you say? Yes, I was a bit skeptical as well, but, turns out, Delta has some really interesting sites and we had a great time. If you're from Delta, I commend you on your beautiful town and hospitality! Some of the places we saw:

Topaz Japanese Relocation Camp

Notch Peak

Painter Springs

Hermit's cabin

Lehman Caves

Brandon and I have been just plugging along and the vacation was much overdue. It was great to get out of the valley and roast s'mores with family and friends! The kids are all doing well, looking forward to summer. We got a tramp recently, so they've been enjoying their status as VIPs in the neighborhood :)

3. Mom's Card (one of them - Moms, that is)

This was a bit unconventional for a Mother's Day card. I had been cutting earlier for a project later this week for Moms and daughters at my church and became fascinated by the negative space created from the items cut out on my Cricut. I kept thinking, this would make a fabulous card in Slate and Honey! So this is what developed. I loved spending time just puttering around on the Cricut. Just seeing what inspiration came and following through; putting several projects together. Priceless. Thank you family.

This 6x6" card features a Slate base and 3 layers of Honey cardstock over the top, black 1" grosgrain ribbon and 2 Ruby cardstock roses, inked with Slate. Below is a quick tutorial on how I got the pattern.

1. I had 3 sheets of negatives left from cutting pinwheels out of Honey cardstock. The pinwheels were cut using the Close To My Heart Artiste cartridge (pg. 50, "p" key using Accent 1) sized at 3 1/4" and the Auto Fill feature, which produced 9 per sheet.

2. Flip the bottom diagonally, from the top right corner to the bottom left corner, keeping the top left corner where the pattern is closest to both edges.

 3. Ok, set the top sheet off to the side, keeping track of how you set it. Take the middle sheet and rotate a quarter turn to the right.

4. Now, hold up that third top sheet which you set aside and rotate that one a half turn to the right. And there's your pattern.

 5. Ok, now to tack them together quick-and-easy-like, grab your favorite spray adhesive. This is from Wally's. And something to use as a drop cloth. The lid of a paper box works great in keeping overspray to a minimum while fitting a full 12x12" sheet.

6. Now, separate the layers, keeping the positioning, and spray the backs of the cardstock sheets (so your adhesive doesn't show through if you miss), one at a time and carefully re-stack the sheets and press together to secure. Now you have your overlay for your card. It's still tacky on the bottom due to the previous spray adhesive, so just center over your card base where you like and press down, then trim.

7. Attach ribbon and then roses, which were also cut from the Artiste cartridge (pg. 54, "f" key using Accent 1, at 5" and 3"). Tip, use this handy tool to form your roses and zip these out in record time.

Warm wishes for a great spring day!