2 New Layouts!

I have to reveals for you today! First up is Sketchabilities. Karans sketches are so fun to use! Here is my sample. My Mom and Sister came to visit me over Halloween this year, we had a lot of fun together! I love the "doilies" that were included in the Little Red Scrapbook kit last month!

Next up is Let's Scrap! There is always so much fun going on over there, make sure you go check it out! This time I used only the right side of the sketch to recap 2010!

The Paper Variety

Hey! Did you notice? Did you notice the new blinkie on my side bar? It's for The Paper Variety, and it says I'm a designer! How exciting right?!! You HAVE to check out their BLOG it is soooo much fun! There is a great challenge every week with prizes!! We all need a challenge and who doesn't love a prize?! The next challenge will be posted on January 5th, but before then they will be introducing all the new Design Team members, so hop on over to The Paper Variety and be inspired!

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #233

Oh My Gosh!!! I love the sketch from Scrapbook Challenges this week! You have to go check it out! It was exactly what I needed for this layout about our Christmas trees! Yes I said treeS, we have 5. If it were up to my hubby they would be up the day after Halloween and wouldn't come down until Valentines Day, and there would probably be 20 instead of only 5! He secretly wishes he was Santa Claus! So, here is my example of this awesome sketch!

10 Days

Only 10 days until Christmas! Im almost done with my shopping, all the decorations are up and today I am baking! Im ready!! I plan to do some scrapping tomorrow, yay!! Today is reveal day at Sketchabilities, if you get a chance head over there and play along! Here is my example, it's of our Christmas family picture the year I was born:

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A Couple Layouts

Here are a couple layouts I did for a challege contest going on at Scrapbook Challenges. The first challenge was "You". Well, I am my family, without them I am nothing so that's what this first layout is about


More than Grateful, Beyond Blessed

 The second challenge was "Makeover". I had to re-do an old layout. I picked one of my very first layouts to re-do. I won't show you the before, because it's pretty embarassing. But here is the new one, it's a picture of my oldest when he was 2yrs old and my nephew at the beach.

Lake Superior 1994

This weeks challenge is "Today" what am I doing today. My layout is almost done, it's about being a stay at home mom and how grateful I am to have that opportunity. I'll post that after the votes.

Let's Scrap!

There is a new and wonderful sketch up at Let's Scrap, make sure you check it out! My youngest, Seth and I have a "competition" every day to see who says "I love you" last at the end of the day. (I usually win!) I always say "I love you MORE" (cuz I do!!)

Behind the Power Curve

Well, Im a little behind the power curve here! Where exactly did that saying come from anyway, doesn't really make sense! SKETCHABILITIES posted a new sketch on Nov 30th. Where was I?? decorating the house for Christmas! Or attending one of the several events at Seth's school! Busy, busy, busy, I love it! This sketch of Karans was so fun to work with! Check out the blog to see the sketch and what all the other wonderful (and timely) DT's did with it.  Here is my take. It's a pic of Seth. He hijack my camera occasionally and takes  self portraits so as I scroll through the SD card I find them, he's a funny one!

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The Paper Variety

I just found this blog: The Paper Variety. It is an awesome site, full of inspiration! Also, they are looking for Design Team members! I tried out, you should too!

Bo Bunny & Sketchabilities team up!

Karan at Sketchabilities was asked to do a sketch for Bo Bunny! How exciting! Go HERE to see the sketch and all the creative examples! Here is mine! Thanks Karan and Bo Bunny!

New Sketch

Karan Gerber at Sketchabilities keeps coming up with awesome sketches. Each time I think these are my faves, but then I get the next ones and those are my new faves! How does she do that?? I REALLY loved this sketch, so many layers to play with! Check out the sketch HERE!

Grateful 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

Wow I guess I haven't posted in awhile! There must be so much to be grateful for!
I am Grateful for....
12. My Christmas shopping is 1/2 done! (shallow I know, but I really am glad Im almost done, I usually wait till the last moment and then Im always rushed and don't enjoy it. This year, Im having fun!)
13. My sons job. He works at KFC/Taco Bell. Not the best job in the world, but great for a teenager to earn some extra money!
14. For my hubby's safety. He flew to Dallas today, arrived safely~ he absolutely hates flying!
15. School sports. My 15 yr old made the school swim team! I really feel extra curricular school activities are important for kids. My DS has had a difficult time the last 2 years at school with us moving twice. I think he's finally getting it all back together!
16. Teachers that go the extra mile. School is very difficult for my 9 yr old. This year he has a teacher that really cares and he is actually enjoying school. Very grateful for her!
17. Days with nothing to do. Most of my days are pretty busy. You would think being a stay at home mom would be all soap operas and bon-bons, but I usually have some place to go or something to make so today Im grateful I don't have anything on my agenda, except maybe vacuuming!

Win some Yummy Imaginisce

Check out Imaginisce's site to win some of this:

2 Challenges!

I have two challenges running on different sites right now. I would love for you to participate in either or both and come back here and share it with me! My first challenge is at Scrapbook Challenges. In honor of Veteran's Day we are having a "Veteran's Day Celebration" with several challenges. Mine is to do a layout of a hero in your life. Check out the challenges here.
Here is my layout. My hubby is my hero for so many reasons....he served his country for more than 20 years and continues to in his current job, he is trustworthy, brave, a great dad, honest.... the list goes on!

The second challenge I have is at Sketches 4 all. I am the Guest Designer there this month. My challenge is to do a layout using a picture without any people in it. Here is mine:

Grateful 10 &11

10. for my puppy dogs. they always show me unconditional love even when I am unlovable!
11. for veterans. those who have served, thosen who are serving and for the young men and women who are joining now in spite of (or because of) the war. true heros, every one of them.

Grateful 6,7,8,&9

6. Good friends/neighbors and bonfires! Had such a laugh with our neighbors around the bonfire on Saturday, haven't laughed that hard in I don't remember when!
7. Health. I am very fortunate in that department. I have always been healthy, no major problems and I rarely get colds. My sister was sick when she got here and my mom caught it soon after, but so far (knock on wood) Im OK!
8. My husbands job. With the economyh the way it is, I thank God regularly for his job. Not only that he has one, but it's a good job and he enjoys it!
9. Meals on Wheels. I deliver for Meals on Wheels 2 or 3 times a month and every time I go, I am so blessed by the people I deliver to. They are so sweet and appreciative! I love talking to them all and hearing all their stories.
I thought it was going to be a little difficult to come up with something EVERY day. Silly me! I guess I didn't realize how awesome my life is when I really look at it. Every single day there is SOMETHING to be grateful for!

Grateful # 3, 4 & 5

I am more than grateful, overjoyed really that I have been given the opportunity to be a stay at home mom. I did the 40+ hours a week working mom thing, the working nights and weekends thing, the take my kids to work with me thing.... now I get to focus on my boys. I thank my hubby for that (see grateful #2!). I am grateful for scrapbooking. Strange? I don't think so! Scrapbooking has lead me to many friends online, and a productive outlet for my creativity, not to mention preserving the memories of our family! I am grateful for the unconditional love of my extended family. My mom is here visiting and my sister and brother-in-law drove all the way from Michigan to surprise me on Halloween. There is nothing in the world like having your mommy around no matter how old you are and my sister is my best friend! I don't have any pictures this time, better take some of my mom and sister this week I guess!  Keep leaving comments for the RAK at the end of the month!

What are you grateful for?

The Story Matters has a wonderful thing going on. Each day, or whenever you are able, post what you are grateful for during the month of November. Not only is this a good thing to do to make us all realize just how much we have but you could also win a prize! Since I am starting on the 2nd I am going to post 2 things I am grateful for today and my goal is to post everyday, since I definately don't stop often enough to think about everything I am grateful for. Today I am grateful for..............living in the U.S.

where I am free to VOTE, and practice any (or none at all) religion I choose (these are just 2 of the many reasons I am grateful for our great country)

and my husband. I don't tell him enough, but my hubby is pretty near perfect (for me at least!) he's supportive, great dad, works hard and loves me no matter what (again only a few of the many reasons I am grateful for that man!)

So, what are you grateful for? Leave me a comment and there just might be a RAK to be grateful for too! Make sure you check out The Story Matters for details to win there too!

Awesome Giveaway!

You have to check this out! Go HERE for an awesome Imaginisce giveaway! Check out what you can win!

SPOOKY reveals!

*If you are here for the Scrapbook Challenges Blog Hop please scroll down*

I have a couple SPOOKY reveals for you today! Get ready to scrap those pictures from tonite! First from Sketchabilities a layout featuring my youngest dressed as a vampire from last year! I added a little extra oomph to the chipboard letters (blood) by first painting them and then dripping glossy accents on them to give it a thick, oozing feel!

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Next up is my last official Design Team work from Let's Scrap! If you haven't visited Let's Scrap you really must, she has such great DOUBLE layout sketches! This one has a spot for a CD too! I used the spot as a pocket for a journaling tag. I made the skeleton lounging along the bottom by copying and enlarging a clipart, cutting it out and glittering.

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Scrapbook Challenges Birthday Blog Hop!!!

Hey! Welcome to Scrapbook Challenges Birthday Blog Hop! It's our 1st Birthday!  If you've just stopped by go here to start at the begining! When you've hopped all the way through make sure you go to Scrapbook Challenges to have even more fun! There are several challenges with some great prizes! I have a challenge to make a birthday layout without using birthday themed papers or embellishments! Go check it out! Here is what you can win on the Scrapbook Challenges blog by playing along:
RAKS involved in this blog hop:


1. Everyone who leaves a comment on all the blogs in the hop will be entered into the drawing to win the It’s Your Day collection from Fancy Pants Designs.

2. Everyone who does a layout based on the sketch and posts it in the Hop On section gets entered into the drawing to win the Early Bird Collection from Cosmo Cricket.

3. Everyone who joins the group during the Birthday Bash gets entered to win the Merry Christmas collection from Echo Park Paper Company

4. Everyone who invites someone to the group during the week, through the "invite" link on main page, gets entered into a drawing for the Road Map collection from October Afternoon.

It wouldn't be Scrapbook Challenges without a sketch so here it is!

and here is my example using the sketch. This is a picture of me on my Third Birthday! Have some fun and play along!

If you came here from  Natalies blog then it's time to hop on over to Ana's blog for more fun!

Join us for a week full of challenges, games, prizes and fun! It all kicks off October 29th with a DT Blog Hop and ends November 4th with a very special announcement :)

Speaking of Scrapbook Challenges.....today is reveal day again! Here is my take on the sketch, head over to the blog to see the sketch and all the other DT's layouts!



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Reveals!

So, here's what you need to do. First go over to Scrapbook Challenges and check out the new sketch and all the Design Teams beautiful work. Second go over to Let's Scrap and check out the new sketch over there along with all the Design Teams takes there too. Third do one or both of the sketches and post it in the gallery! Here are my takes on both of these amazing sketches!


Sketch # 10-20-10 from Let's Scrap




Sketch #223 from Scrapbook Challenges



I Pick You

Here's a quick page I did for Inspired Blueprints sketch #58. The picture is of my oldest boy PJ at the apple orchard.

A Giggle for You today!

This is from a friend of mine in Hawaii, Dave Thorne, really funny guy!

Sketchy Thursdays & Imaginisce

for Imaginisce

I've gotten quite a few layouts done this weekend, yay for me!! Some are for my Design Teams so I can't show them to you yet, but here are 2 just for fun! The first is for Imaginisce's monthly sketch contest and the second is for Sketchy Thursdays November Guest Design team contest.

for Sketchy Thursdays

Sketchabilities new Design Team

There is a new sketch up at Sketchabilities and the new Design Team members have posted their examples. There is a lot of talent on that blog, make sure you jump over there and check them all out! Here is my take on the sketch.

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Win some Echo Park!

Check out this blog to win this












from Echo Park! Pretty cool huh?!

New Sketch at Scrapbook Challenges

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There is a new sketch up at Scrapbook Challenges! Check it out! Also, just to give you a heads up.... Scrapbook Challenges will be having a Blog Hop at the end of the month, stay tuned for more details...there will also be tons of challenges and fun things to do and win on the website! Until then.....here is my take on sketch #222!

My Challenge at Let's Scrap!

I am sponsoring the challenge at Let's Scrap! My challenge is to use a Let's Scrap sketch as your inspiration for a tag. Give it a try! Here is my example, I used sketch #128 for my inspiration.


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3 Birds with one Stone (Post)!

Busy Busy Busy! We were in Virginia Beach from Sat. thru Tues. so I'm a little behind, please forgive me! I have 3 reveals for you today! First is Scrapbook Challenges. The new sketch is up, #219. It's a really simple sketch to use, so many possibilities. I did a layout of my 2 boys on their first day of school. So strange to only have 2 boys going to school now, since my oldest graduated last year!

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Next is Let's Scrap! Check out the new sketch over there and all the Design Teams wonderful layouts. You can also still get in on the Julie Bonner sketch until Oct. 4th! My layout for this one is of my youngest DS in "His Happy Place" he is definately happiest in the woods, especially if he has a fishing pole in his hands!

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And last but not least is Sketchabilities. This is the last sketch for the current design team and for the month long Birthday Bash that's been going on there. Make sure you check it all out and play along to be included in some awesome prizes! My layout for this sketch is of my "Nature Boys" we love exploring and finding fun places to hang out together!

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Hope you enjoy all the reveals! On a very happy note, I will be continuing on the Design Team at Sketchabilities! Im very excited and honored to be working with such a talented group of ladies!

Sketchabilities Reveal and a WINNER!

So much going on, so fun! Today is Sketchabilites DT reveal day. For this reveal, some of us on the DT were lucky enough to have EAD designs send us some of their REPOSITIONAL stickers to work with! Check out EAD here, they have some really cool things! Make sure you go to Sketchabilities to play with the sketch and see what the DT has done with it. Here is mine:

this is a card I made with the stickers from EAD

EAD designs stickers are repositional!

I also have the name of the winner of my RAK from the Birthday Bash Blog Hop!  LINDSEY! Lindsey, please email me your snail addy so I can send you your prize!

There is so much fun stuff going on! Make sure you check out Scrapbook Challenges for their new sketch this week #218 is very versatile, with 3 pictures and a huge journalling block. Here is my take on it, it's a picture of my very stylish mom in 1964!


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There is also a new sketch up at Let's Scrap! A great two pager to get several pictures on! Mine is a single page of my dad and sister in 1970. Shortly after I was born, my dad took my sister out on a "date" so she wouldn't feel left out.  He was just sweet like that!



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Remember, I mentioned I was in a contest at Treasured Memories? Well, I made it all the way to the end, but did not win, so sad, but I thought I would post the last pages I did for the contest.

my 1970's family just after I was born!

mom and dad through the years!



Guess what?!!! I'm the Guest Designer at Sketchabilities! Karan has a new sketch for you to try and it is awesome! I have a little RAK for one lucky scrapper who does the sketch and leaves me a comment here on my blog! Make sure you link your layout with Mr. Linky at Sketchablilities and then come back here and leave me a comment letting me know you linked up and I will pick someone for a small RAK! Now, get scrapping!! Here is my sample!

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These are pictures of me and my mom walking in the woods at Presque Isle in my home town in 1974.

SKETCHABILITIES Birthday Bash Blog Hop!!!

It's SKETCHABILITIES first ever Blog Hop!

This blog hop is run a bit differently then others. There is an order for you to hop!
[1] Follow the hop by visiting Karan Gerbers blog first, find the word, and go to the next blog listed.
[2] For our followers to be considered for the final Sponsor Giveaway, you need to hop to Design Team Blogs that are participating in the blog hop in order …On those blogs, you will find a highlighted word in Orange. Find the highlighted word, make note of it and leave some feedback. All these highlighted words combined form a catch phrase about Sketchabilities.
[3] You need to comment on each Designer Blog to be considered for the individual RAK the Design Team Members are offering............your last step..
[4] You will need to put that “catch” phrase together and bounce back to the Sketchabilities site to leave your final comment and the “catch” phrase.
You'll have 5 days to complete the hop dates are Sept 15th until 20th!
Winners of each DT Blog Rak and the Final Sponsor Giveaway prize will be posted Sept 22nd!
Here you will find links to all the Sketchabilities designers participating in the bounce. Each of them have a RAK to give away and all you need to do is leave them a comment on their blogs.

So, now that you have all the "rules", here is a picture of the RAK you could win from me by commenting!

 
And.... here is your word for the "catch" phrase ...........IN
now, hop on over to Liza Bermudez blog
Thanks for playing along with us at Sketchabilities!

REVEAL DAY

There is a lot going on at Sketchabilities! Today is reveal day, ofcourse, because it's the 15th. So, here is my take on the sketch!


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 While my friend Sandy and her kids were here visiting, we had the opportunity to celebrate Shae's 15th birthday!
Jump over to Sketchabilities to see the sketch and what the other designers did! Not to mention the BIRTHDAY BASH BLOG HOP!!

Win a prize at Sketchabilities!

Don't forget, all month long is the Birthday Bash at Sketchabilities and you could win some awesome prizes by just playing along! Karan has another awesome sketch for you to play with! Here's my spin on it! Jump over to the blog and see what our Guest Designer, Sarah Buck did with it too!


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