Paper Issues Fall Crop Challenge

Have you been playing along with our Paper Issues Crop this week?

There were over 20 challenges shared last weekend, with numerous prizes up for grabs, and a grand prize of a $100 gift card to the Paper Issues store for the grand prize winner.

I used BasicGrey's B-Side collection to play along with Michelle's challenge to use at least 10 triangles on a page (you could also use squares or circles), to document my favourite nephew's last piano recital.  He was fantastic, and even posed for pix, bonus.

I just love the look of stitching on paper.

The ephemera package in the collection has so many wonderful and unique pieces to it, that putting this layout together, once the triangles were stitched took no time at all. And the resin buttons just adds that extra little touch.

You have until midnight EST tonight to link up your layouts to our PI Fall Crop Album in the Paper Issues Friends & Fans Facebook page.  

Happy Scrapping friends!

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Story of Three Friends

Have you been playing along with our Paper Issues online crop?

This weekend we shared over 20 challenges to get your mojo going.  On Saturday night I challenged our members to use 3D adhesive.

I like to use pop up adhesive to add dimension to my layouts.  It comes in especially handy when you are working with collections that do not have a a lot of embellishments to them.

Here I've used it to pop up several of the die cuts from the BasicGrey B-Side ephemera package.

And here I've used them under the die cut I created using the new Maggie Holmes Shine flower die.

Layers, layers, and more layers, another opportunity to use 3D adhesives.  This photo my daughter snapped of her friends at the lake is stunning, perfectly timed with the gorgeous sunset.

If you're looking for some serious inspiration to get your mojo going, you should hop over to the Paper Issues Friends & Fans Facebook page and join the party.  You have until November 14 to link up your projects to the crop album.  Winners will be announced on the blog on November 16.

Thanks for stopping by today, and happy scrapping friends! Pin It

I Count My Lucky Stars

We have a brand new Issue for you over at the Paper Issues blog today called Count Your Lucky Stars.  I decided to play along with the issue (which is our way of saying "challenge" for those who may not know, I was confused when I first heard of them too) and create a little mini album of our family Fall photo shoot.

Our sponsor for this issue is Lori Witlock who graciously offered those of us creating for this issue a cut file from the Silhouette store to work with.  I chose the accordion mini album file #34168 to create with.  Here is what the bare bones of the album looks like.

These little tiny accordion style pockets hold the inserts for the album.  I thought this design was a perfect one to use my brand new My Mind's Eye Record It Journal cards in.  The package comes with 104 cards, plenty enough to use in my Moments In Between album and in other random project such as this.  My embellishments came almost entirely from the Paper Issues March Swag bag.

Pg1 - bits and pieces all from the March Swag Bag with a Studio Calico cut file.

Pg1- back

Pg2 - I used one of the 4x6 MME cards to back the die cut "love"

Pg2 back - the reverse side of the 4x6 MME card

Pg3 - The "life" banner was from a full 3x12 Belle Blvd Trinket sheet that was included in the Swag Bag

Pg 3 - back

Pg4 - more embellies from the Swag Bag (except the laughter sticker from my stash)

Pg4 - back

Pg5 - this cute tag & holder was part of the mini album file

Pg5 - inside tag

Pg6 - The "moments" is actually printed right on the 2x3 card

Pg 6 back - I love that Pinkfresh puffy acrylic star from the Swag Bag

Pg7 - the flair button is from {Aflairforbuttons}

Pg7 - back

Pg8 & 9 - another {Aflairforbuttonsflair}

Last page - the alphas are from my stash

And this is what the album looks like with all the tabs in their pockets.

A sweet little album to store our fabulous Fall afternoon memories.  To see what the rest of the talent PI girls created for the Issue, please hop over to the Paper Issues Blog.  

And don't forget if you would like to get your hands on next Month's Swag bag, or any other bit of scrappy goodness use my code: SHERRI to save yourself 20% off your entire order.

Thanks for stopping by today friends.  

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Happy Memories

Have you seen the new Everyday Life II Tags?  Of all the recent releases, they are my absolute favourite set.  Veronica has certainly outdone herself this time.  I love the colours, and the fun shapes she has included in this collection.  They were a perfect match to accompany this photo of my girlie and her Tap Small Group from last week's Dance Competition, mixed with the newly released Hipster Collection by BasicGrey.  I love when pages virtually scrap themselves, and that's pretty much what happened here.  

 I used a Date Tag to document my journaling, and hid it behind the photo. 

 Chic Tags are such a great companion to any paper collection, and any type of layout.  You can check out the rest of my layout, and see the tags I used by popping over to the Chic Tags blog.  I'd love for you to come say hi.

Thanks for popping in today friends!  We are off to Minneapolis for a few days.  Just hubby and I are taking our oldest to a Dance Competition there.  It'll be nice to have some one on one with our girl, it's been way too long.  The little two get some quality time with Grandma in our absence.  It's a win-win for all.  

With that I'll wish you an early good weekend!

p.s - don't forget to pop over to the Social Media Butterflies blog to check out if you were one of the many winners from our Chic Tags/SMBibloghop tomorrow.

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A Quick Share

I realized that I never shared this layout that I made for Cre8tive Cre8tions on the blog.  It is by far one of my favourite layouts ever.  The photos are nothing special, but were taken just before going for dinner to celebrate our 17 year anniversary.  Crazy that it's been that long already. 3 kids, 4 homes, 5 jobs, one dog, and a multitude of laughs, and a handful of tears.  And I would do it all over again.  I love this guy.  I love the life we've created together.  And I look forward to growing old with him.

I'm am linking this layout up at Paper Issues.  There current challenge is to use flair.  There are some amazing entries already, you should pop over and have a peek.  She's teamed up with Panda Eight Designs this month.  Martha's flair are seriously some of the cutest flair out there.  I'd love to get my hands on some.  They are the prize up for grabs, so wish me luck.  Either way, however I know a few scrappy peeps who would likely want to place an order with me.  Every since USPS raised the cost of International shipping, that's the only way to go if you want to order anything from the US.  It's too bad really.  But...sometimes you've just gotta have it!  Speaking of shopping, you should also check out the fabulous assortment of scrappy goodies that Cassie currently has available in the Paper Issues Etsy Shop.  So much variety, and really, really great prices.  Plus there's always 20% simply for using any of the design team's discount codes.  You really can't beat that.  Plus your goodies arrive with the most adorable packaging I've ever seen.  I've saved my houndstooth tissue paper for use on a future project.  Thanks for popping in today, hope you're in for a great weekend friends! Pin It

Let's Get Sketchy Reveal

Happy Monday friends,

I have a new sketch to share with you today.  Laura created this beauty for us to work with this week.

I had a lot of fun playing around with this one.  Moved a few things, and layered to my heart's content.  This is what I came up with.

Isn't that flair adorable.  I ordered if from Shelley at aflairforbuttons on Etsy. She's got adorable stuff in her shop.

The rest of the product is from older Studio Calico kits.  

Don't forget that linking up for 3 out of 4 of our monthly sketches, gets you into the drawing for the giveaway.  This month it's a fabulous prize from Paper Issues that could be making it's way into your hands.  You also have a chance to be our Guest designer in an upcoming month simply by linking up.  You can do so right here, and check out what the rest of the DT created.

Happy Monday, and thanks for popping in today.

♥ S.

eta: Cyber Monday sale at Chic Tags!!!!  30% off all tags one day only.  Check it out here.

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Ready, Set, Go

I mentioned that I had the privilege of attending Crop & Crete in Saskatoon a couple of weekends ago.  I realized last night that I hadn't yet shared anything from the event.  Let me edit my photos, and I'll do a post with them next week okay?!

In the meantime let me share a fun layout I created for one of the challenges over the weekend.  The challenge was to "emphasize fonts".  We were free to interpret that in whatever way we felt like.  I decided to go with a mix of fonts in bright, bold colours to go with the Amy Tangerine Ready Set go papers that I chose to use. 

Quote source

The quote is one that I discovered online while searching for something to go with the photo of my second favorite Starbucks mug (my favorite on is a Christmas one, I think I'll create a layout on that one too at some point, ha ha).  The journaling reads "I couldn't agree more.  My ceramic Starbucks mug is my best friend every morning of the week."

I didn't win the challenge, but I did win a different one.  I'll share that layout with you sometime soon. 

Have a great day friends.  I so appreciate you taking the time to pop in!

♥ S.

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These Shoes

I love to scrap the little bits of our everyday life.  As much as people contribute to the quality of our lives, so do a lot of inanimate objects, and I love to give them their fair place in my scrapbooks.

We have a lot of dance shoes in our home,  between all of us we have at least 10 pairs.  In my opinion, it's Théa's dance shoes that make the most music.  This girl can dance, it's just in her.  She would say that her favorite style of dance to do is Jazz.  That may be, but I would say that she excels best at Tap.  She's that kid who taps all the time.  While she's brushing her teeth, waiting for her toast to pop, and just about any other time she's got a second or two to spare.  To me these shoes are like musical instruments, and I love the music they make.

Basic Grey Konnishiwa Collection, with October Afternoon alphas

Well folks, today is the day I find out if I've made the short list for My Scrapbook Nook's design team call.  I'm just as nervous as I was last time around.  I've second guessed myself a little more this around.  Wondering if I've submitted the right projects.  Wondering if my blog is attractive enough, if it gets enough traffic for me to be considered, wondering this, and wondering that.  Ugh!  It's not a fun process.  It's exactly like a job interview, except that there's only a small handful of spots, and 200 people all interviewing for the same job as you.  I love the Nook though.  It's my second home, and a lot of my friends hang out there, so how could I not give it a shot.  I'll update the post as soon as I know the results.  Thanks for all your well wishes, and encouraging words along the way friends, it sure makes me feel loved.

Have a wonderful Thursday,

♥ S.

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Pint Size Ali

Today I have a new share for you.  It is one of three layouts I completed yesterday using the brand spanking new Kinnichiwa line by Basic Grey.  I love the fun colours in this line, and now with the Spring/Summer weather the girls have been wearing a few more brighter colours which match nicely.  This design is actually based on a sketch challenge by Mad About Scrappin Facebook page.  It was so up my ally that I just had to play along.  I'm sure if I were to go back and look through my layouts, I'd find a layout that looks almost exactly like this.  Does that ever happen to you?  I know I've heard it said that there are only so many ways to set up a 12x12 page, especially when you're using only one or two photos. 

only the tags, ribbon and alphas are other than Basic Grey product.

These photos of Théa were taken one morning just before we left for school.  It was one of those nice days, and she was wearing splash pants and a fleece with the hood up.  I told her she looked like a little boxer, so she posed for a few photos for me.  I've pop dotted a few of the elements here like the paper lantern by the tag, and the hand cut flowers to the right of the photo.  This is one of those layouts that didn't require any journaling, as the title really does say it all.

That's it for me today.  I hope your week is off to a great start.  Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in, I sure appreciate it.

Cheers,
♥ s. Pin It

School Photos

I don't know about you, but I love getting the school photos of the girls every year.  I know they're nothing special, but they just take me back to the days when I was the one getting my picture taken.  Spending time the night before trying on, and taking off outfit after outfit until I found the perfect thing to wear.  Trying so hard all morning to keep 'the look' just right while awaiting my class' turn for pictures.  Sitting there with the fake smile pasted on my face hoping it wouldn't look fake in the actual picture.  You know.  The problem with the girls' school photos however, is that despite the memories they bring up in me, they look really bland in frames, and are really hard to scrap.  Hence the fact that last year's photo were only scrapped the other day.  I put it off, and put if off, until I just couldn't do in any longer.  I decided to keep it real simple.  The photos are what they are, and there's only so much you can do with a 5x7 Lifetouch photograph.  In the end I think they turned out better than anticipated, well except for Théa's, I think I ran out of mojo by the time I got to that poor girls' photo.  Alas, they all look worlds better now than they did sitting in the envelope in my 'important papers' pile.

Using Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 papers.

Using Basic Grey Hello Luscious papers

Using Crate, My Mind's Eye, Webster's trim, Sassafraslass alphas, Studio Calico mist (Barnwood)

Any big plans for the weekend?  Ours are pretty status quo from weekend to weekend: Youth Group on Fridays, Dance on Saturdays, Church on Sundays.  This weekend we'll start up our Small Group again.  I'm looking forward to that.  For those who don't know Small Group is a bunch of us who get together (4 couples, 1 single mom, and anywhere from 6-12 kids), have dinner, and discuss Jesus, the Bible, Christian living and how they all relate to our real lives day in and day out.  The kids play, and usually end up watching a movie together.  We rotate from one home to home every other week.   Sometimes we'll watch a dvd, other times we'll read something together, a few times we've done a service project of some type, like working at a food bank, or painting a small inner city community center.  It's been great 'doing life' together with these friends.  Proverbs 27:17 reads "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another", and Hebrews 10:24-25 reads "let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, but encouraging one another..."  we want to live by these standards, together.  But before Small Group on Saturday, D and I will watch the Bomber Game (our local football team) and see what will happen with the new QB and running back.  Last week was a horrible week for our beloved team, 3 players out, 2 for the rest of the season, ugh!  Here's hoping 29, 000 people don't freeze their butts off in the cold, at the stadium for nothing.  At least I'll be watching from the comfort of my home with D by my side, maybe I'll make us a yummy appetizer to share.

Hope you've got an enjoyable weekend lined up too.  Thanks for stopping by today.

Happy Friday friends,

♥ S. Pin It

Scrapping Everyday Miracles

It was a while back that I mentioned this new Christian based scrapbook site called Scrapping Everyday Miracles.  I've been keeping up with them in spirit only thus far, as it was so busy the last month of school, and then being away at the lake.  Last week however I had a chance to participate in my first scrappy challenge with them.  The challenge was to scrap a layout using lyrics of a Christian song to inspire the layout.  I took this picture while driving home from the lake one Sunday evening last summer.  I've used it several times while leading worship, or a  devotional time with my group, etc.  The photo doesn't boast the best lighting, but even still, one is able to see the rays of light cutting through the sky, and flowing down from the Heavens to earth.  That is my favorite kind of sky, aside from the Harvest moon.  I always imagine that it's the result of God pulling back the curtain of Heaven to have the angels, and those that have gone to join Him before us, to reveal what His children are up to.  The song that rose up in my heart as I was looking at it last week was on oldie called "Be Still And Know".  I thought it had been DC Talk who sang it, but I can only find a Newsboys version.  Perhaps I remember wrong.  At any rate it's the same song I remember.  You can hear it here if you're interested.  This song takes me back, and the words ring as true today as they ever did so many years ago.  A sky like this causes me to be still for a moment and take it all in.  His great, great love for us, demonstrated by the 'pulling back' of the Heavens and drawing us near to Him.

Materials used: Alphas: Basic Grey & Sassafras, Paper: My Mind's Eye, Studio Calico, Chipboard Heart: Maya Road, Sculpture Flower: Prima, Trim: My Mind's Eye, Embroidery floss: DMC 747

Thanks to the lovely Sasha I've gotten a little hooked on hand stitching :)  I love the tone on tone here, still working on getting my stitches closer together, need to find a proper needle. 

Happy Monday friends.  I hope you'll pop by again soon. Pin It

A few things

With all the rain on the weekend, and the kids busy with play dates.  I managed to spend a little time in my scrap room.  Here's what I came up with...

 

The May Nook kit features gorgeous Basic Grey Papers.  I think they're perfect for cards and tags.  These will be used for end of the year gift for school, and dance teachers.  I'll put together another couple of cards yet too.

Ingrid over at the Nook Forum also introduced a card sketch that I couldn't resist attempting.  I'm happy with the results too, especially that flower which is made of the May Art trim.  Love this I'm going to use it more.  My love affair with flowers is long from over.

Today I was reading about the time when Peter and his friends were out fishing all night without success, and then Jesus came along and told them to try putting the net on the other side of the boat.  Of course they'd already tried that throughout the course of the night, but they humored Him, and did what He suggested.  As you may well know their nets filled to overflowing, so full that they had great difficulty reeling the net in.  The article went on to ask us about the number of times when we go about our lives trying the same thing over, and over again, without success.  I for one, know there are too many instances in my life to count.  Yet, every time I'm expecting a different outcome, and am heartbroken when I realize things have not changed.  How glad I am that our God, is a God of second chances.  Not only does He cheer us on in our second, third, thirtieth attempt at whatever it is our heart is longing for, he pursues us with outstretched arms wanting to offer it to us.  Why?  Well scripture says it's because we, His children are the most precious of all He created.  I'm sure none of us will ever fully come to understand that until we are standing face to face with Him.  In the meantime, however I hope choose to heed His call on my life to try something different, to allow Him to take the lead, so He can reveal to me is perfect love.  A love that wants to give me a hope and a future, fuller, and brighter than anything I could ever hope to imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  I may not be able to change my circumstances, but with the help of the Lord, I can certainly change my perspective, and my self prescribed way of doing things.  It's not always easy, and will almost certainly be uncomfortable, but the hope of more, of fulfillment, and the richness of relationship that comes with walking justly with those around me is so worth it. 

May you be blessed today.  Thanks for stopping by.

♥S.

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A Good Day

Today was that for me.

Began the day at the hair salon with Isabelle (the oldest) to have her hair relaxed. The frustratingly, time sucking routine that leagues of black women everywhere commit themselves to every 4-8 weeks - boo.

- Found manila shipping tags finally, and at a steal of a deal, yay!
- Visited with friends for an impromptu lunch on their deck
- Finally raked the front yard and got it all cleaned up and watered
- Visited with another friend for a few minutes while our girls jumped on the trampoline before supper
- Hubby returned home after a lifetime week away for work.  Even better he won Rookie of the Year, and will be joining over 30 other OnX employees on a trip to Ireland this coming September.
- Went for a bike ride with the girls.  Tried to fly kites, but the winds were not in our favor, so we played at the park instead.
- Now sitting down in a nice quiet house relaxing.

All is right in my world.  At least it is for now.

Just uploaded these today, I'd forgotten I'd taken them .  The melt my heart.

Eden in her Jazz Duo costume just before the competition.

Théa in her hip hop costume just before the competition.

And thought I'd share these two layouts I completed late last week.  I'm so happy with them.  I plan on using the one of my lovely friend Angela as a submission for the Creative Scrappers design team call.  My chances here are slim to none, as they have almost 2000 followers on Blogger, so I'm sure they'll be a mountain of amazing designers/bloggers submitting their layouts.  But, I'll never know if I don't try right?!

Made with Creative Scrappers sketch #155.  It's hard to see in this photo but I love the stitching around the top and bottom corners.

Made for a Challenge over at My Scrapbook Nook's virtual crop last week.

Thanks for stopping by.  I pray you're in the middle of a wonderful week also.

♥ S. Pin It