MERRY CHRISTMAS

Well, just a couple of days until Christmas and the unbelievable part is that I am actually ready. In fact, all the presents are already in the car ready to go. Now, if I can just beat the predicted snow storm, I will have a nice long weekend in Clear Lake with the family. I can't wait! I just love Christmas...always have. In fact, as a kid I used to get so excited about Christmas that I usually ended up throwing up on Christmas Eve. I am not quite that bad these days, but kinda close.

SO....I can't believe that I haven't come here to share my big news yet. Faithsisters.com is a fantastic scrapbook message board that I frequent. In 2010, they are starting a year long challenge to scrapbook all about you and your life. There will be a new prompt for a layout each week. They had a call for a creative team to help with the challenge throughout the year. So I threw my hat in the ring...and I MADE IT!!! I have always wanted to be on a creative team, but never thought my scrapping was good enough. But I finally decided that I would never be choosen if I never entered. The creative team is given the prompts ahead of time and then we will create layouts that will be posted with the prompts each week as examples of the topic. Another part of our job is to spread the word about the site on other message boards and also to support and encourage the other board members who are doing the challenge. I already have my first 12 prompts and am anxious to egt started. I needed to get Christmas over first ;-) So keep an eye out for new layouts each week starting in 2010.

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. Safe travels if you are traveling somewhere and God grant you patience if you are hosting. I look forward to a fantastic 2010!!

More layouts to share

I made a few more layouts over the weekend that I wanted to share


This is a photo of two of my nephews that I took a couple months ago when I was babysitting. I love how Sutton is trying to grab Lincoln's hand. I have a feeling that they will spend alot of time together as they get older.


This is me on top of the green monster at Fenway Park when we went there in October. I cut the edge of the border to represent grass from the outfield.


These are photos of the kids the day we went to Cousin Logan's football game. Logan is a senior in high school and a captain on his football team. The boys just worship him and he is always good to take the time to listen to their questions and play with them.


This is my new roommate Finn......he is pretty cute when he isn't biting me :-)

Thanks for looking!!! Have an online crop coming up this weekend so I am sure I will be back next week with ALOT more layouts to share.

Have a great rest of the week!!!

I actually scrapped!!!

WOW...I actually got some scrapping done this weekend and it was so fun. I love when the creative juices start to flow. I will post the others later this week, but I wanted to get this one posted because it is my favorite. I made this layout for two different challenges. First for a sketch challenge on the Bo Bunny blog and secondly for the Digi CT Reveal Challenge (monocromatic) at A Cherry on Top.

I took this photo of my nephew a couple of months ago and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to pair it with one of my favorite bible verses. It has special meaning because it was the basis for one of the first solos I sang in church as a teen. And it is a message that I need to be reminded of often....follow god and he will light your way. I should frame it and hang it by my desk as a daily reminder.

(Credits: DCWV cardstock, Bo Bunny Kitchen Spice Rosemary, Butterfly - Bo Bunny Alora rub ons, MME die cut journal card, misc ribbon and mirror embellishment.)

THANKS for looking. Hope you all have a great week!!!

A challenge for 2010

I had to come back and tell you about a challenge that I am really looking forward to in 2010. Faithsisters.com is doing a year long challenge called "My Lifetime Story" and it is all about ourselves. There will be a challenge posted every Tuesday which will help you tell the story of your life. My Grandma Hanson passed away in 1992. Now that I am an older adult I wish I knew some of her stories...how she met my grandpa, what life was like when she was a child, etc. Now I have the opportunity to leave my story for future generations.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, head over to faithsisters.com (http://faithsisters.com/forum/index.php?topic=11486.msg111171#) and check out the challenge in the forums. There is a list of photos to start rounding up for the first three months of challenges. Don't worry if you don't have photos, you can always journal your story or maybe you can find an online image that would tell the story for you.

Hope to see you there!!!!

Wow I have been gone a long time.

Wow...I can't believe that I haven't posted anything since September, but I guess I haven't really scrapped since then either. Scrapping has become an interesting challenge because of my new roommate. Meet Fineas, Finn for short.







Finn and I have adventures almost every night. He was cute and cuddly when I got him at 7 weeks. He is still cute and cuddly when he wants to be, but he can also be the meanest most hardheaded cat I have ever met. I have many scratches and bite marks on my hands, arms and feet. He especially likes to attack me when we get ready to go to bed at night. And there is NOTHING in this house that he hasn't explored and started chewing on. If it is within his reach, he considers it his own. But don't get me wrong....I love having him around. It is such a warm feeling to come home and have him greet me at the door. It is just nice to have another body around here.



Aside from Finn, the highlight of October was our trip to Boston for my cousin's wedding. It was Ethan and Kellan's first airplane ride. While Kellan was scared, Ethan was all over it. And by the time we got in the air, Kellan relaxed and loved it too. But the highlight of the trip for me was the tour of Fenway Park!!! I LOVE baseball and the Red Sox are my second favorite time, behind the Twins of course. It was a great tour and the best part was standing on top of the Green Monster. Now when I watch the games, I can say I have been there....I love that.


Here is a photo of me on the green monster:


Ignore the stupid look on my face :-)

Anyway, working on christmas projects and trying to get some scrapping time in, so I hope to be back more frequently!!

TAKE CARE

Whimsical Scraps and Bugs Challenge

The blog hop challenge at Whimsical Scraps and Bugs was to make a bag topper. So this is what I made:


Whenever I go to SD to visit the family, Gavin always attacks my purse looking for gum. So I thought for his birthday present I would fill a baggie with gum just for him.

Chirper Challenge Blog

The blog hop challenge at Chirper Challenge was to make a card the uses the word sweet or an image that reflects sweet, Stamping and glitter. So I made this card for my nephew, TJ, who has a birthday this week.

It is also for the card sketch challenge over at A Cherry On Top.

Peachy Keen Blog Challenge

The blog hop challenge at Peachy Keen was to make a card based on their sketch:


So I made this card for my cousin who just had a baby last weekend.

Practical Scrappers Challenge

The blog hop challenge at Practical Scrappers was to use a die cut on your project. The frame around the photo is a die cut that I have had forever and discovered in my stash tonight.

Just Buggin Challenge Blog

The blog hop challenge at Just Buggin was to alter a die cut on your project. I had these die cut brackets from My Mind's Eye which I covered in buttons for Gavin's birthday card. I stamped Gavin's name and the Happy Birthday, but they didn't come out very good, so I thought i would just color over them with a blue marker....but I don't like how it turned out. So I may have to re-do before his birthday :-)

Scrapfit Blog Challenge

The blog hop challenge at ScrapFit was to make a happy fall card. Here is my attempt.

The Crafting Pot Challenge Blog

The blog hop challenge at The Crafting Pot blog was to make a layout going "old school". So I went pretty basic. I used a plate and bowl to trace the large circle shape and then cut it out. Then the green circle dots I hand cut out of the back side of the orange paper. Used basic black stickers for the title and had this quote just laying around.



This is my 2nd nephew, Kellan.

Scrapbooks & Stuff Blog Challenge

There is a blog hop going on right now with different Challenge Blogs. It is fun to discover new challenge blogs since I really like to use challenges for a starting point for my layouts.

This is for the Scrapbooks & Stuff challenge. They challenged us to use this sketch:


And here is my interpretation - My Niece, Georgia, being her Diva self :-)


I also made this for a challenge over at A Cherry On Top to use heat embossing. So I did the flowers on the black chipboard letters.

Thanks For Looking!!

Some recent layouts

Well, I have been bad about uploading the layouts I have made recently. So sorry about the photo heavy post!!! Most of these were made for the September challenges at A Cherry On Top.

My newest addition

Well, I finally did it...I got a kitten. I have been wanting one for a while to keep me company and I finally decided to do it. I was worried about him being alone on weekends when I travel to South Dakota, but David convinced me that if I left enough water and food, he would be just fine. So I did it. I found a listing on craigslist and went to meet the kittens today. There were quite a few, but this was by far my favorite. The woman who had them was just so nice!! I spent about 30 minutes seeing all her cats and seeing her potbelly pigs. So he has been roaming around the apartment trying to figure things out. He also spent ALOT of time napping on my chest, shoulders and scrapbooking desk. We even took a nap together this afternoon. I haven't named him yet...I told David he could pick a name since he is much more clever than I am in that area. I am gonna hate to leave this little guy tomorrow when I go to work.

Here are some photos...he is actually a little darker orange than it looks in the photos:

Faith Sisters Speed Scrap

Participated in the Speed Scrap at Faith Sisters tonight. The challenge was to use 2 photos (one larger than the other), 3 different lettering styles, a metalic element, journaling, date and some embellishments.

These photos are of my sister & 2 sister in laws. I love that we are "sisters" but also friends. I hope that never changes. Sorry the photo is crooked...the glue for the buttons hadn't dried yet, so I had to stand overtop and take the photo...guess I had a little angle on the camera :-)

Thanks for looking.

2 Sketches 4 You: Laura's Sketch 32

Another card for another nephew, but also using the sketch from 2 Sketches 4 you: Laura's Sketch 32. That string is actually a shoelace I had laying around.

CPS 128

This is a card I made for my nephew's birthday, but also using the sketch from Card Positioning Systems sketch 128.

Blog Candy!!!!!

Want to win a large amount of blog candy??? Go to the Scrapadillyrocks blog and check it out. It is quite a prize!!!

http://scrapadillyrocks.blogspot.com

Oh yeah - forgot

I also forgot to add that they are having a sale this week on all their digital alphas...$1...can't beat that price for all the uses you can get from one set! So check it out here
http://faithsisters.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=12

I found a new message board that I have been lurking around and find very fun and exciting. The board is called Faith Sisters. It is a faith based scrapbooking board and store for paper or digital scrappers. I checked out the gallery and there are some VERY talented artists over there. While i haven't participated in any of them yet, it looks like they have some challenges each week. I love challenges as a starting point when I have scrapper's block...which is often.

They are currently having a month long birthday bash with events all month long. I encourage you to go and check it out here: http://faithsisters.com/events.php

Enjoy!

365 Cards Day 138

I just love it when a challenge corresponds with something I need. I am meeting a friend next week who had a baby in June. So I have her gift and just needed to make a card. The challenge on 365 cards today was to use a quote of some sort.

365 Cards day 136 - Black, Red & White all over

Had to change it up a little and did a wedding/anniversary card for the Black, Red & White challenge.

365 Cards Day #134 - Super Sketchy Sunday

Card Patterns #23

This is another sympathy card for Card Patterns Sketch #23.

Card Patterns Bonus Sketch

Another sympathy card for mom, but this time for the bonus sketch at Card Patterns.

Card Positioning Systems #124

This is my take on the sketch for this week at CPS. Mom requested a few sympathy cards, so that is what I tried to focus on this week with the few cards that I made.