Through the Years

Seriously -- how long has it been.  I've been so busy this fall.  I've gotten heavily involved in dog rescue -- it keeps me hopping.  Scrapping has definitely had to take a back seat.

But I saw a great sketch today on "Sketchy Thursday" and just knew I had to do something with it.

Here's the sketch:
http://sketchythursdays.blogspot.com/

And here's my interpretation:

This is my son and some of those school photo's -- starting with Preschool, 2nd grade, 6th grade, and finally this year.  Sophomore in high school.  

Journaling reads "Brian has grown into such a handsome young man.  He has come a long way since his 4 lb start".  

Papers -- Echo Park "Little Boy"

Christmas Card

Seriously -- I have been scrapping but I haven't been keeping up the blog.  Been way too busy.  But here's a card for this weeks challenge on http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/

I decided last year after Christmas that I would make my cards all year -- so how did that go... Not too good.  This is card # 4.  LOL.

Products: 

American Crafts Red Cartstock

Basic Grey -- Jovial Collection Winter Garden

Basic Grey -- Jovial Collection Chipboard

Misc Ribbon

Silver Ink

Grab a Seat

Here are me and my son in Barcelona, Spain.  Gaudi is the most famous architect in Barcelona and you can find his work everywhere.  Here we are grabbing a seat on one of his ergonomic benches in Parc Guelle -- made of stone & amazingly comfy.

My lo is based on the most recent sketch found on the sketchythursday.blogspot.com  challenge.   Thanks for the inspiration.  

Products:

M's kraft paper

Basic Grey Wander - Relocate 

Fiskers Apron Lace Border Punch

Fiskars Scallop Circle Punch

Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type Brown

M's lace

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist -- coffee shop

Discoveries Monument

Here is another lo from our trip to Spain & Portugal.  This monument is dedicated to the explorers from Spain and to those who paid for their explorations.  The size is incredible.  That is me and ds on the bottom (out front) of the photo.  

I used the most recent sketch from http://sketchinspiration.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network for my inspiration -- thanks for the awesome sketch.  

I even broke out some stamps and dusted off the cobwebs for this lo.  Nothing over the top -- but at least I used some stash.

Products:

Pink Paislee 365 collection Be free paper

Bazzill Blue Calypso cardstock

Pink paislee Alphas -- Whimsies Pear

Pink Paislee 365 Collection pleated ribbon

Michaels rope flower

Misc black cardstock 

Fiskars 2 inch circle punch

cuttlebug embossing folder --circles

TFL

Greyfriar's Bobby

I have at least 400 photo's sitting on my desk from Spain -- and what do I do.  I decide to scrap a vacation pic from 2008.  I was reorganizing my space yesterday and came across this pic.  Don't know why I didn't ever scrap it.  Me & my family in Edinburgh Scotland outside Greyfriar's Bobby Bar -- dedicated to a skye terrier (named Bobby) that legend has it guarded the grave of it's owner for 10 years.  

Thanks to Sassy Lil'Sketches for my inspiration.  

Products:

Bazzill Avalanche 12x12

Doodlebug Simply Sweet Alpha's

Making Memories Tiny Alpha's Black

Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

Basic Grey Wander Scraps

Flowers

So I got on a bit of a "flower" kick over the last day.  Been using up lots of scraps and making a mess.  Here are my results.

Biker Chick -- Sketchabilities # 50

This is me back in 1966.  I remember riding this tricycle over to the corner store.  The store had an old fashioned soda fountain.  

The lo is based on sketch # 50 from sketchabilities.blogspot.com

I had fun with this sketch.  I drew different sized circles and stitched them.  I used little heart beads as my dots on the "i"s.  The Tim Holtz trim is so pretty -- but was too formal for this lo. So I added some red paint to it.  Thanks for the inspiration.  I'm also totally loving these felt flowers from Michael's.  They are so cute.  I also added some misc leftover brads (flowers & dragonflies).

La Boqueria

My first lo is completed from our trip to Spain -- and it's from my favorite stop (of course, the stop included food & beer!).  LaBoqueria -- the Barcelona farmers market is an amazing place.  Fruits, vegetables, fish, meats (things I had never seen before), chocolate, nuts.  Pretty much anything you wanted.  We also ate at one of the bars in the market -- El Quim.  I actually ate there twice.  Once by myself and then I met up with Kevin & Brendan for a second lunch.  YUM!

My lo is based on this weeks sketch from sketchythursday.blogspot.com. 

Products:

Bo Bunny Sophie

• bouquet
• tickled pink
• chipboard flowers

Fiskars border punch -- apron lace

EK Success Large border punch -- circles

Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type -- Turquoise

Fancy Pants About a Girl element stickers

Red, White, Blue, & Yellow -- Day 126

Well I kind of slipped away from 365 card challenge -- life just gets in the way!  But I thought I'd try today. Seemed like an easy enough challenge.  

The challenge was to use red, white, blue, & yellow on a card.  Yesterday I was busy doing patriotic lo's with my Bo Bunny Liberty line -- as usual I had a lot of leftover scraps which were perfect for this challenge.  

I love a quilted look on a card, such a great way to use up my scraps.  My stamp has a little heart on it, but I omitted that and added a ♥ button instead.  

Products --

Bo bunny liberty scraps

Yellow bazzill scraps

Thanks for looking.

A Boy & His Toys

My son at the NRA convention this past April in Pittsburgh.  Here he is enjoying the exhibit on the floor.  Nothing like playing with a Barrett 50 caliber machine gun--a boys dream.  

Sketch 227 from sketch inspiration -- thanks for the 

great sketch.

Products:

Basic Grey Wander Collection

• Travel Size
• Metropolis
• Roundtrip

Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type Brown

Dew Drop Memento Ink -- Rich Cocoa

You're the Best Card

Thanks to my friend Kathy for the link to this challenge:
WWW.CLEARLYISTAMP.TYPEPAD.COM


Here is my take on the sketch (CIC30).  

I started 2011 with a goal of restocking my card supply.  I've fallen behind a bit -- life can really get in the way.  DANG IT!  I'm also trying to use up drawers full of scraps while creating cards.  This one is all scraps.  

Thanks for the inspiration & TFL

A twist on the last sketch -- Cozumel

This lo is based on the same sketch as from my previous post -- I really liked the sketch.  I stuck with one pic again but rotated the sketch.  

This is my son & I just after arriving in Cozumel over spring break.

These were the last bits of my Fancy Pants -- Rusted Sun Collection.  

Products:

Fancy Pants Rusted Sun:

• Indian Summer 
• Laguna Beach

EK Success Large Edger Punch -- Circles

Bazzill In Stitch'z -- Crayons

Bella Blvd Sophisticates -- Quattrofinna Blue

I hand stitched the journaling circle.  And I also made the rope flower.  

TFL

Pound Puppy

Sketchy Thursday 6/9 sketch.    I got a fun package in the mail this week -- some new Echo Park Papers,  For the Record.  I was so excited to use them.  I love this sketch -- I changed it up, I decided to use only one photo.  

My son & I volunteer at our local animal shelter -- here he is with one of the pound puppies who is waiting for adoption.  I've been so impressed with how hard Brendan has been working.  

Feeding, mopping, cleaning poop, de-worming incoming animals, walking, & loving.  

Products:

Echo Park -- For the Record

• fabric store
• picket fence
• lace stripes
• elements
• alphas

Crafter's Workshop

• circus banners

Thickers -- sprinkles

Making Memories -- distresser

And some stickers & ribbon that have been in my stash for quite some time.  

Faces of the NRA

Here is a 2 pager using the new Liberty line from BoBunny.  
We just recently went to the national NRA meeting.  Brendan made the rounds and got his pictures taken with a lot of cool people.  I thought Bo Bunny paper was perfect for the subject.

Products:

BoBunny -- Liberty PP and Chipboard Accents

Fiskars Apron Lace border punch

EK Success Extra Large star punch

Don Juan Cricut Cartridge

Bazzill Grenadine Cardstock

TFL

Help Me

He is my 13 year old torturing (ok playing with) our cat -- Pumpkin.  Pumpkin does not really look like he's enjoying himself.  I did lots of distressing and tried to use multiple textures -- heat embossing, distressing, twine, tiles, metal, inking.

Products:
Tim Holtz Ideaology -- Lost & Found
Making Memories - distresser
Stampology -- Embossing Powder


TFL

Brothers

Sketchabilities Sketch # 48.  

Here is my husband (in the stroller) with his brother Steve -- probably around 1958.

I really had fun playing with this sketch.  The little flower under the white one -- is twine.  The heart is chipboard that I covered with patterned paper. And the star is a pink glitter star that I used sandpaper on and then heavily inked.  

Products -- 

American Crafts Cardstock

Crafters Workshop 6x6 template -- orchid

Bazzill In stitchz template -- border

Bazzill In stichz floss -- blues & browns

Thickers -- Jewelry Box 

Sizzix embossing folder

Recollections Floral Embellishment

Signo pen 

Jillibean Kraft mini alphas

CARDS

One of my new years resolutions was to stop buying cards -- seriously I have the makings of a Hallmark store in my house.  

Here is a sampling of some recent cards that I made.

High school graduation card.  The graduation cap was made with "Locker Room" cricut cartridge.  

I'm loving this father's day card I made for my son to give his Dad.  I wasn't sure if a ruffle would work but I needed something to make the card a bit taller.  I was using scraps and didn't have enough for the size I wanted.  I'm very happy with the results.  The edges are embossed with Tim Holtz Wood grain embossing folder.

This is a baby card for  a friend who we are giving a "postal" shower.  I don't know (and neither does she) if it's a boy or a girl.  I don't have any baby stamps and since most of my friends are out of the baby making business I don't want to invest in them.  So I went with a cute pinwheel and this sentiment.  I think it works.

And finally, a thank you card.  I love this patterned paper (About a Girl -- Fancy Pants) -- I only had a small bit left.  I used a Swiss dots embossing folder for some texture.  I stamped the sentiment and then cut it out. I also recently got a "Bow-Easy" bow maker. Where has that been all my life.  I was an "Epic Fail" (as my boys say) when it came to tying boys.  I love how neat they look now.

Thanks for looking.

Communion --1967

So I'm having fun going down memory lane -- here I am in 1967 on the day of my 1st Communion.  Just so you know -- my hair still does that awful flip! This photo was actually a poorly cropped color pic -- I scanned it, enlarged it, and made it B&W. I like it this way much better.  

I really had fun with this lo.  I inked & misted the doilies.  I have multiple hankies from my grandmother that have been sitting in a drawer.  I decided that they would be better used in my scrapbooks -- where I can enjoy them.  The little bit with the embroidery is a corner of one of the hankies -- I used the remainder of that hankie to create the rolled flowers.  Very happy with the way they turned out.  Thank goodness for the new Glubers (cosmo cricket) that make this process so much easier.  I also did some recycling here -- the title block is some packaging from some scrap book item.  

Products:

Webster's Pages -- Your life beautiful

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

• Wheatfields
• Blue Skies
• Pearl

Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type Brown

Recollections Floral Embellishments

K&Company Floral & Fauna

Misc scraps of cardstock, lace, pearls

TFL

All Dressed Up

Sketch Inspiration # 222 -- I really like this sketch, it's just too much fun.  Again I reached back into the past -- that's me in 1966.  I wasn't much for dresses -- my guess is that I'm dressed up for church. 

Products:

Bazzill -- 

• Brandywine
• Witch Hazel

Cosmo Cricket -- Girl Friday Sunday

Recollections -- Boutique Fleur Floral Embellishment

Prima Calcutta Petals Collection

Thickers -- Bumble

Echo Park Life is Good Alpha

Signo white pen

Antique Mother of Pearl Buttons

Lace

TFL

Summer -- 1963

I just love the sketch this week from sketchythursday.blogspot.com

I reached back to some oldies for this one -- that's me at just shy of 2 years old.  I'm loving the fancy pants Beach Bum line -- it's just such a nice mix of papers.

Products:


Fancy Pants Beach Bum:

• Flip Flops
• Sail
• Card stock stickers
• Journaling cards

Cricut Cartridge -- Stretch Your imagination (title & sun)

Misc Brads & Rick Rack

TFL

Remembering All that Served

I am very proud of the military & all they do to keep us safe.  I wanted to take a moment and honor some from my family who have risked their lives to keep us free.  


My grandfather -- WWI

My father (far left) -- WWII

 My father - in - law -- WWII (career in Army)

I'd also like to thank my brother-in-law who spent 27 years in the Navy and my nephew who is about to embark in the navy (he will be commissioned next June).  

Key West Lighthouse

I loved the most recent sketch at sketchabilities.blogspot.com
Just knew I had to do something with it.  So here is my take on it.

More of me & Brendan on our recent spring break cruise.  This is Brendan in front of the Key West Lighthouse.  Isn't that sky amazing.  


Products:
Bazzill

• Blue Oasis
• Guacamole Die Cuts

EK Success

• Extra large flower punch
• Large retro flower punch

Primula Flowers Brown

Old West Cricut Cartridge (fence)

Signo pen

Crafter's Workshop Orchid Template 

Pebbles Felt Clouds

Echo Park "life is good" Alpha's

October Afternoon "Sleeping Bag"

Misc Buttons & Twine

X-Rails

On our recent NCL Cruise, Brendan & I took an X-Rails Adventure while in Cozumel.  What a dirty (but fun) experience.  I had fun with this weeks sketch from the sketchythursday.blogspot.com challenge.  Vacation photo's always inspire me to do 2 pagers -- and this sketch was perfect.  

I took some liberties with it, but I think anyone can see it was still my inspiration.  

Products:

• Bazzill 12x12 Avalanche
• Bazzill In Stitch'z Green Floss
• Bazzill Chips -- Arrows
• Zing Embossing Powder -- Leaf
• Marvy Embossing Gun
• Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder -- Tea Dye
• Tim Holtz Grunge Board
• Don Juan Cricut Cartridge
• EK Success Retro Large Flower Punch
• Stampology Peridot Ink
• Basic Grey -- Lauderdale (Rose Colored Glasses, Coastline, Soundwaves)
• Misc Buttons & Brads

TFL

Coronado --- Sketchy Thursday

Here is one based on the following sketch.

Kevin & I in Coronado back in Feb. 2011.  

Fathers Day Card -- Happy NSD

I am so excited to be participating in different NSD challenges all over the web.

here is a father's day card using scraps & kraft paper.

I realize that the card says "Fappy" Father's DAy --- I've corrected it on the card.  DUH

I made these flowers out of left over twine.  

I used a Sizzix embossing folder on the kraft paper.  

Towel Animals

Some fun pics of the towel animals that our room attendant made for us while recently on the NCL Sun.  

I hand stitched the flourishes.  And the gorgeous towel flower was made for me by my friend Rebecca.  Thanks girl!

Products:

American Craft red paper

Basic Grey -- Oliver

Basic Grey -- journaling spot

Doodlebug -- Simply Sweet alphas

Hand made flower

National Scrapbooking Day

I'm hoping to get lots of scrapping done this weekend.

But it's already started on (paper) trail makers blog.

http://trailmakers.blogspot.com/

I've already completed one challenge.

Sail Away

I can't believe -- I've finally been able to sit down at my scrap table and play.  I only did one card and one lo last month -- OH MY.

Here's one I just finished -- my son Brendan & I on our recent Easter break cruise.  Loving the new papers I purchased yesterday -- Basic Grey Lauderdale.  They seem perfect.

Products -- 

American Crafts -- orange paper

Basic Grey -- Lauderdale

• Cutoffs
• spf
• sun glow

Basic Grey Lauderdale -- pops layered stickers

Tim Holtz mini staples

Creative Memories wavy cutter

Bazzill In Stitchz neutrals & Greens

Doodlebug Jack & Jill alphas

Studio G pigment ink

Misc metal flowers & brad

Green rick rack

Quickie birthday card

Well I finally got to sit down at my scrap table today -- boy did it feel good.  What  a wild & crazy month it's been.  Before I could scrap, I first had to clean off the desk -- I've been throwing junk on it all month.  I only made a card -- but it did feel lovely to play with glue & ink.  Yesterday I ordered 150 pics from snapfish from the cruise Brendan & I just returned from.  

So hopefully next week there is some serious scrapping in my future.

Products ----
Paper -- Fancy Pants About a Girl "Brooklynn"
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder -- Swiss Dots
Target cupcake stickers (discounted!)
Misc ribbon & buttons
Studio G ink

TFL

CAS

I came across a new challenge this past weekend.  CAS -- clean & simple.  What a great idea!  And what  a fabulous way to use up some scraps.

Here's the link:
http://www.stampingwithbrenda.com/2011/04/clean-simple-sunday-challenge-10.html

I used all scraps from Basic Grey Oliver collection.

Sketchy Thursday

For the 3-31 sketch challenge on sketchythursdays.blogspot.com

This is another page in my wedding album.  I'm quickly approaching my 20th anniversary and I've finally taken pity on my photo's that have been stuck in a sticky album.  

I made the flowers by punching out 8 two inch scallop circles. 

Products:

White cardstock

Basic grey wisteria (all scraps)

EK Success 2 inch scallop punch

Martha Stewart edge punch -- Daisy Fan

K & Company brads -- the Kiss

Cat eyes chalk ink

Machine sewing

ribbon scraps

TFL