Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree

Since today is Tuesday, it's my day to post at Crafting Family. And since I am STILL playing catch-up with Christmas (it's the holiday that just keeps on giving the whole year through) I have this layout to share with you today:

I used some fun PP from Pink Paislee to create my whimsical hand-drawn tree. A few vintage trims and some adorable stickers I found in the holiday clearance section at Walmart! I added some misting and a hand-drawn title and my simple little xmas tree layout was complete. Oh, I am also linking this on my Pinterest Board, "Less Pinning, More Doing" as the whole idea for the layout was inspired by a layout I found here. =) T

Umbrella (ella, ella) Layout for Twisted Sketches

Oh why oh why am I always behind?? Better late than never, here's my LO for last week's sketch up at Twisted Sketches. Always a blast to play with Anam's sketches, I hope you'll have a chanceto play along! The twist this week "Fabric" so I added a strip of gingham under my photo and through my little cluster at the top. =) T

Soccerween

Oops- time to update you on my weekly post with The Crafting Family, last week the DT was using a sketch, one of my very own sketches I designed for them. Here's my LO:

and here's the sketch:

My daughter's soccer team was in a Halloween Soccer tournament...thus the title, "Soccerween". Was a fun sketch to play with, would love to have you give it a try and see what you come up with! =) T

We Feel Fine + a DT Call!!

There's a new song on the playlist at Scrap It With a Song, "It's the End of the World a We Know It" by REM. I am a huge REM fan, and love this song, but was stumped on how to use it. And then it came to me...

I used the "I feel fine" lyric (and just changed it to "we") to go with these crazy pics of my 2 kiddos and 2 nieces looking in funky mirrors at the Boston Museum of Science. Was so glad I snapped these photos- they all look like aliens!

If you'd like to play along with us this week, we're having a DT call over at Scrap It With a Song too- just put "DT" after your name when you link up your project to be entered. Can't wait to see how you're inspired to create with this song! =)T

Challenges:

-Scrap It With a Song It's the End of the World a We Know It

-Our Colorful Creations sketch

-Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges ribbon and buttons

Weekly PINspiration!

So are you as addicted to PINTEREST as I am? I've spent countless hours pinning amazing ideas, yummy recipes and all those "OMG why didn't I think of that???" things....and as I was browsing through my pin boards I noticed that I actually HAVE created quite a bit over the past year that was Pinterest-Inspired. And this got me thinking...this sounds like a perfect new challenge for myself.

I'm calling it "Less Pinning, More Doing" (yes, this is from a pin I found!) and the idea is I will vow to bake, scrapbook, paint or read something once a week based off a pin on one of my boards, and then blog about it and of course pin it on my "Less Pinning, More Doing" board for reference. The first few will be sort of "cheating", as I'm just going to play catch-up and post all the previously-created projects...but then the real work will begin! You can go here to check out my new board, and while you're there, why not follow along with the rest of my boards?

Here's my very first project I have to share with you, a little Christmas sign I made, inspired by a sign I found here. 

I'm linking up here:

You've Got Character

Time for me to play a little catch-up! Have 2 pages to share with you today, both based off sketches I designed at Sketches in Thyme! First up is the LO I made based of last week's sketch; my 2 kiddos having their characatures done at Fenway Park last summer:

and next up is the LO I created for today's post at Sketches in Thyme; my daughter and her Girl Scout troop at a weekend event last summer:

wow- guess I'm in an orange/blue/yellow mood this week huh? Besides using the Sketches in Thyme sketch, I have a few other challenges incorporated. I used 7 PHOTOS for the challenge at The Studio Challenges.  I used OLD pattern paper, an OLD rub-on title, an OLD scallop stamp along with NEW CS and NEW smootch spritz for the "something old, something new" challenge at Scrap Your Crap. The LO is of an camping weekend for the SUMMER IN JANUARY challenge at 4 Crafty Chicks.

Thanks for stopping by, hop on over to Sketches in Thyme and check out the challenges, you have till Jan 31st to play along! =) T

All We Need is Love at Paper Issues!

There's a new theme up and running at Paper Issues, Love is all we need. Love is all we need!! It's one of our most favorite times of year...Valentine's Day! We are celebrating for a full month! Link up your paper crafted projects, new or not-so-new. Leave some blog love, mingle and make new friends. You have until February 14 to link up! Here's what I've created just for this lovely linking party:

Used some super yummy papers from Crate Paper's "Paper Heart" collection, you can check it out at the Paper Issues shop! The circle is cut from the red heart paper, the green stripe is the flip side of this fun patter. I punched 3/4" circles from the blue heart paper, cut the circles in half and adhered around the edge of the circle to give it a scalloped look. Hop on over to Paper Issues and check out some more fabulous Love-themed layouts that will really get you in the mood....to craft! The link up your projects, we'd love to see what you're working on!! =) T

New Dawn, New Day, New Life

Time for a new challenge at Scrap It With a Song. This week the song choice is up to you, just choose any song that reminds you of the new year! I chose "Feeling Good" by Muse, and used the lyrics, "It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life" for my title:

Sort of fit perfectly with this photo of my nephew as a brand new little baby. He's 4 now, came across this photo recently and just HAD to scrap it! I hope you'll go on over to Scrap It With a Song and see the rest of the DTs New Years inspirations, and share your creation with us too! =) T

Challenges:

-Scrap It With a Song any new year song

-Once Upon a Sketch sketch + new years

-Scrap our Stash new

Time for a new sketch at Twisted Sketches, and you'll have to go on over there to check out Twisted Sketch #134, but I'll give you a peek at how I put the sketch to good use:

The picture really didn't come out great, the colors are so much lovelier in real life, but I guess you'll have to take my word for it! My one fun little trick to share with you about this LO is in the title. I cut the word "New" from the Cricut 5 times, and ran one of each letter through my Big Shot polka dot embossing folder. Brushed the dots with white ink; stacked and adhered them all together. Fun way to dress up simple cardstock letters. =) T

Challenges:

-Twisted Sketches- sketch

-Lollipop Ladies- mint candies

-Scrap Our Stash new

Ringing in the New Year

A new year brings a new scrapbooking goal for me. In 2011 my goal was to create 211 layouts, and I'm pleased to report that I made it! Just barely, I created LO #211 on 12/31!! So for 2012 my goal is to create 212 layouts, and today I'm sharing my first of the new year. This one was made for my DT spot at Eyelets etc using all of their products including papers from Sweetwater, a lovely yellow Bloomlet, yellow and white twine, a gold and green button from the Button Soup collection and of course eyelets!

So far I'm at 7 out of 212- let's see how the new year goes!! =) T

S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G My Supplies

Our daily posts are starting back up again this week at The Crafting Family; here's what I've come up with for today:

I am a huge fan of making my the most of my supplies and my scrapbooking dollar, so I have a few tricks to share with you today. To create this layout I used a fabulous little 6x6 piece of double-sided pattern paper from a great pack by My Minds Eye (just one piece!), along with 1 sheet of yellow Bazzill CS, a scrap of brown ribbon and a few little embellies. Such a simple layout to put together, and very little supplies involved!

My 6x1" strips of PP are cut in 1/2 and tucked behind the photos to give the illusion that they stretch across the entire page. I cut my title letters on the Cricut with the remaining 3x6" piece. I also cut the same letters 4x each out of white CS and stacked them all to give to illusion of chipboard letters. Simple right? Thanks for stopping by! =) T

Challenges:

-The Crafting Family weekly post

-the Scrap Room sketch

-Bird is The Word wonder

-Scrap the Boys summer pastime

-Scrapbookers Anonymous misting

My Feb 12th Bday Girls

There's a new sketch up at Sketches in Thyme (another one of my designs, yahoo!) and here's my take on it:

Such a simple little LO- my daughter and sister last year on their shared birthday. Here's what my journaling says, "How nice of Auntie Sarah to share her birthday with you Eliza! 2 blondies, 2 lefties, 2 February 12th bdays!" I hope you'llhop on over to Sketches in Thyme to check out my sketch, the rest of the takes from the DT and link up your own take too!! =) T

Challenges:

-Sketches in Thyme sketch

-City Crafter Challenge Blog save the date

-Stamping Boutique the number 12

-Paper Issues we've got your number

-Critter Sketch Challenge celebration

Look Who's a New True XOXO Girl!!

So excited to be a new DT member at True XOXO!! They always have such super cool challenges over there, and this month is a great ONE to start with! The challenge is 1! Uno. Un. Eins. ONE! And here's my interpretation:

I used one of each: chipboard number 1, sheet from an old address book, photo, pattern paper (Close to my Heart), crocheted flower (Stampin Up), metal clip, ribbon, scallop punch, embossed scallop stamp (powder-Ranger, stamp- Stampin Up). Hmm...think that about covers it! So much fun to do the "Uno" challenge!! I hope you'll pop on over to the True XOXO blog and see the rest of the fabulous DT layouts. The link up your own "Uno" layout by the end of the month. Can't wait to see what you come up with!! =) T

Challenges:
-True XOXO One
-Crafting When We Can friendship

January Challenge at The Craft Garden

A new year, a new month, and a new challenge at The Craft Garden. This month is all about monochrome projects, and Kerry has made some lovely book print flowers for this month's winner.

As you can see, I chose to pull the color green from the photo to use as my main color. I used green ink to stamp my background cardstock, layered scraps of green patterns and ribbons (great way to use up that stash), used green chipboard letters for the title and accented with a felt flower from Precocious Paper.

I hope you'll give the monochrome look a try, and be sure and link up your project with us at The Craft Garden by January 31st! =) T

Challenges:

-The Craft Garden monochorome

-Sir Stampalot monochorome

-Just us Girls felt

-If The Shoe Fits use your stash

-Paper Issues we've got your number

My Last DT Project at 2 Sisters

The end of 2011 also brings the end of my year-long term as a Design Team member at 2 Sisters Challenge Blog, and what a great year it's been! The theme this week is winter, and we had some fun images to use from our sponsor, The Stamping Boutique. Here's my project:

This was my first DT using digital images, and it has really opened my eyes to the great options and flexibility that can be gained by going digital. I even decided to give digital designing a try myself. You can check our my Breakfast at Tiffany's Digis for purchase here.

Now it's your turn. Show us what you can create using our winter theme. You have until 11:59am Friday, January 6, 2012 to link up your project at 2 Sisters! =) T

Challenges:
-2 Sisters winter
-CR84FN blue, orange, yellow
-Craft Your Days Away snowmen