Child's Play Blog Hop Today!!

Very excited to be the first stop on the "What's Under the Christmas Tree" blog hop!! (If you get lost along the way, you can head on over to Child's Play Challenges for the master list.) The DT girls have made their Christmas Lists and we're hoping Santa will leave all sorts of fun goodies under the tree. And in true Child's Play Challenge form, we're scrapping about those toys too!! 

Here's what's under my Christmas tree...Squinkies!!

 

My little girl is a fan of Squinkies, and if you're not familiar with them they are teeny tiny little animals just small enough for the eye to miss but the vacuum to suck up- don't you love those kind of toys?!?!? She's been playing with these little guys for several years now, and the collection just keeps growing and growing... here's a layout I created all about our first Christmas with Squinkies under the tree:  

Now besides all the fun layouts the DT has to share with you on the hop, we have a prize to give away to one lucky hopper too:

  

Here's what you need to do to enter:

1-check out each blog along the hop and leave a comment so we know you were there!

2-post about the hop on your blog

3-link your post on our special "Blog Hop" linky in the sidebar by December 31st

4-BONUS!! Create a layout based on any of the DTs inspiration items and post that link for a second entry!!

Now, I would of course love love love for you to be a follower of my blog too- I'm on 8 different design teams, so you never know what kind of inspiration I have up my sleeve!! Your next stop on the hop is Ashley! Have fun hopping and have a very merry Christmas!!  =) T

Twihard- Twisted Tuesday

wow- now that I'm a working girl, this blogging thing is tough to keep up with! Just realized I haven't added anything new since last week...yikes!! So, here's what I've been working on for Twisted Tuesday:

Last week the challenge was multiples+stitching. So I pulled out a fav photo technique, using the same pic multiple times in various sizes. This one was of my niece and I headed to see the latest Twilight movie- such a fun night the 2 of us had!! For the stitching element of the layout, I added hand-drawn "stitches" around the white edge, and stamped stitches beneath my twine! I am also linking this up to the GENERATIONS challenge at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge , I used sketch #189 from Unscripted Sketches and the color scheme at Play Date Cafe.

The current challenge at Twisted Tuesday's is tags+smiles. We had to use crafting techniques/tools/embellies that make us smile. For me it's several items on this page 1- embossing with my Big Shot, I am in LOVE with my new woodgrain folder! 2- inking EVERYTHING!! 3-using my own handwriting on my page (my "comfort and joy" title) and 4- a great pic of my kiddos!! I am also linking this layout to the RECIPE challenge at Craft Your Passion (3 different papers, ribbon, circle) and the CHRISTMAS challenge at Dream Valley Challenges.

No work for me today, so I'm off to the craft room for a bit more scrapping...=) T

Step Into Christmas- Scrap It With a Song

We're singing along to favorite Christmas songs this month at Scrap It With a Song. The latest on the playlist is Step into Christmas by Elton John. Here's my creation:

This was a super-simple twenty-minutes-or-less layout! The jumbo candy circle came in a Creative Memories Christmas kit I've had in my stash for over 2 years! While adorable, it was a little too bright for my taste. So of course I grabbed the ink and roughed it up a bit, and then grabbed my handy dandy Sharpie and doodled along the edges. Just enough to take away the shine and make it more my style. I scalloped the edge of a red scrap to run across the page, added my photos and 3 simple vintage inspired embellies (these were actualy in my friend's stash, isn't it great when you scrap with a friend?) ...and that was it! I definitely could have done more, added ribbons, buttons, etc...but it's done and in the Christmas album so I am happy!!

If you have a chance, please hop on over to Scrap It With a Song and see what the rest of the DT came up with, and check out our DT Call going on right now too. We'd love to have a few new faces join us!! =) T

"Step Into Christmas" linking up to:

-Scrap it With a Song step into christmas

-Sketch N Scrap sketch

- Color Q color combo

 

-Craftymess vintage christmas

-Scrap our Stash circle around
-True XOXO December Baby!! 

'Twas- Childs Play Challenges

Time for a storybook challenge at Child's Play Challenges; this week we're getting inspired by Mary Engelbreit's version of "The Night Before Christmas". Here's what I came up with:

 

Santa comes to visit my sister-in-law's house every year on Christmas Eve, and we do our best to get all the cousins together to snap a pic with the big man! Have your own Night Before Christmas tradition to scrap? Link up with us at Child's Play Challenges, we'd love to see your layout! =) T

"'Twas" linking up to:
-Child's Play Challenges The Night Before Christmas
-Stuck?! sketch

-True XOXO December, Baby!
-Sisterhood of Crafters embossing
-Anything Goes Challenge Blog tags
-Unstampabelles Christmas, no stamps

Photo Booth- Black with 2

This month at Black with 2 we're playing with a lovely color scheme:

 

The challenge is black, with red and silver. Here's what I came up with:

Eve is also hosting a Design Team Call over at Black with 2 as well, so be sure and stop by the blog to see more fabulous layouts from the DT, link up your black, silver and red LO, and find out the info on entering the DT call! =) T

"Photo Booth" linking up to:

-Black with 2 black, silver, red

-iClassy Girl sketch

 

-Desert Island Craft Challenge Anything But A Card, Glitter, Blood Red

-Oozak anything goes plus red 

-Pile It On embellishments 

Thanksgiving Wishes- Craft Garden

Time for a new month-long challenge at The Craft Garden. This month we're using the birth flower of December, the narcissus. I used the whites and yellows of the flower as my main colors for my layout:

Would love for you to get in on the fun over at The Craft Garden too- stop on by to see what the rest of the DT has come up with, and link up your own take on our Narcissus challenge! =) T

"Thanksgiving Wishes" linking up to:
-The Craft Garden narcissus
-Sketchbook 365 sketch
 
-Cards Galore Scrapbook Challenge kids
-ScrapFIT thankful
-Challenges 4 Everybody anything goes
-Craft us Crazy give thanks 

Catch Up Post!

December is here already...YIKES! And I still have a few November layouts to post for you before I begin this month's assignments!!! First up, I have a layout I created for Childs Play Challenges. We have so much fun over there, week after week finding inspiration in classic toys from our childhood, children's books, favorite movies and fun craft supplies. My latest layout is inspired by the game Apples to Apples. I pulled the reds and greens from the game for my layout:

Next I have a layout I created for my latest sketch design over at Sketches in Thyme. Here's the sketch:

 

And here's my layout:

Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you'll hop on over to these 2 blogs and see what the rest of the DT has been working on!! =) T

Lets Go Pats- Twisted Tuesdays

My turn for a challenge post over at Twisted Tuesday, this week we're finding inspiration in the pretty picture, plus the added twist of eyelets:

 

and here's what I came up with:

So my layout is not as pretty and elegant as the inspiration pic, but I did pull blue and silver for my color scheme. I added silver stickles to my banner pieces, used silver eyelets, and even sprayed my white background cardstock with silver glimmer mist. Stop on over to Twisted Tuesday to see what the rest of the DT has come up using this lovely photo! =) T

"Lets Go Pats" linking up to:

-Twisted Tuesday blue, silver and eyelets

-Unscripted Sketches sketch

Blow It Up- Childs Play Challenges

This week at Child's Play Challenges we're playing with a fun art supply, speckled feathers!

This layout is of my ADULT cousins who went crazy with the blow up animals last summer at the beach. It was quite the sight to see a bunch of grown men and women riding the waves on inflatable dolphins and sharks!! I decided to pull the bright colors from the feathers, and added bits of black glitter for the "speckle". I also added dots of the black glitter to the centers of some of the die cut circles. Now, see that strip of bright pattern paper through the middle? That's actually cut from the cover of a PP pack, ya know how they show you all the different patterns that come in the pack, well this pack rat girl saves everything!

Would love to have you join us at Child's Play Challenges, link up your takes on any of our November challenges for a chance to win a great prize! =) T

"Blow It Up" linking to:

-Child's Play Challenges speckled feathers

-Artistic Inspirations recycle/anything goes 

-Allsorts Challenge Blog young at heart

-The Studio Challenges diecuts

Running Down a Dream- Twisted Tuesday

It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for a new challenge at Twisted Tuesday. This week the challenge is to stamp on pattern paper, and the twist is to use teal. Here's what I came up with:

I used misting ink on the background of the layout, and then stamped a scallop edge along the pattern paper that's running through the layout. Did you notice that the PP says "I like to go fast"? How perfect is that? My sister-in-law gave me a whole folder of PP she wasn't using, and this was in there, score!! The green circle is actually the reverse side of the fast paper, and I used a distressing tool to rough up the edges.I love love LOVE using song lyrics as titles on my scrap page, so of course I HAD to use Tom Petty's "Running Down a Dream" on the layout of my husband's first 5K!

Want to get in on the Twisted action this week? link up your take on the challenge at Twisted Tuesday by Sunday, we'd love to see your creations! =) T

"Running Down a Dream" linking to:

-Twisted Tuesday teal and stamping

-Cupcake Craft Challenge sketch

 

-Lasting Memories tribute to someone special
-Dream Valley Challenges anything goes

-Love to Create fancy edges
-Paper Issues stamp on it

Arrgh- Sketches in Thyme

I have a new sketch up at Sketches in Thyme. I just LOVE designing sketches, and even better than that is seeing all the talented scrappers bringing my sketches to life!

Here's my take on it:

My daughter and her two cousins who came to see her Pirate Play Performance!! For this layout, i went to one of my go-to moves, which is to cut a strip of the double sided pattern paper, flip it and tape it! So the center light pink strip on here is just the reverse of the red. I added strips of ribbon to hide the seams. Hope you'll give the sketch a try and link it up over at Sketches in Thyme!! =) T

Summer Sips- Childs Play Challenges

This week at Child's Play Challenges, we're getting inspired by the movie, "The Sound of Music". I was stumped at first, I didn't have any musical photos to scrap. But then I remembered this photo with the girls sitting in a grassy field, perfect!! The hills are alive with the sound of...smoothies?

This was a super-easy layout to make, so easy i can't even take credit for much of it. The pattern paper background was already so pretty, I just added a few little touches! I put a strip of pp behind my photo, stapled on some photo corners, and added diecut letters for my "Summer Sips" title. Easy Peasy!! =) T

"Summer Sips" linking up to:

-Childs Play Challenges the sound of music

-Bird is the Word summer

-Paper Crafting Journey anything goes

You're the Man- Twisted Tuesdays

It's "Guys Week" at Twisted Tuesdays, and we're challenging you to create a masculine creation. The twist is to use "tools". This can be a stamped image or it can be your crafting tools. Like your Big Shot, Cuttlebug, Cricut, paper punches, etc. Just make sure to include some type of tool when making your creation! Here's what I've created:

I started with this super fun mustache paper by Recollections I bought at Joanne's. Had no idea what I would ever use it for, but it was ON SALE 5/$1, so who could resist?? More layouts to come using my stash of 5/$1 paper!! For tools I used a corner rounder punch and embossing gun on the "you're the man" title. I also tied a bit of twine around a washer, and added 3 faux screw brads as accents! Ready to get manly on your paper crafting? Link up at Twisted Tuesday by Sunday! =) T

"You're the Man" linking up to:

-Twisted Tuesday guys week

-All Sorts for men

-Shop Our Stash something you bought on sale 

-Paper Issues stamp on it

November Challenges

November 1st brings a bunch of new challenges at monthly blogs I participate in. You can check out my list of Favorite Blogs to see all my haunts! Here's what's going on right now:

First up, over at Black With 2, we're using Black with light and dark pink:

Next, we have a fairy picture in blues and greens to use as inspiration at The Craft Garden:

And finally, over at True XOXO Scrapbooking we're playing with the layout from the Facebook Timeline:

Would love for you to stop on by these blogs, see what the rest of the DT has come up with, say hello and play along! =) T

Besides these fabulous blogs, I'm also linking up to The Purple Mailbox Linky Party:

 

Little Smoothie Pops- Childs Play Challenges

The latest challenge at Child's Play Challenges is a favorite toy of lots of little girls, My Little Pony!! Since my daughter is a middle-schooler, our pony days are over, so I decided to go with the pastel colors of the toy, and include the word "little" in my title:

Fun things to note: I pulled out my scraps, scallop-punched 3 strips of pink PP and layered them over my background. Fun way to add a bit of texture with the layers! I also added buttons and twine to 2 sweet little butterflies from The Craft Garden.

Want to join in the fun? We'll have 4 great challenges to play along with this month at Child's Play Challenges, hope to see you there! =) T

Linking up to:
-Childs Play Challenges my little pony
-Paper Crafting Journey twine
-Unique Crafters Challenge sugar and spice
-Flutterby Wednesdays anything goes+butterfly

Freedom- Scrap It With a Song

In honor of the upcoming election, the latest song selection at Scrap It With a Song is "Freedom" by George Michael. I had a great pic of my kiddos in front of our van this summer. We had just painted all the windows with "Vote Yes" decorations and were heading out to hold signs out on Main Street for a while. Our town was facing school budget issues, and if they didn't pass we would have lost Art, Music, Computers, etc. What would life be like without those important things?? I am happy to say it passed, by THREE VOTES!! A great lesson in civics and EVERY VOTE COUNTS so use it!!

Fun thing to nite on this layout. I punched out 3 cardstock stars, placed them in the corner and then used my spray ink over them. Lifted up the stars and I had a 3 fun masked stars! Have a great weekend everyone, I'm off to my Ready Set CROP weekend- 3 days of scrapping with friends, yahoo!! =) T

"Freedom" linking up to:

-Scrap It With a Song freedom

-Paperhaus sketch

 

-ScrapFIT tape

-DYSU brads

-Punky Scraps 3 different punches, staples, masking, chevrons, 2 pattern papers, 1 picture

Lightning Crashes

There's a new challenge up at Sketch With Color combining a color combo and sketch:

 

 

and here's what i came up with:

You can't really tell from this photo, but my pic of of a bolt of lightning I was able to capture during a fabulous summer storm!! =) T

Remember this Moment- Crafting Family

Hello and Happy Halloween!! yesterday was my day to post at Crafting Family, and I shared a layout featuring my son and his best friend at their winter concert last year- so glad to get a pic of them after the show, the one time of the year my son is "dressed up"!!

I owe a lot of challenge blogs thanks for inspiring this layout. First, I started with this color combo at Play Date Cafe:

A fabulous sketch from Sketchbook 365:

And combined with the Music challenge at Bird is the Word:

Discovering Bentley Brook- Twisted Tuesday

It's Tuesday, and that means it's time for another Twisted Tuesday challenge. This week's an easy one, it's a free for all. No twist, just show us what you've been working on! Here's my contribution:

You can't really tell from the photo, but the "Destination" is part of a 12x12 transparency that I've had in my stash for YEARS!! I lined up where I needed the subtitle to be and wrote that on the background PP in white gel ink. Waited for it to dry and then layered the transparency to the PP by stapling it in the 4 corners.  I then layered the photos over the transparency and added a bit of scallop kraft wrapped with twine as a simple accent.

So what are you working on? Link up with us at Twisted Tuesday by Sunday, we'd love to see your project! =) T

"Destination" linking up to:

-Twisted Tuesday anything goes

-Love to Create lots of layers

-Paper Crafting Journey twine

Silly Little Monkey- Sketches in Thyme

I've had these pics of my daughter for a while and have had a severe case of scrappers block with them. They're not the greatest quality pics, and it's of no particular event or moment of importance. Just my daughter having a snack after her shower. her hair's wrapped up in a towel and she's acting goofy. That's all- but I LOVE the photos and wanted to use them, but how?? I finally chose 3 favorites (I think there were 6 in all) and used my latest sketch design at Sketches in Thyme to create this little gem:

I was stuck for a title too- for the longest time all I could think was "Turban Girl" and that just didn't seem right at all!! I ended up with "Silly Little Monkey" because she was 1-acting silly and 2-wearing monkey pajamas, very clever huh?? You still have a few more days to get in on the sketchy fun over at Sketches in Thyme, link up by October 31st!! =)T

"Silly Monkey" linking to:

-Sketches in Thyme sketch

 

-Color Me Scrappy colors

5 Kids-In the living room- with the crayons

This week the challenge at Child's Play Challenges is the board game Clue. To be honest, I was stumped on this one. I didn't have any board game pics to scrap, and didn't feel like going with the colors of the game. Every time I thought of Clue, all I could think was, "Mr. Mustard, In the Dining Room, With the Candlestick". So...

I went with, "5 Kids, in the living room, with the crayons". It's not a particularly fabulous photo, but I'm kind of proud of the story behind it. See, along with my own 2 kiddos, I have 3 extras most days in the summer. So that's 5 kids all ages 10-12. And while some days are a breeze, there are days when humid temperatures, bad attitudes and just general middle-school moodiness can really put a damper on things. And this was one of those days! So I printed up some elaborate stained-glass coloring pages, set them out with a collection of fancy crayons and there was an hour of quiet (which I can tell you does not happen often!) while all 5 kids agreeably colored on their bellies under the cool air of the ceiling fan. It was kind of magical!! 

In addition to this page being made for the Clue challenge at Child's Play, I've also incorporated a few other challenges, starting with this fabulous sketch at Sketch with Color for their DT Call! 

 

 

I've also used the BROWN, ORANGE and CREAM color scheme at For Fun Challenges and a TON of ORANGE brads from my stash for the challenge at Use It Tuesday! (seriously, how many brads does one person need??) =) T

Simple Things- Crafting Family

Time for my weekly Tuesday post at Crafting Family. Today I have a layout of my son and his cousin having a sleepover. These 2 are so sweet together. They might be 7 years apart, but they share a special bond I was happy to scrap about! Same crazy high-energy personalities with a love for life and a sweetness and caring for others (especially their little sisters) that is amazing!

Fun thing to note on this layout: I had a great piece of double-sided paper to use for this layout, but was in love with BOTH sides! I ended up cutting the paper into thirds and flipping the center piece to reveal the opposite side. Great way to get the most of those 2-sided PPs you love!! =) T

"Simple Things" linking up to:

-Crafting Family weekly post

-Lasting Memories double take