Check out my new minis...

Just when I thought I would get a break from swapping, here comes Ms. Missy with her cute little cup sleeve mini swap! I hadn't made these in a while and decided it was just the thing I needed to take part in to start back up my creative juices! Now it's my new fascination, as I plan to make more until I just can't stand it!

This is my boy themed mini. It was made using a paper pack I got from Big Lot's. It came with a bunch of cool papers, stickers, and other embellishments that I was able to use throughout the mini.

This is my girl themed mini album. It is an accordian style mini. The entire mini is done in pink, green and black. I used houndstooth felt on the front and back cover and collaged a bunch of other stuff I could find.

This one has to be my favorite. It is for the vintage category. I used Mariposa scraps of scraps (lol), as this paper just doesn't seem to want to go away! It is a very thick accordian mini filled with a variety of embellishments and sweet elements, including this puzzle piece that I made for my Mariposa swap. It is actually very hard for me to give this one away...I am going to try to duplicate it for myself.

Just in time for the Halloween season is this sweet little "BOO" mini. It too has a lot of cute elements inside including foam embellishment and some cute little tags here and there.

I can't wait to see the minis I get in return!  There are some fabulous scrappers involved in this swap.  SMOOCHES!

The End is HERE!

Back in August I never thought I would see this day. However, my last day for the school year is very near and I am super excited about all the time I will have off to do whatever I want! Not only will I get to spend some extra time with my son, trotting around in this Texas heat, but I will also get to take more pictures...and more pictures mean more projects! I've already set up the social calendar up for next week which includes a splash day at a waterpark, the zoo, storytime at the library and the Children's Museum...and on Friday, HH for me! :-) Oh yeah! Stay tuned for more incredible summer inspired projects and layouts! Stay cool!  SMOOCHES!

ME

It is crazy...whenever I have guest over who want to see my scrapbooks, I have eight completed scrapbooks and a host of other mini albums of my three year old son, but only one incomplete one of myself! :-( My summer goal is to finish my book of me...I have a feeling this is going to be a wonderful, adventurous summer for me anyway! Here are a couple of layouts that I completed for some challenges over at scrapbook.com:

This one was for a sketch challenge. I love sketch challenges, especially when the sketch inspires me! I saw this one and immediately knew what I was going to do with it. This is me at a concert a couple months ago.

We went crazy for Mariposa papers when they came out, didn't we? I remember signing up for swap after swap that required use of the papers and embellishments. Since I have TONS of it, I was inspired to lift one of my favorites and use the Mariposa papers to do so! I love the way it came out, especially since I NEVER use these colors!

....but of course I HAD to slide one in there of my cutie pie! Here he is during the final days of winter in a sweater that is my absolute favorite! This one was for the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge. I was FINALLY able to incorporate a starbucks sleeve (over to the left) as a "pocket." Hmph....gives me an idea for a challenge...stay tuned! :-)  SMOOCHES!

...and the winner of the Follow My Blog RAK is....

NUMBER 16 - SUSAN!!!! I had my secretary give me a number between 1 and 20 and thats the number she chose...so, Susan, please email your mailing address to stopnstare4awhile@gmail.com so I can get your RAK out to you. Thanks to everyone who supports me in following my blog!  SMOOCHES!

Oh Boy...Look at MY Boy!

The file folder mini album bug continues to bite...check out this file folder mini I did for my son using K and Company Rough and Tumble and Danny O papers....

An assortment of letters were used for the title work. I dabbered regular chipboard and used Mimosa glimmer mist to give it some "umph." I finished it off with the perfect K and Co "go," and helicopter along with some buttons.



Once you open up the mini, this is the first and second "layout." Each pocket contains "tags" that can be pulled out. There were a variety of embellishments used throughout the entire mini. Pictures were placed on both the front and back of the tags.

This is the third and fourth layouts in the mini. Again, the tags pull out and have pictures on the back. The papers TRULY make this mini...

This is one of the back panels. I chose to keep it simple because not only is this a cuter than cute picture of my boy, but I didn't want to cover up the sayings on the paper.

Once closed completely, this is the back of the album. I rarely use bling on "boy" pages, but this worked so well here! I also chose to use random puffy, epoxy and dimensional stickers to seal the boy "feel" of the entire layout. I highlighted the 3 on the card simply because both of the boys are 3.  I think I can churn out a few more of these...they sure are a lot of fun to make (and functional, too!)  SMOOCHES!

The Love of my Life

I love being a mommy...moreso, I LOVE being a mommy to a handsome, smart, talented little boy! Here are some of this latest pics...

Tball...with soccer soon to follow!

He is a natural...if you are an agent, let me know what you think!

Can't you just see this on the front of a Children's Place store???

The smile that makes everything better!

I FINALLLLY figured it out!

I received three file folder mini albums in my last mini album swap. I had been so intrigued by these mini albums...as a matter of fact I think I was the one who found them on posted the idea! The first time I tried to make one...it was awful! I figured I would just admire the work of my compadres and enjoy the ones I received.

I signed up for a one on one swap and I am sooo impressed with my partner that I decided to give the file folder mini album another try...for her sake, if you will. It took me about 3-4 days to complete, but the end result is pretty cute:

I started off with a red file folder. The folding is a little tricky, but as long as you have everything line up correctly, it will come out just fine. I measured and cut everything out as I went along, and inked the edges with Tim Holtz Worn Lipstick distressing ink. The glittered "LOVE" letters are from the Target dollar spot. Those items are amazing and I am hooked! The flourish and the "out loud" stickers came from a Me and My Big Ideas pack.

On the inside is a total of 4 pockets that hold 4 large tags. Each pocket is elaborately decorated with various embellishments. On the first pocket, the ever so popular stickers that spell out "KISS" comes from Dollar Tree...check the section where they have stickers for the walls. Can you believe? I finished it off with a kiss stamp that came from Michael's, the Valentine Day $1 stamps and a couple of prima flowers with button centers. The second pocket has wide black and white polka dot ribbon and a heat embossed rose that I scored in my embellished stamp swap.

Pocket number 3 has a bingo card on it, along with a distressed stamp of a beautfiul gown. I found this stamp a Big Lots for 50 cents! I also put a heart doilie around the tag, more so for some texture. The last pocket holds a tag with a huge piece of lace tied around it. Hearts were cut out and placed at the bottom with pop dots for dimension. Then, of course, some bling!

Letters of the Word...how clever!

Hi everyone! I know I have been missing in action! Here is something I've been meaning to share with you for some time now. A few months ago I was in a wonderful swap called letters of the word. It was hosted by my scrappy friend Midnitescrapper (Vickie) over at the Scrapbook.com swap board. The object was to sign up for a letter within a word and make enough of that letter for all of the other ladies within that word. I hope that makes sense! We also had to stay within a certain color palette so the letters would all complement each other. The end result was a super cute word with a letter made by a different scrapper! Check it out:

I was in about 40 or so groups, but these are just a few of my favorites! Here is a layout where I was able to use "Rock On." Isn't it just perfect?

Its All About the Chunky!

Is it just me or is everyone going crazy over these chunky albums right now? Chunked full of some of everything, a chunky mini album should be hard to close and easy to fall in love with!

Take a look at some of my chunky creations:

This is a mini Princess chunky I did for my co-founder-in-crime (over at the Simply Glamorous Page Kit blog), Lisa. I believe it measures 4x4.

Filled with tags and embellishments....that is an accordian on the right side being held down by a paper clip. Pull it out and there is space for more pictures and journaling.

This is another chunky that I made for Lisa. This one is a paper bag flap album in bright colors.

What you are looking at is a Starbucks sleeve that I transformed into a pocket. These great dies were cut using the Cricut and the new Paisley cartridge.

I love feathers...they are my new "thing."

This mini was done for a New Year's Challenge that I presented to my sb.com comrades. We were to make a mini that showcased ten of our favorite things...

Amongst some of my favorite things are music and Michael Jackson.

....and of course, being a mom!

Welcome to My World!

Hi Friends!

I know it appears (by date only) that I am new to the blog world, but really I am not. I just decided to come on over to the same "spot" where most of my creative friends hang out, maybe get a few followers or two...most importantly, though, I couldn't figure out how to make my other page "cute" and "vibrant." *LOL* So there have you...

I am really excited about this new blog and with it comes new projects that I am dying to start! I cannot tell you how excited I am about finishing up my week long fast and getting back to creating with a fresh, renewed spirit and mind! This fast has done wonders for my soul.

Anywho...stay tuned (and visit often) for new things for the new 2010 year. Since you are here now, you'll just have to settle for s0me of my favorite layouts:

Here is my son on his 2nd birthday. His birthday party was obviously a pirate theme. I had a great time shopping for items for his party. Everyone knows I am a bargain shopper so I was able to grab some great pirate skulls on clearance after Halloween and even create a treasure trunk filled with goodies. We also had a treasure hunt as one of the activities, as well as pin the patch on the pirate! HOW FUN!

...and here I am on my 35th birthday, having a blast! This layout is filled with all things pink and black. I love this layout because it perfectly showcases my style "Glamour Chic"....lots of girly elements and things that pop, like the touch of green here and there.

I loved my above birthday layout so much that I lifted it for this picture. Let me tell you, when you have hit a creative slump, nothing gets you going like going back to something you thought was wonderful and challenging yourself to do it all over again! This has to be one of my favorite pictures of my son and my nephew at the zoo. This layout was done using tons of scraps as well as some items I received in swaps. That huge giraffe was a random thing I bought because it was on sale. It is a perfect item on this layout - Two 2 year old boys...what a joy!

I really love these pictures of my son on the 4th of July because they show so many of his different happy expressions. Don't these just make you want to smile?

I am so proud of this layout. There are just so many things that I love about it! First of all, take a look at those handsome toddlers! Okay, maybe I am biased. I challenged myself to use white, have tons of negative space, use scrap paper and pieces of ribbon AND use those round stickers that I have had for probably 5 years now. I think I did a pretty good job of ALL of that...