Too much good news NOT to share!!!

December has completely snuck up on this chic over here!  Not only is Christmas in 2 weeks (and I haven't even put up my tree yet,) but I also need to get myself in gear and get out there and start my Christmas shopping as well!  I know, I know...I'm pretty trifling right about now.

Anywho, I have 3 pieces of wonderful news to share with you!

First off, I received an invitation to join the Stick it Down Design Team!  Yes, I am now a member of the new sketch challenge blog that promises to provide WONDERFUL card sketches as well as one and two page sketches.  Check out the Stick it Down site and be sure to play along with us!  There are some REALLY talented ladies who will be creating over there and I am so very excited about being on the team with my scrappy friend Brenshevia Baker who will be creating the sketches!  She has a few wonderful sites herself.  Check out her personal blog here.

.  I don't know about you, but if it weren't for sketches, I'd probably still be using construction paper to create scrap pages...well, probably not.  HA!  I have come a long way though...there is no disputing that!

Secondly, I've been stalking the DCWV blog all week to see the top 10 scrapaholic picks for the month of November and guess what???  My submission was chosen!!!

Here is the DCWV sketch:

and here is my creation using the DCWV Teenage Dream Stack:

I really enjoyed this sketch!  It allowed me to use so many different papers from the stack which went PERFECTLY with the picture I chose to scrap of my boy!  Isn't that paper with the sneakers all over it the best ever!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE DCWV papers...there are my absolute favorite!  Now that I've made top 10, I'll be playing more often.  I think this is maybe my 2nd submission ever.  They sure do know how to make a girl feel special!

Last, but not least (and I don't know how much of an "announcement" this is, but) I've found a new crafty hobby!  Paper crafting will always be my first love, but I have taken on the task of making my own deco wreath this year for my door!  I know that's not "big news," but it is something I am very excited about!  I've bought many rolls of deco mesh and beautiful ribbons to make a few wreaths this year.  If this goes well, I'll be making wreaths for my school and probably every year for my son's teachers!  They are so beautiful!

Have you been checking out the Unscripted Sketches blog?  I am still so very excited to be a part of this design team!  This week I chose to make a card.  Those of you who know me know I am NOT a card maker.  Sure I buy cards, but I use them to create mini albums! 

Here is the sketch:

 and here is my creation based on the sketch...just in time for the holidays!

I used the MAMBI Holiday paper pad to make this card.  I cut out the mittens using the Simply Charmed cricut cartridge.  One trick I've discovered (which you might have already figured out) is to turn the paper backward (printed side down) to cut the 2nd mitten so that the thumbs are "pointing" different instead of cutting duplicate images.  I hope that makes sense.  I completely messed that up with the backsides of my onsie album so I just wanted to share that tip!

As you can tell, all is well in my scrappy world!  OHHH, I almost forgot...I'm debating on whether I should put the Cameo on my Santa list.  I don't know enough about it to determine.  What are your thoughts?  On another note, I picked up the cricut mini from Michael's for $69.99!  I thought that was a steal!!!

At any rate, be sure to check back for more scrappy projects and dt work!

SMOOCHES!

Oh Boy Mini Album

Outside of creating layouts, I would have to say creating mini albums from scratch has to be my 2nd favorite thing to do!  I actually sat down and finished this mini album in one sitting!  You can't even imagine how proud I was of myself.  Proud is actually an understatement!  Check out my YouTube video which details each page and give a little information about how I made it and the materials I used.

Made completely using kraft envelopes from Hobby Lobby and the Awesome Boy stack from Recollections, this mini album is filled with pockets, tags and other cutouts from the stack!  I didn't use alot of other product...this stack has it all!  In addition, I cut out the title using the Boys Will be Boys Cricut cartridge!

I plan on taking pictures throughout the year (2014) of my boy and using them in this album.  Who else is guilty of taking wonderful, candid photos using their phone and never doing anything with them?  Yeah...me too!

I also bought the Fabulous Girl stack from Recollections which has the same wonderful cut outs.  I plan to make a mini album using that stack as well!  I've also had a few friends ask for a tutorial and since I made this mini album "all by myself" (without the use of a tutorial or YouTube video) I think I might have figured out a new binding system using only the flaps of the envelopes and no additional gusset!  That's huge (if that is indeed true, lol!)

SMOOCHES!

Catch the Sketch Fever!

I am so excited about my first design team project for the Unscripted Sketches site!  Here is the wonderful sketch I had to work from:

 
  


 Here is my project...a baby book made from chipboard using the New Arrival cricut cartridge and the DCWV Little Mister stack.  Initially when I saw the sketch, I saw it exactly as it was  pictured and wanted to do something other than a card or layout (which is what my sketches always amount to.)  After I finished this mini album, I started to see other things I could've done...such as a pawprint or a flower.  Some of my other DT members interpreted it so cleverly...one saw wings of a butterfly and one use nothing but flowers.  That is the beauty of working with sketches...you can literally interpret it into anything you want it to be!  Over at Unscripted Sketches, you can create whatever you want, flip it around..afterall, it is unscripted!  Be sure to come over and check us out!

 

 Here is another layout I worked on for the monthly sketch challenge over at scrapbook.com hosted by JusLyn:



This sketch was so much fun to work with as well!  I decided to use squares instead of hexagons and follow the same "direction" as the original sketch.  I LOVE the way it turned out!  Be sure to check back later in the week for new projects!

SMOOCHES!

I'm an Unscripted Sketches Design Team Member!

I received the notification email on Thursday, but had to wait until today to announce my FABULOUS news!  After years of wanting to be on a Design Team, my desire has finally come to fruition!  I was chosen to be a part of the wonderful team of designers over at Unscripted Sketches!!!  I am so excited about this opportunity and can't wait to start!  Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty serious about my crafting.  This just takes that passion to a whole different level.  Now I will be working on weekly projects for Unscripted Sketches, my work will be "published" and my blog will have more traffic!  How exciting! I've already prepared my first submission, so be sure to check the site and visit here often to see my projects in full detail.  I will also be sure to post a YouTube video so you can see the very first onein real life...cover to cover!

SMOOCHES!

More LOTWs...I'm hooked!

Made by many different ladies, I did the pearled out "r."  Isn't this gorgeous?

This couldn't have come out more perfect!  I made the "n."

I will have to book a cruise just so I can use these!  My addition to this work of art was the "r."

This is going to be perfect in my wedding SMASH album!  I created the blingy ringed "G."

I promised myself that this would be the very last LOTW swap I participated in until next summer.  The ladies over at scrapbook.com are going strong with these creations.  The swap is really an addictive one!  I have been using more of these on my own creations lately.  I have a huge ziploc bag full!  Check out one of my recent layouts where I used "Son:"

I misted and painted on the white background paper (as well as used some washi and did some stamping) to create the perfect palette for this adorable picture of my son on my wedding day.  He was hanging out on the balcony when the photographer snapped this shot of him.  See the LOTWs?

In addition to swapping, I've also been working on catching up on my layouts.  I've managed to do 2-3 a week.  At this rate, I should definitely be able to reach my goal of 52 for the year.  I've also been working on completing some mini albums that have been laying around AND creating new ones.  Be sure to come back to check out my halloween mini!

SMOOCHES!

Here Comes The Bride

 I would be lying to you if I said I wasn't super excited about getting my wedding photos printed so I could start scrapping them!  It's all I've been scrapping as of lately!  I've been buying and making all sorts of wedding embellies, papers and flowers so my layouts would be nothing less than fabulous.  Check out a few of them:

Walked down the aisle by my son, here we are making our grand entrance!

This is my cousin and I.  She lives in London, England and will be getting married in May, 2014!

These pictures were taken at our at home reception.  I love candid shots!


With over 1,000 pictures taken by our photographer, I have been in scrappin' heaven these last couple of months!  I will be starting on my very first SMASH album really soon and am pretty excited about that!

I'm a Mrs!

My wedding couldn't have been more perfect!

We had 44 guests fly into Riviera Maya, Mexico to join us for our special day!  The location was a very posh, all inclusive resort that had tons for everyone to do!  We enjoyed fine cuisines, premium drinks, beautiful days on the beach (and by the pool) and gorgeous sights.

The next week, we had an at home reception for all of our friends and family members who could not make it to Mexico.  We had light bites and an open bar!  It was all very wonderful!

If I had to do it all over again I would do it the same way!  Unlike most brides, there was little stress involved in my wedding planning process.  Having a destination wedding where someone else plans every little detail was ideal for me, especially with all that I had going on professionally!  Planning a party at home was a breeze as well because I had a lot of help.  If this is any indication of our life together, tere is no doubt that we will have a "happily ever after!"