Stellar Start S.W.A.T Blog Hop

Welcome to the first S.W.A.T. blog hop!  

Today S.W.A.T is welcoming our new team members and to celebrate we are having a Red, White and Blue Blog Hop and Challenge. What a great way to introduce you to the new team members.  (That’s me inlcuded!!)

Here in the USA its almost the 4th of July so everywhere you look you will find Red, White and Blue, so that’s the challenge we have for you! 

For my project I created a layout.  I went through my stash and pulled the ever adorable October Afternoon paper.  While looking at the paper, I kept thinking about my son and his first day of kindergarten.  He was so excited to be starting a new adventure.  He had wanted to start school when he was two years old and I can still hear him saying, "I go school Mommy.  I ride big bus."  He wanted to go to school with me and ride the bus that would travel through our neighborhood.  Too CUTE!  Well - he finally did get to go to school and his first day of kindergarten was a Stellar Start for him.  He was firmly convinced that every day should be a school day so he could learn and play and learn some more.  That was nine years ago.  This fall, my "little" boy - who towers over me and has a deep voice - will be attending high school (eek!).

Capturing special moments through scrapbooking is part of why I do this crafty "stuff".  I also absolutely love creating something given just a tiny bit of inspiration such as a photo or a sketch or a conversation that I've had with my gal pals.  Here's the layout and I hope that you've enjoyed a little walk down memory lane with me, this morning.  This has been a Stellar Start for me as well!

Remember just use Red, White and Blue - anything goes maybe even a layout about fireworks that go way {HIGH} up in the sky and you have until July 28th 11:59PM EST to link up your project over at S.W.A.T.  As an extra incentive for my blog, I am also giving away a little bit of scrap happiness just be sure to be a follower and comment by Monday, July 1st at 11:59PM EST.

The Rules are:

1.    You MUST be a follower of each S.W.A.T Girl’s blog and leave a comment on each blog and; 

2.    You MUST also be a follower of the S.W.A.T blog.

3.    You must email your quote answer to: swatscrappygirl@gmail by Monday, July 1st at 11:59PM EST

Now hop on over to Doris’ blog to see what she has in store for you!

Here is the lineup in case you get lost!

Alison - http://alisondaydesigns.com

Becci- http://b-handmade.blogspot.com/

Bev -  http://beeceecreativity.blogspot.com/

Claude http://imzadi481.blogspot.ca/

Deborah - http://scrappinthelittlethings.blogspot.com/    <<<<<----you are here!

Doris - http://distressedscrapper.com

Lisa- http://www.snappinandscrappin.blogspot.com/

Michele http://stuffbybelle.blogspot.com

Nicole- http://shezigzags.blogspot.com

Nicolle- http://nicollelovesscrapbooking.blogspot.com/

Venetia http://atomicvenetia.blogspot.com

Lanette  http://stacksofscraps.blogspot.com/

Sweet Little One

Good morning!  Once again the Ten Things Team is excited to bring to you at least ten different ways to use vellum.  I found this cute vellum piece and knew instantly that it would be for a new baby card and that a bit of fun confetti would really be a treat for the mom!

I stitched the vellum onto the card base and then filled it with a smattering of confetti in all shapes and sizes.  Then I topped it off with some cute, yet manly ribbon and a half-circle crochet medallion.

Can't wait to see your creations!! Be sure to send me a link of your creation so that I can ooohhh, and aaaahhhhh over your fun cards, too!

Have a scrappy-happy day!

Washi Tape Gift Tags {@ Practical Scrappers}

Good morning!  At Practical Scrappers, we are sharing ideas with you on how to use Washi Tape.  You do have some don't you?  I enjoy creating handmade gifts for my family as well as tags to go with those gifts and here is a smattering of ideas for you to try:

I used tag templates from Kiwi Lane Designs to make the tags.

I used almost every washi tape that I own.

I even stamped on the washi or the tag.

Hopefully, you will find something that really inspires you today.

Have a scrappy-happy day!

Crafts for Father's Day

Well its time for the crafty kids to shine!  Victoria wanted to make cupcakes and we started out with the idea to decorate them with a tent camping theme.  I don't think that we have the right type of materials for this - but she was willing to be flexible (whew!).

Both of the kids worked together to decorate the cupcakes and to make the little signs.

Here's a button that is sure to get attention when we head out tomorrow!!

And finally - this is the graphic I used for all of this craftiness!

The washi is from I Love My Tapes.

Celebrate 12!

While we were busy planning my girl's birthday - she came up with some really cool ideas including her cake.  She wanted to have a strawberry cream-filled cake.  She helped to search the internet for the right recipe and then decided to make.it.herself!

She's such a happy kiddo and I love her with all of my heart!

Today's sketch is from Practical Scrappers

Materials used:  StampinUp, My Mind's Eye, Bo Bunny, We R Memory Keepers, 

Best Father Ever

Every Wednesday, the lovely Mrs. Sweet of Sweet Stamp Shop, issues a challenge to use what's in your stash - take a photo - and then create a card.  She also included a fun freebie.  I scrambled quickly to get that card done - 

And - this works really well for the Masculine challenge at Use It Tuesday.  While the image is new, the blue card stock, white card stock and kraft card stock are all from my stash.  The blue is the oldest at over a year old.  I get it from my sister's Stampin' Up! catalogue so I usually order more than I'll need for a few months.

If you would like the freebie - just head on over to her blog and she'll hook you up (I have a link on my right side bar ... click away!)

Sea Monster

Happy Crafty Monday!

As I was working on this beach layout for the Paper Girls Challenge Blog - I came across my We R Memory Keepers' Sew Easy supplies - this is the very first layout that I've actually used the Sew Easy for a layout.  I typically pull out the sewing machine ... I think I've just been a bit intimidated by the whole get the paper piercings correct on the page and then the time it takes to hand stitch ... anyway - I really love this look!

 A close up of the stitching ...

 Sketch from Scrapbook.Steals.com - Peridot #6

Materials used:

Echo Park,  We R Memory Keepers

I love this GIRL!

I Love This Girl!

She has the absolute bluest eyes!  I used Simple Stories 24/7 for the background and then My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Two for all of the accent pieces.  The gorgeous flower ribbon is from Stampin' Up! and the sketch is from Scrapbook.Steals.com

and there's a fun color challenge from S.W.A.T

Peridot #5 (a bit late on getting this one done!!)

Have a happy-scrappy day!!

Father's Day Card

Each year, I send a card to my dad, who lives in Southern Illinois, to wish him a happy Father's Day. My parents retired there after living in Chicago, IL for most of their lives.  Slower pace to life and wide open spaces....ahh!!

After the kids saw this, they both jumped up, ran to the crafting room and began their own creations for their dad!  LOVE IT!

Materials used:  Mr. Huey's mists, Studio Calico bubble mask, twine, button and Father dimensional sticker from K & Co.

Calendar Cover

My sister is a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and she taught a class on how to make a prayer journal - LOVED that!!! I'm working on my prayer journal and should really post some photos - but that's on tap for another morning ...

I did have left over paper from the project - this is Stampin' Up! Designer Series paper called This and That Epic Day.  I just LOVE this paper and decided it was time to put a personalized spin on my calendar:

Have a fantastic day!

Love You Much

Tuesday was rather fun in the Johnson house ... The boy went to wrestling camp for 2 1/2 hours so the girl and I had "girlie" time - we went to a coffee shop and enjoyed each other's company for a while then did a most fantastic thing - we bought groceries!!!  Yup - finally after four weeks - no more heading "to market, to market to buy a fat pig" for us - we are stocked!

With that out of the way, I felt far more relaxed than I have in weeks so you guessed it - CRAFTING TIME!!!

Here's a card that I made for Practical Scrapper's June card sketch.  Be sure to stop by Practical Scrapper's blog to see what the rest of the team completed.

Here's the sketch:

Materials used:  Webster's Pages, Authentique, Mr. Huey's Mists, My Mind's Eye

Have a wonderful scrappy-happy day!

Enjoy the Everyday

Its been a rough couple of weeks around the Johnson house with a new AC unit and then car repairs but we're making it through this "storm".  While I was thinking about which photos to use - I came across several that were just ordinary.  No special event, no birthday party, no unusual circumstance and then it hit me!  I do enjoy the everyday life that I have with my family.  And I do hope that you enjoy your everyday life as well.  There is such a Grace offered to us everyday and I often loose sight of that while in those "storms".

Materials used:  Simple Stories 24/7 - one of my favorite lines at the moment!  I received this collection from my "Swap Box Buddy" - thanks again!!!

Sketch is from Kiwi Lane Designs DT Doodles Week #21

Its a Boy Thing!

Challenge #32 - Color Palette Challenge for the Paper Girls Challenge Blog using the following colors as inspiration:  

The paper includes navy, coral, and cream with touches of yellow, pink, and green.  

And here's my card!

I finally used my mists and a bubble mask for the background on kraft paper.  

The sentiment is from Bo Bunny's Block Party.

Doilies and Scallops

Good morning!  I really love these small doilies from Stampin' Up! - they provide such a multitude of possibilities and today I used them to create a scalloped look on my Happy Birthday card:

And then I thought, hey, let's use those doilies again for another card!

Hope that you have a great day and find some inspiration to get your scrappy-happiness going!