Paper Girls Challenge 100th Post Spectacular

Congratulations to The Paper Girls Challenge Blog as they celebrate their 100th posting.  I've been very blessed to have worked with these lovely ladies as both a guest designer and as a continuing designer.  As my children have gotten older, their activities have become much more time consuming.  They are both active in the high school marching band, concert band, church, work (yes - my boy has a job, now), and earning amazing grades.  So, because of all this, my crafting has taken a serious back seat.  I carve out time to craft, but nothing major or what I would consider posting - that explains why its been a while since I’ve posted here.

In celebration of the 100th posting - the theme is Paper Girls/Paper Dolls/Friends and my favorite crafting supply/ideas website is sponsoring us:  Scrapbook Steals!! 

With that said, let me explain to you how I came up with my project.  I focused on my very best friend, my husband.  He really encourages me to be so much more than I think I am - to reach higher - to learn more - to be the best wife, mom, teacher, and to express myself creatively.  Then I looked at how my friends have influenced me over the past 15 or so years.  My online friends have shared a multitude of scrapping techniques, card making techniques, their projects and their lives.  I honestly believe that the friends I have, have made a positive impact on my life.  I am very blessed.  I used butterflies on my project to represent my friends. 

Without ScrapbookSteals.com and the friends I have made through their online community, I would never have found Echo Park, StampinUp!, Kiwi Lane Designs, Prima Marketing Flowers, We R Memory Keepers, October Afternoon, and many other companies.  All of which are contained within this layout.

Please join us in celebrating 100 posts, create something about your friends and then share with us.  Blessings to you, your friends, and your family!  

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/

Round 3 @ Practical Scrappers

I'm still in!!!  This is the card that I created for Round 3 of Practical Scrappers' Card Contest 2013

Please vote for me - I am so totally thrilled that I'm still in.

Top 16 VOTE

For the Boys @ Practical Scrappers

Another card and another round of the Practical Scrappers' 2013 Card Contest.  This time around, we were challenged to use the photo below as inspiration for a card for a boy or man.  October Afternoon seemed to be the best choice for this card!  I just love it!!

Keep voting and wish me luck!

Using Twine - sure!!!

Using twine on a card - are ya kiddin' me!  You bet - I LOVE using twine.  This week's challenge over at the Paper Girls Challenge Blog is all about using twine.

Materials used:  We R Memory Keepers Bakery Twine

October Afternoon - Rocket Age

Kraft cardstock