"You're out of this world" Card

I found a bunch of Studio G stamp sets on eBay and was so excited as I won them for cheap, cheap, cheap. I must not have read the auctions very closely, however, because they got here a few days ago and they are small, small, small.

Some are really just too small to be a main image on a card, but some, like this rocket, I decided would work.

I stamped the main image in ColorBox black ink and colored it with Copics markers. Then I cut it out with my itty bitty scissors (aka fingernail scissors--my best friend when cutting out scrapbook title letters). I stamped the image again and used a foam dot to pop the rocket up. The saying says "You're out of this world", but it isn't very dark. Note to self: Don't use ColorBox ink pad again.

Congratulations Card

This Saturday is our local scrapbook store's garage sale. Anyone can bring their new or used crafting items and the store will sell them for you. You get store credit for the amount you sell.

I was going through my paper this morning (actually, I started going through it a week ago and have finally finished...well, given up...) and found a stack that I got from JoAnn's last time we were in Dallas for our Ladies' Scrapbooking Weekend.

I liked the paper pack because the papers had a distressed look and because there were some papers with big, funky flowers. I didn't really look closely at the other papers or at the fact that you get about 10 of each print. I know I say you can't have too much paper, but that's just a lot of paper!

So, I decided to try to use some and if I just couldn't get it to "click", then I would send it to the garage sale!

So, here's what I came up with. This is a "Congratulations" card that would work for a marriage, new job, new house. Probably not a new baby because of the flowers, but, hey, a new "bloom" is something to celebrate, too.

I stamped the bouquet image (which I got for $1 at Michael's!) in Memories Black ink and heat set it. I don't know if I needed to heat set it, but I've had a hard time finding a good ink here in town that works with my Copics markers, so I did it just for good measure. Then I colored it.

Now, if I had been thinking, I would have found my papers to use first and then coordinated the colors in my image to the papers. But, I was just playing around with the markers and, therefore, colored the image first. So, I tried a weird color combination for the rest of the card.

Surprisingly, I was very pleased with how it turned out!

First attempt at cards...

I tried my hand at some cards, after being inspired and motivated over and over by the fun and amazing cards I see online. Here is my first feeble attempt...

I used watercolor pencils on the image, but didn't have the right blender/aqua pen... Oops...




That card was going to be for the birthday of a very sweet 90-year old friend, but Slade said it didn't really fit.

So, I came up with this one. Slade still hesitated, but didn't give it a "no". I was out of stamps, so I would've used it anyway. :-) I really need to build up my stamp supply. You can never have too many stamps, I say.




Both cards are based on sketches from different blogs I stalk and there are other cards made using the same sketches over at Splitcoaststampers. Someday, I'll remember to save the blog where I find the sketch, but I'm still learning...

First Day of Kindergarden

This is one of my favorite layouts! It is a little busy, but there was so much I wanted to add to it. I had lots and lots of pictures (you can never have too many pictures, I say) and really wanted to use the busy background paper. I tried not to add too many other embellishments, just a 3-D backpack sticker and a flat pencil sticker.

I used Stampin' Up's punch that makes it look like paper that has been torn from a notebook on the inside edges. I love that punch! I can't remember what it's called, but I love it!

I wanted to explain each picture, but didn't want to clutter the already cluttered page with journal blocks around each picture, so I just numbered each picture and added the corresponding descriptions.

Journaling reads:
1. So excited to wake up...
2. Danielle came over to wish Russ a great first day
3. Mommy tickles to get a smile out of a nervous Russell
4. Walking Russell down the hallway to his classroom
5. Standing in front of his room, next to his name on the wall
6. Randall gets a smile out of Russell with a hug
7. Sitting at his table, looking around at future friends

I love this layout because, although it was a very difficult first few months of school, he now loves going and looks forward to it. We have been very pleased with all he has learned, both academically and emotionally. He's learning how to be a good friend, even when others are unkind or difficult. Those are life skills and we're very proud of him. Not to mention that he gets to go to a first-grade room for reading each week because he's doing so well and reading up a storm!

Decorating the Tree

This was a quick layout and isn't very embellished or even all that much to get excited about. But, it was simple and I liked the background paper. I'm all about paper. You can never have too much scrapbook paper, I say.

There is no journaling, because I felt the title pretty much said it all.

National Night Out

This layout is from August 2007. Our neighborhood has a Neighborhood Watch program and one of the ways to get to know each other is by participating in Natinoal Night Out. We met in the cul de sac in the middle of the neighborhood. We had hotdogs, chips, cookies, drinks. The kids played basketball, drew with sidewalk chalk, rode around on various motorized vehicles, rode bikes/skateboards/scooters and even had the chance to do a small craft, like the one Randall is holding in the picture with him in the pocket.

I used stickers that I had had for a very long time on this layout. I'm not a huge sticker fan, but I just loved these and was determined to use the pocket and put someone in it! I wasn't sure if I would like it but I went ahead and cut out Randall. And, of course, then there's no turning back! But once it was all glued down, I loved it!

Gathering Acorns

Some Fall scrapbooking.

This layout is from last October. Our neighbor, Allison, told us that LeTourneau University had some huge acorns and she had them arranged in a pretty glass vase as a simple decoration. We decided to make a family night of it and go gather acorns. The weather was nice and the evening was lots of fun.


Journaling reads:
"We went to LeTourneau University to gather acorns for some fall decorating around the house. First, though, the boys got to play on the "big machines" (R. G. LeTourneau's machines--I used to love playing on them when I was younger, too). Russ rode his bike, too. Then we gathered lots of huge acorns. We all had a lot of fun!"