Have you been keeping up with all the great holiday ideas featured at the Croppin Paradise Christmas Bazaar. You should go check out if you haven't. I almost hate to see all of it end. So with out further adu...... "On the 12th day of Christmas my scrappy friend gave to me.... a new 2011 calendar!

Crate Paper: patterned paper, die cut stickers and chipboard shapes, Cosmo Cricket: tiny alphas, kraft cardstock

Go check out the forum to see how to make your own!

12 Days of Christmas

Hey so you need some gift ideas or just some holiday inspiration? Well check out Croppin Paradise's Christmas Bazaar . The design team will be posting great project ideas! I will be posting my project on the 12th day so stay tuned.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone is having a great Thanksging hanging out with family and enjoying tons of food! I would just like to say that even though there are many things to be thankful for, I am thankful for the three guys that I share my life with everyday. I consider myself really lucky to be in Trey, Isaiah & Preston's lives. What are you thankful for?

My Mind's Eye: patterned paper and pop embellishment and American Crafts: thickers

I am also thankful to be part of an amazing DT. These ladies are the best. Check out the CP blog to see what they are thankful for.

Where have I been....

It has been a long while since I've posted anything. At least I have a good excuse. About a month and a half ago I started a new job. Even though I am glad to have more hours, seeing as it equals more money, it has really cut into my free time. Not much has happened since I last posted except for the fact that Trey and I celebrated 6th year anniversary and Preston turned 6 years old. For now I leave you with a couple of layouts seeing as I started this blog for scrappy purposes. Enjoy your weekend!

Basic Grey: patterned paper and die cut & letter stickers, Making Memories: felt stickers, American Crafts: thickers

LYB: patterned paper, clear stickers and journaling block, Basic Grey: letter stickers, American Crafts: thickers

school layouts

I know, I know you are putting out all the fall and Haloween decor but here is a couple of more back to school layouts that I have to share.

Bo Bunny: patterned paper, Pink Paislee: chipboard number, KI: glitter stickers, American Crafts: thickers, LYB: epoxy sticker, Basic Grey: letter sticker, Jenni Bowlin: crate paper and ric rack

You can check out what the rest of the Croppin Paradise DT did with Bo Bunny on the blog.

Crate Paper: pattern paper and die cut stickers, KI: glitter stickers, Basic Grey: letters, Cosmo Cricket: tiny alphas, Heidi Swapp: chipboard star

I really think this is one of my favorite Crate Paper line yet!

Cosmo Cricket: patterned paper and label sticker, Making Memory: Design Shop 3D stickers

I know that one is not a school layout but figured another layout wouldn't hurt, right. Now I am ready to go hit the pumpkin patches and Halloween and Fall festivals. Enjoy your week and nice fall weather!

2 hour mini album

This month the DT over at CP starting doing some classes and tutorials. This week was my turn. Headover to the forum to check out how to make a mini album in about two hours.

Nikki Silvis

This month at CP we got to play with some Nikki Silvis. I got to use a the Tree Love line. These paper are very cute.

Nikki Silvis: patterned paper, letters and cardstock labels; Jennie Bowlin: button; My Mind's Eye: brad; American Crafts: chipboard and Kraft cardstock

Go check out what the rest of the design team did on the CP blog!

back to real life

Well we are one month into school and things are beginning to settle down. We are getting back into some sort of routine. Which is good because it gave me some time to do this weeks sketch challenge over at Croppin Paradise. Also, if you play along with the challenges each month you get a chance to win a $15 GC and be a guest designer!

My Mind's Eye: patterned paper and die cut sticker, Jillibean Soup: corrugated alphas, BoBunny alpha stickers, Echo Park: alpha stickers, Making Memories: brad, Me & My Big Ideas: chipboard star and Kraft Paper

my boys are back!

After being gone for 4 weeks the boys are finally back. Even though I loved the quite, it is nice to hear the footsteps running around upstairs.

So have you been playing around with us over a camp paradise? You still have time to join us if you haven't. This is the layout I made for last weeks challenge.

October Afternoon: patterned paper and label stickers, American Crafts: thickers, My Little Shoebox: transparency, Making Memories: ribbon, Bo Bunny: rub-on, and floss

This is the layout I made for this weeks challenge.

Everything is Bo Bunny

Well I am off to bed. Tax free weekend in Alabama starts tomorrow. Wish me luck!

We are now at week two at Camp Paradise and it has been a blast so far. This week the layout I made for my wildlife challenge.

Basic Grey: paptterned paper, die cut sticker, label sticker and letters, Jenni Bowlin: journaling card, MME: chipboard star

Go to the CP camp forum to check out the details from mine and the other DT challenges as well. You have until Wednesday at midnight to post your layout.

Camp Paradise

Camp started today so don't forget to join us in all the fun! My first weeks challenge was about camplife.

The challenge is for you to make a layout using a letter as your journaling.

Little Yellow Bicycle: patterned paper, stickers and ticket, Studio Calico: label sticker, Basic Grey: letters, American Crafts: thickers, notebook paper and staples

Go check out the other counselors camp challenges!

CP weekly sketch

This weeks was my turn to do the sketch challenge. I have still to master my sketch making skills so you will again have to settle my hand drawn sketch.

Here is the layout I made.

Little Yellow Bicycle: patterned paper & die cut stickers, Pink Paislee: patterned paper and die cut stickers, American Crafts: thickers, Basic Grey: letters, Jennie Bowin: label sticker

Don't forget to play along with all our weekly challenges through the month!

I miss him

Isaiah left Sunday for a week long camp with boy scouts.

I felt really weird last night because I found my self really missing him. But I couldn't figure out why seeing as they are usually gone for weeks at a time during the summer.
Then it hit me. The fact that I have no contact with him is what is killing me. I don't know how he is doing or if he is having fun or learning anything. When they are with their grandparents at least I can call and check up on them. But they are out in the middle of the woods, with shotly cell service I'm sure, not that he has a phone or could take it anyways.


Now don't get me wrong I know he is safe and having loads of fun but not being able to contact him just makes me feel a little empty. I am always checking my email seeing if there are any updates from the leaders and counting down the days till Saturday.
You wanna hear something funny, though. The day after he gets back both him and Preston will be on a plane to Dallas to spend time with my in-laws.... I know! I am beginning to see an advantage to keeping your children in your house till they are forty. Ha, just kidding.

On a brighter note I believe the 2 page bug hit me because I managed to make another one. Crazy, huh.

Pink Paislee: patterned paper, cardstock stickers, kraft paper, unknown: tickets, ribbon and tag

Oh and I am way excited about Eclipse coming out this week. I have to wait till Friday to see it so I am considering boycotting all media till then.
Have a great week!

check out the crate paper love

The girls and I over at Croppin Paradise got to play with Crate Paper this last month. I loved playing with Pink Plum line, especially since I had some girl pictures to use!


Check out the blog to see what the other girls did with Crate Paper. And don't forget to swing by the CP store to pick some of your own!

new hair cut and some oldies

Every year Trey has this tradition to get the boys ready for summer. Preston loves it and Isaiah is starting to hate it. After all he has to keep appearances now.

They get buzzed. Right before they head of to Texas he pulls out the clippers cuts off their hair. Now they should be nice and cool in that Texas heat.

I am also posting some layouts that I have yet to post. I know I am a slacker.

Basic Grey: patterned paper and cardstock stickers, Scenic Route: letters, Kraft paper

Sassafras Lass: patterned paper and cardstock sticker, American Crafts: thickers

A two pager, shocking I know!

Pink Paislee: patterned paper and cardstick sticker, white cardstock

Have a great night!

wanna go camping!

The come join us for Camp Paradise
where the scrapping never ends! Make new friends, complete some projects and win some prizes!

Watch for more details here and on the forum in the coming days!
Want a chance at the "pre-registration" prize? - Simply post this banner on your personal blog or any active message board (making sure to obey their TOU) and then post a comment here with a link and you will be entered to win a $15.00 Gift Certificate to the CP Store! (where new things keep popping up every day!)
*Pre-registration will end on July 1st at midnight!
Cannot wait to see you all at camp!

yet another post

Well aren't I just being a good blogger. I think I have posted more in the past couple of days then I have all month. It has been a somewhat rainy weekend here which has given me some time to be crafty. One thing I created was this cute make-up bag.


I was happy to know that some of my mom's sewing skills rubbed off on me. Now I just need to practice because I still have some improving to do.

Of course, fabric wasn't the only thing I was playing with. I got to play with some LYB Fresh Print.



And no your eyes are not deceiving you. Those are girls. I know it is rare to see on my blog. When I visited my parents earlier this month I made sure I can home with girly picture to scrap. Another line I got to play with was the MME Sophie's Charming line.



Now that is just two of the lines I got to use over at Croppin Paradise. But you will have to wait and see what else I got to use. Don't forget to also check out the blog. They are giving away some SEI for Memorial Day weekend.

crafty weekend

I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend. The rain has been coming and going here so I have opted to stay inside and get my craft on. I have finished some scrapbook pages and played some with the sewing machine. That has been a bunch of trail and errors. One bad thing about getting it from my mom is that she didn't have the manual to give me because she never needed it. So I have been playing with it and I am surprised I haven't broken it yet. But I am working on a little project.

In other news, Preston has finally learned to ride his bike without training wheels.

My Little Shoebox: pattern paper and die cuts, American Crafts: thickers, KI: stickers,kraft cardstock, staples and ribbon.

He has been so excited and we just had to go get a "helement" right away. Although, I am thinking we might have to invest in knee and elbow pads because he has already taking several spills and the "helement" has not prevented scraps and bruises. Just one of the perks of being a boy.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Class of 17

School is officially out for summer! Can't believe that another year has gone by. We ended this one with another graduation. This time it was Isaiah.


My older baby has completed the fifth grade and off to middle school next year. I will also go ahead and go on record that next year on the first day of school I might be locked up in a closet crying as I try and grasp the fact that I will have one of my boys staring kindergarten and the other middle school.



Time to kick off a great summer!

say hello to the new grad

Tonight was Preston's preschool graduation. And let me just say watching a bunch of four and five year olds singing songs and doing skits is hilarious. There first set of song was performed in their pajamas.


Of course Preston couldn't help but wavy hello.
But then they had a "costume" change and apparently they did all the dressing themselves.


Yep that handsome looking boy with the buttons all miss matched is mine.
He didn't even let me fix it after they were done. I figure at that point it really didn't matter much anymore.

Tortilla Tuesday

Don't these just make your mouth water!

I finally broke down and made some today. Tortillas and I have a love/hate relationship. Why you ask? Well as much as I would love to eat them everyday it is a pain to make them. I don't know how my mom does it, for she make them everyday or just about. Sometimes twice a day! I am lucky to make them twice a month. Plus I can't find the flour to make them here so I have to ration what I have. I try and pick up a bag or two everytime I go visit my parents. So tonight I feast like a good mexican should!

In scrap news....I have been trying to improve my card making skills. I don't like making cards. I only make them when I have to. Mainly because I don't do anything with them. But my MIL likes them. She actually appreciates hand made items. So now that I feel like they serve a purpose, I find myself making them a little more often.

My Little Shoebox: patterned paper and die cut, American Crafts: thickers, cardstock

My Little Shoebox: transparency, little alphas and patterned paper, cardstock

My Little Shoebox: patterned paper and little alphas, cardstock

I hope everyone has a great week!

Make sure and head over to the challenge forum at CP. I had the privilege of posting this weeks challenge.

Basic Grey: patterned and die cut paper, Doodle Bug: stickers, American Crafts: ribbon and paper, My Little Shoebox: die cut label, Prima: flowers, Making Memories: brads, Heide Swapp: bling, Target label, cardstock

Happy National Scrapbook Day!

Welcome everyone! I know you here to join Croppin Paradise on NSD for our blog hop. I hope everyone is having a great day out there because you are all sitting down scrapping the day away, right?!
Be sure to check out all the DT blogs and check out the forums. There will be tons of inspiration and fun contest. Just be sure to leave comments everywhere you go because we will be picking winners for some great prizes from those.
Have you checked out the store lately. They have some great things in stock including the new Basic Grey and My Mind's Eye. Plus there are some great sales and coupons fot today!
I made this layout with the fun MME Lush collection that you can find at the store as well.

My Mind's Eye: patterned paper and chipboard letters, American Crafts: jeweled brad, and cardstock

Now be sure and head over to Jenny's blog next. Enjoy you scrappy day!

come join us

MME Challenge# 10

I have always been a huge fan of My Mind's Eye and I was very excited when they started a blog. Every two weeks, or so, they post challenges . I finally was able to participate and created this layout.

My Mind's Eye: patterned paper, clear die cut, ribbon and chipboard stars, American Crafts: thickers, Basic Grey: stickers and Luxe Design: label

The challenge is to use the song Dream Big by Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand for inspiration and use this sketch.

If you get the chance to play you have until tomorrow at midnight to participate.

Happy Monday!

I usually have Mondays off but I had to work today so it has thrown me all out of wack. I even forgot to take Isaiah to scouts cause I was thinking it was Tuesday. Oh well, there is always next week.

But I am remembering to post some of the layout I made this weekend, which I am so sure you were all waiting on, LOL.

I have been wanting to scrap this one for awhile but really wasn't motivated to do so. But these LYB Generation Z line made it so much easier.

Little Yellow Bicycle: patterned paper and label stickers, American Crafts: thickers, Heidi Swapp: journal spot, Cosmo Cricket: little alphas, Scrapworks: label, Making Memory: brad, SEI: ticket, cardstock

And who can resist some MME! I have been waiting to get the chance to use this line. It is just too cute!

My Mind's Eye: patterned paper and chipboard die cuts, LYB: transparency, American Crafts: thickers, Luxe Design: sticker label, Cosmo Cricket: ribbon, cardstock

These are just some older Basic Grey layouts I had done but have yet to post. If you check out the Older but Goodies thread on the Croppin Paradise forums, you can see what some of the other DT did with this Basic Grey Origins line.

Basic Grey: patterned paper, letters and 3D stickers, Making Memories: tiny alphas

Basic Grey: patterned paper, letters and 3D sticker, Studio Calico: letters, Cosmo Cricket: felt ribbon, cardstock

Basic Grey: patterned paper and 3D sticker, Sizzix die cut letters, Kraft and cream cardstock

Wow that is a long post! For those still reading I hope you have a good night or day depending on when you are reading. :)