Looking for a good cause???

Just thought I would jump in here for a quick minute or two...hope everyone is having a great week! As I said in an earlier blog post, my family is headed to Hays, KS on Friday to volunteer at the Special Olympics State Basketball Tournament...I think we get to help with the clock & scorekeeping :o)


Also want to share a quick link to a friends blog: Randi's Adventures in Wonderland


Randi is a family friend...she is raising money for a mission trip to Africa in July. If you feel moved to donate to her cause, she would be so grateful! Her husband is a pastor for a local church and they have a LARGE family, so she is really counting on the kindness of others to make this mission trip a reality.


Well, that's it for today! Have a great weekend! As always, thanks for stopping by & take care!

{My Best Friend}

Hello, my fellow blogger buddies! Hope your weekend was fantastic! Mine has been great & the really good news? I am taking Monday off...YIPPEE!!! & Friday too...double YIPPEE!!! I'm headed to the BIG city on Monday to do some spring shopping (& goofing around with the boys) and then Friday our family is volunteering @ the Special Olympics State Basketball tournament...really looking forward to that!


Just want to send a shout out to EAD Designs...thanks for sharing my "nerdy bird" card on your blog :o) & to Amy at Caffinated Cropper...she has a fun new kit she is selling (GO CHECK IT OUT!) and I won some EAD Designs vinyl rubons from her...thanks Amy :o)

I have a PageMaps inspired layout to share with you today...I am really tickled with how it turned out, but first the details! PageMaps Blog is hosting a Cricut Giveaway...YES, a Cricut Giveaway by A Cherry On Top!!! I have been wanting a digital cutter for a long time now, just haven't been willing to shell out the big bucks yet...maybe I won't have too :o) ha, ha!

Here's the sketch & the only other rule is that you have to use the theme of Appreciation...

My layout: My Best Friend

This photo of me & my DH is a favorite from last summer...& he really is my best friend! The journaling reads: I cherish those moments in time where it's just you & me...we are best friends!

I broke open the Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety scrapbooking kit that recently arrived at my door from Scrapbook.com & found some fun patterns that I'm lovin'!

Here's a few fun closeups:

Aren't these chipboard cherries cute? They came from a Creating Keepsakes kit of the month "Mix It Up"...

Supplies: PP-Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety-Sunday picnic (both sides) & bloomers, Mini die cut circle label-Jenni Bowlin, Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety-cardstock stickers, Journaling card (cut into strips)-Jenni Bowlin, Thickers Daiquiri-American Crafts, Vintage Findings-word fetti expression stickers-American Crafts, EK Success-binding edge border punch, Chipboard cherries-CK KOTM "Mix It Up", Martha Stewart journaling pen, date stamp, Stampin' Up ink-Glorious Green, zig zag machine stitching, ric rac-unknown

Thanks for stopping by! LOVE to read all of your comments! Take care!

How about some nerdy bird???

The PageMaps Blog is hosting a Sassafras "nerdy bird" card contest...well, of course, I just had to play along...would love to win some nerdy bird! AND I have the perfect vinyl rubons by EAD Designs in my stash that I was just dying to use :o)

Here is the sweet nerdy bird prize & sketch:

My take on the sketch follows pretty closely...and uses a brand spankin' new Hero Arts sentiment stamp set that I just ordered from Scrapbook.com! LOVE the gems that were included with the set :o)

JUST SAYING HELLO:

This card will be perfect to send to one of Jennifer McGuire's special kids...to hopefully brighten their day! I like the fun & funky vibe of this card...

This Hero Arts stamp set is my first ever...& let me tell ya, the stamps are amazing! Such a clear image for a clear cling stamp...I'll for sure be adding more of these to my stash! & notice the fun holes I poked along the bottom part of the card? I did this by placing the card on a rubber-type mouse pad, & then slowly poked the holes using a needle. It's hard to see in the first photo, but shows up well in the close up...just adds a little something for interest :o)

Supplies: Cardstock base-The Paper Studio, PP-Sassafras-ziggy, Bella Blvd-Camped Out-Fireside, Pink/white polka dot-Target, Owl rubon-EAD Designs, Sentiment-Hero Arts-Sparkle Clear Classic Messages 2x3, Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Circle, Large, Cuttlebug, zig zag stitching

Thanks for stopping by! Take care & have a GREAT weekend!

if i could create daily...

I just couldn't resist the LURE of a guest design spot over at Sketchy Thursdays! I just love Diana & Heidi's sketches...they are just so fun & they tend to push me to do things that are out of my normal...whatever my normal is! LOL!

The guest design spot challenge is sponsored by The Pink Ninjas and up for grabs is their first kit "Three Little Birds"...looks like tons of fun:

So the challenge for the April Guest Design Spot at Sketchy Thursdays is this...

1. Prompt - Fill in the blanks: "If I could __________, I would ________."

2. Technique - Mist or paint IN PINK.

3. Sketchy Twist - Use this sketch:

I had to give the prompt quite a bit of thought, but kept coming back to "if i could create daily"...so I went with it! Next, the PINK mist or paint...well, there's just not a whole lot of pink in my scrappy supplies at all...guess that happens when you are scrapping mostly BOY stuff :o) I found some PINK acrylic paint & some large bubble wrap @ work & decided that would create a fun circle background...so here's my layout:

I just have to say that I had a blast creatingthis layout! Not only was the paint fun, but I also went with the 8.5 x 11 format...totally out of the norm for me...I can totally see myself doing more of this size...I also played with the sketch quite a bit, but was totally inspired by it :o)

My journaling (using those wonderful tiny alphas by Making Memories!): if i could create daily i would be on cloud 9

Here's a close up of my title embellishment:

How fun is that gem pin!?! I love it!

Supplies: White cardstock-Walmart, PP-KI Memories & Dream Street-Birdie Bits & The Paper Studio-Butterflies, Die Cut journaling paper-Making Memories, Tiny alpha-Making Memories, Foam Alpha Thickers-American Crafts, Transparency frame-Colorbok, Flower-Making Memories, Large Jewel Brad-Brights-American Crafts, Gem Pin-Making Memories-Vintage Findings, Beads-Fashion Glass-Oval mix olive, Buttons-Favorite Findings, Embroidery thread, bubble wrap, Folk Art acrylic paint in Tickled Pink, staples, zig zag machine stitching

Thanks for stopping by! Take care!

FINALLY found some scrappy time :o)

I think I was dangerously close to suffering from scrappy withdrawal...& that was SCARY! LOL! I'm a BIG fan of the wonderful sketches over @ Sketchy Thursdays...& just haven't had any time to play along...until now :o) I have a feeling my post is a little past the deadline, but I still wanted to share my layout!



So here's the sketch...




I had some San Diego vacation photos laying out & decided that a couple of the kayaking photos would work well with the sketch. Please forgive me for the POOR photos...they were taken with a waterproof camera (I didn't want to chance ruining my digi) so they are not the greatest, but I still wanted to document this fabulous part of our trip!

Paradise Found:

Absolutely nothing fabulous or amazing about this layout...& I'm ok with that. Girls, there is something very liberating about creating something that YOU love & keeping it simple :o) Sometimes I feel such pressure to create something that will knock your socks off...that's when its not fun for me anymore. So...that said, I love this because it documents our life...our family vacation...it gets our story told.

Here's a few closeups:

This fun journaling spot is by Little Yellow Bicycle...I love it! I was worried that it would be hard to journal on, but it was amazingly easy! I used a little bit of clear adhesive dots to secure & then decided it would be fun to add some stitching...love how it turned out!

Supplies: Cardstock-unknown, PP-Making Memories, Stickers-Making Memories, Flower-Making Memories, Journaling spot-Little Yellow Bicycle-Clear Cuts, Button-Favorite Findings (Walmart), Journaling Pen-Martha Stewart & some zig zag machine stitching!

Thanks for stopping by! Take care!

Yep...I'm still here :o)

Seriously??? Has it really been that long since my last post??? That is totally what happens when you have 2 sons playing high school basketball...I was barely able to stay above sinking in January, but W-O-W...February was just a BLURRR....


Well...the boys are now done with basketball (kind of a bummer, but they really did have a great season all things considered!) & the high school class that my DH & I have been teaching since September will be receiving the sacrament of Confirmation this coming Sunday...that will be a HUGE relief! An amazing experience...but so ready for it to be DONE :o)


As for scrapping...well, just have not had much time at all for anything extra (that is kind of a bummer too, my friends...) I hope to find a little free time soon...gotta feed this addiction, you know! I have been drooling over the fab-U-lous creating going on over @ Scrapbook Circle...the new design team is just amazing & Lisa's kits have been just over the top...Go check it out!


My latest article @ Scrapjazz is up...it is so fun (& cool) to actually see the article when it's posted online...this one is called "Travel Scrapbooking:Colorado". I shared a number of my vacation layouts from our various trips to Colorado...these layouts are older, but some of my favorites :o) Would love to have you check it out HERE!


Hope everyone is doing well...I miss you all! Take care & hope to get around to your blogs again soon....

Take care! Thanks for stopping by!