Guest Designer for Helen Croft!

I am SO excited to share some amazing news with you today! A few months ago, I emailed Helen Croft from Scrap A Little to let her know that I had used a sketch of hers and sent her a picture of my layout. Well, she wrote me back saying she loved what I'd done with the sketch and asked me if I'd be interested in being a guest designer for her! Ummm, yes! ;) She sent me a new sketch to get creating with and I had so much fun making two layouts with it...

Supplies: Fancy Pants Paper - Wishful Thinking; Craft Smart Ink - Chocolate Brown; EK Success Scallop Circle Punch; Fiskars Circle Punches; Martha Stewart Butterfly Punches; Jillibean Soup Corrugated Flower; I-Rock; I-Rock Clear Gems




Supplies: BoBunny Paper - Mama-razzi; Craft Smart Ink - Chocolate Brown; Fiskars Circle Punches; Fiskars Triangle Punch; Fiskars Star Punches; Jillibean Soup Corrugated Flower

Fabulous right?? As soon as I saw the sketch, I knew just what I wanted to create with it. Plus, I used two new-to-me collections that I just got, so it was even more fun! And isn't it cool to see how you can create similar yet different looking pages using the same sketch? The first layout is 8x8 using one picture, while the second layout is 12x12 using two pictures, and there are tons more possibilities! I love that. :)

If you want to check out Helen's blog post featuring the pages I did with her sketch (seriously, how cool is that??), along with some other pages I've done using her sketches in the past and some favorites of mine, you can visit her blog.

I want to say thank you so much to Helen for allowing me to work with a new sketch and for sharing your talent with us all...you totally rock! Also, thank you to all of you for stopping by today and sharing in my joy. ;)

The Paper Variety Challenge #19!

Good morning friends! It's time for another challenge at The Paper Variety. :) This week we have a really cute one for you and it's photo inspiration! As soon as I saw this picture, I instantly knew what I wanted to do...








Supplies: My Mind's Eye Paper - Alphabet Soup (Girl); Craft smart Ink - Chocolate Brown; Cuttlebug; Cuttlebug 2-Step Heart #2 Die; Fiskars Scallop Border Punch; Tim Holtz Grungeboard; i-rock; i-rock Clear Gems; Doodlebug Loopy Lou Cardstock Alphabet Stickers - Bon Bon
*Inspired by Helen Croft's Sketch #30

It's perfect!! This is one of my all-time favorite pictures because it's the very first time my oldest daughter Emily held her brand new baby sister, Madison. She was SO happy and I feel like you can definitely see it on her face! Love it. :)

So what do you think?? Are you feeling inspired by the photo? I hope so! If you use it to create a project, please link it up at TPV's blog by next Tuesday for a chance to win this awesome prize, sponsored by Apron Strings...



Very exciting right?? I can't wait to see what you create! Also, be sure to check out all of the other DT projects...they're all amazing!! Have a fabulous day. :)

My Beautiful View (Artful Delight)

I made another layout with the Artful Delight November kit a few days ago. I used a picture that's very special so I kept the page pretty simple in order to let it shine. I think it worked because I just adore how it looks, and since that's what matters most, I'm a very happy lady! :)

Supplies Used From The Artful Delight November Kit: Fancy Pants Lilac House Paper - Lavender Leaves, Chamomile, English Garden & Strips; Tattered Angerls Glimmer Mist - Juneberry Wine

Additional Supplies: Craft Smart Ink - Chocolate Brown; Martha Stewart Monarch Butterfly Punches; EK Success Scallop Photo Corner Punch; Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type Stickers - Brown; Recollections Pearls

*Inspired by Helen Croft's Sketch #28

I took this amazing picture last year when we went to the beach. I absolutely LOVE it. When I look at it of course I see the gorgeous ocean, but what really catches my eye is my beautiful family. I am SO thankful for them and pictures like this are the ones that really mean the most to me. Moments that I will always remember and that will forever capture how blessed I am. God has really been good to me. ;)

I hope you don't mind my mushiness, but I've really been thinking alot lately about how lucky I am and I want to be sure that I don't ever take what I have for granted. I want to be thankful each and every day, and making layouts like this one will really help me to do that...

So anyway, this is the second layout that I've made from the kit so far, as well as a card and another project I've already started working on, and I haven't even made a dent in what was in it yet! It's such an amazing value and if you get yourself one (available for purchase here), I promise you won't regret it. :) Thanks for stopping by today!

Just a note: I receive the Artful Delight monthly kit for free because I'm a DT member, but please be assured that my opinions are my own! Anything I say about these kits is how I truly feel. ;)

Another one...

I did another layout with my Girl Friday papers today. I can't stop myself, lol! I guess it's because I've been eyeing them for so long and now that I actually have them, I'm drawn to them more. Plus, they're so beautiful, why not, right? ;)

This page is all about my beautiful girls. We went over to Mark's Nanny's house recently and I got a ton of good shots of them playing together (the layout I did a couple of days ago with them playing hide & seek is from the same day). I wanted to figure out a way to use alot of the pictures together on one page and I think this worked out great!

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Paper - Girl Friday; Doodlebug Loopy Lou Alphabet Cardstock Stickers - Bon Bon; Fiskars Squeeze Punches - Funky Love (Extra Large) and That's Amore (Medium); Making Memories Sanding Block, Making Memories Button, Prima Flower

*Based on Helen Croft's #4 sketch, which can be seen here

Are they cute or what?? ;) I am definitely blessed with my sweet babies. Thanks for looking!!

Happy...

I actually used some MORE of my Girl Friday paper today! I'm really loving how all of the patterns go together so well. :) This layout uses 4 different sheets...

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Paper - Girl Friday; Basic Grey Paper - Urban Prairie (Leaves); Fiskars Easy Squeeze Punches - Round & Round; Martha Stewart Scallop Punch; Doodlebug Loopy Lou Cardstock Alphabet Stickers - Bon Bon; American Crafts Buttons; DMC Floss

*Based on Helen Croft's #7 sketch, which can be seen here

I've been doing some experimenting with making lollipop flowers. For mine, all I do is take the two different size circle punches I have to punch two circles. Next I ink the edges of both. Once that's done, I work my way around each circle, crumpling the paper as I go. That's it! It's very easy to do and I love how they look...

Have an AWESOME day!!!