Thursday, March 18, 2010

Jumping for Joy

Good Morning Everyone!



When I woke up this morning, I thought this was going to be a terrific Thursday! I was going to have a few hours to myself and try to get some more work done on a layout I have been designing. Much to my surprise though, when I stepped out of my bedroom door, that good mood I was in quickly vanished. Someone (or should I say something) decided to TP my home. Not on the outside mind you...but from the bathroom, down the hallway, into the living room. Yes, you guessed it. Our little Bella (he's not so little anymore) found a roll of toilet paper and played with it...probably for most of the night. Oh the joys of being a cat owner, who's cat has a paper fetish! It didn't take too long to clean up the mess this paper loving feline created, and my sour grapes mood soon vanished.
The layouts I am sharing today are for the twin's first year album. When Nova Davenport post
on her blog a layout she'd done using CTMH's Studio J of her baby in a Johnny Jump Up, that inspired me to scrap the pictures I had of the twins in their Johnny Jump Up. Thank you Nova for the inspiration. So, I searched through all my papers, trying to decide what and how to these layouts. I wanted to keep the green, blue and yellow color theme for their first year and then I remembered purchasing My Little Yellow Bicycle's Baby Safari paper pack. I knew this would be the perfect pattern paper to go with the Johnny Jump Up photos.I took a sketch from Becky Fleck's book, Page Maps, and converted picture size to fit a 9"x9" layout.Then I have to cut down the green froggie overlay to fit a 9"x9" page. I had so much fun with these layouts! And they went together so easily. I wish all my layouts were this easy.
Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your Thursday!
Until the next time...
Happy Scrappin'!!!
Leanne

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Sticker Girl

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Not only is it St. Patty's Day, but its also Hump Day. And when I lived in up near Boston, there use to be a commercial for Prince Spaghetti and Wednesday was referred to as Prince Spaghetti Day. Perhaps that's why I have grown accustom to having Spaghetti on Wednesday. But not today!! Corned Beef and cabbage sounds so much more appealing. And tomorrow, Reuben Sandwiches for lunch. YUM!! I better quit...I'm making myself hungry! LOL

This layout I am sharing today not only does it have lots of green...but the color combination is one of my favorites. I love pinks and greens together. Its so bright and cheerful...makes me just love the fact that spring is right around the corner.
The patterned paper is from K and Company and the cardstock is from Close To My Heart. Colors used are Watermelon, Bubblegum,Hollyhock and Topiary. Once again, I was able to dig through my stash and find scrap pieces of B&T paper and use it with my Wishblade and cut out the butterflies. The title was cut out on my Wishblade and then I dry embossed it with my Fiskars "leaves" template. I also used my white gel pen to give the butterflies more dots on their wings. The paper flowers are from CTMH and Prima and most of the brads came from CTMH. The ribbon and buttons came from my stash as well. I have been seriously trying to use up as much of my stash as possible.
The pictures are of my granddaughter, Deborah. When little Matty was born, my brother Jeffrey and his wife, Nancy, sent Deborah some stickers. Well, what does a 2 year old do with stickers when Gamma's back is turn? I couldn't help but giggle a bit and grab the camera. At least she didn't stick them to the wall or doors! She thought she was beautiful and as you can see with the last picture on the right, she wanted a kiss for her efforts! LOL
Well, I hope you enjoy your St. Patrick's Day and don't drink too much green beer! LOL I was thinking of cooking up some Green Eggs and Ham for breakfast...but that just didn't sound appetizing! LOL I'll settle with my regular cereal and toast!
Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time...
Happy Scrapping!!
Leanne

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Baby Love

Happy Sunday to you all!

Today we turned the clock ahead for Daylight Savings Time! How many of you remembered? I sure didn't. I am so glad that we turned the clocks on weekends!




The layouts I am sharing today are for Matthew's first year album and Deborah's third year album.

What a precious picture of big sister giving baby brother a kiss. Such a special moment!











As many of you know, I am trying very hard to use up all the papers I have been hoarding for so long. I had a couple of sheets left from one of CTMH's original My Creations kit. Do you recoginize the papers? But I didn't have enough to do a full 2 page layout, so I combined the MCK with CTMH Animal Crackers kit. The layout is "Monologue" sketch from CTMH's how to book, "Imagine." Although the little teddy bear, "Beary Much," on the layout has been retired, its still one of my favorites. The hearts are cut from my hearts sizzix die and then embossed with my Fiskars embossing plate. I designed and cut the title "Baby Love" with my Wishblade. The little round saying on the right side the second page is from "Animal Crackers" My Stickease and I used my nesties to cut the scallop mat behind both.
The twins just left. It so much fun having them here, but Gamma just not as young as she use to be. She is totally worn out! LOL Thanks for stopping by...stop in again.
Until next time...
Happy Scrappin'!!
Leanne


Saturday, March 13, 2010

Deborah's First Haircut

Hey there!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! The twins are still here. They will be going back to their mother sometime tomorrow. What fun to have little people here. They sure can either wear you out or keep you young!

I wanted to share this layout with you. Its was Deborah's first trip to the beauty salon to get her hair cut. She did so well that day. Unfortunately, some time later she thought she would try giving herself a haircut. I also scrapped that event and will share that layout with you. As you can see, she sure did a number on her hair in this second layout.
Getting back to the first layout, I bought this sheet of 12x12 paper because of the little slips of hair on the page along with the scissors and comb. I immediately thought of scrapping Deborah's first haircut.
The paper is from K and Company. I had a very difficult time trying to color coordinate with that pattern paper. I finally found that CTMH's Petal cardstock went really well, and I had a sheet of polka dot heavy pattern paper from a DCWV Nana's Kids slab. I also found that CTMH's Crystal Blue really gave a terrific contrast to the pattern paper and the Petal cardstock. Then to ground the whole thing, I chose Vineyard Berry cardstock and B&T paper. Then to really show how much Deborah's loves being a princess, I used "Say It With Crystals" flourish and intertwined it with the Crystal Blue flourish. The I dabbed a small little crystal in the center each scallop.
Its almost time for the boy's bath. Fun, Fun, Fun...for them but not their Gamma! LOL
So, until next time...thanks for stopping by!
Happy Scrappin'!!!
Leanne
As you can see she sure did a number on her hair.

Friday, March 12, 2010

All Dressed Up

Hey Everyone!

TGIF!! I am so ready for the weekend! Not that I have anything planned...but DH will be home, house will be tidied up again, and I would love to spend the whole weekend in the rubber room. That won't happen exactly, but I hope to get some serious quality scrapping time in. I am working on a double page layout of the twins for their first year album.


But speaking of the twins, Jaden and Benny. They have come for a visit this weekend, so that time in the rubber room could be just wishful thinking. We'll just have to wait and see what the weekend brings. The layout I am sharing today is for the twins' second year album. They look so cute sitting in their Poppi's chair (that's what they call DH). They are all their way to church and waiting for their father. This is not a normal occurrence with a couple of two year olds, so I grabbed the camera. LOL


Papers are from CTMH's Animal Crackers, Me and My Big Ideas and Bo Bunny. I cut my title and arrow and subtitle box on my Wishblade. The buttons are from CTMH and the little bit of ribbon is from my stash.


Well, its time to fire up Roomba and get the little guy moving. I have my dust mop ready just in case. Cleaning supplies are out and its time to get started. I love a clean house, but hate cleaning! How many of you out there feel the same? Sooner I get started, the sooner I can get done.


Until next time,

Happy Scrappin'!!


Leanne

Monday, March 8, 2010

Bubbles

Good Morning everyone!

The layout I want to share with you today is from the current CTMH's catalog. The paper pack is "Topstitch." I used the WOTG kit and made some minor changes. I reversed the chocolate B&T paper and used the Heavenly Blue side. Using an old retired wooden stamp of bubbles, I stamped the image on the strips of Heavenly Blue on both pages. I then cut out using my Wishblade the bubbles and then cut out the word "bubbles" and laid it on top of the cut-out bubbles. The border in Baby Pink is a Martha Stewart punch and the hearts were cut using my Sizzix Big Shot and chipboard. I embossed the word "bubbles" and each of the hearts using my Fiskars bubbles embossing plate and my Sizzix Big-Shot. much better in person.
I can't believe its Monday again! Where did the weekend go? Its seems the weekends are getting shorter and the weekdays just seem to drag on. Oh well, just 5 more days till Friday! I guess I'll head of back to the rubber room and finish up the layout I've been working on all weekend. I hope to get it done today. I'm itchin' to get started on a new layout.
Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time....
Happy Scrappin'!!
Leanne

Sunday, March 7, 2010

All American Kids

Happy Sunday everyone!


I hope you're all enjoying your Sunday! Its kinda quiet at the moment here, but that will all change. Deborah and Matty will be later this afternoon, and when they arrive, Auggie (the dog) gets so excited. So its absolute bedlam at first but it'll settle down, then Bella (the PITA cat) will stir things up. Children and animals are so much fun!

Speaking of kids, I thought I would share with you today a layout I made for my three children. This is the first "professional" photograph of my daughter, Kelli. We were stationed in Iceland at the time. Yes, Kelli was born in the Naval Hospital in Keflavik, Iceland. Funny story about that...when Kelli turned 17 she went to apply for a driver's license and she had to take 2 forms of identification. Well, she took her birth certificates. Yes, that plural...you see, Kelli has 5 birth certificates. An Icelanic birth certificate, a translated into English from Icelanic certificate, an American certificate, a born abroad certificate and one more which I can't think of at the moment. When she stepped up to the counter and the lady there at DMV asked for her birth certificate, Kelli handed her all 5. LOL Talk about having a confused look on the lady's face! All worked out in the end. Kelli didn't have to do that...but that's our Kelli!


This picture was taken in 1983 and if Kelli doesn't look too happy, its because she was sucking on her pacifier one moment and then it was yank out the next. She wasn't too happy about that. She was only 9 weeks old. So not only was I having to deal with a newborn, but Kevin wasn't much older either. He was only 20 months old or so and to have him sit there for any length of time was a bit challenge. And poor Michael...he sat there frozen till he was told to breath.

Oh the memories! What fun to look back and reminisce. Now, I know I've shared this layout before. I originally did this one back in April of last year. Well I have completed 2 more to put into each one of the children's albums. I am just about caught up on my New Year's resolution. I have a few more incompleted projects. And I am using papers I have been hoarding for so long. That cropper hopper that I've been storing unfinished projects in emptying out pretty fast. Its a good feeling to have them done and into albums.
I hope you enjoy your Sunday and thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned, I still have more layouts to share.
Until later,
Happy Scrappin'!
Leanne

Saturday, March 6, 2010

All About Matty!

Happy Saturday everyone!

I love it when I spend a Friday cleaning my house, so I can spend the whole weekend here in my rubber room creating. My laundry is all caught up...my bathrooms are sparkling and the dust bunnies have been corralled to the trash bin! Only chore left for this weekend is to cook dinner for DH. Anyone seen the "take away" menus? LOL

This set of layouts are of my grandson, Matthew, when he was just a baby. Chalk some more layouts completed for his first year album!! Yay!! That album is just about complete! These papers are from CTMH and they too have since been retired. I originally did these layouts for another workshop back in 2007. The papers are Sweet Harmony and Cutie Pie. I used the stamp set Happy Easter and all those tiny little embellishments (the beads and sequins) that originally came in the My Accents, I've tried to use those up as well.


I cut the title out with my Wishblade then used some pop dots to give the layout some dimension. I also cut out blades of grass with my Wishblade, then stamped blades of grass on top of that. Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me as I walk down memory lane. Stay tuned as I share more of the layouts I've completed.
Until next time...
Happy Scrappin'!!
Inky Hugs,
Leanne

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

New Month...New Post

Hi everyone!

I am sooooooooooooo sorry for not posting sooner. The month of February was an absolute disaster. I didn't want to post and whine of all the calamities going on in my life. I was afraid you might start throwing cheese at me. LOL Nothing like a little whine and cheese! LOL I really didn't want to tell you about how our backyard was broken into and the thiefs left the back gate open and my dogs got out. I didn't want to tell you how we lost one of our dogs, our 5 month old Charliey. I didn't want to tell you about how my washing machine broke and had to wait for a day off for DH to fix it. I didn't want to have to tell you about how, no sooner did DH fix my washing machine and the water heater sprung a leak and we had to replace that. I really don't think you want to hear about any of that!

So, instead, I'll tell you all about the layouts I've been working on. I REALLY don't want to overwhelm you and include all the layouts at once, so I am going to space it out for a few days till I can get all caught up with my layout share. One of my kids asked if I was running out of pictures to scrap. I thought that was hysterical...I will probably be scrapping probably well into the next decade. LOL

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I've been trying to complete some unfinished layouts. This first set of layouts are of the twins, Jaden and Benjamin. The first set I completed were for Benny's album and done for a workshop back in 2007. At that time, everything was fresh and current, even pictures of the twins. LOL This set is for Jaden's album. I used Rough and Tumble paper pack. It has since been retired, along witht the stamp sets, Little Boys, Flyin' High and Childhood Boy. You might have seen these layouts before. But when I have more than one person in a layout, I always make a duplicate layout. That's so I can put the same special moment in each album.
Looks like today is going to be a bright sunshiny day and the wind doesn't seem to be blowing too bad. Hopefully, I can get outside and photograph some of the layouts, I've completed and just haven't had the nice weather to get a good photograph. El Nino at its finest! Last time we went through El Nino, our backyard (which is mainly all sand) had all kinds of green plants growing everywhere. I took pictures of DH trying to mow the backyard somewhere. Maybe that should be my next set of layouts. Hmmmm....
Well, thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for my next set of layouts.
Until next time,
Happy Scrappin'!!
Leanne