don't stop believing

I made this card using the above sketch for Unity Stamp Company's (http://www.theunitystampco-challenge.blogspot.com/2014/03/feel-better-soon.html) be inspired Challenge that ends April 9. I just recently purchased Totally & Utterly Amazing Kit of the Month May 2013 from Unity and haven't used it yet, so I had an excuse with this challenge! I also bought Your Love Lights the Way that I have used on another project and will post soon. Now about my card! :) I used Close To My Heart My Reflections Balloon Ride Sorbet ( http://shannonmills.ctmh.com/Default.aspx) that I purchased from Shannon earlier this year. The diagonal PP is Colorbok Spring Morning Pattern Pack. The butterfly and "don't stop believing" are both stamps from the Unity Totally & Utterly Amazing Kit. The floral ribbon and scalloped paper piece that I stamped on are both RAK from Joy Meadows from a Card Swap we participated in August 2013 with Society of Stampaholics (http://dominodebi.typepad.com/sos/).  I used Versafine Onyx Black Pigment Ink on both stamps and then accented them with Sharpies 80s Glam Green Argyle and a Magenta Sharpie on the sentiment. On the butterfly, I used Inc.Starlightz Yellow Glitter Gel Pen, Zig Memory System EK Success Azure 0.5mm Pigment Ink Pen, American Crafts Fuschia Glitter Marker, Sharpie 80s Glam Leg Warmer Orange & Jellie Pink to give it some color.

here's a close-up of the butterfly- I don't know if you can see it, but the word "dream" is embedded in the stamp

This is the inside spread and the other side of the CTMH Balloon Ride PP. The strips on the left are actually off the cut-off strip at the top: Learn from yesterday Live for today and Hope for Tomorrow. The butterfly journaling card was a free gift from Unity for my order. I also used the 4x6 journaling card to make this card a 4x6 card! I plan on selling this card this spring when it gets warmer! Lisa and I are going to share a table  for $5 and sell cards/homemade scrap goodies in a woman's front yard. I'm thinking about selling my 3 Girl JAM cotton bags- I just need to decorate them! LOL! I may do that at my next crop night next Friday! Thanks for looking and have a great weekend! I'm volunteering at a TobyMac concert tonight with BigFish FM here in town tonight and I'm super excited!! It will be my second concert volunteering with them so I know they will give us a t-shirt to wear during the concert and I'll have to return it. I just can't wait until 5PM when I have to be there!! :)

Birthday Blog Hop

Thank you for joining us on My Cricut Craft Room's Birthday Blog Hop! You should have started at Erica's blog. If you just stumbled on my blog, please go back to My Cricut Craft Room- the very beginning! Today I made a card to share with you.

   

I made this card for Colin. His mom created a Facebook page to help Colin, her disabled son, celebrate his 11th birthday. She has over 2 million likes!! How amazing is that?! His birthday was March 9th so I made this card a head of time and am still using it for the hop.

 The paper is Bazzill Solid Cherry Red Cardstock. The "it's your day!" is Simple Stories Happy Day Signature Classics 4x6 Journaling Card Elements that I won from Life's a Party August kit with Housecalls by: Scrappin Madge (http://www.heartstringdesigns.blogspot.com). The smile is a freebie cutting file from Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons (http://prettypaperprettyribbons.blogspot.com/2014/02/new-file-freebie-friday.html) and I used Recollections Foam Adhesive Squares to make it stand out. The birthday cake sticker is Karen Foster Design Blow Out the Candles Cardstock Stickers. The balloons, birthday hat, and present are all Sticko Birthday Party. The vellum Happy Birthday piece is from DCWV Colored Stack for Cards and I used Bazzill Cherry Red again to add some color behind it.

Here's a close-up of it.

This is the inside top spread. The candles and stars are Sticko Birthday Party again. The Blow Out the Candles is Karen Foster Blow Out the Candles Cardstock Stickers again. The blow whistle is Recollections Dimensional Stickers.

This is the bottom spread where I wrote my note. The sentiment sheet is from Life of the Party, again, Echo Park Paper Company Birthday Wishes by Glitz.

Next you will go to Shana's Blog. Here's the entire line-up in case you get lost along the way.

Erica http://mycricutcraftroom.blogspot.com

Me http://salnclts76.blogspot.com -- YOU ARE HERE!

Shana http://craftingblogevents.blogspot.com/2014/03/birthday-blog-hop-shanas-project.html -- NEXT
Vivi J http://vivijdesigns.blogspot.com
Julie http://cricutchirp.blogspot.com
Nikki http://creationsbymommy.blogspot.com
ShanAnn http://kraftinmama.blogspot.com
Vicki www.vickiscraftroom.blogspot.com
Erica http://ericasprojects.blogspot.com
Robin- http://MorphManiaCreations.blogspot.com
Eileen http://www.craftykards.blogspot.com/
Trish http://ifieverdoit.blogspot.com/
Patty http://Pattyscreations.blogspot.com
Connie http://papercraftingfromanotherviewpoint.blogspot.com/2014/03/cricut-birthday-card.html
Craft Lovers Come Here http://CraftLoversComeHere.blogspot.com

 Thanks for hopping along on The Birthday Blog Hop! Please leave me a comment and become a follower before you go on to see Shana's  project. I'm trying to get 75 followers so I can have a giveaway. I'm only 9 followers away! TFL & have a great weekend! :)

Christmas with the family

This past Friday night was my crop or Scraps & Cards Night at my church. I completed the above layout that night and started the next one. The paper is Recollections Bright and Jolly as is the title banner. The pictures are of my grandmama's Christmas tree as the tag states. The red picture mat is Recollections Butterfly Wings and the green are from the same Bazzill Kiwi Crush Cardstock. The Christmas stickers are all from the same collection, but I have lost the original packaging. The tag is Studio G that I got from Vicki's stash at the crop. The ribbon is Bobbin Ribbon that I bought from Big Lots for $0.75 and is almost gone. The Christmas tree is from a Christmas stamp set that Mrs. Gloria gave me, but I don't know the manufacturer. I didn't make this LO busy like I normally do. My grandmama's Christmas tree was so big that I took several pictures of it, but wasn't thinking when I did so! I must have been thinking I could make a collage out of the pictures! LOL!

This is a close-up of the title.

 I started this layout, but didn't get to finish it until today. The paper is Be Blessed Scrapbooking Signature Watercolor Collection Love and the Peace and Joy tags are also from the same collection that I won from Helen (http://byheleng.wordpress.com) as a prize from Scrapping Everyday Miracles (http://www.scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.com). The ribbon is Bobbin Ribbon- 'tis the season to be jolly- was also $0.75 at Big Lots- both bought years ago. The stars were punched with a hand star punch just like a hole punch, but it punches stars.The turtle sticker is Recollections stickers that are all baby themed. The flower sticker is from a family collection, but I lost the original packaging. The tags are punches that I borrowed at the crop. The brown tag & teddy bear was punched from a 12 x 12 coffee/brown cardstock. The other 2 tags are punched from American Crafts Dots & Stripes 6 x 6 paper pad that I bought from TJ Maxx. The 4 ornaments together is an EK Success Border Punch that I punched from the Dots & Stripes pad, also. The picture mats on the right are Dots & Stripes and the 2 on the left are Colorbok Heidi Grace Designs Jolly & Bright Mini Dots Double-sided Cardstock that I bought from JoAnn's. I placed a flower eyelet in the middle of the teddy bear to give it some color. I set it with my Making Memories Tool Kit II- the mallet and an eyelet setter. The bling in the corners and the green waterspots/bling are from my stash- don't have the original packaging. The ornament stamps are from another Christmas collection that Mrs. Gloria gave me. I used Colorbox Gold Pigment Stamp Pad on the bigger ornament and Martha Stewart Crafts green (not sure of the shade)- the ink is like Cat's Eye shaped and is stacked in 2 different sets and I believe the green I used doesn't have a shade label on it. The Jesus is the Reason for the Season is Stampendous Jesus Season stamp that I stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black Pigment Ink. I used Stickles Star Dust, Christmas Red, Cotton Candy, Burgundy, Waterfall, and Burgundy to accent the ornaments and the flower. I used my XYRON 1.5" Create A Sticker Repositionable Adhesive to adhere all the journaling, the teddy bear, and the love/joy tags. The pictures are (clockwise) of Seth, Tim, Jonathan, & Dustin; Emily, Sara, & Seth are chillin' while Aino is taking pictures; and Jenna's playing on the floor with her mom, Brittany, watching nearby. I typed the journaling on Microsoft Word 2000 and used Lucinda Calligraphy font and used my Create A Sticker to adhere the journaling strips. The following pictures are close-ups.

 I wanted to show a close-up of the eyelet. I thought the little green bling kinda looks like a pacifier in the teddy bear's mouth!

 a close-up of the ornaments and all the Stickles

bottom ornament accented with Christmas Red Stickles

the fat Christmas ornament stamped with Colorbox Gold Pigment Ink and accented with Silver Stickles. TFL!

Happy Birthday to You!

Don't forget to set your clocks up an hour- Spring Forward!! :)

I'm entering this card in Love to Create's Challenge #105 (http://lovetocreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2014/03/challenge-105-recipe.html) and the recipe was to use 1 ribbon, 2 different papers, and 3 gems/pearls on a project. I chose to make a card in memory of my friend, Annie, who would have turned 40 this past Friday, but passed away due to cancer this past September 12. We were friends in high school lost touch while I was in college, but reconnected thanks to MySpace and Facebook! We texted a lot the last few months of her life. I even texted her the day she died, but when I saw on Facebook that she had passed I knew then why I didn't get a response back. She would always respond back as soon as I texted her even though she was in Wilmington. She thought she was in the hospital up until she died, but she had been moved to a hospice facility where she died. I miss her dearly. Back to my card, the papers are Close to My Heart My Reflections Avonlea and Chocolate (from the same collection) that I just recently bought from Shannon (http://shannonmills.ctmh.com/Default.aspx). The ribbon is Martha Stewart Crafts. Can you spot the gems/bling? I have one on the circle on the CTMH Avonlea PP, one on the flower, and then a blue gem beside it. The flower with the spring, the brown sparkly flower, and the dragon fly are all RAKs from Niki. The Happy Birthday to you is a Studio G Ditto stamp that I stamped with Versa Fine Onyx Black Pigment Ink onto a piece of 8.5 x 11 copy paper and then I fussy cut around it and colored it in a little with my SMASH blue pen. I just happened to have it handy! lol The ribbon I attached with my XYRON 1.5" Create A Sticker Repositionable Adhesive.

The blue ribbon is also Martha Stewart Crafts. I decided to add it to connect the green ribbon together. I used my XYRON adhesive again. The dream vellum is also a RAK from Niki that was in the same set as the dragon fly.

The tag is K&Company Engraved Garden Journal Tags that is self-adhesive. I added some yellow/white twine that I won from Helen (http://byheleng.wordpress.com) from a prize with Scrapping Everyday Miracles (http://www.scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.com).

This is the back reverse from the front . I just used the same papers and folded it in half. I used an A2 DCWV Greens Card Stack as my pattern to go by and then cut the papers with my XACTO 12 x 12 Paper Trimmer.I added my Hero Arts Handmade from the Heart stamp as my final touch. I didn't put a year in case I decide to sell this card. Please keep my stepdad, Ray, in your prayers. He's in ICU with a blood clot on his leg. He's been in the hospital since last night. He has a catheter in his leg to break up the clot and is therefore confined to his bed. He's being very cooperative with the hospital staff. We all know his RN personally so that helps me at least feel at ease about the situation! His RN- Noah- is married to a girl that was in youth group with me and his brother graduated with my stepbrother. He's a Christian and therefore is very nice and helpful! He knows his stuff!! TFL and have a great Sunday! :) The challenge with Love to Create ends tomorrow so you still have time to link up! 

Christmas Decoration SMASH 2013

Laura made this SMASH book for me using her Cinch kit. I decided the wintery page looked perfect for my Christmas decorations from 2013 and also included cookies and the Christmas dish set on the opposite page. The penguin and Christmas tree stickers are Creative Memories. The journaling tag "Today was a great day!" is from Hazel & Ruby (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hazel-Ruby/228544217275844). I just recently bought another SMASH pen & thought it was for the blue SMASH pad since it had blue on the label, but it is actually blue ink! Cool! I used it to glue everything in my book and wrote "Christmas 2013. Random pictures of our decorations , Christmas cookies/trays, & table setting. This set of dishes is only used at Christmas. Isn't it pretty?" I made a collage of the pictures on the pink page since they were so big. You can still tell what is in each picture. The Merry Christmas vellum is from DCWV Color Vellum Cards Stack. I can't wait to use the rest of the book and show you what Laura put in the book! I might just have to save up for a Cinch kit next! She's made a book for her grandfather who has Alzeheimer's of memories of them from the past. TFL! I"m going to take a picture of my 75 Follower Giveaway soon so that when I reach 75 followers I can giveaway a nice prize! Have a great week! :)

Altered Journal

I altered this journal for a challenge with Craft Hole on Facebook and for Miriam's Crafting Blog 9th Challenge (http://www.miriamscraftingblog.com/1/post/2014/02/miriams-crafting-blog-9th-monthly-challenge-hot-air-balloons-featuring-printable-by-virginia-dare-burnett.html). Since Miriam's Challenge required something to be made with hot air balloons I decided to use this as a 2-for-challenge! The journal I bought from TJ Maxx and am using it for sermon notes (when I take notes during a sermon during worship). The paper is Close to My Heart My Reflections Balloon Ride and the flower & the "Find the Extraordinary in Ordinary Days." is chipboard Balloon Ride Complements. I just recently bought these from Shannon (http://shannonmills.ctmh.com/Default.aspx). The "got faith?" tag is Be Blessed Scrapbooking Signature Watercolor Collection Tags that I won from Helen (http://byheleng.wordpress.com) from a challenge prize with Scrapping Everyday Miracles (http://scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.com/). The ribbon is American Crafts Premium Ribbon that I adhered using my XYRON 1.5" Create-a-Sticker maker. I used Tombow Multi Mono Liquid Glue to glue the paper to the journal and hopefully when it dries better it won't look so warped. I was trying to get it finished before the midnight deadline on Facebook and didn't think I had to have it done today since it was just a challenge. Anyway, I didn't want to take away from the paper so I tried to stay as clean and simple as possible! Have a good weekend and TFL!