2013 in Review

I made a lot of cards this year, but did scrap some, too. Here is a look at 13 of my favorite projects for  2013! I'm off to scrap the rest of the night away and catch up on some pictures from this past summer! Happy New Year and I hope you all have a great 2014!! Please scroll down and look through all the projects I chose.

Feel free to look back through my blog to see the posts that I dug these out of! Happy New Year & TFL! :)

Congrats Grad LO Completed

I started this layout in August 2013 on this post: http://salnclts76.blogspot.com/2013/08/congrats-grad.html where I got the above pic from. I didn't have the pictures developed at the time, but just got them developed around Christmas.

The pictures are from left to right: Emily & Tyler after his Preschool Graduation, Tyler holding his Pre-Kindergarten Diploma, Tyler opening his card from me with my dad sitting behind him on their back porch, and then him smiling and showing the McDonald's gift card!

Here's what the layout will look like once I put it in his album. I'm making an album of all pictures of him from birth until the scrapbook is full. I attached his program upside down on a brad so that you can turn it around once taken out of the book to read the program. TFL! I'll be posting my favorite posts from 2013 soon! Have a great 2014!!

Will Miss You Mini Album

I made this album for a lady I co-teach with, Mrs. Gloria. Tomorrow is her last Sunday since she's moving to VA sometime around January 1st. I used K&Company paper that was already precut for mini albums thanks to Niki who gave me the paper and I believe the mini album. The packaging showed that it was bought from Michaels. The vellum quote, "across the miles a part of you has grown in me, together forever we shall be, never apart, maybe in distance, but not in heart. (author unknown)", was actually given to me by Mrs. Gloria in the scrapbooking supplies she gave me.I thought this quote fits since she's moving away, but she will never be forgotten!

I put this tag- K&Company floral- note in the inside front cover and attached Martha Stewart "Thank You" ribbon at the top. It can't be a gift without a note or a card! :)

the first page of pictures, I tried to include things each student liked and both of these boys like Super Heroes. The blue ribbon is Basic Occasions Bright and the paper is DCWV All About Boys 6x6 paper pad.

the next spread of pictures, the paper is K&Company and the ribbon is Basic Occasions Bright

more pictures, the silly pictures on the left paper is All About Boys 6x6 paper pad and the ribbon is Basic Occasions Bright. The paper on the right is K&Company and the ribbon is Basic Occasions Tropical.

last page of pictures- the paper on the left is K&Company and the ribbon is Basic Occasions Bright. The paper on the right is Basic Occasions Jewel Punchout Pack and the ribbon is Basic Occasions Tropical. Purple is Garrett's and my favorite color! :)

I got the label off of Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/salnclts/) Everything Etsy and http://www.everythingetsy.com/2013/04/75-free-printable-labels-make-it-handmade/! I'm entering this in Just B Creative Crazy's Linky Party (http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com/2013/12/decembers-linky-party.html) that ends tonight at midnight EST. Feel free to join me for some great prizes! Have a great New Year! I don't know if I'll be scrappin much this coming week or not. I have to work Monday and all day Wednesday and then I'm headed to Raleigh to be with my dad for his surgery at Duke on January 2nd and will be at his house until Saturday, January 4th. God is in control and that's all that matters, but all prayers are appreciated! Tyler asked Santa to get rid of "Daddy's boo boo in his stomach" for Christmas! :( Makes me choke up just thinking about him, but I'm trying my best to stay strong! Have a great weekend & TFL! :) 

God's Good Gifts Week 3: Home & Merry Grinchmas

Sorry for so many pictures, but I had to take so many for emphasis and so y'all could read everything! I made this last week and am just getting around to posting it. I had a busy weekend after I made it and am just now having time to post it! Both PP is Fiskars Heidi Grace Designs A Little Bird's Tale|Decor Stripe. Can you see why I chose this paper? Do you see the houses in the purple stripe on the far left? This is the first page. The title "Home" and the devo strip is from God's Good Gifts Devotional. I have close-up pics farther down. I used Recollections Foam Adhesive Squares on all the pics to make sure I'd have enough room for all the embellies. I'll explain more about the rest of the page on the close-up pics. 

This is the second page.

The journaling square I found off of Pinterest- (http://misstiina.com/blog/more-live-free-love-life-free-printable-download-too/). I wrote with a purple pen "All of these pictures are of our house in Taylor Creek. We have some of the best conversations at our dining room table. This was one Thanksgiving." Emily, Mr. Ray, and Dustin are playing Washer Toss very similar to horse shoes, but you throw little washers in a box in a hole more like min-golf as well. I've never been able to get the washer in the box when I've played! I'm not that great at sports & thus the reason for my love of taking pictures of those playing! :) I don't remember which year the Thanksgiving picture was taken. All I know is it was warm enough to open up the sun room- 80 degrees on the thermometer! You never know how the weather will be here in good ole North Carolina!

 This tag is from my stash and the brad is an KI Paisley Parade Epoxy Brads/Fastener. I'm slowly getting to the end of this kit. I still have 7 left and love them, Jearise (http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com), thanks!!

This is the application part of the devotion. "Woman to Woman

* What are your memories of your childhood home?

*What can you do in your own home to create an atmosphere where God is honored?

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, that you have not left me to flounder in the dark. You have given me all the direction I need, if only I will humble myself and go to your Word for the answers. Help me not only to read and study the truths you have laid out, but also to incorporate them into every aspect of my daily life. Amen."

 from Search My Heart, O God.

 This is the devotion part on the first page. Sorry the close-up pics aren't in order. Debbi (http://noteablescraps.blogspot.com) gave all that attended the Scraps & Cards Girlfriends' Event in November Group's God's Good Gifts Devotional Book. I'm working my way through it as I can. I may get to the next week- Rest- later this week, but I shall see how the week goes! Back to the close-up pics!

This tag is from Helen (http://byheleng.wordpress.com/) when I won a prize from Scrapping Everyday Miracles (http://scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.com/). The Bless Our Home tag is from Be Blessed Scrapbooking Signature Watercolor Collection Tags (http://www.beblessedscrapbooking.com). I wrote with my black INC. Starlightz Glitter Gel Pen "The bottom 2 pics were taken in our townhouse @ Tryon Estates- my bedroom when it was clean & my mom sitting at the computer. The pic of Emily is on the front porch of the house in Simmons St. She had just got home from a girls' lock-in." The Simmons St house was also owned by Tryon Estates. I also used another Paisley Parade Epoxy Fastener that has Smile printed on it, but it's hard to read in the picture. 

Here's both pages together. I guess technically they don't flow together, but I did use the same paper on both pages. The second page is smaller than the first, because I cut off a strip for a previous layout and I didn't realize it until I chose this paper for this 2 pager. I'm getting old and forgetful! LOL! The vellum embellies "Home Sweet Home" and "Heart of the Home" are from a vellum Friends/Family pack that Mrs. Gloria gave me. I already had this pack, but always love duplicates!

 Now onto another Christmas card!

I used Recollections Bright & Jolly 8.5x11 PP bundle for this card. The Merry Grinchmas is a file I won from Lisa (http://scrappingwithlisadesigns.com/). I highlighted the Grinch and the letters of the title "Merry Grinchmas" with my silver INC. Starlightz Glitter gel pen since my black ink on my printer is out and I didn't want all the green to blend together on the grinch. I decided to add purple polka dots with a purple pen and red inside the ribbon to make the top of the ribbon look like hearts. I'm mailing this card to my friend, Todd, the one I made the football birthday card for. He loved it & loves the song "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is why I made this card for him. :)

This is the top inside spread & another piece of the same Recollections bundle and I added Creative Memories Christmas tree PP, Jesus is the Reason for the Season (http://www.stampendous.com) with Color Box Cranberry Pigment Stamp Pad, and I made cupcakes out of my new (to me from Mrs. Gloria) Martha Stewart Cupcake punch with the same Recollections bundle and I added some stars on the green liner for decoration.

This is the bottom inside spread and I added more cupcakes at the bottom you see using the same Recollections bundle on the cupcakes and the sentiment backing. The sentiment is from the same pack as the Friends/Family Vellum Pack and states that "A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud." Ralph Waldo Emerson. I have never met Todd in person, but I have become close enough friends with him that I tell him almost everything so this sentiment fits me! TFL and have a great week! I've got to make more cupcakes for Breakfast With Santa (Special Needs event this Saturday that we won't be able to attend) tomorrow, get my Christmas cards written in/addressed/mailed, and Christmas presents wrapped. I finished all my shopping in one day in less than 2 hours time after work this past Friday thanks to TJ Maxx and my paycheck! :) It was our 20% off weekend and I bought everything, but one gift from TJM and the other gift was from Michaels! My scrapbooking will be put on the back burner so to speak until my presents are wrapped. My stepdad's brother is coming Thursday sometime and staying with us until Saturday morning/afternoon. We haven't seen him in almost 10 years so this is a treat! So this is gonna be a busy week for all of us. We also have candlelight at Tryon Palace Saturday night. I look forward to going every Christmas! We go in The Palace and tour it by candlelight and watch fireworks afterwards. I'm going to include this in Becky Creative Crazy's December Linky Party (http://justbcreativecrazy.blogspot.com/2013/12/decembers-linky-party.html)!

Winter Wonderland Blog Hop

Welcome to the Winter Wonderland Blog Hop! I'm the last stop on the hop. If you have came from Gina's blog, you're in the right place. If not, please start back at Audrey's blog.

Here's the hop list just in case you need a refresher:

 Audrey Dickinson

Kreative Kreations by Audrey

www.kreativekreationbyaudrey.blogspot.com
 Dawn Smith
http://strawberryrainsdelights.blogspot.com
Victoria
 http://mommysplaybook.com

Gina Karas
 http://californiascrappin-gcinderella21.blogspot.com

 Now that all that is out of the way I can't wait to share my 3D layout with you! Our challenge was to create a 3 Dimensional Project with the colors White, Blue, and Gray/Silver and to make it wintery. I chose to do a layout with snow pictures! The paper is K&Company Blue and I added a border on both sides from Fiskars Heidi Grace Designs A Little Bird's Tale and I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the edges to fit with the snow theme of my layout. The top pic mat is Recollections Bright & Jolly Paper Pad. The title "Let It Snow" is stickers out of a collection from my stash as is the snowflake, the journaling square, and the snowflake in between the pics. The ribbon is EK Success Blue Metallic Adornments Fun Fibers- there's 5 different fiber strands in the box and I've already used up one & there's not much of this strand left. The pic mat under the mail box picture is Martha Stewart Punch Pad, and the pic mat under the bottom pic of the back of the house is Creative Memories. The bling in the corners is Studio 18 Rhinestones given to me by Jearise (http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/) along with the brad on the journaling tag. I'll mention the brad manufacturer later down below the close-up pic. I used Recollections Adhesive Foam Squares to make my elements stand out and give some dimension. I always love taking pictures of the snow in the yard whenever we get snow, because we don't see snow very often here in eastern NC!

Here are some close-ups of the snowflake and the snowman. I used Crystal, Silver, and Waterfall Stickles to add sparkle to both and to make them look real! The snowman is a digi from Scrappin with Lisa Designs (http://scrappingwithlisadesigns.com/)- Snow Much Love.

I decided to add Silver Stickles to this snowflake embellie to give it some sparkle as well.

The tag was given to me by Niki and the brad is KI Memories Paisley Parade Epoxy Fasteners- from Jearise as I mentioned before. Niki gave me a "Go Green" Food Lion bag full of scrapbook paper and supplies when I worked with her mom at TJ Maxx, because she was going to stop scrapbooking altogether, but she has since decided to get back into it! I wrote "Christmas 2004 all of our mail boxes in the cul-de-sac had these bows on them" with my American Crafts Basics Blue gel pen and the word "them" is American Crafts Candy Shoppe Blue gel pen.

          Here's a close-up of the scripture vellum that I thought fit perfectly with these pictures. This was out of a vellum pack that the cover has been torn off that a friend from church gave me as a RAK.

Thank you so much for joining me on this blog hop and please leave me a comment. I would love if you become a follower if you aren't already! TFL and have a great day!

God's Good Gifts- Week 2: Church

If you saw the last blog post you know that I just started God's Good Gifts Devotional with my women's group at church. This is the second week of it that I made today. This week's devotion is on the Church. This picture is after a Vacation Bible School (VBS) Closing Program on Sunday about 2 years ago. The kids were throwing water balloons at the teachers and directors of VBS, because they met the goal for offering. This was just something fun for the kids to enjoy after church and the adults as well. The white pieces of paper are part of the God's Good Gifts Devotional. You will see detailed pictures when you scroll down. I used Colorbok Bright Ideas Paper Pad for all the mats except the title. That mat is a piece of Fiskars Heidi Grace Designs A Little Bird's Tale. The main PP is Be Blessed Scrapbooking Signature Watercolor Collection Cool Mint and the purple Scripture square is also Be Blessed Scrapbooking Tags. The "fun" cut-out is from Best Occasions Jewel Punchout Pack.

This is a close-up of the purple tag. I thought it fit this page since the adults and kids were enjoying the water balloon fight in the picture.

This is a close-up of the "fun" punch-out and the questions and prayer from the devotion. The questions ask: "What do you have to gain from being a part of a church?" & "What does the church have to gain from your participation?" Something to think about when you are looking for a church home as well as how well you particpate within the church. I co-teach PreK-1st grade Sunday School every Sunday that I'm not running the computer during worship (which is usually just once a month) and I also help in the nursery 2 times a quarter.

This is the devotion, written by Jill Briscoe, about Jesus being His Father's business and how we as believers should follow the same example. I hope you didn't take this blog entry as me trying to preach at you, because that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to share a page I made out of this devotional book. There are 10 more weeks to go in this devotional. Feel free to keep following me to see what I include in my version of my first devotional scrapbook or you don't have to comment on these pages if you don't believe in the same God I believe in. It's up to you.

I do want to put a plug in for a blog hop that I'm participating in on December 1. It's a Winter Wonderland Blog hop that you may have noticed the picture posted at the top right of my blog over Becky Creative Crazy's Linky Party icon. There's only going to be 4 of us in the hop and I would like to invite you all to hop along with us. I don't know if there will be a prize involved, but I'm sure there will be. I've started on my project and can't wait to share it with all of you, my friends & followers. Thanks for looking and have a great weekend! Please keep my dad, Joe, in your prayers tomorrow as he has a biopsy done on his liver and his abdomen to find out if the tumors on both areas are benign or cancerous. I pray it's not cancer, but if it is we will get through this. Thanks again!

God's Good Gifts Week 1 & A Christmas Card

This past Saturday, November 9, I went to a Girlfriends' Event at my church- Broad Creek Christian Church (http://www.bccchurch.com/) and those that attended were given Group's God's Good Gifts Scrapbooking Bible Study Book. I looked at Group's website and couldn't find a link for you, so here is a link from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Good-Gifts-Scrapbooking-Scrapbooks/dp/076442646X). It's a 12 week study and includes die-cuts and stickers at the back of the book. So far I have only completed the first week which is about Myself. I made the above layout there and will add a picture later. I haven't decided if I want to add a recent picture or one from my past. I can't seem to find one from my past that I haven't already scrapped! Since I didn't make this LO at home and didn't post this right after like I normally do, I don't remember all the manufacturers of the supplies I used. I do believe the purple solid paper is Best Occasions Cardstock Paper. The title, "I Love" letters are from Best Occasions Jewel Punch Out Pack. The picture mat and the ellipsis after the title are from the same PP, but I don't remember which pack I got it out of. I believe it's Recollections. I believe the purple PP with flowers (at the top) was from Debbi's (http://noteablescraps.blogspot.com/) stash that she let us use. The lighthouse block I fussycut from a 12x12 nautical PP.  Here are some close-up pics of my stamping and coloring:

I did my name with a Disney ABC set.

 The butterfly was a foam stamp and I decided to write my journaling inside the stamp. I colored the catterpillar part of the butterfly and then realized I made it too fat, but oh well, it is what it is! I wrote on the caterpillar that "I heart (love) Jesus" and drew a smiley face for the caterpillar's face. The journaling on both sides of the butterfly tells what I love and explains why I used the stamps I did. "I love to collect lighthouses, texting/calling friends and chatting online. Card making. I love to bake as well. I've grown up around the ocean and love it! Scrapbooking & butterflies."

 These shells were another foam stamp and I colored over them with a light brown Recollections pen that has 2 different size tips one at each end. The cellphone was from a Disney stamp kit that comes in a little purse with other girlie essentials and I colored over the heart with a pink Recollections pen from the same set that I used on the shells and a purple from the same set for the buttons.

 Date toe Dream is a Sizzix stamp, I do believe. I've seen it at Michaels. I colored in the letters of dream with the fine tip of a pink marker from the same Recollections kit. She brought 2 tables full of supplies for us to use and we were allowed to bring our own supplies which I did- I took a mechanical pencil, my pink scissors from Making Memories Tool Kit II, a Creative Memories Classic Cocoa Fine Tip Pen, and a set of 7 Inc. Starlightz Glitter Gel Pens, and my XACTO 12x12 Paper Trimmer. I didn't use all my pens, because I was just given the Starlightz pens and didn't test them before using them- not all of them work. I used my paper trimmer on the photo mat.

 I made this LO at home this past Monday. The God's Good Gifts book has devotional pages that you include in your scrapbook and the pages are perforated so they are easy to tear. I used my edging scissors on each section. The polka dot paper is Basic Occasions Jewel Punch Pack as is the purple flower under the actual devotion. I fussy cut the flower out of a PP from the pack. The purple and blue mats are from Colorbok Deluxe Textured Cardstock Pack.The butterfly is K&Company Susan Winget Spring Blossom Icon Die-Cut Cardstock & Acetate that I won from Scrapping Everyday Miracles (http://scrappingeverydaymiracles.blogspot.com/) for inviting friends to the facebook group. I was thinking it was a blog hop, but just remembered it wasn't. The red heart is I believe Martha Stewart Living. It was given to me just recently with a bunch of punches, stamps, ribbons, the Starlightz pens, the BO Jewel Punch Pack, some Colorbox ink pads, and Martha Stewart Chalk ink pad sets. I can't wait to use them all! The blue brad at the top is from Jearise (http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com/) when I won a blog prize from her and it's KI Memories Paisley Parade Epoxy Fasteners. The One of a Kind Vellum Sticker is from ATD/Momenta Super Sticker Pack, the pink flower is from Helen (http://byheleng.wordpress.com/) when I won a blog hop with Scrapping Everyday Miracles and is Creative Elements Floral with Button. The strawberry and cupcake stickers are Sticko Sweet Treats. The green mat is also BO Jewel Pack. The purple floral PP is the bottom half of the PP from the previous LO. Now on to my Christmas card!

The card is from a Studio G card set that Vicki brought for us to use. She doesn't have a blog that I know of. So I can't really give her credit like I did the others. This is actually 2 stamps: the blue stamp in the background is the nativity scene that I stamped with Colorbox light blue ink pad. The sentiment stamp I don't remember the manufacturer's name, but it states "Jesus How do you remember your First Christmas? Did You wonder at the sound of Your own new voice? Can You still feel that love that wrapped You snuggly in swaddled clothes as Mary held You close? Could there ever have been too many kisses on Your downy little head? Can You still hear Mary's soft lullabies? When Joseph first held You, did Your Heavenly Father look on with longing? Did You wave Your amazing little fingers for Him to see? Did the star look as bright to You from Bethlehem looking up? Did the hay tickle Your toes? Did the little lambs nuzzle their noses in Your face when Mary wasn't looking? Were the shepherds out of breath when they arrived? When the wise men finally arrived, did they understand how amazing it was to see that the Lord of all Creation would humbly crawl into our world on chubby little hands and knees?" The ink didn't set like I wanted it to after testing it several times on another piece of paper so I wrote over it with my black Inc Starlightz Glitter Gel Pen. 

The snowflake was originally the front of the card, so I just flipped the card over and will add a piece of paper behind the snowflake later. I colored over this stamp with my Silver Starlightz Glitter gel pen. As you can tell, I had a blast! I can't wait to work on the rest of the devotional book and post them on here as I do! Please look at the blog links I linked to and become a follower of their blogs if you wish. If you do, please let them know that I, Amanda Rhodes, sent you. Thanks & have a great day!