i played along .....

Today I have a layout to share with you .....

..... i don't usually have the time to play along with challenges but since we moved, i've been able to spend more time in my new studio (NO - it still isn't completely unpacked ;))

I really liked this sketch from Life. Paper. Scrapbook. and love how my layout came together .....

This picture seems like a lifetime ago and I guess really it kind of is .... Emma is almost 13 and Alex is 8yrs old.  but I remember this day so clearly.  Alex did NOT want to have his pic taken and I was crouching behind the platform that the kids were on - the photographer really didn't want me there ;)) ..... but I'm so glad I did because look at this super cute pic I got !!!

I loved working with this challenge and was happy with how quickly this sweet layout was completed ..... Can't wait to play along again !!!

TFL ..... Talk soon.

BIG NEWS from Bella Blvd. today ......

Another DT term has come to an end with Bella Blvd. ...... BUT - LUCKY ME ...... I'm sticking with the Bella family in a different position this year and I could not be more excited !!

I am so excited to enjoy my new role with Bella Blvd. this year.  You'll still see me sharing Bella projects on my blog often ..... but I will join the Bella Blog every few months with some of my fave layouts using Stephanie's latest releases !!

I've been Bella's Altered Project girl for the past few years so I can not wait to share my layouts with you all ......

...... a HUGE congratulations to the new Design Team !!  They are a super talented bunch and I am looking forward to seeing all they create in the coming year :))

TFL ..... Talk soon.

A bit of Bella ..... Day 1

While I was away in August I had some projects featured up on the Bella Blvd. Blog and I wanted to share them here with you in case you missed them :))

 I've had these cute little Maya Road 'bottle caps' sitting on my desk for ages and finally got the chance to work with them! I love all the sweet images that Stephanie creates for each collection and wanted to find a unique way to enjoy them every day. My fridge is always covered top to bottom with lists and photos and my kids' artwork so I created some fun magnets to hold up the bits that are on display.

 I adhered the magnets onto the back of the bottle caps first. They were self-adhesive and I put a few on each cap to make sure they'd hold several pieces of paper at a time.

Each one is very different but represents all the things we have on the fridge at any one time. I used stickers in the center of one, chip shapes in a couple of others and punched circles of patterned paper in a few as well.

For the last 3 magnets I precision cut the heart, sunshine and puppy from the Cute Cuts and ran them through my laminator. Once they cooled, I cut them out again and added magnets to the back. Super cute and completely strong enough to hold the kids' next painting to the fridge!

For the 'tree' magnet I adhered designer tape to a piece of cardstock and punched out little circles and adhered them to the 'petals' of the flower shaped bottle cap. Buttons, flags and miniatures stickers were perfect for a few of them as well.

Come on back soon for another fun 'girly' project in 'A bit of Bella - Day 2' .....

TFL ..... Talk soon.

'rotten puppy' layout

I've been wanting to create a grid style layout for a while and really wanted the squares to be a great focus so when I snapped these cute pics of our daschund puppy I knew they'd be perfect for this layout featuring Core'dinations Colorcore Cardstock. 

I chose a piece of 12 x 12" Snowflake Jillian Dot for the base and then cut (25) 2" squares to create the focal point of my layout.  I used carstock from the Neutrals Collection and ran them thru my Big Shot using (3) different embossing folders.

I lightly sanded off the top and then laid them out evenly spaced onto my base.  Once I had them all adhered, I used a ruler and bloack journaling pen to draw the 'stitching' in between each row.

I adhered one fo the photos of Marshall flat and the other raised using 3D foam.  I used a large 'ticket' embosssing folder to create the 'Admit One' ticket and then precision cut it out of the cardstock.  I tucked it just under the edge of the flat photo with a piece of May Arts ribbon. Then I lightly twisted another piece of May Arts ribbon on an angle underneath the photos and added a couple stickers to it as well.

For the title I used a piece of Kraft-Core and cut 'puppy' using a font file on my Silhouette.  The 'rotten' type text stickers are Bella Blvd. High Five Alphas…..LOVE how this one of my 'rotten puppy' came together !!

TFL .... Talk soon.

Core'dinations and Lawn Fawn

This week it is all about Core'dinations and Lawn Fawn !!!

For this team up I was given the cutest little set of dies to work with.  They coordinate with the 'Summertime Charm' Stamp Set and are super sweet.

I started with a David Tutera 5 1/2 x 5 1/2" white card base and ran it through my Big Shot using a dotted embossing folder.  Because my folder was 5 x 7" and my card was slightly wider, I made sure to space it evenly down the center of the front so that I had to plain 'stripes' on the edges – thought it looked cute …..

I started with the jar and 'cut' it from a piece of Core'dinations 'Chocolate Box' with a lime green core.  I ran the jar die cut piece through my Big Shot using a basket weave embossing folder by Darice (love this one) …… I love the green coming through after it was lightly sanded.

The fun part about these die sets is all the smaller dies that are included in each set.  They come attached but I snipped my smaller pieces apart so I could use the heart and the small flower on my card.

I cut a small heart using a piece of red from the Tim Holtz Kraft Core Nostalgic Coolection, lightly sanded the edges and raised in in the bottom corner of my jar.

I punched a few flowers and leaves from more of the Nostalgic Collection and arranged them 'coming out of' the jar :))  I embossed the leaves and gently sanded the top to show the kraft core …. I used the small flower die to create 'centers' for my flowers and embossed them using the same dotted folder that I used on the base of the card !!

Once I had layered all my pieces onto the card I finished it off using a sentiment sticker from the David Tutera Celebrate Card Making System (LOVE these stickers) …..

Check out all the other fab projects over on the Core'dinations Blog and Lawn Fawn Blog ..... and make sure you COMMENT TO WIN !!

TFL ..... Talk soon.

I'm FINALLY back .... and where I've been !!!

WOW !!  I said once before that it had been SOOO long BUT ... not this long since I've been away from my blog.  Let me explain ......

Emma (our daughter) competes with her horses and this August was something she'd been working towards all year.  We packed up the camper and the horses and took off for 4 weeks !!

Scott was still at work for a few more days so the kids and I drove to Victoria for the first of (4) horse shows .......

Days on the show grounds are LOOONG ... we are up early enough to see the sun rise and late enough to watch it set again ....

    

This was an AMAZING start to the trip for Emma as she had a HUGE win in the CWD 3 Phase Medal Final ..... She won the class and was so excited about the incredible bridal she won, donated by CWD - thanks Judy !!! 

(...and I love this pic I caught of Em picking blackberries from the back of her horse waiting for her next class ;))

The 2nd week of showing was in Washington ...... and boy was the border line up a LONG one - 3 hours !!!  The poor horses were NOT happy (can you see Ginger's head out the window in the trailer ?!)

Alex and Scott are really big into hiking so to give Alex a break from the horses, they hiked Mt. Rainier while we were in Washington  - they LOVED it .......

                                                

.... and CLEARLY my creative skills are rubbing off on Scott - look at this super cute 'boot shot' he got of their feet on the mountain  - LOVE this guy ;))

Emma had another very successful week in the show ring - winning the 1.10m Children's Jumper division with Ginger ... Emma was exhausted at the end of the week and fell asleep while we were packing up - convenient ;)) ........ and yes, Ginger LOVES having her picture taken - look at her pose !!!

Next we headed back up to Langley, BC to stay at Thunderbird Show Park for the next 2 weeks.  Emma rode in the International Hunter Derby.  This was her first time in the Grand Prix Ring and it was exceptionally exciting for her to be competing with so many professionals - such a thrill for this 12 year old and she and Ginger were AMAZING ..... she had us all in tears it was such a beautiful round !!!   

I am one of those crazy scrapbookers that even takes a tote camping ..... I did NOT get a lot of time to create BUT ..... one of my longtime girlfriends is getting married later this year in Haiti and she asked me to create these invitations for her - love them .... LOTS of Core'dinations and David Tutera bits and she was thrilled !!!

Our campsite on the show grounds was right next to a pond, which was super for Alex as there was ALOT of frog catching going on ;)) ......and he even had his face painted on day - it looked so cool !!

This is always a fave moment for me to catch .... it happens all the time.  Em snuggling with Ginger in her stall.  I could watch them in the ring all day long BUT ... i am so so happy that Em has such a great relationship with her mare outside of the ring too - this is one special special horse and I am so happy that Em has her in her life .....

We even managed to fit in a week long hockey camp for Alex while we were in Vancouver - he LOVED it and they worked him HARD !!!

The RCMP Musical Ride was at Tbird the last weekend that we were there. We'd seen it before but being stabled near them was so fun and of course we got a 'back stage' view of it all .... the warm up, performance and the cool down too - it is always something so great to see .....

All in all it was a VERY succesful month of showing for Emma.  She rode in all the big medal classes for the first time, had some fabulous wins, gained AMAZING experience that will help her in the ring next show season and beyond .....  and most of all she had an absolute BLAST competing for 4 weeks straight.

I can not tell you how much I enjoyed this time with my family.  Scott is almost never home for these types of trips. We worked so hard all year to make it possible for him to be with us and it was amazing.  The time that we all spent together as a family and the time that Alex got with his Daddy was something I will never forget ......

....... So, it's not at all that I didn't think about sharing this on my blog while it was happening, but I really felt the need to NOT be on my computer at night.  We needed this time to just be together and it was truly amazing.  

NOW .... as if that was not exciting enough .... We came home on a Monday afternoon and took possession of our new house the very NEXT DAY @ noon !!!!  (love when a pic is taken of you from BELOW - seriously, how many chins do I have)

To say that it has been a busy time for our family would be an understatement to say the least ...... BUT we could not be happier !!!  We bought an incredible OLD house that we want to renovate and we are in LOVE LOVE LOVE with it .....

I am going to start sharing some before and after pics because you will not believe the colors in this 1960's house ..... that is, the colors that USED to be in this house ;)))

Thanks for hanging in there with me and I promise - I have some fantastic projects to share too ..... so start coming back each day and checking me out !!

.....and rumour has it i have a CONTEST or 2 coming up with FAB PRIZES so stay tuned.....