32 by 33 in 5

OK ladies, the moment you've all been waiting for....
What was I going to do for my challenge page which was presented by Miss Nichole? The challenge is to create goals to have accomplished before your next birthday...the inspiration comes from Love Elsie Love Elsie http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/challenge.html
This was more of a challenge for me because my b-day is just 5 weeks away. My original thought that I would do a page for my 34th b-day in 2009, but I ultimately decided to not wimp out and come up with goals for pretty much to the month of March.

This LO happened accidentally. I had one thing in mind - I wanted to use a small scalloped strip of the paisley paper, but for some reason my cutter only cut the middle of the paper. So I went with it. I fell in love with this paper many moons ago, but hadn't known what to do with it. It's especially hard for me to use pinks in my LO because I have a little boy and he's my main scrapping subject. I had to have this paper anyway though. I finally found a use for it.
Supplies: Bazzill- (of course), Making Memories Maddi Narr Stripe and Maddi Paisley, Pop Culture "flower child white", flowers, Robins Nest, chalks and of course inks.

When I was attaching the flowers from Pop Culture (on the right most side of the page), they were just plain old white. I wanted a little more color, but didn't want to paint or ink the paper...I wanted subtle. My little guy was sitting next to me "scrapping" and was using my old chalks that I passed to him because I never use them...poor kid had to give me back my chalks for 10 mins so I could color flowers. The result was just what I was hoping for.


My Goals:
1. Don't panic about only having 5 weeks to complete my "to do" list
2. Start my "33 things to do before turning 34"
3. Don't worry about mistakes
4. Visit with Gram at least twice this month
5. Go for a walk at least 1X per week (not happening this week - too much rain - So I went for a walk on the treadmill)
6. Scrapbook 2-3 nights a week
7. Drink no less than 8 glasses of water everyday
8. Finish organizing my scrap room
9. Watch our Netflix movies we've had out since November (I just noticed that I miss-spelled Netflix on the page - not worrying about it!)
10. Finish reading the second Stephanie Plum book
11.Take a scrap class
12. Call Lynn
13. Call Laura
14. Organize a get together with Val, Laura and George
15. Lose 10 pounds
16. Do WATP 3-4X a week
17. Organize front closet
18. Finish painting downstairs bathroom
19. Have fun!
20. Start WL album
21. Eat 5+ veggies a day
22. Get on the treadmill everyday
23. Finish taxes
24. Deposit coins
25. Call Jess
26. Limit D. Pepsi to 2 a day
27. Have a Date Night
28. Hang pictures
29. Go to bed no later than 11
30. stop forgetting to take vitamins
31. Make appt with ear Dr
32. Finish everything on this list!!

our little artist

Hey ladies!

So, how bizarre is it that Nicole and I both created layouts about our daughters' creative efforts? Perhaps because we share a name we're super in synch?

I made this LO two nights ago, and then added some finishing touches yesterday. I used a square punch to punch out some pieces of my favorite papers, and also papers that have an artistic quality to them.

There are 4 pieces punched from Eleana's actual artwork, too. Some of her more early pieces, if you will. The photo of her is from when she was about 16 months old. She's coloring a picture at Polcari's at dinner with her grandpa.

Too many papers to list them all, but I can say I used some American Crafts thickers (which I'm obsessed with), a Colorbok chipboard frame, and a Martha Stewart word balloon sticker (her stuff is so expensive, and I've only ever bought this sheet of stickers and a jar of black glitter). Also I used some Heidi Swapp plastic alphabets (green "little"), and the plasticy looking stickers are DCWV, from last year's spring sticker stack.

As Sharon can testify, I love me some white space. I think it adds drama and draws attention to the area of the page you want to focus on. I also wanted to summon artistic thoughts by using the mosaic technique with the photo of Eleana. I should have pointed out in my journaling that I love the fact that she colors with both hands. Drat.

Journaling reads: Coloring was Eleana's earliest passion. As an infant, her closest friends were age 3 and up. Naturally she wanted to play with their art supplies. She creates art at least once a day, which brings us such joy.

Yeah, kinda ran out of room. This journaling sucks. It's basically sentences thrown together pasta salad style. I mean, come on. My college English Language professor would be very disappointed. But it works yo.

MASTERPIECE

My DD doing what she does every single day - Painting! I love this way this came out. It was a sketch made by Classygirl on Scrapbook.com and I just think it is fantastic. http://www.scrapbook.com/forums/showtopic.php?tid/1454069/

The tag under the green mat pulls out and reads.... Alicia, You are my little Picasso. You just want to paint and draw, color and create. I love it! A girl after my own heart! We have a wall in daddy's "MAN TOWN", with all your beautiful creations displayed. In the pictures you are painting lighthouses for daddy! Always open your heart to art! You color my world! Love, MOM

This is for Classygirl's March 2008 Sketch Challenge on Scrapbook.com. I never used sketches much and now I am just loving them so much! I think they are awesome because you can follow them to a T. , or give it some of your own FLAVOR FLAV lol.

















The second picture is to show the tag that is hidden with the journaling on it! I may put a picture of the wall in daddy's "Man Town" that is dedicated to Alicia's artwork on the back. I just used cardstock on this layout and Karen Foster Overlay Rub-ons. I love the rub ons because they make the page pop. They were at Building 19 and I picked it up for a buck 50. I had a blast shopping with Jenn. I think we need to make it a once a month shopping spree day! Next time I will have more time. I will have my mom watch Alicia. Daddy ticked me off this past time. lol. The flower is Prima and the buttons are none other than YARD SALE SPECIALS mama dukes picked up for me. lol

I will be posting my friends album later today as well as a Sister's altered art thing I just finished 2 weeks ago and haven't posted yet. I had started it over the summer when my sister was in basic but just finished it with the pictures and will post soon!

(((HUGS TO ALL))))
ScraphappyNicole

Legos, Herbie and Pirates

Alright, so I was able to get some scrapping in last night and tonight. I am posting my Disney stuff first, then will create a new post about my fabulous challenge page! Your gonna love it! LOL
Anyway, here's 3 more Disney LO that I've finished up on.
Nicole and Sharon have seen this first one.
I had this thought in my head about making the paper like building blocks, but it didn't turn out the way I was thinking. Oh well. The title paper is the coolest part about this LO, it actually has bumps on it like the Lego blocks do. Fell in love with the paper the second I saw it! Didn't know what to do with it though until now. Nicole and I went shopping up in NH and I found some really cool Lego paper, wish I had seen before I did this LO. Don't you worry though, you'll see that paper in an upcoming LO I will do for my In-laws Disney book. :) OK, Now I am babbling. The other thing I found in NH was Quickutz Blocks - I scored that goodness and tossed a few on the page.
OK, About the big arrow...it's pointing to the slide that's in the background and I chose to journal right on the arrow. Told the story of how C wouldn't go down the slide.
Materials: Quickutz, Disney paper from Disney paper packs bought in the park, Disney paper clip, I don't remember what line the arrow came from, ribbon and the Fastenator with Mickey. Oh and the circle with Mickey in it is from a box of "classic" tags that I bought while in the park.


Now onto the tag. Yup, pull it out and there is a picture of my BIL standing in front of an Asian Lego City. On the back side is this cool picture of a dog made out of -yup, you guessed it -Legos!!! Oh, and I also journaled some more there too.








Here is the start of the Pirate stuff...sorry guys, still have WAY more to do on this subject! This was just a simple - throw it down - get it done sort of LO for me. I worked on it over Miss. Nicole's and was really tired an unable to really get down to business for some reason.
Materials: Bazzil, Pirates Sticker that was bought in the park and I can't remember the other lines...



Now onto "The Love Bug". Here I just used Bazzill and My Disney Cricut Cart. Inside the "53" circle there is another picture and then I am going to journal.

38x39

It's night and it's snowing. I'm treading carefully back and forth from house to car on a thin sheet of black ice in my driveway. Packing my trunk with everything, I repeat EVERYTHING I own. It's my first scrap-venture over at Nicole's house with sista-scrapper Jenn (MY Jenny, yo). I have a few projects in mind but I want to come prepared. I'm playin' with the big boyz now. I gotta look like I've got it goin' ON.

I'm welcomed into a delightful scrapping area-playroom combo. I keep staring at the shade of pink on the walls. I'm envious I didn't find it first for my daughter's room. Before she could talk and demand her room be painted GREEN at 18 months of age, that is.

I'm seated opposite scrap champion Jen who's mid-steam a Disney L.O. And I'm ridiculously envious of her Mickey clamps. Clips? Clamps. Whatever they were they ROCKED. And I don't even DO Disney L.O.s

Nicole's got the supreme set-up from Ikea. My eyes follow the silhouette of the desk's outline, much like a man would appreciate a woman's shapely figure. Many drawers and clear jars I'd like to dive into with a mask and snorkel. But I was distracted by hot, melted chocolate and pretzels. Colorful licorice. Cheese balls. The smells and sights made me shove my D&D muffin down, down, down to the ocean floor of my purse.

I pull out my supplies and begin an artful arrangement on the table. I've had 1 trillion pictures from fall printed for a "dynamic" multi-page layout. Brought most everything fall-themed I own. However I can't seem to get settled, thinking I've not got enough room. I begin questioning why my Jenny has hogged the corner for her supplies. She looks at me and then, ever so slowly raises the bag up and over to the floor. The light shines on the corner - now bare. Then, I follow her gaze up and over to my LEFT - where I've thrown the remainder of my belongings - taking up 200% of the real estate - making her one bag look like a spec of sand in the dessert. Ah, good-natured Jenn. Only she could share a table with the likes of me and still force a smile.

In the middle of all the artful arranging, we begin to swap out excess paper. And I come across a treasure trove - including page, tags and coordinating stickers that actually stop me, mid-pretzel, and throw me into a tailspin. I've got to work on my challenge page with these newly acquired gems!

I do for a few moments, regret sending poor husband out in the snow with me to pack the car when after all that effort I end up using one single page from Nicole. Ain't that a riot?

Pictured below is the result of our challenge. Pardon me for not posting back to the inspiration. Nichole has it in a prior post.


In no particular order, I would like to do more of the following between now and my next birthday:

1. Love
2. Feast on the beauty of life
3. Be more: laid back
4. ...Spontaneous
5. ...Forgiving
6. ...Thoughtful
7. Seize the Day
8. Listen to my heart
9. Celebrate
10. Have a story to tell
11. Live for Today (not to be confused with Seize the day?)
12. Capture the Joy
13. *Be Decisive
14. Have FUN
15. Glow
16. Smile (more)
17. Going out (more)
18. Party (more)
19. Dance
20. Be Creative (more, more, more)
21. Eat better
22. Live, love, laugh
23. Explore
24. Dream
25. Travel
26. Play
27. Never Compromise
28. (Realize my) underlying beauty
29. Rediscover: what makes me laugh
30. ...what makes me happy
31. ...fashion (my love for)
32. Laugh
33. Kiss (more)
34. Shine
35. Relax
36. Music (discover more)
37. Be creative
38. Be Happy to be Me!

Girls, feast your greedy little eyeballs from two different sides, below.

The paper was fabulous. Loved the colors. Thanks to Nicole. I have no idea what paper pad that came from. The stickers really inspired me. The flowers came from the same pad, and on my way out, I happened to flip it over and see how they were used. Thus the flowers. I used circle pop dots from ye ol dollar store to give them such dimension. I found these lovely shades of buttons for embellishments. You can tell I've been looking through design/card making books. Finally, the trusty signo white pen to make the swirls pop.

The picture was taken over the summer from a visit to Maine. A self portrait of course. I was in the car while hubby was at the ATM. I was mesmerized by the ocean and I wanted to see what my face looked like in a relaxed state, without posing.

The overlay on the picture came from M creations.

Thanks for stopping by!

a challenge of goals

It was my turn to choose a challenge this time around, and I had one in mind for a few months that I thought would be perfect for our little group.

When I first stumbled upon Elsie's blog, I didn't know she was the creator of Love, Elsie designs. But I quickly figured it out. Some time ago she participated in a challenge involving goals. A number of goals, in fact. To see her original post, click here.

The challenge was to create some goals you'd like to accomplish in a short period of time, that is, by your next birthday. So, for me, this would be 25 goals to meet before I turn 26 (on May 18). Not much time left, I know. But these goals are possible to accomplish, and those I don't get done by my birthday will hopefully be finished by 2009.

I used up some of the supplies I got in my August 07 Scrapologie kit for this one (and, didn't realize until just now that I used mostly Love, Elsie papers!).



I have a whole box of glitter chipboard I haven't even cracked the surface of yet, so I used some numbers from that box. The word "things" is Making Memories. The blue, circle, and green arrow papers are all Love, Elsie. i can't recall who makes the brown floral. I rubber stamped "to do before I turn twenty-six" and hand wrote all my goals around the page. Some are numbered, some aren't. I could only count 24, but I went back through the list I have on paper and recounted. There's 25, just don't know how I missed one on the page!

Here's my list of goals. I'll put a star by what I've already accomplished.

1. lose 20 pounds
2. pay off some debt *
3. open a savings account *
4. go to Colonial Williamsburg
5. spend a weekend thrifting
6. see Brandie at least twice
7. go to Tamarack
8. go to the living museum
9. try a new haircut
10. get a pedicure *
11. make my own throw pillows
12. have a mother/daughter photo shoot with E
13. make homemade lasagne
14. scrapbook regularly *
15. start yoga *
16. visit Massachusetts
17. create a plushie for E
18. submit a layout for publication
19. teach a class
20. read 10 books (wow, not happening)
21. try a new food * (sushimi! yum!)
22. go to a state fair
23. draw more often *
24. practice tarot more
25. relax!

Our newest challenge

Our dearest Nichole (with an H) has set fourth a new challenge for us ladies. Challenges are just so addicting! She decided she wanted us to set a number of goals to accomplish before our next birthday. Because I am 28, I had to have 28 goals to accomplish before I turn 29. This was inspired by a challenge from the creator of the Love Elsie Line. You can view the challenge that inspired this challenge here....http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/08/challenge.html.

I raised the picture that is in the middle with about three foam dots on top of one another. So it is really above the papers. I love this picture that Rick (Sharon's Hubby) took of me and decided I would use it. Sharon, have no fear, I did save your head and I am going to use it for something in an upcoming layout soon! I bought the pp's at the Dream and I just love the KAISER CRAFT paper imported from Australia. It is from the Pretty In Pink line, Grace. I am a really big fan of brown and pink together so this paper was so me! The scalloped paper is Making Memories Audry collection. The numbers I got a long time ago and I forget who makes them. The beads are from Walmart. The buttons are from yard sales. My mom is a professional Yard Saler and picks me up the best stuff! I used stickels fruit punch to add some glitz to the scallops. I used my favorite Signo pen to outline the MM paper and the buttons. I also doodled some hearts to match the paper along the outside of the circle.

My Goals are.....

1 - Get Alicia off the binkie

2 - Get Alicia potty trained (AGAIN) She was potty trained before I left for Vegas and when I cam back wanted nothing to do with it.

3- Loose 15-20 pounds
4- Give up tonic (I drink a case of coke a day)

5- Drink Water (I HATE WATER)

6- Get more active

7- Challenge myself more

8- Learn to accept things I can not change

9- Paint my downstairs bathroom ( I had the paint since we bought the house lol)

10- Worry less

11- Start going to mass again (church)

12- Clean my house more

13- Use more of my old supplies

14- Embrace my flaws

15- Go to a concert

16- Stop eating out so often

17- Take a new class/club

18- Learn photoshop better

19- Get published

20- buy clothes (hate buying clothes for myself because it is depressing)

21- Try less to analyze everything

22- Try to sew on a scrapbook page

23- Don't interrupt people in the middle of a story

24- Spend more one on one time with the hubby (Date night perhaps)

25- Take a vacation with friends (no hubby, no daughter)

26- Get pregnant before December (At least try)

27 - Stop making other people's problems my own

28- Stop being so hard on myself!

There you have it folks, my list! Thanks Nichole, for hosting a fun, useful challenge. Let's see how many I really stick too! xoxo