Bliss

Over at the American Crafts blog, the challenge this week was to make a wedding theme layout using non theme products. Mmmm sounds really good, right? The only problem I had with it, is that I've already scrapped my wedding photos and despite my pleading and begging, hubby wouldn't let me pick a couple from our wedding photo album which has all of our professional photos. Darn!

So what does a scrappy girl do? Go through my stash of pictures and to my surprise found some pics of hubby's cousin's wedding. Mitch took these photos while we look on during their ceremony. Yippee! so I went to work and here's what I came up with....

Bliss

Since it was an outdoor ceremony, I was inspired to use this leafy pattern paper.


to break up the earthy tones in this page, I added red. Which worked well cause we are also talking about "love" in this layout. I have it in my ribbon and hearts.


I ran my big heart through my cuttlebug with the swiss dots template and distressed the edges a little. I love these puffy letters that I got from American Crafts.


I thought two small hearts would be a good detail for this wedding page.

Supplies used:
Cardstock- (brown) Bazzill; (Green) Die cuts with a View
Pattern paper- Hummus, Ala Carte, American Crafts
Ribbon- Elements, American Crafts
Letter stickers- Umbrella, Thickers, American Crafts
Embossing folder- Swiss dots, Cuttlebug, Provo Craft
Border punch- Apron lace, Fiskars
Black pen- Millenium, Zig
Others- Thread and Sewing Machine

Till next time,
Grace

Be Inspired #31 plus a toot!

Hello Sunday!
Today I wanna share my project for the Be Inspired #31 challenge over at the Cuttlebug blog. This week, the design team wanted us to use cuttlebug tools to make a board book. Here's what I made.....

My Childhood Years minibook

For the roughly five years that I've been scrapbooking, I've collected some odd things that I (at that time) thought would be cool to alter, this AOL box was one of them. I don't think they even mail these out anymore....


I liked that this box was sturdy and the way it opens was perfect for a minibook.


so I turned it into this....

I used the fun girly colors from the Eye Candy line of GCD studios for this project. I incorporated the swiss dots cuttlebug embossing template for added design and texture.


this book's purpose was for me to document memories from my childhood. Sometimes you might think minibooks are a daunting task because there's so much more pages to create but in actuality if you got your theme, journaling, products and pictures all prepped, the task is not that difficult to accomplish. I was able to work on this project for 2 days. Now I didn't work on it all day for those two days since I was working (my regular job) both days so I would say that the project took me about 3-4 hours to make.

I like accordion style pages bec. they're the easiest thing for me to do. Here's the left part....


and here's the right part.....


Here's the inside cover of the book. Used the swiss dots here again to show unity all around the book.


One of the best things I've ever done in my scrapbooking, is to make a quote book. Whenever I'm stumped with something clever to say on my own, I just grab my book and almost everytime I instantly find what I'm looking for.


I kept the products to a minimum here working with just one line of paper and sticking with the same color scheme with my embellishments. My fave thing right now is transferring rubons on cardstock, cutting the image out and adhering it with a pop up dot onto my page. It brings more life to them!


I used 10 questions about childhood for my journaling. I got the questions from the Simple scrapbooks idea book called "Scrapbook shortcuts with quizzes and questions" I totally recommend this book to add to your collection. And since I got 10 questions, I also used 10 photos. Random photos of me when I was young.


here's the back. Nothing too fancy done here since it's the back of the book/box.


Sideview of the project. I used mod podge as my adhesive for altering this book.


And finally the "toot". If you're not a scrapper, tooting is not an inappropriate bodily function term (LOL), it's a way for you to brag! Toot your horn! get it? Hehehehehehe.

Anyways for me this week, it comes in the form of this book....



It's from Creating Keepsakes. My layout is on page 75. I'm so excited about this one cause it features my two precious babies.


So there you have it. Thanks for looking and have a great Sunday.

Till next time,
Grace

I'm grateful for these two

I'm having one of those weeks were things are just looking up. *insert a big smile here*
We only had one day of preschool this week since today (Thursday) is a field trip day. I opted to skip the trip since it's just at the Heritage park where we've been before, then yesterday I had the day off, so anytime I have a big bulk of time to scrap, I'm happy. I was able to whip up some pages for challenges. Woohoo!

One little word challenge blog celebrates its second year this week and it was just fitting that their word challenge was TWO. I had "two" much fun with this one. Get it?! Here's what I made...

I'm grateful for these two

this page is all about my precious children. I picked baby pictures of them since I'm kinda missing that stage right now. This sketch was based on the Kraftgirls sketch for this month. I loved the simplicity and white space of the sketch, perfect for my theme.


I played with a lot of stuff here. I've been collecting a lot of new things lately and it's nice to finally dug through that basket and break open some fun things. I used the Oasis line of SEI for the papers, some prima flowers, Pink Paislee letter stickers and Basic Grey rubons. Wow can't believe I've waited all this time to bust them open.


I love layering flowers right now. I also added some stitching around the blocks of pattern paper here.

Journaling:
My children are definitely one of my greatest blessings. These two have taught me a lot. It's a little weird that they're just kids and yet raising them have made me a better person. They're my constant reminder to be unselfish, forgiving and to have patience. Thank you Marus and Madelyn.

and thank you for looking. Have a great Thursday.

Till next time,
Grace

Mother's day recap

I hope I'm not the only blogger out there that will be posting a Mother's day recap three days after the event. The beginning of the week is always very busy for me.
Anyways, Mother's day was great. I really didn't have any expectations on that day. Work got me all tired prior to that day so when the day came, I was just on the "going with the flow" mode.

So the morning started with a breakfast made especially for me by Mitch.

A little story about this breakfast.... I know Cream of wheat and a piece of toast was not that all grand but it's kinda my fault too, I didn't go to the grocery store before Sunday and so we didn't have any food and since we don't buy on Sunday's, he resorted to going through our food storage and made this. I guess he figured I wouldn't appreciate a cold cereal bowl so he provided me with a different variation of our usual breakfast bowl.
Hey, I'm not going to complain, I was able to sleep in a little and food was served to me. Whatever kind it was, I was happy.

We went to church that morning and boy was I busy bee that day. I had sharing time lesson to do for the kids and I also spearheaded their Mother's day project. I took photos of the kids two weeks ago, printed them off, then the kids made a mother's day frame for it.

Then when we got home, I "forced" my family to take pics with me. I say force cause I literally had to drag them out in the backyard and made them smile with me. I coached Mitch as to what kind of pictures I wanted him to take of me and the kids and these are what we got...







and this is my favorite one....



and here's my Mother's day gift from the family. A funny story behind this......While I was at work on Saturday, the family went to Home depot to get stuff for the kitchen and they picked up some flowers (one for me and another for Grandma Tolman) Dad instructed the kids that it would be a surprise so they shouldn't mention anything to me.
Well when they picked me up from work that day, the first thing Maddie told me is this...
"Mama we got you some flowers for Mother's day but it has to be a surprise!"
I guess the word "surprise" is not in a three year old's vocabulary yet! Too funny!

That evening we went to my inlaws house for some family time. We enjoyed our stay there and I got some fun treats from my mother in law. She gave all the moms truffles and candied apples. Isn't she the greatest? That was my fave gift of all that day. Don't get me wrong, the flowers and a book from church was good but c'mon if Dads get chocolates and candies for Father's day, I think mom's should get some treats on our day too. Don't you think? *laugh*

Anyways, so much for my yapping. Hope your week is going great.

Till next time,
Grace

Be Inspired #30

This week's challenge over at the Cuttlebug blog was to make something with a wedding themed. At first, I was stumped. I didn't have any bright ideas for this challenge but just today, an idea came and this is what I created...

Happily Ever After card

I used three different kinds of cuttlebug embossing templates to make my "fondant" looking cake. Used my new fiskars apron lace punch for added embellishment and finished it off with a handwritten sentiment and a punched heart. I just realized that I used a lot of tools in this card. It's good to know that I'm using my stuff.


I used a flocked pattern paper from the Paris Nights of GCD studios for the background. A perfect match to my elegant looking cake.

Thank you for looking and till next time,
Grace

Weekend ramblings

ok so this week went way too fast! I couldn't believe it's Saturday already!

First off in my ramblings today......Woohooo! I won the ad challenge at American Crafts blog. So flippin' excited about that. Read the announcement here. They have a new one up too and I can't wait to try it out. Those stamps looks awesome.

Next on the agenda is a little update on the kitchen remodeling "saga". Yes, I called it saga cause I feel like it's been in construction way too long and that there's so many other stories connected to said construction that it merits the word "saga". And also that word (to me) denotes that it hasn't ended yet, therefore again, it should have that word in it.

Ok so much for that corny introduction.... So far, Mitch has accomplished....
1. getting all the pipes changed to copper
2. changed our water heater
3. finished all the electrical rewiring for the kitchen

oh plus in the middle of the rewiring we found out that we had termite problems so we got that taken cared of as well.

As of today we have purchased the following...
1. cabinets
2. granite countertop (woohoo!)
3. dishwasher
all just waiting to be put in place.

Now he's working on putting dry wall. He had to open up a space between the kitchen and the bathroom where we will put the refrigerator, he made just a few adjustments on it and now he's closing it up again. Everything's going ok (I think) and slowly! Yes I promised myself I won't make this a whining post again so I'd leave it to that. I have to say though that I'm so grateful for a husband that would give up all of his free time to work on our kitchen. My man is looking a little lighter lately and it's not because I'm not feeding him. We're all just pluggin along. I promise I'll take pictures soon.

and finally to all my mother blog readers....

Happy Mother's day. May you all feel the great appreciation we all have for you. To all my mothers (mother, mother in law, aunts, sisters, grandmother, girlfriends, and all the women who have been a mother to me) thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now I leave you with this quote that I stumbled upon while going through my old blog posts yesterday....
Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president:
“Female roles did not begin on earth, and they do not end here. A woman who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come, and ‘where [her] treasure is, there will [her] heart be also’ (Matthew 6:21).
Read the whole post here.

Have a great weekend everyone and till next time,
Grace

Ad Inspiration

I went to the American Crafts blog last week and came upon this challenge. I couldn't pass it up, it had two of my fave things in it- ad inspirations and American crafts products. I can never get enough of that two! So I digged through my torn magazine clippings and came across this.....

Then made this.....

[date night]

I lifted the design and used that bracket part from the ad to highlight my title. I know these pictures are pretty bad, but I've been wanting to scrap these pictures which was from Dec. 07 file so I went and scrapped it anyways.


One of the striped pattern paper gave me the inspiration to create my title using three different sets of thickers.


I copied the colors from my title to create my flower. I layered felt embellishments, then wrapped some paper thread around it, added a die cut flower and finished it off with a brad.

Supplies used:
Cardstock- Bazzill; *Pattern papers- (black) Tiara, The Goods, (pink and brown scallop) Salut, Everyday, (Stripe) Train ticket, Travel, (green) French Onion, Ala Carte; *Foam letters- (red) Subway, (White) Daquiri, (Blue) Giggles, Thickers; *Felt flowers- Holiday House; *Rubon- Accents book two, Mini marks; Brad- Making Memories; die cut flower- Plantin Schoolbook, Cricut, Provo Craft; Journaling font- LD Vanilla, Letter delights.com; Others- Paper thread, source unknown
*products from American Crafts

and if you're looking for more inspiration, head on over the GCD studios blog all week. We're sharing some great Mother's Day projects. Mine's up today.

Thank you for looking and till next time,
Grace

bike parade plus a layout

Last Thursday, Maddie's preschool class went on a bike parade at Cerritos Park East. She had a lot of fun. She got to parade, or more like race, her bike plus play on the sand box at the playground.

It's funny cause when the parade started she was at the back of the line. But by the middle of the parade, she was all the way in the front. You can tell the older kids with the younger ones. The young ones can't even pedal their own bikes and then we have the older ones that thinks this is a race. It's amazing how a year or two makes a big difference with kids.

After three laps around the park, the kids got popsicles as their reward. Maddie enjoyed her's on the bench.


Now for a layout. Got this one done, inspired by Scrap Scheme's #19 challenge.

On Target

This page documents the day when Mitch bought his bow. I loved how the circles created a fun border/interest point on the page.


I used all sorts of circles (paper, chipboard and epoxy). It was fun putting all these circles together.

I continued the circle theme with a target market for my O in my title.

Supplies- Paper, chipboard and epoxy- GCD Studios; Letter stickers- American Crafts; Journaling font- Garamond, MS word

Till next time,
Grace

belated NSBD....

For my non scrappy blog readers NSBD stands for- National Scrapbooking day. Yes there's actually a day designated for this crazy passion that we have and no you cannot laugh!!! Just kidding.

So yesterday (May 2nd) was the official day and unfortunately, my schedule (or better termed- lack of it) didn't permit me to celebrate. It's okay though cause any day that I can scrap, is my national scrapbooking time, so it's all good. I did, however, had some girlfriends over Friday night to scrap. None of us finished a page but we had fun talking and playing with the Cricut.

If you did celebrate, what did you do? did you get a lot of projects done? what special event did you participate in? I wanna know, I wanna know!!! I'll live the day through your experiences.

So since I had to work an 8 hour shift at work yesterday, I will opt to share two pages I did last week. Yes, a part of me is feeling ashamed that I only did two pages last week and yet a part of me is trying to let go of self expectations and moving forward.

So here's my share....

Time- a most precious commodity




this page actually started with the negative spots for "time". I had to cut out a bunch of these words for a class that I did and thought that it would be fun to paint/color them over kinda like masks and that's what I did. I started painting them onto white cardstock without any real idea/theme/pictures to go with them.


and then I thought about the word more and how it relates to my life right now and the phrase "a most precious commodity" instantly gave me the inspiration that I needed. It helped me jumpstart the journaling of which I write about how there's so many things that consumes me and how I'm always lacking time. I documented how my time is spent and how I would want it to be spent then goes back to who I should spend it with and that's my family.


then I remembered that I had a few leftovers from my Christmas card pictures, got one of that on there and started building the page up.


I usually sketch out pages that I wanted to do but with this one, it was all about what I'd do next to it. I think I'll call it blind scrapbooking. Never really knowing what the outcome is and just going with your creative instinct. I have to say, after this process, I like it! I know I won't do it often cause I still like the fact of visualizing the end part before you begin, but once in a while I'll definitely do some blind crafting cause it's FUN!

No other can compare

this one was made with my Use it up challenge over at SoCalScrap.us in mind. I decided to work with itty bitty scraps of pattern paper here. I'm such a paper hoarder, even the itty bitty ones I keep. What's wrong with me?! Anyways, I grabbed a bunch here and used them to create a border around the page.


I used up some more of my leftover family pics and sewn around the block (both picture and paper block) for added texture and interest


I love the glitter letter stickers from GCD studios. Can you see the shine? I just can't get enough of them!


Used up some of my 7gyspies labels for the journaling.

So there you have it. I hope that when you read this, you'd go pass the whining and complaining that I do (cause I do it alot) and see somethings that inspire and encourage you to get that page you've been thinking/planning/doing done.

Till next time,
Grace

happy friday and OLW page

Well this week is almost over and all I can say is...... FINALLY! It seemed like nothing was going right for me this week. On Monday, I had high hopes of a great and productive week but alas my luck, I felt ill. Not to worry, nothing scary or anything like the swine flu that we've all been hearing about, just was overtired and no room for resting.

After about a couple of days of feeling under the weather, I was on a mission to get back on track but whatever I do, I seemed to not be able to keep up with it. Oh well, not going to beat that bush. It's a good thing retail therapy always works for me. *wink*

Another thing that put a smile on my face....

Wow I can't believe I actually won this week. I love their challenges and getting it done was a prize in itself but to actually get to wear this "blog badge", WOW! what an honor. Oh it was for my home frame in this post.

So with some new buys and a prize, I move on.....

How about a scrapbook share....

The Journey to my Happiness

This one was inspired by the word for OLW blog which is JOURNEY. I thought about the word a lot this week and decided to focus on an intangible type of journey. The theme of the page is documenting the "crossroads" in my life which have led me to a state of pure happiness right now. Don't get me wrong, life is not perfect and I still have my struggles but I can really say that I'm happy despite of it because of these major milestones in my life.


-Since the theme was about "journey", I used my travel papers to emphasize the topic. I also added the butterfly for the "emotional" side of the journey.

-Even though this photo is not the greatest, I still chose it cause first, my son took it and he's only five years old and second, I had all my hiking gear on which relates to the "journey" theme of the whole page.
Journaling:
1.

Being baptized in the LDS church.

I was eleven when my family converted to the LDS faith. I was very active but didn’t really gain my own testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel till I was 19. And now I know without a shadow of a doubt that I receive the blessings that are given to me because of my faithfulness to the Gospel.

2.

Marrying Mitch

Part of the wonderful blessing I have received through the Gospel and my religion is meeting my husband, Mitch. We were blessed to be married for all time and eternity in the LA Temple. And because we have the same principles and goals, I can say that we are in a happy marriage.

3.

Having children

Nobody could’ve ever prepared me for Motherhood. It’s both the most rewarding and also the hardiest role I’ve ever had to take. I’m so blessed to have Marcus and Madelyn in my life. Being Amanda’s stepmother also has taught me so much about my strengths and weaknesses. They’ve truly made me a better person. I’m at my happiest when I can make my children happy.

4.

Discovering my passion for Papercrafts

Who knew I could be creative? Definitely not me! But I love it now. I’ve been blessed to have found success through it and the effects of memory preserving for me in my daily life have increased all my senses to be more observant, more grateful and be more present to the now.

Thank you for looking and till next time,
Grace