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Good evening everybody. Just wanted to pop in and drop off a layout. I took this photo in June just before Gabby and I got out of the car. Instagram has some cool features and I love anything that looks dated. I forgot the filter I used but I love it. Anywhoo I tried to go outside the box and use a different color base this time. It's by Bazzill called Butter. I love the dotted background. I picked up the color on a whim. I didn't plan on using it as a base, more like punched shapes. I think it matches the tone of the picture and the colors in her outfit, along with that sun-kissed skin.

It took me 2 days to complete this. I contemplated going simple or all out. I have a mix of both. I punched the border with Martha Stewart "Daisy" border punch. I thought it looked a little blah up top so I punched another sheet of card stock and attached to the top. I laid down my mat @ the bottom and started layering a few items on top. I used a collection from Recollections which mirrors Amy Tan Sketchbook almost to the T. I bet you cant tell the difference. Then I used Martha Stewart "Pinking" circle punch and layered over a half circle punched out using Marvy 2 inch circle. I stamped using Jenni Bowlin "Whimsical" foam stamp~ I did not know you could stamp with  mist. I used Tattered Angels Chalkboard in Strawberry Shortcake. I also used Shimmerz in "Licorice". That's pretty much it. Thanks for looking and happy crafting.  

Super Sunday: Scrapping, sloppy Joe and Spider-Man 3

The weekend went pretty fast and it's back to work tomorrow. We are expecting another scorcher  tomorrow (94). Today it's about 90, breezy and cloudy. Yesterday I woke up @ 7 thinking I was going to be late for work. Then it hit me that it was Saturday, I didn't have to work. I went back to sleep. This weekend I did a bunch of shopping but got some extremely good deals. I have already posted about my adventures.

Today I decided to make sloppy Joe rather than fry some chicken. I got home, prepared my food and realized I had NO sloppy Joe so it was back to the store I went and came back home to finish our meal. Quick and easy, I don't make elaborate meals like my mother made when we were growing up and she still  does today.

Right now I'm watching the tail end of Steven King's Silver Bullet. I love his movies, I think they are actually better than what's out now. Up next is Spider Man 3. OK I know it's a teen movie but I liked 1 and 2, which   I have. Plus it was $4.75 @ Target. And I get to analyze it so its all good LOL. As a student of psychology, I am always picking something apart to find a deeper meaning. Alot of ppl don't like to watch TV with me LOL because I cant just watch, I have to break it down.

OK here's they layout that I've just finished....

First off I need to give credit for Michelle Hernandez over on Scrapbook.com for inspiring me with her "Celebrate Today" layout. You can see it here : Celebrate Today

I loved how she arranged her pictures, the little touches and the flower embellishment. 

Gabby is 4 years old and she is slowly opening up and letting her personality show through. I don't know where she got that hand on the hip thing but she was happy to smile for the camera. I'm loving paint these days. This time I thumped a qtip over the paper and let it go wherever. Lots of punching here, loving the Fiskar's pennat and banner punch. Also I love butterflies too. Thanks for looking and check out the link to Michelle's gallery, she's got alot of great layouts. 

I love punches and I have gone PUNCH CRAZY(er)

Hello ladies and gents. It's Saturday and it's cloudy and hot. I did some more shopping today and found these new EK Success punches @ J's

Lets start from the lower left. I actually got it @ TJ Maxx today for $3.99, its called "Argyle"
The one right next to it is called "Calligraphy Frame" from Joann's 50% off $8.99 great steal
The next one is "Retro Flower Burst", "Flourish Heart Frame", "Star Burst" and "Heart Frame". All bought with coupons. Finally, I really didn't care for the butterfly linking punch but it was $2.99 @ TJ Maxx so I grabbed it along with the "Flower Burst" punch. You can still find the Argyle, Butterfly and Flower Burst border punches from $15.99-$19.99 @ J's.

I also went to Tuesday Mornings and got some buttons. Yes I love buttons. One pouch has aquas, browns and pinks-my faves. The other one has peaches, aquas, light blues, pinks and other colors. I don't have them in front of me so I'm going strictly off memory. I did not forget the kids though. Farrah and Gabby got a doll and while we were in TJ Maxx Gabby picked up a lady bug shaped back pack. She's holding it right now, I don't think she will put it down soon.

Now the real challenge is actually using these items. Happy crafting.

TJ Maxx Finds

A few days ago a member over @ Scrapbook.com mentioned finding punches @ TJ Maxx so I decided to check them out today. To my surprise I was happy to find a few @ great prices. To be honest I was so happy I could curse, but instead I stood in the aisle multitasking-I was attempting to pay my phone bill online however every stinking month I have to create a new password that mysteriously doesn't work the next month. Okay, back to the story. The kids were touching everything and asking questions. A while back I had told Gabby not to touch anything because it was all glass and it would break hoping that would stop her. This time she remembered what was plastic and glass so she only picked up the notepads, soap and other items.

I picked up about 6 punches. I love border and shaped punches. Especially flowers, hearts and scalloped shapes. Even though they may not be using for a few weeks, I still think I got a good deal on them. What do you think?

The square punch was $2.99 , fence type, retro flower, swiss cheese, garland star and scroll punch were $3.99 (awesome deal right?) I could have easily paid $15.99 @ Joann's. The EK double heart punch was $9.99 and the Fiskar's punch was $8.99. I got them both online. 

Well I am very tired and extremely glad tomorrow is Friday so that I can sleep in on Saturday morning. Have a blessed evening. 

My First Altered Picture Frame

Yes I have ventured into other craft projects. I picked up this wood frame from Michael's last week. The first thing I did was paint it Spearmint Green. I let it sit for a week because I didn't know what I wanted to do with it. Today I decided to finish it. Not real fancy but I am proud of it. I didn't want to go overboard  I'm not good measuring so I used the glass from the frame as a guideline and glued them down. I also had to make sure that the gaps lined up, I tried to get as best as I could. Happy crafting.

I then added my embellishments, I was so deep in working that I did not take a picture but here are pictures of the next progression. I added punched butterflies, flowers, paper strips, washi tapes and letter stickers. 

Gabby

Farrah and Gabby

Farrah and Gabby

Farrah and Gabby

Me and Gabby

My little artists

The kids were so excited to paint their birdhouses'. Gabby painted the smaller one and Farrah had the taller one. Gabby wanted to use brown but I coaxed her to use pink. I let them dry on the porch and they decorated them further the next day. During that week we had some strong wind and they went flying @ the porch. Well Farrah's was found but no sign of Gabby's until a few days after that, we found her birdhouse, it was bruised and battered. I think the neighbors kids found it and broke it. Farrah offered her's up to Gabby but I said I would get her another.

I used Tattered Angels Cosmos mist and Studio Calico Bubbles mask to create the background. Then I stamped added the banners and threw some yellow paint. I let that dry and added the pictures. Thanks for looking.

Oh Silly Me (bit of silly)

So right now I am watching CSI Miami Season 9 on DVD. I love Horatio Caine (David Caruso) I love this show, I hope it never ends but I read they were in danger of, gasp, cancelling it. Please don't, this is the best show on regular TV. I love crime drama shows, Body Of Proof is next on my list. I rented CSI Miami from the library but I have to watch it right away because it's due back 7 days and there is no grace period. I said to myself how am I going to watch an entire season of CSI Miami in 7 days when I have to work? Well I make it happen, I scrap and I watch. I take a break and I watch. I ignore the kids and I watch.

I bought another frame today from Michael's. It's a collage frame to be exact, I painted it a spearmint green color. LOVE this color, however I realized after I let it dry that I had forgotten to paint one side. Well I will finish it tomorrow. I said to myself, at least I started on it rather than let it sit for months and months collecting dust.

This is my latest project. I started on it last week and worked on it little by little. My kids rarely see the silly side of me although I love cracking jokes with friends and family. But I don't do a lot of horse play with them. I didn't inherit the playful side of my mother, but I did get the part where she's mostly business and no pleasure. That's something I am working on.  My children are very silly and like to play games and joke. However, Gabby has inherited the serious side of me, she will be silly when she wants to and when she does, it's usually full on! Farrah on the other hand is silly all the time and doesn't know when to quit. When Farrah was taking the picture I decided to be spontaneous and show bits of my silly; I actually told her to do it just like me.

The process:

First I cut my ppr down to 8/11 (Amy Tan Sketchbook coll)

Then I distressed the edges with Making Memories Edge Scraper

I punched using Martha Stewart Embroidery punch those doilies out of scraps

I also distressed the edges of the ppr strips

I misted using a template from Crafter's Workshop and Tattered Angels Cranberry Zing

I misted some Vibez Sunset Strip

Cut a few banners out of Trendy Tape also punched pennants with the Jennie Bowlin punch

Adhered my pictures to the distressed ppr scrap

Added some Jilted Jade paint let dry and I was done

Until later, toodles. 

Sunday Sister Love and Monday Madness

Ahhh, finally I can relax and breath. My weekend was busy and it went entirely too fast. I'm currently watching "Metropolis" It's old as my dad, yes my father is in his 70's, almost 80. I don't understand this movie, I did not know it was a silent film; at least it has captions and explanations. I will try to watch the whole thing. Probably not though LOL.

Yesterday the kids went to a party and had so much fun. They stayed with their cousins while I went home alone to a quiet house, YAY! Anyway I snapped some pictures of the kiddies, even though they fight alot they love each other.

Today I took them for ice cream and fries.  Gabby decided to dip hers in her strawberry sunday. Farrah had a caramel sunday. I had a burger and fries. These kids were so loud I was embarrassed. Thanks for looking.

Yes I know how to have fun sometimes...

No smiles????

Sunday Birdhouses~ A day late...And a Layout

I know its Monday. I was too lazy to post yesterday so I'm posting yesterday's project today, on a Monday.    a few weeks ago I bought 2 birdhouses @ Joann's and I thought it would be cool to let the kids paint it. And of course get some pictures in the process. So finally yesterday I laid out some newspaper, plates, paint and foam brushes for the kids to use. Gabby wanted to use brown, I coaxed her into using pink. Yes I love pink but who wants a brown birdhouse??? OK I get it, its for the kids. Let them be right? Well they started off painting and Farrah's looked really good, but Gabby's not so much. Well she's only 4 what do I expect??? Then she got all mad because she felt it wasn't going well. But quickly went back to her project. Then they started mixing their colors together. Farrah with hot pink and blue. Gabby with pink and purple. Here are a few shots of them and as always, thanks for looking:

And here is the finished product:

I don't think Farrah intentionally covered the hole but I photographed the wrong side, forgive me.

And here's a layout that I completed tonight:

Gabby and Farrah 1 Sunday afternoon. The reason I titled it Sugar or Spice is because in contrast to the dreamy look of the photo, the dresses and the nice weather, they both look "hard" instead of soft and girlish. From the looks on their faces to the poses they are doing. They don't normally take pictures like this.

Lots of banners here, of course the ones @ the top I punched out but the bottoms I did by hand. I used my Cuttlebug to emboss the paper too. I lightlty misted this one, didnt want to be too heavy on it. Thanks for looking.