Happy Birthday, Dear Friends

Two wonderful friends of mine from Scrapbooker Online are celebrating birthdays this week, and I finally got some time at my desk to make them cards. The first card is for Patti West. She is an amazing altered artist and can work the kraft and bright colors like nobody's business.

Happy Birthday, Patti!

My other friend celebrating this week is the fabulous Julie Ann Shahin. JA is the reason that I found SBO one year ago, and I am forever grateful. She has encouraged me to dabble a bit in the digi world, mostly for hybrid purposes. Her credits run to the moon and back.

Happy Birthday, Julie Ann!

King of Kings

I just wanted to share this layout I made recently. At Scrapbooker Online we shared photos of our Christmas trees and decorations, and this was a photo of one of our ornaments. I really liked the photo and decided to scrap it in a meaningful way. We sang the Hallelujah Chorus on Christmas Eve at church, so the lyrics "King of Kings" were fresh in my mind. I also got a chance to try using my new corner rounder as a scallop punch.

Merry Christmas 2007

Merry Christmas from the Johnstons! Ian was awake at 7 AM but waited patiently until his brother woke up at nearly 8. Both boys happily dug into their presents. Ian was a big helper this year and was able to read all the to/from tags for each present. Matthew loved helping everyone open presents, even Rusty!


This is the look of sheer joy. Ian hoped and wished for a Nintendo DS, and Santa made his dream come true. We had a great morning together. Once all the batteries were installed, wire ties cut and wrapping paper thrown away the kids settled down to try out all their new goodies.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

Layout Sneaky Peek

I am so excited to share this layout on January 1st that it's killing me! I sat down with my latest sketch from Di Hickman and just let the mojo take over. With a few scanning and stitching tips from my good buddy Carolyn I now have a great layout that I am very proud of and can soon share. Be sure to check back next week!

Scrapbooker Online Design Team

I am thrilled and honored to have been selected as a member of the new 2008 Scrapbooker Online design team. SBO was the very first message board I ever joined in the fall of 2006, and it has become my cyber home. Not a day goes by without checking in on my sistas around the world - they have become my extended family. My gratitude goes out to owner Maryfrances for believing in me and my work. Thanks, big sis!

Figgy Pudding Christmas

I can't get enough of Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding line. Today I made a few more cards and some ornaments with the papers and die cut ornaments. I also added felt and wire embellishments. This card even has tiny jingle bells. This weekend has really gotten me into the holiday spirit!

Creative Concepts - First Quarter 2008

I received my advance copy of Hobby Lobby's "Stamping, Stationery and Scrapbooking" First Quarter 2008 issue this week. I was tickled to see several of my friends in this magazine!

The first project is a winter card called "Brr." I trimmed along the pattern of a printed paper and lined it with white fiber. I applied rub ons and added bling to the cardstock area in between. This card always reminds me of wearing a fuzzy scarf in the winter.

My other card in this issue is called "Forever." It's a trifold card that was created for the Caardvarks 10 Day 10K trifold card challenge. I used a Sizzix heart die cut and my Coluzzle template tool to cut holes in different layers of the card that layer when closed.

I have got some other exciting things happening, so keep watching for more news.

Happy Birthday To Me!

It's official! I have been asked to join the Design Team for the amazing Caardvarks challenge blog. Now that's one heck of a birthday present! I will be working with Jen and the 'varks through April 2008 and couldn't be happier. I started my papercrafting obsession in the 90's with cardmaking and have returned to my roots in the recent past. We are starting 2008 off right with a special Becky Fleck sketch and some great prizes. Be sure to check it out!

Figgy Pudding Heaven

We are having a Christmas card swap at SBO, so last night I sat down and made some cards using Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding collection. Those of you who know me and my work should not be surprised at all to see entire projects covered in multiple lines of Basic Grey products. I embrace their grungy finishes and coordinating colors. This card uses an ornament die cut and papers from Figgy Pudding and a hand-cut branch from their Fruitcake line. I added Stickles and a wire hanger to the ornament as well. You can see the complete supply list here.

This card is for the SBO swap. One lucky sista will be getting this beauty in the mail! I have been inspired by Tim Holtz and his 12 Days of Christmas techniques, so I pulled out the old crackle medium and went to town. I also added Stickles and hand-sewn beads to the poinsettia for extra sparkle and texture. And thanks to my friend Celeste and her tutorial I added machine stitching, too. You can see the supply list and some detail photos here.
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UPDATE: These cards have been removed for publication in Crafts 'n Things magazine December 2008.

Our Furry Friend

I made this layout for the December sketch on Di Hickman's blog. You can use a long panoramic photo or several smaller photos clustered together like I did. I have a few more photos from this particular afternoon with Rusty in the backyard, so those will end up being scrapped as a companion page. I loved using the flocked heart and dog bone brads from The Paper Studio.

I got some exciting news late last week. Paper Trends magazine requested a baby card and keepsake box for their April/May 08 issue, and Just Cards! magazine sent me a postcard notification that one of my cards will be in their January 08 issue. That's a great pub week! It's also my first time in both of those magazines. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go make more cards. :^)

Glitter Glitter Everywhere!!

It's hard to tell from this photo, but the new mini album I made for a class I'm teaching at Scrapbook Corner is covered in glitter! (As a result, so is my craft table.) I added some extra ribbons to the binding rings once I got it to the store, so it looks even fancier now. I made the album and the giant snowflake on the cover with the store's AccuCut machine. The album features papers from the new Basic Grey Figgy Pudding line and My Mind's Eye Frost and Festive lines. It's just my style, a little grungy and distressed around the edges. I'll upload the entire album to my SBO gallery once I get it back from the store.

Yo Ho, Sending Christmas Cards!

So it's that time again, time to get the yearly photo for the Christmas cards. We tried a few different things today and came up with several good choices. Here are a few of my favorites.

I guess now I have to go make the cards!

Happy Thanksgiving

Our holiday was filled with family and good food - we have been blessed with both. We are officially in full Christmas mode now...let the games begin!

Fall Crop at Scrapbooker Online

We are having a blast this weekend at Scrapbooker Online's Fall Cybercrop. I made this album of Matthew's Halloween photos for the Mish Mash Mini Mini challenge to use different shapes and sizes of pages. You can see the entire album here. I was surprised at how quickly it came together and how much I adore the end result. But with a face like that, how could it not be cute?


The first apple picking layout was a lift of a former monthly winner at SBO, my dear friend Patti.

This final apple picking layout was for the seasonal challenge. I also completed a photo scavenger hunt and a word scramble game. There are still lots of games and challenges to try, so stop by and join in the fun. Most games and challenges have SBO gift certificates as prizes - good luck!

I Love the Fall

I absolutely LOVE the fall. I love pumpkins, most things that are orange, crunchy leaves, blue skies...all of it. I have been having fun playing with new fall scrapbook supplies and mixing in plenty of things from my stash. I made this card for Di Hickman's blog and today's sketch release. Enjoy your day!

Creative Concepts - Hobby Lobby Magazine

The 4th quarter issue of Hobby Lobby's "Stamping, Stationery and Scrapbooking" magazine is now in their stores. Check out page 40 to see my paper mache ornament covered with Basic Grey's Fruitcake line, glitter and wire. Click on the image below for a closer view.

What's ironic is that the ornament was photographed wrong! There are three small ornaments that dangle on twisted wires from the main one, and the bottom mini-ornament is flipped up in the photo. Oh well, the photographer probably didn't even notice! The magazine is only $2 or is free when you make a $10 purchase at the store - available only at Hobby Lobby. Enjoy!

Who Wants to Be a Rock Star?

This layout was a hoot to make! Scott recently got Guitar Hero III and has been having a lot of fun with it. I snapped these pics the first night it came into the house, and we have never been the same since! I made the layout for the November Special K challenge at SBO. My project had to include staples, song lyrics, masking tape, beads and flourishes. How's THAT for a list? I really like how it turned out. A little grunge and bling in the same layout! You can see detail photos and get the full supply list here. Rock on!

Hay!

This is the layout I finished last night for SBO's November Week #1 challenge. I love how it turned out!

And here's the full image of the card I made for Basically Scrapbooking. The front of the card features a circle window cut-out with a wire star suspended in the opening. I have a few more of the wire stars and can't wait to find new ways to showcase them.

A Peek

I got my latest DT kit from Basically Scrapbooking, and it included some interesting materials for me to use when making Christmas cards. I can't share the projects until the next newsletter release, but here's a sneaky peek of one card I really enjoyed making.

Tonight I worked on this week's challenge at SBO to include pop dots, deco edge scissors and felt on a layout. Ironically that isn't a challenge for me! I have been using those items quite a bit lately. It was fun to pull this layout together. I'll post it in the morning when I can get enough light to photograph it. See ya then!

Friends

I have been enjoying my Die Cuts With a View "All Dressed Up" stack lately, especially for making cards. The little bits of infused glitter make the papers so fun to use. My scrapping buddy Celeste encouraged me to bling up my bookplate for this card to match the papers, and her idea was a good one. Thanks, Celeste!

I got some great news today that Crafts 'n Things magazine will be using some winter cards of mine in December 2008. One card features a reindeer that I cut with my Cricut, and it is my absolute favorite of the season! Can't wait to share it when it hits the magazine. Looks like we have a while to wait!

Pick of the Patch

I am starting to scrap some of the fantastic photos I took of Matthew at Tuttles Orchard a few weeks ago. This layout about choosing the perfect pumpkin uses the November sketch by my buddy Di Hickman. It also fulfilled the requirements for Little Birdie's (aka Corey) weekend challenge at SBO. It was a little tricky, but I managed to get all the elements in there!

Excuse Me Doctor, I'm Not Lion!

Can you even stand how cute these are? We went to a local park to snap some photos of the boys in their Halloween costumes. Our traditional Halloween pics while trick or treating are usually too dark, so we decided to try something different this year. I'm glad we did!

Scrap & Stamp Arts

I was pleased to find out that one of the cards that I mailed to Scrap & Stamp Arts magazine had been accepted for publication in their November 2007 issue. They returned my "Love You a Latte" card with a little postcard and the good news.

What I didn't know at the time was that they had also accepted and published a Stampscapes card I made called "Magical Evening." What a great surprise!

And big thanks to Di Hickman for her cool technique of color-highlighting published projects for display like the ones pictured above. I have enjoyed watching her share her publications and thought it would be a great idea to try. Thanks, Di!

Called to Create

Answered Prayer - a Journal

I am working on projects this week based on faith and religion. It is in response to a book call, but I feel especially called to create these projects for a variety of reasons. I'll be sharing more projects in the next few weeks.

This card was one of my favorites of the bunch. The simple but heartfelt sentiment and dramatic products make it very striking. I have been a cardmaking fool lately but hope to put my hands on more scrapbook layouts this weekend.

Eternal Calendar - Giftmaker Magazine

So here is my first actual paying publication featured in the December 2007 Giftmaker magazine. It's a perpetual calendar I made for my mother in law. It has tabbed dividers to write in birthday and anniversary information for each month. The project was also shown on the table of contents page. So cool!

I am trying to remember to take photos of my published projects to share with you. I have two others to catch up on. Stay tuned!

Fuzzy Goodness

I am teaching a class at Scrapbook Corner that deals with felt die-cutting, stitching and beading. Here's a sneak peek of the layout I made as a sample. You'll also notice that I used one of my other favorite products - fibers. There's something about warm and fuzzy materials like this that make me feel cozy now that the Indiana weather has finally turned (appropriately) chilly for October. What things make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

It's Clear to Me!

This week I had the chance to start a new forum at Basically Scrapbooking about the latest scrapbooking trends in America. My friends in Australia often have to wait several months to receive the newest products from American scrapbook companies, so our hope is to provide them with plenty of eye candy until their goodies arrive. Our first topic was the trend in clear supplies such as transparencies, acrylic albums and ghost shapes. I made the mini album above using clear badge holders from the office supply section of Walmart and doublesided Daisy Bucket Designs papers.

This card was made for a friend at church who lost her father. It also features the same Daisy Bucket Designs papers and an office supply transparency. I have some other clear projects that I have made for 2Jills that I'll be sharing soon.

Down on the Farm

Today Matthew and I enjoyed a morning at Tuttle Orchard in Greenfield, Indiana. The weather was sunny and beautiful, just perfect for apple and pumpkin picking. Matthew was determined to pull his own wagon and managed to make it over the bumpy paths. The orchard also has an interesting honeybee display in a large glass wall. Visitors are able to see the bees in action without any fear of getting stung. There is also a window to see the tube behind the building where the bees enter and exit the display. We finished our outing with a trip to the farm store and came home with fresh apple cider and apple butter for Scott. I have quite a few photos to scrap!

Making Cards. Who, me?

This weekend I have been busy making cards with the October card kit from 2Jills which is available here. There are some lovely papers, trims and unusual tidbits from Etsy in this kit. There's even a clear stamp made especially for 2Jills. The Jilles are busy brewing up some samples, so be sure to stop by and take a look.

I'm a Cover Girl!

I can hardly believe it!! My Christmas potting table now graces the cover of the November/December Rubber Stamper magazine. It is the last issue of this magazine ever - it was sold to a new publisher who will roll its contents into another magazine. They also published the instructions for making this card as well as three other seasonal variations on pages 26-27. If you're near a craft store newsstand in November please take a peek!!

Tagged and Bagged

At least that's how it feels after Scott has been in Puerto Rico
for 9 days. It's been a long week.

My friend Dawn tagged me, so here are seven random facts about me:

1. I hate maple syrup.
2. I have never had a pedicure.
3. The smell of StazOn ink makes me insanely happy.
4. Fibers might as well be a food group in my scrapping.
5. Scott and I met in 1989. Do the math on that one, kids.
I'm only 34.
6. My two boys drive me crazy and melt my heart all in the same breath.
7. I believe that cleaning and housework are required torture.

I made a ton of cards during World Cardmaking Day weekend and even made a few ATCs. There are some great photo ops happening this month with the boys, so I hope to get back to scrapping layouts more in the near future. Stay tuned.

Faire Thee Well

Today we went to the Renaissance Faire in Fishers. The heat reached nearly record highs today with temps in the 90s, so we didn't get to stay very long. The boys enjoyed games, music and food. Hopefully next year it will be cooler so we can stay for the entire day of merriment.