I've Been Scrappin'...

A couple weekends ago I had the huge blessing of going on a scrapbooking retreat with two of my scrapping pals, Erica and Steph. We had such a great time staying up late and scrapping together at the Ashley Inn in Cascade, Idaho. Beautiful hotel...great food...good friends...and making progress on my scrapbooking!! I look forward to doing this every year!

Here's one of my pages from my weekend.

I wanted to share this layout of Ellie's 1st lost tooth...back in July 2011 when she was 5-1/2.  I used Echo Park's Summer Days Line.

I plan on sharing more pages with you in the next few days...:)))

Family Ties Layout

This month over at Scrapping Everyday Miracles, I got to choose the challenge and I chose something near and dear to me....my family. I would have loved to scrapbook about my extended family but with limited time and limited photos...I chose to scrap our little family instead. 

After my divorce in 1998 (and being close to 30) I wasn't really ever sure I'd be part of a family other than the one I grew up with...and, in all honesty, I never saw myself as having a child. But then God blessed me with an awesome husband and together we decided that we wanted a family...then God again blessed me with our beautiful daughter Ellie (now 7). I thank God for giving me what I wasn't sure I'd ever have...a wonderful little family to call my own.

What family has God blessed you with? 

We'd love for you to share with us over at the SEM blog today.... 

I've titled the challenge "Family Ties" and the Scrap Twist to include this month is Ribbon!

Created with Echo Park Summer Days Paper Pack

Masculine Cards

Here are the final two cards that I want to share with you from my National Cardmaking Day card-making blitz:). I readily admit that I much prefer making feminine cards, but guys need cards too. So....here ya go:

You can still make a masculine card with cute owls and a scallop punch...just choose masculine colors!

Owl Sticker (Sticker King)

Leaves (fussy cut from American Crafts paper)

Birthday Wishes Stamp (Paper Trey Ink)

Splatter Stamp (Stampin' Up!)

Yellow polka dot paper (Unknown)

 This one I made into a sympathy card...but you could easily change it into a masculine birthday card by changing the sentiment.

Trees (fussy cut from Jillibean Soup paper)

Brown plaid paper (Paper Trey Ink)

Cloud Die (Paper Trey Ink)

Copper paper (Unknown)

With Sympathy stamp (Paper Trey Ink)

Two More for You!

I have a couple more cards to share with you from all my World Cardmaking Day productivity!

I love birds and I love banners, so this one is also a fave of mine!

I fussy-cut the banners out of some cute Echo Park paper and used a little circle punch to cut the letters out of the same paper. Then I hand drew the black "string" with a black fine-tipped Sharpie marker and used some foam tape to adhere the banners. Super quick & easy!

Paper (Echo Park "Birthday Girl")

Bird sticker (Recollections by Michaels)

Birthday Stamp (Paper Trey Ink)

Corner Rounder

This was made with some older SEI paper I had in my stash--I fussy-cut the flowers out. I don't typically use a lot of purple, but I like this sweet & simple card. 

Paper (SEI)

Splatter Stamp (Stampin' Up!)

Happy Birthday Stamp (Paper Trey Ink)

SEM's October Sketch Challenge

It's time to share my layout for Scrapping Everyday Miracle's October Sketch Challenge. 

The sketch this month is from Page Maps:

The Scrap Twist this month is to use Red and Green on your layout. 

Here's my layout using photos of my Ellie with her cutie cousin Bayler!

I've decided that one of my favorite things to do on layouts is combine patterns from different manufacturers and this layout was a prime example of that (see all those different manufacturers listed below!).

Supplies:

Green paper (My Minds Eye)

Kraft "Happy" paper, Red Star paper, Black dictionary paper,

Kraft w/black dot paper (Theresa Collins)

Stars (fussy-cut from Theresa Collins & Echo Park paper)

Red plaid paper (Paper Trey Ink)

Girl, Boy & "P" blocks (fussy-cut from Pink Paislee paper)

Numbers paper (Pink Paislee)

Alpha stickers (Echo Park)

A Couple Bright, Fun Cards

Here's a couple cards that are a bit more my style---bright, fun, make-you-smile cards! 

I made the tree from a journaling card "bubble" (K & Co.) and then a hand-cut little trunk from some brown polka dot patterned paper (K & Co.). Then I used some (Lasting Impressions) brads to add some "fruitiness" to the tree along with a die cut bird (K & Co.). Blue paper from Imaginisce, Cloud Paper from Echo Park, Kraft Cardstock (Paper Trey Ink), Bling (My Minds Eye), Happy Birthday Stamp (Target Dollar Bin) 

I fussy-cut those cute little flowers!

All paper from K & Co. except cloud paper (Echo Park)

Small cloud die (Paper Trey Ink)

Aqua embroidery floss

Happy Birthday Stamp (Paper Trey Ink)

More Cards to Share...

As promised, here are a couple more cards that I made over the weekend. These aren't necessarily my typical style (they're less "bright" and more feminine), but I still like them. Hope you do too!

Paper (Crate Paper)

Birthday Wishes Stamp (Paper Trey Ink)

Grey Patterned Paper (My Minds Eye)

Butterfly Sticker (K&Co.)

Make a Wish Stamp (Paper Trey Ink)