December Daily sneak peek

...from 2011 that is! Yes, I know....I am behind.  But I did want to pop in to just let you know I have been busy!  I decided that I would do nothing else until my December Daily from last year was completed.  I had a beautiful album with the cover completely done but nothing except the opening page completed. I just couldn't stand the thought of have to start this years DD with last years not complete.

So, my Studio Calico kit is sitting untouched.  My Gossamer Blue kit is sitting untouched.  I won't allow myself to do anything else until the DD is done!  Thankfully, I've made some good headway in the bits of time I've been able to squeeze in for scrapping! 

So I thought I'd just share a few peeks of what I've been working on......I'll give the full reveal when it's done!

I have to say that I am so glad I am finishing it! Just looking back at last year's memories makes me feel so warm inside! I know I'll be glad I finished so we can have it for years to come!

Thanks for stopping by!

So Happy 2gether *Video

Ok, I promised yesterday that it would be here today, otherwise I might not have shared it!  Yes, it's a video.  I don't know about you but I love videos. I love process videos and tutorials. Just seeing how other people work and process their layouts is fascinating to me. I have picked up some great tips and ideas and just love watching them.  So I thought I'd give it a try myself.

I've been wanting to try these for some time now.  This first one took me hours, and I'm not even exaggerating!  Just the editing, narration overlay, photos, etc. Lots of time.....but part of that was just learning the video program and figuring out how to make it do what I wanted it to do. Not to mention computer problems which slowed my video down. So I had to transfer it all to the laptop.  That alone made the process much quicker.

So, here it is....my first process video.  I welcome any feedback!  Some of it I probably already know....looking at it myself, I see things I need to work on. I know the music volume is louder than the narration.... tried adjusting that and couldn't get it to work out so will have to work on that some more. But really any feedback would be appreciated.

And here's a few close-ups of the layout.

(Supplies Used:  Gossamer Blue Sept Main Kit, Studio Calico wood veneer hearts, asterisks, arrows; doilies)

I hope you enjoyed this post! Please let me know your comments on the video!

3 Happy Girls

Where has the time gone! Its been a couple weeks since I posted! Things are so busy as I know they are for everyone. I'm so excited about fall. Have I said that already?  Yes, I thought so!

I have a layout I wanted to share today. I am a huge fan of Jenni Bowlin! The problem is that I love her stuff so much that I tend to hoard it. I know, they make new stuff all the time!  But seriously, love it all!  I have this  adorable picture of me with two of my nieces and thought it would be a perfect time to pull out my JB stash!

I also found that you can purchase some of her cuts from the Silhouette store. Hello??? Is that not just fab?  The butterfly cut is hers as well as the spiral notebook edges. Aren't those wonderful? 

I pulled out these big numbers that I've been hoarding and some of the bingo cards.

Of course her butterflies I can never get enough of!

I hope you enjoyed a quick look at this layout.  I have something else in the works that I have spent hours on trying to perfect! Hopefully it will be ready to share tomorrow!  Please check back because I'd love to know what you think! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Fall Flashback * Decoupaged Pumpkins

Since fall has pretty much arrived here in the mid-state of Tennessee, with the cool air breezes and the leaves starting to change, thought I'd share one of my favorite posts from fall last year.

I love decorating for fall. It's only second to Christmas as my favorite time of year. Last year, I took part in a Pinterest inspired crop and created some decoupaged pumpkins that I still just love looking at.

Here was my inspiration....decoupaged pumpkins.

Source:  Tatertots and Jello

And here are my finished decoupaged pumpkins. I really wish I had taken pics along the way but honestly, it's a very easy process.  And the tutorial at Tatertots and Jello is so well done, why reinvent the wheel, right!

I just made it work for me. I purchased the inexpensive pumpkins you can find at Michaels and used those. I didn't remove the stem as her tutorial showed. I just left it on and decoupaged up to the stem. Then I added some extra stuff around the stem for more fluff.  This was just really things I already had on hand.

 I added some gold and brown tulle from my gift wrapping stash, some eucalyptus leaves that I had on hand, some sticks and some velvet leaves I found on clearance at Michael's for just a few cents.

 I love my leopard print pumpkins!  

If you like today's post, be sure to check back tomorrow. I'll share another Pinterest inspired fall project that was a lot of fun!

Thanks for stopping by!

Life In Instagram Mini

As I've said before, it's no secret that I love Instagram!  It is my absolute favorite app, hands down! Since my phone has become my primary camera, Instagram was just a natural fit.  I love that I can capture so many more things that I would have missed otherwise and IG is just a way to share those and have fun with them. 

I thought I'd create a little mini album using some of my most recent favorite IG photos.  If you follow me on IG, then you've probably seen the photos already but bear with me because the photos in an album are much better!

I created this little gem using all Jillibean Soup papers and bits and pieces of their other product along with some little bits I had floating around my scrap table. What got me started on this little album was seeing the Jillibean Soup Sweet and Sour Bite Size Bits paper. It was sitting there staring at me, with these cute little journaling cards and I had a thought to cut them all up and make an album! They are perfect! 

I just added a few extra bits like I said, but mostly all Jillibean Soup. The Instagram flair button is from Finding Nana and I hadn't used it yet so it made the cut!

Again, I just added bits and pieces of doo dads sitting in my doo-dad bowl on my desk...the paper clip, the resin flower, a doily....

I added other bits of Jillibean Soup papers to the background. They all work so well together.

The Insta*love* cut was from the Studio Calico cutting files from a previous month....and no longer available unfortunately!

The card on the right with the quote was part of the Sweet and Sour Bite Size Bits paper

There you go! I hope you enjoyed this little sharing.  Making books are really easy when you have the right product. I just punched and added the coils!

Thanks for stopping by!

Need for Speed

Hello Monday! Thought I'd share a new layout with you today. I don't often do a boyish layout. I have several nieces that usually fill up my girly pages but I also have two pretty awesome nephews that I love dearly! They usually don't like their pictures taken as much as the girls but my daughter grabbed these pretty cool pics on her phone this summer of them riding their scooters and I just had to use them!

I used the Gossamer Blue September kit for this layout...this is my #3 layout for the month.

I love the flags and thought they kind of add a bit of movement to the page to go along with the movement in the photos. 

Can't take the credit for those awesome white paint splatters. Learned that from Tina Walker at the Studio Calico message board! Aren't they cool. Do you ever just wonder "why didn't I think of that"? Well, that was this moment!  Here's a link to her quick tutorial. Splatter Technique

I added some messy stamping to the background with some more paint splatters.

Hope you have an awesome Monday! I know I will. Today happens to be my birthday. While I don't have big plans today (work still goes on regardless of a birthday)....hubby just might be working on something for later in the week!

Thanks for stopping by!

SUPPLIES USED:

PAPER:                               

Cardstock:   Gray Prismatic: Bazzill Basics

Patterned:    So Happy Together Yellow/Green, Journaling Cards,  Echo Park;  Woodland Park (Magpie Field), October                                 Afternoon; The Sweetest Thing (Bluebell Playful Lively Paper), My Minds Eye 

EMBELLISHMENTS:

Alphas:           American Crafts (Thickers Hardcover); Mini ABC Stickers (Pebbles)

Labels/Tags: My Minds Eye (Honey One of a Kind); October Afternoon (Woodland Park Doodads)

Tape:               My Minds Eye (Smile Sweetest Thing)

Jewel:              Blue Notions French General kit (EK Success) 

ESSENTIALS: (Not included in kit)

Pen:                American Crafts

Mists:             Studio Calico Mister Huey (Opaque White, Passport)

Paint:              Adirondack Paint Dabber (Snow Cap)

Stamps:          Studio Calico (Arrows, Sept 2012 Addon; Arrows, Summer Stamp School kit; Linen Background);

                         Stampabilities (Faded Text Background)

Ink:                  Versafine (Onyx Black)

Punches:         EK Success: (Binding Edge Edger Punch, Swiss Cheese Punch)

Life this week...

It's been somewhat of a crazy week here! I've been cleaning out closets and things that we've had in storage way too long!  We made the huge move over four years ago and still had some things in storage. Finally decided it was time, we had put it off too long and headed over to get the things gone through. It's amazing what you find you really don't need or care about after not seeing something for that long! Anyway, got that done and it feels much better!

Just to share a few of my favorite Instagram pics from the week....

This little munchkin just cracks me up! I love my Madi girl! She's so full of personality and is a little diva for sure!

Even though this is blurry, I still love it. Here she is peeking under the chair at me!

\

Alex was looking too cool with his new guitar! So proud of him. He saved his money and paid for it himself! Now if we could just work on that haircut! LOL

Love ya Alex dude!

Fall decorating has begun! I love this time of year. It is one of my favorite times of the year....second only to Christmas!

The candy bowl is out and ready to be filled! I love having it ready when the kids come to visit!

And add a few shiny golden pumpkins and you're good!

Found some of these when we were going through the things in storage! Remember these?

And my collection of Starbucks mugs! Unpacked these from storage. Forgot they were even in there! I already have a cabinet full of coffee cups that I replaced after we moved! 

And this was a wonderful morning! Reading and studying by the open door with my coffee, enjoying our new cooler weather!

And my Max boy....he loves sitting by the door and enjoying the fresh air. He also loves it because we have a pre-school nearby and he can hear the kids playing outside!

Ahhhh....life is good!