Adoption mini-book (pic heavy)

Some good friends of ours are adopting a little boy this month who is 2 years old.  We are just so very excited for them and can't wait to meet him!  What a blessing!  There was a surprise "baby" shower for the mom and she is one of my friends who loves all things scrapbooking.  I really wanted to make something special.  Since he is older I wanted him to know he was loved and a part of their family long before he ever joined their family.  So I made *him* a little picture book.  My friend can place a current picture of each member in the frames, then a pic of him, and pic of the 4 of them at the front.  I used a little icon to represent something that was special to each of them (mom is crafty, dad is in seminary, big sister likes horses, and he's a little boy so hopefully he likes planes :) ... and of course on the front is one of my favorite sentiments for little ones who are adopted!).

Enjoy!

Kristin

Wish Big

I made this card for a very special girl who has a birthday this month.  Loving the Pebbles paper!! I case'd a card I had pinned (but apparently deleted the pin?), but luckily I had the actual card copied into my Evernote file.

So, I was able to find the original cardmaker's actual blogpost!

Go here and scroll to the "party" card

Enjoy!

Kristin

Celebrate Generosity- Thanks Renee! :)

This month on the Paper Doll's blog Joyce's challenge is to create a card using something in our stash that was "gifted" or a RAK.  Awhile back, Renee- another Doll, sent out the prettiest pearls to me.  They aren't the standard white pearls (which is why I hoard them so and still have 90% of the original package, lol!) but more of a cream color.  They are a Recollections brand, but try as I might, I cannot find them in my Michael's.  (sigh)

***Please play along and link up your card to Joyce's post.***

However, I broke them out for this month's challenge.  I paired them with the Aqua Mist pattern pack and Birthday Tags.  I never really used Berry Sorbet until I had the new ink to match (the old ink formula was just not as vibrant) and I have found a new color to love!  (I actually feel that way about Melon Berry too!)

As most of you know I have a cricut that I love but haven't bought a cartridge in forever!  I have plenty and with the new craft room online I can do anything I need to do.  Well, I broke down when they introduced the new banner cartridge (pennants, I think) and J's was selling it for $20.  LOVE it! It was a anniversary gift from DH :) - even better!  Banners in 5 shapes, any size, with mats.

Enjoy!

Kristin

RRRRRoooooaaaarrrrr!

Quick post of a cute boy dino card.  Cricut cut, cuttlebug embossing folder, PTI circle stamps, paper I've had forever, PTI sentiment stamp.

ENJOY!

Kristin

A little bit of this & A little bit of that...

This picture is from last year at a great place to eat in the DFW area. I never could find the right paper or embellishments to scrap the photo.  So, a year later I found that by adding in different elements from Pink Paislee, Echo Park, Crate, CTMH, Calico Studio (misting sprays), cricut cuts, some *old* rub-ons, and old fashioned fussy cutting of flowers I could achieve the look I wanted.  The sketch is

Enjoy!

Kristin

"Rosie" Easter

So I'm not sure if this layout (i.e. my daughter's Easter dress from last year) is why I *love* Rosie Posie so very much or not, but when I finally pulled out the pics and started the layout I couldn't have been happier to have this stamp set!  I also was very happy with my decision to buy Button Boutique (after what, 14 months??) because it was one of Leigh's layouts with the Handmade stamp in Raspberry Fizz that I have remembered forever (!!) knowing it would go on one of E's layouts. (I couldn't find the original layout)

Lots of Hibiscus Burst (PLEASE release that ink soon... I'm dying here... my ink pad is soooo dry), Raspberry Fizz, and little touches of green.

(as a side note I downloaded My Pix from iTunes store to add a watermark to my pictures before uploading them to myself and I like it SO much better than the other free watermarking program I had! I use my iPhone as my only camera now so this is a much better solution!)

Enjoy!

Kristin

1st day of school

These are the layouts for the 1st day of school this past year.  (as a side note, I'm trying a new program to add watermarks to my photos so I don't have to always upload to picasa and then to my blog).  I'll see if I like it.

Anyway, I used Fancy Pants paper I got last year and lots of PTI products.  I always use my cricut and Locker Talk cartridge.  I can't believe I'll have my "baby" in kinder next year.  Time flies!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Dance the night away

Last year at this time our group of friends had a "Daddy/Daughter" dance.  Emma got all dressed up and she had such a ball.  I never could find the *right* combination of things to make a layout that worked like I wanted in my mind.  And then... along came Rosie Posie stamp set and dies and this layout was born! :)  Anyway, the heart border die, Embellishments, Floral Fusion #3 (and 6?) and flourishy cricut letters completed the look.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Valentine Goodness overload

These are the cards I made for my kids for Valentine's Day.  I used the cricut and Pebbles and PTI pattern paper for the card & envie. Stamps are PTI.  The mailboxes are Target $1 and I used CTMH and Pebbles pattern paper, cricut for the guitar, stamps are PTI (the guitar was stamped with Grunge Me using Kraft ink).

Enjoy!

Kristin

PTI Day 1 Sketch 5

PTI 5th Anniversary Day 1 Sketch 5
PTI is 5 years old! Nichole put 5 sketches on her blog and my interpretation of the 5th sketch is above.  I changed it quite a bit but really like the bright colors.  Not my usual style.  Finally played with MS5 collection (swoon!).  The sketch I used is in the link above.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Pink Paislee Snow Day

I *love* Pink Paislee's Snow Day line and I couldn't have been happier when they offered so many of their papers and embellishments for free online during December.  I downloaded every single one!!  I used a sketch from online (?? source- page maps- I don't know!).

Enjoy!

Kristin

Lots of Cards Today

One month shouldn't contain the need to make so many sympathy cards when most of the recipients are in their 30s... but that is how the end of November was for many of my friends and their family.  I'll say it again... tell those you love how much you cherish them.  Put aside your differences and cling to your similarities.  Give them a hug! 

Enjoy!

Kristin

Princess 5th birthday

Lots of cricut, CTMH, and PTI makes the perfect birthday LO, the perfect birthday "event" for the perfect birthday princess.

Enjoy!

Kristin

MIM: Pleated Ribbon & PTI: Pages 30 min LO

The top page (left side of the layout) is for Leigh's Pages w/ Papertrey for a 30 minute LO. I used a sketch from this site and had completed my son's so I was sure I could do my daughter's in the time limit. I wanted to use the Make it Monday: Pleated Ribbon challenge so I used a bit of Terracotta Tile grosgrain ribbon as an accent to her page.

Now, for an apology of sorts.  I have neglected my blog for the first time in a long time and neglected the ladies I follow as well.  However, I have used my time to craft (a lot!) instead of surf (or even pin!).  So, I've decided to post the pictures of the things I've made without any (or much) detail.  If you want to know, please email me or leave a comment.

My goal by Christmas is to get back in the groove of visiting all of my blog friends too!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Double (Indepence) Trouble

So, I was trying to be clever with my title... did it work? :)

I like using the same sketch for the kids' "event" layouts that go into their albums.  Then, just use the same family photo and then pics that feature them.  The paper is We R Memory Keepers and I used the cricut for everything else.  PTI's Pure Poppy is my only other addition (buttons, cardstock).

Enjoy!

Kristin

PTI Scrapbook Sketch (November)

Just a quick post.  Leigh hosts 2 scrapbook challenges each month.  I finally participated.  Here is my layout for her sketch challenge for November.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Amber Ink Project 5

  

I can't believe that I only have two projects left to show you.  First up is a set of Christmas tags.  On another forum I frequent has been a lot of talk about traditional vs. non-traditional use of color at Christmas time.  I am typically a VERY traditional Christmas-color kinda gal.  However, when I saw this Christmas iPaper in the Amber Ink Shop I immediately knew I was going to make Christmas tags.  I used some Bazzill shimmer cardstock for the pinked edge circle, and stamped the snowflake and to/from in a coordinating pink.

I pulled out a cute "Mom" and "Dad" stamp, some twine, and some pretty ribbon tied in bows to finish them off.

What kind of things to you have planned for the holidays?  Check out the Amber Ink Shop for all the goodies there and see what you can find. Check out the Amber Ink Blog for lots of inspiration!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Amber Ink Project 3

Welcome again to another Amber Ink crafting project.  One more time I am breaking away from traditional card making because I like showcasing what this company's products can bring to your crafting "table"... Again with the iPaper because I love it so!

Halloween is just around the corner and we all need to add a little "creepy, crawly" flourish- even to our craft area.  Here, I downloaded and printed their Spider Polkadots-Candy Corn Tiny (so cute!) iPaper and put my cricut to work again cutting out a picture frame.  The iPaper was the base, black cardstock for the web and white cardstock for the back and "foot" to make it stand up. 

While this is an older picture, I do love it.  I don't mind having non-traditional pictures (like this of my daughter looking down) because I remember the moment.  They were both giggling so hard they couldn't make a straight face.  My kids (being a scrapbooking mom) know I like at least 1 "good" picture and they both were trying (even tho my dd was only 2) and no matter what they did they just had the giggles.  Such good memories!

Take a look through some of Amber Ink's paper and stamps and see what you find that sparks a memory of you growing up with your family or your kids today.  It'll be worth it!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Amber Ink Project 1: Birthday Banner & Princess Wands

Hello! Welcome to my first project for Amber Ink.  I am so very excited to showcase what their products can bring to your crafting projects.  I have lots of different types of projects lined up for you this month, starting with today's post: Birthday Banner and Princess Wands using Amber Ink iPaper.  I used Tiny Picnic Gingham Whisper and for the first time ever using digital paper I am thrilled to death at how easy it was and how wonderful it was to coordinate my projects!

As most of you know I am a working mom of two kiddos.  October is a crazy busy month around my house.  Throw in a birthday for my youngest and that just escalates the chaos.  This year my dd chose "Princess Theme" and I went all-in (don't I every year??  We won't revisit the hours I stayed up creating Gotham City for my son in 2010).

Anyway, banners are HUGE and I had just bought the Cricut Princess Party Event cartridge so of course I needed patterned paper for the banner.  I ended up printing 2 sheets since the first sheet wasn't enough... that's right... I made the cardstock banner a bit too big (and we ALL know I had enough cardstock to make my banner 4 times larger!) but I just went to my printer and out pops another perfectly coordinating gingham patterned paper.  The cricut did all the work after that, of course.  I just assembled and bam, the banner was done!

Well, then a few days passed and I was putting together the "goodie tins" for the girls (the boys will be knights and they get silver tins... I know, cute) and realized that the cartridge had wands in it.  Well, it's a princess party and I wanted wands.  I showed my dd and so I started cutting out the wands.  The "coordinating layer" *had* to match my banner since it will all be on display on the same table.  Out came a couple more sheets of pattern paper!  SO EASY!!!

I am completely sold on digital paper now.  I'm telling you it's the best thing that has happened to me since clear stamps... and that should scare my poor husband's wallet! :)

I'll be back next week for another project. Check out the Amber Ink Blog for more eye candy!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Dump Truck Birthday

A little guy turned 4 this weekend and he *LOVES* dump trucks!  I cut one with the cricut three times and layered.  Added buttons for the wheels, Distressed Stripes stamps in versamark (for those dump truck line thingys), and Birthday Boy is from Enjoy the Ride.

Enjoy!

Kristin