HAPPY FALL!

My Current Jam <3 Carve Your Heart Out Yourself - Dashboard Confessional --- click to play :)  

Hello there again! 2 posts in one day = a great crafting day! This post is to display my Thankful Thursday Challenge at the Crazy About Cricut Blog. The challenge is to create a card for Grandparents Day which btw is September 11 or for just any older person to say hi. Here is my creation...

How my card came to be is kind of a funny story. I was just going to make a typical square card, but I cut my cardstock a little too big and I had already folded it. Well those who know me are aware that I do not like to waste any paper and I'll use the tiniest of scraps on my projects. Well I decided to cut a little off the right side and make a gated card, a style I never tried before. Although the sides aren't even I still think it looks really cute. I cut the leaves from the Speaking of Fall cartridge and the ribbon is from Personal Sentiments.

Got to leave work early! Time to Craft? Ummm YES!

My Current Jam <3  Kellie Pickler - Red High Heels --- click to play :)

I submitted my project for the Paper Crafts August Gallery Challenge, a girlfriends theme! I have to say I love this card. My friends are so very important to me. Especially now that I'm going through some things, my friends have reached out and are always there for me to lean on. I love you all. Short and sweet, my craft room needs some tlc and organization!

Summer is almost over! :( +Thankful Thursday Challenge

My Current Jam <3 Sara Evans - Born to Fly --- click to play :)

So it's a little sad to think this weekend marks the end of summer. I have to say though I had a blast these last few months. I am so thankful I got to spend such good times with my friends and family. However, the end of summer marks my absolute favorite time of year so it's not that bad. I love everything about fall!! The crisp cool air, beautiful colors, delicious comfort food (especially anything pumpkin), FOOTBALL, and especially fall decorating.

For this week's Thankful Thursday challenge at the Crazy About Cricut blog we were to make a note for a child going back to school or just anyone to brighten their day. How sweet! I love sending cards and making projects just because, with no special occasion in mind. The world today is so dependent on technology so if I receive something in the mail from a friend when I least expect it, this puts a huge smile on my face. The least I can do is pay it forward and brighten someone else's day! Here is my card...

Life is good today... Thoughts & new card

My Current Jam <3 Jessica Simpson: I Belong to Me --- click to play :)

Well you can't control it so don't cause yourself anxiety. Words of wisdom from a dear friend. I've always considered myself a strong person. Sure I have times of weakness and times when my confidence is kaput. However a few days ago I vowed to love and be true to myself. I'm not going to give anyone the power to make me feel any less or take advantage of me! I don't know what I'd do without my friends. Mama, Tracy, Kelly, Lindsey, Julie, Kristen, and Ashlee. I love you guys and thank you!

New card I made and that's just what it is... A HAPPY DAY! Thank you Lord!

Oh and my new Cricut plushie that I got for $1!!! Today was a very good  mail day! Also got the new netflix and my preserved wine bottles.

Tacky Tuesday Challenge :)

So the challenge for this week was to use a "berry/fruit" cut, from any Cricut cartridge and use the word berry in your sentiment. I had so much fun with this. I used a berry on top of an ice cream cone from the Sweet Treats cartridge so I hope it will still work.

So my friends are crazy important to me. I don't think I could make it through without them!  I dedicate this card to all of you. I love you all!!!

Quick post for now...until later! <3 Kay

HAPPY anniversary +project

I want to take the time to say Happy 1 Year anniversary to my sister Tracy and her husband Scott. They have such a special frienship and love for one another and it's so great to see my sister so very happy!! I love you guys. This last year has been a whirlwind as we have also been blessed with the arrival of their daughter Ella Joy! Multiple trips to and from North Carolina, but I wouldn't trade this time for the world as I got to see my niece in the first 6 months of her life. Now I'm just ecstatic they have moved closer and we can see them anytime at all.  Tracy asked me to make a special photo layout for a gift to her husband. She selected the pictures but left all the design to me. I was honored. Here is what I came up with...

What's my style???

Hmmm... this is a good question. For the Pinkalicious blog hop challenge at MyPinkStamper.com we were asked to submit a project showcasing our style. Well I don't know if I can say I have a style that's my own. I draw inspiration from the world around me, fellow crafters, etc. and I use a little bit of everything and make a card or layout that's just me! :) For this challenge I was inspired by a photo I caught yesterday morning of a butterfly hanging out by my beautiful zinnias that just flourished like crazy this summer. Here is the photo that helped this card come to be and my  project!

 I used Robyn's stamp set Buggy Punnies. Go to her website to find out how you can order this cutesy set!

Read any good books lately??

Update and Thankful Thursday Challenge +pics...

So I haven't been posting for good reason. I just got back from a long fun-filled weekend spent in Nashville, TN. I loved the atmosphere in Music City and would move there if I could, but considering my feelings on change and how much my Mama would miss me it would never work out. In Nashville I attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention. Last year I went to the convention in Valley Forge and LOVED it. So I thought why not make this year's a weekend getaway. Everyone should attend one of their conventions if you have the opportunity. You can network with so many crafters and learn a ton, not to mention find awesome deals on supplies. KUDOS to my loving hubby who attended the convention with me, that's dedication right there. On our way to TN, the looooong 12 hour drive, I cleaned out my email inbox multiple times lol and was delighted to find a Thankful Thursday challenge on the Crazy About Cricut Blog. I knew once I saw the subject I just had to participate....

The challenge was to create a unique bookmark. I absolutely love to read so this was right down my alley! One of my biggest frustrations when reading is coming to a word I do not know. Especially if I'm at a crucial part of the story, the last thing I want to do is stop reading and look up the particular word. I usually jot it down and most likely it gets covered by mail or papers and I  forget to look it up. So the idea for my bookmark came to be. I thought it would be a great idea to include a pocket on the back of the bookmark to have a handy place for my new vocabulary list. Second it was very important that I have an inspirational quote on my bookmark. Starting and ending my day with a good quote can make all the difference in my mood and how I approach the day. So here it is, my creation! :)

I can't wait to use it for my new read, ROOM by Emma Donoghue. Anyone read this and care to give your opinion? Well until next time goodnight and angels on your pillow.

Merry Christmas in July!

So I guess it's that time to get shopping. Perhaps I will take advantage and not be shopping til Christmas Eve like I do every year. I'm such a procrastinator and I hate it. I work so much better under pressure, but I'm not so crazy about the stress and headaches it brings.

December also marks Miss Ella's first birthday. Wow how time flies!!! Wonder what theme my sister is going to pick? Right now she's in love with Sprout TV and Star. Of course she can't tell us, but you can just tell she is more content when she can hear Nina and Star on TV. All I know is my niece is going to be one spoiled birthday girl. Plus she's got Christmas right around the corner as well. What a lucky kid!

On our way to Pittsburgh the other day we passed a flea market, and boy was I surprised and very pleased when hubs interrupted my reading and suggested we stop to take a look. I didn't find anything but this cute Christmas stamp and just in time for Christmas in July celebrations. I threw this quick card together to get myself in the Christmas crafting mood.

Okay I must be crazy for posting at 3am. Late evening naps ruin my chances for sleeping every time. Good night!! Angels on your pillows!

Color Inspiration Challenge

Sunday trips to Michaels armed with my coupons get me into trouble. ;) I went in to get the Bazzill cardstock colors I needed and out I came with that plus two Cricut Cartridges on sale for $19!!! Holy sale! I love deals. I was so indecisive when in came to choosing among the five on sale. I'm glad I went with the Freshly Picked Cartridge because it had an element I used for my card on it. I like to call this card "A Little Country Thank You." 

Not gonna let it get me down

So I didn't get picked for the Pink Stamper design team but in the words of a very wise person, "I will use this as a learning experience." She's always making everyone feel good. Despite not making it I had a blast making my card and anticipating the live broadcast. I will continue to be an avid follower. No bad feelings! I try hard to be an optimist in all aspects of my life!

Yesterday we spent the day in Pittsburgh! I had a blast. We were going to go to the Pirates game, but the heat was just unbearable and they lost anyway :( so I'm glad we didn't subject ourselves to that disappointment. We caught the game on television at my Mom's house and lo and behold those people sitting behind home plate were fanning themselves like mad! We did do many fun things in the city of black n gold though! I found my new fave place. The Pittsburgh Public Market is so nice, it's like a very upscale flea market and farmer's market in one. I wish I just had a surplus of cash to splurge on everything in there. We plan to make another trip in the fall equipped with a cooler to buy lots of yummy treats. I love fall, and this heat the last few days is making me long for the crisp days so much more. We then had brunch at Pamela's. The food was good but I don't see what all the fuss is about. We had terrible service and personally nothing can even come close to the Waffle Shop for me. We should've just ate at Brueger's. The atmosphere at this particular restaurant was neat thought. There were old pictures all over the walls and I mean every inch was covered. I love that they preserve memories!! We finished the day with shopping GALORE! :) Oh and a little Cheesecake Factory and this time I got a slice of cookie dough cheesecake and it was delish.

As for plans for today....I think I'll spend my time in my craft room and submit for more challenges. I caught a bug that's for sure. I have been papercrafting a lot longer than I have had this blog. Robyn inspired me to start one, I just wish I could get my blog to look as cute as hers. Guess I'll have to consult the hubby again for something computer related. He just loves that! hehe! I post most of my projects on my facebook page so I figured I would share the link with you all so you could see what I've been up to.

My paper creations!!!  

Enjoy this beautiful Sunday that the good Lord has blessed us with!

My craft room....STILL in the works

My biggest hurdle....organization. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. It all started with a bold paint and snowballed from there. So I'm a cricut lover and I wanted a paint color that would inspire me! After the hubby brought home a million paint samples I finally chose Jolly Green by Sherwin Williams. I liked to refer to it as Cricut Green though. ;) I will link to my facebook album....Hopefully it will be accessible to those that would like to see!

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150163743283464.306024.738308463&type=1

The My Pink Stamper design team call

This week, Robyn at My Pink Stamper is having her design team call. The challenge is to make a card, scrapbook page, or other Cricut project with your favorite cartridge using the following colors......

Orange

Turquoise

Green

Brown

(Other optional color of your choice)

 From the start I knew exactly what Cricut cartridge I wanted to use. It would have to be 'Life is a Beach.' That cartridge just makes me happy because there is nothing better than a vacation at the beach. Okay well chocolate is a close second! As I was flipping through the images I stopped on the mermaid. YES! It hit me! I could make a card based upon one of my favorite Disney movies, 'The Little Mermaid.'
The recipe for my card… I started with a pre-cut embossed card by DCWV. I love using these cards because they are already prepared for you and all you have to do is add your design. All the more time for the real crafting the better! :) I cut the mermaid at 4" and then used the layers key to cut each part of the mermaid and add some color. I cut the layers each the same size using the specified colors of cardstock. Now came the time to choose my optional color. I wanted it to blend well with the colors Robyn picked but also tie in to the theme of my card. I chose navy to represent the color of the ocean. I cut this piece of cardstock at 5x5" and used one of my favorite go-to scrap tools my corner punch to round the edges. I adhered my mermaid and a separate piece of small turquoise cardstock which I eyeballed to size, and used my friend stamp to make this card for someone extra special. For the center of the flower I used a small yellow brad. Still something was missing from my card. I decided since this was a card I’m making for my friend why not add a little buddy for my mermaid. I cut the fish from the same Crircut cartridge at 3” and tada my card was complete. I then added the finishing touch with my Gelly Roll clear star pen which added some pizzazz to my card.

Hope you like Robyn! I would love to be a part of your design team. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Perfection...does it exist?

So today as I was flipping through the pages of my Creating Keepsakes, Creative Spaces issue I was introduced to a new term, standbooker. Do you ever find yourself standing as you scrapbook? Thus, a standbooker! Most of the time I'll stand during my paper crafting in order to get that mat/title laid perfectly straight or to get a better view of how my project is shaping up. This brings up my second point. Does perfection in scrapbooking even exist??? Scrapbooking is a hobby so does it even make sense to get stressed out and bent out of shape if something on your page is crooked or you ran out of a particular letter to make a word in your title? In general I would consider myself to have a "Type A personality." Sometimes I have a hard time understanding where my creative side even fits in. Last year when I attended the Creating Keepsakes convention I remember my friend constantly trying to get me to stress less and just enjoy what I was doing. Who cares if my projects did not look like the sample? But howwwwww could I do this? I'm a perfectionist in every sense of the word! I still find myself from time to time anxious as I scrapbook but then I remember what Rachel told me and try (key word) to not worry about that little imperfection on my page. I'm the only one that will notice it right? The longer I have been involved in scrapbooking the more creative I become at fixing my mistakes. I'm sure many of you have misspelled a word as you journaled or decided to move something after it was stuck to the page with what seems like the strongest adhesive known to man. What to do?? Use what's in your scrapbooking arsenal of course to mend that mistake, and in my own experience at least, the finished product is cuter than what you initially thought up! Again, I am brought back to my original point and after much reflection provided with an answer. Perfection in scrapbooking does NOT exist!! It is your project so it is what YOU make it.

I am in the midst of my glorious staycation. Six days off from work during Arts Fest, I think I'm in heaven. I love seeing all the talent plus it gets my own creative juices flowing. Oh and you can't forget the wonderful music, food, and sidewalk sales. I'd say this is right down my alley!!  Hopefully no rain and it is a beautiful weekend. Two of my greatest friends are coming to visit too, Kristen and Lindsey. It's going to be a great time with great friends creating great memories. I'll be there with my camera capturing every one of them. :)

I SURVIVED THE MONTH OF MAY!!!

So I'll be starting summer in a relaxed and refreshed frame of mind. Tim and I just arrived back home from a week spent in Riviera Maya where we celebrated a friend's wedding. What a beautiful place to get married. The ceremony was so unique and unlike any wedding I have ever been too. While in Mexico I did something I thought I would never do. On our excursion we went zip lining. It had to be one of the most unnerving and thrilling experiences of my life thus far. First we had to climb a huge tower of wooden steps. Well that is something I hate immensely! The height doesn't really bother me, but feeling unsteady climbing the steps turns my legs to jello. The steps being wooden just added to my anxiety. Once we finally got to the platform I was shaking life a leaf as I watched my friends go before me. You went on 3 zip lines, each one longer than the others. The menacing hum of the zip line as well as the speed intensified each time. Talk about scary!!! Would I do it again?? Heck yes!!! Along with the zip line we toured the ancient Mayan city of Tulum, swam in the Cenote, a river in an underground cave, and rappelled. Zip lining was one thing, but the rappelling I didn't do. I didn't find hanging off a 70ft tower all that exciting. Swimming in the Cenote was another amazing experience. It makes you truly appreciate the beauty of nature and was cool and refreshing after sweating our butts off as we walked through the Mayan ruins. I wanted to do another excursion swimming with dolphins, but Tulum was Tim's pick and we went out our last day of vacation. In return he offered to take me to Discovery Cove sometime this summer. Another weekend getaway, can't beat that! Well I'm glad our last day of vaca was exciting because on our way home we got delayed at the Dallas airport and spent 7hours there. What a nightmare. We finally got home around 3am.

Earlier in May I attended a 24hour crop for National Scrapbook month. I can't believe it. My wedding scrapbook is DONE!! Now onto the honeymoon which will probably take just as long because I take too many pictures. What am I saying?? I live by the phrase you can NEVER have too many pictures. :)

Other things I had going on this month was hosting book club which I did the week we got back from vacation. Remind me never to do that again! Unpacking and laundry on top of cleaning the house, making snacks, and finishing my reading took so much out of me. Lucky to be off this weekend to recoup. However, you know that Memorial Day weekend is never quiet. 3 picnics this weekend. Lucky for me it's been relaxing sitting with friends & family chit-chatting and holding my baby niece.

A congrats also goes out to my cousin Amanda. She graduated middle school and starts high school next year. When Tim and I started dating she was such a sweet little girl. She's growing up way too fast. So add that to the list, we went to her ceremony and graduation party Friday night too!

I must say juggling all of that makes me feel pretty good about myself. Although is it too much to ask for a weekend of nowhere to go and nothing to do, sitting in my pjs and watching scary movies all day.

May is National Scrapbook Month!!

Yay!! How exciting! In fact tomorrow May 7th is designated as National Scrapbooking Day. If you do partake in this wonderful hobby scrap your little heart out. If not what a better time to start! It's a great way to preserve memories not to mention pleasing on the eyes. I can sit for hours and look at my albums. They make me happy!!!

May is a jam packed month for me. I have to keep telling myself to breathe so I don't get overwhelmed. Packing, weddings, 24 hour crops, organizing my new craft room, hosting book club, etc, etc, etc! >>Said in the style of Yul Brynner in the The King and I. =) I hope I can keep my head above water this month. I like to keep myself busy, but at the same time I have a terrible habit of procrastinating. Yeah try and wrap your head around that one!!

On a side note Happy Nurse's Day to all my wonderful coworkers. I am blessed to work with such great, caring, and selfless people. Sure like everyone there are days I hate my job. However, the majority of the time I am pleased to say I have the power to make such a difference in the lives of so many people.  This brings to mind an afternoon earlier this week when my 92y old patient grabbed my hand on her way out the door and said, "I want to say thank you for taking such good care of me." At that moment I was so touched by her words and the sincerity in her voice. It's always the good ones we have to say goodbye to so soon.


I'm sorry to say it's getting late and I have to say goodbye as well. Toodles!



 

You gotta start somewhere...

Well heylo there! Welcome to my blog! I'm excited to share my paper crafts and I hope in doing so I improve in my hobby. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I have enjoyed creating them. What better time to start this new adventure as I am finally designing my own scrap room in my house. It's like I'm on creative overload. :) I am open to tips, constructive criticism, and your comments in order to make my scrappin' the best it can be. Making this first entry short and sweet right now, but hope to be posting more very soon!!!