Happy New Year... With a Recap of My Top Ten Layouts of 2011!

Happy New Year 2012!  I do hope everyone had a terrific and memorable holiday season!  We had a very nice and low-key  New Year celebration ourselves... did some fun outlet shopping and enjoyed eating a delicious meal at one of our latest favorite restaurants, Texas Roadhouse.  And of course we couldn't help but join in with the countdown to the ball drop in Times Square!  But, I have to say, I am really looking forward to getting back to some normal routines and schedules around here!  And I have missed scrapping and crafting.  Sure, I did squeeze in some bits of time in between all the hustle and bustle, but I am ready to get down to some serious business, lol!  I guess that first means I need to clean up my craft room which is a total wreck!  Here's proof...

Such a disaster!  I can't possibly create til it's back to order.  So this week I will be doing some major organizing and purging. 

  So, does anyone have any scrappy or crafty goals for the year ahead?  I know I was completely blessed in 2011 by reaching some awesome publication goals!  The most awesome aspect as far as the publications was that I had projects featured in every single issue of Northridge's Cricut magazine which debuted this past February.  I'm also excited that I will also have projects featured in all the upcoming 2012 issues thus as well!  And of course the number one crafty thing that excited me for 2011 was that I joined the Core'dinations Cardstock DT.  What a great and rewarding ride that has been.  I must say that I will make it my primary goal to continue on with Core'dinations for a very long time... I love and believe in this company and their products sooo much! Core cardstock has totally improved the look and the way I craft!  And, as far as other fun goals to aim for... I sure wouldn't mind being featured as a cover girl!  I really would be stoked to have a project of mine featured on the cover of a Cricut magazine!  Wow, what a thrill that would be for me :)

 For today I also  want to join the other blogger scrappers who have shared their Top Ten layouts of the past year, 2011 on their blogs!  I wanted to do this the previous year but never did, so I thought I would get it done this time around.  As I was looking back through my files though, I realize that I probably didn't do as many pages this past year as I did cards.  The card making bug had really hit me pretty hard, lol.  Also, various pages which I would have loved to share as favorites have been out for publication too, which is a good thing, but I just can't show here right now. 

Okay, so here goes... my Top Ten Fave pages for 2011 are...

* TIS THE SEASON *

- Using Webster's Pages and featuring Gemstones Core'dinations cardstock.

* EAGER BEAVER GROUNDHOG *

- Nikki Sivils product with a mix of Core'dinations cardstock.

* VALENTINE MANTLE DECOR *

- A hybrid page using Chris Hertel designs and lots of Cricut cuts.

* LOVE INSPIRATIONAL & UNCONDITIONAL *

- My Mind's Eye product with MME and Vintage Core'dinations cardstock.

* OUR WEE PUNKINS' *

- No cardstock, mix of My Mind's Eye collections.

* SUMMER BLOOMS! *

- My Little Shoebox product with Core'dinations Whitewash cardstock.

* LIVING PROOF *

- Basic Grey Out of Print collection with BG Whimsy and Ornate Core'dinations collections.

* ENJOYING TALL TIMBERS *

- Pink Paislee Nantucket collection with Pink Paislee Modern Prints Core'diantions collection.

* TOGETHER *

- Basic Grey Nordic Holiday with BG Ornate Core'dinations cardstock.

* WINTER WONDERLAND*

- Basic Grey Nordic Holiday collection with a mix of Core featuring Glitter Silk and Vintage.

That's it!  Now I just maybe inspired to share my Top Ten cards of 2011... in some other post!  Enjoy the rest of the week... I'm already looking forward to Friday!

Starting Those Christmas Greetings!

With it being the last day of November, I got to thinking... I had better get cracking on the Christmas cards.  I did come up with a few ideas, but I still don't have anything definite on what I'm going to create to send out this year.  But, I guess I better make up my mind quick.  Of course I will put my trusted Cricut and Core'dinations brand cardstock to good use for whatever it is that I decide to make.  Those two items are a must ;)

So while I narrow down the various ideas floating about my mind, thought I'd at least share some festive cards that I have already created and that will surely be sent out to some special people on my list! 

Here's one that I created with some non-traditional Christmas colors... gray paired with some burgandy!  I really love the combination! 

I also used some vintage looking Jenni Bowlin Design Core cardstock with the stars and cut the santa hat out with the Joys of the Season Cricut cart.  The hat was decorated with some fabulous Diamond Dust glass glitter to enhance the texture and give that extra festive look! 

Next I made a semi hybrid card with a digi "chipboard" Believe element from the talented Chris Hertel, who passed away this past year.  I've always enjoyed using Chris's digi elements in my crafting and I do so miss her and her designs! 

Here I also did some stitching near the bottom using the We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy stitching tool and I used the cool tartan plaid Cuttlebug emboss folder to emboss some kraft colored Black Magic Core cardstock.  For the flower I layered together various Making Memories and Recollections flowers secured with a Pink Paislee glitter brad.  There is also some Basic Grey Jovial patterned paper in the mix here as well! 

I guess that's about all for this time a round!  Hopefully by the weekend the rest of my holiday card making will be in full swing.  I'll be sure to post about them in the days ahead... enjoy :)

Peachy Keen!!

Howdy!  If you haven’t seen the July Challenge at Core'dinations  make sure you check it out here. You have until July 27th to enter for the chance to win some fabulous Core goodies! Make sure you link us up on that post or link us on Facebook.

All you need to do is use this color palette as your inspiration. Again, there are more deets on the original post….

Anyway, here is the awesome inspiration photo for this fantastic color challenge which came from Pinterest!

Isn't it the perfect, delectable Summery feast for the eyes? 

And take a look at the colour combo that dt member Lydia Jackson devised through Colour Lovers to match up to the inpiration...

Such a terrific palette!  Anyway, I was inspired to create a card for this challenge, and I was happy to use these turquoise, peacock blue, and peachy colors together.  And the peaches in the photo looked soo yummy and fresh that I even decided to use a peach as my card's theme,

"You Are Sweet As A Peach"!

I used a variety of Core'dinations Core Essentials and Vintage cardstock and my peach image came from the Cricut "Just Because Cards" cartridge.  To make the peach more realistic, I inked the edges of the cuts with some Ranger inks and also did some light sanding to the outside edge.  The leaves were embossed with the Cuttlebug Herringbone folder and I used patterned paper and stickers from the "a FAIR day" sei line!

So now I hope that you too will be inspired to take on this fun colour challenge!  Remember, you have until July 27th, so hurry up and play along with us to win some delicious Core!

In other news, I was very saddened to learn of some heartbreaking news this morning that a fellow scrapbooking friend in our communities has passed away rather suddenly after her battle with breast cancer.  Her name was Chris Hertel and she was such a dear sweet soul who gave so much of herself.  She lived right here in PA, and although I've never met her in person (and we used to live rather close to one another, her in Greensburg, and I in Altoona)... we did communicate via message boards, emails and our blogs.  Chris also created some of her own digital designs and was kind enough to share them.  Her houndstooth print has been one of my favorites for quite sometime and I have downloaded and printed it so often for many of my projects.  In fact, earlier last week, I was pleasantly surprised to have one of my card designs using her houndstooth print, picked up for publication in the upcoming December issue of CARDS magazine!  I was so thrilled that it was a card using her design and I was eager to email her to tell her to be on the watch for it later, but I never got the chance.   Here's a link to another blog post of mine with another page that I created not too long ago.  I tell ya, I've used it a lot!  I will certainly miss her spunky spirit and friendship in our scrappy community!  She fought a good fight and all I can say is that the world was only a happier place with her in it!  I pray that her beautiful family will lean on one another and find much comfort, strength and peace!

My Layout at GingerScrapStreet Magazine!

Good afternoon all! 

Just wanted to do a quick post for today, as I'll be back Saturday to post some stuff for NSD (National Scrapbook Day)! 

I have a layout featured in the May 2011 issue of GingerScrapStreet's digital publication which can be seen HERE!  And here's my page as well with some extra detail shots too...

This layout was based on the following wonderful sketch by the uber talented, Allison Davis, featured on her Sketch Support site...

For this page I used the heart, medallion and cupid accents cut from the Cricut Sweethearts cart and the font, XOXO and fabulous heart border which I cut using the Cricut Paper Lace cart.

That wonderful houndstooth is a digital paper design by Chris Hertel.  I've used that print of hers numerous times, but I love it and it's so fun to use on layouts and cards.  If you'd like to download some of your own, you can HERE!  Just be sure to give Chris some well deserved credit! ;) 

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be seeing you all around on Saturday for NSD!  Can't wait!