Not a Creature Was Stirring

Journaling says, "It is a Staley family tradition to see who can "fall asleep" the fastest on December 24th. Ever since I can remember, as our Christmas Eve festivities were nearing an end, my sisters and I would race to our rooms, put on pajamas, brush our teeth, and hop into bed. We knew it wouldn't be long before Mom and Dad came to check to see if we were sleeping. As soon as our heads hit our pillows, my sisters and I would have a snoring contest, trying to convince our parents that we were truly asleep so that Santa could come! Dad would always praise the loudest snorer as being the "goodest" girl and the one most ready for Santa's visit, and he would tickle us to try to wake us from our "slumber." We sisters grew older and are no longer at the Staley household for most Christmases, but our children will most definitely be subject to the same silly traditions we enjoyed growing up."

The fireplace and holly border are from Joys of the Season, and the stockings are from Christmas Cheer. The title is from Storybook and is cut at 1 1/4 inches.

A closer look at the detail in the fireplace:

Thanks for looking!

I CAN DO IT (with a little help)

Journaling says, "I am a BIG 2 year old now, and I can ride my tricycle! I CAN DO IT! (with a little help.) I must put on my helmet before I ride my trike. Mommy or Daddy helps me buckle the strap under my chin.
Next I sit down on my tricycle. There's a problem though: my legs aren't quite long enough to reach the pedals yet! Daddy attached some blocks and straps to the pedals so I can reach them. He helps put my feet in the straps, too. Thank you, Daddy!
Now I am ready to ride my tricycle. I CAN DO IT...(but Grandpa helps push me because I am still learning how to use the pedals. He also has to help me steer, because otherwise I would fall off the sidewalk.)
My favorite thing to do while I ride my tricycle is ring the little bell over and over...and I CAN DO IT...ALL BY MYSELF!!"

Paper is DCWV and Colorbok. I drew boxes around the journaling with BIC Mark-Its. The title is cut from Mickey Font at 2" and 1". The circle is cut with Printing Press, and the arrow is from Graphically Speaking.

A closer look at page 1:

and page 2:
Thanks for looking!

Almost a Milestone

Pictures are of my firstborn, Jonah, when he was 5 months old, learning how to sit up. I stole the title from my mom's scrapbook layout of the same pictures. Thanks, Mom! :)
Journaling reads: "Oh, how I love this stage! You are trying so hard to sit up, Jonah, but you can't quite get there...yet. Try, try again, Jonah! With your determination, you'll be sitting like a pro before you know it!"
Paper is DCWV. Brads are Colorbok. Rub-ons (lettering on top picture) are from Autumn Leaves (Big Lots $1 find). Title is cut from Mickey Font at 1". Photo corners are my own cuts from scrap colored cardstock (various brands).

Thanks for looking!

Waterfall Card

Here's another waterfall card. If you know my Dad, you know he loves toy trains. He also has 8 granddaughters who love pink. When the girls were little, they had the audacity to actually put Barbies on the trains! Ever since, there has been joking back and forth in my family about 'girly' toys vs. 'boy' toys. This card was inspired by that friendly debate, and when I received a stamp set of a train with hearts on it, I knew I had to use it to give to someone in my family. Now I just have to decide...should I give it to a niece who would love the pink...or to my Dad who would love the train? ;)

When You Wish Upon A Star

These pictures were taken at the end of a long day at Disneyland. I don't know if I'd ever seen kiddos as tired as these two were. They fell asleep almost before they were buckled into their carseats, and they didn't even wake up when we got home and took them out of the car. They sure had a great time...we all did.
The title is made from stickers, and the Mickey Mouse images are stamps. The stars are punched from metallic silver paper.


Thanks for looking!

Did you know?

Today is World Card Making Day!! Why not try your hand at making one?

Waterfall Card

This is a birthday card I made for Scott's younger brother, Chris. I thought his birthday was today, but it was actually yesterday (sorry, Chris). As you pull the ribbon, it sets the 'waterfall' in motion, revealing a series of stamped images and finally your message. Instructions can be found here if you're interested in creating one for yourself.
A view of the card, "in-motion:"
And finally, the last image. You can put the sentiment on the pull-out strip so that it appears as you pull on the ribbon. Alternatively, you can use the whole thing as a card front and put your sentiment on the inside of the card.
Thanks for looking!

Disneyland

Here's another Disneyland page...quick and simple! I used bold colors on this to give it a little punch. The characters were cut out, but could easily be cut from Mickey and Friends and Pooh and Friends. The letters at the top are rubber stamps--Mickey alphabet.
Page 1:
Page 2:
Thanks for looking!

Disney Princesses

This one is pretty straight-forward. After playing princess dress-up for so long, my nieces were beyond excited to meet the princesses at Disneyland. We got to meet Ariel, Snow White, and Aurora.
I wrote as a border around the pages, "Some day my Prince will come."

Thanks for looking!

Disney-Meeting Pooh and Mickey

We're back, and we had a wonderful time away! It's amazing how being refreshed and relaxed can really provide a new perspective on things!
Anyway, here's another Disneyland page (completed several years ago).

Close up of page 1:
and page 2:
Thanks for looking!

It's A Small World/See You Next Week

Since I have been busy with my Swap, I haven't gotten much time lately to work on anything else. So, I thought I'd post some pictures of pages that I completed several years ago. I got the idea for this page from someone else (cannot remember 10 years back to give proper credit)! But I DO remember that it took a veeeeerrrrry loooooong time to complete, as there is a lot of detail.
It's funny to look back at scrapbook pages done so long ago and see how trends and styles have (or have not) influenced my personal scrapbooking style. For example, I don't think I even owned any patterned paper back when these pages were done. I didn't even like most of the patterned paper until just a few years ago, and now my shelves are bursting with it!
I was also uncomfortable with any 'white space' on a page and needed all of the page to be filled up and balanced. Another thing I just recently became okay with is doing just a single page. I used to ONLY do double page spreads so that they would look nice next to each other on an open page. Now I find that restricting myself to 2-page spreads limits my creativity and ability to complete pages.
Lastly, I used to do a LOT more work on my pages because products simply weren't available. I would spend hours making my own patterned paper, only to find a similar pattern sold in the stores a few months (or in some case, years) later for a mere $0.79. Or, I look at what I handmade several years ago and think, "now Cricut sells a cartridge for that." Oh, well. At least I know I have lots of 'sweat equity' invested in my books!

A closer view of page 1:
and page 2:

Thanks for looking! This will be my last post until next week, as my dear Scott will be taking me away for a few days. The kiddos will even be with the grandparents, so it is quite the vacation for us! I have a few more Disney layouts to post when we get back. Until next time...

Finished!

You may have noticed that I have been working on an ABC Bible verse Swap this month. My goal was to complete all 56 pages (I signed up for 2 letters) before Scott and I leave on our getaway later this week. I put the finishing touches on the very last page last night. I cannot post pictures until after they are mailed out, so you'll just have to trust me that they're done and they're ready to go! They're not due until November, so it will be awhile before I see what all the other participants created, but I'm looking forward to it!

Susie B's Beautiful Cards

If you love making cards, and especially if you love making cards and have a Cuttlebug, "run, don't walk" to Susie B's page, Heart Prints. I will be adding this link to my sidebar. Once you get to the page, click on the Cuttlebug link to see what she has done, or just explore the rest of her page, as I'm sure it's good, too! I've had her page bookmarked for several months now, and her work is consistently amazing. She is also a member of the Cricut Message Boards and her cards are always getting rave reviews. I hope you will like it and be inspired, too!

Happily Ever After...one day at a time

Ever since I was a little girl, I had the idealistic dream of meeting my Prince Charming, falling madly in love, and living happily ever after. It would be perfect. Hardships may come, but we'd always face them together and grow stronger and deeper in love because of them.
These pictures were taken earlier this year, on a late spring day, when Scott and I stole away for a drive in the mountains and a picnic by a lake. It had been a particularly difficult day for both of us, and we both needed the escape to get some fresh air and enjoy each other's company. Somewhere along the way, I thought about our relationship--our marriage and our love for each other. And I remembered my girlhood dream of living happily ever after. And I realized that it was coming true, even then, even when things aren't 100% right, because we're loving each other, one day at at time. We are in the process of putting enough days together to live happily ever after for a lifetime.
The journaling, which is of a more personal nature of the events that were happening at the time, is hidden behind the picture at the bottom. The Happily Ever After is cut from Storybook. The flourish, as well as the heart outline, is cut from Graphically Speaking, and the rest of the title is from Alphalicious. The stamps, which are wet-embossed, are from Fancy Pants.

Thanks for looking!

Goofy Boy

These pictures are very typical of Jonah...posing upside down or showing his tummy...or anything else just to be silly. He's my fun-loving boy who likes to get others to laugh.
I wanted bright, bold papers that would enhance the theme of this page, so I went with the primary color scheme. The Goofy is from Mickey and Friends, and the lettering is done with both Mickey and Friends and Mickey Font. Stamps are from Rhonna Ferrar.

The Never-Ending Card

I found this card on YouTube (click on the link for a video tutorial), and decided to try my hand at it. It's called the never-ending card because it opens up 4 times--the last time returning to the original front. I also used the spotlight technique on the front, emphasizing the sentiment on the card, "You color my world."

If you open up the card, here is what you will see:
and open it up again to see this:
one more time:
and if this is opened up, you would see the image at the top.

It's a lot of work, but also fun to give away because the technique is unique.
Stamps used: Autumn Leaves

Thanks for looking!

Product Review/Comparison: Stickles and Glitter Glue

About a month ago I bought my first bottle of Stickles from my local scrapbook store (LSS) and I've been so pleased with the extra 'punch' it gives my projects! A little bit goes a long way and it's an easy way to add that perfect touch. Well, the only downside I could see was that it was rather expensive for a .5 oz bottle (approx. $2.50) and there are multiple colors to choose from. I knew I would have to build my collection slowly or risk going overboard fast!
I was in JoAnn's a couple of weeks ago, and in the $1 bins right by the check out stands, I saw a bin full of Studio G Glitter Glue. The colors were more limited than what Stickles offer; my store had about 5-6 to choose from (and I bought 4 of them). They are bigger than Stickles--maybe .75 oz or so. It doesn't say on the bottle. For the price, I had to check them out and compare them to the Stickles. Here are my observations, and I hope they are helpful to you.

The Studio G Glitter Glue (from Hampton Art) does not hold its shape as well as Stickles--it flattens and spreads as it dries, and this limits its usefulness in some ways. It is also a little bit harder than the Stickles to control the flow of glue from the tip. I think the tip must be a little bit thicker than the Stickles. That said, I found a few helpful tips to work around these disadvantages. First, I have used the glitter glue almost exclusively to cover paper that has already been cut with my Cricut. This stops the spread of the glitter as it dries. In other words, I would not use the Studio G Glitter Glue to write/draw with but it is fine to cover letters and shapes that are pre-cut. Second, I found that it is not a good idea to just turn the bottle over and squeeze it to apply the glitter glue. This results in an uneven application--thicker in some areas and thinner in others with a few air bubbles in between. Rather, hold it upside down and let the glue settle into the tip. It takes a few seconds but it eliminates the air bubbles and smooths the application. Once the glue is settled to the tip, it is much easier to get the desired flow--squeeze lightly for a thin line or more firmly for a thicker line.

Recap and Overall Grades:

Studio G Glitter Glue
Value: A (more product for less money.)
Quality: C+ (acceptable, but limited in scope.)
Overall: B-

Stickles
Value: B- (that's a lot of $ for a .5 oz bottle, but a little goes a long way, and there are better prices if you search online.)
Quality: A+ (keeps its shape as it dries, able to be used in more contexts)
Overall: A-

Thanks for stopping by!

Baby's First Year Scrapbook in Explosion Box

I had a lot of fun making this explosion box (and the pop-up card to match it.) It is actually a 'Baby's First Year' scrapbook for a friend. I made the box from directions from this site, and then I modified it. I made photo corners out of cardstock so that 3x3 photos can slip into place. I then made journaling tags to fit behind where the pictures belong (see photo below). I decorated each tag by inking the edges and adding a die-cut to each one as well as a journaling theme. They were all cut with the Cricut--most from New Arrival and a couple from Zooballoo. I stapled some ribbon to the ends so they can be pulled out a little easier.

This picture shows the tag behind the picture square:

...and here are the tags I made. If you are interested in doing a similar project and are wanting ideas for journaling themes, I used things like 'Favorite Memories (or Milestones) from my 1st month (2nd month, etc.). I also made tags for first holidays and tags for "Daddy and Me" and "Mommy and Me." There were 20 tags in all, which made for a basic "Baby's First Year" mini-scrapbook.
Thanks for looking!

For Those Who May Enabled...

If you own a Cricut or will be getting one soon, you may be interested to know that Michael's is having a big sale on Cricut cartridges this week--$39.99 each. While you can find other deals on e-bay at times, this is the cheapest I've seen them in stores. If you are looking for a cartridge that Michael's doesn't carry (such as Graphically Speaking or Storybook), you can try calling CreativExpress because they price match.

In other crafting news, I spent the day with my mom and I finally finished a prototype of a page I will be doing for the 'M' of my ABC Bible verse swap. These pages will take quite awhile to complete, but at least now I know what I'm doing, and that's half the battle...right? I hope to have them finished before we leave for a conference next Thursday. We'll see...

Happy Easter Happy Spring...

Noah was just so happy to hold his Easter eggs and look through his Easter basket. Such joy!
I used Opposites Attract for the title and Zooballoo for the rabbits. Paper is from DCWV Spring Stack.
Thanks for looking!

Mi amore

This layout was completed for a challenge over at Chirper Challenge (link on my sidebar). We had to follow a sketch, use ribbon, and use sewing (and the Cricut, of course). These pictures are from our 5th anniversary at Laguna Beach. A friend helped us find a romantic beach house that we rented for a few days. What a relaxing vacation for us!
It was my first time ever sewing over any pictures, and I was worried that I would regret it, but I think I do like it. 'Mi amore' is cut with Opposites Attract. Journaling says, 'Time spent with you is always time well spent--Laguna Beach, August 10, 2007.'
Here are some detail shots:

Thanks for looking!

Sew Special

My Mom sewed my niece a special blanket for her when she was born. Within a few years, it was so well loved and it had been washed so often that it was threadbare and see-through. It didn't deter Ashlyn from loving it all the same, but my Mom surprised her one Christmas with an identical blanket. You can tell from the pictures how much she loved it.
Paper is from the DCWV Christmas Glitter stack. Title is from Storybook.

Thanks for looking!

jolly

I am wearing long sleeves today, a sure sign of the changing seasons, and I find myself thinking of the holidays. I'm digging out pictures from previous Christmases and my scrapbooks are getting thicker with completed pages!
I used a really simple design for this series of pictures. (Isn't my niece a cutie?) I used the ribbon to emphasize the straight line of the design, and accented it with a buckle from Fabulous Finds. The Santa, along with his list, is from Christmas Cheer, and the 'jolly' is cut from the upright feature of Opposites Attract. I used Star Dust stickles on the white of Santa's hat and on 'jolly.'

A close-up of the detail:
Thanks for looking!

Oh Baby

This is one of my favorite pictures of Scott and Jonah when Jonah was a baby. The shocked look on Scott's face betrayed our status of amateur parents at the time! I think he was probably asking me what he should do when the baby starts to cry. The journaling, which basically expresses my awe that we all survived those early days, is hidden on a tag behind the picture.
The 'OhBaby' is from Zooballoo. The babies across the bottom and the safety pins are from New Arrival. The bookplate behind the title and the paper clip on top are from Fabulous Finds. The tip of the journaling tag and the inside of the heart are embossed with the Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles folder.

Thanks for looking!

bath time

I let Jonah help me with this one, by putting his handprints all over the journaling. He had a blast getting dirty and 'helping Mommy.' The journaling is a poem that says,
"Playing in the tub is fun
it's what we like to do!
We dunk our toys one by one
and splash our Mommy, too!
Then Mommy leans in the tub,
'It's time to wash your hair!'
Mommy has to scrub and scrub
but we don't really care.
Getting clean is fun for us
but we fight it every time...
After all, we're little boys;
we kinda like our grime!"
(author unknown)
I mounted the poem and one picture on some paper that I embossed with the tiny bubbles Cuttlebug folder. I inked the edges of the journaling and the mat to add to the 'grime' that needed a good scrubbing in the bathtub. My boys play hard, and they are dirty and stinky by day's end.
The ducks, tub, and 'bath time' are cut from New Arrival and the wave at the bottom is cut with Zooballoo. Paper is from DCWV. I stickled the bubbles in 'bath time.'

Thanks for looking!

{you}

Here is a simple layout of my son, Jonah. Scott snapped the photo right before sunset, and I love the way the sunlight is hitting Jonah's face and hair. I wanted to incorporate that warmth into the layout and use that as the starting point for the theme of the page. So, I used a warm pumpkin orange for the background and inked it with brown. Under the {you} (which is done with printing press) I handwrote "brighten my day" to play along with the sunlit theme. I finished it off with some flourish stamps by Rhonna Ferrar and a circle (made with George) around Jonah's sweet face to draw even more attention to it.

Thanks for looking!

Attention Cardmakers: KWernerDesign

It's Monday, so I thought I'd introduce my blog-readers to Make-a-Card-Monday (MACM).
I first noticed Kristina Werner's work back in May, when I saw one of her MACM's on YouTube. Nearly every Monday, she posts a video of her making a card, and they are great! She has a simple, clean, and fresh style that I love. And, she uses ribbon. Lots of it. :)
So, on most Mondays, I search for MACM on YouTube to see if there's a new card. She has a blog too, and that is the link I'm adding to my sidebar. On it, she posts color challenges and other fun things. If you enjoy making cards, you definitely need to check out her site. You will not be disappointed.

Moose

My in-laws got a little puppy and Jonah just loves to play with Moose! 'Moose' is done with Mickey Font in purple and the silhouette feature in white.

Thanks for looking!

I Love you Chris & Bevy

Here is a layout of my husband's siblings, Chris and Bevy. My husband grew up as an only child, only to have his Dad and step-mom adopt 2 more kiddos some 26 years later. They are a joy, though, and Jonah adores them through and through! He just can't play with them enough when we visit!

Warning...CREATING in progress!!!!

I am well underway into my first pages of my ABC Bible verse SWAP! Watch out!! The dining room table has become a casualty to...well, scraps, glitter, glue, pens, paper cutters, and more! In fact, Scott took a video of the mess last night and has threatened to post my mess--er, my progress--on the internet! Yipes! Well, I'm actually doing really well, considering I'm doing 28 pages at one time! However, I do think maybe a picnic is in store for tonight! ;)