My Christmas card craze has started

When I start making Christmas cards...I cannot stop. It usually starts off slowly with the cards...and then I get into a groove and can't stop making them. I made 8 the other night and will keep going until they are done. I blame it on the wonderful paper and embellishments out there.

This year, I fell in love with the Bo Bunny Christmas line and the new Basic Grey and that is what I started with. I love the vintage look and these papers seem to be my colors. Here is what I have come up with so far:
















These are my first attempts. I will get in the groove and they will come along nicely! I have been conscious of the bulkiness of cards for mailing so have been TRYING to make my cards more mail-friendly. I hope to make more later this week. Thanks for stopping by. Love and hugs, Lara

What a rollercoaster 6 weeks

I fully intended to update sooner but things got out of hand for me...or foot, I should say. Ever since my surgery, life has been kind of out of control. On 9/10, I fell and hurt my leg. It was a freak accident really, I missed a step...long story short: ER visit, Crutches, pain and swelling, and then cellulitus...so everynight for the last few weeks, after work, I have had to stay off it...so I did a lot of tv watching...I think I am on the mend but the ankle is still sore and swells sometimes, so I have had to slow down.

Have been trying to scrap all the while...I made afew things, but never got around to putting them up! Finally now, I have a few spare minutes before the game at 3 (GO VIKINGS!!!!!) to update.



This is a layout I did with an addon from Studio Calico that my sis sent me as a pick-me-up! I added some papers from the Girls' Paperie line to make it more, well, pink. My DD is a tomboy at heart and so well, as Moms go, one must mark the rare occasion when they get to be all girly-girl with their tomboys...LOL



Crate Paper Restoration! This is possibly one of my all time favorite lines ever. I am trying not to hoard it...because my experience is that the longer you hold on to it, the harder it is to use later.

Cosmo Cricket has got some awesome color/paper designers. I was not prepared to love the Pixilicious, but the colors are wonderful and whimsical and well, it is lavender, and I LOVE any lavenders!



Finally, A little layout about my DS who is a senior. I had to scrap a few of his senior pics. We have not decided which ones we will print for giving out yet, but I picked out a few mom-favorites for me to use exclusively! Again, Crate Paper was just right for this!

Well that is all for now. Just so you are aware, my Christmas card making frenzy has started and I will be back later in the week to post the first ones...I made 8 on Friday night! This is the time of year I just love...I can never stop at the required 40 though...I get in a Christmas card making phase and it is hard to stop, so stay tuned! Love and Hugs, Lara

...Oh, and GO VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!...(just had to say that again)

August scrappiness (better late than never)

Just getting around to posting some layouts that I did do during August.

Some Studio Calico Anthology (and yes, it is a 2pager...not my forte, but gave it a try):


A little more Indie Girl by Sassafras:


And some goodness by Echo Park...Sweet Summertime and A Walk in the Park:





I did a bit more lately, mostly cards, so may post them later on. Thanks for stopping by. Love and Hugs, Lara

Getting back to scrapping

Been kind of on the low this last month. Busy with kids and life and such. Had surgery last week, and honestly, yesterday was the first day that I felt much like doing anything. I took the time to be crafty instead of cleaning my house. I cleaned the house today instead and feel like life is much more in control. It is amazing how righting your house, cleaning (really cleaning) up your kitchen puts a person back in the right way.

I am not the best housekeeper, but I like things clean and tidy...I could not help putting up with the way the others in the house do it for the past week. There was a great deal of satisfaction today, when I put things together, cleaned the kitchen, swept, mopped, and washed cabinets/stove, etc. I have a bit of dishwater hands today, but that is ok...now I can craft the night away, and tomorrow, get things ready for the first day of school and feel in control again.

My sister sent me a care package this week. Some pretty YUMMY goodies in there. I have a fabulous sister who loves to send me stuff to inspire me to craft. She recognizes my need to craft and loves to send me things, especially when I am on the low side, or not very inspired, to help boost my creative mojo! She sent me some Crate Paper Restoration and some GCD Ava this time, along with some well together goodies from her stash...kind of like getting a scrappy kit.




I would have to say that Crate Paper was my ultimate want this year from summer CHA...Restoration is SO gorgeous, and I loved the prettiness of the patterns...very much my cup of tea. I was so happy to get this, and eventhough I only have a few sheets of it, I plan to covet every scrap.

Supplies used: Cardstock: Archivers; Patterned Papper: Crate Paper; Journaling spot: making Memories; Letter stickers: American Crafts, Sassafas, Adornit; Stick Pins: Little Yellow Bicycle; Die Cut: Crate Paper; Glitter Glue: Stickles; Ribbon: Craft Supply; Stamp (Get well) Cloud 9



Supplies used: Patterned Paper: GCD; Chipboard Frame: Little Yellow Bicycle; Journaling spot: Creative Imaginations; Rubons: Karen Neuburger/Paper Salon; Letter Stickers: Doodlebug; Ribbon: Basic Grey, Craft supply

I was not ready to LOVE this GCD line, but it is gorgeous!...it is MUCH prettier in real life and I was so impressed. I love the colors and patterns and believe me, the little POP of eggplant (purple) in some of the paper made me SO happy. I love purple and find very little that I can scrap with it...it is a great color but so hard to work with. SO when I can ad little pops of it in my layouts, I do so...because lavender and purple hues are one of my weaknesses.

Well, this was a longer post than I had imagined it would be, so I need to go pop my King Ranch Chicken (wonderful recipe from my sister) in the oven, and then I plan to scrap the night away. Thanks for stopping by! Love and Hugs, Lara

Sassafras Indie Girl

Last week my sis sent me some scrappy goodies. It ws such a nice surprise and a wonderful pick-me-up! The RAK included parts of Echo Park, Studio Calico and Sassafras, oh, and some wonderful Raspberry Thickers, cause a girl can NEVER have too many...I think! I love the Indie Girl, it is an amazing line and I could not wait to cut into it. These are pics of us with our DD, who is in AF JROTC in High School. She is very proud to be part of that and we are very proud of her. She takes this very seriously and is working very hard to do well with it.



Supplies: Cardstock: Stampin' Up, 7 Gypsies; Patterned Paper: Sassafras; Fabrips by Studio Calico; Die Cuts: Sassafras; Chipboard: Scenic Route; Stickers: Sticko (phrases), Cosmo Cricket (letters); ink: Tim Holtz Distress Inks; Glossy Accents: Ranger

So I am off to play in my little room. My craft room. A place of solace and peace...where I feel good and happy. A place that I have not been able to visit often. I find that I spend way too much time on the internet, and it cuts into my craty time...and my crafty time relaxes me, relieves tension, and makes me happy! See you soon. Love and Hugs! Lara

My version of a printer's tray

This is my version of a printer's tray. I wanted one for a long time, and love the vintage inspired way they look. I came across this wall hanging at a garage sale and knew that I wanted to work with it. I bought it for $2.00. I repainted it, covered some damaged areas with black card stock and added some Vintage Poppy paper from Lily Bee.






Because it does not have any glass, I was fearful of the photos getting dusty, so after I added them, I precut some regular transparency to fit in the openings over the pictures. Then I added the goodies--emphemera, ribbon, chipboard, and journaling spots. I cannot wait to hang this up in our home. It makes me so happy.

Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill, DCWV; Patterned Paper: Lily Bee; Ribbon: Making Memories, Creative Cafe, Craft supply; Rubons: Lily Bee; Chipboard: K & Co, Chatterbox, Scenic Route; Diecuts: The Girl's Paperie, K & Co, Cosmo Cricket, Chatterbox, craft supply; Flowers: Prima; Gems: Prima; Sentiment sticker: Cloud 9 Design; Mini clipboard: unknown

So Happy August to you!!!! Love and Hugs, Lara

End of July, OH MY

Well, today is the end of July! I never have enough time anymore, and now summer has been going too fast. I feel like I have not been to the scrap table in weeks but I have knocked out a few projects. I have a version of a printer's tray (something I got at a garage sale for pennies), that I will post later today. These are the most recent layouts I got going on! TFL


Supplies: the best of Lily Bee, and some Pink Paislee




Supplies: LILY BEE and GCD and embellies.

Hand cut "Y"...this was a stretch for me...because I have so many letters, but I wanted the BIG letter and did not have it...when in doubt, make it yourself! LOL
Heading for the shower now, and then to the table...Love and Hugs, Lara

CHA LOVE

Ok, so CHA is upon us. I love all that is coming out and my list is getting bigger and bigger. And I foresee my wallet getting emptier and emptier. But that is ok, a hobby is a hobby. Here are some goodies that I found today on the Sassafras blog that are must haves:


I also found some pretty cool glitter alphas (in lavender just for me)by them that I will be in search of as soon as can be:

a layout and a card

Or should I say, a card and a layout. Recently, I won some goodies from Cosmo Cricket's blog--some Couture Cardstock and some Delovely. I made this card to say thank you and sent it to them. Doesn't Delovely have the most scrumptious colors ever? They are HAPPY colors to me...make me think of Sweet-tart jelly beans, pretty flowers, sherbet, and candy necklaces. Guess I kind of like sweets, huh?



I have an obsession with Butterflies...noticing them quite a bit on my layouts. This layout is made with GCD goodies from a recent Melody Ross line. I know that other animals/birds are more popular now, but butterflies are so light and cheery creatures, so I like the look of them for my projects!

That is all for now. Hope you all had a safe 4th of July weekend and wish you the best in July. I am gettng off this computer, so that I can do some creating! Love and Hugs, Lara

Best Project EVER!

Ok, So here is the finished product...I mean project. I followed a tutorial from Christine Middlecamp that has taken well over a month to complete. Her tiny doily flowers are works of art. I was hooked after the first one.

I had an 8 1/2x11 shadow box that I had wanted to use so I made all 16 of the flowers and wanted to showcase the ones that would not fit in the box so I had bought a wooden frame from Michaels on clearance, and fashioned a little wall hanging for the remaining 4 flowers. That is currently hanging in my scrap room. I have not hung the otherone up yet, but plan to fine exactly the right place in our home for it.

Most of my flowers are very similiar to Christine's choices but some are quite a bit different. I did not want to go out and buy stuff when I have such an offering to choose from in my stash already. Good thing I had some of the same items though, because it made me happy to be able to produce something like hers, but it also forced me to look at my supplies in a different way, and I am telling you, my stash has brought a light to my creativity! Instead of going out and buying something, I am looking at what I have and thinking outside the box on how I can get a look without heading to the store.

I want to do this again. I love the little mini-creations, and they were so much fun to work on. I am almost sad that it is over but loved this project so much! Thank you Christine for producing such a wonderful project for us to follow along with! Be back later with other projects! Love and Hugs, Lara

More Craft Fair items: Shadow boxes

Ok, so I am almost done getting ready for this thing. I have amassed so many little things that I make and do not use...or I buy, thinking I will decorate them and then they sit, stored while I make cards and layouts. Some of these things I do make for gifts and some for me to display in our home, but a lot of times, it is all about deocrating them. So I decided to add these to my sale next Saturday. I really like them, how they turned out. I know, that if I do not sell them, I will probably hang them up in our home, but now also, since I know that I can do these, I can make another one just like it for us too! Thanks for stopping by. We are heading to the "Facebook" wedding today...don't ask...I won't share anyway, but I will be back later this week. Love and Hugs, Lara

Manly cards

As I was getting ready for my craft fair, I realized that I have some really pretty feminine cards but not a lot for male population so I determined that I needed to break out something manly...I made some cards with Tim Holtz's Lost and Found...which by the way is such wonderful stuff that I believe that I will be buying the paper pack again. Love the colors, so rich and vibrant. I tell you, this stuff, looks better in person than on the website....I was so right in getting this, and cannot get enough of it! Love the pages, some are 12x12, some 6x6 and even smaller sizes and borders too. It is all double-sided to boot...love this stuff! So here are some of the cards that I made last night, just for the men! Love and Hugs, Lara

I create to....CREATE

It is something that I do...I make stuff...from paper and flowers and stickers. Rarely do I make it for me...usually as gifts. I have to create, it is something I do. I decided that I make all these things for me, but I do not keep them. I usually send them on their way to someone else.

Recently, I got a wild hair to enter a craft fair in St. Paul. I am going to try and sell these things...not so much to make money, but to send them to a new home, where my creative-ness will brighten someone elses day. So in a little over 2 weeks, I will be selling my crafts at a little craft fair in my neighborhood.

These are the altered birdhouses that I have made in the past few months that I am going to put out there, along with cards, mini-books and frames. I will be posting the frames later on. So here is to creating! That is what I do.... Have a wonderful week! (off to get a mammogram) =) Love and Hugs, Lara