Happy Halloween

Hi everyone!  Today is Halloween here in the States and I have to admit I am a bit sad.  Gone are the days of big pre-Trick or Treating parties.  When Brighton and Mackenzie were younger we had a big group of families that we would go out with after a soup supper.  The children always had a great time, as did the adults.  Many of the families had children Brighton's age and now that these children are 17 and up....


 Well, needless to say, these children aren't so much children and now we don't trick-or-treat together.  sigh

Poor Ainsley is left as the only one who is still interested in begging for candy and so we are looking for a new group to hang with.

OK, well...enough of my wistful yearnings for the children to be young again.   How about a project to share?  I made a couple of little treat bags for my niece and sister to celebrate this fun holiday.

I cut the bag out of some Tim Holtz Kraft Core cardstock with my Cricut machine and then embossed it using my Big Shot.  A couple of vintage digital images accented with stickles,  bits of seam binding dyed with Glimmer Mist, and of course some simple Prima Wildflowers and a doily finished my bags.

If only I had time to make 100 or so more I could give them out to all the trick-or-treaters tonight.  Yeah...right!  lol

OK, well.....back to work around here.  Thanks for dropping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

Fall Fun - The Sampler

Hi everyone!  Today I want to share with you another layout I made with the Warm kit from the Sampler kit club.  I have really loved the kit this month.  And it was perfect for this photo I took of the children at a little farm down the street this last weekend.  Trying to get some "Senior" photos of Brighton...sigh...they grow so fast.  And you know I couldn't resist snapping a few of the girls as well.

 (sorry about the funky lighting in the photo...don't know what is going on these days.  I bought I light box, but haven't had much success with it.  I need to keep trying tho as with the winter rains coming.....)

Well, lots of gorgeous motifs to fussy cut in this kit and the colors are just gorgeous.  I  love the mix of patterns this month and I know you will as well.  With the help of the October 26th Sketch from Stuck on You Sketches, I was able to complete this layout in no time at all!

There is still lots of time to play along with us at the monthly sketch and card challenges.  You don't need to purchase a kit to play and you have a chance of winning some great prizes!  Be sure and check it out.

Hugs.

Nancy

Leftovers

Hi everyone!  Well, it is Monday and let me just tell you...it came way to early for me.  The weekend was a whirlwind of work with Phil and Brighton being gone for a good chunk of it. Anyway, I hope those of you on the East Coast stay safe with Sandy on its way.  Lots of hugs and prayers going out to you all.

Today, I wanted to share with you a couple of projects I made with last month's (September) kit from The Sampler.  These kits are so packed with goodies that I always have quite a few things leftover when I am done with the bulk of my kit.  What to do with all those scraps is always the question.  This month, I decided to break out the Bind it All and...well...bind it!  lol

The first little book was done using the little mini that was included in the kit.  I inked the cover to bring out a bit more of the texture and then covered it with some goodies I had lying on my desk.

For this mini, I bound some of the scraps in the kit with my Bind it All and then used a trusty cover-all (also from Zutter) to ensure the books sturdiness   I love these covers so much.  It makes it so easy to build your mini quickly.

Well, lots to do around here today so I best get going.....

Hugs.

Nancy

Ainsley is Crashing

Hi everyone, this is Ainsley, Nancy's youngest daughter, and I am crashing the Sampler blog and here today with a mini album I made with this month's kit, Warm.  Holly was super nice and gave me some of the papers and trim to play with and I took full advantage.

I cut lots of cute shapes and patterns out of the papers and added them to a mini album that I had....

 and used lots of foam dots for texture and snagged some of my mom's Thickers and chipboards.

I love quilling and couldn't resist adding bits of it here and there.  Did you see the card I made last week?  I really like quilling (thank you Heather for the tools)

 My friend Lizzy and I are passing an orange...that was a weird game.  I can't believe my mom made us play that at swim team.

 More punches and quilling for this photo of Crystal and my crazy hair.

And how cute was I when I was 3.  I loved swimming even then...and I love the custom dyed seam binding in this kit.

This kit was so fun to play with and I had a lot of fun.  I love the papers and the mist with the mask on the back side of my pages can fill the album till I add more photos.  Everyone should share their kit (or buy one special) for their children so they can play too.  I made all this and I am only 11.

Well, I should give my mom back her computer now.

Ainsley

You Light Me Up - Your Memories Here

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you a bit of home decor for Halloween.  I have had a little night light lamp for years, and although I love the shabby chic shade it came with, I felt the need to do something more festive for Halloween.  Of course, having some old chandelier shades lying around the house and some gorgeous goodies from my Your Memories Here grab bag didn't have anything to do with this spark of creativity.  lol

 

I began with the old chandelier shade that I misted with a bit of Glimmer Mist in Pumpkin Spice to change the color and add a bit of sparkle.  I then added bits of lace and trim as well as some beautiful Prima blossoms and bit of bling.

Do not use hot glue for this project!  I know it seems like it would be the perfect adhesive, but when the lamp heats up the glue will soften and your beautiful goodies may fall off.  I really like Helmar Quick Dry for these types of projects.

Well, everyone here just loves this shade and I hope you do to.  Now Ainsley is encouraging me to make one for each holiday.  Good thing these types of shades come in packs of 5.  hee hee

Thanks for dropping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

Croquet Anyone? - the Sampler

Hi everyone!  Today I want to share with you another project I made with the Warm kit from the Sampler kit club.  I have been enjoying the non-traditional fall colors in this kit so much.  While they have the warm feel of fall, they don't scream pumpkins and Halloween, which is nice since not all my photos have to do with those types of events.  You wouldn't believe what it takes for me to get the children to the pumpkin patch these days.  What we do have in the fall?...croquet in the backyard.

(I swear these papers are straight in real life...just can't seem to get a good photo with the rainy weather)
Yes, that is what fall looks like here where I live!  Croquet in the yard was quite an adventure.  Lots of hazards to be had; the dog chasing the balls, uneven grass and leaves falling.  lol

Anyway...a new set of challenges, both card and sketch are up and you don't need to purchase a kit to play along!  International participants are welcome, so be sure to check it out.

Hugs.

Nancy

Rainy Days and Mondays

Hi everyone!  Yep, it is a rainy Monday here...which is especially not good being that we had a crazy, swim filled weekend.  Last year some of the meets were getting so large that they weren't ending each day till 5:00 p.m. or later...which makes for an extremely long day when you are there at 7:30 a.m.  So this year they are trying to encourage the older swimmers, seniors (yep...anyone over the age of 14 is considered a senior, lol) to swim at different meets.  This last weekend that was the case.  Two meets in two different cities about an hour apart.  One for the older two, and one for my youngest...needless to say, not a lot of family time.  Sigh....

Anyway....enough about my crazy swim life.  Today I wanted to share with you that there is a new challenge up over at the Sampler!   There is both a card challenge as well as a sketch challenge and your odds of winning are usually pretty good.

Anyway....Here is the sketch...

And my take....

Love that dotted cardstock from this month's kit!  And the colors, the "do it yourself" Thickers, the chipboards and of course the sequins.....love!!!!

Anyway, be sure to pop over to the Sampler blog to check out the cards and the other layouts!  You won't be sorry.  And come play along with us!  You could win a great prize and you don't have to use a kit!

Hugs.

Nancy

Thursday - Cards

Hi everyone.  Sorry I am a bit late today, but it has been quite the busy day.  I don't know why it is I can't get motivated to blog early, but I just can't seem to get into it.  So, instead...here I am late.  Oh well.

Today I wanted to share a few cards I made recently.  I am not usually much of a card maker, but with some ZVA crystals they came together so quickly.

And of course, Ainsley with her new love of quilling had to get involved as well.

Well, that is it for today.

hugs.

Nancy

So Lovely - Your Memories Here

Hi everyone today I want to share with you a project I made using a Prima grab bag from Your Memories Here.  I love that each grab bag has a number of different products in it from an assortment of the latest Prima lines.

Here I started with a base from the Zephyr line and a sketch from Stuck on U Sketches, by Nanne Harry, that I distressed using the Prima Comfort Craft Distress Tool.  I also added a bit of gesso to my page with the help of a Prima mask.  I used a brick mask, but how cute would the polka dots have been.....

a few flowers, beads, trinkets, a banner, bling, and other baubles...

 (don't you just love the new light bulbs) and my clusters came together.

With a mix of items from both the Zephyr line and other goodies from the latest Prima release this project came together quickly.  And, there are still grab bags and complete collections available in the Your Memories Here store, so grab one for yourself today.

Hugs.

Nancy

5 Reasons - The Sampler

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you a project I made with this month's kit from the Sampler, Warm.  This is of course Mackenzie, hanging out at a swim meet.  I have had this photo on my desk for a while and thought it would be fun to scrap it with the reasons she swims.  She came up with all the things that would make me hate it...and then informed me it is a swim thing.  I guess that is code for teenager?  Anyway.....  I used a sketch from Creative Scrappers, #225.

I am loving the "do it yourself" Thickers that came in the kit.  Not only are there a ton of alphas, but there are numbers and symbols as well.  And of course I am having fun playing with the sequins, gorgeous Eclectic by Echo Park papers, and October Afternoon chipboard.

Don't forget about the card and sketch challenges that will be closing soon.  You don't need to have a kit to play, and there is a good chance you could win a prize!

Hugs.

Nancy

A Monday Sketch

Hi everyone!  Yep, it is Monday...and after a too short, yet productive, weekend I am here to share a project I made for Heather using her latest sketch.

Such a great sketch this time and I had so much fun with it.

Brighton and Mackenzie doing their "studies" out on the table in the back yard.  It was such a beautiful morning to be spent cooped up in doors.  So they grabbed their laptops and headed for the patio.

Lots of My Mind Eye products here with a Thickers alpha thrown in.  And no...that is not Mackenzie's hair...that is a bear hat.  It even has little ears.

Well, lots to do today.  Thanks for dropping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

A Little Mixed Media

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you a page from my art journal.  Ainsley and I are working on the Internationally Inspired class offered by Donna Downey and although we are moving pretty slowly...we are moving.  lol

This page was done quite a bit differently from the one Donna did in her section.  I don't have layers of Pan Pastels to play with (maybe I need to remedy this?) and I didn't have the stamp.  But...I do have mad gelatto skills and acrylic paints.  hee hee  I also added a few extras to this page with bits of gesso and stamping....Love the added texture.

I really like doing these pages...wish I had more time.  They don't require photos, or journaling...just lots of good, messy play.

And on that note...

Hugs.

Nancy

Inspired Mini- Your Memories Here

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you a mini album I made using a number of different goodies from grab bags I have received from Your Memories Here.  I decided to use a technique I learned from one of Jamie Dougherty's Live with Prima Class to form my mini (be sure and check out all the Live with Prima kits that Kristina has in the store (if there is a show you saw and don't see the kit...shoot her an email).

I had some of the Journal Cards from the new Tea Thyme line that I really wanted to work with and decided that those colors would be the base for my book.  I painted the base of my chipboard with Glorious Gold Decoart paint.

Mixing the pinks from Tea Thyme with the neutrals from the Almanac collection created a beautiful color scheme.   And a little distressing with my Prima Comfort Craft Distress Tool and a bit of Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy tied everything together.

A few other odds and ends from other collections like Fairy Belle chipboards, and Madeline stickers (all left from previous grab bags) and I was well on my way to creating this mini.

 Of course I added a few flowers.....

 bits of bling.....

and some gorgeous trims and laces  (I love the alencon laces)

 to embellish my book.

This little mini is so full of yummy goodies that had just been lying on my desk and now they have a new, mor beautiful home.

Be sure and check out all the goodies in the Your Memories Here store.

Hugs.

Nancy

Forever Together - The Sampler

Hi everyone!  Sorry I am a little late...I was hoping the sun would come out so I could get better photos, but the fog persists so......

Today I wanted to share with you a project I made using the new Warm kit from The Sampler kit club.  The colors and patterns in this kit are just lovely.  Add to that the mist and the mask and super fun sequins...

 I know I say this every month, but this has to be my favorite kit yet.  I used the mask with a bit of gesso to add some extra texture and of course the mist on the "do it yourself" thickers.

Don't forget about the sketch and card challenges here on The Sampler.  You don't need to have the kit to play for some fabulous prizes and you have a great chance at winning.

Hugs.

Nancy

Get Outside and Play - Hydrangea Hippo

Hi everyone!  Sorry I am a bit late, but I made some freezer breakfast for the children so they would have something quick and easy to grab and go before those 5:00 am swim practices....

and then we had an orthodontist appointment.  Mackenzie is moving quickly through her treatment and Ainsley is looking forward to getting her braces in January.  Woo hoo!!!!  So...there went my whole morning.  lol

Anyway......today I want to share with you a few projects I made using the Nature Walk Scrapbooking and Crafting kit from Hydrangea Hippo.  

This kit is full of such lovely outdoors colors with bits of Girl Scout goodies thrown in.  And of course all the gorgeous trims and trinkets Hydrangea Hippo is known for.

First up, a cute little treasure box.  Mine is somewhat open to hold a special treat for my youngest little darling, but you could close it tight to hold something special.

 I used one of the cupcake wrappers to make a fun little rose.  And how much do I love the "crystal".  My daughter collects those as well.  hee hee

How about a layout for some fun photos of your outdoor adventure?  I added bits of trim and some fun buttons and embellies, along with a bit of fussy cutting for a little whimsy.

Here is another layout for those oh so fun photos.  

I have a few photos from camping with my sister and niece a few months ago that I can't wait to add.  Until then....

Hugs.

Nancy