So in love with...

Story time, kids! Sit down, grab a warm cuppa joe or tea and read along with me (hehehe, I always wanted to be a teacher).

So, one of my FAV designers - Christina Renee Designs - has opened up at a new shop! She used to run her own shop, CRD and it was fab-U-lous! It's been closed for like ever now so when I got the newsletter from her with the WHERE her new shop was... well I ran on over to O'Scraps! Now I have been receiving the O'Scraps newsletter for some time and I look around and stalk some blogs but never really shopped there. With Christina Renee opening there, I went in to grab her newest kit and then went to see what else was around and that's when I fell in love with...
Yep, its Ashalee Wall and I just love her stuff! I am stalking her blog and she even has her own little shop too. So, do you wanna see some of her stuff? Of course ya do! I just love all the swirls and flourishes that she uses in her product. Those are what got me into digital in the first place. So I grabbed this set of Fillers along with another similar one with diff colors.
I also grabbed this lil' mini kit, as well as some others. I just love the simply elements but still stunning.
Ashalee had a new product in her O'Scraps shop that was so adorable that I suggested doing the same with a Christmas theme and.... she did!!!

She has beautiful handwriting and these will look stunning on my Christmas pages. So... whatcha think? Everything is linked so check out her shoppes and her blog and fall in love too.

That's all I have to share with you right now. I have been working like crazy lately with the holidays (retail) so I hadnt scrapped a layout all month until the other night. I did 2 that night and 3 last night so I will post those soon. It felt good to scrap again, I know that! Chat with ya soon!

Day 2 in so many ways.

With the start of July, not only did I decide to cut back on commitments, I also decided to work on the structure of the household. So no more eating in front of the tv (or computer), no more giving in to the kids, no more snacking all day, no more of a lot of things. My poor kiddos... they are just in shock! I mean, they had to eat dinner at the TABLE. My oldest kept asking me why... and of course, I gave the best mommy answer of all times... because I said so! He did not like that answer after a couple times of hearing it and then said, tell me why, but not because you said so.... Dang. Once they finally accepted that we were sitting at the table and that was just the way it was, it was so enjoyable. Listening to my boys interact with fighting is a pleasure... a rare one! So changes, here we come!

I went to the orthodontist this morning and of course, it makes my mouth hurt later in the day as my teeth began to shift with the new wire and what not. So I took a long long nap on the couch. I woke up to dinner made by hubby and my 4 yo passing gas on my head. SO gross!

And I just finished up my layout for Challenge 1 of my Challenge a Day! So I had to use the song title 1234, by Plain White T's. Here is how it turned out.


I used a new kit by Deb Fisher Designs. It is called Paper Trails and as you can see in the preview below, its adorable! I won it last week by leaving a comment on her blog (which I follow because I love her stuff). Deb sells at Pickleberry Pop, a shop filled with awesome kits. Stop by Deb's shop or blog for more great stuff.

deb fisher designs @ Pickleberry Pop
deb fisher designs - blog

Challenge 2 has been posted in the forum. Also, notice the upper left hand side of my blog - I added an easy access link. Just click that circle that says Challenge a Day. Thanks Caryn for adding that to your homepage (and letting me hijack the image).

my Blog gets a new look...

Ok... whatcha think????

I know we have all heard of Allie Brown and her wonderful blog backgrounds - so check it out! She made this background and header using Brenda Smiths's "Romance and Blues" kit available at Digital Candy. I just added some cute fonts to the header.

Allie has the cutest backgrounds and headers on her blog including some made with kits by Digi-Designs by Nicole, Charlie Digiscraps, and soooooo many more.... go HERE now!

Such a sweet kiss...

I love this LO... I am surprised at how cute it turned out with so little. Ellie Lash's CT have their own blog called Ellie's Angels. Each day they post something different and Thursday is Challenge me Thursday.

For this challenge, the rules were:
1. you must use at least two pictures
2. Each element must be used at least twice (2 flowers, 2 frames, 2 buttons, etc)
3. You must use your favorite kit by Ellie
4. When posting a link to your layout, you must add a little note in there as to why it is your favorite kit!
I had totally taken up Ellie on her sale at her NEW STORE and bought her two newest kits but I was drawn to this mini kit of hers. I love how simply it is and this LO turned out pretty cute. Anyway, just thought I would share.

Go visit Ellie's Angels to see what challenge you can do.

Speed Scrap 10.30

WOW! I love these Speed Scraps. They really challenge my creativity sometimes. Here is tonights LO. I love how it turned out - so girly!

Credits

The kit used is the Breast Cancer Awareness Mini Kit from Christina Renee Designs (CRD). You gotta check out the full kit - Think Pink. If you purchase the full kit, 100% of the proceeds go to charity!! It was priced at $3.00 but guess what - IT IS ONLY $2.10 RIGHT NOW. Do your good deed for the day - purchase this kit, help find a cure and have fun scrapping with a super cute kit!

Last shout out - heya - Vicki at a work in progress! I have downloaded stuff now and then from her and never really played with it (uh, because I sucked) but I LOVE this alpha. Thank you Vicki!

Inspiration...

I got an email from Pottery Barn today and the pic below was there! Is this gorgeous or what? I love the colors - red and green - but it doesn't look Christmas-y at all. I like how the funky red print goes with those adorable flowers and the black and white print looks great against the green. I seriously want a kit like this... ahhh, but I don't design! Any takers out there?

This whole inspiration thing comes from Shauna at Pineapple Plantation Designs. Check out her blog post here about her inspiration. I read her blog whenever she updates and she always has great stuff!

Speed Scrap 10.29

I am so loving these Speed Scraps. I think there should be at least 4 a week! :) Anyway, here is today's layout. I was very excited while making it because I used the GGGRRRRR kit from CHRISCRAPS. It is a dino kit but look how versatile it is. I used it for football! I need to make more...more!

Credits

Here are the instructions for today's LO if you are playing along (in your own time):

1. Choose your photos and your papers. At least 3 of each.
2. Arrange your photos in a cluster. No lone photos. All must be touching at least one other pic.
3. Choose at least 2 shapes or elements and use them each at least twice on your LO.
4. Pick at least one: 2 lines of stitching 2 staples 2 paint splats
5. Take some time and add shadows to your work. You can also embellish more if you’d like.
6. Add a couple lines of journaling or some word art
7. Add a title and/or date if you’d like

My lucky week...

Sunday I decided to join a new forum that I have heard so much about - DigiShopTalk (DST). It is neutral forum and not limited to one specific shop or designer. Kinda nice if you want to upload more Lo's or get to know other people. In the forum there is so much stuff to look at. You can check out the designers, sales, calls, etc. There is also a great spot called the "happy place". This is where all different designers put in ways to win free kits, magazines, alphas, etc.

I was the lucky random winner of this beautiful kit from Amy Sumerall. You can find it at the DigiChick. Aren't the colors beautiful? Check out Amy's blog. I was also the lucky random winner of this kit (I actually got to choose from 3 different ones) from chriscraps. You can find this kit at Scrapmalin and you definitely need to check out her blog. Really cute freebies.

Keep your eye out for some LO's with these kits.

Exciting News

Friday night I checked my email and what did I find - great news from Digi-Designs by Nicole! She had a CT call and I made it! Hooray. As a new digi-scrapper, this is very exciting. It gives me a chance to play with cool kits and make new friends. I couldn't be more pleased.


I was able to play with a new kit coming out - a collab with Amber of Stolen Moments. Here is my LO made with Nicole's portion of the kit.


Go check out Nicole's blog. And check back daily because each day she gives away a different piece of the kit and I know you will want it all (believe me, it is worth the trip). Today Nicole is giving out the papers to this great FREE kit! Look how cute they are.

Get them HERE.

Speed Scrap 10.15

Well I am so proud of myself tonight. I completed, as in created and uploaded, a full Speed Scrap at Scrap Matters. I have tried 3 times I think and never got it done in time so huge achievement for me. Woohoo! I actually love my LO too. Most of my LO uses Ellie Lash's Edward freebie from her blog. Go check it out, especially if you are a Twilight Fan!!!

credits

Here are the instructions we had (and they started out scary):

1. Choose ONLY one photo. Crop it an unusual way…make it an extreme close up, or narrow, or even cut part of your subject off…just make sure it’s cropped. AND make it pop…work on the color, the shadows, the depth, etc…make it shine.
2. Choose as many papers as you want, but they must be solids, no patterns. Make sure they REALLY complement your photo.
3. I want to prepare you for the next steps, so, rather than telling you what to do, I am going to tell you what NOT to do. No frame for your photo, no journaling, no word art, and no quotes. This is going to be all about your photo and the embellishments. Take this time to make your photo really stand out.
4. Create an element cluster (any size, any elements) and place it on your page UNDER your photo.
5. Choose an element or two (it can be the same element in different colors) and scatter it across your page…glitter, sequins, flowers, whatever. BUT, you must keep at least 1/3 of your page EMPTY.
6. Embellish as much as you want, over, under, whatever….but don’t forget rule #5 and keep at least 1/3 of your page empty. Embrace the white space.
7. Add a small tag and attach it to your photo. Add the date. If you want, you may add a SHORT title (no more than three words).

So lucky...

Today (or yesterday) was my lucky day. I was one of three random winners of a great kit from Trish H. Designs - Spooky. I can't wait to play with this kit!

Cute Halloween hybrid coming! I can make treat bags... cards... window decor... hmmm, what else! Ohhh.... t-shirts for the boys and me. Definitely need the witch and pot of boiling potion on my shirt.... You can buy this kit HERE at Digital Candy.

What a deal!

Ok... you have to check this out! Many designers lately have been having "Buy My Store" sales. Great deals but for me, I was looking for that special store. So when I got my weekly newsletter email from Divine Digitals, I was excited to see this.

Check this out here.

The reason for my excitement is that Chris has sooooo many template kits in her store and what do I need for Christmas gifts - mini books. There are also calendar templates, cute kits and other goodies. Look at some of this stuff:

Templates, Bragbook, Papers

Anyway... go look at this store and buy it all! I can't wait for my code to download.... I am getting excited to play, especially after creating a quick LO last night.

New LO...

Ok. I am such a bad blogger sometimes. It gets hard to keep up a blog (or two or three) plus read about 50 a day. I have to stop downloading freebies...seriously. No more - well, except from my favorite designers... Ellie Lash and her Angels, Christina Renee, Vicki from A work in Progress... I can go on and on there are so many good designers out there.

A couple of my fav digi stores are 2 Peas in a bucket, My Scrap Shop, Ahh Scrap, Scrap Orchard, Digital Candy... ok, can I stop now? One of these days I will figure out how to get all these blinkies on my blog.

Oh... I totally forgot Scrap Matters. They are having a Speed Scrap on 10/15 @ 9PM EST. My goal is to get my LO uploaded in time for once. I am on call for my volunteer program so hopefully there are no interuptions during the SS. I volunteer for the city police and fire department doing grief support deaths of natural causes or crimes. We also help with rape victims, traffic accidents, etc.

I have found a few new designers and I am loving their stuff. I actually scrapped a page with one kit and can't wait to get more done. Ok, so who are they? Digi-Designs by Nicole and Stolen Moments. I also found Raspberry Road Designs and she has soooo many cute freebies in her store. Ok, I could keep going but it is getting late and I want to get this LO up. I still have Boss's Day cards to finish for my hubby (paper, not digi). G'night to you.

Credits:

Dreamin' from Digi Designs by Nicole

except for the staple.

Fonts are Mickey and Minnie from free downloads.

Wow - what a ride!

Ok, so I created this blog for a couple of reasons... one I wrote about already - wanting to share my layouts with others and learn more about digi scrapping but the other reason, well, I didn't tell you. I was bored! Yes, bored...but how can that be? I am a mom of two boys who literally run around (me) all day and one sings all night (thankfully the other one sleeps like a rock) - well, we were staying at my in-laws while we were between homes. It wasn't a bad experience or anything - it is just hard to not have "MY" things to play with. I spent a lot of time on the 'puter.

Anyway, there is a reason I told you all this... Escrow closed on our VERY 1st home 8.8.08 - what an exciting day! I live in San Diego, come on - buying a house here a couple years ago was like being Donald Trump! Prices have dropped and foreclosures are high, which is sad for all those who are facing that situation. The flip side is that others can now afford to buy a home again... seriously, our new mortgage is $200 more than we were paying in rent but $2000 cheaper than it might have been 2-3 years ago...

So I made this LO to show my family and friends what our new home looked like...

Layout created from Petit Moineaux - Auqa Bling Freebie Kit, except for the following:

Blue journal block from Crystal Bella - Party Hat Freebie

Brown stapled Tab from Shabby Princess - Two Soon

Font: CK Ali's Writing

PS... Why can't I get the image enlarge when I click on it? Aghhh...

first post - how i got started

Today I have started a new blog to display my digi scrapping layouts.

I have heard about digi-scrapping a year ago but wasn't ready to make the jump. I loved creating with my hands for the relaxing effect. I still do but there is so much more going on now that there isn't time to pull out the supplies and finish up with the ink or glue before the kids come around my stuff.

I started playing around with some Shabby Princess kits that I had downloaded for free and made my first LO. It wasn't too bad for not knowing the program I was using - PS7. The best part was that it was FUN. All the options - make it big, make it smaller, change the color, use it again... LOVED it.

I also really liked making my own computer backgrounds and who wouldn't want to showcase their kids, pets or other favorite thing in a way that works best for them.

As things moved along, I became addicted to downloading freebies. There are some awesome designers out there. It is just amazing how artistic some ladies (and a few men) can be when it comes to this. I think it would be fun to learn to design. I know a little - very very little - and I am sure it is very time consuming. So again - thank you to everyone who gives freebies so newbies like me can get started in this wonderful digi-scrapping world.