Friday, November 29, 2013

Decorating Pumpkins - New Layout

Happy Christmas Season my fellow scrappers! We started out the season in full gear. We went to a Christmas tree farm and cut down our own tree this year. We even got it decorated! Maddie was SOOOOOO excited and LOVES the tree. I finished this pumpkin decorating layout last night after gorging on food and cleaning up the mess, :)


I played along with Sketches4All - Anniversary Challenge #6 - use circles. I used circles for the background paper, the layered circles, and the pumpkins.


For the left side, I used a sketch from Simple Sketches - No. 12. Here is the sketch:




For the right side, I used a sketch from Let's Get Sketchy - Week 4. Here is the sketch, which I rotated counterclockwise:


Here are a couple of closeup photos:






Materials used:  Paper - Heidi Grace, Pebbles; stamps - CTMH; ink sprays - Maya Roads; ink CTMH; pumpkin stickers - Sandylion; bling - Queen & Co.

Thanks for visiting!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

I was picked!

A received exciting news today.  My "For the Birds" layout was selected as "Inspiration of the Week" over at Let's Scrap. I'm so honored! 

Here is my layout:



I also learned that my layout "Eskimo Kisses" was selected as a design team favorite over at Inspired Blueprints for October.

Here is my layout:


So fun! I just love when fellow scrappers enjoy my work. I hope you have a safe and happy Thanksgiving with lots of family and friends!

Monday, November 25, 2013

Frosted Design - Giveaway

Frosted Designs is having an awesome giveaway if they reach 2000 blog followers and 1000 Facebook Followers by Saturday! Check it out!

Cousins and Friends - New Layout

Are you ready for Thanksgiving? I have not begun to get ready, other than there is a turkey thawing in the fridge! All other shopping is still on the to do list. Oh well, it will get done so I'm not going to stress....instead, I am going to scrap! Procrastination is the way of the world, right?

This is my layout of Maddie trick-or-treating with her cousins for the first time this year. They were all too cute in their little costumes!




I played along with the Southern Girls' challenge - Round, Round, Baby Right Round (use circles). I used lots of circles on my layout: I cut the background paper in the shape of a circle, punched circle paper on the right side, used circle brads throughout, and added two paper circle flowers. 


I also played along with 1 2 3 Get Scrappy challenge #4, a tic-tac-toe challenge. I used the middle, horizontal line: pearls, circles, and paper piercing. I used pearl brads, lots of circles (background paper, punches, brads and circle flowers), and paper piercing for the cross stitching I did on both the journaling block on the left hand page and the paper pieces on the right hand page.



I am linking up with The Memory Nest - Crafty Creations Link up #6.


Finally, I played along with Frosted Designs - 11 item challenge: to use at least one of the following items
1.             Tags;
2.             Paper layering
3.             Washi tape
4.             Flags/banners
5.             Patchwork
6.             Circles
7.             Stitching
8.             Stars
9.             Flowers
10.          Buttons 
11.          Arrows
I used paper layering, banner, circles, patchwork, stitching, flowers (paper), and arrows.  7 of the 11 items isn't too shabby!


For the left side, I used the sketch from Sketch-N-Scrap, sketch #44. Here is the sketch:







For the right side, I used the sketch from My Mind's Eye - November sketch week. I used all MME products, except for the flower which is by the girls' paperie. Here is the sketch:



Here are a couple of closeup photos:





Materials used: paper - MME; punch - Creative Memories; ink - CTMH; flower - the girls' paperie; letters - Thickers, Pink Paislee, and Forever in Time; sticker border - MME; twine - MME; banner - basic grey; journaling block - unknown; brads - MME; stickers - MME.

Thanks for visiting!



Saturday, November 23, 2013

Always Be Daring - New Layout

Hello scrappy friends! I hope you are staying warm. It is quite cold here in Dallas - 51 degrees was the high today. A bit of a shock after the 70's we've been having. I finished a layout this evening of Maddie's 1st Roller Coaster ride at the State Fair this year. I really thought she would be too scared to ride (she wouldn't ride anything but the kiddie swings when we were here just 3 months ago) but Daddy asked and she quickly agreed. I could see the moment of trepidation in her face before each drop, but the excitement quickly overcame it and she seemed to enjoy it. When they got off the ride, she immediately started saying, "more, more, more." She is quite our little adventurist!





For the left side, I played along with 1st challenge for the Anniversary party over at Sketches4All. The 1st challenge is to use the sketch below from Page Maps. The party runs through Dec. 2nd, so there is plenty of time to play along!



I also played along with the latest Bird is the Word challenge - Always. I used "Always" in my title: Always be Daring.



For the right side, I used a sketch from Colorful Creations - Member Spotlight. Here is the sketch:



I also played along with the 2nd challenge for the Anniversary party over at Sketches4All. The 2nd challenge is to use gold. I used a gold "moments" title, gold brads, a gold metal file tab, and a couple of gold strips.  

Here are a couple of closeups:







Materials used: paper - Colorbok and October Afternoon; layered stickers - Colorbok; stickers - Colorbok; journaling block - October Afternoon; twine - MME; vellum pieces - Basic Grey; metal - unknown; roller coaster - Jolee's; button - Making Memories; letters - thickers and Basic Grey.

Thanks for visiting!

Friday, November 22, 2013

Pumpkin Picking - New Layout

Thank goodness another weekend is upon us! I am so not ready for Thanksgiving, but I am ready for all the holiday goodness that follows!

I finished a layout this evening of Maddie in the Pumpkin Patch this year. 


For this layout I played along with Whimsical Twist - Grateful Challenge. This challenge is to create a layout with a grateful or thankful focus. There is nothing in my life that I am more thankful for than my daughter. It was a long, sad struggle before we were finally blessed with this little monkey. Watching her explore the world is what I am most grateful for.

Since we are on the Thankful theme, I also played along with Sketches4All - Cheryl's challenge group #24 - use "thank you" or "thanks". I used a "fall giving thanks" chipboard on the right hand side.

I also played along with a similar challenge from The Paper Girls Challenge #44 - "thanks". There is so much to be thankful for this time of year. I think every layout I create could meet this challenge requirement. I am a very blessed lady!



For the left side, I used the sketch from Sketch-N-Scrap Nov. 15th.



For the right side, I used the sketch from MME November Sketch week:


I used MME on almost every page I create, yet this one - which is using a MME sketch, I didn't use anything! Whoops. Looks like I will not be submitting it for the challenge. 

Here are a couple of closeup photos:






Materials used: Paper - Basic Grey, Creative Memories, MME; rub-ons -Memories Complete and Beary Patch; 3D sticker - Jolee's and Colorbok; quickutz; ribbon - unknown; ink - CTMH.

Thanks for visiting my little blog. Have a blessed weekend and stay warm! 

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Project Life - Week 45

Welcome to Project Life 2013! If you are new to my blog, welcome! I hope you will stay a while. I'm Jessica, wife to Juan, mommy to 2 year old Maddie. I am also an electrical engineer by day and I am participating in Project Life, a different way to record our lives by taking one photo a day. This was inspired by the fabulous Becky Higgins who has put together a wonderful kit to make this challenge easier.

I am using the digital kit on shutterfly (hopefully Olive once it has been released), find more info at http://www.beckyhiggins.com/blog. This digital version uses Shutterfly and is SUPER easy to use! See my completed pages for 2012 using the Shutterfly Cobalt kit HERE.


And finally, my POTW (pictures of the week):




Thursday - Daddy was cutting his toenails, and Maddie said, "oh, me too, me too," and proceeded to dig out the fingernail clippers I use on her fingernails. Then she opened them and tried to clip her own toenails. She cracks me up.












Friday - Aunt Shanny arrived last night. Today after Maddie's nap, Aunt Shanny placed little birthday presents for her all down the stairs. Maddie was so excited. Aunt Shanny gave her playdough, a bucket full of bugs, and stickers. All perfect presents for Maddie. She immediately wanted to play with the bugs and the playdough. She really loves her Aunt Shanny. Aunt Shanny let Maddie wear one of her necklaces. Here is a cute video of the two of them together. Everytime Shannon left the room she said, "where Aunt Shanny go?" She also followed her all over the house. I'm not sure which of us was more excited she was here!





Saturday - Juan brought me Sprinkles Cupcakes for my birthday. They were YUMMY! I also made a Pinterest recipe for dinner tonight - Paula Dean's Crock Pot Potato Soup from Food for the Soul.

Paula Dean’s crockpot potato soup recipe. Combine 1 bag frozen hash browns, 2 (14oz) cans chicken broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2c chopped onion, 1/3tsp black pepper. Cook in crock pot on low for 5hours. Stir in 8oz block of cream cheese, cook 30 minutes, stir occasionally.

Also today, Vanessa, Jakob and Ashlyn stopped by to bring me a birthday present - Season 4 of True Blood! Maddie was excited to see her cousins!



Sunday - Maddie loves her playdough and has been playing with it most of the day. She likes to roll it and cut it. She wants to get out every color at once, but we have been limiting her to two colors at a time.



Monday - As much I we didn't want her to, Aunt Shanny left today. We had an amazing time with her here and got a ton of scrapping done! Shannon and I stayed up until almost 2am every night - it's been forever since I've done that. Come again soon Aunt Shanny!

Thanks for visiting!