PDE Linky Party: Relax

Hello there! Today is a new challenge day at Pause Dream Enjoy!

Today's challenge is this photo for inspiration.

I know most of us would be thinking "mermaid" and "birthday". Let's just say I 

don't have any "mermaids" in my life. Also, I seriously shy away from making actual 

birthday cards . . . so I went a different way.

I decided to make this cute Doodlebug Designs' dolphin

for my card, purchased from the Silhouette online store.

Also, I was hugely inspired by this card found on Pinterest. 

It's absolutely the cutest in it's simplicity.

Thanks for stopping by today!

PDE: Reindeer

Today's challenge at PDE Linky party is 'Reindeer'.

I made this card using Doodlebug's "Here Comes Santa Claus" 

collection.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

PDE: Thinking of You

Hello there!! It's new challenge time at PDE Linky Party.

The theme this week is 'Clean and Simple'.

I really did put this card together in record time. Die cut pieces are all

by DoodleBug Designs: Flea Market.

Bow is handmade by me. I did pre-make a bunch of bows

a while back so I just have to reach for what I want.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!!

Studio Challenges: You Are My World

Hello there!! What a busy month, right?!

It's new challenge time at Studio Challenges. The challenge

for the next two weeks is this sketch.

This sketch is brilliant cause it's easy to make it as simple

or as complicated as you want.

I chose to go simple with a layout about my son's 11th birthday.

Or is it about his smile? Or maybe that he's my world?

So much going on in this one photo!!!!!

A few tips and tricks I learned about photographing kids. I picked up

most of these tricks from Click it Up a Notch.

#1. Kids are active . . . they don't want to stare directly at a camera.

#2. Some kids, like mine, resent "photo day". So I give plenty of 'warning'

and maybe, a little money for bribery. Forced pictures look like . . . forced pictures.

#3. This particular photo Daddy is standing rather close to him and pretending

to tickle our son. Have that camera "glued" to your face and just snap away.

I promise you, do these three things and you will love the results.

(Disclosure - I am not a professional photographer. 

Just a mom who took a few classes to learn about my camera and taking

photos I can be proud of.)

Hint: This one photo represents one of 460. So, it takes practice. Plus I have

shaky hands so tend to snap at least 3 photos of same pose.

Nearly everything on this layout is Doodlbug Designs 'Flea Market' line.

I added my own stash of wooden leaves and 'smile' for more texture.

I had to hand-stitch cause my sewing machine went on strike.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

Supplies:

Simple Stories - Sn@p Basics 'Elm/Cream Ledger' = background

Doodlebug Designs - 'Flea Market' line, including the sequins

Wooden Embellishments

Hand stitching

Studio Challenges: 5th Grade

Hello and welcome! Today is a new challenge at Studio Challenges - to include as many items as you can beginning with the letter 'S'.

My layout is school themed . . . with a few stars . . . and a smattering of circles . . . there is even a scalloped circle . . . . striped paper . . . and school supplies patterened paper.

Pretty easy, right?

The layout is made with Doodlebug and Bella Blvd mixed together. Bright, wonderful colors that I have used for all my son's first day of school layouts. Next year I think I will make a more grudge look as he will no longer be in elementary school.

The circle template is from Silhouette online store.

In real life, the tag under the photo has information. It has been
cleared out for privacy purposes. 

The "I love school" is a rub-on from Maya Road purchased
eons ago.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

PDE Linky Party: thankful thankful

Hello! This week's challenge at PDE Linky Party: Animals

I needed to make this card fast so I reached for Doodlebug's 

Flea Market. I lifted the card from Doodlebug's DT member Courtney Lee.

It's so simple, yet so very effective!!!

Studio Challenges: Baby Mine

Hello there! Today I have for you the newest challenge at Studio Challenges.

It's a sketch based off of one of my previous layouts. Thanks Anna, for

finding my layouts inspirational.

Without further ado . . .

For the layout, I decided to go playful and use negative shapes. That means

that I made a pattern of triangles, circles, etc using SCAL4. Then cut those

patterns out onto my background paper. 

I then cut those same shapes using various patterned paper. Finally, I added 

all the stitching . . . which took about 40 minutes.

The rest came together quickly after that.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

This photo is one of my favorites of my son at four months. Such a playful
and fun couple of months before teething and crawling began.
He was such a happy and chubby baby.

Love how all the stitching brings everything together. The buttons are
from the Japanese store, Daiso.

Supplies:

Doodle Bug Designs - Sunkissed

Bella Blvd. - Tiny Tots

Echo Park - Spring

Embroidery Floss - Pastel colors

Stickers - Bella Blvd. Tiny Tots

Buttons - Daiso

Random turtle from stash

Silhouette Cameo

SCAL4

Give a Crafter a Cookie . . . You Quack Me Up!!!

Hello! It's time for a new challenge at "If You Give A Crafter a Cookie".

Isn't this adorable?!

I used the paper-piecing file from Kadoodle Bug Designs.

Patterned paper by DoodleBug Design "Take Note".

Thanks for stopping by today!!!!

GDT: Die Cuttin' Divas - Bundle of Joy!

Hello there!! Today I'm GDT at Die Cuttin' Divas!! Today's challenge is the following sketch.

I always make square cards. So I adjusted the sketch to fit my sensibilities.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

Supplies:

Paper: Doodlebug Designs - Sugar & Spice

Paper Piecing File by Treasure Box Designs

Stamp from My Craft Spot

Twine

The Studio Challenges: Together

Oh boy did I positively drool over this year's Doodlebug Design's - Flea Market. I even bought extra embellishments from the collection cause I simply loved it all.

I seem to be going back in time these past few months scrapping about the year that Alvaro, an exchange student from Spain, stayed with us. This photo is one of my favorites with these two playing "bull fighting" at the Homestead, Ky. What I don't have a photo of is Alvaro holding his ribs after my son head butted him. It's all good though!

This layout is part of this week's challenge at The Studio Challenges. The challenge is a sketch so hop on over there to view the sketch as well as the other fabulous layouts by our design team.

Thanks for stopping by today!

I so miss my sewing machine. I wanted stitching so
I went with hand-stitching on this layout.

Up close photo of clustering embellishments.

Supplies:

-Doodlebug Designs - Flea Market

-Hobby Lobby - Wooden Leaves

-Silhouette Online Store - Large Circle Leaf Wreath

-Hand-Stitching