Tuesday, January 29, 2013

FAMILY - December 2012

At the Two Scrapbook Friends, they are having a Happy New Year party!!!  That is right.  Party means food!  They offered a menu challenge!  Of course I jumped in!

For my Happy New Year menu, I chose 6 out of  30 appetizers.  That is right, they had 30 different appetizers!!!!

My 6 chosen appetizers were:

Spinach Artichoke dip
Mini Meatloaf cups
Taco Dip
Pigs in a blanket
Caramel Apple Dip
Cheese and Crackers

The delicious appetizers magically turned into items!

Spinach Artichoke dip- a piece of green card stock
Mini Meatloaf cups - yellow ribbon
Taco Dip - gingham
Pigs in a blanket - make a scene
Caramel Apple Dip - make a photo mat out of co-ordinating photo strips
Cheese and Crackers - repurpose something from your home

Here is my layout!


Sketch from Creative Scrappers
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Close ups of my layout....



Spinach Artichoke dip- a piece of green card stock  (I used green cardstock as a photo background mat and a strip across the layout)


 Mini Meatloaf cups - yellow ribbon (Pretty isn't it?, I also strapped the ribbon over the green strip across the layout)

Taco Dip - gingham (I found this old old old patterned paper in my paper stash - glad to be able to use it)














Pigs in a blanket - make a scene












Caramel Apple Dip - make a photo mat out of co-ordinating photo strips




Cheese and Crackers - repurpose something from your home (This is actually a Christmas ornament. I just love it.  It is made of felt and really thin.  Just perfect for a layout page.)



Thank you Two Scrapbook Friends for this fun challenge.  Thank you Nicole Nowosad for the #245 sketch at Creative Scrappers.

Supplies Used

PATTERNED PAPERS: K & Company "Yuletide", Bo Bunny
CARDSTOCK:  AC Cardstocks, Bazzill
FONTS: EK Success Sticko Alphabet
EMBOSSING: Sizzix (2 kinds)
INK: Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Brushed Corduroy"
DIE CUTS EMBELLISHMENTS:  My Favorite Thing, "Flat Bottom Cloud"
OTHERS: American Craft ribbon, Art Minds Felt Ornament 


CHEERS!
Laureen


Friday, January 18, 2013

Oh My Word! Blog Hop


Welcome to the Oh My Word! Blog Hop with Two Scrapbook Friends! You should have arrived here from Amanda’s blog. If you didn’t, you might want to start at Two Scrapbook Friends, so you can read all about it and you won’t miss any of the great inspiration along the way!

My word for 2013 is…COPE.

For my layouts, I mostly do double page layout.  I asked my oldest daughter, Charada to help me by taking pictures of me making some poses.  Of course, she thought I was strange.... a typical thinking from a teenager I guess!  Thank you, Charada!  This is what I created…



 This is my left side page.


This is my right side page.

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Some close ups of the pictures...


 For my date, it was fun stamping the dates three times with my "Dear Lizzy" date stamper.  It is a new tool and I just love it  because it also includes a variety of sentiment beside the date.  I stamped "photographed on Jan  12  2013"  It is an awesome tool to have!

 This picture shows me seriously thinking about my disorder and that I continue to struggle with everyday.  I do have good and bad days.  It is all about coping with who I have became after several factors in my life.

.  
 The top small picture reflects that I am sometimes "far away" and alone, trying to cope and deal with my repeating struggles.


When I was asked if I was interested in joining this blog hop by the Two Scrapbook Friends, I immediately got excited as I thought it would be fun and a new level of challenge for me.  I agreed to join them!  They asked for ONE WORD.  First word I thought of to best describe this ongoing new year, 2013.  The word COPE came up quickly.  I agreed with my word decision as I do want to COPE the best way I can do for this year.  Let's hope that I will be able to COPE with everything positively this year!


From the internet, Dictionary.com, I typed up the word, COPE.  There were several definitions.  I read through and chose this best definition fitting to what kind of COPE I am thinking about.  This definition came up.
Medical Dictionary
cope 1  (kōp) 
v. coped , cop·ing , copes 
 To contend with difficulties with the intent to overcome them.


It is my big intention to stay happy and to cherish with what I have.  I am grateful for my family, and friends that understand what I am going through.  I have the two old wooden stamps, HAPPY AND CHERISH.  I will keep them forever.  Cherish is a powerful word.  I cherish my husband, my four children, and friends. I still aim to stand strong again one day to continue protecting the Deaf children in educational environment which continues to be a big battle again and again.... Some people just do not understand...
The butterfly punch represent Deaf people. (Butterflies are Deaf.)

While taking the picture of butterfly punch and the two wooden stamps.  This picture grabbed my attention and I thought it was cool.  Can you see me in the reflection in the butterfly shaped area while I was taking the picture?  You can see my blond hair, wearing the green glove holding the camera.  The black area is the camera lens.  Isn't that a cool art in the picture!  This reflects to what I enjoy doing.  Taking pictures is something I enjoy so that I can scrap more!



I had to include my scrapbooking items that I used most of the time...  I could not bring my scrapbooking room to the ravine at the Hungry Hollow which is only few minutes away....  So I decided to bring some items over and lay them around and took the pictures.   This photo represent my passion for the scrapbooking.   Scrapbooking truly is my best THERAPY!  It takes me away from thinking about the ongoing battles.  I am THANKFUL for this wonderful hobby.

Hungry Hollow is a beautiful trail nearby as I stated above, there is a long trail.  There is also a huge bridge where the many vehicles go by on everyday.  There is also a small creek that going around in this area.  Under the bridge, obviously there are a lot of graffiti...  I do not hang around in there as I always think it was a "bad place" to be in, I guess I get this impression from the TV shows and movies.  With my disorder, I decided that pictures of me in that kind of environment would be appropriate to show the "hardship" that I cope sometimes but at the same time it also is a place of colourful graffiti art representing my love of scrapbooking. Colours reminds me that there are positives in our lives.  

The paperline I mainly chose are from Miss Caroline by My Mind's Eye.  I have purchased them from the Two Scrapfriends store.  I chose black, grey and white on the patterned papers to represent the sadness I feel often.  I wanted to use the colours in the graffiti power to take over my double page layout to show that I can rely on colours to thrive on and to support my cope for the year of 2013!


So remember, in order to be entered to win:
1. Leave a comment on all the blogs as you go and then go back to the Two Scrapbook Friends blog and leave a final comment there.
2. To have a second chance to win, send YOUR special word that inspires you in 2013 in an email to 2friends@execulink.com. Put "Blog Contest" in your subject line.
3. Create your own design based on your special word and upload it to our Gallery and Forum before February 28 at 11:58 pm, and receive 10 Forum Buttons towards gift certificates in the store!
 4. Check back at the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog on January 22nd to see if you are the prize winner. (Winners will not be contacted personally.)

Be sure to stop be each on the following blogs and leave a comment! Enjoy the Hop :)

Two Scrapbook Friends


Hope you are enjoying yourself hopping around our blogs.  Next, you should visit Jayne's blog.

Please do feel free to leave your comment here!  I hope you will visit my blog again.

CHEERS!
Laureen

Thursday, January 17, 2013

```DAD and SON ```&```SONS ARE FOREVER```

Hello!

Yah, I am back to Christmas pictures and putting them onto layouts  I have had the pictures sitting waiting for me for a long time.  Just never had the "right" sketch for them. Until now, when I saw the two lovely sketches...  I went and looked for the pictures.  I found them.  It was easy putting everything together as the pictures were just perfect for the two sketches!  So I am happy.

The Lost and Found MME papers are just gorgeous!  I keep to hoard them!  I purchased them from the Two Scrapbook Friends....  I still have few left...

Jayne provided another sketch challenge at the Two Scrapbook Friends... Her sketch is #12 and here it is... Her sketch is beautiful and neatly done!


I have added one more picture to this layout because it was Braden's year to have the turn of putting the star onto our Christmas tree.  There was no way that I'd leave this important picture out.

Sharlene created a beautiful sketch for the sketch challenge over at the Two Scrapbook Friends.  It is her 10th sketch.  Her sketch is also neatly done!  I chose the round for the background so that it goes with the above layout.  I also flipped the sketch.


Here is my double page layout!


Supplies Used

PATTERNED PAPERS: My Minds Eye papers (Lost and Found), green dotted paper - unknown
CARDSTOCK:  Recollection
FONTS: Karen Foster Design Headline Alphabet Black stickers, EK Success Sticko
INK: Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Brushed corduroy"
PUNCHES: Fiskars star punch, Marvy Uchida circle punch, EK Success large scalloped border punch
EMBOSSING:  Sizzix
DIE CUTS EMBELLISHMENTS:  Cricut, George and Basic Shapes
OTHERS:  Recollections Glitter Adhesive Flourishes

CHEERS!!!
Laureen

Monday, January 14, 2013

Happy Birthday Card

A quick Happy Birthday card for my son's friend.....

I cut out a card piece from an element patterned paper from Fancy Pants Design, "On A Whimsy Cards".  I made sure that I used only the "scraps" for this card and I did!  Good way to use up the scrap papers.  I added a button with twine (onto the sun).

The boy who received this card was pleased!  :)



CHEERS!
Laureen

Sunday, January 13, 2013

HELLO card ~~ BearyMine Sketch Challenge #86

Hello!

Not a very nice weather outside here yesterday.... The snow melted!  I wonder if we are going to get another snowfall....

Anyway, I found this blog, Beary Mine Challenges and I found this card sketch that I liked.  So I decided to create a card using this nice sketch.


Supplies Used

PAPERS: K & Company, Stampin' Up
CARDSTOCK:  Recollection
BRADS: Recollection
INK: Tim Holtz Distress "Brushed Corduroy"
PUNCHES: Marvy Uchida
STAMPS: Studio G Hampton Art
EMBOSSING: The Paper Studio
DIE CUTS EMBELLISHMENTS: 
Cricut:  George and Basis Shapes 
My Favorite Things Die-namics: Fishtail Flags Stax and Fishtail Flags Layers Stax
OTHERS:  twine - unknown

CHEERS!
Laureen

Friday, January 11, 2013

Happy Birthday -> Clean & Simple Stamping FTL222

Another card made yesterday!  I went to this Clean & Simple Stamping blog.  There was this sketch #FTL 222.

  
Supplies Used

PAPERS:  K & Company
CARDSTOCK
: Recollection

INK: Stampin' Up Ink pad  "Night of Navy"
PUNCHES:  Fiskars butterfly punch,  Fiskars scalloped border punch, Fiskar tag punch, EK Success scalloped circle punch

DIE CUT EMBELLISHMENTS: Cricut - Straight from the Nest (flourish), George and Basic Shapes (inside)
STAMPS:  Close to my Heart  Happy Birthday, Just Rite Stampers (inside)
OTHERS:  Multi-Crafts Imports Gems, unknown twine

CHEERS!
Laureen

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Happy Birthday... Mojo Monday #275

To get myself to scrap again, I have decided to go for NO CHRISTMAS or WINTER last night.  I looked up Mojo Monday's blog and saw their #275 card sketch. I thought the sketch was pretty so here I played!

Here is the sketch #275 and my card.  I am pleased with it and of course I had fun playing.....



Supplies Used

PAPERS:  K & Company, Bo Bunny
CARDSTOCK
: Recollection
INK: Versamark, Stampin' Up Ink pad  "Cool Carribean"
DIE CUT: My Favorite Things Die-Namics; First Place Award Ribbon Die
STAMPS:  StudioG Hampton Art: Owl and Happy Birthday Sentiment (inside), 

Close to my Heart Happy Birthday, Ditto Stamp
RIBBONS:  American Craft
OTHERS:  Recollection pearls

CHEERS!
Laureen

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Same Photo but Sepia or Colour

With my most recent two layouts, it had been an interesting experience to use the exact same picture.  The only different between the two layouts is the picture being sepia or coloured.  It is interesting to compare.  I think each has its own pros and cons.  Of course the sketches for both I used were also different....


Share what you think...

Cheers!
Laureen

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Snow Angel (sepia)

At the Two Scrapbook Friends, 5 for 5 items are FUN!  When I signed up for DT, Sharlene's 5 for 5, I looked forward to receive what goodies she had for us that had signed up!

In the envelope, I found.....



I have decided to do a layout using a sepia photo of Janna making a snow angel.  The sepia colour just went well with Sharlene's goodies.  For the ticket, I have decided to flip it and used the back.  I stamped a "J" for Janna.  I added a 12x12 cardstock for the background and some foam letters from Thickers, Amy Tangerine.

So here I created a single page...


Thank you, Sharlene!  You should see what she have created for herself using the same goodies.  I wanna to have a copy of that gorgeous page!  Go over and visit her blog!

CHEERS!
Laureen


Monday, January 7, 2013

Snow Angel and Snow Princess

At the Two Scrapbook Friends,  Sharlene, DT, crafty challenged us to create something with the beautiful colours.....


and this lovely sketch if we wish to use it...  (sketch source is unknown)


Oh sure, I will do both!!! A colour combination with a sketch readily, I started working on my page and I came up with this...  As always, I enjoyed playing Sharlene's challenges.  Thank you Sharlene!


For my second page, at the Two Scrapbook Friends, there was a crafty challenge, SUPERSIZE by Jayne, DT.  I decided to go for a LARGE HEXAGON and to add several small ones onto that large hexagon.  I truly enjoyed creating this page.  Hexagons are always fun to play with!  Thank you Jayne!

                                       


CHEERS!
Laureen



Sunday, January 6, 2013

December Daily 2011 - Birthday Girl

At the Two Scrapbook Friends, Amanda, DT, threw in her #5 sketch challenge.  I just love love love this sketch.  I always like 4 squares on a layout.  Here is her sketch.


Yup, the cupcakes were delicious!  Thank you Amanda for this wonderful sketch challenge.

CHEERS!
Laureen

Saturday, January 5, 2013

December Daily 2011 - Our Tree

At the Two Scrapbook Friends, Christa, DT, provided a sketch challenge. I decided to play this challenge.  Here is her sketch #9.


Thank you Christa for this sketch.  I have decided to use it on a page for my December 2011 mini album to show what our Christmas tree looked like at that year.

CHEERS,
Laureen

Friday, January 4, 2013

December Daily 2011 - Decorate

At the Two Scrapbook Friends, Sharlene, DT, challenged us to do a timeline.  I could not find a really good  bunch of pictures to show a longer timeline.... so I decided to go for "before" and "after" pictures of my children's Santa Claus shaped gingerbread cookies.  They decorated their Santa Claus cookies with some yummy icing.


Thank you, Sharlene for this fun crafty challenge.

CHEERS,
Laureen

Thursday, January 3, 2013

December Daily 2011 - Our Village

At the Two Scrapbook Friends, Christa, DT, for her crafty challenge, she decided to go for a colour challenge.  She provided a picture to inspire us with the colours of  olive, black, and cream.


For this challenge, I decided to do another page for my December 2011 mini- album.  A picture of my children's gingerbread village creation.

Thank you , Christa for this fun colour challenge.

CHEERS!

Laureen

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

On Christmas Day... a house with full spirit!

Just a perfect day to say Merry Christmas!  During our GREEN Christmas Day, Dec 25th (yeah there were no snow... the snow arrived on 27th), I laid the photo booth props around and instructed my family members to use them for photo takings.  Many of them participated and I truly love this whole idea thing!

Robert and Trista (my niece)


Kayla (my niece)

Grant (brother in law), Susan (my sis) and Kayla (niece)

Nicola (my great niece)

Zariella (my great niece)

Sally (my sister) and Dave (brother in law)

my mom

my mom and Zariella (my great niece)

John (brother in law) and Bonnie (my sister)

I truly love love love this photo booth idea!  And I am very glad that I went ahead with making the props during the crazy and busy month!  It was worth it squeezing this making prop project into my schedule!

Cheers!
Laureen