New cards!!!

Hello, everyBODY!!!!  (Said in my best Super Grover voice!)  I hope you all had a great week and are having an even better weekend.  The Scrapbook Expo was at the Del Mar Fairgrounds close to San Diego this weekend, so I spent most of today down there.  I got some stuff I was looking for to work on my mom's Mother's Day present (which I'd better get done TOMORROW so I can get it in the mail!) and picked up a few other things as well.

I was also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to take the Fabulous Folds class, taught by Melissa of The Rubber Cafe.  I LOVED her class, and I brought home the kits to make two more cards, in addition to the two we made in the class.  Here are the two from Melissa's class:

Once I got home, I made ANOTHER card!  This one is for the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin's monthly card challenge and satisfies the challenge requirement to include a handmade candle on your card.

The wording on this card is from the Sweet Treats Cricut cartridge and was cut at 2" and 3".  I used Fruit Punch Stickles on the work "blow" and just outlined the other words with a marker.

My Lasting Memories layout will be a little bit late this week, as I spent so much time at the Scrapbook Expo today that I didn't have time to get it done when I got home!

Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--SKETCH TIME and last chance for DT!!

Happy Easter, everyone!  I hope you're all enjoying a wonderful day with your families and celebrating in whatever way you choose.  This week's challenge at Lasting Memories is to follow this sketch:



  Here's what I came up with:

The background paper is Cosmo Cricket's Dutch Girl:  Eva, and the flower piece is called Daisy Burst from Creativity, Inc.  I had the ribbon in my stash, and the blue flowers are brand new!  They came in my "IT" girl package from Sue (who's also on the LM Design Team!), which I received in yesterday's mail (Thanks, Sue!).  This layout also counts for the 5x7 challenge in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin's monthly challenges.

I LOVE this picture of me and the boys!  I have pictures of the boys made every summer, and this year, I decided to some of the three of us.  These are some of my favorite pictures!!

Let's see what you've got for us this week!  Remember that if you're entering layouts for the Design Team call, this is the last one!!  We'll be announcing the new Design Team on April 30, and you must play along with every challenge for the month of April to be eligible.  You also need to put the label "DT" next to your name when you link up your layout.  Good luck, everyone!  We can't wait to see what you've got for us!

New cards!

Happy Thursday!!!  My friend Heather is a Close to My Heart consultant and runs a workshop every month.  We use CTMH products to complete projects Heather has come up with for that month.  This month (April), we made a card box and four cards.  LOVE them all!!!  Here they are!

The box was made simply by using a piece of cardstock, scoring at certain intervals, then cutting the tabs.  We used pieces of CTMH paper and embellishments to decorate the box.  The green leaves are simply pieces of paper cut in leaf shapes, creased, then distressed using CTMH ink (Sorry, I don't remember the color!)  The flower is a ribbon embellishment.  I stamped the "moments to live for" sentiment all the way around the ribbon before tying it on the box.  Heather was even nice enough to give us the dimensions for everything so we can make more boxes! (Thanks, Heather!)

 The stamp on this card is one I had at home.  I had to add a sentiment so it would be eligible for the monthly card challenge in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin', which I'm a moderator for.  On this card, the easiest way to take care of the knots in the twine is to tie it BEFORE cutting it, then use a glue dot to affix it to the square.  For the twine on the button, I threaded it through the button and then tied the knot. 

The heart embellishment here is from the same ribbon as the flower on the card box.  It comes sort-of shaped like this already and is attached to netting.  I cut the flower off (to use on the box!) and then pinched the bottom of this piece together when attaching it to the card so it would form a heart.  I also used CTMH heart ink (Again, I don't remember the color!) to distress the edges of the yellow piece of background paper.

 I REALLY like the way this card turned out!  I used a large pop-dot to adhere the camera circle to the card, so it would be add a dimensional element to the card.  As you can see, I also distressed the edge of the card, too.  I LOVE these colors!!!

I like this card, too!  I added the sentiment after I got home, and I also stamped music notes on the inside of the card to add a little extra something.  Again, I distressed the edges of this card.  I'm really starting to like this distressing-thing!

I really enjoy Heather's workshops!  She usually has extra spots available, and she charges a small fee to cover the cost of some of the materials.  If you live in the Oceanside area and would like to go, please send me an e-mail at proudusmcwife@gmail.com, and I'll put you in touch with Heather.  I can't WAIT to see what she has in store for us next month!

Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--HAPPY EASTER!!!

Happy early Easter, everyone!  This week's Lasting Memories challenge is centered around Easter, but it's up to YOU to determine what that means for you.  Here's my layout for this week:

As soon as I found out our challenge was about Easter, I knew EXACTLY what picture I wanted to use, so I was glad I found it!  This is my oldest son, Kennedy, on his first Easter.  I was struggling to come up with a title, so I asked my loving husband for help.  He said he thought Kennedy looked like he was pushing the bunny back from his Easter basket and thought the title should be "Get back, bunny!"  Voila!  Title problem solved!  I cut the letters on my Cricut using the Jack Sprat function on the Lyrical Letters cartridge, then accented them with Stickles in Lime Green.  My sketch is modified from an old Sketchy Thursdays sketch I had saved on my computer.

What's your favorite Easter memory?  Is it something from your own childhood?  Favorite flowers?  A favorite outfit or hat?  What about your own kids?  Let's see what you've got!  Don't forget about our Design Team call, too!  You MUST participate in all of our challenges in April, and be sure to put the label "DT" next to your name.  Happy scrapping!

News about Party Time Tuesdays

For my followers who are used to seeing my blog posts about Party Time Tuesdays challenges, you may have noticed there was no post last week.  For some reason, the post I made with my card and details about the challenge didn't show up.  I wanted to go ahead and share my card with everyone, so here's my creation:

Without going into details, I am sorry to say that I am no longer a part of the Party Time Tuesdays Design Team.  I truly enjoyed my time on a card-making design team, as I was able to try new things (like digi stamps!) and to increase my card stash.  I look forward to the time when I can join ANOTHER card design team!  Thanks to all of you who followed me for my cards, and I hope you'll stay with me!  I'm still making cards, and I'm still on the Lasting Memories Design Team!

Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--Journaling!

This week's Lasting Memories challenge centers on journaling.  Journaling is such an important part of the keeping of our memories!  The pictures and embellishments we put on our layouts only tell part of the story, so it's up to the journaling to tell the rest of it.  Here's what I came up with for this week:

My oldest son, Kennedy, and I always find a way to take self-portraits of ourselves any time we're together.  He doesn't live with us, so I treasure every moment I have with him!  I used a combination of chipboard letters/number and some random letter stickers I found in my stash to make up the title, and I used Tim Holtz's Distress Stickles in Spiced Marmalade to accent some of the orange circles in the background (AND to create the apostrophe!).

What have YOU got for us this week?!?  Anything goes on your layout for this week's Lasting Memories challenge, as long as your layout includes journaling.  Don't forget about our Design Team call, too!  All you have to do to be considered for the new Design Team is participate in all of April's challenges AND be sure to include "DT" next to your name when you link up your layout.  We're looking forward to seeing what you've got for us this week!



Party Time Tuesdays challenge--Elegant Birthday

Happy Tuesday!  It's time once again for this week's Party Time Tuesdays challenge!  Our sponsor this week is Stitchy Bear, and the Design Team was given a variety of images to work with.  We also received some friendship sentiments that we could use if we chose.  We were asked to create an elegant birthday card with our image, so here's my take:

The colors didn't come out exactly right, as what looks blue on the card is actually purple.  I LOVE this image!  My husband helped me out a little with his opinions (Thanks, baby!!!), as I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to put the little striped piece of paper. 

This week, we're asking you to create an elegant birthday card of your own!  That's it!  No other stipulations.  Be sure to upload your card to the PTT blog by Monday evening!  Can't wait to see what you create!



April Fool's Blog Hop winner!!!

I'd first like to say thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog and left comments in my first blog hop!  I know I gained some followers, and I hope you like the things I have to show you.  Welcome!!!  Thanks for becoming a follower!  I discovered lots of things along the way as well.

And now, without further ado, it's time to announce the winner of my blog hop!  To be eligible for my blog hop, you didn't have to become a follower, but you DID have to leave a comment about your first thoughts when hearing the words "United States Marine Corps."  The winner of my blog candy is . . . ANGELA!!!!  Congratulations!  Please contact me at proudusmcwife@gmail.com by Friday, April 8, so I can arrange to get your blog candy in the mail.  I hope some of you will continue to stop by.  I'll be giving away more blog candy on April 15 for my wedding anniversary!!!



New Lasting Memories Challenge!

Hi, everyone!  I apologize for being late in posting about this week's Lasting Memories Layout Challenge, but I came down with a HORRIBLE sinus attack yesterday and spent most of yesterday afternoon/evening on the couch sleeping.  I'll be posting my layout later this week, but I wanted to direct everyone over to the Lasting Memories blog, so you can check out this week's challenge.  There's a GREAT prize this week, too!  Please check back here in a couple of days to see my layout and learn more about this week's challenge!

April Fool's Blog Hop!

Welcome to It's A Joy 2 Scrap's April Fool's Day Blog Hop! I hope everyone is having a fantastic Friday! If you came here from Amy's blog, you are in the right place. However, if you happened upon my blog, please head over to It's A Joy 2 Scrap's blog so you don't miss any of the fun.

For this hop, we were asked to create a project that “tricks the eye.” I really struggled in coming up with something, so April gave me some ideas.  As soon as I saw the words "explosion purse," I knew EXACTLY what I was going to make!!!  I've really been into the pink-and-green stage lately, but I decided to do something different with this one, so I went with a Marine Corps theme.  (For those of you who are new to my blog, my husband is active-duty Marine Corps.  OOH RAH!!!)  I did an internet search for "explosion purse" and found directions on Qbee's Quest's blog, which you can visit here.  And so, without further ado, here's my explosion purse:

I found a piece of navy blue cardstock in my stash, so I used it for the base.  The patterned paper is "Marine Emblem" from Stamping Station, the emblem on the front is a self-adhesive metal medallion from Pioneer Photo Albums, and the U.S.A. ribbon was some I had in my stash.  The patterned paper on the inside was ALSO in my military stash (I guess it's good that I used up some stuff!), although I don't remember what company it's from.  All in all, this explosion purse was SUPER easy to make!  I spent more time on the topper/flap than I did anything else!  I'm sure there's an easier way to make the top, so I'll have to experiment a little later. 
Next in line is JANICE from CRICUTOLOGY.  She has some AWESOME projects on her blog AND she includes video tutorials with almost all of her posts, so be sure to hop on over there and check it out!

If you get lost along the way, here is the line up of my fellow crafters:

ELAINE

VICKI

DARLENE

LINDSEY

TAMMY

KARA

AMY

ASHLEY (That's me!!!)

JANICE

TONIA

KIM

JANICE

JILLIAN

WENDY

KAYLA

JENNY

PATTY

TIFFANY

CARLENE

KRYSTAL

JENNY

MICHELLE

LINETTE

KATIE

DEBI

Sorry I don't have a picture of my blog candy, but I WILL have something to offer!  I'd LOVE it if you'd become a follower, but it's not required.  All you have to do to be eligible for my blog candy is leave a comment telling me what first comes to your mind when you hear the words "United States Marine Corps."  That's it!  I'll use random.org to choose a winner and will post the winner on Monday, so be sure to check back.  You'll have three days to get in contact with me once I announce the winner, or I'll choose someone else.

Don't forget! If you leave a comment on all the blogs by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. CST. You have a chance to win some fabulous prizes.  Enjoy!