Lasting Memories Challenge #75--All you need is LOVE!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope everyone had a great day with your loved ones.  I LOVE the sketch at Lasting Memories this week:

This is the layout I created:

This is a picture from our wedding day in 2005, and it's one of my favorites.  I had some of the My Mind's Eye State of the Heart collection, and that's what I used here.  The hearts were fussy cut from some of the patterned paper, and the twine is from my stash.  I'm framing this layout and giving it to my husband for his Valentine's Day gift.  I hope he likes it!

Lasting Memories Challenge #53--Who or What Inspires You Most?

Happy Sunday, everyone!  For those of you who have followed me during my time on the Lasting Memories Design Team, I say a hearty THANK YOU!!!  Unfortunately, my time as a LM DT member has come to an end. :-(  It has been a WONDERFUL experience for me, as it was one of the first Design Teams I was privileged enough to be a member of, and I have truly enjoyed working with Karen and the rest of the team members.  I hope to be able to continue to play along with the challenges periodically!

For this week's challenge, we want to know who or what inspires you most.  Things have been crazy for me lately, and I've been a little under the weather the past few days, so here are a couple of past layouts of people who inspire me.  (I'd intended to complete a brand spankin' NEW layout for this week, but that hasn't happened yet!)

My husband, Adrian, and my oldest son, Kennedy, are probably more my inspiration than anyone else right now.  Adrian is always my sounding board for EVERYTHING, and he's my go-to guy when I need an opinion about my scrapbooking or card making!  Kennedy is my oldest son, but he'll always be my baby!  We have a very special bond, and I think he inspires me in ways I don't even realize right now.

Who or what inspires YOU???  There's a sketch on the Lasting Memories site this week that you're welcome to use for some EXTRA inspiration!  Be sure to link up your layout before Saturday evening, and don't forget about our DT Call!  If you're interested in being on the Lasting Memories Design Team, you MUST participate in every challenge for the month of August.  Be sure to put the "DT" label next to your name when linking up.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #52--What's Your Secret?

Happy Sunday, everyone!  I would first like to extend my apologies for the lateness of my Lasting Memories post.  Things were a little crazy for me last week, and it just slipped up on me.  For this week's challenge at Lasting Memories, the theme is Secret Ideas.  How do you hide things on your layouts?  Here's my layout for this week.  Can you figure out where my secret is?

Since time got away from me this week, I pulled a layout from my stash.  I created this layout a few years ago for a class I took at a scrapbook store in Beaufort, South Carolina.  The class was "All About Me," and it focused on making a book that told things about ourselves.  We used each letter of the alphabet and had to choose a word that described something about us.  I chose to work in 8x8 format for this album, mainly because I'd never worked with it before.  I really liked it!  I figured out ways to add embellishments in a very small area.  So, have you figured out where I hid my journaling in this layout?

I adhered the mat with my picture only on three sides, so I was able to slide the journaling tag right in.  Once I put my layout in the page protector, I cut a small slit on the left side of the photo mat, so the journaling tag could be slid in and out as people wanted to read it.

How do you hide your journaling tags?  We'd LOVE to find out!  Be sure to link up your layouts to the Lasting Memories blog by Saturday, August 27, and don't forget about our DT Call, too!   All of our August challenges are open for the entire month, and you have to enter each one to be considered for the new DT.  Be sure to put "DT" next to your name when you link up!  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #51--Try Something New

Happy Sunday, everyone!  For this week's challenge at Lasting Memories, we're simply asking you to try something new.  It can be a new style, technique, or product, but it should be something you've never tried before.  UNFORTUNATELY, I don't have a layout to show you today. :-(   My husband is retiring from the Marine Corps in the spring, and we were in pre-retirement classes all week last week, so I didn't have time to get my layout done.  I'm planning to have a crafty day all day today, though, so HOPEFULLY I'll have something to show you before long!

Don't forget that we ALSO have our DT call going on at Lasting Memories right now!  It lasts through the end of August, and you have to participate in all the monthly challenges to be considered for the DT.  As a result, all LM challenges for August will remain open for the entire month.  Be sure to get your layout linked up to the Lasting Memories site by Saturday evening to be considered for next week's Top 3!

I'll be participating in a blog hop that starts tomorrow, so please remember to check back in tomorrow for that!  Good luck at Lasting Memories this week, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #50--Sketch with a Twist and DT Call!

My apologies for this posting late, everyone!  It was scheduled to post yesterday but didn't, for whatever reason.  GRRR!!!!!  

 Happy Sunday, everyone!  It's time for the next Lasting Memories challenge!  For this week's challenge, we're asking you to follow this sketch:

The twist is that we're also asking you to use BUTTONS on your layout--as many as you want!  Unfortunately, I don't have a layout to show you just quite yet. :-(  I was in San Diego all week at a Jostens yearbook workshop and haven't had the chance to get it finished.  Please keep checking back, though, because my plan is to get it done later today!

It's also time for a Design Team call!  If you're interested in being on the new DT for Lasting Memories, you MUST follow all the challenges for the month of August.  Please be sure to put "DT" next to your name, so we know you're interested.  The new DT will be chosen in early September, and your term will run through December.  I'm sad to say that the month of August will be my last as a member of the Lasting Memories Design Team.  It's been a WONDERFUL team to be on, and I have really enjoyed working with everyone!  Thanks to Karen and all the other wonderful members of the design team for a great two terms!

Now it's YOUR turn!  We'd love to see what you've got for us this week!  Be sure to follow the sketch (it must be recognizable) and include buttons!  Get your layouts linked up by next Saturday, August 12, to the Lasting Memories blog.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Cakes and Cupcakes Birthday Cards @ Birthday Sundaes!

This week's challenge at Birthday Sundaes is to include cakes or cupcakes on your card.  I have a friend having a birthday VERY soon, so this is going out to her.  I hope she likes it!

I included views on two different backgrounds, because I couldn't decide which one looked better!  I used the cards and layers features on my Cricut Sweet Treats cartridge to cut the card and elements before adhering them together.  I added some ribbon I found in my stash to the "icing" between the layers, as well as some rhinestones from Queen & Co.  I ATTEMPTED to use some red embossing powder to put some swirls on the "cherry," but it didn't come out so well. :-(  The sentiment on the front is from a stamp set from The Rubber Cafe.

You should hop over to Birthday Sundaes and check them out, if you haven't already.  I'm going to be a guest designer over there in a few weeks!  WOOHOO!!!!  I'm REALLY excited about that!  I'll post more info on that later.  I hope everyone has a great weekend!  Be sure to check back here tomorrow for the new Lasting Memories challenge and information about the DT call!  Happy scrapping!

24 Hour Challenge

Many of you may remember that I am a moderator in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin'.  Once a month, we have a 24-Hour Challenge; we choose three collections that we own which we'd like to work with, and April, our host, posts three different sketches.  Someone else in the group chooses our sketch and collection; once they are posted, we have twenty-four hours in which to get our layout completed and posted to the group.

This month, the collection chosen for me was Bo Bunny's It's My Party, and this is the sketch I had to work with:

 I initially thought this was going to be a difficult sketch to work with, but once I sat down with my collection, everything really came together.  Here's my completed layout:

Everything on my layout is from Bo Bunny's It's My Party line except for the banner, which was cut from a piece of Creative Imaginations Clouds & Banners patterned paper.  The pictures are from my 40th birthday this past March.  My husband found a candle that had "40" in big numbers, then underneath those it said "40 is the new 30!" so I've adopted that as my motto! LOL!

I hope everyone is planning a great weekend!  We've got a couple of family things planned, and then I'll be doing more scrapping.  I'll be finishing up my last two cards from the Christmas in July Christmas card challenge in Scrappin' 'n' Chattin', and I've also got to get my layouts done for Scrappin' 'n' Chattin's monthly challenge (This layout also qualifies for the balloon theme this month!).  Be sure to check back here on Sunday for the newest Lasting Memories challenge!  Happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #48--It's all about the title!

Happy Sunday, everyone!  It's time again for a new Lasting Memories challenge!  This one slipped up on me, as it was a crazy week at our house, so I snagged a layout from an album I'm working on, as this layout fit the title challenge perfectly.

This was one of my favorite pictures from my husband's deployment to Iraq in 2008-09.  He's standing in the middle of a sandstorm!  I was simply amazed at the color that came out.  I expected everything to be brown and swirly, not orange and beautiful. 

The focus for your layout this week is the TITLE!  Let's see them, folks!  BIG AND BEAUTIFUL!!!  Remember, you have until Saturday evening, July 30, to get your layouts linked up at the Lasting Memories Layout Challenges blog.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #47--Distressing AND NEW BLOG CANDY WINNERS!

Before I proceed to this week's Lasting Memories challenge, I need to choose NEW WINNERS for my blog candy giveaway from Lasting Memories Challenge #45.  I was never contacted by the winners I posted last week, so here are my NEW WINNERS!!!  The winner of the Home Sweet Home album is

Theresa said... what a flippin' cute album Ashley

The winner of the I <3 to Travel album is

Sue said... Such a great summery idea Ashley. I love it. you did a great job. I hope you will share once you add the photos

Congratulations, ladies!  Please be sure to send me an e-mail at proudusmcwife (at) gmail (dot) com by Friday, July 22, so I can verify your address.

This week's challenge at Lasting Memories is to add distressing on your layout!  Unfortunately, I don't have a layout to show you today. :-(  My family and I were on vacation in sunny Las Vegas all week, so I didn't get my layout done yet.  I PROMISE that I'll put something together just as soon as I can and post it, so please check back in a day or two!

We'd LOVE to see what kind of distressing you can add to your layout!  Be sure you get your layout linked up to the Lasting Memories Layout Challenges blog by Saturday, July 22.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #46--Mosaic!

It's time for a new challenge at Lasting Memories, but it's ALSO time for me to announce the winner's of my blog candy from last week!!  There were quite a few who left comments on my album but only a few who included in their comment a response to my request to include in your comment what your favorite thing to do in the summertime is.  The winner of the Home Sweet Home mini-album is

Scraprageous said...

What a cute little album! My favorite summer activity - camping!

The winner of the I <3 to Travel album is

Haley D. said...

Your album is absolutely darling! I want to make one now. The ideas are endless! My favorite summer activity would have to be hanging out at the lake: in the boat, on a float, swimming, etc.

Congrats to both of you!  Please e-mail me at proudusmcwife (at) gmail (dot) com by Friday, July 15, with your address.  If I do not hear from you by Friday, I will choose another name.  And now, ON TO THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE!


This week's challenge at Lasting Memories is all about mosaics.  If you've never done it before on your layout, there's a GREAT tutorial link on the challenge site.  I came up with this layout a few years ago when I was making an 8x8 album:

This layout was part of an 8x8 album called "The Book of Me" that I completed when we lived in Beaufort, South Carolina.  I'd never worked with this size before, but I found it really easy once I adjusted the layout sketches for 8x8 instead of 12x12.  For this particular album, I chose a word for each letter of the alphabet that I felt either described something about me or something important to me.  I'm really happy with the way the book turned out, because now it's something I can show others or pass along to my children so they can learn things about me they may not know.

Now, it's your turn!  Mosaics aren't as hard as they look on some layouts, and we'd LOVE to see what you have!  Get those layouts done and linked up at the Lasting Memories site before Saturday!  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories Challenge #45

It's that time, again!  Time for another challenge at Lasting Memories!  In honor of summer and the Fourth of July, this week's challenge is to create a mini-album with a summer theme.  Here's the album I came up with:

I couldn't just take a picture of the front of the album, because you wouldn't really be able to tell anything about it that way, so I took four separate pictures and made a collage using Picasa.  Here are the individual pictures, so you can see things a little better:

I started this album a year or so ago during a workshop my friend Heather Plotzke held.  Heather is a CTMH consultant who comes up with some AMAZING projects!  You can reach her CTMH blog by clicking here.

The base for the album was a kids' size flip-flop.  We started by tracing the outline of the flip-flop onto a piece of heavier paper (almost like chipboard), so we could have a pattern.  Using that pattern, we then traced the shape onto patterned paper, which we in turn adhered to the accordion-fold sections (which we had already cut out).  The butterflies were from a CTMH stamp set Heather provided us with, as were the letters (Sorry, but I don't remember which sets!).  As you can see, I have YET to add the pictures to my album, but I'm sure I will by the end of this summer!

We would LOVE to see what kind of mini-album you can create!  Be sure to link it up to the Lasting Memories blog by Saturday, then check back on Sunday to see if you made the Top 3.

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!!!!!!!  We've got BLOG CANDY to give away this week!!!!  Here's what you have to do to be eligible for the grand prize blog candy:

1. As you're visiting all the blogs (you have GOT to check out these albums!!), be sure to check WHO has candy (some do, some don't!) and be sure to leave a comment to be eligible for their candy!
2. GRAND PRIZE candy - comment on as many of our blogs as you can AND you HAVE to play along this week in order to be eligible for the grand prize. 

Be sure you go back and leave us a comment on the main blog letting us know you've visited the blogs AND played along, just in case something happens with Inlinkz. 

You're in luck!  I'm one of the DT members who's offering up some blog candy!  I picked up some homemade mini-albums a while back at the customer garage sale that's held by my LSS, and I decided I'm not going to be using all of the ones I picked up, so I'll be giving away these two:

These extras come with the "Home Sweet Home" album:

In order to win my blog candy, all you need to do is this:  leave me a comment about your favorite summer activity or vacation spot.  That's it!  I'll use random.org to choose two winners and will post next Sunday, July 10, with the next Lasting Memories challenge.  Enjoy, and good luck!

Lasting Memories weekly challenge--Recycle!

Happy Sunday, everyone!  It's time for another challenge from Lasting Memories!  This week, we're asking you to reuse and/or recycle things from your stash.  Here's the layout I came up with:

I used items from my Echo Park Life is Good collection, which I've had for a little while.  I also completed this layout for the 24 Hour Challenge in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin', which we have every month.  I'd been wanting to scrap these pictures for a while, but I just didn't know what papers to use.  when the 24 Hour Challenge came around and my friend Sandi chose this collection for me, it just all fell into place!

What items in your stash do you need to reuse or recycle?  We want to see what you've got!  Be sure to get your layout linked up on the Lasting Memories Layout Challenges page before Saturday night.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Lasting Memories weekly challenge--Inspirational Photo

Happy Father's Day!!!  I hope everyone takes the time today to think about their father and what they brought to your lives.  It's time for another weekly challenge over at Lasting Memories!  It felt good to get a layout done, as I just haven't had the scrapping mojo in a few weeks.  Maybe I'll be able to be crafty again!  This week, we have an inspirational photo for you:

Here's the layout I was able to come up with:

Everything I used on this layout came from the Sassafras Lass Amplify collection.  Since it's Father's Day, I wanted to use pictures on my layout of either my dad or my husband in a fatherly role.  When I came across these pictures, I thought they were perfect!  These were taken when we lived in Beaufort, South Carolina, probably the first summer we lived there, 2005.  Adrian was giving Kennedy his first cooking lesson.  As you can see by the pictures, Kennedy wasn't tall enough to reach the stove and had to stand on the step stool!  I think Kennedy was about five years old in this picture.

What inspiration does this photo give YOU?  We'd love to see what you've got this week!  Be sure to get your layout linked up to the website by Saturday evening, and check back to the Lasting Memories site on Sunday morning to see if your layout got chosen as one of the Top 3 and for our new challenge!  Good luck, and happy scrappin'!

Where, oh where, has my scrappin' mojo gone????

Where, oh where, has my scrappin' mojo gone????  I just haven't been able to get it going lately, and I feel really bad about that!  Being crafty is one of my favorite things in the entire world, and nothing has been coming to me lately.  I have GOT to get back in the groove!!!  I think I'm going to FORCE myself to get behind my scrap desk tonight or tomorrow and do nothing but work on layouts and cards.  Maybe THEN I'll get my mojo back!  There are a couple of design teams I want to apply to, I need to get my layout done for the new Lasting Memories challenge for next week, and I need to make Father's Day cards and an anniversary card for my parents (52 years on June 20!!!).  If anyone has any suggestions on how to get back in the groove, PLEASE send them my way!!!  I hope everyone has a great Father's Day weekend, and don't forget to check out the Lasting Memories challenge for THIS week!  You've still got the rest of today and tomorrow to get your layout linked up!

Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--Paper Piecing

I hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day weekend!  This week's challenge at Lasting Memories is paper piecing.  So in honor of Memorial Day and my wonderful husband, here's my layout for this week:

My background paper is from Stamping Station, as is the paper piecing emblem in the upper right corner.  The journaling sticker is from Reminisce, and the letters are Creative Imaginations.  I believe the tank is from K & Company's military line.

When my husband was deployed to Iraq in 2008-2009, I lived for his letters, I'm sure as much as he lived for mine.  I love the fact that he was able to capture a picture of himself writing me a letter.  The top picture is the outside of his "office" at Al Taqaddum.  In the bottom picture, you can see the calendar I made for him and several pictures from home that I sent to try to keep up his morale.

What paper piecing elements do you have?  Show them off to us this week!  We'd love to see them!  You have until Saturday night, June 4, to get them linked up to the Lasting Memories website.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

Oh, yeah . . . one more thing.  At some point during this weekend, please take a few minutes out of whatever you're doing to stop and remember all of the service men and women who have fought and died and who continue to fight so we can live in this wonderful country called America.  Remember--freedom isn't free.  God bless America!  Semper Fi!



Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--FLOWERS!!!

Happy Sunday, everyone!  It's time for another challenge from Lasting Memories!  This week, we're asking you to include flowers SOMEWHERE on your layout.  Here's my take for this week:

These are some of my favorite pictures from my second pregnancy!  My husband was deployed to Iraq at the time, and I thought these would be a wonderful surprise for him, since he couldn't be there for the end of the pregnancy.

My background paper is a double-sided paper from K & Co.'s Marine Corps paper pack; I used a piece of cardstock found in my stash to mat the photos.  The rhinestone flowers are from Recollections and are ones I received in a package from a friend in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin'.  The b's are Thickers, and the rest of the letters are from some other letter stickers I found in my stash.  (I'll edit the post later with specifics.)

I hope you'll choose to join in our challenge this week!  The flowers can be ANYWHERE on your layout--background paper, embellishments, pictures, ANYTHING!!  Be sure to link up your layout post before next Saturday, May 28.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!







Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--SKETCH TIME!

Happy Sunday, everyone!  For this week's challenge at Lasting Memories, we're asking you to use circles AND follow this sketch:

Here is where I would NORMALLY insert the picture of my layout following said sketch.  UNFORTUNATELY, my scrapping mojo has left me temporarily. :-(  I'm hoping to find it again very quickly, so please check back in a day or two, as I'll simply edit this post and insert my completed layout.

I hope you'll think about joining us this week over at Lasting Memories!  We'd LOVE to see what you've got in store this week!



Lasting Memories weekly layout challenge--photo inspiration

Hi, everyone!  I hope all of you who are mothers had a great Mother's Day!  Sorry my Lasting Memories post is late this week, but I had a little trouble finding the right inspiration.  For this week's challenge, we're asking you to use the following photo for your inspiration:

Here's what I came up with for this week:

I used Echo Park's Life is Good collection to make this layout, which also satisfies the one layer theme in the Yahoo group Scrappin' 'n' Chattin's monthly challenge.  This is one of my favorite pictures from the day my youngest son, Joseph, was born.

You've still got one more day to play along!  Hop on over to Lasting Memories and get your layout linked up, then check back with us on Sunday morning to see if you made the Top Three.  Good luck, and happy scrapping!

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!