Counterfeit Kit Challenge - Member Blog Hop for March 2013!

(I apologise for the wonkiness of my post - blogger was NOT being tech-friendly with me)

Welcome to my stop on the CKCB Members' Blog Hop!!!

 

I'm so, so excited as this was my first time making a kit AND I was chosen to participate in the blog hop.....yay me :) I have to say I'm sooo glad that I made a kit this month. I found it easier to start layout's as my paper was kinda chosen based on colours, and I already had alpha's and embellies in there too. And the best part is I am BASHING MY STASH!!! I also liked that it forced me to mix up my collections which I was kinda nervous of. The result is that my layout's look a little different and so far I love them ALL. Try it yourself next month..really. You should have come here from Rebecca's blog. If you didn't check the list below to start at the beginning.

This month's challenge was to use only photo's, no journalling. Not a real problem for me 'cause I don't really enjoy 'journalling' per se....I can manage to note the location, date, etc. but I've not been real great about putting my thoughts onto paper. I feel kinda vulnerable...wierd eh? I have already posted a few layouts that I made earlier in the month using my kit. My plan is to use the whole thing up before the month is out - even to making cards out of the scraps.....check back on the 1st of April to see if I met my own challenge.

 

Anywho, this is a layout that I saved just in case I was chosen for the hop. I created it during a crop a couple of weeks ago using my CKC March Kit. I really love this photo of my MM (mini-me) taken a few years ago when my mom, myself, and MM visited family a few hours away to attend a wedding. We thoroughly enjoyed not only the wedding, but the little side trips as well. This photo was taken in Brigus, NL....if you have never visited the gorgeous province of Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada you don't know what you're missing. You need to vacation here, by....

 

 

The background paper is MME, and the tag is one I made during a crop almost a year ago that my good friend Rhea hosted. I am still trying to explore a little mixed media / messiness. Stay tuned for some Twinchies and an ATC I have in the works.

Thanks for stopping by; now you should hop on over to Lisa's blog.

Here is the full blog hop list in case you get lost  - just click on the first link to head over to CKCB to find your way back onto the hop.

 

CKCB http://www.counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/

Jemma http://just-jimjams.blogspot.co.uk/
Angela http://colestoucan.blogspot.co.uk
Lesley G http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk
Milissa http://millermall.blogspot.com
Julie H http://spendlesscraftmore.blogspot.com.au
Molly http://www.42shadesofpink.com/
Rebecca http://howiburb.blogspot.com
Corina www.craftycorina.blogspot.com <--- That's moi
Lisa H http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com
 

Don't forget to leave me a comment to let me know you were here....and happy hopping!

2013 Valentine's Treats by MM and moi

I have always enjoyed doing up little treats for my daughters' classmates each year. And as MM is now 10 and in Grade 5 I expected it to stop this year. No......she wanted to do up something neat, so off to Pinterest I went. I was thinking "something fun, but not too little kid - ish". iPods!!! Yay, I realize it's not a new idea but it's new to us and none of her classmates had done it yet. So I printed off the images and she cut them out. I would say she did half the work on these and we loved the results. We ended up putting them in baggies with her classmates names on them cause she enjoyed deciding who would get a certain colour, etc. And, it made sure that no small parts would come off in transit. Here's what we ended up with.....

Aren't they darling? I found chocolate bars at my local WalMart (4) in a pkg for $2.50. What a steal, eh?

 

Of course then we had to make something super nice for the teacher, aka "Miss". She always appreciates our efforts so I don't mind putting a little extra time and effort into her gifts. I used up a fine chunk of a CTMH kit "La Belle Vie" for this one. She gets a little card/box thingie with a drawer. MM didn't want to put a Valentine sentiment on there as she wants Miss to use it all year round. What a doll, eh?

We decided to put Hershey Kisses in the drawer for her.

And last but certainly not least, the goodies for Girls Group. In our small community we don't have a Brownies club or anything similar so a few years ago I decided to start up a Girls Group. I ran it for 3 years and last year when I decided to take a break, a really good friend asked if she could step in. I gladly agreed, thrilled that the group wasn't going to just fade away to nothing. She is into her second year now of leading out and doing a fantabulous job. As the girls range in age from 3 - 12, we had a little more leeway in the scope of our craft. We decided on these adorable owls made out of toilet tissue rolls.

(Thanks "good friend" for giving us all of your empty rolls, haha). Just check out how adorable they are....MM did a lot on these as well. Lots of cutting, and glueing....YAY.....and using up MORE supplies. I am nothing if not determined!! Check teddy (aka Mr. Ted / Tedward / Theodore) out - MM may be 10 now but Mr. Ted doesn't miss much in our house. DQ gave him to MM about 8 years ago and he's still going strong. You will see him as a special feature in an upcoming post. MM and I are going to do a mini - album all about Mr. Ted.

Thanks for looking :)

 

A mini album.....the first of MANY

I bought two of these Echo Park interactive albums from a local retailer that was closing up shop. I had been tossing around the idea of doing a mini album for DQ but really didn't know where to start. I have some paper bags cut and ready to go but quite frankly was intimidated by the thought....they are not to be wasted though - I WILL complete that album soon, lol. Here are some pics of the album that I did for DQ's sweet 16th birthday. She absolutely loved it. I included one page of her with "the love of her life" and advised I did that so she can look back on this time in her life and remember happy times (should things go sour in the future *gasp*). I made this album in the Fall of 2012 and used up the bulk of 2 kits - Simple Stories Summer Fresh and Simple Stories Fabulous. These are my fave kits *evah* and I still have scraps that I can't part with. I'm sure you will see them on cards someday soon haha.

 

This is the cover. I included the quote from the movie "The Help" as it's one of her faves. This album is about being an independent and strong young woman. I wanted to include quotes that I feel she can live by.

The inside quote says "Instead of wishing you were someone else, be proud of who you are. You never know who has been looking at you wishing they were you". - Unknown.

The pics are of my baby sister and DQ last year. The quote says "See regardless of what anybody believes who hates me: you ain't gonna make or break me" - Eminem. She was thrilled to see this quote in there as most mom's are not too fond of Eminem. I'm not a normal mom - I like Eminem lol.

Pics of DQ and MM (my other daughter Mini-Me) last summer during a camping trip. The quote says "Four things a woman should know: How to look like a girl, How to act like a lady, How to think like a man, And how to work like a dog" - Unknown.

These are the pics of DQ and LOHL(love of her life) who recently split and are attempting *another* reconciliation, sigh....the quote reads "Don't be the girl who needs a man, be the girl a man needs" - Unknown. I LOVE this quote - I may even get it made as a vinyl sticker and post on both daughter's walls.

Simple shots of everyday life for DQ. The quote reads "Be the girl you'd want your daughter to be. Be the girl you'd want your son to date. Be classy, anything but trashy" - Unknown.

And I seem to be missing the pic of the back cover. It had a photo of my girls hugging - a rare thing, let me tell you.

I also did a mini album for MM's 10th birthday - post to come soon :)

Thanks for looking!!

 

My Creative Sketches January 2013

It's been a while since I played along at My Creative Sketches so I thought I would check out the newest sketch. I loved it and immediately thought about using washi - hmmm, the implementation fell a little short. I don't really love this layout, but my daughter does. She said "When I like a layout mom, you don't. And when you like a layout, I don't". She is quite critical of my work and loves scrapbooking herself. Maybe I'll showcase some of her work in a future post. I bet she would love that. So here's the sketch:

And here is my version of it:

I used mostly old K & Company papers with the red dot paper being older Fancy Pants. The title is from Michael's and the washi tape is 'unknown' (if someone knows the manufacturer please comment with it as I'm organizing everything in my scrap space).

Thanks for looking, and there's still time to complete a layout and post to the site...what are ya waiting for?

A new card for Valentine's Day

I don't often make cards, even though I want to. I never know if they look good. I'm sure other people like them but I'm quite critical and unsure of my ability with cards. Nevertheless, I did one for hubby as I do every year. He is not critical AT ALL and keeps everything I make for him. He's such a dear (even if he calls my love of paper "crapbooking"). I am entering this card over at Let's Capture Our Memories It's a Canadian company - YAY!! I will definitely be checking them out further - I stumbled onto the site just a few days ago.
Here is sketch #5:

And here is my take on it. I rotated it to make it work for my die cut.

 

In keeping with my 2013 "Use What I Have" theme, I used scraps left over from BG's Little Black Dress line and MME's Be Loved line (just the 2 die cut papers). The flowers are Prima (LOVE!!) and the ribbons / resin pieces are 'unknown'.

 

Thanks for looking

Some Pages I Did Over the Weekend

I am seriously trying to use up my stash without buying more.....yeah right, do you KNOW how hard that is?? Well in reality I'm using up my stash and buying VERY LITTLE AMOUNTS of new things.....by very little amounts I mean if it's a super good deal, or adhesive. Anywho, on to some recent layouts.

So this layout is a total scraplift found in an old CK magazine. A friend was getting rid of her mags and I took some (read: about 30). I loved this design and as part of my "use what I have" deal for 2013 I used old MME Be Loved papers. The photo's are of my oldest daughter who is now 16 (I will call her DQ as she is a drama queen of the highest realm - God love her, she is my baby though) when she was just a wee one and so terribly cute. I totally love this layout and I think it will become one of my fave's.

NOTE: DQ's nickname is Bee (just to let you know why the title is spelled wrong)

This one was done at a retreat last Fall. It was a kit that they had prepared for purchase. It was not my "style" but I really like it now. Another goal for 2013 is to "go outside of my comfort zone". Hence the misting, and altering the washi tape. I wouldn't normally do either of those things. I loved this ride when I was a kid (we don't live near an amusement park so there's a travelling "fair" that arrives in town once per year around the end of June)

That's going to be it for this post. I have a bunch more layouts to post, and some challenges as well and will do those in a bit.

Ciao, C

NEW MCS Sketch Challenge - Now Listen Up

Every month I get excited waiting for the new sketch at My Creative Sketches and they never disappoint. Here is the link: http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.ca/

I have been scrapbooking my oldest daughter most recently and in my house I almost have to go layout for layout as the girls get a little jealous....sooo, this layout is of my littlest a few years ago. She's such a card, and brings me so much joy. I printed quite a few pics from my cell yesterday and there are quite a few of her hamming it up. Just wait till she sees them....

Anywho, on to my take on the sketch.....

I used Simple Stories Fabulous papers and stickers, dollar store bling, my coveted Prima flowers and DCWV cardstock. TFL :)

My Creative Sketches July Challenge

So I am addicted to the sketch challenge each month at MCS. I eagerly await the new post and can't wait to see the DT's take on it. So inspiring.....

Here is my take on the sketch for this month. A little different than my usual 'cleaner' style, but I just love the finished page. I'm trying really hard to get past my hoarding love of flowers and just USE my stash, haha.

This is my oldest daughter (now 15) when she was just 5 years old. She was such a little charmer. I used Echo Park paper for this, and K & Company chipboard letters. The rickrack is vintage from my stash, and everything else is "unknown".

Thanks for looking!!

Saucy Face

A layout I did for the sketch  challenge here: http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.ca/

I used K & Company papers and rub-ons. Not my usual choice, but I really like the final page. My dd also loves it, and that's what really counts as it's for her book. Where I live the term of endearment is pronounced "saucy face" but it really refers to "sass".....we just don't say "sassy face", lol.

Thanks for looking!!

Hello My Name Is Happy

Quick layout done last night using Simple Stories new "Summer Fresh" collection. I LOVE this kit - I think it's the 'fabric' elements....I'm entering it in the monthly sketch contest over at http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.ca/

Layout done at the Retreat......first time adding a banner to my layouts. I'm definitely not one to jump on the trend bandwagon right away :)

Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine Inspiration....

I absolutely love CS Magazine....I get all excited when it is due to hit the shelves and keep it on my bedside table for frequent viewing. It never fails to inspire me....that being said, I also have CS Mag in my Facebook feed and was inpired by this post: http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/jackie/?p=3676. It just jumped at me, and immdiately I knew what pics to use, and how I wanted my layout to look. Thanks CS Magazine for the inspiration, and here is what my finished layout looks like....

This past weekend I attended a crop with the goal of moving outside of my comfort zone. I misted for the first time (will share that layout at another time) and painted! Now, I have bottles and bottles of paint but never use them. I can say with certainty that I will use my 'craft' supplies a lot more now. I LOVE how this turned out!! Happy scrapping!!!!

Super Dog

I love sketch challenges....not so much for winning a prize but because I love sketches for inspiration, and a deadline to get me off my butt!!

Here is my latest page for the My Creative Sketch challenge this month. You can check it out here: http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.ca/

Thanks for looking!!

Beautiful

I am quickly going through my My Mind's Eye stash and every time I use it I simply LOVE the results. Even hubby is passing comments on my pages now, lol. Here is my submission into the My Creative Sketches contest. Check out this link: http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.com/. Awesome inspiration and a wonderful prize as well.

Until I figure out my scanner and the whole "scan and stitch" thing that people do, I will put my pages on the fridge for photo's and hope for the best, haha. Thanks for looking.

My newest scrapbook layout.

I was in a scrapbooking rut after the Fall Retreat I attended, and then won a seat in Stacey Julian's "Twelve" class on Big Picture Classes. Now I am scrapbooking and / or crafting several times per week. This is my latest page of my youngest girl and her 2 BFF's at the local fair in 2010.