Scrappin' the Details

Blog Winner (ETM Kit)

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday.  We had such a wonderful time together. Christmas Eve, was definitely packed with lots of activity, that I was thankful to fall asleep at 4am!  We did miss family, and hopefully, we can visit Texas next Christmas. We had one sad stumble, when Macie began crying, as she was finishing opening her gifts. I was trying to take pictures of the children opening their gifts, and Macie was standing there, crying big tears!  I did not know what happened.  It took us awhile, to figure out what she was saying.  She was upset, because Santa did not leave her a "real live" puppy. It broke my heart.  (Maybe next, Christmas!) Her new purse, distracted her for awhile!

Now for the winner of the Express the Moment December Kit! The lucky blog comment is.............................................. 

conniemelancon said:

Cute LO's! My favorite gift is the handmade gifts from my grandchildren from school or daycare.

Thanks everyone for your comments! Connie please e-mail me your information, and I will pass it to Kim Rose!  Woohoo!!!! You are going to have so much fun with this kit! Thanks again, to Kim, for letting me play with her kit!  
I wanted to share with you, one last thing!  My layout, 

"Christmas Wishes"
 
was in the Top 10 by Votes at 2Peas, last week!  To see my layout here, simply makes me smile! (it is the little things, right?)
Thanks for letting me share!!!  

 
I do want to let you know, that I may have to allow dust to settle on my blog, this week.  I having difficulty uploading photos, and severe lapse time on my laptop.  I hope to resolve the problem in the next few days! Wish me luck!  
Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Tuesday,

"Merry Christmas"

I just wanted to Wish Everyone a Very, Merry Christmas.  Thank you for stopping by my blog.  I appreciate every  comment, and happy to have met some new "cyber" friends.
May your day be  filled with the "sweets" of the season! 

"Gingerbread Sweet Treats" (Treat Bags)

I thought I would share another version of my "treat bags." Macie had a Christmas party with her "tiny" cheer teammates last week.  I decided to make one for each of her friends.  Now, I was up until 4am making them.  I did not have to make many, but started late with the project, and of course, I added a little bit of "detail!" I will be honest, about 1am, I was thinking, why not put them in a nice cellophane bag with a bow? It would be much easier, but the crafty part of me, decided against this idea.  I already knew the paper I would use, and knew there would be a "cupcake" involved.Macie had no idea, I was doing this for her. The next morning, she saw them, and was jumping up and down! She immediately came up to me, put her arms around me, and simply said,"Thank you, Mommy!" Now, that is the reason, why I do the things I do.  I love this hobby, and my children remind me each day, why I do take time to document the "little"things. (Which, turn out to be the big things!)
Here is a snapshot of my little Macie, holding her basket of treats:
 
(Sorry about the quality of photos, not sure what is happening!  LOL)
 "Gingerbread Treat Bags"
Detail of cupcake:

The "cupcake" was a cut from this cartridge!  Love, this one from Cricut! I think it will be one of my favorites!  The paper is from Doodlebug! Their paper lines are always so fun, and whimsical!  Perfect paper for "sweet", little girls! 
Do not forget about the giveaway from ETM.  Leave a comment HERE, and you could win their December kit!  Lots of fun product to play with! 
I hope you are enjoying a wonderful Christmas Eve with family, and friends! Have a blessed day!  Merry Christmas!  

Guest Designer for ETM (Express the Moment) & Blog Giveaway

I love gifts, and was happy when I was asked to Guest Design for ETM.  Kim Rose , owner of Express the Moment, invited me to be the Guest Designer for January. However, plans changed, and I received a last minute gift from ETM!  Kim asked, if could Guest Design for December.  Of course, I was happy to do it!  I received my kit, and spent some time yesterday designing my projects. All I can say, is that everything in the kit, coordinates so well.  Everything came together nicely! I love the finished projects, and how I was able to document some of my favorite photos from this year!  
I designed three layouts!( yes three layouts in one day!!) Huge for me!  LOL I also created a quick treat bag, to round out my projects.

Here is my first layout:
"twinkle of Christmas"

(This snapshot of Roman, was taken at his school Christmas party.)  I added a little stitching along the bottom of the manilla tag, and glittered two photo corners to embellish the photo.
The next layout is one of my favorites. You might remember the layout I designed of Gabi with her Starbucks.  I had taken so many snapshots of her with the "red Cup", that I could not resist scrapbooking a few of my other favorites.

"Peace, Love & Starbucks"

I decided to use black and white snapshots with this paper from Basic Grey.   
Detail of flower:
 
I added lots of layers to this flower.  I sprayed all the pieces with Maya Road Mist, and finished the flower with a simple button.

My final layout designed with this kit, include snapshots of my little Macie.  I had taken these last week, and love how the snapshots captured her sweetness.
"Christmas Wishes"
 I fell in love with this paper!  I loved all the houses, so I did a little cluster of embellishments, along the bottom.  (The blue sticker on the bottom left side, is a sticker that says, "Christmas wishes." This is my title, but sorry it is difficult to see in the photo.)
Detail of cluster of embellishments:
 
How cute are those embellishments from Basic Grey?  I added buttons to the houses, and a touch of glitter to the Santa's hat. (Added some stitching too!)
 
Now my final project is  quick treat bag!  I love making these!
"From Santa" Treat Bag  

I could not resist making a quick cupcake topper to complete the ensemble!   Who would not want this as a gift?
Okay, now for the fun part!  Kim, is giving me a December kit,from her Monthly Kit Club to giveaway to one of you! How nice is this? You can read about her Monthly Kit Club, by visiting HERE. All of my projects were designed with her kit.  I still have so much product left.  How can you go wrong when Basic Grey and Scenic Route paper are in this kit? There are lots of fun embellishments too!
Here is a peek at what you could receive:
 
All you need to do, is please take a minute, and leave a comment on my blog. Since it is the Christmas Season, I would love to know what was your most favorite Christmas gift?? Not only do you have an opportunity to win a kit on my blog, but visit KIM'S for another chance to win!  
I will randomly pick a winner on Tuesday,  December 29! Good Luck!
Whew!!!  I know this post was long!  I had so much to share!  I appreciate your visits to my blog, and I hope you are taking time to enjoy the beauty of the season!
 

"Cupcake Tree" Toppers-Pebbles Design Team

It is Monday, and I can feel the excitement in my kids!  Counting the days until Christmas, but we have lots to do! There is a trip to see Santa, decorate a Gingerbread House, wrap gifts, cookie exchange, etc.  However, yesterday I did take some time to scrapbook.  I completed three layouts, and another quick treat bag!  I cannot wait to share the kit, and the projects completed. (Maybe, tomorrow??)
However, I can share my Keeping It Simple, Pebbles project. This went up on the Pebbles Blog last week.  The DT created fantastic projects that range, from ornaments, cards, and layouts that could be completed in thirty minutes or less!  Now, that is all the inspiration I need!  LOL
I created sweet tree Cupcake toppers!  I used the Duplicate Stickers, on my project. These made creating the toppers so easy! 
                                                                             

 "Cupcake Tree" Toppers
 
My children love when I bake cupcakes, and could not wait for me to photograph so they could eat one!  I kept the toppers, and we will use them again on our "Christmas Cupcakes."
Details of cupcake trees:

How sweet are those trees?  Simply made with the Making Memories Slice!  I used this cartridge to cut the trees. I love this small machine.  It is so compact, but can do really big, and beautiful, shapes, words, etc. (There is still time to ask Santa!)
I embossed the trees, of course!  I cannot put down that Swiss Dot folder! Finished the trees with Pebbles Candy Dots, and Ribbon!  So much fun!
(Love my RED cupcake tray?  Found this at Target!)
Detail of another cupcake:
 
Now off to bake cookies, and head over to the park with my kids! Have a wonderful day! Thanks for visiting today, and come back tomorrow, if you can!  I think there might be a giveaway!  (Hint! Hint!)
  

"Holiday Thank You Gift Set"

It is Friday!!!  Today, is the beginning of our Christmas vacation! I love Christmas, but am looking forward to some quiet time with my family. (I see Pajama Days in our future!) I am looking forward to the quiet moments to reflect, and rejuvenate. Christmas is a time, to help my family reconnect to one another.  I always feel that we are always on the go! (Does anyone else feel this way? Or is just me?) With three active children, and my husband's job, our days are always full! I truly enjoy having my children home! So staying home in our pajamas, and having family meetings, are special traditions! With three kids, the days are not always so quiet!  LOL
In the midst of trying to prepare for Christmas, I have not had much time to blog. During the last two days, I spent a few hours completing Christmas Cards for a friend of mine.  I delivered eighty five Christmas cards today, and hope that she was happy with them.  So the card in the following project, actually was the original card I designed.  However, in the end, she wanted a different style of card.
I made a few changes to the card, and decided to make a few, to give to friends, teachers, neighbors, etc.  I know, that even though, I make a Christmas list, there is someone I accidentally will overlook. I used papers from the Winter Wings collection by Webster's Pages. Simply beautiful, and timeless papers. Along, with the card, I am gifting a small ornament filled with "sweet" treats.
My "Holiday Thank You" Gift Set
 
 Details of the "sweet tree":
 
This tree is a plastic, see through ornament.  I filled the inside with treats, and embellished the outside.  I simply traced the tree onto patterned paper.  I covered the front, and back of the tree, with the paper.  I added a small detail, by embellishing the snowflake with a pearl brad, from Making Memories, and adhered this to the front. It gives the ornament a beautiful, vintage feel. Tied off a piece of gold ribbon, and it was done!
Detail of the holiday card:
 

I will admit, I use the Top Note die, a bit much in my scrapbooking! It has become one of my most, used tools!!!  It is by Stampin Up, and really is a must have! I first stamped my greeting on the note diecut, and then embossed with my Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Folder. (I use this folder on every single project!) I love texture, and dimension, and this folder, does just that! You may not be able to tell, but I love to further embellish ready made embelishments, by inking or adding a little glitter.  On the felt snowflake, I used Diamond Dust on the top.  You simply, brush a little glue, and sprinkle the glitter.  Super easy to add more finishing details! (My friend, Deena, is a big fan of this, in her beautiful cardmaking!)
Thanks for letting me share another of my Christmas projects.  I will be busy the next few days working on a few projects.  I hope to share them with you, before Christmas. So come back next week, if you can!
 
Have a fabulous Friday,
 
 

in2scraps "Merry Christmas Kit Now Available

Christmas is almost upon us, and we are thrust upon the busiest time of the year. in2scraps has designed a beautiful Christmas layout to capture your magical memories.  Our layout was designed for your favorite photos of Santa, or for the snapshots captured by your Christmas tree! We have designed a vintage layout with fun glittery embellishments!  It is a two page layout, perfect for your Christmas snapshots!
"Merry Christmas"

You will receive everything you need to complete the kit.  We make it easy for you, with step by step instructions, and high quality photos of the layout. The cost is $18.00, and can be purchased directly through paypal. If you do not have paypal, or live outside of Orange County, we will be glad to mail your kit. (Small shipping fee will apply for mail orders.) Please e-mail me with any questions at [email protected]
If you are interested in purchasing a kit, please use the paypal button below. It will take you directly to the link to purchase "Merry Christmas."
  For another close up of the layout, please visit Jeannette's Blog.  We had so much fun designing this kit! Thanks for visiting today! 
Hope you are enjoying the holiday! ❄

Sweet Packaging

Last week on the Pebbles Blog, the design team shared all kinds of great gift giving ideas!  You will find cards, gift bags, a paper bow, ornaments, and "sweet packaging" ideas! I decided to show fun ways to package sweet treats for friends, neighbors, teachers, hostesses, etc.  Christmas is a wonderful time to bake cookies to show a friend a small token of appreciation.  Who does not love to receive cookies? Once you baked them, you are going to need a great way to package them.  In the photo below, you can see that I tucked cookies inside the jar.  I embellished the front of the jar, and placed a small snowflake on the lid.  Really simple to do, and the person receiving it will love it!
"Sweet Treats"

 
 I placed a label on the jar with a sweet holiday saying.  It says, wishing you all the sweetness of the season.
Another fun idea, is to make sweet treat bags for your children's friends, or classmates.  I chose chocolate kisses, M&Ms, and tucked them inside clear cellophane bags.  I then designed a cute way to package them.  I love border punches, so they were put to good use.  I simply used them on the outside, and it gives the treat bags that extra special touch!  
Few detail shots of the treat packages:

 All of my "sweet packaging" projects were made with the So Tweet Collection from Pebbles!  A fantastic paper line that works for all those Christmas Projects!
Detail of what the inside looks like:

So with Christmas right around the corner, stop by Pebbles and see all the great ideas posted!  It will help you get started with those last minute gifts!!!
Thank you so much for visiting today!!!  Have a Happy Monday!!! 

love note.

We had the most amazing day here in Sunny California!  It actually rained!!!  Love rainy days, simply the perfect weather to stay inside!  I was able to find some scrapbooking time, and I am halfway through completing a project.  In between the mess, I created along the way, I stumbled upon a "love note!" Let me begin, on good days, my scrapbooking studio, looks like this:

 "My Scrapbooking Studio"

However, while I am working on a project, this tidy room, becomes quite the photo!  I will spare you that image!  Although, it tends to work for me, in a very strange way! I do not understand why I cannot put a tool away, after I use it.  I find myself wasting valuable time, trying to find the tool I need.  My desk, and the floor around me, really become a "creative chaos!"  (That is what I am calling it anyway!) LOL
My husband, who never really ventures into this room, did one night.  He was using my printer, and trying to find white space on my desk!  He left behind a "love note!" I was just about to throw it away, when I read what it said.  It truly made my day! (comically) I tend to leave little post it notes around me, with title ideas, sketches, card ideas, etc.  This particular post it, had a "title", that I was pushing around for a layout of Macie by rows of gum ball machines.  (In fact, if you have any title ideas, I would love to know about them) I had written, "so much sweetness", and my husband decided to add his own thoughts!
It now read, "so much sweetness and so much mess"

 
I could not help but laugh!!!  I now keep my little "love note", in the same place he left it for me! 
I simply had to blog this "sweet" story!  I hope you have a wonderful day!  I am going to Scrapbook Oasis with my best friend. It should be a good day indeed!  
Happy Tuesday!!!!

(celebrate) 7

I wanted to share a card that was on the Pebbles Blog  last week.  It was for the Friday tip, and it was all about stars!  I decided to create a birthday card, because more often than not, I am always in need of one!  LOL 
I used the Lil Robot line from Pebbles, so it made for a bright and fun card!  I have this stash of chipboard numbers, so I pulled a "7", and it became the starting point for the card! I used this great number set I have from Creative Cafe, and decided to cover the chipboard number, and stamp on top of it.  This became the sentiment of the card, and plan to give this card to my little guy!

"(celebrate) seven" 
 
 

Now, because I felt the card needed something else, besides the number "7", I stamped "celebrate", on the tab.  It is barely there, and hope you can see it!  
Supplies:
Patterned Paper: Lil Robot, Pebbles
Cardstock: Pebbles, Bazzill
Embellishments: Candy Dots, Pebbles
Star Sticker: Lil Robot Sticker Sheet
Stamp Set: Creative Cafe, and Stampin Up
String: Michaels
**** I used a star punch to punch three stars along the bottom of the card.  Simple, and effective way of creating your own border!
It is Monday, and it is a short week for me.  Lots to cross off the list, and get accomplished! Do you know that there are only 18 days left before Christmas?
I love this time of year, because I feel like it is the only time I can truly enjoy playing with glitter, and not cringing at the mess! LOL It is true, I love glitter, but wish it would not end up everywhere! LOL 
Today, the kids can play with it too!  After school, they are writing their Santa letters. A fun tradition for us.  I am happy that all three, still BELIEVE!  I know I do!
Enjoy your day!!  Have a very Happy Monday!!!!!