heART and Soul

MOVING

2010-02-16T16:45:00.000-08:00

I have moved my blog. Please stop in HERE to see what's new!

Postcards from Molokai

2010-02-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a LO I did a couple of weeks back, also for the Webster Pages February Challenge to "Print on your Backsides". Once again I used a front side...thank goodness for creative license, and printed this wonderful wistful photo of Mia in Molokai last May. While we were there I happened upon some vintage Hawaiian stickers from Rubber Stamp Plantation, they are the Aloha From Hawaii line. I used their packaging (front and back) for the Vintage postcards on the LO. I am so in love with the way this LO came out that I am planning an entire mini-album, Postcards from Molokai, based around all the great vintage postcards from Hawaii I've been collecting. Just waiting for the new WP Seaside Retreat papers and embellies to arrive this week so I can get started on it. Have a great day!

Project 52 at Bad Girls

2010-02-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

Hi all- Well I've just submitted my piece for my first Project 52 challenge over at Bad Girls. I just stumbled across their site last week while checking out one of my favorite designers over at Webster's Pages...Jaz (see her work here)!!! Anyway, I was instanly drawn to the work on the P52 site and new I was going to try to get something done by the deadline even though it was close and started thinking about the challenge. Wood Wire Botanical. This is what I came up with...Hope Springs Eternal.

I wanted to create a piece that relected my curent state of mind. I've been thinking about moving past my grief over mom's death. It's been a long 9 months but things are getting better all the time. I just find the human spirit so amazing. Even from the deepest pit of despair I find there is always hope. Thanks for looking!

CANDY from Websters Pages!!!!

2010-02-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

Websters Pages is hosting a wonderful giveaway and I encourage you to check out the link! All you need to do is leave 5 comments on 5 different Webster's Pages/Tattered Angels posts in this special forum. The WP Design Team is awesoome so go check ot their work!

Then post about the giveaway on your blog or a forum you frequent. Include the link to the WP info!!!

Last, reply to this post on WP. If you aren't a memeber of their community sign up today! I promise you that you'll be inspired beyond belief :)

Then wait and see if you are the lucky winner. The new WP papers are gorgeous! I just ordered a bunch yesterday and can't wait until they arrive!

Live Chat

2010-02-04T20:33:00.000-08:00

Just finished the live chat with Marion from A Piece Of Craft. She is working with Prima and will be hosting a live show for them every Thursday night at 6:30pm Pacific Time. She demoed a great box tonight and some really fabulous tags using all the new Prima lines and loads of Glimmer Mist. It was really fun.

Webster's Pages Obsession

2010-02-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

I am so enamored with Websters Pages and if you haven't checked them out you should. I had purchased a bunch of their yummy papers last spring and promptly packed all my scrap stuff away after mom died. So imagine my delight 2 weeks ago when I rediscovered these beautiful fanciful papers. I have always been drawn to very bright bold graphics but for some reason all I want to use are these feminine fl orals right now.

They are having a monthly challenge asking to use a picture printed directly on the backside of their paper as a focal point. I was really intrigued by this technique and let me tell you that I played around for a long time before I felt like I could try it out. In the end I printed on a front side but this is definitely something I will play with some more.

I had one of my favorite pictures from our Molokai trip last year in mind to use and the light background made it a good candidate for this technique. I wanted to mimic the circular feeling of the water around Mia's feet in the pool and thought that layering some Prima flower petals would give a cool look. I Sprayed several white flowers with Tattered Angle's Glimmer Mist in Azure Blue, used the paper I sprayed them on as the background paper. I also Glimmered some Melissa Frances Crepe Paper that I had stuck WP Storyteller Alphas on. I have not played much with masking and I can see it becoming another obsession :)

The more I worked on this LO the more it seemed to be lending itself to a mermaid feel. It is by fay one of my most favorite pieces that I have done.

I'm Baaaacccckkkk

2010-02-02T10:55:00.000-08:00

Well, if anyone checks up on me here is my official return to life post. Wow! I can't believe I've been off the grid for 8 months. My mom passed away suddenly on June 20th 2009 and it seems like my life screeched to a halt that day.

I don't want to dwell on the details of what life has been like grieving the loss of my mom but let's just say it's been rough. But, I've learned a lot about myself along the way. Most of all I KNOW I need time to create in order to feel like a human being.

Thanks to my friends Kris and Debbie for kidnapping me for a girl's night out 2 weeks ago. A scrap day followed and I am suddenly feeling so much better.

So, it is with a still heavy but beating heart that I will be posting here again.

My first LO in 8 months was of Mia, of course. She is always my inspiration. And this LO captures her essence, Naturally Beautiful.

Here's this weeks theme challenge at PapEr PoPsiCles!

2009-06-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

This week you need to do a 12x12 layout about graduation. This can be high school, college, even pre-school!!! It can be of you or your children. Be sure to incorporate the school colors on the layout.

Make sure to post your entry back to the gallery and forum at Paper Popsicles for a chance to win yummy scrappy goodness!!!

Paper Popsicles BLoG: YUM - a little BLOG CANDY!

2009-06-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Paper Popsicles BLoG: YUM - a little BLOG CANDY!

Win the Bazzill In Stitch'z 8x8 Circles template and floss set! To be eligible you need to post on your blog the information about our Weekly Card Challenges, include our blinkie, and link your post to our blog. Remember to comment on this post so we can include you in the drawing!! Winner announced June 15!!!

Paper Popsicles Weekly Card Sketch #3!!!!

2009-06-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

Click on the link above for tall the details on this weeks card sketch challenge. It's a fun recipe challenge this week sure to get your creative juices flowing. Prinzes?!?!? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT! Great set of PP's new digital designs will be yours if you have the winning entry!!!

Paper Popsicles BLoG: June's Card Kit

2009-06-02T09:54:00.000-07:00

Paper Popsicles BLoG: June's Card Kit

Check out the fabulous designs by Lynda from the June Card Kit! Amazing!

June Kits at Paper Popsicles!!!!!!

2009-05-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

LIFE'S LITTLE THINGS mini kit $10.99

Sprout Out $25.00

Skipping Along $12.50

I am so excited to be designing for Paper Popsicles! The kits are so fabulous and I was lucky enough to get the Life's Little Things Mini Kit($10.99)to play with this month.

I loved the selection of papers, rubons, stickers, bling, stamps and a fabulous daisy paperclip! All that for $10.99?!?!?! You would be nuts not to order it!!!

All the kits are available in the store tomorrow. Don't wait to order yours as they sell out FAST!

Anyway, here's what I created with the Life's Little Things kit!

I just love the bright floral pattern on the black background of this paper! It looked so fanciful and I was inspired to create something a bit magical with it. The bling flourishes reminded me of butterflies and I decided to make a vellum wing taking flight like Mia's great 5 year old imagination!

Anyone who knows me KNOWS that I am a rubon fanatic! I really wanted to use the ones in the kit to help tell my story. The ledger paper looked so great with the polka dot paper from the kit and the blue rub ons just popped the whole thing! This page uses paper, rubons, stickers and the funky flower paper clip all from the kit.

This is such an easy technique...I just set the rubons sheet under the paper and figured out the spacing, printed out my journaling and then added the rubons. I will say that these are some of the BEST rubons I've ever used...they went on smooth as silk!

I've been waiting to scrap this picture of Mia at Disneyland since last year and I needed just the right paper to make it work. I love the slightly distressed look of the paper and the dark background helps to make my picture stand out. The frame of the daisies adds the right amount of sweet to this one!

I was able to make a whole bunch of cards as well. Again the colors against the black just look fabulous! I am not the world's best stamper but tried to get a bit of interest into my black flowers by using the stamps from the kit to embellish them. I stamped with versamark and then embossed with a silver metallic powder. It was so fun and completely changed the look of the plain flowers.

I was stuck on using basic notepaper or other office type supplies while working with this kit and made a few file folder cards. Cut the flower patterns out with the Slice, used some of the stickers from the kit and some mini alphas I had lying around for the sentiment. These were super quick and easy.

Back from Paradise!

2009-05-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

Please be patient with me while I get my brain back! :) I've got tons of updates to do and will be working over the weekend to get up to speed. It is SLOW going as I am still in an island state of mind.

Aloha

2009-05-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for Hawaii on Monday morning. Just wanted everyone to know that I will be off the grid until the end of the month. :) No internet access for me..we'll see how that goes!

Paper Popsicles BLoG: Blog Candy, BLOG CANDY, bLoG cANdY

2009-05-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

Paper Popsicles BLoG: Blog Candy, BLOG CANDY, bLoG cANdY

Candy Candy CANDY!!!!!

2009-05-14T15:09:00.001-07:00

You MUST check out the ton of candy that Melissa is giving away over at Paper Popsicles. My goodness...I wish I lived close enough to Trick or Treat at her house ;) Tons of yummy patterened papers, YES 30 pages of 12x12 patterned papers and a KI Memories 12x12 album!

All you have to do to be eligible is become a follower of Paper Popsicles blog and have a working link on your blog under your favorites! And be suer to double your chance to win by doing the above AND linking a BLINKIE to your blog.

I mean come on...HOW EASY CAN IT BE!?!?!??! Nothing like getting free scrap goodies in the mail. Drawing will be on May 26th!! Be sure to comment so they know to check out your entry......Good Luck!!!!

Exciting News over at Paper Popsicles!!!

2009-05-09T10:59:00.001-07:00

You've got to check out the new offering in the Paper Popsicles store... Digital Designs! These images have been designed exclusively for Paper Popsicles by artist "Cheeky Radish". Her whimsical style has a wonderful appeal and I can't wait to start using them on my layouts and cards!

Digital images are just like a stamped image that you print out using your computer. Instead of being stuck with a certain size you can enlarge or shrink your "stamp" giving you a lot more flexibility on where and how you use the image. Then try your hand at coloring them in with whatever you choose, pencils, markers, watercolors, whatever!!!

The best part???? No extra storage space needed. Not sure if you're like me but room for my scrapping supplies is at a premium. Digital images are stored on your computer so no extra room is needed on your desk and you can be using them within 24 hours of purchase.

Did I mention that the price is RIGHT! What a great way to expand your "stamp" library without the size and price limitations!

So get over to the store today and be using your images tomorrow!!!!

Thankful

2009-05-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post today about how thankful I am for all the blessings I have had recently. If you've been following along here then you remember a couple weeks ago I posted about priorities in my life and getting back to doing the things that bring me joy. In the moments where I am creating something, a story for Mia, a baked treat for a friend or a scrapbook layout, I find a peace in myself that is so powerful. Everything else stops being important if only for those moments.

I've been renewing the promise to myself to put the creative things more near the front of the list. I mean let's face it...work, daily life, family obligations will always be at the tippy top, but those times for myself are inching a bit closer of late.

On top of that I have been spurred on to share my scrapping work with others. Online forums and ezines are everywhere and it is a blessing when you become part of one that really fits with who you are. I would say that making the DT at Paper Popsicles is the highlight of my scrapping endeavors to date. To be honest with you I wanted that position...BAD! I just love the vibe there and the talent on that site is overwhelming. But I had pretty much convinced myself that there was no way I was going to be one of only three chosen. It was with tears in my eyes that I answered yes to the email asking if I would accept the offer. My first kit is on it's way to me and I am so excited to get started designing for them. Look for sneak peaks on the forums :)

I applied awhile ago for a DT spot with Purple Cows. They manufacture paper trimmers, laminaters all kind of yummy tools. I did not make their team but was so surprised to find a lovely email from them in my account last week. They thanked each and every person that applied and yesterday I received a beautiful 2 in 1 Combo Trimmer simply for submitting my work to them! (Retails for $70.00) WOW...that is customer service at it's best if you ask me. I promptly opened that sucker up and tried it out. All I can tell you is that it is incredible! If you haven't used their products before go try them out! You will love them I promise!!!!

Next I want to send a big ol' THANKS to Webster's Pages. They are really lovely over there. Won their new Sweet as Cherry Pie Line for chatting with them last week. And got my first order from them today. The papers are pure lusciousness! I am not kidding...I wanted to run to my room with them, lock the doors and windows and scrap away! Alas I will be waiting to use them until Friday...sigh!~ Thanks guys, can't wait to see the new line in person!!!

Still with me here 'cause I'm not done yet! Yeah it's been a big week!!!

I started submitting some of my work for publication last December. This is an on and off thing with me. Sometimes I have time to check the calls and if I'm inspired then I submit. I've got 6 projects set for publication starting this month and going through July. That is unbelievable to me!!!

There are women who work behind the scenes getting everything together for the ezine releases and they should be thanked for many things. First, just for all their hard work. Secondly, for recognizing the effort that we scrappers put into our work and praising us in a very wonderful way - by publishing us! And lastly for just being so darn nice to work with.

So here's a shout out to Angela at Scrap n'Art for all of the above and for guiding me through their process. She was determined that I would get those pictures to her in the right size!!! It simply didn't matter that it was who knows what time on who knows what day of the week! This woman works!!! ;)

And a big Thanks to Anne at Scrapbook News and Review. These guys gave me my first pub back in December and have been so supportive of my work!

If you haven't checked out those ezines...do it today!!!

And, since Mother's Day is just around the corner...I want to send a big huge cyber hug and kiss to my mom! She has always been my biggest cheerleader. I miss you so much MOM! You are in my thoughts and prayers every minute of every day!

"Excited" Doesn't Even Begin to Describe It!

2009-05-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Good morning everyone! Well Paper Popsicles has just announced the members of their current Design Team and I am one of them!!!! I've been on pins and needles since submitting my application 2 weeks ago. What an honor to be chosen. I know that there were tons of applications and there are so many talented women on the Paper Popsicles site!

Congratulations to the other designers!!!!!!

I am so excited to begin working with all of you!

Valerie Chmielak, Design Team
Tricia Gorden, Design Team
Amy Duff, Card Connoisseur
Jen Bulter, May Guest Designer
Lynda Lindley, DT Director

If you haven't been over to the site you should go TODAY, sign in and check out the gallery! Loads and loads of talent & inspiration over there!

Also Melissa just released the May kits...I know a couple might already be sold out so get to PPs online store today and get yours. There is also a dynamite sale going on so don't miss out!!!!!

Yes...I said SALE!

CELEBRATE
NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY
with these savings
35% off Available Past Kits
40% off all Stamps
50% off clearance items

Have a great day!!!

365 Pictures

2009-04-29T11:25:00.001-07:00

Yup- I started my 365 blog today thanks to my new friend Carol. She started her project at the beginning of the year with a kit from Becky Higgins...basically you use one picture a day for a year to document your life. I remember seeing something about this last Fall but wasn't sure how I would be able to keep track of all of it and get it together for an album, seemed like a lot of work to me. But Carol has a blog that does just that. What a great way to keep all your pictures and journaling in one spot and a fabulous way to share your life with people in the process. So I stole her idea ;) Thankfully, she is a good sport and has given me so much encouragement to get up and running with this project!

I hope you will follow along with me over the next 365 days! Come check it out.... Leslie's 365

WOW!

2009-04-29T07:55:00.000-07:00

See that yummy sneak peak from Websters Pages below???? Well I won the entire lnie of Sweet As Cherry Pie last night simply for joining in on their online chat! Can you say EXCITED!?!?!?! I sure can...

I am really looking forward to getting their products in my hot little hands. Their papers are so uniquely beautiful!

Have a great day everyone!

If you love Webster's Pages.....

2009-04-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

...then you are gonna love the new Cherry Pie line. Join Brandin, Terri and the bunch over at Webster's Inspire Me blog at 9pm EST tonight for a live chat and chance at a great giveaway!!!

I don't know about you but I want all this fabulous paper on my scrap table NOW!!! I keep going back and looking at it imagining the yummy layouts and altered items I want to create with it!

Happy Monday!

2009-04-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone- Well it's Monday again and though it's cold and overcast here I am getting in the mood for SPRING!

Mia and I took a little trip up to Mt. Vernon on Friday to see the tulip fields.

We really lucked out, a beautiful day, loads of sun, temps up to 80 and nothing but time to drive aimlessly and play.

The flowers were amazing! We stopped anywhere we wanted, met a gorgeous horse that Mia named "Beauty", checked out an old abandonded barn and went to a cool playground.

I love special Mommy/daughter adventure days!!!!

I also completed a wonderful mini album for Mia this weekend. I ordered the kit from Marion at A Piece of Craft blog's new Etsy store. What a perfect little kit!

It arrived 3 days after I ordered it and was chock full of goodies! She packed it with ribbons, primas, tons of bling, charms, pins and yummy papers!!!

I had a set of pictures, some pink glitter chip alphas that had been stiting around forever and a great quote that I wanted to document for Mia.

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

This album was the perfect way to use all those things.

Marion is the QUEEN of the mini album and her You Tube site has tons of great tutorials!

If you haven't checked out Marion's blog/shop you should make a point of it!!!

Hope you all have a great day!

2009-04-24T19:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry I got home a bit late from tiptoeing through the tulips today!

Random.org picked 2 numbers tonight... Ready?????

the first was #12 - Laura!!!!!

LauraBadora said...
Leslie, these are too cute! I'm a white cupcake lover, no chocolate just lots of vanilla! And sprinkles of course for some color ;-)

the second was #4 - Tricia!!!!

Tricia said...
I am a basic cupcake gal. I love me a good betty crocker strawberry cake mix with strawberry icing. YUM YUM YUM

Girls- Emal me your addys & give me a couple days to create the cupcake you described and send it off to you! Congrats!!!!!

Last chance for a CUPCAKE!!!!

2009-04-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

And you KNOW you want one. Just 24 hours or so left to post a comment letting me know what your favorite type of cupcake is. I will be picking 2 winners tomorrow night at 5pm (PST)!!!!!!

Paper Popsicles BLoG: I want CANDY!!!!!

2009-04-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

If you need some more refreshment after the cupcake giveaway below...then check out this sack full of candy from one of my favorite sites, Paper Popsicles! They rock over there and you still have 10 days to enter your work for a DT or GD spot! Check them out today!!!!!

Paper Popsicles BLoG: blog candy *BLOG CANDY* blog candy#comment-form

Cupcake Giveaway!

2009-04-20T12:18:00.001-07:00

My daughter was so enchanted by the paper cupcake that she asked me to make her a Chocolate Strawberry one. I am just loving these cupcakes. I attached the link in the Hello Cupcake post if you want to try your hand at making one. But, if you want me to do all the dirty work for you, post a comment on here by Friday 4/24 5pm PST describing your favorite type of cupcake, flavor etc... I will pick the two that sound the most delicious, create them and send them to the lucky posters. Make sure to include your email addy!

Hello Cupcake!

2009-04-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well after my long winded post yesterday it is definately time to lighten up a bit. The sun is shining, the weather is warming up and I have to share the link to this great tutorial with you. Everyone loves a good cupcake and this one is completely calorie and carb free! YUMMY!!!!

It took me a couple hours to put this cupcake together. I added a stem on the cherry at my daughter's request and am just in LOVE with this project. Look for a few more designs to come and a yummy cupcake giveaway early next week.

Paper Cupcake

Life Lessons

2009-04-14T14:25:00.001-07:00

You know, the longer I am alive the more surprised I seem to be with life. Especially lessons that I seem to have to learn over and over again. Now, maybe I am naive, or perhaps just plain dumb sometimes...but aren't we supposed to learn from our past mistakes and then move forward never to repeat them again? Well, not the case here. I will always be the first one to look at a situation and try to figure out what happened when things go South...what did I do or what could I have done differently. You know sometimes, most times, things really have nothing to do with you at all. Funny when you find out later the reasons for things.

I will say thought that I have been getting much better at filling my life up with the things that mean the most to me, the things that make me feel full, complete. Now for some this comes from relationships, their marriage, parenting, friendships, and I agree that those things can all be very fulfilling. But I've been thinking about that quite a bit recently and stringing your life's hopes and dreams on other people can be risky. I am not saying that those risks are a bad thing...I would never trade a day of being a mom in for ANYTHING! But what happens when my daughter, being the bright and wonderful child she is being raised to be, goes off into her own life? What happens to those hours and days that she fills up for me now? As she sat on my lap a few nights ago and I kissed her sweet little neck it just hit me. So I asked her..."What will Mommy do when you don't want to let me kiss your neck anymore?" Of course she answered.."Mommy, I will ALWAYS let you kiss my neck." I felt the tears well up because at 44 I know what's coming down the pike and that these times with her are fleeting.

So, if I don't think about this now when she's 5 am I doomed to be sitting, stunned and bereft, while away she goes into the world? Perhaps.

In any event, I am thinking about it now. I am coming up on a year anniversary of many changes in my life. About a year ago I got sick with the the flu, Influenza Type A to be exact. I had no idea the impact it would have on my life. Last Easter Sunday I was in bed at my mother in laws during Easter dinner with 104 degree fever. It was the start of a rough 6 months for me. I never recovered well from the flu. And finally was taken to the hospital into emergency with what everyone including my doctor thought was a heart attack. After tons of tests and probably the most frightening night of my life I was told that the bug had attacked my heart muscle. I was put on medication and told to take it easy, avoid stress, rest and get myself well.

Two weeks later we left for a 6 day trip to Disneyland. That was relaxing... By the time we got back I was so tired I thought I would sleep forever. Two days later I quit my job of 4+ years. No notice, nothing. It was an emotional decision but a good one for me. Later that summer I can remember being out in my yard, trying to plant flowers and after three minutes having to come in and lie down because I was so tired. But bit by bit my energy returned.

In August a friend of mine invited me to be her replacement in a scrapping group. She was moving out of town and thought I might be a good fit. I had stopped scrapping about a year before. I was fed up with always being behind and just felt that if I was never going to get caught up then it was pointless. I hemmed and hawed about going to the August group meeting but decided to try it out. But first I promised myself that there were no rules this time. I was not to care if everyone there weas scrapping pictures they took 2 days before with no stacks of 5 year old photos gathering dust in bags and dreawers. The heck with it...I was just going to scrap what and when I wanted. Period! I was not going to measure my sucess by how much I got done in a sitting.

What a change that made in my life, letting myself off my self-created hook. I forgot how rewarding it was for me to be creative. It amazes me that it was so easy for me to just give it up, fill my time with other things. Scrapping and altering have become my passion again and when I look back on this year, although not a perfect one, I have have many things to show for it. My work is making me happier by the day and my first layout I did last August after that year long break was just chosen as Gallery Pick of the Week on the Paper Popsicles Blog. I can't tell you how great that felt.

I have made many new friendships through my scrapping as well...some people I have met in person and some I know from online forums but they are all special and inspire me.

It just shows that we should never put our own loves and passions aside because we are busy being moms, wives, employees...whatever. We have to be, just for ourselves, to have our insides filled up. To be able to give the people in our lives the best part of ourselves.

If you got all the way through this...then thanks for reading!

Full of Bolognie!: Spring Blog Candy!#links#links

2009-04-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Full of Bolognie!: Spring Blog Candy!#links#links

A Few More Things

2009-04-05T19:46:00.001-07:00

to show you all. First off a couple more LO's done with the great kit I got to play with as this month's Guest Designer for Hip 2-b Square. You have to order up this one from Kimberly's What's Hip Kit Club.

And here is a little Maya Road box that had some great chipboard alphas in it. I wanted to make a little box for my daughter and when she saw it exclaimed that it would be PERFECT to hold her Polly Pockets. :)

Finally, went scrapping last night and got two more pages done. Yes, they took awhile but I am happy with how they turned out.

The first is one I did for this week's Viva la Friday Challenge on Scrap Diner. This site has the best challenges and the Design Team is fabulous!

The chipboard altering technique on the first one is so fun to do!

I love working with acrylic paint and rubons and then glazing everything up with a nice coat or two of UTEE (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel).

The second is a testimonial to my love of the Prima Lollipop flower!

That's all for now!

Hip 2-b Square Guest Designer

2009-03-31T16:22:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be guest designing for Hip 2-b Square this month.

Kimberly really knows how to put together a fabulous kit and this month's is no exception! It was filled with great supplies including paper and embellishments from Jenni Bowlin Studio, Sasafrass Lass, Basic Grey, Jillibean Soup & let's not forget those yummy Lollipop flowers from Prima!!!!

Here is a pic of the kit and below are my designs. You can pop into her store in Snoqualmie if you are in the area (Western Washington) or join the What's Hip Kit Club online!

More to come.....

Modern Pirate Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-30T16:52:00.000-07:00

If you've looked at my blog before you know I am a huge fan of the Grosgrain blog. Here's another wonderful dress. I know Mia would L-O-V-E this one! And be sure to check out her amazing photos, what imagination!!!!!

Modern Pirate Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-30T16:41:00.000-07:00

Twilight Tide Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Once again a fabulous giveawy at Grosgrain! You must check out the talent on this site!!!!

Making Strides

2009-03-20T10:31:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report that I am in full scrap mode once again. I am finishing old projects, using up supplies and pictures that have been taunting me for months and dreaming about things I want to work on. It feels good.

The moral of this short story is that I have forced myself to set aside time to scrap. It is far too easy go about my normal routine and at the end of a long day flop on the couch for some mindless t.v. watching. Scrapping at home is tough. Even though I've finally created a space to work in it seems that there are constant interuptions and things that draw my attention away from the task at hand, like laundry...YUCK.

So this will be the third week in a row that I have a scrap night set up, away from the house, with friends to provide inspiration and entertainment. I can't wait!

The Land of the Living

2009-03-16T16:54:00.000-07:00

I think I am returning to it...the land of the living that is. I am not sure what happened to the beginning of this year. It seems that I have missing time, perhaps it got snowed in at Christmas and is just now thawing out? Who knows.

In any event, I am glad to be scrapping again and the time off seems to have helped me a bit. I feel refreshed and excited to be back at it.

Probably the thing I like best about scrapbooking is hanging out with other scrappers, looking at their tricks & techniques, talking and laughing about life, finding the common ground in a room full of friends, strangers, paper and adhesive. Scrapbooking provides an outlet for so many of us. A time to get out of the house, away from our daily responsibilities, a few hours to bond with others before we go back to our lives. We share our love of things both beautiful & distressed, tell stories and keep each other inspired. It doesn't seem like much from the outside but hanging with the girls until midnight a couple times a month is simply good for the soul.

If you are ever in the Snoqualmie Washington area on a Saturday you should definitely check out the 1:30 to midnight crop at Hip 2b Square . The owner, Kimberly is a wonderful hostess, providing a comfortable space and a wide array of fabulous scrapping supplies. Every time I enter her store there are new displays of recently released products calling to me. Needless to say, I love it there!

She also offers great classes and has a Spring Weekend Retreat planned in May. Details are on her website.

I also want to mention the wonderful group of women over at Scrap Diner. I came upon this site while looking for a place to purchase my favorite Aussie Chipboard by Buzz and Bloom and have never left! The owner, Sherine has a wonderful online store and a fabulous forum. She and the Debutant Debs (Design Team) keep things interesting with monthly challenges, crops and a totally inspirational gallery. Her Diner give-aways are very sought after so check out the forum today and submit some work!!! Also, if you order from the Diner be prepared to use your new products right away...Sher is the fastest shipper anywhere. Nothing but service with a smile from her site!

More to come-

Project Cuddle

2009-03-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

Check out the Scrap It Forward Blog and get involved in thier two challenges to benefit Project Cuddle!

Project Cuddle is a non-profit organization whose goal is to help prevent infants from being abandoned.

Take some time to read more about what they do and donate some bottles or pacifiers to them today!

Enter a baby-centered LO to Scrap It Forward to have a chance at a great give-away!

Here's mine.

2009

2009-01-20T14:56:00.000-08:00

I can not believe that we are over half way through January. The time has slipped away from me.

We had an unexpected death in the family on January 3rd. A suicide. So for the most part we are all just getting through these days the best we can.

It so strange to me how life shows you things. The darkest of days have messages of hope if you look hard enough. Sometimes no looking is even required. God just smacks you in the face with hope and the promise of better days. :)

I try to stay open to the opportunities put in my path and the last few days have been exceptional. I have met several people who are going through a similar tragedy in their families and speaking with them has allowed me to start dealing with my own feelings a bit.

I have still not packed up my Christmas things, maybe this week I will muster up the energy to tackle the ever growing number of boxes and bins.

I wanted to post a picture of Mia's snow angel taken on Christmas Day. It is so beautiful and she was so proud of it.

Keep hoping.

End 2008 with a GREAT Cosmo Cricket Giveaway!

2008-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

Check out Life as Lou's Blog for a fabulous give away of tons of Cosmo Cricket products! I love CC and what a nice belated Christmas gift this would be for anyone! Good luck!

December...already?

2008-12-02T20:10:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is December. Where has the year gone? When I look back I guess we accomplished a lot, weathered trails, experienced life and hopefully learned a few things along the way. But I could use a couple more months before ushering out 2008.

I love December though...it's my birth month, my dad's birth month and Christmas time has always been a favorite. Now I can share all of that with my daughter! We drove around looking at lights together tonight and it brought back s many memories of times with my family when I was growing up. My mom was always ready for a drive in the car and we enjoyed many a well decorated house together.

On the scrapping front I got some exciting news on Monday. I will be published for the first time in the 12/6 issue of Scrapbook News and Review e-zine. To say I was excited when I got the email would be a gross understatement. :) And they chose one of my favorite layouts featuring Grammy's Pugs, Donatello, Ralphy and Suzy Q. Make sure to check out their website and subscribe to this fantastic e-zine!

Christmas will be full of homemade gifts this year and I am elbow deep in ornaments, altered items and trying to squeeze out a few layouts as well. My Christmas shopping has been pretty limited so far but I did get a bit done today and hope to finish things up this weekend. My tree needs to come in from the garage and I am going to have a second tree for the first time this year. I am pondering the decorating scheme but haven't decided what to do yet. So much to do...so little time!

May the peace and joy of the season be with all of you!

Paper Flower Ornaments

2008-11-17T16:10:00.001-08:00

Paper Flower Ornaments

Makes 6 ornaments

Supplies Needed:

2 sheets of Basic Grey's Infuse- Breathe

1 sheet of Urban Lily - Just Add Color! Frolic pp

6 wooden clothespins (painted with olive green acrylic)

Assorted inks or acrylic paints

Stickles

Hot glue gun

1) Cut out all the leaves, flowers and stamens.

2) Ink or paint the back of some of the cut outs (I used blue, gold, brown & green ink..whatever colors I had that looked like they would work.)

3) On the petals I would cut down farther than they were marked for some of them so I could get more shape when I curled them.

4) Cut out the Frolic petals and paint one side with a blend of red & pink liquid pearls.

5) Roll the cutouts around pens and smaller paintbrushes to curl.

6) Attach the biggest Basic Grey flower cut outs at the end where you would squeeze to open the clothespin with hot glue.

7) Start layering the rest of the petals to form the flowers. Squeeze the bottom of the Urban Lily cut out together so it fans out at the top and use the Basic Grey stamen shape in the middle.

8) Just bend, twist and shape the pieces to get the look you want.

9) I added in the leaves and the twists of birch bark (from my yard) at the end. Use Stickles to glitter them up.

This is a pretty time consuming process but worth it! TFL!!! Leslie

Grosgrain: GrosgrainStore.com Giftcard GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-11-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

Grosgrain: GrosgrainStore.com Giftcard GIVEAWAY!!!!

This is a wonderful new online store that you really need to look at for Christmas gifts for your little ones... Grosgrain! Check her blog often as she always offers great giveaways!

Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-11-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

Tropical Tree Frog Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

If you don't have this site bookmarked I suggest you do it today! This is one talented woman! Her costumes are to die for...check her out!

Popcorn Balls!

2008-10-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner and I decided to make popcorn balls today! Love them, can't get enough of them and really wanted to check out this family recipe that Sherine from Scrap Diner shared with me! They rock Sherine! Definately chewy gooey pull out your fillings popcorn yumminess...

Grosgrain Online Store!!!

2008-10-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

You have to check out Kathleen work, she is so creative and her clothing is wonderful. Can't wait for the store to open.

Grosgrain: Marie-Thérèse Gown GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-10-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

You will not believe this dress! Please go and check out the wonderful work, you won't believe it! HURRY!!! Time is almost up!

Grosgrain: Marie-Thérèse Gown GIVEAWAY!!!!

Happy Haunting!

2008-10-25T11:20:00.001-07:00

The time is come to unveil the fabulously Frightful Freaks Kit from Scrapbook Supplies Direct.
I have really enjoyed Guest Designing for them this October and I loved working with Cosmo Cricket's Haunted line. The papers and embellishments in this kit will definitely inspire you to get your Halloween scrapping done.

The kit has everything you need for all your Halloween projects including Technique Sheets with step-by-step instructions to re-create the designs that The Scrapbook Design Team™ has created. Christine, the 4th Quarter Designer, has put together some really spooky projects as well. Check out the forums and gallery for even more ideas! And I will be posting a tutorial showing my technique for turning chipboard letters into fabulous wall hangings, tags and decorations (like the Spider Tree above). Don't miss it!

And be sure to check out the Halloween Hoopla event happening this weekend. It is sure to be a bast, with lots of games, challenges and chances to win. Sign up for the newsletter and get all the details.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

Mia and I took full advantage of the beautiful weather yesterday and visited our favorite local pumpkin' patch. She always loves to go there because there is a horse and donkey, assorted dogs, roosters & ducks. There were lots of great scarecrows this year as well as a little hay maze. I love to go there because it is such a beautiful spot....they have a dahlia garden, a gourd trellis and lots of great pumpkins! I also was able to buy some local Chantarelle mushrooms and they were delish! Hard to believe it has only been 4 years since this picture... I have a big girl now. She looked so grown up yesterday it broke my heart. I want to keep her exactly as she is forever.

We got 2 big pumpkins....one is 54 lbs and the other 24lbs. I can't wait to carve them up this year!................

Candy Month

2008-10-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

If you haven't visited Alexandra at her California Stampin' blog now would be a great time to! She is doing a week's worth of RAK's and has so many wonderful things on her blog to inpire you! Check it out.

YUMMY BEAUTIFUL give away!

2008-10-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

There is still time to get your chance at winning an incredible array of yummy new product over at Websterspage Blog.. Check out the Hello Beautiful line and try not to drool. I don't know about you but I am envisioning layout after layout with these fab products!!!

Halloween Door Hanger

2008-10-12T21:21:00.000-07:00

Here is my first project as Guest Designer for Scrapbook Supplies Direct. Cosmo Cricket's Haunted line is featured here with the Rub Ons.

I've used Cosmo Crickets Buck Naked Alpha Buttons, a couple coats of Lime Green Acylic paint, then the rub ons. I've added the beautiful gloss with 3 coats of UTEE and attached the letters together with some Halloween ribbon.

TFL!

Ready... Set.... Create!

2008-10-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

I received my kit from Scrapbook Supplies Direct a couple of days ago and I'm so excited to be guest designing for them this month.

I want to give a big thanks to Jeanne the fabulous owner of SSD for sending me this wonderful box full of the Cosmo Cricket Haunted line. I have been looking at all the papers and formulating my scrapping game plan...and finally started my first project using some of the yummy Haunted Rub ons! I will post some pics tomorrow after I finish things up.

Needing Prayers

2008-10-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

My uncle Tom has stage 4 throat cancer and needs your prayers! He is 2 weeks into his chemo and radiation treatment and feeling like he wants to give up. The treatment is horrible, his throat is swollen, raw and bleeding. He can't eat, can't swallow and feels terrible. He doesn't think he can through 5 more weeks of this. He needs every prayer that he can get.

If you have a minute please pray for him!

Following Up

2008-10-06T09:57:00.001-07:00

I realized that I never posted about the surprise visit from Mia's birthmom.... It went very well.

She and Mia spoke on the phone before she arrived and I think that helped calm her nerves about the visits. Mia was so excited to see her again and as soon as they arrived she took her upstairs to see her room. They played for about an hour until lunch was ready. It was a difficult hour for me. I was antsy and jumpy and REALLY wanted to be upstairs. But I knew in my heart that it was so important for them to have the alone time together. I guess it always about letting our children go. I always have to remember that Mia is a gift. Children are not our posessions and should never be treated like they are.

I owe Mia's birthmom the time to come to terms with the situation. I try to remember what 24 was like for me. Then I try to imagine what it is like for her and I feel overwhelmed with compassion for her. She did a brave thing in the face of what many would call a huge "mistake". Well, that "mistake" saved my life.

The most important thing is to keep the openess in my heart and not let the fears push that out.

October Has Arrived

2008-10-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone- I have been so busy that October has arrived without a mention from me! So I need to get blogging and fill you in .

First off, don't miss out on this chance to win some fabu Blog Candy! Wait until you see the adorable cards JJ creates! Pop on over and see what she's up to.

I have been working and spending time with the family. But finally got down to some scrapping yesterday and finished a LO that I started on Thursday. I know it was card making day...but I had to get this project finished first and hopefully will get to some cards today.

Hope you like it... Check out the fabulous arrow chippy from Buzz and Bloom. I just received a box of their great product from the amazing store at Scrap Diner. Ordered and the product was in my hot little hands in 2 days! GREAT SERVICE there...even came with a piece of candy that I shared with my daughter!

I am Guest Designing this month for Scrapbook Supplies Direct and hope you come on over and check out the site. They are having their call for November Guest Designer and that will end on the 15th... so get over there and throw your hat in the ring! I will be doing a weekly challenge throughout the month of October and have some great prizes to giveaway to the winners!

My Little Baker Girl

2008-09-29T22:52:00.000-07:00

My girl loves to be in the kitchen with her mom. And I love having her there.

I am as addicted to baking as a person can be so Mia has grown up with an appreciation for things like homemade scones and lavender truffles.

When her cousin Max gave her a cooking set for her birthday she couldn't wait to try it out. The next day she donned her apron, got out her kiddie sized pans and utensils and declared that she was going to make brownies with white chocolate chips and marshmallows.

And she did!

Way to go Mimi...they were delicious!

Get your DOODLE on!

2008-09-29T17:06:00.001-07:00

This is fantastic...if you are feeling in a creative slump you should check this out...

Surprise...

2008-09-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

We were expecting Mia's biological Grammy today for lunch and she just called to say that Mia's birth mom (her daughter) has decided to come as well. This is a huge shock. We have only met her once 3 years ago when Mia had just turned 2.

Needless to say I am in a panic. There are so many emotions that are spinning around my head right now. First and foremost, you just want everything to be right...no lulls in the conversation, no awkward questions being asked or answered, everyone getting along and having a wonderful time.

Most importantly I want to do everything right for my daughter. To teach her acceptance, love, gratitude and compassion, to help her feel comfortable and secure. To MAKE SURE she always knows that no matter what choices the adults in her life have made she was always considered and the choices were made with love and respect for her.

Anyway- I could ramble forever on this topic but I have to go and clean my house.

Wish us luck!

Halloween Blog Candy!

2008-09-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

It's Trick or Treat time...Check out the yummy goody giveaway at Scrapz N Stuff!

2008-09-25T10:35:00.001-07:00

October Guest Designer Announced

2008-09-22T14:36:00.001-07:00

And it's me! Wow!!!

I have only been scrapping again since August. Life got crazy and I stopped for about a year. I decided- against all odds- to put my hat in the ring for a DT or GD position at the great site http://www.scrapbooksuppliesdirect.com/. It is a small but growing site with a lot of wonderful women participating and I felt at home from the first day I logged on. I am really excited to get my scrapping ramped up for the month of October and hope you all come over to the site and check it out. If you are like me and prefer a small pond with people that really support you and listen to your comments and suggestions then SSD is the place for you!

Come join us. There will be a call for the November Guest Designer running from October 1-15th!

Visit's End

2008-09-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

Well I am getting ready to take my dad to the airport this morning. He has been staying with us since the end of June and it seems that time has gone by pretty fast this visit.

My dad has always been able to come and stay with us a couple times a year since my daughter was born and she always loves the special times with her Papa. He has helped me out in many a childcare pinch over the years, sometimes getting on a plane in a matter of days to be here.It is great to see the close bond he has with my daughter, they had a special "thing" between them from the moment they first laid eyes on each other. Love at first sight I guess. I know that she will remember the times with him forever, just like I remember spending time with my Grandad.

This is the first time that she is really grasping the fact that he is LEAVING though. It will probably be a rough day for all.

My dad will be 76 this year, is probably in better shape than I am, but you never know what life brings and I hope and pray that we will be blessed enough to have him here again soon.It is important for me to sit and write about how much I love my dad.

We are very similar and he aggravates me a lot...sometimes on purpose. It is hard to appreciate our time together sometimes and I feel guilty about it. I have been craving alone time all summer and I wonder how much I am really going to like it once he's gone.

Anyway, here's a big thanks to my dad for :

Always washing the dishes for me!

Helping me clean my house all summer.

Making the trips to the freezer to get more bread.

Playing with Mia when I am swamped with work.

Picking about 40 pounds of berries with/for me this summer.

Always helping me make jam.

Changing my flat tire in the middle of the highway 2 weeks ago.

Always forcing me to go to Costco for the hot dog meal and sharing his frozen yogurt with me.

Putting up with my moods.

Just being there.

I'll miss you dad...come back soon!

Tired

2008-09-16T11:37:00.000-07:00

Will I ever get enough sleep again?

I can honestly say that I have been tired for 5 years now. It started when my daughter was a baby. SHE NEVER SLEPT! I can vividly remember wanting to hit other moms when they told me that their kids slept through the night when they were 6 weeks old. Never say things like that to an overtired cranky 40 year old! NEVER.

I was able to restrain myself from physically battering them but in my head I always heard the refrain..."Liar, Liar, pants on fire!" I think I had lost it by the time she was sitting up.

So fast forward to Fall 2008. I've had house guests since June, changed jobs this summer, been nursing a heel spur that refuses to go away and has crippled me to the point that I can barely get around and been up most nights with my daughter who has recently been experiencing growing pains, started seeing monsters under the bed and having nightmares about giant pinching insects (nice). Once I am up I can't get back to sleep. Too much to think about in the middle of the night.

I have also had a falling out with my brother, and had my heart broken by someone I thought was my best friend of almost 5 years. Talk about stressful...

In August I made a drastic move. I rearranged my bedroom and set up a scrapping areas just for me. I have always been creative, went to art school and love anything that I can make from nothing. I loved to scrap and had been going along at a nice clip until about a year ago. Then life got too hectic, the job had turned into a nightmare, my daughter was requiring more time and the first thing to go was scrapping quickly followed by yoga. I made the big mistake of letting go of the things I needed to do to keep me sane.

So, I am scrapping again. I can not believe all that has changed in a year. I was horrified to see that all my papers & embellishments were sorely outdated. I just had to start shopping for supplies again...there was no choice! I also started doing some online tutorials and visiting scrappy sites to get myself reacquainted with the scrap world. There is so much to see online that if you don't watch out you will be so busy reading and watching that you will never have time to scrap again!!!!

After visiting a ton of different sites I stumbled upon www.ScrapbookSuppliesDirect.com and found a wonderful community of scrappers. In the few weeks I have been lurking around there I have yet to see one thing that would make me want to turn tail and run. In fact it is everything I was looking for in a support site for scrappers. Hey...there's support! But not just that there are great contests, tons of great tips & tricks and a gallery that is jam packed with creativity. Oh did I mention that there are women there? Real women who love to scrap and don't feel the need to be anything but nice and respectful to the others in the forums?

I decided to try out for their Design Team Call. There are 2 positions they are trying to fill right now. One is a Guest Designer for October 08, the other is for a long term designer with the position lasting 3-6 months. I thought that throwing my hat into the ring would be a good way to challenge myself and get busy scrapping again. So starting about 2 weeks ago I began working like a mad woman trying to get some work done to submit. The cutoff was last night at 10p.m. my time. I had a couple very late nights leading up to the end of the call but it was so worth it. I am not sure if I have a chance at the positions or not but I do know that the call was the spark I needed to get going again. They will be picking the new DTs by the 20th. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

And go check out the site if you haven't already.

I'm off to sleep at my desk for a bit!

September 15th 2008

2008-09-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

Five years ago today I woke up, got dressed, went to work, went out to dinner, had one too many for a Monday night and went to bed. All without knowing that my daughter had been born at 11:24 that morning. I found that out three days later.

One random phone call and my life did an about face.

You would think that I would have been somewhat prepared, but I wasn't. My inherent defence mechanism of self preservation forced me to accept that I would never be a mom. Being on the list to adopt made no diffence. It was the only way that I could get through my life, day by day, without succumbing to the black hole of infertility.

As I reflect on the past five years I can't help but think of all the ups and downs we have in life. Parenting my daughter has been a challenge, full of wonder, tears of pain, joy and heart stopping love. One hopes to always learn from and never to repeat mistakes made. A pipe dream for the most part I think. I can only now appreciate how much my parents did for me and the struggles they faced.

One day, when my daughter is much older, I will try to explain all this to her with the full knowledge that she will not understand any of it until she is a mom.

But for today, I will hold her, tell her how much she is loved and wish her Happy 5th Birthday!

Mia, the day you came to me was the best day of my life. No words can describe how blessed I feel to be your mom.

Always-