Hand Print Christmas Tree Skirt ~Super Simple Tutorial~

I LOVE capturing my children's hand prints. A few years ago, my friend Suzanne, who just so happens to be Jewish;) gave me this super cute idea for a Christmas tree skirt. It's made with one hand print from each of my children each year. It is so neat to see how they've grown each year as we pull it back out.

I use gold acrylic paint from the craft store. I don't worry about keeping it the same exact shade (manufacturer) from year to year as I mix up the hand print spacing anyway. The kids are expert hand print makers by now so this project only takes me a few minutes at the beginning of each season. 

A chunky paintbrush makes paint application quick and tickely for extra fun;) Simply paint the hand, press it onto the skirt, and carefully lift off so the print doesn't smear.

Then, use a paint pen to mark the child's initial and year. Voila!

Merry Christmas!

Back Porch Memories Medley Kit

I'm thrilled to be back over at Back Porch Memories this month working with their Medley Kit. The December kit includes a wide variety of papers and embellishments from Teresa Collins, My Mind's Eye and Fancy Pants.

 This layout is based on the sketch at BPM this month. I love the bright, fun colors! I fussy cut some of the papers and used a border punches on others.  I used my Cricut to cut the deer, love how majestic they look. I am staying current on Christmas layouts for the first time in YEARS! These photos are from THIS year. YAY! 

With some of my kit scraps I wrapped up our chicken feeder candy dispenser. Whipped this out in 10 minutes, even with border punching and machine stitching.

This layout is my first go at a gallery wall layout. I just adore this type of layout. This page starts off my 2014 Christmas album. See, told you I was keeping up this year! It features some, not all, {my children let me know} of our favorite traditions during December. Seriously though, we have LOTS of traditions, waaaaay too many for one page so I told them this is just a teaser for the rest of the album. 

To create the layout I used the Teresa Collins Tinsel & Company goodies that came in my Back Porch Memories kit. I cut the center out of the back paper "frame" to use in other projects and then I trimmed the background paper to fit. Next I cut the frames using both my Cricut and Cameo. I cut the title with the Cameo using white cardstock but it just didn't have the look I wanted. So I gave the title and some of the frames a bit of shine using embossing powder. Then I went to town placing my chipboard and sequins. After I got them all placed in the spot I wanted them to go in, I used a little gold acrylic paint on a few of them, just for a bit of extra shine. I added sequins to the chipboard tree as it was silver and for balance I wanted it gold. 

I've got a couple more layouts using my kit and some SUPER CUTE photos to share with you soon.

Happy Holidays!

6 to 7 with a shadowbox layout

It is really hard for me to believe that my baby boy is already 7 years old. It seems like time increases in speed each and every day. Sigh.

As his birthday approached I went to search in his scrapbook for the layout I did of him wearing his 5 shirt and his 6 shirt. 

I couldn't find it anywhere. Then I remembered that the layout had been called for publication last spring in one of the Northridge Publications magazines. Exciting at the time but somewhat devastating now as I have received neither compensation nor my project back. I know something odd is going on at Northridge but they have TEN of my projects, three of them precious layouts of my children and I so want them back.

However, I have come to the sad realization that I may not ever get them back. So today, I scraplifted my 5 to 6 layout while also following a sketch from Back Porch Memories.

 I used the Walnut Grove line of papers from Pebbles, love this line!
 I've seen shadowboxes everywhere lately so I wanted to try my hand at it. So fun! I used my Sizzix and the Hearts die to cut both chipboard and cardstock. I layered them together and topped the stack with a piece of acetate cut from the temporary license plate holder off my oldest son's car. (Serious upcycling!) Then I topped it with a red piece of cardstock, filled it with some square sequins and closed the back with an orange die cut of the large heart.

I make him a new shirt every year using my Cricut and some Pellon. (Click here for a tutorial) I've used a bit of the extra fabric on both of the layouts just to give them that extra sentimental touch. I also used the same arrow stamp from Maya Road that I used on the 5 to 6 layout.  I feel like I  recreated a little of it in this new layout while adding some of my current favorites: twine clusters, wood veneer hearts and sequins.

So far he loves the shirts but I know the age when he won't is coming. And coming quickly. So I'm enjoying every moment right now!

Hello High School & December Daily Finally Finished

It is still hard for me to believe that I have a child in high school. Two? Oh. Yeah, I mean TWO young men in high school. Sigh. I do remember my mom telling me that time would fly, boy was she right!

 So, my freshman was kind enough to let me snap a quick photo of him setting his locker up. Then I took a photo of little tiny him in front of great big school. That bottom photo pretty much sums it all up for me. Sigh.

The supplies for this layout are out my GDT kit from Back Porch Memories. The line is Notable from We R Memory Keepers. LOVE.

Ahhhhh, back to babies. This is my dear, sweet, little baby girl last winter enjoying the snow. She must have been FREEZING but she never stopped smiling or enjoying the winter wonderland in our very own backyard. Supplies are MORE {can you believe how much they squeeze into the kits?} out of my GDT kit from BPM. This line is Fancy Pants' Timbergrove. Swoon.

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On another note...

I...

Finally finished my December Daily album. My BFF came over and looked at it a few days ago...it wasn't quite finished then and that was all the push I needed. Three hours later...done, finished, complete. 

These are a few of my favorite pages:

As you may notice from these photos, I still have a Christmas tree up...having a little trouble letting the season go this year. Strange, I am usually VERY ready to put it all away come the New Year. Hmmmm, not sure what this means.

Check back soon for a super simple tutorial on how I made the background paper for my "Snow Day" layout. In the meantime, take a peek at these magazines out this month, I have a few fun projects featured in them;)

Happy New Year, Project Life and Back Porch Memories

Phew, that is quite a title. I guess I am worn out from the holidays, the creative titles just aren't coming to me;).

Let me begin by wishing you a very Happy New Year! We stayed up with the littles this year and so are still recovering a bit. Here they are at 11:16 New Year's Eve:

You might notice that Nikolas is missing. He left for a party earlier in the evening. 

I knew this day would come. I also knew I would never be ready for it. I must admit that I did shed a tear or two but I know I need to let him spread his wings. Still. It was our first official holiday where we did not celebrate it all together. Sigh.

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Moving right along, I have some exciting news! I am guest designing over at Back Porch Memories this month. It feels so nice to dip my toe back into designing with a team again. The group over there is fantastic and I have really enjoyed getting to know them. I have a sneak peek at the Medley kit I am playing with this month:

I have been running both my Cricut and my Cameo in overdrive cutting lately. For this layout I cut feathers, arrows, leaves and corn. I used both embossing and distress ink to give the cornstalk some texture and depth. I created the cornstalk in Cricut Craft Room using the Just Because Cards cartridge. Originally it had only one ear of corn but with a couple quick clicks I gave it three. If you have a Cricut and you haven't tried CCR, I highly recommend it.
 I just love the look of autumn layouts with TONS of distressing, hence my paper edges in this layout.  I am also really loving layering these days. Perhaps I feel like my stash is large enough to indulge in it a bit;). The Medley kit from Back Porch Memories has tons of papers and is filled with all sorts of great little embellishments. I have three more layouts in progress and even a couple of cards! It you are up for a game-challenge, I am hosting Bingo at BPM this month:

 

Simply complete a layout including each item in any row or column and load it into the gallery at BPM. That's it. {You don't even have to use a kit} Each entry earns you a spot in the grand prize drawing at the end of the month. I'd love to have you join me. For details, come visit us on the Back Porch.

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Lastly, I am giving Project Life a try this year. I have debated this undertaking for a couple of years now. I actually bought my kit in July. I thought that might be enough time for me to learn enough about how to do it, how to stay organized and especially how to stay motivated. I used a similar format for my December Daily (almost completed...) just for some practice. And now, (imagine drumroll please) my cover page:

Off and scrapping! 

In December I bought myself a sweet little weekly calendar so I could keep notes and such. You know, stay super organized so I wouldn't forget any details or lose any memorabilia... Well, I went to pull it out on Wednesday to make an entry about the bonfire we had in the backyard and would you believe it!?!?! LOST. Really? Is that how 2014 is gonna go? I just kept calm and took my dad to Target where he promptly bought me a new one. (He doesn't know about the lost one...ssshhhh).

May you have a healthy, happy and scrappy New Year!