Imaginisce is "Enchanted"

This week is the Launch Party at Imaginisce for their new line: "Enchanted".

The previous Princess line was wildly popular-and so this year brings a new line, that coordinates, and offers something for EVERYONE! Lots of patterns to choose from, and enough theme to get those girlie pages DONE! Way too sweet to miss!

So, since I have a girlie girl, I went right for the obvious!
I wanted to use the castle and carriage and make something for Cora to see, not just in an album, but everyday! THIS girl of mine is in love with mirrors! :)

This day, I took her to the empty lot, when it was teaming with seeded out dandelions. Great neighbors, huh? Well, our future lawn issues aside, there is nothing so enchanting than a field full of these whimsical weeds! A had just gotten some tutu's at a garage sale. How is a mom/photographer to resist?

I already have a couple of the pictures from that day framed, and on the wall... time to scrap!
"Enchanted" was PERFECT for these!

Got my i-rock tool out for these...
I really put my foam squares to work on this one! And ya gotta love a crown! These metallic background stickers are VERY popular at the store! Always the first to sell out! This layout, I had some more fun with my i-rock! OK, can I just say, once you start to i-rock, it is REALLY hard to stop!!! I mean it! It is SO easy and fun! Ya start thinking EVERYTHING needs some bling!
I LOVE the die cuts (titles, shapes and borders!) of this line! Mkes it really easy to get some layouts DONE! And these borders... easy peasy cards come to mind too!

And I have been HOARDING I guess, some other lines layouts! I forgot I hadn't shared these!
From Birthday Bash... it feels SO good to get some layouts done from years ago! These pictures-Gavin's 1st birthday... he'll be 10 in March. Ugh. :)

There are banners on the printed paper (red with white lines) I cut banners from the colored banner sheet and popped them up with foam to highlight some of the banners on the printed paper...
Can I just say, Imaginisce makes the BEST rub-ons! I have used some STINKY rub-ons before. Theirs are not! They don't come off too easily, yet aren't a pain to GET off where you want them!
Perfect!

Can you tell I did this layout and the last one at the height of the banner craze? :)
That is another great thing about Imaginisce paper... you might buy a sheet for the "theme" but there are plenty of prints to choose from on the back sides or even the front that can be used for so much more than the theme!

So head over to the Imaginisce blog! They are the MOST generous ever!
You can win just about EVERY week!!
And the inspiration!
Thanks for stoppin' by!

(And can I TELL you how good it feels to CREATE! I have been wanting to hit my Imaginisce stash SO bad! Feels good! More coming SOON!)

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AHHH! Almost FORGOT! It's Sneak Peek Day over at The Story Matters!
I say this every month, I know... but December is my NEW favorite kit! SO much in it!
We really tried to "up" the embellishment! I think your gonna love it!
...and day 15 of the 30 days of gratitude... skipped a day or two, or posted on TSM and didn't post here. That is the best part (for all of you) you can post to us once or every day... each time you post, you are entered to win!!
{day 15... finding treasure in the everyday.}

gratitide day 9...

I decided this was the day to express my gratitude for old friends and great memories...
I use to work at a marine lab.
I got to be a dolphin trainer.
And I miss it regularly.

I love my life, but how could I NOT miss these "friends" I left behind.
Another, not quite as wet friend, Traci Kendall-she started the lab when I did, but she has been there since I left 12 years ago! WOW!

Anyway, that is what my gratitude if about today... old friends.
(nmfs#13602)

The Story Matters November!

The Story Matters November is available today...
And it was just as fun to create with as any other... maybe more so for me.
I got four layouts done one right after another.
These papers inspire me.
I like kits, because when you have a kit, you can challenge yourself to use at least:______ of it before the next one comes. Hence, you create each month.
I need that.

So without boring you any longer-here are my creations for November!
I forget to grab this border punch more... I think you are suppose to weave ribbon though it... :)
There's that 25 cent punch again! :)
THIS was a fun layout to make! I cut, and masked and misted (2 colors)... and used an older picture. Check out my GLASSES! Dang cool, I say!
To explain the title... we are vet tech's (RVT's) but that didn't work with the title I wanted, so I played with it-used the "cute" title, and corrected myself as part of the fun. :)
I love using punches... they are such a cool little tool!
This one, the picture isn't the best picture of the layout, since you really can't see the sewing between or on each layer. But it too was fun to create. LOVE my sewing machine still! "Sew" easy to take to crops. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.)
My handsome dude... my oldest. He really IS the thinker. :)
Oh, and my beautiful husband is featured in this layout for this weeks challenge over at TSM!
"Friends and Family". Doesn't really get any easier a subject, does it?
I sewed a lot on this one too... I was experimenting with scrapping down the middle, instead of using my trustworthy design triangle. It's OK.
Thanks for looking! We are trying to get the website updated, but it will SAY November very soon! You can still check out and it will be Novembers kit you are purchasing, I promise!

gratitude - day 4

{a place to call home.}

In December it will be two years... there are messes that are still "moving in" messes in my house. Two years?!?!? Nu-uh!
I am grateful for the blessing it is to have a home. And we got to be the first to live/love here.
We are the first to make memories in this house.
I love this house. I would love a housekeeper too... but ya can't have everything.

Seriously-jump in (30 days of gratitude.) And by doing so, you can be entered to win! Go here!

gratitide... day 3

I almost forgot to post it here! I have been posting to TSM's blog.
But hey. Not a bad idea to share here too...{unexpected joy on regular days. like rainbows.}

MAN I love rainbows! My good friend says I am luck that way-seeing rainbows (and having a camera in hand to prove it! :) )
You never know now many more we will get to see, so I want to make sure I appreciate each on.

Imaginisce Design Team Try-outs!!

You do NOT want to miss a chance to join the Imaginisce Team!!
I can say it is the BEST team EVER!
My "boss" is FANTASTIC and FUNNY!
And GENEROUS!
So give it a try!

Gratitiude Day 2...

OK, so it is a bit predictible... but how can I not be grateful for my children-their health and happiness! Especially as we fight for the happiness of this little girl we flew to Ukraine 5 years ago to bring home to our crazy little family. Attachment disorder... it is a hard fight. But it isn't winning. It tried. We're winning. Thank God.

This picture brings me joy. So much joy.
Despite my self image, my insecurities about my parenting, and my perceived shortcomings...
For the joy I experience in spite of it all, I am VERY grateful.

Whether you join in one day, or 30 days-tell me/us what you are grateful for in November, and there is a prizes to be won @ The Story Matters!

Imaginisce November Sketch!

Imaginisce Sketch Time!
The talented Melinda Spinks created this fabulous sketch for November!It was REALLY easy to use-one I KNOW I will be using in the future!

I have Christmas on my mind.
On facebook, a friend said "no haters, but we are getting our Christmas decorations out today!"
And honestly, I kinda envy her enthusiasm.
So in the spirit of skipping Thanksgiving as a decorating holiday...
here's my Christmas Cottage layout! :)
(OK, so I did a winter layout.)

There was an edge left around the journaling sticker I had already used on the sheet. I cut out the remaining frame, and placed it on white cardstock, to make this jouranling box...
I need about 10 more packages of these babies! (Acrylic snowflakes!)
Hope you got a chance to see everyone's creations! They're great, aren't they??
Now go create something and be entered to win BIG! GO! :)

OH, and go check out The Story Matters... we are going to be doing a 30 Days of Gratitude!
There will be a prize possibility there too!

Day 1 (30 Days of Gratitude):

I am grateful for personal relationship... yep, I am grateful for God.
A God I know... Who has gotten me through more trials than I could ever count...
So my picture for today:
Don't worry-tomorrow's gratitude will probably be Q-tips... they aren't ALL deep! :)

The Story Matters October...

I was late getting this posted... I want to say "life happens" because it does.

I have actually considered "quiting" scrapbooking.
Not because I don't like it, but because lately, since my life is upside down many days, the only the way I feel I DO have any control is to make things as simple as they can be.
And my scrap space is anything but calming. It'll get there.

But what I would miss most about scrapbooking isn't the paper (which I love to play with), or the embellishment, it's the people I scrap WITH. I don't want to lose that common connection with them.

Nor do I want to lose my "paper therapy". I feel I create things that to ME mean something. If someone else likes them, bonus.

So for now, not quiting.

I'll just have to settle with being behind schedule most of the time.

I will post all four here on my blog... since I don't think anyone has been stopping by much anymore (I stop posting, you stop visiting. I take full responsibility) and I don't think I have to come back to post again when the sketch comes out tomorrow. :)

I DID get a new toy... cheap, but good quality. The Janome Sew Mini. I guess there is a Hello Kitty version too?? It goes on sale for $39.99 sometimes! :)
It is a little powerhouse! I was impressed! And it was simple enough for me to make bobbins, thread, and use! THAT is saying a lot, since lately I have the attention span of a gnat.

So lots of sewing...

This one, I had just bought this little heart punch for 25 cents at the garage sale the crop I was at was having! I was happy it even worked!

LOVE this picture of Gavin playing in the surf. He was in his own world, while off in some fantasy in his head...

This was me going a little nutty with the sewing. Hindsight, I would have rathered it be brown thread, but that's OK... first shot at sewing, and I had fun!
For this... I had an idea in my head, and I wasn't exactly sure where I was going with it all...
I kept it simple... following suit with that goal in my life.
There is a little picture of the kids and I overlooking the ocean in front of the marine lab. It was surreal to be there again, but with 3 kids. Even when I had three kids (left at home) when I visited last time, it wasn't the same as them BEING there... And it makes me reflect on where I have been, and where I am going... with them and for myself.
This sketch, I created (and used previously... the layout I created previously with it is in my gallery) but sweet Megan Klauer made it digital for me. :)
Thanks Megan!
I have more than one friend that cringes when I hand my "expensive" camera to one of my boys. I don't... I love seeing the world through THEIR eyes, not just mine. Gabriel was shooting with my Rebel with the 28-200 lens, while I had the 50D with the 50mm f1.8 on it. I knew were were about to go into the aquarium, and the 50mm would serve me best. But I wanted to bring my zoom lens just in case I was outside later and wanted to catch seals or sea lions at a distance... which I did...

And thanks for stopping by! There are only a couple October TSM kits still availalbe! Better HURRY!

I'm BAAAck! :)

WOW! THat might have been the longest I have gone without blogging!


Being on a 10 day vacation was part of it. I am a realist. I know I would not blog while on vacation. I only "facebooked" because I can take a picture on my phone and upload it on the go!


But it is Imaginisce monthly Sketch time! Time to create for a chance at a GREAT prize!

He-LLO! So worth it! It's Imaginisce!


So anyway...

Here is the sketch:
and (see a trend here) here is my take!
Thanks for looking!!
So GO, make a layout! Tell your story!

September Reveal @ The Story Matters!!

It's that time of the month!
It's time for a new kit!
Time for "Extraordinary" inspiration... (OK, that's this months kits name...)
I realized the two layouts I took pictures, one was a future challenge! DOH!
Runnin' out the door to work (Scrapaganza!)
I'll share more later (including this layouts journaling.)

There are VERY limited quantities of this kit! We are almost sold out on pre-orders!
So get yours TODAY!!
**See where I hid the journaling? The sewing on the right is on the score line...
And the spinner holds the right side of the page down. The whole section of orange floral on the right lifts up to reveal the journaling (pictured below).
THIS layout was a bit therapeutic... I might be doing more of that in the future!

Imaginisce Sketch Time!

You WANT to take the time to participate in the Imaginisce Sketch Challenges!
Not only do you get some scrapbooking done that way, but you also have a chance to WIN!!
So use this:
and link yourself to the blog here!
Oh, and go give the design team some love too!
LOTS of great inspiration!!

Here is my take! Leave it to me to mix it up! :) Love my white space!!