Starting off 2014 the right way....

Well we will see how well I can keep up, my goal is to blog once a week.  Realistically I know I will not blog everyday and not even every other day but once a week, I should be able to handle that.  Maybe, at least I'm going to make an attempt.

I figured I would start off the year with some picture of my "creative space".  I call it this because it's just that a space, an area in our game room/family room upstairs.  I do my editing here, my scrapbooking, my project life and any other crafty type thing I can come up with.

My area consists of a huge desk I got for $20 on craigslist, a kitchen island cart from Ikea, a white desk from Ikea (formally part of our family command station) and my newest addition the small gray metal cart I got from Ikea this past weekend.  I was so close to getting the Raskog cart but I saw this one and it was $20 cheaper and would do the trick.  Along the back wall I have these black metal shelves that hold albums, paper, tools I don't use, a typewriter that I got for $5 (currently not working), and then my daughter's sewing machine that I took over.

My area is functional but I long for the day that I can have a room to myself and I can do all cute functioning matchy matchy stuff. LOL

Sorry for the phone pictures but 1. I didn't feel like getting out my "big" camera and 2. If I wanted to make this post happen and have pictures I needed it quick and simple.

Old Photo & New Layout

I'm going back through old photos, trying to scrap some of my favorites that I never got around to doing.  I started scrapbooking in 2001 but then stopped after a couple of years. I finally picked it back up in 2010 and I haven't looked back.  I love making pages.  I have tons of photos that I took before I started scrapping and from my break.  I don't think I will ever run out of things to scrapbook, at least I hope not.

This photo is of my oldest daughter Alexis, I took this photo back in 2008 she was 13 at the time and I just started getting into photography more. I used most of the March Studio Calico kit and some stamps from previous kits the flowers are from the embellishment grab bag that I scored.  The white dots are made with Mr. Huey's Calico White mist on a polka-dotted mask, then I just stamped sentiments in between the lines and used the Amy Tan thickers that came in the kit for a tone on tone look.

Thanks for looking...

Me - Layout Share

Looking at my layouts that I never blogged and I found this one. It was a self portrait I took at 12:12pm on 12-12-12.

My hair is not green, it's the photo I took with one of my apps, just in case anyone was wondering. lol

Love It - Layout Share

Face it....I suck at blogging.  I do, I am not going to sugar coat it. I get busy I simply forget or run out of time to blog...there I said it, no reason to say any more....Let's keep it moving.

I do get to scrapbook I post way more on Instagram than I blog, it's just way more easier, I wish I could link my Instagram to my blog.  That would make it so much easier.

This is my first layout with my Feb kit from Studio Calico...I have so many layout that I need to post so with me being off for a few days from my real full-time job I can get around to posting them. We shall see....

A simple layout...I put two pieces of the ombre washi together and cut the title using my cameo, I really like the wood arrows that came in the kit too.

The 2 of You Getting Along - Layout Share

I'm finally getting around to blogging some of my layouts, I hope I can keep it up.

This layout is using some various items from Studio Calico kits.  Most of it is from Block Party (Jan Kit) but some of it is from 34th Street (Dec Kit).

I found this picture in my daughter's instagram, I usually look for picture for project life, but I came across this picture that she took of herself and her brother.  They are always fighting but I found this was so cute that they actually liked each other for a few minutes and took some cute pictures.

Thanks for looking...

New Year...New Outlook

With the new year I decided I wanted to be a healthier me...I am not doing this for nothing else but for me.  It's not a resolution because let's face it those are meant to be broken, it's more of an agreement I'm having with myself.

I plan to eat better and exercise more.  I am doing a mile a day no matter what...I do plan to do other exercises and workouts but at least a mile a day on my treadmill is a must.  No more sodas...and if you know me then you know I love soda.  I am really working hard and I am soda free as of one week so far. Go me!

So to celebrate my first week I completed this layout.  I actually plan to post it up in my craft area as my inspiration, my focus for motivation. lol

I designed the cut file using my cameo and I would love to share it if any of you want it.  I cut it first with cardstock and then I did the same cut with velum just for that extra added something. You can get the cut file HERE.

I mainly used my January Studio Calico kit for this layout.  But added the orange washi from Michaels and the small wooden letters are from Studio Calico as well.

I think you're Amazing - Layout Share

For this layout I used a lot of items, pretty much all of this came from kits that I got from Studio Calico.  I cut the papers in to banners and layered them as a mat for the photo and I stamped on of the arrow border stamps form Studio Calico's stamp set.  For the first embellishment cluster I layered the arrow star burst die cut along with a vellum die cut and the Nerd talk bubble at the top right of the photo. On the bottom I made another cluster by using one of the labels that came in the kit, along with one of the wood potty people,  I stamped the glasses on card stock and then made them into a flair and added another star burst die cut.  I splattered some Mister Huey's and stamped the arrows from the kit around the page and then stamped and additional color as the outline. I used some of the exclusive enamel dots made for Studio Calico from MME.

Thanks for looking!

Silly, Crazy & Wild - Sunday Sketch - Layout Share

I got an email from Studio Calico to create a layout based on one of their sketches, I of course jumped on the opportunity and loved it.

Please go check it out on their blog: Studio Calico - Sunday Sketch

When I saw this sketch I knew this one would be perfect for these pictures of my oldest daughter.  I like how the banners and sentiment provided a base for the pictures to rest on.  I added a few more banners for depth and then tucked the pictures under a banner and used diecuts to create the title, turning them all slightly, so they would sit as silly as she is in the pictures. I also really liked Maggie's doodle around the edge of the card and her arrows, but instead of using just a pen since this is a bigger scale I decided to cut one of the patter papers from the kit into to strips and then I mitered the edges together, to give it a little extra detail, then sewed around the whole thing and did a zig zag stitch on all the mitered corners.  I added the chevron pieces that I cut from another sheet of the pattern paper to follow along with her arrows that she had hand drawn.  Instead of doing the three stars like the sketch I decided to change it up a bit and use some of the brads, sequins and rhinestone stars that came in the kit to make three small clusters instead.

Supplies: Sock Hop, Leather Jacket & Penny Loafers kits

Ball Happy - Layout Share

I used mostly the November kit from Studio Calico but I did add in the arrows from the October kit.  This was a really fast layout, I knew I wanted something colorful but the paper was a little too bright so I cut it with my cameo into the sunburst, then I misted it with three different Mr Huey colors, white, pinstripe & shine.  They toned the color down perfectly.  I sewed the strips down in the middle with black thread and folded up the sides to give it a little depth.

If you give Kaos any type of a ball he will be in heaven, they are even better than treats for him.

Layout Share - Downtown Houston

Here's a page I completed over the weekend, I took this picture on my way downtown for a photo session and I just really liked how it turned out, the sky is just so pretty.  I wanted a page where the picture would really pop off and I think this worked.

iShoot People - Layout Share

It's been a few days since I blogged, I've been really busy...but I have had time to create a few pages here and there so let me share my most recent.

Shoe Game - Layout Share

Here is another layout I did using last month's Studio Calico kit Central High....

Insta Faces - Layout Share

Yikes!!!  It's been awhile since I blogged, especially about a scrapbook layout, things have been pretty busy over here and even though I managed to sneak a page in here and there I just have not had time to blog about them.  I have some catching up to do....

So, first up is using last months kit from Studio Calico, Central High, I didn't kill this kit, I made a few layouts but I wasn't able to really use it up.

I love the silly faces I find of on of my daughter's on her instagram....

Now & Then - Layout Share

I recently made really big ampersand with my cameo and I kept the negative part and knew I wanted to use it some how.  I used the negative part as a stencil and added modeling clay to the background page.  I love the dimension it gave to the page. 

So here it is, a layout using the September kit from Studio Calico and my big modeling paste ampersand. My kit this month had an extra set of die cuts so I was really happy I was able to have two striped thought bubbles for this layout.  

Weekend Recap - iPhone Version

I had a pretty busy weekend, I got some work done but I also got some much needed family things done as well and I really really need to concentrate on more family time, more hubby time too.  I just feel like there are not enough hours in the day sometimes.

Friday - The commute home was bad I got stuck at work until 4:45pm and then I hit a wee bit of traffic because it was about to storm.  We went to my daughter's volleyball game and then took our boys to watch a high school football game (and it was a sea of umbrellas) and then went for dinner afterwards.

Saturday - I got up early and drove out to the Houston Premium Outlets so my daughter could pick out her birthday present, I promised her another coach purse for her 18th.  We took a few minutes to play around in claire's with some of the funky glasses, lol.  I also picked Donovan up some new Nike slides since I was at the outlets and he needed new ones. After that I rushed back to our side of town to watch my son's football game. Despite the rain the night before it was a hot day and afterwards I wanted to just go home and relax.  I did get a little bit of scrapbooking done, that's my way of relaxing. lol

Sunday - We got up and had a small family gathering for brunch to celebrate the 18th birthday of Alexis that was on the 13th and Donovan's 13th birthday that was on the 9th.  Afterwards Sonja and I spent the rest of the day shopping. Sonja needed shoes and accessories for her homecoming next weekend and my  mom wanted to take her to get them.  Notice how tall my daughter is?  My mom is 5'7" in flip flops my daughter with heels on towers over her.  She is so tall and the shoes really showed it.  My mom also ended up getting her a necklace, earrings and ring to match her heels.  When we got home I had her put her dress and everything on for a little dress rehearsal.  She looks amazing and so grown, believe it or not she is only 15 and not close to sixteen at all.  I ended the evening by helping her friend with her mum, she brought all the stuff over but had no idea what our how to do it.

Like I said the weekend was non stop and very busy!

My Own Paradise - Layout Share

This is one of the very first pictures I took of myself on our family vacation this past June.  I loved sitting on the beach and just relaxing...it really was my own personal paradise.