I did it, Look at it

Got Scrap?

2010-11-04T21:30:00.002-04:00

Scrapjazz
"only use your card stock, alphabet stickers, stamps, and photos"

It's subtle but the pumpkin stamp is embossed all over the crate paper card stock.

Scrapbook Challenges, product challenge
border punch
rub-on
ribbon/twine
the color black

I blatantly scraplifted this LO from the talented Krista Milford.
My Sketch World

The Scrappiest

White Plus One
Can I just say I love white plus one. It's such a fun way to do a LO. I have never once (OK once, but whatev') been disappointed with these fun challenges. Give them a try, you won't be disappointed.

I like it

2010-06-08T16:00:00.004-04:00

Maya Road black and silver glitter mist. Circles are smeared off the bottom of a Starbucks cup :) Yummmmmm!

Happy Birthday Andrew

2010-05-21T00:13:00.001-04:00

DSC04814, originally uploaded by msceejay2000.

Andrew's birthday. Hard to believe we had all those guests. I used a sketch from Sketchy Thursdays for this LO. They've got a great prize this week and you've still got 5.5 days to get it done.

Super Awesome Candy

2010-05-11T21:24:00.002-04:00

Super Awesome!!!

I've been following for a while, this lady is an incredible crafter.

Those are Copics!!! And BG paper, and primas, and nestibles, and, and, and! Wish me luck!

Sketchy Thursday

2010-05-06T23:44:00.002-04:00

Zrazy Blog Candy

2010-05-06T08:50:00.002-04:00

If I am lucky enough to win, I'll need new storage! Check the Site

Sketchy Thursday

2010-04-29T21:47:00.003-04:00

I went super literal. Had some fun mixing paints and painting the butterfly, followed by stickles and making antennae out of beads and wire.
The tag is from the Plantin Schoolbook cartridge, I never use the cartridge it took an embarrassingly long time to figure it out.

Also whipped out a LO for the cookbook, creamed spinach, YUMMY. Excuse the blur, used the scanner and it doesn't like the thickness of fun stuff.

Fix-it-Friday

2010-04-16T10:00:00.002-04:00

I heart faces photography blog

While I follow along I rarely post, but what the heck I've got time today, if I didn't spend my time creating a blog post about the photo fix I tried of some random person I've never met... I'd probably have to do the laundry and clean my house. What good would that be?

So here's the original:

And the request: This is a photo of her beautiful daughter and she was interested in learning a bit more about how to brighten up the image and how to smooth out the skin.

And my take:

Most of the other editors kept the original photo perspective. I took the subject to be young and decided to crop out the cleavage, not so much because I'm old fashioned as because I couldn't seem to make it not draw in the eye... making me feel like the picture might attract pervy eyes and goodness knows I'm not trying to attract perverts to my blog... that is unless they have a thing for 40-ish women with a little cushion and not much in the way of cleavage;)

I used levels for the lighten brighten portion, using not only the RBG channel but also the red channel. I then used the band-aid for most of the blemish work and the cloning tool for the one right over the lip (because the bandaid just couldn't do that one nicely). Then I used the wand to pick up the face (cont J into it's own layer) gassian blur, reduce opacity to blend. Went to the layer under it did a high pass filter with linear light to sparkle/super sharpen the eyes, lips and hair. Then reduced opacity to blend (hind sight I should have further reduced opacity they are still too sharp, the eyes are a bit glowy, my bad) Flattened the image and done.

Take a guess

2009-10-13T16:57:00.002-04:00

Take the link below to the predictor regarding the expectant baby.

Creepy Crawly Blog Stomp??

2009-09-25T18:35:00.002-04:00

Paper Popsicles will be having a Creepy Crawly Blog Stomp on October 10th. I have no lcue what this is, but it sounds fun. Let's check it out?

PS There is candy over there right now :)

Simple brag... nothing new, just bragging

2009-09-15T13:22:00.003-04:00

I entered 5 sCRAPpy items in the Canfield Fair (largest county fair in the country I am told)... and I won five ribbons!!!

First Place:

Second place:And three Third places!!! No fourth, no honorable mention!

Feeling pretty spunky about the whole thing. My girlfriend Beth also won a blue ribbon and so I changed the Crafty Girlz description to read "Blue Ribbon scrapping with Beth and CJ" :0

Big Candy

2009-07-25T18:53:00.001-04:00

Slice and several other items from Melissa

Good luck

Taking Pictures

2009-07-18T23:39:00.002-04:00

It was National Photo Walk Day today, or some such really important national *holiday* which everyone should be participating. Went on a walk in Boardman. There were only 4 of us, but I still enjoyed myself.

First up my silly standby, I can't resist taking pictures of bees. This one is really crisp blown up. I like him a lot.

Next up we have some peeling paint. I love the colors.

A classic flower picture, I took a lot of them. This one had the best color and bokeh I thought.

And the steeple... I swear I did not remove any color (I might have played with the exposure and contrast and, and, and, but I left the color alone) It's essentially a neutral colored building without a break in the clouds it appears to be black and white.

Now for some of the real fun playing around... Andrew sitting inside the church. It's a classic "Andrew look"

This was Erik and Lexi's wedding. Lucky for Tony (Lexi's dad) Andrew is not qualified and Erik did not attempt to kiss the bride. He is however insisting that Lexi is both his girlfriend and his wife. I love how GiGi appears to be posing as if the picture is about her.

And finally a little self portrait work in the bathroom... how often do you find a mirror with a big window right behind it. On a brighter day that might be the super awesome place to try this again. I need to remember to always bring my make-up, or wear it, or tattoo it on my face.

Candy

2009-07-15T21:48:00.001-04:00

Wow, lots of good stuff here

Just saying

2009-07-15T17:59:00.002-04:00

2009-07-11T11:37:00.001-04:00

Copics Giveaway

At Crafty Goings On

Wish me luck!!!!

Scrappy Thursday :)

2009-07-09T21:55:00.002-04:00

Loving it.

White with One asked for purple and circles. Not generally a color I use but I made a go of it.

Mix it up asked for a photo more than 20 years old of yourself... I don't know anything about this picture other than it's me in June of 1973, making it 36 years old.

I did a card too, but since I have to give it away next week... I'm not going to post it! Not very productive this week, but I sure did have a nice time. Nice to meet Lisa and so see old friends Krista, Cindy, and Susan.

Cuttlebug Giveaway

2009-07-06T14:17:00.001-04:00

Here it is!!!!

Go get it!

Scrappy Thursday

2009-07-02T20:01:00.003-04:00

52 Skecthes:

Mix it up, mixer 23... 4 pictures, 4 manufacturers, hand written journaling, and flowers.

Got Mojo dots + I'm a little bit_________ title.

Scrappy Thursday.... did I hear QUADRUPLE DIP???

2009-06-18T18:56:00.002-04:00

Without further adieu... here it is. The long a waited quadruple dip. I always knew it was possible and yet somehow never dreamed I could be so bold.

The bones is 52 Sketches. (Blinkie on the side)

Secondly we have ScrapJazz power of 4 challenge. 4 pictures/4 patterned papers/ 4 flowers/ and 4 buttons... more is fine, but must have 4 of each.

Thirdly BASB challenge #15 was monochromatic... well with this many elements working at the same time, monochromatic seems like the only way to go. I am loving the monochromatic look.

And last but not least (and I totally admit at this point done just so I could tag the supreme quadruple dip) Scrap Whispers had an ABC title challenge.

I hope not to have offended anyone with the quadruple dip, it's just scrap booking and it is all in good fun;)

My second LO of the day was this little beauty for White with One, the challenge was White with Red plus brackets.

The bones of this sketch is a Valerie Salmon Sketch#85 from Got Sketch.

All the pictures from this week are from Erik Jr's 5th birthday. My mom took like 3 million pictures, so there should be more of the same coming!

Scrappy Thursday and some candy

2009-06-12T10:38:00.004-04:00

First up is 52 sketches. I turned the sketch sideways to suit my needs and poo-poo'ed the omnipresent circles. Beth will be proud.

Next up is Mix it Up challenge. The sketch plus stars... the pictures were too perfect. I spent some time getting frustrated with myself trying to make "Pittsburgh Steeler Stars" and then gave in to standard stars. I am too lazy lately. The old me would have put the Craft Robo to good use and wrestled out the proper stars for the occasion. Being pregnant at 37 isn't a walk in the park. But having the fetus in the back pocket as the excuse for every act of laziness is nice.

Now some woot, woot action. I got snarky in response to a review of the silent setter which seemed to indicate it was preferable to the Making Memories kit at the scrap review . Can I just say "hellz no"... the Making Memories kit rocks and the silent setter is a PITA. If you have to scrap after the kids go to bed and the hammer is too much for them... OK, maybe you have the need, but other than that it's a stupid tool and the Making Memories tool kit RAWKS! It is the go to, go everywhere, must have. IMO. Well they are giving me something?? No clue what but since I like everything except the Silent Setter and the Fiskar's circle cutting system, I am unlikely to complain.

Blog Candy...

I heart Crafting

Smells like homemade (it's got Copics!!)

And my personal woot, woot. My darling husband has just purchased me my first brand new car ever! And it's a doozy. I am feeling so spoiled and lucky. I got one heck of a deal, $10,000 off of invoice!!! And they gave me $3000 for the car I paid under $10,000 for almost 6 years ago!

It's a love it or hate it item. The Ford Flex. I got the Limited Package with heated leather seats and heated mirrors and 3 moon roofs and 1 sun roof and power assist everything and, and, and.... it's seriously like a limousine for moms. It seats 7 and seriously has EVERYTHING minus the navigation and built-in DVD player. But we have little portable DVD players so it'll be OK. LOL. I still can't believe the deal. It was less expensive than several "slightly used", lesser package, similar vehicles. It's good to have another American Plated/American assembled vehicle in the house.

The Johnson's attempt to stimulate the economy is now over. We have shot for the moon and did everything we could to support American auto makers and construction workers and the like over the last 6 months. We have got some great deals and hope to see the economy make a full recovery based on our expenditures:)

Insanely sweet blog candy

2009-06-03T09:56:00.002-04:00

Creating from the heart

Scrappy Thursday and other stuff

2009-05-28T19:28:00.003-04:00

I couldn't host Scrappy Thursday this week due to my first prenatal appointment. My good friend Beth hosted instead. What a treat to scrap at her house! I got 2 LOs done in fairly quick order. First is this week's 52 sketches. The Lo is about taking the "intelligender" test at Mary Boyle's this holiday weekend. I am loving this October Afternoon line, super cute.

Mix it up's Mixer 21 made with mixer 20's sketch. I loved the sketch for 20 but just wasn't fast enough getting it together. The color challenge for Mixer 21 worked a lot better with the photos than the inspiration challenge with mixer 20. All is well.

The LO is from a nature/photo walk last Saturday through Nelson Ledges in Garettsville, OH. Love that we got to see the Amish going by. The girl in the photo is Beth's daughter Lexi, Erik's current love interest.

As if anyone wants to be bored with my non-scrappy life, at the midwife appointment today I got an ultrasound which gives me a due date of January 14th, 2010. I predict a scheduled induction on 1-10-10... I'd love to have one kid with an easy to remember birthday ;)

Amazing Candy

2009-05-13T23:12:00.000-04:00

Passion for Crafts... go win it... and then share with me:)

Scrappy Thursday

2009-05-07T16:45:00.003-04:00

Mix it up and White with One

Mixer #18 Details:
This week’s mixer is a word challenge – you must use the word PERSEVERANCE somewhere on your layout. It can be in your title or your journaling. I think many of us are faced with different challenges in life where we have to find the strength to persevere, to keep on pushing to reach that goal. This is where the inspiration for this word came from. I hope you will be inspired just like our DT was to create a layout about something, you or someone in your life that had to persevere to accomplish something.

May's Criteria at White with one:
White - dominant colour
with 1 - Olive Green
with 1 - Birdies

I am LOVING the white plus one look. For such a long time white on a LO has gotten a bad rap. All because of some old Creative Memories horror LOs. It's OK to use white :) White is the new black.

Perseverance describes the long journey to the new front porch. For 4 years we discussed what we could and would do. It took 6 months from old landscaping gone to new retaining wall, porch, roof, fountain, and plants in the ground. We still have a little work to do. The cap stone on the retaining wall needs to be finished and some more comfy matchy style patio furniture has to be decided on, the electric line to the fountain will eventually not be the extension cord, and the plants and peach tree need to grow up a little so you aren't looking at the underside of the porch... but all in all, it's 100% better. I love sitting out there having a beer in the evening, I almost can't wait for the weather to get a little warmer so it'll be all the nicer after sun down.

Scrappy Thursday

2009-04-30T16:45:00.003-04:00

2 more LOs for my cute little niece's baby book.

Going Home 2 a full house

A totally cool challenge at Scrapwhispers this week. Black and white only plus one item of another color. Obviously the photo frame is pink, no searching for it. I also made baby Alexandra's pinkness pop on the photo, I feared the object of the photo might be lost if I left her grey. The flourishes are grunge board painted black and then white, then sanded.

Inside joke is the full house is made of a joker and 2 queens. Shhh, I doubt they will ever get bored enough to read my scrappy blog:)

Bones of this LO is a sketch by Julie Bonner at 52 Sketches.

My Girl

Mix it Up mixer #17, use assorted letters in the title. I also used the sketch they provided in the mixer.

The thing under my sister's chin is a clear box to put non acid free stuff. I was hoping she would add the hospital bracelets, but it's up to her. I put in a couple of baby themed pieces of chipboard just to occupy the space (in case my sister never gets around to adding anything)

2009-04-29T10:16:00.002-04:00

Bokeh by computer program

One of my favorite sites, I heart faces is giving away a copy of some truly amazing photo editing software. Alien skin bokeh. For those of you with point and shoot cameras who want to get bokeh, this program will do it. It's amazing. Click through and check it!

Spring Pictures

2009-04-28T15:37:00.002-04:00

Check it, blog candy

2009-04-27T16:25:00.002-04:00

Keepsakes by Melissa has awesome candy, check it out!

Passion for Crafts also has amazing blogiversary candy. AMAZING!!! I want it all.

ScrapSketch, check it out

2009-04-24T16:54:00.004-04:00

Found ScrapSketch this week. I think the sketches are really awesome. They are having a DT call right now... hurry if you're interested, entries due by midnight tomorrow.

I converted the first one to a card. I needed a card for a dear friend whose husband is in need of a miracle.

This second LO is of "Grandpa Stan" and the Andrew (Erik was there but not while the camera was out) tasting honey straight out of a honey comb. Stan found the honeycomb while cutting down a tree. I thought it was a very cool thing for them. I had to put a stop to the honey eating as the boys would have kept going until they were sick.

I made the back ground by putting paint on bubble wrap and stamping it. CLose up is of the bee flying into the flower on the edge of the title.

The last LO is of the boys watching the concrete guys working on our new front porch. They spent a lot of time staring out the front window that week. I think there is a natural attraction from boys to construction equipment.

Check it

2009-04-23T07:34:00.001-04:00

Blog Candy by Crafts for Kim

Cool stuff, I'd post a picture but I think you should go see for yourself.

Blog Candy

2009-04-21T21:37:00.003-04:00

Paper Popsicles, check it! Very cool.

A LO and a new toy.

2009-04-21T00:27:00.003-04:00

Sketch #16 at 52 sketches (blinkie in the margins)

Here in Ohio many flowers had already bloomed when we got our final (hopefully) snow fall of the year. Like the insane scrapbooker I am... we postponed breakfast and walked down to "crazy flower lady's house" to take a few pictures first thing. Papers from are Pink Paisley Pop Fashion line, Bazzil Swiss dots, and DCWV Metal stack.

This thing is the coolest. Got the hookup at Yand M photo in Boardman this weekend with Beth. What does it do, you might ask? It allows the white balance in my new camera to do it's thing. It measures the light in the room and makes adjustments by shooting through it.

It made taking the late night picture of my latest LO much easier. I probably over paid for it, but honestly got so much really useful advice that I still felt it was a bargain.

2009-04-12T23:53:00.002-04:00

II love this LO, inspired by a challenge at "scrap the boys" I love it!!!

Punk is cool

2009-04-12T11:29:00.002-04:00

I can't wait to make a page.

Scrappy Thursday Report

2009-04-09T22:07:00.004-04:00

First up is Andrew's Birthday. The LO is from a sketch on the scrappiest, they are having a DT call with this sketch. I love the sketch, it ended with a LO which I think has a wonderful layered look. The birthday paper is Target $1.00 isle stuff, the circle is Bazzil African flower die cut. Andrew had a blast at his party. I was shocked that he wore that silly hat most of the time.

Page 2 to the birthday LO. BASB challenged me to use only cardstock, stamps, and pictures. Dang I couldn't stamp straight...LOL I tried to make it look like I did it on purpose, but you now know the truth. I cut the bowling pins out of white cardstock and stamped the stripes on, likewise the bowling ball is black cardstock.

This LO uses Sketch #46 at Creative Scrappers , it also serves the purpose of Scrapjazz's use a TV show name as a title. I was going to use Law and Order as Erik was explaining to Andrew that he needed to settle down, but then Cindy cut Family out for Mary and I wanted to use the negative to make a mask... and so it happened. I think Family Guy is a much nicer title anyhow. I'm totally loving this BG Periphery pack so much...

I used some more of it. Yummo. Have you ever used up an entire line of paper and thought to yourself you'd like to get some more? I fear I will feel that way when Periphery is gone. This LO is a Julie Bonner 52 sketch LO. Check the blinkie on the right for a link.

Candy Alert

2009-04-09T21:10:00.000-04:00

Wow... charmed stamps blog candy. Love, love, love those markers!

Blog Candy

2009-04-08T11:51:00.000-04:00

Check it here, Kim at Crafty Makes is having a bloggiversary! Awesome fun candy.

April (snow) showers and flowers

2009-04-07T21:45:00.003-04:00

My good friend Beth said I should take pictures of snow on flowers today... idea in head... off to take pictures before breakfast. The boys said it was cold and time to go home twice on the way to "crazy flower lady's" house... but they were happy enough to pose once there.

As bummed as I was to have snow this morning they were thrilled to put on their snow clothes and go for a walk... that is until they got cold... which happens much faster in spring than mid winter.

Big Die Machine Giveaway

2009-04-04T16:12:00.002-04:00

Check it! Super awesome giveaway... go kittens and register now!

Scrappy Thursday

2009-04-02T18:06:00.002-04:00

Today was mostly thank-you cards for Andrew's thrid birthday, can you believe he is 3? Time flies, I'll be making graduation cards in no time.

Any how the LO I completed was for scrap whispers colors of the Rainbow challenge. This is definitely louder than the colors I generally consider to be pretty but I think it works.

Paper is American Crafts and the sketch is a Julie Bonner.

Blog Candy

2009-04-01T13:01:00.001-04:00

Keepsakes by Melissa is giving away a CUTTLEBUG!!! And some GRUNGEBOARD!!! Dang, dang, dang... now would be a really nice time to be lucky!

Blog Candy

2009-03-30T10:12:00.002-04:00

It's that BG line I like to drool over, complete with brads and the Porcelain line which is lovely and a surprise. Yum, Yum. Paper therapy.

Also a big pile of K and Co accessories at My Corner of the Studio

Scrappy Thursday

2009-03-26T22:03:00.004-04:00

First up is some random chaos. Challenge was to use orange and yellow and some sort of office supply. I used this weeks sketch from 52sketches for the bones. I'm not in love with it, not even in like... but the Trike-a-thon was a very cool event and I am glad to have it in the scrapbook. Some year I'll learn to take good pictures in a gym and then I'll make a decent LO out of gym pictures.

Next up is the scrapjazz.com card challenge. A quote, at least one flower, and a peice of ribbon. Check. It's the birthday card for my sweet husband. He likes the quote and plans to use it in training.

I did this one for a challenge by Sketch this. It's for my sister who is expecting a baby girl any minute. It is the announcement/invitation for her baby shower.
Last up is the scrappiest challenge. I couldn't even tell you how I ended up surfing over to this blog, but I LOVE the sketches.

2009-03-25T20:34:00.001-04:00

Amazing! How's this for blog candy?

72 copics! Good luck to you all but I'm really hoping I win:)

Mix it up challenge

2009-03-19T14:41:00.003-04:00

What a fun sketch add to it inanimate objects and big long titles... not so easy, but lots of fun. To get to Mix it up, go through the blogs I follow menu. Good fun challenges there.

It feels like spring

2009-03-18T01:15:00.002-04:00

I went to Mill Creek Metro Park today with my good friend Beth

We took pictures on the trail between Lanternman's Mill and Newport Lake.

Then again at Fellow's Riverside Gardens.

RAW and taking mirror pictures

2009-03-17T10:46:00.004-04:00

I've been trying to learn RAW on the computer. Yes, it's in the camera but it doesn't make a bit of difference when I'm taking the picture... in the computer it's a new animal. In general I'm finding it frustrating and time consuming. But it has it's moments of brilliance. Pictures that would take forever or not be possible to fix in JPEG, so simple to fix. I'm going to keep working on it.

Nikon's free program is miserable, they want me to buy their $200 bigger, better program. It's like Nancy

I spent a great deal of time working on taking a self portrait in the mirror with the camera. 200 shots later I ended up with 4 I don't hate... but still not one that I am in love with. I will be trying this again, perhaps after I get my new lens. I couldn't seem to get enough light indoors and moved my camera mirror outside. I do like the clouds in the background of this shot.

Sweet stuff... take your chances

2009-03-14T16:09:00.000-04:00

GCD Studios is giving away this really cool paper pack:

Check it

2009-03-05T22:57:00.001-05:00

The farm Chicks

Cute blog.

2 challenges/2 LOs

2009-02-19T19:33:00.001-05:00

The first is 52 sketches, LO #7... good stuff. I had to "cheat" scrapping the party. I played the DVR recording today and took the picture, I totally forgot to take pictures that night.

The second is a mix it up challenge.

Cute Blog

2009-02-12T14:34:00.001-05:00

Check it Keepsakes by Melissa

Woot Woot

2009-01-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

The Those Eyes LO featured in the last post won something!!!

Mothers and Daughters has totally cool challenges.

The prize is Basic Grey Urban Prairie Stamps! I can't wait to play with them.

Scrappy Thirsday Strikes again

2009-01-22T23:06:00.000-05:00

I wanted to complete a lot of challenges and that I did.

First up is Julie Bonner's 52 sketches. I loved this weeks sketch. And it was very handy as Scrap Whispers was requesting hand writing on a LO. Awesomeness.

The LO was further inspired by GotMojo? asking us to be a super hero. However I didn't actually complete their challenge as I couldn't bring myself to tear something on this LO. I really felt the clean lines were the thing to do... what do you think?

Next Mothers and daughters
requested we use an old Julie Bonner Sketch. I went for #28 from 2008. I love this sketch. I have done it twice now and twice I really like to LO.

The picture on this sketch is from Scrapjazz's photo challenge to get an "eyes" picture. I had not done that before and dang I think it's terrific. So happy to get it on to a LO.

Adding to the fun and challenge of this LO I took on the BASB challenge to use only one peice of patterned paper. No card stock, no nothing paper:O Words can not express the terror I felt looking at my picture and my sketch and trying to choose just one peice of paper. To be true to the challenge the title is Grunge Board, felt ribbon, what looks like a rub on is actually a plastic sticker, buttons, thread, and I drew the waves on. There are some Skittles in the felt ribbon but they aren't visable in the picture.

Anywho... triple dipping is like bad behavior. It's taking advantage of the system or no? I'll take opinions on that too. I love how each challenge puts something new and interesting and different into my book... I oddly enough like the results better when I hit a couple challenges.

Last but not least a single challenge entry. HA. This sketch intimidated me, but I did it anyhow. I don't know what was harder paper without embellishment or embellishment without paper. The sketch is from creative scrappers.

I seem to have a lot of pictures in these groups of 3, I might use this one again... that is if I can ever get caught up on all the lovely current challenges out there on the world wide web.

Speaking of uncompleted challenges, I haven't touched my whisper from Scrap Whispers. Janice (my one up) died suddenly while the lift was in her possession. I am having trouble touching it. She was a really lovely lady who said lovely things to every one. I didn't really know her and yet I miss her. I will try to at least open the file and look at it tomorrow. I need to get it done there is a whole team minus one lovely lady waiting/depending on me.

For some reason I can't seem to make the text sit next to the pictures I want it to sit next to so I am going text first... pictures second, hope you don't mind!

Toodles for now, CJ

Crafty Makes: Blog Candy

2009-01-22T10:06:00.000-05:00

Crafty Makes: Blog Candy

Buckets of embellishments And some Bella

2009-01-21T11:01:00.001-05:00

Quenn and CO... fabulous giveaway.

Bright and fun... another fabulous giveaway.

Scrapperlicious

2009-01-16T16:56:00.001-05:00

Win free stuff

and more at My creative Cafe

2009-01-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

It happened again... another double dip. Another page I am happy to have in my book that would never be there if it weren't for all these bizarre challenges.

The bones of this LO is a sketch from Creative Scrappers, and then the theme and the buttons are courtesy of Got Mojo?... and I can blame the papers on the colors challenge from Scrapjazz. If it weren't for that this kit would still be buried in the kit pile.

OK, 6/100 down in the no buying challenge. Going strong and not feeling weak at this moment:)

In case you are curious the journaling reads:

Traditionally we hang out at home watching football games and previews while having a couple drinks on New Year's Eve.

This year we had better plans, a road trip to visit Oliver in Allentown, PA... but that didn't work out. Something came up at work and Erik had to work a full day on the 31^st

Back to our traditional thing. Only Erik started coughing violently, with a 15 second blackout and so we spent New Year's Eve at the local urgent care. Erik was not happy that I made him go... MRI, CAT scan, Breathing treatment, steroid shot and 3 hours later we were back home. Not the memory I was hoping for, but memorable all the same.

I hope your New Year's was fun and a bit less memorable than mine!

2009-01-08T20:51:00.000-05:00

Journaling reads: So many reasons this picture is hot. LOL There we are in our brand new Roi-lie-iver, outfits, too bad you can't see the matching colored jeans! Sears catalog baby! Our first purses. On sale at Kinney's shoe store. I really liked that purse, lost it like a year later. Oh, the trauma. I'm pretty sure my hair had been in braids, the slight wave any body at all was something I really strove for. 7-17-1982

LO inspired by scrapjazz's nostalgia challenge.

A good day of scrapping and some cool news

2009-01-08T19:26:00.000-05:00

Erik Jr is starting to read, not just recite the words from memory or tell us a story based on the pictures.

He put his finger on the words and read them, well most of them. Showing that he was actually "reading" he asked what "also" and "they" were. I am really proud of him.

Bonus, I scrapped this out nice and quick. I used the sketch from the Mix it up blog Challenge #1 and it fit a scrapjazz challenge color challenge also! A super cool day, with something cool to scrap that manages to double dip challenges!! Life doesn't get any better than that... oh yes it does! I had 5 friends over at the house scrapping with me!! Awesomeness.

Thursday Scrap

2008-12-11T17:08:00.000-05:00

The crafty girlz came over today. Justine altered wood letters and a calander. Cindy worked on dry embossing for her Christmas Cards, Faye was making individual kick bitt Christmas Cards and I worked on challenge scraps.

The tag on this LO is part of tag challenge at Scrapjazz. But the meat and bones of this challenge is the Wish List and sketch from Scrapstars.

I really, really like how this LO turned out and not only that I loved the challenge. Listening to what the boys say they want to ask Santa for Christmas was hilarious. Erik's unbridled extravagance as he calmly requested an x-ray machine, a Nick Jr dedicated computer, a kids remote control to control the parent's TV, and a guitar was terrific. The only thing more terrific was Andrew's requests, accordingly he already has almost everything he wants for Christmas: A pile of dinosaurs, socks, ball cereal (KIX) and Erik.

I hadn't planned on it, but I think Santa will pick-up some socks and dinosaurs.

This second LO was for Julie Bonner's 52 sketches. I really love her sketches. The flourish is sewed on with glitter glue on top of the thread and around the picture and on the chipboard pumpkins. Yes, I got a little glitter glue happy. (There is also crystal stickles all over the "We Wish" LO.

The papers here are all those $1.00 target items again. I really got my money's worth out of them.

This was from the preschool trip to Catalpa Farm. I got so many great pictures there I will be putting a picture page next to this page with 5 pictures and some journaling.

Digiscrapping is hard work!

2008-12-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

This took an insane amount of time. I'm not thrilled with it but feeling behind the 8-ball by computer problems....

it is, what it is.

The size of the frames looks really different on each picture and the writing on the tag is only viewable on the printed out version and with glasses for the older folks.

For those wondering, yes I photoshopped the heck out of myself. Poor Andrew is reduced to a porcelien doll in the picture with me. Oops. LOL

The elements are mostly Shabby Princess seasonal sampler except for the journaling tag which is Christine Hertel Design. I wish I had more time and knowledge, but on the upside it leaves room for improvement next year:)

Free stuff!!!!

2008-11-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

Free stuff... I got free stuff. It's my favorite thing to happen. This free stuff is from the scrap-n-supply shack. I was lucky enough to win one of their challenges with a LO I consider to be a hot mess, but what the heck, they liked it.

Bad photo... argh. I'll learn eventually. I wasn't in the mood for big PSE edits. The sticker pack is very 3-D and made with a sort of felt material. It's all AC and while the patterns are a bit crazy, when used sparingly with the solid colored back sides, I am sure they will make some lovely LOs. All this free stuff is making my no buying challenge easier than I would have expected.

Black Friday butt kicking

2008-11-28T06:31:00.000-05:00

For 99 pretax dollars I purchased....

Cat in the Hat DVD
Mini crock pot
Memory board game
Chutes and ladders
Woman's winter jacket
and....
2 Car DVD players

I hate to brag but with that purchase the kids and myself are done... just a a little Christmas shopping left! Woo hoo!

Photoshop games

2008-11-24T20:04:00.000-05:00

I was playing around with a photoshop tutorial from Noel Culbertson. The essence is curves, soft light the photo, hard light the eyes. I think I took it too far on my first try... skin too light from the curves menu continuing on through the steps which followed and so perhaps it becomes a stylized example of what I was trying to accomplish or learn to accomplish. Tell me what you think.

The left is untouched and the right is perhaps over edited.

52 Sketches #47

2008-11-24T18:56:00.000-05:00

This is a picture from my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. I didn't go... but I think the picture is pretty cool. Mostly because it explains the age old question about exactly what Grandma Martha was trying to do with her hair. She had been wearing the style for 50 years in 1993 and she continued to wear it until she passed away. If heaven has an ocean she is probably swimming in it right now.

I did this for Julie Bronner's 52 sketches

Testing 1-2-3

2008-11-23T19:22:00.000-05:00

What are the chances I have time to really post anything here?

Oh well, various scrap sites seem to want me to post my sCRAP, so just in case the blog is open.

Remember less than a month ago when we were out playing in t-shirts?? Time flies when we are having fun, eh?

I tried some photoshop techniques on this photo. Still have a lot to learn in that regard. Only time will tell if I stick with it long enough to get it really good. After is on the left if you have to ask;)