Paper Issues DT call!

Go here to check it out!

Cassie is the easiest "boss" I've worked for,
and she's got a great shop too!

Brand New

Yesterday marked the official start of CHA, and with it means that I can start showing you what I've been working on these past weeks! Today's full reveal on the Bella Blvd. blog is the Baby Boy collection. Here's one of the layouts I made with it. Oooh, it feels like this was yesterday!

"Brand New"

Those pennants are chipboard covered with patterned paper, and those stars are from the new Button Market also a part of Bella Blvd.'s new release.

I also made a couple of cards with this collection.

Be sure to check out the Bella Blvd. blog to see more projects from other Bella designers. ;)

Happy happy Monday!

It's Crop Challenge time!

It's my turn to host a challenge for the Nook's New Year Crop. (pssst...it's not too late to join in!) All of the challenges have to do with the number 10--like Ten resolutions, Ten embellishments, CK's top ten 2011 trends, etc. So for my challenge, I challenged everyone to create a banner using 10 items, only 3 of which could be the same shape. It could be any type of project--a layout, card, or an actual banner, just as long as it had 10 pieces.

Here's my example using the
Nook's January kit (sorry it's sold out).

"It's a Love Thing"

I included more than 10 pieces:

1. 3 half doilies
2. 1 "remember this" pennant (Elle's Studio from my stash)
3. 1 small rose bud
4. 1 heart
5. 1 tea kettle
6. 1 "all smiles" pennant (MME from my stash)
7. 1 spoon
8. 1 "love to you" circle punch (SRM sticker from my stash)
9. 1 misted fabric flower (from the Nook add-on section)

The deadline is next Sunday, Feb. 4th at 12pm NOON PST if anyone wants to join in. You can find my challenge and its full description HERE. I'll also randomly draw a winner next Sunday, so you have all week to play!


Hope you're enjoying your Sunday! I'm currently in the middle of a new Nicholas Sparks book. ;) Hopefully I'll have it finished by tomorrow.

Okay, so I've been reading in all my spare time, which is kind of a joke since I don't seem to HAVE much spare time. Actually I've been watching less TV and reading more. It's been kinda nice. So far in the month of January I've read 3 books. I can't remember the last time I read 3 whole books (for fun) in one month.
This one was just okay. I read it because it was the 3rd book in the trilogy and I wanted to finish the series. The first two books were much better. But now Josh wants us to get a German Shepard. ha!

This book I LOVED, mainly because it's setting is at a lake and the writer OBVIOUSLY has spent a lot of time on a lake. She made wonderful word pictures that had me imagining and even dreaming I was at the lake. Is it summer yet???

And this book was a mistake for me to read. I grabbed it without knowing anything about it only that I liked the author, and I was majorly depressed the next day. Let's just say it's about twins, teenagers, and a car wreck, subjects that have dramatically impacted my life. I cried A LOT throughout the book, but had to finish it. At least it has a happy ending. ;)

So now I've picked up several more books for reading. On my list are Hunger Games and the other 2 in the trilogy, Heaven is For Real, Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks, and several more by Kristin Hannah (that aren't about twins or wreckage). I'm also thinking about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but I haven't made up my mind about it yet.

If you've got any other reading suggestions, I'd love to hear them! I've decided that I'd like to read more and may have set a goal at reading 2-3 books a month. Of course we'll see how that works out, but so far so good. ;)

Well that's all I've got for tonight. Come back tomorrow for my Scrapbook Nook challenge. ;)

And PARTY we did

My poor Caroline has been counting down til today for a week and a half. That's because we were SUPPOSED to have her 1st "real" birthday party on MLK Day, but instead the whole family was sick with the stomach bug. She was sooo upset that I had to cancel her party. But today was the make-up day, and so "party" we did! :)




We had her party at Pump It Up! which we wouldn't necessarily been able to do if it hadn't been for a Double Take Deal (kinda like a Groupon) for it, but I'm so glad we did! The kids had so much fun, and were REALLY tired after all that bouncing, running around, and climbing. Caroline wanted a Super Hero theme focusing on Wonder Woman, Bat Girl, and Super Girl. And it's REALLY hard to have to create a party theme when there are no paper goods that match! So I used a book or 2 from around our house, and included her vintage WW lunchbox, then (at the suggestion of the party place sales clerk) hit up the 4th of July stuff for some stars. Regardless, we had a great time! I'm so glad we finally got to celebrate with all her little friends!

Happy (almost) Friday! :)

Bella embellishments!

And now that you've seen the new Bella collections, how about some embellishments to go with them? First are these super cute crocheted flowers that I can't get enough of.

And here's a sneak of how I used some of them.

And then there are these super cute flags. I had sooo much fun pinning them to my projects!


To see more peeks and projects using the crocheted flowers and flags, check out the Bella Blvd. blog today!

Bella sneaks #3, #4, and #5

Hi there everyone! I'm back playing catch up with a few more sneaks from Bella Blvd. Last week our family came down with a serious stomach bug and I wasn't able to post then, so I'm posting now. ;)

First up was the Baby Girl collection. Here are my sneaks, and you can click on the link to see the full reveal.

and

Then came the We're Expecting collection (a supplement to the Baby Boy and Baby Girl collections).



Bella Blvd. is also debuting washi tape and once again they're partnering with Unity Stamp Co. to create Itty Bitty stamps.

And just today Bella revealed 3 new colors (pink, navy, and purple) to the Sophisticates line as well as FIVE new chipboard elements!!!


I'm really super excited to see everything that Bella Blvd. is coming out with! AND the peeks aren't over yet!! They'll continue through the rest of this week! How awesome is that?! I'll be sure to keep you posted on what else is in store!

I just love CHA reveal week(s), don't you?!

More from the Nook

Hi there! I've got more to share with you from the Nook's January kit. I've really been enjoying this kit! I like that I can do winter pages, or Valentine pages, or just every day sort of pages. In fact I've done one of each so far!

Here are a couple more Valentine or love themed projects.

"They are My Heart"

I decided to go a little bold with my mist this time, and blew it through a straw to get that gigantic splatter. It was really fun! But I think next time I'll use a coffee stirrer straw instead of a drinking straw. I kind blew pink mist EVERYwhere! heee!

"Hugs and Kisses"

A fun card I created using Shellye's card sketch. You can see her sketch and other takes on the card HERE.

And then I also created a winter page using a quick pic of me and the girls when it snowed last Christmas (2010). It's funny that they thought Christmas wouldn't come this year (2011) because we didn't have snow. I tried to explain to them that we NEVER have snow! Last year was just a treat! :D

"Me and My Snow Babies"

And this one was created as a part of the first challenge in the New Year's Crop, WHICH btw, is still going on. Check it here. Challenges 3 and 4 are up this week. And Saturday Challenge 5 will go up. You have all week to do the challenges, so you have plenty of time to squeeze in a challenge or two. ;)

Also up this week is the new Paper Issues theme. Our current "issue" is LOVE. If you have any sort of paper craft that has a love/Valentine theme, then link it up!

Hope you have a Happy Thursday today! I have lots of errands to run, including a big box that needs to go to CHA and another box or two that need to go to publishers. ;) I. Am. Blessed.

Happy Birthday dear Caroline

***photo heavy post***

Happy birthday to my dear sweet Caroline who turns SIX today! Goodness where has the time gone?! Here's a look back.

Daddy's girl
(and no that's not McClain)

LOVE that face!

always walking to her own drum

You're my outdoor kid.

I still love that you wore nail polish that day.

birthday princess

day before THE haircut

1st ballet recital

with a VERY faded blankie

1st day of school--SO proud!

Your newest love--all things super hero

at Disney

and your 1st lost tooth

You are such a blessing to our family like none other. You bring us many smiles, lots of laughter, the clamor of feet that are always running, early morning risings, and all sorts of wonder. It's so fun to see the world through your eyes! You're always thinking, wondering, questioning.

And this morning on the way to school, out of the blue you asked me one of the sweetest dearest questions you could ever ask from way back in the backseat. "Mommy, what is a Christian?" And as I explained (again) about sin, how it separates us for Jesus, about forgiveness through Him, and living a life dependent on grace, seeking Him daily, you acknowledged for the first time (that I know of) that YOU too are sinful ("A lot of the time, Mama"), and that you wanted to be a Christian too. My dear sweet precious child, I love you more than you can imagine. THANK YOU for making me a mommy! THANK YOU for your child-like faith that simply believes. And THANK YOU for the joy you given me. I love you so very much! Happy birthday precious one! :D