My Crop Weekend... #2

Okay folks, I'm back with more of my pages that I completed...

Sometimes, you just can't love ALL of your pages... which is the case with this next one.  We traveled to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last summer.  I hadn't been there since my college days over 20 years ago.  We used to cliff dive into Lake Superior and I wanted to show my son where we used to do that (if I could remember how to get there).  You never know what the weather will give you in Michigan, so be prepared for anything.  Middle of July and the temperature of the lake was 46 degrees and the wind was whipping like it was a blizzard.

My youngest son, Sawyer, is quite adventurous.  He is game for anything you through at him.  Looking at this, I wish I had lightened up the photo before scrapping it.  Sometimes, you just have to glue it and move on.

I love layering and to be honest, frames over pictures seems to be my new thing.  I love the way they add dimension to the page.

This is our new puppy.  His name is Knox.

I love how simple this page is.  Very few layers and very few colors.  I think the photo speaks for itself.

Thanks for stopping by...

Bucket List - Challenge Yourself #16

It's that time again!  I love it when it is time to reveal a new challenge.  Your creative wheels really start to churn and your excited to lock yourself away to create some goodness.

I am fortunate enough to be a SAHM and I have time during the week to be creative, but I know others only have a few minutes to themselves.  I hope you find time to participate in this month's challenge at Challenge YOUrself.  You'll be glad that you did.

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Challenge YOUrself #16:  Your Bucket List 

What are some of the things you want to do in your life?   Have you recently achieved something on you bucket list?
Tell us about it.

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My bucket list seems to be forever growing, and if I included that list, there would be no room for a picture of me.  And since a requirement of this challenge is to include a photo of yourself, I decided to create a...

Travel Bucket List for 2015.



What is really cool about this photo is that I am standing in front of a vintage map that used to belong to my Aunt Oda and Uncle Al.  They did not have children and were able to travel the world.  This map contains pins of every location they had been...  Let me just say that the map is covered with them.

I am continuing the tradition with my family.

Tons of layers on this page.  My go to spot is my scraps bin.  I love digging through and finding bits and pieces that just fit together.  I don't work from kits often.  I prefer to create my own kit.

I usually start with a pile of scraps and embellies on my table that "might" fit.  I piece them together until I'm satisfied with the look.

Our big trip of the year is a 2-week trip to Yellowstone National Park.  This has always been a dream of my husbands.  We will be pulling our camper from Michigan.  Should be quite a road trip!

A little closer look at what landed on the page.

Thanks for stopping by.

My Crop Weekend...

Oh boy, have I been buy or what?  I was super excited to host my first Girls' Weekend at our new cabin.  We've been working on it for a year now trying to get it ready for guests... since it was vacant for 20 years when we bought it, there was a TON to do.  If you are interested in seeing what we've done, you can check out my other blog of the before and afters at Style for Your Home.  I know that I need to update that blog too, so that will be next... LOL

Anyway, I managed 27 pages over the weekend, so I took a few snapshots of them and will be posting them throughout the week, so sit back and enjoy my labor of love!

This photos of this first page were taken somewhere in Michigan.  My mother-in-law and I rode our bikes across the state a couple of years ago and came across this cemetery.  I didn't want the page to appear creepy, so I lightened everything up.

One of the headstones was from 1894, hence, the title...

My son was being promoted from Cub Scouts into Boy Scouts along with the rest of his troop. But couldn't manage a decent photo of them, just silliness!

I love when you search through your "scrap" box of papers and find the perfect leftover piece and it just seems to fit perfectly.  This is what happened with the blue and white paper with the circles cut out.  Had to find a home for it on this page.

This photo is of our old dog, Dakota.  We had to put him down some time ago, but I'm slowly working on an album of him.  It makes my sad, so I can only do a page every so often.  His is missed so much my our family.  Here, he is hiking with us through the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.

Not only is the dog old, but the BG paper must be close to vintage.  My paper supply is ridiculous.  I think I have a hoarding problem with paper.  Just saying...  I thought it fit perfectly for this page.

To add a little dimension, I added the wood chippies, the corrugated clouds, and the frame over the picture.  You can't tell, but I used liquid glass on some of the dots on the BG.

Hope you enjoyed...  come back again soon.

I AM - Challenge YOUself # 15

Oooh, how I love me some color challenges...  until I saw PINK...  I'll be the first to admit that I am not a pink kinda girl, but I really loved taking part in the challenge.  I love the deep, saturated colors in this challenge.  It was muted and full of pastels. (Which, BTW, I have very few of.)

Stop on over at Challenge YOUrself, and check it out for yourself.

Here is what I came up with...

I'll be the first to admit, the BG paper looks a little crazy on my computer screen.  Don't stare at it too long, it will appear to be moving on you.  Yikes!  It's really not that bad in person! LOL.  And because of that, it's difficult to see the work "CRAZY", which is exactly what this page is.  My husband and I were at a wedding and had a couple cocktails...

This is what happens when you have a photo booth! Ha.

My pinks are a bit lighter in the picture than what is really on the page...  odd how that works, isn't it? Or, should I say "crazy"?

I love Heidi Swapp stuff!  The "favorite" is hers!

Thanks for stopping by!

Unplug - Challenge Yourself #14

My One Little Word (OLW) is just like a New Year's resolution, except so much easier to keep.

This year, I choose UNPLUG.  This is something my entire family struggles with, so moving into 2015, we have time restrictions in place for all screen time.  Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but everyone is aware of how much time we spend in front of a screen and what that can do to your brain.

What is your OLW?  Join us at Challenge YOUrself and discover what it is and how it can improve your year!

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Challenge YOUrself #14: One Little Word

Choose a word that you will focus on and reflect upon all through the year and create a layout that celebrates your chosen word.  

One Little Word was created by Ali Edwards and is defined as a word that you invite into your life and let it speak to YOU.  You focus on and reflect upon this word as you go about your daily life.  There’s no right or wrong word. The main thing to remember is that this is YOUr word.

If you are new too this, you can learn more about Ali Edward's One Little Word concept HERE.

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Take a look at my page for inspiration.

Here in Michigan, our winters are dark and gloomy, so I decided to play in lighter, brighter colors.  After choosing my photo, I searched for a BG paper.  That's usually my jumping off point.  My next stop is my paper scraps bin.  I'm not one to waste, so I have bits and pieces of paper that I would almost consider vintage... you never know when they could come into play.

I found the flower paper and the paper from the circle in my scraps. I don't have much pink in my collection, so I had to dig deep to find the big flowers, which I believe came in a pack I purchased from Peachy Cheap. (Slight addiction there, so I had to stop receiving their daily emails).

A few little enamel dots and a Thickers title and fabric brads and voila, done.

The "stitching" is actually rub-ons.

Are you wondering about the "Beach Bum".  Well, in Traverse City, Michigan, they have a minor league baseball team called the Beach Bums, which is kinda funny since we they are in the snow belt.

I'd love to see what you create!

Tis the Season - Challenge Yourself #13

Hi everyone.

I hope you are all enjoying this time of year and are taking a minute for yourself to remember the true meaning of the season.  Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of it all, we loose sight of the meaning of Christmas.

Challenge YOUrself #13: Traditions

What are some of your traditions for the upcoming holiday season?  Do you have an old tradition that you continued from childhood or did you start your own?  Tell us about it.  

Remember to include YOU in the photo :)

Be sure to check out the site for the new DT members.  They are amazing!

We have a lot of traditions at Christmas time.  The one that really stands out is something I did not have a picture of when I created this layout.  (I do now!)

My husband and I had only been dating a month when our first Christmas rolled around...  what do you get someone when the relationship is so new?  I don't remember what I got him, but he bought be a beautiful crystal dove ornament.  I treasure this gift and it is the FIRST ornament that goes on the tree every year.  We've added to the tradition by getting a "Baby's First Christmas" ornament for each of my boys and these are the 2nd and 3rd ornaments to go on the tree.  After that, it's a free for all...

I didn't scrap that tradition, but what I did scrap is a infamous

photo-in-front-of-the-tree tradition...

Enjoy and thanks for stopping in.

Celebrate - Challenge YOUrself #12

It looks like I forgot to schedule this one...

This month at Challenge YOUrself, you get to play along with a great sketch.  Check it out for yourself...  so many possibilities with this one.  Be sure to check out the DT designs for inspiration.  There are some talented ladies on this team!

Here is my LO with some detail shots...

I know what you are thinking... A Christmas LO?  Well, since they started playing Christmas carols the day after Halloween, I thought why not?  Hopefully it helps you get into the Holiday spirit!

I started with a little ink splatter and this great circle stamp I found years ago at one of the CKU events.  Do they still have those?

I'm trying to use up some older supplies, so I created a "use it or lose it" pile that sits right on my desk.  I figure that if it's within sight the chances of me using it is greater.  The red scroll and the *** border (rub-on) came from that pile.  Slowly it will dwindle...

Thanks for stopping.

Lisa