Neverending Song for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! May week 4 sketch challenge: 

I used Verve's One Person set for the image and sentiment.  I stamped part of the sentiment on the front, cut with a banner die from Taylored Expressions.  The rest of the sentiment is inside.  In entirety, it reads "You're a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness and love.  I sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune."  
Papers are MME Stella and Rose.  I cut the scalloped oval around the image with the Elegant Edges Cricut cartridge. Butterflies punched with a Martha Stewart punch.  2, 3, and 4mm flat-backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Thanks medallion card for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! May week 3 sketch challenge:

I had a lot of fun trying something different with this one.  I cut the little eyelet-looking yellow strips with a border cut in the Elegant Edges Cricut cartridge and adhered them side by side on black cardstock to make a patterned panel.  Then I cut three strips slightly larger using the same pattern to make the medallion.  The yellow paper is Fancy Pants Beach Bum, the others are MME Stella and Rose.  I wrapped some black cording around the top and bottom of the smaller panel.  
The "thanks" stamp is from Verve's Circular Sayings set, stamped and die cut with the Charmed Oval dies, and flat-backed pearls in 3 and 4 mm added.  The smaller panel is popped, and the height of the medallion is probably close to 3/8", so this is definitely a thick one at highest point.
Thanks for looking!

'Yaking the Hillsborough River

'Yaking is my hubby's term for kayaking, a favorite pastime for my family.  This is my son enjoying a ride and checking out a shell he found last year.  Our hope is that he loves it enough to continue, and we'll get him his own kayak one day -- or give him one of ours and get a new one ;).  For such a wild and wooly kid, he does quite well.  As long as we don't go TOO long, he seems to get calm.  He loves to look for wildlife.  And isn't he adorable in the hat? 

Papers are Echo Park (yellow) and October Afternoon.  I cut the sea plant shapes with the Cricut Storybook cartridge, and formed little fish out of buttons, brads and hand-cut paper tails.

Where Flowers Bloom... for Mojo Monday

For the Mojo Monday 190 sketch challenge:

I used a sentiment from Verve's Hope Blooms set and the flowers from the Chicks Rule set. The frame with the bird was cut with Cricut's Elegant Edges cartridge. Papers are MME Stella and Rose and the turquoise and light pink shimmer cardstock from Prima, ribbon by American Crafts, and flat-backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.
Thanks for looking!

Trying Out the Saxophone (Layout)

While visiting our friends last year, one of the spectacularly amazing sons, who is graduating high school this year, showed my then-five-year-old son his saxophone. Of course Gabe had to try it out. He actually was able to make a bit of noise, which I understand is pretty difficult. Maybe a future musician?? If he follows in the footsteps of these boys, I'm ok with that. 

This is a sketch I created for a challenge during a crop at my house to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day. 
Papers are MME Alphabet Soup (the musical note background), and scraps of different cardstock. I cut the musical staff and the little tag with the note with my Cricut. Machine-stitched and added some ricrac. That's it. Thanks for looking.

Miss You Like Crazy for VLV Challenge

For the Viva la Verve! May week 2 challenge: 

Maureen's sketch was fabulous this week.  I think for the first time, I barely strayed from it.  I used a sentiment from Verve's Hope Blooms set (you have to check out the cool flowers and other sentiments in this set!) on the Sweet Scallop Tag die and the butterfly from Chicks Rule (and coorindating die).  They are backed with a blossom die by Spellbinders.  Papers are MME Stella and Rose.  Ribbon from Stampin' UP, and a rhinestone flourish and bakers twine.

Because of You Mother's Day Card

I scraplifted a card by Nancy McKinney in the recent Papercrafts magazine for a card for my mom. 

The sentiment is from Verve Stamps' Just for You set. The flowers were stamped using their new Hope Blooms set. I stamped all three sizes, cut them out with the coordinating dies, snipped along the lines between the petals and "rumpled" them...turning the petals under and rolling the end of a pen into the centers to make them cup. Then I nested them into each other and added the pearl brads. The plaid paper is by Pink Paisley. The other papers are MME Stella and Rose. The top scallop is cut with a die by My Favorite Things; the small bottom scallop by Fiskars. I paper pierced around the edges of the green paper, and added some kraft-colored cording and punched butterflies from a Martha Stewart punch. 
The inside uses Verve's Happy Phrases set and just says "Happy Mother's Day." 
Thanks for looking!

One Last Teacher Appreciation Day Card for MOJO 189

For the Mojo Monday Sketch 189 challenge:

One last teacher appreciation card.  This is the digital image, Yale, from Mo Manning.  He looks so much like my son (I imagine many women can say that depending on how you color him...LOL). 
Anyway, the sentiment is from GinaK Designs' Back to School set, on the Charming Oval die by Verve Stamps.
October Afternoon papers, baker's twine, and some flat-backed pearls from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Teacher Appreciation Day Thanks

It's Teacher Appreciation Week....thank a teacher!
This is for my son's ESE teacher.  Although he's been mainstreamed and is no longer in her class, she worked with him for 1.5 years, and I believe he is doing as well as he is in large part because of her.  I know how hard it is to deal with one child like my son; I don't know how she does it with anywhere from 4-10 kids everyday.  Truly God's calling.

Using GinaK Designs "Back to School" set, and Crate Paper School Spirit papers (and a tiny bit of October Afternoon--the blue check).
The inside has the additional sentiment from the set "Thanks for being such a great teacher!"

Hope Blooms Mother's Day Card for Verve's Diva Dare

For Verve's April Diva Dare "April Flowers Bring May Flowers"

I used the flowers from Verve's new set, Hope Blooms, and cut them with the coordinating dies for this card; along with a sentiment from Verve's Happy Phrases, on the Charming Banner Dies. The paper is the new Fancy Pants Beach Babe.  SU's scallop border punch, some 2mm black flat-backed pearls, and machine stitching.

Pinwheel Kisses for VLV challenge

For the Viva la Verve! April week 4 sketch challenge: 

  
I was so wanting to play with my new pinwheel die (and sentiment stamps) from Lil' Inker Designs. The sunburst sketch this week seemed perfect. 
Papers are all from my scrap box of MME Stella and Rose, Lily Bee, October Afternoon, and I think even a bit of Basic Grey! Fun way to use up those scraps. 
I brought in just a touch of Verve with the little heart stamps (and hand drew in some squiggles).
A bit of machine stitching...that's it.
Just loving that pinwheel!

Mini Organizer

I used a fabulous cutting file by My Time Made Easy to make this little organizer for my son's teacher.  (I realize I made her that altered notebook a few posts back, but she's retiring after 41 years. We are her last class.  That just warrants a bit more in my book.)  
I just love all the features.  This set of files is truly worth the money.  So many elements!!  And it came together perfectly.  There's a large section in the back with dividers and a smaller section in front with dividers (and I included many white cards with rounded edges in both sizes to fit).  And the cutest part...a tiny drawer at the bottom!  I didn't put anything on the labels, so she can choose how she wants to use it, but I envision using the small divider section as A-Z with addresses of friends and family, and the large section with Jan-Dec, where you could put birthdays and anniversaries, maybe even some cards you pick up early so you don't forget to send them later.  And the drawer could hold stamps or gift cards.
The paper is OLD Chatterbox...still lovely.  The sentiment, butterfly stamp, and decorative stamps on the top rounded part are all from Verve.  A little shabby wrinkled ribbon and some pearl accents in various sizes.

And a close up of the sentiment and butterfly panel:

A couple layouts from my Sunday crop with friends

Had a great time with my local scrap group cropping all day Sunday.  I am so slow and meticulous, that I rarely get much done.  But I finished a single page and a double page layout!  Woohoo.
These are pics of my son hiking the Hillsborough River this past fall (and drinking out of his camelback).  Pretty simple, but I couldn't think of anything else it needed.  

And these are pics my hubby took playing with lighting and some backdrops one day.  I so wish I had been wearing a spot of makeup.  LOL.  But my cheeseball son is hamming it up...so captures his personality.  Love these.

Both layouts are done with my favorite papers these days, MME Stella and Rose.  The rub-on on the hiking one is also MME and stamps are Studio G.  The sentiment on the other is from Verve Stamps-- "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."  Well said.

Altered Notebook and Box for Teacher Appreciation Week (and VLV challenge)

For the Viva la Verve! April week 3 sketch challenge: 

When I first saw Teresa's sample for this challenge, I thought she had made an altered notebook.  The kraft color of the background and the long vertical cluster on the left kind of looks that way, right?  So, I was inspired.  I need a Teacher's Appreciation gift for my son's teacher.  AND I have a few of these fabulous kraft notebooks with pens-perfect for altering- left (from Target a few years ago...so sad they stopped carrying them).
So here is my creation.  The sentiment is Gina K Designs.  Many of the dies, the felt, and the corkboard are My Favorite Things (the notebook paper edge to the cork, the cork shape behind the sentiment, and the rolled roses).  Papers are all October Afternoon.
Thanks for the inspiration Teresa...one gift down!


I made this little box to hold the notebook, sizing a cut file for my Cricut.  Papers are Cosmo Cricket and October Afternoon.

And here's a close up of the medallion to decorate the middle.  The little apple was in a pack of 3D stickers in Target's $1.00 spot!!  

Light Up My Life for Mojo Monday 186

For Mojo Monday Sketch 186:

I used three of the lamp images and a sentiment from the adorable set by Unity, "Shine On!"
The dp is October Afternoon, and the green cardstock is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.  
Some dark brown shabby wrinkled ribbon, brown baker's twine, and a green button (SEI, from my stash).  I added some Sakura glaze pen for shine to some of the details in the lamps and to the lamp bases.