Stick it Down Card sketch

I really love Stick it Down challenge blog because they give you 3 options during the month, a double page, single page and card sketch... I actually have done all 3... this is my last one the card, and if you  know me, you know I am not really a card maker, I will make an occasional card for a birthday, but in general I just haven't gotten into cards as much although I have ALL the stuff to do them with.

With Valentines Day coming up I figured I would do this one using some scraps I had and I flipped mine vertical...I really like how it turned out,  :)

this is such a great way to use up some scraps too... I might actually make a few more of these for different occasion!!!

Got Moxxie Sketch Challenge

I found this challenge for Got Moxxie when I was searching out the new CHA products...  they have a very cute line called "Queen of the Crop" which is going to be perfect for some retreat layouts!!   Anywho... I had these selfie pics of the hubs and me and some paper from a CTMH pack that needed using and here ya go...

 

I think now I am up to about 20 layouts so far this year... that is probably more than I did all of last year... yea for me and  yea for finally using some stash!!!

Stuck?!

I have been meaning to post this for several days and the time just seems to get away from me...This is a layout I did on my scrap weekend for Stuck?!Sketches...  I have had this picture of my grandparents for a while now and just never could find the right paper to use for it..  In a effort to use up some stash I took some Close to my Heart paper packs I seemed to have been hoarding for a while now... it is amazing what you can do when you only have certain things to work with  ;)

I thought the colors worked really well with the black & white photo... I never met my mom's dad because he died when she was 18, but from what I have heard he was quite the cut - up while my Granny was a little more proper and always dressed to the nines!!

What's on your desk - Studio Challenges

I ran across The Studio Challenges site on Facebook and was intrigued by this challenge to scrap something that is on your desk... well if you know me, and unless I have just cleaned it off, my scrap desk is covered with various items and more so lately since I have really been trying to do some challenges and sketch blogs to help me use up my ever growing stash of supplies.

So I had this Lemonade Stand kit by Bo Bunny from The Scrapbook Princess sitting on my desk for a while now waiting for the right pictures... and I just happened to have ordered pics from my trip to CHA this past summer in Atlanta that I really wanted to do a layout with and then I found this challenge... I guess it was meant to be!! ;)

This was our first trip to CHA and it was fabulous... it was sensory overload seeing all the products and meeting designers and taking cool classes.  I can't imagine what the big show in January is like, this one really blew us away!!!

Auburn with my bestie

For a little background on this layout I did for ScrapMuch? sketch-y Friday...

Jamy is one of my longest knowing friends (or oldest-even though she hates when I use that term)... we have known each other since the 3rd/4th grade when her family moved directly behind my house.  Although they had to move away when we were in the 9th grade we have stayed in touch ever since and now her parents have moved back within 30 minutes of my house so when she came to visit this summer we were able to get together and spend the day in Auburn, because she and I have been Auburn fans (War Eagle!!) since forever ago...  even if you aren't a football fan you should try to visit if you are nearby.  Auburn is called "the loveliest village on the plains" and it truly a neat college town that still has the charm of years gone by, complete with an old fashioned drug store with a soda fountain and the best dang lemonade you will ever have... it is a must see stop for anybody traveling thru.

Now we took a zillion selfies, but these were some of my favorites that covered the hilites of our day

 

 

Stick it down...

While I was away on my scrap weekend I was able to get several layouts done, which is always nice.  I only took a few different paper collections to make myself use up some stuff that has been in my stash for a while - YEA for me using some of my stash!!!

I had these pics from a scrappy weekend I went on back in October with some of my favorite girlies and this is some October Afternoon (how fitting that I use OA paper for an Oct trip) paper I found in my stash and I knew right away it would work perfectly with this sketch from Stick It Down .  I decided to use two full photos instead of having to reprint smaller and I really like how it turned out.

 

 

I still have a couple to post so come back to visit. :)

 

Scrappy Weekend

I am lucky enough to have a cousin that has retreat for crafters, scrappers and sewers and she invited me and a friend up for the weekend and considering the week I had a work I was ready for a get away!!  If you are looking for a scrappy getaway please check out the Sunset Inn and Retreat in Alabama, all you need to do is show up with your supplies, Randi and her family will handle everything else for you... and be prepared to eat like a king because the food is OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!  I like to call it "high class country" cooking... she takes country style cooking and puts a great flair to it and will adapt to any special dietary needs as well.

So while I was there I did get several challenges done that I will be posting thru the week...

This is one of my favorites of my niece's casual sr. pictures, she really is a beautiful girl on the inside and outside.  Let's Scrap had this fabulous sketch and I had this great paper from Fancy Pants that worked perfectly!!!

 

Stay tuned cause I will be posting more thruout the week!!!

Softball 2014

I have tons of pictures from niece playing softball thru the years and yes I do have plans for them... probably a mini album, but since this was her last year to play I decided to dedicate this layout to her senior class.  3 of these girls have been playing  all together since they were little and it is so hard to believe they have all graduated and are in college... yeesh I am getting old!!!

I found another great sketch site called, Stick it Down , and they do (3) sketches a month, a double, single and card sketch, so if I can keep up with them I will surely use up this stash of mine, especially since CHA is happening this week and oh the goodies that I must have!!!  Definitely need to make some room!!

I have started out with the double page cause it worked great for the softball photo shoot

 

 

Hopefully I won't mortify my niece by posting these pics either ;)

Love this!

Back again with another layout... shocking I know, but I am really trying to stick to my resolution to do more scrapping and to use some of my ever growing stash!! 

This layout from Stuck?!, don't you love it??  I keep discovering all these great sketch sites to help me keep these resolutions, and for this one I pulled out some MME Lime Twist for these pics of me and my parents. 

You have to understand that my dad is not the most photogenic person... he either is talking or looking everywhere BUT the camera, so I am glad to have these (pretty good) pics from his birthday last spring. ;)

 

 

now my next resolution is to figure out a better way to photo my layouts...

any suggestions are welcome...

I'm so excited!!!

One of my layouts was chosen as Top 3 at Sketches in Thyme !!!

On to other news... I have started another resolution this week... getting healthy and fit.. I had started down this path 2 years ago and lost about 30 pounds, but I let myself fall back into unhealthy, lazy ways and it now time for me to make this change for good!!!

I am logging all my food and exercise on a great app called Lose It , it really makes me so much more accountable for what I put in my mouth and seeing the calories in some of my favorite foods blows me away!!!  I love the Black n' Blue salad from O'Charley's but it has more calories in it that I am trying to eat in day...  2100!!!!!  I try to stay in the 1400-1500 calorie range.. I am also getting back to daily exercise... I started back today very lightly and will increase each time, which will hopefully be 4-5 times a week. 

Exercise truly is happy medicine, I always feel so much better after exercising!!

Until next post....

Better not cry!!!

I know we just started a new year, but I couldn't resist doing another sketch challenge using these pics of my nephews and niece visit to see Santa last year.  I totally relate because I was PETRIFIED of Santa and wouldn't have anything to do with him until I was about 8 years old.

I did this layout for Let's Scrap sketch challenge 12-31-14 and I will admit I though my masking would come out like it did in my mind and from the mask I was using, stars scattered across the paper, when in reality it ended up looking like big drops of snow scattered across the page, but I think in the end it turned out pretty good with the pics I was using ;)

 

 

And in trying to stick to some resolutions to use some of my ever growing stash I dug thru my Christmas tub and ran across this paper from BoBunny, Elf Magic, and thought it was perfect to show these pics off with... I even pulled out my cameo and put it to work cutting the trees in the center.