"A friend is what the heart needs all the time"
Henry Van Dyke



Sunday, January 29, 2012

More creations

Where did the month go? And such a strange month weather wise here in the Chicagoland area. We really have not gotten any measurable snow and what we have gotten has melted with the almost 50 degree temps not long after.

However, today it is snowing. So pretty to look out the window to see the snow softly falling. And when it is like this out it seems so quiet and peaceful. Ok until the neighbors get out their snowmobiles and go out on the lake. I don't think they will be doing that today though as it has been too warm and the lake is not completely frozen anymore.

Here are my Great Nephews from Christmas this last year. From oldest to youngest so we will start with Cooper.

I was a little more detailed on this layout and worked on it for over 3 days. I kept going back to do something else but the end result was well worth it. I used so much different media on this layout from my copic markers to Shimmerz pearlz and vibez on the doily behind his picture. The tag with the little snowman is just a regular tag that someone had on one of my Christmas bags a few years ago. They didn't write on it and I thought it was too cute to throw away. I also used leftovers from my Christmas cards, the reindeer and snowflakes. The sticker letters are from my stash along with the brads, rubon stitches and little gift sticker on my journaling.



Here is Finn my next oldest Great Nephew. I played with him on the floor for most of the day as he is so much fun. Isn't he the cutest with all that red hair. The photo turned out a bit blurry not sure why.
The little reindeer stamp in the corner I made quite some time ago. I used Flower Soft on the antlers and snow underneath the deer. And yes I used my slice to cut out his name. Must use what we have right? :)

And last but certainly not least is my newest Great Nephew Brady. He was born this last November. He was a sleepy guy but I got to hold him for a little bit despite all the wires and monitors.The little blue buttons under his picture spell out his name. Those are really old and have been in my stash forever.

Thanks for all of your comments they mean so much to me.

Off to create more!

Sunday, January 8, 2012

As promised I am back to share my layout that I did for my 2012 word that I chose. This years word is going to be 'Time'. For me this means simply more time for me. Be it reading, scrapbooking, working out, playing games whatever I chose to do I am going to make sure I do it.


Here are some close ups. The doily in the corner was punched from plastic then I used some Picket Fence distress stain on the back. I added distress ink to the clock face, butterfly wings, flowers and the letters for time then dabbed some multi matte medium as the color wouldn't dry on the metal.

This next project was made for one of my girlfriends. It is the felt bag that I found on Pinterest with a few changes. I made the handles thicker and added cotton fabric on the reverse side to give the handles more substance. She loves blue. The flowers on the front of the bag were done with an air gun for my Copic markers and a mask by Heidi Swapp.Inside the bag she found this



I love these configuration boxes by Tim Holtz. So versatile and easy to do. I made sure to include not only a picture of the 2 of us in Chicago under the Bean in Millennium Park but also a cute little bird cage (again Tim Holtz) some bottles filled with blue beads and finally her favorite thing items depicting Paris.

She was very surprised and just loved her gift.



Monday, January 2, 2012

Last day of the long weekend

Tomorrow it is back to work. Hoping the week is productive yet flies. I have so many customers that I need to get to closing it isn't even funny so if the work flows properly I should be able to get the majority of them done. Wish me luck!
Today I ran some errands with hubby and then came home to eat lunch. While eating I was reading my library book on my Nook, Undone by Karin Slaughter, great book and I just can't put it down. But down it must go as I want to finish working on the configurations box I am making for one of my girlfriends. She has no idea and I would like to have it done by next weekend to give her as a little surprise. I also made her one of the those felt bags from Pinterest in this really pretty blue color. I decorated the front with my Copic markers and a mask from Heidi Swapp. I reenforced the handle with some added material and really like how it turned out. I will take some pictures before I give her the loot and post it.
Make it a great day!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Tim Holtz 12 tags of Christmas

I just loved the 12 tags that Tim just did on his blog in December. I was having a really hard time coming up with a design for my Christmas cards this year. I saw him do this really cool technique then another and yet another. When I incorporated them all together I came up with my Christmas card for 2011.
Thanks for the inspiration Tim!
Here is my card the picture is a little bit light as I am learning how to use my DSLR in manual. What a challenge!

Happy New Year

I am making a promise to myself to get on here more to update all that is going on. I noticed my last post was in March last year. Wow that is a long time. Since then I went on vacation with a girlfriend, Denise, to Arizona. What a beautiful place I could see myself there someday. The air was such that I never once had a headache that was so amazing. The climate is so dry and it is the same every day. Sunny and 100. That was at the beginning of June.
At work I have a new boss. He is a very interesting person and fun to work for. He makes things interesting and really understands how our jobs effect us. He is also very smart when it comes to questions with underwriting as that is how I had first met him as my underwriter. Seems like ages ago when in fact it was probably only 5 yrs.
The first day of the new year here is very gloomy. Rain looks like it is changing to either icy precipitation or snow. I truly don't care much but my husband is at work today. Hoping this doesn't mess up his being able to leave early and be home by 2. I completely didn't buy anything for dinner tonight when I went shopping yesterday and don't feel like taking his truck to the store. My suv is still out of commission, another story, and not even here but at a friend of my son's.
Enough for now as I want to post my Christmas card and get it on Tim Holtz's blog before the deadline this morning.
Happy New Year everyone!