off to go here…

see ya when we get back from the magic!!
(reservations at said castle on new years eve!
feel free to be jealous! ha ha!
i am GIDDY!! tee hee!!!)

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our christmas tree (pretty little studio)

VELLUM! vellum is back!
i guess everything DOES come back eventually.
i am not disappointed this is one of the returns.
especially the adorable vellum printed papers!

for this layout i got my sewing machine out.
i need to sew more often.
it adds so much.
i just don't get sick of it…

stop by the pretty little studio blog AND website to check out all the new vellum!

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Pretty Little Studio - BLOG HOP!!!

…you should be here from the blog of Sara Zenger… 

if not and you want to start at the BEGINNING of the blog hop, start here at the pretty little studio blog!

thrilled to be designing with these fine creative ladies for this hop!!

thank you for stopping by! 

REMEMBER!! comment on EACH designers blog AND on the pretty little studio blog for a chance to win a prize from EACH! 

my giveaway prize?? i thought you all needed a chance at this flair!

too cute huh? the winner will be drawn on friday december 6th! 

(there will also be A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE given to one lucky blog hopper too!!)

so on to my layout! 

we all wanted to give you some inspiration using the new "woodland christmas" line, which coordinates with "nature walk". 

i got the sewing machine out for this one. i still love to sew on my pages! 

i sometimes forget that even though us designer types like to put things like deer on a layout even if it has nothing to do with the "theme", not everyone does well with that. so i wanted to point out that even though this is a layout about my cat, i think the fact that i have animal ornaments is a good "hook" (as if i needed one) to use the woodland animals. animals in general are very organic. so whether it is picking out the christmas tree, or pictures of the ornaments, the animals i think can find a place on your pages… IF the deer, owls and birds being SUPER cute isn't enough of an excuse that is!

so head on over now to the blog of:

Monique Liedtke

lost?? head back to the pretty little studio blog to get back on track! 

and don't forget to head to the shop today after you "hop" to partake in: 

ya do NOT want to miss out! 

thank you for stopping by!! 

and don't miss a THING on this hop! 

so much inspiration! 

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pretty little studio: out of the box

the inspiration for "out of the box" for me this month does nothing to calm my need to be by the ocean (more). it IS my happy place!

so right to my last beach vacation pictures i went!

i may be a big fan of cutting machine and die cutting machines, but sometimes just tracing something works too... a plate, or in this case a flip flop. come to find out the flip flop, now outgrown is the flip flop that Cora wore when we went on this vacation. (the box of outgrown shows conveniently waiting to go to goodwill!)

simple, but implies what i had planned!

check out the inspiration available DAILY on the pretty little studio blog! 

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sketch time!! (pretty little studio)

i am kinda embarrassed. (well, maybe not)
USUALLY i murder a sketch. or at least try to be uber creative in my use of it.

for two months in a row, i have like my assigned sketches so much, i did them a LITTLE but literally!
this is a great sketch! ESPECIALLY when your favorite paper from "nature walk" comes right to ming (arrows) when you see it!

so here is the sketch:

and here is my layout: 

ok. so i didn't go nuts or anything. but that's ok. sometimes the best thing about sketches is that they are time saving and creative in their own right, right? 

be sure to check out the "pretty little studio blog" for more inspiration! 

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HA! (pretty little studio)

this picture just makes me laugh! it was an evening like any other. my husband decided to make brownies....

...and splatter the batter all over the kitchen!!

it isn't even in focus. but when i saw the picture in my stash i thought i had to get the story down before it was a story lost.

little moments. moments that make us laugh. i love to laugh!

this "manly" line by "pretty little studio" is perfect for this and anything else my boys (and boy dogs) can dish up!

check out the "pretty little studio blog" for daily inspiration!

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dolphin encounter (pretty little studio)

a few years back (man time flies) we finally took a family vacation after NINE years. (a real vacation, not just a weekend away).
we went to california.
to the area i use to live.
to a house i found on VRBO for TEN days.
a block from the beach. by my favorite beach in the world (so far. and i have been to a LOT of beaches).

one of the things that makes this beach a favorite is that you can walk for miles-days even, and it never stops. "rio del mar". no high rises. just a coffee shop, a motel, and regular houses. i love it here. and dogs are allowed. (we didn't have a dog with us, but when i lived there i would regularly walk my dogs on this beach.)

i digress. so my kids got to meet the dolphins i use to train. keep in mind when i left california, i had no kids. so this was a tad surreal. but wonderful. truly wonderful.
this was one of my favorite pictures of the day.

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grow (pretty little studio - sketch)

this sketch was just too easy to use!

and "nature walk" was the perfect collection to use with it!

i take random pictures of my flowers. ya work so hard, some evidence is kinda nice!

and i'll be honest. i never knew i would like gardening so much. you can be just as creative growing things as you can making things! yay to that!

yeah... a bit literal. but i love it just the same.
(i even stamped! yipee!!)

be sure to check out the daily inspiration on the "pretty little studio" blog!! 

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honored to be...

...invited to be on the "pretty little studio" design team for another term!!

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oh dear! (pretty little studio)

ok. so a bit corny play on words... so what. it's cute!

so is my dog. i love this furry beast SO very much.
the kids aren't out of the house yet and i have one of those dogs that are like your kid.

that's ok. the kids love her too!

she was ONE adorable puppy!

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merida (pretty little studio)

so i don't see my ever being done scrapping my dream vacation to disney (and universal, and sea world, and treasure island on the beach).

but when it comes to disney pictures, i don't want all my layouts to be "red black white and yellow" and have ears all over them all. mickey isn't even my favorite character! :)

seeing as i am ALREADY in love with "nature walk", our visit with Merida (and btw, we goto to meet her about a wee before the movie was out! HA! we so rocked! lol!)

the feathers (she IS a rockin' archer) and bears SCREAMED "brave"!!

so here ya go! metting Merida. so cool!

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sketch time! (pretty little studio)

another fantastic sketch!!

and me, ACTUALLY using one of my punches!! 

this layout is also featured in the "pretty little studio" catalog for the "nature walk" line! my all time favorite of the "pretty little studio" lines. i am pretty sure it is the animals. sucker!

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out of the box - pretty little studio

aren't these colors beautiful? though i generally gravitate towards brighter hues, i can certainly appreciate this calming combination! and it speaks "sand castle collection" to me! defiantly. but i wanted not just the colors to hint at this picture... as a scrapbooker for over 15 years (eek!) i have collected a TON of product and "doo dads" over the years. i think the lil pearlized embellishment were once in a pack by making memories... and they worked well with the collection and hinted at the necklace in the inspiration. that's the think i love about inspiration. the picture had me on the hunt for some bits and pieces that would be fun details in this layout! 

check out the pretty little studio blog for daily inspiration! 

i have some catch-up to do!! more layouts to post!! be back soon! Off to go camping this weekend-staycation!

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last day of school

cora didn't go to school the first day with her brothers...
so that is why there isn't a group shot on the first day.
i am not organized enough to realize i needed a "all three" shot to compare at the end of the year. oops.
but CHECK out Gavin at the beginning of the year...
(Gavin-6th, Gabe-4th, Cora-3rd)

and look him on the last day of they year!! (GASP!!)
what HAPPENED to the kid?? i KNEW i should have stopped feeding him this year. ha.

glasses were new for the boys this year too!
(i WILL be growing those bangs out on Cora. we tried it. nah.)
Gabe grew too, and Gavin is STILL so much bigger! crazy!!


this picture of the boys says it all!

Gavin is wearing his "Professor "G" shirt his grandma got him (he loves it) and Gabe is wearing one of his Nerf shorts (and mismatched socks)... and check out the hair and the expression... perfect!

i love my kids! but i am sad that this was the last day of elementary school for Gavin. he is so excited about jr. high... i agree with his cousin (a teacher) in her option of "jr. high is a cesspool of evil." nailed it. but i think we have him prepared. and he is still communicating well with us. and i pray alot... bases covered i hope!

glad i did this post! it is fun to see the differences in them! even lil miss grew this year! she had a FABULOUS year with services at hopewell! Pleasant Valley ROCKS! i am so impresses so far!

...onward to summer fun!!

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i'm FREEEEE!!!! (pretty little studios)

ok-it's just my "free" project at Pretty Little Studios this month! ha!

looking through my pretty little studio treasures, i opened up my collection of "sand castles" and was immediately in the mood to create.

i had a bag of clearance "burlap" in a greenish blue sitting by the basement door waiting to go down to the craft room, when i thought to use it on this layout! you can see a bit of it better here...

95% of this layout (paper, embellishment) is Pretty Little Studio. the banners, the tags the paper, the cards... it really makes a layout come together easily! the florals in this collection remind me of vintage sheets... hmmmmm.... 

be sure to check out the blog daily for inspiration! and there is a list under my layout of ALL the products i used to create this layout! 

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Pretty Little Studio... a simple lil card

when i use to teach at scrapaganza monthly (our LSS now no longer) i use to tell my monthly kit club students almost EVERY month: once you do your pages and use your kit, there are always scraps. make a card!

so this month i grabbed just a few banners, and some spray mist and did a little doodling, and made a little "invite". we are having a big birthday party at our house this summer for a relative. forget someone? I'll be ready!

having general or birthday (my favorite thing to forget and need last minute) in a box in my scraproom "just in case" has come in handy! I don't make them TOO elaborate, because i'll be honest. i hoard the cards that take lots of time to make!

so there is my simple little challenge for you! make a card simple card after each scrap session... even project life! (tip: sam's club has big ole packs of 8 1/2 x 11 white card stock on the cheap!) 

and don't forget!! There is a blog hop going on RIGHT NOW until tomorrow (May 2nd)!! lots of giveaways on the way!! So don't miss out!! 

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Pretty Little Studios/Love My Tapes BLOG HOP!

consider me that person at the airport with the orange flag waving you on!

love my "love my tapes", but due to unforseen confusion on my part, i am just a bump in the road, not a stop on the hop!

please proceed to Tina Walker's blog for your next bit of inspiration!

click the banner to go back to the "pretty little studios" blog, and a full list of the bloggers on the hop!

enjoy the hop!! 

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Pretty Little Studio - "Elsa"

my turn to create... and it was a "free" day! i love when i get to do "whatever"!

digging through my pretty little studio treasure, i noticed the adorable dog tags and circles in my stash!
since i have the CUTEST dog on the planet, and a ton of pictures to scrap, i decided to go with a dog layout!

so i picked a few select tidbits and got one of my favorite pictures out!

i have not tied of spray mist! and i revisited the art of doodling a bit. when working with a white background and light colored cards and papers, a simple outline of a black pen can make a huge difference.

my current favorite spray mist is all the colors by heidi swap-color shine. they are truly vibrant colors with a sheen that i LOVE! if you haven't picked any up, so!

thanks for stopping by! be sure to check out the pretty little studio blog for LOTS of inspiration!

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Pretty Little Studio - technique challenge

"colorful circles"

the wheels start turning with a picture like this. behind scrapbooking, one of my favorite things is home decor and home DIY. so i saw this and it was hard not to paint a room or make a light fixture instead of work on a scrapbooking project!

                       

i saw this light and then i recalled this fabulous stencil. i am PRETTY sure it is a studio calico stencil.
but instead of misting around, i used it as a stamp. easy to do. just mist the stencil in a box or on scrap paper, and then press it onto your paper. it "stamps" the image onto the paper.

did it again in the upper left hand corner, and i worked my paper, picture and embellishment around it. i have been in love apparently with my journaling pens and doodling lately. to help the stamped stencil work stand out, i just highlighted several areas with a black pen. it also helped the banner punch out to be outlined in black to stand out.

added embellishment bonus-i used the tag from an item i purchased at the American Girl store as an embellishment. throw away nothing! :)

so go get a stencil and STAMP with it! stretch those supplies further!

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pretty little studios - nature walk reveal blog hop!

hey!
thanks for stopping by!!

"hop" along this day after easter, and you could win a $20 gift certificate from the pretty little studio online store! 

for a chance to win:

1. "follow" the pretty little studio blog

2. "like" pretty little studio on Facebook

3. leave a comment 

easy peasy!

if you happened to my blog first, be sure to go back to the beginning to the
pretty little studio blog to start form the beginning!

here is the full order:

pretty little studio blog

aimee

candice

christiana

heather

krissy

lisa w.
lisa s.

mary ann

ME! (you are here) 

after "me" head to the pretty little studio facebook page!

the "hop" is in honor of the reveal for "nature walk" THE cutest fall line i have ever seen!! 

melissa knocked it out of the part with this one!! 

pre-orders are starting now! so get your order in! 

so while your here, i will share a little inspiration using a few things from another fabulous pretty little studio line, "birthday cake"! the 8x8 printed papers are amongst my favorites! 

i JUST went to chicago this last thursday, and immediately upon my return, i decided it needed to scrap using the sticker on the bag of my dogs cupcake! i often times save these kinds of items, but sometimes they get lost in the "someday" pile. not this one! i had my poor dog pose for a few pictures before i let her enjoy her treat, and i scrapped them the very next morning! 

the mist was just a simple way to add interest to this simple layout! 

here is a picture of my new fancy misting set-up. ha! 

if you haven't had a chance to use the "color shine" mists by Heidi Swapp, your missing out on the fabulous sheen of these colors! 

my pretty little studio base combined well with some other heidi swapp items i purchased recently! 

thanks for stopping by! 

now remember, head on over to the pretty little studio facebook page to finish your journey for a chance to WIN! 

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SALE!! (pretty little studio)

MAYBE there is a sale twice a year like this.
so get over to the Pretty Little Studio website march 27-28th and order up some vintage looking wonderfulness!

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sketch time! (pretty little studio)

i love sketches. i would love to be back on a sketch challenge dt again i like them so much! they are such a fantastic way to get out of a creative slump!

this is my first sketch layout for pretty little studios... 

i saw the "word" sections and i immediately thought of the fantastic lil vintage "flashcards" from the birthday cake line, and the fact that we just had a couple of birthdays around here... 

i worked with a white base because i wanted to work with some of my new heidi swapp color shine colors in the back ground... which, i feel make it necessary to outline the rectangles in some gray ink... 

simple and fun. 

the polka dots in primary colors are actually the garland circles with perforations in the centers. i used them to highlight the lil cake die cuts. 

little imperfections, lot of color, plenty of happy. 

happy birthday gavin! can't believe your a teenager next time!! 

wanna join along? be sure to post/link your layout to the blog post at pretty little studio! you have until april 1st!!

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