Christmas In Our Hearts . . .

This is my mother and my grandmother on Christmas Eve.

CREDITS:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: DID Twelve Days of Christmas Collab Collection
FONT: youareloved

DREAM MORE - SBG Collab Collection, Impressions of Anticipation

CREDITS: All papers and elements from Impressions of Anticipation coming to SBG New Year's Eve! Background paper and butterfly frame overlay: Studio Berna; cardboard butterfly: Studio Birgit; butterfly rubon: Studio Mirranda; dirty twisted ribbon: Studio Jessica; doodled/ribbon wrapped frame, bead border, ribbon border, doodled border, doodled flower, jewel and Dream More word art: Studio Lorie

Journaling: I have to admit that I had the wind taken out of my sails in February of 2007. While I was believing that the year wiould be filled with nothing but blessings after our family's hardships in 2006, reality brought sharp blows to that belief and left me a shaking leaf in its wake. Physical illnesses continued to make a mark on my children, and the depression that I had been facing since the fall really sunk in and had me sinking fast. In frustration and at the end of my spiritual rope, I chose to explore taking a medication to treat the depression. I am so glad I did. The year continued to bring surprises and I think that I was able to focus on what was truly important and ignore the negative (most of the time). The end of the year ended up with me having a severely sprained ankle and my son having a broken arm. Yet through all this, I have found a deep passion for digi scrapping, a true love for being able to create and preserve memories at the same time. In spite of everything that came against us, I feel so blessed. In 2008, I will forge ahead in spite of hardships. I will DREAM MORE, and then make those dreams come true.

Ride'm Cowboy!

Daniel got this hobby horse from Paw-Paw for Christmas this year. It makes the hoof clopping noises and whinnying and neighing sounds. He's not really sure what to do with it yet . . . he likes to take the stick part and bang it around on the floor or whip it around. He's a Wild West type of cowboy!

Credits:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: Cowboy Up Collection by Raspberry Road
FONT: CK Barbed Wire

My Love - Elements Challenge at DID

This is me and Jay on Christmas Day at his mother's house. We have been married for 14 years now, and this was one of our best Christmases ever.

CREDITS:
BACKGROUND PAPER & ELEMENTS: Bed & Breakfast Collection by Raspberry Road Designs; PHOTO MASK: Rhonna Farrer; PARISIAN ALPHA: Rhonna Farrer; FONT: LD Fine Script 3

The Not Pouting Look - Lyrics Challenge at DID

This was just too precious. We were trying to make Daniel and Olivia wait to open their gifts when we went to Grandma Sue's, but it was just too much for this 2 year old! He did his best, but you can see the frustration and resignation all over his little face and in the posture of his body. He is so dramatic, and I love it. You can see that his ear is so red in the picture. We found out today that the ear has been turning red because he has an ear infection. Ten days of antibiotics and he'll be good as new. Right now he's been running fever, so he's been all warm and wanting to be held. Cuddling time! CREDITS: BACKGROUND PAPER & PAISLEYS: Pretty in Paisley by Alabaster Box; DOODLE, FRAME & MEASURING TAPE: Another Time by Scrap N Tag; FONT: Problem Secretary

My Cousin My Friend My Blessing - SBG Studio Starts Challenge

I created this LO for an SBG challenge. Scrap a blessing. I have SO many blessings, but I spent some time with my cousin on Christmas Eve. She is an extraordinary mother to three handsome boys, and I really love to laugh and hang out with her. She knows all my deep dark secrets and still thinks I am wonderful! You can't find that kind of acceptance just any old place. In many ways she has been like a sister to me. We are 6 months apart in age, and literally grew up on the same piece of property. We spent hours playing in my playhouse. Barbies, setting up house, anything and everything our imagination could contrive. We used to sit out in the playhouse and swelter in the afternoons to watch Tom & Jerry cartoons on the old B&W t.v. We played 45 records on this little blue record player she had. One of the records was "Blue Velvet." ***singing*** She wore blue velvet, whoa-whoa, bluer than velvet were her eyes, whoa-whoa-whoa . . . so many fun memories, some sad ones, but ones I wouldn't trade for the world.

So without further ado, here is my lovely cousin and friend and a true blessing in my life . . . Tracy . . . isn't she beautiful?

CREDITS:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: Flittery Sparkles Collection by Studio Lorie
TORN NOTEPAPER: Journal Collection by Raspberry Road Designs
DATE STAMP BRUSH and CIRCLE BRUSHES: FREEBIES ON INTERNET, SOURCES UNKNOWN
PARISIAN ALPHABET BRUSHES: Rhonna Farrer
BIRD STAMP BRUSH: A Little Christmas Brushes, Rhonna Farrer

I've Been Tagged - 5 Little Known Facts About Me

This is my first time being tagged by a Sheree, a friend from small group study at Olive Baptist Church, and I'm not really sure how to play - but here goes. I am supposed to name 5 little known facts about myself. YIKES.

1. I don't know if you've heard of the Bible story where the woman searches high and low for a missing coin . . . well, our church was putting on a play about it and there was a box of coins (they were actually golden Mardi Gras coins I think). One of the ladies that was in the play addressed the children that were playing around on the stage after rehearsal and specifically told us to leave the coins alone. Red flag in front of a bull. Here I go, age 7, and STOLE a coin FROM the box IN MY CHURCH. To make matters worse, I hid the purloined coin in my PANTIES. You can imagine my delight when all the adults began searching for the coin (it was just like the play). My mom was onto me somehow. Probably the smug look on my face. Anyway, we left to go home. We had a Pacer at the time and when we got in the car, the coin slipped out of its hiding place and clanked on the floorboard (which was just metal - no carpet). SNAP!

Shouldn't that count for more than one?

2. When I was 13, I snuck out of the house with a friend who was spending the night to meet two boys. They were late. Something made my mother wake up. I was caught before we even met them. God was looking out for me, even when I didn't want Him to!

3. I'm a SAHM now, but I used to work as a certified legal assistant at a prestigious law firm in town (almost 10 years). I actually filmed a series of commercials with one of the founding partners. I was a local celebrity for a short period of time. Hee, hee.

4. I had back surgery when I was 21. I still have problems with my back, but before the surgery I was continually doped up on pain meds and muscle relaxers, and could barely function. In another time and place without medical technology, I would have ended up as a morphine or heroine addict.

5. I had a brother who died when I was 13. He was only 2 days old. His mother (my ex-step-mother) was a carrier of Group B strep, and by the time they figured out what was wrong, the bacteria had attacked all his major organs. What is really weird is that I was a carrier of the Group B strep during both my pregnancies as well. Without administration of antibiotics during labor and delivery . . . well . . .

HMMM . . . whom shall I tag? I'll torture: Jackie Ann and Marilee. They love to digress . . . they make me want to digress . . . oh wait, I already am . . .

Fun Little Quiz

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of silliness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Take the Quiz here!

Welcome - Frameworthy Challenge at SBG - Artist Lorie Davison

This week's frameworthy challenge artist is none other than Lorie Davison! I love everything she does, and it was hard for me to choose, but ultimately I picked the following card she created because I have been wanting to do something with the pictures of the iris painting my mother gave me for Christmas. My mother actually completed this painting in 2003, but from the moment she had the canvas propped up and the first iris sketched, I wanted it. I have begged, cajoled, pleaded, demanded . . . well, nothing worked until my mom completed a huge remodel of her kitchen/dining room/living room and lost a wall . . . and had no where for this lovely painting to go. Guess what? I did! I was so excited to get it FINALLY! My sister will be reading this, nodding her head, knowing that I am a complete HOG. Thanks, Anna, for letting me have it! The painting is hanging on the wall to my right so that when I am on the computer I can gaze at it. I am so blessed.

Anyway, let's get past my ramblings to the Lorie Davison piece. Here it is:

And here is my take on it (and you'll notice that it is actually my blog header, too). I took a close up pic and blended it with the background papers. I extracted leaves and irises from the painting and layered them on the top and then finished it off with Lorie's incredibly detailed and whimsical elves and embellishments!

And this is a picture of my mother's painting hanging on my wall:

Credits: Papers and elements from Flittery Sparkles Collection with the exception of the yellow background paper which was pulled from the Eeky Freaky Collection - all by Studio Lorie.

WON ANOTHER CHALLENGE AT FAITH SISTERS!

Last night and into the early hours this morning I created a layout called "My Reason" for a challenge at Faith Sisters, and it was picked as the winner for the challenge! Check it out: Reason For The Season Challenge Winner - "My Reason". You can see the layout below in a previous post. What is even more exciting is that my Savior and my reason can be your Savior and your reason this season, too!

While I am very happy that I won the challenge, I am even happier that I have found such a lovely group of friends and fellow scrapbookers at Faith Sisters. If you are looking for an online scrapbooking community to join that is filled with encouragement, praise and geniune friendship, you need look no further than Faith Sisters! I found them very shortly after I started digi scrapping, and I have enjoyed every moment of my time participating in the challenges and developing friendships over in the forum. Don't think that because we are sisters of faith that we are stuffy and only talk about the Bible. We do talk about scripture and applying it in our lives, but we also talk about family, relationships, daily events and to-do lists, food, AND scrapbooking - just to name a few topics. Stop by and visit . . . say hello . . . join us! I know that you will find that your experience in scrapbooking and your faith will be greatly enriched!

God Bless You on this Christmas evening!

ANOTHER CT ANNOUNCEMENT! STUDIO LORIE! WOOT-WOOT!

I am super excited. I got a great Christmas present. I made it on the Creative Team of Lorie Davison, who makes extraordinary digital scrapbooking collections, and is also an amazing illustrative artist, costume designer, and milliner!

You MUST check out her official site! The Art of Lorie Davison

You can also find her designs at scrapbookgraphics.com in the shop: Studio Lorie at scrapbookgraphics.com.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I completed this LO for a challenge over at Faith Sisters . . . what is my reason for the season . . . it also fulfills a challenge over at SBG to use 20 of the same kind of element on the page (check out all the flowers!)

I pray each and every one of you has a blessed Christmas Day!

CREDITS:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: Flittery Sparkles Collection by Lorie Davison/Studio Lorie
FONTS: Scriptina, Stamped DSG, The King & Queen, Old Typewriter, youareloved, formfound.com

Unique - SBG Frameworthy Challenge

I created this LO for a frameworthy challenge over at scrapbookgraphics.com. We were to view the art of Ingrid Dijkers. I was inspired by one of her altered journals. SO COOL! I had a great time with this!

CREDITS:
Page Template: Christina Renee; black paper, inspiration word art, muse word art: Art Fusion, Christina Renee; teal paper: Terre d'Argile, scrap-shop.fr; Frame and various papers from petit moineaux (Lovely, Rouge Passion, Tout Simplement, Saveurs d'Autrefois, Fleurs d'Anis, Brise Marine; Glitter Circle: Cre @ Bisontine; Butterfly wings: Only For You, Mistica Designs; Crown, bird, patchwork quilt, jeweled flower cluster: Floral Collection, newlife; Roses: Old Flowers, newlife; Angel charm, hand mirror: Precious Memories, newlife; Ransom Note Alpha: Lili Pruneau; Buttons: T. Lewis; Button Buds: Paper Moons; Sparkling Ribbons: Bridget; Chipboard Silhouette: Broken Jar Creations; Thank Thee Label: Skrapper Digitals; Unique Word Art: Valarie Ostrom; Imagination Bar Code: Carolyn Bender; Beautiful Word Art: ScarlettHeels; Fonts: Avant que & Base 02; Cameo Button & Bright Filigree Button: Spunki Charms, Lorie Davison; Word Tag & Time Hand: Archive Collection, Lorie Davison

Pregnant - 4th and 5th Months

This is a friend of mine that is expecting her first child next year. She is having a girl! She just oozes beauty and happiness. She is going to be the best mother. I remember when her niece was born and she just made over that little one like there was no tomorrow (and still does!). I am so excited to see how she is with her own child!

Credits Not Available for 4 Months LO at this time.

CREDITS:
BACKGROUND PAPER, ROSES, LEAVES, RIBBON: For the Love of Rose Collection by Scrap N Tag, available at DID
PINK ALPHA: Whimsical Wonderland Collab Freebie
GLITTER STYLE: Flergs
BUTTERFLY BRUSH: CC-Scatterelle Colors, freeware downloaded from Internet
BUTTERFLIES: Floral Collection by NewLife

I Corinthians 13: A Christmas Version

By: Unknown Author

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love, I’m just another decorator.
If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love, I’m just another cook.
If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love, it profits me nothing.
If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.Love doesn’t envy another’s home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn’t yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but giving the gift of love will endure.

One Wish

I created this LO for a challenge over at 2Peas. We were to make a Christmas wish list. After thinking seriously, I decided I want this: to love and accept myself just as I am, but to be able to make time for me to make healthy decisions. Not just about my physical self, but I need to achieve balance and gain spiritual wisdom to become the best I can be.

CREDITS:
PAPERS AND ELEMENTS: Vintage Peddler by Raspberry Road Designs
OLD WESTERN ALPHA: Monica Larsen
HERITAGE ALPHA: Veda
FONT: CK Maternal

Faith Sisters Challenge - Year In Review

Just completed this LO for the current challenge over at Faith Sisters. There were so many things that happened this year, but as I looked through the pictures, I just kept seeing the faces of my sweet children and I just knew that I need to show their growth throughout the year. I am looking forward to 2008 and for the blessings that I am believing God is going to bestow on me, my husband, my children and my extended family and friends.

CREDITS:
BACKGROUND PAPER: angelfaye at DID
GLITTER FRAMES: flergs
STAINED GLASS FLOURISHES: Broken Jar Creations at DID
BRASS CALENDAR BRADS: M. Patry
SCRUFFY BLACK CHIPBOARD ALPHA: Gina Maria Spaghetti
FONT: Bodoni Bk BT

Another Happy Announcement

I just found out that I made the Creative Team for Raspberry Road Designs. I found Susan Darter's blog when I started digi scrapping in August. At that time, she was producing high quality collections for FREE. Every day was exciting because you could go check out what lovely thing she had designed. She just recently opened up her own online store, but is still giving away free collections! She is amazing! Susan had her first CT call, I decided to apply, and I am one of the lucky eight she picked out of over 100 applicants!

Check out the announcement on her blog at Raspberry Road Designs CT Announcement. While there, you will see the elements to the KaylaBugs Collection that you can download for free. Previous posts contain the papers to this collection as well as other collections that are showcased in her online store and other free collections.

Abi's Christmas Sparkles

My sweet little niece at a pre-Christmas party at my dad's house on the 6th. She is SO cute!

The Quick Page version of this LO is being given away over on Faye's blog HERE - Quick Post & A Freebie. It's also listed on Digi Free (TOO COOL!). Check it out HERE - Digi Free Search Engine.

CREDITS:
Papers & Elements from Christmas Sparkles mini kit by angelfaye Designs

Our Christmas Tree 2007

Some very lovely designers are giving away their collaboration collection FOR FREE and it is absolutely gorgeous. I had to play with it after I finished downloading yesterday. If you want to check out Whimsical Wonderland, go here: Flergs Blog. From there, you can blog-hop to your heart's content until you get all the pieces to this collection!

This is our tree for this year. We had to buy a new one because our fancy-dancy pre-lit rotating tree died last year. So this one is pre-lit, but doesn't rotate. It's kind of sad because not all the ornaments get "face time" because the tree doesn't spin, but it's still pretty, though!

CREDITS:
Background purple paper and green paper with purple glitter dots: Happy Holidays by NewLifeDreams
Purple Glitter Paper, Silver Frame, Ribbon, and Alpha: Whimsical Wonderland Collab Freebie
Glitter Style: Flergs
Ornate Frame: Rhonna Farrer

Me and the Hubby

Me and the hubby at a Christmas party last weekend . . . I used THE CHERYL COLLECTION (hee, hee, hee) to create this masterpiece! This man ADORES me . . . in spite of my imperfections, of which there are many, he just looks past it all and JUST LOVES ME. So amazing that God blessed me with such a wonderful partner. He is an amazing father. Just watching him with the kids makes me want to cry. Tonight he was being especially lovely and kind. He hung out in the den with me and we listened to music while I scrapped. Cool.

So this is a layout for a challenge over at DID . . . another color challenge. Here is the palette:

CREDITS:
PAPERS AND ELEMENTS: Cheryl Collection by Scrap N Tag (background paper recolored slightly)
DIAMOND: Trish Collection by Scrap N Tag
FLORAL BRUSH: Freeware from Internet
GLITTER STYLE: Flergs
FONT: Facelift

My Great Grandmother - LO with Remember When Collection

This is my maternal great grandmother.

Credits:
PAPERS AND ELEMENTS: Remember When Collection by Scrap N Tag
FONT: Liorah BT

Happy Haul-idays

CREDITS:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: A Country Christmas Collection by Scrap N Tag
FOLDED FRAME: Gunhilde Storeide
ALPHA: Another Boho Love Affair by retrodiva/Tracy Collins
DATE STAMP & SCALLOPED PAPER: Rhonna Farrer
STAR BRUSH: Scatterelle/CCC
FONT: 2Peas Scrapbook

CREDITS:
PAPER & ELEMENTS: A Country Christmas Collection by Scrap N Tag
ALPHA: SCARLETHEELSmedia
FONT: CK Sassy

Smile

CREDITS:

PAPERS & ELEMENTS: Cheryl Collection by Scrap N Tag

FONT: You Are Loved

SMILE WORD ART: Source Unknown

RHINESTONE BRADS: Source Unknown

Another Challenge Win - I AM SO BLESSED!

Angelfaye over at DID invited me to participate in this challenge. AND I WON 1st PLACE! Woo-Hoo. Twenty $$$$ to spend in Kris' store! Too cool.

Check it out on her blog: VIBRANT FALL RECIPE CHALLENGE - CHERYL - 1ST PLACE

CREDITS:
Star Paper, Recipe Card, Dotted Paper with Flourishes and Circles, Orange Frame: Vibrant Fall Recipe Quick Pages by Kris Myers Designs
Background paper, doodled frame, doodled swirls: Wild Things Collection by Studio Lorie
Stitched circle: Clippity Snippets Collection by Studio Lorie
Flourish brushes: 2Peas Sweet Pea Brush Kit by Rhonna Farrer
Font: CK Bella

Preview of Cheryl's Collection by Scrap N Tag

Here is the collection Carolyn made for l'il ole me . . . isn't it pretty? I love it!!!! It will be given away in parts through her digital store in the near future. Off to scrap . . .

I WAS PICKED FOR PAGE OF THE WEEK AT SCRAPBOOKGRAPHICS.COM

My LO "Grow" was picked as LO of the week at scrapbookgraphics.com. Check it out: PageoftheWeek12-4-07.

YIPPEE!!!!

Grow

I completed this LO for a challenge over at FaithSisters about our Bible. The Bible I currently use was given to me my loving husband. It is a wonderful reminder of the many blessings in my life.

CREDITS:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: Archive Collection, Studio Lorie
DATED METAL TAG: Source unknown
FONTS: Brandywine and Calligraph421BT

So Curious

I'm in love. I love my son. I love this kit. I love my son on this page made with this kit!

CREDITS:
PAPERS & ELEMENTS: Spunki Charms Collection by Lorie Davison
YEAR STAMP: Rhona Farrer
FONT: Brandywine
Special thanks to Monica Larson for her online tutorial on special blending techniques.