Project 52 - Week 1

The last half of 2012 has been tough due to some health issues.  I have not abandoned scrapping or card-making... but I just didn't have the energy to.  Even when I did have the energy, I was not in the mood to craft.

I'm hoping that with some changes, I can get my health back in 2013.  And to find my lost mojo, I've joined a Project 52 Weekly Scrap Challenge.  I'm hoping this challenge will hold me accountable to do at least one mini layout each week... and a way to start a journal for this new year.  I think this will be a somewhat exciting year with lots of changes.

To start off, I am going to use my Fuji Instax Mini 7S Camera to help me out.  I also discovered some apps that will help me print out my iPhone pictures at my local stores.  These will be very helpful as I will be needing a photo or two each week.

This week is a recap of what we did over the Christmas holidays.  It's been a very nice staycation and though I rested a lot, we still managed to do a few of our favourite family activities.  The nicest thing this season was the music that filled our house.  All it took was an informal recital to inspire a little kid to play Christmas music on the piano all day long.  It then inspired his sister to play as well.  It was a delight for sure!

Here's week 1:

Supplies:
K&Co Smash Book Retro Style
Creative Imaginations Noel Die Cut Journal Pad
Making Memories Noel Music Note Ledger
Prima Ribbons

Teacher's Gifts

It's end of the year, and this year I was a little bit short on time so I made altered boxes for my kid's teachers. I started with beautiful decorative boxes in the teacher's favorite colors, and then I added matching embellishments.

The first one is for my daughter's creative and loving teacher. She loves black, white and red, so I picked a box that is black and white to start with. The wonderful thing is that the box has a quote about how valuable learning is, and is just perfect for my daughter's wonderful teacher because she really dedicated in helping the kids to develop a love for learning! I added the beautiful ribbon, the red rose and some Prima pearls to the top of the box.

The second box is for my son's equally wonderful teacher. She's an astonishing teacher, and this year she taught a combined kindergarten/1st grade class and did a wonderful job! Her favorite colors are blue and green, so I picked this beautiful nature-theme box for her:

Because the box itself is so pretty, I didn't use any patterned papers. Instead I added matching flowers, butterflies and pearls to accent the beautiful patterns.

Supplies List:

Prima Pearls

Things I love about you

This picture was taken when we visited Legoland in 2007, and when you were really into face-painting.  By now, you've already outgrown face-painting... and it got me thinking, how fast you've grown.  Well, not that fast, really.  But in my mind, I seem to only remember holding you UPRIGHT in our arms, walking around and around in the living room, sometimes for hours it seems, until the tiny little you stop crying and fall asleep.

And we never seem to have told you enough how much we love you.  We want to tell you for each 'issue' we have with you, there is a blessing that you bring to us.  And really, as many flaws as you or anyone has, you have as many wonderful good qualities.  But it really doesn't matter, because really, deep in our hearts, we love you just for who you are: a gift to us from God.  We need to tell you that.

And I probably could also tell you that I really love the new Konnichiwa line from Basic Grey!   And I'm taking up on the challenge to use some other shapes than rectangle and square... so I used quite a few circles, taken from the blossom motif in the background paper.   And while we're on the Asian theme here, I also break out some K&Co Mira embellishments.  And that reminds me, we have to scrap those Shanghai pictures soon... before we make 3 more trips there....

(I'm very honored to have this layout featured in Basic Grey's Eye Spy on 5/19/12).

Supplies:
Basic Grey Konnichiwa patterned paper and stickers
Basic Grey Gypsy patterned paper
K&Co Serendipity stickers
K&Co BW Mira stickers and rub-ons
Prima flowers
Queen & Co and Recollections crystal flourish stickers

Home (from ours to yours)

One of the NSD challenges today is to create a layout about home... or what makes it a home.  For a family like ours, it is of course all about ......  FOOD!   

Culturally, we always gather with family and friends around food.  It is more so for our family.  We all love food, the kiddies love dessert especially, and I happen to like baking... well I got into baking because of them.   It has become my love language, and hopefully their best family memories.  

We always bake cookies or cupcakes together for major holidays.. perhaps it's just an excuse.  But I love cooking for them, and I love it when they love my food!   My son once told his teacher, of all things, that I'm a baker.  I can be a gazillion things (you know how moms are), but to my dear child, I'm a baker - Ha!   I had no idea I would make this kind of mark in his life!  And my daughter requests that I make this special sponge cake (of course complete with whipped cream frosting and a ton of fruit) for her birthday every year.   It just warms my heart.  Of course, I cooked everything the way my love would want, and for the first year of our married life, I had his mom's number on speed dial (there are no recipes in her generation).  This.. is how I think of my home, food, made with love, and eaten together as a family as we share our daily stories from work or from school.  And I hope this is how my family remembers it, full of delightful aromas.. maybe from sautéed onion and garlic, or the sweet smell of vanilla cupcakes or fresh baked Chinese pastries...  and eaten around the dinner table, full of laughter and silly stories.  

For this important layout, I naturally chose... Basic Grey's Nook and Pantry line!  I based it off of a Becky Fleck sketch from her book.  The rest is just ... natural!  

Thanks for looking!  Bon Appétit!

Supplies:

Basic Grey Nook and Pantry patterned paper, rub-ons, stickers and chipboards

Basic Grey Lilykate patterned paper

Basic Grey Sketch Challenge 4.23.12

I love this week's sketch from Basic Grey.  I've always wanted to try adding horizontal embellishment strips to a layout as accent.  This sketch gives me the perfect chance to try it out.

I chose the sunny Lauderdale line to go with the fun Legoland pictures during my son's first trip there.  I used 3 pictures and some fun rub-ons and embellishments to complete this layout.  I had fun making it.

Supplies:

Basic Grey Lauderdale patterned paper

American Craft Thickers alphabet stickers

Fancy Pants rub-ons

Dress Form

I participated in a dress form swap a while ago and had the most fun making them.   I decided to go with two projects, 1 with fabric and 1 with paper.. well, sort of.

I had some help with my first one. I spotted this cute necklace holder at Ross.  The original dress is very pretty, but a bit too revealing, so I decided to get some fabrics and alter it for my friend.  She loves pink, and she loves vintage dresses, so I tried to make a dress that'll fit her style.  I made a pink dress and layered it with pink organza, and added pearly trims to the  bodice.

For my second project, I went with my favorite medium, acrylic. I used alcohol ink for the background colours, and added rub-ons and gemstones as embellishments.  I had a lot of fun making them, and would like to make some for myself next time.

Supplies (acrylic dress form):
Clear Scraps clear dress form
Prima jewel art flower centers
Tattered Angels glimmer mists
Basic Grey rub-ons

DeNami Happy Birthday Blog Hop

Welcome to DeNami's March Blog Hop!   If you are following the blog hop, you must have come from Mirta Sanchez's wonderful blog!   If you missed the previous blog stops, you can hop back over to the DeNami Blog to start from the beginning.  You have until March 12th, 2012, 11:59pm PST to leave comments on all the blogs in order to be eligible to receive one of the two $20 DeNami gift certificates.  Winners will be chosen randomly.  Good luck!

For this month's project, I chose the cute little Chickie cupcake cling stamp.   I stamped the image on a scalloped chipboard and coloured it.  Then I layered it with a few more 'yummy' patterned papers for a cheerful birthday card.  It isn't summer yet, but I'm dreaming of some summer fruits and desserts already! 

Thanks for looking!  Next stop is the talented Wendy Elliot's blog. 

Supplies List:
DeNami Cupcake Chickie Stamp
Basic Grey Lemonade Patterned Paper
Queen and Co Pearls
Copic Markers

DeNami Gift Wrapping Blog Hop

Welcome to DeNami's December Blog Hop!   If you are following the blog hop, you must have come from the Amber Daigre's wonderful blog!   If you missed the previous blog stops, you can hop back over to the DeNami Blog to start from the beginning.  You have until December 12th, 2011, 11:59pm PST to leave comments on all the blogs in order to be eligible to receive one of the two $20 DeNami gift certificates.  Winners will be chosen randomly.  Good luck!

This month's theme is gift wrapping.  The first thing that comes to mind is Christmas gifts.  Many of my friends enjoy a cup of premium coffee at their favourite coffee house, so I'm planning on getting a few coffee gift cards and making gift boxes to hold them. 

I made the box using a Sizzix XL die.  Making the tag is the fun part.  I used another Sizzix die to make an ornament, and stamped the coffee image (from the DeNami espresso petit four stamp set) on it.  Then I used some Stickles to add the 'snow flakes' and to accent the ornament.   Lastly, I tied the ornament around the gift box and I've got a wonderful Christmas present for my friends!

Thanks for looking!  Next stop is the talented Kimberly Kendle's blog. 

Supplies List:
DeNami Petit Fours Stamps (Espresso Stamp Set)
Sizzix XL gift box template, Sizzlet Christmas Ornament
Cuttlebug
Ranger Ink Stickles Glitter 
GlueCopic Markers
Technique Tuesday stamp