Did I miss Christmas???

I guess when you stop blogging over the holidays, you forget to share Christmas!

We actually had a wonderful holiday at home. It was perfect.

The boys were up at 6 a.m. to open gifts!
The first gifts we opened were the family gifts. Everyone was happy...I scrapped Kevin's Christmas. He got a lot of good gifts!Had to include the whole family in his album, too. While I prepared Christmas dinner, Kevin played with his new art supplies and ate his chocolate Santa. After lunch, he took a nap. I think we all did!

Thanks to Noel Mignon's December kit, I have Kevin's 2011 Christmas all scrapped. These are some great memories we wouldn't want to forget!

Halloween 2011 - documented...

In case you wondered where I have been since Halloween...

I have been scrapbooking! I am happy to say that all of my Halloween pics (pumpkin carving & trick or treat) from 2011 are scrapped. Go me!

I pulled out my neglected October 2010 kit from Noel Mignon. (For the life of me, I can't remember why I didn't use it last fall.) Armed with this kit, extra black cardstock & alphas, and my stack of Halloween pics, I worked over the weekend and completed ten layouts.

Crazy Kev shocked me when I noticed he was wearing a mask to carve his pumpkin. He was a bit scary! I broke out my new Martha Stewart border punch for "Carving Time" for Blake's album. I guess he was inspired to don his 'fro wig after seeing Kevin in his mask? I loved the My Mind's Eye pumpkin paper for this page.

Next, I FINALLY got to use my WRMK stitched cardstock for Blake's trunk or treat layout. He refused to dress up and said he was "casual Friday." Teenagers!Thankfully, Kevin dressed up. Everyone loved his Edward Scissorhands costume. I used a sketch from Sketches for Scrapbooking Volume 8 for this 2-pager.

Thankfully, Blake asked me to put make up on him before he sat out and passed out candy on Halloween!

I ended up with a lot of good "Bloody Blake" photos on Halloween. Crammed them all into a 2-pager. I liked my bat jack-o-lantern so much that I made a scrapbook page about it. (The title makes me smile. I love movie quotes.)

Kevin looked a bit spooky with his jack-o-lanterns on Halloween. (Although here he looks more like the joker with black hair than Edward Scissorhands!)

Speaking of Edward Scissorhands... This layout and the next both use sketches from Sketches for Scrapbooking Volume 8.

We really enjoyed trick-or-treating in our own subdivision. On a school night, it was great to stay home.

Now that Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

Where has 2011 gone???

Thanks to Shannon and Noel...

I had some more Shannon Zickel layouts that I wanted to scraplift that matched up with Christmas photos, but I was out of the Echo Park Christmas line. (Remember all the layouts I made with that line over the weekend? See here.) I decided to pull out my Noel Mignon "Bedford Falls" kit.

For my first layout, I wanted to use one of Shannon's layouts that had a big arrow on the page. Since the Christmas patterns I selected seemed more formal, I opted to leave off the arrow. This layout is more of an "inspired by" page than a scraplift. The main elements on this page that I pulled from Shannon's original include the strips to the right of the photo and the monogram circle wrapped in twine in the upper left corner of the page.
Layout #2 is a scraplift! I even pulled out my Scenic Route notebook paper for the background.

I added more tags to my page and switched up my embellishments a bit. Instead of using a heart, I decided on a star. (My first time using Studio Calico's wood veneer - love it!)

Not sure if you've noticed, but I'm really starting to use my button stash! It's to the point where I finish a layout and then look to see if there is a spot to add a button (or brad) anywhere. Oh, and then I have to make sure the button is either sewn or tied. We can't have a bare button just sitting on the page! ;)

So many photos, so little time...

Unexpected finds...

My latest two layouts are seem to have very different topics, but when looking back at them, I realize they both tell a story about unexpected finds.

First, is a layout of Kevin and Reese. What's the find? Being reminded of my two youngest sisters around the age Kevin is in these photos playing with Blake when he was a baby. Then it hit me, the age difference between my youngest sister and Blake is the same as that of Kevin and Reese. On Thanksgiving, I loved watching Kevin in the floor playing with Reese and sharing the toy tractors with her. (And aren't her curls just adorable?) I used my "Dear Diary" (Nov. '10) kit from Noel Mignon for this layout. I added the American Crafts crocheted flowers and the yellow Basic Grey alpha stickers.

My boys don't have as many first cousins as I did (50 or so...), but the bonds they share with the ones they do have I hope will be stronger.

I used the same "Dear Diary" kit for my next layout. I thought the papers fit my topic perfectly. In November I attended an auction on the property next to my parents' farm. I didn't go to buy anything, but ended up spending $20. I spent $5 on each sale and my title mocks an auctioneer, "Fi-dolla, fi-dolla, who'll give me fi-dollas???"

When I saw a green floral frog on a table, I knew I was going to make a purchase. Then they grouped it together with a bunch of stuff I didn't want, and the bidding went over $10. I approached the winning bidder and gave her $5 cash for the frog. There were a few green dishes on my wish list, too. They went over my $10 limit. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I approached that winning bidder, too. One of the green bowls what the only thing she had wanted and she said it was actually valuable. She sold the large green salad bowl and 3 matching smaller ones to me for $5. Later, she came by and gave me a green vase, too.

Then I saw the chairs. I actually needed an extra one in our formal dining room. I had my sights on two, hoping to get one of them. They went late in the auction and the crowd was dwindling. They started the bidding high on both and no one would bid. I offered $5 (both times) and no one bid against me. The one with arms looks great in our dining room. I just need to recover the seat. The smaller one has a great shape and is just cute sitting in a corner in our living room. I liked the scalloped shape of the packaging that came with my Jillibean Soup corrgated shapes, so I used it on my layout. I also added a tag and bling frame (around my journaling).

Although I had fun at the auction, I haven't been to one since. I don't "need" anything and am afraid I'd bring home too many deals!

I'm looking forward to spending the day with my boys tomorrow since school is out for the holiday. Apparently UPS is still delivering because I have a shipping confirmation that says I should expect a cool package tomorrow...

Rewind to fall...

It's been sooooo cold here lately. Cold since Thanksgiving. While I can't say that I'm ready for warm weather, I am ready for "warmer" weather. Fall is warmer than winter. Maybe that's why my "fall" Dear Diary kit from Noel Mignon put me in the mood for scrapping when I received these photos in the mail the other day.

My younger son is named after my dad. Some days it's very appropriate that he is. I've noticed lately that Kevin has a funny, serious face when he is concentrating on something. My dad does the same thing. Last month while we were at my parents' house, I captured both Kevins in deep concentration. My Kevin was decorating cookies. My dad was working in a Sudoku book.

The title came to me instantly. And yes, I was a huge Joker/Heath Ledger fan in the last Batman movie!

I actually thought I was finished with this layout before I added the buttons/brads. When I stepped back and looked at it, "something" was missing. I LOVE that I added them. They are my favorite part of the layout. (Aside from the photos/story, of course!)

Even though we've lived here for seven years, we still see a dentist in our old town. It's worth the 40 minute drive a few times a year because it guarantees we'll be visiting an area we love. It's a nice little outing for us. On the boys' last appointment date, we went over early for lunch at the historic Old Tabott Tavern. LOVE this place. Their fried green tomatoes are DELICIOUS! Unfortunately both boys like them now, so I have to share. Blake and I tried their catfish sandwiches and were amazed at how BIG they were when they came out. Blake picked his up and declared, "Mom, it's just like Man vs. Food!" (That's a show on the Travel Channel.) And so, a title for a layout was born...

I added the corrugated star shapes by Jillibean Soup, a Girls' Paperie alphabet ("vs."), and some twine. Finally, I scrapped a super simple 2-pager to document our Thanksgiving. We delivered meals for our church.

I think the house shape is a leftover from another Noel Mignon kit. I also added the envelope.

We are enjoying the beginning of our 3-day weekend. We went out for an early dinner tonight at Outback (yum!) to celebrate two boys' great report cards. On the way home, we attended church (now we can sleep in tomorrow!) and went to a 50th birthday party for my favorite uncle. (50??? Wow!)

Now, it's movie time. ;)

Christmastime is here... (Noel Mignon-style)

Tom and the boys gave me the Noel Mignon "Bedford Falls" (Christmas) kit for my birthday. But, then I went to NYC. And came home to return to work and prepare for Christmas. There wasn't any time left to scrap. Finally, the week before Christmas, I took some time to scrap. I finished 7 layouts using the kit in one night. I have since finished a total of twelve layouts and still have a TON of product left to work with. (These kits are a GREAT value!)

My first layout using the kit - "new PJs" - documents an annual tradition we have. Last year Kevin received University of Louisville pjs while Blake's were the Indianapolis Colts. Since this was the first layout with the kit, I challenged myself to use up the MM frame embellishment that came with the gold foilage since it wasn't my favorite. I backed it with one of the Pink Paislee Santas (another item I really didn't like much) and ended up being very happy with how it turned out.

After I finished my next layout, I realized it didn't have a title. (!!!) ALL of my layouts have titles. But, I was really happy with the look of this one, so I didn't add anything to it.

I added a few items to the NM kit for this one. I used some of the American Crafts rose trim in white, but I changed the color by misting it with Mr. Huey in Green Apple. I used a scrap piece I cut off behind the "home is..." MME die cut that I also added. These photos from last Christmas just make me happy.

My next layout was completed for Noel's challenge blog challenge for "Outdoor Decor." I scrapped the outside of my house and also an "outside" tradition of leaving out "reindeer food."

In addition to using the kit items, I also added a couple tags from Shabby Chic Crafts and a layered "home" sticker from MME. To finish off the layout, I traced "santa" with Glossy Affects.

While scrapping, I realized we have a lot of traditions for Christmas. :) Another one is the boys each by one gift for the other. I had already made a 5x7 photo collage of last years exchange, so this year's layout was easy to scrap. I was inspired by a layout in the December '10 issue of Scrapbooks, Etc. by Lisa Truesdell.

I sprayed my kraft background with Green Apple Mr. Huey and then added a couple Shabby Chic Crafts tags and some baker's twine to the layout.

Forgive me for the awful photo of this next 2-page layout. I rushed to get photos of them before the holidays and now that I am looking at them, the pages are already in an album. This layout was inspired by a Vicki Boutin layout in the December '10 issue of Scrapbooks, Etc. I adjusted it to fit the sizes of photos I already had and mixed up the embellishments and title placement.

I added a Shabby Chic Crafts tag and green star stickers/alphas by Jenni Bowlin to the kit I was using. I even worked in some rub-ons on this page. I RARELY ever use rub-ons anymore, but I love how they look against the kraft paper.

"Christmas Morning" is a continuation of the last layout. No cropping was involved on these photos since I had printed two 6-up 5x7x and a 2-up 4x6.

Again, I used rub-ons. Can you believe it? This was a super simple & FAST page to complete. I just added the "Christmas Morning" tag from Shabby Chic Crafts over the top of a MM embellishment to make my title.

Here's another super simple page. I went with my "go-to" design. I slightly cropped my photos and positioned them across the center of my page. Then I added strips of paper to give the look of crossing the entire spread. My title starts on page one with the FP "All I want for Christmas is..." sticker and is completed with the Jillibean Soup corrugated alphas "gifts!" I added the alphas, a Shabby Chic Crafts tag, and some baker's twine to the kit.

I used all of the We R Memory Keepers papers from the kit on this layout with photos from last year. I had a story to tell, so the ruled die cut paper was perfect. I added some Shabby Chic Crafts tags and more Glossy Affects (on the holly berries).

Last year was the first year the boys really wanted to help put the tree up (instead of just decorating it when it was ready). They were a big help. "O Christmas Tree" uses more of the WRMK papers. Again, I added some tags from Shabby Chic Crafts and Jillibean Soup corrugated alphas. And there Glossy Affects add dimension to the tree on the round tag.

I printed these photos of Blake from last Christmas at my parents' house as two 6-up 5x7 prints, but then cut them apart. I spaced them out in a 4x4 grid and filled in the empty squares with embellishments.

I just added more Shabby Chic Crafts tags and the green star/alpha stickers by Jenni Bowlin to complete this page. Next up, I did a 2-pager using more photos from Christmas Eve '09 at Mom & Dad's.

Of course, I added more tags from Shabby Chic crafts and accented the heart on on of them.

I finished the layout by tying some baker's twine through a couple ribbons. My final layout (so far...) gave me a change to try out my new Martha Stewart around-the-page border punches. I added a layered sticker (quote) from MME and some AC pompom trim.

And, you knew I was going to use more tags from Shabby Chic Crafts, didn't you? I just love them! If you haven't already checked out Shabby Chic Crafts, do so now. They have a great variety of tags, but more importantly, they offer great customer service.

I have a few assignments coming due, so it was time to put the Noel Mignon kit away. I hope to have more things to share with you soon.

Enjoy the rest of 2010!