Tuesday, May 31, 2011

9 to 5 Scrapbook Circle Challenge #8

There were a few challenges for the month of May that I really wanted to give a try and this is one of them.  Scrapbook Circle is celebrating their anniversary this month and have had challenges up all month.  I was particularly drawn to their challenge #8 which was to draw inspiration from two pieces of paper in their May kit, Grandma's Attic.
Here is my layout:
and here are the two pieces of papers:
Obviously I did not use the papers, but drew my inspiration from the polka dots and ledger papers, using their March Vintage Kit along with a few things from my stash.
I was looking through some old pictures of my grandparents and came across a pay receipt for my grandfather from 1947.  I made a copy of it to use on my layout along with a picture of him.  His net wages for the week came to $74.22. 
  
Can't possibly image living off that a week, but the average yearly wages for the year 1947 were $2,850.00.
Here are a few closeups:

I posted a layout earlier today for the new sketch challenge over at Frosted Designs Sketch Along Tuesdays Challenge.  You can check it out here. Hope you will have time to join in on the sketch challenge.
 Thanks for stopping by!
. . .  Debbie

It Was A Perfect Summer Afternoon

Has summer arrived?  It sure feels like it here.  High humidity, high temps and bad air quality.  I tried to stay inside as much as possible.  I only ventured out yesterday to give my flowers some water. The plus side of the hot weather is that I was able to work on a few layouts!

Saturday was my sisters birthday.  The family got together on Sunday to celebrate her special day.
Happy Birthday Barbara!!

We have a new sketch challenge up at Frosted Designs Sketch Along Tuesdays Challenge and the sketch was designed by me.
Here is the sketch:
I hope you can find some time to play along with us.  Please make sure you stop by to see what our designers have created.  I'm giving away the Crate Paper Restoration Collection for this sketch challenge.

I used a mixture of Echo Park collections on my layout.  The sweet little guy in my layout is my son.  I edited  the picture in Lo-Fi.
Here are a few close ups:


Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Monday, May 30, 2011

It's Your Birthday! Sketchy Thursdays Sketch Challenge

I hope everyone is enjoying the long Memorial Day weekend.  
It is  hot here!  The kind of hot that makes you want to stay inside in the air conditioning.  Both of my kids are working, so it's just me and the dog home today.
I love the new sketch over at Sketchy Thursdays and used it on this layout of my daughter on her second birthday:

I had purchased some of Nikki Sivils  It's Your Day collection, and just loved how well it went with the sweet picture of my daughter!
I did a lot of fussy cutting and added some balloons cut using a Quickutz die and some twine from Pink Paislee.

Well I'm off to work on another layout!
Enjoy the holiday!
Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Friday, May 27, 2011

Summertime Fun - Artful Delight and Frosted Designs Challenges

I think the beautiful weather we have been having has inspired me to work on some summer layouts!  We've had a mixture of clouds, rain, but the last few days have been full of lots of sunshine!  I'll take the sunshine any day, even though the rain is good for my flowers!
Don't you just love the bright fun colors in this layout!!!!
This picture of my son was taken back in 1989.  We were on our annual beach vacation in New Jersey and had stopped off for some ice cream. I used my May kit from Artful Delight for this layout along with Artful Delight's sketch ASC #8.
I decided to get adventurous again and use my sewing machine on this layout.  What a pain it was.  The thread kept breaking on me, but I'm pleased with the finished look.
Here are a few closeups:
 This layout also is for the current Fabulous Friday Challenge over at
Frosted Designs - BBQ/Picnic/Outdoors. 
Please make sure you stop by to see what our talented DT has created and join in the fun.

Speaking of Artful Delight, I got my June kit in the mail the other day, and all I can say is it is beautiful!
It's full of Fancy Pants, Crate Paper and Lily Bee!  You can check out the contents of the kit here.
I'm busy working on my projects for June and can't wait to share them with you.
Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Monday, May 23, 2011

You Make Me Smile

What a gorgeous weekend!!!  It was so nice to see blue skies and some long awaited sunshine!!

I've got another layout to share with you today:

This actually qualifies for two challenges:
1.  Sweet Peach Crop Shop  - Use a circle on your layout, but dress it up!  I added scallops around
mine and used my sewing machine to outline it with a zig zag stitch.  I
2.  Artful Delight - 14 days of Sketches.  I used sketch #14
which I flipped:

Here are a few closeups:
My sweet daughter at age 4.  Her precious smile just warms my heart!

I used Artful Delight's May kit for my layout.  Just love the Echo Park Summer Time papers and embellishments.  There is one  kit left and if you would like to order it, just click here.

I've been on a roll lately with layouts!  Seems as though I got my mojo back! 
Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Friday, May 20, 2011

2 Gentlemen - SOUS Sketch Challenge

Take some Webster's Pages Ladies & Gents paper, combine  it with some Crate Paper Restoration elements, add a priceless photo along with a wonderful sketch designed by Ness for
and you get:
and here is the sketch:
The photo is my two grandfathers.
I love working with Webster's Pages and enjoy all of the  fussy cut work 
involved with their intricate papers:
  
I've got a few layouts to work on this weekend and as long as the weather is cloudy and raining, I'll be spending it in my scrapbook room.  If the sun manages to come out, I've got a lot of weeding to catch up on in my flower beds.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Beach Babe

Nothing like scrapping a beach picture!  I love this picture of my daughter!!

I used my may kit from Artful Delight which is packed full of Echo Park's Summer Days collection along with some papers from Fancy Pants Beach Babe collection.  Just love the bright colors!!!
Here are a few close ups:


If you are interested in ordering the May kit from Artful Delight there are a few left.  You can order them here.

Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Its A Big World Out There

The sun managed to come out a little yesterday and it was nice.  I fired up the grill around dinner time to cook some hamburgers and hot dogs and wouldn't you know it, the clouds rolled back in and the down pours came!
I waited and waited for it to pass over, but after 45 minutes and some very hungry family members, I braved the thunderstorm and with my umbrella in hand, got dinner cooked!  Unfortunately the rest of the week doesn't look to promising unless you favor rainy days!
It's Tuesday and time for a new sketch reveal at Frosted Designs Sketch Along Tuesdays Challenge!  
Sketch # 15 was designed by DT member Karin:
I couldn't resist using more of the Neighborhood Collection by Crate Paper!!

Hope you will have time to stop by Frosted Designs and join in the challenge.  We have a terrific prize this month from our sponsor Part Time Sally, the entire Summer Days collection by Echo Park:
Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Sunday, May 15, 2011

My Joy

Hope all of you are enjoying the weekend!  After a gorgeous week full of sunshine and warm temps, the weekend has been cloudy and raining.  
The newest challenge is up at
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things, and it's to use your favorite photo!
I chose this photo of my kids from 2000.  I've used this photo before but it's my all time favorite!  Just love the smiles on their faces, and big brother Jeffrey with his arm around little sister Sara.
I enjoyed using the Neighborhood collection from Crate Paper, and I have another layout I am working on using more of this fun collection that I will share with you in a few days.  Here are a few closeups:


Hope you will have time to enter the Fave Photo Challenge at Fave Things!
Check out what the DT has created and enter your project here!

Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Life Is A Beautiful Ride

Believe it or not I actually got a layout done!!  My life is still hectic as ever, but I told myself there needed to be a little "ME" time!  
I had a wonderful Mothers Day and hope that all of you did also!  I had my family over for a cookout.  The weather was gorgeous and it was nice for all of us to be together!  My kids gave me some flowers for Mothers Day and I actually spent some time outside planting them.  
I'm still job hunting and have a possible interview in the works and am excited about that.  My sister and I have been taking my mom into see various specialists and so far nothing wrong has been found with her.  The next big visit is with a neurologist.  
Now on to my layout.  I used the May kit from Artful Delight which is packed with Echo Parks Summer Days collection.
Leeanne is having 14 days of sketches over at Artful Delight and I based my layout on her sketch #6:
Here are a few closeups:


Well, I've got a lot of catching up to do!  
Thanks for stopping by!
. . . Debbie

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Frosted Designs Online Crop Flower Challenge

Happy Mothers Day!!!!  Hope your are having the wonderful day that all of you mothers out there deserve!

Frosted Designs online crop is nearing the end and the next challenge is hosted by me and it's a flower challenge!  You all know how much I love flowers! I found a beautiful image at Primarily Primatives and instantly fell in love with it!  I just knew I had to use it on a layout.
Now my challenge to you is to create a project using flowers!  I used a variety of stickers, cut outs and ready made flowers!


You have until midnight Wednesday, May 11th to link up your project over at Frosted Designs!

One winner will be picked by random org. to win this flower package:
I've been know to add to prize packages, so you never know what more can be added.  Hope you can join us!