celebrating the everyday storyteller 2 book launch

It's almost time for the release of the Everyday Storyteller 2 book, and the contributors are celebrating with a blog hop! I'm so excited to share a little peek at my contribution and offer you the opportunity to win a free copy of the ebook!

Here's just a tiny bit of what the book is about:
“Everyday Storyteller 2 is a brand new idea book offering more than 100 tips, tricks and techniques for scrapbooking. Go behind the scenes with 33 of your favorite memory keepers to see how they capture moments, tell stories and document their best memories. Sign up for the VIP list to be the first to know when the book is released and receive an exclusive discount.”

“Each book contributor participating in the blog hop is giving away an eBook copy of Everyday Storyteller 2. Use this entry link or click the graphic below to complete your entry form. You must enter by 11:59pm PDT on April 30, 2013 to be eligible. You may enter from each stop. Winners will be contacted directly as well as posted at everydaystoryteller.com on May 1, 2013.”

Tangie Baxter\ Kerri Bradford\ Joscelyne Cutchens\ Catherine Davis \ Lisa Dickinson\ Karla Dudley\ Leah Farquharson\ Karen Grunberg\ Jenni Hufford \ Donna Jannuzzi \ Amanda Jones\ Mandy Koeppen\ Riikka Kovasin \ Kami Leonard\ Amy Mallory \ Amy Martin\ Ann-Marie Morris\ Celine Navarro\ Kelly Purkey\ Krista Sahlin\ Linda Sattgast \ Cindy Schneider \ Amy Sorensen\ Jill Sprott \ Laura Vegas\ Allison Waken \ Crystal Wilkerson \ Jennifer Wilson\

Here's a peek at the layout that I put together for the article I contributed. I share a bit about using scrapbooking to capture your unique take on life.

Good luck on your entry! And don't forget that if you sign up as a VIP, you get a special discount when the book launches!

the countdown has begun!

Stop by and check out a trailer video featuring some of the awesome artists that share everyday storytelling tips and articles in the upcoming everyday storyteller 2. And if you look really closely, you can catch a glimpse of my rather messy space as I pull together coordinating embellishments to create my layout!

Happy Friday!

Paper Haus Winter issue is up!

Sooooo much awesomeness in these pages! Grab the link for the download, and pop in to the blog for awesome holiday ideas in their 12 Days of Christmas series!

PaperHaus ezine launch

I had the absolute privilege of being a part of the launch issue of this very special magazine! There is SO much inspiration squeezed into this thing - it's filled with fabulousness from cover to cover!

{PaperHaus Autumn 2012 link}

Be sure to stop by and check it out! It's not viewable by mobile device yet - unless you first download to your computer and then upload to the device. But trust me - it's worth every bit of the effort! ^_^

it's official

I had to work really hard to avoid the freak out yesterday when I received an email from Doris Sander asking if I was interested in joining the team over at JBS Mercantile! I'm sure our sons' PE couches thought I was nuts as I narrowly avoided hyperventilating. Jenni is the sweetest, and their team is filled with some of the most talented ladies in the industry. It's a real honor to be asked to join them.

I could tell you I was all calm, cool and collected. But that would be a lie. Ha! Here's a link to the announcement on their blog!

And just a tiny peek at what I was working on last night! Will share soon!

sweet treats, a halloween treat bag diy and a little feature.

I really love this time of year! I'll admit - all of the extra activities and fun with the kids can really add some craziness to your life - but at least it's a fun crazy! We've been going over halloween costume plans and activity schedules for the upcoming weekend this week, along with taking treats to the boys' PE class:

Yum. Plain and simple. Crazy? Yes. Fun? Yeah, I'd say a little bit!

I wanted to post my project that I did for American Crafts this month! I took one look at those stamps that came with the Halloween/Autumn line that they put together this year and said, "Ohhhhh." And next it was, "I know exactly what I'm going to do with these!" I literally emailed our design team coordinator, Paige Evans, and requested the month's tutorial project before I had even put one together...

This is the final - and I have to admit, they came out even better than I had hoped! And I am now hopelessly addicted to the American Crafts Pigment Inks. I used them on my previous post when I created the "Haunted" album, and they stamp beautifully on the chalkboard surface. {You just need to be sure to dry them a bit with your heat gun, to make sure they don't smudge.}

You can check out a step by step tutorial on how to stitch up these fun treat bags over on the American Crafts Blog. Along with my little "Keep Calm" inspired sign:

I've seen a few signs floating around the internet with the phrase, and thought it was cute! I decided to create one with my supplies...

And this post, over on the Molly Makes {a British crafter's magazine's}blog was pointed out to me - they featured my project and post over on their blog! I was pretty darn excited when I saw, since they had some nice things to say! It was a fun thing to have happen on a rough, rough week! We can all use a pick-me-up sometimes, right? ^_^

Happy Thursday!

an etsy update, a quirky fact, and a little feature on sassafras

I've updated my etsy shoppe with a few more camera strap covers:

ruched camera strap cover - aqua floral

ruched camera strap cover - modern polka dot

ruched camera strap cover - mustard yellow

quirky fact: I sew barefoot. I feel like I have better control of the presser foot. I've been sewing for decades {I started really young, but still that's a bit freaky to say!}and my mom could tell you that I've always been this way!

This often results in a pile of shoes that accumulate under the table:

And I had a little surprise the other day! My layout from this post was featured on the Sassafras Lass blog this week! You can check it out here if you'd like!

Have a wonderful Thursday! I see white chocolate oatmeal cookies in my future!

sketch 262 for scrapbook challenges

I'm guesting all this month at Scrapbook Challenges, and I'm really, really loving the sketches! You can see my take on their last sketch here.

This has to be a new personal favorite. Wait. Did I say that last time? I think it has to do with me taking just a little break from scrapbooking. Only working on assignments here and there {and having lots less assignments to work on all together!} It's been totally refreshing, and I'm finding that I really LOVE what I am spending my time putting together. I finally got a chance to dip into my stash of Sassafras Sunshine Broadcast goodies that came from Noel Mignon's Bee Knees kit. So love. Enough that I may need to order a bit more of it. ;)

Sales in my Etsy shoppe are taking off with my new camera strap covers, and I have a bunch of new fabrics coming from some of my favorite designers this week! Those covers will most likely make their way into the shop next week, as I'm not sure exactly when they'll be arriving here... but I'll by posting a pic of the ones I'm currently working on tomorrow! I still have lots more patterns and colors to add this week. So. So Exciting.

Happy Monday!!

salt and sand - sketch 261 scrapbook challenges

I'm guesting this month for Scrapbook Challenges! I'll be putting together a layout for each of their weekly sketches. You can learn a little bit more about me on the bio page they put up. {it was a sort of fun, interview style question and answer thing...}

To check out the sketch and play along, take a peek at this thread on their board!

I'm just sayin'

this just says "autumn" doesn't it? And YUM. And a whole bunch of other things, like "Happy Tuesday!" and "Treat yourself!"

The last time I was out and about doing  a bit of grocery shopping, I made a happy discovery in the baking aisle:

Notice the bit about them being "unwrapped and ready to melt"? Well, I made the pretties above in 15 minutes flat owing to that fact. What could be better  I ask you? And I totally ignored the bit of instructions about melting the carmels on the stove and tossed them in the microwave. I don't use the microwave much, but it has it's handy moments. 

Here's a sneak peek at a little class I'll have up in November at The Paper Niche. I'll post a full photo soon, when I have the details of time, etc., worked out! We'll be covering a quite a few techniques and playing with some really fun supplies...

And here's a little peak at my project for the American Crafts blog! The full project will be up on their blog some time today! I can't wait! I really love how these turned out... their Halloween line is fabulous this year.

Have a lovely Tuesday! It's one of only two days per week that I don't have to be out and about. Which means - laundry. But also a few fun things like baking {planning an apple crumble for this evening}, and just plain relaxing a bit and getting to projects that need doing!

just a quick step in

to say hi! I'm up over at the Nikki Sivils blog today with some Halloween projects and a diy! Hop over and take a peek!

more sketch goodness...

over at scrapidees sketch blog this week! I love seeing my hubby play...

Happy Wednesday! The weekend is on the way!

proud to be a guest for jillibean soup

I have a guest spot with Jillibean Soup this month! Jill sent me a TON of stuff to play with... {I am sooo grateful to have these fabulous guest spots recently, but somehow it feels like everything has fallen into my lap at once with school just getting under way! lol}She was kind enough to ask us for our two choices of papers, and well, if you know me at all, you know I love aqua and green - so I had to request Atomic Soup. And I just couldn't resist the adorable vintage style cameras in the Pasta Fagioli line...

You can check out the feature on their blog!

Had to take a moment to document the little guy starting school. He's been an awesome student so far!

And me and my guy. We're both nerds in our own way, even though we don't come across that way when you first meet either of us.{my hubby has enough degrees for the both of us! And I'm the one with my nose stuck in a book...}

I love taking little bits and putting them together...

And one of me... I choose to be a bit lighthearted with this, but this really is one of the reasons that I scrapbook!

You'll notice a few touches of Jenni Bowlin and Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker - I LOVED how their buttons just WORKED with this line:

A simple card:

And a mini of my fave photos from the last few months. If you want to see the complete album, I'll be posting it in my 2ps gallery later today!

Thanks so much for having me! I loved playing with these goodies!

And one final note. I started Jillian's No More Trouble Zones yesterday. It's totally kicking my butt. In a good way. I'm one of those people that just has to work out. Otherwise, I start getting all weird. Guess I need the endorphins to help with all that stress. :)

proud to be at pencil lines today!

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by the lovely Anna, wondering if I'd like to do a little guest spot for Pencillines, the sketch blog! You can check out the sketch I put together and play along!

Here's my take on the sketch!

I chose to document the recent room makeover that we did for the boys... what an ordeal! It was a lot more involved than I expected it to be, and yes, I learned my lesson! lol

I had fun splattering the inks across the background - I really wanted it to convey the chaos and mess that I felt through the whole thing. Notice that I also used a lot of broken lines in the composition of this - the line across the top and photos are never quite straight...

There's also a little tag for hidden journaling under the larger photo:

I've had so much fun putting this together! A big thank you to Anna for having me!

my first feature on American Crafts...

EEE! I'm super excited about my first project over at the American Crafts blog!

Hop over there and take a peek! There's a tiny get-to-know-you up, too. ^_^

yay for pagemaps!

This month I was asked by the talented Ms. Becky Fleck to play along with her sketch for her monthly Pagemaps newsletter! Each month she puts out a newsletter with some really great sketches... want to know what I love the most about it? She includes sketches for single page, double page, 12x12 and 8.5x11 layouts!

I was up for the double 8.5x11, and this is what I came up with!

I've got a variety of stuff on here - and I love how it all came together! This is from some of our vacation activities with family in July. :)

If you want to see the other sketches that Becky has up this month, and the other girls that played along, check them out here!

tiny art - a guest spot

I have a little guest spot over at Simply ArTistiC today! I had so much fun creating these tiny art pieces!

I sort of took the opportunity to remind myself about a few things that I need to keep close right now... it's ok to take the leap. You never know what will happen if you don't try...find your muchness...


It's almost a little hard to believe that these are tiny 2.5"x3.5" cards! lol

down & dirty, and a bit of news

Yesterday I posted on my facebook that I felt like I looked like a victim from an episode of Trueblood... trust me. This was not even the half of it. Every time the boys saw me, they were startled again and asked, "Are you sure you're ok, mom?" I don't think it helped that I was grumpy due to the rather nasty combination of me being a perfectionist coupled with the bloody red paint I was applying to the walls! Halfway through, I resigned myself to applying another coat and things went better after that! lol

This is what it's shaping up to now that it's drying:

Can I just say that I'm in love with this color?! {sweet sigh}I'm sure that it'll all be worth the bother once it's done. I do understand my subconscious protesting the choice now, though! lol I think it remembered better than I did how much work is involved because of the numerous coats required to achieve the look!

And yes... I had some really exciting news this past week! Lindsey from American Crafts contacted me that they have chosen me as a part of the group of girls to work as their 2010-2011contributing design team! I'm really so thrilled that there aren't any words for it! They've always been one of my all time favorites!!

Definitely stop by their blog and wish the other talented girls who made the team many congrats!!

Have a fabulous day!!

Some Exciting News!

I'm one of the new Design Team Girls for Glitz Designs!! You can check it out here!! I'm super excited!! ^.^

Congrats to all the Jillibean Soup GIrlies!

Jillibean Soup made their Design Team announcement this morning! :) Congrats to all the lovely ladies who made the team!

Remember those photos about watching seed grow in a clear bag?
And just a little card inspiration:


And don't forget to check out the Kaisercraft blog for some lovely hybrid inspiration! We'll have a sketch up that I'll share soon as well!

We're enjoying a couple of days with daddy home here. ^_^

Happy Friday!