an orange challenge

I created these for an orange challenge over on the SRM Stickers blog. I like orange, but I don't scrap with it too often although it makes me happy and think of summer. I wanted to make more than one project since I had so much orange paper spread all over my scrappy space so I made a tag in addition to the layout. Thanks for the fun challenge! It got me to scrap out of my comfort zone.


supplies:
pp: Pink Paislee, October Afternoon, Chatterbox and ?
chipboard flourish: Fancy Pants Designs
die cut: Pink Paislee
buttons
stickers: Pink Paislee and American Crafts
rhinestones: Ki Memories


supplies:
tag: Creative Imaginations
pp and die cuts: K&Co.
sticker: DCWV
ribbon
button
DMC Floss

Kara 11th grade layout and an E.A.D giveway!

Love E.A.D Designs? Love Facebook? Here's your chance to win a great prize!

E.A.D Designs loves facebook so they are having a giveaway.
2 lucky Facebook Fans will get

a $25.00 Gift Certificate.

All you have to do is become a Facebook Fan
then go back to the E.A.D. blog
and leave a comment.

The 2 lucky winners will be announced on Feb. 1st

Here is a layout I created today using the Just Because Vinyl rub-on set. The trees are so cool and hip and retro and I knew that someday I would have the perfect use for them. I am finally getting around to scrapping some back-to-school pictures from a few years back. Kara graduated this past June, but it's better late then never.



supplies:
pp: Pebbles, Inc. and Glitz
cs: Bazzill
rub-ons: E.A.D Designs Just Because
chipboard alphas: I think they are Bazzill... they are from my stash
stickers: Pink Paislee (alphas) and October Afternoon
button
DMC floss

carefree girl

I have always loved these photos of Ashlyn. They are happy and carefree and full of fun. Rarely is she like this anymore and I miss it, especially the energy she used to have. She still has the happiness and carefree view of life, but even they are a little different.

I used the Crate Paper 'Bliss' collection that I got from the Ally Scraps store to create this page.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Dream, Hope and Believe... E.A.D Style

It's been beautiful weather here the past few days; sunny and warm, perfect for my spirits. I am feeling good spiritually. At peace with things. I know we have a lot of Angels watching over us and I truly beleive that they are looking out for us.

I did get some good news about Ashlyn. Her colon is disease free! That's a relief, but I pretty much figured that. So now we just sit back and wait. For what, who knows. She will get sick someday, as is the case with any autoimmune disorder, but for now they are going to treat her stomach pain with some medication. I just need to take her for an EKG next week and then we will start her on it. It should work within 6-8 weeks so she should be feeling better soon.

I made this trio of butterfly wall plaques using some of the beautiful butterfly shapes and sentiments from E.A.D Designs. Each plaque is 4.5"x5". I laid the butterfly rub-on shape on the paper and then cut out, folded the edges a bit for dimension and then mounted onto the plaque. I added a bit of bling for some sparkle to finish them off. I then added a sentiment to each. All the girls have claimed this set, so I am not sure who is going to get it yet. :) Maybe I'll just toss them on the floor and the last one standing will get them. lol Not really.



supplies:
chipboard book cut apart to create each plaque
rub ons: E.A.D Designs
pp; My Little Shoebox
bling: MAMBI and other
ribbon








OMG! I just saw these little cuties!!! I am sure you will be seeing these sometime in the near future. Too cute!

Take care,
Rae

Heart projects from Say It With Letters

Before I post my projects I just have to share this. I hate to be such a downer again, but life has really burried us with stress and grief lately. About 6PM last night I got a phone call telling me that my dear grandmother Margaret had just passed away. That's the death of two close family members 10 days apart. We are still reeling from the loss of Kenny's dad. Yesterday was the first day that I felt a little happy and light in my heart again. That was quickly shattered. She was like a second mother to me and I was closer to her than I am to most of my other family. She is my last living grandmother and she would have been 91 next week. I know she lived a long and happy life. I am devastated and not sure how I can cope with this huge loss. I just talked to her on Thursday and was asking her how on earth I would be able to handle all the stress of having a sick child, losing my father-in-law, being extra supportive of my husband, sending Kara off to basic training next month as well as homeschooling and working. She told me that I would find the strength and she would be watching over me... I guess now she truly is. I just don't know how I can manage to cope with the loss of her as well. All I could do was lift my hands up in the air to God and ask him why does he just keep on striking us down. Then we laughed... not in joy but it sheer amazement. I know we will get through this. We will. It's just been a horrible month and I just pray that it gets better because something has to give.


Here are my projects from this month for Say It With Letters. I got to play with the 12" Heart With Wings and one of the fun little 4" Swirl Heart Ornamnets. There are all kinds of cute shapes and letters and you can find them here.




As soon as I saw this heart I knew I wanted it to have a soft shabby look. I used some glitter cardstock, Fancy Pants Designs paper, a calendar die cut from Jenni Bowlin, a prima flower, some Autumn Leaves chipboard letters, as well as some twine, buttons and ribbon, paint and ink.



for this little mini I used a Fancy Pants Journaling card as the base and then added some paper, ric rac and accessorries to finish it off. I just love the quote... it's so very true.



Thanks for stopping by. I hope you have a beautiful day.
Rae

I *LOVE* E.A.D Blog Hop day!

I can hardly beleive that it's already time for another monthly E.A.D Designs blog hop. Today's theme is LOVE and I just have to say that I adore all the projects that the design team created. WOW!

I have a confession to make. I literally threw this layout together this morning... (insert huge red smiley here). The past few days got away from me and I totally spaced the hop today. Fortunately I had some mojo and everything came together quickly. *whew*

I decided to go with a non-traditional love theme for this layout. My 2nd youngest daughter, Skylar, is always smiling and is so happy and truly enjoys the little things in life. These photos capture such a time, and these rub-ons from the 'Sweet Sentiments' sheet were perfect for this page.

supplies:

Kraft cardstock

pp: Paper Trunk

chipboard: Scenic Rooute and Heidi Swapp

rub-ons: E.A.D Designs Sweet Sentiments

DMC Floss

black and white pens

white ink

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out the blogs of the awesome design team, leave a comment on each, and then hop back to the E.A.D blog and leave a comment for your chance to win a great $10.00 gift certificate to the E.A.D Designs store. :)

Amy

Jenn

Lynnette

Valerie

and

Emily (E.A.D blog)

some more projects with E.A.D. Designs

First off, thank you for all your kind words, thoughts and prayers. It's been a rough few days... even more difficult than I could have imagined. I struggled most with the fact that Ashlyn's colonoscopy is tomorrow and so is the funeral. It has been decided that I stay here and continue with her procedure while everyone else attends the funeral in Tacoma. I am saddend that I will not be there to grieve with everyone as a family, however, we need to continue with her medical care. The stress of this procedure weighs heavy on all, especially Ashlyn, and there is no need to put her through another waiting period. Her and I will go to see my mother-in-law soon and we will get our chance to say our last goodbyes. I am sure tomorrow is going to be a long, rough day for all.

Here are some more projects to share featuring awesome vinyl rub-ons from E.A.D. Designs. I made a birthday card and a birthday tag using the Birthday set in cherry. On the tag I also added a sentiment from the Sentiments set. I also forgot to show a cool technique I tried with these vinyl rub-ons that I used on the 'Fifteen' layout I posted the other day. I placed the selected rub-ons in one of my Cuttlebug embossing folders and it gave the rub-ons some really cool texture! Since they apply so easily, I didn't have to worry about the design getting flattened as I applied them to the layout. I tried it again with the cupcake top on the tag, however I put the rub-on in backwards and the embossing didn't work as well with it being embossed into the rub-on vs. emossing where the texture pops out.

supplies: CARD

cs: Bazzill

pp: Scenic Route and Chatterbox

rub-ons: E.A.D. Designs Birthday set

die cut and stickers: Scenic Route

supplie: TAG

tag: Creative Imaginations

journaling block: ?

rub-ons: E.A.D. Designs vinyl from the Birthday and Sentiments sets.

trim: ric-rac Creative Imaginations and pom-pom and red from from the craft store

buttons: Fancy Pants Designs and ?

Here are the details from the layout in the previous post:

Have a great week!

a celebration of life

Early this morning (5:12AM to be exact) the phone rang. It was my mother-in-law and she was overcome with grief and could barely speak. My father-in-law had passed away earlier in the morning while he was in dialysis. We knew this was coming... he's been sick for a very long time and we thought we were prepared. We so were not. At least not today. I feel such a loss and I keep waiting for the phone to ring with good news... like it's all a cruel joke someone has played. My poor mother-in-law. I just wish I could be there to hold her and comfort her. Thankfully my husband, our dd Kara, and her other 2 sons who live here in the area are with her/on their way to be with her. I have had grandparent's die, but I cannot imagine hw it must feel to lose a parent, as my husband now has. I can somewhat relate, but it's just not the same. I am sure it feels like a big hole has been ripped out of his heart and there is no band-aid big enough to repair the damage. If you are the praying kind, I would appreciate a little prayer be said to honor my fil, and to watch over and guide my mil, my dh and my brothers-in-law.

I struggled with posting this layout, but life is about celebration and happiness and it does continue for those of us who are left to grieve. For each death there is a birth and Emily's 15th birthday was last month, so I created this fun and lively layout to celebrate her. I used these fabulous Birthday vinyl rub-ons from E.A.D Designs on this layout.


supplies:
pp: Scenic Route
rub-ons; E.A.D. Designs
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

I recently stumbled upon this challenge blog called Misson Create and I decided to incorporate some of the concepts for mission 0007 on this layout as well. I used 3 of the 5 challenges--- masking technique, grid/ledger pp and red--- for a change I decided not to use strip journaling since I use it all the time... however I did include her name and date using strips, but I don't think it really counts.

I am off to go spend time with my family. Be sure to hug your loved ones and tell them you love them.

She's in the Navy now and A Christmas layout

Well, it's been a few months in the works, but our oldest daughter Kara (19) is officially in the US Navy! She swore in yesterday and ships out for Basic Training in Illinois on Feb. 22nd. I am SO PROUD of her, but as she told me the news, tears immediately started falling. Big ones. I knew this time was coming, and I have been preparing mentally for it, but now that everything is official, it hit me hard. My first girl is leaving the nest and as much as I know she needs to get on with her life, it's just not going to be the same without her around here. I am sure we are all going to be crying off and on for the next few months as the time for her to leave approaches and even thereafter. Ashlyn had already claimed Kara's room and big bed. Skye just wants a few stuffed animals and her curtain rod. lol She's not even gone yet and the war has begun. And, we get to do it all again when Meghan, who is also joining the Navy after she graduates in June, ships off in July. When did I get so darn old?


I have a Christmas layout to share. Ashlyn LOVES Hot Wheels so my hubby bought her a case and we spent about 2 months before Christmas finding cars to fill it. She was really curious about this gift and when she opened it her reaction was priceless! I ddn't get her initial reaction on film, but I got to see it and it was wonderful. All she could do was gasp and cover her face in shock. She was truly in shock and it was beautiful! I am glad we could make her so happy! I used some rub-ons from E.A.D Designs (from the Christmas Sentiments 2 set).




supplies:
cs: Bazzill
pp: October Afternoon, Fancy Pants Designs and Scenic Route
rub-ons: E.A.D Designs
chipboard: Scenic Route

I'll be back soon with some more projects featuring E.A.D Designs. I have had some free time and have been busy scrapping... plus I found a project I forgot to post before Christmas. Maybe tomorrow. :)

bookmarks featuring E.A.D Designs

Happy 2010! I have had this idea for these bookmarks for months now, and earlier this week I had some time to sit down and create just for me. I am homeschooling Ashlyn using the k-12 program and I am constantly using bits of scrap paper to mark the pages in our books. Now she can use these and I can continue to use scraps until I make myself a set. :) I used the Alphabet Vinyl rub on set for the letters. I had to get a bit creative with an "e" on the Literatre bookmark, but it works.



supplies:
letters- E.A.D Designs vinyl Alphabet rub on set
pp: Scenic Route and October Afternoon

Do you have any resolutions? I typically don't make them, but I am hopeful for some good things to happen this year. 2009 wasn't horrible, but it sure was stressful and sapped a lot out of me. What I want most this year is to "figure out" what is "wrong" with Ashlyn. She has another colonoscopy scheduled for January 12th and they are also going to re-run all the blood work to test for other auto-immune diseases. She's not been feeling well at all the past few weeks; looking sickly pale and washed out with dark circles under her eyes and running a low-grade fever almost non-stop, and she has been very clingy. She looks horrible and has a decrease in evergy again. It's easier on me now that I am down to working 20 hours a week now so I can take the time to just lie with her. This seems to be something she needs.

I am also hoping to go to college. I think I am going to try to become a nurse. I will have plenty of pre-req's before I can begin the program so that will take at least a year and then some. I plan to go to the local community college and figure out what I need to do. I will need financial aid, which I hope I can qualify for. I need something, but I figure it will all work out.

I hope 2010 is a great year for you! Full of many blessings. happiness and success! Now if I could just find some time to scrap regularly...