bubbles

I am back again today to share another layout. I am on a scrappy roll! This layout uses the February 18th sketch from Stick it Down as well as the Create an Embellishment from Off the Rails Scrapbooking.

I decided to try something a little more creative and messy with this layout. I had a lot fun with it, and really like the end result. I stuck pretty close to the sketch, even adding the chevron background, although looking at it now I wish I would have staggered the chevrons for more visual appeal. Next time. ;) For my "created" embellishments I punched dozens of different sized circles out of vellum and randomly placed them on the layout for a bubble effect. This is so light and airy in real life.

Here's the sketch:

braces free smile

Short and sweet today. This layout was created using sketch #67 from My Scraps & More Sketches. 

Hello {card}

I played along with another challenge from Off the Rails Scrapbooking. This challenge is a color and card sketch challenge. I have been wanting to make more cards and this was a perfect excuse.

I tweaked the sketch a little to make it more "me". That's what I love about sketches, they are a great start off point.

To check out this challenge click here. 

Quick vase project

I completely forgot that today was one of my Sisters-in-Laws birthday, and when I noticed it on facebook I my brain immediately went into panic mode. I quickly decided that I would get her a nice bouquet of wild flowers and put them in one of the many vases we have collecting dust in our garage. I figured I would add a little handmade touch to it as well to make it more personal.

I found a jug vase that is just her style and proceeded to get crafty. I tied a big bow out of this awesome chevron print burlap, and then assembled a simple tag. I rushed through this as we were getting ready to leave, but I love how it turned out. She loved it as well, which really is all that matters.

Taking a few minutes to add a personal touch is a great way to make someone feel extra special and loved.

************************

We have some friends who raise and show Belgian horses, and today we made it out to their home so Ashlyn could get out of the house for a bit and enjoy the horses. The only places she has pretty much gone for the past 4 months is appointments, which is really no fun at all. She has gained a lot of strength the past few weeks and is able to stand a bit while holding onto something so it was a great opportunity to take her out and get some fresh air. 

These are my favorite photos of the day. 

This last one melts my heart. 

Summer fun

I have always found paper that has a pre-printed themed background to be a huge challenge. I never quite really know what to do with it (although it seems pretty obvious). So I challenged myself to use this paper. This is from the simple Stories I (heart) Summer collection. For those who are not familiar with this, the entire top portion of the pp comes complete with the design as is. This was actually a very simple layout to make, but it took me a long time. Seriously. Almost two hours. In the end all I ended up doing was placing a book page from the collection down as a mat, cutting the flash card and journal boxes, placing a sticker along the bottom and adding twine to a chipboard anchor. Took all of 15 minutes. I think it took so long because I allowed the paper and simplicity to get to me. I pushed stuff around then walked away. Replaced it with different things and did the same. I cut more paper than I even used to create this one. lol At least it is done now and I am happy with it. That's all that matters at the end of the day. :)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a beautiful weekend. :)

Adorbs

I came across a challenge site called Off the Rails Scrapbooking and they have a challenge to scrapbook a special photo or memorabilia of a loved one. I have been hanging onto this photograph of Ashlyn for years. I just love the fact that her eyes are so intense even though this is a black and white photo. 

I also used sketch #68 from My Scraps & More Sketches. 

(The coloring of this is a bit off. I tried several times to capture the softness of the colors of the papers, but I just couldn't get it right.)

Thanks for stopping by. :)

Adorable

I just have to start with the fact at how much I simply love the newest releases from Crate Paper! I have always been a fan, but the newest releases have been among my most favorite ever!

Here is a layout I created that came together so quickly for me. I am usually a pretty slow scrapper, but I completed this layout in a little more than an hour, even with the fussy cutting and stitching. I absolutely love, love, love the end result! I am working on a layout now and it is also coming together quickly. I hope this is the beginning of a new trend for me. I tend to over think things and I am trying to let go and just go with the flow a little more. ;)

I used a Clear Scraps Mascil (Damask) and acrylic circle as an accent for the fussy cut doily. I applied gesso using the mascil onto one side of the circle and then allowed ti to dry for a few minutes. I then adhered the acrylic design side down onto the center of the doily that I had scattered some sequins upon. It's a subtle effect, but I think it blends perfectly with the softer colors of the paper. 

Best Buddies {mini album}

Hello! :) It has been years since I have created a project like this and I am not sure why it took me so long to create one again because I absolutely love the end result! I actually won this great Acrylic Recipe Stand from Clear Scraps awhile back and finally pulled it from my stash. I used the Crate Paper Love Notes papers and accessories to create it along with my "signature" use of twine and butterflies. I added some vellum as well. I had so much fun making this and the girls absolutely love it. :)

***This is a very photo heavy post. There are 26 images to share. I am posting the front and back of each page (with the exception of the backside of the vellum, although the backside of the vellum is also done). The repeated order is clear tabbed page, vellum quote, then cardboard which has photos on both sides with exception of the last page. It is a bit "front heavy" when everything is up front, so I used two 2.5" washers and covered them with paper on both sides to help balance the weight on the backside so it doesn't topple. Cheap and works wonderfully! Here we go...

Thank you so much for taking the time to view this labor of love. <3 all.="" blessings="" nbsp="" p="" to="" you="">

I love you card

I had some time this morning so I decided to make this card using the Tuesday February 11 card sketch at Stick it Down. This card came together in 5 minutes. I am not even joking. I love it when I have some scrappy mojo.

Here is my card:

Thanks for stopping by! 

chillin'

Short and sweet today. Here is my take on the My Scraps and More Sketches #63.

silly crazy goofy funny girls

I created this layout using sketch #64 from My Scraps & More sketches. I had a lot of fun making this layout. I tried to capture the personalities of my girls Skylar and Kara when I created this. Oh how I miss the good old days of having 5 girls in our home... there truly never was a dull moment. lol

carefree days at the lake

Here's the newest color challenge on the Color Me Scrappy blog. The palette of Challenge 55 makes me think of sunshine and warm carefree summer days.  Before I share my layout, there is a DT call going on right now, but you have to hurry- it ends on February 10th. You can get all the details by clicking here. I encourage you to apply- it is such a great team to be on! 

Here is the sketch for this challenge:

My layout:

OK- I am going to get deep here. ;) This photo was taken of Ashlyn almost 6.5 years ago and you know what, the is now 14 and this swimsuit still fits her. Even more shocking to me is that she looks so much better in this picture than she does now. I didn't even realize it until I was adding the finishing details and really started looking at the photo and realized how long she has had this suit. She has meat and substance here. Now she is literally just skin and bones with no muscle definition. She couldn't stand tall like this today. Never in a million years would I have imagined that this would be one of the last "healthy" summers for her. Life sure does take one down some unexpected paths. I wouldn't change what I have learned, but I sure would love to see my girl looking like this again- carefree and just being a kid. 

That being said, she is making some progress. She can walk around the house with a walker, although some days she doesn't have the strength to do this so we push her around in an office chair. When we go out, we have found that it is better to use a wheelchair because just walking for more than 50 yards tends to make her leg muscles weaken and buckle. She has grueling physical therapy three times a week, which is hard on my heart, but she is gaining some strength and has more energy. She works hard and pushes herself even harder. She complains about having to do therapy at home, but does it anyway because she knows it is going to help her get well again. I am extremely proud of her!!! She finds it encouraging that her therapists compliment her and recognize her efforts. They continually tell her that she does better than most adult patients. That helps to keep her motivated. 

She had an appointment with a neurologist last week and I am so happy because she doesn't show any signs of having a muscle disease!!! We were a bit worried about this as she has very little muscle tone. The good news is that she should regain a lot of the muscle back with months of PT. This is all caused by malnutrition which is a huge issue among Crohn's patients, although her case has been more extreme than most. 

She has a surgical consult this coming Friday to get a feeding tube directly inserted into her stomach so she will not have to have the ng tube down her nose and throat. She is having such a hard time with it this time- her poor nose is raw and cracked and swollen and bleeds all the time and her throat is constantly sore. We are hoping to get the tube placed asap. We are also going to take her off of all food for the next year, once the g-j tube is placed. She has dipped down in her weight again and in the past when this has happened she has taken nothing by mouth for several months at a time and she gains weight. She is 76 pounds now and they would really like her to be up around the 95-100 pound mark by her 15 birthday in September. 

The past few months (well honestly years) have been among the most difficult for me. It is exhausting and challenging to have to take care of a 14 year old as if she were an infant. I am managing to work 27 hours a week, take her to all her appointments (she has had 5 each week for the past 3 weeks) and even squeeze in some creative scrapping time. I need it. Sometimes I wonder at the end of the day how I managed to even make it through another day, but I do. I will continue to do. Someday this will be a thing of the past and it will seem impossible that we have gone through it yet again. This is the second time in three years that her body has done this, but this time she regressed rapidly and her climb back has been a lot more difficult and longer.