Oh, Christmas Tree!

What do I remember from our trip to the Christmas Tree Lot this year? Not the adorable picture of Reed by the tree we chose. Nope. I remember him making the mad dash to the netting contraption, with the chainsaws next to it. Because that's my boy. Luckily, the worker guys were beyond sweet to him, and great sports for letting me snap some great pictures!

Kept it pretty simple for this one. And can I say? You can totally use a Daily Diary kit to scrapbook layouts with. This was such a nice little challenge for me - one I haven't done in a while.

 This is a true story, but also a pretty big departure for me - I have a hard time just sticking letter stickers to the page. Just feels wrong to me. But oddly, I love it this time! Those little puffy stickers from Evalicious are to die for amazing!

 And can I also just say, that "a good memory" sticker was supposed to be above the journaling on the page. But I dropped it. And it stuck. So there it stays. Forever. A love a happy accident!

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday season so far!

A Merry Little Christmas

Yup! It's going to be a VERY Merry Christmas this year! I love seeing his excitement every time he experiences something new and "Christmasie." He is in LOVE with Christmas ornaments, and light and just generally anything with glitter on it. 

So it was time to make one of those unbreakable projects I talked about last week.

I got this cute little clip frame at Michael's on Black Friday, and love that I can change out what's on it, based on the seasons! I used the Mistletoe & Holly Daily Diary kit on this one. LOVE that foiled paper and 3x4 card by My Mind's Eye! And the Tim Holtz twine? Drool!

So what are you up to these days? Making anything exciting to decorate your house? Be sure to show us over on the Facebook Members page - we love to see your creations!

Happy Hump Day!

Britt

Christmas Cheer!

Gosh you guys, how is it already December?!? Time is passing crazy fast these days, and sometimes it feels like there's no time to even catch your breath before it's time for more work to be done!

I don't know about you, but I seem to get myself into a total funk this time of year, because I always over-commit myself with parties, presents to make, memories to capture, and somehow still keep my legs shaved and eyebrows plucked. THAT'S a tough job! So this year I have vowed to not get the hum-drums. I am keeping it simple. I am planning a few projects that I have been dying to make, and letting the rest fall where it may.

And since we're all just getting started, I figured I'd share a few of my holiday plans with you. And maybe you'll be able to simplify, stay sane, and most importantly, keep those caterpillars from taking up permanent residence on your forehead.

The first plan I have is kind of a maybe plan. As in, I'd REALLY like to do this, but am trying to be realistic about the outcome. I found this amazingly simple and clean December Daily album on Pinterest, by Assari Jarrett, and am loving the idea that this is something I could actually do. It's still the first week of December, I COULD still get this done, right!? PLUS she has a free printable for 2015 that is super cute!

Have you gotten your tree yet? I always want to have it for the first of the month, and it always seems to dry out by the 25th, so this year I decided to wait until the weekend to get it. This gives me some time to prep some cute little paper projects that I can use my beyond-adorable Mistletoe & Holly kit for. I mean, how cute are these garlands?!

I always have left-over little scraps of paper when I'm finished with my kits - what a perfect way to use them up!

And you know the most amazing part about making paper decorations? They're not breakable. As in your almost-two-year-old can't yank them off the tree and cause a cacophony of sounds of glass breaking, tree limbs going through the lamp shade, and the cat shreiking because he had the audacity to sleep under said tree when said almost-two-year-old pulled it down kind of amazing. YUP. 

And since we're on the subject of non-breakable decor...

I mean, really? How cute are those?!?!?!?!?!

Lots.

So, whether you have lots of time or no time at all, there are so many ways you can make your Holiday special, with just a little paper and imagination. Have you gotten your Mistletoe & Holly kits yet? I CAN'T WAIT to dig in to mine! Now if I could just distract the almost-two-year-old long enough to escape to my studio...

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Happy Halloween!

Yay for a Saturday Halloween this year! I love having this whole day with the hubbs at home, Mamala visiting for the weekend, and lots of time to go parading around with Reed in his costume!

Did you see this work in progress picture? I just love Buddy the Elf, and lucky for Reed, he does too!

Unluckily for me, I don't have any pictures of that little booger in his entire costume yet, and I could SEE the layout I wanted to do in my head. Ever have that? Where you instantly know how you want to scrapbook something, before you've even taken the pictures? Happens to me all the time.

So I decided that rather than waiting to get that perfect picture, and probably lose the layout idea and umph in the mean time, I'd just go ahead and get the layout done, sans picture. I used my Blue Moon kit, and a few items from past kits, as well.

I kept it pretty simple this time, just grabbing a few things, only layers a few papers, and keeping as much white space as I could possibly manage, so that the focus will be on the two small pictures that will get placed over that layering of papers.

And guess what? Now I'm totally inspired to make up a TON of pages like this. It was fun. It was stress-free, and I can always add more "ME" touches after the photos are placed.

I hope you all have a great Halloween!

Hello There Punkin Face

Happy Wednesday!!

Over on our Facebook Members page, we're having a super fun crop this week! Today I am presenting a challenge called, "At the Patch," and I'd love for you to play along! To play in this challenge, you must make a layout using the color palette you associate with going to the pumpkin patch.

For me, those colors are coral-ee-pink, orange, brown, and a touch of black and white. I know, weird. But I like those Cinderella-type pumpkins, with the warts, and the funny colors, all squat and wonky-shaped.

 Of course, I had to layer as many patterned papers as I could manage, and mixed in a ton of stickers, cut-outs amid the layers. I even fussy-cut some flowers and leaves. And can we talk about those wood veneers!? swoon

I have such a hug stash of ephemera, it's embarrassing. So you know how happy it makes me to dump a bunch on my layouts! Layering in some Bradz and epoxy dots, and voila!

Now if I could just manage to get to the actual pumpkin patch to pick out some of my favorite wonky gourds!

Hop on over to the Facebook Members page to share your layout for this challenge - I've got an album all made up for you to add them to!

Changing Seasons

Yes, we're changing literal seasons right now. Fall is (hopefully) upon most of you. I can't say that I'm seeing much of it, surrounded by 96 degree heat and nary a hint of a crisp fall air in sight. BLAH. I just want sweaters and lattes, and cinnamon-scented everything and butternut squash soup and excuses to go shopping. Like, a lot.

A lot.

And I want to make changes in my own life, as well. I feel myself being pulled in new directions, and it's a good thing. Most people feel refreshed in the New Year, or in Spring, but this is usually the time of year for me that I feel most ready for a change of pace.

So it's a Changing Season for me right now. It's time to spend more time. To take more time. To enjoy more time. Because it's easy to forget to do that.

It's also easy to forget to buy printer ink.

So you get a no-photo layout. Because I was not about to take the time to go to Staples, when I know I can just as easily say what's in my heart. And you'll get that.

So take some time for yourself. Document where you're at right now, with this change of season. We love seeing what you do!

And in case you're like me, and blocking all things out but your desire for anything pumpkin-spicee and forgetting about our fun upcoming crop next week on our Facebook Members page, DON'T. Don't forget to join in on the fun with us. Take some time for that.

Learning From Daddy

This week, we are celebrating Life Lessons. We'll be bringing you our versions of our life lessons through our layouts, and we very much hope that you will show us yours, over on the Facebook Members page!

Here's mine:

I can't even tell you how happy this photo makes me. I was washing dishes one afternoon, and looked up to see Eric teaching Reed how to water the tiny little patch of grass we have. And it was awesome. Reed was watering like a pro, and you could see how proud of himself he was. Heart. Melted.

You know what else melts my heart? That denim pocket. Lots. So much so that I had to make a 12x12 layout to accommodate it. Now that's love!

Hello, I Adore You!

Pardon the crappy lighting. I procrastinated myself right into the wee hours this morning. And wow. Does my studio light not flatter anything. Not a thing. Anywhooo....

This Country Life kit is so stinkin' fun to play with! I am not normally a primary color kinda gal, but this is just so fun and cute and wholesome and and and and... I could go on....

We took a trip to see my mom a few weeks ago, and my little guy fell in love with the backyard watering bowls and ponds. Couldn't get that kid back in the house.

But, can I just say that I am loving that 50% photo concept? I printed this right into the center of my 8.5x11 cardstock, and built around it.

I just can't help but cluster all those fun little doodads. The red gingham ones? Swoon!

 Those watering cans. You you just not even handle it? Nomnomnom!!!

And you know what else? Noel put that date stamp in a kit about a thousand years ago, and I use it ALL THE TIME! Probably my very favorite thing in any kit, ever. LOVE!

I'm baaaaaack!

So, did you miss me? Didja, didja? Ha! Did you even know I was gone?

Virginia and I are switching off months this term, and my goodness, after a month off, I am ready to be back! And helllllooooooooo Country Life! You are the adorablest widdle kit everrrrrrrr!! I mean, nomnomnom!

We have had so many good challenges so far this week, and here's mine:

Make your photo 50% of your layout. Doesn't matter which 50, but it needs to take up half the space! And for you Daily Diary makers, you can absolutely participate in this challenge! Use a small sleeve, print a large photo and cut it to fit multiple pockets - sky's the limit!

Here's my take:

 

I printed my photo right onto my page, and then added the patterned paper to the bottom. I love doing this - the big photo just makes me so happy!

I tried to keep the embellies fairly simple this time - just s couple of smaller clusters, some real typing, and a few splatters of Color Shine!

Want a little tip?

Before you start sticking your stickers down, line them up on a ruler in about the style of placement you want. Then, just brush on some baby powder to remove the stickiness. Voila! Placement is a breeze! Now you can move those stickers all over the place, without worrying that they will accidentally stick to the page before you are ready.

I also used the ruler to plan out how wide my title would be - so helpful!

That's all for me today! Head on over to the member's Facebook page to post your challenge layouts in the albums - winner gets a Daily Diary kit of their choice! Woohoo!

Happy Father's Day!

Well, Happy Day After Father's Day! I hope you all had a great day celebrating those guys in your life!

Here's a couple of cards I made up for the guys in our life, using the Happy Go Lucky and Pack Your Bags kits!

It was so fun to integrate some of our own art into this project! And I'm pretty sure Reed had a great time, too!

 

That's all for me today! Happy Monday!

Getting Busy!

Happy Monday!

I have a couple of projects for you today, using a mix of the Happy Go Lucky and Pack Your Bags kits. I am loving how well they go together!

The first is this layout of my little big boy, Reed. We had such a great, random morning, and I am always so grateful to get those recorded.

I love building up clusters of small embellies - those Simple Stories Bradz and Jillibean wood buttons are perfect together, with layers of enamel hearts and puffy star stickers in there, too.

I carried the circles through the page, and here's a smaller cluster of them, layered over the little journaling spot I made.

There are so many different arrows between these two kits, so I grabbed a few and added them to the circle theme I had going, using some pop dots to give a little more dimension :)

The second project I have for you is a little one that I made to help myself out! I have so many different little pieces of fluff for my little Jamberry business, and I was in dire need of a place to organize them in a cute way. Enter the kits and my new We R Memory Keepers 1-2-3 Punch Board that makes awesome envelopes, boxes, and bows. AND File Folders!

These are the perfect solution for me - everything fits perfectly inside them!

Then I just used one of the adorable paper clips from the kits to secure the contents in place - like my extra Happy Go Lucky coordinating wraps! That feather paper makes me a happy woman...

So now that I'm all organized in that department, I'm off to get things ready for our next kit reveal party. Don't miss it! We'll be showing you the new Pool Party kit, as well as revealing the new and exclusive Jamberry wraps that coordinate with them! Join the group here : https://www.facebook.com/groups/NoelMignonRevealParty/

And did you know that Virginia is designing coordinating wraps to the limited edition Disney kit - Main Street Magic? The reveal party for that is this Thursday night : https://www.facebook.com/events/777701839018067/

Be sure to be at both parties for the first peek of these awesome new kits, and their super cute coordinating wraps! See you soon!