Traditions, Trips and Birthdays

One of the things I love about being on a design team is you get such fun stuff to work with and sometimes it is not what you would normally pick and YOU LOVE IT! I am loving this color combo - and it is not something I would ever pick!(Thank you Leslie, Treasured Scrapbooking)
This is my last layout from being a Guest Designer at Treasured Scrapbooking - what fun ladies over there!


I used this layout to talk about the family trips we go on. Random, unplanned, and flying by the seat of our pants! This is mostly due to hubby who is totally spontaneous (I am a planner. Yep plan every detail.) I found this to be an appropriate post as we are about to go out of town - but this trip is planned! We are taking our youth choir/drama team on a ministry tour. (hi H !)We will be hitting towns that hubby and I are very familiar with and I am so excited about the people and places we will see on our journey!

This trip is just for the teens and our little ones will be left in good hands. As one of my buddies always says

I made this for her birthday - Happy Birthday J!

I am excited for the opportunities God has for us on this trip - I am bringing my laptop so I will be able to post some really cute stuff from the road. I have been hard at work with my DT stuff for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out but I can't reveal it until the first!

Staples

Wow two posts in one day! Well today was an eventful day for baby girl so I felt is was appropriate to post a layout about her. Today I had to take her to the ER so she can have staples put in her head! (Staples are for paper!!)The siblings were getting a little rough and she was pushed, fell and cut her head open on a nightstand! Baby girl was so brave; she did not cry when they put them in and she has been really good all day. Her brother felt so bad that he was beside himself all day. :(

To top it off she has to have the staples taken out on her birthday!

Here is a close up of the journaling- I love this quote. Pattern papers are from Bo Bunny, card stock and letters American Crafts.

I really love cutting - but my wrists aren't too happy about it! Some of those papers I colored in with pencils to match. I also used my Cricut,inks and Stickles.

On Another note "Scrapbooking from the Inside Out" just posted a sneak peek for the August kit! The theme is "Safety" I love, love , love this kit! The colors are so deep and rich! I love purple! Well its just a sneak but trust me I have been working with this kit and it is just gorgeous!

I hope that your weekend is wonderful - I have a cold or sinus infection or something and am very frustrated - I am supposed to sing tomorrow at church! Well I'd better go to bed hopefully I will feel better in the morning!

Christmas in July!! (updated!)

I am participating in my firs blog hop , where you can go and read other peoples blog and see what goodies they have on their site! This blog hop is Christmas themed so I thought it would be fun! If you click on the Christmas banner on the right it will take you where all the blogs participating are listed. So grab a cup of coffee and go blog hop! ( Finish looking at mine first and don't be shy leave me a little comment, I love to hear what you think!)

Today I was feeling a bit under the weather and because I am so busy, and procrastinated a bit I waited too long and had to take my pics inside. I hate doing that because they don't come out as well; not to mention that my fave camera is in the shop so I have to use a point and shoot! :(

I love Christmas, as most people due and one of the traditions we have is our little ones participating in the Christmas Pageant at church. They are so cute and even if they panic and just stand there the audience goes aaaww!

All of the paper I used are from Bisous!

A little ornament I made. Have a wonderful weekend and don't forget to count your blessings all through the year!

To all the lovely ladies who read my blog

Every once in a while a song comes along that really speaks to you. The song "There can never be a more beautiful you" by Johnny Diaz is one of those songs. I love what it says, so much so that I made a layout for my daughter with some of the lyrics. However I know that she is not the only one that needs to hear these words so I have them below so you can read them. Here are some close ups, I had a lot of fun with papers from Bo Bunny, Heidi Swapp Bling, my Cricut, ink and Stickles.

Here are some of the lyrics I picked out for my daughter. I hate that the media & society tells us as women that we should look and act a certain way, they try to make us insecure. The truth is that God has made us beautiful and unique, just the way we are. I want to make sure my girls know this so that when they are bombarded with garbage they will know the truth.

Here's the whole song...

There can never be a more beautiful you! Johnny Diaz

*

Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine

Says she wants to look that way

But her hair isn’t straight her body isn’t fake

And she’s always felt overweight

*

Well little girl fourteen I wish that you could see

That beauty is within your heart

And you were made with such care your skin your body and your hair

Are perfect just the way they are

*

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don’t buy the lies disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

*

Little girl twenty-one the things that you’ve already done anything to get ahead

And you say you’ve got a man but he’s got another plan

Only wants what you will do instead

*

Well little girl twenty-one you never thought that this would come

You starve yourself to play the part

But I can promise you there’s a man whose love is true

And he’ll treat you like the jewel you are

*

There could never be a more beautiful you

Don’t buy the lies, disguises and hoops they make you jump through

You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do

So there could never be a more beautiful you

*

So turn around you’re not too far, to back away be who you are

To change your path go another way

It’s not too late you can be saved

*

If you feel depressed with past regrets

The shameful nights hope to forget

Can disappear they can all be washed away

By the one who’s strong can right your wrongs

Can rid your fears dry all your tears

And change the way you look at this big world

*

He will take your dark distorted view

And with His light He will show you truth

And again you’ll see through the eyes of a little girl

*

You can listen to it if you click on the link

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXSkd8apbWM&feature=related

Read the words first so you don't get distracted by the video, it's a beautiful song with a great message!

New Stuff!

Here are some projects I did with one of the July kits over at Treasured Scrapbooking! How cute are these papers from Cosmo Cricket and Teresa Collins? My guy happened to be wearing red and I love the way the pics came out! He is getting so big and handsome!

This is a little box I've had laying around. I should have done a "before" and "after" shot. It was really ugly before but I liked the shape so I kept it! I knew eventually I would alter it and when I saw these papers I thought it would be fun! More Cosmo Cricket - love those cherries!

This layout was done with Jillibean soup. I loved this paper right away and knew I wanted to alter it to bring in some vibrant colors to match the pictures. I ended up using acrylic paint and I added Glossy accents on top to make it shiny. I love painting - I would do this again!

Well thanks for stoppin' by - and welcome to all my new "peeps", I hope you'll stick around! I have much more to show you!

Blessings!

Rita

New Blog look!

Well it's been six months since I started this blog and my venture to get on a scrapbook team! I thought a change would be good - and if you've seen my blog the last couple of days you see that I have done a lot of trial and error, but finally I think I have it like I want it! (At least for the next six months ;) ! I've had these little fairies for the longest time, I got them at a 99 cent store. Of course I had to update them by sticking them to card stock (they were see thru) and adding Stickles! I just got these totally cute glitter chipboard letters from Making Memories so I had to use them! The background paper is from Bo Bunny and flowers are mostly Prima. I love those fairies! ( click on the picture to get a closer look - the flowers are amazing!)




My daughter took this picture of me getting my layout ready for my blog.

Another little peek for ya...remember this picture?

I made this little card out of American Crafts papers and ribbon. The flower is creative Imaginations. And the sketch is from my friends at ://creativelyyourssketches.blogspot.com/ . It was a cute sketch for a layout but I needed a card so I made this.

Right now I have the most fun kits to work with but you have to wait... I know I hate waiting too. But I promise fun layouts on the way!

Blessings!
Rita

We have a winner!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Here is a layout I did with some of my new Bisous paper, some Prima flowers, Sticklers, Creative Imagination brads and Thickers from my Scrap booking From the Inside Out kit! Please click on the layout so you can see the beautiful detail on the paper! Here is a close up. I was trying to think of a layout to do for the first challenge at SFTIO, they want you to scrap a moment when you knew you were strong. I'm still working on that, I got sidetracked because I wanted to scrap this moment. My children don't always behave (What ? I don't have perfect children? How shocking!) but I know that I have instilled certain characteristics in my children, they are there for each other. This layouts shares one of those moments.

So at long last we have a winner!!! Thanks to all who played in my first giveaway, I would love to choose you all but you know how that goes! I took some pictures of my little assistants as we attended to todays activity of choosing the winner!!! DRUM ROLL PLEASE................

So "Mommy of many" Congrats and thanks for playing!!! Make sure ya'll give her some congrats!

For the rest of you lovely ladies please don't stop comming around, I will have other things to give away soon!

Give Away Reminder!

Don't you just love shiny pretty things? Before we got baby girl you would not have seen me do anything pink! Just didn't care for it. My oldest didn't really do the whole pink girly thing and the rest of our house was all boys! You would not have caught any flowers on my layouts either, well... until baby girl! She loves everything pink, feminine, flowery and shiny. If baby girl sees a flower you will catch her smelling it, admiring it and she will tell you how beautiful it is. Of course I had to give in and scrapbook what she likes (they are her pages) and in that I have grown to like it too! (Even my oldest can be seen wearing pink because baby girl insists that all ladies wear pink!) I love the distressed look and the beautiful color combination. I love altering white flowers with mists and powders and paint. Lately I have been altering everything (so fun)! If you look closely on the hearts you will see tiny glass beads! I saw this in a book and wanted to give it a try and I love the way it came out! (Papers are Heidi Swapp)

I think that God puts people in our lives to enrich us, broaden our perspectives and sometimes just to bring us joy! Baby girl has done all those things and more. So a challenge for you, (ode to baby girl) notice something feminine and pretty today and give God thanks!

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Don't forget you have until Friday to enter my give away for this mini album- see details from the previous post! Hey right now your chances are 1 in 25! ;)

Give Away!!!

Ok so tonight is the night! I am doing my first blog giveaway - I am hoping that you ladies will not let me down and you will participate! I have been so blessed these past two months, making the design team at Scrapbooking from the Inside Out, Creatively yours and Bisous. On top of that I made guest designer for July at Treasured Scrapbooking! So I have been sent so many beautiful things that I want to share! But I need some help to get the word out!!! (The layout above is from the July kit at Treasured Scrapbooking)

I will have baby girl do a drawing in one week, July 10th! You will have the opportunity to enter 6, maybe 7 times! Here are ways to enter:

1) Leave me a comment

2) Follow my blog (I will enter you twice if you leave me a comment and already do follow my blog!)

3) Come visit (and participate) the places where I'm at http://www.scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.com/

http://creativelyyourssketches.blogspot.com/

http://www.treasuredscrapbooking.com/

The catch to this is if you are already there and are active you need to check out another one of my places! Come back and leave me another comment about where you went so I can check it out!

4) Make a post about this on your blog, come back and leave me the link!

Now please do not hurt my feelings and let me down by not participating, because this is my first giveaway! ;)

OH! And what do you win, you might ask...?

This mini book I made!

Here is the cover (I also made this with my Scrapbooking From the Inside Out Kit, see previous post). I am new to the Scrapbooking From the Inside Out and I thought it would be cool to make mini book with the different emotions they explored in the last year. Here are a few page samples... I was thinking you could put a picture on the left that represents the word to you and you could journal about it on the right. Oh - I will also include a white gel pen for journaling!

No - I am not a seamstress but I did hand sew all of the words in this book!

I used grungeboard and pattern papers from the Zinnia collection, Little Yellow Bicycle.

I hope you like it and I hope you will tell someone! If this one turns out good I'll do some more! You have one week!

Projects to Share!

"By your side"
Out for publication

Finally I can share some things with you. This being my first design team reveal was hard. If I scrap something , I like to show it right away! It's hard keeping something a secret especially when you are excited about it! Todays layouts are all things I did with the Scrapbooking From The Inside Out July kit. The kit is called "Strentgh" and the colors are bold and complimenatary - perfect for the theme! I love this idea of scrapping your emotions, it's really changed the way I scrapbook.

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By your side - 10th AVE North

On the picture you will find the words to this song, I have used a part of this song before for my little guy but the words are so powerfull that I knew I would also use it for a layout about me.

the words say:

Why are you striving these days? Why are you trying to earn grace? Why are you crying? Let me lift up your face, just don't turn away. Why are you looking for love? Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough? To where will you go child? Tell me where will you run? To where will you run?

And I'll be by your side, wherever you fall in the dead of night whenever you call and please don't fight these hands that are holding you. My hands are holding you.

Look at these hands and my side, they swallowed the grave on that night when I drank the world's sin, so I could carry you in and give you life. I want to give you life

(Chorus 2x)Cause I, I love you. I want you to know that I, I love you I'll never let you go.

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(my journal on the bottom of the page reads)

The first time I heard this song I was blown away. I felt so convicted and moved at the same time. Why do I try so hard to be so good, to do all the right things, to be the best, as if I could earn grace? Why do I look for approval from others when it really shouldn’t matter what people think? Why do I let people hurt me with their judgments and opinions? I know better, but I fall into the same trap every time. It is in those moments that I hear a song like this that reminds me that although I am weak and insecure He is strong enough for both of us.
( by the way, my 5 year old took this picture! Not to shabby!)

"Thinking"
Out for Publication

Here is the journaling for this layout:

Something as simple as peeling off soaking wet socks off of little feet reminds me that these “mommy” days are quickly fleeting. I think about all the things I do as “mommy” to help my children grow into strong and confident people, it actually goes very quickly.
Next year my oldest will graduate from High School. It seems like yesterday I was putting on her socks and shoes! I have prayed for my kids. I have prayed that I am doing the right thing to help mold them into productive, respectful, discerning, responsible, happy, strong adults that love God. My oldest will graduate in 2010, baby girl will graduate 2023!!! Maybe somebody should be praying for MY strength!

"18 Years"
Out for Publication

These flowers and brads were not in the kit but I was going crazy not using flowers so I broke down and added them to the layout. I thnk it was exactly what it needed!

Here is the journaling for this one:
I was looking for a quote about marriage because I feel that our marriage is strong and it breaks my heart that everything I found was sarcastic, rude and pessimistic. Now I certainly don’t pretend that our marriage is perfect but it is strong. Marriage is a partnership, it does take work and investment but if you are both equally committed to making it work, to each other and to God you can make it!
Before we were married one of the things we decided on was the D word – it is not allowed (divorce). That was rule number 1 if we were going to make it! Rule number 2 was that our problems (everybody has them- shocking I know!) stayed between husband and wife. I don’t remember if we had any other rules but I know that having common interests has also kept us on task – even if we were having a tiff.

If there was something going on with the kids or our shared youth ministry that demanded our attention we had to put feelings aside and work it out. (Common interests… good.) I also believe that having other hobbies apart from each other (ahem…scrapbooking) has helped keep us strong. He supports it and I can use it to remind me how wonderful family can be when life gets a little rough. (Yes, my life is not perfect I can admit that!) Having date night is also very important. Talking about the important things and the not so important things is crucial. Have a good laugh together! Trust is the key to all of this.
Every time I turn around somebody is telling me about another couple getting divorced- it’s so sad because it does not get easier with a new person. Marriage is work but it can also be fun, your mate should be your best, closest friend. Mine is.

( Iused paint, moon glowand glossy accents on the lace paper.)

"Stronger"

Out for Publication

Here is the journaling for this one:
Today my five year old asked if he came out of my tummy and who came out first. I was a little taken aback about what I was hearing and I tried to get more information from him. He got more adamant about knowing the order in which the kids in our family came out of my tummy. My little night owl knows he’s adopted but apparently there was a slight misunderstanding! By now my stalling has aggravating him and I decide to get backup and call on hubby. . We ask him if he knows that he is adopted (which he should we’ve never not talked about it) and he says “yes but WHERE did I come from?” So we explain that he came out of his birth mothers tummy but that she could not take care of him so we took him in and adopted as our own. We remind him that we love him very much and are so happy to have him as our son. He is looking at us as though we are crazy and says “who is this birthmother?” We have one picture and show it to him. Hubby asked “but who is your mommy?” He points to me and walks out. Just like that, happy as can be, on with his little happy self. Meanwhile I feel like I wreck!

You never know when you are going to be on the spot for one of these conversations and I always think I’m going to be ready but when it happens…well let’s just say I don’t feel very confident at those times! I am always second guessing myself wondering if I said the right thing, or too much, or not enough. I know I will make mistakes but part of it is that these kids have been through so much already, I don’t want to add to their insecurities! Personality flaw, maybe. But maybe it’s not just about them it’s about God changing me and making me stronger while helping my little ones.

I had to make an altered item in addition to the layouts and these metal pieces were in the kit so I put them on a chain. My oldest walks in and says "Hey thats cool , can I have that?" SO I guess my instincts were pretty good!

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I do have one more project to share but this post is so long already that I've decided to save it until tommorrow! I have other reasons too...I'm going to give it away!!! So come back tomorow to check it out and to find out how you can have it. :)

Last but not least here is the kit before I started my projets so you can see how fabulous it is, all by itself! Rachel does an awesome job putting these kits together!((Thank you Rachel!))

You can get more close ups and info here http://www.scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.com/index.html. Come by tomorrow!!!