Scraptoberfest Give Away! 2 days left to enter! Senior pics(closed)

Isn't she lovely?? Yep that my oldest and she is a senior this year! I can't believe how quickly the time goes by! I combined two cool albums (the acete mix and match and the chipboard mix and match album in black) from Creative Cuts to make my daughter an album of all those pictures we took to get the one she used for her senior yearbook. The flowers are Primas. The centers are Kaiser. The numbers are Thickers that have been altered with alcohol inks. This is actually the cover. I used acete flowers from Creative Cuts and More. I made this color with alcohol inks. Added a little Prima flourish, Heidi Swapp bling and the ribbon and center( I don't remember who makes these sorry!) I used a mask here - adhered it to the acete and used a different color combo of alcohol inks. (Love that stuff!) Tied a little lace around her pic and added a little heart I found in the wedding section at Michaels.
I took the edge of another page to form this decorative shape around my photo with Kaiser rhinestones. The flower center is a cute little Prima heart, inked and covered with Glossy Accents. The circle bling is from Heidi Swapp. I used three different alcohol inks to get the colors on the acete flower. The purple bling is from Basic Grey.

The purple flourish here is Prima, the flowers are from Creative Imaginations. I made the butterflies with a small punch. I used acete packaging and colored them with alcohol inks. (Did I mention I really am liking those alcohol inks! LOL!)
Another Prima flourish. Another butterfly.The letters for "SENIOR" were originally raw chipboard. I used brown, black and purple inks all over the letters. When they were dry I used Glossy Accents on top to give it that glazed look.
Here I used lace (Spare Parts), ribbon, Prima flowers and Heidi Swapp bling. I've had those little metal letters forever, I don't remember who made them.
The dots here are Stickles, ribbon Creative Imaginations and?? Prima flower. I really loved doing this cute little album. I made it for her but oh it's going to hard to part with it! I can't believe she's all grown up!

SO have you entered my giveaway? the last day to enter is the 31st!!! Details here http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2009/10/give-away-pics-scraptoberfest-part-iii.html

I will announce winners on the 1st! But I am a church going kinda gal so it'll be late!

Thanks for stoppin by!

Scraptoberfest Give Away! 6 days left!(closed)

Welcome friends. I love decorating and having friends over and when they do come I want everything to look nice. I want to be a good hostess so my friends will be comfortable and enjoy their stay. ( After all it is a crazy full house with 5 kids!)

I used leftover scraps and these die cut pumpkins from Creative Cuts. ( http://creativecutsandmore.com/ ) I misted them with Moon Glow and drew the lines and stem with a marker. I covered the entire thing with glossy accents and microbeads. I used different diecuts (cardstock & chipboard) and they look the same but the cardstock die cuts were more flexable and the chipboard was more sturdy.

A close up...

I made this basket after reading this post on another blog. I loved what they said about hospitality,

"As Christians we are admonished to "practice hospitality" – to be "given over" to it (Romans 12:13; I Timothy 5:10). Our homes should be filled with warmth, generosity and hospitality toward others. It should be an inviting haven where people see the Gospel played out in our daily lives. The phrase, "make them feel at home", means just that: make them feel just like they would if they were at their own home!"

You can read more about it here:http://www.handprintsonthewall.org/2008/03/04/hospitality-series-making-a-guest-toiletry-basket/

This is what I put in my basket, but the possiblilites are endless. A friend of mine likes to stay at hotels and loves teas so I had the hotel put a basket full of teas in her as a surprize! It made her day!

Ok changing the subject! Look at this pretty stuff! I know it's just a sneak peek but I had to do it because the November kit I am working with right now for Scrapbooking from the Inside Out is gorgeous!!!! (http://www.scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.com/) I am having so much fun with this stuff but I can't show it all to you until Nov 1st! SO you will have to come back then! Besides November 1st will be the day I reveal who won all the great Scraptoberfest goodies( http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2009/10/give-away-pics-scraptoberfest-part-iii.html ) I am giving away and you don't want to miss that!!!! You still have 6 days to enter!!! Well that's it for tonight! I have really enjoyed looking at all your wonderful blogs! I've made some new friends and learned new things about old ones! You have been so kind, I thank you for all your sweet comments!

Scraptoberfest Give Away! 10 days left!(closed)

October 22 ALREADY? Wow I can't believe how times flies. It seems like yesterday I started this blog and it has been 10 months. And you have 10 days left to enter my giveaway!!!!

Details here : http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2009/10/give-away-pics-scraptoberfest-part-iii.html

Well it's October, time to start thinking about Christmas! "What?" you say...Oh yes Christmas, if you are going to make something. And you are going to make something aren't you? I mean really who doesn't love a present from someone who cared enough to make something special just for them? Well we all get pretty busy around the holidays and I am no exception! As a matter of fact I have LOTS on my plate! (hmmm...that reminds of another layout I need to make.)But I digress...

Christmas beauties! I love when you give someone something and they say "Wow you made this?"(with exclamation!) You know whats nice about these? All you have to do is fold and decorate!!! No cutting or figuring out sizes, just the fun part- decorating! How could I resist these cute little die cuts from Creative Cuts and More! http://creativecutsandmore.com/ Inexpensive too- 75cents! Can't beat that! Here are some close ups... A little take out box. I embossed it with my Cuttlebug, added some scraps, ribbon, flowers and a butterfly(broken piece of my daughters barrette.)

I embossed and inked this darling purse die cut. I am going to put a mini book in there. The flower was clear acrylic (also from Creative Cuts and More), I used alcohol inks to color it and glossy accents to make dew drops. I also used the alcohol inks on the rhinestones and pearls (Kaiser) to make them match. I used gold Stickles. The ribbon and metal piece were scraps I've had around.

How fun is this? This is a little tin and it comes with a mini accordion album but I cut it up to make these little cards! I thought it would make a cute gift set that you could throw in your purse- you know when you need a little card real quick...you can just pull one of these out of your purse. I also embossed a piece of packaging to cover the decorated tin. (I don't know about you but my purse gets messy!)

Here's what it looks like when you open the package.

The cards...

And one last look! I don't know about you but I love pretty things and I would be excited to receive something so cute! There are tons of different bags, purses die cuts to choose from. Use your imagination!




OH! I almost forgot, if you look through my previous posts you may notice some of my layouts are missing...You might see this!!! Which means I've had to pull my layouts out (temporarily) until they are published!!!YAY!!! Don't forget to enter my give away ! Thanks for stoppin' by!

Scraptoberfest part 6! (closed)

Ahhh.. the scraptoberfest continues! Another layout with the "Loss" theme.
This layout was featured on the Good Grief Blog http://www.goodgriefblog.com/journal/2009/10/16/layouts-from-scrapbooking-from-the-inside-out.html on Friday. Another layout dedicated to my "Abuela" (grandmother) from the "loss" kit at Scrapbooking from the Inside out".

But where is the journaling you ask?? See that little tab sticking out behind the photo on the right? Yes the one with the cute corners punched out? That's the hidden journaling!


I don't usually hide my journaling because I like to be able to put my layouts in books and not be handled too much. If it's too personal or it just didn't "fit" on on the page I will hide it. If you are wondering how to look at it in a book, I simply cut a slit in the page protector. This wasn't too personal but I was going for a certain look so I put it on the side, maybe you have dealt with Alzheimer's and can relate? It reads...
I was in High School when it started. The woman who had helped raise me was often lost and calling because she could not figure out how she got wherever she was. I remember listening to my mom trying to calm her down and have her look at street signs or ask people who were in the vicinity to tell her where she was at so we could find her. It got so bad that my mom finally broke down and moved her with us. We know now that moving her from her familiar surroundings is really bad for someone with Alzheimer’s but she didn’t have a diagnosis at the time.

I hated when my mom left us alone with her – she would get so nervous. One of the last memories I have of her was her trying to escape and my brother and I trying to calm her down and not let her leave while my other brother had my mom on the phone. She was crying and kept saying “This is not my home!” It wasn’t long before my mom had no other choice but to put her in a home.

We all hated it, hated seeing her there, watching her quickly go downhill. It was so hard to see her there, sometimes she would call me by my mom’s name and sometimes she didn’t recognize me at all. I would get so mad because it didn’t seem fair. Alzheimer’s is awful, sometimes I would look and her eyes and could tell that she was trying to tell me something but the words just wouldn’t come out right and it didn’t make sense. I could tell she was very frustrated. I was very frustrated. I missed the woman that she was. I missed her stories and her laughter. I hated the fact that she could not go to my wedding or ever meet my kids. She passed away when my oldest was born.


Well Abuela, I miss you terribly, but I am glad you are finally home. I know that you would have enjoyed your great grandchildren, you loved kids. Even your darkest hours you knew that this was not your home and I am ok with that. I know that I will see you again one day and you will tell me your stories and we will laugh together again.

See that little sewing machine? I have had that in front of my scrappy space for a long time. It reminds me of the sewing machine my grandmother used, she was a seamstress. I still have her favorite pinking shears on my counter. I knew that one day I would use that sewing machine on a layout.
See the sewing(purple thread?) on the lace? I am NOT a seamstress, never really learned (that's another story) but I did that in honor of my Abuela. ;)
This is not my Home" Contents

* LYB Autumn Bliss Autumn Stripe w/thermography
* LYB Autumn Bliss Multi Geometric w/thermography
* LYB Autumn Bliss Clear Cut Frames, 2 pcs.
* 7 Gypsies Barcelona Terrassa
* 7 Gypsies Barcelona Sabadell
* Core'dinations Cardstock Purple Granduer
* Core'dinations Cardstock Rich Amber
* Scenic Route Happy Valley Dark Orange Alpha Stickers
Prima flowers and flourish
7 Gypsies sewing machine
Spare Parts Ribbon

* These are products from the Loss kit at Scrapbooking From the Inside Out.

Don't forget to enter my contest!!!!http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2009/10/give-away-pics-scraptoberfest-part-iii.html

Have you done a "loss" layout yet? I'd like to see it, leave me a link!

Blog hop!!!

Don't you just love a party!!! I love the holidays and it is NOT too early to start thinking about it!

Welcome blog hoppers! If you just came from Kaylas blog you are in the right place! If you are popping and have no idea what's going on, I have been asked to be a part of a blog hop for Creative Cuts and More as a guest design team member for the month of October!


***The Creative Cuts and More Blog Hop starts at Die-Cut Diva's Blog.

If you follow the directions on the Creative Cuts and More Blog Hop - you will have a chance to win a FALL ALL OCCASIONS CARD KIT. You will also get a 15% discount off any orders that will be available for one week. The Coupon Code will be Octbloghop1509

Let's get this party started! Now I know it's a little early for Christmas but I love it and you need time to get your projects finished...or started as the case may be!!

I love winter- well not the cold but the feeling of general goodness and cheer that people get. I love having others over as it gives me an excuse to decorate! Not that I need an excuse- it makes my day too but having a guest makes you want to make things extra special. As Christians we are admonished to "practice hospitality" – to be "given over" to it (Romans 12:13; I Timothy 5:10). Our homes should be filled with warmth, generosity and hospitality toward others.
* Hanging snowflakes - I used fishing wire to attach them to our chandelier. I started with different size acrylic snowflakes (CC &M) stamped them ("Stays On" ink) and went over some of the flourishes with silver Stickles. I added Snow Tex for the snow effect on the tips.
I had so much fun with the cake slice boxes (CC & M)in acrylic! Wouldn't you love taking one of those home! I had so much fun decorating them that I had to make them the centerpiece! Here's a close up!
*Note the white tissue snowflakes...those came in between my acrylic snowflakes!

* I used rub ons for the sentiment, the snowflakes are stickers. I added a little bling (Kaiser) in the center of the snowflakes. I used a little Snow Tex on the bottom and added ribbon and flowers(Prima) on the backs. Because I need everything to match I used my roller stamp(Stampin' Up) to stamp silver flourishes on my plain white gift boxes! These could be presents or prizes for party games - you never know! ;)

OH! To assemble the cake boxes I used Killer Red Tacky Tape - this stuff is awesome. It is very thin and clear double sided tape that can keep anything together! I even used it to tape the ribbon on the boxes! You can get this at CC&M and Terry has a "killer" deal on it right now! LOL!

Of course a party isn't a party without chocolate! Yum!
*I just had to add a pretty layered flower (rhinestone-Kaiser, white-Creative Imaginations & Heidi Swapp) here too to match the theme!

Add a table cloth, some lighting, music, food and friends! Woo hoo Party!

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to post some more ideas for the holidays...gift ideas or ideas for hospitality here on my blog so don't forget to come back and check on me ;) !

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your visit! Please come by again! Your next hop is Lindsay Weirich !


Wait! Before you leave you should enter my giveaway! You will already have one entry just by leaving a comment! To see what I am giving away and to find other ways to enter go here !

Scraptoberfest Part 5! Pretty as a Princess

Exhibit A

I have been doing such serious layouts lately that I wanted to take a break and do something light and fun. Here is a layout of our youngest, baby girl. She is always doing silly things so it is easy to capture her personality in a photo (see exhibit A! LOL!) I love these cute papers from the "Fairest of them all" collection by Imaginisce! As soon as I saw them I knew I would use them for my baby girls pictures! Everything is from Imaginisce except the ribbon (Spare Parts), the pearl flourish (Prima) and small rhinestone flower (Hero Arts).

There are several techniques you will find on most of my layouts.

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I love making things dimensional so a staple in my scrapbook room is foam tape, squares, circles, strips - all good! If you look closely at my layouts you will also find that Stickles (by Ranger) is always a must! A girl can never have too much sparkle!

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I also like cutting things out - see that flower in the little birds mouth? Yep, I cut out the flower from a scrap, made a hole by the little birds beak and poked the stem through...what a cutie! I needed the foam tape to secure the flower; the bird and background are chipboard die cuts.

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Oh! Did I forget to mention ink, yes I take it for granted I've been doing it so long! A little ink on the sides makes it pop! I have ink in all colors, but I especially love the Brilliance Inks from Tuksiedo because they too have a little sparkle! ;)

Awww... isn't she cute? This little chipboard princess reminded me of my little princess! Totally cute! Of course I had to give her a little magic sparkle on her dress (Stickles to the rescue)! The flowers were cut and layered with foam dots. I stickled everything and added the rhinestone flower. The center of the flower is a pearl I cut off of the flourish.

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Lace ribbon is so feminine and pretty I had to add it! I am not a seamstress but I did use a needle and thread to gather the white lace. I covered my horrible sewing techniques with the pink ribbon. :) ha ha!

This is my favorite picture of baby girl right now!(Click on it to make it bigger!) She is such a ham! LOL!

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You see that sun over the word sunshine? Well the sun and the heart were chalked with a stencil. You can't tell but the chalk has a shimmer to it too! ;) I only used one flourish on this layout; I cut it so I would have this little piece in the upper right hand corner.

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This layout is from a sketch at http://creativelyyourssketches.blogspot.com/ remember they are looking for new design team members right now so go check it out- Ali is really sweet and easy to work for.
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DON'T FORGET to leave a comment to be entered to win my Scraptoberfest Give Away!!!Friday I will have something fun and different (for me) so don't forget to check back!

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To see what you might win and other ways to enter check this post http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2009/10/give-away-pics-scraptoberfest-part-iii.html

Loss...Scraptoberfest Part 4

Ok now this layout is very different for me- no picture. Yep different I know but if you read the journaling you will know why. I have been wanting to do this layout for a long time, it is very important to me. If you dont know , now you know that three of our five children are adopted and this layout is about some feelings that I did not know I would have. If you have gone through the adoption procees, or have children I am sure you can relate to some or all of this. I do scrap happy - but I feel that it is just as important to scrap all parts of our lives. I scrapped this for me, but also for my son - it is his legacy as well.

In case it's hard to read:

I remember it like it was yesterday.

We got our sweet baby boy at two months and when we took him in we knew it was a gamble. We wanted to adopt and he needed a home. The parental rights had not yet been terminated. For almost a year we waited hoping that we would not get a phone call that someone wanted him back. He was such a sweet baby, the only time he really cried was in his car seat- he hated being on his back.

Finally after a year of being in the foster care system we got a court date for termination of parental rights. You cannot adopt a child until a judge grants termination of the parental rights – which is a long tedious procedure.

On the court date we came early and I brought a camera in case bio mom showed up. I wanted her picture for my son, should he ever ask. At the same I hoped that she would not show up and try to fight this case. (If she did the judge could give her another shot at doing right by her child.) We had never been through this before and weren’t sure what to expect. We had been told that we would have to testify on how our son was doing and if anyone else came forward they too would be allowed to speak. I was so nervous and expected to feel relief when it was all over. Bio mom never came and I did not expect the feelings that came with that.

I felt a tremendous amount of grieving for my son. I felt anger too- how could she not fight for her son! This was a beautiful innocent baby with so much love and life, how could she not at least make a last desperate effort to get him back? I mean I was relieved that she didn’t come, and that her rights were terminated because then he was available for adoption but I was so devastated by her actions (or lack of actions)! I was appalled and so sad for my boy. I cried for his loss, it broke my heart and left me feeling despair and hope at the same time. Hope for a good future with our family, we love him so much and yet despair; even now there is heaviness in my heart when I think about this day.

It has been years and it still bothers me, makes me sad and angry - even sad for her, bio mom. He is amazing in all ways and such a blessing, we are fortunate to be a part of his life. God takes the mistakes we make and turns them into good things, even better than we could have imagined.
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I created this with the "Loss" kit at Scrapbooking From the Inside Out. The letters here were actually raw chipboard letters that I altered by using Brilliance ink in brown and black and then spraying them with Moon Glow spray. I did the same thing with the frame adding Sunburst spray in red hot poker orange in addition to copper. The frame is not in the kit , it was just laying around in my scrapbook room and it seemed perect for the picture that never was- it was originally hot pink!

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Don't forget to leave me a comment to enter my running contest for the month of October! ( details on the previous post!)