Let's Embellish

Getting ready for CHA!

2012-01-26T20:51:00.002-06:00

Photo 2 - 2012-01-26, a photo by rbarakatmusic on Flickr.

Just experimenting with my new iPad- making sure I know how to upload before I go!

All great achievements require time...

2012-01-23T22:21:00.001-06:00

Don't you love when you are playing with things and it just works?

I was really just trying things,

I was worried for a minute - things looked a little weird

but it all worked out in the end.

It's not perfect and I am tempted to fix it

but I decided it doesn't need to be perfect!

(kinda goes with the quote don't ya think?)

I used a pack of stickers for stencils, then colored the canvas with Gelatos.

I doodled with PITT Artist pens.

Stamped more images with Stampers Big Brush & the Rubber Cafe stamps.

I did the same thing with the tag then covered it with embossing powder on top.

After I melted it with my heat gun, I bent it so it would crack.

I like this technique because I have no patience to wait for crackle mediums to dry!

I covered the black flower with Oh So Fine glitter.

Supplies:

6x6 canvas, Glitz stickers, Gelatos, PITT Artist pens,

Stampers Big Brush, 7Gypsies tag, Love my Tapes- ribbon,

The Rubber Cafe Stamps.

Blog Hop with Clear Scraps!!!

2012-01-19T01:33:00.002-06:00

Hey there bloggers!

Welcome to the New Release For The New Year Blog Hop!!!

Its that time again, Clear Scraps proudly

introduces the new lines for Spring 2012!

This blog hop shares what our design team

has done with the latest and greatest Clear Scraps creations!

Clear Scraps is so excited to announce

the newest addition to our designs

"Send It Clear" a collection of

easy to create cards that have a

unique and special flare.

Here is a sample I made with the new cards!

First I ran it through my Cuttlebug with

and embossing folder. Then I used a little gesso,

inks & Gelatos. Below in the inside of the card.

The Grand Prize today is a set of

4 beautiful Send It Clear Cards

(to be shipped in Feb.)

along with a set of

Clearly Accent Embellishments!!

(your choice)

You do not want to miss the opportunity to win big!

We also have new "Clearly Accent Embellishments"

and new Mini Albums, this year is a must have-must see year.

The New Release For The New Year Blog Hop

begins today, the January 19th

and ends on January 21st @ 11:00pm Eastern time.

Winners will be posted on January 23rd, on the Clear Scraps Blog!

There are FOUR ways to enter!!

#1 Hop & comment on all the blogs

#2 Follow the Clear Scraps Blog

#3 Follow the Clear Scraps Design Team Blogs (all of them)

#4 LIKE the Clear Scraps facebook page!

(leave a comment on the Facebook page, so we know!)

These are really cool cards to work with,

good luck

and thanks for stopping by!

Now get to hopping!

Here is the complete New Release For The New Year Blog Hop order-

Clear Scraps

Cathy S.

Leah C.

Rita B. Your are here : )

Clear Scraps Facebook Page (Bonus entry)

Shine...

2012-01-15T01:30:00.003-06:00

"Shine" Whatever you do, be your best! Baby girl works

so hard at ballet and she is still loving it after all these months!

Baby girl always stands out - all the little girls wear pastel pink

and baby girl struts her stuff in purple!

I admire her tenacity, a very good quality to have.

Whatever you do you can "shine" you know, do your best, give it your all!

On this layout I enjoyed making things pop off the page.

The colors and accents are perfect for baby girl.

Of course lately I can't seem to do anything with lace ribbon tape from Love My Tapes.

Look at these flowers - don't they look real?

They are papers from Donna Salazar - I cut them in a spiral,

inked the edges and tightened them up a bit before adhering

them to the page with foam squares. I cut the leaves, inked the edges,

folded and rolled the edges.

Supplies: Love my Tapes lace ribbon,

Donna Salazar & SEI papers,

Want to Scrap bling, Thickers

(you can find these at ScrapGal)

So I have a question, is there something that you shine at?

birthday banner...CHA peeks

2012-01-13T01:32:00.001-06:00

Hey there bloggers.

Here is another fun project on it's way to CHA for Clear Scraps!

The base is the Birthday Banner, there is actually another star

on this banner but in my disaster of a room I competly misplaced it! LOL!

So I changed up and decided to use it on the cupcake.

As soon as I adhered it I found the other star!

Isn't that always how it goes?

Anywho I could have pulled it off but decided I liked it the way it was.

I had a lot of fun with iridescant gel medium -

I changed the color by adding my

Gelatos - I scribbled them on a paper plate,

put the gel medium on top and

mixed it together - I really like the soft color!

I used a stencil, spread it on then lifted the stencil.

Here's another view of the center...

I used Rangers Paint Daubbers on the edges.

The paper was adhered to the surface with heavy gel medium.

That would be a fun surprise to have this on your door!

Supplies: Clear Scraps Birthday Banner,

Faber-Castell Gelatos, Heavy Gel Medium,

Liquidtex Iridescant Medium,

Ranger Paint Daubber, Donna Salazar Paper

CHA sneaks...faith

2012-01-10T09:17:00.002-06:00

A year ago today we took a leap of faith

and moved our family

949 miles

17 hrs and 17min

1526 KM

from CO to TX.

It seems like yesterday. This year has flown by so fast!

We thought we would be in corporate housing a couple of months, we were there 6 months!

3 bedroom apt + 3 kids = chaos

3 bedroom apt + 5 kids (older kids came home in May) = disaster!

It felt like forever waiting for the house to be done and our old house to be sold. We left behind our friends, family, church and it was hard being in limbo all those months. But I will say that once we moved into our home, things turned around and time has flown!

We are blessed.

We are still settling in, but it is good.

A new home, new friends, new church as my dear friend J. would say

"It's all good."

so even if it takes a while...sometimes it's totally worth it,

you just have to have a little faith.

This and more of my work will be on display at CHA at the ends of the month in CA.

Clear Scraps will debut a ton of new "Expressions"small and large and they are so fun!

For this "Expression" "Faith" I used alcohol inks, glitter and a permanent marker.

Please go see it in in person in the Clear Scraps booth

if you are there because my pictures do not do it justice!

I will be doing make and takes in the Faber-Castell booth on Tues and Wed come say hi!

Stay tuned I will be posting more sneak peeks for CHA!

Supplies:

Clear Scraps XL Circle and Expression

Paper, Crafty Secrets

Ranger Alcohol Inks, Rubber Cafe Glitter and adhesive,

Sharpie perm marker, sticker (my stash- dont remember)

Multitasking!

2012-01-07T01:30:00.004-06:00

OK so I admit it -
I cannot sit and

watch a movie or TV show without doing something else at the same time!

...Well unless I am sick or something!

So I got some new goodies in the mail

from the Rubber Cafe and I had to play!

Of course I also had to pull out my

Gelatos and Big Stampers Brush markers.

We were watching some movie but I was also busy

doodling and I am loving these products! EEEK!

These are stamps - so gorgeous!

I used several Big Stampers Brush colors on top of each other.
For two of the butterfly stamps I stamped first with color, then with glue.

When it was dry (but sticky) I added very fine glitter and rubbed it in-

I wish you could see how gorgeous this looks in real life!

I didn't worry about getting it perfect or anything, just having fun!

Oh...are you noticing new colors on my page?

That's right Design Memory Craft has come out with

new colors for CHA!!!

WoooHooo!

To get the look of this back ground

I used the Gelatos like a crayon, scribbled a bit then scrubbed with this fun little tool

the spongy white one...

I repeated this with different colors and every once

in a while misted with a little water. (Just a little - enough to blend colors)

What is super cool about the Big Stampers Brush is that they don't bleed do you can

stamp first, them color or add another stamp after you have colored your background.

(Oh I used the brush one to brush off extra glitter!)

I think I need to pull out my art journal & multitask more often!

Supplies:

Rubber Cafe

Stamps - Vintage Treasures, Large Paisley Butterfly, Blossom Branch

"You're so fine" Glitter - Blue Skies, Canadian Blue, Diamond cool Highlight

Scrap Happy Glue, Lil Inkers (tools)

Design Memory Craft

Big Stampers Brush - Manganese Violet, Cobalt Green, Light Green

Gelatos - *Pistachio, *Grape, *Lavender, Grape, *Bubble Gum, Cotton Candy

(*new colors)

cherish

2012-01-03T01:30:00.002-06:00

I was thinking about this layout today
and how times flies so quickly.

(I made this layout in May 2011, but I don't remember
if I shared this on my blog, the pic is 2010.)

Today we moved baby girl into a different room, she is so excited.

We are finally ready to start decorating, painting and
actually making this house is ours!

We moved furnitue & made lots of plans.
Baby girl cracks me up because I did most of the

work and when I was too tired to finish SHE said
she was exhausted and needed a rest!

Supplies: Ta Da Creative Studios paper,

flowers - Prima & ZVA, Cosmo Cricket Alphas, ZVA bling,

Bazzil cardstock, ribbon unknown

A little Grace, a year in review...

2011-12-30T01:30:00.007-06:00

I have been catching up on my blog reading and I have found

so many wonderful posts reflecting on the coming year,
setting new goals and challenges.

I have been contemplating so many similar things myself.

I cannot lie, 2011 was not what I expected. Since Jan our family
has been in a constant whirlwind of changes and I truly thought that
it would throw my kids into a tailspinbut on the contrary, they have
adjsuted beautifully proving once again that God is soveriegn.

We made two major moves - first from CO to TX (change) six months
later from corperate housing to our new home.(change) Our kids
changed schools three times! (change, change, change) Our little ones
have special needs and anyone who is familiar with special needs
knows that change is especially difficult! It is amazing how each move has been
very smooth when these transitions happened; we have
been blessed with great teachers, principals and specialists.

In addition to physical moves:
While we were trying to settle in here in TX
our oldest was still away in NV, her first year of college
Her car was totalled by a drunk driver,
I thank God that she and her friends were not in it at the time!

Our oldest son had stayed in CO to finish High school early and moved

back with us in March. (change) We are grateful for God's timing as

we went back to CO for his graduation in May when got the

phone call that our oldest daughter was being admitted to the hospital for seizures.

We were able to bring her home with us from college.(change)

She has had a rough year but is doing well now.

We praise God for healing - she was having tremors, small seizures or episodes.

She never had anything like this before.
After months of tests, they have ruled out many potentially serious

illness' and conditions. We do not have answers as to what it was,

we praise God that it seems to have stopped.

She is staying home and is going to college locally.

Most recently my mother has come to live in TX. (change)

There have been a few health problems

with mom that were not being addressed before that we are addressing now.

I am learning that it is alot easier to work with children than it is with adults,

especially when it comes to their health!

She has been here since Oct, we are making s-l-o-w progress.

But hey, progress is progress!

We are members of a new church (change) and plugged in,

thank you God for new supportive friends!

We continue to be blessed with phonecalls and prayers

from supportive old friends.

(I am tempted to say "back home" but this is our home now)

You know who you are, thank you.

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Charles Swindoll...

“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were

it not for that handful of friends who have given me

a heart full of joy."

I have to believe that with all these changes and

hardships this year it could have

easily driven my kids crazy (not to mention me!)
and we would be out of control.

It has been stressful, sometimes it felt like

more than we could bear but God has given us grace,

extravagant grace in each circumstance and that has not been the case.

Which also reminds me of a lesson my hubby recently

taught the youth (did I mention we are also the

new youth pastors at our church?)(change) using this scripture...

I Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

In all of this I continue to thank God fo this hobby that has

brought extra income when we've needed it, friends,

an outlet for my sanity and joy - remembering to celebrate &

document the little things. Grace is a good thing and I am grateful!

Change is inevitable but I am looking forward to calmer changes in the new year.

Settling down looks really good to me right now!

I am still contemplating new goals and challenges for the new year.

I have already started either revamping or dropping things that were not
working for me in 2011 and am concentrating on things that are more
effective and full filling for me and my family in the new year.

I wish you peace, joy and love in the new year

And grace if you need it (I hope you don't need it.).

Oh...

And details on my banner? You can read about it here...

http://designmemorycraft.typepad.com/design-memory-craft/2011/12/gelato-technique.html

(If it has not posted check back later!)

supplies:

Clear Scraps banner, Faber- Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos,

Spellbinders Die, Thickers, ZVA flowers.

stringed pearls & tulle

Artistic tendancies...

2011-12-27T01:30:00.001-06:00

Well I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

It seems like this year has just flown by!

I was very blessed as it was quite peaceful

around our house (well AFTER the presents were opened!)

I was happy to get back in my scrap room after all the hustling around

and being sick! Blech!

Today I am sharing a mini I made a while back that I had not shared yet.

I am also very excited to report that one of my favorite mediums

Liquitex iridescent medium (the iridescent butterfly) is still being sold -

just in a different container than I had so I didn't recognize it!

Did you know that Gelatos can be made into mists?

Yep, just mix with water!

This was a lot of fun to make, I love using various textures and artsy techniques!

I was looking over my work for the past year and discovered the projects that

I love the most are those that had an artistic flair to it. Moving forward I think

I will try to incorporate more art into my work.

Here are the pages to the mini -

there were so many I had to make them into a couple of collages!

I got this mini at Scrap Gal.

In addition to the iridescant medium

I used Gelatos, Big Stampers Brushes and PITT Artist Pens from

Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft.

Dusty Attic chipboard and Crafty Secrets images & stamps.

Here's a fun tip - the Big Stampers Brush & PITT Artist Pens are waterproof!

You can draw, doodle & journal on your our page and then mist away and it wont bleed!

How cool is that?

2011-12-21T14:57:00.000-06:00

Well the countdown is on!

Christmas is four days away and in spite of being sick I have finished the shopping,

bought the cards (didn't send any but I am doing digi cards for those with computers)!

The kids saw Santa & Mrs Claus - which isn't a normal for us,

Christmas is about Jesus not Santa.

But this was at hubby's work Christmas Party and the kids had a good time!

The kids have enjoyed all the festivities and celebrations!

Baby girls Nutcracker performance, school & church parties and

last weekend they were in the Christmas production at church (pics coming soon!)

I can't say that my kids believe in Santa -

we really don't put that much emphasis

on him but baby girl had a few questions

about reindeer so she had to go back and ask...

As you can see
Santa was a bit perplexed
on how to answer her questions!
It was fun to watch!

Even hubby got into the spirit!

Today I am not leaving the house, the kids are out of school

and I am so tired of running around!

I am feeling better thanks to a shot and antibiotics!

Thank you for all the well wishing & prayers!

If I don't post again until Christmas, I want to leave you with this..

Imagine if you could that on Christmas day, you open your front door

and on your porch would be a beautifully wrapped box

in your favorite colors.

It would be tied with iridescent ribbon - a very large and perfect bow.

The tag says "for my dear friend" and you know that it was from me.

The gift is

Joy, Peace, & Love.

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and

peace on the day we remember the birth of Christ.

I hope you take the time to thank God for you blessings.

Enjoy the people

you have been blessed with in your lives.

I will try to do the same.

Here are cyber ((hugs)) for you!

Together...

2011-12-19T01:30:00.004-06:00

Hey friends! Today I want to share some tricks of the trade, OK not really -

I don't know any big secrets but I can share a little project with you!

I used an XL Deco - this acrylic page from Clear Scraps is 12x12.

The title and banner are also acrylic from Clear Scraps.

I had fun using tissue paper and a little Glossy Accents on them.

The large circle is a laser cut from Ta Da Creative Studios.

The doily was altered with Gelatos from Faber Castell Design Memory Craft.

I did a lot of misting directly on the back of the acrylic,

you just have to set it aside and let it dry on it's own- no heat guns!

To make the edges black I started using Staz On ink but some

the letters were really small so I also used a Sharpie.

So there you have it - a few tricks you can use on your acrylic projects!

Meanwhile can you believe there are only 6 days until Christmas?

I would like to say that I am finished with shopping and cards but nope

I am not.

Today I woke up with a swollen throat, I have strep so they probably wont get done.

But I will be better before Christmas and

hopefully still be able to sing at church in Christmas day!

Getting Published!

2011-12-15T10:02:00.003-06:00

If you subscribe to CREATING KEEPSAKES

and got you magazine you will see that I have a layout published on pg 33!!!

***

Now, I am no way an expert on getting published as I really don't get it.

One of my goals for 2011 was to be published

in a paper magazine and to be published in Creating Keepsakes

was definitely a dream come true!

Now I have been published online many times and

years ago I won two contests and a scrapbook convention and both projects where

published in a paper magazine (Memories magazine - which is no longer around)

but it eluded me how others get published

and some get published over and over.

I talked to many, many girls who have been published and I will pass on that advice

because they were right.

So what's the big secret to getting published???

..........................................................

.........................................................

..........................................................

Keep submitting!

Lots and Lots and LOTS of projects!

I submitted a lot of layouts this year and right when I was so tired of hearing nothing

and ready to quit submitting I got an email from Creating Keepsakes!

AND it wasn't something I had just submitted - so if you are saving it for publishing don't post it!

Here are some insider scoops I also learned which

did not make me feel better but helped me understand the process.

Maybe it will help you.

***

They have a magazine to sell and the pages

not only have to be good but they have to compliment each other -

so you may have the perfect layout but the wrong color or style or whatever.

They have THOUSANDS of layouts to choose from so if your picture isn't good

to begin with it's probably going to get overlooked.

It's not personal - you may be a fabulous scrapbooker

but it's not what they need THIS TIME so keep submitting!

One of the girls I talked to said she submits 20-30 layouts

for each call EVERYTIME - and maybe she will get one picked up!

Pay attention to the type of project they need.

*added after I posted thanks to K. - good journaling!

And even though they picked your layout -

they tell you it still could get cut before the final edit comes out

(which is why I didn't say anything until I saw it with my own eyes!)

And that's all I know.

Not much.

But it sure is exciting to see

your layout in a magazine!

Oh and after I got the news for Creating Keepsakes I got an email from

Stamping, Stationary, Scrapbooking magazine

that they are going to publish one of my projects in the Jan issue!!!

The project they picked was something I sent in from the call BEFORE the

current call (I had missed the current call!)

I haven't seen that one yet as it doesn't come out until Jan 1 but it

just goes to show if you want something

Don't give up!

let it snow...a little house***

2011-12-12T01:31:00.001-06:00

OK yes - I am really enjoying making these little houses! LOL! Here are some other fun techniques or products you might try on your projects! First the little house (I believe) is a another Maya Road and I made it for a display at The Craftey Scrapper!
The details...

Don't you love when you get an idea and it actually works?
First I want you to pay attention to that little tree -
Clear Scraps actually sells 12x12 sheets of acrylic and I used
a Spellbinders leaf die to cut out this tree! I cut two leaves out of the
sheet, bent them in half and adhered them together-just a little down
the center with Helmar 450 glue. I added snow and cemented it
down to the cardboard base with Snow Tex.

The snow is a product called Snow Tex - this stuff has been around for a long time and it is always a part of my stash. It is a pasty texture, you can add water if you want to make it smoother (or more runny!) and it dries rock hard so you can use it to hold things in place. You can even add a little glitter
and it looks sooo pretty. (I didn't for this project because I wanted a lot of contrast between the house and my cute little tree.)

COLOR; anyone who knows me or has been on my blog a while knows I love color! I decorated my little house with Pink Paislee Mistables (paper) and of course my trusty Gellatos from Faber- Castell s Design Memory Craft ! All you have to do is draw some lines and go back with a wet paint brush to move the brilliant color! Some of the Gellatos are metallic so you get the look without the mess! The papers are already embossed and resist the color! I love this look!

The windows are framed with cut outs from another Spellbinders die, as well as any trim you see!

The roof is a stencil with iridescent medium by Liquitex. I will say that I bought this years ago - another staple in my stash and now I can't find it!! Which is a real bummer becasue this stuff is so great with a stencil!

Last but not least - you cant really see it in the picture but the windows have a stained glass

look - I cut squares out of the 12x12 acrylic sheet from Clear Scraps to fit to fit each wall and colored them with my Big Stampers Brush from Faber Castell Design Memory Craft!

Lots of ideas! Happy Crafting!

Love My Tapes blog hop!

2011-12-10T01:30:00.012-06:00

Welcome bloggers!

Today I am participating in a blog hop for Love My Tapes!

I love ribbon and adhesive already on the back?

That is the beauty of Love My Tapes!

If you are following the blog hop and you came from Lisa's blog

you are in the right place as I am last stop except for the Love My Tapes blog.

If you came to visit me because you are just super fabulous

and decide to join in this blog hop

there are only 5 blogs to visit

but you must comment on all 5 blogs to be eligible

to win super prizes on the Love My Tapes blog!

Here is a mini I created that goes into this house...

If it's your first time here on my blog

I have a tutorial on how to make these stones here.

and details on the house here.

The mini comes in the chipboard house kit by Maya Road.

(I got it at Scrap Gal)

Here are my pages and you can see the

Peppermint Mini Checks (ribbon) from Love My Tapes on the first page!
(It is one of my favorites!)

Here is the Peppermint Checks again with the birds

and the Jane Polka Dots (ribbon from Love My Tapes) in green on the last page.

So there you have it!

So glad you came by I hope that you will join my peeps by becoming a follower!

I have another fun giveaway coming soon!

Making stones...

2011-12-06T01:30:00.005-06:00

A while back I posted this cute little house but I want to share with you how to make "stones" out of scrap chipboard! First cut various sizes out of chipboard, round the edges. (Think river rocks!)

Then take Design Memory Craft Gelatos in black, coconut and metallic silver
and randomly draw on parts of the chipboard.
(Hint * with black, less is more!)

Mist with water and spread the color around with your finger.

This is what they should look like when you are finished.
You can always add more color if you don't like the look.

Use a glaze on top and set aside to dry - if the chipboard was wet when
you added the glaze it might take a little longer to dry but it will be worth it!

And here is the finished project - polished stones!
You should try this!

Gingerbread baby!!

2011-12-05T01:31:00.009-06:00

Baby girl had her first ballet recital!

She was a gingerbread in the Nutcracker!

She was so excited - but kinda bummed

because she did not get to wear a pretty dress.

Half of the girls had to be gingerbread boys and

she cried when she found out she was one of them.

But we convinced her that she still looked adorable in her little costume!

She worked so hard!

And her teacher promised in the spring

recital she will be wearing a beautiful dress!

Of course we think she still looks lovely and not at all like a BOY!

Here she is on stage...

You can see her right in the middle of those skirts! LOL!

It actually made her easier to find onstage!

She was really nervous when she saw how many people

were waiting to come into the audience

but she did a fabulous job!

We are so proud of her!

Our beautiful lil' gingerbread baby girl!

For the love of ...

2011-12-01T01:30:00.007-06:00

Over the summer I took these pictures and there were even more that I didn't use!

This is a great way to get lots of pictures on a page!

With all those pictures I wanted to make sure I left some white space too.

I used these fun clear embellishments fror Clear Scraps.
Those traditional color papers are the "Frozen Tozen"

collection from Ta Da Creative Studios!

I also enjoyed using my pastel pencils and PITT Artist pens for the journaling.

Kinda reminded me of high school & college

where I doodled all the time to stay awake in class! LOL!

(Umm I still do if I am tired!)

***

Oh did I mention the winner for my Novembers thankful giveaway???

MustangKayla

please email me your addy

and let me know if you want

a Target card or a scrapbook store gift card!

last day!!

2011-11-30T08:18:00.000-06:00

Just a quick reminder this is the last day to enter my thankful giveaway!

I will pick a random winner from the entries tommorow!!!

Just Dance!

2011-11-28T09:24:00.001-06:00

Here is one of those layouts that were used for HSN

using Faber Castell Design Memory Craft products and Brenda Pinnick stamps!

The top half of the page is a paper from Ta Da Creative Studios,

the bottom half is white card stock stamped using a Big Stampers Brush

and one of Brendas stamps.

Then I went over it lightly with a Gelato and misted it with water.

I love that all of the PITT Artist Pens & Big Stampers Brushes

do not bleed even when sprayed with water!

That ribbon is a lace tape from Love My Tapes - a gorgeous touch!

***

I think if you asked my baby girl one of the things she is thankful for,

ballet would definitely be at the top of the list!

Baby girl made sure everybody at the table

on thanksgiving said what they were thankful for this year!

How was your thanksgiving?

Did you remember to give thanks

for all your blessings?

You still have 3 days to enter my giveaway -

I am giving $30.00 for you to list 30 things you are thankful for!

Details here!

Today I am thankful for school -

it's good for the kids to learn and

stick to a shedule...

It's good for mom to have a break! :)

Be Merry...

2011-11-25T01:30:00.036-06:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving,

I know I certainly have a lot to be thankful for,

I hope you do too!And I know that it is not December

yet but I love Crhistmas looking paper!!!

This is a project for display at The Crafty Scrapper

and I used a sketch from Creatively Yours Sketches!

No it has not been snowing here in TX! Thank God!

But this is a picture I took last year before we left CO!

My night Owl looks so handsome!

I love the more vintage, traditional looking colors for Christmas.

The papers are from Best Creation, Cosmo Cricket,
and the tags are from My Mnds Eye.

I am thankful for the warmer weather than what we would be experiencing in CO.

You still have 5 days to do my thankful challenge and win details here

http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2011/11/giveaway-challenge-for-you.html?showComment=1321744597540#c2902553288829770893

Find the Joy in Life...

2011-11-22T22:40:00.000-06:00

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments

when our hearts are
conscious of our treasures.”

— Thornton Wilder.

Wouldn't this be a great quote to use on a layout about being grateful?

Well just in case you are making the blog rounds around Thanksgiving

I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

And I certainly couldn't leave you with out a project on Thanksgiving.

This one is published in the Creative Memories current catalog.

I can't believe it's been a year that I have been with Creative Memories.

If you ever get the chance to work with them you should,

they have quality products and treat their people very well!

Today I am thankful for the time I have had with all the companies (on my sidebar)

I have the honor of working with.

I have made many friends and learned alot.

What are you thankful for?

Have you been writing it on you blog?

Have you entered my challenge giveaway yet?

You have plenty of time to come up with

a list if things you are thankful for!

Thsi is easy winnings, I'm just saying!

Check it out here!

http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2011/11/giveaway-challenge-for-you.html

Chipboard love

2011-11-20T01:30:00.003-06:00

Recently I was asked what was my favorite scrapbook embellishment

and it was hard to just pick one!!

So I decided to make a post about one of my favorites, chipboard.

***

(P.S. Are you seeing the air underneath baby girl?
The teacher put the sweater on the floor and told them to jump over it!)
***

Chipboard is so versatile - you can texturize, emboss,

paint, stain, cover it with paper or glitter; the possibilities

are endless. You can even leave it natural, adding a very earthy feel to it.

Chipboard has gotten quite fancy lately!

You can find beautiful intricate designs in chipboard!

I love that!

Chipboard comes in all shapes and sizes, even letters.

I love that you can change the color to what suits your needs -

I tend to like the browns myself!

Here is a layout that I had finished but felt it needed a little something more.

I added the chipboard gate and there it is! The perfect touch - I like it much better now!

I colored this chipboard with my Gelatos!
(No surprise there! LOL!)

Here the chipboard needed to stay neutral for the multicolor background!

A little shading goes a long way.

Now I could not talk about chipboard without throwing

in a chipboard mini I made for Clear Scraps!

You can always over chipboard with paper.

These little hot air balloons were naked chipboard too -

I painted them, added Glossy Accents & a little bling.

All the butterflies on this canvas are chipboard - even her wings!

They have been painted, manipulated, embossed and glittered!

This bumble bee was naked chipboard too!

I loved making that stain glass look!

The bird was naked too - how fun is that?

You know I love my Gelatos and PITT Artist pens!

Of course you can always cut your own chipboard,

there are so many dies available nowadays!

Oh did I forget stamping?

You can stamp, run it through a corrugated brayer and ink chipboard.

As you can see the possibilities are endless!

See why I love chipboard?

I hope this gives you some ideas!

I am so thankful for products that enhance my creativity!

Speaking of being thankful don't forget about my giveaway!

You still have time to enter here

http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2011/11/giveaway-challenge-for-you.html

Capturing Canvas

2011-11-17T08:46:00.000-06:00

Hey friends!
Today I am so excited to show you a class project I taught at The Crafty Scrapper a while back!
I love this mini - do you know how hard it is to make something and not share it on your blog?
I used all Faber Castell Design Memory Craft products and you will have to go to their blog if you want to know how I did it, but I will show you the pics! I will tell you that those Gelatos (hint!) are so versitile they really make crafting fun!

So how are you doing in your thankfulness challenge?
It's not to late to start! And I am giving away a $30.00 gift card!
Hmm do I need to add some scrap goodies in there to get you all motivated?
I will have to think about it.
Meanwhile on the homefront Spencer
is adjusting nicely to the family. He is very easy going and is doing
great with the kids! We have alot to be thankful for, we have had alot of changes
this year and somehow everything seems to be falling into place.

Adoption Announcement!

2011-11-13T20:51:00.001-06:00

One of the things I am so thankful

for especially this time of the year is adoption.

We have been blessed three times over by adoption.

We brought home two of our children in November

(different years) and one in September so these are

special times of the year. This year is no different

and today we added a new member to the family... meet Spencer!!!

The kids ran him all over the yard and my camera

of course was no where to be found!

Uggh so mad I missed those first shots!

This evening he was exhausted

but very willing to pose for pictures -

he is fitting in already!

This is a bad pic but they looked so cute I included it anyway!

Yep - the Barakats finally have a dog after all these years!
I know, I can hardly believe it myself but look at that face!

Besides my heart was moved as he was living in a foster home,

we were even tempted to take in his sister but I am
overwhelmed at the thought of just training one puppy !

I am very tempted to send out adoption announcements -

this was definitely the easiest adoption we ever did!

Don't forget about my giveaway!!
It's not too late to enter!

Smallish things...

2011-11-11T01:30:00.001-06:00

“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallish things take up the most room in your heart.”

―A.A. Milne from Winnie the Pooh

Oh I love that quote form Winnie the Pooh. Here are some smallish things,

tiny containers made to hold small surprises!

Perhaps a fancy chocolate at the Thanksgiving dinner table?

The top view...

I made them using Quick Kutz dies -

desert box and the mini take out box.

and

I used the backsides of Graphic 45's

Alice in Wonderland, changed the color with Gelatos

added Love my Tapes lace ribbon and Prima flowers on top!

I think these would also make a quick an

easy gift for a teacher or neighbor.Can you

imagine opening your door to find a sweet

little package on your doorstep?

***
That reminds me...
Today I am thankful for chocolate!
I hope that you are playing along with my Thanksgiving challenge!
It's not too late to start and win!
See this post

Happy Crafting!

Rita

Giveaway! A challenge for you

2011-11-08T01:30:00.022-06:00

Last year I made a list of things I was thankful for,
one for each day of November.

I finally made a layout with my list and this year
I am doing the same thing! (Or maybe I'll make mini...)

I will keep a running list on my sidebar
and encourage you to do the same!

I think there are so many things we take for granted,

surely one thing to be thankful for a day
shouldn't be that big of a challenge right?

I think it's important to remember
to be grateful for the people
we have in our lives

and the things we have been given.

So much so that I am going to challenge you to do the same and offer a big prize!

How about a $30.00 gift card to
Target
or your fav Scrapbook store!
$1. for each day of thanksgiving!
You choose!

To qualify

1. Make a running list on your blog 30 days of giving thanks on your sidebar & become a follower

2. Make a blog or facebook post sharing about what you are doing, link up my giveaway

and leave me a link below in the comment section

3. On the 30th I will do a special post,

leave me another link to your site where you have your 30 days posted!

Easy right?

One more thing...

* cheating - yes! cheating is allowed - if you skip a day by all

means go back and make up for it! The goal here is to be thankful!

***

Supplies from ScrapGal, Sketch from Creatively Yours Sketches

***

Oh and for my last giveaway - cnfoster you won the Maya Road house! Please email me your addy!

Scrap Gal's Home for the Holidays Blog Hop!

2011-11-04T01:30:00.004-05:00

Hey bloggers! Today I am participating Scrap Gals "Home for the Holidays" blog hop & crop!

I am so super excited to show you this cute little house I made with Maya Roads Villa house kit!!!

If you came from Heathers blog you are in the right place and if you want to jump on the blog hop

Please join us on Scrap Gal's blog .

You have until Monday Nov 6th to complete the hop and the challenges on the site!

There are lots of fun and inspiring challenges & we are giving away lots of prizes!

We would love to see you there!

To be eligible to win please visit all of design team members and leave a comment on each blog.

Each comment is an entry to win fabulous prizes!

Scrap Gals blog

Guest Designer Nicolle

Michelle

Mary Jo
Marcie

Heather

Rita You are here! :)

Now onto MY HOUSE!

The front and some steps that I made out of the

inserts from the window! (But that's a different post!

I'll give you a hint Gelatos were involved!)

This kit does come with windows -

but I couldn't resist getting the windows chipboard set!

A side view...

The papers I used were from My Minds Eye, Creative Imaginations and Graphic 45.

A close up of that side.

Of course you can always find Stickles on my projects and this time of year Snow Tex.

The back of the house- I love that those Graphic 45 tags were the perfect size for my windows!

And notice my pretty lattice - lace tape from Love My Tapes.

Close up of the back of the house...

The other side of the house...

A close up of the other side of the house...

And did I mention the house comes with a mini book?

But that too is another post!

This house was sooooo much fun to make,

so much so that ON MONDAY I am going to give one away from my followers who

comments on this post! I hope you get one!

And stay tuned I have a few more giveaways coming soon!

It's Pink!

2011-11-01T01:30:00.000-05:00

Don't you just love the bright colors in Ta Da Creative Studios BFF collection?

It is so cheery and fun, reminded me of frosting so of course

I had to use it for this layout about cupcakes!

Here are some close ups!

I used an acrylic banner from Clear Scraps for the title.

Attaching the banner and on the bottom is a ribbon with self adhesive from Love My Tapes.

Just like frosting I had to go back and add color(or sprinkles)

to the journaling with my PITT artist pens Faber Castell Design Memory Craft

Don't you just love the yummy colors?

Making time to scrapbook...

2011-10-31T01:30:00.002-05:00

How cool is this? I whipped up this little bag for a challenge at Crafty Secrets

and won a new CD!!!

Lately I have been crazy busy with life.

Yes, I can admit that my scrapbooking supplies have been neglected,

sad but true. (I know, it is a shocker to me too.)

I have wanted to, I just haven't had the time.

So glad I made that little gift bag!

I decided I am going to schedule

time to scrap and just make it a part of my daily routine, just like everything else!

***

This week I took a lot of photos- here are just a few...

(*These photos have not been edited yet!)

My mom and I took the little ones to the Dallas Arboretum

- this place is fantastic if you ever get the chance you should go!

Here you can see that Baby girl lost her first tooth this month!

Abuela (grandmother, my mom) has now relocated to TX.
The kids love it!

My night owl just being silly!

Baby girl knows how to get her Abuela to smile!

I saw this in the gift shop - totally CUTE!

***

Stay tuned for lots of fun stuff coming up on my blog!
I am seriously feeling a giveaway coming soon,
I'm just saying!

Giveaways!

2011-10-25T21:39:00.003-05:00

Seven Days of Giveaways!

Anybody wanna win those Faber Castell Design Memory Craft products I am always braggng about?(See previous post!)
Don't miss out on the Seven Days of Giveaways with Brenda Pinnick! To be entered to win, simply leave a comment on the Design Memory Craft blog, and on Brenda's Blog. Brenda will be giving away some great stamps from her new line, one of a kind pieces of her artwork as well as Design Memory Craft products!

***

Have you entered the Clear Scraps contest yet?

Just 4 more days to go.

Clear Scraps is hosting a contest and you could win BIG.

Use Clear Scraps products and create a beautiful project, anything from a layout to an altered project. ANYTHING that inspires you!

Check it out on the Clear Scraps blog!

Good luck

and tell them I sent you!
(not that I get anything - I dont but at least they know I am getting the word out KWIM? thanks!)

Vibrant Colors

2011-10-25T01:30:00.001-05:00

Love, love , love my Gelatos!

I am not much of a stamper but I had so

much fun with my Stampers Big Brush and Gelatos that I had to share!

First the card was dry embossed & wet embossed,

then I used my Gelatos to draw over the entire card.

I blended by misting the card with water and moving the paint around with a paint brush.

After it was dry I used Stampers Big Brush on a stamp, lightly misted it and stamped the card.

I loved the colors so much that I also did it on the ribbon!

I love the vibrant colors!

mini Monday!

2011-10-17T01:30:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggers, a while back I gave you a peek to this mini

but I could not post all the pages. Some of you asked about

the rest of the book and today I posted it on the Clear Scraps blog!
The paper is from Ta Da Creative Studios - the Goody Two Shoes collection!

Thanks for stopping by!

Pray

2011-10-14T08:44:00.002-05:00

Hey there bloggers. Boy it has been busy around here - I don't know why I thought things would slow down when school started, I think it has just sped up! I cant believe it is the middle of October and with homework, ballet classes, football, youth ministry, bible study and everything else that goes on around here the time just flies by! Is it like that for you too?

***

Well I am super excited to share this layout with you today! The papers are from Ta Da, the Just Chillin' collection. It's so hard to find cool boys collection that don't look like they are for toddlers! My little boys are growing up!LOL! They are both on the same team ( which I was realyy glad with our schedule!) and I am really happy that we found this league. They pray before each game and at practice they hae a quick devotional that deals with real life where they are at. I love that!!!! I was so excited I caught this picture before the game last week!

I am also really thankful I was able to use a sketch from Sketches Creatively Yours - I don't know about you but these days it seems I am lucky to squeeze in some time to scrapbook with my schedule!! Sketches Creatively Yours was the first design team I was ever on and recently they asked if I would come back on the team. Being that I don't have a lot of time on my hands it would seem weird, but it was a blessing! Do you know how much easier it is to do a layout when you have a sketch in front of you! LOL! I am honored that they would think of me and if you have neer been on a DT this is a grat place to start! Thanks Ali and Ann!

Beautiful things

2011-10-10T01:30:00.001-05:00

Having girls and boys is a great thing because I get to scrap boyish and very feminine things!

Here are the pages from a very feminine mini I designed for a class. Since that class is over I can share some pages with you! I used the Auntie Brag Bag from Clear Scraps.

I loved adding all the pearls, ribbon and lace!

I also love leaving the some of the acrylic clear so you can see the next page.

Anything you use on a scrapbook page you can use on acrylic,
but somehow the acrylic makes it more beautiful don't you think?

However you can't use alcohol inks on paper, but you can on acrylic!

I still have to add photos but I think the pink, cream and browns make for a lovely album!
(The papers are My Minds Eye)

What will you create?

2011-10-07T09:35:00.000-05:00

Don't you love when a layout just comes together?

I have been waiting to scrap this picture for the longest time!

I used Sandylion's Rouge de Garance papers

and Fancy Pants "All fall" titles and tags for this layout.

The bling ZVA Crystal Frames and the small flowers are also from ZVA!

The large flower is Prima, dyed to match with a little Shimmerz mist!

(All of the above I got at Scrap Gal)

A friend sent me the doily ;)

and the ribbon from Love my Tapes!)

The butterflies were cut from the same paper!

What will you create today?

Working with canvas

2011-10-04T10:03:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggers! Did you know that that you can

use all your Design Memory Crafts products on canvas?

I used my Art Grip Aquarelle Watercolor pencils to draw the outline.

(This works great because it blends into the background once you get going.)

Then I brought in my PITT Artist Pens and drew some more definite lines.

(Did you notice they do NOT bleed on the surface!)

I filled in the spaces with the Aquarelles and used a blending pen

(this is basically a paintbrush with water inside - you can use a wet

paint brush) to pull the color to all of the hair. Whats nice about

this technique is you can add more, or change the colors adding

highlights to the hair.

I used Gelatos on the dress and Aquarelles on the heart, blended with water

*A little trick I use is the white Gelato. If I want to lighten something up, or I just don't like the color combo I did I go back with the white Gelato and blend with a wet brush, it gives a tie dye kinda look!

Ahhhh! Much better! I used Aquarelles for her skin and gave her a little blush with the Gelatos.

I went back with my PITT Artist Pens to doodle and outline.

Isn't she sweet?

HSN! Hello Beautiful!

2011-09-28T01:30:00.001-05:00

How cool is this today (yesterday by the time this is posted) I had a bunch of stuff on HSN I did for Faber-Castell! I used gelatos and the Brenda Pinnick stamps. Now I didn't get to see the show myself but on the website I did catch this layout on the video! Heres the link - it's the last shot! SO fun! I will be showing those other items soon!

http://crafts-sewing.hsn.com/sizzix-brenda-pinnick-textured-impressions-embossing-folders-10-pack_p-6550881_xp.aspx?webm_id=0&web_id=6550881&ocm=hpr

2011-09-26T21:12:00.000-05:00

Ballet Shoes

2011-09-26T01:30:00.001-05:00

Well lots gong on with the Barakats, baby girl is

thouroughly enjoying her ballet lessons!

So here is the first ballet layout ( I am sure of many!) with her shoes!

I hope you are scrapping those everyday moments!
( Everything on this layout is from Scrap Gal!)

The heart of Scrapbooking

2011-09-23T08:54:00.001-05:00

Hey friends,

~~Seriously I am not a total slacker~~ OK that sounded lame but I am having a hard time this week friends! Where did the week go? It is already Friday! I feel like the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland!

I am running from one thing to the next but I don't feel as speedy as he looks - I am dragging!
Hopefully I am not coming down with something and I will be able to catch up soon - I have been sleeping a lot, going to bed way early which is totally NOT my nature. ( I am talking 9:30 PM and if you know me I am a night owl and still function! But not this week.) And even with all this sleep I seem to be functioning in a fog. So forgive me as I ramble on...but enough about me.

I am super excited about a project I am working on - a series of classes that are my heart, I would love to hear what you think:

“The heart of scrapbooking” by Rita Barakat

Do you find it difficult to know what to write about onyour pages? Have you noticed that more and more people are not includingjournaling on their pages? I love scrapbooking and artsy techniques but mypassion is in the story on the page, the heart of scrapbooking! Join me as weget back to the heart of scrapbooking! You have something to say! Together wewill explore different ways to think about your photos. We will create pagesthat share not only your beautiful photos but your heart as well!

Here are some samples to give you an idea:

Each class will include a sketch and technique but ourmain focus will be the journaling – yes you will have homework! When you signup for the class you will be given a handout, this will give you the theme forthe class, journaling prompts and ideas. You will come to class with yourjournal completed and pictures to go with the theme. When you get to class wewill have a kit prepared for you to put your 12x12 page together! You willshare (as much as you feel comfortable) about your journaling and photos. Feel free to interpret the theme as you like,this is your page! Our main focus is to get you thinking of different ways toapproach your journaling!

*This will be an ongoing class, you may sign up for asmany as you wish and can join us anytime!

I will be teaching this at the Crafty Scrapper in Waxahachie, TX starting next month!

--------------------------------------------------------------------
This has been on my heart for a very long time because more and more I see beautiful pages with no journaling on them. It makes me sad that the story is getting lost - we wont be around forever and how many of inherited a box full of pictures with no details? Wouldn't you like to know their stories? So I a going back to my roots - getting back to the journaling and hopefully others will want to join me on this journey. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on this topic!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
On a totally different note I want to tell you about
a contest over at Clear Scraps!
we are talking big big big prizes girls!!!!Check it out!

making cards

2011-09-19T01:30:00.000-05:00

Need a quick card? How about a gift? A set of cards?

These cards are so easy to make!

Simply emboss your card with an embossing machine and folder then lightly color the entire page. After you have your base color go back over some of the areas with a little more pressure.

You could even mix and match some of the colors!

Add a ribbon and sentiment and there you have it!

Artistic, original and easy peasy!

You can do this!

For variations try with Gelatos or Aquarelles and spritz a little water!

This time I used...

Happy crafting!

Working with fabric tapes!

2011-09-16T01:30:00.001-05:00

I am having so much fun with Love my Tapes -

this is fabric ribbon with the adhesive already on the back!

This one is called Chloe polka dots

and it matches Ta Da's papers Goody Two Shoes collection perfectly!
The album is from Clear Scraps.

Crinkling up your ribbon makes a great accent and

because there is already adhesive on the back it makes it super easy to do!
If you haven't checked out these tapes, you should -

they have almost every color you can think of!

Happy crafting!

Craft blog Hop!

2011-09-13T14:38:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the CRAFT: CreatingReflective Art for Transformation Blog Hop! This event is brought to you byour team at Scrapbookingfrom the Inside Out, the premier source for inspiration to explore yourinner world. Six talented and well-known instructors will be leading creativeand meaningful workshops using our generous sponsors’ latest and greatestproducts at this intimate, boutique event right on the beach in beautiful Santa Monica, CA,November 11-13, 2011. You’ll spend a magical weekend focused on embracing whoyou truly are and gaining the skills, techniques and tools to use our craft tounderstand yourself more deeply on an ongoing basis.

Are you just beginning at this blog? Makesure you begin at the SFTIO blog soyou don't miss all sneaky peeks and your chance to win one of six kits! If youget lost, a list of all the stops on the hop is at the end of this post.

Our classes will be held at the beautiful and brand new Annenberg Beach House, right on the sand off Pacific Coast Highway (also known as HWY 1). The space we'll be in is an intimate room, the Terrace Lounge, with floor to ceiling windows...every seat in our venue has a view of the ocean. Right outside the door is a lovely seating area with a fountain where we'll be enjoying our lunch breaks.

The building is home to a rotating multimedia art collection that evokes the ocean and features local artists. Soaring ceilings, a tool area, snack corner and a fireplace complete the picture...a perfect location for a crisp November day! With an average high of 70 and a low of 54, wherever you're from, the weather will delight you! And our afternoon classes will end just in time for a bonus activity and watching the sunset over the Pacific. Heaven!

CRAFT:

Three full days ofcrafting, creativity and camaraderie for only $450

(three consecutivemonthly payments of $150 each.)

Spots are stillavailable for this unique, pampering and heart-expanding getaway.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• 6 emotion-focused, technique-teaching personal workshops ~ All CRAFTers participatein every class. No need to choose ~ they're ALL yours in

CRAFT’s ocean-view, beautifully styled, creative space

• 4 special Art & Soul experiences

• Scrumptious breakfasts & lunches from Hollywood hot spot Urth Caffe

~ Friday, Saturday & Sunday

• Sweets, treats & beverages all day long

• Transportation from The Ambrose to and from the Annenberg Beach House for allworkshops and activities via the CRAFTy Cab

• Oodles of workshop supplies

(you’ll just need tobring your basic tool kit – checklist to be provided later)

• A fabulous welcome gift, a CRAFTy tote filled with goodies,

valuable giveawaysand fun prizes!

*Lots more details on girls’ night out dinners, airport transportation,location, hotel and event venue and more are available HERE.

For questions, comments and special requests, please email event coordinatorPaige Ramos at craftbeachretreat@gmail.com

The Dates: November11-13, 2011

The Times: Workshops from 9-5 each day, broken into two sessions.

SPONSORS:

WHY SHOULD YOU COME TO CRAFT?

What really sets CRAFT apart is unique mission of Scrapbooking from the InsideOut, kit club, inspiration source and online community. Thousands ofparticipants all over the world have used SFTIO’s resources to explore theirdeepest emotions. They’ve lifted themselves and each other exploring Freedom,Gratitude, Anticipation and Wonder. They’ve faced their inner doubts and fearsdelving into Regret, Yearning, Loss and Vulnerability.

The Waiting Game-Rita Barakat

SFTIO’s trademarked and industry-exclusive approach to artistic motivation isthe heart and soul of what makes them unique. Their monthly inspiration pagewith hand-selected music, stock photography, quotations and deep journalingprompts elevates scrapbooking to an expressive art form where members areguided to truly explore their inner worlds. Click here forlinks to past Inspiration Pages to see more.

SFTIO raises the bar even more by providing challenges using the prompts thatadd a design twist, teaching members to use ‘visual journaling’ – powerfulsymbolism – to combine right and left brain expression. The result? Meaningful,rich, pages and projects that reflect all of who you are, Inside and Out.

CRAFT workshops will incorporate a variety of tested, proven multimediainspiration tools combined with the special talents and techniques of a stellarteaching staff, supported by Art Therapist Rita Coufal, PhD and Artist/TherapistJoy Mauldin.

Growth is a journey…not a destination. And it’s a most personal one…only youknow what you need out of this experience. In the intimate, supportive setting SFTIOhas created for you, you’ll have the opportunity to practice being more andmore yourself. Their take on scrapbooking and creativity isn’t about a quickfix, or a set of ‘positive thinking’ reminders. It’s about a deeper approach,telling your truth – pretty or not, looking at both sides of the coin, andleaving the weekend together with the creative skills and tools to be morefully expressed in your life.

THE INSTRUCTORS:

While you’ll be learning amazing techniques, styles, tips and techniques inevery workshop, these are not cookie-cutter sessions – you’ll be challenged todig deep, learn about yourself and tailor your project to reflect who you areand who you want to be.

Amy Tan
American Crafts Design Team and Product Designer

Hambly Screen Prints Design Team

Creating Keepsakes Dream Team 2011
Lily Bee Design Team
Jillibean Soup Design Team

Copy/Creative Editor for Northridge Publishing

American Crafts Blog Hostess/Design Team

Creating Keepsakes Dream Team 2011

Prima Design Team

Mixed Media Designer
Copic Certified Designer

Founder and President, Scrapbooking from the Inside Out

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

And now for a giveaway! SFTIO is giving away FIVE kits to FIVE lucky readers…make sure to leave a comment (before Noon Pacific Time on 9-15) on each blog you visit in the hop to increase your chance of winning. Tell us please, in your comment, what emotion you’d love to explore in your scrapbooking! Winners will be chosen from all blog comment entries and will be announced on 9-16 on the SFTIO blog.

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SFTIO: http://scrapbookingfromtheinsideout.blogspot.com
Stacy Cohen: http://stacycohen.blogspot.com/
Linda Barber: http://milesofpaper.blogspot.com/
Paige Ramos: http://thebumpyride.blogspot.com
Amy Tan: http://amytangerine.blogspot.com/
Paige Evans: http://chrisandpaige.blogspot.com/
Tammy Onderdonk Klass: http://createdreamlive.blogspot.com/
Seven Gypsies: http://www.sevengypsies.blogspot.com/
Ly T. Le: http://www.lytlescrapper.com/
Melissa Elsner: http://theprofoundbrunette.blogspot.com
Jillibean Soup: http://www.jillibeansoup.typepad.com/
Rita Barakat: http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/
Kai Baldwin: http://www.enjoytheridetoday.blogspot.com/
CRAFT Blog: http://craftbeachretreat.blogspot.com/

For your next stop, make sure to check out Kai Baldwins blog.

Good luck and we hope to see you at CRAFT!

Reminisce

2011-09-12T01:30:00.000-05:00

I love fall.

In a new state I will miss the changing of the leaves in Colorado.

I hope that the trees change colors here but that remains to be seen.

Either way I am so thankful for the cooler weather!

Meanwhile just a quick post today

tommorow I will be be participating in a blog hop

with lots of prizes so check back!

I hope you took time to pray for those who lost their loved ones

on 9-11-01. We appreciate and honor those who serve our country.

May God bless you and yours.

Lately...

2011-09-09T01:30:00.001-05:00

Are you wondering what I am up to? Well besides the kids going back to school I have been preparing to teach classes!

Here's where you can find me if you are local!

Shabby Chic Mini Purse Album by Rita Barakat: $45
Thursday, September 15 at 11:00am

If you love beautiful and feminine things you will love this class. An acrylic album filled with pearls, lace, bird cages and glitter. This is a fast-paced class using intricate techniques that you can use on other projects long after this class is complete. Email bmscrappers2011@hotmail.com to reserve your spot.

What to bring: craft mat, adhesive (clear tape runner & Zip Dry), a small fine tip sharp scissors, Tim Holtz inking tool with sponge and felt

at Big Mouth Scrappers

9688 Helms Trail

(Btwn I20& FM 1461)

Forney TX 7526

214-546-9921

*****

"Happy Day" Acrylic Album $38 ~ teacher Rita Barakat
September 17th and 22nd 10:30am
Come join Rita Barakat as she teaches a mouse shaped acrylic album perfect for all those vacation memories!
This class will be full of fun techniques you can incorporate into your scrapbook pages! You will finish this mini album in one sitting! Bring your scissors, a heat embossing gun, and a mat for your workspace! Be prepared to get your hands dirty!
I will supply several stamps and a variety of rub-ons from my own stash for you to use in class! Call the store to sign up!

308 South College Street
Waxahachie TX 75165
972-923-3151

Technique challenges...

2011-09-07T01:30:00.003-05:00

White space...not my usual forte but I did use it for a challenge at Scrap Gal this month!
I am always using different techniques and some times less is more.
Here my son is helping his baby sister ride her new bike and this picture deserves center stage!

You know I could not resist trying a new technique though..

I started with this pretty paper from American crafs but it didn't really go with my page so I added
a little paint with this paint daubber - I would pounce a section them wipe off some with a paper towel- the paper has a raised finish (the red flowers) that acts as a resist.

I also used a little Distress Stain to make some of the areas a little darker -

I liked the look but I ended up cutting up the paper anyway!

So if you have a great picture - try a little white space.
Got a great paper but the color isn't what you want?
Change it!

Dancing with Ta Da!

2011-09-02T01:30:00.000-05:00

Hey bloggers! I am sharing a project here with a fun project

using the Goody Two Shoes collection from Ta Da Creative Studios!

Lately my little girl has turned into a mini ballerina and these papers

are perfect for your tiny dancers!

I used the laser cut paper - Tippy Toes as a stencil.
I added iridescent medium on top of the stencil and
lifted to produce these lovely dress images on the page ...

The lace ribbon is Love my Tapes lace tape, the color is a perfect match!
I also used Prima flowers, tulle, wired pearls, Momenta and American Crafts Alphas.

(The heart shape was a cardboard display form a retail store- they were going to throw it out! My oldest salvaged it! She knew I would use it! What a good girl!)
This will be perfect for baby girls room.

I think she gets it.

She loves her new ballet class, she is practicing all the time!

Do you scrap your hobbies? Or your kids hobbies?

Something Beautiful

2011-08-31T01:30:00.001-05:00

I love when something just comes together quickly.
I had these pictures of Baby girl in this dress, I am sad because I know this is the last time she will be able to wear it - sh is in "big girl clothes" now and they aren't the same.

Don't they realize big girls want to dress like princess' too?

But I digress.

So here is baby girl in her princess dress. A perfect match to these papers from Crate at Scrap Gal

I really love doing these "girly pages" so much fun!

I was also lucky enough to be a guest designer this month for Creatively Yours Sketches

and this page was created with one of Ali's sketches!

What kind of pages do you like to create?

Back to school!

2011-08-29T01:30:00.001-05:00

Yay back to school!

Did you know that you could spice up those boring lunch bags?

Last year I bought expensive bags only to have one zipper break,

one get lost and got ruined with kids throwing it. (That's another story! LOL!)

This year I went inexpensive and decided to decorate it myself!

First I used a big stampers brush to draw my outline.

They are filled with India ink so they don't bleed even when wet.

Then I filled it in some of the spaces with Gesso.

I used my PITT Big Stampers brushes to cover the Gesso!!!
They went on smooth!

She LOVES it!

It's unique and special made by mom!

winner, winner!

2011-08-29T00:55:00.001-05:00

Just a quick post for the winner if my giveaway below!

BABE OMARA send me your addy!!!

I will mail you the prize congrats!

Scrap Gal Blog Hop !!!

2011-08-26T01:30:00.010-05:00

Hey bloggers!

Welcome! Today I am participating in Scrap Gal's challenge blog hop!!

If you are new to my blog my name is Rita Barakat and I love techniques! I am always changing things with various products! On this layout I used alcohol inks on the gears, paint daubbers & PITT pens on the alphas!

My challenge to you is to use some type of paint, inks or markers

on your layouts to alter something!

***

If you want to participate here are the details!

Starting today! Friday Aug 26th, You will have 3 days to create a project that includes
each challenge from each Scrap Gal DT on this blog hop!

You have until Monday to post your wonderful projects on Scrap Gals Face book page!

The grand prize

will be chosen from the
projects posted in the face book gallery!

Two more prizes will be chosen from anyone who:
Becomes a follower at the Scrap Gal Blog
Likes Scrap Gals face book page!

Please make sure you let us know on our blog!

And don't forget to comment on our wonderful DT blogs on the way!

(There might be some prizes there to win too!!)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the order of the blog hop!

Scrap Gal blog

Heather

Marcie

Guest Designer Kimmie

Michelle

Mary Jo

Rita (You are here)

Scrap Gal's facebook page

Can't wait to see your projects girls!!!

A close up of the journaling!

If you make a comment and are a follower of my blog

you will be entered to win a few of my favorite things...

Thanks for stopping by!

No small blessing...

2011-08-24T01:30:00.001-05:00

Here is a lo I did a while back that I had not posted yet. It was my last project for Glue Dots -

a sweet and simple page for me using GCD Studios.

I drew on this little tag with my PITT artist Pens so that it would

match the paper - I think it looks pretty close!

Anyways the house is coming along still unpacking and not much scrapping going on -

I am totally overdue! And if you missed the video I posted Monday please go chek it out http://letsembellish.blogspot.com/2011/08/animal-school.html?showComment=1314021142344#c6694797717148286213

I guarentee it will bless you especially if you have kids or know kids with special needs.

Please share with your friends!

Come back on Friday for a really fun blog hop!!!

Animal School

2011-08-22T01:32:00.000-05:00

Today the kids start school, reminded of this video.
It's a really good video - please watch it and tell me what you think about it.

Cubes makeover!!!

2011-08-17T01:30:00.003-05:00

Before...

A while back I did an experiment with the metal sheets from Ten Second Studio

I wanted to see if they would stand up to usage on these drawers. You know the ones

we get from our local craft stores - they aren't the sturdiest but really come in handy for

storing crafty supplies. With my new scrapbook room I wanted to give them a makeover

because I wasn't thrilled by the way they look they really are useful.

So here is how I did it.

I used Ten Second Studios metal sheets and molds - but I don't have that many

so I started using various embossing folders and that worked as well. After a

bit I realized I had not embossed enough to cover all my drawers fronts so I

simply drawing on the back of the metal, little doodles and drawings. I really

like the randomness of the designs - it came together nicely! I cut the sheets in

half and they were perfect for the drawer fronts.

Once embossed, sand the raised images.

Cover the surface with Gel Medium - a thick layer like frosting.

They aren't quite long enough to cover the entire surface so I did have to add a little on the ends.

It took 5 sheets to cover 9 drawers. I covered the glass window cube with 1 1/2 sheets.

To find the center measure 6 3/4 by...

(As you can see by little hands I have a really good little helper!)

2 1/4.

Drill holes for new knobs!

A close up! EEK! SO excited!

Then I had to paint the cubes black- white just didn't make it pop and here is the finished product...

Ta Da!

This makes me happy!

And if your a local looking for these sheets & molds,

I got them at The Crafty Scrapper in Waxahchie TX!

A quick post...

2011-08-16T01:30:00.000-05:00

A quick post - today is my first post at Love My Tapes if you would please go check it out!

I have a fun post scheduled for Wed so don't forget to come back and check it out!

Summer Fun!!!

2011-08-15T01:30:00.001-05:00

OK did you know that Clear Scraps makes

totally cute shapes!!!! I cannot tell how happy I was to see these little palm trees!!!!!

Vacation Embellishments
Clear Scraps

I had to use them right away!!!

I used alcohol inks on the trees and the

title (Clear Scraps Expressions small).The sand is stone effects from Viva Decor.

What could you do with some little palm trees?

Sketch was from Creatively Yours Sketches!

The paper is Echo Park available at ScrapGal!

Whats going on with the Barakats!

2011-08-12T01:30:00.006-05:00

We are settling into our new environment!

Baby girl is estactic, we just enrolled her in classes at a real Ballet dance studio!

The day she got her shoes she spent the day leaping across the floor!

She was so exhausted she fell asleep with those slippers on her feet- they a little swollen but that did not stop her from putting them right back on and start leaping again!

This week we spent every night at VBS vacation bible school at our

church - the kids had a blast and actually learned a few verses!

Here they are doing there lessons.

Of course you cant have VBS with out a little freestyle dancing!

The filmy pictures are thanks to a fog machine...

Baby girl was a dancing fool the ENTIRE time!

And although it is hard to do I did manage to catch the older two...

Not a great pic I know but hey at least they are having a good time.

Our oldest son just finished his first semester at the local college and our oldest daughter

has taken the summer off of college and worked instead.

I cant believe how quickly this summer just flew by!

In a couple of weeks all the kids will be back in school (hallelujah!)!

I have finally come to the realization that I will not be able to finish unpacking

until they all go back to school!

***

As for me I am back on the worship team and have some other things in the works (can't spill the beans yet). I am still putting my scrapbook room together - I am going crazy I cannot find my Tonic Guillotine Paper Trimmer! It has to be in a box that has mixed things in and is mismarked because I have opened (yeah I said open - not put away) every box that said "scrapbook room"! I have some smaller ones but they don't cut perfectly straight every time! Where are you my little (big) Trimmer!

Hubby is doing good at his job and my mom is town until Wed. So it's busy ,busy, busy!

How is your summer?

Did it go by quickly for you as well?

I have some projets on display at Creativly Yours Sketches today if you want to go take a look!

Christmas in August???

2011-08-09T01:30:00.001-05:00

For CHA all of the design team members for Clear Scraps

had to design an acrylic Christmas Stocking for the booth that best represents you.

Here is everyones at CHA

Well...I like vintage and traditional colors.

What does that say about me ..that I'm old? LOL! Just kidding!

I think it makes me reliable, solid. I can appreciate and see beauty in older things.
I also incorporated flowers and bling - I think everything use a little bling.
I love color.

The center frame is also acrylic embossed and colored with red and gold Alcohol Inks.

Red - vibrant, bold, confident.

I also love the vintage Santa and little boy
reminding me of childhood and innocence! I love that.
I want my children to stay innocent as long as possible.
I also want them to enjoy Christmas traditions.

What would your stocking say about you?

Dreamy backgrounds with Gelatos...

2011-08-05T01:30:00.003-05:00

Hey bloggers Rita Barakat here with an easy way to make dreamy backgrounds for your projects!

Gelatos make for a fool proof plan- you can do this!

Start with a blank canvas...

Add lots of scribbles with different colors...

Add lots of water...

Tilt and let it drip...

Tilt another way and let it drip... blend any lines with a dry stiff paint brush and evaluate.

Does it need more color? Add it. Too much color? Get a paper towel and blot - you can lift some of the color and spray with water again to blend. And there you have it! Dreamy results...

I used the same technique on the tag.

Perfect for pictures or embellishments...

or the cover of a canvas mini album!

Do you use different mediums in your scrapbooking?
I'll be honest - I tend to go one way or another-either theres alot of art or hardly none at all.

I am trying to find a happy medium where I can incorperate art into all my pages.

Supplies: Prima canvas album, flowers, bling and ribbon
Scrap FX chipboard
Creative Imaginations Velvet flowers
tags - unknown
(All of the above supplies are availiable at Scrap Gal!)
Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Gelatos

Today

2011-08-03T13:52:00.002-05:00

Don't you hate when you think you scheduled something to post and you didn't!

This was supposed to go "live" this morning.

Back to the post...

***

Oh my goodness - I love new products!

I was so excited to get on the "Love My Tapes" team

because I love their tapes! See the ribbon across the bottom of the page?

It's fabric strips with adhesive on the back!

So I get my DT box and inside are also these fabric sheets with adhesive on the back!

That's what I used on this wood frame from a dollar store!

I love that it looks like leather! Perfect for my little handsome guy!

I need to get some more of this particular fabric!

Love it!

Supplies: wood frame, Love My Tapes fabric sheet & ribbon, Viva Stone Effects, Ranger Tim Holtz metal & glass embellishments, Graphic 45 buttons, arrow and wood number ?

Updates:
still unpacking (when will this end???)
Mom is flying in from Cali today for a visit
Singing a special on Sunday

Too Cute! A LO and scrapbook room pictures!

2011-08-01T01:30:00.034-05:00

It is so exciting when you get new product and this new line,

the BFF collection from Ta Da Creative Studios just made my day!

The colors are so fresh and different - I love it!

And it so happens that it matches my baby girls personality perfectly!

(I did add Stickles - a girl can't have too much bling!)

There is not a day that baby girl is not arranging all her little friends,

she loves pretending, playing and dressing up. (Glasses borrowed form big sis!)

And of course she also does NOT mind posing for the camera!

I am lucky to have such a willing model!

***

Update on scrapbooking - I would love to say that I have been crafting away, but my room is too chaotic and I can't find anything right now! I am working on it! I will say however that I am totally blessed - hubby has been helping my solve some of my storage issues...

A little helper

I have to say hubby is not usually the handyman type but I think he did a fabulous job!
Now I have to finish unpacking - filling my new cabinets and then adding some paint -
haven't decided yet what I'm going to do but I promise it will be creative!
***
Also a little shout out to the ladies in my class on Sat! Thanks for being so fabulous!

***
And last but not least today I am honored to be a featured guest designer for
Sketches: Creatively Yours
It was my very first design time and I still love Ali who is the sweetest!
If you need a sketch you should check it out and
if you have never been a DT before this is a great place to start so follow their blog!

A banner tutorial

2011-07-29T01:30:00.010-05:00

Today I am going to show you an easy way to make a banner using an acrylic Small Pennant Banner from Clear Scraps! (It comes 5 pennants in a package so I did use two packages. )

First thing you have to do is remove the protective lining!

Then cute your strips of paper measuring 3 3/4" x 3, one for each letter of your word.

Adhere the papers to your first pennant.

Becasue the acrylic is clear you can lay them on top of each other so they all line up!

I took Rangers Paint Daubber in Pearl and edged all around the outside of the pennant.

Add your letters and embellish each pennant!

See that cage and bird? Brand new acrylic shapes

that came out at CHA! So cute! Also from Clear Scraps!

Other supplies: Pink Paislee Paper, Cuttlebug

Quilling dies, Momenta Alphas, Zva pearls,

Offray Ribbon, Ranger Paint Daubbers Pearl.

Locals????

2011-07-25T01:30:00.001-05:00

This Sat I am teaching a class at The Crafty Scrapper!!!!!! Check it out..

Capturing Canvas Class $35~ teacher Rita Barakat
Saturday July 30th 10am

Have you always wanted to play with canvas but you were a little intimidated too? Have you always wondered "How did they do that?"

When looking at a canvas mini album?

Well fear no more and come and play in my Capturing Canvas class.

You will learn not only how to get the most out of your canvas album but how to have fun and be creative in the process.

I will show you how to use several types of mediums to achieve a magnificent mini album for you to cherish for ever.

Come join me as we capture and conquer canvas together!

The Crafty Scrapper

308 South College Street
Waxahachie TX 75165
972-923-3151
Hours:
Monday-Thursday 10am-6pm
Friday 10 am-midnight
Saturday 10 am-5pm

Feel free to call the store at 972-923-3151 or send us an email.

Please come and introduce yourself!!!

CHA...part 3

2011-07-22T01:30:00.002-05:00

The best parts of Chicago CHA for me.

(Well that I got a picture of anyway! This is my second CHA show on the Clear Scraps DT and I keep forgetting to take a picture of all of us!!

Jim & Susan Frase, owners and Cathy Shellenberg fellow DT member!

We had a wonderful time together!))

Here I am meeting lots of people while teaching make and takes for Faber-Castell!

Oh - and do you recognize that picture on the left?

Yep yours truly.

How cool is that? That is the Design Team, they made us feel so special!

***

The best fun is meeting people in person that you have worked with and talked to online...Its like meeting up with old friends, how nice is that?

Meeting Cindy Liebel!

We are on both on the Creative Memories DT and she is the sweetest!!!

Meeting Margie Higuchi, we are both on the Ta Da

Creative Studios DT together! She is just as fun as she is online!

Here is Susan Minitre, the owner of Paper Crafters Corner, and

two of my fellow DT members from Faber-Castell

Jenn Matott and Mou Saha.

I had such a good time hanging out & laughing with these ladies!

Stacey Rodriguez have chatted online for a long time - I don't even remember where we met at first but we were both in a booth I look up and there she is! This was the first time we met in person! How fun is that!

It was so nice to meet in person Annette and Mary,
co-owners of Ta Da Creative Studios!
You know when you talked at lentgh with someone online

and then you finally meet them in person - its like you've known them forever- like

very good old friends! Loved, loved chatting with these ladies!

SO happy to be working with Susan again! She is also working with Love My Tapes!

Sometimes you just click with people - she is adorable!

and my last and most exciting memory form CHA Winter?

Making this in a 10 minute crafters challenge...

You are probably thinking "what?"

Seriously - all during the shows they were having these contests in the middle of the CHA floor -

"DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?Join us for this fast-paced, high-energy crafting competition. You’ll be challenged to create a mixed-media project in under 10 minutes as you compete for prizes supplied by your favorite exhibitors! While the competition is taking place, the host of the show will provide you with great mixed-media crafting tips, ideas and trends that you can bring back to your stores!"

Evertime I was walking by they had already started or were just finishing - I really waned to do it, I thought it would be so fun but was busy working inthe booths!Well my final hour of the show before I had to leave for the airport I finally got my chance and happened to be walking by at thr right time! They picked three contestants and we had ten minutes to make something out of these tubes and whatever embellishments and supplies you had on your LITTLE table.This is what I came up with - a fairy wand for baby girl!They did the countdown at the end of the ten minutes...10,9,8,7,6...

Well I had no idea what the prize was going to be but my heart stopped when

they announced that would be this

Sizzix Eclips electronic die cutiing machine!!!

I was holding my breath as the judges made their descision and it was....

ME!!!!

How lucky am I ????

I have been truly blessed, good times, good friends - new and old,

and a really cool machine! Now back to UNpacking....

CHA part 2 cute stuff...

2011-07-21T15:55:00.003-05:00

As promised here are some pics for Winter CHA 2011!!

Chicago!

Starting with Pink Pasilee

I noticed alot of muted colors this time around.

Then there is the new line form American Crafts...

You are going to love this line!

How cute is Amy?

Lots of funky new stuff form Art C!

Doodlebug getting ready for Christmas!

Studio Calico!

The Wizard of Oz, Graphic 45 style...

I love the look of their displays!

                                               Fun new lines from Ta Da Creative Studios

                                                                Tim Holtz had lots of new things!

I think we all need one of these fabulous bags!!!

Bo Bunny...

Love these from Canvas Corp...

Of course I also love the stockings from Clear Scraps!

But my favorite booth design was October Afternoon!

n't this ADORABLE!!! I love this idea!!!