Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Hydrangea

Besides scrapbooking, my other passion for the past 6 years has been flower gardening.  I had these beautiful hydrangea plants put in my side garden back in 2004.  The first year they were small, the second year they got bigger and the third year they died.  I was heartbroken.  I get very attached to my flowers.  You nurture them, feed  them and get so much enjoyment out of it.  Fortunately I did take these pictures, and even though they are not a part of my garden now, I can look at this layout and remember their beauty.
 I am entering this layout in three challenges this week.  
The first one is over at Stuck On U Sketches.   

The second challenge is over at the Color Room.

And the third is over at Wee Memories, where this weeks challenge is flowers.

 I used Webster's Pages A Sweet Life paper on this layout and did a lot of cut out work.  The frames are digital frames by Melissa Bennett.  I used my Cricut Heritgae cartridge to cut out the fence.  I added some little purple flowers that I purchase from Michaels a while back.  I inked a white doily and then edged it with some turquoise ink and added a little bling. The petal border above the pink frame is by Prima.







Sunday, April 25, 2010

Frolic

Happy Sunday to everyone!  It's chilly and rainy and dreary here in Maryland.  I wish the Spring weather would turn around and gives us lots of sunshine and warmer weather.  I actually had some free time last night to scrap and finished this layout of my mom and her little brother back from 1940.  My mom and her family are from Canada.  My grandfather was a Royal Canadian Mountie, and my mom spent her childhood in many different areas of Canada.  This particular picture was taken at Fort Chipewyan in Alberta.  All of the paper and stickers I used are October Afternoon,  Fly A Kite. 

I am entering this layout is a few challenges.  The first being Sketchy Thursday.  I've been wanting to give one of their sketches a try and when I saw this week's sketch, I loved the idea of using some patch work.  Here is their sketch.
This layout also qualifies for a challenge over at A Cherry On Top for their April Die Cutting Challenge.  You are to use a die cut machine to cut out your title.  I used my Cricut and the Don Juan cartridge to cut out my title.  I cut it out twice, inked it and used some pop up dots.
I just recently purchased Tim Holtz's paper distressing gadget and love it!  I used it to distress all of my patchwork squares and my tree, then added some machine stitching.
Isn't this tree adorable!  I cut it from the Cricut cartridge Just Because Cards.
What I love the most about this layout is the picture.  I laughed at my uncle with his curly hair and clothing.  I love that the picture captures my grandmother's hand writing, depicting the location and date of the photo, and even includes where she corrected the date.  To me the picture is priceless.  I framed it with a cut out frame by K and Company.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Bob and Mildred

It's been a hectic few weeks, and I've had very little time to scrap.  I've been working on this layout bit by bit.  My mom gave me a bunch of old photos and I came across this one of her parents.  We think it was taken around 1940.  This is my first attempt at a vintage layout using an old photo.  I am quite pleased with how it turned out.
I used Webster's Pages Life's Portrait papers on this layout.  I did a lot of cutting and inking and lots and lots of pop dots to add dimension.  I am going to enter it in a few challenges.  First over at A Cherry On Top for their April Trends and Techniques Challenge which is to use dimension on your project.  I am also entering it over at Wee Memories, suchins.blogspot where her challenge theme is vintage and ribbons.
This is the first time I've used Glimmer Mist.  I've been on the fence about buying some.  First of all it is expensive and second there are way too many colors to choose from.  I've seen it used countless times and finally  splurged and bought a few bottles.  I used Dazzling Diamonds on the flourishes which I cut from the Cricut Heritage cartridge. 
I added lots of Prima flowers and some metal embellishments I had by Making Memories. The turquoise leaves are stick pins by Jillibean Soup.  I cut some branches with leaves from the Heritage cartridge and sprayed them with the Glimmer Mist.
I added some rub ons I had in my stash by Basic Grey and Scenic Route.  I printed out their names on the computer using a font called Beautiful.

Friday, April 16, 2010

You Are Always On My Mind

It's Friday and that means a new challenge over at Frosted Designs.  Their challenge this week is to use a tree on your project.  I just got this new paper line from My Mind's Eye, Quite Contrary- Little Boy Blue, and knew I had to do another layout of my dog Zoey. 
She is always on the lookout for the deer in the back of my property.  On any given time of the day, it is not unusual to see 20+ deer outside.  She will sit by the sliding glass door in my bedroom on the lookout.  Sometimes you can find her up on the chair looking out the bedroom window.


I used three Cricut cartridges on my layout.  George to cut out the circle, Street Sign for the title and Plantin Schoolbook for the grass.  I cut the letters out three times and glued them together to give them some dimension.  I used my "Dot All Around" template by The Crafters Workshop to punch holes around the circle, which I then added some brown yarn by Jillibean Soup.  I also used my paper distresser on the circle and added some dark brown ink.
The cute litter critters are by Martha Stewart.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Grandmoms Garden


Gosh it seems like forever since I worked on a layout.  Even though is has only been a week.  It felt good last night to start this one, and today to finish it.  I was over at my moms last week and we were looking through some old pictures.  I came across this one of myself and my grandmother.  I was only 5 years old.  It brought back so many memories of my childhood and the time my family spent with her and my grandfather in Berkley Springs, West Virginia.  My grandmother loved to garden, whether it be in her vegetable garden, or flower garden. 
 
This layout also qualifies for three challenges.  The first one being Stuck On U Sketches.  Their challenge this week is to use an unusual item on your layout.  I used the lid of an old jewelery box, that I cut in half and then inked and used as the little garden box on the bottom of my page.
 The second challenge is a sketch challenge over at Pages In Time.  Here is their current sketch.
The third challenge is over at ACOT.  Their altered challenge is to use corrugated cardboard.

The photo of my grandmother is not the best of quality, and I would have loved to have had one of us working in her garden.  But I am thankful to have found this one.  The paper, lace and frame are Making Memories.  I did a little machine stitching as well as some distressing and inking. I cut the flowers out from the George Cricut cartridge.  The leaves are Prima and the butterfly by K and Company. I found the picture of the vegetables online.  I added some texture to it in Photo Shop to give it an aged look.
 
The fence was hand cut using some old paper by Flair called Shutter.  I had some screen in my stash and used that as the backing for the fence. I added some dirt paper and little veggies I found online. The cute little rabbit is by Martha Stewart.
 
I had cut the rose trellis and added some dainty roses by Prima.


 The title letters are Webster's Pages.  I painted a piece or corrugated cardboard and then added some crackle paint.  I then inked it with some blue and brown ink.   I found the little apron and hat in my stash, and added a seed packet.  The bird is by K and Company.


Thursday, April 8, 2010

Two Special Treats!

I haven't spent much time this week online.  Things have piling up at home and I've been working late.  I've been trying to keep up with everyone's beautiful creations this week!  Please forgive me if I forget you.  I was over at Nanne's blog, Nanne's Creations looking at her beautiful Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe and saw that she passed this Sunshine Award on to me.  Thanks Nanne for thinking of me!
I am supposed to pass it on to twelve people.  Everyone I've come across that I want to pass it too, already has it.  So if it's alright with you Nanne, I will leave it here for anyone that wants it.  We all inspire each other.

I was also surprised when I opened my email to see that my Smile layout has been highlighted in the Cricut Chirp.
I hope to have some time this weekend to get back into the swing of things and work on a layout. 

Monday, April 5, 2010

Beautiful Daffodills!

Wow we had a beautiful weekend here in Maryland!  Almost like summer.  Just wanted to share these beautiful pictures my daughter took of some  daffodils.
Warmer weather and spring means more time for me outside, rather then inside.  Spent a lot of time this weekend catching up with the weeds.  I am so anxious for my plants in my gardens to start blooming.  My tulips have buds, not quite ready to open.  I planted some pansies and violas.  My phlox are starting to bloom and my bleeding hearts are right behind the phlox. All of my perennials are growing like crazy.  There are a few plants that have  a lot of damage, I guess from all the snow we had this winter. 
My favorite plant, the Sun Rose shows no sign of life. 

I will be very sad if I have lost this plant.  I always look so forward to it's beautiful red flowers.   I am anxious to buy some flowering annuals, but want to wait a few more weeks.  Spending more time outside will mean less time for me to work on my layouts, but I still intend to get some done. But in the long run, the fruits of my labor outside will give me great photo opportunities and more garden layouts.

Enjoy Spring!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

And The Winner Is . . .

Hope that everyone is enjoying this beautiful weekend.  I spent a lovely day with my two kids, my mom, sister and niece.  The weather this weekend has been beautiful.  I just got inside from doing a little yard work and thought I would go ahead and pick a winner for my blog candy.  I put everyone's name in a basket and my son pulled out Sandi Clarkson!   Congrats to Sandi!  Email me at mdjsburns@aol.com with your mailing information.

:)  Debbie

Friday, April 2, 2010

Where The Wild Things Are

Well it is Friday and that means a new challenge over at Frosted Designs.  This week's challenge is to use hot pink, lime green and black on your project.  This challenge gave me the opportunity to use some of my new Basic Grey Green At Heart collection.  I chose to do another layout of my precious dog, Zoey.  She can be a little wild and crazy at times.
All of the embellishments are from the collection.  I used my Cricut to cut out the grass (Plantin Schoolbook) and Street Sign(title). I also used a Quickutz die to cut out the smaller leaves by the title.
Don't forget that you have until Sunday April 4th to sign up for a chance to win my blog candy, which just happens to be this Green At Heart collection!