Eat Cake!

Hi friends!  I hope that you are doing well!  We are ok.  Just going about life.  I cannot believe it's November!  Can you?  

Today, I wanted to share this fun filler card I made with you!  I bought a Pebbles paper pack from Michael's, it feels thinner than a regular collection pack but whatever.  It's the Birthday Wishes collection.  I really like the colors in this one!  I always appreciate when people use black on their cards and layouts because I don't really do it a lot so here's my attempt.  This is a 3x4 pocket filler card.  I cut all of the elements out of the patterned papers then I added some sequins and a glittery enamel heart to the cherry on the cupcake for some added pizazz.  

Another thing I wanted to blog about today is a link that my husband shared with me.  It's an article about this little girl who got diagnosed with cancer just after turning 3.  She used her Make a Wish to have a cartoon made to help other kids with pediatric cancer when they were scared.  Part of her wish is for the video to spread to raise awareness about pediatric cancer.  You can find the article and the ADORABLE video HERE.  Please share it!  It is so important!

Have a wonderful day, friends!  

It's Monday, Where's the Coffee?

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  Happy Monday!  (Is that an oxymoron?)  We have RAIN today!  California is in a horrible drought if you didn't know.  Most of us have let our lawns die and have given up washing cars and other things to help conserve water.  I'm so freaking excited about this rain and I hope it keeps up.

I'm blogging again today.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  We'll see how far I make it into NaBloPoMo.  Today, I have a card I made at the same time as the pocket card I made yesterday.  I used the Pebbles Happy Day collection which is still one of my very favorites.  It just has tons of awesome stuff that I love like coffee, cameras, Instagram, takeout, and more.  I added some alpha stickers from the Target Dollar Spot to spell out my sentiment.  

I hope you all have a GREAT Monday!  And thank you to those who are leaving comments!  It's very encouraging as a blogger.

NaBloPoMo and Another Pocket Card

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  We are ok.  Guess what??  Something super exciting is happening here in Northern California.  Can you guess what it is?  FALL!  I joke every year that summer lasts until after Halloween and sure enough, it is HOT up until Halloween each year.  I'm excited to feel a little bit of chill in the air!

I was talking to my friend Carole today and we were talking about how I've been told A LOT recently that I need to get back into crafting.  Carole suggested I try NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month) and I was really really reluctant.  But Carole mentioned that I don't have to blog something crafty everyday, I could really blog ANYTHING.  So, what the heck?  Let's give it a shot.  Did you know that I used to actually blog every single day?  That seems like a lifetime ago.  I think I've actually done NaBloPoMo once before and I'm not sure I completed it.  Who knows what will happen?

A weird thing happened to me when I stopped religiously creating and blogging.  I would make things and forget all about them.  Sometimes, I would even take a picture of them, mean to blog them, and forget.  Three years ago Ashley would be SO appalled!  Today, I'm sharing a card I made back in August.  I was having a hard time when I attempted the 100 Days Project (which I failed at) and I decided the best thing to do was to take out something I just LOVED and try to make something using those materials.  I used the Pebbles Happy Day collection which I just LOVE and I added a few enamel dots.  This is a 3x4 card and it is completely my style.  I feel like I'm a scrappy style card maker and I've tried to resist it but no longer.  ;)  

Have a great day, friends!  And wish me luck with this whole blogging thing.  Maybe I can get back into it?  What do you think?

Happy Birthday Danni! (Flutter By Blog Hop)

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  We are doing pretty good.  I'm glad it's Friday and we have a low key weekend ahead of us.  The only thing I have planned for this weekend is bang cookies to raise money for our Unravel page.  

Today, I'm participating in a Flutter By Blog Hop in honor of my friend Danni (you can start the hop on her blog.)  It's her BIRTHDAY! YAY!  Danni used to run a challenge called Flutter By Wednesday where the challenge was to use a butterfly or fairy on your project (aka things that flutter.)  I was on her design team for a while and had a lot of fun.  In honor of her birthday, Danni is GIVING AWAY TWO GIFT CERTIFICATES to people who do the hop and leave comments!  Just leave a comment on all the posts by Monday Sept 7 to be entered to win!  You should be coming here from Brenda's blog, if not go back to Danni's blog to start the hop.  

Here's my card for the hop.  I used Pebbles and Jen Hadfield's Home+Made line for this card.  The colors in this paper collection are GORGEOUS and of course I LOVE the gold glitter!  I added a little glitter heart from the Heidi Swapp marquee items at Target.  I don't make greeting cards a lot anymore so I hope this is ok.

I'm the LAST stop on the hop!  YAY!  You made it to the end!

Speaking of Fluttering, September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.  Our family is trying to raise $1000 to help cure pediatric cancer.  Be GO HERE if you'd like to make a donation.  Have a great weekend, friends!  

The 100 Days Project Share 1

Hi friends!  I hope that you are well!  We are doing pretty good.  The boys are getting in a groove with school.  Avery and I are enjoying a lot of girl time.  We had some last year but only half days.  Now, we got whole long chunks where we can go out and do all sorts of fun things without having to rush about.

In my last post, I talked about starting The 100 Days Project.  I'm hoping I can make it through this project to get my creativity going and to get in the practice of creating again.  I've started making a lot of excuses for myself.  I'll want to craft but I'll be too tired or I don't want to pull all my stuff out or a million other things.  I decided on pocket scrapbooking cards because they are smaller and they are more relevant to me.  I have stacks and stacks of greeting cards that I barely use but I love working on my albums and looking through my albums especially with my kids.

Here the the cards I've made so far:

Day 1: A very simple patriotic card for my 4th of July layout.  The die cut card is from Simple Stories and is backed with a Project Life grid card.  I added some silver Thickers, some Freckled Fawn stars, and some MME enamel dots.  I wanted to keep it simple because there's a lot going on in the photos for that week.

Day 2:  I was feeling uninspired this day so I figured out I should pull out something that I really liked and try to use that.  I used a line from Pebbles called Happy Day and it's just have favorite!  It has cameras, coffee cups, pizza, Chinese takeout boxes, and more.  All the elements are from the collection except the Recollections white and gray enamel dots.

Day 3:  I worked on a layout today and this is a card I made to go on the layout.  It is for the week my boys went back to school.  We are doing year round school this year so they started mid-July.  All the elements are from the DCWV Edumacation collection.  I don't usually buy DCWV anymore since I just feel like it's way too much paper for me and I don't think it comes with matching embellishments but I just fell in love with this collection.  With the exception of the alpha stickers (from the Target Dollar Spot), everything is from the Edumacation collection.  I fussy cut the scalloped circle and the apple from patterned paper.

If you decide you want to try The 100 Days Project, let me know so we can encourage one another!  

That One Time I Voluntarily Made a Masculine Card

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  We are doing pretty good.  I'm actually having a great day since my middle son has been accepted into the music program at his school.  He loves music and I didn't think we'd be able to afford a program for him but the school has a very affordable program.  We applied and he was accepted, really you just had to be one of the first ones to fill in your application and turn it in.  I'm excited for him!

Today, I'm blogging a card I made the last time I went to a crop.  I usually work on my pocket scrapbook when I go to crops but I forgot my album at home that day so I decided to make cards.  You know, because I do that or something.  Anyhow, I had made 3 cards and I decided that I would challenge myself to make a masculine card.  That's right, a masculine card when I didn't even have to!  (I joke because masculine is the hardest for me since I'm super girly and cutesy.)  I used Pebbles Happy Day paper pad and Happy Days Icon and Phrases Sticker sheet.  It's just a clean and simple card but I like how it turned out.

Have a great day, friends!

***This post contains affiliate links, if you choose to buy with my link I get a small commission.  

Hello Birdie

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  We are doing pretty good around here.  Spring has sprung in our neck of the woods and let me tell you, it's gorgeous.  But really really heavy on the pollen.  I digress.  It's still pretty.  :)

I wanted to make a pretty spring card.  I used the Pebbles From Me to You line.  I had the hardest time with this line because the paper didn't come in a 6x6 pad.  It came in a 5.5x8.5 (I think) pad that was pre-scored.  I get the concept but it took me over a year to use it because it pushed me out of my box and you know what?  I like it in my box.  (Do you remember when I used to say that I was comfortable in my A2 box?)  Anyhow, I still love how this card turned out.  I used a doily and a little washi tape.  The hello journaling thing is a sticker as is the bird from the Pebbles From Me to You Sticker Sheets.

Have a great day, friends!

***This post contains affiliate links, if you purchase from the link I get a very small commission.  

We Go Together Card

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  We are doing pretty good.  It's warming up around here so we get to spend more time outside which makes everyone happy.

Today, I'm sharing a card I made for my hubby.  Ok, confession, it's a late Valentine's Day card but it still works as a love card.  This card is a little different for me.  It's a 4 by 6.  I know, crazy right?  I used the Pebbles We Go Together collection for this that I bought at Butterfly Reflections Ink.  Oh my gosh, I could not love this collection more!  I can't wait to do an entire pocket scrapbook page with this!  Again, this card is just cutting apart elements and gluing them down.  I also used the vellum/ephemera pack and enamel hearts from this collection on this card.

And I'm linking this up to the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  I can't make a LOVE card without COFFEE on it!  Teehee!  I'm obsessed.

Have a great day, friends!

Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well.  Guess what?!?  It's March!  Do you know what that means?!? Cold and flu season is OVER!  Hooray!  We are doing ok here.  Let's hope it keeps up.

Today, I'm joining in the Spring Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  My friend Amy T co-hosts this super fun group and does events like blog hops.  If you know me, you know I LOVE me some coffee!  I also haven't made a card in a really long time.  It's coming harder to me these days.  I mostly do pocket scrapbooking.  I ADORE this paper collection from Pebbles so I decided to give making a card a go.  I struggled and it's not my favorite card ever BUT it's ok and I thought I would post it.  Everything from this card is from the Happy Day collection even the sentiment.  It's all cutting and gluing.

Have a great day!  Go check out the hop!  It's super fun and there's lots of prizes!

PS My Just Jewelry Online Party is going through March 2 at 5pm Pacific Time.  Check it out if you like jewelry.

DIY Pocket Scrapbooking Journal Cards

Hi friends!  I hope you are well!  We have been sick since Christmas and it's really starting to get old.  Is it spring yet??  This is why I haven't been blogging.  :(  Hopefully, things will turn around soon!

Today, I'm sharing a fun and simple way to make your own coordinating journalling cards to go in your pocket scrapbook.  For my cards, I used the Becky Higgins grid cards for the base.  I really like writing on the grid since I tend to slant my words as I write.  I used Pebbles Home For Christmas collection for these cards.  (Yes, I'm still scrapping Christmas.)  Confession time: all my weeks in my pocket scrapbook have their own paper collection.  I'm HORRIBLE at mixing and matching.  Also, I don't like to buy full kits of cards (like the Becky Higgins) for holidays since I feel like I don't use that many cards since I only make one layout for the holiday for each year.  I started making my own journalling cards and I thought I'd share the idea in case anyone wants to make their own too.

I really like making these because I use the printed bottom strips of 12x12 paper that I used to throw away.  I always said I was going to use them then I would leave them in the bag and they would get crinkled and I would toss them.  After adhering the strip, I either use chipboard, stickers, or cut out images from a paper in the collection.

 These are super fast and easy to make!  They match with all the papers I used and I can do tons of journalling on them.  No need to go out and buy matching journalling cards!

Have a great day, friends!

Thankful for You and a Winner

Hi friends!  Happy New Year!  I hope that you are all doing well and had a fabulous holiday!  We are not so hot.  Well, actually we are hot but with fever.  :(  Two of the three kids are sick.  Hubby and I aren't feeling great either.  Hopefully, we can get rid of all this crud soon and start having a fun 2015!  

I put together this card a while back and thought I would post it.  All the elements I used are from Pebble's Homemade collection.  I really love this collection, it speaks to me.  I can't wait to pocket scrapbook a week with this!

I want to announce the winner of my Amazon gift card.  It's Tifany DeGough!  YAY!  Contact me, Tifany, so I can get you that gift card!

Have a great day, friends!

9th Wedding Anniversary

Hi friends!  I hope you are doing well!  Today is my 9th wedding anniversary.  I can't believe it's been 9 years since my wedding.  In a way, it feels like just yesterday but at the same time it feels like a million years ago.  Do you know what I mean?  Do you ever get that feeling?

Here's the card I made for Dustin for our anniversary.  I used my friend Laura's Poppy Sketch 2 for this and it came with some colors as well.  I'm not great with color challenges but I try my best.  I got these Mama Elephant stamps for my anniversary gift.  Yeah, I'm super romantic.  I told Dustin "I'd like to order these stamps, they can be an anniversary gift!"  The set is call Pandamonium and it's SO cute!  The paper is Pebbles Love Notes.  I added a Studio Calico wood veneer heart that I colored with Copic and put some Wink of Stella over.  You can't really see the details on the heart but it's quite pretty.  I finished with some Whisker Graphics Teal Divine Twine.

Have a great day, friends!  

Dustin's Valentine

Hi friends!  I hope you're having a wonderful day!  We are doing pretty good.  We have a birthday party later on today.  The kids are very excited!

Today, I'm sharing the Valentine's Day card I for Dustin.  In case you didn't notice, I used Paper Smooches Stamps and Pebbles Yours Truly for all the Valentine's this year.  When I bought Teen Routine, I knew it was to make cards for Dustin and not for any teenagers.  He loves tech stuff and gadgets.  The heart and "hot stuff" is from Vegtastic.  And the "hey" is from Little Fella, I just masked off the "dude" in that sentiment.  I used a couple different kinds of washi tape for this as well.  I'm entering this in the Paper Smooches Fun and Cute challenge and the Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes challenge for this week.

Have a great day, friends!  

So So So So Loved

Hi friends!  I hope you're having an amazing day!  We had a wonderful Valentine's Day!  We had lunch with my sister in law and my 8 month old nephew.  Avery was so super cute with her cousin!  They adore each other, it was cuteness overload.  After the boys came home from school, we had our traditional heart shaped pizza for dinner, played games, and ended the night with a little family dance party in the living room.  It was a very nice day and I really needed a nice end to this awful week!

Today, I'm sharing the Valentine's Day card I made for Avery.  Last year, I just bought cards for the kids because I was just so tired from having a newborn.  This year, I just fell in love with the new Paper Smooches Spectrum set.  It has a unicorn and a rainbow.  I try to live in a life of unicorns and rainbows.  My life has been really really dark and I need to keep my head turned towards the positive things in life so this stamp set really spoke to me.  Of course I needed to use this special stamp set for my special princess.  Mostly because I don't think the boys enjoy 

I also tried to keep this week's Paper Smooches Sparks challenge in mind.  It's a lovely picture of a heart that is dark pink, light pink, and gold.  I wanted to use the colors in the photo and I wanted to use a lot of hearts.  I used the same Pebbles paper from yesterday along with some of their skinny washi tape.  I decided to make a pink heart unicorn because there's nothing better than a pink unicorn with hearts, glittery hair, and a gold glittery horn.  I think this card is the epitome of who I am.  I added some Peppermint Divine Twine and some enamel hearts from Chickaniddy.  I also used a little bit of Copics on this card.  I'm also entering this into the Cute and Fun Challenge on the Paper Smooches Blog.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  

Happy Valentine's Day: Silly Cards for Silly Boys

Hi friends!  Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you all are doing well.  It's been a VERY hard week here.  I've gotten a lot of bad news but I tried to cheer up for today and for my kids.  If there's one thing I've learned from this past week, it's take time to celebrate love.

I asked my boys what they wanted on their Valentine's Day cards and they wanted a turtle AND a dog on the same card.  I didn't really know how to make it work.  I went into my craft room and sat a bit and tried to work it out.  This is what I came up with.  It's silly and it won't make sense to anyone else but that's what a custom card is about, isn't it?  I made them the same but slightly different.  I don't want them to fight because they are upset the cards are different but I wanted them to be different enough that they would tell which card belongs to them.

Here's a close up of Brady's card.  I don't really think it's necessary to show both since they are so very similar.  I used a variety of Paper Smooches stamps for these cards.  The dog is from Chubby Chums.  The turtle is from Party Posse as is the accompanying sentiment.  And the bigger sentiment is one I created with the Alphadots set.  The papers are from Pebbles Yours Truly and the enamel dots are from My Mind's Eye.  I'm linking these up to the Fun and Cute Challenge over on the Paper Smooches Blog.  

I hope you all had an amazing Valentine's Day and expressed love to all those around you!  

Project Life 2013: Week 5

Hi friends!  I hope you all are doing well!  We are doing ok.  We got our van back and (knock on wood) it seems to be ok now.  Now, we need to start our summer adventures.  ;)  We haven't made any kind of list or anything yet though.  But I feel like we have to hurry because summer goes by SO fast.  I mean, June is almost over already!

Today, I'm sharing week 5 of my Project Life album.  Yeah.  I'm a little behind.  What can you do?  I don't want to give up because I love having these weekly layouts and I adore that we are recording those little everyday moments that might be overlooked in a 12x12 layout.  Onward I trudge.

This week, I used Walnut Grove from Pebbles.  I love love love this paper line and I feel like I didn't even use my favorite papers from this collection.  That's ok because I'll use this collection again on a different week.  I also used the stickers and Thickers that match Walnut Grove.  I also used a couple cards from MAMBI.  I don't think that the MAMBI cards have names but it was a love themed set.  Then I added some washi tape, wood veneers, enamel dots, mini alphas, BossyJoscie flair, and bling.

I'm also getting featured on Michelle Bostinelos's blog this week!  YAY!  I really enjoy Michelle's Project Life layouts!  She has two boys and a little girl, like me.  And her boys like the SAME things my boys like.  It's really cool to see her layouts.  Each week, Michelle does a Saturday PL Blog Hop.  I will be featured there tomorrow and I'm SUPER excited!  She always has the most talented and inspiring people on her blog hop.

Have a great day, friends!