Dylan|Stick It Down.

Today we get to do a unique thing at Stick It Down. Since it's the fifth Tuesday of the month, the design team gets to choose any sketch that has been previously posted and create a project. I'm on the card team, but I chose a single page sketch this time. Here's the sketch I used:

I used 8.5x11 size for this page and used hexagons instead of triangles. Here's what I made:

Visit the SID blog today to see the sketches and designs the other design team members used. Then stay tuned for a fun 2015!

supplies
mist: Studio Calico Mister Huey's (Bazinga; Shine)
stamps: Sweet Stamp Shop (Pattern Craze)
sequins, mask: Studio Calico
label sticker: My Mind's Eye (Cut & Paste)

Christmas tree party [link up].

Merry Christmas Eve! We're going to my Grandma's for Christmas with my dad's side of the family in a little bit, but I wanted to quickly share our Christmas tree. I put up two big trees. This year may be the last one for our living room tree; I really want a tree with colored lights. Here's how the living room looks:

before we had any gifts wrapped

Here's the "mantle" downstairs:

I'm linking up with Thrifty Decor Chick's Christmas tree party - lots of pretty trees to see! Thanks for stopping by :) Merry Christmas!

special traditions.

This page was inspired by the Scrappy Friends challenges... Rochelle's challenge to use the Bingo card (I chose flair, snowflake, and red) and Kelly's word challenge (tradition). 

There was a local Thanksgiving 5K that I had wanted to sign us up for, but time got away from me and I forgot. So on Thanksgiving morning I woke up and said, we're starting a new family tradition - we're going for our own turkey trot! It was really cold and actually snowing. Kind of slippery. But the wind wasn't too bad and it felt so good!

Thanks for stopping by!

supplies patterned paper: Glitz Design (Hello December) 
stamps: Elle's Studio (Cheers)
stencil: Simon Says Stamp! (moroccan stencil)
mist: Studio Calico (Mister Huey's Hot Diggity); Tattered Angels Chalkboard (Ferrari Red)
brads, washi: Freckled Fawn
label stickers: Kelly Purkey (Be Happy) 
glitter sticker: Heidi Swapp
flair: A Flair for Buttons Etsy shop

she said/he said|ScrapMuch?!

Sharing a sketchy Friday on this last challenge of 2014 at the ScrapMuch? blog today! Laura made a fun two photo layout for us this week.

I've had this story and these photos printed for probably a year so it was time to get the page done and in the books. Last March (yeah, I mean 2013) TJ and I filled out brackets for March Madness. I thought it would be fun because I don't really follow basketball and I always have chosen my picks based on their names. Like I have a friend who lives in Kansas so I choose Kansas. I have a cousin named Kreighton so I choose Creighton. I graduated from IU so I choose IU. Things like that. I just like the name Gonzaga so I chose them. & I was celebrating that I was actually kicking TJ's ass in the brackets until this happened...
TJ: you picked Gonzaga to win it all.
me: yeah
TJ: you picked Gonzaga to beat IU.
me: yeah and it's gonna happen. just wait for it.
TJ: Gonzaga isn't even in it anymore!

FAIL.
I don't follow basketball, but that's no excuse. These type of things happen to me all the time! I always mess up what I'm saying. Or trying to say. That's the story behind my page. Here's my page:

Here's how you can play along with us:
Link up your creations in our sidebar HERE to be entered into a random draw for our monthly prize. You have until December 29 at midnight to participate in any of December's sketch challenges. Each linkup tool will remain open until that date! Good luck!

supplies
patterned paper: Studio Calico; Bella Blvd (yellow star);
washi: Studio Calico
stamps: Ormolu (Word Up); Two Peas in a Bucket (Shimelle Laine)
labels: Elle's Studio (you & Me pennants; little labels); My Mind's Eye

Happy Friday (& a scrapbooking giveaway!)

I'm so glad it's Friday! Yesterday is normally my day off, but I ended up working 5am-1pm so I didn't get to sleep in! Today I'm really tired and can hardly wait until 6pm. I am sleeping in tomorrow!

I've been ordering a lot of stuff lately and I have a little giveaway pile ready to go. To enter for a chance to win, just visit my Facebook page and reply in the comments by tagging a friend. One friend tagged per reply so the more friends you tag, the more chances you have to win. I'll choose a random winner by Saturday 12/20/14 at 8pm EST.

this is a happy day.

I recently received my order from Scrapbook Circle and I've been excited to make some layouts. I got two of their Christmas kits (All is Bright and Favorite Elf) and the only time I do Christmas layouts is around Christmas time so I was impatiently waiting for my order to arrive!

I found an old photo of my brother and me on Christmas Eve and I just wanted to use it immediately! I found the December sketch on the Scrapbook Circle blog and got to work! I loved both of these patterned papers and I added some mini sticker tags from Chickaniddy Crafts and some buttons by Fancy Pants. That Glitz card was dipped in Versa Mark ink and then heat embossed. 

December 24, 1990

Thanks for stopping by!

supplies
patterned paper: Studio Calico (Thataway); Webster's Pages (It's Christmas!)
buttons: Fancy Pants (Merry Little Christmas)
die cut shapes: Elle's Studio (Good Cheer)
mini tag stickers: Chickaniddy Crafts (Jolly Good)
embossing powder: American Crafts ZING! (leaf)
wash from Target

Haul Video: Scrapbook Circle.

Haul Video: Sweet Stamp Shop.

one year!

I can't believe I've been in my house for ONE year already. It seems like I'm still always saying "I just moved in..." but that's not really true anymore. I've been here for a full year now.

I shared an update at the 6 month mark HERE. Since then I've made some more updates. 

In the front, we did rip out the juniper bushes and planted hostas along with some other plants. Both my grandmothers gave me starter plants from their yards, as well as my cousin Kim, who is downsizing her yard. I did TONS of work outside this spring/summer/fall. I planted so many things, moved and removed many more things, spread much, pulled weeds, trimmed trees. 

I was outside working every day that I possibly could. In the backyard we removed the raspberry bushes and the raised garden. I moved plants around and planted more plants. I re-did the paver blocks by the backyard entrance. We planted tons of bulbs this fall and I can't wait for those to bloom this spring! 

I did major landscaping overhauls. One of my first goals was to rip out the juniper bushes in the front of the house. I hated them. They're ugly and they collected leaves and trash that were hard to remove. I picture tons of pretty flowers out front now.

This is right after we ripped out all the bushes last spring. I actually don't have a current photo of the front of the house.

How we decorated the front this fall.

Next I shared the space the previous owner had staged as a dining room. We are using it as a second living space. Still need to order top down/bottom up blinds and fix the phone jack. This is what it currently looks like:

Front room decorated for Christmas.

Then onto the kitchen, which my mom and I painted a few months ago (haven't painted the ceiling yet!) and then I was able to hang the drapes over the patio doors. Still looking for a new ceiling fan, want to install new flooring, and want to update the counter/backsplash. 

May 2014

Sherwin Williams Passive

kitchen, currently. the light grey really brightens up the kitchen!

The downstairs is pretty much unchanged. Still looking for a new sofa and then I want to paint and decorate the half bath/laundry room.

Master bedroom is at a stand still because we're trying to decide about furniture/layout. The closets are kind of small for us so we need to figure out a solution. I am planning a trip to Ikea to hopefully get it settled. Probably will get rid of my bedroom furniture because it's just too big for the space. Probably will stay with brown colors and have an accent wall dark chocolate brown. Still need to paint everything, add art, a rug, find a new bed set/decide colors, etc.

current master bedroom

My office/scrapbook room currently looks like this:

Ikea Expedit Craig's List purchase $125

Planning to purchase a few things from Ikea for the office space as well.

The biggest change here recently has been outside. We tore down the 3' picket fence and replaced it with privacy fencing this fall. Love having more privacy!

backyard/before

backyard/after

The fence had to slope down in the front to about 4' tall because I live on a corner lot. I actually like this because it still allows us to see out (a total privacy fence may have made me feel claustrophobic!) and Bentley loves to meet and greet all the neighbors who walk by and I didn't want to take that from him. The neighbors behind me and beside me (that our backyards "meet") are the ones I wanted the most privacy from anyway. From my backyard, I looked into about five other backyards, which means they looked back at us AND could probably see in through our patio doors.

This spring I have to stain/seal it and then we'll be all set. A couple of my neighbors have already told me how much it has improved the look of the house. I am just so excited to have privacy from my next door neighbors that I can hardly contain myself!

Also, late this summer I finally had the brick repairs done to the chimney and the exterior brick on the house.

I got money back at closing to have the repairs done but then the guy who was recommended kind of blew me off. We had to contact the sellers and ask them to take their cashier's check back and give me cash so I could find someone else to do the work. By then the weather was too cold so I had to wait until spring. 

Then one day the original recommended guy called back and said they could come start the work immediately! When he and his son started working, they told me the chimney required much more than they originally thought. Every time they took a brick out, there were three others they found that needed repaired too. It took them longer than they had planned but it was still all done in less than a week and it makes a huge difference to the exterior!

I had a bad first impression of them, but they did amazing work and have built quite a resume working on buildings all over Kokomo. I saw them working on the fire station the other day.

I'd much rather spend my money on cute decorating or furniture items inside but I know other (boring!) things require my attention as well. When I look back I realize we have done a lot so far in the first year! I don't feel like we'll ever be "done" but everyone tells me when you own your own home, you never feel done anyway!

Goals for the second year are to have outlets and overhead lighting installed in the three bedrooms upstairs, paint kitchen ceiling, paint upstairs bathroom, finish guest bedroom and master bedroom, paint/decorate half bath/laundry room, and find a shed for the backyard.

merry|Stick it Down.

Today I'm sharing a card for this month's Stick It Down card challenge. Here was our sketch this time: 

 Here's my card with my interpretation of the sketch:

I used Faber Castell big brush artist pens to color the background stamp. My tree is attached with pop dots and my sentiment banner is folded and adhered so that it comes off the page to add some more dimension. Be sure you stop by the SID blog today to see the guest designer + the creations from the other DT members!

supplies
background stamp: Hero Arts (super merry Christmas greeting)
tree stamp: Unity
sentiment: Studio Calico
embossing powder: My Stamp Box
twine: My Mind's Eye
patterned paper: Studio Calico
pens: Faber Castell (magenta; deep scarlet red)

miss you, friend|ScrapMuch?!

It is December and Sketchy Friday at ScrapMuch?!

This layout was like therapy for me. It's about my friend Rachel. We met after high school (she was a year younger than me) and went to college together for a few years. After I graduated from nursing school she moved back home to southern Indiana and we started to grow apart. This year, she graduated from nursing school and was working in an emergency department. She had a 19 month old baby (and a 15 year old son she had in high school) and planned to get married next July. And then on November 1, one of our friends text me and told me Rachel was killed in an accident. It was still under investigation, she didn't really know anything yet, and I was in shock.

Working in the nursing field, I see people die. I have held the hand of an elderly woman taking her last breath. I have been the first one to discover someone who has passed in the middle of the night. I have had to tell families their loved ones didn't survive. I have had to pronounce patients dead. I have watched people walk in to the emergency department talking and minutes later, die in front of me. I have heard the gut wrenching wails of a mother after her son was killed on the highway in a motorcycle accident. 

But hearing that someone you know, someone your age, someone you shared so much with, someone you wanted the best for, someone who would always be considered a friend no matter how far apart you live from each other... that's something different. That's hard to deal with.

I still find it hard to believe. I just can't wrap my mind around it. I read the article. I saw the photos. But my mind just cannot believe it. How does something like this happen?! I just don't get it.

So I wanted to do a page in her honor and I wanted to use some recent photos that show how happy she was and her beautiful smile. She had such a pretty smile.

Here is our sketch this week:

Here is my page. I used 8.5 x 11 size and simplified the design to focus on the photos. I used my Cricut to cut the flourishes instead of using the strips of paper like in the sketch. Since I was using a smaller page size, I had to use two photos instead of three, but I did keep the circle shapes from the sketch. The circles were cut with my Spellbinders Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine + a Lawn Shapes circle die cut. I exchanged hearts for the butterflies shown in the sketch and had to downsize the  number of those as well.

miss you, friend

Thanks for stopping by today and reading my story. If you want to play along with the sketch this week, we'd love to have you! You can visit the ScrapMuch? blog for details about the challenge + to see inspiration from other design team members.
 
supplies
patterned paper: Studio Calico (grey floral); Echo Park Simple Life (polka dot)
stamps, wood veneer: Studio Calico
embossing powder: My Stamp Box (gold); American Crafts ZING! (opaque grapefruit)
circle die cuts: Lawn Shapes

she took a leap || Paper Wings Productions December blog hop!

It's time for the Paper Wings December Blog Hop!  I can't believe the year is almost over! I've been so grateful to be part of the Paper Wings Productions team as a guest designer. These are a great group of gals!

 If you arrived from Kristie's blog, you are in the right place. If you just joined in, start at the beginning by clicking here. Our theme for December is "gold."  The PWP designers have all made projects this month using the color gold. I love gold for December because it reminds me of Christmas. Gold and silver and white... those colors are Christmas. and red and green... I just love all the glittery magic that comes in December!

We hope you will check out each designer's blog to see what we have created.  Once you have completed the hop, be sure and leave a comment on the Paper Wings blog for your chance to win a $25.00 gift certificate to the Paper Wings Productions online store!  For a chance to win all you need to do is:

• be a follower of the Paper Wings blog, The Aviary
• visit each of the participating designer's blogs and leave a comment
• go back and leave us a comment on the Paper Wings blog telling us you completed the hop

To increase your chances of winning you can like our Facebook page and/or invite your friends to the hop.  Be sure to leave a separate comment for each of your additional entries. The winner will be announced on Tuesday December 9, 2014 on the Paper Wings blog. Here's the card I made:

I wanted to use the gold foil wings with the Wings stamp set. I've used the wings on other projects and even altered them to make them a different color. This time the gold wings went with our hop theme! I used the Art Textures stamp on the background of my card. I mixed some of the Moon Shadow mist with a small amount of gel medium to stamp that faint gold pattern on the background. Then I used a large circle stamp from the same stamp set and heat embossed with white. Next I splattered some Moon Shadow mist on the card and finally I grabbed one last stamp from the Art Textures set and heat embossed with gold in the corners. I stamped my sentiment with StazOn to be sure it would stick with all that texture and junk on my page.

Hope you enjoyed my card today! I linked my PWP products to the PWP store below. You know I always like a giveaway so feel free to participate in the Rafflecopter below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's time to send you off to Erica's blog. Here is the complete line up just in case you get lost along the way:

Dana

Katie

Amanda

Kristie

Ashley (you are here)

Erica

Gold Foil Wings

With Wings Cling Stamp Set

Lindy's Sidekick - Sweet Treats

Art Textures Cling Stamp Set

InLinkz.com

supplies
gel medium: Faber Castell
distress crackle paint: Tim Holtz
gold embossing powder: My Stamp Box

Stick It Down [announcement]...

Thrilled to announce I will be staying for another term on the card design team at Stick It Down. You can view the announcement on the blog HERE. There will also be some minor changes coming starting in January, so be sure to stop by and catch up on that.