Nuts About Sketches #250

I want to congratulate Shawn on reaching 250 sketches on her blog!  Totally Awesome!  Come check out Nuts About Sketches!

When I see Shawn's sketches I'm building the layout in my head with a photo(s) I have in mind.  This one totally befuddled me!!!!  Sometimes one just needs a little stress to get the creativity going when you are leaving in 48 hours for Denver to the National Western Livestock Show!  You also know you will be way to tired when returning on Saturday to get the layout done.  As I went through every photo I have printed out I had this sudden light bulb moment when I got to these photos.  Perfect!  I was clueless on what to do with wood grain papers until I thought of the cattle!  Now I'm hooked on them.  Since it was Miss Clout 390M and her 2009 calf Miss FJL Valencia I knew just the papers I wanted to use.  I pulled out my Paper Bakery Kits for October and went to work!  Two hours later I was done.

The papers in this kits are so stunning.  They come from the American Crafts Dear Lizzy 5th and Frolic as well as the American Crafts Amy Tangerine Ready Set Go!  Miss Clout is pictured in the lower right photo and Val is captured in the other four photos.  Val has since been sold to Rocking B Farms in Needville, TX. I get to see her all of the time as I'm at Rocking B monthly or Charlie, Sandy and Mr. Bill are at our farm!  Great friends and partners in raising Lowline Cattle.  We own bulls in partnership, flush cows at the same time to save costs, and in selling our meat via Farmer's Markets.  Val is now a mother herself with the birth of her first bull calf last spring.  I have to laugh as Miss Clout is one of those cows who I claim as "MY Cow"!  I make all of the decisions on who we breed her to.

The sketch is definite Eye Candy!!!!

Please come visit Nuts About Sketches for some terrific inspiration!

My Addiction to Shopping for Paper Crafting Supplies

A little shopping, a little playing with Inkadinkadoo's new hot toy, "Stamping Gear."  It will be a fun toy.  In the midst of seeing how this new toy works comes realization I have "no", yes no birthday papers!  Whew....I'm glad I made the realization as I have a layout out to do for the October Heritage Challenge I host over ACOT's forum!

So what did a little shopping mean!  Well way to much out flow of dollars.  A little OA Cakewlk, some stencils or masks, some more Prima embellishisments, Tattered Angels Chalkboard in the color of Chalk (white), and two KaiserCraft Wood Flourishes.  I love love this color, I had the good fortune to play with it when I took Stayce DeWid's class last month.  Then HSN beckoned me with an all day crafting!  Purchased three Martha Stewart Punches and some Am. Crafts POW Glitter Paper.  And yes, I amazingly had, some great restraint.  HSN also presented the "Stamping Gear" and so nice to see some little tidbits of info which made my playing with mine a little easier!  I'm going to have a great time with this gadget!  I'm hooked!

I did a happy dance over some much needed rain at the ranch.  Just before dark we had 1.6 inches in the gauge according to James.  And more to come.  At home in Houston area no rain since 3am yesterday, but it's coming this weekend.  Perfect timing as Larry and Lynn wanted to start fall working of cattle this weekend and moved it to next weekend because I wanted to go to a weekend crop!  So come rain because it's a great excuse to stay inside and scrap instead of hearing grumbling from the family they can not be outside this weekend dove hunting.

I haven't shared my total uncontrollable self at the complete lack of self-restraint when Carta Bella's debut line hit the market.  As soon as it arrived from ACOT I was scrapping with it!  Talk about being smitten about no other line like I was with this one!  And this is my creation.  I'm having that urge again to use it and will on something this weekend!  And as I sit writing I think I'll do the birthday photos with Beautiful Moments instead of OA Cakewalk!!!  Running off to change basket before I hit the send button on payment!  I'm so not fond of most theme papers!

Enjoy my first layout using Beautiful Moments from Carta Bella highlighting Papa Red and Dee-Dee.

Have a wonderful weekend and see ya'll next week!