Cruising Blogs!

My favorite thing to spend an hour or so each day!  I love seeing all the wonderful talent out there!

Today was Elle's Studio, YAY I won the GC!  Thank you so much!  On to My Mind's Eye with a Mixed Media Card today, which was gorgeous! I love playing with Mixed Media!  Then I had this little bell go off to take a look at what was created with Dapper Dan a few minutes ago!

First let me say I am not normally a Glitz Design Gal until Dapper Dan came out!  I have received some of Glitz Design in my Paper Bakery Kits and Sarah just makes using Glitz papers easy!  I was smitten right from the start with Dapper Dan!  Right to the top of my list as must have!  Started collecting the embellies first and then purchased the Collection Pack at ACOT's Black Friday Sale.  Time to start using those supplies thus to take a peek at the creations on Glitz Design Blog!  OMG one is definitely in for a treat!  I know I am going to have to go through Christmas first!  Gorgeous creations!  And then.....

Oh my goodness.....I am totally smitten!!!  Dapper Dan, Findley and Hello December used in creating this magnificent layout!  I just had to share!

Now back to looking for more beautiful Dapper Dan layouts!!!

Until next time!

Documented

One of the most popular words in scrapping right now is "documented."  It is as scrapper what we are doing, documenting our lives and the lives of those who came before us in my case with the heritage photos I have!  Instead of buying just a photo album for my son I am documenting his life with his photos through my eyes, and giving the ongoing album(s) to him.  On occasion I put in one of the photos I've taken.  I was thrilled to participate in the Moore, OK Benefit Crop!  The one challenge which was an absolute must do was the Layering Challenge by Kimmie Robinson.  Most of the products on the page came from the Paper Bakery Kits March 2013 Scrapbooking Kit.

I drew my inspiration for my first layer from one of the Design Team Members at Split Coast Stampers over lunch when we took three classes together at Crop Paper Scissors in Waco.  And I'm terribly sorry I don't remember her name.  Her comment was, 'Since your analytically inclined why not use numbers on your layout.'  Took me 10 months to do so.  This is a photo of one of my son's best friends and a young man who is like a second son to me.

I loved this layout when I was done!  And I'm hooked.....just haven't done another layering layout since I did this one!  But I will!  It's a great way to use up the scraps.

Until next time!

Delight - Nuts About Sketches #274

I am a week behind on posting my Nuts About Sketches layout!  So let's take a peek at this week's sketch #275.  A wonderful two pager and gorgeous layouts by the design team on the blog!

I had a busy week and no time to print out photos to work with this sketch!

I do though wish to share with you the layout I did for Nuts About Sketches #274.

This sketch just just spoke about fun all through it!  The June Paper Bakery Kit when it arrived was loaded with pure fun!  I couldn't resist to use it to work with this picture of my wonderful son James!

Thank you for taking a peek and please check out the wonderful sketches at Nuts About Sketches!

Until next time.... 

By The Book

It is truly fun to wave yet again at which ever number of agencies love to keep track of what we are up, too! Since my last post using the 'Zubaydahh's' name in a post I have seen a spike in page visits excluding some of those spam so called blog rating type sites.  The two most recent are blogsrating.pw, filmhill, and topblogstories.  Don't click on them rule going on for me....and checking by googling them first.  The New Frontier blog has info on these and a good place to learn about safety on the net.  Another spike as Snowden leaked about NSA.  I'm taking no opinion either bad or good on this one on my blog as my blog is about my love of family, ranch/agriculture, and scrapping in that order.

What I will say is I have been a "security mom" since 9/11 and saw the horror on my daughter's face as she saw the towers fall for the first time.  I want my children safe even though they are now mid-20's.  So just one last thing I do worry about since the Boston Bombing.  Are the various agencies sharing information?  I get spikes every time I post Zubaydahh's and Ibn Zubaydahh's name.  I've purposely left off their registration numbers from my blog to protect my parent's address.  So guys looking into me.....the names have a double 'h' unlike the now deceased terrorist of the same name.  Are you communicating who I am with other agencies.....dig a little deeper because that will fully alleviate any possible fears about me!  Then by gosh share the information!  Besides....I do enjoy being able to share my loves with the world!  Not a single peep out of me about this from now on!

Now back to scrapbooking!  The second thing to GET DONE is my mother's horse album.  I cranked the numbers of layouts last month with this in mind.  A Cherry on Top Becky Fleck Challenge is always a great sketch to use!  There is usually two or three a month.  I've participated in two or three since it started last year.  This past month I participated in Becky Fleck Sketch Challenge #44 of this challenge as well as entering it in the Moore Oklahoma Benefit Crop Add a Banner Challenge by Debbie Sherman.  Carta Bella So Noted was the perfect line to use for this layout and the next layout of Zu's son.  I did the journaling in hopes I could somehow have Mom understand how to tell her story with her beloved mare.  To her photos only need a date and where.  Not the why, when or how ever to be added.

Even more fun I won the ACOT Challenge!  The 1000 points I will put towards my Cyber Monday purchase  is so appreciated!!!  So join in on the fun!

Then I utilized my often used technique of making a double page spread without doing both at the same time and may not look at all the same but use the same line of papers.  The next layout is AC about 3 months of age and photos taken at the same time as the photos of his mother in the above layout.

For this one I took my inspiration from another Juliana Michaels' sketch she did for Paper Bakery Kits.  I love her sketches.  I added the banner to again match Zubaydahh's layout!

This reminds me as I'm a member of the Paper Bakery Kit Club I need to take a look to see if the new kits are in.  I love love all of their kits and wish I had time to get all three!  A fourth kit is being added this month! Paper Bakery's website has a new look so definitely check it out.  Love the new sketch for the first half of the month and saw it last week.  But the blog has not made the complete transition so decided to post the sketch from 17 turtles, Juliana's blog!  More for me then ya'll but please enjoy the sketch!  I love her sketches!

Until next time!

Unlikely Christmas Layout

This was probably the most fun I had with a layout in June.

Christmas in June Challenge at ACOT called for a monochromatic layout choosing traditional Christmas color.  One was allowed to use neutral colors and you could have a hint of the another traditional Christmas color.  You also had to have some sort of bling and the hostess of the challenge loved light strings.  I pulled my 2012 November Paper Bakery Scrapbook Kit "Street Lamp" out and when I saw the Classic Studio Calico Chain Paper I could imagine a Christmas Light Wall.  From there it was easy to select the papers and embellishments from the kit Added some washi tape, buttons and a Chic Tag from my stash and the layout came together quickly.  Then reached for Gold Ice, Cherry Ice and Diamond Stickles to fill in random circles on the Chain Paper.  Oh what fun!!!  Once dried I sealed the stickles with Glossy Accents.  Since it had buttons it also qualified for the Take 2 Challenge.

Yes Q and that's James' cat's name looks a bit Freaky!  Christmas Layout with a Halloween Layout Title.  FUN!

My Ride

I have been absent from blogging with a huge amount of MOJO going on when it comes to my scrapping.  Even as I type I would rather be at my table playing with paper and glue.  Next layout I'm thinking about is using Bo Bunny Anthem & Liberty to work with a photo of my mother taken on July 4, 1976.  I also love love the June Paper Bakery Scrapbook Kit.  Can't wait to play with it, too!  Sadly already out of stock.  But take a peek at the Mixed Media Kit and Project Kit because they still have some.  They announced to members the reveal of their new website on July 15th!  Looking forward to it! I cranked out 12 layouts since my last post that are posted on my gallery and finished another for next week's Nuts About Sketches post!  I haven't had that much mojo in I don't know when.

Tuesday is usually the day I post my design team work for Nuts About Sketches and it's exactly what I want to share.  The photos are James'. He took them with his cell phone while out in the Main Pasture at the ranch.  Now why he would want to ride his KLR back there is beyond me.  We have more thorns then you can even begin to count.  Mowing the pastures as we don't use chemicals is the only way we control weeds.  Small mesquite and prickly pear end up leaving thorns all over the ground.  Fortunately no flat tires.  The two photos Mom likes the most are the bottom two.  This young bull calf is stretching in the left.  He's just adorable!

I used the May Paper Bakery Scrapbook Kit "Glitz Road Show"!  What an awesome kit full of fun colors and unique patterns.  Then also take a peek at this month's 4x4 Challenge over at A Cherry on Top as this is the example for the challenge.  Fun challenge and very specific, the ladies who regularly do this challenge are so creative with it!

Here's the sketch for this week from Nuts About Sketches.  Join in on the fun sketch whether you choose a single page layout or double page!

Life's Notes

This past weekend the ladies I met when I started to scrap still get together for a monthly crop.  It's held at Cutaway Lodge.  I absolutely quiet atmosphere, watching movies and seeing what all my friends are working on.  Good friends, good food and scrapping....heaven for me!

I love the bi-weekly MMC (Monday Morning Crops) hosted by art_teacher at the message board at A Cherry On Top.  We have such a grand time.  Four challenges presented for the first crop this summer.  For this layout I chose MMC 6-3 Challenge #1.  The challenge had a sketch and required a music theme.

At the crop Saturday I picked out three papers from my May Paper Bakery May Scrapbooking Kit:  Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Dreamy & Moments along with Studio Calico Sundrifter Vellum.  I completely cut up the Dreamy paper to mat photos and fussy cut nine cameras.  Took my CM Hexagon punches and used three different size hexagons.

Here's the sketch:

And here's My Creation: 

I took myself down memory lane of where I was when my mother took these photos in late spring 1984.  Of course Mom has never been able to take a good photo to save her life.  I was working for Royal Palm Arabians at the time in Lake Worth, FL.  And missing my home state something terrible.  I also went back and remembered my four years in high school with Koki my constant companion in the afternoons after school.  Weekends I was at a play day or Competitive Trail Ride.  Most would not think a barrel racing horse and Competitive Trail Horse would be one and the same.  But Koki was both.  She always took me 1st or 2nd in every single ride I rode in Youth or Adult Competition.  All of the conditioning for trail made her a better barrel horse.  We dropped two seconds off her time.  She had something to look at other then the rails of an arena day in and day out.

I also smiled as I looked back at another post back in 2009 what it was like to grow up in the Clear Lake area with Koki and my FFA friends.  Thank you for the challenge art_teacher!

Until next time!

Intelligent

What fun this week's sketch is over at Nuts About Sketches!  It's week #264 with an excellent sketch!

I rotated the sketch and kept the elements using mostly Studio Calico to once again do a layout with Zuby as the focus.  I am also wondering, 'Is vellum coming back in?'  I hope so.  The Studio Calico paper and vellum along with the Simple Stories Burlap paper came in my January Paper Bakery Scrapbooking Kit.  I used the vellum for the circle element in my layout.  Everything else came out of my stash.  Fun sketch....oh yeah, I already wrote that!

My daughter took this photo Summer '09.  I probably have written about how intelligent Zuby is. One of the first things I remember learning about horses is to look at their eyes.  They will always without fail tell you exactly how the horse is feeling at that moment.  You quickly get an idea of his intelligence and character.  I can tell from the base of his ear that they are pricked forward and he's wondering why with interest what Lynn is doing.  At the same time it didn't take him long to become bored with the black box going 'click.'  Having him born in my arms I can immediately read what his mood is and what is interesting him at the time.  And how quickly he will find it either boring or continue his interest.  Lynn took some other photos this day which I will scrap soon. They show it didn't take him long to find much more interesting things to occupy that constantly moving mind of his.

I hope you enjoy this week's sketch and will take a peek at the amazing work the design team came up with!

Until next time!

A Scrappy Weekend for Me!

This weekend I'm happily scrapping.  So before I dive head first into all things paper for the weekend I thought I would share a few things going on over at A Cherry on Top.  May 4th is the NSD Crop from 9am-9pm.  There are a terrific team of hostesses this year who will provide us with a wonderful time for 12 hours.  If you have never been to an ACOT Crop mark your calendar and join the ACOT Community.  The forum is already buzzing with activity.

I'm very proud of myself this week as I just have really stepped up on the number of layouts done this month.   There is so much inspiration floating all over the web but I really fell head over heals with The Becky Fleck Sketch Challenge - Week #38.  I knew just the photos to use!  My result below.

 

I chose to use Studio Calico Countryside collection which I just love love execpt I wish the cows on the paper were not Holstein's.  At least they are colored so I could look past the cows not being beef cattle.  I also pulled out some odds and ends from my Paper Bakery Kits.  It felt good to be in the home I have all of my embroidery and stitching happily away on my layout! I haven't done that in awhile. I have a 5x7 photo of these five Charolais heifers that I'll do a page from the same line. I prefer doing single page layouts, but I've been known quite often to put two single pages together in an album to form a double page spread.  I didn't win but each week ACOT offers a 1000 points to the winner worth a five dollar discount on your total order.  Of course the more points you collect the larger the discount.  And I think there is a $20 minimum on an order to use your points.  LOL, I sure can't stop at $20 when I purchase scrappy goodness.

Becky Fleck Sketch Challenge - #41 is up and all layouts must be posted in the same Gallery by midnight on Tuesday April 30th.  In otherwords it is 11:59 on the 29th.

The Challenges for April are all due in on Tuesday so if you are looking for some great inspiration then take a peek here.  Of course you can scroll down to yesterday's post to find the Heritage Challenge link I host.  Next month I'll be bringing the 4x4 back and I'm working on that layout for the example right now.  On May 1st come back and see both the Heritage and 4x4 Challenge examples on Wednesday's post!

Until Monday may you have a blessed weekend!

Contentment!

I definitely have been in a progressive state of of MIA!  That terrible process of thinking I need to blog today....I'll do it tomorrow thing going on.  So today as it's 11:30pm CST on the 23rd and I'm doing at least one post for early tomorrow morning.  I have so much I wish to share in one post!

Some wonderful things going on in various places I visit!  Imaginisce and The Twinery have teamed up this week on their blogs to showcase some awesome projects their design teams have created via a blog hop!  Two great prizes to be awarded so definitely check this Blog Hop out.

Yesterday (4/23/12) Prima launched a new Ustream video 1+1 with Frank and Liz doing a mixed media album cover which I viewed.  Totally Awesome and you just have to watch!  I have more ideas in my mind for a mixed media mini album I'll be making for my mother this summer for her birthday in November.  Not to worry my mother is terrible at navigating the web and has no idea I blog or even what a blog is.  Thank you Frank & Liz!

I have been more scrappy though since my last post and wanted to share with you one of my new favorite layout with Belle as the subject!  I used my Paper Bakery Kit from March and just fell head over heals with the layout when I was done.  I also used Nuts About Sketches # 260 to do the layout.

I just love March's Kit!  It's colorful fun and so inspiring.  Unfortunately it has sold out.  Paper Bakery teamed up one week in March with Elle's Studio via their blogs and had some pure awesomeness going on.  This month's kit has also sold out!  If you hop over to take a look be sure to find the Exclusive Elle's Studio Flairs Sarah Designed and I used one this layout!  They are so much fun!

I had one of those moments where I didn't attach the photo of this layout to my email....dumb I know....and it's not on the Nuts About Sketches blog.  I was so busy I didn't go back and check my email either until after the layouts were posted to the blog!  Honestly, it started to thunder and the computers at the ranch and my scrapbook room are in the same separate building.  I hate being outside when a storm is coming in as I've almost been struck twice in the past.  That hair raising thing is a terrible  feeling!  So I was hurrying to move to the house.

Until next time and I hope it's a much shorter time period between posts enjoy your day to it's fullest!

BOOM!

As I scrap the photos my son gave me for an album(s) that will be his, I am reminded often I scrap them through a mother's eyes and not necessarily through his eyes as he sees the photos.  Prima's line Craftsman so fits the men in my family, Larry and James.  I've left space for him to journal about the photos if he wishes.    Yet this layout Mom did the journaling through the word stickers as she knew about the incident portrayed in the photos later that day.  When James saw the layout he smiled and said, 'That's great Mom!'  One of those comments Mom's just love when they also see the expression on their child's face.

Andrew and James have been good friends for years.  James had just purchased the bike in the photo and Andrew wanted to try it out.  The neighborhood we live in is very different then most Houston area neighborhoods.  The lots are a minimum of one acre.  There are few privacy fences so there is a feeling of a large spaces.  After driving up and down our street in the neighborhood he ventured through the rest of the neighborhood.  On one curve Andrew didn't take the curve well and slid the bike into the ditch.  Fortunately no injury's to him or the bike.  Of course Jame's took the photos.  James' friends have followed suit and they all have bikes now and spend one or two weekends riding together each month.  Andrew's entire family now has bike's and they ride as a family.

The inspiration for this layout came from Nuts About Sketches #256.  It's a wonderful sketch where you can easily make it as intricate one wants or a very quick simple layout!

I loved the detail of the sketch.  I started by not wanting to add the frame with the sketch.  When I purchased the Craftsman line from A Cherry on Top, I was in the state of, 'Washi Tape, WHY?  The Prima Craftsman Washi Tape came in my October Paper Bakery Scrapbooking Kit!

 I had this sudden realization this little jewel with the light bulbs was perfect for the layout.  A couple of minutes later I had the broken frame representing a light bulb moment and the mishap Andrew had about riding a bike.  I was stunned at the ease of use the ability to re-position the tape and now was hooked on Washi Tape.  Promptly my Wishlist at A Cherry on Top became one third full of Washi Tape!  Most of  the Washi Tape is represented by Prima in my Wishlist.

By the way if you have not discovered Paper Bakery Kit Club you need to take a peek at the fabulous Scrapbooking Kits, Project Kits, and Mixed Media Kits.  Sarah puts together the best kits ever!  An added plus is the fabulous design team Sarah has put together.  Check their projects out on Paper Bakery Kit Blog!  Next week, March 18-22 Paper Bakery Kit Club Blog will be teaming up with Elle's Studio blog for some fantastic fun and inspiration with a give-a-way or two during the week!  I'll be there and I can not wait to get this month's kit!

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!

Halloween 1988

How exciting we leave for the National Western Livestock Show!!!  Whoop!

Somewhere in a lower post I promised to catch up on my layouts for Nuts About Sketches!  So here goes, and look for two or three a week to get them up on my blog because Shawn's sketches are definitely something to brag about!

Halloween has always been a favorite time of year.  Maybe because my birthday is the day before and my dear Mother's birthday is the day after.  We tease each other and say 'Your almost a Witch!'  When you grow up with three days in a row of celebrating something it truly was a time when I was a child to look forward to.  I finally got around to posting my two beautiful children when they were little ones.  Lynn is 21 months and James is three months.  I think the biggest transition I see is in my ability to take better photos.  I'm more patient with myself in taking a photo.  I don't get in a huge hurry any more.  I've also realized I need  to turn that camera 180 degrees.  And I'm thinking about it enough I'm getting more portrait photos.

My two are cutie pies in these photos!  I just loved how this layout turned out using products from my September Paper Bakery Kit Club goodies!

And of course the Nuts About Sketches # 236 is a definite fun sketch to work with!

I have fallen in love with every kit Paper Bakery sends my way.  A great place for something a little different to challenge your mind a definitely a must view page!  oooo....wouldn't I love to be on their design team, maybe sometime in the future!  This month my Add-on Kit I subscribe to and then I couldn't resist the Project Kit I will present to my SIL when I arrive at their house for Thanksgiving.  LOL....don't worry she doesn't even know I blog!  In just a few minutes I'll have it hanging from their balcony and have a picture of it!  October Project Kit:

And this is this September's Add-On Kit which is still available:

Have a wonderful week paper crafting and don't forget to check out this week's sketch at Nuts About Sketches.