It's been a long time...

Boy it has been a little over a month since I have done an actual layout. I did this one for a challenge over at ACOT. The challenge was to partner up with another scrapper and use the same products. I was lucky enough to partner with a wonderful and talented scrapper Laura Fiore. We chose to use 2 patterned papers, chipboard, Thickers and at least 5 different ribbons.

This was a real challenge for me because I tend to stick with one patterned paper and the ribbon....well forget about that!

I also decided that I wanted to try my hand at another layout size. This one is an 11x8.5 this size was so fun to work with, maybe even a little easier than a 12x12.

She did it!

Alyson has been growing her hair long so that she can donate it. Easier said than done. Sappy mommy that I am tried to make an appointment for her, but broke down crying. Why, it's only hair, it will grow back, it is HER hair and it is for a good cause. After days of finally convincing myself of these things, I toughened up and made the appointment. She was so excited and when they made that first cut, only a few tears were shed, by mommy, not Alsyon. She was so happy and squealed like it was Christmas and she just opened up that one gift she really wanted. And can you believe after seeing the excitement in her and how cute she looked, mommy actually wished that maybe it was a little shorter. So now we have 10 inches of my daughter's beautiful hair to be sent out so that someone who needs it will look just as beautiful. I am so proud of my baby girl!

My Father's day...

I know I have been a little absent from here, things have been a little busy. My dad just came up from Florida and I got to spend some time with him. I didn't really realize how much I missed him until we were waiting for him to come and visit. Anyhow, He came over for Father's day and we did the bbq thing and I made him spaghetti with homemade spaghetti gravy. We had our usual luck and as soon as we got the food on the grill...the skies opened up and poured! This happens anytime we have a bbq, go figure! And can you believe with 3 people taking pictures we could not manage to get one half-way decent photo.The first picture is the best of the worst, and the second one, well, sorry sis, I had to crop you out of this one, it was the best one, but your eyes were closed. All in all we ended up having a great time!

Micro challenge at CAARDVARKS...

I had to laugh when I saw the micro challenge at CAARDVARKS. I guess I am not alone when it comes to making a masculine or boy card. This challenge was to make a birthday card for a man or boy. I just posted a father's day card and commented on how hard it was for me to make a non girly card...ya know, one without pinks and flowers and ribbons and bows. I do think I did manage to get a half way decent card out of this challenge so thank you CAARDVARKS!

Getting ready...

Today hasn't started all that well. I am not feeling that great, I have to work, I have to make spaghetti gravy and to top all of that off I have to clean the house. My dad is coming in from Florida and will be coming over on Sunday. Everyone that knows me, knows that I am a slob and a major procrastinator so this is the norm for me...putting everything off until the last minute possible. I have a few hours today and not really too much time tomorrow(I work that horrible shift 11-7).

Guess what? Yesterday I was a STAR! My father's day card was chosen at ScrapAttack making me Star of the Day. Can you believe that? One of my cards! I really haven't done too many layouts lately, still trying to get rid of some scraps, plus to be perfectly honest with you, I really don't have too many good pictures. I really didn't get that many(which is a surprise)with winter and all of this crappy weather we have been having. Plus, I want a new camera!

I really wont have time today to get any scrappy things done so I figured I would just put up a couple of my favorite pictures of the kids. Right now the only good photo I have of my son is his school picture. He is at the age now where I almost have to bribe him to let me take his picture. Alyson, on the other hand, is always doing something and saying "take my picture mommy".

Just wanted to add....My house smells like my grandma's house used to smell. All those yummy smells of the spaghetti gravy cooking! YUMMMM!!!

A challenge from A Cherry on Top...

The first challenge that I chose to post here is one from ACOT. I chose this one because it is outside my comfort zone not only because it is to make a card, but because it is to make a masculine card. Normally I "make" cards and they are girly with lots of flowers so this one was not so easy. The actual challenge was to make a Father's Day card using a monogram. You can check it out along with the other monthly challenges the Creative Team has at http://www.acherryontop.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=190646

If you want to do this challenge, I would love to see your creation so feel free to post it here.

A real challenge...

Alyson's card
My card

A good challenge in my definition is something that really makes you think outside your comfort zone. This card challenge at Caardvarks was just that! Really anything that has to do with cards is outside my comfort zone so please be kind! Alyson, my daughter has been trying to follow in her mommy's shoes and really wanted to get involved and do these challenges with me so we took her to Michael's last night and let her pick out some stuff to make her own card for this challenge. She had so much fun doing this and is so proud of her creation I just had to submit it to the challenge also.

At my scrapbook hangouts they all have bi-weekly, or monthly challenges so for each site I am going to pick the one that is most outside my comfort zone and post them here with my finished project. If you think any of them are something you would like to do, please feel free to do them and post a link I would love to see what you come up with. I will post later the other challenges that I am going to attempt.

Just wanted to add the card on the top is Alyson's who is 7 years old.

Mine is an invite, I ran out of ink in my printer so I could not print the info on the tag in the middle that does pull out.

Not so productive....

I knew I was bad at making cards, but so bad that I sat there all afternoon trying to make one, only to come up with nothing but a big mess on my desk? I found a new site that focuses on cards with bi-weekly card challenges and I think this site is wonderful and will really help me out. This site is Caardvarks. The tag I posted earlier was for the last challenge they had. You should really check out this site. Some really talented card makers there! So here I sit trying to make a card worthy enough to put up on this site as to not embarass myself. So again, if you have the time go check it out.

I did manage to get outside for a bit yesterday, it was so hot! Funny to think a couple of weeks ago we were complaining about summer never getting here and then BAM! here comes summer. One of the crazy "perks" of living in Chicago, we go from one extreme to another in the blink of an eye. While I was outside I noticed that some of the plants that we planted had some blooms on them so I did get a picture of that. This plant is my daughter Alyson's Asiatic Lilies. She was so excited to see the flowers. She goes out every morning to check on all of them.

A new resolution...

I suck at making cards, therefore I usually steer away from making them. Don't get me wrong, I have a whole box of them just sitting in a corner. All from challenges(thanks ACOT) that I am afraid to give out. I finally used a couple of them and I did find (even if they suck) people appreciate them so much more when you take the time to make them yourself. So with that said, I am making a new resolution...I am going to make cards with the scraps left over from my layouts! I am going to use every last scrap because that is another thing I have boxes and boxes of sitting in corners never getting used.

I recently made a card for my daughter's teacher for the end of the year and guess what, I actually LOVED how it turned out! I was so proud of this card so I thought I would share it here.

June tag for Caardvarks tag challenge

This is my tag for the monthly tag challenge. I made the tag for June.

Thanks for looking!