The Sampler's Sketch Challenge Blog Hop!

Welcome to my leg of The Sampler's Blog Hop! Super quick i wanted to share my take on this month's sketch challenge which you can find at the SBSRUS Contest Page and share some giveaway goodness!

i created a layout using this month's kit and what it naturally leans towards, THE HOLIDAYS!


The moment I saw the plaid pp, i was in love! I LOVE I TELL YOU! And the colors are traditional, but not traditional. ya know what i mean?


A combination of alphabets almost always end up on layouts! in November's kit what do you think i found? two perfectly coordinated alphas from basic grey. perfect sizes for jounaling AND titles. not to mention that that is the BACK side of a beautiful crushed velvet ribbon that happens to have the crochet on the back. love it! could hardly decide which side to use....


I love to use rub-ons on my photos for that extra bit of journaling, but often find that I have to press too hard to get them to transfer and end up leaving scratch marks on my photos. BUT, the rub-ons from American Crafts that are in November's kit are fantastic! Hardly any pressure and the entire image is transferred perfectly.

NOW, FOR THE GIVEAWAYS!!!

So here's the deal. We have a ton of giveaways for this hop! A TON! I know I will be giving at least 3 prizes away and there will be at least 3 more grand prizes! How do you enter you ask? leave me a comment telling me what your favorite part of the November kit is! You have from today until November 29, 2010!


On with the Hop!
Be sure to check out the other design team member's posts today!
Sandy's Kick Off Post

Alaina's Blog

Amber's Blog

Holly's Blog (YOU ARE HERE!)

Sarah's Blog
Whether I'm your 1st or last stop on our hop, I do hope you've had a fantastic time! Also, be sure to check out our current design team search as well!
sunshine&bunnies,
holly*

victory!

i found it! the atg gun has been found and i am no longer adhesiveless! this makes my world much more complete. today has been a great day. got some work done this morning before the little man woke up. lunch with husband and a co-worker of his.

i have some quick gift tutorials in mind including a break down of my DEstress fridays at Memories Live On and some super quick, super easy treat bags. Lately I have been loving Imaginisce. so many great papers and embellishments to choose from. and, omg, i {HEART} my itop. {HEART} i tell you! i put together this layout super fast after i stumbled into this photo of the boy at his 2 year old check up. i cant believe this was OVER two years ago. ugh. no fair!

in other very serious business news, i have an upcoming class for... wait for it... wait for it... a December Daily journal using The Sampler's November kit inspired by no one else but Ali Edwards herself.

In the class we will break down our kits and use them to create a mostly simple journal/mini album that will capture our holiday memories as they happen but with out the stress of all the creativity. hehe. of course, as with most classes with me, you will get the chance to play with some fun goodies (ie paints, inks and goodness knows what else i will drag in) as well! there will definitely be a sense of accomplishment at the end of the class and then at the end of every day you journal in december because it will be so simple to get it FINISHED! Get more information on this class and more at Memories Live On.

Why are weekends so short?

Really? It seems like there should be another Sunday. Or something. Ridiculous.

Since the disappearance of the ATG, I had a bit of time on my hands. So this weekend I managed to get some deeper than usual cleaning done (good stuff i know!) and made some super yum dinners for husband and his family. Husband's dad's birthday was this past week so a celebration was definitely in order. Phil's Fish House cioppino is one of my personal all time favs! but its pretty pricey eating it at phil's. BUT NOW I can buy the base frozen at Shopper's Corner for a fraction of the cost. a quick trip to whole foods and costco for select seafood delights and i can make a HUGE pot of cioppino for the cost of pretty much a single bowl at Phil's. i'm stoked. these crabs were not....



anywho, back to my plight of the missing ATG. i felt like i was taking crazy pills all weekend. seriously. BUT, apparently, crazy pills also have a dose of creativity because oh man did i create this weekend. I had a stash of 3 half used jumbo glue sticks, two mostly new mono adhesive tape runners, the better part of a roll of double-sided tape as well. i say HAD. its gone. Not to mention the two or so packs of glue dots i also finished off but that's a normal situation for this craft desk. but yah, mini albums and layouts were assembled en mass. as usual, a few need some details.... here are a couple quick things i managed to finish...

quickie layout using a pencil lines sketch. love it! lately i've been really digging sketches. even if i'm making the sketch myself. sometimes the paper just wont talk to me until i have a game plan. (sometimes it does... this is when we worry...) i'm slowly pulling out and scrapping my stash of polaroids. these came out a bit on the dark side, but Tyler brightens anything up. The sketch really let me keep this layout clean! Very pleased!

products used: The Sampler's November Kit!

i also worked on some mini albums and had some scraps. i have such a hard time parting with these tiny pieces these days. needless to say, my card collection is getting ridiculous because so so so many of them are turned into cards.

products used: little yellow bicycle "savor" collection papers and cardstock stickers




and omg, how cute is this guy!??!?! Imaginisce just released their new Enchanted Collection and its too adorable for words. Typically, i'm not one to go for the super cutesy, BUT i can see spring in this line! i highly recommend you check it out!

anywho, i have a couple details to add to my layout for this friday's blog hop project for The Sampler! Not to mention, work on packaging MORE giveaways! i'm up to 14 packages already with all kinds of goodies from kits past, present and future! good times!

sunshine&bunnies,
holly*

M.I.A.

dear peoples of the internet!

i have officially impressed myself. i have lost my scotch ATG gun. L.O.S.T. gone. vanito. (that's not a word, huh?) its out of here. no where to be found. and OH have i looked for that bright red hunk of plastic. i mean really, ITS HUGE... The adhesive selection is getting pretty grim right about now. last night i went through all of my old mono adhesive runners and some random double sided tape. you know the kind with the white backing. and even two craft bond glue sticks! we're talking adhesive dark ages here people!

 

here is the last known photo of the adhesive gun in question. if found, please giggle under your breath and watch me squirm.

if not now, then when?

I have been thinking about these five simple words all week long since i read a post by Elsie. She makes a most valid point. If not now, then when? When I think about it, the phrase doesn't tell me to live for the moment, but instead pushes me to go with my gut and, well, just do it.

I whipped up a canvas to just remind me of this. The wall of canvas are coming together very nicely. This one i think will continue to instill that spirit of giving it my all and then a little more every day.

sunshine&bunnies,
holly*

products used: pink paislee brooch brads, american crafts thickers, kaiser crafts paint

short and sweet

that's pretty much how today went. The little one got his flu mist stuff this morning and we hit costco for a couple things. i ending up walking out of there with a crock pot. not totally sure how i feel about crock pot cooking. i mean, it fits into my desire to do slow foods because, well, its slow... and i know that so many people swear by their crocks.... BUT, it just feels a bit on the lazy side. kinda. oh i dont know. it just takes up so much space on my counter and i have VERY limited kitchen space. well. for now. it has a counter to live on and i'm digging up recipes. it would be nice to come home and have dinner ready.

so i spent a good chunk of today cleaning up around the house and contemplating keeping the new kitchen appliance. short and sweet. a simple day spent around the house. those are the best.

i do want to share this short and sweet mini album that i will be making for this week's DE-stress Friday's at Memories Live On. very excited to make a few more of theses with everyone!

 

anywho, i think i will call it an early night and hit the hay. lots of work to do tomorrow.

sunshine&bunnies
holly*

happy

it seems like part of the internet is down. and i cannot schedule some posts at The Crop Spot that i have been working on. unfortunate. but i can take the time to share at least one layout with you guys that i finished up not too long ago.

Tyler really does love spending time outside regardless of his attire. the rain boots are classic. Love the latest We R Memory Keepers line not to mention how simple it is to use a touch of stickles and SRM stickers for easy, easy details.

For now, I think its time for some rest and to leave the rest of my blogging until tomorrow. If you havent already, check out the sampler's November kit, "Falala Yuletidings"! IT'S AMAZING!

its back!

this week has worked out BUT painful with out my lovely laptop. so many online shenanigans i have missed out on. blogs to read. projects to post. go go go!

while with out my laptop i did manage to get some rockin things worked on. big plans to take photos and share tomorrow! one thing i did make and managed to photograph was my pumpkin from halloween. it was a cute, fat little pumpkin that got a cute, fat little face.

 

anywho, just wanted to celebrate my laptop returning home. back to work for me!

sunshine&bunnies,
holly*