Top Ten of 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!!!  Another year bites the dust and I wonder how it happens every darn time.......here's to praying the next one decides to be a little kinder.  Its a re-occurring wish year after year.   I'm not a big resolution kind of person  (maybe I just don't want to disappoint myself ;)  but honestly, I kinda try not to think too much about what lies ahead........eeeeeeek.  That's how the new year makes me feel.......hesitant.  We don't really have a great track record ;)  There is lots of good don't get me wrong, we just seem to get a few new things added to our plates every year.   Can't say we've had a "good" year in a really long time.......sighhhhhh.

Having said that I know how lucky we are in a lot of ways and I never let a day pass that I don't give thanks.  I make an effort to look for the joy in my life.   I cherish the obvious answers to prayers and the blessings of those who surround us.  We are well taken care of.  I know my Heavenly Father loves me and he's making sure I become the person he knows I can be.  With that perspective it makes it easier to get through those rough days.

I'm so so grateful for all my wonderful friends....they are my light in the darkness.  I'm thankful for my online friends that I have all over the world and for your support and friendship.  My online presence has changed this year,  decreased big time.....and that's ok, it needed to.  But I'm still here and will still be scrapping...you know it keeps me sane ;)

I hope you've all had a beautiful Christmas and I've got lots to share on that front in a few days.   For now I'll leave you with my top ten layouts of 2012....looking through them is always a good reminder of my joy, and I soak it up every time ;)

things to note:  5 layouts are October Afternoon....love much????

                         I apparently like doing 1 photo....even though I think I try not to do that ;)

                         everyone is represented, though 4 layouts are about Samantha

                         I have lots of other faves but they've been on the blog recently so I stayed away

                         from  them, but I've got a lot of good boy ones in the recent past ;)

and last but not least....I really miss scrapping and can.not.wait to get back in the groove!!

Happy New Year everyone and I hope the new year is a great one for all of us!!!

                       

Paper Issues Newest Issue!!!

Right Here, Right Now  is the latest issue at Paper Issues and my first challenge with them!

I was sent an amazing pack of paper goodies, perfect for Project Life, from NKat Designs.

Take a look....

 a week in July....i'm not behind.at.alllllllll.

 lots of cute diecut frames, arrows, numbers, journaling spots, tags and tabs

 i loved the little notebook paper diecuts and the tabs.....up here in my date box

 the Polaroid frames were awesome along with random little tabs

the clouds were super cute and perfect for these hot summer days

Won't you join us over the next 2 weeks and play along?  

Of course there is a prize up for grabs and lots of inspiration! 

Prize

3 Month Project Life Subscription

(this is a small sample)

NKat is also offering us a 15% discount in her store by using this code: PI15OFF

Here's what you do to win

Like Paper Issues on Facebook

Like NKat Designs on Facebook

Link up a project at Paper Issues

Here's the list of designers playing in this hop

Diana

Christina

Carol  < that's me ;)

Patricia

Kellie

And don't forget the Paper Issues store over at Etsy......all the scrappy goodness you need with amazing customer service!  Don't forget my code  CAROL  for that extra 20% off

Latest Challenge at Paper Issues

Wanted to pop in and share the latest challenge going on over at Paper Issues......I haven't scrapped in ages but dug out this old layout to share with you for the Shades of Grey challenge.  There is also an awesome prize pack from Basic Grey so hop on over,  there is still time to enter!!!

I made this layout earlier this year and it's still a fave ;)  

Grey background with lots of October Afternoon.

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On a side note....the craft show is over and I did well.  I'm sooooooooo happy!!!!

I even got a few special orders so I am busy sewing this week as well.  It is good work, but I can't wait to scrap again.  Another day or two and the paper is gonna be exploding all over the place :)

Happy 12 twelve 12

Whats Up???

I'm still here.........sewing like a crazy woman!!!

I'm participating in a craft show for the first time, starting tomorrow.  It's been super fun getting ready for it but my crazy life makes it hard for me to give as much time as I would like so I have been pulling some serious late nights lately.   

Wanna see what I'm making???

Cuuuuuuute kitchen towels...pretty sure i'll be replacing the ones in my kitchen with some of these ;)

Aprons

Camera Straps

Doll Bedding  (i wish i was a little girl!)

Tote/Scripture Bags

Burp Cloths

Ruffle onesies  (i have some boy ones too....minus the ruffles ;)

Little Ties

Headbands

....and a few other things I don't have photographed.   I can't wait....hope it goes well!!!  So come buy my stuff k!!!!  If you see something you're interested in and can't make the show let me know ;)

Here's the link to the FB page with all the info if you wanna come by,  there is TONS of awesome stuff for sale!!!

Scrap Lifting myself ;)

I haven't scrapped in weeks!!!!  When I have no actual obligation apparently it's harder to make the time to do it.  Life has been SUPER crazy.  Lots of drama and new obligations are keeping me busy!  But I do have a few things I haven't shared yet.  

I made this layout with the last kit from My Scrapbook Nook.  I really loved it and figured I'd do it again ;)

I pulled out an old line from October Afternoon....a camping line and used it for camping!!! duh.

 These were the boys packing up for father and sons with our church.  Jack was SUPER excited and waited what seemed like a lifetime for the big boys to get home.

I'm pretty sure Jack had way more fun than any of them ;)  He probably slept a lot better too!

I'm gonna have to find some time to scrap soon.....it's like an itch....gotta do it!!!

Halloween Festivities

This is a good depiction of what our Halloween was like this year.  Lil' bit cray cray!

 My baby ended up being my only one to photograph on the big night ;(

 He was all business.  As Batman should be I suppose.

 I love his little flip flop toes sticking out though....hahaahaahaa.

 Than he ran away from me.

These next pictures were taken a few days prior at our ward trunk or treat.  We never quite finished off Samantha's costume....Katniss from the Hunger Games.   The poor girl ended up completely sick on Halloween and missed school for the 3 days straight.   No trick or treating for her.  When Jack found out he would be the only one going out he got ticked off and said he wouldn't go at all then!  Wha?????????  Really.  I talked him into going but he pouted half the time and said he was giving all his candy to his sick sister and that he didn't want any of it!  And that's exactly what he did.

Kristen threw this get up together at the last minute and hit the neighborhood with a friend.  

I never saw her and had I realized the big stink that Jack would have made I would have 

had her stick around with us ;)

She was kind enough to share her bag with her big brother who, quite frankly is just too old to trick or treat.  Even though he wanted to ;)

It was definitely an odd Halloween and weird to think our days of doing this are getting shorter and shorter,  and my kids getting bigger and bigger!

Oct. Studio Calico Kit

 It's been a few weeks since i've been able to scrap.....and i miss it.  But the last thing i worked on was my Studio Calico kit.  This wasn't my favorite kit but it felt like a challenge and I pulled out every bit of color i could from it.  I loved some of the embellishments...especially the enamel dots, those are shiny and pretty!

It took me a bit to decide what to do with the super wide washi but I ended up having fun with this jumbo chevron. 

I pulled out pictures I had lying around from our trip to Lagoon last year.  They are quirky just like these pages.

Came up with a completely different color scheme for this, using some borders strips and SC advertisment tags.  A bit of washi and more of those enamel dots.

Life is crazy busy around these parts.....several birthdays this month and lots of crafting going on.  I've got lots to share in the next few weeks. 

Paper Issues December Daily

Just wanted to give a shout out for Paper Issues and there cool and funky December Daily that just hit the store today!

When you buy this kit, you are getting the kit plus a coupon code good for 30% off everything in the store.  So buy the kit with my code CAROL for 20% off and then get that extra code for anything else you need ;)

Jack rode a bike

So we tried to teach Jack how to ride a bike last year.

We bought him one....without training wheels.....and he wasn't very happy about it.

But you can't blame us....the ones with training wheels were fugly and we knew he'd outgrow that little thing way too fast!

But we convinced him he could do it....he was a big boy!

We took him to the park, got him going, he did great!!!

.

.

.

.

.

And he's never ridden since.

Well, unless you count the time I forced him out on the street to practice and he immediately got freaked out and quit.

Said he was too little and would do it when he was in first grade.

Well, now he is in first grade, and we aren't quite there yet!!!

But I did get these super cute pics of him that very first time and I scrapped em ;)

I liked the design of the page so much that I basically repeated it and sorta kinda made a double layout if you will ;)

All of our kids have been late bike riders.......and trust me when I say, he aint the latest in the bunch ;)

Here's to hoping he gives it another go!