Sketchy Thursdays...Santa Visit!

This layout was SO much fun!  I absolutely loved the simplicity of the sketch from Sketchy Thursdays and this paper....  I have to tell you about this Christmas Mint paper from SEI.  I actually saw it for the first time last year in a LSS, but, they only had 2 or 3 papers left from the collection.  I tried to resist and finally gave up this fall and ordered it off Amazon when my husband asked if there was anything I wanted that would help meet the minimum total to earn free shipping...woohoo...couldn't ask for a better excuse! ;O)  I absolutely love the color combo!!

These pictures turned out so great...this was the first year Owen agreed to sit with santa without ME being in the picture too!!!  I was so relieved!!!  All of the brads I used are glitter brads, but, they don't show up very well...bummer, I love the sparkle!

Paper:  SEI Christmas Mint
Cardstock:  Cocoa and White Daisy
Ink:  Clover Meadow, Cranberry, and Cocoa
Stamps:  Small Chocolate Alpha, Homestead Alpha, and I Believe
Other:  Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch, EK Success Border Punch, American Crafts Glitter Brads, Cricut Cartridges, and Stickles

Celebration of Life....No, Nobody Died!

Owen goes to a Montessori school and they tend to be a little more politically correct I guess.  So, instead of a birthday party they told us about the "Celebration of Life" that they wanted to do for Owen.  We had to be their by 11am on his birthday, provide a healthy snack complete with utensils/plates, read the class Owen's favorite story, give a "short presentation", and have a picture timeline as a visual prop.  A bit much don't you think!!  Anyway, we of course complied as we don't want our kid to be the only one whose parents don't show to celebrate with them!!  Well, I should say, "I" complied...Dave would go, but, only if he didn't have to do anything...super beneficial right!

So, to start with they sat us down in a circle with Owen and I at the front.  I had to give a brief description of the day Owen was born and then he picked up a small globe and walked around a picture of a sun that they had in the middle of the circle.  As he walked, his teacher, Ms. Laurie, told the class how there are 365 days and 52 weeks in a year and that's how long it takes the Earth to circle the Sun.  Then Owen sat down and I told about his first year and he repeated the walk around the sun...this was repeated until he turned 4.  I thought it was a little creepy personally, but, Owen took it very seriously and you could tell how important it was to him and how proud he was to get to do it.  I guess that makes it all worth it!

I had no idea what his teacher was looking for as far as a time line goes and ended up throwing this quick little layout together.  The right side had his last name on it, but, I've blurred it out, so, you'll have to just envision it.  The kids all liked the Stickles I put on the flames of the candles...they were all really cute and I actually enjoyed spending some time with all of them.  I'm also glad I put this together...I left it in the classroom, so, it's definitely seen better days, but, it makes me realize how much he's changed to see the pictures side by side like this.  How cute was he with that big red nose when he was born...our own personal Rudolph just in time for Christmas! ;O)

Cardstock: Sky, Outdoor Denim, White Daisy, Honey, and Sweet Leaf

Other:  Cricut Cartridges-Stretch Your Imagination (cake) and Plantin School Book (Font), Stickles

Teachers Gifts

Finally!!  I got to play a little today after wrapping-up Owen's birthday last weekend!!!  FYI, a birthday on a Sunday evening is not a good plan!  I try not to have his parties on a Saturday because it always conflicts with office Christmas parties.  But, I've got to come up with a new plan.  It stinks to have to clean up after a party and then get up around 5 am the next morning!!  He seemed to have a great time, so, that's the important part I suppose!

Vicki Wizniuk posted a coffee cup card on her blog here back in October.  I knew then that I had to make those for Owen's teachers to hold a Starbuck's gift card...it seems to me that anyone that spends their days with 25 3-5 year olds NEEDS caffeine! ;O)  Anyway, I of course waited until today to get these going...so, they were a little rushed.  I had to get them done in time to drop-off today because Owen won't have class again until January 4th.  But, I think they still turned out pretty cute.

Vicki used a template she purchased at My Creations, you also get a similar super cute cupcake template.  But, I tried every which way and couldn't get my Paypal or Credit Card to go through.  So, I had to wing it.  I think I did o.k., but, I'm sure it would have been much cuter with an actual template.  I'm going to have to keep trying.  I HAVE to have the cupcake version!!  I didn't take any pictures of the inside, but, it's glued to the lid and you just slide the lid off to pull it out.

I should tell you that I took this pictures around noon today, but, it was overcast and already kind of dark. I hate to tell you how much photoshopping I had to do!!  I apologize for the poor pictures.  I'll have to come up with a better idea until our sunshine returns this spring!

Paper:  Bobunny, Basic Grey, and SEI

Cardstock:  White Daisy and Cranberry

Ink: Cocoa and Tsukineko Memento Ink in Bamboo Leaves

Stamps:  From Me to You

Other:  MS Snowflake punch, Spellbinders Dies, CTMH Cranberry Ribbon

Basic Grey Maps...Stuffed With Love

This will be my last post for today...I am going to get back to work on my latest layout.  With just 5 hours and 39 minutes of daylight these days, I had to drop everything and jump on the opportunity to get pictures of these and figured I met as well post all of them while I was motivated!

I have been admiring the Basic Gray Maps on the Pagemaps website for quite a while and was excited to get to put one to use.  I'm so glad that I took so many pictures of Owen with different toys when he was small, it really makes you realize how much he's grown and how small he actually was at one time!!  He has always seemed so much older than he truly is, it's hard to remember him ever being a baby!

Paper: Twitterpated
Cardstock:  Crystal Blue, Cocoa, and Colonial White
Ink: Cocoa, Cranberry, and Tsukineko Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa
Stamps:  Field Trip Alpha, Soul Mates, Comments, and Beary Much
Other:  Martha Stewart Border/Corner Punch, Stickles, EKSuccess Corner Rounder, and Zig Pen

The Scrappiest Sketch #90...Monkey Business

I'm still struggling to get the last of the pages done for my son's "baby book" which now encompasses 3 scrapbooks!!  I've created so many rules for myself and changed how I scrap so significantly since I started the books, I kind of feel like I've painted myself in a corner!!  It makes it kind of miserable to work on the pages and leaves very little room for creativity!!  Anyway, this was one more down and I was excited to use these rub-ons that I got a super great deal on as a clearance item at JoAnns.  Cute aren't they!

I love the sketches Liz creates at The Scrappiest.  They are always sweet and simple with lots of room for your own interpretation!!

Paper: Caprice
Cardstock:  Indian Corn Blue, Honey, Cocoa, and Colonial White
Ink:  Indian Corn Blue and Honey
Other:  JoAnns Essentials Brads, EK Success Border Punch, Fiskars Circle Punch, Colorbok My Wild Life Monkey Biz Glitter Rub Ons, and Zig Pen

Boys Best Friend and Hippity Hop Blog...

Believe it or not, I have been doing a little scrapping here and there even though I'm a terrible poster these days!!!  I did this page back in November and had high hopes in posting it in time for this super fun Hippity Hop Blog Hop Challenge...it was unlike any I'd ever seen before!  It involved 5 different blogs (Sassy Lil Sketches, Scrap Fit, Crop Suey, Scrap Tiffany, and The Cuttlebug Spot) and each blog added an additional component to the challenge.  Sassy Lil' Sketches kicked things off with this sketch (1) and the rest of the requirements were: (2) use 3 of the same thing on the layout; (3) use some lace; (4) add some texture or embossing; and finally, (5) get messy and use ink, paint or mist.

I really struggled with this sketch.  I don't love doing small pieces of B&T paper on a layout and despite the fact that it's all the rage, I'm not really into these banner things.  I ended up completing it over a week late, but, it was definitely fun to try and made me think outside the box!!  

Paper:  Caprice

Cardstock:  Crystal Blue and Colonial White 

Ink:  Cocoa

Stamps:  Rustic Alpha, Wishing Star, and Shining Star

Other:  Creative Memories Embroidery Floss, Me&My Big Ideas Soft Spoken Renee-Stars stickers, CTMH Mocha Adhesive Pearls, Fiskars Circle punch, EKSuccess Corner Rounder Punch, and Zig pen