Write Your Story on my Heart

I *finally* had an opportunity to get to my craft desk, and I've been wanting to do another canvas for so long! I started with one idea, didn't like how it was headed, and started going in a completely different direction. This piece originally wasn't going to have a girl on it, but once the background was done, it just seemed right.
I'll be honest, I'm not thrilled with this background. I started by decoupaging a map patterned paper onto the canvas, which was too busy of a choice, I think .I tried to tone it down a bit, but then it just started looking muddy. I prefer to start with a more simple background and add more dimension and texture through layers rather than a busy background. Lesson learned!

 My new favorite song is called Write Your Story on my Heart by Francesca Battistelli. I love it's message and the reminder to be open to God's voice and leading in life. I love using song lyrics on canvases, because looking at them brings me back to that time in my life and reminds me how far I've come!

 

Another publication!

Hey everyone! I have to let you know about this awesome new online class I've signed up for. It's hosted by the one and only Christy Tomlinson (swoon!!). She is sharing videos each month explaining her crafty goodness, and I can't wait until I can watch the first video (hopefully that's on the docket for tonight!!). Check out the link to the class here!

This is a project published in this month's Hobby Lobby's Stamping, Stationary, and Scrapbooking Magazine. It was super fun and easy to make, especially since Glue Dots® were holding everything together!
My biggest suggestion for making cards or scrapbooking pages that coordinate but still have a ton of interest is to use papers out of the same stack. You're guaranteed a finished product that stands out from the crowd! I used The Celebration Stack by DCWV for every paper on this card!

I used a lot of stitching on this card: around the blue cardstock, and adding a little detail to the top of the pennant banner. The candle is a paper straw that I cut to size.
I added a little depth to the center by cutting out the same shape that was already on the card and adhering it with a Pop Up Glue Dot®. The Happy Birthday banner is also popped up to match the depth of the paper straw.

No birthday party is complete without a party hat, so I made one of those, too! Using a piece of cardstock from the same paper stack, I made the base of the hat, using Continuous Glue Lines® to adhere the edges together. I made a pom pom from some old yarn to stick to the top.






I was already feeling pretty high on the creative totem pole, so I went out on a limb and decided to sew some crepe paper for the bottom. I wasn't sure how my sewing machine would tolerate the fragile paper, but it went through like a breeze. I stitched a straight line down my folded paper, then used my fringe scissors to cut the edges.


 So I know for a lot of you creative, crafty folks, a magazine publication isn't the biggest deal in the world, but to me, this is huge!! I can't bring myself to actually give this card to anyone for their birthday...maybe some day I'll get over that, but no time soon!

Mom + Me = Love

Here's another page that I did on my scrapbooking weekend last October. Like I said in yesterday's post, I was trying to get a bunch of older pictures finished and onto pages, including these from my daughter's birth.
I came across a sketch from Creating Keepsakes that I followed for this layout. I love the two completely different patterned papers working together here. I've said it [a million] times before, and I'll probably say it [a million times] more: using paper that comes from the same paper pack takes the guesswork out of figuring out what 'goes'. Too matchy-matchy isn't my style, but getting unique papers to coordinate makes a page work!

 Here's a close up of that fabric flower. I love it!! My mother, who totally knows my style, bought a ribbon of these fabric flowers (joined by a mesh-type backing) from Stampin' Up!. I LOVE THEM! I used the Stampin' Write markers and colored it with the brush tip. Completely customizable and pretty!

I've been on a doily kick for quite some time now, stealing them from under cups at restaurants (classy, I know! LOL!), buying any and every style I can get my hands on! I used them on this page for not only visual interest, but journaling spots, as well. I didn't want my journaling to be too bold on the page, so I used a soft colored marker to write in my text.


Whew! Two days of blogging in a row! Someone call a doctor...I might have a fever!!

I'm alive. I promise!

Wow.

A two month hiatus.

Seriously?!
Whew!


The holidays around here went quick and were super busy, but we had a great time visiting family out of state and close by, as well. The kids had a great time all month with their special elf friend, Chippy (Elf on the Shelf).

Back in the middle of October (sheesh...that was a long time ago!!) I went to a scrapbooking retreat with my great friend, Kasey, and my mom, Marty. It was just us, a big house with ample space, and our crafty supplies for three whole days! We had a ton of fun, and I'm really excited to be able to set something up again soon!

While I was there, I got a TON of layouts done. I went back to when my daughter was born (she's almost four now...lol!) and got a bunch of those hospital pictures done. Feels good to get things finished!! Over the next few days, I'll be posting about random pages I got done while I was there. I didn't take the time to write down paper packs and designers, so I hope no one minds!

I played with a million different layouts to fit all 11 pictures, a title and journaling on the page. I love how it turned out!

This is a page that had no kids on it...I think that's a first! Before we moved states, we tried to have pretty regular game nights with our friends Scott and Jennifer. It was always a hilarious time with lots of food, laughs, and usually at least one of us making a food of ourselves. The night of these pictures, we were playing a game called Quelf, which lends to our crazy antics with the very nature of the game.

The title is a mixture of three different Thicker styles.

Here's to hoping for more regular posts!!
Happy New Year!