SOCIAL MEDIA

Craft Room Clean-Up

12.30.2017

I posted this photo collage on Instagram this afternoon, sharing how excited I am to have had some time this afternoon to do some much need cleaning and re-organizing in my craft room. Perfect timing with the new year upon us to get some things in shape and my space ready for some new creations to be made.

Now I can't wait to get it all messed up again!!

XO,


Christmas 2017



Our Christmas was a little bit different this year...we had some sad news from friends and family health-wise, and it just made things difficult. If I'm being honest, my heart really struggled this year when it came to feeling the joy of the season. That coupled with not being able to see my parents or able to enjoy time at home with my family over their break from school made for extra feelings of disappointment.


My favorite memories of this year weren't from Christmas day, but rather from some of the moments leading up to it. One afternoon over break Ethan took Zoey to a neighboring town and surprised her by getting an old guitar re-stringed (the guitar was given to Zoey by a family friend) and also purchased an amp to go with. She was SHOCKED to say the least. The guitar has been sitting at our house with no strings for a long time. It was awesome watching Ethan teaching Zoey how to string the instrument, clean the instrument and then getting to watch them both playing it.



 I love that Zoey still set out a plate of cookies for Santa along with a note.


And another favorite...perhaps the best part for me, was having time to make homemade cut-out sugar cookies with Zoey. It took the better half of a day, we didn't ever get out of our pajamas on this day (or shower) and it was worth it.





If anything, this Christmas made all of us realize that we need to cherish the mundane, the regular, the everyday. It is so very good.

We are blessed.

XO,



Winter Fun | Scrapbook Layout

12.09.2017
 

I cleaned up my scrap space this afternoon and then had to mess it right back up again creating this little layout! :) It's my routine, mess it up...clean it up, mess it right back up again.


Zoey was hit hard with a stomach bug here this week which meant extra craziness for me. I missed some hours of my shift on Thursday at the library as I wasn't comfortable leaving her home alone when not feeling well, and that meant I went in early on Friday to try and re-coup those hours since it's Christmastime and well, every penny counts this time of year. Not a fun week! Hoping that I don't end up coming down with it now here this week. However I know that if anyone does, it will be me. I was right in the line of fire for all of it after all. Blah..blah. Not fun to be sick!!

Anyways...here's to hoping for good health and good cheer, (I think I may need well wishes for both!).

XO,



Story + Design with Get It Scrapped

12.06.2017

I am very excited to share that I have been invited to work with members of the Get It Scrapped community later this month! Amy Kingsford reached out to me awhile back asking if I would be interested and I immediately replied with a YES! 

This month we're telling stories of INTENTION and exploring the design aspect of CONTRAST. There will be design tips, page templates/sketches, inspiration, videos and more! Saying yes to this project meant that I had to stretch my bravery when it comes to being creative in my life. I had to learn some new things, like how to record myself speaking and then sharing that in audio format so it could be added to a video. 

The class will be in the membership December 14th. And if you're not a member, you can always join us at: getitscrapped.com/join


Thanks for joining me in my excitement! This is turning into a pretty great end of the year!

XO,



Simple Holiday Table Decor/Table Settings


You guys! I had to share this SUPER SIMPLE little craft for easily jazzing up your holiday table or for creating quick table settings (just add names to your trees). Simply cut scraps of holiday patterned papers into triangles, and adhere them together with a toothpick in between (for the tree trunk). Stick the other end of the toothpick into a Hershey's kiss and you have a little tree!! So adorable and EASY! Add a star on the top if you wish.

Enjoy your day!!

XO,


Super Simple Holiday Button Tag Ideas

12.05.2017
I had to come up with some simple ideas for gift tags for a holiday program we're having this week at the library. I thought that using buttons would be simple enough, even for those that may not think of themselves as necessarily being crafty. You can pick up various colors of buttons at the dollar store or even Walmart and the sentiments need not be stamped, they could be printed off of the computer and adhered to the tags as well.


I created three little samples for this, as you can see here...


I thought the snowman would be fun for little ones to help put together too!


Wishing you much peace in the days ahead as we are quickly approaching the countdown to Christmas!

XO,


Visiting Mount Rushmore | Scrapbook Layout

12.01.2017

Sharing another layout using photos from our summer adventure to South Dakota. We did so much on this trip, so very thankful we figured out a way to make it happen. Memories for this little family to last a lifetime for sure!


I just can't get over how the papers and embellishments, everything really, in the December 12x12 Memory Keeping and Pocket kits go perfectly with all of our vacation photos! So fun to play with everything included in both kits this month. For my banner I hand-cut the triangles from a sheet of patterned paper that had a pattern of them and then I strung them together with bakers twine.


So much fun!

Hope you're having a great week and are gearing up for the holiday season! I can't believe that Christmas is almost here already, crazy how time flies!

XO,


Hello Badlands South Dakota | Scrapbook Layout

11.30.2017

I told you I was having fun with our vacation photos and this month's 12x12 Memory Keeping and Pocket kits from Cocoa Daisy!! It's been awhile since I've worked on a two page layout and it was fun to play around with this format again.


Loving the puffy stickers, washi tape, and gel dot stickers included in the kits. I really used a healthy mix of both the Memory Keeping and Pocket kits for this layout.


I also printed my journaling in a block-style format here for this layout which is something I haven't done in awhile either. It's fun changing things up now and again.


I can't wait to share what else I've been working on these past few days...until then, wishing you a little creative time carved out in your busy week!

XO,


Black Hills | Scrapbook Layout

11.29.2017

I am enjoying creating with the December's 12x12 Memory Keeping and Pocket Kit so very much! I knew that I would be creating several projects centered around our road trip/vacation photos from this past summer and I'm happy to share the first one here today. I love how this page turned out. The colors were perfect and the chipboard alphas with the maps printed on them are just perfect don't you think?


My favorite item from the Memory Keeping Pocket kit is the sheet of script words and phrase stickers for sure. Here I decided to place the "adventure" sticker right on to my grouping of four photos and I feel like it really brings the photos together quite nicely.

(After taking photos I noticed I misspelled the word ringing...it should be wringing, I edited my layout to reflect this!)

I've got a busy several days ahead here at the library where I work. I have a program this Saturday, another one on Tuesday and Thursday night each, of next week! It will feel good getting through this first chunk of December! Hoping I make it through without getting sick yet again.

XO,

Cocoa Daisy December Kit Favorites!

11.28.2017


I am very happy that I spent time this past weekend printing photos because my 12x12 December Memory Keeping and Pocket kit arrived, just like clockwork, today!!!

 

I am in love with the patterns, colors, images, designs...love it all! For some reason this little patterned pocket card makes me happy. Loving the color combo. This time of year it's really nice to work with things that have color since where we are anyway, the weather is pretty dreary and drab.


Here's a little peek at the 12x12 Memory Keeping kit...


I can't wait to use some photos from our adventure traveling in South Dakota this summer with all of this goodness. The colors are perfect!


Are you a Cocoa Daisy subscriber yet? If you wish to sign up you can do so HERE.

XO,


BRRR! | Scrapbook Layout

11.27.2017

Okay, I've had the Snow and Cocoa collection from Crate Paper for awhile now...it's been sitting near my desk and actually kind of on display around my scrap room because it's so pretty! I love everything about it! I purchased most of the collection when it was on sale at Scrapbook.com and when it arrived I almost went back to fill my cart back up with more because I didn't want to worry about running out of this loveliness! I tend not to use just strictly one paper collection when creating because I really don't like the matchy-matchy look, except for whatever reason, this collection I really don't feel that way at all!


Our internet conked out on us last night which made for some productive, creative time! Sometimes I secretly love when this happens, shhh...don't tell anyone.


This was a super clean and simplistic design as you can see. I didn't even hand-write or type and print out journaling (gasp)! I wanted to scrap this photo of myself because I kind of like it...I never wear lipstick and with my green coat, I liked the almost festive and happy look to it. I thought the photo, combined with these papers and other pieces made for the perfect layout for capturing my love of winter, snow, being cozy, etc.

Earlier this afternoon I spent some time printing photos in anticipation of my December Cocoa Daisy Memory Keeping kit's arrival...I can't wait!

Wishing you an amazing start to a (hopefully) creative week!

XO,


Happy Thanksgiving!

11.24.2017

We had such a nice Thanksgiving this year, even despite the fact that I was getting over a cold (again!) and that Zoey was just getting one. I spent most of the day before cooking and baking and getting things ready in the kitchen and then put up the tree so it would be easy to decorate after dinner on Thanksgiving. All this prep was worth it! All it left for Thanksgiving day was putting the turkey in the oven and then heating everything up when it was close to dinnertime.


After our amazing dinner we enjoyed listening to Zoey play Silent Night on her guitar and then decorated the Christmas tree. Our house looks so warm and cozy now. So happy! Nothing makes me happier than a house ready for the holidays.

Wishing you all (in the US) a wonderful holiday weekend, in however you choose to celebrate!

XO,