friday . . .

Some days all is right with the world - the day goes fairly smoothly (which can be difficult if you are a mother of a young child) & you crawl into bed at the end of the day with a smile on your face. Today was one of those days . . .

It began with this . . .

Ryan LOVES trains - but mommy (me that is) is getting a bit worn out from the whole train obsession - although I'm sure my husband would say the same about me and scrapbooking :) But if anyone has tried to survive "playing" trains day in & day out, well it can be tough :) Being a science & math teacher in my former life, I decided to broaden Ryan's horizons a bit by delving into the science world. I found this "Fizzy, Foamy Science" kit at Barnes & Nobles the other day & we had SO MUCH FUN with it. There were 7 different experiments in it & tons of extension activities - he LOVED it!!! And, I enjoyed it as well :) Here's a few pics of my little scientist . . .

By the way - I found this online at Toys R Us for 14.99 if you are interested (after I paid $20 in B & N) - the age was for 4 & up, but he totally enjoyed it - lots of WOW factor to it even if he didn't understand the whole science of it.

Then we ran out to do some errands & I remembered that the new Scrapbook Trends magazine was out - so I picked up 4 . . .

Why 4 ????? Because I have a layout & sketch featured on page 79 :)

This is my first print publication & seriously one of my favorite layouts I have ever done :) Not to mention this is my FAVORITE magazine - a little pricey but I always love the layouts in it & love that there is not tons of ads :) All the sketches for this article were redone by the mag to look cohesive - I will post my layout & actual sketch later when I can in March :) So exciting!!

I have so enjoyed my DT kits this month - they have all been so awesome!! Today I am going to share my work with Tara's amazing kit over at Magpie Club - she always has such awesome finds in her kits - it will be up for sale on Sunday - definitely want to snag this one!!! Here is my sketch . . .

And my layout featuring the main kit . . .

LOVED the fabric in this one - I cut off the edge & used it to create the flower. The center was made using the FABULOUS I-Top tool by Imaginisce - LOVE IT - and then I added the cute pearl center which was included in the kit.

I tried something new with the border of the paper - Stacey Cohen (awesome scrappy artist) did something similar on a page - I first painted a border about one half inch in on the black cardstock included in the kit - I used Tim Holtz crackle paint in linen. I then used a heat gun to set it & make it "crackle" :) Next I used my exacto knife to distress the edge of the cardstock by scraping all the way around. The I took my Cutter Bee scissors (LOVE THEM) and snipped small slits around the paper. I used a paper piercer to roll the cut paper strips & tada - very cool border!!!

Off to bed - it is 12:45 here on the East Coast - I will pop in this weekend to share some more :)

ttyl - julie

wednesday . . .

Today I am . . .

TIRED of the construction in my house - results are looking awesome but so sick of all the dust!!!

LOVING all the awesome sneak peeks of CHA goodies on the net - so many fabulous products!!! I had a rough mommy day so engaging in some shameful net surfing this evening led me to so may fabulous goodies I must have - I considered making a top 10 list - but then realized I needed like a top 50 :)

ANTICIPATING these lovely goodies coming in the mail - love both of these new lines from Scrap Within Reach & can't wait to play with them soon :)

EXCITED about my kit club layouts this month!!! I have completed two so far & really like how they turned out. I was in a scrappy funk earlier this week - lost the mojo - but it is coming back :) Here's some sneaky peekies from my Magpie Club Feb. kit layout . . .

ttyl - julie

thursday . . .

I'm alive - I promise :) It has just been such a busy two weeks - so much going on . . .

Starting with the fun stuff first . . .

* Imaginisce is totally rockin' it with some fun new lines coming out!!! I have already mentioned the super cute Lucy Bird line . . .

And the adorable Scooter's Vacation (I used this line for a layout in my last post) . . .

I played with this collection a bit more earlier this week - loved that I was able to use these papers to help capture Ryan learning to ride his bike :)

This next line - super sweet - get out your beachy pics everyone - introducing Splash Dance!!

Love the fun & playful tone of this Live Loud collection - perfect for my little man!!

Get out your wedding pics (I know I'm still scrapping mine) - Imaginisce has introduced this gorgeous new wedding line, To Love & Cherish :)

Oh, but that is not all, check out these new backers to the already FABULOUS I-Top tool . . .

That's right, you not only can create brads, but badges, magnets, and buttons too!!! How cool is that??

Looking for some added inspiration with the I-Top??? Check out this awesome tutorial by Tim Holtz on how to create canvas covered brads - totally worth watching & afterwards - you'll definitely need the I-TOP :)

Oh but wait, speaking of tools - it is a bit on the hush-hush, but Imaginisce has a new tool coming out this year - here's a little sneak peek :)

Sorry to overwhelm you with all those goodies but I just had to share!!!

* The Scrap Room has posted my monthly sketch for them as this week's blog challenge . . .

Check all the details out here. The prize is this awesome collection of Making Memories paper & Maya Road chipboard!!

* Now amidst my DT work, I have also been hard a work with another project of my own. I love designing sketches, but was looking to expand my knowledge a bit more. Currently I use Adobe PSE but wanted to know what all the fuss was about in regards to Illustrator - guess what - there is alot to fuss about. It is awesome - the drawing tools are AMAZING - I could seriously play all day long!!! I made a couple cute little tags the other night for fun - I actually created the little butterfly out of curves & that scalloped circle - no template there people - totally created with a bunch of curves by yours truly - again - I could do this all day long - so fun!!! Now if I can just figure out how to make them printable for you all - I can start posting some freebie printables on here :)

* Next up - my other 3 children - Bitsy, Peanut, and Lambchop - I know I don't share too much about them on my blog, but I LOVE them to pieces . . .

We are having MAJOR troubles with Peanut - the tan one - he has been having SEVERE anxiety issues since Christmas & is keeping me up all night long - it is seriously like having an infant. He is being put on medication beginning tomorrow & hopefully we will all be resting better soon :)

* Heavy duty construction in the Bonner house!!! My husband loves to drive me crazy by doing things all at once - currently we are putting in hardwood floors in our living room, stairways, and upstairs hallway - needless to say my house is a disaster . . .

That handsome man is not my hubby - it's my brother & oh yes - he is living here - just temporarily . . .

Also - my husband is expanding his wine room - yes he has his own hobby - collecting wine & he is just as obsessed at that as I am at scrapbooking . . .

In addition we have been doing some painting - I just changed my scraproom from a dark maroon (which was pretty but made lighting difficult) to this color - meet my "dill pickle " scraproom :)

All in all, life is busy in the Bonner world for sure - but good :) I've got lots of scrapping to do as my DT work needs to be sent out in the next week so keep checking back as I will have lots to share!!

ttyl - julie

monday . . .

I hate dieting . . . food is so much better full of fat & calories :) Nonetheless, today I began this . . .

I have found it really the only diet (or should I say "new way of life") that works me me - my husband is joining in the fun. We did this together once before, right after I had Ryan. It was months & months of sticking to it - but in the end, I actually got down to my college weight. Here's me in college - a quick flashback to the mid/late 90's :)

By the way - a quick collage like this is SUPER EASY to do in Picnik - such a great photo editing tool. I definitely recommend checking it out :)

Anyways - tonight's dinner - egg beaters & fat free hot dogs with a side of ketchup - yum (just kidding).

Has anyone been checking all the new scrapbook goodies sneak peeking all over the net???? I am in LOVE with sooooooooooooooooo many - now to find a way to put them on the credit card without my hubby noticing!!!

Speaking of new goodies - I had a chance to play with one of Imaginisce's new lines - Scooter's Vacation & oh boy is it CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love the bright colors in this line - just adorable. Here is my first project I created with this line . . .

A quick close-up of these fan-fold flowers - I find a great tutorial on these here.

My favorite part of this layout was the dot on the "i" - created using the FABULOUS I-Top!!! I first created a brad using white fabric - then I carefully covered it with one of the sweet rub-ons in the collection - the rub-ons totally adhered to the fabric no problem!! How awesome is that????

Have a fabulous Monday!! I'll be back with more goodies this week :)

ttyl - julie

thursday . . .

I always hate after the holidays - January is such a let down - it's cold, kind of dreary, Christmas is over & we have to wait another whole year for it . . . but something that does make me happy about this time of year (like I need one more scrapbook supply) is this:

And all the new scrappy goodies on the way to the stores :) Oh how I wish I could go to this - just to see all those awesome products - maybe one day (fingers crossed)!! Check out the GROWING list of new papercrafting products hitting the stores here. They update it daily :)

I am truly an addict of two things - this (which by the way is the absolute BEST ice cream ever - hands down!!)

and the other, scrapbook supplies - I LOVE them - I have a ridiculous amount already - if only I had more hours in the day to use them all. I have been contemplating putting a few single kits together and selling them on ETSY or here to make room for MORE goodies. We'll see . . .

Currently I am playing this in my car . . .

But I wish I was playing this

or this

or this

Oh the joys of "mommyhood" :)

On to some scrappy - Pam from My Creative Scrapbook sent me this gorgeous kit full of Lilybee Designs & Dream Street Papers as well as tons of embellishments - just loved it!!!

Here is my January sketch for MCS . . .

And here is my sample layout using the sketch . . .

A quick close-up on the flowers - these are layered Primas & then I created that small rosette in the centers . . .

I have lots of exciting projects coming up & can't wait to share them all with you!! Please keep checking back :) Have a fab Thursday!!

ttyl - julie

monday . . .

I promised some Imaginisce goodies to share & I am delivering today :) Lori over at Imaginisce sent me loads of adorable products from the Sweet Cheri line. First I created this layout - my son just gazing off - such a cutie :)

Next up - this little lollipop display - a few sets of these would be perfect for my son's preschool Valentine's Day party!! The lollipops were covered with these little heart "pockets" of sorts & the holder/stand was created by covering a paper mache gift box with these fun patterned papers!!

Finally, I created a set of little notecards - the perfect size to tuck in lunch boxes :) I LOVED the sticker stackers in this line & used one on each of these notecards :)

A couple of you asked what color I used on the layout in yesterday's post - it was the brown Maya Mist. I have just begun experimenting with mists & really like the result of Maya Mists in particular, although I still need to really test out some of the other manufacturers.

On the technology front - my computer is alive again!!! No pics yet, still waiting on news about recovering info on my old hard drive from the "experts", but tonight we had a new hard drive installed & it is up & running :) Now the process of reloading all my programs . . .

ttyl - julie