thursday . . .

My list of "to-dos" is as big as my growing belly . . .

* re-organizing rooms & closets in the house to get ready for the baby (in the process I have created "messes" in almost every room)

* preparing for Thanksgiving - I'm hosting (I know - crazy pregnant lady - what am I thinking???? No worries people - Boston Market is handling this meal :) This is definitely not the year to try & figure out the whole "cooking the turkey" thing)

* Christmas shopping - 21 adults/kids - a slight dent has been put into it - but meeting my self-imposed December 1st deadline is gonna be tough . . .

* scrapbook assignments - surprisingly I have been keeping up pretty decently - I have pushed the deadlines with a few assignments but all in all - I have been okay . . .

* trying to be a good mommy - this one is hard because I am exhausted . . . luckily Ryan is a pretty good kid & he enjoys helping mommy with decorating and organizing and shopping :)

* trying to be a good friend, sister, daughter - sometimes yes & sometimes no - feeling pulled in a thousand directions these days - trying to be as helpful as possible to everyone - have had a few meltdowns when I can't - keeping it together though :)

* trying to be a good wife - this is pretty much not happening :) I have told my hubby the old Julie will be back sometime next spring/summer - see him then :)

I have tried to blog a million times in the past week but every time I have sat in front of my computer I've fallen asleep - the screen must be mesmerizing me :) I spent the weekend at a scrapbook retreat with my mom & sister - so fun!!!! I finished 3 single page layouts & 1 double page layout - pretty good for me - last year I only did 2 so at least I was ahead of the game this time :) I am an extremely slow scrapper . . .

BTW - I have LOTS of scrappy to share - please don't be offended if this sounds like a check-off list - secretly it kind of is :) I don't want to miss mentioning anything & with this pregnancy brain - well - you never know :)

My Creative Scrapbook:

We are in round 2 of the 3 month sketch contest over in the forum - here is the second sketch due by December 15th . . .

You can find all the details HERE - check out this prize being offered - WOWZERS!!!!

In addition, my regular monthly sketch challenge that I already mentioned here last week is running through December 10th - check out all the details here.

SEI:

My first post is up on the SEI blog!!! I worked with their gorgeous Moonrise Collection - perfect for some of my recent fall pics - here is my first layout of Ryan at a local fall festival . . .

A close-up on the title tag that features some of their gorgeous papers & awesome die-cuts!!! The "Autumn" was cut from SEI patterned paper using my Slice die-cutting machine :)

I love this next layout because of the adorable pic of Ryan & the fabulous quote by A. A. Milne included in the SEI die-cuts :)

The stars were cut using my Slice (yes I really am breaking into my tools people!!!). To attach them to the layout I stitched down the center, then folded them in half - resulting in some fun, dimensional stars!!!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this quote . . .

I just sent off my December projects using their Kris Kringle line & I can't wait to share them with you next month - the papers & embellishments are so fun - feel free to check them out here!!!

A Page 4 All Seasons:

Lots to share here - when I first hooked up with Shyloh, the owner, I was only going to be a guest designer. She had sent me out some Cosmo Cricket & My Mind's Eye goodies to play with

- here is a single pager I did with the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird collection earlier this summer . . .

Love the simplicity of this one :)

I also completed 2 double page layouts & guess what - both are up for sale on her site. Remember these will be pre-cut & ready to assemble - just add in adhesive & your own pics!!!

First up - "Grow" using Early Bird by Cosmo Cricket . . .

And, "Together" using Meadowlark by My Minds Eye . . .

Check out the details & pricing HERE.

Also, I have pics of my December He Said layout up for sale as well . . . this layout features Echo Park's Merry Christmas line . . .

Click HERE to become a subscriber of the He Said page kit club :)

I still have one more December layout that will be up for sale soon as well as a Year in Review mini album kit - as soon as they are posted on the site I will share them with all of you :)

Work In Progress Kit Club:

As you may have seen on earlier posts, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to guest design for Work In Progress Kit Club this month. I created this additional layout "Rainy Day Love" using the November kit . . .

These Bella Blvd clouds are to die for . . . so cute . . . the title was cut from my Cricut (look at me busting into my tools - right???)

I punched these sunbursts from my new Martha Stewart punch - a fun overlapping border & super easy to create!!!! Great use of scrap patterned paper too :)

The Scrap Room:

The new sketch for November is up on their blog . . .

This month's prize is full of Crate Paper yumminess so be sure to play along!!! Check out all the details HERE!!

The Paper Variety:

I was asked to create a sketch for this fun challenge site - it's a 2 pager & their DT has some fab examples up on their blog!!!

They are giving an awesome prize away for this challenge - the November monthly kit from Scrapctera Kit Club . . .

Phew - I think that is all the scrappy I have to share right now - but I do have more to share in the coming week :) Busy, busy, busy . . .

I have been doing a little shopping recently . . . so many awesome scrappy goodies out there . . . thought I would share the scrappy goodness with my FABULOUS readers so . . . is anyone interested in a NEW Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 collection kit????

This includes 12 patterned papers (that's 2 of each kind), a borders sheet, an elements sheet, and cardstock stickers - FUN, FUN, FUN!!!!! Just leave a comment below :) Have a FAB Wednesday . . off to watch Law & Order :)

ttyl - julie :)

tuesday . . .

I am seriously . . .

slowing . . .

down . . . :)

The reality of reaching the third trimester I suppose & simply trying to survive the exhaustion of it. Still walking, but not every day and not 5 miles - I've capped out at half that - which is still good for this late in the game right??? Today I am 30 weeks - it kind of crept up on me actually - I told someone 28 earlier today & then second guessed myself until I had the chance to look at a calendar. Surprisingly I realized that I was actually 30 weeks :) So after this week we are in the single digits - I can't believe I have been pregnant for 30 weeks - amazing . . . and exhausting :) Doing lots of Christmas shopping & baby shopping - trying to get it all finished by end of November (that is my goal at least!!!). I have so much to get organized in the house and in the process have created mini messes in several rooms :) I am escaping this weekend - a girl's weekend with my sister & mom - to Ocean City for a scrapbook retreat - my last hurrah :) I leave Thursday & will be back Sunday night. I am excited to get away for a bit & to be surrounded by scrappers - that always puts me in a good mood :)

On to some sharing . . .

Beginning with . . . my very first project that I have created with the ENORMOUS box of goodies sent to me by Samantha Walker!!! Full of papers, stickers, chipboard, ribbon, stamps, fabric, and more - I simply couldn't wait to dive in!!!!! I LOVED the papers from her Traditions line (especially the die-cut snowflake paper) & her Unity Swirling Snow stamps which coordinated so perfectly. Here is what I came up with . . .

A quick close-up on the layered postage stamp die-cuts - here I used both the front & back of her Snowflakes paper and added a bit of cream paint & stitching. The chipboard snowflakes were sprayed first with Studio Calico Mr.Huey in calico cream & then spritzed with Creative Imaginations Radiant Rain Shimmering Mist in Solar Gold. This shimmering mist is simply gorgeous!!!!

Another quick close-up on the background & journaling. The background was so much fun to create. I am not a stamper (secretly I wish I was!!!) but I have purchased a number of stamping supplies over the years. I liked the idea of creating a patterned paper on the kraft cardstock but any true color seemed to appear too "harsh" . . . too pronounced . . . so I looked in my stash & found a pad of Ranger Watermark Resist - this stuff is awesome!!! I used several of the snowflake stamps from the Unity set designed by Samantha & just stamped away all over the paper. The resist pad crested these beautiful watermark snowflake images all over the kraft - love it!!!! Oh & the Unity stamps were awesome!!! I may be heading over to the Unity site to do some shopping - they actually have a kit of the month club that looks pretty awesome (yes, I am an enabler - shop people shop!!!!).

I have tons more fabulous goodies from Samantha & will continue to share more projects with you this month & in the future :)

Looking for some sketch inspiration & contests????? Look no further - I have 2 for you :)

First up is a fab contest over at the Cookbookin' blog. Cookbookin' is a wonderful manufacturer of scrapbook papers, embelllishments, and stamps just perfect for preserving family recipes as well as creating kitchen-themed projects or gifts!! Kristie Coleman - an online friend of mine who is an ABSOLUTE sweetheart is on their design team & asked if I might be able to create a sketch for them. Of course I was happy to do so & here is what I came up with . . .

Check out their blog for all the details on entering their contest!!!!

Although my monthly contest for My Creative Scrapbook doesn't go up until tomorrow, I thought I'd go ahead & share it with everyone today :) Pam sent me this gorgeous kit to work with . . .

And here is the sketch I created . . .

My layout featuring the fab November main kit . . .

Check in the forum tomorrow for all the details on how to enter!!!

Oh - BTW - a HUGE THANK YOU - to my FAB readers!!!!! You are the best & you keep me blogging :)

ttyl - julie :)

wednesday . . .

Hello!!!! Hope everyone is doing well out there - life is busy, busy, as usual!!! I am excited to share with you that I was asked to guest design for Work In Progress kits this month. I have admired Trish's kits for a long time now - way back to the days of 52 Sketches 52 Weeks when she was a sponsor for us :) She has a wonderfully talented group of designers working with her & her kits are simply gorgeous. This month's was no different . . .

So far I have worked on 2 layouts . . . the first, "Grammy Love" features some recent pics of Ryan with my mother - love these . . .

A quick close-up on the title work - love these Making Memories alphas from the kit!!!

The other layout I worked on "Enjoying Fall" features these adorable banner die-cuts from the kit . . .

A quick close-up on the banner - the cream alphas are actually die-cut from some of the packaging & the die-cut banners were covered with a bit of patterned paper from the kit - LOVED the mix of papers here!!!!

I will be back to share more from this fab kit in the next week or two. Be sure to head over to the Work In Progress blog - it is FULL of inspiration - definitely one of my daily reads!!!

Have you been over to the Blue Moon Blog today??? My most recent layout was posted today - a fun mix of all sorts of new patterned papers!!!

Papers: Pink Paislee Old School , Jenni Bowlin Family Tree, Basic Grey Wander

Alphas: Pink Paislee Cushies in Cocoa

Others: Pink Paislee Canvas Border Stickers , Jillibean Soup Pasta Fagoli Stickers , Maya Road Kraft Ticket

The pics look like polaroids but it is really just in the way I cut them from the photo paper - sneaky, sneaky, sneaky!!!

Before I go - I want to show you an AWESOME tool I found yesterday . . . it is called a Punch All Over the Page by Martha Stewart. Check it out . . .

The punch I bought was the pinking circle & I was able to use my 40% off coupon - I can't wait to use this on a layout!!!

Have a fab rest of the week!!! Be back Friday to share my work for My Creative Scrapbook!!!

ttyl - julie :)

monday . . .

Seriously - too much to share!!!!!!

Let's start with the pics from the past week :)

Yum - pumpkin cookie lollipops . . .

Little fall dreamers . . .

Love this one . . . just playing with the leaves, hugging his new puppy from Grammy :)

Taking Max for a spin - yes this bike is too small now - but he still likes to ride it.

Getting some baby practice with cousin Julia . . .

Spending time together at Fall Fun day . . .

Hayride fun . . .

Walking monsters :)

Your monster feet . . .

Precious . . . love this one of the 2 of you . . .

Fun times at the Baltimore Zoo Boo . . .

What would a holiday be without cupcakes ?????

Dress-up party at Grammy's - my 2 brothers had great costumes . . .

Being silly at Grammy's . . .

Big time cutie - spaghetti & meatballs??? Love this!!!

Here I am - in all my bloated glory :) How cute is my mom???

Off to trick or treat!!!

Hope you all had a fabulous Halloween!!!!

I have been working on lots of scrappy projects & am excited to be able to share some of them today!!! First up are a few projects from Blue Moon Scrapbooking . . .

A mini album using the K & Company Spooktacular line . . .

And also, this altered frame. The flowers are are hand-rolled & then I added a layer of Ranger stickles around the edges. I really love the effect after they had dried!!!! The poem is one I have showcased before - but I was excited to create a frame with it just for me that matched my scraproom :)

A quick close-up of the flowers . . .

And a close-up on the poem . . .

The owner of Blue Moon Scrapbooking created a great tutorial on making these rolled flowers with the added Stickles HERE. Enjoy!!!

Be back tomorrow with some more work to share :)

ttyl - julie :)