top ten of 2012

Hey there fellow scrappers! Today we're sending out 2012 with a bang and having a mega blog hop featuring designers and alumni from Practical Scrappers. Each participant is featuring their top ten favorite projects from 2012. You can find the complete list of blogs participating at the end of my post. Here they are in no particular order, My top ten favorite pages of 2012:

( As seen on the Spring 2012 cover of Canadian Scrapbooker. Photo by Tracey Kendall)

So hard to choose 10, as they all contain memories and people I love.
To keep hopping, please visit Melissa Elsner next.

Here's the whole list:

Liz Chidester http://thescrappiest.blogspot.com
Marcia Dehn Nix http://onescrapatatime-bymumsie.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-ten-of-2012-blog-hop-plus-giveaway.html
Monika Wright http://www.iloveitallwithmonikawright.com/
Ivanka Lentle http://ivankascardstudio.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-10-of-2012.html
Christine Meyer http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-top-ten-of-2012-plus-giveaway-and.html
Jamie Cripps http://jamielanedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-10-of-2012.html
Erin Morehousehttp http://girlpaperscissors.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-ten-of-2012.html
Melissa Elsner http://www.theprofoundbrunette.com/2012/12/top-ten-for-2012.html
Jodi Wilton http://luvalotland.blogspot.ca/
Sarah Hill http://rockoandbella.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-ten-blog-hop-2012.html
Laurel Seabrook http://want2scrap.blogspot.ca/
Carrie Walz http://everydaymoments-carrie.blogspot.com/
Jen Matott http://arttalk-sigmagirl.blogspot.com/
Jan Tatomir http://www.jantatomir.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Haggerty http://livethemoment-jen.blogspot.com/
Kerri Yarus http://kerrikr8tions.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-10-projects-of-2012-plus-blog-hop.html
Ashley Nguyen Newell http://hearthugsdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-ten-blog-hop.html
Cathy Harper http://alteredplayground.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-ten-of-2012-blog-hop.html
Malika Kelly http://malikakelly.blogspot.com/
Lynn Shokoples http://scrappyhappymom.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-ten-of-2012-blog-hop.html
Kris Berc http://stashofprettypaper.blogspot.com/
Julie Tucker Wolek http://thetuckerwolekclan.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-top-projects-for-2012.html
Rhonda VanGinkel http://snapwhiz.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-10-of-2012-blog-hop.html
Savannah O'Gwynn http://www.savannahland2.blogspot.com
Audrey Yeager http://audreysreflection.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-twelve-of-2012-blog-hop-and-giveaway.html
Katrina Hunt http://paperscissorsandglue.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-top-ten-of-2012-along-with-blog-hop.html

 

Have a happy and safe New Year!

Erin

Mustaches and Polaroids...

...two trends I haven't fully embraced...until now.

Isn't he adorable?
Visit the Helmar blog today for more details.

Materials:
Paper: Studio Calico ( Classic Calico V3)
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stains
stickers: Studio Calico, American Crafts
Fabric Tape: Love My Tapes
Adhesives: Helmar Acid Free Glue, Helmar Premium Craft Glue

C is for Cookie Con-ker

My littlest just turned two at the end of November.  We decided last minute that we'd throw him a very small party with a Cookie Monster theme. It was more for us than it was him really, as he had just learned to say Cookie Monster, and we needed to hear "Cookie Con-ker" over and over again as much as possible.  Since our local party store had nothing Cookie Monster themed, I had to quickly come up with a plan.  We decorated with a Cookie Monster Pinata that I found at the local bulk food store ( we individually wrapped miniature cookies to fill him), A bunch of blue balloons with a large Cookie Monster mylar balloon, and everything as blue as we could manage.

I made individual cupcakes instead of a larger cake, and based them on different variations I had seen on Pinterest. I used white chocolate candy melts for the eyes, and melted the top of dark chocolate chips to stick onto them for pupils. I cut store bought chocolate chip cookies in half, and inserted them into the buttercream icing where the mouth should be.

The kids loved them, especially the birthday boy as you can see:

The loot bags were gift bags I found at the Dollarama, and filled with a few Sesame Street items and blue gumball machines. I clipped them closed with some yellow duck chip clips I also found at the dollar store, and made cookie tags using my Cricut and the From My Kitchen cartridge. I think they would have looked better hanging horizontally, but it was too late to change them.

Then I made some cookie shaped bean bags, and this pizza box so the boys could have a game of "cookie toss" to keep them amused. 

All I did was glue on two sheets of 12 x 12 black cardstock to the box on the outside and inside center. Glued on the assembled SVG that I cut , and added an assembled cookie diecut. I then traced the oval in the mouth and cut it out. The beanbags can be stored in the closed box, and the box can stand on it's own when opened.

Materials for the tags and box

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink

Helmar Premium Craft Glue

Cricut From My Kitchen cartridge

SVG from ScrappinbyKris found here

Happily, the mylar balloon is still going strong, and Rowan still insists on calling him "Cookie Con-ker".

In Sympathy

This isn't going to be a long post, as I'm sure many of you are feeling a little inundated with talk about the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut. We put together a simple post over at Practical Scrappers on Saturday December 15th, to show that our thoughts and prayers are with those affected. The girls made some beautiful cards worth checking out.

Materials Used:
Stamps: Hero Arts
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Ink: Memento ( London Fog)
Pebbles Chalk 
Helmar Acid Free Glue
Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots

Pink and Flowery

Here'a a recent page I made using some of the "girlier" papers that I bought recently. Just because I'm cooking another boy doesn't mean I can't slip in a bit of pink now and again, especially while he's still so tiny.

Using Sketch #161 from Let's Capture These Sketches, and the On Trend collection from Crate Paper, this is what I came up with:

The bits of black in the papers, and the die cuts help tie in the stark ultrasound photos. 

 Using my favorite adhesives, I was able to give this page lots of dimension. I used Helmar Acid Free Glue to put everything together, Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots  to lift the butterflies wings, the title, and some of the blossoms. Liquid Scrap Dots was meant for butterflies; so much so, that in my opinion it should be called  Magic Wing Lift or something to that effect.

 Have a great Monday!

Erin

Oldies and Goodies

Last week, I shared this layout on LCOM, featuring uses for old and new product. I have tons, and tons of raw chipboard that I bought when I first started scrapbooking, and never had the patience to paint or alter to use on projects. I've got few new tools in my arsenal that make that raw chipboard user friendly. One of those is washi tape!

Check out the step by step instructions here.

Materials:
Cardstock: American Crafts
PP: October Afternoon
Chipboard: Fancy Pants, Collage Press, Pink Paislee
Tim Holtz Distress Stain (Mowed Lawn, Brushed Pewter, Gathered Twigs, Crushed Olive)
Maya Road Kraft Snowflake die cuts
Studio Calico Wooden snowflakes
Helmar Acid Free Glue
Helmar 450 Quick Dry Glue
Washi Tapes: many :)

Wobbly Wobbly Sweetness!

I didn't think there could be any crafting item that could rival my fondness for googley eyes. Then I met the Action Wobble. A simple self adhesive plastic spring that can be added to your paper crafts to give instant fun and movement!

Pair that with some bright papers from Simple Stories and these stamp sets (Gnomies and Watchin' TV)  from Sweet Stamp Shop, and you've got a ton of fun all on one card...actually the only way I think I could have ramped up the fun on this one was to add some googley eyes...

If you want a chance to win some stamps from Sweet Stamp Shop, and a set of springs from Action Wobbles, head over to the Sweet Stamp Shop Blog for details.

a Little Sasparilla

Every now and again, a collection comes along that just seems perfect for your needs. Sasparilla by October Afternoon was one of those. I just had to get my hands on it as soon as I saw it online. 

Then a funny thing happened- Once I got it home from the scrapbook store, it sat, and sat. I eventually used it for a layout or two, but nothing that really captured what I had first loved about it all.  Then I got down to working with this week's sketch #159 from Let's Capture These Sketches. 

I pulled out these pictures of my little cowboy, and thought I may as well give the collection another go. Turns out these were the pictures I needed for this all along.

Materials:
Cardstock: American Crafts
PP: October Afternoon
Stickers: October Afternoon
Letters: Lily Bee, Adorn It
Fabric Tape: Love My Tapes
Felt: Fancy Pants Designs
Stamp: We Are Memory Keepers
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain
Adhesive: I used Helmar Acid Free for the papers and photos, and Helmar 450 Quick Dry for the felt.

Against the Grain

Why are sunglasses on kids so cute, and just how do they seem to know how cute they look? Rowan has discovered the sunglasses. Every time he comes across them at home, he brings them to me to put them on him. I spent an entire grocery shopping trip wondering why everyone kept looking at my son until I realized he was wearing his sunglasses the whole time.

These pictures capture the cuteness of the sunglasses, and the ham that they bring out of Rowan.
I used a stamp set from Sweet Stamp Shop all over the layout. I stamped a large woodgrain stamp directly onto my craft paper using Memento Ink. I love how the white printing on the paper still shows through.

I then stamped around the border of my page using the sentiment stamp.

Then I broke out the Staz On ink, and smaller round circle stamps to alter some white buttons. 

I really liked the birch paper from basic grey, and ripped a couple of strips off and rolled the edges securing with a little Helmar 450 Quick Dry before adding them to the page. The Quick Dry is also perfect for heavier embellishments like the buttons, wooden stars and title letters. 

Materials: 

Paper: American Crafts, Basic Grey

Stamps: Sweet Stamp Shop- Against the Grain

Washi Tape: AC Amy Tangerine

Wooden Accents: Pink Paislee, Studio Calico

Buttons: Bella Blvd, misc.

Ink: Memento, Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Straz On

Adhesive:Helmar 450 Quick Dry Glue, Helmar Acid Free Glue

New Motto!

I just bought these papers from Studio Calico the other day. I limited myself to 3 sheets from the collection since my basket was already overly full.  I'm happy that I used them up so quickly ( I only have one sheet left!) , and that I slipped some older bits in there too. I can't tell you how much it's been bothering me lately that I have drawers full of product that I have never touched. Some of it because it got forgotten, some because I loved it too much to "waste" it on whatever the current project was. From here on out, my new motto is going to be use it or lose it! Oh yes, the craftroom purge is coming soon! I may even post some of the goodies here as a giveaway if anyone is interested.

This page is based on Sketch #155 by Natalie Roy For Let's Capture These Sketches. Click Here to view the sketch, and other great examples by the sketch team.

Materials:
Pp: Studio Calico- Yearbook
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Pink Paislee ( Remark*ables, with Dylusions Ink)
Felt: Fancy Pants
Chipboard: Maya Road
Wood: Studio Calico with Robin's nest dew drop( lens)
Twine: The Twinery
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Dylusions Spray Ink
Adhesive: Helmar 450 Quick Dry, Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue

Real Pirate Treasure

Glitter hearts, rhinestones and doilies on a boy page you might ask?
Well when paired with some grungier items and a sharpie pen, anything goes on boy pages.
Here's an example of a page I did during a Pirate themed crop for Lucky 7 Factory.  



My background texture is layered on this great chevron paper from the Lucky 7 Factory -Douce Melodie collection. I added some alphabet script, inked pebbles, ink splats and sharpie x's.




I layered some new stuff like Simple Stories- Snap papers and die cut Kraft doilies with recycled items like the bingo sheet and postage stamp.



I love getting to throw on random bits from my desk drawer, and have them find a home.

Materials:
cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
PP: Simple Stories,Lucky 7 Factory, recycled
chipboard: Scrapworks, Maya Road
rub-On tape: Kiki Art
Letters: Simple Stories
Rhinestones: Prima Marketing
Die cuts: Kaiser Craft, Cricut( doilies) and unknown ( clock)
Template: Crafter's Workshop
Ink: Joanne's Essentials, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Memory Essentials
Stamp: Memory Essentials
Sharpie marker
Staples

All held together by Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue

All about the Seafood- Sketch 153

This summer, we packed up the mini man with all three human kids(plus the large furry one), and drove east until we hit my brother's house. We had a week full of fun outings and activities. Unfortunately, our days had to be worked around the little one's afternoon nap, and so we stuck to things we could accomplish before lunchtime. 

Based on LCOM sketch #153 by Kimberly Figures

To make a long story short, that's how it came to be that we drove for over two hours one morning ( troublesome GPS) only to have lunch in St. Andrews By-The-Sea and then head back to home base. I love this tourist town, and everything about it. The family was happy to visit The Gables restauraunt this day, and feast on some seafood, before returning to sight see a bit later in the week.

Materials used:
PP: My Mind's Eye
Die Cuts: Kaisercraft
Tape: Love My Tapes, De Serres, My Mind's Eye
Chipboard: Maya Road, Pink Paislee
Twine: Karen Foster
Ink: Momento, Tim Holtz Distress Stains
Stamp: Hero Arts
Glue: Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue, Helmar Premium Craft Glue
 Tim Holtz mini staples
( to see more amazing projects made with Helmar, check out the blog!)

From The Depths of The Toolbox

My husband has been searching for a tool caddy full of tools for about 2 years now. He assumed it got taken ( mistakenly, or not so mistakenly) by a contractor during our basement renovations. Not only did I find the caddy full of tools in the depths of our large standing toolbox tonight, I also found a mighty cool scrapbooking embellishment...

Introducing the tile spacer:

I love how the "o"s of the Pink Paislee resist-able paper play off the "x"s created by the tile spacers.

Materials: Bazzill Basics Cardstock

Pink Paislee 8x8 Resist-able papers

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist

Tim Holtz Distress Stain

Making Memories tag

October Afternoon button

Bella Blvd. Buttons

American Crafts Thickers

Mr Huey's Color Mist (white)

Hole punches

Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue ( for the paper and photo)

Helmar Premium Craft Glue ( for all embellishments)

Who knows what treasure I'll find on my next hunt for innovative scrapbooking supplies!

( check out what items my fellow design team members at Practical Scrappers used for their Frugal Finds projects).

Still getting gluey

It's been quiet here lately. I've been taking as much as a break as I can from my craft room and blog to do absolutely nothing...well ok not nothing. As soon as my little boys heads hit their pillows, and dinner dishes are cleared, I head for the bath or the couch, and usually don't have the energy to move until bedtime. I have to keep reminding myself that even though it looks like I'm just being a bump on a log, that my body is working extra hard creating this baby, and caring for the boys during the day is using up all added energy reserves. thanks to Friday night crops with the girls, and a few assignments to give me a nudge, I'm managing to stay a bit productive though.

This week Helmar and Want2Scrap have teamed up, and there should be some fun projects up on the Helmar blog. I worked with papers from Susan K. Weckesser. Just the splash of color I've needed after being so focused on neutrals lately.

I had forgotten about the day I armed the boys with a full counter of blank paper, and some new glitter paints. They really amaze me when they are painting or working with playdoh. There's very little focus on what they are creating. They just have fun with whatever medium they have, and love to try out all the colours. Ethan's getting good at creating creatures and people from imagination, but It's still pretty much about the paint for him.

I've discovered that my preferred liquid glue for paper is Helmar's Acid Free Glue. I'm learning to deal with the permanence of the bond, and not trying to peel things apart anymore. For a girl who glues before thinking, that's a big deal. I used Helmar's Premium Craft Glue for the felt pieces, and Zapdots foam spacers to raise the house.

Now that we're 15 weeks into baking this bun, I should have more energy coming to me, and hopefully that means more playing with paper and glue.

Erin

Mussel mussel man...

I know, it's a horrible pun, but I couldn't think of a better title for this one!

 I love when the kids find a food that they really love. For Ethan it's mussels, Rowan it's sushi, and Parker, well... I think he could live on pickles and olives if we let him. 

This was based on Sketch # 145 by Natalie Roy for Let's Capture These Sketches.

Check out all the fantastic pages done by the sketch team over at LCTS!

I used my trusty Helmar Craft Glue for all the pieces, and Helmar Gemstone Glue to adhere the Robin's Nest  Pebbles to the title letters.

Technical Drawing

My 5 year old and 3 year old love playing on our tablets, and phones. Sometimes it worries  me that they get so immersed in the digital world. When I find fun drawings and colouring pages saved in my photo albums, I am reminded, that these are tools that as much a part of their world as are crayons and finger paint. As long as they get to experiment with all of them, they should be ok.

This page is based on sketch #143 by JJ Sobey for Let's Capture These Sketches. I love the variety of styles we have represented on the sketch team, and their interpretations on JJ's  great sketch.

Sketch #141 LCTS

This week for Let's Capture These Sketches, we were working with a Sketch by Cindy Stevens. Thanks Cindy for guest sketching for us! The best part about sketches for me, is having a base for breaking out of your usual comfort zone for a change. I loved that the format of this sketch was 8.5x11, and that my first challenge was to figure out how I was going to translate that to 12x12.

Then I started breaking down individual areas and elements and figuring out how I wanted each set up, which is way more planning than I would ever consider when working without a sketch.  The result is a page that has more straight angles than usual for me, and more white in one space than I have used in a long time. I'm quite happy with the fresh result.

There are a ton of great examples from the Sketch team on the sketch blog, plus you can view the sketch and link your own take on it there.

Happy Friday!
Erin

Mixing Media

Helmar and Faber-Castell are teaming up this week for a cross promotion that has all the Design Team at Helmar in quite the excited tizzy! We were all sent an assortment of amazing products to try, and we've been experimenting like mad! I not only fell in love, but had to make an emergency call into my local scrapbook store Scrapbook Centrale to put a bunch of product aside for me. After much debate, it all went back on the shelves, because I ordered the entire set of Gelatos and Stamper's Big Brush Pens!

Just to show you how amazingly versatile the PITT Pens, Art Grip Aquarelles, and Gelatos are, I created this ENTIRE page from white or "naked" product ( with the exception of a strip of patterned paper from Momenta behind my photos).

check out the full post with details on The Helmar Blog

New to scrapbooking and want to have the most options with the smallest dent to your wallet? I would highly suggest starting with a selection of products like the Big Brush Pens and Gelatos, and buying all your embellishments in white.Oh, and Don't Forget the Helmar adhesives to hold it all together! I used Premium Craft Glue, Zap Dots and Liquid Scrap Dots on this one.

Red White and Blue Hop with Helmar

Hello everyone and welcome to the Helmar Red White and Blue Hop. We have a bunch of wonderful projects to share with all of you and wanted to celebrate the colors of our design team with you. Australia, Canada and America are shining brightly, so grab a glass of your favorite beverage and lets get hopping. If you get lost along the way, you will find the order below. Make sure you leave your comments on every stop for your chance to win. We will select 1 Canadian, 1 American, and 1 Australian individual. So that is 3 prizes total. Now lets get hopping.

 Helmar Blog
 Grace Lauer
Michelle Wallace
Lisa Wilkinson
Sandie Edwards
Kate Vickers
Susan Weckesser
Rae Cooper
JJ Sobey
Amy Lynne Lassiter
Cindy Royal
Jessica Morales
Erin Morehouse (you are here)
Helmar Blog (finish here)

Thanks for spending a little bit of your weekend with Helmar. Enjoy!

I can't believe it's been 2 years since this photo was taken. We've gone from 2 boys to 3, and Rowan is the size that Parker was in that picture! I had fun with bits and pieces on this one,adding loads of textures- I found a new one while gluing the Epiphany Bubble Caps Hearts onto a cork sheet with Helmar Gemstone Glue. The cork texture shines through the glossy heart and looks great for a masculine page!

Materials:
Adhesive: Helmar Acid Free, 450 Quick Dry, Quick Fix Tape Runner, Craft Glue, Gemstone Glue.
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye
Washi Tape: Bella Blvd.
Clear Hearts: Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Bubble Caps ( Clear Heart 25)
Buttons: Epiphany Crafts, American Crafts, Crate Paper, Maya Road, Pebbles, Doodlebug Designs Inc.
Pearls: E by Prima
Cork: Magenta Style, Canvas Corp.
Twine: The Twinery
Letters: American Crafts
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Distress Marker ( Black Soot)

Those Canadian Boys...

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canucks! Not sure what we've got planned for the day, but it usually starts with me changing my boys out of whatever their dad has put on them that morning, so that they've got the right colours showing. He's getting better, and if he remembers what day it is, will ask me what I think they should wear. St Patrick's day is another story altogether, and somehow that's always the day he picks to dress them all up in orange...

Here's a layout I did for Practical Scrapper's Canada Day projects. Since we have a few Canadians on the team,  We couldn't let the 4th of July-ers have all the fun now could we?

 

Materials: 

PP: Echo Park

Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper

Washi Tape: Cosmo Cricket, Bazzill Basics Paper

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Faber Castell Pitt Pen

Pearls: E by Prima

Letters: American Crafts

Punch Martha Stewart( EK Success) 

Adhesive: Helmar Premium Craft Glue

Stay tuned on the 3rd, for another red and white layout !

Happy long week-end! 

Erin

Crayon Resist

No, this post isn't about an addiction to my kids art supplies- oh well maybe it really is.  The idea for this project came to me as I was playing with my embossing folders for a feature at Practical Scrappers. The boys were sitting at the table in my studio colouring at the time. All of a sudden I looked at my eldest and said "Quick! pass me a white crayon!" they both gave me an unsure look, and then their little jaws dropped as I proceeded to peel the paper from their pristine white crayon ( they recovered once I pulled out some Fiskars texture plates and let them do some crayon rubbings with other "naked" crayons).

I chose 3 animal prints folders, and some Dylusions spray inks in related shades.  The idea is to embboss the white cardstock, open the folder, and before removing the paper, slide the long side of the "naked" wax crayon over the image a few times as if you were doing a crayon rubbing. Remove the paper, and add your medium. This would work with different shades of paper, different colours of crayon, and a range of mediums such as ink, Glimmer Mist, acrylic paint, watercolour, marker (be sure you don't mind getting wax on the tips of the markers, as it could damage them).
I heated the image after I sprayed it with the Dylusions Spray Ink, mainly to help it dry quickly, but an added benefit is that the wax melts into the paper nicely, leaving a smooth finish.

 On the peacock design, I rubbed on some Viva Decor Inka-Gold (Silver) with my finger.The effect was pretty cool,  I only wished I had had a blue shade instead.

I can't wait to experiment a bit more with different colours of crayon, and different inks!

Materials:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Prism Simply Smooth, Core-Dinations
letter Stickers: American Crafts, Bella Blvd.
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Dylusions Spray Ink, Viva Decor Inka-Gold
White Crayola crayon
Adhesive: Helmar Quick Fix Tape Runner, Helmar Acid Free Glue

Sketch #138 LCTS

It's time for another awesome sketch reveal at Let's Capture These Memories. This week, sketch #138 by JJ Sobey.  Lots of different approaches from the design team, so go have a look!
I chose to turn all those circles into  squares, and once I had the basic sketch idea going, added some stamping and stitching to add interest. I love sketches like these, where I can raid my scraps for some favorite bits to use all over again.

Patterned Paper: Simple Stories, Bo Bunny, Echo Park, My Mind's Eye, Graphic 45.
Ink: Staz On, Tim Holtz Distress Stain
Letters: American Crafts,  K&Co. Smash Mini Dymo
Adhesive: Helmar Acid Free, Helmar Quick Fix Tape Runner, Helmar 450 Quick Dry
Washi Tape: American Crafts

The Best Breakfasts Ever...

Well at least that's what Ethan and Parker claim Daddy makes anyway. I much prefer his salads, or maybe the desserts; like the Pavlova he makes at Christmas time with the berries and the carmelized strands of sugar...oh but I digress... It's Father's Day, and to honor their dad, the boys helped me to make this layout. They helped me to choose the papers for the hand prints, and stayed unusually still while I traced their little hands. Even Rowan was a champ. The only reason it took two tries to trace his little fingers, was because I thought I had messed up when I looked at how grown up his hand was when I cut it out. It was exactly the same in the second attempt, and now I have to admit he is no longer a baby *sniff*. Next year he'll be making cards and plotting surprises right along with Ethan and Parker. Can you believe they actually requested ( expect) me to get up *before* daddy tomorrow morning, and asked that we blow up balloons and make breakfast?! Parker changed his mind a few times on the menu before he settled on waffles. It makes me happy to know there are a few things I can make in the kitchen that rival Mark's cooking. Apparently waffles are "it".

 Materials:
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
PP: Graphic 45
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Dylusions Spray Ink. Tattered Angels Glimmer Glam
Letters: American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket, Adorn-it
Washi Tape: Omer De Serres
Adhesives:  Helmar Acid Free Glue, Helmar Decoupage and Craft Paste, Helmar Scrap Dots

 This is my featured project today on the Helmar blog.  Check it out if you'd like more detailed instructions, or close up photos of the details.

 Happy Father's Day to my incredible husband,
to my own Dad and my Step-Dad.
Hope you have a wonderful day!

In front of the Camera

As the acting photographer in my house, I rarely get into photos, let alone become the subject of a scrapbook page. As scrapbookers, that really is the biggest dilemma. Many of us are trying to record memories for our children or loved ones, and in doing so, can easily be missing from the recorded history. That is why it is crucial for me to be sure to include as much of my own voice and thoughts on each page in the form of journaling as possible. They may not see me, but at least I'm not missing completely. 

When I do have the occasion to scrapbook a photo of myself, (as was the case for my first layout as a new member of Let's Capture Our Memories Marketing Team) I always find it awkward. It just feels odd putting so much effort into making a page about me. Not only does it seem that I'm saying " I think I'm pretty special, look at these photos of me" but " I'm so awesome, I had to add all these embellishments to make this page echo how awesome I really am!"

All conceit aside, I'm really not camera shy, and even though I'm often absent from the family photos, my kids will now know why. 

Materials: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper
Patterned Paper: American Crafts Amy Tangerine Sketchbook
( Carmine's Collage, Paige's Portraits, Sydney's Snapshot)
Stamp: American Crafts Dear Lizzy Jar Stamp
Ink: Staz-On , Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists( On flowers and butterflies)
Flowers: Prima Marketing-Laraine Pearl White Flowers and Leaves
Butterflies: Maya Road Mini CAnvas Butterflies
Glue: Helmar Acid Free, Liquid Scrap Dots ( to add dimension to the cameras)
Letters: American Crafts Sketchbook Black Thickers
SMASH MiniDymo

Pre-(historic)School ( with a surprise ending)

School's out for Summer! I've had a little jolt this week trying to get us all on a new schedule; thankfully, one that doesn't involve a million car trips back and forth to preschool. Both boys had end of year field trips that Daddy was lucky enough to go on. Ethan's class went to Dinosaur Land to follow their Dinosaur theme at school. Both boys are really getting into dinosaurs more now.  From what I hear, the bus ride was a bit rambunctious ( what else do you expect with a bunch of kids and some dads who are big kids themselves?) but everyone escaped with only a few minor wrestling injuries...

They saw all the sculptures, had a mock fossil dig and a picnic lunch. Ethan said his favorites were the two T-Rex sculptures. I may have to convince Mark we need to make this a little family excursion this summer.

Here's a page with just a few pics that Mark remembered to take ( yay!)

materials: 
Papers: Bazzill Basics Paper
Ink: Adirondack Alcohol Ink, Distress Stain
Felt: Fancy Pants
Letters: American Crafts
Adhesives: Helmar

I used loads of new Helmar goodies on this one; the 450 quick dry adhesive was perfect for the felt Dino, it didn't soak into the felt the way some other liquid glues do, and set very quickly.   I was able to create the footprints, and add some distressing to the papers using the Acid Free Craft Glue mixed with alcohol ink. The ink kind of coagulates, and once the glue was dry, left a sandy look.

Here it was wet. I scraped it on using the handle of the cheap paint brush I was using. I love that it still has a bit of sheen to it when dry. 

Check out the dimension you can achieve using  Scrap Dots! This stuff comes in a tube, and you just squeeze it on, and set your pieces down at any level you want!

meet my new best (glue) friends :)

you'll be seeing a lot of these guys, especially since I'll now be working with them as a full time design team member for Helmar!!