Nuts about U layout (for BBTB2)

Happy Monday!  Is it feeling like fall yet where you live?  We are starting to see some color in the leaves here in KC!  The squirrels have been VERY busy collecting nuts out on my deck, driving my cat crazy!  I get to host our BBTB2 challenge this week, so I selected squirrels and nuts as our challenge theme.   I used the Create A Critter cartridge and some cute fall themed paper from Doodlebug that I had left in my stash from last year for my Nuts about U layout.  I've used this general layout design before, as it's a good one for using up those last pieces of paper from a collection and adapts to any theme.  My cute little squirrel has his stack of nuts beside him!  I'm planning to put pictures of my boys from the fall festival next weekend on here.  I hope you will join us at BBTB2 with a project this week!

Cricut:
Create A Critter-all cuts
Paper-Doodlebug prints, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink

Life's Little Moments layout (for BBTB2)

Happy Monday everyone!  Hope you had a great weekend!  We spent ours celebrating birthdays…my oldest son turned 16 last week and my birthday was this weekend (we only did one cake for the two of us so I can say I was 16 too, LOL!)  I got to order some new scrapbook supplies for my bday, among other things, so that is ALWAYS fun!

Our BBTB2 challenge this week is butterflies.  I used the beautiful butterflies on the Graphically Speaking cartridge for my layout.  The title, swirl, and heart are also from Graphically Speaking….it has more than just words!  The sweet print papers are leftovers from the Echo Park Everyday Eclectic collection-I only have a tiny bit of it left, since I've been paper-hoarding it for just the right project.

Cricut:
Graphically Speaking-all cuts
Paper-Echo Park Everyday Eclectic collection prints, Echo Park Capture Life blue solid, CTMH other solids
brown chalk ink

Fly over to BBTB2 to see all the gorgeous butterfly projects!

Laughter and smiles layout (for BBTB2)

Happy Monday!  It's feeling a bit more like fall here in K.C., and I'm enjoying the cooler temperatures (although not so much enjoying the pollen…).  Fall means crisp Friday nights watching football and hot chocolate and fall festivals.  I've got to mentally change gears from summer!

So we have a wide-open challenge at BBTB2 this week-use ANY cricut cut on a project!  How easy is that!  I made a layout for some family pics of all the cousins playing together outside earlier this summer, using the Doodlecharms cartridge for the dragonflies and flowers and the CM Cheerful Seasons cartridge for the title.  I've kind of been on a Doodlecharms kick!  I used some bright happy Echo Park paper, since the pictures are full of happy kiddos running around having fun!

Cricut:
CM Cheerful Seasons-title, cut at 3 inches
Doodlecharms-flowers cut at 3 inches, dragonflies cut at 2 1/2 inches, heart cut at 2 1/2 inches
Paper-Echo Park Summertime Bliss collection prints/stickers, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink
white gel pen

I hope you check out all the fabulous design team projects over at BBTB2 and link up a project with us this week!

Shop til you drop layout (for BBTB2)

Happy Monday!  The BBTB2 challenge this week is "stylish purse", which made me smile because I'll confess I have a serious weakness for designer handbags!  I also like fun quirky purses, so I have quite a collection.  My layout (which has pictures of us shopping in Grand Lake on vacation this summer) uses a purse from one of my favorite cartridges-Paisley.  All the other cuts are from Paisley also.  The background paper made me think of the boardwalk in Grand Lake, which ran in front of all the shops.  We had so much fun exploring all the cute little shops and the boys got a kick out of running along the boardwalk.  Good memories!  I hope you will check out the fabulous variety of design team projects over at BBTB2 and join us with some kind of purse project of your own!

Cricut:
Paisley-all cuts
Paper-Echo Park Everyday Eclectic prints, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink

Genuine Trouble layout

I have a boy themed layout today for pics of my three fellas, using the Boys Will Be Boys cartridge for the rocket and title.  The Genuine Trouble title could not be more apt for boys!  The print paper is from the awesome Carta Bella That's My Boy collection.  I'm going to link this up to the Fantabulous Cricut Kid themed challenge this week.

Cricut:
Boys Will Be Boys-rocket, title
Paper/stickers-Carta Bella That's My Boy collection prints, CTMH solids
brown chalk ink
Stamp-My Pink Stamper

Fun and Sun layout (for Exploring Cricut)

It's my day for the daily project at Exploring Cricut today and I have a summer layout for you using the Artbooking cartridge!  The sun and flowers on the journal box are stickers, but everything else is from Artbooking, including the overlays for the background.  I hand cut a piece to back the word Paradise, since it didn't have a layer to put underneath.  This made for a quick layout for my pool pictures!  Hope you all have a relaxing Labor Day weekend!

Artbooking-all cuts
Paper-CTMH solids, Stickers are Echo Park

Get to know you blog hop

So there are some get to know you blog hops happening right now and I was tagged to participate.  I am a day late posting as life has gotten a bit away from me, but that's just how it goes some weeks!

Acknowledge the person who tagged you:

My bloggy friend Jaren from http://purpleparadisecreations.blogspot.com tagged me to share in this Get to Know You Blog Hop.  I have gotten to know her work through the design team at BBTB2 and love going to see what she makes every week!  Like me, she is a busy mom and I'm super impressed that she finds time to blog!!!!

What you are working on?  

I always have several projects going on at once.  My scrapping area always looks like a disaster!  In addition to weekly design team projects, I am currently working an album for all our summer vacation pictures from our trip to Estes Park, CO and Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as scrapping all the pictures from our regular summer activities.  I am also starting to plan Christmas cards.

How does your work differ from others of its genre?

I am primarily a scrapbooker and enjoy getting our family photos into albums where we can look at them.  I prefer double page layouts with multiple photos and a clean uncluttered design.  I generally work with 4x6 photos that I can easily print on my home printer.   While I occasionally print special sizes, I'm all about speed which means I usually stick with 4x6.  My preferred album size is 12x12, although I also occasionally make mini albums for gifts.  I also stamp and make some cards, but it's not my creative focus.  I am not much for making 3D items because with three active boys and a crazy cat, paper decorative items don't seem to survive around here!  Once in awhile, I'll make a calendar or wall hanging that can't get knocked over by the kids or shredded by the cat.

Why do you write/create what you do?

As I never able to go to crops anymore between work and kids, blogging has given me a chance to share my projects and get inspired by other people's amazing stuff.  My job as a critical care nurse at a large urban trauma hospital is often full of sad, depressing situations and is VERY stressful, so scrapbooking is like my happy therapy.  


How does your writing/creating process work?

I surf my favorite blogs and also use Pinterest to get ideas.  Anything can spark a layout idea, although my final product rarely looks anything like what inspired me-the project usually kind of veers off into unknown territory at some point.  I often sketch ideas while waiting in the car line at school.  I have to snatch my creative moments whenever I can!

I'm kind of a paper addict (LOL!) and love to have paper from my favorite companies like Echo Park, Bo Bunny, and Carta Bella around to work with.  I use my Cricut for almost everything and love being able to make things in whatever size and color I want.  A Cameo or Cricut Explore is on my someday wish list….but for now I'm pretty content with my Cricut.  I don't have a computer in my scrap area so I don't use the Cricut Craft Room, but I get along just fine with just me and my original Cricut Exression.   I'm very visual, so I have to have everything spread out around me where I can see it (hence the giant mess!).  

I'm going to leave you with some links to blogs I like to surf:
http://janaeubank.wordpress.com
http://nannes-creations.blogspot.com
http://www.craftindesertdivas.com

Happy Scrapping!