Missing?!

Yes, I have been missing. November proved to be a difficult month-I found out that my battle wih my thyroid just became 10 fold. Possible cancer is ahead. I hope to report back with good news.

(((Hugs)))

Amanda

Christmas Came Early!

Well, I found one of my Christmas presents for $5 at Tuesday Morning! Hooray, a new scrapbook tote!

Feels Like Fall...

Or as close to it in Florida as you get. Hello, 86 degree weather.

You know Owls are popular when.....

...when the dude from Hood Fab is rockin' one on MTV!

A collection of my favorite Owl stamps.

Creative Twist Challenge: Birth Year

True Story: This layout started as my 1st digital scrapbook creation. I became SOOOO frutrated with PSE, that I gave up (after many bad words). So, I went back to the old school-and this is the result. Long live tape runners, Bazzill, and Thickers!

New Diaper Cake

Shiloh's Diaper Cake for Baby Aiden!

Creative Twist Challenge "Up Close and Personal"

This week I used a close up of the castle at Disneyland. I loved how the Core'dinations cardstock sands, so I used the Cricut to cut out a Mickey head and placed it under the cardstock and sanded.

Supplies used:

Cricut Carts-Mickey Font and Storybook

Core'dinations Cardstock-Black Magic Collection

Fiskars scalloped border punch

Mini wire hanger

Marvy Uchida scalloped punches

Alphabet stamps

Black ColorBox ink

Making Memories Sanding block

American Crafts Thickers

White Blossom glitter stickers

A Little Peek...

The new challenge goes up tomorrow at Creative Twist! Here is a little peek of what I came up with...


In other news, I attempted the use Glitter Mist in my bathroom on a quick journaling spot....FYI, not a good idea. My sink is still a little orange!

New Creative Twist Challenge

I really liked using the sketch provided this week! I also got to play with my new QK Embossing Journaling folder-used Core~dinations cardstock and sanded for the journaling/title block.

Make sure you hop on over to Creative Twist and check out the rest of the design team! :)

Amanda

Shopper Saturday

So it has been awhile since I visited the LSS WITH $$$ to spend, so I decided to put money back into the local economy yesterday by paying a visit to 2 awesome scrapbook stores: The Scrapbook Shoppe in Tampa and Whim So Doodle in St. Pete.

I totally scored at both places!

I finally got on the bandwagon and bought some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Pumpkin Pie-I can't wait to use it on some Halloween goodies I have planned out!

Colby is going to be a Clone Trooper for Halloween, so I picked up the Star Wars Chipboard die cuts, and 2 pcs. of patterned paper.

I scored the pile with the Maya road mini book 75% off! I was very happy to find the Cub Scouts paper pack for $2.50-Colby joined this week! :)

Another favorite would be the QK A2 embossed journaling blocks-can't wait to play with these!

Lots of new goodies....I can't wait to create!

Creative Twist Challenge: Letter R

Start with the T!m Holtz Tiny Attacher.....

And a red box from IKEA.......

Used Jenni Bowlin Crepe Paper Ribbon to make this flower...

I gathered several pleats, stapled, and continued the process until I had went around twice.

Add a jumbo brad to the middle, and the flower is done!

My letter was "R" for this challenge at Creative Twist.http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/
Red, Ribbon, Round, Redecorate!

Well, it only took 2 years....

But I finished this board book mini album! I wanted to create something for my son that he could look at, and it would hold up for a couple of years too.

Every year the fine people at Universal Studios offer teachers a free ticket to enjoy a day at both Universal parks (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure). Colby and I usually go right around the time they hold "Grinchmas"-he loves anything Dr. Seuss!

Did you know that Dr. Seuss did not use any straight lines in this artwork? I wanted to use this idea to create the slanted stripes on the patterned paper.

Best of all, I finished this mini album yesterday without buying any new product! :)

Got to love the Grinch! I am so happy Christina posted this challenge this week to the design team at Creative Twist! Check out what the rest of the design team came up with!

http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/

Also, if you create something for one of the challenges and link it to the Creative Twist blog in Sept., you will be entered to win a $20 gift card!

Happy Mail! :)

I heart happy mail! I FINALLY tracked down a (semi)local LSS that had 1 Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher left! I had it shipped and I am so happy that the Scrappy Boutique could ship it to me! :)

Check them out at http://www.scrappyboutique.com/

Amanda

Creative Twist Challenge #2

This is the design team layout I created for Creative Twist Challenge #2: Upside Down and Inside Out. I printed a picture of Wonderworks in Orlando, and used journaling around the photo to go with upside down theme.

Instead of printing the photo on photo paper, I printed it on textured cardstock. This allowed me to journal right on the border of the picture.

Check out this week's challenge at: http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/

New Challenge at Creative Twist! :)

Check out http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/ to see what the design team created this week with "Upside down and inside out"! :) I will post my LO later today.

Amanda

Creative Twist Challenge #3: Folds

Here's my "folds" LO for this week's challenge at Creative Twist! Check out the rest of the design team at http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/2009/08/challenge-3-lets-get-folding.html

Shopper Sunday

I spent my last week before I return to work participating in a little shopping/me time. I went with my friend Kim to Michael's to spend my $30 gift card I won from Christina's blog at Creative Twist http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/. Check her blog out tomorrow for another challenge to go up (my first challenge DT layout)!

$1 Recollections stamps and $1 ribbon from Micheal's and Target's Dollar Spot.

My $1 Owl Paper Pad (I heart the Target $1 spot).

Went to Violette's in Lakeland today and was PUMPED to score the Jenni Bowlin Crepe Paper Ribbon! I also decided on the Teresa Collins Travel line for our Cali album. Little Yellow Bicycle has these Journal Tablet Calendars that go perfectly with the TC line, so those followed me home too. :)

Also, I found the Coca Cola crate at a yard sale for $2 (spotted one in the antique district in Plant City last week for $35+) and the red boxes are from IKEA. They are going to be altered and displayed in my scrapbook room so I can add a little more color to the space.

Charity, Kim, and I went to Bahama Breeze for my sister's b-day last night-Sister had some drama, but we had a grand time!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for a new layout! :)

Amanda

Altered Take Out Box

I created this Take Out box as a gift card holder for my sister's birthday gift-So easy to make!
Used the scalloped punch, butterfly punch, ribbon, and the decorative edge of some Sassafras patterned paper and done! TFL! :)

Amanda

Hooray!

I made the design team at Creative Twist! I am so excited-this is my first design team and I can't wait to create, create, create!
Check out the blog at: http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/

Challenge #2 at Creative Twist

I created this LO for the second challenge at Creative Twist-Using circles in a LO. http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/

My circles included:

• Buttons


• Scalloped Punch Circle Pattern


• Photo Circle

I really love this picture of my husband and son in their matching shirts at Disneyland. My journaling reveals how much I loved experiencing our vacation together as a family. TFL! :)

Amanda

Scrappy Wish List....

My current scrappy wish list.....

I thought it was an urban legend-The PINK Cricut E is real! The buttons even light up pink! :)Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher....Those staples are perfect for narrow ribbon!

Oh my!

I really fancy this owl bag by Kate Spade. I need to save my pesos, because I would carry this bag EVERYDAY.

Hooray!

Happy Tuesday blog readers! I woke-up this morning, hopped online, and found out that I was the winner of Christina's blog candy at http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/. She also has a challenge up right now using circles-check it out! :)

Today's Scrappy Highlights

These Martha Stewart border punches are my favorite right now! I used the Loopy one over and over on Shiloh's Prom Album here...http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1519905

This is what followed me home from J's today-I love it when they have their adhesive 40% (I stock-up and use my teacher's discount of top of it)! Found the Disney title for the CA Disneyland pics 40% too. The 25 pack of Kraft cardstock was marked down to $2.97-too good to pass up!

Colby and I joined forces today to create this little masterpiece for his room! He picked out those festive puffy robot stickers at M's and designed around to create a little rocket/robot scene. I added the patterned paper to the back, and inserted in an IKEA frame! I am thinking about painting the IKEA wooden easel-but I might just leave it as is!

Spiderman & Colby

I created this LO for the first challenge at Creative Twist-a new weekly challenge blog that posts a new challenge every Monday. Check it out http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com/!

I love the fact that I used up goodies from my stash: eyelets, fibers, ribbon, and scrap patterned paper! Oh my! :)
On a side note, did you spot the new MS spider web border punch? I love these lately! ;)

New Challenge Site

Check out Creative Twist!

http://creativitywithatwist.blogspot.com

Helping Others Via The Cosmo Cricket Blog!

Bloggers,
Please take a minute and visit the Cosmo Cricket Blog at www.cosmocricket.typepad.com .
They are donating $1 for every comment they have posted to a local food bank. I donated some food to a local family this week-Every little bit helps!

Changes Over the Past Year....

Now.....June 26, 2009 50 LBS. LESS :)

Then.....July 4, 2008 50 lbs. ago

I made the decision about one year ago today to make a big change in my life. I decided to eliminate my battle with thyroid meds, started eating more fruit/vegs, and became more active.

I went in a different direction with my career, made some amazing new friends, spent more time with my family.....and as a result.....I am in better health-and probably the happiest I have ever been. :)

Here's to another year of keeping it up!

Cards for Heros....

I seen a snipit about this cause last year some time, and I decided to do my part yesterday on Memorial Day. This week my students and I will create more cards to send to soldiers-I think this is a way for us to support the important job our armed forces do everyday to keep our freedom safe.

http://cardsforheroes.org/

Project Time....

I picked this large wooden frame up at Goodwill BEFORE we moved (so that means I have had it for 6 mo. now), and I had it primed (again many moons ago) and finally painted it today. I hope to find some chicken wire or sheet metal to back it with to hang in my scrapbook room as an inspiration board.