All American Blog Hop! (With Blog Candy!!!!!)

Hi Everybody!

If you just came from the very creative Paula's blog @ http://www.owlbescrappin.com then you are in the right spot!   If you just stumbled into this Blog Hop, then by all means join us!  This is a great hop featuring All American Crafts. Please head over to see Jenny at http://www.crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com to start from the very beginning.  Be sure to read to the very end to have 2 chances at blog candy!

Thank you for joining us for the All American Blog hop!  We are sharing projects that celebrate anything American!  So anything like BBQ's, family picnics, 4th of July, or more.  I created a 4th of July layout using pictures from 2009.  (Yes, I'm still behind in my scrapping!) 

Sorry for the bad picture!  It's raining outside and unless I wanted the flash reflection, this is the best I could get today!  I made a two page 12x12 layout for the Fourth of July.  I based it all on textured cream cardstock and used a deep red to mat all the photos.

Here are photos of each page separately.

Left page...

Right page...

I then used EK Success Fresh Cuts FC014 Free & Brave.  This is a page of cardstock accents that you hand cut out (yuck!)  and then can use.  I love that they are pre-done, but sometimes I feel like spicing them up.  That's what I did today.  Although the cardstock accents are 2-d, they have buttons, brads and fibers printed on them.  Today I added whatever accent they had printed myself, creating 3-d embellishments.  This is a combination of three accents that I set together to make the title.  I popped the title up with foam tape and adhered buttons with fibers to everywhere that they were printed.  Using glue dots helped make the buttons stick!

Another accents featured cute white stars.  Luckily I had these brads in my stash and they looked great, so I added them to the hat!

Another accent were these cute photo corners (all 2-d) with printed fiber knots on each one.  I tied my own little red fiber knows and stuck them over the printed ones.  This is the only photo I didn't mat, but with the photo corners, it stands out on its own.

This heart accent was cute, but with a little spicing up, it is adorable!  I added the white button over the printed white button and then hand sewed the red fibers where it was printed.  This was a pain because I couldn't find my needle so I had to hand sew the heart and all the little ties in the buttons.  What one will do for creativity, right?

This is one of my favorite accents.  It was a 2-d flag with buttons printed where the stars should be.  I layered blue buttons with khaki fiber knots over the top. I actually threaded three buttons per fiber and made a string of them so it would be flatter.  (I tied a knot, then threaded one button, then a second and then a third and then tied the last knot.  This made little rows of three buttons!)

Blog candy chance #1 Scrapping at the McCalley House:

There are several ways to get an entry!

1.  Comment on today's post = 1 entry

2.  Become a follower (or already are one) = 1 entry

3.  Mention my blog on your blog (give me the address of yours to see!) = 1 entry!

**Just be sure to leave your contact information for me!**

I will use the Random Number Generator on Sunday, July 11th to find a winner!  Winners must be within the US and respond to my email within 5 days to claim the prize.

Blog candy chance #2 From CrazyaboutCricut 

There are a couple of GREAT prizes to win today!  You can win a Scrap 'n Tote!!  You can also enter to win this AWESOME prize pack from Post-it! There is also the BBQ set of stamps from Peachy Keen!

To enter to win the prizes:

1. You must leave a comment on all of the blogs in the hop.

2. Please be a follower of Crazy About Cricut.

That's it!  Winners will be announced July 7th!  

Thank you, now please head over to see Sandra's amazing project at Sandra @ http://www.sweetpeascards.blogspot.com/

Here is the lineup in case you get lost or need to stop along the way:

Jenny @ http://www.crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com

Cheryl @ http://www.cardsbycg.blogspot.com

Sharon @ http://www.simplysweetbysharon.blogspot.com

Tanya @ http://www.scrappinkymomma.blogspot.com

Bobbi @ http://www.rockgirlcustomdesigns.blogspot.com

Angie@ http://www.sitrestdownplay.blogspot.com

Paula @ http://www.owlbescrappin.com

Jen  @ http://www.mccalleyhouse.blogspot.com/

Sandra @ http://www.sweetpeascards.blogspot.com/

Lola @ http://www.purplepeepstechniques.blogspot.com/

Heather @

http://www.paper-junkie.blogspot.com/

Leah@ http://www.leahscarddesigns.com

Coming Soon: All American Blog Hop! (With Blog Candy!!!!!)

Be sure to stop by Thursday to check out this great All-American blog hop featuring all type of scrapping crafts!  There are many talented ladies who have great projects ready to show!

Thankful Thursday Design Team Post--Father's Day!

It's Almost Father's Day and It's Thankful Thursday!

Here is the current project for the Design Team and this time my 7 and 3/4 year old daughter took over my blog and create the project!  The challenge this week was to  create something for Father's Day!  Here is her project with her detailed instructions:

The way you do this is you take a large piece of cardstock in any color of your choice (I used red because my dad always wears red shirts!)  First, fold your paper so that each side meets in the middle, where the tie goes.  I added black, brown and white stripes so it looks just like a shirt Dad wears to work.  The tie is pure brown (my Dad doesn't wear striped or dotted ties...most of the time!)  I made the the tie by creating a "v" shape at the bottom and then at the top I made a top of a vase shape.  I made the collar of the shirt by folding down two small triangles and then I glued the tie to one side of the paper.  I had to glue the tie to just one side of the paper so that my card would open from underneath the tie! 

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Inside, I made an acrostic poem using the word "Father."  When I glued the poem into the card I was careful to leave the top white border showing, so it looks like a white undershirt.  The poem says:

F:  Favorite Dad

A:  Awesome Dad

T:  Terrific Work Dad

H: Having fun with you is great

E:  Exciting forever

R:  Right away you wake me up in the morning you wake me up so I am not late for school.  Thank you!

Love,
Maddie

Thanks for looking and I (Maddie will too!) love comments!

We have an awesome prize this month, it's a Post-it prize pack!! Don't forget to head over to Crazy About Cricut at http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com%20and/  and enter your family project and maybe win the great prize pack!

and the Winner is....

#14!

Great, fun two page layout. TFS and the chance to win. I am already a follower. 

By Trisha on Summer Begins Blog Hop Day #1 on 6/11/11

Trisha, congratulations on being the winner!  Please email me your address asap and I'll get your blog candy out!

Summer Begins Blog Hop Day #2

Welcome to day 2 of the Summer Begins Blog Hop!  The wonderful Kathryn is hosting from http://www.creationswithkathryn.com/, so if you stumbled into this blog hop, head back to Kathryn's to see all the great projects.  You should have arrived here from Janice's at http://www.cricutconfessions.com/!

Don't forget to read all the way to the bottom to find out how to enter for BLOG CANDY!

Although this is day 2 of the blog hop, feel free to jump back "in time" and see all the great projects from yesterday!

Here is another Summer Begins layout of my daughter playing at the park.  If you saw my son's yesterday, you will notice this is a whole new theme!  She is a monkey and loves to climb, so I emphasized her "monkeyness" and her bravery!

At the Park--First Dry Summer Day!

I used coordinating patterned paper with cute little monkeys (not sure of brand) with matching cardstock stickers!  I matted the focal photo with a 1" mat so that it would stand out and then aligned three cardstock word stickers down the right hand side of the photo mat.  The three tags below are made with the "Fastenator" that makes it's own tags.  You can buy the outline (silver on mine) in any shape/color you want, then add the background paper of your choice.  I did that and then added three circle stickers  from the same pack.  A few yellow heart brads completed the look along with a bright yellow ribbon as a border with green brad ends.

The right hand side is much simpler than the left. with a journaling block with a couple of stickers, the continuation of the yellow ribbon border and a little sticker block in the bottom corner of the vertical picture.

Here is a close up of the tags I made!

Here is the journaling block with just two little stickers added on!

BLOG CANDY!

Yes, there is blog candy!  There are several ways to get an entry!

1.  Comment on today's post = 1 entry

2. Comment on yesterday's post = 1 entry

3.  Become a follower (or already are one) = 1 entry

4.  Mention my blog on your blog (give me the address of yours to see!) = 1 entry!

**Just be sure to leave your contact information for me!**

I will use the Random Number Generator on Sunday, June 12th after 10:00 p.m. to find a winner!  Winners must be within the US and respond to my email within 5 days to claim the prize.

And now...back to the blog hop!  Your next stop is:  Michelle at http://peanutbutterandjellydesigns.blogspot.com/

Summer Begins Blog Hop Day #1

Welcome to day 1 of the Summer Begins Blog Hop!  The wonderful Kathryn is hosting from http://www.creationswithkathryn.com/, so if you stumbled into this blog hop, head back to Kathryn's to see all the great projects.  You should have arrived here from Janice's http://www.cricutconfessions.com/!  Don't forget to read all the way to the bottom to find out how to enter for BLOG CANDY!

Well, on to the fun stuff!  Here is a "summery" layout to inspire you to scrap all those every day photos of your child playing at the park!  Here in Oregon we have to wait until after the 4th of July to even begin to consider to be dry and warm, so any dry day is spent outside!

"Super Star"

This is an easy layout featuring bright pictures of my son playing at the local park. This came together quickly because I used a great cardstock page of coordinating accents.  The Super Star title, the circle accent, the star tag and frame all came from the same cardstock page! 

While I love using coordinating accents, I also like to make them my own and add a little flair.  I did that by matting a few in bright blue adding copper brads to all the accents.  A little bling never hurt!  I even used brads to hold down the word strip that was the bottom border.

The second page is much like the first, with more cute accents and a photo frame that continues the same theme.

I had this strip accent left, so I used it to add the "journaling" about the park we were at.  I also added two more copper brads.  

BLOG CANDY!

Yes, there is blog candy!  There are several ways to get an entry!

1.  Comment on today's post = 1 entry

2. Comment on tomorrow's post = 1 entry

3.  Become a follower (or already are one) = 1 entry

4.  Mention my blog on your blog (give me the address of yours to see!) = 1 entry!

**Just be sure to leave your contact information for me!**

I will use the Random Number Generator on Sunday, June 12th after 10:00 p.m. to find a winner!  Winners must be within the US and respond to my email within 5 days to claim the prize.

And now...back to the blog hop!  Your next stop is:  Michelle at http://peanutbutterandjellydesigns.blogspot.com/

Yippee!  A new blog hop is coming on June 11-12th hosted by the talented Creations with Kathryn! (http://www.creationswithkathryn.com/) This is a two day blog hop with lots of great blog candy!  Check back both days to see new projects centered around summer time and to have more chances for blog candy!

See you Saturday!

Thankful Thursday Design Team Post--Oh Boy!

Oh Boy!  It's Thankful Thursday!

Here is the current project for the Design Team and I really like the patterns I used, even though I deviated from my typical style!  The challenge this week was to create something with a man/boy.    I have been feeling like I have been "neglecting" my scrapbooking because I have gotten into more home decor and cards lately, and I really love my layouts.  I decided today was a day to return to the the layout!  I am a chronological scrapbooker, and I don't like to go too far past the current set of pictures because I am always certain I will miss out and forget a great set of photos.  So, I picked up my next envelope of photos and realized it was Christmas....What is a Design Team Member to do?

Be creative!

Do you remember the days when Christmas morning seemed to never come?  Do you remember walking (sprinting) up to the tree to see your presents all wrapped and wondering who had that huge box in the corner?  The photos I scrapped today reminded me of the excitement kids have for this special morning!  The "OH BOY!" look is apparent on each of my children's faces in this bright layout.  

OH BOY!  

This was a great layout to do, even though it's just one page!  (I have even more Christmas morning photos, but those will be saved for another day, another layout!)  I used 3 sheets of paper:  1 solid green cardstock (background), 1 checkered white and black (top and bottom stripe) and a snowman patterned paper (Kangaroo and Joey brand).  I folded over the top left and bottom right corner of the checkered paper for some contrast and then used a set of Creative Imaginations  (Studio Basics 101--Jolly Elements) cardstock stickers.  (See the penguin, the green file tab, the red and green stripes and the green washer?  Those are all stickers!)

I cut the title using Sweet Treats at about 2 inches tall.  I wanted to continue the black and white theme but it needed a little something, so I added a piece of red and white polka dot ribbon.  (TRICK:  I don't like the bulk of knots sometimes so I simple thread the ribbon around the letter, then carefully twist UNDER the letter so that the top of the ribbon shows on both sides.  I then use my ATG gun to stick down the ribbon and I have a cute accent without the bulk of a knot!)

I needed a little accent block, so I matted a penguin onto red paper and then matted that in white.  I slipped a sticker (green) file folder tab to the edge and used the ribbon in the same way! 

Thanks for looking and I love comments!

We have an awesome prize this month, it's a Post-it prize pack!! Don't forget to head over to Crazy About Cricut at http://crazyaboutcricut.blogspot.com%20and/  and enter your family project!