Check it out!

I put a new tutorial together on working with craft wire and beads at scrapbook challenges. The tutorial discusses how to use wire, flat nose and needle nose pliers, jewlery beads and crimp beads and how to adhere your wire work. There are also step by step instructions on making the wire work on the following projects:

Also- I am the March Guest designer for Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker and today is the "THE DAY" that my work will be featured on her blog. Pretty exciting huh? I am waiting patiently for it to be posted ;)

So excited!!!!

I am so so so excited to be the March Guest Designer for Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I check out her blog everyday and what did I see today????? My picture! And she tweeted about me! For a novice like myself this is pretty big! I had the opportunity to work with her Willow Bee line and I LOVE it. It is so cute and fun and perfect for pictures of Frances. My projects will be posted on the Nikki Sivils blog Monday March 15th, but here is a little sneak peak:

Create a banner

Is my March challenge over at Simply Obsessed.

I love the look of those cute little banners I see all over on layouts and cards. Perfect for a birthday celebration layout, right? Exactly what I thought! So I created this little banner from scrap patterned paper and raffia. I can't get enough of the raffia right now. I have been putting it on everything!  I decorated the banner with flowers and hearts and then birthday candles. I even attempted to put the title on the little flags. In the end I decided the banner looked cute just as is. I guess some times simple is the best way to go. I tried to go easy on the embellishments on this layout too to keep the attention on the extra cute birthday girl.  I also used one of the March sketch's from Scrapbook Challenges for a little inspiration.

Hello

Just a little card to post today. I created this hello card for the Lily Bee DT call using one of the past kits from Simply Obsessed.

I actually created quite a few layouts the last few weeks, but none that I can post just right now ;) ;).

Monday's Sketch

Here's Monday's sketch from Scrapbook Challenges. Isn't that banner adorable? Pamela has created another awesome sketch again this week! I will have this one done by the end of the week. But in the mean time you can check out the rest of the DT's layouts here.

Lucky Me SO Kit

It's reveal time at Simply Obsessed! Every month I say this is the best kit yet. And yep, I am going to say it again this month :). The March Lucky Me kit is just so fun! Even my husband commented on my projects and said how much he liked the colors. I would never pick out these colors on my own. I always go for pinks and reds. Good thing I have Heather, because I love the projects I created with this kit. That's just one of the reasons I love the kits at SO so much. I find so many great products that I would have otherwise overlooked if not for the kit. Plus the kits are always jam packed with amazing products!

My first layout is of my husband, my daughter and I. We were fooling around with the self timer on the camera and took these goofy pics. I cut out the swirls on the patterned paper to make embellishments and used some chipboard and thickers from my stash.



All right, I'll admit it. I couldn't resist adding some pink to this layout. I don't like it when people think Frances is a boy so I thought a little pink would solve that. Aren't those prima roses the cutest? I wanted to use them as is because I thought they looked so cute like that. I tied them with a pink ribbon to make a rose bouquet.

I usually don't like making cards, but I love the cards I made with this kit. I tied some raffia around each to give them fun dimension and used the cool Jillibean soup buttons.

After all this, I still have tons of product left too! I am saving it for photos of our traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner that I make every year on St. Patty's day. YUMMMY! Have a great one- Sarah

Happy March!

There's lots going on in March!

Here is this week's sketch for Scrapbook Challenges:

You can see what the DT did with the sketch here.

The Simply Obsessed reveals of the March kit Lucky Me began on Monday as well. You can check out the DT's work with the kit here. Check back on Thursday for my reveal.

On March 11th I am hosting the Layout challenge at Simply Obsessed blog.

On March 15th I will be giving a tutorial on the Scrapbook challenges site on working with wire and beads. 

And.......

March is my guest design month for Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker! I made the cutest lo's with her Willow Bee line. It is so so so so cute. I think they will be posted on the Nikki Sivils blog on March 15th, but I will let you know when I see them! 

I hope your March is starting out great!  

New Sketch...

There's a new sketch over at Scrapbook Challenges. I am a little late in posting this because it totally slipped my mind! You have until the end of the month to create your layouts based on this wonderful sketch and upload them to the scrapbook challenges gallery. For each submission you will be entered to win a kit from JuJu Bee's Scrapbook Corner!

Check out what the talented DT did with the sketch HERE.

New challenge for you...

There's a new challenge at Scrapbook Challenges hosted by yours truly. ;)

My challenge for this month is an easy one. I have been a little busy with a sick little girl over here so I had to make a "quick" layout. I put "quick" in quotations because I am the slowest scrapper ever! In the time it takes me to pick out cardstock most people are done with their layouts!

To speed things up a bit I chose to use only three things on my layout- Patterned Paper, Cardstock and Letter stickers. I call this my "Only Three" layout because you can only use those three things on your layout (and tools do not count). Here is my example:

Upload your finished layouts to the Scrapbook Challenges gallery for you chance to win this month's prize hosted by...... Juju Bee's Scrapbook Corner. You can win one of their awesome kits!

Simply Obsessed's March Kit

Hurry, hurry over to Simply Obsessed to buy the March kit! The February kit sold out in less than a day and this kit will sell out fast too.

And don't forget about the add-ons!

New sketch...

There's a new sketch posted at scrapbook challenges and it is a beauty! I love this sketch.

I didn't get a chance to play along this week because Frances was sick, but this is definitely on my to do list for the weekend. I took her back to the doctor today and she has RSV, a respiratory infection. Luckily it's not too bad. She just needs lots of fluids, rest, and snuggles from mommy. :)

Check out what the talented DT at scrapbook challenges did this week HERE.

**February 14th**

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Well little Frances is still not feeling herself so we had a very low key V-day celebration. We went out for a late lunch/ early dinner at this little brewery by our house. The name of the place is in German and I can't even begin to spell it. But they have the best garlic fries! MMmmmm mmm!!! Usually Frances loves to go out to eat. She sits in her little high chair watching everyone and trying to feed her puppy fishy crackers. Her puppy is this little plastic fisher-price dog (here's a picture of him).

It came in the little people set we got her for Christmas. Well "puppy" now goes every where we go and Frances likes to feed him crackers. It is so cute. Today though she sat in her high chair for about a half hour then wanted to be held. I guess we are lucky if that is her version of not behaving in a restaraunt. So we finished eating and then our big V-day outing of the day was to go to the Bass Pro Shop across the street. We must be getting old if we consider that an outing! There is a big fish tank in the store and lots of "stuffed" animals. It is a hunting store so they are those kind of stuffed animals. There are geese, ducks, bears, deer, raccoons, beavers, you name it. Now that Frances knows all her animals it is really fun when she sees them. She could point them all out and doesn't know the difference between the zoo and a store yet. Then she was tired out so we went through the Starbucks drive through for a hot chocolate and then came home. Along with having a cold I stuck my finger in her mouth yesterday and she is getting all her back teeth. That can't be fun! Poor little girl. I feel so bad for her.

Before we left we managed to get a few non-cranky pictures of her in this cute little heart t-shirt.

That little pink hedge hog is "Smitten". I bought him for Frances for V-day. We call him Smitty for short. Thanks for stopping by! I hope everyone had a great day. - Sarah

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is less than a day away! So if you need a last minute card I am hosting challenge #6 over at the Simply Obsessed SWAK crop. My challenge is to create a card with the following:

• the colors pink, red and blue (could have others too)
• a white ribbon
• two or more buttons
• a heart

Here is my example-

The crop will be going on through Sunday so I hope you'll stop by! - Sarah

SWAK Crop!!

Join us at Simply Obsessed for the SWAK crop going on now! There are challenges, games, chatting and prizes. The boards are hopping right now too!

My challenge is to incorporate a letter somewhere on a layout. Valentine's Day is all about love letters right? Every Valentine's Day my husband writes me a letter and I want to put it on this layout. I used this sketch from Scrapbook Challenges. The heart was perfect to make a pocket for my letter.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you join us at the crop! - Sarah

Hello February!!!!

Well just a few days I was bummed because I wasn't chosen for two DT's that I applied for, but then the very next day I found out that I was chosen as one of the top 25 finalists for the My Scrapbook Nook DT!

I am so super excited I made it as one of the finalists! The kits there are amazing and you should see the current design team - WOW! The final team will be announced Sunday so keep your fingers crossed for me :)

But that's not it. The following day I found out I was chosen as a guest designer for Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker!

And I will be working with one of her new releases that just debuted at CHA winter. Here is a little peek-

Willow Bee-

 My month will be in March so I will start posting my new Nikki Sivils products then!

Thanks for stopping and letting me share my good new with you. - Sarah

A few of my latest projects....

Wll I didn't make any of the design teams I tried out for in January :(  so I can post these projects now. My sweet husband says they look like they should be in magazines and they are crazy not to pick me. I think he is just blinded by how cute Frances is, LOL. He is sweet to say that though. Anyway here they are....

This is my new favorite layout of Frances (and what a coincidence it is named favorite). She just loves Curious George. Whenever she sees a picture of him she squeals in delight. It is so cute when she tries to say George too. It comes out like "Ga-orge". Did I mention she's walking now too? Well now it's more like running.

And here is the cutie doing her best poses for the camera.

And an older pic of the two of us together.

Some cards and such...

Thanks for stopping by- Sarah

New "Scrapbook Challenges" Challenges :)

Hey there everyone. This is one tired mommy here! Frances is walking everywhere and getting some of those pesky back teeth in so she is crying and drooling all over. Poor little girly. I did get a little break last weekend when I went to my favorite all day crop. I got lots done, but I can't show you everything....... yet :) Stay tuned I will post it soon! Here are some new challengs from Scrapbook Challenges that I can post. Please come play along with us this month. There are some fun challenges and you have still time to get them done to be eligible for the super cute Nikki Sivils stuff that will go to one lucky participant.

And speaking of Nikki Sivils.....

My challenge for January is the "Mix it up" challenge. I took the super cute Nikki Sivils paper (which is all boy) and turned it girly  with some pink carstock and embellishments for my sweet Frances. My challenge is to mix up some boy paper to make it more feminine (or girl paper to make it more masculine).

And here is Pamela's new sketch and my take on the sketch. It is labeled sketch 183 on the forum. So funny story here- I wanted to paint my kitchen green. My husband kept saying are you sure you want green? I kept saying yes. So green it is. And I hate it. Really, really hate it. And the worst part? Now all my pics of Frances in her high chair are bright green (exhibit A below- 'nuff said.). I don't want to say anything to my husband though because I know he'll say he was right about the green. So now my kitchen is green. Permanantly.

Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you at Scrapbook Challenges. Good night.

My last Projects for A Walk Down Memory Lane

Sadly my DT term has come to an end with A Walk Down Memory Lane. It was such a great store to design for and Lisa the owner is just great! I will miss the DT and wish everyone who is applying for the new team Good Luck!

For my last DT reveal I created these projects:

I used my October Afternoon Farm Fresh on this one. Love, love, love that line!

This is a lift from a lo in the Feb. issue of CK. It was the "make a page" in 15 minutes column. I think it took me about 15 minutes to just choose carstock, but it was quicker than most- LOL! I figure it is just like those Rachael Ray recipes- they never take me 30 minutes either. I liked this LO when I saw it in the magazine because I have a bunch of left over random stickers and embellishments here and there and this was perfect to use those up.

And last here is sweet Frances trying to take down the tree. Really this is her second Christmas but since she was born at 5:11pm on Christmas day we like to say it is her 1. 5 Christmas. For the pictures I took them without flash, then lightened them a little in photoshop. Not sure about the result, but I think they are still cute.

I have a few projects I can't show yet, so check back at the end of the week for more. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great night.

Save the date

for the Simply Obsessed SWAK crop! So what does SWAK stand for you ask? SWAK means "sealed with a kiss" and is the perfect name for our Valentine's Crop. There will be challenges, games, prizes, chatting and more. Hope to see you there!

Simply Obsessed's January Sketch

It is a snowy, snowy day here! It took me two hours to drive to school this morning and I only live 12 miles away. To be honest I did stop at Starbucks for a Chai Latte though (but shhh, that's a secret- hehehe).

Well this month I had the honor of designing the January sketch for Simply Obsessed. Here is my sketch and the LO I created from it. I used my new Nikki Sivils paper and some of the Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday paper I had left over from my Scrapbook Challenges blog hop LO. My little Frances is trying to open her xmas presents here. It was cute to watch. I gave her some help after I took the pics :)

Thanks for stopping by!