{scrappergirl}

Something beautiful...............

This is truly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! I can't stop crying....................

 

Easy pin cushion project....

Here is a quick little project I made after seeing this video and tutorial at CREATE! It literally took me 10 minutes to make this and it is SO adorable! I have so many Maya Road pins that I just love and it's fun to see them and showcase them on my scrap table in this 5x7 frame. I used a frame that I got for $4 and some upholstery fabric I had laying around. Add some stuffing and your fabric glue and that's it! I love the smaller one they have in the newest issue of Simple Handmade's "Sewing" but I wanted to create a larger one for all my pins. I also have a project featured in that issue for this pillow project so that was fun to see too!

Here's the video on how to make the frame pin cushion!

 

Easy Canvas Prints.....

I was approached by Easy Canvas Prints to review their canvas prints recently. Here is a look at the 24x36 inch canvas wrap print I received from them using a photo I took this Summer at Rialto Beach, Washington.

First off the quality is superb! I ordered my print with the .75 inch image wrap. They also offer a 1.5 inch wrap and a couple of different styles. I LOVE my 24x36 print but they offer a wide range of sizes and options.The delivery time was prompt and my print was well protected. What's more is that their prices are so reasonable! I have always wanted to convert some of my photos into  canvas print form and I can honestly say I am loving the look of it. This is the first of many canvas prints I will be ordering from Easy Canvas Prints! I love it that my little photo looks like a piece of art! Go check them out!

Would you like to win some Hambly goodies?

I reviewed Hambly's newest releases on The Scrap Review! Come stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win some Hambly goodness!

Some new digital goodness from Pink Trike Design!

Robyn's got some great new papers at Design House Digital! In fact, there's a lot of really cute items there that you should check out! Here was my take on the papers.

I am so looking forward to this holiday weekend and an extra day to spend with my family. My parents are coming to town so we can celebrate my daughter's 22nd (gasp!) birthday and the Iowa Hawkeyes have their first home game! Go Hawks! I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

Where has Summer gone?

I can't believe Summer is gone and the kids are back in school! Jenna is starting her Senior year at Iowa and will begin interviewing for Dental Schools this Fall. Jordan is in a two year post-high school program to help him transition from academics to the workforce as well as working on independent living skills. Kirk is a Senior at Regina High School and has applied to Iowa for the Fall 2012-2013 year. I have been getting ready for my class for Maya Road and The Crafty Scrapper in Texas at the end of this month. We are anxiously awaiting the Iowa football season and it's nice to finally get into a schedule of sorts.It was a great Summer....but I will miss you!!

Zutter Zummer continues.....

Check out the Zutter Zisters Zummer time BLOG to see some great summer projects! It starts today! Go check it out!

Here are a few of the deals you will find!

Chipboard Covers & Inner pages - 50% off
Acrylic, Clipboard, Canvas - 50% off
Spinner Album, Display-it-All - 50% off
Baby Blue and Baby Pink Owire (1/2 " and 3/4") - 35% off
Original Cover-All continue at 50% off
http://www.binditall.com/ShoppingSpecials.html
When these items are sold out, they will be GONE forever.

Artistic Journey 2011!

Artistic Journey 2011 is just a few months away!!! There are just a few spots left so click HERE for all the info you will need to come join us on this incredible journey!!!

CHA album....

I wanted to share one of my favorite CHA Summer 2011 albums that I made for Maya Road using their new Large Square Coaster chipboard album. I covered it with burlap and added all kinds of Maya Road goodness to it. This is a little album about my daughter's first garden that was actually planted by my parents for her as she was in the middle of finals week! I also added a few items that I had purchased at a flea market (the vintage seed packets and the handle from a water spigot) earlier in the Spring.

Maya Road's full catalog reveal....

You REALLY must stop by the Maya Road company blog and check out the full catalog reveal!! It is truly amazing! If you are heading to CHA have a great time and stop by the MR booth and say hello to the great Maya Road team!!! And don't forget to check out all the new goodies on display!!!!

It's Zummer time!!!

It's Zummer Time! Join the Zutter Zisters Design Team for some summer themed project ideas, shopping specials and a dose of hot weather inspiration. The fun starts on the Bind-it-All blog on Monday, July 11, and runs daily through Friday, July 15. There will be daily drawings for Zutter giveaways, and tips for staying cool. It's Zummer Time, and the crafting is EASY!

Maya Road Sneak Peeks Have Begun!!!!

Head on over to the Maya Road Company Blog to see the first of the incredible sneak peeks that await you! CHA is just around the corner and Maya Road wants to share what is coming your way!!!! You are going to love it all!!!

 

Christmas in July....

Head on over to the Maya Road Design Team blog and see my "Christmas in July" project!!! And don't forget to stop by the Maya Road blog to see all the newest goodies coming from Maya Road and also all the incredible projects by my fellow DT members! CHA is just around the corner and Maya Road has some incredible new products coming out just for you!!!!

Getting back in the groove....

It's taking me awhile to get back into the groove of things. Vacation was truly magical and full of so many sights that I will never forget. I really enjoyed all my tide pool exploring, seeing Seattle and Pike's Place market, staying in our mountain house, the beach, riding with the Mustang top down and drinking in the sun and the smell of the ocean and forests. Beachcombing was big on my to-do list and I got a lot of that in on this trip! Here are a few of my favorite photos thus far. We drove over 2,600 miles and I took over 2,800 photos! All in all a perfect trip (except for that deer we hit 50 miles from home at 3:30am) :(  It's good to be home and be with my kids again. Give me a few weeks and I will be ready for another adventure!!!!

Summer vacation 2011...

I am on the last few days of my Summer vacation with my best friend Pat. We arrived in Seattle and have covered the Washington and Oregon coastline and a bit of the California coast as well. We have seen the Olympic National Park, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Victoria (Vancouver Island BC), La Push, beaches (1st beach, Rialto, Ruby, Cannon, today the Bandon), forests, Forks Washington (home of the Twilight series), tide pooling, lighthouses, Mo's, small port towns, sea lions, murres, and miles and miles of gorgeous vistas! I have so enjoyed taking the "off roads" and exploring this amazing coast. We enjoyed our beautiful hotel in downtown Seattle and our little KOA cabins. We are heading into the Redwoods today and still have so many exciting things to see in the 5 days we have left. We will end our trip with a 2 day stay in a house just outside Mt. Rainier. I feel so blessed to be able to travel and see this beautiful world we live in. I have enjoyed every minute of this time but look forward to being home again and seeing my kids. (Pat had just returned from a 2 week trip to Nashville with her husband so I KNOW she is excited to get home and see her family too!) My daughter and I are already making plans to come back here to she can see this wondrous place and explore the tidepools for hours on end!!

What a weekend!

Our weekend here was focused on my son Jordan's high school graduation. I have nothing but praise for the Iowa City School system and the incredible education they have given my son. Jordan was diagnosed with Autism when he was 3 1/2 years old. Immediately he was placed in a preschool setting with other children diagnosed with Autism. Over the next 16 years he and I have met some incredible people who have helped mold Jordan into the person he is today. There are so many things these people have taught us. They have been my friends and the strongest advocates for Jordan. I couldn't have made it without all of them. It has NOT been an easy journey but it has been quite the adventure and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It has helped shape me into the person I am today. Besides the wonderful teachers and aides, we have been blessed with an incredible family. Jordan is so fortunate to have so many people who love him and support him. I couldn't have done it without them. There were times when I wasn't sure I could make it all happen but with the love and support of my family we did! I am so proud of this boy. We look forward to this new chapter in our lives and the many possibilities it holds. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to help us celebrate and those who sent their congratulations. It means the world to us!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dear 16 year old me....

As a survior of malignant melanoma I thought I would share this video posted on Ali Edward's (also a MM survivor) blog about malignant melanoma awareness.

New Pink Trike Design products are available!

New digital goodness from Pink Trike Designs are available at Design House Digitals today! I love everything that Robyn does and these items are SO cool!!!! I really love the bardcode elements! Today only all new releases are 30% off!! What a deal!! Here were my takes on these incredible designs!

 
 

Where has the time gone?

I don't know where the time has gone but I need more of it! With my son's graduation party just around the corner and my two week vacation shortly after that I have been busy preparing and planning. Because I am gone a big chunk in June I am also trying to get my CHA-S projects done early too. Anyway, I wanted to invite you to stop by the Creative Therapy blog for this month's catalyst. There is some truly stunning work there! Also, Maya Road and Little Yellow Bicycle have teamed up so you really must stop by the Maya Road  blog and see what our team did for the product swap!! Have a great rest of the week!!

 
 
 

A Flea market, chalk walk, and a great Mother's Day!

This was a FULL weekend. My parents came from Omaha and we headed to the What Cheer Flea Market on Saturday. I got some great $1 items! Here are a few shots from that. I REALLY loved that card catalog piece!!!

 
 
 
 
 
On Sunday we headed to Mr. Vernon, Iowa and attended the annual "Chalk the Walk" event! We even got a visit into my favorite antique store there "Polly Ann's"!

 
 
 
 
 
Since we were in the area I took my parents to see the barn with "American Gothic" painted on it! I just love that barn!!!

 
 
The evening was spent with my kids making homemade pizza and celebrating Mother's Day!! What a fantastic weekend it was!! Thanks to my family for making this Mother's Day one I will always remember!

 

New Robyn Meierotto kits available...

I don't know how she does it but Robyn keeps rocking with cool kits at Design House Digitals!! Her new "Here's Your Sign" and "Kraft Brights vol.1" are no execption!! I love both of these kits SO much. They are so versatile and I love that! Head over to DHD to get her new kits....you will not be sorry! Here is a look at what I did with her new digi goodness!

 
 

Are you ready for a blog hop with over 100 FREE digi items...

 
Here are all the free goodies you will accumulate if you join our Design House Digital blog hop!!! Wow is all I can say....and it's FREE!! You need to start HERE! Follow the blog hop to the end and then you will be directed back to the DHD website!!! Here is what I did with Robyn Meierotto's contribution to the free blog hop kit!

 

Please vote for Jordan!!

Best Buddies is hosting a Best Buddies Talent Show and I have submitted Jordan's video of him singing to the contest. Best Buddies is a great program started by the Shriver family that pairs students with a disability with a peer who does not have a disability. I can't begin to tell you how incredible this program is and how much it has changed lives. All you have to do is go to this link  hit the "like" button to vote for Jordan!! Jordan and I thank you for your vote!!! :) You can go to this link too to vote also!

 

National Scrapbooking Day.....May 1!!

 
 

Maya Road and Glue Arts!!!

Maya Road and Glue Arts are joining together for a blog swap!! Come check it out HERE and HERE! Today is day One and there is more each day so keep checking to see what incredible projects the Maya Road and Glue Arts DT has been up to!

 

Artistic Journey 2011....

I am so excited to share that I will be teaching a class at this year's Artistic Journey sponsored by Maya Road and the Crafty Scrapper! You can find out all the information and how to get signed up HERE! Lisa Pace and Dina Wakely will also be there teaching so you know it will be a fabulous time! I am looking forward to this trip to Texas and to meet new people and to finally meet my Maya Road family in person!!! What a great experience this will be and I am so looking forward to coming in October to this incredible event!

 

Jordan sings the National Anthem at the Iowa Cubs opening game!!!!

 

I am SO proud of Jordan!! He did such a great job! We enjoyed our day in Des Moines participating in the Best Buddies walk and the party that followed! Thank you to all the wonderful students and teachers from Iowa City High School who made this day happen! We had a great turnout for City High and the group won an award for donations raised! Thanks to Caitlin for being such a great Best Buddies President and to all the students, teachers , and families that showed up to make this event a great success! We are so blessed to live in a place that welcomes and celebrates people with disabilities! What a great experience for all of us!

 

 

This kid....

This kid will be singing the National Anthem at the Iowa Cubs baseball game in Des Moines this Sunday for Best Buddies Day. Jordan will be walking in a fundraiser walk prior to the game and then will be singing at 1:05 to start the ball game. I am so proud and so excited for him. He has been practicing and practicing. Video and photos to follow. After his solo we are headed back to Iowa City so he can get his tuxedo on and sing in the Cathedral concert at St. Mary's at 4pm. Whew....what a day!! Special Olympics track and field on Saturday and a Best Buddies party on Friday and that will be our weekend! I can't believe his High School days are coming to an end. But man.....what a way to go out!!!! So very proud of you Jordman!!!

New templates and some inspiration...

Head on over to Design House Digital to grab these two new templates from Robyn Meierotto! They are so fun and so easy to use. Templates can really help you streamline if you are looking for a quick layout and yet they give you the freedom to make them your own too!

 

 
 
Also be sure to stop by the Maya Road Design Team blog for my post on how to create a "book" with two Maya Road ATC shadow boxes!!!

 
 

 

My new obsession.....

 
Turning blue Mason jars into hand soap/sanitizer/lotion dispensers!!! I used a Maya Road large bottle cap place my paper circle and letters and then set it with Glossy Accents so it wouldn't get ruined by water!!!

Weekend photos.....

My girlfriends and I headed to the Kane County Flea Market  just outside Chicago this weekend. This is a flea market that takes place the first weekend of every month for 10 months out of the year. The weather was great and I found a couple of really cool items which I will have to share later! On our way home we stumbled upon this antique place on highway 38 in Illinois. Josies Antiques....OH MY WORD!! The  place was amazing! She had a whole BARN filled with goodies as well as four other buildings! I took a few shots there to share! I can't wait to stop there again on our next trip!!

 
 
 
 

"The Sweetest Thing" a new Maya Road kit!

 

Head on over to Maya Road to get your exclusive shadowbox kit "The Sweetest Days"! This kit is full of Maya Road and Sassafrass goodness! Full step-by-step instructions are included!!!

My love for Canvas Corp continues....................

 

 

Here is the original metal serving tray!

 

Stop by The Scrap Review today for my review of Canvas Corp I LOVE their incredible line of products! If you love canvas, burlap, chalkboard, and twine....then you will LOVE them too! Here are the items I created using their products!

 

Stretched burlap mini album!

 
 

No sew "home" canvas and upholstery pillow!

 
 

A Canvas Corp banner!

 

I am so loving Canvas Corp and all their incredible products. I have entered this project for their banner contest. One thing I like to do with my projects is make them multifunctional if I can. This banner does just that. First I cut square pieces of the canvas 12x12 piece and altered them with watercolor crayons to give it an aged look. Next I machine stitched pieces of the chalk-stock paper to the canvas squares. This gives you the ability to spell whatever you want on each square! I spelled "family" and then "home" with chalk. Each square is then clipped to the CC cording with a clothespin covered with CC paper! On the ends I made cork pieces that hold photos which are held onto the cork with button covered pushpins! I made about 12 of these squares so I have the ability to spell whatever I want when I need a change. That makes this project go a long way....and I like that! Thanks for stopping by!!

 
 
 

Special Olympics Polar Plunge 2011......

The 2011 Special Olympic's Polar Plunge was a HUGE success! Thank you to all of you who donated toward Jordan's fundraising for this awesome event!!! It was about 32 degrees but the kids had a great time!!!

 

Altering a window with Maya Road and Canvas Corp... and a giveaway....

I have been collecting some windows here and there from Goodwill and antique places and today since I had a day off of work I decided to alter one. Here it is!

 
I used some of the beautiful organza rose ribbon from Maya Road on the bottom as well as the rub-on in the top left corner window. I placed the rub-on on the back side of the window so when I want to put something on the front it won't get damaged. This will not work with rub-ons that contain letters/words like the one in the bottom right window. I used small suction cups with hooks to hang my photos so I can switch them out when I want. I also wrote with liquid chalk (Michaels) which can be changed any time by wiping and starting again and added the cute canvas and burlap stars from Canvas Corp by threading them on some packing twill and attaching to two nails.

 
 
 
Leave a comment by Friday night telling me what you have altered lately and I will have goodie bag with Maya Road, Canvas Corp goodies for you!! Thanks for stopping by!

Maya Road's Canvas Dress Form tutorial......

 
My tutorial on how to make your own canvas dress form project is up at Maya Road DT blog! This was so fun and an easy no sew project to make!

 

A fabric photo pillow, some inspiration and a big congrats!

 

 

This is a little project I made for Creative Therapy this month. I printed a photo I had taken of a vintage camera onto inkjet fabric and then sewed it onto this handmade pillow made out of upholstery fabric. I love how it turned out and I may have to make a couple of more for gifts! There are some very cool projects up at Creative Therapy so be sure to go check them out! I also wanted to give a BIG shout out to my friend Robyn Meierotto  who is teaming up with a "little" company called  My Mind's Eye!!! How cool is that!!! I love her work and her digital products and am so honored to be on her DT. I can't wait to see what she creates! It's going to be fabulous whatever it is! Don't forget to head over to the Maya Road blog. We have teamed up with Core'dinations! Come see our team's tags and cards!! Here are mine!

 
 

It was a good Saturday...

Jordan spent his day at the Unified Sports Day at Cornell College in Mr. Vernon, Iowa. This is an event where students and athletes pair up Special Olympic participants and play games and do crafts. This is the 2nd year Jordan has gone and he just loves it. He gets to play bball and other sports that he dearly loves!

 
While he was there for several hours I got to visit some of my favorite spots in Mt. Vernon.  Pollyann's  Antiques was my first stop!! I always love visiting her store! There is so much inspiration here and it smells like my favorite scent of Polly's candles "French Market". Here are a few of my finds there! I wish I wasn't saving up for my Summer vacation because there were two pieces of furniture I REALLY wanted!

 
I am loading up on things like these letter and cards for upcoming trips and new mini albums I have in my head. Polly has a whole shelf FULL of letters like this!! I was in heaven!

 
I also found this metal tray that will make a great magnetic board once I "scruff" it up a bit and add some paper or maybe some chalkboard paint!! After Polly's a headed over to a place I found call "Alice's Wonderland". Here I found more "junking" treasures and took a few shots. I also found a cool item for a project but I will have to share that later!

 
 
Next, I headed to Palasaides Park and took a few outdoor shots. It's still a bit cool and very windy here in Iowa so I didn't spend too much time outdoors.

 
 
 
It was good to get out-of-town and see a bit of the outdoors. And for me it was so wonderful to visit my favorite antiquing place at my leisure and be inspired at the same time!! My children are officially on Spring Break so it will be nice to have everyone around. We are hoping the weather will warm up so we can get out and about! Have a great weekend!

 

Hybrid tutorial!

Robyn's new releases are up at Design House Digitals!! I love the ledger papers and of course you can never go wrong with the new rounded alphabet set!! For my hybrid project I made some pebble letter magnets. They are very simple to make and you can spell anything you want with them!!! Here's what you will need: clear glass pebbles (1"), Robyn's papers and alpha, a 1" circle punch, small magnets, and some Zip Dry glue!

 

 
In Photoshop or PSE copy a 1" circle from the ledger paper and place an alpha on it. Print your circles and punch out with 1" circle punch.

 
Place a small amount of Zip dry glue ontop of the letter circle and place your clear pebble on it. Now press down gently distributing the glue evenly. Let dry and then glue a magnet to the back.

 
You can customize this to spell whatever you would like!! Robyn's Type key alpha would be really cool to use for this project too!

The March kit is here!

 
The March kit for the Story Matters is here!! Check out what the DT did with this fun kit! Here are a few frmo me!! ;)

 
 
 

 

Want to win some new Maya Road stamps?

Head on over to Moxie Fab World for a chance to win some of the new Maya Road stamps!! They are so unique and so very cool!

 
 
 
 
Aren't these incredible!!!? Here is what I did with the light bulb stamp!

 
First I stamped them onto white paper, colored the light part, heat laminated them, cut them up and then strung them with some clear fishing line! Wouldn't these be fun wrapped around a Christmas tree? :)

 

It's March!!

I am so happy it's March!! Today there was sunshine and I heard birds chirping! That MUST mean Spring is on its way!! Today I got an email to let me know that my metal ceiling tile photo display was being featured at Craft Gossip!! Today is also the release of a new FREEBIE kit of Robyn's over at Design House Digitals!! It's called "Stormy Skies" and it is fabulous....and FREE and includes clouds and pinwheels!! Here is what I made with it!

 
And a HUGE shout-out to my friend Megan Klauer for making the Sassafrass DT!! Seriously, this girl IS Sassafrass and I love her work. Go check her out HERE!!!!

 

"Pure Imagination"

Tonight my son sang one of his favorite songs "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in the Best Buddies Talent Show fundraiser. I hope you enjoy it! I am so proud of him!

 

Kraft-Fun day goodness.....

Here is Robyn's new release Kraft-Fun Day! Itsn't is gorgeous!! It combines Kraft (which I simply love and goes with ANYTHING!) and some gorgeous colors. And banners....oh my word...the banners!! Lots of great embellishments and the papers are to die for! Head on over to Design House Digitals to grab this kit!

 
 

 
 
 

Layout of the day....

 
So excited that this layout was chosen as layout of the week over at Design House Digitals!! I used the incredible "Direction" kit from Robyn Meierotto to create it. Speaking of Robyn, she has a new kit released to day called "Kraft Party". If you love banners and "krafty" themes you are going to need this kit. Check it all out at HERE. I made the following layout and paper flowers using her new line!

 
  

 

And my hybrid projects....paper flowers!
 
 

Maya Road Beach Pail Project..

Make sure to stop by the Maya Road Design Team Blog to see this project and many other incredible projects using some of the new releases from Maya Road!!

 

 

March sneak peek time...

 
Today is sneak peek day over at The Story Matters!! Head on over and see what sneaks the DT has for you!! This kit is bright, fun, and happy!

 
 
 

Magnetic DIY Polaroid frames.....................

Today is the release of Robyn's new line "Direction". It is so incredible you really must check it out! I love things that have a travel theme so I have had a lot of fun playing with it. Here is a little project I did using her patterned papers to make my own magnetic polaroid photos.

 

Use a digital template of a polaroid or create one in Photoshop. (Polaroid dimensions are 3.5x4.25 with a 3x3 center. Make sure you make it a PNG file so you can "clip" the paper onto the frame! Print several of them onto an 8.5x11 sheet of magnetic paper. I found mine at Michaels.

 
 

Cut out the frames and now add your photos behind the frame. You can switch out the photos anytime you want with these frames!

And here is my layout using the new line! I love all the arrows and the color combo is wonderful to work with!! The FULL kit is only $6.99!! Think of how many cool things you could do with it!!!

 

Special Olympics Fundraiser time!

Jordan will again be heading into the icy waters of the Iowa River for the annual Polar Plunge here in Iowa City, Iowa. If you have a chance to donate that would be awesome! There is a link off to the left. The proceeds help the Special Olympic athletes right here in Iowa. Jordan participates in bowling, basketball, as well as track and field. The experiences he has had have been incredible! Here are a few shots from last year! I will again be on the sidelines video taping and taking pictures ( and keeping dry!). If you can help we would be very grateful! Thanks!