And one more color challenge!!

Okie dokie, here is my submission for Brownie Scraps color challenge. Since I am typing with the on screen keyboard cuz 6 keys stopped working on my laptop yesterday, this is all ya get! Please check the TOU for credits!

Download:

Pt 1

Pt 2

Pt 3

Another Color Challenge...YAY! I love these things!!

Here's my offering for the May 2011 color challenge at Stuff to Scrap.  When you're done downloading here, go over and check out the other great stuff that's being offered.  Make sure you check back because designers will be adding their parts all month.  You gotta love such great quality stuff---FREE!

I apologize that this month I have four files to download, but I'm trying to keep the size low in consideration of our rural scrappers who only have dial-up available to them (or anybody else who has trouble with large files).  I tried to make it work in three, but it just wouldn't cooperate.  I am also shunning 4shared, because of their incredibly long wait times.  If anyone has a file sharing site they REALLY like, let me know and I'll give it a shot.

Here's the preview:

Thanks to: Andrea Gold, ScrappinCop, Gunhild Storeide, Flergs, Graphics Fairy, Statchoo Scraps.

Download HERE:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

May 2011 DSO Color Challenge

This is going to be short and sweet this morning.  I'm in a hurry to get to the hub's office this morning, but I'm breezing in to upload this and get it out.  I've worked hard on this one and I hope you really enjoy it.  I started it on a day when the hub was out of town at a business conference, hence the name "miss you."

Credits:

Andrea Gold, Timounette, Scrappin Cop, Gunhild Storeide, Flergs

Download "Miss You" here:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Family Tree Freebie

I am working on my book about me and one of the first pages I've done is a family tree. Here's what it looks like:

I used pieces from the Autumn Harvest November 2010 Collab from Stuff to Scrap.  

The specific designers are: Adranna's Cafe, Scraps N Pieces, Sexy and hot Mamma Scrapper aka Becky, Designs by SnowLady, Digital Scrap Fun, Jenasis Designs.  I think that's everyone I used.

I love this layout.  It's simple and straight to the point.  It's just the beginning of my book, the beginning of me. I made the papers and trees into a jpg for you to use, if you'd like.  I included some tags that I made and a rivet, staple and paper clip to fasten the tags on the layout.  I made new tags for you since I couldn't include the original tags, because I couldn't include separate png's according to the designer's TOU, but I think if I had made them first I would have used them instead!

Anyway, I hope you like it.  If you'd like to start your own "Book of Me" I recommend starting with the book by Angie Pedersen called The Book of Me: A Guide to Scrapbooking About Yourself. It's an awesome resource and it's not very expensive, either.

Presenting the Beautiful Miss McKenzie....

Here are three more layouts I did of Miss Mac. From her sweet little freckled nose to her precious heart, she's turning out to be a lovely young lady.  She's the encourager of the family.  She's always cheering someone on!  She comes home and tells me how upset she was at school that someone was picked on, or got hurt.  She feels everything deep in her heart, but she doesn't say a lot.  She ponders everything and stores things away in her heart. She's smart as a whip and so funny!  Just her giggling makes me laugh.  She's away for spring break right now, and I miss her.  The house is darker without her.

This one is of some silly pics I snapped at her school Valentine's party.  I'm the only mom with a camera, so she gets a little uncomfortable with me always taking her picture...but those other kids just aren't as interesting as she is! Click the pic for a larger view.

 Kit: February 2010 Color Challenge at DSO: Specifically Tiggconn, Mojo, Moni, Kim B, Deatles, dhariana, Blue, Brenda Grafton...Thanks to all these designers!  And thanks to the Daily Digi for help with titles

This one is also Valentine's Day.  I got some other people in these, LoL.  The journaling tells you that this is the last class party.  Next year, in Junior High, they don't do class parties anymore.  Also, this was Taylor's last day at school. She moved that weekend and they were very sad.  It's been a difficult time for Mac.

 Kit: Same as above.  You guys ROCK!

This is of McKenzie and my sister's Yorkie, Shelby.  Shelby is the cutest little rat in the whole world! She's a real love bug and wallows and rubs all over you, sometimes so much it's hard to hold on to her.  She is in to everything and knows everything.  She barks at things like she's really telling them off then acts like, "Well, I guess I showed them." She really cracked me up!  McKenzie thinks all things small are cute, She's such a GIRL! :)

Kit: I Will Survive Facebook freebie from Persnickety Prints...Gotta love these guys! AND if you "like" them on facebook they give out regular freebies, coupons AND they have contests for prints.  Awesome. 

Check 'em out on Facebook.

Three Dogs and Corned Beef

I still have my sister's dogs, but she'll be picking them up this evening.  I'm going to miss them, believe it or not.  Tito is so sweet and Shelby is a lot of fun, she makes me laugh all the time.  She's such a spaz.  My Swiffer finally started getting used to them yesterday and will hang out with us until Shelby gets excited and tries to play with him, then he runs and hides.  He's such a fraidy cat, poor guy.  They did both sleep with me last night, but Swiff slept on the other side of the bed.

Travis' family does a St. Patrick's Day dinner and they all get together and eat corned beef.  I have missed it the last couple of years, because the Hearts at Home National Conference has been on that weekend.  This year, however, the conference was before St. Pat's so we decided to have it at our house this year.  I've never done corned beef before, but it came out awesome! I used two recipes from foodtv.com: one for corned beef in the crockpot (I just put in the beef, carrots, rutabaga and leeks) and one for some garlic baby red potatoes. The beef came out tender and juicy and I even enjoyed the carrots and rutabaga, which is not one of my favorite veggies.  The garlic potatoes were SUPER easy to make and delicious.  I served it with the horseradish sauce from the recipe (not too horseradish-y) and a loaf of bakery bread.  It got rave reviews...maybe I can cook after all. ;)

This is the layout I did today.  I loved this kit and have been saving it for a couple months because I knew McKenzie's birthday was coming and she'd have a sleepover.

Kit: Sleepover blog freebie by Crazy4Monograms

Alpha: A Vintage Christmas by Trixie Scraps

A Beautiful Spring Day

Today is a fabulous day! It's going to be 70 degrees here in Illinois, even better than yesterday.  These are the first nice days we've had.  I hope it doesn't rain.  I love being able to have the doors open.  My dog thinks he's somebody when he can just go in and out as he pleases!

I am also watching two dogs for one of my sisters, a 7 year old, very mellow mini schnauzer and a 5 month old, very hyper yorkie.  The Schnauzer is very sweet and spends most of his time watching the door for his Mom and Dad to come back.  The Yorkie is a spring bouncing around.  She nibbles on my toes if I'm standing and rolls in my hair if I lay down!  Yesterday, they didn't eat much, but this morning they ate like piggies and Tito is so good, he just moves aside if Shelby (the yorkie) wants his food.  Since she eats like lightning and he takes his time, I have to pick her up or she'd eat his, too!

So, we got up to go outside this morning and I laid down on the floor to play with Shelby for a little bit.  She's so funny, she just hops and jumps at my hand while I push her around...and she growls and yips like she's very ferocious.  While we were playing Tito came up and laid down right next to me.  He wanted me to pet him and rubbed his face all over my tshirt.  I figured if he was getting his scent on me, I must be his now.  So I scratched him for awhile, he even showed me his belly for a good rub.  I love dogs.

Here are three layouts I just finished.  I really like two of them, the one of Christmas with Grandma isn't my favorite.  Isn't it funny how that happens?  I worked it all out and placed everything on the page, but it just didn't all come together.  I may redo it someday....in my spare time. :)

 Kit: A Vintage Holiday, blog freebie, from Trixie Scraps Designs

WordArt: Elegant WordArt by Bethany

 Kit: Hellraiser, a collab from Sunshine Studios

(hmmm...Hellraiser...how appropriate)

Kit: The Altered Path, blog freebie from The Latest Scoop, Too

March Color Challenge

I decided not to wait so late this month! So here's my mini for the color challenge.  Sweet and simple.

Download

The shadows are just for the preview.

Thanks to Andrea Gold, Scrappin Cop for the overlays I used.

NEW FREEBIE!

YAY, a new freebie!!  This one is to coordinate with the pallette for DSO's February Color Challenge...I'm uploading on the very last day.  I felt a little guilty downloading everyone's goodies without contributing so I thought I'd whip something up this morning.  I realized there were SO many gorgeous papers and elements that my poor efforts seemed unnecessary.  Then I noticed there were only a couple alphas offered and, BINGO, here is another one!! It includes Uppers, Lowers, Numbers and Punctuation.  If anyone needs a special character or some international ones, leave a comment below and I'll send you one.

Oh, and I threw in three glitters since there weren't any this month.  They are in with the numbers.

Here are the previews:

I used Dhariana's paper for the alpha and I used 

some of Deatles' great creations for the previews.

Oh, and that's Dhariana's cupcake trim you see.

And here are the download links:

Uppers

Lowers

Punctuation

Numbers and Glitters

Lotsa New Stuff

So, I haven't posted for a while and there's a lot to catch up on!  So grab a cup o' coffee and here we go...

Child #1 is coming to the end of her second semester in college.  She's doing SO well, I can hardly believe it.  She was able to get an accounting internship at a local business and really enjoys it...she's especially taken with the laminating machine.  It's a good day when she comes home and says she had to laminate that day :)

Child #2 is also doing well in school.  His grades are better in 11th grade than they have been since 5th grade. I think spending the summer in the kitchen at the boy scout camp had a good effect on his motivation.  He's grown a little in maturity level, too, so I'm sure that helps.  His room is still a wreck and I don't guess that will ever change, LoL.

Child #3 is turning out to be just lovely.  She is beautiful and sweet.  She is doing well in school, but she always has for the most part.  She just refuses to do poorly.  This was her second year cheering for the junior high school and I think she loves it and it shows.  Her whole squad is really good; they're crisp and they get made fun of by other schools because they sound like "drill sergeants." A lot of the others sound squeaky and sing-songy in comparison.  She's nervous and excited about moving to high school next year...me, too. :)

Child #4 continues to be a delight.  She is in 6th grade and we are SO pleased with her progress.  She is organizing all her own school work.  I kept telling her the last couple years that if she doesn't like being told what to do, then take care of her own business and I'll keep my nose out of it!  I think she finally got it!  I just check on her grades online every little bit and, unless something is slipping, I leave her alone.  I figure if it ain't broke, don't fix it!  She's growing up and wanting to be all girly, so our life is now full of clouds of perfume wafting from her bedroom, Justin Beiber on every wall and a whole new set of worries...boys, LoL.

This weekend we went shopping in Indianapolis.  Boy stayed home...he doesn't dig shopping so much.  When I see something I think he needs or he'd like and it's a good deal, I snap a pic and send it to him and he tells me what he thinks....I guess, I'm his personal shopper!  The girls, on the other hand, had a blast at the mall for four hours and wanted more time.  We were eating dinner with the Hub's sister, though, so we had to leave, thank goodness!  I was worn out by that time and it was HOT in there because it was way crowded.

We had thought Child #3 might not feel great and we'd have to cut the trip short, but she was perfectly fine.  She had the best time of the three girls, I think!  She picked an entire outfit, skirt, top, leggings and shoes, by the time she was done.  I don't think she stopped talking for more than five minutes the whole trip!  She was all giggles and squeals all day!  She didn't mention not feeling well one time and I was really glad to see that she wasn't really sick.

Anyway, I have a few layouts to post.  I've just been lazy about getting them up so I'm going to dump them all at once.  Hope you like them.

Kit: November 2010 blog freebie from Chaos Lounge...not sure where I got the red paper, but it looks like one from Hellraiser by Sunshine Studios.  Yes, I think that's it...It has glittery cross bones on it, but they wouldn't show in this layout much anyway ;)

Kit: July 2007 Summer Getaway Build a Kit from Digiscrapbook Mania (now Scrapable)

Kit: The Altered Path blog freebie from The Latests Scoop, Too

Kit: The Altered Path blog freebie from The Latest Scoop, Too

Kit: Just Me blog freebie from Amy Stoffel

Kit: September 2010 Build a Kit from Digiscrapbook Mania (now Scrapable)

Kit for both Morgan and her Birthday: Makin' it Funky from Designs by Christi at Stuff to Scrap

Kit: October 2010 Build a Kit from Digiscrapbook Mania (now Scrapable)

I don't know where I got the cluster frame, it was a blog freebie, I think. The alpha was a Jelly of the Month Freebie by Libby Pritchett at Sweet Shoppe Designs.

A Nap Can Fix Anything

This says it all...

My son with fur (down there at the corner of the bed) sleeping with my baby girl.

Kit is: A Vintage Holiday from Trixie Scraps Designs

Cheer Layout

Just watched the Skinny Stick again...still cracking me up, LoL!  Those girls are too cute.  Anyway, I just wanted to post a layout from cheer that I finished up.  So....yeah....here it is.

Kit is Sweethearts {the kit} from SuzyQ Scraps

The Skinny Stick

The Skinny Stick, LOL! It cracks me up.  My daughter had to create a video commercial for class and I'm posting it below.  A great time was had by all with lots of giggling and snorting! I thought I'd upload a copy of it here just for fun. (and a few outtakes she doesn't know I put in, tee hee)

And here are the outtakes.  Other people laughing makes me laugh...so I like this set.

Well, that's all I've got for now.  See y'all later!

Freebie Photo Pop Action

So, I obviously take...oh, about a million or so photos a year.  Of those, maybe a tenth make it to my computer screen and a teensy-weensy fraction of those make it onto a CD to be saved.  The point is, I edit A L O T of photos. A few need special work, but I do the same flipping things to most of them...over and over and over.  I have fancy actions I've downloaded to pop, sharpen, and defog...but I end up doing it myself most of the time.

Okay, now here's the kicker...I scrap in Photoshop Elements...so I can't make my own action to automate the process.  I know, right? Bummer!

For this reason (and about twenty others) I got Photoshop...I'm still gonna do most of my mojo in PSE, but some stuff just needs the real thing!

Here's my first action.  It automates my standard photo prep that I do on every single pic: It saturates the color a wee bit (I have the opacity of the color pop layer turned down for pics of people, which is what most of mine are.  I dial it up to 50% or so for landscapes and my dog, LoL!  You can adjust it as you please.)  It also has several levels of sharpen.  They're all turned off, you just pick which one works best for your pic and flatten.  I often add a vignette, but I didn't include it because I don't use it all the time.

So there ya go. If you don't know how to install actions, check out these instructions on the Coffeeshop Blog (Rita makes the best and most useful actions around, so check those out, too.  Her perfect portrait action ROCKS.  I also love her vignette action. Oh, and she has an action to let PSE users add layer masks to any layer, too.  I use that one a lot. And they're FREE. Who doesn't love that?)

Photo Pop

New Layouts

It was a really long week last week.  We had a death in the family that I will talk about some other time; I'm just not up to it yet.  It's enough to say that the grief has been overwhelming and I've basically done nothing except wander through life and sleep.  I'm trying to get back into my life, though I think the grief is going to be resident for awhile.

Here are two layouts I did a couple weeks ago and never posted.  I noticed them just sitting there and thought I'd like to get them up.  I'll be back soon, hopefully a little more upbeat, too.

The first is McKenzie and her friend Rancey at Speech contest.  It was the first contest for both of them and I was so proud of them!  They were awesome and ended up with a second place doing a piece about two sisters bickering while on a long vacation car ride.

Kit: Sept 2009 Build-a-Kit from DigiScrapbookmania (now Scrapable.com)

This one is Jordan and Austin (Child one and Child two) from this Christmas.  

Kit: My Christmas kit I posted in December.

The cluster frame is from someone named Jennifer, LOL! It was a freebie and I downloaded it without noting where I got it.  If you know, tell me and I'll post it here.

January Color Challenge

I finally finished my kit for the January Color Challenge at DSO.   I had made a kit previously for my own use that I thought would be nice with this color pallet.  I couldn't find it and I was never happy with the layout anyway so, I decided to do a new kit and a new layout.  Zoey was the daughter of my youngest niece.  It's been about 3 1/2 years, and her mama is finally brave enough to have another baby.  We are looking forward so much to a new little one!  All of our babies have grown up and Christmas just isn't the same without littler ones to enjoy it.

Tea Party with Jesus

The painting is one by Greg Olsen, I photoshopped my niece into it.  It is strictly for this layout for my personal scrapbook.  

And here's the kit: Tea Party with Jesus

6 papers, 12 elements

Credits:

Designs by Jessica

Scrappin Cop

Gunhild Storeide

Midnight's Touch (Ivy)

Xe0s@Deviant Art (Floral Patterns)

Download

Happy New Year!

2011.  Twenty-Eleven. Wow.  I'm speechless (which, we all know, means someone has LOTS to say).

I remember when I was in about sixth grade or so and a teacher had us figure out how old we would be at the turn of the century.  31.  I remember wondering if I'd even live that long, LoL.  It took forever to reach it and it's been barely a breath since then.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to 2011.  Just like everyone else, I have a (cue echoing voice effect) RESOLUTION.  Actually, I have several, but they all hinge on one, new frame of mind.  Yes, I want to lose weight, eat healthier, control my tongue, be kinder and more generous, stamp out hunger and disease and usher in world peace.  I think that shows the reason why resolutions fail...we're trying to change the effects of what we need to change, not what we need to change.  I mean, WHY am I fat?  Until I change my attitude, I will fail at weight loss.  Why don't I exercise? Why can't I seem to shut my mouth? Why don't I share more?  It's all in my attitude which affects the actions I take. And my attitude is built out of the whirling mess my life has become.  I feel like I'm standing in one of those money booths...you know where the air flow comes on and dollars fly all around and the person is trying to grab as many as they can before the time is up....and I keep trying to grab what I need as it flies past my face, but I can't see it coming so I'm always guessing.

SO, this year, I am changing my attitude.  I am spending the next couple weeks really considering what I want in the next year.  What do I want to be like on January 1, 2012?  What do I want to have accomplished? What is most important?  So far, I'm seeing that I want to be more in control of my life, more intentional.  I want to be the author of my story, instead of just a character.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I recognize the sovereignty of God.  I know he sits on the throne and holds my life in his hand.  I know that every breath I take is by his willing it to be so.  I find great comfort in knowing that no matter how I run around like a busy little bee, God has things well in hand and he never runs around.  That being said, I also recognize that he expects me to use what he gives me, including my time, effort, and good sense, to build something worthwhile out of my life.

I am tired.  I am tired of being unprepared.  I am tired of procrastinating.  I am tired of not being able to take advantage of moments because my schedule is too tight or because I haven't done what I should. This year I want to take control of my life.  I want to decide what is my vision. What is my mission.  Where is God moving me? Then I'm going to clear out my life.  Does this activity, or board, or whatever fit in the direction of my life?  I want to only do, say and be what moves me that direction.  No more guessing.  There are so many worthwhile things to do...but I can't do them all because I end up dried up and I gain nothing and I don't do justice to any of them.  I have only so many resources, physical, mental and spiritual, to go around.  And the open slots are very few, I'm telling you!

God help me, because he did not make me to naturally be a person of clarity.  My brain is a cloud and I get caught up in many details and often miss the big picture until it smacks me in the face and I'm thinking I should have noticed that!  Fortunately, the Hub is a lot more clear about stuff like that.  He's a visionary.  He can go right around all the details and focus on the real issues.  Hmmmm...this could be the reason we drive each other nuts sometimes, huh?

So, I'm spending the first couple weeks on my knees.  My first step in this search is to declare my Bible as my best friend.  The first place I need to clean is my heart and the first and best support God has given me for this journey is my husband.  So we begin together.

In that spirit, here is a word art for you.  Carpe Diem.  I know it's cliche, but it's exactly right.  Seize the day.  THIS day, this moment.  Make it count.  Use it well.  Don't regret it when it's gone.

On December 31, 2011, may we all find 2011 to be the best, not easiest, year we've ever had and may we be the best we've ever been.

Download

Xmas Freebie

Merry Christmas, Everyone! I decided to make a little freebie for y'all.  (actually, I'm stalling on cleaning, baking and wrapping :)  It contains 8 papers, 14 elements, 2 frames, 1 wordart and 1 alpha with uppers, lowers and numbers. (assuming I counted correctly!) The shadows and glows are just for the preview. So, here ya go.

Download Part 1

Download Part 2

Download Part 3

Credits: 

Sam's Scraps & Designs - CU Christmas Mix II

Stuff to Scrap Nov 2010 CU Grab Bag

Gunhild Storheide

Free Fonts used: Pretty Baby and Antsy Pants

Holiday Season and New Layouts

WOW!  This holiday season is turning out to be CRAZY!  The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is always a whirl, but this year is a whole new level of wild.  I once thought that those four small children that sometimes felt like 20 small children, would be less demanding when they were older.  You know what I mean, I was looking forward to the day when I could  tell one to wait just a moment while I handled one emergency at a time...and it might actually WORK?

Well, here we are at 18, 17, 14, and 13.  I love them more than I ever thought I could.  So much, sometimes I can't even contain it.  But they are certainly not any less time consuming or emotionally exhausting than those little demons screaming through my house!  And, NO, I wouldn't give them up for anything.  One of my grandfathers used to say of his five children that he wouldn't give you a nickel for another one and he wouldn't take a million dollars for one he already had.  I think that about sums it up!

So, here are the latest layouts.  I've been saving them up so I have a few.   I've been all over the board with the subject matter, so if ya don't like one try another!  I'm trying to clean up some leftovers that I just haven't gotten around to scrapping.

First up is one from our Wisconsin trip this year.  It's a remake of one I lost in the great HD crash.  I actually like this better than the original.  You know how something somebody says makes you giggle and then everyone just keeps saying it and cracking up?  Those are giggles and these are ours from the trip.  Every year we pick a theme song for the trip.  This year it was Miley Cyrus' Party in the USA. Give me a break, ok?  Too many teenage girls to fight that one!

Kit is from my Fish kit from the November DSO Color Challenge (see Nov. Link to DL)

Here's Miss McKenzie getting her braces in August.  She's gonna love those shots!

Kit is Grin and Bare It from Designing Divas over at Stuff to Scrap.

Then Halloween school party pictures, also of McKenzie.

Kit is 2010 October Build A Kit from DigiScrapbook Mania (not available anymore).

Next are a couple from last Christmas.  I did lose the original layouts for these pics, but I didn't remake them.  I just did a completely new layout, because I wasn't entirely happy with the last ones.  I think I posted them previously if you are so dedicated you want to look at them. :)

Also, my cutie pooh poochie, Swiffer.  What you can't see is that he's at the foot of our dining table that seats twelve and it's the only open chair!  He was quite indignant when he got booted, too.

Both done with ScrapManiacs White Christmas at DSM  and Freesia Scraps Rustic Christmas.  If you're interested, that big red bow is from Quand l'Hiver Arriver from LAU Designs here, it was a freebie and I don't think they're offering it anymore.

Whew! Finished!

Whee!! Moving right along...

to my next layout...I seem to be accomplishing a lot lately.  Soon I will run out of pictures again...what will I do?  Probably take a million more for Christmas, that's what!! :)

Here's my middle girls in their Homecoming Parades.  McKenzie for her youth football team and Morgan for her junior high school team.  We had to race from one to the next in order to see them both.  Who doesn't love two parades in one day???

Red paper and bow from ScrapManiac's White Christmas. (Purple is recolorized)

The rest is mine.

Another layout

This is of child number two with his date for Homecoming this September.  Aren't they precious?  I really love the enchanted paper in the background.  I got the papers and most of the ellies from Cajoline's Christmas and ScrapManiac's White Christmas.  The key is from Sky's the Limit designs November color challenge kit at Digiscrap Obsession and the pocket watch is Scrappin Cop's.  I think the rest is all me ;)  I definitely did the enchanted overlay and I love it so much I'm saving it to use in a kit later.  I also lifted this layout from Jenasis Designs.  I've included her original version below so you can check out it's awesomeness, too!!

 Jenasis Designs

Hard Drive Crash and Cheer Layout

Yes, you read it correctly.  Another hard drive crash! Only this time it was my external that I bought to protect my stuff after my laptop drive crashed.  So that's not so bad, right? I should be able to download a copy of everything from my laptop.  Well, that's what happens to normal people.  STUPID people don't have everything on both drives.

I had put everything I was burning to CD for permanent storage into a folder and was ready to burn them when I got distracted by, well...life and didn't burn it.  But, I DID delete the extra copy off my laptop to make more space.  Normally I wouldn't have done that till the CD's were done, but I was in a hurry and I didn't expect the drive to fail two days later.  Of course, who ever expects a drive failure?  Sigh.  So I lost all my scrap stuff again.  All my designing goodies and a lot of stuff I had just bought to use, too!  Also lost a bunch of layouts.  I was only distressed over a few of them, and I rebuilt them.  They aren't exactly the same, but they look pretty good.  So, live an learn, right?  I now subscribe to an online backup service that automatically syncs my files.  So there!  Gees, what is it with me and hard drives?  I must give off some kind of magnetic field that fries them or something.

Anyway, I'm back in business and here's my first layout for a while.  This is of McKenzie cheering at a couple football games.  I did this using the template for Jen Reed's November challenge.

Here's the template:

And here's the cutest little kit called Cherish that was that prize for playing in the challenge:

And here's my layout.  It's actually a double page so check 'em both out!

So, there ya go.  I hope to get something accomplished now that I've ironed out my hard drive issues!

Freebie Cluster Frame

Here's a cute little frame cluster I made to go with my Christmas kit, but the colors go with both if you want to use it with papers from the Fish kit.  The frames do have a slightly lifted effect that you can't see here because the shadow doesn't show on the black background.  Also, the 4shared preview doesn't show right, but the file downloads well.

Credits to:

Scrapping Cop for the ribbons.

Angelique for the Christmas cactus.

The rest is mine.

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Stuff to Scrap November 2010 Color Challenge: Revisted

Hello, everyone!  I did the kit below, and I like it, but it seems weird to do fish in November....so I did a Christmas kit with the same colors today.  I surely had something else I should have been doing, right? Just don't tell the Hub, he always thinks I spend too much time on the computer anyway. LoL.

Check it out, here's the preview.  Download links below the credits.

Thanks to the following for allowing use of their work:

Bekah E Designs

Gunhild Storeide

Roseytoes

Scrap Designs by Jessica

Scrappin Cop

At 4Shared: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

At Mediafire: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Stuff to Scrap November 2010 Color Challenge

I love color challenges!! I've never done the one at Stuff to Scrap, but I had a couple free hours (ha ha) and thought I'd give it a shot...Here's the color swatch:

Interesting, right?  It makes me think of fish...which is weird for a November kit, but that's just how I roll.  Hee hee.  And here's the mini I created.  It doesn't have as many ellies as I usually do, but I only had a couple hours free, remember? LoL!  Hope ya like it.

Credits:

Bekah E Designs (Overlays)

Ohana Designs (Overlays)

Sprouting Seeds (Overlays)

Cajoline

Scrappin Cop

Click the download links below to DL from 4shared or Mediafire.  I'm hating on 4shared lately, so if anyone has any ideas on a place that's awesome, leave me a note.

Oh, and speaking of notes, remember folks, if ya wanna leave nasty comments, at least sign in.  Any anonymous nasties will be deleted and the writers summarily called cowardly.  Luv the rest of ya, though! :) As always, let me know if you have issues with the links, because we almost always do!

4Shared: Part 1 and Part 2

Mediafire: Part 1 and Part 2

McKenzie the Rebel Fairy

Okay, McKenzie the rebel anything...but here she's the rebel fairy...Luv ya, Mac ;)