Sophisticated Easter Inspiration Board

Yet again, I've been MIA for a while. This move to California was definitely much needed (on many levels), however, it's taking a while to get up and running. My goal is to post here more often, as a means to a "get away" for me- so I'm hoping to find more time in my schedule for this blog.

With that said, we are just a few days away from Easter...which always makes me think of a pastel color palette, decorative eggs and beautiful flowers. I remember always looking forward to my Easter basket when I was young. It would always be propped up on one of the big chairs in our living room, full of bright colored candy and little toys with the sparkly green "grass" filling. So in the spirit of the upcoming holiday, I created a sophisticated Easter inspiration board with beautiful stationery and basket ideas.

 Sources; Easter Banner/ Glitter Damask Egg Card/ Cadbury Mini Eggs Basket/ Glitter Postcards

My First Card Publication!!

Today I wanted to share the excitement because one of my cards has been featured in the March 2012 issue of CARDS magazine, and the feeling is SO awesome! 

The cover of CARDS Magazine March 2012 issue
(the card on the cover is not mine)

Looking forward to creating more- feeling very inspired to be featured in a magazine full of great talent!

xo

You've Got Love...

Quilt- Bed Bath & Beyond (Vintage Chic/Ariana); Pink Ruched Pillow Shams- Bed Bath & Beyond (DKNY);

White Bed Skirt- Bed Bath & Beyond; Decorative Pillows- Bed Bath & Beyond (Nicole Miller), Homegoods and Kirklands

I'm popping in, (a little late) but wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day! I'm still getting acclimated to the west coast (hence why I've been MIA), but I'm loving my new room setup, especially my bed! So I thought I'd create a VDay card inspired by my bedroom colors: pink, gray, white & a splash of black. I just love this color combo, I think it really supports my "vintage, shabby chic" style!

This card measures 7x5 and is inspired by "love notes". I created the postcard to coordinate with the patterned paper and alphas. The result is pretty and feminine with a touch of Parisian influence- what says LOVE better than Paris?!?

Supplies: Card Stock- Bazzill; Patterned Paper/Butterfly- S.E.I; Glitter Brad- American Crafts (Dear Lizzy);

Chipboard Alphas- The Girls' Paperie; Alpha Stickers- October Afternoon; Alpha Rub-Ons- K&Company;

Postcard- Myself; Ribbon- Other

Well, thanks for stopping in! Enjoy the rest of your night and be sure to capture those special moments with your loved ones! xo

Welcome to California!

 Background image from Kameron Walsh

 So lately I've been thinking about how crazy life can sometimes be. It's proof that nothing can really be planned or pre conceived because everything in life has the potential to change, at any given moment. The truth is, we can never really know what to expect, which is the beauty of it all!

Bearing all of this in mind, today makes two weeks since I picked up and moved to SoCal, in search of sun, sand and a better lifestyle! If anyone had told me last year this time that I would be living in California right now- I never would have believed them, but this is a typical example of how crazy and unexpected life can be. These days I find myself waking up to clear blue skies and the warmth of new possibilities! I'm a firm believer that if you ever have the chance to just pack up your belongings and start fresh- you should certainly take advantage of it. The thing is, we only live once and you never know where these risks might take you. Like I said in my last post- I don't know where this new path will lead, but I'm absolutely ready for the journey. I see a lot of new adventures and exploration in my future- it's all a part of the process. So here's to more soul searching, risk taking and spontaneity in 2012! xo

The Chive

A New Start (and a little break from blogging)...

Hey there friends! I'm sorry I've been gone for a while...but it seems the holidays and preparing for a huge move across the country has totally consumed me lately (I didn't even get to finish my December Daily album again this year...uuuggghhh!) I'm also a little disappointed that I didn't have a chance to post my last Weekend in Review for 2011. But sometimes you just have to do what you have to do, and let life take it's course. Anyway, I hope you all had a chance to enjoy the holidays with family and friends. And if you don't celebrate the holidays, then I still hope you've had the chance to spend time with loved ones and just enjoy life.

As I said before, I've been preparing for a big move, which is actually taking place tomorrow. It was a little over a month ago when I made the decision to pack up and move to sunny San Diego by the end of this year! A great opportunity presented itself to me, which I just couldn't pass up (not to mention that I've always wanted to try living on the west coast). Although, I can't believe this is happening, I think it's definitely going to be a turning point in my life and what better time than NOW- on the heels of the new year!

I know I don't usually get too personal here, but the second part of this year has been very difficult for me. From being laid off over the summer, to going through a separation with my husband and having to move back home with my family in September. It's been a whirlwind of craziness- a complete roller coaster ride, but I definitely know now for sure, that everything happens for a reason and regardless of what happens, in the end I will be OK. The hardships I've dealt with for the past 6 months have taught me many valuable lessons, that I would not have learned otherwise. I can now say that I'm a better, much stronger person thanks to these challenges and have the ability to pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again...

I'm excited for the new possibilities that 2012 will bring and looking forward to a much brighter and more successful future. I don't know where this new path will lead, but I'm absolutely ready for the journey. So with that said, I will be taking a break from blogging for a little while, until I'm more settled in California and my new surroundings. I can't really say how long I'll be away, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting back to this blog just as soon as I can- hopefully with a lot of fun and interesting things to share! So until then- stay well my friends and enjoy all that life has to offer, one day at a time! Happy New Year to you all! Sending best wishes of  much happiness, good health and love in 2012! *smile* xo

Weekend in Review Vol.#9- In the Bean

This weekend was spent catching up in Boston with family and friends. Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to take pictures really, but I still wanted to document what I could. Above is a picture from an alley in Boston by Salem Design. I love it because it captures the city in such a beautiful way! It's getting really cold here now, and I'm hoping that we will experience a white Christmas this year.

I spent some time with the most adorable baby, my little cousin Audriana (who is already going on 4 months)! She is so precious, and I love that little hat so much- I  just had to get a picture of her in it!

And while getting in a little Christmas shopping yesterday at Kohl's, I cam across this wall art that I love- perfect words to live by! xo

December Daily 2011- Day 13

Supplies: Patterned Paper & Number Tag- Making Memories; Digital Tag- AE Studio;

Chipboard Accent- Echo Park; Glitter- Recollections; Gold Metallic Marker- American Crafts



So since there are NO RULES with scrapbooking or the December Daily project, last night I decided to focus on that day, instead of trying to catch up with days 7-12 that I haven't done yet. I don't want to get stuck worrying about catching up, because then I'm afraid I won't finish. I'm thinking that if I can try to keep up from here on out, once I get to the end and every page is done (except 7-12) then I will be able to finish those and have a complete book for 2011! So let's just hope this tactic works... *crossing fingers*

So day #13 is about the holiday cards that I mailed out yesterday morning. I took a picture of the cards in the mailbox and added one of Ali Edward's digital tags on top, along with the sentiment that is inside the cards. On the back of day #13, I used the front of my "prototype" card, to decorate my DD album and to have a keepsake of the card I created this year. I really like how it came out- simple yet effective! xo

Weekend in Review Vol.#8- It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Favorite Ornament Tag- AE Studios

My, how the weekends fly by! Everything is getting a little crazed around here for the holidays and time is definitely winding down! I'd have to say that December definitely goes by the fastest (out of all the 12 months of the year- for me)! This weekend I was able to catch up with my best friend, over dinner and then the Muppet's Movie, which was pretty cute! 

I also sent out a few holiday cards, we decorated the tree and some other areas of the house. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... I just wish time would slow down a little bit, so I can catch up with everything! Well, tis the season! *smile* xo

Photo taken by: Wahkuna



December Daily 2011- Days 4-6

The overlay quote reads: "Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold

everything is softer and more beautiful"~ Norman Vincent Peale

 Supplies: December Memories Tag- Ali Edwards; Smile Stamp- Technique Tuesday;

Patterned Paper- Making Memories

Happy Friday! I'm back today to share my December Daily day 4-6 with you! Day #4 is documenting our search for the perfect Christmas Tree as described in a recent post here. I love this picture of the four of us in front of the tree we chose and knew I wanted it to be the focus of this page. Now that we are all getting older, it's rare that we take photos like this (just the four of us), so it was definitely an important memory to capture!

  

 Supplies: Four Tag- Making Memories; Christmas Tree Accent- K&Company;

Rhinestones & Ribbon- Other

On the back of day #4 I added images from the Christmas tree search and the lyrics to O Christmas Tree (which was so fitting for the occasion). The Christmas tree accent was cut from K&Company patterned paper. I inked the edges in red distress ink, then added gold ribbon strips and rhinestones to dress it up!

 Supplies: Patterned Paper- Making Memories & Jenni Bowlin;

Glitter Alpha- Making Memories

Day #5 features my "little" Christmas list. The sentiments were stamped with black ink and then outlined with a gel pen. I also straight stitched underneath each word to add emphasis.

  

 Supplies: Patterned Paper- K&Company & Making Memories;

Alphas- Making Memories & American Crafts

On the back of day #5 is another Christmas wish of mine, for a fresh new start...soon, and very soon.

  

 

Supplies: Overlay- Hambly Studios; Overlay Title- K&Company; Flowers- Prima;

Brad- Echo Park; To/From Tag- Ali Edwards



 Supplies: Picnik photo software; Alphas- DCWV & Anna Griffin; Tags- Making Memories;

Button- Pebbles Inc.; Chipboard Accent- Echo Park

Day #6 is all about my holiday cards that I posted about here, along with the process of how they were made on the back.

I'm really enjoying this December Daily process of documenting my holiday memories, and I'm already so much further along compared to last year. *smile* xo

Photos taken by: Wahkuna



December Daily 2011- Days 1-3

 Supplies: Paper Flower- Prima; Glitter Alphas- White Blossom; Sticker and Tag- Making Memories 

I've been doing a bit of catching up on my December Daily album in the last day or so. Around this time of year, the days seem to get away from us, which makes it hard to keep up with a daily project such as this one. Nevertheless, I've finished a few more pages and wanted to share them with you. The image above, is the back of my first page shown here, where I decided to document the CMA Country Christmas special that I watched on TV that night (while creating my first DD page). I collaged images I found online from the show and then added my own personal touch. This year, I've decided that I'm going to try to document 2 events for each day. The front page being the main story and the back of that page, being the second story (which could be a movie I watched that day, or a poem, quote or song lyrics that pertain to that day's story). So far it's working out quite nicely!

 Supplies: Patterned Paper- Cloud 9 Design; Rhinestone Spiral; Want 2 Scrap;

Word Stickers & Circle Alpha Stickers- Authentique; Chipboard Accent- Echo Park

DD day #2 documents the Beyonce interview on 20/20 with Katie Couric that I watched with my cousin Faithe. I'm a HUGE Beyonce fan, so I just had to watch this interview! Here I also used pictures that I found online from the interview and Beyonce's Roseland Ballroom Concert (since they spoke about it during the interview). I absolutely adore this picture of Beyonce performing that I found here. To personalize it, I added some of the lyrics from her song Best Thing I Never Had and part of a rhinestone spiral from Want 2 Scrap.

  Supplies: Patterned Paper- K&Company; Number Tag- Making Memories

The back of day #2 is dedicated to the movie A Golden Christmas 2 (which is what I watched later that night). It was the cutest Christmas movie with a beautiful love story! *wink*

Supplies: Patterned Paper- K&Company and Jillibean Soup; Tag- Jenni Bowlin

On day #3 I went to the mall for the first time this season, and Santa was already in the building! Of course they also had all of the decor up, and I couldn't help but get a picture of the winter wonderland! The title is part of the patterned paper background that I used by K&Company. I wanted the pictures to look like Polaroids, so I created the Polaroid frames in adobe photoshop and placed them over the pictures before resizing and printed them for my DD. The quote at the bottom of the page says; "Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace & goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."- Calvin Coolidge

Supplies: Patterned Paper- American Crafts; Paper Flowers- Prima; Tag- Making Memories;

Brad & Chipboard Accent- Echo Park; Decorative Punch- Martha Stewart Crafts

On the back of day #3 I added the song lyrics for It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (which coordinates with the title used on the front of the page- and the pictures). I printed the lyrics on brown kraft paper and flicked a small paint brush (dipped in Mister Huey's holly berry ink) over the page to create little ink splatters. I also inked the edges of the page with tea dye distress ink from Ranger Inks. The bottom edge was die cut using the eyelet lace punch from Martha Stewart.

Now to catch up on days 4-7! Gotta keep the December Daily flow going! *wink* xo


Album photos taken by: Wahkuna