Vegetables, eat them!

How about some fabulously red gingham and red cardstock to juxtapose with my green vegetable photos? I think I like it! Last year, I took and printed so many vegetable photos. I had plans to do a mini-album. Soon I realized that I could do loads of layouts and still have photos leftover for the mini album! The October Afternoon Farm Fresh papers have that awesome country feel, not to mention the Root Cellar paper makes it thematically natural to scrap some vegetable photos.


Here are some close-ups. I bought the "From My Kitchen" Cricut cartridge last week when they were on sale at M's! I have used it several times already! I cut the word "Vegetables" using this new cartridge! It is a very cute cartridge, I look forward to using it more.

An October Afternoon

Here is a layout I made this afternoon, though not in October, but I am still uber excited to share this one. Scrapbook Obsessions is featuring October Afternoon's Farm Fresh line. When I saw the packaging of the Jenni Bowling chipboard buttons included in the kit, I knew I had to leverage that label shape for a layout. This is what I came up with.

I am utterly loving this kit, after all, it's October Afternoon! The May Arts hemp in the kit really goes fabulously with the country feel theme of the kit. I just wished I had more of it, lol. I'm diving back in and will resurface with more OA creations. I can't wait!!! LOL.

Cotillion and Clifford

A few posts ago, I created the Berry Fiend layout using Monstrosity. It was well received enough that Sassafras put it up on its own blog. I was so happy. That was my third appearance on Sassafras' blog, and yes, I am counting! Then to my great delight, that layout was chosen as the winner of the Becky Fleck's PageMaps contest! The prize I have received came from Studio Calico, Cotillion kit! I wasted no time in producing this layout. My goodness, just a month ago I thought I would never have use for these Junebug dogs, cute though they are, five sheets of it though I have in my stash! LOL, but look at me now! One trip to the Children's Museum and say hello to Clifford! lol. I can't wait to dive into the other parts of the Cotillion kit, it'll be so so so great! I am so so so lucky to have won this, thank you Becky and SC so very much!

A Page for Little Shop of Sketches

I don't know if it is obvious, but I love sketches. I love using sketches and I love to make my own. I follow a LOT of sketch sites and one of them is Little Shop of Sketches for which Pearl is a designer! I was very happy to create a page based on Tanya Leigh's sketch #49!! I realize we are all insecure in our own ways, but Pearl assures me that this layout looks okay, lol.

Now more gushing about Monstrosity, because I know you don't know how much I **heart** it! LOL. Sassafras came out with these Paper Whimsies at CHA winter when they released Bungle Jungle etc. I got them all but I couldn't use any because there was only one of each. I just can't part with my treasures! BUT!!! With Monstrosity and the latest two lines, there are two of each of the paper whimsies in the package!!! I could use one and still have another for hoarding purposes! How thoughtful of Sassafras, and the price didn't go up either!!! So there you have it, another Monstrosity layout. I also want to thank Deana for sending me those border that you see in this layout! And yes, there are two for each style, so I can bear to part with it. LOL. Well, what can I say? We all have hang-ups, mine is apparently using stuff I love, LOL.

Color Combos and Prism Papers

I have definitely slowed in terms of scrappy production since the end of the "100 between Memorial and Labor Day" challenge. The days are shortening, so by the time the kids are in bed, there is no more natural daylight in my room. The fall TV programming had started, not to mention the NFL season! I need more scrappy deadlines, lol.

I am really focusing on using Prism cardstocks for my color combo layouts now. It's a win-win situation for me! I got the Martha Stewart loopy punches and had to put them to use immediately. I love MS punches and these were no exceptions! Thank goodness for Michael's and their 50% off coupons.

A M A Z I N G

I am not entirely sure how I should blog about this, but at least I have decided to blog about it. I asked her to hold the October CK up for me so I can take a picture since she is a huge part of this. She was looking quite bored until I said, "Think about the fact you are getting ice-cream tonight!" and voila she reenacts exactly how I feel about having my first layout published in Creating Keepsakes, and "Ten Amazing Reader Pages" at that!! I know there are incredible scrappers for whom getting into CK is an every issue occurrence, but to me, this was a fantasy come true. I am too too too lucky!

Speaking of being lucky and amazing, how about a rare page about my beloved DH, from whom my children get their good looks. I created this page using a Becky Fleck sketch for a guest DT contest, I did not win, but I love this page.

Lastly, here is a preview of the first mini album I made for Creative Mini Albums. You can get signed up with the Member Forum for detailed photos and instructions. Papers I used are from Making Memories' latest line: Autumn Splendor. I snatched it up in a hurry with my 50% off coupon at M's :) And if my dear friend Jessy(Lexus) thinks she's seen one too many strawberry layouts from me, let me warn her about apples to come then! :)

Uncage My Heart...

Here is a layout I created with the sold out Scrapbook Obsessions September kit. The cardstock is a sheet in the Seaside collection by Prism Papers. I also used crackle paint on the chipboard cage and bird. I really love that amazing product. It's just an ordinary layout about an ordinary day at a local park. What's that saying, an ordinary life remembered well becomes extraordinary? or something to that effect? Well, life is fully of ordinary moments, and I don't always have them on "film." This layout may not mean a lot to me right now, but who knows how I would feel about it years down the road eh?

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit monstrosities. Love is not love
Which alters when it monsters find,
Or bends with the monsters monstering:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on monsters with heart quaken;
It is the star to every scrapping page,
Whose worth's unknown, although its cuteness be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though funky mustache and eyes
Crazy socks and ties bid me to come:
Love alters not with monsters cute and sweet,
But bears it out even to the edge of scraps.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never scrapped, nor no Monsters ever was loved.

As Will is probably turning over in his grave, I must tell you how much I love Monstrosity again!! Let me not to the marriage of true minds... admit to loving Monstrosity... Don't let me get started again!!

It's PageMaps contest time again, and here is my entry. Oh my goodness, I just LOVE those little monsters, my own included. Can they BE cuter? That red sheet of paper is a Studio Calico exclusive, can it GO better with all papers Sassafras?
Finally, I remember to post a sneak peak of what will be up tomorrow at the Prism's Blog!! Get ready to shape up!

From Memorial to Labor

Last week I went to the East Coast to visit two scrap crazy friends Aubree and Michelle. Apparently, you can meet real friends online! First, these two convinced me to join their "100 layouts between Memorial Day to Labor Day," then they twisted my virtual arms till I agreed to attend the Scrapbook Expo at Sommerset NJ with them! Well, the 100 layout thing is done. I didn't think it was possible but then again, nothing motivates a results-oriented person like a concrete goal such as that. How did I do it? Simple: ignore my children. Surface only to take their pictures for scrapping material.

I did a little shopping at the Expo, Monstrosity in particular!!! I watched a fellow Cowgirl Cory doing demos for Tattered Angels. Then... I met Melissa. I cried! I think it's the unexpectedness that caught me off guard. I didn't expect a Melissa Frances booth there, and when I saw someone carrying a MF bag, I immediately went searching for it. Then she walked by me a few times and I stared and stared and finally got the courage to ask someone. Brian, her husband, immediately told me he would grab her for me. By then, I was standing there thumbing through her rubons trying to choke back the tears. After loving and buying her products for so many years and reading and following her journey on the blog, it was just unbelievable to meet her in person. She was so gracious and knew I would want pictures!! I look forward to scrapping it!

Then it was off to a class with Kelly Goree, the godDess herself. When I sat down in the front row on the aisle, I just wanted to stare at her for the rest of the class. Then she walked up to me and said, "You must be Jing-Jing!" Later she followed up with "I know these things, Miss BabyBokChoy!" Well, I don't think I will ever recover from that shock! Sure I posted to a thread on 2peas, but I didn't expect her to READ it! The rest of the class was a bit of a haze for me. LOL...

Well, all that scrapping fun, we had to do some actual scrapping... I rarely scrap outside of my own room, so it was a bit of a challenge to get going. I did manage this layout at Aubree's mansion, in her own scrapbooking store. I got to use her stamp sets from Studio Calico, yay, and I tried out pearlescent paint, courtesy of Michelle. Lastly before I sign off, Aubree insists that I have just as much as stuff she does, if not more, but I must remind her that I've been scrapping for 10 years, and she, only three!

Everyday Hair - The Story Matters

A few weeks ago, Angela asked me if I would be interested in doing a guest DT layout for the challenge site: The Story Matters. Would I ever indeed!! LOL. I began scrapbooking because I wanted to tell the story behind my photos, so journaling is a big part of my scrapbooking identity. Indeed I fancy myself humorous and witty, so my writing reflects that, especially when it comes to my children.

The theme for their September journaling challenge is "Daily Rituals." So I had to do a layout on something I do everyday... well... lots to choose from, but I don't have photos of my tea or my tea mugs or tea tins... and I'm not one to take photos and print them at home... One day when I saw a few photos that I took of DD's hair, I realized that I do her hair everyday, hence this layout was born. So head on over to TSM, and check out the other inspirational layouts and participate!

I must gush about Earth Love by Cosmo Cricket. I walked into Archivers and saw it, and after my heart started to beat again, I bought everything Archivers had to offer. It is my favorite line of the three new releases by Cosmo, and yes, even more loved than the Boyfriend. While I am at it gushing, let me just say that Prism's Papaya Puree Medium OR109-D is the cardstock I used on this layout. It is a delicious match and I *heart* it :)

Speaking of Prism, I don't think I've linked up to the last Prism Papers project I did for the Prism blog, so here it is: Greetings! Yes, I'm using my stamps now! I am pleased with that development :)