Something Wicked This Way Comes!

Happy Halloween! This is a favorite time of year for me. Leaves are changing, temperatures are cooling and the air is crisp and clear. And---it's another great excuse for CHOCOLATE!!!


This post features a mini album I created last year. I developed a class around this album and taught it at the "Scrap Shack" a local scrapbook store that unfortunately has closed. I had a great time creating while on the design team there. This was the only independent scrapbooking store remotely near me. I truly miss it!


This is an accordion album that I made from scratch. I wanted to show my students how they could make their own album and thus customize it to any size they like rather than being limited to purchased sizes.
The paper line I used was "Twilight" by Pink Paislee. It was their Halloween line last year. I still love it, and many of the papers in the line can be used in other themes besides Halloween. I find it very versatile.
I used my Silhouette to cut bats, cats, ghost,  the tombstone, and spider webs. I used some brads from the same "Twilight" line as well as some from Melissa Frances. Various fibers and ribbon was also incorporated into the design.


This album has 10 photos, sized about 3.5x5. It features a swinging tombstone with a poem I composed and a pull out insert with photos. There is room for journaling on several pull out tabs. Feel free to use the poem I wrote.



The poem reads:

Sneak a picture

while you stare,

at the ghouls and

goblins if you dare!

Although they all

look a fright.

They only come out

on Halloween night.

So save the memory

for all to see,

because they are

yours for eternity!

Photo insert slides behind one of the pages.

Don't be frightened

don't be scared.

I hope you liked

my album that I

 wanted to share!

Be safe this Halloween!

Gouls Night Out

My house transforms this time of year. It started about 15 years ago as a friendly competition between neighbors. If one neighbor put something new in their yard the others had to retaliate. Through the years it was fun to try to out decorate the neighbors. Now all our children are grown, but we still carry on the tradition.

Some decorations are purchased 

and some decorations my husband cut out of plywood and I painted them.



Ouch....

Maybe this is why we have about 100 Trick-or-Treaters every year!

Fall Mantle

After another recent trip to Hobby Lobby (just love that store) and acquiring some of my favorite candles, I now have a beautiful fall display on my mantle. Since I'm on this white pumpkin kick, I spray painted the pumpkins sitting on the candle sticks.

The candles I use are sold through "PartyLite" My best friend, Mary Crisp is a successful independent consultant with them. They sell the best candles on the market. As their candles burn they actually liquefy, so as they burn down there is no residual wax left. Since the temperatures are still in the low 90's it doesn't quite feel like fall, but inside, it sure smells like fall with scents like ginger pumpkin and apple orchard. Go check out her web-site http://www.partylite.biz./sites/marycrisp

I love the look of my mantle with the soft glow of candle light, I hope you do too.

So Honored

Hannah over at Young and Crafty has honored me today by featuring my "Sew beautiful" scrapbook layout of my mother. Go check out Hannans' blog here http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/2010/09/scraptastic-saturday.html
Thanks you Hannah

Wishing for Fall

I am ready for some cooler temperatures and lower humidity's. Fall is my favorite season. I love the fall colors, clear blue skies and that little nip in the air. We here in the south have suffered through the worst summer of high humidity, heat index of 105-115 and hazy skies. I know we still have a couple more weeks of summer, but with Labor Day come and gone, I have set my sights on Fall.

I figured if I decorate for Fall it will come---So I made a trip to my local Hobby Lobby ( I was there about 2 1/2 hours) came home and went to work, which really isn't work because I love to decorate. I need to make another trip--still have a few more places in the house I want to give a little touch of Fall . This is what I have done so far.

Can ya tell, I'm lovin' those white pumkins!!!

Welcome to the family

My nephew Josh got married to this beautiful girl in April. Jessie is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. They had an outside wedding at Rye Patch on the grounds of Hopeland Gardens here in Aiken, SC. Two of my brother-in-laws took the wedding photos and I helped by posing the shots. This is one of my favorite.


I used a variety of scrapbook supplies from my stash. The only thing I bought specifically for this layout was the background paper. The color is not true in the photo, it's actually purple. Purple is Jessie's favorite color and she used it in her wedding so I wanted purple on this layout.


The scallop border was made by cutting scallop circles out of two different papers, then cut the circles in half and off set them to give dimension.

Baby on Board !

Another layout featuring the "Clothesline" collection by Little Yellow Bicycle. I absolutely love this line! It has a vintage feel that reminds me of fabrics that my mama used to make our clothes  growing up.

This is another photograph that my Aunt gave my sister Pat and myself when she visited us this past July. It was like Christmas morning when she pulled out several photos featuring my parents in their younger years. This one also includes my two older sisters Pat and Joan. 

While looking at the photos, my brother-in law commented on the '57 Chevy in the picture. My sister Pat and I looked at each other. Wait a minute I was born in 1957. On closer inspection we both realized that I was in the picture too! I'm the bump on mama's tummy. I was ecstatic! I had in my hand a priceless photo of my mama pregnant with me.

I cut the journaling frame and butterfies with my Silhouette.

Scallop chipboard by Mine Minds Eye--"Laundary Line"

Pink pearl swirl--Prima

Measuring tape charm--Hobby Lobby

Number chipboard--misc.

Feels so good...

to be scrapbooking again!  I started this page yesterday and finished it today in between taking care of Katelin post tonsillectomy. She has done very well. She is a good patient. She doesn't complain or feel sorry for herself. 
She's like me when she is sick,  just wants to be left alone.  If she needs me, she calls me on the cell phone and I run upstairs to meet her needs. She has done better than I anticipated. Her Dr. said her tonsils were the biggest he has ever seen!  I know she will feel so much better after the healing is done.  Now on to my layout.

This picture of my mama came to me by way of my Aunt Marguerite who is my mama's youngest sister. In the past I have had a difficult time scrapbooking about mama. I miss her so much and I have always felt cheated that she died so young at the age of 59. Now after 20 years I am able to visit photos of her and not get so melancholy.

I used the "Clothesline" collection by Little Yellow Bicycle.
I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it on the store shelf. I knew it would be perfect to scrapbook about mama and her sewing. Sewing was such a big part of her life. Mama was a stay at home mom, but she was very busy raising 4 daughters and making a home for us and our dad. Most of her time was spent at the sewing machine. She was a perfectionist and sewed for many people in Aiken as well as making all our clothes growing up. Of course I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I most certainly do now! She even made my wedding dress! I showed her a picture of the dress I wanted in Bride's magazine and she made it without a pattern for a guide! She was simply brilliant with a sewing machine. This photo was taken in 1958 a year after I was born. Mama was 28 yrs. old in this picture.

Papers: Clothesline collection-Little Yellow Bicycle, Ambrosia-Basic Grey and journaling block Making Memories
Title and sewing machine was cut with my Silhouette
Pearl flourish: Prima
Buttons:  Clothesline collection and misc.
Boarder punch:  Martha Stewart
Misc. pins, tag and charm

The kitchen redo is done!

Well...almost. The only thing left to put up is a pendant light over the sink. I haven't found what I want yet and I couldn't wait any longer for this reveal. I love my new kitchen! It is so much brighter and has a more timeless feel. First and foremost I want to thank my wonderful husband for all his hard work on this project. If not for his patience and "mad skills" this kitchen redo would not be what I envisioned. Thanks honey, I owe you BIG time!

Now this is what our kitchen used to look like.

As you can see I had an obsession with feathered barnyard animals

This is our kitchen now!

What we did

1. 
   
   Oak hardwood floors throughout  kitchen
2. 
   
   Granite counter tops
3. 
   
   Paint
4. 
   
   Interior doors throughout the house
5. 
   
   Oiled rubbed bronze doorknobs
6. 
   
   Bead board back splash with frame
7. 
   
   Bead board panels with trim on wall
8. 
   
   Bead board on soffice
9. 
   
   Bead board under bar
10. 
    
    Koler smart divide sink
11. 
    
    Moen oiled rubbed bronzed faucet
12. 
    
    Changed all light fixtures--ceiling, breakfast table, over sink( to come)
13. 
    
    New bar stools and chairs around table. Kept the antique table I already had.
14. 
    
    New rug under table
15. 
    
    Changed all cabinet hardware---oiled rubbed bronze
16. 
    
    Took doors off of cabinets over fridge and put baskets in the space
17. 
    
    Put glass in cabinet next to oven
18. 
    
    Add brackets under cabinets
19. 
    
    Woven wood shades on windows

 The decor is a mix of old and new. Kept cost down by shopping discount stores---Love TG Maxx

The green paint color doesn't show up as well in the photos---It's kind of a minty-sagey green, really fresh looking. The color is called "Weathered stucco" from Sherman Williams from their Charleston color collection. The trim and cabinets are an off white.

This project started in January of this year. I think it was worth all the hard work and time. My family is enjoying the space very much, and since I love being in the kitchen I am cooking more, which those who know me know cooking is something I don't do often!

I would love to read your comments on my kitchen.

Did you spot any of my feathered friends in the new kitchen?

Look what I won!

Please go to the following link and check out Suzanne's blog. She had a give away for one of these wristlets. I'm getting # 7. I wish I could sew. The only sewing I do is on paper when I scrapbook.

Thanks Suzanne!

http://justanotherhangup.blogspot.com/2010/07/and-winner-is.html

Happy 4th of July

Wishing you a safe and happy Independance Day!

Much needed break

We are AWOL from our home improvements for 2 weeks. Two glorious weeks on Hilton Head Island. We are enjoying a very laid back vacation. No plans, no schedules and most importantly no saws!
Dale is enjoying his kayak that he bought in April, but hadn't had a chance to use it until now. We're sleeping in, reading some good books and taking long walks on the beach. Little bit of heaven on earth!