Paper Secrets 13

Good morning and happy Saturday
here's my layout I did for the challenge over at PaperSecrets.  Each week we are given an assignment for a layout. I really don't care if I win the contest, it's just helping me to do more layouts that I should have done a long time ago (or some new ones in this case). If you participate and follow the guidelines you advance to the next week. We started with 27 and 10 moved onto last week again.  I will keep updating you as I go along. Who knows, I might not be able to participate one week and then I am out, but until then, I am scrapping my butt off, (they used a different word, but my blog is family friendly...hehehe
Here is the sketch:

I also used the Amazing You stamp set from Getting Cricky as my journaling.

This is what I needed to use for the challenge and 

what is in red is is what I used.

5+ brads/eyelets

mist 

flowers/leaves (silk leaves on tree)

bling (rhinestones between phrases)fabric/felt

border punch (butterfly wings and then used the itty bitty pieces for the flight path)

journaling embellishmentdry embossing

stamping (sentiments and peachy keen face)

ribbon/lace ( Summertime Fun ribbon)

Last of the vacation pictures:

the beginning our our paddle out.  

tiny waterfall area

Carl and the girls got up the waterfall in 2 tries.  

They did a great job for their first time.  

It may not look like much in the picture, but 

it can be a bit dangerous trying to get between the rocks.

now remember, everything we brought in  has to be brought back out.  

This is one of 4 portages and you take EVERYTHING 

out of your canoe and carry it to the other side including the canoe.  

Some of the portages are more treacherous 

than others, but its all worth the trip.

Kim and Phil did it in 2 tries also.

Really like this picture also.

Video of the little waterfall and surroundings

At least the cooler is a bit lighter on the way out.

Austyn and uncle Phil took one paddle together 

between portages.  Austyn said he did all the work!!!

Just the girls

We couldn't get the timer to work on the camera so I

will have to super impose myself into the picture somehow.

Hubby carrying the canoe...glad I don't have to do that.

Carl also carrying his canoe.  Just looks like too much work for me.

We've arrived.  Now unload the canoe one last

 time and head to civilization.

Showered and ready for a good meal at our

favorite restaurant in Ely, MN - The Boathouse.

So I hope you've enjoyed my trip to Boundary Waters with me.  We had a great time and I can't believe we've been home for a week already.  We are thinking of taking a boathouse cruise next year for our vacation.  Boundary Waters is a great adventure, but I'm getting old.  LOL  I think sitting on a boathouse for a week, swimming, fishing and just relaxing sounds good to me.

Thanks so much for visiting with me and I hope to see you tomorrow

 for another Simply Sunday Challenge at Getting Cricky.

Brilliant Shaped card

Good Morning


Hopefully I have made it back to civilization, but I still won't have any internet access until tomorrow.  I should be able to use my phone, depending on how close we are to a tower in this beautiful nature town, but I will be back to the real world tomorrow and then I can check my computer and check in with all of my favorite readers.


Here is another quick card that I was inspired by Audrey over at Cute and Some. She definitely has some cute projects and she is such an amazing lady and lately always on the go.  Audrey and I are also in a "Craft it Forward" project, so if you would be interested in receiving a handmade craft go here (I am still looking for 2 participant, but you must comment on the original post) or here (Audrey is also looking for two more) and sign up.  There are a few rules, so head on over and check them out.


So onto my card...again, Audrey had a card on her blog a while back and I just fell in love with it.  You can see hers here and I wanted to "lift" it, but it never fails...I always wind up with something completely different.

Of course, again I used a Getting Cricky stamp from the Food for Thought and the Amazing You sets...mixing and matching is so much fun.  All the paper was from my stash and the ribbon also.  I embossed the bottom with my cuddlebug using the dots folder and added the 3 flat pearls.  The "tag" is the same file as the card itself, just scaled down and then I added a piece of vellum after I embossed it with the cuddlebug Flourished Frame (just the tip of it).  I really didn't care so much for this folder, but I like the way just a little bit of it worked for this card.  I hope I've inspired you to make a shaped card, even if it's just a simple one.

Kristal's  NEWEST Stamp PREORDERS--for a limited time, you can get them at a discount 

and reserve yours before they sell out!!! 

Coffee & Tea Mix & Match  

Sympathetic Sayings (Larger set)

Winged Things: Mix & Match

(Bonus frame & images)

Lasting Memories #44 "Scrapbook pages that Recycle"

Good Morning,

So here we are again with another Lasting Memories submission.  This week we are using recycle-able things, or reusing something we can re-purpose.  This challenge wasn't hard for me at all...you should see my craft room.  I keep EVERYTHING that I think can be reused, recycled or re-purposed.  When I was growing up, my mom used to say "when we move, we just need to pack Brenda's room, because if you need it, it's in there".  Ha, well mom, I'm still that way!!!  I guess I've been helping save the earth for at least 37 years...uhum!!!  The other day I was going through some of my son's clothes that don't fit anymore and I donate a lot of stuff to Goodwill and such.  He had these awesome dress shirts, but they had some stains so I took the buttons off.  Yup, recycle them babies.  Then I went through the linen closet and found some table runners that I've had for a hundred years and don't ever use.  As I was packing them up when I thought some of them had some lace on them that I could reuse somehow, so out came the scissors.  I was also cleaning out some of my flower designs that have lost their use.  I tore apart a topiary I made a long time ago and kept the flowers, cuz you just never know.  Well, I combined all these things and this is what I came up with:

Now the flowers on the Title are from the topiary set along with the buttons from Austyn's dress shirt.

The tan fabric/lace is from the table runner.  I cut about every 9 holes and weaved a piece of blue ribbon through it.

I punched a flower out of blue cardstock and then layered strips of the lacey stuff around the punch with hot glue to make a flower.  Then I inked the fabric and added a button to form the flower and hotglued some leaves to the back of it.

The tags are cut from SCAL's tags shapes and inked around them.  Then I used more of the lacey fabric and cut strips to attach to the tags.  I also used some leftover twine and made my own baker's twine.  If you want to see how I did that you can check it out here.

Now the title/tag I made for myself.  You see, I just underwent some major dental work and I am so excited to be able to really SMILE for a change.  It's been a long time coming and I feel so much better about myself.  I wanted to commemorate this feat for myself, thus the layout is for ME!!!  I used Getting Cricky's stamps set "Positive Thoughts" and "Amazing You".  Now, some say you shouldn't brag about yourself, but I don't think I am bragging, just feeling good about ME!!!  Believe me, it's a new feeling for me to be this happy and confident.  Even my BFF said that I am smiling more and actually laughing out loud.  My mom used to always say, when you feel good about yourself you are a nicer person and it shows.  Well, mom, again you were right!!!

So I hope I've inspired you to create a layout with things you can reuse or recycle.  Remember, every little bit helps.  If you don't recycle on you layouts, remember to recycle through your garbage though.  It doesn't take very long to separate your items and help save the earth one step at a time.