Thanksgiving Birthday

It's tough to go back to work after such a nice, long weekend.. especially since it seems I'm coming down with a cold (but I'm trying to resist!)! We spent a very nice weekend and celebrated DH's birthday too.
I didn't scrap very much, because I spent quite some time putting together the pages for a desktop calendar, but I did get a few LOs done. I did this page for the Roadmap to Scrap challenge:

1. Since this is starting the day after Thanksgiving (for the US scrappers), let’s make this more of a themed RTS. Use pictures from your Thanksgiving celebrations (this year or in past years) OR pictures you took this month that are fall related. If you live where it’s not fall right now, you can use pictures from when you have fall weather.
2. Choose a fall-ish color scheme for all but one of your papers. Use one paper with a pop of color not usually associated with fall.
3. Let’s see some elements from nature on your LO – flowers, leaves, branches, etc.
4. Now add some ribbon/lace/string/fiber/stitching, whatever looks best for your LO.
5. Add in a few more embellishments and make sure at least one of them is the same color that you used for your pop of color in your papers. If you have an element you want to use that needs to be recolored, check out some of these recoloring tutorials here and here
6. Use the word “thanks” somewhere on your page – either in your journaling or title.
7. Title your layout. Use either a combination of fonts, a combination of alphas, or a font/alpha combination.
8. Date your layout and add anything else you think it needs.
   

Credits:
With Thankful Hearts by Chelle's Creations
Glass Pebble Alpha by Sahlin Studio
Simply Dated by wm [squared] designs

while this was for the Saturday Special challenge:

Credits:
Everyday Thanks by Plum Dumpling Designs
EZ Date Labels by Erica Zane
Pie from With Thankful Hearts by Chelle's Creations
Fonts: Broken 15, Dear Joe 4

I also scrapped a page for the new My Story Matters challenge:

Credits:
All from Black Friday Grab Bag by Erica Zane:
Got Green?, EZ Neutrals, EZ Date Tabs
JH Kari font - Designs by Jeni Hopewell

In case you need reminding, the sale is still going on at ScrapMatters, and if you check out the blog you'll find a blog train in which you can gather some coupons for further discounts! Have a happy Cyber Monday! :)

Black Friday Sale

Everything is 45% off today at ScrapMatters! This is a huge deal that doesn't come often, so take advantage of it!
There's grab bags and some great new products in the store, too! I only had time to play with 2 of them, and really loved them!
First off, Erica's grab bag - jam packed with goodies! Check out the store for previews of the contents of the bag:

I also love this gorgeous Christmas kit by GG Digital Designs:

And here's a page I did with them:

Credits:

EZ Templates 9 from Black Friday Grab Bag by Erica Zane

Pinecones and Holly Berries by GG Digital Designs

I also used the kit in Erica's grab bag to create a page for a desktop calendar I'm working on:

Credits:
Desktop Calendar Templates 2010 by Simply J Studio

Black Friday Grab Bag by Erica Zane

I hope you take advantage of the sale, because it's such a great sale: you don't see often a 45% off sale! Plus, there's an amazing free-with-purchase template pack! It's yours with a $20 purchase, and it contains 41 fabulous templates! Check them out:

Ready for Black Friday?

DH and I bought a TV set last night, so we won't be going around much for shops on Black Friday.. but there certainly are some amazing online deals: the sale at ScrapMatters is just phenomenal!!

I can't wait for Black Friday!

$2 Tuesday

It's $2 Tuesday and Mari Koegelenberg has 3 great products for sale in her store!

You can save up to 67%!

Weeks 41-46

Brace yourself: this is one long post! I haven't posted my P365 pages in a while, so I have a few to share now. :) I still have last week's page to scrap, but other than that, I'm all caught up, as usual. Feels so good!
Anyway, here we go!

Credits:
Kicking up the Leaves and Hodge Podge 15 by Gina Marie Huff

Photo stamps from Project 365 #2 by Sugarplum Paperie

Random Alpha by Erica Zane

A Man's Alpha by Britt-ish Designs

Font: Note this

Credits:

Kicking up the Leaves - Little Seeds by Gina Marie Huff

Photo stamps from Project 365 #2 by Sugarplum Paperie

Plastic Pack Alphas by Chelle's Creations

Worn Scuffed Chipboard Alpha by Sahlin

Font: Note this

Credits:

Kicking up the Leaves - Little Seeds by Gina Marie Huff 

Photo stamps from Project 365 #2 and Swirly Bits by Sugarplum Paperie

Dot Dot Dot Alpha by Lauren Reid

I Felt Like It alpha by Chelle's

Font: Note this

Credits:

10 Things I Love About You by Gina Marie Huff

Photo stamps from Project 365 #2 by Sugarplum Paperie

Fun Lil' Alpha by Erica Zane

Font: Note this

Credits:

Kickin' Up the Leaves by Gina Marie Huff

Photo stamps from Project 365 #2 by Sugarplum Paperie

Take a Sweater Alpha by Britt-ish Designs

Font: Note this

Credits:

My Best Friend (kit and alpha) and Kickin' Up the Leaves by Gina Marie Huff

Photo stamps from Project 365 #2 by Sugarplum Paperie

Glass Pebble Alpha by Sahlin Studio

Font: Note this

Told you it was going to be a long post! ;)

Getting Ready for Christmas

I have a few pages to show from this week: this has been a busy week and I haven't had much time to blog, or scrap.. I hope after Thanksgiving I'll have a bit more time for myself.

First off, a page for the Word Up challenge at ScrapMatters: we had to pick a popular slogan as title, and I had fun looking up slogans! I ended up choosing one of General Foods, but I eyed a couple more that would make great titles. This was such a fun challenge!

Credits:

One of a Kind by Juno Designs

Acrylic Date Stamps - Designs by Tater

Font: Copperplate Gothic Light

Photo action by My Four Hens Photography

Then, I had fun with Jennifer Barrette's Thankful:

Jenn has rapidly become one of my favorite designers, and this kit sure doesn't disappoint! I love the rich colors and patterns! I used it for 2 matching pages (the only ones I managed to scrap during the week):

Credits:

My Personal Favorites v. 1 Templates by Denise Beatty Originals

Thankful Collection by Jennifer Barrette

date-go-round by Stolen Moments

I loved playing with this fall kit, but.. I'm all ready for Christmas! I was really excited when I saw Britt's new kit in the store, Happiest Season of All:

I played with it right away (I'm also working on some hybrid goodies but I can't show those for a few days) for some photocards and a page: I scrapped about my frustration of getting bad Christmas pictures for our photocards, thanks to my uncooperative husband..

Lift of Beautiful little Ainslie by kateypie

Credits:

Happiest Season of All by Britt-ish Designs

Font: Note this

This is actually a very nice picture, in my opinion, but the ones I took of the two of us together are just not the best ones, but oh well... at least they're done and the photocards are ordered. :)

Lots of Products!

Mari has a ton of gorgeous new products in the store today, and they're 20% off today and tomorrow!
I haven't had time to play with them yet, so I only have the previews to show you, but they're absolutely fabulous! Let me start with my favorite, the Advent Calendar template:

but look how pretty these other printables and templates are too!

I really wish I had more time to create!!

$2 Tuesday

It's $2 Tuesday and it really doesn't get any better than this!! Mari Koegelenberg has 4 awesome kits for sale in her store, and they're an absolute steal!
I'll just show you one of my favorite kits of her ever, Noel, that's for sale for only 2 bucks todayl:

I looooooooove the color scheme and the gold accents!
Here's a couple of pages I did with it:

Credits:

Noel by Mari Koegelenberg Creations

Font: 1942 Report

Credits:

Noel and Alpha Stamped vol. 2 by Mari Koegelenberg Creations

Font: SS Whimsy

My Magnetic Advent Calendar

I hope you are subscribed to the ScrapMatters newsletter, because the November issue just went out, and it's featuring my tutorial for a hybrid magnetic advent calendar! :D
I'm SO excited about this project, for many reasons: when I saw this advent calendar idea in the galleries last year, in December, it was too late for me to make my own calendar. But I planned accordingly, and throughout the following months I've been gathering all the necessary supplies ($1 cookie sheets, $1 star glittery stickers, ribbon, buttons, etc.) and when inspiration finally struck me last month (I didn't quite feel like using Christmas products before then! ;) ), I was ready, and completed it in under a week (just a few hours' work in fact). I'm also really happy because I made two calendars (one for me and one for my mom) and finished them right in time for my husband to bring my mom's calendar to her when he flew out to see her.
Now, I really cannot wait for November to be over, so I can hang up my calendar and start using it! ;)
Besides, this was the first time I used magnetic paper, and I absolutely love it!
Anyway, here's what my calendar looks like:

Here's the full view (sorry for the ugly picture, I have to retake it but have been too lazy..):

and here's the digital version of the numbers:

Credits:
1 - Hustle and Bustle by Britt-ish Designs
2 - Tinsel Town by GG Digital Designs and Megan Turnidge and Plastickle Me alpha by Britt-ish Designs
3 - Hustle and Bustle by Britt-ish Designs and School Days Plastic Alpha freebie by Purple Tulip Designs
4 - White Christmas by Britt-ish Designs and alpha from Totally Buggin' by Britt-ish Designs and Mira Designs
5 - Hustle and Bustle by Britt-ish Designs and Family Ties by Jeni Hopewell
6 - Hustle and Bustle and Label Tape Alpha by Britt-ish Designs
7 - Very Merry by Britt-ish Designs and DeCrow Designs
8 - Christmas Time by Dirty Feet Designs, White Christmas and Enchantment Bonus Alpha by Britt-ish Designs
9 - Holiday Cheer by wm [squared] designs and Alphabetical by Britt-ish Designs
10 - Holiday Cheer and Holiday Cheer Bonus Alpha by wm [squared] designs
11 - Tinsel Town by GG Digital Designs and Megan Turnidge and Mini Glitz Alpha Pack by Plum Dumpling Designs
12 - Christmas Time by Dirty Feet Designs and Land of Fantasy by Britt-ish Designs and Sahlin Studio
13 - Very Merry by Britt-ish Designs and DeCrow Designs
14 - Holiday Cheer by wm [squared] designs and Fairchild by Britt-ish Designs
15 - White Christmas and Bing Crosby Christmas Alpha by Britt-ish Designs
16 - Very Merry by Britt-ish Designs and DeCrow Designs
17 - White Christmas and Bead-aholic alpha by Britt-ish Designs
18 - Holiday Cheer by wm [squared] designs and A Perfect Picnic collab by the ScrapMatters Design Team
19 - Christmas Time by Dirty Feet Designs and Jackpot by Britt-ish Designs
20 - Hustle and Bustle and alpha from Independent by Britt-ish Designs
21 - Very Merry by Britt-ish Designs and DeCrow Designs and Razzle Dazzle Alpha by Britt-ish Designs
22 - Tinsel Town by GG Digital Designs and Megan Turnidge
23 - Christmas Time by Dirty Feet Designs and All Stitched Up Alpha by Chelle's Creations
24 - Christmas Time by Dirty Feet Designs and Mini Glitz Alpha Pack by Plum Dumpling
25 - magnet from my grandma

I did it using entirely ScrapMatters products, because I really love SM! :)

Pumpkins & Grab Bags

I'm all ready for Christmas already, but I really love the cute little gourds I bought to decorate for the season, and I made 2 LOs to show them off! I used 2 grab bags (Britt's and Chelle's) to make these pages, but today all the ScrapMatters DSD grab bags have been split up, so I'll show you a few of the individual products I used. First off, a page for the Tuesday Template challenge:

Credits:
Template by wm[squared] designs
Breezy Holiday and Take a Sweater Alpha by Britt-ish Designs
Font: Note this

Using Britt's Breezy Holiday:

and Take a Sweater Alpha:

I also made a page for today's Roadmap to Scrap challenge, that has these instructions:

1. Choose a template
2. Choose at least three papers, 2 solid papers and 1 pattern
3. Add some vellum or acrylic to your layout
4. Embellish as you wish but I want to see at least one cluster
5. Include buttons, stitches, ribbon and string (minimum of 1 each)
6. Add a frame but use is different that you normally would ie) off center underneath the photo etc.
7. Use a creative date element to date your layout
8. Title your layout with a minimum of one font and one alpha

and here's my page, I had SO much fun putting it together!

Credits:
Scrap like Lori templates, Fall for You, Brownie Alpha, Buttoned Up Elements and twine from Midnight Crow by Chelle's Creations
Stitches from Let's Get Together by Denise Beatty Originals and Erica Zane
Acrylic flower from See Right Through You and Date Stamped by Britt-ish Designs
Font: Dear Joe MS 1

I used a bunch of gorgeous products from Chelle's grab bag:

and another item from Britt's:

These grab bags were really packed full, and I haven't even shown everything that was in them! :)

Pages from DSD Weekend

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I really enjoyed DSD weekend: I grabbed a few gorgeous kits with the sale, and I managed to scrap a few pages too. :) Here's a few non-CT pages I did. First off, one using most of the new goodies I got with the sale:

Credits:
Frosty Fun by Jacque Larsen and Pamela Donnis
Doodling Days alpha by Gina Marie Huff
Recycled Alpha 1 by Michelle Filo
Fonts: SS Whimsy and CK Cursive

Christmas is really around the corner! :) I'm really looking forward to decorating the house and start playing some Christmas music! ;)
And then my usual monthly summary for October:

Credits:
Template by missrubikscube
Cafe Latte by Sugarplum Paperie and Tracie Stroud
A Golden Afternoon by Sugarplum Paperie
Acrylic numbers from Hodge Podge 9 by Gina Marie Huff
Screws from Summer Fling by Britt-ish Designs
Font: Note this

Matryoshka Card

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Amy Sumrall has a new mini kit out today, and it's on sale for only $1 for Tadpole Tuesday at the Lilypad!

This mini kit is just adorable! I had lots of fun making a card with it:

It's a double sided card and it turned out so cute! The message says: I {heart} you because you're always full of surprises.

This mini kit is for sale for just a buck today only, and it's a total steal! Go grab it here.