Scrappy: Winter Wonderland

Christmas Eve. My favorite day of the year. Traditions, Anticipation, Joy.

This past week has tested me. Mom went into the hospital on Monday and we are hoping to leave this morning. So many people have shown us such compassion this week and I am so grateful.

They are calling for a White Christmas in North Carolina which makes me happy because I find snow so magical. Even after the rough Boone winter I had last year, I want more!!!



Merry Christmas!

Scrappy: our ornaments

With my brother in Africa, It was really strange to decorate the tree with both of our ornaments. Usually we start the process together (I usually end up doing it by myself), but this year it was very lonely.

As I was looking for sights of Christmas I found myself admiring the ornaments of years past. There are so many memories held in the ornaments, it's hard to choose a favorite! These are the ones that stood out to me this year:



I was immediately inspired by the sketch challenge over at Get Picky combined with the December kit from My Scrapbook Nook!

Scrappy: Fall Favorites

This is one of my favorite projects ever. It is a mini about my life as it is right now:











Hope everyone has a great weekend! I know I'm ready for a couple days off, even though I have a lot of work to do!

Scrappy: So Very Blessed

This weekend I had the honor of witnessing two wonderful people commit themselves to each other for the rest of their lives. It was amazing. I am so blessed to have a wonderfully supportive family that not only supports me, but my friends as well. On that note, I thought I would share another Nook U creation:





I scraplifted a layout by Stacey Michaud for this project. She is a fabulous inspiration and I love her work!

Scrappy: Wedding Cards

This weekend I'm headed to see some friends commit their lives to one each another. I'm so excited for them and love seeing the love between them! That brings me to these cards. For the second final in Nook U we were challenged to make five cards (my weakness) and they each had a wedding theme applied to them:

Something Old

Something New

Something Borrowed

Something Blue

Wedding Themed

Anyone have tips for cardmaking? I really struggle with it and don't know why I find it so difficult!

Scrappy: The Other Side

Another layout I created during Nook U:




For those of you that take all the pictures, what is the best way to have your picture taken every once in a while?

Scrappy: Proud

What is pride?

Is it okay to be proud of yourself?

That's what we're asking at All About Me this week. Our current challenge is My Proudest Moment.

Supplies: Bazzill Cardstock, Crate Paper, American Crafts Thickers, Ranger Alcohol Ink,

Tim Holtz Mini Mister, Zig Pen, Recollections Flowers.

I am proud of my kind heart, willingness to serve others, dedication, and determination to succeed. I am proud of the person I am and what I stand for.

For this layout I was inspired by the sketch challenge at Crate Paper- simple and linear- just my thing!

This month the prize for All About Me challenge is pretty great- you should check it out here!

What are you proud of? What is your proudest moment?

Come share with us at AAM- we can't wait to see what you come up with!

Scrappy: Mountaineer

I had such a blast participating in Nook U. I learned so much about style, form, and adding details. This layout was for a scraplift challenge. I lifted the fabulous Leah Killian.




While I'm ready to graduate, it is going to be really strange not being a Mountaineer for the first time in seven years! Transitions...

Scrappy: Ever After

Here is another layout I created during Nook U. Seriously, it was a huge mojo booster! I hand cut the flowers at the bottom and enjoyed playing with a different kind of design than I usually use.

Scrappy: Rugby Match

This past weekend I was honored to be in the finals of Nook University. I was able to complete a ton of projects that I'm proud of. I have learned a lot about style and adding details to my projects. I've had these pictures for a while, but haven't really been inspired to scrap them. As a part of the finals we had a challenge every hour for 24 hours and the final one was to scrap a sports layout.

Here is mine:





I used the September Nook kit- I have bits and pieces of it left and I love it when I can actually use all of the paper I get- no room to hoard!

Scrappy: Big Hugs

My brother is currently in Bafia, Cameroon with a host family during his first stage of Peace Corps training. He is learning French and more about his assignment for the next 2 years. I am so proud of my brother, but it was hard to let him go knowing he would miss 3 years worth of birthdays and Christmases and my wedding in May. The pictures were taken at the airport before he left:





I created this layout during the first round of the Nook U- a challenge to use flowers. I used Petaloo flowers and alcohol inks to make the flowers the perfect colors! This is my new favorite thing to do to personalize a layout.

Scrappy: Owl Always Love You

I created this layout for Nook U- the class was about paper piecing, which I had never done before! I printed a clip art of an owl, cut the papers out and pieced them together.




Have you tried anything new recently?

Scrappy: The Story

Here's the story...of a lovely lady (that's me)...

I created this for a challenge at Nook U and LOVE the journaling:

Scrappy: I'm Ready

Life is so busy right now, I have really been thinking about what I want my life to look like. I've always been over committed and stretched too thin, but right now I'm seeing the benefits of slowing down and really thinking about each commitment I add to my life. Some of the things I want out of life are outlined below:




Graduation. Getting my Master's degree and finally having a piece of paper that shows others that I am competent, qualified, and educated for the jobs I want.

Finding a Job Preferably wherever Ryan is- I'm willing to look in several different helping fields and I'm trying to keep the possibilities open by taking several different routes with my licensing.

Get married I'm so ready to be in the same town, same home as Ryan. I'm ready to start our life together and see what the future holds for us.

Have a home of my own I want to decorate and organize my own house, have enough space for my things, and be able to come home to MY home every night.

Scrappy: Pure Joy!

My cousin Myles lights up the room when he enters, he is:




Who brings you joy?

Scrappy: Finding my Voice

Something I have been working on recently is trying to speak up for myself. I've always struggled with this, ask anyone who has known me for any length of time. Last week when one of my graduate school friends saw my engagement ring, she went to look up the meaning of the blue topaz and what things are associated with it. We discovered that blue topaz is a stone that supposedly gives one strength to speak out and ask for what the need/want. I find it a coincidence that something that is such a huge part of my growth is directly tied into my ring.

I created a layout about this topic and I added some blue bling to remind me of the significance of blue topaz.

Scrappy: Your Adventurous Spirit

This week my brother left for Cameroon. He'll be there for 27 months in the Peace Corps helping with Sustainable Agro-Forestry. I created this layout last week during Nook University (which is still going on and is SO MUCH FUN!) I'm so proud of Caleb and his desire to make a difference while exploring new cultures and far off lands!




Who inspires you?

Scrappy: Some Cards

I'm sharing with you some cards I made with supplies from my latest My Scrapbook Nook kit. I love this place, both as a kit club and as a place to hang out with scrappy friends online! Seriously- some of the nicest, most talented ladies hang out there!

Right now- they are holding a FREE Scrapbook University Contest, but it is MORE than just a contest. There are classes with theories and advice from their Design Team. Come by, register, and have some fun! If you choose to- tell them I sent you!!! I will get EXTRA CREDIT if I bring a friend- so please be my friend and come to class with me, then invite YOUR friends and get extra credit too!!!!







I'm off to University!!!

Scrappy: Morning Routine

As the school year begins, I'm finding it hard to settle back into a routine. I'm commuting, which means I have to give myself an hour to get to campus. The current challenge over at All About Me is about morning routines. I made a layout about what my morning routine SHOULD look like:


Some mornings I need to leave around 7:00, so the workout gets bumped! But lately I find myself bumping the workout for extra sleep- but that can't happen anymore! NO MORE EXCUSES- MUST WORKOUT!!!

What are mornings like in your household? How do you convince yourself to get out of bed when the pillow is whispering sweet things in your ear?

Scrappy Scraplift

We're having a blast at the AAM Forum with the Anniversary Crop!

We have such a talented DT at AAM and I love Janis' work. As a part of one of the challenges I scraplfted one of her layouts:


I used my August kit from My Scrapbook Nook- just beautiful!



Come join us for the crop- there are still many chances to win some fun prizes!