Love

I had the best intentions this year about doing the whole blog thing at least once every two weeks, but my follow through has been sorely lacking.  

When I saw the current sketch at StuckOnUSketches, it was the inspiration I needed to get to work again.  I used a photo of my son with my aunt (his great-aunt) at a family wedding.  It always makes me smile and it was begging to be scrapped.  

All of the papers are by DCWV from the Tradewinds Stack.

Thanks for stopping by,
Esther T

Peas In A Pod

My New Year's Resolution was to participate in every Stuck On U Sketches challenge for 2015.  Whether or not not that is possible will have to be seen, but it seemed a worthy goal.  This one is cutting it close to the deadline, but thankfully I still have a few hours!  

I did this layout using a picture of my husband and my youngest son.  They are so much alike.  

All the supplies I used were from the October Afternoon Farmhouse collection.  (Another resolution is to stop hoarding my favourite lines of paper.  

Thanks for looking.
~ Esther 

Original You

This is a quick blog post to show the layout I made with the latest Stuck on U Sketches sketch.  Well, the latest until tomorrow when another one comes out.  I've been meaning to play along for two weeks, but sometimes three kids means that scrapbooking is last on the list.  LOL  I was determined to find time this evening and it was so worth it to get some creative outlet even though I left the housework undone!  

The photo of the layout isn't the best, but its't close to midnight and getting the right lighting was beyond my photographic abilities.  

Thanks for having a look - hopefully next week I'll find scrapping time earlier.

Esther T.

Happy Birthday

I made this box for the die cut challenge hosted by Stuck on U Sketches.  It combines two of my favourite things - making boxes or bags from paper, and using my Create-a-Critter cricut cartridge.  I'm sorry that I'm so late making a blog post and linking it up.  While the project was finished a week ago, I kept walking by it on the shelf thinking 'I really should photograph that!'  

Thanks for taking a look.

Cheers, Esther

She Will Soar

It has been a while since I participated in the Unity Be Inspired Challenge.  Unity Stamp Company is one of my favourite stamp companies - their artists come up with something to suit the tastes of just about anyone.  You will find the current challenge here.  I decided to play with all three challenges this month by combining the colour challenge with the card sketch, and using the layout sketch as well.  

For the card, I used the Stitched Daffodils stamp.  I stamped it tone on tone with the orange and the kraft cardstock, and then used the Share Your Smile Itty Bitty stamp for the focal image.

For the layout, I tried to follow the clean and simple sketch as much as I could.  The stamps that I used are Your Wings Exist and the Dream Big Itty Bitty.  The little girl in the stamp reminds me so much of my daughter that I find myself using it over and over.  

Thanks for having a look.

Cheers, Esther

Baby Curls

I found the sketch that I used for this layout when I started following Pinkfresh Studios on facebook.  They are sponsoring the current challenge at Creative Scrappers and now they have posted a sketch challenge of their own, along with another company called Scrapbook Circle.  

My background is a piece of DCWV cardstock that has been lightly misted with Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst spray in Saxifrage Olive Copper.  The patterned paper is Pink Paisley from the Prairie Hill line.  The letters are Thickers by American Crafts.

This photo of my youngest son is one of my favourites.  After his first haircut, those curls never came back, although, he remains absolutely adorable!  

Thanks for having a look.

Cheers, Esther

Forever Love

After being away for much of the summer, I was glad to come home and look up some of my favourite challenge sites.  I loved the sketch that I saw on the Stuck on U Sketches blog.  You can find the sketch I used here.  Even though I have a ton of vacation pics that I want to tackle, I thought that these older photos of my sister with my youngest son would be perfect.  I used all My Minds Eye products except for the letters which are Thickers by American Crafts.

Thanks for having a look.

Cheers, Esther

Sweet Girl

While I've played along with the sketches for Creative Scrappers in the past, I've never done it in time to enter one of their challenges.  If you like sketches, I highly recommend them!  This is sketch #275 so you have a ton of inspiration from which to choose.

I dug into my precious (read 'hoarded') collection of October Afternoon for  this creation.  It's the Woodland Park line and I love how it turned out.  The picture of my daughter was taken four years ago when she was almost 4 years old, but when I came across it the other day, I knew that I wanted to highlight it on a scrapbook page.  

Thanks for taking a look.

Cheers, Esther

My Upside-Down Boy

I love the sketches from Stuck On U Sketches, and while I quite often use them, sometimes (mostly) I forget to take pictures of my layouts and share them on their blog.  This time I think I'm just in time.

For this particular layout, I used My Mind's Eye products and Thickers by American Crafts.

~ Esther

September/October [be inspired] challenge by Unity

I really love the challenges that are hosted and sponsored by Unity Stamp Co.  The way that people use the stamps often blows my mind.  Unfortunately, I usually don't get a chance to play along myself, but this month I had a whole morning to myself and decided to treat myself to hours of creating!!!!  

In fact, I decided to use both the card sketch and the layout sketch. If you want to play along, you can find the sketches, along with a colour challenge here. 

For the card, I used the Phyllis Harris set called GO TO your HAPPY Place.  It's so great ... all three sentiments make me happy, so just getting to play with them brought me to a very happy place!  

  

For the layout, I used a couple of stamps.  I created the patterned paper behind the photo using Christy Tomlinson's cooped up notes.  Then, I used the Give Thanks set created by Joslyn Nielson.  I've used this set a lot since I got it.  The images are just perfect for autumn projects.  Add some distress paint, water, a spray bottle and some old lace and voila ... 

Thanks for looking.
~ Esther T.

Welcome in our Home

This month's challenge from Tracy Weinzapfel's Mixed Media Monday group was to represent what we allow into our homes.  I am very cautious about what and who I grant access to my residence ... it's where I keep my treasures, namely my family!  While there are things that I refuse to allow, I prefer to concentrate on what is permitted ... that way the space is filled and there is no room for the negative.  

I have faith at the top, because it is of utmost importance in our lives.  If I could have figured out haw to add a basement, I might have put it there as symbolic of being the foundation of our family.  

The rest of the things that fill our home are in no particular order.  I grew up in a family that believed in telling each other that each was (and still is) loved.  We've continued that in our home, and I am so happy that my children live with the confidence that is instilled by knowing that they are loved unconditionally!  

I could go on and on, but it's late and as usual I've left this post till the last minute.  

Thanks ...
~Esther

August 2013 MMM Challenge ... Let It Go

This post has been a while in the making ... I did the art work weeks ago, but forgot about sharing it all!  

This was made for the Mixed Media Monday group run by Tracy Weinzapfel.  The requirements are that it contain a favourite quote, and the 'letting it go' part is that it was to take 90 minutes or less.  No over-thinking!  It was a lot of fun, including the interruptions from my munchkins who wanted to paint with me.  

I chose a quote from Mother Theresa that says, "Do small things with great love.".  It's something I try to live by, and think that if it took hold, it could change the world.  

This month's challenge is being sponsored by Viewtainer.  I have three of these containers and I love them!  It is so sweet and generous of them to offer a prize!

~  Esther 

The Book Of Tea - July Challenge

I was thrilled by this month's challenge.  The journal page that Tracy created with the teapot and cup has been one of my favourite's and this was just the impetus I needed to haul out the art supplies.  (I keep some of my stuff out of reach or my daughter would use it all up ... she's a prolific artist at 7 years old and keeps my refrigerator looking quite splendid indeed!)  

Because I knew that this month would be crazy busy with two weeks of Vacation Bible School, a trip to New Brunswick and other summer activities, I decided to get creative right away.  Unfortunately, I procrastinated about doing the actual blog post and my laptop decided that it needed a visit to the repair shop and took my camera card along with it.  LOL  So, here I am using my hubby's laptop, my son's SD card has been formatted for my camera and I'm good to go.  I guess I just need the incentive of an 11th hour deadline to get my butt in gear!

This is the photo of the journal page that made me so happy.

In a world of coffee drinkers, I am a lover of tea.  Hot, iced, chai, sweet, black, green ... you get the idea.  I love waking up in the morning knowing that my husband has a freshly steeped pot of tea waiting for me!  I cut a teapot and teacup from my "Once Upon a Princess" cricut cartridge to use as a stencil and went from there.

I used a butterfly stencil cut from the "Paper Lace 2" cartridge for the background and played with polka dots for the dishware.  

The quote by Kakuzo Okakura is one that I found on the internet and I loved it!  Did you know that someone wrote "The Book Of Tea"?  I'm totally intrigued, and will be looking for a copy!

There is a sponsor for this challenge, and I don't want to forget to thank them.  It's May Arts ... a ribbon company that has beautiful products.  

Thanks for looking at my pictures.  I'll try to be a better blogger!

Five Words - April Dare

The April dare from Tracy Weinzapfel Studios was to come up with five words describing what your life means.  They are to be words that represent how I want to be remembered.  I wanted to use words that describe how I see myself; how I hope people see me.  

I started the journal page by writing on the blank page with my Versamarker, and using it with my Crafter's Workshop template "Dots all Around".  They, by the way, are one of the sponsors for this month's challenge!  I then embossed what I'd written so that it would resist the rest of what I was doing.  

The other sponsor for April is Beacon Adhesives.  I used their 3in1 Craft Glue to attach the flowers and buttons to the page.  

I have totally enjoyed seeing the words that others have chosen.  The similarities and diversities are what make this group so wonderful.

~ Esther

Dreams ... February Dare

This month's challenge  from Tracy Weinzapfel Studios Mixed Media Monday was to create something that included a life list, or a dream from that list.  At first I thought that it was going to be difficult ... after all, having a life with my husband and kids is the answer to my girlhood prayers.  I always wanted to be a wife and mother, and God has graciously given me those blessings.  

However, once I got started, it was really easy to come up with a list of 15 things that I would love to have come true during my life.  Some of them are doable in the near future and I am going to own it and work towards fulfilling those dreams.  

Anyone with a little girl is going to recognize the quote I use as coming from the Disney movie "Cinderella".  It is rare for me to hear a word or phrase and NOT think of a song, and many of those musical references are Disney.  After all, they have a lot of music on many topics and I think I've watched just about everything they've produced. (Even before I had kids of my own, truth be told!) 

I wrote the list in my own handwriting, and most of it is obscured by the stuff over top.  Some of my dreams are:
1. celebrate my 60th anniversary
2. dance at my children's weddings
3. rock my grandchildren to sleep
4. go to Scotland with Chuck (my wonderful husband)
5. pay off our mortgage
6. take piano lessons
7. visit Australia
8. enjoy a clean house very day
9. make friends with an elephant
10. meet Elizabeth Elliot 
11. go to CHA
12. learn to like gardening
13. attend Wimbledon
14. have a crafting budget
15. see the Grand Canyon

As I thought of these things, I realized that this could be just the tip of an iceberg of travel wishes and dreams for my kids.

This challenge is being sponsored by:
DecoArt (I used their line of paint that is sold in our local dollar store)
The Rubber Cafe - I haven't had a chance to use their stuff, but I've drooled over their website. 

Thanks for reading, 
Esther

Unity (be inspired) Challenge for February

Today was the perfect day to craft so Anika and I put a Barbie movie on and then got our supplies out and started to create.  

She pulled out an old calendar and started cutting out flowers and adhering them to her page.  Then she started colouring and adding her title.  Here is what she made.

I found out about the Unity challenge on Facebook.  There are three ways to play along - using colurs, a card sketch or a layout sketch.  The layout sketch appealed to me, so I decided to try some of the techniques that I learned on various Ustream classes.  I truly love my Unity stamps ... they are created for all styles of artistic expression. 

The stamps I used are: Your Wings Exist , and Cooped Up Notes.    

This is what I came up with.

 

                                                                      

I used products by the following companies ... Unity Stamp Co., K&Company, Recollections, Scrappy Cat and Prima.

Thanks for looking.  

I Love Stuck On U Sketches

It's been a while since I have done any scrapbooking, but then the other day I was reminded about one on my favourite blogs.  The StuckOnUSketches blog puts up new challenges all the time - cards, layout sketches and die cut challenges.  It was exactly what I needed.

I can't believe that this is my second blog post in one day,and since I'm not going to do three ... I'll post the card picture and the scrapbook page together.  I actually used their card sketch for two cards, but I forgot to take a picture of one of them before I gave it to my friend.  This is the second one ...

I used a beautiful Unity stamp created by Phyllis Harris.  It's called Your Wings Exist  and I'm totally in love with it.  

The scrapbook layout I made used pictures I took of my daughter over a year ago.   She is my little princess, and when I found the Fancy Nancy die cuts I knew they were perfect.  I titled the page "Oh So Fancy" since she was all dressed up and had her hair and nails done.  

She loves reading the books about her and recently found chapter books featuring her favourite fancy heroine!  She loves this page, and really that's all that matters.  You can find the sketch here. 

Thanks for having a look.
~Esther

January 2013 Creative Dare

I had to think for a while before I decided what I would like to use as my "word to live by" so to speak for 2013.  I thought about how I wanted to experience life, and decided on the word LUXURIATE!  Indulging my senses so that life is truly all it can be rather than wishing for time to go by.  I am fully aware that this can be interpreted as being selfish, but it's not how I see it.  

God has blessed me beyond measure in this life ... I have three beautiful children who deserve my attention, as well as a husband who goes above and beyond in his efforts to make my life as wonderful as possible.  

My aim this year is to cherish every moment with them, listen to their sweet voices as they tell me their stories, breathe in the yummy smell of clean kid as we cuddle after a bath, enjoy their anticipation as we get to a good place in a story.  There is so much to embrace when it comes to the people we love.  

I created a canvas with the word on it so that it is before me, reminding myself to take in each experience this year and see the truth of myself in it.  I will not apologize for crying while watching a sad movie, or laughing when my 7 year old tells a silly joke - I enjoy them and to pretend otherwise is to deny who I am.  

Tracy Weinzapfel  made a canvas with her word of the year at the first of January and challenged us to do the same.  Mine has been finished for weeks, but I finally remembered to take some photos so that I could share.    

It is so freeing to paint with no idea of what the end result is going to be.  Adding a bit of this and a little of that is so fun.  My daughter gave me a good giggle when I figured I was finished.  She is my biggest fan, and when she was checking out the canvas after I was done she looked at the modelling paste on the corner and looked horrified.   I asked her what was wrong, and she  told me that someone had scraped off parts of some of the diamonds.  When I told her that it was that way because of how I had put it on the surface she just nodded with lifted eyebrows like she was humouring me!   

Thanks for looking, and I hope you have a great 2013.
~ Esther

Limor's October Contest

I am so behind this month with everything!  Nothing has been scrapbooked, only a few cards made, a half dozen art journal pages ... hopefully November will provide more creative opportunities.  Meanwhile, I've been soaking in the tutorials and the camaraderie provided by Limor and Tracey on Monday and Tuesday evenings.  

This month's challenge on Limor's Blog is so fun ... anything goes!!!!  The only requirement was that it include a spray.  It would be great if we could use one by Lindy's Stamp Gang because they are the sponsor for the contest, but not necessary.  They are on the top of my Christmas wish list this year.  They have beautiful colours in flats and shimmers, plus this cool powder pigment stuff called Magicals that blows my mind. (I hope my hubby reads my blog so that he knows how seriously I want this stuff.)  

Here is my entry - I have to admit that I love it!  It turned out all girly and pretty. Exactly how I like things to look.  

The sprays I used were Smooch Spritz by Clearsnap in Limolicious and some gold colour with the name missing.  I sprayed them through cheesecloth and I love the effect ... I can't wait to try it again.

Thanks for looking at my project,
~Esther T

World Card Making Day

In my world, I truly do believe that every cloud has a silver lining.  Yesterday was World Card Making Day, and I was so sick.  The silver lining was that instead of running around like crazy, I was able to spend part of my day playing with paper and glue!  

One of the scrapbooking magazines that I love to read is Scrapbook and Cards Today.  They had a daylong celebration that was updated every hour.  They have lots of prizes up for grabs so I encourage you to check out their blog and comment on the many inspiration laden posts.   Their first post for the day gave a recipe for a card.  It included 3 pattern papers, 2 colours of cardstock, a red button and a pretty flower.  Since today is my sister's birthday, I made the card for her.

Jess Kinderstampo also is hosting a challenge on her blog.  This is a great blog with archives full of inspiring images and videos.  I've made lots of cards and gifts and mini albums based on her tutorials.  Her challenge is the kind that makes me happy as it leaves everything up to the creator.  She just wants you to make a card.  How awesome is that?  

For this card I used a digistamp image that my daughter has been asking me to use since I coloured it months ago.  I found the image here.  I also used some of my Starform stickers just because they make me happy.  My daughter was absolutely delighted with the card and is looking forward to the next party to which she's invited!  

Thanks for taking the time to look at the cards.

~Esther T