Always Remember...

Recently I  found myself having to create some sympathy cards...and they are always so personal and often difficult to make..
I wanted to make one that felt a bit more uplifting ...I think the colors and butterflies really helped a lot...
xo
Debbi...

Products used:
Large Oval: Creative Memories  Oval Nested Cutting System
Lace Oval: Lifestyle Crafts #DC0161
Embossing Folders: Cuttlebug - Swiss Dots, Lifestyle Crafts - Tea Party
Stamp: Studio G - VS4911 Series 57
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress; Tattered Rose - Vintage Photo - Tumbled Glass
Butterflies: Martha Stewart - Ek Success

Friends Forever...

Aren't they just too cute..?? I had seen these photos on Facebook of my Granddaughter Jaelin and her friend, clowning around and taking pics of themselves ..I thought they were great and such a fun recollection of being young and simply playing...

I had also been wanting to tuck into a Collections Bundle from My Mind's Eye that I purchased a while back....

I felt somewhat nervous since I hadn't scrapbooked in months and felt awfully rusty!! hee hee... but all in all...I am pleased with the final result...

:)
Debbi

Products Used:
Design Papers and DieCuts: My Minds Eye ( Stella & Rose - Lost & Found Two - Market Street )
Camera Stamps: Studio Calico - Jetsetter
                             The Girl's Paperie - Jubilee
Medallion Stamp Combo: My Minds Eye - Lost & Found Two ( Sunshine Lovely)
                                          My Minds Eye - Fun Day ( Happy Days)
Ink: ColorBox Chalk ( Charcoal  -  Rouge - Sour Apple )
Yellow & Blue Washi Tape: Stash
Ribbon: My Mind's Eye - Stella & Rose

M.I.A.

I know, I know...... I should have really left some kind of message here that I was on vacation... well... kind of a vacation.... hee hee..
Truth be told.... I stepped away from scrapbooking for the summer..so I could focus more on those "neglected" aspects of my life...such as, much needed tending to outdoor chores!!...some camping ..visits from family and friends...having people over for dinner..( seeing if there really is a meaningful life outside of my much loved addiction for paper and glue!! )
So far... so good....
I will be back to blog.....but for the moment.... it's sunny...there's a beautiful breeze..and I have a paintbrush calling my name...
Hope you are all having a wonderful summer!!

XO
Debbi...

Read a good book lately?...

I liked the Challenge for Week #15 over at CSI so much that I thought I would play along, again....I know, I know.... it's Spring and I should be out raking.... or something like that..eh?? hee hee

All of the monsters and embellishments are by the incredibly creative Michele Singh..What Fun!!.. you can find her over at CSI, too... she is a Designer "Detective" and sooooo talented!! Just sign up and download her exclusive CSI Coordinates!!

I love these photos of my Grandson Liam at the ripe old age of two...at the end of his potty training period...unfortunately the lighting in this washroom is very diffused, so the pictures are not all that crisp... but they tell this story so well, I just had to use them...

The Journaling in the pocket states:
Liam's potty training usually involved his "book",
which was almost bigger than him!!
Sometimes he would draw in it - Sometimes he
would pretend read from it.
He often required an audience - Usually
that was his Mom...
Let the Rumpus Begin!!

:)
Debbi...

Products used:

Design Papers: Crate Paper - Toy Box Collection
Notebook Edge Punch: EK Success
Alphabet Stamps: American Crafts - Rue
Ink: Colorbox Fluid Chalk - Pumkin Spice
Alphabet Stamp on Journal Pocket: Glitz Design - Distressing Set 3 - S2426
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black

Mi Amore...

Week #14 at CSI..and for this "Case" I used a wonderful sketch by Susan Stringfellow, a VERY talented CSI Detective!!

I found the colors to be extrememly challenging and in the end...I stamped everything  ( except the green patterned paper in the background).. so that I could get not only the colors I was looking for but also the mood....of course I kinda got carried away... and made all my own embellishments except for the Title by My Minds Eye.... which I modified, too....hee hee

In the end.. it was a LOT more work...but also, very gratifing...

I even tried my hand at Haiku for the first time in my journaling..and I really liked how well it worked for this Layout..

I love this Photo taken last summer of my Grandaughter, Kiara..and the haiku reads:

When you smile at me
I can see the young woman
You are becoming

:)
Debbi..


Products used:
Stamps: mostly from JustRite and others ( without names, sorry ) from my stash
Inks: ColorBox Fluid Chalk and Tim Holtz Distress
Flower Punch: Large Daisy by Recollection
Flower Center: JilliBean Soup - Give Thanks - Clear Stamps
Brads: from my stash
Title: My Minds Eye - Bohemia Accessories Pack

I Think You're Amazing...

It's my 5th and Final week as Guest Designer over at CSI..and it's been fun!!..I really have enjoyed the Challenges, each and every one of them has forced me to step outside of my comfort zone to some degree and that is always a good thing, if you desire to evolve in any way...

I found my inspiration from this Sketch by the talented Kim Keene:

I loved the bright and cheery colors this week..and I had way tooooo much fun creating this layout based on some old photos of my best friend and myself as wee little girls...!!

:)
Debbi...

Products used:
Circles: Cut with Cricut Cartridge - Accent Essentials
Map: KandCompany - Cut'n'Paste
Flower Border: JustRite Stamps - Classic Scallops Border One
Ink: Color Box Fluid Chalk - French Blue
Design papers, Elements and Title Work: Echo Park - This & That by Lori Whitlock
Cardstock: American Crafts
Jewel Brads: My Stash

Remember Family...

My Great GrandParents - John &Bridgette (Howard) McCue - Circa 1919

It's week #12 and Challenge #04 for me as a Guest Designer  over at CSI . There was a LOT of green this week and at first I wasn't sure how to approach it.. the Irish in me was thrilled..!! hee hee... and that lead me back to my paternal Great Grandparents who were both 2nd Generation Irish Immigrants.. these are people who worked incredibly hard as farmers and raised their families, so very far away from their homeland....They stayed together as a community, through Church, music, dance and wonderful story-telling... I feel so blessed to even have a few pictures of them...
:)
Debbi...

A Beautiful Sunshine Day...

My Brother Brian and I  -  Circa 1956

Layer, Layer..Layer!! hee hee

Fussy Cutting can be SO worth it...

Isn't Baker's Twine just the Best??!!...

I love the Color Palette for Case #11 over at CSI this week.... it was so bright and cheery and I had just the photo of my brother Brian and I, that I wanted to scrap... I was tremendously influenced by the magical pages of Michele Singh  and  Brit Sviggum, both ladies create such fun and whimsical pages... and I learned just how difficult that can be!! hee hee

I am soooo pleased with how it all came together.... Challenges are wonderful opportunities to play outside "the box"....so head on over and find out for yourself!!

The hidden journaling was placed in a pocket on the back and states:

  " It was the day Mom wanted to have a professional photograph taken of myself and my brother, Brian.
    We were all decked out, our hair curled and/or plastered down appropriately.
    Mom sent us outside to play quietly for a few minutes until the photographer had set up.
    It's showtime!! ...and we appeared...with some serious scuffs on Brian's new shoes!!
    I don't remember if we got dessert that night.. hee hee"

:)
Debbi...

Products used:

Design Papers: KandCo - Cut'n'Paste, Echo Park - Summer Days & Playground

Die Cuts: Echo Park - Summer Days & Playground

Alphas: Summer Days

Baker's Twine: The Twinery - Lemon Drop & Maraschino

Acrylic Paint: DecoArt - White

Word Stickers: 7Gypsies - 97% Complete Celebrate stickers

A Grand Mother...

Clara Rose (nee O'Shea) McCue, Circa 1949

It's week #2  as a Guest Designer and Case #10 over at CSI.. http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/
and oh what fun.... soooo many talented ladies, a GREAT Place to come and be inspired!!

I LOVED this week's challenge because of the rich colors and interesting elements we had to try and include...I was happy to be able to share a little bit about the very special woman who adopted and raised me and even though she was biologically my paternal Grandmother and passed away when I was 15.... I am very proud to call her Mom...

:)
Debbi

Products Used:
Dark Green Cardstock: American Crafts
Pattern Papers: K&Co. - Wild Rasberry
Striped Pattern Paper: from my Christmas Stash
Journaling Tag: 7Gypsies - Savannah 97% real tags set
Tag Envelope: 7Gypsies - Gypsy multi pack-envelopes
Die Cuts: mostly from K&Co. - Que Sera Sera - Die Cut
               Cardstock & Acetate
Cloud Stamps: Imaginisce - Snag 'em - Clouds #003028,
                        My Minds Eye - Fine & Dandy, True Blue
                          Stamps - #FAD143
                       Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Harlequin Script Bacground Stamp: Just Rite - #CL-03605
                       Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Walnut Stain
Word Border Stamp: Autumn Leaves - Borders Love Each Day
                                   #AL3474
                       Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black

Word Title "Grand" : Cricut Cartridge - Storybook
                                  cut from Metal foil tape and embossed
                                  with a Sizzix embossing folder - Rub'n'
                                   Buff - Spanish Copper
Word Title "Mother": Cricut Cartridge - Stone Script
                                  embossed - Zing Opaque Black Powder
Arcylic Paint for background: DecoArt - Early Spring Green

Pink Rhinestone Chain: Pink Paislee - Soiree, House of Three
Lace: from my stash - Sprayed with Velvet Red Glimmer Mist
Heart Shape Eyelet: from my stash
Green Jute Fiber: from my stash

Tulip Tutorial...

I had seen a wonder tutorial by YouTube's "Vadaler" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6o4yEiLhf0
check her out... she is a genius!!

However I didn't have her punches and I wanted to make some changes... and after showing a few ladies I scrapbook with how they turned out.. I promised to make a slide show tutorial for them...

Actually.... they look more like Crocus's to me, now!! hee hee

They are easy.... they look great.... so have fun!!

Check out the slideshow below:
:)
Debbi...

A Perfect Day - A Happy Dream...

I was asked to be a Guest Designer for the month of March, over at CSI
http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com/ ...What a pleasant surprise!!
You should really head on over and join in on the fun...you'll be greeted by a wonderful group of ladies and be encouraged to learn new techniques, styles and at the very least get some scrapping done!! hee hee

This is Layout #1, for March....and as the journaling states:

"Dream: a visionary creation of the imagination.
- This was the look on Joey's face when he first talked
about Stephanie & this was the same look when they
married, 4 years later
                                                          ...July 28, 2007
                                                        xo Auntie Debbi"

:)
Debbi...

Products used:
- White & Pink Cardstock by American Crafts
- Cloud Design Paper: Fancy Pants - Little Sprout, Item #306
- Pink Design Paper:   Fancy Pants - Simplicity, Item #655
- Pink Stripe Paper:     Fancy Pants - Dancing Girl, Item #273
- Navy Blue Stripe Print Stamp : Hero Arts - CG196 Canvas Stripes
    Ink: Ranger Adirondack Earthtones - Denim
- "I love you" background text: Autumn Leaves Stampology - Worth Repeating by Katie Pertiet
    Ink: Colorbox Fluid Chalk - Charcoal
- Label Tab Stamp: Autumn Leaves Stampology - Ledger Tabs by Katie Pertiet
    Embossing Ink & Zing Opaque Black Embossing Powder
- Fussy Cut Flowers from a Design Paper I had in my stash
- Hot Air Balloon created from ClipArt - traced with a Versamark Embossing Pen,
    Zing Opaque Black Embossing Poweder and colored with Colorbox Fluid Chalk inks - Rouge &      French Blue
- Grass Border Punch by: Fiskars
- Ornate Scallop Border Punch by: Martha Stewart
- Chipboard Alphas are from my stash.. darker pink.colored with Colorbox Fluid Chalk ink: Rouge and both outlined with a Black Bic Markit

Annecy...

It's Case #7 over at CSI...!!

Thank heavens for challenges, because I would NEVER have knowningly worked with this color combination!! hee hee...especially pink and lavender ( shudder )

As the hidden journaling states:
"1. Annecy is considered to be one of the oldest sites in the Northern Alps, dating back to 2,500 B.C.
  2. It is situated at the tip of the glacial Lake Annecy, the second largest lake in France.
  3. It exchanged hands many times between Italy and France, before finally falling under permanent French rule in 1401.
 This is one of the most naturally beautiful cities I have ever seen, filled with historic buildings, picturesque canals, framed with flowers, quaint shoppes and wonderful restaurants.
 The most amazing thing to me is that it seems to be be one of France's best kept secrets!!
 Ooh la la..."

:)
Debbi...

Products used:
Pink, Lavender, Turquoise & Black Cardstock: American Crafts
Grey design Paper: Fancy Pants - Splendid Collection #508 - by Michelle Coleman
Fussy Cut Flower Paper : Crate Paper - Cottage Collection Kit
Cardstock Stickers: Crate Paper - Bliss Collection Kit
Alphas: From my stash
Woodgrain stamp used on paper strips and Alphas: Cornish Heritage Farms - SL-3143WUM
Ink: Distress inks - Walnut Stain & Vintage Photo
Embossed Metal Strips from a Sizzix emossing folder and Metal Foil Tape - distressed with Rubb'n'Buff Spanish Copper