More Lifting....



and I am not talking weights here either...lol I am still under the weather but took a photo of my layout the other day and wanted to post it. I found a cute layout on the Sudio Calico blog. It was using bakers twine and washi tape in a way I hadn't really thought of before so I decided I would try scrap lifting it. I had some fun photos from when Jeremy and Holly were here. She and I went and had pedicures. It was something I wanted to document. Honestly I get pedicures fairly regularily...working on my feet all day really "requires" me to get regular pedicures...but usually I am by myself. So it was fun to go with Holly and do girlie stuff. I used some of the new Fabrications line from Teresa Collins along with my cricut to make that cute nail polish bottle. The layout I lifted is from a talented designer Mandy Kay that won the layout of the week last week over on the Studio Calico blog Here's her fun layout.

Scrap Lifting and Stacey Michaud

I make no bones about the fact that I love to scraplift. It has always been a way for me to jump start my creativity. Whether it's using a new technique, or the basic design or a total "lift" it just helps me get going. So I am always on the look out for layouts that I like, that speak to me...well not literally but you know what I mean. I save them to my computer, when I scrap I will pull up a design that I like and run with it. A couple of years ago I discovered the wonderful scrapbook designer Stacey Michaud. I love her work. Her attention to details and her use of white space and small photos. Not to mention she has two adorable kids. Of course my kids aren't little any more but that's ok. I look past the photos and just work with the design. Of course I always throw my own spin on it...so it isn't totally the same as Stacey's. So today I am posting a couple of layouts that I finished recently. Both of them were "lifts" of Stacey's. If copying is the highest form of flattery Stacey should be very flattered...I simply love her stuff!

My awesome sister sent me these AMAZING
strawberries for St. Patrick's Day...they were SO GOOD!
I



The title is what really spoke to me on this lift of Stacey's
it totally sums up Jason. I used it with 3 photos from
different years showing his "sunny smile"

I loved how Stacey got me to think outside the box on
this one. The embellishments were just too "western"
for my layout, so I used vintage buttons instead.

It Doesn't Get Any Better...

Jeremy Surprising Cliff when he got home from work

Than This! Holly and Jeremy surprised us and came home to visit for Spring Break!  Simply the BEST!!!!

What I found in my studio when I got home
from shopping. =D

Bittersweet

A few weeks ago I put in for a transfer with my job. I was on pins and needles until I found out if it went through or not. I kept telling myself that I could be happy either way...after all I don't live that far away from my current warehouse. But I found out a little over a week ago that I am going to the new store in Huntington Beach. While I am very excited to be going, it is just a tad bittersweet. After all I have made many friends at Costco 411 and while I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends there are some I am just plain going to miss. So to help me work through the whole process in my head I have been scrapping photos of many of my current co-workers. Here are a couple of collage type layouts that I did of some of the crazy, fun and wonderful people I work with. I am continuing to take photos as there are still many co-workers photos I don't have so I am sure there will be more layouts to come.

I am not sure my fellow employees totally understand why I feel the need to take pictures, play with paper, and tell "Tales of the Wholesale" but hopefully they will humor me in the next few weeks until it is time for me to leave. So stay tuned. 

My friend Melissa, an awesome "Stocker" of Cereal

Gonna try something new

I have a few friends who's blogs I read that have been posting quite frequently...usually just a quick card or a layout not much talking and not a lot of photos...I'm thinking this might be a good thing....less time spent on the computer....more time spent scrapping! =D

This is a quick little wood piece that I covered and set on an easel in my studio. I used some awesome Teresa Collins Everyday Moments paper and embellishments. I got this fabulous idea from another talented and quite hilarious lady that I met online and at CHA. If you want a good laugh go check out her blog sometime shauntewadley.blogspot.com
Have a great day everyone.

10 Things on the 10th

I had forgotten about this until I got home from work tonight and I was reading Shimelle Laine's blog about her 10 things on the 10th. You can find her post here: http://www.shimelle.com/scrapbookindustrynews/1373/10-things-february-2012/   I decided I really like this concept so before the 10th is over...here are 10 photos I have taken in the month of January. I know I could have done more photos from CHA but since my last two posts were photos from CHA I'm going with my January theme. I really haven't taken enough pictures this month yet to have 10 photos to post so since this is my list and my blog and last time I checked there weren't any blogging police here is my list of 10 Things on the 10th.



1. Starting out January 1st with a brunch was the perfect
way to start out the year. I love these ladies! They have been my
 neighbors for years.




2. Here's one of Cliff and our neighbor Roger at the New
Years brunch. Roger is a great guy,
talented musician AND a surfer.




3. We spent time with family. What's not
to love about this sweet little addition.




4. Robbie with his new niece Vivian. I love the sweet
look on his face.




5. Ok...so Riley doesn't have such a "sweet look" here
but it sure makes Jason and me laugh when we look
at the picture. He looks like he is smiling tho he is growling
all the while giving us kisses in between all the ferocious looks.
He really was scarred for life when he ran away for those
three and a half days.




6. We have celebrated Chinese New Years off and on
over the years. This year Cliff made some
wonderful Chinnese food for dinner. That's celebration enough for me.
I loved the dragon photo...I found it on yahoo. Decided it needed to be
part of my layout.




7. Gotta love getting in some scrappy time
while walking the floors of CHA
(Craft and Hobby Association) Trade show.




8.When Linda arrived she said she wanted to go down to the
beach....who could argue...the weather was picture perfect.




9. Who can complain about 80 degree weather in January?




10. This has to be one of my favorite photos of Linda and Me.
The best part is....we took it ourselves! Gotta love the
Self-Timer. =)



More CHA

Ok so this has nothing to do with CHA but
I loved this picture of my sister!

 I have so many photos of wonderful layouts and other assorted art from CHA that I decided I would try and post some more for all of you to see...the first one of course is my adorable sister Linda...shortly before I took her to the airport to head back home. I realize this has nothing to do with CHA but I figured why not...it's a cute picture and she is so "colorful", in her pretty shirt. I think she looks a bit artsy don't you?

The art was amazing at CHA. This was from a contest
that I think Ranger does every year. There were all these adorable and creative dress forms





These flowers were AMAZING. They are
made out of clay and dried...they were gorgeous.

Another Martha Stewart clay bouquet. I would never
have the patience to make one of these

You are looking at current trends here...banners
and chevrons were everywhere.

Another trend here...butterflies are continuing to be big
love how these were masked on the layout

More banners and I liked the strip of photos
what a great way to get lots of photos on a page



This title will definitely be on one of my layouts in the near future

I always love a good quote