Pinterest inspiration

patterned paper (EP random grab bag), metal sentiment (AC Mementos), twine (MME Lime Twist), glitter floss (WMRK - hot chocolate item), felt

Cropchocolate challenge #15! I really do hate to do things at the last minute, but I completely forgot about this challenge, since we were in Vegas this past weekend. The challenge was to make some sort of embellishment (note the handmade felt flower - inspired by Pinterest!) and 3 colors.

Can You Spot the Difference?

Can you see it???

What's the whoop? Mika got her braces taken off this afternoon. Woohoo! First thing I did was to give her some chewing gum. She kept chewing gum through her softball game (until I finally made her spit it out, because she was blowing bubbles!)! She had a good game (she hit another triple today), until the very end - when she was the very last out, with the bases loaded. She totally cracked under the pressure, starting to cry after she had 2 strikes on her. At that point, we knew it was over. Somehow, she can't pull herself back together after she psyches herself out. *sigh* Oh, well... there is no way her team will end up in 2nd place (only the top two finishers get a regular season trophy), so their other bet for a trophy finish will be the championship (which, in all honesty - still aren't very good chances).

Patterned paper (MME Fine & Dandy True Blue), flowers and buttons (MM Panorama), metal embellishments (MM Bravissimo), ribbon (MM Paper Reverie Brun), glitter (Stickles), lollipop sticks (Wilton), green floral foam, hot glue

The cropchocolate.com challenge for this week was to create a project using blue and brown as the main color choices. Since today is our wedding anniversary and I hadn't gotten around to making DaddyDude a card (*gasp*), I figured it was a sign from above, when I received my BHG.com newsletter this morning and there was a paper cupcake project by Leah Fung on the front. Who doesn't like a calorie-free cupcake?

Happy Anniversary, DaddyDude! I love you!

Riley's Skate Party

It was a long and busy weekend! Mika had a softball game Saturday (another loss, but at least she hit two singles, going 2-for-2 at the plate) and her All Star practices began on Sunday - oh, and did I mention that it was almost 100-degrees outside? Whew!





We ended the weekend by going to the birthday party of a friend of theirs (a fellow All Star player). As you may have guessed from the picture, it was a skate party. COOL!

How awesome is this cake? I LOVE it! The mom said she had found a picture of a similar cake on Pinterest and had somebody make it.I tell you, if you're crafty and haven't checked out Pinterest, you really should!

Patterned papers (MME Lime Twist Happy Go Lucky), ribbon and rhinestones (MME Lush - Fuschia), flowers (Prima), gold thread (Coats & Clark), staple

And last but not least, since we decided to give money as a gift (don't worry, we gave her more than $2, but we had to stop at the bank before we went to the party!), I decided to make a special card for her - one that had a pull-out section containing the cash and personalized notes from the girls. I used a template from that new card sketch book of mine (Card Sketches for Papercrafters) - and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Design Team Tryout Projects

We were required to submit two brand-new projects, along with our questionnaire, in order to be considered for the CC Design Team. For the first project, it was to be an "out-of-the-box" creation.

For me, making 3-dimensional paper crafts is a totally different experience, since I almost always scrapbook on a flat page or make a card. An album, for instance, is still a series of flat pages. Creating something that has dimension and depth is relatively new to me - even though I used to make a lot of origami when I was younger, it's a totally different animal when using high quality scrapbook paper, because it's so thick (origami paper is extremely thin and honestly, not durable). I had just been experimenting with the feel of folded scrapbook paper when I was intrigued by how it was almost like creating a sculpture - so I decided to make a flower box (so I could enjoy some of my favorite papers for a long time to come).

=> CC materials used: patterned paper, ribbon, buttons, and twine (MME Lime Twist collection) for the box and flowers, white scalloped edges (Bazzill), stuffed heart embellishments (Creative Charms), adhesive (Snake Tape and OMC double-sided craft tape)
=> non-CC materials: glass marbles (Panacea), chipboard for support (packaging material), green floral foam, dressmaker pins (to secure stems), adhesive (GemTac, Glue Dots)

Edit: Somebody at CC asked how I made the flowers. I followed an origami book I have, but I searched the internet and found the same tulip pattern here and a very similar one for the stem here.
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The second project was supposed to represent ourselves, as a crafter. "Face Off" is a double 12x12 layout that reflects me, as a crafter, in several ways. First, one of my favorite things in the world to scrapbook are my children, because I know these days and moments will be forgotten if not documented. I love the fact my children enjoy looking through their scrapbooks! Second, it's easier to create a single page 12x12 layout, but I love a challenge - and doubles offer a bigger canvas. Third, this layout is based on a Becky Fleck Page Maps 1 sketch (a double 8.5x11 horizontal sketch converted into a double 12x12). I am a sketch fanatic - not only are they a time saver, but I am convinced they provide a little boost to create a more "professional" look (better use of space, mostly). 



=> CC materials: patterned paper and banner stickers (MME Fine & Dandy), flowers (Prima), Stickles (silver), ink (Tim Holtz Iced Spruce distress ink), hearts border (Bazzill), adhesive (Snake Tape)

=> Non-CC materials: diecut letters (Quickutz/Lifestyle Crafts "Manhattan" 4x4 alphabet), white cardstock (the Paper Company), corner rounder punch (Marvy-Uchida), adhesive (GemTac)

In case you can't read the journaling, it reads:
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Mommy: "What are you doing, Marika?!"
Marika: "I'm copying the faces that Daddy's making!"

"The Face-off" @ the Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurant
@ Grand Pacific Palisades Resort & Hotel
During the girls' birthday trip to LEGOLAND
Carlsbad, California
March 6, 2012
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Jumpin' onto the Bandwagon...

People at Cropchocolate.com kept talking and talking about Pinterest.com so finally yesterday, I decided I had to get an account for the sake of acquiring/saving inspiration for the CC Design Team projects I'd be making.
I could not believe the nerve of Pinterest making me request an invite - and then making me wait 24 hours to receive it! All that eye candy out there... what if I couldn't remember where I saw it to pin it? As soon as the invite arrived, I created an account and was very pleasantly surprised to see I could follow all of my Facebook friends (all from CC) - how great is that? What better place to get inspiration than from other crafters? And that's not all - now I can "pin" pictures and ideas of home organization, food, nature...?! WOW! This is amazing!
So you'll just have to excuse me, now... I have to go "pin" some things... ;)

Some good news...

I learned last night that I - along with 9 other new members - was selected for the Cropchocolate.com Design Team! I'm very excited and look forward to the challenges that will come with this opportunity.

It was a surprise that they decided to completely change the DT, because the last DT totally rocked and had amazing talent. So... that leaves us some huge - and rather daunting - shoes to fill...

I will post pictures of the projects I submitted (my audition, if you will) in July, when we are formally introduced to the CC community.

Tee hee...

A fellow CC'er posted this today, in the focus group forum. I had to chuckle... and to share! :)

And also... for those of you living close enough within Orange County, you may want to check out the MAMBI sale. I won't be, because Scrapbuck.com just got an unbelievable load of discounted Quickutz dies!

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope everybody had a delightful Mother's Day! DaddyDude gave me a few hours of scrapping time, so I worked madly to finish my cropchocolate.com Design Team entry (will post it later), my CC Focus group project, and two final NSD challenges sponsored by CC (I completed 6 out of the main 8 challenges - that's respectable, right?).

Patterned paper (MME Hip Hip Hooray), ribbon trims and rhinestones (MME Lush Fuschia), adhesives (OMC and Snake Tape),
felt, sentiment rub-on (MM), velcro closures

This purse card was my May Focus Group project for CC - the challenge was to use fabric somewhere. I decided to make a felt flower (all glue-gun, no sewing). Incidentally, I recently purchased a book called Card Sketches for Paper Crafters (this is where I got the purse card template) and I love it! I'm all about saving time without sacrificing quality. :) 

Patterned paper, fuschia paper, & brad (MME Fuschia), brown cardstock (Bazzill), twine (MME Lime Twist), flowers (Prima), pearls (MM Paper Reverie), adhesive (OMC and Snake Tape), slide mount (Jest Charming)

For this NSD challenge, we were supposed to dig out our oldest scrapbooking embellishment. Well, I figured slide mounts were pretty old!

Patterned paper and stickers (Echo Park - Be Mine collection), twine (the Twinery), brads (MM), scalloped scissors (Provo Craft)

Last but not least, we were to use embellishments to create a bigger picture - I simply used brads to make another heart shape.

Whew! Now the "Fun Room" is a mess again (not that I had ever full organized it), but my next task is to get a bunch of twine off to my friend, scrapper al - thanks for being patient, scrap buddy! :)

Something New (EP Grand Slam Mini Kit)

Materials used: patterned papers, sticker, and pictures (Echo Park Grand Slam mini kit), cardstock (Bazzill), rhinestones (MM Paper Reverie Gems & Brads - Noir), rick rack ribbon (Fancy Pants), marker (American Crafts), adhesive (Snake Tape), baseball die (Quickutz)

Another cropchocolate.com challenge completed! For this challenge, we were supposed to break out "something new"... so I selected Echo Park's Grand Slam mini kit. I had purchased it especially for DaddyDude's baseball pictures, but since I had only a few sheets and four pictures, I decided to do some old-fashioned color blocking...

Two is Better Than One

CC-materials: EP Be Mine collection (patterned papers, stickers), MM Paper Reverie Brun Gems & Brads, MME Lush Rhinestones and Brads, Prima (flowers), adhesive (Snake Tape), marker (American Crafts)

Here's another CC NSD challenge... I scraplifted Amber's avator, because it was such an amazing layout: black and white background  - with a color photo of her daughter sitting on a green chair - and green embellishments. So, here are the girls' Spring 2012 school photos... I just LOVE Echo Parks Be Mine collection. This is unusual for me, because I am NOT a big fan of pink.

We also have a bit of exciting news. No, I'm not pregnant! Mika got a call from her old coach today and yes, she's going to be on the All Stars team again. Yay! It'll be another busy summer for her but she'll enjoy all the softball action! Woohoo, Mika!

Um, You've Got a Little Somethin' On Your Lip...

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo and Mika's team "celebrated' the occasion by donning mustaches as a team. Unfortunately, most found them rather itchy (and they kept finding pieces of the hair in their mouths), but some brave souls wore them for the entire game. The girls had fun cheering each other on, shouting "Mustache Power!" It was a really stressful game, but the girls pulled off a narrow win in the second-to-last inning (4-3).

Grandma and her boyfriend, Fred, came to watch the girls play for the first time this year. Fortunately, Mika played her best game - EVER. She hit two doubles (one off the pitcher! This is mighty difficult, but a necessary skill, because next year, there are no coaches coming in to pitch), caught two pop flies, and turned a double play. Her game was ON and boy, were we proud!!! Go, Mika, go!!! Marika' game was less exciting, mostly because her coach basically threw the game to the other team - on purpose. Why? The last time we played this team, the other coach was very angry (about everything) and said to one of his players, "What are you smiling about?! We're losing!" So, our coach felt sorry for him and took it easy on him (basically, letting the weaker players play the infield, even though some of them NEVER come to practice). Can you tell it bugs me a little bit?

Patterned papers (MME - Happy Go Lucky), cardstock (Bazzill), brad (American Crafts), rub-ons (Fancy Pants), adhesive (Snake Tape& OMC)

I hope that all the scrappers out there enjoyed a great National Scrapbooking Day yesterday. If you're looking for challenges, Cropchocolate has 8-10 posted and most aren't due until next Sunday. I didn't have time to work on any yesterday, but I did manage to get a couple done today. The one above was to incorporate 5 elements of blue (so I used at least 5 different shades of blue). I'll be using this card for Marika's teacher next week (Teacher Appreciation), since she likes to make her own cards, too, and will appreciate the hand-made effort.

Patterned papers and ribbon trim (MME Lush Orange), adhesives (Snake Tape & OMC), ink (Colorbox), diecut heart (Quickutz), MM card template

For the second challenge, I created an envelope accordion card - there are 7 different envelopes and each contains some pictures you can pull out. I was surprised as how quickly I could make this... and now I have part of Daddy Dude's Father's Day present completed as well. :)

Love Simply (paper folding challenge)

Patterned papers (MME Happy Go Lucky, Echo Park Splash), diecut sentiment (Fancy Pants Simplicity), pearl bling (MM Paper Reverie - Brun)

The weekly challenge at CropChocolate was to create a spring-themed project, using at least 2 paper collection lines and 3 folds. I chose to go the origami route (instructions to fold the camellia can be found here and for the leaf here).

By the way, there is a call for the CropChocolate Design Team - in case you're interested, be sure to check out this blog post.

And finally... in case you're in the area, Prima Marketing is having a parking lot warehouse sale. You can get more information here.