Find Joy & Birthday Wishes

Autumn is my favorite season - the rich rusts, yellows, and oranges associated with it, the clean crispness of the air, the gorgeous sunny but cool afternoons and slightly chilly evenings. All of it is such a relief after the humidity and mugginess of late summer. In Western Pennsylvania, we're already experiencing some of the seasonal delights that come with the fall season, like trips to our local apple orchard.

Fall colors are starting to ease into my cards and scrapbook layouts too. Here are a couple of the projects I did over the weekend.

A scrapbook layout for my son's book of fall photos from last year. I started this page at the retreat in the spring and finished it off with embellishments this weekend:


Details:
Patterned Paper - DCWV - Green Stack
Cardstock - Core'dinations
Title - cut with Live Simply Cricut Cartridge
Tree - cut with Straight from the Nest Cricut Cartridge
Ink - Martha Stewart
Chipboard birds - DCWV - Green Stack Coordinates
Piercing template - Hot Off the Press
Embroidery floss - DMC

Here's a card I made for my best friend's 40th birthday:

Details:
Stamps - Crafty Secrets - Sunflower set; Papertrey Ink - Out on a Limb set
Ink - Ranger Adirondack Ink - Espresso
Patterned paper - K&Company
Cardstock - Coredinations (aquas & yellow); Gina K Designs (ivory)
Markers - Copic Sketch
Label - cut with Lacy Labels Cricut Cartridge
Seam Tape Ribbon - Rebecca Sower Designs
Buttons - Oriental Trading

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a great day in store.

Hugs,
Marcy

DinoMite Scrapbook Layout

Remember that scrapbooking retreat I went to last spring? If you recall, I made a bunch of layouts without the titles, journaling, or embellishments. It has been so nice to have these unfinished layouts on hand for those times when I just want to play for a little while and don't have time for a big project. I just grab a Ziploc bag with a layout in it & finish it off. Such a great sense of accomplishment in a short amount of time.


This layout is for my daughter's book. The kiddos were playing at a park with a lot of dinosaur themed activities, so I used that for inspiration for my layout. I repeated the circles & colors from the background paper using cardstock circles for the journaling and to accent the photos and die cut dinos. The dinos & title were cut using the Cricut Create a Critter cartridge. I really like the way this layout came together. It's so playful and reflects the fun they had at the park together.

I finished another layout, and I have a new card to share, so be sure to stop back tomorrow.

Hugs,
Marcy

Spooky Time

Have you noticed yet that I am absolutely head over heels for Core'dinations cardstock? I love the amazing colors, the various finishes, the really good prices at Pat Catan's, how well it cuts in my Cricut, and the more you work it - the better it looks! Win, win, win, win, win!

I used Core'dinations Black Magic for my Spooky Time card below. I distressed it, embossed it, wrinkled, and generally beat it up, and it turned out looking and feeling like leather. Looove it!




Details:
Main Image & Tickets - Crafty Secrets - Halloween Creative Scraps
Cardstock - Core'dinations - Black Magic & orange
Patterned Paper - K&Company
Vintage Brad - Stampin' Up!
Velvet Ribbon - unknown
Embossing Folder - Sizzix

I am hitting the craft table later on today, to finish up some scrapbook layouts and create a birthday card for a special friend. So I'll see you back here on Monday!

Hugs,
Marcy

Violin Practice Chart with Cricut

Well, we made it through the first week of school with flying colors! Both kids are loving their new teachers and classrooms. Hubby is adjusting to a really busy teaching schedule - 6 classes @ 3 different colleges, while I'm getting used to a new work schedule & having the house to myself all day.

In our experience, the key to a successful school year is organization - managing all of the little details & tasks that need to be completed on a daily basis. Even better if the kiddos are given the tools to keep track & complete some of their tasks on their own.

Shannon, our 8-year-old, is starting her second year of violin. She is a very visual person who likes lists, so I thought having a practice chart would be very helpful. A visual reminder, it eliminates me having to nag her about practicing and gives her a sense of accomplishment when she adds a circle to the chart. The circles are attached to the squares with Velcro dots.


Details:
The title & violin were cut using the Cricut Quarter Note cartridge. The days of the week (she doesn't practice on Sundays), squares, circles, & music notes were cut using the Cricut Lite Chore Chart cartridge.
Patterned Paper - Anna Griffin - Lizzie Anne Collection
Cardstock - Coredinations (dark purple); Bazzil (aqua); DCWV (light purple)
Ink - Memories Direct - ink dauber
Pearlescent Chalk - Pebbles Inc.

Wishing you a lovely Saturday!

Hugs,
Marcy