Here is a little something I did for my DT a while back. I used Cosmo Cricket's Wanted paper line, which I think I could use on every layout I do for the rest of my life and never get sick of it!! It is gorgeous! It is also my first attempt at printing on and using an inkjet tranparency. I used a few photo turns, as well as some chipboard corner flourishes from Buzz and Bloom! The journaling reads: Full of hope, full of wishes. So much promise, in my little man. I wonder what you are thinking about? Now is the time to dream. Reach for the starts, and they will be yours, my sweet boy!

SWAK-Sealed with a Kiss is another DT layout from a while ago..I used Buzz and Bloom's XXL Rustic Chipboard Alpha, and Buzz and Bloom's UM Garden Sketchbook and XXL Rustic Numbers sets. The patterned paper is KI Memories. I am such a pink junkie lately. And with two males in the house, I get few instances to use pink in my scrapbooking! I have really been *LOVING* to stamp directly oon the photo lately, too! I took the plunge on this one and did a teenie bit of hand journaling. Michelle--if you see this, you are the one who started my goal of hand journaling on every page! I am trying to shy away from computer journaling because of you!! Thanks!

Saps a Runnin'!

It is that time of year again! Here on the edge of the Adirondacks, March not only marks the first day of spring, but sugaring season. There are family sugarhouses in every town here in Upstate New York, including one just a mile down the road from our house! It is run by our long time neighbors and cousins, and they do it the old fashioned way. No pipelines on the trees, or fancy machines for boiling. Just a drill, some taps, and some buckets. A tractor with a tank on a trailer, and ALOT of muscle. Peter has been laid off for a couple of months now, and has been working tapping trees and sapping for over a week now. It is a tiring, but rewarding experience when you get done. And if you go, you are expected to help! No standing around allowed! I put together a little slideshow to show you what we have been enjoying up our way! Hope you like it!

Squash Book

I know I am behind the times on this one in a BIG way, just never got around to trying to make a squash book! To be perfectly honest, I am not good at spacial things like figuring out how something gets folded, so until I found the perfect tutorial, I didn't bother! My pastor's wife had seen an example of a squash book that my demo had at my last SU! workshop, and she has been thinking about it ever since! The ladies of the church came to me and asked if I would teach a craft class to them (as I have in the past, usually a simple card), and could I show them a squash book? Well, I taught myself in a hurry. It wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be, either! So I went to Michael's last week and got a bunch of supplies, and here is my first squash book-the official example for my class Friday night.

SNOW!!

I promise, this is the last time you will be hearing from me about this subject. While there is still 3 feet of the crappy stuff outside, the sun is shining, and 40's are forecasted for the entire week! This is a 12x12 I did for a contest on a scrapping website...The theme was " I could certainly live without..." I used Doodlebug Patterned paper, and Doodlebug Bazzill cardstock. I also used Buzz and Bloom Tubby XXL Chipboard letters, and the chipboard brackets are from Joann's. Rubons are CK, from Joann's. The hidden journaling reads:

" Every year I dread winter. As I get older, the more I hate winter! Being so far north, our winters usually last from October til April. There are many people in our very small town that don't see me for months because of my hibernation! I hate, no, loathe the cold and snow. I crave the smell of spring, and oh, that sound of the first robin!! No skiing, skating, or sledding for me! As far as I am concerned, winter should go home when Santa does. I anticipate the day when there will be no more piles of winter clothes and boots piled up all over the porch and kitchen, and when I can clean up the final wood stove/wood pile mess of the season?? I will dance in the streets! Clean, dry streets..Streets with no slush or snow! Streets with no salt or sand..Clean, wonderful SPRING! "

Bareback

Here is a little something I made using the SU! stamp set, Bareback. My mom owns the set, but I think I use it more than her! It is great for masculine cards, but also for younger girls, too! I used a base of SU! Cranberry Crisp Cardstock. I also used a strip of Cosmo Cricket "Wanted" patterned paper. **The whole Wanted line is divine!!!** I mounted the horse image on Cool Caribbean and Chocolate Chip cardstock, and frayed the edges with my distressing tool. Everything was stamped and distressed with SU! Chocolate Chip dye ink. I topped it off with some lovely flourish stamped images from Purple Onion Designs UM rubber stamps! These particular images were from the Ornamentals UM sheet. I also added a bit of twine and ribbon. Happy Saturday!

Is it over YET??

Most people who know me, know how much I detest winter. I would be the perfect candidate for hibernation. And in Upstate NY, winter starts in October, and ends in April. I am trying not to complain TOO much, because the first part of our winter was very mild, but -35 degree temps and feet upon feet of snow has got me feeling a bit cabin feverish. We got ANOTHER snowstorm last Friday, and I got some good pics on Saturday morning of the calm "after" the storm. I do live in a beautiful area, woods for as far as the eye can see. I must admit, as much as I hate the snow, Saturday morning was a beautiful sight! Here are a few pics so you can see what I get to see every day!