Creative Imaginations February Sketch

I can't wait to get started on this month's Creative Imaginations sketch by Lori Gentile! I have ideas running through my head... I love the butterflies... but I'm thinking hearts or maybe some cupcakes!!!!

If you want to enter your lo and receive some wonderful giveaways... pop over to Creative Imaginations blog to find out the details... when you're done with your layout, post it on the CI Gallery to be entered. I'll be posting mine in a couple of days... can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

Creative Imaginations CHA... Boho Baby...

I thought I'd show you a few of the things I've done for CHA... specifically... the Boho Baby line, by the artist Christine Adolph. It has two adorable childrens collections one for girls and one for boys. Each collection includes flocked and double sided papers along with some unique embellishments! I had such fun with this line. With it, I was able to dig out a few favorite baby pictures of Rainee. I also did a couple of cards, which really aren't baby at all. I loved the tree and flower stickers... so bright & fun!

I love the colors and the fun shaped embellishments. They were baby... but a new baby... something you could use for baby to toddlers... and older. I liked that it could be used with everyday life... the zoo... even holidays.... with it's rich reds, pinks and yellows... too much fun!!! And if you like blues... well the Boho Boy has beautiful blues and greens... very fun!!!

If you'd like to see more of Creative Imaginations new products...go to their blog and check them out... I'll be posting more of my CHA assignments later.... I think you're going like all the new things... I know I do!

Doily Envelope Video

I haven't done a video in awhile... It's funny to me how when I was working full-time plus had all the responsibilities I do now, I actually got more videos done than I do now as a stay-at-home-mom/freelance graphic designer... you'd think I'd have more time somewhere??! Anyway, even though I love doing them, I guess any video getting done, when I have a chance... is better than no videos at all... right??!!??...

After showing you these fun little envelopes last year... I had so many requests to do video on these cute little envelopes... I just had to do one. So yeah, for the new Doily Envelope video!!! These little envelopes are one of my favorite Valentine, or any {day}, things. Ever since I was a little girl I've loved making them... I just love little girly things!!! Since then, I've made them for special occasions or just because... they're great to put on a wedding gift... perfect for wedding or baby showers... I've used them on projects like my Valentine Window (here)... on some of my scrapbook layouts... on cards... but my all time favorite uses are putting them in my husbands work shirt pocket and in Rainee's lunchbox with little love notes just for them!!

The great thing about these doily envelopes is once you know the basics of how they're made, you can make them with just about any kind of paper doily.... heart, square or circle. Along with the video, I've also made a download-able .pdf (3x3 or 6x6 heart doilies) for those of you who'd like it. I hope you enjoy making them and find some fun new ways to use these cute little doily envelopes...

(Materials: Doily: Wilton, Paper Insert: DCWV, Ribbon: Joann's, Glue: Elmer's Glue)

Weekly Gratitude...

{Hearts}. I love this time of year... The time when... love is in the air... and {hearts} are everywhere. I see them at the grocery store, at the coffee shop, Walmart and Target... you name the place and there is probably a Valentine {heart} around somewhere...

But my favorites are those I see every day on every picture Rainee makes for me... or others. I love it when she comes running over to me to show me the picture she's made... but more specifically... she shows me her {hearts}... in those small child like drawings of {hearts}... I see love. It's such a simple thing, a shape really... but while Rainee is still learning to write words... this simple little {heart} shape is her way of expressing her love in writing... and they're beautiful!

One of Rainee's recent homework assignments, was to bring home a {heart} and do a family project with it. As hard as we might we couldn't get daddy interested in helping, so Rainee and I did it together...when I asked her what she wanted on it... she said, she wanted to make {heart} puppies... one for each of us... our family! to make it easy, I got out the Cricut and it cut out our {hearts}... after that she was on a roll. She knew exactly what she wanted to do... where everything was going... what it would say... and what stickers to use.... {hearts} of course! It was fun watching her get all excited about her class {heart} project... she had me cut out some little bones, to put our names on. When she put the names on, she decide that although she should be up by mommy & daddy... Champy is bigger than she is so he should be the bigger puppy and she would be the smaller one. Too too cute! All I can say is...it's beautiful!!!! When she showed her daddy what he missed out on... daddy's response was... "Rainee-bear... it wouldn't have turned out this nice if I had helped... it's perfect!"... which of course made her smile...

So, even though Valentine's Day will come and go... and the {hearts} will be taken down everywhere with something new in their place... love will still be everywhere for me... when I look at Rainee's sweet little {hearts}... I know, I'm lucky have them and grateful to be loved so much!

Christmas & Sweet Beautiful You...

I know... I know... I know... It's nearly Valentine's Day... and I'm still doing Christmas... but I just can't seem to get enough of it... I'm having way too much fun doing my Christmas pictures... and just so you know... there may be more... but I'll try to hold off at least until after Valentine's Day.... well, we'll see!!! tee! hee! giggle! giggle!!!

Anyway... couldn't pass up doing a layout with this photo of Rainee... I simply love love love it! It's just too sweet...

What are you doing this weekend? Me? Going to my friend Marikay's for our scrap-day... I'm really looking forward to seeing all my friends from my job at the Los Angeles Times... It's been awhile... so there may be more talking than scrapping, but I've promised myself I'm going to finish at least 3 layouts... I have to commit... or it won't happen... so I'll let you know how that goes... Have a great weekend... scrapping... watching the game... or whatever else you do...

Ice Skating...

I just had to do a layout with Rainee ice skating for the first time. It was a moment to remember.

Every year during the holidays we go the Mission Inn... they do the most amazing light display... they use millions of lights... it's really beautiful. Plus they have a little street fair and all the fun shops stay open late.... in addition to all that this year, they had a small outdoor ice rink... and as soon as Rainee saw it she wanted to go ice skating. To which we said yes... but only after we ate dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant and then walk around a bit to see everything.

Since she saw it before we went to dinner... you can imagine what dinner was like... all she did was talk about going ice skating.... and when are we going to go. Then when we finally got there... Steve's decided it's not his 'thing'... so I took her out while he watched and took photos. Which was nice for me, because I rarely get to be in any photos with Rainee. Anyway, she did fall a couple of times at the start, but for the most part she a great job. She didn't want to stop even when they got out the Zamboni... and she, of course, was ready and raring to go when the ice was done.... she was so excited. She had the BEST TIME!!!

At one point, while we were skating, she asked me if my mommy ever took me ice skating. And it brought about a whole rush of memories. I told her about the first time I remembered... I was about Rainee's age... and how my mom held my hands as I went forward and she went backwards... I loved watching her glide around the rink. My mom loved to skate... she was an unbelievable skater. Every winter no matter what else we did during the winter season, she always made sure she took us skating. I remembered how much I loved skating... it was amazing going down memory lane with Rainee... doing exactly what my mom had done with me.... teaching a daughter to skate.

It's funny how a memory of your own childhood will come to you when you least expect it... how it will wash over you and remind you of how sweet it is... but then what is even more amazing, is that you're making the same memory with your own child... wow! Anyway, it was such a lovely way to spend a winter's evening and such a lovely way to share a memory... sooooooo I of course had to put it on paper.

Then with my little bits of leftovers I made this snowflake card.

Do you have a favorite memory you did as a child and you've found yourself doing the exact same thing with your own kids... would love you to share it. Have a lovely day!

(Layout Materials: Paper: My Minds Eye, Coredinations, DCWV, BoBunny, Laser Paper: KI, Rub-on: Creative Imaginations, Snowflakes: K&Co, Heidi Swapp, Letters: Creative Imaginations, Heidi Swapp, Glitter (behind ghost letters): Stampendous, Buttons: Joann's)
(Card Materials: DCWV, BoBunny, Snowflake Punch: Martha Stewart, Border Punch: Fiskars, Letters: Creative Imaginations, Rhinestones: Joann's)

Weekly Gratitude...

My Extraordinary Life... a miracle. If you know me at all, you know I waited for the right man... which seemed to take forever... you also know when I did get married I had no plans to have children, because of my age and the many many female issues I'd had, which gave me only a 2% chance of even getting pregnant... let alone the baby being healthy and going full term. So when I say my life, my marriage, my precious little girl is a miracle... it really is.

This last week, my nothing week... I sat with Rainee to help her with her homework and I felt such gratitude. There was nothing extraordinary about the moment, yet, it was to me. I look at my daughter and I know how blessed I am. I have a child I've waited my whole life for... and never thought it could or would happen. She's my breath of fresh air... my early morning sun... She makes my heart happy. So, in that moment, I felt thankful for little things... everything... my husband who picked Rainee up from school so I could go to the movies for a small break... I felt thankful for being able to get up, work in the comfort of my home, to be able to be home with my daughter and help her become a kind and loving person. And thankful for my husband, the man I married. I felt thankful for my everyday life.

And yet, even along with this gratitude, you can ask my sister... I also have my days when I complain about these blessings. There are days when I am tired and I don’t want to make one more meal, clean one more dish or do one more load of laundry. Days I wish it could just start over. And yet... I love my life.

There are so many wonderful things about it. Miracles which happen every day. The cute little "good morning mommy", Rainee gives me when she wakes up, her sweet little giggles, her precious voice singing around the house, her unconditional hugs and kisses to let me know I'm loved, when she says "I love you"... just for the heck of it, the fact that my husband brought pizza home, so I wouldn't have to cook... the way he can make me feel beautiful, when I know I'm a mess. These are miracles. Miracles of my everyday life.

So this week I'm thankful for our everyday life together. This is also, to remind myself to celebrate the little extraordinary moments that fill each day... which makes my everyday life a miracle.

Valentine Cupcake Party...

Every year I do some kind of Valentine cooking thing with Rainee... it's either cupcakes or cookies... and we love it!!! One year we did cookies with Rainee's friend Katie... the next year cupcakes with just us 2... then last year it was cookies with Kenny. Decorating, I've found was much too girly for Kenny... so last year, Liz (Kenny's mom) and I pretty much decorated all the cookies... while the kids played... and ate them!

Now this year, when I asked Rainee what she wanted to do... she thought about it... then said, "I'd like to invite my 2 best friends from school... Anessa & Molly." Every year, I usually just call the parents, decided on a date and time that works for us both... and that's it. But this time... I thought it would be fun to make some invitations... and of course how can you not make some cute little cupcake to go along with it. So this is what I did today.... and boy, did I have fun!

When it came to the cupcakes... Rainee wanted 'chocolate frosting' on them... so I chose the brown polka dot paper... and matched it up with a fun bright festive plaid. Then because I was having soooooooooooo much fun doing them, I had to make a couple for myself... with the same plaid, but with 'pink polka dot frosting'! I inked the edges of the both the frosting and the cupcake cup to add a little something. Then when it came to putting a 'cherry' on top... I didn't like the flowers on the template and couldn't find any cherries small enough in my stash of decorations... so I made a cherry with stacked buttons and embroidery floss for the stem.... I think they're adorable!

These cute little cupcake can be used to put something in... candies, jewelry... something small... but I just wanted them as bit of fun to go along with the little invites.

For my invitations.... I used the same paper as the cupcakes, along with some of my favorite stamps and a round doily. They didn't take any time at all... I love how simple and cute they are!!! This was a good day... full of creativity and doing something that was almost good enough to eat!!! Yum!

How was your Sunday? Hope it was good and leads you into a wonderful week!!!

What's Your Favorite...

What is your favorite outfit??? That's our challenge at WhatIsYourFaveThing. When I was a little girl I remember having a baby pink dotted-swiss dress with a white collar and little pink roses on it. I loved that dress. Isn't it funny how you can remember the simplest things from when you were a kid... I can even remember how excited I was when I saw it for the first time... I couldn't wait to put it on. So, I searched high and low for a picture with me in it and was disappointed when realized I didn't have any! But I still remember that dress, I have a picture of it in my mind and for me it will always be the most beautiful dress ever.

Since I didn't have a picture of me in that dress, I started going through my closet. I found several favorites... like... my Harley boots with a blue jean skirt... my beautiful flapper-inspired beaded wedding dress... then there's all my leather jackets, which go with everything... & how could I forget my favorite comfy 1980's sweatshirt! But nothing said scrap me.

Then I thought about the favorite outfits I have for Rainee... you know the ones you save for your kids, hoping one day they'll use them for their kids. I went through all of them... and there is was... the dress I bought for her first birthday pictures!!! This dress is my all time favorite!!! I looked months for this dress... I knew exactly what I wanted... I had almost gave up... but one day, there I was in the mall getting a haircut and decided to try Nordstroms one last time... after looking everywhere, I thought why not try one more time... it can't hurt... then I saw it... it was in the clearance rack... the dress of my dreams for my little Rainee. I can't tell you how happy I was... I was over the moon!!!

For her first birthday pictures we went to the St. Regis Hotel in Dana Point.... this place is amazing... the day was perfect... and Rainee looked so beautiful in her lovely little dress... I was so happy... and the pictures turned out better than I could have ever dreamed!!

Now when I think of a favorite outfit... the only two that come to mind are my pink dotted swiss dress and Rainee in her first birthday dress! It also reminds me, that if there's a favorite outfit Rainee likes... I should really get a picture of her in... so she can have it to remember. Memories are wonderful... but a picture is so much better.

So, what is your favorite outfit???? We'd love to see what your favorite is!!! Remember you can show it off on a card, a scrapbook layout or any kind of project you'd like... share it with all of us at WhatIsYourFaveThing... don't forget the winner receives a fabulous prize!!! I can't wait to see what your favorite is!!!! Thanks so much for stopping by... Have a lovely day!!!

(Materials: Paper: Creative Imaginations, Butterfly sticker: K&Co, Butterfly Punches: Martha Stewart)

More Christmas...

I don't know about you but writing Santa a letter here is pretty an every day occurrence during the Christmas season... because Rainee wants to add something to her list... that's the main reason we do the Santa's List now.... But this year... there were two very special 'letter memories' I just had to get down on paper.

The first one... While waiting to take her Santa pictures... she was able to write Santa a letter... she asked me how to spell words... and for someone still learning to write... she did a great job!!! (It says: I been good. love you. Rainee - and her picture of Santa) Anyway, when she was done she was able to put it in his mail box.... It was so cute watching her open the mail box peek inside and put her letter in.... I loved this day.... I loved this moment!
(Materials: Paper: Creative Imaginations, Bazzil, DCWV, Stickers: Creative Imaginations, Jenni Bowlin, Journaling Tag:Jillibean Soup, Brads: Misc.)

The other 'letter' day which was special... was the day she received a letter in the mail FROM SANTA... it was just the cutest thing ever!!! That particular day, she woke up and decided to wear her Halloween costume... if you remember she was the cutest Dalmatian doggie!!! As soon as she woke up... it was on and she wore it ALL DAY... everywhere we went and we had a lot of last minute Christmas things to do and places to go! When anyone saw her they would comment on what a cute doggies she was... then she's correct them and say... 'No, I'm a Christmas Puppy!!!'.. to which they thought was even cuter! Anyway... at the end of the day, we went to the mailbox and low and behold there was a letter from Santa for her. She was over the moon.... she pretended to faint... then she opened it and she had me read it over and over and over... it was one of her best days... she carried that letter around everywhere the next couple of days.... and each night before she went to bed she put it on the Christmas tree so she wouldn't lose it.... and of course showed it to everyone who came over. So on this layout I HAD TO put the letter on there somewhere.. I love the everyday happenings of life... and this moment was one of the very best memories of Christmas this year!
(Materials: Paper: DCWV, Creative Imaginations Stickers: Walmat, Making Memories, Misc, Buttons: Vintage, Journaling Tag: Creative Imaginations)

Every year Rainee & I do a Gingerbread house together... and I love seeing what she comes up with. But this year instead of just the two of us doing it we did it with Rainee's new friend from school. I love watching the two of them together... they are so cute... holding hands and skipping. So this day... we got together and made our Gingerbread houses. They had the best time putting them together. They both enjoyed the frosting and the candies... we were wondering if there would be any left for the house, because how can you not have some along with making your house.... lol! In the end the houses did have enough of everything and so did the girl... because they were bouncing off the walls. As for the houses... I think they turned out rather cute!
(Materials: Paper: Creating Keepsakes, DCWV, Colorbok, Stickers: Creative Imaginations, Making Memories, Paper Bliss, Snowflakes: Elle's Studio, Journaling Tag: Elle's Studio)

I don't know about you but I still have a few more Christmas layouts I need to do... so if they go in to February... don't be surprised! But I do have to say, I'm soooooooooooooo looking forward to all the fun Valentine things we'll be doing....

Zoom...Zoom...Zoom...

I think out of all the Christmas presents Rainee received this year... her favorite is this truck!! The first time we saw it was at the Bass Pro Shops for their Christmas Crafts for kids... when she saw it, I think it was love at first sight!! I have to say... that store is very very very clever... they had all their kids toys set up in stations for the kids to play with and of course fall in love with... and to which they would HAVE TO HAVE FOR CHRISTMAS... and probably bug their parents about until they got what they wanted... smart... very very very smart! And that was Rainee.... every week when we'd go for the craft... and before we could leave WE HAD TO play with all the toys! We spent hours there... literally... it was cheap entertainment... but afterward all we heard about was the remote control truck...

Since Christmas, we've spent more time outside just playing with the truck, than any other toy she's ever received. She loves this truck... the only time we haven't played with it was last week with all of the rain. Although, she did try to do it inside... but when she kept hitting the furniture... I had to put an end to it...which made me the 'bad mommy'... to which I got her sad face... to remind me she was unhappy about my decision. Oh well... you can't keep kids happy all the time!

As for the layout... I did it super simple... not much on it... except the pictures of Rainee and her truck... and zoom... zoom... zoom... which I think pretty much tells the story all by itself. On the edging.... I was going to use my sewing machine, but I didn't want to wake everyone in the house so early... so I got out the EK Success Rub-on Transfer... if you've never seen it, it's a solid piece of rub-on you can write with, use stencil with it, draw with it, emboss with it... and me I used one of my EK Success Cutter Bugs to make the fun stitching design... I was so happy I didn't have to get out my sewing machine.... how cool is that. This stuff reminds me of carbon paper... if you've ever used it before there was self carbon paper... you'll know exactly what I mean and how it's works... It's a very cool product. I think I'm going to have to use it more often when I don't want to do a bit of sewing!!

What was the favorite Christmas present in your home this year?

(Materials: Paper DCWV, Sticker Letters: Creative Imaginations, Rub-on Transfer: EK Success, Brads: Misc.)

Weekly Gratitude...

Nothing. I am grateful this week for having nothing to do. Not one thing. It’s so needed and much overdue. No deadlines, not appointments (yet), no play dates, no specific errands. Nothing... and hoping or a log of it!

It's not always easy to take it easy... I tend to feel the need to fill my time with housework, business stuff or play dates for Rainee. But not this week... this week will be filled with the joy of being spontaneous and free of commitments. A time for our family to relax, watch movies, play together and refresh our spirits.

What are some of the "nothing things" you like to do??? Us? Watch movies in the dark and pretend we're at the theater with popcorn... playing with cars and racing them down the hall... playing Star Wars... digging in the dirt... scrapbooking of course... making valentines... going to the park... riding bikes... and we have to have pancakes for dinner!!! These are all subject to how we feel! An easy week... doing nothing doesn't come around often... so it's time to enjoy every second! Sometimes allowing yourself the gift of doing nothing can be a very good thing.