Dec 28, 2011

Onward and Upward and a GIVEAWAY

With 2012 right around the corner, I wanted to shake the end of the year and after Christmas blues. So I spent some time at my desk. And Phew do I feel better! Nothing has changed, nothing is actually any better, but I spent some time doing something I enjoy and that makes me feel monumentally better. Another way I've found of cheering myself up? Giving to others. I've been collecting stuff for a box to go out to someone and I've decided not to wait until New Year's, but do it now. The details of the giveaway will be at the end of this post, but first...
I realized I didn't post all of December's layouts from Scrapbook Circle's kit Note to Self. I thoroughly enjoyed this kit and want to share the last few layouts:
and my absolute favorite:
There are a few Note to Self kits left HERE. And while you are over shopping at Scrapbook Circle, you will definitely want to check out January's kit You + Me. I ♥ Valentine's/Love themed kits because they are so easy to use on ALL kinds of layouts. An example? I made this Angry Birds layout which is about as far from Valentines as you can get ;)
♥ ♥ ♥ this kit :)
One more thing before the giveaway...
Ruby Rock It has released another peek and it is GORGEOUS. Get a load of this:
Ok, enough talk! On to the giveaway! I have a box almost ready to go, some new things, some gently used things, some things I bought for DT applications for teams I am now a member of ;) and I want to brighten someone's day. If that sounds good to you, leave me a comment and you will be entered to win. For a second entry you can follow my blog and leave a second comment telling me you now follow or already follow. I will draw a winner on Sunday January 1, 2012 (EEK!) 
Have a great week!
♥Rebecca 

Dec 26, 2011

The Other Side of Christmas

Sorry I am late to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. Christmas about did me in this year. Everything was late or small scale. So many things I wanted to get done didnt get done. I am a bit down not just because of the  usual after Christmas blues, but also because our tree fell over today. Turns out our stand is broken and of course the tree fell forward ON  the special and favorite ornaments. Most were broken  beyond repair including the glass ballet slippers ornament my Grandma gave me when I was young and Little Man's first year ornament from my parents. Sigh. But looking to 2012, I need to work on my perspective. I am trying to be grateful for all that we do have.  I am trying to decide on and fine tune my One Little Word for 2012. I am thinking along the lines of positivity, balance, restraint. As you can see, I have some more thinking to do in the next 4 days ;)
Speaking of ornaments, did you see my Ruby Rock It post the other day? All about ornaments: http://rubyrockit.typepad.com/ruby-rock-it/2011/12/the-christmas-ornament-tradition.html

Ruby Rock It are giving sneak peeks of the 2012 lines. Let me just say they are AWESOME! Here is a peak:
SO EXCITING!
Also very exciting is the January kit coming out from Scrapbook Circle--check out this gorgeousness...
Is it me or are Valentine's papers the best? It is the only holiday paper I like because you can use it for any layout that includes ♥ :)
And finally, how about a few Christmas photos?
(picking out our tree)
(Christmas Eve saying good bye to our elf until next year)
(Coming downstairs on Christmas morning)
(I LOVE this face--this may be one of the main reasons I wanted to have children)
 (The aftermath--am I the only one who takes this picture every year?)
From our house to yours Happy Holidays!
♥ Rebecca

Dec 16, 2011

Big News!

I have some super exciting news to share! 
Abby Laubenstein (Illinois, US)
Adora Concepcion (Washington, US)
Cari Locken, DT Co-ordinator (British Columbia, Canada)
Diana Fisher (New York, US)
Guiseppa Gubler (Utah, US)
Heather Leopard (Texas, US)
Ilene Tell (Delaware, US)
Mary Ann Jenkins (California, US)
Shelley McDaniel (Texas, US)
Tiffany Hood (Utah, US)
Rebecca Keppel (Arizona, US)
Rosangela Philippsen (Curitiba, Brazil)
Regina Mangum (California, US)
Rhonda Van Ginkel (Minnesota, US)
When I got the news I definitely screeched, jumped up and ran down stairs. The first person I told was my Little Miss. I knew she would be more excited than anyone else because she knows I will be making LOTS more headbands for her ;)
:) Rebecca



Dec 13, 2011

Traditions, Gifts and Guest Designs

Hey all! How are you doing with your holiday check lists? I am definitely behind. No holiday photo yet and so no holiday card. No wrapping has been done. The last 2 days have been chilly and RAINY. So much rain that leaving the house is not at all tempting. But, we have been having holiday fun and carrying on with holiday traditions. Little Miss had her Music Program last week.
At first she looked a bit like she might hurl, but then she got into her groove and was very animated through the whole program and said she had a lot of fun. 
This weekend we decorated a gingerbread house. For the last few years we have bought a kit from Target:
It never ends up looking as cute as the picture, but wow, do they have fun decorating (and eating) the house:
We also have an Elf this year. They LOVE him and run downstairs each morning to see where he is hiding and what he is up to. I've been trying to get a good picture of his antics, but the weather is not agreeing.
In other news, I am one of the Helmar Guest Designers this month! My introductory post is HERE, where I explain how I made this little Christmas decor:
AND, I've still been creating with Scrapbook Circle's December kit Note to Self. This is my latest:
Everything here (except the cardstock and American Crafts Thickers ampersand) is from Note to Self. I pulled a lot of the pink elements together for this one, which left a lot of masculine colors left for a different layout. I love the Lily Bee index cards and layered them here for a fun file-o-fax look. The Ocober Afternoon Little Flyer tucked right in there.
I had been wanting to play with these Basic Grey flowers too:
They would be super cute on a card too :)
Well, off to procrastinate a bit more ;) Have a great week!
♥ Rebecca

Dec 8, 2011

This and That

Are you buckled in for the whirlwind ride that is the rest of 2011? Looking around I am not sure if everything is going to get done--not nearly! But it is not for lack of giving it the ole' college try. Thankfully soccer is over and so we are just in the midst of decorating, baking, wrapping, crafting, finishing up school for the quarter kind of frenzy. Tonight, Little Miss has her music program and the little guy's is next week. Add in a few holiday parties, Karate testing for a new belt and I have had enough! To top it off, I promised Little Miss I would sew her and the doll (that she MAY be getting for Christmas ;) ) matching pajamas! And you all know I only know how to sew on paper lol! Well, I finished her nightgown, but now I need to do the doll's--not looking forward to those teeny tiny sleeves --AAACK! I will take pictures when I am done--maybe ;)
And while I have been busy with some behind the scenes stuff that I can't share yet, I also have been around blog land a bit. This layout (made with Scrapbook Circle's December kit Note to Self) was on the Scrapbook Circle blog the other day HERE.
Yup, I am still feelin' the love for my typewriter...
And these ornaments, made with The Twinery twine and Therm O Web SuperTape was on the Therm O Web blog HERE.
Have a great week!
:) Rebecca

Dec 2, 2011

Scrapbook Circle's Note to Self

To be totally honest, I am not a huge fan of Christmas collections. GASP. I know, I know, bah humbug, right? But the truth is I don't get very many AMAZING Christmas photos. I try and do better each year, but the lighting is always horrible and they always turn out just so-so. So when I heard Scrapbook Circle was going to be offering an everyday, not holiday focused December kit I was ecstatic. When I saw the Note to Self kit, I was thrilled (it is amazing). When I got to work with the kit, I had a blast. SO versatile!

So I ended up with layouts that make me happy rather than layouts I feel obligated to make just because it is the holidays. For example, this moment happened the other day and it was one I had on my mind since it occurred. Not a holiday moment, just an everyday one that I never want to forget:
Everything here including the corrugated cardboard is from the Note to Self kit (except the cardstock and twine from my stash). The diversity of patterns in this kit make it perfect for a number of themes. For this layout I stuck with the boyish patterns, but there are plenty of florals for girlier pages too. So for the holidays this year, why not buy yourself a kit you will LOVE to scrap with, rather than papers you feel obligated to use just because it is December!
Have a great weekend!
♥ Rebecca