Last Day

Credits Kit: Paisley Pop by Karen Funk; Font: Century Gothic, Alba Super

My baby on her last day of preschool.  She looks so grown up!

Come play along with us on Sketchy Thursdays.

Today is the boy's last day of first grade.  Didn't he just start Kindergarten??!!!!! 

What do you do to keep your kids occupied over the summer?

Heidi

These Boots

Credits Patterned Paper: Limon kit by Dana Zarling; Journaling Block: Doodly Journal Spots by Angie Kovaks; Fonts: Century Gothic, Champignon, Elephant; Brush: Splatter by Corelila

My daughter wears those boots everywhere, with EVERYTHING.  She inherited them from her older brother who wore them for a couple years also.  I have a pic of her at about 2 wearing them with only a diaper on.  They come up about mid-thigh.  LOL.  I will be sad when these boots no longer fit.  I'm going to have to immortalize them somehow. 

Diana knocked this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch out of the park!  Love it!!!  I know I'll be using this one over and over again. 

Have a great weekend!

Aaaaah...

Aaah...what a beautiful sight!  Two children napping in the middle of the afternoon.  And not yelling.  Nor running around.  Nor teasing each other, pinching, hitting, kicking, breaking things, moving furniture around, creating "potions" with Pixy Stix and popcorn, "cleaning" the bathroom mirror with foam soap, etc, etc, etc. 

Aaah...

Wow, that picture was taken almost 3 years ago and that may have been one of the last times I witnessed the beauty that is afternoon napping. 

I made this layout a while ago, too and used it to base this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch upon: 



Hope to see you over there playing along!

♥heidi

Loved

Credits: Digital Paper & Border: Limon kit by Dana Zarling; Word Art: Be You kit by Karla Dudley; Photo Editor: Picnik.com

I am in love with this pic of my son.  If you could see the entire picture, he's standing there while my husband is tying his shoe.  I love the snapshot of downtime...he's usually larger - and LOUDER - than life. 

This is based on my sketch for Sketchy Thursdays this week:

Sorry I've been so MIA lately.  I've been busy, busy, busy creating lots of fun stuff but ~sniff~ I can't share any of it with you yet.  Stay tuned...I promise I'll share some stuff I made the last few months in the next few days. 

I've also been trying to get ready for Easter.  The Easter Bunny does baskets and then hides TONS of eggs.  EB's been trying to find stuff to put in the eggs besides candy.  So far EB is stumped.  EB thought about hitting the party store but then thought about how much useless party stuff is hanging out in the room I am currently trying to clean up.  Ugh. 

We'll be coloring the Easter Eggs Saturday.  Then the family comes over here for dinner on Sunday. 

What do you do for Easter?

Hope you have a great one!

♥heidi

Sketchy Thursdays

Time once again for your weekly dose of Sketchy Thursdays yumminess!

Another awesome one by Diana! 

And even though two-pagers are hard for me I really LOVE this one and wanted to play along.  Sadly, it wasn't in the cards this week.  This one is definitely going into my "to do " file for later, though. 

Be sure to check out all the amazing inspiration by our DT! 

And we'd love to have you play along with us.  This week's sponsor is Sweet Peach Crop Shop - this week's winner will get their cool April kit!

Hope you are having a great week!

♥Heidi

My Sunshine

(Credits coming soon...)

This is one of my favorite pics of my daughter.  She was about 2 here.  She's got the most adorable, full lips.  I monkeyed around with the color on these pics and one of them came up all sunshiney yellow toned. 

This is based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch, this one by the lovely and talented Diana:



This is an exciting week on Sketchy Thursdays...today we reveal layouts by our newest Design Team!!!!  Head on over to the blog to check out their wonderful inspiration!!!!

We're having a weird weather week here.  This past weekend we hit 100 - the second earliest 100 in recorded history here.  Lovely.  Sometimes we hit sometime mid-April but on average it doesn't happen until early May.  And then yesterday it was slightly rainy and around 80.  They've got it forecasted for this Saturday in the low 60s.  Yes, you read right - SIXTIES.  If it comes to pass we will have swung 40 degrees in one week.  Very funky.  

Well, OK then!

I completely forgot to write my own blog post for Sketchy Thursdays yesterday despite having written the actual ST post, LOL!  Duuuuuuhhhh!!!!

I based this sketch on a layout I made for Scrapbook News and Review a few months ago. 

Love by Heidi Myers Supplies Cardstock: The Paper Company, Stampin’ Up!; Patterned Paper: EK Success; Glitter Paper: Colorbok; Staples: EK Success; Ink: Clearsnap; Punches: Fiskars, Stampin’ Up!; Adhesive: Scotch 3M; Other: brads, acrylic accent, rhinestones, crepe paper, thread

Originally published in Scrapbook News and Review January 2011

To apologize, how about I share the tutorial that accompanied this layout?  ;oD

Crepe Paper Pleat Tutorial

 

Pleats are a great way to add texture, softness or whimsy to a scrapbook layout or card. There are several ways to make a pleat and several materials you can use. Today I’m going to walk you through how to make one using crepe paper and your sewing machine.

 

Gather your supplies:

 

• Crepe paper roll
• Double-sided tape
• Thread
• Sewing Machine

 Step One: Determine where you want your pleat on your project and run a line of double-sided tape the entire length of your desired pleat.

 

 

Step Two: Beginning at one end of your tape line, press down the end of the crepe paper and then fold it back toward the end of the crepe paper. Lightly holding the fold, bring the crepe paper back toward the tape line sticking it down on the line to make a pleat as wide as you desire. Repeat until you’ve covered your entire tape line.

 

 

Step Three:  Stitch down the middle of your pleat with your sewing machine. I usually like to stitch three lines although the number is a matter of preference. Since I was making a playful layout I allowed my lines to weave and cross a bit, although again, this is a matter of preference.

 

Please note, your needle is going to get a bit sticky because you’ll be stitching through your tape line. No worries. When you’re finished just give it a quick swipe with a baby wipe or damp paper towel to clean off the build-up. (Make sure you’ve unplugged your machine first!)

 

 

 Step Four (optional):  If desired, rough up your pleat a bit by pinching and lifting the pleats.

 

This method for pleating works just as well with strips of fabric or patterned paper and ribbon. You can also attach your pleat to your project with glue, staples or brads. I have tried all these and for the smoothest, most even pleats I think the double-sided tape method works best.

 

Fun, eh?  Hope you enjoyed my pleating tutorial.

For more tutorials and articles in scrapbooking, cards, stamping and multi-media check out Scrapbook News and Review. 

Be sure to hop on over to Sketchy Thursdays to see what our Design Team made for your inspiration with the sketch.  Today is the last sketch for the current DT.  Let me know how much you've enjoyed their work!!!  Next Thursday 4/7 will be the debut of the next DT's work! 

Hope to see you playing along, too!  This week there's an AMAZING Scrapbook Circle kit up for grabs.  Trust me, it's gorgeous!

Hope you have a great weekend planned!  We're forecasted for 99 today.  I'm just not ready for that yet.  Oh, well.  The kids are excited that swim season is almost upon us. 

♥Heidi

Little Things

Supplies Cardstock: Bazzill Basics; Patterned Paper: Jillibean Soup, My Little Shoebox; Stickers: SRM Stickers; Moondrops:      ; Alcohol Ink: Ranger Industries; Glitter Mist: Maya Road, Tattered Angels; Pen: Zig; Other: paint chip, staples, thread

Welcome to another installment of Sketchy Thursdays.  And YES!  It's a traditional layout!!!!!   (Admittedly I almost had a hard time not doing this one digi.  I'm hooked!)

I've been holding on to these pictures for, well, 6 years considering this little boy is now 7 and he's 11 months here.  Time to scrap those puppies.  This was his first trip to the beach.  He had a great time.  A litle digging.  A little flinging.  A little eating.  (Yup!  If you take a closer look at the middle picture his mouth is lousy with the sand he's been munching on.)

Loving my little faux dew drops...there's a tutorial for how to make them coming up in Scrapbook News and Review the last Sunday of March.  (Did you hear - we're publishing twice a month now!  The second Sunday of each month will be chock full of all the eye candy.  The last Sunday OEM will have all the awesome tutorials and paper crafting articles.)

I've been playing with my mists a lot in the last couple days, too.  (And I've got blood-red fingers to show for it.  The Tsukineko walnut inks are very intense and stain big time.  My son freaked out thinking his head was bleeding again when he saw my hands, LOL.)

Of course, this layout is based on this week's sketch:

Sketchy Thursdays is also partnering with SRM Stickers this week.  We got to play with some of their newly released stickers.  Have I mentioned I love SRM Stickers?  Seriously.  They blend so well into the background paper. 

Speaking of blood red and the boy...I'm happy to report he's doing fine.  It's a challenge washing his hair but otherwise it doesn't bother him at all.  (Gotta remember to make the appointment to get the staples taken out.)

So, are you wearing your green today?  Do you do anything special for St. Patrick's Day?  We don't although if you have some corned beef and cabbage you want to send my way I'm all over it!  Love it!  Sometimes I make the effort to make it for St. Pat's but I just didn't bother this year.   I do love this day, however, just because green is my favorite color, LOL!

Oh, the May calls are up for Scrapbook News and Review.  Check out my sidebar for the link to see the call descriptions.  Check out the sketch!  It's mine!!  :oD

Have a green and lucky day!

Last Day

Credits Digital Kit: Pot O Gold by Raspberry Road Designs; Fonts: Baby Kruffy, Century Gothic, Freebooter Script

This layout shows various activities on the last day of Kindergarten for The Boy last year.  (Click on it to see it bigger.)   I really love the colors in the digital kit I used, Pot O Gold by Raspberry Road Designs.  Incidentally, the main kit is up for grabs as this week's prize on Sketchy Thursdays.

This week we have a double-page sketch:  

Remember, our sketches are design suggestions...check out all the different ways our DT interpreted it.

We'd love to have you play along with us! 

Also, don't forget we still have a DESIGN TEAM CALL up until next Friday 3/18.  We're looking for traditional AND digital scrappers.

I'm so not ready for this...today it is forecasted to be 89 degrees. 

89!

Toooooooo early!!!!!!!

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?

I Love You This Much

Originally published in Scrapbook News and Review January 2011

I love everything about this layout.

First and foremost I love the picture. 

I love the pinks and reds and chocolate browns. 

I love the block format.

I love all the texture - the glitter and foiled papers, a yummy Precocious Paper satin bridal bloom (my faves!), the crepe paper pleat, the stitching, the metal gromlets, the ruffly ribbon.

And I love the heart punched border.

This layout has hung in my family room since the day I made it. 

****

A few announcements:

Sketchy Thursdays is holding a Design Team call for our April - September term.  All crafters - traditional, digi, and cardmakers - are encouraged to apply.  See this post for details.

Precocious Paper is hold a DT call for the April - September term.  See this post for details.  I will GREATLY miss being on this amazing team and have been honored to be on her inaugural DT. 

Want to get published?  See here for the calls for the April issue of Scrapbook News and Review.  The call is open through March 12.

Makin' Sushi

OK, I promise I'm not permanently moving over to the Dark Side (aka digi) but for some reason I just can't get enough of it right now!

April 2011 Issue

Supplies Kit: Starbrite by Polka Dot Pixels; Fonts: Carbon Type, Scriptina, Trashed

This past Sunday we made sushi together as a family for the first time.  The kids really loved it.  They had a blast!

The sushi in the background is some of our creations!

(P.S.  My countertop is not acid green as is suggested by the pictures.  It's a very neutral off-whitish Corian.  I just couldn't get the color in the rest of the picture to look how I wanted without having the countertop change to this color.  Weird.)

This layout is based on the sketch I made for Sketchy Thursdays this week. 

I hope you can play along with us, especially because this week's prize is an awesome one by Blue Moon Scapbooking.

Today I chaperoned my son's first grade class on a field trip to a natural history museum.  They had a blast!  But I am beat!!!!! 

♥Heidi

Jingle Belles

Today on Sketchy Thursdays we're bringing you a Second Chance Challenge.  We haven't done one of those in a while.  Basically, it's a regular sketch challenge on an "off" day and can last longer than a week. 

This SCC partner is Jingle Belles, a card challenge site that is focused on helping you take back December one card at a time. The idea is that you can make one card a week for the duration of the year and would essentially have your holiday cards done and ready to go.

Here's my card:

Supplies:  Cardstock: The Paper Company; Patterned Paper: Me and My Big Ideas; Flower: Precocious Paper; Ribbon: Michaels; Sticker: SRM Stickers; Glitter Glue: Ranger Industries; Other: journaling spot

Here's the sketch:

It's a card sketch but you can translate it into a layout if you'd like.  You have until next Thursday night, 2/24, at 10pm EST to link up in the comments on this Sketchy Thursdays post and also over on the Jingle Belles site.  The lucky winner will receive this lovely holiday prize:

Saturday Morning Technology

May 2011 issue

Supplies: Digital Patterened Paper: Paisley Pop kit by Karen Funk, My Shabby Valentine kit by Karen Funk; Digital Felt Circles, Journaling Block, Staples: Paisley Pop kit by Karen Funk; Stitching: My Shabby Valentine kit by Karen Funk; Fonts: Bad Robot 3D, Registry BRK, SS Play Font

My kids are so technology savvy.  And crazy.  I love the family pic.  Quality time with dad, eh? 

This one was made for this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch - definitely a great one by Diana!

OK, I promise. I have not completely switched to digital layouts. It's just all my traditional layouts lately have been made for Scrapbook News and Review magazine upcoming issues. All my others have been made after bedtime when it's easier to work on the computer than get into my scrap room. Besides which my scrap room looks like it violently threw up at the moment.   It's buried in the remnants of projects for the SNR March issue and boxes upon boxes of the kids' preschool art projects that I need to ruthlessly go through. 


I'll share a few traditional layouts very soon.

Have a great weekend!

Heidi

Long Hair

Patterned Paper, Ribbon, Stitching, Trim, & Stamp: Starbrite Kit by Polka Dot Pixels; Tape: Tape It Up - Noted by liv.e designs; Brush: Splatter by Corelila; Fonts: Carbon Type, Century Gothic & CK Becky

It wasn't a conscious decision, the long hair.  It grew (pun intended) out of my inability to locate a hairdresser that could cut the boy's hair properly.  It always came out too short, too bowl-like, too mushroom-y, too something.  So I refused to take him to get his hair cut.   For about 6 months. 

It was so cute.  He looked like a cool skater or something.  He looked older.  The girls (moms included, lol) thought he looked adorable!!!! 

I loved it. 

Apparently he didn't.

After much whining he finally convinced me to take him for a haircut. 

This is minutes before. 

When they called his name I grudgingly took him over to the stylist chair, told her what haircut he was looking for, and went back to sulk in the waiting area. 

That was back in November.  Almost 3 months ago.  I haven't taken him to get a trim since.  It's starting to get long again. 

:oD

This layout is based on this awesome Sketchy Thursdays sketch by the talented Diana!!!!

Plans for Valentine's Day?

Do you get the Scrapbook News and Review email newsletters?  You should!  Right now we're running a week-long ode to Valentine's Day with a V-day tag and a V-day multi media project (inchie or atc) being sent out in the newsletter DAILY.  Each tag and project will also have step-by-step tutorials!  I have a multi-media project mailing out in Saturday's newsletter (2/12).  It's free to sign up for the newsletters.  Go!!!!!  Sign up!!!!  You'll be glad you did!!!! 

Hope you're having a great week! 

♥ heidi

This Is So You

Supplies Digi Patterned Paper, Flower & Staples: Paisley Pop kit by Karen Funk; Digi Stamps: Shabby Valentine kit & Be You kit by Karen Funk; Digi Stitches & Epoxy - Be You kit by Karen Funk; Font: CK Ally's Hand Official

Got another digi layout for you on this fine Sketchy Thursday. 

Both the kids got inline skates for Christmas.  I was a bit trepidatious giving them to them, especially the girl who's only 5, but they took to them very quickly.  I was impressed.  They obviously didn't inherit mom's terrible sense of balance (although I've always been good on skates - I can bump into a wall while walking but am  perfectly balanced on wheels, go figure).  I guess I shouldn't have been worried about the girl - she can do anything she sets her mind to and she's determined to keep up with her brother...and does, VERY well.

The boy really wanted a skateboard, and I would've obliged except everything has to be equal for Christmas and there was no way I was going to give a skateboard to a 5-y-o, athletic or not.  But, as mentioned, he took to skating very quickly.  It's so cool.  Now I just gotta break mine out and go skating with them. 

The journaling on the layout refers to the fact that the boy doesn't usually take on new activities until he's sure in his mind he will be able to do them.  He studies and thinks first and by the time he finally actually does something, he's usually a pro within minutes. 

This layout is based on the sketch I made for today's Sketchy Thursday challenge.

Have a great day!!!

♥Heidi

Sketchy Thursdays sketch up

Unfortunately I wasn't able to play along with Sketchy Thursdays' sketch this week but check out what our Design Team made for you.  Some stellar work!!!!  So inspriring!

We'd love to have you play along with us.  This week's sponsor is Scrappy Jo's Scrapbook Supplies with a Marks Paper Company paper set up for grabs.  You can submit your layout based upon this sketch through Wedensday 1/19 for your chance to win.  

I was busy, busy, busy this week getting in a few last minute projects for the February issue of Scrapbook News and Review.  I have to say I am so loving being an SNR Staffer and besides getting to share my work in the magazine I am learning so much.  The SNR Admin and Staffers are quite a diverse and knowledgeable group and we have so much fun! 

SNR is having its first ever Staffer Call until February 4!  Check out this link for info.

The January issue of Scrapbook News and Review goes live this Sunday, 1/16.  I am so excited to see this one.  I have to say I made some of my All Time Favorite projects for this issue and can't wait for them to debut!!! 

Have a great day!

Heidi

Mmm...Oden

I much prefer winter fare to summer, probably because we have such a shortened season here in Arizona so there's not enough time to get sick of anything. 

One thing our whole family enjoys is oden, a Japanese soup/stew. 

Supplies Cardstock: The Paper Company; Patterned Paper: Aitoh Co., Creative Imaginations, K&Company; Stickers: Pink Paislee; Chipboard: Colorbok; Trim: Making Memories (yellow); Ink: Clearsnap, Tsukineko; Cricut: Create a Critter; Other: thread, drywall tape, trim (black)

 Up until a week ago, it had always been made for special occasions by Obaachan, my mother-in-law.  I just assumed it was a labor-intensive, secret-recipe sort of thing.  Until she gave us the ingredients for Christmas and we undertook its making on New Year's Day.  Uh, nope.  Suuuuuper easy to make.  I can tell you this will be a regular in our menu rotation now!  Woohoo!!!! 

I realized there really is no exact recipe for this.  As my journaling says, "Oden is a Japanese winter dish consisting of several ingredients such as boiled eggs, daikon radish, konnyaku and processed fish cakes stewed in a light, soy-flavored dashi broth."  We started with an "oden set" which was a frozen package of various fish cakes and the base for the dashi broth.  We added some water to the broth base and then we included in ours the fish cakes, plus sliced up another fish cake our kids love which looks like half a log that's white on the inside and hot pink on the outside, taro balls, enoki mushrooms, konnyaku noodles, sliced daikon radish, and hard-boiled egg.  YUM! 

I happened to hit an awesome New Year's sale on Cricut cartridges and pretty much purchased the Create a Critter cartridge entirely for this adorable ramen bowl!

I'm not usually one for the cutesy but that's just too stinkin' cute to pass up. 

I used some StazOn ink to color that drywall tape you see...it starts out white.  I love being able to alter the color of things!

This layout is based on this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch:

Come play along with us.  This week we have a yummy prize from Nikki Sivils!!

Hope everyone had an awesome holiday!!!!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Heidi

Merry Christmas a la Sketchy Thursdays

Supplies Digital Kit: Jingle Jangle Mini Kit by Polka Dot Pixels; Font: Brush Script Std

Sketchy Thursdays is taking 2 weeks off from the blog for the holidays.  However we aren't going to leave those of you with some actual time to create (lucky you!) in a lurch. 

For the next two weeks we are running a special Facebook only sketch and prize on our Sketchy Thursdays Facebook Page.  Check out the FB page for details.

I used our special Facebook only sketch to make my photo card to include in my Christmas cards this year.  Like the layout?  Check out the Facebook page for the sketch.  You can only see it there!

We'd love for you to come play along with us on Facebook!

I hope everyone has a happy, calm, loving, quiet Christmas! 

XO,

Heidi

Santa Prep

We have quite a series of rituals built up in preparation for Santa's arrival on Christmas Eve. 

We make and put out the obligatory Milk & Cookies for Santa, plus a few carrots for the reindeer.  We make magic reindeer food and sprinkle it in the front yard so Santa and the Reindeer can find our house.  We leave a magic key on the doorstep so Santa can get into our chimney-less house. 

I also allow the kids to open up one present on Christmas Eve.  It's always one of MY choosing (so they don't open their most awesome and distracting presents just before they are supposed to go to bed) and usually I choose robes or pjs, a video, or a snuggly stuffed animal to sleep with.   I feel a tad bit naughty every year because the kids get all excited to get to open a present early but then the presents aren't necessarily all that fun.  Tee hee. 

I'm really happy with my title area because I finally used one of those definition stickers that I think Making Memories made tons of a few years back.  I have them for all sorts of occasions and don't think I've ever used one before.  I'm so happy with how tranparent the sticker applied considering they have almost a frosted appearance in hand. 

This layout is based on my sketch for Sketchy Thursdays this week:

Be sure to check out the Sketchy Thursdays site to see all the amazing inspiration made for you by our awesome DT. 

OK, gotta get back to making layouts.  I'm in a frenzy right now.  I'll share them as I can.  (Most right now are being made for the Scrapbook News & Review January issue.)

What are you working on right now?  Holiday layouts?  Cards?  Presents?  Or are you taking a well-deserved crafting break? 

You At 4

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

Hope yours is going well.  Not too stressed.  Not too much glutony, LOL. 

I make the T-giving dinner every year.  I've got it down to a science.  I've got a time schedule and everything!  Hey, it's the only way I can do it without resulting in a colossal freak out.  And, trust me, I can freak out with the best (or worst) of them!! 

My favorite thing is the leftovers.  Love cold turkey with warm gravy, and all the other fixins.  Mm mm good!  And, of course, there's attacking some leftover pie straight out of the refrigerator. 

Since it's Thanksgiving, it must be Thursday.  And if it's Thursday, it's Sketchy Thursdays!!!!

Supplies Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye; Brads & Cord: Stampin' Up!; Rhinestones: K&Company; Staples: EK Success; Hardware: Hillman; Ink: StazOn; Paint: Delta; Glitter: Martha Stewart; Pens: American Crafts, Sharpie; Tools: Dymo, EK Success; Other: metallic paper, metal charm, chipboard, stamp, dictionary page, drywall tape. 

I had a blast making this layout.  I included lots of fun texture, things from the hardware store, and yummy paint and glitter. 

Did you know you can run strips of paper through your Dymo labeler to create custom colored labels?  I used some metallic silver paper for my journaling here. 

I must admit I made this layout a few months ago for Scrapbook News and Review (September 2010).  But it just worked so well with this week's sketch.  I must've been subconsciously thinking about this layout when I created the sketch. 

And I'm so honored that Diana said she loves this one and will be using it again and again!  ~beam!~ 



Yep, I'm no good at daily blogging.  It's been almost a week since I posted my Attitude of Gratitude.

I am so thankful today for my wonderful, loving family!  We may get loud and impatient at times, but in the end, we just love each other. 

Have a great Turkey Day and try not to spend too much tomorrow on Black Friday! 

- Heidi