Some Valentine Love

I love Valentine's Day! It's almost February, so it's time to get out all the red, pink, chocolate, and all the HEARTS! Yeah, all the froo-froo stuff that DH hates, but I LOVE! I just feel so blessed this year already. I've been playing around with paper again (shocking, I know), and came up with this little album, just in time for Valentine's Day. It sits next to my desk, to remind me of my favorite people, and the reasons why I get up every morning!

It's made from altered index cards, and has photos of my family, in the order that I met them. I made the journaling pages turn independent from the photo pages. The idea was that each journaling page could go with any of the photos. It closes with a dowl (cut wooden skewer!) through some ribbon loops that connect the front and back covers. You can see close up photos of each page here.



On a little side note, you may notice this little guy in my galleries:



That's right, my first published layout! Look for it in February's Digital Artist Magazine!!

Shopping Therapy

I was having a bad day last week. Feeling unloved. Being pouty. So what do girls do when they don't feel good? Go shopping! I've been wanting to get my hands on some Amy Butler fabric for the curtains in my office / studio, so I finally caved and ordered some. It came ultra-quick from QuiltHome.com, and it was wrapped up so nicely in tissue with a twine ribbon and everything! I highly recommend them for any fabric needs that can't be fulfilled by your local stores!!

I quickly sewed this gorgeous fabric into some simple drapes, but I can't hang them, because I don't have a rod yet. BooHoo! I think more shopping is in order! Isn't it gorgeous fabric, though?



I'll post another photo as soon as I get the curtains hung!

Did you happen to notice my new blinkie over there? I've been chosen by the talented Jessica Bolton to be on her creative team! She has some amazing kits, and I just love her style. This layout is the first of many to use her designs:



Full credits can be seen here. I'm really digging those ghost letters I made!

That's it for now! I have a feeling this is going to be an incredible year!

Live. Love. Create!

I'm Honored!

The uber-talented CD Muckosky now has her own Scrapbooker of the Year Blog at Creating Keepsakes. I am a huge fan of her work, and participated in one of her challenges. The layout that resulted has become my favorite layout so far!



Credits can be seen here.

Apparently, CD loved it as well, because she featured it on her blog! Wow!

In other scrappy news, Teresa Ferguson has a new kit out at Sweet Shoppe Designs called "Enjoy the Ride." I absolutely adore Teresa's papers!



It was the perfect kit for some older photos of my Helen. The ghost letters were created by myself:



I'm loving my new computer and tablet! It lets me do things so much better and easier! I've been adding my own little elements and doodles to my layouts. Let's hope that doesn't turn into a designing interest! The last thing I need is another obsission!

Live. Love. Create!

Christmas Recap

Now that my house has been stripped of its adornments, I suppose it's time to admit that it is no longer the holidays. While most people get depressed when the holidays come, I get depressed when they leave! I just love the atmosphere...the glittering lights, the glowing children, the anticipation, the decorations. I love it all! It's the only reason that I can see for any type of cold weather at all. Now I must endure the remainder of the winter with no twinkly lights. Sigh...

I will hang on just a little while longer, though, while I jot down some memories that I don't want to forget. This was the best Christmas yet in the Hutchinson household! Alex was old enough to realize what was going on, and got excited about his gifts. Everyone got what they wanted (and some got more!). The whole family was together: Ed's parents were here as well as my own, and my brother, his better half, and their brand new baby boy. We all got along, and had a great time, not to mention great food and drink!

To say farewell to the season, and to remember it's glory:



Adventures in Paper Scrapping!

I now understand why I'm a mostly-digi scrapper! Paper scrapping is *SCARY*!! I made some Christmas gifts for family members, and was so glad to get back to my computer afterwards! Once you cut something, it stays cut, and once you glue something down, it's down! And rub-ons are some very fragile things! Not to mention the expense and mess! I do like, however, how dimensional it is. I love it when stuff sticks off the page!

I made my parents and in-laws a 12x12 page of the grandkids:





Remember those month stamps I gave away on my blog not too long ago? This is what I made with them! I made a 2007 calendar for each set of grandparents that has pictures from that month in 2006. Now I just have to print myself one!



I also got cheap plastic frames and altered them. This one for my MIL has a photo of our annual trip to Pensacola in July:



I found this photo on accident when developing some unknown film. It is a photo of my grandparents, before my grandmother died. I knew my mom would cry when she saw it, but I had to share!



This one I did for my brother. His son's very first photo!



I also made a small baby book for baby Dylan:



Next year I'm starting my Christmas gifts in October! It was a lot of fun, though, and I got to combine some of my digital skills with paper.

This year is starting out with a bang already! I've got a few new projects in the works, and I'll share some of those next time.
Live. Love. Create!

Welcome 2007!

Every day I realize more and more how blessed I truly am. So much of it is undeserved, as I strive to be a better person on a daily basis. I try to make each day count, and better than the last. It is with a touch of sadness and a heap of hope that I say goodbye to 2006 and greet the New Year. These past 12 months have been a whirlwind of fun and experience! I look forward to everything that these next 12 will bring!!

Christmas for me was a digi-scrapper's dream! I have jumped whole-heartedly into this "scrapping thing." I love that I am making art with my memories, and that I am leaving a treasure and a legacy behind. It really has changed my life, although DH would argue that it has taken over my life!! He is unconditionally supportive, though, and his Christmas gifts this year show that, and were completely unexpected!

Everyone who knows me knows how long I have been waiting for a new Mac laptop ever since my old one died (courtesy of Alex and a glass of water). I am completely anti-Windows, and have been suffering with a Dell. But now I am the proud (and cautious!) owner of this!



And to make digital art easier, I also have a new matching tablet!



My parents were co-conspirators and threw this in for good measure:



How luckier could I be? I will miss 2006, but can't wait to get started on 2007!!