Monday, April 25, 2011

I AM... Becoming my husband's girlfriend, AGAIN!

YOU have been soooooo supportive of my scrapping...
some of you for 3+ years...
and now I have a chance to follow my dream...
and write...
you are here because you find something you like in my scrapping/altered art...
and I think that many of us feel the same...
emotionally...


I...AM...FOLLOWING... MY... DREAM
and have just taken my first step up a VERY TALL LADDER...
AND have become
the "San Diego Love and Marriage Examiner..." for Examiner.com

If you have followed my art...
followed my journey...
if you feel stressed with your crazy busy life...
have lost some of your self confidence,
and want to get the "sexy back" in your marriage...
follow me on my NEW BLOG,

People from around the world are following my journey...
men AND women...
It... is... time... that... we take our confidence...
AND... our... MARRIGES BACK!!!

My Examiner.com journey is about to start,
AND... I WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT!

Have a WONDERFUL day and make TODAY COUNT, my friends!!!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

CONGRATS to the 2011 GRAPHIC 45 DESIGN TEAM!!!

April 1st was the lucky day (no joke) for 13 scrapbook/paper craft designers...

The 2011 Design Team for Graphic 45 was announced here...

That list of designers is full of the most talented and creative people in this industry... and just like the diversity of Graphic 45 products, this team is from all corners of the globe!

I was blessed to be a member of the 2010 G45 Design Team and know first hand the fun and excitement these designers have coming their way.  I wanted to give a special WOOOOO HOOOOO to my 2010 DT sisters, Jane and Gloria, who made it back to the 2011 team.  Although I didn't make the 2011 team, I could not be happier with the past 11 months with G45... my DT sisters who are not only talented, but wonderful and supportive... the G45 staff who bent over backwards to make sure that we designers had everything we needed (both product AND support)... and Miss Diane... the G45 visionary and the most professional and incredible woman who brought her "new"company to the pinnacle of the entire industry!

Be sure to check out the Graphic 45 blog all this month!  The new designers will be introduced for the first 2 weeks, and the 2010 team will be featured the last 2 weeks.  I CAN'T WAIT for you to see the project that I made for this month... let's just say that it is PERFECT for April 24th...

Thanks SO MUCH for all of you that have followed my Graphic 45 journey and all the wonderful comments you have shared with me!  Now, hop on over to the G45 blog to meet the new team... and you might want to have some napkins with you... to mop up the drool when you see their work... :-)

Monday, March 28, 2011

My Little Shoebox Farewell Blog Hop...

The new "Farmer's Market" line from MLS and lots
of paper covered chipboard flowers... sanded
and inked with button centers.
Welcome to the last stop of the My Little Shoebox Design Team Farewell Blog Hop.  Did you just see that darling layout and key hanger from Taj White!? Sooooo cute!

I have had so much fun on the My Little Shoebox Design Team this past year!  The fun and whimsical products are a delight to work with and the talent, inspiration and support of my MLS Design Sisters has been AWESOME!  It is time for me to say goodbye as I just finished my term and did not audition for the 2011 team.  I look forward to seeing the list of new MLS Designers and will be checking in to see their BEAUTIFUL work!

Today, I have a new layout using the Farmer's Market line. I have several other new projects that have been submitted for publication, so I will have to wait a bit until I can share those with you. I also have a few of my favorite projects from this past year. Thanks so much for stopping by and don't forget to click back over to the MLS Blog to enter their Blog Hop Giveaway!!! Make it a FANTASTIC week!

FUN mini album using acrylic and chipboard pages!

 
Baby Mobile...

 
My Cute Bug... modeling the purse and headband
I designed with the "Cute as a Button" line

I had fun with those straight pin and trim butterflies.

One final comment... if you haven't checked it out yet, stop by my new blog,
It is what I call a "social experiement" of weight loss, flirting and getting our confidence and sexy back... and becoming the girlfreinds that our husbands fell in love with!!  And... IT... IS... WORKING... check it out!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Graphic 45 - I've been featured 3 TIMES in one week...

"Le Cirque" line, May Arts Ribbon, and
Core'dinations Cardstock... Oh, my sweet Anna!
HOLY COW I've been busy!  Those of you following my other blog, "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend" you know that I just competed in my third triathlon and have lost 18.2 pounds in the past 9 weeks.  I've also been busy creating and CRAZY with my volunteer work at the high school... SEVERAL HOURS every day with the end of the year and Grad Nite coming up!!!

A fun Birthday card invitation...
"Le Cirque" can be used for ANYTHING!
In the meantime, I finished my final audition projects for the Graphic 45 Design Team and am waiting on pins and needles to see if I will make the 2011 team... announcement coming on April 1st... no joke... ;-) 

Another Le Cirque layout... and Imaginarium Chipboard...
I LOVE THIS CHIPBOARD!
I was so excited to see that my current work for Graphic 45 was featured on the G45 Blog THREE DAYS in the past week!  These are the projects that were featured that I can now share here, with all of you.

"Once Upon A Springtime"... I love using transparency sheets to help my layouts
 look like they are "floating."  And again, Imaginarium Chipboard!

Thanks for stopping by and I will see you for the My Little Shoebox Design Team Farewell Blog Hop on Monday, March 28th!

PS... You HAVE to check out Imaginarium Chipboard Designs here...

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Layouts for Ever After...

Products by Teresa Collins, Rusty Pickle, Bazzill, Prima,
Tim Holtz and Sakura Marketing
In the middle of designing for CHA, my monthly assignments for Graphic 45 and My Little Shoebox and putting together my Graphic 45 audition, I ALSO was designing for my local scrapbook store, Ever After Scrapbooks in Vista, CA.  Here are a few of my recent layouts... 

Loving this "peek-a-boo" cut paper by Basic Grey.  Other products, Prima,
My Little Shoebox, Bazzill, Tim Holtz, Rusty Pickle and Sakura

LOVE this fun paper and journaling cards by Webster's Pages.  Other products,
Bazzill, Sakura, and open stock ribbon and flowers.

Make it a FANTASTIC day!!! 

Monday, March 7, 2011

Graphic 45 - Top 25 Finalists!!!

As many of you probably know, the announcement was made on Friday of the 25 FINALISTS for the 2011 Graphic 45 Design Team.  I have been sicker than a dog since Friday, so I am finally moving around enough to get to the computer and post the exciting list from the Graphic 45 Blog...

Okay, here it is! The 25 finalists (in no particular order) of the Graphic 45 Design Team are...

1. Amanda Phillips - Goose Creek, SC
2. Laura Denison - Maple Valley, WA
3. Jane Tregenza - Australia
4. Karen Wilson - Prescott Valley, AZ
5. Gloria Stengel - Oceanside, CA
6. Tara Orr - Canada
7. Michael Jack Putman and Lesley Fisher - Mesa, AZ
8. Sherry Cheever - Jeffersonville, IN
9. Jamie Dougherty - Ramona, CA
10. Hilde Janbroers - The Netherlands
11. Tracey Locher - Escondido, CA (Woooo Hoooo!!!)
12. Leica Forrest - Canada
13. Karen Bearse - Fairfax, VA
14. Lynette Carroll - Braintree, MA
15. Natalie Dever - Sheboygan Falls, WI
16. Nicole Eccles - Springboro, OH
17. Robin L. Shakoor - Fredericksburg, VA
18. Melanie Forbes - Australia
19. Nancy Wethington - St. Louis, MO
20. Jade Moore - Belleville, Il
21. Tonya A. Gibbs - Keystone Heights, FL
22. Tomoko Takahashi - Japan
23. Jason Jones - Whitesboro, TX
24. Jenny Svensson - Brakne-Hoby, Sweden
25. Yuka Hino - Japan

HOLY COW, WHAT A LIST!  Designers from 6 countries are represented on that list!  There are 10 of us currently on the team.  5 of us are auditioning for this next team and all 5 of us made the list.  I HAVE to get feeling better because I had a dream of my final project yesterday and I CAN'T WAIT to get started!  I have 4 days to create a new layout, card and project and mail it to the Graphic 45 offices for the final judging.  The new team will be announced on April 1st... AUGH... it is going to be a LOOOOOOONG few weeks!!!  CONGRATS to all the finalists and HAPPY SCRAPPING!!!

Monday, February 28, 2011

Graphic 45 - AUDITION TIME!!!

#1 - 45 record card and "album cover" envelope... "Curtain Call" line
I can't belive the time is here again!  One year ago, I tried out for the Graphic 45 Design Team.  I have worked for international teams before... and I've tried out for MANY of my favorite teams over the years.  But Graphic 45 is one of those UTLIMATE teams that you just never think you will make it onto... and let me tell you... when I was selected for the team last year, I seriously COULDN'T BELIEVE that MY NAME was on the list.  And... this team... the company... everything about this "gig" is TOP NOTCH, professional, fun, and will bring the best work out of you!  

#2  "The Kiss" layout... Curtain Call line...
Ever the fashion forward and progressive team, every one of the current team members have to audition for the team every year.  I must admit that the audition process scares me.  I am glad that Diane and her team auditions designers every year, as this will keep the team fresh, creative, and the TOP in the industry!

#3  "Life Is..." Layout.  Sometimes the most basic layouts
make the biggest impact!
So, without further adiau, I have updated my entire blog, and here are my FAVORITE FIFTEEN GRAPHIC 45 projects from the last year.  


#4 - Card using "Curtain Call" line and May Arts Ribbon 


#5 - This is a wall hanging made of old record albums, lots of Graphic 45,
and old family photos!
The whole record project... that baby photo on the top right...
... that's my Dad (so cute!)

#6 - "Communique" lampshade... I used one of our antique
lamps and made a new shade... LOVE IT!
#7 - Wedding mini album.  All the pages in this book flip up and/or down...
using "Le Romantique" and our wedding photos.

Another page from the wedding album.

#8 - "My Favorite Things About Cruising" Punky Sprouts album.  I LOVE this
album... chipboard, acrylic, and fabric pages and ohhhhh so much
Graphic 45!

Some of the inside pages from the "Cruising" album

 
#9 - "Jeff's Best Man" Layout... using Graphic 45's "Le Romantique" and
the new Core'dinations textured G45 cardstock. 

#10 - One of my FAVORITE projects of the year...
A "Hallowe'en in Wonderland" hanging mobile

More of the mobile... yes, there was a suspended tea pot POURING TEA
into a cup exploding with feathers...

#11 - My "Vacay Log..."  a book I created with lots of empty pages
and tags to add vacation details while you are on a trip.  A cute and
fun keepsake!

 
#12 - "Strike a Pose" Layout... yes, my dog poses better
than my kids do!  I just love that Graphic 45 products are so versitle
that you can do a pet layout with them... and still look cute and vintage!

#13 - "Hallowe'en in Wonderland" 3-D
Trick or Treat Bag!

More 3-D Trick or Treat fun!

#14 - "Time Flies, so Flirt" layout.  Ohhhh, the fun
I had with the "Steampunk Debutante" line and more of the
Core'dinations G45 textured cardstock!

#15 - "Once Upon A Springtime" Thank You card. 

I have had a BLAST as a design team member for Graphic 45 and would love to stick around for a second term!  Fingers crossed!!!  Make it a GREAT day!!! 

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Graphic 45 and May Arts Blog Hop...

All this week, Graphic 45 and May Arts Ribbon are doing a Blog Hop... and there are lots of available prizes.  Jump on over to both of the sites to get in on all the fun!

Here is a project that I created... it was featured on the Graphic 45 blog yesterday.  Our 21-year-old is moving back home this weekend, so I created a bedroom door plaque for her room.  Jessica is so into dance and drama and movies and vintage, so the new line, "Curtain Call" was PERFECT for this project.  The May Arts ribbon was a perfect addition. 

Make it a GREAT day!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Graphic 45, CHA projects...

I told you I've been scrapping like crazy... and here are 2 of my Graphic 45 CHA projects...

"Curtain Call"... a layout called, "The Kiss"... photos from our honeymoon and a 100 year old book cover... I  LOVE using vintage stuff with Graphic 45!!!
We were asked to design "a tag" using the new "Le Cirque" line by Graphic 45... I just LOVE how this simple piece turned out!!!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

My Little Shoebox... 2 Harmony Layouts...

Using "Harmony," my Sakura Glaze Pens, and some black feathers, this recital layout came out just how I wanted!!!

Hi All!  I know, I know... I have been a bit absent and there is still some straightening up to do on the new color/design of the blog.  For those of you following along with my Weight Loss Experiment blog... "Becoming My Husband's Girlfriend," you know I've been pretty busy... and pretty successful so far!
 
Side look... the photos are elevated from the page with foam adhesive.

In the past 4 weeks, I have created over 15 layouts, cards and projects... to be displayed at CHA and for my regular design assignments.  Holding them back and not being able to share with you drives me nuts, but it is time that I can finally start sharing the fun!  I have plenty more to share in the next few days! 

Fun with chipboard swirls, covered in paper and sanded... flowers stamped below the swirl while flower stickers pop on the top of the swirl... add in a bright Glimmer Mist border... voila!

Close up of the swirl, stamp and sticker accent.
Make it a FANTASTIC day!