Goals and Creativity

So I have a goal this month and that is to post 'something' everyday. I can't promise it will be awe inspiring or give you any ah ha moments but we should have a little bit of fun!

So for the first day, you need to know that this man is at it again! He is creating his 12 tags of Christmas and if you don't know who he is you better go check him out. You will want his product by the time you see all of his tags. That is how I got hooked and he isn't bad on the eyes either ;o)

Welcome to December everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May you and I remember what today is really all about. May we focus on the good, leaving the negative stuff behind. Love your family and hold them a little closer today. Get wrapped up in laughter until your sides hurt, then do it again. Eat plenty of turkey and the trimmings so you will feel like you can't move.

Enjoy your day and be blessed!

Mini Pocket

I do so love Wilna's coffee albums but I knew with this one I wanted to add a few tags. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE tags but they aren't always the easiest thing for me to work with. Well, up until now that is! I found Laura over at Following the Paper Trail and I tell you what, this woman is amazing with her designs. I actually stumbled on her Utube video's and now I'm hooked.

So for my pocket on my coffee album I followed Laura's general instructions for her Multi pocket envelop pattern found here. I did end up adjusting my pocket from her original design but not by much. Please remember this is NOT my original design so any credit needs to go to Laura. I do not have photos of the pattern pieces so please see Laura's utube video

In these photos you can see where the pocket insert was placed. You will have two pieces for the insert. Piece #1 measures 10 1/2 x 3, you will score this piece at 3/4", 2 3/4" and 3 1/2". Piece #2 measures 4 x 3, scored at 1/2" and 2 3/4". Each 3/4" are your flaps for each side of the tag pocket. These will be on either side of the page, in my photos they are the red pieces. Take piece #2 and place adhesive on the 1/2" flap, then place this onto piece #1 at the opposite end from the 3/4" score line. Now you will just follow Laura's instructions on how to place the pocket insert between the pages. Then Wilna's instructions for finishing your album. Tag inserts are 3 x 3 1/4". Have fun creating!!

What a month!


Where did it go? I just can't believe that we will be celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday! Well, all I can say is the turkey and the trimmings are purchased. It will be a quiet day with only my parents here but I'm okay with that. We had some of our cousins over this past weekend and it was a nice time with no agenda other than spending time together.


This month has also been a little struggle for me. It started out with a bladder infection, which I haven't had in years, then realizing that I am officially in full swing pre-menopause, and my Mom not doing well..........ya, it is all I can do to focus on being thankful for the little things. I've been taking time to be creative and that is helping. Again this year I seem to be having to force myself into the Christmas spirit. I can't believe how early Christmas stuff was put out. I sure don't like the commercial end of it all, it just gets me in a bug humbug mood.


One of the things that has been helping me and my attitude is I have made two new friends. I am so enjoying their company. We are trying to get together every other week to just have fun together. I have missed doing that! One of the things we put together was a one of these, designed by Wilna. I can't tell you how sweet these are and once you start making them good luck in trying to stop collecting cups!! I have a few in the works and will share them when I get them done, until then enjoy this one. There is a special pocket in between two of the pages so extra tags can be added. I'll post information on that tomorrow with a little close up.
Materials used: A tall Starbucks Christmas cup, Pinecone Press Christmas/Winter papers bits and pieces of their new holiday line, Snowflake punches, Tiny attatcher by Tim Holtz, Martha Stewart baker's twine, Snowflake ribbon, Snowflake brad(for encloser), Vintage photo Distress ink by Ranger

My Highlights and apology

LOAD for me may not meant a layout a day BUT it did mean I got a lot done! Final count for me was 32 layouts with at least 10 more pages planned with paper and photos chosen. I fell in love with creating pages again for my children's albums. It just makes you feel so good.

Day 29, Have fun with your page.

Day 30, Collections. The collection that is close to my heart is my bears. My DH started giving me Teddy Bears for Christmas 25 years ago. This is a start of my pages.

The month of October also held me to finish a couple of projects that have been sitting waiting to be done for more than a year. They were projects that I wanted to do for my blog give away. So to the ladies that won my give away, thank you for being patient with me and I hope you are enjoying your gift. This is what they received with a few other things thrown in. Only differance between the two is the colors, so I am showing you only the covers of both of them and the insides of one.

Can I have a do over?


I would like to start part of this month over! The part where I loose my energy level and then get an infection, which leads me to being on medication for the last 5 days. Add to the fact that a side effect to the medications I'm taking are headaches, well lets just say my body just hasn't been very happy. With a consent headache concentration goes out the window so no more pages have been done for the LOAD challenge. I have had burst of energy so in that time I have been able to sort photos, plan pages, look for sketches and pull out papers. So I guess really that is have the battle right there with 10 pages waiting to be put together, not bad. I'm happy to say that I'm okay with where I'm at and what I've done. So on to the last couple of days I had done for the LOAD challenge.

Day 18.....Prompt: Scrapbook a Holiday page. The picture says it all as my daughter looks on and lets us know what she thinks about having to stick her hand down the turkey to be stuffed.



Day 19.....Prompt: Pat yourself on the back for what you have gotten done so far this month. Celebrate! I celebrated by making two more pages for my daughter's wedding album. I just love how all these papers are flowing together.

Just a couple of things

I love inspiration and I get it from anywhere I can these days. I dare say I could spend hours going to my favorite sites and blogs! I thought I would share just a couple with you, who knows they may just inspire you.

1. I LOVE Wilna!! I've had opportunities to take some fun classes from her and I gain knowledge every time. She is being featured at Ali Edward's blog today and teaches you how to make a book out of a Starbucks cup. As someone who has done this......it is WAY easier than it looks. Give it a try you WILL fall in love!

2. I also am a fan of Stacy Julian, she has a brand new blog and it is wonderful. Grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea and set yourself to reading. You won't want to miss any of her posts!! Plus she is doing a special give away so you will really want to check it out!

3. Something I am inspired by and hope to someday take part in is HERE. A very special retreat put together by Melody Ross and her sister. Read some of the stories and be inspired. Can I say again.......I SO WANT TO DO THIS!