We always have good candy

We may not throw wild parties.

We don't even go to any crazy shin-digs.

Heck, we rarely even dress up.

But we do take great pride in always giving out the good stuff at our house.
{that usually means chocolate & that usually means that I have eaten half of it before the first trick-or-treater shows up at our door}

So come on over!
We treat you right!

Supplies: Die cuts/tags (Making Memories, My Mind's Eye), Chipboard alphabets (KI Memories, Prima), Chipboard embellishments (KI Memories), Ribbon (My Little Shoebox), Alphabet stickers (Sassafras), Misc: staples, stickles, jump rings
________________________________

And just for fun, here is a layout from last year's Halloween {a rare time when Lee did actually buy a costume & dressed up}.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Luxe-background, KI Memories-all other), Chipboard alphas (American Crafts), Chipboard embellishments (KI Memories), Chipboard ghost (Making Memories), Cardstock stickers (KI Memories), Brads (KI Memories)

I hope you get lots of good candy today!!
Happy Halloween!
:)
gretchen

Trick or treat

I have a couple of cards up on the KI blog today.

{there are lots of cool Halloween projects up there this week so check it out!}

Supplies: Patterned paper, brads, chipboard embellishments (all from the Wicked line by KI Memories)

If you leave a comment on any of the posts this week on the KI blog, you will have a chance to win some prizes so make sure to check it out!

Short & sweet today!
:)
gretchen

A new leaf!

I have to admit that I have not ever been much of a decorator for Halloween.

{sorry Virg}

I always have good intentions but for some reason never get around to it.
But I am turning over a new leaf!
{I feel like that expression is appropriate seeing how it is fall}
This year is different!
I have made a few candles, bought a few Halloween-y trinkets to put around the house, and made this!

****
IT'S NOT HERE

BECAUSE

IT IS BEING PUBLISHED!!

BE BACK SOON
****

Supplies: Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye), Die cuts (My Mind's Eye, Making Memories), Bling (Heidi Swapp), Jump rings (Junkitz), Ribbon (American Crafts, Basic Grey), Die cut frames (Sizzix), silver Stickles, staples, silver spray paint

I recycled an old box to use as the background for a few of the letters.
And I cut the frames using my old faithful Sizzix machine & adhered the letters to the back so it hopefully looks like they are kind of "floating" there.
Stickles are fun!
I haven't really used them too much before now.
I am so proud of my Halloween decor!
{hehehe}
Now I think I need to make a sign for the front door that says "good candy served here".
Oh, we always have the good stuff at my house!
:)
Happy Tuesday!
gretchen

Winner!

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:14
Timestamp: 2009-10-27 04:22:10 UTC

Which means that this is the winning comment:

Michelle said...
I love giveaway! I always in need of inspiation.
October 25, 2009 2:06 PM

There were a few Michelles that commented so if this one is you, email me your address at gretchenmcelveen(at)yahoo(dot)com

and I will get that right out to you!

Nighty night!
:)

gretchen

Vicariously

Morning!
OK so you know we don't have any kids yet, right?

{please notice that I did say "yet"}
Don't feel sorry for me though.

We have plenty of friends and plenty of kiddos to go with them.

I just live vicariously through them!

For example, I got to spend some time with Virginia and Katie the other night.

And I got to goof off with Jason, Campbell and admire baby Ariana while I was at it.

See?? Vicarious living.

A big benefit of this lifestyle is that I have lots and lots of kiddos to scrapbook rather than just 1-3 or 4.

And one such kiddo that I like to scrap is this cutie that belongs to my friend Nubia.
{that sure was a long lead in for a single layout wasn't it??}

Supplies: Cardstock (American Crafts); Patterned paper, die cuts, alphabet stickers (My Little Shoebox-Robots Unplugged line), Brads (KI Memories)

And I am so lucky to have good-looking friends with such cutie pie kids!
_________________________________

I will draw a winner for the idea book later tonight.
You can still leave a comment in the post below for a chance to win.
_________________________________
Check out the KI blog all week for cuuuute projects leading up to Halloween on Saturday!
Anybody got any fun plans??
_________________________________
That's all I've got.

Happy Monday!!

:)
gretchen

Extras

Happy Friday!
I have 2 copies of this book now.

I don't need to hog both of them.

Want one of them??

Leave a comment here and I will draw a winner Monday night and send somebody a little inspiration!

{I also have an extra copy of the November CK that I will throw in if you want it}
_____________________________________

If you want a chance to win something else, check out the KI blog again today & leave a comment for a chance to win there too!

______________________________

Supplies: Patterned paper (KI Memories), Cardstock (DCWV), Alpha stickers (Doodlebug), Airplane sticker (KI Memories)

Have fun whatever you do this weekend!
I am about to get my scrap on so things are good for me!
:)
gretchen

Wildcard Wednesday!

Well there is nothing wild going on here really.
But check out the KI blog for Wildcard Wednesdays from now on!

There is a giveaway going on today if you leave a comment so check it out!

____________________________________

I just got my copy of the new idea book "Kick It Up" by
Angelia Wigginton & Greta Hammond.

It's a good one!
And I've got a couple of layouts in there.
This one is about a half marathon that I did with my brothers a couple years ago while training to run the Disney marathon for the first time.

Supplies: Patterned paper (KI Memories), Chipboard alphas (Heidi Swapp), Rub-ons (Hambly), Bling (Heidi Swapp), Brads (KI Memories), Bookplates (Junkitz), Tiny alpha stickers (Making Memories)

This next one is about Lee's grandmother's birthday party from a couple of years ago.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Making Memories-blue, KI Memories-red), Chipboard embellishments (Heidi Swapp), Number stickers (American Crafts), Die cut alphas & numbers (Quickutz), Brads (KI Memories)

See, nothing too wild around here!

And I'm off to check my Facebook...again.

:)

gretchen

Ad inspired

The latest challenge over on the My Mind's Eye blog is to create a layout inspired by an ad.

Well of course I played along!

Here is the ad I used.

And this is the layout that came from it.

Supplies: Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye), Bling (Heidi Swapp), Die cuts (My Mind's Eye), Alphabet stickers (Doodlebug-white, Making Memories-silver), Brads (KI Memories)

{I am all about the scallops these days!}

The challenge is not due until Thursday so there is time to play along if you want!

Ok that's all I've got!

:)
Happy hump day!

gretchen

Weekend update

{obviously a day late but better late than never}

One.

I ran in Ridgeland, MS this past Saturday.
13.1 miles

It was a very nice course until about mile 11 when it took an upward turn for at least a mile.

{I am not exaggerating! And my quads are still burning!}

Thankfully David and Stuart had jumped in {bandits!!} at mile 8 to run the rest of the way with me.

Without them pushing me {and David pestering me with "You can do it. You are almost there. Pick it up a little or you won't make it"}, I probably would not have made it under my 2 hour goal.

Yessssssss!

{next goal: under 1:57 which is what I ran in PT school}

Two.

After the race I stayed and hung out with these 2 nuts.

Almost 38 years of marriage and sometimes they still act like kids.

Three.

I am currently obsessed with Kelly Clarkson's new CD.

More specifically, I am obsessed with "Already Gone".

It may sound kind of like "Halo" but it's better.

I might have listened to it on repeat for an hour on the way home.

Four.

Have you gotten the latest Paper Crafts?
I've got a couple of cards in there.

Supplies: Kraft cardstock (DMC, Inc.), Patterned paper (KI Memories), Chipboard alphas (Basic Grey), Brads (KI Memories), Flower (Prima), Chipboard button (KI Memories)

Supplies: Cardstock (Bazzill), Patterned paper (KI Memories), Brads (KI Memories), Alphabet stickers (Pink Paislee), Chipboard flower (KI Memories), Border stickers (KI Memories)

Five.
What about the November CK?
Got that one yet?
This layout is in there.

Supplies: Patterned paper (KI Memories), Alphabet stickers (Making Memories, American Crafts), Brads (KI Memories), Chipboard embellishments (Making Memories), Rub-on journaling block (Hambly), Ribbon (Offray)

Six.
I am feeling the need to do something crafty.
I think I will work on the latest challenges on the My Mind's Eye and American Crafts blogs.

Seven.

Loving this cooler weather!

I was sporting new sweaters all weekend!

And that, my friends, is the update.

Hope your Monday was a good one!
:)
gretchen

Getting my scrap on

I've been playing with some of my new My Little Shoebox stuff!
I used the Robots Unplugged line here.

*****
OUT FOR

PUBLICATION
*****
{Click on image to see larger}

Supplies: Patterned paper (My Little Shoebox), Cardstock (American Crafts) Chipboard alphas (My Little Shoebox), Bling (Heidi Swapp)
:)

For the title I peeled off the colored layer from the chipboard alphabets (they were originally blue) to get down to the raw chipboard.

The raw chipboard matches the kraft-y color in this line really well!
________________________________________

And I made a card!

**IT IS NOT HERE BECAUSE

IT IS BEING PUBLISHED!!**

{I do love the fun stars in this line!}
________________________________________
Hey, go check out the new challenge on the KI blog and look at the awesome pillow Dusti made with some of the KI Digi products!
A pillow with digital stuff?? What the heck??!
{i know...i thought it was crazy too originally}
Oh yeah!
You must see it!
It is the cutest thing ever!
And there is a contest too for a chance to win some cool KI stuff if you are so inclined.
:)
Happy Tuesday!
gretchen

Poor sad neglected blog

Well I guess it is not too sad & neglected just yet.
But that Facebook thing is pretty addictive.

However, I did manage to pull myself away from the computer long enough to run the Race for the Cure yesterday morning.

We toughed it out in the rain!

{Lucy, Brittney, and I}

Look at Janna rockin' the 5k!!

That was a fun morning!
____________________________________

I also pulled myself away long enough to cheer the Tide on to a
not-real-pretty-but-we-will-take-it win over Ole Miss. And even to do a little scrapbooking.

Supplies: Patterned paper (KI Memories), Kraft cardstock (DMC, Inc.), Chipboard numbers (Basic Grey), Metal embellishments (7gypsies)

Please note that on the above layout I used about 1/8 of a sheet of my
Love, Elsie patterned paper stash.
However, those metal arrow thingys have been in my stash for a loooong time so that has to count for something!
:)
I hope your weekend was a good one also!
gretchen

Oh for goodness sake

I am on facebook now.

I could not withstand the peer pressure any longer.

I better not get any emails asking why I am not updating this blog.

You can just assume that the answer will be because the evil,

time-sucking facebook has my attention now.

And you all better be my friends.

I only have 6 right now and that pretty much makes me a looser in facebook world.

Boo!

Halloween is just around the corner!

Want an easy decorating idea??
Well I've got one for ya!

All you need are some votive candles and these and these to be able to make these little thingys.

Just stick them stickers on your votives & you've got yourself some cute little decorations!
{and the glitter is all fun & sparkly when the candles are lit!}
:)
gretchen

{please pay no attention to the pitiful grammar in this post-sometimes i can't help but let my mississippi roots shine through}

Using my stash

I have to admit that my heart broke a little bit when I heard that Elsie & KI Memories parted ways & they would not be making

Love, Elsie stuff anymore.
I have always had a small-ish {ok maybe it is not so small} scrapbooking crush on Elsie & I love her funky products.

I immediately went into hoarding mode.

I knew that every product I used was one less I would have to use later.
But all this stuff {and I have a bunch of it...like everything they made} is taking up a lot of space in my scraproom & goodness knows that I cannot get rid of it or give it away...ever.

So that means I have to use it.
As painful as it is to cut it up, tear it up, and stick it down, I feel that this is the best way to handle the situation.

Here is my first attempt.

_____________

**removed for publication**

**be back later**
____________

{click on it to see it bigger}

Supplies: Cardstock (Prism), Patterned paper (Love, Elsie for KI Memories), Bling (Heidi Swapp), Chipboard letters (Cosmo Cricket)

So there you have it.
I used 1.25 sheets of my massive stack of Love, Elsie patterned paper.

But I am officially using my stash nonetheless.
{for now at least...i am subject to go into hoarding mode again at any time}

_______________________________________________
On a different note, does anybody have a use for or just want a bunch of old-ish scrapbooking magazines??
I don't mean from like 1985 or anything.
Most of the ones I still have are from 2008-09.

And I have a bunch of them too.
Anybody want these or know what I can do with them?

:)
Happy Monday night!
gretchen

Happy World Card Making Day!!

Oh yeah, today is a major holiday!
How convenient that it falls on a weekend so I do not have to miss work.
Because if it fell on any other day I would certainly expect to get the day off!

:)

In honor of the holiday, I present you with some cards that I have made.

{some made recently; some not so much}

{I made this one for yesterday's Focus On over on the KI blog}

Supplies: Patterned paper, cardstock border sticker, brads, chipboard embellishment, journaling card (KI Memories), Border punch (Fiskars), string

Supplies: Cardstock (Prism), Patterned paper (Heidi Swapp), Die cut bird (Jenni Bowlin), Alpha stickers (Basic Grey), Bling & chipboard heart (Heidi Swapp)

Supplies: Cardstock (Prism), Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye), Tiny alpha stickers (Making Memories), Chipboard heart (Heidi Swapp), Ribbon(??)

{I submitted this one to Paper Crafts based on one of their sketches}
Supplies: Cardstock (Prism), Patterned paper (American Crafts-yellow scalloped & dotted, KI Memories-all other), Brads (KI Memories), Chipboard embellishment (KI Memories)

Supplies: Cardstock (Prism), Patterned paper (KI Memories), Chipboard embellishments (KI Memories), Alphabet stickers (Doodlebug), Buttons (Foofala)

And if you are in the mood to make some cards on this fabulous holiday, check out the free card class over on the KI blog today!
While you are there, leave a comment for a chance to win a KI paper pad!

I hope your World Card Making Day/Saturday is a great one!!
:)
gretchen