Challenge: Candy Shop

There is a new challenge up at Paper Issues today!
This is the "Candy Shop" challenge!
Interpret that how you want but it sounds like a pretty sweet challenge to me!
:)
I am linking up these 2 cards.

{Supplies: Bella Blvd}
{Supplies: My Little Shoebox}
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Go link up your projects here for your chance to win some of the NEW Dear Lizzy stuff!
Have fun with this one!
*****
While you are over at Paper Issues, check out the Etsy shop there.
She's got all kinds of new stuff like American Crafts Dear Lizzy and Amy Tangerine goodness, Echo Park, Jillibean Soup, My Mind's Eye, etc.
She also has an assortment of stamps, punches, chipboard, templates, and twine!
And because you are a such a good blog reader if you use the coupon code "GRETCHEN" you get 20% off your total order.
Sweet, huh??!!

*****
Have a great day friends!!
:)
gretchen

Let's Ride!!

That's the new theme over at Paper Issues!

"Let's Ride!"

Interpretation is up to you.
Make cards, layouts, altered items...anything!
If you used paper, you are in!

For example, here's a layout from a little bit ago using My Little Shoebox where I cut out cars from a sheet of patterned paper to go along with the theme of the page.

And here is a layout I did a while back about my messy car!
:)

The layout might be a little old, but don't worry, my car & all its messiness is still the same!
:)
So if you have a project to match the theme, link it up over at Paper Issues!

This particular theme is running through August 27 so you have plenty of time to join in the fun!
(and I plan on making something new for this one!)
Happy Sunday!
:)
gretchen

My Mind's Eye BLOG HOP!!

Welcome to my stop on the
My Mind's Eye BLOG HOP!!

{thanks for stopping by}
*******

If this happens to be your first stop on the blog hop, go back to the My Mind's Eye blog first because you need to collect all the words that make up the secret phrase!
Then you can email the phrase to Amber (amber@mymindseye.com) for a chance to win some Holly Jolly, I Believe, and Union Square goodness!

Also you have another chance to win by leaving comments on each of the blogs along the hop.

Winners will be picked randomly from comments left on all the blogs!

The more you comment, the greater your chances of winning!
*******

I am so excited to be able to participate as I have been a big fan of MME for a loooong time!

Here are a few of my favorite things I've made this year with MME stuff...

{decorative picks with the Holly Jolly line}

{card using the Meadowlark line}

{layout using a variety of stuff from So Sophie}

OK now back to the blog hop...

My word for the phrase you are trying to complete is Christmas'

Is it coming together??
Well you have just one more stop to go!

So hop on over to the fabulous
Bethany Kartchner's blog
next!
{but don't forget to leave a comment here first!}
And have yourself a merry little Christmas!!
Only 2 more sleeps!
:)
gretchen
*******
P.S.
You have through Wednesday (12/29) to participate in the blog hop!
The winners will be announced on Thursday 12/30 on the My Mind's Eye blog!
P.P.S.

12 days of giveaways winners are posted below!!
:)

Have you seen the Jul/Aug CK??

Because I have a layout in there!

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts (My Little Shoebox); Alphabet stickers (American Crafts)

FYI:
I may be a little biased because they have been so nice to publish some of my layouts in the past few issues.
But for what it is worth, I have been really impressed with Creating Keepsakes lately.
The issues are full of great layouts by a variety of different people.
I feel that they have stepped up their game.
And I am liking it!
__________________________________

There is a giveaway going on on the KI blog!
Leave a comment about your summer on this post for a chance to win some goodies.

Hurry though!
The winner will be drawn by midnight tonight.
__________________________________

Anywhooooo, have a great day!

TGIF!!
:)
gretchen

Blog Hop!

The My Little Shoebox team is doing a blog hop today to say good bye to outgoing team members (I am one of them!) and celebrate the new team (YAY!!).

___________________________

heeeeey to all of you who got here from Tanisha's blog!
___________________________

The "old" team has created all kinds of fun projects to share today!
And it would not be a blog hop without prizes of course!!

So you need to check out all of our blogs & leave a comment on each one.

The more blogs you comment on, the greater your chances of winning.

When it is over, the powers-that-be at My Little Shoebox are going to draw 5 winners from all the comments at the end.
And the winners will get a big ole MLS prize pack!!

And there are separate prizes being given away by some team members which means even more chances of winning!

Fabulous!!

So make sure you follow along the blog hop and check out all the blogs!

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So here are my last "official" My Little Shoebox projects...

{*sniff*}

I couldn't resist!
:)

Those pears are from the Lil Critters line.

I did not get the chance to make anything with the Imaginary Friends line before now, but I have been itching to use that line to make a card like this...

I punched a hole in the card so that you can see this little guy peeking out from inside.

And one more!

I can't get enough of these cupcakes in the "Just Add Butter" line!
_____________________________
OK I am going to draw a separate winner from all the comments left just on this blog and send the winner some MLS goodies!
So comment away here people and then hop on over to Heather's blog next!!!
And for sure do not forget to check out the
My Little Shoebox blog and leave a comment there too!

Have fun!

Happy Friday people!!

:)

gretchen

Did I share this one yet??

*****

nevermind!
it is

being

published!
*****

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts (My Little Shoebox)
Cheesy, yes.
Practical, yes.
One can never have enough birthday cards handy!
:)
Happy hump day!!
gretchen

MLS + Punky Sprouts

Back in the saddle!

Back to blogging after a little break last week!
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Punky Sprouts hooked the My Little Shoebox team up with fun albums to play with this month!

I got to play with this one called "Savvy Sprout".

I took a little inspiration from Katie who always makes the coolest planners, the All a Flutter line from My Little Shoebox, some red paint, a few buttons & bling, a Sakura pen, & my Bind-It-All and made this journal/organizer.

I actually took the entire book apart before I started anything.
I painted or covered with patterned paper all the chipboard pages of the album.
And then I put the Bind-It-All to good use!

I used it to re-punch holes in the pages I covered with patterned paper.

I also used it to punch holes in regular copy paper and notebook paper to add more pages to my organizer.
Here I printed out monthly calendars for the rest of the year & used the Bind-It-All to punch holes in them so I could add them to the front of the book. I looove the flowers in this line!

I made a little pocket to hold coupons.
{i am really trying to do the coupon thing but seems like i always end up at the store without the correct coupon!}

I messily painted the canvas pages of the album and then used a black Sakura pen to label the sections.

This is just plain ole white copy paper that I will use for sketches and ideas.

I think this may be a better way to keep up with receipts I need to save rather than stuffing them in the bottom of my purse.

{however i almost hate to change my system after it has been working all these years!}

:)

I recycled an old notebook & used the pages as part of this book instead.

The end!

Wow, you are still here!??
Impressive!
:)
Thanks for looking!
Hope you are having a great weekend!
gretchen

Done! {and a giveaway}

31 layouts in 31 days.

A layout everyday for the entire month of May!

Yippee!
And I think this is a good one to end on.

Supplies: Patterned paper, alpha stickers, die cut photo corner (My Little Shoebox), Buttons (Little Yellow Bicycle), Bling (Heidi Swapp for Advantus)

And now I am tired!

HA!!
But how about a giveaway for fun!??!

I've got a flat rate box packed full of stuff including a couple of idea books.

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite layout from this month & I will draw a winner in a couple of days!
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On a different note, it's Memorial Day here in the good ole US of A.

Thank you to all the servicemen & woman who have fought to protect our freedom past & present.

This country would not be the same without them.

Thank you for all that you have done for us.

And thank you to all of their families who sacrifice so that we have live safely.

I don't know how you do it.

Yall are bigger persons than I.
_________________________________
OK I am going to step away from the scissors and patterned paper for just a little bit.

{but not for too long}
:)

gretchen

8 1/2 x 11

Changing it up a bit here!

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts (My Little Shoebox); Brads (Basic Grey)

Supplies: Patterned paper, scalloped paper, chipboard alphas (My Little Shoebox); Buttons (Little Yellow Bicycle)

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts, transparencies (My Little Shoebox); Bling (KI Memories)

:)
That's 3 layouts in 1 day.

Thank you very much.

:)
gretchen

the 17th one

I want to make sure there are at least a few good pages of just Lindsay with Bryson since she is already way too much behind the camera rather than in front of it! Supplies: Patterned paper (My Little Shoebox), Buttons (Little Yellow Bicycle)

Have a great day!!

:)
gretchen

Two-fer

I'll call it Two-fer Tuesday!

1. It's a gift card holder that I made for the My Mind's Eye blog last month and forgot to post here!

Supplies: Patterned papers, ribbon (My Mind's Eye Lush), Scalloped punch (The Paper Studio)

2. It's a card with some of the new My Little Shoebox!

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cut, chipboard alphas (My Little Shoebox), Bling (My Mind's Eye)

Don't forget to get your My Little Shoebox design team submissions in by the 15th!!

:)

Happy Tuesday!
gretchen

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!
{shouldn't there be gifts given on such a holiday?? i think so!}
For the occasion, I present to you a bunch of scrapbooking stuff to look at!

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This is Lee and his first dog {a looong time ago}.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey, KI Memories), Foam alphas (My Little Shoebox), Stickers (KI Memories), Chipboard (Die Cuts with a View), Brads (KI Memories)
__________________________________________
And I think I am soooo funny with this one!
Supplies: Patterned paper (7gypsies, Fancy Pants, Jenni Bowlin), Die cut paper (Jenni Bowlin), Alpha stickers (Making Memories), Rub-ons (Hambly), Buttons (Jenni Bowlin), Border stickers (KI Memories), Felt heart (Jenni Bowlin)
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Here are a couple of cards I made for the My Mind's Eye blog.
I used the same basic design for both cards-one is a girly card & one is just a little more neutral.

Supplies: Patterned paper, Bling, Ribbon (My Mind's Eye Lush), Die cuts (My Mind's Eye Penny Lane & Quite Contrary)
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And finally here are a couple layouts I made this month for My Little Shoebox.
I love the primary colors in this line!!

Supplies: Patterned paper, Chipboard alphas, Die cuts, tiny alpha stickers (My Little Shoebox), Brads (KI Memories)
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I hope you are having a great day on this holiday!
:)
Be sure to check out the KI blog for your chance to win a Silhouette!!
gretchen

Man! I was on a roll!

But I was a blog slacker this week!

I am going to end the week strong though!
Ha!
Here's another layout of baby Bryson using all new My Little Shoebox stuff.
{well, those foam letters aren't new but still fun!}

And here is the reason I was a slacker this week...
I got the April Kenner Road kit in the mail!!
It totally distracted me from all responsibilities outside of my 8-5:00 work day!
:)

This kit will be available to purchase on the 14th & the gallery will go live then also.
Until then, you have to settle for my teasers!
:)
That's all I've got!
TGIF!
:)
gretchen

**NEWSFLASH**

So did you see the big announcement from My Little Shoebox??

They are having a design team call!

Check out all the juicy details on this post over on MLS blog!
And just for this occasion I've got some stuff to give away.
I've stuffed a 12x18 ziploc bag full of yummy MLS stuff that I am going to give to someone.
There is one condition.
You have to use it to make stuff for the design team call!
But that's fun, right??!
So if you want some new stuff & are going to apply for the team, leave me a comment
I will draw a winner Monday {4/5} night.
:)
TGIF!
gretchen

My Little Shoebox

I got to work with the cute Just Add Butter line from
My Little Shoebox this month.
The cupcakes and bright colors in this line just screamed birthday to me!
So I cut out a bunch of the cupcakes & made this little birthday set
(gift bag, card, and gift card holder).

I found the gift bag on a clearance aisle at Target for 67 cents! I cut the gift card holder out of white cardstock using an Accucut machine.
Then I cut a strip of patterned paper to wrap around it
and slip on & off of it.

And apparently I couldn't stop cutting out cupcakes so I made this layout.
Happy 1st birthday Bryson!! Thanks for looking!!
:)
gretchen

Another goofy picture

If you are playing along with My Little Shoebox's name-the-design-team-member-by-their-baby-picture game and you guessed that this was me,
then you were right!
Apparently hair has never been my thing.

There will be another round of the game in the next couple of days, so check out the My Little Shoebox blog for your chance to play and win!
____________________________
And you can win a prize
over on the KI blog right now.
Go leave a comment on this post for a
chance to win!
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TGIF people!!
:)
gretchen

Contest!!

There is still time to play in this week's contest
over on the My Little Shoebox blog!
But don't wait too much longer!
Check out this post and match up the
design team member with their baby picture.

{p.s. mine should be fairly obvious}

:)
Happy weekend!
gretchen

Housekeeping

No, no, no I have not been cleaning my house!
I mean, really, I have much more important things to do.

Like yesterday I got off work early because of the snow. And those extra hours were spent playing in the snow, not cleaning, no way. Today the sun is out and I've got bigger & better things to do than clean on a Saturday!

Like watch the Olympics and Danica Patrick try to beat the boys in the Nationwide race.
And pick up my packet for the Mercedes run tomorrow.

So I mean "housekeeping" as in here are a few odds & ends that you need to know about!
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For example, did you know that February is "Digi Month" over on the KI blog??
All digital products are 50% off!
And all month on the blog there will be free downloads and cool digi projects by the design team!
{yes sireeeee that includes me!}
Go check it out!
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There is also some fun going on this month over on the My Little Shoebox blog!
There is a little contest where you have to match baby pictures to current design team members for a chance to win some MLS products.
This contest will be happening over the next several days so keep checking back for the next rounds & new pictures!
{hint...my picture is not up there yet!}
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I finished up my projects with the February Kenner Road kit yesterday.
The kit goes on sale tomorrow night at 9:00 PM PST
(that's 11:00 CST).
I am serious when I say that this is a great Valentine's present for yourself if your Valentine's Day is lame!
{how nice of Kerry Lynn to put it on sale at the end of the day so you have time to adequately & fairly assess the day's festivities!}
:)
Come chat with us tomorrow at 8:00 PM PST (that's 10:00 CST) over on the Kenner Road site and see the new gallery with this month's projects!

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The giveaway in the post below is still open until tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon.
Just leave a comment!
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And that's all I've got!
Housekeeping complete!
:)
Happy Saturday people!
gretchen