A Year of Challenges

This year is going to be a Challenge Year for me and I have a bunch.  I really want to challenge myself to really take my scrapbooking to a new level and I've already really started growing with the help of Swirly Doo's Gallery and inspirational blogs such as Lisa Gregory's ...you should check her out she's amazing and Tim Hotlz ( who doesn't adore that cutie genius)

I also want to get published this year, so I really need to bump up my game and start submitting...which I haven't been doing...I hate rejectiong...so challenge is out..to get over that fear.

I want to continue to loss weight, I'm 30lbs down but plan on doing a lot more and continue to feel great for myself and my family

I want to participate in challenges that various companies offer and maybe I'll host some challenges myself this year. 

So what are your challenges, goals or New's Year Resolutions?  Leave me a comment and let me know and I wish everyone a Creative and Blessed 2011. 

10 Things I Love ....

This was actually a challenge for me to do a layout page about myself.  I love to scrapbook my boys and family but to sit down and do a layout about me...that was hard. 

I used Echo Park's paper and Unity Stamps that coordinate with the Echo Park line.  I also used Tim Holtz's bird cage die cut...by the way if you love Tim Holtz you should check out the sale Joann's is having on his metal embellishments...below wholesale.  I ordered way to much last night, but boy will it be fun when that order comes in. I also used some yummy sequin ribbon and chipboard from Maya Road and the pretty numbers are from Pink Paislee.

So today I'm bit and determined to get some more scrapping done as I've been really lazy over the holidays and I need to feel my days off amounted to something...

I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year and I'll see you next year. 

Divine Noel Swirly Doo's Layout

This is a layout I did featuring my Mother's Antique Christmas Ornament Tree.  No one in the family will help her put it up, as we're all so afraid we'll break one of the precious ornaments.  She claims she breaks some every year, but we still are about to touch it.  I wanted to have a layout of it, as I know one day it won't get put up...or at least it will never be as pretty as when she does it.  The tea pot ornaments are two of my favorites and I also love the bird, so I featured those on the ornament mats. 

Now here are some of the techniques I used on this months Swirly Doos Divine Noel Kit.  First I gold leafed the die cut circle frame.  I printed some paper for the ornament mats on my Imagine (that I still don't think I like) and then cut out the ornament shapes.  Embossed the Christmas tree and then highlighted the embossed areas with my smooch (which I am in love with) It really gave the trees an iron work feel.  Distressed the edges of my paper, made my poinsettias from some prisma flowers and stickles. The edges of my pictures have also been smooch with two colors (bronze and gold) Added a stick pin and some crystals and called it done.  Hope you enjoy and Merry Christmas Everyone.

This layout qualifies for the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp and Show : Vintage

Beary Scraps : Pearls and Gem (green pearls in flowers and the crystals)

Drunken Stampers : Christmas

Yeap, Another Adorable Tag

I told you all I was loving tags this season.  This is one I did for my son's teachers for their Reindeer Tea...so stinkin cute, I loved them.  I would love to see some of your tags you've done for the holidays...feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll go take a peek. 

Tags, Tags and More Tags

I've really gotten into tags this holiday season, they are so much fun and look incredible on a package.  This is another tag I created...hope you enjoy.

Imaginisce December Sketch Challenge / Shooter of My Heart

I've been having so much fun during the month of December with all the blog hop, days of Christmas and other holiday fest that is out there.  So while I was cruising around I came across this sketch challenge from Imaginisce.  I love the sketch, but I only had two lines of Imaginisce paper, one was Christmas and the other was completely summer...and the pictures I wanted to use didn't really lend themselves to either...so I took their "Snowy Jo" Christmas line and did this non Christmas layout..which was a challenge in and of itself. 

Imaginisce December Sketch

So here is my interpretation

There really is a ton of detail in the layout.  I wove the bottom section to create a pattern of paper that wasn't Christmasy but would blend in with my layout...in essence created my own.  I love Cole's sweet expression in the middle picture...he truly is such an innocent little thing.


Here are a few close up...and be sure to leave some love with a comment about what ya think....

Be sure to head over to Imaginisce Blog to check out their new Garden Party Collection. 

http://www.imaginisceblog.com/

Heartfelt Creations Tag: Needed to Repreive Myself

I thought the card I did earlier this evening was just plum pitiful...so I really needed to work a little a reprieve myself.  I think overall I did with this tag for the Heartfelt Creations challenge over at Joan's Garden. 

I used all types of products including:

Waxy Flax - Close To My Heart

Tim Holtz embossing folder

Tim Holtz distress Inks

Of course...Heartfelt Creations Stamps and die cuts for Spellbinders

One of my new staples : Gold Smooch

Copics

Cardboard Letters from Swirlydoos

and some of primas yummy pearls.

Hope you think a bit more of me after this project than the one before, LOL. 

Winter White Card

So, you see there are a lot of challenges right now using an all winter white color scheme...so I thought I would give it a try.  Do you have any idea how hard all white cards really are?  This is my first attempt and I think I'll need to keep trying....just not loving this card, but I hope it will inspire you to give an all white card a try...it really is a challenge.

This card qualifies for the following challenges.

At Joans Gardens : Heartfelt Creations
Flourishes : White
Charisma Cards: Sketch
Simon Says Stamp and Show : Holiday Greetings
Spoon Full of Sugar : Christmas Card
Paper Play : monochromatic
Stamping Sisters in Christ : White with a splash of red

Heartfelt Card Challenge

So there is some light snow on the ground today, so in my book that equals = stay in and craft :).  This is a simple card I did using Heartfelt Creations Sunflower stamp and Nestie Die / Blossom 2.  Don't you just love the way the two work together to create an easy but stunning flower. 

This card qualifies for the following challenges:

Simon Says Sketch Challenge
Stamp and Create : Holiday Card
Joans Garden : Heart Felt Creations

Plenty for Twenty..Just in time for the Holidays

This is the season that it's time to give and sometimes get. During December if you place a $20 order on my website for anything...you'll get a FREE D Size retired stamp set from Close To My Heart.  Corporate will hand pick you a special set and include it with your order free of shipping, tax and handling...they'll just throw it in as a gift to you.  WOW...the retail value of the stamp set is $22.95, so how can you go wrong. 

Click Here to head over to my website and check out all the goodies we have to help you complete your holidays layouts or even cards.  You'll fall in love for sure. 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me  (lorileng@bellsouth.net) ...Hugs, Lori