Hoppin' along with the Hol-ODD-day hop

Welcome to the first Some Odd Girl Hol-ODD-day Blog Hop! Some Odd Girl had a great idea to have this hop to not only show some love for all Oddies this holiday season, but to have a hop that includes them!

So take a hop thru the list and make sure to leave comments at every stop because the Odd Girls have some prizes to give away to celebrate but you have to complete the list to be entered.

The hop starts at the Some Odd Girl Blog and ends up at Kristy's blog. We're SURE that along the way you'll see some amazing projects! You should have arrived from Robin F.'s blog, if not start at the beginning to complete the hop.

1. SOG Blog
2. Kimmy
3. Margie
4. Andrea
5. Leah
6. Corry
7. Sally
8. Yvonne
9. Meredith
10. Tanya
11. Robin Mc
12. Jennifer
13. Donna
14. Marcie
15. Asa
16. Zarah
17. Tanya
18. Mary
19. Denise
20. Robin F.
21. Diana (YOU ARE HERE!)
22. Jan
23. Cassie
24. Kellie
25. Kristy

I made this card using Pressie Mae (too cute, huh?!). The papers are from the December kit at Scrapbook Circle. (A must-have kit, if you ask me!!) And for those of you that like knowing what colors were used, below are my Copic colors for Mae.

Your next stop in the hop is Jan's blog. Thanks for hoppin by! The hop is running from Nov. 30 at 9 a.m. (EST) - Dec 1st at 6 p.m. (EST). I am super excited to be a part of this hop. All of the Odd Girls are sure to have some wonderful inspiration, so hop on!

A time for JOY

The December kit from Scrapbook Circle just screamed holiday decorating to me. I made a trip out to Hobby Lobby and picked up these chipboard letters to use with the kit.


I currently have these letters on the entrance-way cabinet in my home, but I think I may soon find a way to adhere some ribbon to each letter and hang them on the tree as ornaments. Maybe... we'll see. I've been walking past them the past few days and they just look so good where I have them.

The possibilities for this kit are amazing. Check out the idea gallery at Scrapbook Circle. The girls have started posting their projects and there's so much to see!!

Make sure to put this kit on your must-have list if you plan on scrapping any holiday photos. And who won't be, 'eh? I'd also scoop one up if you're going to be making holiday cards, too.

Thanks for visiting my blog. Hope you all are having a great start to your week!!

Kick off the holiday season!

The birds are perched in their spots near the top of the tree.

I am so ready for this holiday season! Who's with me? Did you set up your tree yet? Dig out the decorations? Make your cookie baking list? Start the holiday shopping? Or at least the list?

Happy Holidays!

grab it quick!

I wanted to let you know that Scrapbook Circle is having a sale on the few past kits they have left. The sale started yesterday and there are now only have a handful of one kit left. It's a fun Christmas filled kit and you can check it out here.

Like I've said before, Scrapbook Circle kits do not disappoint!!

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! I can't wait to share my December kit reveal for Scrapbook Circle with you!

Christmas memories for Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Today I'm sharing with you my latest Sketchy Thursdays page. And don't fret... it isn't really a double page layout. I just decided to go all out and make 2 pages using the same sketch.

And it is a FAB sketch too! Make sure to head on over to Sketchy Thursdays to see the sketch and meet a brand new sponsor. I'm sure we'll all find some quiet time this week to whip up a quick page, right?! :)



These pages were made with the December Scrapbook Circle kit, which goes on sale Dec. 1. And boy... will you want this one!

There is such variety in this next kit. If you like pink, red, black... bright colors, muted colors... classic or fun patterns. Either way you trend for the holidays, this kit has it all! And wonderful embellishments in the kit, too.


Inspired to Scrap is running great challenges in November, and I made this page with Valerie's collage challenge in mind. I made my photo collages in Photoshop and printed them out on my home photo printer (Kodak ESP5).


These cutie Maya Road chipboard banners aren't in the Scrapbook Circle kit, but I had to use them (you'll see Heidi's sketch and know why!). They are 2 pieces each. The bottom one is sprayed with silver mist and then the top one is covered with papers from the Scrapbook Circle December kit. Follow it up by lacing them together with thin pink ribbon and the look is complete!

If you are celebrating Thanksgiving today, I send you my best!! Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!! Have a great one, and thanks for stopping by today.

Super Nate!

Another long-lost page I hadn't shared yet. I made it for one of the Fall Crop challenges at Inspired to Scrap. It was a lift of a layout from the Gallery at I2S.

These pictures are from when I took Nate to meet Iron Man at the Strong National Museum of Play here in Rochester. The kids were able to make their own capes during the event. Nate still has his cape and wears it pretty much every day—now having added a mask and a sword to the ensemble.



I hope you all are having a great day! And thank you to everyone who posted congrats and well wishes on my blog on Monday for my pages getting pubbed in CK. I was overwhelmed by your comments and thank you so much for taking to the time to share that moment with me!!

so very thankful

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. A bit too quickly, if you ask me! It's like time is on the 2x fast forward on the DVR, isn't it?!

Anyway... I was about to start working on my December Scrapbook Circle kit (which is amazing, btw) and stopped to play with the scraps from the November kit first. Using some of the scraps from that kit along with what I had laying around on my desk already, I made this card.

Today I'm sharing what I am thankful for and wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you are celebrating).

I am thankful for...
• My family and friends
• My warm and cozy home
• My job and the people that I work with
• Having a personal scrap space
• My blog readers and all of the wonderful people I've met here online
• Technology that keeps us connected
• Drive-thru coffee places
• Sit-in and enjoy coffee places :)
• Modern conveniences
• Shops like Etsy that allow crafters to craft for a living
• Laptops that keep my fanny on the couch and online at the same time.

... well, I could most definitely keep going. Instead I'll stop and say that even though I am also thankful for chocolate, ice cream, fuzzy boots, chunky sweaters, funky scarves, fluffy pillows... you get the point. :)

Let me know what you're thankful for! Link up your blog if you're doing a thankful post. I'd love to stop by!

I got pubbed!

I got pubbed!!! And this is cool for one big reason: I set a goal in summer of 2009 to have a layout published in a print magazine, and I did it!

I'm all about accomplishing goals. If you don't know what you are working towards, then your work has no forward motion. It may be as simple as scrapping your child's baby pictures from the 90's, or to use a new technique you've been wanting to try. Whatever the goal is, you still need to have one, or the motivation may not be there.


I have to tell you that I was at work when I got the e-mail from CK that they were going to publish 2 of my layouts in the Everyday Memories special issue.

I was a hot mess! :) I jumped up and down, I was in near tears, and I shared that moment with 2 of my most dear friends: Laura and Renee.

That is also what makes this so darn cool! Thanks ladies for being there for me!! I'll always remember you being a part of this when I look back on it.


CK released this issue last week. I got my copy at Borders, so head on out and get yours! It really is jam packed full of wonderful pages, tips and ideas.

Thanks for sharing this moment with me, and for reading my blog!! :)

99 Silly Bandz!

Happy Friday! This page was made over the summer but never made its way onto my blog. I have a few pages like that and hope to sprinkle them in here or there as I get a chance.

One day we stopped to count Nate's Silly Bandz collection only to find that he had exactly 99! We scoured the house looking for that 100th band, but alas, there was none. I think it made for a cute page that he had 99 of them (I love the look of the big "99" on this page).


This page was one of my favorites, too. Made mostly with Echo Park Life is Good collection, it is just such a fun page. And of course—can't forget the clouds!!

So, I gotta know—are your kids into the Silly Bandz? They seemed a bit more popular just a few months ago, or maybe my son is over them now.

Have a great weekend! Whatcha up to?

sketchy thursdays, digi and holiday inspiration

I've found that recently I have been playing along with Sketchy Thursdays digitally. I tell myself that it's to help fill the void of not having a dedicated digital artist on the DT (Shannon I miss you!!!!). And even past DT member, Antonia, got in on the digi there for a bit.

But in all honesty, it's just super fun to digi-scrap. There is so much out there now to choose from, it's just as much fun to shop for digi scrappy stuff.

I hope to see some of you playing along with us at Sketchy Thursdays this week. Check out the site for the sketch from the amazing Heidi, see the DT's inspiration for this week, and check out the prize from Pixiepetals.

Digi Supplies Blue graph paper: Marie Stones, Frames: BrandyBuffington 2PS, Paper, tie, journal spot: DS Lucky Me, Paperclip numbers: El Hernandez 2PS, Marie Stones Ladybug: red button and red stitching, Michelle Underwood: blue stitching, tag.

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For the month of November at Inspired to Scrap, the DT is posting nifty holiday ideas. This past Tuesday, I posted how to make a wreath ornament using your Prima stash.


Love to buy those pretties but never get around to putting them on all of your pages? Here's one way to use that stash (and your glue gun) in getting ready for the holidays.

I would love to see some of you all pop on over and join us. I promise... we don't bite! :)

Thanks for reading my blog today!!

...and one more mini

I'm sure you all are about set with the mini cards from me (hee hee), so here is the last one for now. I'm sure I'll be back with more, though. These lil' suckers are fun to make!

This mini was cut from the Nestabilities Label One die and embossed with the new Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses Sizzix plates. The stickers are from Making Memories and I've been hoarding the cute little snow globe for awhile. Not sure where he started from. :)

And again, if you're making mini cards with me, link 'em up so I can visit your blog!! Happy Wednesday to you all!

more mini goodness

Here is another mini card to add to my wonderful week devoted to the mini. I'm really excited about using these on gifts this year. They make wonderful tags with a touch more space for a personal message on the inside.

This card is made with the Nestabilities Label One die (leaving the top uncut for folding) and the Papertrey Ink Friendship Jar Holiday fillers for the snowflake and gift stamp. The little label is cut from a die for the jar labels from Papertrey Ink.

I hope you're finding inspiration in these mini cards. Remember to link your mini card creations up in the comments section so I can visit your blogs and see your mini cards!


PS: Remember you have until 10 p.m. (EST) tomorrow to upload your entry for Sketchy Thursdays for a chance to win a set of Copics. Check this post for details.

mini cards are the best!

I spent my weekend making teenie tinie cards. It was so fun! This one was my favorite.

The card is cut from the Papertrey Ink jar die (leaving the top uncut to create the fold). The adorable Santa Claus is a Squigglefly digital image, colored with Copics. (I promise to get better about showing which markers I used.)

I have a few more cards to show you as the week goes along, so thank you in advance for joining me for a mini card week! Who wants to make some with me?!

If you're making mini cards this week, too, link them up in my comments section so I can visit your blog. :) Have a great start to your week!!

happy girly-girl birthday

What better way to start a Friday than with a girly-girl birthday card!! Now, if my girl Amy's birthday wasn't in March, she may be suspecting this is for her, but it isn't. (Sorry, Amy!)

A friend of mine asked me to make this card for a family member of hers, so it has already been given a good home.


A cool tip on this card for you... I made the glittery pattern on the shoe (cut from a Cricut cart) by using the Maya Road doilie stamps with black ink then embossing it with a silver glitter. The end affect is a really intricate pattern on the shoe, making it look less like a plain die cut on card stock.

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I want to give a huge THANK YOU to my co-workers at NextStepU. This week I noticed the excessive overflow of cards in my finished projects bin. It was a bit out of control and it made me sad that so many cards and tags weren't going to be given a good home.

So, my lovely co-workers are now the proud recipients of many of the projects that have made appearances on this blog. And it was fun to hold a mini craft fair from my desk this week. :)

Thanks again!!!! I'm overwhelmed by your support for my crafting. Love you!!!

winter wishes and sketchy thursdays

If I had to choose only one stamp and die to be stranded on a desert island with, it would be the Papertrey Ink Jar Stamp and Die. I love this look! And now that I have the Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers stamp set as well, I'm all about making holiday cards using this collection.

The background paper on this card is from Lush by My Mind's Eye and the jar topper paper is Webster's Pages.


I made this card with two different challenges in mind. First is the Design Dollies Elements challenge: COLD. The other is the Caardvarks challenge to make a new holiday card using die cuts.

Today is also reveal day for Sketchy Thursdays. There are Copics up for grabs this week... so stop on by, see the sketch, and play along for your chance to win the Copics.

My page this week is another digital page. As a graphic designer by profession, it's always fun to switch gears and make something for fun instead of work.


There are so many great digital kits out there now that it really is fun putting these pages together in Photoshop. I use Creative Suite 4 in case anyone was wondering what software I use.

Digi supplies
Papers: Dora's Lemon Love Creations (Scrapstreet), Bike: Michelle Underwood, Heart: BellisaeDesigns-TrueLove, Ticket: Stacy Marks 2PS, Bottlecap: Betsy Tuma, Buttons: Scrap Origins, Journal Spot: Sassy Designs, Title: Stacy Marks 2PS

Thanks for reading my blog today. I hope to see some of you playing along with Sketchy Thursdays, Design Dollies or Caardvarks. So much great inspiration out there!!

Tia and her frog prince

Hello there! Today I'm sharing with you my card for the Some Odd Girl Background Challenge.

I used Tiny Princess Tia as the main image and then the frog from Tobie and Buddie as my background image repeated and printed onto green paper.


I added a little tulle for a pretty crown accessory—makes her look ready for her handsome frog prince, doesn't it?! Pucker up, froggy!!


And what would a Some Odd Girl post be without Nate's versions of his cards as well?! He worked with Gorky this week, but he also had some Tobie creations that I hadn't posted for him yet.



And here is a Nate rendition of the latest freebie at Some Odd Girl, Turkey Perky. I can't tell for sure, but it looks like he named the turkey Mommy. Or it's for me—which is what I'm hoping. Don't think he's calling me a turkey just yet.


Thanks for stopping by today. I know Nate loves when he can share his coloring with you. Who knows, he may be the next Tim Holtz! :) And you all would have known him before he was famous!

A vintage card gets new life

When I saw that Amanda P. and her shop, Crafty Paper Girl, was the sponsor at Get Sketchy this week, I had to play along. I mean... her felties are adorable!!!

I'm here to show my support for her awesome shop and encourage you all to get on board with this super sketch challenge. Which... is also awesome! (Great sketch, Bree!)


It's hard to tell in this lighting, but the Parisian Anthology papers in the background of the card were misted with Maya Mist Silver Plated Metallic. I know those of us using these papers are all calling out how we colored them, so I wanted to be thorough with my blogging. :)

The angel is from an old Christmas card set. I highly recommend saving old cards. They make great vintage pieces for cards and pages.

The PP paper, tickets, and the mist can all be found in the Inspired to Scrap November kit-Glittered Wonderland. Which is awesome, too!

Thanks for reading my post! I have a bunch of card posts piling up as I'm busy-busy with the cards right now. I hope you can get some ideas from them!! :)

a lovely birthday card

As promised yesterday, here is the birthday card I made for Theresa to send to a friend.

I used my Lawn Fawn stamps (which I love and highly recommend!!), and the Pink Paislee paper from House of 3 that is all about how you ink and/or mist it.

I used Tea Dye distressing ink on the paper this time. As much as I love the purple I used last time, it was time to try another color.


And more Copics learning time for me. Still getting the hang of it, but I truly do believe that with each attempt I get a better sense of how those markers work with each other. It really is all about trial and error with them.

Thanks for stopping by today! I am getting into card mode, so I hope you are ready for it!! I promise, layouts will not go by the wayside, I'm just really feeling some card creativity right now. Must be the holiday season!! :)

pumpkins, friends and hay rides oh my!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone is having a good start to their week.


If you know me at all, you know I rarely make double-page layouts but that when I do I love the finished project. This page is no exception. I made this to go with one of the sketches from last month's 15/15 Sketch Class for Inspired to Scrap.


These pictures are from a trip to a pumpkin farm with my dear friend, Theresa. Not only is Theresa one of my bestest friends, but she is also one of my biggest fans when it comes to my cards and layouts.

I don't think she's given anyone a store-bought card since I offered to start making them for her. In fact, later this week I'll be showing here on my blog a birthday card I made for her last week. :) (Thanks, T.!!)


At the farm, we took Nate on the "semi-haunted" hayride. On the trails were ghosts, skeletons, spiders, scarecrows, witches... lots of the scary stuff. Nate seemed to love it while we were there, and even thanked the hayride driver as we got off, exclaiming that he had a great time and it was so fun!

However, when we looked back on these pictures and went to make the page, he changed his tune and said it had been scary. Silly boy! :)

Thanks for reading my blog today. So, what are you working on this week? Any great challenges I can check out? Link 'em up in the comments section!

Jillibean Soup and a giveaway

Jillibean Soup has partnered with Scrapbook Circle to give away one of the Scrapbook Circle November kits. This kit is chock full of great Jillibean corrugated shapes, sprouts and a sheet of paper.


If you'd like a chance to win the kit, head on over to the Jillibean Soup blog and leave a comment.


How's everyone's Friday going? Anything special planned for the weekend? Anything scrappy?

I think we're going to go see the movie Megamind on Sunday when hubby's off work. Oh, and I'm going to see a cutie little kids' play tomorrow night. A few of my friends' kids are performing. Too cute—can't wait!

sketchy thursdays

Hello! Today I'm sharing with you my latest Sketchy Thursdays page. The next sketch challenge and sponsor has been posted for you to play along with us.


I used a mix of the Pink Paislee and Crate Paper school lines to make this page. The colors in both of their lines went really well together.

This page is about my son's love for building. He loves to take every single toy he can get his hands on and make a little village or town. The picture was taken when he did this at his grandma and papa's house. He was so proud!!


I hope you'll play along with us this week. We welcome back Scrapfreak as this week's sponsor, and Monica has generously donated any available kit (winner's choice) for one lucky random winner.

Hope to see you playing along! And thanks for reading my blog today. :)