Altered Notebook

Hi Everyone~ I decided to do something different and alter a notebook. I haven't altered a notebook for a while now so I decided to work on. All I did was adhere the CTMH "Silhouette" Level 2 paper on to the bottom half of the notebook. The notebook already had a pretty print on it but it wouldn't be "my" work if I didn't cover it up a little. To finish up the notebook, I added the ribbons and the prima flowers. It took about 20 minutes to complete the notebook.

Nothing much else to this simple project! I don't have much to say today. . .I have to cook dinner in a few minutes so I just want to finish up this post.

Hope y'all are having a wonderful evening!

Sistahs of the Traveling Tee and Scrapbook Layout

Hi Everyone! Before I discuss my layout, I wanted to tell you a little bit about a new blog site that me, Jen (Pieces of Me), and Ellie (Scrabookmama) decided to set up to help us on our weight loss journey called "Sistahs of the Traveling Tee". Stop by and check out the site!! Click on the title above or the button to the right ---------------------->


What is it about and why the title "Sistahs of the Traveling Tee"? Okay, the blog site is a team site in which those who want to participate post their weight loss journey. . .basically, we support one another and post our progress, our goals, and our tribulations! It's really difficult to lose weight when you don't have the support from others sorting of pushing you along.

Well. . .why the title? Well, did anyone watch the movie "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"? If you did, it's a similar concept but rather than passing a pair of jeans around, we decided to pass along a T-shirt because well, we all can't fit the same jeans! LOL! If you didn't see the movie, well it's about a group of friends who lived different lives in different parts of the world and they passed to one another a secondhand jeans. As the movie progress, it tells the story of each girls journey through life while they had possession of the jeans.

Right now, I have the T-shirt! Actually, I still need to buy it. We're still working on the logistics of the T-shirt but we plan to pass the T-shirt to one another and sign it with our name, the date, and our location as we go through our weight loss journey. Eventually, we would like to pass the t-shirt around to more than the 3 of us. . .so, if you are interested in walking this journey with us, let me, Jen, or Ellie know and we'll hook you up!! LOL!

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Now to my scrapbook layout! You're asking, "Whoa. . .what's going on with your hair, Maria"? LOL! Well, this picture was taken when I was 21 years old. Holy! That was a long time ago. Spiral perms were the jazz back then! I naturally have straight hair but when you have straight hair, you want have curly hair. Luckily, the trend right now is straight hair so I don't really have to do much to my hair! LOL! Back then it was all about applying gel to your hair to keep the spiral curls intact. I actually loved my hair back then! Now, I look at the photo . . . and I laugh!

The picture was taken while me and a few friends were at a bar! We were "party" girls back then! LOL! Not no more. I don't remember the last time I drank alcohol . ..I think several years. We had so much fun back then! My friend Charmayne (the girl on the left) went out every weekend. We were good girls but we knew how to have fun!!

I used the CTMH Whoops-A-Daisy Level 2 Paper Packet to create this layout! Nothing much else to the layout!

Anyway, be sure to check out our weight loss blog site "Sistahs of the Traveling Tee"! We would love to hear from all of you!!

Pie Box Template

Hi Everyone! I had created this pie box for my club site and decided to post it here. I included the template below. . .I'm sorry that it's not the best copy of the template but it's workable if you want to try it out. Click on the image and it will enlarge. It will look really large but when you print it, it will print appropriately on to a 8 1/2 x 11" cardstock.

I decorated the box using CTMH Life Delights Level 2 Paper Kit and added the CTMH Autumn Daisy flowers. The "thanks" sentiment is from the CTMH "For Every Occasion" stamp set. It's a fun party favor, if you want to try it out!

Scrapbook Layout - True Blue Using CTMH Whoops-A-Daisy Paper

Here's a simple layout I created using Whoops-A-Daisy Level 2 Paper Kit by Close to My Heart. To create the flower overlay at the top. . .I cut part of the flower (the lower half) then slid the photo under it. It's an easy way to create a layer over a picture using the background paper that you used for your layout.

Rita is my friend that I met in college. We've been good friends since. We enjoyed eating at restaurants, hanging out at coffee shops, etc. while I was still living in Hawaii. She's still in Hawaii and I really miss hanging out with her. We call each other every few weeks to just to touch base and update one another on our lives.

When I typed out the journaling. . .only after I finished my layout, I realized I made several typos. Argggghh! When journaling, make sure you proofread it before pasting it on your layout! LOL!

Do you have a "True Blue Friend"? Maybe you should create a scrapbook layout of her/him.

Hope y'all have a wonderful day!!

Family Scrapbook Layout

Good Morning Everyone! This scrapbook layout was borrowed from my club blog site. All my scrapbooking layouts has been focused primarily for my club site and I don't have the time to create a layout for this blog site. I wish I could work faster but unfortunately, trying to create projects for 3 blog sites is a challenge!

Anyway, the theme of this layout is "family". I used CTMH "Serendipity Level 2 paper kit" and CTMH "Just Blooms Big Pinks" for the flowers at the top left corner. Using a craft blade, I cut parts of the images of the designer paper. I kept part of it intact and slid my photo under the cut images to frame it. I also used CTMH Bigger Brads for the center of the flowers.

The chipboards are from K&Co and the stone like alpha stickers are from EK Success. I used the "visual triangle" principle to create balance to my layout. The photo corner to the top right is what balances both the black and red colors of my layout which attempts to focus my photo as the center point.

The photo is a picture of me and my family taken a few years ago. I believe this was taken in 2004. This was the last "professional or studio" photo we took together.

I'm hoping to take a family "studio" photo soon. It seems as the kids grow older, the less we take family photos together. It's a big thing when the kids are little for some reason but less so when they're older.

Hope y'all have a wonderful day!!

Hanging Flower Frame

Hi Everyone!! Good afternoon to y'all! This is a hanging flower frame that I created my stamp and scrapbooking club as a kit that I sent to the members. It's a simple scrappy project using a flower template located here.

It's really quite simple to create. All you need to do is print the template, resize the template to your desired size, trace it on your cardstock and designer paper and cut the flowers out. You then add your picture and place the flowers on a round chipboard coaster. Before placing the flower, be sure to add a long ribbon running down vertically. Glue the flowers in place, punch a small hole on the topmost coaster and tie a ribbon for hanging. That's it.


This is a close up of the flower frame. I don't know if you recall but I had created these flower frames in the past but I did not create a "hanging" one. This version, the frames are smaller. The past version was larger and I had mounted the frame on a large round plant cork board to create a "plaque" instead a hanging frame.

Anyway, this is a picture of my daughter when she was a little girl. She was in a ballet for several years and this was one of her costumes for a show that they did. I absolutely love the costumes that they wore.

I used the Close to My Heart "Silhouette Level 2 Paper Packet" for this project. It's such a pretty paper kit. You can find it on website and you can purchase it online as well . . .visit my Close to My heart website . . .the link is located on my right sidebar.

Stamp and Scrapbooking Club April Enrollment

Hi Everyone! Sheesh, I haven't posted anything on this blog site for a while now. Sorry about that but I had a bit of medical problem for the past two weeks and what time I did have to craft, I concentrated on my "Stamp and Scrapbooking Club". I had to prioritize my time.

I'm feeling better now so I think I'll be back to my normal crafting and blogging. This scrapbook layout is a layout for a challenge on my club's blog site "Heartfelt Inspirations". Every 2 weeks, I post a challenge and give a prize to a winner. I also have a weekly card challenge for my club members. I am enrolling new members for April to June membership.

Email me at lbmcd66@hotmail.com if you are interested in the details of my club. I'll continue to take new members until April 15.

Scrapbook layout details:

Paper: CTMH Let's Get Together Level 2 Paper Packet
Accessories: CTMH Craft Buttons, Fiskar Cloud Scissors, Sakura Opaque pen, SU Photo Corner Punch

Hope you'll join!!

It's All About Me. . .Scrapbook Layout

Hi Everyone!! Okay. . .I'm sort of cheating. . .I made this layout for my stamp and scrapbooking blog site a few weeks ago because I don't have any new stuff to post on this blog site. LOL!

I hate the idea of neglecting this site because I haven't had the time to craft anything new.

For my stamp and scrapbooking club, this was the "scrapbook layout" challenge. . .what was the challenge? To create a "It's All About Me" 12 x 12 layout.

All of the materials used for this layout was created using Close to My Heart Products except for the ribbons: "Life's Delight Level 2 Paper Packet, Cocoa/Sweet Leaf/Blush cardstock, Just Blooms Big Pinks (paper flower), Craft Buttons in Key Lime, and Bigger Brads. You can find all of these products if you check out my Close To My Heart Website - the link is located on my right sidebar. Check it out!!


Anyway. . .I created this layout myself and this is the sketch if you want to try it out!!

This picture was taken about 2 1/2 years ago. . .when I was skinny. Add about 20 lbs and here I am today. . .LOL! I wish I was skinny again. It would be nice to fit my nice Banana Republic slacks. . .I love those slacks but I can no longer fit them. Whaa! One day. . .it'll happen!

Hope y'all have a wonderful Friday!!

Scrapbook Layout #4 - Close - Good Times

Good Morning Everybody! Hey this is my 4th 12 x 12 layout I ever made. I'm rather proud of it because I think it turned out better than I expected. I've started scrapbooking recently (a few months) and I'm beginning to feel a little better about it. I've always been intimidated by scrapbooking 12 x 12 layouts because I just felt it took too much work and that I always thought "how the heck do I fill up such a large piece of paper?". LOL.

As I make more of them, I feel a little better and I'm actually faster in making them now. This only took me a little over an hour to create. Having a sketch really helped. The designer paper I used came from the Close to My Heart - My Reflections Scrapbook Kit -

Good Times. I love the pretty colors in this kit and the patterns are pretty cute.

I used that "visual triangle" rule for scrapbooking. Honestly, I never thought there were any rules for scrapbooking. See. . .that's how much I know about this stuff. I thought you could just put things together in any fashion that made you feel good. I still don't understand all these crazy scrapbooking rules . . .it just seem so technical if you ask me. Why can't you just slap things on? Isn't it more artistic to not follow any rules? You know . . .your own gut feeling, your own inspirations rather than following the "visual triangle", "the rule of threes", "setting the mood", and all of those other technical stuff that makes for a great scrapbook layout! Sheesh, I always thought that you just stuck embellishments where they look like they would fit nicely or where ever there's space and stuff like that!! LOL! Sometimes when I look at other people layouts. . .there seem to be no "rules" being followed. . .even the "pro" scrapbookers. . .they just look pretty randomly laid out to me.

Anyway. . .if you take a look at my layout and focus on the silver brads at the left corner, the silver brads at the lower right of my page and the mini tag at the upper right. . .well that's a visual triangle. This particular visual triangle suppose to bring my journaling into focus. I have at least 3 visual triangles. Can you spot them? Okay. . .for the scrapbookers out there in the know. . .is there a limit on the amount of visual triangles you are allowed to have on a page? Just curious if there was a limit.

Until later, folks!!!

3D Flower Template - Serendipity Kit and Photo Plaque

Hi Everybody! Here are photo plaques I created. The flowers were created using a template I found online: Click Here for the templates and instructions. If you drop by my Stampin Inspirations blog site, I also made cards using this flower template. I'm in the process of making a mini album using the template which I'll post when I'm done.

I bought this cork mat at Lowes which cost about a $1.50. It's a fabulous board to decorate and use as a plaque to attach a photo and hang on the wall. The measurement of the cork mat is 8 inches and the largest flower of my project measures 7.5 inches so it's a fairly large plaque.

I took the flower project and glued it on to the cork mat and I'm planning to hang it on to my wall in my craft room.

This is the finished project at a side angle. It's very 3D looking. I love it.

I made a whole bunch of these flower projects. I still need to buy a few more cork mats to attach my flower projects. I'm still debating whether I should create the mini albums and attachin these flower projects or attach them to the cork mat.

This pictures shows the ones I made for my kids.

I used DCWV Nursery Designer papers. The papers are very thick, almost cardstock quality and is glittered or has a 3D texture. Very, very pretty papers.

This picture is of my cats China and Dori. I used DCWV Pet Stack. This paper is to die for especially if you have pets and would like to create scrapbook layouts or projects for your pet pictures. The papers like the nursery stack are very thick and are glittered or have a 3D texture.

This is my lovely sweet buddy Dori. She is the sweetest cat, so affectionate and so loving. I never thought I could love a cat but Dori is unique. She loves to hug us. She literally wraps her paws around our tummy or lap. I love Dori like I would a human family member. I love all my pets the same way but Dori is the special one.

These are pictures of my dogs, Dakota and Phoenix. Dakota is very sneaky. . .Phoenix is a very kind hearted dog. Again, I used the DCWV Pet Stack for the flowers.

Another Scrappy Tri-fold Card

Hi there, again! I actually posted this card on Stampin Inspirations (my other blog site) by error. . .how annoying! I guess that is the hazard of having two blog sites.

This card do not qualify as a "rubber stamped" creation so I can't post it on Stampin Inspirations.

Anyway. . .don't forget to scroll down to view another Tri-fold scrappy card I posted earlier today. It's a slightly different flap so be sure to check it out.

The card base for this card actually came from the "Close to My Heart" card kit "Floral Impression" which is now retired. With my previous card, I had traced one of the card base that came with the card kit and created my own card using a designer paper.

Why buy a card kit when I make my own cards? Well, some card kits come with unusual folds or shape or something that can be used as templates for future cards that you make. It sure beats trying to create the folds or shapes yourself. LOL!

The card base and the sentiment sticker is from the card kit but it won't feel like I created the card myself if I don't add a little something to the card that I made myself so. . .again, like my previous card, I drew the large flower using my Copic Multi-liner and Markers and added a button for an added dimension.

Here is a close up of the flower.

Card Recipe:

Paper: Close to My Heart "Floral Impression"

Ink: SU True Thyme, Lavender Lace, Copic Multi-liner and Markers

Accessories: Foo-la-la buttons, Organdy Ribbon