stop and smell the flowers

I saw on Kelly Purkey's blog a layout she did (called Ombre! Ole!) using American Crafts Dear Lizzy ruffle paper.  I know we all loved it but it's one of those things that once you get it home you look at it think it's lovely and then think what the hell and I'm going to do with this?  I SO had that moment...until I saw the awesomeness that is KP.  She is one of the few that I follow on a daily basis and is a total creative genius.  I want to be her when I grow up...

Anywho KP used the yellow paper and masked/misted butterflies and I just thought it was so beautiful.  It also pushed me totally out of my comfort zone.  I am not new to painting or making a mess for that matter.  I am however new to misting and with misting comes the OMG what if I mess up this piece of paper.  Its my only one!!!  But I knew KP would never steer me wrong SO I grabbed a mask, sunset mist and ran with it. 

It was an EPIC fail!  BUT that's OK because I tried it AND sometimes those fails turn into to successes.  I wasn't going to let this get trashed.  I took a page from another one of my uber favorite people Stephanie Howell  and grabbed a doily - or two.  Layered some Dear Lizzy paper and stickers with three different alphas.  The two large ones are by American Crafts, one from the Dear Lizzy collection (the first one - a TJ Maxx score!) and the dreaded glitter gold alphas that everyone in the Studio Calico club was not digging.  I wasn't either but now I love them!  The smaller white squared ones are from MME's lime twist collection. I topped it off with a button/flair from Wendy's shop.  

So far this is one of my most favorite pictures of my daughter.  Spring came early here in Harpers Ferry and she asked if she could smell the flower.  When I told her yes she bent down and bit it instead.  What else would a 15 month old do?! :)  

you and him, him and you

I was an only child so now having two of my own I'm seeing for the first time how siblings are.  These two will fight, rat each other out, kiss, make each other laugh and stick up for each other even if they are totally in the wrong.  It's quite fascinating.  One lazy Sunday afternoon while daddy was at drill I snapped this pictures of the two just goofing off to the point of cracking me up. 

I'm still super new to PS and I couldn't get my flash to not hit that confetti pocket that is an &.  I purchased it from Wendy's shop A Life Handmade (from the looks of it I need to go shopping again) and I seriously need more.  The & mask, abroad papers, paper clip, potty people wood veneer and two different letter stickers are all from Studio Calico.  I used SC's silver, passport (navy) and clay Mister Huey's as well.  Sorry that the larger letters are hard to see.  I was really struggling with PS on this one.  I didn't want it to look fake and that's where it was headed if I made those two things more visible. 
Thanks for looking :)  Hopefully it won't take me a whole month to post stuff I've had done for a while. 

A special gift years in the making....

Our beloved Grandmother who we called Nonna (Italian for grandmother) passed away Dec 2006.  It was a Saturday and I was out of town with no cell phone service.  I saw her on that Thursday but had spent pretty much every weekend with her when we found out she was sick.  My cousin Jen was up from GA and got to hold her as she went with the angels to a better place.

The months following we were tasked with cleaning out her house, getting it ready for the market when I opened the jumbled mess of her jewelry box (now in a zip lock bag).  Her nursing pin that every nurse receives at graduation was in that mess.  I put it aside along with a few other pieces that I had always treasured.   A few years later my cousin decided it was time to go back to college to become an RN.  I knew instantly this had to be her graduation gift.  She has asked me numerous times if I ever found this pin...I have been lying to her for years.  

This gift was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. 

Finally graduation day came and my family of 4 drove down to GA with this in the back...

That's our Nonna in 1947 on her graduation day.  And that in the white frame is her pin from her Nursing School in Wheeling WV.

Here is a close up of that pin...

To say Jen was shocked was an understatement.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house.  It was truly priceless!  I was bringing Nonna to her graduation.

I'm not sure how among the blubbering I got this picture.  I was crying so hard before she even got to open it my husband had to step in and tell her that Nonna wanted her to have something.

Isn't she just crazy beautiful!  I see a layout with this picture in my future :)  Congrats Jen!  I love you bunches!
xoxo
-M

Sketchbook 4 - Sketch #3 - everyday a family

Using a bunch of My Minds Eye (just loving their new lines!) I did this layout for Kelly Purkey's Studio Calico Sketchbook class.  The awesome thing is that with each sketch she gives you at least three different view points from a starting sketch.  This time I went with uber basic.  All the paper is MME except for the polka dot velum which is American Crafts Dear Lizzy (another line I can't seem to get enough of!) The embellishments are also from MME and the days of the week are from my old stash made by Maya Road.

Sketchbook 4 - Sketch #2 - I AM 3

Again sorry for the crappy angle...so need to work on this!  So I got a S7 Polaroid camera and decided to test it out for my son's 3rd birthday.  Since I am in love with this Pebbles line I ran with it.  I also used three different sets of stamps from Studio Calico, one is stamped on velum and the tag is from Ormolu.  I can't remember where I saw this idea (if I do I will update my post so that person gets credit) but you glue down twine on a random piece of paper and then put the tag over it.  It gives it such depth! 

Sketchbook 4 - Sketch #1 Happiness in a Box

For the first Sketch in Kelly Purkey's awesome class (you can buy two of them on her blog...run now because its worth every penny!) This class - Sketchbook 4 from Studio Calico is no longer available but their May class (which is Ah-Mazing) is so if you want to learn how to get messy go to Studio Calico and sign up for Celine's class.  There is a kit too which is also just as awesome! 

While I loved the original sketch (which I can't show in respect to Kelly and crew) this is my take on it.  I just love some of the older lines (that you can still buy from two peas) and this alpha paper is just mad love.  Every month us subbers get a kit from SC.  You can get the add on's or anything else you wish in the shop.  This was my loot from April and oh boy was it just awesome!  Best box ever! but I'm sure i say that every time ;)  (sorry for the crocked picture...I'm still learning PS and how to take a straight picture apparently!) 

Liebster Blog Award!

A HUGE thank you to Tanya Johnson out of Australia for gifting me this awesome recognition.  We found each other off of a Linkedin group for scrapbookers.  She is super sweet and I'm very appreciative of her tagging me for inspiration.  Click on her name to give some love to her blog. Thanks Tanya!  You rock :)

The Liebster Blog Award is awarded to show appreciation of smaller blogs (under 200 followers) and to help with readership. As part of the tradition, the award is to be passed along to five other blogs that have motivated and inspired me.

To accept the Award you must:

1. Thank your Leibster Award sender on your Blog;

2. Link back to your sender on your Blog;

3. Copy and paste your Leibster onto your Blog;

4. Present the Leibster Award to 5 other Blogs with 200 or less Followers that you feel deserves some attention and recognition for awesome stuff;

5. Let them know they have been chosen by leaving them a comment on their Blog.

So tag I'm it to share the love of 5 blogs that bring me joy, creativity and inspiration!

1.   Ursula Schneider is this amazing beautiful creature that I'm totally in awe over.  Beautiful inside and out she always pushes me to be a better scrapper.  

2.  Heather Innusa is a super fun blog and with 2 kiddos like myself she gets my vote for great PL spreads and super cute craftiness :)

3.  Caz Hancock is another amazing person I met off of SC.  She resides in New Zealand and just has the best attitude when it comes to life in general.  I love her passion for scrapbooking and I love her style :) 
4.  Jessica B. has a blog that is a bit of a mixed bag.  She shares her love for being a girl (something I'm trying to work on so I always love to see), her love for good food (I'm a foodie myself) and of course the scrapbooking!  Her layouts are super fun, girly and fresh.
5.  Magdalena is last but not least.  Out of Sweden she has some awesome layouts that are totally out of the box.  I love that she takes chances in a craft that can kind of get a bit cookie cutter-ish.  She's also a ton of fun on the message boards ;)

Those are my picks.  Go check them out, follow, give them some love and enjoy! 
xoxo,
-M

Heads Up :) Good things are on the way!

Wow so it's already April 11th (how did that happen?) and from the time I last posted to today things have been nuts.  I "celebrated" my 36th birthday, started a class over @ my favorite happy place Studio Calico with Kelly Purkey called Sketchbook 4 (you can buy 3 and Sketchpad off of her site).  I've already done 4 layouts!  Which is huge for me because normally I get that done in 2 months not the two weeks.  Plus I'm using my stash and that's always a great thing.  Go check out KP - she is one of my faves! 

OK so besides getting around to uploading those 4 into the Que so that I can share with everyone I also have a special post that has been needing to go up for at least a month (so sorry Tanya!).  This lovely young lady gave me a sweet shout out and I've not been able to pay it forward.  I hope for that post to go up tonight too.

Lots of changes are on the way into getting better at having a routine to everything.  Time for Zumba, time for this blog, time to scrapbook (and say thank you a hundred times) and time for my hubby and kiddos.  It's been a long time coming. 

First Ice Cream Cone

We have a local farm in MD that isn't too far from the house called South Mountain Creamery.  We decided to check out their open house back in April of 2011 to see what they had to offer, sample their food and feed the baby cows.

Holden was a little over two and had such a blast.  He loved seeing all the animals, feeding the baby cows and petting the baby bunnies.  The food there was wonderful and since I was getting into the less/non processed movement it seemed like a good fit for our family.  They have their own ice cream too (I'm a chocolate person all the way however they have a blueberry cheesecake ice cream that is my favorite!) The little kids cones were super cute and perfect for us to see how Holden did with ice cream in general.

He did really well even though he looks a bit grumpy in this picture.  I used two Mister Hueys - Pony and Dewey, basic grey for the background/foundation and all the stickers and little bits of paper are from the AC Dear Lizzy line. 

Growing...way too fast

I took this picture last summer after my dear husband finished building the kids a playground.  Holden could hardly stand to wait and even "helped".  He was so excited to climb all over it I think he wore himself out in less that 30 mins.  Since it was pretty hot day he took a seat on the bench under one of the sections.  I snapped this shot of his rosey checks not really thinking much of it until it was time to take it off the camera.  What I saw made my heart skip a beat.  My little boy was looking no so little anymore.  How did this happen and how did I not notice? 

I hung on to this picture until I could find the right paper.  I used Echo Park's A boy's life, some grey grid washi tape, my smash date stamp, cord and metal ribbon from Websters, AC Thickers and Echo Park's lime twist mini alphas. 

Sick Sick Sick

So my little lovelies it's been a while.  My family has been sick on and off since the new year so it's been a bit tough for me to get on here and post away.  I promise I have at least two layouts and weeks of PL to share with you which I "hope" wink wink to share this week.  Fingers crossed that since spring is here super early we are done being sick and can move on to the fun stuff.  If you haven't seen Studio Calico's March kit STORY HOUR go to their site here and buy one.  I got ALL FOUR add-ons and started to "kill" my kits on Sat with a full 12 hr crop.  I have another 9 hr one this Sat and hope to get more done.  We shall see.  I always have the best intentions but then you get to talking and before you know it the 10 layouts you had planned only 2 and 1/2 get done.  But you've had a rocking time so...I guess it's all good in the end. 

Be back soon with some layouts of my boy :)

A few changes

I wanted to rename my blog a month after I started it.  Not because I don't like the name.  After all Zoe is my daughters name but because I felt it wasn't something that said "me".  About 10 years ago I moved to Massachusetts with my first husband and we bought a Victorian that needed a good chunk of help.  While there I started a business called Bangers and Mash Designs.  That business has since closed but the name was totally me.  Since last September I've been mulling over blog names that were as me as my old business and just kept coming up with names that were so not me....until last night.  It just hit me and so I renamed my blog from Zoe's Scrapbooking Corner to 5 Cheeky Monkeys because we are a family of five sarcastic silly people.  I know that's not the full definition but it works and it "so me" :)

I will keep the url (zoesscarpbooking.blogspot.com) for now just because I'm trying to make sure it doesn't disrupt everything I've worked for.  Thanks for the support over the last few months, sorry if this causes any confusion and welcome to me! 

Word Art using my ZIG pen

I've always been a doodler/drawing and I think I've had a ZIG pen in my art collection for at least a decade.  I took an online class to get me back to my roots and this is what I came up with.  I'm still on the fence regarding if I should give it some color...

My son who as I mentioned in at least one previous post is 3 and was just not having a good night.  I channeled my "he's going to be lucky to make it to 4" into this little doodle which why you see the words NO NO.  HA!  Kids...

Zoe's first birthday

I can't seem to get enough of Pebbles Hip Hip Hooray line.  I have done at least 3 layouts and I'm working on #4.  I've never done that before - normally i buy enough for one page and I'm spent and move on.  Not this line...this I have purchase at least two more times since it came in my Studio Calico kit. 

I took a small doily and used Cameo for the misting/masking magic :)  I also used a little of the most awesome glitter paper ever!  POW from American Crafts is stunning and they come in about 10 colors (I hope they come out with more since I'm now addicted).  I also used the smash date stamp (my dear lizzy one is on order - whoo hoo!) and washi tape from A Muse Studio. 

This is a happy and sad layout for me.  I'm so excited to watch her grow I think I just wish it was a little slower.  Maybe it's because shes the baby - the last one.  My 3 year old on the other hand is showing me that two is a cake walk... ;)
xoxo
-M

"Do You Realize?"

I was listening to XM radio the other day and Flaming Lips came on with their song "Do you realize?".  I've always loved that song but I was in the middle of scrap-lifting this awesome layout that I found over at Studio Calico when it just hit me.  As soon as I got home I took all the butterflies that I had die cut (A Muse Studio butterfly trio) out and redesigned my entire layout.  I knew I wanted a tone on tone look but instead of it looking like Kinsey's page called Dylan (Take Note) see- Kinsey's work @ Studio Calico  (which don't get me wrong - I LOVE. LOVE, LOVE this layout) to the one you see above.  I never do double pages but and defiantly not 8.5 x 11 but that size seems to be my thing lately and I thought these lyrics just looked better on two pages.  I used Stepping Stone which is a alphabet set from Studio Calico (in both the lined and solid fonts) as well as using their awesome wood veneer letters from a previous kit.  I pretty much have killed that alpha so I used what I could and left it plain.  I used chalk ink in raspberry pie and dark bark.  I don't even know who makes them but they are little ink pads of loveliness.  To finish it off I took brads from My Minds Eye from the _ collection and 7 Gypsies silver domes to break up all that craft.  I took this picture of my daughter Zoe when she was just 6 months and it's still one of my favorites to date.  Poor Holden has been a bit neglected in the scrapbooking world so I will have my next two layouts be all about him.  Until next time :)

CK sketch

 

creative keepsakes sketch 

I came across this sketch from either a post that CK did off of Twitter or Facebook.  I already had an idea with photos that I had been playing around with but was having issues coming up with a design.  I was pretty happy to see this sketch since I felt it fit fairly well.  

My little girl can be quite dramatic when she is told no and one day I picked up my 7s and was able to get her 4 stages of disbelief.  She kept trying to do something she wasn't supposed to which gave me plenty of opportunity to snap whatever I needed.  This is what I came up with. 

  I used a good amount of Crate Paper Valentine line, A Muse Studio cloud dies (smaller gray clouds), Mister Huey mists in clay and white, two different types of letters both from Studio Calico and then I drew out the umbrella and larger clouds.  I wanted to watercolor because I love how the colors blend but still look like it was just left out in the rain.  I hand wrote the 4 steps and took that title from a Los Campesinos! song.  I just thought it was so fitting and it's a good song.  Oh and that wood-grain circle that is on the first page is the stickers Studio Calico uses to seal our kits.  I just love those stickers - I save them every time :)

THANKS!

I belong to an amazing club/subscription/kit/support group from Studio Calico.  One of the awesome employee's (really they are all just amazing!) April sent me a huge gift.  Well at least was huge to me and I love her for it.  So to tell her that she was beyond appreciated I sent her a thank you card.  I used a Technique Tuesday alpha set that is at least 6 years old but I just love it (and don't use it as much as I should).  I took an explanation point to make the background (saw that in a hero arts catalog and thought it was a very neat idea) and then watercolored the letters.

Thanks again April.  You are the BEST!

I lovea this layout - finally!

I mixed both collections for my next two layouts.  Along with the primary kit - Daydream Believer - I also got the add on paper which was chock full of the brand new lines from Dear Lizzy Neapolitan and Pebbles Hip Hip Horary!  I like to switch up my sizes so I went with 8.5 x 11.  I also tossed in some washi tape from a past SC kit, SC wood veneers, smash date stamp, American Crafts and Authentique letter stickers, pink stickles for the little heart and Prima's raspberry pie ink on the top and bottom.  I took a paint brush and watercolored the ink to give it a softer look plus added a little here and there to tie it all in.  I love to watercolor but I also love to use ink as my medium.

The title says "I lovea us".  The lovea comes from our 3 year old son who tells my husband (who is away a good bit) that he lovea him when talking to him on the phone.  For some reason he adds letters to certain words and poof now you have an inside joke that's extremely cute and a must to document.  The picture was taken on a lunch date in Frederick, MD.  They have the best stores and this hat that my very silly husband is wearing was taken because we have a dear friend who just LOVES monkeys :) I love how silly and stupid we are. 

Let's RIDE!!!!

Over @ The Green Frog Studio Ms. Celine (also of Studio Calico fame) posted this lovely sketch on her blog.  I thought with the arrival of my awesome kit that I should go ahead and play along. Using parts of my primary kit - Daydream Believer and parts of the add on paper pack that is really just a must pretty much every month (but then again I am a bit of a paper lover) I pieced this puppy together.  Most of it is from the new Pebbles line which honestly just blows me away because I remember Pebbles when they did those plastic buckle embellishments.  This is a paper collection that is very happy and very playful and so not would I would have purchased but LOVE!  Dear Lizzy is another one that is so not me or so I thought.  The love bit is from one of my favorites papers in the bunch.  I used the smash date stamp, American Crafts and Dear Lizzy alpha and then topped it off with one of my favorite things from SC - their stamps.  I snagged this for project life but the "Epic Stamp Set" took on something else when I looked at the polka dot Polaroid frame upside down.  The "good times" is also from this set.  Now if I could just snag the other set...

This picture was taken of my dear boy riding his brand new big wheel on his 3rd birthday.  Poor little thing was born at the end of Dec so it's cold and dark but that wasn't about to deter him from getting outside and taking it for a spin ;)