Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore

Back again with a post from Scrap Jacked. The video you all have been waiting for (yeah right). It's not great, and far from perfect. A lot like me. Hehehe! It is something tho. I tried. I really like doing them. They prove to be a challenge. I really need a video camera. Anyway here ya go.




The finished page.


I really enjoyed making this background. If you would like the cut file I created here ya go...Cut File

I finished the cover to my Happy Little moments book. I really like how it turned out. I struggled with it for a day or so. I wasn't sure if I wanted to paint, cover it, or leave it tan. In the end you can see I painted it and added modeling paste with a triangle stencil. LOVE how that turned out. I love modeling paste. My fav thing. It's a little messy but super fun.

I received so many lovely comments and likes on my IG. Thank you!!

To start our summer off right we went to the fair. Sadly my kids have never been. Reason is I have 4. Fairs are not cheap. 25 dollars a kid to ride rides. Plus admission, plus parking, food, drinks, games... Yeah! It is very expensive. We made it happen tho. They quite enjoyed themselves.

One of my pictures was shared by my city (Stockton Ca) and received 620 likes! Really cool.

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Smiled with the risin' sun

Father's day is coming up. Do you have a few special dad's (or men) in your life? I do. My husband is the most special. I know you all know this. I have said it many times before. If you would like to skip over mushy then please do so now. (mushy stuff to begin)He has been there for me always. Good and bad. My best friend. My soulmate. My everything. We have learned to parent together... We aren't perfect and don't claim to be. He keeps me, me. We balance each other. We were meant to be. Over at Glitz we are celebrating that special MAN in our lives... This is my page dedicated to him...Us.

If you leave a comment on the Glitz blog you are entered to win a Glitzy prize! AWESOME!

I also have been doing a few videos. I am hoping to have one for the next Glitz layout. Please forgive them tho, I am using my iPhone and a board (yes you read that right, a board). You know I am on a tight budget (4 kids and all) soooo no extra money for video cameras or fancy tripods. It is what it is. Someday I will get something fancy. For now it works. I also have never really done this before so be kind. LOL! Anyway my first video to share will go up the 15th and it is for the new scrap jacked. I will show ya how I did the page I created for it. For now here is a peek.

I have been doing the Maggie H and Marcy P class over at Studio Calico... Here is a small page I did in my book. Really love this class. Lots of inspiration.

And in none scrappy related news...
I have been struggling with a few things at work. Well one thing, I cant stand that someone is saying things behind my back. Things that aren't true. It is only one person. I try very hard to be a good person, to be fair and let things go... But this person seriously wont quit. I am trying to let it go. I am trying to not let it hurt my heart. The stress it causes makes my chest hurt. I dont know why. Put it in a bubble and let it go.... Or so I tell myself. That is where my fav quote comes in. "I give myself very good advice, but I rarely seldom follow it." Let it go, you cant please everyone. *sigh* Why should it matter what this person thinks? It doesn't, so why does it bug me so much? Anyway...Putting it in the bubble...Now let it go, darn it! Haha!

Thanks for listening to my rant. Sometimes just saying it (or typing it) can be a little therapeutic.
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On a Perfect Summer Day

My first blog post is up for the Glitz Design Blog. I always enjoy creating with Glitz products. Love Uncharted. I really cant get enough of this line. Our theme was to play with the peek a boos.


The peekaboos are so versatile. I used my ampersands for part of my title and the frame as the focus of my layout. I also wanted to draw attention to my picture of the cupcakes so I used a little throw away frame that came with the film strip. I loved it and thought it made my photo pop. So don't throw those bits away they work great to draw attention to a photo or be made into a little embellishment.





I love creating for this company...I think I have said that a lot but I can't help it, it's true!

As a little added bonus here is the recipe for the cherry cupcakes I made in the pic above. I added peanuts and chopped cherries to the filling. I was going for a "big Cherry" candy cupcake.

BIG CHERRY CUPCAKES ( A compilation of a few different recipes.)

Cupcakes
1½ cup flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
8 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
½ cup buttermilk
¾ cup Coca-Cola
¼ tsp maraschino cherry juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
Maraschino cherries, stemless

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
2. In a bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together and set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine the sugar and butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg until incorporated.
4. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, Coke, maraschino cherry juice, and vanilla extract and stir to combine.
5. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture on low speed, alternately with the liquid ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing just until incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners.
6. Insert 1 maraschino cherry in the middle of each cupcake and cover with batter.
7. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Frosting: (if piling this on real high like mine, you will probably want to double)
2 sticks salted butter, softened
10 oz jar maraschino cherries
4 cups powdered sugar


In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and four tablespoons of maraschino cherry juice from the jar until smooth. Slowly add four cups of powdered sugar and beat on low until barely mixed.


Gradually increase mixer speed and beat on medium high about a minute. Add some coarsely chopped cherries (I used half the jar–you could use more or less to suit your taste). Beat on medium high for another minute or so until frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add more cherry juice and beat just a bit longer.


Generously frost your cupcakes and place in the refrigerator until well chilled (about an hour)

I added a chocolate ganache as a filling...

Ingredients
8 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Directions
Cook the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and instant coffee in the top of a double boiler over simmering water until smooth and warm, stirring occasionally.

I leave out the coffee because I hate coffee lol!


Just a little instagram share with ya.

Cheeries from the flea market... Only 1.50 a lb! Sooo delish too.

Took the kids to the school carnival and snapped this pic of the clown. I thought she looked really neat and I love how this pic came out. I couldn't even see my phone when I took it because it was so sunny out.

My super silly son. We were at the dollar tree. He makes me giggle.

Scrap space bits.

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for leaving me love on the Glitz blog and here! I appreciate it sooo much!


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Waiting for the surprise

I finally got the video tour up and posted! I edited it on my phone. It is a little long. I showed inside here and there. I hope you enjoy it.



I plan on doing more videos. Scrapbooking ones and what not. I hate my voice soooo hopefully I can figure something else out. LOL! Subscribe to my channel if you want to see what I do.

Also I have a few Whisker Graphics DT layouts to share.

We have a challenge going on right now. Use their tags. I stamped on mine and hand stitched a arrow. Love those tags and I really like this page.



Another page just because. I used bitty bags and tags.

Go play, you could win a cool prize!

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I'm poppin and lockin

My big news!!! I am an official ( and super excited) member of the glitz design dt!!

I couldn't be more happy! Love these girls and love all their lines! I'll be posting a lot more on this little blog of mine. 

During all this I have been renovating my crafty space. I haven't done any creating since tackling this job. My create everyday has been on hold. I don't like to do that. I'm glad to say its almost done!! Here are a few little peeks. 

Chalkboard door and scallops.

I can't wait to show you the rest. I will do another video tour in a few days so make sure to check back. 

<3 <3 <3 

You just gotta be strong

Hello lovely blog readers! Just a few layouts to share with you. The new Jack is up. We chose Stephanie Howell and boy did it draw inspiration.

I seem to struggle with the jacks but I like that. It makes me step outside my comfort zone. I really love how this page turned out. I love all the bits and dimension. I actually used brads! I haven't done that in a long time lol!



This one is just for fun. Used lots of layers and bits. Nothing new. Inspired by Pop off the page 2. My sis and her hubby Easter time last year. I used my slr to take this pic. I haven't done that in a while! I really need to pull that bad boy out. It is just so easy to use my cell phone. Who is with me? LOL!


Lastly this one was inspired by a card sketch over at Studio Calico. I really thought it would make a neat and unique layout. Love the Maggie Holmes lines. So pretty. That chunky glitter alphabet makes me giddy! Ha!

Lastly I have some really fun and AWESOME scrappy news that I can't share till Monday so stay tuned!!!

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A cold sweat hot headed believer

Where did April go? That month flew by. I can really only tell you one major thing that it was filled with, my 20 year anniversary. My husband and I have been TOGETHER for 20 years. NO, not married but together. That to me says a lot. I take this anniversary way more seriously then our wedding anniversary. I knew when we met that we would be together forever. Yep. I think we are well on our way.



4 kids does not make that journey very easy either. I love my children. They are my heart and soul. BUT they do make me wanna rip my hair out of my head. Why just the other day I found my 11 and 9 year old swimming in my bath tub. Oooo cute you say? Yes they had bathing suites on and yes it would've been picture worthy until you found out in order to "swim" in said bath tub they shoved toilet paper down the drain. I was livid! I mean I live in a very old house (built in 1939 to be exact) and the pipes are utterly junk. Always getting backed up. I had just gotten said pipes some what clear. OOOOoooo nooo they didn't! I could not believe that these 2 had done this. I mean come on! I expect it from a 4 year old but not a 9 and 11 year old?! REALLY!!! Grrr. Needless to say they are grounded. I think they realize what they did was insane and will never do it again... Or so I hope.

Lots of wonderful things in my life... For one I am alive. No seriously. So many people leaving their families way to soon. It truly is sad. Children left without parents. Parents left with a hole in their heart from a lost child. I am thankful I am here to breath, to hug, to kiss, to love. It can all be gone in a heart beat. Sometimes we all need reminding of that. Stress, work, bills, kids, all get in the way and make us forget this simple thing. It's good to be alive.


I need to make more time. More time to do things I love. Play with my kids. Take photos. Love my husband. Relax. Go on trips. Sometimes I have plenty of time. It just ends up getting a way from me. I will sit on the couch watch tv and tell myself, in a few minutes I will do (insert said procrastination here). Minutes tick away and before I know it its time for bed. HMPH!!! Yes must put that on my list of things to stop doing. I say this often. It's hard to teach a old dog new tricks.


I stopped creating there a few days. I must tell you it really drained my mojo. I have found that even if I only create 10 minutes of the day, it keeps it flowing. I had a hard time getting started back up. Not till NSD did I start making again. At first not so much...Then I just kept going and going and going. Loved each page a little more then the last. The first was lack luster. By the end I was diggin it. You really should try this! Here are some of my NSD creations.


Oh I also had Studio Calico to push me along. Loved the sketches.










Note: I am in love with the Maggie Holmes line... In case you couldn't tell. Haha!

I sometimes forget to post things here or there... SO I posted a few older layouts to 2peas today and seen they pinned 2 to their board! Super neat...Then I found out one is a featured project! What!! Super cool. Totally made my night.



Lastly loving all my IG friends. I think IG has to be my fav "sharing" site. Ever.

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