The Perfect Christmas Tree LO

Today started a brand new sketch challenge at Let's Scrap Sketches!  It was easy for me to convert this spring sketch (below) to a Christmas sketch - probably because I have a fresh stack of Christmas pictures on my desk!!

You can do one or both pages of the sketch.  You can also make the sketch into a card if you are a card maker! 

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the arrow, The TREE, the card with a tree on top and the trees.  The TREE was cut in white vinyl and transferred to the bottom corner of the photo.  I cut the car out twice - once in black and once in green.  I trimmed the green car off and adhered the green tree to the black car. 

I cut these trees in two different sizes for fun. 

I used the word Christmas from a Christmas title and used a font on my computer for the rest of the title.

We go every November to Santa's Woods to pick out and cut down our tree.  It is a tradition we started about 9 years ago.  You can see Santa, have free coffee or cocoa, shop some local craft vendors, ride on a hayrack ride and see some life reindeer!!!  We love it!

I hope you join us at Let's Scrap Sketches!!

12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop Day 5

Welcome to the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop Day 5.  This hop will take place  November 24th through December 5th and the new postings each day will be posted by 8am eastern standard time. This hop will be full of wonderful ideas and inspiration to get you well on your way  of creating all of those beautiful Christmas project. This is an awesome way to get a lot of your Christmas cards, and scrapbook layouts  finished, home decorations completed and maybe even be inspired to  create something using a new technique that you have never tried.  There will be a new project posted each and every day by all the wonderful  amazing ladies in this hop. Also each day we will have a guest designer  or two for you to visit.

This is one of my favorite bog hops to participate in every year as it motivates me to create for the holidays!!  The sponsors are on Lisa's BLOG - be sure to visit and comment every day and you just might get a prize!!!

My project for today is:

Thanks for stopping by!!!  Your next stop is the Amazing ASHLEY!!

Here is a complete list of bloggers in the hop in case you get lost along the way:

1. Lisa ~ http://honeybearzdesigns2011.blogspot.com/

2. Scrappin Madge ~ www.thescrappinlounge.com

3. Beth McGee ~ http://thecraftyscrapyard.blogspot.com

4. Amy E. ~ http://www.scrapthissavethat.com/

5. Denise ~ www.craftconfectionery.com

6. Lucy ~ http://love2createitall.com

7. Cely ~ http://hawaiipaperparty.blogspot.com

8. Pam - http://lovebugcreations3.blogspot.com/

9. Alicia ~ http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com/

10. Anna- http://www.stampanna.com

11. An'Jenic- http://anjenicgibson.blogspot.com/

12. Angela- http://www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com/

13. Heather- www.paper-junkie.blogspot.com

14. Jessica -http://craftinandstampin.blogspot.com/

15. Miranda - www.nanasscrapspot.com

16. La-Vie Borde-Perry ~ http://www.cestla-viedesigns.blogspot.com/

17. Sandy- http://www.scrapbookblessings.blogspot.com

18. Carla ~ http://racincrafts.blogspot.com

19. Lori ~ http://scrappinmystressaway.blogspot.com****HERE

20. Ashley W ~ http://marinewifesscrappinlife.blogspot.com****NEXT

21. Robin L. ~ http://create-a-latte.blogspot.com/

Christmas at Mimi and Papas

Our last Christmas Day celebration is at my in-laws ~ Mimi and Papa!

Tanner decided to wear his jammies all day!

I cut the HoHoHo and trees from the Silhouette online store.

I just love this Dec 25 cut and re-arranged my photos so I could use it!

I turned this word 90 degrees to use as a title on the side of the page.

These papers and ric rac ribbon came from the December kit at Frosted Designs.  There may be some left!!

Christmas Morning Layouts

Monday I shared my Christmas Eve-Eve layouts.  If you missed them you can see them HERE.

Christmas Eve we spent at the zoo this year.  My layouts from yesterday are HERE.

Christmas morning was a little different this year.  Kramer, our oldest, works overnights right now and had to work Christmas Eve.  He got home at 7:30 so we did NOT get up at the crack of dawn!!!  We had to wake up Tanner, the youngest, for the first time ever on Christmas morning!! 

I used these trees from the Silhouette online store cut in gold metallic paper.  I inked the edges with Vintage Photo ink. 

The title also came from the Silhouette online store and I created a shadow layer (with the offset feature).  Tanner (on the left above) picked out this Green Bay Packers shirt for Kramer - these two are pretty tight! 

The Ho Ho Ho also came from the Silhouette online store.  Tyler (on the left) hates when I take his photo - notice the scowl and absolutely no eye contact!!!  Santa brought Tanner a new baseball glove!

Now I just need to finish the Christmas Day at Mimi and Papa's house layouts!!!

Christmas Eve at the Zoo

Yesterday I shared our Christmas Eve-Eve layouts HERE.

We spent Christmas Eve at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.  My sister-in-law and niece met us there.  The animals were very active and even though it was cold outside, it was so much fun! 

I used some page layout designs from the Silhouette online store that had cut outs for the photos.  I thought the photos looked lost, so I created a frame by cuting out a rectangle around the cut out windows in black cardstock.  I adhered the pieces on top - I think the photos look better with the black background!

Here is a re-creation of my frame.

I purchased this title from the Silhouette online store and added the Santa hats!! 

I cut this title out using a font on my computer.  I used lime green and red to match the pictures.

Our next stop was the Aquarium: 

This layout was featured in a Penguin Blog Hop HERE.  We got to the Aquarium just in time for lunch!! 

I love watching the penguins when people are with them! 

I used some Dylusions Ink to spritz my background paper.  These papers are from Frosted Designs - I just love them!! 

The next page is:

The second half of the Aquarium is under water.  We love going through the Shark Tank - we walk through a tunnel at the bottom of the tank. 

Of course I had to add a shark!!!

Tomorrow I will have Christmas Morning layouts on my blog - hope you join us!!

Christmas Eve-Eve Layouts

I have been neglecting my blog since Christmas.  I have been crafting like crazy, but only posting my DT posts and Blog Hop posts.  I hope to make up for it this week!!

I completed our Christmas Eve Eve layouts from 2013.  We typically spend Christmas Eve with my family (my step-mom, two brothers and their wives and children).  Our tradition for the last several years has been to have soup and appetizers and a very casual laid back day.

My older brother is a driver for UPS so when Christmas Eve falls on a week day, we have to wait a loooong time for him to get off work - and more importantly for the kids to open presents!!  The past two years we got together the day before Christmas Eve. 

Hence the title Christmas Eve-Eve!  I combined half of Merry Christmas purchased from the Silhouette online store and my own words from a font on my computer to create my title.  I used the offset feature to create a shadow layer.

 I also cut some hanging ornaments out of gold metallic cardstock to add to my layout.

I followed this sketch from Let's Scrap.

The paper I used is from Frosted Designs December Kit (I purchased 2 so I had doubles of the papers).

The next pages: 

The left side is us opening presents, the right side is what happens every time the cousins get together!!!!  I have three boys, my brothers have three girls between the two of them. 

I just love this saying - it is from the Silhouette store and was intended for a vinyl decor.  It was not fun adhering it to the shadow I created (using the offset feature) but I really like how it turned out! 

Here you can see the joy!!!

I hope you enjoyed our Christmas Eve-Eve!!

Coming up tomorrow - Christmas Eve at the Zoo!

Joy Layout (Polka Dot Challenge FD)

Hello - Today starts another great challenge at Frosted Designs - Polka Dots!

I created this layout using a picture of the twins I take care of in my daycare at our Annual Christmas Party.  I used paper and die cuts from the December Mixed Media Kit.  I also used blue Metallic Gelatos to ink the edges of my photo mats.

I pop-dotted the ornament in the top corner of the page on top of flower and circle die cuts.

I cut Joy on my Cameo out of gold vinyl to use as my title.

I added this vellum tree (tied with some twine) to my paper.

I love the soft blue and gold together!!!

Thanks for stopping by today - consider linking up your polka dot projects HERE!

Daycare Christmas Party

I am participating in a 30 Day LOAD (layout a day) challenge at Let's Scrap!  You do not need to use their sketches but I find it easier to use them!  There is also no penalty if you don't finish 30 in the month - because we all know life sometimes gets in the way of scrapbooking!!

For my layout today, I used this sketch from 4-2-12.  I pick out my pictures first, then search though the library of sketches to see what will work.  The best thing is - the sketch is just the starting point!!

The title on the sketch reminded me of a banner.  I found these stockings in the Silhouette online store and used them instead.  I did not want the red to get lost on my paper (Christmas paper pad from Martha Stewart) so I used the offset tool to create a shadow layer.  I added stickles to the top of each stocking and pop-dotted them to my layout.

I used the font Brannboll Fet for my title.  I welded the letters together and cut out.

I used the negative piece of my paper (the part you throw away) for a template to glue down my words straight!

I added Ho Ho Ho (from the Silhouette Store) and printed out these 2x2 pics from my cell phone using my Zink hAppy printer.

Side note:  The little boy on the left does not have a black eye - it is a spot on my lens I believe!  I just noticed it now - need to clean it!!!

Every year we have a wonderful Christmas Party.  Santa comes and the children are encouraged to bring extended family!  It is my favorite Christmas Party every year!!!