January 2010 - Shoveling Snow

I made this layout based on an Artful Delight sketch.  I'm also entering it in the Simon Says Anything Goes challenge.  It was the boys (my husband Steve and son Mitch) shoveling snow last January.  I tell you, she sold out of her beautiful December kit! It was really pretty. You might want to check out her January kit as soon as it goes live! If it's half as pretty as the December kit and you are a kit buyer, you'll love it!  I've used Harmonie here with some punched snowflakes and the letters are from My Mind's Eye.  Thanks for looking!

Merry Christmas!

2009 Christmas

Yes, I'm lame. I'm just now getting to last year's photos!  I used Graphic 45, Teresa Collins and the trim is from Crate Paper. The only other thing I used on this simple layout is Crystal Stickles around the Teresa Collins accents! I used The Scraproom Blog Week #50 SKETCH and The Paper Variety's Week#14 Photo Inspiration Challenge.  For The Paper Variety, I used the colors and the Santa Hat (both on the Graphic 45 Santa and on our son!  This is the first layout I've made in a while! I almost forgot how to do it!


Merry Christmas to all the lovely bloggers out there who read my blog!!!

Canvas Flower

Here is a canvas flower I made with my Sizzix.  I added some ink and Rock Candy Stickles on the large flower and some chalk ink on the smaller flower.  Then, I attached it with an American Crafts brad. I thought it turned out pretty cute for my first one!

Christmas in Blue

Here's the Christmas card I made for the little stamp club I attend every month! Very simple--it has Crystal Stickles on the snowflakes!  I used yarn instead of ribbon!

Finally, a Layout - Stuart with Tractor -- Christmas 2009

I made this using a sketch from Frosted Designs for The Paper Variety's challenge to create a project about a child!

I put some liquid applique on Santa's beard, etc. "Joy to the World" is embossed in white. And, crystal stickles are on the snowflakes (but that is hard to see)!

I used My Mind's Eye papers on this!

Snow-y card

I don't know. This was so much cuter in my head!  I made this based on CPS 196 sketch this week and used the colors from the Color Throwdown #122.  The other colors are obvious, but I used green ink under the swirls, and there is some on the houses.  I added the glitter for Moxie Fab World's challenge:  Glitter is Glam!

A card

I made this card for my friend Stacy's challenge over at Sketches 4 All.

Here is a picture of me starting to get our Christmas decorations out! I haven't gotten very far, and I started over a week ago!

And, finally, here are some ornaments, bowls, pens, candles, and wine stoppers at my husband's booth at the show last weekend. 

Show in St. Charles, Missouri

If you are in the St. Louis area this weekend, why not head out to the Big Red Box art show in St. Charles, Missouri. The Foundry Art Centre will host the Big Red Box, a show and sale of gift holiday items Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4.  Over 20 artists from the Best of Missouri Hands will present the show.  Free gift-wrapping, refreshments, and entertainment are a part of the event.  The St. Louis Classical Guitar Society will entertain shoppers on Friday evening, December 4 from 7 – 9.  Hours are Friday, December 3, 4pm – 9pm and Saturday, December 4, 10am – 5pm.  No sales tax is charged and Foundry Art Centre members receive a 10% discount. 




My husband, Steve Massman, of A Walk in the Woods with Steve Massman, will be there. He has some really fun Christmas ornaments that aren't on his web page!

Christmas Tree Card

Well, at least I'm sharing a craft...This is for Stacy's challenge over at Sketches 4 All!

I've been so busy. Steve (and a little bit me) are organizing a craft fair to benefit the Speech and Debate team. You wouldn't believe the amount of work it takes to do it! I can't tell you how many early morning phone calls came while I was sick.... Anyway, Steve has a show this weekend so I won't have any time to craft this weekend either. Tonight is the Christmas party at the monthly stamp club. I'm doing two projects to share with the other ladies for that and baking some yummy cherry/cream cheese goodies. They look so Christmasy and are YUMMY!
We have our tree up with lights--but no ornaments! And, I have about 5 boxes of decorations to put out! I'm tired even writing it! Ha Ha!

Soon, I'll be scrapbooking up a storm!!!

Autumn - 1995

I made this for several challenges at Sketches 4 All--Melissa O'Neill, Wendy Crow and Stacy Harper Watson's to be exact! I combined the challenges so that I could enter Stacy's "Ya Ain't Gettin' Off that Easy" challenge which is to incorporate 3 or more challenges into one layout!  I am also entering it into Frosted Designs because I did some distressing!

Autumn was the best dog I ever had! I originally got her so that I could train her to be a Support Dog for the disabled.  However, she developed hip dysplasia, so they couldn't use her. When I found that out, I chose to adopt her.  She would have been such a good help to someone! She was so eager to please.  She's been gone a long time, but I think of her all of the time!  Now, I am allergic to dogs (all kinds--even the ones that are good for people with allergies)! Isn't that weird? I had one of the most shedding dogs in Autumn, and now I wouldn't even be able to have her...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!! Blessings are sent your way!

Julie - Senior Pics - 2010 - Take 2

Blog Hop Sketch:

Here's what you need to do:

Scrapbook Challenges is having a great blog hop this weekend. 
Start the DT blog hop at Pamela's blog. 

If you want to join in, post a link to this Hop On board to view the members blogs.
See details at any of the above links for everything else you are supposed to do and for all of the yummy prizes you could win!!!!

It's all good!

Thanks for stopping by! Comments are loved! Followers, too!

Julie - Senior Pics - 2010

I used Sketch Inspirations #147 to make this layout just full of punches!!!!! These are some senior pictures of  my niece, Julie! Isn't she pretty?! No, I'm not partial! :-)  Anyway! I used some Harmonie for the background.  You can't tell very well, but I shimmer misted the turquoise circle.  I used my I-ROCK for the bling!  Simon Says Challenge this week is to use punches!  I used a bunch of Martha Stewart butterflies and flowers from Marvy Uchida! I thought it turned out well! :-)

Pocket Treat Holders

Joni had a challenge to make these cute little pocket treat holders just in time for Halloween! So, I combined this with Design Dollies (top photo) color challenge this week to make these little pockets for special trick-or-treaters! I made it out of Nikki Sivils.  As you can see, it was hard to stop! I made 4 Halloween treats and one Christmas treat holder (Cosmo Cricket Togetherness).  I used a crimper on the flap on this one.  I'll probably end up making more, but I wanted to go ahead and make a blog entry about it!

Reading

I made this a while ago, but I just hadn't posted it to the blog yet.  It is mostly Crate Paper. My son and his girlfriend were reading to our nephew (Mitch's cousin)! He just loved it!! I was pretty happy with this layout. I'm not sure why I hadn't posted it yet. I got WAY TOO involved with a huge sketch-a-thon last month, and I think I'm still worn out from it! I hope you enjoy!

Just to let you know, every time I receive a happy comment it makes me smile!

Halloween Treat Bag

I made this little Halloween treat bag for The Paper Variety's challenge this week to "grab some of your favorite candies for inspiration and show us your 'sweet' ideas".  It is so easy. Take a sealed business sized envelope, cut off around 3 inches from the top. Then, from the large piece cut off about 1/2".  Stamp both pieces all over.  Then, crimp the long side. Place a regular sized candy bar and/or whatever you can fit in it. Place the 3" top over that, and there you have it! Easy peasy!

Holland, Michigan- Music Statues

I made this layout of Mitch and Steve in Holland, Michigan, while we were there on our summer vacation this year.  The statues were all over the town.  They are playing music here. Real music came from speakers on this one.  I made this from a sketch by Julie Bonner. The Sassasfras Las came from my friend Stacy HW.

San Francisco - Cliff House 2009

I made this layout for Artful Delight's sketch challenge #1! All is Crate Paper except the letters which are American Crafts Thickers! Head over quickly if you want to participate in the challenge! Leanne gives wonderful prizes, and she has free shipping in her shop in October! She has some great kits and things that are unique to her shop.

Halloween 1997

I made this using Sketch Inspiration's Sketch #146 for Scrapfit's Workout #30 challenge to use lime green, orange, purple and black.  I used cardstock in the squares. I decided to emboss all of the squares with different Cuttlebug folders.  The green paper under the photo is some very textured I bought from Sizzix many years ago.  The pp and tags are MME (from Stacy HW/Val).  That fun orange and white-polka dotted button was given to me by Kristy from Buttons and Bows.

*These are a Few of My Favorite Pets* :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

I made this for *These are a Few of My Favorite Pets* :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) using a Crate Paper sketch! It is mostly Mia. I used Helmar zap dots to add a little dimension to the cirlces.  The pearls and tiny letters are Kaisercraft.

Fall Card

I am entering this into some challenges.

I got some concepts from Simon Says Challenge: What's Cookin' Good Lookin'? challenge to  add these ingredients together: 3 Types of Embellishments (I used brads, buttons and ribbon); 2 Patterned papers (and a plain colour for layering if you like); 1 Image.  


You could create any card for http://craftski.multiply.com/journal.

I got the color scheme from E.A.D. Designs

I got the idea to stamp a tree and use brads as the leaves (the inspiration piece used buttons, but my tree was small for that) from EIC #110 {Capturing Creativity}. Here is the inspiration piece:

Halloween Treat Box

I made this little treat box for Inking It Up Crazy's challenge to alter a random item and make it something special. I took an old box and freshened it up by adding some Halloween paper, ribbon and a CTMH Dracula stamp on an inverted circle Spellbinder die.

Fright Fest at Six Flags - 1999

Here's another layout that I made during the big Sketch A Thon at Sketches 4 All during September.  I guess Mitch was 5 1/2 then.  Wow, time has flown! These pictures were taken pre-digital in October of 1999. I may not have chosen to print the one on the left, but it's kind of cool that the boys are like a silhouette and you can see the creepy "tombstones" in the background. We were on the train there.

Big Congrats to my Son Mitch at the Speech and Debate Tournament this Weekend

YEP! That's my son! The one that got 1st in Duo with his friend Adam, 3rd in Dramatic Interpretation and to quarter finals with Blake in Policy Debate this weekend! To be in 3 events is tough enough, but to do that well is AMAZING!!! Yay! Plus, the school took 2nd in the sweepstakes and Mitch got to go up and receive the trophy for the team! Go TEAM! :-) Hope they do that well all year! :-)

1968- Pink Dolly with a String

My sister and I got "pink dollies with a string" in 1968 for Christmas--or at least that's what we called them!  I actually can't remember the real name of the dolls. All I know is that We were so excited!!!! The pictures are old so they have a "faded" appearance.  But, you can tell we had so much fun with our dolls!  I made this along with the bookmark and card as part of the TRIFECTA for the Design Dollies challenges this week!  I used Cosmo Cricket's Jolly by Golly on all 3 projects--the snowman and the pink snowflake papers went on all three! I used a lot of jewels on the layout to brighten up the photos! I used American Crafts fabric Thickers for the letters!

You were to use the following:

1.  Colors

2. Design Element:

Your challenge (should you choose to accept it) is to create a THEMED project... That means a minimum or two or three matching pieces... I did 3.

3. Sketch

2009 Christmas

I made this layout mostly using My Mind's Eye "The Merry Days of Christmas" that I recently got from my friend Stacy HW.  Her challenge this week was to use weaving on your layout! I used Sketchy Thursday's current sketch to complete the layout!

Nature Boy

My Scrapbook Nook is having a Jillibean Soup contest. This layout is almost entirely Jillibean Soup! This was my little guy many years ago. He always loved to explore every bit of wherever we would travel. He loved looking for bugs and other stuff! I can't believe he is 16 now. It just seems like yesterday when these pictures were taken!

Saint Louis Arch in the Fall

My twin sister and me - a long time ago

I made this with a kit I bought from Timeless Daydreams and a few pieces I won from Lucky Girl Crafts for Scrap Whispers.  Our team didn't win, but it was fun to play.  

Jolly by Golly - Cosmo Cricket Card

Cosmo Cricket is having a challenge. I created this cute little card for it!  The Pink Stamper has also issued a winter challenge, and I thought this would work well for it also! And, yes the coffee mugs are on a slant and so are the birds. I thought it made it more fun. I fussy cut the little birds because I wanted to have them walk down the dark pink part of the cute patterned paper! Anyway, I made the little spiral flower and added a pink button, a little ink and Rock Candy stickles on it. The BRRR sticker is SRM stickers!  Thanks for looking!

First Job

You know, sometimes you have it, and sometimes, you don't! This is more in the "don't" category.  I don't know why I was so stubborn to keep working on a layout when I was just not "feelin'" it! Well, that's the way it goes sometimes. I just haven't been feeling well this week. Many of you do not know that I have Lupus as well as Sjogren's Syndrome (which is another autoimmune disease), and I also suffer from terrible migraines frequently.  This is why I work part-time as an ESL tutor instead of as a full-time librarian!  Well, this week I have been in a flair. I had a horrible migraine today, but I wanted to take two of my students to a kite making afternoon about 1/2 hour from where we live. So, early this morning I took my Rx, grabbed my "heart pillow" (heating pad) for my neck, slept in my quiet, dark room until it was time to get ready to go.  I did not want to disappoint "the girls."  We did get to go, and the girls got to make some beautiful butterfly kites--taught by a master kite maker from China! It was so fun seeing their enjoyment!!! We also took them out to eat. This was a rare treat for them! So, we really enjoyed the day! I'm still feeling badly, but HAPPY!

Anyway, back to the layout: The Paper Variety had a challenge where you had to scraplift one of their DT members.  I decided to use elements from Tessa's layout! They are the cluster with the heart, star and flower to the lower right of the photo. I also drew a box around the photo as a frame and added some buttons in a couple of clusters.  I also added a scallop to the right of the photo--which Tessa also included in her layout!  I did use paint, but I used it more like the loosely followed Sketch Inspiration's #144 this week.  You can see the sketch in the paint dauber circles and the border strip along the bottom of the photo as well as the little bracketed title "First Job - Gerbes." I also took a little inspiration from a CK layout called First Snowfall by Tina.

Halloween Card

This card is really simple. What I like about it is the Krylon webbing spray  on the middle background paper! I got the stamp from a friend at Sketches 4 All and the sketch came from there, too! I'm entering it into the Simon Says challenge to make a Halloween Card.

School Days - 1997

It seems like just yesterday that these pictures were taken. I made this for one of the Sketches 4 All challenges recently! Most of the paper I got from my friend Stacy, but the wooden letters came from my friend Mel. I shared links in my last scrapbook layout post!  The stickers were from Fia (Sketches 4 All owner) and the eyelet ribbon was from Cindy from there! so, thanks to everyone who contributed to this layout! :-)

Kusudama flowers and a gift

I made this flower using a tutorial from Sandy Ang.  I made some with the Chinese girls who I tutor at the local high school. They caught on immediately. I didn't have my camera with me, but I am sharing the one I made.  I gave them much prettier paper! They just loved doing it! So, I wanted to thank Sandy for sharing the wonderful tutorial.

While I am speaking about Sandy, I wanted to show you a fun giveaway that I won from her:

If you have a minute, you might go over to Sandy's site. She is really talented! She also sent me a fantastic card, but I didn't take a photo of it! I've been exhausted this week so I've only done 2 crafting projects this week. Most everything I'm posting are things that I made for the Sketch A Thon at Sketches 4 All last month!

Gearing up for Shows

Natural Edge Spalted Pecan bowl

Rhodium laser cut zig Maple and Acrylic Heart ballpoint pen

Bocote Teleidoscope

Walnut Sushi plate set


My husband is gearing up for fall shows--which of course, means that I am going to be extra busy!  Here are some of his latest creations!!!


If you'd like to see more and want to snag something before the shows get started, please let us know! People are starting to think about Christmas presents and that is when things start flying off of the shelves! :-)




If you'd like to see more:
http://www.massmans.org/zen/ where almost everything he has is listed or his etsy shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/massmans