Happy Mother's Day

(Susan and Mom)

Hello everyone.  Doug and I are visiting our moms so I am missing the BBTB2 post this week.  Please do go by BBTB2 and look at the great flower projects the design team has created.  In the meantime, I thought I would share a couple of photos of us with the moms!

My mom and I attended a Mother-Daughter banquet at her church on Saturday evening.  Two of my aunts and several cousins were there and it was nice to see them all.  

(Brent, Mom, Doug)

Today Doug and I made the 100 mile drive from my mom's house to his mom's house.  Doug's mom had spent the day with Doug's brother, Brent.  The four of us went out to Panera Bread for dinner - mostly so that I could use the Internet.  

I will be home again tomorrow so my scrapping life will get back to normal soon!

Get a Clue - The Beatles with the Revolver in the....

Hey-o everyone.  If you were here earlier and only found photos and no text, that is what happens when your blog owner loads her photos but forgets to go back and finish the post.  I confess that I awoke at 5:00 am and realized that I was going to have a picture only post, but I did not jump up and correct it.

Today's layout - The Beatles - is one that I made LOAD 513 (Layout a day - May, 2013).  The daily prompt was Revolver, as in the revolver card from the Clue game.  Being a huge Beatles fan, my mind went to the Revolver album, hence my title = The Beatles with the Revolver in the (fill in the room).

The Beatles are one band that every member of our family enjoys, probably because the parents have corrupted the children!!  I can honestly say that the Beatles were the first "band" that I was conscience of as a group.

This double page layout is long over due in my scrapping life.  I have not previously scrappedooks or movies or whatever.  LOAD 513 is making me look at that at bit differently.  Scrapping does not always have to be about an event or specific outin about things like bands, favorite foods, favorite bg.

The journaling in the upper right corner is a list of the original Beatle albums that were released between 1960 and 1970.  I somehow thought there had been more than 14.  But then I did not include the Red Album, the Blue Album, the LOVE album, the ONE album or any of the later releases.  What I find fascinating about the Beatles music library is that there are different versions of the same songs - my favorite Lady Madonna is a jazz version on one of the later albums - a version they decided not to put on the original album.  Their library includes so much music that if I were required to listen to only one band, I would choose the Beatles.  So much of what they recorded was never released, or is just being released.

Sorry for forgetting to add the text to this post last night... These things do happen. Have a great weekend and give the mom's in your life, whether your own mom or a mom you admire, some love this weekend!!

Through the Years Mosaic

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Hello everyone.  I gave myself a mental health day off from blogging yesterday.  I had planned to post this layout, but was simply too tired to do the write up after a busy and an evening of scrapping.

I made this double page layout for one of my LOAD 513 prompts.  The prompt was the name of a classic mystery, the Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.  Using the title as a prompt we were asked to create a scrapbook layout.  I like to work in double pages so that the pages match once they are in the book.

My idea for this prompt was Doug and I as empty nesters.  We started with just the two of us and it seems like in no time at all it is just the two of us again.  I hoped to be able to show the passage of time in these two pages.

I used Mosaic Moments grid card stock to help me space my photo tiles.  I started with young us placed in the upper left  and progressed to the second page lower left were we have the current us. And in between are the children as babies, toddlers, elementary, middle and high school ages.  There is at least one college age of each child, and then it is just Doug and I again.

In the middle of the left pages I added the journaling below:

The top right twenty-two year old Doug and Susan.....  Four years before the first child joined us....

The current Doug and Susan - 31 years later....

One of the things I am enjoying most about LOAD 513 is the challenge to look at scrapping differently.  I tend to scrap events or activities.  This class is encouraging me to think in more specific terms.  I would not have thought of an age progression mosaic without this prompt.  With the first week of LOAD completed, I am looking forward to the next three weeks!!

LOAD 513 Day One Layout - Mrs. White

Hello everyone!  I am ready to tell you more about LOAD 513 now that I am getting the hang of this.  Each day there is a prompt that somehow relates to the Clue game.  Day one the prompt was "Mrs. White is in the house," the Clue character, Mrs. White.  You could do anything that had white.  There were several snow layouts, white belts in Karate, white space on the layout, etc.  I went with white lace.

Last fall one of the guys that my son Aaron grew up with was married.  Dane is a great guy and we think his wife is so nice.  I had previously cropped the family pages from the wedding - but then I received a couple of photos from the professional photographer.  I like this photo of the wedding party with Dane and Megan up front.  Aaron is the man in the back right leaning against the pillar.  He was a groomsman.

I included a lot of white lace cuts on this layout to meet the "white" requirement. However, I decided to make my own flowers for this layout using dies.  I cut, shaped, and assembled the flowers following the steps below.

I started by inking the edges of the off white side of the petals.  Then using a stylus and foam mat, I began shaping the flowers.  I stared with the smallest sections and shaped the petals inward by pulling from the center of the petal down toward the center hole.

For all of the other layers of the flowers, regardless of size, I started with the petals face down.  Using the stylus, I made a back and forth C shape across the outer edges of the petals until the edges roll up.  As they rolled I used a finger to nudge the edge into the roll.

Once all of the petal edges were curled to the back, flipped the flower over began the second step of shaping.  Using the stylus in a back and forth motion, I made tiny circles from the center of each petal down toward the center of the flower.

 As I rubbed with the stylus the petals began to roll up (all but the outer edges) toward the middle of the flower.  Once all of the petals are standing up (with the edges curling out) each flower section should look like the flower below.

Once all of the layers are shaped, I begin assembling.  The center of the flower is assembled differently than all of the other layers.  Overlap the left side of each petal over the next, gluing the petals to make a little tunnel.

After the center had dried, glue each consecutive layer into the next, turning the flower slightly to off set the petal layers.   Your finished flowers should resemble the flower below.

After I finished shaping my flowers, I gave them a spritz with Glimmer Mist Sugar Cookie color.  This added darker areas in the flower.  I followed this with a few brush strokes of clear low glam glimmer.  Finally, while the flowers were still damp, I sprinkled the flowers with a very small amount of fine white glitter.  I waited for the flowers to dry completely before attaching them to my page.

In addition the flower, leaves, and lace, I also added a title with a cutting machine.  I cut the title at 2.5 inches tall.

Here is one last look at my LOAD 513 day one layout.  I really do like the daily prompt and the motivation to get me into the scrap room daily. All daily layouts have to be posted in a private Flickr account by mid-night pacific time each day.  I am a bit concerned about when I go to my mom's over mother's day weekend.  Her Internet connection is very slow and is guaranteed to give me a hard time. Hopefully we can run out someplace and I can use their Wi-Fi.

Thanks for stopping by today and view my layout.  I will be back tomorrow with a new post.

Event Wednesday - Bodacious Party Favors

Hello everyone.  Today is Wednesday and that means it is time for my weekly Event Wednesday post.  Today I am going to give you a sneak peek into the party favors for my 1920's Speakeasy Party. 

If you have not been following along, I planned two parties/events this spring.  The first was an afternoon tea with my girlfriends on Palm Sunday in March and the second is a Roaring '20's Speakeasy Party later this month (in a week and a half, actually).  Last week I shared the handmade party invitations.  So this week I will share the party favors.

Since this is a Speakeasy party I thought we needed to send our guests home with "bootleg" liquor as they await the repeal of the 18th amendment.   I ordered old fashioned looking bottles with cork stoppers from a bottle supplier on line.  I went to our local liquor store and strolled the aisles until I drove the salesman mad looking for the perfect bootleg bottle filler.  I finally settled on Irish Cream Liquor. 

I used my Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette printable metallic adhesive sheets to create personalized bottle labels - Bodacious Bootleg Booze Bottled by Doug and Susan.  My friend Susan M. saved the day with the metallic sheets - I had ordered the sheets and they did not come in.  According to the store at some point after I ordered they sold out.  I could not get them from a local store, from Silhouette, or from Amazon.  But Susan M loaned me a package of the metallic sheets she had on hand.  In the meantime I found another on-line source and ordered sheets to repay Susan. 

Back to my labels - I set up a print and cut file in the Silhouette Studio software.  I personalized the fonts and the wording of my labels then I went in and changed the exterior cut shape.  The labels were cut at 2.5 x 2.5 inches.  I know the title - Bodacious Bootleg Booze - is a bit cutsy, but I like it!

I also printed and cut a sheet of Repeal buttons.  This is a copy of the buttons worn by The Crusaders, those against the 18th amendment.  I turned the art into a jpeg and printed and cut the buttons.  Using the cord, I attached the buttons to the neck of the bottle. 

The corked bottles are 6 inches tall and have an 8 ounce capacity - for 8 ounces of Irish Cream Liquor!!   I photographed the bottle next to my favorite liquid glue.  I am not sure this really helps with the perspective, but I am hopeful.

All I have left to do is fill the bottles right before the party.  I can only hope my guests like their Bodacious Bootleg Booze as much as I do!

Thanks for stopping by today for Event Wednesday.  I will be back tomorrow with another Mad Men inspired card to share.

Event Wednesday - Tea Party Recap

Hello everyone.  Today is Event Wednesday and that means it is time for me to share the details of my tea party with you.  For those who have not been following along, I am doing a series of posts on Wednesday in March and April highlighting preparations of two spring event I will be hosting.  The first event was a Palm Sunday Tea Party with some of my girlfriends.

I thought it might be fun to have some of my girlfriends over to just sit and chat.  We often get together to scrap, but we rarely get together just to sit and chat. 

The so-called Spring weather cooperated wonderfully for my tea party; it was raining and in the 40s.  Everyone was ready for a nice cup of tea to warm them up.

I used my dining table as a "self-service" tea area.  I made two large pots of hot tea - Earl Grey and Darjeeling (my favorite).  I also made a pitcher of southern sweet tea for those who might want iced tea.  I actually had three iced tea drinkers, myself included.  Everyone else consumed hot tea - again, myself included.  Yes, I had both cold and hot tea!!

In the living room I used my coffee table to serve the tea snacks.  I had china plates, embroidered napkins (thanks to Carole Beath), and forks laid out around the edge of the table. In the middle of the table I  had four severing dishes:  a three tier tea party server with three different types of tea sandwiches - Traditional Southern Chicken Salad, Egg Salad with Capers, and Pineapple Pecan spread sandwiches;  a small pedestal server with mini custard tarts topped with fresh strawberries; a low tray with lemon bars; and a raised plate of iced cookies.  I had originally planned to make scones, but decided to make custard tarts instead.

I used an end table and a small folding table to allow those not on the sofa to have a place to sit their tea and plates.  In the photo above my friend Susan is looking sweet in my antique rocker.  To the left of Susan you can see the tea pot banner I made for the mantel.  You can also see the tea pot I crafted with my Cameo.  After the fabulous birthday flowers from my husband I decided to use the tea pot as a table decoration and to use my birthday flowers as a center piece.

Above you see MFK - my friend Kathy and MFB - my friend Beth along with the sweet Susan M.  We had a lot of lively conversation covering topics from children, lent, different Christian Lenten practices, to embossing/die cut machine comparisons.   We compared sizes and benefits of various tools.

In the photo below you see MFP - my friend Pat and MFS - my friend Suzanne deep in conversation. 

The MF? title started when I referred to my friend Kathy so frequently on my blog that I nicknamed her MFK.  Beth then called me one day and identified herself on the phone as MFB - my friend Beth.  And then a whole army of MF?s were born... MFK, MFB, MFS, MSP, MSP2, MFT.... You get the idea.  I am blessed with friends and I am especially blessed that my friends are very amusing women and make me laugh!

Below Toby (left) and Peggy (right) posed for their photo. Smart women - they knew I would post the photo no matter how they looked so they made sure they both looked beautiful!

Back to food for a moment - I made cut out cookies for one of the sweet tea items.  I found a teapot cookie cutter and used pink icing.  I also cut out rounds and made sandwich cookies, filling the cookie layers with strawberry jam.  The cookies were a huge hit!

And speaking of posing, here I am posing with a Portuguese Easter teapot (the Darjeeling tea).  The color is off in this photo, but it was by far the better photo of me.  Beth insisted on photographing me as proof that I too attended.  I tried not to cry too loudly when she took the camera behind which I like to hide and turned the lens on me.

Remember that full tower of sandwiches at the top of the page?  Yes, we DID enjoy the food.   The poor tower is looking quite picked over. By the way, the decorative tower and the raised cookie platter were from a children's birthday party (tea party theme) retailer.  I decided not to use my three tiered Crystal server for fear of being too formal.

I truly enjoyed my Palm Sunday Tea Party and I would like to consider making this an annual event.  It truly was not as much work as it looked and I think everyone had a nice time.   They all left with a paper crafted teacup with three servings of tea inside.   I packaged the cups in cello bags tied with sheer ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by for my Tea Party write up.  I will be back with a new project to share tomorrow and not nearly as chatty of a post!