My top 17 favorites for 2017!!!

I just couldn't do 10. 

My bad.

And in no particular order.....

Have a Blessed New Year everyone!!

It's sooo cool that you visit my blog.

Thanks so much for your support!

Let's be more creative in 2018!!!

2018 - Seriously??? Is that not wild.

2017 Christmas Card Page

Every year I save my cards the Ali Edwards way

and this year is no exception.

However, every year the cards get fewer and fewer.

Sigh.

This year I decided to fussy cut.

Usually I punch or whack a piece out but some of the cards

were so pretty that I had to just use more of them

which made it a bit awkward when doing 

the page that turned into a double spread - of which

I hardly every do.

I also have a friend that recycles my homemade cards

and the one she sent me this year had my handwriting 

on it and I decided to save it and add to my s/b page.

Love that she recycles my stuff and sends it back.

It's fun!

Anyway, it turned out cute and I'm happy.

The cards with photos were not chopped and are tucked

into the pocket made just for them.

The papers are from my LSS - a company called

Photoplay -  I never heard of this company but pretty all the same.

A two title page...Maybe

It has been awhile my friends, and it

has been a lovely break.

I was working on a project for a friend and now that that's 

completed. I'm baaack!!!

Sort of. 

It's a mojo thing.

Anyhoo, this page has been laying about for awhile.

 A long time.

Of course I laid it out, rearranged it 1039874194710934 times

and in each case the arrangement remained the same.

Therefore, adhesive was duly employed.

 So the titles!

This is a page about hanging with my dad last month

and we played cribbage.

I haven't played in years, he plays cribbage like I scrap...Daily!!!

Sooooo I found "Lucky Bill" that I loved

and his name is Bill and skillful as well as lucky.

Then, I also wanted a cribbage-like title and

 cobbled together the "15-2".

Fifteen two starts a counting cadence that I was taught

as a kid. Cribbage started young in our family - my great grandfather

was helpful in our instruction and we started about 8-9 years old.

So for every 15 points you have in your hand ( when you play the cards) 

you earn 2 points to peg.

You also get points for pairs, runs, etc. 

but we always started counting with the 15's.

Anyway, we had a lot of fun playing

and I like to think I gave dear ole dad a run for his money.

Although he did skunk me twice 😒

He also made 2 shoo fly pies for me that

were soooo yummy kinda made of up for it LOL!

I think I surprised him at times when we played.

I like surprising people.

Anyway - we had a fun visit and I can't wait for rematch.

Studio Calico, Tim Holtz.

You can go your own way

That Journal Card is a perfect title for this page.

If you peer real real close you can see I used a Tim Holtz

stencil and modeling paste to lay

down those crazy arrows.

I splatted about some mists and fussy cut

a couple of arrows out in black so they could actually

been seen.

 It was fun trying to catch up with favorite youngest son on the road

and this time it was a Love's in Mississippi.

 It was also fun checking out Shane's new truck.

He is now a proud owner/operator and I couldn't be 

more proud of him.

He works hard.

Those sticker strips are either Bella Blvd or Doodlebug.

I think.

Fun page that'll include some journaling on

the back since I didn't leave

enough room on the front - and I didn't want to

write over all those arrows.

Thanksgiving page

Love the papers from Studio Calico for this page.

The majority of the embellishments are from Bella Blvd

and Doodlebug. Really old stash.

 But the colors work really well together.

 Love the addition of the doily that grounds everything

and then I felt it needed a border but I wasn't

keen on a doodley one so I cut strips

from the Bazzill cardstock I used for the photo mats.

We were a small family gathering this year and

it was a lovely time hosted by my sister and brother in law.

Way too much delicious food as always.

Watercolor Christmas Cards

Everyone should have theirs now - if not

no peeking 🌲

Nothing like waiting until the "almost" last minute

before deciding what to make.

I have a slim to none freestyle artistic bent

so this was really what I consider a gutsy move for me.

(And shock upon shock I didn't have a tree stamp)

So the first tree always came out well,

the small middle tree isn't too bad but that third

tree - not sure if it was the angle or my

my hand was in a strange position, but it just came out goofy.

Every.single.time.

BUT bonus ding ding ding, all those flowers were leftover stash

that sat around forEVER and now

they aren't - they're tree toppers. 

Paper Studio flowers.

Christmas cards/ornaments

Broke out another Quikutz 4x4 die

(I'm so rockin' them this week)

Actually it's been over a couple weeks.

I had this flamingo.

Why?

Seriously, I can't answer that except it was

probably an impulse buy many

many many many many

years ago.

And I forgot it was Santa themed.

 So each one of the grandkidlets are getting one.

Their names are on them, and yes,

even the boys are getting pink - because

flamingos are pink.

 I put straws on them wanting to make an ornament type

so they can hang them on their trees if they wish
or just mess around with them. I ordered straws from Studio Calico

(they were on sale) but because

of all the black Friday happenings they shipped late.

So instead of green straws they are pink.

And these pink one's from M's came in 100 piece pack.

Anyone neeeed any pink straws??

Please?

It was actually a lot of fun to do.

Alot of die cutting.

I was also going to use cotton balls for 

Santa's hat but, where's the fun in that so I decided to roll

with stickles. 

Why do I not use stickles more often???

We are have decorated for Christmas - the big tree

needs to get set up.

All in All we are rolling really early this year

mostly because Shane was here and

he was the one to bring it all down from the attic.
How're your decorations coming?

 Bazzill Cardstock.

Last Little Bitty Mini Album

Got a bit carried away with the bows, but, I love it.

This little mini is another Quikutz  4x4 die

and it's 2.5x3.5 more or less.

 I used cardstock for the pages because it's

heavy and I think it'll take the wear and tear a bit longer.

 It's perfect for tiny pix, quotes and journaling.

 I kept the embellishments to a minimum for

"bigger" photos but I'm sure more could be added.

Also, the embellies are glued in such a way that things can

be slid underneath them.

 I'm pretty sure these mini's will be gifts.

 Used up a lot of bits and bobs decorating it.

 I may even add photos at a later date for the gift.

Love how it turned out and I'll probably do more.

I didn't even make a dent in the scrappy box with these

four mini's. 😐😐😐

These little mini's are perfect in getting the mojo

flowing and using up those scraps lolling

about in your scrappy box.

Third mini album and this one is my favorite

Okay, how adorable is this.

It's my favorite because its soooooo cute.

Anyhoo, still plowing through scraps and decided

to take a look at my die cuts because I remember a

little brag book I made for a friend a long time ago

and decided why not.

 It's a little less than 4x4 with tabs, except for the covers.

 Turns out I have 2 Quikutz die sets for mini albums.

It turned out adorable.

What to do, what to do. LOL!

Scrappy mini album #2 - Great Story

So, actually this one was done sort of simultaneously

with the album from yesterday.

 I just rolled with the flow.

 Used up a lot of embellishments that

were languishing in my box.

 Did a bit of mixed media on these 2 pages

because the paper was not double sided and it needed

something.

Another fun mini that neeeeeeds photos and journaling.

Any ideas???