Our Vacation

Here are some pictures of the dogs (and me) this weekend. Rocky discovered that he can doggie paddle! And Daphne faced her fear of water and waded up to her shoulders. I was so proud of them!

Rocky


Daphne

Daphne in the water

This is my favorite picture:

Rocky doesn't normally fetch, but he loved chasing the ball and retrieving it from the water.

Running down the beach

Rocky in the water

Rocky leads the charge... and he made friends with 2 other boxers

I came home from the beach (still in my bikini) and fell asleep like this. My husband couldn't resist taking a picture of us passed out...

~Lauren

Grandmom's Angels

My mother-in-law loved the baby picture frames I did for the shower. She asked me to make one for her with her grandpuppies in it. Here's what I came up with. (Her apartment is tropical themed - palm trees everywhere. So I decided to stick with that theme and I used pictures of the dogs at the beach and in their baby pool).

I'm baaaack! And I won!

I'm back from the NJ shore. My husband and I had a wonderful time - the doggies did too! I will post some pictures tomorrow.

I just found out that I won the Father's Day challenge at Scent My Cards - YAY!

Vacation!

My husband and I (and the furbabies) are leaving for vacation tomorrow. We are headed to my grandfather's shore house in New Jersey. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous this weekend, and I am so excited because it's been miserable and raining here for the past three weeks.

I will have my blackberry with me, so I will be able to get e-mails and notifications of comments. I will not have computer access, so I won't be able to moderate comments.

See you all on Tuesday!

~Lauren

Two Simple Summery Cards

I was in the mood to make some summery cards. Plus, I wanted to use my new Alota bugs stamps!

Here are the challenges: (both cards apply to all of these challenges)

1. 2 Red Bananas - summertime
2. All sorts - something with wings
3. Pile it on - more than 1 challenge, purple

The colors on these photos aren't the best... the cards themselves are lavender...

~Lauren

The remainder of Father' Day Cards...

These are the last 2 father's day cards...

DCWV summer stack and pet stack. Studio G father's day stamps. Cricut Life's a Beach Cart & Paper Pups.

Another Father's day Card

Here are the challenges it covers:

1. Sketches by Tamara - sketch
2. Cuttlebug Challenge - Father's Day
3. Cuttlebug Spot - Father's Day
4. Paper Blooms - Father's Day
5. Rubberneck Stamps - Father's Day
6. Scent my Cards - Father's Day
7. Stamptacular Sunday - Father's Day
8. Fun Frilled - Father's Day
9. 365 Cards - Argyle card for a man
10. Lili of the Valley - paper piecing

Cuttlebug Argyle folder, Studio G Father's Day stamps... I think that's it.

Butterfly Birthday Card - Lots of Challenges

I just loved this sketch! Here's the challenges that this card applies to:

1. Prairie Paper & Ink - sketch
2. Daring Carmakers - red, yellow, orange
3. Everybody's Art Challenge - Birthday card (it says Happy Birthday on the inside, but I didn't take a picture)
4. ABC Challenge - S if for summer (butterflies always remind me of summer! Plus, I used the DCWV summer stack for the paper)
5. Crafty creations - how does your garden grow
6. Flutter by Wednesday - butterfly or fairy
7. Lily of the Valley - summer
8. Nutcrafters - summer
9. One stop - sparkle
10. Three clovers - paper piecing (butterfly)
11. Color Dare - blue, yellow, orange, red
12. Pile it on - more than one challenge, 2 ribbons
13. C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - 3 flowers, 2 papers, 1 ribbon
14. Creative Insprations - Paper piecing (butterfly)

Whew! That was a TON of challenges!

This card was my first attempt at paper piecing (the butterfly) and I am happy with how it turned out.

House Mouse Graduation Card

Here's my take on the sketch:
Inside:
This card is for my brother in law's high school graduation party on Saturday.

Here are the challenges it covers:
1. Sketch Saturday - sketch
2. All Sorts - triangles
3. If the shoe fits - celebration

I just got Prismacolor Pencils today! So this was my first image using the pencils and gamsol! Thank you to MichelleH of the Cricut MB for the stamped image. Thank you to Jeri for convincing me to buy the pencils and gamsol!

Blog Award

Kim at Memories in Thyme gave me this lovely award. How thoughtful!

Here are the rules for this one:
1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award on to 15 other blogs that you've newly discovered.


Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.


Here are the people/blogs I have chosen for this award. I tried to pick blogs that I haven't given other awards...

1. Eileen
2. Claudia
3. Yvonne
4. Robyn
5. Sheryl
6. Shelly
7. Fibrejunky
8. Jennifer
9. Tonya
10. Okieladybug
11. Denise
12. Jeannie
13. Blondcrafter
14. Creative Candy
15. Katie

Father's Day Cards

Here's two cards that I made today for Father's Day. A few days ago I made this Father's Day card too. Three down, four more to go.

I used this sketch to make the first card:

Here's the card for this sketch:

The inside of card 1:

Here are the challenges it applies to:
1. 2 Red Bananas - sketch
2. Card Positioning Systems - sketch (these two blogs teamed up for the sketch this week)
3. Stamptacular Sunday - Father's Day
4. If the shoe fits - masculine
5. Pile it on - more than one challenge, two ribbons
6. Cupcake Craft Challenges - Father's Day

I used Life's a Beach to create the lighthouse. I used the DCWV pet stack for the paper. And I absolutely LOVE these argyle stamps from the studio G father's day collection.

---

Here is another Father's Day card I just made. It doesn't follow the sketch or apply to the challenges.

My husband's grandfather was in the Navy, so I thought the boat and anchor were appropriate.

The inside of card 2:

The boat and anchor were from Life's a Beach. Again, I used the fabulous Studio G father's day stamps and the DCWV pet stack.

Multiple Challenge Baby Card

I did it again! 8 challenges, 1 card.

Here it is:

Here's the inside of the card:


I went to a baby shower for baby Alana yesterday. I made this card to give to her parents on the day she is born.

Here's the challenges it covers:

1. Use it - pink, scallops, tag
2. Our Creative Corner - border punch (I used Fiskar's Treading Water)
3. Secret Crafter - in the jungle
4. Cute Card Thursday - quotations (in case you can't read it, mine says "Thank Heaven for Little Girls")
5. No time to stamp - half circle
6. Sweet Sunday - Sketch
7. Incy Wincy - cat
8. Pile it on - multiple challenges, two ribbons

OMG - I WON!!!!!

I am SOOOOOO excited! Gracie from Imagine that (Formerly Everything Cricut) just contacted me...

She said I WON her blog candy! And it is AWESOME blog candy! I was able to choose a solutions cartridge!!!!!!

I'm doing the happy dance! I don't have any solutions carts, so this is FABULOUS! I chose the Wedding Solutions cart, since I will be starting my wedding scrapbook soon!

WOOO HOOO!

Father's Day Card

This sketch came from The Fresh Batch Challenge/Stamps and Smiles. Here's my version of the sketch:

I made this card for my Dad. He has always liked lizards, and this was the perfect excuse to use my new $1 stamp from JoAnn's.

***Update 6/22 - Here's the inside of the card:

~Lauren

It's a girl - baby shower present

This is the second picture frame I made for the baby shower I'm going to on Sunday. If you want to see the other frame, click here.

I apologize for the poor picture quality. The background color is a creamy pale yellow.

The Cricut New Arrival cuts came from GrandmaJ on the messageboard. I used Pooh Font for the lettering of the baby's name.

Multiple Challenge Xmas Card

This card is for 8 challenges!

1. Scrap schemes - a pillow with buttons all over a tree was shown for inspiration
2. 2 red bananas - 3 patterned papers
3. Use it - bling, die cut, 4 patterned papers
4. Winter Wonderland - a Christmas carol (Deck the halls)
5. Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - buttons and ribbon
6. ICSketches - sketch
7. Truly scrumptious - more than one fold (the second picture shows how this card folds)
8. Pile it on - more than one challenge, non stamped sentiment (mine is hand written)

~Lauren

Honest Scrap Blog Award

I would like to thank a wonderful friend Ramona a.k.a. PinkLady50 for this wonderful award. She is a wonderful and inspirational blog buddy. If you haven't been to her blog, you NEED to check it out. She makes BEAUTIFUL cards!

There are a few requirements to accepting the Honest Scrap Award and they are as follows. A) I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link. B) I must list 10 honest things about myself. C) I must put a copy of the The Honest Scrap logo on my blog. D) I must select at least 7 other worthy bloggers and list their links.

*****Now, 10 honest things about myself...

1. My husband and I were baptized on the same day at the same church in Philadelphia. We realized this freaky fact when we got our baptismal records for getting married (we got married in the same church we were baptized in)... We went to elementary school together too!

2. My guilty pleasure is celebrity gossip. I watch E! True Hollywood stories & celebrity news shows, and I read gossip mags.

3. I love to read. I have since I was a kid - I read Jurasic Park in 3rd grade. I generally pick titles from the New York Times bestseller list. My current favorite author is Jodi Picoult.

4. I was Salutitorian (2nd) in my high school graduating class.

5. My sorority got me started with scrapbooking when I pledged in 2002. They create a scrapbook of each semester's events and pledge period.

6. In the past 6 years since I started dating my husband, we have traveled to Europe three times, visiting Rome, Paris, Amsterdam, and several cities in Germany and Switzerland. We have also been to the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, and Hawaii.

7. I dislike air conditioning. I'm ALWAYS cold, so I am perfectly fine with the windows open and a fan - even in 90+ degree weather. My husband, on the other hand is always hot.... It makes for an interesting summer, lol.

8. As a teenager, I was a model for a short time. I worked with the top agency in Philadelphia. I did ads for Boscov's, BonTon, Delaware Today Magazine, and some local hair salons, etc. I also did runway shows for Seventeen, YM, and Good Morning Philadelphia.

9. I hate public speaking. I get incredibly nervous. However, as part of my job (I'm a Yearbook Sales Associate) I teach classes about yearbook, design, journalism, photoshop, etc. at about 120 different schools. Maybe I will get over the fear one day...

10. My name is Lauren and I'm a shopoholic.... LOL. I buy WAY too much scrapbooking stuff. Looking at everyone's blogs and the Cricut Messageboard is bad for my wallet...


Now for 7 people to pass this along to...
These are all blogs that I visit regularly for inspiration:
1. Shari
2. Tammy
3. Lainy
4. LuvinMyLabs
5. KarelJ
6. Leah
7. Kris

My first blog award - from eiyiyi

My blog buddy Eileen a.k.a. eiyiyi has given me this wonderful award! She has truly been a great and supportive friend. She takes the time to leave a comment on each of my creations. For this and other things that she has done for me, I am grateful. Thank you so much Eileen!

Now, for the people to pass this award to...

1. Monique
2. Maria
3. Jill
4. Brenda
5. Ramona

Birthday Card - 4 challenges

I'm on a roll with the cards for multiple challenges, LOL. Here's what this one is for:

1. MojoMonday - sketch
2. Cupcake Craft Challenges - pink, yellow, & blue cards for kids
3. Flutter by Wednesday - butterfly or fairy
4. Pile it On - more than one challenge, non-stamped sentiment (these are cut out of patterned paper)

Nothing special here. It's all patterned paper - even the butterfly! DCWV spring stack & a page a day scrapbook calendar for 2008.

~Lauren

One card - eight challenges!!!!!!

Wow, I can't believe this simple card can be entered for 8 challenges! Here is goes:

1. Our Creative Corner - Sketch
2. Color Chef - Black, white, + 1 color
3. Crafty Creations - Purple
4. ABC Challenge - R is for Roses
5. Everybody's Art Challenge - Number
6. Secret Crafter - Bling
7. Cute card Thursday - Punch
8. Pile it On - Non stamped sentiment & more than one challenge

***Pile it On is a brand new challenge blog. They were created for people like me, who like to do multiple challenges with one card. You can enter as many creations as you like. They are also looking for a design team right now - I would LOVE to become a part of the team.

I used my Stampin Up Ticket Punch, rhinestones, ribbon, and some paper from my stash. I also used Disney Pooh Font for the sentiment.

Bath Time - baby shower present

The challenge this week at If the Shoe Fits, Scrap it was the color combo of pink and green. I am going to a baby shower this Sunday and wanted to make a picture frame. It just so happens that Alana's bedroom is pink and green.

This goes right along with my present - I got a tub, hooded towel, washcloths, rubber ducky, a set of baby items (nail clippers, comb, brush, etc), and bottles of shampoo, baby wash, lotion, oil, q-tips, desitin, and some bath toys.

I used Disney Pooh Font for the text and characters. Everything else was hand cut. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but the background paper is rubber duckies by Francis Meyer. I used the DCWV Nana's Nursery (baby girl) stack.

Two challenges - one card

Christmas Stampin' All Year Long's challenge this week was to include a number in your card. I used this sketch from Sketches! {by tamara}This is what I came up with. It doesn't follow the sketch exactly, but I am happy with how it turned out.

The picture isn't the best quality. The little images are stamps - and there are numbers on them.

~Lauren

A fairy & sketch challenge

I love doing challenges! I feel like the sketches really help me and keep me from having scrapper's block, lol. So I combined two challenges with this card.

At Cupcake Craft Challenges, the theme is fairies. The sketch came from Digital Tuesday Challenge.

Here's what I came up with:
Inside of the card:

~Lauren