Going Bananas

Have you ever worked and worked on something only to have it go in the trash?  What a waste of time and good scrappin' supplies.ugh. I had one more layout to submit for Your Scrapbook Stash and I thought it would never come together...but it did...finally :) Saved me from going bananas or hysterical...not that one would be prettier than the other LOL
 Patterned papers and clear overlays from Phantom by Pink Paislee.  I doubled the overlay on the photo of Snoopy.
 A Not So HAUNTED Halloween on the Great Pumpkin Train excursion in Palestine, Texas a couple of years ago.  Such a nice relaxing trip and the train ride was like stepping back in time.
Speaking of bananas, I made the yummiest treat this week
Frosted Banana Bars
1/2 cup butter, softened
1½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed
Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.  Stir in bananas.  Spread in a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan (jelly roll pan).  Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes.  Cool.
Frosting:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
3½- 4 cups powdered sugar
Cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Frost bards.  Store in refrigerator.
Perfect for a MONKEY themed birthday party!
Here are two other layouts that I created for Your Scrapbook Stash.  The first is based on a sketch that I created for their blog
I absolutely LOVE this set by Pink Paislee...VINTAGE VOGUE

And finally...another layout that I did using the Vintage Vogue.  I adore this layout of Sydnee and Tyler's girlfriend, Kristin.  Kristin took these photos with her cell phone, so not the best quality, but I just couldn't resist scrappin' them!
The flowers were crafted from the Vintage Vogue Ribbon Trims.  I simply threaded a running stitch through the top of crochet trim and gathered into a flower design. Aren't those papers so sweet?!? 
As always, SAVE when you shop at Your Scrapbook Stash...Erica loves to share coupon codes with her customers :)

CONTEST• CONTEST• CONTEST• CONTEST
Speaking of Erica...she just announced a SKETCH CONTEST with a couple of great prizes to give-a-way!
To get the full run-down, just visit the YSS BLOG
Just use one of the sketches from the Gallery and have it completed and uploaded by Thursday, November 3rd.  Hope that you can play along...AND win a prize...Good Luck!
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MY SCRAPBOOK NOOK
Whew, lots going on over at The Nook!  I will begin my official capacity as Design Team member this next month...I'm sooo ready and excited.  I am counterpart to Danni Reid in the CARDS division, which is located on the fabulous Nook Forum :)  Each week we will host a couple of cool challenges, sketches, tutorials and more.  If you love making cards then this is the place for you.  New to cards, then this is the place for you.  Be sure to join us!  The rest of the awesome Design Team will be providing other challenges in the area of layouts and altered art.  Also, Danni and Leah (owner of MSN) have been up to creating one-of-a-kind cards kits and classes to go along with them.  If you're interested, be sure to check out the forum and soon before they're gone!
Guess what?
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Yep, we're having a BLOG HOP
I will update with the 4-1-1 later on this weekend.  And yes, you read it right...Leah will be giving away
  Ten SUPER FABULOUS Nook Kits
Stay tuned...
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LITTLE YELLOW BICYCLE
The Little Yellow Bicycle blog is going full blast!  If you haven't visited in a couple of weeks, there are several new projects that have been posted featuring the Cycling Team.  I did get my HELLO FALL project done and it should be up sometime next week....I will post it in its entirety once it's up, but in the meantime here's a little peek
I can't wait to show you the rest!
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I'll be back in the next day or two...still lots to share and update!
Shellye

Happiness, Some Love and Spooky Cats

As the old proverb goes...time flies when you're havin' fun!  I finally got back to the craft room yesterday and whew, I've whipped up a couple of cards, two layouts, a sketch and even an album for Etsy.
YOUR SCRAPBOOK STASH
After my October kit from Your Scrapbook Stash took a major postal detour, it finally arrived at my doorstep on Friday...so happy and relieved to see it :)  It's always like Christmas when I rip open the tab to peer inside...this month I was surprised with a collection of Phantom by House of Three and Vintage Vogue by Collage Press!
 I love the way companies are designing papers with an edge of embossed or glittered accents...it's like stamping, but it's already done for you.
For my third pop of color (since I design in three's) I used some lavender brads from my stash AND a couple of the sweet Chipboard Pops from the Vintage Vogue kit! And I'm now addicted to making medallions, just so you know.
I have an adorable layout completed with Vintage Vogue;  as soon as it goes live at YSS's blog on Friday, I'll share here...along with a cool sketch by lil old me.

I HEART IPPITY
Yeppp...got me some new stamps this week!  
Time for...friends & wine IPK-156
While I had my Vintage Vogue papers still out, I thought they would look cute paired up with one of the 'girls' from this stamp set.
Tomorrow is Wednesday Wowsers over at I Heart Ippity Blog...check it out♥

MY SCRAPBOOK NOOK
Things are humming right along over at the Nook forum...never a dull moment...always tons and tons of inspiration and chat.  I ♥ The Nook :) I'm still churning out the cards using the October Kit...can I just say that it's going a loooonnnggg way!  
This is a card that I crafted using a sketch by Danni 
 I've just listed this beautiful mini album at my Etsy shop...here's a little peek...
 

LITTLE YELLOW BICYCLE
So, next on my agenda is a project with the Hello Fall from LYB!  I will work on this tomorrow...hint...I will be incorporating something from my yard :)  Can't wait to share it with you.

Take care!

Life Is Good...

...and here is the proof...
I love how the bright cottage colors dress up the distressed, but plain, chipboard album.  The papers by Echo Park/Bella Blvd are cheerful and celebrate the good things in life.  I used the last of my corrugated butterflies, so I must get more and soon!  Candy sweet...eye yummy-ness that makes my ♥ happy.

CARDS, CARDS, CARDS
Wow, I really need to get my blog caught up with all of the card projects that I've created lately.  I will start listing some of them at my Etsy shop tonight...my card box is over-flowing!
Open Your Heart
I Heart Ippity Wednesday Wowsers October 12, 2011
 Lovely
Created for one of My Scrapbook Nook's October CARDS Challenges
Bee Happy
Another card created for a challenge over at the Nook.  Part of the challenge was to use a hexagon shape, which is oh-so popular in design right now.

LITTLE YELLOW BICYCLE
I'll be peddling again soon with Hello Fall by LYB.  I received a box full of goodies yesterday and I can't wait to dig in and come up with something super special for their blog readers :)  So many choices...I'm not sure what to do first! 
HF-230_LR-2.jpg
If I had to pick one thing that has been my favorite from both the Head of the Class and Hello Fall, I would have to go with the canvas elements...Fabric Favorites, Canvas Borders and Tape Rolls...I really like the texture and the look that they give to a project.
 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ 
Hoping that you all are having a wonderful week!
 

It's Up ♥

Weeeee!  It's like riding your bicycle down a giant hill with your hands waving in the air...what a thrill it is to see my Little Yellow Bicycle project up on their blog ♥ I can honestly say that this was an absolute blast to put together...with so many great textures like canvas, the metal in the straight pins, glittered sheer die-cuts, chipboard...I love it!  The patterned papers are vibrant and the designs are so fun and easy to use.
Without further ado...here she is...Head of the Class Corkboard Mini Album!

  
 
 
 
 Here are the detailed instructions on how to create your very own Corkboard mini album.
Supplies:
Little Yellow Bicycle’s Head of the Class Clear Cuts Shapes, Stick Pins, Journaling Cards, Chipboard Shapes, Dimensional Pop-Up Stickers, Fabric Favorites, Canvas Stickers Mini Banners, Alphabet Stickers, Fresh Verse Stickers, Favorite Phrases Stickers and Patterned Papers
Other Supplies:  Ribbons, Baker’s twine, buttons, three loose-leaf rings and two 6x6 corkboard squares

Using a craft knife, trim both corkboard squares to 5”wide; reserve one of the 1” strips.  Dress the reserved piece of corkboard with Fabric Favorites “Ruler” sticker; cut to size.  Punch holes into all three corkboard pieces at 1”, 3” and 5” increments, leave at least a ¼” margin from the edge.  Adhere the ruler piece to the edge of the top corkboard sheet with a fast drying tacky glue (I use Aleene’s Quick Dry).
Incorporating your favorite cutting tool, cut six 4 ¾” W x 7 ½”H tags from selected Head of the Class Patterned Papers.  Embellish as desired before gluing the front/back pages together.  Be sure to line the pages up with the bottom of the corkboard pages before punching holes.  Add eyelets to page holes to ensure stability. 
Finally, insert the three loose-leaf rings through the holes and thread carefully through pages. It may be necessary to enlarge the holes of the corkboard to allow the rings to move freely.  Add ribbons to the rings if desired.
**Thank YOU for all of the sweet comments...I really appreciate it!**

T G I F

What a week, what a week!  
When I took on the project of constructing a diaper cake for a friend's baby shower, I had no idea that it would take me two days...sometimes you just wish that you weren't quite so OCD...it turned out so cute though. I've seen the elaborate and the over-the-top-elaborate diaper cakes, but elaborate does not describe my friend, Kristi.  She doesn't like a lot of clutter, so neat-and-simple was the way that I decided to go.
 Now, I know you're probably looking at this and asking "it took you two days to do this?" But wrapping those diapers just 'so-so' takes time and skill LOL  I think she will love it ♥

LITTLE YELLOW BICYCLE
Wowee!  I received my LYB Head of the Class goodies this week...such FUN to work with!  I will share it here just as soon as it goes live on their blog, so be sure to check back.  I created a mini album and there was some cork-board involved *wink* I had a blast and look forward to doing more projects with the material.

I HEART IPPITY
I doubled this card as my latest project for I Heart {Ippity}, as well as  for a challenge over at My Scrapbook Nook :)  I will be a part of the CARDS Team at the Nook beginning in November, but I'm getting my feet wet by doing as many of the October challenges as possible.  But I digress!  Here is my card using the Faith & Blooms Stamp Set IPK-125 and the Nook October Kit
 
I have a plethora (one of my all-time FAV words) of cards stacking up...I will be listing some of them at my Etsy shop soon!

We begin our district play tonight in football...had last Friday off...not fun.  I think the consensus is that we just need to forgo "off" weeks LOL  The boys are itching to get out there and play. Zach's 8th grade team is still undefeated;  they have not lost a game since they began playing together in the 7th grade.  
So, I need to get my sparkly orange and black BEARS shirt ironed and get ready to head out to feed the team.  I hope to be sharing my LYB project with you very soon!
Ya'll be good!
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