Cherish

Signs of spring are finally showing. Pussy willow buds and flower buds starting to show. So I thought it would be nice to do a spring themed layout. I used some older G45 Botanical Tea Party embellishments which fit the mood perfectly. I have some pictures of flowers from last spring, at the Chicago Botanic Garden. They had a beautiful display of tulips and other flowers.

CSI 226 can be found here: http://csichallenge.blogspot.com/
                                         

And I used sting, clouds, mushrooms and bugs (butterflies) as evidence.
Hidden Journaling says: (using "roots" as inspiration)

In spring, Roots that have lied dormant for the winter, finally start to come to life. The daffodil and tulips are finally coming to life again.

Here is my layout for csi 226:

                                     

A Christmas Gathering

Here I have CSI case 225...

                             

Thought the colors were reminiscent of Christmas past. So I scrapped a picture of my grandparents and mother at Christmas in Peoria, from 1970. For evidence, I used a key, washi tape, wood (circular ornaments at the top), and stripes (on the paper). For testimony, I journaled with handwriting on the background. Journaling reads: Christmas Dinner 1970. My Grandparents loved to entertain in their home in Peoria, for the holidays. Pictured here: Mom, Grandma and Grandpa. 1970. Had lots of fun solving this one. Come join the fun over at : http://csichallenge.blogspot.com/

My layout for this challenge:

Flight

What's the best part of any meal? Dessert of course. Anything chocolate is good! So this is a layout made for CSI 223 about my dessert: hot chocolate, marshmallows and truffles. I found the most delectable place for hot chocolate, marshmallows and truffles in Chicago, called Katherine Anne's Confections. The hot chocolate-marshmallow combination was my favorite.

The csi challenge (can be found here:
http://csichallenge.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2017-02-12T14:07:00-08:00&max-results=1)
                                                     

For the challenge evidence, I used: stripes, ribbon (blue) something transparent (transparency with script writing on it), and a scalloped border. For testimony, I journaled about a meal--that is-- about the best part of the meal: dessert. Journaling reads: My friends and I stopped for dessert at Katherine Anne's Confections. Such a delicious assortment of truffles, caramels, marshmallows and who can forget the  hot chocolate. Pictured, I am enjoying a trio of hot chocolate and marshmallows. I had never a salted caramel marshmallow, before walking in here, and what a delightful treat it was.


                                             

Flowered paper and heart paper is from Amy Tangerine's Oh Happy Life collection.
Large flowers are wood, I painted.
Small flowers I die cut with Sizzix dies
Scallop border was made with Sizzix border die
Script transparency: recollections.
Ribbon: from Michael's.

Tootles: Thanks for stopping by!

Birds of Winter

I thought, since January 5 is National Bird Day, it would be fun to do a layout about cardinals, since they are such regal birds and fun to watch. Along with that, it would be fun try a new technique in my scrapbooking/mixed media. I have seen videos on You tube (I really like the one that Shannon Green does on Youtube--please do check it out, I like her method, and used that as inspiration for my background.)

Along with that, it would be fun try a new technique in my scrapbooking/mixed media. I have seen videos on You tube (I really like the one that Shannon Green does on Youtube--please do check it out, I like her method, and used that as inspiration for my background.)

For CSI challenge 222, I used red gems (recollection), stamping, snowflakes (stamped and acrylic) and red glitter paper to frame the photo (though the in the picture it doesn't show up that much.) For journaling, added gems to the journal spot and wrote about how in Chicago, cardinals are notable birds of winter. (While we do see house sparrows and blackbirds, Cardinals are by far the most striking, in their bright red feathers.) I happened to see one the other day.

                                       

I made the background by crumpling tissue paper, and then gluing it down to paper, which creates ridges, and then used oil pastels and stazon ink, to highlight that. Added in some blue as well. Added some layers around the picture (which is of a female cardinal), with cardstock, mesh and vellum (which i edged with ink to give a little more dimension. I fussy cut some cardinals from G45 Time to Flourish paper.

Then embellished with gems (recollections), Tim Holtz acrylic snowflakes and finished with a few splatters of red acrylic paint to finish. This was time-consuming, but fun to create. Sighting birds, is always a treat, and scrapping them is even better!

Birthday

My latest layout for csi is called Birthday, also the first csi layout of the year:
For my sister's birthday, we took her for a delicious pasta dinner, chocolate fondue, shopping
and dancing.

For the csi challange, I used small dots (made with modeling paste and a stencil). Enamel dots--recollections-- (either side of the "Birthday" title) Leaves, and string. I used dies to create the pink and green border (sizzix), a die to create the banner for the title and a die to create the yellow flowers.
I stamped the green and pink swirls and used pink gelatos to create the pink watercolor effect.
Finally, I journaled about my sister's birthday. The leaves are color me crazy (and I did! with peerless watercolor, pink and blue).
I don't know the manufacture of the swirl stamp, only that is was one I picked up from a really nice dollar store in Lombard that was in business for a short time. It was a very cool dollar store though....one of the few I have seen with a superb collection of scraping goodies.
Had lots of fun creating this, lovely colors, and bits to create with...

The csi challenge:

Russian Teacake Cookies

Growing up as kids, I have memories of my mom baking Christmas cookies, and my sister and I would help mix the dough, shape the cookies and bake them. In fact, we even had our own mini-bake ovens. Today, I still enjoy baking Christmas Cookies. One of my favorites of all time is probably
Russian teacake cookies. Nothing compares to homemade cookies.

For this CSI challenge (220) I used stripes, flowers, ribbon, and a decorative border (lace). I journaled about my favorite Christmas cookie, the Russian teacake, homemade, of course.

The original challenge file:

Presents:

That's the best part of Christmas, at least it was as a child. I remember the anticipation, wondering what was in the wrapped presents. Then trying to figure it out by shaking them. Now, it's fun spending time with family and watching my family and niece open presents.

For Csi 219:
I scrapbooked some pictures from Christmas 2015. These are of my sister, her husband, and my niece. We all got together for a Christmas Day: Breakfast, Presents, reading the bible, and Christmas Dinner.

For this challenge, I used snowflakes (glitter and stenciled) ribbon, holiday decoration (pine branches and wrapped present), and journaled about my family celebrating Christmas.

Background paper is Heidi Swapp.
Flower is Prima (colored with green glimmer mist
Pine Branches are die cut from a Cheery Lynn die
Ribbon is Craft Narrows (from Michaels.)
Faux stitching was done Sakura Glaze pen.