Guest Designer and New Layout

Today I'm so excited to share that I'm a guest designer over at The Memory Nest Blog.  I am so honored to be able to share a layout on Leslie's Blog.



Last week she posed a color challenge that you can read more about here.  I thought the colors were a lot of  fun to use on a layout.  I have been wanting to do a layout about our kitchen table and these colors lent themselves perfectly for that.  I know it seems odd to want to do a layout about my kitchen table.  However, it is a huge part of our lives and I wanted to document that.

The hardest part of this layout was selecting the papers to use.  It seems that lately I have been using all papers from one product line.  This really made me think and be more creative, which I love!  Once I settled on my paper selections the layout came together pretty quickly.

On with my layout...

A quick look at the overall finished product.  As you look at the close up views you will see layering is the name of the game here.  This layout was all made with items from my stash.  The papers were from different DCWV lines.

This is the left side of the layout.  You can see where I stitched around most of the pages.  I have just recently started using my sewing machine on my scrapbook pages.  I really don't know what took me so long to do this.  I love the dimension it adds to my pages.

For me, no layout is complete without a little bling and flowers. The little brown card layered between the green and blue is from the cobalt edition of Project Life.  They make great editions to LOs for layering.

Again you can see the stitching around the edges. On the right side, I continued my flower, bling, button combo and you can see the beginning of my journaling card.

Just a little bit of bling on the top because I felt like it was missing something.

For the journaling card, I started with a 3x4 grid journaling card from my Project Life kit.  I added some washi tape down the side to dress it up some.  I had a lot of journaling for this LO and it almost didn't all fit.  I am not fond of my handwritting but it is fast and gets the job done.  Plus, it is rare that I have ink in my printer and I have though far enough ahead to buy it.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today.  Hope you enjoyed my layout.  If this is your first time here I hope you stay a while, have a look around and start following me.  I love comments and visitors.

If this is not your first time here, make sure you hop over to the Memory Nest Blog today and leave some love for her design team as they are posting layouts on their version of the color challenge!

And double plus this is my last layout for my 32 during 32!  Another item crossed of my list. Running out of time fast.

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Take family pictures

This is one of my favorites that I have crossed off this list.  I love getting to take pictures with my family.  I love that we are now a little family of four.  We needed good pictures of the four of us.  I also love that we got to take some photos with my parents and sister.  This has become a little tradition every year and I hope we get to continue it forever.

In case you don't know I have a soft spot for Corey from Corey Morgan Photography.  I love that every year she takes these for us.  She is an amazing photographer and every year it never fails she brings tears to my eyes.  So, thank you Corey for capturing photos of our smiles, our hearts, our beauty, our love; you are amazing!

This is just a small, small, small sample of the more than 300 that she took that day.

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | 10& 11 of 12 Layouts

Two more layouts for you today.  I used the same My Mind's Eye Ruby collection to create these of Jalyn.  The pictures are actually from about a year ago.  Corey Morgan took them for us. I never scrapped them and when I saw this line I new they would be perfect for them.

My sweet Jalyn girl.  She is growing up so fast!  I can't believe she is going to be 4 soon.  I don't know where the time goes.

One of the embellishments that came with the collection was a sticker that said Never forget how much you are loved.  I decided it would be the perfect title for this spread.  Hope you enjoy!

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Layout 9 of 12

I realized today that I had not shared this layout with everyone yet.  I did this layout for my mom for Christmas and then put it in a frame.  My mom loves getting these from me.  She has a growing collection.  I always think I should do this for her again but every time she gets so excited for a new layout for her wall that I continue doing it.   It is a little mini timeline on her wall of Jalyn and now we will start adding Jaleesa.

I used some old My Mind's Eye paper that I had in my stash for this, paired with some flowers and Ali Edward's stamps and I was home free.  Simple, fun, beautiful done.  Thanks for looking!

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Layout 7 & 8 of 12

Today I'm sharing a double page layout that I did about Jaleesa. Since this is my birthday project I'm counting it as 7 & 8.  Just check off more on my list!

For this layout I used some pictures that my sister and I took when Jaleesa was just a couple months old.  I love them so much they make me a little teary eyed.  I have almost the exact same ones with the pooh of Jalyn.

For this layout, I used My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Ruby line.  I purchased it my local scrapbook store.  I instantly loved this line.  If you don't know I love greys; combine with pinks and reds and I'm sold.  It really is a beautiful line.

I couldn't think of a better title than Beautiful.  Hope you enjoy looking.

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | 2 combined from the list

Pinned on Pinterest 2 of 2 and Celebrate a Non-Tranditonal Holiday.

I'm combining two things on my list into one post since they are intertwined a little. I can't believe I waited so long to post this.  I guess that is what I get for not following my blog schedule very well.

We celebrated National Denim Day. If you don't know what that is I blogged a little about it here or you can read more about it here.  A topic that is very near and dear to my heart as I watch a friend go through it for the second time after being in remission for 16 years.

Not only did we wear denim that day but we also had a little crafty time at home that evening.  Jalyn painted some of the pockets on an old pair of jeans I cut up for her.  My plan is to sew a little purse for her but I of course haven't completed that yet.  Then I completed these little drink coasters made out of old jeans.  I saw them on pinterest when I did a search for denim.  You can read directions for them here and see them on pinterest here.  They were super easy to make and turned out super cute.  Mine seamed to be a bit more balky then the ones in the post.  Maybe it was the style of jeans I was using.  They took a while for the glue to dry but such is life.

Two more things complete and all done for a good cause.  That is what I love!


Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Layout 6 of 12

Halfway through checking another item off of my list!  Is it sad that I think I already know what I'm going to do for my list next year?  I guess I better get my you know what in gear and get this year's list done first.

This is the first layout, aside from project life that I have done about Jaleesa.  I did this is the second layout I did for my dad for Christmas.  My dad got that little pooh bear for Jalyn when she was born.  We took pictures of Jalyn similar to these pictures of Jaleesa with the bear.  I can't wait to do many more layouts with pictures of Jaleesa.  The title is perfect and will probably show up again in other layouts. 

Love these pictures, Love her sweet little hands, Love pooh, Love her.

Thanks for looking!
Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Layout 5 of 12

Since it is well after Christmas now and everyone as their Christmas gifts from me, I think it is safe to show these here on the blog.  I have a few more in process on my craft table also.  I think that this item will almost be checked off my list.  Love it!

Today, I'm sharing a layout I did for my dad.  If you haven't figured out by reading this blog by now, my family is a little obsessed with trains.  A love that comes straight from my father and that I am happily passing on to my children.  I was also lucky enough to find a husband that enjoys them also.  In February  my family was here visiting from California.  We took the day and went up to Baltimore to go to the B&O Railroad Museum.  It was so much fun.  Jalyn and Dewypa just had a blast going from one train to the next looking at everything.  There was a lot of Dewypa look and Jalyn look there going on.  My dad's vast amount of useless knowledge never ceases to amaze me.  So now that I'm rambling on and on let me get to the layout for you to view.

I had this great picture of Jalyn standing on the back of the train.  It was screaming make a layout with me.  So I happily obliged.  Since I was making this for my dad, I was trying to keep it from being to girly.  Not real sure how well I did that since it is a lot of purple.   But, he loved it and I guess that is all that counts right!  I am really proud of myself because I used only things I already had in my too large stash of scrapbooking product.  I really need to clean it out, again.

Hope you enjoy!  Thanks for looking.

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 During 32 | Book 2 of 2

32 during 32: Read 2 books

Reading this book completes another item off of my list.  I also have several other posts coming about my list.  I have been one busy bee.  

Every year for Christmas I read or should say try to read a Christmas book.  Last year I stopped reading the book I selected because I was bored to tears with it.  When we were moving I found The Christmas Clock on our bookshelves.  I don't know when I picked it up but I hadn't read it yet, so I figured it would be good for this year.  It was a really fast read and not very long.  Those tend to be my favorite right now.  Something I can try and read between taking care of the girls, breaks at work and a little time after I finally get to crawl in bed at night.  

So here is the deal.  I'm a crier.  I cry for just about any reason or situation you can think of to cry.  I really enjoyed this book, but it did make me cry.  I cried out of happiness, out of sadness, out of hope.  If you are a Christmas book reader this is a great Christmas story or if you are just in for a good faith pick me up you could really read it anytime of the year. I hope I will find a good Christmas book next year.


Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Projects on Pinterest 1 of 2

If someone that knows me or reads this blog doesn't know by know that I love pinterest.  Let me remind you, I LOVE PINTEREST!  It has allowed me to stop cutting everything I see out of magazines and remember things that I saw on blogs or where ever.  Plus, I'm fascinated by what people decided to pin for themselves.

I thought it would be fun to complete a couple for my 32 during 32.  I know it is a little bit past Halloween well ok a lot past Halloween, but I wanted to make sure I post this since it is part of my 32 during 32 project.

This year I made my little baby, Jaleesa's Halloween costume.  It was super easy and super cute.  I loved doing it so and it only took about 2 two hour period times and probably wouldn't have taken that much time had I focus on it and not watched TV while I did it.  I used to pins as inspiration.  One from the Mom Creative that can be found here and one from Pure Joy Events.

Once I came up with a template for the feathers it was really easy.  I just kind of kept cutting some until I figured out a shape that I liked.  I cut a pile of feathers in four colors, lavender, purple, light grey and a dark grey.  I used a little less then two 9x12 sheets of felt.  So here is where I cheated.  I used hot glue to glue it all together.  Except for a few burned fingers it worked just fine.  I glued everything to a white onesie because that is what I had on hand.  I hot glued feathers down the front and all around both side of the arms.  I didn't glue any to the back.

For the mask, I used the template from Pure Joy Events.  I probably should have made it a little smaller but it  turned out really cute.  I used a couple little tack stitches to attach it to a headband I already had.  I wanted to be able to use the headband again so I didn't want to hot glue it.  It is the only thing I sewed.

Here is the funny part and FYI... When I went to but the costume on her it didn't fit over her head.  The hot glue had made the onesie lose its elasticity.  I had to cut little slits in the neck so it would go on over her head. I suggest using a  onesie that is too large so you can still get it over your baby's head.  Oh well, live and learn.

So here you have it my Rapunzel and my owl...

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica

32 during 32 | Layout 4 of 12

Today I wanted to take a minute to share a second layout I did using one of our wedding pictures.  I love this picture, I actually have a larger one hanging in the house.  I love the way the sun was reflecting off of the buildings that day.  I wanted the layout to be complete basic as to not take away from the picture. 

I have to say I'm still loving this project and still loving crossing things off my list!

Hope you enjoy.!

I'm attempting to complete a list of 32 items during my 32nd year of life. You can read more about it here and see the list here.

Have a beautiful day! Smiles, Jessica