We've gone Iron Chef CRAZY over at the Mojo

What a fun contest this has been over at Scrappin Mojo so far.... and it just began :) Michelle and Martha sent us all envelopes with the "secret ingredients" inside to complete our challenges! This week was buttons and they sure did send us some fun and funky ones. Here's my entries! The layout challenge was to create a layout using the buttons to embellish andothe embellishment. My layout is called "Always smell the roses" and it's of Miss Elli smelling the flowers that Daddy brought Mommy! I used the buttons to embellish the photo mat and also the outside of the giant chipboard flower. Our card challenge was to create a card using the buttons and also stitching! I love that some of the buttons were flower shaped so I made a flower garden with the buttons as centers for the chipboard flowers and some of the shaped ones too as tiny flowers. Then I hand stitched their stems :) Thanks Michelle and Martha for such a fun contest!

Scrappin Mojo February Sponser C&T Publishing!

OK the only thing wrong with this month's sponser is that I don't have MORE of these awesome little boxes! I have saved these bracelets that were mine, Steve's and Elli's since she was born just waiting to do something special with them and this box was absolutely perfect! Our time in the hospital was so special and wonderful! Since I had a c-section with Elli we stayed for longer, and the plan was that Steve would go back home, be with our dogs and oldest daughter and work a couple days and then take a couple weeks off after she was born..... sweet Dh just couldn't be pulled away from her for anything and ended up staying on the crazy uncomfortable couch for all the nights we were there! I LOVE having all of our bracelets showcased in such a beautiful way! Here is the link to check out more of C&T Publishings great product and of course we have many more of these fun boxes on display at Scrappin Mojo!

Finally got back to scrappin!

It's been a long coupla weeks with no mojo for me :) Thank goodness Serendipity Scrapbook's had a crop and got my rear back in gear! I had so much fun creating for the crop and ended up with some of my very favorite things I've ever done! The Rock Star layout of Miss Elli has been proclaimed to be Steve's favorite layout ever and I'm quite in love with the Hubba Hubba layout and the fact that I FINALLY got Lexi's school pics scrapped..... 6 years later for some of them :)

Serendipity Scrappbook's chat with Jenni Bowlin!!!!!

I think Jenni Bowlin is so awesome! I discovered her papers via a kit club and have been hooked ever since! Here also is a link to check out her new paper line on her blog! Lovin those butterflies! Hope to see you at the chat!

Jenni Bowlin Date: February 26, 2008 Tuesday Time: 9pm est, 8pm central, 7pm mtn, and 6pm pst. Place: Serendipity Scrapbooks chat room www.serendipityscrapbooks.com Here is a little bit about Jenni: I am a wife to Jared. I am a mother to two handsome little boys, Noah and Christian. I am a preservationist. I am a writer, a photographer and a collector (aren’t all scrapbookers?). I am thankful to have made a living doing something that celebrates all of the above. For seven years now I have worked and played in the scrapbook industry. Beginning with the Creating Keepsakes 2003 Hall of Fame, I have been published in this magazine and associated idea books more than 100 times, and continue to work with the magazine on a regular basis. Other recent work: “Timeless Techniques”, self authored and published by Li’l Davis Designs “Full Circle ”, published by Li’l Davis Designs “Pockets, Pull-Outs, and Hiding Places” by Jenn Mason (published by Quarry books) “The Brain Freeze Rescue Kit”, by Jenna LaRose Family Circle Magazine, January 2006 “The Look Book” published by Autumn Leaves, December 2006 I have also had the privilege to travel the country and teach classes for the past three years. You may have taken a class from me at a Creating Keepsakes University, at The Scrapbook Oasis in Irvine, CA or at Scrap It in Hermitage, TN where I am on a regular basis. Here is a link to her blog with some wonderful eye candy and sneek peeks of all the new beauties http://www.jennibowlin.blogspot.com/ We are so excited and can't wait to see you there!

Check this out!

This is for Serendipity Scrapbook's blog challenge this week. The challenge was to blog about your favorite technique..... not quite sure if this qualifies as a technique but heck it is my very favorite new thing! My pictures of my work have always frustrated the heck outta me! I would make all of these things that I loved and then when I tried to photograph them they would look TERRIBLE! I knew that once upon a time I had seen directions to make a photo box of sorts, and after many many failed attempts at googling I finally found them! Here's the link! Almost everything you need to make this macro box is probably lying around your house.... unless like me you had just gotten done throwing away all your carboard boxes :) It was super simple to make and it has made such a huge difference in improving the quality of my photos! Check it out and give it a try! You won't be sorry! Up above I posted a couple of my new pics with the box and a couple of my old ones too! The main difference in my opinion is that you can control where the light is around the subject and there aren't shadows! I think the clarity of color is markedly improved as well!