Today's blog hop is pretty short but I hope you all still like it. Life has been hectic with my health lately which is why this is a bit short and why the photos aren't too great.

So today, I have a simple, but adorable card for you! I really loved how this turned out and it didn't take long to make.

Christmas Freebie

Hi guys! This is just a quick post for today. I created this as part of #LetterItDecember on instagram but I thought it would also make a great freebie!

 

It is available in 4 sizes: 6x8, 4x6, 4x4, and 3x4 so that you can use it in your December Memories/Daily album. To download, just click HERE! I hope you all like it. 

Gossamer Blue December Reveal

All I can say about the December Gossamer Blue kits is "wow"! These kits are stunning and I think what I love most is that it isn't Christmas themed. I've seen many kit clubs who have winter/Christmas kits for this month as their main kits. All of December isn't about Christmas. Other things still happen and if you are like me, you will still be catching up on your Project Life album.

This month, I worked on some traditional pages as well as catching up on my regular album. The first thing I created this month was a scrapbook page of Clara in her halloween costume.

December Memories Album

I've always hated Christmas things starting way before Thanksgiving and although it does still annoy me that people are already putting their tree up, this is the first year I don't mind seeing Christmas things early. 

This is my first time doing a December album and I am so excited to start! I love seeing all of the holiday craft supplies in stores and online and even though it was only October, I was so excited to get my December Memories kit from Gossamer Blue!

Gossamer Blue November Projects

The past few weeks have been crazy and I just realized I didn't do my post on the 1st! Sorry! So as many of you know, I had second back surgery in August. I have created a 6x8 album for it but haven't actually done that much of it because I haven't been feeling inspired lately. The Life Pages kit this month had absolutely gorgeous 3x4 and 4x6 cards and I decided they would look great in my surgery album. I didn't start at the beginning just because I didn't like the hospital photos (no one ever looks great after surgery) so I decided to document some shopping we did and the park/pier near out hotel.

Dysautonomia Awareness Month

Many of you know October as Breast Cancer Awareness month but what most people don't know is that it is also Dysautonomia Awareness month. Despite many people not knowing what Dysautonomia is, it is actually quite common. This condition causes your autonomic nervous system to not work properly which controls the things you don't think about, such as your heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. 

Winter Penguin Slider Card + Video

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be sharing this card with all of you and I really hope you enjoy it! I created this card about a week ago and I just fell in love with it and couldn't wait to share it. 

Lawn Fawn have come out with super cute Christmas stamp sets recently and although I really wanted one of the larger sets, I just couldn't spend all that money one one stamp set and a set of dies when I could get multiple smaller stamp sets for the same price. The first two I bought were the Winter Penguin and the Winter Alpaca stamps and I am so in love with them. 

This card does have quite a few steps, but they are all pretty simple.  It does take some time to create these but in my opinion, it is well worth it!

Here is the video tutorial and I hope you enjoy! My voice over is a little awkward since it has been a while since my last video but I hope it is bearable! Haha :) You can also find the supplies I used below.

Supplies

Lawn Fawn Winter Penguin stamp:http://bit.ly/1JMax57

Lawn Fawn Winter Alpaca stamp (HS): http://bit.ly/1Oejr33
WOW clear embossing powder (HS):http://bit.ly/1OejBYm
Hero Arts white embossing powder (HS):http://bit.ly/1OejHPG
Versamark ink (HS):: http://bit.ly/1OejPP3
Versafine (HS): http://bit.ly/1OekpfO

Distress ink mini kit #8 (HS): http://bit.ly/1OelK6l 

Memento Dew Drops Sorbet Scoops (HS): http://amzn.to/1OelQe8 

Ink blending tool (HS): http://bit.ly/1OelMLs 

Gamsol (similar) (HS): http://bit.ly/1JMdh2d 

Paper stump (HS): http://bit.ly/1Oel7cP

Paper stump sander (HS): http://bit.ly/1Oel68L 

Scotch ATG gun: http://amzn.to/1Lal3IK
Glossy Accent (HS): http://bit.ly/1OekXlK 
Neenah 110lb paper (HS): http://bit.ly/1OekDUc 

Heat tool (similar) (HS): http://bit.ly/1JMcQVC
Cutter Bee scissors (HS): http://bit.ly/1VCiPDq
Fun Foam (HS): http://bit.ly/1OekRKN 

Gossamer Blue - October Reveal

So first of all, I apologize for this being a day late! And secondly, I appologize for the quality of the photos. September had just been an off month for me so I'm glad it is finally over.
The October Gossamer Blue kits are so pretty this month and although I wasn't a huge fan when I saw the photos, I love them in person!
I have two traditional scrapbook pages to show you today and I really love how both of them turned out!

Both of these pages are completely different for me and I really love them! I went looking on Pinterest for some inspiration and I was definitely inspired. Sadly, I can't remember who they are inspired by!
For the triangle/heart page, I created the heart in photoshop first and then used my silhouette to cut out the triangles. I actually started off with completely different colors but they were too bold for the photo. I love the wood veneer and the rub ons..and the little hearts and stars this month! Haha :)

Sorry for the poor lighting in this photo..again..off month for me. I LOVE this polkadot paper soooo much! This photo is from when I was pretty young (that's me at the back in the navy swim suit) and this was definitely "my crew" We were all on a swim team together and we (the older kids) were best of friends. When I saw these stickers, I knew that had to be the title for this page! I used the woodgrain and yellow striped paper because they represent the sand and sun and the colors just worked really well. I love how this page turned out. 

So that is it for today and I hope to be sharing some new things in the next week or so! I hope you have a great day!

Friendship Insecurities

 First of all, the main reason I'm even posting this is because I feel like it might help get these feelings out of my head or at least let me be able to think about something else.. I hope this doesn't seem like I want to be pitied, because that isn't it at all. I'm really bad at posting things like this but this is one thing that I just needed to get out. 

September Blog Hop | Gossamer Blue

Hi everyone! For today's blog hop, I am sharing some super simple cards that I created with this month's kits. These cards are perfect if you are new to card making and don't want to go out and buy special supplies just for cards.

Gossamer Blue - Week 25

Hello, I hope you are all doing well. Today I am sharing week 25 which I really love! I used a mix of the Life Pages kit, Life Pages Add-on #3 and some scrapbook paper! If you have been following me for a while, my pages tend to look pretty different from each other and that is something I want to work on. If all of my pages looked like this, I'd be pretty happy!

My First Pocket Letters

Last week I created my first ever pocket letters! I'm sure most of you have heard of pocket letters by now but I didn't really understand what they were until recently. I understood the basic concept of them but that was it. I started watching videos on YouTube about pocket letters and what kind of things to include and thought I should just go ahead and try it! Also, there is a video at the end which gives you a better look at the pocket letters.

 The traditional way of doing pocket letters is to use an 8.5x11 page protectors which hold 9 2.5"x3.5"  cards. I decided to use regular Project Life page protectors because it was what I had and it also makes more sense to send something the right size for using in Project Life.

Most of the cards I used are Studio Calico because I have so many. Quite a few of the embellishments are from there as well. I also used some cards and embellishments I have received through Gossamer Blue. 

I tried to give hints as to what was behind each card so for example I put enamel dots on the card which had enamel dots behind it. There are also a couple of pockets which don't have cards and only embellishments and I did that because either the embellishments were too bulky or because I liked the way it looked.

From what I've seen from videos, I was quite generous when it came to putting things in the pockets but I have also seen people put almost nothing in the pockets! You can add whatever you are comfortable with but also make sure you are being fair.

Here is a video showing some close ups and explaining what is in my pocket letters.

I hope you enjoyed and learned something about pocket letters! I'll see you next time.

Gossamer Blue - September Reveal

It's my favorite day of the month, reveal day! I love being able to finally share my projects with all of you. Today I am sharing two scrapbook pages I have created with the September Gossamer Blue kits. These kits are so gorgeous, I have been having so much fun playing with them. 

Stash Kit - Layouts

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing a few pages I have created using my stash kit. I recently posted a video showing what I was including in my stash kit as well as a scrapbook page I created using the kit. I didn't create a blog post for that page so I decided to share that page as well as the other I have created with the kit. 

August Blog Hop | Gossamer Blue

Hello everyone! It is the 15th of the month witch means it's blog hop day! These blog hops are made to give you some extra inspiration for when you get your kits!

Stash Kit + Video

Today I am sharing my first stash kit. I first saw this on Jen Show's YouTube channel and really wanted to try it out. This is a great way to use up a lot of your supplies that is just laying around.

Gossamer Blue | Celebrate Card + Video

Today I am sharing a fun card I created with this month's Gossamer Blue kits. I loved this card so much I just had to make another!

Gossamer Blue - August Reveal

Hello everyone. Today is a super exciting day. It's reveal day over at Gossamer Blue! I can't begin to tell you how gorgeous the August kits are. They are perfect for documenting those summer days.

These pages are completely different but that is why I wanted to share them. These kits will fit any style whether you like neutrals or really bright colors. These kits are also great at getting you to get out of your comfort zone.

Little Summer Joy - Part 1

Today I am sharing the first 10 pages of my Little Summer Joy journal. I am using these Moleskine journals. I am using mine as a sort of scrapbook and I really love how it has turned out so far!

U Rule Card + Video!

Hey everyone, I am something special to share with you today! I am now on YouTube! I am so excited being able to create and share videos with you all.

Today I have created a card using a stamp set called Back To School by Studio Calico which I got in a grab bag. I really love this card and although I'm not sure who I could give it to, it may be one of my favorites.

Birthday Cards

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing 4 birthday cards with you. I really love all of these cards and I hope you do as well. 

Week Twenty-one

This spread was definitely a difficult one for me. I didn't have many photos for that week which always makes it a bit more difficult and I also wanted to try and use some other supplies. I also want to say, I have no idea what is going on with the photos and them being dark on the bottom. When I edit them, the light is even but for some reason, when I upload them on here, they are different..

July Blog Hop | Gossamer Blue

Week Twenty

Hello everyone! Today I am sharing my spread for week 20. I am still a bit behind but I am slowly catching up. I used mostly Studio Calico cards for this spread but the embellishments and a couple of cards are from the Gossamer Blue kits this month. 

Speaking of Gossamer Blue, you can see my week 19 spread on their blog. 

Gossamer Blue - July Reveal

I am so excited to share my first Gossamer Blue projects with you! And don't forget all of the kits are available in the Gossamer Blue shop right now!

The day I got my box in the mail, I automatically went thorough everything and got to work. I think I created about four things that afternoon, and it was so much fun. 

Today I am shairng the cards I have made with the kits and I am so in love with every single one! 

At the end of the post, there will be links to all of the kits I used for these cards.

Texture Paste Tutorial

 I have watched countless card making videos and one of my favorite techniques is when they use texture paste. It is a great way to add dimension and is a perfect way to use stencils. I only have one stencil so far but I definitely plan to make some of my own soon!

Being 19 years old with no job means being on a tight budget and I love to save money any way I can. So naturally, I looked up how I can create my own texture paste and this is what I found. The recipe was originally for 4 times the amount but I wanted to make sure I liked it before creating a big batch.

Mini Cards

Today I am sharing some mini cards with you! The cards measure 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" and are absolutely adorable. I tend to keep these sized cards quite simple although I am starting to get a bit more creative with them.

The Big Announcement

If you follow me on instagram, you may have seen a post earlier this month where I said that I have some exciting news that I had to wait to announce. Well this is it. I am on the Gossamer Blue design team!!!

I cannot tell you how much this means to me, knowing that I will be working alongside all of these amazing women! My friend Laura, who is already on the DT, is actually the one who convinced me to apply but I never thought I would actually get it. I have only been doing Project Life for about a year but it has become one of my biggest passions and knowing that my work will inspire others is just amazing.

You can go to the Gossamer Blue blog to read about all of these amazing ladies.

1 Design, Different Cards - Tags

Since I have been trying to create as many cards as possible to get to my goal of 50, I often recreate different designs. These card tags are probably my favorite of all of the designs I've done even though they are fairly simple. 

Week Eighteen

This spread is probably my favorite spread I have done this year. It's crazy to think that I used to hate red and pink together because it is one of my favorite color combinations now. My spreads aren't usually this girly, yes, this is girly for me, but I'm totally loving it!

Week Seventeen

Recently, I have been trying to use more of my stash instead of sticking with Studio Calico cards and I am loving how the spreads are turning out.  

Week Sixteen

Week sixteen is finally in the books! That week was pretty crazy but also very productive. 

My New Hobby: Card making

Recently, I've been watching a lot of card making videos on youtube and it was something I wanted to try. Of course, I don't have all of the awesome stamps and dies they use, but I was able to make a few.

I originally planned to send the cards out to my instagram friends but shipping would have added up quickly and then I thought about Levin Children's Hospital. I've spent my fair share of days in the hospital and the smallest thing can cheer you up so I thought it would be great to give the cards I make to the hospital! My goal is 50 cards and I might get there faster than I thought!

Week Fifteen

I've gotten a bit behind on Project Life lately, but it is nice to get back to it. Week fifteen was pretty boring so I was struggling for photos, but it turned out pretty nice. I think my favorite part is that adorable Easter egg card, super cute right? 

Whenever I try to take a nice selfie, I always end up with a ton of silly photos and I thought it would be fun to include.

I'm not a huge fan of journaling, although I am getting more comfortable with it. I decided to add a little tag behind the photo and just added some string for easy access!

This is probably my favorite part of this spread. I got quite a bit of mail last month so I decided to make a little vellum pocket so I could include all of it. I hand stitched it, which was, well, a big pain in the butt. Thankfully it turned out really well and I think this is something I will do again in the future.

Hard Times & A Freebie

I've recently had a lot going on which is why I haven't posted in a while. A lot of the times when I am not feeling well, I find it difficult to write anything more than a status update or a post on instagram. I won't be able to post many PL spreads due to the pain I get while taking photos of the spreads.

Before getting into all of that, I just want to thank my amazing mom for helping me through all of this. I couldn't do any of it without her. I created this print for my mom and wanted to share it with all of you because I'm sure many other people can relate to this. If you aren't familiar with the lyrics, they are from the song Mother Like Mine by The Band Perry. I adore this song and knew it was perfect for my mom.

And if you love this print, you can get 20% off everything in my shop with the code LUVMYMOM

Letter Album

Last year for my birthday, my mom gave me letters that she had written through the years. Since then, almost a year ago, they have been sitting in a drawer but I wanted to do more with them. I decided to make a mini-album of sorts. 

This is a great project if you have lots of letters from a loved one or even letters from pen pals! They always seem to get tucked away somewhere, why not create something with them?

Week Fourteen

Week fourteen..I'm so glad this spread is finished! It was all down to the last two cards and I just couldn't figure out what to use. I don't think it has ever taken me this long to finish a spread but I think it was worth it. 

Even though I didn't have a lot going on that week, I made sure to take photos around the house, which I think I will be doing more.