Gossamer Blue: Pure Joy

Happy Friday! Here is another layout with the Gossamer Blue May kits...for this one, I used an entire package of Heidi Swapp glitter frames. I embellished them in similar colors. I just adore this photo of the girls that was captured while they were opening their birthday gifts. This is truly how life is every day around here - granted, we all have our moments but for the most part, these two laugh together all the time!

This layout was just fun to put together! I filled the frame with various cards and patterned papers.

So many great embellishments to choose from and add texture!

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Gossamer Blue: Rain Rain Go Away

Good morning! Today's layout is especially fitting as it is gloomy and rainy here today. It's a little bit of a bittersweet day as it is the girls' very last day of preschool. We have had such a wonderful experience and I know their preschool year is something we will remember forever. And now we get to make a decision about kindergarten - we are thinking and praying about homeschooling next year! 

My layout today features the May kits from Gossamer Blue - I really love the Hello Sunshine collection from Pink Paislee which is featured here along with some Gossamer Blue exclusives.

The little flair is a Gossamer Blue exclusive. I love the variety of raindrops in the Hello Sunshine collection - puffy stickers and transparencies!

Lots of cute die-cuts and cards to choose from too!

Thanks for stopping by today! :)

Gossamer Blue: Always Family

Hello there! Today I have a new layout to share for Gossamer Blue and this one features the May main kit. I love this family photo from Easter this year. The sunburst cut file is part of the exclusive cut files offered by Gossamer Blue. I love taking advantage of these every month!

I layered a few bits and pieces here including exclusive flair and printables from the kit.

More from the May kits to come soon!

Gossamer Blue: Celebrate Grandma

My grandma celebrated her 90th birthday last fall. We had a huge party to celebrate her and so many family members and friends came to the party. The event may have been in the fall but I took advantage of some of the feminine embellishments (butterflies) in the April Gossamer Blue kits (yes, I am behind in sharing - May layouts coming soon!)

I added a few details to the butterflies by embellishing them with brads and buttons. I used the exclusive printables to showcase the photo of the potluck line.

 

 My go-to photo sizing when I create two page layout is to size several focal point photos to around 4×6 or 3×5. I then size other detail shots to 2×3. Because my photos were rather busy, I backed them with gray or black neutral patterned papers. I was able to draw out the colors in the photos with my embellishments.

Finally, for the title I cut a banner with a piece of the Plus One patterned paper and cut it to fit across both pages. The title went on the left-hand page and then I had room for journaling on the right-hand page.

Thanks for stopping by today! :)

The Day I Became a Mother

I became a mother the day I sat across the table from a young girl with a rounded stomach. We were at a Panera Bread. She was sitting with her mom on one side of the table and I was on the other side with your daddy. Her pregnancy counselor sat neutrally between the two of us. When I heard the words, "I choose you," I knew my life would never be the same.

She said she had no idea how to make this decision but God had made it clear to her "that she would know who to choose by the way they speak about Me." It's been a little more than five years since we first met the birth mother of you, our twin daughters. But her words will always be clear to me. They are locked in my heart forever.

I became a mother the day your daddy and I went with to an ultrasound and doctor's appointment. We sat and watched in awe as our little girls moved within her belly. We listened with excitement to your galloping heartbeats.

I became a mother the day we sat on the other end of the phone waiting very impatiently for a phone call. We knew our birth mother was having some tests done and it could likely be the day our babies were born. That phone call came around 6:00 p.m. on May 1, 2009. "They are here," the pregnancy counselor said. "Born at 3:33 and 3:34 p.m. Everyone is doing well! Could you come to the hospital tomorrow?"

I became a mother the day we nervously arrived at the hospital. I was clutching a vase of flowers. Daddy had our camera. We knocked on the door and stepped inside where we saw two bassinets. My eyes respectfully went to our birth mother first and then reverently to my daughters.

I became a mother the day first one and then two little bundles were placed in my arms. I couldn't believe they were mine to love and raise. My heart was bursting beyond anything I could imagine.

I became a mother the day I went to the hospital with your daddy to bring you home. We changed you into "going home" outfits from your grandparents and then it was time to go. We hugged and cried with our birth mother and her family. It was bittersweet for all of us. My heart broke for her as she said goodbye.

I became a mother the day I survived my first night with you. You slept together in a bassinet at the foot of our bed. I don't think I slept a wink. Every little whimper or cry made me check on you. I fed you, changed you and rocked you - all the time relishing in the fact that this was my job now.

I became a mother the day I received a beautiful vase of roses and lilies from our birth mother and her family on my very first Mother's Day. The next day would have been the last day she could have changed her mind. When I received that beautiful bouquet, I knew without a doubt that THIS.WAS.REAL.

This weekend, I am celebrating my 6th Mother's Day and like always, I am reflecting on those first days with my girls. Later, this month we will visit with our birth mother and her family to celebrate Mother's Day and the girls' 5th birthday.

A long time ago, I dreamed of the day I would become a mother. It didn't come in the way I was expecting - in the way it happens for most people. I wouldn't get to see a positive pregnancy test, feel my baby's kicks within my belly or experience the pains of childbirth.

Instead, I became a mother because of what I consider to be a gift. A gift of ultimate love. A gift of choice. A gift that I will forever treasure and that humbles me each and every day.

"...He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory." ~Isaiah 61:3

Gossamer Blue: Here We Go Play

Good morning! I apologize for somewhat falling off the face of the planet for the last couple weeks. We have been working on a painting project around here and then it was Easter and then we celebrated the girls' 5th birthday. So, everything else was on hiatus and I just enjoyed time with my family. The girls' year of preschool is winding down and we are all so looking forward to summer! 

I have two more layouts to share with the April Gossamer Blue kits and here is one today of the girls playing at a local park. I pulled out the blues and greens in this kit based on that fun tunnel the girls were crawling through.

I had fun adding little embellishments here and there - wood veneer, seam binding, resin and chipboard stars, stickers...

I really love that star vellum from Crate Paper and the "here we go" rub-on from American Crafts that I used for part of the title.

Thanks for stopping by today! :)

Gossamer Blue: As Nora's Mom

Good morning! Today I have another layout to share with you featuring the April Gossamer Blue kits. This one focuses on the relationship I have with Miss Nora. (I already created a layout about Lily a few months ago and wanted to create one for her sister). These photos were taken on Mother's Day last year. I love using my layouts to write letters to my girls and I try to do that at least once a year.

Lots of pretty embellishments this month - the butterflies, doilies, wood veneer and flair!

Love that Dear Lizzy sticker...just so sweet!

Have a great day! :)

Gossamer Blue: Awesome Dad

Good morning! Today I have a layout to share with you that showcases the April main kit from Gossamer Blue. The main kit is sold out but if you want to get in on the fun at Gossamer Blue, I would be sure to start your subscription with May's kit!

This photo is from Father's Day last summer of the girls with their daddy and grandpa Pete. I highlighted the hexagons on this patterned paper from Studio Calico and added patterned papers and embellishments mostly from American Crafts.

I made a template for the hexagons using the star vellum and then cut each patterned paper piece out using the template.

I love the little frame rub-on from American Crafts. The flair is October Afternoon and wooden buttons from American crafts. The wood veneer is a Gossamer Blue exclusive.

Thanks for stopping by today! :)

American Crafts: Beautiful Spring Day

Good morning! Today I want to share my projects for spring week on the American Crafts blog. I used the Cut & Paste collection to create this layout and card. These photos are from Mother's Day last year. We make it a point to always get some photos on Mother's Day and Father's Day. Usually on Mother's Day, our crab apple tree is flowering and it is such a pretty pink bloom.

I kept my design very simple and matted my photos with two different patterned papers. 

 

I really like the vellum pockets for journaling. I jazzed this one up with a few fabric photo corners and a resin bow.

And here is my spring card...the wood veneer card was deliberately placed on the stripes of the patterned paper.

Thanks for stopping by today! :)

Webster's Pages: Happy Easter frame

Good morning! Hope you all had a great weekend! Today I have a new project to share for Webster's Pages. I used the new Allison Kreft collection called "Hello World" to make this 12x12 frame for Easter.

I cut the Easter egg borders out of white cardstock with my Cameo. 

Then I backed each egg with patterned papers in the collection and embellished several of them with enamel dots and wood veneer stars.

I white washed a wooden frame - kept it neutral so I could change out the decor. 

I also cut out my title - partially on the Cameo and from a journaling card in the collection.

Here is a close-up of the eggs...

This was a quick and easy project! Hope you have a great Monday! It's supposed to be a beautiful week here! :)

Gossamer Blue: Our Easter

Good morning! Today I have one more layout to share with you featuring the March Gossamer Blue kits and this is one of my favorite two-page layouts I have created in awhile. This month I created a tone-on-tone layout with pops of bright color for spring. We love celebrating Easter by coloring Easter eggs, going through our baskets, going to church and eating a big Sunday dinner and then following up with an Easter egg hunt in our backyard. This layout highlights our entire celebration.

 

I found a set of Easter eggs in the Silhouette online store and cut them out with kraft cardstock. I created the tone-on-tone effect by using kraft cardstock as my background. I used a variety of patterned paper (mostly from the main kit) on the back of the cut outs on the eggs. I love the gold foil paper in this month’s kits and used that as well on one of the stripes and the polka dots. I embellished with wood veneer and chipboard butterflies, stickers, twine and brads.

 I printed a couple of my photos smaller than wallet size and stacked them on a 3×4 card from the Life Pages kit.

Finally, I also found a fun Easter egg border in the Silhouette store and cut it out with kraft cardstock. I backed all of the eggs with patterned papers as I did on the first page and embellished the flower eggs with enamel dots and brads.

Hope you all have a great day!

Webster's Pages: Sweet Giggling Girls

Good morning! Today I have a new layout to share for Webster's Pages featuring the new Sprinkled with Love collection by Allison Kreft. I just adore this collection with its bright colors and fun embellishments! We had a little Valentine's Day photo shoot a while back and I captured this photo of the girls that I just love.

I layered doilies, transparencies and journaling cards at the top of my photo.

 

I used one of the new wood veneer cards and backed it with a heart transparency. Then I cut down a new paper straw, tied twine around it and strung a heart charm to dangle from the straw.  The alphabet stickers are a mix and match of American Crafts and Webster's Pages.

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope your day is great! :)

Webster's Pages: Hello Beautiful Books

Good morning! I haven't shared projects for Webster's Pages in a while so I hope to do that over the next couple days. Allison Kreft's Sweet Notes collection is a favorite of mine and I decided to create this layout about my renewed love of books. I have always been a reader and over the past 6 months or so really got back into it again.

I love the book patterned paper and the library card - they were perfect for this layout!

I love using stickers to mix and match my titles and add little captions!

Have a great day! Thanks for stopping by!

Gossamer Blue: This Girl

Happy Friday! It is finally looking like spring around here and I LOVE it. What a long, dreary and cold winter. My girls are also on spring break from preschool. We don't have anything major planned and will most likely stick around close to home. I'm hoping if there is a nice afternoon we might go to the zoo. I really need to do some cleaning and organizing at home as well. It will be great to have a break!

Today's layout features Lily - her outgoing personality is what we love most about her. I took these photos of her in her Christmas dress and pulled out the pretty pale pink, cream, white and gold in this month's Gossamer Blue kits.

The 4x6 card at the top was in the Life Pages themed add-on and I accented a few of the polka dots with clear sequins.

The trim is from Webster's Pages and I ruffled it on the page for more texture. I really love the POW glitter paper in gold from American Crafts. It cuts so easily on the Cameo.

Thanks for stopping by today! I have more work I want to share with you next week including my two-page layout for this month. Enjoy your weekend!

Gossamer Blue: Love Notes

Good morning! Today I have another layout to share with the March Gossamer Blue kits. I created this one of the girls working on their valentines for their preschool class.

 

Gossamer Blue kits have so many great embellishments - sticky notes, brads, tags, enamel hearts, wood veneer, stickers. I just love putting together my layouts with so many options.

I love that heart wood veneer card from Webster's Pages! 

On this layout, I used several of the exclusive Life Pages 3x4 and 4x6 cards - just another way to show you that these cards can be used on your scrapbook pages if you don't do pocket scrapbooking.

Thanks for visiting today! :)