...because HOME is where your story begins

The idea behind this layout came from the UpperCase Living catalog {inspiration can come from anywhere.} "Because Home is where your story begins" was a saying in one of their home dec pieces. It struck me the second I read it. I realized that this is the reason I do so many of the things I do... because here, with me, is where their stories begin.

I thought of this saying several times over the next few days. At the time I was designing layouts for the ScrapbooksPlus design team call. I decided to incorporate it in this layout that I made for the DT call. I distressed this tag and hand wrote the title in pencil first {I take the pledge I signed for Heidi Swapp quite seriously and ALWAYS write in pencil first.} I went over it in 05 Zig pen, added some flowers and ribbon and voila!


It was so easy to journal for this particular layout. I had no trouble explaining myself. The journaling is a little personal so I hid it behind our family picture so it isn't just out there on the page for everyone to read. It is behind a little door so the reader has to find it. I do this a lot... hidden journaling. If you are curious what the journaling says you will be able to read it on the ScrapbooksPlus Design Team Blog on February 2nd.

Cheese Sandwich {shape like a heart}

Why is there a cheese sandwich on my latest scrapbook page. Well, because that is what Cullen asks for everyday for lunch, a cheese sandwich {shape like a heart}





He says it in his little "Russian" accent which is something you won't really understand unless you have ever heard him talk. I scrapbooked about this because I want to remember this when he is all grown up. I want to remember that when he was a little guy nothing made him happier than to have a "cheese sandwich {shape like a heart} for lunch.




I am really diggin' the Thickers fabric alphas. This color is called leaf. Since I love to distress I inked them a bit with my Cats Eye Queue ink color~ yellow cadmium. I ended up with an uneven color effect and it made the texture of the fabric stand out a bit more. Since the set comes with so many letters and I can manipulate the color by inking them I am going to get a lot of use out of these.


This envelop came in the Maya Road Square Kraft Envelop set and it was the perfect journaling accent for this layout adding a "brown bag" element that went right along with the lunch theme. It also allowed me to hide my journaling which is something I do a lot. I love it so much I kind of didn't want to use. Its a "cake" thing... you can't have your envelop in you journaling accents drawer and eat it I mean use it on a great little scrapbook page too!

Design Studio

In an effort to start the new year off right I spent all last week re-organizing my design studio. It usually gets pretty out of control during the holidays and this year was no exception.



I just looked over the pictures of my studio that I posted last February. WOW, what a difference. While my studio is still very much the same, the pictures are so different... Thanks, Karen Russell. I love progress!





There is a real life quality, a depth, and a richness to the photos that I am so happy I can capture.





Some of the photographs are a bit casty but I don't find it too distracting. {Besides, I need something to improve upon for next year;)}






I love my cutting station... it is an absolute must in an efficient scrapbooking room!


My Studio Calico KOTM {kit of the month} kits!


My cozy little chair, I love it:)

Designing for...

I am so excited to announce that I am now designing for ScrapbooksPlus. I submitted my designs in mid December and just found out I was chosen as one of the new designers. I am so excited to work on this design team. First of all because the returning designers are some really talented ladies. I have followed them on the design team blog as well as their own blogs and they really inspire me. I am also interested in meeting the other new designers. I have really missed being a part of a design team so this is going to be fun, fun, fun! I can't wait to be inspired!
{actually I have already been inspired by this design team... inspired to de-clutter my design studio and right now I'm just procrastinating. Gotta go}



Couldn't go without leaving at least one picture. I love this one of Cullen in front of the tree on Christmas Eve.