A "Bag" of my own!

A few years ago I picked up a sweet little notebook of which I absolutely fell in love with the print on the cover. I didn't realize at the time that it was a Vera Bradley print I fell in love with, but when I did I began to covet owning anything and everything with this print. Appropriately enough, it was called "Java Blue." I tend to love anything that even remotely has a 'coffee' reference.

I began seeing the Java Blue print everywhere!! In an airport I saw luggage made with Java Blue. At the malls I saw ladies carrying all shapes and sizes of bags in Java Blue. And most frustrating, I even saw little girls wearing Java Blue back packs! Why is that annoying? Because Vera Bradley products are expensive and it hurts, yes, physically hurts, when I see a child carrying around a $90 back pack... and it's FILTHY!!

My birthday was this month and my sweet Alyssa gave me a Vera Bradley Java Blue purse! Woo Hoo!!!! She knew the print but picking out the style was challenging. We went together yesterday to exchange it and it was still hard to pick out a style! I told Alyssa that I had coveted this print for so long I wasn't sure it was still the one I wanted (it was and is) but I'd also fallen for a brown & black print I'd seen on a purse recently. Now the funny thing is, the black & brown print, it turns out, is called "Caffe Latte" .... I can't help it!! I fall in love with all things coffee even unintentionally!

Now take a peek at my lovely new bag...

Here's a peek at the Caffe Latte wristlette....

A Tisket a Tasket

A multi-color basket!!


While I love cruising around the blogs and seeing what every one else is doing, I love even more 'stealing' those sweet ideas and making them my own... in that I am copying the concept or design but using my 'touch.' Y'all know I'd never claim something as mine that wasn't/isn't!!!



Girlfriend Terri posted a similar basket and I just had to make one!! This was so easy and can you say, "Sweet!"???

When I first saw hers I thought it was much larger so I propped some mini pb cups along side to give you the perspective. What a cute way to give a little gift... Easter candy, maybe? Oh, Wait!! How about jewelry!!!

I was having so much fun 'dorning it, I hope I didn't overdo... what'd y'all think??

The Kay, Rose & Betsy Show! My Altered book

Today Lucy asked me if I have ever done an altered book. I had always thought they sounded like fun and last summer I finally took the leap and made one. I was supposed to make two, but to date, I still have only made one. I had picked up a magazine that referred to "scrapbooks in an evening" and I thought, "Great! I can whip out two of these in no time at all!!" Right..... *rolling the old proverbial eyes*


I chose for my project a baby board book. I got this one at Barnes & Noble in the bargain kids section.

This is the first page, right side. See the open flap? I chose this book just so I could use those flaps to make pockets on every other page. The pages were all shiny and slick so before I started I sanded them just a little bit to make the glue, hence the papers, stick better.


This is the cover of my finished book. This particular one I gave to Kay, therefore 'K' on the cover.


I made this book just before leaving Sandy, UT to move to Kentucky. The two women that I made them for were co-workers of mine at Barnes & Noble. They are very special women. This book commemorates a back yard bbq at my house shortly before moving.

Page 1

Page 2

Kay's real job is teaching special education. She is so perfect for it because she is totally in touch with her inner child. I love and miss Kay so very much!!

Page 3

Page 4

Rose is an amazing woman. I consider her my intellectual/spiritual counselor. Besides being incredibly insightful, she is a total clown and loves to laugh and make other people laugh. I can't express how much I love & miss her!!

Page 5

Page 6

We had been listening to "Mamma Mia" all evening but eventually I decided that these women absolutely must meet Josh Turner. My Oh My!! The deep sexy voice of that young man certainly did something for our evening!!

Page 7

Page 8

The last 2 pages depict another outting we did together to see Mamma Mia. Kay loves movies and insisted we would love this one. I absolutely agree!!




Page 9



Page 10

I still have to complete Rose's book. It's pretty much put together, just my same old procrastination setting in!!

Appreciating the Utah Snow... or, Monkey See, Monkey Do...

Well, because my friend Mary just posted some layouts using the Aspen paper pack, I decided I should get out mine and post them, too. So original, right? I love Love LOVE these papers. It may have something to do with loving snow & winter as well.

There are four pages all together here. The photos are from my last winter in Utah, which, lucky for me, was a very snowy one! Despite the snow there are always lots of bright sunny days and it's incredibly beautiful. Snow & sun sparkle like diamonds.

If you know anything about me you will know that I absolutely loved living in Utah. This was our house and the Wasatch Mountains as our back drop. It was common to have deer walking down the center of our street, or browsing through the yards side to side. I loved watching them ...except in the spring when they would stop by for a little "Tulip Salad."

I couldn't help but love how pretty the trees are when mother nature flocks them in white. In the spring and summer we'd watch quail come visiting and they would often come out from under these trees in droves. Really, 15 - 30 of them at a time. They quickly became my favorite birds!

This tree in our back yard. As well as apple trees and an apricot tree and grapes growing over our fence from the neighbor's yard.

Another view from my back porch. I really do miss it!! Sigh......

Stair Step Dimensions

Just wanted to add a little detail about my last post, the stair step card. And that is the dimensions!

If you want to try this card the base is 10.5" x 5"

For the folds, score your cardstock at 1.25", 2.5", 4.25", 6", and 8.25"

Then simply make your valley and peak folds, stamp, color, create & embellish any old way that inspires you!!

Have fun!

Finally, I did it!!

I have been wanting to make a "stair step" card for quite a while now! I've seen dozens of them, all so adorable, on my team site and other places. They look so fun to make, but I have been trying to work diligently on a larger project and just haven't squeezed in the time. Last night I finally did it!!

Do you love it?

This one is just a bit different from the other's I've seen because it displays a photo. But then again, that just may be what I'm loving about it! You may recall my hubby is keeping his "10 Things I Love About You" album at work... well, I'm now picturing this little gem on his desk as well. To be honest, I just grabbed 'any old photo' that I had handy, but wouldn't it be sweet with other photos of our daughters stair stepped in it? It was so fun to put together!

And of course a lot of the fun was using items that I have only recently "discovered." I love our rub-ons. I used them on the frame - the little brown flowers in 2 corners. I also had a lot of fun with our Just Blooms(TM) , the colors were perfect to match the wreath in my hair and pull it into the frame.

Can you believe I poo-poo'd the Clear Sparkles and Pretty Pins when we first got them? Both are now among my very favorite embellishments.


~*~**~***~**~
Products mentioned in this blog are available from Close To My Heart™ at paperboutique.myctmh.com


My Reflections® Level 2 paper packet: "That's Amore" X7107B, $12.95
(10 - 12x12 Cardstock Sheets: 2 each of 3 colors, 4 neutral
& 12 - 12"x 12" B&T DuosÔ: 2 each of 6 patterns, page 25 Spring 2009 Idea Book)


My Acrylix® stamp set: "Reminisce" D1334, $22.95
(set of 14, page 26 Spring 2009 Idea Book)


Exclusive InksÔ Stamp Pads: $5.25, Pages 10 & 11 Spring 2009 Idea Book
Sweet Leaf, Z2153
Blush, Z2106
Tulip, Z2166


Embellishments:


"Pretty Pins" Z1148, $4.25
(12 - 2-1/8" pins (6 each of 2 designs), Page 29 Spring 2009 Idea Book)


"Designer Ribbon RoundsÔ" Blush Collections Z1138 $7.95
(6 ft each of 4 ribbons, Page 91 Spring Idea Book)


"Just BloomsÔ" Paper Flowers White Daisy Variety Pack Z1300, $7.95
(75 flowers, 3 styles, sizes vary)


Rub-Ons: "Love Story" Z1135 $9.95
(3 - 6"x12" sheets, 1 ea of Chocolate, Colonial White, White Daisy)


Clear Sparkles: Z1104 $2.95
(72 Sparkels - 48 circles & 24 squares in 7mm, 5mm, 4mm 2mm)


Mini-Medley Accents Collections: $7.95, Page 95 Spring 2009 Idea Book
Winter Cozy Collection, Z1120 (Twilight, Sweet Leaf & Blush, 12 Spiral Clips (6 large, 6 small), 9 Oval Ribbon Slides, 30 Square Brads, 6 Corduroy Brads)
Shades of Chocolate Collection, Z1037 (Bamboo, Chocolate & Colonial White, 24 Brads, 24 Bigger Brads, 18 Paper Flowers, 9 Designer Square Brads, 6 Arrow Photo Cliips, 6 Oval Ribbon Slides)


Dimensional Elements: Framed Fun, Z1140 $4.95
(Page 96 Spring 2009 Idea Book)