The countdown begins...

I just want to wish you all a fantastic New Year's Eve! How can it be that we are on the brink of 2009? Less than 10 hours here in Montana! We will be going to a music jam session at some friends of ours. It will be a wonderful celebration with Family and Friends. I hope that wherever you are and whoever you are with, you will have a joyful celebration!

This will be my last post of the year and I wanted to add one more layout before the end of 2008. This layout was made using a sketch from the So Sketchy Blog. I am once again trying out for the So Sketchy DT. I have truly loved being on the So Sketchy DT and I have hopes of continuing to work with Allison's amazing sketches!!

I used the amazing Pink Paislee Tinsel Town line along with Making Memories florals, jewels, and alphas, Prima Florals, Studio Calico Nadiya stamps and Holiday Elegance Florals from Michaels.

Thank you all for taking time to look at my blog! I look forward to blogging with you in the New Year!!

Kristii

10 Favorites of 2008

With 2009 quickly approaching, I thought it would be fun to post my 10 favorite layouts for 2008. I had so much fun scrapping this year!! I really focused on dimension and getting out of my box! I used scrapping as my therapy when my mom passed on, and it brought me great release and comfort. I love this hobby that has become my passion. I poured my heart and soul into my work and these are my favorite of the year (not in any particular order:
1. This layout is a design made for the So Sketchy Blog. Ally's sketches really stretched me and I had a ball with each and every one of them. These pictures of my sweet girl just tell the whole story. It really has gone by in the blink of an eye!!

2. This layout was done for a challenge at Scrapping the Music. Scrapping the Music is one of the best challenge blogs out there and I have loved being on their DT. I look so forward to what 2009 has in store! This layout is of my sweet dd once again. She was getting ready for the prom and I just love the moment that was captured here! 3. The layout is of my oldest daughter and was created for the So Sketchy Blog. The sketch was amazing and worked perfectly for this sweet little angelic picture. Little did I know that the gold floss would be so hard to work with, but I love the results!4. This layout was created for the So Sketchy blog too. I love how the desing came together!! My sweet dd was trying to get into nursing school and the quote was perfect and still holds true: "Getting ahead in a difficult profession requires avid {Faith} in yourself. That is why some people with mediocre talent but with great inner drive go much further than people with vastly superior talent"~Sophia Loren. This layout as well as the others were made with my Studio Calico kits. Studio Calico kits totally rock!!
5. This was made for the Scrapping the Music challenge. Lots of Prima flowers and SC goodies!

6. Another STM challenge layout. This photo of my dd and her husband is just gorgeous and I just love the splash of red along with the black and cream.
7. This layout for the So Sketchy Blog was sparked by my mom's illness. I took a family photo and cut the two of us out of it. Little did I know how little time we had and how much more important the memories would become.

8. This would be my first STM challenge. The song was amazing and these pictures fit perfectly. I won the challenge and eventually a spot on the DT!!! I love STM!!!

9. This was just a fun layout of my sweet dd's. I used SC goodies and it wa #1 on Two Peas for several days! It really spurred me on to becoming a better scrapper!!

10. This layout was made for Little Red Scrapbook. It was one of the first layouts that I did that got me out of my box. Use the same photo more than once on a layout??? Why not. I loved the results!! What a cutie she is!! 11. I realized I forgot another one of my favorites. This on is for LRS as well. You just gotta love Sassafrass Lass and Jenni Bowlin papers!!
I had a blast scrapping in 2008 and I am looking forward to what 2009 has in store!!

Thanks for looking and I hope you have a great day!!

Kristii

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and blessings in the year to come!!

kristii

The Happiest Mom!!!

That would be me!! That is because my kids all made it home for Christmas!! I couldn't think of a better present than that! We moved Heidi back from Spokane last week, and Bethany and Matt arrived home safely on Saturday. We have a full house and I am loving it!! I will have lots of pictures in the days to come!!

I will be slowing down considerably this week and I am so happy about that too! We have 1-1/2 days of school and I work tonight at Hallmark and then I am off until after Christmas!! Whoo hoo! My only goal is to have fun with my kids!! My grocery shopping and Christmas shopping is complete. I know I will probably run to the store for last minute items, it's inevitable, but no more long drawn out shopping trips. Yay!! I have a few ornaments to complete for friends and family, but I am almost done with all of that too! I can feel the relaxation settling in!! It is heavenly!!

I only had time for one layout last week and I just love it! It is my last of the year for the So Sketchy Blog. I have totally enjoyed working with Ally's sketches. So much so, that I think I will try out for the So Sketchy Design Team once again. Check it out here! Ally's sketches are awesome and she is so easy to design for. You would love being on her team!!

Here is my final So Sketchy Design for 2008:

The goodies are from Studio Calico with the exception of the Blue Moon beads, stars, and embroidery floss. The wreath is cut out from my Cricut using the Joys of the Season Cartridge.

This picture of my sweet girl was taken in 1987 as she was participating in her first Christmas play at Church!! Isn't she a doll? One little note: gold embroidery floss is quite difficult to work with, but I do love the effect!! Thanks for another wonderful sketch Ally!!

I do hope that you are all enjoying your Holidays!!

I am looking forward to taking some extra time out and getting into The Word and remembering the Reason for the Season!!

Have a great day,

Kristii

Little Red Scrapbook Designs for December

Little Red Scrapbook featured Fancy Pants Arctic Chill in their December kit. I had some fun making some Santa Ornaments with this kit that I will be giving away to my friends and family.

Here are a few of my favorites:I just love these pictures of Bethany! Isn't she cute? She loved the snow!!
Tradition is very important to me and we have many traditions at Christmas time. One of those traditions is making homemade ornaments. Our tree is covered with ornaments we have made thoughout the years. In 2007 we covered some Bazzill ornaments and embellished them. They turned out beautiful!!!

Thanks for taking a peek!!

I hope you have a glorious day!!

Only 8 more days til Christmas!!

Kristii

What Christmas Means to Me

I love the Christmas Season. Everything about it brings joy to me. The lights, the music, the laughter and the thoughts of "peace on earth good will to men" all bring a smile to my heart. However, there would be no celebration without remembering the reason we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, the very reason the Christmas celebration came in to being, was born on Christmas Day. Because of this celebration, my family all comes together. We give, we love, we laugh, we rejoice, we play, and we remember.

What does Christmas mean to me? Christmas means giving, loving, laughing, rejoicing and remembering with my family. Spending time together and remembering the One who made this all possible. Thank you Lord for this most awesome gift!

No more dreaming.....

Of a White Christmas!!! We have several inches of snow on the ground and cold temperatures forecast for the next week. It is -15 degrees this morning (not including the windchill factor), and we have a forecast high of -4 here in Southwestern Montana. Brrr!!! It would be a great day to stay inside and bake cookies, but school is rarely canceled here in Montana. So we are getting ready for school this morning, as usual.

Benny's choir concert is tonight and I am really looking forward to it. He is singing in the Chanson choir and the Chamber Choir. I haven't heard them perform yet, but Ms. Wilkerson says they are a talented bunch!!

I only have time to post one layout, but I have more to post throughout the week!

This layout was done for the So Sketchy Blog and I had so much fun creating it. I used my SC December kit and my Cricut and I love the results!

The pictures were taken in 1994-it is so hard to believe that 14 years have gone by. Thank goodness I took pictures back then. They aren't perfect, but I didn't know then what I know now!

I hope you all have a great day!!

kristii

I am being a little sneaky today!!

Anyonoe up for a sneak peek??

The December kit at Little Red Scrapbook is featuring Fancy Pants Arctic Chill papers and embellies. Here is a look at the kit:

and here's a sneak peek of my designs for the month:

It has been a crazy busy week with the holidays! I hope today finds you healthy, happy, and enjoying the season.

I have a question today for those of you who visit my blog. What does Christmas mean to you?
This is something I will be thinking on today and will blog my answer tomorrow.

I wish you a day filled with joy and peace,
Kristii

The countdown continues...

Only 5 days until we drive to Spokane to bring Heidi home! Whoo hoo! I can't wait!! I missed her so much over the Thanksgiving Break and it will be so good to have her home!! We will leave Saturday morning and stay the night and drive back Sunday morning. The weather is supposed to be very cold as a blast of arctic air is forecast on Sunday. The high is supposed to be 11 degrees. There are only 16 more days until Beth and Matt will arrive home!! They will be staying with us for nearly 2 weeks!! It is going to be the best holiday ever!! I can't wait to have all of my kids together again!

I finished a ton of scrapping this weekend!! I still have some more projects in the works including some Design Team work for Little Red Scrapbook. I should have some sneak peeks for you on Wednesday!!

I know I keep going on and on about the Color Me Daisy December kit, but I just have to tell you it is my favorite Color Me Daisy kit ever. I have had so much fun with it and this layout is no exception!!

This is my sweet little Heidi telling us just how cold it is!! Isn't she the sweetest! This picture was taken in 1988! I am constantly reminded just how much time has gone by in my life!! Amazing!! There are some My Mind's Eye patterned paper and goodies as well as October Afternoon patterned papers and Maya Road Snowflakes. Don't you just love the metallic AC thickers!!

I love the song this week at Scrapping the Music!! Mary chose Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy. The lyrics are awesome!! I decided to tell a family story with this week's challenge!! Of course, I used Studio Calico goodies on this layout!! The lyrics I used are:

Every child must be made aware. Every child must be made to care. Care enough for his fellow man, to give all the love he can.

The story behind this layout began 6 years ago. My children heard about Compassion International on the radio. We didn't have the money at the time to sponsor a child. We brainstormed and came up with a solution. I am so very proud to say that my kids chose to give up cable tv to sponsor a child. Maribenson has been our Compassion child for going on 6 years. We were without cable tv for a couple of years and we lived through it, lol! This will be an important story for my children to share with their own children! I am so proud of my kids!! They rock!

Thank you for checking out my blog and I hope you have a fantastic day!!

Thank you also to my Scrappy Friend Katrina Huerta for helping me spice up my blog a bit!! You rock girl!!

May the peace of God surround you this Christmas Season,

Kristii

It's Friday!!!

How wonderful is that!! I absolutely love Fridays!!

We have early release at school today!! Whoo hoo!! I do have to go to a class for English As a Second Language, but it will be very laid back. I am hoping this class will give me some tools to help a couple of my Learning Lab students.

I only have to work 9:45 -2 tomorrow, so I should be able to get a lot done around the house!! I am so ready to finish my decorating! I still have to get two small trees and I have to pull all of my decorations out of their bins. I still have several projects to finish too, so it will be a busy weekend! Only 2 1/2 weeks until Christmas which means 8 days until Heidi comes home and 19 days until Bethany arrives!! Whoo hoo!!

I just have one project to post today. I have to tell you that the Color Me Daisy December kit is fantastic!! I hope you get a chance to check it out! Here is a layout I made with the December kit's goodness:

The flowers are cut out of Making Memories Glittered Poinsettia from the Fa La La line. I cut the holly leaves out using my Cricut Machine and the Joys of the Season Cartridge. The title and journaling is taken from Where are you Christmas as sung by Faith Hill and Taylor Momsen on The Grinch. The journaling states: The Joy of Christmas stays here with us, fills each and every heart with love. This picture of my 3 cuties was taken way back in 1996.

I received a blogging award yesterday from my amazing scrapbooking friend and fellow LRS DT member Lisa Spiegel! You are such a sweetheart Lisa!! I, too, am very honored!! You are a most amazing scrapper and I am so thankful to have met you by way of Little Red Scrapbook!

The rules:

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.

2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.

3. Nominate 5 blogs.

4. Provide links to their blogs.

5. Leave a message for your nominees.

In no particular order, here are my nominees:

1. Barb My fellow STM DT member, at least for a couple more weeks, :(. I have so enjoyed getting to know you over at Scrapping the Music. I just know that we are kindred spirits!!! You are an amazing scrapbooker and I always love visiting your blog!! I appreciate you so very much and I look forward to getting to know you more in the days and weeks to come. (I so hope we can meet one day!!)

2. Nat another one of my fellow scrapbookers at Scrapping the Music. Nat you are crazy talented and I totally love visiting your blog! I so wish I had been in Seattle when you visited! It would be such a kick to get to meet you!! Your work always inspires me and I am thankful to get to know you!!

3. Mara I have so enjoyed getting to know you at Color Me Daisy. You are amazing and so very talented!! Your blog is so refreshing and I love seeing what you create!! You totally inspire me!!

4. Susan Beth My IRL friend. You have such a caring heart and you are so talented in so many ways!! I have truly loved getting to know you and I trust our friendship will grow in the days and months ahead!

5. Denise Girl, you always inspire me!! I love checking out your blog and you always have a kind word for me!! I appreciate you and I love seeing what you create!!

Have fun with this girls!!

Wishing you an amazing day!!

Kristii

Home is where my heart is!!

It has been so busy already this holiday season!! I am looking forward to being home tonight. I have so much that needs to be done! But, I am not going to stress about it all. It will get done one way or another. The honest truth is, my heart longs to be home. I love making our home cozy and comfortable. I love cooking dinner and baking cookies. I love crafting. Home is definitely where my heart is!!

Whoo hoo, there are only 10 days until Heidi comes home and 20 days until Beth and Matt are due to arrive!! I can't wait. I need to make an advent chain to mark the days just for fun!! It would certainly add to my excitement-although I am already so excited I can hardly contain myself. I am like a little kid waiting for the man in red myself. lol!!

Just like I promised here is my So Sketchy layout for the 30th of November. I have so enjoyed designing for Allison!! Her sketches are the Bomb!! I hope you get some time to try out one of her sketches!! You will be glad you did!!

I just loved this sketch with the circles and woven strips. I think Basic Grey Urban Prairie is one of my all time favorite lines of paper. So fun and playful! I just had to use pictures of my daughter with this line. I just can't believe she is going to be 21 in February. Like the layout says, the transformation took place- In the Blink of an Eye! What wonderful memories and thoughts this layout carries!! This is probably one of my favorite layouts of the year!!

I also have a card to post that I made for Color Me Daisy. I just love the CMD December kit!! There are so many possibilities!!! I used My Mind's Eye, Imaginisce, and October Afternoon papers for this card!! The snowman is just too cute! As you can see, I loved him so much, I had to use him for my blog title!

Rejoicing in the Lord always,
Kristii

Happy Holidays!!!

Wow, it is already December 3rd. I trust you are all into the Holiday Spirit!! I love the holidays!! I downloaded some wonderful Christmas Music:

Barlow Girl, Home for Christmas and Sixpence None the Richer, The Dawn of Graceto go along with my Relient K, Taylor Swift and Martina McBride cd's. I need to download some more, but this is a good start.

Our main tree is nice and tall and all lit up. It is a bit naked, but hopefully we will have time later this week to add ornaments. We also have to find our two smaller, Charlie Brown trees for the family room. I am planning on working on it all this weekend. I want to have everything in place and homey before our kids make it home! Whoo hoo!! only 11 more days until Heidi arrives and 21 days until Beth arrives. I am in heaven just thinking about it!!!

I have been hard at work on my Christmas ornaments for this year. I am making two different styles, an angel made out of papers from the Color Me Daisy kit. and a Santa Claus made out of the Little Red Scrapbook kit.

Here is my sweet little angel from the CMD kit:

Challenge!!! Prize included!!

If you check out the Color Me Daisy website, you will find an ornament challege that I am hosting. I hope you will be able to find the time this busy season to post your homemade ornaments. I will be holding a drawing the last day of December for one lucky winner, so post your ornaments here. You can enter as many ornaments as you would like. The prize will be a fantastic stamp set by Hero Arts!!!

It will be fun!!! I can't wait to see all the different ideas everyone has!! Enter today!!!

I will be posting my little curly Santas soon. I hope you check back because they are as cute as can be!!

I want to invite you to check out Scrapping the Music this week. We are highlighting the Beatles, In My Life, which is an awesome song with awesome lyrics!!! Come on over and play with us!! This is the best challenge I know of, to get yourself out of your box, and just have some fun creating!! Here is my take on this week's challenge and of course, I used items from my wonderful Studio Calico kit!!

I have more projects to post, but I will leave you with a teaser until tomorrow.

I will be posting a layout I did for the So Sketchy Blog, which is now posted, so if you are curious, you can check it out on the blog and I will also be posting some more Color Me Daisy DT work.

I hope this day finds you rejoicing in the Reason we Celebrate Christmas,

Kristii

Ever Thankful!!!

Last week was a difficult week and I am hoping this week will be much brighter!

It seems that lately most of my posts have been about giving thanks, but I think that in times such as these you had better count your blessings. I refuse to be depressed!

I think that one of the hardest things in life is seeing your kids go through disappointment and difficulties. When they are younger you can put a band aid on their hurts and give them a kiss to make it all better. When they are adults, you have to encourage them and help guide them in another direction. It is painful being a parent sometimes, but through the difficulties, you know they will grow and mature and become the amazing adult God has created them to be! So here is my thankful list for this week:

1. I am thankful that each of my kids are unique. A special combination of their father and me. They each have special talents and interests. They are amazing!

2. I am thankful they are coming home for Christmas!! Whoo hoo!! This year will be very speical indeed!

3. I am so thankful we have a home for them to come back to!

4. I am extremely thankful for our jobs that provide for our needs. In this day and age when people are being laid off left and right, we still have jobs!

5. I am thankful that God has a plan. Our plans may fail, but He doesn't fail. He knows our needs and provides for them every day. He will not leave us nor forsake us!

6. I am thankful my girls get to spend Thanksgiving together. I will miss them, but I know they will have a great time together!!

7. I am thankful that I still have the time and energy to be creative.

8. I am thankful that my sweetie, my son and I make time for each other. During this busy time of 2 jobs and and just trying to make it day to day, we are making sure to have some quality time througout the week! So Important!

9. I am very thankful for an extra day off this week, Whoo hoo!! I can't wait!

10. I am thankful that we have another day to live, be happy, and rejoice regardless of the circumstance. Thank you Lord for another day!!!

Today is a very special day in fact! It is my sweet hubby's birthday!! Happy Birthday Sweetie!! You may be another day older, but you are the youngest man I know. You have so much energy and spunk! You are amazing and I love you!!!

I finished another sketch layout for the So Sketchy Blog by Allison Cope. I hope you get to take some time to check out Allison's work! She is amazing and her sketches are so fun to work with!!

I used my November SC kit for this layout. The journalings says, "Believe you are beautiful, and this is not conceit. You did not create yourself, God did and all of God's creations are beautiful".

I hope you all have a spectacular day!!

Kristii

Happy Monday!!

Good Morning everyone!! I hope you are having a happy Monday!

I can't believe the weekend is gone already!! Our weekend was so relaxing and low key. I needed the rest and relaxation something fierce!! We went to Billings on Saturday and stayed the night in a nice hotel. Benny was invited to the Billings' West Twirp Dance so we decided to make a weekend of it. He looked quite handsome in his tux and his date looked gorgeous!! It was so good to get away for the weekend!! Here's some pics for you!!

They had a fantastic time!!! What a nice guy to go all that way to do a nice thing for a friend!! You rock Benny!!!

Scrapping the Music!!!

I hope you get a chance to check out Scrapping the Music this week. The song is I'm just a Girl by No Doubt. I decided to do a more whimsical, Cinderella style layout. All the embellies and papers from my Studio Calico kit were perfect with this layout. I also used a Martha Stewart punch for the edges.

I hope everyone has a fantastic Monday!!!

Kristii

Little Red Scrapbook Reveal!!!

The DT November gallery is now up at Little Red Scrapbook. The DT came up with some amazing designs and I hope you get to take some time to check them out.

I will admit I didn't have as much time to finish my designs this month as I normally would, but for the most part I am happy with them. My kids were my main priority last weekend and I am still in awe at the fact they drove all that way to surprise us!! My heart still warms at the thought!

My first layout is done with the picture my kids took just before they came up to the door. This layout is a scraplift of my LRS scrappy friend Robin aka ddcdragonfly:

This layout is of my sweet daughter putting on the final touches before her wedding! Isn't she beautiful!!I had a lot of fun with this sweet picture of Grandma just getting off the airplane for a visit with the kids. They were so excited!! I used the Cricut Storybook Cartridge to cut out the tree.

The pictures in this layout are quite old and very dark, but they are some of my favorites. Bethany just loved helping her daddy!! They had quite a special relationship and they still do today!!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to look at my blog! I hope your day is filled with sunshine and smiles and the knowlegde that you are special!!

May God's blessings be yours,

Kristii