Basically Ami

Happy Fall

2009-10-26T19:57:00.003-04:00

Now that it's *finally* starting to look a little like Fall around here, I took a few pics today and made a Fall collage. Happy Fall!

Click the image to view larger.

Scrap n' Art Jan/Feb 2010 Page Calls Now Open!

2009-10-13T11:57:00.001-04:00

Scrap n' Art is looking for the following for our January/February 2010 issue. Each project submitted will earn the submitter a raffle ticket in our drawing for a prize pack worth over $200, including products from Karen Foster, Nikki Sivils, Genuinely Jane, Hambly Screen Prints, and Prima! Submit as many projects as you'd like to all of the categories below:

January Jewels - Layouts/projects featuring lots of bling-a-ling!

Winter Blues - Layouts featuring the color blue

Slush happens - Layouts featuring snowy, icy, winter photos

Valentine Gifts, Layouts, and Cards

Love Notes - Layouts featuring notes written to others

Hybrid Layouts & Projects - combining both digital and paper

"New You" layouts - Scrapbook pages about your goals, resolutions, intentions

Before and After - Layouts/projects showing the beginning and end result of a project or journey. Examples: A weight loss journey, remodeling your kitchen, etc.

Masculine Layouts & Cards

Layouts featuring negative space
Layouts & Projects featuring your favorite tool techniques

Deadline - November 15th, 2009

Email submissions and questions to submissions@scrapnart.com

My Name's In Lights!

2009-10-06T11:12:00.004-04:00

I recently won the September Cosmo Cricket Challenge at sb.com. Not only did I win a great prize of Cosmo Cricket goodies (which I can't WAIT to get!!), but I am also featured on their blog today!! So exciting!! Go check it out!! (Scroll down for my layout "Gift of Love".)

Squeee!!!

Fun Layouts With Vintage Photos

2009-10-03T22:40:00.006-04:00

Recently, my Mama showed us some old pictures of her and Daddy when they were dating and also some of their wedding pictures. She also had some older pictures of my sister and brother when they were babies in the late 60s. After my sister, Ginger, scanned them in and shared them with me, I used iPhoto to alter and enhance them. Then I had them reprinted so I could create some layouts with them. It was so fun!

Here are some I got done. I hope to do some more soon!

This first layout is of Mama and Daddy when they were dating. They look so happy! I love this picture of them.

Here is a layout of their wedding picture. I entered this layout in the September Cosmo Cricket Challenge on scrapbook.com and I won! Yay!

This layout is of Ginger, when she was about a year old. So cute!

This next layout is of my older brother and sister when they were babies, the year was 1968 (way before my time, LOL!).

Journaling:
Ricky was just a few days old and Ginger was 16 months old in this picture. Ginger had already claimed Ricky as HER baby and she was so happy when Mama laid him in her lap. But, when Mama took Ricky away to change him, Ginger was clearly thinking, "Oh no she didn't!". :D

I LOVE these pictures of them. You can clearly see how happy Ginger was in the first pic, holding Ricky in her lap, and then the disappointment on her face in the second picture as Mama pulls him away. SO hilarious!!

And this last layout is of Ginger, around the year 1968, on our Uncle Gene's boat.

So that's all I have done for now. I love scrapping these old pictures and telling the stories of my family.

The Cuteness Is Overwhelming

2009-10-02T18:27:00.004-04:00

This. Is the Cutest Thing. That I Think I Have Ever. Freaking. Seen. You must go. Now.

Here's a little snippet of the cuteness.

Be sure to keep scrolling and clicking to see older posts. There are pages of cuteness to behold. :D

Home Inspiration

2009-09-24T23:20:00.009-04:00

Lately I've been getting addicted to all things home decor related. Again. I keep a file on my computer of all the rooms, fixtures, furniture, etc., that inspire me and make me want to sell my first-born cat so I can have things like that. :D

Here are a few I found recently that make my heart pitter-patter. (Don't worry; no kitties were harmed or sold in the making of this post. :D) Oh, by the way, this post is sponsored by the color Turquoise (all images are from House Of Turquoise.)

Oh, to have a kitchen like this. (I don't know whose kid that is in my kitchen, though! :D)

Or this one. (I'm getting a strong IKEA vibe here, and I likes it!)

And this tile work is ridiculously beautiful. (Loving how the lighter color tile on the wall cascades down into the deep blue on the floor!)

And this might just be the World's Most Perfect Porch. For real. (Gah. Look at that ocean view. I would scrapbook right there at that little coffee table. All day. Everyday.)

And this door is just really cool and inspiring. :D (This door is in Brussels. But I wish it was in Macon. :D)

So, these are just a few images inspiring me right now. We are still in the process of making our house "ours"--picking out new fixtures and paint, thinking about changing flooring and thinking about taking a sledgehammer to the bathroom vanity, etc. This Saturday marks one year since we closed on our house! The interior designer wannabe in me is excited to watch it transform into our own little masterpiece.

DIY Pebbles

2009-09-17T10:46:00.009-04:00

During my work for Scrap n' Art for the September/October issue (out now! :D), I had the privilege to work with some gorgeous Prima products. This included some of their Pebbles (such as these beauties over at sb.com). I loved them and thought that I might be able to also create my own so that I could use some of my favorite papers and customize them for particular projects. A lot of times, there are beautiful, tiny details on patterned paper that might get lost on a layout, so this is the perfect use for those details. The pebble slightly magnifies the pattern, too. This is a GREAT way to use up some of your paper scraps, too!

I found a big bag of glass craft pebbles at Wal-Mart in the general craft section. I have recently been using Glossy Accents a lot and thought that would be perfect to adhere the paper to the bottom of the pebble because it dries completely crystal clear and acts as adhesive.

So, here is how I made them. :D

First, you will need:

Bag of pebbles * Glossy Accents * Microtip Scissors * Pencil for tracing * Paper of your choice

First, place the pebble on the paper, over the pattern/color you want to show. This will help you to see how it magnifies as well, and how the end product will look.

Hold the pebble down and trace it, keeping your pencil angled and as close to the flat bottom of the pebble as possible, all the way around.

Next, cut your little circle of paper out, just inside the pencil line.

This is what you should have when it's cut out and ready to be adhered.

Next, squeeze out a tiny dot of Glossy Accents onto the paper circle. You really need a tiny bit, probably less than I have in this picture.

Place the pebble on the paper and press down all around the paper. You will see the Glossy Accents spread out to cover the whole area. You can also align your paper correctly at this point, but do it quickly because the Glossy Accents dries fast!! You can also use your micro-tip scissors at this point to trim if necessary around the bottom of the pebble. After you do several of these, you may be able to skip the tracing step and just "eyeball" the size of the circle. I was able to do that with the majority of mine. The shape and imperfections in the pebbles make them very forgiving.

I made a bunch! They are so fun and I can't wait to use them on some layouts and projects. You can use them as centers for flowers, or as embellishments alone on your project or layout. I would recommend a large, thin Glue-Dot or some liquid craft glue such as Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue for attaching them to paper.

You can click on this picture to enlarge for detail.

Have fun, and if you create some, please link me up on this post so I can see them!

Patrick Swayze

2009-09-14T21:27:00.004-04:00

We have lost an icon. Rest in peace, Patrick Swayze.

Craft Critique Giveaway!

2009-09-05T01:41:00.003-04:00

Craft Critique is giving away three new Basic Grey Collections: Eerie, Eskimo Kisses, and Indian Summer!! So head on over to the Craft Critique Blog to enter!!

Beautiful Bea

2009-09-04T17:00:00.002-04:00

I was taking pics today of my projects for Scrap n' Art, and Beatrice came up to see what was going on. I snapped this pic of her, and thought it was so beautiful!

The whiteness on the right side is the back door.

Just wanted to share. :D

More Work To Share

2009-09-02T15:57:00.003-04:00

Here are some layouts I did recently.
(Click each layout to enlarge for detail.)

September/October Scrap n' Art Now Available!

2009-09-01T13:20:00.006-04:00

I officially make my DT debut for Scrap n' Art in the September/October issue, out today!! I am so excited! This issue is packed with ideas and inspiration!!

If you're not already a subscriber, head on over to subscribe!

Happy Birthday, Mama!!

2009-08-30T19:38:00.005-04:00

Today is my Mama's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mama!! I love you soooo much!

Thank you for being the best Mama a girl could ask for! I hope your day was wonderful!

Here is a pic of me with Mama at Easter this year.

Here's to many, many, MANY more!!!
Ginger also wrote a sweet blog about Mama here.

Here is the card I made for her. (She FINALLY got it in the mail!)

Some Recent Work

2009-08-26T13:40:00.004-04:00

Here are some cards and layouts I did recently.

I am busy once again with work for Scrap n' Art (for the November/December issue). The page calls for that issue are now up! So go submit your work!!

Croppin' For Our Troops

2009-08-19T10:24:00.005-04:00

My friend, Lynn, is part of Croppin' For Our Troops, which is "A Scrapbook Royalty Affiliate Event benefitting the Foothills Chapter of the North Carolina Blue Star Mothers". They send care packages to the troops each Christmas, and this will raise money for those packages and the postage it takes to send them.

I made a couple cards for the silent auction:

The color scheme is red, white and blue, but the cards can be any sentiment--happy birthday, get well, etc., anything upbeat! You can also donate any crafty item--not just cards!! If you'd like to get involved, you can make and donate an item to be auctioned, or you can donate a dollar (or more if you'd like!) to sponsor a cropper, such as Lynn! Go to the Croppin' For Our Troops Blog, here, for more info.

Scraplift An Ad!!

2009-08-14T11:29:00.003-04:00

Do you ever want to find inspiration in unexpected places? Well, today on the Scrap n' Art blog, I scraplift a product ad from a magazine!

Here's a snippet:

To see the final complete layout and product ad I used, head on over to the Scrap n' Art Blog and check it out!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!!

2009-08-11T17:08:00.004-04:00

Today is my Daddy's birthday.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!! I love you bunches!
Hope your day was wonderful!

Here's a picture of Daddy from Father's Day this year.

And here's the birthday card I made for him. :D

My sister, Ginger, also wrote a sweet birthday blog for Daddy today here.

Here's to many, many more!!!

Wrongness

2009-08-10T11:48:00.002-04:00

I came across this picture from my youth recently, and, at first I was horrified. Then I thought, this would make an awesome layout. :D

This is me, just before my 8th grade dance in 1991. Which I didn't have a date for, by the way. I'm so cool.

This LO is for the August Cosmo Cricket Challenge--the challenge this month was to use at least 2 (or more) different Cosmo Cricket Collections. I used SEVEN! Dutch Girl, Girl Friday, Snorkel, Early Bird, Everafter, Hello Sunshine and Mr. Campy!

Journaling:
Wow...so many things wrong with this picture. The garden-weasel hair? Maybe it's that rustic country scene velour fabric on the couch. Wait--it's that lovely piece of runway couture I'm wearing! Wrongness on so many levels! - Me, 8th Grade Dance

Remembering

2009-08-03T17:22:00.003-04:00

My dear friend, Wayne Woodard, died 6 years ago this past weekend (August 2nd). He was 26. I think about him often, and I especially think about him this time of year. He was one of my very best friends, practically a brother to me, from the time we were babies, on up until his death. We were neighbors and classmates. We were buddies. I will always treasure the memories I have of him, growing up with him, and he will always hold a special place in my heart.

He died much the way he lived, trying to help others. He was a Deputy Sheriff, and was responding as quickly as he could to a home invasion call late at night when he lost control of his car and crashed. It further devastates me when I think about that call. It turns out that the "home invader" was just a drunk neighbor who accidentally tried to get into the wrong house. It was just so senseless to me, but I have to trust that it was God's plan.

Here is a photo of Wayne and me, along with some other of our friends. We must have been around 8 years old in this picture. He is the grinning boy in the back row, second from the left. (I am on the far right.)

He has a memorial page set up by the Officer Down Memorial here. He must never be forgotten. I will make sure of that. I will always remember and miss him.

Awesome CHA Giveaway #1

2009-07-28T12:52:00.005-04:00

Would you like to win this?

Yes? Then head on over to the Scrap n' Art Blog to leave a comment for a chance to win this awesome prize from CHA!

And be sure to check back all week long, too, for more chances to win fabulous prizes!!

Cardboard Barn Stars (for free!!)

2009-07-27T10:59:00.006-04:00

Brian and I went to Lowe's last night and I stumbled across some big metal barn stars (and have seen many altered in beautiful ways!). Each metal star had a cardboard divider that was the exact size and mold and shape of the metal stars. I grabbed a couple and took them to the register to ask if I could have them. They gave them to me! So, now I have two huge (34 inches across!) cardboard barn stars to alter and love and enjoy. And I will be creating art from something that would have otherwise gone to the landfill. (Ginger will LOVE this!) :D Yay!

The cardboard is pretty sturdy, but I will probably hot-glue a few dowel rods on the back for extra support and to give it a way to be hung.

Anyway, if you have a Lowe's near you, check it out for some of these!

Happy Scrappy Time!

2009-07-26T00:36:00.003-04:00

I had some happy scrappy time yesterday and here's what I created.

The first layout is of that piece of art we bought at the Byron Antique Mall a few months back. I would love to have more of Rodney White's art. He is so awesome.

And this layout is of the three girls, sitting at the back storm door, looking out. They look like some old gossiping women! LOL!

That's it for now. Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

CHA Excitement!

2009-07-23T15:17:00.009-04:00

I am so excited to see all the new collections coming out! CHA is next week and there are already sneaks all over the Internet.

Here are a few I am really excited about! And I haven't even SEEN the 4 new Basic Grey collections!! My wish list will be growing, I'm sure!

Sassafras Lass's "Monstrosity" Collection.

And "Amplify".

Cosmo Cricket's "Earth Love" Collection.

Crate Paper's "North Pole" Collection

I can't wait to get my hands on these!!

Also, Brian shared this Youtube video with me and this is the cutest thing I have seen in a long time!! It totally makes me want a pet piggy!! :D

Use Up Those Random Alphabets!

2009-07-17T12:20:00.005-04:00

If you need inspiration for mixing up and using all those leftover bits and pieces of different alpha collections (once you've used all the "popular" letters, lol), then head on over to the Scrap n' Art blog and check out my post over there today. Hope it inspires your next layout title! :D

Also, be sure to stop by the Scrap n' Art Forum for lots of fun conversation, ideas and inspiration, fun challenges and contests and lots more! Hope to see you there!

Um, Wow.

2009-07-16T16:18:00.002-04:00

And I thought I paper-crafted. This is absolutely incredible.

I feel so inadequate now. :P