Challenge YOUrself #123 Favorite Pets

Hello Scrappy Friends! 

I hope this month finds all of you well!! I’m recovering from a big foot surgery that I had on March 27th. I have to be off my right foot and non-weight-bearing for 6 weeks! I was able to get some scrapping done before the surgery so I can share this great challenge with you!!

For this month’s challenge at the Challenge YOUrself Blog we want to see a layout featuring your Favorite Animal or Pet! 

I used 49 and Market’s Teal Collection to create this layout of our Sweet girl Sugar  - our 5 year old all white Portuguese Water Dog.  She is Silly and just as Sweet as her name! She makes us smile every day! 

I had fun using lots of “stuff” from this beautiful collection- and using frames - especially to frame and highlight our silly girl! 

Here are some close ups for you:

I hope I’ve inspired you to play along with us this month!! Head on  over to the Challenge YOUrself Blog for challenge info and lots more inspiration from our Design Team!!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Challenge YOUrself #101 "I LOVE...."

HAPPY NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY!!  

I hope you get some time to get creative and play along with us this month!

So many possibilities for this month's challenge at the Challenge YOUrself Blog!!  This month we would like you complete the phrase: I love . . . . You can complete the sentence any way you like, just remember to include a photo with you on your page!

This was an easy challenge for me this month - as I was able to be blessed to celebrate another Valentines Day with the man I LOVE !

 I selected a photo of the 2 of us taken this past Valentines Day in our home.  As you can see in the photo, I love sunflowers, and I thought Graphic 45's "Let it Bee" Collection would be perfect to scrap this wonderful memory!

I had so much fun creating this layout - fussy cutting, stenciling, splattering, layering......  

Oh My!!

Here are some close ups for you:

I really find fussy cutting relaxing - I cut out the flowers and elements on the 12x12 "Let it Bee" page from the collection and layered it on top of a black and white dot page with foam squares.
**Can you find the golden bee charm hanging on the page?

Here you can see some of the chipboard and gold elements and the gold splatter on some of the flowers.

How awesome is that BEE Stencil!! Love it!

I always try to tuck a journaling card behind my photo using 3D foam tape.

Here is a photo of the painting we posed in front of. It is in our dining room - like I mentioned before, I do love sunflowers!!! - My hubby bought me a bouquet in the red vase, and I painted the sunflowers in the picture on the right.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a chance to play along with us at the Challenge YOUrself Blog this month - we can't wait to see what YOU LOVE!

Be Well and Stay Safe!
((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Everything is better with COFFEE - as long as it's Starbucks!

 Hi Scrappy Peeps - I decided to play along with my good friends at the Scrap Our Stash Blog - and enter their "April Wheel of Challenges - Tick Tac Toe"  I was on the DT for this awesome group for a few years and am so happy I had a chance to play along with them this month!!
I decided to follow the top row of the board - selecting Stripped Paper / Fussy Cutting/ Any Page Maps Sketch - 

and here is my take on the challenge: 

I just LOVE this Coffee and Friends Collection from Echo Park! I thought it would work great for this photo I took looking outside of my husband's hospital room at New York Presbyterian Hospital this past December, overlooking the George Washington Bridge!

There is a Starbucks in the lobby of the hospital and let me tell you - it was a great treat to help get me through the last 8 months as we have been in and out of there, while battling his heart failure after a massive heart attack last August. I am so thankful he is doing well now, and we treat every day as a blessing!

Here are some close ups for you:

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a peek! I had lots of fun creating this layout and I hope you like it!

Take care and ((HUG)) your loved ones every single day!

((HUGS)) to you too! ~ Sherri

Sense of Humor Required - MLSS Challenge #2 "GREEN"

 I have so much fun being a part of the My Little Scrapbook Store Design Team!  All of the Designers are so talented and sweet. We all help and encourage each other and have so much fun planning the On-line Crops that Michelle, the owner of the store hosts for her customers for FREE!  It is a weekend full of challenges, creativity, Designer Live Videos, even some Scrap and Chat Rooms with the Designers and anyone who wants to join in!  Check out the Facebook Page where you can join in the next one, and also be sure to check out the sweet On-line Scrappy Store for some beautiful products and maybe even join in one of her Live Sale Events!  So Much FUN!
There are usually around 20 challenges for your inspiration, and you can post your layouts for a chance to be randomly picked to WIN store gift certificates! This and my next few posts will be layouts I've made for some of the challenges.

Challenge #2 

Use Green as the main color in your layout:

You can check out the replay of my Facebook Live Event HERE - where you can see my process video of how this layout came together:

Challenge #2 

Use Green as the main color in your layout - I used lots of GREEN - a whole bunch of sequins and even sewed on my layout.  99.9% of the items uses are from Vicki Boutin's Color Study!  LOVE IT!

Here are some close ups:

A little back story: 

I chose this chipboard sticker as it was perfect for the photo. My husband and I happened to be in North Carolina in this photo, as we traveled there for his dear sister's funeral.  His sister Donna was my age, and had some medical issues but her passing was a shock and unexpected.  We had to go into a store to get a few things and saw these St. Patrick Day hats and tried them on - I think it is something that Donna would have done too - so we found a little something to make us smile, on a very sad weekend.

Stay Safe ~ Be Well ~ and HUG your loved ones with your arms or your words everyday!

My ((HUGS)) to you too!

Sherri

Challenge YOUrself #99 - Me and my "Snuggle Buddy"

 Hello Scrappy Friends!!
Can you believe it is MARCH already!!??

That means it is time for The Challenge YOUrself Blog's Fun Scrappy Challenge!  We want to see your layout with YOU and a Pet or Animal in it!

I am blessed to be a "mom" to 3 Silly Portuguese Water Dogs - 

Maggie (10yrs old and Black and White) Valentino (8yrs old and all Black) and our latest addition and the "baby" of the family Sugar (3yrs old and all White)  

They are all sweet and cuddly, but Sugar is my "Snuggle Buddy" and I love this "selfie" I took of the 2 of us. I thought it was perfect for this Challenge!

Here is my Design Team Inspiration Layout:

She was sound asleep and laying on her back beside me. She surely "makes herself at home!" We just LOVE her!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this beautiful paper collection "The Avenue" by Jen Hadfield.  The colors are so pretty and go so well together.
I purchased a "Mega Happy Scrappy Bag" from My Little Scrapbook Store. It was chock FULL of amazing goodies. If you don't have this paper line - I HIGHLY recommend it - and the "Happy Scrappy Bag" is a GREAT DEAL and VALUE!

Here are some close ups for :

I used a Catherine Pooler Stencil on the black and white page and blended 2 Ranger Distress Oxide Inks - Abandoned Coral and Crackling Campfire - see the photos at the end of the post for that work in progress.

There are so many elements and embellishments in this collection - I loved layering the flowers and puffy stickers.  I had fun splattering some of the Oxide Sprays and Nuvo Sparkle Sprays on the layout too.

I love the look of the layered torn edges and how well the patterned papers go so well together!
 

And here are some "behind the scenes" Work In Progress photos for you too showing how I used the stencil:

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you can play along with us at the Challenge YOUrself Blog!  I can't wait to see what YOU create!
 ((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used:

Jen Hadfield "The Avenue" Collection:

First Ave

poppy Lane

Lovers Lane

Flower Drive

Flower Ephemera

Puffy Stickers

Thickers Bouquet/Arreglo Floral

Ranger Distress Stain - Picket Fence

Ranger Distress Oxide Inks - Abandon Coral, Crackling Campfire

Range Distress Oxide Spray - Crackling Campfire, Speckled Egg

Nuvo Sparkle Spray - Marine Mist

Nuvo Crystal Drops - Ebony Black, Simply White

Catherine Pooler Stencil - STEN - 073

Challenge YOUrself #86 Celebrate "LOVE" February Challenge

Hi everyone!  Happy February!  I truly hope you and your family are doing well.  It is time for this month's Challenge over at the Challenge YOUrself Blog!  This month - we encourage you to Celebrate LOVE! - and remember to include YOUrself in one of your photos!

Here is my Design Team inspiration layout for you:

I made this layout using lots of stuff from Vicki Boutin's "Storyteller" Collection from the My Little Scrapbook Store, and a photo from my birthday dinner, with my hubby, (and our family,) at our favorite Chinese restaurant back in 2017 -All things that I LOVE.  We always have a great dinner there and look forward to indoor restaurant dining again someday...

I got back into using my sprays- new and old and had fun getting my “mixed media” mojo back in the groove! I also enjoy “fussy cutting” some people are not fans of it - but I find it so relaxing and love how it enhances my layouts! What about you? Do you enjoy fussy cutting?

Here are some close-ups and a few photos of when I sprayed the base page before assembling for you:

I am also entering this layout in the My Little Scrapbook Store Winter Wonderland Crop Mixed Media Challenge #10

I hope you find some time to play along with us at the Challenge YOUrself BLOG this month!  I look forward to seeing what YOU create!  

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Stay Safe, Be Well and PLEASE Wear a Mask

Items used:
Vickie Boutin - Storyteller - Wild Child, Stardust, Rendering, Mosaic, First Draft
My Minds Eye - The Sweetest Thing - Decorative Brads
Carta  Bella - Old World Traveler Enamel Dots
Thickets - Goldenrod and Skyler
Ranger Distress Inks - Vintage Photo
Ranger Distress Stains - Peacock Feathers
Ranger Distress Oxide Sprays - Crackling Campfire, Peacock Feathers, Picket Fence
Nuvo Sparkle Spray- Apple Spritzer 
Tattered Angels GlimmerMist - Golden Orange
Washi Tape
Tim Holtz Ideaology - Small Talk stickers