Happy New Year, a Few Resolutions and my top Ten projects for 2013

Happy 2014 everyone!! I hope this year is the BEST yet!!

Just so you know, this post is extra long. Please be patient and have fun reading it!!

I don't usually make new year "resolutions" per say but rather small goals that I try to meet each year. This year, I have both personal and creative goals that I want to work toward. If I reach them, fine, if I don't, then I don't beat myself up over them. They are just guidelines for me to think about when I am going through my day or week.

Here are my craft related resolutions:

• scrapbook at least one page per week
• create at least two cards per week 
• to complete at least one simple sewing project
• to learn to use my camera on manual mode
• double my blog readership AND blog on a more regular basis
• to get on a stamp/die manufacturer design team

I know I need to set some time aside every day for me to do some of this stuff and I think that I just might have to "schedule" the time in for me to meet these goals. How many days do you do something for it to become a habit?

My personal resolutions are going to be a little more tricky.

• to practice random acts of kindness on a daily basis (This can include anything from sending a card to someone I haven't talked to in a while, to helping someone carry their packages to their car, to buying someone lunch that I don't know. I just want to make someone feel good.)
• to continue to exercise so I will fit into the clothes I have come summer. (I started this in December and am so glad that I did. I feel good and even though I still don't love it, going to the gym or walking outside has become part of the routine I do every day.)
• to be more organized
• to learn some basic Italian for our Italy trip this summer
• to not be afraid of flying, staying in a hotel (I am cannot relax in them) and worry about public bathrooms while I am in Italy (yes, this is a thing for me!)
• to spend more time with friends!!!
• to be in more photographs

I will re-visit these lists throughout the year and maybe add something or cross out something that I complete.

Enough of what my goals are for the future!! Here are my favorites from this past year. Some I blogged about, some I didn't. I don't blog about everything I make but I do photograph it and most often if it is not here, it is uploaded to Scrapbook.com and Scrapjazz.com, my homes away from home.

Number one is a layout I created this past month about our family tradition of wearing Santa hats on Christmas day. Of course, this year I could not find the darn hats and so I will have to buy new ones for next year. It even has a picture of me in it which is a plus. I do not like having my photo taken, hence one of my goals for the year!!

(Supplies)

My second favorite was created in February and is about our trip to Universal Studio two years ago. I made it for a challenge I posted at Scrapjazz.com. I had fun punching all the little circles and using paint for the dots, as well as using tape, stamps and paper scraps for the strips on the top and bottom of the page. Again there is a photo of me on the page so that makes it even better!!

(Supplies)

My third favorite project of this year was this bag and matching tag that I created for a a Paper Trey Ink challenge. You can see it in this post here for supplies.

Number four was created as homework for the online summer card class that I took in July. I had never taken an online class like this before and it was a fantastic experience. If it is offered again this summer, I will definitely be taking it. See this post for supplies.

My number five favorite creation was also done as homework for the summer card class. I love placing different elements on an angle and it also has a word balloon! Word balloons are a 2013 obsession that I will continue with in 2014.

(Supplies)

My sixth favorite is another layout that I posted at Scrapbook.com and Scrapjazz.com. I used word balloons to journal in and as design elements on this page. I love these fun photos I found in my camera after a sleepover Char had with her cousins.

(Supplies)

Number seven is a card I created for my neighbor who graduated high school this year. I created the tassel for the hat myself. I actually never posted this anywhere. I think it is because though I made the card, the design is not my own.

Number eight was a layout I created for another challenge and was WAY out of my comfort zone. I used Gelato paints over the patterned paper. It was very free form and so much fun. I probably should add have more fun with scrapbooking as a goal for 2014!!

(Supplies)

My number 9th favorite project is actually two of four different cards that I designed for my friend's birthday. I made a set of eight cards to give her, two of each design. She loves sunflowers and Lawn Fawn's "Our Friendship Grow's" stamp and die set with the sunflower motif was perfect.

(Supplies)

(Supplies)

My 2013 FAVORITE project of the year is one I created in November. It is a card that I used stamps from Lawn Fawn to make. I think this is one of my favorite stamp sets for all time!!

(Supplies)

So there you have it-my favorite projects from this year. I hope you enjoyed this post. I am always happy to hear your comments!! Happy New Year.

Nora

My Favorite Things Card Sketch #156

My LAST post for today was for the My Favorite Things Card Sketch Challenge #156. I used the sketch below for my card.

Isn't this fun? I got to use all sorts of fun My Favorite Things dies and stamps to make the card too!!

Here is what I created:

I first die cut the word balloon out of white card stock and then used MFT's "Abstract Art" stamp with their Orange Fizz and Limeade ink to create the fun splatters all over it. Next I cut a piece of Limeade card stock into a 4" by 5 1/4" piece, embossed it using a PTI cover plate and adhered it to a white card.

Next I used my Silhouette machine to die cut the "celebrate" sentiment out of black card stock. I was then a bit stumped on what I wanted to do. I wanted to use the paper strip element over the balloon as in the sketch but did not have any more orange patterned paper and did not own any of the orange fizz paper. Instead, I cut a strip of PTI Orange Zest card stock and stamped a pattern in Orange Fizz ink using the chevron arrow from MFT's "Right This Way"stamp set. 

I then assembled the card, using foam adhesive on the word balloon and the paper strip to give it a little bit of dimension. I again thought it needed "something" more so I went through my embellishments and pulled out some wood veneer stars and some white sequins. I randomly adhered them over the card using glossy accents and then covered the stars with orange and green Stickles. Below are a couple close ups of the card:

I really like how this card came out after all this work. I especially love these two colors together. Anything with orange is a favorite with me!!

Thank you for looking at all my posts today. Have a great day!!

Nora

Supplies:

My Favorite Things:

Orange Fizz Ink Pad

Limeade Ink Pad

Limeade Card Stock

InLinkz.com

Paper Trey Ink Make it Monday Challenge #145-A La Carte Entry #2

Here I am again to show my second entry for Paper Trey Ink's "Make It Monday #145-A La Carte Challenge." For this challenge, I used Nichole Heady's "Repeat and Lift" technique.

Of course I used some more new product that I received before the holidays. To start with, I die cut the word "snow" and the word balloon out of white card stock. Next I pulled out my PTI Snowflake Medley stamp set and stamped random snow flakes in Royal Velvet and Spring Rain ink on a Spring Rain card. 

I then stamped "snow" with the "Wonderful Words Snow" stamp set using the lift and repeat technique onto my white word balloon. Next I stamped the "thanks" and "much" sentiments above and below, as shown. I assembled the card and as a finishing touch, I used Diamond Stickles on the word and on various parts of the snowflakes.

This was a fun technique but I would make a few changes the next time I try it. First, I would probably re-ink the stamp and make the large sentiment below my die cut  a bit bigger so that it would pop more. I used two inks and the lighter ink did not stamp well the second time I stamped it. It looks like a shadow on the bottom of the word rather then color. Second, I would either not use Stickles on my snowflakes OR I would emboss them with glitter embossing powder rather then adding the glitter in little places. I think it might make the card more cohesive. 

Thank you again for stopping by. I hope you have a great day!!

Nora

Supplies:

InLinkz.com