Keeping track

In keeping with my New Year's post and some of my to do's for the year, I wanted a way to make sure I stayed on track with my working out this year. Of course being reimbursed by my insurance helps, but I know I can get to the gym more than 8 times a month....most months at least! I took this week's Unscripted Sketch and flipped it on it's side to alter a composition book.

My plan is to just have a small calendar for each month attached to a page where I can circle days I went to the gym. I can also keep track if I do a weigh in at home and hopefully lose a pound or two, though as long as I feel good and the clothes fit better I'll be happy! I'm also still trying to keep it clean around here--when I see a good routine or exercise in a magazine I can rip the page out and have a place to keep it and refer back to it. I figured if the notebook is cute I'll be inspired to USE it!

I hope you head over to Unscripted Sketches to play along this week. I had a busy week without too much crafting so hopefully that changes for this week. Can't wait to see what you create!

Smiles,

Paper (SU): Tea Party dsp, Basic Black, Almost Amethest, Certainly Celery

Stamps: Take Note (Papertrey)

Ink: Perfect Plum, Black

Other: So Saffron ribbon, circle punch, Blackbird brads, crocheted flower

Stars and Stamps

Have you been to the new OWH blog for card makers, Stars and Stamps? It's got great ideas and now a challenge. I loved the sketch because it came with a few measurements and this card came together in no time (which I need midweek!). I combined the sketch with the ColourQ challenge: Real Red, Bashful Blue, Taken with Teal, Basic Black, and white. I'm glad to play along for the first time, thanks for the inspiration Arielle!

I love this sentiment, which I haven't used before today. It's SU but I don't know what set it's from. When I was in Maine over the summer I was antiquing with my mom and one of our favorite stops had a booth filled with random rubber stamps. So I picked up one that would be versatile. I guess I need to start using it more often!

Smiles,

Another page done

Another Saturday brings another Unscripted Sketch. The sketch screemed layout to me (though this morning it's screaming card) and for me another scrapbook page done for my friend's shower album. I just translated those squares into something a bit larger.....

This page has the bride's two cousins and I just love seeing her little cousin's wish for her married life: happiness! So cute!

If you haven't been to visit our two new Unscripted designers yet, Arielle and Debbie, be sure to check out their amazing work and welcome them to their second week on the DT. I'm off to work today and can't wait to see what you've created when I check back in!

Smiles,

Mojo Wednesday!

I can't even think of the last time I completed a Mojo Monday card, but this week was a first. And you'll have to trust me that I finished it on a Monday too, I just wanted to save it to have something to share later in the week....that and it's for a birthday girl who is celebrating today. Happy Birthday to my fellow Unscripted sketcher, April!

This card came together amazingly quickly for me...under 20 minutes! I had the patterned paper and embossed piece sitting out, a scrap of Rose Red from making some valentines and then I put together the oval piece. Wow, I have amazed myself.....I'm not thrilled with the sentiment (kinda lost there) but I just sat and stared for a few minutes and it didn't fix itself. So this is what it is.... My favorite bit is the green ribbon picking up the bit of Green Galore in the stems, which I colored with my Stampin' write marker. Wish I had THAT in every color!

Five straight days of posting, wow! Have you had enough of me yet? It's my stress relief from school, so I anticipate more in the future....

Smiles,

Sew much to do

I've had a few comments on my new header so I thought I'd share a bit of where it came from. It's actually a photograph of a mess on my dining room table. A pile of fabric that I'll share more on later, some stamp stuff that I had out from making cards and my Singer sewing machine, compliments of my mom. It's such a handy machine. Just pop the cover on and it can be carried anywhere I want to sew. I took it out around Thanksgiving to make some bags (like this one) and my MIL and her sister loved them so much I figured I'd make some for my 4 friends and our late holiday celebration. When I went to JoAnn's to pick out fabric I discovered that I have the same fabric bug as my mom....I must have wandered up and down, picking up different designs, mixing and matching fabric for an hour. That's where the pile of fabric in the picture comes from.

As for my friends' bags, here's the two bags I finished....yes only 2, not 4:

I love pink (as you can tell from the new blog look) and I discovered some fun black, chocolate and teal fabrics to go along. For anyone keeping score as to my New Year's resolutions, Procrastination:1, Caryl:0. I bought the fabric ahead of time but somehow didn't start sewing the bags until the morning I was supposed to go out with my friends. No one ended up bringing gifts (sometimes we exchange, sometimes we don't and we never decide ahead) so it worked out okay that I ended up bringing nothing. And now I have these two bags ready for the next time I need a gift.

I also have the fabric cut out for the other bags so I hope they'll be finished by the end of the week. Then I can put the sewing machine away and maybe have a dining room table again. Plus, I have a fun Christmas gift to set up so I can sew a bit more often without making such a mess.....Mom, I'll call when you can come over to help! I'll share when it's ready, but no promises because procrastination always wins out.

Smiles,

10 minute Christmas

I love snow days....just not when they fall on my day off!!! I had lots planned for me time, and crafting time and spend a few hours of it out clearing the driveway. Speaking of which I need to clear it off a bit more now! I did manage to get to the basement and create a couple cards. I'll share the other one for later this week, because this school year is kicking my butt and I can't seem to get anything done during the week.

I went downstairs with 2 things in mind....clean and make a quick card. This was both, amazingly enough!

The sentiment was sitting on my desk mounted and the celery green piece was floating around befor I ran it through the big shot--I embossed it with a striped plate, flipped it over and embossed it again to give it an argile look. The heart was from a pack I found at AC Moore for 50 cents. It's a nice rustic metal heart, though the picture makes it look black. This even fit a couple of challenges, which I haven't had the luxury of playing in lately. I used Sparkle's Christmas card challenge sketch, the OCC challenge to use blue and green and also it was a 10 (okay maybe 15) minute scrap pile challenge. Now I'm tired and it's off to finish the driveway!


Smiles,

US on Facebook!

Well I've been productive at cleaning the house today and then a couch potato watching football. In the mean time I just wanted to share the news that Unscripted Sketches now has a fan page on Facebook. You can visit us HERE! This doesn't mean you need to join Facebook, but if you're already a member, head over and become a fan. We're always cooking up something fun, so here's another excuse to join in!


Smiles,

Motherly Advice

In keeping with my New Year's resolutions to finish some projects, I used this week's Unscripted Sketch to make a layout for my friend's scrapbook. So now I have three pages done and I started in May. Ugh!

This week's sketch was created by Steph, and though I had about 50 ideas for cards to do I decided to challenge myself. And as you can see from my interpretation it truly is Unscripted: Flip it, Rotate it…There is no right or wrong way, as long as you are using the Unscripted Sketch as the basis for your creation. I took that quite literally with this one!

At my friend's shower we had these cards out for people to leave words of advice, and wedding wishes on. This is the bride with her mother and future MIL so the cards are their words of wisdom to her. I'm not in love with it, but another page done and I'll work on a few more over the long weekend. Not only did I start finally finishing this because she moved back to NH, but did I mention she's having a baby in May? So I need to get this finished!

I'm taking at least one full day this weekend to have fun creating and just sitting around blog hopping. Can't wait to see what you create at Unscripted Sketches!

Smiles,

Ahhhhhh

Oh it feels SOOOOOOO good to return to making a card for a challenge for FUN!!! I can't even remember the last time I just went down to the basement and had fun creating, feeling no pressure to complete something. Perhaps that's why it came together easily.

I managed to make this card for a couple challenges. I started with a sketch from CPS, took the beautiful colors from the Curtain Call Color Challenge and went for a birthday card: 1, because it's Crazy4Challenges challenge this week and 2, because I don't have ANY left in my house. If I had tried to do 3 challenges at once I would've failed, it's amazing what just having fun can do.

I was inspired to ink up the edges of the vanilla with a bit of chocolate and the pink with a bit of red thanks to a BEAUTIFUL card I received in the mail today from my dear friend Patti. Yay for mail that isn't bills! The picture doesn't do it justice, it's absolutely fabulous, as is my favorite Cardinals fan. Head over to her blog, Cherish Each Precious Day you won't be disappointed!

So far the New Year's resolutions have been going fairly well, how about you? The house is slowly getting cleaned up, I've been to the gym 7 times so far, and I'm even getting my classroom a bit organized. The craft area is another story, but Rome wasn't built in a day. For now it's off to bed so that I can be a bright eyed, cheery teacher for the munchkins in the morning!

Smiles,

Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink

Stamps (SU): On Your Birthday, Friendship Blooms (flower)

Other: K & Co. brad, Rose Red grosgrain ribbon, sponge, Cuttlebug embossing strip

I <3 U

Good morning! It's a bitterly cold one here in NH, but that's perfect weather for crafting. I have been uber-productive this week: gym three times, lots of cleaning of the house, trying to get organized in the craft department.....which is why I haven't had anything to share until today. After two weeks without a new Unscripted Sketch it's time to create!




This week's sketch had me a bit stumped so I turned it on it's side and turned the circles into hearts....

This was mailed off this week with a bunch of other valentines to Operation Write Home. Another goal in the new year is to send at least a few cards a month to this great organization, so soldiers can write home. 2010 total so far: 20 cards. The deadline for Valentines has now passed so I'll be working on everyday cards for a bit--for both me and OWH. I'm out of birthday cards!!!

So dust off those craft supplies (or find them in my case) and use this week's sketch for a card, layout, altered project...whatever! Can't wait to see what you create. Check out all the DT's work this week, and head to Unscripted Sketches to upload your work....can't wait to see it!

As for my New Year's winner I used random.org (but am not technilogically savy enough to get a picture of it).....
Min: 1
Max: 32

Result: 18

my fellow Unscripted Sketcher SarahKaye said...
I agree that resolutions are pointless as far as I'm concerned. You have to figure out what works for you and go with it! Good luck getting in shape- that's one of my goals, too! Happy New Year!!!

SK, I have your address so you'll get a nice belated birthday list and maybe something else in the mail!

Smiles,


Paper: Kraft, Real Red, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane dsp, pink scrap
Stamps: Love You Much (SU!)
Ink: Real Red
Other: Thickers, pop dots, heart punch

Unscripted New Years Blog Hop

If you arrived here from Beth's blog you're in the right place, if not, just click on the banner to head to the top of the hop!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!

Hmmm....in getting ready for this hop I looked back at my first post of 2009 (only my third post ever) and saw I made a resolution, sorta.....

I'm bad at resolutions...I say I'll be a more regular gym go-er each December and never get there. This year I started that fad a month early and managed to get to the gym TEN TIMES! So now that 2009 is here, I got my craft area cleaned up earlier this week and I hope to spend at least once a week creating. Which also means at least once a week sharing something here!

Well as far as crafting goes I'd say I did alright. I never even DREAMED I'd be joining a design team and am thrilled with that accomplishment. This year I need to work on the organization, both with crafts and the house. But they go hand in hand! As for 2010 I'd like to submit work for publication this year. I'm not setting my hopes so high as to be published but I'll test the waters at least. I also want to get back into scrapbooking and do something with all the pictures I have taken with the intention of scrapping them. I think I'll start with my honeymoon....from 4 1/2 years ago!

The gym I did well too....until April when my ipod was stolen out of my car the ONE NIGHT I left it unlocked. Oops! I can say I haven't been in at least three months and that will change today. My MIL got me a new ipod for Christmas and I immediately loaded it up with songs so I can get back into the groove. So getting back in shape is a 2010 (and on) goal.

I'm also a huge procrastinator, which needs to change. It's in my dna (thanks Dad) but I can try to fight it. I have so many fun projects I do and make for people, and even though the idea is there for awhile I don't actually put it together until the last minute. And sometimes it doesn't get done because of that! I'm not sure how to attack that one, perhaps it comes with the organization!

Now for some candy. In being a procrastinator, I don't have a picture of my blog candy ready for you. Just trust me. I'm hoping a list or two will keep me organized and maybe it will work for you too....so that's the candy, a fun list like I made here and here. And maybe something else. You'll have to see. To enter just leave me a comment with 2 things:

1.) something you're trying to do in 2010

2.) any idea to keep me organized (keeping track of challenges, organized craft area, whatever!)

Now if you've stuck with me through my ramblings head on over to Hollie's blog to continue on the hop, and be sure to stop back next week for our first Unscripted Sketch of 2010 (And the winner of the candy)!


Smiles,

Winner, take 2

Still no word from my first winner so here goes.........

Stef H (Glitterbabe) said...
holy moly! this is gorgeous. i don't really know what i'd use it for, but i know i would defintely carry it around with me.... like in my car when i need a bag at aldi's or to carry my scrap stuff. and i just know my granddaughter would absolutely love it! now the list, i'm a list person. i write down EVERYTHING. every time i think of something, i'm making a note to myself. do you know how many post-its i use?????

What a way to start off 2010 with a win! Drop me an e-mail Stef with your address and I'll send you a fun new bag!

Happy 2010 to everyone else...here's to a fabulous year of happiness, health and all kinds of fun! If I'm not back with a card today be sure to stop by tomorrow for the Unscripted Sketches blog hop!

Smiles,