Layouts Available for Purchase

The following layouts are available for purchase. Contact me if you are interested. Payment is through Paypal unless you come and pick it up (which is a good deal since you don't have to pay for postage, either).

The first LO is one I thought would be fun for a little ones first Halloween. I could change that portion of the title, if necessary. There is lots of layering, the cutest paper, machine stitching, lots of embellies such as the little ghost charm suspended from the flower center in the lower left, a fairy bear, and machine stitching. Look at all the details in this LO. You can see the large size of the circle will accommodate a couple of average photos or even one very large one. Look at that precious bear! Is she cute or what? She's holding a candy apple.


My First Halloween Price: $8.50

Here is a closeup of the flower detail:



The next LO uses a very detailed cut background mat which has all Halloween words on it. I thought it was very unique. I added a cute little bear holding a sign that says, "Grown With Love." The row of ghosts is a satin ribbon that is filled with some sort of polyester to make each ghost puffy. I've clustered sewn buttons and added a hidden journaling tag that is beneath the mat. It is large enough for another photo. In the upper left corner is an embellie that says, "Happy Haunts." There is a plastic bread tag next to the bear that says, "Scary."



BOO CREWPrice: $7.50

The next one was fun to make! I fell in love with the colors. You cannot see the edges of the black CS background sheet, but I have punched them using a picket fence punch. I would want something bright behind it, so when you put it into your page protector, you might want the opposite page to be orange on the back. This would allow the punched border to show. I machine stitched the PP to the black cardstock. There are two nicely sized photo mats and a third smaller mat that would be fine for a smaller photo or even the journaling. I made the little bear that is holding his pumpkin costume in place. He has on a matching hat with two tiny green leaf-shaped gems by the stem. I've added flowers, and used a punch that looked like a bat's head to me. Isn't that purple paper fun? You can see that the pumpkin is made of glittered cdardstock.


Boo to You!Price:$7.50

The final LO, in my mind, was one that I thought would work for those "tweens" or teens (or partygoers) this Halloween - those kids are too old for the really cutesy type stuff but still like to get dressed up. The large photo mat says, "trick or treat" in very pale letters printed on the PP. It is suitable for a nice group photo! There are four small photo mats for journaling or additional photos. Between each is an acrylic embellishment. The hinges are grungeboard that have been treated to look like antique silver. I added some raffia, a glittery skull, and the cutest metal photo corner that has a spiderweb and ghost in it. There are lots of layers and every layer has been inked and distressed. The PP is a heavy duty weight. The colors are black, green, eggplant, and cream. I love how this turned out. I kept thinking of what a "tween" would like to have their photos on.


Dressed to Chill Price: $7.50

This is another version of a previous LO. Some of the details have been elevated to add dimension to the LO. There is machine stitching, a large photo mat, lots of layering, a journaling tag, and the cutest Airstream Trailer charm! I've added some inking as well to help define shapes.


Camp Sweet Camp Price $7.50 SOLD

Those are the LOs I currently have available. I'll be working on some Fall looking layouts very soon. I'm hoping to pull a Thanksgiving theme into each.

Remember, these are one of a kind creations. I am trying to provide a good deal without trying to make a ton of profit. I figure what I'm saving in ebay fees is to your advantage!

Mailing Info

The total postage for mailing within the US is $5.50, USPS First Class Mail. If you purchase more than one, the shipping fee will remain $5.50! Mailing fee would be higher if mailed out of the USA. I'd have to find out the cost and then let you know after you've committed to purchase. Payment is made through Paypal. It's just easier that way. We are both protected! Of course, if you live nearby, you can always come and pick it up and save on those mailing fees! That makes it an even better bargain for you!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you liked my designs!

Have a great week!

XO,
Chris

Fire Up Those Slow Cookers!

Fall is the time to fire up the slow cooker! The house gets filled with the delicious scents simmering away all day! I think it is my second favorite small appliance! My favorite is my immersion blender! Just stick that into a pot of soup and whirrrrrrr away!

Last year, a TV station out of Salt Lake City, ran an investigative report regarding the lead in kitchenware. During that series, they covered the lead found in crockpots. It's in the glaze. My crockpot was so old that I just knew it probably had that glaze. So, after investigating, I got an All-Clad Slow Cooker. I love it! It does have some issues that I wish I had considered prior to purchase. It gets hot on the handles, lid, and stainless exterior. For that much money, they should have had the wisdom to use something that was heat resistant. There is no lead, though! If ever you want a slow cooker that is supposedly lead free and an economical buy, check out the Hamilton Beach line with white liners. The white ceramic is supposed to be the safest regardless of who the manufacturer is. I like the All Clad because the removable liner can be used on the stovetop to brown the meats, saute the veggies, etc.

Here is a cooking hint for you when using your slow cooker - You know how all that condensation drips and drips into what you are cooking? Sometimes, that is a good thing, and sometimes, it can create too much moisture. Well, if it is creating too much moisture, just put a clean dish towel over the uncovered slow cooker and then place the lid on top of that. The lid will hold the towel in place, and the towel will absorb the additional condensation!

Here's a recipe for your file:

Slow-Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
Be sure to brown the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker. Browning helps keep the meat from clumping and adds extra flavor.

Makes: 6 servings (8 cups)

Total time: 3–4 hours (low heat)

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 lb. ground beef sirloin
1 cup diced onion
3⁄4 cup diced celery
1⁄2 cup diced carrot
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 cups milk
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Ketchup
Prepared yellow mustard
Chopped dill pickles

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add sirloin; cook until meat begins to brown. Stir in onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and basil; cook 5 minutes.

Add flour, stirring to coat meat; cook 1 minute. Stir in milk until mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Transfer soup to a 3- to 4-qt. slow cooker.

Stir in broth and potatoes. Cover soup; cook until potatoes are tender, on low-heat setting for 3–4 hours.

Add Cheddar just before serving, stirring until cheese melts. Season soup with salt and pepper; garnish each serving with ketchup, mustard, and pickles.

Steps to Success

1. Brown the ground beef in butter, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, then add vegetables.

2. Stir in the flour; cook 1 minute to remove the raw taste and to coat the meat and vegetables.

3. Add cheese at the end of cooking time so it doesn’t curdle. Mild Cheddar and American work, too.

Now for scrapping. Here are two LOs that I recently did. Nothing amazing, but nice for the memories.

The first one is of DH on his 60th birthday! He's still as gorgeous as the day we met 34 years ago! His favorite meal in the world is Beef Wellington - a GOOD Beef Wellington! I asked the chef/owner of our favorite restaurant, The Garden House, if he would make it for DH. He did, and it was the best! There is a photo of it on the LO, too. Look how pretty it is to look at! There are skewered shrimp, tomato roses, asparagus, a squash medley, and sculpted potatoes! The artistry and symmetry! There is even a little heart at the top of the puff pastry crust! If humans could purr, DH would have done so (and I'm pretty sure I heard him purring anyway)!

The LO is based on a sketch we were given during a crop last week. I stamped the bird, used older papers, did lots of pleating and clustering. I really liked the sketch. I can't recall whose it was, though. It wasn't Becky Fleck's. I found the utensil brad and thought it was just too cute and perfect for this LO. The things I have in my stash, LOL!


A Birthday Beef Wellington

The next LO probably doesn't look that thrilling to you because of the photo. The original photo was almost black! It took me about an hour and a half of Photoshop to pull what you see in the LO. It's a photo of my holding DS just hours after he was born.


So Fresh

This is the photo before I was able to rescue it. I honestly thought there was no hope.



The next LO was done for a challenge. We had to use a photo bigger than 5 x 7. I made mine 11 1/2 x 9 3/4. I asked DH if he had a photo of Yosemite and this is what he gave me to use. I loved the photo because of the view, the waterfalls, and the valley floor. I used BG Marrakech.


YOSEMITE

Well, I've covered slow cookers, a recipe, and some layouts! Hopefully, something there had to be interesting!

Blessings to you,

Chris

Dodgers vs. Phillies - a House Divided

As DH and I watch these two teams go at it, our house is divided! DH grew up in southern California and even worked at Dodger Stadium! He is so loyal to his team! I grew up in suburban Philadelphia - so, I'm rooting for my team although there isn't this true blue loyalty with me. Things can get tense in our home if the Dodgers are losing, LOL. I don't gloat --- much! But, in these playoffs, we are most certainly a house divided!

Go Phillies!

We got our boulders! I was so excited when they were delivered and set into place. Who knew getting rocks would make me so happy? Here are some photos of my new rocks! They don't look that big in the photo. The largest one is about the size of the front of a VW Bug. LOL Dumb, huh?













I think it is hilarious that in a mountainous area such as where we live, boulders are everywhere - yet we have to buy the ones we need for landscaping. I would have liked a bigger one as shown in the fourth photo, but DH was concerned w/ the trees and their growth. That one weighs about 800 lbs., LOL

I have some layouts to share with you. They are for sale, if you are interested.

The first LO, in my mind, was one that I thought would work for those "tweens" this Halloween. Those kids are too old for the really cutesy type stuff but still like to get dressed up. The large photo mat says, "trick or treat" in very pale letters. It is suitable for a nice group photo! There are four small photo mats for journaling or additional photos. The hinges are grungeboard that have been treated to look like antique silver. I added some raffia, a glittery skull, and the cutest metal photo corner that has a spiderweb and ghost in it. There are lots of layers and every layer has been inked and distressed. The PP is a heavy duty weight. The colors are black, green, eggplant, and cream. I love how this turned out. I kept thinking of what a "tween" would like to have their photos on.


Dressed to Chill Price: $7.50

The next one was fun to make! I fell in love with the colors. You cannot see the edges of the black CS background sheet, but I have punched them using a picket fence punch. I would want something bright behind it, so when you put it into your page protector, you might want the opposite page to be orange on the back. This would allow the punched border to show. I machine stitched the PP to the black cardstock. There are two nicely sized photo mats and a third smaller mat that would be fine for a smaller photo or even the journaling. I made the little bear that is holding his pumpkin costume in place. He has on a matching hat with two tiny green leaf-shaped gems by the stem. I've added flowers, and used a punch that looked like a bat's head to me. Isn't that purple paper fun? You can see that the pumpkin is made of glittered cdardstock.


Boo to You!Price:$7.50

The last LO is just the cutest ever! I had so much fun making that little bear! There is a large photo mat for a 5 x 7 photo. The smaller mats will hold nicely sized photos as well. They are just tucked inside the pocket. The little ghost border is made from a puffy satin ghost ribbon. It's been secured along the edge of the pocket. The bear is holding a little pumpkin while sitting on some Fall leaves. There are orange gems in the center of the flowers on the smaller mats. I added a small journaling box. The ribbon on the largest mat is double sided with a dark color on one side and orange on the other


Hauntingly CutePrice: $7.50 SOLD

These are one of a kind creations. I am trying to provide a good deal without trying to make a ton of profit. I figure what I'm saving in ebay fees is to your advantage!

Mailing Info

The total postage for mailing within the US is $5.50, USPS First Class Mail. If you purchase more than one, the shipping fee will remain $5.50! Mailing fee would be higher if mailed out of the USA. I'd have to find out the cost and then let you know after you've committed to purchase. Payment is made through Paypal. It's just easier that way. We are both protected! Of course, if you live nearby, you can always come and pick it up and save on those mailing fees! That makes it an even better bargain for you!

Thank you for stopping by. I hope my Phillies don't upset my DH too much! He couldn't take the defeat! Oh, DS, if you are reading this, I hope you can handle any losses the Dodgers may have! **tee hee**

Love to you,

Chris

Rock On!

Now, if you read that title, you may think that I'm going to discuss music! Nope!

I live in the most beautiful state. This part of Utah is rich in geologic history and much geologic activity! So many of the mountains are a deep rust (called Redrocks) due to the oxidized iron particulates found in the rocks. There will be a layer of red and, then, it abruptly ends and a cream layer will begin. There are mesas with the flattest of tops. Next to sandstone, will be volcanic activity from eons ago. It is so beautiful! OK, now to my point...

All over the place are beautiful mountains that have huge boulders that have given way and tumbled to the earth's surface. It is very common to see boulder upon boulder at the base of a mountain. Sadly, it's kind of hard to drag a two ton boulder home to plop in your front yard!

I'm working on getting at least one boulder for our front yard. I want it to be the red sandstone. I think the color would be beautiful. Tomorrow, a landscaper is coming to look at our front yard, get an idea of the size and shape I want, and then we will go from there. He'll need to have a crane to place it and then the knowledge of how to set it in so that it doesn't move. I am so excited! Who else do you know would get excited about getting a rock? Everyone in our subdivision has a boulder of some size and shape in their yard. Some, of course have more than one. Our home didn't have one when we bought it. So, it's been my goal to get one for the front. It's so silly that I am so excited! What shape do I want, how big? It's like Christmas to me! Purchasing a boulder has been on my "to do" list since we moved in. DH wants to have either tiles or metal numerals attached to the boulder to designate our street address. I think that would be nice, too! I'll keep you posted!

I have made a couple of layouts for you to view. These are for sale. If you are interested, please contact me for details.

The first LO, "Boo," is sooooo cute! I just love that little bear! It's a mummy! I wrapped it in off white frazzles I had in my supplies. DH said I should add some brown chalk to the frazzle strips to make them look old and dirty. I did - just to make my best critic happy! The Mummy Bear is so cute! It took me most of today to make her! She is holding a Tootsie Roll Pop and a candy apple. The title alphas are large, LOL. The buttons are chipboard that has been painted and covered with epoxy. I added a wood and wire fence as well as moon, stars, and ghost. There is a tag for journaling. You'd need a Sharpie pen to write. The white photo mat base has been punched using a border punch. NOTE: If you want flowers added to the LO, just let me know! I didn't add any because I didn't want to add something that someone may not want in a Halloween layout. I'd be happy to add orange, black, and white ones for you!


BOO!Price: $7.50 SOLD



The next layout, "Boo Crew," is also a fun layout. It has a lot of whimsy to it! There is lots of layering as you can see. The paper on the mat has distressed edges. I've machine stitched the perimeter of the gold, stitched the buttons to the layout, added a strip of white, puffy, satin ghosts. Your photo will fit behind the ghost strip. There is a hidden journaling tag that also has machine stitching on it. Just pull the tab on the right of the photo mat. It would also be big enough (5 x 5) for a smaller photo! There are just a lot of details added to this LO including buttons, brads, eyelets (remember those?) fiber, and a bread tag. I just love how the cut sheet of black w/ all the Halloween words jumps out at you.


BOO CREWPrice: $7.50





These are one of a kind creations. I am trying to provide a good deal without trying to make a ton of profit. I figure what I'm saving in ebay fees is to your advantage!

Mailing Info

The total postage for mailing within the US is $6.50 whether you purchase one or more than one. That is what it will cost me to mail each package - nothing more. I've learned that if I'm mailing more than one, the price didn't change. They are mailed priority mail w/ a delivery confirmation. Mailing fee would be higher if mailed out of the USA. I'd have to find out the cost and then let you know after you've committed to purchase. Payment is made through Paypal. It's just easier that way. We are both protected!

Thank you for stopping by. I'll be sure to let you know how my boulder man does with his selling! Hopefully, by the time I post again, I'll be "rocking on!" LOL

Love to you,

Chris

I Have Wildlife (and I don't mean my husband)!

I know this sounds disgusting, but there's humor in it, so bear with me. Since May, we've had "droppings" in our back yard planter. They are always there in the morning and always in the same spot. DH and I were clueless. Our yard is fenced with wrought iron fences, and the droppings were too large for a cat. A cat could fit through the spars, but not a dog. We were just very mystified. We continued our routine each day, since it started in May. Well, late one evening, we heard a commotion on our back patio. DH went to look and there were two raccoons playing with each other on our patio! They were just rolling, chasing, and having the best time! Our mystery was solved! We quickly figured out that the little culprits were very happy using our planters as a restroom! There are nice high, full bushes for them to crawl through.

Of course the first thing I wanted to do was leave food out for them. Of course, I KNEW THAT THAT WOULD BE A HUGE MISTAKE! They are the kind of animal that needs to be discouraged - really discouraged. We had them on the roof of our beach house until we trimmed the trees. It was very disconcerting to hear these sounds at 4:30 AM and not knowing what the thumping was. Finally, we figured out that they would climb the trees, drop onto the roof and have a grand old time racing back and forth the length and width of the roof! It sounded like wild horses were running across our yard! When we finally figured it was raccoon recess, we had the tree trimmer out STAT! We learned that raccoons won't drop greater than 5 feet. So, with that in mind, the trees were kept at least five feet above the roof! End of raccoon recess! They are so cute, though.

I have some layouts to share. Hopefully, you will like them! These are for sale. Let me know what you think!

The first one, to me, is just precious for a single 5 x 7 photo or two smaller ones. The paper is embossed and glossy. It is really pretty. The alphas are all black, so pardon the flash reflection. There is machine stitching around the perimeter and some gems in the corners. The buttons have been painted with acrylic paint. The brads on the stitched mat are sparkly as well. I made a little skunk to go with the theme. He turned out so cute! I also painted the chipboard flower grouping on the lower left of the photo mat.


TOO STINKIN' CUTE Price: $7.00 SOLD




The next layout is a cute one for Halloween. Again, the photo mat is 5 x 7. There is lots of layering. I punched the corners of the background paper with a punch that looks like a bat's head and ears. The yellow strip is all fringed to add texture. There are three chipboard buttons that have been painted to match and then covered with epoxy. The embellishment cluster just to the right of the buttons is three dimensional. The cauldron and ghosts are all at different elevations. The word, "Boo," is made from foam. I've added some plastic embellishment (bats & ghost) as well as a black glittered witch's hat. The pumpkin brads are gold toned.


Eek! PRICE $6.50 SOLD



Mailing Info

The total postage for mailing within the US is $6.50 whether you purchase one or more than one. That is what it will cost me to mail each one - nothing more. I've learned that if I'm mailing more than one, the price didn't change. They are mailed priority mail w/ a delivery confirmation. Mailing fee would be higher if mailed out of the USA. I'd have to find out the cost and then let you know after you've committed to purchase. Payment is made through Paypal. It's just easier that way. We are both protected!

I promise you won't be disappointed! TFL!

XO,

Chris

It's Finally Fall!

Well, Fall is here! Thank goodness! I am so ready for the next two seasons! It was time for Summer to be tucked away for a few months! The trees at the higher elevations just a little northeast of us are already changing! Autumn is already showing her colors!

I've been scrapping a bit and have some layouts to share. Hopefully, one will be a source of inspiration to you! Oh, before I forget, I'll be posting a couple of layouts this week that could be yours! I'm keeping the pricing low. I apologize for the postage fee, but that is what the post office charges, nothing more. I realized when I sent the last two that it was a bit more than I had thought. So, the postage will be $6.00.

The first LO is one I did for a friend. This was her daughter's first day of school. I wanted to keep a school theme, but keep it very primary looking. I kept the stitching on the stick figures very rustic looking rather than refined and adultlike. I also wanted to incorporate the colors found in the photo. Some of the alphas are black glittery and the others are black and white polka dot puffy alphas. The embellies are metal. The Scottie is elevated on pop dots to give some dimension. Is this little missy adorable or what? Look at that face! I hope her mama doesn't mind the messy stitching on the back or front! LOL I just fell in love with this photo. Oh, how I wish we had had more children (or at least a girl, too)!


Star Student

Oh, how I love the next LO. It's of my DH's mom when she was a baby. Look at that wicker buggy! I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to have had that! I wanted to make the LO feminine and vintage looking. I chose pink as I never get to use that color very much in our family LOs. I love the paper roses at the bottom and think the BG was a perfect line to use with this photo.


Before You Were My Mom

My Darling Son, if you are reading this, the layout below is for you. The layout is simple, but the sentiment is perfect for you and your loving father. I don't know who the author is, but I am grateful that whomever penned it, knew just what to say for me! Your dad and I miss you so much. Scrapping photos of you brings you closer. I can touch your face! I wanted to keep the LO simple and masculine looking. I hoped that the gray fabric flower would be fine, and I think it it. The LO looks manly, right?



A Father Is...

I LOVE our DIL! There are so many reasons! I am proud of the woman she has become. I am proud of her for reaching her goals and not letting anything stop her. I am proud of the wife she is to our son. I love to scrap photos of the two of them. They are just too cute together! She has so many different looks. I love the ones in which she is candid and unposed, like this one. Look at that smile! It's spontaneous!


Young Love

Thank you for stopping by! Please do come back again! I'll have a couple of layouts available for sale toward the end of this week. Maybe you will like them and want them to be yours!

Have a good one,

XO
Chris

A Smokey Start to September

Happy September 1 everyone! Oh, Fall is right around the corner and these 100+ temperatures will be history! It can't happen too soon!

We have very smokey skies lately. There is a very large fire not too far from us that has blown smoke into our valley. Then, there are the California fires that are also sending smoke eastward. DH and I are staying inside where the air is cleaner. The sky is so white, it looks cloudy outside. Ick!

Today's post will be a brief one. I've got three layouts to share. One is for our album and the other two could be in YOUR album! That's right, I have two for sale, if you are interested! I think this is a bit exciting. If it doesn't work, no problem. If it does work, then it's a win/win, right? You get a LO and I make a bit of money to buy more scrappy supplies! LOL I used to sell on ebay. I sold every layout I ever made except for one. No one wanted a LO on Dia de los Muertos. LOL It was a bad idea on my part! LOL

The first LO is of DS. We were at Zion National Park. Behind him is a huge waterfall cascading and spraying. The photo looks a bit grainy. I'm not sure if it is due to the water spray or my increasing the size of the shot. DS just loved that hat! He wore it all the time and even to bed! It made me think of Lawrence of Arabia! DS was just the cutest little one!


It's All About the Shades

Now, here is your version of the same layout. For this LO, I modified the title. I left the 5 x 7 mat empty so that you could use one large photo or several small photos. I'll include two yellow photo corners as well. The shipping and handling would be around $5.00. I will ship internationally, but shipping would be more. The Prima flowers are red, blue, and yellow. The yellow is a true yellow but looks orange in the photo. There are small rhinestones on the smallest circles and flowers. The larger buttons have been stitched on. Your photo would also fit behind the red flower in the lower left. Each of the circles has been cut using my Nestabilities dies thus making the cuts accurate and even. Each circle has been layered and is not printed that way. TFL!


You Color My World SOLD

The next layout is for those of you who had backyard campouts or actually got away to do some summertime camping. For this LO, I hand cut the leaves and pine cones in the upper left. They are also elevated using dimensionals. I love giving elevation to my layouts. A cloud at the upper center is also elevated above the base cloud to also give dimension. I created the trees and inked the edges to keep with that woodsy feel. There is machine stitching around the perimeter of the mat as well as on the background CS. Lastly, there are brads on the journaling tag and the title. TFL!


Happy Campers SOLD






If you are interested in either or both of these layouts, please e-mail me. You can be an enabler! I just love scrapping, and if I can save you some time and effort, why not? Right?

Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm so glad that you did!

XO,

Chris