I love these!

Check out these beautiful felt flowers made by Debee! You can see all of her lovely creations at her Etsy shop Inspire Lovely. She makes such pretty things!

Counterfeit Kit Blog Hop!!

Welcome to the first ever Counterfeit Kit Blog Hop! Hopefully, you got here via Debbie's blog. If not, you can start the hop at the beginning, at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog.

This card was made for the "Roll the Dice" challenge, where we were given three things that must appear on our project, determined by the roll of three fabulous altered dice (blocks)! The three items we had to use are card, fashion, and bling.


The card part was easy, although cards are not my best thing! The fashion element was no problem, because my kit included a pack of rub-ons from the October Afternoon Thrift shop line, with a fun fashion image. My kit did not include any bling, so I replaced the inside of one of the metal flowers in my kit, with a coordinating rhinestone. I also used the flip side of one of my kit papers, some scraps of cardstock which I cut with my Cricut into ovals, hand and machine stitching (inspired by my friend Karrie), and a piece of crocheted ribbon from my stash.

Your next stop on this blog hop is Glinda. Have fun hopping!

Here are some of the other projects I made with my Counterfeit Kit. I think I did pretty well with it! The best part was using some really old product I've had for years.

I did this layout for the sketch challenge. All items came from my kit, except for the ribbon (flower stems) and MLSB mini alphas (subtitle).


Detail:My links aren't working, so please scroll down to see two other layouts done for the "Back to School" mini challenge:

http://nomorelittlemonkeys.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-layout-of-year.html

http://nomorelittlemonkeys.blogspot.com/2011/01/crazy-for-border-stickers.html

My New Toy

Tomorrow, we will pick out my new toy! I'm getting a Sony A390, to replace my Minolta 5D, that was tragically dropped at a family function last summer. It's been many long months since I've felt the weight of a good camera in my hand. It almost felt like a part of me was missing! Thanks to all my generous family members who made this possible!

Crazy for border stickers!!

At Two Peas, they are having a really fun class right now on "Love your products every which way", and which gives some really great ideas on creative ways to use up those border stickers we all have laying around! I thought the technique would be perfect on this heritage page I made for my MIL's album. I spaced my pleats very evenly and neatly on the frame for this photo, but it looks really great to get all funky and messy with it, too. I thought it looked better with the style of page to be more uniform. You should check out the free classes at Two Peas!

Struggling with art journaling!

This year began with a strong desire to dive into the world of art journaling! I love looking at all the creative work other people have done, and I was so eager to try this for myself. I added a bunch of art journaling blogs to my side bar, and visit them frequently, looking for inspiration. When it came time to actually sit down and work on one of my own, I feel like I have failed miserably!! I even have a journal of partially prepared pages, which I had attempted in a class a few years ago. Some of the pages are textured with gesso, and a few even have a coat of paint on them, ready for my imagination go wild. The first page I completed looks like I threw up on the page!! I used some wrapping paper from Christmas, and an article from the paper about how the paper is not recyclable in our area, after we has painstakingly saved every bit of it to recycle. I also added some dried needles from the tree, and then dumped a bunch of glitter on the whole mess. On another page, I attempted a technique that looked really cool on another blog where you create "ghost writing" on a page by writing on it with Sharpie, and then covering the whole thing with gesso. Mine looks so terrible, I can't even describe it! I wonder if this is a stage everyone goes through with the art journal process, or what? Maybe I'll try collage next, because I feel a little more comfortable with that. Or, maybe I'll start with a list....

The first layout of the year!

This is my first layout of the year, and the first project I've completed in over a month! I used pieces of my Counterfeit Kit, and my Cricut machine, and Accent Essentials cartridge to make the round embellishments. Because it was a boy's page, I really wanted to stay away from flowers. The shapes are perfect for the summer theme of this page, and I was able to match the colors of my other papers.

I was able to complete three different challenges with this layout. The weekly challenge at the LPS message board was to use something "new" on a page, and also to spell out the word "year" with products used on the page. I used "Y"ellow, Accent "E"ssentials Cricut cartridge, "A"ugust calendar card, and "R"ed or "R"estoration (Crate) to spell out my word. I used a sketch from Page Maps #2, to complete that challenge on LPS message board, as well. For the "Back to School" challenge on the Counterfeit Kit challenge, I watched the video on border stickers. I layered them behind my title on this page. I think it really set off my large title. Nothing like multi-tasking!!

January Fabulous Five!!

Taking inspiration from one of my favorite blogs (Maggi "Just Add Glitter and Stir" http://justaddglitterandstir.blogspot.com/), I've decided to do a list of five of my favorite things at the moment. I think every week is a bit much for me, so I've decided to do it once a month, or whenever the mood strikes me!! Hey, it's MY blog, right?!

Without further ado, here are my current favorite things:

#1 - Southland

I got hooked on this new show shortly after it premiered in 2009, because who doesn't like a good cop show, right? I guess I'm still mourning the loss of NYPD Blue! The great thing about this one is that it's shot in my old stomping ground of LA. The characters are flawed and believable, and not overly Hollywood gorgeous like some shows these days. After an amazing first season on NBC, with an all time most heart-stopping season finale, the show was suddenly canceled during it's second season, and sold to TNT with six episodes still in the can. I've heard it has something to do with Jay Leno (figures, the big trouble maker!). TNT finally showed one of those six episodes last week, and the show has been renewed for a third season!

#2 Parenthood


This is the family I wish I had! I'm in love with the father, mother, and their messed up neurotic children and grandchildren! Just like family, some of them are annoying, although I love them to death. The show is sentimental without being cloying. I am totally hooked!

#3 Counterfeit Kit Challenge

Ever since my favorite kit club was put on hold, I have been more than a little depressed! I'm not really interested in committing to another club, but I sorely miss the kits and comraderie. Being on a strict budget has been holding me back, as well. I heard about a new challenge to take inspiration from kit clubs, and use that to make kits of your own. http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/ just posted their first challenge, and as soon as I tried it, I was hooked! The blog is full of all sorts of great tips, as well. They have links to instructions on making your own tissue paper flowers and doily transparencies! Fabulous!

#4 "Just Add Glitter and Stir"

It seems like more and more of my favorite blogs have died! Frankly, I was deeply saddened when Maggi (http://justaddglitterandstir.blogspot.com/) stopped posting for several months last year. I understand that it is a huge commitment to keep coming up with ideas to post about, and no one should feel the pressure to continue. I did, however, keep checking on the blog every so often. I was tickled pink when she finally posted again!! Always a fan of a great comeback, I was thrilled to read her witty stories about young motherhood, and all about her interesting and varied hobbies. I can't get enough!

#5 Awkward Family Photos

This is the online place to embrace the awkwardness in us all! I visit the sight frequently, whenever I need a good laugh! http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

Counterfeit Kit Challenge

Check out the new Counterfeit Kit Challenge by Bethany and Meridy: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/. Each month, a new kit will be posted, and the challenge is to look through your stash for products to make a kit of your own. This month was a blast, and I had so much fun looking through all of my supplies to find just the right things to make up my kits.

Here is the inspiration kit, by Jenni Bowlin.
Here is my version and add on.

Kit Contents:
Cardstock: Yellow, Dark Red, Green
Fancy Pants - All Fall (Penmanship) partial sheet
K & Co. - Wild Saffron (Wild Garden)
Jenni Bowlin (Numbered Die-Cut Label Paper)
October Afternoon - Thrift Shop (Still in Box)
Crate Paper - Restoration (Fringe)
Fancy Pants - All Fall (Multiply)
Crate Paper - Restoration (Slipcover)
Making Memories - Boho Chic Round Brocade Metal Frame
Round paper doily from stash - sprayed with red Maya mist
Jennie Bowlin die cut calendar cards
Baker's Twine
Jenni Bowlin Pearl flowers - maraschino
October Afternoon Thrift Shop rub-ons
Scenic Route red date label cardstock stickers
Sassafras Las Nerdy Glitter alpha
Prima Marketing Gallery Roses Quillen (partial pack)
Pattern tissue flowers - handmade from tutorial
Yellow metal flowers from stash
Metal clip - SEI Moravia

Add-on kit contents:
October Afternoon Thrift Shop Good Junk patterned paper
Crate Paper Restoration Borders
Stamped Bingo card
Scalloped circle days of the week journaling spots - etsy
Jenni Bowlin vintage buttons, chipboard buttons
May Arts red rosette ribbon
Teresa Collins - various paper phrases/journaling spots

All the the items came from my stash, and many of them came from prior Life Preservers Kits.

Happy New Year!

I hope all of you have a wonderful 2011!

Last night we spent a very boring New Year's eve watching the Twilight Zone marathon on tv. Greg, Anton (my eight year old), and I kept falling asleep on the until it was time for the ball to drop. Leo joined us for the final seconds of the countdown, and we all yelled "Happy New Year" and quickly went to bed.

Today I took everything off the tree, and put most of it away. The rest of the decorations still need to come down, and the tree needs to be put outside. It is a complete fire hazard at this point, but it was raining all day, and never got taken out. It's always sad when Christmas is over, and the presents have all been opened. Everything starts to look a bit cheap and tawdry, like Vegas in the day time.

I also spent some time working on an art journal page about my mixed feelings about Christmas trees and wrapping paper. The page is as ugly as sin, so I'm not sure if I'll post it, or not. I am making a commitment to spend some time every day working on the journal, inspired by "Art Journal Every Day" with Julie Fei-Fan Balzer. The spiral bound book I'm working in is one I've had for some time, and some of the pages have been prepped with gesso and acrylic paint from a class (Art Journaling 101) I took with Dina Wakely a few years ago. That's as far as I got in the class. I just kept thinking how ugly they were. When you slap a bunch of other stuff on there, the background hardly shows! Is that the key to making a good art journal page? I'm definitely still in the learning stages of this process.