Sweet Perfection *Pixie Dust Paperie*

Hi all! I am just so thrilled to be a part of the Pixie Dust Paperie DT and sharing my first project with you!!! The September kit, Tecolote, was just a dream to work with. The first project I would like to share with you is "Sweet Perfection" a layout of my newest little granddaughter. Sweet Perfection describes not only my granddaughter, but this GORGEOUS kit as well. I just love the rich tones of the patterned paper:

and ohhhhh my does it come just packed with embellishment fabulousness...burlap and lace and Prima roses and decorative brads (not to mention that signature Pixie crinkled ribbon):

and don't you just adore these little mini alphas and the gorgeous overlay?:

Now I ask you...can't you just imagine yourself creating Sweet Perfection with this kit?!! I hope you all are having a sweetly perfect day! Hugs, Cheryl

Blast From the Past "One Fine Day" + Exciting News!!!

Hi all!! I'm here to share my blast from the past post AND some EXCITING news for me and for YOU!! I'll start with the news 'cause I just can't hold on to it any longer...I've been asked to be on the Design Team for Pixie Dust Paperie!!!! Woohoo! Their kits are so GORGEOUS and VERSATILE and I'm thrilled to work with all the other AMAZING DT!! That was my exciting news...now here is YOUR exciting news...Pixie Dust Paperie is having a GIVEAWAY and you can find the details right HERE! And that is not all...they are having an early bird special on the Sept. Tecolote kit...found HERE...15% off from 9/2-9/4. Now isn't that EXCITING NEWS?!! Now for my blast from the past. This records another fine day. I had to laugh at my childrens reaction when they saw I had scrapped this photo. They couldn't believe I scrapped it because in their words, "they look horrible". I couldn't disagree more. I think they look perfect. They look hot, and sweaty and tired like you can only if you've spent a long adventurous summer day in the Texas heat. We had such a fun time that day and the memory is priceless...so is the picture. How could I not scrap this picture? This has become one of my favorite layouts that I have created because it takes me right back to that time and place and it truly was One Fine Day! I hope you are having a fine day today! Hugs, Cheryl

All Dressed Up-Stylee Kylee*CCCB*

Hi all!! Tuesdays always have me smiling because it is time to share another challenge from City Crafter Challenge Blog! I'm soooooo lovin' the challenge brought to us this week by our sweet founder Miss Kirsty! The theme is "All Dressed Up" and the challenge is that we want to see a dress or dress form on your project. So girly and fun!! LOVE it! It was perfect way to showcase my cutie little granddaughter, our very own "Stylee Kylee", shown in this layout sporting her shades. I can't wait to see what you all come up with! Do you need a little inspiration? Just get yourself over to City Crafter Challenge Blog and get all the inspiration you need from our Guest Designer, Inger Harding, and all our DT members. FAB stuff! So go get ALL DRESSED UP and play along with us this week *our prize package comes from the superity duperity generous Pixie Dust Paperie! Hugs, Cheryl

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Life

Ahhhhh it is a Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Life isn't it?!! Even though school has already started here, I wasn't quite able to let go of summer yet and so I created this summer layout. There really isn't anything quite as fun as summertime! (Unless it is all the holidays coming up, right?!) haha! Always something to look forward to and wonderful memories to look back on...it bears repeating it really is a Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful Life! I hope you are having a Beautiful Day! Hugs, Cheryl

Blast From the Past *Faded Memories*

Hi all! Three years ago I started to do layouts of my childhood school memories and 1st grade was as far as I got. Looking back at these old layouts has inspired me to get going on this project again. I really need to write these memories down while I have a memory...haha! Oh the difference a year can make...there is definitely some different memories of 1st grade than there were of Kindergarten. It all is what makes us who we are, though. It is ALL GOOD! Here is the journaling:
Not a lot of memories here and even less pictures. In fact, no pictures. I chose to use a picture of the beach because it was such a part of my growing up. It also symbolizes the turbulence of my life at this period, but also symbolizes that just as the tide ebbs and flows so does life. Ultimately calm and steadiness prevail over turbulence. Memory is a funny thing…the things we can remember…the things we can’t. Sometimes it is a kindness that we can’t remember. This year was a little crazy. My mom was gone more than she was home and that is not necessarily a bad thing. The times she was there were not pleasant. The unsteadiness resulted in the divorce of my parents. My dad chose to date a lot of women that were just as unsteady and it was scary for me. School and other activities gave me stability and support. So there are a few memories I am grateful for. I remember the dress I wore in my school picture. The school picture is missing, but the memory of the dress isn’t. It was navy blue and had polka dots of bright colors all over it. Red…blue…yellow…green…
orange polka dots. Big polka dots. I loooooved it. I remember being a Bluebird. This was part of the Camp Fire Girl organization. I remember thinking our little blue uniforms were a lot cuter than the Brownie uniforms. I remember having to sell the Camp Fire Girl candy. I loved the candy but HATED the selling. I remember going on an overnighter. I was scared. I liked being around the campfire, but it felt intimidating to be around all the older Camp Fire Girls. I thought they were laughing at me. I remember being embarrassed that I sucked my thumb when I slept. I tried to hide the secret, but knew that someone would see. I remember I liked a boy named Drew. All the girls liked him. We all thought he was a nice boy. We all thought most of the other boys weren’t. These are my first grade memories.

Best of Friends *CCCB*

Woohooo...today is a new challenge for City Crafter Challenge Blog! Ros is our hostess today and she has a FANTABULOUS challenge! The theme she has chosen this week is "Best of Friends" (LOVE it!). Did you know National friendship week starts the first Sunday in August ...
Women's friendship week is the third Sunday in August
International friendship month is February ... and
Old friends New friends week is the third week in May
... And friends are the family we choose ourselves ... right? So let celebrate our friendships ...
This week your Challenge is to create a card or project which includes the word Friend, Friends or Friendship
I hope you'll join us ... We're looking forward to seeing your creations! Our sweet friends over at Pixie Dust Paperie are generously sponsoring the challenge this week! If you need a little inspiration take a peek at the lovely creations at City Crafter Challenge Blog created by our Guest Designer and friend, Linda Breedlove, and all the DT. I want to THANK ALL OF YOU for being my friends! You know if friends were flowers I would pick YOU ALL! What a wonderful bouquet of friendship I have here in blogland! Hope you are enjoying this day with a friend!
Hugs, Cheryl

Blast From the Past *A Happy Time*

Hi all! It is time for a little blast from the past today. I thought with school starting this week here that I would feature a layout I did about my own school day memories. I created this layout almost three years ago and it is all about my kindergarten memories. I was really surprised when I started writing about how much I really did remember about way back when. This is the journaling:
"I remember kindergarten.
I loved snack time. I brought a little snack from home in a brown paper lunch bag. Some children had lunch boxes, but I always had my little brown bag. I loved getting the little cartons of milk. Just my size…just for me. I liked the idea of bringing a nickel each day to buy that milk. I felt important buying that little carton of milk. I remember story time on the big green carpet. I loved when the stories were read from the big books that seemed almost as big as I was. I remember recess and riding the tricycles around the white circles painted on the black asphalt. I remember we also participated in planting a garden. I thought that was so cool. I remember waiting for the crossing guard to cross the street in front of the school. I walked home from school, which looking back on it, is really amazing to me. It was quite a way for a five year old to be walking. It never seemed to bother me back then. There was one very busy street we had to cross that I would never thinking of letting a five year old cross, but I did and so did a lot of others and we never gave it a second thought. I remember walking home from school one day and turning the corner of my street and seeing the “pony man” at the top of our hill. I WANTED more than anything to have my picture taken on that pony. I remember racing to my house, flying in the door and excitedly telling my dad that the “pony man” was up the street and we needed to HURRY before he was on to the next street. I remember grabbing his hand and practically dragging him out the door. My heart still fills with thrill of the memory of actually getting to sit on that pony and have my picture taken. I remember walking up the slope of our driveway, through the back gate, up the hill in our backyard and under the avocado tree. What happy memories."
I hope you are enjoying and perhaps making some happy memories today! Hugs, Cheryl