Crop Challenges Completed

There were lots of fun challenges this past weekend at Coordinates Collections' online Winter Crop, and I took part in all of them. I also went to my regular all-day crop on Saturday; so I had 12 hours to work on these. As it turned out, all of my projects were of the Canton crew:

Challenge #1, use "white space":

Challenge #3, scraplift another layout. Funny, when I was cleaning out sewing supplies recently I came across these two little fish buttons; and I smiled to remember they were left over from little outfits I made for these two when they were tiny. The outfits didn't come out all that well; but the buttons were the perfect accent for this page!

Challenge #4, use 75% products from one manufacturer. I used Bo Bunny:

Challenge #5, use 2 or more tools. I used my Cricut and the Fiskars circle cutter:

The other projects were cards, but primarily I wanted to put these up so I could show them to Lauren, PJ and Ashlyn (and they can show Elara if they want to) without tagging them on Facebook. I have one more layout in progress that's all Ashlyn in her new sweater, but it needs finishing touches.

The crops, online and in person, were lots of fun as always!

Look What's Blooming!

After killing any number of lovely gift orchids indoors by showering them with tender loving care: fertilizing, misting, wiping down the leaves, changing their position in the light, I finally learned some years ago that the secret to beautiful, reblooming orchids is to throw 'em outdoors in a spot with dappled shade where the sprinkler hits them. They get a slug of fertilizer several times a year when I remember and if we have a freeze they get put into the shed for a night or two. They thrive on the neglect and bloom their little heads off! This little guy is currently propped up on the birdbath where I can see him through the patio door.

 

Back in my orchid corner, I see I have two others that are beginning to produce buds. Yay!

Coordinates Collections January Blog Hop Challenge

The January challenge was to make a layout using circles. I used the stamp that came with the kit to emboss three circular medallions, then cut them out with my stamp-edge scissors. There's another circle on the kraft tag which hopefully gives balance -- that's the idea, anyway!

My beautiful granddaughter, Lauren, is on the right, and her friend and neighbor, Elara, on the left. Elara is a little younger than Lauren, and a little older than Ashlyn, and is friends with both of them. This pretty winter day the three of them were having a fun photo shoot on the clubhouse grounds. I found lots of great photos on Facebook, including some I'll be scrapping of Ashlyn in her new red sweater, and Lauren in her new gray coat (and Elara in her cute boots).

I am completely in love with this Amish Quilt kit. The stamp is going to be a favorite of mine. And maybe it's just because I have so many winter photos right now of snow scenes, gray coats and sweatshirts and red sweaters; but I really really love these patterned papers and I'm ordering a few more to supplement what I have. I always love CC kits; but sometimes I get one that's my favorite ever, and this has to be my new favorite!

Coordinates Collections $1 Kit Grab Bag and my Contest Prize!

I had such good luck last month with various grab bags from Coordinates Collections that I decided to order a $1.00 kit grab bag along with my regular order this month. The one I got had plenty of double-sided paper (including a plaid that came in a previous kit and I loved). There was also a complete alphabet, an overlay, some of those great Maya Road sheers, glassine envelopes, chipboard shapes, and a package and a half of Prima flowers. I can use a lot of these right away to make valentines. I would say this is an awesome deal for just $1!

I also won one of the CC contests this month and won this prize -- a whole pack of patterned black & white paper, which I can think of a lot of good uses for:

White Christmas

This Florida girl, Chicago transplant, got a Northern gift for Christmas when we had a white Christmas in Atlanta -- 2" or more!!! It was SO beautiful! The next day we even went sledding on Paul's boogie board and I felt like a kid again. I meant to post these photos that Jack took as soon as we got home but...what on earth HAVE I been doing since then?

Paul's house:

The lake two doors down:

 Gazebo at the lake:

Paul and PJ:

Brian walking back from the lake:

Ashlyn was the smart one -- sitting by the fireplace in her big fuzzy froggy slippers!

Where will Paul and family be next year, and where will we celebrate Christmas? I love, love, love being with them and with Brian and family!

Coordinates Collections December Blog Hop

The December Coordinates Collections Blog Hop challenge was to make a LO sparkle. I had given up on getting this one done this month, as we have been really busy shopping and wrapping; and my scrappy time has been devoted to making holiday cards and gift tags. But I had a little time today and I already had these photos and papers selected; so I put this one together. For sparkle I stamped and embossed a gold clock, embossed gold letters, wrote my journaling in gold and accented the circle with a jewel.

Grab Bag Goodies at Coordinates Collections

I just got my monthly kit today (I chose Vintage Attic, and it's gorgeous!); and I also ordered several fun grab bags:

Eyelet Grab Bag ($1.00):  Hundreds of 'em! Metallics, colors, stars, even a few Halloween eyelets. I didn't have the nerve to open the bag until I can sort them:

    

Metal embellie Grab Bag ($.50): Spirals, big brads, photo turns, slotted brads (wouldn't a big bow look good pulled through here?): 

Miscellaneous Grab Bag ($1.00): Niki Riki Thickers (OK, one letter was off color -- the rest are perfect); a string of tickets, a fine yellow Zig pen, campout die cuts, a package of summer rubon words and 4 outdoor and vacation themed sticker sheets:

And my favorite, Journaling Grab Bag ($1.00):  4 packing tags, 6 Maya Road sheers and 8 Jillibean Soup journaling spots (Halloween but the theme parts can be covered up for general use):

These were fun little surprises for just a few dollars; and I will definitely use much of it. The down side, which I hadn't thought about, is that the extra weight of the metals caused my shipping rate to go up to the next level. The paper goods alone probably wouldn't have mattered. In the past I've ordered ribbon and patterned paper grab bags, and have been very pleased. Next month perhaps I will order a $1.00 kit grab bag, which is supposed to be a few sheets of paper and some coordinating embellies. Should be fun!