Bling it ON!! :)

I HAD to use that title!! LOL Over at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog we are having a fun and shiny challenge: Create a project using some shine, jewels, glitter etc... I could not resist to include some pearls, and some Stickles on this layout that was inspired by Iris Babao Uy. I made it to give to my mom for Mother's Day, and I am loving it!

My Gypsy has been giving me a lot of problems lately, so I had a hard time cutting the letters using the StoryBook cartridge. What should have taken me two minutes took 30... LOL

The fun part about this layout was to create the lace type effect with paper. In order to accomplish this, I cut the paper in strips of approximately 3-4 inches and I scored it every .5 inches. Then I folded the paper accordiaon style and used a mister to wet the paper. Once it was wet it became moldable so that I could glue it down in a circle.

I used some pearls and lots of Stickles for the letters. I know you cannot see it clearly, but it looks very yummy in person!

Well, I will be leaving on a cruise so I will probably not be able to get on here much (if at all), so I will get back in touch with you guys probably on Friday! I will miss you!

Love in Christ,

Nana

Couture Cardstock Daily Challenge

Today's challenge over at the Coutoure Cardstock Blog is to create something using a medium... To make this layout I used Glimmer Mist and Glossy accents! :) All the little elements are my own paper pieced creations using the original artwork from www.digikits.com. :)

Thanks for looking!

Love in Christ,

Nana

Free Fabric Flower Tutorial!!

I just purchased this book and cannot wait to get started with the techniques that are in it!! :) If you go here, you too can get a Free tutorial!



Thanks for coming by!

Love in Christ,

Nana

My FIRST BLOG AWARD!!

A couple of weeks ago I received this awesome award from a very dear friend: Veronica. :)

Veronica is the MOST TALENTED WOMAN I KNOW and you NEED to check her Blog and her work! She is outstandingly talented and on top of that has the sweetest spirit I have known. :) Thanks Veronica for this awesome gift, and forgive me for taking sooo long to post it here.

Now in order to accept this award there are some rules I need to follow, and they are as follow:

1) Add a link and note of thanks to the person giving the award.

2) Pass the award on to 15 bloggers whose blogs you have recently discovered that you love.

3) Share 7 things about yourself.

So here we go:

7 Things about me:

1. I am MADLY in love with Jesus Christ! I met Him commiting suicide and am grateful that He was faithful to give me life abundant like He promised He would... :)
2. I am married to the most wonderful man (Freddy) and have two beautiful little ones that are 11 months apart.
3. I currently own a Local Scrapbook Store where I teach classes and provide Custom Made projects.
4. I am about to open a small online store to sell my paper-piecing patterns and embellishments, along with my pre-made pages and books.
5. I have been published before (by God's mercy) and just got an e-mail from SNR asking if they could publish one of my Kiki-Art layouts! YIPEEE!! :)
6. I desire to be able to stay home with my children to be able to raise them up in the ways of the Lord and point them always to HIS GREAT Faithfulness!
7. I desire to inspire other women to scrapbook so that through their talent they can leave a Legacy of what God has done in their lives and future generations may come to know Him through their books.

15 Bloggers that inspire me (Most of these women have no idea who I am and how much of an impact they have in my life! LOL)

1. Gabrielle Pollacco
2. Stacy Cohen
3. Delaina Burns (I would love to reconnect with you.)
4. Damaris Rios
5. Addy Abreu
6. Robin Wade
7. Stacy McDonald
8. Sarah de Guzman
9. Suzy West
10. Sonia Kertznus
11. Iris Babao Uy
12. Irene Tan
13. Ruby Claire
14.Cynthia Stevens
15. Danielle Flanders

I have soooo many more I can think of, but I had to choose 15. These are all STUNNING women that prove to have a wonderful heart, and I am grateful to the Lord for the talents He has bestowed upon them. My prayer is that He would continue to help them to create beautiful things that reflect HIS Glory!

Love in Christ,

Nana

SomeBunny is Having FUN!!!

I now looove looking at pictures of when my kids where younger (not that they are old now lol). I came across this picture of Noelani and knew immediately it needed to be part of a fun layout:

You have probably noticed by now that I absolutely LOVE working with sketches, so I used a sketch from Sketch Inspiration. This is the sketch I used:


This is the layout I made:


I know that it is not my best work, but I sure had a BLAST making it!! I got to play with some glimmer mist and a circle mask... got my hands dirty with some ink... lots of hands-on (MY FAVORITE!!)


The title was cut using the Cricut Cartridge All Mixed Up. To write out the rest of the title, I must have erased the same words 20 different times, and at the end resorted to using stencils. LOL Everyone tells me that my children would like to see my handwriting on their pages. I really believe, though, that after I spend so much time creating a layout I should not take away all of its beauty by drawing attention to my HORRID handwriting! LOL


The stamps are from Technique Tuesday and I though they really complimented the page well...

Thanks for looking!

Love in Christ,

Nana

Be Loved

I have had so much fun playing with paper while scrappin' some old pictures. I cannot believe that Noelani is going to turn 2 years in May and I have yet to finish her first year... :( Here is a layout I recently created using some prima paper and a sketch:from Let's Scrap.

I really enjoyed looking back at this picture. I remember that during this time Noelani was going through a very serious season of what everyone thought was reflux. She would vomit way more than what she would eat, and as a new Mommy I felt I would never make it past another day...


It is truly amazing how God gives us the strength that we need when we need it. He is our strength in our weakness and truly our Provider!! I can honestly say that I was sure I would never make it past those days, and yet she will turn 2 in May. Oh if I could stop time!!! If I could turn back the clock, how different I would prioritize things!!!

My prayer is that one day she would look at this page and she would know that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER AND WILL ALWAYS LOVE HER!! I now wish I would have spent so much more time doing just this... Praying while I held her close to me...


Love in Christ,

Nana

Easter Altered Album Box FCCB

Without further ado... Here it is:

I created this box to house a mini-album I am in the process of making for Giancarlo's First Easter. The challenge over at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog was to create an Easter project using pastel colors. I had come across this BEAUTIFUL Chickie over at Meljen's Designs and I HAD to buy it.

Is he not the most gorgeous chick you have ever seen??!?!?!

I normally use Prismacolors with Odorless Mineral Spirits to color in my stamped images, but this was my first experience with a Digi Stamp and the technique could not be used. So, I improvised and used dry chalk... :) If you have never used a Digi Stamp, make sure to check out Meljen's Designs. They offer Freebies that you can play with!!! :)



To make this project I used the following:

Box: Creative Imaginations
Cartridges:

• Jubilee (letters)
  
• Disney Pooh and Friends (Fence)
• Gypsy Wanderings (Sun)

Flowers: Prima
Patterned Paper: We R Memory Keepers
Misc.: Stickles, Liquid Pearls





Thanks for looking!! :)

Love in Christ,

Nana

Sneak Peek into the next Fantabulous Cricut Challenge...

I am so excited with the outcome of the project I created for the next FCCB challenge that I HAVE to show you a little piece of it... :)


Can you guess what this is?



Intrigued yet?


Is he not cute??!?!?!


Make sure you come on back here on Monday to get the Full Picture... and do not forget to go by the FCCB blog to participate...

Love in Christ,

Nana

Sassy...

I cannot believe that it is already Thursday! :) I have been extremely busy creating tons of layouts and projects, and I will hopefully add them to my blog so that you can see them... I want to share a layout that is still missing some stitching (and journaling), but I cannot get my sewing machine to work, so I have to submit it without the stitching... :(

My Mind's Eye is having a challenge and I decided to participate in it... :) I had to use the following sketch to create a layout. The theme was supposed to be a "Blast from the Past", and the picture I used really reminds me of my younger years...

Here is the layout:

Noelani absolutely loves being a Girly Girl and wastes no time to grab a nice purse when she sees one. She normally hangs it from her little arm and blows a kiss at you, turns around and says "bye"... (I am going to miss that!!)

I used My Mind's Eye Colorful Christmas Paper and brads. It is one of my FAVORITE collections to date, and the colors were perfect for this layout. To create the ruffled look I used a technique I learned from the very talented Gabrielle Pollacco. If you have never seen her work, make sure you go by her blog... I know you will be inspired. :)

Thanks for looking!

Love in Christ,

Nana

Sweet Cupcake Tutorial

I am so excited to share this card with you ladies!! As you already know the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge began today and the challenge was to include the word birthday and the image of a balloon. You have to use your Cricut in your project but it does NOT have to be to cut out the word Birthday nor the balloon... so with this in mind this is what I created:

I used the Doodlecharms cartridge to create the shaped card (see tutorial at the end of the post) and the Tear Drop cartridge to cut out the sentiment that is inside the card.

The flowers I made using punches, but they can be created using the flowers that are in the Plantin SchoolBook cartridge... :)

Here is the tutorial: (If you do not have a Cricut, please leave me a comment and I will e-mail you the PDF template for you to be able to cut the card by hand. I am still trying to figure out how I add the file to the post. Please leave me a comment with instructions if you know how to do it... LOL)

1. Cut the Cupcake image at 7" using the Doodlecharms cartridge on scrap of paper.

2. Cut the candle off

3. Fold a sheet of cardstock in half and trace the cupcake. Make sure that you leave a portion of the cupcake off the folded edge so that it can truly be a card. (Notice the flat portion at the top of the cupcake. This will allow for it to be a card.)
3. Cut out the cupcake making sure that you do not cut the flat portion at the top.

4. Cut the cupcake again using the layers feature and adhere to the cupcake.

5. Once I did that I cut out the words (1.5") and added them to the inside of the card. Finally I mounted the card on a 6.5' white cardstock and I proceeded to decorate with Glitter Domes, Flowers, Kiki-Art's Fun Tape, and Bling.

To make the flowers follow these instructions:

1. Punch out (or cut with the Plantin SchoolBook) three flowers of the same size:
2. Curl each petal using a Bone Folder. (Try not to tear the petals)
3. Ink and layer all the petals together and finish with a button or whatever makes you happy... :)I know that these pics are not the best, so if you need other pics, please let me know. :) Remember to come on by to play with us over at the Fantabulous Blog!

Love in Christ,

Nana

PS: If you do not have the Cricut cartridge to complete this card, please comment here and I can e-mail you the PDF file so that you can cut it by hand... :)

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge One Sneak Peek...

I am excited to announce that tomorrow morning we will have our first challenge over at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog!!! :) The DT has created many AMAZING projects, so make sure to check them out tomorrow and join us in the fun. Every week you will be challenged to use your cricut and you will be able to win some yummy goodies!!

Here is a sneek peak of the project I made:

Tomorrow I will be posting the step-by-step picture tutorial on how to create the project and I will even have a PDF file available for those of you that do not own the cartridge I used... :)

Make sure you visit the Fantabulous Blog tomorrow, and then come on by to get the tutorial!

Love in Christ,

Nana

FANTABULOUS CRICUT CHALLENGE BLOG!!!

I am sooo excited! I received an email from Robin, the sweet owner of the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Blog, telling me that I was CHOSEN as part of their first design team!!! WOOHOO!!! :)


Here are the rest of the ladies that will be working alongside me:

Christine
Joyce
Lori
Sammye Jo
Tammy
Valerie

I am going to get busy right now and will be creating the first sample for the first cricut challenge! :)

Love in Christ,

Nana

Home is Love...

I just received four of the new My Little Shoebox lines at the store and fell in LOVE! There are all adorable, but the Flying High has me Flying High!!! (LOL) So I created a layout featuring lots of Doodling using one of the awesome sketches from Nuts About Sketches. Here is the sketch I used:

and here is the Layout I made:
I know that I flipped the sketch a bit, but I just made it work for what I needed it. The sketches at Nuts About Sketches are unbelievable!!! They really inspire me to think out of the box as I create my layouts... Make sure you check them out here.

The theme for my layout I got from a challenge over at Paper Popscicles: the house of the cutest digital stamps and creative cut-out card templates! Check them out here.

Here are some close ups of the layout:
I also had to show you a close up of my favorite picture in the layout:
Thanks for looking!

Love in Christ,

Nana

PS: I will try to get better pictures of the layout...

Papin, Papin...

I got married about 2 1/2 years ago and I still remember clearly the entire day. I once had a friend tell me that it all passed by too quickly, so he suggested to absorb EVERYTHING so that I would not forget. When he told me that I remember thinking, "He doesn't know what he is talking about!" , but he was right!! I am so glad I listened to him... I am able to remember details that might not be important for anybody else, but me... and I love it! :)

Well, all that time has gone by and my wedding pictures are STILL sitting in my computer waiting to be scrapped. I do not have a decent wedding album, nor the time to make it... :( So, when I saw this sketch from Sketchy Thursdays, I immediately envisioned a layout I wanted to create ( not for my album, but for my Daddy!)
Before I show you the layout, let me tell you a bit about my relationship with my father. He has always been a wonderful provider and caregiver. When I hit the teenage years I had all sorts of rebellion issues and he endured them. When I turned 21 I got married in pure disobedience and my father told me the following words: "I just resent the fact that you did not let me walk you down the aisle..." As you can imagine, I was CRUSHED!! I could not believe that I had done that to my father...

Well, the years passed ( 2 to be exact) and I ended up divorcing the man I was married to. I then met my current husband and knew he was the man I would spend the rest of my life with. Freddy actually asked to speak to my dad or my brother before he even was willing to DATE me, so I knew my dad would approve. One year after that, on 7-7-07 I was with my father sitting right in front of the church waiting together, and I felt redeemed...


I am still missing the journaling on this page, but I absolutely love it. I want to give it to my dad so that he would know how much I appreciate everything he has done for me and how I am thrilled that he walked me to the man I truly love! :) I guess it is a bit like the prodigal son, who came back and his father reinstated him into the family with a feast... The same way, my dad was willing to (in spite of my original disobedience) walk me to my husband-to-be... What a great picture of the Lord and His faithfulness!! Praise you Jesus!

Here are some more pictures of the layout..


Thanks for looking!

Love in Christ,

Nana

Payasos *Kiki -Art*

I received these pictures from my mom and have been dying to scrap them, (YES that IS Me and my brother!) . Today I came across a layout from Kimberly Garofolo Neddo and was very inspired to create my own version of the layout. Here is what I came up with:


I decided to create my own roses using the Kiki-Art paper from the Antología China.

The hearts and the heart paper are from the Antología Amor.

I used a paper piercer to create the sewing pattern and embroidery yarn to sew all throughout. :) Today's Couture Cardstock challenge involved stitching, so I will be submitting it... I WON yesterday's challenge, so now I am hooked!!! LOL


Thanks for looking!

Love in Christ,

Nana