Bittersweet!

Yesterday, I used up my very two last sheets of Basic Grey papers.  I had been hording them for a long time.  While I am happy with the use to which I put them, I am still sad.  So many great paper companies have bit the dust.

Today's featured paper company is Pion.  I discovered this one, hunting for more papers from Maja Designs.  Pion is made in Sweden and I first fell in love with the seaside collection and then with the rest.  I used their handy store finder and it led me to Rubber Buggy and Funkie Junkie which have become my favorite go to online stores.  No paper shows today...but do yourself a favor and check these out for yourself.

(usual disclaimer:  I don't work for, design for, or get any special deals from any of these companies).

The Case of the Disappearing Blog Post

I had a blog post yesterday and it has "gone with the Schwin" to quote from a Muppet Movie.  So here is some Deja Vous all over again...If it pops back up, so be it.

I have been on a hiatus with both my blog and my scrapping.  Other than scrapping at retreats and crops and once a month for Sketches in Thyme, I have done nada, zero, zilch.  The last 7 weeks, I have been battling with shingles and its mean step sister, PHN (damaged nerve endings).  I think I have turned the corner with both the hike my mojo took and the shingles as the pain appears to be retreating and my scrapping at home has increased (anything above zero is an increase, right?).

I did a few challenges for National Scrapbook Day on line and then just kept going.  Here are a few.  Some are very simple and some are a bit more.  Have to start somewhere, right?

I have two more done but they are for my May 14 and June 14 th posts at Sketches in Thyme.

Back to scrapping and a continuation of my new favorite papers.  Tune in tomorrow.

Papers, papers and more papers.

Long ago and far away,  paper companies in the U.S. were innovative, gorgeous and made on quality paper stock.  We had the market cornered with papers that we cutting edge.  Now, most of the papers companies have been bought by one large company and others have succumbed  to copying the same lines in different colors and way too cutsey designs.  While these are perfect for scrapping my grand kids, they are not all I scrap. 

So, I went hunting...and the first company I found that had such pretty and different papers was Maja Designs.  I put in an order at Rubber Buggy and then a second and even a third once I had my first order.  The paper is high quality, the colors soft and so pretty and the designs are gorgeous.  These are just two of the paper lines I fell in love with:  Summer Crush and Life by the Sea. 

Check out the links and see these papers for yourself.  Fall in love like I did.  These papers also come in 12x12.

(disclaimer:  I do not work for or design for Rubber Buggy.  I do, however, spend  lot of money there as they have new and fresh paper lines from European companies such as this.) 

Back Again....

Today, my layout is up on the Sketches in Thyme blog .  Brenda Ragsdale designed this sketch and I loved working with it.    Check it out  here.here

I shall try to be more diligent about blogging my layouts and other creations.  It isn't that I have not been scrapping, I've just been diverted by fun times with friends and family.  Love to all.

That Boy! Sketches in Thyme

I used sketch no. 193 by Sara Mishler to create this layout of my grandson, Landon.  Of the twins, he is the more quiet one but he does have a wicked sense of humor.  He is our prankster for sure.

To see the sketch upon which I based this layout, click HERE

 Thanks for looking.

Using up my (embarrassingly substantial) stash

This old Prima paper with the built in embroidery along with trim and lace was just perfect for Leighton's Easter hat picture.

and a few of the details....

Thanks for looking.

Play Time

I started a tiny box with pull out at a crop at my house last month and just finished it up today.  Love this new G45 Voyage Under the Sea papers.  The little box ( 3 1/4 x 2 3/4 x 1 inches) came from Sommerset eons ago.  Glittered this up and really happy with how it turned out.

                                                                 THE FRONT

                                                           OPENED OUT TO THE RIGHT

                                                        OPENED OUT TO THE LEFT

                               
                                                                      BACK

                                                        SAMPLE OF GLITTERING

Thanks for looking.