I Love Those Baby Blues

Hey yall! Well, I got out and about today. It helped me to get a little of my mojo back. So I sat down tonite to do a layout. I chose to do one of my fave little subject, my nephew, Carter. This one is called "I Love Those Baby Blues." Carter has the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen and everyone always comments on them. I added a cordurory fabric frame around the picture. I used Home Decor to cut out the word 'love' and the heart. I also embossed the heart with the words 'I love you' from a Cuttlebug embossing folder. I used Printing Press for the word 'Blues.' I also incorporated some buttons, lace, sewing, chipboard, and some Sizzix die cuts. Here it is:



Thanks for stoppin' by! I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend! Take care!
Hugs,
Aymee

Hey yall!

I just wanted to say 'hi' to all of you! I know I have not posted in a few days. I just cannot seem to get my scrappy mojo goin' on! LOL. I need some creative-ness thrown my way! I am going to try to scrap tonite. I hope all of you are doing well! I'm ready for the weekend!!!! I'm hoping that will help! Take care!
Hugs,
Aymee

Buttons! Buttons! Everywhere!

Hey yall! How are ya doin? I hope you had a great weekend. I just finished up two things and wanted to share. First, this week's challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot was to use buttons in your creation. Here is the card I made for this week. I embossed my base with the Paisley embossing folder. Next, I inked a chipboard tree that I had in brown ink and covered the top with an assortment of pink buttons. I embossed the cream paper with the Spots and Dots folder because it reminded me of buttons. I added some pink ribbon and did a little pleating. Then I added a strip of brown mulberry paper that had been embossed with the Button embossing folder. My good friend, Karen sent me a whole bunch of these. I have got to get this folder because it is so cute!!!! Last, I added some Thickers for my sentiment. Here it is:



Also, I finished up this layout. I am hosting a challenge on DIY where you have to find a song and use it as an inspiration for you LO. I chose the song "Reflection" by Christina Aguilera. Being a young adult, I still find myself evolving into the woman I am/will be. I am almost at the point where I am comfortable in my own skin and confident. This songs lyrics really spoke to me. I used some of them for my journaling. The pink you see towards the bottom is fabric that I scalloped the end and roughly pleated. I then added some light pink lace. The flower is cutwork from a patterned piece of cardstock. I also added some gems for the bling. Here it is:

My journaling reads: (excerpt from the song 'Reflection.')
"Look at me, you may think you see who I really am, but you'll never know me. Every day it's as if I play a part. Now I see if I wear a mask I can fool the world but I cannot fool my heart. I am now in a world where I have to hide my heart and what I believe in. But somehow I will show the world whats inside my heart and be loved for who I am. Why must we all conceal what we think and how we feel? Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide? I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time! When will my reflection show who I am inside?"



As always, thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful evening!
Cuttlehugs,
Aymee

Reflection and Snow Angel

Hey yall! How is it goin? Good I hope. Here are two LO's I finished up.

This first one is called "Reflection." This is a pic from my bridal portrait session. I used Home Decor for the flourishes and Stone Script for the lettering. The bride looking in the mirror is a sticker by Jolee's. I rarely ever use stickers anymore, but I have a ton of these really nice bridal stickers from when I first started scrapbooking. I hate not to use them, so I was glad to use it on this one. The star-gaizer lillies are also Jolee's stickers. I chose that because it was the main flower in my bridal bouquet.



Next, this one is called "Snow Angel." This is my nephew Carter playing in the snow this past December. I used Home Decor for the flourish and Cuttin' Up for the lettering. I also incorporated some sewing into the layout. I stamped the 'snow angel.' It is from a 'Snowman Nativity' stamp set that I ordered from The Angel Company. I added some stickles to my snow angel.


Thanks for droppin' in! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Take care!
Hugs,
Aymee

I Don't Think So

Hey Yall! How's it goin'? Ready for the weekend? Whoo hoo! I know I am. I haven't done too much scrappy wise today. I did get one layout done. This layout if for the single sketch challenge at DIY and for Gutter Girlz. So, doin' some double duty. I do that alot these days. LOL. It just helps me to get more challenges in. I love to do the challenges. They motivate me to get more work done. The prompt this time included a song called "I Don't Think So." This is what I based this layout on. My title is "Think you know me? I don't think so." I just love doing these prompts. They always help me to get my thoughts out on paper. It is such a wonderful stress reliever. I am working on an album just for me....kind of a way to remember my thoughts at that particular time in my life. I think this will go in there. Here is the layout:



I used Home Decor for the bird/flourish and Printing Press for the title. I made the flower myself, which I embossed with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder. I also added some velvet and silk ribbons. Last, some Stickles glitter glue for bling. If you are interested, the journaling reads:
"So, you think you know Aymee Gandy? I don't think so! You know how I know that? Because I rarely show and tell all about me! I know so many people think I am a quiet, goody-goody-two-shoes! Well, let me tell ya, I am not perfect! I have my ups and I have my downs! I don't always make the right choices. I don't always do the right thing! I've made choices in the past I'm not proud of! I've done things in the past that I would never do again. I ask myself, "What was I thinking when I did that?" I was young and I was stupid at times. But you know what? I can't change the past! I can only learn from my mistakes and move on! I ask for forgiveness and try to do better. But no matter what I have said or done, I am still a good person! I love hard! I try to do all that I possibly can for others. I try to be the best friend that I know how to be. I'm honest and I'm giving. I try to give back all that I can. I try to be there when they need me! But, you know what? I need love too! I put up a strong and brave front for all the world to see, but inside, I am scared! I'm so frightened by many things in my life! I'm so frightened this skin condition will overtake my whole body! I'm frightened that I may never know what it is like to be a mom! I'm frightened I might one day have to face being alone! I'm afraid I'm not good enough! I'm afraid I will make all the wrong choices! Just remember that I am a person who deserves and demands respect!"

Whoo...that feels good to get all of that out! Keeping stuff pent up is not good for you, so I encourage you to scrap it! Even if you don't want the world to see, hide the journaling or hide the layout. Do it for yourself! It will be so therapeutic!!! I can tell you that from experience! Remember that scrapping doesn't always have to be about the smiles and good stuff! It is to tell a story, no matter if that story is good or bad! Scrap your life...ALL of it!!!

As always, thanks for stopping by! I hope each of you have a wonderful weekend! Take care of yourselves and Happy Scrappin'!

Hugs,
Aymee

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'????

Hey Yall! ROFL...you will have to excuse that corny title! Anyways, I just finished up some recipe cards and thought I'd post them. I am doing a recipe swap on DIY. I have 12 recipe's I'm doing. I only got done with 2 tonite. They are not due to be mailed for a while, but I wanted to go ahead and get a start on them. Each recipe card is supposed to be embellished according to the recipe. My first recipe is 'Tiramisu Parfaits.' I used the coffee sizzlits dies that my good friend Ashley sent me for my embellishment. I just ran them through my Cuttlebug. Here is this one:

Second, one of my absolute fave recipes. My hubby adores these as well. Heck, my whole family goes nuts over these when I make them. This recipe is called Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps. It is a Paula Deen recipe and YUMMY!!! Here is this one:

I used the JOTS Cricut Cartridge for the little chicken in the basket. Well actually, the cart calls it a hen, but I'm calling it a chicken! LOL

Thanks for stoppin' by! I hope all of you have a fabulous and relaxing weekend!! I have no clue what is in store for me this weekend, but I want to get out of this house!!!! I'm bored! LOL.

Happy Scrappin'!
Aymee

Exciting News!

Hey yall!! I wanted to share some exciting news with you! I have been selected to be on the Design Team at one of my absolute favorite blogs...The Cuttlebug Spot! I am so excited!! I look forward to meeting a lot of new people and sharing out scrappy love along the way!! Whoo hoo!

Here is a link for you:


http://thecuttlebugspot.blogspot.com/2009/02/new-design-team-members_17.html

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs, Aymee

Moody Monday

Hey yall! How are ya doin'? Well, IDK what it is, but I woke up so moody this morning! Poor Brandon had to put up with me being ill for a few hours! I know he didn't deserve it, but I was just in a bad mood. But after a few hours, I perked up and apologized. I don't know how he puts up with me sometimes, but so thankful he does. LOL. Anyways, I had a couple of things I finished that I wanted to share with you.
First, this week's challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot was to make a card that was blingy. I used one of my new Victorian lady looking stamps. Yall know how fond I am of this type of look, right?! LOL. I heat embossed her using black embossing powder. Then I trimmed around the stamped image. I used my Storybook Cricut cartridge to cut out the 2 sizes of scalloped ovals; one in black and one in gold. I embossed the gold one with Swiss Dots using the Cuttlebug. This gold paper you see is foiled paper (some of my bling) and I am such a huge fan of this stuff. It just looks so awesome when you run it through the Cuttlebug. I then cut a 4x6" rectangle and embossed it using the Textile Texture Cuttlebug Folder. I matted it on black cardstock. Then I mounted all of this onto some neutral rose patterned paper. Next, I added some gold-blingy looking trim ribbon, a black ribbon bow, and a gold/black shiny medallion button. Last, I mounted this onto my blank cream colored card base. Here it is:




Next, I have had this card done for a bit. But I got so busy, I forgot to photograph it. It is for last week's challenge at The Cuttlebug Spot. You were to use the word 'love' on a card. I cut this heart-shaped chocolate box out using the Paper Doll Dress Up cartridge with both black and red cardstock. I trimmed down the red cardstock to just the center heart. I embossed this heart with the Houndstooth Cuttlebug folder. Then I added some red Stickles around the edge of the heart. I also bunched up some black ribbon for some dimension, added a flower, and a rhinestone. Next, I cut out a second heart-shaped chocolate box in black and attached the two with a eyelet. This allows my card to slide open. I wrote my sentimate to my hubby on the inside. This was his Valentine's Day card. I think you will be able to understand more with pix...so here they are:

See how it slides open?


Last, I did this layout last night. It is called "We've Got A Groovy Kind of Love." I am in a 'All About Me' swap right now. This months topic was to find a song and scrap something about you with it. I know it's corny, but this song reminds me of my relationship with my hubby. It is just so special and just plain groovy! LOL!!! Here it is:


Thanks for stoppin' by! Have a wonderful week and take care!
Hugs,
Aymee

A Layout With No Title

Good evening yall! I just finished up this layout. It is doing double duty for me on Just Scrappin'. I am using it for our monthly sketch challenge and our monthly contest. The contest required you to make a layout with NO title and it had to be about something you love. Well, besides my hubby and my parents, I love my nephew, Carter, more than anything in this world. He means everything to me and I hope he will always know that. He is my little angel. So I scrapped him. I chose this pic because it is one of my absolute favorites. It is just so darn cute! It doesn't need a title! LOL. Here it is:


Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful night and a wonderful week!!
Hugs,
Aymee

Truly Blessed

Hey yall! I just finished up this layout and wanted to share. This one is doing double duty for me. I am using it for this month's sketch challenge on Treasured Scrapbooking and for the Friday the 13th challenge on Just Scrappin'. The Friday the 13th challenge was to do a LO on superstitions or good/bad luck. Well, I don't really believe in either, so I asked if I could do something along the lines of good luck. This is of me and my sweetie when we were dating. I don't know if you call it luck or what, but I call it being 'truly blessed!!!!' I made the fabric flower myself. Here it is:



Thanks for looking! Have a wonderful evening!
Hugs,
Aymee

Happy Valentines Day!!!!

Hey everyone! I hope each of you are having a wonderful day! I haven't blogged in a few days, which is so not like me. But I have been one busy chick! As many of you know, my scrappy area was in my living room. Well, the past few days, I have moved all of it into our guest room/office. Man, it was a tough task, but I am soooo glad that I did. I now have so much more space and light. Now remember, we live in an itty bitty apt, so I can not paint the walls like I would like to. Many of the pieces in here do not match either, but it is so functional and I am very thankful and proud of it. So ya wanna see???? Here is my new 'southernbelle's' scraproom! LOL

First, this is a pic of the room as you walk through the doorway. Of course, I've got all my Gone With the Wind stuff in here. That is my absolute favorite movie/book and inspired my screen name on all the boards. I hung up a new valence that coordinates in color. It has little tassels on the bottom and I just love it. I know it may look a little cramped, but believe me, it is 2 times the amount of space I had before and flows so much better. I set everything up around the perimeter of the room.

On the door, I hung my 3 'punch pouches' from The Dollar Tree. They are really bath accessory organizers, but make the best punch pouches in the world. I was able to fit 3 on the door. So when I run out of room in these, I can put 3 more on the back of the door too. LOL.

This is my cricut station. I have a layout that I did about myself and being a scrapaholic framed. But I think I want to take this out and replace it with a Gone With the Wind layout. I have all of my cricut cartridges on a coordinating shelf. Then the other love of my life (LOL) is on the top of this cabinet, my Cricut Expression. I really need a cover for it, but am having a hard time finding one I want. So for now, I put a dish towel over it.

This is a view of my work space. I kept most of this the same as it was in the living room. This set up puts everything that I use the most right at my fingertips. Also, you will notice a white lunch bag taped on the desk. This is about the only solution for trash that I have found that works for me. I've tried trash cans. They always get knocked over. I've tried a garbage bowl on top of the desk and it too is either in the way or gets knocked over. This way is soooo much easier for me. I just tape this to the desk. When it's full, I either empty it to reuse or toss the whole thing. A very affordable solution for me.

Here is a closer view of the cabinet my baby sits on. This is actually a closet organizational piece that I bought at K Mart for like $8. I got it on clearance and it was a steal, let me tell ya! I keep 3 shoebox plastic bins on each shelf. Each of these shelves pull out for easier access. In the bins are things like ribbon, trim, flowers, chipboard alphas, chipboard, fibers, die cuts, etc. I have pulled out the sliding drawers so you can see.

Next, this is a view of the top of my work space. I have 2 lamps. I need alot of light when I scrap. Our apt. can get so dark. On the desk top, I always keep my portable Fiskars trimmer and my Creative Memories mat. As you can see, I have my next project supplies already out and ready to begin. I have all of my tools in little coaster boxes that I made. To the left, are 2 plastic cabinets that I use alot. The top one is my rubber stamp storage. I love this! I got it at Staples for $20 I think. I keep all of my stamps lined up and organized in here. The top of it is great too. It is divided into little sections and I keep things like paint, adhesives, extra blades, etc. on top for easy access. The red 4 drawer cabinet underneath houses my sb pens/markers, chalks, watercolor supplies, Stickles, cutting systems, heat embossing supplies, etc. Then next to the 2 cabinets on the wall, I have my architects lamp and boxes for my white studio. This is what I take all my pix of my work in. I love how it folds flat for easy storage.

I've even utilized the extra space underneath my desk. I have a bigger 3 drawer cabinet where I keep things like paints, extra scrappy stuff, etc in. I also keep my 2 sticker totes to the right. Also, and I know you can't see it, but I have an extension cord sticking out so that it is easy to reach when I'm ready to heat emboss. I love not having to dig for a cord or search for an outlet.

Next, here is a view of the black rubber stamp cabinet I mentioned above. On the top, you can see all of my supplies I use quite often. In the little silver tin, I keep altered paper clips. I like to use the to clip up an sketch or to do list I might be working on at my desk. I just open up the top drawer on my cabinet a tad and clip it up. All of the drawers are labeled and organized according to what is in them.

Here is a view of the red cabinet underneath the black one. It houses other scrappy supplies that I mentioned above. I keep everything in this cabinet divided with these little plastic containers I got at Wal Mart. Very affordable!!!!!

Next, this is my dry erase/cork board combo. I keep things like to do's and reminders written on the dry erase part. Then I like to hang things that I've either made or received on the cork part. I love to look up there and see the mementos from trips. It always brings a smile to my face. As you can see now, I've mainly got stuff from the recent Fiskafrenzy I attended in Nashville. I also have my sign that I made for a challenge there too. This place really is 'A Southernbelle's Sanctuary.'

This is my sewing center. To the right, you will notice a big black looking cabinet. This is actually my paper organizer. It came with this dust cover to help protect your paper. I keep solid cardstock separated by color in here. I also have my holiday paper broken up into the various holidays. Next to it, on the floor, is another clear paper organizer. This is where I sort my various paper by manufacturer. To the left is my sewing table. I LOVE to sew on my work! My mom got me a sewing machine for Christmas this past year and I don't know what I did before I had this baby! LOL. I got this table for a steal at our local Salvation army store for $6!!!!! I want to paint it white and put gold hardware on it. I am considering doing that crackle paint on it to help hide some of the blemishes. But for now, it is still straight out of the 70's, but no fear. I will put my spin on it asap. I got my sewing machine cover from the ABC Dist. catalog. It came with a coordinating little basket. I keep any my sewing trash (thread, fabric pieces) in there. Once it is full, I empty it. I keep my fabric in the drawers to the left. The middle drawer is where I house my instructional booklet to the machine and my sewing scissor. Then I keep my thread/bobbins in the top right hand drawer. I still have alot of space to fill up in this thing! LOL

Next, this is another organizational piece that I got. This is actually for a closet too. I keep my cuttlebug on top of here and ready for use. I keep my Cuttlebug on a glass mat. It seems to suction best to that. Next to it, you will notice a binder. This is where I keep my embossing folders/dies organized. Then I have 2 bins where I keep some odd stuff.

Hanging above this cabinet is my stamp pad organizer. I got this on etsy for like $25 I think. I keep all of my ink pads labeled and organized by color. That way I can just walk up, find what I need, pull it out, and get to work.

I pulled out the drawers so you could see. The top drawer houses my supplies for acrylic stamps. I keep all of my acrylic stamps in a binder. I also have my alcohol free baby wipes and acrylic blocks in here. The drawer underneath holds other various crafty supplies I might use such as a hot glue gun, photo cd's, stamped images, etc.

I am sooo excited to have my computer and my scrap room together! This is going to make online croppin' and scrappy chattin' sooooo much easier! Of course, as always, my fave scrappy site is on the monitor....Just Scrappin'. LOL (Excuse the cords...I still have to get those put behind the desk.)

Next to the computer is our massive bookshelf. This thing has got to weigh over 200 lbs with all of our junk in it. I keep our stereo and some GWTW stuff on the top. On the 3rd shelf, I keep my 2 locker bins that I have set up for paper scraps. Solid on the right, patterned on the left. I showed yall that organizational system a while back, so I won't go into that again. LOL. Then on the bottom, I keep my scrappy albums and some 12x12 boxes. I have GOT to go album shopping! I have over 150 LO's not in an album. I have got to get on that!!!

Up close of my locker bins that I use to sort scrap paper.

Ok, in my living room, my scrappy stuff had migrated to the dining room as well. That lets you know how little of space I had. So I took over our bakers rack and use it for scrappy stuff as well. I keep my handmade cards in a box on the top shelf. I also keep my camera box, some GWTW decoration, and some boxes that I sort magazines and other odd stuff in. I also have some scrappy books up here too. Then the wooden middle surface of the bakers rack is my cutting station. I keep my rotary trimmer on here. I love that it too is close to my desk so I can just walk up and cut what I need. Now, you will notice that the bottom of the bakers rack looks a little odd. Well, let me tell you my dilemma. We got all but one of my scrappy cabinets in the room. Well the leftover was this little cabinet I got for free at my mom's school when they were cleaning out a junk room. Well, I just knew I could not give it up. I have to have this in my room. So I took the bottom 2 shelves out of the bakers rack and she fit perfectly! LOL. Talk about riggin' it up! Hey, ya gotta do it sometimes! LOL. I keep all of my paper stacks and scrappy kits organized in this.

Cutting station:

Top of the bakers rack:

Bottom of the bakers rack that I rigged up to meet my needs...I'm still laughin' at this one!

I pulled out the top drawer of this wooden nightstand. I put a cloth placemat down inside to protect my cameras and camera accessories safe.

This pic did not come out to well, but I this is a 3 drawer cabinet where I keep odds and ends. I keep all my cameras and camera accessories in the first drawer. I keep my computer paper in the second drawer. Then in the third drawer are various cd's for computer/scrappy use.

Being the huge Gone With the Wind fan that I am, I had to include some of my favorite decorational pieces througout the room.

For some odd reason, in our apartment, there are no overhead lights in the bedrooms. So I hung this plug in chandilier light from a hook. I concealed the cord behind my GWTW collector dishes.

So there ya have it, my new scrappy room. I hope you will like it. I'm in love!!! Yay! Have a wonderful evening and Happy Valentines day! As always, thanks for stoppin' by!

XOXOXOXO,

Aymee