A Hershey Holiday

Hi Friends,

One of the benefits to being a CYDI designer is that I end up scrapping a lot of photos I never got around to before.  This was the case with this week's CYDI challenge, Holiday Hullabaloo.  Back in 2008, I took my daughter, who was a senior in high school, to Hershey, PA for a few days away.  For the past five years, I've been meaning to scrap it, and finally did -- thanks to CYDI!  I used Betty Edward's Ornament for the border on the top.  Hope you'll join us in this challenge (it doesn't have to be Christmas -- any holiday will do -- just not a birthday!).

Make some time to craft today!
Denise

Puppy Love!

We have a new puppy!  She is a Great Dane and we have named her Bonny.  Her coloring is classified as Merle.  We got her at the end of May 2013, so she is three months old now.  She is growing like stink!  Every time we look at her she looks bigger!  She was the largest of her litter, and her mother is 130 lbs and her father is 160 lbs so we think she will be about 140 lbs when full grown!

It just so happens that the challenge at Can You Digi It is "Lovin' Our Pets", so this was a great opportunity to scrap some of the best photos I have of Bonny so far.  It also helps that she happens to be the most photogenic dog on earth!!

So for this layout, I used Paws Up by Green Goddess Creations.  Hope you'll check out the challenge and post your entry!!

Have a great day, and hope you find some time to craft today!

Smiles,
Denise

Cool Guy

Hi everyone,

Had fun at the beach and boardwalk in New Jersey over this past Independence Day weekend.  The weather was great but wow was the water ever cold!  I couldn't go in past my waist!  Still, there's nothing better than being at the beach on the fourth of July and to go along with that, I made this layout of a photo I took of Spencer on the boardwalk.  I used Butterfly Bliss elements from Delightfully Distressing Designs.  Hope you like it, and it inspires you to do some of your own scrapbooking!

Smiles,
Denise

Summer Smiles

Greetings!  Thank you for visiting today!  The challenge at Can You Digi It is "Summer Smiles".  This happened to be one I was hosting, so I wanted to make sure I set a good example.  I hope this layout does the trick:

I used Butterfly Bliss digital papers and elements from Delightfully Distressing Designs.  Check out the challenge, and plan to participate!!

Have a GREAT Independence Day!!

Smiles,
Denise

White Weddings

Yes, it's June, and that time of year.   Love is in the air and CYDI is celebrating with a fun challenge called "White Weddings".   The definition of "white weddings" for the challenge is this:

"So when I think of June I think of weddings. And weddings make me think of white, love, and cake. Oh and you can't have a wedding without a pop of color and no, black doesn't count, because it's totally expected.

So these are the neutral colors that won't count towards your pop of color: black, brown, navy."

I was married three years ago to my high school sweetheart and love of my life, Jeff.  We weren't married 35 years ago, and it's kinda a long story, but suffice to say we found each other again through Facebook!!  I'm still scrapping some of the wedding photos, so this was a good opportunity to put two of my favorites together on one page.

In this layout I used Nice Day Cafe paper, and lest you think I'm over Grunge Neutrals, I also used one of the white papers in that pack (for grunging up the doily)!

Find some time to craft today, and enter your creation at the blog!

Smiles,
Denise

The Astoria Assassin

Hi!  Today's challenge at Can You Digi It? is "Yellow".  Well, yellow is not my favorite color, though I agree it does have its place at times!  So I decided to use a shade of yellow -- sepia -- in this layout.  I've been getting into family history, and chose to focus on my great grand-uncle.  I don't have too many pictures of him, but fortunately there are several floating around the internet because he was a light-heavyweight boxing champ back in the 1920's!

You are going to think I'm stuck on Grunge Neutrals, and I guess I am.  I used some of the papers in that pack here in this LO.  I'm just finding them so versatile!!

Hope you find some time to craft today, and be sure to check out the blog challenge and post your submission!

Denise

Graduation Joy

My oldest is graduating from college.  She is amazing.  She has a 3.9 GPA and is the kindest and sweetest person I know.  And I'm not just saying that because I'm her mother!  I have no doubt she has an amazing future.

So this layout was inspired by Lauren's accomplishments, and it was fortunate that it fit in perfectly with the Can You Digi It? challenge of "Anything But a Card"!  The background paper that frames the LO so well is from Grunge Neutrals Paper Pack by Delightfully Distressing Designs.  It also has coordinating elements, which makes for a super versatile digital collection!

Thanks much for visiting,
Denise

One Day So Perfect

Back in January, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to go to Japan on a business trip.  My college senior, Lauren, studies Japanese and I was thrilled to be able to take her with me!  We were able to spend one day touring Mt. Fuji and the surrounding area, where I took some of my most all-time favorite photographs!

I used some gorgeous neutral white paper for the background on my journaling from Delightfully Distressing Designs.  Sometimes its hard to find good neutral papers that won't clash or take away from your journaling, and these papers are great for that!

Thanks for looking, and hope you have some time to craft today!

Smiles,
Denise

Birthday Flowers

There is a fun challenge at Can You Digi It? this week!  It's called Birthday Flowers.  Using that theme, I put together the layout below.  It highlights when my middle child turned the magic age of 18.  Birthday pages are common, but turning 18 isn't!!  The background paper that I used is from the Birthday Bash Mini Kit from Green Goddess Creations...check out the kit!

Thanks for looking, and have fun putting together some birthday flowers!!

Denise

Majestic Mt. Fuji

We've all seen the iconic images of Mt. Fuji, and I have always been in awe of its beauty.  I had the opportunity to go to Japan a few months ago for my job and was able to take an extra day and see Mt. Fuji with my own eyes.  We were truly blessed to have a beautiful, clear day and I was able to get some gorgeous shots.  Still, the mountain is even more stunning in person...it's absolutely gorgeous!

I had been wanting to scrap this photograph since I took it, and finally had a good opportunity with the "Sketch" challenge at Can You Digi It?  I love the cute vintage suitcases by LilyPink Designs!   Check out the challenge and have fun!

Hope you have a majestic day!
Denise

He's Growing Up

And this layout is proof!  When Spencer was eight years old, I took him to Memphis for a little vacation.  We went to Graceland and I snapped a photo of him next to the historic places marker.  For Spring Break this year, Spencer's stepdad and I took him back to Memphis, and I was able to get another shot of him at the same spot.  Look how he's changed!  When I am standing next to him, I now look up at him, and he's still growing!  I know it's what they are supposed to do, but they're so cute when they're little!!

This layout was inspired by the new challenge at Can You Digi It? called "Butterflies".  I used the word art included in Flights of Fancy by LilyPink Designs.  Thought it was really appropriate.

Hope you find some time to create today.  Thanks for visiting!

Denise

Spring Blossoms

A number of years ago I planted a little twig with some roots that has grown into a gorgeous cherry blossom tree.  Every Spring, it gives the most beautiful flowers.  It's one of the first things to bloom at the end of Winter, so when it does, it's a sure sign that Spring is just around the corner.  So far, the tree has not bloomed, yet.  I was able to capture these lovely images last year.

This layout was inspired by the challenge this week at Can You Digi It? which is Pick a Season.  I used Country Chic papers by Green Goddess Creations and the journaling strips are from the Shabby Melody elements by Delightfully Distressing Designs.

Hope you are inspired to capture your favorite seasons!!  Have a great Spring Break!

Best,
Denise

Dad Turns 80!

How blessed I am to have my father and mother still kicking!  Since the challenge at Can You Digi It? is "Male Birthdays", I thought this was a good as time as any to put these special pictures taken on my Dad's 80th birthday into a layout.  I used the super-fun papers and elements from Green Goddess Creations Birthday Bash.

Thanks for looking, and have a nice day!

Best,
Denise

Little Cuties

I've had this picture for almost 16 years and I'm finally getting around to scrapping it!  In fact, I took this shot before I even had a digital camera so I had to scan the photograph.  It's always been a favorite of mine and I'm glad it survived the years.  I knew I wanted to get a good photograph of my two girls with their new baby brother well before he was born.  I remember even while pregnant carefully planning what the three of them would wear for the photograph, and shopping for cute (but not too cute) coordinating outfits!  It seemed the right time to scrap it for this week's challenge called "Little Ones" at Can You Digi It?.  I used the Beach Fun paper pack by Striped Elephants. 

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you are inspired to do some scrapping!

Best,
Denise