Chic Tags- delightful paper tags

I Love Us...

2012-02-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

Today's layout comes from the very talented and beautiful Sasha Farina.

This layout is 100% awesome! She had me at hand stitched squares! Hello lovely! There is so much I love about Sasha's style...her colors, the design, her stitching, all those little details and some how she makes it look so clean and gorgeous!

Tags used: Valentine Banners, Sprinkled with Love Word Tags, Valentine Flair Buttons,

Please check out her blog for more inspo, she never disappoints and she has such a cute family! :)
I will be back tomorrow with a Project Life share. I know, I know...everyone is doing it!
Til then....
xoxo,Veronica

Hello February!!

2012-02-01T21:53:00.000-08:00

Hello!!! Happy February! I am so excited to share with you some BEAUTIFUL Valentine inspiration from the lovely Anna Maria Wolniak. She is such a sweetheart! Her style is so beautiful. You are going to love her projects!

Fist up, her delightful little mini. Her and her son are just beautiful people. I know, I'm going to sound repetitive. I could go on and on, so instead, lets swoon. Shall we?

Amazing right?? Here is a list of products used: Everyday Life ATC, Valentine Flair buttons, Valentine milk bottle caps & Mini vintage labels.

She also made this gorgeous layout. I haven't scrapbooked in quite a while and she is inspiring me to clean my craft room! :)

The details are amazing! I love it all!
Tags used: Valentine Banners, Valentine Flair buttons, Spring is in the air Date tabs, Valentine scalloped squares & Valentine embellishments.

I'm pretty sure I have the best designers in the world! ;) These ladies make me smile! I hope they spark a smile and a creative itch.
Wait til you see Sasha's layout tomorrow! *grin*
Til then, have a great one!
xoxo, Veronica

Chic Tags- Design Team

2012-01-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

Sasha Farina- Singapore

Evgenia Petzer- South Africa

Andrea Budjack- USA

This was an incredibly hard decision. To all who applied, I thank you for applying. As you may have noticed, I couldn't stop at 5 designers. :)
I am excited to see what these wonderful women will do with our tags and flair buttons. It's going to be a great year! I just know it. These three months are going to fly!!

xoxo,
Veronica

Valentine Embellishment Kit

2012-01-15T22:08:00.000-08:00

First, a big thank you to all who applied for our design team. I will be announcing our team on Tuesday! I can't wait to share with you!
Second, I was asked by several people if I was selling the Christmas embellishment kits for my Dec Daily album. Unfortunately, I only made one for myself.So, I decided to make a few Valentine embellishment kits (VERY similar to the Christmas kit). Once these are gone, they are gone for good.

You will receive a goodie bag shown above.

Here is what's inside: 3 handmade kraft journaling cards. A stamp embossed, and 2 sewn cards.

4 mini envelopes. 2 mini Martha Stewart, a glassine and a small pink envelope.

Several trinkets: felt heart, heart stickers, 2 crocheted flowers, 3 mini clothes pins, 2 wooden heart buttons, and 4 XO letters.

You'll get one die cut word "Sweetie".

5 valentine flair buttons & 4 paper heart doilies.

3 Martha Stewart stamp stickers & 10 CHIC TAG Valentine tags (random). All not shown.

1 yard of vintage lace and 10 feet each of pink and red twine.This little goodie pack of LOVE can be purchased here for $12.99 plus $2.50 for SH. Simply press the buy now button.Thanks bunches!

Project Life & Giveaway!

2012-01-02T17:01:00.000-08:00

Winner****Albert chose number 35

Kat said...: i would love to be able to use doilies too. but they are not available locally. :) i would love to win some stuff from your shop!

I'm loving all the applications. Keep them coming! I forgot to mention, I am only choosing a few designers. I'm pretty sure the number is 5. :)

Tags used: Everyday Life ATC, Everyday life mini tags & Fall Date banners

Here is a little share, I made a Project life cover. Yay! I love it! I am so excited about this new way of scrapbooking. I used some of my new tags and a date banner from fall. I still have an obsession with doilies. :) I added journaling in the polka dot envelope.

I think we need a giveaway? If you would love some new tags, please leave a comment.
One winner will receive a $30 GC to our shop!! You have til tomorrow at 11pm. I'll draw a name then!!

2012 DESIGN TEAM CALL

2012-01-01T14:07:00.000-08:00

Creator's responsibilities:

- Represent Chic Tags for your 3 month term in a professional manner.
- Send 2 layouts and one card for our blog/Facebook and website. 3 projects total.
- Send crisp clear photos of all projects to us in timely matter. (required).
- You will be introduced to our blog readers on your designated month. Additional photos are required. (If chosen, info will follow).

- Post all monthly projects on your own active blog, online gallery, and or networking communities.

The Goods:
- All your layouts, cards, tags and projects will be posted on our site, blog and Facebook.
- A great amount of new and old releases of delightful Chic Tags to play with!
- A link on our blog to yours.

How to apply:

If this sounds like fun please send the following to us in one email, to chictags@gmail.com. Applications are due January 15, 2012 (12:00 p.m. PST).

- Three images of three different layouts, cards or project(s) that best represent you and your style. Please keep images smaller than 500px X 500px
- A short bio. (Just be yourself).
- A link to your blog, gallery and any other site you are active on.
- Include any current or past design team or publications. (If the list is too long, send me your last 3).

FAQ:

Can internationals apply?

Yes PLEASE!! In fact, I encourage it!

Do I need to use Chic Tags in my application?

No. I would love to see them in action, but I have a great imagination.

Do I need to have my own blog?

Unfortunately, that is the purpose of a creative team. I need ACTIVE bloggers with enthusiasm for blogging!

Why is the term ONLY 3 months?

We launch new items every 2-3 months and would like fresh faces/ styles.

Do I need a Facebook account?

It's not required, but it is very helpful! Twitter works well too.

Do I need to create NEW projects for this call?

Just show me your style anything from the past year will do!

I don't scrapbook often, may I submit cards only?

Yes, I would love an all cards creator. If mini albums or cards is your passion- SHOW ME!

Why is the call only set for 2 weeks?

The truth, I don't have a lot of time. I have 2 wee ones 13 months apart. I want the team picked as quickly as possible. I love looking at each application but I hate hurting feelings. I know, I have been there. I hope you trust the process and please don't take it personal. :)

With a new year comes new hopes, new dreams and new visions!! We plan on making 2012 the very best! Albert and I thank you for considering us!

xoxo!

New Everyday Life items!

2011-12-31T17:43:00.000-08:00

Hello

How many of you are joining in on the Project Life fun!? I'm starting Project Life tomorrow. I can't wait!
Albert and I created 25 new sets and we added BUTTONS to our shop too!

Staring off the new year right! I will scrap more in 2012! I will! :)
Hope you have a safe New Years!!
Wishing you and your family a wonderful NEW Year! Watch out 2012...HERE I COME WITH A VENGEANCE!!!! :)

xoxo, veronica

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

I am still here! Thank you for all the "are you still alive" emails. I really appreciate it! :)I'm so sorry it has taken me a month to come back to the blog. I had all these plans to make things and in the end, I decided online shopping was best.
Of all the years that we have had this little shop, this year has been the busiest. It started in September and never slowed down, in fact, it got BUSIER! We added so many wonderful retailers and customers to our list.
We are super delighted to announce that ALL our tags are now in Scrapbook.com all 154 items!
This was such a huge and wonderful surprise! I thank God daily for blessings such as these. I hope now you can understand my absence.
In the meantime, I'm just trying to enjoy every last moment of this beautiful season! Our tree is lit, presents all bought (not wrapped yet), and the kids are counting down daily!

We have been so busy around here, that I failed to send out Christmas cards. GASP!!! Here is a preview of our holiday photo session:

We thank you for your continued support and wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas!
xoxo, A &V

Getting ready for December

2011-11-15T19:41:00.001-08:00

WINNER***** Number 25 Rebecca said... Totally awesome! I have been so inspired by Liz of Paislee Press too! I'm not starting PL yet - I'm starting the first of the year, and can't wait! I'll do my December Daily for December. :) You've got some awesome goodies!!

Hello!Who is ready for Christmas!? I haven't started shopping yet. Hope to do it all in one bang! Hopefully this Friday. Sunday we have scheduled Christmas pics. I'm excited!!! I'm actually starting things early. Well, earlier than most years. I just can't find enough time for everything. I really need to organize in order to stay on task! Speaking of organizing...
I started gathering all my December Journal supplies:

I bought some more twine! One can never have enough. :)

I bought some Martha Stewart paper tape and some Washi tape from Japanistic.

I am also going to make my own little journaling cards. I got the idea for these cards from Paislee Press. I love her style!

I found a ton of little envelopes in my stash:

Bought some Martha Stewart labels from Michaels.

and....I jumped on the bandwagon...I'm going to start a Project Life album, starting next week!! I got my protectors in the mail and I will be using an American Crafts album. I am super excited about this. It seems VERY similar to a week in the life and I absolutely loved that project. I'm eager and ready!!!
Anyone else starting PL this month?

I also dropped in to share some of my goodies. I have a small giveaway for anyone interested in a pack of festive embellishments!

Just leave a comment below to be entered. I will draw a name tomorrow at 8pm.

xoxo, Veronica

Finally Fall

2011-11-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

It is finally fall here!The air is crisp and cold. The nights are even colder. It's finally sweater season!! YAY! All this crisp fall air got me in the mood to create. I created a fall layout with a picture of my little pumpkins at the patch.

Chic Tags Used: Fall Artisan, Fall Milk Bottle Caps, Vintage Scalloped Circles, Fall Date Banners

SHOP NOTICE: We are finally feeling better around here. WE all had a cold. Oy!
If you are wondering where your order is, please know that Albert and I are working hard to get all these orders out. We always experience an abundance of orders during the holiday season. This year was no exception. Your order will be at your front door very soon! :) We are taking about 8-10 days to process orders once they are placed. We thank you for your patience and support.
If you have any questions or absolutely can not wait please email me! Thank you!!
xoxo, veronica

Hello November!

2011-11-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

I think I'm sick. Scratch that...I AM SICK. I keep thinking if I don't say it out loud it will go away. lol Us mama's don't get "sick" days. So here I am, itchy throat, runny nose, one baby napping, the other wide awake and working on future projects.
I was feeling super lucky for a while, the babies were sleeping in sync and they were letting me get things done during the day! Now it's history. They seem to be taking turns...no bueno. :(

In other news, our Halloween was great! Took the kids to my sister's and Ethan walked around one block. ONE block!? Then he walked back and helped my sister pass out treats.
The costumes were perfect on each kid! Don't you love that? My 6 year old- skinny boy was Spider man. It fit his personality perfectly! Noah was a lion. The cutest lion EVER!! :) And my girl...she was a little ladybug. Rosy little cheeks, button little nose and crazy sass. Just look at that glare. YIKES! All kidding aside, she is my sweet, sweet, little "lady". She completes us.
How was your Halloween, do you celebrate?
I'm excited to start on Christmas crafts. I have a whole pinterest board going...and I hope to try all those ideas! How many of you are ready? Too soon....? We'll get there! *wink*
xoxo, Veronica

Smash/December Journal

2011-10-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Who is ready for Christmas?
Can you believe Christmas is 61 days away!? Noooo. :) I love the holidays! I hate the rush of it all though.

So this year, I plan on soaking every minute of this beautiful holiday season. It will be Maddie's first Christmas! This year, I kept things super simple! hehe I always say that. This year I used a green SMASH album. They are all the rage, so I had to try it for myself. This should be super easy. I'll be layering, gluing, sewing onto the pages that are bound inside. I'll just Smash all the magic in there! ;) The greens and browns are perfect with our tags too. I will be using our December Daily Album Journaling Kit.
Have any of you started working on Christmas projects?
I have some Halloween ideas coming up next but just had to get this project going! It gets pretty hectic if I don't plan ahead.
xoxo, Veronica

So much news....

2011-10-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well, after carefully thinking about it. Albert and I decided to change our shop name. There are many reasons why this was a good change for us. Here are a few: 1. The new name will be easier to say. :) 2. The new name will be easier to search 3. The new name is not trademarked by anyone else! That was a huge mess that I will leave for another post!
So, we are now CHIC TAGS. With this new name came so many blessings! I hope to share more later...now, onto more important things like NEW CHRISTMAS tags and a giveaway!!!

We have all our new tags in the shop and a new December Daily Album Kit too!
If you would like to win some of these tags, my sweet, amazing and talented friend Stephanie Howell is hosting a giveaway on her blog!!! If you don't already follow her blog...you are missing out! This woman is beautiful, inside and out. She will make you laugh til you cry and cry when you least expect it. Her journaling is amazing and her pictures are beautiful. Her blog capture the essence of life.
Hope you have a beautiful weekend and if you have any questions, please comment below! :)
xoxo, Veronica

We have a WINNER!

2011-09-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Mindy Pitcher! You are the randomly chosen reader! Send me your address: shabbychiccrafts@gmail.com
and because this reader is one ( I have several) that ALWAYS leaves me wonderful comments...I decided to send off another package to Mommy2Alex!
Thank you so much for reading along. Also...we hope to have some Christmas items in the shop...by the end of this month. Trust me! They are cute! :)

New Fall Tags & reader Giveaway!

2011-09-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hello!Wow...so sorry for the lack of posts. Life got really busy around here. Ethan started school, the kids got sick. One. After. The. Other. You know how that goes!? Oy!Hopefully we are all good til winter. *fingers crossed*

Albert and I created some fun new fall tags! They are in the shop right NOW! I have not had a chance to play with them but, I'm setting some time for that tonight. I hope to share something crafty VERY soon! Here are some of my FAVORITES:

Fall ATC

Fall Word Tags

Fall Mini Chevron Tags


and my absolute favorites are the Fall milk bottle cap tags. sigh

***GIVEAWAY*** I have these sets and some others from the new collection for one of my trusty readers! I will draw a name from the followers of the blog and send you a pack of tags. It's my way of saying thanks for sticking around even when I'm absent. :)
If you would like...you can still say hello. I miss reading comments! :) I'm not begging, just asking politely. lol
I hope to be back tomorrow with a couple of layouts. Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo, Veronica

Make it and Love it Monday!

2011-08-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

I made this key chain a while back...and thought I would share it here with you. It was very simple to make. I promise.
Step 1: Use a 1.5" punch or in my case a washi tape to cut a circle from a picture.

Use some fabric paper. I used this one because it was dirt cheap at Two peas. :) BUT...I have my eyeballs on Amy Tan's new Chevron fabric sheets. I had the blue polka dot one in my stash too. Step 2: cut a flower from the fabric sheet and trace the flower onto the blue one as well

.Step 3: Using a 1" circle punch, punch a circle in the center of the POLKA DOT flower.

Step 4: Cut a piece of transparency sheet to cover the circle. (peel the paper from the fabric paper and place the transparency). *** make sure you add your picture in. Use some adhesive to keep in place.

Step 5: Cut a piece of ribbon.

Step 6: Peel the backside of the second fabric flower. Stick together. Fold your ribbon. Place inside (sandwiched in). Sew around the flower:

Here is the front:

Here is the backside:

It was pretty easy! I'm pretty sure that Amy Tan fabric paper is calling my name more and more. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo- Veronica

My beach babies

2011-08-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Hello. Happy FRIDAY!The week went by pretty fast!I was totally looking forward to Friday, I have a movie date with my best friends. We're going to watch The Help. Have any of you watched this movie yet? I hear it's good, but long.Anyway, I have another quick share. I really appreciate all your lovely comments. You guys are the best!
I created a quick layout with some pics of our beach trip.

I used crate papers and My Mind's eye, some Thickers and a beach tag from the shop.

Thanks for looking and have a wonderful weekend!!!
xoxo, Veronica

walking & running

2011-08-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

Kept this one simple. A cute layout about the day Noah started walking. he just stood up and started. Just like that! Amazing! Here's what I did: I stitched strips of My Mind's Eye paper onto a white card stock. Added more paper strips at top and under title, added a title and used a tag from the shop at top and a brad. Made the title with some stickers and used a strip of Martha Stewart paper tape under the word "walking". Less than 20 minutes!
Next......:)
Thanks for stopping by. I'm currently working on some fall items. I'm keeping this launch simple and small. They should be in the shop Sept 1st. *fingers crossed* Anything you guys would like to see in the shop?? Please suggest away!!!
xoxo Veronica

One for the boys!

2011-08-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Hello
How are you surviving your week...half way there yeah!
I'm back with a boy layout. ahhhh you probably thought I forgot how to make those...hehe
Here is one of Ethan and Albert on go-karts. fun!!

I used some of our new summer tags.

I'll be back tomorrow with a layout for Noah. :) Balance.
xoxo Veronica

Baby snuggles

2011-08-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!
We took the babies to the beach this past weekend to visit close friends and to meet their precious daughter. She is adorable! The children enjoyed the beach. Noah is a true little beach bum:

Ethan and Albert played with the waves. The beach was perfect! It was warm and sunny. ahhh

Maddie stayed with me. She ate and sat...

After, we gathered our sand babies and headed to IHOP for dinner. Ethan's favorite. Me....not so much. :) The boys LOVE pancakes. We got home pretty late, but the babies slept on the car ride home. THAT was nice. tehehe

In a few days...this little 6 year old starts FIRST grade. *sigh* And we will say good-bye to summer vacation. *weeps* Good-bye sleeping in, good bye staying up late and good bye mama's little helper.

Have your kiddos started school yet? How's your summer treating you? Hope all is well!
xoxo, Veronica

Week in the Life- Completed album

2011-08-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hello!
Whew! This project took a whole lot longer than anticipated. The album was 18 pages total. 5 cardboard pages and the rest baseball protectors full of 3.5X2.5" pictures. I cut the protectors down to 8X8" or smaller. I also rotated the protectors according to the set of pics.
For the sake of time, I'll show you most....not all.

Here is a picture of the cover again.

I added tags in some of the protectors and some I only placed pictures inside.

For each day I placed a bigger picture on cardboard. We just so happen to have 5 people in our family and I captured 5 days. Worked out perfect! Noah was Monday.

I added some small circle tags in the center of some protectors. I kept it very simple.

I did a lot of stitching, ink droppings, and I used most of the stuff I bought for the project.

I used a picture from Albert's birthday dinner.

Again, there really wasn't much to the baseball protectors. It was easy to place a picture in, jot some words on a card and viola!

The cardboard pages took longer only because of all the stitching. I tied them all together by having our initial or name on the top right of each page.

I used all the journaling cards from our kit for this page. Overall, the album was pretty simple. It was finding the time to sit and make it...that's the hardest part I added journaling for each day through out the whole album. . :)

The book was pretty thick, I had to use bigger binder rings than I had originally planned.

Well, I'm very glad this project is FINISHED! On to the next....
Have a good one!
Veronica

Week in the life- getting ready

2011-08-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday...or not. Today has been a very difficult Monday. This mommy is tired! I had 2 unhappy babies that would NOT nap, and a 6 year old that has a mouth of a 15 year old. :( It was a very trying day to say the least. I've been trying to post this since yesterday. Ok, so back to the purpose of this post.

I'm slowly editing pictures and making them into 8X10" collages. I'll cut them up once they are printed.

All the paper I ordered last week is in. I'm using Lime Twist (My Mind's Eye), October Afternoon and some American Crafts.

I bought some mini sticker letters from Two peas.

I also bought some flair buttons from my sweet friend Kaitlin @ Ormolu. She is a doll, love that she is another tag maker/ work at home mama just having fun with her shop!

I bought a trio week days Washi tape from here. I'll only be using the gray and green.


One can never have enough twine...I bought these colors from another etsy store.

Oh and orange Washi tape from here.

AND of course I will be using all our printable Week in the Life tags.

How is your album coming along? Are you making one? I hope to finish mine by Wed. I'm pretty tired of the project and want to move on to the next thing hahah.

Week in the Life Photos- Friday

2011-07-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's Saturday morning and that means I completed my week (days) in the Life project. :)
Our week flew by but Friday seemed to drag on...

breakfast blueberries

Crafty stuff I ordered from Two peas.

Ethan so kindly told me that the Transformer's legs in Tuesdays post were BACKWARDS...and he demanded I take a picture of him with his Transformers. "The right way" lol Well, excuse me!

Sweeping the crumbs in the kitchen. Never ending.

Some sewing.

LUNCH

mmm chocolate milk

HE LOVES books. Oh how I love that! Mama loves books too! She misses reading. *sigh*

makes me happy to FINALLY see pink toys in there!! ;)

sweet treats

homemade toys- I love that he still enjoys making stuff out of oatmeal canisters.

baking

zucchini bread from scratch, using our garden's zucchinis.

ONE cup is all I allow myself to drink per week. Maddie does not do well with coffee. I miss it, but fully understand.

My little tag shop.

ME- tired, dark circles under my eyes, sans make-up, in need of a hair cut, & eye brow threading...but ME none the less. Full of love for her babies and husband. Appreciating this gift God has given to her! Would not change it at all!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving comments, thanks for following this little project!
If you have any questions please ask away! :)
xoxo-Veronica

Week in the Life Photos- Thursday

2011-07-29T01:00:00.000-07:00

So glad Friday is almost here! I didn't think I'd survive this week.Can't believe I stuck to taking this many daily pictures. I am so glad I did. I love looking back at each day. I highly recommend this project. This was our Thursday:

Something beautiful about snail mail...or maybe it's the packages. :) I bought some washi tape for my week in like mini album.

Albert grabbed the wrong kind of watermelon. I like seedless.

*sigh*

I wash my hands all day long. They are so dry.

Not nursing just loving on her. :)

snacks

I love hearing the pitter patter of his little feet. He started walking July 13th. He is still wobbly.

loving him.

dinner

My car is older than dirt. LOOK at the miles. I love my Toyota!

we use the 2 seater cart...thanks Target for making these.

My sweet little girl is 2 months...how does this happen?

That was it...thanks for stopping by!
xoxo, veronica

Week in the Life Photos- Wednesday

2011-07-28T01:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! Today was pretty special..my sweet lovah buns turned 34!

We started our morning off simple...oatmeal and scrambled eggs all around.

Yup, he's tired of the..I quote, "silly pictures" lol. So glad I'm doing my job. I'm here to torture you buddy! Wait til you're a teen. lol Oh, and I just noticed something...I TOTALLY earn MOTHER OF THE YEAR...see Ethan's chin. Yup, ice cream. From last night! hahah That's the cause of a day time bath.

I rearranged my pics on the fridge, and added some of Maddie. LOVE!

For those wondering...Noah was taking his 10 am nap and well, Miss I'm going to cry all day was on the table where Noah can't reach her. :)

We spent most of the day cleaning Ethan's room...because I'm tired of toys everywhere!! Who's with me? There should be a club for us mamas. The gosh dangit put your toys away kid...club. YUP!

Nursing Maddie is a daily routine-I see this, almost all day.

This boy spends most of his day drawing...he is super talented.

While daddy was at work Grandma Lidia called and said she had made us dinner for Albert's birthday.

Grandma loves to cook!

this may look plain...but this chicken tostada is delish! She adds seasoned onions...OMG!

We bought Albie a small cake. We only added 24 candles...you know, to prevent forest fires and all. HA!

and of course Noah was ready to eat! I must add, there were no presents because we celebrated Albert's birthday on Sunday.

Tres Leches with raspberry filling...wipe your drool. YUM!

Albert and his dad had a couple of beers.

While the boys played in the backyard.


This picture reminds me that he needs his FIRST hair cut. People are starting to give me that puzzled look. "Is he a he??" Yes, HE is!!

Well, that was our Wednesday. Hope yours was eventful! :)
-Veronica

Week in The Life Photos- Tuesday

2011-07-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hello! Here was our Tuesday. It was a whole lot busier than our Monday.

Dishes never end. After breakfast. I make sure the kids have full tummies and are playing in EYES view. This is when I do a quick sweep of dishes and pots and such...

Ethan has been watching lots of Netflix. It's a sign of a lazy summer.

For lunch, I baked a pizza for the kiddos. I thought I would spare you a big butt shot and take a different view. You're welcome. ;)

Yes, it was delish!

See? He looks happy!

I have pics of my kiddos in the bath for my album...I didn't want those posted here.

I wish I could say this laundry is a new load from Monday...Not so my friends. lol

these kids are always snacking..all day long. It never ends. I should invent a necklace with snacks attached around it. haha I know, that would get messy.

when the babies both take naps, as they did yesterday...I do a happy dance, but not for too long. I have fun things to do!

I usually look at prettythings. Pinterest is my guilty pleasure.

H20 in a Mason jar, it's a country thing! lol nah, I'm lazy and it holds a lot of water.

I snuck in a little crafting too.

then the babies were up...

back to playing!

not too hot.

when daddy got home, the boys went out to play. It was much cooler outside.

after dinner, I cooked a gourmet meal of hot dogs and potato salad. lol we went out for ice cream. Someone needs to wash the car!

mmm my two favorites (pistachio & chocolate chip). Noooo I didn't eat that whole thing, sheesh! Ok I did.

That was our wonderful Tuesday...how was yours?
-Veronica

Week in the Life Photos - Monday

2011-07-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here is our Monday- hectic and lovely all at once. :)

This is part of our daily routine. Having two little ones means TONS of diapers all day long!

Cooking breakfast for the kiddos. Please ignore my chubby body but please focus on the fact that my kids are cute. :)

enjoying his favorite: Eggs and waffles. AND I totally did not ask him to make that "I'm making out" to my waffles face. He did that all on his own! lol

Dishes...least favorite chore. Blah!

wait...no, laundry is my least favorite. I'm suppose to get to folding but the truth is, we end up grabbing clothes from the basket.

bedhead! Lots of naps for lots of cranky babies. The beauty of that, they wake up happy...most of the time!

nursing Maddie

Ethan playing with transformers and all the other choking hazards in his room.

bird watching. Try not to notice that the rain ruined my clean windows and now I'm on strike. tehehe

blurry photo but I love this photo of Maddie hanging out on mama & daddy's bed

MORE napping- I sometimes use my shirt to give her comfort. The scent of my body is a comfort for her. I'll use anything for these kiddos to nap when they are suppose to.

during the day we do a lot of quiet time while babies are sleeping!

BUT sometimes mama needs to check her email, and so comes YO-GABA-GABA on the tube.

dinner @ Pandas

perfect fortune!

I welcomed myself back into the 21st century! Mama's new toy!

That was Monday...hope to take more pics today so I have MORE choices. :)
Thanks for stopping by!
-Veronica

Lazy Days of Summer

2011-07-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Around here we are getting used to these beautiful lazy days of summer...not looking forward to summer ending.
How is your summer?
Winner is posted Rebecca please email me!
-Veronica

Week in the Life-Printable Tag Kit

2011-07-22T10:25:00.000-07:00

We have had so many request for more printable tags. Well, here they are! This PRINTABLE kit is full of 54 bright/vintage style tags perfect for your Week in the Life project or Project Life and the best part, no waiting for snail mail. Just print and cut! This kit has 6 sets all for $4.99.

They are in the shop NOW! I will be using them all next week on my Week in the Life mini album.

Have an awesome Friday!
-Veronica

A week in the Life & Giveaway

2011-07-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

****Winner*** number 20 is......please send me your email! thanks!
Rebecca said...
This looks lovely!! You did a fantastic job! I don't even remember how I found your blog - I've been following for a while now. I think you are doing a great job, and I wouldn't change a thing! :) Thank you for the chance!!

After much thought, I decided to follow Ali Edwards week in the life project. I'm adding my own tweaks here and there. First, I'm only going to focus on the weekdays M-F. I may change my mind.... second, I'm keeping it very simple. I plan to only use 4 pictures per day. This may be difficult & third, I'm going to wait til I have all the pictures at the end of the week to put the album together. I think. tehehe
Anyway, I usually get bored with projects if I don't have a good foundation. SO, I decided to put the album together minus the details. Here is my cover:

I designed all the tags on the cover. I'm working with a 8X8" chipboard album. I used some AC pattern paper and rub-on.

I used baseball card holders but cut them down and only have 4 slots.

I made 6 new sets for this album...gotta say, I love them! THEY WILL BE GOING IN THE SHOP as printables very soon! Keep the eyes peeled. ;)

I usually get my photos printed at Costco or CVS and I place 2 small photos on one 4X6" pic, these are perfect for baseball card holders.

Pretty excited about this and I hope to stick with it. I kept it easy for this reason. :)

Anyone else working on one? Please link it up.
***GIVEAWAY**** If you want a chance to win these printables (6 sets in a PDF). Please leave me a comment. tell me how you found this blog, or any suggestions for the blog are welcome. Thanks!!
-Veronica

July Guest Designer

2011-07-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

5 Random Things About Me:

1. I love monte cristo sandwiches. 2. someday I will live in Santa Cruz 3. I love watching adventure time (cartoon). 4.My fav colors are Mint green and pink. 5. I am obsessed with pinterest.

I'm Most Creative When:

I don't have a set time. Usually when I cant do anything, that is when the bug bites me. :)

***Here are pictures of Marie's "girl cave". I've seen it in person...and it's every creative person's DREAM!

I LOOOOOVE her vintage lockers:

Why I started Scrapbooking:

I started scrapbooking 8 years ago. My MIL passed away and I wanted to create a book for my younger children. She was so wonderful and I truly felt they were robbed of knowing her. I didn't want just pictures I wanted to tell the story of her. Scrapbooking just made sense.

What is Your Favorite Childhood Memory:

My fav childhood memory would have to be the crafts my mom did with me. She taught me how to embroider, paint, draw, cook...She also use to make a lot of my Halloween costumes. I loved that. She is where I get my creativity from.

My Favorite Technique:

Right now I am really in love with inking the edges of my paper. It just seems to make things pop. It is really old school but i just started doing it again.

My Favorite Song/Tv/Movie at the Moment:

I don't have just one song but the bands I have been on constant play are Adele, Mumford and sons, black keys and Regina spektor.
Walking dead is my fav tv show and I cant wait for the new season to start.

My Favorite past time:

Anything with the kids. I just like to watch them grow. When I am not doing that I love to go to thrift stores and Flea markets. My own personal treasure hunt.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Marie in person and she has to be one of the most sweetest ladies I've ever known! I've always loved her work, since she was a member of SISTV. So it was a bit of a shock to meet her in person and to have her help us out.
Well...lets move on to Marie's AWESOME work. If you would love to see more of her work, please visit her blog (Warning: she has music...don't want to scare you, as I was the first time. lol) Marie used our A Camping We Will Go collection.

Here is a beautiful camping mini album she created:

I love how she added burlap to her album!

Hope you enjoyed her work as much as we did. Thank you Marie!!!
xoxo-Veronica

3 little Munchkins

2011-07-17T13:40:00.000-07:00

I'm on a roll here! I haven't scrapbooked this much in ages! I created this layout using a Studio Calico sketch. I'm not fond of sketches but this one, I could not resist. I had the perfect pictures and tags for it too. :)

Here is what I did: I used chipboard stars and scattered them on my page. Mist over them, let it dry and removed stars. The I added some paper strips on the top and bottom, stitched across. I also stitched a couple of lines for the journaling at the bottom left corner! I cropped my pics in photoshop down to 1.65" and placed them in some Shabby Chic Crafts Spring Artisan. I also used A Grandma Doilies & Spring is in the Air Mini Scalloped Flower.

Hope you have a happy weekend!

Soak up the SUN!

2011-07-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

How is summer treating you?

My boys have been having a blast! We bought Ethan a SlipNSlide and he loved it, but Noah loved it more. lol He was soaked. We didn't think he would.
I created a 5x7" mini album for all our summer happenings with the Lopez clan. I used some of our Soak Up the Sun tags on the cover:

I did some misting, but not too much. I like a clean look. :)

I have some blank pages and I'm getting ready to print some of those SlipNslide shots, plus I have pics of Noah playing with the water table with his cousin Cody. :) Can't wait to put it all together! Are any of you working on a summer album?

Our Summer

2011-07-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

Our summer- babies eating, crying, kisses, giggling, pooping, spitting up, making messes, bickering, sharing, pretend play, watching movies, coloring, homemade play dough, cars scattered everywhere, legos too, but most of all snuggling on the bed at any given moment.

I definitely can't complain about that! Life is hectic...yes, but I cherish every single moment I have with these crazy kids. :)

Cousins and a 1 month old

2011-07-07T12:39:00.001-07:00

Lately, life is hectic. I'm talking...no one warned me how exhausting 3 children under the age of 6 would be. lol Not even my own mother...who has 6 kids! I'm hanging in there.
It helps that Albert is an awesome dad. He helps out SO much.
Needless to say, this blog is being neglected. I'm finding some balance and I've started scrapbooking for me again. I'm using all my old product with a couple of splashes of new paper here and there. I'm darn proud of the fact that I'm creating anything at all. :)
Here are some pictures I really wanted to focus on, because Ethan loves his cousins. These pictures are from Easter, the boys played all day together and the BONUS...no bickering. tehehe

Overall I love this layout. I love the simplicity and I love that it took a good 30 minutes to make!

This layout was also a quickie. I just can't spend too much time on one thing anymore. I had to create a 1 month layout for Maddie's scrapbook. I used some old paper that went very well with AC-Hello Sunshine paper.
I used 2 SCC tags: Spring Doilies & Bon Voyage Date Labels.

I'm still working on a summer mini album. I'm thinking next week we are heading out to the beach and we have a small pool party for Ethan next week. Trying not to lose my mind. :)
What are your summer plans??

xoxo, Veronica

Sunday Crafting

2011-07-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

I'm trying desperately to catch up on Maddie's scrapbook album. I never scrapbook in chronological order, but this time...and with 3 kiddos to scrapbook for, I find myself trying to keep up on the first month of Maddie's life.
Here I have an old facebook entry and old photos from the day we found out we were pregnant! It was September 11, 2010 and I had a 5 year old and a 5 month old at the time...crazy!

nyone else creating something special today?

-Veronica

the difference ONE DAY makes....

2011-06-29T21:01:00.001-07:00

Hi
Today my big boy turns SIX! I have no idea where the time goes!? Happy Birthday sweet boy!
I'm also back with a quick layout I made for Maddie's album. The picture on the left is my BIG ol' belly shot. It was taken the day before we went in for our c-section. The second photo is of Maddie on her birthday! It just goes to show...what a difference one day makes. :)

I used a couple of tags from our new summer collection:

I used a Soak up the sun scalloped flower & a Bon Voyage Date label.
I would also like to say a BIG thank you to all our new followers of the blog and FB page. I really appreciate it! Hope you enjoy the blog!
-Veronica

Bits of Summer

2011-06-23T11:40:00.001-07:00

Hello! How is your summer going?
I found this list of things to do on Pinterest and thought what a cool idea! There are some inexpensive fun things to do with the kiddos in this list!Speaking of kiddos....these kids need some entertainment PRONTO! They are driving mama a little nuts. Ethan has started with the dreaded "I'm bored" and it's only been 2 weeks. Oy!In attempts to solve his boredom and save my sanity. I have compiled some cool activities for these kiddos. Here is my summer of FUN list:

Go to the Park (early in the morning since it was 107 degrees yesterday)
Run through the sprinklers
Make a Slip & Slide (slip in slide= big plastic and water hose)
Swim at the pool
Go fishing
Go hiking
Water balloon toss
Eat LOTS of watermelon and strawberries
Draw with sidewalk chalk
Go to the beach
Go to the library or book store
Have a picnic
Go t the lake
Make a fort
Visit a museum
Make popsicles
Paint a canvas
Movie date (watching Cars on FRIDAY
Visit the zoo
Ride bikes

What do you have planned for the summer??

Hello Summer!

2011-06-21T14:21:00.000-07:00

Can you believe today is the first day of summer!? The year is just flying by...
We here at Shabby Chic Crafts love summer time.
We're planning a nice beach trip before the summer is over. I'm sure the kids will love that.

In preparation for summer, we made 15 new summer sets for our SHOP. These are perfect for all your summer adventures!
Here are some of my favorites:

This bright bracket tags are super sweet and perfect for layouts. I used one on this layout last week.
Here is another favorite:
Wood grain and vintage cameras...can't wait to use these!
We made 3 separate collections. Soak up the Sun, A Camping we will Go & Bon Voyage. Here are some tags from our Bon Voyage collection:
I think my absolute favorites are the camping collection. I'm working on a mini album for pictures from last year's camping adventure.
These icons are from the Soak Up the Sun collection, they are so much fun!!

Hope you have a chance to check out all 15 sets! Thanks for stopping by.

xoxo Veronica

Welcome Sweetie

2011-06-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello!

This is my first layout for Maddie. I've printed tons of pictures and can't wait to use them! Here is one of my favorites from the day she was born:

I was eager to use some of my aqua Glimmer mist...but instead I decided to sprinkle it on my layout:I like this technique much better. It doesn't warp the paper like misting does. :)
Does anyone know how to keep your paper from warping? If so, let me know!

xoxo, Veronica

Happy Monday!

2011-06-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

Look who's back...me!
I am finally back into the swing of things and I found time to scrapbook. Yes, I thought I would never find time with 3 kids. lol
Some how in between feedings and while Noah is napping I've had time to make 2 layouts in two days. Here is a layout for Noah's book. It's all about him crawling for the first time:

Well, must cut this post short I hear a hungry little girl waiting to be nursed. Have a great night!

xoxo, Veronica

Introducing-Chic Parties!!!

2011-05-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hubby has been working so hard on this project and we would really appreciate your support.
For the past 5 months we have been getting a HUGE response to party invites, cupcake toppers, banners and such. We have been kept VERY busy with custom party orders. People really loved my baby shower and Noah's birthday party ideas. :)
We've been doing this on the side for several friends, family members, event coordinators and so we finally decided...lets open up a shop!

Our shop offers personalized printable party collections and individual party goods.

We chose printable to keep cost down for you! If you would like it printed for you for extra charge...WE can do that! We can customize any theme you have in mind! The sky is the limit. We have done several custom orders. Please contact us with anything you have in mind.
If you could please keep us in mind for your next event and bookmark our shop, we would really appreciate your help or better yet, tell your friends and family! Thank you so much for all your support!
xoxo, Veronica & Albert

She melts me....

2011-05-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

I adore my sons, there is no doubt about that...but oh boy, my daughter melts my heart and soul!

I am feeling much better and I can hardly wait to start making a scrapbook for my sweet little girl. *sigh*

I will be back very soon. Just as soon as I can get used to 3 hours of sleep again. ;)

Madilyn

2011-05-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

Our baby girl has finally arrived. Although we attempted to wait til she came on her own naturally, we are glad with the decision of a repeat C-section. My diabetes was a huge factor on this decision and we feel like we made the right one.

Madilyn Catalina was born at 8:10 am, Friday May 20, 2011. Weighing 8.10 and 20 inches long.
We are so very blessed to have a healthy, happy baby girl join our world.

I am in love...and still can't believe I have a DAUGHTER!

She is definitely a daddy's girl....

We are so happy to be home, I am recovering much better than last time and feel so blessed to have a great big family that is helping us out immensely!

We will be spending some time with family and will be closing the shop for a couple of weeks. Thank you for your support and love. We appreciate all the emails and comments. :)

xoxo, Veronica

Hungry Caterpillar Party- recap

2011-04-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hi! I can't believe my baby is ONE! Today we had a small birthday party for our sweetie. We only had close friends and family. Everyone that was invited attended. I love when that happens! The weather was perfect the food was delish and the decorations Albert and I made were LOVELY! :) I thought I would share his little party with YOU! (click on photo to enlarge). Here is what the mantel looked like all decorated: Albert made a balloon caterpillar. It was the talk of the party! He dangled some green and one red balloons from the ceiling. I made this paper photo banner:

I used 10 green card stock circles and one red. I printed a favorite photo for each month. Everyone loved this idea. I loved the finish look, it was SUPER easy! I also took a recent photo and enlarged it.

I made a sweet little caterpillar pompom garland. I bought 5 bags of pompoms (4 green and one red). I simply sewed them together with embroidery thread:

The favors were quick and fun. Sticking with the theme, I bought some bug catching kits and made a thank you baggie added 5 gummy worms in each bag, placed it in the bug catcher- tada!

I labeled everything on the food table, including the utensils. lol

The food was DELISH! We had tri-tip (hot dogs and chips for the kids), potato salad, chili beans, green salad, rice pilaf and a fruit tray.

I used quotes from the book. I also picked 3 fruits that I knew people would eat from the book! We had a fruit tray with watermelon slices, strawberries, and orange wedges. mmmmm!

I kept the drinks simple- water, tea, and fruit drinks for the kids. My sister made her delicious cupcakes! Albert made the adorable toppers!

The baby LOVED them. I love little messy birthday cupcake faces!

Albert made the CUTEST pinata for Noah:

and Noah enjoyed hitting it!

The weather could NOT be any better! The kids played outside with the swings, on bikes and wagons. The day was truly splendid!

Thanks for letting me share! It was such a wonderful party! 2 down....one more to go. Ethan's party is in June. I am TIRED! lol

Have a great weekend. Ethan is on spring break. We are taking a trip to the beach next week, but I will be checking in with some layouts and a fun project.

xoxox, Veronica

Happy Birthday to my big ONE year old!

2011-04-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

My sweet Noah is officially one. I know people always say this, but seriously, why does time fly by so fast when you have babies? I have an almost 6 year old and a one year old....really? I'm busy with his birthday stuff this week, but thought I would drop by to say we are here. I will definitely share pics from his party this Sat. :)

P.S. His eyes are NOt that dark...they kinda look scary..lol It's just the angel and the B&W pic. lol Have a good one friends!

xoxo, Veronica

He's on the move...

2011-04-06T22:14:00.000-07:00

He has been non stop crawling and getting into everything...like the printer, and mama's craft room. Here he goes: Look at that face:

and thighs....

Love him to pieces!!

Needless to say, he is keeping me busy & away from the blog routine. :( Also, I've been getting TONS of Braxton Hicks. I'm thinking this girl will make her debut a whole lot sooner than expected.

I'll be back with some craftiness just as soon as I can figure out a balance...you mama's know what I mean! ;)

xoxo, Veronica

Baby Fabric Mini Album

2011-04-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Hello crafty friends! Hope you had a lovely weekend! Our weekends are always busy and exhausting to say the least. We are in countdown mode. Okay, I am. :D Our girl arrives in a little over a month. I can't believe how close we are! I can't wait to kiss her sweet little cheeks and smell her little potato head. At my last ultra sound the doctor said she should weigh about 8.5 pounds. She's a big girl. Okay, moving on to my little project. I made a sweet little fabric mini album for our Maddie. I used felt and fabric for the inside, and vintage lace, tulle & canvas for the cover: I used some of our spring tags from the shop too! I'm still working on the inside. The details are coming tomorrow! Hope to finish that sooner than later. Hope you like my little share for today. Have a good one!

xoxo, Veronica

Birthday Invite Ideas- Hungry Caterpillar Party

2011-03-31T17:49:00.001-07:00

Hello there! I'd like to share the cute invites Albert made for Noah's birthday party. They're about 4X6" and they look ADORABLE! Each invite is accordion style and has a cute little hole through each image:

They were made pretty fast using Illustrator. I have no clue how Albert made them..if you have questions, I will definitely ask him for you.

I still can't believe my baby is going to be ONE in a few short weeks.

I'm making a pom pom garland and can't wait to share it with you next Thursday! :)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo, Veronica

Thank you card #2

2011-03-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

I need to make 20 thank you cards. :) I'm trying to make them as easy as possible. I used another sketch and created this:

The card stock I used is dark brown but it looks black in this picture. Well, tomorrow I will show you Noah's B-day invites that Albert created. :)

xoxo, Veronica

Tips and Technique Tuesdays- Hidden Journaling

2011-03-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

Hello!! I know most of these tips and techniques are not new to the avid paper crafter...but, I think they would be helpful to a "new" scrapbooker/paper crafter. Hopefully they will stir up some creative juices for everyone! :) If you are like me, you are not fond of people reading your journaling. It's not that I don't like my own handwriting...it's just that some of my journaling is very personal. I love showing my friends and family my albums (when they ask), and I love that my personal thoughts can be hidden from view. Here are 5 ways to "hide" your journaling on pages or mini albums: 1. Swivel circles- Cut/punch 2 circles (same size), overlap them. The journaling will be hidden on the inside layer, use a brad to hold in place: 2. Folded Tabs- fold your paper in half (like a card):

Make a pull tab with ribbon or scrap paper. You can journal inside and add extra pictures like this:

3. Picture Pockets- stitch or glue around the edge of a picture to make a pocket:

Hide your journaling on a tag, simply slip the tag inside your pocket (behind the photo):

4. Library Pockets- I made an envelope using a template from online and pattern paper. You can also buy pre-made envelopes from our shop. :)

It's a quick way to hide your journaling. Just slip your letter or tag inside. We have hidden journaling tags perfect for library pockets.

5. Envelopes- Use any kind of envelope! Adding envelopes to your page or mini album is a quick and easy way to hide your journaling. You can decorate the front:

Maya Road makes this cute kraft envelopes that are the perfect touch to any project!

There you have 5 easy-peasy hidden journaling tips! Thanks for stopping by today, hope you enjoyed these fun tips.

xoxo, Veronica

Noah @ 8 mos.

2011-03-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! We had a great weekend with friends. I was able to escape the house and hangout with some girlfriends on Saturday. It was a much needed break. We had dinner and coffee. It was nice to catch up. I feel refreshed! Here is a layout I made last night. I think I figured out how to organize my layouts. I'm going to take some reader's advice and make separate albums for each child, AND make one big family album for me. When the time comes...the kids can figure out who keeps the "family" album. Here is a layout for my sweet Noah's album. I haven't journaled on it, but will soon. Here are some details on the layout. I used a MS button punch, lots of scrap papers and stitched like a mad woman. I tried to make a paper scraps quilt. I really like how it turned out:

I'll see you tomorrow with a quick tip. Have a wonderful spring day! It's 70 degrees here, the sun is out and the bees are buzzing! Helllllo spring!! Is it spring in your neck of the woods?

xoxo, Veronica

Birthday Party Ideas

2011-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! Thank you for your comments on the card. lol If you liked the first card, I think I can only get better.... I hope. I guess I just feel lost in that area...but you guys sure know how to boost a girl's confidence!! Thanks! Here are some ideas I have compiled from Pinterest for Noah's first Birthday bash!! (If you recognize the links to these pictures please let me know where they are from.) We decided on a "Hungry Caterpillar" theme, because Noah is ALWAYS hungry hahahah. Here is a cute invite, I'm thinking of making: I love this mantel decoration...SO CUTE! Here is the cutest cake ever: The book has a polka dot pattern, and these Trix cereal centerpieces are perfect! I was thinking that most of the food should coordinate with the book. A fruit salad is in order! Some watermelon slices, strawberries, & pineapple. mmmm I plan on making my own labels, similar to this:

There are some cute ideas out there! I love that the food has holes in it. Originally, I thought of making another candy buffet, but I'm thinking a small goodie bag with LESS sugar. :) Perhaps a book, bookmark, a bag of gummy worms and a pencil. hmmm? Here is a cute favor idea for the school kids:I'm also thinking of having a craft table set up. I'm thinking the kids should make butterfly puppets. Albert is working on a pinata today and I'll make sure to post some pics as soon as it's complete.

Hope you have a great day!

xoxo, Veronica

Easy thank you card

2011-03-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Those of you joining me from Eighteen25, HELLO & WELCOME!! I am so glad you have joined me on this little blog of mine. :) Your wonderful comments have made me blush. I was originally going to make more than one card today....but I am REALLY bad at making cards. I used a sketch from the Got Sketch blog and even then, I am not happy with this card. I love that it took me a few minutes to make, and I love the colors...but it still feels like it's missing something. (click on picture enlarge) Here is what I did, I used my sewing machine to stitch around the card. I used a new tag from a collection coming soon, I used 3 punches (scalloped circle, border & a butterfly) I also found some gems in my stash of embellishments placed those on the thank you banner. The banner was made in illustrator.

I think I will try to make a new card each week. I'm trying to make 20 handmade thank you cards for my baby shower guest. I'll post each one on Wed. We will see how much I can improve on these. My friend Mara May says practice makes perfect, so here I go.

*If you have any sketch card sites that you use, please link them in the comments section. I used the first one that I Googled. Feel free to help this girl out! :)

That is all I have for today...tomorrow I will start sharing some party ideas I have planned for Noah's first birthday.

xoxo, veronica

"Double Batman"

2011-03-21T18:33:00.000-07:00

There are some things as a SAHM that I absolutely love...the fact that I am home to capture all the silly things my kids do, is such a blessing! I love scrapbooking too because I can write my thoughts on a couple of pictures and keep them in an album to laugh at for years to come. :) Ethan LOOOVES super heros. He loves mixing and matching costumes and running around our house. I love it. It reminds me of my own childhood and all the good times we had living out in the country. Of course back then, that was all we had, our imaginations. I love that my child would much rather run outside than watch TV or play video games. I love that he has a wild imagination just like his mama.
A couple of months ago, I captured his "double batman" disguise. He gave me a couple of posed shots, but I also captured several action shots too.
Here is a quick layout I was able to create today (click on image to enlarge):

Yay for scrapbooking again! I didn't feel like it was forced once I got started. I think I'll rotate between kids. I'm working on a Noah layout. Those of you who have more than one child...how do you organize your layouts? Do you make separate albums? I would love to know any tips you might have!

xoxo, Veronica

Baby Shower

2011-03-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Hello
Whew, so sorry for the break...I missed blogging too. So here I am back and ready to roll!
My laptop decided to kick the bucket...right in the middle of all my craftiness.
I have some snippits of my baby shower. I'll try to focus only on he crafts I made. Not sure how my guest would feel if I posted pictures online.
I made this banner last minute (day of the shower). I used some colored card stock, ribbon, paper doilies, Thickers and some pattern paper.
We decided on a name, yay! Her name is Madilyn. Can't wait to meet my sweet little Maddie. :)
I made these jars, and placed them on the mantel. They are MM storage jars. Each one represents a trimester. I have an ultrasound for each trimester. I filled one jar with pink ribbon and paper butterflies, another with wooden clothespins, and the last one with crocheted flowers.

My sister made the BEST cupcakes ever! She made my 2 favorite flavors (chocolate and strawberry) nomnomnom! The candy buffet table was a hit! It always is.....I had 10 different types of candy.
I made these cupcake toppers with her name on them. Super easy! I used some spring doily tags, punched some butterflies using MS punch, ribbon and a circle with "baby Madilyn" on it.
I also made labels for EVERYTHING! :) I went a little crazy, but I wanted it all to coordinate.

My sister made this cute fruit basket:

It was so much fun using pink and TULLE. This baby better like tulle. hahah she received the cutest tutu. eeek!

This girl is set! She received SO many diapers, wipes, toys and 70 outfits!! Yes, she is certainly blessed to have so many people who love her and can't wait to meet her.
I am so excited. I seriously can not wait for our girl to join our family.
I'm working on Noah's first birthday party. The parties never end....
xoxo, Veronica

Update

2011-03-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Hello

Sorry for the lack of posts. My little ones are BOTH sick. I plan on being back real soon. :)
Ethan skipped 4 days of school and now Noah is coughing non-stop.

We are starting something NEW at Shabby Chic Crafts and that has kept us SUPER busy. We hope to share with you in 2 weeks. We have received SOOO many request for this, that Albert and I decided, why not? Lets give this a try. I hate to be so vague, but I really want to show you the whole project not just snippets. eeeek!

I will be back soon. Please send good healthy thoughts this way. Thank you friends. :)

Oh, and one last thing, will someone PLEASE follow the blog, so I won't see that ------> number.
lol I'm usually not superstitious, but in this case I am. hahha

xoxo, Veronica

Paper Butterfly Embellishment Tutorial

2011-03-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

Jana was nice enough to send me the step-by-step directions to her cute butterfly embellishments!
She used our Spring Mini Scalloped Flower Tags

Step 1
Cut two flat-tipped wedges from circular journaling spot. Reserve cut pieces.
Step 2
Apply foam square adhesive to center of butterfly.

Step 3
Using reserved cut pieces overlap them slightly to create the layers of the butterfly wings.

Step 4
Wrap string, wire, or ribbon around the center of the butterfly to create the body. Tie the ends in a knot and trim to equal lengths for antennae.

Step 5
Use your fingers to curl up the edges of the journaling spot. Add jewels, if desired.

Now, you can add your cute butterfly to layouts, cards, mini albums, gift tags, anything your heart desires!!

Thanks Jana for the quick and easy tutorial!

xoxo, Veronica

March Guest Designer

2011-03-01T09:07:00.001-08:00

My all-time favorite television show is Little House on the Prairie. I still cry at all of the good parts even though I’ve seen them a million times.
I have nightmares about my teeth falling out. I don’t know why, I just do. LOL!
I get emotional every time I hear bagpipes playing (parades, etc.). There is just something about them that moves me to the core.
I love to collect dinnerware. How cool would it be to have enough room in your house to store a new set for every month of the year?!
I grew up loving country, folk, and bluegrass music and secretly wish I had the talent to be a singer-songwriter

I am most creative first thing in the morning or in the wee hours of the morning when the house is quiet and I don’t feel guilty ignoring my TO DO list.
I began scrapbooking because I loved playing with paper and because I wanted to record my family’s story from the very beginning when I married my husband. I had always been a dedicated journal writer and I loved the idea of combining my thoughts with pictures onto a scrapbook page. All the fun papers and goodies made it even that much more fun!

I have so many great memories from my childhood, but my favorites seem to come mostly from our family camping trips in our RV. My dad worked three jobs, but in the summertime he would take 3+ consecutive weeks off, hitch up the RV, collect the family, and just start driving. I have memories of celebrating Easter in the red rock canyons of southern Utah, flying kites on the Oregon beach, and visiting dozens of national monuments and parks. My mom is a history buff and would teach us everything she could about all the places we went. It was a lot of fun!
I love to machine stitch and add buttons on my pages. I love how quick and easy it is, and how it adds immediate depth and “friendliness” to a project.

My favorite TV show right now is Modern Family. It’s a classic in the making!

In my spare time I like to blog, read, cross-stitch, loom knit, travel with my family, reorganize my scrap space, and scrapbook (of course!).
Thank you Jana! We love all your projects and feel so lucky to have you as our guest!

Now...on to those amazing projects:
Tags Used: Spring is in the air- icons, envelopes, & artisans. She also used Spring hidden journaling cards and Spring mini scalloped flowers.

I love that Jana made the Spring mini scalloped flowers into tiny butterflies! (A step-by-step tutorial is coming).

Tags used on the Spring card: Starburst, Spring is in the air artisan & icon.

This smile layout is one of my favorites! Here are the tags she used: Flower border ATCs, Spring mini wood grain frames, Months of spring cards.

I love that she made the Flower border ATCs into mini frames and added some pearls! So creative!

This layout makes me crave SUMMER! Here are the tags she used: Starburst, Spring is in the air icons, Flower Border ATCs, and Spring mini wood grain frames.

At the very top she used a piece of the Chic Notecard tag and stitched it on the layout, for an extra border.

I hope you enjoyed her gorgeous projects as much as I did. I just knew she would rock the socks off our tags! She is pretty amazing! Please check out her blog. She will be hosting a small giveaway with our spring tags. Thank you so much Jana!!!

xoxo, Veronica

Spring Love....

2011-02-28T17:19:00.000-08:00

The chicks over at the crafting chicks blog created some cute things using our Spring tags. I love showing how our tags can be used in various ways. They truly are the every day crafting tag. :)
Here is a frame using our Chic Note cards, Spring numbers and Spring Mini Wood grain Frames:

Jen also made some of our tags into magnets:

I love how she used the Spring envelopes for notes!

This little jar is so cute...it's the perfect quick gift for teachers, neighbors, church friends...
She used some Spring Icons and Starburst tags.

Tomorrow, I have a GREAT guest designer using more of our spring tags...these little tags have been so popular. I thank you for your continued support and encouragement. We love that so many new stores have recently purchased these. The colors are so bright and fun...they scream SPRING!!!
Please come back tomorrow to view some more spring projects.
xoxo, Veronica

Baby Shower Invite Idea #3 :)

2011-02-24T13:55:00.000-08:00

***WINNERS***
Albert picked 2 numbers- 7 and 27. It's his birthdate. :)
Number 7- Tina Ruiz said...Hello!

I'm following your blog! super cute invitations!
Number 27- Sharon said...

I can't remember how I found your blog, but have been following for a while now. I have 3 boys, so of course your picture caught my eye immediately! Would love to win some tags :)

Please send me your address via email.

I promise this is the last baby shower invite idea. tehehe When I saw these invites online, I just knew I had to make some too! I personally think mine are WAY better. Ugh, so full of myself! lol

I used 6" paper doilies, Albert printed the info onto card stock, I tied some pink and blue tulle at the top and sewed a butterfly onto the invite.I scored with the envelopes because I had left over envelopes from our Costco Christmas cards. They are the perfect fit! Whoo!!

****Giveaway*** I have 2 packages of tags up for grabs. Each set has 50 tags! Trust me they are good. They have a mixture of everything...LOVE!
Every time we cut and package we have left over odds & ends. It's just what happens...they are all in good shape, and so I collect them in a big box.
I made 2 packages with 50 tags in each pack.
**How to enter**
Leave a comment telling me how you found this blog, or you can add yourself to our FB page, Twitter page or become a NEW follower of our blog for extra chances to win.(come back and post that you are following).
I'll pick 2 winners tomorrow night. :)
Hope you have a great Thursday!!
xoxo, Veronica

On My Craft Table- Handmade Cupcake Toppers

2011-02-23T15:53:00.000-08:00

Hello
I realize today all my projects are looking repetitive. lol I think when it comes to party themes that's the point right? If you're tired of looking at doilies and butterflies...so sorry. :) I'm pretty sure all my ideas can be switched to match your theme too, so please stay awhile!
Today, I made cupcake toppers sans cupcakes. The baby shower isn't until March but I need this head start...so I'm not stressing days before the shower. Know what I mean?

Here is what I did, I used some Spring Doilie tags, cut some fabric, cut a 1.25" circle (used illustrator to write "welcome Baby") and punched a butterfly. I used my sewing machine to layer it all.

Here is a close up. The tag is from our shop and the pattern paper is from my stash. it's old. I have no idea who made it, but it sure is pretty!

If you have any questions, please ask away. I know sometimes picture don't explain enough.
Have a wonderful Wed!
xoxo, Veronica

Quick and Easy Baby Shower Decor

2011-02-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

Hello!
We took a nice break from the computer yesterday. I'm back with a quick and easy way to decorate your office, home, or party/baby shower.
If you haven't guessed already...my theme will have tons of doilies and butterflies. :)
All I needed for this easy decor was some embroidery hoops, doilies of different sizes/colors (my mama made these), butterfly punch and some pattern paper.

I first punched some butterflies with a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, then I stitched the butterflies onto the doilies, last, I wrapped the doilies around the hoop. Ta-da!! That was it.

It was super easy! I'm putting this display behind the candy buffet table.

Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo, Veronica

Friday Favorites- Baby Shower Candy Buffet & favor bags

2011-02-18T14:02:00.000-08:00

Well, it's no secret that this chubby lady loves CANDY. ;) Who else is with me?
I've had gestational diabetes with all 3 of my pregnancies. Luckily, it goes away the minute the baby is out.
It makes no sense that I would torture myself with so much sugar in one place-a candy buffet...oh, but call me crazy... I loved the faces on all my guest last year when they saw the cute candy buffet table I put together.
SO, I'm doing it again! Here are some fantastic candy buffet tables I found on none other than, Pinterest.

I love the pompoms and paper lanterns above this table. It makes the table that much more appealing. I was thinking this would look great over the buffet table.

Although this is a Christmas theme candy table, the colors match mine. The selection is small, but I think its perfect!

I like all the baked goods at this table...I might be able to convince my sister to bake cupcakes and cookies. mmmm.

Love the flowers in the vase, but it might be just a tad too fancy for me. This would look really nice at a wedding. lol

Here is my absolute FAVORITE table. It has affordable treats! I'm definitely having yogurt covered pretzels, mama's animal cookies, M&Ms and taffy....all pretty cheap items. :)

Here is the favor bag I made. They won't be sewn shut. But I plan to sew the bottom. I have crochet flowers in there instead of candies, it was just to give you an idea of the finished baggie.

Here is a close-up shot of the details.

Here is what I used:
5X7" Glassine envelopes from It's in the Bag!
Paper doilies
Pink Twine from The Twinery
Pink fabric
Paper tag-Shabby Chic Crafts Grandma's Doilies
American Crafts Pattern paper (butterfly- used MS punch)
Crochet flowers (custom made by Liliy's Crochet)
Hope you have a great weekend...We will be releasing more tags in the shop next week. :)
xoxo, Veronica

Wishes for Baby Cards & Jar!

2011-02-17T13:54:00.000-08:00

Hello!
I saw the cutest idea on Pinterest the other night and knew I had to make some of my own. They were some little cards that read: Wishes for baby. The design did not go well with my style. So, I made some of my own using my baby shower colors and theme. I also made it into a free Pdf for you. :) I know you may not be using these colors, but if by chance you are, here is a freebie!

I love the idea of looking back at these cards when she gets a bit older, and reading all the cute messages that were left in this jar. I am only inviting family and close friends, I'm sure they will love leaving her a message too. :)
I also figure that you could use this idea for weddings and birthdays. The possibilities are endless when it comes to crafts!
I'm addicted to Mason jars and doilies at the moment. I just had to replicate the Valentine jar I made, I added fabric and lace this time around, I LOVED using fabric and some vintage lace.

Here is what I used:
A Mason jar
Vintage lace
Fabric (very cheap at Joanns)
American Crafts ribbon & Thicker letter
Shabby Chic Crafts-NEW! Spring Grandma Doilies tag
Scalloped circle
Inside jar- (Free Baby Wish Cards)
Twine (color-Blossom from The Twinery)

Thanks for stopping by! I really enjoy your comments and suggestions. I appreciate my readers SO much. It helps to know you are actually sharing this with someone. :) Thanks peeps!
xoxo, Veronica

On my craft table- fabric baby shower invites

2011-02-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

Hello Today is our first day of "Oh, Baby" (our baby series).
In the next couple of days or weeks, I will be sharing the projects I have come up with for my own baby shower and projects for baby too. The baby shower ideas will includes games, decor, favors, food etc. I will have free printables for some of these ideas too. Just in case you need them for your own shower. First up- my invitations. I can't seem to stick with just one.
The other day I created a design with doilies. I'm a bit obsessed with them right now, and they add a nice vintage touch too.
I used Adobe Illustrator to make a very simple design.

Using transfer sheets, I printed them, cut them and ironed them onto some white fabric. This fabric was the DEVIL. I believe it was the design that ruined it for me. The transfer was not sticking. I was NOT a happy camper. So, before I make more, and invest on transfer paper....I need new fabric.

After the design is ironed on, I sewed the edge with pink thread. This helps with frays.

After, I lined a plain white envelope with some pink pattern paper. There you have it easy fabric baby shower invitations. I am sure this will work with any theme or party. I'm off to buy new fabric. I'm thinking white canvas type might work better. We shall see....
xoxo-Veronica

Happy V-day!

2011-02-14T16:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Day of Love. I never was a big fan of Valentine's, but the truth is, my bitterness derived from the fact that I didn't really know what LOVE was. That is until I met Albert and had his babies. :)
I make it a point to focus on family and handmade stuff. Like our V-day dinner tonight. I'm making a heart shaped pizza and some cupcakes. I made pink lemonade and bought special heart straws... very simple! I told Albert no presents, no flowers, no candy...our love is enough... LOL Gag. I know...
DO NOT get me wrong...each one of these boys/man drives me crazy in their own special way. These relationships are FAR from perfect. I'm not on here to boast that we are oh, so lovey dovey 100% of the time. lol BUT, I will say that these boys/man have taught me how to love and most importantly how to be loved.
I'm glad this day rolls around each year to remind me of JUST that, the love I share for them and their love for me. It's not about all that other stuff. Although, one year I got a beautiful diamond ring and that my friends was pretty swell.
I hope you have a fantastic-love filled Valentines with your love one! Happy V-day friends! Oh, and as for the picture below. THAT is Albert's smile! teheheh He was actually giving me his "I'm too sexy for my shirt" pose. bwahahah!

Oh, and we have something very special coming up. I am going to focus on babies and baby crafts starting this WED. With another baby coming along, I thought I would get crafty before she arrives. We are putting the finishing touches on a whole new baby collection of tags plus we are doing a whole collection on "the everyday scrapper". Can't wait to share.
xoxo, Veronica

Friday Favorites- Valentine Inspo Galore!

2011-02-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

These layouts and cards are from the designers at Glue Arts.
I think they did a wonderful job using our Valentine tags. Love all their projects! Hope you do too. I'm heading to Ethan's school for his Valentine party! *sigh* I loved receiving valentine cards as a kid, and he is super excited to receive them as well. :)

Such beautiful crafts! Hope you enjoyed them as well!
Have a good one!
Veronica

On my craft table...

2011-02-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

I think I have a mild cold. It may be allergies, because I am no where near as sick as Albert. Poor guy, he never gets sick...but when it happens, oh boy!

I've been making cloth bags for my baby shower. tehehe They are for the candy buffet. I know, I am making most of the baby shower stuff. I'm kinda throwing my own shower here! haha My MIL and sisters are providing the food. I'm ok with all the little details. *whispers* The truth is my sisters are NOT crafty. tehehe Yes, they read this blog and I'm sure I'll get a beat down next time we are all together. Ha!
In their defense, not one of them has the time either. They all work "out of the home". I get the opportunity when Noah naps and Ethan is at school. ;) It's a nice break.
Well, here is one of those wonky bags:

What's on your craft table?

I've got baby on the brain....

2011-02-08T12:45:00.000-08:00

Hello friends!
Did you have a wonderful weekend!?
We had a fun filled weekend. I love when we are able to hang out with friends and this weekend we did JUST that! Unfortunately, we started our work week sick. Albert is fighting a cold, the boys just got rid of theirs and I feel a sore throat coming on. No fun!

I'm still trying to figure out baby shower decorations and invitations. I made 3 this weekend. The colors of her nursery are pink and teal. I have not painted the pink yet, just in case there is a surprise penis. lol You never KNOW! The room is teal and white right now. I'm also going to tackle my very first baby quilt. I just have to convince my BFF Lisa *clears throat* that she wants to help. :)
Til then, we are using the Pottery Barn Hayley bedding. So, I made a floral invite, an owl invite and one with birds...here is my flower power invite:

I knew I wanted to add some fabric and sewing, so I gave it a whirl.
I thought having a cover page was kinda cute...now, not so much. We'll see.
The inside is pretty simple. It's growing on me...sorta.
The owl invite is a bit on the cutesie side...If I remember, I'll share that one too. I'm still not sure if "cute" is what I want.
I'm also working on bibs at the moment. Hope to share some of those bibs tomorrow.
xoxo, Veronica

Happy Sunday!

2011-02-06T11:22:00.001-08:00

Happy Super bowl Sunday! I have been blessed with a man who doesn't care too much about sports, BUT....he does like all things UFC and he will watch the Super Bowl. So, I guess I'm just partially blessed. ;)
Today, I made the boy some heart pancakes. It was more of a practice run. I want to make him heart pancakes for Valentine's. They came out pretty cute. They were also very easy to make.

I use Fresh & Easy pancake mix. I have tried every batter under the sun, even homemade and nothing beats this batter. I have no idea why, but the pancakes are super moist and fluffy!

I added a couple of drops of red food coloring. I wanted to add fresh strawberries in the mix, but Ethan will not eat strawberry pancakes. You don't need a mold for these, simply make one side and then another.

I cut a slice of butter and shaped it into a heart too.
The boy loved them! I knew that kid would. So, I'll be making these again on the 14th. :) I think I scored major mama points....the boy kissed me and said thank you. SCORE!

How is your Sunday going?

-Veronica

Friday Favorites- For the Love of Pink!

2011-02-04T15:02:00.000-08:00

Hello!
I have pink on the brain. I swore I would not be obsessed with pink once I found out that we were having a girl...but seriously after 6 years of blue, stripes, green, and more blue....a girl gives in! :)

I joined Pinterest and let me tell ya, that place is inspiration OVERLOAD!
I have been collecting images of ideas for the girl's baby shower.
I'm currently working on custom invitations for a party and that got me thinking of parties, which lead to baby shower planning and Noah's first birthday. Anyway, here are my favorite ideas so far:
Hello beautiful invites. I love the fact that these "save the dates" have fabric on them. I definitely will be making my invites, and will keep a very small guest list. Since it is our third baby and all....but she is the first girl on Albert's side and that makes it special! I still don't have a name...but that monogram idea is fabulous!

I loved having a candy buffet at Noah's baby shower and it was a HIT! So, I'm totally going to do it again! I also think using lace around the jars is sooo cute!

When I first saw these cupcakes my jaw dropped. How beautiful and creative! I wish I could do this. Here is the site it came from.
I think I'll test this idea before I actually convince my sister, she should bake these. lol Rosa my love.....your niece would call you her favorite once she sees that YOU made her these! lol

These rose napkins are simply delightful! They look tricky, but gorgeous!!
I think I want some fresh flower centerpieces. I think pinwheels will make them look super cute!
But then I saw this beautiful table centerpiece. ummm speechless!

I know, I'll be using lots of pink and the shower will have a vintage feel to it. I must get started on some of these beautiful ideas. Once month 7 comes around, I may have no energy.

Have you seen any more girl baby shower ideas? Please share!! If you have a Pinterest, let me know!

Also, one more thing, I need baby girl names...send me ideas. I told Albert that I loved the name "Mila" since my wonderful friend Amber suggested it, and he said, "what about Lope"? heheh funny man. I guess he's not that fond of the name.

I'll check in this weekend with some more scrapbook pages. I have attempted more. Thank you for all your kind words. :)

xoxo Veronica

February Guest Designer

2011-02-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

- I have a baby asleep in my lap on a Boppy. Gotta do what you gotta do to keep him happy and get things done!
- I still have 12 pesky pounds to go before I’m back at my pre-pregnancy weight!
- I haven’t washed or cleaned the car since August… that’s unheard of for me since I’m such a neat freak!
- I take my baby on a walk to the grocery store every day to get a free sample and to escape the house.
- As soon as I’m done typing this sentence I’m gonna go to CHA!

My scrap space: I store all of my scrap supplies in the nursery. When I need to scrap I haul everything I need out onto the dining room table and make a giant mess!
My days are very long and full with taking care of my new baby, Fox, and working full-time at home, so I find I’m most creative at night after I’m done working and the baby is asleep. I can spend all day thinking about what I want to scrap and then sit down and let the ideas flow.

I started scrapbooking when I was 16 years old after I got my very first job at a scrapbooking store in Redmond, WA called Yesterdays Scrapbooking & Stuff. I’ll admit, I thought scrapbooking was a bit corny before I started working there, but soon after I succumbed to all the beautiful papers and embellishments. I’ve always been a “hands on” kind of girl and super sentimental so it seems only natural that I would LOVE scrapbooking. Here is a link to my scrapbooking gallery: https://picasaweb.google.com/PaigeTaylorEvans/MyScrapbookCreations#

I have so many memories it’s hard to choose! I guess I’d have to say going to Disneyworld. I love the rides, the atmosphere, the food, all of it. We even went there on our honeymoon and are fortunate to live by Disneyland for the new few years.

I love making flowers or any kind of shape out of a big mix of patterned papers.

Song: Jars by Chevelle
Movie: Good Will Hunting (I just saw it for the first time a few weeks ago and love it!)
TV show: Fringe (like LOST and X-Files, two of my favorite shows, combined!)

Bookbinding! I took a class in college and haven’t stopped making books since! I don’t really use them for anything, I mostly give them away, but I just loooove making them. Here’s a link to my bookbinding gallery: https://picasaweb.google.com/PaigeTaylorEvans/MyHandmadeBooks?feat=directlink
NOW, on to her beautiful creations using our Valentine tags!

Her is one of her famous techniques:
Love this card using our Vintage Bottle Cap Valentine tags:

Albert & I would like to thank Paige for all her hard work! She sure brightened up our blog today!
Please check out her wonderful BLOG!
xoxo, Veronica

My sweet boys...

2011-02-01T23:43:00.000-08:00

My sweet, crazy, loud, lovable boys!
Ethan is your typical 5 year old boy, full of life and adventure. Most weekends he spends running around in his old Halloween costumes outside. He combines his Batman, vampire and Robin costumes and calls himself- "double-Batman".
He loves swinging from his swing, collecting rocks or pinecones and finding new bugs.
I love his carefree spirit, his imagination that never quits and his creative soul. I miss the days of running free around our country home. I love that Albert and I could provide that same space for our kids. :)
He loves drawing, painting and anything that has to do with art. He loves pancakes and cookies. He loves dancing in his undies and jumping off the couch. He loves his little brother like no other. He loves pretend play and books.
He can be grouchy at times, but very lovable all at the same time. I love my little adventure boy!

Noah- my precious 9 month old baby. He is the complete opposite of Ethan. He would much rather eat than play. :) lol He loves food, and you can tell by the chunky thighs and rolly arms he sports. I love his chunky legs!
He loves noisy toys and since he is teething, he loves to put anything he can get his hands on, in his mouth. He loves being outside, but prefers the indoors and long drives in the car.
He love bananas and sweet potatoes.
He loves his walker and exersaucer. He loves songs and books. Oh how he loves songs. Good thing he has a mama that LOVES to sing. ;)
He still will not crawl. I know he is capable, but he hates being on his belly. He would much rather sit and play. He loves his big brother and he loves to laugh at all the silly things Ethan does. Oh how I adore my sweet Noah.

These boys are the light of my life. I can't believe that in a few months our family will welcome a precious baby girl. I just know she will be as precious as her brothers are. I can't wait to meet her. I still don't have a name, If you have ANY suggestions...please fire away!
We didn't pick Noah's name until the very last minute. lol That's how we roll.
xoxo, Veronica

Scrapbooking....what's that?

2011-01-31T15:17:00.001-08:00

Scrapbooking? Yes, I attempted a layout this weekend. I haven't scrapped in a long time. I can't say I've missed it either. I don't know why. I usually stay away from a craft and come back to it extremely motivated. I have yet to feel that extreme motivation. :(
I was hesitant to even post this. I'm missing something...I've been trying so desperately to scrap ONLY pages that have meaning to me. Or the pages I can only hope have meaning to my kids.

The other day, I was talking to Albert about the boys, I keep wondering will they even care about these pages, books, and altered stuff I make for them? Will they call it junk?
Does that ever cross your mind?
I hate thinking about that, but the truth is, when they are older, paper may just be a thing of the past. Don't mean to be such a Debbie Downer.
I know I love looking at baby/childhood pics of myself. I have VERY few. In fact, I have a handful. I would have loved a handmade scrapbook all about me, made by my mom. My mother had 6 kids and we were poor, so that was not possible. I really hope pages like these will be treasured someday.

Anyway, here is a layout I made:
Very Valentine-ish. All about a MOTHER'S LOVE. The picture is awful. It was a week after delivering Noah. I look tired, worn out...you know, like a mother who just had a baby!!! Via C-Section-may I add! lol

I tucked the journaling behind the picture. and dangled some hearts...it's as good as it's gunna get. :P

Wednesday, I have a WONDERFUL scrapper. You will love her. Can't wait to show you what she created. Perhaps she will get me out of this funk!?
Til then, have a good one!

Veronica

Friday Favorites!

2011-01-28T15:28:00.001-08:00

I really wish I was at CHA right now. :( Maybe next year.
Here are my Friday favorites:
1. This heart cake and tutorial...to die for!!! I so want to try this!
These adorable lollipop lips and mustaches. Cool for the kids! This banner found on Tumblr. OH. MY. Love the vintage feel. Plus I love anything vintage fabric!

These straws look a whole lot easier than the other ones I posted. I think I'll use this idea and personalize our straws for Valentine's dinner. ;)

Next week, I have a wonderful guest designer using our Valentine tags and then, I'm starting on SPRING projects! Have a wonderful weekend!!

Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine-Valentine Cards

2011-01-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

I would like to share some Valentine cards from the Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine blog.

Kimber contacted me, asking if she could use my Valentine candy jar as their inspiration! :)

Here is what some of their readers came up with:

Also, Check Kimber's blog for a giveaway from us!

xoxo, Veronica

Two Buck Thursdays!!

2011-01-27T11:27:00.000-08:00

I have a cool deal for you!
We are starting something cool and cheap here at SCC!
Every Thursday, check our blog, FB or Twitter for the TWO BUCK Thursday deal!

There will be an item, or items marked down to $2 for that Thursday only! It may be a $5 item a $3.50 item...it may be something you really were hoping to get, once a sale came around. It's the perfect way to save! Don't miss out.

Today's special is:
Valentine Printable Cards!!
All 4 sets are on sale HERE!

Yay for sales!!

xoxo veronica

On My Craft Table- Valentine Garland

2011-01-26T15:10:00.000-08:00

Hi
Today I have these paper bits on my craft table:

Well, I should say, I HAD those bits on my table. I used some old and new Valentine papers I had in my stash from a couple of years ago. Yes, I collect my scraps in a box. *hangs head down in shame*. I am not a hoarder. In fact, ask Albert, hhahaha I throw away everything that is not used. Including the13 year old pair of sweat pants he's been hoarding. tehehe. I just don't throw away perfectly good paper. I don't want to be wasteful! Soooo, here is proof of putting scraps to some good use. ;)

I used Bo-Bunny, American crafts, Sassafras and Doodle Bug paper. Any Valentine paper will do! I also used some of our old Valentine icons that we made into a FREE DOWNLOAD. My pattern paper was double-sided and the colors actually went really well together. Love when that happens! I punched the paper using a 3" scalloped punch, a 1.75" circle punch and a MS star burst punch.

I also hand cut some hearts and sewed them all in between the scalloped circle punch. So that they dangle inside:

Then, I tied them all to a lace. I hung mine from my bare mantle. But you can hang them from your window, door frame....etc. They make the perfect valentine decor!

I hope that was easy to understand, just in case you want to make your own. :)
Have a great Wed! I'm pretty beat on Valentine's and I'm so ready for spring projects.
xoxox, Veronica

DIY Valentine Fabric Coasters

2011-01-24T14:32:00.000-08:00

Hello & happy Monday!
Today, I want to share a project I made for less than $5. This would make a perfect hostess gift or it's a cute gift for yourself! It adds the perfect splash of Valentine cheer! :)
Today I made some Valentine cork/fabric coasters.
You will need some fabric or felt. You can make Valentine, Easter, or no theme coasters...any fabric or felt will do! I just so happen to have pink fabric & left over valentine fabric from last year. I paid $1.75 for my Valentine fabric.
You will also need cork coasters. I found some at the 99 cent store. 4 for a $1. Hot Dog!!! I also had the vintage lace lying around. My mama buys me vintage lace and ribbon whenever she sees it at yard sales, estate sales...etc.

You also need a trusty sewing machine. If you don't have one, you can always hand stitch.
Here is what I did for the felt coaster. Cut a square, fold in half and cut a heart out:
Sew a fabric square onto the cork. It does not matter if it's straight or not because it will be hidden under the felt.

Place the felt on top, and sew around the coaster edge.
Cut the extra felt off. This is the mess on the back of the coaster. shhh no one will ever know. :)Have fun with each coaster. I sewed lace on one, stitched pieces together on another (gave it a quilted look)...just be creative! Here they are all finished and looking pretty:

Well hope you enjoyed! Oh and a quick shout out...to my own website- if you love crafting with cuuute tags, we just posted 16 new sets in our SHOP.

Have a good one!

xoxo, Veronica

Lemony Sneak-ets!

2011-01-23T13:08:00.000-08:00

Oh, yes friends...I am a dork. lol

We are just about finished with our Spring is in the Air collection! I'm glad too, because next week we start designing summer tags. Ah yes, we must keep up.
A baby is coming in May, I need a head start. ;)
Ok, about that sneak....here are the cute little circle tags I designed last night. I'm no designer so, I have to stick to squares and circles. :D

We brought back the popular envelope pockets. Here's a sneak at one:
So bright and fun, right?!!! I'll be doing a giveaway at the end of the week, so please check back. All our tags will be in our shop tomorrow. Thank you so much for your comments. I love hearing that my work is appreciated. I hope you enjoy crafting with them as much as I do! We can't thank you enough!

Be back tomorrow with another little valentine project.

xoxo, Veronica

Spring Sneak....

2011-01-22T17:33:00.000-08:00

Say wha!?
Yes, we've been very busy this weekend, working on spring tags. I'm in love with all it's spring-ness (I just made my own word lol). There are lots of polka dots, clouds, butterflies, birds, flowers...you know, spring stuff!

Could not get a good picture...but trust me, they are cuuuute! This jpeg image will have to do. We will reveal all 15 items next week. We've had tons of wholesale request for our spring items, so we are very excited to release these bad boys! eeek!

Happy weekend all!

xoxo, Veronica

DIY Doilie Candy Hearts

2011-01-21T09:26:00.000-08:00

Hello
I'm skipping on Friday favorites to bring you just one FAVORITE project of mine: Lace Hearts/ heart doilies.
I think these doilie hearts are perfect for parties, wedding favors..etc. I made these for our Valentine dinner.

Supplies Needed:Doilies (I'm on a doilie kick, can you tell? lol) You can find them 20 for $1
Candies (red hots, plain M&Ms, jelly beans) Small candies work best.
Stickers (any embellishments).
Sewing machine (It might be best to sew 2 doilies per side). I noticed one doilie is very delicate. 2 works best!

I found the doilies in the dollar spot at Target. The candies were simply for this picture. they were cheap. I'll be using M&M's. Love the dramatic "torn heart". lol These hearts are so easy to make...I just KNOW you will love making them!!
All you need to do is sew/hand stitch along the heart, leave a small opening to fill the heart with candy and then sew closed. EASY right!?? You can embellish with a small felt heart sticker, a letter, or a tag. I like them plain. :)

Not sure if I will be posting this weekend. We are working on Spring items and will launch them next week! eeek! Can't wait to show you!!!
Here is the winner for the Valentine goodies: Shirley said...
I love the vintage style tags! I've also been eyeing the baby tags too.
xoxo, Veronica

Valentine Candy Airplanes & Flowers- Free Download!

2011-01-20T15:38:00.001-08:00

I have a special treat for you today!!!
For those of you who love giving sweets on Valentine's I have the perfect gift!
The other day I made these adorable candy airplanes. Seriously, they are SO cute and perfect for classmates.
Here is what you need:
base (Lifesaver roll)
tires (2 life savers)
wings (juicy fruit stick of gum)
decorate with banner (free download here)
heart stickers or pattern paper

There are 3 different banners. I think the sky banner is my favorite!

Here is another awesome Valentine treat idea that I saw on Martha Stewart's website. She used plain construction paper. I thought that was too boring. lol These flower lollipops are the cutest and easiest to make! The download has 2 different designs. You can download it here.
Such a cute idea, I had to copy it only make it better! :)Hope you have fun with these and once again, thank you for stopping by and leaving comments. I really love reading all your comments.

OH & THERE IS STILL TIME FOR THAT GIVEAWAY. I will draw a name tomorrow!

xoxo, Veronica

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