05.27.11

I cannot even begin to tell everyone how good it feels to be scrapping and making cards again.  When I'm not being creative it really gets me into a weird funk.  Once again I want to give a lot of credit to Colorful Creations for having the most amazing challenges to get those creative juices flowing.  I've enjoyed not only hosting one of their blog hop stops, but I've been having a blast participating as well.  The following layouts, card and altered gift box were all created from challenges at each blog hop stop.

This is for Nicolle's blog.  Her challenge was to use a Colorful Creations sketch and to use a flower & chipboard.  I really put myself to the challenge by choosing a photo that really didn't lend itself to using flowers as embellies (not smart at all).  But I got creative and altered a flower-shaped piece of chipboard with paint, glimmer mist and crackle accents.  I also stamped onto a piece of circle chipboard to use as the background for the brief journaling.

The next stop was Kathleen's blog where she featured a Tic Tac Toe challenge.  I chose to use the sketch provided, butterlies and flowers.  Since she is turning One next week, it was fun (but also bittersweet) to scrap these photos of Paolina from the day she was born.

Next up was Khristen's blog where she challenged us to make & alter a gift box.  This box is to put a gift card inside (for a bridal shower).  Although it was not part of the challenge, I also made a coordinating card for the bride-to-be.  The whole set is in their wedding colors.

After my blog the next stop was Tam's.  Her challenge was to use the following supplies to create a project. Recycled card board, patterned paper, letter stickers, tag, flowers, bling, ribbon, paint and ink.  I really needed to make a card for my friend's 50th birthday so I thought I would use this challenge to get that done.  I wondered if I would actually be able to get all those elements onto a 5x7 "canvas" but once I got going it was a breeze.

The final stop on the blog hop was the Colorful Creation's blog.  The challenge here was to create a layout using butterflies, bling and flowers.  I've actually been putting this layout on the backburner for quite some time now.  I've really wanted to scrap the photos from my 30th birthday, but I just felt uninspired by the colors I had to work with.  Awhile back I got this Basic Grey doilie paper on clearance for just $1 and knew it was perfect, but I still didn't know how to make the layout feminine with all the greens & browns.  I decided that since this challenge was full of girly embellishments it was the perfect opportunity to finally get this layout done, and I'm really quite pleased with how it turned out.

As if all these challenges for the blog hop didn't keep me busy enough I also managed to complete THREE other layouts for Colorful Creations challenges.

This layout was for the Guest Designer Series and was based on Rochelle Spears's sketch.  Once again I used some pics of Paolina when she was first born. Here she is being held by her Papi when she was just one day old.

This layout was for the "Second Chance" Challenge.  Since this month has been so busy over at Colorful Creations with all of their "birthday" celebration challenges, we were given the opportunity to go back and complete a challenge we had wanted to do but hadn't had time.  I had started on the "Word Prompt Joy" Challenge but never had time to finish it.  So here it is!  I scrapped about when I found out I was pregnant with Santiago...it's hard to believe that was almost 4 years ago.

And last but  not least here is my layout for this month's ABC Challenge.  For May our title was to begin with either the letter K, L or M.  My title is Mi Hermano Mayor, which is "My Big Brother" in Spanish.  The following elements were to be incorporated into our layouts: Keepsake, Key or Kisses for the letter K, Lace or Layering for the letter L, and Masking, Metal or Matting for the letter M.  I used kisses (Santiago kissing Paolina when he met her for the first time), layering, and metal (some staples).

Well, folks, that's all she wrote for now.  This will be a busy, busy Memorial Day weekend for our family so it's doubtful I will get to work on any projects.  As if all I got done in the past week or so wasn't enough ;)  Have a fabulous and safe weekend everyone!

05.22.11

Welcome to Colorful Creations’ ...A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS Member’s Blog Hop!

If you've come from visiting Khristen's you're in the right place! If you've just happened across my blog and would like to play along with our fun hop, you can go to Nicolle's blog and start at the beginning. We would love to share a few of our favorite things with you today!  All you have to do is follow the link at the bottom of each blog post to visit all my friends and see their adorable projects.

Each Participating Hop member will be featuring a project made especially for this hop using their favorite crafting tools, techniques, and/or embellishments. Make sure to check out each member's blog. There will be some fun prizes along the way, AND there will be some AWESOME ideas!  For more information click HERE

Here is a list of the blog order if you happen onto my blog first... 

Nicolle - http://nicollelovesscrapbooking.com/

Kathleen - http://kmcbhernandez.blogspot.com/

Khristen - http://khristenscraftroom.blogspot.com/

Jenessa (me) - http://jenessafranco.blogspot.com/

Tam - http://tamcancreate.blogspot.com/

Colorful Creations - http://ourcolorfulcreations.blogspot.com/

So let me share some of my favorite things with you! If you've ever seen any of my projects it's probably obvious that my all time favorites are butterflies and bling! As you can see in my layout below, I used two gorgeous butterfly embellishments, one from Prima and the other from K & Co.  There's lots of bling too...I sprayed Glimmer Mist on the background & the handmade flowers, a few of the flowers have Stickles along the edges of the petals, there is a flourish of Prima's Say It in Pearls, and the Prima butterfly is loaded with sequins & glitter.

So my challenge for you is to create a layout using butterflies and bling.  The added twist is that I would also like for you to use the following sketch I made:

So....to sum it up:

1. I would like to see layouts using the sketch...you can flip it, rotate it, or even use a different number of photos...just as long as your layout still somewhat resembles it.
2. On your layout I would like you to use butterflies...it can be a butterfly embellishment, diecut, sticker, patterned paper, or even a photo of a butterfly.
3. You must also use some kind of "bling"...you can use Glimmer Mist, Stickles, glitter, sequins, rhinestones...you get the idea!

I hope you will play along with my challenge...just don't forget to upload your layout to the Colorful Creations Gallery as well as on my blog using Mr. Linky below. Also...everyone who completes my challenge (and meets all three requirements) will have their name put into a random drawing for a surprise RAK.  I'm really looking forward to seeing what everyone does!

My clue for you is: for

The next stop on the blog is Tam!

05.20.11

Just when I thought I was going to get back in to the swing of scrapbooking (I haven't done any in about a month) the whole week just turned upside down.  This past Sunday we received the horrible news that one of our friends had passed away.  I suppose his death wasn't horribly shocking because he was suffering from an inoperable, incurable cancer.  What has made it most difficult to digest is that he was diagnosed just this past March, when he went to the ER with pain in his stomach. CT scans of his abdomen found a large tumor in his liver that had ruptured, as well as a thrombosed/clotted vein. After stopping the bleed, a liver surgeon and an oncologist diagnosed that he had inoperable and incurable liver cancer that had metastasized to his lungs.  He was told that without treatment, his liver would function for only 4 to 6 months, and that  the only treatment option available was to take a chemotherapy pill twice a day for however long it would extend his life.  Afer the diagnosis he searched out alternative experimental treatments including clinical trials, but he unfortunately did not qualify for any of them.

So this past Sunday, John went to be with our Heavenly Father and is now free from all pain...a thought that offers many of us great peace and comfort.  But it's so difficult to think about his widow (also a friend of ours) who is in her early 30's and has a one-year old daughter who will never know her father.  I've been praying diligently for their family since we heard the news this past March, but have still felt so helpless.  So when Lilian (John's widow) contacted me early in the week and asked to make a guestbook for the memorial service tomorrow, I felt so honored.  I was also thrilled to think I could physically contribute to a keepsake that she plans to give to their daughter Kayla in the future.

This tragedy has also given me reason to look at my own life with new eyes.  Noé works such long hours...leaving so early in the morning, getting home so late at  night, and working so many Saturdays.  I miss him so much but I am feeling so thankful that he comes home to us every day.  And I've been thinking about how every day is a gift...so instead of feeling disappointed that I haven't had the time to scrap our memories, I am focusing on enjoying the moments that will become those treasured memories.

05.13.11

For several years now I've had people ask me if I have a blog.  My answer was always "no"...I mean, come on, how on earth would I have the time to maintain a blog?  But it seems like everyone has one...so if everyone else can seem to make the time in their busy schedules to make regular posts to a blog, well I can too...right?  So last year I caved and got one set up.  So how many posts have I managed to make in the last 6 months...counting this one? Oh...three.  Well, at least I knew myself well enough to realize that I just wouldn't be able to carve out the time to consistently maintain a blog.  But now I feel like I have a challenge before me...one that will not defeat me!

I wasn't terribly productive in terms of my scrapbooking & cardmaking throughout the month of April, so I don't have much to post of that anyway.  I completed a few layouts the first couple weeks, but then I had to prepare for our trip to Dallas...who knew it would take an entire week to do laundry & pack (on top of all the other household chores)...until you have two small children that is.  Then of course we were in Texas for 10 days visiting both my parents and Noé's.  Then I spent another week when we got back, catching up on laundry again.  Seriously...laundry & dishes are the bane of my existence!  To top it all off, Santiago caught a nasty cold (I presume from the plane trip back), was sick for 4 days and proceeded to pass it on to poor Paolina who is still suffering.  The only advantage to that is that she's been sleeping almost all day the last 2 days which has allowed me to finally catch up on chores.  Somewhere amidst it all I managed to handmake 36 invitations for her 1st Birthdy Party.  And this morning I somehow managed to make 4 thank you notes for Santiago's birthday gifts as well as a Mother's Day card for my mom.  Yes, yes, I know...Mother's Day was last week...but better late than never is what I always say!

I'm so relieved to be caught up!  Of course, I have 4 altered projects to complete in the next month or so.  One is a gift, but the other 3 are commissioned pieces, so I'm feeling a lot of pressure to get those done soon.  Not to mention, I have some minor projects for Paolina's party on June 4th.  But I am determined to stay on top of it all and get back to scrapbooking.  Fortunately I have the motivation to get some layouts done because there are going to be some fun things going on over at one of my favorite challenge sites, Colorful Creations.  So stay tuned!