Here By Grace

And the Winner Is....

I've gotta tell you that because of all of the scraptabulously amazing cards you all entered, I had a terribly hard time deciding who the winner would be of the Chunky Card Contest, so I had to call in a few reinforcements! They too found the job of choosing a winner to be difficult, so this is what I did: I decided to have 2 winners!  That's right, 2 winners will receive the Urban Passion kit from Scrap-Tastic!  So, the winners of my Chunky Card Contest are

              Claudette and Candice (aka Kansas)!!! Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! And here are their beautiful cards! The first one belongs to Claudette, and the second one belongs to Kansas! Aren't they just fabulous?? Well, I had a blast with this contest and I hope you did too! I had so much fun that I'm gonna be doing this again! So keep an eye out for the next contest! Thanks you all who entered! You're fantastic! That's all for today! Take care and Be Blessed!!

I've Got A Challenge Contest!!!

How would you like to win this???  Major fabulousness, right?  Well, all you have to do is create a "Chunky Card" and post a link to it in the comments area of this post by Wednesday, August 29 and I'll pick a winner who'll receive this fabulous kit I put together at Scrap-tastic!!

So I guess you're wondering where I got this "Chunky Card" idea from? Well, it was my assignment at CreativeXpress this month to create a set of  cards with chunks and  layers!  Since I'm such a layering freak, this assignment was right up my alley! I had such a blast doing it I thought you might get a kick out of it too! Anyway, I did two sets of the assignment; basically 'cause I'm crazy and I didn't like the first set that I did! So, here they are! This first set is the set I decided to use as my assignment. It features papers from Basic Grey's Infuse Paper Collection.  The second  card is just a chunky baby card I made using papers from My Mind's Eye, and the last set features papers from Making Memories.

I hope you accept this challenge because that kit is packed full of fun and deliciously scrappy items! I can't wait to see your creations! Take care and Be Blessed!!

Everything's Good!

All's well on my side of the world, how about yours? My family is well, I'm well, there's food in the refrigerator, a home to live in, a car in my garage, a job that I love, a fabulous hobby, and I know there's a power greater than myself who loves me exactly as I am! Yep! Everything's good! Sometimes we have to remind ourselves of that!

People always ask me how I stay in such a good mood most of the time.  My answer is simple;I'm usually in a good mood because I choose to be in a great mood and I choose to not stress! When I look back on my life and think about all of the things I've stressed about, it was over things that were either completely in my control or completely out of my control.  See, I have learned that I must change the things that I can change, and let go of the things I can't. I've learned to Let go and Let God do his divine thing! All of this leads me into my next topic!

I want to give a HUGE shout-out to my CreativeXpress DT sista Greta Hammond for being named as a Memory Maker's Master!! Now this woman is so fabulous and wonderful that you can't help but be happy for her! And congratulations to all of the other talented ladies as well! This team is gonna rock and I'm glad that I renewed my subscription to the magazine!(LOL!) Anyway, I didn't make the cut, but here are the layouts I entered into the contest.  I really am happy with them, so maybe...just maybe I can get one or two of them pubbed somewhere!

Well, I'm feeling a little scrappy right now, so I'm gonna go down into my "studio"(LOL!) to get my scrap on!  Take care and Be Blessed!!

Wow! What a week! I did survive the first week of school with my students and I'm pleased to say that they are just too cute!  I think I love 'em already!  My week went fast, and I stayed busy the entire time!

Well, I'm sure by now that many of you who visit 2 Peas read the Drama, Drama thread and wondered how such a thing could happen.  Well, I know how it happened and I'm just not cool with it! I'm still trying to find out if I can do something legally about it, because frankly I'm still pretty angry about it all.  If you have no clue to what I'm talking about, click HERE to read the thread.  So from here on out, if you look at my posted work very closely, you will see my name going right across the entire image! I strongly advise you to do the same thing before you see your work posted in some else's gallery!!

Here's a layout I did today that I like a whole bunch!  It features one of my favorite photos of Michael and his serious face!(LOL!)  And the fabulous papers from Moxxie's Xtreme Boy line. Well, I've gotta go get ready for my work week, so take care and Be Blessed!! 

No Power Again!!!

I woke up soak and wet but I just figured it was a night sweat, (you know I am that age where I get them sometimes!).  I turned on the fan and nothing happened.  I then try to turn on the lamp, and again nothing happened.  This is about the time I realized that we had no power in our home!  Once again, we've had a power outtage here in St. Louis during the most extreme weather!  The last time was in January when the temperatures were well below zero! This time its during 102 degree weather! Anyway, that was 2 days ago and all is well now. We got our power back this morning!! 

Well, I've got great news for anyone who's shopping around for a great design team. Scrap-Tastic is searching for a New Design Team Girlie! Now let me tell you that I absolutely LOVE being on this team!  It's so much fun it's crazy!! So get on over there and put in your entry ASAP! Just click HERE for more information!

Well here's a layout I did for CreativeXpress featuring my daughter Brittany and Basic Grey's Romani Papers.  Alright, that's it for today! I'm gonna go try to cool off because I'm still hot!(LOL!)  Take Care and Be Blessed!

Week Long Crop!

Hey folks! If you're looking for a fantastic reason to scrap this week and you want be inspired by great challenges and win a ton of fabulous prizes,then Ready, Set, Create is where you need to be!  We're having a week long crop that won't stop until Friday 8/17/07. I'm gonna be working on lots of the challenges myself and I'll come back to post them here as I get done. This layout, which features my friend's niece, is my challenge to scrap something using both flowers and a butterfly. I used papers by Cherry Arte and that adorable butterfly is from Provo Craft.
This week-long crop will give you plenty of time to play and create, without feeling rushed! Our wonderful sponsors have provided lots of exciting prizes, from paper to digital. Check out this awesome list!

The Prizes Are:
The Digi Chick: Sponsor
Inkadinkado: Sponsor
Nitwit Collections: Sponsor
Tina Williams Designs: Sponsor
Scrappingham Palace
Andrea Nelson Designs: Sponsor
Die Cuts With A View
7 Gypsies
All My Memories
Scenic Route
Karen Foster
3 Bugs in a Rug
Magistical Memories
Magic Mesh
Ki Memories: Sponsor
Paper Trunk: Sponsor
Cornish Heritage Farms: Sponsor
EK Success
The Paper Element: Sponsor
P.M. Designs
Stemma: Sponsor
Piggy Tales: Sponsor
Prima: Sponsor
Wube: Sponsor
Paperwerx: Sponsor
Basic Grey
Junkitz: Sponsor
Maria LaFrance: Sponsor
J3 Designs

So run, don't walk on over to RSC and start having a scrappy good time!! I'm gonna go scrap now! Take care and Be Blessed!

I'm Officially Back To Work!

I have officially re-joined the work force and I'm so tired I can't see straight!  After thoroughly enjoying my 8 week summer vacation, these last 3 days of working all day long has truly been a task! Actually, it's not working part that has me all pooped-out.  It's the 102 degree weather we're having here in St. Louis!! You know, I'm at the age where I may break into a sweat at any given time anyway, so this added heat doesn't do me a bit of good!(LOL!) Just pray for me folks!

Well, I was in need of some relaxation after sitting through 8 hour meetings, so I made this card tonight.  I was gonna work on a layout, but after an hour of scrapping while I watched Top Chef, I'm ready for bed! So, here's my relaxation card! Take care and be blessed!

MMMmmm Good!!

I had one of these today and boy was it gooooooood!! I haven't had one in about a year, and it totally hit the spot! I came across a recipe that I just have to share! It's called, Easy Snickers Bar Pie!!! First of all, I am a true Snickers fan from way back in the day, so now that I've found this recipe you know I'm gonna have to make it! As you see, I'm way too excited about this!(LOL!)

8  ounces cream cheese 

1 & 1/2  cups powdered sugar 

1/2  cup creamy peanut butter or chunky peanut butter 

3  regular sized Snickers candy bars, chopped 

16  ounces Cool Whip, thawed 

2 (6  ounce) chocolate cookie pie crust or graham cracker pie crusts

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until creamy.
2. Stir in chopped candy bars.
3. Gently fold in the Cool Whip just until mixed.
4. Pour into crusts and refrigerate overnight.

Sounds good and fat doesn't it? I would think that you could lighten up on the calories and fat if you used low fat or non-fat ingredients, but I don't wanna! It kinda takes the fun and naughtiness away!(LOL!) 

So here are my newest layouts done for CreativeXpress. The first one is called My Stats, where we had to do a layout using numbers and stats.  The second one is called, No Fear. This assignment was to use 5 photo strips to tell a story. Well, that's about all for today! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, take care and Be Blessed!

And the Winner's Are...

Lynne, kissyj, Cricket, Wendy, and Anita!!!  All you have to do is go to www.readysetcreate.com , register, and then email me with your user name! Thank you so much for being interested in getting a great ezine! And while you're there, check out the new calls.  You just may get lucky again!

I've been busy scrapping for fun, so I thought this would be a great time to do another one of Valerie's wonderful sketches.  This is sketch # 19 and boy was it fun!

Anyway, I was cleaning up some old files on my computer and I ran across a lot of tutorials I've done for various DT's.  I really didn't have the heart to get rid of them, so I decided to give them their own page page and share them with anyone who wants to use them.  I know that often I'm in need scrappy ideas and don't know where to go, so I have some here if you'd like to use them.  I've purposely kept them very basic, so feel free to take them, glam 'em up, and link them to the post so I can learn from you! Anyway, you can find the link on the right side of this blog.  Just click on Scrappy Tutorials and you're there!  

Here are a few things I did for Ready, Set, Create that are in the rocking August/September issue.  Well, this is my last weekend of being work-free, so I'm gonna do my best to enjoy it! You all do the same!  Take care and Be Blessed!

Today I'm Scrapping!

I don't have a schedule today, (which is always a good thing as long as nobody else knows!) so I'm gonna take Michael to the park and then scrap the rest of the day! I don't have any assignments to work on, therefore I scrap for the pure joy of it!   Anyway, I was recently asked to be a guest designer for The Paper Element! It's a paper company that has the most delicious papers you've ever seen!! I love how smoothly it cuts and how rich the colors are! This layout, You Get That From Me,  features papers from their Orchard line. Oh, this is me and my personality cloned child Brittany. She doesn't look a lot like me, but boy is she me! She sounds just like me and she acts exactly like me! It's a curse I tell ya! This next project is a keepsake box I made using more of these beautiful papers from the Sugar line!  You need to get your hands on some of this paper goodness as soon as you can cause it's fabulous stuff! Oh, I almost forgot this, but I'm giving away 5 free subscriptions to the ezine, Ready, Set, Create! All you have to do is tell me that you want a subscription and I'll have Michael pull names from a hat on Friday for the lucky winners!! Well, I'm on my way to the park, so take care and Be Blessed!!