Monday, Monday

I think I am back to my old ways, finally! I have felt like such a failure the last couple months with hardly any posting or layouts. I am loving being back! I realize now that I was totally burned out on challenges, doing them for the wrong reasons, thinking I HAD to do them all, getting discouraged when my layout didn't make the cut or wasn't chosen, etc. I am picking and choosing which ones I want to do now, and doing it for fun again. It was really starting to feel like a chore!! It took me a couple months, but I am back to enjoying scrappin' again!
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Nothing much has changed. Since I have been on my diabetes meds, my weight loss has plateaued, of course I am not dieting or exercising anymore. At least I am not gaining!! I am still a non-smoker! Today is actually my 2-month anniversary of not smoking! It feels so good!! The job hunt continues. We kinda quit looking a few weeks ago, due to no one was hiring for the season anymore. We will start up again after Christmas, and after the weather will cooperate! It is tight around here, but we are making it just fine!
The weather is still keeping us indoors. On top of the 7 inches we got the other day, and the 1/4 inch of ice, we got six more inches last night!!! I HAD to go trompin' around in it...with my Dad's boots though!! I am LOVING IT!!!! Check out these pictures!!

Let's get down to business though shall we???
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Since it is Monday, I will start with Scrapbook Challenges! Did I ever tell you I was offered the opportunity to stay on another term? I can't remember if I did, but I am very excited!! This week was my turn to offer a challenge! Being that it is only 3 days till Christmas, I felt I should do a Christmas related challenge. I am calling it "O' Christmas Tree" (original, I know, lol).
I used Bazzill cs, BG Figgy Pudding, the "O" and the star are also Figgy Pudding, the other green letters are Scenic Route, flower is Prima, berry brads are MM, buttons and rhinestones are misc, and I used Burgundy and Stardust Stickles.

This week's sketch, Sketch 122.
I don't get a change to put all the kids on one layout, so this sketch was perfect for me, lol! I used Bazzill cs, October Afternoon pp, Technique Tuesday journal stamp, BG chipboard letters covered in Yellow Stickles, MM grommet and misc buttons.

The other challenge for this week is Merry & Bright. From what I can tell, the challenge is to do anything, as long as you use colors that are merry and bright. I decided to use tigardlilly's Sizzix 3-D Star die and make a star banner. I used BG Figgy Pudding, buttons, rhinestones, dyed skittles, a brad, and some jute twine.

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Now for some regular challenges I have been working on!
This one is for Cuttlebug Challenges, make a criss cross card. This was amazingly simple to make! The tutorial is here. I used Stampin' Up cs-Kiwi Kiss, We Are Memory Keepers pp, D'vine Swirls embossing folder then sanded over the embossing, Cuttlekids Fairy Alphabet for the butterflies and asterisks, Inkadinkado stamp, and Lime Green and Stardust Stickles.

This is for The Story Matters, what do you believe in?
I used BG Wassail pp/stickers/letters, Sakura Glaze pen, American Crafts ribbon, and hand drew/cut the star which I covered in Diamond Glaze.

Hero Arts teamed up with Basic Grey this week for a sketch week. I did a layout and a card, I couldn't help myself! I didn't have any HA stamps, so I borrowed tigardlilly's (I do that a lot, lol)!
This first one is the layout. I used all Basic Grey pp, HA Adventure Journal stamp, Jenni Bowlin rubon letters, American Crafts Thickers, misc chipboard which I painted/Diamond Glazed/glittered, BG ribbon, and misc square brads. The sketch I used is from Wednesday.

The layout...

This is the card I made for the same contest. I used Bazzill cs, BG Blush pp, HA Birthday Design Block stamp, Clear Cupcakes Sparkle stamp, Target Dollar Spot ric rac ribbon, Sakura Glaze pens, and Baby Blue Stickles. The sketch I used is also from Wednesday.

The card...

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I got another card today from...
retirednrse, aka Jo (AMR)

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That is all for now! It looks like it may be a slow week for challenges, which just means I will have more time to scrap just for myself! As I said before, I am so glad to be back!
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(GR users comment here)