At the Cross

The April Let Your Light Shine Scrapbook Challenge is under way at Our Daily Bread Designs.  This month's challenge is an inspiration challenge, you have to create a layout inspired by an element from a provided photo. I created "At the Cross" for this challenge and I drew my inspiration from the butterflies and nature theme of the challenge photo.

I used the Psalm 91:2 stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs Scripture Collection 2.  The patterned paper is by Bo Bunny, die cut letters are Quickutz and the punches are EK Success (border) and Martha Stewart (butterflies).  I've been playing around with mists lately and I used Ranger Perfect Pearl Mists on the title letters and the butterflies. Stickles were added to the butterflies for some extra glitz.

You can find the inspiration photo and the other challenge entires at Our Daily Bread Designs Blog.

CPC April Blog Hop

It's time for the Christian Paper Crafts April Blog Hop.  This month's theme is Mother's Day and friendship. I decided to go with the friendship theme and my layout is of me and my dear friend Ruthann.  The photo was taken this March at Scrapaganza in Virginia Beach.  Ruthann and I have been friends for over 10 years.  We met at a crop at our local scrapbook store shortly after I moved to this area.  We soon realized that we were destined to be friends as we discovered that we were connected through more than scrapbooking.  While Ruthann was a grad student at Temple U, she did a social work internship at my home church.  If that wasn't enough, she was in a program that was run by my mother.  Small world isn't it.

Supplies used:  Patterned Paper, Cardstock & Tag - Sei; Flowers - Prima & Imaginisce; Pearls- Prima; Gems - Prima, Recollections; Stickles; Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist; Lace - my stash; Letters - Quickutz.

Come hop along with us over at the Christian Paper Crafts Blog Hop.  Just click here  to get started.  Make sure you go down to the bottom of the post so you don't miss any of the great projects. While you're there, why not join Christain Paper Crafts.  In honor of  Resurrection Week, you can join the community as a Blessed Believer for free from April 20 – 27.  Click here for the details.  We'd love to welcome new members to our community!  Have a blessed Good Friday!

Swamp Cruisin'

Have you ever been on a swamp cruise?  Being a city girl, cruising down a hot, muggy, alligator infested swamp wasn't something on my bucket list, but since it was one of our family reunion activities I had to go along.  Surprizingly, the cruise wasn't bad at all, in fact it was rather enjoyable.  We got to see some of the swamp wild life up close and personal,  the alligators didn't attack, and the bugs weren't as bad as I thought they would be. 

Here we all are after the cruise.  This is my family on my Dad's side.

Good Eats

New Orleans is famous for it's good eats so while we were there we had to indulge.  We stopped for beignets  (which the kids said were like little square funnel cakes) at the famous Cafe du Monde.

We visited another famous eating establishment, the Acme Oyster House.  We stood in line for an hour to get in but the food proved to be well worth the wait.  Tim and Dad shared some oysters on the half shell and we had a variety of seafood dishes for our main course.

And here's a fun photo of TJ and me.

We actually went to New Orleans for a family reunion.  We're not from the area,  but one of our family members lives there now and he hosted the reunion.  I'll share some family layouts in my next post.

I'm Back!!!

Did you miss me???  Bet you didn't even know I was gone (smile).  Last week was spring break here in VA and we went to visit my Dad in Philly.  My Dad still lives in the house I grew up in, so a trip back home always brings back fond childhood memories.  It was rather cold and chilly in Philly, the kind of weather that keeps you indoors, but we did venture out one day to explore the City of Brotherly Love.   Even though I spent half my life in Philly, I am always learning something new about the city.   Here's a photo of us at the Liberty Bell.

We also took in a tour of the US Mint so TJ could learn about how coins are made.  No pictures are allowed inside the mint,  but we did take this photo outside.

Now that I'm back and my laptop is finally fixed, I'll be sharing a few more New Orleans layouts this week.  I'm getting close to my goal date of Easter to get my 2010 vacation album completed, and I've still got a few more NOLA layouts to do.  Then it's off to Florida and then the trip back home.  Hmmm, maybe I'd better rethink this... 

Scraps Of Color

I just wanted to let you all know that the April/May issue of Scraps of Color Scrapbook Magazine hit the stands today.  If you haven't checked out Scraps of Color before, you are in for a treat.  This magazine is for scrapbookers, stampers, and altered artists, and it's jam packled with lots of inspiration, technique, tips, tool talk, sketches, cards, layouts, altered art, digital freebies,  giveaways...I could go on and on.  And did I mention that it's FREE!!  That's right free, just click here to download your copy  Scraps of Color April/May 2011 Issue.  And be sure to check out page 72,  for little inspiration from yours truly...