Drive-by Posting today......

Just wanted to do a quick post this morning with my most recent hybrid project that I created for The Hybrid Chick blog.



Head on over and take a peek at how I created one of my most favorite projects so far! I had been thinking about how I wanted to make this for a few weeks now and am stoked with how it turned out! I think the only thing I'd do differently next time is make the inner box bigger.

I'd love to know what you think of my newest project!

that's it for today! Have a good one!

All Aboard! Take a ride on the ScrapMatters DSD Blog Train!

Welcome to Wildblueeyez Junction - your next stop on the ScrapMatters' Blog Train!
Happy Digital Scrapbooking Day!

So, what one item (kit/element pack/etc) was on your "must-have" list that you picked up today? Please feel free to enable me, especially if it's of the whimsical nature!!! LOL

But you're not really here to enable me, are you?!? Nooooo, you're here to collect the next goodie on the ScrapMatters' blog train.

Did you know that there are 45 stops of scrapbooking goodness waiting for you on the blog train?? Yes, I said 45!!! and the best part? All of the goodies collected along the blog train coordinate with the ScrapMatters' Mega collab kit "A Slice of Life" kit.



To get this GORGEOUS kit, just spend $15 on one order in the ScrapMatters shop and receive the kit FREE!!

Here's my offering for the blog train:



Sorry but the freebie has been removed! But you can purchase all the A Slice of Life freebies in the ScrapMatters store on 11-13-09!

Here's where you came from: Jeni H http://www.jeniscraftyblog.blogspot.com

Here's where you are: LuAnn http://livelaughcreate-luann.blogspot.com/

And before I send you on your way, just a little note to let you know that the freebies along the blog train will only be available for a limited time and then they will be packaged up and available for purchase in the ScrapMatters shop. So make sure you hit all the stops!!

If you get lost along the way, the complete list of stops on the blog train will be listed on the team blog as well as in the forum.

All Aboard! Next stop.... Chia's blog: http://keepingupwiththekunzs.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Trick or Treating with the Digichick Designers and Creative Team!

Happy Halloween y'all! Welcome to those of you here for the Trick or Treating!



The Digichick Designers and Creative Team have cooked up some awesome goodies to pass out for the Trick or Treaters! Some are Halloween themed, some are Thanksgiving themed and some are for everyday use.

My treat is the center cluster from this layout (minus the "sweet as sugar" tab and yellow ribbon):



Credits for my cluster freebie:
~Background paper, orange never ending stories wordart, yellow tied ribbon with bows, and orange leaves cluster from Every Life Has a Story - Chapter 1 by the Digichick Designers
~green and blue did you know wordart, swirls, cardboard flowers, and green buttons from Every Life Has a Story - Chapter 2 (part of the TDC Workshop this month)
~Greenery, string, painted hearts, and white papermask from Every Life Has a Story - Chapter 3 (part of the Digi Files #8 for the month of October)

Click HERE to download the psd and png version of the cluster. Hope you enjoy it and can use it!

Here are the rest of the team who are passing out goodies - feel free to visit the blogs in any order. Please keep in mind the different time zones that everyone lives in as they may not post until later in the day.

Tiffany - http://ascrapaway.blogspot.com/
LuAnn - http://livelaughcreate-luann.blogspot.com/ <----You are here!
Cheryl - http://cherylisadomesticgoddess.blogspot.com/
Mel - www.littlepaperhouse.com
Kelley - http://www.kelleymickusdesigns.blogspot.com/
Sinead - http://www.slaphappyandscrappy.blogspot.com
Tracy - http://tracykosofsky.blogspot.com
Pam - www.pameladonnis.com
Elise - http://elisespiecesdesigns.blogspot.com
Jill - http://scrappingprincess.com/blog
Jacinda- http://www.digikiwichick.blogspot.com/
Jenn - http://jennamy82.blogspot.com
Kara - www.karaperrien.blogspot.com
Heather - http://bowenyard.blogspot.com
Juli - http://julifreshfish.blogspot.com/
Mari - http://mydigitalartstudio.com/
Julie - http://mycrazylifeasamomandawife.blogspot.com/
Linda - http://www.yamstamps.com/weblog/treat.html
Dani - http://www.danielleengebretson.com/
Cheryl - http://cherylisadomesticgoddess.blogspot.com/
Kelleigh - http://kelleighratzlaff.com/
ViVa - http://vivaartistry.blogspot.com/
The Hybrid Chick - http://www.thehybridchick.com/

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Show and Tell and a new Hybrid team!

I'm trying hard to get back into posting regularly on my blog.

In September, I was a guest Hybrid member at ScrapMatters - these are the projects I created during my guest stint:







My month was over quickly but good news! I was asked to stay on as part of the Hybrid Team! Yay!

I'll be hosting the I'll Pencil You in! challenge in the Hybrid forum at ScrapMatters on 10/15. It's a monthly challenge to help everyone get those calendar toppers finished so they can be ready to give as Christmas gifts!

In the meantime, here's a layout I did tonight as part of my ScrapMatters - One of my assigned designers is Stolen Moments:



I used Stolen Moments' Everyday Elegance kit:



Isn't it gorgeous!

That's it for me tonight! I'll see you in a few days with some more layouts and projects!

Catch you on the flip side!

Be Inspired! Ride along with Kelleigh Ratzlaff's blog hop!

Hey everyone! Long time no post! Yes, I know... I am hanging my head in shame over it. It's so easy to get in the habit of regularly posting but even easier to get OUT of the habit.

I'm posting today as part of a Blog Hop with Kelleigh Ratzlaff's Creative Team. What's a blog hop some of you may ask? Blog hop, also known as blog hopping is to move from one blog after another to read the entries, to leave comments and most of all....be inspired!

I'm very fortunate to be able to work with Kelleigh Ratzlaff's designs. Kelleigh creates the best Hybrid templates for The Digichick.

All of Kelleigh's templates are easy to use! You just print on regular sized 8.5 x 11" paper. Her templates come with a "lines only" pdf files for printing on traditional scrapbook paper and cardstock, as well as the standard png and photoshop files for use with digi papers.

Now for my project.... When Kelleigh released this template a weeks ago, I saw it differently than the her CT members. The template I am talking about is her Daddy's Toolbox template set:




Here's what I saw (and finally made!):






These are Memory game cards that I made using Pamela Donnis' and Jan Hosford's collab Barnyard Blast kit. The cards are sized and fit perfectly in the barn!





The barn was created using a paper from the Barnyard Blast kit. After I printed my barn, I glued narrow white ribbon around the barn for my trim. The cards are the size of a standard playing card - 2.25" x 3.5". Once I created my sets of cards, I simply printed them out on paper, cut and glued them to colored cardstock to make them sturdier. (Thanks to Kari *karistamps* for posting the idea of creating a memory card game and using cardstock to make them sturdier!)

So, as you head off to see what Kelleigh's CT is up to, remember that a template is just that - a template. It's meant to fuel your imagination and creativity!

Here's the list of who is participating in the blog hop - go and be inspired!!!
Kelleigh
Tracy
Julee
Julie
Juli
Christy
Dana
Sunghee
Laura
LuAnn you are here!

Kelleigh is giving away the Perfect Pumpkin Template to one lucky person who comments on her blog so make sure you leave her a comment!!!



How cool is that? Good luck and thanks for stopping by! Oh, and I'm impatient - so my post is up. Most others have their blogs set to post Friday morning sometime.

Another FOBTY and Hybrid Baby Shower favors!!

So, I've been looking to re-decorate my blog. There's so many cool digital kits out there that would make awesome blog-ware! I think the reason I haven't blogged much lately is because *gasp* dare I say it.... the pink is getting old!!! Any suggestions?

Part of my blog post today is for the Sweet Shoppe's FOBTY "What flavor smoothie are you?" Here are my results:

You Are a Banana Smoothie

You are friendly and popular without even trying to be. People just like you. You are easy to be around and never offend everyone. You're quite mild. You have a warm demeanor, and many people find you to be inviting. You are sympathetic and kind. You have a soft spot in your heart for everyone.

What Flavor Smoothie Are You?

LOL ok....let's dissect this a bit shall we???

You are friendly and popular without even trying to be. (Um I'm kinda shy and use my smart a$$ sense of humor)
People just like you. (not really. most are put off by my smart a$$-ness)
You are easy to be around and never offend everyone. (LOL I think I offend a lot of people because I'm blunt and matter of a fact about it)
You're quite mild. (not in this lifetime!)

You have a warm demeanor, and many people find you to be inviting. (see above! LOL)
You are sympathetic and kind. (for the elderly - most definately!)
You have a soft spot in your heart for everyone. (except the dumb a$$es out there!)

Not real accurate but fun!!! LOL

On the creative side, things have been in a spiral downward. Stress at work has squashed any creative spark I have. We hosted a 2 week long baby shower on The Hybrid Chick blog the last two weeks of June and boy did we have some awesome projects! Head on over to see what we gifts we created!

For my day, I created the baby shower favors. Here's what I created:


Credits HERE


Credits HERE

And this was my doorprize - a random poster won up to 100 of these ready-to-fill baby shower favors (minus the hanging tag) with laces in color of the winner's choice.


Credits HERE

Congrats to Judy S - who is planning an August baby shower for her daughter-in-law! I'll be working on getting these out to her by the end of the month!

and that's about it for today! thanks for stopping by!

*clearing out the cobwebs that are growing on my blog*

I think I've been avoiding my blog because I want to update it but I'm not sure how. I just need to sit and play around with the HTML and make it mine! *sigh* maybe someday.....

For the 6/4 Sweet Shoppe FOBTY we are to blog about our favorite animal at the zoo. Mine has to be the Giraffe! There's just something about them. I love the coloring and the pattern on them. and look out if I see a giraffe in a digital kit!!! I was at Joann Fabrics last week and saw THE cutest baby quilt fabric. it was already done up like a patchwork quilt with textured giraffes and frogs on it. Tomorrow's payday and I just have to go get that fabric to make a blanket. You never know when you need a baby gift! or maybe I'll just tuck it away for the future.....

For the 6/11 FOBTY, we were to take a What Taste are You? quiz. Here are my results:

You Are Bitter

You aren't bitter at the world, even though you have a strong personality. Instead, you are sophisticated and cultured. You appreciate acquired tastes. You are very powerful. You have the ability to change a room's energy. While some may find you disagreeable, your points of view are intelligent and interesting.

What Taste Are You?

Hahahaha.....bitter? LOL ok....I do have a strong personality. not online though. I tend to be kinda shy esp. around other strong personalities.

I have some recent projects to share and a few layouts but I need some sort of posting schedule because I am waaaaaaaaaaay behind and don't want to post them all.

I will post one of my most favorite projects ever.....a Carriage wedding favor box:



and a close up:



The digital Carriage element used for this project was designed by Kate Hadfield specifically for this project. Thank you Kate!!!
Instructions can be found in TDS archives

And my next to favorite recent project - a matchbox treasure chest created for The Hybrid Chick:



Instructions to make your own are posted on The Hybrid Chick

that's it for today - hopefully I'll be back in a few days with some more recent Layouts and projects!

Happy Easter!

Just a quick drive-by posting today - we were away at my Dad's since Thursday evening and I need to get some things unpacked before heading back to work tomorrow morning.

First up, for the Sweet Shoppe FOBTY - a "Which Easter Candy are You?" quiz. Here are my results:

You Are a Chocolate Bunny

A traditionalist, you secretly want to dress up like a bunny. And not just on Easter.

What Easter Candy Are You?

LOL ok..... next up is a layout I did this afternoon. I don't think I ever put together a layout this quick. I only worked on it for about 2 hours. No matter how simple or cluttered I try to make my layouts, they usually take about 4 hours because things have to be "just so"....

I took this photo of my Dad yesterday 4-11-09. It really makes me sad. He's doing well since his surgery two months ago but I am still reminded that he's not getting any younger. He was THRILLED when we decided to go spend Easter with him at his house. We usually have him here for dinner. I didn't have cell phone service there nor did I have any computer or internet. It was fun but it's always nice to come home.



Credits are here - almost everything on this page is by Penny Springmann.

That's about it for me. Hope your Easter was a great one - filled with family and love.

*insert a catchy title here*

Hey, Happy Thursday to you...how are ya?

Last Saturday, we moved my Dad home to his own home. I was so excited for him but nervous all the same. I worry about him being ok living on his own again after the valve replacement surgery, esp. since he's over an hour away but I know he'd never be happy living here with us permanently. It was kinda fun having him here and the evenings just aren't the same without him here. I worry that he'll not take his medications or worse, that he won't take them correctly. But for his happiness, he has to give it a try.

I've been busy creating things for The Daily Scrapper, the Digichick and Hybridchick and also for Penny Springmann. Here are a few things that I've created in the last week or so:

For Penny Springmann - using her newest kit Hard Times and a bunch of her overlays and alphabets from other kits:





credits can be found here

Next up, is just something I literally threw together in like an hour. Really, an hour. It was so easy to do and turned out cute if I do say so myself!! LOL

Using Pamela Donnis' Vegetable Soup element kit:







And lastly for tonight, for the Sweet Shoppe FOBTY (From our blog to yours), we are to blog about 5 TV shows that we have seen EVERY episode of. Mine would be (in no particular order):

1. House
2. Still Standing
3. Reba
4. Who's the Boss (with the yummy Tony Danza who can clean my house anytime! LOL)
5. CSI

I could name a whole lot more like Little House on the Prairie, Full House and Coach. LOL

Well, that's it for now. Got to go work on some work stuff I brought home. *ack* but I need somewhere quiet to work on it and my office just won't work. See you later!!

Hey there - long time no see!!

Dang! I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted! I haven't had a whole lot of time for the computer - my Dad is still staying with us. He's here alone most of the day so I feel really guilty being on the computer in the evening. He's just about ready to move back home!! I'm so happy for him! It's been fun hanging out together in the evenings even if it's just watching TV or going to the park and walking the dog around the lake.

I have managed to get a few new projects done for some new positions. I've joined the Hybrid team at The Daily Scrapper and also joined the Hybrid Chick team. I can't post the projects that I've done for The Daily Scrapper until 30 days after the release of issue. I do have a few other things that I can share! Sadly, layout-wise - my mojo has gone bye-bye!

First off, a few weeks ago, Kate Hadfield gifted me with a certificate to her store at the Lilypad. Kate has THE best hand drawn doodled elements out there! Her unexpected gift came a few days after my Dad's surgery and on a day that he wasn't doing well! It was also a few days after.... shhhhh.... *whispering* my 40th birthday. So all in all, it was a rough week (not because of the birthday though - that wasn't bothering me at all).

So, I wanted to do something in return for her. So, what better way than to create something using her designs and give it back as a gift??? Now, unfortunately, I can't post the photo of what I created until she receives it because I don't want to spoil her surprise. But I do have a few sneak peeks that I've been teasing her with...



Aren't I being a stinker tormenting sweet Kate like this??? LOL...

I can tell you I am STOKED how it turned out and can't wait to get it in her hands! I am hoping to get it in the mail at the end of the week! And I hope she loves it as much as I do! I usually am VERY critical of anything I make and just LOVE how it all came together and turned out!

And on to some other things that I created in the past few weeks:

For the 3/18 Hybrid challenge at the Digichick - using Dawn Inskip and JanaM's new kit called Jungle Fever:



Doesn't it look like that lion is really RAWR'ing??? LOL

And for my blog post on the Hybrid Chick on 3-16-09 - using Starry Night by Megan Fisher:



I think that's it for today - I have a few other things in the works. Until then, thanks for stopping by!!!

*ack* I've been tagged! LOL

I've been tagged by Gabs (fellow Dawn Inskip CT member - I'm just a guest though LOL). Sometimes I really like getting these because they are fun to read and do. They are almost like the email you get where you have to erase the sender's answers and fill in your own answers then send it on to "everyone you know"

The tag is that I am supposed to list 6 interesting things about myself and than link back to the one who tagged me and tag 6 friends. So, here are 6 things about me....

1. I always wanted to be a nurse but my high school guidance counselor talked me out of going to college for it because my science grades weren't "good enough". I did 2 years of Early Childhood Education (to become a preschool teacher) before quitting college and going to nursing school!!! And, I made mostly A's, got married and had my first baby 4 weeks before graduating!!!

2. I read really fast. A standard novel only takes me about 4 hours to read. I have an excellent memory and usually can turn to almost the exact page to find something that I am looking for (a particular scene/etc.)

3. I was adopted as a baby and have my biological Mom and sister in my life.

4. I was very involved in extracurricular activities in high school. Captain of the majorette squad for 2 years, started as a guard in Varsity basketball for 2 years, and started 1 year in centerfield and 2 years in the catchers position in softball. I was a captain my senior year in Softball.

5. I am a night owl - I think it has to do with having quiet, ME time late at night.

6. I am very competitive and tend to have a green streak when someone is better than me at something. Think it has anything to do with the sports and extracurricular activities that I was involved in??? LOL

So, that's me in a nutshell. Let's see who I shall tag.......

Lena - she's one of those incredibly interesting people!
Kris - I've got to know more about someone who lives so close to me!!
Christine - fellow Maniac that tagged ME last time! LOL
Monique
Nikki
Amy

So, Tag! You're it Ladies!!!

*insert sigh here*

So, a few days ago, I quietly celebrated my birthday. and it was what some consider a milestone birthday. The big one. The big 4-0! Knowing I was turning 40 really wasn't bothering me. It's just a number. But then something happened that jolted me into the realization that I am getting older and that so is my Dad. And it was that chain of events that has led to one of the worst few weeks in my life.

To sum it up, my Dad was admitted to the hospital a few days before my birthday for chest pain. Multiple tests over the course of a few days and labs showed that he had one heart valve that needed replaced and one that needed repaired. Surgery was scheduled for Feb. 4th - the day after my birthday. He was in a hospital that was about 45 minutes away. But that didn't matter - all that mattered was that my Dad was sick and I had to be there with him.

Surgery was done as scheduled and he did well. Luckily he had no blockages which could have complicated the surgery. There are 2 snapshots in time that will never ever be erased from my head. The first is being with my Mom and watching her slip away almost 15 years ago and the second is seeing how frail my Dad looked after surgery hooked up to all those machines. Now you have to understand that I am a nurse and have been there with patients as they slipped away and I've seen patients on breathing machines before but NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, is worse than seeing someone you love in those situations.

Dad has had a few rough spots over the past week since his surgery and required a pacemaker insertion due to his heart not adjusting to being cut into for the valve repair but he's finally out of the Surgical Intensive Care unit and in a regular room.

To those of you who offered positive thoughts and prayers for him, I thank you with all my heart!! It truly has helped - both him and me!!!

Kate - if you're reading this, you just can't know how your simple gift touched my heart at a time when I needed it most! thanks so much Sweetie!!!

And I leave you with a layout about that milestone birthday titled "No candles for me"



You can read the journaling HERE - I'd love to hear what you have to say about it!

thanks for stopping by!!