Today is Smile Power Day!

Smiles are contagious, when you smile at another person they can't help smiling back...well most of the time anyway. Smiling adds years to your life, improves relationships, changes the mood for the giver and the receiver.

Smiling makes you a happier and healthier person. When you smile your brain releases a chemical called endorphin, once these chemicals are release they send more feel good messages to the rest of your body. Medically, it's also easier to smile than to frown because a smile uses fewer facial muscles.

I created the layout below because whenever I'm with these ladies, there's always plenty of smiles to go around.

All Smiles by Tena Ellison. Supplies - Patterned Paper: Authentique; Distress Stain: Tim Holtz;

Embossing Folder: Stampin' Up; Cuttlebug.

Many people don't realize just how powerful a smile can be; it can work magic by calming fears, insecurities, hurt feelings and emotional pain. You never know just how much it means to someone to see a bright smiling face.
 

So put on your sincerest smile and pass it on to everyone you see today!





Keeping You In Stitches!

So, I had a ball last night at the June Scrapbook Pajama Party hosted by Classygirl!  I was able to complete this layout with the sketch that she provided here. (You can see the replay here.) It also gave me a chance to use my new stitched embellishment.  

Have you noticed the trend of machine stitching on cards and layouts lately?  I certainly have. But, the idea of pulling out my sewing machine everytime I want to add that detail just seemed to be too much.  So, I came up with an easier way to add machine stitching to my layouts.  

With this technique, you can create a bunch of stitched embellishments at one time and keep it handy for when you need it!  Check out the tutorial below and give it a try.  You can use different colors of thread and different styles of stitches. 

 Here's a close up look!

My Dad…

 Is so COOL! 

I realized that I don’t mention him enough so I’m taking time to thank and honor my dad whom I love very much! You know, they say that a daughter is a “Daddy’s Girl” and my dad has three. We are funny, spoiled and rowdy girls who love life and our dad.

 

 
 

My dad loves to fish and I remember him taking the family to the Asbury Park Beach to walk the jetty and teach us how to bait a hook, catch starfish and open mussels.
 

  

 

 

He has an ear for music, too. He is self-taught on the guitar and piano and sings wonderfully! (He’s also slightly dramatic) Hence…the singing Corbin Girls, LOL!

 

Around Christmastime he would antagonize us by saying things like “I don’t think we’ll be having Christmas this year, we can’t afford it”! But on Christmas Eve he’d tell us the story of “Groovy Rudolph” ending with a new twist each year. And on Christmas Day the tree would be filled to the brim with goodies and one year recreating “The Night before Christmas” on our new tape recorder (I really thought it was Santa)! He sure could make the magic happen!

 

Dad is still like that today. No, we are NOT the Cosby’s and he’s had a lot of ups and downs in his life. By faith, he has overcome the demons that could have defeated him and the obstacles that could have torn us apart; he’s done a great job at holding our family together! And together we are, mommy and daddy have been married for over 50 years, and all three daughters are married with successful husbands and families. We still love, care for, and support one another and give all honor and praise to God!

So today I say Happy Father’s Day to one Cool Daddy!

 

Daddy Cool

by Karen Henderson 2013

Digitally created using Adobe Photoshop Elements.

Template, quote stamp created

by Katie Pertiet for designerdigitals.com.

 

Lil’ Lolly loves you and hopes you enjoy your special day to the fullest!

What memories do YOU hold of your dad or father figure?  Even if everything wasn’t “perfect” make a list of the good memories, and I even challenge you to mend broken relationships...it’s never too late to start! Meditate on that and scrap those good times! Happy Fathers Day and remember to…
 

…Let Father’s Day Inspire YOU!



National Friends Day

Today is National Friends Day and I’m going to spend time with my Scrappy friend, who lost her mother just before Mother’s Day.  I’m excited because I haven’t seen her since she’s been back in town.  I know she has compiled a lot of family photos and I wanted to make a Shadowbox for her to place one of her mother.  Close ups are below

Recipe Ingredients:
Prima flowers
Websters paper
DCWV paper
Crystal Stickles
Martha Stewart punches
Tim Holtz die cut & ink
Miss Elizabeth letters
Making Memories metal embellishments

Have you worked with Shadowboxes?  There are so many possibilities and they allow you to add memorabilia, a collage of photos and 3D embellishments to name a few.  It’s definitely a great keepsake.  It was placed on an easel so she can use in any room.

 

Let’s Celebrate Friendship!

 

Create a Vacation Mini Album

WOW! I can’t believe it’s June already. It’s so hard to believe that we are midway through 2013. Time sure does fly.

June means graduations, weddings and what we all long for – the beginning of summer.  Barbeques, days at the pool, family reunions and summer vacations, all of which means lots of fun and pictures, lots of pictures.

I must admit that I don’t really go on vacation during the summer, but just about all of my friends do and no matter where they go, they all take lots and lots of pictures. And, like many of us that go on vacation, they are all so eager to come home and show everyone their pictures…one painstaking picture and story at a time.

So, why not make a mini album to put vacation pictures in?  Whether it’s for your own vacation pictures or as a gift for someone you know that’s going on vacation, a mini album will make viewing the photos a much more pleasurable experience.

Here’s a mini album that I made to teach as a class.  I can’t wait to see what it looks like when one of my friends fills it with vacation pictures.

Supplies: Graphic 45 Tropical Travelogue Collection; Basically Bare Funky Findings Album; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and Mask; Embellishments: Glossy Accents, Burlap, Ribbon, Pearls.

I even had enough scraps left over to make this little album that can be used for additional photos or as a journal.

Amazing what you can do with scraps! 

Wouldn't you rather view your friends vacation photos, or show off your own, in a fun mini album, rather than in a stack -- on picture at a time?

Working together. Great results.

Happy June SOC!

Did you know that today is National Dare Day???  Wow!  There is a day for EVERYTHING.  Well of course, I have to play along.  Therefore, today I dare you to get with your scrappy pals and make something wonderful together.  Yes, a combined effort, just as we did here with this layout.

At a recent retreat, we did a round robin.  Each person added a photo or two to a blank piece of 12x12 cardstock.  T hen we passed it around to each sistah to add an accent to complete the layout. Once the layout was returned to you with all of their added goodies you could add a title and journaling.  Your completed layout includes a special touch by each person.

See my layout above.  I love how it turned out.  I was a bit nervous going in, but all of the layouts were fabulous.

Once I got it back, I added the title Six Deep.  Just perfect for this picture of my sistah friends and I during one of our twice annual (after the retreat) photo shoots.

Do you accept the dare?  If so, I'd love to see what you make.  Just leave a comment and link, should you decide to play along.

Have a crafty day.

For the love of SOC,

Tone on Tone

Since we’re winding down on National Photograph Month, I thought I’d highlight a few of my favorites from a cruise last year.  I love the idea of a month to remind us scrapbookers that our layouts and other projects are only as good as our photographs.

I’ve taken a few in person photography classes and can honestly say that I learned a great deal in each of them.  My favorites are the ones that make me say “whoa!” about some aspect of photography or the use of my camera.

I’m really proud of these photos because they tell the story of the beautiful blue waters and skies that we experienced.  To highlight all these blues and greens, I decided to try more of a tone on tone layout – using the various shades of the same one of two colors.  I am in love with this layout (and how quickly it came together)!

Beautiful by Moanica Caston.  Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned Paper, Buttons: Echo Park; Pennant and journaling spot: Elle’s Studio; Alphas: America Crafts Thickers.

I’d like to challenge you to look for a class – online, in person, self-study or whatever – to enhance your photography skills.  It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you have or your skill level.  It will be time well spent!

Moanica