stay creative....

I do 2,7,9 (a lot),12,13,18, 21,25, 26 and 32 and need to do more of 30 and 31 but  MOST IMPORTANTLY DON'T GIVE UP!
nothing but love,xo

handmade reveal

Happy Friday you guys!! I am sharing my November Studio Calico kit, handmade with you today! I made four layouts with the main only this month and remember the first layout in each of the design team's gallery will highlight the main kit only!! I did get the december daily kit (add-on 4), it has over 40+ products in it) as well and will be sharing my dd album here on my blog just like I have in years past.

I loved this pattern paper mixed with the gray (more gray paper is an add-on now), countryside tag (countryside open stock paper is BOGO)  and my staple mister huey's calico white! I am pretty much OBSESSED with jbs weather vane ink, i used it on the # thickers to darken it up, love how the pattern resisted the ink!  I love this layout so much because it is about embracing getting older and really loving the person I am as a 30+ woman! :)

I used the exclusive diecut paper as a mask to create a pattern on the black cardstock, Synai was so excited over her first hotel sleepover! She was totally all smiles, I did cheat here and added the stamp from Pin Cushion (add-on one) along the sides and inside the white heart but with jbs chili powder (it is the perfect red and will look great in a dd)! :)

I can't get enough of the mister huey's masks, LOVE them! Both s2 love to travel and they are really great travelers because they have been doing it since they were itty bitty. I take them everywhere with me and they love it. Now they keep themselves entertained as I did it before, all they need is their favorite electronics and their pillow. :)

I love NYC, can't wait to be going up next weekend with my girls, lots of paint here! I kept this one simple and used my fiskars fingertip knife to cut out the star frame.  This knife will change your crafting life, it makes cutting out shapes so easy, trust me! Once you get used to controlling the blade at a lower angle, you will love it!

have a wonderful weekend! xo

I (♥) instagram

but i think you know that by now ( follow me @strawbvee)! :) here are some of  favorites from the last month.
1. corner view in my bedroom 2.  leopard trapper hat=happy 3. gingham+sequins= double happy  (love this time of year when their is an abundance of sequins)! 4. birthday starbucks treat=triple happy :)
happy almost weekend!xo

sand, punch, glitter x repeat

quick sneak of my final layout for studio calico nov. kit|handmade. dare i say this is my favorite one, i had fun with layering, l love to cut, punch and sand everything x repeat! weather vane ink is a current fave, darken up the amy tangerine|american crafts thickers with it and love the effect, also cannot STOP using mister huey's shine, totally gorgeous! oh and printed all of my photos on white cardstock this month, love the texture a lot!
off to get a cup of joe my lids are very heavy! :)
xo

handmade sneaks

Happy Monday!! I can't believe we are at the end of October!! The weather is getting a lot colder and because of it I am fighting the sniffles today. BUT onto happy things like the Studio Calico November Homemade kit! I have a few sneaks to share today, hoping to share a fourth one with you tomorrow as well!

ps...Thanks for stopping by and posting comments (read every single one)!  I see a lot of you feel my pain  from my ooc post and it is okay to have a pile of layouts. :) I do look through them more this way because as soon as they go into an album that's it! S2 pull out albums more than I do and that's what I love about this passion we share....the captured memories! :) xo

easy v. hard

new dare, inspired by kal! I love life and try to live each day to the best of my ability one day at a time. But life is hard but sometimes easy as well which = balance, yes?! Finally used my plum thumb mister huey, bits from field guide,  studio calico mask (ampersand), butterflies (of course) and julie b. stencil!
have a great weekend!! plan on enjoying a perfect fall weekend!
xo

ooc-pile

the pile that keeps growing, think this is over a year worth of layouts! how long does it take for you to put your pages into albums? let's talk...
xo

blog hop winner

thanks for all of the lovely comments on my layout, you all are so kind! I wish you all could win but I randomly selected one winner... the winner of the field guide kit is:
Debbie Pereira said...LOVE your layout.
Please email me your details asap Debbie, CONGRATS!

field guide blog hop

Happy Friday!!!! I have a quick share (and a awesome giveaway) of another layout I made exclusively with studio calico's october main kit, field guide! Every DT member creates one main kit layout in the gallery each month, which is awesome because you get 19 ideas for the main alone! I love this kit and the exclusive stamp this month, I used the "you are here" stamp as the focus for this layout. 

products used| mister huey's (custard and bluegrass);American Crafts Pen; JBS ink (chicken feed dye) and Zing (orange zing glitter)

Are you ready for the good news?!! Each of the DT members is giving away the OCTOBER main kit.... if you are already a subscriber or already purchased this kit, then they will still receive this kit .  You will not be able to swap for a different kit or add on.  So if you would like a chance to win this kit, leave a comment on this post only and check out the rest of the  team's blogs for another chance to win! A winner will be randomly chosen on Monday, Oct 17th, good luck and have a fabulous weekend!
xo

off duty

Wednesday already, zomg! I can't take how quickly this year has moved, before you know it we will be in the thick of the holiday season...yeah!! I haven't done an off duty post in a minute and trying to be a good blogger halfway good blogger. :) I had an extended weekend which is was nice, because we are seriously in football/cheer mode. We left the house at 8am on Saturday (ouch) and didn't come back until 2PM, I love seeing s2 being independent,social and loving their sports.This is a mix of our weekend life, diy leopard nails (painted synai's teal, pink and yellow), cheer and football (i know S1 is OOF, but I love it anyway because he is smiling and he never smiles in photos) and I can hardly stand  much he is starting to look like a teenager! Synai had her first hotel slumber party sleep over this weekend, she had a blast and was so excited when we arrived, trip to IKEA for a new clothes rack since the previous one broke because of user error when assembling it. I love it, if you need extra space I highly recommend  rigga.  Saadiq and me saw Real Steel on Sunday, FANTASTIC movie, I love Hugh Jackman like a pat of butter, lol. It is great storyline and really touching movie, kind of like a futuristic rocky?! Steven Spielburg executive produced it so it will pull at your heart strings a little too
have a nice evening!!
xo

opposite

dare 184 is all the way LIVE! It is a super easy and fun way to try something new;simple create a project that is totally opposite of your style. I am sure you're like vee, this layout is you but people i tried!! I had in my mind I want to channell jamaica (love her clean graphic style) but some how it ended up more tina-ish. I'm cool with that and of course I had to have paint as my base and no layers!! 
 
I used more of those awesome sassafras butterflies from october's field guide kit!
happy hump day friends!
xo

this is me

haiiiiiii, it's October and fall is for sure here, dare I say it is COLD! There has been no transition of seasons in my area. As you can tell I am in a bit of a blogging slump. It always happens every year but it is the flow of blogging, being real, finding the time, etc... I like this a to z tag on blogs lately, so I thought I'd give it a whirl as well: A. Age: 34.5

B. Bed size: Queen although I prefer to sleep with the King (love the extra space) :)

C. Chore that you hate: by far folding laundry, although I have passed the buck to s2 to fold their clothes and put it away so know that I think about it isn't too bad ;)

D. Dogs: no, :( our aiden died a year ago and don't have the heart right now for another fur baby

E. Essential start to your day: a light breakfast is a must and sometimes coffee depending on how late I stayed up the night before

F. Favorite color: leopard? no that's a pattern but it's a favorite right now! :)

G. Gold or Silver: BOTH, equal opportunist and mixer

I. Instruments you play: played the saxophone (alto)

J. Job title: HWIC (head women in charge) :) just made it up, yep!

K. Kids: two, 10 1/2 son and 7 year old daughter

L. Live: DMV (DC Maryland VA metro area)

M. Mother’s name: Lillie Mae, love her name especially her middle name

N. Nicknames: Vee, Ronnie

O. Overnight hospital stays: 3 (fractured my arm in 4th grade and two kiddos)

P. Pet peeves: people who have loud conversations on cell phones in public spaces ANYWHERE

Q. Quote from a movie: Took a hard hard violent fall, kinda pin-balled down hit a lot of railings, broke a lot of shit. I'm not gonna say i survived I'm gonna say I thrived.- bridesmaids

R. Right or left handed: righty  

S. Siblings: one younger sister

U. Underwear: always, no el commando  

V. Vegetable you hate: really wouldn't say hate but I really dislike cauliflower

W. What makes you run late: OMG, is this a trick question....uhmmmm, I am almost always late.

X. X-Rays you’ve had: arm and teeth (wisdom teeth extraction) do the ones you get at the dentist office count and sonograms too???? woah, too many to count...
 
Y. Yummy food that you make: My fam just had this conversation last night, homemade pizza, homemade mac and cheese, chilli and steak

Z. Zoo animal: leopards (duh!), baby monkeys, baby pandas and elephants

if you have done this tag, I would love to learn more about you too- link me uP!
xo