Girls Night Out

In April I started frequenting Scrap Freak, a great community of creative, positive, and friendly scrappers.  The challenges and classes are so much fun!  Well, May got away from me, so I didn't have the chance to play along :(.  However, I was asked to make a layout for the May online class, and I'd love to share it with you now, end of the month and all.

These are my two youngest sisters, Caitlin and Elizabeth.  They have a great group of friends to hang out with, and this photo is of one of their girls' nights. 

The challenge from my particular portion of the class was to upcycle something.  I had a dress that I loved to wear but had to retire because it got washed with a pen and ended up with ink smears all over it.  I stashed it in my scrap room for some future, unknown use, where it got paint on it somehow.  So what to do?  Make flowers out of it, of course! 

I made rolled fabric flowers and yo-yo's and added lots of blingy brads.  I love the way this turned out - young, fun, and colorful - just like my sisters :).

If you haven't visited Scrap Freak before, it's worth a peek.  I'm planning to have perfect attendance in June!  Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

Happy...

♥ that I finally finished the Teacher gifts I've been working on.  Four paper bag albums, one for each of my boys' teachers, one for Carson's student teacher, and one for a special friend who is a teacher.

♥ that I won the June Guest Design Team spot over at Sketchy Thursdays! Thank you to everyone who voted for me!  It was a close race - the other ladies are so talented!

♥ that my "Iron Man" layout is a fave this week at Sketchy Thursdays :).

♥ that I have plans in the works for some new features and blog posts here at Perfectly Precocious.  If you are a Facebook fan, you know that I asked for suggestions for future blog posts and you delivered.  I loved all the ideas!

♥ that summer is coming, which means DANCE CAMPS!  It was agonizing to not do dance camps last summer after our big move, but now that we are more settled, I am bringing my Dance Discovery program to Riverton, WY and cannot be more excited!  This weekend I am busting out the boxes of props, costumes, games, crafts....  So fun!

♥ that I have a healthy, happy family, good friends online and off, and many blessings that I am grateful for :).

What is making you happy today?  Tessa

Iron Man

I'm primarily a single-page layout kind of girl.  I've only done one other double-pager in the past two years.  So what better than a Sketchy Thursdays double-page sketch to encourage another go at it?

Click on the photo for a larger view :).

My son, Carson, is really into super heroes.  At the California State Fair in 2008 we saw Iron Man perform, and since then, Carson has been a big fan.  Oh my goodness, was he happy when he pulled an Iron Man action figure out of a birthday package from Grandma Carrie!

I made the stars by layering felt die-cuts, sewing them together, and adding a little bling.

I emphasized Iron Man in the photos by encircling him with a rub-on (yep, still using those rub-ons I challenged myself to use up!).

Well, I'm off to clean up my scrapbook room and get working on some Etsy orders.  I hope you are having a great day! Tessa

A Woman's Work

Do you watch So You Think You Can Dance?  I do.  I've taken class from some of the choreographers and I've even had kids I've taught end up on the show.  One of my all-time favorite pieces of choreography from SYTYCD is Mia Michaels' "This Woman's Work."  Heart-wrenching, powerful stuff.  Here it is, performed on the Ellen show.

The current poem at Scrap That Poetry is "Woman Work" by Maya Angelou.  After reading it, I couldn't help but compare the poem with that piece of choreography.  Whether it be the mundane tasks we accomplish day in and day out, or extraordinary circumstances that we face from time to time in our lives, women are incredible sources of strength and inspiration.  The deadline is quickly approaching if you would like to participate in the challenge.  I hope you can find time to celebrate being a woman or the women in your life by creating something.  We would love to see it.

And since I wasn't able to complete something for this particular challenge (some of those extraordinary circumstances got in the way), here is a sneak peek at my layout for the next STP challenge.

Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

June GDT? Pretty Please?

Whoo hoo! I've been chosen as one of the Top 5 for the June Guest Design Team Challenge over at Sketchy Thursdays!  I loved being on the DT before and would be ecstatic to have a chance (even if just for a month) to do so again.  Plus, the prize is amazing :).  The layout I submitted is this one, blogged about here:

If you have a chance, take a look at all the amazing layouts/designers in the running.  Of course, I would appreciate your vote, but no matter who wins, June is looking good over at Sketchy Thursdays!

Hope your weekend was wonderful :).  Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

New 'do and a New Chick'n Scratch

I got bangs!  I haven't had bangs since I was in junior high, I think.  I grew them out for dance and never looked back.  I got the itch to give them a go again, so my hairdresser sister hooked me up.  I think they're fun, but I'll probably grow them out soon.

This layout is based on this new Chick'n Scratch from Scrapbook Chicks:

I only used the right side and three photos.  All the papers and labels are by October Afternoon, found at Scrapbook Chicks, where I also got those cute thickers.  I added Prima roses and an ivory lace flower from my shop.

We'd love to have you play along with us.  Create a layout based on the sketch, try not to use anything from the May kit (if you have one - if not, what are you waiting for?), and upload a photo of your page to the Scrapbook Chicks Facebook page.  You have until Monday night, and there will be prizes awarded!

I hope your weekend is treating you well!  Thanks for stopping by, Tessa

My Little Man

Browsing through the family archives, I found this photo of Colten, age 4, popping his head out of a tunnel on the playground.  If my memory serves me right, I was in the tunnel - the part that branched off another direction - to get this picture.  I just had to have it printed and after all of my errands this morning were complete, I got scrappy :).  And sketchy :). 

This layout is based on the June Guest Design Team Challenge over at Sketchy Thursdays.  I love Heidi's sketches and am happy to be seeing more and more of them!

I made the flowers (which are available in my shop here - you can request the fabric I used for this layout).  I used October Afternoon papers for my background and framed the yellow damask with masking tape.  I took a piece of cardboard, painted the edge, and stamped the corner lines.

I used a scrap piece of one of my favorite K and Co. papers for the pleated strip, and some scrap pieces of two Basic Grey papers for my leaves and the bracket strip at the bottom. 
 

I recently discovered that I have way too many rub-ons for not being a rub-on user, so I've challenged myself to use them up.  The little finger pointing at my journaling is an American Crafts Mini Mark.  I loved the look of lace in the sketch, but was afraid to use lace on a layout about my boy.  Solution?  Use it anyway, but use a very subtle one.  I like the effect :).

I hope your day is sunny and bright.  Mine is, and I'm really grateful for that.  Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

I'm so happy...

... to be scrapping again!  I've been scrapbooking so much in the last several months that this three-week hiatus felt like an eternity!  I missed too many Sketchy Thursdays sketches that I just HAD to make time for this one.  It felt good to play :). 

I decided to go back into the Buys family archives for some photos that hadn't been scrapped and found these shots from Memorial Day, 2007. 

Oh my goodness, how Colten has grown since then!  He still sports a kool-aid moustache from time to time, though, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Scrapbook Chicks is having a fantastic sale today!  Once a month the Chief Chick will announce a Wacky Wednesday Sale, and today is the day.  There are steals to be had at up to 75% off!  I just bought a whole bunch of October Afternoon Fly a Kite and Thrift Shop and I am in love :).

Thanks for looking!  Tessa

Sunshine

First of all - THANK YOU!  All of your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes helped me through some of the most difficult days of my life.  I really appreciate all of my friends, both in person and online.  I'm truly blessed and grateful each and every day for you. 

Source: http://shallwego.tumblr.com/page/4

Things are looking better, and although I'm still stressin' a little, there's definitely more sunshine than rain.  I'll be working on orders for a solid few days, but hopefully I will be able to post some scrappy things and Precocious Paper news soon.  I've got some new fabrics and lace that I would love to get whipped into flowers, layouts to share, and some challenges that I would love to get back to.  Oh how I long for boring, routine days :).

Thank you again for all of your support!  You're the best!  Tessa

It's Pouring

You know that saying that goes "when it rains, it pours"?  Well, it's pouring.  Family emergencies (yes, plural) will be requiring my attention for the next week or so, which means you probably won't be hearing from me any time soon. 

photo source: http://theglock.tumblr.com/page/9

I'm going to miss creating a layout for Sketchy Thursdays for the first time in over 7 months (that alone should convince you of the seriousness of the situation)!  I will be leaving my Etsy shop open, but purchases won't be able to ship until May 13th.  I won't be making the Mother's Day gifts I had scheduled to make this week.  Good thing my moms love me and will forgive tardy presents :).  I won't be blogging NSD layouts or completing my Week in the Life Project as planned.  But I will be spending time with family, and that's what's most important.

photo source: http://flickr.com/photos/persnicketydame/3020625065/

There's light at the end of the tunnel.  It's just not going to be very fun getting through the darn tunnel.  Thank you for all of your support!  I'll be back as soon as I can!  Tessa

Can't Help But LAUGH

Yesterday I shared with you a layout about how motherhood is sometimes messy.  Today I have a layout to share about one of my favorite parts of being a mom - my kids can ALWAYS make me laugh!

A new challenge is up at The Studio - scrap what makes you laugh :).  Without fail, my kids can make me laugh.  The funny faces, the silly dances, the honest and inquisitive things they ask...Colten, Carson, and Jaxon are an endless supply of giggles.  This layout is of an impromptu photo shoot Colten and I had a few days ago.  I was trying to take pictures of something else, but this goofball insisted upon having my attention - and the camera's!

We've had some gloomy weather (including a little snow!) lately, so the coloring in this photo isn't the best, but I can assure you the orange paint matches the word "laugh" perfectly.  I grunged up the thickers using my fingernail to match the fraying edges of "laugh" and was able to use some Pink Paislee paper I was hoarding.

So what makes you laugh?  We would love to have you join us for this challenge!  Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Tessa

I Love Being Your Mom

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!  If all is going to plan, I am scrapping the day away in my little nook :).  Besides online challenges that I am planning to do, I also hope to at least start on a couple of Mother's Day presents.

Speaking of mothers, the new poem at Scrap That Poetry is called "A Mother's Love." 

The day I made my layout, I didn't feel very much like a loving mother.  It was not a good day, and my patience was nearly gone.  Once the hubby got home I scrapped my feelings about motherhood not always being pretty. 

I grunged up my layout with sloppy paint, ink, crackle medium, and mist.  Sometimes I wonder if my posterity will look back on my layouts and think my life was all rainbows and butterflies, so it feels good to add this slice of actual life to my albums.

We'd love to see you play along!  Perhaps one of your Mother's Day projects could overlap with this challenge :).  Enjoy NSD!  I'm sure I'll be back soon with all the projects I'm working on today!  Tessa

P.S. - I would really love your vote for the Most Creative Mom contest on Michaels' Facebook page.  Pretty please? :) :) :)  Go here to vote.  If you've already voted, thank you so much!  You can vote once per day, so if you wouldn't mind taking a moment once again.....  Thank you!!!