Scripture Advent Calendar - DCWV First Noel Stack

Inspired by DCWV's First Noel stack, I created this scripture-based advent calendar for our family to enjoy during the Christmas season:

Materials Used:
* mini brown paper sacks (available at Michaels in the gift wrap section, sold in packs of 24)
* the First Noel Stack by DCWV (released last year, 2012)

* embellishments like jingle bells, twine, sequins, wood veneer, washi tape, doilies
* gold glitter and gold foil cardstock (by DCWV, available in various stacks)
* thick ribbons (for clipping the bags to and hanging the frame)
* a large frame
* clothespins (I used mini ones and decorated some with gold glitter and others with washi tape)

Directions:
Choose several designs from the First Noel Stack. Trim rectangles to fit the fronts of the paper bags. Distress the edges of the papers with gold metallic ink, then adhere to bags.

Using a die-cut machine (I used my Silhouette Cameo), cut numbers 1 through 24 out of the gold cardstocks. Adhere numbers and embellishments to the bags. Use dimensional adhesive for some of the numbers.

Cut ribbons to stretch across your frame. Because these bags are very light, I simply taped my ribbons to the back of my frame with strong packing tape. However, you might want to staple or glue your ribbons in place.

Place a scripture reference (or complete verse) in each bag. We chose scriptures about our Savior - from the Christmas story, moments from his ministry, and other testimony of Him from throughout the scriptures. Clip the bags in order to the ribbons. Hang with an additional ribbon.

Each night, after we read a story from our Christmas Storybook advent, we pull out our scriptures and look up the verse for the day. We've discovered that it's a great way to keep our Christmas celebration Christ-centered, in a simple, daily manner.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are enjoying your holiday season :). Merry Christmas! Tessa

Chickaniddy Crafts

Hello! Just popping in today to share some happy news. My friend, Heidi Sonboul, has a new scrapbook company making its debut soon! Chickaniddy Crafts' website will launch December 16th:

In the meantime, you can like the Facebook page here. As soon as the website launches, the first collection will be revealed...

...followed by the second collection:

If you're headed to CHA this January, be sure to stop by the Chickaniddy Crafts booth. I'm excited to have some work in the booth, and I'm sure you'll love the debut lines as much as me.

Have a good one! Tessa

Winner: Fancy Pants Designs Merry Christmas Goodies

Hello! Thank you to everyone who visited during the Scrapbook Circle All is Bright blog hop! You'll find my kit winner on the Scrapbook Circle blog today. As for the winner of the Fancy Pants Designs goodies I am giving away personally, drum roll please....

Accro-bat, please email me at precociouspaper (at) yahoo (dot) com with your mailing address and I'll get that out to you as soon as I can.

Have a great day, all! Tessa

Scrapbook Circle All Is Bright Blog Hop

Hello! Welcome to my stop on the blog hop for Scrapbook Circle. If you are here by chance but would like to hop along, start at the Scrapbook Circle blog. If you just came from Rebecca's blog, you're in the right place. Be sure to visit every creative team member's blog - you have a chance to win an All is Bright December kit at each stop! And believe me, you want this kit!

This is the first page I created with the main kit, a touch of the add-on, and a bit of the cardstock add-on. Here's the story:

I used white and gold metallic paint to distress my background and make a home for layered patterned paper, tissue paper, vellum, die-cuts and embellishments. Because the theme of my page is the joy children experience this time of year, I wanted my page to be whimsical.

Some of my favorite items include the gold glitter cardstock (title and snowflakes) and the giant rhinestones by Glitz Designs.

I also love the Fancy Pants Designs buttons and tickets! I am saving them for a challenge project that you will see a bit later this month at the Scrapbook Circle blog. Being a Pocket Chick (Fancy Pants Designs design team member), I already have these buttons and tickets on hand. Would you like my extras? Not only will I draw a name from the comments for the All is Bright kit, but I will also draw a name for a Fancy Pants Designs goodie bag from me personally. Good luck!

I hope you've enjoyed the hop so far, and that you'll enjoy the last few stops, too! Hop quickly - comments are only open to win the kit until December 3rd at midnight. Visit creative team member, the talented Melissa Mann, next.

Good luck and Merry Christmas! Tessa

DCWV and Clear Scraps Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to my stop on the DCWV and Clear Scraps blog hop! If you've arrived here by chance and would like to start at the beginning, click here. If you are hopping along, you should have just paid a visit to Thomisia.

I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Clear Scrap's All Mixed Up album. It's a cascading album, one where each page has a different edge. I also worked with DCWV's Jolly Whimsy stack, available at Michaels stores. Jolly Whimsy is an adorable Christmas stack. The soft colors, the cute illustrations, and the pretty patterns inspired me to create this baby's first Christmas album:

My baby girl won't be celebrating her first Christmas until she is nearly one year old, but my little niece, Isla, is just a few months old and celebrating her first holidays now. Her mama is a big instagram fan, and since this album is a great size for filling with instagrams, I thought I would make her an album ready for photos.

I had some fun working with the acrylic pages. First, every I backed the acrylic pages with patterned paper, rather than covering every acrylic surface. This took some tricky planning so that my adhesive didn't show through, but it was worth the extra effort. Second, I bought some paint pens to doodle on the pages with. I used a gold metallic paint pen to make polka dots, and then I used a white paint pen to doodle and write with. I loved that technique!

Here are a few of my favorite details:

If you'd like to see every page of my album in detail, I shot this little video for your viewing pleasure. I used my iPhone instead of my tripod and video camera (it's just too hard to set that all up with my belly sticking out so far!), so I apologize for the bumpiness ;). Also, baby girl is making it hard for me to fill up my lungs, so I tend to get a little breathless ;). At any rate, here goes!

If you'd like to be in the running for one of two prize packages from DCWV, be sure to leave a comment on every stop of the hop. Please note: I screen my comments, so if it looks like your comment didn't go through, it likely did and I just need to approve it. You have through Sunday to enter at the DCWV blogs. Don't forget to hop through the Clear Scrap's team Sunday and Monday.

Your next stop is the lovely Rita! Enjoy the rest of the hop and have a great day! Tessa

Attitude of Gratitude 2013 - Day 4

Pinned here. Get the printable here.

I have always loved this analogy. It clicks, really resonates with me. I often think of my blessings, the things I'm grateful for, as gifts. And one of my biggest gifts is this little man:

It's sinking in that these are the last few months that Jaxon will be "the baby". He will always be "my baby" and my baby boy, but these are the last moments of just me and him at home together. Soon, our lives will be enriched and blessed with little sister, but it's bittersweet in a way. I've really appreciated our one-on-one time lately. I've tried to take advantage of every bit of it. Tonight, after the boys went to bed and while Daddy was working on a project, Jaxon helped me pick up a bit in my craft room. When we finished putting my washi tape in rainbow order, I held up my hand for a high five. When he didn't notice, I said, "Hey! Where's my high five?" He gave my hand a slap and said, "Hey! Where's my hug and kiss?!" Mama heart = melted. I'm so grateful for this little man. Like I said on instagram, he blesses me more than I could ever hope to bless him.

Thanks for visiting :). Tessa

Attitude of Gratitude 2013 - Day 3

Pinned here. Cannot find original source. If that's you, please let me know so I can give credit.

For a very long time, we lived too far from church to walk. There were times when we'd have to drive for miles. Even though it was never really that far, I always wished we lived close enough to church to walk. There's something about walking and being in nature that prepares you a bit more spiritually, and helps the messages from church to sink in a little deeper before arriving home. When we moved back to California three years ago, we were fortunate enough to move into a place just one street over from our church building. Now we walk whenever we get the chance!

When I do drive, the boys usually still walk home. It is so fun to "race" them! I basically let the car crawl along while they huff and puff to reach home first. When they are older, and too cool to race the car, I am sure I am going to treasure memories like this :).

Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

Attitude of Gratitude 2013 - Day 2

Pinned here. Illustration by Jen Troyer.

One of my goals this month is to think about the small, everyday things that I often take for granted. I pinned this image during the past year and have enjoyed the reminder that I am blessed - I just need to take the time to remember that.

So, I am grateful for hot showers, especially after a long weekend of dance. I've always loved a good, long, come-out-of-the-water-red kind of shower. I'm grateful that I get one from time to time.

Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

Attitude of Gratitude 2013 - Day 1

I am grateful for the privilege I have to bring children into this world.

As I woke up with pregnancy aches and pains, feeling like I must not have slept because I was still so tired, I chastised myself and remembered - be grateful that you can actually do this. This print, pinned here and found for purchase on Etsy here, is something I think I could use in my bedroom.

Honestly, I do not really enjoy being pregnant. Sometimes I have to remind myself that rather than complain about my temporary discomforts and challenges, I need to be grateful that carrying this baby is possible. I am. I am grateful that I can hear her heartbeat. I am grateful that I can feel her kick and stretch and - I swear, she does this - do cartwheels. I am grateful to know that she is growing well. And, even though I'm so excited for her to arrive in January, I am grateful for 13 more weeks to get ready!

Are you celebrating gratitude this month? I'd love to know how! Feel free to link me up in the comments. I'll be continuing my Attitude of Gratitude posts here and on Facebook, as well as joining in with Paper Issues on instagram. I'll be sharing projects throughout the month, too. Thanks for stopping by, and happy November! Tessa

Halloween Framed Tags - DCWV Spooky Time Stack

This year for Halloween, my theme is Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven. I have decorated with ravens, feathers, and quotes from the poem alongside my pumpkins. I spiced up my living room gallery wall with photos from our recent pumpkin patch trip and decided to make this framed set of tags to go accompany my pictures and go along with my theme:

I used the Spooky Time stack by DCWV, as well as black cardstock by DCWV. Each tag is inked and/or stamped, as well as flicked with black mist. This particular tag also features the Gauze stack. Perfect for Halloween, I hand-cut leaves from the gauze-covered paper for my flowers. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the "nevermore". DCWV cardstock works great with this machine!

Three of the tags feature this cluster of a black feather, wood veneer feather, and small paper rose. The trio of black pearls is also by DCWV.

This orange flower is by Prima. The black flower is by Jolee's.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the raven shape, then adhered it with foam tabs. The eye is a DCWV black pearl.

If you're looking to decorate with a little Poe yourself, here is a graphic I made to slip inside one of my 4x6 frames in my gallery wall. Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

Autumn Printer's Tray - DCWV

I haven't made a printer's tray like this in a few years (see my first here), and I thought my favorite season would be a fantastic theme for another. So, I gathered together my favorite DCWV papers and raided my stash for coordinating embellishments. In one evening, I was able to fill every nook and cranny with orange, mustard, gold and aqua - my favorite color palette for fall!

Here are the papers I chose to work with, labeled with their respective stack:

Before gluing anything in, I measured each cubby and then decided which patterned papers to place in each one. Next, I figured out which embellishments to use and where to put them. When I was happy with the look, then I started adhering things to the tray. Some of my favorites include this flair, by A Flair for Buttons:

Of course, I love the large orange flower by Prima. The metal leaves are from Freckled Fawn.

Another favorite detail is this mini spool of thread. I picked up a bag of these spools at my local JoAnn store. I wound the thread around and paired it with a paper flower. Because of the pretty gold foil and glitter details on several of the papers, I wanted to embellish with gold things, too. I spray painted a couple of resin flowers gold and paired them with more Prima flowers and felt roses from my Etsy shop, Precocious Paper.

I used DCWV's burlap stack to add leaves to some of the flowers, as well as a backing for some of the compartments.

 

I filled these Tim Holtz vials with glitter for some more sparkle.

I just added my tray to a photo frame collage wall in my living room. Once I've got it all decorated for fall, I'll share a photo. Thanks for stopping by! Tessa

Please help us find Brisa

This is Brisa, my five-year-old niece. She is the daughter of one of my husband's younger brothers, Jacob. I've only had the chance to see her a handful of times, but she is a sweetheart and adores playing with her cousins (my boys). Brisa's mom and dad divorced, and unfortunately, the situation has been difficult, messy, and so very sad. Ultimately, after a thorough and lengthy court process, Jacob was given full custody this past July. Her mother was supposed to return Brisa to California from Maine in August. Instead, both Brisa and her mother have disappeared. A warrant is out for Brisa's mother's arrest. The FBI is investigating, but at this time, they have no leads to Brisa's whereabouts.

Last night, our local news here in Sacramento, California ran Jacob's story. You can see the report here.

Please watch, share on social media, and keep your eyes open. I know many of my readers, facebook friends, and dear customers are scattered across the country. Maybe you, or someone you know, has seen Brisa and can notify authorities so that she can get home safe and sound. I know these kinds of custody battle situations make many people squeamish, uncomfortable. Yes, there are two sides to this story, but the courts have heard both sides, and they place their faith in Jacob. Please, we just want to see Brisa with her daddy, getting the help she needs, starting school, and blossoming in a healthy, stable, loving home. Thank you. Tessa

Bishop's Pumpkin Farm - DCWV

Last night we went to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm. It's a tradition that we go the first Monday night in October. The farm is a local, family-owned place where there is a huge pumpkin patch (complete with hay ride to get to the patch), a giant pumpkin patch (where we tend to take our photos), a train, animals, a corn maze, a sunflower labyrinth, mining for marbles, slides, a playground, vintage farm equipment, shopping, food...so much good stuff! Here are a few shots from last night:

Last week, I scrapped a photo from last year's outing:

This layout is based on this sketch, the October sketch challenge at DCWV:

I used a combination of the Homeroom and Pumpkin Patch Stacks. I wanted to throw in some blue and gray, so that's where Homeroom came in. Love the pretty oranges from Pumpkin Patch, though! I also used a pretty gray, textured paper from the Pebbled stack.

The washi tape is from an old Studio Calico kit. The boy and girl silhouette flair is from A Flair for Buttons. I just cannot get enough of her flair!

The corrugated people are from an old Scrapbook Circle kit. The gold leaves are by Martha Stewart. I really raided my stash for the perfect embellishments ;).

If you'd like to play along with the sketch challenge, or the color theme card challenge, you can find the details here. Tomorrow, I'll be sharing more DCWV fall goodness with a printer's tray that I put together recently. Thanks for stopping by! Tessa