Family Fall Traditions - Fancy Pants

The assignment today for my Fancy Pants Blog post is Giving Thanks.  I have a Thankful list a mile long!  So instead of boring you for days, I thought I would share how thankful I am for our Family's Fall Traditions.  Each year, we are jammed packed with outdoor, fall related activities.  Apple picking, (which is here in this layout) carving pumpkins, new this year is haunted houses, trolley tours and so much more.  I hope that my son remembers all of the fun things we do each year, and carry on the traditions to his family.  

Head to the Fancy Pants blog to take a look at my layout in its entirety.  Also, if you are looking for this gorgeous collection, Golden Days, you can grab it from the Paper Issues Store for 20% off when you use code: Mary-Ann.

We Hunt Together - A Flair for Buttons

Morning.

Recently my little family took a trip home to Maine.  My boys thought hunting was fun while I got to visit with my immediate family and cut down greenery for Christmas decorating.  (So I dont have to pay an arm and a leg for it here!)  They had a great time in the woods and I had a great time in the house!!  lol.  While they were hoping for a deer, I was cancelling their request by hoping they didn't!  That works right?  Well, it did this time!

My layout today is over on the A Flair for Buttons blog.  I used Pebbles Warm & Cozy design by Jen Hadfield which you can purchase over in the Paper Issues Store.  Use code: Mary-Ann for 20% off.

Best Ever - Paper Issues

The only pictures I get of myself are selfies.  

Sometimes, if I suggest it, someone else will take a photo.  

Last year we went night tubing in Amesbury.  Holy COW that hill is steep.  Like, super steep.

We had fun even though his face doesn't show it! ha! GRUMP

I used a the November Swag Bag from Paper Issues for my layout.  

The only thing I added was the 12x12 paper.  

Everything else comes in the little kit.  They are super fun.  

Some of the PI design team members are sharing more layouts with a SB on the PI blog today.  Stop over and see for your self.  Also, participate in the SB challenge on PIFF to be entered for the prize drawing.  

REMEMBER:  Everything in the Paper Issues store is 20% with code: Mary-Ann.  Even Swag Bags!

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Walking in a Winter Wonderland - Simple Stories

Hope you have your warm coats and boots out!  My projects today are going to transport you to a winter wonderland! Just briefly so I guarantee you will survive!

Have you seen the new Mistletoe Kisses from Simple Stories?  It is a perfect collection for documenting Christmas in a non-traditional color way or document fun in the snow, like I did with both of my layouts.  For my first project, the green polka dot paper was a little to bold for my snowy photos, so I white washed my trees with a little white paint.  This technique toned down the green and helped spotlight my photos.  Remember a while back when Simple Stories paired up with Just Nick?  Well, I ordered this Bare Tree  cut file.  I used it for a Halloween layout then, and now for a winter layout.   I did cut two different size trees.

Target - Paper Issues

I decided to play along with Becky Stidhams's large title challenge for the Paper Issues Crop that is happening this weekend.  You have one week (until Sunday the 20th) to submit all 15 challenges and winner will be announced on Monday the 21st.  

I used Alex by Bella Blvd, a cut file from Just Nick Studios and acrylic Pokemon pieces from Colorcast Design.  Target really did good when they painted their red cements balls out front to resemble Pokemon Pokeballs.  They only last a few weeks but we were sure to make our way their for this photo opt!

Maine - Paper Issues

There is a really fun weekend crop happening over at 

Paper Issues Friends & Fans FB page right now.  

I have chose the topic, using up your stash!

So, instead of 3, I used 7, SEVEN different manufacturers.  I went through my stash and chose coordinating colors.  I don't think you can tell the items didn't come together.  Do you?

I used Shimelle, Pink Paislee, Dear Lizzy, Pebbles, Crate paper, We R Memory Keepers and Bazzill. If you call Thickers a separate category, I used EIGHT!

Now head to the Paper Issues PIFF page HERE and get going.  There are tons of fun challenges happening all weekend.

Turkey - Paper Issues

This month's Pinspire Me Mood Board is live on the Paper Issues blog today.  

It is full of warm, cold day colors that will have you drinking hot chocolate, wrapped in a flannel blanket to view this post.  

Upload it to the PIFF FB page and be entered to win a gift card to the Paper Issues Store.  Win win!  You can see more of the team designs on the BLOG today.  

My layout consists of two photos of my boy, dressed in two different turkey hats, two different years!  The kid is crazy!

I used Jen Hadfield's Warm and Cozy collection designed for Pebbles.

Grab anything from the Paper Issues store for 20% off with code: Mary-Ann.

Here is a look at the mood board.  What inspires you?  Can you tell what inspired me?

November planning - me & my BIG ideas

Hi there!  I am on the me & my BIG ideas blog today,

 asking what do you think of when you think of November??  I think of falling leaves, 

Thanksgiving, and this year, our family trip to see some friends.  I wanted to focus of browns and oranges.  When some of the Rose Gold washi's get paired together with the orange from the Neon collection, they take on a slightly different color.  

It is fun to layer different washi tapes to bring out different styles.  

For  more details on what I used for this month in my planner, details on how it came together and more photos, head to the mambi blog.  

Wild Thing - Paper Issues

I am a serious pet lover.  Are you?

I love my dog, I love my cat and I love my kid!  HA!

Anyway, Paper Issues PIFF has a new Animal Challenge once a month where you can link up for animal creations for a chance to win a gift certificate to the Paper Issues store.  

I decided I wanted to do this layout without using a pet paper line.  I chose We R Memory Keepers High Five for this project.  I love how the wild raccoons were a fun play on my wild cat that doesn't like to be held!

Grab this collection or anything else you see in the Paper Issues store for

  20% off when you use Code: Mary-Ann.

***I may have made a mistake and printed these photos twice!  What is a girl to do but layer them up!

Crew - A Flair for Buttons

My favorite photo of the year is on the A Flair for Buttons blog today.  

I used We R Memory Keepers High Five, that I bought at Paper Issues.

20% off with code Mary-Ann.

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Blessings - Paper Issues

Going Cold Turkey in Snow-vember is the title of the November Issue Challenge.  

Play along in the {Friends & Fans} Facebook group for a chance to win a prize.  The deadline is Dec 5th.  Head to the PI blog for a list of the ideas on projects for the challenge.  

I decided to use Flea Market from Doodlebug, available in the PI Store for 20% off with code: Mary-Ann.  I was inspired by the Fall photos, Thanksgiving and spending time with family.  

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Tag You're it - Fancy Pants

Morning.....Tag You're It!  Ever wonder what to do with all those bits and pieces left over from collections?  Well, turn them into tags or cards!  There are usually super cute items left, that just didn't make it onto a layout.  Head to the Fancy Pants blog to see how many tags I made along with more pictures!

I'm With the Band - Paper Issues

I love this photo of my boy playing the trumpet!

This is a photo from from April, being his first year playing.  He also got braces two weeks into band.  That was a huge obstacle but he is really doing great.  

Maybe I should have titled it "Let the Trumpets Blow" which is a popular song right now on the radio.  Every time Bub plays, his dad starts singing that song!  Maybe my next layout. 

Anyway, on the Paper Issues blog today, the Design Team his spotlighting the Gather collections designed by Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper.  Wait until you see how EVERY layout looks different.  You would NEVER know they all came from the same collection.  Pretty impressive really.  I also used a FREE cut file from the Paper Issues store.  

Grab anything from the store for 20% off with code: Mary-Ann

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