Week 4 of 52

Week 4: Was my down fall and stumbling block.  The timing is uncanny as my mother was visiting when I was to post about my memories of mom.  I think it was a total mojo killer as we don't have the greatest relationship.  Especially now that she's been brainwashed by the Zionist.  I kid you not, she went on a trip to Israel with a religious group and came back with a skewed  view of the world and our place in it.

So I'm moving forward and going to call it quits on the weekly challenge since we should be up to week 7 or 8 by now.  Maybe I'll come back to it again at a later date.

What will I do now.  Well I have a few tricks up my sleeve or maybe that's layout.  Stay tuned for a reveal coming soon.

 

Week 3 of 52

Week 3. What memories do you have of your father (his name, birth date, birthplace, parents, and so on)?

My Dad Joseph John Tencza, was born  August 29th 1944 to Joseph and Marguerite Tencza in New Port, Rhode Island

I have so many memories of my Dad, but most of them revolve around our milatray moves and the long extended road trips to get from one duty station to the next.  Our longest trip was coming back stateside from Hawaii.  We had to pick up our car in LA, where we stayed with my moms aunt and uncle for a few days to adjust. Then it was cross country to Maryland.  We crossed through some beautiful country on that trip and got a chance to hike in Zion National park.  My other fond memories all have to do with road races.  My father was an avid jogger and would drag my brother and I along for fun runs. 5-10K.  We were always moving

I was lucky enough to have him around for 33 yrs of my life. Unfortunately he lost his fight with Leukemia April 8th 2007  

Week 2 of 52 weeks of questions

I'm joining along with a fellow blogger on this journey. Of answering  one question for the next 52 weeks. ( Lora got the idea another blogger some time ago but is just now starting). The whole idea is to tell your own story by answering one question a week.

Week 2: When and where were you born? Describe your home, your neighborhood, and the town you grew up in.

When: January 15, 1973  I was an Emergency C-section because my mom was running a high fever and wasn't progressing with her labor.

Where:  Weisbaden, Germany in the Military Hospital.  I honestly can't tell you about Germany as I really don't remember much from my first 2 and 1/2 years.  I also didn't have a childhood home as we moved every couple of years.  If I had to pick one place it would be Upper Marlboro, Maryland.  My mom's parents home.  My brother and I would spend weekends there when my Dad was stationed at the Pentagon.  It was also the place we would go in between moves when all our belongings were packed up for shipping cross country.  I still remember the hillside home with a daylight basement and the creepy area that was the furnace room/ workshop.  Playing hide and seek in the dark and catching fireflies

52 questions in 52 weeks

I'm joining along with a fellow blogger on this journey. Of answering  on question for the next 52 weeks. ( Lora got the idea another blogger some time ago but is just now starting). The whole idea is to tell your own story by answering one question a week. People that love ancestry love finding diaries, journals, and letters, because they tell about everyday life. Not just the big stuff, but the every day little stuff.

So... here goes 

Week 1: What is your full name? Explain why your parents gave you that name

Haven Michelle Amacher (Tencza)

The story goes... something like this.  Both of my parents knew a Haven my mother a femal and my father a male.  ( personally think it was Haven Moses the Denver Broncos football legend, but I never got that confirm.  Regardless I would have been Haven, male or female.

My middle name was a compromise  as my maternal grandmother is French and had a difficult time with Haven so my parents went with Michelle which was pretty much the same in English or French.  It also doesn't hurt that my mother had a French cousin(male) also named Michele.

My maiden name is Tencza, which is Polish. The direct translation is Rainbow, which some of my friends glommed onto when I was at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  They tried to turn me into a hippie calling me Haven Rainbow.  Fortunately , I was a bit too conservative for it to stick.

So there you have it...

Happy NSD

Holy cow it's been a almost a month since I posted last and I'm not going to get a chance to scrap this weekend for National Scrapbook day either.  I'm headed to Florence Oregon to facilitate an adult girl scout training. It seems like my volunteer life keeps getting busier and busier, so with that said.  I need to start making time for me and some serious scrapping, but with out deadlines, so I'm stepping down from Lasting memories Design team.  I feel like I'm letting them down by sitting out so much.  I haven't even managed to finish commenting on the April challenges.  

  Until I surface again happy scrapping

Lasting Memories April 16- Easter Sunday use bunnies, chicks or eggs

Happy Easter Sunday everyone.  I hope the Easter bunny stopped at your house with some special treats.  I'm trying to cut back on the amount of sugar I'm consuming so I decide to treat myself to some new scrapping supplies this spring instead of indulging in a chocolate bunny.

I picked up the Creative memories power palette folders.  Now that I'm doing more kits I like to keep everything together so I don't have to hunt and search for coordinating papers and embellishments.  Next up is creating my own kits from my stash.

 

Anyway on to this weeks Challenge which is to create a layout using Bunnies, chicks or eggs.

Also don't forget there is plenty of time for  you to play along with our first two spring challenges as well (use flowers, use the word spring)

 

Here's my Easter layout from April 2015

 

I used the March jumpstart sketch from TSR, but added a few twist

Super cute bunny from the march  TSR kit "Echo Park- Celebrate Easter/Spring"

 

 The lined paper in the kit was the perfect place to add journaling to the layout

 and my title piece is salvage from the paper identification strip. 

 

Hope You enjoyed my inspiration.  Please join us over at lasting memories for our Spring Challenges

 

Lasting Memories April 9th - use the word spring in your title or journaling

Welcome to the second spring themed layout challenge.  This week we are asking you to create a layout that uses the word Spring in the title or journaling.  We can't wait to see what you come up with and don't forget it's not to late to join us for last weeks challenge to use flowers.

I choose to go with the word Spring in my title and was inspired by the March 15th sketch over at Stuck sketches. Nothing like a good sketch to get the creative juices flowing.  I've been away from scrapping for too long due to girl scouts and I have a feeling that this Spring will be busy too.

 

But for now here it is my "Spring Planting" layout

 featuring my Junior scout Danielle and her troop mate Samantha. 

I pulled the blue polka dot paper from my stash as it was a close match to one of the journal cards I have from the GS kit I've been trying to use up.  I got it from one of my former scouts that was cleaning out her closet.  Cute die cutes and bugs go perfectly with the theme too

 

 

 

My "spring" title and journaling

 

Hope you've been inspired to create a spring layout. 

 Don't forget to share it with us at lasting memories.

 

 

Lasting Memories April 2 -Spring Flowers

I can't believe Spring is finally here after weeks and weeks of non stop rain for us in the Pacific Northwest, so to celebrate all of the challenges this month will have a Spring theme.

This week we are asking you to create a layout using spring flowers.  It can be photos of flowers, patterned paper with flowers or even bunches of flower embellishments.  I went with flower embellishments as my photos are actually from November/Dec 2015.  I did however go with the bright spring colors to compliment the flowers on my layout and to pull in the blue on the bow my daughter uses.

 

  I went with flower embellishments as my photos are actually from November/Dec 2015.  I did however go with the bright spring colors to compliment the flowers on my layout and to pull in the blue on the bow my daughter uses.

 

I also used  even more scrapping challenge

 

The flowers are a mix of die cuts from my TSR kit " Jillibean soup Chit Chat chowder" and felt flowers that I have had in my stash for a while along with the assorted pearls and gems.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you join us at lasting memories for our spring challenges

sneak peak of things to come

I'm so excited to host April's challenges at Lasting Memories.

I've been busy this Spring break scrapping away as I know my creative time will be cut short with upcoming scout events.

 

So what's on the schedule?

Think Spring and check out these little peaks

 

Each challenge will go live on Sundays in April.

Can't wait

latest creation for Blue and Gold Banquet

Yup it's that time of year again and yes I don't know how to say NO,
so I've been busy cranking out the silent auction signage again this year. 
The theme is Americana a.k.a Red, White and blue.

I saved the negative cut outs to make the banners for the kids  auction.

Love that I saved paper and time

 

Now to make a few more table markers as the ones from last year won't be enough as the large group of tigers are now wolves and our bear den doubled in size this year.  Should be okay on Wolves and Webelos though.

Then the rest of the spring break I plan to craft and get ahead with DT challenges.

  So I am in the craft room getting stuff do, just have to wait on posting it all

I'm back in the craft room

Yeah...Girl scout cookie sales are over for another year.  I have to thank my amazing new daisy leader for coming to my rescue this year and helping me with cookies.  Brande did all the money collecting and was my second pair of eyes.  Which came in handy twice to find missing cookies.  I have a great system as long as I don't forget to do an entry or two.  Which is really easy to do now that we are a troop of 50+.

Anyway enough of the blabbing.  I was just over on the DT blog at Lasting memories updating my challenges for next month.. Can't wait to get started with some spring themed challenges. So come back soon to see what they are.  I can tell you this much that I'll definitely be using my new TSR kit "echo park- Celebrate Spring/Easter"

Now to go and find just the right photos for such fun paper.  I'll be back soon to show it off, but in the  mean time know that I am happily crafting away

Use your Stuff- dry embossing

Hi there, It's my turn to host the challenge at Use your Stuff.

If you're an avid paper crafter then chances are you have a bunch of embossing folder that you just had to have and now don't use.   This week we are asking you to break them out and create a project using dry embossing.  No folders no problem you can hand emboss with a stylus and stencil or just break out the pre embossed paper from your stash.

 

 

For my project I tried a technique I've see but never done.  I inked my sizzix wood grain folder from stampin up with distress ink then ran the paper through.  I love the end result as it almost looks like barn wood.

Pertty much everything on this card I've had in my stash for a long time.

The wood veneer "hi" is rubbed with blue chalk ink as well as the fabric ribbon. got the veneer in a pack from Michael's when wood phrases were just becoming hot.  The chalk is from the target dollar spot from 4yrs ago.   The adorable little bird is actually from a valentine card kit that I also picked up from target 2 years ago.  Bought it post holiday thinking the youngest would like making her own cards with them for next year.  Totally wrong.

 

The tiny flowers have been living in a cute glass jar for at least 10 yrs, so glad to use up a few more.

 

And there you have it my last creation for the Use your stuff team. 

I've had fun playing along with the challenges.  I'll probably pop in now and again as time allows as I'm coming up on my busy time of the year for scouts with trainings and camps

 

 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to join us at Use your Stuff

Thanksgiving with Stuck

I'm working my way through the box of photos in the scrap room and am up to November of 2014.

I decided to tweak the Stuck sketch a little to fit my photos theme but otherwise it is pretty similar.

Loving the giant Turkey. 

I used some more of my TSR kit simple stories " hello Fall " from the Oct 2016 kit.

Only have a few scraps left so you might be seeing another project to us it up.  Just need to find the time.  My weekends have been consumed by girl scout cookies.  2 weeks left

 

Thanks for stopping by to take a peak

 

Lasting memories "in the name of love photo challenge"

Welcome to the fourth and final challenge for in the name of love challenges.

 This week we are challenging you to use this photo for  inspiration for your layout.

 

I initially wanted to go with the red and black but my photo and papers available in the kit I was working from took my in another direction.  I did use the black, but that's it color wise.

 

The cluster of plates and candles reminded me of a butterfly so I went with that as an embellishment

 

And here it is:

 

 

I based my layout on the show us your stuff sketch challenge for February

 

I tried using a die and embossing plate with my cuttlebug. 

It is part of a prize pack I won last month.  Haven't figured it out just yet and the embossing didn't stand out on the busy pattern so I added glitter glue.  So kind of hand made but not.

 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to join us at lasting memories

 

 

 

Design team call at Use your stuff

While I have enjoyed my time as a DT with Use your Stuff it's time for me to move on.  I'm headed into a busy camping and training season for girl scouts and don't think I can commit the time to crafting.  I'm having a rough time right now as we are just starting cookie sales and I help oversee the a troop of 50+ girls. 

 

The design team is a super supportive and creative group

and the best part of all is You don't have to have DT experience.

  You can be a scrapbooker, mixed media artist, ATC creator, card maker, bible journaler, project lifer, or anything in between....if you love to create and can make our challenges work within your medium then please apply.

 You do need to have a blog or FB page where you can highlight the challenges to others.  Our whole purpose is to motivate and inspire others so we want to get the word out there.   You  also need to be a FB member as our communication, challenges, etc are discussed in a FB group.

Your DT term would be from April until September with the option to return for a following term creating a minimum of 2 projects a month (ever other week).  You will also be hosting a challenge about once or twice a term depending on the rotation.

 

So if you're interested in joining the team here's what you need to do:

email Tammy at tampatha01@gmail.com with the subject line UYS DT Call.   Be sure to include a little blurb about yourself and your crafting as well as a link to your work or some examples.

Bingo with Use your Stuff

Happy Monday and welcome to use your stuff BINGO challenge

 

 

I used: brads, pink, hearts and ribbon to create this layout

of my husbands Aunt Diane funeral. 

 

 

I was inspired by  Scrap-n-sketch # 122

and paired it with my latest TSR kit fancy Pants " sweet nothings"

The papers are perfect for this challenge as it has the Pink and Red for the challenge.

 

I never thought I'd go with a valentine style paper to document a funeral but it works because Diane loved my children like they were her own grand kids.  She'd take them out for special one on one dates, taught them to crochet and tend roses.  She was truly special

 

I went with a solid piece to back my title work as the paper is rather busy.

I used multiple die cuts here: Wonderful banner, heart and don't forget.  I also have the brads holding it all in place

 

for my last two bingo items I have the different hand cut and wire clip heart as well as grey ribbon and a paper ribbon die cut for the bottom cluster

 

Thanks for stopping by to take a peak.  For more inspiration stop by Use your Stuff to see the other designers creations.

 

 

 

February Guest at Stick it down

I'm so excited to be featured as the guest double page designer for Stick it down.

 

I created another girl scout layout and featured last years world thinking day as February is the month that girl scouts celebrates the World association of girl guides and girl scouts.  There are over 144 countries involved in WAGGS, so it's a great time to learn about our sister scouts and the countries they live in.

 

 

 and here's the sketch that I used to create this months layout

 

 

For the left side of the layout I altered the photo sizes to fit the subjects

and on the right side I went with a larger Journal block which I swapped out for a smaller photo on the outer edge, however the general layout is pretty much the same.

 

 close up of the journaling as there was quit a bit to tell

 

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. 

You can find more inspiration from the Stick it down design team on the blog

 

Arrow and Hearts at Lasting memories

 This months "All in the name of Love challenges continues with using HEARTS or ARROWS.

Use one or both of these shapes on your layouts.  I used both for mine.

 I went with the heart paper as I was looking for some red to pull from the color of the Quad and it fit the challenge.  I used Creative Memories a year to remember paper line.  The arrows and paper bits are all from CM except for the blue cardstock.
 

 

I used the February Jump start from TSR

 

My layout has three photos as I squeezed in two pictures on the vertical photo spot.  I like how I was able to crop out the background and get more of the kids with their uncle. 

 

I wanted the title to stand out from the background paper so I mounted it onto solid card stock.

The letters are perfect too, as they are red and the J is topped with the heart.  I also did a bit of hand written title work too.  Finished the whole thing off by throwing in some sequence and a few enamel dots too

 

Close up of arrow cluster

 

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to join us at lasting memories

 

Lasting memories- Love Challenge

Sorry I'm late getting the current challenge posted for Lasting memories. 

 I was in Portland this weekend attending a girl scout training then hanging out with my good friends Crystal and Tami.  I'll share a couple of photos from our weekend at the end of the post

 

 

This weeks challenge is to use your stuff all in the name of LOVE

Use a product that starts with each letter of the word love.

 

My letters are:

L= layers, O= orange and oval tag, V= velum, E=embellishments (snaps) 

 

I used the January single page at SID


 

I skipped the title in favor of the arrows since I had the velum journal box

 

 

After printing the list I filled in which scout did what

 

Thanks for stopping by to take a look and don't forget to join us at lasting memories

 

 

Saturday night after training we went urban orienteering.  I didn't take any pictures outside but here's the map.  Made it to 21-24, 19,27-28, 1-5, 30 and back to the start at the Lucky Lab in Multnomah Village.  Super hilly terrain. 

 

Dinner after orienteering at Little Lamb Hot Pot in Beaverton

Red is spicy broth, white is original

My GS BFF- Crystal

Sunday morning at Pittock Mansion over looking Portland

 

derby 2017

My husband wanted me to just throw together a layout of my son working on his derby car to have at this weekends derby.  He wanted to highlight that boys should be helping or doing the work and that it wasn't supposed to be an adult craft.  Anyway, I rushed to get it done with some success

I created the camo effect my rubbing Cloudy sky ink pad onto the bright green paper

added a few splashes of color from the last of a kit and there you have it.

 

Thanks for taking a peak