paper rhino

February sneaks and an Ali giveaway!

2012-01-15T15:02:00.005-05:00

We've loaded our February kit, "By the Numbers", with so many different kinds of numbers, we'll leave you to count them all. An exclusive Cocoa Daisy stamp of stacked numbers, silver metal numbers from Tim Holtz, 7 Gypsies' safety pins, Elle's Studio cards, Sassafras Lass tags, and a bit of My Mind's Eye paper all support our number theme this month, but don't worry, numbers aren't the only things you'll get. We've added some cheerful embellishments and lots of newly released great paper from Crate Paper, My Mind's Eye and Basic Grey to round it all out. Add to that our gorgeous add ons and new Embellishment Pack, and we know you'll definitely be counting the days until your Cocoa Daisy box, packed with goodness, hits your doorstep this February!

Here is a sneak peek at our add-ons:

We even have a special Valentine themed add-on:

We don't want to forget our stamp subscribers so here is a little sneak for you as well:

Beginning in March we are changing up our stamp subscriptions so that there will no longer be duplicates between the Stamp Subscription and our Main Kit.

We have extended the special 6-month promo we are currently offering until the 18th.
We wanted to start 2012 off with big bang, so we are offering a FREE ADD-ON AND STAMP to anyone signing up for a new 6-month subscription. Your subscription would start with the January kit and you can choose any available add-on and stamp from the January kit or any of our past kits! Simply include your selections in the comments section when you check out.

Make sure you head on over to Ali's Blog for a great Cocoa Daisy giveaway! But hurry it ends tonight!!

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

January Cocoa Daisy layouts

2012-01-08T17:57:00.005-05:00

Thought I would share my layouts using the January Cocoa Daisy kit:
I love the combination of oranges, yellows and teal in this months kit, so bright and happy to play with when it's all grey and cold outside. I used a Crafter's Workshop stencil with some white mist for the background. I highlighted a few of the circles with some hand stitching.

Nothing better to go with a kit called "Tea & Cupcakes" then a layout about a Tea mug :)

For this last one I really wanted to play with some paint and some tone and tone texture, it's not my normal style but I was in the mood to play and I think it's always important to try new things and learn about ourselves through creative play. I started out by misting the white cardstock then painting over parts of it with some white acryclic paint. Then I layered on some hole reinforcers. I used the plastic ring from an empty tape dispenser dipped in white paint and orange paint to create a few more circles. Then I brushed more white paint over areas and a bit of mist. The final step was some hand stitching.

Can you all tell I was in a very "Circle" mood!

Christmas Photo and the new year.

2012-01-03T11:29:00.005-05:00

Merry Christmas from me, the boys and Blu :)

Well the ol' blog got pretty dusty this last year, 2011 was an overwhelming year to say the least and some things just had to be put on the back burner. Right now 2012 is not looking much better, a lot of things going on right now that make me think 2012 is going to be a big uphill year, but like the artwork that my Mom gave me says "choose FAITH over worry". I'm trying to keep that thought forefront in my mind but man some days it's hard!

With all that said the one thing I realize that I need to do this year is make more time for me to meditate and just be still, to be creative and find the calm that it always brings me. So I guess that is the one thing I am setting as my goal for this year, I know I NEED to do this as presently I am no good to anyone all stressed and wore out! Hopefully with that I will be able to post more on my blog and again share my passions with all of you.

Christmas was stressful and upsetting but fortunately I was able to get away and spend time with Jeffery (which always makes things better).

So, here is to 2012 and the hopes for calmness and strength!! Wishing all of you a wonderful 2012!!

It's time for Tea & Cupcakes

2011-12-28T19:33:00.006-05:00

The perfect anecdote to winter’s grey skies, our January 2012 kit, Tea & Cupcakes will warm you with cheery colors like blues, greens and yellows, just like a good cup of tea warms you on a cold day. And the cozy textures of felt and velvet remind us a bit of the fluffy frosting on a tasty cupcake. Tags sporting happy sayings, optimistic clouds, and an exclusive stamp featuring the perfect mug for tea. Paper and embellishments from Simple Stories, Basic Grey, American Crafts and the ever-to-be-missed Sassafras, make this kit a friendly smile on a cold and cloudy day.

“Tea & Cupcakes”

and the add-ons:
"Whipped Cream & Sprinkles"

"Red Velvet"

"Honey & Lemon"

Don't forget we now offer stamp subscriptions! Here are the stamps for this month:

We have taken our stamps out of the add ons not only to reduce the cost of the add ons but also to allow our customers to purchase exactly what they want.

We are expanding our store to better serve you and this month we have a number of paints and inks that coordinate beautifully with the main kit. Keep checking back in the store to see what new goodies we have added.

Remember Subscribers get first shot at the add-ons tonight at 9pm EST. The main kit and add-ons will be available to everyone on January 1st, 2012.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday season!

November kit, vacation photos & Christmas kit sneak!

2011-11-01T21:18:00.009-05:00

Bed & Breakfast, Cocoa Daisy's November kit, is now available to purchase in the shop! If you haven't had a chance to check it out along with the remaining add ons, you won't be disappointed. Bed & Breakfast is an eclectic mix of manufacturers including Amy Tangerine's line for American Crafts, Crate Paper, Jillibean Soup, and Fancy Pants to name just a few. Included with the kit is a stencil from Julie Balzer and Crafter's Workshop, full of possibilities! We've added wooden buttons from Prima, die cuts from Amy Tangerine, and our exclusive stamp to make your own paper quilts!

Here is a little sneak peek at our Christmas project kit:

It has enough papers to complete any project! There is also an exclusive stamp, along with tons of embellishments & fun goodies like a stencil and spray ink!
It goes on sale to subscribers on November 14th! It will be available to everyone on the 15th.
PLUS we are planning some free fun activities on the boards to help motivate your Christmas Crafting!!!

I am cheating a little by combining my vacation photos with the mini album I created with the November kit and add-ons :)

Don't forget our crop is coming up November 11-13!! It's Cocoa Daisy's 5 year anniversary and we have a lot of great things planned!

November sneak peeks!

2011-10-19T09:22:00.004-05:00

We're opening the grand old stained glass and wooden paneled door just a crack to show you a sneak peek at our November kit, Bed and Breakfast. Can you see the heirloom handpieced quilts on the beds? How about the wine basket, filled with goodies? Every side table and buffet is home to a hand crocheted doily or two. You may even spot pillows festooned with vintage buttons on the velvet davenport. Just as the many rooms in a bed and breakfast mixed together make for a lovely mixture of colors and textures, this kit will make you happy with its eclectic style. Featuring a template from Crafter's Workshop, fabric paper from Amy Tangerine, a collection of papers by the likes of Jillibean Soup, Fancy Pants, and Crate, and a vintage-inspired button here or there, we're certain this little peek into November's Bed and Breakfast kit will make you want to visit us again and again.

and some peeks at a few of November's add ons:

I had a wonderful weekend in Wyoming and will post some photos our day in the mountains.
Have a happy Wednesday!
Christine

Lots of great things at Cocoa Daisy this month!

2011-10-02T09:45:00.009-05:00

First of all here is the warm and inviting October kit "Farmer's Market":

This month's kit has sold out but you can email me at "mailbox@cocoadaisy.com" to be put on a wait list.

Ronda has put together this adorable Halloween mini album project kit:

Instructions will be included along with bonus instructions for a Halloween Decor item. We still have a few of them left in the store!

Lastly I am so excited to introduce a new way to better serve our Stamp loving customers; we now offer Stamp Subscriptions! In the past we have worked around the store flat rate for those of you that wanted to just purchase one or two stamps by either issuing a Paypal invoice with lower shipping or I would just refund some of the shipping from your store order. But now you can get ALL 3 Cocoa Daisy stamps each month (yes we will have THREE stamps each month) for only $11.00. And shipping is $2.50 for domestic, $3.00 for Canada and $3.50 for international. Now you can have your Cocoa Daisy stamps automatically shipped to your home each month! How cool is that! You can read all about it here.

And here is what I created with this month's kit:

LOVE this month's main kit stamp, this honeycomb stamp makes a great background stamp!

I dug out my old alpha stamps and played with them on this one :)

Have a great week every one!

Cocoa Daisy October Sneak Peeks: "Farmer's Market"

2011-09-15T13:51:00.003-05:00

October brings on crisp days and chilly nights, changing of leaves, the smell of baked apples, picking pumpkins from the patch, and strolling down the Farmer’s Market finding fresh produce and homemade goods. Our October kit, Farmer’s Market, is filled with all those beautiful reminders of why so many people love this season. Lush warm tones with pops of unexpected colors, fun embellishments, and our exclusive Cocoa Daisy stamp, this kit is sure to please. So many great manufactures including Jillibean Soup, American Crafts, Crate Paper, Maya Road, and Little Yellow Bicycle just to name a few. We know you love the stamps so much, we have included some exclusive sets to the beautiful add-ons.

Here's a peek at "Farmer's Market"

And a couple of the add-ons:

"Canned Peaches"

"Pumpkin Soup"

"Apple Pie"

Join us on September 28th, 4pm Eastern for the full reveal plus chats, prizes, and games. We hope to see you there!

WOW! What a year!

2011-09-01T10:47:00.002-05:00

Just a little note on my 1 year anniversary.

I want to start out by saying a big THANK YOU to everyone on my design team for all the help and support they have given me over the last year, I absolutely could not have done it all without them. I also could not have gotten through all the deadlines, the stress and my "to-do" lists without Ronda cheering me on and telling me to "just breathe". There is one person, however, that most of you have never seen or heard of who has made this year possible and that is my Mom. She has listened to my worries, my rants, my happy news and helped me pack every single kit! I started this journey in the middle of a divorce, while moving in with my parents and buying a new home, last summer and fall were some of the hardest times of my life, but my goal was to make sure that you, my subscribers, never had a late kit and aside from a random exception or two I am proud to say we have achieved that goal!

Now that my life has settled into a routine and I know most of the ins and outs of how everything works I am ready to dig in and really make this company reflect me and my vision. This past year has been a fresh start for me and it only seems appropriate that Cocoa Daisy get a fresh start too! So I am very excited to announce our new logo design, which you will see on the boxes, the packing slips, stickers and the website too!

I have a lot of great things planned for this year, make sure you sign up for our newsletter (and pass it on to all your friends) so you don't miss any of the news! I can't wait to share all that I have in store for Cocoa Daisy.

I also want to thank all of YOU, my subscribers. Without you there would be no Cocoa Daisy. Thank you for joining me on this journey and for letting me deliver boxes of scrappy goodness each and every month. Each kit is like a creation to me and I am thrilled that you are enjoying them and being inspired by them.

Best wishes,

Christine Drumheller

September's Reveal!!

2011-08-28T19:11:00.007-05:00

Happy Cocoa Daisy reveal day!! I can't believe that September is already here! Where did the summer go!! But, not only does September mark the end of summer it also marks my 1 year anniversary of owning Cocoa Daisy. WOW, what a year its been! I have so many great things planned for Cocoa Daisy this year - make sure you sign up for our newsletter so you don't miss out on any of the news!

For now though let's take a look at the September kit:
"Printer's Drawer"
Typeface. Fonts. Lettering. There is just something comforting in seeing the written word, whatever form it may be in. This month’s kit pays homage to the wonderful world of type, but in true Cocoa Daisy fashion the kit has a bit of a twist! We’ve paired newsprint with bright citrus colors, beautiful typography papers, handmade fabric yo-yos, playful metal accents, and an artsy journaling stamp you will be reaching for over and over again!

And a couple of September's add-ons:

"Stop the presses"

"Breaking News"

"Typo"

You can find these and more of our September Add-ons in the Cocoa Daisy Store.

And my creations using the September kit:

I'll be back with more news about the exciting things happening at Cocoa Daisy on the 1st!

Yeah, I know, I'm waaaaaay behind!

2011-08-18T22:14:00.004-05:00

All I can say is trying to run a business from home and take care of two energetic little boys all day is a bit time consuming!
But I wanted to check in quick and post the sneak peeks for September's kit "Printer's Drawer"

Here is a little peek at the main kit:

And one of the add-on kits for September "Breaking News":

So many big things are in the works!! So much I need to share with you all! I promise to be back soon with more news!

Happy reveal day!

2011-06-28T07:52:00.003-05:00

Today is reveal day at Cocoa Daisy! I hope you can join us for the full reveal of the July kit "Urban Loft" and all it's add-ons! The Design Team has created some beautiful projects with this months kit and those will be revealed tonight as well. So please join us tonight at 4pm EST for all the fun and games!

Here are a couple sneak peeks of my layouts:

Registration for Ronda's class "10 things" is now open!!!

July sneaks, classes and a special promotion OH MY!

2011-06-15T20:49:00.006-05:00

We have so many great things going on this month at Cocoa Daisy!

Let’s start with a very special Summer promotion:
Sign up for a 6-month Cocoa Daisy Subscription and receive 20% off the July kit as well as a coupon good for $5.00 off Ronda’s on-line class “10-Things”.
By purchasing a subscription you would be guaranteed a July kit which is the kit featured in Ronda’s “10 Things” class. You’ll also be first in line to purchase the class completer set add-on.

And now the sneak peek of the Cocoa Daisy July kit:
‘Modern, trendy and oh so chic’ , is the best way to describe Cocoa Daisy’s July kit ‘Urban Loft’. With its soft yet intense colors from manufacturers like Sassafras, Basic Grey and American Crafts, it is sure to inspire your inner designer.
This kit combines the best summer catwalk colors and brings together Bohemian Paris with New York Urban Chic!
You are not going to want to miss the unique style of this kit – Gossip Girl meet Holly Golightly!

Here is a little peek at the main kit “Urban Loft”:

Ronda’s class “10 things” completer set:

“Pencil Factory”

“South Loop”

“Theatre District”

“Telegraph Hill”

And last but certainly not least I am very excited to announce Cocoa Daisy Classes. Our first class will be taught by our very own amazingly talented Ronda Palazzari.

Here is the information on her class:
“10 Things”
In this class, taught by Ronda Palazzari, you will receive step by step instructions for a complete mini album project along with many tips and techniques, including a video tutorial.
This adorable mini album created with Cocoa Daisy’s July kit “Urban Loft” and the completer kit (sold as an add-on), is chalk full of tips and techniques. The mini is a lot of fun and you can adapt it to any subject you choose! 10 loves, 10 summer activities, 10 vacation spots, 10 stories….etc! The possibilities are endless! You will find yourself using these tips and techniques over and over on all your projects!
The on-line class will be available July 30th to allow everyone time to receive their July kit and add-ons. Signups begin June 28th!
Please note: Purchase of the Cocoa Daisy’s July kit is not required to participate in the class.

Wow!! What a great month July is going to be!

June Cocoa Daisy layouts.

2011-05-30T09:08:00.006-05:00

I have to admit that my favorite layouts are always those with a white background and BRIGHT colors! That explains why I had so much fun playing with this months kit - it was full of bright pretty colors! In fact there were enough colors and patterns in this months kit for me to create a rainbow :)

The butterfly punches are from Martha Stewart. The title is made using the ampersand stamp from the main kit and the exclusive completer stamp set available ala carte in the store.

The background on this layout was made using a stencil from Crafter's Workshop. I used this same stencil on a layout last month, but just by using brighter mist colors on white the look is totally different.

Out of all the fun stuff in this month's kit these little teeny tiny paper clips are one of my favorite embellishments.

I found this picture of Nate and his cousins (yes that is my little Na Na! who is now almost 9!) when we moved and have had it on my desk waiting for the right kit. Well with a banner that says "summer days" I think this month's kit fit perfectly!

Instead of a mist add-on this month I chose some bright paint and ink colors from Jenni Bowlin and after seeing this beautiful creation from Anja I knew how I wanted to use them. I always have leftover bits of paper from when I mist and stamp that are just too pretty to throw away and now I have the perfect place to put them. I want this to be a work in progress so I am just binding my book together with a big binder clip - makes it easy to add pages and to pull out pages and play with them.

Front cover:

The start of my interior pages:

The back cover:

Lastly is just simple piece of wall art. I think it will look pretty in a plain white frame.

Hope you all are having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Reveal night and subscriptions

2011-05-24T19:24:00.002-05:00

Don't forget reveal night for the yummy June kit "Cherry Soda" is this Saturday the 28th, join us for games and a few fun prizes as we reveal the entire kit and add-on contents as well as the Design Team's creations.

We still have subscriptions available for the June kit and you can get them here.

June Sneak Peek!!

2011-05-15T15:40:00.006-05:00

“Yummy” is the best way to describe Cocoa Daisy’s June kit “Cherry Soda”. Bright colors and bold patterns paired with a great variety of embellishments from October Afternoon, Crate Paper, Basic Grey and Sassafras Lass make this month’s kit absolutely scrumptious! And the exclusive Cocoa Daisy stamp that is included in the main kit has a companion stamp that will be available as an add-on! You all are going to love this months kit and add-ons and because we have listened to your requests we have increased the add-on quantities this month.

Main kit sneak:

Add-on sneaks:

"Root beer Float"

"Chocolate Malt"

"Strawberry Milkshake"

"Fruit Smoothie"

June paint and ink add-on:

Don’t forget to join us for the full reveal on the 28th!

Cocoa Daisy Spring Crop!!

2011-05-13T20:15:00.003-05:00

We are having a blast laughing, scrapping and inspiring each other! Please come and join us:

May layouts

2011-05-04T21:29:00.005-05:00

Here are my layouts created using the May Cocoa Daisy kit "Vintage Ink". I have started to include an "artsy" add-on to coordinate with each month's kit. This month's was a set of spray inks and I used them with a couple different masks to create some subtle background patterns.

The May kit is sold out but we do have a large quantity of the Ink Spot Stamp set that was a part of the main kit still available.

Have a great Thursday!

Cocoa Daisy May kit "Vintage Ink"

2011-05-01T20:09:00.002-05:00

Inspired by all your favorite places to search for hidden treasure Cocoa Daisy's May kit "Vintage Ink" is full of bits, baubles and beautiful papers. With new embellishments and papers from Pink Paislee, October Afternoon, Tim Holtz and 7gypsies this months kit will have you hunting for photos to scrap!

We have a few May kits and add-ons still available.

Due to the high demand for our add-ons we are increasing our quantities beginning with the June kit. Thank you all so much for your patience .

Woo hoo!! May reveal night party!!

2011-04-28T14:03:00.002-05:00

I hope you all can make it to our reveal night party tonight!! Head on over to Cocoa Daisy at 4pm to join us as we reveal the May kit and its add-ons. You will also be able to see the Design Teams amazing work using the May kit "Vintage Ink". We have some fun games and prizes planned, I really hope you can join us!

For the love of type

2011-04-20T12:25:00.003-05:00

I stumbled across this today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ph0ooDzD4ZQ
It only reaffirmed my obsessive love for letters :) Typography is truly an art form and I think watching what an artist does to create just one letter should leave no doubt in your mind that type is more than just words and letters. Their form and flow communicate along with what is written.

Stop to admire some type today :)

And one more.

2011-04-18T18:18:00.003-05:00

It's snowing here today and it's only supposed to get up in the mid 30's tomorrow! But I felt very "springy" playing with my April Cocoa Daisy kit :) I wanted to do just one more layout before I put it away to start working with the May kit. You may recognize this photo of Zach from an earlier post.

The alpha border is a good way to use up some of your extra alpha stickers :)

May sneaks!!

2011-04-15T19:57:00.006-05:00

Inspired by all your favorite places to search for hidden treasure Cocoa Daisy’s May kit “Vintage Ink” is full of bits, baubles and beautiful papers. With new embellishments and papers from Pink Paislee, October Afternoon, Tim Holtz and 7gypsies this months kit will have you hunting for photos to scrap!

Here is a sneak peek at the main kit:

And a little peek at the May add-ons:

"Antique Store"

"Estate Sale"

"Flea Market"

"Thrift Shop"

Don't forget to join us on the 28th for the full reveal!

DAISY BOXES!!

2011-04-04T15:15:00.002-05:00

What are Daisy Boxes you say? And why am I so excited about them? Well it's spring clean up time in the Daisy Patch! We have a lot of exciting things planned for this summer and to make room for all the new product coming in we need to clear out the leftovers from our past kits. We have put together medium and large "Daisy Boxes" using leftover bits and pieces from some of our past kits. The medium Daisy Boxes retail for $15 and are filled with $30-$35 worth of product! The large Daisy Boxes retail for $25 and are filled to the brim with $50-$60 worth of product!! Seriously there is so much in these boxes! This is a great way to stock up on some of your favorite papers and embellishments from past Cocoa Daisy kits and add-ons.

Here are examples of a couple of our large Daisy Boxes:

You can find them in the store under "Daisy Boxes".

Happy spring everyone!

Spring has sprung......

2011-03-29T10:55:00.009-05:00

......not here in Michigan, but it has definitely warmed up over at Cocoa Daisy!! This month's kit "Central Park" is full of bright, warm colors and plenty of butterflies and blooms sure to chase those winter "blahs" away!
Here is a look at the full kit and it's add-ons:

"Central Park"

"Willowdell" add-on

"Treefoil" add-on

"Greengap" add-on

"Ramble" add-on

I have started including a new add-on each month; some sort of mist or paint that will coordinate with the main kit. This month's is a set of two Spray mists, "Lemonade" and "Clover".

These two soft colors blend perfectly with the greens and blues in the main kit. You can see how I've used them on a couple of my April layouts below:

Just a note, the kits and add-ons are selling very quickly again this month. I have a feeling there will be a very limited amount available on April 1st, so make sure you check the site early!

Have a great day!
Christine

A little peak at "Central Park" Cocoa Daisy's April kit

2011-03-20T13:30:00.001-05:00

Want some spring? Take a walk around the park with our fresh April Kit ‘”Central Park” with blooms, birds and butterflies. With bright spring hues, enjoy the latest and from Basic Grey, Sassafras, Pebbles, Glitz Designs and Bella Blvd. The kit combines modern, sassy and fresh and promises to bring that touch of spring to drive away the winter blues.

Here is a peek at Cocoa Daisy’s April main kit “Central Park”:

And a few little peeks at some of the add-ons:
“Willowdell”

“Trefoil”

"Greengap"

Subscribers can order add-ons on March 28th at 9pm EST and the remaining kits and add-ons will be available to the general public on April 1st 12am EST.

I hope you are ready for spring!

"COFFEE HOUSE"

2011-02-25T16:54:00.007-05:00

Because it is a short month we are doing our big Cocoa Daisy reveal TONIGHT!! Come and join us for all the fun and festivities, we are giving away a RAK and a $10 Cocoa Daisy coupon.
Here is the main kit:

I think this is my favorite Cocoa Daisy stamp ever!!

I had so much fun playing with this stamp! I used it with the Cafe' Ole' add-on (Maya Mist in Latte Metallic and the Maya Resist). I also used it with some clear embossing powder.

Here are my layouts for this month. I tried to resist but I ended up keeping one of each of the add-ons for myself :)

The March kit and add-ons go up for sale at 12am EST on March 1st.

March Cocoa Daisy Sneak Peek!!

2011-02-15T21:50:00.006-05:00

Here is a little sneak peek at March's kit "Coffee House" packed with new product from 7gypsies, Cosmo Cricket and Lillybee to name a few! Plus an exclusive Cocoa Daisy Coffee and Tea ring stamp set. Just like your local Cafe' this kit is full of warmth and richness.

Here is a little peek at the main kit: "Coffee House"

And a little peek at the add-ons:

"Caramel Macchiato"

"Spiced Chai"

"Chocolate Sprinkles"

"Cafe' Ole'"

And last but certainly not least we have Ali's project kit "Scrapbook On The Road" here is a little peek at her kit:

The March Cocoa Daisy kit compliments Ali's kit so they will work perfectly together if you decide to get both.

Add-ons go up for sale to subscribers on February 25th and March 1st to the general public.

February Cocoa Daisy layouts

2011-02-07T22:32:00.005-05:00

Here are the layouts I created using the February Cocoa Daisy kit. I have to say my Design Team was very inspired by this kit and I agree with them! The kit is so full of texture and pretty colors! I am hoping to get caught up this month and have more time to play with it!!

Meet Cocoa Daisy's February kit "Frayed Canvas"

2011-02-01T16:01:00.001-05:00

February's kit "Frayed Canvas" is loaded with texture. Sure to tickle your tactile side with the screen printed canvas paper from Prima, patterned paper from the Mix & Mend Sassafras Lass line, Paperback fabric Thickers from American Crafts and an amazing stamp from Kaiser Craft that looks just like you stamped with bubble wrap! Main kit and add-ons are now up for sale.

CHA here I come!

2011-01-28T09:10:00.003-05:00

I am sitting here at the airport waiting for my flight! I am meeting up with Ronda in Denver then LA here we come!! I am really looking forward to this next week. There are so many great new releases this winter and I am so excited to have them all to choose from for the upcoming Cocoa Daisy kits. If you have a favorite please leave me note would love to know what you all are excited about! I am going to be good this time too and post some tidbits for you all to see.

See you in LA!!

December Daily 2010

2011-01-19T18:38:00.010-05:00

I am done with my December Daily -but I only have pics of days 1-11 to share right now. Hoping to take some pictures of the rest of it tomorrow. This year I decided to only go up to the 25th because I was going to be gone the last week in December and life was just busy enough! Even though it was a very busy month I am glad I took the time to record the activities of our Holiday season.

So here we go:

More to come!

January Cocoa Daisy layouts!

2011-01-17T19:11:00.003-05:00

Here are my creations using the so very yummy January Cocoa Daisy kit "Domestic Bliss"

I could see making a couple of these cute dresses and mounting them on glassless frames for a cute bit of art in your kitchen. Or make one for in a little girl's room.

LOVE that Cocoa Daisy silverware stamp!

December Daily pics tomorrow -that is if I can find time to post them ;)-

Sneak Peek!!

2011-01-15T19:45:00.006-05:00

Here is the little peek at Cocoa Daisy's February kit "Frayed Canvas":

And the so very cool bubble wrap stamp that is in each kit:

A few little sneaks at the add-ons:
"Assemblage"

"Found Objects"

"Mixed Media"

Remember the full reveal is on the 28th and kits go up for sale to the general public on the 1st.

I know I am so behind on posting my January layouts and my December Daily pics - hoping to get to it tomorrow :) Have a great night.

Welcome Charles Thomas Canonico!

2011-01-02T22:27:00.001-05:00

I am so thrilled to let you know Tricia had her newest baby boy on December 30th, 2010. Charles Thomas Canonico was welcomed into the world at 8:04 pm weighing 9 lbs 4 oz and 21 inches long.

Ronda and I went to see Tricia and Charlie on January 1st and to say that he is adorable is just an understatement! So sweet and pudgy, the way all babies should be! Congratulations to Tricia, Scott, Jack and Alice on the newest member to their family.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T10:02:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year from my family to yours!!

January sneak peek & how to get the Dec. kit FREE!

2010-12-15T21:08:00.005-05:00

We have a special promotion going on right now at Cocoa Daisy; if you sign up for a 6-month subscription you will get the December kit for FREE! This is a special offer to NEW subscribers only and normal shipping rates apply for the December kit. This promo ends on the 20th or until the December kit is sold out. I think this is the perfect Christmas gift to give to yourself :0)

Now on to January! Can you believe we are talking about the January kit already! I can’t get over how quickly time is flying by. Well, I am really enjoying being in my new home; decorating, cooking and just making it feel “homey” and that is what January’s kit is all about. January’s kit is the translation of “comfort food” into scrappy goodness! The cozy, yet bright colors and fun embellishments just make you feel good. They also make me want to scrap those special everyday moments like dinner time and bits of our everyday routine.
So here is a little sneak peek at January’s kit “Domestic Bliss”:

And a little peak at the add-ons "Milkman" and "Sack of flour":

Thanks for stopping by! I'll be posting some of the pages of my December Daily real soon!

December Cocoa Daisy layouts

2010-12-09T22:32:00.007-05:00

I'm in the middle of getting all the December kits out the door so here is a quick post to show you my creations using the fab "Winter Magpie" and it's add-ons. The add-ons are all sold out except for the Ekster add-on which I used to create this pretty piece of wall art. I took an inexpensive frame, removed the glass and covered the backer board with a nubby linen fabric. I tinted some gesso with cream paint and swiped it across the tags for a bit of texture. I then splattered some silver paint on the tags and added a bit of the mica snow from the main kit to a few of the tags. After everything was dry I created the layers on the tags using the stamp set from the Ekster add-on and leftover bits and scraps from the main kit. I think it turned out so pretty!

And here are my Design Team projects:

I am hoping to have time this weekend to really dig into my December Daily - have a great rest of the week!

Cocoa Daisy's Guest Designer Lisa Pace's online workshop

2010-12-03T23:24:00.002-05:00

I wanted to pass along this information about our guest designer this month (and yeah she's my travel buddy too!)
Lisa is starting a new "All Things Winter" online workshop. It features 10 winter and holiday themed projects from her book. If you want to learn how to create AMAZING things for the Holidays then you need to sign up for this workshop!

Here is the link and the information:
http://lisapace.com/online-workshops/.

This workshop includes 10 winter and holiday themed projects from my book "Delight In The Details". The workshop officially starts December 1st. Once registered you have immediate access to the supply list. Each week in December you will be provided with step-by-step instructions for three projects, along with color photos and a few tips until all ten are completed.

Projects Included
Page 15 Merry & Bright Ornament
Page 26 Joy Banner
Page 30 Joy Mini Album
Page 42 Snow Day Layout
Page 44 Winter of 78 Layout
Page 72 Gift Tag
Page 76 Christmas Cookies Layout
Page 91 Silent Night Christmas Card
Page 95 Christmas Greetings Christmas Card
Page 125 Santa Baby Layout

The cost for this workshop is $19.95.

In the "Sign Up Code" field at the bottom of the signup page, enter the Case Sensitive characters below to get a $5 discount:

58F20

The adjusted price of $14.95 will be shown on the payment page before you complete your order.

You will have instant lifetime access when you complete your registration.

FYI, I will not be teaching the techniques detailed in the book-- just instructions and tips to make recreating these projects a little simpler.

I also have two Christmas workshop Coupon Codes that can be used.

Code: 70A29
$5 off either Christmas workshop (14.95)

Code: 091CA
Both workshops for the price of one (Christmas Package 19.95)*

* Note: Christmas Package is normally $34.95, coupon gives an additional $15 off

The twists and turns of life.

2010-11-24T09:54:00.006-05:00

It's really amazing to me how life is a tapestry, we see the threads, some of the colors we find beautiful others not so much. We can never see how these threads will mesh and what they will turn into until AFTER we experience them. Only then do we realize the richness of the final product, how the melding of all those threads produces something beautiful and so much stronger. There is a master weaver and we just need to have faith in how beautiful our pattern is going to be.

This summer has shown me where certain threads were leading me, why they were necessary and to trust where they will go. The weight of my decision to leave my marriage, knowing I had to didn't make it any easier or less stressful. Needing to find a job and moving into my parents house, wanting the boys and I have a home to call our own, it all added to that weight that I carried around with me all summer long. In fact I was at my lowest when I stepped on the plane to Greece in September, I even passed out in the aisle of the plane, poor Lisa - I was supposed to take care of her! I think Ronda was right -I just shut down, kinda like a computer needs to reboot. In a way Greece saved me this summer. In Mykonos I was roomies with Ronda Palazzari, Lisa Pace and Emily Rose. I have never laughed so hard in my life, honestly my cheeks hurt all week and to say that my trip there and the time I spent with my friends old and new was life changing would be an under statement, it all happened when I needed it to happen the most and that’s really the only way I can explain it

Somehow everything fell into place (not that I didn't constantly question and worry), moving in with my Mom and Dad turned out to be the best way to transition for the boys and I not to mention all the help, love and support that my Mom and Dad gave me. We found the perfect home for us - I really couldn't love this house more! And as for a job - well that fell into place perfectly too! And the job - well talk about timing! Tricia is expecting her third child, was moving to CO and felt it was time to have less on her plate. I approached her about taking over Cocoa Daisy, I needed a job, the boys were going to be in school full time and it was something I knew I would love doing. It really was the perfect solution for both of us. Remember those threads I talked about - who would have known that being on the Cocoa Daisy Design Team and putting together the project kits would have led to me owning the business. Not only did it bring me this opportunity but it brought me a wonderful friend! I will miss having Tricia as my roomie when we are at CHA, but now I have an excuse to visit Colorado and I get to have a little "baby fix" when I am there too! I know that I could not have started on this journey without Tricia’s help and encouragement and I thank her so much for that! Sometimes she just knew when to call me when I needed it the most. I also know I couldn't be doing this without Ronda's help -she does so much more than just keep the Design Team going, she is my cheerleader and my friend and she holds a very special place in my heart.

As for Cocoa Daisy, I have made a few changes, the new Cocoa Daisy boxes and packaging, which I must say it makes me smile whenever it is shipping day and they are all stacked up ready to be mailed out. I am striving to keep the same quality kits and customer service that the Cocoa Daisy customers are used to. It's a lot of work, long long hours and except for some help from my Mom it's all being done by me - but I am LOVING IT! If you are a subscriber or have any questions about Cocoa Daisy please email me at cjdrumheller@centurytel.net.

I also wanted to share a few pictures of our new home:

This is the entry way, complete with welcoming Magpie:

Mom and I found this antique watchmakers table at a local antique store, holds my 1920's typewriter and apothecary jars perfectly.

Most of the upper floor is all open so you get this great loft like feeling:

The kitchen:

My bedroom is done in a nice calm palette; whites, beiges, blacks and a bit of green:

We found this little treasure at a local antique store as well - only $6!!

I don't have pics of the basement yet - need to get the curtains up once that is done I will share that area of the house with you. So that is where I am right now - busy summer huh :)

Cocoa Daisy December sneak peeks!

2010-11-16T16:54:00.006-05:00

Here is a little sneak peek at Cocoa Daisy's December kit “Winter Magpie”.

Combine a little bit of vintage and a little bit of bright whimsy and you get Cocoa Daisy’s December kit “Winter Magpie”. Full of new releases from My Mind’s Eye, Girls’ Paperie, Glitz, Making Memories and 7gypsies you will love creating with this soft, whimsical kit! We have even thrown in some Mica Snow Flakes for you to play with.

And here are a few peeks at the add-ons:
“Shiny bits”

“Feather your nest”

“Ekster”

Make sure to check back with us on November 28th for the full reveal!

Cocoa Daisy November kits and layouts.

2010-11-02T09:41:00.010-05:00

Just a quick post to show you all the fabulousness that is in the store this November at Cocoa Daisy. Not only is there a bright eclectic main kit but also a special "Countdown to Christmas" project kit! Both Ronda and I will be making examples with this project kit so you will have plenty of inspiration as you work on your Holiday album. You can find all of them HERE.

Here is the November main kit and add-ons:

Countdown to Christmas project kit:

The completer set add-on:

And my November layouts:

Have a great week!

November's "Poker Face" and all moved in!

2010-10-23T21:03:00.006-05:00

Just a quick check in to let you all that I did not get buried under a TON of moving boxes!! Seriously it was insane the amount of boxes that I left out for the garbage man this last week! To their credit they took them all. Being the slightly compulsive person that I am, I could not quit until everything was unpacked and put away - and I am happy to say that as of today that is the case! A few little bits of rearranging and we are totally settled! I LOVE this house and every day I find another reason that I love it even more! It's the little things like the big drawer in the kitchen that I have for the zip lock bags and plastic wrap, it's just so convenient :) or how quiet the dish washer is, seriously you have to put your ear to it to hear if it is running! I don't have pictures yet as we still need to have a few things finished up, especially the tile back splash in the kitchen. And yes I know I still have not posted the pictures from Greece I promised, life has just been busy! But I feel like I am finally getting close to a normal routine. I do however have some great sneak peek pictures of the fabulous November Cocoa Daisy kit "Poker Face", I am going to dig into this kit tomorrow :)

This is the HUGE doily stamp that Kim Watson designed exclusively for Cocoa Daisy and will be in each kit:

And a couple of sneaks of the add-ons:

We are also going to offer a special project kit "Countdown to Christmas" that you can use to record your December musings. Both Ronda and I will be creating examples using this kit. Here is a little teeny tiny peek at that:

Thats it for now! Have a great Sunday!

Cocoa Daisy October kit and quick randomness!

2010-10-02T19:00:00.005-05:00

First the VERY GOOD NEWS - We got our new house this week!! It's been a very busy week to say the least. After almost 24 hours of airports and flying I finally made it home from Mykonos Sunday night at 2am. Sadly my luggage did not. I am happy to report that unlike the flight to Mykonos in which I passed out in the aisle of the plane, I made it home without incident. I was up right away Monday morning at 7am to discover I had two sick little boys. Honestly after having been away from them for so long I didn't mind that they had to stay home from school. Then after a little more stress about my closing we finally did close on Tuesday afternoon. The rest of the week has been an absolute blur of sick little boys, jet lag, catching up on everything and getting started on making our new house OURS. Today was the really big push-painting, painting, painting....did I mention painting? But it is looking wonderful! The entire house needed to be painted due to some poor attempts at painting from the previous owner (no offense intended). We had so many people helping move and paint today, I am so blessed to have such a wonderful group of family and friends! I think another week or so and we should be moved in. I promise pictures when it's all done. I know a lot of you are waiting to hear about my trip to Greece and to see more of the amazing things that I saw while I was there and I am hoping to post all that tomorrow.

For now though here is a look at the fab October Cocoa Daisy kit "Happy Day" the perfect blend of colors that make me think of a blue skied fall day.

I love that this kit has an exclusive stamp AND those cute little bird tickets were made just for the Cocoa Daisy October kit as well!

Here is what I created using the kit:

We have the Tim Holtz tiny attacher as one of the add-ons this month and I LOVE THAT LITTLE TOOL! You can see a demo on how to use it here.

Thats it for tonight! Hope you all have a great weekend ;0)

A little of what I am seeing everyday.

2010-09-20T03:50:00.002-05:00

Here is just a little of the beauty that I am seeing here everyday!

I'm in GREECE!!

2010-09-18T11:35:00.002-05:00

I'm on the Island of Mykonos for the Cocoa Daisy Destinations event. It's gorgeous here and as soon as I am not so jet lagged I'll post some pics! For now though I am going to post some sneak peeks of the Fabulous October Cocoa Daisy kit "Happy Day"

And a little peek at a few of the goodies in our add-ons:

Have a great night!

September Cocoa Daisy layouts.

2010-09-02T08:04:00.003-05:00

Here are my layouts created using the fabulous "Brighter Skies" kit. The colors were PERFECT for my bright summer, pool splashing pictures! I am saving my leftovers to create some back to school layouts, the papers and add-ons are going to work perfect for back to school!

This first layout has a photo and journaling from different times, but I think they go so perfectly together. I think it's a great example of how important it is to get your memory written down right when it happens, even if you don't have a picture. I "borrowed" the title of the kit for the title of my layout:

And here are those bright pool splashing layouts I mentioned, for Cannonball Splash I used spray mist to color the Jillibean corrugated alphas. On the Splash layout I used a bit of spray mist to extend the splash from the picture
:

The butterfly accent that I put on the Brighter Skies layout inspired me to create this cute little card:

The September kit add-ons are all sold out, but a few of the main kits remain. And did you know the exclusive Cocoa Daisy cloud stamp that is part of the main kit can be purchased separately here.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Cocoa Daisy September Kit!!

2010-08-30T22:01:00.003-05:00

After having August off it felt great being able to play with the September Kit! So without further ado here it is:

And the add-ons:

The kit and add-ons go up for sale on September first and that is when I will share my layouts with you!

On a personal note.

2010-08-26T21:20:00.000-05:00

After almost 12 years of marriage, I am very sad to say that Greg and I are getting a divorce. The boys and I have moved in with my Mom and Dad and we are adjusting the best we can. Life this last year has been hard and emotional to say the least and I am so thankful I have had this hobby and so many amazing friends to help me through it. Having a "normal" schedule and routine again is something I hope to see happen by this fall. We have found a house we hope to call home and if all goes well we should be settled in it by this fall. To say our summer has been chaotic is an understatement! I am still here and I will still be doing as much scrapping as I can, just bear with my less then regular posts. Life is complicated, but I am hoping for brighter skies.

Meet the Cocoa Daisy September Kit!

2010-08-15T20:54:00.005-05:00

Here is a little sneak peek at a few of the goodies that will be in the September main kit "Brighter Skies". The full reveal will be August 28th!!

And just for fun here is a sneak peek at one of our add-ons, "Mostly Sunny".

Can't wait for you all to so the whole kit!

I finally did some scrapping!

2010-08-07T21:18:00.005-05:00

After more than 4 weeks I finally found some time (and space) to do some scrapping. I worked on my "scraps" layout for the Cocoa Daisy blog post and used Ronda's August sketch as my inspiration:

This is what I came up with; you can read all about the process and a fun way to use your scraps by visiting the Cocoa Daisy blog:

I have to admit that it was a little hard to get into the groove after being away from my scrappy desk for so long, but I turned up the music and just dove in. It didn't take long before I was cutting and pasting like I normally do :)

Have a great Sunday.

CHA and some randomness.

2010-07-29T09:40:00.002-05:00

Just got back from CHA last night, had a great time with Tricia and saw a lot of great new product!! Especially love the new releases by Crate Paper, My Mind's Eye and some fun stuff from Sassafras Lass. It was a short, very busy trip, but we put together some amazing kits for the upcoming months that I know everyone is going to love! As most of you know, Tricia is taking the month of August off and due to my crazy personal life at the moment I am going to take August off from my project kits as well. But I promise some great surprises real soon!

I got home last night emptied my suitcase and then filled it back up! I am in the truck with the boys and my parents headed up to their cottage on Drummond Island. Thankfully I now have a little wireless adapter and can use the internet anywhere! Don't you love technology!

Hoping for some time next week to be creative -it feels like forever since I have scrapped! I'll post some pics of our adventure up north tomorrow, have a great Thursday!

A very special Mommy moment.

2010-07-16T21:31:00.000-05:00

I just had one of those amazing moments with my boys that you hold in your heart forever. You know the kind of Mommy moment that almost makes you not want to breathe for fear you'll miss it. I told the boys we could catch fireflies before bed tonight so when it was dusk we went outside in our pajamas and chased fireflies. Watching them laugh and giggle as the sun was setting was priceless, but then Zach laid down in the grass and pointed at the moon "wanna lay with me Mommy" "look at the moon!" so I laid down in the grass with a little boy snuggled to each side of me and we watched fireflies float by and looked at the moon. I know I will never forget tonight.

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Cocoa Daisy and Big Picture Scrapbooking are teaming up!

2010-07-11T21:17:00.004-05:00

Cocoa Daisy and Big Picture Scrapbooking are bringing something very fun your way!

You are invited to a FREE festival packed full of big ideas at Big Picture Scrapbooking this August! Join BPS for 13 fun-filled days featuring 13 talented instructors. Each instructor will share 3 project ideas with you – that’s 39 projects, all for free!

Each instructor will be using the July Cocoa Daisy kit and showing you tons of different ways you can play with product!
Here are a couple of sneaks peeks of some of the cute layouts you’ll create in the classes!

Oh, and don’t forget the fun daily challenges and amazing giveaways!
You won’t want to miss this summer extravaganza! Registration is completely FREE, and you’ll have forever access to the materials in class!
Don’t forget to check out all of BPS other fun classes!

July Cocoa Daisy layouts.

2010-07-09T17:01:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post to share my July Cocoa Daisy layouts.

Have a great Friday night, I'll be back tomorrow with some fun news about the Cocoa Daisy July kit and Big Picture Scrapbooking!

Far & Away travel mini album.

2010-07-03T08:10:00.004-05:00

Here is the Cocoa Daisy project kit for July, "Far and Away". The official description:
What does summer mean to you? If you are like me it means vacation time! Whether your vacation is a simple trip to the beach, a visit to the family cottage or something more exotic, chances are you will take a lot of pictures. This bracket shaped mini album from October Afternoon and a great variety of new travel themed papers and embellishments from companies like Making Memories, The Girls Paperie and Little Yellow Bicycle is perfect for recording all your travel adventures this summer. A full set of instructions for completing the mini album is included.

As you can see there is no journaling in my mini, I wanted to get started on this album and have it ready for when I go to Greece in September. The grid paper pages are going to be perfect for handwritten journaling.

And a few photos:

Hope you are all having a great Fourth Holiday weekend!

Sneaks and Peeks!

2010-06-26T16:19:00.003-05:00

Here is a peek at July's project kit, "Far and Away" a travel mini album:

A couple things are not pictured, silk blue ribbon and the travel die cuts from the The Girls Paperie.

And a couple sneaks of layouts made using the Cocoa Daisy July kit:

Off to finish up the project kit, hope you are all having a great weekend!

Yes I am still here!

2010-06-24T22:16:00.004-05:00

I know I have not posted in awhile, and I have some great pics to show you from my trip to Oregon to visit Tricia, but life is incredibly complicated right now. I do have a layout I did before I left - a just for fun layout I did of my nephew Joshua and his dog Courage.

Hope to have some July Cocoa Daisy sneaks for you this weekend - including some sneaks of my July Project Kit.

June Scraps idea.

2010-06-10T09:29:00.003-05:00

I posted my June scraps musings over at the Cocoa Daisy blog, go check it out!

This is the layout that I created for my post:

Off to finish my packing, yes I am leaving town for a week to visit my friend Tricia in Oregon :) can't tell you how badly I need this vacation!!

Cocoa Daisy June layouts.

2010-06-05T09:37:00.009-05:00

I guess it's time I share the projects I created using the June Cocoa Daisy kit. I would have to say this is my favorite CD kit so far this year!!

I used an Ali Edwards digital element for the title. I altered the wording to fit my layout and incorporate the letter stickers.

This little machine stitched banner was very easy to make, I'll share a tutorial on how I created it next week.

Did I mention how much I love this kit!!

I used the 7gypsies Ephemera Ancienne cards from the "Water Cooler" add-on to create this eclectic mini album. I used a Bind-it-all to bind the album together.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

A little randomness

2010-06-02T21:10:00.002-05:00

Life is a bit complicated at the moment and my normal Spring delight of digging in the dirt has taken a back seat to other things. I do however, have a few beautiful blooms in my garden right now and after the rain stopped today I snapped a couple pictures.
Pink and white Peonies:

Japanese Iris:

A pretty, petite, peach rose:

And one of my favorite flowers, the Foxglove:

Most Foxgloves are biennials, but I have found that if they find a spot in your garden they like, then they will reseed themselves and you will have some of these pretties every year and this year they seem to be very happy!!

This last Saturday we spent the morning making Tiki masks (and a spear for Nate of course). I'm not sure where Nate got the idea, but he had a sketch for me to follow and everything. Zach joined in and we ended up with two very scary Tiki monsters running around the house :)

Have a great Thursday!!

Summer Days

2010-05-28T21:38:00.005-05:00

The June project kit turned out so cute and it went together really quick!

Here is the cover:

A few of the interior pages (summer has just begun so I didn't finish mine, I will do a page now and then through the summer):

Have a great Memorial weekend - take some time to go outdoors and enjoy the first days of summer!!

Preview of the June project kit.

2010-05-27T15:41:00.002-05:00

"SUMMER DAYS"
The best way to capture summer is day by day and that is what this fun flash card mini album will do. Whether you wish to capture a specific week of your summer or up to 10 random days throughout the entire summer. Bright summer papers and embellishments, will make this a simple and quick album to put together, perfect for those summer months when you want to scrap and spend time out in the sunshine!

Kit goes up for sale on May 28th.

How to position your computer journaling.

2010-05-24T19:06:00.002-05:00

A few posts back Rita asked me how I get my computer journaling positioned on my layouts. I did a little tutorial on the Cocoa Daisy blog on just that subject, you can find it here. I hope that helps, thanks for asking Rita!

a few little sneaks

2010-05-19T07:55:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that I have a love for all things ledger and text inspired, so when Basic Grey came out with their "Basics" line at CHA winter I about passed out! I know I will be buying too much of it and then hoarding it - or more likely you will see bits of it on just about every layout I create for the next 6 months! I think that is why I am loving the June kit so much, with plenty of the Basics line, 7gypsies and a bit of red thrown in, I am finding that this kit goes with just about anything!

The June Cocoa Daisy kit

2010-05-17T21:43:00.003-05:00

I know, I know, I am a very bad blogger!! Life is just getting in the way. But maybe I can be forgiven if I show you what the amazing Cocoa Daisy June kit looks like.

I'll post a few sneaks of what I have been creating using the kit tomorrow!

More of the May Project Kit.

2010-05-07T15:50:00.006-05:00

Here are some of the pages from the May project kit "What dad does best", this album will make the perfect father's day gift!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

May Cocoa Daisy layouts!

2010-05-05T07:36:00.010-05:00

This year for the Spring Crop at Cocoa Daisy we created all our layouts and projects using the May kit, so I thought I would include my challenges in this post so that you can see where the inspiration for the layout came from.

My first challenge was titled "Dear You" and I chose a bunch of different stationery as inspiration:

I combined the butterflies, the big circles and the quote to create my layout:

My other challenge "Picnic in the park", incorporated a sketch and a food theme. Here is the sketch:

And here is the layout:

Ronda did a sketch challenge as well and this is what I came up with for her challenge:

Kim did a color challenge titled "Strawberries and Cream". I created two layouts for this challenge using her inspiration colors; one a little brighter:

And one a bit softer:

Lastly, Mou did a challenge to use butterflies on a non-spring layout:

I have plenty of leftovers from the kit and am hoping to make a few cards this week.
Have a great Wednesday everyone!!

Want to go to Greece for FREE?

2010-05-01T19:15:00.006-05:00

One day you’re on the top of the world; your life is going just as you had always hoped. You have a great family, a loving husband, an adorable son and now the second child you had always hoped for. On top of that, you are a seriously talented scrapbooker, take a mean photo and have an incredible knack for leaving your friends in hysterics.

That was Linda Burnasakorn’s life. Then one day she woke up with what she thought was the flu. In the blink of an eye she was in the ICU fighting for her life. Over the next several months she fought to overcome pneumonia, collapsed lungs, multiple infections, internal bleeding, organs on the verge of shutting down, blood clots and so much more.
Despite all the challenges and setbacks, Linda made it through!

But, as a consequence of her illness and extremely low blood pressure, her doctors needed to amputate both of Linda’s feet and all of her fingers. Linda has been such an inspiration to all who know her (and many that don’t) throughout her ordeal. Within weeks of losing her legs she was up and walking on her own, with the aid of prosthetics. Linda’s last hand surgery was in January and she is already out driving, cooking, doing laundry and even tying shoelaces!
Linda still has much more to overcome. There are the medical bills from 6 and a half months in intensive care and rehab. She will need additional prosthetic legs and insurance coverage is limited. And Linda and her family need to sell their current home. It is located on the second floor in a building without an elevator. A situation that isn’t conducive to Linda’s new circumstances.

And this is where we hope you come in! Linda’s story could be anyone’s story. There was no rhyme or reason to why this happened to her. I’m sure that every one of us would hope that if we were to find ourselves in a similar situation the scrapbook community would rally around us. We want to bring this community together to help support this incredibly brave, inspirational and phenomenal woman. And, in turn, to thank you for helping out we are offering some unbelievable prizes!

You could be the lucky winner of a Cocoa Daisy Destinations event in Greece with Ali Edwards, Karen Russell and Jenni Bowlin worth $3000! Or any of the generously donated prizes listed below!! To be entered to win all you need to do is make a donation through www.paypal.com to LindaB@cocoadaisy.com to be entered to win. One ticket is $10 and you’ll receive an extra ticket for every $50 donated (separate donations cannot be aggregated). The fundraiser runs from today, April 29th through May 22, 2010. Winners will be announced on May 26th. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to help a fellow scrapbooker in need and the chance to find yourself enjoying the beaches of Mykonos with some of your favorite scrapbook celebrities!
-A spot in Karen Russell’s online “The Photographer’s Workshop”
-A wall canvas designed by Ali Edwards
-$150 in Jenni Bowlin products and a 3 month subscription to Jenni’s Mercentile Scrapbook Kits.
-$250 of American Crafts Products
-4 Crops in a Box from Cosmo Cricket (each contains supplies for a party of 6)
-A project kit designed by Christine Drumheller
-An assortment of scrapbook storage totes from Cropper Hopper
-A Kenner Road kit and Embellishment Kit
-An autographed copy of Lisa Pace’s Delight in the Details
-One April and one May Scarlet Lime Kits to one winner
-Scarlet Lime Beadart $50 Gift Certificate
-A layout designed by Stephanie Howell
-3 Six-month subscription to Studio Calico and 3 $75 Anthology rub-on collections
YAY!!! Maya Road just offered two $100 Gift Certificates for the fundraiser as well!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at mailbox@cocoadaisy.com.
Thank you!!

Terms and Conditions are posted here.

I had the opportunity to be on the same design team with Linda at Cocoa Daisy and the privilege of meeting her in person, she is an amazingly talented, funny and sweet woman. Please, if you can, send in a donation so we can show Linda what a special scrapbooking community she is a part of!

May project kit little peek.

2010-04-27T19:07:00.003-05:00

It's almost done and I can't wait to share the whole album with you, but for now all I can do is give you a little peek at the cover.

Yes that is the brand new Pink Paislee canvas album you see!!

What a fun weekend!

2010-04-26T20:46:00.003-05:00

We had the spring crop over at Cocoa Daisy this weekend and we had so much fun! If you missed you really should plan on attending our next crop this fall. I think aside from all the great friends you get to crop with all weekend the best part of the crop is the loads of inspiration!! Plenty of challenges and classes were posted to get your creative juices flowing!! You can still join in on the challenges (they are open all week) and of course the classes are on-line so you can take them whenever you have some time!

You can take my Spring Flight class here.

The CROP IS ON!!

2010-04-23T20:10:00.002-05:00

Please come and join us this weekend for the Cocoa Daisy Spring Crop, it is packed full of challenges, classes and inspiration!

Some Cocoa Daisy May sneaks!

2010-04-19T21:35:00.005-05:00

Just a few little bits to hold you over till the big reveal:

Ooooo....and have you heard the news!! The Cocoa Daisy SPRING CROP is this weekend!! So much fun and inspiration packed into three days, I hope you can join us for the fun.

Here is a little tease for the class I will be hosting during the crop:

A few cards from the April kit.

2010-04-17T20:31:00.004-05:00

Before I start posting some sneaks from the May kit I wanted to share a couple cards I made using the April kit:

Yesterday my Mom babysat Zach and when I came back to pick him up he was so excited, he had picked flowers for me. Right away he gave them to me and said "I got the flowers so I could love you". Now those are the moments that make it all worth while! Of course Mom was there to snap some pictures for me - thanks Mom :)

Look for some sneaks of the fabulous May Cocoa Daisy kit on Monday.

April "Scraps" layout

2010-04-11T20:30:00.002-05:00

For this months idea on how to use up your scraps I thought we would talk about squares. The patterns in the papers from this months kit just begged to be combined and one of the easiest ways I know to do that is by punching them into squares. Using a large square punch not only makes it easy to use up your leftover pieces of patterned paper but it also makes it easy to use your less then perfect photos. There are so many different ways you can combine your square photos and paper, I went with a large grid design that covers the whole page:

Just add some leftover bits of this and that to your squares and you have an easy to assemble page!!

April Cocoa Daisy layouts.

2010-04-04T20:49:00.006-05:00

I loved the colors in this months kit so much I had to have the Beacon patterned paper add-on and the Reef add-on. I kept finding more photos that went so well with the colors and patterns in this kit that I have finished 7 layouts, a couple cards and I still have a ton of product left!!

Here are five of the layouts (you will see the others later this month):

I loved this little two step stamp that came in the main kit:

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter - can't wait to share some fun photos of our weekend!

April project kit!

2010-03-28T20:44:00.002-05:00

The April project kit "While waiting for you" is available!

This kit is designed for the Mom to be, whether you are expecting or adopting. It also makes a special gift for that mom-to-be!!
This 10 envelope album is the perfect place to record each month of a pregnancy or adoption process. The envelope pages allow you to keep monthly journaling, ultra sound photos, note cards and whatever else you want to remember while waiting for your little one to arrive! Complete instructions are provided.

Have a great Wednesday!

March "scraps" layout & an April sneak.

2010-03-25T07:13:00.004-05:00

On the 6th of each month I post a fun way to use up your scraps over at the Cocoa Daisy Daisy Diva blog,
Here is this month's idea:
I want to direct your attention to all those little left over strips of patterned paper you find laying on your desk after diving into your Cocoa Daisy kit. Something amazing happens when you take all those strips of paper and line them up side by side; you get your very own unique bit of patterned paper! Because Tricia coordinates the colors and patterns of the papers in each kit so well those strips of paper will go together with out much effort on your part. So if you want a simple, quick way to use up some of your paper scraps just line up some strips of paper. You can use the strips as your background like I did in this layout, or you could adhere the strips on a piece of cardstock and punch shapes from it and use them as accent pieces.

I have been playing with the Cocoa Daisy April kit this week and keep finding more and more photos that go with this kit! I have 5 layouts done already and am going to work on some cards today. Here is a little peek:

Have a great Thursday everyone! Here's hoping that the repairman can fix my washing machine so that it doesn't sound like a jet plane taking off!!

April project kit sneak peek.

2010-03-19T14:09:00.003-05:00

Here is a little tease of the April project kit "While waiting for you".

I am hoping to dig into my Cocoa Daisy April kit tonight/this weekend -the colors are so "fresh"!! Have a great weekend every one!

Some Wednesday randomness

2010-03-17T20:03:00.004-05:00

The weather has been wonderful here, it really does feel like spring is just around the corner. Nate and Zach have loved being outdoors more, of course the best part has been all the big puddles in the yard!

A layout I did just for me using the February Jenni Bowlin kit:

My Mom took this photo of me with the boys and it's one of my favorites!

I am busy working on April's project kit, should have some sneak peeks by Friday. The name of the mini album is:
"while waiting for you" any guesses?

A little more love from the March CD kit.

2010-03-11T22:00:00.003-05:00

There were so many fun "goodies" in the March kit that I thought I would make a few cards before I put it away.

I had a hard time cutting into the Jillibean bird house paper -it's so cute I just want to hoard it!

The library pocket and car sticker were perfect for a Father's day card.

This tree stamp worked perfectly with the die cut bird from the kit.

And I just had to find a way to use this little hanger die cut.

Before you put your kit leftovers away take a little time and make a few cards! Have a great Friday everyone!

Oh and thank you all so much for the nice comments about my new scrappy room!!

Life.

2010-03-07T08:31:00.004-05:00

Life throws us curve balls sometimes, in fact sometimes life knocks you upside the head with a curve ball. I guess it's how we deal with those curve balls that tells us a lot about ourselves and this time I caught that curve ball and I'm throwing it right back!

I have been very fortunate to have a scrappy room to escape to for a few minutes each day and now that the remodeling of my room is done I feel that sense of peace even more when I walk in my room. The room feels very quiet and serene and I am surrounded by lots of bit and baubles.

Have a great rest of the weekend every one!