LDD May Kit: SHE {a tribute to her} | CT Layout : Dear Mom

Dear Mom | Everything from Little Dreamer Design’s May Kit — SHE {a tribute to her}. By Michelle Coleman.

Here is my newest layout for this month’s kit — SHE {a tribute to her} — available for subscribers at Little Dreamer Designs. It’s such a gorgeous collection honoring that special mom in your life, full of colorful papers and elements, journal cards, chalkboard labels and alphas, and floral bundles. My favorite set in this collection were the floral bundles, they are so yummy!

The first time I designed a page about my Mom was when I first discovered digital scrapbooking years ago in 2007 and then I created another one in 2010. A few years has now passed, so I thought it would be nice to not only create a new one, but to see how far I’ve evolved in my journey as a digital scrapbooker.

Here are my throwbacks:

A Letter To My Mother | Background paper and flower element was from a freebie by Doris Castle; journal paper- Thao Cosgrove Art Journal Collection; frame – Kate Pertiet Bare Frames

Sixty One | Everything from Black & White by Nancy Kubo (blog gift)

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Mother’s Day is always bittersweet for me. I don’t know if I could ever celebrate it without feeling a little emotional. Of course, I enjoy the love and appreciation I receive from my family and loved ones, but my heart always longs to celebrate it with my own mother. Seeing others with their moms always leaves me a little envious and I always try to keep that from getting the best of me. Yet it is something I have accepted and learned to understand that I’m not the only one missing their mama and all I could do is embrace her memory. She left me with a memory of words that she spoke over my life before she passed and I can still hear her voice and remember that very precious moment that I laid in her arms. I was 11 years old and the memory is still fresh in my mind. There are times that I wish I could relive that moment over and over again. Everyday I miss her, but I miss her even more on Mother’s Day. With each year that passes and as my children grow older, I often think about the experiences she didn’t have or the chance to enjoy life with me and my sisters and it drives me to live every moment with my kids to its fullest. I want to celebrate her life by being the best mom that I can be to my own children which I know is what she would have wanted… This year, I will be turning another year older and it is somewhat defining to me because I will have outlived her age when she passed. I hope to live many more years and enjoy a full life, reaching an age where I have finished raising my sons, seeing them graduate college, getting married, and starting their own families and being blessed with grandchildren… All the things that I know my Mom would have been overjoyed to witness and experience…

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MAY KIT | SHE {a tribute to her}

WWW.LITTLEDREAMERDESIGNS.COM

SHE {a tribute to her} May Kit By Michelle Coleman www.littledreamerdesigns.com

Reunited With Little Dreamer Designs!

Reunited with LITTLE DREAMER DESIGNS!!!

Just thought I’d share some exciting news…. I decided after a few years of my digital scrapbooking hiatus, to rekindle the flame. Thank you Michelle, for having me back! Little Dreamer Designs has been a very special place to me since my debut in 2009. I joined the Creative Team and then became a designer. When I left to pursue another opportunity, it was never quite the same as it was at LDD, which I realized that sometimes when you think the ‘grass is greener’ on the other side, it doesn’t always turn out to be. There were also a few changes made in my life at the time as well, that I probably needed to go through to realize the importance of what digital scrapbooking means to me. Although, I am now more involved in mixed media art, scrapbooking plays such a huge part in the evolution of who I am as an artist today. My roots in art are grounded in storytelling and preserving memories about who I am, where I’ve been, and the person I aspire to become. It also gives me a way to document the lives of my family and friends, giving me the opportunity to appreciate my loved ones and remember the special moments shared with them. As we all know, life is so very fleeting…. Memories sometimes fade unless we take the time and make the effort to journal, scrapbook, or photograph them. Otherwise, it’s a risk we all take when we think that all we need is our brain to keep track, because even the human mind isn’t perfect. I do know that all of this will somehow make it into the hands of the next generation, hopefully hundreds of years down the line, for someone to behold and cherish and be inspired by my stories, photos, and art….

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Here are my most recent layouts using January’s “Everyday” Kit and February’s “You Are Loved” Kit.

For more inspiration from the Creative Team, check out the gallery here.

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Every month, Michelle Coleman, designs these gorgeous monthly kits for members who subscribe to the monthly program and is also released for sale to non-members later on. The only difference is that members get a super, sweet, amazing deal for $5.99 a month. Each kit is valued at so much more, filled with TONS of gorgeous papers and elements, and is 100% top-notch in quality and design. Definitely one of the best in the digital scrapbooking industry. I don’t think you will get more than your money’s worth and then some, anywhere else! This is what it includes:

Each month members will have access to a new exclusive collection which includes:

a full sized kit, coordinating brush set, access to new monthly freebies and video designer tutorials.

Members can access their monthly content downloads anytime throughout the month after their subscription has been purchased by logging into the Members Area and providing their Paypal email address and the encrypted password they received after purchasing their subscription.

 

Enjoy!

GIVEAWAY WINNER: Graffiti He{Art} Butterfly Print

And the winner is…..

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS, SHAWNA!

I will be sending you an email shortly! Hope you enjoy this print and thank you so much for participating!

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To ALL of you who entered, I truly appreciate you and enjoyed reading all of your answers to what you are thankful for. If you are still interested in purchasing this print, I will be offering it up for sale on ETSY very soon…

And, just for taking the time to enter this giveaway, you will have the opportunity to purchase it at %20 off.

So, look out for an email from me in the next few days!

Thank you again and may you have a BLESSED weekend.

TGIF + New Blog Re-Design

Hey y’all!!!

Ugh, has it been that long since I blogged??? These days I swear go by way too fast especially since its towards the end of the school year. My boys are getting ready for summer as they face their last 2 weeks of school. Ah yeah!!! Summer!!

Anyways, you may have seen my updates on FB and Twitter about the arrival of my new and improved bloggity blog! YES!!! I love it and am extremely grateful for Becca Bonneville of Tickled Pink Studio who worked her magic. She took my previously boring blog and made it into something wonderful. I wanted it more streamlined and clean, with the flexibility for me to customize it. Also, since I wanted to incorporate a portfolio gallery, video tutorials, and later in the future, an online shop — WordPress, was the best solution for me. So I’m sorry Blogger, you were definitely great these past several years, but it was time for a change!

Woot, woot!!!

A lot of changes indeed have taken place these last several months, but there are still some things that have not changed thank goodness… Like my love for art, photography, and food I’m contemplating whether I should add a link at the top to my food adventures, cooking extravaganzas, and my overall quest to try new recipes on this blog. Hmmm…. Decisions, decisions.

Well, that is all for today and I shall return with hopefully, some fresh and inspiring creative art that I have been working on after such a long hiatus….

Be back soon…

xo,

Blog Makeover Coming Soon!

My plans for this new site is to really express my creativity and inspirations that will embrace my love for mixed media art + crafts, photography, and a little bit of foodie musings thrown into the mix. Maybe you’ll get a glimpse of some of my real life adventures as a mom to two hilariously crazy and charming boys and a hubby who is also a photographer and has a secret collection of vicious bug eating plants. Just to name a few…

Makita Studio Retirement Sale | Closing Doors @ 9th & Bloom

Recently, my husband has changed jobs and it was an answered prayer that we have waited for so long, 9 years to be exact. With better hours, a better environment, and a location close to home, he is so much happier with his life and the fact that he can spend more time with his family and enjoy doing the things he loves to do. It’s such a breath of fresh air for me that he is more involved in our lives at home and our family, something that we both longed for these past years. Now there is more balance between us, in our marriage and as parents. We both feel that it has brought us closer as a family and as a couple, but most of all it has strengthened our faith in God and how everything has happened in His perfect timing…

Talking about timing, my husband and I also feel that because we both have this passion for photography and enjoy taking photos, we decided to start a photography business as a husband and wife team! This could not be possible if he were still working at his other job. So far, we have done a few weddings and portrait sessions and already have more interested in hiring us. Also, my youngest is starting Kindergarten this year (next week, eek!!) so that also allows me to have more free time to focus on our business. I will be working on our photography site and portfolio which I hope to share with you soon, but for now here is our business logo — ICEBOX IMAGES.

I haven’t really decided yet if I am going to keep Makita Studio and this blog up and running. I still might want to keep this as my personal blog for now and also to share some of the mixed media art and other crafts that I also enjoy…

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY 9TH & BLOOM

Remember there is a FREE collab with purchases $10 and over

Josiah’s First {Shutterfly} Photo Book :)

This finally arrived on my doorstep… And once I opened it, I could not help but get all teary eyed. Something about seeing your work and designs printed and reading the heartfelt words that I poured out on these pages, really resonates this sweet, fulfilling joy deep within… Especially when you see your son reading them with such enthusiasm and happiness that I created them about him and for him… Shutterfly does such a great job with these and I loved the look and feel of the photo pages overall. I also plan to make one for my youngest soon because I know he is anxious to have one of his own. Anyways, here’s a few photos to share….

First 5 Years….

Hey y’all! Happy Wednesday!!!

Although, I wanted to make a cohesive album with a theme and color palette that coordinated together, I knew that time would not be on my side to create one. So, I realized that I still had all these digital scrapbook layouts that have not been printed (gasp!) and put in albums. Yes, I know… I am one of those! LOL! But, I finally did it today, by putting together all of my eldest son’s scrapbook layouts that I’ve created over the years. It’s definitely been a journey and I’m so glad I was able to document some of his special moments  

Click here to view this photo book larger

i{NSD} Crop Chat TODAY 5/9 + Chance To Win a $5 GC & Exclusive Freebie :)

Two random winners will receive a $5 Gift Certificate for joining the chat + everyone will receive a FREE GIFT exclusively from ME