Nail Art - Pastel Polka Dots

I love this pale seafoam color for spring (Revlon's Minted #85). I added white polka dot accents to two different nails on each hand as shown.

Mother's Day Card

I made this simple Mother's Day card with paper and a tag from Crate Paper, stickers from Basic Grey, and some washi tape.

Harry Connick, Jr. in Pop Life Smashed - Red/Orange Pocket Style

When I was in high school my friends and I all loved Harry Connick, Jr. With his cute, non-threatening looks and freakish musical talent he was the perfect heartthrob for band geeks like us. I had saved a few magazine photos from those days (I think they actually hung in my locker!), and they made a nice layout with some washi and alphas.

That's the tag from a 12x12 sheet of "Serenade" collection Basic Grey paper used as an embellishment. I love incorporating packaging from scrapbook supplies in my layouts.

C'est Chic Smashed - Couture Style

In smashing, as in life, I am a planner. I like to know where I'm heading before I embark. I am learning, however, that it can be really good for me to step outside of my comfort zone sometimes and just jump in. I purchased the couture smash bundle on clearance and wasn't really sure what I would do with it, but the pages are so stylish and cool I was inspired to just start gluing things in. This has been so freeing and I'm finding some interesting, darker themes emerging.

Memories of Dad Smashed - Orange Simple Style

My father died in 2000 and I have often thought about documenting the memories I have of him. One of his most defining characteristics was his sense of humor, and I have many funny stories I plan to capture in this book. While I am not a big fan of the current mustache craze, my father had one for most of his adult life so I placed this envelope on the first page to hold photos.

I chose this page for the story of how I got my name because the plaid background was ideal for these 70s-era photos.

I am lucky to have some examples of my dad's machine-like handwriting. He worked in the field of computers from the days of punch cards and was very analytical. This chart he drew of our stereo system hookup is just mind-boggling.

Nail Art - Sun and Clouds

The weather has finally turned to spring (and summer!), so I decided to do a manicure to celebrate. The sky design is not mine but I decided to add a bright yellow accent nail for a little sunshine. The clouds were applied with a large dotting tool. Adding a layer of white polish under the yellow makes the color really pop.

Nail Art - Leopard Nails

I've been spending a lot of time watching nail art demos on YouTube and was inspired to try it myself. Back in the day when I was a young adolescent I spent countless hours doing my nails, so much so that I gave up nail polish for lent one year! So in a way I am getting back to my roots.

Doing these leopard nails is not difficult, just time consuming. This is not my design, and there are many videos available of this technique done by people much more skilled than I. Here are a couple photos of the steps involved and the polishes I used.

Inspiration Smashed - Green Eco Style

I love the Eco Style Smashbook, the color palette and images are nature-inspired and lovely. I decided to use this as a home for the inspirational/spiritual ephemera I've collected. I am really enjoying using this book because, unlike my others, the layouts have come together very spontaneously.