December third

Well it's day three of December and I finished the advent calendar. Better late than never, right? I've always wanted to have one but have never thought of making my own. A big thank you to Pinterest for inspiring me this year! Celeste is at her dads house this weekend, so I'm leaving the past days ornaments up so she can do it when she comes home. She helped me make some of the tags too. I wanted to decorate some tags for gift wrapping too, but I ran out. Better order more soon, Christmas will creep up on me before I know it.

My Memories Software Giveaway

Recently I was given a wonderful opportunity to review some digital scrapbooking software as well as host a give away on my blog. This is so exciting for me, I have always wanted to try out digital scrapbooking, but, admittedly, was a little intimidated. I know it seems silly, I'm studying Graphic Design and I'm a Photoshop user, so how hard could it be? It isn't difficult at all, in fact, the most difficult thing for me has been not over-doing it because it is so easy to keep adding to a page!
My first page was pretty simple, I really was just trying to learn where everything was located in the scrapbooking software. I got the hang of it with the first page, and then I went back to MyMemories.com to download some extras. The software did come with a lot of papers and embellishments preloaded, but MyMemories.com also offers a lot of free downloads. There are also sample "Quick Pages" of certain kits that you can down load for free. Most of the kits I like were only between $2.99-$4.99, so purchasing kits is also very affordable.

First Digital Page

All embellishments and papers used on this first page were available in the software. After downloading some freebies, and purchasing some extras I created these pages:

The Right Match

1st Time Camping

For these two pages I have used some elements from the purchased kit Fish Out of Water, Simple Sherbet and Art Brush Vol 1.
All other page elements are available as part of the My Memories Suite v2 software, or as a free download on MyMemories.com . There is also a Dollar Store on the site, where elements can be purchased for one dollar. This is a good option if you do not want all elements in a kit, but just one or two.
I find it really fun, quick and simple to put together these layouts. Plus, when I'm finished creating, I just shut down my computer with no mess to clean up. Am I done paper scrapping? No. I love paper scrapping, and it has always been a goal of mine to do some hybrid layouts, as well as digital. There are some great effects that can be created digitally that you either cannot get by paper scrapping, or it is too difficult to produce. I am happy with what I can do in this software, and I think it is going to bring my scrap pages in a wonderful direction, whether they're digital, paper or a hybrid. So now I want my lovely blog readers to have a try.

If you'd like to purchase My Memories Suite v2, I have a fabulous coupon code for you. Simply enter

STMMMS7861

at check out to receive $10 off the My Memories Suite V2 software and $10 off additional products. Please feel free to share the code with friends and family!
Or try your hand at the give away.
To enter the give away:
1. Go to MyMemories.com and leave a comment telling me which kit is your favorite.
2. Become a fan of MyMemories on Facebook, leave me a comment.
3. Follow @mymemories on Twitter, leave me a comment.
4. Follow the MyMemories blog, leave a comment telling me your a follower.
5. Become a follower of Mooninmygarden, leave me a comment telling me so.
6. Become a follower on Twitter (@miss__kristine), I don't tweet much, but hey it's another entry in the give away! Be sure to leave a comment.
7. Become my friend on Facebook, leave me a comment
8. Become a fan of Mooninmygarden on Facebook, leave me a comment

So that's eight ways to enter the give away, just be sure to leave a comment to make sure all your entries count! 

This give away will close Friday September 2nd and the winner will be announced over the weekend. Thanks for playing and good luck!

It's Monday Again!

Did everyone head over to Bubblegum life to see my Project Monday guest post? Well, thank you for playing along with us on another photo prompt. Using my pictures from my at home pedicure, I created a layout documenting a step by step of my little treat to myself. I really adore the way bright colors look against craft paper and I think these colors also work really well with my photos. Can't wait to see everyone's projects. XO.

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White on White Challenge

Love this look. While I was wandering around blogland the other day I came across a post by one of my favorite scrappers, Jennifer Johner. She challenged readers to a white on white scrapbook layout. So I accepted the challenge and I really love how it turned out. It's so pretty and simple, yet has plenty of visual appeal as well. I used a lot of textures to make the white stand out, and I contrasted with  black handwriting. I didn't really have a lot of white supplies, so I just turned some stuff over and glued it on the page face down!

Sources- lace cardstock and stick pin-making memories, butterfly laser cut paper- ki memories, lace- thrifted, transparancy- hambly, journaling stickers, vinyl sticker and letters- american crafts, brad- my minds eye and border strip- doodlebug designs, posie- made by me.
 Have you tried a white on white page? Well why not accept the challenge yourself?
Happy creating!
-XO. K.

I Scrapped My Sketchbook + a Layout

Yep, I thought it would be fun to scrap the cover of my sketchbook for the sketchbook project . I tried to keep it as flat as possible, since it will be going through many hands across many states. But I also wanted to make it stand out a bit. I would hate for all this effort and art to go unnoticed once I send it away, out on its own in the world. I used Sassafras Papers and stickers, Autumn Leaves stamps, A Galaxy writer to doodle in white, a Fiskars punch, DCWV adhesive ribbon, K & co. rub on, Heidi grace rubon, October Afternoon folder tab,  embroidery floss and masking tape. The photo was a photo I took with my web cam. I'm thinking I might also scrap a couple pages inside the sketchbook also, since scrap booking is one of my all time favorite expressions of art!

Next up is a quick little layout I did. I've been in a bit of a "Red" mood lately, and I love the reds in this little photo shoot I did with Celeste. The papers are Graphic 45, the felt posie is made by me, the lace is vintage (thrifted), the ticket Jenni Bowlin, Rub ons  by BoBunny and Autumn Leaves, Transparency by Best Creation Inc. jewels by K & Co. and letters by American Crafts. Hope your having a lovely weekend!  -XO. K.

Project Monday + Scrap

This weeks Project Monday inspiration is "celebrate". We definitely had our plates full of celebration this weekend! On Friday was a friends daughters birthday party, a costume party since her birthday is actually on Halloween. You would think a child would tire of a holiday birthday, but this little girl loves it, and she has a costume party every year! 

Then Saturday we took Celeste to a Trick or Treat event in downtown Reno's Riverwalk district. I love all those little shops :) 

On Sunday we had another birthday party in the afternoon. Then Celeste was off to her Dad's for some more Trick or Treating. And I celebrated with some much anticipated scrap time with my new goodies!

Journaling says: I want to be a photographer, I want to be an artist, I want to be a wonderful mom. I want to be happy and successful. I want to always realize the beauty that is my life, my world & never give up, never let it go & I do. I want to be unabashedly, irrevocably me.

This page speaks to my current frustrations of right now. I feel like I haven't reached the point in my life I thought I'd be at by now. I feel like I want to grow up and be me! I'm tired of my lame retail job and I really just want to be everything I've always aspired to be, and I want to be that person now.

Sources: Sassafras, Cosmo Cricket, k & Co., My Mind's Eye, American Crafts

Learning Impulse & Art of Thrift

I am not really an impulsive person by nature. I am a planner, a long time thinker, a gatherer of opinion. I usually mull over whatever my decision is for a while, then I start talking to friends and family about it, then I might make a decision after that.
So I did something totally impulsive on Friday, and got some new tattoos. I was inspired (of course) by someone else's tattoos of words with personal meaning, and that night I went home and thought about what words have personal meaning in my life? For me, right now, those words are "inspire beauty".
As an artist, you want to be an inspiration to the world around you, you want to bring some of you own personal beauty into it. I am finished with all my core curriculum at school, and it is art from here on out, but I find my creativity stifled. I wanted something to remind me everyday to look at the world with a creative eye, and to never forget what my passion is no matter how hard things get.

So while we are on the subject of being impulsive, I also did a sort of "impulsive" scrapbook page yesterday. I just printed a recent picture I took and just put it together with the first things I grabbed (instead of laying it all out, moving it to different positions, switching out patterns, etc.) It took me about twenty minutes, and I am pleased with the result. Hey, if I could be this quick every time I scrap, maybe I might actually get some more pages done.

Supplies Used: Paper-Cosmo Cricket, Stickers- Sassafrass, October Afternoon (labels) and KI Memories (lovely), Rubons- K & Co., Plastic Flowers- Heidi Grace, Letters- Sandy Lion, Other- Simplicity Sewing pattern, Catalog page, Doily, Receipt, Staples

Guess my next impulse move should be to clean my house....-XO K.

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At First Glance

Last year for vacation we went to Southern California to visit my Dad. Celeste had never seen the ocean, so I was so excited to be there to show it to her for the first time. I myself am from Southern California initially so I have no "first time at ocean" memory, it's always been a part of life! So upon arriving the first thing I did was take her to the beach. When we got out of the car, the familiar smell of the Redondo Beach boardwalk filled the air.
"Ugh. It stinks." Celeste says.
"That's the smell of the ocean. And all the fresh fish cookin' in the restaurants." I responded.
We walked around the pier so she could get a good view of the ocean. She stood at the railing and just asked, "Can we go swim in it?"
Silly little girl, definitely made a first ocean memory for me! Hopefully her too. I did this layout today to preserve this memory, already over a year old and soon to be fleeting.
Today is her sixth birthday, she is with her dad, and I'm am being nostalgic. -XO





Supplies
Paper: Basic Grey, Making Memories, Graphic 45. Embellishments: K & Co, Jenny Bowlin, Prima, My Mind's Eye, dollar store. Rub on and label: October Afternoon, Chatterbox. Letters: Collage Press, Making Memories, Target Dollar spot.