Things Are A Bit Sketchy, So I'll Have To Use C.S.I.'s Case #4

OK, I was trying to be clever with my post title. Not so much! 

This weekend I was able to get a couple more layouts done. I'm working through my stash and trying to keep a flow going so I keep familiar with what I have. I'm diligently working through my "scrap stash hoarding tendency." I do pretty well unless the product is so yummy that I want to keep it for the "right" project. Then I talk myself down and remind myself that the layout I'm working on is the "right" project! 

Product Used: Patterned Paper & Brads: My Mind's Eye - Circle & Scallop Punch: Fiskars - Distress Ink & Paper Distresser: Tim Holtz - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Adhesives: Duck Adhesive & Pop Dots - Frame: Unknown.

For this layout I wanted to use the new sketch #305 from Sketch Inspirations, so I looked through my storage binders for three photos that could be used for the sketch. 

Once I came across three photos that I loved, and they had a small story behind them, I thought I would try to find product that would also work for the newest challenge at C.S.I., Case #4. Combining challenges isn't usually something I set out to do, but sometimes it can work out that way. Here's the color combo for Case #4:

It didn't take me long at all to come across the Lost & Found Two patterned paper from My Mind's Eye. The color scheme was a great match for this color challenge. But there was a part of me, for a brief moment that wanted to keep looking because of the hoarding tendency. I knew I had brads to match the paper, and that even made the feeling stronger. I hate when this happens, but I'm happy to say that it's getting easier to push through and go for it! It's the dumbest thing ever, but knowing that and realizing that does not keep those feelings from surfacing every once in awhile. 

Now for this next layout, the funny thing is, I actually purchased the background paper for the B side of the paper. I ended up using the A side, which isn't a design I would normally gravitate to. And the green rectangle of patterned paper is the B side, and I purchased it for the A side. It's funny how things work out. You just have to be open to it all.

Product Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny Press & Fancy Pants Designs - Border Punch: EK Sucess - Circle Punch: Fiskars - Brads: Recollections - Number Stickers: American Crafts Thickers - Paint: Apple Barrel - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Distress Ink: Colorbox Chalk Ink - Pen: Zig Writer - Adhesive: Elmer's Craft Bond Spray Adhesive, Duck Adhesive & Glossy Accents - Tag & Ribbon: Unknown.

The moral of the story is use it or lose it! Don't save it for the perfect project. Assess all the choices in front of you. And most importantly, have fun!

LOAD starts in less that 48 hours. I'm getting nervous. Why, I'm not sure. But I'm also excited! Bring it on!

Blocking Foundation

I am participating in a Creative Passion class entitled  Scrapbook Page Layering with Debbie Hodge. This is my first class with them, and so far I am very impressed. This first week one thing we are learning about is layering foundations. One of the foundations is a blocking or grid design. I created my latest layout using the blocking foundation.

Products Used: Cardstock: The Paper Company - Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs - Flowers: Kaiser Craft - Lable & Journal Block: Jillibean Soup - Letter Stickers & Ribbon: American Crafts - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz.


It is probably the easiest foundation to use besides a full on grid. But I did find myself a bit intimidated at first putting it together. I use this type of page often, but I haven't really put too much thought into it. I usually just try to find a pleasing arrangement for the photos and build from there. 


There are four more layering foundations that I hope to share as well. They get a bit more unstructured as they go, so I will really be creating outside of the box, (so to speak).


Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I hope you can find some creative time.

The Everyday and the Special Memories

Lately I've been using a lot of sketches, being challenged by color, and trying desperately to get the clustering and layering of embellishments down on a page to a science. But I always have to remind myself that the photos and the stories are what are most important. I can totally get wrapped up in the "fun" of creating, and forget my main reason for scrapbooking. That's not to say I can't have a load of fun, I just need to remember to slow down and not get caught up in the frenzy of trying to create something to fit a challenge. The challenge must fit around and enhance my story. 

So having said that, I have a couple of layouts that I created last night and this morning. I think I followed my above advice, and conveyed the story in both the photos and in the journaling. Then I let the fun begin.

Product Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - Paint: Apple Barrel - Lace Border Sticker: Little Yellow Bicycle - Transparencies & Love Sticker: Heidi Grace - Flowers: Flora Doodles - Border Punch: Fiskars - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Adhesive: Duck Adhesives, Glossy Accents & Glue Dots - Patterned Paper & Ribbon: Unknown.

I signed up for "Nic Howard's "Clustering Embellishments" class at Big Picture Classes. It's a self paced class, so you can sign up at any time. This layout follows the techniques she shares in the class. But before I placed a paint stroke or a piece of paper down on the page, I typed up my journaling after selecting my two photos. I feel really good about that aspect of the layout, that is the story. Now the layering and clustering thing, I've got serious work to do to get this down! 

Products Used: Cardstock: Paperbilities - Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs - Flowers: Cloud 9 Designs - Day Stickers: Little Yellow Bicycle - Letter Stickers: American Crafts Thickers - Tag: K&Co. - Label: Basic Grey - HomeSticker: Fancy Pants Designs - Pen: Zig Vellum Writer.

I used Sketch #67 from Sketches In Thyme for this layout. 

I've had these photos that I took one morning four years ago after being inspired by Stacy Julian in Finding Photo Freedom to document your daily routines in photos. And now four years later in her class "Twelve" at Big Picture Classes, she is reminding us to scrap those routines. Fun how that worked out huh? Again, the photos and the journaling tell the story first and foremost. The rest was fun play! And the clusters were a bit easier on this layout, but it still doesn't feel natural.

I also purposely picked Fancy Pants Designs patterned paper to use on this layout for the current challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous. Their A-Z challenge is to create something with product or a theme that starts with the letter "F". The challenge ends soon, so whip up something fun in the next couple of days and share it over there.

Have fun scrapping!!!

Too Cute, A Pose, and Some Nacho

Between laundry, cooking, cleaning, homework and baths, I was able to whip out a couple more layouts. I guess since I didn't list sleep that tells you something! Both layouts were fairly simple to put together because I had the photos already pulled, knew the story I wanted to tell, and used sketches to help create the design. Have I said before how much I love sketches!

This is the lovely sketch that inspired my first layout:

It is from Get Picky and it is the January #16 sketch. I'm not sure if I've used one of their sketches before, but this one was perfect. Here's what I came up with:

Products Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye & Making Memories - Border & Scallop Sticker: AdornIt - Circle Stickers: Lillibean Soup (Laugh) & My Mind's Eye (Noted) - Transparency Stars: Heidi Swapp - Brad: Making Memories - Staples: Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher - Ink: Colorbox - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

These are photos that I have wanted to get on a layout for quite some time. When I have a strong connection with photos, as I do with these, I tend to skip over them because I want to use  the "perfect" product. Nine times out of ten, the "perfect" product never produces itself. So I'm really trying to just get these stories told and have some fun with it. I'm trying to take away the pressure of trying to be "perfect". I am so far from being "perfect" in my scrapbooking, but that's totally O.K. And I have proudly used up some more of my stash!

This next layout was super quick and easy. I took two scraps of patterned papers from the leftovers that I used on the layouts I created over the weekend. I wanted to use the CHAW Sketch #12 from Page Maps for the cute photo of our middle granddaughter from when she was 6 months old. 

And here's my take:

Product Used:  Cardstock: Paperbilities - Patterned Paper: Making Memories - Twine & Border Strip: Doodlebug Designs - Ric Rac: Wrights - Buttons: The Paper Studio - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Adhesive: Duck Adhesives & Glue Dots.

I loved both sides of the patterned paper, and the colors matched perfectly with my photo. I had remembered a similar layout to the sketch created by Laura Vegas, (see it here), so I searched for it and incorporated the twine on the patterned paper from her layout, as well as the border strip across the bottom. I absolutely loved how it turned out! 

And this last layout I'm sharing I actually completed a week or so ago for the Pagerize This #18 challenge at Scrap Our Stash. 

Products Used:  Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Making Memories, Kaisercraft & Reminisce - Word Tags: Making Memories & Bella Blvd. - Digital Journal Spot: Shabby Princess Happy Go Lucky Journaling Block - Brads: Basic Grey - Punches: Marvy Uchida, Fiskars, Family Treasures - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger - Die Cut Machine: The Craft Robo.

I had to document and capture a pose that our 1 year old yellow lab Shiloh always strikes when he sits down to wait for any period of time. It is so unique and so him. He's really a character! 

Hope you all are finding time in your busy schedules to be crafty in one way or another. I'm trying to get warmed up for Laine Ehmann's Layout A Day challenge starting February 1st. I know, crazy, right?

Big Sandwiches and Happy Little Girls

I got a bit of scrapbooking done over the weekend. I'm happy to say that I scrapped older photos from my storage binders for these two layouts. They are both personality pages, which I love to create the most. And I have to say that I was able to combine two of my storage binders together because I've been scrapping so much that the oldest binder was getting sparse! Wahoo!

My design for this first layout is the January 15th sketch from Stuck! Sketches. The circle embellishments really appealed to me, and I wanted to stay true to the sketch. I try to make adaptations to the sketches I use, but I really liked this one as is. Here's the sketch:

And here's my take on the sketch:

Products Used:  Cardstock: The Paper Company - Patterned Paper: Making Memories & AdornIt - Flower: Prima - Circle Stickers: My Mind's Eye, Jillibean Soup & Heidi Grace - Letter Sticker: Heidi Grace - Butterfly Sticker: Basic Grey - Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels - Ink: Colorbox - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Circle & Scallop Circle Punch: Fiskars.

I found these pre-digital photos in my storage binder that showed a cute little personality trait of my oldest granddaughter when she was 18 months old. Blue is my favorite color, so I ran with it in my layout. Who said blue was for boys?

I’m trying to incorporate my handwriting more in my layouts. I really don’t care for my handwriting, but sometimes it looks better than type in some layouts. I felt this layout had a more playful feel to it, so handwriting seemed to fit with what I was going for.

This second layout was a fun one to put together.  I used Sketch # 66 from Sketches In Thyme for the design. Here's the sketch:

  And here is my layout:

Products Used:  Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Kaiser Craft, Scribble Scrabble, Making Memories & My Mind's Eye - Ribbon: Robert Stanley - Memories Mist: Superior - Purple Flowers & Brad: Recollections by Michael's - Stamp: Pink Paislee - Ink: Colorbox & Versa Magic - Die Cut Machine Product: Craft Robo - Tags: Unknown.

My circle cutting tool doesn't make a big enough circle to match the sketch, so I used a dinner plate to trace a circle on my patterned paper and free hand cut it. 

I also used the color palette from C.S.I. Case #3 challenge  on this layout. It is a softer color palette than the last two challenges have had. 

I first sifted through my patterned paper to see what colors I could come up with in my stash that would match the color scheme. I had an idea of the main photo I was going to use, so that helped me decide which direction to go, (product wise and story wise). After I chose a few papers that would work, I found a couple of embellishments that could work with the colors and design. I ended up only using a couple of the items I chose, and instead  I fussy cut roses from the flip side of one of my patterned papers. And I'll say it again, I need to shop for some purple "ish" product for my stash. It is most definitely the color I have the least of.

For the C.S.I. challenge, beside using products in the color scheme, I used tags, sheer ribbon and the circular shape from the "Evidence" category. From the "Testimony" category, I wrote my journaling on the tags and wrote it in a 2nd person point of view. Pardon my scan of the layout, it chopped off part of my ribbon bows and every time I put it on the scanner, the ribbons would cover my journaling. But you get the idea. I have to tell you, these challenges have been really fun. Check their site out if you haven't already.

Scraplifting Isn't A Crime!

I don't know if you are aware of a new weekly challenge over at Two Peas In A Bucket that features Shimelle Laine as Glitter Girl. Each Wednesday she has a new video and challenge posted. This week she is saving fellow scrapbookers from scrapbookers block. She created a layout inspired by design elements from six different scrapbookers, and challenges us to pick out at least one layout from the Two Peas gallery to draw inspiration from. I found this layout from Laura Vegas, whom is one of my favorite scrapbookers of all time. You may recognize her from Creating Keepsakes Magazine and Club CK.

Product Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Paper - Patterned Paper & Journal Card: October Afternoon - Ribbon: Berwick Offray - Punches: Fiskars & Family Treasures - Apple Brads: Joann's - (can be found here) - Word Stickers: My Mind's Eye - Letter Stickers: Making Memories - Rub On's: The Paper Studio - Ink: Colorbox - 3D Foam Squares: Therm-O-Web.


I loved how Laura used the patterned paper, (new from Bella Blvd), with the monkey print in a small dose. That's what I tried to do with the farm paper I used from October Afternoon. I always seem to pick up themed paper with graphics printed on them, and then feel paralyzed by how to use it on a layout. I also used ribbon like she did to break up the photos from the patterned paper. I also used brads in a combination of three in a row, that mimics the star buttons used on her layout. I'm very happy to get so many photos,  that span 8 years in time, on a two page layout. 


I also want to note that I pulled these photos from my category drawers, filed under Places we go. So it was super easy to come up with photos from over the years of the kids visiting and playing at the little farm area at the zoo. I love it when I can do this with ease! Of course the thanks goes to Stacy Julian and her Library Of Memories system for that. Also as you maybe aware, I am currently taking her "Twelve" class at Big Picture Classes, and this week we are focusing on Places. I have plenty of photos for that category!


Now I'm off to see if I can at least start another layout. I've been trying, with Stacy's advice, to always have a page in progress. It really works to help me come up with ideas for the layout. Have a great weekend!

In Good Company Is Back

You know I love a challenge, and last year a fellow blogger and scrapbooker Susanne ran a challenge on her blog entitled In Good Company. She picked a different company each week and challenged us to make a layout with that chosen product. She's back again this year, and she has added a bit of a twist to the challenges. Also, the challenges will be monthly and run from the 10th of the month to the 20th. So you have a bit of time to still get in on this month's challenge. 


The challenge for January is to create a project or layout with product that is designed by a female or attributed to a female. See her post here for some ideas. This is what I came up with:

Product Used: Patterned Paper, Flowers, Letters, Journal Blocks, Number Circle: The Girl's Paperie by Margie - Lace Ribbon: Making Memories - Wave Border Cut With Creative Memories Tool.


Almost everything on this layout is designed by The Girl's Paperie by Margie Romney Aslett, (when she was with Advantus), with the exception of the lace ribbon. So that was easy. 


What I'm absolutely stoked about, more than this layout that celebrates our oldest granddaughter when she was an adorable little baby, is that I put this product to good use. This is product that I have had in my scrapbook arsenal for over a year I think. I really have gathered and hung onto product for far too long. I think sometimes I would hang onto some products for just the right project, but by the time I'd find it again and use it, it has aged for quite some time. If you hang onto something too long, it can become uninspiring and you begin to wonder why you even bought it in the first place. I'm trying to live by the motto, "Use it, or lose it", when it comes to my scrapbook stash. Stop hoarding pretty product!!!!! The more you use, the more you can replenish it with.....later. 

Anyway, please check out In Good Company. And while you are flipping through your product to find the challenge requirements, get reacquainted with that older product in your stash. I know that's what I'm going to be doing. 

Farewell Sketchy Thursdays

One of my favorite sketch sites, Sketchy Thursdays, is calling it quits at the end of this week. I will most definitely miss them as I'm sure everyone who created with there sketches will. I discovered them not too long ago, so I'm really bummed about the news. Their last sketch was posted on 1-12-12. Here it is:

As always, it was a great sketch to work with, and here's what I came up with:

Product Used: Patterned Paper: Echo Park - Journal Spot: Bo Bunny - Letter Stickers: My Mind's Eye - Flowers: The Paper Studio - Floss: We R Memory Keepers - Border Punch: EK Success - Circle Cutter: Creative Memories - Brads: Recollections  - Pop Dots: EK Success.


This layout will go into the "People We Love" album. Our niece was four at the time, (she's now in her first year of college), and was down for Christmas from Colorado. She was so quiet and shy, but she really took a liking to our son, who was 17 at the time. He was such a good sport and joined in on her tea party. She was in heaven because she had someone to actually serve tea and cookies to besides her bears. Great memories. So glad to have it recorded. And thanks to Sketchy Thursdays for the wonderfully designed sketch.

It will be a LOAD of fun!

I want to take a moment today and remind everyone that the newest session of Layout A Day, aka LOAD, starts the first of February. For this session, the topic is "Past, Perfect". It will focus on yesterday's memories told on today's pages. It runs for the entire month of February, so since it's leap year, there will be a chance to make 29 wonderful and new scrapbook layouts. You will receive daily prompts and videos, a private gallery to share your work, and a community of some of the nicest fellow scrapbookers you'll ever meet. And if that isn't enough, there are also chances to win prizes. I have participated in past LOAD's and have had a such a wonderful time and met some wonderful new friends. And if the topic is not your thing, you can choose to create 29 layouts about whatever you wish. You just need to make and post a layout a day to be eligible for the grand prize. But if something comes up and you miss a day, you still gain so much inspiration and community, that it still makes the process worth it. You can find details here to sign up.


Hope to see you there. Have a great week!

A Burst Of Creativity

Yesterday I had the morning off and had planned on a marathon of scrapbooking. What I ended up with was a creative brain cloud! I felt uninspired, and creatively off, no matter what I tried. I decided to take time away and take a break for lunch, hoping I could come back to my craft table with renewed zest. During lunch I decided to watch a slide presentation by Stacy Julian for her class Twelve at Big Picture Classes. That's all I needed and I became totally inspired! I knew I did the right thing by taking her class, because there is just something about her that lights a creative spark inside me. Between yesterday and today, I was able to complete three layouts. Where do you get your sparks for creativity?


Here's my first layout:

Product Used: Cardstock: The Paper Company - Felt Pumpkins: Creatology - Tiny Letters: Cosmo Cricket - Twine: Darice - Word Stickers: The Girls' Paperie - Button: The Paper Studio - Brads: Recollections - Adhesive: Glossy Accents, Glue Dots & Duck Adhesive - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz from Ranger - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Patterned Paper & RicRac: Unknown.




In Twelve, we are talking about holidays this week, so I pulled the first holiday photos that I came across in my storage binders. I wasn't too sure how it would feel scrapping October"ish" photos in January, but once I started going through my orange embellishments, I became super inspired. I had picked up those cute little felt pumpkins back in October and had not used them yet. They became the perfect accent for my pumpkin patch spread.


Then I moved on from October to December. December circa 1960's that is. Here's my second layout:

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs, Daisy D's, Echo Park, Lily Bee Designs & My Mind's Eye - Word Stickers: Webster's Pages - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz by Ranger - Circle & Star Punches: Fiskars.


This layout design was inspired by Shimelle's Scrapbook Starting Points. The pocket for my journaling was inspired by Stacy Julian. She created a layout for Twelve that had her journaling on cardstock cards and it was tucked into a pocket she had created with wrapping paper. I didn't consciously set out to do my journaling this way, but when I started laying out the foundation with the patterned papers I chose, it came to mind and seemed perfect. Here's a close up of the journaling:

This morning I created a layout for the latest Case at C.S.I. Here's the Case File #2:

Isn't that color combo yummy! When I started digging through my stash to come up with product for the color scheme, I realized I have very little purple in my stash. I think I had this problem once before not too long ago, but you just don't see much purple product in the stores. I was able to find a couple of items that worked for this challenge. Here's what I came up with:

Product Used: Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye & Making Memories - Journal Card: Creative Imaginations - Rub Ons: K&Co. & American Crafts - Lace: The Girls' Paperie - Brad: My Mind's Eye - Acrylic Butterfly: Heidi Swapp - Paint: Apple Barrel - Flowers: Recollections - Metal Word: JoAnn's Scrap Essentials - Distresser: Tim Holtz - Adhesive: Glossy Accents & Glue Dots & Duck Adhesive - Pens: Zig Writers.


I hope you too are finding inspiration all around you. Sometimes you just have to walk away and come back later to find your renewed zest. Happy Scrapping!

Connect Your Two Page Spread

My most recent layout was created for the Play Along Challenge at Big Picture Classes. Right now Stacy Julian has challenged us to connect a two page layout. Whether you stretch a border across both sides, a title, a photo, all of these can work. This is what I came up with:

Product Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Making Memories - Patterned Vellum & Epoxy Mickey: EK Success - Felt Title: Queen & Co. - Journal Card: Sandylion - Gemstones: The Paper Studio - Brads: Making Memories - Scallop Border Punch: Fiskars - Word Strips: Hot of the Press - Adhesive: Duck, Glue Dots for Vellum, & Scotch Tape Roller - Mickey scissors: unknown.


I had five 4X6 photos that I didn't want to crop in any way. So it was easiest to basically imagine my layout in four horizontal lines. The top line is the star vellum and that's where I decided to place my title. And in keeping with the challenge, I stretched it across both pages of the layout. The next line was for my fifth photo and my journaling. That is where I decided I had the most room to add a few embellishments. The third line was the other four photos along with a border of Mickey heads to separate the photos from the patterned paper. And the fourth line was a continuation of the patterned paper along with a scallop border to separate the photos again. Imagining my layout in these four lines helped me put this layout together quite fast.


I hope to be able to get around to websites and blogs this weekend to get some inspiration and leave a little love. I just finished a project for a challenge at Scrap Our Stash that I will be able to share later. Today I just can't get into the groove. I usually can get a flicker or spark after I peruse websites or even a scrappy magazine, that's what I'm counting on anyway! 


Hope you all have a wonderful and safe weekend. Happy Scrapping!

Feeling It More Today

The hubby is off again this morning for a meeting, so I decided to give my craftiness another try after a difficult day yesterday. Things did flow much better this morning. I was again able to combine two challenges in one.


The first challenge I wanted to give a try is from a new color site that just launced this week. I haven't had much experience with starting a layout with a color pallette. I usually start my layouts by the colors in the photos, a product, or a design. So starting off with color was a bit daunting. And of course I started to gather papers last night, so I really felt overwhelmed. Thank goodness this morning things just seemed to click. 


The color challenge site is C.S.I. It stands for Color, Stories and Inspiration. Here is the first challenge:

You must use all five colors, two items under the Evidence list, and one item from the Testimony list for your journaling. Fun huh? This site is just too clever! Here's what I came up with:

Products Used: pp: Making Memories, Fancy Pants Designs, Kaiser Craft,  and Basic Grey - Tag: Avery - Brads: The Paper Studio - Word Sticker: K&Co. - Punches: Family Treasures, The Paper Studio and Fiskars - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz and Colorbox Chalk Ink - Number Stickers: Frances Meyer - Pen: Zig.


I simply used the printing on the background patterned paper from Making Memories as my title. 


For the page design I used the January 1st sketch from Stuck? Sketches. Loved it!

The kids go back to school tomorrow after two weeks off. I have much cleaning and organizing to do around the house. I still hope to get some scrapbooking in. I just need to fit in time to sleep...... Or as the hunky Jon Bon Jovi would say....."I'll sleep when I'm dead".

Combo Challenge

My hubby decided to take this beautiful warm day we are having and go model airplane flying. So I was so excited to have the day to scrapbook and get a few layouts completed. But it seemed like it was one of those days when nothing seemed to go right. I just have felt a bit off today, and have had to fix a lot of mistakes and missteps that I made along the way. Do you ever feel that way? But I was able to get a couple of layouts done, so that still is a great accomplishment. I just had higher expectations. 

Product Used:  pp: Jillibean Soup, The Paper Studio & K&Co. - Ribbon: Creating Keepsakes - Sticker: K&Co. -  Title Cutter: Craft Robo - Monkey Diecuts: Unknown (Purchased on Ebay).

For the first layout I created, I used Sketch #301 from Sketch Inspiration. Super easy sketch that I altered a bit. I've had this monkey patterned paper for over a year and I am very happy I have finally used it for the intended purpose for which I purchased it! This is thanks to the class Twelve I am taking at Big Picture Classes. We have started to make lists of layout topics that we want to create. This story can be checked off my list! Yeah! Oh, and the die cut monkeys, I purchased those on Ebay about a year and a half ago. They also were purchased with this page in mind. So this page has been brewing for quite some time. 

Products Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - PP: Making Memories & Basic Grey - Bling: Prima & Heidi Grace Designs - Butterfly Masks: Studio Calico - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz (Bundled Sage) - Title Cutter: Craft Robo. - 

Tag & Ric Rac: Unknown.

This layout I created for two different challenges. I rarely do this, but it just simply worked out that way. The design was inspired by Sketch #62 from Sketchabilities. This is an awesome sketch design. 

I also took on the challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous for January to use a mask on your layout along with paint, ink or mist. I decided to use my new butterfly masks with distress ink. I am totally new at this, so I'm not sure how I feel about how it turned out. I will need to practice this a bit more, but you have to start somewhere, right?

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. 

Fond Memories

Product Used:  pp: We R Memory Keepers & Creative Imaginations – Ribbon: American Crafts – Letter Stickers: Cosmo Cricket – Word Stickers: Making Memories – Hemp Cord: Darice.

My layout, which was inspired by Amanda’s Pagerize #17 layout at Scrap Our Stash, is a cute story about my middle granddaughter that we reminisce about quite often. Amanda’s layout inspired me to use one larger photo with three smaller photos to compliment it. I tried to keep the circular feel of her layout by using the circular die cut paper on mine. I made the banner with scrap pieces of patterned paper that I keep in a small container on my desk.

This story is a very meaningful one for our family. It’s one of those everyday moments of life that makes us smile. These are the layouts I treasure the most. 

Before our son and granddaughters moved in with us a few years ago, he lived in an apartment with his girls that was clear across town. We would take care of them while he worked, so to help out, we would pick them up and bring them to our home for the day. On our way we would pass several car lots that always had those huge balloon characters. I would always point them out to the girls as we passed by each day. It was a fun daily ritual that they really enjoyed. One day I realized that when we passed the gorilla blow ups, (and there was always a gorilla), Hannah would say the same thing. I would say, “Here comes the gorilla.”  And right on cue, Hannah would say, “It’s a Daddy one”. Sometimes she would say a “Mommy one”, but nine times out of ten, it was a “Daddy One.”  You could count on her every single day and every single time to say it. It just made me so happy. It still does. Something so small…….makes you so happy! 

It’s funny, because after all of the times this was happening, I never once stopped to get a photo of the “said” gorillas’. But you can always count on the car lots for some things. Eight years later, I was able to drive by a car lot and find a balloon gorilla. A couple of weeks ago, I drove down the street and snapped a picture of a gorilla at a car lot. I went to my category drawers, (from the Library of Memories system), and pulled three photos of my granddaughter from the time period that she would do this. And now I have that precious memory recorded. That’s what scrapbooking is all about for me. 

Have a wonderful weekend full of precious memories!

"She Reads" And I'm Thrilled

I'm in love with this week's sketch challenge at Sketchy Thursdays. It's super adaptable and I am for sure going to use it again. Here's the sketch:

And here's my layout inspired by the sketch:

Products Used: Die Cut Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny - pp: Basic Grey - Border Sticker: Little Yellow Bicycle - Journal Spot: Pink Paislee - Letter Stickers: Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type - Tissue Tape: Tim Holtz - Flower: Prima - Brad: Basic Grey - Ink: Colorbok Chalk Ink - Circle Punch: Fiskars -  Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Other: Page from an old book.


My oldest granddaughter is truly a book worm. I can't tell you how thrilled I am that she has such a voracious appetite for reading. She is constantly wanting to go to the library, to Goodwill to find books, and looks forward to the monthly book order at school. She also loves to write stories, which will definitely be content for a future layout.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! Wow, here we are.....2012! I hope it will be a great year for all of us both personally and creatively. 


First of all, I made this fun little New Year's Eve layout for the January Scrap Our Stash challenge. The challenge is to do anything to do with "New". Examples are:  use a new product, new tool, new technique, or make a project about a new home, or New Years.... You get it.  Here is my layout:

Product Used: Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny Press - Clock Transparency: Hiedi Swapp - Circle Bling: Hiedi Grace - Letter Stickers: Sticko by EK Success - Pen: Zig Writer.

I was stoked with this layout because all of the product I used was older product that I've had in my stash for quite some time! Love it when I use loved, but very neglected product! 

This year I have taken on quite a bit, but I am really looking forward to the challenge. You will see me around at Scrap Our Stash where I am a Design Team Member as of this month. I'm very happy to be part of this challenge site. Love it! 

At Big Picture Classes, I am taking "Twelve" taught by Stacy Julian. I am always inspired by her classes and am sure this class will no doubt live up to my expectations. Also at Big Picture Classes, I have signed up for Cathy Zielske's Move More, Eat Well 2012 class. I'm hoping for some support in the forever problem of bad eating habits. 

On January 24, I am signed up for the Scrapbook Page Layering class taught by Debbie Hodge at Creative Passion. I feel I lack in the area of using layers and embellishments on my pages, so I am really so excited about this class that it's hard to wait the three weeks until it starts! I always seem to freeze up when it's time to add embellishments on my layouts and it drives me crazy. That's suppose to be the funnest part! 

And last, but not least, (for now), I have signed up for Lain Ehmann's LOAD February 2012 challenge. The title of the month long challenge is Past Perfect: yesterday's memories, today's pages. I just love the possibilities this topic can bring. 

I think that keep me busy and out of trouble. I so much hope you will join me in at least one of these classes/challenges!