Following Inspiration Wherever It Comes From

I was one lucky duck this weekend and had some great quality time to play and create. I was able to get two LOAD layouts completed and two more from for a couple of great challenges. But then on the flip side, the last two days I haven't been able to do anything crafty. Life is a constant ebb and flow. 


For LOAD day #11, the prompt was "School Days". I chose to scrap the few photos I have from our graduation. I tried to spruce them up as well as I could in Photoshop. I hope our children and grandchildren appreciate someday all the photos we take of them these days. What I wouldn't give for better photos and more of them.

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs - Ribbon: Making Memories - Border Punch: Fiskars - Star Punches: Family Treasures - Die Cutting Machine: Craft Robo - Adhesive: Xyron, Recollections Foam Dots, Duck Adhesives & Glue Dots - Washi Tape: Hambly - Chalk Ink: Colorbox.

For day #12 of LOAD, the prompt was "History Repeats Itself." I decided to create a layout about how after we lose our beloved dogs, we swear we are not going to get another one because it's so hard when they pass. But we always give in and eventually get another one. 

Products Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - Patterned Paper: Making Memories & Little Yellow Bicycle - Word Stickers: Jillibean Soup - Chipboard Word: Bella Blvd. - Oval Journal Spot: My Mind's Eye - Twine: Doodlebug Design - Plastic Button: Heidi Grace - Heart Punch: Family Treasures - Ink: Tim Holtz Distress - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

After I decided how I was going to place my photos, I realized that I hadn't done my journaling yet. It's usually one of the first things I decide on. But I decided to write it around my photos. I really am not fond of my handwriting as I've gotten older, but I know it's good to have it in my books, as well as sometimes it's just much easier.

If you like to join in on color challenges, C.S.I. has been a great challenge site to play at. I barely made this layout in time for the deadline, but I finally found some product in my stash that worked for the color challenge. Here's was the color challenge:

And here is my layout:

Product Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: American Crafts, My Mind's Eye & Echo Park - Journal Block: My Mind's Eye - Border Punch & Number Stickers: EK Success - "H" & Circle Sticker: Sandylion - Flowers & Brads: The Paper Studio - Punches: Marvy Uchida & McGill -  Tiny Attacher Stapler: Tim Holtz - Adhesive: Recollections Foam Dots, Duck Adhesive, Xyron, Scotch ATG - Ink: Colorbox - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

Our oldest granddaughter use to give this fake toothy smile. I finally got her to stop when I told her to laugh to herself quietly. She's been doing that, and now her smiles are a bit more natural. But I am glad that I have photos of this phase she went through. For my "evidence" I made photo corners for the focal point photo and I used die cut letters. My "testimony" is the journaling around the photo.

And lastly, I created a layout for In Good Company at Snap and Snippets. Her challenge was to use Lily Bee Designs products in your project. I had one sheet of patterned paper, and one small sheet of stickers. I love Lily Bee's pretty products, so I'm not sure why I don't have more in my stash. I'll have to pay more attention next time I visit my local scrapbook store. 

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Lily Bee Designs, My Mind's Eye & American Crafts - Title Letters: American Crafts - Circle Sticker: Lily Bee Designs - Border Punch: Fiskars - Flowers, Brads & Floss: We R Memory Keepers - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz by Ranger - Metal Follage: Tim Holtz Ideaology - Adhesives: Recollections Foam Dots, Scotch ATG, Duck Adhesives.

If you get a chance, please join in on this challenge. I love these challenges because they make me aware of what I have and don't have as far as product goes. I have found each one to be really a great way to familiarize myself with my current stash!

Have a great week! Happy Scrapping!

LOAD Days #8 , #9, and #10 and Project Life

Well it's Friday, woot, woot! I've been keeping super busy, and I have a few things to share. 


LOAD Day #8 - The prompt was "I miss . . . . "  There were so many people or past pets that I could have made my layout about, but I didn't want to go that deep into my feelings for another layout. I decided to create the layout about how I miss my old home town. What was great about putting this layout together was that all the photos were already pulled and in my category drawer. They were in the drawer labeled "Places" under the sub category "Idaho". Lickety Split I had my layout done.

Products Used: Patterned Paper: K&Co. - Stamps: Making Memories - Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink & Colorbox - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Epoxy Stickers: Heidi Grace - Digital Journal Card: Rhonna Farrer.

I printed out a map of Idaho off the Internet to die cut my title letters out of. 

LOAD Day #9 - The prompt was "Home Sweet Home". This layout also was fairly easy to put together. For this one I printed out a larger photo of our home for the focal point. Then I went to my memorabilia file and pulled the housing listing that I had hung onto, and went to my category drawer "Places" and found the other photos under the sub category "Home".  

Product Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - Patterned Paper: K & Co. - Title Art: Cock-a-doodle Designs - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz - Photo Corner: Heidi Swapp - Letter Stickers: Jillibean Soup.

The title is an old Cock-a-doodle Do Designs Page Topper. I have hung onto it all these years. It's old, but it worked for this.

LOAD Day #10 - The prompt was "Favorite Memory". My first thought was when I went to Disneyland for the first time. I was 17 years old, and my boyfriend's family, (now my husband), invited me to go along with them to California for the weekend. I had never been before and was beyond thrilled. Visiting Disneyland was so magical for me and still is. 

Products Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Sandylion - Mickey Heads: EK Success - Mickey Ear Veneer: Unique Pages - Paint: Apple Barrel - Digital Frame: Liv E. Designs - Ink: Colorbox Chalk -  Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

I've been very happy with the progress I've been making with my scrapbooking. I cherish my time creating layouts. It is definitely like therapy for me. I have many more stories to tell and many more layouts to make. 

Having said that, I have decided to do a modified version of Project Life as well. Instead of taking a photo a day, or even making a two page spread for each week, I am making a two page spread for each month. I am also being very methodical about the photos I take. We shall see how it goes. I'm hoping the two forms of memory keeping will go hand in hand and mesh nicely.

Here's my opening cover for the Project Life album:

I'm using a combination of the original kit contents, (it's Becky's first Project Life kit when she went out on her own), and products from Cloud 9's Cinnamon Stick & Cocoa Mint line. They both had a similar color palette, so they will work together. And here's my January spread:

I may do a separate layout about taking our dog to the Dog Wash, otherwise I probably won't be making any layouts from the photos I took in January. Maybe here and there I'll print a duplicate of a photo for a later connection/personality type page.

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

LOAD Layouts Day #6 and #7

Today I just have a couple more layouts to share. But if you read my post from yesterday, I must tell you that one of the layouts was cultivated from my Inspiration File. I'm loving it!


For Day #6 of LOAD, (aka Layout A Day), the daily prompt was "Little Girl Dreams". When I thought about the prompt, and then flipped through my Scrapbook Album "All About Me", I realized that I have scrapped a couple of layouts about different childhood dreams that I had. So I didn't feel the need to cover them again. What I decided to do was to make a layout with all of my dance class photos from way back when. 

Product Used: Patterned Paper: Chatterbox - Border Punch: Fiskars - Title Letters: Cloud 9 - Flowers: Prima - Brads: Recollections.


I didn't do extensive journaling about my dancing "capades", I kept it fairly simple. I had already written in detail about my feelings of dancing on a layout that I had created previously. But it only included one photo on it, so with this layout, I was able to fit more photos and showcase them. For the design I used this weeks Sketch #306 from Sketch Inspiration. 

Today's prompt for LOAD is "I Always Thought". I threw around a couple of ideas in my mind, but then it dawned on me that I may have a photo in my Inspiration File and the idea for a story jotted down on my idea card. Indeed I did, and here's what I came up with:

Products Used: Patterned Paper: American Crafts, Little Yellow Bicycle & Fancy Pants Designs - Border Punch: Fiskars - Border Lace: Little Yellow Bicycle - Die Cuts & Word Sticker: K & Co. - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz - Pop Dots: Recollections & Therm-o-Web.  


Of course the photo of the moon is from the Internet. I just traced out the Easter Bunny and his desk out in Photoshop. When I look at the moon I always think of my grandmother's story. And I always can see the Easter Bunny. I am beyond excited that I got this story down on a layout!!! Again, it's this type of layout that makes me the most happy! For the design, I used Sketch #130 from Sketch Inspiration.


Have a great week!

Yet Another Tool To Help Me Tell Our Stories

I have to share a wonderful new tool that Stacy Julian has devised for her class "Twelve" at Big Picture Classes. But I love it so much and it really goes hand in hand with her Library Of Memories/Finding Photo Freedom System. 


If you are familiar with Library of Memories, then you are familiar with keeping the majority of your printed photos in storage binders. These are just three up, three ring photo albums that house my photos until I am ready to use them. Then I have what are called Category Drawers. This is where I file away photos to "age" and to someday pull from to create connection type layouts, or layouts that can use photos spanning from different time periods, but having the same theme. But now this newest tool is called an Inspiration File.

This is where I will gather my photos and put them together with anything that I can use to tell the story that is brewing around in my brain. I can throw any memorabilia here, or notes behind the twelve dividers tabs and then add the photos when I get a chance. It's really where I am keeping my ideas for future layouts. On the attached cards, as you can see in the forefront of the photo above, is where I will jot down layout ideas or topics. 

So far this has really helped in my creative process. I had previously had a notebook that I jotted down my page ideas, but actually having a place where I can throw a photo when an idea sparks, and then any other bits & pieces really helps the process along. 


My twelve divider topics are: Fun (Maybe a color based layout or a new technique I want to try), People (Relatives, Friends), Seasons, Personality, Holidays/Celebrations, Family Stories, Me, Rituals/Traditions, Everyday Life, Inspiration(a layout to scraplift, a color combo), Places, and Things. 


I'll let you know as I go along if I decide that this is continuing to help in my process or if it becomes a waste of my time. But right now, it has become yet another tool to help me tell our stories. 


Happy Scrapping!
  

Scrap Our Stash February Challenge

The challenge for February at Scrap Our Stash is to take a leap and do something new or unusual. My project is not unusual for most scrapbookers, but it was a leap for me from my normal projects. I received a Cinch a year ago Christmas from my hubby, and I had yet to use it. I know, that's terrible huh? So from start to finish, I made my own mini book showcasing the photos I took from our trip to Las Vegas last November.

I had spied this gorgeous paper from Hot of the Press a few weeks ago and couldn't resist buying it. I knew it would make a perfect cover for my album.

I added the title, the date and a some bling from Prima and my cover was complete.

With the exception of the cover patterned paper, I used Prima paper throughout the album. I kept the embellishments to a minimum, especially since there aren't any page protectors on the pages. Here's some of the inside pages:

Note: There were no photos allowed in the stage area for Le Reve. Photo obtained from connect.in.com.

Supplies used in mini book: Glitter: Stickles by Ranger - Border Punch: Fiskars - Bling: Jolee's by EK Success - Foam Letters: Sticko - Las Vegas Dimensional Stickers: Jolee's Soft Spoken - Cardboard Book Covers & Binding Wire: The Cinch by We R Memory Keepers - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

Digital Products Used: Shabby Princess Vintage Floral Scroll Frame & Accent - Amy Teets Sun Porch Journal Spot - Cilenia Curtis Art Class Sketch Book - Summer Driggs Ring It In Tag & Sweet Cakes #4 Tag - Sara Schmutz Freedom Star Sticker.

These are about half of the album pages that I created for the album. And with the Cinch, the project went together so nicely! I definitely will be making more mini albums with this amazing tool. I can't believe I waited so long to use it!

Now it's your turn. Give February's challenge a try! Take a "LEAP"! You may be pleasantly surprised and what you come up with!

LOAD Day #2 & Day #3 & Some Scrapbookers Anonymous Love

Well I already blew LOAD on only the second day. I didn't get a layout in yesterday because I was sick. You never know what life is going to throw at you. But that's OK, chances of winning the prize for getting a layout a day posted are slim anyway. I'm still planning on making 29 layouts from the daily prompts and that's a prize all  in itself.  


Day #2's prompt was to find a favorite photo that conjured up strong feelings when you looked at it. I knew exactly what photos that was for me, and decided to tackle the story. I actually had a layout that I had created many years ago, and it did not do the photos justice. Here's my old layout:

And this layout makes me gasp and cringe. Not from the design, (no comment), but that these are original photos and I cut them all up with decorative scissors! Oh, if we'd only knew! Here's my reworked layout:

Product Used:  Cardstock: The Paper Company - Patterned Paper, Letter Stickers &  Sticker Embellishments: Bo Bunny Press - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz

Luckily, with the help of Photoshop, I was able to salvage the photos somewhat to a normal state. 

For Day #3's layout, the prompt was create a layout about who you are. You could delve deep into yourself or you could make it more simple. I went with a more simple topic. I created a layout with a story of how I use to be terrified of driving on freeways. Here it is:

Products Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: We R Memory Keepers - Letter Stickers: Pink Paislee - Transparency Clock: Hambly Studios - Arrow Stickers: The Paper Studio - Chipboard Tag: Me & My Big Ideas - Glue Dots for Vellum - Ribbon: Making Memories - Corner Rounder: Creative Memories.

So now I'm up to date with LOAD.

I created this layout on Wednesday before going to bed. I did it for the February challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous. The challenge is to use three hearts and stitching on your layout. I scraplifted this layout from Two Peas In A Bucket's Nancy Damiano's "When I Grow Up" :

Products Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper & The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye & Making Memories - Envelopes: Martha Stewart Crafts - Stitching Tools: Sew Easy by We R Memory Keepers - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Punch: Family Treasures - Foam Dots: Recollections - Chalk Ink: Colorbox - Corner Rounder: Creative Memories.

I adored her use of the three envelopes on her layout and wanted to mimic that in some way on mine. I added a little "love" card to each envelope, and attached a heart to each for my "three" hearts. And the stitching on the top if done with my Sew Easy by We R Memory Keepers. I hadn't used it yet and really should have practiced before doing it. I also didn't realize when I purchased it that it works better with the special mat that you can get. So it's now on my shopping list. It's not perfect, but it will do.

Hope you all have a great weekend. It's Super Bowl!!! Don't have too much fun!

Day One of LOAD and Happy Memories

Well today kicks off the first day of LOAD, otherwise known at Layout A Day. I was a bit nervous, but once I read the prompt, I once again felt at ease with the process. Today's prompt is "You've got good taste". It could be interpreted in so many ways. I thought of a couple of ways I could go, but I chose to tell the story of my Grandpa's tomatoes.

Products Used: Cardstock: Paperbilities - Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Spray Mist: Memories Mist - Brads: Bo Bunny Press & Making Memories - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz - Corner Rounder: Creative Memories - Circle Punch: Fiskars - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Cloth Lable Sticker & Fiber: Unknown.


This is a little story that my Grandpa always told while he was alive. He got such a kick out of telling it. And while it is probably about 98% true, I am so thrilled to get it down on paper.


Now before you think, "Oh she's so lucky to have had taken photos of his garden and the salad," I must confess a couple of tricks. The garden photo is actually from a couple of years ago when we had our own garden. And the salad photo is from the internet. But I felt adding these photos were important to the visual story and memory. When I look at them, along with the photo of my Grandpa, I don't even think about them not being the true photos. I don't have many photos of my Grandpa, so I found one of the best ones I had to use on this layout. 


Sometimes your photos are what's most important to the layout, and sometimes it's the story. In this case, the most important part of my layout is the story. The photos I chose just help to enhance what I wanted to say and remember. It's not the best designed layout, and it's pretty clean and simple without too many frills. But I cannot tell you how happy this layout makes me feel. These are the layouts that I scrapbook for! 


And I must give a shout out to Bird Is The Word. One of their challenge words for last month, (still has 10 days to go, so join in), is "Remember". I used the word as an embellishment, as well as in my journaling.