Telling Our Story

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

2012-02-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

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.

ProductsUsed: Patterned Paper: K&Co. - Stamps: Making Memories - Ink: Tim HoltzDistress 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".

ProductUsed: 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.

ProductsUsed: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Sandylion - Mickey Heads: EKSuccess - Mickey Ear Veneer: Unique Pages - Paint: Apple Barrel - DigitalFrame: 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

2012-02-07T13:48:00.001-07:00

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

2012-02-06T14:26:00.000-07:00

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

2012-02-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

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

I hadspied this gorgeous paper from Hot of the Press a few weeks ago and couldn'tresist buying it. I knew it would make a perfect cover for my album.

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

With theexception of the cover patterned paper, I used Prima paper throughout thealbum. I kept the embellishments to a minimum, especially since there aren'tany 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 fromconnect.in.com.

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

DigitalProducts Used: Shabby Princess Vintage Floral Scroll Frame & Accent - AmyTeets Sun Porch Journal Spot - Cilenia Curtis Art Class Sketch Book - SummerDriggs Ring It In Tag & Sweet Cakes #4 Tag - Sara Schmutz Freedom StarSticker.

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

2012-02-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

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:

ProductUsed: 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" :

ProductsUsed: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper & The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: MyMind's Eye & Making Memories - Envelopes: Martha Stewart Crafts - StitchingTools: Sew Easy by We R Memory Keepers - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Punch:Family Treasures - Foam Dots: Recollections - Chalk Ink: Colorbox - CornerRounder: 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

2012-02-01T12:20:00.002-07:00

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.

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

2012-01-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

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.

ProductUsed: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny Press & FancyPants 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: ZigWriter - 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

2012-01-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

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

2012-01-25T14:30:00.001-07:00

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.

ProductUsed: 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

2012-01-24T14:00:00.001-07:00

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 theleftovers that I used on the layouts I created over the weekend. I wanted to usethe CHAW Sketch #12 from Page Maps for the cute photo of our middlegranddaughter from when she was 6 months old.

And here's my take:

ProductUsed: 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 similarlayout to the sketch created by Laura Vegas, (see it here), so I searched forit and incorporated the twine on the patterned paper from her layout, as wellas 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.

ProductsUsed: Cardstock: The Paper Co. -Patterned Paper: Making Memories, Kaisercraft & Reminisce - Word Tags:Making Memories & Bella Blvd. - Digital Journal Spot: Shabby Princess HappyGo Lucky Journaling Block - Brads: Basic Grey - Punches: Marvy Uchida, Fiskars,Family Treasures - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger - Die CutMachine: 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

2012-01-23T13:45:00.001-07:00

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 designfor this first layout is the January 15th sketch from Stuck! Sketches. The circleembellishments 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 asis. Here's the sketch:

And here's my take on the sketch:

ProductsUsed: Cardstock: The Paper Company -Patterned Paper: Making Memories & AdornIt - Flower: Prima - CircleStickers: 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 foundthese pre-digital photos in my storage binder that showed a cute littlepersonality trait of my oldest granddaughter when she was 18 months old. Blue ismy favorite color, so I ran with it in my layout. Who said blue was for boys?

I’mtrying to incorporate my handwriting more in my layouts. I really don’t carefor my handwriting, but sometimes it looks better than type in some layouts. Ifelt this layout had a more playful feel to it, so handwriting seemed to fitwith what I was going for.

This second layout wasa fun one to put together. I usedSketch # 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 tooldoesn't make a big enough circle to match the sketch, so I used a dinner plateto trace a circle on my patterned paper and free hand cut it.

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

I first sifted through mypatterned paper to see what colors I could come up with in my stash that wouldmatch the color scheme. I had an idea of the main photo I was going to use, sothat 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 embellishmentsthat could work with the colors and design. I ended up only using a couple ofthe items I chose, and instead I fussycut roses from the flip side of one of my patterned papers. And I'll say itagain, I need to shop for some purple "ish" product for my stash. Itis most definitely the color I have the least of.

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

Scraplifting Isn't A Crime!

2012-01-21T15:26:00.001-07:00

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

2012-01-18T13:08:00.001-07:00

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

2012-01-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

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!

2012-01-16T12:44:00.001-07:00

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

2012-01-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

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

2012-01-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

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

2012-01-08T10:54:00.000-07:00

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

2012-01-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

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.

ProductUsed: pp: Jillibean Soup, The PaperStudio & 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

2012-01-06T10:49:00.002-07:00

ProductUsed: pp: We R Memory Keepers &Creative Imaginations – Ribbon: American Crafts – Letter Stickers: CosmoCricket – Word Stickers: Making Memories – Hemp Cord: Darice.

Mylayout, 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 quiteoften. Amanda’s layout inspired me to use one larger photo with three smallerphotos to compliment it. I tried to keep the circular feel of her layout byusing the circular die cut paper on mine. I made the banner with scrap piecesof patterned paper that I keep in a small container on my desk.

Thisstory is a very meaningful one for our family. It’s one of those everydaymoments 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 apartmentwith his girls that was clear across town. We would take care of them while heworked, so to help out, we would pick them up and bring them to our home for the day. On our way wewould pass several car lots that always had those hugeballoon characters. I would always point them out to the girls as we passed byeach day. It was a fun daily ritual that they really enjoyed. Oneday I realized that when we passed the gorilla blow ups, (and there was always agorilla), Hannah would say the same thing. I would say, “Here comes thegorilla.” And right on cue, Hannah wouldsay, “It’s a Daddy one”. Sometimes she would say a “Mommy one”, but nine timesout of ten, it was a “Daddy One.” Youcould count on her every single day and every single time to say it. It justmade me so happy. It still does. Something so small…….makes you so happy!

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

Have a wonderful weekend full of precious memories!

"She Reads" And I'm Thrilled

2012-01-03T12:41:00.002-07:00

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!

2012-01-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

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:

ProductUsed: Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny Press - Clock Transparency: Hiedi Swapp -Circle Bling: Hiedi Grace - Letter Stickers: Sticko by EK Success - Pen: ZigWriter.

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!

Nothing Like A Deadline To Get You Scrapping!

2011-12-29T16:34:00.001-07:00

I started this layout yesterday for this month's A to Z challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous. The deadline to submit your project is today at 9:00 PST. I just finished it, with less than one and a half hours to go. Lesson learned that should have been learned a long time ago.....don't wait until the last minute. Although it's no big deal if I missed the deadline, right? It's not like I'm getting paid or under any obligations. I just love a challenge! And if I'm going to go to all the trouble of picking a certain story and pull the photos for it, I like to get it done when it's suppose to be done, that's all. So it's done!

This month the letter was "E". I immediately thought of "elephant", which led me to the photos of Ruby from the Phoenix Zoo. This is a story that I've wanted to scrap for some time. Ruby died in 2008 after complications when she was expecting a calf. We were looking so forward to the birth of her baby and followed her pregnancy. Thanks to this challenge, it is another important story now on paper.

Products Used: pp: Anna Griffin & AdornIt - Burlap: My Minds Eye - Rub On's: Cloud 9 Designs & Sassafras - Journaling Card - K&Co. - Digital Overlay for Journaling: Katie Pertiet - Digital Stapled Tab: Shabby Princess - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo - Ribbon & Brad: Unknown.

Altered Holiday Book

2011-12-28T13:05:00.002-07:00

A week or so before Christmas, I had started dabbling in altering a book to display the Christmas card photos that we receive from friends in the mail each year. The idea came from Paperclipping, where Noell Hyman has a tutorial showing how she altered her book for holiday cards. I loved the idea and decided to try it myself. I'm loving how it turned out, and I will be able to add to it each year. Here's the cover:

I went to our local Goodwill to look for a book that I could alter. I originally was looking for a hardback book that had a title that would work for the project, when I happened upon this book that had absolutely nothing on the front, back or spine. It was nice and sturdy, in great condition, and I knew it would be perfect! And it only cost me $1.99. To start, I cut my patterned paper to fit the front of the cover. Then I covered the front with Gel Medium, (Heavy Gel-Matte finish), by Golden that can be found in most craft stores. It's a nice sturdy glue that is fast to dry. But you could use Mod Podge instead. The patterned paper I chose is from Karen Foster Designs called Vintage Sketch. Once it dried, I added the star embellishments that are from Jolee's Boutique from the Parcel Collection.

Products: Tag: K&Co. - Butterfly Sticker: Websters Pages - Word Stickers: The Girls' Paperie - Ribbon: Unknown.

I was also lucky in the fact that I didn't mind the front two pages when you opened up the book. It had this nice tree pattern that was quite nice. So I just gathered up a few embellishments and made the opening page.

Products: PP: Fancy Pants Designs - Epoxy Circle Sticker: Little Yellow Bicycle - Digital Label: Shabby Princess

I was happy that I could incorporate some of the design of the original book pages into my altered pages. In this above example, I used the chapter title frame to frame my Christmas card. I took about 10-12 pages and used the brads to secure them together. You could use gel medium between each page, but using this technique, it's certainly not necessary and is much easier.

Product: PP: Anna Griffin - Digital Labels: Shabby Princess - Holiday embellishments: Unknown.

These are the pages following the pages previous that I used brads to gather them together. I just covered the back side of the brads that showed through on the left hand side with the patterned paper. I was lucky that my book was a little less than 12 inches across, (two page spread), and I didn't have to do much cutting to fit. I adhered the patterned paper with the gel medium, and once it dried, I added my photos and elements. I worked from the crease inwards, (making sure the pp was tuck up into crease all the way), and glued each side outward. That's the best way to do it so you don't get wrinkles and bubbles. Again, Paperclipping's tutorial offers a great step by step instruction of the process.

I had fun creating this project. I've been wanting to put it together for over a year. I'm glad I took the plunge! What are you working on?

Twelve Wonderful Months Of Layouts

2011-12-27T14:26:00.003-07:00

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday. I am in utter disbelief that time is passing by at warp speed.

I haven't created anything in over a week, and I'm getting those pangs that are telling me I need to make something. Today I was browsing my favorite blogs and Stacy Julian posted about her upcoming class Twelve. I have signed up for the class already and am very excited for it to start, (It begins January 1st). I have always found Stacy very inspiring and have no doubt this class will be no less than a blast. It is the first class in Big Picture Classes, 4Expert series. Stacy says that in the twelve week of class you will be setting yourself up for 52 weeks of inspired scrapbooking. The goal is to create twelve layouts a month for twelve months. See her blog post here. Also I used, and you can too, the 10% discount that Paperclipping Roundtable is offering until January 5, 2012. Go here for the link and the discount info. I hope to see some of you there.

Have a great week!

Scrap Our Stash December Challenge

2011-12-17T16:52:00.001-07:00

ProductUsed: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: We R Memory Keepers - Die CutLetters: Sizzix Sidekick - Epoxy Stickers: Little Yellow Bicycle - Pen: ZigWriter - Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives & Xyron Industries.

Isubmitted this layout to Scrap Our Stash for the December Anything Goeschallenge. It was a super simple layout to put together because I had somegreat coordinating product from the Peppermint Twist line at We R Memory Keepers. I didn't want to cut down the five 4X6 photos I had to work with, so Imade a two pager. If you've created a layout, card,or any crafty decoration, go over to Scrap Our Stash and post your project. December's challenge is "Anything Goes", and there has been some amazing projects shared.

Now that Christmas is just around the corner, I probably won't get back to posting anything else until afterwards. I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! And for those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you the spirit of happiness throughout this time.

Merry Christmas From Our House To Yours!!

Rework Wednesday and a Sketchy Thursday Layout

2011-12-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

I've been busy working on Christmas layouts this month, and found a series of photos/layouts that were in my binder of layouts I want to redo. Sketchy Thursdays had the perfect sketch for a reworked layout this week. It is for more than one photo which I absolutely need these days. Here's the sketch:

With the photos I wanted to use, I had to flip the sketch on it's side, but it still worked perfectly for what I was going for. Here's my take:

Products Used: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - Patterned Papers: My Mind's Eye, Fancy Pants Designs, Prima & Imaginisce - Flowers & Brads: Making Memories - Word Tag: Bella Blvd - Circle Cutter: Creative Memories - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

I had all these candid photos that I had taken of my granddaughter on her second Christmas as well as the professional photo my son had taken of her. It took some tweaking, but I'm happy I could include all of them on the layout. Again, this is a reworked layout, so here is the original done a few years ago:

Because who knows where the negatives are for these photos, (well they are actually in a safe deposit box), and the fact that I cut too many photos back in the day into circles, I had to scan and work making the smaller photos into squares. But it was worth it. These photos are just too precious of her and such a great memory.

My second reworked layout actually takes a four page layout, (8 1/2 X 11 size), and incorporates them into a 12 X 12 two pager. Also back in the day, I felt like I had to scrap every single photo.

Here are the old layouts:

They have a lot of shaped photos, a ton of trapped white space, and really too many similar photos that didn't enhance the layout. I love the Me & My Big Ideas Christmas Stickers, but I wasn't happy with the way I used them. Here is the reworked layout:

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs (Traditions-Shimmer), Kaiser Craft (Tis The Season-Ornamental), Becky Higgins Creating Keepsakes Christmas Card Kit, K&Co. - Tag: Anna Griffin (Flora Christmas) - Word Stickers: Bella Blvd. (Christmas Wishes) - Digital Journal Block Frame: Jen Allyson 2 Peas Winter Wonderland - Ribbon: Big Lots - Metal Stars: Colorbok - Punches: McGill & EK Success - Ink: Versa Magic Chalk Ink - Die Cut Machine: Craft Robo.

The reworked layout is much less cluttered obviously, and it isn't so overwhelming as the original four pages. Again, some scanning and tweaking of a couple of the photos had to be done, but I was also able to use a couple from the original layout. It's no matter though, I really like having a digital backup of my most important pre-digital photos. I have the negatives tucked away in a safe deposit box, but I'm sure it's much easier to scan these photos and reprint them at this point. Can you imagine going through hundreds of negatives to find the ones your looking for, and then find a printer who still does negatives. Besides, now I have a digital backup at my fingertips. I burn the photos onto a DVD monthly as well as keep them on a external hard drive. Forget diamonds, photos are my treasures!

Only 10 days until Christmas guys! Can you believe it. Hope things are going smoothly for you all and that you are finding large nuggets of cheer in each day. Have a great rest of your week!

Sketchy Thursdays Inspiration

2011-12-07T14:32:00.001-07:00

Just a short little entry today. . . . I am working on a reworked layout for my "Rework Wednesday" series, but I just couldn't find enough hours in the day yesterday or today to work on it. So it will have to come later. But I was able yesterday to create a layout inspired by last Thursday's sketch at Sketchy Thursdays. Here's the December 1st sketch:

I only had two photos that I wanted to used to tell my story, so I flipped the sketch on it's side and made a couple of tweaks. Here is my take on the sketch:

ProductsUsed: Cardstock: The Paper Co. -Patterned Paper: KaiserCraft - (Brown Background) & Unknown Scraps - DieCut Letters: Sizzix Sidekick - Epoxy Circle Sticker: Little Yellow Bicycle -Circle Punches: Fiskars & The Paper Studio - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz byRanger - Adhesive: Xyron.

Again it was a great sketch and it worked perfectly for what I was going for. . . . . simple and easy.

I don't know about you, but at our house at Christmas, (and birthdays for that matter), my husband cannot keep a secret. And I usually always get my gift early, and this year is no exception. He is giving me a Silhouette this year. I am so excited! And if you you have one, or like digital elements to use on your cards and projects, Kerri Bradford Studio is giving away a free download a day this week. The catch is you have to download it on the day it's released, so you've missed two days. But I love today's download. Check them out and get it and the next two before they are gone.

More Christmas Layouts And Challenges

2011-12-06T12:08:00.001-07:00

First I want to start off and share some exciting news. Scrap Our Stash has asked me to stay on as a Design Team member. I am super excited about this! I love the site and have had great fun joining in on their challenges. I greatly admire the other designers, and am thrilled to join in on the fun! If you haven't checked out the challenge for this month, it's a wonderful one to join in on. The challenge for December is "Anything Goes". Because everyone is busy this time of year, they are leaving it up to you to create and share any project you desire. Cards, gifts, layouts, whatever you are creating right now, come on and share it! If you are chosen, you are given the opportunity to be a Guest Design Team member for February.

Another one of my favorite challenge websites is Scrapbookers Anonymous. They have great challenges and encourage you to use up your current stash. This month's challenge is to create something
holiday themed. They throw in an additional challenge to throw in a tag and some glitter as well on your creation. Since I'm trying to scrap all my Christmas photos this month, this fit in perfectly with what I'm trying to accomplish. Here's my layout:

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle (Christmas Delights) and Fancy Pants Designs - Number and Letter
Stickers: American Crafts Thickers and Cosmo Cricket's Tiny Type - Glitter: Stickles by Ranger - Tag: Fancy Pants Designs - Epoxy Circle Sticker: Little Yellow Bicycle - Brackets: Websters Pages - Border Punch: Fiskar's - Cardstock: Unknown.

It's funny because when I got the Stickles, it came in a package of three colors, and I wanted to use the red one. I tried everything, and the glue would not come out. And what little bit that did come out, dribbled out as mostly glue. I was so upset because I had heard how much everyone loved it and it was so easy to use. I put it aside and didn't even try the other two colors. Then came this challenge, and I decided to try it again. Again, the red didn't work. But this time I decided to try the other ones, and they worked great! I just got a bad one I guess. I shouldn't have given up so easily! Lesson learned. Anyway I used it on the Christmas tree, on the tag, and on my letter stickers.

I also pulled this layout together just for the fun of it. I kept it super simple, but it's another story told and photos scrapped. Going back and scrapbooking these past Christmas photos has been fun. I've been seeing the kids get younger in the photos, and it's brought back some wonderful memories. That's what it's all about, right?

ProductsUsed: Patterned Paper: Graphic 45 - Flowers & Brads: Heidi Grace - EpoxySticker: Sandylion - Oval Title Die Cut - Pink Paislee - # Stickers: CosmoCricket - Cardstock: Unknown.

Hope you all have a great rest of your week. 19 days and counting until Christmas. Ready or not, it's approaching fast!

4 X 6 Photo Love With 11 Photos!

2011-12-03T19:39:00.001-07:00

Since partaking in Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party last month, I have been following her blog fairly closely. I must have lived in a cave before, because I know I've seen her around, but didn't know I would fall madly in love with all things Shimelle! Now I have come to find that she has been doing a monthly challenge for Two Peas In A Bucket called 4X6 Photo Love. I loved the video tutorial she made for the challenge and I adore the layout she created. Eleven photos scrapped, that's awesome! So since I've been scrapping my holiday related photos as of late, I easily found eleven photos to create a similar layout spread. Here's my take:

Products Used: Patterned Papers: Fancy Pants Designs & Kaisercraft - Letter Stickers: American Crafts Thickers - Word Stickers: Making Memories & Webster's Pages - Oval & Rectangle Journal Spots: Reminisce - Circle Sticker: Webster's Pages - Alpha Stickers: The Girls' Paperie - Snowflakes & Tag: Echo Park - Punch Out: Pink Paislee - Brads: Making Memories - Border Punch: EK Success - Pen: Zig Writer - Cardstock: Unknown.

We had a wonderful time when we headed up north to Williams, Arizona and took a ride on the Polar Express. It was truly magical for the girls, and it is a wonderful memory that I wanted to document. Every photo I had seemed important to the story.

As you can see, the two page layout houses seven photos. So to display the four remaining photos, (and keep them all 4X6's), this was Shimelle's solution.

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants Designs & KaiserCraft - Journaling Cards: Pink Paislee - Alpha Stickers: The Girls' Paperie - Pen: Zig Writer.

I took a 12 X 12 page protector that had six 4 X 6 pockets and cut it in half. The page protector if from We R Memory Keepers, so it is super sturdy and was easy to cut. I will definitely use this solution more often in my albums.

I also whipped up this quick and easy layout featuring photos of our nephew and nieces performing in a production of A Christmas Carol at their church. This page took me less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Love it when I can do that once in awhile.

Products Used: :Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye - Epoxy Letter Circles: K&Co. - Font:Christmas Card (downloaded from dafont.com) - Ribbon & Cardstock: Unknown.

I signed up for a new class that starts January 24, 2012 and runs for four weeks at Creative Passion Classes. It's called Scrapbook Page Layering. I'm very excited because I feel the layering and clustering of embellishments and elements on a page is where I lack talent. If your interested, they are having a discount on their classes right now. If your familiar with Debbie Hodge and her website Get It Scrapped, than you'll feel right at home at Creative Passion. It is her newest venture.

I also am signed up for Big Picture Classes workshop called Twelve with Stacy Julian. It starts January 1, 2012 and goes for three months. I hope I'm not getting in over my head. I see a familiar pattern formulating again! Oh well, we all must do what we have to do in the name of memory keeping!

Hope you all have a wonderful inspiring weekend.

Two Pages, Ten Photos, Lots Of Fun!

2011-12-01T10:29:00.001-07:00

In the search for Christmas photos to scrap, I came across photos from a past snow trip. I had just purchased some beautiful patterned paper from the Winter Twig collection from Little Yellow Bicycle, and knew I had to use it for this layout. After using what I purchased, I wish I had purchased more from the line. But I am really trying to follow my mantra of not buying more supplies unless I know what I'm going to use it for. And I don't have too many snow photos living in the sunny Phoenix area.

I had 15 photos to choose from. It was hard to pare down, but I got it down to 10 photos. Also most of my photos were 4X6 without much room to crop. I have a tendency to zoom right in on my subject, so it doesn't leave much to eliminate. Also, printing them out at 4X6 makes it more challenging for scrapbooking them on a layout. I have the majority of my photos printed at Shutterfly or Snapfish. Once in awhile I will print from home, so it gives you more control over the size of your photos for a layout. But for me having them already printed is much handier in the long run.

Here's my layout:

Product Used: White Cardstock: DCWV - Patterned Papers & Journaling Spot: Little Yellow Bicycle - Chalk Ink: Color Box - Punch: Family Treasures - Letter Stickers: Thickers by American Crafts (Dear Lizzy)- Adhesives: Scrapbook Adhesives & Scotch Clear Glue.

The layout is definitely photo heavy, but all capture the fun we had those two days with few words.

I haven't taken a workshop at Big Picture Classes for quite some time, but I couldn't resist signing up for Stacy Julian's workshop titled Twelve. It is a twelve month class, (three months of direct instruction from Stacy, and nine months of email prompts to keep your creative juices going). It sounds super fun and I hope to see many of my blogging/scrapbooking friends participating! The goal is to create twelve layouts a month, for a total of 144 for the year! Easy peasy, right.....No worries, like Stacy said, if you make twelve great layouts for the year, that huge! Check it out!

Also, if you didn't see this VIDEO by Hiedi Swapp yesterday on My Craft Channel, check it out! It is a fantastic idea and spin on a mini book made from little inspirational books that you can find almost anywhere. I see them all the time at the dollar store or in used book stores. They would make awesome gifts!

Sketch Inspiration Inspires A Christmas Layout

2011-11-29T19:56:00.001-07:00

I joined Sketch Inspiration recently, and this is my first time using one of their sketches. It was super simple, and perfect for the photos I had of a cookie making session my grandkids had with their friends.

Products Used: Patterned Papers: Bo Bunny Press and The Girl's Paperie - Circle, Tab & Word Sticker: October Afternoon - Title Stickers: Stickopotamus & Provo Craft - Brackets: Heidi Swapp.

I am going to try to scrap as many of my past Christmas photos as I can the next couple of weeks. I plan on making a mix of layouts and a photo album scrapbook, (which I will share soon), for some of my photos. I have gathered all my Christmas product into a file where everything is all together and ready to go.

I'm really glad I didn't take on a major Christmas album this year. I love Ali Edwards' December Daily, but I try to only make on every couple of years. Maybe I'll try Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas next year. What are your plans?

Hope your week has started off well. Time is flying by people, Christmas is around the corner. Take a moment to stop and smell the cinnamon sticks and spice . . . . . . .

Moving Out Of My Comfort Zone

2011-11-28T12:49:00.001-07:00

The "Pagerize This" challenge at Scrap Our Stash this month was loads of fun. I love it when I can go out of my comfort zone once and awhile andcreate something a little more edgy or playful. Go check out their challenges sometime. I'm a guest designer for this month and I have really enjoyed it. Here's my layout:

ProductsUsed: Patterned Paper: Hot Off The Press & EK Success - Misting Mask &Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels - Mesh - Magic Mesh by Avant Card - Tissue Tape:Time Holtz - Journal Card: Colorbok - Transparency: Fancy Pants Designs -Brads: Recollections - Letter Stickers: Making Memories - Paint: Delta - CirclePunch: Fiskars - Cardstock, Ribbon &Ric Rac: Unknown.

This layout was created with photos of our nieceWhitnee taken for her 18th birthday a few years ago. She's a very edgy, dressin black, stud bracelet kind of girl. So I knew they were the perfect photos todo a little creative play with. I used a misting mask on white cardstock forthe background and painted the edges with paint to give it a more distressedlook. I looked for distressed looking papers and embellishments to frame myphotos. And of course I had to use silver brads to mimic the studs on herbracelets. It was very fun putting this layout together.

I'm thinking I may work on some Christmas layouts the next couple of weeks. I had started a project last year that was going to be an ongoing type of scrapbook, and I think I'll finish the basics up and share it with you soon. Maybe that will get me in the mood for the upcoming holiday. Even though I got the majority of my Christmas shopping done, I'm just not feeling it.

"D" Is For Dog Park.....

2011-11-26T12:54:00.001-07:00

Scrapbookers Anonymous has a ABC monthly challenge that I absolutely love. They are on the letter "D" this month, and at our house, "D" is for dogs. And where does our precious pet love to go? Where else but the "Dog Park".

Products Used: Cardstock: K&Co. & Bazzill - Patterned Paper: Reminisce - Punches: McGill, Marvy Uchida, Fiskars -Corner Rounder: Creative Memories - Title Letter Stickers: Thickers by AmericanCrafts - Word Epoxy Stickers: Making Memories - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz byRanger.

I had run across these adorable pet papers a couple of weeks ago at our LSS, and knew it would be perfect for the few photos I had snapped at the dog park.

Our dog Shiloh is so spoiled. If he doesn't get to go to the dog park almost everyday, he will sit and whine and bark off and on all morning. If I take him for awhile to let him blow off his excess energy, he's good for the rest of the day. This was a super fun layout to put together.

I used a two page layout sketch #4 from Sketch Support for my layout.

Hope you all survived Black Friday shopping, if you participated. We did not. But today I did patronize my local scrapbook store for Saturday's American Express "Shop a small business day". I am very please to have done my part! lol!

Have a great weekend!

Creating More Two Page Layouts

2011-11-21T18:35:00.001-07:00

I made today's layout for two different challenges. I missed the boat on one, but that's OK. At least I'm using up my product! Susanne at Snaps and Snippets has a challenge each week called In Good Company. She challenges you to create a layout or project using her featured company. Last weeks company was My Mind's Eye. The patterned papers I used were from their Simply Delightful paper pack. This week's challenge is to use Crate Paper products. I didn't realize until now, I have zero in the way of their product. I may have to remedy that and go shopping.

I also participate in the Library of Memories Community class at Big Picture Classes. Each Thursday we are given a challenge to keep our Library of Memories system going. This week was to pick photos from our oldest storage binder. My oldest starts at 2004, so I found some birthday photos that were waiting in there to be scrapped. I just love using older photos. The memories come rushing back and I just can't believe how the kids have grown.

Products Used: Patterned Papers: My Mind's Eye - Paper Lace Sticker & Journaling Card: Little Yellow Bicycle - Nemo Stickers: EK Success - Word Stickers: Making Memories - Border Punch: Fiskars - Punches: McGill & Fiskars - Die Cut Machine for Title: Sizzix Sidekick - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz by Ranger - Brads: Unknown.

I had so many photos that I wanted to use, so I found a two page sketch at Page Maps. It is November 2011 12X12 double sketch.

Hope you all have a blessed holiday. We all have much to be thankful for.

Rework Wednesday on Friday With A Sketch

2011-11-18T11:59:00.001-07:00

Sketchy Thursdays newest sketch caught my eye because I love to use three photos in a row quite often. I started off with thoughts of using smaller photos like the sketch did, but I came across the photos of our family that I decided to use, and wanted them to be larger.

Product Used: Patterned Paper: Black Market Paper Society - Tags: Creating Keepsakes - Metal LOVE Embellishment: Making Memories - Ribbon: Unknown.

The layout used three different coordinating patterned papers to make the bottom border, top "Adore" strip, and the cut out flowers. I've had these papers for over a year and I'm surprised that I had three that matched. In the past I would grab any paper that caught my eye, but I really didn't pay attention to matching product that went with it. The more I have been scrapbooking, I realize that coordinating product lines really take a lot of the work out of mixing and matching and trying to find a matching embellishment. I'm trying to be more mindful in my shopping. I'm more likely to use it if I have an idea of what I can use it with and how I may use it. But I know there will be those occasional "I just have to have that" moments, and that's OK. I'm just trying to use my "thinker" when I shop.

Also, the photos of our family are from an older layout that I had created years ago, and I reworked them into the layout above. Here's the original layout:

I wish someone would have confiscated my shape templates and corner cutters back in the day! I really did a number on old photos cutting them into shapes. Thank goodness for digital photography!!!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a Happy Thanksgiving holiday to all of my U.S. friends.

Disney and Sketches

2011-11-16T20:13:00.001-07:00

I found inspiration today from Stuck! Sketches November 1st sketch. I took one look at it and I immediately knew what I wanted to do. I pulled out the next set of Disneyland photos I have in my storage binder to use for the layout. I am working on an album with photos from Disneyland's 50th Anniversary celebration back in 2005. I knew I would have to stretch the sketch into a two page layout. Here's what I came up with:

Product Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Patterned Paper: Creative Imaginations & Creative Memories - Circle Cutter & Mickey Punch: Creative Memories - Journal block: Sandylion.

I absolutely love this sketch. It was perfect for my Disney theme.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and our 3rd grader brought home a paper doll turkey that she had to disguise so it will be saved from it's dreaded destiny on Thanksgiving day. She decided she would disguise the little fellow as her favorite football player. I think she did a terrific job!

That's right, it's Larry Fitzgerald. I think it looks just like him.....well maybe not quite!

Happy Scrapping!

What I'm Working On Right Now

2011-11-15T14:03:00.001-07:00

Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party has pretty much wrapped up, so I'm left to decide what to do. There are so many great classes starting up soon, but I think I'm going to take a break until the first of the year and work on some ongoing projects I've had simmering in the background.

First off, I'm going to work on the baby albums that I started for each of my granddaughters and my son a couple of weeks ago. The main design of these albums is from Talia Audenart and a class I took at Big Picture Classes called "Baby's First Year". It basically is a month in review type album with two pages dedicated to each month of life the first 12 months. It also will have two page spreads on their birth, their first birthday, and first holidays. I will give the albums to my granddaughters when they leave the nest, and my son can have his when I leave this world. I had made a photo album for him with all of the duplicate photos of his growing up, so he has that now. And back in the 80's I didn't take as many photos as I do now, so the review style works well to tell his story from my perspective.

Here's some photos of the one I've started for my youngest granddaughter. All of the albums will have the same or very similar design, but I have purchased different patterned papers for each child.

As you can see, many of the patterned papers and embellishments are used on all three layouts. I think I purchased 5-6 sheets of each patterned paper. And I think I also purchased 5 different patterns. And of course I got lots of pink cardstock!

Here's my son's album so far:

The second page of my son's album is inspired by Ali Edwards and her daughter's baby album. (Can you believe these are the only photos I have of my son's first month? I guess I was a bit overwhelmed and didn't take photos). But these albums will be simple and will have a very cohesive look to them which will make putting them together much easier. I can also then scrap my most favorite stories for myself in my other albums.

More later on "what I'm working on right now".

What Happens In Vegas.......

2011-11-14T20:37:00.001-07:00

We had a great time in Las Vegas over the three day weekend. If you remember, I won a trip to Vegas at Donny Osmond's concert here in Phoenix the end of August, (see post here). The Flamingo Hotel put us up for a two night stay and we had front row tickets to Donny & Marie's show. It was fantastic! We had so much fun!
Here was the view from our suite's window:

We got to see the strip, and I got some fun photos. We also got to visit and spend some time with family who live in the Vegas area, and that was so awesome! They took us to a wonderful show called Le Reve at the Wynn Hotel in Vegas. It was a aerial acrobatic show along with diving and water. It was absolutely amazing!!!! I cannot recommend it enough if you ever get a chance to see it.

We got to meet Donny and Marie after the show. I have to tell you Marie is the sweetest person you will ever meet. She was just so adorable and kind. Donny isn't bad himself either. We brought back many fond memories and I most definitely feel a scrapbook page coming on! Or maybe a mini book!

Have a wonderful week!

Creativity Abounds

2011-11-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

I've really been on a roll as of late, creating one or two layouts a day. I'm starting to feel sleep deprived, so it's a cue I should slow down. But as many of you know, I hit a wall about a year ago, and didn't create anything for 9 months. I'm so scared that will happen again, so I just keep going with the creative flow.

I really liked this week's sketch at Sketchy Thursdays. The sketch called for two photos, so I went to my binder where I have old layouts that I want to redo. I found a layout with three photos and decided that's what I wanted to work on. Here's the sketch.

I usually only do reworked layouts every other Wednesday, but for some reason, my rework binder called to me to find the photos I wanted to work with. And here is my new layout based on the sketch:

Products Used: PP's: October Afternoon & Making Memories - Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels - Circle & Border Punch: Fiskars - Flower: The Girls' Paperie - Journal Circles: Creating Keepsakes - Foam Letters: Sticko by EK Success & Thickers by American Crafts.

Again, I followed the sketch pretty closely. I really need to work on mixing them up a bit more. I'm so literal in my scrapbooking most of the time. (And a note, I used product from my kit that I put together for Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party. I've made more than a half a dozen layouts with the kit and still have tons of product left!) Here's the old sketch done early 2000ish:

It's not a horrible layout. I probably should have kept it in my scrapbooks as is. By the way, I'm not redoing all of my old layouts, I just pulled some that really bothered me when I flipped through my old album.

My next layout was inspired by two challenges. The first being Shimelle's prompt for today. We were to incorporate some sparkle into our layouts, whether it be pre-made glitter products, bling, or adding our own glitter to our page. I knew I had a few glittery patterned papers, and picked the first I came upon. Also, the second challenge that inspired the layout was from Bird Is The Word. This is my first time submitting something to their site, but it looks like a super fun site with word challenges every two weeks. The latest word is "Adore". Here's my layout:

Products Used: Die Cut Background Paper: My Mind's Eye - pp's: Anna Griffin, The Paper Studio, My Mind's Eye & Making Memories - Journaling Card: Colorbok - Glitter Letter Stickers: Thickers from American Crafts Dear Lizzy - Border punch: Fiskars.

And last, but not least.....well least for today, is a layout that I created for Susanne's "In Good Company" challenge at Snaps and Snippets. Her selected company this week was K&Co. I have so much of their product it's crazy. But on this layout I just used their patterned paper and journal card.

Products Used: PP's: K&Co. - Letter Stickers: American Crafts Thickers & Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type - Word Ticket & Distress Ink - Tim Holtz - Journaling Cards: Fancy Pants Designs & K&Co. - Flower Punch - McGill - Decorative Brad: My Mind's Eye - Hemp Cord: Darice.

This is a photo I have loved and am so happy I finally got the story on paper. It is definitely one of those photos that evokes emotion every time I see it. Those are the photos I adore!

It's midweek and I hope you are finding yourself productive in whatever endeavor you are part of. Enjoy your time.

Finding Inspiration All Over and Another Reworked Layout

2011-11-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

I've been finding my inspiration all over these days on the web. A little bit here, a whole lot there. I'm trying to keep up with old favorites, and finding so many new favorites that my head swims at times. I am so thankful for all of you who share your work. I get so inspired by others layouts, projects, and their passion for the hobby of scrapbooking. I feed off of others to keep my mojo going. It wouldn't be any fun if we were the only one who cared about what we were working on, right?

My latest two layouts were inspired by two talented scrapbookers that I happened upon one day browsing. Thislayout is inspired by Stephanie Ackerman at Homegrown Hospitality. I love her style and all her doodles that she draws. Shimelle'sprompt yesterday was to use smaller pieces of our scraps in a layout. I pulled reds, blacks and bluesout of my small stack of scraps and punched all the circles to make the line.

ProductsUsed: pp's: The Paper Studio & HotOff The Press - Title Letters: American Crafts Thickers - Journal Spot:Creative Imaginations Narratives - Epoxy Word Sticker: Heidi Grace Fiskars - Inkpad: Color Box Chalk

Shimelle's prompt from today was to draw our inspiration from someone else's layout or project. I just randomly picked a favorite layout from my list and found this one. I loved the squares of patterned paper and photos in a grid formation. So I scraplifted the design and this is what I came up with:

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Sassafras Lass, Making Memories - Buttons: Paper Studio - Brads & Flowers: Making Memories - Journaling Card: K&Co. - Rub On Letters: Heidi Grace Designs Fiskars - Circle Punch & Border Punch - Fiskars - Chalk Ink: Color Box - Blues Clues Clip Art: The Web.

This layout is a rework of an older layout that I put together a few years ago. Here's the original:

I used a couple of the clip art images from this original layout for my rework. I'm much happier with the new layout and it's patterned paper goodness!

Have a wonderful day.

Scrap Our Stash November Challenge & New Place To Play!

2011-11-07T11:56:00.002-07:00

I'm superexcited about being a guest designer for the month of November at Scrap Our Stash. I have come to love their challenges and feel very honored to have beenpicked. For the November Recipe Challenge I decided to go with the 5,4,3,2,1approach. I used two epoxy circles, one epoxy water droplet splash, and twoembellishment tags for my 5 embellishments. I used the word "Swim",which has 4 letters, for my title. 3 photos were used, 2 patterned papers, and1 plain medium blue cardstock was used for a mat for the photos.

ProductsUsed: pp's: Swimming by Reminisce &Light Blue Wave by The Paper Co. at Hobby Lobby - Blue Cardstock: The Paper Co.by Hobby Lobby - Epoxy Stickers: EK Success & Cloud 9 Design - Tags:Paperbilities - Letter Stickers: EK Success - Paper Cutting System for WavyBorder: Creative Memories

Also I'm so excited because I've found a new place to play! I was blog browsing last night when I couldn't sleep and I happened upon the DisneyScrappers blog. Those of you who know me know I am a Disney fanatic! I have been very OCD when it comes to creating Disney layouts in the past, wanting them to be perfect and so I haven't made too many. But I am going to spend some time with my fellow Disney fans and see if I can get past that and make some Happiest Place On Earth layouts! Wahoo!

Hope you all have a very productive and blessed week. Thanksgiving is fast approaching. It's going to get busy for many of us! Anyone started their Christmas shopping yet?

Paper Folding and Going To The Dark Side

2011-11-04T14:24:00.001-07:00

I have been enjoying scrapbooking and creating so much this last month. I'm really praying that my enthusiasm sustains itself for awhile. Last year about this time I started to wax and wain, and lost my zest for about 9 months. But I am finding inspiration at every turn for the present time.

I must thank Shimelle for most of my inspiration as of late. Her Pretty Paper Party has really lit my fire. I just love her quirkiness and style. She is a great motivator for me lately.

A coupleof days ago, Shimelle's prompt was paper folding. Iskimmed over this one because the instructions for origami that I found weretoo confusing for me. But then all of the sudden it hit me, I know how to makepinwheels. In fact, the My Craft Channel just had a tutorial on how to make them,done by Embellish It. I just purchased this cute circus die cut paper a fewdays ago and knew exactly how I could use the pinwheels in my circus layout.

ProductsUsed: Brown Circus Die Cut Cardstock& Patterned Paper: TaDa Creative Studios - Red Cardstock: Die Cuts With AView - Journaling Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle - Chipboard Title Letters:K&Co. - Buttons: Paper Studio - Border Punch - Fiskars.

I usedMay's two page sketch #13 from Sketch Support. I stayed fairly true to thesketch with a couple of small changes. I really do love sketches, especiallyfor two page layouts, as it makes putting together the layout so much easier!

Sketch Support two page sketch #13

I found the patterned paper and the die cut cardstock at my LSS this last week. I knew I had circus photos that I could use it for. When I found this sketch, I realized that the banner pattern was on the B side of the patterned paper that I purchased, and I could cut it out and use it for the free flowing banners. I don't use themed product much anymore, but when I find some that works so well, I can't resist.

Today's prompt was titled "Come to the dark side". We were prompted to use black cardstock as our base paper. I love black cardstock, so this was a piece of cake!

I also combined this prompt from Shimelle with the November Challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous. The challenge is to use at least 7 different ribbons on your layout. I didn't think about it too much at first, but then I spied a spool of 6 Prima ribbons that I had purchased some time back at Target. I wish I had taken a photo of the spool before I used up all the ribbon, because it looked so pretty sitting on my shelf. But I remember Shimelle talking about how sometimes people hate to use up pretty product, but it's more pretty on a layout than sitting unused. And I have to say she was right. And a side note, no patterned paper was used on this layout.

Products Used: Black Cardstock: Unknown - Journaling & Oval Sticker: Pink Paislee - Word Stickers: Bella Blvd. & Lily Bee Design - Ribbons: Prima - Border Sticker - Crate Paper - Brads: Basic Grey & Making Memories.

And this third layout was done a couple of weeks ago for Pencil Lines Design Team Call. I didn't make it, but I now have another layout completed that I'm very happy with.

Here's the sketch we were given:

I loved this sketch and knew immediately which paper and products I wanted to use. Thebackground paper is from Pink Paislee's Queen Bee Collection. I loved it somuch, but knew I'd be covering it up with layers of patterned paper and photos.So I used a straight edge and Xacto knife and cut a rectangular piece out ofthe middle to save for another project.

Afterfiguring out my photo placement, since the photos I chose weren't in the sameorientation as the sketched photos, the layout went together super quickly.

And here's the finished layout:

ProductUsed: pp: Pink Paislee Honey Bee &Bees Wax, Bo Bunny Mama-Razzi Tabloid - Die Cut Paper: Pink Paislee Bee Hive -Journaling Card: Pink Paislee QueenBee Collection punch outs - Chipboard: K&Co. Blue Awning Collection -Border Punch: Fiskars.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. We are suppose to have a major storm come through tonight. While we don't ever get snow here in Phoenix, (well, snow like you see in other areas, it's more like hail), we get massive dust storms, monsoon like rains, and they say 40mph winds are coming. But by tomorrow it will be 65 degrees. I know, we have it tough right now. Happy Scrapping!

Paper Stack and A Boy & His Dog

2011-11-03T11:19:00.002-07:00

Today's prompt for Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party was to use up those scraps of pretty paper in a paper stack to mat your photo. I was very inspired by this prompt and went right to work. I just pulled some colors of paper that I thought would enhance the photo and started taping them down.

Products Used: pp's: Various unknown - Title Sticker: Fancy Pants Designs - Word Stickers: Making Memories & Reminisce - Brad: Bo Bunny - Glimmer Mist: Tattered Angels

This layout took me less than 30 minutes. Again, I took the most time picking what embellishments I would use. Maybe I need to use my embellishments to be my starting point of a layout??? I'm not sure how that would work unless they were themed. I just really struggle with putting embellishments together. It sometimes feels too forced.

Today my grandson Coen spent the morning with me. He played Dogz Sports on the Wii and our lab Shiloh was very curious about all the dog sounds coming from the T.V. and the constant laughter from Coen. I feel a scrapbook page coming on!

Have a great day!

Rework Wednesday With A Shimelle Twist

2011-11-02T16:33:00.001-07:00

My rework layout this week is with photos from 1989, and the layout was probably created around 1999 or so. Back then I sure loved Mrs. Grossman's stickers. I'm finding them everywhere in my older layouts!

Shimelle's prompt for yesterday was to work with smaller photos on your layout. Photos smaller than your typical 4X6 that is. I took the photos off of my older layout, cleaned the sticker residue off with Un-du and scanned them at 600 dpi. I also found a fourth photo in my cold storage box to add to the set of 4 photos. Here's the rework:

Products Used: pp: Creative Imaginations, Bo Bunny Press, My Mind's Eye, My Little Shoebox, & Fancy Pants Designs -

Balloon Stickers: Basic Grey (Life of the Party) - Bakers Twine: Farmer's Market - Letter Stickers: Frances Meyer - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz Ranger - Journal Card - Simple Stories.

Again, I'm much happier with the reworked layout. I used a sketch by Shimelle for this layout. Her "party" and her website is my newest favorite!

My layout "Beautiful" is featured today at Scrap Our Stash. I based it on the Pagerize This Challenge #15. Come on over and give it a try.

And don't forget to check out Snaps and Snippet's In Good Company challenge. Susanne features a new company each Friday to challenge you to use their product that is in your stash on a project. This week is catch up week for any of you who missed the first three weeks. This Friday's company should be an awesome one!

Have a great rest of the week!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2011-11-01T14:12:00.001-07:00

Well one holiday is over, and now to focus on the fall, (that is slowly arriving in Arizona), and celebrate all of the things we are thankful for.

I am thankful to start off the month as a November Guest Design Team member at Scrap Our Stash. Check the site out this month as they have just posted the new challenge for November. It's a fun one!

Yesterday afternoon inspiration hit me and I started two layouts using the patterned papers I pulled for one of the Pretty Paper Party challenges at Shimelle's site.

I finished them up this morning. Both are inspired by sketches/layouts that Shimelle posted to the party.

Product Used: pp: My Mind's Eye Bohemia collection, Making Memories Je t'adore collection, & Scribble Scrabble - Journaling Cards & Flower Die Cuts: The girls' paperie - Letter Stickers: Sticko by EK Success - Rub Ons: Heidi Grace & American Crafts - Border Punch - Fiskars.

Products Used: pp's Jillibean Soup & Imaginisce - Flowers: Bazzill Basics - Cork Buttons: Pink Paislee - Rhinestones: Recollections - Letter Stickers: Target $1 find - Circle Transparent Sticker: Glitz Designs - Word Stickers: Reminisce.

I am thankful for my family and friends, and I'm thankful for this wonderful hobby we call scrapbooking. I hope my mojo continues. There is so much inspiration out there to soak up!

And a thank you to all of my blog visitors, followers, and friends. Thanks for stopping by. You all rock!

And what kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't share a photo of my little ghouls from last night?

They received enough candy to make it until next Halloween!

Tidy vs Messy - Both Can Be Fun!

2011-10-28T12:15:00.000-07:00

The layouts that I did today and yesterday are very different in so many ways. Yesterday's prompt for Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party was to use stamps on your layout. I freaked out at first because I own about a handful of stamps. But Wendy Sue Anderson gave us a wonderful layout example where she printed out digital stamps onto different patterned papers and paper pieced them back together for a really cute effect. I immediately knew what I wanted to do.

Products Used: pp's: Keeping Memories Alive & Hot Off The Press - Glitter Chipboard Letters: Thickers-American Crafts Dear Lizzy - Rain Drops: Cloud 9 Design by Fiskars - Clipart & Journaling Block: Mindy Terasawa

I have had this Sweet & Salty clip art by Mindy Terasawa for over a year and had only printed it out for color pages for the girls. I was thrilled to death to find a great way to incorporate it in my scrapbook pages. I printed out each clip art character on two pieces of patterned paper and cut out part of the art on each and adhered it to the other image. Then I used the rest of the patterned paper to make my background pattern. Such fun and super simple.

This next layout was inspired by a layout Shimelle posted to the party a few days ago. The prompt was to be rough around the edges. If you check out this post on her blog, you find her layout and a video of her process.

Product Used: pp's: Pebbles Inc. & Heidi Swapp - Burlap: My Mind's Eye - Epoxy Sticker: Creative Imaginations - Word Sticker: Making Memories - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz by Ranger - Brad: Bo Bunny - Fabric: Unknown

I scanned the layout, so you don't see how the butterflies are cut out in the patterned paper. I took a close up photo so you could see how it really looks. This Heidi Swapp paper called "Free" is made with the cut out butterflies. I'm not sure if it's available any longer.

Our weekend should be a super quite one. Cross Country is over and the kids are visiting at their mother's house for the weekend. It will be time to catch up on some T.V. shows that I am DVR'ing, and sit back and relax.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a safe and fun Halloween. Don't be overtaken by any zombies or ghouls . . . . .

Because when it's close to midnight, and something evil's lurking in the dark. Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart.

You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it.

You start to freeze, as horror looks you right between the eyes, then you're paralyzed. Thriller - by Michael Jackson

Having Fun At The Pretty Paper Party

2011-10-27T13:03:00.002-07:00

I'm having an absolute blast at Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party. I haven't made this many layouts since I participated in Layout A Day in October of 2010. If I keep this up, I'll have to go scrapbook supply shopping soon.

If you remember a few posts back, I made my own kit of papers for one of Shimelle's party prompts.

I had only made one layout with the papers I chose, so I decided I'd better get back to it and use them all up. Here's my second layout that I have created with these yummy papers.

Products Used: pp's: Daisy Bucket & My Mind's Eye - Sheer Love Frame: Making Memories - Punches: Border- Fiskars & heart- Marvy Uchida - Journal cards: Colorbok & K&Co. - Brads & Cardstock: Unknown

I still have a ton of patterned paper left that I pulled for this kit, so I've got lots of creating to do!

This next layout was made for yesterday's prompt. It is to use only one color, (in various shades), and Kraft. I designed my layout from a sketch/layout that Shimelle created for the class that used three 4X6 photos in a row. So I decided to choose my photos first so I could determine what one color I was going to go with.

Products Used: pp: Scrapworks & Black Market Designs - Kraft Cardstock: Bazzill Basics - Brads: Making Memories - Chipboard Letter: Momenta - Phrase Sticker: Sandylion - Flower punch: Fiskars - Tag: Unknown.

I didn't realize until chose purple for my color choice that I don't have much of that color in my stash. I like purple, I just rarely use it.

The weather here in sunny Arizona is starting to cool down a bit. We are actually in the 80's today. Wa-hoo! Two days ago we were in the high 90's. I'm ready for a change!

Have a scrap happy day!

Scrap Our Stash and be In Good Company

2011-10-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

At Scrap Our Stash, on the 15th of every month, they have a Pagerize This Challenge where you create a project with the featured layout as your inspiration. The design inspired this layout:

Product Used: pp: Graphic 45 - Word Stickers: Ki Memories & K&Co. - Fiber ribbon: Affinity by Paper Studio - Distress Ink: Tim Holtz Ranger - Dimensional Flowers: EK Success - Tag: Avery - Ribbon: Unknown

I'm digging deeper in my stash of products as well as in my collection of photos. It feels so good to have the creative mojo again after having lost it for so long. I love getting these little bits and stories of our lives down on paper. And I'm really excited about using up all my pretty papers in my stash that I have a tendency to hang onto way too long!

And as I mentioned yesterday, my blog friend Susanne at Snaps and Snippets has a challenge going, where on each Friday she picks a new paper crafting company and you create a project with that companies products. It's called In Good Company, and it encourages you to use up your stash. This week the challenge company is Graphic 45. I really thought I had more of their product on hand, but I had very little. I love these challenges because it's getting me familiar with what product I have, what I like, and the companies style. Please check out her blog and join in!

Mixing Patterned Paper

2011-10-25T11:37:00.001-07:00

I must say I'm getting a bit bolder with patterned paper since joining Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party. And I have really been going through my stash and using up many of the papers that I've been hoarding. I'm truly in paper heaven! Here's my latest layout:

Products Used: Patterned Papers: My Little Shoebox, Creative Imaginations, My Mind's Eye, October Afternoon, Basic Grey & Dream Street Papers - Bingo Card: Jenni Bowlin Studio - Brads & Cardstock Unknown

I used 6 different patterned papers on this layout! Normally I wouldn't even think about combining that many patterned papers together. But I am ecstatic about the results and may even go a bit more crazy in the near future.

Another way to use up your stash is to check out Susanne's blog, Snaps And Snippets and join in on her weekly challenge called In Good Company. Her featured company this week is Graphic 45. I am so excited because I have some yummy papers from their line. Please come and join in on the fun! I love to participate in this challenge and I love to see what other's come up with.

Now I'm off to see what I can find. Have a lovely day.

Cross Country Champion, Family Fun, & More Pretty Paper Party Creations!

2011-10-23T15:39:00.002-07:00

I'm surprised that I got in a little time to scrapbook this weekend. As I mentioned before, we had family down from Las Vegas, so I thought I'd be swamped with things to do. But the men watched college football for awhile yesterday, while the kids made Lego creations, so I popped into my craft room and made a couple of layouts for Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party.

My first layout was from the challenge of putting stripes and polka dots together on a layout. I don't usually do this, so it was a bit challenging. The design is scraplifted from a layout that Shimelle posted to the class.

Products Used: Patterned Papers: Fancy Pants Designs, Pebbles Inc., Hot Off The Press - Love Sticker: Heidi Grace Designs - Journal Card: Creating Keepsakes - Flower: Prima - Epoxy Stickers: Provo Craft - Paint: Apple Barrel

I pulled these photos from my category drawers under the tab I have labeled for my middle granddaughter Hannah. So quick and easy to pull three photos of her to use.

Another challenge Shimelle had us do, was to pull several patterned papers out of our stash and make our own kit of sorts. I've never done this, although I know I have wanted to try it, but have been a bit intimidated to do so. I fumbled around for about a half hour and was having trouble picking what color scheme I wanted to go with, so I walked away for a bit. When I came back, I just picked a favorite paper and used it as my starting point. Then it was pretty easy and really fun. Here's my paper kit:

And here my first layout using papers from my kit:

Products Used: Patterned Papers: Daisy Bucket Designs & Making Memories - Butterfly: Jenni Bowlin Studio - White Pen: Uni-ball Signo - Epoxy sticker & Ribbon - Unknown

Now I can't wait to get busy and make some more layouts with the rest of my kit.

And before I end this post, I have to brag that our youngest granddaughter Madyson won the District Championship for 3rd/4th graders in Cross Country yesterday! We are so proud of her! She signed up because most of her friends were going to do it, and she has ended up loving it and being fantastic at it!

Hope you week starts great and only gets better from there!

Snow In July, Sketches and Another Challenge

2011-10-21T13:46:00.004-07:00

Wow, it's been a busy week for me. We have family coming in from Las Vegas, Nevada this weekend to go to the football game, so I've been busy cleaning and getting ready. I've sneaked in a little scrapbooking here and there when I could. I have worked on this layout off and on since Monday. I'm glad to say it's done.

Products Used: Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Mitten Weather collection - Epoxy Stickers: K&Co. & Recollections - Letter stickers: Current & Cosmo Cricket - Rub on's - Cloud 9 Designs - Border punch - Fiskars - Brads: Making Memories - Cardstock & Snowflakes: Unknown.

The design is based on a sketch from Sketch Support. It is Sketch #20. I didn't follow the sketch to the letter, but I did pull out the main design for the layout.

Normally I wouldn't have used purple or a green for a winter type layout. But I had these patterned papers from Cosmo Cricket that used these colors. It worked perfectly since there is purple and green in my photos. I came across the Cosmo Cricket papers since I was looking for products that started with the letter "C" for the Scrapbookers Anonymous October A-Z challenge. Fiskars "Cloud 9" and cardstock also work for "C". And of course all my photos came from my wonderful Library of Memories storage binders. Makes life so much easier when I need photos to scrap!

Hope you all have a wonderful, safe weekend. Go out and take some photos and enjoy the nice weather......at least I hope it's nice for you.

Rework Wednesday

2011-10-19T14:01:00.000-07:00

Today's reworked layout was inspired by a layout created by Jamie Harper for Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party. In Shimelle's class we are prompted to use our paper stash in different ways. For this second prompt we were encouraged to use an entire sheet, (or most thereof), of patterned paper as our background. I do this quite often, so it felt natural to me. It wasn't too hard to find papers in my stash that could work together. I do have to say that I really admire those of you who can take very bold and different papers and put them together in a very eye pleasing manner. I always tend to take the safe route.

First, here is my old layout to be reworked:

I'm telling you, these old layouts make me cringe! But I do have to say, I still was pretty good at telling the story. Well, most of the time, anyway.

And here's the reworked layout:

Products Used: Patterned Papers: K&Co. Inc. & Pink Paislee - Chipboard Letters: American Crafts Thickers - Epoxy Stickers: Unknown

Again, for this layout, the hardest thing was finding embellishments that I felt went well with the layout. I have lots of flowers and butterflies, but I wasn't feeling either for this layout. Then I happened upon the sheet of circle epoxy stickers that I've had forever. And all be darned if there wasn't a couple of kitty cat ones included. Good things come to those who wait.........

Just a reminder of a great challenge that my blog friend Susanne has going on at her blog.

It's a great way to help in getting rid of some of your stash. This week's featured company is Making Memories. Just think, if you go through what you've got on hand, you'll have to go get some new stuff to replenish your stash. I'm just saying........

First Layout for Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party

2011-10-18T14:27:00.003-07:00

I've definitely been inspired by Shimelle's daily prompts for her Pretty Paper Party. Finding the time today has been another story. But I worked here and there on this layout and finally pulled it together.

Products Used: Cork Embellishements: Pink Paislee - Foam Letter Stickers: American Crafts Dear Lizzy Thickers - Digital Journaling Card: Karen Grunberg - All other supplies unknown.

Yesterday's prompt was to use those bits of paper scraps that are lying around in our stash. Finding patterned paper scraps was a piece of cake for me. My challenge today was finding embellishments that could work. I found some that I finally was happy with in my stash. I didn't want to make another 12X12 layout with just one photo, (I've been doing quite a few of those in recent weeks), so I went with an 8 1/2 X 11 turned sideways.

Normally I would know what companies my supplies came from, but the way I store my bits of paper, that information gets lost in the shuffle. I guess that's no big deal unless you want to get your work published. A couple of the patterned papers are from quite awhile ago, and a couple are fairly recently obtained.

This is how I store my little bits of paper:

It's about a 6X8 double decker container that I throw my smaller pieces in. Once it gets full, I do a quick purge and it's good to go again.

My larger pieces are stored like this:

I keep them in a 12X12 American Crafts binder separated by color. One side is my double sided pieces, and I put them in the color category that I think I would most likely use it for. Then the other side is for the single sided pieces. Any scraps that are multi-colored and do not have a dominant color going on, go in a multi-colored sheet protector. So far this system works for me. I definitely will be testing out with this class!

I hope you will join in if you haven't already. I'd love to see what you come up with. Today's prompt is using an entire piece of patterned paper for your background. No problem!

Pretty Paper Party With Shimelle

2011-10-17T19:53:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited to participate in my first ever Shimelle class/party. The Pretty Paper Party is a four week class that starts today, that will encourage and inspire us to use up all the pretty papers we tend to hang onto and hoard from our stash. Come on and join in, there is still time!

Our first challenge is an ice breaker challenge where we introduce ourselves on the forum and post a photo of our paper stash. Here's my main hub. I have a couple of other places where I keep my Christmas papers and embellishments, Halloween product, school related product, and baby product. I'm really looking forward to making a dent in the ever growing patterned paper stacks that I've accumulated.
Hope to see you there!

Sketchy Fun and I'm In Good Company!

2011-10-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

Today's layout was inspired by two challenges. First, I got the design of the layout from Pencil Lines Sketch #254 created by Anna Bjorklund. Great sketch that was super easy to follow. I stayed pretty close to the sketch, but some of the other scrappers really got creative with their layouts. I so enjoy checking out all the talented scrappers that participate in these sketch challenges.

My second inspiration for the layout was from Susanne at Snaps and Snippets. She has a challenge going on every Friday to use up your stash. It's called In Good Company.

What I love about these challenges even more than using up your stash is that she is spotlighting a different company each week. I missed her first challenge where the company was Cosmo Cricket, but this week is Making Memories. Who doesn't have a bazillion Making Memories products hanging around in their scrapbook stash? I'm sure the possibilities are endless. Here is what I came up with:

Product Used: Cardstock: The Paper Co. - pp: Making Memories Je t'adore - Flowers and Title: Making Memories Velvet Sayings - Journal Spot: Making Memories Paperie Rouge - Brads: Making Memories - Metal XOXO: Unknown - Circle Punch: Marvy Uchida - Mist: Memories Mist

Almost all the product was Making Memories. Another great thing about these product challenges is that it will help me get familiar with the product I have from each company, so I can decide where my favorites lie. Making Memories is definitely one of my favorites!

So I'd love to see you join in. Let's use up that stash that's just lying around and get some pages done.

Have a great week everybody!

November Guest Design Team At Scrap Our Stash

2011-10-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

Wahoo, Scrap Our Stash chose me to be one of the November Guest Design Team members. They picked my layout as one of the winners of the September Grid Challenge. I'm super excited about this opportunity. I've already completed my first layout for the November challenge that will be posted the first of November. You will love the upcoming challenge, so be sure to check back.

The October challenge is to use a favorite quote on your layout or project. For this layout I actually opened up my storage binder that holds allmy photos waiting to be scrapped, and pulled out the first ones to catch myeye. They are photos of my youngest granddaughter dressed as a little fat mouseand searching the kitchen for cheese products to eat. You will find her oftenrunning around the house dressed as one character or another. I then did aGoogle search for "Mouse quotes". I wanted a whimsical feel to thelayout, so the quote that I used fit the bill perfectly. I used digitaljournaling cards to type out the quote and my journaling on.

Products:pp:Sweet Pea Blossoms by Scribble Scrabble & Barcelona Paper Matarro by 7Gypsies - Title letters: Black EK Sucess Sticko & Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type -Word stickers: Marcella by K&Co. - Digital Journaling Cards: Happy Go Lucky by Shabby Princess & SeaGlass by LBD Digital Designs - Kraft Cardstock: Bazzill.

I don't think to use quotes very often, so it was a great challenge. Check out Scrap Our Stash, you will have a lot of fun with their challenges. I know I am!

Have a great weekend. Hope it's perfect weather where you are. Our temperatures are hovering around 100 degrees again. At least it's cool in the mornings. Otherwise I for one would go bananas! I'm sick of the heat!!!!!

Rework Weds., Die Cut Challenge And Another Sketch

2011-10-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

For this weeks Rework Wednesday, I took anold double paged layout from a few years back and worked my magic to turn itinto a single page layout. The idea for the layout was inspired by Scrapbookers Anonymous' October Challenge. The challenge this month is to use die cuts. Ihave an old Sizzix die cut machine that the grandkids use mostly to make paperdolls. I do have a few die cuts that Ihave used occasionally, so it was a good time to get them out and dust themoff. I have a star die cut that cuts three different sized stars. So I cut themout from scraps of two different patterned papers and layered them. I used a pop dot on the smallest to make itstand out. It’s a super simple hybrid layout, but I am much happier with the layout.

Here's the old layout:

And here is my reworked version:

Product:pp’s: Hot Off The Press – Title Stickers: EK Success Sticko – Die CutJournaling Card: Creative Imaginations Narratives

I made acollage of the photos that I put together in Adobe Illustrator. This is what took up most of my time. All I had were these small, old, cut out photos from 36 years ago. Iscanned them in at 600 dpi so that they would be somewhat recognizable. Then Iplayed around with the placement and sizes so that they would all fit onto the8½ inch space.

I didn’thave enough room on the journaling card to hand write all that I wanted to say,so I made a journaling block and turned the background red. To make thejournaling show up better, I turned it white, which fits in better with thecolor scheme I used.

Thanks toScrapbookers Anonymous for encouraging me to use up my older product and toinspire me to use an old and neglected friend…..My Sizzix.

Also Scrap Our Stash has a monthly challenge that is called "Pagerize ThisChallenge". A new project is featured on the 15th of each month by theprevious pagerizer, and you try to complete your own project using the providedlayout as your inspiration. This is my layout inspired by Wendy, (see this post).

ProductsUsed: pp: Paper Pizazz - Ribbons: TheRobert Stanley Collection and Magic Scraps - Transparencies: Heidi GraceDesigns and K&Co. - Digital Journaling Card: Anne Langpap from 2 Peas In ABucket.

I went tomy storage binders to find two photos that I could use to tell a story. Itdidn't take me long to find two photos I had snapped of my oldest granddaughterthe night before she started Kindergarten. The design of Wendy's layout wasclean and simple and perfect for my story. I can't wait until the 15th of thismonth to see what new inspiration is coming our way!

Another Sketchy Thursdays Layout

2011-10-11T14:07:00.001-07:00

OK, it would appear that I may be addicted to sketches. Again, Sketchy Thursdays has a wonderful sketch challenge for the November Sketch Design Team. I knew exactly what product and colors I wanted to use.

Here's the sketch:

Here's my take on the sketch:

Products Used: Cardstock: Bazzill - pp's: K&Co., The Girls' Paperie, Kelly Panacci Inc., Kaisercraft, Fancy Pants Designs - Leaves: Prima - Burlap Trim: My Mind's Eye - Journaling Card: BoBunny - Tiny Type Letter Stickers: Cosmo Cricket - Brads: Making Memories

Just received the beautiful leaves and burlap trim that I used on the layout in the mail last week from Scrapbook.com. I didn't know how I was going to use them, but knew they would be used. And true to my new motto, (I can't buy any new product unless I use most of it right away), I put it to good use.

The thing I love about sketches is that the design work is all done for you. I tend to follow sketches pretty closely, but hopefully the more I get comfortable with them, I can tweak them and add more of myself into them.

Now I'm off to find another challenge to keep my creative juices flowing. Thanks loads for stopping by, and be sure to say "hi" once in awhile. I would love to hear from you.

Sketchy Thursday Sketch

2011-10-09T16:35:00.001-07:00

As you know, I've been perusing the sketch challenge websites, and this week I found a sketch at Sketchy Thursdays that I absolutely loved! I had just received a recent order I had purchased from Scrapbook.com, and knew immediately that I had to use it.

Here's the sketch. Love it!

And here's my layout.

The beautiful patterned papers are from My Mind's Eye from the Lost and Found collection. The two circle embellishments are from the same line. This is a beautiful line and now they have a Christmas version also. You must check it out!

(Other product used: Small Letter Stickers: Tiny Type from Cosmo Cricket - Chipboard Alphas: The Girls' Paperie - Cream Cardstock: The Paper Co. from Hobby Lobby - Journaling Card: Creating Keepsakes - Epoxy word sticker: Creative Imaginations - Border Punch: Fiskars - Ribbon - unknown.

Hope you all are having a great weekend. Some of you probably have tomorrow off also. Hope it's safe and fun!

Rework Wednesday - School Of Life Albums

2011-09-28T13:50:00.001-07:00

I had started with my youngest granddaughter's School Of Life album about a year ago, and I've never been really happy with it. School Of Life albums are a wonderful concept by Stacy Julian, where you make 6 layouts a year of your child's school year/life for them to take with them when they fly the coop. I had agonized about the layouts that I was making and whether I should make individual ones for them along with the ones I make for myself. This concept allows them to have a handful of fun photos from each year to take with them, and after I'm long gone they can have my regular layouts/albums if they want them.

The title page will have their Kindergarten photo and the 6th grade photo, (when we get there). I will make a second album that will have 7th grade through graduation, and I will make another title page for that.

Old Layout

This is the original page I made for the first two pages of her album. The first two pages of each year will showcase photos from the school year as well as a handwriting sample from that year.

Reworked Layout

Here's the reworked layouts. The design I used is from Laura Vegas' blog post titled "100 photos in a night". At the end of her post she has digital templates that you can download. I didn't use the templates, but I did use her design.

Old layouts

Reworked Layout

Layout 3 and 4 of each year will showcase favorite photos from the year, and will include birthday photos, holiday photos, and special trip photos.

Old Layouts

Reworked Layouts

The last two layouts of the year will showcase their artwork from the year and a pocket page to tuck in certificates, report cards, notes, etc.

The hardest part of the pages was to reduce the photos I was going to use into 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 squares and arrange them on the page. Otherwise I have all my school related scrapbook supplies in one place, and all the girl's school "stuff" in my School Of Life storage box.

I've decided to work on these layouts here and there since I've got a system down now for them. I don't want to get overwhelmed or burnt out trying to do them all at once. My oldest granddaughter is in 6th grade this year, middle one is in 5th, and the youngest is in 3rd grade. So I've got some catching up to do. No worries.

Yet Another Sketch

2011-09-24T13:48:00.001-07:00

Today's layout is designed from another great sketch. This time the sketch is from Pencil Lines, (Sketch 252). I'm just starting to try out the sketch websites and I'm really starting to love it! My original idea was to use circle shapes on the layout, but then I thought that I would try a large star in the background in place of the baby blue circle on the right hand side. I wasted a whole lot of patterned paper and time before I realized it just wasn't going to happen. I just couldn't get it to look right. So back to circles it was. Have you ever had a vision in your mind of a layout design element, but just couldn't quite execute it? Here's the sketch and my take on it:

Supplies: pp: My Minds Eye, Three Bugs In A Rug, Paper Studio by Hobby Lobby - Cardstock: The Paper Co. - Stars: EK Sucess Jolee's Boutique - White chipboard frame: Thickers by American Crafts - Journal cards: K&Co. - Title cloth sticker: unknown

The girls are constantly putting on plays and shows for us in their free time. This particular day Hayley put on her Halloween costume from last year, (she was a zoo keeper), and brought Spikey our African Spurred Tortoise in the house. She gave a talk on the facts of taking care of a tortoise and having them as a pet. Madyson did a segment on how to catch bugs. Their shows can be quit entertaining.

Sketch Work

2011-09-23T14:55:00.002-07:00

I was inspired today by these photos that my daughter-in-law took of our grandson and her three other children. I was so drawn to the color in her eldest daughters dress, and I was able to find a ton of product in my stash that matched the color palette I was going for. I so enjoyed putting this layout together.

Supplies used: Kraft cardstock: unknown - pp's & heart: K&Co. and Kaiser Craft - Crochet ribbon, bird & key: The Girl's Paperie - Flower: Sassafras - Love Layered Sticker: Fiskars by Kimberly Poloson - Together Rub On: DaisyD's

The design is inspired by the September-Week 3-Layout Sketch from Sassy Lil' Sketches. The sketch was perfect for using the patterned papers I wanted to use. I am super happy to have used up some more product from my neglected stash of scrapbooking supplies.

Right now I've been enjoying finding my inspiration from around the web. I love finding sketches and layout challenges that get my creative juices flowing, and help me get my photos scrapped.

I am hoping to get back to my granddaughters' School of Life Albums soon. I will share when I get a layout completed. Love this concept by Stacy Julian!

Have a great weekend!

Dog Day Afternoon

2011-09-20T11:41:00.002-07:00

I am dog sitting this week, so not much scrapbooking going on around here right now. I was able to complete a page on Friday, but just getting around to sharing it now.

It was a super easy page to complete. I saw this cute lemonade themed product at my LSS last week and immediately knew I had photos to go with it. The background patterned paper and banners are from My Little Yellow Bicycle's Sweet Summertime Collection. The polka dot strip is from October Afternoon.

I am trying really hard not to purchase any new scrapbooking product unless I know it will go perfectly with photos I have not scrapped. I've also vowed if I do buy new product, I have to us it right away so it does not get filed away and forgotten. I've done that more times than I like to admit!

Shiloh, our yellow lab, is so excited to have a playmate this week. Clyde our neighbor's Austrian Shepherd has come to visit during the day. There is a little more resting going on today than there was yesterday. There's been a lot of this going on....

We call that face the "ugly face". It looks worse than it is. They are just playing and it's pretty constant. But here and there, you see a little of this scene.....

Not enough of this though. They are just like kids, they are afraid they will miss something if they are asleep!

By the way, our couch is covered by sheets and blankets to keep the their hair and stink off. We'll see how long it lasts!

Happy crafting this week.

Madyson's 1st Cross Country Meet

2011-09-17T14:22:00.001-07:00

We are so proud of our Madyson! She took 1st place in her first cross country meet this morning. She competed against over 50 other girls in the 3rd/4th grade age group. Way to go girl!!!

Scrapbookers Anonymous Chipboard Challenge

2011-09-16T13:27:00.001-07:00

Today's layout was created for the Scrapbookers Anonymous September Chipboard Challenge. I pulled my chipboard drawer out to see if anything inspired me, and I found the accents used in this layout. They immediately brought these photos and the story to mind. The title "Wave" are chipboard letters from K&Co. that I've had for some time. The "Boarder", the "Ride Your Own Wave" wording accent, and the silhouette of the surf boarder, were canvas like material applied to chipboard. They are from Making Memories and I purchased them at Tuesday Morning for next to nothing quite awhile ago. At that time, no one in our family did any kind of boarding, but I loved the look and feel of the accents and thought maybe I could incorporate them in a layout someday.

I love these photos because they captured our oldest granddaughters' connection with the ocean on our vacation to San Diego this summer. She's usually not the daring type, so we were thrilled when she took to boogie boarding. She was a true natural. She wants to try surfing next time.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend. We're going to the Shrine Circus tonight with the kids. Should be fun.

Rework Wednesday

2011-09-14T13:06:00.000-07:00

Rework Wednesday . . . Try saying that 5 times fast. Every other Wednesday, I'm going to take an old layout that I am super unhappy with, and rework it to make it better. Now I'm not talking about redoing all of my layouts that I made in the earlier years. I'm going to take the ones that I've never been quite satisfied with and I will try to make an improvement to it. I have quite a few old layouts that maybe aren't the best in design, but they tell the story and also showcase what my style was back then and the product that I loved as well. I know it seems like a waste of time, especially since I have so many stories untold and these are already scrapped. But I'm finding that it's leading to more inspiration for me and has gotten me excited. So I'll take inspiration that works wherever I can find it.

My first layout is of my son's 1st birthday. This layout is definitely as old school as you can get.

I used all of the coolest techniques and coolest tools we had back in the 90's. Corner rounders, shape templates, circle cutters. I don't know about you, but I could strangle myself for cutting so many photos into circles. Today with digital photography, it's not so bad if you alter a photo because it's so easy to reprint another. But the photos from back then were all from print film and you had to makecopies from your negatives. I don't even know if I have the negatives from these photos anymore.

Here's the new improved layout.

I am much more pleased with the result. I used a grid design as part of a challenge for Scrap Our Stash. This will be my first submission to them. It is an awesome challenge website, so check it out!

Nine Months Later . . . . .

2011-09-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I made my first official layout since January. Wow, it took me a bit to get the momentum going. I found myself procrastinating. I also found myself looking online for inspiration, and before I knew it, I was out of time and I had accomplished nothing but internet searching. Funny thing is, I finally found an online challenge that I was going to try, but ended up going in an entirely different direction. But what was good, was that I followed where the inspiration led me. That's really what I need to hone in on. I sometimes fight that instinct and feel I need to go in another direction due to a challenge or a project I have taken on. Then I find myself putting off what my brain and heart cues are telling me. Anyway, I came up with this layout. It's a very simple layout that is story heavy. It works because my photos are not very good, but the story is very meaningful to me.

I loved getting my hands on the product I have lying around collecting dust. All those neglected tools just crying out to be used once again. I need to get reacquainted with all of it. I really do love this hobby.

The Embarrasing Video Proof

2011-09-02T12:44:00.001-07:00

OK, my dear hubby was able to make a small video of my Donny Osmond experience. While I hesitate to share, here it is. Check it out here.

And I have to share these two adorable photos. Last night about 8:30, our youngest granddaughter told me she needed a poster for school because she was going to run for her 3rd grade class president. She worked on it for about a half an hour and came up with the cutest little creation. Wish her luck!

Have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!

Cleaning Up and Organizing

2011-09-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Wow, after my long hiatus, my scraproom was a disaster! There were piles of stuff all over the place. Photos, school papers, art drawings, etc. peppered the room. I've been sifting through it a little bit at a time, and slowly but surely it's looking pretty good. With Stacy Julian's Library of Memories system in place, it made sorting a heck of a lot easier.

I filled up my storage binders with all the photos that I had printed out at Shutterfly and Snapfish. I'm up to date and ready to go.

I love my Memory Dock binder and sheet protector pockets. They made gathering my memorabilia together for when I'm ready to scrap the photos with the bits of information, ticket stubs, maps, etc.

Another time saving element to the Library of Memories system is my School of Life files. This is where I can drop and save all the bits and papers, photos and whatever else I want to keep for each of the kids relating to the school year. I have a file for each child, for each year of school, starting with preschool. I really need to get busy on these albums, as I am really behind. But when I can get to them, all the photos and papers are right at my fingertips.

So now it's time to get scrapping! I was so surprised and happy when I received my first email for the next session of Library of Memories Community at Big Picture Classes. This will help me get my feet wet again. And I'm thinking I will take the Double Take class by May Flaum and Nic Howard's class that starts at the end of the month. I've taken May's classes before and they are fantastic! This will be a first for me taking a class by Nic Howard, but everyone I know loves her classes as well. It's a four week class which is very doable.

Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Labor Day weekend. We have no plans except maybe catching up on some movies we haven't seen. We went to The Help last weekend and it is an amazing movie. If you haven't seen it, you should check it out.

I'm A Little Bit Country...And Donny Osmond Is A Little Bit Rock-n-Roll

2011-08-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

OK, that's a bit of a long title for today's post, but I will get to that in a moment. Last night, a young girl's dream from the early 70's came true. Let me start from the beginning.....

You see, there were these two young girls who would have sleep- overs and stay up to all hours of the night singing along to their favorite teen idols' records and dream of some day meeting him. They would read every magazine article they could find that was about him. The teen idol I'm speaking of is none other than Donny Osmond.

Many of you may be too young to remember Donny from back in the 70's. You may know him now as the winner of Dancing With The Stars in 2009.

But for those of you who remember him from the earlier years when he was just a young boy, I can bet he was a presence in your home by either a poster on your wall or his records on your record player. For the two young friends, their days were filled with Donny, more Donny and nothing but Donny. They would add in a bit of David Cassidy and Michael Jackson here and there, but Donny was their main guy.

Even though they remained friends throughout high school, the two friends got married and moved away from their hometown. For the most part they had lost touch with one another, with the exception of a couple of phone calls here and there throughout the years.

One day in 2007, one of the friends died after suffering from a long and painful illness. It was sad for the friend left behind to know that she would never see or hear from her best friend ever again. Even though she may not have spoken to her friend in a long while, she always knew she was here on this earth and somehow that made things seem OK.

Now if you haven't guessed already, the young girls are myself and my childhood friend Connie.

Fast forward to last night.......

We have become acquainted with our local Fox Channel 10 weatherman here in Phoenix. He sometimes brings his sweet dog Frasier to the dog park we take our Shiloh to everyday. He had mentioned that he had talked to Donny when Donny was in town a week or two ago to do a guest spot on their news show. He said he may be singing a duet with Donny during the show. We told him that would be so fun and maybe we would get tickets to Donny's show so we could cheer him, (our weatherman), on and see his duet with the great Donny Osmond.

Corey McCloskey-Channel 10 KSAZ

So my hubby got us tickets to the concert last night. As I sat there waiting for the concert to begin, I thought about my friend Connie several times. I thought of the great times we had and how many of those great days included a little bit of Donny Osmond mixed into them.

Well all was going great, and our weatherman was on stage, and we were having a fun time watching him. Then Donny decides to pull a couple of fans up on the stage to sing a duet with him. As Donny walked toward our seats, I couldn't believe when he asked me to come up on the stage. I wasn't even waving my hands and screaming like the ladies next to us were. Why me??? I think my dear friend Connie from above may have had something to do with it. (Note: it was just a fluke that I was picked and that we have come to know Corey at the dog park. It just added to the fun!)

It's a horrible photo, but it will do. What a great memory. I sang "I'm a little bit country" with Donny. I did Marie's part of course. And he gave us free tickets to he and Marie's Las Vegas show. Wow! And you know the funny thing is, I wasn't a bit scared until I sat down and realized what had just happened. I sang with and held the hand of Donny Osmond. And in front of hundreds of people! I just don't usually do those kinds of things and not faint!

Anyhoo, Donny's show was fantastic! He is a wonderful guy and puts on a heck of an entertaining show! Can't wait for the Las Vegas show. I can't wait to see his beautiful sister Marie! I will let you know how that goes.

And so it goes.....I can cross this one off my bucket list. Well actually my childhood bucket list. And I will give a shout out to Connie from up above. We did it!

Have a great week everyone. Scrapbook pages to come soon!

P.S. His opening acts were some locals from Arizona. If you haven't seen these young ladies check them out. They were awesome! They are Firefly from Gilbert, Arizona

And this little gal, Linsey Stirling, who played the electric fiddle for Cindy Standage. Linsey was a runner up on America's Got Talent. She is awesome!