Sketch #34

I know Karan had fall in mind when she gave the Sketchabilties DT this sketch but I had just gotten the Crate paper Restoration line and couldn't help myself!! It seemed to scream Christmas to me...odd right? But as you know, I am totally in love with this line so I went with it.




As you can see, it is kind of fallish, right? I did try to do a fall layout, I did. I just was having so much trouble layering the papers just right. And then, what to my wondering eyes should appear but the packaging sheet from the Restoration line. I decided to use that sheet, yes the packaging sheet where it tells you the kit contents, for my background paper.



As you can see, I stitched the background sheet so you couldn't tell it wasn't regular old patterned paper. After that, I played with my Mister Huey mists. I misted a kraft sheet with apple jack for my photo mat and a background sheet of cream cardstock with some calico ink. I added a Maya Road envelope which houses the kids wish lists from last year. Then with the addition of some K&Co diecuts and Restoration chipboard stickers, the layout was finished.

I really debated making a different layout for this sketch. But in the end, I decided that a sketch is something to spark your creativity, not a recipe that has to be followed exactly. Hope you don't mind Karan!!

I do

Like many, I didn't get involved with scrapbooking until after I had children. I had been married for almost seven years before I caught the scrap bug. Last week, I received my Work In Progress kit. As soon as I saw the gorgeous 7 gypies and Making memories papers with that pleated ribbon, I knew exactly what I was going to do with them!!! How could I not scrap a wedding photo with such gorgeous supplies??

So here it is, 12 1/2 years later, my first wedding page.



Added a few prima flowers and pink paislee accents...

Up for a Scrap Challenge?

Have you checked out the 3 Scrappy Boys forum and gallery? There is some fabulous stuff over there so be sure to check it out. Rebecca's October product challenge is an easy one....make a layout using a border strip. We all have them, those long 12 inch border stickers, and when that is the only requirment there is so so much you can do with a layout!!

I went looking through my stash and came across the Pink Paislee Bayberry line. I adore the border stickers that came with that line! I had also taken some pictures yesterday at H's b-day party (not of her though, of her sister) that seemed to work well with the color scheme. I will be honest though, I actually had the ENTIRE layout put together before I even thought about what pictures to use. It's funny, I completed 3 layouts this weekend and 2 of those I had the layout finished BEFORE picking out pictures....I am thinking I should do that more often as I really liked the results!!



What do you think?

Happy Birthday!!!

Already 13 in attitude, this cute little girl turns 7 today!!! Happy Birthday darling!



And what would a b-day be without treats to take to school? I could have sworn I got this idea from Trish Turay (WIP Kits) but I can't seem to find it on her blog so maybe I got it elsewhere. Once again, I am terrible at remembering where I see things!! Don't they look yummy?? Rice Krispy treats in ice cream cones, dipped in chocoate with sprinkles. YUM!! Quite easy to make too!

As Promised

I am back this morning with a layout. Don't you just LOVE Crate Papers new Restoration Line? I seriously can't get enough of it. I wasn't so sure at first as I don't normally work well with the vintage style but I have certainly found a new love with this line!

This layout is based on a sketch but since I saved it to my computer when I came across it, I have no idea who is due the credit for the design. If anyone recognizes the sketch, certainly let me know, I am happy to give credit where credit is due!!



Along with the Crate Paper goodness, inked some Technique Tuesday tiles for this and added a Making Memories charm as well. There are also some JB butterflies and a MME butterfly rub-on floating around there as well as a few BG rub-ons. The title is from an old sheet of Daisy D rub-ons...oh how I miss Daisy D!!

Spotted

I was thrilled to find out today that I was "Spotted" -- Jillibean Soup spotted that is! What an honor to have my layout up on their blog!! You can check it out here. Thanks Jillibean!!

Back tomorrow with a new layout....must go get my beauty sleep!

Difficulty

I tend to have difficulty with busy scrapbook papers. I love the look of them, but struggle to find a balance so the paper doesn't rule the layout. I am getting better, but it is something I still have to work at. A prime example is this Crate Study Hall paper. I ADORE the little school house and the slides. I have plenty of pictures at various playgrounds....but how to put them all together?

I used the backside of the same paper which was the white lined composition paper and split up the page. The simplier paper gave the school houses some grounding. I then added a neutral journaling circle so that I could draw attention to the slide diecut (it is So cute, isn't it??). With a little yellow thrown in, and some brad and hemp accents, the school houses didn't take away from the pictures themselves.

Yeah Me!!

I have been sitting on a bit a FABULOUS news for the past few days....



Yeap, you are looking at one of the newest members of the Design Team over at 3 Scrappy Boys!! I am beyond excited with this news!! I can't wait to get to know all of the other designers and the members of their site. It really seems like a wonderful group of scrappers over there.

If you want to hear more about the new design team, you can check it out
HERE.

Well, with this news, I am more inspired to scrap than ever....maybe I will be back tomorrow to share another new creation. Off to get my scrap on........

Sketch #33

It's that time again -- another Sketchabilities reveal.

Once again, Karan Gerber has outdone herself with the Sketch. I love the one main photo with multiple supporting pictures. As I was flipping through my files, I came across these pictures of my two eldest goofing around in the backyard. Hmmm, have I scrapped them? Maybe, but I don't think so. Next I had to decide the color scheme...well, with the green grass and with it now fall, it only seemed too obvious that I should go with an autumn palette. They are some of my favorite colors afterall. And thus the layout was born. Autumn palette led to autumn leaves, autumn leaves led me to the burlap circle background. I had yet to use any of my Coordinations paper pack and since I had color and texture but no real "print", I went with the brown cardstock and sanded off a bit to highlight the embossed design of the paper. Add in a few patterned paper strips, a bit of stitching, and a few Bo Bunny Swirls and the layout was complete.





How do you scrap? Pictures first then paper selection? Paper selection then pictures? I honestly scrap both ways, it just depends. More often than not, I select my pictures fist but if I have a new paper line I am looking to use, I will find pictures that work with the colors of the papers.

Not a hat gal but....

Doesn't this just scream fall?!? I love it! Hope it looks as good on as it does in the picture!



On sale today over at
A Side of Peaches.

Pasta Fagioli

Although I am a fan of the soup, this is not a recipe posting --- it is the new Jillibean Soup line. I couldn't wait to get ahold of the Blended Beans paper. I knew exactly what I would do with it --- and it turned out better than I had hoped. Love when that happens!!



I was able to print one 4x6 picture with a collage of 16 for these mini prints. One picture! Amazing! I decided to convert it all to B&W so the pictures wouldn't compete with the awesome colors of the paper. From there, I just randomly placed them on the photostrips. Some in groups, others separate. Threw on some of the Jillibean sprouts, a few stickers, their corrugated alpha and called it a day. The camera stamp I decided on last minute so not to risk ruining the layout, I stamped it on kraft c.s. just like the background and then cut it out. That way, if the stamp smeared or didn't copy over just right, I wouldn't have to try to fix it. You can't even tell that the camera was cut out and then adhered to the background!

Couldn't Resist - ENABLER ALERT

One of my favorite scrap stores online, Stop & Scrap, is having a sale this weekend. I have been very good about not ordering scrap stuff the past few months. Lord knows I don't "NEED" anything!! BUT, then I got their e-mail. I knew I shouldn't click to just "check it out". The minute I do that, I am bound to order something! They know that, that's why they send the e-mail. It works! I purchased! I didn't spend much and I got some FANTASTIC deals but I really really really don't need MORE scrap supplies. They are fun to buy though, aren't they?!?! Guessing if you are a scrapper, you are in the same boat. Our eyes are much bigger than our albums will ever be! LOL.

Anyway, if you want to check it out, Stop & Scrap is offering an additional 15% off all of their clearance and sale section. It doesn't sound like much but their clearance/sale section is already like 40% off. I hadn't gotten the Basic Grey Olivia line...I picked up the paper bundle for less than $8; I got Studio Calico's Documentary line for $3.50. While I didn't get an extra 15% off this, I did grab last year's Basic Grey Halloween line (Eerie) for $8 -- it retails for $21.99!



Oh and did I tell you that you never pay more than $5 for shipping!??

5:00 already?!?!

Feels like it should only be like 2:00 but alas, the day is almost done. Up at 8:00, eggs and bacon the table by 8:15, off to gymnastics at 8:45. Ran a mile with my son, watched the middle's soccer game, the youngest's gym class, I washed some laundry, made some beds, had my coffee of course, took pixs of layouts for Sketchabilites, sent off a DT app (wish me luck), helped oldest with his mobile for his book report, ran to bank, dry cleaners, goodwill (donated 5 industrial size trash bags of clothes!)....and at 3:00 sat down and scrapped! Whew...now I need another cup of coffee!!

Poor H always gets a bad rap -- she isn't a bad kid, really! She is just the "Wild Card" of the bunch! I am so in love with Crate Papers Restoration line!! I am not usually a vintage type of girl but these papers are FABULOUS!!

Smarter than a 3rd Grader?

We have gone from this....

To this....


What a difference a school year makes! 3rd grade is at least triple the work of 2nd grade. It isn't the work itself that is a problem, it is the sheer volume. Is that normal, is there really that big of a differential between 2nd and 3rd grade or is it N's teacer?

Add in a first grader with at least 20 min of school work and a kindergartender with the same, three different sports and other activities, life is beyond chaotic! I haven't even set foot in my scraproom this week. I suppose I could be scrapping now, but I am throughly enjoying my cup of tea as I write this. Ahhh... I can feel the tension escaping my body with every sip.......

Popping In

I wanted to pop in and show you what I did with this month's Work In Progress kit. My computer may be out of commission for a few days here....seems somehow its sound capability was deleted. Who knows how that could possibly happen but I really miss my iTunes and Pandora!! So, it is heading in to be checked this week. I will be back as soon as I can but thought I would share some scrappiness first.

You really must go check out the WIP gallery to see what everyone else did with this month's kit. They really put my work to shame!!

This first layout is primarily BG Wander -- I just love the sticker sheet from this line! All of the little cars/trucks and street signs. Too cute! ...and look, I actually used my Cricut to cut-out some tags!



I am a year late but I thought these JB papers were perfect for my son's first day of 2nd grade pixs. I am not really sure how the layout will work out in an album with the sharpened pencils, paperclips, and clothespins but I'll figure that out later.



Corn Fest in Northwestern PA? Really? This is back where I grew up, and honestly, I don't recall corn being such a big thing but hey, it was a fun festival. The kids had a blast...and as you can see, they throughly enjoyed the corn!



I made this last little project with a bit of cardboard box -- I had seen others use naked corrugated cardboard so I thought I would give it a try. I took a piece of an old shipping box, tore the front bit off, painted it white, and then misted the heck out of it. As you can see, I then covered one side with patterned paper. So simple! I was also down to my last letters from the kit, so I used what I had and then cut out the negatives for those I was missing. Cute, right?



The inside calendar cards were cut from one piece of Jenni Bowlin paper. There were six months on the front and the other six months on the back side. I then colored in each of the months using my Smooch paints. I have been hoarding the paints and finally found a fabulous use for them! Now, I have a readily accessible b-day/anniversary calendar....I am known to always be "late" with the cards and gifts....maybe this will be the key to keeping me on track. Hey, at least it's a step in the right direction!

I Never Shared...

The news that I was asked to be the Work In Progress Guest Designer this month. If you are a kit lover like myself, you MUST go check out their stuff. Trish is amazing and putting together a mix of papers from different manufacturers as well a collection unique embellishments. And then there's the amazing design team that she has put together. The gallery is full of fresh ideas!



As you can see, this month's kit featured Basic Grey and Jenni Bowlin papers and don't you just love those oversize felt leaves?

My work is on their blog this morning (disregard that hideous picture of me though). I had so much fun with this kit and while I immediately thought "fall" when I saw the kit, I ended up with three very different layouts.