Sketch #134 - Come Play with Us!

It's that time again over at LET'S CAPTURE THESE SKETCHES - a new fantastic sketch and a lot of wonderful inspiration by the design team members.  This layout is my take on Sketch 134, with a series of photos of my youngest showing me her newly acquired front somersault skills into our pool.  She doesn't yet have the rotation fully complete but, as often as she practices, it won't be long!

I used Echo Park's Hello Summer papers (totally loving that collection!) and embellishments.

I placed pop dots behind several of the (completely, totally adorable) stickers to add a little dimension.  The pinwheel sticker is attached to an ordinary tootpick and had a tiny button glued to the front - so easy to do and such a cute end result!

I doodled on just about every piece of paper and embellishment to make everything stand out.  Love the effect, and it was a lot quicker than machine sewing.  This little bird was fussy-cut from a scrap piece of paper.  Instead of worrying about cutting out his teeny-tiny legs, I simply cut them off and then drew them on my paper with a marker before gluing the bird to my page - much, much easier!



Some simple journaling and my layout was finished.

That's it for now, but be sure to stay tuned for some more fun crafty news later today!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LCOM Sketch Site

Have you been keeping up with all the supercallafrajalisticexpialadocious new sketches that LCOM's SKETCH SITE is cranking out each week? The sketches are so much fun to use and are the perfect starting point to give you a little creative nudge or to follow exactly if you choose. There are two weeks of scrapbook sketches and then one week with a card sketch mixed in. And the different layouts that everyone comes up with are completely different and provide the BEST inspiration. I normally am not a big user of circle-shapes on my layouts - so SKETCH 132 was a challenge for me. Not gonna lie - I pouted just a little when I saw ALL the CIRCLES on it. But then I started looking through my papers and realized that my May BIRDS OF A FEATHER KIT had exactly what I needed. And the rest was a lot of crafty fun!

I totally stole borrowed the idea of the different colored alphas (using the exact same alphas in fact) from the marvelously talented HEATHER LEOPARD. And while I loved the hot pink flower that came with my BOAF kit, I didn't like the more formal pearl and blingy center it had. So...I ripped it off and added a simple button. Did I throw away the center? Heck no! It's waiting on my worktable for some future project where it will be the perfect embellishment.

Can you tell I had a lot of fun with my layering and bits of randomness? Remember how I told you I have been loving the LCOM sketches...apparently, I like them so much that I even play with them during my "off weeks" when it's Team A's turn. Here is my take on SKETCH 131. The pic was taken of my wonderful children (and my soon-to-be son-in-law) after a wonderful lunch that they treated me to. And the papers were Basic Grey's new line, which I am completely, madly, deeply, truly loving!

As soon as I saw the balloons on the pages, I knew there would be some fussy-cutting going on!

Just in case you are looking at the title and wondering if (a) I was drunk, (b) I was using some unknown foreign language, or (c) I suddenly forgot how to spell - the answer is (d) none of the above. Seriously. It's from a poem by Lewis Carroll called Jabberwocky - a poem that I have loved and had memorized since I first heard it when I was twelve. You can find it in his book Through the Looking Glass (which I highly recommend) or you can simply click on this LINK to read the poem and the history/meaning/details about it. For those who don't want to read or link to anything, frabjous means "fair, joyous, fabulous" which quite accurately described my Mother's Day. One last close-up before I head back to my crafting table...

Wishing you a frabjous weekend!

NSD Part Two

Happy Sunday everyone! I should be cleaning my house and doing laundry, but instead I am playing around on my computer. I slept until after 9 am this morning, which I NEVER do, so I figure I must be in an alternate universe and the "real me" is out there cleaning the house somewhere like a good, responsible person. Please don't tell me differently! This is another layout I worked on yesterday for NSD. I completed this for two challenges - one over at LET'S CAPTURE OUR MEMORIES to use certain scrapbook trends (I chose the color orange and triangles and one over at PAPER SECRETS to use a handmade kite. The picture is my oldest daughter, who leaves me speechless sometimes because she is so lovely (both inside and out). Papers are all Pink Paislee's Prairie Hill Collection and ephemera is...well, a little bit of this and a little bit of that from the disaster zone that was my work table yesterday. I wanted flowers on my layout, but all the "pre-made" ones were just too bulky for me. So I made my own and included them in this cluster.

I created another (smaller) cluster at the base of my kite because if one cluster is good, two is better. Right?

And finally, my kite. I had so much fun making this. The triangles were originally different patterns, but I colored them all in with a brown marker to give a little more cohesiveness. I felt it was just a little too busy otherwise. I added some stitching to define the kite a little more. I love the way it turned out!

That's it for today, but I'll be back with some more fun projects to share later this week!

It's That Time over at LCOM

It's that time again over at the Let's Capture Our Memories SKETCH BLOG - another Friday, which means a brand new sketch and a new team reveal! I used a picture on my layout that I recenty took of my daughter and her guy sharing a moment right before family photos were taken. I am so glad I snapped this pic - their playfullness and obvious love they have for each other warms my heart. They were obviously in their own little world, which was the reason behind the title. I used gorgeous Theresa Collins papers and embellishments. I kept everything pretty clean and simple, choosing a few objects and word phrases to symbolize this young couple's relationship with each other and their life together.

I loved the typewriter in the corner. I could imagine it just typing out their story together (can you tell I am feeing a litte sentimental today?). The only problem was that I wanted it coming off the page just a little - not enough to take away the focus from the picture but - a little. Or maybe I just couldn't resist fussy cutting SOMETHING from those beautiful papers (fussy cutting relaxes me, what can I say?). So, I did exactly that. I fussy cut the typewriter from a second piece of paper and glued it on top of the image on the paper.

That's it for me. Please head on over to the LCOM SITE to check out the wonderful new sketch, and have a fun and crafty weekend!

Link with Love Blog Hop

Welcome to the Practical Scrappers "Linking with Love" Blog Hop! What is this Blog Hop about, you ask? Well, we believe it is important to always give credit when it is due to another crafter. So, for our Linking with Love Hop, we have all used the same inspiration piece to create a project, giving it our own touch. Then, we are showing you how we "Link with Love" and credit our inspiration. We'll be running the hop thru Noon EST on Sunday - so you have plenty of time to Hop through everyone's blog - from beginning to end!

LIZ QUALMAN created this beautiful layout, which we have all used for inspiration.

Each of us will tell what part we took our inspiration from, and the whole hop will culminate at Liz's blog where she'll provide us with a new sketch for even more inspiration. If you have seen my Pinterest CRAFTY IDEAS BOARD, you know that Liz Qualman's Sketches (and layouts) are a favorite of mine when I need some inspiration, so you can see why I was so eager to "hop" on board (sorry - I couldn't resist)this particular endeavor!

Many of the designers (including me!) are providing prizes at their stop and Practical Scrappers is providing a prize for one person who becomes a follower at each stop (for all the details head over to Practical Scrappers).

Now you should have arrived here from DONNA BRYANT'S BLOG

If you are just checking in, I would love for you to play along. It's easy, simply start at PRACTICAL SCRAPPERS!

Ready to see how Liz Qualman inspired my layout? Here you go...

I used the latest SKETCH from Let's Capture These Sketches as a starting point. I loved the way Liz used circles as a border, and I also really liked her butterfly "trail" that she created. However, instead of circles, I decided to use the hexagonal shapes on my EP Follow Your Heart patterned paper. And instead of a butterfly with a trail, I used a kite with a twine kite string. My hexagons and kite are certainly different than Liz's circles and butterfly - but they directly INSPIRED my design, so I'm giving credit!

Now, it just so happens that as I was looking through my stash, I realized I had TWO 8x8 pads of October's Afternoon's 5 & Dime Collection as well as TWO 6x6 pads of Jillibean Soup's Homemade 6 Bean Soup. I would love to share one of each with you.

What do you need to do? Become a follower and leave a comment. It's as simple as that! I will randomly choose a winner on Monday evening so be sure to check back!

Your next stop on this Blog Hop is my good friend LIZ CHIDESTER. I just love her work, and I know you are going to, too!

Happy Blog Hopping!

Love is in the Air Crop with LCOM

Just wanted to share this quick little post and a fun layout I made this weekend.

As you know, Valentine's Day is right around the corner. So, what better way to get in the spirit of things than to play along in the Love is in the Air Virtual Crop with the ladies over at LET'S CAPTURE OUR MEMORIES? I think my Oh How I {Heart} This Girl layout is my favorite project so far. I used an LCOM Sketch found HERE. The object of the challenge was to make a banner using hearts. I used my heart banner as part of my title.

One thing I loved about the sketch (and the reason why I wanted to use it) were the small areas of clusters in the upper and lower corners. All the cute paper embellies from my package of Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe Collection were perfect for clustering.

Hope you are all rejuvinated, relaxed and refreshed from the weekend and ready to start a new week!

Challenge Yourself!

Are you sitting around trying to get a little scrappy inspiration this Sunday afternoon? I was in the same boat until I found this GREAT challenge going on over at the LET'S CAPTURE OUR MEMORIES forum. It's the 8 Week Challenge, which is exactly what it sounds like. A new challenge is posted each week. You can complete the challenges in any order, at your own pace, as long as all are completed at the end of the 8th week. What's the prize? A $50 gift card to the LCOM store!!! I created this layout for Week 1, and I am getting ready to work on a Monochromatic Challenge for Week 2. Week 3's challenge has just been posted, so there is lots of time left to play!!!

Want some more challenges? Check out BIRDS OF A FEATHER , which has 4-5 new challenges posted each month. They run from the first of the month to the end of the month, so there is plenty of time left to play along with the wonderful Scrap Chicks!

Still need a little inspiration? Well, then, head on over to PRACTICAL SCRAPPERS , which has ideas for every type of layout imaginable over at Idea Central. And while you are over there, take the time to vote for the FANTASTIC layouts that have been submitted for the Layout Contest.

And now, a few words about my layout before I sign off and get started on my next project. The LCOM Week 1 Challenge was to use more than 3 pictures, use a square shape, and have "2011" in the title. I knew immediately that I wanted to do a grid layout, but I had just recently completed a LAYOUT with my favorite pictures taken during 2011 so I had to think of something different. I decided to go with completely random favorites (a book, a movie, a website, a drink, and a take-out food) and chose a (long) title to reflect my idea.

This bottom cluster of...randomness...started as just an envelope and journaling tag behind my picture. But I kept adding little bits and pieces until I ended up with this:

Signing off and heading back to my scrap table!

Looking Back and Planning Ahead

I loved this December 29th Challenge posted by Lisa over at BIRDS OF A FEATHER! She asked us to create a layout about something we may have missed that we didn't realize until the end of 2011, and that is exactly what I have done.

Laundry is actually code for all the things I think I HAVE to do to be my crazy idea of the person I should be. This layout is a reminder to myself of all the things I let myself miss this past year - the things I really should have concentrated on instead of trying to live up to the ideal of the perfect me in my head. I have missed taking my family on walks that I said we would go on, sitting down to watch a movie with my kids, playing board games, trips to local attractions - all because my floors needing vacuuming or laundry needed to be done or___________ (insert project or task here). I don't want to have memories of a clean house when I am old. I want memories of more family times.

You know I can't create a layout without a cluster of randomness:

And I love using different letters in my title!

My second layout is one looking forward to the future. I made a Bucket List for my December 30th Challenge using THIS SKETCH from Sue Sykes over at Let's Capture These Sketches!

For those of you who are curious, here is my list:

Hope you are enjoying your last day of the year! Happy New Year!!!

Remembering 2011 - A Countdown to 2012 Challenge

Have you been playing along with the Birds of a Feather Countdown to 2012 Challenge? I have, and it has certainly been a lot of fun! I created this layout for a challenge in which we were to look back on an event (or events) that occurred this past year. My papers are Prima and were purchased a few months ago from my favorite online scrapbooking Canadian Store, LET'S CAPTURE OUR MEMORIES.

I created a simple grid pattern using pictures from some of my favorite events this past year. And, of course, I had to make sure I layered my papers and embellies because a layout just isn't complete without a little layered loveliness! (Yes, using a little alliteration here, folks)

A couple metal accents from my favorite scrapbooking guy, Tim Holtz, and I was done!

There's still time to play along - the challenge runs through January 1st, and a prize is given away every single day! Sounds like the perfect way to ring in the new year to me!

Mini-Album Improvisation

I got a pack of cool 7 Gypsies Cards as part of my loot for my September Let's Capture Our Memories Marketing Team projects; however, when I opened them up and looked at them, I realized I had absolutely no idea what to do with them! I normally don't use large cards on my layouts. Plus, they had such pretty images on the front and the back, I really couldn't choose which side I wanted to use even if I COULD figure out how to incorporate them.

So, I thought and I thought. Then I thought a little more. Then I set the cards to the side (where they became promplty hidden under other papers and supplies), goofed around entirely too much on Pinterest,worked on other projects, and promptly forgot about these cards until the week my last project for the month was due. THEN I frantically dug them out and had to start thinking again...

My cards all had a vintage traveling theme, which got me to thinking about some of the seriously fun adventures, both at home and abroad, that I've experienced over the past few years. And THAT got me thinking about some of the cool art journals and travel journals that I have seen on Pinterest. And THAAAATTTT got me thinking that maybe I should use my 7 Gypsies cards to make my own little travel journal-esque mini-album. And that's exactly what I did.

I simply purchased some binder rings (also, coincidentally, made by 7 Gypsies) and hole punched my cards so I could attach them to the rings. I really wanted my impromptu mini-album to look as if it had been created over time so I wasn't concerned with the fact that the cards were different sizes and didn't line up perfectly. This is what I came up with...

I created pockets on most of my pages by sewing around the sides and bottoms of the pictures or cards and tucking a journaling tag inside.

I didn't have quite enough cards to fit the pictures that I wanted to use so I added some flash cards that I had sitting around (unloved) from my Pink Paislee Daily Junque collection. I used distress ink, Rock Candy Crackle Paint and Crackle Accents on almost everything to add to the vintage feel.

Here's what the back of the flash card looks like...

Another page with a pocket for journaling...

I love mini-albums because I find myself using little bits and pieces from all sorts of things - brads, bling, punches, pennants - it's all fair game!

I think this is my favorite page. It has absolutely no value other than to look pretty, which is absolutely fine by me!!!

And the back. I think the picture pretty much says it all...

Another Pink Paislee Flash Card. The stars were made by placing tiny apothecary labels (also by 7 Gypsies)on paper and then using a star punch.

This picture DID require journaling...it was all very innocent...really...

More journaling. Check out the pennants on the side of the page. I glued two fronts together for each one since both sides would be seen.

And the picture that goes with the journaling on the flip side...

I wanted to include a little section for my adventures closer to home, and I thought this card was perfect.

My last page. I am pretty sure that being lazy in my pool qualifies as a backyard adventure! That's right, there's another journaling tag behind the picture because that's the way I roll!!! Ha!

For a product list and my discussion about which LCOM products I used, click HERE!

And if you want to tell me what non-traditional items you have used to create your mini-albums, I would love to hear about it. I am really liking doing something that isn't quite the norm! And I'm always on the lookout for new ideas! Pinterest can't have them ALL (even if it does seem like it)!!!