Hikers

This prompt dealt with quilting.. I've done several other layouts inspired by this prompt's ideas but I really had fun with this one!

It's basically a lift of a design that Shimelle had in her prompt, of course, she used a Single photo, and I almost never use a single photo... but the general idea of the layered strips on one side was a direct lift! The papers here are October Afternoon Campfire and I'm using the 8x8 pad. The photos are of the Little Guy's Tiger Cub Den on an afternoon hike.

Scrapbook Remix pages, take 1

Having worked our way through Pretty Paper Party, the group of us playing together on Shimelle's class forums did not want the fun to end... so we've moved on to Scrapbook Remix! We're working our way through the prompts and having a great time! I did not participate in Scrapbook Remix the first time around, so all the prompts are new to me. I am working straight through them in order.

Prompt 1 dealt with colors and using a single line. As I've tried to explain before, I say "colors" but there is so much depth in each of Shimelle's prompts that I have to tell you this is seriously oversimplifying!

My first SR page is one of my favorites I've done in a while

Instead of focusing on a single line and how to work it, I decided to go with a single color (yellow) in a variety of shades, patterns and lines... I don't know what most of these papers are as they came from my scraps stash. But I do love the finished product! The photo is Muppet Boy with a giant Erector Set airplane he built.

But for these two layouts, I went with a single line of papers Bo Bunny's U Bug Me line from 2009!

For this one I broke down the line to just two colors -- brown and orange with a neutral background.  And the grid paper is still Bo Bunny but from another older line. These pics of Muppet Boy playing Army with some neighbor boys amuse me greatly and I am really happy with this layout!

For this one, the idea was similar but instead of focusing on two colors in the single line, we went up to three-- so Orange, Brown and a bit of Green. This layout is pretty simple but I'm really happy with it! The Little Guy is holding Rosie the Tarantula at the Butterfly Pavilion.

So, here we are with three layouts, one color, two colors, three colors...

Bold Bright and Colorful

Let's wrap up the Pretty Paper Party layouts with some bold, bright, fun layouts!

These products are mostly from Fancy Pants To the Moon line. The photos are of the Little Guy, curled up in his favorite reading perch with Calvin and Hobbes... He cracks me up on the chair like that (don't tell him I said so, since I usually tell him he's not to sit there).

A happy occasion calls for a Happy Layout! DS was so happy to get his first set of braces off (he's back in braces now) and so excited to eat all the forbidden foods -- especially ribs, corn on the cob, popcorn and gum! The products here are one sheet of WRMK Funfetti, Sass, and a some BG. I love how all these colorful papers added so much FUN to this layout!

Snowy, snowy layouts...

We've moved on from Pretty Paper Party to Scrapbook Remix in the Shimelle class resurrection but I've still got some PPP layouts to share! I have made some real headway into my photos and made almost NO significant dent in my never-ending paper stash...

These two both use CTMH's Wonderland line... which I liked a lot in the catalog, ordered the Workshop... and then deposited on a shelf and promptly began to ignore.

I'm not really in love with this two pager... even after some embellishment efforts and the addition of some Log Cabin smooch... it feels a little boring. I was following the PPP prompt to use smaller photos on this one. And, hey! it's done and the papers are pretty and the photos are super fun sledding photos including my cousin's boys, my boys, and a friend of Oldest's.

Using basically the same products, I made this single pager that I really do like... For this one, the challenge was using full sized photos and I'm really happy with the addition of the silhouette cuts. Came out pretty cute! Just photos of the Little Guy making snow angels in our front yard.


And for fun, here's another two-pager -- a Christmas layout!

This one was to meet the glitter and shine challenge... and boy does it ever! These K&Co Christmas papers are have glittery, foil-y elements. The DCWV shimmer cardstock background has plenty of shine. The alphas are gold, and just to drive it home, a few pearl accents, too! These photos are from the same weekend as the sledding pics above -- my cousin's boys, my boys, and Oldest's friend -- this time at the Zoo's Christmas lights display.

A peek into our week & a layout, too.

A shortened holiday week, shortened more by a snow day... Pretty fun!

Here's a couple of pics from this week:

Oldest made these GIANT paper chain letters spelling out "PROM?" and laid them out in a park near TGF's house. He brought her back blindfolded and surprised her with the question.

She said yes, of course. Pretty cute, eh? NOTE: the complete lack of snow...

The next day was a snow day... and the boys built a snowfort in the yard! OK, Oldest did most of it and the other boys transported tons of snow from all over the place in their sleds and buckets...

And for a little Contrast... here's a summery layout of the boys, from the Pretty Paper Party.

Again I was tackling the Shop Your Stash challenge to use a border punch, mist and twine. And these papers are all Scenic Route from the giant collection of SR I bought when they announced they were going out of business. The PPP challenge I was focused on here was a) patterned background and b) full sized photos. In these photos, the boys are blowing GIANT bubbles in our backyard.

Here's a couple of layouts...

I have been really inspired by the reboot of Pretty Paper Party and completed a LOT of layouts with the motivation and encouragement of all the other ladies in the Party!

This one uses a full sized photo -- of Oldest from his awards banquet a couple of years ago. I was working with a challenge from Shop Your Stash to use a border punch, mist and twine. See the smear in the mist? Yeah... Oldest was looking at something over my shoulder and tossed it down on the table... on top of my drying mist :( Oh well... it's his layout anyway!


And here's one from the same challenge

We went to a Jail Museum where the boys posed for their mug shots... I love the measured heights in this layout! They're all much taller now! I laughed over these pics, such fun! Papers here are G45, Scenic Route and Cosmo plus some kraft borders from CTMH. 

Manhattan Beach

Here's a layout I did for Pretty Paper Party's 3-Dimensional challenge...
The title and the far right photo are both on pop dots and the strip at the bottom is layered.

I am really happy with this one! The background is SC ... not sure about the others but I used kraft for the title and border with my Silhouette. The photos are from our June of 2010, California trip.

Follow Halloween wih Thanksgiving, right?

So since yesterday I posted some Halloween layouts, how about a Thanksgiving layout for today?

This line is also from AC and is so cute and fallish without being super theme-y. The photos here are from when the Little Guy sang with the other small children in front of the church for Thanksgiving 2011. "A Song of Thanksgiving" is a line from the song they sang. There weren't enough "G"s in the set I was using so the one in "Song" is actually a q and a c together.
The challenge focused on using full sized photos.

How about some Halloween?

It's Halloween 2011 in these photos -- the Little Guy dressed as the Doctor and Muppet Boy went for a Cyberman. (That Cyberman costume was a piece of work).

I did this one in response to a challenge to use stacked papers -- thus the pile of papers layered at the bottom of the Layout. I love Halloween papers, and these Boo from American Crafts are so bright and fun! The photos are from the Little Guy's 1st grade school Halloween party.

For this one, the papers are Bo Bunny and the embellies are K & Co.
The pics are from Muppet Boy's 5th grade Halloween party (the same day as above). This challenge was to use smaller photos. I am not printing photos as I go for these challenges, so these are 4x6 prints that have been trimmed. I also tackled the Glitter and Shine challenge here with glittered embellishments and alphas.

And finally this one uses products from CTMH and K & Co, and again I was working on the Glitter Challenge - glitter tape, glitter alphas and a jeweled spiderweb. These are photos of the boys' pumpkins from 2011. I love these!

Another day another post

First a tip... go to your grocery store. Look in the Ice Cream section for Buzz Lightyear -- find yourself some Dreyer's Slow Churned Lemonade Swirl -- this stuff is AWESOME!

Next another tip... AMAZING Blog candy appearing over at Passion for Crafts!

Are those goodies not divine? Go and register!

And on to some more of my work from the Serendipity Crop last weekend!

As previously discussed, the theme for this crop was classic television and each challenge was inspired by an old tv show!

So, these two were inspired by Leave It to Beaver and the challenge was to use Black, White and One other color (in this case Orange on the first, red on the second) plus 2 pieces of memorabilia or ephemera. If you follow my blog you know I struggle with wrestling pages so I'm glad to knock a couple out -- even ones of a tournament a year and a half ago :)
Paper: WRMK: MVP Collection, Cardstock : DCWV, Wrestling labels: MAMBI, Ephemera: Jenni Bowlin Bingo Card, word torn from Wrestling USA magazine

Can you guess on this one? Inspired by.... The Monkees! Hey, Hey We're the Monkees! People say we Monkee around (hey Jenn -- I wanna buy me a dog...)  .... and the challenge was - to use a Monkey, and a silly picture, and the word Monkey in the title -- so you get this pic of the Little Guy swinging in a tree. I also worked in a daily challenge to use a large arc on the page.
Papers and clear embellies: Little Yellow Bicycle Baby Boy Safari, Cardstock: DCWV, alphas: Basic Grey, Crate Paper

Snowshoes

A layout of ME! When does that happen? I get so wrapped up in the kids that it's always nice to do a few pages about me, the Husband, and Us. In this case, It's me, snowshoeing.

I had never been snowshoeing before this, and haven't been since. It was 2007. I was attending a scrapbooking retreat at a beautiful Mennonite retreat camp. Snowshoes hung by the door. I'd always thought I'd like to give snowshoeing a try... but the opportunity had never presented itself. I remember the first time I read Anne of the Windy Poplars and Anne and Katherine headed out on a "Snow Shoe Tramp" under the moonlight. I loved that imagery.

But despite the image most people have of Colorado, it's not really that snowy here. Sure, it snows. Then it melts. Immediately. We don't have piles of snow that last all winter, very rarely do you see slush in the streets or dirty, grey snow from the last storm (visible only in plowing piles). If you're in a mountain town, or ski resort, or a backwoods Mennonite retreat... it lasts longer.

So, taking a break from scrapping, I decided that I really wanted to get out and go snowshoeing. I learned that snowshoeing is hard work! I had so much fun. I was so wet from my various tumbles into snowdrifts and banks. I remember the biting cold in my lungs and how hot I felt inside my heavy clothes. The sun was so bright when we came out in the open, and yet, when we were in the trees - it was nearly as twilight-dark as it looks in the VERY BAD photo.

I was really proud of myself for that weekend. I was supposed to go with a friend, at the last minute a family emergency caused her to cancel. So, I went anyway. Along among total strangers, in a strange place... I spent a lot of the weekend plugged in with headphones on while I scrapped... but I did it. I went there alone, into the unknown place. I strapped on snowshoes and headed out into the cold. And on the way home I got a flat tire on a mountain road through the National Forest between the retreat and the highway... all by myself. It was something else.

March Project 12!

I did a little scrapping yesterday! Finished up my Project 12 Layout for March! (see also January and February if you missed them) I'm loving these layout and the sketches for them!

For March you get pics of -- Oldest being awarded his Varsity letter in Wrestling! Middle-child's birthday party. The Little Guy licking a spatula of pumpkin bread batter. Oldest showing off an early Easter gift from his Nana. Middle Child and my husband tackling the making of Pinewood Derby cars and a lovely mountain view from our Spring Break adventure drive.

Products: Paper: My Minds Eye, Making Memories, Stock: DCWV; flowers: primas; stitching rub ons: Martha Stewart; Alphas: October Afternoon and Making Memories, Not sure on the corkboard or ric-rack



And here's another fun Layout. That's the Little Guy at the Children's Museum (on the day of the horrific hail damage!) Sporting fancy specs he made himself! Building with giant blocks, straw painting and wearing a carrot costume -- all in a day's play at the museum!

The page is from an AC Sketch that was posted in the Serendipity Sketch forum this month. Totally simple, and as I was working on it I kept thinking "Isn't this a little plain?" but then I added those little fussy cut words and critters and it all came together! Very happy with it!

Products: Paper: All DCWV mostly from Doodlin' Around Stack, the only other thing on the LO is the alphas, you'd think I'd be sure on those but they're and older Superhero line.

A few more pages from the Sweet Taste crop...

We spent most of yesterday making Hot Cross Buns (man those things take forever!) and coloring eggs and working on the reorganization of my scrapping stuff that I began after the crop (Cause man was it a mess -- and now it's worse LOL but there's improvement in sight!) We spent the entire day at home, in the house while wild winds shook the windows and buffeted the house!

The Buns were a success and the smell of baking still lingers in the house. My little guy adored punching down the dough and kneading away but refuses to eat them because currants are apparently too much like raisins, which he despises.

The eggs -- we kept it simple -- food coloring and vinegar in bowls of warm water and half a dozen hard boiled eggs. The big boys are gone and size was plenty for the little one. He loved it and enjoyed mixing the colored water with a spoon after the eggs were done.

We have an Easter party for our playgroup this afternoon, so just a quick pop in with a few more pages from the crop.

That's my youngest, he is the amazing sleeper. That kid will crash any time, any place... one minute he's all systems go, the next he's down and out! These swing pics are among my FAVORITE pics of him pulling his sleeping anywhere trick.

Papers are from the DCWV Tahiti stack - so summery! Alphas are a mix of Thickers and some Making Memories dotty ones.

Another fun Summery page! I think my mind was on warmer weather a lot this weekend! This was for a "Brownie" challenge. This is my youngest with his best friend enjoying Summer days last year, aren't they sweet together? (you know, when they're not bickering like siblings)

Papers: DCWV: Green stack and Basic Grey Mellow. Buttons and ribbon are sewing notions and the felt alphas are Thickers.

This page has a lot more depth than is visible in the picture -- There's a lot of detail work with a glitter pen going on and inking of page edges. I have always adored the Wizard of Oz. It was the first movie my oldest saw in a Theater in an earlier revival of some kind. It was the first play I remember seeing at the Starlight in Kansas City as a kid... when the 70th Anniversary event came around, I knew I had to take my kids! We ended up sitting further down front than we would have chosen but it was a load of fun!

And these pics are my youngest in swim lessons last summer. I had a ton of pics for this one so the technique of mounting them all in a block with the bright blue water tying them together seemed like a natural fit! I'm not sure I'm buying into this pennant trend -- it was part of the challenge for this page and I like the overall effect but we'll see if this technique really finds its way into my regular scrapping... but hey, check the fussy cutting on those flowers!

Paper: DCWV Tahiti Beach, DCWV Card stock, Ribbon: sewing notion (it's actually red elastic), Alphas: Basic Grey and Thickers, Rub Ons: old Sasafrass Lass

And this one is Christmas Eve pics... the sketch is by Susan, the challenge was tricky -- it was a Five Ingredient Fix -- 3 Patterned papers, 2 buttons and a dash of bling, 3 flowers, 4 rub ons, a title with the word "Sweet" in it. So here are pics of my kids checking the Santa tracker, leaving cookies for Santa and reading the Polar Express and the Grinch before bed.

Sweet Taste of Serendipity Pages

I had a load of fun cropping away the weekend for the Sweet Taste of Serendipity Crop! The theme for the crop was food related and the challenges took a lot of forms including a challenge to be inspired by The Ace of Cakes, some recipe challenges, a "Semihomemade" challenge and more... I finished 27 projects over the course of the weekend which was a huge turnout and I had a lot of fun with it.

Here's a few pages from the crop to share :)

There's my youngest, much younger still! He's always been a sucker for a big balloon!

These are from last summer... he was really scared of that turkey! This pic of him sitting close to it is about as close as he got to it and it didn't last long! That little paper pieced chicken was from Susan, and all those buttons were part of the challenge! It called for 2 TBSP of buttons!

Here's my middle son, also last summer, He worked hard all afternoon doing the challenges in the Junior Ranger guidebook -- reading all the signs along the trail for clues to the Ranger book challenge. I've been to the Florissant Fossil beds many times before but this was a particularly good day!

When I found these photos, I thought 'where's [youngest]?' then I realized these pics were taken before he was born!! Just a couple of weeks before he was born. It seems so long ago and the big boys are so little in these pics. I had a lot of fun with this page and was really happy with the outcome.

Checkin' In!

We had a really quiet weekend -- the high point was attending a 4 year old's birthday party. Yup, quiet.


I'm in the process of prepping for middle son's upcoming 9th birthday party. Favors, decorations and cake planning are in the works.


I snuck in a little scrapping today while DS3 watched Up!

Had some fun with a sketch from Susan including hand stitching:
And some fun pics from when we went to see a Christmas Carol in 3D. I am a sucker for pics of my kids in 3D glasses. I take a lot of those.

Product: Paper and alphas: American Crafts, Felt: Queen and Co, Buttons: misc. sewing notions

I got an adorable stack of ATD Superhero papers. I LOVE Them... I bought them primarily so I could use a specific metallic paper on a soon-to-be-seen Incredibles on Ice page.

And then I found this sparkly orange bit and decided to fussy cut it, knew exactly what pic I wanted to use... and then brought a bunch of misc. paper and ribbons together for the strip element. It was fun!

Now this is by far my favorite page today! I LOVE IT!

I busted into my totally beautiful, amazing, awesome Serendipity Scrapbooks March 2010 I Deserve It All kit... and wow does it rock!!! There's some amazing new exclusive-Serendipity-papers in there!

I had some fun pics of a trip to Heritage Square with my folks and my little brother and his finacee. I loved HS as a kid! Always one of my favorite places with amazing themeing... it used to be filled with fun, kitschy, little shoppes and have horseback riding.. Some of the other attractions came later. Over the years there are less of the cute little shops but the rides are still there and we still had a fun time.

Products: Papers/Large brown alphas, felt flowers: Basic Grey Origins, Additional Paper: Serendipity Scrapbooks, Additional Alphas K&Co BSA line....

That fussy cut flower? Yup the back of some packaging...

Project 12 - February

I did it! Now, I'm 'caught up' on Project 12 :)

Here's the sketch:

Isn't it beautiful?


And here's my Layout! I love the miscellaneous nature of these LOs with a little of this and a little of that! I really like this 'overview of the month' approach! FUN!

Products: Cardstock: DCWV; Patterns: Pink Paislee, My Minds Eye: Wild Asparagus/29^th St. Market; Trim – Recollections and Key Lime Pie; Pearl flowers: Jenni Bowlin, Rhinestones: Kaiser

Catching Up...

So, this year, at the suggestion of my pal Sus, I decided to participate in Project 12.




I have to admit -- I am intimidated by Project 365 -- taking a photo every day. Yes, I take a zillion photos, certainly more than 365 a year... but EVERY DAY... a little overwhleming. And even more overwhelming if I consider trying to scrap them!

There are other great projects with once a week commitments... still feeling a little overwhelming.

When I first read about Project 12, I knew it was the right project for me to try!
The Project 12 challenge is simple. The idea is to create a layout on a monthly basis which recaps what you’ve been doing. Whether you took 31 photos, no photos, or 100 photos, simply choose your favorites that best described what you were doing that month, and create a layout.

Plus... A monthly sketch from Becky Fleck? What's not to love about that??

So, I immediately decided to do this... then didn't do anything in January.

But I've decided to catch up. So, here's January!

Here's Becky's gorgeous sketch:
And here's my take on it:
I had a lot of fun with this!!
Products: Paper: DCWV and Basic Grey, Stamps: Close to My Heart, Embellishments K& Company -- ribbons? Not sure

Feb's pictures are printed, and cropped and ready to be put on a layout, hope to get it done tonight or tomorrow! Then I'll be caught up -- until, you know, March is over and I've procrastinated again!

What I've been up to...

Went to a couple of birthday parties, a scout event, etc... this weekend.

And I got some scrapping in, too!

I LOVE this page! I love these pics! I love my kids battling robots in the kitchen - Robo-Raptor vs. R/C Dragon! Love it!
Product: Paper Cogsmo by Cosmo Cricket, Alphas - AC Thickers not sure on the rest
I got this stack of totally cute Reminisce paper from Michael's the other day and just fell in love with it! HOW CUTE ARE THOSE MONKEYS!!! I knew the paper would be perfect for my little monkeys!
This 4th of July page came out really great! Love the paper, love the design -- so happy with it!

And this one is pics taken on a camping trip - we got to see the lake getting hand-stocked! So fun! The big paper-pieced silly fish was lots of fun!


And this last one is my oldest's percussion band. I just needed to get Animal on at least ONE percussion page!!!