Layout Catch Up

these layouts were done sometime in 2012 (I hope) and I just needed to do the journaling or add a title or something. they do not count for or against my 2013 tracking.

Products used:
AmericanCraft papers & Thickers
Flair buttons
Making Memories brads & die cut
Doodlebug brads and glitter sticker
QK Moxie

Products used:
Rusty Pickle papers (I had cut the curlicues from one patterned paper to use on this one)
American Craft Thickers
buttons

Normally I wouldn't post pictures of people's kids online but these photos are so old that I don't think anyone but their own parents would recognize them.

Products used:
Cosmo Cricket papers
Making Memories stickers
Me and My Big Ideas sticker
Heidi Grace embellishments

Products used:
Basic Grey papers, die cuts and stickers
KI stars
ric rac and ribbon

Vacation creations!

having a 2 week vacation means there is actually time to scrapbook after doing all the other things that fill the hours!

ALOHA CHRISTMAS

 hey, remember colorblocking? that wasn't how this layout started, but that is how it ended!

Products used:
Paper Salon papers
KI chipboard & stickers
American Craft stickers
SEI ribbon
Junkitz

A MOMENT OF REFLECTION

nice when the paper has "embellishments" built in! made this layout quick and easy.

Products used:
Scrappy Cat papers
American Craft Thickers
Lil Davis stickers
Doodlebug

CARDS FOR OPERATION WRITE HOME

remember my goal to make a card after each layout? well, I am ahead of the game! the "Lucky" card was made because there were green scraps when I went to clean off my scrap area to start scrapping and I thought they would make a great card. (two of the green papers are from Katie's card kit!)

then after making the "Aloha Christmas" layout, I forgot I wanted to make a birthday card and went and made a Christmas card......so I went back to make the originally planned birthday card. 

 

note how I added orange circle punches to the paper to make it match the ribbon and salutation better!

 still not sure I like the "Thank You" card. seems somehow flat. I think it is the paper.  

LAYOUTS: 2

CARDS:
OWH: 4
Brave Girl: 1



PURCHASING:
cardstock: 125 sheet package of 8 1/2 x 11 white for OWH cards (I'm not going to count this against my purchasing but also not count when I use it. I also bought 250 envelopes for the same purpose.)

USAGE:
cardstock: 0
patterned paper: 10
chipboard alphas: 20

buttons: 1
brads: 4
flowers: 1
ribbon: 3
alpha stickers: 26
stickers: 4
die cut shapes: 2
punches: 4
misc embellishments: 2

ink: 3
pens: 4

Card Swap Month 2

November was my month to host the card kit swap. I sent out a package full of black and white and green goodies including:

Heidi Swapp tape

Lil Davis library pocket

Heidi Grace decorative pins

Pearl beads

Chatterbox Scrapbook Nails

Slide Mounts

Prima flowers

Bazzill flowers

Green patterned ribbon

Flower lace

Accent Depot brads

SEI brads

KI Softie

Scenic Route alphabet stickers

and Papers from: KI, Doodlebug, Kaisercraft, Luxe Designs, Bazzill, Stampin’ Up, and others I don’t know.

yeah, I know......can you say overkill??? to compensate for this, I included a challenge to the ladies in the swap: after you make your cards, use the leftovers to make a layout. only kit items and cardstock.

here are the 4 cards I made.......and all taken with my phone camera and posted here without the aid of my photo software. this is the kind of week I have had!

I added some sheer black ribbon to this card.......do ya like those Chatterbox Nails? pretty much antiques these days!

I cut a piece of the flower lace to make a small flower and then a pearl for the center.

combined the Doodlebug paper and circle punched the Heidi Swapp tape here. I added some green cardstock for the circles, hearts, and sentiment.

I added the red flower to the kit items. I used 3 of the pearls to make the flower center and used a black pen to add a black center to each of the flowers in the patterned paper.

and after all that I made my layout.......because I couldn't challenge the other ladies to do one without doing one myself! isn't he cute?!?! (yes, he makes homemade english muffins......YUM!)

there wasn't enough patterned paper to go all the way behind the photo so I cut small pieces for the left side and used the rest for the flags on the right side. I added some green cardstock but everything else was leftover from the kit!

here is what the other ladies did:

Arlyn

Katie

Leslie - she did the bonus layout!
this was so much fun I am ready to put together another kit......and can't wait to see what Katie has to offer!

Operation Write Home World Cardmaking Day Bloghop

Happy World Cardmaking Day!

Today I chose to join Operation Write Home to show my support for the men and women who have volunteered to serve our country. Whether they are serving state side or on foreign soil, they have put the protection of the United States and its citizens above their own needs....and sadly the needs of their families! For this reason I pray for them and their families, that they be reunited swiftly and safely. Thank you for being brave and strong and willing to do what so many are not!

For more information on the products or techniques used for this card, please see HERE and thank you for visiting me today!

Operation Write Home supplies handmade cards to soldiers to help them stay in contact with loved ones. If you would like help support their endeavor, please click on the Donate button to the left. To continue the Bloghop, please click on the button at the top of the blog.

Christmas card directions for OWH blog hop

Products used:

Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses
Bazzill
Quickutz Jolly Collection
KI Memories printed ribbon
Marvy Ink
Fiskars edge punch
Queen & Company micro-brad

How to tips:
1. tear edge on one side of background paper & ink other edges
 - attach to card base
2. ink edges of patterned paper strip and attach to card based & background
3. attach brads on each end of paper strip
4. die cut greeting and ornament from patterned paper
5. attach greeting to card being sure to leave room for ornament
6. die cut additional ornament from cardstock & adhere to patterned paper ornament
 - this will help keep your ornament sturdy
7. punch border edge in cardstrock then trim from paper to make strip
8. attach border strip to ornament & trim sides
9. ink edges of ornament
10. attach ribbon to border strip and wrap around back of ornament
11. attach ornament to card
12. tie ribbon in bow and glue dot to ornament
 - this will keep the bow where you want it and you won't chance pulling bow tight and tearing die cut.

Aloha Santa

Aren't you impressed? Two layouts done in one day! I had pulled these photos out to use for a sketch yesterday, but then changed my mind.....or really went to bed! lol! This morning I decided the pictures didn't need a 2 page layout. As long as you can see Gramps and David in the bottom right photo so you know just how BIG these things are, everything is all good!

Layout is based on sketch from Becky Fleck's Page Maps. The particular sketch is on page 110 of the book, but she has LOTS of sketches on her site!

Products used:
KI Memories paper and chipboard
Doodlebug jellies
American Craft stickers

Merry and Bright

this layout is based on Sketch 153 from Sketch Inspiration. I really liked the sketch and was sad to make so many adjustments to it. I think I'll have to use it again and try to stay more faithful to the sketch.

Otherwise, I like how this turned out, except for wishing I hadn't used solid paper for my big ol' circle.

Products used:

Basic Grey papers
Versamark chalk ink
Prima flowers
SEI brads
Scenic Route chipboard
Heidi Swapp ghost flower

(and.....this brings my total page production to 15 for the month, half of my pie-in-the-sky goal of 30. not bad, I think)

Christmas Joy

this layout is based on Sketch #151 from Sketch Inspiration. I struggled with making it feel balanced but really like the impact of the die cut paper.

these are a few photos from a quick Christmas get together. the boys got to see their Aunt and one of their grandmothers....and.....well, I got a huge basket full of homemade cookies from J's stepsister-in-law (follow that?). it was a great treat for our plane flight to Hawaii and to share with Gramps & Tutu Susie.

Products used:

Fancy Pants papers
Creative Imaginations tags
American Craft ribbon

A Gift From Santa Paws

I give up! This layout looks so much nicer (and more evenly colored) on my computer screen. I upload it here and it looks horrible! Trust me that it looks way cuter IRL. Course, Tessa is ALWAYS adorable! lol!

This layout was based on a September 2010 PageMaps sketch....for a horizontal 8.5 x 11 layout. Those work nicely for 12x12 double pagers....especially when you like to add more pictures and don't like to crop things as small.

Products used:

KI (several different Christmas lines)
KI die cut glitter paper
American Craft Thickers
American Craft Remarks (again I outlined them. this time with a dark rose)
KI chipboard
Doodlebug token, flower, and glitter brad
Heidi Swapp ghost snowflake

Three for the weekend!

I went to a crop last night with some girlfriends. Oh my how nice that was! I think I could have accomplished nothing and still have felt the night was a success just because I got some girl time! Bonus was that I completed this first layout.

Corn Maze
These photos have been driving me crazy for a couple years now. They were taken (obviously) at a corn maze in the middle of Halloween/pumpkin season. I struggled so hard with finding papers to go with the photos. Fall colors didn't work because of all the greens and yellows. Halloween papers didn't work. etc. Last night at Green Tangerines I started walking around with a couple pictures and came across this line by We R Memory Keepers. It is a summer line but the colors work so nicely with the photos! Thank goodness I am done with October.......2006! lol!

Products used:
We R Memory Keepers papers (that flower in the corner is a die cut paper)
We R Memory Keepers tag (I cut off the cute summer saying from the bottom of the tag)
American Craft brad
Sassafras Lass alphabet stickers
Brown ink pad


Season's Trimmings
This layout was based on a sketch by Allison Davis. Once again, these were photos I have struggled with. Looking back, I shouldn't have just taken verticals of D and horizontals of J & R. Too late now! Anyway, her sketch saved the day! Course, I moved the journaling which through off the balance of the layout but added the date to regain in....or not. Either way, I like how this turned out and had fun mixing the different companies!

Products used:
October Afternoon paper
Love Elsie soft charms
Doodlebug alphabet stickers (they went better with the paper than the OA ones!)
Lasting Impressions brads in celery (I am starting to hyperventilate watching my stash slowly disappear!)



Rex Moore Santa
I am still not sure I like that bold striped paper through the center of the layout. But on the other hand, I can't imagine having something busier behind those chipboard alphabets. Otherwise, I like the layout. It is fun and playful like our morning was.

Products used:
Cosmo Cricket papers and chipboard shapes & alphas
American Craft ribbon

I have a 4th layout that I almost completed last night. It needs a few more touches, and an enlargement I ordered today. Hopefully I will have that to post in the next couple days!

Mini Christmas 2006

Mini Christmas 2006 is based on a sketch by Lucy Chesna over at MySketchWorld. She recently published a book of sketches and this is the first one I have used. as always, I did make some minor variations.

Products used:
Sassafras Lass papers & stickers
KI Stickers and sparkle brads (can you believe I still have some left?)
Creative Imaginations pebble stickers
various black pens
black grossgrain ribbon