A Fun Tag Layout

One of my scrappy friends (Laurie) had a birthday sketch challenge on her blog.  She provided the sketch  and we were to use it as inspiration for a layout in honor of her birthday.  I barely got it done on Monday before the deadline!

The picture I chose to use is of my daughter and a cousin of her's playing with our toy firetruck.  I took inspiration from their jammies and the firetruck for the color scheme.  As for the papers I used, it is a huge mis!  I think there is EP, MME, CP, and LilyBee in there (plus the kraft).  And then there is some Freckled Fawn and MME washi, buttons, brads, and some scraps of ribbon and twine to finish it off.  It was a fun layout for sure!

I am also entering this into the ScrapbookSteals MCM #18- The Wonderful World of Washi.

And here is the sketch:

HOPE Banner - A UIT Reveal

Are you ready to use your hoarded items?  This time over at Use It Tuesday, we are asking you to use your stash to make something spring themed!  so dig into your stash, and get busy!  We know you have enough things stashed away to make an amazing spring project

I decided to make a spring banner this time around.  We have a Christmas one (Let It Snow) hanging up from the kids' birthday, and it is time to take it down.  So, I made one for spring.  I decided to go with the word HOPE, as it is what spring is about to me.  First, there is the HOPE of eternal life celebrated at Easter with the resurrection of Jesus.  Then there is the hope of new physical life - plants, animals, etc.  

 I started off by making the big rosettes.  I used some almost 3 year old American Crafts Baby papers for this.  Each rosette is made out of 2 2.5 in x 12 in pieces of paper that I scored using my Martha Stewart scoreboard (best Christmas present from my husband!).  The circles in the center I made out of Crate Paper Lillian that I received as a RAK in the summer.  

After I had the rosettes done, I started on the banners.  I decided to use more CP Lillian for these - using mostly scraps I had as well as 1 uncut sheet.  Then I matted them on some solid cardstock (green is Bazzill and the yellow I got at WalMart in the office supply area).  I wrapped some Jillibean Soup brown ribbon (probably close to 2 years old) around the banners before adhering the rosettes.

For the letters, I printed off the chapters from the Bible about Jesus's resurrection.  I then let them soak in some water with a tiny bit of alcohol, which gave them a slight purple color.  I then just cut out the letters and glued them on.

Then I layed out the banner on the floor and realized it was not long enough for our window.  So, I made some more rosettes (this time 1x12 in) to go between each banner piece.

I placed some of the buttons and die cuts from CP Lillian int he middle for a little more interest.  Then I strung everything together with Twinery Twine.

Now it is your turn to create!  Don't forget to mention Use It Tuesday and your hoarded items with your project post.  Then link up with the UIT blog for your chance to be called out as a Pick 2 and to win a chance to be a guest designer!

The Storyteller - A LGS Reveal

Time for another LGS reveal!  This time we are adding a twist - you must use the color palette below as well as the sketch.  Although the colors are Christmas-y, I know there are samples of using the colors in non-Christmas layouts over at the Let's Get Sketchy blog!

When I started this layout, I didn't know how Christmas-y I was going to make it.  I chose the picture more for my daughter's red dress than because the story her great-granddad was reading was about the birth of Jesus.  But, because I wanted to add some embellishments to the layout, I went ahead and made it a little more Christmas-y with the word elements.  

 Here is an (upside down) close up of some of the layers.  I am really liking the layered look on single photo layouts these days!

 I have also enjoyed making rosettes lately.  I have been adding them to many projects!  And with the score board I got a Christmas this last year, they are a cinch to make!  I love the dimension they give the layout, and they are so easy to make out os scraps.

As for what I used on this layout, it is a mix for sure!  Many of the papers are Crate Paper Peppermint, but I added in most MME 6x6 papers, as well as some Nikki Sivilis.  The embellishments are a mix of the three as well.

A Card and a Layout

I got two projects done this weekend.  I was going to post the layout yesterday, but it was SO windy here that I couldn't get a picture of it today.  And since I have DT projects to post tomorrow and Tuesday,  I decided to just post them together today since they are for a couple of challenges.

Let's start with the card.  This is for my husband's grandmother's birthday.  I took inspiration from the Paper Girls Challenge for the colors on this one.  And the design is based off of the current Unscripted Sketches sketch.  I Used MME Fun day  paper along with some solid cardstock, a MLS stamp, some WP trim, and a Stampin' Up stamp.  I colored the flower with Stampin Up colored pencils.  I am also entering it into the ScrapbookSteals MCM #16 - Stamp It.

As for the layout, this is based off of the Amber 5b sketch over at ScrapbookSteals by guest sketcher Michelle.  I used Authentique Loyal and Echo Park For the Record 2 for this cute layout of my son meeting one of his great grandma's.  Other than the base piece of kraft, all of the paper is scraps (for the About a Boy Challenge).  The colors worked perfectly for Rochelle's color challenge too (although my greens are a little darker).

Keep Calm & Ski On

Yesterday a new MWM sketch was debuted over at ScrapbookSteals.  Well, actually there were two since Guest Sketcher Michelle King decided to wow us with an extra one.  I decided to work with 5a to begin with, and quickly realized I wanted to use the Crate Paper Lillian papers I had out for another project I had just finished up.  They were perfect for the S.W.A.T. color challenge, so I got to work planning the layout.  The only problem - I didn't have any 12x12 pieces left!  So, I did something I had considered for a long time.  I took the MWM sketch and made it part of another sketch!  This week's Unscripted Sketches was perfect to pair with the MWM layout.  I made the MWM part an 8.5x8.5 square (as that was about as large as I could with what I had), and then used other scraps to finish the layout off.

 I am really loving rosettes these days, and this one worked perfectly to hide a little punching mishap.

The title is inspired by Brenda's March challenge - using the works Keep Calm &... on your layout.  

Here are the two sketches and the color scheme:

Quick Manly Birthday Card

I whipped up this birthday card earlier this week for my brother-in-law.  I had forgotten his birthday is also this week (same as my husband's), so I had to do a quick card for him.  I had these A Loyal papers out for another project, so I put them to work.  I then added an MME die cut, stamped happy birthday, and added some twine and brads to finish it off.  The design is based off of the March sketch over at Artful Delight.

Get Crafty With It

 Here is another layout I created this week.  With my husband gone on a work trip, I spent most of my evenings after the kids were in bed crafting.  I had actually started this layout a week or two ago, but I just never finished it.  But, I wanted to clean off my desk, so it got done!

The photos are a few years old of my oldest painting some wooden ornaments for Christmas.  I plan on journalling on the plaid paper, but I just haven't gotten there yet.  I took inspiration from her clothes and went with some NS papers mainly for this.  The pinks and greens are just so fun!

I am not loving the misting - I am just not great at it!  But, I do think it gives a little more interest to the page and goes with the crafty theme to the layout.

Above is the sketch it is based off of - a Page Maps sketch for Kerys's March Scrappy Friends challenge.  And I used four photos for the S.W.A.T. Challenge (Four Focus Fun).  Finally, I made sure to use two shades of green when finishing it off for the ScrapbookSteals MCM # 17.

Thank You Cards

I was "assigned" the task of making invitations for our MOPPETS caregivers for our MOPS group.  We have an appreciation lunch for them each spring, and we thought "real" invitations would be more fun.  So I pulled out some washi, scraps of paper, and buttons to make these cute "thank you" cards for them.  Each card is half of a normal greeting card, which makes them even cuter!

Here is the sketch they are based off of.  I think it worked great for these little cards with the washi tape :)

Materials used: Downtown Tape and Studio G washi tape

MME Miss Caroline and Indie Chic 6x6 papers

Recollections 6x6 papers

Stampin Up stamp and ink.

Make Shift Drive In Movie

 Here is my most recent creation - a layout for both ScrapbookSteals MWM (Amber 4 from the sketch by Bev Code) and for About a Boy (Hoarders).

The photo is of my son watching SuperWhy over Christmas.  We were staying in a house that didn't have any working TVs, so my husband was able to turn a show on for him one afternoon on his phone so he could relax.  And he lined up his brand new Cars cars to watch with him.

The circle paper is from MMW Abbey Road that I have had for 2+ years.  The orange and green papers are scraps from AC Amy Tangerine that I have had for just over a year.  The blue and argyle papers are MME Fine and Dandy 6x6 (almost 2 years old).  The green washi is over a year old (Studio G), but the other two I got this year.

 As for the embellishments, all but the flair (Paper Play Studio) are over a year old.  The police car and frieght truck are buttons I got 2 years ago for Christmas.  The stars I got in a swap box over a year ago, and I think the green button is from a Christmas collection (FP) I bought 2 years ago (and if not, it is from another FP collection I bought over a year ago).

The alphas on the other hand are new.  I don't have a ton of alphas that I hoard really - well, not enough for these words at least!

And here is the sketch:

4 generations

When I saw this month's first Paper Secrets challenge, I knew I wanted to scrap this pair of photos.  It is of my oldest with one parent, grandma, and one of grandma's parents - making for 4 generations.  With the photos in hand, I new I wanted to use some blue, so I went through my blue paper drawers and stumbled on the MLS paper with the flowers.  It wasn't what I had originally thought of in my head, but it worked perfectly!  Then i pulled out some more blue papers (MME and Lily Bee) along with the orangy pink paper from Crate Paper.  For embellishments, I used a white doily, a Paper Play Studio flair, some MME washi, three Stampin Up brads,  EP and NS stickers, and some twine (Twinery).  The alphas are WP and Thickers.

 And here is the sketch:

Easy Spring Wreath - a UIT Reveal!

Well, it is time for a nother Use It Tuesday Reveal!  This time we are asking you to use die cuts, punches, and/or cut outs for a project.  The only rules are your have to use some hoarded supplies in your project AND mention Use It Tuesday n your post.

And as a little extra "bonus" - it turns out that My Minds Eye has a similar challenge going on - they are asking that you use die cuts and MME products for a project.

I do have a ton of MME die cuts hanging around, and I knew I wanted to think outside of the box for this challenge.  I knew the other members of the UIT design team would rock out stunning cards and layouts, so I wanted to mix up our reveal with something different.  So, I decided to make a wreath.  I had made a fall wreath in October, so I thought it was only fitting to make a spring one now.  So, I went looking on line for some wreathe ideas, and came across a bunch of clothespin ones.  So, I ordered two pags of clothes pins from Oriental Trading and waited for them to show up.  A day or two before they arrived, I went through my MME die cuts and pulled out some spring ones for the banner across the middle.  The "Spring" is Lime Twist and the others are Alphabet Soup - both lines that are way over a year old.  Then, when the clothespins arrived, I flipped through my 6x6 pads for the papers to cover them.  I thought about doing a totally random mash up of papers from lots of lines, and then I saw an Miss Caroline pad I hadn't even touched - perfect!  The clothes pins are all out of 2 sheets of that - using both sided.  Then I made the banner using 2 more sheets of the wood grained paper.  I attached the banner pieces with some twine I had almost a year ago and hadn't even opened yet.  I finished it off with a bow, only because my 5yo saw some of the ones online and demanded it have a bow!  I would have just added a few more clothes pins in and found another way to hang it probably otherwise.  Total the project took me about 2 hours - not made at all!  The longest part was cutting the papers and then mod podging them on the clothespins.  Once that was done, it was super easy to finish up!

Too Good to Use a Little Spoon

Kerys had another fun sketch over at ScrapbookSteals this week - Amber 3.  This one I thought, and thought, and thought about!  At first, I "knew" I was going to mist and have it count for Kristi B's challenge.  But, then I second guessed myself because I only have three colors of mist, and I am not very good at it.  Then Saturday, I saw the new SWAT training using misting, and I knew I had to give it a go.  Two challenges asking for misting that I normally do is enough push to finally do it.  I used my Kiwi Lane scallop stencil and make some contact paper masks for my layout.  I then went to work misting the paper.  It got a little messy, but I figured out that if I cut out the scallop area (three colors connected still) and was careful with the photo placement, most of those "issues" were gone.  And the extra bit of green misting would work good at the top to help anchor it!  i then went to add the strips of paper like in the sketch, but I didn't like it.  But, I found there were good at the top, again for some balance.  Then I cut out some hexagons from some 6x6 paper I have.  I am not sure if the papers are OA or not, but there are from an Artful Delight kit that had OA papers in it (since the mists are OA, it is where I thought to start).  The title is a big mix of alphas - Thickers, EP, and A I think.

And as for the photos - they are of my youngest (about 17m old "here") using a wooden spoon to eat Chick Fil A sauce.  She grabbed it off the kitchen table and went to work when my back was turned to help her brother and sister.  Needless to say, she loves sauce!

Water You Doing? - A LGS Reveal

Well, with a few people leaving the LGS design team, I decided to "jump" over to the Team B side, which means I now do the 2nd and 4th week sketches.  So today is my first Team B reveal!  This week's sketch is by the amazing Bev Code.

I decided to change this into a single photo layout, using 1 vertical photo instead of two horizontal photos.  I pulled out a variety of MLS papers, and went to town on this fun layout of my oldest.

I loved layering little strips from the different collections along with a tiny bit of washi.

I decided I needed a bigger flower than I had in any of the collections, so I cut one out of white cardstock using a KLD template.  Then I stitched it with coordinating colors to give it some dimension and fun.

The title was the hardest part.  With all of the colors on the layout, it was hard to find alphas that popped.  I ended up outlining them with black ink, but they still don't pop that much...

Now it is your turn!

Today Reading Tomorrow Leading - SS Amber 2

Time for another fun sketch over at Scrapbook Steals.  This week's Amber 2 by Kerys was so much fun to work with.  I started by picking the pictures and then digging through my die cut papers to see if I had any circle ones with the "right" colors.  And it turns out I had a piece of MLS Sew Easy worked perfectly.

 Then I dug through my turquoise paper (yes, it has its own drawer...), thinking I would find some more MLS paper that worked perfectly.  Well, I ended up with some MME Lush instead.  Then I went looking for a pink color.  Again, I thought I would end up with MLS, but I ended up with some A Uncommon.  I loved that it had the grey in it soo, as it gave me another color to work with.  I had thought about using ribbon or sewing, but the right colors just weren't there, and the Uncommon was just perfect.  From there I went to the washi at the bottom.  I ended up having the perfect colors - some Studio G (blue) and MME Indie Chic.

 For the embellishments, I just got the Sweet Stamp Shoppe wood grain stamps in the mail as I was workingo n this.  I decided the circles would be a great embellishment.  I found some blue and grey paper to use for thsoe and then paired it with some A Uncommon paper that I just punched to highlight the pattern.   Then I dug through my brad stash for a variety in the right colors.

 Then it was on to the title.  I searched for a quote about reading.  I found "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."  And then I went to print out reader to stitch it, and some how ended up with reading.  But, Today Reading Tomorrow Leading works almost as well :)  With the shorter title, I added some washi at the top for some balance.