Use It Tuesday #37 - All About School

It is time for another Use It Tuesday Challenge!  Since most kids go back to school in August or September (a few went back in July here), the first challenge for this month is All About School.

We started homeschool kindergarten with my oldest back in April/May.  We have been SLOWLY working through her phonics and arithmetic books over the summer, but we are about to really get going with "school" now that public schools are back in session.  Lately, I have been "bribing" her with a computer game after she finishes a phonics lesson.  But, I wanted to have other options for fun things to do when she got her lessons completed.  So, I decided to make a box with cards.  Each card has an activity on it, and when she is done with a lesson, she can pick a card.  So far I have eight cards, but I can easily create more and change them out if needed (or just hide one when she isn't looking if need be).

Here is the box and the eight cards:

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 

I use some My Mind's Eye Hip Hooray and Alphabet Soup papers that I have had for about a year or more.    I bought two of each collection, and I think I still have one unopened collection of each.  Needless to say I have been hoarding it a bit.  But the most hoarded thing - that ribbon on the box!  I have had that since Christmas 2010.  I think I put a tiny bit on a card once, but otherwise I haven't touched it in almost two years.  

To make the box, I used a criss-cross pattern I found online.  There are a bunch of them out there, but this is the first one I found I think.  It is just some scoring and cutting of an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.  I slipped a piece of coordinating stripped paper in mine to add some extra interest.  

So, now it is time for you to create something related to school.  It could be a layout about your child's first day of school.  Or a card for the new teacher.  Or how about a gift for your child?  

Are your kids too little for school?  How about a page about your school days?  Or a layout about them learning something?  Or even Vacation Bible School if they got to attend that?

Make sure to link up over at Use It Tuesday and tell us what hoarded supplies you used!

Three Recent Layouts

This one is Pearl 4b over at ScrapbookSteals.  I am continuing my love of My Little Shoebox on this one.  It is also part of a Camp-Friendzy challenge (Mess Hall).  There was a list of 16 items, and I was able to include 12 of those in this layout.

This is another ScrapbookSteals sketch (I think Garnet 5).  I hadn't done a layout for myself using the sketch, so I put it to work with another Camp-Friendzy challenge (Ghost Stories).  I used some MME 6x6 papers as well as some Webster Pagers trim and AC Thickers for this one.

This last one is based off of a PageMaps sketch that was also a challenge sketch at Camp-Friendzy.  I also included the "netting" for the Paper Girls Challenge Blog challenge.  I want to add something with the yellow netting, but I haven't found the right "trinkets" for it yet.

This summer I have been able to average about 3 layouts a week - so I am happy with that!  If I can keep the rate up, maybe I can catch up on my kids' albums at some points too...

Sick (Let's Get Sketchy #21)

This week I picked up a distress ink at Hobby Lobby, so I thought I would try it out on this layout.  I don't LOVE it, but I don't think it turned out too bad.  I bet with some more practice it will look better.

This picture is from when my oldest was sick for the first time.  We were at my parents, and it was the morning we were leaving (to fly back home).  She had a fever, was stuffed up, and in general just not happy. She did enjoy some snuggles with her aunt and cousin though while I packed, etc.

I used MME Alphabet Soup (girl) for this layout.  Other than the background, it was all scraps I had.  The bracket shape was even a scrap I had already cut, which made this layout go together quickly.  The part that took the longest was the title.  And that was just because the S punch was missing.  My daughter and I looked for it yesterday, but we couldn't find it.  And then somehow it was with all of the others this morning...

Here is the sketch it is based off of:

Use It Tuesday - Uncut Paper

It is time for another challenge over at Use It Tuesday. Are you ready?

And now, for the challenge! We challenge you to use your uncut paper. You know - those collections or papers you just HAD to have and yet you haven't used. Those ones. It is time to put them to work!

Be sure to tell us in your post what you used! In order to be considered for Top 2 Picks, we need to know what hoarded items you used in your paper craft. It doesn't have to be the uncut paper that is hoarded - it can be embellishments, ink, pictures, etc. Just let us know what it is!

Last December, I decided I had to have some LilyBee Harvest Market papers for fall pictures. And yet, 7 months later I hadn't touched them. So, I pulled them out and put them to work with pictures from the pumpkin patch last year.

I cut 1 inch strips of paper and lined them up along the bottom. I randomly cut circles and flipped the papers over, giving it a little more interest at the bottom. I then stitched around the circles as well as the horizontal line between the papers. Since my white fabric Thickers didn't want to stay stuck on the paper, I stitched those down too (all stitching is in khaki thread so it somewhat blends in). This is all on some kraft card stock that I "messed" up with some brown paint. I topped the strips off with some Jillibean Soup ribbon and then placed the journalling tag and pictures on the page (as well as the remaining alphas - brown Thickers and MLS mini alphas). Next it was time for some embellishing. I put some Twinery twine around the bottom of the middle picture on the right page, add a button with more Twinery twine to the journalling tag, added a second small journalling tag with the date and more twine, and finished everything off with two felt stickers I got from Oriental Trading last December (simply because I needed to spend a few more dollars to get free shipping).

As for hoarded, I think the most hoarded item is my sewing machine. I have used it on I think 3 layouts since i got it three years ago, and the last layout was about a year ago. I haven't even used in for clothes! My MIL has used it twice when visiting, and I have made a few bags two years ago for a little girl, but that is it.

The only thing on the page that isn't at least 6 months old are the MLS mini alphas (and adhesive). The paint I have had for over 12 years!!! The button I have had for 10 years probably. Let's just say I have a good stash of stuff, which is why I am loving Use It Tuesday!

So, don't forget to create something (card, layout, altered project, whatever) with some uncut paper. Then, link it up on the Use It Tuesday blog for a chance to be featured and to be a guest designer!

Easter (2008)

Here is my take on this week's Let's Get Sketchy sketch.  I dug out a photo of my oldest on her first Easter after reading the most recent bonus challenge at Camp-Friendzy (using scripture on a page).  I had wanted to scrap this photo for a while, but until the challenge I didn't have the push I needed.  And the photo was perfect for trimming into a circle!  I use Bo Bunny Peacock Lane for this layout (with some AC Thickers and some random ribbon, buttons, and a tiny bit a twine).  The scalloped circle is actually part of one of the journalling pages.  I cut the center out (used that for the actual journalling with a different mat) and used it as the frame.  I like the extra shape it gives this circle-heavy layout.

Here is the sketch it is based off of:

Let's Get Sketchy #19

This is another one of the 8x8 layouts I am going of pictures of my husband and I while we dated.  It is from July 2001.  I use MME Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks 6x6 pad for most of the layout.  I added some twine (twinnery), ribbon (JilliBean), and two random brads to finish the page of.

Here is the sketch it is based off of:

Use It Tuesday - Embossing

My first DT team challenge over at Use It Tuesday is embossing.  Well, I am not a huge card marker, so I don't have a dry embossing machine.  I did have some embossing powders at some point (bought pre-2000), but I think I threw them away.  So, I had to get a little creative.  I did a Google search, and found this idea.  

You punch out a punch of circles (or other shapes),  and you layer them on your paper to give an embossed look.  To save myself a huge headache, I decided to randomly place the circles.  I just covered teh background paper with glue and threw them on.  Then I moved them as necessary to get a fairly even coverage.  I put the larger circles on first and then let some of the smaller circles add a third level of dimension.  Once I had my background, I got to work figuring out how to finish the card.  I used the MCM #90 sketch.  I had the grey tag in a box of random "pieces," which gave me the idea to go with a blue and grey color scheme.  I then used some Studio G washi (from WalMart) and a scalloped border cut out of white paper for the line across the middle.  The sentiment was part of the paper pack that I got the background paper from, and I finished it off with a button and some Twinery Twine. 

So how long have I had these pieces in my stash?  The tag and blue paper/sentiment I got from my MIL in September (so 10 months ago).  She bought them at a yard sale, who knows how ancient they really are.  The button is at least 1 year old.  I have a ton of white buttons, some from before I was married (almost 10 years ago) and some from two bags of buttons I bought from Oriental Trading last year.  The twine I got last fall too, and I have a HUGE roll of grey.  Luckily because I have so much, I don't hoard it a ton.  But the washi I am hoarding.  It is fairly new (April maybe), but this was the first time I had use this color (and I have only used a tiny bit of the others too because I don't want to "waste" it).

Totally Turquoise

  

Another set of 10 ScrapbookSteals MidWeek Mojos are complete!  That means I have completed each week's sketch (at least 1 if 2 were done) for the last 102 weeks.  In two weeks, it will be 2 years of sketches!

Church Dress

This week I only got one layout done.  Between family visiting, husband home for 5 days, and extra company on the 4th, I didn't have much time to create!  But, I did get the Turquoise 10 sketch done for ScrapbookSteals.  I incorporated a challenge over at Camp-Friendzy (Surprise!) into this as well.

Over at Scrap-Friendzy, someone posted a "border" similar to the one I used as inspiration.  I decided that would work great with this sketch and picture.  I use an MME Six by Six pad (again) for all of the paper (except the white cardstock base and the black cardstock mat for the photo).  I embellished with some AC Thickers, chipboard flowers, buttons, felt flowers, and Twinery twine.

Here is a close up of the hidden journalling under the banners at the top:

And here are some close-ups of the flowers/embellishments:

Exciting News!

Guess what?

I was selected to be on a design team!

Can you guess which blog I am designing for for the next 6 months?

Well, it is Use It Tuesday!

I have done some of their challenges before.  It is a great challenge blog that gives you the push you often need to use what you have already in your stash.  I know most of you, if you had to admit it, would agree that you hoard scrapbooking/paper crafting supplies.  It is just so hard not to.  They are just so pretty and cute and fun!  But, the whole point in buying them is to use them (instead of them collecting dust on a shelf).  So, the ladies over at Use It Tuesday have a challenge twice a month.  There normally aren't any prizes because well, they don't want to add to the hoarding problem.  But, we pick two awesome projects submitted from each challenge to spotlight, and a project is selected at random as the "winner" as well.  The winner gets to join the design team in preparing a project for the next challenge.

So, get ready to come join us in the challenges!  I can't wait to see what you create.

And without further ado, here are the other ladies I am designing with:

Heather Bolli (DT Coordinator) http://landofstamping.wordpress.com/

Tess Davis http://bradsmom06.blogspot.com/

Tammy Lever http://tampatha.wordpress.com/

Haven Amacher http://www.haven-amacher.blogspot.com/

Stephanie Umpleby http://sucw.blogspot.com/

Caroli Schulz http://chileanhappyscrapper.blogspot.com/

Danielle de Konink http://picsandcheesecake.blogspot.nl/

Marjolaine Walker http://www.twelvestonesscrapbooking.blogspot.ca/

Cathy Clouston http://paperribbonthread.blogspot.ca/

Victoria Lau http://rainemomentstogether.blogspot.ca/

and:

Sami:  http://www.thescrapmaster.com/

Siobhan:  http://the-monkey-hut.blogspot.com/