Thursday, July 25, 2013

07/25/13 - SIWAS: "So What"

Hello!
The new challenge for "Scrap It With a Song" is up today!
The song choice this week is "So What" by Pink.
 
 
 
 
Here is my layout:
"Rock of Ages"
Journaling: July 14th 2013 - Vegas trip for our 12th anniversary. Saw "Rock of Ages"
 and had drinks at "The Bourbon Room"
 
 
This time around I didn't use the title or even any lyrics from the song on my layout. Instead I used some of the lyrics as inspiration.
The lyrics that inspired me are: "I'm still a rock star, I got my rock moves". 
"Rock star", "Rock moves", "Rock of Ages".
 
Great inspiration!
 
FYI - I used our tickets, a coaster I took from "The Bourbon Room", and the fake LED lighter they gave us during the performance as embellies.
 
Don't forget to stop by the blog and share your inspired project!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

07/24/13 - CPC: Childhood Game - Operation


"Child's Play Challenges" is up today w/ a new challenge!
This week's challenge is a classic game challenge and the game of choice is Operation.
I really hated that game growing up! It was way too hard!
And then when I had kids I bought it for them, and yep, still way too hard! LOL!
My grandkids will not be getting this game as a gift from me, that's for sure!
 
Anyway, bad game but good inspiration!



"Hello My Name is Chuckles"
Journaling: "David is a big fan of clowns and loved that they included a clown
in the "Toy Story 3" movie. We tried for years to find a Chuckles figurine but
came up empty except for a teeny tiny plastic toy. That is until we visited the
Disney Outlet Store in Vegas in June 2012"
 
My first thought was to scrap hospital pictures but since I didn't have any I went w/ the colors of the game box , well the most dominate colors: red and yellow. I then threw in one extra color, not from the box, that helped complete my layout.
 
 
And, as has been my way lately, I also used a sketch from
"My Scraps and More" to assist me.
 
Here is the sketch:

 
A really fun layout to make!
Hope you have fun making something to share w/ us!
Remember you have until July 31, 2013 to complete and submit for this challenge or any of our July challenges!
 

Monday, July 22, 2013

7/22/13 - "Water Fun at Disneyland"

Hi!

Just dropping by to share an old layout I created that makes a "liar" out of me!
 
If you're a regular reader of my blog, you have heard me say time and time again that I do not create 2 page layouts! I also stated that I never have! Well, I was looking through my Scrapbook.com gallery this past weekend and look what I found...
Yup, a 2 pager!
 
Side-by-side view:
 
 
(the white lines on the side are not part of the pages, it was a scanning issue)

 
Close up of each page:
 


 
I created this layout in 2007 using 2006 pics.
 
So I guess I have created a 2 page layout. But apparently I didn't enjoy it because not only have I not done any others (that I recall), but I completely forgot about this one, LOL!
Actually it's not too bad! Especially for such an old layout!
 
Anyway, just wanted to share... I thought some of you might appreciate it!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

07/18/13 SIT Sketch #118 - "Yay or Nay"

Hi there friends!
Here today to share w/ you the 3rd and final "Sketches In Thyme" sketch for July, 2013 .
 
 
 
Sketch #118:
 
 
And my (one-page) interpretation:
 
 
"Yay or Nay"
Journaling: "David took Madison to the Orange Show and they tried two new foods:
1. Fried Red Velvet Cake   2. Bacon Cotton Candy
The cake got a thumbs up but the cotton candy got a thumbs down. June 9, 2013"
 
 
I kept w/ the three rows of columns, the 3 pictures, and the inclusion of a star embellie. I also used a large piece of paper in the BG but choose to place it under my pictures instead of under the columns.
The rosette embellie says "Sweet Surprise" on it which was perfect for the layout theme and this made me happy as it has been in my stash for a while and I was glad I found an appropriate place to use it.
 
 
Usually I have a lot to say but this time I'm keeping my post short and sweet..... BTW, that pun wasn't intentional! LOL!
 
Stop on by and enter a layout for any of the July sketches for a chance to win a guest designer spot!


Thursday, July 11, 2013

07/11/13 - SIWAS: "WIth Ur Love"

The new challenge is up at  "Scrap It With a Song" and this week's inspiration song was chosen by me!
The song is "With Ur Love" by Cher Lloyd.
My daughter and I are obsessed w/ her cd and I am especially obsessed w/ this song!

It's a fun, upbeat song, about love and how the love of this one man makes her so happy!
Love it!
Every time I listen to it it makes ME happy!



 
 
Quick Note: the video posted over at the SIWAS blog is a remake of the song. I do not like the remake as it has a rap sequence in it by some guy...I have no clue who he is.  The original song is the one I love and the one posted above.

Okay now back to the challenge.
When I chose the song, about a month ago, I was going to scrap a "love" themed layout. But as the time came to actually create my layout, one particular lyric kept jumping out at me:
"Standing on top w/ a killer view"
I know, it's weird, why that particular lyric?
IDK!

But as I thought about it, I realized it would be a perfect title for pictures of us at the Grand Canyon!
We took a trip to the Grand Canyon in 2009 and I have never scrapped a single picture from that trip.
Not one!

So w/ out further ado, here is my layout:

 
"(Standing on Top With a) Killer View"
 
Not only did the song lyric work perfect for the title, but I found a great sketch over at "My Scraps and More":




And I once again used up a lot of old stash:
The title letters, the wood buttons, the chipboard clouds, and lots of Sassafras stickers.
 
So, despite the weird lyric choice, everything came together perfectly in the end!

Love, love, love this layout!
And I can't wait to see the different inspired projects that are submitted for this challenge.
Remember you have until July 31st, 2013.
 

Monday, July 8, 2013

7/8/13 - Scrappy Weekend w/ Page Maps


Hello!
I just had a 4 day weekend!
It was a really good weekend!
Besides just an overall feeling of much needed fun and relaxation, I was able to get some scrapbooking in.  I created 5 layouts: 1 for a blog challenge, which I shared yesterday, 1 for a DT challenge, which I will share Thursday, and 3 for a challenge over at Scrapbook.com.
 
The challenge is a "Page Maps" challenge which is basically a sketch challenge.
I'll be sharing those 3 today layouts today along w/ the sketches that inspired them.
 
Page Map #1
 

"BullzEye"
Journaling: Since the Hunger Games came out Jospeh has been into archery and
wanting his own archery set. While on vacation in Ohio he finally got one. 7/3/13"
 
My son is on vacation in Ohio right now and he sent me the picturess via cell and I printed them and scrapped them and sent him a picture of the completed layout. I love how technology can provide instant gratification!
 
 
Page Map #2
 
 
"Keeping Warm"
Journaling: "My Spirit Hood and a cup of hot chocolate
keeping me warm in Oak Glen 12/16/13"
 
This layout I flipped and removed some of, what I consider, some of the distracting elements of the sketch.
 
Page Map #3
 
"San Jacinto Pt.2"
 
This layout goes w/ another similar layout, a layout I created of the same day/time while on our trip to Palm Springs this past Spring Break, that's why it has a weird title. (See below for the other layout I created prior to this...probably the closest I will ever get to a 2-pager!)
 
I may go back and fix the picture on the right hand side though, as I look at it now, it's a little to slanted for my taste.
 
"San Jacinto Pt. 1"
 
 
I really enjoyed the free time to relax and scrap and actually enjoy life.
I wish every week had a 4 day weekend!!!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 

Saturday, July 6, 2013

7/7/13 - Scrap Africa Challenge: "Kitty Luv"

 
Hi!
Just stopping by to share my latest layout that I created for the sketch challenge going on at "Scrap Africa".
 
Here is the sketch:
 
 
 
And here is my layout:
 
"Kitty Luv"

 
I am a huge fan of circles and what caught my attention was the huge half circle at the top of the sketch... I thought "well, that's different!"  Then I had to figure out what to do w/ the rest of the sketch - yikes! That messy BG in the middle is not my style at all! What to do, what to do?!
Well I had just gotten a new kit from SB.com and I remembered it included a mask and some mist so I decided to try it out. I'm starting to get the hang of misting and although my design was a lot more "controlled" I thought the fact that I had mist on the outside edges of my mask went well w/ the whole "messy" look of the sketch. One day I'll be brave enough to actually do something more along the lines of what the sketch suggests, but for now...baby steps.
 
I had these old pictures of Panini lying around. They are of her when she was 3 months old; approximately 1 year ago. I didn't know what to title the layout since I have scrapped so many pictures of her already but as I was looking at her cute little face I kept thinking "Awww...I love her so much!" so "Kitty Luv" became my title.
 
When I was putting this together I really had no idea where it was going... I just kinda went w/ the flow as I found items in my stash.  In keeping w/ my 'keep it simple approach' to scrapping I just added a little bit of doodling, a few stickers a handwritten quote that I found on the internet, and finally my title. A lot of the items are old: the huge flower (Sassafrass), the title letters, the cat collar frame, and the "You Are Such a Blessing" sticker.
I just love when I use up my older items!!!
 
 
 
 

Thursday, July 4, 2013

07/04/13 SIT Sketch # - 116 "Music Lover"

My poor son!
He gets neglected...
He's the older child and the less demanding one,  so he gets pushed aside more than I would like to admit. :0(
That also seems to be true when it comes to taking pictures and creating layouts.
Although this is certainly not intentional!  
 
Well today is about him, well at least my blog post and layout is! 
I created a layout about him using the latest sketch at "Sketches In Thyme".
 
 
 Sketch #116
 
 
 "Music Lover"
Journaling (a quote): "One good thing about music, when it
hits you, you feel no pain" - Bob Marley 
 
My son loves music! He is always listening to it.
I find him w/ his ear buds in more than not! And his latest obsession is Pandora.
In these pics he was working on a school project but every so often I would catch him messing w/ his phone...I'm assuming looking for more music to listen to.
 
The sketch called for one big picture and a "film strip" of 3 smaller pictures. Since I didn't have that I filled the "film strip" spot w/ a piece of solid color paper that was approximately the same length as the sketch called for and used that to anchor another picture.  The rest of my layout pretty much followed the sketch to a "T" although my title is much lower! I was having a bit of trouble deciding which color/patterned paper to use as my big rectangle in the BG and then I decided I would just doodle it instead! Love the way it came out! I'm definitely trying that again!
 
 

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

07/03/13 - CPC: Tire Swing

"Child's Play Challenges" has a new challenge up today!
Today's challenge is a classic toy challenge: the Tire Swing.
Here is the inspiration pic:
 
 
 
 
 And here is my layout:
 
 
 
For my layout I went way back, back, back in time!
The pictures I scrapped are 6 years old, when my kids were little and still liked each other!
I have always wanted to scrap these pictures but never did.
Why? Because there are 2 other pictures that go w/ this series and "back in the day" I had no idea how I was going to scrap 5 pictures on a layout.
See, I have never done 2 page layouts. And this was before I had a good printer to print my pictures out in various, smaller, sizes.
Also, this was back when I thought I had to scrap EVERY picture of an event.
I don't do that any longer though. For this layout I looked at all 5 pictures and just picked my favorite 3 to scrap and that allowed me to finally get it done!
 
My scrapbooking techniques and beliefs have definitely changed in 6 years!!
 
I guess it's good that I didn't scrap these before though, because I had the perfect pictures for the challenge!!!
 
Okie dokie!
It's your turn!
Can't wait to see what you come up with!
 
 

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

07/02/13 - "Kelly"

This past weekend was super productive for me in the area of scrapbooking!
On Saturday I created 3 layouts and on Sunday I created 1.
JIC you can't keep up, that's 4 layouts in 1 weekend. ;0)
Definitely something I haven't been able to do in a while! Must be due to my new "simpler" approach to scrapbooking.
Also probably because I found this great sketch over at "My Scraps and More".
 
Here is their sketch:
 
 
 
 
And here is my layout:
 
"Kelly"
Journaling: "Since our visit to the Sawdust Festival in July 2012, Madison has been
interested in sculpting. So much so that she asked for clay for Christmas of 2012.
In February of 2013, after practicing w/ playdough, Madison finally decided to sculpt
something.  Her choice? Her school's mascot: a koala. With the help of sculpting tools
and a little guidance from her Dad, Madison's version of "Kelly Koala" was born!
 
As you can see I stuck pretty close to the sketch; It was too awesome not too!
And the BG paper I choose really helped this layout along. For starters the colors of the paper match the colors in my pics perfectly: yellow, turquoise, and brown. And because it is so decorative by itself I didn't need a whole lot to "dress it up"; just a couple of small pieces of PPs, which happened to be leftovers,  a few self-adhesive buttons and a small title and done!
Oh, and let's not forget my favorite part: the BG paper had a great place to include my handwritten journaling and since that place had lines, like a piece of notebook paper, I was able to journal directly on the layout! Easy-Peasy! Whoo-hooo!!!!
 
I think I'm starting to like this scrapbooking hobby again!
 
BTW - funny story. You may have noticed my daughter has her tongue sticking out as she works on her sculpture... she actually does this everytime she concentrates really hard on a project she is working on.  This funny little trait was inherited from her father. When she was younger, I think around 5 she started doing this. David and I found it hilarious as we thought "What the heck?! That's hereditary?!?!"  Apparently it is! LOL!
 

Monday, July 1, 2013

7/01/13 - Simple Layouts

 
Recently I mentioned I just haven't really been enjoying scrapbooking anymore; I was actually thinking of quitting.

Part of it was due to changes going on in my life.
The other part was that I just wasn't "feeling " it anymore.
It seemed like scrapping had become more of a chore than a fun hobby.
I finally figured out why that was...
I noticed lately that I've been trying to push myself too hard to create these complicated layouts and it was just becoming too much work.
Complicated to me may be way different than complicated to you, because really how do you measure something like that, but either way the way I'd been scrapping was too much for ME.
So, this weekend I went back to making my layouts a lot more simple.
Not only was I able to create 3 layouts in one day, but I actually enjoyed the process and loved the final products!
 
As I said I created 3 layouts, but since one is for a DT challenge I can only share 2 w/ you today:
 
"Date Shake"
Journaling: "2/23/2013 - 1st visit to the Date Festival and 1st time trying a Date Shake.
We were not impressed w/ the shake: it tasted like a vanilla shake w/ dates thrown in.
Not what we expected for $5.00! Oh well, at least we can cross it off our 'Bucket List' "
 
For this layout I used only 2 PPs and the 2nd paper, the blue one, was actually a square scrap I cut in half and tucked under 2 of my pictures. I then journaled in the negative space of one of the pictures, even using that picture as my title, and added just a few random embellies to add a little bit more color and visual interest.
 
 
 "Me Too"
Journaling: "3/18/13 - Packing for Spring Break Panini
decides she wants to go too!"

For this layout I used only 1 PP and went to my "go to" large circle as a way to anchor the rest of the layout. I placed my pictures in a staggered line down the middle, then added a few embellies: a frame, some sticker banners, and a couple of buttons. I then wrote my journaling in the negative spaces of the circle and added a small title by way of sticker letters.

I also did something I don't usually do, when I created my second layout:
I always buy embellies and don't want to use them. So either I don't use them at all or I use them slowly, a piece here, a piece there...
(I think this is a problem for a lot of scrappers actually.)
For me, this causes 2 problems:
 1. I have lots of stash I wind up hoarding.
 2. When I go to finally use them it's difficult because I only have bits and pieces and that makes it hard to match things up.
On this layout I actually challenged myself to use a whole page of banner stickers. In fact the design of my layout was centered around the banners.  (There were actually 5 banners originally but I had used one of them on a layout I created earlier in the month. )

In the end I created 2 very simple layouts that I love w/in a matter of minutes!
I'm not saying  I will never branch out and try different techniques or make more "complicated" layouts in the future, but at least I now feel less pressure to do so and less pressure means more fun!

BTW - I am entering the 2nd layout into the current challenge going on at "Scrap Your Story"
The challenge is to scrap a polaroid picture or use a polaroid embellie as an accent.
Go check it out!

03/27/23 Planning with Urban Journal Season Ink

My printer was having issues and I fixed it but during the interim I was not scrapping and lost my mojo ::le sigh:: But I've still been ...