December Daily- Day 9

This is my layout for Day 9.

I struggled with this one a little. Initially I had different 4x6 cards with this one, but with the bright red photo card, it didn't go. I used the red and white striped page that came with the snap album and I didn't distress it this time because of the white in the photos. 

Used the red and white ribbon to tie the pages together as well as filled in the "holes" in the letters on my Technique Tuesday stamped sentiment. Used the green "distressed" paper from Handmade Holiday to mat the photo card to tie in the cards on the other side.

Forgot to order the photo collage I had made for Day 10, so had to skip it for now. Working on the next few days and hope to post soon!

December Daily- Day 8

This is my layout for Day 8.

This day we went to my mom's scrapbook Christmas class. She makes fabulous paper piecing kits at www.justkitting.citymax.com.

For this I used this sketch from Got Sketch? I just flipped it 180 degrees.

Used some of the leftover alpha stickers from Girls Paperie's Christmas collection I used last year for my December Daily.

Used the Technique Tuesday's December Daily 2012 stamp set to put the sentiment on the journaling card.

Thanks for looking!

December Daily- Day 7

Here is my layout for Day 7.

My son's class at school has a Clifford. Each weekend Clifford gets a chance to spend it with a different student. This weekend happened to be my son's turn. He was so excited!

Used Technique Tuesday Studio AE October set from this year to do the title on the second page as well as the December Daily set from 2011 for the subtitle.

Used this sketch from Got Sketch?

A little behind in my album, but I have more to share so stay tuned!

December Daily- Day 6

Here is December 6th pages.

I struggled on how to put this layout together since I only had one photo and had to be mindful of what photos and things I had to work with the next day.

I wound up changing the right page multiple times but settled with this divided page protector.

The left page bothers me a bit because my writing wasn't straight. Oh, well. I used the December Daily stamp set from Technique Tuesday that also came in the Studio Calico kit. Used another Technique Tuesday stamp for the swirl under the title (made from the Simple Stories Handmade Holiday alpha stickers).

Used some Christmas flower stickers from my stash that had the rhinestone centers already as well as the photo corner stickers (Cloud 9, I think).

Thanks for looking! 

Hope you are enjoying your holiday!

December Daily- Day 5

Here is December 5 pages done. 

Love the pocket pages to put bits of the kids artwork. They got new Christmas coloring books in their advent box on this day so I included some of the first pages they did.

Thanks for looking!

December Daily- Day 4

Here is Day 4 of my December Daily.

Today I had a ton of photos of my mom coming over to make a gingerbread house with my kids so I made a simple photo collage in PSE for the right page.

Love that the divide page protector gave me the space to put 3 more favorite photos!

All of the stickers and elements come from the Handmade Holiday from Simple Stories collection.

This was an easy but fun layout to make. Joined Simon Says Stamp & Show's Challenge: House Rules. It has a gingerbread house that we made. That counts, right? :)

Thanks for looking!

December Daily-Day 3

Here is the layout I completed for Day 3. 

My son came home with 2 more advent calendars from school today. Thought I would capture how we are counting down.

Bought some of the Sn@p label stickers and place my title on one after distressing it with Old Paper Distress Ink as well as another small one on the first photo. Used stickers from the SS Handmade Holiday sticker sheet for the title and embellishments. Used a bit of red polka dot washi tape.

Here is the confetti/sequins pocket from the other side.

Loving how my album is coming together. I am enjoying the freedom of different page types for each day and the flexibility in changing it. Having it match up to the next day has been a bit of a challenge, though.

Thanks for looking!

December Daily- Day 2

Here is Day 2:

For this layout I printed my journaling through my computer then added the letter stickers and some stamping for the title. Added an Ali Edwards stamp from Technique Tuesday for the sentiment on the journaling page and the card on the following page.

The second page is a divided page protector. Warning! I found out that the 4x6 pockets in these pocket pages are more like 4.25x 4.5 to compensate for the gap needed for the two 3x4 pockets above it. Have to mat photos or something to make up the difference. Thought it was more PL with the sizing.

For the second pocket on the top, I followed the trend with a confetti pocket. Used a couple diecuts made with a Sizzix snowflake die and added sequins and other sparkle stuff to fill it.  I had commitment issues with what to put in it, so instead of sewing it shut, I closed it up with washi tape.

Decided to use the banner number stickers every day from the Handmade Holiday line, as well as the tiny sticker strips that say december #.

Three is on its way, just need to journal a bit and should post soon!

Hope you enjoy seeing my album. Thanks for looking!

December Daily- Day 1

For my December Daily album, I chose the red Sn@p album from Simple Stories. I loved the size and the option to use the divided page protectors.

I have not completed my title page or my opening pages, but I will post those when I complete them.

For Day 1 I had the back side of this chipboard page. I liked the color and texture of it so I left it bare. Next I used a photo collage template (I told you I would use it again!) to create the photo strips. I backed it on a close up photo of the tree. I was going to use digital paper but I had no idea how to match the color since it would partially depend on printing.

Printing...it pains me to use Walgreens, since I have been spoiled with Persnickety prints, but if I have any desire to complete as I go, I am going to just have to deal...

So this is take 2:

I have struggled with having to figure out front and back sides to things with this album. That is one of the reasons I only use one style in Project Life.

Take 1:

While I liked how this layout turned out, when I turned the page, the backside wasn't user friendly for the photos and stories I had to tell. I was lucky that the photo came off without any damage to any of the pieces!

I used a sketch from Got Sketch? found here for the left side of the layout. I like that on take 2, I was able to have more breathing room and a place for a title.

Used a couple of Ali Edwards stamps from Technique Tuesday using VersaMark and then red ink on the two key words on the list I wanted to highlight.

Everything else is Simple Stories Handmade Holiday.

On to Day 2!

31 Things- 3:35pm, Outside, Drink, and Write

It is getting close to December Daily time. To prepare myself, I have not done any prep work for the album. Instead I have been trying to finish up other projects so I feel like I can concentrate full on that project and enjoy the holiday season.

I have completed 3 more weeks of Project Life. I have come to realize that some of the things I put in those pages are a little personal to post. So I will not be sharing all of them here.

Same has shown to be true on my 31 Things Album pages, so I may skip a few that I do not wish to share publicly. 

I have completed the journaling for all 31 Things. The bones have been completed for all 31 Things. There are a few more photos that I have to take or select for 4 more topics and then this project is complete! Here are 4 pages for my the 31 Things album.

Had some fun with some new free digital elements on this one from ChrissyW. May have to use these photo strips to create more pages!

Love how the photo turned out on this one! Loved playing with more of my digital freebies like the washi tape!

Hope you are enjoying the Holiday Season! Can't wait to start playing with my December Daily soon! A layout to share that I finished up too.

Thanks for looking!

Training League

This year's soccer season is over so I thought it was about time to finish up last years photos!

This layout was heavily inspired by pages made by Nichol Magouirk. She likes to use the photo collage templates from Kerri Bradford for one. I love these collage templates in PSE. Great way to get a lot of photos on the page! Even my son commented that he like how there were a lot of photos.

For the most part, everything is  Bella Blvd. The blue gingham paper is old Creative Memories. Used black polka dot washi from Smash as well as a red polka dot washi from Bella Blvd. Used a couple of journaling cards from my Project Life Cobalt kit. I have been making so many of my own journaling cards I could spare a few.

Used some of the Studio Calico exclusive sets from Two Peas in a Bucket. Loving these! (Memo and for the record) Also used a corner tab punch (retired from Stampin up) as well as the Jenni Bowlin file tab punch.

Used the Alphabits stamp set from Stampin up and punched them out as circles this time for the title. Used a couple of stamps from Technique Tuesday to put 2011 for the year.

Love how this turned out! Thanks for stopping to take a look!

31 Things- Listen and Carry

Here is another 2 things completed for my 31 Things class at BPC.

I was hoping to find a picture of something that wasn't quite so literal for listen, but never did and just went for it to get it done! The photo is actually much older than the journaling, so I put the date on the photo so I could remember that.

Thanks for looking!

"Toad"aly Wild Ride

This is another kit from my friend Tami at www.playswellwithpaperkits.blogspot.com

Used this for the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Since the statue of Mr. Toad was wood, it was fun to pull in some wood grain elements like the journaling card, the chipboard stickers and the buttons on the flowers.

For this kit, I added quite a few little things to the original kit. I added the orange flowers, the Sassafrass chipboard stickers and journaling spot, as well as the Basic Grey alpha stickers.

I also used a new Studio Calico stamp set that is exclusive to Two Peas in a Bucket. These stamp sets are so versatile! 

I outlined the large brown alpha stickers with a white marker so they were a little more visible on the page.  Used another stamp on the journaling spot and printed my journaling from the computer so I could make sure it all fit.

Thanks for looking!

Scary Spooky Creepy Crawly Halloween

Happy Halloween! Thought I would share the last of my Halloween pages I completed.

This was made from a Creating Keepsakes kit from a very long time ago. (Are you seeing a trend?) There were 20 kits for very cheap. Was like a dollar something a kit. There weren't a lot embellishments with them but they had good bones.

Used equally old photos on this layout as well. 2006. My baby is now 6 and my nephews and niece are all in double digits now! Talk about scary!

I used some Halloween stickers in my stash that went perfectly with the colors and pieces of this kit. 

Used an Technique Tuesday/Ali Edwards journaling spot stamp and used one of her Studio AE Sept 2011 stamps (costumes). Used a bit of washi tape and called this one done.

Hope you have a safe Halloween everyone!
Thanks for looking!

31 Things- Hobby

Completed another 31 Things topic from Ali Edwards' Big Picture class.

I enjoyed this one. I was able to use a bunch of crafty looking items on the second page of this layout. It was fun to just play with the digital elements knowing it would go with this topics theme.

I have a few more almost completed. Will share those soon. Still trying to come up with photo ideas for a handful. 

Thanks for looking!

Clean Up Your Act

A Blog Named Hero is hosting a challenge right now called Clean Up Your Act. Because my style tends to be on the simple side, this wasn't much of a challenge for me.

For this card, I used some washi tape for the strips and a stamp from Stampin' Up. Used an EK success label punch for the sentiment and outlined it with a black pen. Punched the frog out with a square punch after coloring in with colored pencils. Layered it with black cardstock using foam tape. Hand drew the jumping lines.

The washi made this easy and simple. Thanks for looking!

My Favorite

Simon Says Stamp and Show is having a challenge this week called Your Favorites.

I created this card using a new favorite set of stamps--this Studio Calico/Hero Arts stamp set. I used the   frame on this card. I have just gotten it so I haven't had time to use it in my Project Life album yet, but itching to. 

I instead used it for this Birthday card. My youngest brother's birthday is two days before Halloween, my favorite holiday. I have so many cute Halloween stamps and themed goodies, this was a good excuse to use them.

The witch stamp is from Stampin' Up that I colored in with colored pencils. The spider is from a punch and I hand drew the web in corner. 

The card reads "best witches for your birthday!"

Thanks for looking!

Memories in Dreamland

Here is something I haven't posted in a while. An original designed layout! No kit here! Proud of myself on this one!

I had bought this nursery rhyme paper and stickers FOREVER ago. I knew I either had to use it or give it away. I found a handful of photos of my son just a couple weeks old sleeping and thought they would make good use of the paper. 

Used a Lawn Fawn stamp set to stamp the polaroid frames and cut them out that way I could place the photos behind the paper.

Used some Technique Tuesday stamp sets as captions for the polaroid frames.

One of the reasons I was determined to use this was the battery light up sticker that coordinated with the paper. So cool!

Something else that has been sitting in my stash a long time were these flocked alphabet iron ons. Don't know if I will use them again, or if I do, may not iron them on. Didn't like that I couldn't move them around. A little too permanent for me, I think.

Thanks for looking!

World Card Making Day

 

So yesterday was World Card Making Day. To celebrate, I snuck away to create a little something for the occasion. I put together this card to put in my son's lunch box on Halloween.

I had just received a sewing machine a couple weeks ago for my birthday and I finally got around to learning how to thread the machine and play with a few of the stitches. When I was finished with playing I thought the sewing I had done would make a great background for a card.

I pulled out an oldie but goodie Stampin' Up! stamp set that had a bunch of Halloween characters and stamped them on white cardstock. Then I colored them with my Stampin' Up markers.

Popped them all up with foam tape and adhered the whole thing to an orange base. Added a bit of black and white ribbon and called it done.

Hope you had a great World Card Making Day!

Check out Simon Says Stamp Blog! for other creations made for the celebration! Hoping to win their card kit. See what I made with their June card kit here.

Got Candy? and Happy Haunting

Here are some more Just Kitting kits that I have completed. 

The first is a favorite kit of mine. Pluto turned out so cute!

Every Halloween I take a photo of the candy haul the kids bring home. They made out like bandits this year!Love the details on this kit! The candy wrapper tags, the candy pieces in the treat bag! 

The second is a Simple kit. I loved the skeleton on this one since it matched my son's costume. I used some Ali Edwards stamps to embellish the tombstone and the bottom of the page. Used some journaling post-its I had on hand for all of my journaling.  

Still have plenty of Halloween photos to scrap yet! I think between Halloween and Christmas that is half my scrapbook stash! I have a ton! Need to get to using it and stop buying it! But they are my favorite holidays so it makes it difficult!

Should have some more layouts to share soon! I am on a roll!

Fraidy Cat

For my daughter's first Halloween, I couldn't decide what she should be. I bought this costume thinking of how cute she would be in it.

There were other contenders though and she wound up being a lady bug for Halloween, but while I had the costume, I took a ton of photos of her in it. 

This kit from Just Kitting was perfect for these photos I had. Used some new washi tape to balance the red of Tigger's costume on the journaling box.

Used some Technique Tuesday stamps for the date.

More Halloween layouts to come!

Birthday Layouts

Here is another kit I finished from my friend Tami. 

My son and I just celebrated our birthdays last week, and I managed to get some birthday layouts completed for the occasion.

This is my daughters first birthday. She is now a spunky three year old. Where does the time go!

Here is another kit from Tami. For this one I used it for my son's fourth birthday party. He just turned six, but still has a love of Cars and Monster Trucks!

For this kit, I added leather Thickers, used some Technique Tuesday/Ali Edwards stamps and Stampin' Up alphabet for the title. Loved the canvas tags that were included in the kit! 

Used a photo collage from Kerri Bradford for all of the photos.

Two more layouts in the complete pile! Should have more to share soon! The next ones are Halloween. Just in time for October!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo

Here is a layout I put together for my Disneyland album. I used the paper piecing elements from a Just Kitting kit and used some other elements from a Disney Club kit from my then local scrapbook store long ago (the title, gold leaf trim, background paper).

This trip to Disneyland was just for my daughter and I. We got quite lucky with getting a lot of character moments that day! This character was one of my favorites of the day. 

Off to get some more layouts completed! Will be back to share another soon! 

Bloom and Grow

Here is another layout from my pages in progress pile. This is another beautiful kit designed by my friend Tami. I don't remember what Disney photos she used on this, maybe Tinkerbell, but I used it for my pregnancy photos from my son. Once I started showing in my pregnancy, I was photographed wearing a white shirt and black pants in relatively the same place in my house.

Love the dry embossed shapes and bright flowers in this kit! Also came with a bit of bling and velvet ribbon.

I used a Stampin' up floral stamp in a stamp set that coordinates with the jewelry tag punch. I love that set. Then I stamped the number of months I was pregnant. Attached it with flower Making Memory brads.

So once I knew I decided these photos were going on this page kit, I had to decide what my title was going to be. A friend at a crop helped me come up with Bloom and Grow since there were flowers on the page. I thought it was a good fit. 

The reason this page had not been completed however was the journaling. I didn't know what to write. Finally I thought about what it felt like to be pregnant. This gave me the jumping off point I need to tell my story. 

Then I struggled on where to put it. I had more than a few sentences to say, so I was going to need a bit of real estate. I opted for the strips of paper at the bottom and mimicked it at the top of the page. I think the top strip gave it a more finished look.

So that is another one down. Hope to have even more for you soon! 

....now to just get them into albums :)

Submarine Voyage

So I have been in a creative funk. Just hadn't been in the mood to create anything.

So last week I was tired of it. I got in my room and made some cards. (Check my previous card challenge post). Still wasn't feeling it, so I decided to sit in my space and see what was blocking me.

Then I saw it. All of my incompleted projects, my Project Life album that is months and months behind, all of the page kits that I haven't completed, or even have selected photos for, 31 Things album that hasn't been finished..... you get the point.

I started with the photos. I have quite a large photo order to be processed to get some kits knocked out and update my PL album.

Biggest thing, I am no longer bringing any more kits in. I have cancelled my memberships and I won't continue any until I use what I all ready have.

Then, I started on my pages in progress pile. I have pages in there that are almost 2 years old. It is time to either finish them or toss them. 

Hopefully you will see quite a few post here soon. Me tackling this stack! Half of the stack is there because I haven't journaled. I have found by going through Ali Edwards' 31 Things class, that I am having an easier time of journaling. The other half is putting a title on it. Sometimes, the "perfect" title will never come and I need to be okay with putting something that is "good enough" and call it done!

Here is the first layout I completed from my pile:

This Submarine Voyage layout is one from my friend Tami. She created this page kit with this ride in mind and it is perfect! The Cosmo Cricket paper is fantastic for this. The cool thing about this kit is that if you don't have any submarine photos, the paper is double sided and you can use non themed paper instead.

For this layout, there is a really cool paper rolling technique. The striped paper is cut into different width strips and rolled. Stacked together they make a really cool element.

Use my Sizzlit alpha Round Table to cut the title and can call this one done! 

What keeps you from having a good scrapbook mojo and how do you fix it?

31 Things- Technology and Relationship

I was so happy to hear that Ali Edwards decided to postpone her 31 More Things Class until early next year. It will give me time to finish up the first 31 Things class. It will give me time to have it complete and enjoy and sit with it a while before diving into another 31 topics.

Something to remember when viewing the pages in my 31 Things album is that my album is 6x12. The two halves are going to be cut and won't be that close to each other. I think visually they look better apart. 

I am happy to report that I only have 3 topic remaining. The tricky part now is figuring out what to take pictures of for a nine of them. 

What would you take a picture of for conversation, work, watch, think, or listen? Those are proving to be the hardest.....

Card challenges

I got a Simon Says Stamp card kit and decided it had sat unused for too long! It didn't hurt that  Simon Says Stamp and Show blog and A Blog Named Hero had a great challenges to submit to as well as the Big Idea Festival Day 1 challenge.

This is what came in the Simon Says Stamp June Card Kit.

For this first card I lifted a card from the inspiration sheet included with the kit. It was a nice way to start cutting into the paper and get my creative mojo working.

 I diecut the dictionary sheet with the Tattered Flowers die from Tim Holtz and used spun sugar distress ink on the edges. I love that die! I stamped the sentiment with VersaMark ink and used white embossing powder. Used a pair of old scallop scissors to create the edge on the vellum.

This card is all ready addressed ready to be sent out to a friend of mine who just got married.

For this next card, I needed a card for my In-laws 40th wedding anniversary. I had made invitations for the event as well in a previous post. Die cut an extra "40" when making the invites to use on this card.

I had a hard time using the doilies in the kit because I had bought a stack for the invites and I thought the ones in the kit were more beautiful. I think I am saving them for a layout in the future. 

I used the stamp set in the kit to make the banner and the sentiment. The hearts are also stamped from that set. I used the twine in the kit to tie the hearts together. 

Loving the Pebbles glittered heart brads also included in the kit!

I used my 1/4'' corner chomper on the top corner of the card.

This next card I created for the Big Idea Festival at Big Picture Classes. I used a retired Stampin' Up heart punch on the dictionary paper and distressed them with Frayed Burlap distress ink. I used a Martha Stewart edge punch for the bottom of the card and backed it with some of the patterned papers in the kit.

This next card, I used the Tattered Flowers Tim Holtz die and distressed with Barn Door distress ink. Used the exclusive stamp set in the kit to stamp the heart and sentiment. Used another Martha Stewart border punch on the bottom of this card. 

I chose this card to submit for the Simon Says Stamp and Show's  Read All About It challenge. It prominently showcased the dictionary text paper.

When I got to this point in my creative process I started thinking outside the box. The card kit box, that is. I recently attended a scrapbook garage sale at my LSS. I scored this awesome Close to My Heart library card stamp for only a couple of dollars! Score! 

Used the Sizzix butterfly Embosslet to die cut and emboss (in one step!) the butterflies. Then I used black embossing powder and embossed the sentiment on a strip of vellum.

Used a Martha Stewart corner punch on the corners of this card. 

I created this card with the A Blog Named Hero blog's challenge Gettin' Bossy challenge in mind since it incorporated multiple embossing techniques.

For this card I dived deeper into my stash. I found a heart stamp that had a map print on it. I had scored this beauty in a freebee box at a crop!

I used a sheet of the patterned paper included in the kit to stamp on with black ink. I used my latest Studio AE stamp set to stamp the small black hearts and the sentiment. I used a black marker and outlined the heart by hand. Used left over strips from the border punches and a bit of the black patterned paper in the kit and added the border strips.

I submitted this card for Simon Says Stamps blog's stamp on it challenge.

Cool thing about this kit is that I still have a ton of bits and pieces left to create more with it! Even cooler yet, is the chance to win a Simon Says Stamp gift card to shop for another one of these card kits or other exclusive products!

Thanks for checking out my cards!