Lost In A Good Book

I did this one just because.  I'd like to get my nephew's 1st year album done before Christmas since it is last year's Christmas gift, lol!

I really love this photo of him enjoying his favorite book.  The lined paper in my stash seemed to go quite nicely with the subject too.

The layout

Summa Time Is The Best Time

The challenge:
Use that oldie, but goodie, vellum on your next layout

Vellum really is pretty cool stuff.  It can tone down something bright, you can print right on it, or it makes for some cool embellishments.  I thought they would make awesome clouds, and they do!  I used this photo of my nephew from last summer at the beach.  The vellum clouds seem to look just like the ones in the photo.

The layout

Winter Spring

I recently saw a layout done by Julie Balzer that had a lot of white texture on the background and just a bit of color, all clustered around the photo.  I thought this would be a fun thing to play with so when CSI had texture as one of the evidence prompts, I jumped at giving this a try!  I'm not sure I really achieved what I was hoping for, and will need to play with the technique more, but I like how it came out.  I like that the white moves right into the frost colored flowers.

For my evidence I used: flowers, texture paste, circles, embossed paper.  My journaling pulls out from behind the photo strip, with the flower as a pull, and says, "Winter or Spring?  It seems that this year we will have both!  There is something so beautiful about pretty flowers covered in glittery frost.

The layout

The case file

We Walk Together

The Challenge:
Use inspiration from everyday life

I go to this bank's website for work all the time and I love the sign in screen.  It just has happy colors and I love the clouds.  I've wanted to use it for a layout for some time, but never remember when I'm home.  This was the perfect challenge for that!

I kept with the general color scheme, used those cute clouds, and arranged my pieces in a grid formation, just like the site.  I love how it turned out.  The stitching was a last minute addition and I love what it did for the overall design.

The photo is from a recent trip to the coast.  As I was sitting on a log with John, I noticed that our footsteps leading up from the water to where we were, went side by side.  Even though they ambled a bit, they ambled together.  It was obvious that we had been holding hands and moved as one.  It has been a really rough couple of months for me and the sight of those footsteps was so reassuring.  No matter where life ambles, John will amble with me

The layout

6 Things About Me

I just made it this week, posting my CSI layout!  Just under the wire.  It was a busy week!  This week's colors were a little on the soft side, so I took the one stronger color, coral, and made the layout predominately that color.  Then the softer colors played a nice supporting role.

For my evidence I used: gold elements, texture, and layers.  For my journaling I listed 6 things about me.

1. Quirky
2. Loyal friend
3. Good listener
4. Ready to help
5. Love to laugh
6. Have creative vision

The layout

The case file

Deep Woods

I was able to take part in the Weekly Challenge at Club CK.  It was a sketch challenge with a sketch by one of my faves, Scrapbook Generation.  I have all of their two page sketch books and have found them a breeze to use and like that they use a lot of large photos.  They go together in a snap!

I decided to do one of the layouts for TRW II.  Photos from the wedding venue Bryon and Leah chose.  I think they knew right away that they had found The Place.  This feeling was confirmed when we visited another venue and they decided to look no further.  The woman running it is so helpful and will be great to work with.  It is beautiful and I can't wait to see them marry here!

The layout:

Bike 2 The Coast

The Challenge:
Use your favorite paper maker and give the reasons you love them

This was a hard one for me.  I love so many different makers for different reasons.  Time and time again I come back to Crate Paper as on of my faves though.  They have such fun lines, with awesome embellishments, that can be used in so many ways.  I like the slightly distressed look that is never too cutesy. I like rugged over cute.  Fits my lifestyle more.

For this layout I turned to the Story Teller line that I just love!  There are so many ways to use it for layouts of "doing" and "going"  We do a lot of that.  I used the photos of John and his friend that they took on a bike trip over to the coast.  It's over 60 miles there and passes over the Coast Range.  They had a great time and stopped to snap these picks at the end of their route.  They took John's truck back home that we had left the night before.

I also used Ashley Horton's October Sketch It Out Sketch.

The layout

The sketch

I Wish...

Even though the colors at CSI were bright and happy, I have been feeling weighted down.  There has been a lot going on in my life right now and I am also sick, so I am more contemplative than most times.  When one of the journaling options was to use the I Wish prompt, I went with wanting to just get away and be with the love of my life.  It says, "I Wish...I could go away with you.  Far, far away where it is warm, with a gentle breeze blowing in my hair.  A place where we can leave our troubles and problems behind.  I wish we could just be together without any extra stress or distractions.  Where I can just look into your eyes, hold your hand, and spend the day talking and enjoying your company"

For my evidence I used: dots, banners, scallops, transparent tape

The layout:

The case file

Playing It By The Numbers

Welcome to the # of photos blog hop, where we are each given a number of photos to include in our layouts.  You should have arrived here from Dana's blog.  If you are just joining in or are a bit lost along the hop, be sure to visit Amanda's blog 

I am last along your journey and I am scrapping with 7 or more photos.  I love to take photos and they are all my favorite and do their part in telling the story, so I love to use many photos.  This can be tricky, but the first thing I do is start with a two page spread.  Sometimes I like to use a sketch, other times I just print out a bunch of photos and arrange them on my own.  Using a grid pattern can be a great way to add a bunch of photos to your layout.

For this layout, I chose to print my photos in a few different sizes and group them in a cluster pattern.  Think a grid with the photos pulled together and overlapping with one another.  I really like this look, and it had been a while since I employed the technique.  I just fussed with them until I liked the look I got, then adhered them to the page.  I used different sizes to give interest to the cluster.

The story I had to tell here is of my son's trip to a Formula Drift event that he took with his friends.  They had a blast and he had never really done anything like this before.  I love that they took a bunch of Instagram photos that they shared with me so I could get this down on paper.

Thanks so much for hopping with us today!  Be sure to check back with Amanda or a fun way to play along with us.

The layout

Trapped

The Challenge:
Use Itty Bitty elements

This challenge paired nicely with this week's CSI challenge which includes using something itty bitty.  I used a bunch of small circles, buttons and itty bitty letters for my title.  I also used a book page, stars and rub-ons for my CSI evidence and my journaling is enclosed in the frame of a thought bubble and is from the baby's perspective, "I have learned that the big people put all the good stuff on the other side of this gate!  Someday I will get to the other side...someday"

The layout

The case file

Flying Solo

The Challenge:
Use a paper airplane on your project.

Having a pilot in the family made this layout a breeze!  What better way to use a plane than to show Kyle getting ready for his first solo flight?  I also got to use a new die cut die for clouds that I got and I just love them!

The layout