A Very Merry Christmas

The Challenge:
Make your own layered embellishment

I love the look of the layered, 3-D embellishments and making your own is a whole lot cheaper!  I had these photos from last year's Christmas all printed and ready to scrap.  I found that I had a hole in my grid so what better place to put a fun embellishment?  I used the stamp set that came with the paper line and just cut out, layered, used foam tape, and added gems and glitter glue all on a die cut background.  I think it turned out pretty good.

The layout

Oh Christmas Tree

This week's case at CSI have some of my favorite Christmas colors!  I love the blues and pinks with a touch of lime, so I decided to highlight my tree this year.  It really helped that the line by Carte Bella played right along.

For my evidence I used rhinestones, pen work, and circles.  My testimony has gems added to it and documents this year's tree.

The layout

The case file

Mason Is 1!

The Challenge:
Use a grid pattern for your photos with the twist of having white borders.

Grids are so wonderful for making quick layouts with lots of photos.  I was scrambling to finish my nephew's first year album, so having a grid made it so easy!  I just arranged all the photos into the grid design in Photoshop, leaving a bit of white in between the photos, and printed them off.  Then I just place the whole sheet on the layout and bingo bappo, done!

The layout

The Box

I didn't think I would get to play this week at CSI.  I've been super busy and then got sick, but I felt a little better on Friday, had an idea and put together this layout pretty quickly.  I like how it turned out.  I'm glad I did because the color pallet was so fun!

For my evidence I used: twine, rhinestones, numbers, circle punch, and a circle notch (upper left).  I've always liked the way circle notches looked, but never used one.  I will be using them in the future; they are pretty fun.

My testimony tells of the undies box that has been used every single year since I was a kid!  I think it's from the 50's.  We always wait, with anticipation, to see who gets it this year.  Last year was Bryon's turn and it was full of undies!


The layout

The case file

When "Gabe" Came

The Challenge:
Use 9 or more photos on your layout.

I have no problem with this!  I love using lots of photos, but it is coming back in style.  We went through a period of using just one itty bitty photo.  I love photos, so I want to use many.  I think with everyone having cell cameras and using Instagram, it is even easier to get multiple photos.  In fact, I used Instagram photos for this layout.

I scrapped about being so utterly, completely surprised by a scrap friend flying in to visit me.  We had a great weekend and my phone came in quite handy.  I just loved how this American Crafts line added such a playful feel and, again, a Pamela Young sketch worked perfectly for my story.

The layout

Recipe For A Happy Life

The Challenge:
Scrap someone special in your life

I took the article about scrapping the people with special needs in your life and gave it the twist to scrap someone special.  Not all of us have special needs loved ones, but we all have special people.  I took the CSI challenge for last week, which worked perfectly!  One of the prompts was to use recipes.  I chose to document the recipe for a relationship.  I also used clocks, brads, and patchwork evidence too.  Finally, a sketch by Pamela Young jumped up and begged to be used for this layout!  I just love how it turned out.

The layout

The case file

Portland

Love the colors this week at CSI!  Red is a fave of mine and it was the perfect combo for this cool sign in downtown Portland.  I think the map paper paired with the red and brown stripe scallops really lends to the rustic feel of the photo.

For my evidence I used floral paper, stripes, and flourish.  My journaling relays info from a trip

The layout

The case file

Just Look At That Face!

The challenge:
Use a paper bag on your project

Little paper bags are kind of in right now, but you can use any grocery sack to make cut outs or upcycle a bag you received during a purchase.  This is what I did.  I used a little sack that I got when I made a purchase. I used it as a matte for my photo and to hold the journaling tag.  I will definitely use this technique again.

The layout

Surprise Surprise

The colors this week at CSI were super fun!  And some of the evidence prompts made it easy to choose the photos I wanted to use

I scrapped about the time my friend Adele surprised me by flying out to visit me.  I even went to the airport to pick up someone, I just thought that someone was a friend of John's!  We had a great weekend.  Steff even came down from Portland for some fun too.  I really felt loved and important all weekend long.  It still amazes me that someone would go through that much trouble for just me.

My evidence used was pom poms, frames, and something that shimmers.  My journal tags are housed in a vellum envelope that I made.

The layout

The case file

11/15 Pam Young Sketch Card

I recently discovered that one of the CK peeps has a sketch blog.  She has some fantastic sketches!  I decided to play along this month and chose to use it for a card.  I think it's the perfect sketch for a card and will use it time and time again.

You can find her blog here.  She creates a sketch and modifies it for using as a single page layout, double page, or a card.  Come play along too.

So Very Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Eve!  Here is a little look back to last year's celebration.  I will be off to spend the day with all of these fun people.

If you shop till you drop, fall softy.

The layout

Charming

The Challenge:
Make borders around the edge of your layout

I like making a border around the edge of my page.  I can help "hold" things in and make them nice and cozy, not just off into space.  I also used the sketch that the weekly challenge had us use.  It was a great one for some everyday photos that didn't really have a story of their own, but a super cute subject.  The sketch called for 1.5" photos and paper squares, but I bumped them up to 2" to get more of the cutie in them.

I cut the chevron strips and place them in a frame pattern, then added the brads at the corner to anchor them down.  I like how this one turned out!

The layout

Home

This week's CSI challenge had a lot of wooden browns and creams with just a hint of green.  I really like the look of these natural colors.  The journaling prompts had me doing a layout about my favorite room, the living room, and the colors worked well with this subject.

I also used a Pamela Young sketch that I just loved!  I love the stack of strips that is on the right.  It was a perfect way to stack wood grain papers to mimic the wood floors and frame of my couch.  I also used a window and added some foil embossed paper to the strips to finish my evidence.

I placed a piece of lined paper behind the window, which I applied crackle to, for my journaling.  I just talked about how I love this living space and I love curling up on the couch with a good book when it's rainy outside.

The layout

The case file

Lady In Orange

Another thought is up at Thinking*Through*Design.  This week we are discussing using those papers that come pre-embellished.  We all have them, and some of us struggle to use them.  Come and find some tips to help you get some quick pages done with paper that already has some of the work done!

The Layout

Hay Fever

Another round of Chinese whispers and I got to go first!  I started off with a sketch from Scrapbook Generation and pretty much stuck to it.

I scrapped the photos from last year's Hay Fever.  It was a lot of fun to set up and I love seeing all the children in their costumes.  John worked a both again.

The layout

Home is Where The Heart Is

At first the colors at CSI didn't excite me much, but I love how the pieces just came together in such a fun way and turned into something I really like.

My evidence used is: stripes, flowers, frames.  My journaling is about my love of our wood floors.  So rich in color and fun patterns.

The Layout

The case file

My 1st Merry Christmas

I figured it was about time to finish up the holiday layouts from last year before this year's holiday season came around.  I made this one for my nephew's first year album.  His first Christmas and he was old enough to really get into it.  It was so fun having a baby at Christmas again!  He LOVED getting presents and knew what to do with them.

The layout

Bombin' Tradition

The Challenge:
Create a layout about one of you family's holiday traditions

Recently the wonderful woman that ran my favorite challenge at Club CK had to step down for a time in order to deal with some personal issues.  I have done the Issue Challenge every week, without fail, since I joined the club.  It is such a great idea that has us pouring over our magazines, looking for new ideas and techniques.  A group of us felt that it was an good enough idea, that we wanted to continue it in her absence. We brainstormed challenge ideas and picked 8 randomly.  It is hard to choose!  Then we assigned the weeks amongst us and got to work.  I had the first week and had already the idea to do this layout, so it worked perfectly.

I did my layout on something that was once an irritation, but has become a fun tradition. Every Christmas I would try to get a nice photo of my kids in front of Grandma's tree and they would do photo bomb after photo bomb! Finally, I would get a nice photo. Then I started looking forward to what goofy faces and poses they would come up with and thus was born a tradition. In fact last year they went right to the nice pose to throw me off and I made them "do it right"

The layout

Our Day

This week at CSI the challenge was to scrap a special event.  What is more special than a wedding?  I have not scrapped any of my wedding photos, so this was a great chance to do so.

For my evidence I used: damask, ribbon, frames

My journaling says, "26 years ago I said, "I do", to you.  I would do it all over again and not change a thing!  Our trials have made us who we are today and I like who we've become.  On that day, Our Day, you made me so very happy and that only continues to grow!

The layout

The case file

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

Shasta

I admit it, I struggled with this case from CSI.  They just did not speak to me and I wasn't sure where to go. I had had a very difficult week and I think they just didn't match my mood.  I wanted to focus on something other than what I was going through so I decided to use these photos that I took of Mt Shasta on the way home from a family funeral.

For my evidence I used dots and stripes, used my craft knife to distress my strips, and used circle gems.  My testimony is handwritten and scattered about.  I journaled about my soul feeling parched after time spent in S California.  Funny, kind of speaks a lot about how I was feeling anyway and needing to be refreshed

The layout

The case file

Laura & Dad's Great CA Adventure

The challenge:
Use numbers on your next project

My dad and I recently took a trip to attend a family funeral.  The occasion was hard, difficult, and sad, but spending time with family was so wonderful.  Especially the road trip with my dad.  I didn't bring my big camera, instead I just used my phone and the Instagram app.  I am loving this app more and more.  For one thing, I always have it with me and the filters are super fun and you really do get those snapshots of life; just your ordinary day.  And on a 12 1/2 hour drive, it is something to do.

I complied all my snapshots of things along the trip, printed them out, and placed them in a grid pattern.  The idea I got for using numbers comes from the Visa commercials that give the prices of items purchased and then the punchline is the time spent or the joy given is priceless.  That is how I felt about this trip.  We spent many hours going many miles, but time with my dad was priceless.

The journaling says:
753 miles
5 days
2 In-N-Outs
34 family members
105 degress
time spent with my dad - priceless

The layout

Family Beach Day

It's Thoughtful Thursday at thinking*through*design and today we are thinking about adding dimension to our projects.  Come on over and see our thoughts on this very important design technique and how your can add it to your next work of he{art}

I pulled some photos, for my nephew's first year album, of meeting family at the beach on a trip to Cali.  I saw these papers online and had to get them for these very photos!  I love the distressed look of them and there were really cute embellishments to use for beach photos.  I used Ashley Horton's September sketch too.  Of course, I turned it into a double pager ;)

The layout

The sketch

Photo Bomb

The Challenge:
Use a camera embellishment

We have so many photo bomb photos in this house!  They never seem to get old either.  It's just who we are.  I thought using the film strips and the cameras for this topic would be a lot of fun!  I added the fun arrows and paint splatters so that no one is in doubt that these photos are all about the fun.

The layout

You Light My World

The challenge:
Use a sunburst or beams for your next project.

It's been a hard couple of weeks for me and I really wanted to focus on some happy layouts.  Nothing makes me happier than this man.  He is someone who I love having in my life, spending time with him.  He is my rock and makes me laugh when I need it most and sometimes when I don't think I do need it.  He is the light in a dark week.  What better use of the sun rays than showing someone who brings light to my dark?



The layout