Rodeo Layout

When I printed out these rodeo photos, I had no idea what papers I would use with them. I don't usually purchase Western themed papers, but this challenge from 1 2 3 Get Scrappy made me realize I did have some plaid papers I could use. Once I had that and the February double page sketch I created for Splitcoast Stampers, the rest of the layout fell into place easily!

My sketch:

My layout:

Recipe:
Timberline Level 2 papers
Chocolate, Lagoon & Goldrush cardstock
Chocolate, Lagoon & Goldrush ink
White gel pen (Sakura)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: hearts
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title, Love, this
Challenges: 1 2 3 Get Scrappy February challenge board (I used hand drawn stitches, plaid pattern & the word love); Creating with Paper and More word challenge (I used the word LOVE)

Halloween Party Layout

I am not a huge Halloween fan, but I have to admit it was fun scrapping a color combo I seldom use - purple, black and orange! I started with a old sketch I designed for the Heart 2 Heart blog and added some challenge elements from various blogs. In retrospect, the only thing I don't like about this layout is the purple letters that spell party; I wish I had used a brighter color so they showed up better. But as I always say, "It's done. Time to move on!"

Recipe:

Spellbound stamp set

For Always Level 2 papers

Gypsy, Sunset, Black & Colonial White cardstock

Black, Gypsy & Slate ink

Black pigment ink

Black & Sunset markers
White gel pen (Sakura)

Clear embossing powder

Sunset baker's twine, metal tag & grosgrain ribbon

3-D foam tape

Cricut Artiste cartridge: spider web backing, party title
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: Halloween title
Cuttlebug embossing folder: Swiss Dot

Pattern: Heart 2 Heart Sketch 17

Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks Things With Wings challenge (bat and owl); Heart 2 Heart EnTWINEd challenge (I wrapped Sunset baker's twine around a picture and tied the tag to it); Use Your Stuff Circles challenge (I pulled out my old CM circle cutter to cut one photo into a circle)

Groovy Halloween Layout

I decided to take a break from scrapbooking vacation pictures and instead do a few layouts for Elliot's school album. These pictures are from when he was in first grade and he's now in fourth, so I'm a few years behind! I didn't add any embellishments beside the die-cuts since the papers are very bold and I didn't want anything else to detract from the pictures. The pattern is one of my old sketches that I keep coming back to over and over again since it's so versatile. Wonder when I'll next use it?

Recipe:
Spellbound Level 2 papers
Sunset, Slate & White Daisy cardstock
Black & Slate ink
Cocoa marker
Artbooking cartridge: title, pumpkin, candy, swirls
Artiste cartridge: pumpkin face
Pattern: EMS Sketch 4

Watchtower Layout

I've finally come to the last photos from my family's 2011 Grand Canyon Trip, so enjoy this final layout! Now I have to decide whether to scrap Mesa Verde or move on to a new subject . . . Anyway, Scrap Our Stash issued a fun challenge this month that I decided to play along with: include an item from your stash for each letter of the word washi. Here's what I came up with:
W - washi tape, wooden shape
A - arrow, Art Philosophy & Artiste Cricut cartridges
S - (alphabet) stickers
H - hemp
I - ink

Edit: Just realized I cut out but forgot to adhere the third circle that's supposed to go under the top right photo! Ooops. Well, I think it looks okay without it. Do you agree?

Recipe:
Back Country Level 2 paper
Cashmere cardstock
Cashmere ink
Cork Color-Ready Alphabet stickers
Natural hemp
Back Country Assortment - arrow
Trinkets Wooden Shapes - bird
Honey Triangles washi tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: rings
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: sun
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #139
Challenges: 1 2 3 Get Scrappy Tic-Tac-Toe board (I chose sunshine = sun diecut, stickers = title, and red background = Barn Red patterned paper); Little Red Wagon washi tape challenge; Heart 2 Heart Love, the CTMH Way challenge (I love using my Cricut cartridges on my layouts, so I did!)

Then . . . Now Layout

I have good news and bad news: I only have one more layout to do from my 2011 Grand Canyon trip (good news if you're tired of Canyon photos, but bad news if you want more Canyon inspiration)! Here's my second to last Canyon layout. I started with this sketch from Brenda Ragsdale, but I stretched it into a two pager and added a few more photos. I love it when I can take a sketch and adjust it to fit my needs, don't you? Speaking of sketches, my February week 1 sketch is posted on Splitcoast Stampers, so click here to play along!

Recipe:
Geometric Backgrounds stamp set
Huntington Level 2 papers
Olive, Desert Sand, Champagne, Saddle & Colonial White cardstock
Olive, Desert Sand & Saddle ink
Slate polka dot washi tape
Chocolate grosgrain ribbon
Garden Green spiral clip
Milepost Shapes stars & circle
Black label tape (Dymo)
Milan - Brown alphabet stickers (American Crafts)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tags
Cricut Artiste cartridge: file folder
Challenges: Rochelle Spears February tic-tac-toe challenge (I used letter stickers, two word title, file folder); Heart 2 Heart Home Is Where the Heart Is challenge (this is a stretch, but I scrapbooked pictures of the place the Ancestral Puebloan called home over 800 years ago!)

Pemberly Love You Card

My final card for my workshop, and it's my first foray into shaker cards. Yes, I am so behind the times, but I was never brave enough to try one of these. I started with the Peek-a-boo challenge from Little Red Wagon and tried various means to have a window or something you could peek through. Using my Cricut, I figured out how to add a heart cut-out to a shaped die-cut, but my original ideas all fizzled until I tried making it into a shaker. I love how it turned out with the heart cut-out and the small hearts inside the shaker!

Recipe:
4 My Friend stamp set
Pemberly Level 2 papers
Desert Sand, Bamboo, Indian Corn Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Vellum (Michaels)
Outdoor Denim, Indian Corn Blue & Desert Sand ink
Pearl Opaques
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banner, shaped square, heart
Challenges: Little Red Wagon Peek-a-Boo challenge.

Caboodle Birthday Card

I'm all done with the cards for my workshop so I want to share another one with you all. This one went through many design changes before I was finally satisfied with the end result!

Recipe:
Joyful Birthday, Perfect Fit Birthday & Alphabet Solos "H" stamp set
Caboodle Level 2 papers
Sweet Leaf, Sorbet, Crystal Blue, Sorbet & Colonial White cardstock
Sweet Leaf, Sorbet, Crystal Blue, Sorbet & Chocolate ink
Baker's twine (Recollections)
Gold Stickles
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped circle
Pattern: Deconstructed Sketches #186
Challenges: Clear It Out Anything Goes challenges (Since this card is for a workshop, I'm using up lots of patterned paper that's been in my stash forever!)

Emporium Thank You Card

Another card for my workshop, and this one uses a cute sketch from Retro Sketches. I changed it up a little by tilting the tag. Hopefully my ladies will have as much fun coloring the flower garden on the tag as I did.

Recipe:
A Flowering Bunch & Have a Happy Day stamp sets
Emporium Level 2 papers
Olive, Smoothie, Buttercup & COlonial White cardstock
Olive & Cocoa ink
Lots of markers!
Cocoa grosgrain ribbon
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: Tag, Dragonfly, circle
Pattern: Retro Sketches #151
Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks hand colored image

Loved Faces @ the Canyon Layout

Happy February, everyone. Hope you're having a fun day watching the Superbowl or scrapbooking, or whatever else takes your fancy. I was able to sit down and create another Grand Canyon layout that incorporated a few fun challenges.

Recipe:
Live Inspired, You & Me, Victory WOTG, Star Struck & Today's Date stamp sets
Lucky Level 2 papers
Outdoor Denim, Desert Sand & Colonial White cardstock
Outdoor Denim, Desert Sand, Sunset & Cocoa ink
Cocoa marker
Cocoa grosgrain ribbon
Brown sparkles
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title, hearts
Pattern: EMS Sketch 22 + my creative brain!
Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks Anything Goes challenge; Frosted Designs Directions challenge (arrows, @ symbol); Scrap It Girl Recipe challenge (arrows, numbers, blue)

Hey There Card

Yesterday I created a winter-themed card and today I moved on to the depths of summer with this card. Heart 2 Heart challenge blog asked us to create a project that features the color assigned to our birth month. My assigned color was Topiary, and let me tell you, there are not a lot of recent paper packs that feature Topiary. Since I'm still trying to deplete my pile of patterned papers, I dug through my stash and found the Splendor paper pack, which features Topiary and Goldrush. Using a cute sketch from Stick it Down allowed me to blow through a lot of paper, too, so I'm on my way to achieving my use-it-up goal! This card is really versatile because I can stamp whatever sentiment I need on the inside.

Recipe:
Hot Diggity & Balloon Talk stamp sets
Splendor Level 2 paper
Goldrush, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Topiary, Goldrush & Moonstruck ink
Goldrush marker
Color-Ready seam binding ribbon
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banner, heart, circle
Pattern: Stick It Down January card sketch
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Birthday Color challenge