A Sweet Treat Layout

I seldom scrap single photos, but the mug on this one cracked me up so I decided to go for it. For those who don't know, my last name is Even (as in, not odd), so my hubby and I thought it was pretty funny when I got a mug at the coffee shop that had "I can't even" printed on it!

Recipe:
Color Kaleidoscope paper (American Crafts)
March-April 2022 Mix-In papers
Watercolor paper (Canson)
Carolina & Linen cardstock
Carolina, Bluebird & Black ink
Cobalt watercolor paint (Artist's Loft)
Simple Vintage Essentials Butterfly Bits (simple Stories)
Bold & Bright puffy title stickers (American Crafts)
Teal enamel shapes
Pattern: scraplift from A Cherry on Top
Challenges: First Cup Challenges #4 - this photo was taken in 2018 so I don't remember what I was drinking, but probably hot chocolate or a seasonal macchiato!

Thanksgiving Layout for LM #758

Some years I take a ton of photos of certain holidays, and some I take very few, as was the case for Thanksgiving 2018. I'm thankful I got at least this one photo, since Jill over at Lasting Memories is challenging us to scrapbook our favorite holiday. While I love Christmas and Easter, I find that Thanksgiving, with its comparative lack of commercialization, grants me space to just be grateful for all the blessings God has given me, including the people around our table. How about you? What is your favorite holiday? We would love to see your layout featuring that special day over at Lasting Memories!

Recipe:
Notice the Details & Cherish the Day stamp sets
Vicki Boutin Mixed Media papers (American Crafts)
For Always & Zoe papers
Cocoa, Ruby & Black cardstock
Cocoa ink
Black marker
Doily (from my scrappy friend Lis, source unknown)
Thanksgiving Embellishments Laser Die Cut-Outs (Scrapbook Customs)
Bold & Bright Thicker (American Crafts)
Let's Wander Thicker (American Crafts)
Slice of Life puffy sticker (American Crafts)
Wild Wheat ribbon (SU)
Cricut Design Space - ring, title using Bernard MT Condensed font
Pattern: lift of A Cherry on Top layout

Challenges: Paper Rocks Scissors #6 - used scissors to cut the ribbon and shape the ends of the arrow; NBUS #76 - my "never before used schtuff" is the Thanksgiving themed embellishments, purchased in March and saved for this layout; Alphabet Challenge Blog F is for Feathers - got a lot of feathers on that big old turkey!

Little Desperados Layout

Love these photos of my son and his friend fooling around in their fake moustaches at Sunday school . They totally reminded me of the bad guys in old westerns, so that's what inspired the title. My Cricut got a workout as I cut out the various shapes that I wanted to use, and I like how it turned out. Hope you do, too!

Recipe:
Universal Backgrounds & Distressed Backgrounds stamp sets
The Fourth of July paper (Carta Bella)
September - October 2023 Mix In paper
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim, Almond, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim, Toffee & Versamark ink
Gold embossing powder
Gold Shimmer Trim
Tan Sparkles
Lumberjack Plaid Distress Spray (Ranger)
Cricut Southwest cartridge: revolver, horse, fence
Just Because Cards cartridge: cowboy boot
Cricut Design Space: sheriff badge, title using Rockwell font
Pattern: Sketch Savvy #34 (rotated right)

Challenges: Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone with optional twist: I'd Wear That (I certainly wouldn't wear those moustaches, but I love that my kiddo did!); Cut It Up #333 Critters (a horse)  + die-cuts (I used lots, see the list above); Color My Heart #659 

Song of Summer Layout

I held back these July 4th photos when I was scrapping the rest of my July 2018 photos because I wanted to create and post my layout in July, so here is my layout at last. I started out with one of my sketches but, when I went to cut a large circle in red cardstock, I discovered that I already had the negative space from cutting out one previously, so I decided to make that my frame, and the inside of my circle became a patchwork of patterned paper scraps instead. Win, win as I used up lots of scraps from my stash and love how it looks! The Star-Spangled Banner sheet music was an image I found online and printed out on vellum so I could overlay it on the fireworks paper. I'm trying to learn to play it on the piano but not in this freakishly high key!

Recipe:
Celebrating Freedom papers (BoBunny)
Cranberry & Sapphire cardstock
Cranberry & Sapphire ink
White gel pen (Sakura)
The Fourth of July element stickers (Carta Bella)
Opaque Matte texture paste (Ranger)
Starry Night stencil (Simple Stories)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #13 (rotated 180°)

Challenges: Creative Inspirations Stars and/or Stripes - used both;  Little Red Wagon #814 To Boldly Go - used bold colors; Shopping Our Stash #551 Red, White & Blue; Stencil Fun anything goes with with a stencil + optional flag colors - used the American flag colors plus it has white stars, so I stenciled stars in white on the layout corners; The Outlawz Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone; Challenge YOUrself #138 Patriotic Mood Board + include yourself - inspired by the banner, patchwork design & colors.

Soccer Smiles Layout

My daughter's 2018 soccer team had bright green uniforms, so when it came to scrapping her picture day photos, I went with the brightest green I could find in my scrap pile! Then I pulled out a bunch of sports themed stamps and added patterns to the hexagons that I cut out using my Cricut.

Recipe:
Best Shot, My Game, Play Hard - Soccer, Picture Perfect & Family Ties Children stamp sets
May - June 2022 Mix-In papers
Willow, Papaya, Grey Wool & White Daisy cardstock
Sorbet, Grey Wool & Black ink
Black marker
Sea Green Tri-Colour Marker (Spectrum Noir)
Jeepers Creepers washi tape
All Aflutter & Puppy Love Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Cricut Design Space: hexagons, banners, title (using Agent Q font)
Pattern: Let's Scrap 8-1-15

Challenges: Color My Heart #658 - my 2 additional colors were Willow (green) and Papaya (orange- pink)

Wild Thing {Elliot} Layout

I used to say my son could rock any haircut, and when you pair it with a black jacket and his smoldering eyes, he does look pretty dashing! Unfortunately, now that he is twenty, he sports a stringy kind of haircut that does nothing for him (sorry, honey, but it's true). I hope he will grow out of it, but in the meantime, I will have to enjoy photos of him from his teen years.

Recipe:
Wild About Love stamp set
Splendor, Dotty for You & Wonderland papers
Goldrush, Lagoon, Almond & White Daisy cardstock
Goldrush, Lagoon & Chocolate ink
Burnt Sienna fineline pern (iBayam)
Chalk It up Assortment puffy stickers
Reasons to Smile ephemera (American Crafts)
School Is Cool ephemera icons (Bella Blvd)
Woodgrain washi tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: larger hearts
Pattern: Scraplift from Scrapbook.com
Challenges: Cut It Up #333 Critters (mine is the fox) + a die-cut (hearts); Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #75 Anything Goes with Blue and/or Red Heart (I used three blue hearts)

Retreat 2018 Layout

These photos brought a smile to my face as I gazed at some cherished women from my old church. I don't see them very often now, but I will always treasure the memories of these lovely ladies and the friendships I developed with them over the years! We always had a blast at our women's retreats, learning about the Lord and spending time together. I included some journaling about the retreat on the tag - it pulls out and I wrote on both sides - and added our theme Bible verse at the bottom.

Recipe:
Animal Cookies, Clementine, Elemental & Perfect Day papers
Saddle, Creme Brulee & White Daisy cardstock
Saddle, Creme Brulee, Sorbet & Clover Meadow ink
Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
Sorbet ribbon
My Crush Bestie stickers
Summer Afternoon enamal dots (Altenew)
Rays stencil (Stampers Anonymous)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag, banners
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: title
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #665 (from Facebook group, rotated left)

Challenges: Love Those Pretty Papers; Color My Heart #657 - my extra color was yellow, plus I used the neutral of brown)

Friends {8th Grade} Layout

I'm playing along with a challenge over at A Cherry on Top that requires both black & White and color photos, something I almost never use, but I remembered that my 8th grade photo album that is falling apart has a bunch of mixed photos. Pulling it out, I found exactly what I needed: a bunch of random photos from 8th grade, some color and some black & white! The only common theme that stitches them together is that they feature my school friends, and, even 40 years later, I can still name most of them without looking at the names I carefully printed on the back (in ball point pen, but that's another issue).  I decided not to clutter up the layout by printing all the names on the front, but I will definitely make a list and place it on the back of my layout so I can remember these long ago friends!

Recipe:
Design & Display "Friends" kit
Pear cardstock
Heart punch (EK Success)
Challenges: As You Like It Favorite 2 Color Combo - I love the look of pink and green together because the green is so soothing and the pink is a little hotter but not too hot!; Craft Rocket #126 No Designer Paper

September 2018 Layout

This is my September 2018 collection of random  photos that I scrapped together. I didn't have a particular theme, so I just went with some papers that coordinated with my son's shirt that he's wearing in two of the photos. For the horizontal photo, I used a technique I haven't tried for a long time: I cut the cardstock mat a little longer than needed and folded it over the end of the photo, then embellished the end piece with a patterned paper strip and the hanging tag. Glad I remembered this technique, because I love how it turned out!

Recipe:
September Word puzzle & This Happened stamp sets
Life Is Beautiful papers & stickers (Echo Park)
Sage & White Daisy cardstock
Vellum
Sage, Dusty Rose, Blush & Grey Wool ink
Craft buttons
Grey Wool baker's twine
Silver eyelets (Making Memories)
Tag Types adhesive tags (Sticko)
Scalloped circle punch
Cricut Art Philosophy cartrdige: tab
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #92

Challenges: Let's Craft & Create #220 Anything Goes with optional buttons; Paper Rocks Scissors #5 Anything Goes using paper and scissors (trimmed all the baker's twine); Try It On Tuesday - Add Text (beside the stamped title, I printed my journaling on vellum)

Up, Up & Away Layout

I love these sweet photos of my daughter playing at the park when she was in elementary school, so I tried to think what I would have said to her at the time if I was giving her advice, and that's what I wrote as my journaling. She has gone through lots of hard times, but I hope she never stops climbing! This week, there were a lot of crafty challenges involving butterflies, so I was glad I could use my new package of enamel butterflies. They match my papers perfectly and are so pretty!

Recipe:
Reasons to Smile papers (American Crafts)
Goldrush, Sangria, Lagoon, Thistle, Mulberry & White Daisy cardstock
Goldrush, Lagoon & Thistle ink
Black marker
Hydrangea embroidery floss
Lagoon baker's twine
Unicorn ribbon (American Crafts)
Bold & Bright Title Thickers (American Crafts)
All Aflutter Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Cupcake Hearts puffy shapes (Doodlebug Designs)
Reasons to Smile enamel dots (American Crafts)
Telling Our Story adhesive brads (Echo Park)
Sunbeam embossing folder
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag, flowers
Cricut Artistry cartridge: more flowers
Pattern: Found on A Cherry on Top, not sure of original source

Challenges: Love those Pretty Papers; Dragonfly Dreams One or more butterflies; Can You Handle the Pressure Anything Goes with embossing folder + optional twist of butterflies; Make My Monday #254 One or more butterflies; Shopping Our Stash #550 A Stitch in Time - I pulled out some embroidery floss to stitch around my half circle; Triple B Used butterflies and blooms.