This Rocks

I was so excited to see the actual Rosetta Stone when we visited the British Museum, but I wanted a title with a little more pizzazz than just "Rosetta Stone," so after a little thought, "This Rocks" just dropped into my brain. Love it when that happens!

Recipe:
Extreme Caps alphabet stamp set
Watercolor paper (Recollections)
Let's Wander paper (American Crafts)
Black, Twilight, Glacier & Saffron cardstock
Twilight, Glacier & Saffron ink
Black marker
Black enamel dots
Slice of Life mini puffy sticker (American Crafts)
Color Kaleidoscope puffy sticker (American Crafts)
Our Adventure epoxy sticker (MAMBI)
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch15Dec1

Challenges: Scrap With Stacy January 2021 Tic Tac Toe (I used the middle column with puffy stickers, hearts, banner piece)

Do Something Layout

Matthew West has a great song called "Do Something" about not just sitting back and expecting God to solve all the pain and suffering in the world but actually getting involved in others' lives ourselves to help with their problems. It seemed like a perfect fit to use some of the lyrics on this layout featuring photos of my children helping out at our church's food drive. While creating this layout, I was inspired by a few tic tac toe challenges that gave me great ideas of items to add to my layout: the stamped and embossed title, the heart die-cuts, the rhinestone sparkles, etc. Love the finished product and hope you do as well.

The sparkles don't show up too well on my scan, so here's a little detail photo of the lower corner of the layout:

Recipe:
Extreme Caps (2009) & Background Builders (2019) stamp sets
Watercolor paper (Recollections)

Kraft & White Daisy cardstock

Vellum

Chocolate, Juniper & Pacifica ink

Brown marker (Zig)

Milepost Shapes die-cuts

Color Ready Kraft Borders

Juniper Washi tape

Color Kaleidoscope sticker (American Crafts)

Blue rhinestone stickers (Recollections)

Clear embossing power

Cricut Artbooking cartridge: hearts

Pattern: Stick It Down August single page sketch

Challenges: Joy of Sets #20 tic tac toe - used emboss + shine + triangle


Retro Rubber Challenges #140 tic tac toe - used die-cut + blue + washi tape

Tic-Tac-Toe Challenges #76 - used alphabet (stamps) + square (photo) + embossing (title)

U R 10 {Elliot} Layout

I haven't been able to crank out any layouts since last Saturday because I've been so busy supervising my kids through their distance learning for school. The two older ones seem to be able to work independently, but I have to work a lot with my younger two, which makes me too tired by the end of the school day to do anything but make dinner and veg out on the couch watching T.V. with my hubby. Homeschooling moms everywhere, I take off my hat to you! I don't know how you manage it, but I have a new appreciation for your dedication. Anyway, I finally had time and energy to get a layout done, so here it is. Enjoy!

Recipe:
Extreme Caps & Random Act of Cardness stamp sets
Watercolor paper (Recollections)
It's Your Birthday papers (Echo Park)
White Daisy cardstock
Black ink
Ocean, Goldrush & Black markers
White gel pen (Sakura)
DE Heart & Snapshots chipboard
Our Adventure epoxy stickers (MAMBI)
Color Kaleidoscope Thickers (American Crafts)
Teen Spirit Boy & It's Your Birthday Boy ephemera (Echo Park)
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #416

Challenges: Lasting Memories #494 - word play on crocus
C – chipboard hearts & frame
R – Recollections Watercolor paper
O – Our Adventure epoxy stickers
C – Color Kaleidoscope Thickers
U – “U” stamp
S – stars

Thrill Seekers Layout

Another layout I completed on National Scrapbook Day, also from Sea World. The roller coaster die-cut from my Cricut You are Here Cartridge is so darling but not something I think I'll use often, so I jumped at the chance to include it here.

Recipe:
Extreme Caps Alphabet stamp set
Tinkering papers
Sky, Slate, Lemon & Cranberry cardstock
Cranberry, Twilight & Clover Meadow ink ink
White enamel stars
Our Adventure circle sticker (MAMBI)
Field Notes Thickers (American Crafts)
Red ric-rac
Cricut You are Here cartridge: roller coaster, cars
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #167 (rotated right)

Challenges: The Crafter's Cafe #218 - make your own background and/or use dies or punches (I went with die-cuts, although I kinda created my own background with the little visual scene of the roller coaster); Double Trouble #27 - SomeThing, AnyThing & EveryThing (Thing 1 - I never used the roller coaster die-cut before, Thing 2 - I also played along with the Crafter's Cafe challenge, Thing 3 - I stamped my title plus added 2 sentiment stickers).

Vesuvius Now & Then Layout

When we went to the Pompeii exhibit at the Natural History Museum in 2014, I snapped photos of a few things that stood out, and I was able to bring them together in this layout. First of all, I was amazed by the artist's rendering of what the town of Pompeii would have looked like early on in the day of the eruption of Vesuvius, and then 24 hours later. It was almost overwhelming to think of the amount of devastation wreaked in that short time span. Equally affecting were the plaster casts of victims, created when the excavators who were uncovering human remains noticed that the skeletons were surrounded by voids in the compacted ash; they carefully poured plaster of Paris into the spaces to reveal the final poses, clothing, and faces of the last residents of Pompeii. In contrast to these tragic glimpses of long ago, the modern picture of Vesuvius shows an almost pastoral scene of a thriving city and beautiful blue skies, which inspired my layout title.

Recipe:
Extreme Caps stamp set
Autumn paper pack (American Crafts)

Sky paper (origin unknown)
White Daisy & Black cardstock
Vellum
Sapphire & Black ink
White gel pen (Sakura)
My Crush Best Day Ever alphabet stickers
Escape the Ordinary Thickers (American Crafts)DE Signage chipboard
Magic Mesh (Creative Imaginations)
Petticoats & Pinstripes enamel dots (Echo Park)3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy Cartridge: arrows (welded to title using Design Space)
Pattern: EMS Sketch 64
Challenges: The Paper Girls #170 Now & Then; Lasting Memories #342 Black + White + Blue

Mammals Layout

There's a really cool mammal exhibit at the Natural History Museum, and I pulled out papers from two different retired paper packs (Roxie & Expedition) to scrap my photos. Combined with a handy sketch from Sketch 'n Scrap and a journaling card from my Later Sk8r Picture My Life pack (that just arrived in the mail today - woohoo!), they created a bold setting for these nature-themed photos. My final touch was the Color-Ready Trinkets wooden shapes that also arrived today. Although you can color these, I elected to keep them plain since they matched my layout so well. I can tell I'm going to have lots of fun with these cute shapes in the near future!

Recipe:
Extreme Caps stamp set
Roxie & Expedition Level 2 papers
Champagne & Chocolate cardstock
Vellum
Olive & Chocolate ink
Olive pigment ink
Clear embossing powder
Later Sk8r PML journaling card
Color-Ready Trinkets Wooden Shapes
Natural hemp
Eyelets (Making Memories)
Pattern: Sketch n'Scrap #55
Challenges: Lasting Memories Earth Day celebration

You Layout

Eniko over at Let's Scrap issued a challenge to scrap in a style unlike your usual. I think I'm a mixture of a couple of different styles, but one thing I definitely am not is a "grungy" scrapper, so I decided to give it a try. I'm not too sure how successful I was, but here's the list of what I tried to incorporate.

• Embellishments are often metal (rusty, worn or otherwise aged) - I added staples and brads that I sanded to make look old.

• Deep, dark-colored, (often autumn palette) distressed papers.

• Photos are often black & white and usually slanted & layered with other elements

• Lots of dark inking & severe distressing - well, it's severe compared to my usual!

• Masculine feel, with a creative slant - yes!

Thanks, Eniko, for a fun challenge that made me try something new. Other challenges I'm entering include:

Heart 2 Heart challenge: distressing

Scrap It With a Song: be inspired by Whitney's Houston's I Will Always Love You

Paper Secrets: use the word "you" in your title or journaling. I did both!

Recipe:

A Typeface, Extreme Caps Alphabet & Typeset stamp sets

Lucky Level 2 papers & chipboard assortment

Craft, Outdoor Denim, Bamboo & Colonial White cardstock

Outdoor Denim, Chocolate, Desert Sand & Bamboo ink

Outdoor Denim marker

Colonial White ric-rac

Cork Color-Ready Alphabet stickers

Milepost Shapes

Natural hemp

Staples
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: journaling box

Pattern: Let's Scrap Sketch 5/12/10

LOAD # 9 - Hard Rock Cafe

We found a Hard Rock Cafe in Buenos Aires and thought it would be fun to say we'd gone! I pre-designed this layout in Studio J, and here's my paper recreation of it. The Studio J stickers were really fun, and I had to get creative designing the circle elements since I didn't have the exact stamps to copy the Studio J ones.

Recipe:
Star Power, Just Be You & Extreme Caps stamp sets
You Rock Level 2 papers
White Daisy, Indian Corn Blue & Goldrush cardstock
 Goldrush, Olive, Smokey Plum, Indian Corn Blue & Outdoor Denim ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Olive button brads
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Dynamic Duo from Imagine

LOAD #7 - Boat Trip to Tigre

I pre-designed this layout in Studio J and was putting it together when my sleeve brushed against two of the photos and moved them from their original spot. I was going to put them back, but as I looked at them, I decided I actually liked them where they were. It inspired me to take the layout in a different direction from my Studio J creation. Don't you love happy accidents like that? I still need journaling on this layout. My in-laws are coming this weekend, and I think I'll put them right to work on that!

Recipe:
Rustic Alphabet & Extreme Caps stamp sets
Elemental Level 2 papers
Elemental Complements
Desert Sand & Colonial White cardstock
Desert Sand, Sorbet & Pacifica ink
Sorbet ribbon
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Minuet from Imagine

LOAD #19 - Splash

I'm still finishing up my Arizona vacation scrapbook, so here's a layout with photos from Slide Rock State Park. I used the pattern Conclusion Combo from Jeanette Lynton's book Imagine. I also used a couple of stamps from the You & Me stamp set, only available in the You & Me kit this month. (Click on the layout for a closer look). The swirls and "tickets" are just two of the cute images found in this set, plus there are cardstock-weight patterned papers and embossed chipboard (among other great items). If you want to know how to get this kit at a substantial price reduction, check it out here and I will be happy to help you place an order!



A detail of one of the You & Me stamps:


Recipe:
Extreme Caps & You and Me stamp sets
Caboodle & Twitterpated Level 2 papers
Desert Sand & White Daisy cardstock
Vellum
Desert Sand, Crystal Blue, Chocolate & Versamark ink
Chocolate marker
Clear embossing powder
Chocolate craft buttons
Sorbet ribbon

Week 13 Layout Linky - Sing Layout

I went away to a scrapbook retreat this weekend, so I got quite a few layouts done. Here's another one from the Bible Boot Camp VBS our church did last summer. I used a Becky Higgins sketch and the new craft paper from CTMH. FYI: this paper is great, and it's perfect for anything army. Well, it's perfect for a lot of things, but that's what I happened to be scrapping this weekend! I did lots of multiple ink stamping on this layout. For a few, I was able to get multiple colors on the stamp just by inking up the stamp on the edge of the pad, but for the guitar I had to use a sponge to apply the Pansy Purple ink. I like how it came out really muted, especially in comparison to the star I stamped over it. Same ink, two different looks. Cool!



Recipe:
Star Power & Extreme Caps stamp sets
You Rock Level 2 papers
Olive, Craft & Colonial White cardstock
Olive, Pansy Purple, Outdoor Denim, Goldrush & Desert Sand ink
Pansy Purple Bigger Brad
Olive & Outdoor Denim markers

***If you are participating in the challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your thirteenth week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

Bible Boot Camp Layout

Wow, this is my second layout this week! I guess I'm making up for my non-activity the previous two weeks. Mr. Mojo is back. The Lasting Memories blog is having a challenge this week: create a layout using green and white (in honor of St. Patrick's Day, of course). I don't have any St. Patty's pictures, but I did have some photos from last summer's vacation Bible school program. The theme was Bible Boot Camp, so there is lots of army green and camouflage in my photos. I used the pattern Magic Act from Jeanette Lynton's book Magic, and created some camouflaged paper by sponging New England Ivy, Olive, and Desert Sand ink on Bamboo cardstock. I really liked how the layout turned out, except I wish I had written VBS 2010 at the side of the page instead of where I put it. Oh well, can't win 'em all, right?



Recipe:
Hero's Pride, Extreme Caps & Journaling Jots stamp sets
Mistletoe Level 2 papers
Desert Sand, Bamboo & Colonial White cardstock
Olive, New England Ivy, Desert Sand, Cocoa & Grey Wool ink
New England Ivy marker
Colonial White brads
3-D foam tape
Sponges

Week 10 Layout Linky + EMS SKetch Challenge 25 - The Real Story Behind the Ruins Layout

I'm really late posting my layout again this week, but I have a great excuse - pneumonia! Yes, I have been in bed all week, coughing, wheezing, chest pains, etc. Not a fun week. I managed to put together a layout in spite of that (plus having my parents-in-law here and a birthday party to plan), so I'm pretty proud of myself. This week, the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog asked us to create a scene using three or more stamps, which was perfect for this layout. (Actually, I just went back and checked and it was supposed to be a scene on a card, but hopefully they'll forgive my illness-induced confusion!) I used the mountains and clouds from Beautiful Things, the grass from True Happiness, and the bricks from Around the Block, three totally different style stamp sets, yet I think they came together really well. I also used a sketch this week, so feel free to check it out for next week's layout if you like it. Can't wait to see your layouts for week 10, ladies!

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet, Extreme Caps, True Happiness, Beautiful Things, Around the Block & Picture Perfect stamp sets
Roughing It stamp set (SU)
Indian Corn Blue, Heavenly Blue, Desert Sand, Autumn Terracotta & Colonial White cardstock
Desert Sand, Garden Green, Grey Wool & Bamboo ink
Grey Wool & Bamboo markers

***If you are participating in the challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your tenth week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

Week 7 Layout Linky - Wupatki

Ever had a layout that just wouldn't come together? That was this layout for me. I had some great ideas, but every time I sat down to work on it, I ended up walking away frustrated. Today I finally decided to just finish it, and it's so nice to have it done and my workspace cleared off! I used a challenge from Split Coast Stampers: create a layout using inspiration found from something in the Kirkland’s online catalog. I found some cute wall decor pieces that had a spiral motif in wire, so I imitated those using some artist's wire. To create the spirals on the Dutch Blue cardstock, I placed a metal spiral clip under the cardstock and used a finishing file to sand away the color, revealing the white core underneath. Cool, huh? I also used EMS Sketch Challenge 2 for the pattern.



Recipe:
Extreme Alphabet stamp set
Patterned paper (DCWV)
Dutch Blue & Bamboo cardstock
Autumn Terracotta, Brown Bag & Dutch Blue ink
Brown Bag marker
Twill ribbon
Antique Copper Bigger Brads
Antique Copper wire (Artistic Wire Ltd)

***If you are participating in the challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your seventh week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

LOAD #26 - Dinos and More

Another layout for the Natural History Museum, this time featuring some of the dinosaurs we saw there. You may not be able to tell because the photo came out a little dark, but the vertical photo on the left page shows a really cool T-rex skeleton, well worth the money we paid for admission!



Recipe:
Extreme Caps & Star Struck stamp sets
Passages & Expedition Level 2 papers
Garden Green cardstock
White Daisy textured cardstock
Brown Bag, Cocoa & Garden Green ink
Cocoa marker
Cocoa grosgrain ribbon
Staples
Pattern: Designers Eye from Cherish

LOAD #20 - Flight Deck

Some more pictures of the USS Midway. I used a brayer and Greg Wool ink to roll the background color onto White Daisy cardstock, and the results remind me of industrial steel, perfect for this layout.



Recipe:
Extreme Caps & Journaling Jots stamp sets
Barn Red & White Daisy cardstock
Grey Wool & Black ink
Barn Red marker
Pewter brads

LOAD #16 - Red Devils

I'm home after a long but fulfilling day at a leadership seminar, and I have my layout completed. Woohoo! I used the pattern Small Packages from Imagine for this one, and so I was able to pack in 12 photos and hopefully not have it look too busy. I also hope that any physics majors who see this layout are not too hard on me regarding the trajectory of the soccer ball. It's probably physically impossible, but I'm a scrapbooker, so you have to cut me some slack!



Recipe:
Extreme Caps & Best Shot stamp sets
Emporium Level 2 papers
Cocoa & Colonial White cardstock
Cocoa & Vineyard Berry ink
Vineyard Berry marker
Sweet Leaf embroidery floss

LOAD #12 - Tenaya Lake

I have to give a shout-out to fellow CTMH consultant Lela as I post today's layout. I was totally inspired by the color combination on her At the Bay layout that used pastel blue and a bold red. I loved the look and wanted to try it on my own layout. I love how it came out, and will probably be using this combo again, so thanks, Lela! Thanks also to Jeanette Lynton; I used the pattern Pleasing Paradigm from her book Cherish as the basis for the layout.



Recipe:
Extreme Caps stamp set
MME patterned papers
Heavenly Blue & Cocoa cardstock
Cocoa & Twilight ink
Twilight marker
Heartfelt Wonder diecuts
Spring Blossom Just Blooms
Spring Blossom Mini Medley (brads)
Liquid Glass

New Pool Layout

This layout is a little bit different from my usual style. I wanted to use some sketches from the Split Coast Stampers sketch challenge, and this one (#245) caught my eye because the wavy lines reminded me of the water in a pool. Once I figured out how to make my wavy lines, the rest was pretty simple! Enjoy, and I hope this inspires you to have some fun in the sun this summer.



Recipe:
Extreme Caps stamp set
Heavenly Blue, Star Spangled Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Desert Sand ink
Desert Sand marker

LOAD #29 - Laugh for Haiti

My layout for today is almost finished but I am too tired to post tonight! I'll have it up tomorrow morning. Good night, sleep tight.

***************************
It's tomorrow, and here's the layout - finally! Our church held a benefit to raise money for the people of Haiti after the recent earthquake, and this layout shows some of the great people who volunteered to set everything up for the event. The You Rock papers were perfect for this layout since their colors of Outdoor Denim, Indian Corn Blue, Garden Green, and Goldrush mirrored various elements in the photos. I also used the Just Be You stamp set from the You Rock Workshop on the Go (only available through today) to stamp the cool spirals and stars. Let me know if you want to order this stamp set, because once it's gone, it's gone!



Recipe:
Just Be You, Extreme Caps & Rustic Alphabet stamp sets
You Rock Level 2 papers
Outdoor Denim, Goldrush, Garden Green & White Daisy cardstock
Outdoor Denim, Goldrush, Garden Green, Olive & Indian Corn Blue ink
3-D foam tape