Mammoth Vacation Layout

This week, I went back and worked on my intro page for our Mammoth vacation. I used some old papers gifted me by a neighbor, and I actually love the pink and brown color combo with some added touches of blue and orange. Hope you like it, too.

On another note, ever since I got a new computer, the very old software I use to stitch together the scans of my layout has not been working well. Somedays, I can get it to work fine, but other days, it tells me I don't have enough memory to do anything! If you have a great suggestion for stitching together scanned halves of layouts, please let me know, because I am getting super frustrated (and don't even get me started on the challenge of putting a double page layout on a 24"x12" canvas)!

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Patterned papers (name and source unknown, given to me by a friend)
Goldrush, Cocoa, Carolina & White Daisy cardstock
Goldrush & Cocoa ink
Burnt Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
Candid Moments PML cards
Brown grosgrain ribbon (Offray)
Cricut You Are here cartridge: title
Art philosophy cartridge: banner, scalloped borders
Various Cricut cartridges and punches: snowflakes
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #33

Challenges: Challenge YOUrself #136 Use Scallops + include a photo of yourself (obviously I used more photos than just of me, but I love the photo of me cuddling the stuffed animal); Unicorn Challenges #108 Use Dies (hopefully die-cuts done on a machine count, because I used a bunch!); A Cut Above April challenge Anything Goes with a die-cut (banner, title, snowflakes, scalloped borders); Neglected Stuff Challenges April challenge (my neglected stuff is the pink and brown patterned papers a neighbor gave me when she moved in 2014 - they have been sitting in my stash ever since); Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone April challenge

Off With Her Head! Layout for Lasting Memories #276

If this seems like a gruesome title for my layout, it is, but it's because I needed to scrapbook some photos from the execution site at the Tower of London, where such famous people as Lady Jane Grey and Anne Boleyn were beheaded. Another round of challenges from the Lasting Memories blog starts today, and they are super fun, with inspiration from various artworks found at the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. Today's inspiration is Jen P. Harris' mixed media work entitled "Parte Incognita." My first instinct was to go with hexagon shapes, and I even cut out a few, but then I noticed each hexagon was actually divided into three diamond shapes, so I decided to go with that instead. There is some great inspiration on the Lasting Memories blog, so be sure to check it out and join us for this fun round of challenges!

Here is my layout:

And here is the inspiration artwork:

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small

Skylark, Splendor & Something Fierce papers
White Daisy cardstock
White watercolor paper (Canson)
Goldrush, Capri, Flaxen, Topiary, Espresso & Pewter ink
Goldrush pigment ink
Light Grey fineliner pen (iBayam)
Clear embossing powder

Chloe Ciao chipboard (Bella Blvd)
Cricut Artistry cartridge: diamonds
Cricut Artiste cartridge: head

White Tower Layout

In the center of the Tower of London is the White Tower, the original building William the Conqueror had constructed in the 1070s to bring the fierce and fickle Londoners under his control. One of the main exhibits inside is the Line of Kings, a massive display of armor that opened in the late 1600s. We took lots of photos of this exhibit, but I decided to put most of them in pocket pages, so my journaling about the history of the White Tower and the collection will also be in the pocket pages. For today, I just scrapbooked the exterior of the Tower.

Recipe:
Live Inspired, Distressed Backgrounds, Lucky & Friendship Alphabet Small stamp sets
Color Kaleidoscope papers (American Crafts)
Glacier, Linen, Black, Chocolate & White Daisy cardstock
Glacier, Lagoon, Pear, Linen & Black ink
Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
ShinHan Touch Twin marker
Halloween Mix epoxy stars (Bella Blvd)
Top Dog Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Cricut Medieval Silhouettes cartridge: castle (edited in Design Space)
Challenges: Colorful Options rainbow colors; Cut It Up Challenges #311 Anything Goes with a die-cut; Challenge YOUrself #128 Inspired by a Rainbow (I tried to use soft hues of all the rainbow colors, and there are two photos with me in them wearing a grey shirt and black scarf)

Cone of Shame Layout for Lasting Memories #709

It's Sunday, and unlike my sweet pup in this layout, I am a happy girl because it's time for another Lasting Memories challenge! This month, Maureen is challenging us to some wordplay using the seasons, starting with winter. Here are my "Winter" items:

W - washi tape
I - I Heart Us papers
N - negative space (the chipboard S)
T - tag
E - epoxy sticker
R - ribbon

If you are interested in playing along, pop on over to the Lasting Memories blog before August 3rd and link up your layout; if you need some help, check out this alphabetical list of scrapbooking supplies.

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
I Heart Us, Emporium & Blossom papers
Kraft, Vineyard Berry & White Daisy cardstock
Vineyard Berry, Pixie, Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue, Cocoa & Desert Sand ink
Burnt Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
DE Monograms chipboard
Lagoon washi tape
Sweet Leaf grosgrain ribbon
Pet Shop epoxy sticker (KI Memories)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartrdige: scalloped border, tag
Heart punch (EK Success)
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #300

Challenges: Cut It Up #307 Critters + die-cut; Heart's Quest challenge #57 - Part A = quilt (in photo and one I pieced together using scraps) + Part B = kraft heart shape

A Perfect 10 Layout

In 2017, my daughter just happened to have the #10 jersey for her soccer team, so when it came time to scrapbook these photos of her on picture day, I thought it would be fun to list different characteristics, ending with "a perfect 10!" I had to drag out a lot of stamps to complete the list and now have to put them all away, but at least some sets that have been a bit neglected got to see the light of day.

Recipe:
Solos "Y", Vintage Type, Friendship Alphabet Small, Framework Alphabet. You Are . . ., Checklist, My Game, Captured Happiness (the only stamp set that's not at least five years old!), All the Details, Live Out Loud & Best Shot stamp sets
Something Fierce, Summer Celebration B&T Combo Pack & May / June 2022 Mix-In papers
Pewter & White Daisy cardstock
Watermelon, Ballerina & Black ink
White Daisy rub-ons
Black baker's twine
Flower Cup & Hearts sequins (Tree House Studio)
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #240

Challenges: Little Red Wagon #762 Layer It Up; Color My Heart Color Dare #605 (I chose pink as my extra color)

Retro Rubber Challenges#233 (used the right column with Sequins + Twine + Rub-on, and all my stamps are long discontinued except the one that I mentioned above)

5th Grade Graduation Layout for Lasting Memories #692

My goal for this month is to finish my oldest son's elementary school album, since he is already 22 and I should have done this years ago! Thanks to this week's Lasting Memories challenge, I was able to put another layout into his album. Sandy asked us to create a layout with at least four squares and a square shaker box. I pulled out an old sketch of mine that had lots of squares, and was able to fit the shaker box into one of the photo spaces. I love challenges that make me get creative and step outside of my comfort zone, so thanks to Sandy for her inspiration. We're playing with shapes the whole month of March at Lasting Memories and would love to have you join us!

Recipe:

Blue Ribbon, Teacher Appreciation, Friendship Alphabet Small & Casual Expressions stamp sets

March-April 2002 & January-March 2023 Mix In papers

Black, Clover, Honey Butter & White Daisy cardstock

Black, Clover Meadow, Lagoon & Honey ink

Black enamel dot

Green, silver & gold sequins (from my stash, source unknown)

Washi tape (Recollections)

3-D foam tape

Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #32

Challenges: Colorful Options March 2024 - Green; Color My Heart Color Dare #590

Double Trouble Challenge #161 Pinch Proof - Thing 1 = use green + Thing 2 = play along with Festive Friday's Inspiration list #154 (I chose green, gold, gold embellishment & good luck sentiment) + Thing 3 = add a touch of gold

I Hope You Dance Layout for Lasting Memories #685

It's Sunday again and that means it's time for another challenge from Lasting Memories. Design Team member Lori picked out some sketches for us to use this month, and she also asked us to include hearts on this week's layout. The sketch shows a bunch of hearts, but I really wanted to include both the chipboard banner for my title and the little die-cut guy and gal playing Just Dance, so I moved things around and used fewer hearts. We would love to have you join us over at Lasting Memories for any of our sketch challenges this month, but the Linky closes on February 3rd, so don't delay!

Here is this week's sketch:

 And here's my layout:

Recipe:

Friendship Alphabet Small & Priceless Love Word Puzzle stamp sets

Life Delights papers & stickers

Blush, Wisteria, Chocolate & White Daisy cardstock

White Daisy textured cardstock

Blush, Wisteria, Chocolate & Sweet Leaf ink

Burnt Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)

Lilac Mist Bigger Brads

Chocolate baker's twine

DE Banners chipboard

Bubble wrap

Cricut Artbooking cartridge: heart, heart circle, scalloped border, people

Challenges: Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #46 (boy/girl figures + hearts); Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone January challenge

Under the Wrappings Layout

I missed last week's Christmas in July challenge from Double Trouble, so I was excited to see they had a new Christmas challenge, this time asking us to include a Santa hat. While I was trying to figure out how to add the hat, I noticed Farm Quest Challenges had a bear challenge and, in one of photos, my son was reading from a Christmas book called Little Cub. What could be more perfect than to add the bear die-cut I found over on Cricut Design Space and give him a Santa hat and a present to hold? Great inspiration from these challenge blogs!

And here's a close-up of the cute little die-cut bear:

Recipe (all products CTMH unless stated):
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Sparkle & Shine papers
Ruby, Scarlet, Almond, Chocolate, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Ruby, Juniper, Almond, Chocolate & Slate ink
Sienna fineliner marker (iBayam)
Sparkle & Shine Complements chipboard
DE Tags chipboard
Ruby glitter buttons
White Daisy embroidery floss
Grey and white twine (Recollections)
Xmas Red Stickles (Ranger)
Clear shimmer brush
Cricut Design Space: bear using Digital Gems cut file
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: gift
Cricut Artistry cartridge: Santa hat (modified in Design Space)
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch15Feb3

Challenges: Double Trouble #143 Christmas in July (Thing 1 = Christmas project + Thing 2 = enter your project at  Jingle Belles' Santa's Hat challenge + Thing 3 = include a Santa hat; Farm Quest Challenges #32 Bears; The Crafter's Cafe #299 Christmas in July

Joy's 8th Birthday Layout

This was an awesome birthday party that my kids loved, so it was fun to scrapbook it! I used a mix of old supplies (like the KI Memories floral paper) and new products (like the horse stamp).

Recipe:
From the Funny Farm, Punny Pals, Friendship Alphabet Small, Just a Number & Number Solos 8 stamp sets
Colorful Kit papers (KI Memories)
Toffee, Almond, Bluebird, Bubblegum, Flamingo, Pear & White Daisy cardstock
Toffee, Pear, Pixie & Black ink
Fineliner pen (iBayam)
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Color Kaleidoscope sticker (American Crafts)
Color-Ready Kraft Borders
Raffia (from my stash, source unknown)
3-D foam tape
Mini heart punch (EK Success)
Cricut Art Philosophy & Artbooking cartridges: hearts
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #90

Challenges: Use Your Stuff #477 Numbers; Time Out Challenges #232 Birthday

We're On a Roll Card

Today was my 31st wedding anniversary, so I needed to make a card for my hubby. We recently went roller skating with our kids, and he commented how he would love to have his own skates since the rental ones at the rink were so uncomfortable. His comment must have stuck in my mind, because the idea of creating a skating card sprang to mind last night. The only skating cut file I own says "Let's roll," so I had to purchase a new file to use in Cricut Design Space, but it's really cute and easy to assemble, so I think I'm going to get a lot of mileage out of it - pun intended!

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Stargazer & May/June 2022 Mix-In papers
Ruby, Pebble, Charcoal, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Ruby & Black Ink
Cricut Design Space: Layered Perfect Party Icons
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap Card Sketch #233

Challenges: Allsorts #710 Something New (Cricut roller skate cut file); Crafting Happiness #138 Celebrations; Let's Craft & Create #191 Anything Goes with optional black & white (I also added some red)

Welcome to Hogwarts Layout

My second Universal Studios layout features a few photos from the Wizard World of Harry Potter. I played along with the Scrap Our Stash Tic Tac Toe challenge to create this layout, starting with a sketch from Page Maps and adding several die-cuts and 3 photos. I also did lots of stamping and some fussy cutting to get just the look I wanted for the embellishments. Hope you all like it!

Recipe:
Spellbound, Wicked, October World Puzzle, Cherish the Day, Strong Roots & Friendship Alphabet Small stamp sets
Let's Wander Watercolor paper (American Crafts)
Kraft, Pewter & White Daisy cardstock
Desert Sand, Cranberry, Pewter, Charcoal & Black ink
Black, Cranberry & Goldrush markers
Gold Metallix marker
Cranberry velvet ribbon
Stars & Strips Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title, pennant, title, scalloped border, tag
Stitched Circle metal die (Art Impressions)
Pattern: Page Maps September 2021 (altered to fit my larger photos)

Challenges: Scrap our Stash April 2022 Tic Tac Toe (right column using Page Maps sketch & Die-cut & 2+ photos) 

Mission San Luis Obispo Layout

September has not been a scrappy month for me, unfortunately. I guess I am still adjusting to having four kids doing distance learning at home, with all the fun challenges that entails! Speaking of challenges, the layout I have slowly been putting together over the past two weeks was inspired by several challenges. First, Double Trouble challenged us to create a scene from anywhere around the world. This fit perfectly with photos from a trip my hubby made to Mission San Luis Obispo, and much of my time this week has been spent finding a good line drawing of the mission that I then imported into Cricut Design Space and edited to create the mission facade. Lots of work but I think it was worth it. Twisted Sister's twist to include a mode of transportation stumped me for a while but then I thought of adding a little donkey (mule?) to my scene to represent a primary mode of transportation in the mission era. Isn't he cute?

And here's a close-up of the mission die-cut:

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small, Universal Backgrounds & Intrinsic Backgrounds stamp sets
Autumn Terracotta, Pacifica, Topiary, Linen, Greg Wool, Almond & White Daisy cardstock
Autumn Terracotta, Topiary, Cocoa & Almond ink
Black marker
Gold Metallix marker
Wooden Arrows
Blue epoxy bubble
Cricut Noah's ABC Animals cartridge: donkey
Cricut New Testament cartridge: cross
Cricut Design Space: mission (based on imported drawing)
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: tree, bush
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #435 (I used the sketch for both pages but flipped and changed up the right page)

Challenges: The Paper Girls #207 - Around the World; Use Your Stuff #405 - Farm Animals (there was lots of livestock at the mission including sheep and cattle, but I chose to just include the donkey); Heart 2 Heart Wood You Rather? (used wood arrows and stamped a wood grain pattern on the Chocolate cardstock)

Eggs*tra Special Hunt Layout

I had started scrapping a different set of photos on these papers, but they just weren't working for me, so I replaced them with these egg hunt photos. Then the search was on for a unique title (didn't want yet another layout titled "Egg Hunt"); this one was lurking in an online list of title suggestions over at Scrapbook.com. I'm not sure when I got the Easter bunny stamps, but I had never used them, so this layout gave me an opportunity to break them out and color them up. Aren't they cute?

I didn't have room to add all the vertical photos I wanted, so both vertical photos lift up to reveal more photos underneath, plus the journaling is under the right hand photo:

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small & Easter Bunny stamp sets
Craft On papers
Carolina, Canary & White Daisy cardstock
Blubird, Carolina, Canary, Pixie, Toffee & Bamboo ink
Versamark ink
Baby Pink & Black markers
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Black Embossing powder
Hopscotch PML card
Butterfly stickers (Rossler Papier)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title
Pattern: Stick It Down July 2020 double page sketch (with a few modifications)

Challenges:2 Crafty Critter Crazies #40 (anything goes with a critter); Stinkin' Inkers I See Spots

Snow Monster Smash Layout

Earlier this year I created several layouts in which my daughter was wearing an Elsa (from Frozen) costume, so I was kinda over Frozen, even though I still had more photos to scrap. A couple of things reanimated my creativity this week: a glitter + snowman challenge from Double Trouble, and finding a partially used Frozen sticker book when I deep cleaned my daughter's room. She's pretty much out-grown Frozen, so she let me have the book and I was able to use a few stickers on this layout, so hooray for recycling! FYI: I've been ask to be a guest designer for Double Trouble for the month of December, so be sure to check back Monday to see my Double Trouble inspired layout.

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Glitter & Watercolor papers (Recollections)
Dotty for You papers
Lagoon & White Daisy cardstock
Lagoon & Grey Wool ink
Lagoon baker's twine
Frozen sticker book (Innovative Designs)
Snowflake punch (EK Success)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: Monster, scalloped border, circle tag
Pattern: Scrap Our Stash November Pick a Side challenge (I chose the left side)

Challenges: Double Trouble #43 Bring on the Glitz (Things 1 - glitter paper, sticker & dots + Thing 2 - play along with Cupcake Inspiration's snowman theme + Thing 3 - snowman)

EMS Sketch Challenge 77 - Persevere Layout

Time for another sketch, and here's a fun one that might help you use up some scraps you have lying around. I have several large "frames" from when I cut an oversize die-cut from the center of a 12" x 12" piece of cardstock, and I thought it would be nice to put one to use. You can adhere all your other pieces first, and then lay the die-cut frame over the top to cover any rough or mismatched edges. Have fun, make whatever changes you need, and as always, be sure to leave a link to your completed layout in the comments section below!

The sketch:

My layout:

FYI: I realized after I completed the journaling that it sounds like my son had an option to quit kindergarten! That was definitely not the case, but he did have a choice of his daily attitude, so the award was really intended to give him praise for persevering in having a good attitude despite a difficult adjustment.

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Roxie papers
Black, Juniper & Colonial White cardstock
Black, Tulip & Bamboo ink
Black marker
Silver metallic marker
Black gingham ribbon
DE chipboard: Awards
Color Kaleidoscope Thickers (American Crafts)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: frame, stars
Challenges: Lasting Memories #462 recipe - 1 banner, 2 photos, 3 or more chipboard elements, and glittery letters or embellishments (I went with the shiny banner and stars)

One Busy B Layout

It's with a sad heart today that I post this layout inspired by a sketch from Let's Scrap; they are retiring their blog for now, so this may be the last new sketch of theirs I use. Hopefully they will return some day when life isn't as crazy, but I will sure miss their bi-monthly inspiration! In the meantime, they helped me create a fun layout for my daughter's second grade open house, where we got to see all the work our busy bee (the "B" is for Brianna) had been doing in class.

Recipe:
Bee Mine, Friendship Alphabet Small, Distressed Backgrounds & Honeycomb stamp sets
Lucky & Buzz and Bumble papers
Cocoa, Desert Sand & White Daisy cardstock
Cocoa, Desert Sand, Goldrush, Outdoor Denim & Olive ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Color Ready Kraft Borders
Outdoor Denim baker's twine
Outdoor Denim brads
DE chipboard Monograms "B", Signage & Banner
PML Tabbed Journaling Card
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: frames
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border with cut-outs
Pattern: Let's Scrap 7-15-19

Challenges: Double Trouble #36 Round & Round: Thing 1 - circles on the patterned paper, brads, and my daughter's pizza + Thing 3 - school theme; Scrapbook.com Music challenge - used lyrics from Chuck Berry's School Days as my journaling.

A Room for Brianna Layout

When Brianna came to live with us as a foster child, we didn't have much advance notice to get her room ready, so it took a while to transform it into a girly paradise, but we worked on it slowly as the budget allowed and here is the result! Of course, it doesn't look like this anymore since these pictures were taken in 2014, but I'm glad we have the two photos of what it was.

The little envelope opens up to reveal a journaling card telling the story:

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Just Delightful Simply Scrapping kit (SU)
Smoothie, Creme Brulee, Sweet Leaf, Sky & White Daisy cardstock
Smoothie, Creme Brulee, Sweet Leaf & Sky ink
Smoothie marker
Smoothie grosgrain ribbon
My Crush Besties Assortment - envelope
Metal heat charm (ImpressArt)
Cricut Simply Sweet cartridge: "Brianna"
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #162

Zoo Daze Layout

No, the title of my layout is not a mistake! Sometimes these zoo photos tend to all run together since we have visited so often, hence the daze. The last time I scrapped zoo photos, I realized I didn't have much animal themed paper, so I picked up some zoo prints at Hobby Lobby. The only problem was, when I went to use it, it was really too wild for my layout so the pictures were being overwhelmed. I flipped it over and used the more muted backside, and just used a small strip of the animal print. Easy fix! The purple may seem like an odd choice for a zoo layout, but both Brianna and I wore purple, so it was calling to me, and I like how it turned out.

Recipe:
In the Wild stamp set (SU)
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Safari Beast papers (Bo Bunny)
Gypsy & Colonial White cardstock
Tuxedo Black, Brown Bag & Saffron ink
Black marker
Black enamel dots
Escape the Ordinary Thickers (American Crafts)
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 18
Challenges: Use Your Stuff Flora and Fauna challenge (I definitely have fauna with all those zoo animals, and for my flora I added grass under the stamped animals' feet, plus my hubby is posing next to a sign all about the carob plant)

If It Ain't Baroque . . . Layout

The title for this layout is a play on words based on the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." William III and Mary II evidently decided to ignore this advice when they planned to demolish Henry VIII's Tudor style palace at Hampton Court and replace it with a Baroque palace inspired by Versailles. Lucky for us history lovers, they ran out of money and had to settle for adding two Baroque-style wings and only tearing down Henry's state rooms and private apartments. As with most of my Hampton Court layouts, I took way too many pictures to scrapbook, so I added some extra ones to a pocket page.

Here's my hidden journaling card, front and back:

And here are the pictures for the pocket page:

The building material is pink brick and pale Portland stone.

View of the Privy Garden from the South Front

Looking across the Privy Garden towards the South Front

Recipe:
Baroque Borders, Vogue Alphabet, Friendship Alphabet Small & Key to My Heart stamp sets
Back Country level 2 papers
Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Barn Red, Autumn Terracotta & Desert Sand ink
Barn Red marker
Autumn Terracotta brads
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title block
Pattern: SCS Sketch17Apr