{3rd Grade] Picnic Layout

Another layout for Elliot's school album! I used the primary opposite colors of green, orange, and purple as my main colors, with a mix of stamped hearts and pre-made ephemera for embellishments.

Recipe:
Whooo's Your Valentine stamp set
Happy Trails paper (Simple Stories)
Laughing Lola paper
Watercolor paper (Recollections)
Sage, Purple Pansy & White Daisy cardstock
Nectarine, Green Apple, Thistle & Black ink
Black marker
Reasons to Smile ephemera & puffy stickers (American Crafts)
Bold & Bright ephemera (American Crafts)
School Is Cool ephemera icons (Bella Blvd)
Purple Glitter Gems
Cricut Artistry cartridge: title
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #90

Challenges: Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #73 Anything Goes with green and/or white hearts

The Story Layout

I was asked to guest design for Heart's Quest Challenges Blog's latest challenge to use white, purple, and/or pink hearts. I decided to go with the white and purple, and even threw in a blue one just for fun! The photos are from a birthday party my kids attended (complete with a roasted pig), and I copied my original post from Facebook to tell the story of my son's humorous answer to a request I made.

Recipe:
Story FYI, Whooo's Your Valentine & Just Be You stamp sets
Watercolor paper (Recollections)
Color Kaleidoscope paper (American Crafts)
Sparkle & Shine paper
Black, Lagoon, Grape, Mulberry & White Daisy cardstock
Black, Eggplant & Juniper ink
Black marker
White gel pen (Sakura)
Black glitter tape
Purple glitter gems
Liquid Glass
Triplets Butterfly Dies (Sizzix)
Nested Stitched Rectangles dies (Cottage Cutz)
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts, pennants
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banners
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #48 using papers over a year old

Challenges: Double Trouble #183 Recipe - 3 Images of your Choice (I chose a butterfly and 4 types of hearts) + 2 Patterned Papers + 1 Sentiment that Makes you Smile (Treasure the now); Cut It Up #322 Have a Heart

Sick Day Silliness Layout for Lasting Memories #714

It's Sunday and that means another Lasting Memories challenge. I am hosting this month, and the theme is Inspired by the Olympics! This week, I want to see at least 5 rings (or circles) in honor of the Olympic rings. I had a lot of fun figuring out how to incorporate rings and circles onto my layout, so hopefully you will join us for the fun before this challenge ends on August 31.

Recipe:
Circle Together & Whooo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Star Gazer & Smarty Pants papers
Canary, Candy Apple, Sapphire & White DAisy cardstock
Canary, Sapphire & Bamboo ink
Black marker
Black embroidery floss
Black tulle ribbon
Gold eyelets (Making Memories)
Red heart brads (source unknown)
Foam smiley faces (source unknown)
Cricut Design Space: rings, frame, title
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #623

Challenges: Color My Heart Color Dare #613

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #195 Be Happy; Double Trouble #172 What Makes You Happy - this kiddo makes me happy, so I tried to express that with the cheerful colors and smiley faces!

Best Math Day Layout

I'm almost done with second grade photos for my son's elementary school album, so today I decided to scrapbook this random photo we took of my son and his "Best Math Day Ever" award. Learning did not come easy to him, so this was a huge deal! There is a lot of stamping on this layout, and I even fussy cut the big XOXO, the talk bubble, and the owls after I stamped them. I was tempted to put lots of numbers on the layout because of the math theme, but decided to just use the measuring tape ribbon, then I stamped plus signs on the red ring, and the X could stand for multiplication and the O for zero, so those are my math tributes.

Recipe:
Happy Everything, Priceless Love Word Puzzle, Live Out Loud, Balloon Talk, Whooo's Your Valentine & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Moon Doggie papers
Garden Green, Cranberry, Bamboo, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Garden Green, Cranberry, Bamboo, Cocoa, Chocolate, Black, Indian Corn Blue & Honey ink
Black marker
Everyday Moments pocket Card (Scrapbook.com)
Measure Up ribbon (Offray)
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts, arrow
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #609

Challenges: Colorful Options Rainbow Colors; Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #52 (chose XOXO + stamped hearts)

My Funny Valentines Layout

I love pre-done watercolor designs on scrapbook papers, but it seems I can seldom find one that's exactly what I need, so I decided to purchase some watercolor paper and paints to start experimenting on my own. The current challenge to "Get Messy" over at Challenge YOUrself seemed like the perfect opportunity to break out these new supplies and see what I could do. I used red and yellow to create the background for this layout, and while it's not exactly what I was hoping for, it's a start. Hopefully I will improve with more practice!

Recipe:
Whooo's Your Valentine stamp set
May/June 2022 Mix-In & Dreamin' Big papers
Juniper & White Daisy cardstock
Watercolor paper
Juniper, Slate, Goldrush & Sunny Yellow ink
Black marker
Watercolor paints (Artists' Loft)
Everyday Life journaling card (Scrapbook.com)
Color Kaleidoscope stickers (American Crafts)
Red ribbon (Offray)
Medium heart punch (EK Success)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title, banner, tag
Cricut Artiste cartridge: funny
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #84

Challenges: Challenge YOUrself #113 Get Messy!

EMS Sketch Challenge #108 + But Wait, There's More Layout

Some months I don't get around to creating a scrapbook sketch at all, but this month I have created two! Don't forget to check out my other sketch, a double pager, as well as using the one I'm sharing today. If you use this sketch, feel free to adapt it to your photos, and please leave a link to the completed layout in the comments at the bottom of this post.

Here's the sketch:

And here's my layout. I was having a hard time figuring out a title for these miscellaneous photos from Christmas Day 2016 until I thought of the old informercial phrase, "But wait, there's more!"

Recipe:
Stacy's Hand Alphabet, Whooo's Your Valentine & Alphabet Solos E stamp sets
Four Season - Winter & October - December 2022 Mix-In papers
Pine, Toffee, Scarlet & White Daisy cardstock
Pine, Toffee, Ruby & Mink ink
Chocolate pigment ink
Burgundy marker (Zig)
Clear embossing powder
White Lacey Trims (49 & Market)
Green organdy ribbon (Offray)
Heart brads (from my stash, source unknown)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banner, tag
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts
Challenges: Cut It Up #271 Have a Heart (I included die cut and stamped hearts, heart brads, and the striped paper is actually lines of hearts as well)

EMS Sketch Challenge 86 + Baby It's Cold Outside Layout

Time for a new sketch challenge! I haven't done a single pager in a while, so I thought I would share one I created for my snowy-day-but-we're-snug-inside-sipping-hot-cocoa layout. The photos can be either full size or slightly trimmed 4" x 6" ones, and if you want more of a heart shape for your overall layout design, you could always center the bottom photo. I added a strip of vellum across the page because my title wasn't showing up very well again the busy papers, so don't be afraid to make modifications to make the sketch work for you. Please post a link in the comments section to your completed layout if you use the sketch. I love seeing what others do with my sketches!

The sketch:

My layout:

Recipe:
A Sip & Whooo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Cup of Cocoa paper (Frances Meyer)
White Pines paper
Vellum
Cranberry, Glacier & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry & Glacier ink
Black & Gold Metallics markers
Durables Triangle Studs - antiqued gold
Cricut Simply Sweet cartridge: title
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: snowflakes, mug
CTMH Confetti embossing folder
Challenges: Bitten By the Bug anything except a card; Double Trouble #51 Go Green (Thing 1 - use lots of green + Thing 2 - play along with Heart 2 Heart's Put Your Green On challenge + Thing 4 - added antiqued gold studs and used a gold marker around the heart to include something gold)

Happy Together Layout

For this bunch of photos of the kids riding scooters and skating around our cul-de-sac, I decided to feature three photos on a traditional layout and put the rest in a pocket page. The design is actually a scraplift of Sandra's "Biker Dawls" layout from over on Scrapbook.com. Down the left side of her page, Sandra had a bunch of sayings she had cut out of a piece of pattered paper, but I chose to ink up my stamps and get to work stamping and cutting! I used the rainbow paper from my brand new "I Heart Us" paper pack from CTMH, and that gave me a whole rainbow of colors to chose from when stamping the little sentiments.

And here's the journaling card from the pocket page:

Recipe:
Boys at Play, Framework Alphabet, Friendship Word Puzzle, It's Your Day, Just for Boys, Kid Power, Later Sk8r, Take Note, This & That, Whooo's Your Valentine & You and Me stamp sets
I Heart Us papers & My Complements stickers
Canary, Bluebird & White Daisy cardstock
Canary, Pixie, Thistle, Key Lime, Lagoon, Sweet Leaf, Raspberry & Bluebird ink
ShinHan Touch Twin marker
Hopscotch PML card
Stargazer and Cats & Bats Dots
Thistle striped ribbon
Staple
Star punch (EK Success)
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Happy Times challenge; Lasting Memories #444 alphabet stamps (used to stamp "happy" in my title); Double Trouble Something, Anything, Everything challenge (for Thing 1, I pulled out a bunch of stuff I have never used before - the I Hearts Us papers, Bluebird cardstock, Bluebird & Raspberry ink pads, and a roll of Thistle ribbon, then for Thing 2 I played along with Heart 2 Heart, and finally I used tons of word stamps for Thing 3).

EMS Sketch Challenge 69 - This & That Layout

I have two fun challenges for you today! The first is my sketch challenge, with a single page sketch featuring three 4" x 6" photos. For my layout, I chose to go with the sketch pretty much as is, except I added a piece of ribbon towards the top. My second challenge was the Lasting Memories stitching challenge. I'm a guest designer this month, so I decided to forego my usual stitching M.O. (drawing stitches on with a pen) and actually thread up my needle with some embroidery floss! Stitching always adds extra zip to a layout, so why don't you figure out how to incorporate some on your layout and then join us over at Lasting Memories?

The sketch:

My layout:

Recipe:
This & That, Whooo's Your Valentine & My Life Cricut stamp sets
Cameras with Floral paper (Paper Studio)
Sorbet, Lagoon, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Sorbet, Lagoon & Black ink
Black marker
Peacock Green ShinHan Touch Twin marker
Sorbet grosgrain ribbon
Black embroidery floss
My Crush Best Day Ever Assortment sticker
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: hearts, camera
Cricut Artiste cartridge: ampersand

Cascade Canyon Layout

For my final train trip layout, CTMH's Snowhaven paper seemed like a perfect fit, and I was excited for Heart 2 Heart's Cold Hands, Warm Heart challenge because it gave me a chance to use the cute mittens die-cut from the Cricut Artistry cartridge! My journaling reflects how cold it was at Cascade Canyon, but we were able to warm up by doing some things as a family.

Recipe:
Charm Uppercase, Charm Lowercase, Whooo's Your Valentine & In the Background stamp sets
Snowhaven Level 2 papers
Whisper, Cranberry, Crystal Blue, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Whisper, Cranberry, Crystal Blue & Black ink
Black marker
Slate polka dot washi tape
Cranberry organdy ribbon
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag, journal box, hearts
Cricut Artistry cartridge: mittens, snowflakes, scalloped border
Mini heart & snowflake punches (EK Success)
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 30
Challenges: Lasting Memories ribbon, washi tape, or paper strips challenge (I used one piece of ribbon, three strips of washi, and I picked a paper that looks like paper strips, so you could say I used all three!); Bitten By the Bug 2 Snow Much Fun challenge

Valentine Banquet Layout

I'm jumping around a bit chronologically in my scrapping, so here's a layout with pictures from last Valentine's Day. I chose to use the retired CTMH Flirty paper pack, and it was a challenge because I didn't have any inks to match it, so I pulled in black as my extra color. I challenged myself to use some stickers (the xoxo and the quote), and I think they add a nice touch to the layout.

Recipe:
Elemental, Whooo's Your Valentine & A Typeface stamp sets
Flirty Level 2 papers
Flirty Raspberry, Flirty Yellow & Black cardstock
Black & Hollyhock ink
Black marker
Colonial White grosgrain ribbon
Black brads
Great Lengths stickers (CM)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag, hearts
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: Valentine title
EK Success flower punch
Pattern: EMS Sketch 26
Challenges: Splitcoast Stampers Inspiration & Motivation challenge (I used a quote about love that was on a clear sticker)

Recipe for a Happy Mother's Day Layout

Wednesday is here, and I posted three new challenges on the Splitcoast Stampers Virtual Scrapbook Night forum for any scrapper daring enough to participate! Here's my layout for the Tic-tac-toe challenge. I used the middle column with die-cuts, a sketch, and a stamped item (several, in fact).

Here's the board, just in case you want to play along:

And my layout:

Recipe:
Say It in Style, All the Details, Whooo's Your Valentine & Have a Happy Day stamp sets
Laughing Lola level 2 papers
Laughing Lola Yellow, black, Crystal Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Black, Thistle & Flaxen ink
Black marker
Durables Artisan Studs
White ric-rac (Wrights)
White Daisy embroidery floss
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title box
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch15Sep3

My Favorite Mummy Layout

With Mother's Day just past, I've seen several challenges that call for a celebration of mom or mum. Since I already had a card for my mom, I didn't think I'd be able to enter the challenges, but when I found these pictures of my son hamming it up in the mummy case at Legoland, I saw the perfect opportunity for a fun page. Here is my very tongue-in-cheek entry for the Heart to Heart Mum's the Word and Frosted Designs All About Mom challenges!

Recipe:
Big Hug, Hodgepodge Alphabet, Whooo's Your Valentine, Alphabet Solos "C" & "F" stamp sets
White Daisy textured cardstock
Cranberry, Lagoon, Pear & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry, Lagoon, Pear & Slate ink
Steel Grey marker (Zig)
Later Sk8r Picture My Life cards
DE Signage chipboard arrows
Cranberry & Slate craft buttons
Cranberry, Lagoon & Grey Wool baker's twine
Lagoon, Ruby & Slate washi tape
Cardinal Red paint (Delta Creative)
Dark Gray paint (Plaid Enterprises)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: "My", "Mummy", sun, circle
Cricut Artiste cartridge: "Favorite"
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #147 (rotated)
Challenges: 1-2-3 Get Scrappy May tic-tac-toe board (I did 2 paints, the word beautiful, and die-cuts again - I really like this row!); Golden Goddess 3 of the same embellishment ( i used 3 buttons threaded with 3 pieces of baker's twine, plus 3 pieces of washi tape)

EMS Sketch Challenge 58 - Book Worm

Another month, another sketch! I know I've been doing a lot of single page sketches lately, but I promise I'll get back to doubles soon. In case you missed it, I posted a double page sketch for National Scrapbooking Day last month. Click here to see it. The month's sketch features two 4" x 6" photos with no cropping required. You can also include extra photos by adding a Flip-Flap to either or both photos, as I did with the left hand photo. I also placed my journaling on the Flip-Flap, since there didn't seem to be a good place for it on the sketch (although I'm sure all the crafty ladies out there can figure something out)! Happy scrapping, and don't forget to post a link of your complete layout. For every five entries, I will select a guest designer for the August sketch.

The sketch:

 My layout:

Here the Flip-Flap is open to reveal the journaling and another picture.

Recipe:

A Typeface, Whooo's Your Valentine & Hot Diggety stamp sets

Sarita Level 2 papers
Goldrush, Gypsy, Lagoon, Outdoor Denim & Colonial White cardstock
Goldrush, Gypsy, Lagoon & Outdoor Denim ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Purple Glitter Gems
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: ring, arrow
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart June scrapbooking challenge (scrapbook about one of your everyday life moments and include a Flip-Flap). I'm the June guest designer for H2H, so be sure to check back each Monday for a new challenge!

Please link your completed layout here by 6/30/14 at 11:59 pm PST!

Stash Buster March Week 1 - Who is @ the Zoo?

Another Stash Busters Challenge coming your way! Click on the link below to play!

Stash14Mar1
This month, I am challenging you to use up certain items from your stash and then link your completed layout at Splitcoast Stampers so we can all get excited over it! I'll post a new list each Thursday this month, and you have until March 31st to scrap your layout using the products. If you complete all four layouts, you will get an honorable mention for the month. This month, I thought I'd include some neglected tools, so be prepared to dust off some tools you haven't used for a while!

Please use:
• 3 patterned papers
• 2 pieces of chipboard
• A die-cut
• A crimped or pleated item

I finally got a chance to do a layout based on my monthly sketch!

Recipe:
Hodgepodge Alphabet, Chocolate Alphabet Small, Distressed Backgrounds & Whooo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Babycakes Level 2 papers
Chocolate, Whisper & Colonial White cardstock
Chocolate, Buttercup, Sunset & Slate ink
DE Hearts & Signage (chipboard)
3-D foam tape
Crimper
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: overlay
Pattern: EMS Sketch 54
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart March Scrapbooking Challenge (I used an overlay from the Artbooking cartridge); Frosted Designs Punctuation or Keyboard Symbol (I used @ and ?)

Stash Busters February Week 1

If you have tons more scrapbooking supplies than you could use in the next ten years, I have a Stash Busters challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers just for you. Just create a layout using the listed items and then link up at SCS using the link below.

Stash14Feb1
This month, I am challenging you to use up certain items from your stash and then link your completed layout using the link above so we can all get excited over it! I'll post a new list each Thursday this month, and you have until March 5th to scrap your layouts using the products. If you complete all four layouts, you will get an honorable mention for the month! Sound fun? Let's get started.

Please use:
• 3 patterned papers that are at least one year old
• Ribbon or ric-rac
• 2 flowers
• 3 brads

You can use additional products, but you must use at least one of each of the items listed. If you don't have an item in your stash, please don't rush out and buy it! Just substitute a similar item from your stash. Happy hunting!

Recipe:

Distressed Backgrounds & Whooo's Your Valentine stamp sets

Surf's Up Level 2 papers

Crystal Blue, Kraft, Sorbet & White Daisy cardstock

Crystal Blue, Sorbet, Desert Sand, Ruby & Bamboo ink

Just Blooms Floret & Paradise

Antiqued Copper Designer Brads

Cricut Artbooking: title, heart borders, small hearts

Cricut Art Philosophy: large heart

Pattern: Paper Secrets February sketch with a twist (K = kraft paper, I = ink, S = stamps, S = Surf's Up papers)

Challenges: Clear It Out karaoke challenge (I was inspired by It's A Small World); Heart 2 Heart & Lil' Red Wagon love challenges (after all, isn't love what Small World is all about?!); Scrap It Girl hearts challenge

Precious Layout

I love these pictures of my boys sleeping with all their stuffed animals, and once I found a cute sketch from Sketch 'n Scrap, I knew exactly what papers I wanted to use. CTMH's Magic Moments papers may be long retired, but they were perfect for remembering this magic moment in my life as a parent! The Sketch 'n Scrap sketch had a twist, so I needed to use two border punches and one other punch on my layout. I don't actually own 2 border punches, so I used the scalloped one I had, and then cut a border using my Cricut. I also used a circle punch to create the title.

Recipe:
Vintage Type & Whooo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Magic Moments Level 2 papers
Cocoa, Sunflower, Bamboo & White Daisy cardstock
Cocoa, Sunflower, Hollyhock, Indian Corn Blue & Sweet Leaf ink
Dutch Blue marker
Staples
Scalloped border punch (Fiskars)
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: star border, stars, arrows
Pattern: Sketch n' Scrap #47
Challenges: Splitcoast Stamper's VSBN Music Appreciation challenge (use lyrics from Just Give Me a Reason by Pink); 1 2 3 Get Scrappy board (I used the color green, scalloped edges, and staples)

ProPlayer Hugs Card

So the ladies from my card club chose which CTMH paper packs they wanted to use during this catalog cycle, and to my surprise, they wanted to use the very masculine ProPlayer papers. I've been struggling a bit as I design cards for this workshop since a couple of ladies also told me this week that they need sentiments like "Thinking of you" and sympathy. Anyway, this is my stab at a sweet card using not very sweet paper. I wish I could think of something to make it more warm and fuzzy, but inspiration fails me. Any ideas? Is it okay as is?

Recipe:
Whoo's Your Valentine stamp set
ProPlayer Level 2 papers
Ruby, Slate & Colonial White cardstock
Ruby, Slate, Pacifica & Black ink
Ruby Chevron ribbon
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: hugs frame
Cricut Artiste cartridge: heart
Pattern: Sunday Sketch & Stamp Sketch 174 (just discovered this challenge site. Whoohoo!)
Challenges: Little Red Wagon Polaroid Frame Challenge

Mini Land Layout

I am participating in a scraplift challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers this month, and, after getting inspiration for my page here, I then took it in a totally different direction. I loved Mary Pat's striped paper, and how she had strips of paper going up the side of her layout, so I lifted that, plus the bracket on a smaller size, and I used two of them. I also thought her sunburst was an interesting touch, but when I added that, it took over the page, making me decide to create a tiny neighborhood scene that reflected the subject of the layout. If you're interested in signing up for the scraplift challenge, you have until the 15th to do so. Come join us!

Recipe:
Neighborhood, It's Your Day & Whoo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Striped paper (KI Memories)
Bamboo, Sky, Barn Red, Saddle, Buttercup & White Daisy cardstock
Sky, Barn Red, Saddle & Indian Corn Blue ink
Blue grosgrain ribbon (JoAnn's)
Foundry Pin Clip
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: overlay, title
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hot air balloon, brackets, sun

Clementine Card - Love and Hugs

The Clementine paper packet ended up being so easy to work with. The colors were bright, but not too bright, and I loved the addition of some neutrals to create a nice balance. On this card, I added a bit of texture by using my Swiss Dot Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Don't forget, today is the last day to leave a comment and win a set of Clementine card for your very own. See my 500th blog post here for details.

Recipe:
Words of Comfort & Whoo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Clementine Level 2 papers
Creme Brulee, Saddle & Champagne cardstock
Saddle ink
Colonial White grosgrain ribbon
Colonial White metal tag & brad
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border
Pattern: Mojo Monday 267