December 24 Layout

I got some scrapping done on Mother's Day, so here is a layout I finished up late last night. I started with the NSD sketch from Sketch 'n Scrap, but I turned it upside down. Then I pulled out a stamp set I got last year but never used. Since it's a countdown to Christmas set, most people used it for Advent Calendars, but I thought it would be fun to create my own patterned paper by stamping the whole set in different colors. Unfortunately, it made the paper a little busy to add my title to, so I shifted the title over to the side of the layout. The end result wasn't exactly how I envisioned it, but overall I'm happy with how it turned out.

Recipe:
Magical Day & Happy Holidays stamp sets
Kraft, Sky & White Daisy cardstock
Desert Sand, Cranberry, New England Ivy & Sky ink
Black marker
Enamel stars
Moss & Red ric-rac (Craft Essentials)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Plantin Schoolbook cartridge: title, tags
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap NSD 2015 sketch

Beautiful World Layout

I was invited to be a guest designer for 1-2-3 Get Scrappy this month, and it was a great opportunity for me to think outside the box! I grabbed some paints (not something I normally use in scrapbooking) and painted a background for my layout. Although it took a while for the paint to dry, I love the finished product and am so glad I tried something different. Check out the challenge board below, and hopefully you'll get inspired to try something out of the box on your layout, too!

I chose the column with two paints, the word beautiful, and a die-cut piece.

Recipe:
World Traveler stamp set
Heartstrings & Snowhaven Level 2 papers
Cranberry, Black, Pear & White Daisy cardstock
White Daisy textured cardstock
Cranberry, Pear, Black & Glacier ink
Black marker
White gel pen (Sakura)
Enamel hearts
Shamrock Green acrylic paint (Michaels)
Ocean Reef Blue acrylic paint (Delta Ceramcoat)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title, hearts
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: arrows
Pattern: Stuck Sketches May 1 sketch
Challenges: Lasting Memories Beautiful challenge

Dave & Lolo Layout

I pulled out some old papers and embellishment and paired them with one of my old sketches to scrapbook these photos from a friend's reception. The title was created using Cricut Craft Room. I love how I can weld words together so easily using this program!

Recipe:
Roxie Level 2 papers
Black & Tulip cardstock
Black, Tulip & Desert Sand ink
Black marker
That's Amore Journaling Spots
Floret paper flowers
Black tulle
Black grosgrain ribbon
Black craft buttons
Cricut Wall Decor & More cartridge: title
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 20
Challenges: Clear It Out Anything Goes challenge

Our Family Tree Layout

Splitcoast Stampers is having a celebration in honor of National Scrapbook Day, and I am contributing a sketch challenge as part of the party! Please join us for some great inspiration. New challenges will be posted every Saturday in May, and you have all month to complete your layouts.

The Sketch

My Layout

Recipe:

Friendship Alphabet Small  stamp set
Brenda Walton Peppermint Twist Large Holiday Trees (K & Company)
Ruby, Topiary, Sweet Leaf & Colonial White cardstock
Ruby, Topiary & Sweet Leaf ink
Topiary embroidery floss
Colonial White ric-rac
Colonial White metal tag
Organdy ribbon
Stuck on You Puffies (arrow)
Ruby Glitter button
Ruby washi tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: family title, trees
Cuttlebug embossing folder: Winter Trees
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch15May1
Challenges: Scrap It Girl stitching challenge;
Scrap Our Stash Emboss challenge

E = embossing
M = metal tag
B = button
O = organdy ribbon
S = stamping
S = stitching

Christmas Tea 2012 Layout

My latest sketch for Splitcoast Stampers is a double pager featuring seven photos of various sizes. I actually posted this sketch two weeks ago but am just getting around to using it! You may notice an additional tag element on my layout; I added it so I could play along with the Stash Busters challenge. Speaking of challenges, in order to celebrate National Scrapbooking Day, SCS is hosting a month-long scrapbooking challenge in May, with three to four challenges posted each Saturday. Please check out the challenges and have fun playing along. A new sketch is making its appearance this weekend as part of the festivities!

Recipe:
Jingle Borders stamp set
Green Holly patterned paper (Frances Meyer)
Ruby, Slate & White Daisy cardstock
Ruby & Ponderosa Pine ink
Ruby chevron ribbon
Ruby & Silver baker's twine
Silver star brad (from my stash)
Cricut Plantin Schoolbook cartridge: title
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag
Cricut Wall Decor & More cartridge: kettle, tea cup
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch15Apr3

Adrian's Bread Layout

I'm plowing through pictures from December 2012, hoping to finish scrapping them in the next couple of weeks so I can move on to 2013. It would be nice to be only 2 years behind! I found these sweet pictures of my son Adrian making banana bread with his daddy. The pictures aren't the best quality, but I love being able to preserve the memory.

Recipe:
Walnut Stripe paper (Bo-Bunny Press)
Sky, Star Spangled Blue & Saddle cardstock
Star Spangled Blue marker
My Crush Besties Assortment journaling paper
Craft buttons
Blue embroidery floss (DMC)
Oatmeal grosgrain ribbon (JoAnn's)
Cricut Artist cartridge: title
Challenges: Little Red Wagon things starting with "B" (my things are blue cardstock, the Besties Assortment journaling paper, buttons, blue embroidery floss & the baking banana bread theme); Splitcoast Stampers Scraplift challenge (I lifted TrishG's page by using some of her elements - tan ribbon, jumping title, buttons, squares); Heart 2 Heart checkerboard challenge (most of the product I used is retired CTMH, but there are a couple of current items on here)

Christmas Photos 2012 Layout

Ever since I got my Cricut, I haven't used my alphabet stamp sets much to create title for my layouts, but this layout design seemed to lend itself to a stamped title. I pulled out my box of alphabet stamps (it felt like a reunion with old friends!) and, after some serious debating, picked the fun and funky Glamour Alphabet set. After stamping the title in Olive ink, I added the stamped brackets in Cranberry for a pop of color. Hope you like!

Recipe:
Glamour Uppercase & Glamour Lowercase Alphabet stamp sets
Pear & Partridge Level 2 papers
New England Ivy, Olive & Cashmere cardstock
New England Ivy, Olive, Cranberry & Desert Sand ink
Olive marker
Stuck on You Puffies
Cranberry safety pin
Cranberry baker's twine
Cranberry & Chocolate ribbon
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: heart, camera
Pattern: Sketch~n~Scrap #79
Challenges: Lasting Memories Gratitude challenge (As you can probably tell by my journaling, I am so grateful for my beautiful family)!

Journey to Bethlehem Layout

I was trying to decide what pictures to scrap next, and I got inspired by several challenges:
1. Lasting Memories had a sketch and a challenge to scrapbook a favorite destination  - this was our first but certainly won't be our last visit to the fun and thought provoking Journey to Bethlehem event.
2. 4 Crafty Chicks wanted us to be inspired by a book - I was inspired by the Bible (Matthew 2:2) to add the stars in place of the circles of the original sketch.
3. Little Red Wagon asked to see spots or dots - this gave me the idea to chose a dotted background paper that looks like constellations.
4. Creating with Paper and More had a word challenge - I used the words "life" and "birth" in my journaling.
Thanks for all the inspiration, ladies!

Recipe:
Universal Backgrounds stamp set
Timberline & Florentine Level 2 papers
Whisper, Goldrush & Lagoon ink
Black marker
Natural hemp
Liquid Glass
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: stars
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title
Pattern: Lasting Memories April sketch

Tristan Layout

I was almost done with this layout, but I wanted to play along with Rochelle Spears' tic-tac-toe challenge and couldn't figure out what to use for an oval shape. I started rummaging through my stamps and noticed that the face on one of my sleeping baby stamp is oval shaped. Sometimes, you have to get kind of creative to play along with the challenges, but I love the finishing touch the stamped image adds to my layout.

I didn't add any journaling yet because I wanted to respect the privacy of the mommy and baby!

Recipe:
Take Note stamp set
Occasionally stamp set (SU)
Heidi's Flowers Stripe Decor patterned paper (Heidi Grace Designs)
Sweet Leaf, Goldrush & White Daisy cardstock
Sweet Leaf, Goldrush, Whisper & Taffy ink
Sweet Leaf & Black markers
Sweet Leaf ribbon
Green epoxy bubbles
Cabana Titles stickers (CM)
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Contrasting Elements from Jeanette Lynton's Cherish
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title & notebook paper
Challenges: Splitcoast Stampers Stash Buster's challenge (ribbon, stickers, & notebook paper); Rochelle Spears' April tic-tac-toe challenge (I used the middle row across: oval shape, spring colors, ribbon)

Thanksgiving 2012 Layout

I guess I didn't take many pictures in November 2012, because my photos skip from Halloween right to Thanksgiving! Oh well, makes it easier to get caught up on my scrapping. I finally got a chance to use the April Week 1 Scrapbook Sketch I designed for Splitcoast Stampers, plus I played along with the Stash Busters challenge and a challenge board from 1-2-3 Get Scrappy, so lots of inspiration for this layout. Sorry the scan is not great; it was hard to get a good image with the fat buttons and bakers twine on the layout.

Recipe:
Year Round Cheer stamp set
Pathfinding Level 2 papers
Autumn Terracotta, Chocolate & Champagne cardstock
Autumn Terracotta & Chocolate ink
Floret paper flowers
Wooden craft buttons
Autumn Terracotta & White Daisy baker's twine
Irresistibles Frames chipboard
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch15Apr1
Challenges: 1-2-3 Get Scrappy April challenge board (I chose the top row - earth tone background, frame, wood element); Use Your Stuff Anything Goes