Hey dude, where's my LOAD?

I was going to use this evening to catch up on my LOAD challenges after going to Costco to get more photos printed, but discovered I can't pick up my prints until Tuesday. Woe is me!!! Turns out Costco is closed on Memorial Day, and I ordered my prints too late in the day to make their 2-hours-before-closing deadline. Bummer. I guess I will be working on my upcoming card workshop instead, and I hope to get back on track Tuesday.

LOAD #27 - Take Time to Play

Time for confession: I did not complete a layout yesterday! Time just got away from me, and before I knew it, it was bedtime and my layout was not even close to done. Kinda makes me laugh since the title of my layout was "Take Time to Play." Oh well, it's done now, so here it is. I used EMS Sketch 10, some old paper from DCWV, and quite a few stamp sets (including the discontinued but still much loved Word Puzzles).



Recipe:
March Word Puzzle, April Word Puzzle, September Word Puzzle, Just Be You, Boom & Hodgepodge Alphabet stamp sets
Patterned papers (DCWV)
Sorbet & Cranberry cardstock
Cranberry ink
Black marker
Connections Club Rewards brad

LOAD #26 - Live, Laugh, Love Life

Simple but fun layout for today. This is another one from the fair. The pattern is Front and Center - Focal from Reflections. Hope it makes you smile!



Recipe:
Hodgepodge Alphabet stamp set
Colorful papers (KI Memories)
Tulip & Bamboo cardstock
Dutch Blue & Black ink
Dutch Blue marker
Craft buttons
Smiley faces & chipboard (source unknown)
Paint (Delta)

LOAD # 25 - Take Me to the Fair

The whole time I was scrapping this layout, the song Guenevere sings in Camelot kept running through my mind, so when the time came to add a title, it had to be "You May Take Me to the Fair." I used a combination of the old (stickers) and the new (sketch from Sketch Support blog) on this layout, but I altered the stickers a little by backing some of them with white cardstock so they didn't take on the color of the background, plus I popped up part of the prize ribbon with 3-D foam tape. I also totally altered the sketch, but at least it gave me a starting point. No journaling yet on this layout, because my husband took the boys and a friend's daughter to the fair, so I want him to journal. We'll see if he agrees to do so!



Recipe:
Homestead Alphabet stamp set
Blue paper (unknown)
Pear & White Daisy cardstock
Tulip & Pear ink
Black marker
County Fair stickers (Me & My Big Ideas)
3-D foam tape

LOAD #24 - Picnic

Only one week left of my LOAD challenge! For today's layout, I started with a sketch from the Nuts About Sketches blog and combined it with an idea from the June 2011 issue of Scrapbooks, Etc.: use paper strips on your page. The title was cut out using my Wishblade and White Daisy cardstock, which I then sponged with Goldrush ink to get a muted effect.



Recipe:
Summer Wishes & Hot Diggity stamp sets
Splendor Level 2 papers
White Daisy & Topiary cardstock
Goldrush, Moonstruck, Topiary, Heavenly Blue & Chocolate ink
Moonstruck marker
White ric-rac
White Daisy Bigger Brads
Liquid Glass
Paper crimper

LOAD #23 - Happy Birthday Kaden

I couldn't find the perfect papers for this layout, so I decided to create my own. In the process, I also used the Variety Challenge from Split Coast Stampers: to create a monochromatic page. Mine uses shades of brown. This is harder than it sounds; I kept wanting to add red or blue to the mix! Hopefully the browns tone down the bright colors in the pictures. The layout didn't turn out quite how I hoped, but it will have to do! The pattern is Beauty in Repetition from Cherish.



Recipe:
Cocktail Alphabet, Friendship Alphabet Small, Fanfare, Holiday Hoopla, Thoughtful Seasons, A Little Everything, Boom, Happy Birthday & Celebrate the Everyday stamp sets
Kraft, Bamboo & White Daisy cardstock
Chocolate, Cocoa, Desert Sand & Bamboo ink
Chocolate & Desert Sand markers
Metal-rimmed circle tags
Chocolate brads

Layout Linky #21 + LOAD #22 - Pool Party

The June issue of Scrapbooks Etc. had the cutest little banner on the cover, and I tried to scraplift it. Unfortunately, my letter stickers on the banner didn't show up well when I scanned the layout, but trust me, they look cute in real life! I created the sun using a cardstock circle that I stamped with a pattern, then I put the title and window charm on top, and finally I trimmed the outer edge into rays. Fun and not too difficult. The layout pattern is Mesmerize from Magic.



Recipe:
Charm Upper Alphabet, Charm Lowercase Alphabet, Hot Diggity, Dream Big, A Little Everything & Spot On Backgrounds stamp sets
Summer Fun papers & Stickers (KI Memories)
Chocolate, Crystal Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Chocolate, Crystal Blue & Creme Brulee ink
Chocolate Grosgrain ribbon
Embroidery floss (Making Memories)
Window Charms - Circles

***If you are participating in the 52 Layouts Challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your week 21 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 #21 - Welcome Baby

Today's layout features photos from a friend's baby shower, and I loved being able to use the new Sweethearts B&T paper. I confess, I actually bought the paper because the reverse side of three of the papers features designs in black, and I needed something to use for Elliot's karate photos, but I am very excited I got a chance to use the pretty front side! For the design, I used the Nuts About Sketches Week 117 sketch. Just an FYI, the baby in the picture is not the friend's baby; she's a little girl named Chloe whom we fostered for three months. You'll probably see her in future layouts, too.



Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
Sweetheart Level 2 papers
Tulip & Black cardstock
Vellum
Black ink
Black marker
Tulip brads
Metal tag

LOAD #20 - On the Road Again

Last layout for the Arizona vacation album - yay! It feels great to have this done at last. I used some old supplies on this one, so I'm not sure what everything is, but I identified what I could. The pattern is Transfigure from Magic.



Recipe:
Patterned paper (DCWV)
Dutch Blue, Sunset & Black cardstock
Dutch Blue & Sunset ink
Black marker
White gel pen (Marvy)
Stickers (Creative Memories)

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

EMS Sketch Challenge 29 + LOAD #18 - Family Fun in Sedona

I know, my second sketch challenge in a week! Didn't plan it that way, but now you have two different layout plans you can use this week (or when ever). Don't forget, if you use one of my sketches, leave me a comment and I'll give you a shout-out on my blog.
These pictures almost drove me nuts figuring out how to scrapbook them. What was I thinking, dressing my family in red to go see Sedona? I went through all my paper twice, and none of my patterned papers really worked. I finally pulled cardstock for the predominate colors from the pictures, and this is the color combo I came up with. I am not a fan of Taffy (the color, not the candy), but it seems to work for this layout. What do you think? I used the Connections stamp set to create some random stamped paper on the Tulip cardstock. Hope you like it.

The sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Connections & Felicity stamp sets
Taffy, Tulip, Pacifica & Sky cardstock
Tulip, Pacifica & Sky ink
Pacifica marker
Tulip brads

LOAD #17 - Sedona

Oops, I can't believe I forgot to post a layout yesterday. My only excuse is that I got really busy creating some cards from a Olivia Level 1 kit, and so I never got around to scanning my layout. Sorry! Anyway, here it is in all its extremely simple glory. It's very picture-heavy, so I decided to leave embellishments to the barest minimum.



Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Large, The Present & Something Splendid stamp sets
Passages Level 2 papers
Kraft & Colonial White cardstock
Barn Red, Garden Green & Sunset ink
Cocoa marker

LOAD #16 - Coconino National Forest

I had a few pictures left from our Arizona vacation that I had not yet scrapped, so I thought it was time to finish that album. For this layout, I used the Lucky Level 2 paper pack, which features earth tones that are great for scrapping nature pictures (as well as all those boy pictures I have)! I love the main colors of Desert Sand, Outdoor Denim, and Olive with a dash of Sunset thrown in for contrast.



Recipe:
Bingo Alphabet stamp set
Lucky Level 2 papers & Die Cut Assortment
Desert Sand & Bamboo cardstock
Outdoor Denim ink
Olive marker
3-D foam squares

Layout Linky #20 + LOAD #15 - Presents for Adrian

I think I can, I think I can! I'm almost all caught up on my posting, and as soon as I post today's layout, I will be half way through the month. I'm really enjoying this push to get my layouts done. How are my challenge gals doing? Several of you keep posting layouts, so hopefully this challenge is helpful to you.

Today's layout is my last one from 2010. Woohoo! I used the right hand page from Parlor Trick (from Magic), and I added a title/journaling block based on the cover of the Spring/Summer idea book. The one in the idea book is very girly, so I took it in a more boyish direction, but several of the elements are very similar (the ribbon, circle, geometric shape, etc.) The patterned paper buttons are made from clear buttons with patterned paper adhered to the back using Liquid Glass, a great way to coordinate buttons with any layout.



Recipe:
Playful Caps, Lowercase & Number stamp sets
Fanfare Level 2 papers
Sunny Yellow, Pacifica & White Daisy cardstock
Pacifica ink
Pacifica marker
Pacifica, Sky, Cranberry & Clear craft buttons
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon
White gel pen (Marvy)
Liquid Glass

***If you are participating in the 52 Layouts Challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your twentieth 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.

EMS Sketch Challenge 28 + LOAD #14 - Gifts

Almost caught up with posting my LOAD for this week - yay! This layout comes with a sketch, so feel free to try it out. There's a fun little element that I added to the layout: an envelope to hold my journaling. The journaling required more space than I had designated, so I wrote it on both sides of the insert that goes in the envelope. The envelope template is one of the many included on the DVD that comes with Jeanette Lynton's Magic book. Cool bonus!
The sketch:

My layout:


The envelope with journaling insert:

Recipe:
Celebrate the Everyday, Good Times, Holiday Hoopla, Spot On Backgrounds & Alphabet Solos "R" stamp sets
Traditional Christmas papers & Stickers (KI Memories)
Cotton Candy, Tulip, Bamboo & White Daisy cardstock
Topiary, Pear, Tulip, Cotton Candy & Vineyard Berry ink
Topiary marker
DE Framed Fun
Pear brad

LOAD #13 - The Stocking Were Hung

Still trying to catch up with my LOAD posts! I used a Pagemaps sketch from September 2010 for the design of this layout, but rotated it to the right.



Recipe:
Polka Dot Alphabet, Stocking Style, Shining Star & Jingle Borders stamp sets
Jingle Level 2 papers
Juniper & White Daisy cardstock
Juniper, Tulip, Creme Brulee, Twilight & Versamark ink
Tulip marker
White embossing powder
Gold photo hanger
Creme Brulee ribbon

LOAD # 12 - Christmas Eve

I had this layout completed on Thursday, but Blogger wasn't letting me post, so I kinda fell off the wagon about posting my LOADs. Sorry! This layout uses a sketch from the Stickers 'n Fun site. I cut out the title font using my Wishblade, and I hand cut the flowers from the Evensong patterned paper. The only stamping on the layout is in the corners, where I stamped a decorative element from the Lucky set.



Recipe:
Lucky stamp set
Evensong Level 2 papers
New England Ivy, Olive, Vineyard Berry & White Daisy cardstock
New England Icy, Vineyard Berry & Sorbet ink
Vineyard Berry marker
Garden Green & Cranberry brads
Colonial White ric-rac

LOAD #11 - K Concert

The lighting was too dark in the auditorium for me to get pictures of the actual concert, so I had to make do with these photos of my boys posing next to the bulletin boards. At least I got Elliot's gloves and hat that he wore for the concert! The layout pattern is Trap Door (the right side) from Magic.



Recipe:
Ice Crystals & Tiny Typewriter Alphabet stamp sets
Mistletoe Level 2 papers
New England Ivy, Bamboo & White Daisy cardstock
New England Ivy, Garden Green, Cranberry & Versamark ink
New England Ivy & Cranberry markers
DE Monograms "K"
White embossing powder
Photo hanger
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon

LOAD #10 - Sharing the Magic

My day got really busy yesterday, so I didn't manage to complete my layout. I had the images stamped and all I needed to do was color them in to finish the layout, but I confess - I was too tired! Oh well, they're done, so I'm off to work on today's layout. See you in a while.



Recipe:
Share the Magic stamp set
Traditional Christmas papers (KI Memories)
Clover Meadow, Pear & White Daisy cardstock
Cocoa, Clover Meadow & Versamark ink
Cocoa, Bamboo & Black markers
Versamarker
Kraft Color-Ready borders
Gold embossing powder
Stickles (Ranger)
Watercolor pencils (Prismacolor)
Decorative scissors (Fiskars)

LOAD #9 - Even the Animals Came

This layout was a lot more work than I expected, mostly because I couldn't come up with a color scheme that worked with the photos. The bright green shirt, pink scarf, and red/black striped sweater all made it tough to coordinate! I finally decided to just create a background that focused on the theme. I created the star paper by stamping the text image first, then stamped the stars using Versamark ink, which I embossed with clear embossing powder. I then brayered the Dutch Blue ink over it all. The embossed portions stayed clear, leaving me with a starry background and the text for a bit of interest. To see another layout using this technique, check out my Aquarium layout. The layout pattern is "On With the Show" from Magic.



Recipe:
Christmas Story & Shining Star stamp sets
Zippidee Level 2 paper & sticker
Kraft, Dutch Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Chocolate, Desert Sand, Creme Brulee & Versamark ink
Chocolate, Desert Sand, Bamboo, Brown Bag, Dutch Blue, Sky, Honey & Baby Pink marker
Clear, Black & Gold embossing powder
3-D foam tape

Layout Linky #19 + LOAD #8 - Party On

For the Virtual Scrapbooking Night at Split Coast Stampers, one of the challenges was to build a layout starting with Kraft paper and adding the colors red, green, and orange. I thought that would be perfect for pictures from Chuck E. Cheese. I always struggle with scrapping all those bright colors, so the Kraft was a perfect way to tone them down, plus I just used scraps of cardstock (no patterned paper) to minimize the busyness. The pattern is based on a sketch from the Nuts About Sketches blog.



Recipe:
Cocktail Alphabet & Celebrate the Everyday stamp set
Topiary, Sunset, Tulip, Lagoon, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Topiary & Sunny Yellow ink
Lagoon & Tulip markers
Decorative scissors (Fiskars)
Star Punch (unknown)

***If you are participating in the 52 Layouts Challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your nineteenth 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 #7 - Ticket to Ride

When I saw the pattern Ta-Da from Jeanette Lynton's book Magic, the small paper strips immediately reminded me of railroad ties, so I decided to make a railroad track for this train layout. I didn't have any train stamps to use on the layout, but I picked stamps that reminded me of train travel to create the title/journaling collage. Hope you like!



Recipe:
Ticket to Ride, Gear Up, Cherish the Moment & Post Card - Travel Series stamp sets
Bella, Felicity & Moondoggie Level 2 papers
Cranberry, Chocolate & Colonial White cardstock
Cocoa, Grey Flannel, Dutch Blue, Desert Sand & Chocolate ink
Cocoa & Cranberry markers
Cocoa brads
3-D foam tape

LOAD #6 - Early Christmas

I wanted to cram lots of photos on this layout, so I chose a very simple background that would not overwhelm the photos. It turned out a little too simple, so I raided my button hoard - um, I mean stash - for decorative accents. I had seen other crafters make button trees and thought it looked like fun, so I tried one. Yes, it was fun!



Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Large stamp set
Jingle Level 2 papers
White Daisy cardstock
Tulip ink
Juniper marker
Craft buttons

LOAD #5 - XOXO

I just love having a girly niece to scrapbook! My boys are sweet, but they are all boy, so it's fun to pull out the pretty paper once in a while. For this layout, I used lots of chipboard, and tried to decorate it in different ways. Usually, I'm not very creative with my chipboard, just using it plain or swiping ink onto it directly from a pad, but this time I got creative with stamping, too. I even made some faux chipboard brackets by cutting out multiple brackets using my Wishblade, and then layering the pieces until they were nice and thick like chipboard. The frame around the square picture of Lexi started out as plain white chipboard that I stamped (with Versamark ink), embossed (using clear powder and a heat gun), and then inked (using Tulip and Chocolate ink).



Recipe:
Noted Backgrounds & Boutique Borders stamp sets
Cherry-O Level 2 papers
Chocolate & Baby Pink cardstock
Chocolate, Blush, Tulip & Sweet Leaf ink
White gel pen (Marvy)
DE Monograms "X", "O"
DE Irresistibles Pizzazz
DE Framed Fun
Scalloped border punch (Fiskars)
3-D foam tape

LOAD #4 - Decorate

After looking through a bunch of catalogs and scrapbook magazines, I have come to the conclusion that it's hard to get creative with a tree trimming title. All the layouts were either titled O Christmas Tree, Trimming the Tree, or Deck the Halls. I did find one that was a little different, so I borrowed the title "Decorate" from a layout in Scrapbooks Etc. I usually use a lot of CTMH product, but for this one I decided to go with a KI Memories kit from several years back, mixed with stamped images from the Adorn-able set from CTMH. The Thursday Scrapbooking Challenge at Split Coast Stampers last week was to use an item you usually pass over, so I pulled out some Stickles that I had bought a while back and never used. I love the sparkle they add to the page! The pattern for the layout is Bottom Border - Title from Jeanette Lynton's Reflections book.



Recipe:
Adorn-able stamp set
Traditional Christmas papers & Stickers (KI Memories)
Topiary & White Daisy cardstock
Pear, Topiary, Bubblegum, Cranberry, Barn Red & Cocoa ink
Sparkles
Stickles (Ranger)

EMS Sketch Challenge 27 + LOAD #3 - Yum!

I haven't done a sketch challenge for a while so I thought I'd throw one in there. This sketch is pretty far out of my comfort zone, but it was really fun to do. There wasn't a lot of room for journaling, so I made one of the pictures into a pocket and there is a journaling tag that pulls out from behind it.

The Sketch:


My Layout:


Recipe:
Field Trip Alphabet & Save the Date stamp sets
Mistletoe Level 2 papers
White Daisy cardstock
Cocoa & Cranberry ink
Cocoa marker
White Daisy ricrac
Cocoa grosgrain ribbon
Forest grosgrain ribbon (Offray)
Xmas ribbon (Joannes)
White Daisy & Cranberry brads
Cranberry spiral clip
Topiary safety pin
White Daisy craft button
Cranberry embroidery floss

Week 18 Layout Linky + LOAD # 2 - Ladies' Tea

Having a challenge that you must complete sure makes you stick to it! I was getting tired and ready to give up on my layout and go to bed, but I knew it had to be finished today, so I persevered and here it is. I'm scrapping Christmas photos from last year, and this layout showcases the annual Christmas tea for my church ladies. The current scrapbook variety challenge at Split Coast Stampers is to use tags on your page, so I added two to hold some teacups.



Recipe:
Chocolate Alphabet Large & A Sip stamp sets
Evensong Level 2 papers
Black, Cranberry, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Black, Cranberry, Desert Sand, Sorbet & Vineyard Berry ink
Black marker
Sorbet ribbon
Kraft Color-Ready borders
3-D foam tape

***If you are participating in the 52 Layouts Challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your eighteenth 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 #1 - Game Plan

Since I haven't been progressing very well toward my yearly layout goal of 200, I decided to do a Layout a Day (LOAD) challenge for myself this month. If I can keep it up, it should almost double my totals for the year! Here's my first layout, another soccer one. I decided not to use any soccer papers or stamps, and just focused on the stars from the Fanfare paper. I also used a sketch from the Nuts about Sketches Blog (Week 91 Bonus sketch).



Recipe:
Building Block, Shining Star & Boom! stamp sets
Fanfare Level 2 papers
Sunny Yellow & White Daisy cardstock
Pacifica, Cranberry & Sunny Yellow ink
Pacifica marker
DE Stars
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon