Way to Go Layout

My last layout of the month, and it helps me finish up my son Adrian's third grade career. We were so proud of Adrian for earning an academic achievement award; little did we know that two years later, he would receive the presidential award, too!

Recipe:
Typeset Level 2 papers & canvas stickers
Kraft, Barn Red & Colonial White cardstock
Barn Red & Cocoa ink
Cocoa marker
Round Durables Studs - Antiqued Gold
Cricut Artiste cartridge: rosette
Pattern: Let's Scrap 9-29-10 Sketch
Challenges: 2 Broke Girls Useless Calories Challenge: accordian folding

Checklist Layout

I'm plowing through my older son's school album, trying to get it up to date before he starts 6th grade in the fall. Here's another layout I just finished, featuring his 3rd grade portrait. Color My Heart's color dare for the week is to use Pacifica, Cranberry, and White Daisy (probably because July 4th is just around the corner), and Adrian's shirt went really well with the Pacifica part, so I focused on that and used the Cranberry as an accent color. I also finally got a chance to play along with the Heart 2 Heart Tool Time challenge; I used a different slant on it and journaled about the tools Adrian already had within to succeed in 3rd grade. Finally, I added a piece of striped paper so I could play along with the Stampin' Royalty stripes challenge this week.

Recipe:
Checklist stamp set
Elemental & Dakota Level 2 papers
Pacifica & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry & Black markers
Elemental Complements chipboard
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artiste cartridge: scalloped borders
Pattern: Title Topper - Photos from Reflections

SCS Variety Challenge 191 - 21 Laps

Time for another stimulating variety challenge for Splitcoast Stampers, so come join in the fun and play along using the link below!

SBVC191 - Ombre
One of the hot new trends in scrapbooking is called ombre. The dictionary defines ombre as "having colors or tones that shade into each other — used especially of fabrics in which the color is graduated from light to dark." This week's challenge is to create a layout that uses the ombre technique. You can do it using strips of paper, stamps,markers, even digital effects.  Have fun and let us see what you can do!

For my layout, I used strips of progressively darker yellow patterned paper to create the background piece on the right hand page. I also did a little bit of ombre with the blue strips on each page.

Recipe:
Authentic, Kudos, Love Life, Make It Count & My Game stamp sets
Chantilly, Dotty for You, Grace, Clementine, Key to My Heart, Animal Cookies, Magic Moments & Free Spirit Level 2 papers
Goldrush, Sky, Indian Corn Blue, Outdoor Denim & White Daisy cardstock
Buttercup, Creme Brulee, Sunflower, Honey, Goldrush, Sky, Indian Corn Blue & Outdoor Denim ink
Outdoor Denim craft buttons
Creme Brulee baker's twine
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title, stars
Pattern: EMS Sketch 44
Challenges: 2 Broke Girls "A Pinch of This and That" stash challenge

Open House Layout

This layout has been sitting on my desk for a week now, unfinished, because I just couldn't seem to find a way to pull it all together. I knew I wanted to participate in the Child's Play Mickey Mouse Clubhouse challenge, so I created the title, but after that I was stuck! Yesterday, I discovered a new sketch blog (well, new to me, at least) and I thought the sketch would work really well with my photos, so this morning I was able to finish it up. BTW, I love my son's poem. He did great on the first stanza, but then he kinda lost track of the whole rhyming thing, so his result cracks me up.

Recipe:
Spot On Backgrounds, Today's Date & Capture the Date  stamp sets
Sunset, Honey, Cocoa, Topiary, Dutch Blue, White Daisy & Cashmere cardstock
Sunset, Cocoa, Dutch Blue & Creme Brulee ink
Black bitty brad
Twill ribbon
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border
Artiste cartridge: stars
Challenges: Little Red Wagon - cardstock only (no patterned paper); Frosted Design's Fabulous Friday challenge - polka dots; 2 Broke Girls Max & Caroline challenge - use numbers; Pamela's World of Scrap - sketch 237 (using the right hand side of the 2 page sketch)

Mr. Luna Layout

There's a new Close to My Heart challenge blog called Rose Blossom Garden Challenges, and the idea is to use your CTMH Cricut cartridges to create artwork.The latest challenge is to use any of the images from the Birthday Boy key from Artiste (p. 68 in the booklet). I was working on pictures from my son's school album, and since this key features lots of space images, I knew it was a perfect fit for Adrian's second grade teacher, Mr. Luna! (Luna means moon in Spanish, just in case you didn't know). And since CTMH is coming to Australia and New Zealand very soon, I figured it would also be fun to incorporate the current Southern Girl's challenge to use punches or die-cuts. The journaling reads: Adrian's second grade teacher was out of this world!

Recipe:
Cashmere, Cocoa, Sunset, Dutch Blue & Honey cardstock
Cocoa, Sunset, Dutch Blue & Honey ink
Cocoa & Honey markers
Irresitibles Lots of Dots alphabet stickers
Striped Chocolate ribbon
3-D foam tape
Pattern: 2 Broke Girls NSD Sketch 1
Cricut Artiste cartridge: planet, stars, rocketships

Sew Thoughtful Card

I'm plugging away at getting the cards for my upcoming card workshop designed before I leave for a camping vacation during which no paper crafting is allowed! Here's another one, this time using the  Puns of Praise stamp set. I picked the following sketch from Annabelle Stamps for the design, but of course I had to change it up a little!

 

Recipe:
Puns of Praise, Boutique Borders & Love Life stamp sets
Dream Pop Level 2 papers
White Daisy cardstock
Slate & Cotton Candy ink
Black Pigment ink
Clear embossing powder
Cotton Candy & Silver Metallics markers
Grey Wool baker's Twine
Pewter brad
Challenges: Annabelle Stamps Choose Your Favorite Sketch

Mojo Monday 296 Card - A Little Birdie

I'm on a roll with the Mojo Monday sketch for this week, so I thought I'd share a card I created for my upcoming Dream Pop workshop, using the same sketch as yesterday's card. It's amazing how a different set of papers and embellishments can make it look like a totally different card, yet the bones of it are the same!

Recipe:
Life is Tweet stamp set
Dream Pop kit
White Daisy cardstock
Cotton Candy, Lagoon, Slate & Honey ink
Slate craft button
White Daisy baker's twine
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: flowers
Challenges: Color My Heart Dream Pop color dare

Mojo Monday 296 Card - Gee, Thanks

 

We have the greatest crossing guard overseeing the crosswalk by my son's school. Mr. Jack is so friendly and thoughtful, and he truly cares about the safety of the kids, so this card is a big thank you to him! I knew the Cricut Artiste cartridge had a few road sign cuts that I could use, and when I saw the circles on the Mojo Monday sketch for the week, inspiration struck. Hope you like the end result!

Recipe:
School Rocks stamp set
For Always & Cherry-O Level 2 papers
White Daisy, Black, Honey & Tulip cardstock
Black & Tulip ink
Tulip & Topiary brads
Yellow & star brads (from my stash)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artiste cartridge: stop sign, pedestrian crossing sign, stoplight
Challenges:Southern Girls Tic-Tac-Toe (ink, stars, chevrons); Scrap It Girl die-cuts

EMS Sketch Challenge 45 - Playtime at the Aquarium

In the past, I've been rather erratic at posting my sketches, but here's my new schedule. I will be posting a new sketch and a link to post your interpretation of the sketch on the 1st of each month. You will have the whole month to complete a sketch, post it, and link it to this post. On the 5th of the month, I will post the "winner" of the previous month's sketch, and that layout will be featured on my blog. Sound fun? Let's get started with this month's sketch!

My layout:

Recipe:
Trinity Alphabet, Down By the Sea & Surf's Up WOTG stamp sets
Flirty Level 2 papers
Slate, Sky, Cranberry, Gypsy & White Daisy cardstock
Lagoon, Sky, Cranberry, Gypsy, Cocoa & Goldrush ink
Cocoa marker
Cranberry, Cocoa & Crystal Blue craft buttons
3-D foam tape

Please link your completed layout here by 6/30/13 at 11:59 pm PST!