Bright Angel Lodge Layout

Despite the craziness of Christmas and having kids on break from school, I managed to get another layout done for my 2011 Grand Canyon vacation! I pulled out an old sketch from my blog in order to document our time both outside and inside Bright Angel Lodge.

Recipe:
You Are My Happy & Take Note stamp sets
Laughing Lola Level 2 papers
Black & Crystal Blue cardstock
Black, Crystal Blue, Gypsy, Amethyst, Honey & Bamboo ink
Colonial White ric-rac
Pizzazz Irresistibles chipboard
Flutter Just Blooms
Purple Glitter Gems
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: flourish
Pattern: EMS Sketch 39
Challenges: Use Your Stuff anything goes (lots of older product from my stash on this layout!)

Christmas Treats Tag

The kid's in my son's class are writing letters of appreciation to the unsung heroes of the school (like the maintenance staff) and I was asked to make little tags to go on the accompanying treat bags. I think the room mom probably just needed something printed off the computer, but I couldn't resist the chance to get creative! I couldn't go too crazy since I had to make 12 of them, but I managed a few fun Cricut cuts and a little bit of coloring.

Recipe:
Santa Claus stamp set
Desert Sand, Topiary & White Daisy cardstock
Desert Sand, Topiary & Cranberry ink
Taffy marker
Gold gel pen
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: scalloped mat

Grand Canyon Shuttle Layout

I sneaked off to my craft room to get in a little scrapping time this morning, and this is what I came up with. I had some random pictures of my son and me on the Grand Canyon shuttle, plus a photo we took of some deer grazing right by the shuttle stop, so I combined them with a sketch from Sketches in Thyme, plus a few other challenges, to create a fun layout of that special moment.

Recipe:
Noted Backgrounds stamp set
Mistletoe creative Basics paper
Sky, Cranberry, New England Ivy, Kraft & Colonial White cardstock
Cashmere ink
New England Ivy marker
Tulip Craft buttons
Natural hemp
Cranberry organdy ribbon
My Crush Best Day Ever Assortment (notebook paper)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: circle, tree overlay, scalloped border, tag, title
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: arrows
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #135
Challenges: 1 2 3 Get Scrappy #17 (I used the third row down - buttons, tag, light blue background); Clear It Out Challenges (use the color blue and ribbon or twine); Use Your Stuff color challenge: red & green (I used several other colors but lots of red and green)

Yavapi Layout

My last layout for November, squeezed in just before the end of the day here in California. I'm going to be doing a whole series of layouts from a driving vacation we took to Colorado in 2011, including our stops at the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde, so here's the first installment, with pictures from the Grand Canyon portion of our trip. I haven't been using my stamps very much lately, so please notice I actually inked up a stamp for this layout!

Recipe:
Timberline stamp set
Free to Be Me Level 2 papers
Red, White Daisy, & Teal cardstock
Crystal Blue ink
Crystal Blue marker
Lagoon houndstooth & Honey triangles washi tape
Durable Triangular Studs - silver
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Nuts About Sketches Week 345
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart No Rules (except use CTMH products); Little Red Wagon washi tape

K Open House Layout

Heart 2 Heart had a "no ink" challenge this month, and it was funny how much I kept wanting to reach for the ink once I knew I couldn't use it. However, with the help of some retired CTMH product and a few challenge inspirations, I made it through! I went a little old school for the look of the layout, but hopefully you like it.

Recipe:
Zippidee Level 2 papers
Cranberry, Honey & Indian Corn Blue cardstock
Cranberry grosgrain, satin & organdy ribbons
Cranberry & White Daisy brads
Cricut Artiste cartridge: award circle, title
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Conclusion Combo from Imagine
Challenges: Child's Play Hot Wheels challenge (I was inspired by the color scheme plus the circle behind the Mattel logo); 1 2 3 Get Scrappy challenge board (I used the middle column - more than 1 picture, more than 2 ribbons, more than 5 brads); Heart 2 Heart no ink challenge

Ready. Set. Go. Layout

School pictures aren't really that much fun for me to scrap because it's a challenge making similarly posed pictures look different and fresh. Anyone else have the same problem? However, with the help of a sketch from Sketch-n-Scrap and a few other challenges, I created a layout that hopefully frames this school photo well! I was running short on Olive cardstock so I used an old trick and brayered Olive ink over White Daisy textured cardstock to create the frame for the photo.

Recipe:
You & Me Level 2 papers
Olive, Chocolate & Creme Brulee cardstock
White Daisy textured cardstock
Olive, Chocolate & Creme Brulee ink
Woodgrain washi tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title, hexagons, apples
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap Inspired By #11
Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks Die-Cuts challenge; Lasting Memories Only One Photo challenge; Heart 2 Heart No Embellishments challenge; Splitcoast Stampers' VSBN school photo challenge

Wet Layout

Believe it or not, there is no patterned paper on this layout! Heart 2 Heart's November scrapbooking challenge is to design a layout that uses no patterned paper, so I used an overlay from the Artbooking cartridge, cut it out of cardstock four times, and mixed and matched the pieces to create the arrow piece on the left of the layout. Fun!

Recipe:
Goldrush, Cranberry, Topiary, Crystal Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Crystal Blue ink
Goldrush, Cranberry & Crystal Blue markers
DE Monograms "W", "E", "T"
DE Quotes (talk bubble)
Goldrush, Cranberry & Topiary Craft buttons
Cranberry, Topiary & White Daisy embroidery floss
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: overlay, arrows
Pattern: GrandDiva's Creative Corner 11/1/14 (left hand page only and I used a large block of arrows instead of three banners)
Challenges: Clear It Out Anything Goes challenge + use 3 of the same thing (I chose buttons); Rochelle Spears Tic-Tac-Toe challenge (I chose the "toe" column and used chipboard alphas, a chipboard talk bubble, and 3 buttons);

Fun & Sun Layout

Splitcoast Stampers is having another Virtual Scrapbook Night (well, weekend, actually), and I couldn't resist joining in on some challenges. For the Group Pictures challenge, I started with a sketch from Let's Scrap and added a group picture (not a very good one, but it has people in it who I want to remember) plus a bunch of supporting pictures that show what we did that day.

Recipe:
Capture the Date stamp set
Octopus and stripe patterned papers (from my stash, source unknown)
Indian Corn Blue, Bamboo, Sweet Leaf & Desert Sand cardstock
Indian Corn Blue, Desert Sand, Sweet Leaf & Outdoor denim ink
Vellum (The Paper Company)
Star Spangled Blue marker
White gel pen (Sakura)
Sweet Leaf craft buttons
White Daisy baker's twine
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title, waves, frame, umbrella, journaling tag
Cuttlebug embossing folder: Swiss Dot
Pattern: Let's Scrap Sketch 11-5-14

Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks Bingo challenge (I chose column "O" - buttons, embossing, dies/punches. twine)

EMS Sketch Challenge 60 - SBTS

Another sketch coming your way, this time with little pictures. I'm a big-time 4" x 6" scrapper, so this is a bit of a departure for me, but hopefully it works well for my fellow scrappers out in Blogland! As always, have fun, change up what doesn't work for you, and please leave a link to your completed layout so I can see how you used the sketch.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Florentine Level 2 paper & My Stickease
Sky, Desert Sand, Indian Corn Blue & Colonial White cardstock
Indian Corn Blue & Desert Sand ink
Chocolate marker
Tan sparkles
Cricut Wall Decor cartridge: title
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart No Stamping challenge; 4 Crafty Chicks Anything Goes challenge

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

Star Wars Miniland Layout

One of our family's favorite things to visit at Legoland is the Miniland exhibit, so I loved scrapping some photos of the Star Wars section of Miniland!

Recipe:
Proplayer Level 2 papers
Kraft cardstock
Desert Sand, Slate, Ruby & Black ink
Durables triangular studs
Ruby glitter buttons
Ruby washi tape
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title
Pattern: Sketch 'n Scrap Inspired By Sketch #10
Challenges: Little Red Wagon Kraft cardstock challenge

Treat Layout

This week's Stashbusters Challenge over at Split Coast Stampers caused me to pull a few item that I haven't used for a while out of my stash. I have tons of chipboard (especially alphabets) and buttons, not to mention stacks of paper, so thanks to challenge hostess Ann for inspiring me to dig these items out and get some on a layout. Everything on this layout (except the Cranberry & White Daisy cardstock) is retired Close to My Heart product; I'm taking some time off from being a CTMH consultant due to my family situation, so hopefully I can clear out my stash and be ready for new products when I re-enlist!

Recipe:
Fanfare Level 2 papers
Cranberry, Dutch Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim & Sunny Yellow ink
Outdoor Denim marker
DE Monograms chipboard ("T", "R", "E", "A")
Cranberry, Sunkiss Yellow & White Daisy embroidery floss
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim & Sunny Yellow craft buttons
Outdoor Denim spiral clips
Cranberry & White Daisy plaid ribbon
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: arrow, star
Pattern: EMS Sketch 33
Challenges: Lasting Memories Trick or Treat challenge (I used the word Treat for my title); Heart 2 Heart Guilty Pleasures challenges (yes, food is my guilty pleasure!)

Celebrate Freedom Layout

These are just a few of my family's photos from July 4th. The bulk of them I am placing in a 12 pocket page protector (Project Life Style), so I got to have fun with just a trio of photos. July 4th pictures are usually difficult for me to scrap, probably because the color schemes are always so bright, but for some reason, this layout just flew together. I've been trying to do some of the Stashbusters challenges at Splitcoast Stampers, so thanks to challenge hostess Ann for the inspiration to add some older product to my layout.

Recipe:
Blue Ribbon Level 2 papers
Outdoor Denim, Honey & Cranberry cardstock
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim & Honey ink
Cranberry satin ribbon
Outdoor Denim baker's twine
Red eyelets (MM)
Silver-rimmed tag
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title. stars
Pattern: Showtime from Jeanette Lynton's Magic
Challenges: Child's Play Jack in the Box challenge (I used the color scheme from the toy); Lasting Memories Beautiful Friendship challenge (our friends/neighbors moved this summer and we really miss them, so I was thankful to find this picture of my boys with them at the parade in 2012)

July 4th Parade Layout

I'm on a scrapbook roll - wonder how long it will last? Anyway, I started this layout using Sketch 67 from Sketch 'n Scrap, but I flipped it because I didn't want my son gazing off the page at nothing! There are a few other changes I made (a flag instead of a title, no banners, and no Halloween theme), but hopefully you can still see the bones of the sketch.

Recipe:
The Summer Stack papers (DCWV)
Kraft, Moonstruck & White Daisy cardstock
Moonstruck & Desert Sand ink
Moonstruck marker
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon
Let Freedom Ring stickers (All My Memories)
Flag sticker (Jolee's)
Silver star brad (source unknown)
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Sketch 'n Scrap #67

California Science Center Layout

I couldn't find any patterned paper that I felt really went with this layout, so I decided to create some of my own by inking up two stamp sets in two different colors and stamping on cardstock. I really have tons of patterned paper, so I prefer to use that, but in a pinch, this technique works to create just the right complement to a layout. You could do the same thing with embossing folders as long as you have big enough folders for the cardstock you want to emboss.

Recipe:
Tiny Typewriter Alphabet, Authentic, Geometric Backgrounds & In the Background stamps sets
Black, Barn Red, Whisper & White Daisy cardstock
Black, Barn Red, Whisper & Star Spangled Blue ink
Black marker
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title, stars, border, "On This Day" acccent
Pattern: EMS Sketch 31

EMS Sketch Challenge 59 - Learning @ California Science Center

It's been three long months since I posted a scrapbook sketch, but I finally got the energy and had the time to create a new sketch for everyone to play with. Hopefully this will jump start my scrapbooking habit - LOL! I had a lot of 4x6 photos, so I gave you space to fit 5 uncropped 4x6 photos plus several smaller ones. There are so many ways to adapt this sketch to your needs. For example, if you wanted to extend your title across both pages, you could always place your journaling in the 4.5 x 4 photo space. For me, since this layout was the second in a series about the same subject, I didn't feel a need for a big title, so I substituted a die-cut for the title space. Have fun with the sketch and, as always, leave a link to your completed layout.

The sketch:

My layout:

Recipe:
Space Rockets paper (The Paper Studio)
Honey, Pear, Sky & White Daisy cardstock
Pear & Sky ink
Black (Zig) & Honey markers
Epoxy Bubbles
Cuttlebug embossing folder: Spots & Dots
Cricut Artiste cartridge: robot, banners

Please link your completed layout here by 10/31/14 at 11:59 pm PST!

5th Grade Layout

Scrapping two days in a row - that's priceless, especially in my newly hectic life! I wanted to do a school related picture since my kids started school this month, so I grabbed my oldest son's 5th grade picture and got to work. I used die-cuts from three different Cricut cartridges, threw in a little stamping and a few wooden shapes, and another memory is captured.

 Recipe:
Tiny Typewriter stamp set
Spellbound Level 2 papers
Indian Corn Blue, Desert Sand, Champagne, White Daisy & Black cardstock
Indian Corn Blue ink
Black marker
My Crush Besties Assortment
Trinkets Wooden Shapes
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: overlay, circle
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: flourish, title box, 5
Cricut Wall Decor & More cartridge: owl
Pattern: Stuck on Us Sketches 8-29-14 sketch
Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks Something Old (stamp set, papers), Something New (die-cuts, Wall Decor & More cartridge); Frosted Designs stamping challenge (my title is partly stamped)

APU Soccer Camp Layout

Insomnia may not be great for your health, but it sure worked wonders for my scrapbooking. After a month-long scrapbooking drought, I managed to put together the base of this layout last night between midnight and 1 am! I pulled out some papers from a box my neighbor donated to me when she moved in June (so I have no idea what they are called or who manufactured them), and paired them with some trusty CTMH cardstock. A few die-cuts from the Cricut Artbooking cartridge finished off the job. Hope you like my first foray into scrapbooking for a while.

Floral & Stripe paper (from my mystery box)
Pacific, Sky, Pear Topiary, Honey & White Daisy cardstock
Pear & Sky ink
Pacifica marker
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: soccer ball, title, score banner, sunbursts
Pattern: Stick It Down 8-26-14 sketch
Challenges: 1~2~3 Get Scrappy August challenge board (I chose the stars, grass, stripes row); Stampin' Royalty picture inspiration (I loved the blues, green, and touches of yellow, plus I used the starburst idea);  Clear It Out Challenges favorite color combo (mine is blue & green with a touch of yellow)

Ken's Birthday Card

Our good friend Ken is turning 50 this week, so I whipped up a card for him this morning, using the fun color combo of Ruby, Lagoon, Honey, and Black (inspired by this week's Color My Heart color dare).

Recipe:
Dotty for You Level 2 papers
Ruby, Lagoon, Honey, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Lagoon & Honey ink
Honey triangles washi tape
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: all die-cuts
Pattern: Stampin' Royalty sketch challenge
Challenges: Little Red Wagon's camera challenge; Scrap It Girl's Arrows and #s challenge

VBS 2012 Layout

Wow, only my third layout for the month and July is almost over - so sad! Looking forward to being able to scrap more once school starts for the kiddos. For this layout, I started with a sketch from Lasting Memories and then used a patriotic color challenge from Scrap It Girl to go with my non-patriotic photos. Something I learned while doing this layout: when you emboss a 12" long piece of cardstock, it ends up being shorter than 12"! I knew this happened with a crimper, but I had never done it with a embossing folder, so I ended up having to trim along the bottom row of chevrons for a zig-zag border. Oh well, live and learn . . .

Recipe:
Roughing It stamp set (SU)
Boys at Play stamp set
Ruby, Outdoor Denim, Kraft & Champagne cardstock
Ruby, Outdoor Denim & Desert Sand ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Best Day Ever Assortment circle sticker
Burlap ribbon
Outdoor Denim grosgrain ribbon
Ruby washi tape
Mileposts Shapes arrows
3-D foam tape
Embossing folder: CTMH chevrons
Pattern: Lasting Memories sketch
Challenges: Scrap It Girl color challenge: navy, cream, red, kraft

Macaws Layout

My scrapping has sure slowed down since I got two more kids to take care of, but I managed to sneak into my scraproom this morning and finish up this layout.

Recipe:
Dotty for You Level 2 papers
Kraft, Lagoon, Slate & Ponderosa Pine cardstock
Steel Grey marker (Zig)
White gel pen (Sakura)
Paradise Just Blooms paper flowers
Sweet Leaf brads
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: bird
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title
Pattern: Stuck Sketches 7/1/14
Challenges: Frosted Designs Sketch + Die-cut (bird, title are die-cut); Child's Play Colorforms challenge (all those triangles!); 1-2-3 Get Scrappy board (I chose the diagonal row - green, yellow, turquoise/aqua)

Mission Inn Layout

This layout has been on my desk for weeks, and I haven't had the energy or mojo to finish it. Today the weather is a little cooler, so my energy level is a little higher, plus my hubby is taking care of the kids, so I was determined to crank this thing out! The stamped title didn't come out as well as I had hoped, so I added some white highlights to accentuate it a bit.

Recipe:
Vogue Alphabet stamp set
Olivia Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Olive & New England Ivy cardstock
New England Ivy & Sunset ink
White gel pen (Sakura)
Green Sparkles
Sparkle Flourishes, clear
Pattern: EMS Sketch 47

The Lions Sleep Tonight Layout

Don't you love pictures of your kids sleeping? Mine either are hilariously posed or they look like little angels! This photo cracked me up because both my boys ended up on the floor between their perfectly good beds. Guess  it felt like camping. . .

Recipe:
Animal Cookies Level 2 papers
Buttercup, Tulip, Dutch Blue, Chocolate & Sunflower cardstock
Buttercup, Tulip, Dutch Blue, Sunflower & Clover Meadow ink
Chocolate marker
Tulip & Chocolate brads
Blue ric-rac (Joann's Craft Essentials)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: lion
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title
Pattern: Creative Scrappers Sketch 271
Challenges: Lasting Memories Go Wild with Animals; Little Red Wagon Animal Antics

Downtown Riverside Layout

Been working on some major projects at home so this poor layout has been sitting on my scrap desk all week, but I finally got a chance to finish it today! I kept it rather simple, but I'm glad to have it done.

Recipe:
Chocolate Alphabet Small
Pet Shop & Wedding papers (KI Memories)
Slate, Whisper & White Daisy cardstock
Slate & Sky ink
Slate glitter buttons
Sky flower button
Love Letter rub-ons
Silver washi tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped title boxes
Pattern: Aesthetic Balance from Cherish

Hangin' Out Layout

When my hubby suggested taking a train trip to Riverside, I was a little skeptical (what in the world is there to do in Riverside?), but it turned out to be a lot of fun! The Later Sk8r paper pack seemed to fit the mood for these photos we took on the train, and I finally pulled out and used a piece of my CTMH Paper Fundamentals cardstock. It doesn't show up well in the scan, but the grey paper has a glossy resist pattern on it that looks pretty cool in person.

Recipe:
Later Sk8r Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Outdoor Denim & Pear cardstock
Slate Paper Fundamentals cardstock
Outdoor Denim, Pear, Slate & Lagoon ink
Teal eyelets (Making Memories)
Magic Mesh (Creative Imaginations)
Pattern: Stuck Sketches 6/6/12 sketch
Challenges: Child's Play Peter Pan inspiration (I was inspired by the blues and greens of the movie cover, and I scattered eyelets up the page to mimic the look of the fairy dust)

Father's Day 2012 Layout

Heart 2 Heart's challenge this week is Bows or Bow Ties. I dug out some Father's Day photos and combined them with a paper shirt cut out using my Artiste cartridge. The original design shows a regular tie with the shirt, but I replaced it with a little bow tie! I also combined a die-cut ticket with a coordinating stamp to create a fun accent piece, and I masked off the stars the first time I stamped so that I could stamp them in the bright Cranberry rather than Indian Corn Blue. My finishing touch was three large stitches tying the layout together!

Recipe:
Blue Ribbon & Alphabet Solos "E" stamp sets
Jubilee & Elemental Level 2 papers
Cashmere, Indian Corn Blue, Cranberry, Chocolate & Colonial White cardstock
Indian Corn Blue, Cranberry, Chocolate & Creme Brulee ink
Chocolate marker
Colonial White craft buttons
Colonial White & Cranberry embroidery floss
Creme Brulee paper clip
Cricut Artiste cartridge: shirt, bow-tie, parenthesis, title
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: ticket
Heart punch (EK Success)
Circle punch (CM)
Pattern: Enchantment from Magic
Challenges: Frosted Designs Bingo challenge (I used the line that included die cuts, masking, office supplies, 2 different punches & stitching)

Jubilee You're Great Card

Another Monday, and that means another challenge from Heart 2 Heart. I'm having lots of fun being their guest designer for the month, and I especially liked this week's So Studly challenge! We were asked to create a project for the stud in our life, using some of CTMH's Durables Studs in the process. I don't know if most people would count him a stud, but our neighborhood loves our school crossing guard, Mr. Jack. He's out there every day, rain or shine, making sure our kids get safely across a busy street and onto the school grounds. For his end of the year thank you card, I grabbed some Jubilee paper and a sketch from Sketch 'n Scrap and got to work. The round studs were a perfect addition to this card. What stud do you have in your life? Grab so supplies (including some Durables) and pay tribute to that special person. Don't forget to link up your completed project at Heart 2 Heart's blog!

Recipe:
Casual Expressions stamp set
Jubilee Level 2 papers
Cashmere, Indian Corn Blue & Colonial White cardstock
Cashmere, Indian Corn Blue, Honey, Cranberry & Topiary ink
Antiqued Gold Durables - Round
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Sketch 'n Scrap Card Sketch 27
Challenges: Stampin' Royalty masculine projects

K First Day Layout

My younger son is just finishing third grade, so I'm trying to get to work scrapping some of his school pictures! Here are some from his first day in kindergarten. It was quite a saga to get him enrolled in school, so I printed my lengthy journaling on a strip of cardstock and cut a slit in my layout for the cardstock to slide out so the journaling is visible. It's anchored on the bottom with a piece of cardstock that's longer than the slit, and of course, the pull tab tells you what to do!

Recipe:
A Typeface & Elemental stamp sets
Pet Shop papers (KI Memories)
Goldrush, Sky, Chocolate & White Daisy cardstock
Chocolate, Sky & Slate ink
Embossed Metal Badge Buttons
Milepost Shapes corrugated stars
Pewter arrow photo clip & brad
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: rings, pull tab, K
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: First Day title
Pattern: Paper Secrets 6/1/14 sketch
Challenges: Paper Secrets 6/1/14 sketch with a twist - use products starting with the letters in dance (D = die-cuts, A = arrow photo clip, N = number stamps, C = corrugated stars, E = Embossed Metal Badge Buttons); Splitcoast Stampers A Picture is Worth 1000 Words challenge - be inspired by the word scrap (I used only scrap pieces of patterned paper on my layout)

Shine Layout

One of my fears in life is that my kids will one day figure out that washing the windows is work, not fun! Okay, not really, but I thought it would be fun to scrapbook these photos of them shining the windows of our French doors. I really wanted to add a layout to the Heart 2 Heart Rhapsody in Blue challenge, so I used three shades of blue on this layout.

Recipe:
Pet Shop papers (KI Memories)
Whisper, Outdoor Denim, Indian Corn Blue & Sky cardstock
Whisper ink
Later Sk8r Picture My Life card
Clear Sparkles
Cricut Artist cartridge: title, starbursts
Pattern: Inspired Blueprints Sketch 12
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Rhapsody in Blue (the patterned paper is not CTMH but everything else is)

Skylark Friendship Card

I'm so excited to be the guest designer for Heart 2 Heart Challenges this month! I would have loved to create five layouts based on their awesome challenges, but time ran away with me so at least one of the challenges will feature a card. For the Rhapsody in Blue challenge, H2H asked for a primarily blue project, with bonus points for including a musical motif. What better than Skylark paper, a songbird, and this beautiful quote to encompass both parts of the challenge? Combine it with a lovely card sketch from Retro Sketches, and this card flew together (no pun intended). I'm looking forward to sharing more artwork inspired by H2H's challenges this month, so check back each Monday to see what's up next, and please play along!

Recipe:
Find Your Style stamp set
Skylark Level 2 papers
Lagoon & Colonial White cardstock
Lagoon & Desert Sand ink
Aqua Dots
Lagoon satin ribbon
Pattern: Retro Sketches #117
Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks Anything Goes!; Scrap It Girl Things with Wings

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!

Remember When Layout

The last of my pictures from our second trip to the Natural History Museum in 2012. I used a Page Maps 5 photo sketch but managed to sneak in two more tiny photos by adding them to the stamped filmstrip pieces. I also went for a mostly black color scheme with just a little bit of kraft and white. I was so tempted to add in other colors, but I'm glad I didn't because I like the way it turned out!

Recipe:
Flight of the Arrows, Take Note & Cherish the Day stamp sets
Spellbound Level 2 papers (polkadots)
Stripe & Grid paper (KI Memories)
Kraft, Whisper & White Daisy cardstock
Black & Desert Sand ink
Cabana Titles stickers (CM)
White ric-rac (Wrights)
Star punch
CM Curvy cutter
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: ticket
Pattern: Page Maps September 2013 Double Page sketch
Challenges: Clear It Out use lots of black & stickers (3 title stickers); Frosted Designs use stars & stripes, 1 2 3 Get Scrappy top row (my rectangle pieces are the strips of Patterned paper and cardstock)

SCS Variety Challenge 204 - Rose Garden

I'm tickled pink to be hosting another Splitcoast Stampers Variety Challenge, and this may be your golden opportunity to try something new and make your friend green with envy over your talent! Okay, enough with the color puns, but hopefully they inspired you to play along using the link below. I'll be really blue if you pass up this chance to have fun (couldn't resist one last pun)!

SBVC204 - Top Marks
I’m a little slow to get on the coloring craze that’s sweeping the scrapbooking and card-making world, but seeing other people’s artwork is getting me motivated! Today’s challenge is to pull out the markers or colored pencils and add some coloring to your layout. You can start with a stamped or digital image, or you can go wild and freehand something. Whatever you decide, you’ll get top marks for completing this challenge!

And now on to my layout. In 2012, we had a membership to the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, so we went there a lot, and, of course, we took lots of pictures! Here are a few photos of the rose garden that is next to the museum. For those who watch the t.v. show Bones, this is where the exterior shots of the "Jeffersonian" were filmed. Anyone recognize this building?

For my layout, I created a garden border to match the flower garden. The scalloped borders worked nicely as planter borders, and I went to town coloring the stamped flowers. I even popped up a couple to create a 3-D effect.

Recipe:
A Flowering Bunch, You Are My Happy Alphabet & Enjoy the Little Things stamp sets
Cashmere & White Daisy cardstock
Pink vellum (Hot off the Press)
Sweet Leaf & Whisper ink
Black pigment ink
Ruby, Cotton Candy, Blush, Smokey Plum, Sweet Leaf, Honey, Desert Sand & Chocolate markers
Black journaling pen
Clear embossing powder
Mocha Opaques
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: scalloped border
Pattern: Let's Scrap 8-9-13 (right page only)

Family Layout

We managed to get a really nice family photo at our neighbor's wedding. My hubby and the boys were wearing Hawaiian shirts because the wedding had a luau theme, so I went with an island feel for the layout.

Recipe:
Extreme Happiness & Love Tags stamp sets
Moon Doggie Level 2 papers
Bamboo & Colonial White cardstock
Cranberry, Ruby, Indian Corn Blue, Bamboo, Desert Sand, Honey & Garden Green ink
Cranberry baker's twine
Garden Green safety pin, spiral clip & button nail heads
Pattern: I scraplifted this layout from Pinterest

Bride Layout

Another wedding layout from my neighbor's big day. I loved the pictures of the bride with the children in the wedding party, so I made a special layout to celebrate those relationships.

Recipe:
Bella Level 2 papers
Gypsy, Amethyst & Garden Green cardstock
Gypsy & Olive ink
White Daisy metal tag
Amethyst organdy ribbon
Bitty Opaques pearls
Trinkets Wooden Shapes (arrow, heart)
Wood Flourish (Kaisercraft)
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title, hearts, flowers
Pattern: Stuck Sketches May 15 sketch (I omitted the strips of paper at the top since they just didn't look right on the layout)

Always & Forever Layout

Isn't  Laughing Lola the perfect paper to highlight photos of my neighbor's wedding? I've been trying to figure out an "unusual embellishment" ever since Lasting Memories posted their challenge a couple of weeks ago, and I finally decided to use black pipe cleaners to form a heart and the letter S (our neighbor's new last initial) on my layout. I saved a space for journaling in the lower right hand corner of the layout but didn't write out any yet since I want to add complete names, dates, and location but don't want to publish them for the world to see.

Recipe:
Love Life stamp set
Laughing Lola Level 2 papers
Gypsy Laughing Lola Gold & Amethyst cardstock
Black & Gypsy ink
Purple Glitter Gems
Lavender ribbon (Offray)
Heart punch (EK Success)
Black pipe cleaners (from my kid's art box)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title, silhouette
Pattern: EMS Sketch 44
Challenges: Stampin' Royalty Wedding challenge (okay, this was a no-brainer!); Child's Play Scooby Doo challenge (I was inspired by the two purple tones of Daphne's dress and the green/gold of her scarf); Lasting Memories Unusual Embellishments (pipe cleaners)

Stash Busters May Week 4 - School Days

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

Stash14May4
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 the first four Thursday of the month, and you have until May 31st to scrap your layout using the products. If you complete all four layouts, you will get an honorable mention for the month!

Please use:
• 4 patterned papers
• 3 die-cuts
• 2 fibers
• 1 tag

Recipe:

Caprice, Cherry-O, Emporium &  Everyday Celebration Level 2 papers
Chocolate, Crystal Blue & Colonial White cardstock
Chocolate, Sweet Leaf & Crystal Blue ink
Chocolate marker
School Days die-cuts (MME)
Beige Adornaments (EK Success)
Trinkets Wooden shapes
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: frame, notepaper borders, tag
Pattern: Stuck on You Sketches May 9 Sketch
Challenges: 4 Crafty Chicks No Stamping (this was harder than I thought it would be); Child's Play Etch-A-Sketch challenge (I wrote the words "kindergarten" and "teachers" in one continuous line like you would on an Etch-a-Sketch, but it came out a lot neater than I ever would have managed on the real thing - LOL!)

Art Philosophy Welcome Banner

I made this banner for a ladies' luncheon at church and then decided to hang it up in my entryway at home. I had made a welcome banner once before using the Art Philosophy cartridge, so I already had the template saved in Cricut Craft Room, and that gave me a jump start in getting the banner done. I went with flowers and butterflies for the end pennants since it was for a women's event, and the colors are, of course, very girly. Fortunately, my husband doesn't seem to mind!

Recipe:
Hooray Bouquet stamp set
Gypsy, Cotton Candy, Sky, Creme Brulee & Sweet Leaf cardstock
Gypsy, Cotton Candy, Sky, Creme Brulee & Sweet Leaf ink
Black marker
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: pennants, butterflies, flowers
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Banner Day challenge

Butterfly Pavilion Layout

My hubby took some absolutely gorgeous pictures of the butterflies at the Natural History Museum's Butterfly Pavilion, and of course I couldn't decide which ones to scrapbook, so I ended up using them all! I created a single page layout with some of the beautiful butterflies plus a photo of a little girl who accompanied us, and then I used a photo storage page to showcase all the other photos.

And here are a few of the other photos hubby took:

Recipe:
Topstitch Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Baby Pink & Chocolate cardstock
Chocolate & Vineyard Berry ink
Chocolate marker
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title, butterflies
Pattern: Let's Scrap 4-14-14
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart In the Garden challenge (yes, those are CTMH papers and colors, long retired but I still have some left!)