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

Halloween 2012 Layout

Scrap It Girl's color challenge (black + white + one other color of your choice) seemed perfect for this Halloween layout, but it was actually harder than I thought not to keep reaching for other colors to add to the layout!

Recipe:
Spellbound, Year Round Cheer, Happy Holidays, Jubilation & Save the Date stamp sets
Spellbound Level 2 papers
Sunset, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Sunset & Black ink
Sunset baker's twine & metal tag
Licorice Opaques pearls
Orange ric-rac (JoAnn Craft Essentials)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: Halloween title
Cuttlebug CTMH Chevron embossing folder
Pattern: Stick It Down April sketch
Challenges: Scrap It Girl Black + White + one other color (obviously, I chose orange as my third color)

No Fooling Layout

Every year, our church holds a pastor appreciation event, and since I usually take photos and scrapbook them, I was running out of title inspiration. But when I saw Heart to Heart's No Fooling challenge and remembered our circus theme for these photos (we now have three pastors, so it's feeling a little like a three ring circus around here - LOL!), I knew I had my title. Love it when that happens. I also used up lots of items from my retired CTMH stash, so I'm loving that, too.

Recipe:
Laughter & Tiny Typewriter stamp sets
Tinkering Level 2 papers
Twilight, Cranberry, Goldrush, Desert Sand &White Daisy cardstock
Paper Fundamentals Basic Assortment cardstock
Twilight, Goldrush & Clover Meadow ink
Black Pigment ink
Miscellaneous markers
Clear embossing powder
Irresistibles Lots of Dots alphabet stickers
Milepost Shapes frame, arrow, pennants
Cranberry baker's twine
Red glitter gems
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: hearts, photo corners
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: file folder
Pattern: Let's Scrap 3-15-15 sketch
Challenges: Scrap Our Stash S-T-A-M-P challenge

S - stamps

T - Tinkering patterned papers

A - alphabet stickers

M - Milepost shapes

P - photo corners

Mt. Baldy Layout

I didn't scrap much last month but I can feel some creativity stirring, so here's my first layout of April. Thanks to all the challenge blogs that inspired me!

Recipe:
Boutique Borders stamp set
Skylark & Splendor Level 2 papers
Kraft, Ponderosa Pine, Cocoa & White Daisy cardstock
Ponderosa Pine & Cocoa ink
Ponderosa Pine & Cocoa markers
Mocha Opaques
DE Monograms chipboard "M", "T", "B", "A", "L", "D", "Y"
Fiskars decorative scissors - Seagull
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: pine trees
Pattern: EMS Sketch 40
Challenges: Clear It Out Challenges = use 2 or more things you've been hoarding (last piece of cloud paper from Splendor paper pack and chipboard letters that have been in my stash forever); Lasting Memories Mystic Mountains challenge; Stuck on Us Sketches Clear Skies die-cut challenge (I started with cloud paper and added some die-cut trees to mimic the look of the trees against the blue sky on the mountain);