Making Mom Proud Layout

There was a challenge I wanted to participate in at Scrapbook.com that required the use of the word "mom," so I pulled out some photos for my youngest kiddo's school scrapbook and used the opportunity to reflect on how proud this mom was of her son. I kept my journaling basic, but this kiddo went from being malnourished and having a diagnosis of mild mental retardation (erroneous, IMHO) when he first came to live with us, to a healthy, happy, and extremely curious and smart kindergartner just two years later. It's been a blessing to see him flourish and become a permanent part of our family!

My son is the handsome guy in the suit in the top photo!

Recipe:

Blue Ribbon, Victory & Love This stamp sets

Tickled Pink papers

Crystal Blue, Blush, Sweet Leaf & White Daisy cardstock

Crystal Blue, Blush, Sweet Leaf, Twilight & Bamboo ink

Twilight marker

White gel pen (Sakura)

Crystal Blue, Blush & Twilight brads

Sweet Leaf craft button

White Daisy embroidery floss
Blush ribbon

Lagoon Check washi tape
Clothespin
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag, tickets, hearts
Cricut Design Space: title (used Class of . . . image set plus Chloe font)
Spellbinders flower die

Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap Birthday Bash sketch (rotated right)

Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Angel Mother challenge (this was doubly appropriate because my son's name is Angel!); Use Your Stuff #398 Patterns (I chose to use two patterned papers); The Paper Girls #200 All About Boys (there are lots of other kids on the layout, but the focus is my little boy)

Movie Night Layout

In honor of Memorial Day this past Monday, I pulled out some photos from a war movie we saw when we were in London. It's called "Their Finest" and it tells the story of a group of film-makers creating a morale-raising documentary about the evacuation of Dunkirk during WWII. They suddenly run into a snag when one of their writers discovers the two young ladies whose story they are following did not actually make it to Dunkirk because their boat had engine trouble. My hubby thought the film was okay, but I loved the mix of drama, comedy, and romance! I don't have very many military themed scrapbooking supplies, so I used my Cricut to cut out stars and a medal, while the boat and the torn paper at the bottom represent the beach at Dunkirk and the "little ships" that came to the rescue of the allied troops stranded in France as the Nazis advanced.

I included two hidden items on this layout: the journaling is in the envelope that says "The Details" on it, and I used 3-D foam tape to pop up the movie marquee photo so I could slip the tickets from the theater behind it.

Recipe:
Story FYI & Victory stamp sets
Watercolor paper (Recollections)
Let's Wander paper (American Crafts)
You Rock papers
Black, Pansy Purple, Glacier, Almond & White Daisy cardstock
Pansy Purple, Glacier & Almond ink
Black marker
White gel pen (Sakura)
Purple glitter gems
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title, movie strip, ticket & envelope
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: boat
Cricut Aristry cartridge: medal, star border
Cricut Artbooking: stars
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #419

Challenges: Bitten By the Bug Make It Military; Lasting Memories #499 Three Things - geometric patterned papers (stars), circles, at least three photos

Tower Brasserie Layout

I don't usually take many photos of food or eating, but dining in England was so different than in the USA that we ended up snapping lots of pictures of our experiences. This restaurant in Windsor offered big plates of food and a chance to sit and relax after a tiring day of walking. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get great pictures of the interior, but the photos of the food turned out nicely!

Recipe:
Bingo Alphabet (2011), Build a Picnic (2018), Alphabet Solo E (2009) stamp sets
Yesterday & Today, Caprice papers
Crystal Blue, Almond, Chocolate & Desert Sand cardstock
Vellum
Espresso, Toffee & Chocolate ink
Chocolate & Black pigment ink
Chocolate & Garnet markers
Sap Green ShinHan Touch Twin marker
Clear embossing powder
Mocha Opaques pearls
Jolee's Boutique flower stickers (Stickopotamus)
Let's Wander stickers (American Crafts)
Chocolate baker's twine
CRicut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 8a

Challenges: Lasting Memories #496 Three Things - polka dot paper, flowers, stickers (flowers and "Let's eat"); Retro Rubber Challenges #135 Tic-Tac-Toe (I chose the column with circles, embossing, and patterned paper. I stamped and embossed the title letters, vase, and wine cup.)

St. George's Chapel Layout

My final layout from Windsor Castle features photos from St. George's Chapel. I kept laying these pictures out on my desk and then putting them away because I couldn't figure out what to do with them, so I was happy to stumble across a book of color-blocked papers in my stash that I thought would work to scrapbook them. I cropped the sheets to 11.5" square and backed them with cardstock to give the pages a definite border. It's an older style but hopefully it works here.

The file folder card opens up to reveal my rather lengthy printed journaling. I used one of my last photo turns to keep it closed when I don't need to access the journaling.

Recipe:
Live Inspired stamp set
Kyla's Classic Color Block Papers (Paper Pizazz)
Almond, Toffee, Cocoa & White Daisy cardstock
Almond & Toffee ink
Yesterday & Today PML cards
Trinkets Wooden Shapes
Embossed Metal Badge Buttons
Pewter photo turn
Creme Brulee ribbon
Polka dot washi tape
Dymo label tape
Color Kaleidoscope stickers (American Crafts)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: file folder, capture the details
Cricut Art philosophy cartridge: tag
Challenges: The Studio Challenges Tic-Tac-Toe

Dinosaur Fossil Birthday Card

My husband turned 50 today, and to celebrate him reaching this advanced age (I can say that since I am a year older - LOL!), I made a dinosaur fossil birthday card for him. I found the die-cut of a T-rex head in Cricut Design Space for free this week, and it paired perfectly with the American Crafts Field Trip dinosaur skeletons paper. The sentiment is an old CTMH stamp set, and it always cracked me up but I didn't dare to use it on a card until now. Some people might be offended by it, but I know he will just laugh!

 And here's the sentiment I stamped inside the card:

Recipe:
Just a Number stamp set
Field Trip Museum Monday paper (American Crafts)
Kraft, Whisper & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry & Whisper ink
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon
Cricut Design Space: T-rex head from One-Cut Collection
Pattern: Try Stamping on Tuesday sketch #457

Challenges: 2 Crafty Critter Crazies #38 anything goes with a critter

Train to Windsor Layout

I had put off scrapbooking these photos of our train trip to Windsor Castle because I had already scrapped train pictures from our trip to Hampton Court and wasn't feeling too inspired to do anything with these ones. However, National Train Day was this past Saturday, and The Library Challenges posted a challenge involving a train (see below), so I knew I had to get creative with these photos!

We weren't sure whether to laugh or gasp when we saw the yellow sign
at the station where we switched trains!

Recipe:
Classmates & Pen Pal Alphabet stamp sets
Stargazer papers
Color Kaleidoscope papers (American Crafts)
Colorful Kit paper (KI Memories)
Kraft, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Ruby, Cranberry, Slate & Versamark ink
Black marker
White embossing powder
Red stripe ribbon (Berwick)
Ruby & Silver baker's twine
Ruby chevron & black stripe washi tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: heart, tag
Star punch (source unknown)
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #122 (one of my all time favorite sketches from their blog!)

Challenges: Lasting Memories #497 Three Things - striped patterned paper, stars, washi tape;  Library Challenge #58 The Girl on the Train (this really helped get me started!)

Lower Ward Layout

Since I pulled out some of my Windsor Castle photos on Saturday to scrapbook, I figured I should try to get the rest finished. I think I have one more layout of the castle, one of our dinner, one of the train, and one of the movie we saw that night and I will officially be done with day 6 of our London trip. Only 8 more days and 2,100 more photos to go! Anyway, Splitcoast Stampers is hosting a month-long challenge in honor of National Scrapbook day, and I hosted one of the challenges. All the challenges are based on the idea of a staycation, so my challenge focused on my home. There were three options, and I played along with all of them: something transparent, a decorative border, and vertical stripes. Click here to get the details and to play along with any of these fun challenges!

Recipe:
Grace papers
Grandpa's Attic papers (SEI)
Twilight marker
Mini ABC stickers (CM)
Love Always journaling spots
Spring Blossom Just Blooms paper flowers
Twilight brad
Clear & Blue craft buttons
Petticoats & Pinstripes enamel dots (Echo Park)
Deep Red & Mustard Scrapbook Stitches (Making Memories)
Field Trip Thicker (American Crafts)
Color Kaleidoscope sticker book (American Crafts)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped circle
Pattern: Got Sketch? #18 (can't post sketch due to copyright but you can see it at the link I posted)
Challenges: Scrap Our Stash May Tic-Tac-Toe ~ I chose the diagonal with flowers, enamel dots (2 flower centers), and chipboard ("field notes" chipboard Thicker)

Mother's Day Card 2020

I needed to get my Mother's Day card for my mom in the mail today, so in between helping my kids with schoolwork, I managed to create this card. I'm not sure how slow the post office service is running, but hopefully it will reach her in time for her special day!

Recipe:
May Word Puzzle stamp set
Oh Happy Day paper (Simple Stories)
Lagoon, Crystal Blue, Canary, Pixie, Raspberry, Heavenly Blue, Kraft, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Lagoon, Crystal Blue & Toffee ink
Crystal Blue & Black markers
ShinHan Touch Twin markers - warm Greg & Golden Yellow
Raspberry baker's twine
Aqua & Flamingo enamel dots
Cricut Artistry cartridge: pink flowers
Cricut Simply Sweet cartridge: butterfly
Cricut Artiste cartridge: cloud
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: yellow flower, banner
Pattern: Stick It Down May card sketch

Challenges: Bitten by the Bug flowers challenge; Use Your Stuff #397 - flowers and/or butterflies; The Paper Girls #199 - Happy May inspiration (I was inspired by the circle and all the flowers. I actually started off with a circle of floral paper, but decided it was too busy with the die-cut flowers on it, so I moved it to the outside and used the center for a blue sky.)

North Terrace Layout

I didn't get as much done as I was hoping on National Scrapbook Day, but I did manage to complete a layout for my England scrapbook that I've been working on for the last three years. These photos were taken on the North Terrace of Windsor Castle, and I didn't include any journaling because I really didn't have much to say about them, except it was kinda cool that the guards came marching past as we were checking out the terrace.

Recipe:
Universal Backgrounds stamp set
Yesterday & Today papers & PML card
Espresso cardstock
Espresso & Toffee ink
Trinkets Wooden Shapes arrows
Tag (Hero Arts)
Beige Adornaments (EK Success)
Our Adventure epoxy stickers (MAMBI)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title
Cricut Wall Decor & More cartridge: compass
Challenges: Scrap With Stacy May Tic-Tac-Toe (I chose the column with arrow + tag + circles)

Homecoming Dance Layout

For this layout, I jumped from the photos I had been working on (circa 2015) to the homecoming dance from last October, because I wanted to get the photos scrapped just in case my son ends up breaking up with his girlfriend (he's a freshman, so the chances are high they won't still be dating come senior year) and the photos aren't as meaningful. It also helps me remember how lovely his hair was before I let his girlfriend dye it green!

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds & Background Builders stamp sets
Spring 2020 Mix-In & Skylark papers
Lagoon, Petal & White Daisy cardstock
Lagoon & Petal ink
Black marker
DE Monograms - DANCE
Purple Glitter gems
Pearl Opaques
Stuck on You & Junebug Puffies
My Crush Best Day Ever Assortment stickers
Let's WAnder Thicker (American Crafts)
White Lacey Trims (49 and Market)
Free Spirit metal brads (Prima)
Opaque Matte texture paste (Ranger)
Tim Holtz Dot Fade stencil (Stampers Anonymous)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped journaling block
Challenges: The Studio Challenges floral papers and flowers; Cupcake Inspirations #492 Color challenge

EMS Sketch 89 + Joy of Sets Challenge #17

This post includes a triple play of challenges! First, I created a new sketch to house a few photos of my son's pug party pinata. Next, I included the diagonal from Joy of Sets' May tic-tac-toe board: birthday, things that fly, and sponging. And finally, since Double Trouble is teaming up with Joy of Sets for this month challenge, I made sure to pick some techniques/items that fit the qualifications for that challenge. Whew, that was a lot of challenges and took lots of thinking, but it was so satisfying to get them all in. Feel free to play along with all these challenges using the links I included, and if you use the sketch, please post a link in the comments to your posted layout.

The sketch:

My layout:

I paper pieced the pug face by hand for another layout but it didn't work out,
so I put it here because I couldn't bear all that hard work to be wasted!

Joys of Sets Tic-Tac-Toe #17

Recipe:
Wide Journaling Block stamp (Scrappy Cat)
Splendor paper pack
Heavenly Blue, Chocolate, Black, Slate, Whisper, Cashmere, Champagne & White Daisy cardstock
Topiary & Crystal Blue ink
Brown marker (Zig)
White gel pen (Sakura)
ShinHan Touch Twin & Gold Metallics markers
Chantilly My Complements chipboard bird
Junebug Puffies butterflies
Decorative circles (from my stash, source unknown)
Dot Fade layering stencil (Tim Holtz)
Cricut Artbooking: branch
Cricut Design Studio: bones, title using A Child's Year font