Mint Street Layout

I've been a little lazy this week as far as scrapbooking goes, but today I got back to work and finished up another Tower of London layout, this time encompassing our tour of the former National Mint in Mint Street. The circles across the top of the sketch I used were perfect for cropped photos of some of the coins we saw. I ran out of journaling space to list all the coins, but they range from an Edward I groat (1279) to some Elizabethan coins (late 1500s), to Charles II guineas from the 1670s. The final one on the top was a countermarked Spanish real, a repurposed Spanish coin used during a currency shortage in England. A tiny portrait of the English monarch was stamped onto an existing foreign coin in order to make it legal English currency!

Recipe:
Lucky & Silhouette papers
Almond & Dutch Blue cardstock
Almond & Dutch Blue ink
Black marker
Wooden hearts
Wooden arrow (Crafter's Square)
Black craft buttons
Gold ribbon
Cricut Design Space: window, title (using Artbooking cartridge)
Cricut Medieval Silhouettes cartridge: castle
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #78

Challenges: Double Trouble #171 What's Your Drive-Through Window? (it was super fun to create a window scene based on the view out the window at the Mint); Color My Heart Color Dare #609 Black + Beige + one color (I chose blue + my free metallic is gold).

Tower of London Layout

My hubby and I went to London in 2017 and took over three thousand photos, so every once in a while I pull out some photos and try to get some layouts scrapped. On this particular day, we visited the Tower of London, so here are the photos of the exterior walls, the drained moat, and the entrance at the Middle Tower. Hopefully I can get on a roll and finish scrapping our Tower photos this month, but we took a lot of pictures so no guarantees!

This layout also includes a Flip-Flap that opens up to reveal another photo and my journaling card. Here's the other photo:

And here's the journaling card:

Recipe:
Love Life, You & Me, Cherish the Day & Vintage Type stamp sets
Sage & White Daisy cardstock
Sage, Honey, Pewter & Black ink
Black marker
Silhouette & Zippidee My Complements cardstock stickers
Storybook PML cards
Happiest Place Acrylic shapes
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: ticket
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 3 (The bottom two photos on the left were a panorama but not quite perfectly lined up, so I decided to ditch the straight lines of the sketch and stagger everything slightly, plus I added a bunch of PML cards to the background.)

Challenges: Park Hopping My Happy Place (inspired by Cinderella's Castle at Disneyland); The Outlawz Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone with optional twist of travel (our trip to London); Time Out Challenges #268 On Vacation (to London!)

U R So Silly Layout for Lasting Memories #710

Greetings, my fellow scrappers! I hope you are having a wonderful day and beating the heat if you're in the northern hemisphere, or keeping warm if you're down south. Today is reveal day for another fun Lasting Memories challenge, and this time Maureen asked us to do some word play based on the season of Spring. I listed the items below that are included in my word play. Feel free to join us before the end of the month to check out the design team's inspiration and to play along with this challenge!

S - stickers, stamps
P - patterned paper
R - raffia
I - inked edges and ink splatters
N - new product (Soda Pop papers)
G - googly eyes, glasses

Recipe:
Stacy's Hand Alphabet stamps
Soda Pop papers
Lagoon, Almond & White Daisy cardstock
Lagoon, Desert Sand & Black ink
Turquoise fineliner pen (iBayam)
Clear embossing powder
Soda Pop stickers
Let's Wander Thickers (American Crafts)
Field Trip ephemera (American Crafts)
Teen Spirit - Boy ephemera (Echo Park)
Raffia (Michaels)
Charmalong metal charm (Michaels)
Googly eyes (from my stash)
Cricut Design Space: circle with welded title using DTC Spring Break font
Pattern: Stick It Down July 2024 single page sketch (from Facebook group)

Challenges: Double Trouble #170 (embossed XOXO + used Lagoon colored paper for Disney's Typhoon Lagoon + played along with Park Hopping My Happy Place)

{News}flash Layout

I really wanted to play along with Rochelle Spears' sketch this month, and even had a couple of photos selected, and since I also wanted to participate in Colorful Options' challenge to be inspired by a flag, I picked out some red and blue papers with stripes and stars. This created a problem for me since the journaling for the photos was all about hearts, so I changed course and instead scrapped my son's Star of the Week photos from 3rd grade. But this worked out well for using Scrap With Stacy's Tic Tac Toe board, so it's all good. Thanks for all the inspiration, gals!

Recipe:
The Summer Stack papers (DCWV)
Stargazer paper
Kraft, Cranberry & White Daisy cardstock
Sapphire & Cranberry ink
Prussian Blue fineliner pen (iBayam)
Let Freedom Ring stickers (All My Memories)
Cranberry baker's twine
Star Attraction Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Boys Gone Wild epoxy sticker (Reminisce)
DE Signage chipboard
Great Lengths Mod Titles sticker (CM)
CTMH Sunbeam embossing folder
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag
Pattern: Rochelle Spears July 2024 sketch (I removed the right hand half circle to add some embossing and decided the layout looked better without it, so I left it off)

Challenges: Colorful Options Flags challenge (I was inspired by the US flag to add papers with stars on a blue background + red and white stripes); Scrap With Stacy July Tic Tac Toe board (diagonal with tag + stickers + twine AND column with star + stickers + tag AND row with red, white & blue + stickers + 2 photos) 

Just a Note Card

When creating my Cone of Shame layout, I pieced together nine squares of patterned paper to make a little quilt, and then I cut a circle out of the center to use on my layout. Today, I decided to use the negative space (i.e. the leftover outer border) from the circle. My mom loves quilting, so I thought she would enjoy receiving a card that reminds her of her favorite hobby. Looking at the photo here, I think I should have inked the inside of circle cutout with Cocoa ink to match the outside of the quilt block, but I probably won't retake the picture, so you will have to enjoy it as is!

Recipe:
Card Chatter Sympathy stamp set
I Heart Us, Emporium & Brushed papers
Raspberry, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Raspberry, Cocoa & Sweet Leaf ink
Raspberry baker's twine
I Heart Us Complements chipboard
Craft button
Heart punch (EK Success)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: large heart
Challenges: The Outlawz Twisted Thursday July challenge - AG with optional twist of Recycle/Upcycle (I used the leftover from another project as mentioned above) ; Let's Craft & Create #209 AG with optional twist of  buttons (I added a little flower button)

Soccer Star Layout

This layout's title is a bit tongue in cheek, since my son was probably more likely to be picking daisies on the field than showing off his superb skills, but the pre-made title went well with his uniform colors, so I went with it! I also played along again with the latest Lasting Memories challenge, which was a bit of wordplay based on the word Winter (it's open until August 3 if you want to play along). Here are my items I added to the layout:

W - washi tape, whistle sticker
I - ink
N - numbers paper
T - tag, twine
E - epoxy dots
R - ric rac

Recipe:
Jeepers Creepers, Sweetheart & Animal Cookies papers
Buttercup, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Black & Clover Meadow ink
Black & Clover Meadow markers
White gel pen (Sakura)
Soccer Star Frame Ups cardstock stickers (MME)
Epoxy bubbles
Jeepers Creepers Washi tape
Black baker's twine
Bright Green ricrac (Craft Essentials)
Star punch (EK Success)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag, stars
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #619 from Facebook Group (flipped horizontally)

Challenges: The Outlawz AG in a Card Free Zone; Time Out Challenges #267 Seeing Stars

Cone of Shame Layout for Lasting Memories #709

It's Sunday, and unlike my sweet pup in this layout, I am a happy girl because it's time for another Lasting Memories challenge! This month, Maureen is challenging us to some wordplay using the seasons, starting with winter. Here are my "Winter" items:

W - washi tape
I - I Heart Us papers
N - negative space (the chipboard S)
T - tag
E - epoxy sticker
R - ribbon

If you are interested in playing along, pop on over to the Lasting Memories blog before August 3rd and link up your layout; if you need some help, check out this alphabetical list of scrapbooking supplies.

Recipe:
Friendship Alphabet Small stamp set
I Heart Us, Emporium & Blossom papers
Kraft, Vineyard Berry & White Daisy cardstock
Vineyard Berry, Pixie, Sweet Leaf, Crystal Blue, Cocoa & Desert Sand ink
Burnt Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
DE Monograms chipboard
Lagoon washi tape
Sweet Leaf grosgrain ribbon
Pet Shop epoxy sticker (KI Memories)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartrdige: scalloped border, tag
Heart punch (EK Success)
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #300

Challenges: Cut It Up #307 Critters + die-cut; Heart's Quest challenge #57 - Part A = quilt (in photo and one I pieced together using scraps) + Part B = kraft heart shape

A Day at the Beach Layout

Happy Independence Day to all you crafty people in the USA! Hope you have a wonderful day with family, celebrating our independence. And now, on to my layout. I went to town with my Cricut on this one, cutting out a bunch of beach and summer themed items to go along with the beach photos I was scrapping. The beach tote ended up being a lot of fun to put together; I popped it up using 3-D foam tape so that I could slide the mini book with my journaling inside it. Took me back to my childhood when I would create miniature books for my Barbies!

Recipe:
August Word Puzzle & Spot On Backgrounds stamp sets
My Happy Place papers & stickers (Doodlebug Designs)
Carolina, Raspberry, Buttercup, Nectarine, Blush, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Raspberry, Honey & Black ink
Orchid fineliner pen (iBayam)
Black marker
White Daisy embroidery floss
Pink button
Triangles washi tape (Recollections)
Cricut You are Here cartridge: all die-cuts
Challenges: My Time to Craft #537 Summer Florals (I used hibiscus and plumeria in honor of the plants blooming outside my window); Inspiration Station #63 (I was inspired to create the little beach scene on the bottom corner of my layout)

Discovery Cube Layout

For this visit to the Discovery Cube, a kids' science center with two locations in our area, I pulled out my sketch from last month, mixed a brand new scrapbooking kit (Joy in the Journey) with a piece of older paper from American Crafts, and then cut a whole bunch of science themed die-cuts on my Cricut.

Recipe:
Joy in the Journey paper & stickers
Field Trip paper (American Crafts)
Journey, Capri, Pansy, Black & White cardstock
Capri & Black ink
Black marker
Tabbed Journaling Card
Silver Shimmer Trim
Black label tape (Dymo)
Cricut Design Space: title (using DTC Spring Break Font), I Love Science file, dinosaur fossil (from One Cut Collections)
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #113

Challenges: Color My Heart Color Dare #606 (used Journey + Capri, and I didn't have Royal but Pansy seemed pretty close to me; also added Black, white, and silver)

Oh Snap Layout for Lasting Memories #708

Good morning, everyone. Today is an exciting day for me for two reasons: (1) I am singing in the church choir (something I haven't done for a looooong time) and (2) it's Lasting Memories challenge reveal day! Since you can't see me do the first, here comes the second, with another "Favorites" challenges from Jill. Today, she wants us to scrapbook about our favorite topic. Mine is my family, and specifically I love capturing those moments that make me smile or laugh out loud. These photos of my son Oliver showing off his crazy stretching skills was perfect for this theme. I chose the "Oh Snap" title because he reminded me of a rubber band that could stretch out and then snap back into place! If you would like to join the fun at Lasting Memories, please click on the link above and share your layout before July 6th.

Recipe:
Washi Wonder & Honeycomb stamp sets
Dotty for You, Caprice, March/April Mix-Ins & Twitterpated papers
Mist cardstock
Sorbet, Lagoon, Chocolate & Black ink
Elemental Complements chipboard
DS Flower Garden chipboardSweet Rush Collection - Loving This puffy stickers (American Crafts)
Color Kaleidoscope Phrases and Icons Puffy stickers (American Crafts)
Color Kaleidoscope Thickers (American Crafts)
Lagoon washi tape
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Stick It Down June single page sketch from Facebook (rotated right)

Challenges: Color My Heart Color Dare #607 (I used the middle row with Mist + Lagoon + Papaya, but subbed Sorbet for the Papaya since I didn't have that color, plus I added some neutrals)

A Perfect 10 Layout

In 2017, my daughter just happened to have the #10 jersey for her soccer team, so when it came time to scrapbook these photos of her on picture day, I thought it would be fun to list different characteristics, ending with "a perfect 10!" I had to drag out a lot of stamps to complete the list and now have to put them all away, but at least some sets that have been a bit neglected got to see the light of day.

Recipe:
Solos "Y", Vintage Type, Friendship Alphabet Small, Framework Alphabet. You Are . . ., Checklist, My Game, Captured Happiness (the only stamp set that's not at least five years old!), All the Details, Live Out Loud & Best Shot stamp sets
Something Fierce, Summer Celebration B&T Combo Pack & May / June 2022 Mix-In papers
Pewter & White Daisy cardstock
Watermelon, Ballerina & Black ink
White Daisy rub-ons
Black baker's twine
Flower Cup & Hearts sequins (Tree House Studio)
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #240

Challenges: Little Red Wagon #762 Layer It Up; Color My Heart Color Dare #605 (I chose pink as my extra color)

Retro Rubber Challenges#233 (used the right column with Sequins + Twine + Rub-on, and all my stamps are long discontinued except the one that I mentioned above)

What Matters Layout

Recently, I was rummaging around in a file of semi-completed layouts that needed photos and found two pieces of Moonstruck blue cardstock with a couple of strips of patterned paper stuck to each one. Not sure what I originally intended to do with them, but when I needed to scrapbook a set of photos taken at various times during a trip to visit family in San Diego, they sprang to mind as being something I could work with. I was also inspired by a couple of challenges (see below) for the direction I went with the layout, so thanks for breathing new life into something long ago relegated to the "finish someday" file.

Recipe:

This Happened, Balloon Talk & Captured Happiness stamp sets

Smiles From the Garden stamp set + Thin Cuts

Blue Ribbon papers

Moonstruck, Lilac Mist, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock

Moonstruck, Indian Corn Blue, Chocolate & Desert Sand ink

Moonstruck marker

White Acrylic Heart & Flowers

Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: curved rectangle

Challenges: Cut It Up #306 Feeling Blue + use a die-cut; Stamping Sensations Mood Board (inspired by the color blue, butterfly, and flowers)

Celebrate {Baby Shower} for Lasting Memories #707

It's hard to believe we're already on the fourth Sunday of June (where did that month go?) and it is time for another Lasting Memories Favorite Things challenge. This week, Jill wanted us to use our favorite brand. For many years, my favorite has been Close to My Heart, and while I am no longer exclusive to them as I once was, it's rare that I create a layout with no CTMH products on it. I am so sad that CTMH is going out of business, so I will be looking forward to checking out everyone's favorite brands. Someday when I run out of CTMH products (probably around the year 2050), I will need a new favorite! If you want to share your favorite brand, please pop on over to Lasting Memories before July 6th and link up your layout using your faves.

I wanted to give some details of the baby shower that is the subject of this layout, but I also wanted to keep some things private, so I wrote the journaling on a long tag and tucked it into into a pocket behind one of the photos.

Recipe:
Magic Moments scrapbooking kit
Indian Corn Blue, Sunflower & Colonial White cardstock
Sweet Leaf ink
Hollyhock marker
Sweet Leaf brads
Stuck on You Puffy stickers
Blue Jean Hearts puffy shapes (Doodlebug Designs)
Cocoa grosgrain ribbon
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border & tag
Pattern: Jeanette L:ynton's Reflections (Quartet - Sliding & Triple Play - Three of a Kind)
Challenges: Festive Friday #162 (used red + white + blue + celebratory sentiment)

As You Like It  Favorite - With or Without Words (when I first started scrapping, I didn't always title my layouts, but I find it gives them a focus and so I always use words!)

Bolt Up! Layout

My hubby is a huge Chargers' fan, so he loves going to their training camp, and in 2017, his brother and his nephew were able to attend along with our youngest son. To scrap these photos, I pulled out some cardstock, stickers, and stamp sets (no patterned paper), plus I used my Cricut to create the curved lightning bolt for the Chargers' logo. I had to watch a tutorial to remember how to do the journaling using my Cricut and pen, but I think it was worth the time it took to figure it out. Although I don't care much for football myself, this layout was a labor of love for my sweetie!

Recipe:
In the Backgrounds, Background Elements & Distressed Backgrounds stamp sets
Carolina, Bluebird, Goldrush & Honey cardstock
Carolina, Goldrush & Honey ink
Black marker
Stardust My Stickease cardstock stickers
Cricut Design Space: journaling using Quinn Type & lightning bolt (imported)
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: football helmet, stars
Challenges: Craft Rocket #115 No designer paper (I used stamps to create the stripes on the top and bottom of the LO and to add some interest to the Goldrush cardstock); Double D Challenges - Reach for the Stars (stars on border stickers + die cut stars)

Live, Laugh, Love Layout

Many of you know that my kids all joined our family by adoption, so we have lots of extended family in the form of their birth families. For example, these fun photos of my kids hanging out at the splash pad also feature my eldest's son birth siblings and my youngest two kids' cousin. I am so grateful that we are able to do life with them, an unexpected blessing of adoption, despite the messiness and heartache the process causes.

I used some hidden journaling; the banners lift up and it's written on the back.

Recipe:

Sweet Safari & Something Fierce papers
Oh, Happy Day papers (Simple Stories)
Canary, Glacier & Bluebird cardstock
Canary, Nectarine, Raspberry, Glacier, Juniper & Bluebird ink
Peacock Blue fineliner pen (iBayam)
Black marker
Mod Title Great Lengths & circle stickers (CM)
Bubblegum Hearts Puffy Shapes (Doodlebug Designs)
Love Charm (Making Memories)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped borders, banners
Pattern: Stick It Down June Double Page Sketch from Facebook (I had different sized photo and more of them, so I adapted the sketch a little)

Challenges: The Outlawz Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone (I finally managed to do the optional theme You Can Quote Me);  Heart's Quest Challenge #56 (Part A = Pennant/Banner + Part B = metal love lettering)

Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My Layout

I sometimes struggle with scrapbooking zoo pictures, because we tend to take photos of the same animals every time, but on this visit to the Los Angeles Zoo, the kids went on the Conservation Carousel, which features 66 hand carved animals/insects, representing many endangered species. This carousel is so unique; after all, where else can you sit on a giant praying mantis? I added the little sloth and a few insect stickers to the layout to go along with the animal theme, and set it all in a jungle, as shown by the floral paper. Hope my animals are happy there!

Recipe:
Picture Perfect stamp set
July/August 2021 Mix-In & Sweet Safari papers
Say Cheese Adventures at the Park papers (Simple Stories)
Kraft, Candy Apple, Olive & White Daisy cardstock
Candy Apple, Honey, Sunset, Chocolate, Espresso & Black ink
Burnt Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
Sweet Safari stickers
Jungle Safari sticker (Echo Park)
Bugs stickers (Mrs. Grossman's)
Sunset baker's twine
Tan sparkles
Say Cheese Adventures at the Park washi tape (Simple Stories)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Wall Decor & More cartridge: mushroom
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #298

Challenges: Critter Crazy Challenges #87 - Anything Goes with a featured critter (the sloth); Make My Monday #228 - Outdoor summer fun; The Dream Factory #129 - Something that is upside down (the sloth - I kept wanting to put him the other way round but realized that, nope, this is how he hangs out!)

Dedication Layout

Even though these photos were of parents dedicating their baby boy at our church, I decided to coordinate the color scheme with the mom's outfit. Consequently, there's a lot of pink on this layout, which my hubby thinks is a little weird, but I explained to him this is the exact reason I used to color coordinate out family outfits when we went on vacation. He had no good response for that - LOL! 

Recipe:
Precious Alphabet & Smiles from the Garden stamp sets
Belle Fleur papers (Photoplay)
Emporium & Dream Maker papers
Ballerina, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Vellum
Ballerina, Flamingo, Raspberry, Sweet Leaf & Black ink
Sweet Leaf & Black markers
Everyday Moments pocket card (Scrapbook.com)
Dream Makers stickers
Sweet Leaf grosgrain ribbon
Spring Blossom Just Blooms flowers
White paper flowers (Recollections)
Large black & White brads (from my stash, source unknown)
White Daisy Bigger Brad
Dot Fade stencil (Stampers Anonymous)
Smiles From the Garden Thin Cuts
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #69

Challenges: Color My Heart Color Dare #604 - I used Ballerina + Flamingo + Rosy + Limeade + Black + White + Gold (I didn't have any Rosy or Limeade ink, so I used the colors closest to it in my stash)

Time Out Challenges #265 - I was inspired to use floral paper and paper flowers

Out to Sea Layout

My husband used to go on a fishing trip every year with our eldest son, and I asked him to write the journaling about the photos from their trip on 2017. I spent a while doing some mixed media work on the upper left and lower right corners of the layout to transform white cardstock into the background you see here. I was also inspired to adapt the sign from the Nemo attraction at Epcot and really went overboard creating the lettering, but I love how it turned out!

Update: this layout was chosen to be in the Top 3 for Cut It Up Challenges #306!

Recipe:
Background Elements stamp set
Fish Tales paper & stickers (Photoplay)
Sunset, Crystal Blue & White Daisy cardstock
Sunset, Sorbet, Spring Iris, Moonstruck & Outdoor Denim ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Bubble stickers (Stickopotamus)
Cricut Design Space: title using Arial Black font
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #3

Challenges: Cut It Up #306 Feeling Blue; Double Trouble #168 (masculine themed + played along with Colorful Options June challenge using rainbow colors); Park Hopping My Happy Place (inspired by The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot)