Dear Friends, Let's Celebrate Layout for Lasting Memories #703

It's time for the final challenge of the month over at Lasting Memories, and this time I asked everyone to create a layout that was inspired by someone else's layout. There are so many talented scrappers out there, so it was hard to narrow it down, but I decided to lift fellow LM design team member Jill Rugg. I loved her adorable "Wish You Were Here" layout and pretty much CASEd (copy and steal everything) it! The hardest part was figuring out how to make the edges look like an airmail envelope, but I finally created a template in Cricut Design Space and used the openings as a guide to color the markings. I noticed after I was about halfway around the layout that they should have been flush with the edge of the paper, but I just kept going and decided I like how it looks. Please come play with us over at Lasting Memories before this month's challenges end on June 1st, and don't forget to link up your completed layouts!

Here's my layout:

And here is Jill's original:

Recipe:

Captured Happiness, Express Postage, Postcard - Travel Series, Today's Date & Just for Boys stamp sets
Black, Honey & White Daisy cardstock
Holiday Red, Carolina & Slate ink
Black markers
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Candy Apple Glitter tape
Best Day Ever Assortment ephemera & sticker
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tab

Always & Forever Layout

Sometimes a random photo pops up on my list of things to scrap, and I have to search my memory to figure out why I took it. This was one of those photos. As I mentioned in my journaling, I'm not sure why we took it, but I love how happy my daughter and I look together, so I am glad I have this memento of us!

My photo of this layout came out a little off-color; the correct yellow is in the lower left corner!

Recipe:
Recipe Box stamp set
A Perfect Autumn & Celebrate Autumn papers (Echo Park)
You've Got My Heart scrapbooking kit
Buttercup, Ruby, Paprika & White Daisy cardstock
Buttercup, Cashmere, Nectarine, Sunset, Ruby & Black ink
Burnt Sienna fineline pen (iBayam)
ShinHan Touch Twin markers
Brown ribbon (Michaels)
DE Framework chipboard
White Daisy Bigger Brads
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title
Pattern: Rochelle Spears May 2024 Sketch

Challenges: FarmQuest Challenge Blog #52 Kitchen Tool & Equipment (I stamped a pie pan and rolling pin to go along with my meal theme); Scrap With Stacy May Tic Tac Toe Board (used the right column with stamping + 1 photo + polka dots)

Smile Layout

I leave on an Alaskan cruise on Friday evening, so I am trying to cram in as much scrapping as possible between packing and getting my daughter's homeschool grades finalized - not a busy week at all! I managed to finish this layout up, celebrating Father's Day with my family plus another family, and I used the fun smile title that I stamped using a new stamp set, then fussy cut. I don't do a lot of fussy cutting anymore because it's so much easier to cut things on my Cricut, but this turned out to be a perfect title to go with the beautiful smiles in the photos.

Recipe:
Your Smile & All the Details stamp sets
Brothers papers & stickers (Echo park)
Brown Bag, Outdoor Denim, Almond & White Daisy cardstock
Outdoor Denim, Sunset & Almond ink
Prussian Blue fineliner pen (iBayam)
Halloween Mix epoxy stars (Bella Blvd)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banners, "real life" shape
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap 12th Birthday Bash Sketch #1

Challenges: Double Trouble #167 6th Year Anniversary (I chose Father's Day + used Brown Bag paper and ink + played along with previous partner Crafter's Cafe #308 Smile, Be Happy).

Coolin' Off Layout

I dug deep into my stash to scrap these photos of my kids relaxing and having fun in our neighbor's pool on their adoption day. The Stampin' Up papers have been in my stash since 2006! I managed to use bits and pieces through the years, but today I used a whole sheet as well as some more scraps. Sometimes it's hard to let go of really adorable paper like this (what if I find another layout I need it for later, right?), but I think it was worth it in this case. Hope you agree! 

The top photo is in a Flip-Flap that lifts up to reveal another photo and this journaling block underneath.

Recipe:
Loves Me papers (SU)
Close to Cocoa & Taken with Teal cardstock (SU)
Raspberry & Cotton Candy cardstock
Vellum
Close to Cocoa, Taken with Teal & Tempting Turquoise ink (SU)
Raspberry & Cotton Candy ink
Summer Daydreams Elements stickers (Photoplay)
Antiqued Copper brads
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: banner, Coolin' Off, waves
Challenges: My Time to Craft #534 Super Cute (this layout just screamed cuteness to me!)

A Real Genius Made Me Layout for Lasting Memories #702

This month is flying by, and it's already time for another Lasting Memories challenge. This time we are taking our inspiration from the movies. I was scrapbooking pictures of the pre-school class at our 2017 vacation Bible school, where the theme was about being created for a purpose; I chose the 1980s movie Real Genius because I already had a sticker that said Genius on it, and the rest of the title flowed from there. I had no paper that worked just right for this layout, so I created my own using a gear-themed stamp set. The LM design team would love to see how this theme inspires you, so feel free to link up your completed layouts over at our blog!

I also put some extra photos in a facing pocket page and created a journaling card using Honey Butter cardstock and a bunch of stamps. It was lots of work doing the journaling, but totally worth it!

Recipe:
Gear Up, Limited Edition & Stacy's Hand Alphabet stamp sets (+ 8 others I used for the journaling!)
January - March 2023 Mix-in papers
Mist, Capri, Nectarine & Honey Butter cardstock
Sapphire, Capri, Nectarine & Honey Butter ink
Field Trip puffy phrase stickers (American Crafts)
Star Attraction Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Sunflower embroidery floss
Cricut Artiste cartridge: gear
Pattern: Got Sketch #10 (can't post here due to permission issues)
Challenges: Color My Heart Color Dare #600 - used top row with Pumpkin (subbed Nectarine since I don't have Pumpkin) + Mist + Sapphire and right column with Sapphire + Capri + Honey Butter

Time Out Challenges #263 (hopefully the genius sticker is big enough - LOL!)

Forever Family Layout

There is a saying in the adoption community that kids, especially those who have bounced around in the foster care system and moved from home to home for years, just want a forever family. For the fortunate ones, their birth parent gets his or her act together and is reunited with the child, but for many, adoption by another family is the only way they will ever experience what it means to have a forever family. Our Brianna and Oliver (Angel) were in the latter category, and I am finally caught up enough to scrapbook the day they became part of our forever family. There were a lot of details I wanted to remember about the day but also keep private just for us, so I created a pocket on the right hand page to hold my journaling about this amazing day. Suffice it to say that the people in the photos were some of the ones who supported us on our three-year journey to adoption. 

Recipe:
Background Builders & Love Tags stamp sets
Wicker Lane papers (Photoplay)
Outdoor Denim, Sundance, Raspberry, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Outdoor Denim, Goldrush, Raspberry, Capri & Juniper ink
Clear embossing powder
Love This Wood Titles
Key Charms (Bead Landing)
Raspberry baker's twine
Lollydoodle Assortment Flair
DE Hearts chipboard
Miracle chipboard
Miracle stickers
Cool Summer Night enamel dots (Altnew)
Washi tape (from my stash, source unknown)
White heart brads (from my stash, source unknown)
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: banner, scalloped borders
Cricut Artiste cartridge: tag
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #39

Challenges: Cut It Up #304 Send Me Flowers - I used some pretty floral paper across the center of my layout; Festive Fridays #159 - I used silver (key) + brads (hearts) + embossing (on chipboard heart & the word family) + family sentiment

Inspiration Station #61 (used flower paper and similar colors of pink and yellow)

Coach Thank You Card

Although I have the goal of completing ten scrapbook layouts this month, I keep having to pause and create cards, so we will see how many layout I get done. Here is another card, this time the group card from my daughter’s softball team to their coach. Coach loves Starbucks, so I was tempted to make one of those cute coffee-themed cards, but I also wanted to play along with a few challenges that pulled me in another direction, so this is what I came up with. 

And here is the card along with the embellished envelope:

Recipe:
My Game, Alphabet Solos "X", Thank You, Buddies - Joey, Starter Alphabet & Tickled Pink stamp sets
Capri, Honey Butter, Kraft & White Daisy cardstock
Capri. Honey & Sapphire ink
Sapphire baker's twine
3-D foam tape
CTMH Stripes embossing folder
Dot Fade stencil (Stampers Anonymous)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: softballs
Cricut Artiste cartridge: heart, banner
Pattern: The Outlawz Wednesday Sketch Challenge May 2024

Challenges: Little Red Wagon #755 Create Your Own Background (I used a bunch of sports themed words/phrases to create a word cloud for my background); Word Power #5 (hopefully there are enough words on this card - LOL!); Color My Heart Color Dare #600 (the right hand column of Sapphire + Capri + Honey Butter was perfect for the school colors)

Tic Tac Toe Challenges #247 (used the diagonal with Dry embossing + Stenciling + Embellished envelope as well as the column with Twine + Scoring + Embellished envelope and the row with Stripes + Stenciling + Scoring)

Nautical Birthday Card

My hubby's birthday is coming up, so I whipped up this card for him today in between the Mother's Day festivities. He doesn't sail, but I didn't have any fantastic ideas for a card, so I decided to play along with a nautical themed challenge and a few other challenges and came up with this card. Hopefully the next year will be smooth sailing compared to the last few rough years!

Recipe:
Chantilly stamp set
Majestic Blue papers
Kraft, Sapphire, Bamboo & Colonial White cardstock
Heavenly Blue textured cardstock
Sapphire, Outdoor Denim, Crystal Blue, Desert Sand & Bamboo ink
Natural hemp
Edge distressor
Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: sailboat
Pattern: Try a Sketch on Tuesday #646 (I added paper strips in place of the square because the super old paper pack I used had mostly scraps!)

Challenges: Allsorts Challenges #780 Spots and Stripes (embossed spots on the corners + center strip of paper is striped); Retro Rubber Challenges #230 Out to Sea (stamp is from 2013); The Color Throwdown #792

Fun & Sun Layout for Lasting Memories #701

Good morning, everyone, and a happy Mother's Day to all the hard-working moms out there. Hopefully you can relax and get some "me time" today in addition to spending time enjoying your kids, big and small. I did my scrappy work in advance so I can bring you this post today with the latest Lasting Memories challenge: inspired by a book. As I was going through my list of books I have read this year, the cover of Beach Read by Emily Henry caught my eye and made me decide to scrap beach photos and use the journaling card with the beach towel on it. Whether you're an avid reader or even if the only books you read are to your toddlers, come join us at Lasting Memories for this fun challenge!

Here's my layout:

And here's the cover that inspired me:

Recipe:
Diverse Backgrounds stamp set
Blue Skies papers
Canary, Almond, Heavenly Blue, Lagoon, Flamingo & Green Apple cardstock
Canary, Almond, Heavenly Blue, Lagoon, Flamingo & Green Apple ink
Black marker
Beach Party PML card
Freshly Baked enamel shapes
Sweet Rush Collection - Loving This puffy stickers (American Crafts)
Cricut Artbooking Cartridge: title, scalloped frames, sun
Cricut You Are Here Cartridge: waves
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch16Jun3

Challenges: Simon Says Wednesday Challenge: use die cuts (I used lots)

Imagination Station Layout

I always take a bunch of photos at Vacation Bible School (or my hubby does), and then I have to decide which ones to put on a layout, always a challenge. I'm so grateful for pocket pages so I can slip a bunch more photos in between the two sides of my double page spread and don't have to worry about creating yet another layout for them! While creating this layout, I wanted to use a funky font stamp set for the title, but the "i" had a curly tail and looked more like a "j" so I did something I have never done before - I cut my stamp! I love the result, but it was a weird feeling to do surgery on a stamp. Has anyone ever done that? Am I strange to feel weird about it? LOL!

Recipe:
Swirl Stroke Caps and Lowercase stamp sets
Hip Hip Hooray paper
Field Trip papers (American Crafts)
Carolina, Sundance, Fern & White Daisy cardstock
Carolina, Sundance, Bluebird & Fern ink
Star Spangled Blue marker
Candy Apple Shimmer Trim
Cricut Accent Essentials: gears
Cricut Artiste cartridge: puzzle pieces
Pattern: scraplift from Splitcoast Stampers
Challenges: Double Trouble #166 Stash and Trash (Thing 1 - used papers from 2 paper packs); Colorful Options (I started out using the Royal Blue option, but ended up adding too many other colors, so I switched to the rainbow option)

BSF Thank You Cards

We just finished our year in Bible Study Fellowship and I wanted to give thank you cards to our teaching leader and my daughter's two leaders, but I had used all the ones in my card box. What's a girl to do? Well, get to work making some new ones, of course! I used basically the same supplies for two of the cards, but a whole different set for the third.

This card didn't follow any pattern. I had a scrap piece of patterned paper that had a hole cut in it, so I used that as my base and put another piece behind it.

I used card sketch #265 from Sketch-n-Scrap for this card.

And for this one, I used card sketch #756 from Tuesday Morning Sketches.

Recipe (cards 1 & 2):

I Heart Us papers

Canary, Sweet Leaf, Mint, Raspberry, Slate & White Daisy cardstock

Pixie, Raspberry, Mint, Lagoon & Bluebird ink

ShinHan Touch Twin marker

Gold Metallics marker

Junebug Puffies stickers

Cricut Artbooking cartridge: sun

Cricut Artiste cartridge: thanks

Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border

Cricut Just Because cartridge: sheep, scalloped rectangle, thank ewe

Challenges: Cut It Up #303 die cut + sentiment (both cards); Tic Tac Toe Challenges #246 (used the middle column with butterflies + free + patterned papers for card 1 and the diagonal with flowers + free + die-cuts for card 2)

Recipe (card 3):

Inspirationals stamp set (SU)

Thank You stamp set

Life Delights papers

Chocolate, Blush, Craft & Colonial White cardstock

Chocolate & Blush ink

ShinHan Touch Twin markers

Clear embossing powder

Colonial White circle tag

Chocolate & Sweet Leaf ribbons

Pink & White heart brads (from my stash, source unknown)

Challenges: Let's Craft & Create #207 AG with optional Pretty Pink; Festive Friday #158 (used brown + pink + paper tearing)

Working Like a Dog for Lasting Memories #700

It's time for another month of challenges to start over at Lasting Memories, and I was able to get some scrappy time in yesterday for National Scrapbook Day. I created a layout to go along with the latest challenge, which is to be inspired by a song. I chose the Beatles song, "Hard Day's Night" because the lyrics "working like a dog" seemed to fit these photos of my son working hard to apply sealer to our swim spa. Please join us over at Lasting Memories before June 2 to share how the songs in your life inspire your scrapbooking!

Recipe:
A Typeface stamp set
Floral & Dot paper (DCWV Stack 4)
Gingham paper (from my stash, source unknown)
Pear, Pacifica & Colonial White cardstock
Pear, Pacifica & Honey ink
Moonstruck marker
Summer Vibes PML card
Blue Jean Heart puffy shapes (Doodlebug)
Cricut Artbooking: sun, grass
Cricut Artist: title
Cricut Chore Chart: dog
Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap NSD Bonus sketch (reversed)

Challenges:  Time Out Challenges #262 Photo Inspiration (inspired by the dots, gingham, and dogs)

Maker Fun Factory Layout

I didn't have as much time as I wanted to scrap today on National Scrapbook Day because our family went to see the Star Wars exhibit at the Reagan Presidential Library. We had a great time and I was able to say, "May the fourth be with you!" multiple times. When we got home, I pulled out a layout I started back in February (basically I adhered the photos and ribbon) but laid aside because I just didn't know where to go with it. With the help of a few challenges, I finally finished it today - woohoo!

Recipe:
Have a Happy Day stamp set
Let's Wander Multi-Media paper (American Crafts)
Gypsy & White Daisy cardstock
Gypsy & Moonstruck ink
White gel pen (Sakura)
Gold Metallics marker
Gold ribbon
Gear It Up sequins (Craftin' Desert)
Field Notes Thicker (American Crafts)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tag
Cricut Design Space: title using BFC Night Kiss font
Pattern: Stick It Down February 2024 double sketch

Challenges: The Outlawz AG in a Card-Free Zone May challenge; Cut It Up #303 Add a Sentiment (I added the "smile" sentiment on my arrow); Splitcoast Stampers VSBN Challenge #2 Add 4 items from a list to my layout (I chose sequins + ribbon + die-cut items + tag)

Crazy New Friends Layout

May is such a fun month for me with National Scrapbook falling on the first Saturday. Our family has plans for tomorrow so I can't scrap all day, but that's okay because I am going to celebrate NSD all month long! Here's my first layout of the month, with a few photos of my boys hanging out at Magic Mountain with some new friends, the sons of my hubby's college roommate /best man. 

Recipe:
Happiest Place & May/June 2022 Mix-In papers
Green Apple, Lemonade, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Nectarine, Glacier & Sunny Yellow ink
Black marker
Happiest Place acrylic shapes
Field Notes Thickers (American Crafts)
Scalloped border punch (Fiskars)
Cricut Design Space: title using Agent Q font & Friends cut file from NC Mom
Cricut Art Philosophy: arrow
Pattern: Splitcoast Stampers Sketch16 Aug1

Challenges: Double Trouble #165 (Thing 1 = Anything Goes + Thing 2 = played along with Crafting Happiness #172's Way Up High theme with stars, suns, and roller coasters + Thing 3 = used yellow, light green, and orange from the inspiration board); My Time to Craft #533 (chose the friendship part of the challenge to go along with my sons' new friendship)