Best Math Day Layout

I'm almost done with second grade photos for my son's elementary school album, so today I decided to scrapbook this random photo we took of my son and his "Best Math Day Ever" award. Learning did not come easy to him, so this was a huge deal! There is a lot of stamping on this layout, and I even fussy cut the big XOXO, the talk bubble, and the owls after I stamped them. I was tempted to put lots of numbers on the layout because of the math theme, but decided to just use the measuring tape ribbon, then I stamped plus signs on the red ring, and the X could stand for multiplication and the O for zero, so those are my math tributes.

Recipe:
Happy Everything, Priceless Love Word Puzzle, Live Out Loud, Balloon Talk, Whooo's Your Valentine & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Moon Doggie papers
Garden Green, Cranberry, Bamboo, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Garden Green, Cranberry, Bamboo, Cocoa, Chocolate, Black, Indian Corn Blue & Honey ink
Black marker
Everyday Moments pocket Card (Scrapbook.com)
Measure Up ribbon (Offray)
Cricut Artiste cartridge: hearts, arrow
Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #609

Challenges: Colorful Options Rainbow Colors; Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #52 (chose XOXO + stamped hearts)

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!)

EMS Sketch 82 + All I Want for Christmas Layout

Today's post has a double helping of scrappy goodness! Not only do I have a brand new double page sketch for you to enjoy, but I was asked to be the December Crazy Cousin over at Double Trouble challenge blog. Please come out and play with either or both challenges! The sketch features 7 full size or slightly cropped 4" x 6" photos, and I embellished with gifts since I was doing a Christmas theme, but you could replace the gifts with hearts for Valentines, stars for July 4th, etc.

The sketch:

Tip: for piece A, choose a paper where the design orientation doesn't matter. That way it won't look upside down when you rotate it to use on the second page!

My layout:

And here's the super fun Double Trouble challenge:

WELCOME to Challenge #44 - Let the Troubles Begin! 

"WRAP IT UP"

THING 1: Trouble Maker

says, "Wrap It Up! Not much time remains to have your holiday cards done in time for mailing. Look through your stash and create a project using at least one patterned holiday paper."

You can stop here...

OR, you can choose to include Twisted Sister's Optional Twist below. 

THING 3: Twisted Sister
says, "Well, we wrapped it up. Now... Let's Tie It Up! Include ribbon and/or bows anywhere on your project (using ribbon, die, stamp, digital image with bow, twine, etc.)"

This is an OPTIONAL TWIST but you will be awarded an additional chance in Double Trouble's random draw if you include this twist in your project.

AND Don't stop here... if you have included this twist with a Holiday theme you are eligible to enter Double Dare's Dare below. 

THING 2:  Double Dare 

says, "ArtsyStamper Digitals Challenge is celebrating 'Winter Holidays'. If your project has a holiday theme share your project HERE and earn an additional chance for our random draw prize."

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet stamp set
Traditional Christmas kit (KI Memories)
Pixie, Topiary & White Daisy cardstock
Watermelon, Pear & Topiary ink
Black marker
Blush dot, Sweet Leaf Gingham & grosgrain & Topiary chevron ribbons
Cricut Simply Sweet cartridge: title
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: heart
Mini heart punch (EK Success)

AR Awards Layout

Our school district participates in a program called Accelerated Reader, and each child is required to earn a certain amount of points by reading books and passing quizzes in their AR level. At the end of the trimester, all children who made their AR goal get an award and attend a party. Brianna was so excited to make her goal in second grade, but it might have been more due to the party than to the awards ceremony - LOL! For the layout, I stamped a few images and then fussy cut them, and I used foam tape to pop up part of the award for extra dimension.

Recipe:
Blue Ribbon, Classmate Alphabet & Diverse Backgrounds stamp sets
Free to Be Me papers
White Daisy cardstock
Flaxen, Tulip, Glacier & Lagoon ink
Ocean marker
Aqua Dots
Red enamel gems
Bamboo metal arrow & brad
Cranberry baker's twine
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Rochelle Spears September 2019 sketch

Challenges: Heart 2 Heart use stamps (ribbon, word search alphabet, first class tab, title, ticket)

1st Grade Open House

Since I wasn't being inspired by my London trip photos, I decided to switch gears and try some school pictures. These are from when my son was in 1st grade, and he's now in 7th, so you can see I'm a trifle behind! There's no journaling on the layout because I will be slipping a photo storage page between the two pages and there's a journaling card on there.

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet stamp set
Afraid to Sink and Sparkle & Shine patterned papers (Bella Blvd)
Honey, Fern, Pacifica & Blush cardstock
Honey, Fern, Pacifica & Desert Sand ink
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: ruler, frame, stars
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 18
Challenges: Lasting Memories stars challenge

Once Upon a Time Layout

Most people would not automatically think of dinosaurs for a "once upon a time" challenge, but it is what sprang to mind for Heart 2 Heart's challenge! Although strictly speaking they are not fantasy creatures, they have certainly inspired many fantasy movies, so hopefully they qualify for the challenge. I used all three CTMH Cricut cartridges for this layout, plus I had fun figuring out how to use the Roar dinosaurs in a new way.

Recipe:
Roar & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Dotty for You Level 2 papers
Sweet Leaf, Buttercup & Colonial White cardstock
Lagoon, Sweet Leaf, Slate, Desert Sand & Buttercup ink
Creme Brulee, Sweet Leaf & Black markers
My Crush Best Day Ever journaling block & sticker
Lagoon baker's twine
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: Sun and grass
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title
Cricut Artiste cartridge: banners
Pattern: Sidebar - Layers from Reflections
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Once Upon a Time

SCS Variety Challenge 177 - Out of Plumb

I'm so excited to be taking over the Scrapbook Variety Challenge on Splitcoast Stampers! I'll be posting a new challenge every other Wednesday. (This post was supposed to go up yesterday, but I was sick in bed with stomach flu, so I had to post a day late). I'll post a link to the challenge on the Splitcoast site, so feel free to join in. I plan to make these challenges something you can use with pretty much any type of photos, so you won't have to have specifically themed photos to participate. Here's the new challenge:

Out of Plumb - SBVC177
A plumb is a lead weight attached to a line and used to ascertain a vertical direction. To be “out of plumb” means a line is not perpendicular. This week’s variety challenge is to create a layout that uses lines that are out of plumb. Not all lines have to be out of plumb, but at least two must be.

Here's my sample. My two "out of plumb" lines are on the tan strip on the left side of the layout.

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet stamp set
Lucky Level 2 papers
Whisper & Colonial White cardstock
Outdoor Denim & Desert Sand ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Milepost Shapes stars
Pattern: Nuts About Sketches Week 92

Time to Relax Layout

Simple layout that I predesigned in Studio J and then created using supplies on hand.

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet stamp set
Magic Moments Level 2 papers
Chocolate, Indian Corn Blue & Colonial White cardstock
Magic Moments Scrapbooking Kit My Stickease
Versamark ink
White embossing powder
Heart punch (EK Success)
Pattern: Dramatic Fashion from Cherish

EMS Sketch Challenge #31 - Round & Round

I haven't posted a sketch challenge in a while, so here's one to enjoy. I used some discontinued product along with some brand new, just available to the public today items. The Milepost corrugated shapes are found on page 128 of the new Autumn / Winter idea book. Cute, aren't they? The horse and the tickets were cut out using my Wishblade.

The sketch:

My layout:

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet & Priceless Love Word Puzzle stamp sets
Tinkering Level 2 papers
Clover Meadow & Desert Sand cardstock
Clover Meadow, Twilight, Sunflower, Bamboo & Desert Sand ink
Black marker
Milepost Shapes

Kindred Layout

I'm almost done with the challenges from VIrtual Scrapbook Night on Split Coast Stampers. Here's another one; we had to use the site ABCya! Word Clouds for Kids! to create a word cloud, and then use it on our layout. Unfortunately, I couldn't print mine out since my color printer wasn't working, so I improvised using stamps. I also used 2 Page Sketch #1 from the Sketch Support Blog.



Recipe:
Mayberry Level 2 papers
Jubilation, Hodgepodge Alphabet, Bingo Alphabet, Polkadot Alphabet & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Colonial White cardstock
Olive, Honey, Smoothie, Cocoa & Sky ink
Olive & Honey markers
Olive, Cocoa & Sky brads

Teacher Cards

Well, scrapping time has been scarce in our household, so I don't have a layout to show you, but I did get a few cards done for my sons' teachers. Both are pretty simple, but hopefully they demonstrate to the teachers how much they are appreciated! For the first one, the inside says, "The school year would not have been complete without U!" If you look closely, you'll notice I stamped the alphabets without a U in them.





Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet, Building Block Alphabet & Pennant Alphabet stamp sets
Fanfare Level 2 papers
White Daisy & Sunny Yellow cardstock
Dutch Blue, Cranberry, Honey, Topiary, Gypsy, Pacifica & Creme Brulee ink
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon
Natural hemp
Staples
3-D foam tape

Week 16 Layout Linky - Family Layout

Wow, week 16. . . This year is flying past! My latest layout uses pictures taken last fall, which seems like just yesterday. We were able to spend time with my SIL and her kids when they were in town. Doesn't that Mayberry paper make you want to smile? It's so cheerful and homey - love it. I used one page of the Charmed pattern from Magic and stamped images from the Family Ties stamp sets in order to recreate the people in the pictures. The images are partly paper-pieced and partly colored with watercolor pencils.



Detail of the little people:


Recipe:
Family Ties Adult, Family Ties Children, Tiny Typewriter Alphabet & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Mayberry Level 2 papers
Sweet Leaf, Colonial White, Honey, Smoothie & Olive cardstock
Desert Sand, Cocoa, Olive, Honey & Smoothie ink
Kraft Color-Ready borders
White Daisy Just Blooms
Craft buttons
Bitty Sparkles
Watercolor pencils (Prismacolor by Sanford)
Scallop circle punch
Decorative scissors (Fiskars)

***If you are participating in the 52 Layouts Challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your sixteenth week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

Week 10 Layout Linky + EMS SKetch Challenge 25 - The Real Story Behind the Ruins Layout

I'm really late posting my layout again this week, but I have a great excuse - pneumonia! Yes, I have been in bed all week, coughing, wheezing, chest pains, etc. Not a fun week. I managed to put together a layout in spite of that (plus having my parents-in-law here and a birthday party to plan), so I'm pretty proud of myself. This week, the Heart 2 Heart Challenge blog asked us to create a scene using three or more stamps, which was perfect for this layout. (Actually, I just went back and checked and it was supposed to be a scene on a card, but hopefully they'll forgive my illness-induced confusion!) I used the mountains and clouds from Beautiful Things, the grass from True Happiness, and the bricks from Around the Block, three totally different style stamp sets, yet I think they came together really well. I also used a sketch this week, so feel free to check it out for next week's layout if you like it. Can't wait to see your layouts for week 10, ladies!

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet, Extreme Caps, True Happiness, Beautiful Things, Around the Block & Picture Perfect stamp sets
Roughing It stamp set (SU)
Indian Corn Blue, Heavenly Blue, Desert Sand, Autumn Terracotta & Colonial White cardstock
Desert Sand, Garden Green, Grey Wool & Bamboo ink
Grey Wool & Bamboo markers

***If you are participating in the challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your tenth week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

Week 6 Layout Linky - Lava Flow Trail

As promised, here is the layout and the linky for the week. I used EMS Sketch 24, which I posted yesterday. Here's a fun technique I invented for this layout:

1. Stamp a row of trees at the top of a piece of cardstock using third generation ink.
2. Cut a curving line towards the bottom of your row of trees.
3. Layer the cut off piece of cardstock over the original piece, making sure to overlap a little.
4. Stamp another row of trees below the first using second generation ink.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
6. Stamp another row of trees at the bottom of the cardstock using first generation ink.
7. Without reinking, fill in any dead spaces by stamping the trees again.

Voila, you have a forest / mountain scene! You could probably do this with other types of stamps, but it was fun to do with the trees. Now let's see what you talented ladies come up with for the week.



Recipe:
Classmate Alphabet & Back to Nature stamp set
Grace Level 2 papers
Garnet & Sweet Leaf cardstock
Ponderosa Pine & Desert Sand ink
Basic Craft Buttons

***If you are participating in the challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your sixth week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

Week 1 Layout Linky - Earning the Badge Layout

I completed my week 1 layout for the 52 Layouts a Year Challenge! Yay, 1 down, only 51 to go. Let me encourage you, if I can do this in the midst of moving to a new home, all of you can do it, too. I used pictures from our Grand Canyon trip in 2007, and here's something fun I did for this layout: I scanned the picture of the Junior Ranger badge from Adrian's certificate and sent it to Costco to be printed as a photo, then cut it out and used it as a design element on my layout. It's a fun way to add memorabilia that would be too bulky to include in its original format.



Recipe:
Classmate Alpabet stamp set
Back Country Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Goldrush & Outdoor Denim cardstock
Goldrush & Outdoor Denim ink
Outdoor Denim marker
DE Monograms "B", "A", "D", "G", "E"
Barn Red Bigger Brads
Natural hemp

***If you are participating in the challenge, please use the link below to link your layout to this post. You have until Friday at 11:59PM PST to post your first week's layout. The link will allow you to post a title and thumbnail that link to your site, where we can see the layout in all its glory! Note: please do not post from a password protected site that will require us to input a password before viewing.

LOAD #29 - In Process

Hi! It's getting late and my hubby and I are leaving for a night at the theater (without the kids - yay)! My layout is almost done but I don't have time to post it now. I'll try to get it posted tomorrow morning. In the meantime, all you LOADies can post your layouts.

********
Here is the layout for yesterday. It's really simple, so it seems like I should have been able to post it earlier, but life this month has been crazy and this morning was no exception! The photos are from our trip to the Grand Canyon Railway Station in Williams, AZ, and this is the first page for our 2007 Arizona trip.



Recipe:
Building Block Alphabet & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Giggles & Grins My Stickease
Sunny Yellow & Black cardstock
Cranberry & Black ink
Cranberry spiral clip
Black ribbon (Michaels)

EMS Sketch Challenge 21 & LOAD #13 - Climbing Half Dome Layout

I promised a sketch challenge every other Wednesday, so here it is. I'm scrapping a lot of panaromic pictures because my husband just loves to take them, but if you don't have a single picture to fit the bottom 2 spots, you could use 3 4"x6" photos. My panoramic photo ended up being a little shorter than 6", so I was able to add the "mountains" to the bottom of the page. I hauled out my old deckle scissor (remember when those were all the rage?) and cut a border, and then hand cut at irregular intervals to make the mountains taller.

The sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:

Classmate Alphabet, Charm Uppercase Alphabet, Charm Lowercase Alphabet, Beautiful Things, Journaling Jots, & True Friends stamp sets

Stardust Level 2 papers 

Bamboo & Dutch Blue cardstock

Bamboo, Topiary & Moonstruck ink

Moonstruck marker

Deckle scissors (SU)

The Cat's Meow Card

Hi everyone. I am officially sad today because I am not at Close to My Heart's consultant convention. I've been checking out tweets, blogs, the consultant bulletin board, and the virtual convention in order to keep updated with all the fun activities and great products that are being showcased, so I'm really excited about our new idea book that will be released in September! The virtual convention includes on-line classes, and I just finished one about using alphabet stamps. Seems like a no-brainer, but I got a lot of cool ideas. I was inspired to create this little card. The outside features a cat made of alphabet stamps, plus the letters U and R (you are. . .), while the inside says "the cat's meow."



Recipe:
Building Block Alphabet, Field Trip Alphabet, Classmate Alphabet, Friendship Alphabet Small & Noted Backgrounds stamp sets
Silhouette Level 2 papers
Colonial White, Sweet Leaf & White Daisy cardstock
Desert Sand, Black & Bamboo ink
Black, Desert Sand & Topiary marker
Circle metal edged tags
Sweet Leaf Ribbon Rounds
Staples
Scalloped scissors (CM)

EMS Sketch 13 Layout

I just finished my layout for Sketch Challenge 13, and here it is. It will be the title page for our vacation to Yosemite in 2006. We hadn't arrived yet, but we took some pictures at the hotel we stayed at along the way, so I wanted to scrapbook them and tie them to our trip, thus the title. I just can't get enough of the Splendor papers. They go so perfectly with so many pictures, and I just love the happy feel they evoke in me!



Recipe:
Summer Wishes, Gear Up, Cocktail Alphabet & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Splendor Level 2 papers
Colonial White cardstock
Topiary, Moonstruck & Goldrush ink
White Daisy brads
White Daisy Mini-Medleys

LOAD #7 - Discovery Center

I spent all day organizing pictures for a scrapbooking retreat I'm attending this weekend, so I don't have my layout done for today. Bad me! LOADers, feel free to post links to your layouts, and I will try to get my layout done and posted tonight. Wish me luck!

2 days later . . .
Finally got a chance to post this layout - yay! It's as done as I can be at this stage. I really need a dinosaur stamp set, but I have to browse my CTMH idea books and see what's available. I'm always ripe for an excuse to place another order!



Recipe:
Connections & Classmate Alphabet stamp sets
Moonstruck, Bamboo, Cranberry & Dutch Blue cardstock
Moonstruck ink
Moonstruck marker
Paper piercer