He Filled All the Stockings Layout for Lasting Memories #779

It's time for my final Lasting Memories layout of 2025 (favorite challenge from 2025), and I chose to re-visit one of Jill's Favorites that she posted in June. For LM #757, she challenged us to use a favorite tool. At the time, I was really using my stamps a lot, but I think my Cricut actually gets more playtime in my craft room, so I am going with that. I used it to die-cut a bunch of items for this layout, and I seldom create a layout wherein I don't use my Cricut for at least one thing. How about you? Are you a Cricut lover, or do you have another favorite tool? Come play along with us at Lasting Memories using this challenge or any other from 2025. We would love to see your layouts!

For my layout, I mirrored my monthly sketch again, but subbed tags for some of the shapes, and kept the pictures at the outsides of the layout so I could stretch my title across the middle.

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds stamp set
White Pines papers
Cranberry, Honey Butter, Harbour, Glacier, Peacock, Ballerina, Champagne, Mocha, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry, Glacier & Desert Sand ink
Christmas Fairy Crystals (Memory Box)
Red gingham & blue dot ribbon (Offray)
Brown & Merry Christmas ribbon (Celebrate It)
Red baker's twine (Celebrate It)
Swiss dot embossing folder (Cuttlebug)
Cricut Design Space: rooster, candy jar, piglet, title (using Agent Q font)
Cricut Art Philosophy: banners, tags
Cicut You Are Here cartridge: t-shirt
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #126 mirrored

Challenges: A Cut Above Anything goes with a die-cut; Heart's Quest Challenge Blog #80 Red hearts; NBUS - my never-before-used-schtuff is the Merry Christmas ribbon, bakers twine, polka dot ribbon, and the rooster, candy jar, and piglet die-cuts; Crafty Calendar Winter/Christmas; Can You Handle the Pressure? Anything Goes with an embossing folder.

Back to the Sea Layout

Although I love how mixed media looks on other people's layouts, I have never been a  big fan of doing it myself. Somehow, it always seems to not look quite right when I try to incorporate it into a layout! However, last month I tried scraplifting someone's layout that had a water colored background, and I loved how it turned out, so I decided to try another lift in hopes it would inspire me. I think it was actually a digital layout, but it gave me the guidance I needed. Once again, I like the result, so who knows, maybe one day I will get brave enough to create my own water colored backgrounds!

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds stamp set
Watercolor paper (Canson)
Watercolor patterned paper (Recollections)
Emerald Green & Lilac Mist cardstock
Topiary & Desert Sand ink
Star Spangled Blue marker
Sap Green & Cobalt Blue watercolor paints (Artist's Loft)
Monograms 2 Chippies (Mintay Papers)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: heart banner
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: turtle
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: mini banners
Pattern: scraplift from A Cherry on Top
Challenges: Double D Challenges Make Your Own Background; Art Impressions #412 Wild About You - my wild animal is a turtle; NBUS #78 - my never before used schtuff is the Mintay chipboard letters that I bought in June and finally got around to using on this layout.

Little Desperados Layout

Love these photos of my son and his friend fooling around in their fake moustaches at Sunday school . They totally reminded me of the bad guys in old westerns, so that's what inspired the title. My Cricut got a workout as I cut out the various shapes that I wanted to use, and I like how it turned out. Hope you do, too!

Recipe:
Universal Backgrounds & Distressed Backgrounds stamp sets
The Fourth of July paper (Carta Bella)
September - October 2023 Mix In paper
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim, Almond, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Cranberry, Outdoor Denim, Toffee & Versamark ink
Gold embossing powder
Gold Shimmer Trim
Tan Sparkles
Lumberjack Plaid Distress Spray (Ranger)
Cricut Southwest cartridge: revolver, horse, fence
Just Because Cards cartridge: cowboy boot
Cricut Design Space: sheriff badge, title using Rockwell font
Pattern: Sketch Savvy #34 (rotated right)

Challenges: Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone with optional twist: I'd Wear That (I certainly wouldn't wear those moustaches, but I love that my kiddo did!); Cut It Up #333 Critters (a horse)  + die-cuts (I used lots, see the list above); Color My Heart #659 

Do Your Thing [VBS} Layout

June of 2018 was VBS month for my son, as he attended two other ones in addition to the one at our church. I only had a few photos from the other two, so I decided to just scrap them together. I used Rochelle Spear's May sketch for my design, and I really wish I had cut the patterned paper piece at the top longer, but once it was done, I had to just go with it.

Recipe:
Dream Big, It's Your Day, Connections & Distressed Backgrounds stamp sets
Moon Doggie & Wood Grain papers
Toffee, Cranberry, Vanilla Cream & Colonial White cardstock
Cranberry, Toffee, Saddle, Indian Corn Blue, Garden Green & Bamboo ink
Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
Let's Wander stickers (American Crafts)
Palm Tree stickers Creative Imaginations)
Simple Vintage Essentials foam stickers (Simple Stories)
Blue Adornaments fibers (EK Success)
Scalloped border punch (Fiskars)
Pattern: Rochelle Spears May 2025 sketch (added a vertical photo)

Challenges: Scrap With Stacy Tic-Tac-Toe (Used the middle column with Edge punch + wood grain + flowers)

Cupcake Inspirations #618 Use a Tree (mine were palms trees)

Neglected Stuff May Challenge - the patterned papers and all the stamps I used were super old.

White Tower Layout

In the center of the Tower of London is the White Tower, the original building William the Conqueror had constructed in the 1070s to bring the fierce and fickle Londoners under his control. One of the main exhibits inside is the Line of Kings, a massive display of armor that opened in the late 1600s. We took lots of photos of this exhibit, but I decided to put most of them in pocket pages, so my journaling about the history of the White Tower and the collection will also be in the pocket pages. For today, I just scrapbooked the exterior of the Tower.

Recipe:
Live Inspired, Distressed Backgrounds, Lucky & Friendship Alphabet Small stamp sets
Color Kaleidoscope papers (American Crafts)
Glacier, Linen, Black, Chocolate & White Daisy cardstock
Glacier, Lagoon, Pear, Linen & Black ink
Sienna fineliner pen (iBayam)
ShinHan Touch Twin marker
Halloween Mix epoxy stars (Bella Blvd)
Top Dog Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Cricut Medieval Silhouettes cartridge: castle (edited in Design Space)
Challenges: Colorful Options rainbow colors; Cut It Up Challenges #311 Anything Goes with a die-cut; Challenge YOUrself #128 Inspired by a Rainbow (I tried to use soft hues of all the rainbow colors, and there are two photos with me in them wearing a grey shirt and black scarf)

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)

Water Lane Layout

I really wanted to use some patterned papers I bought to scrap my London trip from 2017 (I've only been working on it six years - LOL!), so I skipped ahead to the Tower of London. These photos were taken just inside the Tower's entrance, at historic Water Lane, so named because it used to be right on the banks of the Thames until Edward I filled in part of the river and created the Outer Ward. We took some great photos at the Tower, but the one of my hubby with the Yeoman Guard (a Beefeater) is one of my favorites!

When I put it in the album, this layout will also include a Flip-Flap with two additional photos (St. Thomas' Tower and the Traitor's Gate) that will cover the journaling, so here they are:

Recipe:
Limited Edition, Make It Count, Distressed Backgrounds & Stipple Plaid stamp sets
Once Upon a Time paper (P13)
Candy Apple, Sapphire, Mist, Almond & White Daisy cardstock
Candy Apple, Sapphire, Mist, Almond & Slate ink
Grey Fineliner pen (iBayam)
Wood heart & arrow
Bamboo Bigger Brad
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banners, tag
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #95

Challenges: Heart's Quest Challenge Blog # 32 Travel + Love/hearts; Double Trouble #141 Something, Anything, Everything (Thing 1 = anything goes + Thing2 = played along with previous partner Cupcake Inspirations #572)

There's grey in there, too, but hopefully that's okay!

Planes of Fame Layout

I had pulled out some photos and cardstock for a flight museum layout back in December with the intention of playing along with one of Color My Heart's Color Dares, but the color scheme never quite gelled for me so I set it aside. It's been bugging me ever since, so I finally sat down and finished it. Turns out the addition of one more color (Harbour, which was not in the color palette) made all the difference. I didn't think I would like this color when CTMH came out with it, but it has turned out to be quite a handy foil for other color schemes. Who knew? Well, besides the talented team over at CTMH, of course - LOL!

Thanks to my hubby Greg for helping me with the journaling!

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds & Star Struck stamp sets
Memo paper
Mist, Sage, Pewter, Toffee, Harbour & White Daisy textured cardstock
Sage, Pewter & Toffee ink
Light Grey fineliner pen (iBayam)
Durables Silver Triangles
Oatmeal grosgrain ribbon (Offray)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: stars, scalloped border, title, tag
Cricut Artbooking cartridge; tickets
CTMH Chevron embossing folder
Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #39

Challenges: Color My Heart #528 Anything Goes color palette

Level Up Layout

A fun event for our church kids back in 2016. I didn't manage to get any photos of the kids actually playing video games, so I tried to recreate the feel of their video game competition using the Pro-Player papers and lots of sponging to give everything a slightly grungy feel. This worked especially well with the title letters since the Ruby red cardstock was a lot brighter than the Ruby in the patterned papers, so it helped them become a better color match!

Recipe:

Distressed Backgrounds stamp set

ProPlayer papers

Whisper, Slate & Ruby cardstock

Whisper, Slate, Outdoor Denim & Black ink

Black marker

Grey epoxy bubbles

Slate polka dot washi tape

Tim Holtz Rays stencil (Stampers Anonymous)

Cricut Artiste cartridge: title

Pattern: Sketches in Thyme #313

Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Sponge It (sponged edges of papers + sponged ink on a stencil to create the rays)

Scrappy Prize for 100 Sketches!

I started out my sketch journey many years ago and, despite bumps in the road and extremely long pauses in which I didn't create any sketches, I have finally arrived at my 100th EMS Sketch! While this isn't my 100th sketch out of all the sketches I've done (I created some for a challenge blog and others for Splitcoast Stampers), it's still a cool milestone for me. To celebrate, I invite you to use any one of my sketches and post a link to your completed layout in the comments section at the bottom of this post. To find a sketch, you can either click on EMS Sketch Challenges in the sidebar under Labels, or you can see them on Pinterest. Can't wait to discover what sketch inspires you!

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Just for fun, if at least ten different people link up in the comments below with a layout based on one of my sketches, I will be offering a prize of a $25 gift certificate to Scrapbook.com! One entry per person please, and the deadline to enter is August 31st at 11:59 PM PST.

Recipe:
Jennifer's Hand Alphabet & Distressed Backgrounds stamp sets
Autumn Garden papers
Autumn Terracotta, Indian Corn Blue, Sky, Toffee & Bamboo cardstock
Indian Corn Blue, Sky, Toffee & Bamboo ink
Brown micron marker (Sakura)
Blue Adornaments fibers (EK Success)
Antiqued Copper brads
Bronze Shimmer Trim
Magic Mesh (Creative Imaginations)
Calm file folder (MME)
Let's Wander Thickers (American Crafts)
Grey washi tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banners
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: sunburst
Cricut Artistry cartridge: pyramid
Challenges: The Studio Challenges Stars; Just Us Girls #595 Anything But a Card;  Lasting Memories #559 Bingo (I chose the top row across with star + washi tape + stripes + dies + arrow)

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

One Busy B Layout

It's with a sad heart today that I post this layout inspired by a sketch from Let's Scrap; they are retiring their blog for now, so this may be the last new sketch of theirs I use. Hopefully they will return some day when life isn't as crazy, but I will sure miss their bi-monthly inspiration! In the meantime, they helped me create a fun layout for my daughter's second grade open house, where we got to see all the work our busy bee (the "B" is for Brianna) had been doing in class.

Recipe:
Bee Mine, Friendship Alphabet Small, Distressed Backgrounds & Honeycomb stamp sets
Lucky & Buzz and Bumble papers
Cocoa, Desert Sand & White Daisy cardstock
Cocoa, Desert Sand, Goldrush, Outdoor Denim & Olive ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Color Ready Kraft Borders
Outdoor Denim baker's twine
Outdoor Denim brads
DE chipboard Monograms "B", Signage & Banner
PML Tabbed Journaling Card
3-D foam tape
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: frames
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border with cut-outs
Pattern: Let's Scrap 7-15-19

Challenges: Double Trouble #36 Round & Round: Thing 1 - circles on the patterned paper, brads, and my daughter's pizza + Thing 3 - school theme; Scrapbook.com Music challenge - used lyrics from Chuck Berry's School Days as my journaling.

Think Grow Learn @ Pretend City Layout

My kids are too old for this place now, but when they were younger, it felt magical to them! I started my layout with a sketch from Let's Sketch, and drew some inspiration from Use Your Stuff's mood board (green background, brown trim, trees of various heights).

Recipe:
Jennifer's Hand & Distressed Backgrounds stamp sets
Bluebird, Raspberry, Tulip & Bamboo cardstock
Bluebird, Raspberry & Desert Sand ink
Mind Your Manners Ephemera (Bella Blvd)
Color Kaleidoscope sticker book & puffy stickers (American Crafts)
Sapphire baker's twine
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: tags
Pattern: Let's Scrap 8-15-19

Challenges: Use Your Stuff #371

1 Fully Amazing Day Layout

For this layout featuring pictures of my sons and their cousin at the pool, I pulled inspiration from several challenges (see below). Since I had just purchased some new Vicky Boutin papers and accessories, I really wanted to use them, but it took me forever to actually cut into the papers. I guess I have a fear of messing up or using that paper that will be perfect for a layout three years in the future - LOL! At any rate, the layout is now finished, and I now have scraps to enjoy on another project.

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds stamp set
Color Kaleidoscope papers (Vicky Boutin for American Crafts)
Honey, Kraft, Lagoon, Desert Sand & Sky cardstock
Desert Sand & Lagoon ink
Clover Meadow marker
Later Sk8r PML cards
Red & Teal shimmer trim
Honey Triangles washi tape
Ruby glitter buttons
Color Kaleidoscope Thickers, stickers & puffy stickers (Vicky Boutin for American Crafts)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border
Cricut Artistry cartridge: whale
Pattern: Let's Scrap 3-15-19 (subbed hearts for hexagons)

Challenges: The Studio Challenges fussy cutting (not something I do well, but I cut hearts from the heart paper to scatter around my layout); Lasting Memories photo inspiration (inspired by the bright colors so I tried to include as many as I could)

Going to the Zoo Layout

Do you ever have times when you're scrapbooking a place or event that you've scrapbooked several times, and it's hard to figure out how to get a fresh look? I find that happens to me when I'm working with zoo pictures, which is why I don't even bring the camera anymore when we visit the zoo! For this layout, I tried to bring a fresh look using some older papers and embellishments in combination with a brand new sketch from Rochelle Spears.

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds stamp set
Expedition papers
Olive & Autumn Terracotta cardstock
Olive, Chocolate & Autumn Terracotta ink
Vellum animals (from my stash)
Natural Twill ribbon
Timberline Assortment wooden shapes
Cork Hearts & Arrow stickers (American Crafts)
Safari Font stickers (Karen Foster Designs)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: rings
Pattern: Rochelle Spears January 2019 sketch

Sweet Dreams Layout

I vacillated between several titles for this layout featuring King William III's royal bedchambers at Hampton court, but I finally settled on Sweet Dreams due to the ceiling painting of Mars, God of war,  sleeping in the arms of Venus, goddess of love. I knew I wanted to include a moon and stars plus a cloud or two to go with the theme of the other painting, but the Lasting Memories' Paint/Mist challenge inspired me to add pearly paint to the clouds (swirly) and moon and stars (brushed). Love the texture and shimmer it adds to this element!

And here you can see the paint detail a little better.

And since I am adding a pocket page opposite, here are the photos and journal cards for that!

Fireplace in the Little Bedroom

 

The kin'gs potty

The king's Closet

The Orangery

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds, You & Me, Solos "S" & Eclectic Edges stamp sets
Sky, Sapphire, Desert Sand & White Daisy cardstock
Sapphire & Desert Sand ink
Navy marker (Zig)
Create a Shade Pearl paint
Cricut Artistry cartridge: moon, stars, clouds
Cricut Wall Decor & more cartridge: books
Pattern: EMS Sketch 64

Going Underground Layout

One of the great things about London (at least to this Los Angeles resident) is that you can get just about everywhere using public transportation! Combining our oyster card and our London Pass got us even to such far flung places as Hampton Court for a day's sightseeing. We took several photos of the Underground, but only a few came out, so I scrapbooked them using a sketch from The Studio Challenges, turned on its side and featuring two 4' x 6" photos. I had lots of fun with the design, especially the arches that represent the underground station.

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds stamp set
You Rock Level 2 papers
Champagne, Olive, Ruby & White Daisy cardstock
Goldrush, Olive, Outdoor Denim, Chocolate & Desert Sand ink
Chocolate marker
Outdoor Denim baker's twine
Ruby chevron washi tape
London Stickers (Stickopotamus)
Cricut Artiste cartridge: title, large arrow
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: small arrow, tag

O Christmas Tree 2013 Layout

I got a chance to scrapbook today and it felt good to get back in the groove! For this layout, I pulled out an older sketch from my blog (see the link below if you'd like to use it, too) and added leftover scraps from my Pear & Partridge kit, plus a cut up journaling card from the coordinating Picture My Life line. A few Cricut cuts and a pretty organdy bow helped put the finishing touches on the layout.

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds & Typeset stamp sets
Pear & Partridge Level 2 papers & PML cards
Kraft, New England Ivy, Olive, Cranberry & White Daisy cardstock
Cashmere, Desert Sand, Smoothie & Olive ink
Black marker
White gel Pen (Sakura)
Cranberry organdy ribbon
Pink Glitter Dots
Fiskars scalloped border punch
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: O, Tree, ornament frame
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: Christmas
Cricut Artistry cartridge: tree tag
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge 30
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Get Your Kraft On challenge; Lasting Memories Circles challenge

EMS Sketch Challenge 61- Toes in the Sand Layout

For the last year and a half, I've been the scrapbook sketch designer for Splitcoast Stampers, so it's been a long time since I've posted an EMS sketch on my blog, but today I need a design for a layout and couldn't find one on any of the sketch blogs I usually visit, so I made up one myself! There was a die-cut in my stash that I was dying to use (pun intended), so I substituted it for the title circle on the sketch. Hope you enjoy the sketch and, if you have a chance to play along, please post a link to your layout in the comments below!

The sketch:

My layout:

Recipe:
Distressed Backgrounds stamp set
Moon Doggie & Grace Level 2 papers
Cranberry, Honey & Garden Green cardstock
Cranberry, Honey, Gadren Green, Indian Corn Blue & Autumn Terracotta ink
Petal marker
Toes in the Sand die-cut (Dancing Daisy)
DE Framed Fun & Awards chipboard
Autumn Terracotta spiral clip
Indian Corn Blue embroidery floss
Challenges: Lasting Memories rainbow challenge (I used all the rainbow colors ROYGBIV); The Studio Challenges summer layouts

Gingerbread House Layout

I'm on a roll with scrapbooking this week, so here's today's yummy layout!

Recipe:
Glamour Uppercase, Glamour Lowercase, Distressed Backgrounds & Washi Wonder stamp sets
White Pines Level 2 papers
Glacier, Desert Sand & Colonial White cardstock
Cranberry, Desert Sand, Glacier & Bamboo ink
Black marker
Red shimmer trim
Blue Enamel & Glitter Duos
Cranberry baker's twine
Cricut Artistry cartridge: banner, house, hearts
Pattern: EMS Sketch 32
Challenges: Rochelle Spears January This or That challenge: ribbon or twine; Splitcoast Stampers Health and Wellness VSBN challenge: scrapbook about a favorite food or activity -
I did both!