LOAD #3 - Corn Huskers

I should be coming home today, but I probably won't have time to post my layout until Monday, so please post yours for me to see when I get back!

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My kids are great at husking corn. I can't stand doing it, but they actually think it's fun, so I had to snap a few pictures! You probably can't see it very well, but I cut an ear of corn using a Cricut (I don't have one but the ladies at the scrapbook retreat were generous in sharing theirs), and then used a honey marker to draw the kernels.



Recipe:
Homestead Alphabet stamp set
Caprice Level 2 paper & My Stickease
Crystal Blue, Honey & Sweet Leaf cardstock
Chocolate & Sweet Leaf ink
Honey marker
Chocolate brads
Tan hemp
Cricut Cartridge: From My Kitchen

LOAD #2 - Gifts

I'm still up in the mountains enjoying uninterrupted scrapbooking time, but here is post #2 for the LOAD challenge. Feel free to post your links and leave a comment.

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Here's my second layout. I thought the bright primary colors were perfect to celebrate a new baby, and I love the Color-Ready Alphabet stickers. They are so versatile.



Recipe:
Animal Cookies Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Dutch Blue cardstock
Tulip & Sunflower ink
Topiary, Sunflower, Dutch Blue & Holiday Red buttons
Topiary, Sunflower & Dutch Blue embroidery floss
Hodgepodge Color-Ready Alphabet stickers

LOAD #1 - Baby Shower

As you read this, I am either driving up to the mountains or already there, scrapping away. Please post your links and I will post my pictures on Monday when I again have access to a computer!

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It’s Monday morning, and I’m back from a wonderful weekend of scrapping in the mountains. I got a lot done, so here is my first layout for the LOAD challenge. I didn’t have any B&T papers that matched the colors in my photos, so I used the Welcome Baby stamp set and Indian Corn Blue ink to create a background strip.



Recipe:
Welcome Baby, Field Trip Alphabet & Hodgepodge Alphabet stamp sets
Animal Cookies Creative Basics papers
Buttercup, Indian Corn Blue & Lilac Mist cardstock
Indian Corn Blue & Clover Meadow ink
Indian Corn Blue marker
CM heart punch

LOAD Challenge

In order to kick start my mojo, I think it's time for another LOAD (Layout a Day) Challenge. So who wants to join me? It's not as scary as it sounds, I promise! Basically, anyone who signs up will try to create one layout for each day in October, for a total of 31 layouts. The layouts can be single or double page, mini album, whatever you happen to be working on right now.

Here's how it works:
1. I will create a post for each day of the month.
2. You create a layout, and then take a picture or scan of it.
3. Post your layout online somewhere (your blog, Photobucket, Split Coast Stampers gallery, etc.). Please make sure I won't need a password to access your layout.
4. Leave a comment on my post with a link to your picture.
5. You have one week after I create my post to finish and post your layout, so the first layout will be due no later than next Friday.

I am happy to help anyone who is technologically challenged get her layouts posted. If we have at least 5 people (beside myself) participate, at the end of the month I will put the names of everyone who finished 31 layouts into a drawing to win a Close to My Heart My Reflections Level 2 paper pack and coordinating My Stickease. So you finish the month with 31 layouts scrapped, plus a chance at scrapbook supplies. What a win-win situation! Please let me know if you plan to participate. The more, the merrier.

I'm leaving for a scrapbook retreat in the mountains this afternoon, so I can't post a layout for the next three days, but I will schedule a post for each day so that everyone who wants to post their layout can do so. Happy scrapping, everyone!

EMS Sketch Challenge 20 - First Dance Layout

In case you're wondering what's up with the timing of this post, I am officially changing my EMS Sketch Challenge to every other week on Wednesdays. Sundays are generally busy times at our house, and it's been too hard to get a sketch and layout ready for Monday every week. You can still use the sketch any time; just leave me a comment so that I can check it out! So, here's my sketch for this week. I just love these photos of my son and his first dance partner. This layout used more pictures from Danielle's princess party, and we thought it was really cool that Danielle's parents hired a dance instructor to teach the kids how to dance! I designed and cut the curved pieces using my Wishblade, and I did the journaling in storybook style, like my previous layout from this party.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:

The Present, Friendship Alphabet Large & Friendship Alphabet Small stamp sets

Free Spirit Level 2 papers

Indian Corn Blue, Creme Brulee & Colonial White cardstock

Indian Corn Blue & Creme Brulee ink

Indian Corn Blue marker

Something Old Something New Layout

I know this title seems like it should have wedding photos involved, but it was the perfect fit for Mother's Day this year. We combined the old and the new for a thoroughly enjoyable day. The design of the layout is based on 2 sketches by Sally from Split Coast Stampers: #216 & 217. Of course, I revised them a bit, as I can't seem to help doing, but you can still see the bones of the original sketch. Here's a fun stamping tip I picked up somewhere that I want to pass along to you: if you ever want to use a stamped image but it's facing the wrong way, simply stick the design side of your stamp to your acrylic block and stamp the back side of your clear stamp! This will only work with images that don't have words on them and that are cut out closely following the design (as CTMH's are). You can see how I did it with the bird on the right hand page. He's now facing right instead of left, and since there is no design on the back of the stamp, I was able to use a patterned paper for his body without it looking too fussy.



Recipe:
Hodgepodge Alphabet & Felicity stamp sets
Bella, Grace & Stardust Level 2 papers
Bamboo cardstock
Dutch Blue & Desert Sand ink
Antique Copper brads

EMS Sketch Challenge 19 - Mariposa Grove Layout

It's been almost exactly a month since my last sketch challenge, and I must confess that my mojo is hiding somewhere other than in my brain, but at last I finished a sketch. This one is extremely photo-focused, and it uses mostly 4 x 6 photos, so it should be easy to throw a layout together. I didn't put my title next to the journaling block for my layout, since I instead wanted to repeat the ribbon that stretches across the other page. As usual, feel free to change elements around to suit your photos, and please leave me a comment and a link if you use the sketch!

The Sketch:

 

My Layout:

 

Recipe:

Back Country Level 2 papers & My Stickease

Olive cardstock

Outdoor Denim ink

Outdoor Denim marker

Twill ribbon

Outdoor Denim spiral clips & brads

Something Special Layout

I'm having a hard time getting back into the scrapping groove, so it took me five days to finish this layout. I'm just thankful it's done and I can move on! I tried something new this time and added some paper pleats to the layout. Not sure if I love it, but it was fun to try.



Recipe:
Tiny Typewriter stamp set
It's a Guy Thing Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Desert Sand, Barn Red & New England Ivy cardstock
Barn Red & Cocoa ink
New England Ivy & Cocoa markers
Antique copper brads
Natural hemp
3-D foam tape

Princess Party Layout

Hi everyone. I'm back. After 2 chaotic weeks trying to get the house ready to sell, we finally had our first open house yesterday. For some reason, maybe because the smell of paint fumes is finally dissipating, I woke up this morning in a scrappy mood! I am finally posting the layout I created for EMS Sketch Challenge 18. It features pictures from the coolest princess party I've ever been to. Danielle's parents went all out, and my kids had a blast. I had made a princess themed mini album for the birthday girl, telling the story of her great celebration, so I just used the same journaling for my layout. You can't really see it in the scan, but the crown and scepter on the layout are covered in glitter, and the jewels on them really sparkle.



Recipe:
Elegant Script Alphabet stamp set
Daydream Level 2 papers
Lilac Mist cardstock
Vellum
Black ink
Black marker
Prisma glitter
Sparkles

New Product Blog Hop

I am so sad to have to post this, but with all the chaos of getting our house ready to sell, I have not had a single moment for scrapping or paper crafting in the last 2 weeks. The really cute cards I meant to design for the blog hop are still just bouncing around in my brain, so please check back with me after September 1st (our house should be ready by then), and hopefully I will have had time to put some cards together. In the meantime, keep going on this great blog hope and check out Tracy's fabulous creations! If you get lost, there is a list posted on Erin's blog.