Smart Mouth

It's Virtual Scrapbooking Night (VSBN) over at Split Coast Stampers, and I am hosting one of the challenges. Our theme this time is Take a Leap (because it's leap year), so all the challenges have the underlying theme of leaping or jumping. Please join us for the weekend's challenges. We have 9 challenges for you, and you have a week to complete as many as you like. The only catch is you have to complete each layout in 2 hours or less. The time is cumulative, so you don't have to do your layout all at once.

Here's my challenge: 

When I think of leaping, the first phrase that comes to mind is “Leaping to Conclusions.” How often do we hear or see something and we don’t wait for the end, we just leap to a conclusion regarding what it’s about? For this challenge, I would like you to create a layout that makes people leap to a conclusion, and then spring a surprise on them. For example, your title could have a hidden part or use some word play, or your pictures could only show part of the story and everyone has to read the journaling to get the real story. Get creative, and please keep us guessing!

For my sample layout, I picked these pictures of my son playing with a Slinky. When I hear someone called a smart mouth, I usually think he or she is being sassy, but for this layout, I took it a different direction!

Recipe:
Spot On Backgrounds stamp set
Stardust Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Moonstruck, Honey & White Daisy cardstock
Honey ink
Moonstruck marker
Pewter brad & mini brads
3-D foam tape

LOAD #19 - Jedi Knight Training

For this layout of my son's birthday party last year, I started with a sketch from Let's Scrap (from 12/28/11). One of the options for the sketch was to add six extra photos by including a fold-out on the right hand page, which I did by adding a 6" x 12" Flip-Flap. Sorry, I won't be showing you the other photos, so just picture kids fighting with light sabers and completing an obstacle course like Luke Skywalker on Dagobah (minus the swamp). I included the invitation I had designed using clip art and the Star Jedi font. I also used the Star Jedi font to cut out my title on my Wishblade. I liked the banner theme on the left page of the sketch, so I decided to add a banner to the right page as well, and I embossed the letters onto it, which qualifies for the Heart 2 Heart embossing challenge for this week. And since this is a layout about celebrating Elliot's birthday, it also qualifies for the "Let's Celebrate" variety challenge (SBVC174) from Split Coast Stampers.

Recipe:
Hodgepodge Alphabet stamp set
You Rock Level 2 papers
Olive, Goldrush & Outdoor Denim cardstock
Outdoor Denim, Goldrush & Versamark ink
Autumn Terracotta embroidery floss
White Daisy brads
Clear photo corners (Pioneer)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: banner
Pattern: Let's Scrap 12-28-11

LOAD #18 + EMS Sketch Challenge 36 - Karate Party

This must be sketch week, because I needed a sketch that fit 10 photos in certain sizes, and I couldn't find one I liked, so I made one up. The photos are from someone's else's child's birthday, so I won't add my journaling until after I've posted this. Hope you like the sketch, and let me know if you use it!

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:

Stardust Level 2 papers
Black, Moonstruck & White Daisy cardstock
Black & Moonstruck ink
Karate stickers (Sandylion)
Royal Blue ric-rac (JoAnn's)
Wishblade: title using Mistral font

LOAD #17 - Bikes

Here's another layout using the Heart 2 Heart sketch for March. You can see the sketch here. I omitted the heart from the original sketch and substituted a circle border instead. The pennants are supposed to lie in a nice smooth arc, but they got a little tweaked when I scanned the layout, and I didn't feel like re-scanning!

Recipe:
Pennant Alphabet stamp set
Good Times Level 2 papers & My Stickease
Colonial White, Twilight, Chocolate & Sweet Leaf cardstock
Twilight, Chocolate, Buttercup & Versamark ink
Chocolate marker
White embossing powder
Chocolate embroidery floss
Silver brads
Silver Stickles
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: pennants & circle border

LOAD #16 - Riding

I wanted to have a train track on this page somehow, and when I saw this sketch from Split Coast Stampers, I knew it would work just right. The hardest part was figuring out how to cut the curve in my photos and paper, but once I had that under control, the rest of the layout fell into place easily.

Recipe:
Blue Ribbon stamp set
Rustic Trail Level 2 papers
Olive, Chocolate & Colonial White cardstock
Black, Chocolate & Bamboo ink
Chocolate marker
Antique Copper brad
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title letters

LOAD #15 + EMS Sketch Challenge 35 - Traveltown

I haven't done a personal sketch challenge for a while, so here's my latest sketch creation. I changed it up a little after I designed the original sketch: I put an embellishment where I had originally intended the journaling to go, and I replaced one of my photos with journaling. It's kind of fun to see how a layout takes on a life of its own, even when I'm using my own sketch! As always, please let me know if you use the sketch so I can admire your interpretation.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Newsprint Alphabet stamp set (Stampin' Up)
Silhouette Level 2 papers
Black, Barn Red & Bamboo cardstock
Black marker
Pewter mini brads and Bigger Brads
Train & car die-cuts (from my stash, source unknown)
White watercolor Pencil (Prismacolor)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: title shape

LOAD #14 - Jump

Super simple layout using only paper and cork letters. I used Sketch Support 1 Page Sketch #15.

Recipe:
Animal Cookies Level 2 papers
Tulip, Desert Sand, Chocolate & White Daisy cardstock
Chocolate ink
Chocolate marker
Cork letters

LOAD #13 - Deja Zoo

I was scrapping with friends yesterday and commented that I didn't really have anything new or interesting to say about these photos of our zillionth trip to the zoo. The other ladies sympathized, and one mentioned it was like deja vu. That led me to the title, Deja Zoo! I free-handed the title letters and added the sub-title using stickers. I used a (slightly adapted) sketch from the Let's Scrap blog.

Recipe:
It's a Guy Thing Level 2 paper & My Stickease
Desert Sand & New England Ivy cardstock
Cocoa ink
Cocoa marker
Twill ribbon
Staples

LOAD #12 - 2 Tired 4 Words

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, everyone! I've fallen a bit behind on my LOAD challenge, but am determined to get caught up today. Here's my first layout. This week's inspiration challenge at Split Coast Stampers was to browse the Celtic Shamrock site and be inspired by something there. As soon as I saw this cute patchwork kitty, I knew what I wanted to do! I went through my paper packs and cut out a bunch of 1" squares. I was able to use lots of scraps, and it was fun that all the different shades of green actually look okay together. Instead of using regular Grey Wool cardstock for my accent color, I used White Daisy textured cardstock and brayered it with Greg Wool ink, trying to mimic the texture of the van's seat cushions. I also added a few Foundry Pin Clips to look like the cat's whiskers. The title was cut out on my Wishblade.

Recipe:
Intrinsic Backgrounds stamp set
Animal Cookies, Believe, Boom-Di-Ada, Elemental, Emporium, Evensong & Tinkerin'  Level 2 papers
Colonial White, Clover Meadow & Kraft cardstock
White Daisy textured cardstock
Grey Wool, Clover Meadow & Desert Sand ink
Chocolate marker
Twill ribbon
Pewter mini brads
Pattern: Abracadabra from Magic

Heart 2 Heart Sketch Challenge 14

Who is ready for another sketch? This month's single page sketch features one 4" x 6" photo, four smaller photos, and even some white space. I know, I'm still not very good with the white space but I'm working on it! To help you out as you plan your page, here are some paper dimensions: the large piece of B&T is 7" x 10", and it is placed 1/2" from the top and left sides of your base paper. All the smaller strips are 1.5' wide, and the circles are 4.25" and 3". As always, adapt the sketch to meet your needs, have fun, and please share your finished layout with us by posting a link on the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog!

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Dreaming Level 2 papers
Bamboo, Pacifica & Chocolate cardstock
Chocolate ink
Chocolate marker
Chocolate flowers (from the Chocolate Shades Mini Medley pack)
Bamboo brads
Cricut AP cartridge: Hearts