EMS Sketch Challenge 56 - Crafty Chicks

Welcome to the May sketch challenge! This month's single page sketch lets you focus on a main photo while allowing three smaller photos to support your focal picture. Although the measurements show an 11" long and a 10.5" long piece of  paper, it's possible to piece together shorter scraps to create longer pieces, as long as you hide the "joins" under the photos. Enjoy the sketch, and don't forget to link your completed layout based on the sketch below so I can leave you some love. For every five participants, I will choose a guest designer for July!

The Sketch:

My Layout:

Recipe:
Ariana Level 2 papers
Crystal Blue, Slate, Sweet Leaf & Outdoor Denim cardstock
Crystal Blue & Slate ink
Outdoor Denim marker
Just Blooms Floret paper flowers & leaf
Crystal Blue & Outdoor Denim Bigger Brads
My Crush Besties Journaling block & stickers
White Daisy friends rub-on
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: arrow, title
Challenges: Color My Heart Color Dare 91 - Crystal Blue, Outdoor Denim, Ariana Grey (I used Slate), Ariana Green, Ariana Coral; Heart 2 Heart Flowers challenge; Frosted Designs Spring Has Sprung 3 word challenge (I used flowers, chicks, blue & green)

Please link your completed layout here by 5/31/14 at 11:59 pm PST!

Oak Mesa Dance Layout

I'm chugging along creating layouts for my daughter's elementary school album, so here is one from the school dance when she was in 3rd grade. The journaling turned out a little washed out on my scan, but it basically says my daughter enjoyed hanging out with friends and dancing along to the music provided by DJ Carlos.

Recipe:
Cherish the Day papers (DCWV)
Joy in the Journey papers
Journey, Wisteria, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Pastel Vellum (Paper Pizazz)
Journey, Wisteria & Gypsy ink
Lilac Mist marker
Lilac Mist embroidery floss
Blue rhinestones (Paper Studio)
Cricut Design Space: dancing children, title using Quarter Note font
Pattern: EMS Sketch Challenge #56

Challenges: A Cut Above Anything Goes including a die-cut; Neglected Stuff Challenges My neglected stuff is the Summer Stack papers - I bought the pad in 2011 and have never used the lantern paper! Paper Rocks Scissors #20 - used scissors to cut my embroidery floss.

Under the Sea {World} Layout

Did anyone else get to scrapbook on National Scrapbooking Day? I got four layouts completed, so here is #2. We went to Sea World twice in the summer of 2014, so it might be a challenge giving a unique look to all the layouts I will be scrapping, but I'm going to try. Here's my first one, using the same title I used for my daughter's Open House layout I did in February. Since they are from different years and will be in different albums, I don't think my family will even notice - so don't tell them! This layout was lots of fun to embellish; I especially enjoyed creating the large starfish, which I die-cut and then embossed with small dots and lines up each leg.

Recipe:
Caboodle, Central Park & Cherry-O papers
Sunset, Lagoon & White Daisy cardstock
Sunset, Lagoon & Crystal Blue ink
Ocean marker
Honey Triangles & Lagoon washi tape
Field Notes Journaling Ephemera (American Crafts)
Color Kaleidoscope Thickers (American Crafts)
Color Kaleidoscope cardstock stickers (American Crafts)
Cuttlebug Swiss Dot embossing folder
Cricut Artistry cartridge: starfish border
Cricut You Are Here cartridge: starfish, title

Pattern: Sketch-n-Scrap #56

Challenges:
Joy of Sets May Tic-Tac-Toe (stripes, blue, emboss)

Live, Laugh, Love Layout

Many of you know that my kids all joined our family by adoption, so we have lots of extended family in the form of their birth families. For example, these fun photos of my kids hanging out at the splash pad also feature my eldest's son birth siblings and my youngest two kids' cousin. I am so grateful that we are able to do life with them, an unexpected blessing of adoption, despite the messiness and heartache the process causes.

I used some hidden journaling; the banners lift up and it's written on the back.

Recipe:

Sweet Safari & Something Fierce papers
Oh, Happy Day papers (Simple Stories)
Canary, Glacier & Bluebird cardstock
Canary, Nectarine, Raspberry, Glacier, Juniper & Bluebird ink
Peacock Blue fineliner pen (iBayam)
Black marker
Mod Title Great Lengths & circle stickers (CM)
Bubblegum Hearts Puffy Shapes (Doodlebug Designs)
Love Charm (Making Memories)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped borders, banners
Pattern: Stick It Down June Double Page Sketch from Facebook (I had different sized photo and more of them, so I adapted the sketch a little)

Challenges: The Outlawz Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone (I finally managed to do the optional theme You Can Quote Me);  Heart's Quest Challenge #56 (Part A = Pennant/Banner + Part B = metal love lettering)

Lovely Family Layout

I did lots of stamping and fussy cutting for this layout, and I had forgotten how time consuming it is. Having a Cricut has sure spoiled me! This was another layout where I searched my paper stash for something to color match the photos, but ended up just going with something that fit the theme of the page. Still trying to be okay with things not being matchy-matchy! When I scanned the layout, it didn't come out that well because the large pearls prevented the page from lying flat, but hopefully you can still get an idea of what the layout looks like.

Recipe:
Floral Happiness,  Sweet & Lovely, Lucky, Treasure Life, The Present & Diverse Backgrounds stamp sets
Ivy Lane Level 2 papers
Ivy Lane Green, Ivy Lane Purple & White Daisy cardstock
Vineyard Berry, Blush & Fern ink
Garnet marker
Floret & Flutter Paper Shapes
Pearl & Mocha Opaques
Pattern:Memory Nest Make It Monday # 56
Challenges: Heart 2 Heart Birds and Bees challenge (inspired me to add a butterfly to my layout - it's not a bee, but it's an insect and it flies, so hopefully that counts!)

Independence Day 2017 Layout for Lasting Memories #706

Happy Father's Dad to all the dads out there! It's a beautiful Sunday here in Southern California, and today Lasting Memories is challenging us to scrapbook about our favorite holiday. I was tempted to say Christmas, because I do love that holiday, but I settled on July 4th because, to be honest, it's an easy holiday (just have to BBQ in the evening) and it's cheap (the parade and fireworks are free). Win win! What's your favorite holiday? Join us at Lasting Memories to share your layout all about it.

Recipe:
10 Things & Save the Date stamp sets
The Fourth of July papers & stickers (Carta Bella)
White texture cardstock
Cranberry & Sapphire ink
Star Spangled Blue marker
Hello Darlin' PML cards
Primary Epoxy Stars (Bella Blvd)
Top Dog Shape Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs)
Pattern: Challenge YOUrself #126 Sketch (I stretched the sketch over two pages and included myself in a photo on the right hand page)

Challenges: The Outlawz Anything Goes in a Card Free Zone; Heart's Quest Challenge #56 (Part A = stars & stripes + Part B = "I love")

Creating Cards Layout

We're over half way through the month, so I thought it was a good time to revisit this month's sketch challenge and bring you a little more inspiration. Here's the sketch:

I turned the sketch on its side and added a tag with a picture on it. The tag would have also been a great place to put journaling, but I didn't really have much, so the picture worked for me. I realized both my samples this month have been from crafty events! I think I'll try to use the sketch a third time but for a totally different theme. Don't forget you have until the end of the month to play along with the sketch challenge and share your results.

Recipe:
Balloon Talk & You Are My Happy Alphabet stamp sets
Dotty For You Level 2 paper
Lagoon, Buttercup & Colonial White cardstock
Lagoon, Sweet Leaf, Creme Brulee & Cotton Candy ink
Steel Grey marker (Zig Pens)
Sweet Leaf & Lagoon ribbon
Paradise Just Blooms (flowers)
Sweet Leaf brad
Sunset button brad
Yellow brad (from my stash)
Pattern: EMS Sketch 56
Challenges: 1 2 3 Get Scrappy Challenge board 10 (I used the bottom row, and decided to use word balloons instead of traditional balloons).

Celebrate {x2} Layout

With two boys, I seldom get to scrapbook girly pages with pink and flowers, so I love doing Mother's Day pages. In 2012, my husband's birthday also fell on Mother's Day, so I had to incorporate the celebration of his special day with Mother's Day. Hopefully this pink, red, green, and blue layout strikes a balance between girly and manly elements!

Recipe:
Tea Time stamp set
Cherry-O Level 2 papers
Chocolate, Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf & Colonial White cardstock
Chocolate & Blush ink
Chocolate marker
My Crush Best Day Ever Assortment (journaling card)
Felt flower
Mocha Opaques pearl
Sweet Leaf ribbon
Blush ribbon slide
Scalloped border punch (Fiskars)
Heart punch (EK Success)
Cricut Artbooking cartridge: title, book clip, camera, 2
Cricut Artiste cartridge: x, brackets
Pattern: Sketch 'n Scrap 56
Challenges: Scrapbook.com May 5 Ingredients challenge (color: green apple, cluster, bracket, edge punching + ribbon/ribbon slide inspired by sample layout); Frosted Designs Mom theme + photo inspiration (I added a pink tea cup and a flower to my layout); Clear It Out Challenges Mother's Day + use flowers (it's not a card but it helped me bust out some stash!); Stampin' Royalty create a scrapbook page (how easy is that for me? LOL!)