Bye Bye Thirty Five {Birds of a Feather February Kit: Glitz Design "Love Collection"}

The journaling challenge this month at Birds of a Feather was to journal with 11 different prompts....

I answered all of the prompts on the pullout tag under the photo shown here {to view the journaling, you'll have to go register and read them on the forum :) }:

I have been planning on doing a layout with a picture of my last day as 35 years old and this journaling prompt was perfect for it :) It's my "burying 35" page...but I decided "Bye-bye 35" was a better title!

I used Inspired Blueprints sketch #76 as my inspiration and the papers are from the February kit at Birds of a Feather.. Thanks for looking!

Fall Fun

This is my last challenge for the weekend crop. The challenge was to get dirty - with paint, inks, etc. I don't use paint on layouts...ever. I have used white pain to distress but I think that's only been on mini-albums. And I've painted on altered items...just not layouts. Until now! 

I used a paint dauber to create the red splatters, then I dipped several different round items in purple, orange and yellow to mimic the little circles on the green patterned paper (plus the colors that the girls are using to paint in the pictures). 

 I accidentally did too much black when I first started so I added the white circles to help balance the black. The spider webs are rubons, and I had a few other rubons that I placed on the chipboard and a couple of pictures. The pumpkins have google eyes so I added a few of those in some of the random circles and on the chipboard pieces to cover the holes.

I was having way too much fun with this - the splatters are SO FUN to make! Because of drying time though...I was up way too late getting this finished ;) I used a PageMaps sketch to get me started and the papers are OLD from Stampin' Up!.....5 years old! Sometimes I wonder why I hold on to papers for so long but they really couldn't have been more perfect for this page!

The challenge at The Paper Variety for week 45 is to use circles...so I'm submitting this layout for the challenge :)

Paradise

Second post in a row without a manufacturer's name! I *think* the pattern strip might be from K&Company but not for sure. 

 This layout is for the Inanimate challenge for the weekend crop at Birds of a Feather. This picture used to be on my desk when I was working - I love how peaceful I feel looking at it! It is the view of a room that I had on a solo vacation over 10 years ago. I've been wanting to do a couple of layouts with songs that I like right now. SOME of the words in this song really speak to me....and although "knee deep in water" doesn't fit this photo, parts of the words do fit with what I was going through at the time of this picture. I did some more personal journaling on the back of this layout as I have a hard time with just anyone being able to read my thoughts as they are looking through my albums ;)

Eye Chart Layout

It's very unusual that I don't have a manufacturer's name to put in the title line! But this layout is for the July Technique challenge at Birds of a Feather where we are to make our own background paper and we aren't allowed to use ANY pattern paper. I dismissed the challenge quickly thinking there was no way that I could do that ;) But instead, this is what I came up with! {the pink trim looks way better with the pink mist in real life :-\ }

 I had originally printed the photos to do last week's photo challenge at The Paper Variety...but never got around to it. We had just spent time with my niece who has prescription glasses, and my daughter was so envious that she begged to have her own - even used her allowance to buy a case to put them in for safe keeping!

 I got the idea to mist an eye-exam chart for the background and then I thought it would look better on a rectangular layout instead of square....so I finally took the plunge and tried a 6x12 layout like Janet does often.

I love how this turned out!

Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Tongue {Pretty Little Studio: April Showers}

I changed my mind from yesterday's post...I'm entering THIS layout into this week's challenge at The Paper Variety. The challenge was to use a grid or use all of the colors of the rainbow. I ended up doing both with this layout! lol I was so excited to get these rainbow garland flags and couldn't wait to use them. I came home last week to my girls playing in the rain (also trying to drink the rain drops) and my husband with my camera in his hand! I've trained him well, huh? ;)

 The garland flags come as a circle and you can either cut them in half for a banner or keep them whole like I did here. It's hard to tell, but I sewed an arrow in light blue...

 I cut those little umbrellas from one of the patterned papers but other than that, I didn't use any pattern paper on this layout!

The background is misted with glimmer glam. It's so much fun, I just love how this turned out! I also created this for the distressing challenge at the BOAF crop.

Birds of a Feather Crop

As promised, I've been scrapping my weekend away! I was up WAY late last night and got these first two layouts done. This first one is my favorite for the weekend so far! I used a PageMaps sketch and Cosmo Cricket's Pixie-licious line. The challenge was to create a layout using a large photo (5x7 or larger). 

 I couldn't get a picture of the journaling because the wind was picking my layouts up and carrying them across my yard! But it's a saying "Cousin to cousin, we'll always be, special friends from the same family tree" - perfect for this picture of my oldest DD and my niece!

 This next layout I lifted from an Archivers ad...and the one in the ad was SO much cuter than this turned out :( The challenge for this one was a recipe: 2 photos, 1 banner, a homemade tag and a handful of bright colors. I'm also entering it in this week's challenge at The Paper Variety to create a project with a grid.

 I started this layout last night and spent today finishing it up. Boy it was a lot of work! So many details that I can't show you without closeups...you'll just have to believe me :) This layout is based on the June Project 12 sketch and was created for the challenge to scrap "What I did this summer". I used photos from last week's trip to Build A Bear - where the kiss the heart, rub it on their knees, nose, etc, before putting it inside their animal for stuffing. I wish I had paid more attention to what the importance was for each step!

I have 5 of the 8 challenges done and am trying to work on those last 3. We have till Wednesday to get our challenges done so I should be able to get them all done!

Scrapping the weekend away {Basic Grey: Olivia}

Amy is having a crop this weekend at Birds of A Feather to welcome her new design team. That's where you will find ME this weekend! I've already completed two challenges...the first was a sketch by Liz Chidester. 

 The wind is crazy outside so I didn't have time for closeups! The wind even blew the knot out of the bakers twine that I used for the little banner. I checked the mail this afternoon and received a package from my friend Kayla with LOTS of scrapping goodies inside....including the twine! How fun that I was able to use something right away :) Thanks, Kayla!!

The next challenge was to create a layout with a predominant color that we don't normally use as well as to fussy cut. I don't think that green is a normal color of mine so I went with that as my base. I fussy cute the green strip at the top, as well as the top and bottom of the patterned paper. The pictures are of my little one when she had a pretty bad case of thrush from the antibiotic she had been on at the time.

I'm running really low on my white alphabets so I've been having to get pretty creative to complete my titles! For this last layout, I used Pretty Little Studio's sketch #5. I won a gift card for my entry last week and can't wait for the products to arrive, I'm so giddy waiting for my rainbows!

I hope to be back tomorrow with a few more pages - if your weekend is free, you should come checkout the challenges!

1 week down, 51 to go...

Because I didn't have enough unfinished projects, I am starting a Project 365 album. I learned about this idea a couple of years ago and thought there was no way I could handle a project where I had to print a picture for each day. Maybe if I had a photo printer at home...but I don't. Project 12 has been my compromise and I love it, but I still like the idea of capturing a photo daily. So then I start hearing about and seeing other people's albums...

Janet runs her album from birthday to birthday instead of Jan 1- Dec 31...love that idea. Starting/ending at the holidays just seems so overwhelming! 

Then Kayla shared with me a couple of layouts that Heather did for her album - a digital 365 album. I saw her layouts, pestered her with questions (Jill, too) and was convinced I could do this!

I wanted to have some sort of title for the first page...had a good one till I realized next year has an extra day...then Jen helped me come up with "Leaping into 36!"

So here is my first layout, only 51 more to go until I bind all of them together into an album!  

Supplies:

Erica Zane Templates 12

Crystal Wilkerson Spring/Summer 2011

Crystal Wilkerson Banner Templates

Carina Gardner A Year of Rubons

Carina Gardner 365 Number Stamps

Thanks to all that have helped me get this project started! 

Beary Fun! {Crystal Wilkerson Spring/Summer 2011 Baby Girl},

One great thing about digital layouts is that I don't have to worry about the weather when I'm completed with the layout....no pictures are needed! We are FINALLY getting a good rain storm this morning.

Over at JessicaSprague.com, every Tuesday a new template {for the non-digi scrappers, it's basically a sketch with some of the work already done for you} is released for free! I'm going to try to do as many of these as I can to help me get used to digital scrapping. This is from this week - pictures too! ;)

I'm not letting myself go crazy buying embellishments but I'm sure that as time goes by, I'll come back and add  a little something more to this. It just feels plain!

Bubbly Babe {Cosmo Cricket: DeLovely}

Here is my entry for this month's challenge at scrapbook.com

 It's hard to tell some of the details in the photo, but our wind was so bad that I had a hard time getting good shots before the layout would fly away! There is zig zag stitching on the bottom of the photos to the scallop trim and straight stitching around the entire patterned paper base. The fun part was distressing the edges of the paper bubbles and then painting with glitter glam.

 I also took a q-tip, soaked it in the glitter glam and then flung the excess onto the layout. I LOVE the sparkle that it adds!!

The journaling reads: "Brooke was such a happy baby. Always smiling, giggling and so easy to make laugh...Bubbly! March 15, 2007"

I used a sketch from Pretty Little Studio for my inspiration but the layout is also a lift of a layout made by IzzyB found here. Thanks for looking!

One Fun Summer Day {Crystal Wilkerson: Spring/Summer 2011}

Today is the first day of a new project for me! Janet inspired me to start a 365 album on my birthday, and Heather's digital 365 pages inspired me to try this project all digital. This time next year, I'll be sending off all of my pages to be bound into a hardcover book. Can't wait!!

So, I've been playing with templates some to get used to having a new layout each week. I got this free template from Crystal Wilkerson's new site and took advantage of a 50% off sale this weekend to buy some new goodies :-)

I know I've already scrapped these pictures before (just scroll down for the paper version) but I love them and wanted to play with the digital aspect without having to find more pictures and edit them! I can't wait to get my first week documented and share it here next week :-)

NOT a fan! {Basic Grey: Jovial}

I'm back with another layout for this week's Christmas in July challenge at TPV. For this week only, we can enter more than once! I saw Suzanne's layout using BG's Jovial and it got me itching to use some of mine... so I whipped this up super quick this morning :)

I used part of a double page sketch from Page Maps for my inspiration. Not my favorite layout ever, but it's another two pictures scrapped!

Ready for Santa {Cosmo Cricket: Jolly by Golly}

I have another two-fer to share today. This doubles as the July sketch challenge at Birds of a Feather and this week's challenge at The Paper Variety - Christmas in July! 

I always have a hard time using snowflake paper with my layouts because we never actually see any snow here...but I guess their pajamas have snowflakes so it all works :-) I have to admit I love scrapping Christmas in July!

Warning! Girls at play! {Cosmo Cricket: Togetherness, Girl Friday, Salt Air}

This layout is using pictures taken from just last week on a trip to a local park. It was miserable hot and we were the only ones there! But that made for good picture opportunities without other kids to distract mine or be in the background. I did have to spend some extra time removing all of the red from their hot faces though ;-)

 Left side:

 Right Side:

 And a closeup of this cute zipper flower. I've asked a few local friends to snag me zippers when they are out thrifting...and Kayla even mailed me some that she found. Even better, she sent me this one done so I have an example to look at when I finally get brave enough to make my own!

I used a sketch from Sketch Support to help me organize all TEN photos! I love doing layouts with lots of photos!!

I used all Cosmo Cricket products (except for the zipper flower & alphas) plus I fussy cut two borders, so this qualifies for the July challenge over at scrapbook.com. BUT I have plans for my next layout to use CC so I will wait to see which one I want to link up. You should come check out this months challenge to use a border - punched or hand cut. Super easy!

June Project 12 Layout {Bo Bunny: Sun Kissed}

I have another two-fer today :-) This is my June Project 12 layout and it's for the July stash challenge at Birds of A Feather.

 Left side:

 Right side:

 The challenge at BOAF is to use rubons and two embellishments need to be altered with rubons as well. The "June" here is a rubon. The "life is beautiful" and "these are the days" are also rubons.

 The circle around the journaling is a rubon....with a boo boo that I had rix. One of those 'a's is my handwriting! I didn't have much room for journaling so I'll put some stories on the back.

 All of the words here except "park" are also rubons.

I'm so glad Amy challenged us to use rubons this month because I didn't have any embellishments from this paper line. The rubons were just what I needed to complete the layout!

Simple Pleasures {American Crafts:Dear Lizzy}

This layout is a two-fer! There is a great sketch challenge right now at The Paper Variety and I combined that with the July color challenge at Birds of a Feather. I had to add in some green and brown for the color challenge but tried to limit it as much as I could!

 I had two extra pictures that I had printed to go with the smaller ones so included those on a flap inside. I loved the expressions of delight that were on my girls' faces!

Head over to the two sites - you have until Tuesday for the sketch challenge at TPV and till the end of the month for the color challenge at BOAF! Thanks for stopping by :)