Fun with Sand {Cosmo Cricket: Salt Air}

I created today's layout using this week's sketch at Sketchy Thursdays. I also created it based on some requirements for a challenge at last weekend's crop at BOAF. Everyone's requirements were different based on what year you were born and mine were: 3 photos, 5 different pattern papers, a 3 word title and 10 of my favorite embellishment (butterflies). This is what I came up with:

I had to throw in a little stitching to make it feel right and I even tried TWO mists this time...I'm really getting brave! lol

I got lucky and this week's challenge at The Paper Variety is to create a project with a ocean theme so I'm linking up there as well...a three-fer! :)

Thanks for looking!

Love Her! {Cosmo Cricket: Togetherness}

I just adore the Togetherness line from Cosmo Cricket... the kite paper, the clouds, the butterflies...they are so much fun! So I've had the digital line on my wishlist for a while and when it came up on sale for $1 this week at Jessica Sprague...I finally indulged! And then I got to work right away with a template from Jessica Sprague as well (I used #26 for this). It is totally free to download! 

I entered it into this month's Cosmo Cricket challenge at scrapbook.com to use more than one photo. There is still time to enter a layout to have a chance at winning the prize this month!

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!

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!

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!

I *Heart* Her Eyes {Cosmo Cricket: Girl Friday}

I lifted this layout:

 From Maggie Holmes' layout:

 I made it for this month's "Use your stash challenge" at Birds of a Feather to use masks to create a patterned paper starting with white cardstock. I placed a few butterflies where I wanted them and misted over them, then after it was dry, removed the butterflies. I also misted a little bit of CS to be very saturated pink and then punched butterflies out of that. My daughter's eyes are almost the color of those tiny type stickers ;)

 I really like how Maggie Holmes used the different banner shapes and I've been wanting to stitch a banner for quite a while now - love this look!

The only thing I'm not happy about is that the trim that I wanted to use on the right side of the picture is not the paper I wanted. Apparently, I had two sheets of PP left out of my pack that I bought! I did end up with extras of two other sheets though...

My *sweet* helper {Cosmo Cricket: Garden Variety}

This layout is for this week's challenge at The Paper Variety  to include a fruit on your paper project. I had this last set of photos from our strawberry picking back in April and had been waiting to lift a layout.

This is the layout I wanted to lift from Kayla...but I needed a tad bit more of the strawberry paper ;) I was lucky enough to find some last weekend on a shopping trip to Archivers!

Unfortunately, I didn't have the same chipboard piece as Kayla's...so I made do with what I had and love how it turned out! I only wish I hadn't added the red stickles :-\ to my ribbon. Anyway, you still have a couple of days left to add your fruit project over at The Paper Variety!

School Days {Cosmo Cricket: Girl Friday and UpCycle}

For the month of June, Kayla has challenged us over at scrapbook.com to use Cosmo Cricket products and create a layout with grids. I LOVE grids and already had a sketch in mind to use! Ready for "Grids Gone Wild!"? lol The frame paper is a grid, as well as the grid made out of the pink flower paper.

The sketch I've used is from Nuts About Sketches:


 I popped the title up, distressed and/or inked all of the edges and machine stitched a border. I cut a doilie in half to use in two places...

 And then cut a flower bling embellishment in half to use for each of the flower centers and hand stitched trails for the butterflies.

 I even got to use this felt "now and then" piece that has been in my stash for probably a couple of years!

 The only problem with this month's challenge is that mine can't count in the poll since last month's layout won! I'm super excited about winning for May - here is the winning layout :)

Thanks for stopping by & I hope to see you playing along this month with the CC challenge!

Happiness is... {Cosmo Cricket: Salt Air}

The journaling reads:

"Happiness is

a summer breeze,

sand between your toes

and your best friend

by your side" 

This is a two-fer layout. First off, I used all Cosmo Cricket products for Kayla's challenge at scrapbook.com. This months challenge was to fussy cut...The little yellow half-flowers are cut out from a 12x12 paper and then layered for a pleated look. I also cute the journal spot out, as well as the two PP strips in the upper right corner. Those actually came from the cover sheet of the collection pack as their size fit the layout better!

And for the second challenge, I used the May sketch at Birds of a Feather. I actually struggled with this one but making the page 8.5x11 helped :)
P.S. Sorry the sketch picture is so big!

Strawberry Picking {Cosmo Cricket: Garden Variety}

Two reasons I am impressed with this layout. First of all, it has 11 (ELEVEN!) photos on it! Second, I used my Silhouette to cut the title. It must be over a year since I last used it! :-o

 I chose to use the Silhouette since my stash of red alphas did not have enough Rs...and Michaels did not have a huge variety to choose from . Yay me for saving some cash! I broke out the stickles too...kinda hard to tell in this photo though, the strawberries, bees & some flowers are accented. It seems like forever since I've used stickles!

I've got to say that this layout feels different than any other layout I've ever done but I love how I fit so many photos on the page :) And it worked great since all I had left of the CC paper was scraps! I was inspired by a sketch of Becky Higgins in the Sketches 2 book.

Eggs-tra Scary! & Easter Cones {Cosmo Cricket: Togetherness}

Happy Easter! I just wanted to share a layout I worked on this week - the picture was taken just a couple of week ago and I think it's great that I have one smiling and one screaming ;) Thanks to Suzanne for help with the title! I used a PageMaps sketch from February. I'm not super thrilled with my stamping or sewing but I thought overall it was super cute :-)

 I made these for teacher gifts & stuffed them full of candy. I saw the idea here and changed just a couple of things but they were a big hit. The carrot was SUPER easy to make as you didn't have to embellish with anything except green grass and ribbon ;)

Thanks for stopping by & I hope you are all having a great weekend :)

March Project 12 {Cosmo Cricket: Togetherness}

Here is my March layout for Project 12:

 And some closer shots...I have drawn some stitches for the butterfly trails but obviously it isn't dark enough. I think I'll try fixing that...The layered clouds were fun! Kayla sent me the tree and butterfly chipboad pieces just in the nick of time! Thanks Kayla :) The tree is from the March kit at Birds of a Feather Kit Co.

 The kite took me a little while to get just right but I like it :)

All of the patterned papers are Cosmo Cricket Togetherness line - the kite string paper was just perfect! One of the pictures on the left side is actually of DD flying a kite. I was giddy when I was taking those pictures and remembered that the sketch used a kite!

I've got to admit that some months I really drag my feet on doing the layout because they seem to take me longer than a normal layout...but in the end I'm always so happy that I did! I hope to get time soon for some more scrapping :) Thanks for your comments!

I love to see you bloom {Cosmo Cricket: DeLovely}

This month, Kayla's Cosmo Cricket challenge at scrapbook.com is to mix the fonts for your title. I love to use mini alphas with large ones so I knew this would be easy for me :)

This layout is also for the Flower Power challenge at Birds of A Feather. We were challenged to use 2 floral patterened papers and 10 flower embellishments, PLUS we had to make one flower and explain how!! The pink & yellow flower with the yellow brad is the one that I made..

The title idea is actually taken from one of the border strips in the DeLovely kit.

 But this is my favorite part of the layout - I'm addicted to sewing!

Oh, and of course I used a sketch for this layout :) Unfortunately, I didn't write down what month and year it was from :( BUT I do know it's a PageMaps sketch.

As always, thanks for stopping by and especially thanks for all the sweet comments you leave me ;)

*B* is for Bubbles {Cosmo Cricket: Snorkel}

March has been a slow scrappy month for me! Not sure if it's spending more time outside this month (it's pretty much the last chance before it gets too hot), my allergies flared up (from the extra time outside of course) or the family in town that I'm spending time with...but I just finished my first layout in the last 3 weeks! It's been a long time since I've gone that long without creating a layout :)

This is for the March Cosmo Cricket challenge at scrapbook.com. The challenge this month was to use circles...and that I had no problem with!

I knew that I wanted bubbles on the page and that I wanted them to be dimensional so I added some glossy accents or stickles to each of the them.  I love the look but it's so hard to capture in a photograph!

 The title is the name of one of the songs in my girls' swimming classes. Behind the picture is a pullout tab that has the lyrics to the song - just in case one day we are able to forget them :)

Thanks for stopping by & I hope to be back with more soon!

February Challenge @ Scrapbook.com {Cosmo Cricket: Togetherness}

This month, Kayla's challenge at scrapbook.com is based on a sketch.

And this is what I came up with. {Using some of the goodies that CC sent me :) }

You still have time to play - layouts are due on the 27th. Thanks for looking!

Recipe LO {Cosmo Cricket: Garden Variety}

I made this layout for Janet's sketch challenge over at Kitchen Keepsake. It was for a crop a couple weekends back but I'm just now getting around to getting a good picture & posting it! It also works for Kayla's January CC challenge over at scrapbook.com.

 Speaking of the CC challenge at scrapbook.com - I won for December! Thanks to everyone who voted for me ;) Just a few days after the vote, THIS arrived for me. Isn't it the cutest delivery box?! They are so clever! Get it CC, like CiCi's Pizza? Or is that just a coincidence?

 So I'm not eligible this month for the challenge, but you still have time! The challenge bonus was to use at least 3 pieces of chipboard - I've got lots with the layered flowers and the cute corn :)

Here's a closeup of the recipe for you - but I'm still not sure you can read it. Basically, get a variety of colors in your veggies, chop them up, add some garlic, salt & pepper, EVOO. Roast it at 400 degrees for 15-20 mins. I chop my veggies and make 3 servings, then freeze 2 for another time.

Santa Number Two {Cosmo Cricket: Jolly By Golly}

I hope you are all having a merry week. I'm so thankful that I finished up my shopping early and don't have to stress out about presents while I'm out and about this week!

These pictures are from our second Santa visit this year. I got a kick out of the little one refusing to sit on Santa's lap (even though she sat on the first Santa's lap just fine) until I told her the only way she got a candy cane was to sit on his lap. She was all for it then!

This is based on a Julie Bonner sketch at Birds of A Feather for the December Sketch Challenge and for the December Cosmo Cricket Challenge at scrapbook.com. I started to think I wouldn't get in on the challenge this month but these pictures were perfect for the Jolly By Golly line. I'm running dangerously low on my CC stash! The challenge was to use distressing (red CS), inking (cream CS & cocoa paper strip) and layering. I'm hoping my embellishment layering counts! I really liked layering the rubons onto the chipboard elements.

Thanks for stopping by and have a Merry Christmas!

Stocking Fun {Cosmo Cricket: Jolly By Golly}

I created this layout for the November Cosmo Cricket Challenge at Scrapbook.com. The challenge was to create a layout about Christmas. I used a PageMaps sketch from Jan '09 (I think) and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! All of my Christmas pictures from last year were dark & blurry as I was still getting used to my new camera. But the design of the page and the Jolly By Golly really made this layout look great! Of course, a little stickles always helps, right? I really like the ribbon with the background paper, too :)

Thanks for looking!