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.

Mini-Muffin Tin Christmas Countdown Calendar

This project has been very similar to birthing a child. In the beginning, you're very excited of the idea. Then you get frustrated with trying to get all of the supplies ready to actually get started on it. Next, you're so happy to begin the process...then boredom sets in (24 of the same thing...several times over). Seems like months go by, then you're just ready for it to be done with already! Final anticipation as the last pieces come together...and then when it's done...it's not quite as big of a deal as you had anticipated. I am glad to know that she is super excited about it! She woke up this morning and went straight for it - VERY disappointed that we aren't starting this right away. Poor thing!!

Some closeups:

Everything is magnetic - including the little circles inside the tins. So if I get tired of the design or want to use it for another holiday, I can reuse the tin!

Now I need to figure out where I will store the days as we remove them...And decide if I want to include a title. I could cut out some words in the green/red cardstock using my Silhouette and put them at the top and/or bottom....like "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" or "December". What do you think- Add words or leave it alone? If you vote for adding something - what do you suggest?

******Edited to add:

I forgot to give credit to someone who I lifted an idea from... I try to always give credit when I steal an idea ;) I came across an Etsy seller in my search for ideas on how to make each square different and I came across SugarPlumMommy. It was actually one of her sold items...I took her idea of using the ribbon like I did above on #6. There are a couple of other Etsy sellers that have these types of calendars - so check them out if you want one (or need ideas!).

I'm now kicking myself in the behind for not just cutting out the dates with my Silhouette!!! You don't even want to know the complicated process I went through...

Sweet Princess {Little Yellow Bicycle: Baby Safari}

I had printed this picture for the 6 month page but chose to go with the others instead. I would have found a way to fit it in if I hadn't had this paper to go with it :) It's also Little Yellow Bicycle paper...I'm really excited about this LO!I used sketch #31 at 52 Sketches...52 Weeks for my inspiration and it came together very quickly. The only problem with this layout was that it was 10 PM, both girls were sleeping and I wanted to finish the one last step of putting glitter on that arrow. I needed to use the SU! heat & stick powder...the heat gun is not too loud but I guess it was loud enough to wake both of the princesses ;)Thanks for looking!

Family {SEI Paper}

Here I am using orange again! All of the papers were given to me at our bookclub meeting for our make and take. I think the papers are SEI - not something I would have picked up myself but they go well with this picture. Some of the paper also has flocking on it - pretty cool! I didn't realize it till I actually started putting this together. I copied the layout exactly like the front cover of our Pine Cone Press Design's idea book - but they used the Jolly By Golly line from Cosmo Cricket. I tried to find an image to show but didn't come across one easily - and am too lazy to just go take a picture of my book!

What I really thought was neat was making my own "chipboard". I got the idea from someone on the Quickutz Yahoo group forum. I used the Silhouette to cut "family" 3 times and then glued them together. It gave the added dimension to the page without having to use popdots...would have been hard with this font to keep them hidden. Stacking them was actually very easy - I expected to have some issues getting them stacked so nicely.

One more layout to share tomorrow (NOT orange!) then I'll have to get busy again!

Pine Cone Press NYOBC {My Mind's Eye: The Spider's Web}

These two layouts are from one of the two kits from this month's bookclub. I like the paper MUCH better after seeing it with my pictures. When I first got it, I wasn't sure I would have pictures that really coordinated with it. Luckily, the pictures from last year's portrait party looked GREAT with the paper!

I designed this page based on sketch #16 at Inspired Blueprints. I did use a couple of pieces of paper that is not MME but the rest is from The Spider's Web line.( And after seeing the picture on the computer, I went back to add more pearls!) Credit for this next title goes again to my sister!

What I think is interesting...is that what looked acceptable in real life (the font for "dolled up") is totally NOT acceptable when I see it on the computer screen (just like for the layout above needing more pearls). It does not fit with the idea of the whole page and I WILL be changing it. Probably with red gingham paper like my sister suggested ;) The reason I originally thought it would work is because of the "dripping" in the bracket and in the font for "halloween night" but, well, NO.

I only wish that I had thought to put makeup on her for these pictures...those red cheeks add so much to the costume! There's no "bling" on this page...but I'm guessing once I see what others did at our bookclub meeting, that I'll come away with an idea to dress it up a little (pun intended!).

Thanks for looking - I still have a couple of more layouts planned with these kits so hopefully I'll get to them this week...

Spongey Bob Square Pants

My oldest's favorite show right now is SpongeBob - or as she calls him - "Spongey Bob". This is a pieced together picture of both pages - forgot to take a picture of them side by side...so forgive that they don't match in the middle. What do you think...should I add some stickles to the SpongeBob in the corner? The page seems very bland but I'm not sure how to spice it up...it feels very "Old School" to me :)

Or I could add stickles onto the logo....?

I had so much fun with the logo. I copied it from the Nick website, was able to download a SpongeBob font for free and then I used my Silhouette to cut the letters out. I actually used the negative space for "SquarePants" then free handed the turquoise bubble shape. And I was especially excited to find rub-on flowers in my stash that matched the logo! So do I need to create the pores with another shade of yellow & a punch...or with stickles? Any suggestions you have to improve this are welcome.

But seriously, isn't it awesome what I can do with the Silhouette????

Studio Calico & Pagemaps Contest

I saw this sketch contest on the Pagemaps blog and this is what I came up with: Ehh. It's not my favorite layout but I'm not sure why. I certainly strayed a lot from the sketch...that all started because I trimmed too much from the picture.

I cut the flowers out using the Silhouette and they needed something. But I didn't have enough of any one embellishment to have it consistent. I wish now that I had just embellished a few and used the same embellishment. Oh well... I did discover that I really like teal and brown together, and I bet it will look even better with Kraft CS!

I thought about not even posting this but wanted to prove that I am getting over my perfectionism! (That darn half-circle rub-on - I almost had it on there perfect!)

Cute Cuspids

Thanks to my non-scrappy but creative sister for supplying the title for this layout! Much better than "First Trip to the Dentist" ;)

I had a hard time getting started on this LO until I got over wanting the paper to coordinate with the dress colors. Then I was on My Mind's Eye blog and came across this layout - it all came together quickly after that. I had been planning on following another Pagemap sketch that was similar so mine is really a combination of the two. I was excited to find the free tooth font as well :)
I spent way too long deciding where to put the flower! lol

P.S. Please pardon the construction here on the blog :) I hope to have it all finished in a day or two...

Inspired Blueprint Sketch #27 - Basic Grey Sultry

How did I ever scrap before without a sketch? I saw this one for Inspired Blueprints-And here's my take on it-I'm going to need to get more of this Sultry line from Basic Grey...I love the colors! Enjoy your weekend!

Bookclub Projects

Last month's projects for Pine Cone Press' Not Your Ordinary Bookclub were for the book "Celebrate the Good Times" (am I supposed to underline or italicize that?).

The first kit was a summer page using BoBunny paper. I stayed pretty close to the sample in the book but did change a few things and I think mine is veeeery cute! (might have something to do with the kid though!) On this page, I added stickles to the waves and sun-

And on this page, I took the journaling block out (I did mine in a line across both pages) and added the three flowers. I had to go shopping for ric-rac as the kit didn't come with enough. Then I added stickles to that and the flowers.

The other kit used Pine Cone Press papers and man is it ever frustrating when they only give us one of each sheet of patterned paper. ESPECIALLY when it's double sided paper! The "What a Hoot" paper had my attention because I love owls but haven't used them much in my scrapping (although I've collected A LOT!). The theme was birthday so instead of doing 40th as in the book, I went back to my oldest daughter's first bday.

Up until about 4 hours ago, I wasn't even going to show this LO - I was very bothered by all of the patterned papers but was committed since I already made so many cuts. I started off copying the LO in the book but changed it completely. I'm happier now because I covered one of the patterns with the brown cardstock. Stickles on the leaves and rhinestones for the eyes. One of the owls even has heart rhinestones :)
Each of the pictures is actually a fold-out mini-album. They all have 3 pictures except for the one below on the right - it has 7 pictures tucked in there!

And each of the sets has an owl as a tab to lift up.

I definitely think this layout is even cuter in person (aren't they all?). It took me several days of work (off and on of course) and I am TIRED of looking at it. I have a couple of sketches that I'm dying to try but I wouldn't allow myself to work on those until this was done! lol

It's 12:30 am....now I have to decide to start a new project or get some sleep....tough decision! :)

Grids and Collages Everywhere!

I seemed to lose my mojo this past week....not getting our books with the kits from the bookclub really threw me off! So I started looking for a sketch to inspire me and I found this one at Inspired Blueprints.
And then on the Studio Calico blog, Maggie Holmes posted a challenge about using a grid for a summer layout. I had just been to Kemah the night before and knew I could use a collage for those pictures. I printed the collage through Snapfish and was amazed at how easy it was! Both challenges used the square grids but I wanted a variety in sizes for this project so I went with the collage. I will certainly be using both the grid and collage for future projects - especially when I have tons of pictures.

Too lazy to grab my other flash to get rid of that spot...

Ignore the cat hair please :)

Thanks for looking :)

Productive!

I was able to complete several projects these past few days! First up was a mini album for our soccer season (that won't be repeated anytime soon!). If you look closely, you will find a picture of me very pregnant ;)

I completed K's 3 month layout. Going with the smaller album was supposed to help with me limiting the pictures to include on the page. Problem is, I'm getting tricky and sneaking extras in and it's taking me longer! Both sides have a lift-up flap to reveal another picture...

And then I completed B's 4th month page. (I know, I know. I told you I was behind!) This layout came together so quickly, it's actually scary! LOVE that Basic Gray Sultry paper.

Off to get some more done while I'm on a roll!