Welcome to the Jungle {Little Yellow Bicycle: Baby Safari}

I made this layout for a sketch challenge on the LYB blog using pictures from my little one's first day....first moments, actually! If you click the link, you can see the sketch - I didn't stray too much from it as usual :)

We were supposed to use the new Twig line but they still let us participate if we don't have any as long as we use another LYB line. This is a retired line, Baby Safari, and I bought a ton of it when I was pregnant with her. {I have a thing for giraffes ;) }Hard to believe these pictures are almost 2 years old!

January Project 12 {My Minds Eye: So Sophie}

I was so excited to continue on with Project 12 after having completed all of 2010's layouts. But I struggled with this one a lot and wondered if it was worth it. I KNOW it will be worth it to me when I see my whole year documented at this time next year :) So here it is, I was hoping to retake the picture since it seems some of the green PP was having a hardtime staying down...but it hasn't happened ;)

Two things I wanted this year were: 1) to use white on every layout instead of kraft and 2) to use a calendar spot each month. I couldn't find any papers that I was happy with that would look good with white, so I stuck with using kraft again :( and I haven't found the perfect calendar spots...yet! But what I used was FREE and can easily be replaced if I find what I'm really looking for :)

I've actually had this done for a couple of weeks as I completed it for a challenge at the BOAF lovebirds crop. The challenge was to use 3 sets of 10s on the page. My three sets are: buttons, staples & brads. The brads were a perfect filler for the blank space between the two medium size photos and the buttons/staples were actually already incorporated into the sketch.

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!

Best Buds {Fancy Pants: Kraft Kuts "This Girl"}

I've had the paper for this layout for a loooong time and everytime I think I want to use it...it doesn't go with the photos. I think it's the purple but I seem to be on a purple kick lately...and a grid kick, too!

I made the layout for a challenge at BOAF for the crop this weekend. Did you know that February is International Twit Award Month? lol Most of the ladies used THAT for inspiration, but I went with Responsible Pet Owner Month :-)

3 days left to crop!

Friday was the beginning of this weekend's crop at Birds of a Feather and you still have 3 days left to submit your layouts. There are 8 very different challenges (a few games, too)!

This is for the sketch challenge:

 And these were using sketches I had on my desk using grids. Chelle posted a challenge to use a grid or lines on a LO - and I love using photo grids! Both of these next two are mainly using the February kit.

 The above is a PageMaps sketch and I think the next one is sketch #6 at Sketch Support

I'm already working on another challenge and doubling it as my January Project 12 page :-)

{Sweet} Glitz Design: Love Nest

I was forced to spend quite a bit of $ at my LSS last week (unfortunately, I really mean forced in a negative way) and so I bought about 8 sheets of this PP from Glitz Design - LOVE IT! The cardstock for the photo frames & flowers as well as the patterned paper are kit extras in the BOAF Feb kit. The buttons & thread are from my stash (Stampin' Up!) and the Thickers are another "forced" purchase. That border/corner punch was also something I bought at the LSS and has got to be the messiest punch ever! lol

 I posted a tutorial in the forums for how to make these flowers. You can check it out here.

BOAF is hosting a crop this weekend - come check it out! Amy always sends AWESOME goodies ;)

Birds of a Feather February Kit {Lily Bee: Lovely; Glitz Design: Love Nest}

I was awarded a guest designer spot for February at Birds of a Feather Kit Co. and I was so excited when I got my kit - I think it was made for me and pictures of my girls! ;) This first layout is of my youngest at less than a week old. The green background goes so well with the greens in the paper! I used a PageMaps sketch but it's from 2009 I think?

And then this layout is using a picture of my mom. One of the few pictures that I have of her! My PSA of the week: Be sure you get out from behind that camera so that your kids will have pictures of YOU! ;) This is the very first layout I have made using a picture of her...and I felt so pressured to make it a great one!

 A double using pictures of my girl taken by my boss. The girls had a tea party! The colors of this kit are perfect for these pictures :-D I used sketch #7 at Sketch Support for this one and have since added journaling along the bottom curve. My brown journaling pen dried up and I forgot to buy a new pen before I took the picture!

 I also made a mini album of my girls with the pictures from the tea party. (sorry for the dark photos, we had several days of rain around here!)

 And lastly, a card using a PageMaps sketch that I had seen on Scrapbook & Cards Today blog earlier this past week. Kayla made a better card and I've shortened my strip of yellow stripe paper after seeing hers ;)

If you'd like to see closeups and read more details about these projects you can read about them here on the forums - it's free to register! This kit is so much fun to work with - I still have plenty more paper & accessories for a few more layouts, hopefully I will get some more of those done soon. If you'd like to checkout the kit, you can purchase & view more details here and don't forget to check the extras section, too!