Page Drafts Sketch

For the month of August, GrandDiva's Creative Corner partnered with Page Drafts for a challenge using this sketch:

I used Echo Park as part of the Paper Secrets blog challenge to create this layout of Hannah and me at the Bremerton marina.
I also created a layered embellishment with the doily, a white vintage button, a metal brad, and twine to complete the bonus challenge at Rochelle Spear's blog for the Layering Challenge.

Scrapbook Steals Pearl #8

I love a layered sketch especially for using papers I love! This week's Midweek Mojo at Scrapbook Steals featured such a sketch:

I used Carta Bella's new line, Paris Girl, with pretty pinks, greys, and blacks for this picture from last fall:

My Creative Sketch August Challenge

For the August sketch at My Creative Sketch it featured a large background with various squares.

I used a combination of color and black and white photos of Hannah backstage at her dance recital using papers by Echo Park.

Scrapbook Steals Pearl #4

Catching up on my sketches for August, I loved this one by Scrapbook Steals since it featured one of my current favorite trends, Polaroid look photos...

I changed mine up a bit to use one photo and used these cute papers from Heidi Swapp.

I also am loving the Ombre look and created it here using coffee filters. I used varying amounts of spritz and water on coffee filters, dried the strips with my heat gun, and ruffled them onto the paper.

Playing with Type

Basic Grey had a challenge to play with typography this month and it was a perfect opportunity to use up the letters that I didn't have enough of for a full title, but couldn't just throw away.
I used this sketch from Crafting Family:

I

I used these bright papers from Basic Grey for this layout from Fourth of July when Hannah had her new umbrella outside while Luke sprayed water at it.

Another Sketch-y Project

Another Scrap Much? sketch that had a sense of minimalism to it.

I used mist to create the circle areas and berries from the Basic Grey Picadilly line to embellish this page about a special strawberry cake from our Memorial Day barbeque.

Scrap Much? Sketch-y Friday Week 2

As someone who loves symmetry, this sketch by Scrap Much? made me so happy!

I used bright BoBunny papers to create my layout of our Easter egg hunt from this past spring.

Picture This

I love that my kids love to draw as much as I did and I love capturing the looks on their faces when they are really focused on what they are creating.
I snapped this photo of Jack drawing at a restaurant using my camera phone and love the candid quality of it.
I used Teresa Collins Sweet Afternoon papers, and used the numbers from the embellishment sheet to make typewriter keys to embellish. I adhered the numbers to the buttons and then topped them with glaze.
I used a sketch from Creative Scrapbookers:

I also completed the challenge for Scrap It Girls using numbers.

Making Burlap Pretty

I have noticed strips of burlap for sale at scrapbook stores lately so when I saw a remnant for cheap at JoAnn's, I snatched it up and went home to create!
I've cut it into ribbon strips, pulled off pieces to use as twine, and on this layout, even created rosettes with it!
I'm thinking I need to go back and find some other colors so I can keep using it!

To make the rosettes, I followed the same method for paper rosettes, using a spiral circle and rolling it into place, securing it with hot glue and embellishing with a resin rose.

Pulling a frayed end, I was able to get a long strip which I used like twine.

The letters were white foam alphas from Sticko which I painted with yellow paint and added a bit of distressing ink. I punched butterflies from a Starbucks cup cozy and added some of the yellow paint to distress a bit.

I entered this into Two Peas Teresa Collins challenge using her Sweet Afternoon line in beautiful pastels of yellow and blue. I also did the Paper Girls Get Messy challenge by misting the background paper, and adding the paint to the butterflies.
Check out their challenges here:
Two Peas in a Bucket Teresa Collins Challenge
The Paper Girls Get Messy Challenge

Scrap Much? Color Challenge

This month's color challenge at Scrap Much? was a challenge for me since I tend to use bright, bold colors when I scrapbook. The colors they used for August were very soft and subdued and I wasn't sure what to use them for at first.

When I looked at them they reminded me of the beach and of course I have so many beach photos to scrap! I used some papers from Basic Grey's Picadilly line, as well as the Basic Grey sketch for August.

It's funny how many pinwheels I'm seeing lately. I might have to include a tutorial for these fun embellishments!

Classygirl AASE August Sketch

I usually put together papers and embellishments in bags so that I have them ready to work on whether it be at home, at crops, or on trips. Recently I watched a great tutorial on iClassgirl.com called Anytime Anywhere Scrapbook Experience. It included tips on putting together these type of kits. Included each month are challenges using your kits and a sketch.
This months sketch was a two pager...

I used Bo Bunny Petal Pushers papers for this layout...

You can check out their challenges at: http://classygirlmusings.blogspot.com/search/label/AASE%20Challenge

A Pinwheel Flower

I can't resist flowers on my layouts but have been challenging myself to find new methods of embellishing in a similar fashion. ScrapFIT had a tutorial on making pinwheels and I couldn't resist the similarity to flowers! I used some My Mind's Eye Lost and Found papers (because I can't get enough of them!) and made this layout of Hannah on stage waiting for her turn to dance during dress rehearsal.
I also made a center button by covering a button with distressed coordinating paper, layered ribbon and pearl embellishments, and made paper banners.

Dress Up Is Not Just For Halloween

I tend to buy a ton of Halloween papers. I'm not sure why since Halloween is one night, maybe two events for photos, and yet I end up with multiple colllections. So when My Mind's Eye had a challenge to scrapbook a layout with holiday papers, but not a holiday themed page, I headed right to my Halloween stash!
I used pictures from Hannah's ballet recital that had tones of black and gold in the Cats costume. The brocade designed papers in their neutral hues were perfect for featuring her dance costume.
I used an acetate bracket from Little Yellow Bicycle, alphas from Adornit and October Afternoon, and made the flower by distressing petals, adding a punch in coordinating paper, and a leopard print bling to the center.

Playing with Paint

I recently discovered Classgirl's blog which included a fabulous video on building your own page kits, which I'm a huge fan of doing. She also features challenges, and this month it included Anything Goes With...Paint! I have a huge stash of paint because I love colors but haven't used it much lately. I was working on a layout with Teresa Collins Carolina Breeze collection which is a combination of grey, black, and yellow. I added some more yellow by painting the edges of the chipboard flags I made and a bit of the brocade sticker. I also added it to the edge of my black photo mat.

Give it a try!
Classgirl's Anything Goes With Paint Challenge

Sketch N Scrap

Sketch N Scrap had another great layout challenge featuring lots of squares for patterned papers:

I used papers from Jillibean and Basic Grey for this layout of Jack at his preschool graduation:

A Birthday Party Pearl #3

I used the Pearl #3 sketch for this layout for the Paper Girl challenge to scrap a birthday themed page:

I used Basic Grey papers for this layout of Hannah's birthday pizza party...

Basic Grey August Sketch

The two page layout for Basic Grey included three cute banners which I made with my circle punch and twine.

I used Basic Grey's Out of Print papers for my layout:

Color Me Scrappy August Color Challenge

Sometimes color challenges are a great way to find inspiration with new combinations you may not have thought of. This week's challenge at Color Me Scrappy was an example of that. I don't think I would have thought of mixing pinks, oranges, and greens but the warm and eclectic tone was perfect for some fun and silly pre-recital pics.

Sketch N Scrap and Lily Bee

For the month of August, Sketch and Scrap has several sketches for challenges including this one...

This challenge can be located at:
Sketch N Scrap August Sketch Challenge

I used Lily Bee This & That papers and also participated in their Designer's Choice challenge which was to use strips of papers as the main design element on your page.
I did this layout of Hannah and her dance class at the spring recital.

Paper Secrets August Scraplift

I use other people's layouts much the way I use sketches. So for this month's scraplift challenge at Paper Secrets, I used the inspirational layout and my Echo Park papers to come up with this...

Paper Secrets Song Lyric Challenge

The August song lyric challenge at Paper Secrets was to use lyrics about children. I've always loved the song with the lyrics, "I hope you never lose your sense of wonder" because I think we all love that in our children and would hate to see them lose it.
These photos of Hannah blowing bubbles remind me of that as she enters the last year of elementary school.

Scarlet & Grey

While we are die hard Husky fans, A Cherry On Top's August color challenge meant I had to use the Cougar colors of scarlet and grey.

As a bonus, I did Paper Secrets OLW challenge using the word Sweet. The title is...Sweet...and the ice cream is pretty good too!

Paper Secrets August Sketch Challenge

Paper Secrets is featuring Echo Park this month and their August sketch challenge featured bonus entries for using Echo Park products.
The sketch is a layout with three photos and I loved the cloud in the corner.

I used Echo Park's collection So Happy Together for this layout of Jack and his buddy at preschool graduation:

Authentique July Sketch Challenge

People often tell me they feel challenged on how to use their patterned paper. I think many times people think of it as a full sheet for a background. I think it is much more effective in smaller doses and cutting it up means it goes further!
Authentique's July sketch if a perfect example of how to use busy patterns in small amounts:

 Authentique August Sketch Challenge
With a photo in the center, I used patterns from their Loyal collection, cut into 2X2 squares, and stickers from the Details sheet.
This layout is from Jack's preschool graduation which was bittersweet since he has known these kids since he was an infant, and will be moving on to Kindergarten in the fall.

Products used:
Core'dinations cardstock in Asparagus
Authentique Papers from Loyal Collection:
"Steady"
"Honest"
"Faithful"
Authentique Stickers from Loyal Details sheet
Flower from Prima
Letter stickers from Glitz and Adornit

Color Inspiration

Sometimes what you need for inspiration is a fun color combo! Authentique always puts together collections with beautiful colors and their newest featured beautiful pinks and greens with brown.

I was inspired by the rich brown for my background and pops of the pinks and greens to highlight these pictures of Hannah on stage during the rehearsal for the spring dance recital.

Products used:
Core'dinations cardstock in Coffee
Stickles in Firefly
Authentique Paper Uncommon Collection "Distinct"
Authentique Paper Carefree Collection "Relaxed"
Authentique Embellishments:
Blissful Noteables
Blissful Tabloids
Authentique Stickers Delightful Collection "Details"

Paper Secrets Technique Challenge

I created this layout using these cute papers from Prima's Songbird collection. I love the rich colors and cute little birds.

This was for the Paper Secrets blog Technique challenge. The challenge was to use three techniques, inking, distressing, and layering. I distressed the edges of my patterned paper, inked them with black ink, and layered all kinds of embellishments.

One layout...ten photos!

The July challenge from My Mind's Eye was to fit ten photos on a layout! I always take tons of photos on the Fourth of July so I was able to get a bunch in one layout with this creation...