Playing With Paper!!

Finally a layout!

I never thought it would happen but I finally got a layout done!  This one has been sitting on my desk since last week but I was having a difficult time putting it together.  I originally picked out totally different paper but when I was at Paper Anthology on Saturday I found paper I  felt was a better fit.  The patterned paper is from My Minds's Eye and card stock is from Bazzill.  The photos are from my daughter's Open Gym Night (a big tradition for those in the 5th grade at our elementary school):

Part of my issue with this layout was photo placement - I just wasn't feeling it at all!  I kept moving the pictures around & around.  I needed some inspiration desperately-I found it in PageMaps 2 by Becky Fleck.  I "borrowed" the idea for this layout on page 92 - it was exactly what I needed!  To create the little butterflies I used chipboard butterflies (can't remember who made them but I think I bought them at Paper Anthology a while back) & colored them with Stickles.  I actually painted the Stickles onto each butterfly and then add a little pearl to finish them off.

To adhere the little pearl I used my new (kinda old) favorite product:

So Glossy Accents has been around forever but I just discovered that it comes in a small bottle (Stickles size) and it is awesome!!!  I know I am sounding like a commercial for Paper Anthology today but I found this there (it's a great store -what can I say?).

Hope you get a chance to play today!!

Rain, rain go away...

It is a bit dreary around here-wet and cold.  I am thankful it is not snow but I would mind seeing a bit of the sun.  I have another area in my office I am trying to organize - my punches.  Yesterday I bought this towel rack thing that hangs over the back of the door but it won't work (doesn't hold the punches right).  So I am on the hunt for a new way to organize my punches - I have a lot of them.  I will let you know what I come up with - I think I may have found something that will work!

Would you like to see another layout from my weekend?

I know I found inspiration for this layout somewhere but I can't remember where - I pretty sure it was either from Page Maps or Sketches by Suzy.  The patterned paper is from October Afternoon and all the circles/flowers were created with punches.  I wanted some of the embellishments to "pop" off the page so I used foam adhesive dots:

I love adding dimension to my layouts - I think it just adds something.  What say you? 

The week that will never end!

This always happens to me - I had a wonderful, relaxing weekend and then it's back to reality!  This week is dragging - ugh.  I have been busy working on some reorganization projects in my scrap room.  The biggy is reorganizing my embellishments.  For the past several years, I have had all my embellishments organized with my Clip-It-Up.  I have love my Clip-It-Up but mine got broken a while back and I am ready for a change.  This is what my embellishments look like at the moment:

I know it looks like a mess but I am determinted to get it organized.  My first priority was to clean out all my old embellishments.  I gave my girls all the stuff I have had forever so they can use them in their Smash books.  I have also been searching the internet for the past few days looking for an easy way to get all this under control.   I'll let you know if I come up with anything good-keep your fingers crossed for me!!

Would you like to see another layout I created over the weekend?  Well, here you go:

These pictures are of my daughter and her baby cousin (she adores him & can't get enough time with him).  I used patterned paper from October Afternoon as well as embellishments from them as well.  I love the color combination - the yellow & grey - different from my normal color palette but I love it!  I was inspired by a layout I found in PageMaps 2 when I created this layout - I just can't remember the page number (sorry).  Don't you just love a good sketch book?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love PageMaps2...

For Christmas I got Becky Fleck's PageMaps 2 and I am so grateful I did.  I have PageMaps 1 & love it but I really love the 2nd book.  I admit, I can never get enough of sketches and this book is one on my new favorites.  I used a layout on page 11 for my inspiration.  It is a 1 page layout that I converted for my own purpose.  What do you think:

I am so addicted to circles and when I saw this layout I new I could use it.  The photos are from my son Patrick's classroom on Halloween.  The patterned paper is from The Girls' Paperie (so stinkin' cute) and the cardstock is SU!.  I look forward to using this sketch again maybe with flowers or hearts?  Very cute, no?

Feels good to get back to scrapbooking!

 I just can never find the time to sit in my office and scrapbook during the month of December.  But now the decorations have been put away, the house is clean and the kids are back on a normal schedule so that means I can play again.  And it feels so nice to be scrapping again.  For Christmas I got Page Maps 2 and The Big Book of Scrapbooking.  Both books are great and I have been using them for inspiration.  For the layout below, I borrowed a layout idea from Page Maps 2-what do you think?

 

 The photos are from our trip to the pumpkin patch in October.  The paper and embellishments are from October Afternoon.  I had bought the paper a long time ago and I got the embellishments when I bought a "grab" bag type kit from October Afternnoon last month.  I love this layout.  It is playful and sweet & the paper compliments it so well.

The next layout includes pictures from the same day.  Can you tell we had a lot of fun?  It was really a great day.  I got the idea for the scallops from a layout in The Big Book Of Scrapbooking - love scallops!

 

A Jedi Halloween

At my weekend, one of the contest you could participate in was a picture shape challenge.  You had to cut your pictures into a shape on your layout.  I got the idea for this layout from Becky Fleck and Page Maps.  I love it and can't wait to do it again!!

The patterned paper is from the girls' paperie (toil & trouble) and the card stock is from SU!.    I love these pictures of Patrick-he was so excited to be Obi One for Halloween and it definitely shows in the pictures.  I am so happy with the way this layout turned out - I think it's adorable!!

Page Maps...

Do you ever have an idea book that you really like but it tends to just sit on a shelf?  That's Page Maps by Becky Fleck for me.  I visit www.pagemaps.com all the time for inspiration but I always forget that I have the first book as well.  This weekend I was really stumped by some photos.  I just couldn't figure out what to do with them &  I couldn't come up with colors or embellishments either.  And then I looked at my bookshelf and saw Page Maps...and that's all it took.

On page 18, I saw a layout that clicked in my head and I knew immediately where I was headed.  The patterned paper is from Cosmo Cricket, card stock from SU!, flower embellishment was ordered from Oriental Trading and I made the title with rhinestones I ordered off of Ebay (I glued each one on-way out on a limb for me but I like it).  And I am so happy with the way this layout turned out.  It just seems so happy!!  And it came together so easily.  Thanks Becky...you continue to inspire me!

It's Friday for me!

 Tomorrow, several of my friends and I are having a Crafter's Garage Sale at my house so I need to take the day off from work!!  If you live near Randolph and are interested leave me your email address in a comment and I will get you the  info.  Should have tons of great scrapbooking and stamping supplies for sale.

Below is a layout I worked on this weekend.  I used patterned paper from Chatterbox (remember when Chatterbox was so popular & had awesome paper?  I miss them).  The pictures are from the flowers in my garden this past spring.    I love the title - it's a Thicker title and it works perfect  forthis layout.  And I should mention that I was inspired by www.pagemaps.com to create this layout.

I made this card last night...love the colors!  I am really into red, black and white lately - just love the way they look together.  All products are from SU!.  I enjoyed creating this card so much I made 8 of them!  I am sending 4 to a cousin (she loves my cards) and I am putting the rest up for sale in my Etsy store. 

 

I'll let you know how the garage sale goes...wish us luck!

TGIF!

 Crazy week around my house: soccer, CCD, no daddy...busy, busy, busy.  I am so glad it is Friday.  We are suppose to have 2 soccer games this evening - I am hoping the rain holds off.  I have found some time to sit in my office and scrap.  The layout below is for Father's Day this past June.

 

The patterned paper is from SU! (they had a special last month if you bought 3 DSP you got one FREE - hope they do that again).  I love the way this layout turned out!

The layout below is from the last day of school last year.  I was inspired by a layout I found at www.pagemaps.com.  And I was really excited to use the patterned paper - I have had it FOREVER and finally was inspired to put it on a layout.  The flowers are Prima and I love the little "pop" of color they provide! 

 

We are suppose to have a wet and rainy weekend (again!) so I am hoping to scrap a bit and get ready for a garage sale some of my friends and I are having next weekend.  Wishing you a great weekend!

Always working on catching up...

I keep all of my photos I want to scrapbook in a binder in order of date.  I have pictures printed though the end of the school year last spring and I am almost out of photos to scrap!  I never ever thought I would be this caught up in my scrapbooking.  It won't last though because I have a ton of pictures from the summer to print but that's ok with me.  I don't know what I would do it I ever got completely caught up - the idea actually frightens me!!

 
Because I keep scrapbooks for the kids and one for the family, I often get to scrap the same photos twice.  Sometimes this is a pain sometimes it's great.  The photos above are pictures I was THRILLED to scrap again.  These are from when my youngest spoke at a Board of Education meeting last spring - still so proud.  The patterned paper is a mix of paper from SU! and all card stock is from SU! too.  And I was inspired from a sketch from www.pagemaps.com - don't you just love a good sketch site?