Playing With Paper!!

So glad it is Friday!

Not happy that summer is ending but I am sure happy this week is done.  I haven't been able to play in my office as much as I would have liked but I did get to manage a little time:

 
I borrowed the idea for this layout from my friend Jen Peel's sketch book.  I used patterned paper from Chatterbox and the buttons are from October Afternoon and Joann's.  The card stock is from Bazzill and ribbon from SU!.  I am very pleased with how this layout turned out.  The pictures are from when all the cousins were together last spring.  I think this layout is playful - just like the pictures and subjects in the pictures!

FUN!

 
For the above layout, I used a sketch I found in Jen Peel's sketch book - Scrapbookers' Shortcuts.  I used this sketch for a layout I created for the book on page 15.  I think it is fun to go back and use a sketch again - each time it turns out different but similar.  I used patterned paper from Basic Grey and cardstock from Bazzill.  The photos are from last summer - my dads last day on the Cape with us.  I love the way the layout turned out - so bright and cheerful!!

I hope the sun come out today and we get a bright & cheerful day!

It's nice to know you will understand...

2 post in 1 day - crazy.  I have to share this because I think it is so cool.  For Christmas, my husband got me an ipad and I just love it!  I am always playing with it!!  Now, a few years back my friend Jen Peel published a book of sketches (I was honored to have some of my pages in this book) - it's called Scrapbookers' Shortcuts.  She published it as an ebook and I use it all the time.  Well, Jen is big with technology and she has started to publish her sketches (some from the book & some new ones) on Amazon!  Now you can download sketches right to your ipad!  I love it.  To check her stuff out, I just searched her name on Amazon (Jen Peel) and her tutorials and books popped up! 

Let me know what you think!   I love having all these ideas at my fingertips!!

Can never get enough of sketches!

I don't know about you but I am addicted to sketches.  My obsession started several years back when I first discovered Becky Higgins (I miss her monthly sketches in Creating Keepsakes).  I ordered her first sketchbook and couldn't wait for her 2nd book to come out.  I looked to her for inspiration for several years.  Now there are so many sketch books and websites - it makes this addicts heart sing. 

I use a sketch for almost all my layouts.  I don't necessarily copy the sketch exactly.  Often a sketch will provide a jumping off point for my layout.  Below is a perfect example of this.  I used a sketch found in Jen Peel's book Scrapbooker's Shortcuts (the layouts begin on page 154).  Even though I had the honor of being in this book, I didn't complete this layout.  This is how I interpreted the sketch:

 
I liked the size Jen used for the pictures - 3.5x5.5 - this allowed me to add a bunch of pictures.  This is why I love sketches so much.  You can take one sketch and change it into so many different ideas.

Thanks for checking out my blog today.  Hope you find inspiration!!

Scrapbooker's Shortcuts

I loved the opportunity Jen Peel provided for me when she asked me to create some layouts for her book Scrapbooker's Shortcuts.  I got a ton of scrapbooking done and had fun doing it.  I still use the book often for inspiration.  I used the sketch found on page 6 of the book for the layout above.  Cardstock by Bazzill; patterned paper from Chatterbox; flowers from Making Memories; and I used my Cricut to cut out the title.  I had intend to layer the title with solid cardstock on the bottom and patterned on top.  Well, my blade is getting dull so not all of the letters cut out for the top layer.  So, I used the letters that worked - I think it looks better this way.  What do you think?
 

Do you remember Perfect Layers?

 
I remember sitting in my living room in Scotch Plains - this 6 or 7 years ago - watching a QVC scrapbooking day & they were talking about Perfect Layers.  They were so cool-I had to have them.  I used them regularly for a long time and then put them away.  I was on www.twopeasinabucket.com the other day and there was a post about them so I got mine out.  I was working on a layout for my son Patrick that I knew I wanted to layer the photos so it was good timing.  Here's my completed layout:

 

These pictures are from Patrick's field day this past spring and the layout is titled "Me & my Crew".  The cardstock is Bazzill; the patterned paper is from Sassafras; the big brads are also from Bazzill and I used my Cricut to create the title.  And of course I used my Perfect Layors to create the borders around my pictures. Cute don't you think.

I also wanted to share one of my favorite new finds:

I found these foam adhesive squares at Michaels recently and I love them.  They come packaged with 2 sizes (1/2 inch & 1/4 inch) & they are very reasonably priced.  I love to make pictures and embellishments pop off the page and these are great for adding dimension!!