Love the SOUS Challenges...

Here is my layout for SOUS- the second one for this month- I really enjoy their sketches. Also over at The Paper Variety for the Tic Tac Toe challenge this week. The three I used were  Stitching (hand or faux)-- Multi photos-- Journal Strips.

     I used all Recollections papers from a stack book, which I just bought the other day at Michael's for $7.99 originally $19.99- (on sale and then another 20% off- what a deal this was. Well, enough of my bargain shopping onto the layout. I inked the edges either in pink or brown and used white cardstock for the mats on photos. I cut out the flowers from the papers used and pop dotted them for dimension and added Cotton Candy Stickles to the center. I hand stitched with embroidery floss moss green all around the circle edge and then cut out  with several green scraps of cardstock many leaves and just placed them around the stitched vine. I found some chipboard letters which had a funky design and color on them so I painted them with some pink and white paints and added a few pearls to them. M-arilyn  M-onroe,  the title of my layout- fairly simple- because I have a hard time with titles....

I wrote on some journal strips and placed on a green background paper and did some doodling and added another pearl and inked the edges in brown and green.

This is another one for my scrapbook...these photos were taken at Universal Studios of two of my kids back in 2005.

Uncondional Love..

Here is layout I did for the sketch over at Bo_Bunny last week but didn't get it done in till so applying over at Sketches In Thyme- an open challenge and I really like how this one turned out- love the colors and the picture is one that I took of my daughter and her Fiancee in Michigan during our visit up there during the 4th of July weekend this year

Here is the sketch I worked with.

All the papers used in this layout are by Bo-Bunny except for the moss green cardstock in the background. I cut out the die cut and used the left over pieces for the punched flowers and the flip side for the blue and pink graphic pieces. The other pieces like the pink strip and little tag are some other Bo-Bunny scraps I found in my stash... I also laid a piece of acetate with predrawn stitching around the edge with a cute little saying on the right hand side-"

I used soe small scraps of the blue graph paper tpo make the banner with" unconditional and love"stamped on with Studio G alphas and braided some pink and yellow twine and attached with pop dots. Two cute decorative pink heart pins from Joann Fabric (sewing section), white, pink and blue paper flowers with brad or thread tied in knots for the center of them. And my own handmade crocheted trim/lace in pink.

I also then used some fabric paint to add my own swirls or flourishes by the flowers and hand drewn a stitch look around part of the photo. Other items used were Stickles, inks, sticker for title, punches, Cricut for 2 butterflies, and markers. I will also be applying this layout over at The Paper Variety for the Tic Tac Toe Challenge. My three items used were ...  Color Pink -  Banner - 1 Photo.

Sketch Along Tuesdays #20 layout

Wow, time is flying by this summer and its already sketch #20 over at Sketch Along Tuesdays- Frosted Designs. And today is also my husbands birthday...the big 60 for him- . So Happy Birthday to Ken. Well here is my take on this lovely sketch by Karin- she has had some wonderful sketches here for us to work and create with and this is no exception.
I love doing layouts of the outdoors- it is my favorite subject/photos to work with- so these photos of my son and his friend out enjoying the lovely weather and views of Lake Superior in Marquette Michigan a few years ago.

Materials used : Die Cut by SEI & brown gingham paper by Daisy D'S, K&Company die cut leaf border and 3 butterflies, Making Memories "Passport"  blue decorative trim ribbon, stamps by Studio G, wooden stamp, buttons, twine, embroidery floss, tulle, inks in brown & green, pop dots, my own handmade crocheted flowers and leaves, and I machine stitched  on the border of die cut in black thread.

 Above is a close up of a few of my crocheted flowers in tan or taupe and some lime green leaves also- something new that I tried crocheting and they turned out ok- I think I will be making some more of these in the future. I then wrapped some twine around the title of Friend for that natural look. Below you can see my machine stitching on the border and my sub title stamped on a piece of a paper bag and inked in green and brown.

Here is the sketch we worked with below. So be sure to enter your take of this sketch over at Sketch Along Tuesdays- at Frosted Designs for a chance to win a fabulous prize from our sponsor- Paper Loves Glue. They have a wonderful selection of hand-dyed crinkle ribbon in a variety of colors to give to a lucky person with an entry for this sketch. I love to see what you come up with. Enjoy your week and stay cool.

Great Lengths-

Here is my take from Sketch #128 at The Scrappiest- the photo's are not the best -a bit blurry- but I remember this moment all to well a few years back of my son and his long golden locks right before we cut them all off- so he could join the high school football team. He was kinda worried about this- since he believed he was a chick magnet with this hair. Which he probably was- but football was more important and he said he could grow it back if he wanted too after the season.

 I used all papers from the Recollections stack - which I just got the other day at Micheals for 1/2 off what a great deal this was. I added big gold brads to the corners of the photo's and journal strips on the side. With my Gypsy and Cricut Expressions I cut out the golden swirls to represent LOCKS of hair and the Handle with Care sign and the title Great Lengths from several cartridges- Accent Essentials, Graphically Speaking and Ashley's Alphabet. I inked all the edges with Memories-Chestnut

Here is another green layout of my sons graduation day back in 2005- 8th grade. This one is for my scrapbook- and it has all the outfits he wore that day on one layout- so this sketch over at Sketchy Thursdays worked out well for me with these photos.

I used K&Company papers and some scraps from my stash, brown inks for distressing and some rub ons and a vellum for the title and saying on top of the page. I hand wrote with a white gel pen on the cap- which was a cricut cut from a cartridge which I forgot to write down?

But, I want to point out that the flourishes in black I did myself---I got this great idea or tip from Nanne the other day and so I tried it and it was so easy to do and here is two of them that I did with black fabric paint on acetate then just cut out around the flourish swirls and added vellum tape in a few places and put it on my layout. Below is a close-up.

Thanks for checking out my post and hope you all have a great day. If you would like to see the tutorial on the flourishes just click on Nanne's name - I have it linked.

I'm attending a wedding today- so here is the card I made

 Yesterday, I finally made a card for a wedding I'm attending today-nothin like waiting till the last minute to do this...but it was so simple to make...Just went through my stash of papers in black and white and then decided on the extra color of choice to pop out and used my Cuttlebug and butterfly folders to emboss three of them. Well, actually I cut out 6- 2 white, 1 blue, 3 black and white ones. each butterfly is back with one so it gives them more dimension. I added some sticker prisms to the center body part and used pop dots to elevate them a bit. I used a Martha Stewart border punch on the gingham checked paper and added a few silk flowers with a gemstone brad and some white satin ribbon. I found this Just Married tag in one of my many embellishments boxes and just added a little Stickles to parts of the letters and attached to some blue cardstock. Then I added Stickles- (diamond) to all the dots on the embossed butterflies to add some more bling.


On the inside I added more of the blue cardstock-edges inked in black and hand wrote my sentiment inside and added another butterfly to the lower right corner.  So with my left over Cuttlebug- embossed/cut negatives- I laid them on the envelope then took two colors of my Tattered Angel Mists and sprayed  a bit and removed them to come up with my mask of butterflies to match for the card and wrote Bride and Groom.
     Of course I made them a gift too- and guess what it has-- Butterflies-- on it also.  I have a theme going here don't I- I hope they like butterflies- I know I do. Then I went one step further and wrapped the gift in the same blue wrapping paper and stamped butterflies all over it and the words live, love and laugh - with all kinds of white and blue curling ribbon as the big bow in the middle. How cute it that.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the wrapped gift- maybe tomarrow before I give it to them I will. Well have a nice day and enjoy your weekend!

Lets Capture these sketches #91

Here is my take for sketch #91 over at Lets Capture these Sketches over my daughter's boyfriend now fiance back in 2005 when he graduated College from Illinois State University. This is the only picture we had so it had to do.

I used an alphabet laser cut sheet in a maroon color and some misc papers from my stash and black ink for all the edges. With black cardstock I used my Gypsy and Cricut machine to cut out the title and the graduation cap and scroll. I used some eyelets and ran some thin white satin ribbon through them and with a white gel pen wrote on the caps

SWEET layout

Here is a Sweet layout of my son enjoying a waffle cone while at Universal Studios a few years back. It is also one of the only pictures that I got of him while on this vacation- he was too cool to have photo's taken at this stage and age in his life. As you can see by the expression on his face- I snuck a photo of him....

 Papers used were We R Memory Keepers, scraps from my stash in strips and a sheet from K&Company for the greyish polka dot background. I cut all the pin wheels from the paper and added a brad to the center of each one. I used my Gypsy and Cricut to cut the cone out from the Doodle Charms cartridge and title sweet from Printing Press.

I will be applying this layout over at Sketchy Thursday for their sketch challenge and over at FCCB #69 to use a summer treat on a project "I scream for Ice Cream" which is almost what I titled this layout but changed my mind. I used some chalks and inks for the ice cream cone for some dimension.

PAW-SOME....always together

I just think this page is so adorable...especially the photo's. One day a few months ago I was looking to see where my girls (dogs) were and I found then laying in the foyer- just like this together- facing each other with there paws touching- AWWW ...I had to quietly go get my camera- so I wouldn't disturb them, to catch this photo moment and I got it. They are always together, whether they are sleeping, eating or playing- I just gotta love my two girls (Jenna and Izzy) american eskies.

 This sketch is from Practical Scrappers July Challenge and I think I nailed this one...  I used a green brown cardstock and a die cut  from Imaginations and cut all the large flowers out of some paper I had in my stash and some blue and brown cardstock for the Cricut cuts.

 I used Mickey & Friends for the paw-some paws and chalked them for dimension and used Lyrical Letters for the words along with my Gypsy( this is such a great tool to have) A blue polka-dot ribbon, chalks Stickles, and pop dots. Other tools used was a glass cutting board, and an exacto knife

 And a wrote on a few blue strips of cardstock for sub titles. I really like how this turned out and love the colors- since the photos were either black and white or brown and white.

Sketch from Page Maps

Don't you just love to color GREEN? Well I do and there is quite a bit of it here in this layout from the sketch over at PageMaps.I frew the lime green out from the shirt I was wearing and my son's graduation school colors were green and gold. These photos are of my son and me and my mother- 3 generations of Love. So that is how I came up with this title.

 I folded my papers and formed a fan and added a ribbon and heart brad to them and used for the first time my Martha Stewart border punch- I really like this border.  I placed the llime green die cut on white cardstock and inked the edges and then machine stitched in black thread on three sides. Added the tag for my title and hand wrote  in a glaze 3D marker and some Stickles to the red heart. My favorite color is LIME green can you tell?

I will be applying this also over at Scrapbookers Anonymous for using up papers that you have alot of or you find  difficult to work with . Because I have lot of greens in my stash-

Together- for Creative Scrappers

I just took these pictures in Michigan on my daughter and her fiancee in a cove area on Lake Superior a few days before the 4th of July and I had to scrap them right away. And the sketch #164 over at Creative Scrappers was perfect for these 2 little pics I had just printed up. They look so happy TOGETHER.

 I used My Mind's Eye Paper for backgrond sheet,overlay acetate which I trimmed around the pink flower areas, Deja Views paper to cut out all the blue and brown flowers, and some misc striped paper. The decorative trims are from Making Memories

 The title is cut with Gypsy Wandering Cricut cartridge, other embellies and tools were Stickles, sticker rhinestones, little flower punch,brown marker and some Inkadinkadoo stamps for the swirls and those wishy plants ( don't sure what there called..lol) And my new Martha Stewart border punch. and lots of pop sots behind all the cut out flowers

On my take of this sketch #164 - I flipped it to the other side. And I know my daughter is going to love this one ,when she sees it- I might just keep it for myself!

My Reveal for SOUS -Moments

I just love working with their sketches- I also spend alot of time planning them out from the pictures-to papers and all the little embellies. Here is my layout titled " Moments". Sometimes the title is the hardest thing for me to come up with on some of my projects - do you find this a problem when your doing a layout?

 We take this picture every year we go to the UP at Presque Isle in Marquette..sitting on the fallen tree log and so it is hard for me to come up with titles for these outdoor photos we take every year. But, I love working with nature scenes and colors of the outdoors. This layout will be for my scrapbook- so I put lots of flowers - and 3 of my handmade crocheted yellow flower ones with jewel brads in the center and a pretty floral  paper for the background.

With my Gypsy and Cricut I cut out the tree branches and title in brown  with Gypsy Wanderings cart. and punch all the little flowers with scraps of the other papers I used. And added some Stickles glitter glue to the centers of them. I also used  a distressing tool on the circle cut with Fiskars circle cutter and inked the edges in brown and green. Papers used are by Jillibean, Basic Grey and 7 Gypsies and a textured brown special paper.

Two challenges in One!

Another layout titled Jet Ski Fun from me- but I used the sketch from Sketchy Thursday and the challenge from Scrap Our Stash for using red-white and blue on a project. So here is my take with my son and his first tijme on a Jet Ski during the 4th of July Celebrations up in Upper Michigan back in 2005. After hours of fun- he said "hey-mom could we get a jet ski". Of course, my answer was I don't think so- but if you want to save YOUR money- you could get one.

I used some 4th of July papers from Adorn It Creations-Hero Art banner stamps, Paper Studio star stamps, starburst wooden stamp, white ribbon, silver glitter glue, pop dots, Staz-On blue ink and Brillance moonlkight white ink.
I stamped the background paper with the starburst and wrote with black marker on the stars on top of the banner 4th of July. Did my own journaling on the strips of the red and white paper. So this surely qualifies for the red -white and blue challenge.

Best Buds

Don't ya justlLove the bright cheery colors in this layout?- I do. This is my take from this weeks sketch challenge over at Sketches in Thyme #51- I just love their weekly sketches, I try to complete them every week, if I can. This is a photo of my daughter and a very good friend of hers, who has since passed away at a very young age- so this page will mean a lot to her in her scrapbook - when I finish it and give it to her. I'm sure she will shed a few tears also- but so many great memories of their friendship she will always have.

I used Me & My Big Ideas- which they all coordinated with each other from the paper stack Several different chipboard letter, brown inks, border punch by EK Success, silk, crocheted and paper handmade flowers, brads, pearls, gemstones,scrappers floss, Stickles, corner punch olive green cardstock for leaves.

 Here are some close-ups of all the different flowers that I made. (above)The bright orange one is a silk flower which I added one of my small crocheted doileys and a flower brad to the center. The blue and green flowers are made from paper towels and sprayed with Tattered Angel Mist with pearls or gems  in the center.

And here is another handmade doiley flower large (orange one) added to 2 pink silk flowers and a glitter brad added to the center with some leaves that I cut out-inked and added stickles for some extra bling. Well thanks for coming here to see my post today and enjoy the beautiful summer weather.

Vacation.. design team layout

Now that the 4th of July has come and gone- we can get back to some scrapping- I was out of town in Upper Michigan for my traditonal week vacation with family/friends and had a great time- as I always do. So here is my design team layout for the sketch over at Sketch Along Tuesdays-Frosted Designs.
We have a wonderful sketch designed by Karin to work with and here it is- using circles- I love to work with circles and so I did- but a bit different in this take. I used my Cricut for all the cuts with images to tell a story about the photo for my son's scrapbook-while we were visiting Universal Studios in 2005.

Cartridge used and my  Expression Cricut & Gypsy- Going Places- which had alot of cool ones to choose from- this was the first time I used this cartridge and I see myself using it more often in the future with all my vacation photos. I started off with a graph pattern paper by Karen Foster and inked the edges in blue-stamped some travel sayings from Scrappy Cat stamps, several colors of cardstock for all the cuts, Rub-ons for the title from Swatch Book and some other misc rub-ons scattered on the page. OOOPS...I forgot to journal on the page -underneath the picture on the half circle in white- sorry- I will have to go get that page out and do that before I forget. SO BE SURE TO LINK UP YOUR TAKE ON THIS SKETCH OVER AT SKETCH ALONG TUESDAY  at FROSTED DESIGNS-BY JULY 25TH TO BE ENTERED IN TO WIN A FABULOUS PRIZE FROM OUR SPONSOR.

In the next post is the WINNER of my blog prize for the Frosted Designs Ice Cream on the Beach Blog hop that was offered this past weekend! So go check out if you are the lucky Winner of my handmade crocheted flowers!!!

Built Tough

Built tough is a layout for the sketch at Sassy Lil Sketches this week of my son being so cool and tough looking in his attire before his 8th grade graduation dance back in 2005. He thought he was something back then- and he still does..lol

I try to do a layout every week using only scraps of everything- from my tray where I collect all the little goodies and I don't want to throw them out of file/organize them. And this layout I really used up alot of my stash from paper that I had already used the center of -so I used the left over border.  The banner flags and the cut out arrows with words on them. And the title also was cut out and sitting in a basket on my tray. I chalked the background with blues and greens and tied some twine on the frame with the title in the middle. I hand painted black mats on the photos and added a little butterfly to my stamped journaling tag.

With Deepest Sympathy card...

I usually don't make cards to often anymore but a very good friend of mine passed away the other day and I had to make this card for the family. So I used the color challenge at PDCC#89 using mint green, buttercream and taupe, which worked out very well for this card the other night.

Materials used were: K&Company Designer mat sheets in mint, buttercream and taupe, stamps called Summer Leaves with 2 colors of ink by Paper Salon - coffee bean and moss, twine and a stamp for the saying. On the inside I also inked a buttercream piece of paper and added 2 more cut out stamp leaves in the lower right hand corner.

Creative Scrappers #163

I am applying this over at Creative Scrappers for their sketch #163 this week and also at Scrapbookers Anonymous for using paper that you have a large supply of or a hard color to use...and mine is green papers_ When I go into a store that color(green) screams at me and cries out loud until I buy some more...lol. So I thought this sketch and challenge of color (monochromatic) worked out well for this photo of my son at his 8th grade Graduation in 2005. His school colors were green and gold/yellow.
I used alot of scraps from my stash and embossed the squares with my Cuttlebug/folders and then inked all the edges in a light brown. I used my Cricut cartridges Printing Press and GBS for the stars and the title blocks tied on with twine. Added a few star brads and some misc stamps by Autumn Leaves and did my own journaling and woolah!!! it was done in just over an hour...Yeah ! I'm on a roll now- so off to start another layout.