A Walk

We are back from our road trip to Orlando and this is the first layout made from pictures taken there.
I used week 4s sketch at "Let's Get Sketchy"   you can check it out   HERE
The sketch was great to showcase just one special picture of Barbara and Frank and Avery.    This was taken our first afternoon at their house when we went for a walk in their neighborhood.

I wanted to use greens for the grass and shrubbery shown in the picture and then purple to go with the bike and Avery's outfit.

Christmas Decorations around the house

The sketch this last Saturday at Let's Capture Our Memories, Sketch #55,shows one full size
picture and 6 small 2x2 squares.   The talked about how great these smaller squares would be
to use up some scraps.   I did use scraps on everything but the patterned background paper
but I decided the small squares were great to showcase pics of some of my Christmas decorations
that I put out this last year.

It's hard to see in the picture because of the look of the background paper but I do have a
line of journaling under the smaller pictures.

Check out the challenge   HERE   and see how you interpret the sketch for yourself.

2013 Grub Run

All the family went out Thanksgiving morning to do the 5K Grub Run  (well, ok, I didn't go)
but everyone else did and had a grew time, although a little chilly for Dallas weather.
I thought this sketch at Scrap Our Stash worked perfectly for these 2 pictures
You can check out their challenge    HERE

Major Challenge layout

I love it when I get to make a layout and it works for more than one challenge.
I got this picture off FB of the grandkids in St. Louis out playing in the street in front of the house with all the neighbors in the big snow they had a few weeks back.

First off I used the Sketch #122 at Sketches in Thyme.    So glad to see them back
with more fantastic sketches.  They are always so great to scrap with.   You can check it out   HERE.http://sketchesinthyme.blogspot.com/2014/01/sketches-in-thyme-122.html

Then over at Shopping Our Stash SOS#135 from yesterday was to scrap using the main color of blue.   I did great with scraps too because only the background paper was a full sheet.   Everything else, including card stock to mat was in my scrap drawers.   Besides all the blue in my patterned paper and my matting,  I used blue rhinestones in the center of the blue & white snowflakes.   You can check out this challenge HERE

And last but not least,  the challenge today at The Sisterhood of Crafters was called Winter Snowflakes.   All my embellishments are snowflakes, and if you can see the picture that I scrapped close enough you can tell that it is snowing in the picture.   I combined some die-cut snows (the blue ones) and topped them with white sticker snowflakes and then added blue rhinestones to each center.
You can check out this challenge   HERE

Photo Bomb

I stayed home to start cooking on Thanksgiving morning but everyone else went out to Texas Motor Speedway and did the 5K Grub Trot.    Leslie wanted a picture with her Papa at the event which was snapped but also got this picture of a photobomb by Jason.   I LOVE this picture.   You can tell they were all having fun.       I had one lone piece of Pink Paislee - Cottage Farm collection and I got to use it on this layout, using both sides and then card stock.      I followed the sketch at Stick It Down
blogspot and I'm sure I'll be using it again for other layouts,   its so simple and clean locking, I really like it.    You can check out the weekly challenge   HERE.http://stickitdown.blogspot.com/2014/01/tuesday-sketch-challenge.html

Then and Now

I got double duty out of this layout.    The Challenge this week over at S.W.A.T.
is Drill #24 Button up this Sketch.      Check it out     HERE        It took a little push for
me to try this sketch but I like it now.     The buttons were easy to place.
Then over at the yahoo scrapping group I'm in   ScrappinNChattin one of the January
challenges is to do a Then and Now layout using an old and new picture of the same person.
So I have lots of old studio pictures of the kids growing up and I did this one of Jason from
1981 when he was 4 and then the other was taken at this last Thanksgiving.

Birthday card

I'm trying to build up my stash of birthday cards so while looking for some sketches to use I found this one from last Tuesday at the Stick it Down blogspot.     You can check it out    HERE
I just went ahead and used some basic elementary colors because at this point not sure who I will be sending it too, but always great to have birthday cards ready to go.

Opps just went to link my card to the challenge and it is closed.   I was thinking it ran 2 wks but only one, but still have a birthday card made.        :)

Christmas Day Magic

Finished up some more Christmas layouts yesterday.     This one I used the 1-17-14 sketch at My Scraps and More Sketch blog.    It's sketch # 64.      Check it out   HERE.  
 It was a great layout to work with.   Give it a try.
Lately I've been doing a lot of matting on everything, but for this one I just matted the picture of Jason and then I inked the edges of all the other papers.   Including the 12x12 background paper.
I also opened up for the first time the  Carta Bella - So this is Christmas  collection.     I love this
collection and the papers and really nice and heavy.

Gifts from Santa

I'm having so much fun getting all my Christmas 2013 layout made and try out all the great collections I've bought over the last couple of years.      For this layout I used the challenge
sketch at  the Colorful Creations 2014 blog.     You can check it out    HERE
It was a great sketch to work with and I used the Echo Park - Very Merry Christmas collection and with this layout,  I've pretty well used all of the papers.     Just some of the stickers and alphas left but I even used some of them on my layout too.

Miracle

Jason and family adopted a 12 wk old puppy on Saturday.    The Humane Society had named her Miracle as 8 pups in a litter had been abandoned in Dallas and only 2 survived.
This lucky little puppy is going to get a lot of love with 3 kids and Jason who wasn't going to leave without her.      I used the January sketch at DCWV and used their Serenity stack for the layout.

Snow Day

I had one more picture left that I hadn't scrapped from the ice and snow storm the kids had in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in early December.   So when I saw the challenge today at Lasting Memories -
#174 Snowmen,  I knew I would scrap this picture for it.     You can check it out    HERE
There are lots of great examples there so go for it and join the challenge.
I used scraps on all this layout.   The strip of paper with the snowmen didn't even have to cut it was just what I needed.   The I also added a snowman stamp on my hidden journal box,  I have a touch
of the blue paper I did my journaling on sticking out now.

Kai and Koda Shopping

I pulled out an old Christmas collection of papers.  Recollections - Hollydays
I got to use a lot of different pieces plus the top strip and two bottom strips are the tear strips from the bottom of some of the full pages.   Love it when I get to use the extras.
I just love these pictures I got of the boys from my DIL while they were out shopping.
I really like this sketch at Sketch-n-Scrap, its the Jan. 15th sketch.  I did the Jan. 1st layout yesterday, just love the sketches out here.    You can check out this latest sketch challenge   HERE.

Wedding Card

The challenge this week was at 4 Crafty Chics this week was perfect for me.    My daughter is getting married in May and I plan on making 3 or 4 wedding cards for her to give to her at different occasions, showers and at the reception and before the ceremony.       The challenge was "Wedding"
so I made this first card.    You can check out the challenge   HERE

Chef Jason

Jason loves to cook and this family loves to eat so we did a lot of it over the Thanksgiving trip to Texas.   This is one picture I got of Jason standing still with a simple plate of sausage and cheese he
cut up for everyone while we were having our Iron Chef pizza cook off.     So we were even eating while we were making food.     I like the 1-15-14 sketch a lot at Boys Rule Scrapbook kits that was just posted yesterday so I knew I wanted to use it right away.        I don't have a lot of pictures of Jason by himself so I thought this sketch would let me highlight this picture of him.
I used the last two full pages of paper from Pink Paisley, Indigo Blue collection and then I had the
2 rectangular scraps in with these sheets that was all that was left and the star and a couple of speech tabs that came with the collection.    Sorry to see it go but can't say I wasted any.
Be sure to check out the challenge at  Boys Rule, its always fun there.     Just click   HERE
and you will have all the details.

Seafood

Going back and forth this week of scrapping Thanksgiving week pictures and Christmas holiday pictures.      One night over our Thanksgiving trip to Jason's and Susan's house we had an awesome seafood dinner of lobster, mussels and also a great fish dish.    There wasn't a meal we ate there that wasn't fantastic.    For this layout I used the Jan. 1st sketch #48 at Sketch n scrap bloodspot.
You can check it out HERE.     There is also a great prize from Skyline Paperie.
Still time to join in plus check out the sketch added for Jan. 15th.    I'll be working on that one in the next few days.

Early Gifts

When I saw this sketch at "Life Paper Scrapbook"   I knew I would be doing a Christmas page.
And also be pulling out some of my stockpile of ribbon to use on it.     Just had decide on what picture to use.  Arthur decided to open a couple of gifts early from his kids instead of packing them to take with us to my family celebration and then just have to turn around and pack again to be home.
He always always thinking practical.   LOL       I love this picture of him because it is so hard to get
a picture of him with a smile.   Usually bring out the camera and he gets this blank look in every picture so I was thrilled to get this one with a real smile and everything.
The sketch was so fun to use.  I'll probably use it again with strips of paper instead of ribbon and not just holiday pictures.      So pretty and so easy to make a great layout.    The challenge runs till Jan. 27  so still plenty of time to make a layout.     Read all about it   HERE

I "heart" US

These are pictures taken in Dallas over Thanksgiving.   I do "heart" us, when I get to be with all my family and get great pictures like this with my Dad and my daughter.
I used the week 2 sketch at "Let's Get Sketchy"    You can check it out  HERE
I used some muted colored papers from the Best of Brenda Walton pad.   I rarely use this pad of paper but glad I brought it out for this layout as i really like how it makes the pictures pop and the green in Leslie's jacket also pulls the muted greens out in the paper too.

Mylan & Family

I still haven't scrapped any Thanksgiving pictures from this year.   So when I got out the sketch I had printed for January week 1 at Shop Scrap Much, I thought this double page sketch with a lot of pictures would be perfect so I started checking out all my pictures and decided to not yet do the traditional Thanksgiving pictures I have but all these pictures of Mylan with a lot of the different family members that were together for the holidays.    You can check out the sketch   HERE
I think you will see that the sketch will work great for anything.   I might even change it up a bit and use it again for the Thanksgiving pictures I still haven't done.

Happy Christmas

I always look forward to Fridays and checking out the new sketch at My Scraps and More sketch blog.     Check it out   HERE   and see what I worked with.    This is sketch #63,   I had these two pictures already printed and wanted to use them so my take on the sketch became rather enlarged and took up the whole page, especially when I decided to use a big title too,  but the basics of the sketch are still there.     I used Echo Park -  Very Merry Christmas collection.     If you look closely you will see that I don't like to waste anything and the little tab on the left side of layout.   Is the collection name that I cut out from a tear strip of one of this pieces of paper and used a tab as embellishment.

Gifts

I pulled out one of my newer Christmas collections for this layout.   I used Echo Park - Very Merry Christmas collection.     If you look closely you will even see the name of it in my layout.  
While checking out my challenge blogs for the day, I found this new sketch at "Let's Capture Our
Memories" this morning and went right to work on it.  Check out the sketch   HERE    I changed it up a little bit and used a Christmas Bingo card instead of just a long strip of paper under the right picture.  Then moved my
journaling up under the title.

Now did you find the collection name????

Look just above my GIFTS title, there it is.   I love it when I can use all the extra little scraps
This came off the tear strips of one of the pieces of paper,  usually just thrown away but I wanted to use it and thought it worked great into my title.

A Christmas Smile

I broke out the cricut and a cartridge I had only used once, Lacy Labels.    It had the perfect cut for my die cut that went with the sketch at "Shop Scrap Much"     Check it out     HERE
and you can see the sketch they posted on Friday that I used for this layout.   I switched it up a bit as the sketch showed 2 square pictures but I went ahead and just did a different size.   I think what I ended up printing was 3.85 x 7.50.     I cut my red patterned die cut at 9 1/2"   It's a blend of papers and collections.   The background paper is Recollections, the red die cut paper is Crate Paper - Peppermint collection.   the striped paper is Echo Park - Very Merry Christmas,  a scrap I had left from another layout I made earlier in the day, then the green rectangle was from a very old Christmas pad of paper, so old I've lost the cover so have no idea what it was.   The Santas I had cut last month for a swap I was in and had some extras left.

New Challenge Site

I love finding new challenge sites for my addiction to making layouts and cards.    An online scrappy friend e-mailed a link to this new blog.     I just finished reading all about and now have it listed on my challenge sites to check every Monday as the first challenge goes live Feb 3rd.
The name of the blog is "GLORIA DESIGNS CHALLENGE"  There is a DT call going on now with a deadline of 1-12-14.    You can check out the blog HERE.    I will be back and entering their challenges, sounds great to me.

Cookies

The  grandkids had an ice and snow storm in Dallas area mid December and gave them a couple of days off of school.   Look closely and you can see the snow out the window.
They had lots of fun playing outside, building forts, sledding and on and on.    But then when it was time to come inside and stay warm they continued the fun with making and decorating some Christmas cookies.     It was definitely a fun long weekend they all had.
 I used sketch #172 at Lasting Memories.   You had to use the sketch and add your favorite embellishment.   I went with the fact that I could use a handmade embellishment that I had received in a swap and had been hoarding for the right layout.   You can check out the
challenge   HERE,  still plenty of time to enter your layout.

Tradition

I finally got my mojo back and spent the whole day reading scrappy blogs and scrappy.
"My Scraps and More Sketch Blog" is having a blog hop and also has a sketch to use and enter for a chance to win a great prize.    You can check it out  HERE
I really mixed up my papers here.   my 4 center squares were from Authentique Festive 6x6 pad,
The plaid border  and kraft colored strip was from Simple Stories - Homemade Holidays collection,
Some scrap card stock and a Santa I got in swap last year, and I used the border
punch I got on Archivers sell out the other day,   I love it when everything comes together.

Christmas Morning

We had such a fantastic and busy Christmas morning with 12 people around the tree it was beyond fun.     Also so busy I didn't get a lot of "perfect" pictures but plenty to know I would make at least one two-page layout.    I was thrilled to see the sketch at "Stick It Down" blogspot.    It was the perfect layout for some full size pictures.    You can check out the challenge HERE
All the papers (except 2 solid green background papers) are from the Bo Bunny - Silver and Gold collection.     I got this collection from my Secret Santa in the yahoo group I'm in.
Scrappin n Chattin.    I'm also entering this layout there for one of our January challenges to use at least 3 buttons on the layout.    I add three gold buttons on the red circle on the right hand side page.
I had a great day of scrapping and will be posting more later.

PL pages for 2014

I never joined the craze of PL pages last year but with the encouragement of a few of my online scrappy friends that did this last year I decided to give it a go for 2014.
So to get started and not be behind.   On New Years Eve, I made my title page for my 2014 PL album.
My focus has always been my family and my home so I thought it would be perfect to have pictures
showing all this on my title page.   I also included some goals for the new year and some plans.
(Yes, I know I have a spelling mistake in there)   Believe it or not I'm out of black card stock so can't change it right now.
The first challenge running thru the first of the new year at "Red Carpet Studio" is to use something
new on your challenge.     So my "new" is Project Life.   Check out the challenge HERE

Christmas Morning

Finally starting to do some scrapping after a long break over Christmas and New Years.
I got a couple of layouts made New Years Eve Day and this is my 2nd today.
But if you know me well, 2 or 3 or 4 a day is what I usually do with no days off.
We got the kids to sit and "pose" for just one picture before they got to start seeing what was in their stockings and seeing what Santa brought and then open all the other presents.   I took 3 pictures and this is the only one that had everyone sitting still and no blur from heads turning to look around.
I used the layout posted today at "Let's Capture Our Memories"   It's sketch #53 and I just used my patterned paper as the majority of my embellishments.   I really hate to add to much to paper that is so beautifully decorated around the edges.   So this sketch worked out great.    You can check it out
HERE