Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Hello fall card with wooden letters



I didn't think I would get anymore scrapping in this month but I saw this challenge from yesterday at
"SHOPPING OUR STASH" and saw some of the Design Team entries and was totally ready to make this card.    The challenge  #221 is  'Wooden it be Nice' and to use something wooden on your card.   I had these scrabble pieces and wanted that for my sentiment and my wooden item.   I had this great fall tag and bag of fake leaves and knew they would make a great card.

Check out the details at "SHOPPING OUR STASH" and have fun just like I did.


Sunday, September 27, 2015

Summer Ski Lift



If you follow my blog you know that I'm trying to fill in old vacation and small trip albums with more layouts that never got made right after I got home.
In July 2104 we drove to Michigan with the destination of Mackinaw Island, but with a stop at Boyne Mountain Michigan for Dad as that is where he and Mom took a skiing vacation every year for decades.  He hadn't been back there in probably 30 years so he had a great time seeing everything again.   There is a new lodge there but the original one is there too and he recognized all the names of the ski slopes.    It was great that the lifts were open and we could ride up to a spot that Mom and Dad always use to go to.
Sketch #166 by Brenda Ragsdale at "SKETCHES IN THYME" was perfect for these two pictures of Dad and Bruce on the ski lift.
Check out the details for the challenge  HERE  and see the sketch below.


Saturday, September 26, 2015

Real Life on Route 66



I'm trying to fill in some layouts for various trips and vacations.   This was a lunch stop somewhere along Route 66 in Illinois on our way for a few days in Mackinaw Island, MI.

This was a great old fashioned diner/cafe with great sandwiches and we all had homemade pieces of pie for desert.   Dad loves ice cream and milk shakes so we surprised him with this big old fashioned hand made malt.   They even had an antique cash register at the counter where you paid your bill.

I used week #3 Sketch #165 at "SKETCHES IN THYME" for this layout.   It worked out perfect for these lunch pictures and luckily I snapped a picture of the outside of the cafe so cut it out for my little round picture.

Check out the details here at  "SKETCHES IN THYME"   and I have the sketch below.




Sunday, September 20, 2015

Halloween is for Bats



I used absolutely every Halloween card I had last year.   So its time to start making more for this year.   With  7 grandkids and a few other family members I send to I need to get started on cards.

I used sketch #159 at "NACHO AVERAGE CHALLENGES" for this card.    It was perfect to use my matted stamped image of a couple of bats and then I had the bat paper for my background.   Some fall colors for the banner and I have a Halloween card.

Check out the sketch below and click   HERE   for more details on the challenge.


Saturday, September 19, 2015

Fall 2014



Fall is just around the corner.   I love the colors of the season, it is always so beautiful and the cool days and nights to sleep with the windows open are the best part.    But then I realize the winter season comes next and that I can definitely just pass by, although living in the midwest I guess I can't do that.

I chose these pictures from the fall colors here at my home from last year to make this layout and enter it into three different challenges.

First I used the sketch at "LET'S CAPTURE OUR MEMORIES"   I got to use a lot of patterns with this and different colors of matting on pictures and papers and I think it all blended well together by using fall colors.

Next I chose the fall theme because of the challenge at "CLEAR IT OUT CHALLENGE BLOG"
I certainly did that because all of these papers I've had for a minimum of 4-5 years.  the green strip and banner came from my scrap drawer as did the orange and green card stock for matting.   I'm always happy to use up some scraps.

Finally at "PAPER ISSUES" the challenge of 'How About Them Apples" gave me a lot of possibilities, such as anything to do with fall and/or to use fall color on your project were two of the options I chose.

To check out the details for each challenge and to see what all the design teams and other participants came up with click on each of the links below and below that I have the sketch I used.

"LET'S CAPTURE OUR MEMORIES'

"CLEAR IT OUT CHALLENGE BLOG"

"PAPER ISSUES BLOG"


Friday, September 18, 2015

Punting



My daughter and her husband got to go to London and Oxford the end of August for a wedding of a college friend of hers.   And just like in her college days she got to go punting again.   This was her husbands first trip there and they did some whirlwind sightseeing and a lot of fun activities of the area.

I used the Twistback Sketch #9 at "SKETCH-N-SCRAP" for this layout.   I just picked up today the Carta Bella - Travel Stories collection and used papers from it for this layout.   I think it worked out great with these pictures.   The twist part of the challenge is to you something for each letter of the word  APPLE.   I have

A.  Aqua colors and Alphas
P.    Punting title
P.    Patterned Papers
L.   Layering
E.   Camera embellishment



Take a look  HERE   for all the details and information on all the challenges at "SKETCH-N-SCRAP" for September.     They are all great this month.


Hello



A trip to Bass Pro Shop lets Leslie, Jason and Dad hang out and say hello to this huge elk statue.

I used the Sept 15th sketch at "BOY'S RULE" to make this layout and used some of my  older Authentique papers from the  Loyal collection .   To me this is the perfect bold masculine papers.

Check out all the details   HERE  and I have the sketch below.


Going Home


This is going to be the first layout after my title page from our family road trip in July.     All the stops we had planned on this road trip were unknown to Dad till we got there,  he didn't even know what towns we were going to be overnight till we got there.   Our first planned stop was Cahokia, MO where he was born in 1923.   He was thrilled to say the least, it has been probably 50 years since he had been there for anything.    He lived there from birth till 5th grade, they then moved to Shelbina, MO where he lived till he went to college,  next move other than college and dental school was when he got married and moved to Mexico, MO.   This is where he still lives today and in the same house they built when i was 2 years old, so he has been there for 63 years.   As mobile as everyone is nowadays, I just find that totally amazing.

This layout is my Design Team A entry for the latest sketch challenge at "SCRAP MUCH?!"
I LOVE being on this team as I think Laura Whitakers sketches are fantastic and this is another one that was great to use and hope you will enter the challenge too.     It doesn't always happen but for this layout I used all papers from one collection and not just a pick and chose from a collection and then from my scraps.    I used Webster Pages -  #Happy collection.   The only addition other than handmade flower, thickers title was my journal block which was a PL card.

Here is the sketch and check out all the details here at  "SCRAP  MUCH?!"

You have until midnight September 29th to enter any of the September challenges.  Enjoy.


Thursday, September 17, 2015

Tree Roots



This is it, the last layout from our vacation in Hawaii from March 2014.     We went to a little area we could see from our rental house and walked and discovered a new area that we had only been looking at in the distant.   There was this awesome petrified tree trunk close to the shoreline and was the perfect photo op.

For this layout I used the week 2 sketch for September from "LET'S GET SKETCHY"   I had to rotate it because I had horizontal pictures I wanted to use.     But even rotating it I really think it worked out great either way.

Just go to "LET'S GET SKETCHY"   to see all the details about this weeks sketch and the rest of the month too.


BEST Backyard Ever



I keep going through my pictures from our Hawaii vacation last year and still find more I want to scrap.   I thought I was finished with the album yesterday but then today decided to use the sketch #88 from Sept. 1st at "SKETCH-N-SCRAP" because I wanted to use these 2 pictures of the view of the backyard of our rental home in Kona Hawaii.    I don't think I'll ever stay at a more beautiful home.  With the ocean waves crashing on the rocks just steps from our own swimming pool off the beautiful covered patio and all the palm trees swaying and beautiful flowers and greenery surrounding everything.

Check out the details for this sketch at 'SKETCH-N-SCRAP" here and also be sure and see the other challenges for September.  Two more layout sketch challenges and a card sketch challenge.


Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Lava Tubes



This was a lava tube we found while just driving down the highway on our way somewhere else.  So we stopped and investigated and it was really interesting to see.

For this layout I went with the great mid-month sketch at "SKETCH-N-SCRAP" it was perfect for the pictures I wanted to print to show this impromptu stop on our vacation in Hawaii.

I have lots more to do this month at "SKETCH-N-SCRAP" as there is the sketch ffrom the first of the month, a card sketch and a Twistback Thursday sketch and I love them all.

So check out all the details by clicking   HERE.



View on the Rocks





We drove down to an area we could see from our rental house and walked around out on the rocks and watched the waves crash over them.   It was just beautiful.

I used the sketch at "THE MEMORY NEST" - Make it Monday #47 for this layout.   I worked with some new papers I just bought from the Authentique  Seaside  collection and they worked out great for these pictures and the sketch.

Check out the challenge   HERE




Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Travel Detours


Still hard to work on pictures from our July family road trip.    This layout show a picture from three different stops on our first day.   I numbered the pictures 1,2,3 and then numbered the 3 PL cards that I used for journaling card and put them in the separate pockets on the right side.

Check out the sketch I used at "LET'S SCRAP"    This is the new sketch challenge just announced today on 9-15-15.   It was a little different type of sketch than I usually work with, but I'm so glad I just jumped and and went for it.  I have papers from 5 different  collections in and then some card stock to make my pocket divisions.     But at least in my mind it all went together.

Check out the sketch below and then click on "LET'S SCRAP" and see the inspiration from the rest of design team.   They all did so great and then I hope to see you joining in on the challenge.


Monday, September 14, 2015

Mojo Monday card



I couldn't sleep well last night so I was up really early this morning (at least for me).    So whats a girl to do on mornings like this.  Get a cup of coffee, turn on the Today show and start looking at blogs and scrapping.    No sleep turns into a happy morning.

One of the first things I found was the new sketch at "MOJO MONDAY" #415.     I knew I was going to make a card today because one of my yahoo groups I'm in the weekly card challenge was to use polka dots.   So I went through my 6x6 papers and found these purple polka dot papers that would go great together and work perfectly for this sketch.  

Here is the sketch below and just click on  "MOJO MONDAY"  to read all the details about this challenge.  You have 6 days to enter.


Sunday, September 13, 2015

Soccer


Bryce and Gibson were ready to start their soccer season this weekend.   So here they are posing and playing in their uniforms before they took off for their first game.   I loved when my kids were little and we had all the different sports to go too.   Fun times and fun memories.

I used the great sketch #164 by Rochelle Spears at "SKETCHES IN THYME"     I'm sure you will want to try this sketch too,    I'll post it below and click on   "SKETCHES IN THYME"   to see
all the details yourself for the September challenges.    Plus surprise to me my layout was featured from the week 1 sketch #163 and there is still time to enter that sketch too.   Come join in the fun and maybe you can win the great monthly prize of 3 full  Close to My Heart stamp sets from the the
Hello Life National Stamping Month collection.



Saturday, September 12, 2015

You Will Rule



If you knew my Grandson Gibson, you would know that he will "RULE" Pre-K.   :)

I used the sketch at  "LET'S GET SKETCHY"  for week 1 of Sept. for this layout.    Plus in addition to having a sketch to work out over at  "FROSTED DESIGNS"   the challenge going on there is Back to School and any project that is education related.   I was also inspired by the blog challenge at  "PAPER ISSUES"  blog Rule the School challenge, I used part for the title and have some ruler paper and some school supply embellishements thay were suggestions for their challenge.

Using the sketch at  "LET"S GET SKETCHY"   I had to change a bit since I had a vertical pictures and moved around some embelliishments as part of the sketch.   Check it out and I know you will love working with it too.    Just click   HERE.

For all the details at  "FROSTED DESIGNS"   just go    HERE   and you can also see the different things the Design Team came up with from cards to layouts and more.


1st Day



I'm finishing up the first day of school pictures of all the grandkids.   I had already made single pages of both Kai and Mylan at school on the first day but not the official picture their Mom takes each year.     She posted a lot of pics of them ready to take off for school the first day so I decided to combine the pictures for one layout with the grades and dates sign for them.  Plus the cute hugging one in the center.    

I used the Sept 1st sketch at "STUCK?! SKETCHES" it was perfect for combining the 3 pictures.

Then for the "PAPER ISSUES" blog challenge You Rule the School, I used rulers for my back ground paper behind the pictures.   Then some school supply embellishments.

Here is the sketch below and you can check out the details at "STUCK?! SKETCHES"




Monday, September 7, 2015

SWIM



I had taken these pictures of Addisyn and Gibson during our trip to their house over July 4th.
They have a big hot tub and just turn down the heat and its a great place for the kids to take a little swim at home.

I used sketch  #113 at "MY SCRAPS & MORE"  (which also happens to be my favorite online shopping place)  It worked out great for these two pictures.   I had some strips of 'water' paper that I started with and then added card stock strips of orange and green to match their life jackets and also matted the pictures with the same card stock.  A little white faux stitching, my title, journaling and a pair of flip flop embellishments and I had my layout made.

Check out the sketch below and go to "MY SCRAPS & MORE"  and see what the Design Team came up with using the sketch.  They also have a great prize of an  Halloween assortment as a very timely prize for the upcoming layouts you will be making next month.


# Fun



I always check out the Scrappy Friends challenge the first of each month to see if I can get one layout to work for all of them.    I'm happy to say I made  it.   Last month I only got 2 of the 3 combined.
These pictures were actually taken about 3 years ago here in Kansas City when I went to the local park with Jason and Susan and the grandkids.   We had such a great time there playing and laughing.  I had made a couple more layouts from pictures I took that day but some how missed these swinging ones so since I had 3 was perfect for the layout.   Then for the tic-tac-toe challenge I went down the left side with pennants, stick pins and hashtag.  Then I just pulled papers from the last few pieces I had in two collections, Echo Park- Life is Good and Hello Spring and found the colors that would work for the color challenge.

I started with the sketch at "GRAND DIVA'S CREATIVE CORNER".    Next I checked out the
tic-tac-toe challenge at "ROCHELLE SPEARS"  and then I went to  "CREATING WITH PAPER & MORE"  and saw that Kelly had a color challenge this month.

Check out the sketch, the tic-tac-toe board and the color combo below.



Now please go to each individual blog and see what these great designers have made.    You have until 11:59 PST  Sept. 29th to enter.    Plus you will have a chance at 4 possible prizes.   One at each blog and one if you combine all 3 challenges.   Click on each of the names below to see all the details.

The combined challenge prize this month is a $20 GC at My Scraps & More.

"GRAND DIVA'S CREATIVE CORNER" --- an awesome Maggie Holmes 12x12 collection kit

"ROCHELLE SPEARS"  --- My Minds Eye Chalk Studio collection kit, ribbon and flowers.

"CREATING WITH PAPER & MORE" --- A $10 Scrapbook.com Gift Card

Now how is that for fantastic enticement to enter one or all of these challenges?

Sunday, September 6, 2015

fall colors note card



For one of my yahoo groups one of the card challenges this month was to make a card using fall colors so I made this card using the sketch at "NACHO AVERAGE CHALLENGES"
It was a perfect sketch.  I started with a kraft card and added a yellow doily and then I found this piece of fall paper in my scraps with shades of orange, browns and golds,  I matted it with orange card stock, then cut my banner from the same card stock and stamped  my sentiment 'just a little note' I decided to add a gold leaf to the card and then after all put together I decided to ink the edges of the card with orange ink.

Here is the sketch below and just click on "NACHO AVERAGE CHALLENGES" to read all the details yourself and see what their great design team did with this sketch.


Saturday, September 5, 2015

Sketch Saturday Card


I jumped right into the challenge #377 at "SKETCH SATURDAY"  and made this birthday card from the sketch.

I used a border punch and some faux white stitching, added a flower with the same colors and I have a birthday card.

Check out the sketch below and then go over to "SKETCH SATURDAY" and read all about this weeks challenge.


Winter Season Card


I used the sketch for September card at "STICK IT DOWN"   It was very versatile.  I think I'll be using it again to make a fall card soon.

Check out the sketch below and then go to "STICK IT DOWN" for all the details on the September challenges.  Card sketch, single page sketch and a double page sketch.    And you can see what each design team has done.


Friday, September 4, 2015

Forevertron Park



You can't see we don't stop and see it all on our family road trips.  :)
This was a little out of the way stop somewhere in Wisconsin that my brother had read about and put on the list of stops on Day 4 or the trip.   It was amazing.  This man, Tom Every, has been making the "sculptures" out of trash.   The main attraction is the top picture on page 2.   This is called "Dr. Evermor's Forevertron."  It was built in the 1980's, was the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world, standing at 50 ft. and 120 ft. wide, and weighing in at 300 tons.  This sculpture incorporates two Thomas Edison dynamos from the 1880's, lightning rods, high-voltage components from 1920's power plants, scrap from a nearby Army ammunition plant and the decontamination chamber from the Apollo II spacecraft.      All I could say was WOW, when we finally found the little back drive to this acreage to walk around and look at everything.     One section that I include in 4 of the pictures here is "The Bird Band & Orchestra" which includes about 70 birds ranging from the size of a child to twenty feet tall, all made from scrap industrial parts, geological survey markers, knives, loudspeakers, springs, and musical instruments and other salvaged materials.
So if you are ever out on Highway 12 in Sumpter, Wisconsin, you have to stop and walk around and see all of this, it is amazing.

Now that you have the history of this layout, let me share with you the great sketch that I used for the September 4th challenge at "Scrap Much?!"   I love that I'm on Design Team A and get to work with a great double page sketch every month.    Our one and only Laura Whitaker made this sketch and I hope you like it as much as I did and join us at the challenge.   Check it all out "SCRAP MUCH?!"    and you can see what the other Design Team members created with this sketch.



Thursday, September 3, 2015

Kayaking



I wanted to make one last layout of our long weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks and this was it.
Bruce, Leslie and Jason went kayaking.   I decided not to go but could see them take off from the driveway of our cabin.   They had a great time.  Started out with sunshine but then also were out in a brief rain shower too, so I'm glad I passed on this.

I used Sketch #163 made by Bev Code, she makes such fun sketches at "SKETCHES IN THYME".   I had totally different background paper picked out.   One with anchors and then I started looking to see if I had any embellishments from swaps that might have oars or something like that.   But in the drawer where I keep camping/fishing/outdoor paper and embellishments in I found this piece of paper I had never used.   How lucky is that to have a full piece of paper covered in kayaks.

Check out the sketch below and go to "SKETCHES IN THYME" to also see the layout that Bev made with her sketch and read the details on the Sept. challenges.


The Past


A blast from the past at the Lake of the Ozarks.    When we were little and went to the Lake we always had to stop on the strip and go to Dog Patch.   So this trip wasn't any different.  We went down there and walked around more than just running into want to buy souvenirs  (oh but we did that too)   We found this tree trunk called the memory trip in the park behind that we had never seen before when little.

I used the Sept. 1st challenge at "PICTURE THIS" to make the layout.   The challenge is to use two pictures plus green, black and white.   I found the perfect paper to use for it and embellishments.
But the paper was the A & B sides on one sheet so just cut it in half and taped it together on the back for the layout.   I'm really pleased with how it turned out.   We were there on the 29th of May and there happened to be a 29 on the bingo card so I put a black gem on the number as an extra embellishment.

Check out the details at "PICTURE THIS"  and then come back again on the 15th for the 2nd challenge of the month.