Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Union Station 2015


It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Kansas City.   Union Station was the first KC landmark to start the season with their tree lighting on the 21st.    We had gone here to see all the decorations a couple of years ago and was beautiful so I wanted to go back again this year.
This is the biggest indoor tree in KC and was beautiful as always, then they have the big Santa toy land in the back of the main floor of the station.    Behind that is the model train display that is open year round but it was also decorated for Christmas  so there will be another layout of those displays.
I'm hoping to have time to take my Dad and brother when they are here for Christmas, I think Dad would love the display.  

But I had been holding on the sketch #172 from "SKETCHES IN THYME" and I thought it would be perfect for some of these pictures.   So I got this layout started yesterday after we got home and finished the last couple little things this morning.

Here is the sketch and just go  HERE for all the details on the challenge.


Monday, November 23, 2015

Ready to Go



Before the next holiday of Thanksgiving is here in a few days I thought I would get one more Halloween layout made.    This is of the  3 St. Louis Grandkids,  Bryce, Gibson and Addisyn.
There was a big Halloween parade and neighborhood party earlier in the day on Halloween and they rented a golf cart to go around to everywhere.

I used Week #4 and Sketch #174 at  "SKETCHES IN THYME"  for this layout.   I think I'm finally using up a lot of my stockpile of Halloween papers.   I might even be able to buy some new collections next year.   :)

Check out the details for the challenge   HERE  and there is a new reveal from the Design Team every day.


Sunday, November 22, 2015

1st Thanksgiving



Sometimes everything just works out perfectly.   I just got the Elle's Studio collection - Thankful yesterday.  Yesterday on Friday my daughter in law posted on FB these 3 pictures she took at the school lunch of my granddaughter and friend celebrating Thanksgiving as an Indian and Pilgrim.
I had also printed the challenge sketch from Thursday at "ELLE'S STUDIO BLOG" and it was perfect for these pictures and to be able to use this collection.    The color of the feathers on the paper is perfect to go with the feather on Mylan's headdress and also the background paper was perfect color for the top she is wearing.    I love it when the tear strip on a piece of paper is something I can use and this one that I matted below my title is the tear strip from this piece of paper.   I LOVE it !!!

I'm entering this in one more challenge.   The   "PAPER ISSUES" challenge - "Let Me Express My Gratitude.    One of the choices for this challenge was to share a Thanksgiving project and tell what you are thankful for.   Even though I won't be with my granddaughter this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for having FB to share pictures of the kids during the holiday.

Check out the challenge here at "PAPER ISSUES"

Check out this challenge  here at "ELLE'S STUDIO" and I have the sketch below.


Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Let's Go



Being on the Design Team at "SKETCHES IN THYME" is so much fun.   I work with the first weeks sketch each month.   But that gives me time to also wait for each week to do the other weekly sketches here and this is week 3 sketch.   Sketch #173 by Bev Code.   This was perfect for a couple of pictures of  us at the inner harbor in Baltimore.  We stopped for a few hours on sightseeing on our trip in October to NYC.

Check out the sketch below and go HERE to see all the details.  Check everyday for design team inspiration.


Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Love Cotton Candy



Jason took the kids to the Texas State Fair.  Lots of rides, lots of games and lots of food and it looks like Mylan was pretty happy with the big bag of cotton candy.

I used the Nov. 15th sketch at   "STUCK ?! SKETCHES".     i found the papers I wanted to use for the layout but then I decided to mix it up and throw in some pink to go with the cotton candy even though there is no pink in my papers.  So I just used it with my Thickers title, embellishments and matting on the picture.

Check out the sketch below, I know I'm saving it to use again  and then go   HERE  to see all the inspiration from the design team and read about the great prizes this month.


Extreme


This was the cross race my son-in-law, #709,  raced in last month here in Kansas City are and I got to out and watch them.   I had only seen him in a practice run once before.   I have to say this is pretty intense to watch these bicyclists run these courses set up.   The hills, over grass, dirt, pavement and carrying bikes over obstacles.   It was really fun to watch.    I took tons of pictures and these were the two I picked to use for this sketch at  "SKETCH-N-SCRAP"

Check out the details for the challenge  HERE .


Sunday, November 15, 2015

A Walk in the Woods



When I saw the pictures Nikki posted of the whole family taking a walk out in the woods over the weekend I immediately started looking thru the sketches at "LET'S SCRAP" to see what would work.
This sketch for Nov. 15th was perfect.   I tried to use woodsy and natural and fall like colors for this layout and I think it all worked out well together.    Plus I got to use my new MS border punch that I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby.    I love it when I find a great clearance item.

Check out the sketch below and see what pictures you want to use with this great sketch.   You can read all the details about the challenge here at  "LET'S SCRAP"    The sponsor for this challenge is
Fresh Brewed Designs.


Friday, November 13, 2015

Family Fun



This layout came together in so many different ways.    I had this fun picture I got off Facebook when  my step-daughter was in St. Louis visiting my step-son, her brother, David and his family.   They went out to a Mexican restaurant to eat and got this great picture taken.    I love it and have been waiting to scrap it.   Then when I was reorganizing some of my embellishments I found this fun title that I totally forgot I had so put it where I could find it and use it.     The admit one strips  I also found recently when I was cleaning out some of my scrap papers and getting a better grip on what I had.
Then I was going thru the sketches for the Design Team at "SCRAP MUCH?!" and it all came together.   I printed the picture, pulled out the title and cut out some of the ticket strips and started putting together my layout, along with just some random purple inking behind the pictures to blur some of the dots.    I think the hardest part was deciding on my background paper, that took some looking.   But also with the 3D title were these circle/bling pieces so that is why I went the polka dot paper because of the different colors and to go with the different colors of the sombreros.

I have the sketch below for you and then go to the    "SCRAP MUCH?!"    challenge blog and check
out all the details.



Thursday, November 12, 2015

HAPPY HALLOWEEN



On the left is my grandson Bryce and one of his friends getting ready to go out in the neighborhood on Halloween.    I'm entering this layout in two challenges.

First I used the sketch for November week 2 at "LET'S GET SKETCHY"    I loved using this sketch because I wanted to use this busy background Halloween paper and I thought this sketch would work perfect with it because I wouldn't have to add a lot to it.  I did decide to add one more piece of patterned paper that I matted to the left side of the matted polka dot paper, just to add a bit more.

The second challenge is for the PAPER ISSUES FRIENDS & FANS  Facebook weekend online crop.   One of the challenges was a "Pop It Up" challenge.   My picture is popped up with pop dots on top of the black polka dot paper, the my Happy Halloween title I used a double layout of pop dots on it and then also
a pop dot under the candy corn embellishment I put on the title.   The 3D pumpkin on the picture also has a thin pop dot under it.

Check out details here for "LET'S GET SKETCHY"   and here is the sketch.


Future Vet




When I saw the Twist Back challenge  #11 today at   "SKETCH-N-SCRAP"  I wanted to go right to work on it.   I had printed these pictures last night of my Granddaughter Addisyn and thought they would work great for the sketch.     The twist back part of the challenge was to used primary colors on your layout.   I used blue and red.   I knew I would basically stick with card stock except for the circle and I got so lucky when I was looking through my papers and found this pattern that had the red flowers (primary color) and the background in a pale blue that matches the Dr. cap that Addisyn had on, it also had a little pattern on it in white, so it was meant to be.

Here is the sketch below and just click here at   "SKETCH-N-SCRAP"   and you can see where to link your layout and also get inspiration from all of the Design Team.


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Halloween Fun



I've made many layouts over the years of the grandkids and also pulled out old pictures of my kids to scrap but sure didn't think I would ever have picture of me and the hubby to scrap.

There was a neighborhood party this Halloween that we went to and had costumes for.   He was obviously a prisoner and I was a spider web.   Fun Times.

I used sketch #49 from  "THE MEMORY NEST"   to make this layout and it was perfect for my two pictures.    I used the background spider paper because of my costume.   The I just went with scraps of black and orange papers.   For a little more splash of orange I just got out my watercolors and did a little messy painting on the background.   This is a technique I rarely use.  Like maybe twice before this but it was fun to do.

Check out the sketch below and go to  "THE MEMORY NEST"  to get all the details and see the design team inspiration.

My color choices of the paint and the matting and other patterned papers came from the challenge
at "PAPER ISSUES FRIENDS & FANS" Facebook online crop this last weekend.   One of the challenges was to make a project using the color orange and also extra points for being messy.
So that is why I used the orange watercolor paint on the background spider paper.


Monday, November 9, 2015

Cozy



We had this big stuffed tiger up on the bed while the carpet was being cleaned.     When we came back in there were the cats curled up with one of their own napping.   Of course I took lots of pictures.     So now I have one more layout to add to the "Cats Only" ongoing album.

For this layout I used Sketchy-Friday Team B sketch at "SCRAP MUCH?"   With this sketch I got to pick 3 of the pictures I took and use them.    Here is the sketch below.     I love the sketches there.

I am also entering this layout at "PAPER ISSUES FRIENDS & FANS" challenge to scrap a picture that you had posted on their #ISpyWithPi game in October.   I used the 4x6 picture for the cozy word.


Friday, November 6, 2015

FALL



I found these pictures on Facebook of David and Nikki's house all ready for fall with new Mums planted that day and Halloween decor out.    So I thought I would make this fall themed layout for them.     I'm going to enter this for the challenge at  "PICTURE THIS".   The November 1st
challenge is "your choice of picture + scraps + die cuts + buttons"     I used 2 pictures and the scraps are the border title that I've had in my stash for years and years from a swap.   Then I used as thin scrap of orange card stock and cut another scalloped border to edge to it.   Then for my die cuts I cut my leaves and also my tag that I used for my journaling.   For more color and dimension to the layout I aded 6 buttons around the pictures.

So check out the challenge  HERE and see what you can make.   So many different things you can do with this challenge.    Plus you have till the end of the month to enter.

Valentine Card



I have a swap coming up that I needed to make a Valentines Card for.   Plus in my yahoo scrapping group we have a challenge to make a card and use buttons.    When I saw the card sketch for November at  "STICK IT DOWN"  this all came together.    I did some rotating on everything but I'm really happy with the card.    I have to say that the sketch is very versatile.     Here is the sketch below and just click   HERE   to see all the details.


Hanukkah card



My best friend in NY is Jewish so I made this card for her.  I should be seeing her just before the holiday so will give it to her then.      When I saw this challenge #325  this week at
"TUESDAY MORNING SKETCHES"  I thought it would work great to stamp my new Menorah stamp I got in the main circle.    I went with blues and greys for this card as they are the usual Hanukkah colors.

Here is the sketch below and  just click    HERE   to see al of the details and DT inspiration.
You still have a couple of days to enter your card.


Greeting Card



I just found out about this challenge last week and have started following it.      So this is my first challenge card I've made there.   "TRY STAMPING ON TUESDAY"    This weeks challenge #243 is a sketch and also a technique you can also use which is to use ribbon.    I added a strip of glittery ribbon that matches the glitter on the owl stamped image.
I went with some triangle alphas for the banner work on the sketch and make that my sentiment.

Here is the sketch and check out the details   HERE   for the challenge.  You have 11 days left to enter, each challenge lasts 2 weeks.



Thursday, November 5, 2015

Spookily


I just love these pictures of the 3 grandkids.    All of them have loved the story Spookley.   So their Mom set up the picture scene with them and a line from the book.    I think it is just a perfect fall scene.   I made this layout using the sketch  at "STUCK ?! SKETCHES"  I really like using this sketch.   I tied in the pumpkins and leaves from the pictures with my papers and my embellishments.
Then I also pulled the purple and orange from the clothes they were wearing and I sponged some inks to match on my background paper and also on the corrugated alphas that I used for the title.

Check out the details for the challenge at "STUCK ?! SKETCHES" and have fun.


Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Happy time this Fall



I love love love these pictures my daughter-in-law took of the kids.   She  loves photography and just got the kids dressed (she made Addison's dress and Bryce's tie) and took them out in the front yard of their house and took these pictures.   I have some more she shared with me that I will make layouts with, but I thought these 3 were perfect for this 3 picture single page sketch for November at
"STICK IT DOWN"    I just put some fall papers together,  the background paper is probably more of a Halloween paper but then with the pumpkin fall paper and the fall leaves paper I thought they would all work well together.    I added some orange bling on the webs the spiders were hanging from just for a little extra touch.   I really couldn't think of a title I wanted to use, I had October at the bottom printed on the paper (which was perfect as that was when these pictures were taken) so I just went with "Happy" because of the smile on Addison's face.

Here is the sketch and just click HERE and you can see the details for all the November challenges, this single page, a card sketch and a double page sketch.


Halloween 2015 with Kai and Mylan



Time to get busy with all the Halloween layouts for the year.  I got pictures from all the grandkids and we even dressed up for a party so finally this year will have plenty of layouts to make.

I started with these great pictures of a scary Grim Reaper that Kai dressed as and then the cutest little kitty cat that Mylan dressed up as.  Love the little black spot on her nose and how she made the cat paws pose.

The single page sketch #92 at "SKETCH-N-SCRAP"  was perfect for this layout.   I just went through my stash of Halloween papers and embellishments  and put together several different papers and some different stickers and got it all working together.

I have this sketch below and go to "SKETCH-N-SCRAP"   for all the details and the DT inspiration.


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

A Fall - Thanksgiving card



When I finished my first card I made this morning using the "MOJO MONDAY" sketch #422 I kept it out on my desk because I knew I wanted to use it again.  So here I am using it again.

Another one of the November card challenges in my yahoo scrapping group is to use a fabric or burlap or lace on a card.    I knew I had burlap up in the closet left from runners for my daughters wedding, that I've been using bit by bit of the leftover.   So when i sat back down this afternoon to possibly work on a layout I saw the sketch again and thought it would be perfect to use with burlap.

I am also going to include the challenge at "SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS"  challenge which is FALL, and what that means to you.   To me the biggest part of Fall is Thanksgiving.    And I will be sending cards to all of my family as I do every year even though we all get together for Thanksgiving I still send out cards ahead of time.

My other challenge entry for this card is at "PAPER ISSUES"  for their "Let Me Espresso My Gratitude"  there are 3 ways to enter.     I used the first one.   I'm grateful to have a lot of my family together for this upcoming Thanksgiving but together or not, they will all get Thanksgiving cards from me in the mail before the holiday and this one is probably going to my granddaughter in Dallas.
  • Show us your Thanksgiving projects and tell us what you are thankful for.
  • Share a project about coffee. Is coffee your favorite beverage? How about using a coffee cup embellishment? Get inky and use a coffee-themed stamp or add a coffee stain to your page.
  • Download the Thankful-Watercolor free printable from the Paper Issues store and use one or more of the cards on your project.
I decided to make a Thanksgiving card.   I used a solid cream card stock as my background because I wanted my other patterned papers and the burlap to stand out.   I just inked the edge in orange, then the green patterned paper I also inked in orange, but my pumpkin paper I inked in brown.
The Pilgrim die-cuts I have had for awhile from a swap and thought they would go perfect on this card.

Just go to "MOJO MONDAY" to see all the other cards that have been entered.   You can enter as many as you want before the deadline in 5 days and there is a great verve stamp set as a prize for every 50 entries.

You can click here for "SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS"  for the inspiration from the DT.  You have until midnight Nov. 8th to enter.

You can click here for the challenge at  "PAPER ISSUES"  you have till Dec 6th to enter.


A Fall Theme Thank You card



I made this card with the intention of having it ready after Thanksgiving to send to my Son-In-Law.
He will be my main helper with making our Thanksgiving dinner.  He LOVES to cook and is fantastic at it.   It's a good thing because my daughter doesn't like cooking at all.  They both get home from work and he is the one in the kitchen and always cooking an awesome and healthy meal.
So I wanted to have a card ready to give to him Thanksgiving evening to thank him for all his help.

For this card I have several challenges it will work for.   I used the sketch at "MOJO MONDAY", which I'll have the sketch at the bottom of this post.  I'm saving this sketch for other cards too.

Next is 'THE PAPER PLAYERS"  where challenge #269 is to make a Fall themed Thank You card.
So I knew I needed a thank you card so make it fall themed will go for Thanksgiving and a perfect card for the challenge.

The challenge over at "SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS" - Fall and what it means to you.   Well here in the midwest where we get to see all the season changes.    I love all the colors of Fall with the leaves changing and that is what I showed in this card.

So click on each of the blog names above to go directly to them to check out the inspiration there and read all the details to each challenge.

Have fun.   !!!!


Monday, November 2, 2015

Birthday Girl



My granddaughter, Mylan's 5th birthday is this week.   But since she is in Texas and I'm in Missouri I had to have her present mailed to her.   The package arrived 3 days before her birthday and she went ahead and opened it early.    It's awesome that her Mom took this picture of her with it and posted it on Facebook.    So I got to make a layout even before her actual birthday on the 4th.    Yeah me.

I used the sketch from October 17th at "MY CREATIVE SKETCHES".     Just click on this blog name and you can read all the details there and see the DT inspiration.    You still have until November 14th to enter this challenge.

Here is the sketch, it is one I'm sure I will use again.


PL title card



Welcome to a brand new challenge blog for making your own PL cards.    I have never really made my own cards,  added some embellishments to a card but that is about it.

But I was inspired to join the new team at the new sister blog to "Sketches In Thyme"
This blog is called  "SKETCHES IN THYME PROJECT LIFE STYLE"     I hope to see a lot of you
that enjoy project life to join into our weekly challenges to make your own PL card using the sketches that will be posted each week.

I'm on Team #1 and we are using sketches the next few months by Designer Shawn Lahr.

I started doing PL pages a little bit in 2013 for just special weeks,   Then in 2014 I did a full year of PL pages 2 pages per week and loved it.     But then for 2015 I decided I wasn't going to try and keep up with 2 pages per week and just do an ongoing 2015 PL style album.  I might have a page that covers one day on a vacation and then I might have a page that covers a 4 days and then next page will cover the following 2 weeks.    Anyway, I wasn't using weekly title pages like I had in 2014.
But when I got this sketch to work with I decided to go ahead and make a title page for my last week of 2015 for my final page in the week.         Plus I have decided for 2016 I am going to go back making 2 pages per week and using the weekly title pages, because I do love the look of them and that it gives a division to each week.    I might have a boring week, but I think what I'm also going to do is make one 4x6 card each week that will be more like a diary with daily entries for that week of what happened.    Might not have much to write about sometimes, but will be a recap of my year, even if it only has what we made for dinner or how much it snowed that day.    Should  be fun.

But enough about my past and future PL pages.    Please join in the fun each week with this great new blog and PL card creating.     Just go here to  "SKETCHES IN THYME PROJECT LIFE STYLE"     and read all about it.      Below is the first weeks sketch.    Hope you will play along can't wait to see what your card will  look like.


Sunday, November 1, 2015

Addi Gold Design



When I saw the sketch posted for the "Let's Scrap" reveal on October 15th.   I knew it would be perfect for a layout showing some of the dresses and skirts my daughter-in-law makes for daughter Addisyn.    She has also started an etsy store selling these one of a kind dresses with a portion of the sales going to Autism Awareness  and the Paws for Cause organization.     They are so unique in the design and fabric patterns she uses, I just love them all.

Check out the sketch below and click here on  "LET'S SCRAP" and read about the details and see what the rest of the Design Team has created, there are so many great ways to go with this sketch so check it out.  I followed it pretty close but just put your spin on it and give it a try.


Bike Riding



This is my first reveal as a Maven at "SKETCHES IN THYME"  and I have to say that I'm very excited to be here.   I've always loved the great sketches here and this one is no different.
I kept the embellishments to a minimum because I only had the one bicycle embellie and didn't want to add anything different so I just kept it rather clean and simple.
But play with the sketch however you want as it really is versatile.     There will be a new reveal by another Maven everyday of the next so check them all out.   The sketch is below and be sure to click
here on  "SKETCHES IN THYME"  to get all the details on this challenge.