I broke down NSD weekend and Joined the Scrapbook Generation Super Sketch Club.  They had a special so how could I not?  I'm so glad I did!  The sketches are incredible and the paper selection is fresh, new and flexible. By flexible, I mean it works for all types of pages; boys, girls, events, etc.  The directions are clear and easy to put together.   I have gotten so much done in a fraction of the time it usually takes me.  Here are some of the LO's:

These 3 I followed the directions exactly, not varying at all.

This LO, was perfect for these vacation pool photos

This is not how I had envisioned using these photos, but I like them with this PP. (Hold that thought)

Ha!  I was wearing a pinkish shirt, but really, the pink matched their skin!

These LO's I altered slightly from the sketch given to me.  It came down to the photos I had printed. I had to adjust the sizes and placement of some of them.  Regardless, the LO designs are great for multi photo pages.

I added some things to the embellie cluster and changed photo sizes

I added the flags, wash tape, and mist to this LO

I changed the LO directions and added 2 photos

I loved that this sketch called for 8 photos in a variety of sizes.  I had the two collages already printed.  I was going to cut them to fit the sketch.  After looking at the design again, I decided to exited it out to each side and use both collages as is.  I changed the embellies a bit and am thrilled I was able to work this out.

I will definitely play around with the next group that comes.  I've realized there isn't a place for a title or for journaling.  But I'm having a lot of fin with them so far.  If you are looking for a kit club, or just a way to work faster, I recommend this one.  It's 5, 2pg LO's and an extra sketch for about $25 including shipping

Smiles and Rainbows

Welcome!  I am so excited to share this LO today!  Not only and I proud of it, but it is my first LO reveal for thinking*through*design.  Today our *thought* is Stitching.  I love to stitch on my LOs.  I only hand stitch.  I do not own a sewing machine.  There are so many choices win it comes to stitching.  Because of this, I think stitching can add so much to a page without overwhelming it.  But it can ask be a focal point, as I've made it on my page.

I have an "idea book".  In the section for stitching, I have a page where the title letters were stitched. I knew I wanted to try this.  It was harder than I thought to find a font wide enough to sew on, but small enough for the page.  (I did that to myself though with a big word like 'rainbow'!) 

Over all, it is a simple page. I looked for photos of my family smiling to showcase.  The title is part of the journaling, the journaling part of the title.  "your smiles are like a rainbow, they color my world.

Products are Sassafrass, DMC floss, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type, American Crafts, EK Success, buttons and Basically Bare. 

Me Too & Life is Better...

Well, LOAD has thrown me off my game this time around.  The month of May is just crazy for me.  I often wonder why the schools plan so many events in May. I've barely had time to do what I need to, let alone scrapbook everyday! Or maybe, I shouldn't have tried to do LOAD this month.  But, believe it or not, I have completed a LOAD so far.  Some days, even multiple pages.  I've just not had or taken the time to blog them all.

Here is one I am really happy with.  It was for Day 21, 5-5-5, (choose your photos, Products and journaling in 5 minutes each) well as the Club CK May/June Issue Challenge #3-use a CK download from the CK blog, and also ScrapFit Mist Mana Challenge!  Phew, that's a lot for one LO! These are 2 of my favorite pictures.  It was one of the first times he stood up by himself.  This was one of the first times he ever tried to really get close to big brother.  They look like brothers and that makes me smile.

I think the reorganization in my scrap room really helped me on this.  I had printed the download as soon as I read the CK challenge. I grabbed the photos in about 3 seconds. I grabbed my Echo Park and my "kids" PP and some red/white/blue CS.  It took me all of the 5 minutes to choose the papers, Mr. huey mist and mask, twine and less than 5 to write the journaling.  There were no time restraints on creating the LO, thank goodness! 

I liked the pennants but didn't want to use them as is so I decided to use them as part of a banner.  They were a little too white, so I doodled on them with markers.   

I am WAY into mists and masks right now.  In my identity crisis, Im trying to decide how much white space I like.  Mist is helping me with that!  It covers and leaves space at the same time.  Here is another LOAD LO that also uses mist, but in a  much more subtle way.  I was given the PP by Ben Franklin for their monthly Paper Mania class.

It's Launch Day!

Good Morning!  Yes, I've said it before, but I am so thrilled to be part of thinking*through*design!  Today is launch day which means we have our very first *thought* posted and ready to go.  Are you interested in knowing more about Analogous Color? That is this weeks *thought*.  There is a wonderful description about color and some amazing LO's to demonstrate the *thought*.  Please go check it our and I hope you'll join us in putting these *thoughts* to work for you!

One More Day!!! (and a new LO), and a WINNER!

I am so excited to be a part of thinking*through*design! I think the concept behind this particular challenge blog is brilliant.  A safe environment to share and learn from your creations.   If you have ideas for us, or questions for us, please send and email to thinkingthroughdesign@hotmail.com.  We want to hear what you have to say.  Your feedback lets us know what you want from us!  Can't remember the email address?  "Like" us on Facebook

Tomorrow is launch day!!!!!  I hope to see many of you *thinking* along with us.
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Yes, I have been doin' a bit o' scrappin' as I am on Day 9 of LOAD.  Not loving all of my LOs this week because I've been pressed for time.  Here is one I did on Sunday for Day7 that I do really like.  We had to use the sketch that was provided, but we couldn't use it as is.  We had to switch it up.  Here is the sketch:

and here is my LO:

I moved just about everything while keeping the "centered square". The PP strip is on the left, I used 2 4x photos, moved the title and added the flags under the block.  I love this Basic Grey funky print PP.  I challenge myself to find places to use it.  I kind of feel like I am mastering orange too!

Lastly, thank you to all that stopped by during the Mother's Day Blog Hop.  I had my son pick a random number between 1 and 15.....He chose......13!  that means DANAMK!!! You are a winner!  I have a 6x6 paper pad from Making Memories to send you!

Mother's Day Blog Hop

Welcome to your last stop along the Mother's Day Blog Hop.  If you did not get here from Ashley's Blog, please go back to the beginning, Amanda's Blog and start from there.

Now that the business is taken care of, I'm glad you are here.  This Blog Hop is about Mother's Day.  I really struggled coming up with a project!  I have some pages of family generations.  Both boys' baby albums are finished.  Mini albums are not really my thing.  What to do?  I grabbed a box of baby photos,  which got me thinking and reflecting about how I felt when my older son was born.  I seem to do that a lot about this time every year.  Well, fancy that.  His birthday is tomorrow!

I'm also doing LOAD again this month. Oddly enough, the very first prompt was a self portrait.  Blah!  I just finished a whole class about me.  But some of the ideas were a favorite body part, a cartoon, or an avatar.  I decided to go with the body part.  Fair warning to you...swallow whatever you are drinking!

The colors in the photo are awful to work with, so I pretty much ignored them. I never do that! I thought the Simple Stories Life Documented Collection had some fun colors.  Somehow, they seemed to complement the photo, with out overpowering it. The calendar I cut out from a Sassafrass PP. I used black Stickles to circle the 5.  I outlined the 5 at the bottom of the LO with black pen.

I have some goodies to give away!  Please leave a comment.  I love new followers.  So if you aren't already a follower, please follow me and let me know that you are!  Thanks for stopping by and following along the Mother's Day Blog Hop.     Happy Mother's Day!

One last thing....Here's my baby and I, 12 years ago!

Exciting News! and Sweet Dreams

First the exciting news!  If you haven't been over to Thinking*Through*Design this week. You need to head over there and read about the new format.  I am thrilled to say that I will be part of the new team, a Thoughtful Girl.  I hope you will come and join in.  Thinking*Through Design will be a safe place where scrapbookers of all kinds and abilities can learn and grow; where they can be inspired and encouraged.  The mission statement says it best:

"Our mission is to encourage designers to become strong, thoughtful artists who create with purpose. We want to provide a place that allows the individual artist to grow as scrapbookers and as individuals.  We are excited because the idea that is the driving force behind this blog is to put “thought” into our art and encouragement into others. Together we considered several artists for possible positions as a "thoughtful girl" (TGs), our team that will be leading the movement to empower and encourage growth in other artists."

I hope to see many of you visiting.

Well, Day 3 of LOAD brings me a prompt of using holiday colors on a non-holiday page.  So, I chose "New Years Eve" colors of black, silver and gold.  I don't know why, but I love taking photos of my guys when they fall asleep in funny positions and funny places. These were all taken during a summer trip to visit family in California.  

Pretty simple, nothing fancy.  I used a mask with black and diamond mist, grey CS, DCWV PP, Fiskars border punch, Melissa Frances and Sticko alpha stickers, MME twine, and a gold pen.
I had these Melissa Frances cool, moon shaped 'crystals' that I thought picked up the theme

LOAD512-Day 2

No, I did not forget about Day1.  I did it yesterday, but I can't post it yet because...I will be using it for the Mother's Day Blog Hop this Fri and Sat, May 4 & 5.  Please join in!  We'll be starting at Amanda's blog

But back to today.  Lain is calling today 'Wicked Wednesday', and we had to create a LO with NO PHOTOS.  Not sure where I was going to go with this.  Well, I spent some time on Club CK this morning, and found my inspiration in 2 challenges.  I used the May Sketch it Out sketch by Ashley.  Once I had my ideas down, I found that the May/June Issue Challenge #1, use staples.

This is not how I thought I would be using the sketch, but it really gave me a way to save these emails from my son's teacher.  I copied and formatted them into a word doc then printed them on white CS.  The background CS is SEI and the rest of the PP and embellies are EP A Boy's Life.  I used the Making Memories staples as photo corners around my printed emails, then also added them on the journaling strips and near the small clusters.  I added a touch of Mister Huey white mist at the edge of 3 corners.  They felt naked to me.  I thought this particular stitch kept the LO fun and youthful, because the words are all about a little boy. I'm thinking of going this to his teacher as an end of year gift.  Let me know what you think!

One last thing I need to mention!  You should really check out Thinking*Through*Design all this week.  Big changes are going on over there and I wouldn't want you to miss out on the excitement!

How Exciting!

One of the things I like most about scrapbooking is it's endless possibilities.  It's also the thing that I find the most challenging.

With so many possibilities, where do I start?  What PP do I use?  Do I stitch or mist?  Is this title too big and in the right font?  How come my pages don't look like everyone else?  How do I get them to look that way?

Where do I go to learn what I want to know?

I'm extremely excited to share something I read on my friend Erika's blog today.
 http://www.thinkingthroughdesign.typepad.com/

Please go check it out. I think you'll be excited too!  Let me know your thoughts.  I'm interested in hearing them.