Well, It's that time again...It's April 1 so that means it's time for another challenge at About a Boy! Today's challenge is to use chevrons on a page about that special guy in your life. ALright. Easy enough!  I have plenty of chevrons in my stash.  Hmmm, so where should I start?  Patterned paper? Washi tape? A stencil or die cut?  Well, I started with this awesome Inspired Blueprints Sketch #86  and went on from there.  I had so much fun with this page. It's one of those that make me smile. I love every little thing on  it.

I started with patterned paper, then the details fell into place rather quickly.  I decided to use a small pattern for the canvas base.  Plain CS was a little flat and I didn't like the way it looked.  Since there are multiple colors in the photo, I chose to use a multi colored chevron.  It gave me more flexibility for colors with the embellishments.  I used a tonal pattern paper next. But it looked empty, so I added a couple of strips of washi tape, aimed at the photo.  Empty no more.  I'm not a doily person.  Having boys, I can't find a whole lot of use for them.  But circles I can work with.  I cut the circles from another piece of patterned paper, then stitched around them to mimic more chevrons.  Doing that actually created some repetition of that pattern.  Then came the embellishments. Since the chevrons and colors are so bold, I kept them to a minimum. Two stickers at the corners of the photo that enhance the thought of sleep in the photo.  I stuck some pins in them that run right into the splattering of not only paint, but brads and some wood veneer stars.  The title is actually the last few words of the journaling.

Come join us this go around at About a Boy and show us what you can do with chevrons and your boys!

Supplies:

PP-Echo Park, Scenic Route, Studio Calico (I think), Washi-Echo Park, Brads-Making Memories, Mist& wood veneer-Studio Calico, Pins-MME, Stickers-Cosmo Cricket, Stitch template-Bazzill, Thread-DMC, Alphas-OA and Thickers

A Drop in My Bucket

Well, I got to complete only one LO this week. But one is better than none and I really like it, so add bonus points!  A lot of thought went into this LO.  Sometimes when that happens, I over think and get lost, but not this time.  I had a clear vision in my head, I stuck to the general idea, but embellished it a little...haha I crack myself up.

The inspiration for the idea comes from Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge---Bucket Lists.  I've been wanting to play along there since they started about a year ago. I keep looking at their challenges, but just haven't played along.  Seeing as this is my month of challenge blogs, it's time to give them a whirl.  Some of the design ideas came from Club CK Issue Challenge #3, Get messy with paints, inks, sprays etc...I also was intrigued by the current challenge at Frosted Designs, Up, up and away.

I wrote down a list of things to put into my "bucket" last summer, but never created a page about it.  This was the perfect opportunity. I grabbed this photo of me taken on my 40th birthday.  (Appropriate yes?)  I wanted to use some new paper and this stencil, so I decided to make the speech bubbles the place to write some of the things on my list.  I misted the background as well as tracing some of the bubbles, cutting them out, them misting them in multiple colors that worked with the paper.  When I adhered the speech bubbles, I put them slightly off the ones underneath so you could still see the misted background ones.  I added wood veneers that work with each item on my list and used ink pads to color them.  I purposely left one bubble in each cluster blank so I could use embellishments to enhance the theme.  The person on the escalator and chevrons pointing up are my interpretation of Up, up and away.  They play off my thoughts about my children growing up.  Adding the tape at the top and bottom gave me a chance to complement the color blue in the title and add the faux stitching does the same.  Thanks for all the inspiration.  This turned out to be a fun LO to out together.

Supplies-

CS-Pulp paper, DCWV

PP-Studio Calico

Mist-Fireworks, Studio Calico, Tattered Angels, Heidi Swapp

Stencil & Wood Veneer-Studio Calico

Alphas-Studio Calico and Basic Grey

Die Cuts-Cricut

Inks-ColorBox

Washi-WRMK & MME

Pens-EK Success

Shamrock Shaken

I got some scrap time this weekend and I made the most of the time I had!  So I've kind of determined that this month is "The Month of the Challenge Blogs"  Almost every LO I've done his month has been inspired by a challenge blog.  Either an idea, product, sketch or any combination has contributed to my creativity.  Like i said in an earlier post this month, that's where I jump start my mojo when I don't get consistent time to create.

Today's credit goes to Sketches in Thyme.  I used sketch #105.  I started using their sketches in Dec and have been playing along there ever since.

We aren't big McD's family. My son would rather get a sandwich than a burger.  So I really couldn't remember if he'd ever had a Shamrock Shake.  Everyone needs to have a Shamrock Shake at some point right?  There was no school last Friday. We had all kinds of icky errands to do, so I decided we needed to do something fun. (Ok, I'd actually been planning this for over a week, but he didn't know that). We were talking about what to get for lunch as I pulled into Mc D's drive through. He gave me such a funny look until he heard me order the shakes.  This is the grin I got from him afterwards.

I kept the general idea of the sketch the same, but changed the photo size. I played with paper sizes and patterns then went a little crazy with color.  I had to mimic St. Paddy's day, with the green and the rainbows! There is lots to look at in terms of color and pattern, but it all seems to work together.  

Supplies:

CS-Bazzill smooth

PP-LYB, Scenic Route, Kaisercraft

Tapes-MME, Doodlebug, Recollections

Twine-MME

Stitch template-Bazzill

Chipboard-Scenic Route

Alphas-Thickers AC

Mist-Fireworks

Spring Sarcasm

If you know me, you know that I try to find humor in something, every day.  I also rarely scrap the "things" around me.  Well, today I did both!  I scrapped a photo that I never in a million years would have thought to do if it weren't for sarcasm, humor, and a little extra inspiration from Sketches With Color.  Thanks to Lain Ehman and Twisted Tuesdays,  I also decided to be a detective in my own life.  I took some photos of spring blooming around me, and created my LO using Sketches in Thyme sketch #104.

This is the color scheme I had to work with:

And here is what I created:

The Terrible, Horrible, NoGood, Very Bad Haircut

I have had the absolute worst time finding a good salon and great stylist since moving here.  It's been one mediocre haircut after another.  This one took the cake though.  I won't go into the details, but let's just suffice to say that I have curly hair....

I dont know why, but when I saw the sketch & colors I wanted to use this photo.  Well, I knew it had to be something about me.  (Because again, if you know me, you know having boys, I hardly ever get to use pink on my pages).  Once again, I went to my scraps bin and grabbed papers that matched as closely as possible.  And once again, it fell into place quite quickly.  I wanted to play on the sarcasm and also add a bit of anger.  Sarcasm is everywhere.  The title, the speech bubbles and the colors actually too.  The anger comes in with the capitol letters, the spray mist, the staples, the chevrons, and well, the sarcasm!  BTW, this is the second time I've use this sketch.  You can find the first version here

Supplies:

CS-PULP papers

PP-MME, Creative imaginations, Doodlebug, Basic Grey, 

Alphas-Simple Stories & OA

Wood veneer-Recollections

Mist-Tattered Angels

Twine & Washi-MME

staples

Then to calm myself down, I created this calm and serene page about all the plants blooming in my yard.  I'm really not someone who does this very often, but I do appreciate watching the plants and trees wake up.  We planted tulips and daffodils for the first time.  I've been watching them daily.  I checked out another blog I've been stalking, Twisted Tuesdays.  Their challenge was to create something "spring like" and the "twist is to use or be green".  I tried really hard to upcycle and use a tag from a pair of my son's pants, but I couldn't get it to work.  The photos and title are plenty to qualify for the challenge though.

It's not easy Getting Green

I tried a new app on my phone to create this photo collage. I'm experimenting with odd sized photos.  It's a departure from my standard 4x6, and I wanted to try out this sketch #104 from Sketches in Thyme 

I chose to use kraft papers for a couple of reasons.  One is because it's a great neutral and works well with the photos, but also because Scrap Our Stash challenge this month is to Kraft it Up.  This was a great excuse to use up some printed kraft papers I received in a prize.  I stayed pretty true to the sketch, but I changed the circular element to another rectangle and added brads instead, as well as some top and bottom border treatments. I should have stopped with the brown mist.  The green came out too splotchy, but it still looks ok.

Supplies-

PP-Pebbles, Memory box

Banner stickers-Sassafrass

tape-Glitz

Alphas-Cosmo Cricket and Simple Stories

Brads-Making Memories

Mist-Tattered Angels, Studio Calico

Three Santas

Well, I'm a little out of season, but that's how I scrap.  I do work chronologically. Well, I print my photos that way and then grab photos from within that time period as I feel like scrapping them.  So, I am currently in 2007 photos.  I've always loved this photo, even though it is really poor quality.  When it's the only one you got, you make it work (thanks Tim Gunn).

This week's challenge over at About a Boy is to use your scraps on a page about that boy in your life.  Lucky me, I got to scrap all three of them at one time.  I even got to use a sketch from another blog I've been stalking for a while Let's Get Sketchy.  I used the week one sketch with the bonus color challenge.

I challenged myself. We don't take a lot of Christmas photos, so this color combo is really a stretch for me.  I went to my scraps bin and pulled out some goldish yellow, olive green and red scraps.  I used a new stencil and misted in green and white.  I've had these buttons for years, so I was very happy to finally use them.  I also had a few gold sticker gems left, so I polished those off as well.  Lastly, I added a little washi above and below the photo to ground it.  I though it was getting lost into the PP.  

I looked at them and thought "three amigos", but changed it to 'santas' instead.  Using scraps made this page some together very quickly.  Hope you will join us at About a Boy this week

Supplies:

CS-Bazzill, Bazzill dotted Swiss

PP-SEI, American Crafts

Tape-Glitz Designs

Buttons-unknown

Gold gems-MAMBI

Stencil-Crafters workshop

Mist-Studio Calico

Alphas-Sassafrass

pen-Sakura

Pawsing to Play

I had a little bit of time to play this weekend so I did some scrappy stuff I needed to so as well as some stuff I wanted to do. I even did a small amount of shopping (shhhh).

I've been really inspired by a bunch of challenges lately. I seem to go in spurts that way, usually when I don't get a lot of consistent time to scrap.  When I do finally get some time, I've lost my place, or worse yet my mojo.  This LO is a result of three such challenges.  The sketch is Inspired Blueprints #85, the idea comes from both Scrap Your Story, use an animal and True XoXo Scrapbooking, use phone photos.

Pausing to Play

This is a game my younger son has played for years.  He closes the door and waits for us to play with him.  We get on the floor and peek under the door, stick fingers back & forth and listen to him giggle uncontrollably. This time, Snickers sat with me while we played, only I don't think he liked it very much.  I'm fairly certain Snickers thought something was wrong because the door was closed and he couldn't see my sone on the floor.  All he heard were the sounds and saw me on the floor.  Snickers was much happier after I opened the door!  

So what's the best camera I had at that time?  My phone.  I don't use Instagram (gasp).  I just print 4x6 and use those.  Can't tell the difference can you?  The colors in the photos are really neutral.  I grabbed  some Echo Park and went to town with it.  All I added was a little bit of Glitz and MME washi tape, then splattered a bit of Studio Calico and Tattered Angels  mist.

I enjoyed putting this together.  Glad to have somewhere to begin!

XLV

I am on a roll.  3rd post this week.  I think I need to so this more often.  I'm finding writing very therapeutic this week.  Anyway, I'm taking advantage of an opportunity today.  Sketches With Color has a design team call going on.  I decided to throw my name in the hat.  I'm finding that having DT assignments, gives me a good reason to scrap!

I go in spurts when it comes to using sketches. I'm in one of those spurts right now. I've not been inspired by the photos I have printed, so sketches are really helping with a starting point.  Some I follow exactly, others I change a lot of elements.

Part of the DT application is to use their sketch provided.  Here is the sketch:

Here is my LO

Do you remember your Roman Numerals? I hope so, or you won't get the title of my LO.  It's a great sketch. One I can use over and over by changing around the orientation, and supplies.  Here, I did change the photo and papers to horizontal.  I also used a larger photo, 5x7.  

This photo was taken on my birthday last year.  I just wanted a casual day with my family. We were lucky to have a day nice enough to go to the park.  I went Garanimals with my supplies on this page.  (Ooh, did I just show my age???) Anyone else remember Garanimals?  Ok, well, it means that everything is from the same collection so its easy to put together.  In this case, it's one of my favorite collections from Basic Grey called PB&J.  The colors and patterns are so versatile, especially for all the boy scrapping I do.  But it also works so well even with me in the photo. The only other supplies are some washi tape by Recollections & Darice and AC Thickers.

So wish me luck, and if you haven't already, go take a peek at Sketches with Color

Z..Z..Zonked....

A friend of mine let me know about a new challenge blog that she is a part of called Scrap Your Story.  I like to support my friends so I decided to check it out.  It looks like it will be a lot of fun.  The inaugural challenge is to create a page with only one photo.  Great. I've really been enjoying one photo pages lately.

I love this photo of my younger son so much that I printed it 5x7...about 4 years ago....and it's been sitting in a box ever since.  I know, I know.  He's asleep.  I have many photos of him asleep. I have scrapped many pages of him asleep.  But this one is at 3:00 in the afternoon on the second day of school. Kindergarten. All day Kindergarten.  He was sitting on the couch.  He got very quiet.  I went to check on him....I guess it was a long day for him....

I have a slight washi tape addiction right now, so I am trying to use it a lot...to justify having so much!  Actually, it's so versatile, I find it really easy to use.  I'm also enjoying mist and splattering.  A way of letting go of the control.  The rest is older and newer supplies mixed together.  Oh, and head over to ClubCk, specifically the Sketch It Out Challenge for this great sketch!

Well, good luck to Scrap Your Story!  I'll be looking at your next challenge!

Supplies:

PP-Pebbles and MME

Die Cuts-MME

Tape-Recollections, Darice

dots-MME

wood veneer & paint-Studio Calico

Alpha-AC Thickers

Multi Purposing

Well It's Wednesday.  The only day of the week with no kidtivities.  Phew!  It's also the day a new challenge is up at Child's Play Challenges and the new Issue Challenge is up at Club CK. Well fancy that.  It's my turn for both!

First up is my LO for Child's Play Challenge, Classic Toy Challenge.  Oh I was soooooo excited to see what my inspiration was:

I love Sesame Street.  It's been a favorite in our home for many many years.  I guess one of the good things about having a child with special needs is that certain stages last longer.  Therefore Sesame Street  is still a part of our life. I'll be sad and excited when he moves on.  It will mean he's growing, but it will also mean no more Sesame.  Some of the best characters ever are on that show.  Here is my LO

5 Candles

I have to say this was an easy one for me.  I already had these photos printed of my younger son's 5th Birthday party.  He loved Elmo then, as he still does today.  I made the cake for him.  He recognized Elmo right away.  Since I had just received my Scrapbook Generation monthly kit, I decided to use the papers, but I also decided to use a different SG sketch for it.  I went off of my own ideas for the rest of the detail and embellishments.

This week for the Club CK Issue Challenge I noticed a trend that's been rising lately...Cursive Fonts as titles.  Now I know this has a lot to do with the popularity of the Silhouette, but there are so many other ways to add cursive to a page!

Now You See Me, Now You Don't

I found these photos recently and had completely forgotten about them.   This is the only title that came to mind when I saw the photos.  My entire title is in cursive. I used tiny letters (that are hard to read) as well as two different Thickers fonts.  I decided to play a bit with the Thickers, making one more visible than the other (kinda like my belly in the photos).  

In keeping with my trying new things and places this year, I've used a sketch from Inspired BluePrints for my Club CK page.  I will also be entering this over at Challenge Me Happy.  I've wanted to try them out for a while.  Their Anything Goes Challenge, was a good opportunity this week. Lastly, this is my entry for Frosted Designs-Chevrons.

I know this was long, thanks for reading.  Hope you will come and play this week at Child's Play Challenges and also at Club CK.

The Playoffs

Yup. Two posts in one week. I might get back to form...sometime during the summer...Just kidding.  I'd like to post  at three times a week, but for now I'll settle for two.

Today's LO is brought to you courtesy of About a Boy.  Today is March 1 and that means time for a new challenge: Use old products, (at least one year old), on your page.  Well, that was easy enough.  I have stuff in my stash that I've had for 5+ years...(I probably should use that stuff...).

Anyway, I decided to go sports for this one.  I know I've had these papers for almost 3 years.  I bought them right before we moved in 2010.

I adapted a sketch from Scrapbook Generation.  Thanks to them, I realized I could cut the Cubs paper and use it on both sides of the LO.  Kind of a *duh* moment.  Why didn't I ever think of using pre-designed paper that way before????'  Well, that was all it took for the rest of the LO to come together. I sliced into the large baseball and tucked the photo into it. I love using the "baseball" stitch, and was happy to be able to add it here.  With so many photos and pre-embellished paper, lots of extra embellishments weren't necessary, so I just played into the theme and added the baseball 'gear'.  Is it my most artistic LO? No, but it is clean and tells a great story.

I hope yo will create a LO using your old stuff and post it over at About a Boy

Supplies:
PP-Making Memories, the Sports Collection
Thread-DMC
Stitch template-Bazzil In Stich'z
Brads-Recollections, KI Memories
Cubs embellies-EK Success
Alpha-Thickers