Good morning!  On the Get It Scrapped blog today, my team mates and I are sharing how and why we hand journal on our pages. No this is not an earth shattering skill, but it it is something many memory keepers struggle with. 

The main reason I use my own handwriting on my pages is, it's faster. I dont pre-write anything. There is no formatting, or font choosing for me. I write free flowing so it comes out the way I talk. Someone reading would know to read it in my voice. Someone who does not know me, may learn something about me. 

Often if I'm writing just a sentence or two, I will underline my writing, giving it emphasis, so it doesn't get lost on the page.  After much experimenting, I found a medium point, hard nub ink pen that I"m comfortable with. 

This page shares some feelings I've been having about my son and I, what we have taught and learned from each other throughout his life.  I took this from a Facebook post I wrote on his most recent birthday last month. It was much longer, so I edited to the most important parts to fit on this page. A friend of mine commented on my post with the words, You are his Champion. I started crying and knew it would be the right title for this page. 

Thanks for stopping by my creative view today. Come back again soon, I have lots more to share.

  
Supplies: Cardstock-American Crafts, Patterned Paper, chipboard, rub ons, die cuts, clips, stickers and alpha-Shimelle for Amercian Crafts, pen and adhesive-EK Success, Sketch inspired by Get It Scrapped Scrapbook Coach Single & Pretty

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Hey there and good morning! I get to share with you my second challenge reveal as the August guest designer for Scrap Our Stash . Today we have the sketch +3 challenge.

Here is how I used the sketch with stuff from my ever growing stash. This is a really fun sketch and something so different! When I saw the top of the sketch I immediately thought of banners. That led me to photos from my son's birthday last month. I found the cutest  A Banner Day cut file in The Cut Shoppe.  The angles in the sketch combined with my papers made for a bright whimsical page. I used Vellum layered under the banner as well as Various manufacturers, Doodlebug (paper and vellum) My Minds Eye and Freckled Fawn (enamel dots) Fancy Pants and A Flair for Buttons (Flair). Pieces of Washi Tape are at the top of the page and lastly I ran the Velum piece through my Xyron. 

We never know how he is going to respond to his birthday. Some years it's the balloons, others the singing. Not this year. This year was all about the presents, or one in particular that he recognized by shape, and trying to touch the candles on the cake. Mind you, he didn't want to actually eat any cake. Oh, and the balloons? It's a good thing I always get the long lasting helium because that's all he wanted the next day. 

Thanks for stopping by my creative view today and sticking with me through the slow months. Summer is almost over, so I'll be getting back to posting regularly.

Supplies: CS & Alpha-American Crafts, PP & Vellum-Doodlebug Design, washy-Bella Blvd, Flair-Fancy Pants, A Flair for Buttons, die cuts-Elle's Studio, Enamel Dots-My Minds Eye, Freckled Fawn, Mist-Heidi Swapp, Studio Calico, Die Cut design-The Cut Shoppe, Silhouette.

Happy Day

If you are looking for the Scrap Our Stash Guest post, please go here. 

Hey there! Wow. Mid August already. I know in many areas school has started already. Not here. Not only dont we start until after Labor Day, but we are still waiting for summer weather to arrive! Well, regardless, we still have a new sketch for you at Stuck?! Sketches

Ohhh, I love this sketch so much! I can use it over and over and it will never look the same twice. Today I played around with layering beginning with the misted background I created using the JustNick Twilight Zone 1 cut file as a stencil. Next came some twine, vellum and a few pieces of paper. Lastly came the embellishment clusters. I started with the larger pieces, adding smaller pieces   of various shapes and textures. I added some journaling near the title and that was it. Did you notice that I flipped the sketch too?

Here I am making fun of myself again. Well, not really. I was celebrating. After surgery and 6 weeks in leg casts, my son got a surprise and they were removed a week early. I survived! Yes, ME. I survived the surgery, the recovery, the immobility, the driving to and from school, the additional lifting...all of it! I said I could handle it because it was 6 weeks for the rest of HIS life and I did. I knew it would be difficult and challenging and it was. So yes, it was indeed a happy day and I celebrated!

Join this sketch challenge for your chance to win a prize from our sponsors Lindy's Stamp Gang and ShopEvalicious.

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Come back gain as I have lots to share

Supplies: CS & Alpha-American Crafts, PP, chipboard, die cuts, stickers, bradz & enamel dots-Simple Stories, twine-Doodlebug, die cut/stencil-JustNick Twilight Zone 1 , Silhouette, mist-Studio Calico, Heidi Swapp, pen-EK Success

Simle & Wave

Good morning!  I  am happy to be a part of today's Using Trendy Colors article on the Get It Scrapped blog. I'm always looking for ways to make my scrapbooking easier and faster. Starting with color is not usually a choice I make.

I chose a bright color combination of Chartreuse, Azalea and Carrot with touches of gray called Flashy, that I found on a wedding trend website called MagnetStreet. They describe this combination trend : "Chartreuse is boldly fun and the ultimate in uniqueness! Neons are nearly everywhere these days, and weddings are no exception. This palette shows that neon hues can still be classy and simple, especially when grounded with a neutral."

When I think of summer, I think of bright, warm colors. Here, they contrast the blue in the photo so it stands out. I used silver in place of gray. It adds more shine, like sun glistening on water.

This family vacation was care free, relaxing and full of silly selfies. Taking a close up of my son and I with our mouths full of braces is one of many taken that week.

Thanks for stopping by my creative view today. I've got some stuff coming up so stop by again soon.

Supplies: Cardstock-American Crafts, Patterned Paper-Simple Stories, Imaginisce, stickers-imaginisce, Freckled Fawn, enamel dots-Freckled Fawn, Alphas-Imaginisce, American Crafts, Glitter-Martha Stewart, adhesive-EK Success, Tsukineko, Pen-Micron

Hello

If you are looking for Stuck?! Sketches post, please go here

Well, hello again! I have exciting news. I was asked to be the Guest Designer at Scrap Our Stash this month! 

In this role I will be sharing layouts I created based on the two August challenges. The first is the new Book Inspired Challenge. 

When I first looked at the book cover, I saw the maps and thought of a travel layout. The more I looked at it, the more I was attracted to the cursive writing in the hand. The script made me think about this "Hello" paper that I purposely purchased after getting tickets to see Adele in concert. It was the perfect inspiration for this challenge and to create a layout about the evening. The arrow near the photo of my friend and I is the decorative paper clip. 

The layout is very busy, so this helped draw the attention to us. I also created layers to keep the photos in focus. The strips at the bottom are pieces of confetti blown at he end of the concert. 

Thank you so much for stopping by my creative view today. Join this months challenges at Scrap Our Stash for an opportunity to win a prize or become their next guest designer.

Supplies: CS, die cuts, chipboard-Crate Paper, phrase sticker-Thickers, paper clip-Freckled Fawn

GNO

If you are looking for Scrap Our Stash post, please go here

Good morning! Can you believe it's August already? Where is the summer going? Well, the good thing about a new month is a new challenge at Stuck?! Sketches. Here is our new sketch. It has so many possibilities!

Here is how I used the sketch. I chose a couple of horizontal photos so I flipped the sketch vertically. I shortened the background strip, but left the rest of the sketch pretty much the same. There are so many ways to play with this sketch, I had to stop myself from soloing more.

If you know me, you know I love baseball. So when a friend invited me and my son to go with her to a game, of course I said yes. Well, the invitation turned into a much needed Girls Night Out. We enjoyed a family free evening filled with, good food, wine, a great game and great company. 

Join the challenges this month for a chance to win prizes from our two sponsors Scrapbook Circle and Scrapmats. Please read the rules on the Stuck?! Sketches blog.

Thanks for stopping by my creative view today. I hope to see you again soon, I have lots to share!

Supplies: CS-American Crafts, stamp-KaiserKraft, ink-Colorbox, Patterned Paper, Alpha, puffy stickers, flair-Fancy Pants, die cuts-Freckled Fawn, Echo Park, chipboard-Bella Blvd, Paper POP, Parker on the Porch for Paper Issues, mist-Heidi Swap