January Sketchy Challenge

On January 5, DramaQueen turned 16! 

 Sorry...I just couldn't resist posting her "hand" photo! ha ha ha!

For those of you who are new to following or reading my blog, I should let you know that I refer to my children here using affectionate nicknames. My husband started calling our daughter Drama Queen quite a long time ago although she has been the easiest child to raise thus far and thinks it's pretty funny that we call her this.

Here is Sue Sykes' sketch for January over at the Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Gallery...

This sketch was perfect to feature a group of photos taken on DQ's birthday...

"Sweet Sixteen"

I took a risk with this layout...is it too cute for a 16-year-old?  Actually DQ told me that she didn't like ANY of her birthday photos, so I was NOT allowed to scrapbook them.  [oops]

These papers are from a couple of My Little Shoebox collections, along with the stickers and alphabets.

The title is all MLS stickers, plus I add Crystal Stickles to the number 16.

I drew a balloon template and then traced and cut out three.  I outlined them with a white pen and then Crystal Stickles.  They are tied with white embroidery thread.

These Peel-off adhesive flowers from Harmonie are so cool!  They are clear stickers with sticky tops that you can cover with glitter, microbeads, flocking, etc.  I used black Craft&Glitz microfine glitter.

This white flower frame is cut with my Cricut.

A journaling spot. [Dang! I wrote 2012, not 13!]

These 6 cards are cut right from one piece of My Little Shoebox patterned paper....an easy way to create a grid and mat photos!

How about starting the New Year off with a challenge?  Join the Sketchy Gallery and design a page based on Sue's sketch, then upload it to the Canadian Scrapbooker website HERE.

I'll see you over there!

November Sketchy Challenge

The beginning of the month means there is a new sketch by Sue Sykes over at the Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Gallery.  This time Sue designed a double page sketch...

Here is what I created using Pink Paislee's "Indigo Bleu" collection...

This year BoyGenius was agreeable about our annual Fall photo shoot, and I managed to get some decent pics of him.  I had been thinking about designing a layout about him to document the significant transformation he has undergone in the past year.
  
Gone is the selfish moody teenager.  His view of the world has dramatically changed, and he has embraced a new philosophy of peace and love, wanting to take action and make a difference somehow.

I am so excited about the possibilities ahead of him and finally feel confident that he is finding his way in this confusing world.

Here is the journaling spot...

These layered journaling spots on the two pages are actually speech bubbles in a package of die cuts, but I cut off those little pointy things to change the shapes.

I cut the title with a Sizzix Tim Holtz alphabet die from grey Bazzill card stock.  

The Itty Bitty alpha stickers are Pink Paislee. The twill measuring tape ribbon is Harmonie.

The Indigo Bleu tags come in a package of 6...and I used all of them for this sketch!

The little wood man is Studio Calico.

This quote by Jimi Hendrix is exactly how BG is thinking these days.

Sue Sykes surprised us with a 2-page sketch, and at first I was worried about the number of photos I needed, but now I do think this layout seems to capture a really happy time in the life of BoyGenius.

Click HERE to visit the Sketchy gallery at the Canadian Scrapbooker website and join in the challenge! 

Summer Toes and a Sketch

In my mind, I blog once a week.  In reality, it seems that I don't, and before I know it the month has disappeared and new sketch challenges have arrived.


I find I'm keeping my sketch layouts fairly simple, which is a refreshing change.  And a relaxed summer schedule helps to simplify my life at home.  I call it the 3 C's ....Cooking, Cleaning and Crafting.  Aside from the house stuff, I am outdoors a lot ...and on the computer a little.  Here up north, we have to take advantage of the short summer months!


For the Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Challenge, Jill Sarginson designed this wonderful sketch...

And I designed this summery fun page....

This is the first time I used Stampin Up papers, and I thought they were perfect for the bright colourful summer theme of my layout.  The background paper looks stamped with doilies, but nope, it's just one piece of patterned paper!


Along with the Stampin Up papers, I also used their pearls on the butterflies...

This is the alphabet stamp I used for the "Cute" letters in the title, called "Letter It"...

 The butterflies and journalling spot are created with Sizzix dies that are exclusive to Stampin Up...

I layered 2 of the butterflies....

And layered a white circle on top of the die cut for my journaling...

I stamped the title letters onto patterned paper, cut them out and popped them up on top of Stampin Up denim ribbon...

The "toe-tally" alphabet stickers and yellow lacy ribbon are from Harmonie.

If you haven't done so already, check out the BRAND NEW updated Sketchy Challenge gallery over at Canadian Scrapbooker.  Register as a member and you can interact in the forum, leaving comments and uploading your layouts.  Lots of inspiration!  Click HERE to check it out.


Now go paint your toes, slip on those cute summer sandals...and find a patio where you can relax with a cool drink :)  I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!!!!

A Sporty April Sketchy Challenge

I am going to blame Spring Break and Easter for slowing me down this month.  But I shouldn't complain....we have had some wonderful family time with the kids.  

In search of a tan....in Phoenix.

I feel like I have been neglecting BoyGenius in my layouts, so this month he gets two pages in his album...kind of a birthday present from his mother because he turned 17 on Easter weekend.  Poor guy, his special day usually gets squished by Easter festivities.  So maybe a little motherly guilt inspired his layouts too :)

BG's first birthday!

Our baby boy turns 17!

 Without further delay, here is the April Sketchy Challenge designed by Jill Sarginson for Canadian Scrapbooker magazine....

I rotated this sketch 1/4 turn clockwise.

 And here is my layout of BoyGenius, the "Basketball Star." [We are cheering for #9 wearing the dark blue uniform.  I am very lucky a friend took this photo and emailed it to me.  Her son is #10 in white]

 All papers are from the FancyPants "Forever Fall" collection, except the dark brown paper used for the basketball, which is Lucky 7 Factory, a Canadian company.

These Harmonie Mosaic Tiles are bordering the title.

I cut the stars with a Sizzix die and my Big Shot.

I printed the journaling with the computer onto a piece of FancyPants paper from the collection.

Yes, BG is quite the basketball player.  He gave up hockey to play on the school volleyball and basketball teams in Junior High, and then this year quit volleyball so he could focus only on basketball.  Since his dad and I both played on our high school basketball teams, it is a sport near and dear to our hearts, so I think we were pretty excited when our son started to play a few years ago.

I wish I could post a photo of myself playing basketball in high school, with an afro "perm" and wearing shorts that looked like granny panties.  That perm made me a few inches taller than I actually was, which was why I might have made the team.  Let's just say I'm a crafty girl with a good shot, not a super athlete, and I quickly discovered that there were VERY aggressive teenage girls on the court that I wanted to avoid!  I also wanted to avoid running down the court so my thighs wouldn't jiggle.  Obviously, my head wasn't "in the game."  I played Defense for my high school soccer team too.  I know I made THAT team because my older brother was an excellent soccer player and athlete, so the coach was hopeful about me.  Once the coach put me on as a Forward.  That lasted 5 minutes, and he yelled at me, "Get back on D!  You can't RUN!"  I have what my husband refers to as an "eggbeater" style of running.  Not pretty.  Especially on a basketball court wearing emerald green granny panties. So naturally, I ended up on the Cheerleading team....

That's me in the middle with the A on my chest. We had no budget.  My mom and I sewed these uniforms.  Okay....my mom sewed them.  I cut and glued the felt A's together. I might be crafty, but I'm not a seamstress.

I was going to post a tutorial here about how I paper pieced that basketball in the background, and then thought maybe it was too simple.  Instead, I just took a couple of photos to show what I used to trace my basketball.

I first Googled basketball images and found a nice one to print out.  It was a good size, almost 8 1/2" in diameter, perfect for my design.

Then I cut two 8 1/2" circles from a dark brown piece of paper and an orange piece of paper.  

Next I placed my basketball printed image over the orange circle and cut out only the orange sections, not the black dividing lines.

I inked the edges of these orange sections to give them more dimension and then adhered them to my brown circle.  

It's that simple...and easy! 

And how did I choose this FancyPants "Forever Fall" paper collection for a basketball layout?  Well, I was looking for orange and dark brown, so I pulled out all my fall paper packs.  I always admire how other scrapbookers design with a seasonal collection for other themes, so I decided to think outside the box....umm, outside the circle!


I just might be paper piecing a volleyball next....because when DramaQueen (the volleyball player) sees this layout, well, you know what will happen :)


Actually, soccer season starts this month for both my daughters....I'd better get busy!!

Monthly Sketches...and Pickles

There are two sketch challenges that I'm involved in every month....one created by Lynette at The Urban Scrapbook and one designed by Jill Sarginson for Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine. 


First, here is the March sketch from Jill....

Play along and join  the Sketchy challenge over at Canadian Scrapbooker and you might get published!

How can you get so many photos on a single page?  Scrapbook a birthday, of course!  BabyOfTheFamily celebrated her 12th birthday last month (sniff).  She is going into Junior High in the fall (whimper).  I might not be able to call her "BabyOfTheFamily" anymore (tear rolling down cheek).


And here is the layout of the happy event....

TaDa Creative Studios papers and stickers (BFF collection) and Harmonie yellow ribbon and black alpha stickers.

Pretty bright, isn't it?  Perfect for BOF, who lights up a room and has the sweetest personality :)


You'll be seeing more of these title banners in my layouts ....I suddenly realized I've put them on the last 4 pages I've created....including my next design for Urban Scrapbook's monthly staff challenge....

Jan at Urban Scrapbook put together an amazing kit with these fantastic October Afternoon papers and stickers and all these wonderful embellishments. Drop by the store...there still might be some kits left for sale. 

In the Urban monthly kit, you also get a Maya Road vintage ruler, twill ribbon, a piece of Tim Holtz Filmstrip Ribbon and a 7Gypsies antique pin.  The butterfly and "My Family" are stickers from a sticker sheet also included in the kit.

The Dusty Attic chicken wire chipboard is from my own stash.

I'll never get tired of banners!

The mat behind the photos is just a crumpled and flattened piece of Tim Holtz Kraft Glassine paper.  I also cut a bit of the glassine to make leaves for my ribbon flower top left.


I have to tell you, I'm in love with these photos of my mother, which are from her scrapbook, handed down to me.  I think she's about 18 years old, and to see her in the farmyard (the farm where she grew up) with the chickens and also playing with the dog, well, I am completely enchanted.  The last photo on the right is especially precious....because I've never seen  my mother run.  NEVER. 


When I grew up (here I go sounding OLD again), mothers didn't exercise or play outside with kids.  My  mom spent all of her time looking after us, doing the traditional chores of laundry, housecleaning, groceries, shopping.  All our food was homemade and she did canning, bought whole chickens from the farm....bottom line:  we ate very very well and our underwear was ironed.  I remember the first time I had store bought pickles (or cookies or jam).  YUCK.  I was appalled. Couldn't believe people paid for that stuff and ate it.  LOL!


Yes, I was blessed to have a stay-at-home mom and a dad who ran his own business and worked 24/7 so she could do so.


I think of myself as following in her footsteps, staying at home to raise my children (and not go insane)....but she is in a different league, from a different era and I can't possibly compare my homemaking skills to hers. 


So I don't make jam, and my daughter has taking over the baking responsibilities around here....but my mother did teach me how to make pickles....just like her mother made them :)

Three generations of picklers:  BabyOfTheFamily, my mother Sophie, and me (Summer 2009).


I still can't keep up with my mother's homemaking skills, but I know I can RUN faster than her :)

Canadian Scrapbooker February Sketchy Challenge

I don't know how Jill Sarginson manages to come up with a fantastic sketch every month for the Canadian Scrapbooker magazine Sketchy Challenge....but she does!  This month's design is so sweet and romantic....

....so I had to follow suit with a layout of the Hubby and moi....

Who does romance better than Prima and Webster's Pages?

Not too  many of these couple pics floating around!  DramaQueen shot this on the day of our 22nd Anniversary last August.  It's probably one of the few anniversaries that I have a photo of us (GASP!)

My original title was "True Love after 22 years" and when I showed Hubby the layout, he said, "What?? It took you 22 years to love me?!?!?"  lol.  So I added "still" in front of "true love" (thank heavens for alpha stickers!)

Here are some close ups....

The Harmonie laser cut chipboard flower on right is painted black with Distress Stain.

 All of the  little green scalloped embossed hearts are made from a Stampin Up Sizzix die.

Here's a vellum quotation from Quick Quotes.The embossed leaves are another Sizzix die.

All of the butterflies and flowers are Prima. Prima makes romance EASY.

I really like this fun pic of hubby and I because it shows how we share lots of laughter....which is why our relationship works.

Well, maybe it also works because he thinks my scrapbooking is pretty cool. ha ha!

DramaQueen told him that at school last week, they had to list things they are confident about.....and she told the teacher she was confident that her parents would never get a divorce. 

I think that's pretty cool too :)

The Colors of My World

Hola Amigos!

I have returned from a warm and sunny Mexico after a much needed Christmas break!

Spending 8 days on a tropical vacation has made me reflect on the powerful impact of color in my life. So I've decided to share a few thoughts... and a number of photos... about the dramatic contrast of living with and without color.

And I also have a simple but colorful layout to change things up from all the wintry pages I've been creating.

Here's the view outside my front door today....

Just love those glamorous birch trees in the winter...along with some brown grass peeking through snow.

And a look behind my home today....

Thank heavens we landscaped with mostly spruce trees.....so in winter they don't look NAKED.

Here is the view outside my hotel room in Mexico....

Palm trees, blue sky, swimming pool...aaaaahhhh

 Check out the difference in paint colors...

The exterior stucco and stone wall of my home

Honestly....this is the OUTSIDE wall of our hotel room!!

Architecture....wow....

Our front window

Our Mexican hotel window

 Walking through town, we saw even more colorful windows...

Don't you love the gold ceramic doves perched in the wrought iron?

And a comparison of doors....

My Canadian front door...

such lovely Mexican doors...

Upon seeing this next doorway, the scrapbooker inside of me was thinking, "I wish my daughters were wearing white flowing dresses....instead of cut offs and tank tops."  sigh.

Hmmm...maybe I could photoshop some white flowing dresses onto my daughters....

 At the marketplace, I found even more colorful inspiration...

A random wall mural on a rather dingy and dirty street

I'm thinking scrapbook storage...for embellishments ??

Wish I had bought this colorful fellow for my kitchen window

Time to preserve those memories today...because according to this Mayan calendar, we don't have much time left!

Even the wrestling masks are small works of art

These decorative plates would brighten any kitchen wall..and make you smile everyday :)

 Even the food and drinks are colorful....

No explanation necessary

Blue margherita anyone?

 Here's the salad I made for my lunch today....

Two wilted cucumbers and some ICEBERG lettuce.  ICE  BERG.

 Honestly, after Mexico I had to brighten up my salad...so I added yellow peppers.  Not bad.

That's better.

 But it doesn't compare to my lunch in Mexico....everyday I enjoyed fresh tortilla chips and salsa...

I miss you SOOOO much :(

 And our final day ended perfectly with the most beautiful sunset over the ocean....

I haven't had time to scrapbook any photos from this vacation, but I decided to celebrate color today with a bright and happy layout of BabyOfTheFamily.  This is her back-to-school photo from September and it's also the first photo where she looks a little grown up...sniff sniff.  

I used the Three Bugs in a Rug collection "Ashtyn"

 I designed this page for the Winter 2011 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine, for the Dymo Tape challenge.  Nothing fancy in terms of techniques....this Three Bugs collection practically designs by itself with all the wonderful die cut elements that match the papers beautifully.  

I also used Harmonie tiles bordering the yellow quotation strip and painted the Twiddleybitz chipboard fence with Silver Fox Smooch by ClearSnap.

The "Bloom" title is created with rub-on alpha letters.

Flowers are simply fussy cut from 3 Bugs Ashtyn patterned paper. I printed the journaling on the computer and cut into strips, adding several Dymo tape words.

This border is created with a Martha Stewart edge punch, then accented with Kaisercraft pink bling.

 Do you see those blue and orange stripes in BOF's hair?  Those are really sweet feather extensions...something to make her feel special and pretty going into Grade 6. 

I have to say that this is a much simpler layout than I usually make...but I'm in love with the colors in the design...and hope it has brightened your day too :)