Amethyst 1

Above is my take on the newest ScrapbookSteals MWM layout (Amethyst 1).  I used My Little Shoebox Simple Life for this.  The only things that aren't from this line are the solid cardstock I used for the letters, pumpkin, matting, and tractors, the ink, and the twine.  The tractors are a stamp int he kit that I then fussy cut and colored.  I added teh fence stamp to the title letters and the tree stamp to the journalling card and the matting paper.  I also inked the edges of basically everything as well as the top of the pumpkin.  I used a mixture of brown inks - Stampabilities Brown and three ColorBox chalk colors - Chestnut Roan, Charcoal, and another brown that is a cat eye size (so I can't read the color).  I cut the title and pumpkin on my Silhouette, and the twine is Twinery.

Here is the sketch from the wonderful Kristy Lee:

Take 12 February!

So, I got another Take 12 Challenge done.  Here is my February layout:

I used Fancy Pants Happy Together paper along with some twine and kraft cardstock for this layout.

The twelfth photo will be replaced with a slightly larger one later - probably about a 1in circle.  I tried to cut the actual picture for it, and I destroyed the photo.  So, I just put the "negative" on the page for now.  Oh, and the snowflakes aren't really there.  I just didn't want our Sunday schedule posted on the internet for safety reasons!

Totally Garnet!

Another 10 sketches (well, actually 11 but I haven't gotten the second one of Charity's done yet) have been completed on ScrapbookSteals for MWM.  The gen this time around was Garnet, fitting since it is the birth stone for January!  Here are my layouts;

Authentique February Sketch

Last week I was able to "steal" some Authentique from Scrapbook Steals - Uncommon.  It is their original pink line - and it is very pink.  I am not a huge lover of pink, but it is hard to resist Authentique!  I do love the grey, black, and cream used as the "accents" in the papers.  I decided to use this new kit for the February challenge, scrapping a picture of my youngest with her great-grandma (one of the two still alive).  I think this kit is perfect for pictures like this, especially with all of the "grandma" embellishments!

Here is my page:

And here is the sketch it is based off of:

I used 1 sheet of paper 12x12 paper (Distinct), two sheets from the 6x6 pad, two of the tags, a border and some tiny alphas (from the kit), some handmade paper I got from a friend (used to make the flower), and some ribbon and brads from my stash.

Yummy?

Some of my scrapping friends have created a new challenge blog called The Paper Girls Challenge Blog.  They are posting two challenges a month,and giving you almost 2 weeks to complete each challenge.  The first challenge was the following sketch by Judy.

I decided this would be perfect for my youngest's first food pictures.  I turned the circles at the bottom into pictures, allowing me to show more of the fun photos for her first "feeding."  I used mostly Bo Bunny Peacock Lane for this layout, with some twine, ribbon, solid card stock, AC Thickers, and a MME Lush brad.

Itty Bitty Seeds

Some crafty friends and I do a monthly challenge.  Each month, there is a new "rule" posed by a randomly selected member.  For February, the rule was to make a layout centered around a song.  I have had this picture sitting around for over a year meaning to scrap it.  When I got the song idea, it all came to me.  I made the layout look sort of like a picture hung on a wall.  I then put the journalling in a pocket since I had a lot to write.  Here is the journal-ling for the story tag (minus the church name, etc):

Each year our church  helps provide a vacation Bible school experience for the kids at ___ chapter.  One of the songs we love to sing is Itty Bitty Seeds.  It reminds me that we are being the seeds for the kids.  Some of those seeds we have seen watered and grown.  Others are just getting started.  We aren’t the only ones planting and watering there, but we know that our efforts are important to the kids.


Featured on Practical Scrappers:
http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2012/02/challenge-me-tuesday-scroll-banners.

Hearts and Black Matting

The Challenge Me Tuesday for next week on Practical Scrappers is black matting.  I also saw their call for hearts, and an idea came to me.  I dug up a picture from my first "date" with my husband - skiing, and decided to scrap a page about it.  I hope to complete an 8x8 album for him with pictures from our "dates."  (We dated long distance, so we saw each other for about a week every month or three for 1.5 years.)

I used my Silhouette a ton for this.  I had it cut out the hearts (both black and patterned) WITH the holes for stitching.  I also had it cut out the very light pink background paper with holes.  This made lining everything up a lot easier.  I sent the black hearts through my X and then stuck them on the background paper.  Then I got to stitching.  The patterned hearts are just sewn on - no other adhesive.  Once they were all sewn down, I folded them a little to give some dimension.  I decided to just write the basic information on the corner of the page, and idea from my scrapping friend Misty (who journals a lot on the corners of her background paper).  I might add some more journalling on the back, but it all depends on what I decide to do with these layouts I think.

Featured!
http://www.practicalscrappers.com/2012/02/challenge-me-tuesday-touch-of-black.html

Quilting

I saw on Practical Scrappers a "call" for quilt-inspired layouts.  I decided to go total quilt and do a "guilty pleasure" page (as some of my scrapping friends had challenged me to do in January).  My guilty pleasure is definitely technology, so I chose to scrap a picture of my phone and TouchPad.  I though this quilt pattern sort of looked like electrical boards, so I thought it would work well.  I cut the pieces with my Silhouette out of PiggyTales paper (Steadfast Tin Soldier).  Then I ran them through my Xyron X so they were all glued up.  Then it was fairly easy to just attach them to my paper to make the background.  Then I stitched (by hand) a few squares of red thread to help hold everything down.  Then I added my picture, some twine stitching, journalling tag (stuck behind the picture), and an altered Thicker title.  The layout itself is inspired by ScrapbookSteals' MidWeekMojo Garnet 7 sketch.

Once I got that page done, I wanted to "quilt" some more.  So I made this card for my MOPs small group leader.  I think it is perfect for her, as she is an accomplished quilter herself (although she does more applique quilting than piece quilting).  The papers are from MME's This and That 6x6 pad.  The layout is based off of Scrapbook Steals' MCM #66.  I added the stamp sentiment and a pinwheel to finish it off.

I think I am going to try some more truly quilt inspired layouts soon.  I had drawn up a few, but I didn't have pictures that would work perfectly for them...