Picture Not Perfect - LGS December Week 5

December 2012 has five Mondays, so this week at Let's Get Sketchy we are doing a non-sketch challenge.  This time, we are challenging you to use pictures that aren't perfect.  Maybe someone's eyes are closed.  Maybe the picture is blurry.  Maybe there is something "funny" going on in the background.  Pull out those pictures that have meaning to you but you are reluctant to scrap because they aren't "perfect."  And then scrap them!

I pulled out a set of eight photos taken by my oldest over a year ago.  She went on a picture taking spree right before and right after her baby sister was born (up until the point she broke my point and shoot camera...).  I have been wanting to scrap some of these photos for a year, and this challenge pushed me over the edge to get it done!

 I used mostly MLS papers from my Summer 2012 warehouse box for this layout, as well as some black and white cardstock.  I had fun mixing and matching a few lines in this one, picking girly papers that I knew fit my very girly daughter.

 As has become a norm for me, I have hidden something in this layout - this time the journalling.  I love hiding things in layouts these days because it lets me add more things to a single 12x12 layout.

 I thought buttons would be a great finishing touch to this one.  I pulled out some pink and yellow buttons from my collection to finish this off (as well as some MLS tiny alphas and AC Thickers).

The sketch is from ScrapbookSteals - Jade 3:

2013 - Use It Tuesday Reveal

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Since Christmas falls on a fourth Tuesday this year, it is time for another Use It Tuesday reveal!  This time we are asking you to create something about 2013 (or 2012).  You could do something about your resolutions for the new year.  Or, you could make a card.  Or, you could do like a few of us on the design team and start a mini album/smash book for the new year.  As long as it has to do with the end of 2012 or the beginning of 2013 AND you use your hoarded items in your project, it can count!  Just make sure to mention Use It Tuesday, what hoarded supplies you used, and then link back up with us!

This past year I did my best at Take 12 - taking 12 photos on the 12th of each month.  I really liked the push to take photos of the kids on the 12th, but by the end of the year I was tired of scrapping the pictures, remembering to take the photos, etc.  So, in 2013 I am going to do something different.  On the first Sunday fo the month (assuming I remember - if not as soon as I do), I am going to take a picture of my kids - hopefully together.  Then I am going to scrap them in a cute envelope mini album I made!  And since it is made out of envelopes, there is already a place to tuck in extra bits from  the month - pictures the kids drew, ticket stubs from places we went, etc.  I also want to record some sort of favorite each month - from colors, to shows to food.  

Here is the cover to my album:

And from the side:

From the front:

 From the top - notice the extra room for it to expand as I fill it full of fun stuff!

 And the inside:

Now for the hoarding part.  The envelopes are over 10 years old!  I bought a pack of these ones as a trial for our wedding invitations, but then I found other ones I liked better.  So, they have sat in a box and moved many times without being touched!  And the papers I used on the cover are MME Lush that I bought from Scrapbook Steals over a year ago.  I think I made one layout and used a tiny bit of paper for one other project in that year.  So, it was definitely time to pull it out and put it to use!  And of course I have a stash of Thickers I was happy to put to use on this as well.

As for the cover design, I took inspiration from the December sketch over at Artful Delight and from ScrapbookSteals Monday Craft Madness #5 (layering).

Now get crafting!  All submissions must be linked up by Thursday, January 3.  We can't wait to see what you create!

A Little Thank You Card

I needed to whip together a thank you card for a family that is letting us borrow their house when we visit my family.  So, I pulled together to challenges and got this one done last night!

First, i used the ScrapbookSteals MondayCraftMadness #4 challenges to use two different collections of paper on a project.  I used MME Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks and Webster's Pages Petite Papers (from my June 2012 warehouse box) for this card.  The house is fussy cut from some of the WP papers, and the sentiment tag is done with a random sentiment stamp and an MME Stella and Rose border stamp.  The design is based off of this month's card sketch at Artful Delight.  I love how simple the sketch is, but it looked too plain until I added the three brads to the card.  Then it was perfect :)

I Think I Can - LGS Reveal

Here is my take on the newest LGS reveal.  Check out the sketch and other layouts here.
Layout completed using CP Peppermint and AC Thickers.

3 is not for me!

I had printed this photo of my son last week, with plans on using it for Jade 1 at ScrapbookSteals.  But, I only got one layout done last week, so it was still sitting in my pile to scrap when I saw this week's MWM sketch (Jade 2).  Although the sketch is for two photos, I knew I could easily adapt it to only one - meaning i didn't have to get more photos printed!  (Which is always a good thing during this busy time of the year).  I pulled out my MME Hip Hooray papers and got to work layering things for the big photo mat.  As I was working, I remember the NOEL challenges over at Kerys's, Rochelle's, Brenda's, and Kristy's blogs.  I knew I could include some of those in this layout!

N for numbers are easy!  The picture is of my son on his third birthday, so I just used the number 3 in the title.  Then it was on to O.  I just couldn't figure out how to add an oval to this layout, so I skipped it and will use it on another layout this month.  Next comes E for eyelets.  I knew I wanted to use 1 on the tag, and I had seen brads used on the corners of pages recently.  So, I took that idea and added 4 eyelets to the top left corner.  I wish I would have gotten them a little straighter, but I still like the look :)  Finally was L for lined paper or list.  Well, my Hip Hooray scraps and mixed in with my Alphabet Soup ones, and that collection has a great lined paper in it.  So, I used it for the journalling, and I think it worked perfectly.

And here is the amazing sketch by Kerys:

Use It Tuesday - Christmas/Holidays!

Time for another fun challenge over at Use It Tuesday!  Now, I know you are busy getting ready for Christmas, but that is no excuse for not playing along :)  I know most of you are working on last minute gifts, cards, or decorations, so this is a great chance to use your stash and join in!  The only rule is that you have to use some hoarded items from your stash, and I know we all have them.

I have been busy making teacher gifts for my kids' MOPS, AWANA, and Sunday School teachers.  First I made 6 for the MOPS caregivers.  Since each of my three kids has two caregivers, I made three sets of these fun hot cocoa cans (that I bought from ScrapbookSteals).  The cans are full of hot cocoa mix, peppermint balls, and marshmallows.

 The first two cans I used a paper pad that my MIL picked up at a garage sale over a year ago.  It is only of those pads with "premade" pages that all you have to add are pictures.  Well, it totally isn't my style, but there were some cute images and stickers in there!  So, I cut the pages up and made these two cute cans for my youngest.

Unfortunately there weren't many other images that would fit on the lids, so I dug out my Fancy Pants Christmas paper that I bought two years ago (and is the 2009 line).  I used a ton of the paper making cards that year, but since then it has mostly just sat on my shelves. 

 Once I had the cans done, I made little cards for the kids to "sign" using coordinating paper.

This weekend I then put together 11 more cans!  This time I added biscotti to the cans, after spotting them at Costco for a reasonable price.  One of the SPARKS "teachers" can't have gluten, so I added some extra hot cocoa packs to her's.  These ones I decorated with some Paper Source (Hobby Lobby) papers I probably bought 2 years ago.  And let's not talk about how old that red cardstock is.  It is possible it is "original" to my scrap stash (if not, it is at least 4 years old).

Now, remember to link up your projects with Use It Tuesday and mention what hoarded supplies you used! We can't wait to see what you create!

ScrapbookSteals Jade 1a - Let's Go Fly a Kite

The first sketches for ScrapbookSteals MidWeek Mojo Jade sereies are by a wonderful guest designer - Jessica Arrant.  I only got one done this week (silly Christmas busy-ness is to blame), but I really want to do the other one later!  I used MME Lime Twist for this layout with some MLS and Pebbles alphas.

Completely Coral!

 

My Little Elves - LGS Revela!

It is time for another fun sketch from Let's Get Sketchy!  This one has a strip of photos, perfect for scrapping a bunch of pictures from an event!

Last month I ordered the Nikki S winter box, and in it came this wonderful Gingerbread collection.  It was perfect for scrapping these photos of my kids as the local Christmas village two years ago.  Everything except the two brads and the twine are from this collection even, which made this layout a snap to put together.

Now it is time for you to play along!  This month there will be four sketch challenges plus a bonus on the fifth Monday of the month.  You have to complete three to be eligible for the great prize!  I can't wait to see what you create!