New Year Layout {Practical Scrappers}

Good Monday Morning!  At Practical Scrappers today, we are sharing projects that have to do with the new year.  Without a sketch - I created this layout in about 30 minutes - which is fast by my standards!!   Earlier in the week, I hopped along with a bunch of scrappy gal pals who were showcasing their favorite layouts/projects/cards of 2013.  I posted my favorites after hopping because its good to reflect and see where you have been before you move forward.

Welcom 2014 - its a new year with so many possibilities!  

Materials:  My Mind's Eye, Mr. Huey's Misting Inks and sticker letters that have been in the stash for far too long!

Top 10 ... er... 13! for 2013

Several of my scrappy friends are doing a blog-hop today highlighting their favorite projects from 2013.  Its a great hop you should check it out (click here).  I enjoyed the hop so much, that I decided it was time to look through past layouts and projects and try to pick my top 10 {more like top 13 for 2013!}

And here they are!

1.  Gesso - this was my first application of gesso on a layout and I really loved the simple look.

 2.  This is a card that I just loved and it was one that I entered in a card contest - made it all the way to the top 5.

 3.  This was my first time using corrugated cardboard and the texture it helped to create was fun - really added to the dirt road in the photo.

 4.  I finally - FINALLY - used this Bo-Bunny kit - after three years of hoarding it!  Ijust loved the colors and my niece's photo - this was a gift for her.

 5.  October Afternoon's line was just perfect for a reflection on my son's first day of kindergarden.  I created this during the summer before he started high school.

 6.  Probably one of the cutest layouts of my little cutie!  The colors just made this layout one of my favorites.

 7.  Simple Stories became one of my most loved collections for scrapping - and I tried something new - using ink to draw on my layout.

 8.  I've always loved the papers from Wester's Pages and this is a layout that hangs in my classroom.  I just smile each time I look at it.

 9.  Without a doubt, this layout of the family on vacation was a favorite from the minute I started working on it.  Lots of shapes, patterns, colors and KLD templates.

 10.  After reading a scrapbooking magazine where this technique was featured, I grabbed a photo from many years ago and tried my hand at extending the photo.  Even my kids think someone else did it - Pure LOVE!

 11.  There's not much I can say about this one - other than I loved the photo and the way the layering came together on this layout.  (smooch)

 12.  Another cute layout of my girlie using Simple Stories.

 13.  All things marching band this fall ... we had such a great time with band and we were certainly busy bees with the preparations necessary to get the band on the field each week.

There you have it - a trip down memory lane.  Cannot wait to see what 2014 will have in store for me and my sweet family.

Hey There, Santa! {S.W.A.T.}

Saturday, December 21

Winter Solstice 2013
Today is Winter Solstice and we've got a great sketch from Page Maps for you to tackle at SWAT.  Santa needs to be somewhere on this layout; either a picture - embellie - or paper.  I was browsing through photos from a few years ago after we finished decorating the house and realized that I had duplicates of visits with Santa.  Gold-mine!  I have all of the kids photos displayed from birth to present - totally fun to see how they change over time.  Santa is the same - he's been the same ever since they were 2 and 4 - best part - Santa remembers the kids!!!  (Well of course he does!)

Anyway - here's your sketch to work with:

Here's what I created with MME's All is Bright.

Merry Christmas!

Deborah

Its Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas {PGCB #46}

Challenge #46 from Charissa is to use Christmas paper/product on a non-Christmas project - I've really been stumped with this challenge but finally let go of my fears - Here's my layout!  Christmas papers in red and green, flowers all from a Christmas kit and musical paper that was from a Christmas collection as well.

The materials used are hoarded from our Christmas in July celebration this past year.  My son picked my name from the hat and he really scored big with this collection.  I also used Stickles from last year's Santa stocking.

So this is one of those fun layouts that can be shown off on more than one challenge.  PGCB #46 and Use It Tuesday's #69 Last of the year.

Have a scrap happy day!

Zoo {Nuts About Sketches #294}

Once again, I found a few minutes of happy scrappy time!  This week's sketch uses a 5 x 7" and I needed to rotate the sketch a bit for my photo.  This was taken while we were at the zoo in October on Columbus Day - the kids LOVE going to see the sting rays. 

Here's the sketch:

Here's the layout:

And - I did what I thought was impossible!  I used Christmas papers for a non-Christmas project.

Lens View {Nuts About Sketches #293}

This week is Sketch #293 at Nuts About Sketches.  Time for another sketch and layout!  I've been using up Authentique's Thanksgiving line on summer vacation photos and a few Thanksgiving cards - I really love the colors in this line!  Anyway - The sketch that I used has circles on it and I really felt that photos that my son had taken would work perfectly for this sketch.

Here's the sketch:

Here's the layout:

Materials used:  Authentique's Thankful collection

Practical Scrappers have you seen us lately?

 Have you been searching for Practical Scrappers?  Yes?!  Look no further - we have a new location for the blog so hippity hop on over and make sure that you bookmark our new page. http://practicalscrappers.blogspot.com/  There are some amazing projects going on over there - best check us out!  Like ... now.

Being Thankful {PGCB}

Each year, I try to get just that much more ahead of the game with my crafting and my thoughts on being thankful.  I try to journal each day and reflect on what I'm thankful for - this year I'm being a bit more successful than other years - whew!  Part of my "to-do-list" included a wall decor piece for November and this frame worked perfectly.  I've repurposed it from other projects and I think that this is going to be a keeper!

I love the "graffiti" art look of the interior message and found this on pinterest - wish I could recall where to give credit! - and then I added a bit of chevron washi tape from WeRMemoryKeepers.  I took a silk flower that was left over from a previous project and added it to bottom corner and then found the cute "fall top 10!" card for a personal touch.

Well - that's it for me today - I hope that you are able to join us at the Paper Girls Challenge Blog and submit your own projects for a chance to win!

Have a scrap-happy day!

Deborah

50 Foot Drop {S.W.A.T.}

Happy Saturday!  This morning I'm helping out my son's marching band as a ticket taker.  Gotta love early mornings!!  The band is ranked #2 in the State of Arizona as we head into the State Marching Band Championships.  Wishing them the best performance ever!

Over at S.W.A.T., we are featuring a sketch from Page Maps and encourage you to use it as a stepping stone for your layout.  AND - how about adding some feathers to the layout?  I have never used feathers on a layout before and really fell in love with this challenge.  I did spray some glittering mist on the feathers and I think they really look sparkly!

Here's the sketch:

Here's my layout:

I used inspiration from a couple of my crafty gal pals.  Kristy at Kiwi Lane Designs does a feature called "Write from the Heart".  I get intimidated with journal writing and I began to journal on the back with a personal note to my daughter.  Kristy, you would be proud - I put the journal entry on the front for all to see.

I was also inspired by Doris and Nicolle at Creative Embellishments - they are the masters at layers and those chippies!!

Materials used:  Authentique's Thankful collection, Creative Embellishments chippies, twine and feathers, Glimmer Mists

Hump Day {SWAT - Altered Art Thanksgiving}

Guess what day it is ....

That's right 

** HUMP DAY **

and here at SWAT, we like to showcase a project in the middle of the week to get you over the hump and crafting like crazy until the next project/challenge is posted.

I made this after seeing a friend’s post last year.  She showcased her Thanks Giving blocks and Jingle All The Way blocks and I knew that this was a project that would be downright fun to create along with some variations.  I did "Thanks Giving" on one side of the blocks and "Jingle All The Way" - but then I also created another two sets for my sister’s family and for my brother’s family.

I used "FAMILY" for the opposite side of "THANKS" and then instead of "Giving" - I put their last names.

Here's a photo of the work in progress:

Now, I don't own any fancy lettering machines, die cuts or anything of that sort ... I did hand lettering!  Yup.  You can do it too!

I love these blocks and I keep thinking that I should have my honey cut more wood blocks so that I can make more sets for our close friends.

Have a Happy HUMP DAAAY!

Deborah

#NICE {My Boys}

Good morning,

Last night was a night of craftiness for me - little girl is sick - so there's not much that I can do - except sit by her and try to get her to eat some soup.

While sitting with the cutie pie, I created this layout of my boys using a photo from vacation.  We were at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA getting ready to watch the IMAX movie about Monarch Butterflies.  They are such handsome men!

Materials used:  Creative Embellishments, flair from a friend and Authentique's Thankful collection

Thankful Layout for {Practical Scrappers}

I absolutely love November for so many reasons, one of which is the colors - I am truly a brown, rust, beige, toss in a bit of burn orange and blue kind of a girl.  This month's layout sketch from Practical Scrappers was the perfect set up for a time to reflect on what I am thankful for.  Last year, I started documenting daily the things, people, events that I am thankful for.  This year, I am continuing the practice.

One of the many things that I am thankful for is, of course, my family.  They bring so much joy and wonderment to my life that I could not imagine life without them.  This summer - we went to the Redwood Forest to tent camp and hike.  I am absolutely thankful that I have time with them to explore the outdoors and share memories.

A couple of my scrappy gal pals at Creative Embellishments have a November challenge up on their blog and all you need to do is to use this photo as inspiration.

I love the photo and of course the colors - so I combined the color challenge with my sketch challenge using this sketch from Practical Scrappers:

to achieve this look:

 close up of the banner ....

close up of the gears...

Materials used:  Authentique and Creative Embellishments

Gobble Till You Wobble {S.W.A.T.}

Drill #19:  Gobble Till You Wobble

use a recipe card and / or a picture of food on your layout

#SMILE {Nuts About Sketches}

This week is Sketch #290 at Nuts About Sketches.  I just love the sketches that I get to work with - this one is jam-packed with photos!  I have a ton of photos of my girlie from when we were camping a couple of years ago in Prescott.  The trip was part of the outdoor education curriculum from school and she really had a blast.  I did, too!

Here's the sketch:

Here's my layout:

Have a scrap-happy day!

Deborah

Materials:  Simple Stories and Creative Embellishments

Oh, Cut It OUT! {PGCB}

Challenge #43 - Cut it Out!

For this challenge, I created a Thanksgiving banner.  I wanted to use some chipboard and cover it with coordinating paper and so I grabbed my craft knife, glue and some cute paper from Authentique.

A few embellishments and some rafia and there you have it!  A Thanksgiving Banner.

Have a Scrap-Happy Day!

Deborah