Last Two Days

I've had almost no time and no mojo to scrap this week.  and now it's September 29.  And there are only two days left to

Enter to win the $25 giveaway I am having (go here)

Finish my layouts for the September 30 in 30 challenge - I need two more pages

Enter the September My Scraps and More Challenges 

Finish 5 Senior Night Posters for my son's soccer team.   

And there is the soccer game to go to, the volleyball game to go to, shopping for something to wear to Senior Night and all the weekend chores.  It all feels a little overwhelming which might be why I have no creative energy.  Isn't this supposed to be fun?

The answer - finish the poster on my work table and do a project just for fun.  Maybe it will help with one of the other things on my weekend list, but it will at least help refocus me (I hope).

Don't forget to enter my giveaway - and have a fun weekend!  I'm sure going to try.

 

Failing Scissors

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In kindergarten, I failed scissors (and skipping).  That tells me two things - kindergarten has changed a lot over the years (now you would fail reading or math) and fussy cutting isn't going to be my best thing.  But once in a while I still try.

This easter layout relied on some simple "fussy cutting" to create the wide chevron border.  I know it's not perfect, but I still like the look. 

 
And the best thing about this layout is how simple it was.  After I combined the different patterned papers cut into circles with the chevron border, I needed almost no embellishments.  The flowers and chipboard animals had been in my stash forever!  And those Amy Tangerine transparent letters are adorable!

Hope you have a great Monday!

Taking My Own Advice

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Yes, this is my second post of the day, but I'm finally getting a few minutes to play.  About a week ago I posted a layout, explained what I thought was wrong with it, and had some ideas to fix it.  Today I thought I'd take my own advice - and enter the new version in the Freckled Fawn sketch challenge.

Here's the revised version -

which one do you like better?

Don't Take It Too Seriously!

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It's been a crazy week and I've had almost no time to play.  (I even spent Saturday in the office.)  But Thursday night, my wonderful husband found a way to give me a couple of hours home alone.  I put this layout together in about an hour by keeping two thoughts in mind. 

• Keep it simple and don't over think in the quest for perfection - I talked about that before.
• Don't take it too seriously - its supposed to be fun!

 The end result was this slightly silly soccer layout.

Now my 18 year old son is not thrilled with the title or some of the less sports themed elements (like the clouds, the hearts, and the little boy running, but I love the whimsy - and its a good reminder to him too.  Soccer, like scrapbooking, is supposed to be fun.

I hope your had a good week and have a great Sunday!  I am going to try and squeeze in some scrappy time today around Sunday dinner, making my sister a birthday cake, Elisabeth's volleyball game, and tons of laundry.  Wish me luck!

A Man For All Seasons

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I continued to focus on putting together layouts without overthinking.  The one I'm sharing today was inspired by yesterday's "Sunday Sketch" at Studio Calico.  As soon as I saw the sketch, I knew it was a perfect chance to create a two pager - and of course, since I'm working on one of Nicholas's albums, the subject was soccer.

I journaled about the different weather conditions for soccer in Ohio and picked a title to go with that theme - A Man For All Seasons.  The end result was a bright, fun layout with some great soccer pictures.  My favorite is from that wet, foggy spring game with the bare tree in the background.

I love the red shipping tag, the oversized number and the fun paper clip from the Studio Calico September kits.  And, since I was using this layout for my computer challenge entry in the Back To School crop at My Scraps and More, I downloaded his club logo and printed on vellum for a unique, inexpensive embellishment.  (It's a great way to customize your pages that I tend to forget about.)

Today its back to work, so I may not get much scrappy time in.  Maybe tonight?

Hope you have a great Monday!

Take the Field

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This morning I learned that one of my layouts is the "Layout of the Day" at My Scraps and More.  I did this soccer layout for the Back to School crop last weekend.  It also falls within my "keeping it simple" philosophy I talked about yesterday.

The design is simple - I cut three different patterned papers (from three different manufacturers)  into large vertical panels and layered them at an angle.  There is a piece from Everyday Eclectic, a piece from Pink Paislee (I think), and a piece from a Creative Memories Fourth of July Addition  (They shouldn't go together, but worked perfectly here.).  A used a strip of green striped washi across the bottom to tie them together.  Most of the embellishments are from a Pebbles package that had been in my stash forever.

I think the banner is what makes the layout.  It was from a package of LYB canvas borders.  But it included blue pennants that just didn't work with my papers.  So I cut the banner into individual pennants and put it back together with the curve and without the blue pennants.  (The blue pennants are safely stored so I can use them another time.)  I used the Everyday Eclectic letter stickers to finish the banner.

Keep it simple and have a great Sunday!

Keeping Things Simple

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I've been fightinga cold for most of the week and have spent almost no time in my scrap room.  But when I have wandered in, I've been working really differently than I often do at home.

I have a tendency to start a layout and obsess over it for days.  I leave it out on my work table and swap out embellishments and paper til it looks "perfect."  It's common for a layuot to take me days to complete when I'm working at home.  I'm better when I'm at a crop because I only have some of my supplies with me and I try to stay focused on the page supplies I pulled when I was packing up.  But I can still spend a couple of hours on a single layout. Over-thinking does not lead to better layouts. 

This week my attnetion span was non-existent, so I focused on working on simple layouts that captured the feel of the moment captured in the the picture.  I really liked the layouts I came up with and wanted to share them.  

The first was inspired by the "drawing challenge" at My Scraps and More for their online back to school crop. (I like to participate in online crops because they often create a pressure to produce quickly that forces me to go with my first instincts.)  The layout uses pictures from a visit to my hometown.  I was trying to capture the way I feel about Ashtabula.

I limited journaling to noting the time and place and really tired to let the pictures, papers, and embellishments capture the way I feel when I go back to Ashtabula.

The second layout I want to share is titled "Wings."  It is my submission for the 

I realy wanted to focus on the great photo of the butterfly my husband took.  This layout wasn't as successful, but I can look at it and see how to edit (I think removing the pink charm would make make a huge difference.  My second change would be to remove some of the sequined butterflies.)  And I love the look of the naked chipboard letters (which I would ordinarily think had to be altered in some way.)

So two lessons learned this week - don't overthink and edit when you aren't happy with a final product; taking away may be the answer.

Hopefully I'll have time and energy for some scrapping this weekend.  (I have five challenges left at My Scraps and More.)  And if I do, hopefully I can apply the lessons I learned this week.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Another Sketch, Another Layout

I've really been inspired by sketches lately.  Yesterday I came across this sketch from Let's Capture These Sketches. I loved the simple design that incorporated a number of patterned papers.  Of course I wanted to turn it into a 2 pager. 

I used the sketch as inspiration for my entry into the Lunch challenge.  Your layout had to have food in it.  Mine is about our variation on the Easter egg tradition.  As my kids got older, they lost interest in dying hard boiled eggs.  But Elisabeth was still young and I missed the holiday tradition.  So we quit decorating hard boiled eggs and began decorating egg shaped cut out cookies.  Everybody loves cookies, so a new Easter tradition was born. 

Here's my two page version of the sketch.  You'll notice that I took some liberties with the design and picture sizes.  The paper is a combination of basic grey, echo park, and creative memories.

The title is a play on that cookie in the round photo.  We told Nicholas that he couldn't get a poem on a cookie, and, of course, he had to prove us wrong.  He wrote the classic "Roses Are Red" on that egg.

Hope you're day is going well. 

Done!

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Today I'm sharing a layout I put together using the current sketch at Delightful Inspiration.  I loved the sketch but wanted to adapt it for a two page layout with multiple photos.  I had to print the sketch and leave it on my work table a few days before my own inspiration struck.  Instead of trying to use the layout as is, or move a couple of elements, why not exaggerate the design elements?

I used oversize paper strips and created the ribbon effect down the side of this holiday themed layout.  I used up lots of scraps of paper (some of may favorite Christmas papers ever) and the big Jolee sleigh bell embellishment had been in my stash forever.  This was the perfect opportunity to use it.

Basic Grey paper, jolee's, creative memories, momenta

Here's a closer look at the large, layered paper strips.

Hope you have a great Sunday!

One Sketch, Two Layouts

 

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When I'm stumped I love to use a sketch to get my mojo back.  And once in a while I find a sketch that I love and want to use over and over.  This sketch from Boys Rule is one of those sketches.


I'm always fascinated by the different looks people get with the same sketch.  And it's even more fun when the different looks come from the same person.  This soccer layout is a fairly literal interpretation of the sketch (and one of my favorite soccer layouts in a long time.)

Studio Calico, Basic Grey, Lily Bee, Echo Park

 
And this holiday layout started from the sketch, but it is way harder to see the connection.

Lots of Bo Bunny for this one

 
Which layout do you like?  Do you have some favorite sketches?  I'd love to see other sketches that can be translated for variety of layouts.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Back To School

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My Scraps and More is having a fun, school themed crop this weekend.  This layout is my first project and my submission for the math challenge. 

This is my first experiment with negative space.  Cutting a word into a tag shape that I incorporated into my title turned out to be an easy way to experiment.

 This layout was also an easy way to use up scraps.  I created clusters of Christmas shapes cut from scraps for my embellishments.

If you are scrapping this weekend and decide to try the My Scraps and More crop, sign up in the forum and go the the Classmates Needed thread.   Post telling them that "juliee" sent you and we will both be entered into a drawing for a prize.

Have a great Friday!

Soccer -- Again

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I've always worked on one album at a time. But Nicholas is a Senior this year and I only have one album from his high school years done.  So I'm trying something new.  I am going to try and work on his Senior album as I get pictures -- and focus on one of his other high school albums at the same time.  (The Junior album is done, the Sophomore album is about 60% and I just got pictures for the first half of his Freshman album.)  I am either going to be confused and overwhelmed or amazed at my productivity.  We'll see!

Today I am going to share the first 2 layouts from his Senior album. They are from a summer soccer weekend he participated in with his high school team.  I used a simple grid pattern, varying picture size on both layouts, and using common papers to link the layouts together.  I simply changed the orientation of the grid from the first layout to the second to add visual interest.

The paper was a mix of scraps and a Studio Calico 6x6 pad that was a gift with purchase.  In addition to the thickers used for the titles, there are some other elements linking the layouts together.

Fun banners from the Basic Grey Clippings collection:

Washi tape and washi like stickers:

These soccer themed tabs left on an old sticker sheet:

The grid pattern created nice clean layouts that still have the bright, fun feel of summer.  Its a great technique to try when you want to use up lots of scraps.  I am already thinking of other layouts where I can use the same technique.

I hope you try it and have a great Tuesday!

More Scrappy Shopping Tips From My Husband

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OK - I have to warn you.  This post got really long.  If you want to skip the shopping tips, go down about halfway and check out the layout.

 

You may remember that my husband spent an afternoon shopping withme last month and shared lots of great tips that helped me get the supplies I wanted for way less money - always a good thing.  Well on Thursday evening we went to buy wood for a new scrapping work station (my birthday present) and he struck again.  I want to share those tips with you -- and the layout I made with some of my new supplies.

The Woodworking Store 

One of my favorite trends is wood veneer.  I love the way it looks, the way it can be used "as is" or with mists, and all the fun pieces.  But it gets expensive and everytime I get a new package, I hear "You paid how much for that?"  Kind of takes the fun out of it.  

But here's what I found at the woodworking store:

The sheet of dots are self adhesive wood dots (they call them nail head covers) and present a wealth of possibilities.  The long piece of small squares is flexible trim.  The squares can be peeled off individually for a fun embellishment or the trim can be cut easily to create a strip of wood squares for use in a border. 

The big sheets of wood veneer came in a variety pack - I got oak, cherry, maple and walnut.  I'm hoping I can cut simple shapes with my cricut and deep blade housing, but haven't gotten that to work yet.  But check out this layout using a large piece of wood veneer.

The Layout
This layout is based on sketches from My Scraps and More and Purple Pumpkin.

 

It is also my first submission for a CSI challenge. Case File No. 35 had a color scheme of teal, yellow, green, white and sand.  I used hearts (see the button from Purple Pumpkin; butterflies are from purple pumpkin also), wood and paint (ok - spray ink).  I journaled about my relationship with my son this summer and you'll find some words and phrases about that relationship scattered through the layout.

 Check out the wide strip of wood veneer at the bottom of the layout - I love the way it anchors the layout!

The journaling is in the glassine bag so that you can see the handwriting but the message is at least somewhat private.

  

And the title block  is the first time I've ever achieved a look I like when trying to splatter spray ink.

I'm also entering this layout  at Bird Is The Word where the current word is spirit.

And best of all, putting this layout was really cathartic for me as I continue loving and worrying about my son.

Sorry this got so long.  Hope you have a great Sunday!

 

Bragging . . . .

 *****Go here for my giveaway*****

My washi pencil project is featured at Paper Issues today.  That's a birthday treat!

50! (and a present for you?)

Thursday I turned 50.  I was blessed with lots of family and friends who made sure my day was special.  We had cocktails after work the night before, my office was decorated, there was cake and there were scrappy gifts!  I'm truly blessed and excited to see what comes next. 

Then Webster's Pages decided to celebrate - they introduced "Sprinkles!"  I figure it sounds festive, so it must have been timed for my birthday.  (Or its just a fun coincidence.)  It sounds like a great opportunity to add some fun things to your stash each month for just $10.  I can't wait to order my box Sunday night.

And now 30 in 30 starts today . . . .  Life just keeps getting better.

GIVEAWAY

 Since I had a great birthday and Webster's Pages is celebrating (at least I'm pretending), I wanted to share my celebration with you.  So I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate to your favorite online source for scrappy supplies.  Here's all you have to do:

*Leave a comment telling me your favorite online source for supplies.  

*Be a follower of my blog

*Share my giveaway on your blog or facebook

I'll draw the winner on September 30 or when I get to 50 followers - whichever comes later. 

Good luck and have a great weekend!