His eyes - how they twinkled; His dimples how merry!

I decided to play along with the July 15 Challenge at Once Upon a Sketch and created this layout using a photo I took of my little guy in December of last year. I absolutely adore this photo - so much so that I used it for our 2010 Christmas cards!I used the Graphic 45 Christmas Past papers for the layout. There aren't a lot of techniques in this layout - just lots of edge distressing, inking and layering. I added some creases to the background paper and inked them to add some extra dimension in the "white space".

I fussy cut the black and cream strips of paper and the rose squares from one sheet of the G45 paper and used several tags in my layering. I used adhesive foam to add dimension to the layers and make the pictures really "pop" on the layout.

The journalling challenge at OUAS was to use a quote - and how appropriate is this quote from 'Twas the Night Before Christmas? I love that the quote suits the Christmas theme of the layout and, at the same time, is so descriptive of the photo too!

TFL!

Sarah

Materials Used:

Patterned Paper - Graphic 45 Christmas Past Collection - We Wish you a Merry Christmas, The Holly and the Ivy, Holiday Spirit, Jolly Old St. Nicholas, Glad Tidings, Tags; Recollections Cream Cardstock; Glam Art Rhinestone Swirls; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo; Keepsake Memories Foam Adhesive Squares; Memory Tape Runner XL.

Hope

In June, my dear Mother-in-Law passed away unexpectedly and my husband's family gave me her memory book to scan and preserve the photos for the family. On the cover of her album was the most beautiful photo of her that was taken when she was quite young (c. 1959). I've entitled this layout Hope - because I think that's what it portrays - the innocence and hope of a young girl who is dreaming of what her life may bring. I've included a verse from a poem by Emily Dickinson as a tribute to my Mother-in-Law's indomitable spirit; while she didn't have the easiest life, she never stopped searching for her happiness and never lost hope that she'd find it. The poem reads:

"Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul. 

And sings the tune -- without the words,

And never stops at all."

I knew when I saw this photo that I wanted to use Glitz Design's Laced with Grace papers as they complement the tones in the photo so beautifully. The base sheet was originally plain orange; I've embossed it using a background stamp and gold embossing powder. I then distressed and inked the edges of the base page with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The floral sheet was trimmed with wavy scissors and then water-distressed (also with Vintage Photo ink). I made sure to add some larger tears to the page so the embossing on the base page could peak through. The photo was matted on brown textured cardstock that I punched with a Fiskar's edge punch. I layered the matted photo on top of some distressed Glitz Design Plaid paper - I used both sides of the paper - the dark orange and the plaid.

The floral cluster is a combination of Prima, Recollections and A Bride's Wish paper flowers. The dark, mossy-green flowers were originally white, so I misted them with Smooch Spritz in Mossy Mist to complement the green tones in the paper.  The Dusty Attic flourish that I tucked into the distressed peek-a-boo was inked with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and then embossed with the same stamped image as the base page (the image isn't really defined on the chipboard though) and then inked the flourish with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. I also added some glossy accents to the flourish to make it stand out.

 I cut the title on my Silhouette and embossed it with gold embossing powder to match the embossing on the base page. I added a Maya Road kraft envelope, which I also stamped/embossed in gold using the background stamp.  I then inked the edges of the envelope with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The close-up also provides a good image of the embossing on the base page under the peek-a-boo. I printed the poem verse on kraft cardstock and then crumpled the paper slightly and distressed and inked the edges.

TFL,
Sarah

Challenges:
Get your Glitz On Challenge #4

Bird is the Word "Hope" Challenge

Materials Used: Patterned Paper: Glitz Design Laced with Grace Collection - Floral, Rose and Plaid; Bazzill Basics textured cardstock (Chocolate Brown); Recollections Kraft Cardtock;  VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad; Prima Clear Stamps; Stampendous Embossing Powder in  Detail Gold; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage Photo; A Bride's Wish Wild Open Rose; Recollections Mulberry Paper Mini Roses; Prima paper roses (from ScrapThat Kits); Maya Road Kraft Envelope; Dusty Attic Flourish #7; Ranger Glossy Accents; Memory Tape Runner XL; Glue Dots - Mini and Memory Book.

Guest Designer at Two Scrapbook Friends

Head on over to the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog for my Guest Designer write-up!
TFL~
Sarah

Anticipation - Stuck?! Sketches

This is a layout I've had planned for a while - it is meant to be a companion piece to my "Adoration" layout. I decided to use the Creative Team Call Sketch from Stuck Sketches as the inspiration for my layout. I'm not sure if my layouts are quite up to Creative Team standards - but I really liked the sketch and it can't hurt to try!

As you can see, I rotated the sketch 90 degrees to the right and shifted the title position and added a couple of extra layers. I used the Bo Bunny Timepiece collection papers (and some Back to Basics Double Dot paper) for the layout. Lots of distressing and inking on all the papers for this layout - I used Walnut Stain ink on everything. In the top left corner of the background page, you can see a bit of fussy cutting in the large flower with some brown paper set in behind it - I also added a Prima Say it in Pearls flower centre to this flower to accent it.

The title is a chipboard piece by Maya road; I painted it with Antique White acrylic paint and then misted it with Tattered Angels Glimmer mist in Latte - I then wiped the mist off as I just wanted a hint of the colour on the title. To finish off the title, I lightly spread some Liquid Pearls in Gold Pearl over it. I cut the larger flower beside the title out of the Timepiece Stripe paper and then added a handmade lace ruffle flower and a Prima flower centre.  On the right side of this photo, you can see some accent stitching, as well as a distressed peek-a-boo with the striped paper in the background and a mini-rose accent.

The large flower to the left of the title was made using a Cosmo Cricket Gluber. I cut 2.5 inch brown ribbon into strips and frayed the edges and then finger pleated it to form the first layer of the flower; I then added a handmade lace ruffle flower, another layer of the frayed ribbon and a Prima flower centre to complete the flower. The smaller paper flowers are by Prima.

The chipboard key is a Bazzill Chip. I misted it with Maya Mist in Metallic Silver and then added Distress Stickles in Walnut Stain - I was aiming for a rusted key look and I like how this turned out. I added the mini rose to the key to dress it up a bit more. You can also see more of the accent stitching to the left of the key.

TFL!

Sarah

Materials Used: Patterned Paper - Bo Bunny Timpiece Collection Stripe, Home and Moments; Bo Bunny Back to Basics Double Dot paper in Coffee Dot; Maya Road Chipboard Title, Bazzill Chips Chipboard Key; Cosmo Cricket Gluber; Offray Ribbon in Dark Brown; Hero Arts Hero Hues Woven Lace Ribbon; Prima Say it in Pearls Flower Centres; Recollections Mini Roses (cream); Prima Paper Flowers (Cream/Brown); Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Latte; Maya Mist in Metallic Silver; Tim Holtz Distress Ink and Distress Stickles in Walnut Stain; Liquid Pearls in Gold Pearl; DecoArt Acrylic Paint in Light Antique White; Sew Easy Blanket Stitch Piercer; Dark Brown Embroidery Floss.

Together - Guest Design Team Layout for "Two Scrapbook Friends"

This is my final layout as a Guest Designer with a Local Scrapbook Store, Two Scrapbook Friends, for the month of July 2011. This is a photo I have scrapped before - but I just love it and it worked so well with the Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Collection that I had to scrap it again! The picture was taken while my DH and I were on our Honeymoon in Punta Cana in April 2009.

I did a lot of layering for this LO and I had planned to do a lot more machine stitching; however, my stupid sewing machine crapped out on me in the midst of sewing a layer. I subsequently had to rip off that layer and find some new coordinating paper to finish the LO...(On the plus side, I was eventually able to fix the stupid sewing machine - but not in time to finish this LO.) Anyhow, I digress... I printed the photo for this layout twice - once in colour and once in a blue-tone. I cut the image of my husband and I out of the blue-tone picture and adhered the cut-out to the colour picture with 3D Adhesive foam dots; I love this 3D effect! 

The photo frame and title were cut using my Silhouette and I added some adhesive pearls to the swirls to dress them up. I used 3D foam dots to adhere the title to the layout to echo the 3D effect of the photo.

I love the look of banners on layouts, but this is the first time I've actually used one. I cut the scalloped ovals and letters using my Silhouette and then folded the ovals in half and strung them along some blue twine. I also added some blue glitter to the scallops of the larger ovals. I think this turned out really well and looks so cute in the corner of the LO.

The Design Kit from Two Scrapbook Friends included some of Cosmo Cricket's Glubers. I hadn't had a chance to use these before - but I really loved how easy it was to create some pretty amazing flowers using them. I didn't have any narrow taupe-coloured ribbon, so I ended up cutting some 2.5 inch ribbon into narrow strips and I frayed the edges to create the taupe flowers - I LOVE how this turned out and will probably use this technique again. The blue ribbon was the perfect complement to the frayed ribbon - I love the combination of the two in the larger flower. The flower centres are some old buttons from my stash; the pearls were originally white, so I coloured them with Smooch Pearlized Accent Paint in Snickerdoodle so that they would match the gold pearls on the photo frame and title. I tucked a small journalling sticker from the Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Cardstock Stickers in the lower right corner to finish off the LO.

TFL,

Sarah

Materials Used:

Patterned Paper - Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Collection Tiny Bubbles and Cardstock Stickers; Core'dinations Cardstock in Beach; Yellow and Peach paper from stash; Bob Bunny Back to Basics Double Dot paper in Denim Dot; Smooch Pearlized Accent Ink in Snickerdoodle; Studio G Glitter Glue in Blue; Cosmo Cricket Glubers; Offray Taupe Ribbon; Michael's Special Value Blue Ribon; Gold and Pearl Buttons from Stash; Adhesive Pearls; American Crafts Memory Marker in Denim; Karen Foster Designs Inc. Scrapper's Spools in Pansy; Glue Dots - Memory Book and Mini; American Crafts This to That Glue Runner; Keepsake Memories 3D Adhesive Foam.

3D Flower and Just Keep Swimming Card - Guest Design Team Projects for "Two Scrapbook Friends"

I completed these projects using "leftovers" from my Guest Designer Kit from Two Scrapbook Friends. (Though I do still have one more layout to share...)

First is a 3D Flower that I created using a tutorial by Dana Parlevliet I found on the Graphic 45 Blog:
http://g45papers.typepad.com/graphic45/2011/06/dana-feature.html.
I used one sheet of Cosmo Cricket paper - Salt Air Collection Deck Chairs - cut into four 4x4 squares plus one 4x4 square of dark yellow cardtock for the flower petals and added a large red button from my stash as the flower centre. I wanted to turn the flower into a pinwheel; however, due to time constraints (and lack of mechanical inspiration) I attached it to a metal stake (i.e. a straightened wire coat hanger). I'm still pretty pleased with how it turned out. I think I'll put it in the pot with one of my houseplants.

Second is a really simple card I made using some bits and pieces leftover from the Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Borders (Yellow Bubble paper) and Cardstock Stickers (Floral Strips and Fish), as well as some pieces of Core'dinations Cardstock leftover from my Beach Boy layout. The sentiment is actually cut out of the title strip (i.e. waste strip) from a sheet of the Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Paper. I added Glossy Accents to the Bubbles and added Stickles in Waterfall to the flower centres on the floral strips; I also used the stickles to add some bubbles for the fish.

One more layout to share tomorrow for my Guest Design Team projects!

TFL,
Sarah

Materials Used:
3D Flower
Patterned Paper - Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Collection Deck Chairs; Recollections Cardstock - Dark Yellow; Red Button from Stash; AdTech Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue Sticks; Wire Hanger
Just Keep Swimming Card
Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Collection Borders, Cardstock Stickers and waste strip from Coral Bloom paper; Core'dinations Cardstock (light and dark orange); Stickles in Waterfall; Ranger Ink Glossy Accents; Michael's value Pack Blank Card (Ivory).

Beach Boy - Guest Design Team Layout for "Two Scrapbook Friends"

I was so flattered when a local scrapbook store, Two Scrapbook Friends (2SF), asked me to be a guest designer for July 2011. My package of goodies from 2SF includes papers from Cosmo Cricket's Salt Air Collection, Cosmo Cricket Glubers, some Bella Blvd Baby Blooms,  a strip of gold adhesive pearls and a large piece of fabric. I'll have several posts for the projects I completed for 2SF...

My first layout is of me with my son on his first trip to the beach. He LOVES the water but was a little hesitant about going in the lake...we ended up having a great time though!

For this layout I layered punched strips of the Cosmo Cricket Salt Air papers on top of a punched strip of some coordinating Core'dinations paper as well as a Core'dinations background page. I smeared some Stickles in Christmas Red along each of the strips of the lighter orange, punched Core'dinations paper -- I wanted it to look a bit like sand was stuck to it. I then added dots of Liquid Pearls in Gold Pearl along the top and bottom edge of the punched layers to really define the edges. I matted the photo and journalling on the same paper as the background page and I also added a few dots of liquid pearl on the photo mat beside the the Baby Blooms. I added some eyelets and stitching between the photo and journalling mats - I wanted it to look a bit like an old life-jacket. I used a date sticker from the Como Cricket Salt Air Cardstock Stickers and printed the rest of the journalling on Cream Cardstock. The title letters are Fabric Thickers in Apricot and I added a ruched bit of fabric to the title to coordinate with the large "sun-flower" on the page.

This was my first time working with Glubers and I have to say - I LOVED them. To create this "sun-flower" I first sprayed a large strip of cheesecloth with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Candy Apple Red. Once that dried, I knotted one end of the strip of cheesecloth and attached it to the centre of the Gluber and then tightly rolled the cheesecloth around the knotted centre to create the spiral. I then added some Stickles in Fruit Punch to the grooves of the spiral. I decided the colour of the spiral wasn't quite what I wanted so I spritzed it with some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Lemon Zest to tone down the red. To create the ruffle around the spiral, I hemmed both sides of a long strip of fabric and then did some simple gathering stitching along one of the hemmed edges and --voila -- my "sun-flower".

TFL,

Sarah

Materials Used:

Pattered Papers: Cosmo Cricket Salt Air Collection - Coral Bloom and Half Shell; Core'dinations Cardstock (light and dark orange); Recollections Cardstock (Cream); American Crafts Thickers - Dolce Fabric Letter Stickers in Apricot; Bella Blvd Baby Blooms in Saffron; Cosmo Cricket Glubers; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Candy Apple Red and Lemon Zest; Stickles in Fruit Punch and Christmas Red; Liquid Pearls in Gold Pearl; Fabric; Cheesecloth; Eyelets (from stash); DFN Craft Thread (light orange); Fiskars Edge Punch; American Crafts This to That Glue Runner.