Hello Summer

Yes, I WISH it was summer already. After a few pretty nice days, we're getting ready to have another cold snap around here. Of course "cold" is a quite relative thing. Southerners like myself shiver when it dips below 50 degrees. Bring back the hot muggy days of summer and I promise not to complain. Meanwhile I have a summer-themed scrapbook page to share, based on the following sketch by Susan Stringfellow:

Yesterday was Sketchy Thursday on the Scraptastic blog and this was my contribution to the effort:

Thanks to a loaded sticker sheet from Bo-Bunny, I was able to list all the activities that kept us most busy and amused during the summer months, in circular formation around the page. 

Scraptastic's Sweater Weather kit and add-on were used exlusively on this layout, setting aside the wintery embellishments of course. Stars take the place of snowflakes!

A thick banner was the perfect spot on which to journal about our summer activities. "There was never an 'I'm bored', just an 'I'm hungry'!" That about sums it up!

 Hello Summer...I can't wait to say those words and have you back! ;)

For more interpretations of this sketch, see this week's Sketchy Thursday blog post!

Quilt-Inspired with Crate Paper Kiss Kiss

I could have went a whole other direction when scrapping this photo of my teenage son. He's shirtless, wearing an orange and blue tropical-print swimsuit, and sports the tan he had already acquired from two weeks of summer swim practices and a few days at the beach. Yes, I could have gone with bright, summery papers. But then it hit me how well his sun-bronzed look went with some of the papers and gold embellishments of the Kiss Kiss collection from Crate Paper. The subtle prints, subdued pinks, and patterns infused with tan/brown were perfect. Even better, the number 14, intended as a reference to Valentine's Day, could also stand for his age. 

Here's the quilt-inspired layout:

I chose gold Thickers to give my page a title:

Journaling cards, labels and stickers are layered around my photo:

But it all started with the quilt-inspired background of diagonal stitching and pieced squares:

Sixteen squares (like the one shown below, minus stitching) were assembled and adhered to the page.

A banner punch made it so easy! Here's how I did it:

Four punched pieces were inked and arranged on each of 16 3x3-inch squares. Creating the squares separately, I was then able to move them around until I came up with a pleasing design. Next, I lightly adhered the squares to the cardstock background and machine stitched through the centers of each, attaching them permanently and adding to the quilt effect.

See, it really wasn't that complicated!

The entire Kiss Kiss Collection from Crate Paper can be found in the Scraptastic Store. Check it out.

17-14, a Pinterest Inspired Page

When I began this page, I had NO idea where it was going...or how it would end up. End's up I love it! And I'm happy that I typed up some journaling that recounts the story absent from this photo. It began, the page that is, when Monique and I chose a few Pinterest pins to inspire our projects for the Scraptastic blog. Monique had so many cool pins that I couldn't (read: didn't want to) narrow them down...so we used all of these:

Each of the five images was responsible for one thing or another (the design, choice of photo, subject, embellishments, etc.) on this page: 

Everything except the twine is from January's Sweater Weather kit and add-on from Scraptastic: cardstock, patterned papers (including exclusive Scraptastic papers), printed vellum, tags, stickers, letter stickers, and enamel dots. 

The story is this. With an early morning swim meet the next day, my son chose to skip a football game. It wasn't your ordinary game either. His school was playing in the high school championship game, in the Superdome, against a powerful, opponent with many, many previous titles. So here he is "reading" the football game on his i-pad, through play by play posts in a forum!

I captured those last few moments of the game in my journaling, and the regret we felt at having not gone to the game!

The photo and journaling were the focus of the page, with everything else tucked in the empty spaces, wherever they would fit! 

In the grouping below, words were arranged like scrabble tiles:

The two tags give the final score, with the team names stamped above their respective numbers:

Yes, it was a close one! And the school's first state football championship since 1960! We can say there's always next year, but truthfully, it might be decades. sigh.

He might have missed an historic game, but looking on the bright side, Kevin had some awesome swims the next day, improving most of his times. So there's that! :D

Scraptastic Store: September Skies

The page below was created for the Scraptastic Store and features Heidi Swapp's gorgeous collection, September Skies. The line sports papers in a variety of colors and patterns, but you know how much I love blue, so I chose to play up the navy, aqua, and lime. Stickers from Echo Park, die-cuts from Gossamer Blue, washi tape from Bella Blvd. and other fun embellishments complete the page:

This is one of my favorite uses for washi tape...and so easy: 

To assemble the banner above, several strips of washi tape were folded over twine. Then using scissors, I cut each tape into a triangular flag shape (being super careful so as not to snip the twine!)

 Gold stars bring a bit of dimension and shine to the constellation paper:

The title combines a Heidi Swapp clear acrylic word with Bella Blvd. chipboard alphas in blueberry:

Finally, I couldn't resist adding a few shimmery green sequins. Don't they look like bubbles?! 

This is a photos of my son preparing to swim in one of his very first swim meets with his team, the Sharks. In the two and a half years that he has been swimming, he has changed so much; it doesn't look like the same child! "Eat, Sleep, Swim" alludes to how big a part of his life this sport has become. 

Here is a supply list from the Scraptastic Store: Patterned Paper (Heidi Swapp's September Skies Collection-Open Air Paper, Star Gazing Paper, Mountain Trail Paper, Echo Park's Creative Agenda-3x4 Journaling Cards Paper), Die-cuts (Jillibean Soup-Here's The Story Mini Placemats, Gossamer Blue-On My Desk Gold Foil Die-cuts), Echo Park Creative Agenda Element Stickers, Heidi Swapp Clear Acrylic Words, Simple Stories DIY Christmas Letters, Bella Blvd Amorie Chipboard Alpha in Blueberry, sequins, twine, and gold stars.

Happy Birthday *U*S*A*

Oddly enough, I've been working on a couple of summer themed scrapbook pages with a winter-themed scrapbook kit...and it works! Scraptastic always gives the choice of two kits, and I could have chosen the kit without a decidedly winter feel, but the Sweater Weather kit appealed to me in other ways. 

For one, it includes a couple of exclusive Scraptastic patterned papers, two of which have that elusive true blue in their color scheme. In fact, it's the red, white, and blue in many of the papers that gave me the idea to scrapbook this 4th of July picture with the kit:

To reinforce the theme of my page, an American flag cut file was duplicated along the bottom of the background paper and small stars were stamped along the top, along with larger punched stars. 

I love the look of kraft with red, white, and blue:

As you might have noticed, I employed pen stitching throughout this page: around the lighter punched stars, on the tags, and around each of the flag motifs:

There you have it! A kit designed for cool weather beautifully scrapped my summer photo, where the only "snow"...is in the SNOWballs. ;)

2014 Favorites

There were a few hiccups with my last post and none of the photos were displaying...so here we go again. In no particular order I am presenting a roundup of my favorite scrapbook pages from the past year:

Which is your favorite?

Washi Tape Christmas Tree

I shared this how-to on the Scraptastic blog yesterday, so I thought I'd share it here as well. It's a great way to use all those pretty tapes that you have piling up around you!

It all started when I was placing two more rolls of tape on my washi tape holder. Horror of horrors, I couldn't fit but one or two more! Yikes! So, to put a dent in my stash of pretty tapes while creating a fun page to showcase a photo of our Christmas tree (yet to be printed), I fashioned this bright and vibrant Christmas tree of washi tape "flaps":

How-To:
On a separate sheet of (white) cardstock, use a pencil and ruler to draw a horizontal line the desired width of your tree. Then cut a strip of washi tape approximately 3 inches long. Fold the tape over on itself leaving 1 inch of tape free. Use this free section of tape to attach the washi flap, aligning the folded edge with the line on the cardstock. Continue with various tapes, leaving only the slightest gap between each one. Begin the next row of tapes in the middle of the end tape of the previous row as shown. Use a ruler to ensure that tapes run level across each row. Each row will have one fewer flap than the one below it. Continue adding tapes until you are left with a single flap at the top. Your tree should end up in a somewhat triangular shape. Using a ruler, cut out your tree into a more refined triangle so that little or no cardstock shows along the edges. Adhere the washi tree to misted cardstock and complete the page.

Note: The longer the flaps, the taller the tree! Flaps that are too short will result in a stumpy tree. Yes, this was learned through trial and error. ;)

Now I'm on the lookout for more ways that I can use these tapes! They are too pretty to just sit and "be pretty"! It's time for me to brainstorm, and get them into my scrapbooks.

Supplies: Chipboard: (Maggie Holmes Open Book 12 x 12 Chipboard Stickers), Die-Cuts: (Pink Paislee Merry & Bright Ephemera) Washi Tape: (Bella Blvd. Designer Tape Navy Dot), (Freckled Fawn Large Gold Polka Dot), (Echo Park Creative Agenda Decorative Tape Dots), and various tapes from my stash.

Thanksgiving Pie (Chart)

The Christmas season had me creating but not finding time to share on the blog. So here's a throwback to November!

It happens all the time. We're sitting down to a fabulous feast, and not only do I fail to capture the food, but the family as well. It's just always so hectic. We had about 30 people gathering at my parents' house (the only house that could fit us all) for our big Thanksgiving Day dinner. My only photo was a phone pic of all the foil covered dishes, running from one end of the counter to the other. Meanwhile I was running here and there, setting up Sternos, counting chairs, arranging utensils, trying not to burn the gravy. When we finally sat down to eat, I was just happy to do that and nothing else.

So phone pic it is. Below you can see how I scrapped my one odd Thanksgiving photo, one in which you see no food!

Papers and labels are from Elle's Studio Sycamore Lane collection, a treasure trove of bright and colorful patterns. I borrowed some of those same hues and gave my background a light wash of watercolor. Confetti, punched from paper scraps, adds a festive touch, while a happy little pie chart represents all the yummy dishes beneath those layers of foil. (Yes, I misspelled Chinet in my journaling. Sigh.)

My favorite dishes get special mention, labeling some of the wedges.

and recount in the journaling how Chinet and Solo cups stand in for fancy china and crystal. The layout is aptly titled Casual Feast:

Regardless, the house is filled with family and laughter, and what was under all that foil was the most delicious Thanksgiving dinner ever!

We are thankful!