Around the World, and Back to IKEA

When we lived in Eastern Europe, we went to IKEA a LOT.  We would have meetings with teammates in the cafe, hang out there for some air conditioning, stop for a quick meal, and we even walked laps around the store in an effort to get baby #3 to make his appearance. It was a familiar place for us while living in an unfamiliar country.

So when we returned to the US, we were all eager to make the 100-mile trek to IKEA to help furnish our new home stateside.  We made it there only a few weeks after our return, and did indeed find some great deals for the new place.

I used a lot of paper here from the BasicGrey Carte Postale line.  Remember that one? Me neither.  Apparently, it completely slipped under my radar until it showed up at Tuesday Morning.  I picked it up because it was full of colors that I didn’t have much of in my stash.  Mixed with a bit of October Afternoon’s Saturday Morning line, it was perfect.  I really like how this one turned out. 

Thanks for taking a peek!

DC Walking Tour

Last fall we mad a treck across the USA to attend a very special wedding.  While we were in Richmond, it seemed just too close to leave without going to visit Washington DC, since many of us had never been.  So we hopped on a train and off we went. 

We only had one afternoon, so we walked through as much as possible and caught the highlights- Washington monument, Lincoln Memorial, the White House.  The kids were old enough to appreciate the experience, I think (I hope), and it’s likely we won’t be back for quite a long time, so I took lots of photos.

I used a background paper from Basic Grey (Carte Postale) as well as a few BG embellishments.  I also used some giant chipboard letters from Seven Paper with my Distress Stains- a favorite technique of mine because it’s so very easy.  Some stamping, some tickets (Maya Road) and some thread add texture to the layers. 

Go have a crafty weekend. 

A Friend Farewell

Hi everyone!  I am finally finishing up 2015 in my Project Life album (which means I will be scrapping Christmas in July… ironically).  This photo is from our farewell party in Bulgaria, right before we moved home to Indiana.  It’s a special photo, because it features almost all of my kiddo’s friends from that time in our lives.  I’m really happy with how this one turned out.

The background is a paper from a Webster’s Pages line by Alison Kreft.  It’s actually a cut-apart sheet, but I had several so I decided to use the B side here.

I colored the chipboard frame with Distress Stain in Spiced Marmalade.  Most of the fussy-cut pieces are from Crate Paper’s Farmhouse Collection, and the letters are October Afternoon Daily Flash.

Thanks for coming by and taking a peek!

Konza Water Park

Hi there!  Thanks for coming by!  I have just a minute, but I really wanted to pop in a share this layout with you today.  The photo is from a day at a water park (I know, I know) where they also happened to have some ATV’s and a track.  After a day of watching the kids swim, my husband could not resist the chance for speed.  This happened to be my favorite photo of the day, and so all of the swimming photos are in the pocket page facing this one in my album.

The giant chipboard letters are colored with Distress Stains, and are from Studio Calico.  The paper and washi are from We R Memory Keepers.

Thanks for taking a look!  I hope you are inspired to create today!

Can’t Stop the Laughter

Every now and then, there are magic moments where the camera catches just the right look.  The right expression, the right position, the things that make a photo really stand out.  These things are often elusive, but every now and then…  you get a photo like this. 

The entire family was in the car when this happened.  We were waiting in the parking lot for baseball practice to start, and the littlest one was sitting on dad’s lap checking out all things not-in-carseat.  I called his name and he gave me this look.

When we saw the photo later, we were all cracking up.  And indeed, this photo got lots of comments on Facebook as well.  It’s just one of those photos.

I was in a mixed-media mood when i did this layout, and so I only used a minimum of embellishments.  There are a few chipboard pieces and rub-ons from the Basic Grey Wander collection, and die cut title from Pretty Little Studio, and some assorted letter stickers.

Ok. no go scrapbook one of “those” photos! 

Brother-In-Training

Surprise!  After 7 years, we found out we were expecting a new little one in 2014.  This was unplanned and unexpected, but quickly became an exciting event we all looked forward to.  Perhaps no one was more excited then my 7 year old, who was happy to be the youngest no longer.

As the youngest, he had very little previous experience with babies, and so one day it came up in conversation that a baby’s head must be supported at all times.  We practiced with a baby doll, and so this photo came about. 

I used some ancient Webster’s pages paper on this layout.  I think I was saving those gorgeous flowers for a special layout.  Some subtle misting in the background,lots of layering, a few Thickers, and three black journaling spots fussy cut from some Echo Park Paper complete the page.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Mommy and Me

I don’t take enough photos of myself.  What mom does, right?  I’m usually the one behind the camera, and let’s face it- the kids are cuter then I am!  When I do remember to take the shot though, I always try to get it in their albums.  Because making and preserving memories is what we scrapbookers do!

This layout was taken at a church event, but it’s not really about that.  To me, this photo shows me, as a baby-wearing mama who was hanging with her baby because that’s what I do.  It’s kind of my favorite.

One the topic of favorites, this layout uses a collection from Kaisercraft that I adore.  I did a little misting on the background, but the focus of the page is on those fussy-cut filmstrips, directing the eye to the photo.  I added some flowers and embellishment, but kept it simple.  After all, it’s all about that photo.

Can’t beat that fantastic color palette.  I think it does a good job not making the page overly feminine, even with flowers.  Someday, this baby that is my son will appreciate that. 

Go, take a photo of yourself today!

Say Cheese!

Confession time.  I actually created this page well over a year ago.  Because I took a rather long blogging break, this one never actually got photographed and published.  But I still love it!  Those photos are the bomb.  I mean, seriously. 

This was a big day for our family.  We were in Chicago for a few days on a mini vacation before boarding a plane to head to Bulgaria, where we then lived for the next 2-1/2 years.  I had read somewhere that is was a good idea to take a break between all the goodbyes and the actual move, to give everyone a chance to settle down and breathe.  It was great advice.

Anyway, these photos are from the Children’s Museum at Navy Pier.  There was a photo booth there, and though I am rarely one to spring for these types of things, I knew it was a momentous time in our lives and I decided to go for it.  I carried these photos around for quite a while before getting them in the scrapbook. 

These big numbers are one of my favorite products ever.  They’re from Pink Paislee, and I got my first set in a kit.  I loved them so much I bought a second set (which is something I rarely do).  But I’ve used them a lot and they’re still going strong! 

Most of these papers are from one of the older Dear Lizzy collections from American Crafts.  I think it was called 5th Avenue?  I don’t have any more to check! 

Have a craft week, friends!

Read!

I am fairly sure, after talking to many other moms, that I am not the only one who has kids that struggle to enjoy reading.  My second child picked up reading skills fairly easily, but the love of reading has been elusive.  So, when he picked up a Lego book voluntarily to “read” with his little brother (then just 8 months old) I was all for it.  It was so cute, watching the older school the younger in every Lego figurine in the Ninjago series.  I was amazed how long the little guy sat with his big brother for the narration.

Even though this isn’t the greatest photo, I absolutely had to scrapbook it because of the story behind it.  I was also motivated to pull out a line I have been saving for a special photo- in this case, October Afternoon’s Public Library.  It was perfect!  Not too feminine, and book-related accents.

A little white paint on the background is my favorite way to tone down a bold background to make sure that perfect photo stays the focus.  After I added in some fun circles and a reading cat (who doesn’t love a cat that reads?), I added some orange Thickers.  These Thickers were faded by the sun, because I left them on my desk way too long… however, it just added to the feel of this layout!  Sometimes serendipity happens.

Thanks for coming by and taking a peek!  Have you used a favorite line or product recently?  Link me up in the comments!

Lego Festival

There are a few things in life that are very easy choices.  Having coffee every morning, for example.  Also, when the local mall puts on a free Lego Festival, you go!  Especially if you have Lego lovers in your home.  And I do!  As a mom of 4, I’ve been a member of the Lego injury-in-the-dark club for at least 8 years.  Ha!

Seriously, though, this festival was pretty cool.  Amazing life-sized Lego creations that took thousands of legos to build (and must have weighed a ton)!  We took a couple of trips there during the month-long event, and I use a few of my favorite photos on this layout.

I started with the idea of bold colors to accommodate the colors of my photos, and chose the background paper from Echo Park and the flowers from some ancient Jenni Bowlin that has been in my scrap drawer forever.  Some leftover arrows from a recent Silhouette cut brought everything together.  I like that it’s an unexpected combo.

I used some white acrylic paint on the background to highlight and soften, and a few droplets of mist just for fun. 

Thanks for taking a peek!

Smiles, and Lots of Them!

Ok, so… I’m apparently a negligent blogger.  I’ve been creating, but we added a new baby to the family, renovated a house top to bottom, and moved twice all in the last 18 months.  Somehow, the blogging never fit into this crazy year!  Imagine that!

So now I have 4 kids, a house that is 95% finished but needs constant cleaning (refer back to the 4 kids), and a tiny scrapbook nook that is fully functioning.  No more excuses!  I am stretching my blogging legs as we speak. 

This layout is one that I created for my albums a few months ago.  I mostly scrap in chronological order, and I’m about 18 months behind, so I’m reliving 2015 with each layout. I started this one with some white cardstock and mist, then dug into my scrap drawer for some bits to form the two columns along the edges. 

This photo is of my kiddos and husband on a 3 wheel bike we rented for a Saturday outing in Sofia, Bulgaria (where we lived at the time).  We had done this before, and when it was time to move back to the USA, we let the kids each choose one final activity.  My oldest chose these bikes (and not to worry, the baby didn’t actually ride.  He only sat there while the bike was still.  I needed my photo op!)

The die cut doily is hard to see in photos, but I tried to highlight it with some Enamel Accents from Inkessentials.  These might be my favorite new things to add as a finishing touch to a page.  The flowers are from Echo Park and Crate Paper, and the bicycle is BasicGrey. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy the lovely weather and pop back in again soon! 

Alyssa