Back to School

While I was on blogging hiatus, there was a fun YouTube hop that happened, full of back to school layouts and inspiration. I pre-filmed so I could participate, and this is what I came up with! Scroll down for the video, and then make sure to view the video description for a full list of the other AMAZING ladies that participated. ;)

Sisters

We live in Texas, where Blue Bonnet season is a thing. This is new to me since we have only been in Indiana for a year, so of COURSE I needed Blue Bonnet kid pictures! My brother took them, and they turned out amazing.

This is the first one of those photos to make it into an album, and this background paper from the Horizon collection by Paige Evans and Pink Paislee was the absolute PERFECT color. I used lots of the Floral Ephemera from the same collection and a Silhouette Cut File (also by Paige Evans) called Dipped Leaves.

I did lots of mixed media on the background and then covered it up… LOL! But, oh well. I love how it turned out in the end. Thanks for taking a peek, and be sure to check out Horizon!

We Live In a City

(This post may contain affiliate links.  I only link things I use, and the links cost you nothing extra.  I just get a small commission.  TIA!)

We recently moved across country and we’re adjusting to living in the city again.  So, when we were visiting the Alamo and a squirrel willingly came within a few feet of my daughter’s stroller, it reminded me again that we’re city folk again. 

She loved it, and I got this cool photo!  I used the Maggie Holmes Open Book Collection for several of the papers, and then turned to my currently most-used stash of Elle’s Studio Labels and amazingly versatile alphapbets (I need them ALL!) for the finishing touches.

I started with a few layered banner pieces matted my photo, and then of course fussy cut pieces.  I jazzed up the background a bit with a bit of mist in my current favorite mist, Heidi Swapp Color Shine in Tea.


Thanks for coming by!

Heeyy!! I’m Back.

(This post may contain affiliate links.  I only link things I use, and the links cost you nothing extra.  I just get a small commission.  TIA!)

I have missed this blog!!  There’s a reason I’ve been gone, but it’s boring (moved across country, no space, things packed, new business, etc.).  Instead of boring you with the why, let’s just get to the fun stuff.  I’m creating again!

This is a layout I made recently to try to document the special bond between my girls.  They are 11 years apart, and they love each other to pieces.  In fact, I think the little would be quite fine without me as long as her sister was there for her.

The papers in this layout are from Jen Hadfield’s collection called Everyday. (for sale now at Scrapbook.com).  I adore the bright colors and fresh patterns in this collection!  I fussy cut a bunch of lemons and layered them along the horizon line.  I don’t think I’ve use lemons before so this was kinda fun!



On the white cardstock, I covered it with gesso, then some Distress Oxides in Fossilized Amber and Bundled Sage.  I smudged the inks on with my distress tool… but it didn’t quite turn out the way I was hoping… so yeah.  I need to work on that some more. 



The other bits on the page came from here and there… mostly really old stuff!  I love getting some of the oldies out and used up.

Thanks for taking a peek!  See you soon.

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!

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!

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!