Merry Christmas

This is the final layout for Apron Strings month long challenge series.  The final challenge is to use an older kit containing paper with trees of some kind, pair up the older kit (or papers if you don't have a kit) with newer round embellishments and newer tags.

I used Fancy Pants papers from the December 2010 kit.  I added a ribbon bow and glittery dome gems to the tree for a little sparkle.  The journal tags coordinate with the paper.

 I've always kept my scrapbooking and cardmaking fairly private and this was the first time I decided to play along so I was a little nervous if I'd be able to do it or not.  So I'd like to send out a great big Thank You to everyone for all the sweet comments and encouragement during the challenge.

Snowbirds

Ever since retiring, my parents head to Florida in October to spend the winter in the sunshine.  It doesn't get extremely cold where they live, but they love being able to spend time outside in Florida.  The sun was barely up before they headed out on the road.

The two page layout is for the Out With the Old, In With the New challenge I've been participating in at Apron Strings.  This challenge is to use a Christmas/Winter themed kit with non-Christmas/Winter photos. Add in some of your newest soft embellishments (ribbon, felt, etc.). 

 

I used Jillibean Soup papers from the December 2010 kit.  The soft embellies are the new red felt letters from American Crafts and the ribbon from the kit.

The Boat Dock

Ugh...is this heat wave ever going to end??  The garden area out front looks like a jungle, but it's too hot to pull weeds and cut back the vines.  I'm looking forward to the rain shower that's in the forecast for tonight.  Hopefully it'll cool things off a little.  Guess one good thing about the ultra hot weather is I've spent a lot of time inside scrapbooking!

Today's challenge at Apron Strings blog is to try a Classic style layout, paired with an older kit of your choice.  What is Classic?  The first thing that came to mind was classic patterns:  Plaid, polka dots, stripes.  I used Cosmo Cricket Mr Campy papers from the March 2009 kit. 

 
Last fall, I took a few short day trips specifically to take pictures.  I was still doing Project 365 where I took a picture every day for an entire year, but was looking to add a little variety in the everyday pics I'd been taking for 9 months.  One of the places I remember spending a lot of time at as a kid was the campground at Crab Orchard Lake, AKA 'The Boat Dock'.  When I stopped by last fall, there were only a few RV's (guess it was getting late in the season) and it was very quiet.  I was surprised at how well the grounds have been maintained.  The little beach/swimming area is no longer there, but the few pieces of playground equipment (with the tallest swing set I've ever seen-seriously I thought it was super tall cause I remember it from a kids point of view but the thing is ginormous!) were still there.  The sun was just starting to set, the leaves were piling up on the ground and it was very peaceful.  I think I took some great pictures.  As I was leaving, I noticed the warning sign that basically said if you enter the grounds without a permit you'll be arrested for trespassing!  So I guess my peaceful afternoon actually turned out to be illegal but I don't think the squirrels are gonna tell on me. 

Thanks for looking.  Be sure to check back for the final two days of challenges.

It Fits

Welcome back, I'm having so much fun getting layouts finished this month!  I've been super productive but just hope I can keep it going into August.  Tuesday's Out With the Old, In With the New challenge at Apron Strings is to select your oldest non-Christmas kit and pair it with your most recent Christmas-time photos.  I haven't scrapped a single Christmas picture from last year so I had lots to choose from.

I used Pink Paislee's Amber Road collection from September 2009's kit.  The paper's are fall-ish, which gets me thinking about falling leaves and trees which is how I ended up with
pictures of my Dad going a few rounds with the Christmas tree!  It's an artificial tree so it gets broken down and stuffed into a big cardboard box at the end of the season.  It's not a new tree, they've had it a couple of years, but we could NOT figure out how to get it back into the box!  The center post brakes down into two parts but one was about 8 inches longer than the box.  We turned it every which way possible (and even looked at the instructions!) but could not get it back into the box.  (And yes, the post only brakes into two parts-that was the first thing we checked.....and the second....and the third....).  Finally, Dad decided to just cut a hole in the end of the thing and be done with it!  This is his victory pose...

Question:  Does this mean we were smarter than the box or the box was smarter than us??  Hmmmm.

Brothers & Sisters

Happy Monday to everyone!  After a very productive Saturday and a super relaxing Sunday, I'm back and ready to finish out Apron Strings month long challenge series.  I'm really glad I took the leap and entered the challenges.  I've made a dent in my pile of kits, used some embellishments that I'd forgotten about and discovered I can make time to scrapbook during the week and not just on the weekends! 

Today's challenge is to use the following color scheme found in an older Apron Strings kit (if no kits, use your older papers) then add some of your newer silver or glittery embellishments.

 

I used October Afternoon papers from the July 2009 kit.  The pictures are of my Grandmother's family.  The bottom picture was taken in the late 50's or early 60's and the top picture was in the mid-70's.  It's a little difficult to see, but the black alpha's are glittered.

Thanks for looking!

 

 

Congrats!

Challenge #5 at Papertrey Ink's Stamp-A-Faire is to take a solid shape and create your own custom "faux" border!

This was a difficult one!  I didn't have much to work with.  The only solid stamps I could find were birds, bunnies or apples!  I decided to use the ornament from Communique Curves.  It's not completely solid, but it's pretty close!

That's it for me.  Wish I had more time for the remaining challenges but I'm calling it a day.  Thanks for looking!

All products are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.

Cardstock: Melon Berry, Ocean Tides, Vintage Cream

Dies: Limitless Layers

Ink: Ocean Tides

Patterned Paper: Road Trip

Ribbon: Ocean Tides

Stamps: Communique Curves, Just The Ticket

Thank You

Challenge #4 at Papertrey Ink's Stamp-A-Faire:


I thought it would be fun to do a color challenge for this go-around! Papertrey colors you would use are represented as Ripe Avocado, Simply Chartreuse, Hawaiian Shores & Enchanted Evening.

Here's my version.  It's one of my favorites!

All products used are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.

Cardstock: Simply Chartreuse, Vintage Cream

Ink: Enchanted Evening, Hawaiian Shores, Ripe Avocado

Patterned Paper: In Bloom

Stamps: Garden Variety, Think Big Favorites #4

Happy Anniversary

Challenge #3 at Papertrey Ink's Stamp-A-Faire is to punch a window from you card cover and tie ribbon or twine from the window to the side of your card.  Here's my version:

This is the first time I've tried using these colors together, but I think they work well together.  Thanks for looking!

All products are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.

Cardstock: Kraft, Lemon Tart

Dies: Mat Stack 3

Gems: Basic Grey

Ink:  Memento Black, Scarlett Jewel

Ribbon: Lemon Tart

Stamps: Birthday Basics, Mat Stack 3, Tags For Spring, Tag It's #3

Tools: 1 3/4 hole punch, Corner Rounder

Wishing

Challenge #2 at Papertrey Ink's Stamp-A-Faire is to pair up a hot pink, like Raspberry Fizz, with a charcoal grey (like Smokey Shadow).

I LOVE this color combo! 

All products are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted

Cardstock:  Grey and White (company unknown)

Dies:  Double Ended Banner Mat Stack 1

Gems: Basic Grey

Ink:  Charcoal, Raspberry Fizz

Patterned Paper: In Bloom

Stamps: Birthday Basics, Mat Stack 1

Berry Sweet

I thought I'd play along with the Stamp-A-Faire Challenges at Papertrey Ink today and this is my card for Challenge #1. The Challenge is to create a project featuring patterned strips that are created with some of your favorite decorative elements. 

The background was designed using a stamp from Places Please and was stamped using Versamark Ink.

All products are Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted. 

Cardstock:  Hawaiian Shores, Pure Poppy, Fine Linen

Dies:  Tag Sale #4

Ink:  Memento Black, Memento Lady Bug, Versamark

Ribbon:  Pure Poppy

Stamps:  Places Please, Tiny Treats: Birthday, Tiny Treats: Valentine

Show Boat

Wow, this has been one productive month for scrapbook layouts!  The last challenge for this week was to use your oldest Apron Strings kit (no kit? Then your oldest papers and embellies) with big bold strips. Be sure to incorporate the color red, something round and rings. 

I have about 10 years of dance pictures I haven't even begun to use in layouts so I figured this was as good a time as any.  The theme for this recital was Show Boat - we always had the craziest costumes!  The page is kind of busy so I hid the title/journal tag behind the orange scallop.
 

New Phones

The challenge for day  15 at Apron Strings is to take out your oldest kit that fits the newest style challenge. FREESTYLE. Freestyle is freedom. There are no rules, you just play: doodle, sketch, outline photos with pens instead of matting them, the look (or if you're brave your own hand) of hand-drawn titles and shapes, free-form designs. Playful.

I used a brown pen and doodled a frame around each matted picture to echo the printed doodles around the flowers.  Thanks for checking out my blog!

US Navy

This layout features a picture of my brother taken a few years ago.  He recently received news that he is getting a promotion to Commander so he (and his probable assignment in Kuwait) has been on my mind lately.  Doesn't he look spiffy in his whites?

The challenge for day 14 at Apron Strings  is to use an older kit that contains paper with polka dots. Combine that older kit with your newest rub-ons or stickers.  I used Jenni Bowlin papers from the June 2009 kit and combined it with a stripe paper from my stash.  I don't have any rub-ons and didn't think I had any stickers, but I found the gold stars and round Navy sticker in the bottom of a drawer!  Perfect.  The letters are Thickers foam.  It's a simple layout, but one of my favorites.

Thanks for looking!

Easter 2011

The challenge for day 13 at Apron Strings is use your oldest kit with the scariest (to you) embellishment in it and combine it with a new embellishment or paper that has no "scare factor."  Didn't even have to think about that one.  Hands down, sewing on my pages is scary.  I bought a few colors of thread, a needle and a couple of the changeable heads to the Sew Easy product line last November but haven't really used them.  I did break them out for one of the layouts earlier this month but I think I only made somewhere around 8 stitches and I definitely didn't find it 'Easy'!  This time I was determined to sew something that would have an impact on the page.  

I hand sketched a swirly (don't know what else to call it) onto copy paper.  Then I laid the copy paper on top of my cardstock and used a paper piercer to trace the swirly.  I tried to make each hole approximately 1/4 inch apart.  I did this three times on each page and then used colored floss to string the holes together.  I think it worked out pretty well.  It's a little time consuming, but a least I'm not scared of the sewing anymore!  As for the non-scare embellishment, that would be the foam letters.  Papers used were Echo Park's Sweet Summertime from the September 2010 kit.

Should have my camera back tomorrow so this is the last day of oddly colored, blurry pics.

Hawaii 1996

Happy Wednesday!  I have another layout (a two-pager!!) for the month long challenge at Apron Strings Designs. 

The challenge for day 12 is to incorporate this new color scheme into your layout using an old Apron Strings kit.  I couldn't seem to find any kits that even came close to these so I turned to my stash and used Basic Grey Olivia papers.  They are a little more blue than purple, but pretty close....and adding black with green is one of my favorite color combos!

Oh yeah, I would also like to apologize in advance for the poor picture quality.  My camera is unavailable so I'm using my phone.  I'm already photographically challenged and this doesn't help any!

Emma's First Christmas

Wow, I haven't completed this many layouts in two weeks ever!  But that's OK, it just means I'm clearing up the space for new product!!

The Day 11 challenge at Apron Strings is to use an older kit with a stripe or plaid pattern and combine it with something new and round and something new and soft. 

I used Bella Blvd papers from December 2009.  Emma was born November 28, the same day as her momma, so she wasn't even a month old for her first Christmas. 

I have a love for Christmas paper that knows no bounds.  Any color, any style, any time of year......it doesn't matter.  For the new and round, I used a chipboard accent and for the new and soft I used foam.  Yes, pink foam.....scalloped, on the edge.  I used the large scallop die from Papertrey Ink and my Big Shot to cut it out.  I've used felt before, but never foam.  I like it, may have to try it again.

Thanks for looking.

One

Happy Saturday to everyone!  It's a hot one here in Central Illinois today, not so much the temps (although those are in the 90's) but the humidity makes being outside not a very happy place to be.  It's gonna be like that for a couple more days before we get a little break, so staying inside with the air conditioning sounds like the place to be. 

I completed this layout of my 1st Birthday for the month long challenge series at Apron Strings blog.  For Day 10, we were to use our least favorite kit as well as something new that we really love.  I used the Lily Bee Vintage Poppy kit from December 2009.  I love the designs on the papers, but I just couldn't seem to find any pictures that looked right with the colors so it kept getting passed over.  It took this challenge for me to really look for something that would work and these pictures from the 70's certainly fit the bill.  As for the something new that I love.....that would be the cherry carnival ticket in the corner.  I recently purchased these on etsy in a couple of colors and love them.  They're great for adding the date or location of the event on the layout.  I used my Cricut to cut the circle ring and some random chipboard letters for the title.

 

Little Miss

The challenge over at Apron Strings for Day 9 is to use an older kit with and new style-Shabby Chic.  Definitely a new style for me.  The few times I've attempted Shabby in the past have been a mess!  So here's my take on Shabby Chic.....a little crochet trim, a paper doily and some prima flowers.  I kinda think the dress should qualify as shabby chic in it's own right with all the lace!

90th Birthday

The challenge for Day 8 at Apron Strings is to use an older kit and combine it with one of the techniques used by guest designer Kailyn Siebert.  I used the Bo Bunny line from the June 2010 kit and decided to use Kailyn's multiple layers as inspiration.  The papers are double sided so there were lots of options to add layers.

My Grandmother celebrated her 90th Birthday this past March with loads of friends and family.  Her favorite color is purple, can you tell?

Summer 1978

I've really been digging into all the pics I have from when I was a kid.  When I first typed the title to this post I had 1778.  I know I keep getting older, but sheesh!

The Out With the Old, In With the New challenge at Apron Strings for Day 7 is to use Bright Colors! The papers are from the Peep line and I added a few bright flowers in the corners.

I was 6 years old in these pics. The first layout is a picture in front of my parents house and the second layout pics are camping at the lake and playing baseball at the city park.  Ahhhhh, the joys of summer!

Pink and Sparkly

The final challenge for this week at Apron Strings Out With the Old In With the New month long challenges is to use five items from an older kit: Cardstock, patterned paper, ribbon, buttons and chipboard AND use two newer items.  That's a lot of embellishments for one page!  Probably wouldn't be so busy if I'd go back to doing two-page layouts, but I get so much more accomplished doing singles.  For this one, I used an SEI kit with tons of sparkle and added a little stitching and some new glitter letters I picked up last weekend.

This is Sahbrinna....if it's pink and/or sparkly....she loves it.  Sahbrinna's the daughter of a friend and she just graduated from High School.  The pics were taken at a celebration for Seniors at her church and I also included one of her senior pictures. 

Day 5 Challenge

The challenge for Day 5 at Apron Strings is to combine and older kit with a newer kit.  I found two that were in the same color family, May 2009 and January 2011.  And no, the 2009 kits haven't been sitting around for two years....I joined Apron Strings last summer, so I've picked up quite a few of the 2009 kits when they were on sale (they have awesome sales!).  I love blue and orange together and both of these kits went right along with that color combo.

The journaling says:  "This photo of my brother cracks me up.  Seriously, what question did the photographer ask to get this reaction?"  I guess it was his 9 year old version of a 'serious' face.

45th Anniversary

The Day 4 challenge at Apron Strings is to use your oldest non-summer kit and new photos.

For this challenge, I used the kit from February 2010 and photos my parents had made to celebrate their 45th Anniversary this past June.  I trimmed a few small rulers out of the papers and used them to add a little dimension with the multiple layers.  Webster's Pages makes beautiful papers and I love all the layers on this one. 

Day 3 Challenge

The challenge for Day 3 at Apron Strings is to take a semi used kit and combine it with new cardstock. 

I used Basic Grey papers left over from the October 2009 kit.  All I have left are a few pieces, but with my love for anything Basic Grey, I couldn't part with the leftovers.  I have no idea what color cardstock was with the original kit, but I used a mustard yellow to bring out the bright spots of color in the long side strip.  These are some old pictures from my childhood.  I think I was around 10 or 11 at the time.  I added the crochet ribbon trim, doily and ticket embellishments from a few odds and ends I have in my stash.  Thanks for looking!

Red, White and Blue

The day 2 challenge at Apron Strings is to use a past kit that includes the colors red, white and blue.

This is Christopher's kindergarten graduation picture.  He's so cute in his little cap and gown and clutching his diploma like it's a baseball bat!  The background is red and white plaid and the ribbon is navy gingham check.   

This is a First

I'm trying out something a little different today......stepping out of my comfort zone you could say.  I'm entering my first challenge (assuming I can figure out how to link to it)!  I'm playing along with the month long challenges at Apron Strings, 'Out with the Old, In with the New'.  I'm a little behind for this first week so bear with me and my multiple posts today.  With the variety of events being completed, there should be something for everyone. 

First up:  Use your oldest summer themed kit and combine it with your newest metallic embellishment.  

I used a kit from June 2009 and colored metal paperclips. 

The layout is from the Summer of 2009 as well (yes, I'm a few years behind....who isn't!).  I took Christopher to the Magic House in St. Louis for his 5th birthday.  The Magic House is a great place to spend the day with kids.  There's tons of hands-on activities for all ages, so it's an all day event.  One of our first stops was the Magnet Room.  I don't know if you can tell from the top photo, but colored paper clips were one of the items that were used to demonstrate on the structure.  (No, I didn't steal the paperclips ....haha). 

 

Christmas is in the Air

Haha....not really.  The heat index this 4th of July weekend has been over 100 degrees, but I'm keeping cool inside working on Christmas cards.  I finished 4 of the cards I stamped and colored a while back.  I'm showing two of my ((favs)).  The stamps are Friendship Jar Holiday fillers and the little tags are Angled Labels.  Those peppermints are not easy to color, let me just tell ya.  Don't know if I'll be doing that again anytime soon!

That's it for now.  Have a safe and happy 4th and check back soon!