Friday, July 20, 2012

Whoosh!

I started this layout way back in February for a challenge set by Kirsten at SNC to show movement on your layout.  I actually completed everything but cutting out the title.  So, I decided to get that done!

I decided to use lots of circles on the layout to show movement - die cuts, buttons, stitched rounded arrows, even the scalloped border.






Thursday, July 19, 2012

One Little Word Check-In

When I chose my OLW, it was to help guide me through this year.  I did well with it until March arrived and school got so hectic.  This month, we were to reflect upon how we have incorporated our word into our lives and where we need to go from here.  We were also asked to used brightly coloured paper on the LO.

Supplies used:  Jen Allyson's digital kit "Vanity Fair - Persimmon" - papers, stamps, embellies
Julie Billingsley's scalloped border and scalloped circle

I felt that the photos were very bright so I chose to use more muted colours in my paper and embellie choices.  However, they're quite busy so I figured that counted for something.  ;)

I followed a sketch from Page Maps (April 2010 #2).

The journalling reads:


Half-way through the year calls for some reflection on my journey towards peace.  I don’t feel as though I’ve made much progress at all.  I did well until March and then things at work got so, so busy and hectic and I found that I was so consumed by work and family that peace was not in my life at all.  Then along came June with Uncle Lyn’s passing, Kristin’s wedding and then Larsen’s passing, along with the tough decision to go back to high school part-time and the regular end-of-year things at school. I was so thankful for June to be done.


Now, though, that summer holidays are here and I have the time to recharge and do things for me, I feel more at peace.  I’m more in control and I don’t have anything that I have to do. Some thing that I’ve discovered does bring me peace is gardening.  Being outside and working in the dirt with plants makes me forget about everything and just be.  And what better way to find peace than to just be?
   July 2012    

Although I haven't done too well in keeping peace in my life, I do know that it is something that I NEED in my life so I will continue to strive for it.  It may end up being my word again next year but that's OK.  I think it's one of those lessons that I'm meant to learn but is a very difficult one for me.  So, I will continue to look for it.


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Cute

This layout was for another challenge over at Skrap 'n Chat.  April challenged us to use a flag on our layout.  Flags are so cute and I'd been thinking about how to incorporate one.  So, I just decided to jump in.

Supplies used:  Little Yellow Bicycle's "Paradise" (patterned papers, cardstock, chipboard elements, pink stick pin)
Washi tape
Font:  Ravie

I decided to cut little flags out of white cardstock and ink it to match the colours in my LO.  I painted the toothpicks brown but it was too dark so then I covered some of it up with Smooch.  I adhered it down with washi tape.


As for the other corner, I added some chipboard elements from the LYB "Paradise" collection - I just love it!  I decided to have a title block and I edged the block with some more washi tape.


I based my layout off this one by Tania in the Club CK gallery called "All-Star".



Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Fun in the Sun

I did this challenge for Toree's July colour challenge - to use pink, yellow and brown on a layout.  To me, that's a hard colour combination but I always like doing the colour challenge as it stretches me and I  usually love the outcome.

I went through my photos and I found these photos of A and K at the beach.  Since K is in the picture, I thought that using a bit of pink would be OK and with them being beach pics, I instantly thought of using a sun.  Plus, her little sun hat had a touch of coral in it and her onesie was yellow.  So, it all worked.  I really like how it turned out but I wish I had placed my photos lower.  However, once you adhere the ATG glue, it's down for good.  So, it will have to stay this way, a little unbalanced but that's OK.


Here's a close-up of my sun.  I used a light yellow cardstock and then inked not only the edges but the whole piece for each section.  Then I stitched around the edges.  I'd never run into this before but I ended up having some sections where I finished on the top and not underneath.  I decided to knot the floss on top.  I figured out that I had an odd number of holes in those sections and that's why it happened.  Another thing to keep in mind while scrapping!  lol


None of the flowers I had worked with the layout so I ended up making my own.  I used one I have to make the shape and then cut them out of two different papers.  I used foam mounting tape to give it some dimension.


I wasn't sure what to do as the layout was missing a little something.  I decided to add a little bit of stitching and a button to finish it off.



Then, this past week, Erika's issue challenge was to use a sun on your layout.  Isn't that funny that I'd just thought of using a sun the week before?  :D


Monday, July 16, 2012

Gardeners

How fun is it to be able to participate in all the cool scrapbooking challenges again?!  Seriously, I'm so very happy right now - to be able to sit down and use my creativity once again for my own projects.  I'm lovin' it!  :D

This layout is for a challenge over at Skrap 'n Chat.  Kirsten asked us to use multiple photos and to use at least four patterned papers.  Using a lot of photos on a layout is not an issue for me - I do it often.  But using multiple PPs, that's a challenge for me.  I don't tend to do that as I'm never sure what patterns go with what.  But, I decided to use these papers that my friend, Devra, sent to me.  They were all within the same colour palette and being pastel, they were easier for me to work with.  In this photo, it's sort-of hard to see the different PPs so here they are:  #1 - striped background paper, #2 - vertical block on the LH page, #3 - small bracket border that goes across both pages in between the bottom photos, #4 - the block with the small circles on the RH page.  And actually the big circle border on the RH side is from a piece of PP but I decided to fussy-cut the circles and make it a border. The pretty yellow metal flower is from a friend, Melissa.


I pulled out the Cricut and cut this title.  Then I decided to outline it with a watercolour pencil to help it stand out.


I just love taking my white flowers and customizing the colour.  I used my yellow chalk to make that bottom flower match.  A button and some twine and that one was done.