Halloween in...July

Hello friends!! I'm sure you have all heard of Christmas in July...but have you heard of Halloween in July?? That's the theme of my layout today! I was going through photos, trying to get "caught up", and found these from Halloween 2013, and decided it was time to get them scrapped.

I knew I wanted to play on some of the "traditional" Halloween colors...so I went with orange, green, and black..with a little gray thrown in for good measure. I had a lot of fun digging through my stash on this one.

I have found that when it comes time to purge out some supplies, I have no trouble getting rid of patterned papers, embellishments are another story..I hold on to them FOREVER!! So for this layout, I wanted to challenge myself to use some of those embellies that have been laying around, and make them work for what I needed!
I started with pulling these goodies out:

The flair were the perfect color, and I really wanted to get some circular elements onto this page...the sentiments/designs on the flair however, were not what I needed for this. So I grabbed some stickers, and went to work...very simple changes, but with a little tweaking, I was able to finally use up some of my stash, while making custom embellishments that were perfect for my layout. Here are some pics of the finished flair:

Thanks for stopping in today..be on the lookout for a fun announcement coming soon!!

Have a great day, and take time to create something you love!

Squeeze Hard

Hi all!! Back again, and with another layout! Can you believe it?? :)

I am totally in love with all of the fun, bright colors in this month's kit from Gossamer Blue. I used the current sketch challenge that is up on the blog...thought I'm not sure you can tell anymore! lol.  I was looking for pictures that would go along with those fun colors and I found this hilarious one of Katlyn.

 

LOL!! I love it!! Here is what the journaling says:

 

You loved going around from booth to booth at the state fair this year. Your favorite place was the booth where they had they "stress brains" You squeezed and squeezed with all your might, and you kept asking us where all the stress went!

 

 

Thought I would also share how I did the background on this page. The orange started out as one of the solid patterns that Echo Park always has with their collections. If you follow me at all, then you know I rarely, if ever use cardstock as a background. All the other patterns were too busy for a background, though, and I loved the orange with this photo. So I grabbed a mask and some Mister Huey's sherbet, and went to work. I just started in one corner with the mask, I over lapped the edges with some scraps, to make the transitions more seamless, and just sprayed. When that one was finished I layered the mask over the edge, covered the sides with scraps, and just kept going until the paper was covered. I LOVE the way it turned out!! I don't normally use masks to this scale, and I was worried I would ruin the paper, not like the outcome, but I am so glad I took the plunge!! Will definitely be trying this more!!

 

I am off now to and end of the year kindergarten party! Can't believe school is already over! Swear this year has flown!!

 

Hope you all have a great weekend, and take time to create something you love!!! :)

Time to Relax

Hi all!! Happy Wednesday!! Its been awhile since I've posted, have been caught up in all the end of year hustle. Thankfully tomorrow is the last day of school, so hopefully things will be SLOWING down around here, I am more than ready for a nice, calm, relaxing summer.

Speaking of relaxing, I have a layout to share with you today! I am taking the Pop off the Page 2 class at Studio Calico, and this is a layout I made for one of the challenges.

The challenge was to be inspired by a layout for our first pdf, I chose this fabulous layout by Marcy Penner. I love her style, but it is very different from mine, so I thought it would be fun to really try and step out of my comfort zone and tackle her prompts.

I had more trouble with this layout than I thought I would, its hard to sit down and try and scrap totally opposite from normal. I even sewed on this layout, one of the first ones I have done that on. I love how it turned out in some places, other spots was horrible and I had to cover it up! lol. Any tips of sewing on layouts?? Please share if so! :)

Anyways, lol, when the layout was finally finished, I loved it. I think I managed to balance the prompts/style of Marcy and finally figure out how to keep "me" in the style.

So, here is my layout, using the FABULOUS May kit from Gossamer Blue.

 

I did journal inside that pocket, just forgot to get a picture of it. Its just talking about how extremely busy the day at the hospital had been with visitors in and out. Finally, we were able to relax. Daddy and baby got some cuddle time, and Mommy got a much needed nap. :)

 

 

Hard to believe that little guy will be 7 months old of Friday! Seriously, where does the time go??

 

Hope you all enjoy this holiday weekend, and take time to create something you love! 

Project 12: Title Page

Happy Tuesday!! It does not feel like a Tuesday, we are on Spring Break this week and my hubby took off yesterday so we could enjoy a long weekend...so I am all mixed up on days! lol.

Today I am going to share my Project 12 title page. I went back and forth since starting this on whether or not I was going to even do a title page. Finally though, I decided to keep all these layouts in a separate album, and decided to go ahead, that way if I have enough space for all of this year and some of next year, I'll have dividers.

When I got the March kit in from Gossamer Blue, I was beyond excited. I actually even ended up ordering multiple add-ons this month. It was full of Glitz "Color Me Happy" lots of Elle's Studio, MME, Echo Park...just plain fabulous! So I was instantly inspired to use if for my cover page.

I had this fun idea to do my year as separate typography style die cuts...I think it turned out pretty good...not quite the picture I envisioned, but close!

Here's a view of my page:

 

I love these bright colors!! I really went back and forth on adding in a photo...finally I decided to use a black and white shot from Colten's 3 month shoot. I didn't have a recent shot of the 5 of us, which is something I need to remedy, but I love this photo, and it worked perfect against all the color.

 

I am really loving this title page...really this whole process of Project 12. Its nice to know I am getting those pictures and moments that might not normally make it in the scrapbooks, recorded and knowing that they will be remembered!

 

Hope you have a great week, and take time to create something you love!!

Follow Your Heart

Hi all!! I am so excited!! I actually got some time to get crafty!! Three days in a row!!!

I did my first installment of Project 12, my January spread...I had a lot of fun doing it!! I definitely don't think I could handle Project Life, and always scrapping in this format, but I definitely like it for a monthly review. Hopefully I can get some pics to share with you tomorrow!

Today I am going to share this super cute, simple, and easy little wall hanging I made for Miss E to hang in her new room. I plan on making more so she can have a little gallery wall.

I knew I had to use this little saying on there, and it, along with the colors of her room, were perfect for the Love Story collection from Echo Park.

I am really happy with the way this turned out! I tried doing a little offset chevron pattern for the back...which I think looks pretty cool! :) I kept feeling like I needed to add something to the left side, but every time I tried something I didn't like it. I wanted to quote and the pattern to take center stage...what do you all think?? Need something else?? Open to suggestions!! :)

Well, the little man has decided he has let me have enough "me" time today, lol, off to cuddle him and my 2 girlies.

Take time to create something you love today! :)

Top 12 of 2012

The year is almost gone, and I personally can't believe how fast it went! I swear that the older my babies get, the fast the time seems to go...so that's why its nice, to look back over the last year and remember all of those amazing moments, whether they be a special occasion, or the perfect everyday moments.

So, I thought I would jump on the wagon and do a favorites of 2012 post, below you will find my top 12 projects of the past year, in no particular order, cause don't think I can narrow down that much. lol

Looking forward to seeing what 2013 has in store!

Hope you all have a happily blessed new year, and take the time to create something you love!

Two for One

Happy Wedneday!! The middle of the week, finally!! I am so looking forward to the weekend, its be a long week.

Today I am going to share a couple of layouts I made with the July add-on kit from
The Paper Bakery, "Country Picnic". This add-on had so many possibilities, very versatile. There are still a few available in the shop here, so head over and check it out!! Full of goodies, including some very unconventional scrappy items.

I am sharing two very different layouts today over on the blog, this helps to show just how versatile this kit it. One layout is decidedly more "girly", while the other layout uses nontraditional girl colors, but still comes off as a very sweet, and lovely layout.

By focusing on the black and pink in my daughters shirt, I come off with a layout focusing more of the feminine aspects of the kit, and have a cute girly little layout...but even using these colors, it doesn't come off overly feminine.

By using feminine die cuts and images, I took very "boy" patterns and colors and made them work in this layout about my sweet little lady.

This is one of my favorite things about the kits that Sarah puts together at The Paper Bakery...there are so many possibilities with them, and them make you stretch those creative muscles and step out of the box!

Make sure you head over to the blog, and check out all the info and details on the July add-on and project kit...also check out the details on our sketch challenge and play along for an awesome prize pack! :)

Have a great day, and take time to create something you love.



Beautiful

Hello, Hello!!! Hope you are all having a fabulous Wednesday!! :) I am...so far! lol.

Today I just wanted to share a project I have up on The Paper Bakery blog. Its a cute little home decor piece I made for my youngest. Any ideas what I used as the base??

VINTAGE RECORDS!!!! Yep, you read it right! They were just a few of the fun little items that Sarah included in this months add-on kit.

Head over to The Paper Bakery blog for some addition photos, and while you are there, check out the sketch challenge we have up right now!! Would love to see some of you play along!! :)

Hope you all have a great day, and take time to create something you love!

A Hot Mess

My youngest, poor thing, has a small issue with her jeans ( well, really anything she wears on the bottom that isn't stretchy), see she is the cutest little thing ever, but unfortunately, the poor thing inherited her Mama's booty, lol, so the jeans don't want to stay up on it. I couldn't resist snapping some pictures of her little booty on a recent trip to the park, and of course they had to make their way onto a layout. :)

I tell you this much, I wish it looked as cute on me, as it does on here! LOL!

I used the 9.8 sketch from Sketchy Thursdays on this one..when I saw it I knew it was perfect for these photos.

Had fun with this one! :)
Supply list:
Happy Days by Echo Park
Hot Dog Mister Hueys
Bluegrass Mister Hueys
Polka Dot Brad: Design by Diana

Off to a retreat that my LSS is having this weekend...3 days of uninterrupted scrapping!! Can't wait!!! :)

Scrappy Happy Day!! :)

Today was a very productive day for me!! I finished 3, yes 3, layouts!! :) The girls were having so much fun playing with their new zuzu pet babies, that they weren't interested in me at all. That doesn't happen very often, lol, so I took advantage of it! :)

I loved the Sketchy Thursdays sketch this week, so I had to play along there. I changed it up a little bit, and only used one photo instead of the three they had...I am so happy with the way this one turned out!

I also wanted to play along with the sketch challenge over at Artful Delight. I switched this sketch up a little bit also. I had lots of fun on this one playing with my new Happy Days collection by Echo Park!! :)

Sorry the picture quality on these two isn't that great. Its a cloudy day here, and I couldn't get a good picture for anything by the window. So took them outside, and then I couldn't get them to line up straight, and the colors are still a tad off, but you get the idea. :)

Hope everyone has a blessed week! We are off to the park to enjoy a little more freedom before Miss E heads back to preschool! :)

Don't forget the blog hop is this weekend!! :) Hope you can all hop on by! ;)

~ Amanda

YourScrapbookStash Scraplift!

YourScrapbookStash.com is having a scraplift contest this week. We were to choose one layout from a member of the DT's July gallery. This store has some serious talent on their DT!! I had a really hard time deciding which layout to lift!! Until I stumbled across Jennie McGarvey's layout, which you can see here, I knew it was the one! It was perfect for these photos I had laying around of Miss E from her first "real" haircut.

Here is my take on Jennie's layout. I didn't really change anything, I love it the way it was. :)

Lots of MME on here...I love that Fine & Dandy collection! Also mixed in a little Echo Park and Nikki Sivils.

I really love the design of this layout....I can see myself definitely using this one again!

If you want to play along with the challenge, they have extended the deadline to this Friday, August 5th! You can get the details here.

Oh! AND I made it to 50 friends!! I said I would have a giveaway when I hit that mark...I am thinking I might mix it up a little bit and make it a challenge though....hmmmm...more to come on that later this week!! ;)

Hope everyone has a blessed week!!

~Amanda