Summer revisited... Play!

I found this Layout that I hadn't shared from summer.  It is using Authentique Lively.

The colors and patterns of the paper are perfect for the sunshiny photos of my daughters and their best friend playing in the yard.  These photos are not the most perfect shots, but I love that about them because it shows how energetic the girls are when they are playing together.

This layout was based off a sketch, I believe by Van Nguyen.  It was such a fun sketch to work with.

You and Me

My oldest always will have a special piece of my heart because for a long time, it was her and I spending a lot of time alone together. We filled or days with adventure and play.

Now, I always get excited when she and I get to spend some alone time together, especially when we are working on a project, or searching for adventure.  She is such a sweet, happy soul, and I can't help but laugh spending with her.

Lucky- a layout

Somehow, as the years go by, I get more and more perspective on my wonderful husband. We have been through a lot, and somehow, it still keeps getting better as time passes.

I wanted to make a layout that celebrated the warm feelings I have had lately about the direction we have taken together. I'm not saying life is perfect, but I truly have been feeling lucky each day.

Focus- A layout

My sweet youngest child spends most of her time in  her own little world.  She moves at her own pace, which is usually a meander, and she has to look at everything as she goes.  I struggle with this sometimes because getting her to do what I need or want her to do can take quite some time, and I really wish she would focus. The thing is, she really is focused, on what the sun is doing, where the clouds are, the shape of the moon, the color of the leaves, and the amazing world in which she lives.

Today, when were leaving the house, she found a spider web tucked between a bush and the stair railing.  She insisted I stop, look at the spider web, and hear her opinion of spiders (she does not like them, for the record). It was so sweet, and so very her.

Guest Mid-Week Mojo!!! Scrapbooksteals.com

OMG!  It was sooo hard to keep the secret that I got to be a guest Mid Week Mojo sketcher at Scrapbooksteals.com !!

Check out my post here!!!
http://scrapbooksteals.stealnetwork.com/wp/2012/11/14/mid-week-mojo/

Here is the sketch so you may play along!

This time, it is about me

I don't usually do layouts only about myself, but recently, I have been rethinking how I am spending my time, and came to the realization that the balance in my life was a little off (anyone notice a blog hiatus)? I've decided to take the jump and do something about it.  Many people have thrown their two cents in about my decisions.  Those close to me all think this new direction is the right choice, and that it was a long time in coming. Those close to my work think I am making a mistake, and giving up a great opportunity.  Ultimately, I want to live more creatively, spend more time at home, and make things I love, especially for people I love. 

Jillibean Soup

My dear friend Heather gave me some Jillybean Soup to play around with, and this adorable layout of my oldest is my first Jillibean creation!!!

I adored the fun floral prints and the clean colors of this collection. Can't wait to play more!!!

Born this way

My youngest loves the song "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga. She sings it all the time, and begs me to play it on the iPod.

The song truly fits her. She is so particular and precise as she goes about her day, she can only be herself. She is always steadfast in her actions, even when her friends gets in trouble. I'm not saying she's perfect, because she has a definite view of how the world should be, and if it fails to suit her liking she throws a royal fit.

The thing is, if I ask how she was if I wasn't around the answer is always "She was Budgie" and I know exactly what that means. I adore that about her. She was born this way.

Weaving- My process.

Sometimes when I finish a layout, I get asked how I came up with that.

This layout was inspired from the weaving on baskets, and another take on the quilting idea.  The idea had been tossing around in my head for a bit,so I decided to give it a go with this sweet picture of my snuggly girlie.

I wanted to contrast two patterned papers against each other, and still try to keep the cohesiveness of the two.  When I finished, the edges weren't what I hoped they would be, so I framed the weaving with a 1 1/2 inch border, and angle cut the edges at a 45 degree angle to give it a finished look.

With just the weaving and the frame, the layout was too much for that photo.  I selected a blue mat to contrast with the pink, and that helped the photo some, but not enough.

I added the flowers to help anchor the picture into the layout.  The weaving made the layout "busy" so I had to balance that with larger embellishments.  When I was fussy cutting the paper, there were not a lot of whole flowers, so I added some scallop punches.  On a couple of them, I copied the patterned paper by tracing some circles in the middle of the scallop and adding dots around the edges.

Ultimately, I ended up with this layout, which is one I adore.  I hope you like it too.

My Take on Quilting

I wanted to try the quliting trend, but I wanted a unique look to my layout.  I stumbled across a lazy log house quilt square pattern on Pinterest, and the inspiration for this page was born.  I adore how the paper and the picture work together to create a square.  I also adore the contrast of the warm/cool colors on this layout and the sunshine feel it gives, mirroring the sun/shade contrast in the photo.

What has inspired you lately?