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.

Guest Blogger: Scrapbook Steals.com!

I am so excited to get to share a How To’sday tutorial on ScrapbookSteals! Let’s weave some fun into a couple of layouts!
First Weave Idea–

• Grab three pieces of cardstock. Two to weave and one to use as a base.

• Cut the same size strips of your weaving cardstock. I did one inch, but any size works.

• Gently tack down the very edge of a set of your strips, alternating the end you tack down.

• Start to weave the other card stock over the tacked down piece and under the loose piece. Then alternate the over under and continue across the page. You need to tighten your weave as you go.

• Once you’ve finished, tack down your loose ends and trim the edges if needed.

• Cover the top edge with a border and design your page!

Second weave idea-
Every little kid has done this, but a redo is great for a hidden journaling element on a page.

• First, cut two rectangles.

• Next fold them in half and trim the edge to a half circle.

• Cut even size strips from the bottom fold to just past the width of the paper when laid across at 90 degrees. I cheated and used a pattern paper with lines so I could free hand the cuts. I stacked my papers so the cuts would match.

• This part is hard to explain. Think of the bands of paper as arms, and they’re giving bear hugs, (you know when someone grabs you around the arms and you can’t move?) alternate the bands around and through each other. As you go, it gets tighter, so be patient.

• When you’re done, you should have a heart basket that you can punch or cut hearts into for a hidden journal pocket.

I hope you loved my weaving magic!

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?

Journaling prompt- today I'd rather

Today I'd Rather

Thinking about what you would rather do allows you to explore.  Would you rather be somewhere else? What would you rather be doing? Something you do normally, or some grand adventure you have been planning?  Would you rather be working toward a goal? What is difficult about now? Why would you rather be doing something other than what you are doing?  Why are you wasting time on something you don’t want to do?

I’m sharing my go on this journaling prompt here… please share yours!

Today I’d rather take a nap.  I am not usually a huge nap person, but last night I awoke just after 2am and was unable to drift back to sleep.  My restlessness woke my husband, which lead to a lovely late night conversation that reminded me of our days dating.  I always enjoy talking to him, and it seems we rarely get an opportunity to just talk.  Daily life gets bogged down in stress, children, chores, and to-dos.  The beauty of a late night chat is there is very little one can do without disrupting the household, and it is rare to have a partner in the wee hours of the morning with which to converse. It was a glorious gift, and I am gracious for the time with my husband, however today… I’d rather nap.

Rosette Gifts

I am the luckiest person to be able to work with amazing support staff. For Adnimistrative professional's week, I made each of them a rosette. I was excited to see how lovely they turned out.I used a Marths Stewart Scoring board, and a butter knife to create the rosettes. I lost my scoring tool, and a butter knife is the closest substitute I have found. I used Authentique Blissful, free bird, and Gathering paper. The ribbon is May Arts and American Craft.Please comment if you like!

Our 3rd Anniversary

Creating something for the purpose of giving it to someone sometimes makes the process of creating easier. The emotions, memories, and thoughts you have around that person brings a depth of history to the creating process. I share this collage canvas because it captures a simple statement, a moment and celebrates my 3rd anniversary. A simple gift, a heartfelt gift, for my love. I used Authentique Celebrate, Free Bird, and Uncommon for the papers, and this little canvas says a lot without actually saying it. 

The background is a floral, but it looks a little like the large snowflakes that fell after our wedding, large and wet, which was a perfect ending to our day. The flowers remind me of the way he was always working in the yard when I would stop by, him wearing a cowboy hat and cursing at not being able to tell the difference between the weeds and the flowers.  They also remind me of the statment he made to me after we had been dating for some time, "I've been known to give flowers." The funny thing was, he may have been known for it, but had never given any to me.  To this day, I have recieved flowers from him once.  We still laugh about that. He told me he loved me the first time by saying "I could fall in love with you." The photo, taken at the swap meet, really captures the fun we have together, no matter the setting.

Happy 3rd Anniversary, I am looking forward to many more.



Mid week Mojo

This week, I did a pretty loose interpretation of Kristy Lee's sketch at scrapbooksteals.com.

I love these old pics of my oldest in the snow. She's always been a toughie, unswayed by cold, hurt, or obstacles. She loved the snow. She still does. I love my strong girl. Hope she stays strong.

Valentine Canvas

I am loving making altered canvases.  This one was made for my husband on Valentine's day.  There is something fun about mixing media, and I adore how this turned out.

Supplies:
Paper- Authentique Journey
Paint- Daniel Smith Acrylic
Ribbon: May Arts

Be Mine?

Valentine for a co worker. I wanted to try to crochet on paper. I punched the heart and then pierced it. Next I went around the edge and blanket stitched. I used that stitching to single crochet around the heart. It was fun to try a new technique.

Papers: Authentique Uncommon, Splendid and Free Bird.

Birthday Card

My dear friend celebrated a birthday yesterday, so I adapted a Kristy Lee sketch to make this card.

Her daughter stole it, so I suppose the card was a hit.

Paper: Crate Paper Farmhouse
Ribbon: May Arts

Love My Tech

Authentique Sketch Challenge

Papers from splendid and gathering

Hero to me

Another scrapbooksteals.com Mid Week Mojo. This week's sketch matched this picture I've meant to scrap for a couple of years.

My Grandad is my hero. He dropped out in 3rd grade, but is the smartest man I know. He grew up poor, the salvation army gave him shoes, and when he married my Grandma, he brought one box of things. She kept waiting for him to move in, and finally asked when he was going to bring his stuff, to which he simply answered, "I did".

They were Okies and sharecroppers, but he wanted better. They bought a fishing lodge in the Texas Hill Country and ran it themselves. He did all the work, and had to stay up on heavy rain nights to keep the dock from anchoring too low and sinking.

I learned to tell a story from him. He can tell a tale completely unbelievable, and you believe every word. It wasn't until I started telling my own that I realized I had learned from the best.

Kissing ball redux

Some projects turn out so pretty that it's fun to explore changing them up. I did a second kissing ball for a friend who requested a neutral color scheme with robin egg blue.

I just love how this one turned out too.

Ribbon- May Arts
Paper- Authentique foundation. Journey and Gathering.

Kissing Ball

The intern in the office loves to decorate her cubicle for holidays. I thought this would be a sweet gift that fits her personality.

Coasters

My dearest friend Heather and I craft while our hubbys watch football and our kids play. Yesterday, she decided to make some amazing coasters and asked if I'd play along. I'm always in for a project with Heather. The funny thing about Heather and I is that we are very much inside each other's head. I had been meaning to make coasters for about 6 months.

Of course the project started with a trip to buy tiles. While the tiles were needed, the trip was needed more. We each have spent the last full week stranded in our homes with our wonderful husbands and children, who turned out to be less wonderful in a large dose with no escape. It snowed, then iced, then snowed. On my street each day began with neighbors digging out their cars only to get stuck, spin out, and eventually giving up to return home. Except for the one set of neighbors we helped dig out three times because they had to work. The weather brought a stout dose of cabin fever, so the supply run was a welcome escape.

When we returned, we sat down and began the task of making the coasters, about halfway through, T, Heather's hubby, walked through and surveyed the scene.
"What are you making?"
"Coasters"
"You know that's paper, right?"
"Yes"
"It's gonna get wet"
"Yes"
"It's paper" (at this point he calls Greg in to survey the situation.)
"Greg, they're making coasters"
"Cool" (Greg has learned not to question our awesomeness.)
"It's gonna get wet, so are you gonna seal that or something?"
Heather quickly answers "We're sealing it"
"But you need spray or something"
"You mean this spray?" Heather points to the spray can on the table.
Meanwhile, the game does something interesting, and the boys wander back to the TV.

After we have a laugh at the boys, we continued on. The coasters turned out beautifully. Each set turned out to really represent our style. Heather's in the muted pink and and grey paper, and mine in the vibrant hot pink.

Opposites

My girls are polar opposites. My oldest is carefree, clumsy, and full of unbounded joy. My youngest is reserved, graceful, and precise. The youngest greets the world with a glare, the oldest, a smile.

They went to a local high school auto show and had a glorious time. Orange is the oldest's favorite color and the owner was happy to oblige a snapshot. The outcome of which is this photo which illustrates their contrast so well. They both were happy, but together, their personalities contrast each other so clearly.

The photo I haven't been able to get is the expression of my youngest's grace. She doesn't walk, she dances, and it's hilarious to watch. It is so sweet and lovely. For now, it's just ours to see. So baby, you keep glaring at the world, and share your grace as you see fit.

Snow Day!

I used Authentique Journey for this layout of Greg. I just love him grinning with the girls playing behind him in the snow.

My little one hated snow and cold, and could barely be drug outside by her older sister wildly professing her love for the winter scene. B would be out for a minute or two and then beg to go inside. A, however would be happiest staying outside until her fingers are completely numb.

Greg loves his little girls and indulge me by taking them out while I make the crew homemade hot cocoa. Our house is rarely calm and these brief moments in front of the fire with cocoa make me feel blessed. I love our crazy life, it makes the sweet moments so special.