~Three layouts in Scrapbooking Magazine~

 

So now my kids have gotten into a "submit one with me" contest. I have been working on so many layouts of the younger two that most of my published layouts include them but FOR the RECORD, everyone has been in at least one of my paper published layouts. This month's Hobby Lobby Idea Magazine, Stamping, Stationary and Scrapbooking includes three of my layouts and yes, all three are of the two younger kids. 

 HOWever, my first three kiddos have many more completed albums and tons more layouts in those albums. That is because their albums were done back when my focus was more on the photos (and on scrapping chronologically) and less on the artistic process. My goal is to find a nice blend of the two:) Suggestions welcome!

We are gearing up for school, I canNOT believe my "baby" is starting high school next week! I was looking back through his scrapbooks this week and I am so thankful for them. Time really does fly by so quickly and it becomes hard to remember all the little details. Scrapbooks keep them safe and handy...and pretty!

Happy Scrapping,

Scrap-a-Little Guest Designer

  Helen Croft, papercrafter extraordinaire, was kind enough to ask me to guest design for her!!!
She sent me her latest, greatest sketch to work with:

And here is what I came up with:

I used a stack of adorable We R Memory Keepers for this layout plus a bunch of punches! The big ticket and star pin are Maya Road and the memo pin is Tim Holtz. I used an old piece of blue ribbon to tie onto the pin but it was too bright so I just hit it with some distress ink and voila! I can see myself using this sketch a gazillion times...sideways, this way & reversed, thanks Helen!

I just don't know how Helen comes up with great sketches month after month, she truly amazes me. If you haven't had the chance to check our her gallery of sketches click here.

I did a little bonus layout for her based on sketch 49:

 I used some great old Sassafras from my stash for this one. Lots of fun layers and stickers and stitching. I am on a use what I have kick and that is actually making scrapping pretty fun, a bit of a challenge and I do miss the shopping and the NEW stuff but quite honestly, my scraproom is FULL!

Back when we only had three children I began a tradition of celebrating half birthdays. It seemed like a GREAT idea at the time...two kids had January birthdays and my energy for celebrating is a little lacking at that time of year...so the half birthday idea was born. I keep it pretty simple really, just half a cake and one present. Well, it was pretty simple until our family grew and grew and grew and now we have a half birthday, a real birthday, and/or a holiday constantly it seems. Sigh. I do LOVE to scrap the half birthdays though!!!

 I used my Papertrey Ink banner dies for these but they were too long and just looked funny to me so I altered them with a pair of scissors and got just the look I was going for. I strung a bit of Karen Foster floss through them and that made it so much easier to place on the page. I had always placed each individual letter first but that made it difficult to get that "hanging" look. Definitely worth the time to pierce holes and string floss first!

Happy Scrapping,

Surpise!!!

Surprise!!!

~Arriving this Fall~

~I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to those of you who have sent me sweet inquiries as to where in the world I disappeared to for the last couple three months. I really appreciate you all checking on me...the morning sickness was super awful this time and I am just now getting back to some bit of normalcy, as normal as one can get at home for the summer with 5 kiddos~

 I have even gotten back to a bit of scrapping...just a wee bit. We are heading out to Oregon shortly to visit lots and lots of relatives. My in-laws are VERY kindly putting us up at their house and with 7 1/2 of us, that's quite a sacrifice! So I am taking along a little token of my appreciation:

I used the Earth Love line by Cosmo Cricket for this ATC tray. My in-laws live in Eugene, Oregon so what other line works better than this?!?! I have a few bits and bobs from other lines and manufacturers (Maya Road, Prima, Tim Holtz, Cookbookin') scattered throughout as well. This was such a fun project to put together, I hope they like it!

Here is a progress shot just before my oldest son vetoed his photo...I thought it was perfect: teenager in mall, texting away (middle row, first slot) but he said he wanted a soccer shot and that is, really, much more appropriate. I adore that he likes to look at my work and helps with great suggestions and ideas. When I put these trays together they spend hours flat while I move all the pieces around. Then I take the plunge by adhering the backgrounds. Then there is another round of moving the pieces all over the place. Once I get the photos or main memorabilia adhered I move on to embellishing, my very favorite part of the entire process. I can embellish these for weeks! Eventually I call them "finished." 

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  I also managed to eeek out this recipe layout for the Kitchen:

This soup recipe is so yummy and so not for summer but it took quite a while for the heat to hit this year in the south. As a matter of fact, our friendly little cicadas were a few weeks late themselves. More on them later!

It's good to be back, wishing you all Happy Scrapping!