Time Flies!

Wow! I can't believe it has been June since I posted here. I have been very busy and have not scrapped near as much over the past few months as I did the first half of the year. I don't think I will make my goal of 200 layouts for the year, but I have gotten quite a few personalized Christmas presents finished! Well, I guess I'll share a few of the layouts I've done in the last few months.

First up is a challenge from the Shabby Shoppe. They had this fabulous free template for the month of November. All products from Sprout by Shabby Princess except alpha that is One Life from Secret Stash. I just had to scrap all these cute pics of Katie crashed out after a hard day's play!

This was a free template from Scrap Orchard. I just love templates and challenges! I'm addicted to both! :) This layout is about my son offering his dad one of his anatomy books to help with Dad's studies. My little man is always thoughtful. All paper and elements from Storytime kit by Kristin Aagard except stars (recolored) from Suzy Q Scraps.

Another free template! (Anyone see a trend here?) This template is from Scrappin with Liz. All paper and elements from Contagious Cheer kit by Bella Gypsy Designs. This layout is about my sweet Anna and how her personality is so unique.

Here's one with some old pics of Katie. She has loved books since she was tiny. All paper and elements are from Yet To Be kit by Bella Gypsy Designs except background cluster from Cluster Queen Creations.

This layout is the result of a very interesting challenge. It is different from my usual style, but I like it. The picture is my favorite from our last photo shoot with the FABULOUS photographer, Emily Gwen! All paper and elements from January 2012 Mega at Scrap Orchard.

I dug deep for these old photos! Can't believe how much Will has grown! This template is by Little Green Frog Designs. All papers and elements from Parker by Shabby Princess.

Well, I guess that'll do for now! Hope to be more regular at posting! In case I don't make it back, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.

Year Layouts

Well, a couple of years ago I decided to make a yearly layout that uses a picture from each month of the year for each child. It is fun to showcase their personalities as well as how much they change in a year! Since we are halfway through 2012, I thought I'd better get 2011's layouts done! :)

Rough and Tumble kit by Suzy Q Scraps.

Anything You Can Do kit by Eva Kipler

Catepillars and Butterflies kit by Shabby Miss Jen Designs.



Layout Overload

Well, another month is flying by! With Will in baseball and the girls finishing up ballet and gymnastics, things have been a bit crazy. Maybe summer will be nice and calm...doubt it! :)
Here are some of the layouts I have done over the past few weeks:

Template by Scrappin with Liz. A Brand New Day kit by Meredith Cardall.

Lullaby Lane and A Life Expressed alpha by Suzy Q. Template freebie by Scrappin with Liz. Had to cover up the cute bum for the web!

Cluster template and It's About Us kit by Captiviated Visions.

Template by Little Green Frog Designs. Things My Mother Taught Me kit by Meredith Cardall except Simply Paper alpha by Suzy Q Scraps

Just The Way You Are and Lullaby Lane kits by Suzy Q Scraps

Lullaby Lane Collection by Suzy Q Scrap

Layouts

Sorry I've been so absent lately. It has been rather busy around here. I just thought I would share a few layouts with you.

Sprout kit by Shabby Princess except alpha from Promise by SP, small flowers from Inspired By by Meredith Cardall and string from Me & My Girls collab.

Anything You Can Do kit by Eva Kipler and frames by K Pertiet. Buttons from Beauty In Th World.

Rough and Tumble kit by Suzy Q Scraps. Inspired by Jamie template freebie.

Wishful Thinking kit by Kay Miller Designs. "Sunshine" alpha by Suzy Q Scraps. Based on sketch from Nuts About Sketches blog.

Template by WM Squared. Just The Way You Are kit by Suzy Q Scraps.

Warning: LO Overload!

Okay, life has gotten in the way and I haven't posted in almost a month! Sorry! If you didn't grab my freebie last month-go get it! I'm gonna post a few of my favorite layouts from the past few weeks. The first two are from Nuts About Sketches:

Love Bots kit by Ziggle Designs. Alpha by Miss Mint

Zoie's Garden kit by Julie Bullock. Doodled alpha by Sir Scraps Alot (filled with brush work).

This one is about my youngest dd trying on every boot in the store!

All brushes including photo mask from Katie Pertiet. Kit is His Banner Over Me by Faith True. Journaling font is Wendy Messy.

All paper and elements from Bug Collection by Suzy Q Scraps except splatter, circles and 2 from Oooga Booga collab by S Bartolini and Tracy Stroud.

All paper and elements from Storybook Princess kit by J Billingsley.  Template by Scrappin with Liz.

It seems I have left my little man out these past few weeks! I will have to scrap about him tonight! Hope one of these inspires you to scrap a little! Have a great week!

Last Nuts About Sketches DT Layout

This week's sketch at Nuts About Sketches is fabulous as usual. I have enjoyed my time on the design team, and I will continue to play along. Here's the sketch:

My layout uses You and I kit from Litabells at Scrap Orchard.

Here's a two pager I did a few days ago. It uses a template from Scrappin with Liz and Free Spirit kit by Megan's Creations and Schoowltime kit by T for Me Designs.

One more about Will being in the Lion King show at Disney's Animal Kingdom. I used a template from Fiddle Dee Dee Designs and Silly Nilly kit from Secret Stash as well as polka dot alpha by Miss Mint and doodle alpha by K Hartley.







Nuts About Sketches

This week's sketch at Nuts About Sketches is an awesome two pager! My layout uses A Christmas to Remember kit from Megan's Creations. Brush is from Hint At It 2 brushes by Lynn Grieveson.

Here is the sketch:

I added a couple of photos to mine! Always remember a sketch is just a jumping off point or "good bones" for your layout. Making the layout your own is part of the fun!

As always, the daily and Make It Snappy challenges at Scrap Orchard are keeping me scrapping! I'm gonna share a couple of the layouts I did this week. The first one is from the MIS I participated in last night. Sometimes it amazes me what they can get out of me in an hour when challenged with specific instructions. This layout uses Wise Old Owl by Meredith Cardall except frame by Jady Day Studio. Template is by Fiddle Dee Dee Designs.

Here's one from a color challenge with another template by Fiddle Dee Dee. Twinkle Toes kit by Kristin Aagard except Holly Jolly alpha by Chelle's Creation and small flowers from Feb 2010 Scrap Orchard mega.

Thanks for looking! Hope you have been inspired!

Warning: Layout Overload and Freebie

Just realized that this one didn't publish for some reason last week, so you get an overload today! :)

I have been remiss in posting for the past couple of weeks. I need to share my layout for Nuts About Sketches and I want to share a few more of my favorites from the past two weeks. However, first I have a cute alpha for you!
Valentine Alpha

Here's this weeks sketch:

Here is my layout. All paper and elements are from Just Stay Little kit by Designs by Dani except Date Dots brushes by Amber Clegg.

Here's one about my middle dd who has always said this rhyme with "bite his toe." Jungle Antics kit by Heather Roselli except Bunny Trail alpha by Julie Bullock.

One more! Template by Scrappin with Liz and Tutu Cute kit by Chelle's Creations.

NAS Reveal

This week I only have my layout for Nuts About Sketches to share with you. First, the sketch:

As usual, Shawn's sketch is wonderfully inspirational. My layout rotates the sketch and focuses on the circular elements. All papers and elements are from the January Mega at Scrap Orchard . This layout is another example of using my journal to scrap really old photos. Anna is now six, but I have her list of attributes at 15 months in a journal.

That's it for the time being. I am scrapping a photobook for a dear friend. This is the first time I have scrapped for someone else! She has an adorable little boy and I couldn't resist making a photobook about him. Things at PxlCafe are hopping. We are looking at new things to get everyone involved. Look for more freebies and maybe some challenges or tutorials.

NAS and Pxl Cafe Reveals, FREEBIE and Some Musings

Okay, I have several for you tonight! The featured kit at Pxl Cafe is Rhapsody . Here's my layout that uses my FREE template Layered Up 3! Go grab it!

Another fabulous new kit at Pxl Cafe is Down To Earth . Here is my layout with it. I also used a few flowers from Fun Fabric Elements at Pxl.

Both layouts use old pictures of my middle dd, Anna. A few days ago, I picked up my journal from the first two years of her life and was inspired to create Spunky Beautiful Girl. The journaling is directly from what I wrote 4 years ago. Having been a scrapper for 8 years now and converting to digital 3 years ago, my best advice would be to keep a journal of everyday things about your children. You should write down the funny things they say or do, their habits, their "favorites," and they way you see/feel about them. Not only will they one day cherish these journals, but as most of us are always at least a little behind in scrapping, whenever you are inspired to scrap a particular picture or time in their life, your journaling will be accurate.
Up until this past year, I was always WAY behind in my scrapping. However, I have learned to quit pressuring myself, scrap what I am inspired to,  and use challenges, templates, classes and quick pages to speed things up. In 2011, I scrapped 191 layouts and 4 photo books! Woohoo! My goal this year is 200+ layouts and 3-5 photobooks. I'll keep you posted on how I am doing. Having scrapped many of my "new" pics, I have gone back and scrapped quite a few from the past four years. I have been SO thankful for my journals! Because of the things I recorded back then, I am able to accurately tell my story even with four year old pics!

So, pick up a notebook (or create a beautiful one yourself) and start recording all those wonderful everyday memories! I made personalized journals with pics of each kid on front at ArtsCow.com--their prices are very reasonable! To give you a bit more inspiration, check out my list of favorite sites for sketch blogs. Also, Scrap Orchard is a fabulous store with daily challenges that earn you money to spend in their store. How awesome is that? You get wonderful inspiration and free digi products!!!! Two Peas also has weekly challenges (with prizes) as well as free classes to keep you scrapping. If you have a favorite site for inspiration, please leave me a comment and let me know. I am always up for more!

Finally, I want to share the sketch from NAS and my layout. It was a 2-pager. I don't often scrap 2-pagers without a sketch or challenge, but they are a wonderful way to get loads of photos into "one" layout! Most of our day events have so many photos I could never squeeze them onto one page, but a 2-page spread works great! Try this sketch out-it is a good clean one! If you make a layout, share it with me. I would love to see your work!

Kit used is the December Mega 2010 from Scrap Orchard called Merry and Bright. The journaling talks about how my youngest dd has been scared of Santa for 2 years, but she finally conquered her fear this year. After she realized Santa was her friend, she couldn't get enough of him and went back to have another picture five times!

Pxl Cafe and NAS Layouts

Well, we have our first snow and snow day of the year! Enjoying a great day at home with my kiddos. I just realized I needed to post my weekly layouts for Pxl Cafe and NAS. So, here goes:

This layout features my beautiful grandmother and a beautiful kit! Midnight Kiss at Pxl Cafe. Each week the featured kit will be on special for one week so be sure to check them out!

This is Shawn's fabulous sketch for the week at Nuts About Sketches. My layout uses the Awesomesauce kit by Tracie Stroud at Scrap Orchard.

Keep checking here on Tuesdays, because Pxl Cafe has some awesome kits that will be featured (and therefore at a reduced price!) over the next several weeks and Shawn always has wonderful inspiration with her sketches! Happy New Year everyone!