Crop with Shannon Zickel

For years I've been a huge fan of Shannon Zickel's work. I remembering seeing her layouts in magazines and then I started to follow her blog. In mid-February, I found out that she was hosting a "fun"draising crop just an hour from me. The registration fee was $30, but you received an American Crafts SPORTS themed kit with early registration. Hello? I can use sports themed products! I talked my aunt and my best friend into going with me. The three of us (im)patiently waited for the six weeks to pass until the crop. Saturday afternoon we arrived a bit early for the 3:30 crop. I knew we were in the right spot when we entered the church gym and I recognized Shannon's younger son from her layouts!

Shannon was great just as I expected and very, very fun to be around. We had a great time and helped close out the crop just after 2 a.m.!

In addition to socializing and taking advantage of some great bargains, I managed to finish 7 layouts.

Using the Sports-themed kit, I lifted a layout that Shannon had copied in our kit bag. These shots are a from November '07 when we went to watch Murray State play at Western Kentucky. Tom was a bit disappointed that Kevin cheered for Western - he's a fan of their mascot!
My second layout followed a sketch from Inspired Blueprints and won second place in the sketch contest. Yay! I won a Fiskars punch. I used an American Crafts Christmas kit that I ordered when I registered for the crop.

"Merry Christmas" was also based on a sketch from Inspired Blueprints and used the same Christmas kit. I didn't enter this one in the contest though. It's not my favorite layout, but I did finally scrap these photos that had never seemed to inspire me. I can never seem to get "good" photos at the school Christmas programs because of the (lack of) lighting.

I had some stories that I've been wanting to tell lately. The ruled paper from Sassafrass Lass' "Apple Jack" line worked perfectly to tell the story of Kevin on display at school for his love of reading. (My photo of this LO didn't turn out too good - I may try to retake it later...) I do love the simplicit of this layout. And, the colors make me happy. More ruled lines on Sassafrass Lass...this time to tell the story of Kevin's love for a friend's grandmother. The lady brings brown paper bags FULL OF CANDY to basketball games and Kevin stalks her. He ends up with a full sized candy bar or bag of m&ms! I actually cut the ruled pattern out of the sheet of paper and then adhered it to cardstock using pop dots.

While I had the Sassafrass Lass papers out, I matched these shots of Kevin at Build-A-Bear Workshop to some patterns and made a simple 2-pager.

Apparently smooshing my photos into the center of my 2-page layout and adding strips of pattern paper is my "go to" design. I had to laugh when I realized how similar "Lincoln's Birthplace" (below) was to "making monk e." (above). For these shots of Kevin's 1st grade field trip, I FINALLY used the Fancy Pants "Rough & Tough" line that I've had for a while now. I think it's one of the lines I've been "saving." Do you ever save products?

I was exhausted from the crop, but it was worth it. I have a bag full of new products and more ideas for scrapping than I have time to scrap!

Thank you Shannon and Crystal for a wonderful crop!

In a scraplifting state of mind...

Sometimes it's fun to come up with a 100% all original idea. I did that on this "our family tree" layout.This layout uses a sheet of paper from the Fancy Pants' "My Family" line. When I first picked up this sheet, I had big plans of finding some heritage photos and doing something grand. Then I came across this photo that needed to be scrapped, so instead of planning/editing/cropping photos for the frames, I used them for names to make a family tree starting with my husband's parents and going down to their grandchildren (who are all in the photo).

Sometimes it's fun to take layouts you see online or in magazines and adapt them to fit your own photos and supplies. I've been doing a lot of that lately.

"Woodworking 101" was inspired by a Nicole Harper layout in the February issue of Scrapbook Trends magazine. Although her base was all kraft paper (layered), I opted to use the one sheet in the "My Family" line that I didn't like (a floral) for my base. My title letters (new Cosmo Cricket faux wood) were too long to stretch across the space above my photos, so I stacked them to make them fit in the space. I also used my handy dandy Making Memories edge distresser on my green cardstock AND on my photos.
The photos are from a Cub Scout event at Home Depot in October '08.

"2nd Place" is another lifted layout. Again, my inspiration came from the February Scrapbook Trends, but the original layout was an 8.5x11 layout by Rhonda Palazzari. I added a 4x6 photo and changed the title placement. For last minute additions, I added a photo corner with pop dots and three more photo corners acting as arrows to accent the title.

These shots were from the Pinewood Derby in March '08.

My "cake bake" layout was also inspired by the February Scrapbook Trends - a layout by Pamella Brown. I pulled out some Scenic Route ruled paper for this one and had fun finding trims to match the "My Family" scraps.

The Cub Scouts have an annual cake bake. These shots are from the November '07 event - Blake's first with that pack.

I'm on a Cub Scout roll...In Cub Scouts, when you go visit a place that is a requirement for a badge, it's called a Go See. I scraplifted a layout on Allison Davis' blog to document this Go See to a local fire department. (March '08)

I scraplifted another Allison Davis layout for these wrestling shots of Tom and the boys on Blake's birthday in '07. It was his 9th birthday. This weekend will be a special one for our family. After five years in Cub Scouts, Blake will be "crossing over" to Boy Scouts at the pack Pinewood Derby on Sunday. I'm nowhere near "caught up" with scrapping his Cub Scout photos, but I've been trying to get as many scrapped as possible before Sunday. I've pulled everything Cub Scout related and I'm going to put them in a K & Co. Cub Scout album to give him at his Crossover.

He's worked really hard and made a big commitment to stick with Cub Scouts. Our goal is to help him and encourage him on his path to Eagle Scout someday.

On a weeknight scrappin' roll...

Completing two layouts a night, two nights in a row makes me happy! Now my husband on the other hand...I think he's wishing I hadn't strung my stuff out in the living room!

The other night I finished this 2-pager of crazy shots of us in '08. I love my three guys so much! Other than adding some Queen & Company pearls, the layout is just the My Family papers. My title is a mix of new Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphas, SR letter stickers and cool new Thickers.

I loved this next sheet of patterned paper and wanted as much of the design to show as possible. I rotated the paper around a few times and finally decided to use my three photos (2 of them really cropped down) on the bottom portion of the page. I added bling and pearls to the flower centers and then added my title - again a mix of SR stickers and Thickers. The love accent is cut from patterned paper and raised up with pop dots. The layout shows Blake with my sisters Adriane and Lindsey and my parents.

Last night I reminded myself that I needed to get some more Cub Scout layouts finished for Blake. He's crossing over into Boy Scouts in just over a week. I was proud of myself for taking six photos, eliminating one, and cropping the remaining five down to fit on a single page layout. Cub Scouts are always tying knots, so I chose three buttons for my embellishment and tied them with twine. I left the twine long to resemble ropes.

My last layout of the night came together surprisingly quick. I loved the "pieces of my heart" on the strip sheet and decided to add on it for my title. The lower part of the strip sheet had a "journaling box" design. I cut the center out to use it as a frame over one of my photos and journaled in the box beside it. It was a bit hard to leave so much "white space" in the upper right hand corner, but I did it. The "family" square in the upper left corner is adhered with pop dots for a little dimension. I also added the "corner" of Queen & Co. pearls. Oh, and I used my new punch that I got for less than 1/2 price at Joann's last week - another purchase justified!

So far I've finished seven layouts using the "My Family" line!

I love "My Family"...

I scrapped!!! Therefore, the purchase of Fancy Pants' "My Family" line at CKC has been justified. :)

The first layout I completed using this line is a 2-pager using photos from Blake's Blue Gold Cub Scouts' banquet from 2008. I thought this sheet of the family lined up along the bottom edge would be cute with family shots. I used a couple pics we took in '07 when Tom's whole family was together. The kids (and their Uncle Terry) made some pretty ugly/crazy faces in the one shot. It's just who they are!Finally, this last sheet of paper was a great one for a lot of journaling. I love this shot of Blake with his cousin, Jax. Jax has Autism and the photo of these two interacting and laughing was a good one to use to tell the story about their relationship.

I have several other photos pulled out to match up with this line. I LOVE the colors. With two boys, red and blue combos really work with my photos.

I'm off to create another layout now...!!!

Random Happiness...(the material kind)

After being under the weather all last week with what is likely the "Kentucky Crud", I've been looking for things to bring my spirits up. I've been thinking "happy" thoughts.

My boys are my number one and they make me happy.

With all the snow days we've had this year (six for February alone!), the promise of Spring makes me happy.

Spring = baseball season...need I say more?

Money can't buy happiness, but lately I have made a few purchases that have put a smile on my face.

1. Meet my new Lucky bag...Green is my favorite color and when I found this bag in TJ Maxx, I wanted it. Bad. I resisted though. But I did go in for visits. One night, the bag was gone. I wished I'd purchased it. Then I turned the corner and saw it hanging somewhere else...and it came home with me. The bag even has a little gold Shamrock hanging off the pocket "for luck." The day after I bought it, I got some really good news. That made me even happier!
2. I've said it before...I'll say it again...

I AM AN ALPHAHOLIC!

It's true. I have an addiction and can't control myself when it comes to alphabets. I splurged a bit last week when I attended the Creating Keepsakes Convention in Louisville. I picked up some great Thickers (to match paper I was buying - AND they were on SALE!) and some October Afternoon alphas. Then at Archiver's, I hit the jackpot with their $1.99 hot spot when I found NEW Cosmo Cricket chipboard stickers and their $1.49 Tiny Type alphas.

3. My family makes me happy and so does this new line by Fancy Pants' called "My Family." Right now I'm using it on a Cub Scout layout. Love the colors!

4. The colors in this Cosmo Cricket "Garden Variety" line make me happy - green's included! I have some farm photos waiting to be scrapped with this line. See the cows?!?

5. The "Rusted Sun" line by Fancy Pants makes me wish for a trip to the beach. In the meantime, I can scrap past summer/water photos and dream of warmth.

6. I LOVE the happy colors of the "Apple Jack" line by Sassafrass Lass. Hello school and birthday layouts! 7. The basic patterns in multiple colors in these papers from Jillibean Soup were a happy surprise for me to find at CKC. I can use these papers together or mix them in with other lines.

Ok...enough talking about what makes me happy. I'm going to go do something that makes me happy - SCRAPBOOK! I have the supplies, now I need to make the time.

Happy Scrappin' everyone!