CK & Me...

Yesterday I received an email that just made me happy. I was recently inspired by a layout I saw in the November/December issue of Creating Keepsakes Magazine. I shared my layout with the editors and was happy to hear back that they were going to use it in today's blog post (you can see it HERE!)!
The layout I created if "Thankful for Family." I used my November "Handmade" kit by Studio Calico. I think it's even more appropriate that the layout documents last year's Thanksgiving.

Can you believe Thanksgiving is tomorrow???

I have so much work to do to prepare...

Have a great holiday!

Get a LOAD of this...

Welcome to part 2 of my October LOAD (LayOut A Day) from the Croptoberfest at PersonalScrapper.com.

For my first layout, I scrapped Kevin meeting his new cousin. I used a kit from Studio Calico for this two pager. The trim around the whole layout was from my least favorite sheet in the kit. I seem to be in the minority when I say I was NOT a fan of the "Out of Print" release from Basic Grey this year.
I was, however, a fan of those little button/fabric embellishments from the same line though. They were the perfect, simple accent for the page.

Next up, I created another 2-pager for some of Kevin's Scout pics. I used leftover "Old School" products by Pink Paislee that I received in my design team package from Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff a while back. I don't love this layout, but it's a memory documented and that is what it's all about - right?


I went back to Studio Calico for my next layout.

I used a few of my Mr. Huey mists on the cardstock and also the Pink Paislee trims. I ended up really happy with this layout. "My Big Boy" is one of my happy pages. Happy Pages just make me smile. I love Blake so much and took the opportunity to tell him on this layout. I used the same Studio Calico for this page. Loved how the ledger paper allowed me so much room for journaling. In September, I had purchased the Halloween themed add-on from Studio Calico. I was able to get two 2-page layouts and two single-page layouts out of that kit. I backed the Basic Grey "Out of Print" alphas with patterned paper and adhered them with pop dots so they'd stand out. I have to admit I was a bit stumped with more than a few of the products I used on "Winner" (Maya Road tags, spider paper, large Pink Paislee brads). But, in the end I finally found a use for these items that I liked. The last page I created with the kit was my favorite. And, I'm proud to say that I even used the stamp (banner) that came in the kit. I NEVER use the stamps. I just hoard them. I used them for my journaling. I also put my Martha Stewart spider web border punches to good use. I purchased them for cheap after Halloween last year and knew that eventually they'd get used! And finally, I opened my Paper Moon kit from Studio Calico for two more layouts. Both were highlighting Blake's broken wrist from the beginning of the year.

In reverse order, we have him showing of his new red cast...
And then we documented him getting his cast put on. (I can't be the only mother that takes step-by-step pics of this, am I?) I added some Studio Calico wood veneer letters to the kit to make my title. Ok...I want to sit down and scrap now! But, we have places to go tonight...

Here's a LOAD for you...

In the scrapping world, "LOAD" stand for LayOut A Day. Every October, PersonalScrapper.com challenges message board members to participate in Croptoberfest to complete 31 layouts for the month. I am proud to say that I completed that challenge (and then some).


Today I'd like to share a few of my layouts from October with you.


For a birthday challenge, I completed a non-traditional birthday layout about my mother-in-law's birthday in September. I'm not really a butterfly fan, but she is. It was the perfect layout for me to use these chipboard butterflies from Studio Calico. I used the same Studio Calico kit to scrap Blake meeting his new cousin Rhett for the first time. I loved using the washi tape to make a mat behind my photos. The layout is really simple. I love ledger patterned papers for journaling. I switched gears from working with a kit to using some older DT products I received from Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff last fall. The Pink Paislee "Old School" papers worked great with these homecoming spirit week pics of Blake. The colors in the "Old School" line were also perfect for scrapping Blake's last Court of Honor for Boy Scouts.

Then I was back to my Studio Calico kits... (The following layouts were all completed using SC kits.)

I have a habit of pulling out my least favorite papers from a kit to try to work with them first. I'm not a huge fan of florals or pink, so I used them both on this layout of me and Tom. I LOVED the "yesterday, today, tomorrow" journaling cards that were in the kit. I used them together to create a mat behind my photo. This next layout is one of my new favorites. I used 2" square scraps left over from 2x10" strips I had cut for another layout. I rounded the corners and arranged them in a grid pattern. This layout just makes me smile. Of course, the photo of my boys helps with that, too. I love these two!I had fresh pics of my new nephew, so I made a couple layouts about Rhett.

I didn't realize until I was finished with the second layout how similar the two were.

This fall, I ended up with several pics of me and Tom together...

And, finally I have a baseball layout to work in, too. I got a little creative with this one. I made my own baseball embellishment. I should really try to get more creative with my layouts, but quick and simple is really my style. So I don't overwhelm you with photos, I'll share the rest of my October projects later.

"Making the Team" again...

I have a few more sports layouts to share with you. I used the "Making the Team" line from Bella BLVD that I got from Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff.

Kevin had his first basketball practice on Saturday. I guess it's only fitting that I finally scrap last year's basketball pics. This year instead of doing Upwards, we have him playing in the new "Little League" basketball program they started at the high school.
We had a really good experience with Upwards last year. This layout documents the game where Kevin scored 8 points. We were so proud of him!

Blake also played Upwards last year. Luckily he was able to return for his last game after wearing a cast for the wrist he broke in practice for 5 weeks. And, I can't seem to scrap anything sports-related without throwing in something for Baseball. (Sometimes I think my baseball pics multiply in my photo boxes...) I added some wood veneer stars by Studio Calico to this layout.

I have really enjoyed working with this line. I still have a some scraps left and plan to use up every last bit of it!

Halloween 2011 - documented...

In case you wondered where I have been since Halloween...

I have been scrapbooking! I am happy to say that all of my Halloween pics (pumpkin carving & trick or treat) from 2011 are scrapped. Go me!

I pulled out my neglected October 2010 kit from Noel Mignon. (For the life of me, I can't remember why I didn't use it last fall.) Armed with this kit, extra black cardstock & alphas, and my stack of Halloween pics, I worked over the weekend and completed ten layouts.

Crazy Kev shocked me when I noticed he was wearing a mask to carve his pumpkin. He was a bit scary! I broke out my new Martha Stewart border punch for "Carving Time" for Blake's album. I guess he was inspired to don his 'fro wig after seeing Kevin in his mask? I loved the My Mind's Eye pumpkin paper for this page.

Next, I FINALLY got to use my WRMK stitched cardstock for Blake's trunk or treat layout. He refused to dress up and said he was "casual Friday." Teenagers!Thankfully, Kevin dressed up. Everyone loved his Edward Scissorhands costume. I used a sketch from Sketches for Scrapbooking Volume 8 for this 2-pager.

Thankfully, Blake asked me to put make up on him before he sat out and passed out candy on Halloween!

I ended up with a lot of good "Bloody Blake" photos on Halloween. Crammed them all into a 2-pager. I liked my bat jack-o-lantern so much that I made a scrapbook page about it. (The title makes me smile. I love movie quotes.)

Kevin looked a bit spooky with his jack-o-lanterns on Halloween. (Although here he looks more like the joker with black hair than Edward Scissorhands!)

Speaking of Edward Scissorhands... This layout and the next both use sketches from Sketches for Scrapbooking Volume 8.

We really enjoyed trick-or-treating in our own subdivision. On a school night, it was great to stay home.

Now that Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is right around the corner.

Where has 2011 gone???

Happy Halloween!!!

We had a great time celebrating Halloween over the past couple of days.

Tom and Blake were camping all weekend with Scouts, so we waited until they got home yesterday to carve our pumpkins. Mine was the coolest. I made a bat pupkin. I even added "blood" around the mouth.
As I was completing my pumpkin, I turned around to see quite a scary site going to work behind me. (Have you heard me say that this kid just isn't right???) But, in the end, he had a pretty happy, smiling pumpkin.

Blake had to put on his "thinking 'fro" to do his carving. (And Crazy Kev had to jump in the background of this shot!)I love the wicked grin on his jack-o-lantern.Sunday night we went to trunk or treat at our church. Everyone loved Kevin's Edward Scissorhands costume. Blake said he dressed up as "Casual Friday." Teenagers...For Kevin's scissorhands, I traced scissors on glitter foam, then attached them to black gloves using brads. That's Kevin real hair painted black. Too bad it wasn't longer...We only had one trick-or-treater this year. It was a bit sad.Tom and I walked around our subdivision with Kevin. Blake sat out on our porch and scared the trick-or-treaters. I have to admit, he did look a bit gruesome!It was a very nice Halloween. I am blessed to have these two boys. They are already thinking ahead to next year for costume (and makeup) ideas. Oh, I have one more photo to share...

While uploading my pics, I noticed a couple that I did't take. Kevin just might turn out to be a great photographer some day. Don't you love the angle he used to capture his newest lego set?

Happy Halloween!