Scrapping with January PageMaps sketches...

We had a snow day on Friday. (Yay!) I took some time to scrap and worked in some more time over the weekend, too. I challenged myself to use all of the January PageMaps sketches. I was able to scrap with all TEN sketches, too!

(I'm sharing my layouts in the order they are listed on the PageMaps PDF.)

For the first sketch, I adjusted the sketch from a 2-page 8-1/2"x11" to a 2-page 12x12. I used the new Crate Paper "Snow Day" line.

The photos are from last winter.

I turned the sketch for "Cast of Characters" clockwise. Instead of using flowers like the sketch suggested, I used spiders.

For this layout, I used the October add-on from Polka Dot Whimsy. LOVED the handmade "flower" from the kit made out of a striped napkin. It came flat, but was easy to "poof up." Michelle does a great job selecting embellishments for her kits!

I made adjustments on my third layout to accomodate more photos. I also had to change the journaling position. Used the October PDW add-on kit for this one, too.

"Prepare to Scare" is actually based on a single-page layout. I loved the squares on it and it made it easy to stretch into a 2-pager and adjust for photo count and sizes. I used the October PDW add-on for this layout, too. I just had to pull black cardstock from my stash. I also added the green Jillibean Soup alphabet.

"Passed Out" is based on an 8-1/2"x11" sketch. I made it 12x12. This is another good use of the October PDW add-on.

Here's a layout I kept pretty true to the sketch! I just turned this one clockwise.

Loved the "googly" eyes that came in the kit. I thought they were a fun addition to the center of my "O"s.

I switched into Boy Scout mode for the next sketch. It was for an 11"x8-1/2" layout, but I made it 12x12 and added some photos. I used supplies from Scrappin' Sports Stuff to complete this one.

Back to Halloween..."I love a Hayride" is based on a single page sketch that my friend Mel actually designed with for the PageMaps newsletter this month. I had too many photos for it, so I stretched it into a 2-pager. (Surprised?) Everything on this one was from the PDW October add-on except for the 2 sheets of black cardstock from my stash.

I did another Scout layout for Scrappin' Sports Stuff. I kept to the sketch on this one and only adjusted for the photo size. I left off the butterflies. The focus on this one is the journaling.

The last sketch not only finished off the scraps from the October PDW add-on, but it also wrapped up Kevin's pile of Halloween 2010 photos. There is more snow in our forecast for the coming week. If we have another snow day, I just might turn it into another scrap day.

Have a great week!

PageMaps' September Card Maps

After I posted a challenge at Personal Scrapper to use a September PageMaps sketch, Mel challenged us to use the newest Card Maps. I'm not one to turn down a challenge, so I did all 12 of them. I think I finished the 10 layouts quicker than I did the cards though!
I used scraps from a Bo Bunny line to make a few birthday cards and then leftovers from an older Love, Elsie line. For many of them, I'll add sentiments as needed.

PageMaps sketch contest/A La Carte challenge

Becky Fleck posted a Studio Calico Sketch Contest over on the PageMaps blog. I used the sketch, but flipped it on its side and made a few adjustments. I used some fun Sassafrass Lass papers. To complete this LO, I also used some "menu items" from the A La Carte challenge #7. I actually used all six suggested menu items:

• Use an ampersand, dollar sign, or other symbol in your title. Check! (Dollar sign)
• Use three shades of green. Check!
• Use a silver, gold or brass embellishment. Check! (I painted the $ gold and used two silver staples.)
• Use a tree. Check! (At least I consider those to be trees on the one sticker under my title.)
• Use stamping as your background. Check! (I used Kaiser Craft stamps and Versa Mark.)
• Use book print or an actual page from a book. Check! (A piece of Jenni Bowlin book print patterned paper in the top right corner.)

I love sketches and challenges!

August PageMaps

Last month I decided to challenge myself to create layouts using all ten of the July PageMap sketches. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do it again with the August sketches.

I enjoyed using these "new to me" Sassafrass Lass papers on this page about my nephew's birthday party back in January. I used pop dots under the stars and added some clear buttons for dimension, too. This LO is for Kevin's album. I cheated a bit and used some photo collages on the page.

Another Kevin LO - he loves Scout! "Kev's best friend" uses Sassafrass Lass papers, too. I altered the sketch to make it 12x12 and also added an extra photo. I even pulled out my sewing machine for this one (to stich around the dot rectangle).

My July kit from Personal Scrapper was a bit neglected last month. I loved the Fancy Pants papers, but was too busy with the boys to put it to good use. I used four different sheets of patterned paper to make this page. The sun was actually cut from the base page (which was going to be covered by a photo) - I raised it up with pop dots. I also cut the waves from another sheet. Sometimes bling is hard to use on boy pages, so I used a lot of it here to look like water droplets. These fun photos are from earlier in the summer at my sister's pool.

You've probably noticed I can't go long without scrapping sports! And since I still have some We R Memory Keepers "MVP" papers...

Even though I didn't have many pics from one tournament Kevin participated in, I did have a story to tell! Loved using the journaling card to get this memory down. The tournament was called off and we were not happy about it - or happy about being charged $3/person to be told it was called (and not to receive our money back!).

This photo of Kevin was actually snapped at one of Blake's tournament games, but Kevin was in uniform. I decided to enlarge the photo and give an overview of his season and the positions he played.

Aside from sports, I realize another topic I tend to neglect is Cub Scouts. This January both of the boys were awarded Catholic Religious Awards in Louisville. They had to work really hard to meet the requirements. The ceremony was in Louisville at a beautiful historic Cathedral. I used the K&Co. Cub Scout paper line and kept this LO simple since the background in the photos was so beautiful.

More of the K&Co. papers were used to document Blake's awards at the annual Blue & Gold banquet (breakfast). The paper had a lot of detail, but was "flat." I added some dimensional accent (glaze) by tracing over "cub scouts" on the patterned paper. It gives a neat raised up effect.Finally I tore into my August kit from Personal Scrapper. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Scenic Route papers this month. I had a silly photo collage of the boys and their cousin Dane playing football. The photos were a little dull, so I loved using all these colors to liven it up a bit.

Blake worked really hard on his career project for school this spring. I only have the one photo of him with the finished project though. I really liked using this sketch for this single photo - I loved using all the different Scenic Route patterns. It will remind Blake that when he was 10 he wanted to be an architect. I wonder how many times his career goal will change.

This last LO uses pics from this year's Father's Day. I also used the August PS kit with this one and added naked chipboard by Scenic Route and Fancy Pants. I outlined the chipboard letters with pen.

Now I'll patiently wait for the September sketches!

July PageMaps Sketches

On Saturday, we returned home from baseballs games and were then stuck inside because of rain. I checked out the message board at Personal Scrapper and saw that someone posted a challenge to use a specific July PageMaps.

"Practice Makes Perfect" is the LO I completed for that challenge. I already had these four pics on my desk and cropped them and altered the sketch to fit them. I used a paper pack/slab by We R Memory Keepers - their MVP line - that I picked up at Michael's a while back for around $10 by using a 50% off coupon.When I checked out the PageMaps site to see the sketch, I realized I loved all ten of the July sketches. I spent last night and some time this morning scrapping to use all of the sketches. I continued using the WRMK MVP line and various sports pics from the boys' 2006 season.

Everything for "Tournament Time" was included in the MVP slab except for the diecut journaling cards (from the same line) that I picked up at Archiver's. These pics are from Kevin's first year of teeball - he's grown so much!!!

"2nd place" uses the slab, a couple journaling cards, some vintage rick rack, and American Crafts foam Thickers ("nd"). The "2" is a cut out from a piece of patterned paper that I raised up with pop dots.

It's hard to tell from this photo, but "first uniform" has a row of stars above the photos that I punched out with my old Creative Memories star punches. Some are raised up with pop dots. I remember how excited Kevin was to get his first official uniform!

I love how "Rookie" turned out. Sometimes it's hard to scrap posed photos. I turned the sketch I used for this LO on it's side. It was also an 8-1/2"x11" sketch that I altered into a 12x12. It's one of my favorites.

"Night Games" documents a big thrill for the boys - playing under the lights. It's hard to believe that in these pics Blake was the age Kevin is now! It looks like there is a red circle with a star in the center of this LO, but the circle is actually silver. I think it might have picked up the reflection of my red shirt!

The sketch I used for "18" appeared pretty girly, but I added stars to toughen it up! I don't usually use the same photo twice on a page (it's a pet peeve of mine), but I thought it worked ok here.

"Sideline 2006" is of a couple random shots I had from Kevin watching Blake's games. I liked using the newspaper patterned paper.

The sketch I used for "Champs" was actually a 2-page 8-1/2"x11" LO that I made into a 2-page 12x12 LO. It's probably the sketch I altered the most to accomodate all my photos. These are good memories!

I was able to use my Bazzill stitching templates for "in uniform". I tried to get creative and make the circles in the sketch into baseballs.

Usually I have so many sports photos that I am overwhelmed when I try to scrap them. I might just have to pull up the PageMaps archives to see if another month of sketches will inspire me to scrap more of my huge collection of sports photos!

Happy scrapping!