Simple layouts for Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff

I look forward to my monthly design team shipment from Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff every month! However, I usually have more product than I can use in one month. Last week I pulled out some of my "leftovers" and started creating.

First, I used the new Tiny Woods line by Kaisercraft. I scrapped a couple photos of our fine dining experience in our own backyard in April. the boys love to build fires, so roasting hotdogs and s'mores is a much requested dinner option now!

I also scrapped Kevin's new class photo. We don't frame them, but just keep them in his scrapbook. I try to scrap them soon after he brings them home so they don't get damaged. I used Game Day Chili by Jillibean Soup for this layout. It's one of my favorite new lines.

A new shipment just arrived from SSS yesterday. I see some Scout layouts in my future...



"Handmade" with Studio Calico...

I have a confession to make.


When I saw the preview of the November "Handmade" kit from Studio Calico, I didn't love it. I thought that would change when it arrived, but I still wasn't in love. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice kit and I felt like I had my money's worth in supplies. There just wasn't anything that jumped out at me - no ideas for photos to pair up with it instantly.


So, this kit became my challenge.


Unfortunately, my first attempt at using the kit failed. I had purchased some coordinating products from October Afternoon to pair up with the kit. I realized after my first layout that few things that ended up on the page were from the kit! But, I had B's first trip to the orthodontist for prep documented.
The cardstock was from the "More Color" add and the red alphas, journal card, flag and brads were from the "Tatting" add-on. Nothing came from the main kit. Oops! I used a sketch from Allison Davis' Sketches for Scrapbooking Vol 8.
For my next layout, I pulled out my LEAST favorite paper by MME. Gold. Glitter. The word ADORE. Huh? Well, I adore my niece Reese. And so, a layout was born. I actually like it.I used a die cut paper from the kit as a mask for my next layout. Love Mister Huey mists. Used a few on this one. Didn't really like the Basic Grey canvas flowers in the kit, so I used the plain backsides that I also misted and then layered them. This ended up being my favorite layout this month. Another Reese page. Used the die cut paper to cover up another sheet that I wasn't in love with. You've seen this layout before. (Here.) Next is a lift of page 2 of "Havin' a Merry Christmas" layout by Kim Watson in Nov/Dec '11 CK (page 29).
I used a PageMaps October '11 sketch to scrap my youngest sister's 21st birthday. (Yes, more of my not-so-favorite-papers, but I ended up loving the result!)
Finally, my last layout was inspired by "Persistence & Snow Tires" layout by Sarah Webb on pg. 38 of Nov/Dec '11 CK.

I am a bit behind in sharing my layouts. In the past couple of weeks I have "killed" FOUR of my Studio Calico kits. Go me! The scrapping bug is back.

Now, I just need to get my space organized. I have put scrapping on hold a bit while I reorganize my scrap area. Cubes have been moved to fit my needs. Now I just need to organize and fill them back up.

Wish me luck!

Baseball Season is almost here...

Baseball practices have started for the boys and I could not be happier. Plus, it's been sunny and 80 degrees!!! Spring is here!

In honor of baseball season, I have a couple projects I completed for Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff that I would like to share with you.

I used the Little Yellow Bicycle "Game On" collection.

For my first layout, I scrapped Blake's all-star team from last summer. It was a great group of kids. Many of them are playing together this year. And, I also have a layout of us taking in our Minor League Louisville Bats. Hopefully we will have time to go see them again this year. That's always a fun outing, even if Blake doesn't smile in the photos!

Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff has some great sports lines in stock and more coming soon. You will see many sports layouts from me in the near future.

Happy scrappin'!

I'm alive and still scrapping...

Once upon a time, I used to scrapbook and then turn around and share my work on my blog. But, last fall life sort of got in the way. For a while I didn't even scrapbook. Then I made time for it again. Today, I am scrapping like crazy. But, I realize I left my blog a bit neglected.

Now, I'd like to share some of my work from last fall that was uploaded but never posted here.

Today, I am posting my final layouts from the "Croptoberfest" crop at Personal Scrapper from last October. (Yes, 5 months ago...) (I realize these two layouts are very similar, but I scrap for both boys' individual albums.)

The above layouts were all created using Studio Calico kits. Everything below was created with Jillibean Soup products that just make me happy.

I promise to share more work soon. It won't be another five months before I share!

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.

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???

It's Finally Friday!

It's finally Friday. Yay!

I hope this weekend will allow me a little time to get caught up on uploading/editing my photos. I'm way behind on that.

I have a couple fun little projects to share with you today. When going through my stash last month, I came across the "Apple Jack" line by Sassafrass Lass that I purchased almost a year and a half ago. I was dying to work with this line, but it just sort of sat. For a long while.

I was inspired to use it and paired it up with some crazy shots of my guys that my sister took last year at one of the boy's birthday parties. (Tom must never know I posted this!)
While I had the line out, I also scrapped our nephews' birthday party from a couple years back. I've been scrapping a lot of birthday layouts lately. Afterall, this is birthday season in our house. I'm looking forward to celebrating both boys' birthdays at their "friend" party this weekend.

My Monkey...

Not long after we moved into our home, we planted some trees in the backyard. Many of them didn't make it that first year and had to be replaced, but the Maple we planted in the center of the backyard thrived. Today, I am impressed with how tall it's grown in just 6 or 7 years. Kevin is really starting to enjoy the Maple.Sometimes I'll look out into the backyard and panic because I can't see him. Then, he'll peek out from INSIDE the tree to let me know he's still there. The photos of Kevin in the tree make me smile every time I see them. So, when I received them in my photo order, I couldn't wait to scrapbook them to document this memory.

(Products used - Jillibean Soup papers, Pebbles felt tree accents, American Crafts Thickers)

Now I have this memory documented for Kevin, too.

Happy Scrappin'!