"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!

Best Creation...

Last weekend was a bit of a letdown for us. After over a month of preparation with a new team, Blake was ready to play. (Kevin was ready to be batboy!) Our first tournament was scheduled. It rained.

We are going to try it again this weekend and hope the boys get their games in.

In honor of our upcoming baseball season, I have some layouts to share that I created for Scrappin' {Sports} Stuff with a line of Baseball themed products by Best Creation. It was a new manufacturer for me to work with and I admit that I was originally unsure about using something labeled "glitter paper" on my boys' layouts. I ended up loving the color scheme. It was refreshing to see baseball products that weren't the traditional red and blue. Plus, the glitter was subtle and worked for me.

Without further ado...

I made a few 2-pagers...

And a couple singles... The line also worked great for team photos. Super simple pages.

I am SOOOOO ready for baseball games to start!

Did I miss Christmas???

I guess when you stop blogging over the holidays, you forget to share Christmas!

We actually had a wonderful holiday at home. It was perfect.

The boys were up at 6 a.m. to open gifts!
The first gifts we opened were the family gifts. Everyone was happy...I scrapped Kevin's Christmas. He got a lot of good gifts!Had to include the whole family in his album, too. While I prepared Christmas dinner, Kevin played with his new art supplies and ate his chocolate Santa. After lunch, he took a nap. I think we all did!

Thanks to Noel Mignon's December kit, I have Kevin's 2011 Christmas all scrapped. These are some great memories we wouldn't want to forget!

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!

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...