Party time!!!!! (and a little chalk on the wall)

 I finished up the first layout the NIGHT that they layouts were due for the month of September (sketch 40) on Sketch N Scrap - didn't get around to posting it until now.... I had a lot of fun with the layout (and the memories) - the walls at our home in St Coix were PERFECT for sidewalk chalk, so we would draw all over them, then wash it all right off!


The second layout I finished up using sketch #42 from Sketch N Scrap - I LOVE how it turned out (and it's a more current layout - from 2 weeks ago!!!!). Living on an island is sometimes an adventure. We FLEW pizza over from Anchorage a couple days before her birthday so that the girls could decorate/make their own pizzas. They LOVED it! Yes... We FLEW papa murphy's take and bake pizzas and picked them up at the local airport - it's an adventure living here...

Supplies
Sidewalk Chalk
Paper: AC cardstock, EP so happy together
Stickers: EP so happy together

Party time
Paper: AC cardstock, Cosmo Cricket creative girl
Ink: Tsukineko
Stamps: PS birthday sampler, digits

sushi date - SFYTT

I have been majorly slacking and feel horrible! I really have no excuse other than being exhausted being a "single" mom while dh is at school. We are half way through his 4+ month school and it's going by fairly quickly.

I used the Reverse Confetti SFYTT for my layout. I like being able to use card sketches for my layouts - it's fun to adjust and make it work! Right before dh left, we went on a date (his birthday and my birthday were within a month of him leaving - he left the day after mine) to get sushi. I haven't ridden his motorcycle with him much, so we went on the motorcycle and of course, I had to document it with pictures!

I used a couple different RC sets - they are both new and I picked them both up from I Heart Papers: Lighthearted letters and forever fall.

Supplies
Stamps: RC lighthearted letters, forever fall
Ink: Tsukineko, Palette Noir
Paper: AC cardstock, MME Chalk Studio

Another new sketch site!

 I found another fun sketch site and played along with their sketch-a-thon this month. I've only finished 1 sketch, but make have time this weekend to play a little more! It's a cold/rainy day here, so it's perfect to stay inside - if only my kids didn't need dinner, then I could just play!

 I used sketch number 1 for my title page of the 2 page layout - it's actually the second page of the spread, but I think it works great. I used some MME papers along with some Reverse Confetti stamps

Supplies
Stamps: Reverse Confetti Arrows N elements, Celebrate Cake, Lighthearted letters
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: AC Cardstock, MME Cut & Paste

winter pictures

I found a new (to me) sketch site! The ones I have found recently have closed, so I was sad to have to find new ones again - I ran across Sketch N Scrap and am liking their sketches (and they have a bunch each month). I played along with sketch #41 with my page. I have a lot of white space and am ok with it!  The photos are from last winter - I have been getting better about printing my photos when I see a sale (I'm currently uploading some to be printed tonight).

I pulled out some BRAND NEW Reverse Confetti stamps along with some older ones (not old, but older than brand new) and only a tiny bit of pattern paper. I love that the RC stamps work so well together between the sets! I used 4 different sets on my page. I'm LOVING the new sets - but had to pace myself and only bought 2 (this paycheck)

Supplies
Stamps: RC Arrows N Elements, Lighthearted letters, Inner rock star, forever fall
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: MME Cut&Paste Adorbs

relay for life - layout

This layout was for a challenge that I missed the deadline by about a month.... I had it done, just didn't take a photo and post it at all. It was TOO crazy this summer around this deadline. 

The challenge was a sketch and color challenge. I actually like these colors together. I need to pull out my 12x12 Kraft paper more often - I like it as a background color! I pulled out some paper smooches stamps for my title. The stars are from Fresh Squeezed stamps - they were stamped on the pattern paper and fussy cut, then attached to the layout. 

Supplies
Stamps: FSS weather through, PS Graffiti
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: SU kraft, MME lost & Found 2 Breeze

dentist

I actually finished this layout a couple weeks ago and then have never posted it. It's been crazy, but it's slowing down finally! My dad is coming to visit this week, he gets here tonight and my girls are SO excited to see grandpa! They even helped me clean up to get ready, all we have left is to make cookies for grandpa.

This layout is for the Sketches in Thyme blog sketch #120 where I was a guest designer last month. I just saw that they are not going to be doing challenges anymore - so sad! I need to find more scrapbook layout challenge blogs!

Supplies
Paper: AC cardstock, Pebbles walnut grove
Accessories: AC Thickers

2nd Birthday - sketches in Thyme #120

I am LOVING this layout. It's one of my favorites that I've finished lately. I'm not sure what it is about it, but it was FUN creating this layout using the Sketches in Thyme #120.  I used some Echo Park 6x6 paper pads for this - I find that I use a lot more of the 6x6 (I like white space) than when I was using the 12x12 (and they are cheaper).

Getting back into the swing of work, school (starts today!!!), single parenting (while dh is at a school), soccer, just getting back from vacation and needing to empty suitcases is HARD. I've been back since Tuesday and it looks like my suitcases exploded in my bedroom. Hopefully I have time with dd in school tomorrow to get some stuff put away (and more laundry folded) after work with the little one.  I'm hoping to get some time to create this week!

Supplies
Stamps: PS Digits
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: EP Here and Now

happiness is...

I just got a great deal on getting some photos printed (Free is perfect for me!!), so I went through and printed a bunch of photos that have been sitting on my computer since 2009... We lived in St Croix and were getting ready to move back to Alaska.  St Croix Novembers are VERY different than Alaska Novembers.... 

I used the sketch from the Page Maps Blog on my page and pulled out some beach paper from the Echo Park Splash paper pack (I have used it on some other St Croix pages before - it's perfect). The circle paper needed a little something more, so I stamped the heart on it from the Reverse Confetti Arrows N' Elements set (it's also used in my title). 

Supplies
Stamps: Reverse Confetti Arrows N' Elements
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: Echo Park Splash

little miss muffet

 Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet eating her curds and whey.... Yes, the entire nursery rhyme is on this double page layout - I love these pictures of the girls - my neighbor (Sylwia Ok photography) is an amazing photographer! My older dd LOVED that they "coordinated" for Halloween. Younger dd didn't care what she got dressed up (she was 1).

 The girls had a great time at all the Halloween parties and trick or treating (2012).

Supplies
Paper: AC Cardstock, Bo bunny double dot, BG kneehighs
Ink: Tsukineko
Accessories: MME letter stickers, Queen & Co trendy tape

outdoor soccer

I pulled out some older papers for this layout - I LOVE this Cosmo Cricket paper - LOVE it! I have used almost every little bit of the girl friday paper that I bought a few years ago. The sketch is from Sketchabilities #93 (I added a picture to the sketch)  What a fun sketch!  

These kids were troopers - EVERY single game they played was outside and miserable! It was cold/wet/sideways rain/snow and the K/1 kids played outside in each game. The kids were on the sidelines FREEZING no matter how many layers we would put them in. They had a lot of fun though! 

Supplies
Paper: Cosmo Cricket girl Friday
Ink: Tuskineko
Accessories: MS edge punch, cosmo cricket tiny type alpha stickers

visiting - Fresh squeezed stamps

I found a sketch on Splitcoast stampers that worked great with some photos I had from 2007. These are from a visit to Utah that we did over Thanksgiving. My parents drove from Oregon for a quick visit while we were there, so we had fun at the hotel - Abby LOVED seeing her grandparents. 

I pulled out some Echo Park This & That paper that has been in my stash for a short time - I loved the colors in the collection. The arrows are from the Fresh Squeezed stamps Trendy Triangles set - I cut each one out in the 3 different colors of the pattern paper on the rest of the page. 

Supplies

Stamps: Background check, Trendy triangles

Ink: Tsukineko

Paper: EP this & that

summer sunshine - There she goes stamps

I found another sketch on the Sketchabilities blog that I liked, I didn't even change this one up too much - this is from Sketch 91 which I'm pretty sure is closed to add to, but that's ok because I liked the sketch. I also used the inspiration photo for the weekly challenge on the There She Goes blog - it was a BRIGHT inspiration photo (very bright, cheerful)

I pulled out some Echo Park Hello summer. It's an older paper pack, but I love how bright the colors are in it. Right after my youngest was born, we had a couple of "warm" days and spent them at the beach. "Warm" in Kodiak is relative... we were all FREEZING by the time we got back to the car this day.... It might have been 60 degrees, plus we had a bunch of wind too.  The sand castles on each corner are stamped on Kraft paper and then fussy cut to add to the paper - they are from the TSG By the Sea set.

Supplies
Stamps: TSG By the Sea
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: EP hello summer
Accessories: washi tape

fun at the fire station

I have been looking for new sketch sites and found Sketches in Thyme. I used sketch 113 for this layout. I rarely do 1 picture layouts, so I added a couple to the sketch to use the pictures I had from the Fire station open house. 

I cut out the scallop circle paper by hand. I put my cricut back in the box when I got a new computer - maybe when we move I'll have room for a big craft area and can have it out - it would have taken longer to get it out than to cut by hand...

Supplies
Paper: Echo Park So happy together
Accessories: EP So happy together stickers

sharing - Page maps sketch challenge

I love stamping on my layouts. I've had a lot of fun lately doing more of my layouts and cards - getting my table cleaned off and ordering new pretty paper always makes me excited to create!

I used the sketch on the Page Maps Blog for my layout. I really am not a huge fan of single photo layouts, so I adjusted the sketch to fit both my photos. I used a Paper Smooches stamp set (Flap Happy and Alpha dot) to add some embellishments on my page.

Supplies
Stamps: PS Flap happy, alphadot
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: AC cardstock, MME Collectable Unforgettable
Accessories: Nesties, 

beach treasures - Sketchabilities #92

 I got some new stamps this week.  I LOVE the selection at I Heart Papers - I find new stamp companies when Kate starts carrying them at the store. I used a sketch from the Sketchabilities blog - sketch #92 - I am still always going to be a simple scrapper, so I didn't use all the elements in the sketch.

I stamped the border on the paper using the Reverse Confetti Happy Harbor stamp set, the borders and "shore do love you" are also from the set.  This set went along with our beach walk pictures - we live on an island and have to enjoy "nice" days when they come because sometimes they are few and far between. This one was right after my husband returned from a trip - we found all kinds of treasures on this beach.

Supplies
Stamps: Reverse Confetti Happy Harbor
Ink: Tsukineko, copics
Paper: AC cardstock, MME Collectable "unforgettable"
Accessories: BG/MME letter stickers, MME washi tape

velcro wall FUN

I am having a great time getting back onto my craft table. I had been scrapbooking or making cards about once a week, but this week, I've been able to craft EVERY night! I love having my computer on the craft table, so I can watch netflix while I'm crafting too (or listen to music).

I used a Page Maps sketch for this layout.  These pictures have been screaming at me to scrap them for a while, but because they were SO busy, it took me a while to find papers that wouldn't distract from them too much. I used some Echo Park dots and stripes that I had in my stash that actually matched the red and yellow in the pictures.  Paired with a unity stamp and some basic grey stickers, the layout came together fairly quick (once I found the papers!)

Supplies
Stamps: Unity scrapbook kit
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: EP Dots and Stripes jewels
Accessories: BG alpha stickers

smiles - Unity challenge

 I joined in for the second month on the Unity challenge blog - this month, I'll actually post it BEFORE the deadline though (I was a couple minutes late last time, oops). I pulled out some Unity AND Ippity stamps for my layout - I dug through my old KOTM stamps to find the perfect butterfly for the layout. This set of butterflies were from the Unity August 2010 KOTM (Together we bloom) and were fussy cut to be put on the layout.

The paper is from a new (to me) paper pack that I picked up while on vacation. I actually have this paper in a 6x6 pad, but picked it up in 12x12 - the Pebbles Walnut grove papers matched her pajamas so well that I had to use it!  The ippity alphabetically adorable letters that I used are colored with copics to match the blue paper on the layout. I did expand mine into a 2 page layout, even though the sketch was a 1 page layout - I had too many pictures to choose from! 

Supplies
Stamps: Unity Aug 2010 KOTM (Together we bloom), Ippity Alphabetically adorable
Ink: Tsukineko, copics
Paper: AC cardstock, Pebbles walnut grove

Hiking

I pulled out these pictures and couldn't justify doing a 2 page layout, so I cropped them a little and did a 1 pager. The paper is actually from a 6x6 paper pad that I got from I heart papers - Kate always has the BEST papers (of course, she loves paper).

I used the Basic Grey Kneehighs paper along with a alphabet stamp set that I got from My Favorite things (I LOVE my alpha stamps - I have a bunch from different companies). The tags are cut using the Paper Smooches flag tag dies (that I got from I heart papers too)

Supplies
Stamps: MFT typewriter alpha
Ink: Tsukineko
Paper: AC cardstock, BG kneehighs
Accessories: PS Flag Tag dies

winter

I love the picture perfect challenge on the Paper smooches sparks blog - it fun! I love the rainbow colors in the inspiration picture and used it to create my layout. I used black and white photos (except one) to keep the colors from clashing too much (she was in 2 different colored pink coat/snowsuit and her hat).. I used some Bo bunny double dot pattern paper and used every color available in that paper pad. The bo bunny paper is actually from a 6x6 paper pad that I got from I Heart Papers. Because shipping to AK costs so much, I have actually been almost exclusively using 6x6 paper pads on my 12x12 layouts - I do have some 12x12 paper packs, but a LOT more 6x6.

I pulled out 2 different Paper Smooches stamp sets - the Freezy fellas and Winter groves for the layout. Abby LOVES playing in the snow - we made snowmen, snow angels and played on her pet log this day.

Supplies
Paper: AC cardstock, Bo Bunny bold and bright double dot
Ink: Tsukineko
Stamps: Paper Smooches Freezy fellas, winter groves

Christmas 2012

 I love My Minds Eye. I have a bunch of their paper, but it's mostly 6x6 paper pads (because shipping to AK is ridiculous). I try to join in on their monthly challenges, but haven't had much time lately. I HAD to join in after I saw the "anatomy of a double page layout" on the blog. I normally scrap double page layouts, so I adjusted the single page sketch to my version of the double pager.

I used some older MME that is in my stash - found some Christmas colors that look great together from the Lime Twist collection.  My youngest HATED Santa (and the Easter Bunny) this past year. She would scream as soon as I put her near them and would stop as soon as I picked her up.... had to get the photo though. 

Supplies
Paper: AC cardstock, MME Lime Twist Happy go lucky "cute", Life of the party "bon bon"
Ink: Tsukineko
Stamps: Paper smooches alphadot
Accessories: Washi tape