Happiness Is...This

I have a quick layout to share:

 Hmmm, I think everything on this page is Simple Stories Vintage Bliss - makes it easy!  Here's a close-up of the journaling:

And I just had to do another close-up focusing on Brenna's face, because holy cow, look how fat it is!  Sooooo cute! 

I used this great sketch from Scrap Much?

And that's it!  I guess I better get my butt in gear and go wrap some presents, eh?  Thanks for looking!

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Birthday Number Ten

Quick post on this winter solstice to show you a summer layout I just completed: 

 I really like the neutral background with the pops of colour!  The papers and stickers are all from Simple Stories (24/7) and the twine and enamel dots are from Close to My Heart.

Here's a close-up of the journaling (I really like how this turned out, too!):

 And another close up, this time of the title work:

I used this sketch from My Scraps & More:

Is everyone ready for Christmas?  We're getting there.  We decorated the tree last night, and it was quite comical.  My husband chose a 20 footer, and we have enough decorations for maybe a 10 footer.  Guess I'll be hitting those Boxing Day sales for some more ornaments for next year!

Thanks for looking!

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Last LO with November Kit

I think I'm about done with my November Counterfeit Kit!  Here's my final page before I say "Sayonara!"

I'm not sure I'm really loving this page.  There's a lot going on, but maybe that's what makes it fun - at least, that's what I'm gonna tell myself!  Here's a close-up of the journaling and some elements I cut with my Cameo:

It's so weird to look at our family without Brenna present.  She wasn't even a gleam in my eye at that point in time!  

Here's the sketch I used:

It's a Page Maps sketch from S.W.A.T. Drill #20, but alas I was too late to take part in the challenge!  Maybe next month.

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Sketchabilities #103 - IRL

So, I've been blogging for quite a while now, and one of the things I love the most about blogging is the friends I've made!  Alison is one of those friends, and I was fortunate enough to meet her "in real life" last year:

I used my November Counterfeit Kit and this fabulous sketch from Sketchabilities:

I really love how this page turned out, and the fact that it documents such a special meeting is just icing on the cake!  Here's a close-up of some of the elements:

A butterfly and feathers cut with my Cameo.  And here's another butterfly with a border also cut with the Cameo:  

I'm not sure if the texture really shows up here, but I made the bricks with a stencil, some glimmer mist painted on, and then some texture paste and ink using the same stencil.  It looks really cool up close!

Well, I guess that's it for now.  Better get this posted before the linky closes!

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Two Projects to Share!

Still working with my November Counterfeit Kit.  This layout, aw man, looking at these pictures makes me laugh every time!

 I used the Week 3 sketch from Let's Get Sketchy:

Then I felt I needed to add more "stuff".  Not sure if that was the right decision or not.  Here's some close-ups:

Love that owl!  It's from a free kit I downloaded on Digital Scrap Day, as is the tree in the top left.  The doily was cut using the Cameo.

The green gingham buttons are actually fabric covered - I used one of those little kits you can get in the notions section of a quilting store (Vanderhoof has two, if you can believe it!)

So that's my layout, and here's a card I made with some of the scraps:

You probably can't tell from the photo, but I used some texture paste and a stencil to get the background pattern, then sprayed the whole thing with Dylusions.  

Here's the inside:

I love that sentiment!  It's from a new Close to My Heart stamp set called "Just a Number".

I used this great sketch from Retrosketches:

And there you have it, two projects in one day!  Make note, people, this doesn't happen very often!!!

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"Lest We Forget"

Here's a page I made with my November Counterfeit Kit, to commemorate Remembrance Day:

What do you think?  Is it a mixed media mess, or does it work?  I have to admit, I cheated a bit with my products - not everything was from my kit (oops!)  The stamp sets, Dylusions, and gesso were not in my original kit, but I just HAD to have that poppy!!!  Here's a close-up of that detail:

I whitewashed a section of the kraft background with gesso, then stamped and embossed the poppy with clear powder, and sprayed over top with Postbox Red.  Note to anyone going to try this technique - gesso makes Dylusions more pastel!  It turned out to be a light red, almost pink!

Here's the sketch I used, from My Scraps and More:

I flipped it upside down!  

I can't believe these photos were taken 2 years ago, already!  Ailis looks so tiny!!!

Thanks for looking, and I'll see you next time!

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"SMILE" for My Scraps & More

New layout!  Woohoo, I must be on a roll!  

 Hmm, I like this one.  I think.  So here's what I did.  First, I used a great sketch from My Scraps & More:

Then I painted a little spot in the background for the photos to rest on.  I really wanted a white background, and I really wanted white polaroid frames, but together, they were just not going well together.  So, mix a bit of acid green with a bit of white and paint through a Donna Downey stencil, and there you have a nice photo mat.  

The polaroid frames and leaves were cut with my Cameo, and for flowers, I decided to mix and match - paper ones mixed with crocheted ones (I made the latter myself!).  All the papers are Simple Stories.

Some close-ups:  

Now I must get back to working with my Counterfeit Kit - ta ta for now!

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New Card with My Counterfeit Kit

This card is surprisingly simple, but I think I like how it turned out!  I used some leftover MME papers from my Counterfeit Kit.  The vintage book paper is also from the kit.  I cut some layered shapes with my Cameo, inked the edges of everything, stamped a little sentiment, added some pearls (stamp set and pearls are CTMH) and voila!  Completed card!

I used this sketch from Scrapbooker's Paradise blog:

I also want to link up to:
Use Your Stuff #109 - Use limited supplies.  I used only items from my kit!
JUGS #214 - background of words.  That's my vintage paper.

Thanks for looking!!!

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Let's Get Sketchy with my Counterfeit Kit

Here's the first of (hopefully) many projects completed with my November Counterfeit Kit!

I really like how this page turned out!  I cut some elements with my Cameo - the feathers and leaf card, and managed to use up some of that embellishment kit I've been hoarding for ages - the book paper and this tag:

The journaling was the hardest part for me.  Jason's mom has dementia, and we're noticing it not just in how she acts but in how she looks, too.  The kids are very freaked out about it, so I wanted to make them a page to let them know how even though she's changing, she's still very happy (at least, when we're around!).

Here's the sketch I used from Let's Get Sketchy:

Nice, huh?  I'll leave it at that for now, but stay tuned for a card I've got in the works using some of the leftover papers.

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Bunch of stuff to post tonight...

...for your viewing pleasure!  Here is a layout I just finished:

The colours were taken from Ailis's pajamas, but I had also just downloaded a bunch of digital freebies for Digital Scrapbook Day.  Here is a close up of one, the leaf:

The tag I made myself by stamping with Tuxedo Memento ink, applying texture paste over a stencil, and then spraying with three different colours of Dylusions ink.

Here's another close up of my bottom embellishment cluster:

This includes a smaller version of the leaf and another digi.

I posted this SMASH book page on Instagram, and have received a lot of love over it.  Gotta say it's one of my favourite pages to date.  It includes some more fussy cut digital elements and some elements cut with my Cameo (title and arrows):

And finally, my last project.  It went out in the mail today to my friend Jill, who turns 38 tomorrow.  Yeah, yeah, I know it'll be late, but it's the thought that counts, right?

This card was inspired by one I pinned the other day by Nicole Nowosad.  You can see it here.  

And that's it for now.  I've been working hard on another layout tonight, so I should be able to post it tomorrow or the next day, depending on how badly my husband milks his whole sickness thing.  He's such a baby!

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November Counterfeit Kit

Hey, folks, just a quick post tonight to show you my counterfeit kit I made for November.  It's been ages since I played along with this fantastic blog, and I'm hoping that by creating my kit and committing to working with it this month, I will actually get some projects finished!

Here's the main kit from Jenni Bowlin I decided to counterfeit:

And here's a little image I made up on picmonkey.com to show my kit - such a fun site, try it out if you haven't already!

So I'll quickly describe what I have here.  As for papers, I've got a few sheets of cardstock and two partial sheets of Echo Park journaling cards.  In the front row I've got all my patterned papers, the four on the left from MME, a textured paper that feels like a basketball, a stripe from Simple Stories, and the last from Echo Park.  On the left are my embellishments.  I've pulled two sets of alphas (Thickers and collage typewriter letters), pre-cut arrows and a pie chart in cream cardstock that I can ink to match whatever I want, chipboard packages, some embellishment kits I won a while back, an owl stamp set from CTMH, some prima flowers, border stickers, and some digital elements I downloaded for free, printed and fussy cut.  Some of these I got from Wishing Well Creations, and some I got from  Meredith Cardall - both were offering freebies for Digital Scrapbook Day, so I'm not sure that they're still available.

And that's it!  Hope you like my kit, and I hope I get to use it this month!  Right now I'm dealing with major meltdowns from a serious video game addict going with withdrawal.  Deep breath, Roxy, deep breath!

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Sketches in Thyme #121

Can't believe summer's almost over!  School starts next week, woohoo!!!  And I'm actually feeling a bit ahead of the game this year, at least as far as school supplies go.  I had a week off work last week, and managed to get myself and the three kids down to Williams Lake for a little visit with the grandparents.  Here's a page I made using some cute pics of me and the girls:

I used Sketch #121 from Sketches in Thyme as very loose inspiration, I guess you could say!  Here's the sketch:

What do you think of my custom background?  Pretty wild, eh?  I made the background to go with my last page, but it just wasn't working for me.  I think it looks way better with these photos.  How'd I get such great colours, you ask?  Well, once again I'm going to plug for Dylusions sprays, because they ROCK!

A close-up of the journaling and some of those Pink Paislee hearts: 

I just bought my first flair badges at Winners, of all places!  This yellow one is from Studio Calico:

And, I HAD to include a little closie of that sweet camera printable:

It is a freebie from Rebecca B.  She has all sorts of super cute printables, all for FREE!!!  Here's a link to my pin of this camera.  

So, I guess that's about it for now.  Take care, everyone, and happy fall!  Oh yes, and do join us over at Sketches in Thyme, we always love it when you do!

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Sketches in Thyme Reveal #120

Hey everyone, welcome to another challenge from Sketches in Thyme!  Here's the fun page I created for this week's sketch:

Sorry for the glare in the top photo - I was trying a new photography technique, if you can call it that, by putting the page under my Ott light.  So, the colours look great, but that one photo, not so much!   At least you can see that focal photo of my beautiful Ailis girl!  I had the camera zoomed right in from the sidelines, and she looked up at me with the cutest dimple - man, I love it when that happens, picture perfect!  

Another great sketch from Sketches in Thyme: 

I mostly stayed true to the sketch, as you can see, although now I'm noticing that I didn't use a title.  Hmmm, I wonder why?  Some things are to remain a mystery!  

And a close-up of the journaling:

Don't you just love Google for when you don't know how to spell Japanese numbers?  

I do hope you'll join in with our challenges this month at Sketches in Thyme - check it out!  You know you wanna!

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SiT # 118 and a SMASH Page!

Helloooooo, out there in the blogosphere, anyone hear me?  Either everyone's on summer holidays without computers, or I've lost a lot of followers with the whole Google reader closure thing, but I'm awfully lonely over here!  I miss all my loyal commenters!!!  Well, for those of you still reading my blog, here is a page I put together featuring a new sketch from Sketches in Thyme and some lovely Everyday Eclectic papers and stickers from Echo Park:

 And here's sketch #118 for your usage:

I seem to have taken some liberties with this sketch, probably more so than usual, but hopefully you can see where I was inspired with the strips of paper behind the three photos.  Here are some close-ups of the journaling and banner:

I thought I was over the banner craze, but apparently not!  The whole amusement park theme seemed to call for some banners!  I also went a bit crazy with the inking around the base paper, something I haven't done for a while.  I was going for an instagram-ish look, but not really sure I succeeded.  Meh, maybe next time!

And for those of you waiting with bated breath for a glimpse of our new home, here it is in all it's loggy glory:

 My mom took this photo when she came up for a visit, and so far it's the only one of the outside.  I paired it up in a SMASH page featuring a housewarming card from my mom and the letter we received from our realtor.  I made the pocket and flower using one of the oldest pieces of paper in my stash and my Silhouette.  I also used the Silhouette to cut the letters with our address.  I have to tell ya, it feels good to use up some older product and finally get SMASHin' again!

I hope you'll join us at Sketches in Thyme with any of our three sketches this month, and thanks for looking!

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