It's Challenge Time at Triplicate Trials Tuesday!!

Yahoo- time for the FIRST EVER challenge at Triplicate Trials Tuesday!! If you're like me, and love getting your hands on a good challenge, this one will be right up your alley. Ready? It's a 3-part challenge, first up is the sketch:

Followed by colors:

And lastly, the theme:

Here's what i came up with:

I had some old (and not great quality) pics of a sleepover with my sister and 3 friends circa 1983- thought it would be fun to create a layout about my childhood for this challenge! My background is what follows the sketch, I used a piece of pattern paper (that happened to contain the colors needed) and added a scrap of a fun die-cut as the oval in the center. Can you make out the strip of melon across the top of the PP? That's actually the back of the PP (it's double-sided), folded over and stapled for a little bit of texture. I layered my photos and other fun elements on top.

Need more inspiration from this triple threat challenge? Go on over to Triplicate Trials and see what the rest of the DT has created, and be sure to link up your take too! Can't wait to see what you come up with! =) T

Paper Piecing at Lasting Memories

The challenge this week at Lasting Memories is to create a layout that incorporates paper piecing, here's my contribution:

A photo of my niece and puppy, Keyser Soze, napping together when they were both about the same size...isn't it the sweetest? I used a few other challenges to get me started on this one, first off was this sweet inspiration:

The challenge at Lollipop Ladies is to make this BANANA CUSTARD into something VINTAGE. I used various yellows and whites as the main colors of the layout, but also threw in a bit of brown and pink as accents for the PALE PRETTY PASTELS challenge at Papertake Weekly. I STAMPED my white CS with a fun vintage ruler stamp (for the stamping challenge at Dream Valley), added vintage tickets I had received in a swap at  Speckled Egg, and included vintage pink BUTTONS I purchased at a local antique store for the button challenge at Sisterhood of Crafters.

My title is an Alan Jackson lyric, "It's alright to be a LITTLE BITTY", for the latest challenge at Scrap it With a Song. I'm not a country girl and so I'm not familiar with this song at all, but the lyrics are very sweet and seemed to fit well with this photo.

For my PAPER PIECING at Lasting Memories, I created a layered flower. I started with 4 circles: 2", 1 1/2", 1" and 3/4". I stamped each circle with a few different vintage stamps in various shades of brown ink, snipped little V's from each to create petals, layered them and attached with a lovely jumbo jeweled brad.

Don't forget to hop on over to Lasting Memories and see all the rest of the DT's paper piecing layouts, and be sure to link up your paper picing creations by June 4th for your chance at being top 3!! =) T

Anything Goes at 2 Sisters!!

Thats's right...this week's challenge at 2 Sisters is an "Anything Goes" card challenge. us DT girls were able tu use some fun images from our sponsors, Glitterbabes and Craft Sentiments. Here's what I came up with using the Flora stamp from Craft Sentiments:

I just loved this sweet little fairy image, and made me think of my favorite birthday sentiment, "Birthdays are ordinary days sprinkled with stardust" (incorporated for the SENTIMENT challenge at Stamp Something). I chose a lovely (and very sparkly) pattern paper for my card base, using BLACK and WHITE with a SPLASH of GREEN for the color challenge at The Play Date Cafe.

I hope you'll have a chance to go on over to 2 Sisters and visit the rest of the DT, there are some great ideas over there! Be sure to link up your card by next week- anything goes!!! =) T

Life is Sweet

It's Thursday, and that means another challenge at Sketches in Thyme. This week it's an open challenge, which means you can link up a new project you create using any sketch of your choice! Here's the layout I've created for this challenge:

I used this sketch from The Scrappiest:

I absolutely LOVE these pics of my 2 kiddos last summer picking berries in our backyard, by far one of my favorite moments of the summer! Very fitting for the FAVORITE PHOTOS challenge at These are a Few of My Favorite Things! My title, "Life is Sweet" was inspired by the LIFE/LIVE/LIVING prompt at Bird is the Word. I used some pretty white foam letters and dressed them up by stamping them with a FLOURISH design for the  challenges at the Rainbow Lady's Challenge Blog and Creatalicious. The RED and WHITE POLKA DOT paper is inspired by this month's collage at Nerdy Victorious Scrappers. I handcut the navy FRAME  for that not-quite-perfect look for the frame challenges at Sarah Hurley and City Crafter.

Now it's your turn to get in on the action! You have until May 31st to link up your layout based on any sketch- whether it's a sketch from your fav sketch blog or one you've made up yourself, can't wait to see what you come up with! =) T

Soccer Sundaes and Fruit Salad

There's a new challenge up at Lollipop Ladies, inspired by fruit salad. So...what better pic to scrapbook than one of ice cream sundaes right?

Well....I am using the "fruit salad" inspired colors of yellow and orange, and I have a crazy PP with strawberries, apples, cherries and OCTOPUS???? In addition to the fruit salad challenge at Lollipop Ladies, I also combined this LO with 2 other challenges. I added an adorable little paper clip for the metal challenge at Sparkles Forum Challenge and used this fabulous sketch from Purple Pumpkin. =) T

Flower Power!

This week everything's coming up roses over at Lasting Memories, and we would love to see your floral projects! Whether you choose to use flowers ON your layout or use a garden photo, it's up to you as long as we see flowers. We can't wait to see what you create!! Here's the floral layout that I came up with:

Yup, it's a Halloween layout, and there really isn't anything floral about the pics, but flowers are such a universal go-with-everything kind of embellishment, at least in my world! To get started on the layout, I used this sketch from Punky Scraps, and combined it with their "laughter" challenge in my "silly mummy" title:

For the floral portion of the project, I used a lovely piece of yellow floral fabric, as well as 3 crocheted flowers made by my friend Rachel (thank you Rachel, love these!!). I added glittered star brads to the centers of the flowers for the Brads and Bling challenge at Alphabet Challenge as well as the Star challenge at Paper Variety. My polka dot background paper, as well as my banner hand-cut from striped paper is for the Stripes and Dots challenge at City Crafter. Now all of these lovely layers, combined with my journaling on my dymo are all for the Lots of Dimension challenge at Studio Challenge.

If you need some more ideas to get you started, be sure to visit the rest of the Design Team at Lasting Memories, then join in the fun and link up your floral layout!! =) T

Imagination is the Highest Kite

"Imagination is the Highest Kite One Can Fly"...a quote from Lauren Bacall that has always been a favorite of mine. So....when the theme for 2 Sisters this week was to use a Digital Stamp, I decided to create my own with this quote. You can see my digi here, and this is the card I made using my new digi creation:

Things have been pretty grey and soggy here for the last week, so I thought i would bring a bit of blue skies and sunshine to my project! I started with the color challenge at the Play Date Cafe, using brown cs as my background, yellow and sky blue PPs, as well as a yellow floral fabric for the fabric challenge at The Studio Challenges and the "Bloom and Grow" challenge at Papertake Weekly. I've also combined with the "boys and girls at play" challenge at Pile It On, as well as 9"x4" "tall card" challenge at Paper Playtime.

Hope it's sunny where you are today, I'm crossing my fingers and wishing for sun here! =) T

Thursday Take #48 at Sketches in Thyme

I had another chance to design a sketch for Sketches in Thyme, and here's what I came up with:

and here's the layout I created:

A very sweet pic of my sister and brother-in-law right after the birth of their 3rd daughter. There are some fabulous layouts from the rest of the Design Team too, so be sure to stop on over to Sketches in Thyme and say hello! Oh and don't forget to link up your creation using the sketch by May 31st to be entered in the May drawing!! =) T

A Circular Challenge at Lasting Memories

This week's challenge at Lasting Memories is all about the circles! We started with this sketch:

And here's my take on the sketch:

Yup, I'm one of those Twilight freaks! Lucky for me, my neice is also into it, so we went to the midnight showing of New Moon when it came out last year. Such a fun thing for the 2 of us together! Still need to get a pic of the 2 of us to add to the layout, but for now I'm ok with the lovely faces of the movie characters (go Team Jacob!!!!).

Few fun things to note about this layout: First off, I really wanted a jumbo scallop circle for this, but didn't have one on hand. So...I improvised by punching out a ton of 2" scallops and tucking them behind the edge of my plain jumbo circle. A little "frillier" than planned, what do ya think?  Second, to emphasize the "circular" theme of the challenge, I added the 3 buttons on the top right, as well as the B&W ribbon with the big polka dots. And finally, to tie in with the movie vibe of the page, I added a piece of film strip from Ranger for a fun touch!  

Be sure to visit Lasting Memories and see what the rest of the DT has come up with, and give the circles a try yourself! You have until Saturday to link up your designs! =) T

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Well Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than with a "How Does Your Garden Grow" challenge at 2 Sisters? Create a card/project using something that represents the garden or gardening. It could be something in your image, something on the paper that you use, the embellishments, etc. This week we are being sponsored by the wonderful Pattie's Creations. I used a great "vase of sunflowers" stamp to create my card for the challenge:

This was the color inspiration I used from CR84FN

Stop on over to 2 Sisters and see all the fabulous garden-themed cards, and then catch a bit of Spring Fever yourself and get crafting! You have until Friday May 20th to link up your projects! =) T

 
"How Does Your Garden Grow" card is entered in the following challenges:
-2 Sisters how does your garden grow
-Stamping Vacation no embossing
-Delightful Challenges flowers
-PaperTake punches
-CR84FN color scheme

A new Sketch at Sketches in Thyme!

It's time for a new sketch at Sketches in Thyme, and this time I got to be the sketch designer! This was a lot of fun, and I'm thrilled to see how the rest of the design team used it!

Here's how I used the sketch:

I hope you'll have a chance to stop on over to Sketches in Thyme and check ot the fabulous takes on this sketch from the rest of the DT. The give it a try yourself! You have until May 31st to link up your entry!! =) T

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Hope all the moms out there are having a wonderful day today, I've just returned from "Lilac Day" in Boston- such a beautiful way to spend the day with my little family! There's a new challenge up at Lasting Memories, to create a project inspired by this photo:

I chose to use the lime green as my main color, and added a splash of yellow (brads) and pink (ribbon). Here's my finished product:

Now, as usual, I HAD to combine a couple other challenges in there, so here's what I did. The title (a quote from a Fleetwood Mac song) is inspired by the texting challenge at CAS-ual Fridays. The NO CARDSTOCK ) I used a piece of cardboard, a pizza circle, a piece from a vintage travel brochure and  a piece of pattern paper), PAINT (puffy paint scallops around the edge), STAMPS (several different ABC fonts to create the title per the All Sorts Challenge), STITCHING (on the ribbon) and TWINE (wrapped through the BUTTERFLIES for Frosted Designs and Sarah Hurley) was all for a recipe challenge at Punky Scraps. My theme for the layout is my college GRADUATION (finally scrapping this one from 2008!!) for the challenge at Celebrate the Occasion.

You Rock!!

It's a distressing challenge this week at 2 Sisters. We want to see you add distressing to your card/project.  We are being sponsored two wonderful sponsors, Stitchy Bear Stamps and One Stop Card Crafts. I was given an adorable drum set image to use, and here's the project I created:

Distressing is quite possible my favorite technique in my crafting arsenal. I love to ink things up, tear paper and make things look messy! For this card I also included a strip of fabric that I tore to leave an unfinished raveled edge that I think is cool. I attached it with staples to create the pleated affect. Now it's your turn to get stressed out! link up your project at 2 Sister by May 13th to be entered in this week's challenge! =) T

"You Rock" is being entered in the following challenges:

-2 Sisters distressing

-Color Q daffodil. tangerine and turqouise

-Paper Take anything goes+round

-Flourishes for a child

-Gem of a Challenge sketch

Happy May Day from The Craft Garden!!

It's a new month, and that means it's time for a new challenge at The Craft Garden! This month we have  beautiful picture of a May Pole as our inspiration:

and here's the layout I came up with:

I just loved those vibrant colors, so I went with lots of turqouise and hot pink for this one! All that fun ribbon inspired me to create a border of faux ribbon Vs along the left, and I added a few on my title too! If you're looking for some more great May Pole inspiration, head on over to The Craft Garden and check out the projects from the rest of the design team! =) T

"Enjoy the Ride" is being entered in the following challenges:
-The Craft Garden photo inspiration
-Lollipop Ladies ribbon
-Frosted Designs stripes and dots
-The Studio Challenge 2 page layout



At Lasting Memories it's All About YOU!

Happy Sunday everyone! Lasting Memories has a new challenge up today, and this time the spotlight is on YOU! I know some of you may be uncomfortable scrapping yourself, but for me, it's sometimes the only way to make my presence known in our family scrapbooks. I'm always behind the camera, making sure I capture every moment, so I'm rarely in front of the lense.

For this layout, i have used the ONE and ONLY picture of me from our family's spring vaca last week, yup, only 1 photo of me and it's my feet! But, it captures what I enjoy most about vacation. My journaling reads, "Brian's off for a run. Kids are happily splashing in the pool. It's just me, my flip flops and a good magazine!"

here's the sketch I used from Twisted Sketches:

I hope you'll have a chance to visit the rest of the Lasting Memories design team and learn a bit about them. Then be sure to turn that camera around and snap a pic of yourself (even if it's just your feet) and scrap away!! =) T

"This Is What I Call Vacation" is being entered in the following challenges:
-Lasting Memories all about you
-Twisted Sketches sketch+paint
- Rainbow Lady Challenge Blog take a town city or country
-Pile it On travel+3 challenges