Family Reunion, April Beach Day, and Day Trip to Salem

Hello there scrappy friends! Today's post is a 3-for-the-price-of-1 kind of post! Have been desperately trying to get my scrap-mojo back, and it's slowly but surely creeping its way back into my life. Today I have 3 layouts to share with you that I've created for various Design Teams this week. 

First up is a sketch I designed for Sketches in Thyme, #113 is up there this month, and you can link up your take on the sketch through June 30th. Here's the sketch:

And here's my take on it,  "May Family Mini-Reunion":

Next is a layout I created for this week's "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" challenge at Child's Play Challenges. In real life the colors are much more bold, bright yellow and orange, the pic just came out really dull!

Finally I have another sketch I designed for Sketches in Thyme, #114

and here's the layout I created, "Day Trip to Salem": 

Lot's going on at several challenge blogs this week, I hope you'll get the chance to stop by, say hello, and link up your own projects! =) T

Suit and Tie- Scrap It With a Song

We have a new challenge up at Scrap It With a Song, we're scrapping along to Suit and Tie by Justin Timberlake. Here's what I came up with:

 

I was lucky to have this pic of my son and his friend when they decided to wear suits to school- normally they do raggedy shorts and T-shirts! Now I didn't sneak into school to snap this pic, I have discovered the beauty of my children's iPods, I can scroll through for pictures to use! They take quite a lot of pics while out and about with their friends, and I've been able to get a lot of these memories in the scrapbook lately! 

Do you have any suit and tie photos to scrap? Stop on by the Scrap It With a Song blog to see the rest of the creations and share your own takes! =) T

"Suit and Tie" challenge linking up to:

-Scrap It With a Song suit and tie

-Scrap Our Stash all about our guys

-Quirky Crafts black and white and a little color

Little Red Flower Bed- Child's Play Challenges

We have a new month of challenges starting today at Child's Play Challenges, and today we're beginning with the classic Radio Flyer wagon. Here's what I came up with:

Lucky for me, I have a pair of Radio Flyers (one was mine, one was my husband's from our childhood days) that I've made into a little flower bed (yes, it's a sad flower bed, I'm not much of a gardener). This challenge was the perfect way for me to capture my summer gardening attempts, something I wouldn't normally think to scrapbook. Want to join in our challenge? You might have wagon pics, or just want to scrap something red with a white title? link up with us at Child's Play Challenges by June 30th, we'd love to see your creations!

"Little Red Flower Bed" linking up to:

-Child's Play Challenges red wagon

-Scrappiness color palette

-I {heart}Sketches sketch #21

-Use Your Stuff summer + stash (I've been hoarding those rose embellies for 2 years!!) 

-Pile It On stripes

-Scrap It Girl dies

-Use it Tuesday anything goes

Guess Who- Childs Play Challenges

Hello there, long time no blog! I went back to work in December, and while it's only 20 hours a week, it's really cutting into my scrapping time! Trying to make an effort to get back into the swing of things, and I have a sweet layout to share with you today!The latest challenge at Child's Play Challenges is to get inspired by the game, Guess Who. Here's what I came up with:

My little trip for this layout is a go-to technique for me, I call it the "Double-Sided Flip". See my cute pink chevron background paper? It's double sided, and the flip side is the sweet pink pin dots behind my photo. Since both sides of the paper were adorable, I took advantage by sketching out a rectangle on the chevron background where I knew I wanted a second pattern. I then used my paper trimmer to cut this rectangle out of the background, flipped it over to the pindots, inked the edges, and taped it back in place with simple scotch tape. Easy-peasy!! 

Be sure to stop by the Child's Play blog to see how the rest of the DT has been inspired by Guess Who and play along yourself! =) T

"Guess Who's 11" challenges:

-Child's Play Challenges Guess Who

-Unstampabelles anything but a card, no stamping

-Corrosive Challenge Blog life's special occasions

-Purple Mailbox Layout Linky Love Party
 

-Tatertots and Jello Linky Party

 
 -Through My Creative Mind linky party 

3 Cool Kids- Twisted Tuesday

This week at Twisted Tuesday, the CHALLENGE is to use some type of banner(s) on your creation, and the TWIST is that you also must include pearls somewhere on your creation. Here's what I came up with:

Instead of going with the typical banners strung across the layout, I cut 1x11" strips of pattern paper and did a little notch at the bottom of each. My little secret here is that I only used 2 pattern papers, but they're double-sided, so I also used the reverse side of each to create 4 banners! I layered my photo and mat over the strips to make long banners hanging down on the layout. To incorporate the pearls, I used pearlized puffy paint and put little dots along the outsides of the banners. It was a fun little effect that I will definitely try again!

See those little words floating about the picture, "today", "friends", "sunshine"? One day (YEARS ago...) I typed a BUNCH of words like this in a word document in all different fonts (memories, vacation, happiness, etc). Printed the single sheet on kraft cardstock and then used my Word Window punch to cut them all out. I fit about 50 words on the single page and have had a little container of them for a looooong time. But it was simple and inexpensive little task, and I love the simplicity of a single-word accenting a page like this! =) T

"3 Cool Kids" linking up to:

-Twisted Tuesday banners and pearls

-Allsorts Challenge Blog as easy as 1,2,3

-Love to Create anything goes

-Southern Girls the kids are alright

-Use It Tuesday punches and diecuts

Good Stuff- Twisted Tuesday

This week at Twisted Tuesday we're getting a little SPRING in our step, and adding the twist of GREEN, either the color or something recycled. Here's my creation:

I decided to use bright colors of green and purple to go with the fun bright photo. The added strip of striped PP and the bright "good stuff" title really add to the colorful Spring feeling (even though this pic was taken in the fall....shhh....). For my GREEN portion, I recycled a sheet of my daughter's math homework. She had done her work on one side of the graph paper, but the other side was blank and ready to be scrapped! 

Want to get in on the challenge? Hop on over to Twisted Tuesday to see the rest of the DT projects and link up your own takes! There's also a DESIGN TEAM CALL going over there too, maybe you'd like to give that a try as well!! =) T

Bday Sundae- Black with Two

This month at Black with Two, we're scrapping with black, red and white. Such a striking color combo, here's what I came up with:

Want to join in the fun? Stop on by the Black with Two blog to see more creations from the rest of the DT, and link up your own black, red and white creation! =) T

Catching up on DT Assignments...

wow- I am behind on posting here!! This is what happens when my life goes for "lady of leisure" to "part-time working girl"...have had lots of layouts done for DT assignments lately, time to share them with you! First up is a layout I created for the latest challenge at Twisted Tuesdays:

The challenge was to use a button and/or brad on your creation, with the added twist of paper piecing.I even had button pattern paper that I thought would be fun to include! 

next up is my layout for the Tin Robot challenge at Child's Play Challenges:

 

I had these 3 adorable pics of my niece struggling to make her way into an astronaut helmet- perfect for this challenge! I also added a border using a super cute robot/gear punch, and a funny little salute to "Mork and Mindy" in my title!

And finally I have super-sweet Valentine layout I created for True XOXO Scrapbooking:

I used a valentine doily I purchased at the Dollar Tree- 16 of these jumbo heart doilies for just $1!!!

Thanks for stopping by, still have more layouts to share, but 3's enough for today! =) T

You Clean Up Good- Child's Play Challenges

This week at Child's Play Challenges we're getting scrapping inspiration from the game Don't Break the Ice, here's that I came up with:

I decided to use the white, blue and red from the game to create my layout. I cut my graph paper into squares to mimic the ice cubes of the game, and then layered a few scraps of red, white and blue to create a cluster for my title.

Stop on over to Child's Play Challenges to see how the rest of the DT is Breaking the Ice! =) T

Head Over Heels- Scrap It With a Song

This month at Scrap It With a Song we're playing along with romantic songs. Next on the playlist is Head Over Heels by Tears for Fears, here's what I came up with:

Yes, my son is head over heels in love with his rescue kitty, Mr. Brightside! I have done several layouts of the 2 of them together, it's such a special bond they have and I love to document those meaningful and simple moments. For this layout I went to my go-to all-time favorite color-combo, turquoise and red. I just love how vibrant the red is against the turquoise! Other than my background paper, the rest of my layout is out together with the help of my scrap bin. See the red strip across the top of the layout? That's the reverse side of the dotted background. I trimmed the paper, flipped it over and taped the back to keep it in place! Bits of pattern paper here, portions of stickers there, and I have a quick and easy layout! =) T

"Head Over Heels" Challenges:
-Scrap It With a Song Head Over Heels
-Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge favorite color combo
-Fresh Brewed Blog hearts and dots
-Crafting By Design hearts, non-valentine
-Boys Rule sketch

Night at the Museum- Childs Play Challenges

Hello! Long time no blog! Trying to get back into my scrapping routine- went back to work in December, and combined with Christmas craziness I've lost my mojo! Spent the majority of lats weekend's blizzar din the craft room, so hopefully I'm back!!

Today's layout is for the Paper Doilies challenge at Child's Play Challenges:

Well, it's not super-obvious, but I had a sheet of Stampin Up stickers that were sort of doiley-ish, so I put 3 of them to use on the page! You'll have to stop by the Child's Play Challenges blog to see the rest of the DT's creations, much more frilly and doiley-filled!!

I created 8 layouts last weekend, so I'll be back soon with another post, lots of creativity to share! =) T

"Night At the Museum" challenges:
-Child's Play Challenges paper doilies
-Catered Crop polka dots
-Sketch N Scrap sketch

-Challenges for Everybody anything goes

Houndstooth- True XOXO

New in the new year: out with the zebra in with the houndstooth! In honor of this switch, we dug up or created some “houndstoothy” projects for ya over at True XOXO. Whether it’s a little or a lot, doesn’t it just make your page classier? I was in the "dug up" category- still haven't managed to get back into the crafty swing of things after all the holiday madness and sickness at my house. So...here's a houndstooth favorite of mine from last year:

My houndstooth portion is the red cardstock behind the photo. I ran that through my Big Shot using the houndstooth embossing folder (one of my favorites) and then inked it up a bit with light blue craft ink to pull out the patter. Now it's your turn, hop on over to True XOXO and show us your houndstooth! =) T

Where's Wesley- Twisted Tuesday

This week at Twisted Tuesday we're going off the beaten path... Somewhere on your creation you need to "off stamp". You know like a flower stamped off to the side of your card stock and only seeing part of it on your creation?! We also have a twist- the "Beaten" part of our challenge....crumple up something. Here's what I came up with:

For my layout I cut strips of scraps and then stamped question marks randomly off the edges all over. For the beaten portion of the challenge I crumpled and inked the grey card stock mat. Quick and easy layout that took less than 20 minutes to complete, I LOVE those kinds of projects!

Want to go off the beaten path with us? Hop on over to Twisted Tuesday Challenges to see projects from the rest of the DT and link up your own! =) T

True XOXO & If It's Groovy Blog Hop!!!

Hello and welcome to the next stop on the True XOXO Birthday Buddy Blog Hop! If It’s Groovy and True XoXo Scrapbooking have teamed up to bring you double the fun in everything you know in a blog hop! IIG just celebrated its 4th birthday, and XoXo just turned 3!

Happy birthday to us!

So, in order to win the XoXo gdt prize, all you have to do is (for the first 3 steps, go to the XoXo main page and look in the upper right hand corner):

1. ‘Follow Blog via email’.
2. Like our Facebook page.
3. Follow us on Twitter. true_xoxo_scrap
4. Comment on this post after you’ve commented on all the other blogs in the birthday hop.

That’s it! Then you’re in it to win it! I've listed all the hoppers below in case you get lost along the way, but let's take a peek at my project for the hop first. September is my month to scrap about, and for me that month is all about my mom. Her birthday is September 11th, and we always try our best to make it a special day for her. I created this "Queen for a Day" layout for her, with 2 (not so great) pics of her birthday dinner last year. 

Ready to keep on hopping? Below is a list of all the blogs – take yourself on a trip through the year! =) T

January:
Wendy
Christa 

February:
Michelle
Michelle H

March:
Wendy
Miae

April:
Heather
Jaclyn

May:
Lindsey
Deborah

June
Brenda
Khristen

July:
Jean
Tess

August:
Rochelle
Faye

September:
Kelly
Tiffany (YOU ARE HERE!)

October:
Kelly
Alaina

November:
Heather
Kimmy

December:
Debora
Queen Kat

Smile- Twisted Tuesdays

This week at Twisted Tuesdays we're playing with a sketch, plus the added twist of confetti. Here's the sketch we're using:

and here's what I've created:

This is a pic of my son and nieces and nephews at their annual bday party- all 6 of them have birthdays within Sept and Oct, so we do a big group birthday bash. It's so much fun to have them celebrate together, and we only have to buy 1 cake!!  I had a great scrap of pattern paper with numbers all over it, so I punched out circles to put along the side of the layout (matching the sketch) and added a banner to each with one of the birthday kid's name and age! For the confetti twist, I added dots of glitter glue all over the background in bright colors to match their shirts.

Want to get in on the sketch? Link up with us over at Twisted Tuesdays, we'd love to see your work! =)T

"Smile" linking up to:

-Twisted Tuesdays sketch+confetti

-Crafty Mess sparkle

-Desert Island Craft Challenge countdown, party, glitter, anything but a card

Hello Santa- The Craft Garden

Hello and happy 2013 everyone!! I am happy to say I just squeaked by and met my goal of making 212 layouts for 2012...and now it's time to start the 213 layouts for the new year!! First up is a layout for this month's challenge at The Craft Garden. The challenge for January is to create a project that is at least 50% red, and I think this hopefully qualifies:

This paper is actually from a card kit I've had in my stash for a few years. I really liked the colors and patterns, so I cut apart the cards creating strips that kind of give the illusion that I was working with a full sheet of paper!

Are you ready to see red? Hop on over to The Craft Garden and see what the rest of the DT has come up with, and link up your own red projects as well! =) T

"Hello Santa" linking up to:

-The Craft Garden 50% red

-The Pink Elephant color combo

-Lasting Memories Santa Claus is Coming to Town