1st Q - Stew's March Page

I was able to get several pages for Stew's calendar done during the week.  At first I was jumping around, doing whatever months seemed to work well with certain challenges.  But in order to feel like I was accomplishing something, I printed several sketches and made note of a number of challenges and started working in order.  That seemed to work much better for me.

For Stew's March page I used this month's sketch for the Authentique Sketch Challenge.  I really like this sketch and in December I got a bunch of Authentique paper on sale, so I am going to use this sketch once in each calendar.

Harley was in his first agility trial in March, so I used a photo of him with his 1st Qualifying and 1st Place ribbons.  I really liked using the stars for the banner across the bottom of the page.  I used several papers from Authentique's Glory collection - Honor, United and Liberty papers.

I

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I am also entering a couple of other challenges with this page:

ScrapFit - Wish Upon A Star

Scrappin'-n-Chattin' Anything Goes

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Cheese

Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope everyone is ready to spend some time with family and friends over this holiday weekend.  All of my boys will be coming over tomorrow, with wives/girlfriends.  It will be so nice to have everyone together.  It's been a super busy several weeks here, and this week is even rougher.  We are working 10 hours days all week (except for tomorrow).  It will be nice to have the weekend off.

I created my page for the 52 week challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin'.  It's Week 47 this week, and since I haven't missed a week since starting this challenge in 2011, this will make 99 weeks straight that I have created at least 1 page a week.  WOW!!!

For my page this week, I chose some photos of Tessa I took with a Halloween costume on.  It was a little black and purple witch's costume.  She's still learning to pose nicely, so they are not the greatest photos.  I used several pieces of inspiration as a jumping off point.

The first inspiration was this month's sketch at DCWV.

I love this sketch.  I was so excited when I saw it.

The next inspiration was the photo/color inspiration for this week's Fabulous Friday Challenge at Frosted Designs.  Just perfect for Halloween themed projects.

And my page....

I used DCWV Indian Summer Fall Stack.  Perfect colors.

I am also entering these challenges:

ScrapFit - Layered banner with at least 2 textures.  The banner has paper, cardstock that is embossed and ribbon.

Scrap It Girl - Tree Challenge - Stamped tree on the journaling spot.

Lasting Memories - Stamp Those Layouts - Tree stamp and bird to the left of the banner.

The Cuddlebug Spot - A Feathery Challenge - The stamped bird has feathers.  I used my Cuttlebug Tiny Bubbles embossing folder to emboss the cardstock banner pieces.

Thanks for looking.

The Cluster

I hope everyone is having a good week.  Another busy one here.  We had a real good time at the trial last weekend.  Going to another one this weekend.  So I didn't get my page for the 52 Week Challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin' done over the weekend.  But I started it last night and finished it tonight.

I wanted to incorporate one of the monthly challenges at SnC into this layout.  I've only created 2 pages this month, and nothing for the challenges.  For this page I used 4 photos, which is one of the challenges this month.  Of course I needed a sketch.  I chose Sketch #228 from Creative Scrappers.  I really liked this one and it was very easy to put the page together with it.

The photos I used are from last year.  Willie and I traveled to West Springfield, MA to attend an AKC Agility trial at the Big E.  What an awesome place.  They have agility, obedience, rally and breed shows all going on at the same time.  So much to see, so many vendors.  Very exciting.  It was the first time that Willie has stayed in a motel.  He was a little nervous, and cried when I had a shower.  But he was real good.  It was a great experience.  I'm not going to compete there this year, but hope to go and hang out for the day with my boyfriend.  Here's my page....

I am entering the page into a couple of other challenges as well.  ScrapFit's Warm-Up #32 is to use buttons or bows.  Well, I used a bunch of buttons here.  I am also using this as my 2nd entry into this month's challenge at Scrap It Girl.  The challenge there is also button, use at least 12.  I used 15.

Thanks for looking.

A Hot Hike

I created my layout tonight for the 52 Week Challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin'.  We are having a year long contest to create a page a week.  If needed, each participant can use 5 passes throughout the year, but the page has to be made up the following week.  I participated in the challenge last year too.  I didn't use a pass last year, and haven't used one this year to this point.  So I have created a minimum of a layout a week for 84 weeks.  Wow!!

To create this page, I used this month's sketch for the Sketch Challenge at SnC.  Each month one of our members, Theresa, creates an awesome sketch for the Sketch Challenge.  Here is the wonderful sketch:

,And here's my page.

The photos are from this past weekend.  Stew's been so busy working at customers' houses during the spring and early summer that we really haven't spent any time together and have done nothing other than grocery shopping occasionally together.  So we decided to take a hike with the dogs on Saturday.  It really wasn't the best day to do it.  It was pretty hot.  Tessa had never been on a hike before, but she did very well.  They all did very well.  We went through a bunch of water along the 3 miles we hiked.  They are turning abandoned railroad tracks into nice, paved hiking trails all over around here.  In 2009 they revamped an old railroad bridge that goes across the Hudson River.  It's so awesome.  They just completed the trail from Highland, NY up to the bridge this year.  I had wanted to go on the bridge, but there is no shade up there, so we started the trail going the other way.  Good choice.  There was quite a bid of shade available all along the way. Still really hot though.  The dogs and I crashed for a couple hours when we got home.

For additional inspiration for this page, I followed this week's challenge at Lasting Memories.  The challenge this week is BINGO.  I love challenges like this, but this one was a little tough for me.  But I got it.

I used the 2nd row.  The frame and flowers are together are the left side of the photos.  The lace is at the bottom of the photos.  The frame, sunglasses and sun are all metal, as are the 4 brads I used.  The sewing is a little harder to see.  It's in the upper right of the layout, 2 stitched stars.  Here's a closer up look...

And this week's Fabulous Friday Challenge at Frosted Designs was a color challenge.  I loved the colors in the inspiration, but I wasn't sure I could find the perfect papers to match these colors quickly enough to get this page done.  But I did.  I was so excited and worked hard to get this page done tonight.  Here is the inspiration....

I used K&Company's Wild Saffron.  They are awesome papers.  It's the first time I've used them.  I have to find something else to use them for.

Here are other challenges that I am joining also:

Unique Crafters Challenge - Sparkle and Shine  (I used 2 kinds of glittery Thickers for the title)

Truly Madly Crafty - Summer Fun  (our hike)

ScrapFit Warm Up #30 - Doodling  (I doodled around the date box and yellow paper the photos are on)

Cricut Chirp - A Buzzing Bug Bow  (Bug - lady bugs around photos, Bow - On Tessa, Cut - Bottle and 

                       leash from Everyday Paperdoll)

Scraptastic Club - Subway Art Challenge  (3 different Thickers for title)

Creative Accents - Summer Sunshine - Yellow

The Crafty Pad Designs - Metal  (frame, sunglasses and sun charms and brads)

I am also using this layout as my entry into the Brad challenge at SnC for our monthly challenges.

Phew....  Thanks for looking.  Have a great rest of the week.

My June Page

It's been a very trying week. My puppy has had something wrong since the middle of February and we can't seem to figure out what's going on. Luckily she's not acting sick and not loosing too much weight. And work is getting more and more stressful.

But, I am still in the 52 Week Challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin'. And I haven't used a pass yet. I have created a layout now for 64 weeks in a row. I really didn't want to break my stride. So I created my first page for my calendar. Yes, it's the end of March and I am just getting to my calendar. I'm optimistic that I will get it done this weekend. I hope so.

So I created my June page. For inspiration I followed the current combined challenge at The Paper Variety. How fun that TPV and ScrapFit have joined up for a challenge. TPV has an awesome sketch....


I LOVE this sketch. I had to rotate the sketch to be able to use the photo. ScrapFit's challenge is to include a numbered list as your journaling. Here's my page:


This photo was from Willie's first trial last year. Sorry the photo quality is not very good. My camera was not communicating with the computer, so I had to use my phone. Thanks for looking.

My Word For 2012

I was so impressed with everyone picking their words for the year and showing their favorite projects for the year. I had started a blog post, added to it a couple of times, but then deleted it without committing

One of Scrappin'-n-Chattin's challenges this month to is create a layout using your word for 2012 as the one word title. I wasn't sure that I was going to complete this challenge. But the more I thought about it, the more comfortable I got with my chosen word. I really don't like to share resolutions - it seems to welcome failure to me. I was feeling this was going to be the same situation. But my word is versatile, and how I am using it, will bring me nothing but success.

So what is my word?? TRY. I have found that just by thinking about this word, I become more productive. And I do have some goals in mind. And this is what my layout shows.

To create the layout, of course I needed a sketch. Now I had this layout planned out and was going to get it done on Saturday, in time to enter it into the Sketch #303 challenge at Sketch Inspiration. But I had a horrible time over the weekend not being able to access my photos to edit and print them. I was never in danger of loosing the photos, but I had to clear them off of my laptop. I was running out of space. I had them in 2 places on our external hard drive and on a flash drive for good measure. I had a hard time accessing the hard drive with Picasa. But now I have it under control. Here is the sketch:
I felt the sketch was perfect for what I had in mind. So I had to use it. I used it for both pages of this layout....


(Sorry about the photos. I am also trying a new system for taking photos, and it's not quite there yet.)

Here is the Page 1 by itself:


And the Page 2.


This may look like a confusing mess, but I am starting to really like it. I took some photos of different things I am using and have developed to help keep me on track. The last set of photos on Page 2 are a set of photos of my scrap space after the hurricane. I took them just before I started to clean up after things dried out. All of my stuff was up on every single horizontal surface. So in a nutshell I want to TRY to stay organized so that I can keep track of scrapping challenges, blog hops, etc., keep track of each of the dogs' progress toward titles and awards in agility and to make sure that I sign up for any trials I want to enter, keep track of (and meet) my deadlines at work, plan meals and shopping trips so that I can save money, and to get my room in a totally organized state (as well as a few other spots in the house). The scrap room obviously is not as bad as it appears in the photos. As a matter of fact it's very close to done. I just have to finish.

In addition to the SnC Word challenge, I am entering this layout into the 52 Week Challenge there. Here are a few of the other challenges that I followed:

Frosted Designs Fabulous Fridays - Use Vellum. I made several flowers and butterflies with vellum.
ScrapFit Weekend Warm-Up #23 - Use Kraft cardstock. I made some flowers with plain kraft paper and the background paper is DCWV The Playtime Stack with is all kraft cardstock based.
Flutter By Wednesday - Open challenge, use a butterfly, fairy or angel. I made vellum butterflies.
Hotshot Craft - Flower

Well, if you made it through my post, thank you. I hope everyone has a great week.

Last Meal of 2011

I am quite happy with the 4 pages I was able to complete yesterday. It really helps that I had a plan beforehand. I hope to get a couple done today too. We'll see. I may work on cards instead. Decisions, decisions.

So the last 2 pages I created last night were based on the Monthly Layout Challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin'. The challenge is a recipe challenge.


Creating a page that included food was a little challenging. I don't often take a photo of food, and I was in a slump thinking about what food type embellishments I could use. Then I remembered a photo I had taken of Willie on New Year's Eve. He was under the table waiting for my lobster. I took a photo of the lobster too....

I used gray cardstock for the large square under the photo. I used a stamp to create the checkerboard along the side. This will allow me enter this layout (and the 2nd page) in the checkboard challenge portion of the monthly challenges at SnC which is to include either checkerboard paper or a created checkerboard.


I used the My Mind's Eye Complete Boy collection for almost everything on these pages. The gray and black cardstock are from my stash as are the Thickers that are green glittery part of the titles and the tiny alphas. I cut the star from the George and Basic Shapes cartridge.

The first page I am also entering at the My Craft Spot challenge - It's Delicious. Lobster is definitely delicious.

And here is Page 2. I flipped the sketch, but used all of the same papers and elements. Willie never got any of the lobster, just the juice off my fingers.


I am going to enter this page in the current Weekend Warm Up at Scrap Fit. The challenge is to include stars. Easy....

2nd Trail

If you are here for the TPV blog hop, click here.

I had to create a page for my 52 Week Challenge layout at Scrappin'-n-Chattin'. It's been very difficult to create with my scrap room being trashed. I actually started to clean it up yesterday, washing the walls and the bottoms of the furniture in the room. I was able to get enough stuff off of my work desk to be able to use it to scrap.

So I searched for a sketch and some challenges to inspire me on what direction I wanted to go. I found the monthly sketch at Let's Scrap and fell in love. It's a Julie Bonner sketch, and it was absolutely perfect for the photos of Willie I purchased from our trial from last weekend.


I am still so excited about doing agility with Willie. It just make me so happy to be out there with him and have him having so much fun. It's something that I always wanted to do, and now I can.


I used Me and My Big Ideas Boy pad. The colors work so well for these very colorful photos. I included Willie's results and some journaling about how much I love doing this. Here are the pages separately.....

Page 1

Page 2

I am going to include this layout into this week's challenge at Lasting Memories, which is Simply You. Though the pages are not about me, it is something that I really enjoy and have fun with. And by the way, congratulations to the new members of the design team. You are going to have a great time. All of the layouts are awesome this week.

I am also entering this layout into the ScrapFit challenge from Weekend-Warm Up #13, which is to include strips of patterned paper on your layout. There are strips on Page 1 along the left side and bottom, and strips along the top and right side of Page 2.

Thanks for looking. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Just A Break

It's Wednesday and time to tell everyone about the new challenge at The Paper Variety. The challenge this week is to include threads of some kind on your paper project. This can be twine, yarn, ribbon - any kind of thread.

Be sure to check out TPV for the wonderful inspiration provided by the design team and to see the great prize being offered this week.
I created a layout this week following the current Artful Delight sketch. I just love it.

The subject I chose was a photo of a hummingbird I captured on a feeder outside of my scraproom. We have 6 feeders throughout the yard, and what seems like a ton of hummingbirds. It's really hard to count them. They are so fast. It's really cool seeing them stop to take a break.


I used twine to wrap the side of the paper under the photo and I glued some twine in a spiral for my lines to journal on.

I hope you will stop over at TPV and let us see your thread project.

I am also entering this layout into the following challenges:
ScrapFit - Weekend Warmup #11 - Flowers

You Are My Sunshine

It's time again for the new reveal at Lasting Memories. And this week's challenge is a real challenge. Karen is asking us to try a new technique, something that we have never tried before. Make sure to check out all of the wonderful pages the design team created for your inspiration and maybe even your technique.

I used a couple of different, new to me techniques. First though, I used this week's Sassy Lil' Sketches sketch for my page. Such a bright and sunny sketch. It really made me search for the right photos.


I also wanted to use this page as my off-week entry at The Paper Variety. The challenge is a color challenge:
The papers I used were a mixture of Echo Park and My Mind's Eye Lime Twist. The photo doesn't show the true colors, but they are very citrusy.

The techniques that I used were:
1. Machine stitching - I stitched green paper to the orange paper with a zig zag stitch. I have always loved seeing the stitching on all kinds of cards and layouts, but I have never been brave enough to try myself. I was always afraid of tearing the paper. I practiced a little with some scrap paper and then jumped in. I LOVE it. I will definitely be doing it again.

2. Paperclay charms - Inspired by some of DT member, Brenda's, wonderful projects, I got some Paperclay and created some charms that I wanted to include on a banner on my page. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the Paperclay is to work with. I was afraid that the charms would break or crumble when I tried to remove them from the board they were drying on or when I hung them. But they were quite tough. I sponged them with some color from ink pads. Again, something else I will have to do again.

3. Colored chipboard - I have a ton of chipboard and I really am too intimidated to try to paint or cover them. On this page, the clouds are chipboard. I used white ink as an undercoat and then used some Stickles to cover them and make them sparkly. I really like them. Next step is cover some chipboard with paper.


Thank you Karen for really challenging me to step outside of my comfort zone. This page took quite a while to create, but it felt GREAT.

I am also entering this page into the following challenges:
ScrapFIT -Workout #49 - 'Put A Banner On It'
Flutter By Wednesday - #166 - Open, must include a butterfly, fairy or angel

And don't forget, Lasting Memories is having a design team call. To be considered, all you have to do is to create a layout in each of the challenges in August. When uploading your link, be sure to include DT after your name. We have a some really talented people submit entries so far.

I hope you will try a new technique this week. I can't wait to read all about what the design team did as well as our participants.