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 March Page

Well, I did it. I finally finished my calendar. I have one more post after this one for a page I completed yesterday. I will make posts after that of both calendars in order.

This is my March page. I followed Sketch #202 at Creative Scrappers. I was having a hard time finding the right sketch for the photo I wanted to use. I almost searched for a different picture to. But, once I saw this sketch, I thought it was perfect for this page.


The photo on this page was taken by Stew last year, one day that he was home and I was at work. He was so excited that he actually got a good photo of the boys.


I am also entering this page into Scratastic Club's Challenge #3 for March which was to include a banner and staples. I have a staple on the center circle on the banner, 2 staples at the bottom of tehe orange strip of paper and 2 at the top of the green strip of paper.

I am so excited to have this done. I hope you will stop back by and check my next posts. I hope to make one tonight or tomorrow night. Thanks for looking.

My July Page

I completed another page for my calendar last night. I'm almost done now. I can't wait to get it done and hung up in my office.

For this page I followed the March 30th sketch at Boys Rule. I totally love their sketches. I try to make it a priority to use them.


The photo is of Harley and Tessa on the first day we brought her home last year. Harley was totally in love. All of these dogs are incredibly close. Harley and Tessa especially.


I am also entering this into Scraptastic Club's March Challenge #5 to use 20 of one embellishment. I used 20 white pearls on the 9 butterflies on this page.

I am also entering this page into the 5 Challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin'. We are to use 5 different patterned paper on our page.

Thanks for looking. You will see more posts later with my remaining pages.

Christmas 2011 - Lola

Today is a very tough day. Our oldest dog, Lola, died early this morning. It was very unexpected. This meant our plans for the day changed. So I found myself with some time and the desire to scrap some photos of her.

My friend Suzanne created a layout yesterday using a sketch from Scraptastic Club. I really loved the beautiful layout and the sketch. The sketch is from the 3rd December challenge at Scraptastic Club.



I am not able to enter this challenge though because the layout was to commemerate an anniversary. I am able to enter it into their 1st December challenge though, which was to use border punches. I used 1 border punch, but used it 6 times.


I used photos of Lola from Christmas time this year. She won't pose with the other dogs under or around the tree, with costumes and props. But she like to sleep under it on the tree skirt. I was able to get a photo of her settling in.


I saw my son Ben getting ready to take a picture of the table on Christmas. It turns out Lola decided to settle in under there while we were hanging out before dinner. So I grabbed my camera too.


I used papers from My Mind's Eye, the O Christmas Tree collection. The background papers are just plain cardstock that I added some letter "L" alphas I had, for Lola. This will allow me to enter the layout into the December challenge at Scrappin'-n-Chattin' to used Leftover Letters to create a background. I was only able to complete 4 of the 5 challenges there this month, but did each of the 4 I completed twice or with a 2 page layout.

These are the last pages of 2011 for me. I created 121 pages this year. That's a personal record. I was able to create a page a week all year, which was a goal. We are doing the 52 Week Challenge again at SnC. I am going to try again to not use a pass.

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Year's.