Let's Play - Sketch N Scrap's July Crop Challenge #3

 Hello, hello! 

I thought I would pop on really quickly and share the layout that I created for Sketch N Scrap's July Crop Challenge #3 over in the private Facebook group. Here is the sketch that I chose for this challenge:

And this is my layout:

I used papers from my Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash kit for July on this layout of Ada when we took her to Incredible Pizza. She and Shane both loved it and had so much fun. The pictures aren't the best quality - it was on the darker side in the arcade areas and she was constantly on the move, but poor quality or not, these photos were getting scrapped!

Here are a couple of close-ups:

I went a little crazy with the space invader guys here, but I don't know when I would have a chance to use them again, so the majority of them landed on this layout. I love the old-time arcade game sticker and thought it would be perfect for the title cluster base. 

There are still a couple of days to play along with Sketch N Scrap's July Crop challenges - why don't you head on over and check them out?

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Heart's Quest Challenge Blog - Color Heart Challenge #6 - Photo Inspiration

Hello, hello! Happy Thursday to you! I hope you are having a good week. It's been another hot week around here but there is the promise of rain and a cool down the next few days. I sure hope so on both counts!

I am so happy to be back as a guest designer at Heart's Quest Challenge Blog today! Becca has come up with another fun challenge for us to use for Color Heart Challenge #6 - a photo inspiration challenge! 

The challenge is to use at least 2 different colors of hearts in a grid pattern on your project - and remember - your project can be anything from a traveler's notebook layout, a scrapbook layout, a card, a bookmark, a tag, an ATC, etc. 

This is what I came up with:

I loved the look of the hearts in the inspiration piece - all lined up with lots of dimension - and I recreated that on the right side of my traveler's notebook layout. I used more than 2 colors of hearts on my layout and they are all in a pretty tight grid. 

This photo is of Scott and me at Bennett Spring back in June when we took Ada and Shane to see the fish. I made sure to snap a photo of us together. I like to try to take at least one photo of us together each month. Some months I do really good at remembering and other months...not so much. I have a traveler's notebook from 2021 that I started documenting photos of just us. I need to figure out if I will have enough room in it to add my 2022 photos or if I need to start a new notebook for 2022. Right now this layout is hanging out in my Life Crafted album until I figure it out!

For this layout, I have used Simple Stories' Homespun 6x6 paper pad - and to be more exact, I used only scraps from that paper pad! I don't have any embellishments or any 12x12 papers from this collection - just the 6x6 paper pad, but I made it work by fussy cutting a few elements and the phrase stickers from Simple Stories' So Happy Together collection matched well enough for me to add them.

Here is a close-up of the cluster on the left page: 

I punched the four hearts from one of the 2x2 squares that were on one of the cut-apart papers into a circle and added it to a larger navy circle. I fussy cut the camera and the "picture perfect" phrase from another one of the squares. I did add a bit of foam tape to the circle for some dimension. It's pretty thin foam so it doesn't add too much bulk, but it does add a little interest. 

Here is a look at the right-hand page of hearts:

It felt so good to use only scraps on this layout - and believe me -  I had plenty to die-cut all of these hearts from! I decided to sew a line down the center of the hearts so the sides would be free to fold up just a bit. In the grand scheme of things - unless I add foam tape under each side of the hearts - they will be flattened out in whatever album I decide to use. I still like the look of the stitched lines and I'm happy that I took the time to do it.

Be sure to check out the Heart's Quest Challenge Blog and play along with this challenge. The deadline to enter is August 13th at 12:30 AM Central Time.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a great day!

Sketch N Scrap Card Sketch #222

Hello, hello! Happy Friday to you! I hope that you are staying cool in these hot temperatures. We hit 101 degrees on Wednesday - the first time we've been over 100 for an actual temperature for quite some time. The forecast has this heat hanging around until later next week...even the swimming pool feels more like a warm bath instead of a cool refreshing swim! I think the water temperature on Wednesday evening was 90 degrees.

Today I am sharing the card that I created using card sketch #222 from Sketch N Scrap.  Here is a look at the sketch:

I decided that since so many people were doing Christmas in July that I would join in and get a start on my Christmas cards for this year. This is what I came up with:

I used a 6x6 paper pad from Pebbles called Merry Little Christmas for my card. I embossed the front panel with my swiss dot embossing folder and then ran an ink pad (Studio Calico's Glass Slipper) over the embossed dots to add a bit of color. I cut a few strips of patterned paper, mounted that cute little hedgehog on a piece of white cardstock and again on a piece of dark green paper, and gave him some dimension with a little bit of foam tape. I added a few gold metallic stars to finish off my card. 

I love how this turned out and I am so happy to have a Christmas card all ready to go out this year!

Here is a close-up:

Be sure to stop by the Sketch N Scrap blog to see how the rest of the design team took on this sketch. I would love to see your take on it, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a great day!

Good Times - Sketch N Scrap #253 and LM #608 - Spots and Stripes

 Hello, everyone! Happy Sunday to you! I hope that you are having a good weekend. It's looking like next week is going to be super hot around here and that means I will be spending lots of time in my scrap room!

It's time for a new challenge at Lasting Memories and I actually found some time to play along! For challenge #608, Tracey is challenging us to use two of my favorite things - Spots and Stripes! I also used the July 15th sketch from Sketch N Scrap that I created! Here's a look at the sketch:

And this is my layout:

For this layout, I have used papers from Simple Stories' Family Fun collection that I included in my Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash Kit for July - particularly the spotty paper and the striped paper for the Lasting Memories challenge.

These photos are of Shane when we took him and Ada to Incredible Pizza last month. It's always a bit stressful when we take both Shane and Ada to a new activity - we never know how Shane is going to react - but there was no need to worry, he remembered this place the second we pulled into the parking lot, even though we hadn't been there for close to 15 years. We could tell by the big smile on his face! 

We all had so much fun that day! We were a little worried because the last time we were here his preferred activity was playing skee ball. They have gotten rid of all but two of the lanes and one of those was being worked on. No need to worry - he was happy to shoot baskets and play a bowling game - his absolute favorite. As soon as the game was over, he was reaching for the card to scan it and get the game going again!

The photos aren't the greatest - it was pretty dark inside the arcade area - but I don't even cared! They definitely tell a story. I've had these photos on my desk for a couple of weeks and he comes in and tells me - Shane loves that bowling!" - and he will just look at the photos for a while. That lets me know that he really loved that visit to Incredible Pizza!

Hre are a couple of close-ups:

I used one of the foam word stickers for my title and added a couple of stars that I die cut behind it, and I added a phrase sticker to the stars. I also added a phrase sticker and puffy bowling pin to the two photos of Shane bowling.

For this cluster, I layered up a couple of banner pieces, a ticket piece from the ephemera pack, and added a puffy camera sitcker and die cut star.

For this bottom cluster, I added another star, a foam sticker, and puffy bowling ball and pins - since that was Shane's favorite game. I also added a journaling box under the photos.

This layout was so fun to work on - mostly because I know that Shane will love looking at!

Be sure to stop by Lasting Memories to see the "Spots and Stripes" layouts from the rest of the design team. There is so much inspiration over there! We would love it if you played along with us!

Head on over to the Sketch N Scrap blog and the Sketch N Scrap Facebook page for tons of inspiration using our monthly sketches. I would love to see your takeon the sketch, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Florida Bound - Sketch N Scrap #252

Hello again! I am back with another project today. This time I am sharing the layout that I created using Sketch N Scrap's July 1st sketch - Sketch #252.

Here is a look at the sketch:

And this is what I came up with:

I love this sketch! It was so fun to work with and I love that I got four different patterned papers used on this layout! These papers were included in my July kit for Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash. I managed to use three of the full sheets of paper that I had included in my kit and quite a few of the scraps, too. 

This photo is of Abby, Shawn, and Ada headed out on their first big out-of-state family vacation. Scott took them to the airport to see them off. I would have loved to have gone with him but we knew the wait at the airport would be too much for Shane #becauseautism. I asked Scott to please snap a few photos for me and he did so well! He took pictures of all the things and made me so happy! I love the photo he took of the three of them pulling their suitcases! I don't know if I would have thought to do that!

Here are a couple of close-ups:

I didn't go too big and grand with my embellishment clusters - I wanted to focus on the photos. I did add a bit of foam tape to the airplane to pop it up and a couple of enamel hearts in the title.

The - go somewhere you've never been - piece was on one of the 3x4 cut-apart cards and I just cut it down to make an embellishment. I haven't added any journaling - yet. I am waiting to see if Abby would rather have a 6x8 pocket page album or a 12x12 album that is a mix of traditional layouts and pocket pages. If she wants a 12x12 this will more than likely be the title page for that album and will determine how much journaling I add and where I put it - whether it be strip journaling at the bottom right or hidden journaling on a tag tucked somewhere on the page. 

That is it for today! Be sure to stop by the Sketch N Scrap blog or the Sketch N Scrap Facebook page for more inspiration. We would love it if you played along with us!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! Have a great day!

Sweet Farm Memories - FarmQuest Challenge Blog Theme #8

Hello, hello! Happy Thursday to you! I am so happy that you have stopped by today.

I am so excited to be a guest designer again for FarmQuest Challenge Blog. Becca has two fun-themed challenges a month and your project can be a card, tag, traveler's notebook layout, scrapbook layout, journal, bookmark, or ATC. Theme #8 is to use a wagon and/or an animal on your project. 

This is what I came up with:

I am starting another new traveler's notebook project called "The Five Senses Through the Seasons," and this is the first layout. I'll get more into my thoughts and plans on this project at the end of the post, but first, let's get into the nitty-gritty of the FarmQuest challenge. 

When I saw the theme was a wagon and/or animal I knew I wanted to make a layout of how when summer rolls around and I can smell the freshly cut hay that it takes me right back to my childhood and those long, hot, lazy summer days growing up on the farm. Since we are in the middle of hay season right now, it was easy to snap a few pictures of the freshly cut hay fields and the bales of hay out in the fields. 

To satisfy the challenge, I used a strip of patterned paper that had tractors pulling wagons of hay. Since we were dairy farmers when I was a kid, I could have added a cow to my layout and it would have been fine, but for starters, I  couldn't find one that was the right size for my layout and I really wanted to concentrate on the hay story.

Here are a couple of close-ups:

I stamped the word 'sweet' above the farm memories die-cut so my title reads "Sweet Farm Memories." I had a little extra space under my journaling so I stamped "I love the country' and added a punched heart.

I thought the #farmlife and the 'Hay!' die-cuts were perfect for this layout.

Now, more about this notebook. While I was tossing around ideas of what I wanted to do for this challenge, I came across a Youtube video from Create With Alison titled "Sense of Smell" and it got me thinking of how the smell of hay really takes me back to my childhood. While I was trying to figure out which TN I was going to add this story to, I came up with the idea to start a whole new TN and call it 'The Five Senses Through the Seasons.' In this layout, I talk about seeing and smelling the hay in the fields. More ideas for summer could be the taste of fresh garden veggies or those tasty BBQs that happen regularly, the touch of the soft green grass, or the cool pool water on our skin. The sound of the cicadas and how when I was a kid I dreaded hearing them because I knew that my summer vacation was about over and school was about to start. 

I am excited to work on this traveler's notebook and get it filled up - whether it be with memories of my childhood or whatever is going on in the here and now. It will be fun to document the seasons in a new/different way.

Be sure to check out the FarmQuest Challenge Blog. I would love it if you played along, too!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a great day! 

So Sweet

Hello, everyone! Happy Tuesday to you! I hope that your week is off to a good start. Scott was on vacation last week so I am trying to get back into my normal routine. 

Today I am sharing a card that I created for Sketch N Scrap's July Crop Challenge #4 and it is also for Hearts Quest Challenge Blog Color Heart Challenge #5 - which is to use a red heart and mostly red on your project. Here is the sketch that I chose for Sketch N Scrap's July Crop Challenge #4:

This sketch is one of my favorites from March 20, 2018. This is what I came up with:

I had these papers on my desk from another project I was working on and decided to put them to use for this card. The "so sweet" sentiment is from the sticker sheet and I stamped the words "you are" from an Elle's Studio Title Builder stamp set.

To satisfy the Heart's Quest Color Heart challenge - I punched three little hearts from a scrap of red and pink dot paper and my card is almost all red with just a touch of pink and white. I fussy cut a red popsicle from one of my scrap papers and added it to one of the hearts to play up the sweetness!

Here is a close-up of that cute little popsicle:

Be sure to check out Becca's Heart's Quest Challenge Blog and play along with her challenges. They are always a lot of fun!

Head on over to Sketch N Scrap's Monthy Challenges Facebook group and join in on the fun! We would love to see your take on the July challenge!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I will be back soon to share another project with you!

Have a great day!

TN Time With Lisa & Lori July Challenge

Hello, everyone! Happy Sunday to you! I hope you are having a good weekend. After a brutally hot week last week, we had just a touch of a cool down yesterday - and a break in humidity - and we were able to open up the windows late yesterday afternoon and it was cool enough we were able to sleep with them open. It's been wonderful to wake up to the birds chirping and the cool - fresh air. I'm sure the air will be back on early today - we are supposed to hit 91 today - but I will take the fresh air as long as I can!

It is time for TN Time With Lisa & Lori's July challenge today. Here is how our challenge works - this is a just-for-fun monthly challenge that starts on the 10th of each month and ends on the 9th of the following month at midnight CST. If you complete my random challenge for the month - link your TN, bullet journal, or planner spread below. If you complete just Lisa's sketch challenge, link up over on her blog - My Creative Endeavors. If you combine both challenges - be sure to link up on both Lisa's blog and here on my blog.

Here is my July challenge:

For my July challenge, all you need to do is add a flower - or flowers - to your layout. This could be an embellishment or floral paper.

Here is the fun sketch that Lisa has created for us to use:

And this is what I came up with - using both my challenge and Lisa's sketch:

For this month's layout, I am working on my 2022 Life Crafted album. Scott took this photo of Ada and me when we went to Bennett Spring. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun exploring the park. The water at the spring was so clear on this day and such a pretty turquoise blue.

I used scraps from my Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash Kit from February. I had included Cocoa Vanilla's These Days collection in that kit and the small floral scrap paper and mint green scrap paper were both in a page protector with the kit. I managed to use both sides of each scrap and am happy to say that I did not add any scraps back to the page protector!

To satisfy my challenge - I used floral paper and I fussy cut flowers from one of the other papers for my embellishments. I did use Lisa's sketch, I just changed the tag/pocket to a cut-apart card. I wasn't going to add any journaling - there's not too much that needs to be said - but now I think I will at least add where we were to the layout - probably in the white area of the left page. 

Here are a couple of close-ups:

I added foam tape behind the blue/green flower in this cluster and added a few puffy hearts around it. 

And here it is in my album:

I love these albums and that you can add your layout directly into the album or you can slip your pages directly into page protectors. 

Be sure to head on over to Lisa's beautiful blog - My Creative Endeavors - to see her take on this month's challenge. We hope you have a chance to play along with us this month!

Now, even though this is a just-for-fun challenge we do have a few rules:

1. Create a TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK, PLANNER, OR BULLET JOURNAL spread based on the CHALLENGE THEME and/or our sketch. 
2. Create a new, not previously posted project.
3. You are welcome to combine with other challenges.
4. If you have a blog please include the challenge graphic & a link to our challenge in your post.
5. You can link to social media if you don't have a blog. If you show your project on Instagram, please make sure to use #TNtimewithLisaandLori 
6. You can submit multiple projects but they must be posted to InLinkz or social media separately.
7. Most importantly have FUN!

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a great day!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash July Kit

Hello, everyone! Happy Friday to you! I cannot believe that 2022 is halfway over. Hubby is officially on vacation and even though we don't have any big plans - you better believe we will be enjoying every minute of it.

It is time for a new Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash Kit for July and I cannot wait to dive into mine and get some layouts made! Before I get to my kit, I will give a little update on how I did with my June kit. I only managed one 12x12 layout and two traveler's notebook layouts - one of which I just realized I never shared - and a card - which I also never posted on here. I will once again keep this kit out and see if I can't get at least a couple more projects made from it before I break it back down and put it back in my stash.

Now, let's have a look at my July kit. If you are new here or haven't heard about Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash Kit - here is all you need to know about it! Lisa & Lori's Great Stash Bash is a challenge that my good friend Lisa and I do every month in an attempt to get our stash used up. We pull items from our stash based on a "recipe" (which you will see below) and use those items throughout the month.

Here is our "recipe" for July:

Our "recipe" is to pull 10 patterned papers from our stash, 5-7 scraps, 3-4 embellishments, and we always have a focus item for the month and this month that item is stickers.

For July, I have made up two mini-kits and I have two layouts planned for each kit. We'll see if I can get another project or two made from the scraps, too. I have big plans - I just have to make myself stick to them!

Here is kit #1:

This kit is made up of Simple Stories' Family Fun collection. A few weeks ago we took Ada and Shane to Incredible Pizza for an afternoon of good food and fun and I thought this collection would be perfect for the photos that I took that day. 

Here are the papers that I have picked out:

Since Incredible Pizza has lots of arcade games, I tried to stick with the papers that were geared more towards those types of games and the more basic designs. A couple of the papers have the cut-apart cards on the opposite side and the ticket paper has the look of an old arcade game on it. I plan on using the sides shown above, but I always have the option to use the 'b' side if needed.

I "may" have gone overboard with the embellishments here! I'm pretty sure I have everything from this collection except the chipboard. I won't come close to using all of this but I have plenty to pick from! I added the tag paper from this line - whether I use it or not, well, we'll just have to see. I also included the stamps. There are several in this set that would work great with what I have planned - it will just come down to how much time I have to stamp - or if a sticker/die-cut would just be easier!

I did include a few scraps. I thought I could use more of the yellow and the minty-green color on Ada's layout from that day.

I also added a few enamel shapes to my kit. Not everything with match, but I'll use what I can.

Here is kit #2:

For this kit, I have once again pulled papers from Echo Park's Away We Go collection. I used different papers from this collection for my kit back in April.  If I'm able to make a layout or two with these papers I will have put a pretty good dent into what I bought.

Here are the papers:

I love, love, love the colors in this collection! Pink and navy with a bit of yellow and minty-green...yes, please!

Here are the embellishments:

I have the sticker book from this collection and I added a set of label stickers and more enamel shapes. These enamel shapes are mostly from kits from The ScrapRoom that I didn't get used up yet. I am hoping to get quite a few of the loose ones used up so I don't lose them!

Here are the scraps that I included for this kit:

I couldn't decide which I might want to use - the luggage paper, the striped paper, or the paper with the arrows, so I included them all and will decide when I put the layout together. 

Our focus item for July is 12x12 stickers. 

I only have the one 12x12 sticker sheet but I also have a couple of sticker books and that label sticker sheet to use. 

That is it for my kit! I already have my photos printed off that I am going to use and I hope to sit down this weekend and get some scrapping done!

Be sure to stop by Lisa's blog to see the beautiful kit that she has pulled together for this month. 

This is a just-for-fun challenge, but if you do play along and put together your own stash bash kit - add it to the linky below and we will be sure to check it out and cheer you on! Here are the rules:

1. Follow the challenge prompt to create a kit to work with throughout the month. You may use other items, but please concentrate on using your kit. 

2. Create new, not previously posted projects using your stash kit.

3. If you have a blog - please include the challenge graphic and a link to our challenge in your posts. 

4. You may link to social media if you don't have a blog. If you share on Instagram, please make sure to use - #lisaandlorisgreatstashbash2022

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a fantastic day!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter