Top layouts of 2014

Hello scrappy people!!

It's been my most productive scrappy year yet. I feel I'm getting better at managing my creative time, finding inspiration anywhere, and sometimes, completing a layout in my head way before it's time to assemble anything-so the actual scrapping is more productive.

I've only been blogging since last fall, although I've been scrapping since 2006. Styles have evolved and it's always fun to look back. I won't take you back to 2006, but this time of year just calls out for countdowns-

I've been fortunate to be able to participate in Let's Capture Our Memories Design Team for a third term. The sketches are fun, and Aurélie's coordinating skills are out of this world. I love her input and encouragement. Her enthusiasm is contagious. I wish her amazing singing voice was contagious as well... ;)

Most of my layouts are DT work for LCOM. The "homework" keeps me productive and motivated, and the sketches are fun so it never seems like a chore.

These are my favorite layouts of 2014.

Here's a Christmas layout made with some Jillibean Soup, the Winter Tortellini collection. I didn't really feel it at first- too much pink. However, it's the one winter/Christmas collection I've used to shreds. It's destroyed! Like 3 layouts and 8 Christmas cards...barely a scrap left! I love it! Santa and Mrs. Claus visit our workplace and this is a photo from 2012. The title translates to "The nice list".

Next up is a summer layout, my Baywatch layout! This Fancy Pants collection is fabulous, and perfect for this photo of DS#2 being funny- I have a few more layouts lined up with this one...

This page is of DS#3's wonderful grin. He's quite the little theatre man- he's expressive, funny, and likes to tease people. This photo captures his personality.

In keeping with this great collection by Fancy Pants, here's another layout done with the same papers, but to me looks totally different. DS#2 is posing sweetly before his first day of school.

DS#1 is a bike fiend- he loves going fast, never complains on a bike ride, like freedom warms his heart. This is a grungy layout about his new bike. He was trying to lift it over his head, like we do after a hard climb in a fun/different location.

Biking is a big part of this family's activities. We hope the boys learn to enjoy it as much as we do and keep on with this wonderful sport. This is a photo at an annual fundraiser for local schools.

In an effort to be in more of the pictures, without cutting anyone out, we're taking more selfies. Family of 5 selfies are a challenge... and not always the best picture, but they capture a moment and a mood... This was done as an August color spot challenge at Let's Capture Our Memories.

I love this fall theme paper by Simple Stories. We had a wonderful day trip at a local national park last fall, and this layout was also pretty fun to make.

We have a great time when outdoors- we love camping also. This layout was made about a camping trip where time was also spent in Freeport, Maine, at the L.L. Bean HQ. What a fun place...

I was lucky enough to be asked to be a guest designer at My Creative Scrapbook for the month of November. I got the main kit. I love these layouts because they are so different from what I usually do. My style has been described as rambunctious and loud. Changing things up is good sometimes... I also have to incorporate more layouts with the grand-parents. Great memories for the kiddos.

These are so much softer than my usual... Maggie Holmes Open Book collection.

My friend Kristine Davidson published a third sketch book this fall. Another book filled to the brim with inspiration at your fingertips. It's an amazing place, full of fun designs and examples. I was lucky to be asked to be a part of it. Here is my layout...

Well, that's it for now... Wishing you an amazing new year filled with health, joy, love and fun surprises!

Thanks for looking-

Christmas layout- sketch 103

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, more and more! There's nothing like Christmas papers and embellies to get me in the Jingle Bells mood. That and DS#1 hammering Deck The Halls on the piano every chance he gets. He really loves that song... After this layout was made, I went to town making some teacher cards from the kids. Apparently they were liked and appreciated- more on that later.

This week's Let's Capture Our Memories reveal is a sketch by Becky Fleck at Pagemaps. Its great and easy! What I like most about it is the fact it can be a great way to use up 6x6 paper strips. Sometimes I get these specifically for card making, but with an awesome sketch like this one, the 6x6 pads can make a lot more than cards.

Here's the sketch:

And here is my interpretation:

These are photos from 2010, when DS#2 was in love with trucks, any truck. Amazingly enough, no matter what the truck looked like, to him, they were all cement trucks. Oh, his surprise was great when he saw his sitter bring him an actual cement truck as a present.

I made the background with the Tim Holtz Stars mask with platinum coloured ink by Tsukineko. I used silver thread stitching as an accent. Most of the strips have stitching on them, either neat of kind of messy back and forth lines. I added some snowflake accents, a sticker banner, some buttons and bling, and a hidden journaling tag bottom left. Doesn't he make a great kissy-face? Enjoy this sketch, I know I did...

Sketch 101 Reveal at Let's Capture Our Memories!

It's another amazing reveal at Let's Capture Our Memories! Sketch 101 is  multi photo sketch, and it's amazing to see how different everyone's interpretation is! The DT made really cool, detailed, fun layouts! I think this sketch is one of my favorites. Go take a peek at Let's Capture Our Memories!


This is the fun sketch by Emma Straface at Page Drafts:

Here's my layout-

I used tons of Fancy Pants Design's Happy Go Lucky collection. The alphas are also by Fancy Pants, the frames and canvas embellishments are by Basic Grey, the corrugated shapes and button are by Jillibean Soup. The wood veneer and cork shapes are by Studio Calico and the badge is by October Afternoon. I'm starting to dabble with stamps and masks, and this one is by Tim Holtz... Love these chevron shapes to punch up a background...

This layout is all about our camping trip in Maine and New Hampshire last summer. The time spent at L.L. Bean in Freeport during a shopping outing was an adventure in itself. What an amazing place! We took pictures outside and inside. The pond and aquarium were great, especially the spot where you can stick your head in a bubble shaped groove and almost be with the fish. We had a hard time getting the kiddos out of that one. We got some really cute moose molasses cookies, clothes, sleeping bags. We then had a very nice lunch at the pizzeria next door, when DS#3 proceeded to "read" the map in a oh-so-serious way... "where do they keep the ice cream here?..."