Oops!

So if you read my post below and clicked on the Sketch-N-Scrap link, you'll see that I jumped the gun by a couple of days! Oops! I had that post wrote up and scheduled it to post and forgot to change the date to the first of August! SNS is changing some things to make it easier on you to get your sketches in. We are now only doing 2 sketches a month. The 1st & 15th of the month the sketch will come out, but you have all month to post your layout. Now since I've given you the August 1st sketch a couple days early, you shouldn't have any excuse for not doing it, right?

Also, hop on over to the Sketch N Scrap blog for a chance to win this exciting new release from My Mind's Eye (its just new in stores now!)

All you need to do is become a follower and leave a comment!  You can get an extra draw for sharing the giveaway on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest etc!  Easy Peasy right?  Take time to check out the announcement on new changes at Sketch N Scrap as well.  We are super excited to be giving our participants extra time to play along with our sketches by extending the deadline until the end of each month vs the end of the week....we know you are busy and are just dying to find some scrappy time, but that's not always possible each week, but hopefully it will be each month!

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #14

Here is another wonderful layout by Lisa for the challenge this week over at Sketch N Scrap. Make sure you head over there this week and play along!

To make my 5x7 photo for this layout, I did a collage of 6 smaller photos. Rylan was having a difficult time getting his lego car exactly like he wanted it and his expressions were priceless.

I had a lot of fun putting the title piece together. Using different alpha stickers from Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket & My Minds Eye.

When it comes to putting alphas on a page, I like to pull them off the sticker sheet and lightly stick the tops to my Tim Holtz ruler. Then I can hold the ruler up to the spot I want to put them and see how they fit.

I also like using a tweezers to put the stickers on. For some reason alphas love to stick to my fingers. This way, I'm not touching them. How do you do your alphas?

Products I used in this layout:

Crate Paper • Toy Box Collection • Explorer

Crate Paper • Toy Box Collection •Layered Chipboard

Crate Paper • Toy Box Collection •Journal & Title Stickers

Various Font Stickers from Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket & MME

Work Tray Wednesday

So right now I have a lot of projects going. It can get a little crazy in the craft room with bits of paper and embellishments floating all over the place. A reoccurring statement is, "Now where did I put...." I like to keep what I'm working on in a wooden tray that I have. It keeps me grounded on current projects and helps me get things done. So I've decided to start a new weekly post called Work Tray Wednesday. I'll take a photo of what I'm working on and share it with you.

Here is what's on my tray today:

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #13

Wow the weeks are really flying by aren't they! I'm having so much fun with these SNS layouts. I hope you are all playing along as well!

This week's layout is a fun one that features 4 photos. I had pulled out a lot of photos and made various combinations for this layout.

When it came down to it, I selected 4 photos from the zoo trip we took a couple of months ago. The kids fed the goats for the first time and got a big kick out it.

I hate to admit it, but I feel like I almost cheated on this layout. The paper is almost a match to the layout itself. I have had this paper in my stash for years, waiting for the kids to get old enough to go to the zoo so I could use it!

I used a line stamp to create the journaling spot on the layout.

Products used in this layout:

Prima • Animal Bash • Art Stitches

Basic Grey • Bloomers

Mini Book #18

This mini is so easy to put together! Rather than an "album" this one is made to hold a CD/DVD. They would make great gifts if you are one to give out discs of your photos or videos.

Also in this video, I showed another mini album I just finished. I am also working on fall album kit, so I'll keep you all updated when that is ready to go.

Watch the Video Here!

Mini Book #17

Surprise! Here is book #17. This fun book had some challenges but it got done just the same. I ended up having some fun with distress ink pads and reinforcers, so make sure you check out the video!

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #12

Back again this week with another Sketch-N-Scrap challenge! If you haven't played along you can start this week with this wonderful layout. I told you a couple weeks ago that I wasn't done playing with my Christmas photos and I meant it! I fooled you last week going back to a summer theme, but it's all Christmas again this week!

The look on Rylan's face in the main photo is just pricesless! He was so excited when he opened his new Choo Choo! This was the first time the kids really got into opening presents. Their birthday was a month before Christmas but they had cousins around to help them with their presents. We opened our Christmas presents right away in the morning with our pj's still on and the kids really took to it!

These Simple Stories papers are so easy to use. They work wonderfully layered, making a layout come together easily.

Products I Used:

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Naughty or Nice

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Merry & Bright

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Flash Cards

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • 4x4 Quote & 6x8 Photo Mat Elements

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • 2x12 Border & 4x12 Title Sticker Elements

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Expression Card Stock Stickers

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Fundamental Card Stock Stickers

Mini Book #16

I'm Back!

I bet you all thought I forgot about you! I couldn't do that! I've just been crazy busy lately. I even had the prep work all done for this mini a month ago. It just took this long to find time to video me putting it together. You can go check out that video RIGHT HERE!

After I shut the camera off, I did print out some instagram photos to put in the book. I used a line stamp from Paper Trey Ink and a Date stamp from MME to add a journaling spot to all of the pages.

I also failed to mention in the video that the paper I used was from the Out & About collection by My Minds Eye.

I have some of the tools I used in the video for sale on my website like the bone folder and redline tape. I am currently having a sale on my site so go check it out HERE.

Something else you probably all thought I forgot about was the giveaway I promised in video #14. I have NOT forgotten about it! Sorry it has taken me so long to get to it. I had 2 comments on my blog post and 2 on the video feed. Random.org picked out #1 for me and that happens to be...... TheHappyDiane! Yay for Diane!

I hope to get book #17 rolling along very soon, so stay tuned...

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #11

Check out this sketch! Do you ever see a sketch and just know the perfect photos for it? That is how it was with this sketch. I had photos of the triplets on their first Merry-Go-Round ride and knew they would work perfect with this layout.

What photos do you have that would go great with this layout? Play along with this week's challenge at Sketch-N-Scrap!

This 100 Days of Summer collection by Simple Stories was perfect for this theme. The kids loved the Merry-Go-Round and I got some good photos of them with their unique expressions!

I used my circle punch to make this flower embellishment. I also ran some Diamond Stickles along the petals for a little sparkle.

For the title, I used the matching Cardstock Alpha Stickers.

Products I Used:

Simple Stories • 100 Days of Summer • 12x12 Fundamental Cardstock Stickers

Simple Stories • 100 Days of Summer • 12x12 Expression Cardstock Stickers

Simple Stories • 100 Days of Summer • Hello Sunshine

Simple Stories • 100 Days of Summer • Endless Summer

Simple Stories • 100 Days of Summer • Flash Cards

Simple Stories • 100 Days of Summer • 2x12 Border & 4x12 Title Strip Elements

Website Sale!

Hey did you all know that I have a website? I do! I'm also having a huge Christmas in July sale on my site. For the month of July you get 30% off your purchase! How great is that? I also have a great shipping rate, if you purchase $50 or more, shipping is free, under $50 shipping is only $5! Hop on over to my WEBSITE and see what you can find!

Sketch N Scrap Layout Challenge #10

I'm back with another great sketch this week. Lisa does such an awesome job drawing these up! Head on over to Sketch-N-Scrap to play along and win fabulous prizes!

Now you would think with it being July, I would have a Red White & Blue layout, right?

Nope! I'm thinking more along the lines of Christmas in July! Crazy I know, but these pictures were begging to be scrapped!

All of the papers I used for this layout are from Simple Stories. I have such a hard time using their papers! They are so beautiful, I want to do them justice. There was a bit of fussing cutting in this layout. The banner below was cut out of a 4x6 journal spot. The Christmas bulbs is also from a tag in the collection. I added some glossy accents and stickles to these two elements to add pazazz!

The little tag Joy was on the same journal spot as the banner above. I cut it out and covered it in glossy accents to make it look like an epoxy sticker.

I may not be done with my Christmas photos yet, you'll have to check back in the next couple of weeks!

Products I Used:

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Peace, Love, Joy

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • 6x12 Page Elements

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • 2x12 Border & 4x12 Element Strips

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Merry & Bright

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Fundamental Cardstock Stickers

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • Flash Cards

Simple Stories • 25 Days of Christmas • 4x6 Journaling Card Elements

Ranger • Glossy Accents

Ranger • Platinum Stickles

Ranger • Crystal Stickles