Happy Birthday - make a wish!

So, I'm working on Jordyn's birthday album right now. I only have about 5 weeks until her 14th birthday. And so far, I've scrapped 11, 12, & 13. And now 3. Four birthdays down, nine to go!

Happy Birthday - Make a Wish! (double):

Happy Birthday - Make a Wish! (left):

Happy Birthday - Make a Wish! (right):

Some observations on the process and the products used:

1. Locating pictures for Jordyn's birthday, pre-digital era, is no easy task. Bad momma, bad momma. I've located 1, 2, & 4. But somehow I need to locate birthdays 5-10. EEKS! I only have 5 weeks left to do this and I can't let her down!
2. Working with 4x6 photos is not how I like to scrap. Especially photos that don't necessarily have the best composition. I like printing photos in whatever size I want so that I can best tell the story. So, for this layout I circle punched the photos to crop out much of the background noise.
3. I didn't work from a sketch, and OY! Let me tell you, I MUCH prefer having a sketch or inspiration layout. But, that's OK. The memory has been captured.
4. Not one of the best designed layouts, but look at how cute 3 year old Jordyn was!

Wish me luck on the other layouts!! I'm gonna need it.

Challenge 18 - brothers brothers brothers

This was a fun challenge layout to do! ScRap SiStaZ Challenge 18. I really like the design.

brothers brothers brothers Double:

brothers brothers brothers Left:

brothers brothers brothers Right:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. I have TONS of pictures of the boys together, and I store them in a folder entitled "brothers". Imagine that. Most of the really good pictures of them, though, are horizontal shots rather than vertical. But, this layout called for vertical.
2. I used 7 pictures instead of 5 because I can never gauge what size photos to print. But, I think it still worked out OK, and bonus! more pics of my loverboys.
3. LOVE LOVE LOVE coordinating paper kits. Thank you, SU! (this is probably the first time you've heard me say that, right?)
4. Who says you can't use flowers on a boys' layout? Pashaw.
5. All pictures were taken this year during April & July. (L to R - our kitchen during Owen's birthday party, inside Comerica Park, playroom, steps of Marriott hotel in GR, outside Comerica Park, White Cloud Michigan at Kevin's softball game, Meijer Gardens in GR)
6. Alphas - white paper letters, blue chipboard, red ghost alphas (from Heidi Swapp).
7. I try to snap pictures of the boys being very brotherly without them knowing that I'm taking a picture. I love capturing these moments on the down low.

Inspiration Layout:

ScRaP SiStaZ Challenge 19 - NINE YEARS

Had the scrapping bug tonight. I followed ScRap SiStaZ Challenge 19 (even though the post says it's Challenge 18, it's really 19). When I printed the wallets for this layout, I also printed the wallets for Challenge 18. I hope to scrap those in the next couple of days.

NINE YEARS:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. It took me less than 5 minutes to select the patterned paper. It jumped out at me because it had all of the same colors that were in my photos, yet it was light enough for me to do my hand written journaling directly onto the paper.
2. The square buttons on the right side of the 4x6 photo were left over from a sewing project that I did when I was in ninth grade, I made a halter top. Told you...I save everything!
3. This is my recession era anniversary present to Kevin. We celebrate 9 years of marital bliss next Wednesday, 10/21.
4. Following Stacy Julian's "category drawers" made locating photos for this layout super easy. Except, I don't really have category drawers in the physical sense, I have category file folders in the virtual sense. These photos were all found in the "Us" file folder.

Inspiration Layout:

10 things right now

OK, I totally scraplifted this layout from Ali Edwards. I hope she doesn't mind. :)

I did not purchase her digital kit because I have no idea how to USE digital kits (someone, teach me, PLEASE!) So, I recreated, as best I could, the elements in PowerPoint. I'd also like to learn how to put digital frames around my photos. Here, I used some rub ons, but I didn't have enough to completely frame the picture. Ah well, I made do.

Eight is great!!

TA DA!!!

Now I can move on to Jordyn's birthday album!! :)

Eight is great!!:

Observations on the process and the products used:

1. Picasa Photo Collage (LOVE those!!)
2. Still will never understand why a photo (even a collage) looks great on my computer screen, then cuts off someone's head when I print it out. Sorry Liam.
3. Title and journaling created in PowerPoint, leaving space in the middle for the 5x7 photo collage.
4. Title used five different fonts:
   Eight - A Truer Blue
   is -Verdana
   great - Digs my Hart
   !! - Elise
   ) turned sideways to make the smiley face - Arial
5. Again, used buttons from my sewing stash that I've had for years and years and years.
6. Stapled some scrap green ribbon on at the last minute to create a color contrast to all of the blue and red accents.
7. All in all, this was a pretty quick and easy page. Less than 2 hours. That's pretty quick, right?

8

Ahhh, one more layout to go and Liam's birthday album is DONE!! Until next August, anyway!

This layout is of his actual eighth birthday and how we celebrated as a family. The next layout that I need to do for his album is of his eighth birthday party.

8:

Some observations on the process and the products used:

1. I used Picasa to make the photo collage. However, since I had four pictures, it made the collage into an even grid. So, I printed my focal point photo in a 4x6 photo by itself, then I used Picasa to create a 4x6 photo collage using just 3 photos, so that I didn't get an even four square collage. Then I put the two 4x6 photos together on the page to look like one big collage. Took a minute to figure out, by I like the end result.
2. The green frame is chipboard that I got in a super cheap chipboard kit at the Mega Meet. I painted it greed and then used green Stickles on top of it to give it some birthday bling. Owen helped me put the Stickles on. Oh, the joy he had doing that!!
3. 8 was created with the Cricut. Alphalicious.
4. Ribbon around the 8 is from my ribbon scrap stash. It's good to keep scraps. Recession friendly scrapping!!
5. Button is from my sewing box that my mom gave to me years and years and ago. I've hoarded buttons for a long time now, and I believe this came from one of my mom's old sweaters, circa 1978.
6. I really like the way the layout turned out, actually. I think the next ScRap SiStaZ challenge should be to scraplift it!! Since I plan to use this same design at some point in the future, anyway. :)

one

Finishing up Liam's birthday album. If you remember, I had a hard time finding the photos from his first birthday. But I did find them (hard copies, not the digital copies), and let me just say, they were not stellar photos. And since I didn't have digital copies, I wasn't able to alter them at all. So, taking a cue from Stacy Julian, I got out my square punch and punched portions of the photos out to show closer detail. By doing this, it also echoed the grid patterned paper I had selected. Unintentional bonus!

one:

Challenge 13a - pump

I created another layout last night inspired by ScRap SiStaZ challenge 13a. Now I only have three more challenges to catch up on before moving on to ScRap SiStaZ challenge 18:

• s*r*p
• Meeting Santa
• class of 1989 grad

Or I can move on to Challenge 18 and get back to those other three later.

At any rate, here's 13a...

pump:

Observations about the process and the products used:

1. No, it's not exactly like the inspiration layout, but I did use the inspiration layout as a guide. There are similarities and differences. First, the similarities:

• 11x11 cardstock matted on a different color 12x12 cardstock
• "Stitched" the smaller cardstock to the larger cardstock...I did this using my trusty white pen and a stitching template. I've had the stitching template for a while. It has several types of "stitches" on it. But this is the first time that I've used it, that I can recall. I really wish I had the nerve to pull out my sewing machine and stitch for real on my layouts. I'm not there, yet.
• Handwritten journaling (although, I turned mine on their side)
• A roughly stamped quote next to the photo. Although, mine uses bigger alpha stamps, which I was cursing the entire time. I usually love these stamps but they were NOT working for me! I basically had to go back and color in all of the letters with my white marker. When I had finished stamping the quote, I had all but sworn off CTMH stamp sets forever. Then I decided to try those same stamps in a different color ink on a piece of scrap paper. On my layout, I used SU! Craft White ink. On the scraps of paper, I used SU! Basic Black ink...and the stamped images came out perfectly. So, all of that time I had been cursing the CTMH stamps when I should have been cursing the type of ink that I was using!! (I've about had it with that SU! Craft ink!)

1. Next, the differences:

• I used two smaller photos instead of one large one.
• The photo placement is on the opposite side of the page. It started off on the same side of the page, but when I tried to stamp the quote the first time on the right side of the page, it came out HORRIBLY. So, I had to move the photos to cover the debacle and stamp the quote on the left side of the page instead.
• I added some ribbon
• I did not "stitch" on the photos
• Color scheme is different. The challenge used warm tones, I used cool.

All in all, I think I could have come up with a more satisfying layout if I would have come up with my own design, or if I would have lifted another design, rather than trying to make these photos fit in with this inspiration layout. I don't HATE this layout, but it's not one of my shining stars. It just doesn't "speak" to me.

But, that's OK. What's important is that I captured the memory. And I spent time CREATING. And I enjoyed the journey (minus the stamping debacle.) And the layout will "speak" to others for generations to come.

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 12a - my 3 students

I wanted to finish up another ScRap SiStaZ challenge before Tina started posting new challenges for the fall, so I scrapped about the first day of school here at the Hillary's, lifting Challenge 12a. That leaves me with only 4 challenge layouts to "catch up" on from the first batch of challenges. Not too shabby!!

my 3 students:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. When I first saw this layout, I thought it would be perfect for me to do something with, since I, too have 3 kids. I'm glad I finally came up with something.
2. I switched it from a double layout to a single, but I think I captured the overall feeling of the original.
3. I enjoyed using the Heidi Swapp ghost alphas (that I got at the Mega Meet) for my title. But, I don't have a wide array of adhesive and staples seemed like the most sturdy route to go. Adds texture, no? That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!
4. I really do love using the Cricut. A MUST for any serious scrapper.
5. Jordyn's photo was shot in the same location as the boys' photos were shot, but there was no sunlight, so you can't really tell.
6. I can't believe I have 3 kids in school!! Holy Moly, where has the time gone.
   

Looking forward to more challenges!! :)

Challenge Layout:

Garden of Awesome

This page has been sitting on my scrap table in a state of half completion for almost a month now. I'm not sure what my road block was. I'm so glad that I stopped obssessing about it and just finished it already!

Challenge 17a - 2

And with this layout, I finished Liam's birthday album (minus his first birthday, for which I have not yet located the photos). And I finished it ON his birthday.

I assembled all of the pages in the correct chronological order and gave it to him as a gift. And he loves it. LOVES it!! Even gave it a thumbs up. That's what it's all about.

Challenge 17a was my inspiration for this layout. (WOO HOO, only 5 more challenges to go until I've done them ALL!!)

2:

Some observations on the process and products used:

1. The inspiration layout is a double spread, mine is a single. But I stole the strip of smaller bordered photos that kind of overlap each other. That's about the only similarity between the two. And that's OK.
2. When Kev looked at the page, he said, "Wow, where was his second birthday at?" And I read the journaling to him, "We celebrated your second birthday at a rented cottage on Big Star Lake." Kev's reply, "OOOOhhhh, yeah." That's what scrapbooks are for, to help us remember.
3. I had originally printed the photos across the top in full color, but thought that turning them to sepia would make them coordinate with the paper, better.
4. Speaking of the papers, another SU! paper set.
5. The arrows on all of the photos point to Liam's sports related gifts. It was a sports birthday.
6. He was such a good looking baby!!

Inspiration Layout:

four

Another Birthday layout for Liam....DONE!! And, it's a good thing Amy was there again and took pictures, these are all her shots. Where are mine, you ask? Good question.

four - double:

four - left:

four - right:

Challenge 15a - happy birthday

WOWSA DOWSA DOO - I finished a challenge layout before Tina added any more challenges! Challenge 15a, and by my count, I am only 6 challenge lay outs behind. Not bad.

AND, I got another birthday layout of Liam's scrapped in the process!! WOO HOO!!!

happy birthday:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. "happy birthday" Heidi Swapp sticker. LOVE that.
2. No real title, so, "happy birthday" will have to do.
3. You might not be able to tell very well in the photo, but I added brads to the center of many of the flowers in the CTMH patterned paper. That was my way of taking it to the next level.
4. I busted out my flexible ruler, all prepared to do the wavy title and accents, and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. But, I still followed the lay out pretty well - 1 large square photo, with 2 smaller square photos.
5. Journaling font is called Baby Bowser
6. The photos from this celebration did not turn out very well, which is why I turned the two smaller photos into black & white.
7. Who's gonna be the next one to post a challenge layout?!? Get scrapping, girls!

Inspiration Layout:

5

So, I'm working on Liam's birthday book, since his birthday is THIS Thursday.

I still have to do layouts for his 1st, 2nd, and 4th birthdays. I have the photos ready for his 2nd and 4th birthdays but I'll be damned if I can find his 1st birthday photos!! So, those might not make it into the book until, well, until I find them!!

Thanks, Aim, for the photos of this birthday celebration. I thought I took some of my own photos, but couldn't find any. Mother of the Year, yes, I know. At least I saved the ticket stubs.


Used the same SU! kit that I used for this layout. But, they're going in different books, so that's OK.

5:

2 Wheels

I created this layout on Monday night in about 45 minutes. Maybe less.


I used a SU! scrapbook kit, and I know that I've mentioned before how much I LOVE kits, but it bears repeating. I LOVE kits.


Speedy layouts is one reason. Fun embellies is another. Owen loves the pointing finger "dicker" and Liam likes the arrow sticker that says "That Rocks!"

I will definitely be scrapping more in the near future. 8/6 is quickly approaching and I need to finish Liam's birthday book!! Who knows, I might even bust out a challenge or two.


2 Wheels:

MacRay Harbor Accordion Album

Our fourth of July holiday weekend (and my week of vacation following that), was kicked off by a trip to my cousin Deb and her husband John's boat on Lake St. Clair on Friday, Jul3 3rd.

They keep their boat at MacRay Harbor, which is a very nice, fun place to hang out...when you're not out on the water in their gorgeous boat. The boys went swimming in the pool and we had dinner at the Marina (all you can eat BBQ which was delish!!)

I made two versions of this accordion album, one to give to Deb & John as a thank you gift, and one to keep. The only difference between the two albums is the color of the background cardstock (ours is yellow, theirs is blue) and a slight variation in where some of the embellies are placed (all from a CTMH Stick Ease set).

It was GREAT doing two of the same albums at once. Something I will definitely do again in the future.

Front:

Pages 2 & 3:Pages 4 &5: Back:Pages 7 & 8: Pages 9 &10: Overview (I love how this accordion album can stand up on its own for display):

Father's Day Album for my Dad

Also, back in June, I made this Father's Day mini album for my dad. It was a SU! Stamp Camp project from last fall. I have since made other versions of this super simple album for other occasions, but this one is the original. All I had to do was add the pictures, journaling, and embellies.

Front of Album:

First Page (I thought this quote was PERFECT for this picture and for my parents' relationship):

Shawn's Picture and Note to my Dad: Jeremy's Picture and Note to my Dad: My Picture and Note to my Dad (the photo I took here is SUPER blurry, so if you can't tell, that's my dad - with a mustache! - in his firefighter uniform, in front of a firetruck, with me, age 3, wearing his fire helmet.): Last Page:

Kev's Father's Day Mini Album Card

Lest ye think I've spent my entire summer neglecting my papercrafting love, I made this mini-album/card for Kevin for Father's day back in June. It was actually a project that I made at my SU! Stamp Camp, that I turned into a Father's day album. The colors don't show up very well in the photos, so let me just say that I turned all the pictures to sepia. And the album papers/cardstock/ink colors are purple and a mossy green.

This is an aerial view of the mini album. It was quite involved with all of those flippy flaps, but pretty cool.

Front:

Inside:

Jordyn's Note to Kev:

My Note to Kev:

Symmetrical Inner View:

Liam's Note to Kev:

Owen's Note to Kev:

The very inner inside of the album / card: