ScRaP SiStaZ Challenge 21 - I heart you

WOW! I can't believe it's been almost TWO YEARS since our last ScRap SisTaZ challenge was posted!! And it's been 18 MONTHS since I scrapped and posted a page. WOW!

(Hey, I started and ended that paragraph with the same word!)

I am THRILLED that Tina posted Challenge 21 to get us going again!! Thanks, Tina.
Let me just say that when I saw the inspiration page I thought, GREAT! Now this looks like one of those 30 minute pages Lain Ehmann talks about. One photo. Couple strips of journaling. A splash of buttons. Nothing really elaborate. So, heck, why don't I do TWO lay outs at ONCE?!?

Five hours later (or more), and here they are.

I heart Jordyn:

Journaling Reads: Jordyn – You call Facebook your “happy place”. It truly is a reflection of the joyful, positive young woman that you are. You are wise beyond your 15 years. The proof is in the status updates…misspellings & all: Be yourself! (9/18/11) * Smile... Pass it on! (9/16/11) * Lifes to good and short to live your life unhappy... :) :) :) (9/12/11) * The grass is always greener on the otherside.... But you still have to mow both sides. :) (8/21/11) * Gunna be a good life :) (7/11/11) * I love the people who make me smile when they dont even try :) :) :) (6/28/11) * … If you have time to worry about the bad things, then you have just enough time to look at the good side of things :) (6/16/11) * You only live once... So live your life tothe fullest :) Dont waste it :) (5/24/11) * Rainbow! (8/21/11) *

I heart my Dad:

Journaling Reads: It’s hard to believe I’ll never hear your voice again. On the days when missing you hits me harder than others, I listen to hymns and I instantly feel your presence. Hearing those southern gospels makes me feel as if I’m nine years old again, at a church revival with you standing next to me in the pew, my arm intertwined with yours, and my head resting against your shoulder. I close my eyes and I can almost hear your smooth alto voice rising up in earnest praise and worship. The tears flow. It Is Well, In the Garden, The Old Rugged Cross, How Great Thou Art, Are You Washed in the Blood, to name a few. These songs comfort me and help me to realize that your voice will always be with me.

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. 
   
   I actually like the 8 1/2 x 11 format.


2. 
   
   I found this size/shape photo difficult to work with. A very large square. What do you do, print an 8x10 and trim down? Print a 5x7? But if you print a 5x7 then if you trim anything, you're trimming off part of the person (if it's a head shot). Do you go to Picasa and print from there? I don't know, it was hard for me.


3. 
   
   Forgive the picture of each layout, they are the EXACT same papers, but somehow the pics look different. Colors are better represented in Jordyn's layout.


4. 
   
   My ATG tape gun runner was NOT working well for me. Either I forgot how to use it, or Big Red was mad at me for staying away for so long.


5. 
   
   Scrapping in my newly reorganized office was FABULOUS! I love that I know where everything is and that it is all labeled so nicely. (pictures eventually)


6. 
   
   It's not the easiest to scrap through tears. But, it was cathartic and I'm glad I did it.

Inspiration Layout:

ScRaP SiStaZ Challenge 5a - Turning Fourteen

I still haven't given up on completing all of last year's ScRaP SiStaZ challenges. I recently completed Challenge 5a and I want to complete them all before Tina starts posting more challenges (which I'm guessing will be sometime after she finishes her Master's). In finishing this challenge, I also completed another layout for Jordyn's (still sparsely populated) birthday album. This is one of two layouts that I plan to complete to document her fourteenth birthday. Next on my list is her 14th birthday party with her friends. I just need to find a good inspiration layout to guide me through!

Turning Fourteen - Double:

Turning Fourteen - Left:

Turning Fourteen - Right:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. Inspiration was 8 1/2 x 11, I tweaked it to a 12 x 12 format.
2. I also tweaked the topic from Meeting Santa to Turning Fourteen. I'm not ready to tackle my kids' Santa photos yet. It's on my long list of projects that I plan to get around to some day....like when I've cloned myself four times over and when I no longer have a demanding career.
3. I've had these pictures printed since early January, with this layout in mind. I finally put the layout together in late February and am just now getting around to sharing it here on my blog. I might not move as quickly as I did last year, but at least I'm still moving.
4. Love how the orange and red patterned papers pick up the orange in Jordyn's shirt and the red poinsettias in the background at the restaurant. I also love coordinating patterned papers from a paper stack, which in this case are from DCWV.
5. I'm comfortable with hybrid-digi scrapping (meaning I journal and make titles on my computer). I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to learn how to do a fully digital layout. Maybe I'll make time on my maternity leave to figure this out. (Kendrea, here I come! Will you teach me??)
6. I was having a frumpy day, so excuse the hat and baggy sweater (which even now, at almost full term in my pregnancy would still be baggy on me!) But look at Jordyn, isn't she just gorgeous?? Yes, I'm biased. That's my job.

Inspiration Layout:

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:

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:

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:

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:

Challenge 14b - Coin Angels

Kicking Booty on the ScRap SiStaZ challenges the last couple of days. Here is Challenge 14b.

Coin Angels:

Some observations on the process and the products used:

1. This was a SIMPLE layout.
2. I spent probably 2 hours total, including clean up, taking the photo, & blogging about it (whilst checking Facebook & emails from time to time).
3. Behind the photo is a journaling card which pretty much has this as the text, with a couple of modifications. Gotta get back to blogging about more than just birds here pretty soon.
4. I finally got to use some of my arrows from the Mega Meet!
5. The title that I stamped originally looked like it said COINANGELS, because I didn't leave any space between the two words. It didn't bother me until I took the picture and started to post it. Then I thought, "I can NOT live with it like that!" So I used a scrap piece of yellow cardstock (taken from behind the patterned paper before I adhered it - I'm a frugal scrapper like that). Anyway, I restamped the word COIN further over to the left. Well THEN there was TOO much space between the two words. So, I grabbed a penny to fill the space and adhered it with a ZOTS uber sticky glue dot. I LOVE the result of this mistake!! Although I didn't love the process of having to correct the mistake!!
   

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 15b - in your ELEMENT

I'm a scrapping fool today. Catching up on some challenges on this gorgeous rainy day. ScRap SiStaz Challenge 15b - Feelings.

in your ELEMENT:

Some observations about the process and the products used

1. Please tell me that I am not the only who drops F bombs whilst scrapping.


2. This layout induced multiple F bombs to be dropped in my scrap room at various decibal levels.


3. I've decided that, I like Simple Scrapbooking, and this layout was not simple. Which is strange considering that it only has one photo. Hmm.


4. Kevin saw this layout and said, "You didn't even show what I caught? Well, it was a big one." Jackal.


5. I used SEVERAL mega meet weekend products on this layout - flexible ruler (for the first time!), scallop punch, chipboard swirls, and the Heidi Swapp date stamp.


6. You might have noticed that I used the same SU! patterned papers as I did in this layout earlier today. Since these will be going in different books, I thought it was wise to keep going with the same papers rather than stash them in my scrap container, never to be used again.


7. Is there more rain in the forecast?

EDITED:
I had to fix some things on this layout. I added who this is a picture of and where he is in the last line of my journaling, I added the "27" in the date stamp, I added a little scallop punch on the picture which says "It was a BIG bass!" and I inked the blue swirls so they weren't so shocking. Here is the updated version:Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 17b - Silver Scholar

I liked the layout that I modified for ScRap SiStaZ Challenge 17b so much, that I scraplifted it again for Jordyn's Honors Night layout. I was going to use Challenge 17a, but I liked the way this turned out.

Silver Scholar - double:

Silver Scholar - left:

Silver Scholar - right:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. I like scrapping events so close to when they actually occurred. I would love to get into the habit of doing this more often.


2. Patterned Paper from a SU! kit. I love coordinating paper kits!


3. Title and journaling font is CK Becky. Jordyn asked if I had "written" the journaling. Yes. And no.


4. I like to specify who is in each picture. Maybe next time I will add the text directly to the photo in Picasa before printing the picture.


5. On the right side of the layout is a pocket containing the brochure, photocopies of her 3 certificates, cards, and the bumper sticker (that I'm not allowed to put on our car!!) :)

Challenge 17b - Detroit Owen

I accepted Kim's challenge to keep moving on the ScRap SiStaz challenges by completing Challenge 17b (feelings). Although, my topic was more of an event than a feeling. Out of 34 challenges, I have completed 25 layouts. I think that's a pretty good ratio. At some point I want to get around to all of them, or at least MOST of them. It's just so hard to keep up with the weather being so nice.

I was also able to keep moving on my kids' birthday albums as this is another 5th birthday layout for Owen's birthday book.

Detroit Owen - double:

Detroit Owen - left:

Detroit Owen - right:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. I'm not good at guesstimating what size to print my photos. I guesstimated 3.5x5.5 and that was obviously too big. So, I just adapted the layout a little bit to fit my pictures, rather than reprint my pictures to fit the inspiration layout.
2. I changed this from a one page layout to a two page layout.
3. Because I changed this to a two page layout, I changed the positioning of the border strip of patterned paper so that it was on the outsides of each of my pages and so that my two journaling blocks were somewhat next to each other.
4. I picked this army green color background cardstock as sort of a neutral (in absence of a stack of Kraft colored cardstock) and it ended up working really well. Surprisingly, the polka dot patterned paper strips that I used had the same army green color polka dots in it! When in doubt, use green, indeed.
5. The font used for the journaling is called A Little Pot. I think all of our layouts could use a little pot. Just Kidding!!
6. I referred to my "abc color chart" when selecting the journaling font color.

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 16b - love

I created this layout as part of ScRap SiStaZ Challenge 16b a couple of weeks ago, but am just now getting around to posting it. Not sure what took me so long, other than I don't truly LOVE the layout. But, I've got Mother's Day 2009 recorded and I'm moving on.

love:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. Fonts in journaling strips are: black text - A Red Bucket, green text - Cry Kitty, both downloaded for free from this site.
2. Picture taken on Mother's Day at my mom's house.
3. I used the Cricut for the title and figured out why it wasn't previously cutting all the way through. There is a dial called "pressure" that Owen had fiddle with and turned the pressure way down. It only took me 6 different attempts to finally figure it out! I knew my blade hadn't dulled, yet.
4. The bling scrolls purchased at the Mega Meet are a pain in the ARSE to apply to your page. Be forewarned. Glad I didn't buy too many of those. FRUSTRATING! Yes, they're crooked and they're going to stay crooked.
5. I always have a hard time picking a font color to match my paper. That's because the colors that look like they match on my computer screen print out differently on paper. So, I created this "abc" file and printed it out. It is basically a replication of the color chart options on my computer. Now I can compare my paper to the colors of the text on this print out. Which is what I did here. The color that matched my paper the best would have NEVER been my choice based on what that color looks like on my computer screen. I think I'm going to use my abc color chart often.

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 14a - BIVE

One of my goals with the kids' birthday books was to scrap their current birthday immediately and add it to their album. I'd say within two weeks qualifies as "immediately", wouldn't you?

I used the ScRap SiStaZ Challenge 14a as my inspiration.

BIVE - double:


BIVE - left:


BIVE - right:



BIVE - hidden journaling card:

Some observations about the process and products uses.

1. I did not take very many pictures at Owen's non-party birthday party.
2. We were in the middle of the party when the hurricane/tornado blew through.
3. I journaled about the "storm", the party, the recession cake, the after party, and the fact that Owen still pronounces his f's like b's so when we asked him how old he was, he said "Bive". Hence the title of the layout.
4. Stampin' Up coordinating patterned papers. Part of this year's Sale-a-bration. Very nice kit.
5. Green Stickles were used to jazz up the number 5.
6. The number 5 was cut with a combination of the Cricut (Don Juan), and my trusty fine tip scissors. For whatever reason, the Cricut didn't cut through the paper all the way. SURELY it's not time for a new blade. Possibly a new mat, but not a new blade! I haven't used the Cricut THAT much in the five months that I've had it. How long do your Cricut blades last?
7. A LOT of pop-dots were used in the making of this layout.

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 13b - Kev's fishing fishing fishing HAT

Another ScRap SiStaZ challenge down, four more to go!! (Until Tina posts the next one, that is!!)

Kev's fishing fishing fishing HAT:

Observations about the process and the products used:

1. I used the same Chatterbox kit that I used in Challenge 11a.
2. Totally loved using the Cricut on this challenge! I used the Printing 101 cartridge for both HAT and fishing fishing fishing. I even saved the negative from fishing fishing fishing to use on another page since we have such a big fishing family!!
3. The journaling's a little cheesy, but you know me and my journaling fixation!! :)
4. I can't wait for lazy summer afternoons and evenings like this to get here. Out on the paddle boat with my man and a glass of vino with the kiddos on the back of the boat, watching the sunset. AAAAaaaahhhh....Bliss.

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 11a- Adenoid Acation

Another challenging ScRap SiStaZ challenge - 11a!! But, I was able to scrap a topic that I have wanted to scrap for a while now. With out these challenges, I'm not sure when (or IF, really) I ever would have scrapped it!!

Adenoid Acation - Double:

Adenoid Acation - Left:

Adenoid Acation - Right:

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. I totally scraplifted Kim's version of this challenge. I had more photos that I wanted to include than what the original challenge had in it. Then I recalled that Kim's version used a bunch of photos. So, when I put my layout together, I was really copying Kim's layout. Similar color scheme, too!! Thanks Kim!
2. I'm SO glad I blogged about this surgery! It made writing the journaling for this layout a SNAP!
3. Too bad printing the journaling wasn't as easy as writing it. You can see here that it printed out crooked. I couldn't flip it over and print it again on the back because I had already tried to print it once and got GOBBLDY-GOOK printed all over it. So this was already my second attempt. And I wasn't going to waste another sheet of cardstock to try and print it a 3rd time. Come to think of it, I don't even know if I had another sheet of the same cardstock.
4. When I printed my wallets, they printed out at 2.5 x 3.5. The wallets in this layout need to be 2 x 3. So, I had to trim all of them down. At first I freaked out that I wouldn't be able to crop them that much, but it worked out. That's on of the reasons why this challenge was so challenging!!
5. I used another Chatterbox kit for the paper, brads, alpha stickers, circle embellie sticker. LOVE KITS! (have I mentioned that?)
6. I used the Cricut Cuttin' Up cartridge for the capital A's in my title.
   

Inspiration Layout:

Challenge 10a - 7 Cedar Point

I Love it when I can use a ScRap SiStaZ Challenge to complete a layout for one of my kids' birthday books! This is birthday # 3 of Liam's that I've scrapped, I have 4 more of his birthdays to scrap before August. I can do it!!

7 Cedar Point - double:

7 Cedar Point - left:

7 Cedar Point - right

Some observations about the process and the products used:

1. This was a challenging challenge for me.
2. Once again I used Picasa to make a collage, to get the size photos that I wanted, that I then cut up and put into a strip along the bottom. There was still a bit of cropping here and there, but it turned out pretty well.
3. Both patterned papers are actually just the big Cedar Point map dissected.
4. The big picture of Liam is of him ON the Demon Drop as we're going up. I thought it would be too hard to take a picture while we were going down. Turns out, CP has a "no picture taking while the ride is in motion" rule anyway, as was pointed out to me on several other rides (Ocean Motion, the Monster, etc.)
5. The Demon Drop was our second ride of the day. We went from the Carousel to the Demon Drop. Quite a difference, I'd say.
6. I love love love love LOVE Cedar Point! Probably because I'm a coaster junkie. I think I'll finally admit to being old when I no longer enjoy roller coasters. Lord, I hope that never happens!
7. The 7 was free hand cut from a piece of cardstock. I almost used the Cricut for the 7, but the 7 was the only thing that I need to have cut out. So, for JUST a 7, I figured I could handle it on my own.
8. Liam wants to go to Cedar Point for his birthday again THIS year. We'll see. It's not that hard to convince me to go.
9. In the picture of the Sky Ride cars, the red cable car holds Kevin and Liam. Mitchell, Jordyn, Owen and I were in the car behind them when I snapped this pic.

Inspiration Layout: