Life's Trivialities

Grace - SpiegelMom Scraps

Anybody else miss Basic Grey? I was a HUGE Basic Grey fan. I think I have just about every collection they released while I was scrapping. I would buy the collection pack and supplement with a lot of extras of the patterned papers. Persimmon was/is just about my favorite collection EVER; it has the perfect colors of my favorite season, it has Asian looking influence in the flowers... There is so much to love about this collection. So you know it's a special layout when I pull out my favorite collection of all time.

Yet another sketch inspired layout! The themes this month over at SpiegelMom Scraps is sketches and circles so it's only fitting that I have yet another sketch layout and that layout also happens to be laden with circles. Sequins are circles too so they compliment perfectly!

I used that journal card with the oval in place of one of the circles on the sketch and added an extra circle for balance on the page. I also used two 4x3 photos instead of the single square picture. These pictures are of Mia at Cotillion. It's tough being taller than the boys and really does take grace to gracefully accept the situation and make the most of it.

I used three different color sequins', each from a different sequins mix to get the colors that compliment this Basic Grey collection; I used the orange from Puppy Dog Tails, the aqua/blue form Road Trips & Sunshine and the wood grain is the Mahogany. The sequins really pop against the stark white background! I am still blown away that wood grain sequins are an option! If you haven't seen them, be sure to check out the store - https://spiegelmom-scraps.myshopify.com Use code SUZANNA15 for 15% while you are there!

It's difficult to tell but I machine stitched gold crosses through the center of each circle other than the orange one. The orange circle was an after thought for balance and I really ought to drag my lazy behind up the stairs to finish off the layout...

 

Do you watch the process videos I create? What do you think? If you have an opinion, I'd love to hear them! Change the music? Don't talk so fast? Have something you would like to see? I'd love constructive feedback.

Thanks for stopping in today! See you next time!

My World / Basic Grey

Earlier week I spoke of my love for Crate Paper's newer collection, Poolside. Today, it's all about Basic Grey's Adrift collection. Those of you who know me and know my work will know why. This is a no brainer! I own it; the love, the colors and the whole collection pack! :)

I took this picture of Michael, my husband, on July 4th, while sitting in a parking lot, a very crowded parking lot, on a very hot, humid afternoon, waiting for dusk and the Independence Day fireworks. This is SO him. And he is SO my world, my everything. There is little that I can't imagine doing in my life. One of the things I know I don't want to do is live without him. I know I can. I know there may come a time that I have to. But the thought of it is horrifying... And best not thought of.

I am not one for ripping paper. I am just TOO Type A and clean lines work perfectly for me. Yet this collection screams for white caps on the waves and what better way to provide them than with the white core of the patterned paper from where the edge has been torn? It works. It's horrifying, but it works so very well!

Though we may spend a good deal of our year water logged thanks to competitive swimming, we are not nautical. I hope I haven't spelled or suggested some unintended message with those flags. It's decoration, nothing more.

A simple layout of sorts, not a lot of embellishment. The paper is so busy that really nothing more was need. It would have become too busy had I added much more. No journaling. The title says it all.

Thanks for stopping in today! I hope all is good in your world today!

Walking on Sunshine / Paper Issues Sketch

I have a thing for sketches. I love sketches. You probably are already aware of my "small" problem. I just don't have time to play along with sketch challenges as much as I would like. Life kind of gets in the way! But fortunately for me, timing couldn't be any better, I had a bit of a break in deadlines AND this amazing sketch from Paper Issues is begging to be used!

Here's my layout;

And this is the Paper Issues sketch that inspired it;

You can find other people's interpretations of this awesome sketch as well as the Paper Issues design teams layouts based on this sketch HERE

I recently picked up the Basic Grey collection "Adrift" with some of our Spring Break pictures in mind. And it was sublime for this picture of Mia sprinting to the waves. Her first visit to the beach this past April, she couldn't get there fast enough!

For circles at the top of the sketch, I modified one of Juliana's free 17turtles cut files. In Design Studio, I omitted some of the circles leaving me just the row of three. You can find this amazing free file HERE. Be sure to bookmark this blog - Juliana frequently has great free digital cut files.

I love the washi that is a part of this collection. I really wanted to use bits of it for additional color beside the photo but needed to back it in order to make it stand out.

And that, my friends, is my layout of the day today! Be sure to see what the other talented scrappers out there do with this awesome sketch!

 

Catching Up

I've been a bad blogger lately. First our week escape to "the" Lake then the first week of school. Next week will be our first week back to swimming (my kids swim 11 months of the year) after a month off so that's my next big hurdle. After than, who knows... I'm trying. I'm scrapping. I haven't taken a hiatus! Promise. Just not been very good at blogging.

First up! My latest pub! I'm on page 35 of the latest issue (October 2014) of Paper Crafts & Scrapbooking. Though I think the scrapbooking part of the magazine is an aside really... I turned the card sketch into something I could use and used it as my inspiration for a layout.

That's much better. I think the colors of the layout are better represented by my picture... LOVE that Basic Grey collection, Persimmon! I remember HAVING to have it at the CHA equivalent last summer and just loving designing with it. I should have bought more... Pairs well witht hat orange from Jillibean Soup, don't you think?

Next up, a layout I created for Core'dinations that was up on the Core blog earlier using Core tags. Did you know that you can get the same color filled core paper in tag form as well?! And it the tags have awesome heavy duty silver grommets too! You can send them through your die cut machine in and embossing folder and not get them mashed I learned!

That mint green tag to the left went through my Big Kick to emboss with chevrons. See how unscathed the grommet is?! Sweet, I know! I couldn't resist the Glitter Silk for my title! Swimming and the shimmer off the water screams Glitter Silk to me!

More embossed tags, Core tags, that is! On Spotted paper for the background. I just love all the textures one can get with Core'dinations. I spy some Twinery twine too!

Come back Monday for a whole slew of Core'dinations cards! I told you I've been busy! :)

 

Basic Grey's Persimmon for Scrapdoodles

With Fall right around the corner, what better way to show off your Halloween and Thanksgiving pictures than with Basic Grey's Persimmon collection?! This is my all time favorite Fall collection, I just love the non-traditional color palate and the patterns. The navy blue with the persimmon orange-y red are just perfect together!! I have two layouts to share with you; a 12x12 and an 8.5x11. One Halloween and one Thanksgiving.

Doesn't that Core Impressions from Core'dinations make a perfect background for this layout?! The subtle texture of the woodgrain adds another layer to the many layers of patterned paper and embellishments. Just as Basic Grey does with their new collections, Persimmon too has a waterfall pack. The perfect compliment to the collection pack that I picked up for my creations!

Boo! Don't be frightened by this little guy popping up from that awesome Ikat layer!

You can see all the layers better here! A hint of orange ink around the candy corns make them stand out a little better (thanks D for the suggestion!).

I have this "thing" lately for using large pictures. That place setting card and the turkey die cut from the waterfall pack are the perfect embellishments for our Thanksgiving dinner. Between those embellies and the large picture, don't you feel like you're there, in the dining room with us? Doesn't that bird smell delicious?

No, don't worry, you didn't miss them! Those navy rectangular letters don't exist. You have to make them yourself from the circle letters that come with the collection pack. I don't know what it is but I rarely use the circle letters. I almost always have them left over or they are cut down to suit my needs. Those feathers were a necessary purchase! Had to have those!

What fun I had playing with Distress Stain and my mists. I was able to do something to the white space at the top of my layout to "fill" it without it looking overwhelming. Doesn't the orange splat look fantastic there?

So there you have it my scrappy friends! Halloween and Thanksgiving in one go! I begged and pleaded to be able to take this collection home from CHA, it is absolutely my favorite. I foresee more Halloween layouts, masculine cards. If my kids were older it would be perfect for teenage Halloween layouts. So much potential! And so on trend with the Ikat and the tribal trend I'm seeing a lot of lately.

The Story of You & Me

Michael took these pictures of Mia and I two years back, during our Spring Break trip to North Carolina. I can't quite remember where we were... I remember wading around the river rocks before we went gem "minding", as Mia called it at the time. We had been hiking up to Chimney Rock and the falls nearby.

The layout isn't about that however. It's about my relationship with Mia and our journey as mother and daughter. Many of you know Mia and know that she and I don't always see eye to eye. She frequently is up for adoption as she has pushed just that little bit too far... She often hears me tell her that I love her very much but am not sure we're friends at the moment. And at other times, she just melts my heart and I am amazed at how considerate and thoughtful she is!

Recently Celia from my Phoenix Scrappers group that I meet with monthly had a Stampin Up party and I couldn't resist the "Carry On" stamp set. I had really intended to use "Keep Calm and Cry A Little" on the vellum. But I decided that really, carry on was probably a nicer sentiment. She doesn't make me want to cry so much as pull my hair out or yell either. Neither of which were options!! LOL!!

I am really enjoying the 8.5 x 11 size, I'm sure you'll have reached that conclusion on your own given the number of them you've seen here lately!

Though there is a spot of visible journaling, I did leave a space for some hidden journaling. I intentionally haven't written anything just yet as it's private what I have to say. Something for Mia to discover later in life.

Have you scrapped anything using the "keep calm" sentiment? It's something you may see more in the future as I'm the proud owner of this stamp set (thanks Celia and Kyla!).

Dear Santa...

I know Christmas is a while away yet. Although, the way time is zipping by, I'm not so sure it's really all that far away... We talk about Santa a fair amount in this household. Mostly the kids bring him up. Mia speaks of him the most. In regards to things she wants. She knows all too well that she isn't going to get everything her little heart desires. But she does understand that the man in red spoils her. He hears what she wants and usually delivers. Anytime there is a big ticket item that she has eye on, we hear about how she's "getting from Santa" XYZ or whatever the desire of the moment is!

I played along with Basic Grey's latest sketch challenge. I did so using the Nordic Holiday collection. I picked up some amazing deals while at Scrappy Boutique and this amongst those steals.

As little as I've scrapbooked lately, my usual deviations from sketches don't apply at this point in time. I realized when I sat down at my desk yesterday that it's 3 weeks since I completed a layout!! Crazy... Though, with our absence for one and a half weeks for Spring Break amongst other activities, I guess it makes sense.

A little close up! I had fun mixing all the layers of this collection! Now I'm off to start editing all the pictures I took whilst away... Mental note to self, install PhotoShop on the new laptop! I have to re-edit all the pictures I put on the blog...

Thanks for stopping by! Oh, and if you haven't already, check out my earlier post about the blog hop! You have until midnight tonight to enter for the Grand prize that Allison is offering and a drawing by me (and the kids) for one of her two latest sketch books!