Life's Trivialities

44 Birthday Layout / Bella Blvd & Creative Scrappers

My first scrappy layout posted on the blog for the year, created in 2015!! Woot! I'm amazed I've done what I've done... My scrappy space is in MAJOR overhaul. A much needed overhaul. I haven't done a thing but add and add and add to my stash, storage and space in the 7 years we have lived in this house. As you can well imagine, that's a lot of accumulation... Michael and the kids got sick of the overflowing flowing and decided that my birthday would be a great time to remedy that situation. So two trips to Ikea, lots of building and lots of sorting, sifting and wading still to do and we're in the middle of a major make over. I LOVE the space redone! Just not so fond of the purging part.

Anyway, I digress, my layout. This layout is based on the latest and greatest Creative Scrappers sketch, sketch number 285. Created by my friend Juliana Michaels! I love me a good sketch, even better, a sketch created by Juliana.

I took a few liberties but you get the general idea. It's not too far from the sketch. Thanks to this, that and the next collection from Bella Blvd, this came together lickety split! LOVE these pictures of Michael as he celebrated his 44th birthday.

I just love how easy it is to mix and match collections from Bella Blvd so seamlessly! A little pop dot action there to give some depth to some of the elements.

Stars and hearts are the major elements instead of the circles Juliana had in her sketch. Works!

Love this sketch! Thanks Juliana and Creative Scrappers for the inspiration!

Christmas Pics Pocket Layout / Bella Blvd

One of the things I have to give my family credit for is allowing me to take their picture(s) and cooperating for the various (9 million) pictures I want to take. The annual Christmas picture included! I cannot complain. I would like to think that they don't find it too painful either as I always allow and encourage the funny face, silly picture as well, it adds an element of fun to what could otherwise be a boring chore in isolation. And, the silly picture is always quite entertaining!

I used Bella Blvd's Christmas Cheer collection and a pocket page to create this layout using four of our pictures from a few years ago, silly picture included. I just love the mixing and mingling all the bits and pieces that Bella Blvd has to offer to create pocket pages, it's like I have 9 little complimentary canvas' all on one "layout".

There is so much that I love about this layout but I think the pom poms on Santa's beard and hat have to be my absolute favorite. The black stripe with the stars mimic a belt too, don't you think?

You can see from these pictures that I like to use the outsides of my pockets as well. The heart and feather "bit" are on the outside of the pocket and popped away from the page. As are the gifts with a bit of layering of them too. The chipboard elements tend to sit better on the outside of pocket pages. They don't leave the buckle in the back of the papers.

We haven't taken this years pictures yet... I try and do something different every year but we just haven't had time yet... Better get a move on if I want to have Christmas cards that go out on time, eh? Have you taken your family Christmas picture yet?

 

Snag @ Nag / Bella Blvd

Another swimming layout to share with you! Another swimming layout using the Bella Blvd All American collection, none the less. Looking back over the year as I was saving my pictures, I spied a fair number of red, white and blue Bella swimming layouts... See, our team colors are red and blue. Mix that with my love for BB and, well, I can't help it! It's automatic. It's natural!

And yes, I know there is no journaling. I am saving the open white space up there to attempt (key word) to get Nikolas to write about his own life. He's 12, it's time. He can begin to document his own views.

I mixed and matched chipboard with stickers to create the title. No, the title shouldn't make sense to you. NAG is actually an acronym for the meet he was swimming at; National Age Group (championship, I think). The meet is referred to as just NAG. It's a big deal meet and there is a special big deal relay called the crescendo where an increasing odd ages swim increasing distance then decreasing even ages swimming decreasing distance. Only one boy (or girl for the girls relay) of each age (9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14) make the relay. Nikolas had get a move on during the earlier relay to snag a spot on the relay team. It was nerve wrecking. He pulled it off. But anyway, that's what the title is all about.

There will be another layout of a picture that Coach David took of the 6 boys on the team. Gotta remember these moments. Milestones in an age group swimmer's life.

I love that the All American collection, though for patriotism and Independence Day really has enough generic or "support" elements that I can get so many layouts out of the collection pack that are "off theme". Perfect!

Do you have any collections that you repeatedly use or repeatedly use for an "off theme" event/sport/occasion? I've shared mine with you, let's see yours!

Trick or Treat Smell My Feet / Practical Scrappers Blog Hop

Trick or Treat! Happy Halloween! Welcome to the October 2014 Practical Scrappers "Scrap Your Stash" Blog Hop! Today the ladies and I are sharing fall or Halloween themed projects with you. You ought to have come here from my friend Christine's blog. If not, please head to the Practical Scrappers blog and work your way here.

Today I have a Halloween layout to share with you created using Bella Blvd's Halloween collection from last year, Trick or Treat. I have a **small** problem with Bella Blvd... I kinda hoard these collections. I use them, you can see that from my blog, but I make sure that there is plenty in reserve! Just in case. You never know when you might need it!

I'm not usually one to use A LOT of "stuff" on my layouts. I like the embellishments to be suport to the picture and theme of the layout. Yet somehow, for this picture, there was a need for goodies. Lots of goodies. Perhaps mimicing the energy of the kids, about to head out and gather their loot!

I love the colors that Bella Blvd uses! The teal and yellow with the traditional black, orange and green and occasional purple really pop off the page. And guess what? Not a lick of cardstock on there! Can you believe it?!

Here's this months hop order;

Practical Scrappers

Monica

Wendy C

Wendi

Laura

Christine

Suzanna <---- THAT'S ME!!

Bobbi

Majken 

Lyne

Kristy

Jennifer 

Cheryl

LeeAnne

From here you are heading on to Bobbi's blog to see what fantastic fall project she has to share with you!

Thanks for hopping with Practical Scrappers today! Happy Halloween and may all your candy desires be satisfied!

Creating with Sketches Volume 3

This past week Kristine Davidson released her THIRD, yes, third, book of utterly amazing and inspirational sketches!

There are 120 fantastic sketches and many of them have a layout as an example. I was fortunate to be able to use one of those sketches and have a layout published in Kristine's book.

I mixed and matched a couple of Bella Blvd collections and used some amazing Little B dies for the Core'dinations vellum star and the circle on the bottom right.

The digital version of the book is currently available for download for $10 while you can preorder a copy of the printed format for $18. Expected delivery is towards the end of October. You can purchase HERE.

Here are a few detail shots of my layout;

I have gotten great use from my nested Little B dies as used above with the stitching inlay on the star.

Lots of stars for my super star swimmer!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you're inspired to pick up a copy of Kristine's amazing sketch book!

 

Fall Fest / PL Bella Blvd

This is one of those "layouts" that began as a traditional 12x12 layout and went all sorts of directions until it finally became a pocket page layout. Have you had one or some of those? Layouts that begin as one thing but result in something completely different? I like that roaming, rambling process sometimes. Sometimes. Not all the time. It's like the scrappers version of a writers' stream of thought!

Bella Blvd's Hello Autumn collection, again! As well as Mia and pumpkins, again! Both of my kids look striking in orange... That thought has only just occured to me as I type! Love, this collection! Love all things Bella Blvd. From the day I began scrapping. But you know that already!

That banner cut out remnant from my previous layout is the WHOLE reason this became a pocket layout. I really liked the look of it and wanted to incorporate it but it just didn't look right on a traditional 12x12 layout and there were too many pictures crowded together on an 8.5x11 layouts. Hence, the pocket page was the perfect solution. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is insight into the inner workings of my thought processes, scary, I know! Should have saved that for Halloween, perhaps.

Incorporating a little Core into this too. A little cut file and some typed journaling. I often go with my own handwriting but for some reason, the typed word felt like what this layout needed.

A bit of a throw back piece on there, in the picture above. Do you recognize what I'm referring to? Everything there is Bella Blvd Hello Autumn (except for my daugher and the twine)  except for one piece. Can you guess? The button! I have a small stash of "older" Bella goodies that I have saved and used sparingly on projects - projects that I love and are worthy.

Have you been to the pumpkin patch yet? I can't believe that Halloween is just a few weeks away...

 

Open Water Swim / Bella Blvd & 17 Turtles

For those of you who know me or have followed by scrapping you know that we are a swimming family; ie, two kids who swim and 2 parents who fund and volunteer to make that happen! Finding scrappy "support" to those swimming layouts is difficult. I'm not a Jolee's kinda gal. I don't need more goggles and lane lines, I see enough of those in a week, thank you. So when Juliana of 17 Turtles asked what other cut files her audience would like to see, I said swimming. And she delivered! I LOVE these files!

On this layout I used the "Just Keep Swimming"files from Juliana's Etsy shop. You can find those files HERE. If you have a swimmer, be sure to check these out! There are two other collections of swimming cut files as well. I'll share one of them another time.

And, but of course, Bella Blvd! Another of the newer collections! When I saw this collection, Tiny Tots, I just knew it was going to one I had to have. For no other reason than those fish right there! Sure, the rest of the collection is bright and cheery and fun but I don't have toddlers any more. No matter, I have need for those fish and the plainer patterned papers!

Fushy cut fish and some Stickles to add depth to the 17 Turtles wave cut file. Love those chipboard letters from Bella Blvd. Been hoarding them for eons and finely, a layout worthy of use!

It took some doing but I created the sun cut file for this layout myself. The layout is created using a 2 page Scrapbook Generations sketch and called for a sun in the top left corner. Just as you see here. I often modify those embellishments but the sun really went well with this theme so I stuck with it.

This two page spread is focuses around the beginning of the race; the preparation, learning the course, getting into the water and the first 25 meters or so of the swim. I have another layout planned that will be of the end of the race; including his finish, beach run, time and Nikolas' own opinions of the race.

Thanks for visiting today. If you haven't already paid her a visit, be sure to check out Juliana's cut files! They are so easy to use. She has many more themes if swimming isn't your thing!

Fall Memories Layout / Bella Blvd

The new Bella Blvd collections are in the house!! WOOT!! I'm a big Bella Blvd fan. You probably already know that. Always have been, and always will be. Every time new collections are released, I order them. All of them. And all accompanying bits and pieces. And becauase I'm such a fan, they must not only be used but hoarded.

I broke into Happy Autumn and created this layout that I have to share with you today!

It's so nice to have a great fall collection; not just Halloween but the browns, reds and oranges of fall and Fall sentiments! This is perfect for that perfect time of year!

The perfect compliment to the perfect patterned paper and embellies, why Core'dinations cardstock, of course! LOL! Yes, I'm a die hard Core user! Love the Core leaves that I could out with my Silhouetter. I would have cut pumpkins too but there seem to be enough of those already, don't you think?

That's my favorite part of this layout, the jute "heading" with the penants and sequins threaded through it. The rustic yet playful charm that it adds to the layout. So simple yet so effective!

Have you picked up the lastest Bella lines? Which one is your favorite? Why?

The Perfect Day / The Twinery

I'm had a layout up over at The Twinery the other day which I'd like to share with you today using THE most amazing baker's twine known to the crafting kind!

Did you see the weaving?! That's how I created the top right border? Woven twine and patterned paper! Pretty nifty little touch, don't you think? I close colors that compliments my layout and would stand out against the yellow background paper and created a simple weave with the three lengths of Twinery twine and three strips of patterned paper. The longer lengths of twine were adhered to the patterned paper with liquid glue and secured to the back of the layout. I creates and interesting visual and border to my large photo.

The colors from Bella Blvd's Summer Squeeze collection are the perfect compliment to a swiming picture! The yellow pop for the bright sun, the blue of the water and the green for team color and lane lines! I woven in the border sticker as well.

If a straight line of twine is what you are looking for, it’s dead easy. Use a scrap piece of paper to run a line of liquid adhesive down the length of the straight edge then butt up the twine to the edge of the paper, on top of the glue.

Are you tired yet of the swiming pictures?! LOL!! There are going to plenty, what can I say? Don't worry if they all look the same to you, they do me too. If it weren't for the dates that I label each pic with when they print, I'd never be able to tell one meet from another...

Princess Belle / Create and Bella Blvd

Yet another fantastic issue of Scrapbook Generation's Create magazine is out! You can click HERE to see the full issue in all it's glory.

In the Readers Gallery, on page 181, is a layout of mine featuring some Bella Blvd and the Princess Belle, I mean, Mia as Princess Belle the evening of the Father-Daughter Dance. We had this yellow dress that she wore for her cousin's wedding as a flower girl that was perfect for an impromptu Disney themed event for which I really didn't want to buy a full costume. Paired with a de-thorned red rose and some curlers in her hair, she was the Belle of the Ball!

I turned the yellow wood grain patterned paper into a flip "lid" for hidden journaling on top of a journaling spot. The yellow fussy cut flower isn't adhered down at that left hand corner so as to be able to tuck the corner of the "lid" behind the flower to secure it. Pretty tricky, eh?!

Washi tape folded in half makes for great penants and banners for this cluster! Love the black to help pop the color! And different sized enamel dots for the contrast in the opening of the letters.

Another great edition full of great sketches and lots of great inspiration! If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out all the other work! 201 pages chock full o' goodness I tell you!