Life's Trivialities

Summer Scrapping / Wade Beach

Today I am joining Audrey for her final day of her Summer Scrapping series where she is joined by some amazingly talented scrappers a day a week for 3 weeks during the summer to share a summer inspired scrapbook page with you over on YouTube. I'm sharing a day at the beach, one of this summers favorite summer memories.

Really there isn't much to this layout other than some mixed media, a digital die cut repeated three times, some chipboard and a few ripped bits and pieces of patterned paper. Yet the scene created is so summery, don't you think? It screams summer at the beach!

Lake Ontario was experienced for the first time! We have had many experiences with Lake Michigan, a few of Lake Erie but our first time dipping our toes in Lake Ontario. The kids wanted a city holiday this summer. We have had a number of beach visits and they wanted something different. Different they got. But when the opportunity to hop on a ferry and visit the beach arose, they didn't complain!

Isn't this new sequins mix from SpiegelMom Scraps the perfect color compliment to this nearly monochromatic teal layout? I love the touch of sparkle it adds to the layout!

The die cut is from the Silhouette store from one of my favorite designers, Nic Squirrell. It's a trifold that I cut in three shades of teal and then cut apart so that each wave unit has one of each color and size.

Be sure to head over to YouTube and check out the process video of how this came together. You see my video HERE. In the description box is the link to Audrey's video as well! Thanks for having my Audrey and I hope y'all are enjoying the final few days of summer.

New Smile Goals / The ScrapRoom

Phew... It's been a while. You know if you are looking for my scrappy creations, the best place to look is over on my YouTube channel, right? And if you aren't a YouTube watcher (don't worry, I get that. Generally speaking, nor am I), then I need to you to let me know so I can be better about updating the blog. From what I see on the back end, not many people come here so I don't want to spend unnecessary time here. But if enough of you tell me you like reading the blog or scrolling through the blog, I'm happy to accommodate.

And so! I am honored to be a Guest designer this month over at The ScrapRoom! The ScrapRoom is "come as you please" kit club, ie non commitment, that allows you to skip kits at any time. The "main" kit is called the Flavors of the Month kit and comes with four different page kits; there are 3 patterned papers and a sampling of embellishments. It is a great way to get a flavor of a collection! I have loved guesting for this kit company!

Today I'm sharing with you a layout that I created using the February Crate Paper, Good Vibes collection Flavor of the Month as well as some embellishments that are in the Embellishment Add On kit and a digital cut file that I created to help stretch the kit a little more!

This picture is of my daughter on the day that she began her orthodontic journey, with an expander. This idea to create this layout came from the selection of phrases that were included in my kit; goals. I had seen the "smile" sticker from the add on kit and decided that paired with "new" I had the perfect title; New Smile Goals. Perhaps not the most succinct title or best English but hey! It worked for story telling purposes!

In order to tell the story and have the photo not compete with the colors in the collection, I converted the photo to black and white. After all, who really needs "in living color" of the inside of Mia's mouth?! LOL! Not many of us, I'm sure of that. The days of the week stickers worked perfectly as part of the story telling in order to convey that we had to crank the expander every day of the week that she had it. Not once but twice actually.

You can find the FREE Download HERE for the digital cut file that I used for the vellum flowers. They are a fun way to extend the use of the kit, especially if you don't get the embellishment add on or want to fussy cut too many of the flowers from the patterned paper.

If interested, my process video;

 

Thanks for stopping in today! If you are looking for a new adventure, a new kit club or perhaps another kit club, this is a great option. You can swing by the website HERE for more details, pricing and options. If you mention my name in the comments Rochelle might add a little extra something for you!

Feeling Classy / 6 Degrees of Scraplifting

Welcome to episode 2 of a collaborative series that I'm participating in; 6 Degrees of Scraplifting. One layout starts us off, then six crafters each make their own Scraplift version, plus we are sharing it all with you. I am the second crafter so today I am scraplifting the layout that Lea sent to me.

Here is what I received from Lea;

You can find her process video on her channel HERE.

And here is my interpretation, or scraplift, of her layout;

This is all happening on YouTube so each of us created a process video, detailing how our layouts came together. At the end of the week, Lea will have a wrap up video showing you each of the layouts in one spot. As I write this blog post, I haven't seen the whole collaboration from beginning to end. I can't wait to see how the whole thing turns out.

My process video can be found HERE.

This layout was created based on Lea's layout. I used the Maggie Holmes Gather collection. Lea had some very busy geometric patterned papers and lots of shapes in her layout. I am not such a busy scrapper so I had to pull elements from her layout that worked with my style of scrapbooking/crafting. Just as she used 3 pictures, so did I. I used a similar arrangement as she had but with the top two being a slightly different size.

The biggest difference between Lea's layout and mine is the large triangle that she used on the bottom, left corner/half of her page. It wasn't until I was editing my video to draw your attention to the similarities that a light bulb went off and I realized a MAJOR difference! While I may not have used the triangle in patterned paper form, the idea of a triangle is created from the shape of all the elements on the page.

Tomorrow, you will want to visit Hannah's YouTube channel to see how she scraplifted my layout. You can find her channel HERE. I'm excited to see what she does with my layout and then each of the talented crafters that follows!

Love These Friends / Cocoa Daisy / Process Video

Here were are with scrapbook process video #13! It's funny how things evolve; the learning curves, the change in views and the lessons learned. I was NOT a fan of process videos. I hate the sound of my voice, I said um an awful lot and I rambled a million miles an minutes. I'm beginning to enjoy the videos more. It's almost weird to create a layout and not be filming these days. There is excitement in each thumbs up and new subscriber, I appreciate each and every person who watches my creative process and appreciates the time and effort put into each video, thank you!

Today's layout and YouTube process video share was created using the March Cocoa Daisy kits and the March Cocoa Daisy Designers Challenge. You can find more about the challenge HERE.

Creating the border of this layout was a much more time consuming process than I thought it would be. It could be much simpler if you didn't care about balance of color and weight and just stuck down pieces of paper, mind you! I found that using double sided sticky tape was really helpful too. Be sure to watch the video to see how I was able to stick all the layers down before sewing on the top layer with my sewing machine that isn't right next door to my craft desk.

There was an awful lot of fussy cutting involved in this layout. A process that one does not need to watch on video. It's long and tedious. Yet very rewarding. Back in the early days of my scrapbooking creations, I was a big fussy cutter. I liked making things from things and was always one to cut the pattern out of patterned paper rather than just use it as is. I have always been a fussy cutting fool. What are your thoughts on fussy cutting? Do you love or loathe it? It really is something that is black or white for most people.

It was only fitting to use the pennant sticker from Maggie Holmes/Crate Paper in place of the "O" for these riding friends! These 3 gals were the same 3 that Mia did her first higher class Hunter show with too. This particular day, they were celebrating Olivia's birthday, which happens to be on boxing day. While they are all different ages and attend different schools, the bond that they have formed through riding has been special.

Spiegel Mom Scraps sequins!! Love me my sequins and love the mixes that Jody creates! Every once in a while our Cocoa Daisy kits have a lovely baggie of sequins that Jody has created and it just makes a great kit even greater!

I used a fair number of pieces from the March print and cut sheet that is available to Cocoa Daisy kit subscribers. I don't know what I do without these perks! The best part is that you can print them over and over again and use them on multiple projects. The labels that are in this month's set are fantastic and will definitely be well used on many more pages to come!

We would love for you to join us this month and participate in the Designers Challenge! It's an easy one; making your title the feature of your page! Multiple fonts, fussy cutting fonts, using a die cut machine, either hand cranked or machine, for letters, there are so many great ways to approach this challenge!

 

Fresh Start / Cocoa Daisy / Process Video

Hi there scrappy peeps! That seems to have become my signature opener for my process videos so why not use it here too?! I have a sketch challenge up on the Cocoa Daisy blog today and would love for you to join us! You can find the Cocoa Daisy blog HERE.

This is this month's sketch (designed by yours truly);

And this is what I came up with;

More often than not, the sketch comes after the layout the way I do things. However, for the next few months of Cocoa Daisy sketches, the sketch actually came first! I have a process video that shows you how this sketch inspired layout came together. And, how it evolved. It's interesting what editing video will do to your perspective of your work. As I was editing something about the "finished" layout irked me. I had to go back in and fix it. Watch the video to see what!

My favorite thing about this layout is that there is a tag hidden behind the pictures, in the glassine bag that Cocoa Daisy goodies come in, that contains a little love from my Mum - the lady in the picture that Nikolas is teaching digital goodness to. It's not obvious, it's rather discreet that twine poking out the top of the bag. Just a little hint that there might be something to take notice of. Someday, he will find it. And someday he will have a lovely surprise!

I had fully intended to put a title on the page but the letters that came with the kit weren't dark enough to stand out. I could have colored them but I liked the subtley of the flair "Fresh Start" as the title for my page. Or title-less and the flair is just that, flair. I might go back in later and add a title in a heavier hue than the pastel pink or white letters but for now, it's good as it is.

Have you enjoyed the process videos I have created? Do you honestly watch them in their entirety? I know I get tired of hearing myself speak. I honestly think it's the most I speak a one time unless I'm lecturing the kids about something! LOL! Any and all advise is welcome. PLEASE! Anything in particular you would like to see? Do share! In the comments here, on a video. Anywhere that I'm present on social media!

Thanks for stopping in today! I hope your March is spring-ing along!

 

 

Xoxo / Creative Scrappers

Hey scrappy peeps! It's my turn up on the Creative Scrappers blog to share with you my sketch inspired layout based on this month's sketch and I have a little YouTube process video to accompany it.

Here's the sketch that Kristine created;

And here is what I came with based on the above inspiraton;

Things took a bit of a "love-ly" twist when I decided to use the horizontal strips in the shape of an over sized heart for a Valentine's day layout. In order to keep things simple, it was easier to have the bit of a downhill slope while fussy cutting the stripes. I balanced that with horizon oriented pictures and embellishments. You can see from the video that the downhill embellies, before being relocated, looked as though they were about to slide off the page.

It never ceases to amaze how differently we all interpret sketches! Those horizontal strips are used is such different ways over the past week and there are still 3 more weeks of inspiration coming your way from the rest of the design team! So cool!

I really struggled to find the right background for this layout. I began with a much different color altogether and am glad I switched. That heart filled grey really made a difference and allowed the heart to pop from the page.

The "Cherish" embellishment from Heidi Swapp serves two purposes; to hide the funky stitching where I didn't round the corner too well for starters! Secondly, it is an obvious horizon that anchors all the other embellishments, thus providing a bit of a "ground", per se.

And there you have it folks! We would love for you to play along with us over at Creative Scrappers! Kristine has created an inlinkz that is HERE for you to link up your projects!

 

Winter Wonderland / Sketch Inspired

Hey there scrappy peeps! It's been a while, I apologize. I honestly haven't been scrapping much, the blah weather around these parts has been far from inspirational nor uplifting. I did have the day to myself to scrap however and got a few projects knocked out. I even went so far as to record another process video! Shock, horror, I know! I am fast learning however that the recording is the easy part. It's the voice over that I really need to work on... 

Anyway, I digress! Today's share is a sketch inspired layout. A Stuck Sketch inspired layout. I designed for Stuck Sketches way back when, before Laura took over. I love to play along with a good sketch challenge now and again and always love Laura's sketches. So, play along I did. You can find this months sketch and other peoples interpretations HERE on the Stuck?! blog.

I used the Snow and Cocoa collection from Crate Paper for this lovely! While the color scheme doesn't quite match my picture as I usually do, coordinating photo colors with those used in my project, it worked. I am learning to step out of my comfort zone and try to be more brazen with differing colors. After all, I have amassed so many lovely collections and want to use them and not have to wait for the "appropriate" colored picture. This my first conscious attempt as stepping out of that box.

My picture sizes and layers are a tad different from those laid out in the sketch but not remarkably so. You can see the inspiration. I loved the diagonal and stuck with that as well as the long title. The collection comes with the word "wonderful" as part of the collection but it was more green than the aqua in the particular patterned papers that I used so I had to rummage around in my stash for something more suitable. My original intent had been a hot pink but that didn't really care the snowy feel that I was after. I also played around with gold Thickers but as gold was no where else on the layout, it was cast aside too.

It's been a while since I've used modeling paste so it was fun to give that a whirl again! I just love the tone on tone raised effect! My snow stencil had been used with something pink at it's last usage and left a really cool pink halo of sorts around the snowflake images. It was not the intended outcome but a lovely accident. Not sure I could have orchestrated that look nor will I be able to repeat it...

The only non-Crate Paper items on this layout are those die cut snowflakes. I had been working on another sketch inspired layout for Create Scrappers and that remnant from American Crafts/Shimelle sitting in the "to be filed" scraps pile. It matched and provided another aqua hue that didn't necessitate cutting into a whole sheet of paper - not that there isn't plenty of it! I used a Lawn Fawn die to die cut those snowflakes. Something else that I haven't done in a while - crank the Big Shot handle! I use my Silhouette Cameo so much and enjoy the ability to choose any size I want that the poor Big Shot must feel neglected.

So that, my friends is my Stuck Sketches inspired layout of Miss Mia making a snow angel in our latest and so far only snow. A snow that kept the kids out of school for 3 days. Thanks for stopping in today!

Cocoa Daisy Goodness

I have been remiss in my December Daily if you are here... I had to go out of town for 4 days with my son for a swim meet and fell behind. I have been busy at work and various other December commitments that catching up will have to wait. I'm worried that it will become frustration and once again, I will fail at the mission of completion... I'm really hoping to get back on track this weekend so do stop in on Monday and hold me accountable to this!

Meanwhile, I have some Cocoa Daisy projects to share with you from the goodies in this months December kits.

There are a number of December themed projects on the Cocoa Daisy blog; cards, packaging, pocket pages and this layout. I loved the pieced together background and decided to continue with the bits and pieces with the popped picture as the center piece. Michael and I actually went to a Christmas party last year and this was the selfie we took before leaving. There are so many fun bits and pieces in this kit that really made dressing this layout up so much fun!

There is also a post which focuses on projects created using the December Day in The Life kit on the Cocoa Daisy blog, for which I created this layout. I cannot scrap without the DITL cards and fun bits and pieces in the kit. I hadn't gotten my hands on arleigh's cut files yet so I used an old subscriber exclusive file from last winter to cut the giant snowflake in the background. I then used bits and pieces of the DITL cards for layering on this layout. The "Remember this" card poking up from the top of the picture of the two boys is actually the top half of the card while the bottom half is on the "Party time" layout above. Likewise, I saved the innards of the card behind that same picture for another occasion and just used the bits you see poking out on the left hand side and bottom. The "these are my people" is also fussy cut from a DITL card. I love how I can grow my embellishment and layering choices with the DITL cards and kit!

You can see how I used those DITL cards a little better in the close up picture. The black scallop line across the page that provides the uniting pop of black to the black and white pictures is a piece of the the Crate Paper patterned paper on the back of the top layout that I fussy cut. I had to make the top layout 12x12 again by adding a complimentary piece of patterned paper. It worked out perfectly in that it added to the random patchwork look of the original paper.

We have yet to have snow here in Virginia. Have you had any? We have had projected forecasts of snow fall through. It's a bit early for us, we don't usually see snow until January or February here. I'm looking forward to some snow!

Enjoying Journey / Scrapbook Generations

No, you didn't read that wrong, I fully intended the title of this layout to read as it does. Well... LOL! I did when I created the layout. I thought the horse Mia was riding in these pictures was Journey. So the title, a play on words, worked. However... Mum made a mistake. That shorter dapple grey pony, Lucky, is not the taller white horse, Journey, I was informed. She knew right away. Sigh... 

This layout is inspired by a Friday Freebie sketch over at Scrapbook Generations. You can find that FREE sketch HERE and download the schematic. One of the many wonderful things about Scrapbook Generation sketches is that if you aren't into winging it, the dimensions of the pieces that make up the layout are clearly stated. I also love that Allison and Debbie provide alternative suggestions.

The awesome wood veneer is from The Color Cast Designs!! I haven't had a chance to visit the shop yet but I've seen some AWESOME Christmas goodies on Instagram that I might just need to have for my (never finished) December Daily.

That fantastic sequins in the top, left corner of the layout is from Spiegel Mom Scraps that was included in my November Cocoa Daisy kit. I leave my kit out on my scrap space all month and while searching for color complementary embellishments this popped into mind. Hey, might as well! Lots of fun goodies from Freckled Fawn scattered through the layout as well; that faux leather "this" arrow, the label sticker and the chipboard heart. All from a few of the Blooper Bundles I've collected.

Have you had a journaling or title blooper lately? What did you do about it? I think I'm just going to leave it. Perhaps journal the error on the back of the layout. I haven't quite decided what I'm going to do yet. Covering over that journaling which is directly on the layout will change the whole look of the layout - not the look I was aiming for. Hmmm....

New Kicks Layouts x 2

Not one but TWO layouts featuring new shoes for the youngest. Mia is not a shoe gal. She's rather a creature of habit and just likes to be comfortable. Every year we buy new sneakers for the beginning of the school year. She needed these new shoes before school began however and these lovely neon kicks were taken to Sequoia and Yosemite thus coming back a few shades less bright thanks to all the trails and hiking we did. Those same bigger feet necessitating new sneakers also meant new riding boots were a must. All is a rather short time frame. These two layouts are about those new shoes.Coincidently, both layouts involve the colors pink and black though using two different collections; one Cocoa Vanilla Studios and the other Crate Paper/Maggie Holmes.

This first layout of the first pair of new shoes was created using the Gather collection from Maggie Holmes. Only Mia would go to the shoe store wearing black socks to shop for new sneakers! LOL!! And come away with hot pink shoes. She really wanted another color, I can't remember what that other color was to be honest. But the size she needed was only available in this shocking pink. She really isn't a pink gal. But she needed shoes and really liked the fit of the shoe. We had been to the sale shoes and tried "cheaper" shoes before Mum let her try on the not much more non sale shoes that she first eyed. By this point she was tired of trying on shoes and settled for good fit and neon pink.

In cleaning my nook out the other day, I realized that I have LOTS of embellishments left over from collections so am trying to make a concerted effort to use more. But with balance. Not put the stuff just cos I have the stuff, ya know what I mean?

This layout is a lot softer than the one above. The pops of black work better with her black riding boots and thus make the pictures stand out better. I actually based this layout on a sketch challenge at 15 minutes 2 Scrap with SpiegelMom Scraps. Rather loosely. I've been trying to use more pictures on my layouts to tell a more complete story and thus the two pictures.With the direction of movement in the watercolor on the background paper, I also had to change the direction of the embellies to work with the paper.

The soft colors of this collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studios are sublime! It's not often that I am smitten with such collections as bright and bold tend to be more of my thing. The boldness of the black with the pastels might be what made this striking to me.