Life's Trivialities

Hello Friend / Cocoa Vanilla Studio

 

Hiya there friends! Today's layout is inspired by a free download sketch that you can find over at the Scrapbook Generations online store. If you have followed me for a long time, you will know that I designed for the SG magazine, Create, and contributed to one of the sketch books that Debbie and Allison put out. I have LONG been a fan of SG sketches and when this one popped up on my FB feed, well! Of course I had to play along!

The sketch calls for rounded corners, I just couldn't bring myself to do that. That's not my thing. I'm the one who cuts up PL cards so that I have right angles., I'm the one who struggles with photos that aren't lined up. Yup, that's me. So, you might understand why the rounded corners were a no go!

When I saw the squares in the sketch, I just knew that one of those squares was going to have to a sequins shaker. I wanted to do something a bit different and I wanted a way to "soften" the glare that acetate often results in in sequins shakers. I found the tulle was perfect! It actually allows the sequins to move much more thus really shaking instead of being pinned down to the paper. Win - win in my book! Check out that sequins mix too! It's called Tropical Breeze, from SpiegelMom Scraps! It's the perfect compliment to this collection, More Than Words, from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. If you shop at SpiegelMom Scraps and use the code SUZANNA15 you can get 15% off.

I did pull in a few other bits and pieces from my stash; those letters for "friend" and the really old arrow from Studio Calico. I wanted a bit more of the aqua color and didn't have them available in all the goodies that were sent to me from Scrapbook Your Joy. If you are on the look out for Cocoa Vanilla Studio goodies, then be sure to check out Scrapbook Your Joy.  Sandra carries other goodies too, like the new Indigo Hills 2 from PinkFresh Studio!!

If you are of the process video persuasion, be sure to check out my video. If you want to fast forward to the shaker bit, it's at 4:10.

 

Thanks for stopping in today! If you have anything you want to see me create with, a particular collection, a particular technique, anything, be sure to leave me a comment and let me know so I can see what I can do!

 

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....

Sketch Inspired / Cocoa Daisy

Hey there! Yup, it's summer and I'm stuck in the throes of summer league swimming AND long course season. All while working. All while the kids are home on summer break and I feel obligated to come home and spend time with them. So, not much blogging going on. There isn't much time for scrapping, let along blogging. But I have managed to get a weekend of fun stuff in - the calm before the storm.

I have long been a fan of sketches. As long as I have been a fan, I have been a fan of Scrapbook Generation sketches. When Debbie and the ladies stopped creating the SG magazine, they continued the fun via their Scrapbook Generation Scrap Squad on FaceBook. It's a closed group but if you request an invite and are a sound person, I'm sure the ladies of SG will approve you. There are lots of fun crops, challenges and SKETCHES!

This month Debbie has a grid like, project life inspired layout sketch. I loved it so much, I made not one but TWO layouts. Both using Cocoa Daisy kits. The kits are so full of a mix of manufacturers and goodies that there is always plenty for a plethora of layouts.

My first sketch inspired layout I created using the March Cocoa Daisy kits and some pictures of Nikolas.

The week before states (Virginia Age Group Swimming Championships) and Nikolas develops a raging ear infection... Fortunately we caught it before the big weekend and aren't dealing with it in the throes of hotel stays out of town and away from our pediatrician.

The sketch calls for three pictures, which I didn't have of the event so I used the "Snippets of Life" block instead. Otherwise, I rather literally played by the lay of the land, I mean, sketch.

The second layout is based on the same sketch and the most recent (July) Cocoa Daisy kits with pictures of Mia.

I have hoarded the top center and bottom right Day In the Life cards from the minute that I opened the Cocoa Daisy kit. I have avid readers and just had to use the pocket scrapping cards on the right layout. This child and her books... There just aren't enough of them that are fit for her fresh, young mind. She asked me the other day if I had ever had a hangover and did it feel as bad as the author described it. My 10 year old!! Asking about a hangover! Her father may need to be a bit better about filtering and censoring books...

The bright colors of the Cocoa Daisy kit and the Day In the Life cards are just perfect for this sketch! Both layouts between the sketch and the kits came together in no time flat! Lots of options and lots of fun!! Thanks Cocoa Daisy and Scrapbook Generations for all the inspiration!

 

 

 

Fall layouts / CREATE Magazine / Simple Stories

Speaking of fall, have you seen the latest issue of Scrapbook Generations' CREATE Magazine? It's full of fall! All kinds of great crafting goodness to do with Autumn, Fall and things fall-like! Be sure to check it out HERE.

One of the two layouts I have in this issue! I have always been a huge fan of Debbie and Allison's sketches, particularly the double page sketches. I was excited to showcase this Simple Stories collection with this amazing sketch!

The grid of squares in this sketch are fantastic! And you know what makes it even easier? 6x6 pads! You don't feel quite so guilty hacking into those 12x12 pages! Easy math too!

So many picture possibilities with this sketch! I stuck relatively true to the sketch but think about all those squares as photos too!! Did I get the gears a turning?!

I usually manage to flood the magazine with projects however this month, I had but a few. This was the second and last of the layouts. If it's a fall, collection, I must have it and this collection from Carta Bella was no different!

Lots of layers using lots of great fall colors! I love this picture, taken at the corn maze last fall. The place of that star was ideal to really make the sun flare radiant, don't you think?

A fun little embellishment cluster. And empty journaling spot... :)

CREATE Magazine July 2015

Good morning scrappy friends! Earlier this week Scrapbook Generations released the latest (and greatest) issue of CREATE magazine; a free, digital papercrafting magazine. With the shortage of scrapbooking and papercrafting magazines these days, it's nice to have this FREE options. And more of Allison's great sketches. FREE!

You can view whole magazine in it's glory HERE.

I had fun playing with the single page sketch this month. I used some of the new Simple Stories So Rad collection for this;

After MANY years, we finally replaced Nikolas' swim bag. The mildew and smell were... Well, let's just say it was time. He certainly got some mileage out of that bag! The traditional team bag in the old size was no longer available so we had to order the Carolina blue online and have our friend Mary Anne from the swim shop embroider the team logo and his name on it for him. Out with the old and in with the new!

Another Nikolas/swimming layout! Most of my pictures lately have been swimming pictures - kind of the story of our summer so far. It's his "thing" and summer is about summer neighborhood swim and the (short) long course season for our year round team.

The above layout is based on the color challenge in the magazine. Red, white, ecru and blue are the colors. Those of you who follow my work know that I use a lot of those colors anyway so this was a no brainer for me. Our swim team colors are red and blue.

This is my favorite of the three layouts! In addition to a single and double page layouts, Debbie and Allison create some fantastic card and tag sketches. The gals from the team demo these in the traditional manner and then a few more of us show you how you can stretch the sketch and use them in other ways. Here, I used the tag sketch and converted it into a layout! I just love the mix of polka dots and stripes and the stark black and white contrasted with the vibrant colors. FUN!

I have had fun playing in my stash lately! I am really trying to make a concerted effort to be more of a stash buster... Trying would be the key word there. Speaking of, be sure to tune in in a week for the latest "Scrappin' Our Stash" blog hop. We are hopping early this month.

So, be sure to check out the CREATE magazine!

 

May 2015 CREATE Magazine with PHP and MFT

Wow... Wow! Debbie from Scrapbook Generations does an utterly amazing job putting together the every other month CREATE magazine and this latest edition is no exception. It's free! 319 pages of free! With free sketches. Not just layouts but a card and a tag sketch too! How can you not be blown away?

You can read the whole magazine HERE.

I have 4 layouts in this issue as part of the design team. Two for featured manufacturer's and two layouts for articles in the magazine. I would love to share two of those with you today!

My Favorite Things was one of the featured manufacturer's for this edition. This is one of my absolute favorite layouts! The chevron stamp was one of the stamp sets that I ordered as well as the stamped flowers and coordinating die set called Modern Blooms. I created my own work of art to document my Mia's school field trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Art!

You can see the flowers better in this detail picture as well as the chevron from the Desert Bouquet stamp set.

The other featured manufacturer is Paper House Productions. I got the Paris collection and it is perfect for this summary page of my 2013 to Paris! All the bits and pieces of ephemera are perfect for livening up the page and adding some visual interest that compliment the theme.

Be sure to stop in tomorrow to see the other two layouts that I created for the magazine!

Christmas Sneaks with Scrapbook Generation

I was incredibly fortuante to work with Debbie and Allison from Scrapbook Generation over the past few months and contribute 6 double page layouts towards their latest Sketches for Christmas sketchbook. I have always been a fan of their sketches so be able to use them and create visual samples for others to see was such an incredible honor and privelege.

There are 24 sketches and they are all double page sketches with exact measurements provided! Many of the sketches could very easily be adapted and used for single pages.

Of the 24 sketches there are;

• (1) 3 photo sketch
• (2) 6 photo sketches
• (7) 7 photo sketches
• (8) 8 photo sketches
• (1) 9 photo sketch
• (2) 10 photo sketches
• (1) 12 photo sketch
• (1) 17 photo sketch
• (1) 25 photo sketch

There are wreaths, ornaments, Christmas trees, stars and iconic Christmas symbols galore! There are lots of reds and greens, gold and silver! All tlhe fun things one would expect to see on Christmas layouts. Families opening presents, holiday baking, pictures with Santa, festive outfits and so much more!

Companies used include Basic Grey, Authentique, My Minds Eye, Bo Bunny, Simple Stories, American Crafts, Echo Park, Pink Paislee and many more! Twinery baker's twine featured heavily on a lot of my layouts as you can see from the picture above.

I had masses and masses of Christmas pictures that were all sitting on my hard drive just waiting to be scrapped. The one occasion that I have the most pictures of and least scrapped is probably Christmas. In those 6 layouts I did for this book, I put a good dent into Christmas 2013 and I can't wait to use more of the sketches to hammer out the rest!

This inspirational book is available for purchase HERE for $16.99 for the hard copy or $14.99 for the e-Book version. Buy a copy for yourself and while you're there, get your scrappy friends one too! They would make great Christmas presents!

You won't regret it, I promise!

 

Layouts from CREATE Magazine

The May issue of Scrapbook Generation's CREATE Magazine is out and you are going to be WOW'ed! Truly, each month I think, it' can't get much better than this. And yet, somehow, Debbie and Allison and the design team gals manage to out do themselves month after month!

I was fortunate to have two layouts published in this latest edition.

This layout was all about using the Q & A format in your scrapbooking for memory recording. Though I love putting the party together and organizing the little details of the party, Mia and her friends enjoy the party itself. She remembers the party and the memories created. I wanted her perspective and so the Q(uestions) asked by Mum and A(nswer) by Mia worked perfectly to attain that goal.

Better yet, I got a writing sample! There is plenty of my handwriting in the scrapbooks. This little task gave her a manageable means of not only providing us with her current perspective but her handwriting.

This layout is on page 221, in the Readers Gallery section along with all the other single page sketch interpretations. That's the beauty of sketches, each and every one of us has a different interpretation of the sketch. I love this picture of Michael and I outside, at the beach house in Michigan this past summer. Carefree, we had just roasted marshmallows for s'mores with the kids and my parents!

Be sure to check the magazine and free sketches out! Maybe they will inspire you to create something and send it in!

 

Sketch Support May 2 page

This layout is one of the samples up today over at Sketch Support for the latest and greatest of Allison's two page sketches. I just LOVE this layout, I think it's one of my all time favorites of mine. If I may say so myself... Yup, I'm blushing... How can you not create such superb layouts when using such inspiring and superb sketches?!! Be sure to head over to Sketch Support this week and check out all the other interpretations of the sketch. You can download it from the site for your very own inspiration!!

I love these pictures of Mia!! And that Happy Easter paper in place of the picture just makes me happy too... Such a simple replacement, yet so effective! And a few "have to have" bits and pieces that have sat in my stash for a while which are finally making their debut; the felt easter eggs from World Market and the wire pinata looking edge which I bought at The Container Store. And, the American Crafts "love" that I won from Allison. Sigh... So much love!!

 

We Have a Winner

A HUGE thank you goes out to all you who hopped on by and left some love on my blog this weekend! I was absolutely blown away by the response!

And now, the lucky winner of two packs of Jillibean Soup Journaling Sprouts is;

jensen84 said:

Great color scheme.

Please e-mail me (pnutsmum at yahoo.com) with your snail mail address and I'll be sure to get those out to you!