Last minute August submissions

The first layout I want to share is another from Ben's graduation, "Hat's Off".  I used the DCWV sketch for august and the Tradewinds stack.  I love the colors in it.  I fussy cut around the butterfly so that it could pop over the photo.

Next is a two page layout, "So Proud" of Ben with family and his friend Darrin's family.  I used the sketch at Let's Scrap for this one.  When I first saw it, I thought it was too busy.  For that reason, I chose white background paper.  But I really like how it came out and don't think it looks too busy now.  

Here's the sketch:

My last layout has no photos lol.  I haven't gotten them yet.  I wanted to scrap photos from our trip to Parowan Gap Petroglyphs for the Flintstone challenge over at Child's Play.  I found a challenge over Let's Scrap -- a combination sketch, Bingo and tutorial challenge!  Whew!.  I used the tutorial that showed how to do the sunburst shapes.  I've seen them and wanted to try it, but just never got around to it.  The tutorial took the mystery out of it.  For the Bingo part, I used something shiny (the metal arrows), arrows (on the card and the metals), 3 or more photos (well, they're coming), and brads (holding the metal arrows in place).  Here's the sketch:

We were told to use one side or the other or the middle to create a one-page layout.  I used the right side:

And then added a companion page (I have too many photos for just one page :-):

The papers all come from a Close to My Heart kit that I received as an RAK.  Loved the papers in it.

To show why I thought this layout worked for the Flintstone challenge, here are a few of the photos:

Two New Layouts -- Tassel/Hassle and Great Outdoors

I spend some time cleaning out/up my scrappy area.  Still much more work to do.  I've been in a clean up and out mood though -- you'd think it was spring.  Worked out at the storage unit Sunday.  Still more to do there, too.   Ah well....

I used a lot of challenges for inspiration on these layouts.

The first one is another of Ben's graduation -- the part where their names get called and they get to walk across the stage and everybody shouts.  Most of Ben's close friends graduated the year before, so only a few got snapped on stage.  I love the photo of Ben with Mr. Harris.  Mr. Harris was his Leadership teacher/adviser for all three years he was at VAAS.  He was one of Ben's two favorite teachers.

The challenge that inspired this was a sketch + challenge over at ScrapStuffz "Inspired By" (my friend Stacia).  A friend, Adele, had created this sketch:

and the rest of the challenge was to use a handmade die cut.  I love this sketch, but needed two pages for all the photos.  So I turned it to create the second page.  And I made the title die cut -- love my Silhouette.  And all those circles were punched -- from a 6x6 pad that Merry sent me, if I'm not mistaken.  I love my online scrapping community!  

The next layout plays off several challenges:  

I used a DCWV sketch, but since I didn't use DCWV papers, I won't be submitting it there (shh!  don't tell)  But the sketch worked soooo well for the layering challenge over at  Scrapbook Circle.  But what to scrap?  Then I remembered that Scrap Our Stash had a Selfie (plus pre-made/packaged frame) challenge and SWAT had a summer  vacation challenge going..  I had to think about the Selfie -- just don't take many, honestly.  BUT -- David snapped this pic of us in Zion on our trip with Ben's friends.  The frame I've had for AGES -- just never seemed to go.  And honestly, I probably wouldn't have thought of it if it hadn't been for the challenge.    AND -- the frame covered up most of the stranger behind us that was (unintentionally) photo-bombing us LOL.

Thanks for stopping bye!

Pomp.....and Circumstance

More layouts today from Ben's graduation.  The first is title "Pomp" and is based on a Let's Scrap sketch:

They had graduation in the quad/stage area.  The kids came down the stairs to the music.

Here's the sketch I started with:

My friend, Cathy, drew that up.  I loved it and thought it worked well for my photos.

The next layout is called "and Circumstance" and features pics of the speakers, band, and choir, along with lyrics to the song they sang. The right side is  based on a sketch from Let's Capture our Memories:

Here's my version, plus the left side companion page I created:

There's plenty more photos from graduation -- so I've got a few more layouts to do.  So happy to have an abundance of inspiration available online!

Graduate

My youngest son, Ben, graduated from Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences last June.  This is the first in a series of layouts from the event.

I used the sketch from Scrap Our Stash (featured at that link, if it works, is my friend, Steffanie's layout -- I think it's awesome!)  Here's the sketch:

I love the energy in it and it's different than I normally do.  So here's my take:

One of the things I love about this blog and it's challenges is that they don't encourage you to go buy all kinds of latest and greatest -- they encourage you to use your stash.  The off-white/beige paper came from my very first DCWV stack, Old World.  The burgandy and blue papers come from an MME stack from 2010.  The title I printed out on my computer and the little bit of white branches embellishment came from packaging somewhere sometime.  

The photos are Ben and his principal and one of the proofs.  We weren't thrilled with his proofs, so we chose one for the year book and kept the proofs but didn't buy anything else (so the embellishment covers the photographer's name).  

I'm really happy with how this came out -- I think it has a casual elegance to it.

Good Stuff

I won a prize from the Scrapbook Circle Blog Hop!  The kit came in the mail yesterday (super fast!) and I couldn't wait to play with it.  I used the sketch for August on their blog, here.

Here is my take on it:

Although the kit title is "Island Paradise" and is geared for summer, I chose pictures from a trip in January to see the Rose Parade Floats.  I took Ben and two friends.  It was REALLY warm -- don't know how Angie wore her sweatshirt.  This is not my usual style -- and some of the papers are not anything I would pick out -- but that's the fun of prizes!  They stretch me and make me think outside my box.  Love how this came out.  And so much more scrappy goodness to play with!   Thanks to Scrapbook Circle!

New Home

This is our new home in Utah.  And the view from my window.  The photo of the layout is not great, but it's pretty late.  I have to remember to take photos earlier in the day.

The layout is based on a sketch from Let's Scrap.  Here's what it looks like:

This was actually last week's sketch (8/6/14), I just didn't get to it in time.  They've got another sketch up for this week.

Here's my take:  

I  was also inspired by the Frosted Design's challenge to use chevrons -- I'm so hesitant in mixing prints -- but I love how these worked.  And I love the bright happy blue chevron print!

I used DCWV papers from their Tradewinds stack.  I cut the circle and the tags with either my old Cricut or my Silhouette (don't remember which).  Pulled the map from online and made the mini journal card.  The title is from Scrabble tile stickers -- got those in a swap and I don't know who makes them.

Finally Scrapping Again

We moved to Utah from California and I haven't scrapped since before we left (mid-June).  I did get some cards made in that time, but mostly just been busy.  Finally getting settled in enough to get some scrapping done again.

The first layout is from Chuck E Cheese -- my boys, who were really a bit old for CEC, took pics of themselves.  Repeatedly.  In interesting poses.  These are all of my oldest, Scott, who is now 24.  These were taken at the Chico CEC which puts them back in 02ish.  A couple years ago :-)

I have a few more of my younger son, Ben (who just graduated and the photos are from 1st grade).  The frames around the photos were just too big, so I trimmed up most of them.  And finally used up my Nikki Sivils 6x6 pad I got forever ago.

The next layout is based on a sketch from Let's Capture Our Memories.  And the photos are much more recent.  Saying good bye and leaving my aunt was one of the hardest parts of leaving CA.

Here's the sketch I used:

As you can see, I turned the sketch and show more of the second photo.  I also moved the title and journaling.  I used Recollections "Route 66" paper and some old buttons I had in my jar.  

Feels good to be creative again!