WARNING: My Cat Used My Layout as Her Bed!

I know, I know.......it's my fault, not my cat Lilly's fault.  I left my finished page lying on the dining room table and apparently it looked too cozy for her to pass up.  Lesson learned.  So after I dusted all the white fur from my masterpiece, this is what I'm left with:

It could have been worse.  She could have used it for a scratching post I suppose.  I can deal with a few wrinkles.  Just try to ignore them if at all possible. Okay, moving on..........

I used my Studio Calico Park Ave Kits to create my layout.  It's my favorite kit so far. 

I made this layout with a challenge by Marcy Penner  and Stephanie Bryan called Creative Jumpstarts 05.  They are some of my favorite scrappers ever!  The challenge was to use a BIG title.  Big could mean large letters, many letters in your title, and I suppose you could just use the word BIG.  

Have you used a big title for a project lately?  

Adding Dimension with Paper

I love adding dimension to all of my layouts.  My favorite way to do this is to add a bunch of layers behind my photo.  The first set of layers I add is actually 2-4 sheets of white copy paper behind the photo.  I like this method because it doesn’t take away from the photo and it creates more white on my layout.  I love white.  Then I like to pick a patterned paper to mat the photo and copy paper on.  In this case it was the lime green paper that came in the Studio Calico's Park Ave. kits. After that, I like to have fun and find ways to be creative!  

 Studio Calico's Weekly Challenge was to add dimension using paper.  After my basic layering techniques, I then added more patterned paper from the kit, a PL card, I cut flowers from a patterned paper, cut-out some banners from copy paper scraps, and even used a branding strip as a border along the top.  This challenge was right up my alley.    

A Little Boy's First Christmas

Cole was 9 months old when he celebrated his first Christmas Holiday.  So, of course he had no idea what was going on, but that didn't stop me from decorating every square inch of our home, putting cookies out for santa, and singing Christmas carols through the entire month of December.  It is, by far, my absolute favorite holiday.  I want Cole to experience Christmas the way I did when I was young; the magic of walking down the stairs Christmas morning and seeing the stockings full of goodies and the tree surrounded with a pile of beautifully wrapped packages.  Yes, I am well aware that this is not the meaning of the holiday, but they are my childhood memories.

Cole's first Christmas morning experience was in 2011.  My husband, Kendall carried him down the stairs, where i was waiting impatiently with my camera ready.  He saw me and gave me a smile, not even noticing the huge baby pool next to me, surrounded by presents.  We sat down with him and showed him how to tear the paper off to get to the toy inside. He figured it out pretty quickly and had more fun ripping the paper than anything else.  I look forward to many more holiday years to come with this adorable little boy.

For this layout, I used Studio Calico's Walden Kit and the  Walden Project Life Kit.  The November kits were full of soft colors and gorgeous embellishments, perfect for a winter layout.  I used Studio Calico's Sunday Sketch to create this page.  

CSI December Guest Designer

Scrap-ditali-ocious!  I don't know why that word just popped into my brain.  My brain is so random and it usually thinks like a 7 year old about 50% of the time.  It's fun though.  

Anyway, Guess what? Last night was reveal night for CSI's Challenge- Case File #s365-10.  

Here is what it looks like:

As a Guest Designer (AKA Special Deputy), I created this:

The photo is from Christmas Day 2009.  Me and my husband's first Christmas together.  I made him this really ugly, uneven, itchy, pink blanket.  It was my first crochet project, obviously.  He wrapped himself in it like a tortilla and said that it was the most beautiful blanket that he's ever seen.  Yeah right, but he was very touched that I spent so much time making him a gift.  Bless his heart.  At that moment, I knew we would always be together. 

CSI Feature- Amazing!

OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG!  My layout was featured at CSI Color Stories.  I don't think I could ever get used to seeing my scrapbook pages being shared by others.  I feel so honored and grateful. 

The challenge was Case File #147 and looked like this:

Here was my take on the challenge:

FLY

The photo was taken when Cole, my son, and I went on a trip to my hometown.  He was showing my mom how his toy airplane could fly.  This little moment warmed my heart.  We miss these little everyday nothings with her.  About the layout, I really like how the layout turned out.  I normally wouldn't use this color scheme because, well,  it's not my favorite, but that's exactly why I love CSI.  They push you to try new color pallettes and a variety of techniques.  It also gives me a reason to dig in my stash and see my old products in a whole new light.  The Teresa Collins brads I used were one of the first embellishments I purchased when I started scrapping.  I absolutely love them on this layout.  Okay, now I'm done bragging.  Get to scrapping, won't ya?

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New Layout

Hey scrap happy homies!  Do you know what my absolute favorite day of the month is?  It's "New Kit Day"!  Yesterday was  my Studio Calico "New Kit Day"and my family and friends know all about it.  When I see that beautiful cardboard box sitting outside with all the gorgeous postage marks, I squeal and sprint to it.  I tear it open right away and skim through the goodies.  As soon as I have 20 minutes to spare, I open every little embellishment pack, stamp set, and paper pack and organize it in my "current kit" drawer.  After that, I scrap to my hearts content for the next three days.  What does this means for my family, pets, and friends you might ask?  It means that I completely ignore them if at all possible.  I get in the "scrap zone".  Laundry gets backed up, the daily chores are put on hold, and I hear absolutely nothing going on around me.  My family is lucky if I cook, its much quicker to order out when I'n in the "zone".  The Studio Calico's Park Ave Kit for December is my favorite so far.  This month I got all the main kits, plus ordered two add-on kits: Helmsley and Grand Central.  Yeah, I splurged a little.  But I couldn't help it.  I needed them!  (I have problems)   

Here's my very first layout with this month's kits:

I had so much fun with these die cuts flower that cam in the kit.  Obviously, I have no problem using flowers, doilies, or the color pink on a layout of my son. I also noticed that this year, I'm compelled to use non-traditional colors for Christmas.  Last year I was a pretty festive holiday scrapper.  

Since I'm on this new "scrapbook challenge blog obsession" I used the 9th November- Sketch from The Studio Challenges. I loved this sketch.  It's my style, it's colorful,  and it was really fun to work with

Here's the sketch:

Now,  I need to stop wasting time and get back to my three day "scrap binge".  Have a great weekend!

Challenge YOUrself November Sketch #12

Happy Wednesday everyone!   Last night I was google searching for new scrapbook challenge sites.  I love participating in challenges because it gets my creative juices flowing.  Oh yeah!

I came across a really awesome blog called Challenge YOUrself.  The unique part of this challenge group is you HAVE to scrap a photo of yourself.  It can be a group photo as long as you're in it.  I mostly scrap about my son and family, not myself.  Maybe this blog will help me work on MY album and get those empty pages filled up.

I made this page last night for the November November Sketch Challenge #12.

Here's the sketch:

Here's my take on the sketch challenge:

(Sorry for the phone pic)

Now I'm off to scrap another challenge.  Have a great day!