February Paper Trail Blog Hop & New Product Reveal!

It is February and that means it is time for a new blog hop and a new Close to My Heart Catalog! If you've arrived here from Betsy's blog, welcome; you're on the right track! If this is your first stop, don't worry. This is a circular blog hop so you can begin at any of the blogs.

This month I played with Pemberley, one of the new papers. I was immediately drawn to the blues and browns in this fun pack. Here is what I created:

The new products used on this layout are: CTMH Pemberley B&T, Pemberley workshop stamp set and baker's twine from the Paradise Assortment.

I used the Art Philosophy cartridge to cut the elements for the banner and the 'grateful' tab.

The large flowers are another stamp from the Pemberley workshop set. Check back this weekend for the simple process I used to create them.


I also created this fun bookmark:

The twine was perfect as the tassel. The stamped images are also from the Pemberley workshop set.

Please stop back on Thursday for the reveal of another layout using new papers. When you're ready for more inspiration today, head on over to Karen's blog to see what she has created!

New Year 2012 - Two Challenges!

I'm not one for resolutions, but I do like to set goals.




This year, my list of goals seemed very long. I made a layout to record them (and hopefully hold myself accountable.)

The paper is CTMH's Elemental - one of my current favorites. The pattern is from CTMH's oldest how-to book, Cherish. I was glad that I dug into the old book.

I wrote my journaling on cardstock and hid it in this envelope. Using the envelope allowed me to include a textual element on my layout in the form of the quote, but still keep my journalling a bit more private. I really like hidden journaling for layouts like this. It allows me to record detailed goals without making them really public. Most of the people who go through my books don't read anything hidden, but I know that it is there and can read it when I need to.

This layout itself is helping me work on my goal of submitting to more challenges.

The layout uses the word "New" and a new product for me. The star stamp on the top right corner of the layout has been in my stash since July, but I've never used it! - Scrap Our Stash January challenge.

The layout also talks about my dreams for the year - Scrapping Everyday Miracles challenge #12.

Happiness is...vellum and transparencies?

Although you can't tell by what I'm sharing here, I'm having a very scrappy January. I have already created 17 pages this month! One of my projects this weekend is to blog about most of my layouts. (A couple are under wraps until next week.)

So, without further ado, here is a page I created last night while hubby was out with his friends:

This was inspired by the current challenge over at Frosted Designs to use vellum, acrylic or a transparency. I hopped through their blog hop last night, and it motivated me to dig through my stash. I pulled the transparency overlay (CTMH) the rest of the layout came together very quickly. I based the design on an older sketch at Frosted Designs (#15). I really liked this photo but didn't have any particular story to tell last night, luckily Ralph Waldo Emerson stepped in the form of the vellum quote (DCWV).
 
Thanks, ladies at Frosted Designs, for the great inspiration!

January Crop N Time Challenge - Then and Now

I write a monthly challenge for my friends over at Crop N Time scrapbook events. I've decided to post the challenges here as well this year. If you are local, you should check out Crop N Time and consider attending one of their all day crops. If you are further away, feel free to play along with the challenge and share your entries here by January 31. If five people play along here I'll draw one random participant to win a small prize!


And now, to the challenge...

I love to tell stories. Probably you do, too. For me it is one of the main reasons I scrapbook. Often I tell straight forward stories dictated by the photos and the events: the day we went to the zoo, the time everyone was sick for Christmas, the way my kids love to dress up in costumes. Sometimes, though, I like the perspective of a different kind of story. One way to change the story you tell is through comparison. Looking at one family, person or place at two different moments in time tells the story of change.

My story today is of the changes that have happened over 13 years. The first photo, a playful “family” photo of my then fiance and me, was taken in 1998. It became the inspiration for the layout. Since it was a photo of the two of us, I chose a 2011 photo of our family of four. In addition to mirroring the family aspect of the first photo, I wanted to repeat the playful (yet posed) character (not a difficult task when working with two children under five.) The photos in the layout - supplemented with the date embellishments (CTMH's January stamp of the month) - tell the story of the changes. 

With that in mind, your challenge is to remember and compare. Create a page that compares then and now! Take it in any direction you choose. You could compare family photos as I did, focus on how one person (or one place) has changed, or consider how your “where” has changed. Choose something that works for you. The time span is your choice as well. I chose 13 years not because that number had any significance but because the photos that paired well were taken 13 years apart. You might choose to compare two life milestones, two birthdays, two summer vacations.

Remember, to play along, create a layout that compares then and now. Post a link to your layout in the comments by January 31!


I can't wait to see what you create!

Welcome 2012

The first layout I created in 2012 was for my challenge spot over at Crop N Time. I'll wait until the challenge is live before I reveal it. I've gotten in a lot of scrappy time already this year, however, and I have more layouts to show for it!

Both of these layouts include recent photos with older journaling.  While I was searching for some photos over the weekend, I found a journaling notebook stashed away. I tend to keep these notebooks around. I record ideas for pages, start lists, sometimes even write the journaling - until the notebook gets put away (either because it is full or for other mysterious reasons.) All too often, when the notebook gets put away so do all of the good ideas inside. When I came across this one in my searching, I decided to resurrect some of my ideas and ended up creating these two layouts.

 Firstly, things I didn't know would be Toys:

I have been keeping a list of the journaling on this layout for at least 4 years.  I'm sure I'm missing some, and I definitely don't have pictures of all (or even the most interesting), but at least I've got the memory recorded.


I used some products from my stash in colors that are a bit outside of my normal range, but they felt playful. I really like the way it turned out.




Secondly, who am I?

The journaling here - a list of categories with which I identify - is also from a long ago stashed list. I decided to copy it verbatim rather than updating the list for today. It made finishing the layout quicker and also captured the moment in which I made the list. Although the list is a year or two old, I think this still fits with the current challenge over at Lasting Memories "Getting to Know You."


I used a Sketchy Thursday's sketch, but as usual didn't get the post written in time to submit for the week. I chose to step outside my comfort zone with color here as well. The white color scheme was a bit nerve wracking - the blank canvas seemed all the more blank. To help myself with this challenge, I added my favorite color - blue - as the one pop. Again, I'm happy with the way my stretch paid off. Here's to working outside my box this year!

How is your scrappy year going so far? 

Paper Trail Blog Hop - Wonderland

Welcome to the January Paper Trail blog hop featuring the the blues, browns and greys of Wonderland. Thanks for stopping by! If you've arrived here from Lynne's blog, Fields Finery, you're on the right track. (If this is your first stop, don't worry, this hop is circular!)

Brown and blue is one of my favorite color combinations. Between the colors and the winter theme (we get a lot of snow in my neck of the woods) this paper pack was a true favorite of mine. I made Christmas gifts and cards before I got to making a layout. When I found these snow pictures I knew they were a perfect fit!

This layout uses scraps from my previous projects to form the quilt-like strips on each page. I liked that I was able to use a bit of each pattern without overwhelming my photos. I also liked that I was working with bits of paper that might otherwise be consigned to my scrap bin indefinitely.  
  
I cut the B&T scraps into 1 1/2 inch squares and then played with them until I liked the look. It took a bit of time, but I really like the result.

The paper quilt added inexpensive dimension to my page and I found I didn't need much more. I added a few sparkles and a few stamps and called it a day!

Now hop on over to Pam's blog, p-inks, to see what she created. 
I hope you enjoy your own Wonderland this winter!

Six pages in one night!

I don't know about you, but I didn't get much scrapbooking time in December. I had creative time, to be sure, but it was used making gifts, cards or sweet treats.

I'm feeling ready to get my papers out and get moving on some pages. I have so many ideas floating around in my head it is crazy (not to mention so many photos on my desk, my computer, my camera etc.) I'm not in the mood for some average scrap night. I'm ready for a marathon session. Since a whole weekend crop isn't on my horizon in the near future, I'm imagining a different kind of marathon - 6 pages (3 layouts) in one evening! We'll use the Elemental paper pack, neutral cardstock and fun embellishments. Six may seem like a lot of pages, but I know it is possible if we use our supplies and tools wisely. (I also know it is possible because a few of us did it in November with a different paper pack!)

If you're in my neighborhood, I would love for you to join me on January 25 at 7PM. The cost for this workshop - including all supplies - is just $20. If you can't make it because of a conflict or if you are not in the neighborhood I would be happy to put together a workshop kit for you with supplies and instructions.

Please let me know today if you are interested.

I can't wait to see what we can create!