Let's Get Sketchy - February Sketch Challenge

Scrapbooking with sketches is so much fun because it gives you lots of ideas and options to arrange elements on your page.

Here's the February sketch from the Let's Get Sketchy blog:

Here is a look at my take on this sketch. I decided to use 2 photos (rather than only 1). There is also a process video on my YouTube channel if you'd like to see the page come together from start to finish.

Until next time, happy scrap booking and paper crafting!

Speed Scrap - Layout is less than 1 hour!

Recently, I was invited to participate in a Speed Scrap on Facebook! 

Here's how it worked.....participating scrapbookers each received instructions every 10 minutes. At the end of the instructions, you will have finished a page layout in less than 1 hour!

This was a fun way to finish a page and I'm hoping to do another Speed Scrap like this again soon. 

Here is each step of instructions with a photo of what I did for each:

1) Use three photos on your layout. One must have you, the scrapper, in it.

2) Mat at least one photo

3) Use at least 3 patterned papers and 1 or more solid papers

4) Create a large title

5) Add at least three lines of journaling

6) Add something sparkly

7) Add any finishing touches!

Until next time, happy scrap booking and paper crafting!!

Put Your Paper Scraps to Work!

Hello Friends!

Glad to see you here today on the blog!

My stash includes a couple of 3 inch binders and they are FULL of templates like these. I've kept them on hand because, well you just never know what will come in handy! Perhaps you have some templates like this still around, too?

One of my FAVORITE supplies is my stash of paper scraps. I'm guessing you probably have some, too, am I right?

We are celebrating a couple of family birthdays soon and I wanted to have a 2-page layout ready to go. When I have the printed photos, it will be quick and easy to add them to the layout!

Using the balloons on the templates and my paper scraps, I created some FUN birthday borders for my pages. It didn't take long to trace the balloons onto some paper scraps with pencil. I took my time cutting them out while watching TV.

Here are a couple looks at how the borders turned out! If you like to see more about how I created these borders, please feel free to watch this YouTube video.

Until next time, happy scrap booking and paper crafting!!

3 Day Mega Crop!

Where do you like to do your paper crafting?

Personally, I enjoy both creating at home as well as going to crops! Last weekend, my friend Kathy and I spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday at a Mega Crop at the Daisy Lane in Mattoon, Illinois.

 We had a terrific time shopping in the store and met some very nice, helpful scrapbookers! My main purchase was a binder for storing embossing folders and a replacement for my broken Sizzix Sidekick.

During the Mega Crop, Kathy continued working on a wonderful album project! She (and her husband) is following the restoration of a historic movie theater (The Grand in Alton, IL). They have collected and taken more than 170 photos for this project.

For this special album, Kathy selected to use the "Vintage Hollywood" collection from Graphic 45. She also uses a Scrap N Easel which is a handy thing for so many reasons. To learn more about her project and the Scrap N Easel, feel free to watch this YouTube video!

While Kathy was busy with her project, I completed 20+ scrapbook pages as well as some birthday cards! For many years, I've made birthday cards for my church home. They are sent to children enrolled in religious education classes on Sunday mornings. Below are photos of some of the cards.

Feedback from parents of children receiving the cards has been very positive. Many children don't get mail very often and it an exciting a memorable thing to get a card on their special day. This feedback keeps me motivated to make and donate cards year after year. About 125-150 cards in total each year.

Until next time, happy paper crafting!