Sketchabilities #52.....

It's the 30th, so that means a new sketch is up over at Sketchabilities!!  Here is a look at sketch #52:



And this is what I did with it:





When I first saw this sketch I knew instantly that I wanted to use the circle as a typed journaling spot.  To do this I made a template by cutting a circle out of computer paper, marked where I wanted to layer a photo over it, and placed it up to the computer screen as I typed. I liked the results, but I wish I had made my circle a bit larger so that some of the type didn't go right up to the edge of the circle--next time I will remember this!

I chose to base my color palate on the photos--orange, blue, green, and yellow--and this worked great because I had just gotten my July kit from Studio Calico which was full of paper and alphas that worked.  Am especially in love with the green and cream paper that serves as the foundation of my lo--wishing I had ordered more of it....

So head on over to Sketchabilities and check out what the rest of the design team came up with! AND remember, if you share your project with Mr. Linky, YOU could be chosen to be the next Guest Designer!

Just Add Water....

This week's challenge over at Two Peas was to lift a pea.  This was a no brainer because I have been loving Sophia Crespy's lo "My Little Farmer" ever since it found its way into my faves....Here's my take:

I believe that these photos of my two kiddos are so far my favorites taken this summer.  And let me just tell you that I heart Echo Park--their paper kits are so easy to work with (here I used Splash). 

Happy Tuesday!

Dirt Girl.....

Leia loves to play in the dirt.  She will sit right down in it and play forever.  I should also mention that she loves to eat dirt too :-).  Anyways....I was playing with my camera while on vacation and was attempting to take photos of my kids in front of this old, red shed.  Well, I was "attempting" you see, because my kids were NOT cooperating.  When Hayden took off and Maleia plopped down in the dirt, I got down there with her and took some shots.  This is what I came up with----and please notice how good of a job she is doing at ignoring me:

I love this picture!  One of my goals this year was to photograph the moments in between the smiles---the everyday things that make up our lives.  So far, I am accomplishing that goal...with Maleia.  My son and husband are a little better at evading the camera.  LOL.  Oh well, I will just have to work at being a little more sneaky like a ninja when photographing those two...Good luck with that!

Made this lo with mostly the June kit from Paper Posies.  LOVE this kit.  It is mostly Simple Stories, a new paper line, and I am just adoring the papers and stickers that go with it.  And please notice the awesome stiching in the right hand corner--I finally got out my new attatchment for my Sew Easy and used it.  It had been sitting there all wrapped up in its packaging for a couple of months!  LOL.  I am so bad at buying things and forgeting I even got them......

Happy Tuesday!

Lake Adventure......

One of my favorite blogs to read is October Afternoon's.  I find so much inspiration there.....which leads to this next lo.  Last week OA posted an Inspiration challenge where we had to take something done by one of their designers and use it as inspiration.  I chose a lo titled "Ayala's Birthday" by Jen Jockish (of course I chose one by her--she's my scrap-crush!).  Hers is way more awesome than mine, but this is what I came up with:

One of the reasons why I heart Jen Jockish is her use of patterned paper--she uses a lot of it.  Often it is in bits and pieces.  This allowed me to use bunches of OA's Campfire line which I have been hoarding since Spring :-).  My only regret with this lo, is that my paint splatters didn't splatter as I wanted, but since it isn't really a science I went with it....

Happy Sunday!

Sketchabilities July 15th Reveal....

Yeah!  It is is finally here!!  My first reveal for the Sketchabilities Design Team!!!!  Here is the sketch.....



And here is my take.....

 

This sketch was so incredibly fun to work with....I kept pretty close to the sketch, just moving the title and journaling to accomodate my larger pictures and my little banner which I made out of tags from the Margarita line from American Crafts....and hot pink ribbon--just a pop of color to make this lo even more fun :-)

YOU MUST check out the rest of the design team's work---they really hit it out of the ballpark!!

Happy scrapping and can't wait to see everyone's take on this fab sketch!

 

Room

While on vacation last week I was lucky to find some time to read Room by Emma Donoghue.  I had read a good review in People magazine and thought I might like it.  I was right!



Room is the story of Jack and his mom.  Jack's mom was kidnapped seven years ago and has been held captive in a room since then.  When the novel begins we meet Jack, who is not only celebrating his fifth birthday, but telling the story---and this is why this story captivates.  A five year old narrator both softens and magnifies the horrific premise at the same time.  His POV also offers a fresh and unique perspective--Jack doesn't know he is a "victim"--Room is the only world he has ever known. 

An excellent and fast read--highly recommend!

I Caught U Reading....

I think I completed this lo in record speed (which is still not very fast, but quicker than norm...).  I have been out of town for the last couple of weeks with vacation and sports, so I was ready to sit down and scrap when I finally arrived home with no where else to be!

This next lo features (and I know I say this often) one of my top 5 pics of Maleia.  I took this one morning when I was bee-bopping around the house and I peaked in on her in her room and this is what I found: 

Oh, my goodness!  The lighting was just perfect and finding her so quietly focused on the book made my heart skip a few beats!!  And her wild and crazy hair makes me giggle everytime I look at it, because this IS Maleia every morning......Ah, I am so lucky to be a mother....

Got Cupcake?

These are some of my fave pics of my daughter because they really capture the art of eating a cupcake---when you are 16 months!!

I used the very lovely May kit from SC as well as some alphas from my (disturbingly) large stash.....I really kept it super simple, letting the pics really shine.  I did machine stitch some zig zags onto the three Fancy Pants filters WHICH really made me nervous---the tissue is so thin and fragile, but they held up well (thank goodness).   

Happy weekend.