Laurie's Pond

Laurie's Pond was a pond on my great uncle Laurie's property.  I don't remember much about it except that we swam there occasionally and there was a little cabin there.  I don't have any pictures of my family there except these two pictures of my mom and dad that were probably taken in the late 1960s.  They aren't great photos, but sometimes we don't have perfect photos for a topic that we want to create a layout about.

The denim colored paper in the July Studio Calico kit made me think of pulling these photos out.  The wood veneer birds were perfect, too.  I used the Silhouette for the cattails behind the photo matt.  I used passport Mr. Huey for the misting.

I asked my mom for help with the journaling.  I love seeing what story or memory she comes up with.  Thanks mom!

Have a great week everyone!  

Random Fact Series #2 - I took shorthand in high school

I had the idea to start a "random fact series" of scrapbook layouts about myself quite a while ago.  I finally got a start on the project with Random Fact #1 - I don't ski.  You can see it here.  Actually, you can't see it because it is out for publication (woot!), but you can read about it.  

An topic for Random Fact #2 has been floating around in my head for a bit, but I hadn't come up with any ideas for a page.  Then my July 2012 Studio Calico kit came with this fun paper by October Afternoon.

How perfect!  

I don't actually have any photos of me that would have anything to do with me taking shorthand, so I used one of the few photos that I have of me in a classroom.  I was caught sleeping!  Judging by my hair in the photo, I was probably a junior or senior.  And just to date me - that is a GUESS watch on my wrist!

There were a lot of fun items in the kit to pull from the colors in the October Afternoon paper - it was really fun to create!

Have a great week everyone!

June 2012 Studio Calico - So Cal

I only got two layouts done with June's Studio Calico kit, So Cal.  (I've been averaging about 4-6 this year.)  It is partly that I was away on vacation for a week and partly because I just wasn't feeling the kit - even though I really love the looks of it!  Oh, well, it happens!

The first layout I created was pictures of me, my husband, and my nephew being silly while spending a few days on the Cape.  I though the MME "White Wash" paper was perfect for the background and then just went with the colors from the photos from there.  

I used Mr. Huey to color the American Crafts Thickers and the color was way too bright at first (I think I used sunshine  - possibly orchard?)  I put a layer of Mr. Huey in white over that and the color came out perfectly.

The next layout is of me and my cat, Elliott.  He likes to lay on my chest, peering into my face when I am trying to nap.  I thought this would be a good photo to use as a 12" X12" that is so popular right now.  I printed the photo on American Crafts vanilla cardstock as I didn't have photo paper that large.  

I kept the embellishments pretty simple for this one, using my Silhouette to cut out a few hearts, and coloring the American Crafts Thickers for the title with Mr.  Huey again.

This layout was featured in the Studio Calico So Cal Member Picks video.  It was so fun to see my layout there!  You can see it here along with other great layouts created from So Cal.

That's it for June's Studio Calico kit.  I have July sitting on my desk and already have a few ideas for this one so I hope I have more to share next month.

Have a great week everyone!

Warning - kitty heavy post!

I may not have kids, but I have something even better - two kitties!  (My opinion only!)  I created a layout this week with the June 2012 Studio Calico kit, So Cal, of one of my kitties and I thought I would share some other kitty layouts that I've created.

For this layout, I decided to print the photo out as a 12"X12"  - something I've never tried before.  I printed the photo directly onto American Crafts vanilla cardstock as I didn't have photo paper that large.  I kept the embellishments pretty simple.  The photo is of my big kitty Elliott who loves nothing more than climbing on top of me and laying on my chest, peering into my face when I am napping. 

I created this layout for a Cosmo Cricket sketch challenge quite some time ago.  The photo is my little kitty, Sumner, sunning himself on the chaise lounge in our dining room.

This is another recent one that I created for a Crate Color Challenge.  This is Elliott again, who is much more photogenic than Sumner.

And finally, a two-page layout (gasp!) that is really old, but I still love it.  It tells their adoption stories.

I hope you enjoyed my kitty layouts!

Have a great week everyone!

June Crate Color Challenge

Here is the color palette for the June Crate Color Challenge:

I decided to create a page with a picture of a bowl of fresh strawberries from a farmer's market that I took last summer.  I thought that the green of the colander in the photo would offset all the pinks in the color palette.

I used all Crate Paper products from the Paper Heart and Pretty Party Collections.  The stamp for the letters F-R-E-S-H are from the Studio Calico set sold here.  The font for the word strawberries can be downloaded here.  I tried to play around with lots of fun layering on this layout and I love the way it turned out!!

Wish me luck and have a great week everyone!!

May 2012 Studio Calico - 35mm

My June Studio Calico kit arrived in the mail last Thursday, so it is time for another "what I did with my Studio Calico kit from the time I got it until the time the next kit arrives" post.  (If anyone has a suggestion for what I should call this monthly feature on my blog, please let me know!!)  I got four layouts done with this kit and have sooooo much left!  I haven't even used a hexagon!

My favorite layout "Christmas Cayman Islands Style."

I really had no idea that I would like the Heidi Swapp products as much as I did.  I used three different products of hers on this page!  This layout was featured on the Studio Calico member picks video.  If you missed it, you can check it out here.  

The next layout "Circa 1960's" is an old photo of my mother when she was out of high school and living in the Twin Cities with a girlfriend.  

Mom was kind enough to indulge me with the story behind the photo and I just used what she wrote as the journaling.  I love the Bazzill microdot paper used here (the black and white.)  It is a really thin paper and is great for crumbling and ruffling.  In this layout, I misted it, crumbled it and then let it dry.  I love the added texture it adds as the matting behind the photo.

"I don't ski" is the first in a 'random fact' series that I am starting.  I had the idea quite some time ago and just got around to doing the first one.  

I used POW glitter paper as the background for this layout and for the snowflakes and the word "SKI." I thought it was perfect for a winter layout.  I used the rest of the Heidi Swapp memory file on this layout, so there is another photo and lots of journaling that is hidden.

That's a photo of me in our high school phy. ed. class cross-country skiing!

The last layout is just a silly one of me and my husband sitting in those big chairs in front of an ice cream shop.

I used the little craft bag to hold my journaling and to put the title on.

This layout was included in the June 4th "Scrapbooking Inspiration" post on the Creating Keepsakes blog.  You can check it out here.

So Cal is sitting on my desk and I have already finished a layout with it!  I love the oranges of the kit - it is going to be a fun one.

Have a great week everyone!

Random Fact #1 - I don't ski

I decided quite a while ago that I wanted to start a "Random Fact" series of layouts about myself.  Layouts with little tidbits of information that make me, me. "I don't ski" is my first.  (Yay for finally starting!)

I used the May 2012 Studio Calico kit for this layout and some American Crafts POW glitter paper.  I used charcoal glitter paper for the background and silver for the snowflakes punched with a Martha Stewart punch.

I used the rest of my Heidi Swapp memory file that came in the kit, so my layout has three layers of photos and journaling.  I used the rest of the memory file in my layout here.  When I saw the memory file in the kit, I initially thought that I would have no idea how to make it work on a page.  Now I am in love with the different possibilities of layering on a page!

I also ended up loving the Heidi Swapp mistable letters that were in the Studio Calico kit.  I loved being able to mist them whatever color matched best with my Mr. Huey mists.

So, this layout is about something that despite my best efforts to learn (and owning a ski condo in Vermont!), I just don't do.  I already have a topic chosen for Random Fact #2!

Have a great week everyone!