PageMaps | halloween sketch layout...

HAPPY OCTOBER!

Super excited October is here, with milder weather and cozy nights. One of my favorite seasons, next to Spring. And as usual, I am looking forward to Halloween. I LOVE halloween, dressing up in costume, trick or treating with the kids and hanging out with friends. It's always so fun to see all the cool and spooky decorations and I love digging through the kids bag to grab my favorite treats.

The October PageMaps layout sketch was so much fun and I went back to basics with my page, mostly using cardstock only page. The lazy size of me was too lazy to go out shopping for current supplies. So, I decided to really dig deep and remember why I began scrapbooking in the first place. My page is pretty simple using similar elements shown in the sketch above.

I cut out my web using my Cameo silhouette machine and then used black embossing powder to give the web a bit of glistening action. Of course, I got carried away with the tone-on-tone affect with my page, which gives it a lot of pop against the white background.

Paper bats, halloween circle phrases and title treatment also die-cuts from the Cameo, which comes in handy. Yes, there was a bit of planning when putting this page together as far as sizing cut files, etc. The page uses very little hard embellishments, just a mix of black and orange enamel dots. Then I added the envelope on the side of the photo to hold journaling. Again, too lazy to pull out the sewing machine... so, I used the my trusty archival pen and t-ruler to frame the foundation page. Overall, I'm very pleased with the outcome.

Thanks so much for stopping by... hope you're inspired to create something fun and unique while keeping your elements simple. Happy Scrapping... xo!

PageMaps | she's so fancy...

Hello June! I'm getting exciting for summer with the kids home, to enjoy some lazy summer days, trips to the lake and the ocean and little adventures on our 2015 summer bucket list. One of my goals this summer is to use my camera more often than I have been. As I was finding inspiration for images to scrapbook this months sketch layout, I realized I have slacked off big time. There are memories I know I've not captured that should have been. But no, I was too lazy. On the flip side, I have enjoyed being in the moment without camera in hand. So, this summer, my goal will be to balance it all out being in the moment while capture our life behind the lens.

That said, these images of baby girl and daddy are my favorites thus far. It was a last minute decision she decided to attend her school Father & Daughter Dance. Luckily, I was able to convince Tim taking her and ordering her a wrist corsage... totally appropriate. I even bought her pink lipstick to match her pink and white corsage flowers.

I love this months PageMaps sketch a lot. There are so many ways to interpret the design for your own scrapbook layout. B&W images were appropriate for this page since I wanted the pastel like colors to pop with the geometric background and gold accents. I love how the overall look turned out. This sketch is sure going to be one of my go to sketches for future projects.

To complete my June sketch layout, I used GB's June kits, which were absolutely perfect for this layout. Totally swooned over the colors and all the pretty embellishments. Made creating this layout that much faster and easier. . Be sure to check out the rest of the team and contributors this months... there is a whole lot of inspiration for creating.

Thanks for stopping by... have an awesome week! Until next month... xo!

PageMaps | January sketch + layout...

oh how i love love love PageMaps January sketch design. the stitched lines, pattern blocking and great simplicity. i can totally see this sketch design being a go-to when i am in a creative stump. love it! i stuck with the original sket design adding my own elements to go with the story behind the photo. i also used a white pen to mark my lines... i was on a mission to make sure the lines were straight and even, which if i had machine stitched the lines, they would have been all over the place, ha!

i know it's a little early for Valentine's page to go up, but i couldn't resist. i was already in that mode when completely other layouts for GB. so of course, i used the perfect image of my favorite little people for this months sketch... another favorite from 2014, YES! the kids loved their big red lips in their Valentine's gift basket. as soon as i asked them to stand together so i can get a picture wearing their red lips, their personalities immediately shined!!!

thanks so much for stopping by... enjoy your day, xo!

Gossamer Blue | a sketch + October sneak...

as i was ready to submit my layout to our Gossamer Blue design team coordinator, i realized that i created my sketch layout using October kits products and NOT September kits products. i was on such a roll and completely forgot to pull out this months products to complete my assignment. but hey, it happens to the best of us, right?!

the fun part, you get to see a little more of what is coming (subscribers) and (non-subscribers) in the next day or two.

i LOVE it. i'm a total sucker for using repetitive titles and elements throughout a page design and i fell in love with Heathers sketch. Inspired me to use photos I had laying around that went perfectly with October’s color palette… hence the sneak peek details of my page.

 

now, head on over to today's September sketch challenge blog post for your chance to win a $10 Gift Card to Gossamer Blue's shop. it's a fun challenge and you will be inspired to create with one amazing sketch... xo!!

PageMaps + Clost to My Heart GIVEAWAY...

this month, we are celebrating PageMaps 8th Anniversary with layouts created using the May sketches, along with instructional how-to downloads, free digital files + a GIVEWAY... the challenge, layout conversion, use an 8.5x11 sketch and convert to a 12x12 layout design...

and the giveaway... Close To My Heart Variety Collection! to win, all you have to do is leave a comment under my PageMaps blog post telling us what you did on Mother's Day. to double your chances, leave a comment on the PageMaps Facebook page. be sure to show some love on CTMH's facebook page, let them know PageMaps sent you :)

All anniversary giveaways will run until 12 noon MST on Saturday, May 31, 2014 and winners will be posted Monday, June 2, 2014.

GOOD LUCK everyone and happy scrappin... xo!

a collaboration | Gossamer Blue + PageMaps...

edited to add: all kits are sold out, except for the Life Pages kit!! hurry over and get yours now!

happy Saturday friends! i'm glad it's February already, means Spring is that much closer... YES!

it also means Gossamer Blue's February kits, designer gallery and life pages gallery are LIVE! this months kit is CRAZY good! my word, it's jaw dropping good people! i loved everything... the colors, printables, digital cut files, GB exclusive papers and stamps... just lovely! we teamed up with PageMaps, a free sketch resource for scrapbookers and cardmakers alike.

  

ok, below is the sketch i was sent to work with and my layout...

i was mostly inspired by the cupcake pattern in the sketch by using the honeycomb digital cut file, the main element in the design.

i'm a sucker for using teeny tiny photos on a page and i love using them w/in geometric shapes. each shape was embellished with a little bit of everything from February's Main Kit, including printables, digital cut files and exclusive stamps.

images were taken last year on our 11th anniversary last year in a photo booth... i tried scanning and restoring the images, but it took too long and i didn't get the result i was hoping for. so, i used the original images.

i really love this months exclusive papers by One Little Bird and Traci Reed. they were so pretty... i almost didn't want to cut them up. i like how the black and white text and pink houndstooth pattern papers compliment shades of blue, white and pink on the page.

to finish the page, i used a white pin to frame the background instead of machine stitching.

thanks so much for stopping by. i hope you can get you hands on this months amazing kits before they are sold out. you will really enjoy creating w/ all that goodness! be sure to check out PageMaps for more sketch inspiration.

...xo!

LB | sketch challenge...

i didn't realize i signed up for Lily Bee's sketch challenge two months in a row, ha. but i'm not complaining. i've really enjoyed creating them to share. this current sketch is super simple, but also can be a little challenging when there wasn't a square or rectangle for photo placement nor journaling. but i really liked the idea of the design and just went w/ it. be sure to check out the blog post here and i love Ms. Patricia's interpretation...

hope you play along this month... xo

LB | sketch layout...

happy Tuesday!

i don't know about you, but i tend to sketch out a good 85% of all my layouts prior to committing. the other 15% are created by me scraplifting layouts i've created in the past. my layouts may not always portray the same sketch design, but it's usually pretty close. it all depends on my mood, the product and photos i am working w/ at the time. sketches are just wonderful to work with to get that creative mojo flowing.

so today, Lily Bee kicks off this week with July's sketch challenge...

my take on the sketch is pretty much dead on with a few changes, such as, replacing a photo with a journaling block. since this weeks focus on is stars and stripes, i added such elements along with keeping with the geometric shape and design on my page. love how it all turned out. this Destination collection is absolutely PERFECT for boy pages, which means i really need to try and snap photos of my son more often than i have been lately.

the die-cut i used on my page Circle Star Cluster can be found store here... it's a freebie. love her stuff!! (changed mine by adding raised stars for depth)

thanks so much for stopping by. be sure to check out how you can enter the sketch challenge here. i look forward to seeing what you come up with... xo!