LRW and "Sketchy Thursdays" - Memories of You

This the the sketch of the week at "Sketchy Thursdays this time round. I combined it with the challenge from Little Red Wagon which was to use newsprint on your creation.

I used the circle idea and the placement of the the title and journaling from the sketch. I did, however, add a few more circles and turned them into accents, instead of photographs.

The paper is My Mind's Eye and I love the glittered circles with the NEWSPRINT inside. I don't usually use gold - in fact I NEVER do, but I really like this colour combo.

I have 2 more diecuts and lots if left over paper so you will be seeing this new fave colour combo again!

2 Pink Paislee Layouts

I LOVE the "Hometown Summer" line from Pink Paislee. I've used it several times and gone back to the store to buy more of it! The colours are lovely and the images are just darling , especially the grid paper with children all over it! Love, Love, Love!

Enough gushing...Now how did I use these well-loved papers?

Number 1: My layout for Project 12, June 2011

I think I managed to include 5 different patterned papers form this line on one 2-page spread!
I also used my "Sew Easy" tool to help create the stitched banners on the top of the layout. I am not usually a "tool" person, but this one I really like. Simply put, it is a roller that has interchangeable heads that help punch a variety of holes onto your paper so that it is easy to stitch a pattern.
Number 2 : Summer!

There's that kids-in-a-grid paper!

I used my heat embossing tool on this one. I didn't have the right combo of black letter stickers for the title so I made textured letters using black powder and the heat of my embossing gun.

See the pics of Kevin at the splashpad? Usually we just sit and watch, but on this particular day, it was hot enough for Kevin to get involved. :)
Thanks for stopping by!!

A Summery Layout....

Here is a quickie I put together this morning while my hubby went for run. He gets exercise, I get to have papery fun!! (The kids are at daycare - it's a nice break on a Tuesday morning!)

I used some ancient BoBunny - the duckie sticker went perfectly with these pictures of Camden at the wading pool.

Do you like the mosaic border? That was the most time-consuming detail, but I love how it looks!

I also used some really old Making Memories brads. Can't remember the last time I used brads!! I love the feeling of using up old stuff - all the more reason to buy more new!!

Glad to see you! Come visit again soon!

August Design Team Reveal for The Scrapping Bug

This month I had several papers and a lemon stamp from Imaginisce's "Berrylicious" line. I also had additional paper from Pebbles, buttons from Creative Imaginations and an arrow-shaped coaster album in frosted acrylic from Maya Road.

Here is what I came up with:

Something a little different- "How to Make Lemonade" - a step-by -step guide!

Embossing Powder- American Crafts

Letter stickers - Jillibean Soup

Here are some pictures from our recent visit to an apiary near my mother's hometown. Perfect pics for "Honeycomb" paper!!

"Dig It!"

Stamp - We R Memory Keepers

Heart Punches - Fiskars

Growing up, every single year, my mom turned the bounty of the harvest from our garden into delicious bottled food we could enjoy all year.

I don't do nearly as much preserving as she did, but I certainly make as much jam and jelly as she used to!!

"Just Like Mom"

Letter Stickers - Cosmo Cricket and Basic Grey

Stamps - We R Memory Keepers

Thanks for paying me a visit!!

In My Basement....

In my basement I found a pile of these:

I had bought this fabric and started making a pink and white quilt way back when I found out we were having a daughter - 6years ago!!

So- I sewed them into these:

Measured and modified them into this:

Added a top and bottom edge and backed it in pink flannel........

So that I could finally do THIS:

(I think she appreciates it more NOW than she would have as an infant!!)

Sketchy Thursdays and "Sun Fun"

I worked with the "Sketchy Thursdays" sketch again this week. I had this adorable picture of Bryn and Afton at the splashpad and I knew I had to use it.

For this project, I used Cosmo Cricket's "Salt Air" line. I also had the inaugural use of my "Sew Easy" tool from We R Memory Keepers. I think this stitch is meat to be flower leaves, but I placed it on this layout because it reminded me of seaweed!
Instead of including a smaller picture like the sketch suggested, I added a large flower embellishment made form layered stickers and some "splashing" leaves.

Thanks for visiting!!

One About a BOY & One About a GIRL

Here's the one about a BOY:

Isn't he darling?

We try to avoid naps these days-if he gets one in the afternoon he's up until 10PM or after!!

But if the house is quiet and we aren't outside under the sprinkler or playing with the neighbourhood friends, there is a chance he may just slip off to dreamland while lying on the couch.

And MAN!- it is so darn cute!

And the one about a GIRL:

A whole page about my lovely little Afton. Pink and flowery and sparkly, just like her!

I ADORE my boys, but it is wonderful to have a little lady with whom I can share all of my favourites.
She loves to draw, craft, organize, shop for clothes, look for treasures at yard sales and bake.

She is just like me.

I guess it is true what they say - "An apple doesn't fall far from the tree!"

Sketchy Thursdays & "Fresh and Fun"

This is this week's sketch from "Sketchy Thursdays":

I used it quite literally to create my layout about Camden, Afton and I enjoying some yummy watermelon.

The product is all Imaginisce's "Berrylicious" line.

For the banners in the sketch, I cut images of seed packs from one of the patterned papers and glued them along a stitched line.
I love how bright and colourful this layout turned out. It's like summer on a page!!
Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment if you can!!

Finished!!

Even though our family is finished, many of my friends are still having babies! It's wonderful for me because I can still make cute baby things, but I don't have to be up all night caring for a infant!

When a few of friends announced they were pregnant back in the late winter of 2010, I got started on several baby afghans- a few blue ones and a few pink.

Here is the beginnings of a pink and purple one:

Fast forward to summer 2011. None of those afghans are done. All the babies are born, named and are coming up to their first birthdays. Yikes! (Don't worry - even though the babies didn't get their blankets at birth, they all received something handmade from me- only smaller!)

But now - I am pleased to say, that one of those baby blankets is complete! I buckled down this month and finished the remaining granny squares. I stitched them together and I put a lovely picot edge around it.

It was close to midnight one day last week when I sewed the last end in. What a moment!

The next morning I made my morning cuppa tea and opened Facebook like I often do after breakfast. And there was a sign.....

Little Avery Lockett was turning 1 that day!!

She was one of the babies for which these blankets were supposed to be made!

I called Kari, her mother, right away and said, "I'm coming over. I have something for Avery!"

Kari took these pictures of Avery that day. What a pretty blankie for such a pretty girl!

Happy Birthday Avery!