Apron Strings Day 18 - 21

Okay, this is it for the Apron Strings Out With the Old, In With the New Challenges! Four last layouts.

I've had a ton of fun rediscovering and using my older papers and embellishments. A HUGE thank you to Lori for the kick in the butt to scrap and scrap and clean out my stuff. I found that since I've been actively working with my supplies I have really learned which products I like to work with, which styles I like to do and, more importantly, which I don't! As I've been "forced" to use some older product I've made the decision to get rid of it if I'm not completely loving it. Paige's kindergarten class is going to be getting a large box of stuff in September that I have decided I no longer want to play with!

So without further ado ... Day 18. The challenge was to select your oldest non-Christmas kit and pair it with your most recent Christmas-time photos. She gave us a sketch too.

I made it into a one-pager again.

Journalling reads: "They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, these pictures are priceless to me so I guess that means there aren't enough words to express how they make me feel!! After years of avoiding mall Santas because of Paige's fears - this year we finally did it. Thank you Paige. I am so, SO proud of you!!"

Oh, and don't you just love my Christmas ornaments? Some circles cut on my Cuttlebug with some glitter added plus hand stitched strings and a Martha Stewart bow sticker. Easy peasy!

Supplies used: Cardstock - Bazzill; Patterned Paper - American Crafts, Craft Fair - Myrtle O'Seam and Marge Memmingway and from a la Mode - Crepe; Bows - MS Grosgrain Bow Stickers; Alphas - Sassafras Chocolate Glitter Alphas; Border punch - EK Success.

Day 19's challenge was to try a Classic-style layout, paired with an older kit of your choice. What is Classic? Well it doesn't mean boring, it means timeless - clean lines, traditional-styled patterns with an updated feel. Look for clean lines, crisp designs and a more muted palette.

There was no sketch for today but I used one from Day 5 as my basis for the above sketch. I figure my usual style of choice is classic so I didn't do anything special here. The papers are basically the same ones from the previous layout. I had them all out on my desk and I loved them so much I wanted to keep using them. So I did.

My layout, my rules!!

Some close ups - first the left hand page. 

And the right hand page. 

The titlework. 

And some of the embellishments. 

Products used: Cardstock - Bazzill; Patterned Papers - American Craft from Craft fair, Nancy Knitley, Mona Trimenez, Alice Stitchensen, Faye Needleworth and Myrtle O'Seam and from a la Mode, Sorbet; Alphas - AC Thickers Sprinkles Glitter letter stickers in white and Thickers Roller Rink Glitter letter stickers; Punch - MS Bubble Bath; Ribbon - MS piped nylon 3/16" Camelia Pink.

Day 20's challenge was to use a Christmas/Winter themed kit with non-Christmas/Winter photos. Add in some of your newest soft embellishments (ribbon, felt, etc.)

The sketch she provided was this one - which I again adapted to make a one-pager.

I swear to you these are Christmas Themed papers! They are from the Dear Lizzy line that came out last year. My newest, soft embellishments are the ribbons and the fabric flowers which, I'll be honest, aren't all that new but since my absolute newest ones were all cupcakes ... these will have to do! Again, my layout, my rules!! LOL! Oh, the alphas are the foam ones which are both really new and very soft. So there!

Products used: Cardstock - extra refill sheets cut down to size; Patterned Papers - AC Dear Lizzy Christmas collection; Alphas - mini ones are from Echo Park Wintertime Alpha sticker sheet, title alphas are AC Thickers Sprinkles glitter letter stickers in white and Thickers Delight Foam letter stickers; Ribbons - Craft Essentials in Cranberry and My Minds Eye Lush Blue ribbons; Brads - MME Lush Decorative brads in blue; Flowers - AC Greenhouse fabric flowers; Butterfly shapes - cut out on my Cuttlebug with Spellbinders Nested Butterfly dies; punch - EK Success Large Edger Scallop Daisy; bling - from a friend.

Day 21's challenge (the last one - boo hoo!) was to use an older kit containing paper with trees of some kind, pair up the older kit (or papers if you don't have a kit) with newer round embellishments and newer tags. The sketch she gave was this one.

Which I flipped around and turned into this.

The left hand side. 

The right hand side. 

And some close ups of the details. 

Lori said she wanted trees! 

My older papers with trees are Bella Blvd and my newer round embellies are the bling which are new-to-me from my friend Sandra.

Products used: Cardstock - from stash; Patterned papers - all from Bella Blvd's Sunny Happy Skies collection; Alphas - AC Thickers Patchwork Fabric letter stickers; Flowers - cut on my cuttlebug with Spellbinders Big Scalloped Circles; punch - EK Success Open Scallop, sticker embellies also Bella Blvd.

Okay, that's it, that's all! My family is chomping at the bit to get going to a bbq so I'd better post this and log off. To all my fellow Canadians, have a wonderful BC Day long weekend!