LOAD Day 28, a SMASH update and a GIVEAWAY

Hi everyone. Hope you're all enjoying your Sunday. We are experiencing a rare sunny Sunday today!! The girls are super thrilled to NOT have to play soccer in the rain ... finally!! While various girls and Greg have been out of the house, I've been working on today's LOAD layout. It's not my typical layout. It is in fact another page in my 365 Days to 40 SMASH book! Remember this?

I first posted about it here and here. In the post in the second link I mentioned a GIVEAWAY ... I got a whole 2 responses so I am extending it for ONE MORE WEEK! If you would like to be entered to win a supply from my stash which will include 39 pieces of patterned paper, 39 assorted stickers and 39 pieces of ribbon (plus whatever else my little heart desires to add!) please do the following by midnight Pacific on Sunday November 4th:

1 - Become a follower of my blog - if you already are just leave me a comment to tell me so.

2 - Read the two linked posts and tell me which layout from the first (the one at Practical Scrappers) is your favourite in the comments of this post.

If you are one of the two ladies who have already entered to win this giveaway, you may enter again if you like or just know that your entries are assured! Also, if you would be so kind as to email me your mailing address (alisonday at eastlink dot ca) I have a little thank you gift I'd like to send your way!! 

Okay, back to your regularly scheduled (Ha! that's a good one!!) programming ...

Today's LOAD prompt was to use a mask. Either on your layout with mists etc or to talk about the many masks we wear. I decided to pull back the mask so to speak. Yesterday I did a layout with lots of misting and doodling for which I used a mask (see it here) so didn't want to repeat myself today. Thinking of the masks we wear made me remember one of the lists I'd started for my 365 to 40 project. It's a list of 39 things I like about myself right now. Surprisingly hard to come up with 39! Really scraped the bottom of the barrel with some of them!! 

When I flipped the page over I saw that it was already printed with the giant FABULOUS so rather than cover that up I used it as part of my design. I am pretty fabulous after all!! :)

Here's my title. I even used a rub on. A RUB ON people!!! I usually run screaming in the opposite direction from rub ons but not today! I must be evolving!! (Gosh, I hope so! It's about time!!)

I added the doodling to the letters. Totally fun!

I was trying to get a close up of all the different textures on my page ... not sure it was successful. I have mists - both Glimmer mists and  Mister Huey's, Gel medium and paint on there plus the word strips were glued down with Modge Podge. 

Well, that's it. I really hope you like this as I am kind of a little bit in love with Art Journalling now! Sheesh! More things to add to my stash. Thankfully I now work at a place that sells all these supplies!! Don't forget to enter my giveaway. If you have done any art journalling of you own please leave me a link in the comments. I would LOVE to come and see your work!

Let's Get Sketchy Sketch Challenge #34

Today is reveal day over at Let's Get Sketchy - hope you've already checked out the amazing pages over there!! It's not my team's week to contribute a layout but I decided to play along anyway. Here's the sketch we were all working with.

And here's what I came up with.

I'm still madly making a layout every day in October for the ScrapHappy Only LOAD challenge and today's prompt was to use a "rear-view" picture. I had pulled out this picture earlier in LOAD but ultimately discarded it in favour of telling a different story (sorry, can't remember what that was now - it's been a long day with my 3 year throwing up and me feeling a bit dodgy too!) It was taken by a dear uncle of mine when he and my Aunt were visiting us way back in 2005. That's me and my eldest - then barely 1 year old! These pictures are all the more precious to me now as they include my dear Aunt who passed away a couple years ago. Gone but never forgotten! The rest of the photos from that day that my uncle sent to me are still sitting out on my craft table so hopefully I can do something with them soon!

Here are a few close up shots.

My title. The letters were a bit pale for my liking but a quick brush with some brown ink and they worked much better!

The journalling. The yellow word sticker is covering up a different word that didn't work for this layout. But I liked the colour and shape of the Basic Grey tab so found a workaround!

Embellishment cluster.

Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to pop over to Let's Get Sketchy to see what my fellow Design Team members have for you today. This is the last sketch for this month but you have until the 30th to submit this or any of the other sketches from the month. Remember you need to submit 3 out of the 4 sketches to be eligible for the fabulous prize from Apron Strings. Check it out!!

Good luck!!

Hallowe'en Mini Album for Practical Scrappers

I posted a lot of pictures of this Hallowe'en Mini over at Practical Scrappers - I hope you are following us over there! We've got our spook on lately - did you see Kerri's wreath from yesterday? ROCKING!!! Check it out here.

As I said in my other post, I got the original idea for this mini from a self-paced workshop called The Boo! Book over at Big Picture Classes. This was over 2 years ago and the instructions and materials have sat untouched in my stash since then! Yikes, eh? As a part of my One Little Word (there's another project that hasn't had it's proper attention!) I have been focusing on my Scrapbooking this year. I've done a pile of layouts that I am really proud of! So many memories and stories put down on paper which makes me so happy!! Well, now there are a few more memories in the can!!

Without further ado, here is my All Hallows Eve Memories mini.

The letter stickers are Jenny Bowlin (from 2 years ago!!), the washi tape is new (Teresa Collins) and the buttons are from my stash.

The metal frame was in my stash and I wasn't sure how I was going to use it. I really like the added vintage feel it gives to this album. The orange letter tiles are new Studio Calico.

Okay, now to the inside spreads. I used Jenni Bowlin large Bingo cards (also 2 years old) and backed them with patterned paper (old MME - Spider's Web).

2004 

"Marley's 1st Hallowe'en. Greg took her "trick or treating" to a few neighbours in the townhouse complex on 57th. Marley used an old black handbag as a loot bag. We ate her candy!"

Wasn't she just the cutest little lady bug you've ever seen? Hard to remember her that small!

2005 

"We made the Ladybug costume fit for another year, got a real loot bag, put up some decorations and generally got "into" Hallowe'en a but more. Marley may look nervous (on the left) but she quickly got the hang of things!"

2006 

I was attempting to give the impression of a full moon with the circle of card stock and all the gems. 

"We added Paige to the fun this year. She also made a cute ladybug! Marley decided to be a cowgirl with her pink (Mark's Work Wearhouse) cowboy hat! Marley was very into the treat getting this year. Paige not so much!"

2007 

More old Jenni Bowlin products - this time the black buttons. 

Below I took a piece of black card stock and ripped one edge before attaching the tag to it. The orange arrow is a Studio Calico sticky note that I doodled on.

"The Princess and the Ladybug - First year in our new house. We had over a hundred kids come by and Marley got her first "real" taste of what a trick-or-treating haul can be!"

2008 

I also got the mini Hallowe'en Bingo cards! I was keen!! The black tile letters are Jenni Bowlin mini chalkboard alphas - also 2 years old. Not sure why I'm telling all this but hey, I'm a sharer! Similar products are still available if you are keen to make something like this for your own family memories!

I took the girls to The Great Big Boo this year so these pictures were taken just before we went into the show. They were not taken on Hallowe'en night but are the cutest shots of my kids in their costumes from that year!

2009 

A Panda, a Fairy and Hannah Montana!

"This year Christine (a.k.a LC) joined the Trick or Treating fun. The Ladybug costume had been donated so LC got to be a Panda Bear. Griffin's birthday is Oct 28 so we had a pre-trick or treating party for him. Going out with the cousins made the experience super fun for all!"

2010 

Another pre-trick or treating birthday party for Griffin. Greg's sister and their cousin both lived in neighbourhoods that were not super family friendly so coming to our candy rich subdivision was a good deal for them. They've since moved to better neighbourhoods so we don't do these parties any more. Kind of miss them!

"This year we had a Chicken, a Princess and Hannah Montana came back again. So cute!"

2011

"The Good Fairy. Kitty Cat. Wicked Witch."

I didn't do any journalling but did include pictures from a new activity the girls got to do last year. Friends nearby had a fire pit going with marshmallows and sparklers. It made for a late night (and a school night to boot!) but the girls are already asking if we are going to do it again this year!

Well there you have it. My new Hallowe'en mini. I've got plenty more Bingo cards and papers etc so I can add to it over the next few years. I finished it off with some ribbon strands - not something I normally do but I quite like it on this!

Thanks for coming by today. Hope you are enjoying your weekend. I've got more scrapping plans for the rest of this weekend - hope I can get to them! 

Let's Get Sketchy Reveal Day

I totally forgot about last week's reveal (bad DT member!!) but since I am on tap for this week I figured I'd better not let that happen again!! I hope you've had a chance to check out all the wonderful examples over at Let's Get Sketchy today. If not, what are you waiting for? Click the link and then come on back to learn more about my layout!

Here's this week's sketch.

And here is what I came up with.

I flipped the sketch to suit my pictures and the colours were inspired by Apron Strings Croptober #8.

 I am participating in LOAD (as of writing this I am 13 for 13! Woot! Woot!) and the prompt for today (Saturday the 13th - yes, I'm a last minute kind of gal!) was to create embellishment clusters. Well, gee, that's something I know a fair bit about!! So for this layout I gave myself permission to go crazy!!

Here are some close ups of said craziness.

My title cluster.

The other cluster.

The doilies were sprayed with Mister Huey's Plum Thumb. There are some glitter diecuts from Crate Paper (been in my stash for WAY too long without being opened!), some chipboard buttons from Studio Calico and some Sassafras Blossoms as well as a few punched paper circles. 

My journalling. This is NOT what I originally thought I was going to write but somehow this is what came out of my pen! Go figure. Has that ever happened to you? Guess it was in my heart and needed to get onto paper!

The pictures are from Thanksgiving last Monday. Ina "forced" us to take a family pic and I'm ever so glad she did. We don't take nearly as many of these as we should!

Thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to hop over to the LGS blog to see all the other lovely layouts. Remember that you now have until the 30th to submit your layouts for any of the sketches. To be eligible for the monthly prize you do have to do 3 of the 4 sketched now but having all month to do them is awesome, right? This month the prize is from Apron Strings (that was NOT planned!!) and you can see it here. One other thing that's new at LGS - you now have the chance to be a Guest Designer!! Check out all the details on the blog. Hope to see you there!!

Leave some love if you liked what you saw. I always appreciate it!!

S.H.O LOAD1012 - Day Two Prompt

I was totally floored to be asked by my pals over at ScrapHappy to come up with a prompt for this year's S.H.O (ScrapHappy Only) October LOAD (LayOut A Day challenge). It took me awhile to figure out what my prompt/challenge was going to be but I eventually decided to do a Starting Point layout like the one's I'm such a fan of over on Shimelle's Lain's site. Her last Starting Point challenge was on my "scrappy to do" list but life got away from me and it never happened. Anyway, here's what I came up with.

The opening credits of this month's LOAD had a very Theatre-esque vibe to them so my added challenge to everyone was to use this Starting Point AND scrap some live event photos plus memorabilia. I've had the programme and tickets from Marley and Paige's first dance recital in my "to be scrapped" pile for a while so this was the perfect opportunity for me to finally get them onto paper!

This is what I wanted to include on my layout.

Originally I went in a very sweet pink, purple and yellow direction but it wasn't feeling right. Then I found the MME Lost and Found collection that I won ages ago and it all fell into place. Gotta love that!!

Here's the layout I submitted.

As I was writing up my post for the group I realized that I'd forgotten to do any journalling. What?! I'd love to say that I have the revised version of my layout for you right now but that is just not the case. I will add it to my formidable list of things to do today and post it to Flickr.

Thanks for stopping by today. If you are new to my blog I'd love for you to poke around and perhaps become a follower. I just celebrated my birthday and am having a giveaway - read all about it here. If you are a ScrapHappy member and you win, I may even throw a little something extra into the mix!! Family perks so to speak!!

It's Let's Get Sketchy Reveal Day!

We've got another awesome sketch for you guys over at the Let's Get Sketchy blog today. Here it is - Challenge #31.

Before I show you my layout I thought I'd share a little of my thought process with you.

When I saw this sketch I was taken by it's playfulness so I went hunting through my pictures for a fun photo to use. Back in the old days (LOL!) when we used (gasp) film I used to take it to a particular developer who offered one free enlargement per roll of film you brought in. So in my "pile o' pictures to be scrapped or otherwise dealt with" there was this one ....

I think it fits the "fun factor" bill, don't you! This was from my wild and crazy University days - some Fraternity party or other. I had to search to find me in the picture! I'm in the centre, looking down at "John Travolta", wearing gold lamé and sporting pigtails.  

Once I had my picture of choice it was pretty easy to pick out some fun, loud colours and prints for my papers and embellishments. I used some Mister Huey's mist on the background card stock (Piglet) but it sort of disappeared against the lime green so I got creative and got out my paints. As I was going for a fun vibe I used old packaging to give the paint a lot of texture.

Here's a close up of that texture.

My friend Roxy recently posted a layout where she had to MacGyver some letters together from what she had left in the pack. I pretty much did the same here. I was short an 's' and an 'e' from the glittery black letters so I took them from a set of glittery white ones and sprayed them with Mister Huey's Warm Calico. they are not a perfect match but it's close enough!! I anchored my picture and all the banners with two different washi tapes, some black ric-rac, a flower embellishment and a chip board tag.

I felt a disco party picture needed a whole lot of bling so I dug out this from my stash and attempted to put it on straight. For those of you who use these flourishy bling embellishments regularly, I'd LOVE some tips on how to apply them properly!!

Last but not least I added this little cluster to hold a bit more info about the party. I would normally put the date here but I have no idea when this party was (or where even!) so ... this will have to do!

Thanks for stopping by today. Hope you have a chance to check out all the lovely layouts over on the Let's Get Sketchy site! We have changed the rules for entering your layouts. Click here for all the details. The biggest change is that starting today the upload links will be left open all month. You will need to complete 3 out of the 4 monthly sketches to be eligible for the monthly prize but you have all month to do the sketches. 

Have a great week everyone!!