A Baby Album using 28 Days of Sketches

I can finally reveal what I have been working on for the past week or so.

It's a Baby Scrapbook for Paige's preschool teacher, Kari. She's due in September and she's expecting a boy. Working with blue was a new experience for me to say the least! With 3 girls I am very much in a pink world!!

Here are the pages of the album.

For this one I used the sketch from Day 15.

Because I wanted to have 4x6 photo mats I had no room for the journalling so I added this little hand made shipping tag behind one of the mats. The pink sticky notes have suggestions for Kari as to how to use the album.

I've used these banner tags on other pages but left them blank. Here though I had a specific vision for the page so decided to go ahead and write little captions on each. The top left one if for an ultrasound picture (or more if they're small), the one below it is for a picture of the nursery and the one with the pink sticky on it says " That's you in there!". Kari insists she's not going to be taking any pictures of her baby belly but I hope she changes her mind!

This is based on the sketch from Day 4. It had several smaller pictures on the left hand side but I changed it to be 2 4x6 ones instead. I added some plain white cardstock along the bottom for journalling the birth story and then used letter stickers to highlight the birth weight and times etc.

For this page I used the sketch from Day 19, changed it to suit larger photos and then made a quasi mirror image so that it was a 2-pager. I know it looks vastly different from the original but really, I started with sketch 19!

This page and the next 11 pages are all based on the sketch from Day 5. I did these mass production style so that they'd all have a coherent look and feel as well as a time saving strategy. Once the bases were done I went back and added the embellishments, titles and journalling blocks in 2 month sections. That way, if the album stays the way it is, the two months will relate to each other. But if the months get moved around (if other pages get added in between months) it will still work.

Here are months 2 - 12: 

 

The last page I did (so far) is about his 1st birthday party. Hopefully Kari will remember to include one of those classic face covered in cake shots!! 

Ths is based on the sketch from Day 11 but I moved the title and journalling to the top.

In place of one of the pictures I added this cute little pocket I found at Michael's (see below). 

The journalling blocks have some prompts written into them. Things like the date and location of the party, who came, and what his favourite present was.  

Well, that's all I have so far. I am planning to add a few more pages for special holidays like 1st halloween, 1st Christmas, 1st Easter ... you get the idea. But time contraints being what they were this was as complete as I could get it in time for her shower last night.

Yeah, I know, it's blurry. Doh!

Congratulations Kari and Tyson!

Supplies used in this album: (I'm sorry but I forgot to note the album itself. I got it at Michael's and it's a 3-ring binder style. Maybe Recollections?) Patterned paper all came from a DCWV pad - the Green Tea Stack. Cardstock was a combination of what was in my stash and some from an ATD 12x12 cardstock pad in pastels. Alphas (I used a whole bunch of different types): Basic Grey, Making Memories - Toil and Trouble corrugated brown and Sticker Shimmer Alphas in Diva Dark Blue,  Recollections, Frances Meyer, Thickers - yellow vinyl, white glitter, bronze glitter (Dear Lizzy), and Scenic Route chipboard alphas in brown. Embellishments: Martha Stewart Ribbon Style tags, mostly Basic Grey buttons, MS Findings in Turquoise, various Celebrate It ribbons, MS Blue Felt Boy Borders, Recollections baby boy stickers, Me & My Big Ideas stickers - Kay Baby Boy and FD Brand New Baby, Little Yellow Bicycle 10 things Pocket - Baby boy, MS Leaf Flourish labels and Calling Card labels, MS Grosgrain bow stickers, and Staples tags in white. Punches: MS Punch all over the page Classic Butterfly, MS Butterfly stamp and punch, EKSuccess Open Scallop edge punch, MS Bubble Bath punch around the page punch. Last but not least, the month numbers and the stars and balloons (on Month 12) were cut out on my Cricut using the George Basics cartridge.

Well, thanks again for checking out my little blog.

Now that I've spent all afternoon on this, I'd better get some housework done!

See ya!

5 on ... er ... Saturday

First off, sorry this is not only NOT posted on Friday but also, posted really late on Saturday! I had grand intentions of getting this up this morning since we had a "nothing" day (very rare and appreciated all the more because of it!) but ... I was scrapping and forgot. And I can't even show you what I was working on either! Soon, I promise!
So, let's get started.

1. 28 days of sketches

Remember my cryptic reference to yet another class/challenge I'd signed up for in May that I'd been neglecting? Well, I finally used one of the 28 beautiful sketches from Lisa Day (no relation - LOL!) Here's my layout which continues the theme of Paige's 5th birthday and the pink and kraft colour scheme from an earlier layout (see it here.) It's based on the sketch from Day 12 - I can't show you because it's in PDF and I'm not sure I can how to do that. :)

I don't normally use a lot of black in my layouts but I really like how it frames the pictures here. I think I may start using it more!

Supplies used: Sketch is Day 12 of 28 Days of Sketches; cardstock is from Michael's; patterned paper is SEI Chocolat Cherie; tab is SEI Winnies Walls tabs & frames; vellum quote is from the American Traditional Designs Celebrate It bundle; brads are My Minds Eye, Lush rhinestone brads - blue set; and last but not least, the #5 is cut with my Cricut on Basic Gray paper (can't remember which line) using George Basics cartridge.

2. Delta Gymnastics Grand Opening

Marley, Paige and LC have been taking classes through the Delta Gymanstics Society forever (it seems). They have just recently moved into their new facilty beside the Ladner Leisure Centre and we attended the Opening Ceremonies last Saturday. Let me say a couple things about both the new facility and the ceremonies before I show you the pictures.
First, the new facility ... how many ways can I say that it is AWESOME!!! It's easily twice the size with double the amount of equipment. Ceilings are higher, changing rooms are WAY bigger and the waiting areas (yes, areas) are spacious enough for all the kids, strollers and parents that mill about. Plus (and it's a huge one) it's within walking distance from our house!!!
Okay, now the Opening Ceremonies ... what a gong show! Let me clarify. I was under the impression (from various conversations and advertisements) that it would be a quick 30 minute speachifying/ribbon cutting thing then there would be cake. Mmmm ... cake! What really happened was an hour of speaches from every known dignitary in Delta plus another 30 minutes of gymnastics demonstrations THEN the cake. The girls were climbing the walls! Heck, I was climbing the walls!! If I'd known how many speakers they was going to be I'd have shown up late!
But enough whining ... some pictures ...

Marley and Paige got to cut the ribbon too.

The cake.

Some of the Delta Gymnastics Big Wigs with our Mayor, Lois Jackson (in the middle in white.)

For more pictures go here.

3. Ladner May Days

Okay, so I'm doing the Time Warp here a little bit ... please bear with me! Last Friday was the opening day of Ladner May Days which meant Loonie Night at the Midway! Marley was all over the rides but we ran into the usual reluctance with Paige and LC. Unfortunately for Paige, she is now too big for the rides she likes (read: isn't scared to death of!) and too scared of the rides she IS big enough for. I'm sure you can see how the night went!!
Okay, pictures ..

Marley on the dragon roller coaster that freaked out both Paige and LC. Hmmm ... Disneyland may have to wait!

Paige on the Dino train.

LC was convinced to get on once I said I'd go with her (that's my elbow!)

After a harrowing first attempt at the rides, we stopped for a sugar break. The girls had brought their own money to waste!

LC was pretty tentative about the cotton candy - maybe she's onto something the rest of us should get on board with too! Super heated sugar that's spun at super speeds until it resembles clouds in fun colours like pink and blue. Hmmm ...

Marley chose a shaved ice which she promptly decorated with some of Paige's cotton candy.

Paige enjoying her purchase.

Shortly after this picture was taken she suffered severe buyers remorse and wanted a shaved ice like Marley's. Tough lessons!

After the snack break we still had a pile of tickets left so Greg and Marley got busy! Here they are on the mini Hellevator. They liked it so much they did it twice!

Then Paige showed interest in the bumper cars. I think she just wanted to crash into Marley with impunity!!

And finally, the sizzler! Greg tried REALLY hard to convince Paige to go on too but ... no dice!

With the last 2 tickets Paige and Marley rode the Dino train again. LC felt quite slighted!! Poor kid.

Sunday was the day of the May Days Parade so of course we went (in between swimming lessons and a birthday party!)

Ready with bags in hand for all the candy they are hoping to collect!

Hmmm ... what's wrong with LC?

Oh! It's the Delta Police Pipe Band!

I don't think that 50% Scottish heritage has kicked in yet!

This is where Li'l Rascal's Preschool has been for the past, like, 50 years.

Sigh.

We just didn't have the heart to participate this year. What's the point?

And now for something completely different ... 

... apparantly we are taking our hockey very seriously this year! In case it's not clear, that's an Orca eating a Bear! Go Canucks!!

And this little beauty. Not sure what he was selling but it was a good laugh!

Go Canucks!

4. Ballet

Thursday was Marley's ballet recital day ...

I'm going to chalk up the attitude I got when I tried to take her picture to pre-show jitters.

5. Hip hop

And then, because Friday wasn't busy enough, we went to see Marley's school show off their new Hip Hop skills. They'd been taking lessons all week and Marley had been giving us sneak peaks so I was pretty interested to see what her class had been working on.

That's Marley in the pink baseball hat and pig tails.

And the whole group showing off their attitude!

They were all very good!

6. Ballet ... oops, that makes 6!

Friday night was Paige's turn for the real deal. I was the Mommy Helper backstage so the other two girls got to spend the night with Greg at his Union dinner and complimentary hotel room. It was nice to have some one-on-one time with Paige!
She did awesome!! I was concerned about her nerves - as I've mentioned ad naseum, she is our anxious child - but I was blown away by her behaviour. She was the life of the party backstage!. Sharing the snacks we'd brought. Showing her friends her V-Reader. Literally vibrating with anticipation!

She was much more compliant!

All lined up for a final practice.

Last minute instructions from their teacher, Miss Katie.

Aren't they sweet?!

Tomorrow is the final show. Both Marley and Paige are dancing and Greg and I will be watching along with Grandma and Grandpa Day. Greg's hoping to escape at Intermission but I am looking foreward to seeing the whole show! Not sure what LC's going to be doing .... if she's allowed to sit on Greg's lap then that's where she'll be for the first half but ... well, we'll see.

On that note, I will say good night. Thanks for coming back to check out my little blog.

Go Canucks Go!!

Just had to show our Canucks Pride in light of the late 3rd period win tonight.

The girls wanted their nails painted so we bought some blue and green (really, it's green) nail polish and after school today had a little "salon time".

Then Marley threw on her jersey to watch the game in. 

Who's number 1? Canucks!!!

Or, as LC says, "Go 'Nucks!" 

One down, three to go!!

Go Vancouver!