Red, white and blue

It just kinda worked out that way, the watercolors

are a bit softer.

Lots of layers going on.

Do you find that there is always that one

"thing" you do when one completes numerous 

pages in a row.

Well it seems to be layers for me this round.

How about that adorable critter peeking out

and that wooden bike.

Hand that title laying about for a along time.

It works perfect here - Lou and his fantastic smile.

What a sweet face.

Studio Calico, die cuts and punches, Pink Fresh

Tranparency and layers

I've had this wild transparency for a long time

mostly because its wild and kinda vintage and couldn't

work it in until now.

The other thing throwing me off is the brightly

colored flowers scattered about.

However, I managed to get over it.

One of my favorite pictues with Tom - for some

reason we don't do a lot of pix together,

don't know why, but we need to get better at it.

The transparency is attached to some white cardstock

because it was the best match.

Lots of tags and layers behind the photo help keep

the eye on that.

Some hidden journaling tucked into an envelope

and those butterflies from Tim Holtz are perfect and have been

around a long time too.

Yay! for getting stash on the page.

The perfect background paper

Happens to be an older collection of Shimelle

and its perfect for a mermaid.

And it turned out perfectly to go

with the photos.

Yesss...another multi-photo page.

This page is a loose take on one I saw from Eyoung.

She does such clean pages.

That I didn't copy LOL.

 Layers upon layers and no specific title really

and not a lot of journaling.

 And sequins because every mermaid needs sequins.

 I even layered the journaling tags - which

I can tell you I played around with for awhile.

For some reason and I don't need a reason - it just wasn't flowing right.

 It's too adorable however, that gap in the

middle is testing me.

I feel there needs to be some sort of connection

but since I can't think of one I'm

going to stick it in the album real quick before

the madness takes hold.

This is mostly Shimelle, with some Studio Calico

thrown in.

Bustin' that stash.

Balance

Such a tame word that means so much.

Balance - staying on one's feet, working things

in your life where you can have it all.

Balance just doesn't apply to adults - children also

need balance, like routine it can be comforting.

So raise your hand if you sometimes have trouble coming

up with a blog title. 

Not only a blog title but a page title - however,

this one seemed to be a natural.

Fyi.....

That orange blob next to the clock is an 8 - turned sideways

and now it looks like a heart - love that - stash used.

 You may notice this b&w paper from here.

It started out as a regular page that turned into a disaster

and then got gessoed and whacked to 6x12 to save it

because I really liked it. This one had an added bonus

where I punched a heart out right at the bottom.

So I decided to emphasize it and backed it with a heart

stamped heart from this weeks DIY "tags".

And then I found I bigger heart punched out on paper

that totally went with the papers and tossed that it to emphasize

the boo-boo even more. And turned a pumpkin upside down.

And why not....

 I didn't realize how dark that photo was until now

it looks good IRL. So this is Miss Amelia

using a curb like a balance beam.

All Studio Calico, except for the washi and mists.

Don't you just love messy stitching

It totally makes a perfect frame for this 8x8 page

and I love how its not the ideal

stitching from home ec. because it seems I don't

hang around with ideal stitching anymore.

LOL.

I even left some danglers.

 I took the cut apart from Studio Calico page "big smile"

and cut it down further so

it works better on the photo as a title.

 I really loved that yellow, white and black paper

and wanted to use it one day on a page - as a 12x12 however,

it has cut aparts on the back and not looking twice I

whacked a cut apart right out of the middle.

Therefore a piece of it was the basis for this page

and I really love it with the orange

and the other layers.
I tucked a leftover transparency in there for the layers
and finally put to use those itty bitty word circles dabbing them around
the page with some word strips.
One line of journaling says it all - Amelia lost her first tooth.

More layers and stamping!

I have had trouble with blogger scheduled posting. My apologies if this seems to be a rerun. LOL.

Can it be soooo???

Oh yes - this was another page I competed

on Saturday - and the mojo just kept on rolling

even with interruptions.

Love that.

 Some different stash - that "photo" - creative cafe

how old is that - I did get wild and punch out some cork 

embellies and they are fun.

Another rolling stamp in the background.

Lots of mat layers.

Bonus - because we don't have dogs anymore - I did get to use

the word strips from a kit gone by about dogs.

Love it.

 Those fun little foam tabs are going down.

So fun.

Love the title and that too came from a previous kit

and love how it works as they are

standing on a mountain.

Oh and that bird stamp - I love it and use it

quite a bit - since I'm binging you'll see it again.

Stamping and layering frenzy

I made this page 8.5x11 because I wanted

some of the B side - which is that grey and yellow

mat peeking through.

I used the stamps that came with the kit which was

fun and also a rolling heart stamp in the background to give

it some umph...

 More black and white photo love - 

 Embellies and alphas from previous kits.

Using that stash baby!

I decided it needed a frame and it turned into

messy lines after the lines came out messy and then I just went with the flow.

I wanted a big title but not to be overwhelming which by

the looks of it I succeeded.

Transparency letters from another kit worked here

and I also used some of those square tabs leftover from

Sticky Mosciac kits the kids were doing.

Using one manufacturer with a couple exceptions

A few years ago I was on an Authentique kick.

Actually it was the only new product at the remaining LSS.

And then I got over Authentique.

However, I have lots of papers and stickers that need to be used

or given away.

I decided to use them.

 I follow a couple of people on videos and one of the tricks

to add dimension and use stash is to back

papers - and I used that "trick" here.

And it did add a cool layer and it does add a pretty dimension.

I also cut out a piece from the backing to use on the front as a mat

which adds another layer and is kind of economical.

 I also broke out the sticker page and started layering them in.

This line is "renew" and its about growing plants, rainy weather and kidlets, leaning toward 

the girly side. So I tucked and whacked the pieces that

were girly, rainy and plants where they couldn't be seen but did add

color and dimension. 

 I felt it needed something - so I broke out the watercolors mostly

because I didn't have mists in the colors I needed.

Watercolors are a good value that way and provide basically

the same artsy feel as mists.

Because I smoshed them around with the brush and also splattered

the colors about the same manner you would use mists.

 And wa-la, lots of layers and clusters going on.

The other non Authentique elements are - you guessed it.

Homemade enamel dots, washi and twine.

Love how it turned out with me and my boy.

That was sooooo long ago - 

it goes by so fast.

He's 23 now.

and the Second-to-Last Homemade Tag is on a page....

As of today - there is only one tag left.

I feel pretty good about getting all of these on pages.

 Very close to meeting that goal.

 Digging the layering with bits and pieces from Paper Issues Swag Bag

and Kaiser Crafts.

 Love the anchor die cut - I found that I have used it a lot.

I hand wrote the title resembling the old EK success word ones.

I love those - Tim Holtz has a similar word thing - be cracks wasn't 

one of the words lol!

This is such a great photo. 

Cavin cracks me up with his fun laughter

which I'm sure Mz Amelia had something to do with.

Bo Bunny, Paper Studio, Kaiser Craft, Paper Issues Swag Bag.

Handmade tag

And what to do with your handmade tag

once you make one.

Check out my tutorial at off the rails scrapbooking.
Which is on deck (time zones arrghhh).....
for tomorrow. 

Layers and Layers and Layers oh my...

Thanks!!!
Anyhoo have a great weekend......

And in a totally unrelated way ......

Layers and layers

I love layers. 

There are times you wouldn't know it though.

Probably because I become baffled by layers.

Because you have to cover stuff up in order to layer and I have trouble covering

stuff up. Especially if its really cool stuff.

My mind just doesn't get it.

So now I try to layer things that aren't that cute if there going

to be on the bottom layer and/or covered up.

Problem semi-solved.

What you won't see is that I used modeling paste for

some honeycombs and the photo entirely covered it up.

The watercolors made it through. Sort of.

Heavy sigh.

The majority is studio calico - March kit with some old stuff.

Kaiser kraft, recollections, simple stories and twine.

Little Miss Amelia with her rosy cheeks and red nose and of course,

the princess wave - even in the midst of a snow flurry.

And doesn't she have a ton of layers going on.