When you can't find that perfect paper on NSD

These photos came across the wire just in time for NSD

and became 3rd in the line of pages.

I did print smaller photos and a 5x3 and then I searched

my entire box of papers (which is quite small by other

scrappers standards) and while I found possibilities

(that I will keep in mind for mom's album) 

they just didn't float my boat.

So...

 I blew that baby up to 8.5x11 and shazam.

What a gorgeous pix and seriously her poise.

I don't have that poise yet.

Miss Amelia all dolled up for a dance.

Not using a lot of stuff so as not overwhelm, I love 

how this turned out. The photo blown up

is okay at this size for an iphone in low light

but it still doesn't take away from the overall 

look I wanted for this beauty.

Also, I put a smaller insert photo in there

that looks pretty cool.

My Mind's Eye, Michael's butterflies and a doily.

Celebrating a birthday

Love this confetti paper from my Studio Calico kit its perfect

for a celebration.

Added a doily to ground everything and I'm lovin'

using them more.

 The embellishments from My Mind's Eye 

work well too and that dog is adorable.

 And I finally got to use that card.

I find those hard to work in a page a times

and used some die cuts from my box.

It's nice having some premade.

Love how it turned out and I included

one of Jill's hashtags.

She totally rocks the hashtags.

A stamped title - I have a ton of stamps I

really need to use more.

Amelia turning 6.

Where did the time go.

Seriously.

I am battling sinus issues that I'm finding really

really annoying.

Totally messes with the mojo.

2x2 Black & White photo on a page

Love this paper - not sure what its called

I know its not hombre but the design has a name.

Help?

Anyway, I kept the embellishments relatively simple 

because of the stripes and colors.

 Love this packet of embellies from Jillybean Soup.

I think - they all came apart in the baggie I keep them in.

 Is that flamingo not adorable - or it could be My Mind's Eye.

Sigh. Hate when that happens.

So I love all the layers behind the photo and its an adorable photo.

Annie with hair gone wild.

So cute.

Splashed some mist about and called it a day.

Studio Calico paper.

Transparencies on a page

I actually built this page without a photo in mind.

I started with the 12x12 transparency overlay

that is soooo pretty, then 

backed it on a cream colored card stock  with my

tiny attacher and that cream color 

gave it a boldly soft look.

Then I began to build some layers for a photo mat

that in the back of my mind support a

4x6 photo or smaller.

 I didn't know when I'd ever use that adorable cat

from My Mind's Eye so there it is

actually adding a bit of whimsey to the page.

I mixed up the kraft flowers with some Spare Parts

flowers - and love how they layered together.

 Then I had this 4x6 transparency rolling around for awhile

and so glad I finally got to use it to cover

the photo which is a photo of photo from back in the day

so it helped cover some things.

Attaching it with a tiny staple.

Love that transparency and it totally rocks the b&w photo

of Nick and I from waaaay back.

The title is from QK Spicy Chicken and

I'm glad to get back in using my die cuts again.

Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye, Tim Holtz tiny words, 

QK spicy chicken, Spare parts.

Heritage-ish photo from wayback box

This find is a fun gem.

It happens to be my gram with two of her

sister-in-laws and, in that they were BFF's, and

moreover, sisters in a Golden Girls

type way that was totally fun to look back on

now that I'm older.

Anyway, I decided to do a Missy Whidden and pull

out some watercolors and whack up some papers using a white background.

I also got to use my new Spellbinder die for the clouds.

 The embellishments are My Mind's Eye and are perfect for this photo.

And I'm not real sure on the date - so going by

what I remember of their style and hair.

 I keyed the colors off of Aunt Toot's jacket (short sound on the OH's).

Just sayin'....

Love their sassy attitudes saying they're

all that which is what makes this photo fun because

they didn't show their sassiness too often.

Love how this turned out and it was so much fun

to get my head out of that mentality that heritage photos 

need to be well "heavy" and heritagy looking.

A couple of old Fogies

This is so adorable and lots of fun.

 So for 100 days at school, the school decided that

the kidlets should come to school

as old fogies - old people

or really really old people.

Like 100 years old.

 And aren't they a hoot.

Old school.

LOL.

And from what I understand, the grandkidlets

were total hams about it.

Look the way they are leaning on the canes.

LOL.

I only hope to look that good at 100.

Echo Park paper that reminded me of my gram's wallpaper

and of course and old telephone from My

Mind's Eye helps set the tone.

Love the mustache.

Love this pink washed paper

from Studio Calico - I saved it for last 

mostly because I wasn't sure what to do with it.

And it required nothing at all but to add these

 My Mind's Eye

and Fancy Pants die cut embellies.

 Got some layers going on at the top too.

 And then shazam - a photo from the wayback box

that's perfect - my brother's daughter Lisa with her Memaw.

(Her dress is pink).

Seriously love how this turned out.

This is in 1981 and she's all grown up with kidlets

of her own now. 

Sigh.

Those two front teeth

And why do both front teeth fall out at once?

It is adorable in the young especially knowing its temporary.

Soooo....

Because of the photo I decided to roll with whimsical

that I really don't do as often as I should

because for some reason in my little head I

felt that the embellishments had to support the story.

Why??

Because.

LOL.

 Since I had nothing to roll with missing front teeth

I found some embellishments I really didn't know what to do with.

And do they work perfectly with Amelia's cheeky grin.

I pieced together those leftover papers from Studio Calico kit

that came together nicely after whacking 12x12

down to 8x8 pages.

Dug around in My Mind's Eye package and

found these fun embellies.

8.5x11 size.

A scrapbook lift

by Eyoung over at Studio Calico.

I love doing lifts especially when the mojo is low

but most importantly to learn a new style or do 

something completely different than my style.

 Eyoung does a lot of the white background

but I really loved this paper and didn't want to cut it

down or totally cover it up.

She also does lots of layers and embellishments

creatively placed. 

I just loved the way it turned out with 

my twist on it. 

And the photo is holding its own.

Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye.

Another page with scraps

 Since I had more scraps and I really like the process

I through some on white this time.

I hand cut those little faux tags out and stuck the

little faux tags in the faux pocked.

 Got another cluster going on here and

used the doily to bring it all together.

 A simple cluster at the bottom highlights 

a gold 4.

The papers are a mix of studio calico, bella blvd

and maybe some basic grey tossed in.

The embellies are a mix of my mind's eye.

These are last year's photos of Annie going from 0-4

and they are perfect for this mix of papers.

I'm thinking I did another page like this for the parents.

So I get to keep this one.

or Vice Versa. LOL.

Watercolors, modeling paste & circle stencil

Hobbling along on boots and crutches is extremely annoying.

Therefore I didn't do a lot of moving to create this page.

I used scissors instead of my paper trimmer.

Modeling paste and the circle stencil as well as the watercolors

were at my finger times, AND

my waterfilled brush.

Of course the rest is really close at hand which is why no matter

how big my desk is I only have a 12x12 space to work in.

Kinda like a cacoon.

So the title - my gram used to say that.

And when I saw that photo - bam!

How could I not use it.

In fact, I need to be writing more of them down as they

are triggered. She was a hoot with them.

Hmmm I did get a bit carried away with the watercolors. 

Eh.

Scrapping an oversize photo

doesn't have to be scary. And using a 5x7 was an after thought on this page.

I decided to break out my MME 6x6 pad and circle scissors. Before I played with the circle scissors I used some gold paint and a background stamp just because I could.

Then I made some circles.

As I was playing around I also used the negative space of the circles from the 6x6 sheet which looked ok.

It looked okay until you tried to put a photo on top and then it had this dorky quality. Because of the way the papers were layered, a smaller photo made all those edges stand out. Which made me crazy.

Short trip.

So while I was digging about in the wayback box I found a 5x7 post card that when I threw it top of the paper - it worked. Like shazam worked.

Therefore a trip to my oversized pictures wayback box (say that 3x's fast) and found this gem.

My great grandparents. I think this is their 50th anniversary photo and if it is they look mighty fine for 67 and 69 years of age. Or the photographer was a photoshop genius back in the day. I did know grandmom and enjoyed her company but grandpop passed when I was 2. Therefore, if this is their 50th, he only lived 2 more years after.

Of course I was stumped for a title until my pal April - who can whip out a title in 2 seconds, said to keep it simple; Great grands. And it was totally the way to go.

MME, bazzil, TH die, primas, studio calico wood veneers, thickers, crafts art paint.

Adventure awaits!

Well like father and mother like daughter.

Adreneline junkies all.

I went with this photo and let the flowers

perculate a bit. See here.

I'm still pushing stuff around on the flower page but
I think I have something going on.

Maybe.

Anyway this one became kindof painful.

I really didn't like the way it was laying out.

However, it all worked out with

some Studio Calico-MME, vellum tags, wooden veneers -

I thought it clever to use a big male and itty bitty female (like 

father/daughter) - well it worked in my head lol!

Frame around photo - Dear Lizzy.

Some Simple Stories pp & title and Bella Blvd journal card.

Got a bit carried away with the ditto mist.

Thankfully I covered up most that looked like a crime scene. 

Love you to the stars and back

First off, how can you not love this photo.

Upon further inspection it looks like Ms Amelia 

is dressed for warmth.

Check out those sandaled feet.

Totally cracks me up.

I loved this paper the moment I saw in my SC kit.

And it was quite overwhelming.

The colors are perfect. I love that they aren't pastel

or fru-fru....Sort of fall but not quite.

I found some vellum way back in the stash and it was perfect.

How often does that happen.

I picked up a pack of Dear Lizzy labels & tags and

wouldn't you know they were perfect too.

The jillybean soup buttons finally got used.

Had them forever.

They are sewed with twine directly to the page.

The rest just worked amazingly well together.

Jumped right into my new kit--Labor day...

I KNOW. Another page with me and Tom in it.

I used some stuff from other kits as I couldn't bring myself to cut into virgin paper when I already had some cut up that matched.

Anyway, Labor Day this year was bittersweet as we lost Tom's sister and our reason for heading up this year was to say goodbye. Labor day had evolved into family get together time that we spent down at the shore, allowing for a time of relaxing and visiting. As you know, the shore was hit by Sandy so there are major renno's going on and there was no relaxing there.

Fortunately, we were able to hang out at Tom's sister's house in Red Bank and all the kidlets came and brought the littles with them. And littles have a way of making all things good again. It was good to tickle and cuddle. My new camera was passed about and played with - and that was a good thing, because my favorite SIL fixed the focus that was driving me nuts. AND they got pix of us. Total win-win.

Its good to be home, even with laundry and RV cleaning to do. Although we had a really great time. I'm dithering about what photos to print and do which is why I plunged in with the grands. Of course my dithering involves, do I do pages, albums, mini....what???? 

It was a start. And then another one - on scraps started. And hopefully more will flow.

Studio Calico- Sept KIT - on which I need to hurry and use as Oct is right around the corner.
AND DIDN'T THIS YEAR GO FAST. AND I have the Learn Something New from Shimelle waiting in the wings. I may wait and do it in November.

My Mind's Eye, Amy Tangerine thickers & rubons, American crafts labels and twine, Studio Calico paper and wooden embellies.

Celebrating the 4th

I found these two photos and printed them out at the same time.

One for me and one for them.

Both pages use a mix of Authentique and My Minds' Eye. The pinwheels were handcut from the papers on MME and glued on toothpicks.

Nothing tricky on either except I used all the BG stars from my Studio Calico Kit.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the photos. The first one -- 2 siblings and they are just showing the love and telling a secret.
So not posed or cheesy.

Secrets between the two of them. Would've loved to be a fly on the grass just to know what's going on in their little minds.  Or not.

The second one is mine all mine and are the 3 together 2 siblings and a cousing. I did a Shimelle as I was running out of paper and I happened to also like the B side. So I used the polka dot as the base and cut the ledger paper up and reversed to the B side for the middle. ooooooooo I did mix up white and beige but I really like the stickers. Couldn't help but throw on some twine and the rest of the stars. I wish I had more to journal on the page but alas I'm scrappin' from afar which is better than never scrapping at all.

Photobombed Twice

Yes it could even happen in the old days.

Photobombing. Who knew.

Its really terrific though because the 2 little boys showed their mischevious side and many years later generations that didn't know them will see a glimpse of their personalities.

Right behind my Aunt Toot is my Uncle Albert - her younger brother. And way in the back is Uncle Frankie her really younger brother, who passed away at very young age.

This turned out to be a very simple page. I love that. It really showcases the photo.

Prima papers that just came like that. All I added was some MME as a mat, washi tape, a stamp in the corner, Kaiser flowers, Little Yellow Bicycle, and Studio Calico tiny alphas.

Water bender

So my pal April came up with the title.

Love it.

It does look like she's channeling the water. 

Looking swimmingly. 

She's a waterbaby. Like her dad. Another adreneline junkie.

GREEEAAATTT.... lol.

So this is the challenge at SNC for potpourrie. Use a banner without it being a banner. You know banners not dangling from twine. Very fun and I believe I actually used up all the Studio Calico transparency. More Studio Calico papers, My Mind's Eye, Cosmo Cricket, Authentique, Sassafrass Lass.

I love the papers. They are so much fun and I got to use stash.

Completed 2 challenges over at SNC....

 I love 2-fers. Honestly I didn't plan it that way.

It all started out with the pattern paper challenge.

1 floral, 1 striped, 1 polka dot, 1 checked - I substituted

ledger paper for checked. And why not.

And as I laid it out with 6x6 papers - stitched

added some rubons over the washi tape and added the circle

with transparency and mats..

It did scream heritage.

Which led me to the afore photo. 

And then the journaling challenge.

 And how smooth did that work out.

You see I know who's in the photo - my grandparents.

I know nothing else.

Well except its spring or their clothes look springy.

This is in Pennsylvania- 

 And they are all decked out.

And not well off.

And they did get married in June.

(did you notice the pearls? pearls are the modern

stone for June). Clever eh?

Butterflies for spring....

And in putting all what I know together,

I'm assuming this could've been

their wedding day.

Since there is no one that can tell me. 

I can only assume. 

Sadly.

Get those stories while you can and document them.