The 4th Scrapbook Challenge with my pal Brooke

 

It was a fun challenge, again. I find all challenges fun, more or less LOL.

Buttons, tags, stamps, ribbon and doilie and the sketch below.

She totally nailed it.

I think this one is a favorite.  

Love the photo of her son and hubby. 

My "doilie" was a cool thing I had from pink paislee.

Brooke sent Today at 9:29 AM

I love Thickers. The loves part of my title are foam thickers.

Brooke sent Today at 9:29 AM

My tag is the arrow patterned paper....cut it up and used it to layer

 

 

 

 My challenge from Brooke gave me a 2 spread - which I only did one

and thought what the heck - lets do a 2 page.

See that photo with my big mouth open - only a long lost

cousin I haven't seen in 40 years took it.

Love that nothing changed since we were kidlets.

 My challenge from Brooke was the sketch below and 

patterned paper only, 6 buttons, 6 eyelets, ACK!!! 3 stamps different mediums

WHICH IS TOTALLY OVERLOOKED THAT - SO FAIL!

and handmade flowers.

Also FAIL on eyelets - I had NOT A ONE - so I used whatever

brads I had remaining - which wasn't many.

I think I had 7 and they were all different - so I used them anyway

and they totally worked.

I was so worried about brad and eyelets forgot about stamps.

Sigh.

 

You will also see this page in my new 6x8 album that you can

read about here !! It turned out so pretty I think.

Can't go wrong with oxides and stamps.

 

TN - Completed already!

Shocked me too.

For some reason - I thought LAYERS as oppossed to DIMENSION

would make a difference.

 LOL!

And it did in the fun, but not so much how fat 

the book became.

But I love how it turned out.

I found these pages in the book really, really fun to do.

 Mostly because I let myself not worry about

design, embellishments (whether they matched or not)

or if it was cohesive.

 It was a blast and I'm gonna do it again

as soon as I create my next journal.

 I do love the rings - because it appears I canNOT resist

dimension or layers. LOL.

I really would love the use the premade books

but alas, I can't contain myself to keeping it flat.

 Using up so much stash has been fun as well.

Some of these cards I had literally from forever.

I'm okay with using old stuff.

 Because in a 100 years from now no-one will know its

not the latest and greatest.

 This is a mix of a lot of different mfg's.

The mix works well I'm thinking.

 Those envelops - I am totally gonna miss them when they're gone.

 The paper for this is from a 6x6 basic grey pad.

Tea garden.

So this is how fat that bad boy is and would believe

there are only 5 WHITE PAGES in the book?

LOL.

It's all the other layers of patterned paper that make it pudgy.

I'm okay with that.

However, I'm gonna have a lot of books LOL.

Sigh.

To keep things interesting - I started a day planner

Because, Why not?

I have come to the conclusion that I'm not a good diary/note keeper.

Shocking to me, because that was part of my job 

once upon a time.

WELL no longer, evidently.

So...........

I'm using a Traveler's notebook that well....working on that too.

Because neither one is so not a 12x12, 8.5x11 ETC 

scrapbook page and the documentation and creative process

is sooooo different.

AND who doesn't love a challenge.

So with the brilliant deduction to start one brought on by

second guessing and because at one time, due to my job I was day planner,

calendar driven person for over 15 years ago (when

they first came out in the business world

-they had a different name that escapes me now)

but my entire life was driven and I SWORE (so much for that)

that my life would never be calendar/day planner 

driven EVER.

HOWEVER, it's not so much DRIVEN now as remembering

what happened at any given time on our Odyssey.

It's more like a diary.

An abbreviated diary, with hopeful comments that lend

to a more involved commentary.

Which may or may not be working.

I was so excited to find this day planner mostly because

I liked all the cool shaker thing going on - on the cover page.

 So after the purchase I found that I needed a day planner from March 2019

and this one started at July 2019 to July 2020.

I saw 2019-2020 and was sooooo excited UNTIL...

 I needed March.

LOL.

 So I improvised, ad libbed because being on the road and only

finding M's, HL, or ACM on the road and actually STOPPING was 

like just like not going to happen until we light and land somewhere.

 We were on the move or camping at a location

that was nowhere close to any of the above.

So imagine my chagrin when I found out I screwed up.

The internet is a wonderful thing.

I found blank calendar pages and printed them out.

and logged our journey based on the 3-4 summary

thing I had going on.

I'm telling you it's not for the faint of heart. LOL.

 I have to admit this planner has a LOT of pages.

They have the 30 day calendar.

THEN they have pages by the week.

THEN they have a comments sections.

THEN they have a summary page at the end.

What could possibly go wrong.

OVERTHINKING.

So these are my first lame attempts and any helpful/creative

hints will be so welcome.

However, I have progressed to August that even

blows me away at the pages.

I'm gonna wait until August is running into September

before I attempt to blow your mind

with my attempt at creativity.

Remember I came from a business world day planner so

this is total frivolity. 

LOL.

Connor and Me - Good Times

I wanted to make another page to add more

journaling - and this is my "mixed media" album.

Not much mixed media going on but I wanted the space.

I have been switching about albums to do different things.

Different things can probably been done in the TN

but its size can been restrictive.

If one lets it.

However, I have found that I've been way overthinking

AND have not given up my traditional scrapbooking way.

So.....I have retired the TN I have been using

because it's SOOOO fat because I can't

seem to let go of pop dots. LOL.

I looovveee dimension.

And I'm whining about all that again.

I will be creating a new TN because I do love having the rings.

Because I do love dimension.

Used my favorite Studio Calico bags and tucked a tag in there

for the journaling I intend to do.

Using Pink Paislee and Studio Calico 6x6 paper pad

for more layers and colors.

I had to handcut those blue flowers. 

What can I say LOL.

Traveler's Notebook - together

Finally got some internet.

It's intermittent.

I'm getting used to it.

Love that we get to travel and to visit our grands

that live in other states.

Met up with Connor in New York and

we had a wonderful time.

 We hung out in Fillmore Glen State Park.

A lovely park - but we need to take it off the list

as our rig is too big to hang there

but they let us in and gave us a spot.

 There is a lovely falls to hike and you can splash about in the river

the falls create.

Put it on your list.

It was great to catch up as Connor is growing up so fast.

He also make this lego heart and a picnic

area type thing with a lego man.

It sits on my desk and I think of Connor every time I see it.

Which is a lot.

We had a wonderful time together.

Pink Fresh, Pink Paislee, Tim Holtz

Traveler's Notebook - Met up with our pals

We had a great time in the town of Winthrop.

Very quaint and really cool to walk.

Paul & Sharon are our pals - that we've known for years

and we picked their brains prior to going fulltime

in the RV and it's fun was we all criss-cross

the USA to meet up.

 Of course when we meet up, ice cream is involved.

We're having a great time hanging out and exploring together.

Pink Paislee, Studio Calico

Traveler's Notebook - A lot of pink going on

Hmmmm....No title.

Doesn't really need one actually, but seems

weird not to have one.

This is about me and BFF since 1972 meeting

up in her new hometown of Port Angeles.

A very cool port/town and we enjoyed hanging out together.

 Of course, the time is never enough but we packed a lot in.

Hanging out and catching up.

Hanging out and exploring.

Pink Paislee is the highlight here - love them and

that deer is a fussy cut stamp from my

pal Holli. She does keep me supplied with the cutest stuff.

Anyway, I had a lot to say, so a tucked tag

was needed and I actually filled both sides.

Love the glassine bag - it's perfect for the tuck.

Still having a printer with a mind of it's own - with a b&w

photo which is great actually - makes us look

really young. LOL!

Traveler's Notebook - Enjoy the journey

I figured I was WAY overthinking this and I know you're

surprised. So my last few I've changed things up

and I even enjoy the process more. 

Who knew.

I did keep the Nat'l Park map - it really fits nicely in the

notebook - AND I shall continue to use a ringed notebook.

My printer is still doing goofy things and for some

reason printed out 2 b&w photos.

In a mindset, not to be wasteful, I decided to use them anyway

and b&w can be cool.

We've been to Olympic - Hurricane Ridge a few years ago

and I have a ton of photos of the ridge and of 

course, have already been scrapped so I rolled with this deer.

It was by the side of the road, and I hopped out of the car

to get a good shot, when the deer started strolling

towards me. So of course, I kept on snapping, but was mindful

of the deer getting ever closer. I finally had to hop in the car and

I could reach out touch (which I didn't) as she strolled on by.

Very cool experience.

Studio Calico, Pink Paislee

Mixed Media - Rock on

Used some water colors in the background, and now I'm

wondering why I didn't use them on the journaling tag page.

Doh! 😑

Anyway I painted some rocks.

I did turn them lose on unsuspecting people at 

a campground in Oregon.

It appears I really, really, really need to keep it simple.

I am not a good draw-er.

And it shows.

The grinch is okay and the smiley face (can't mess that up) and

the pink one with the eyelashes isn't bad either,

I have no clue the black with goofy face - your guess and

the other is a mountain, with sky and a sun

I can't decide if they're clouds or snow LOL. 

Sigh.

This was the first round and I think I may try a second round

and look to pinterest for some inspiration.

Those are dylusions paints and a matte finish gel to seal.

The rest of the embellies are Pink Paislee.

Not quite a Christmas present

But close enough, and I am thrilled.

Love this car.

It has heated seats.

 Staying with the jeep fam this is the Patriot

hence the 4th of July paper!!

 And isn't this paper perfect...

Doing nothing tricky as the mojo has been iffy

but layers and die cuts and a bit of fussy cutting going on.

 The car was a total surprise and its perfect 

since the weather has dropped here to 48*. 

Quite nippy.

Pink Paislee paper that I've had forever.

Wordy background paper

I really loved this paper and it really rocks the photo I chose

 but its wordy.

So in looking at the photo which is adorable by the way,

I went through and squared (instead of circling LOL) phrases

that I loved and work with the photo 

down the left side of the page.

Because of the circled phrases to the left I put my cluster to the right.

 I wanted to use that "oh boy" because it just fit-especially the colors.

 I scattered some stars about and really kept things simple.

So when I finally got passed the adorable faces and really

looked at the photo - Sam and Lou have

paint brushes in the hands - and look like they're on a mission 

which should put fear in any adults heart LOL.

Studio Calico again- using the August and September kits up.

Handmade tag, Basic Grey and Pink Paisley.

Studio Calico, Basic Grey, Pink Paislee.

Handwritten titles - go for it

I had a lack of mojo yesterday and was frustrated.

I forgot all about this page as I try to add them to my album immediately.

When I was adding another page to the album I found this one.

Geez. Talk about oldheimers. 

Love this photo of Connor and Christopher and wanted to make it special.

It was also Christopher's birthday on the 30th and wasn't I surprised.

Even after I had been warned by my calendar notifications for a few days in advance.

Sigh. 

Heavy Sigh.

Love the Studio Calico and bits and pieces of Basic Grey

and Pink Paislee AND Simple Stories.

I wanted the title to be simple so I handwrote their names and

called it a day.

I have a love/hate relationship with my handwriting.

When its not important - my writing rocks (say that 3 times fast)

and when I put it on a page - my writing stinks.

I decided to roll with it anyway.

Whenever I find handwriting from my ancestors, the first thing I do is swoon.

And then I felt so thrilled to have that connection.

Back in the snail mail day, I couldn't wait to get mail from family

and friends and I would always recognize their handwriting

without looking at the return address.

Always and it never failed to thrill.

NOT ONCE, NO NEVER have I ever said 

OMG...their handwriting stinks.

It never occurred to me. 

Because to me it was beautiful. 

So I decided to throw caution to the wind and hope somewhere

down the line, my kids will recognize my writing and be 

thrilled too. Not only that it totally worked on this page.

Therefore, in addition to handwriting your journaling as much as you can,

-----go for the title as well.

Printing and Using customized sized photos

I love to scrap in different sizes and most especially 8x8 that are for the grandkids - with the thought not to take up too much space and storage in their parents abode.

(Laughing here) because I tend to blow out the books.

Anyway, there are times when I will use a 4x6 photo on an 8x8 page because you can get 4 - 2x3's on one 4x6 pre-cut photo paper and use as a collage, it does save photo paper because no cropping is involved unless the pictures are not in the order you want to tell the story and you still are not whacking into and using up an 8x11 piece of photo paper (some printers are picky about odd size papers-so you end up cutting it down to 4x6 and wasting quite a bit.

The photos above are 3x4 - I felt that 3x5 would've been too big and 2x3 for only 2 photos would be too small. (There are times when those sizes are the one you have to work with so just go for it). But, when you can be in control, you can chose. It particulary helps if you take and use instagram or hipstomatic photos because you can print those in 3x3 and 4x4 sizes and not lose any photo detail.

I work with Aperture as my photo program but most all of them have some kind of custom button and in windows (of which is the ONLY thing I miss from windows) there are an array of print templates that can be used for cost effective printing and collages. I love and miss collages. I do have one of the Adobe photoshops, however, its a program that baffles me and makes me crazy. And if that's what you have, there is a great tutorial and templates (that you would have thought I'd have memorized by now) on Scrapbook Etc website that are free - all you have to do is sign up on their website.

An avacado bag adds texture

It's a new look - I have an onion bag that I use quite a bit and those are mostly square and wider apart, the avacado bag is small triangles that expand only I don't have enough hands to keep it that way.

Love the rustic way of it - using coffee bean paint and a stipling brush. I found I needed to use less paint and a couple dabs will do it.

I had to dig about for some jute I knew I had somewhere. And love how it moves across the page and the bow was added on top.

And burlap - doesn't it make you swoon? It does me. Had to dig for that too, and clipped off pieces that I added here and there for texture along with some washi tape.

Studio Calico has the cutest transparencies.

Love the texture and rustic of the alphas too. Little Yellow Bicycle and Tim Beck. Yum.

Aren't these two cuties. You just want to pinch those apple cheeks which was a title that blew through my head. However, after thinking about that one and a few more, I decided to go with the tried and true. Hopefully I can use the other titles I managed to think of somewhere else.

Writing the titles down will be key in remembering them.

Layers, Stitching & some Stamping OH My

I love how that title just rolls off the tongue. Well okay - it's pretty well known I'm easily amused. And I wish I could say I was amused in building this page. It was a drive-by that started before I left for Thanksgiving. And there it was taunting me when I returned. From the cold tundra. With a sinus infection.

WAH WAH WAH !!! LOL!!!

 So here's a sneaky peak at all the layering that went on and use of negative space.

Of course it wasn't until after I glued everything down, along with pop dots that I decided it needed some stitching. I creatively curled the remaining thread around the tag to hang at the bottom to throw you off in thinking that I meant to do that.

:)

It totally worked right???

Then I had to find a photo.

So in order to keep the ole triangle going I stitched the arrows at the top and through the title at the bottom, and that means I can't be changing my mind about the title, and I really don't want to. 

I was trying to use the brick wall as a grafitti thing and I'm sure its been done. However, I am not at all confident in my drawing ability and I couldn't make up my mind about stamps to use so being the decisive person I'm known to be, I decided to use the grafitti paper that was in the kit. I'll go out on a limb and figure that's why Studio Calico put them in the kit.

A total win-win.

And maybe you'll notice that there's something I normally always do on a page - that I've not done on this page. 

3 guesses :)

Everything is Studio Calico & from their kits;  except pink paislee, sissix dies, washi tape.