Thursday 27 February 2014

More Fall Layouts

I took so many pictures this afternoon I could make a mini album of them, but I was having fun. These pictures were over-exposed because my camera slid off it's setting, and I didn't realize until later. I thought they were ruined, but I kind of like the bright look of them. Happy accident?


 This paper is Crate Paper. I like the yellow and grey with these cornfield pictures. I added Basic Gray tags, Simple Stories Alphas, some washi tape, a MME rub-on, jewels and tags from Recollections and Leeza Gibbon's jewels. I also cut Be Grateful out with my Cricut and inked part of it with Ranger Distress ink and Tattered Angels glimmer mist.

These papers are American Crafts, with a few Simple Stories, American Crafts, Echo Park and Basic Gray stickers. I also added the Studio Calico chevron wood pieces.


You may notice that we had a lot of fun that afternoon, but I haven't found the perfect paper to compliment me trying to capture an escaped goat.... that memory might not end up in the scrapbook. We'll see.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Fall Layouts for a Wintry Day

I was scrapbooking some fun photos from a perfect fall day with friends so I thought I'd share them. I'd take any season over winter at the moment. 


I love these photos of Emma! They worked perfectly with this paper from My Mind's Eye. The old, worn wood is so great and the hit of blue in the paper and embellishments picks up on Emma's big baby blues. I paired the patterned paper with some coordinating MME chipboard and tags then added a few American Crafts stickers, a 7Gypsies chipboard word and covered a wooden banner with washi tape.

The next one is from the same day and mixes one of Crate Paper's older lines with Maggie Holmes beautiful DIY line.


I topped it off with American Crafts stickers, Simple Stories stickers, twine, and Basic Gray alphas. I like the looks of these two projects. Apparently, I'm in the mood for fall.

Friday 21 February 2014

Miss Emma

I promised more shots of my littlest munchkin, so here you go. She has so much personality for just over a year! 


Gracie set up a tea party for Emma and some of her dolls, and Emma was so happy! 


Emma has discovered that she can touch her hands together above her head. Sadly, she learned this on pizza night, so she tried to pass pizza from hand to hand above her head. It was definitely a bath night.


She loves necklaces. No matter what time of day, she will go to Gracie's dress-up box, grab as many as she can find, and where them around all day.


She will never be allowed to go to Mardi Gras...


Sunglasses are also popular and if your nose is too small to hold them up, just use your tongue ;)


Speaking of sunglasses, the Godfather herself wouldn't eat breakfast yesterday without her 'eating sunglasses' on.

Haha! Sorry the pictures are so bad, but I try to take them with my phone and I'm usually laughing while I try to take them. 

Thursday 20 February 2014

Crazy Edmonton Weather

It's been so cold this winter, we've hardly been out to play, but it warmed up last weekend, so we have been out breaking thin ice whenever we can! There are even puddles to jump in!


The girls both love it outside (as long as it's warmer than -10 C) and they've been a little deprived of fresh air since we got back from Hawaii. 


When we're not outside, we've been inside baking. My little chefs are very helpful in the kitchen, as long as I let them snack while we bake. 


Emma won't look at me in these photos, but I've got some real special ones of her to post soon ;)


When the chocolate chips came out for this banana bread, Gracie said, "I better check those out to make sure they're ok." Haha! I guess she's heard us use that line before. 






Tuesday 18 February 2014

February Treasured Memories Layouts

Here are a few layouts I made using Kaisercraft's new line, Confetti. You can see it all here or go check it out at Treasured Memories. They've got this line and a ton of other new CHA goodies. 

This background paper is embossed with glossy accents and the top is die-cut to look like it's ripped out of a notebook. I cut it off a bit with my scan.


I took these pictures of Emma trying to squeeze through the fence at Gracie's gymnastics. She wanted out there to play with the the other kids so bad!


I like the blue chevron paper and the little rips of washi tape and arrows that come with the sticker sheet with this collection. 

I loved these pictures of the girls in Hawaii, so even though they're in our trip album, I had to make a layout with them. 


This was my favourite paper. I love the pink with this grey. 

Monday 17 February 2014

These girls...

If you need a glimpse of sisterly love, check out these two cuties blowing kisses at each other. 


And check back later for a video of them showing the other side of sisterly love... This can't last long ;)

Monday 10 February 2014

Dancing Queen


Gracie is loving her new dance class!

They are all so cute. Who puts their little boy in a sweater vest and dress pants for dance class? Haha. Pretty cute.

Saturday 8 February 2014

Collage Layout

Another way to capture the spirit of travel photos is by using a collage style.


Without even looking at the pictures, you can tell it's a travel layout. 

The background paper looks aged and is stamped with music notes, and simple bits of ephemera are layered on the patterned paper on the right side of the page. 

I added a few scraps of lined, notepaper, an old book page, and a slip of blue vellum behind the photos, then tucked in tabs, labels, arrows, buttons, chipboard, stickers and journaling around that to build up the layered look. 

A bit of distress ink added depth and tied all of the elements together.









Wednesday 5 February 2014

Scrap your Travels!

I love scrapbooking travel photos. 
The pictures are like keepsakes to me, so I want them showcased. 

Because they're important to me, I tend to start with the photos when I'm scrapbooking (unless I'm designing with specific product).
It's hard for me to find scrapbooking products that work with the photos, the theme and the colours in my travel photos, so I usually use a mismatch. If you start with a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper you like and add scraps, embellishments, journaling cards, and titles, you can create great layouts while you're waiting for that perfect line to come out.

I used a few different lines of Simple Stories product on this one.


Crate Paper, Prima, Glitz and Theresa Collins on this one.


Bo Bunny, Fancy Pants, Glitz and American Crafts here. 


The bright red paper above is one that I thought I would never use. It's outside my comfort zone, but I thought it brought out the bright colours in the pictures and worked well with the postage paper (which I love) paired with a little kraft cardstock, I really like how this turned out..

Monday 3 February 2014

American Crafts and Crate Paper

I got two great paper packs from Michaelsbefore Christmas, and I'm still loving them! All of these are done using the packs. It's so easy to grab pre-coordinated paper and go.




I added a few paper scraps, and some embellishments and that's it. 



Sunday 2 February 2014

Emma's Other Parties....

This is a long one.... 
If you're here for scrapbooking, or just don't care that much about my insecurities as a mother, just skim the pictures :)

I'm not sure, but I think Emma's had about 5 birthdays... maybe more. I really thought that I would make Emma's birthday special even though she was born right after Christmas. I was sure her day would never get lost in the shuffle. 

Then we did our usual crazy Christmas schedule... Brad on call for part of the holidays, company visiting us, packing up and heading all over Alberta to visit family.... and it got lost. 

We decided to leave our Christmas presents home because we had so much to pack and she's only one, and she'll get so much while we're gone, she'll never know. 

Then, I woke up on the big day, and felt guilty... I stuck a candle in a muffin at breakfast.


My mom had a great little party planned that night, but it got bumped because the extended family tobogganing party ran long. So we celebrated the next night. It was great! 



Cake, presents, cousins, good times!



We went to Lethbridge and had a really nice little party on New Year's Day with the other side of the family, which GG organized. See those pictures in this blog post. Again, a great time was had by all, especially Emma.

Then, we got home and thought, I guess we should open our presents now. 


Gracie gave Emma her gift,


we had one from a friend




and she got one from Brad and I. Again, lucky!


Then I thought, we'd better have a party with her friends here. Gracie got a party in Edmonton, Emma had better have one, too. 

I planned a party here. 

We had a week at home between our Christmas travels and our trip, so many things were up in the air and there was all kinds of post-Christmas stress, pre-holiday stress and life stress. The night before, getting the last few things, someone ran into my car.... stress. 

But, we had another party!



Friends, cupcakes, banners, party dresses, more presents....


She doesn't look too traumatized.




It was great (despite my family's inability to pose for a photo)!

So, after all that worry about celebrating, the lucky little cutie got 5 parties, and all kinds of well-wishes and presents and cards that she wouldn't have normally received (in person anyway) because we were around all sorts of family and friends. Maybe she didn't make out all that bad!

We made it on our trip, the car is getting fixed (another story), the grey hairs and breakouts were totally worth it...

Next year though, watch out! It won't sneak by. I won't repeat my mistakes. There will be an organized, themed, Emma-parade amidst the Christmas festivities! 



Gracie's turn!

Here are a few quick and easy layouts featuring Gracie and the 'recipes' I used to make them. These are no-brainers, simple to recreate and make your own. Have fun!


I used a sheet of cardstock, three 6x6 pages for this, a journaling tag, some washi tape and stickers. That's all it takes to showcase your memories. A few simple supplies and you can get your pictures off your computer and into a scrapbook.



Again, washi tape, a sheet of 12x12 paper, stickers, journaling tag, alphas, and a few scrap pieces and you're set.


Isn't this nice paper? It's Basic Gray.... 
Two sheets of 12x12 paper, some stickers, and Ranger Distress markers, and this one was done!


I love this one. The colours, the anchors, and the simplicity just makes me happy. 

1 sheet of cardstock, 2 scrap pieces of patterned paper, and 2 6x6 sheets look great with a bit of Ranger Distress ink and some alphas!