CSI Case 20 and Sketch Savvy...Little Lady Bug

Happy Memorial Day!!  Don't forget to thank a service man/woman for their sacrifices today!!  Thats the least we can do while we enjoy our freedom...

Paper: Imaginisce Twitterpated, CTMH Let's Get Together (yellow) and Emporium (light green)

Cardstock:  White Daisy, Black, and Kraft

Stamps:  Just the Ticket, Rustic Alpha, Small Chocolate Alpha, Ambiance, and Fluttering Frames

Ink: Cranberry, Buttercup, Pear, and Tsukineko Memento Black Tuxedo

Other:  CTMH flowers, Imaginisce Brad and Twitterpated Rub-ons, Plantin Schoolbook Cricut Cartridge, Copic Marker (lipstick red), and Marvy Pen

While I was busy being pregnant and miserable, my favorite sketch blogs, Sketchy Thursday and Pencil Lines decided to call it quits.  I am still upset, Sketchy Thursday's sketches always struck a chord with me and between their great sketches and amazing DT, it was instant inspiration.  Anyway, I've been blog surfing a little trying to find new sketch sites and in the process, learned about CSI.  You've GOT to check out this challenge site, it's SO much fun!!  I desperately tried to put together my layout yesterday for Case #20 and get it submitted in time, but, I just wasn't fast enough.  I did however complete it from start to finish in one day...thats practically record breaking for me!! ;O)  Of course, I got no work done and my house is a disaster! ;O)


So, here's a quick synopsis of how it works, you have to complete a sketch (cards don't count) using all 5 colors provided, 2 options from Evidence, and 1 from Testimony.  They even provide digital papers and embellishments to download and print!!  I used...
Evidence:  Insects/Bugs and Kraft Background (I snuck a mushroom in just on principle)
Testimony:  Set Journaling on top of something and Inspiration Word: cute (in my journaling)

The other site I learned about while I was blog surfing was Sketch Savvy.  It's absolutely fabulous and reminds me a lot of Sketchy Thursday sketches, but, even better!!  I chose to use Sketch #70 from back on January 20th.

Basic Grey Maps...Stuffed With Love

This will be my last post for today...I am going to get back to work on my latest layout.  With just 5 hours and 39 minutes of daylight these days, I had to drop everything and jump on the opportunity to get pictures of these and figured I met as well post all of them while I was motivated!

I have been admiring the Basic Gray Maps on the Pagemaps website for quite a while and was excited to get to put one to use.  I'm so glad that I took so many pictures of Owen with different toys when he was small, it really makes you realize how much he's grown and how small he actually was at one time!!  He has always seemed so much older than he truly is, it's hard to remember him ever being a baby!

Paper: Twitterpated
Cardstock:  Crystal Blue, Cocoa, and Colonial White
Ink: Cocoa, Cranberry, and Tsukineko Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa
Stamps:  Field Trip Alpha, Soul Mates, Comments, and Beary Much
Other:  Martha Stewart Border/Corner Punch, Stickles, EKSuccess Corner Rounder, and Zig Pen

July Pagemaps...Mischief Maker

I've had this layout done for ages, but, just don't love it.  I had hoped an epiphany would come over me and I'd think of something to add.  But, I've decided to just let it go!  I love the Pagemaps sketch (from July) I used and putting the layout together went really fast...it's just those dreaded embellishments that I can never pin down just right!

Paper: Twitterpated
Cardstock:  Cocoa, Outdoor Denim, and Colonial White
Ink: Cocoa and Outdoor Denim
Stamps:  Giggle Caps and Lowercase, Star Power, Code It, Childhood Boy, Girly Girl, Wedding, and Journaling Jots (most retired)
Other: EKSuccess Corner Rounder and Border Punch, JoAnn's Essentials Star Brads, Twill Ribbon, and Zig pen

Heart 2 Heart...It's Owl Good...

SORRY Heart 2 Heart!!  I just realized I managed to post my layout twice...I thought I had forgotten to hit "enter", so I did it again!!  I'd remove if I knew how...it's been one of those days!

Heart 2 Heart had the greatest challenge this week...at least for me!  It's an ABC challenge...we were to use an "A"lphabet stamp set, create a project for a "B"oy, and use "C"hocolate or another brown color...  Since I tend to use earth tones and I typically only scrap pics of my little man, this "challenge" is pretty much my every day layout! ;O)

I used "Bottom Border-Overlap" (2i) from the Reflections book for this layout.

I started this on Thursday and am just now finished...how is it that other people can just whip stuff up!  It takes me forever!!  Of course, this little culprit didn't help the situation....I let him out to play and he ran right over to my layout and pooed in the middle of my main photo!!!  It's lucky for him that I print my own photos!!  With help like this, it's amazing I ever get anything accomplished!

Paper:  Twitterpated
Cardstock:  Indian Corn Blue, Cocoa, and Colonial White
Ink:  Olive, Cocoa, Indian Corn Blue, and Tsukineko Memento Ink in Rich Cocoa
Stamps:  Small Chocolate Alpha, Homestead Alpha, Whooo Loves You (branch), Exclusive set from Twitterpated (leaves), and Studio G i-clear Stamp
Other:  Copic Markers, Clear Buttons, In Color Organic Dimensional Elements, Creative Memories Embroidery Floss, JoAnn's Essentials Brads, and Zig Pen

Pagemaps...Just Plane Cute

Back to Pagemaps...their September sketches are just too cute!  I really just love Becky's style.  I guess I should break down and buy one of her books instead of just using all of her free ones that she shares so generously!

This layout actually came together pretty fast, for me, at least.  I'm still working on Month 10 and wanted to stick with the Twitterpated paper, but, am totally losing steam there...it's just so tough to work with for baby boy pictures!  I still have 4 or 5 layouts to do for this particular month...I may be getting very creative very soon!!!

Anyway, for this one, I incorporated paper from Let's Get Together to bring in some red and yellow.  I still have a small strip of Twitterpated in there...so, technically, I'm not breaking my rules...yet anyway!  I had so much fun with this one and used up some of my embellishments that have been sitting around here FOREVER!

Forgive the Stickles, I got a little carried away.  I was going for a starry sky look, but, I'm not sure I love them.  Not a lot I can do about it now though without redoing the whole layout...so, for sake of my sanity, I'm learning to love them! ;O)

Paper:  Let's Get Together and Twitterpated
Cardstock: Crystal Blue, Garden Green, and Colonial White
Ink: Cranberry, Honey, Garden Green, and Crystal Blue
Stamps:  Field Trip Alpha, Rustic Alpha, Flyin' High, Little Boys, and Journaling Jots
Other: Stickles, American Traditional Designs Airplane Tag, JoAnne Essentials Star Brads, Cardboard Stickers from Michaels (probably not acid free..just thought of that, oops!), Creative Memories Embroidery Floss, and Copic Multi Liner in Olive

The Scrappiest #77...You Made Me Love You

A while back, I was on the hunt for new sketch sites and stumbled upon The Scrappiest blog created by Liz Chidester.  The work on there is inspiringly beautiful, but, not over the top like some of the DTs you see out there.  I hate looking at someone else's work and not being able to think about anything besides the cost of the embellishments that went into it...that just stresses the hoarder in me out! ;O)

This sketch was from way back on August 16th and sadly, I think I started this layout shortly after it was posted!!  To be fair, we did have back to back visitors...of course, that only accounts for two weeks of the last month!  I'm still working on the 10th month of Owen's baby book and I think the color combo of this Twitterpated Paper was partly to blame for my blockage!  I love the paper in general, but, it works best for either fall or little girl pics and this one wasn't either.  Actually, the picture itself makes Owen look kind of girly to begin with between his white pj's and little pink cheeks...so, that didn't exactly help.  But, I decided to just go with it and I think I like how it turned out in the end...I know he's a little boy and that's all that matters, right. :O)

Paper: Twitterpated and Emporium Creative Basics (Green Striped)

Cardstock: Cocoa, Crystal Blue, and Colonial White

Ink:  Crystal Blue and Cocoa

Stamps: Large Chocolate Alpha and Confidential

Other:  CTMH Organic Dimensional Elements, Clear buttons, Sorbet Brads, and Splendor Designer Brads, Fiskars Circle Punches, Cricut Designer's Calendar Cartridge (circles and lettering), Martha Stewart Punch, Stickles, Creative Memories Embroidery Floss, Green Ribbon from LSS (by the yard, don't know manufacturer), and Zig pen.

Page Maps Double...State Fair 2007

One last layout from Pagemaps July sketches for Month 10 of Owen's baby book.  I just had so much fun with Becky Fleck's sketches!  I always think about buying her book, but, she makes it too convenient to just get the sketches off her website!!  I am loving this Twitterpated paper more and more, but, trying to make peace with the fact that it's officially gone.

I absolutely love the cardboard buttons that compliment the paper.  I don't normally use a whole lot of buttons, but, these were so much fun and so easy to include!!  I had that little hedgehog colored already and couldn't resist sticking him in the layout as well.  How cute is he!!  I can't get enough of him and his other hedgehog friends...I like to think of them as porcupines though...it's more Alaskan that way! ;O)

Finally, the two pages together...  Hope you are all having a great week.  Owen's school is taking the week off, so I'm "forced" to stay home all but one day this week with him.  I'm really looking forward to some extra time with him!!  I think he's just as burnt out as I am!

Paper: Twitterpated

Cardstock:  Crystal Blue, Desert Sand, and Colonial White (stamped images)

Ink:  Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, Olive, Dutch Blue, and Cocoa

Stamps:  Happy Forever, Whoo Loves You, Exclusive Stamp Set from Twitterpated Kit, and Typewriter Keys

Other: Stickles, CTMH Organic Dimensional Elements (buttons),  Dimensional Ribbon Accents (long since retired), Pewter Photo Hangers with Colonial White and Pewter brads, ribbon by the yard from LSS, Making Memories Embroidery Floss, Recollections adhesive pearls from Michaels, EKSuccess corner rounder, and Zig pen

One More Pagemaps Sketch....Fun in the Sun

We've had a very busy couple of weeks between work and fun.  We made it to the air show last weekend...actually, over 200,000 people made it to the air show last weekend.  That's almost HALF the entire population of ALASKA!!!  It was a good show, but, WAY too crowded!!!  Owen loved every minute of it though and was very thrilled to get to tour the military aircraft.  He's already talking about going again....I'm not sure I can say the same! ;O)

I have managed to do a little scrapbooking in the meantime though.  I'm still working on Owen's first year.  Month 10 uses Twitterpated paper which is officially all sold out...I'm a little upset about that!  Although, I'm not a huge fan of sorbet, it's hard to blend that color with my photos, but, I think in this case, it worked out o.k..  

Paper: Twitterpated
Cardstock: Crystal Blue and Sweet Leaf
Ink: Crystal Blue, Sweet Leaf, and Cocoa
Stamps: Cobblestone Alpha and Small Chocolate Alpha
Other:  Colonial White Edge Anchors with Chocolate brads, Twitterpated Cardboard Buttons, Stickles, Making Memories Embroidery Floss, Fiskars and Marvy Circle Punches, EKSucces Corner Rounder, Martha Stewart Boarder Punch, Ribbon from LSS, and Zig pen

A New Tradition

I've had quite a few projects done for a while now, but can't get the weather to cooperate with me! It went from overcast...to foggy....to overcast with 15 inches of snow in the last two days and more to come tomorrow. So, I'm giving up, and using what I've got. Hopefully, the pictures are adequate for now!

We started a new tradition the son's first fall of driving up to Hatcher Pass in September and just spending the day hiking and taking pictures of the amazing fall colors. There's always something to love about Alaska's scenery, but I think our falls, although short lived, are the most amazing time of year to be here!

I used the Inspired Blueprint Sketch #32 for this one and had a lot of fun with it. I tried to take a walk on the wild side and mix up my paper packs...I know crazy wild right! ;O) The top two (green and brown plaid) are from Twitterpated, flowered paper is Caprice, and the blue is from Notebook. The stamp sets were also all from CTMH, Chocolate Alpha Large and Small, You're a Hoot, Whoo Loves You (Mushrooms in Lower Right), and the Twitterpated Kit Exclusive Stamp Set (branch, leaves, and hedgehog...although, I tried to make him into a porcupine). The flowers are from the Chocolate Mini Medley kit and they are topped with Bitty Brads. I threw in some Crystal Blue and Cocoa Cardstock, a Martha Stewart punch, some retired paper leaves, and twill ribbon to finish it off.