Peridot 7 - Trail stop

Several years ago my store started volunteering at trail ride across part of the state that supported AIDS research. I went a couple of times with work, but after Rylan was born we realized that it would be a fun, outdoor activity for all of us. Hang out at one of the trail stops, cheer on the participants, hand out snacks and in between just let the kids run around and play. What's not to love?

Unfortunately we were busy the weekend it happened this year, but I still had these photos from last spring's event.

This page is being linked up to the following challenges:

Scrapbooksteals MWM Peridot 7 sketch
Scrapbooksteals MCM #28 Fussy Cutting (the camera)
SWAT Basic training: hand stitching (used a Sew Easy sewing head to place the banner before stitching)

Products used:
Paper: Cosmo Cricket Joy Ride
Buttons and brads: stash
Washi: WRMK
Sew Easy/Sew Stamper: WRMK
Twine: MME Kraft Funday
Alphas: American Crafts Thickers

Peridot 6 - Let's Go Go

Doing a little challenge catch-up this week since challenges are about to wrap up for the month. This one is for the Scrapbooksteals MWM Peridot 6 sketch and SWAT #10 Summertime.

I adapted the sketch from a one photo to fit these last three from our vacation to Seattle last summer, all of these were taken at the zoo in Seattle.

Papers: Cosmo Cricket Joy Ride

Ribbon: American Crafts Chap

Buttons: Crate Paper Random

Paper clip and photo corners, stash

Ink: Colorbox Pigment Black

Machine stitching

Double Page Sketch + Baby Mini = two more pages done!

When you start a project do you work start to finish? No other projects? I have problems breaking away from crafty things midstream. Bonus is that it means I finish a lot of things, downside is that there's still a long way to go on this mini. If you've missed my previous two posts about the Rock-A-Bye Baby Mini I'm working on check out the two posts here and here.

I used the sketch from S.W.A.T  #6 Drill (by Jenessa) to rock this page. ;) Such awesome timing to have some two pagers offered up - I definitely want this book to have a lot of continuity and double page sketches are a great way to achieve that!

Still using that Teresa Collins On The Edge with some Authentique Loyal thrown in. This page also has some Studio G Glitter Glue, Ranger Enamel Accents, lots of black inking, and Paper Studio brads, the green pocket was cut on my Cameo.

A close up of the fussy cut embelly I made. LOVE that guitar and given the Grandma's reaction to the guitar paper I'm betting the mom will too. 

The S.W.A.T sketch

It's my birthday, I'll get messy if I want to, messy if I want to...

Kudos to all of you who sang that title. You're welcome. ;)

So here's how I had a messy-rriffic birthday:

Okay, that's actually where I started,  I whitewashed some gesso onto this MME Good Day Sunshine paper. 

And the next step takes some explaining. My desktop is made from particle board that I painted before I set it up in my space. When things get messy I don't worry about keeping the board clean - I can always repaint it after all! So I took the damp paper and rubbed it on the desktop which pulled up some of the dried on mist projects AND tore up the paper quite nicely.

Now, I don't normally design on double pagers but I happened to have two of that bicycle paper and was wanting to use them up since they are the last of their kit. To help me, I pulled out some of my Kiwi Lane Templates. 

Part of why I wanted to use up that paper was S.W.A.T. asked us to dig deep into our stashes and use hoarded items. Things that I used that have been in my stash for over a year: MME Andrea Victoria (gold paper), Paper Studios Affinity ribbons (Family and stripes), brads (I bought on Scrapbooksteals so long ago that I can't tell you which company they're from!), Fancy Pants Rough & Tough (trees), BasicGrey Origins (star).

Other supplies used:
sewing machine
Amy Tangerine Thickers
AC chipboard Thickers
Girl's Paperie brown ribbon
WRMK Sew Easy Twine
WRMK sparkly eyelets
MME Indie Chic and Kraft Funday
Ranger Distress Rusty Hinge
Kiwi Lane Templates Adventure 2, Tags 5, Clara Lane 3B, Holiday 8T

Two Little Monkeys Hangin Around

Wow! After that (albeit inspiring) card class last week I am ready to get back to my normal page challenges. Though if you followed my posts last week and "learned" along with me you'll probably notice some of those techniques hanging around in the next couple of posts!

So without further delay I bring you Two Little Monkeys.

The title is very important because over at Scrapbooksteals the Monday Craft Madness challenge was to use the theme "Tea for Two" which could be interpreted literally as something regarding tea/picnics or with "two" in the sentiment/title as I have done.

The layout is based on a two page sketch by Gail Owens for Kiwi Lane's DT Doodles. I used Tags 6, Aspen Court 2A/2B mini, and Clara Lane 3B.

I'm also entering this in the S.W.A.T. Drill #4  which was based on this color scheme which I completed with the help of Echo Park's For the Record, Ranger Distress Fired Brick Ink, and a bunch of fussy cutting, foam dots, October Afternoon Black Keys and Mini Market alphas, AC Thickers, Ranger black Enamel Accents, and some Studio G glitter glue. I sort of skipped adding the cream as a paper since it was almost the same color as my boys' skin! 

Keep Calm and Take Photos

I'm such a meanie sometimes! I love to take photos of the boys while they're crying. I don't do it when they are actually in danger and I rarely do anything with them, but I can tell you the context of every single one that I have ever printed. 

For the Scrappy Friends Challenge, Brenda wanted us to use the phrase "Keep calm and ___" with us filling in the blanks. And I just thought it was funny to use photos that weren't so calming. Especially given that Rylan is normally my over the top smiles and giggles child, this represents the other part of his life. 

I apologize for the over sharpening, the dreary weather outside wasn't cooperating. Over sharp looked better, promise. 

For the rest of the Scrappy Friends Challenge I used Kerys' sketch, Kristi B's technique (misting/stenciling), and Rochelle's color combo. 

I'm also entering this page into two other challenges:

S.W.A.T. - Basic Training - use mists

Scrapbooksteals.com MCM - two shades of green

My products list:

MME Dilly Dally ledger paper and Lime Twist scrap

BG 12x12 doily

Echo Park This and That cardstock

AC Amy Tan blue cardstock

Glitz Designs stickers

MME Miss Caroline rub-on

Girls Paperie alphas

Jenni Bowlin alphas

AC Christmas Knock-outs punch

WRMK eyelets

Washi/Fabric Tape from Love My Tapes, MME

Jute from MME All is Bright

Lifestyle Crafts embossing folder

October Afternoon Sprinklers Treehouse and Frequent Flyer

Colorbox Charcoal

Kiwi Lane Designs Sweatheart 4T

Monkey Kid

It seems like so long since I scrapped! A whole week?! Riiiiight, I realize that's only a long time to, well, to me. But this week was an interesting one - Rylan decided that he was ready to ditch diapers and was literally doing so so we began the arduous process of potty learning. He's getting so big!

I still needed some "me" time so I combined a couple of challenges together in between potty runs.

The sketch is based off of Drill #2 at S.W.A.T by Jenessa. I loved how open to interpretation the sketch  is. So simple, yet full of possibility!

I'm also linking it up to Scrapbooksteals.com MCM - Citrus colors and Paper Girls Challenge Blog - use washi.

There's a couple of older MME lines - Wild Asparagus and Andrea Victoria, with the newer-ish Oooh La La and Lime Twist. The washi is also MME. The bright embellies are Amy Tangerine, though the ribbon is Imaginesce.

Soul Sisters

I about died when I saw that this week's sketch at Scrapbooksteal.com (Jade 9 MWM) featured a starburst pattern. I love the look they give, but man-oh-man such a lot of work. To make it ever so slightly better, I busted out some of my scraps and gave it a go. Pretty cool that everything except the Thickers were out of the scrap bin! I really need to do starbursts more often. Or not.

I'm also linking this up with the S.W.A.T Drill #1 - to do a page about yourself. S.W.A.T. (Scrap Warriors Advanced Training) is a new challenge blog that some online friends are part of and I can't wait to see what they bring with their drills and basic training and advanced training. Drooling just thinking about it.