Document 2015 - September

I'm back today to share another layout. This one was done for the Document 2015 - September class at Big Pictures Classes. It's a great class series taught by Aly Dosdall. Each month she shares a sketch, a layout with process instructions and great tips for getting a round up of monthly highlights onto a scrapbook layout. This month she also shared a cutting file which I used for the September title in my layout below.

Aly's sketch this month included a column of horizontal tags down the page to frame the photos. I took my inspiration from that and used tags, but decided to put them in pockets. I created my own pockets from cardstock, stapling the sides to ensure the tags could easily slide in and out. Then I used my 1 inch circle punch to create the half circle notches in the front of each pocket. I placed my photos on the pockets and then was also able to include a couple more hidden photos and journaling on the tags in the pockets. 

For the tags with hidden pictures I flipped them over and added journaling to the back. This layout came together really easily and was lots of fun to make. 

Scraptober Fest Challenge

There is a fun Scraptober Fest team up challenge going at Scrap Our Stash, Challenge YOUrself, My Scraps & More, and The Memory Nest. While each site is running a different challenge, the real challenge is to combine all 4 challenges.

The individual challenges for each site are:

*Scrap Our Stash - Create a layout using at least 2 different types of washi tape

*Challenge YOUrself - Create a layout that includes YOU in the photo

*My Scraps & More - Create a layout based on the colour combo provided

*The Memory Nest - Create a layout based on the sketch provided

The Challenge YOUrself challenge was probably the hardest for me since I don't scrap photos of myself very often, but I am really happy with how it came out. Also, given I am usually scrapping boys, it was nice to do a page that was a bit more feminine for a change. Here is my entry:

While I was working on this I also decided to throw in the current challenge up on the Hip Kit Club's member forum. It required you to use at least 4 of the following 6 ingredients:

*3 or more patterned papers in the background
*Frame your photo
*Use a Tag
*Stitching (machine or hand)
*Use Rub-Ons
*Add Heart embellishments

I did the pattern papers, photo frame, tag and heart embellishments.

School Days Are Here Again - SOS September Sketch Challenge #30

Continuing on with September challenges, I also completed a layout of my little boy's first day of senior kindergarten. I used the sketch created by Juliana Michaels for Sketch Challenge #30 at Scrap Our Stash. The challenge also called for the use of at least 3 different types of school supplies on the layout - easy enough to do since I was doing a school themed page. I used a paperclip, stars, library date stamp, backpack and chalkboard alphabet. I also used glue for some adhesive and a pen for journaling on the layout. The sketch and my take are below.

Supplies: Bazzill - Cardstock; Echo Park - Pattern Papers, Stickers, Border sticker strips; AC Dear Lizzy - Thickers; Bo Bunny - block alpha stickers; Studio Calico - chipboard stars; Freckled Fawn - transparent stars; Bella Blvd - star sticker strip; CTMH - triangle border punch; K&Co SMASH date stamp; Memento ink; gold paperclip; various adhesive

Stash and Sketch Challenges

It's been too many months since I have had any real time to scrap. Somehow though, I have still found time to shop and my stash is building up. I just attended the crop at ScrapFest in Richmond Hill this past weekend and thought I would ease back into my paper play with some fun challenges. Here is the sketch I used from Stuck?! Sketches for their September 1 challenge.

I also played along with the Scrap Our Stash #30 stash challenge. Here is my entry for the two challenges:

L - label sticker, layers

A - alpha stickers, Aqua cardstock

Y - yellow hearts

E - Echo Park papers, epoxy dots, ephemera pieces

R - resin flower

S - sequins, staples, stickers

I'll be back soon to post another page I did for the Scrap Our Stash Sketch #30 challenge.

The All New Big Picture Classes

I've been having fun this month with my free trial at the all new Big Picture Classes website. With the launch of their new site at the end of February came the news that they are indeed moving to a subscription service. Lots of great class content from talented instructors all for a a low fee per month. They will still have 4 quarterly premium classes available for purchase without subscription. I'm not sure yet how I feel about the subscription approach and the community aspect of their site. I miss the forum interaction from some of my old BPC classes (some classes were better than others in terms of forum interaction and gallery sharing). They have groups now for discussion purposes, but not sure if they will be quite as effective. I'm keeping an open mind though.

I was excited to see some of my favorite instructors from the old BPC like Aly Dosdall and Stacy Julian offering classes and also eager to try some classes from new to me instructors like Paige Evans and Pam Baldwin. One of the first classes I did was from another favorite of mine - Jen Gallacher. I love Jen's style and have always enjoyed watching her process videos on You Tube. She will have a year long series of classes at BPC entitled Product Playground. For her first installment she inspires us to make use of our 6 x 6 pattern paper pads and punches. Here is what I came up with:

Supplies: Bo Bunny - Cardstock; AC - Shimelle 6 x 6 paper pad; AC - Heidi Swapp letter stickers; Studio Calico enamel dots; various punches - EK Success, Recollections

First Day JK

One proud (and yes, a little sad) mama here who saw her baby off to his first day of junior kindergarten today. I`m sharing a card I made for him to commemorate the occasion. I tried a new technique today using inktense pencils for the colouring of the bus, blending the yellow and orange (or at least I tried to!). The first day sentiment on the cork is from Elle`s Studio and was perfect for the card. I also fussy cut the text bubble expressions from a paper from the Max line from Bella Blvd. I took some poetic licence here and used the `Just Kidding` JK text bubble to represent `Junior Kindergarten`instead.

Supplies: Cardstock; PP - Bella Blvd (Max), Elles Studio (Everyday Moments); PL Card - Becky Higgins Project Life Childhood minikit - Wellington edition by Lori Whitlock; Stamps - Clearly Besotted (Sentiment), Basic Grey/HeroArts (bus); ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; Cork - Elles Studio

Cheers to a new school year!

30 Days of Lists

I'm participating for the first time in a 30 Days of Lists challenge. It's a journaling challenge run twice a year featuring daily list prompts and the next go round starts September 1. I'm a big list maker and like the idea of daily prompts to do some creative journaling.  I've got to decide now on some kind of album / format / notebook for capturing my lists. Looking forward to see how this goes....