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Monday, July 30, 2012

pump you up {a scrapbook layout}

I think it was a huge mistake. Getting those Studio Calico kits. Because I totally loved them. And immediately created three layouts with them. However, at the regular price of $30ish plus tax a month, they just aren't in my budget, so I'm going to have to get creative. I might just have to do the counterfit kit thing. I'll be researching that this week.
It was just so much fun having everything put together and picked out for me-I NEVER would have picked some of that stuff but since I had it, I had to use it. And I am really happy with how it turned out!
My first layout this week was created with the Brooklyn Flea kit.
I snapped this photo of the twins goofing around with our weight set and it instantly reminded me of the old SNL sketch-Hans & Frans, with the "twins" that would say "We're gonna PUMP YOU UP!"
The boys both started laughing when I showed them this layout-so glad I was able to capture this moment.


I added a couple of items from my supplies to supplement the kit-some thickers for the title. BTW-love, this Amy Tangerine Fabrip Border Sticker!

And I added the Flair button from the kit I won on Mary Pat's blog last week. Love these flair buttons-so many uses for them!

Be back Wednesday with another SC layout!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

the moose takes a stand {a scrapbook layout}

I'm determined this year to stretch my supplies. To NOT buy anymore patterned paper unless it's an excellent deal (like those Studio Calico kits the other day-those were great deals, hard to pass up).
Part of that goal is using paper on more than one layout and trying to use it as creatively as possible.
When I finished my layout about Moose needing his own space and about growing up boy, I had some of that TPC Studio Transportation paper left that was perfect for a one page layout.
Moose loves his Iron Man rain boots. Whether it's raining or not, he loves to wear them. And he will wear them with the silliest outfits. I took a photo of him in the rain boots, a white T shirt, and jeans with his arms crossed and posted it on Facebook with the caption "The Iron Man Boots are a strong yet sensible choice. The Moose takes a stand." My friends and family thought it was hilarious.
And now it's a scrapbook layout. Because if it's FB worthy, it's scrapbook worthy. :)


I have a ton of letter stickers to use up, so I used a variety of those in different colors to create my title. Thrifty, thrifty.


There you have it-using my supplies up. How do you stretch your supplies?
Be back next week with more layouts and fun...inching closer to my 111th post and a super fun giveaway!

Monday, July 23, 2012

everyone needs their own [spot] {a scrapbook layout}

First of all, this is my 101st post! Woo hoo! I think I might have to do a giveaway sometime soon to celebrate! Maybe when I hit 111, just because it's fun number. :)

This weekend we celebrated my son, Jackson's 8th birthday. He got an iPod Touch. Something he's been wanting for awhile. Both of his big brothers have one and now his little brother {our 3 year old} wants one. This is life with 4 children. There's a lot of sharing going on but there's also a lot of looking for and wanting things and space of your own.

Our littlest guy, is constantly looking for space of his own. Being the smallest and youngest, he's the last to find a seat on the couch, the last to get seconds at the dinner table, and the last to pick his color when there is choice {he really doesn't like yellow anymore}.

We find him asleep in the oddest places-because he's always looking for his own spot.


I combined a few Instagram photos I took of him asleep in random places to make this layout. Not sure if you can really see it but I cut the clouds out on the patterned paper on the bottom of the layout to give it some dimension. The patterned paper is TPC Studios Transportation. I used a combination of doodlebug alphabet letters to create my title.


Recognize that paper? I used it last week for my layout about growing up boy! I'll share a layout Wednesday using the last of out it-3 pieces of patterned paper and I got 3 layouts out of it {including 2 double pagers}. Not too shabby!

Friday, July 20, 2012

what a rip off {a scrapbook layout}

Before I share my latest layout, Katie at  at Katie Stories nominated me for a blog award! How cool is that? Head on over to Katie's blog, when you are done here-she's getting married soon and is doing a fabulous job capturing the wedding planning along with her regular Project Life. {She also shares some pretty fun craft project from time to time.}



So, as we all know, bloggy awards have rules! Here are the rules for this award:

Thank the blogger who nominated me for the award. (Thank you Katie!)
Include a link to their blog in your post, as well as the award image (see above)
Give 7 random facts about yourself
Nominate 15 other deserving bloggers for the award
Include links to the nominate bloggers' sites
Let the other bloggers know that they have been nominated for the award

So, for my 7 random facts:

1. I stopped drinking all forms of soda, tea and coffee about 3 months ago after I had to have not one, but two surgeries for kidney stones. I surprisingly, don't miss any of it, at all.

2. I know every word to the song "Ice, Ice Baby". I'm not sure what that says about me.

3. I saw my first {off} Broadway show last year-Beauty & the Beast. Wow. So cool.

4. I wish I could live on/or near a beach somewhere. Right now our life is in Ohio, and I am good with that. But someday...

5. I will put guacamole on pretty much anything. I love it that much.

6. I'm a lacrosse mom-which is way different than a soccer mom or hockey mom-my kid has minimal padding and has ginormous players barreling into him at full speed while he tries to catch a ball the size of a golf ball being hurled at his net in upwards of 40 mph. It's not for the faint of heart. I've learned not to panic. That he will get up.

7. I own 6 paper trimmers. Why?!? Must stop buying paper trimmers...

And here are my 15 bloggers
Tanya Creative Endeavors
Becky Fourth House on the Right
Tracy Tracy's Treasures
Mary Pat Siehled with a Kiss
Mary Jo Scrapbook Treehouse
Lisa Remember the Good Times

Tammy Your Memory Connection

Laura Who's This Chick

Julia Julie's Journal

Keshet Over the Rainbow

Erika Scrapbook Obsession

So yeah, that's only 11. Sorry about that. But I'm tired and fighting a summer cold. So you get 11. :)

On to the layout.
Just a quick one pager today-Jarron, the second oldest {Bryce's twin}, ordered a large soft serve ice cream last year at our local amusement park, Kings Island. He got about a 1/3rd of the way into it when he realized it was hollow inside! He was so bummed. He looked at me, devastated, and said, "What a rip off!"
I snapped a picture with my iPhone and now he has the layout to remember the story. :)

I don't usually use pastels with the big boys but I wanted to match the ice cream. I used some Bella Blvd patterned paper to weave a background and finished it off with Thickers.

Have a great weekend friends! See you next week with more layouts and stories! My 2nd Studio Calico order should be here today! Wooo hooo!



Thursday, July 19, 2012

fiddlesticks {a scrapbook layout}

My oldest son, Bryce, loves lacrosse. He lives and breathes it. It's funny how about a year ago, he didn't even know it existed. He signed up for the lacrosse instructional league at our local YMCA and he turned out to be a natural. He just picked up a fiddlestick (that's a beginner lacrosse stick) and instinctively knew what to do. Pretty cool.
He plays for his school's team now and is a starting middle linebacker.

A year ago, I took a couple of Instagram photos at his instructional league. I sat down the other day and created this layout to document his story. How he went from this league to where he is now.
He's grown a lot in a year.

I wanted the title to be "fiddlesticks", like the beginner equipment they use. But I didn't have enough brown Thickers. No worries. I'd just cut some with my Cricut. You know, that large expensive piece of machinery I seldom use.
Oh my. What a pain. A little backstory here-I had a Silhouette a few years ago, but I hated being connected to a computer, so I sold it. Thinking {incorrectly}, that I would frequently use my Cricut since it was in my craft room.
So, I turned on the Cricut, looked through my carts, and settled on a font from the Robotz cart. Did you know that on a shape cart like Robotz, you have to look through the little book it comes with to find your letters {unless you've memorized the qwerty keypad-which I haven't}? Yeah, I didn't know that either. It took me a good 15 minutes to figure that out. Then once I typed them in I realized the display wasn't reading "F" "I" , etc. but "robot 13" "robot 16" and so forth. Sigh. I couldn't even check to see if I had all my letters. Ridunkulous.
But wait, it gets better. {Not really.} I loaded up my paper, Core'dinations Cardstock, and ran it through. It looked like it had cut. But nope, not so much. I had to run it through TWICE more on a deeper blade setting.
My letters looked kinda like poo.

I should have really redone them but I had already invested a good 30 minutes in them, so I was done.
Seriously considering selling all my carts and buying another Silhouette. What do you guys think?

Ohhhh...and I bought my very first Studio Calico kit this week. I got it for a steal at Plum District-only $15. What?!? Go check it out. I ordered mine Tuesday and it will be at my house today. Woo hoo!

Can't wait to play with it!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

i really mustache you {a scrapbook layout}

So last year on vacation, the oldest twin, Bryce, decided to use his souvenir money to buy a "mustache of the day" kit. which-ummm-hilarious. seriously, we had so much fun just reading the various mustache names and descriptions, that when it came time to actually put them on, well, it was one of the highlights of the trip.
All 4 boys had to wear and pose with the various mustache of day. The poses just cracked me up, they tried very hard to stay in character-especially on "the sheriff" day.
I created this layout using both regular 4 x 6 prints and instagrams.
When I saw this mustache paper from Echo Park, I knew it was perfect for this layout, I added some journal cards from the same line, some thickers, a little bit of washi tape and called it a day.

Pretty fast and simple, yet another story captured! :)


That photo of Jackson on the bottom right just slays me.

Tomorrow is yet another Instagram layout...and I explain why I am really, really tired of my Cricut and why I am really, really regretting selling my Silhouette!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

growing up boy {a scrapbook layout}

I seem to take a lot of photos of our youngest son, who we call The Moose. He's just kind of a ham-he's always grinning and trying to get our attention by doing silly things. He's also ALL BOY. Climbing, running, jumping, you name it, he does it.
So, I wasn't too surprised to find a ton of photos of Moose in my Instagram order. While I was sorting them, I realized a collection of them would be a nice way to illustrate what it is to grow up a boy in our household.
This is my very first double page layout using Instagram photos exclusively.
I love that I can fit so many photos on my layout to tell the story.

Not a lot of extras here-some Joann's dimension stickers in a playground theme and TPC Studios Transportation patterned paper. I used a vellum quote for my title/journaling.


This one is all about the pictures-in this case they really tell they story. :)


Riding his bike, bugging the fish {"knock, knock, fishies, it's me Moosey, are you awake??"}, putting hair gel in his hair, playing his DS....


Grinning that Moosey grin, dressing up, and doing sidewalk art...just all part of growing up as a boy.

Love that Instagram helped me capture moments that I wouldn't have otherwise been able to.

Tomorrow, I'll share a layout featuring Instagram and regular prints.

Monday, July 16, 2012

sparkle {a scrapbook layout}

Have we talked about my love of Instagram? Oh my heck. I love it. I seriously use this app, every. single. day.
I post most of my Instagram photos to my Facebook wall and Twitter, but I also print them out because if it's worthy of a FB mention, it probably belongs in my scrapbook. :)
I use another iTunes App, Postal Pix, to print my photos. I tried to use other methods to print my photos, but they never really turned out right. My prints from Postal Pix are wonderful-they are excellent quality and arrive very quickly {my first batch came 2 days after I placed my order!}.
I've had a pretty large stack of Instagram photos sitting on my desk waiting to be scrapped, so I decided to dive in and work on them this weekend.
Boy, do I love working with this size photo-I love that it is square and a little smaller than my normal 4 x 6 print. I also love that it is a little fancier than my standard prints-I almost always use a filter.
I finished quite a few layouts with my Instagrams prints, so I'll sahre them this week here on the blog.
First up, is this one from last year's 4th of July festivities-"sparkle".

I matted the photos onto some older Making Memories patterned paper I had in my stash {Animal Crackers Jack}, which is matted onto an orange patterned paper {not sure what line this is-also from my stash}. I used a bubble border punch along the bottom of the orange patterned paper. And added some bling to the open circles for added "sparkle", I also added velvet star brads to the patterned paper for texture. I added an extra little journal spot for the details of who and when.

I used an orange bling cardstock from DCWV-love this and have been using it a lot. I finished it off with AC green Thickers for my title.


I love the filter I used on these photos-so much fun.
Tomorrow, I'll show you a layout using 8, yes 8 photos from different days of my son to create a layout about growing up. :)
Until then...feel free to check me out on Instagram {christinalakes} or Twitter.

Friday, July 6, 2012

well, hello again {my return to the world of scrapbook blogging}

after a little break, and some much needed space and perspective, I've decided to return to the scrapbook blogging world. {in fact i deleted that "woe is me" goodbye post-it was making me sad to see it there}. here's the thing. i love scrapbooking. i love talking about scrapbooking, reading about scrapbooking, sharing about scrapbooking. who cares if no one ever reads this blog? i'm having fun and that's all that matters.
life is good and i'm going to enjoy every minute of it.

i've been scrapbooking {a lot} and blogging over at my personal blog {a little} and just taking each day as it comes.

so here we go again...my first layout on my return to scrapbook blogging, one of my favorites from a recent scrapbook evening with the girls-"sugar white sands"
materials-DCWV premium Citrus cardstock {you might not be able to tell from the less than perfect pic but it shimmers!}, Echo Park Splash patterned papers, KI Memories alphabet stickers {also shimmery} and a EK Success corner rounder. :)

full layout:
right side:
 left side:
be back soon for some more layouts...i've been having some fun! :)