Sharon and I are up on the Sketches in Thyme blog today.    And be sure to check out the sketches for Dec. and all the amazing layouts the DT has produced with them!

I used sketches 175 and 177 to create this layout of Leighton at one year in her Christmas best!  This is my Smash Up for the month.  Don't over look the challenges and prizes!

Thanks for looking and, on the Eve of a new year...may 2016 be filled with joy and lots of paper and glue!

Sketches in Thyme Smash Up

What fun it was to create this Smash Up for Sketches in Thyme.  I took the circle (x2) from Brenda's sketch, the banner and 7x5 (turned sideways) from Shawn's sketch and combined these elements with pieces from Bev's. ( these are some new Maja Designs papers I just got in the mail).

 The sketches I combined to create this layout are on the Sketches in Thyme blog along with amazing creations by my fellow Mavens.  Be sure to check them out HERE.  As always, thanks for looking!

Scrap the Boys challenge blog

I've recently become acquainted with a challenge blog dedicated to scrapping boys (and/or men folk) and there is also a sister site for scrapping girls.  Now with my 2 grand boys and their sister, these challenges will be of great help to me in getting more layouts done.

The challenge at Scrap the Boys was Chow Down.  About the only pics I have of the males in the family eating are the boys with ice cream and I've scrapped most of those.  So I looked a bit to the past and found this pic of my favorite, and only, son in law, Chris.

This was one of the first Thanksgivings after he and Kristen moved to Florida and his FIRST ever turkey.

Thanks, Scrap the Boys for the motivation!

Happy Halloween and Boo to you too!

My layout based on one of this month's sketches by Brenda Ragsdale is up at Sketches in Thyme.  Check it out along with the rest of the Mavens' creations for this month. 

Hope you only get treats and no tricks!

Cropping with gal pals

Diane Johnson, Eileen Jolley Scott and I cropped last Tues. at Scraps of Art and I got the start of 4 layouts done, a lovely lunch with Kathleen Bell and great conversation with all.  Today, I finally found some time to put the finishing touches on 3 of the 4.

Hopefully, I can get to the last of the four sometime this week.  Meanwhile, thanks for looking.

Last couple of layouts until

we get back from our cruise...unless our house sitter takes up the craft...lol.  At Scraps of Art the other day when my friends were taking a card class, I got to crop a bit.  And, still using up my gorgeous papers from Maja Designs that I bought on line from Funkie Junkie Boutique, I created these two layouts. 

This one came so easy...Leighton and her Papa sharing a kiss.  (btw: my name is Chopped Liver Nana when Papa is around...lol).  This is Papa's favorite picture of the two of them and one of mine as well.  Nothing could do this photo better justice than the Maja papers.  I love the fact that the tear sheet at the bottom is solid design on one side (see the hearts border).  I only know of one other company that does this (Monte Paper Mill) and the two companies papers are so perfect together!

I struggled with this one.  For half of last year, Leighton spent every Monday with us and we did spoil her rotten.  She got chocolate pudding earlier than her older twin brothers along with a lot of other spoil things just for girly girls.   I wanted this to be perfect but sometimes, just letting the picture speak louder than the design, says it all.  So, with the help of Maja papers and one other (no clue who made the stripe paper), I am happy with it.

I wish a store here in the Tampa area would carry Maja Designs and Monte Paper Mill.  But, until someone does, I'll just have to order them from Funkie Junkie and the Paper Inn where I found Monte Paper Mill

As always and heartfelt...thanks for looking!

Sketches in Thyme September Smash Up

As a Smash Up contributor for Sketches in Thyme, I have the  "job" of interpreting, combining, rearranging, flipping, designs from the fabulously talented sketch designers on the team.  Talk about fun!

This is my interpretation of two sketches (following the layout).

Two summers ago, I was able to cross an item off my bucket list...paddle boarding.  I surprised myself by not only being able to get up on the board but paddle it around as well.  I credit the yoga classes I took for so long.  (memo to self: get back into yoga)!

And here are the two great sketches I combined to get the layout above.
                                                          
                                                         (sketch designed by Shawn Lahr)

and

                                                        (sketch designed by Rochelle Sprears)

Check out more sketches and interpretations at Sketches in Thyme.

Croppin' with the Women Who Do Lunch bunch

Diane Johnson was our hostess yesterday for a day crop.  When I crop with these women, the inspiration flows almost as fast as the talk.  We were missing several of our group and hope to see them all very soon.

I managed to get the basics for 5 layouts done yesterday and put the finishing touches on them today.  Without further ado...

These two use my newest favorite papers by Maja Designs which I order through Funkie Junkie on line.

And I've also been trying to use up more of my stash..some of these are from Creative Imaginations, others from who knows where.  This photo was taken last summer on Ft. Myers Beach.  It was my 29th year of ownership at Estero Island Beach Club.  We are three generations here now. 

Colvin and his new "friend"...also taken last summer on Ft. Myers Beach.

The last one was simple and quick.  The last over night in early Sept., Colvin rode his bike on the Pinellas Trail for the first time.  We'll ride the Trail together one day, little guy!

I've had the paper forever and the 3D bike embellishment was a door prize for a crop about four years ago...told you I was using up!

Thanks for looking!

Having a Scrap Happy Day

We've had rain off and on most of today and I can't think of a better way to spend it than in my work room scrapping.  I have a bunch of new papers, a few old items and more pictures than I'll ever scrap in my life time.  Today, things all came together and I really like how these 4 came together. 

 

I love papers that make for quick layouts yet still allow for creativity.  This layout main paper and the next are by Pink Fresh Studio.  

The green paper is from Monte Paper Mill, a new company for me. They come in 12x12, 8x8 and 6x6.  

The gingham is by Maja Design out of Sweden and is currently my favorite go to paper.

The next two layouts are done front and back from one sheet of paper.  I used a paper plate to cut out the circle from the Maja Design papers and flipped the circle over.  I used think rick rack to attach the circle and then went to town on both sides.

 Leighton on her play cell placing a call to her Mommy.

Thanks for looking!

Sketch me happy

I hit a major slump in my scrapping a month or so ago...no juices flowing, no energy and no creativity.  What got me out of my slump was trying some sketches to kick start me and they worked.  I tried several sites and one of my favorites, Sketches in Thyme, was having a DT call.  If doing the sketches at the site could get me motivated, just think what doing one for the site would do, so I applied.  I am happy to say I've been accepted and will be doing a Smash layout of any or combos of the sketches each month (1x a month).

Thanks, Sketches in Thyme...head on over and meet the rest of the new Mavens and say hello.

Place d'Armes courtyard

I used sketch 161 from Sketches in Thyme to add another page to our New Orleans album.  We love the courtyard at Place d'Armes on St. Anne Street for its shade, peace and serenity.  The courtyard has several areas that are perfect for our breakfast and, later in the day, our happy hour pool side.

A couple more in the works.  As always, thanks for looking.

Go fly a kite...

I am pulling photos from here, there and everywhere to scrap these days...no rhyme or reason...just whatever strikes my fancy.  
Last summer, while we were all at the beach, Linda Adams' son, Bryan, found a kite that had been discarded as the string was all tangled.  He patiently untangled it and launched the kite, letting all the little kids have a turn.  The twins, in particular, were having the time of their lives.  Here is Colvin.  It was hard to capture both the kite and Colvin so I improvised.

I have a couple more in the works...one of Leighton's dedication day at church and another based on the Week 3 sketch at Sketches in Thyme.  Watch this spot.

Hey Clare and Lisa

My layout of the lily pond in the Rotorua Gardens was

Thank you Sketches in Thyme.

Fallen in love with...

Maja Design Papers.  My order arrived from Funkie Junkie Boutique just two days after I placed my order.  And I could not wait to play.  I ordered the 12x12 packs of Summer Crush and Coffee in the Arbour and you can bet these will not be my last order.  I love the soft colors, the weight of the paper and the fact that the strip along the bottom (meant to be cut off) has a design on one side that runs the entire length of the paper and makes for great trims and borders on layouts.  So, without further ado...

I used the strip from one of the papers to serve as the title "Enjoying the moment".  Thanks for looking.  Going to carve out more time tomorrow to play with these luscious goodies even more.

While he is sleeping...

I've been scrapping.  Gene takes a couple of long naps each day which is just what the dr. ordered for him to recover from his back surgery.  For my therapy, I have been scrapping.  Most helpful have been the sketches from Sketches in Thyme.  There are two a month on this challenge sketch board and this is the second one.  This one is by Rochelle Spears and can be viewed here.

This is my take on the sketch and it was such fun to do.  Thinking of you, Lisa and Clare, our friends in New Zealand.

What I love about doing the sketches is that, for some reason, I feel freer to use up older papers and to repurpose embellishments.  Using up my stash has been a primary goal of mine for a few months.  On to another layout while I have a some free time.

Inspired

by doing the sketch yesterday and completed two more layouts before I heard the couch call my name...

Landon on 4th. of July at the Tarpon Springs Family Picnic.  I've been trying to teach the kids the words to the old Perry Como song as they all love their hot dogs!

And, rummaging through some old photos of the twins, I came across these from their first b'day that I had never scrapped.  About time...they turned 5 last June!

Hoping to keep on this roll...too many photos and too little time!

Catching up....

with the help of sketches.  Since we got home from the beach, we've been busy setting up E's back surgery.  If the surgeon is correct, we'll have more down time than I believed once E is home from the hospital.  Looks like my job is going to be keeping him from lifting and bending and over exerting.  Once I have him firmly bound to the bed (just kidding), I plan on doing as much scrapping as I can.

I found this sketch by Bev Code, with whom I have had the honor of designing elsewhere, on Sketches in Thyme. 
 Thanks Sketches in Thyme and Bev for jump starting my joyous return to scrapping.

Check out Bev's sketch on the blog and happy scrapping!

Fond Farewell to Gecko Galz

I have been on the team for a long time with a sabbatical here and there and have enjoyed the product immensely.  I have loved working with  my talented team mates, our lovely design team leader and the owner.  Because of my husband's upcoming surgery and other family concerns, I am stepping down.  Thank you Gecko Galz for all the fun.  These are my last two projects.

For my first project I printed out one of the beautiful papers onto Studio 71 Canvas, ran it through my Xyron machine and placed it over a small moleskin notebook.  I trimmed the edges and roughed them a bit for added texture.  I used a Krylon gold leafing pen to pick up the filigree in the bottom.  I printed the mermaid onto white textured card stock and fancy cut her to fit.  I used colored pencils to add more hues to her after I cut her out.

And this card using the papers from the July kit and one of the darling children from the collages is my second project for this month.

A last few before we head to the beach

Our three weeks at the beach are quickly approaching.  We have Susie and Doug as our house and pool watchers, our Grands joining us our second week along with many of our St. Louis pals and Jo and Bill coming for the last of the three weeks along with a few of the Women Who Do Lunch bunch.
  So these layouts are ones that needed finishing touches, or repairs or redos...

Melbourne, Australia...where our friend, Helen, showed us the town.  I used pastels to color the letters to better match the layout.

And, the Grands, of course...

Leighton could not have been more than a couple of months old when I got this shot...now, look at what she is doing in her sleep.

Bubbles...tiny bubbles...lol.

This is one of my favorite pics of the boys (even though you can't see their faces).  We took them on a boat ride at the Sponge Docks a year ago last Spring Break and, as we headed back from Tin Can Island where the boat stops, Colvin reached over and put his arm around Landon. 

This was the boys' first summer at the beach...five years ago.  Covin took his first steps here and Landon followed before the week was over.  They loved the beach, the waves and the pool.  The boys were 13 mo here and little sis was not even a spark in her daddy's eye yet. 

Last touches

That is what these three layouts needed before I could put them into Leighton's album. 

This one is my favorite of the last batch.  I printed Leighton's photo onto canvas and used soft tipped pencils to highlight the eyes, lips and the white shirt.  I've been working on using up my stash and this one did just that.  I love how printing on canvas often makes the photo more of a painted image. 

This is so true of our granddaughter...she has a mischievous side to her! This is from last fall when Papa and I took her to Old Bay Cafe in Dunedin for lunch.  She ate all her mushroom bisque and most of Papa's.

I don't normally use overly themed paper like this "Hello Kitty" but Leighton was going through her 'gotta have' Kitty phase and, with her outfit, it worked.  (p.s.  She is now in the mermaid, Ariel, and Disney princesses stage).

Now, back to work.  I have about 20 layouts in need of either titles, journal entries or repair (missing letters plague me) and I'd like to get them done and in their albums. 

Thanks for looking!