December 2012 Album

Even though I started my album in November, I decided I would wait until I was really in the mood to scrap Christmas photos. Friday school was canceled so I thought it would be the perfect weekend to tackle this project. I still have a tiny bit of journaling to do but it's 99% completed. Does anyone else hear angels singing?

There is always so much debate on which album size to choose. This year I opted for a Simple Stories 6x8. I have used 12x12 and 8 1/2x11 so I thought it would be fun to mix it up. Although I love the finished project, I have decided 8 1/2x11 is my ideal size.

I apologize for the glare on the following photos. I wasn't about to remove things from divided page protectors. I hope you understand. :)

This album is a mix of Citrus Twist, Cocoa Daisy, Two Peas, and my stash! I like to spread the love. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into our December. Time to pack up Christmas scrap supplies until November - such a great feeling, don't you agree?

New Favorite Layout!

My kits have been piling up and today I finally had some time to dig in and play! I started with my photos and Cocoa Daisy's January kit. Every time I see these photos, it makes me think of Mister Huey's Color Mist because of her teal-stained teeth. The teal punchinella that came in the kit is so pretty, I couldn't wait to use it.

I started with a Studio Calico mask (circle graph) and some Bonny Blue SC mist.

To highlight the title, I stamped arrows (CD Jan. stamps) and heat embossed with Zing Embossing Powder. I then cut the arrows out and used pop-up dots for dimension.

I used some paper that I had misted on and stamped an arrow and used white embossing powder.

Lots of fun techniques used on this layout and I love the end result. It is definitely my new favorite!

We just received a text stating that school will be closed tomorrow. I think I'm going to scrap the night away! Stay safe and warm!

Living my Life

Although I've been a member of Two Peas in a Bucket for six years, I've never really taken advantage of all they offer other than chatting on the message boards and posting layouts from time to time.

I decided since it's a new year, I would jump in with both feet and actually participate in challenges. The first challenge was by Wilna and the challenge was to choose a word that speaks to you and create a layout based on that. I chose, "live" and found a lovely quote in the Silhouette store that resonated with me. "Live the life you have imagined" - sounds easy enough but doesn't always happen. I created this layout to remind me that I do have the power and ability to do just that. If you haven't used Sketch Pens in your Silhouette, I highly recommend it. I used the gold glitter pen on chalkboard paper and I love the look.

It's funny to see how a layout evolves. I knew I wanted to use the My Mind's Eye Red Wood paper (On the Bright Side) to highlight our red barn in the background of my photo. I also love the charcoal gray color of my shirt - I took a Crafter's Workshop stencil and flexible modeling paste mixed with paint twood-grainedwoodgrained background.

Even though I loved the look of the woodgrain, it didn't look good with the Red Wood paper. This was where the layout took a different approach. I mixed some paint with gel medium to make the paint more translucent and painted over the woodgrain.

I wanted the layout to have a rustic feel so I chose Canvas Corp. burlap for my background. By the way, thanks to Pinterest, I am completely obsessed with burlap! I then added a few embellishments and the layout was complete. It's not what I had envisioned from the start, but I still love the finished project.

In 2013, I hope to push myself creatively and more importantly, LIVE my LIFE to the fullest!