Challenges going on over at Scrapbooking Fun

Need a way to beat the heat? Got a/c and want to scrap. Over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz, we currently have 7 different challenges going on through either the end of July or the end of August (check dates for specific challenges).

Going Old School - got an old tool that hasn't been used in a while? Get it out and make it new again.

Stickers, Stickers, Stickers - alter and use - we all have a stash.

Altered Items - your choice of item, great ideas and prize

Photo background challenge - use some of those old photos to create a unique look

Tag Challenge - you have until July 20th to sign up for this one. We all start with identical supplies, then create!

Christmas Challenge - use Christmas paper for a layout that isn't! Push outside your regular box.

As always we have swaps and games going on as well. The last Disney swap round turned out really cute.

Have a great day and try to stay cool! Below is just a fun picture. The view out my window where I sit to 'surf the net' and check out scrappy blogs. Kind of neat watching the helicopters (or planes - depends on the field) doing their crop dusting. I do need to figure out a good title for the layout this will appear on soon.

While I know it won't last, I have enjoyed having the last few Sunday mornings to scrap. The boys are almost done CIT (councilor-in-training) for the summer, they do love it. Dh leaves to pick them up and I have a few hours to myself. It has been nice though really, really quiet in the house.

After the challenging mosaic technique last week, I was really happy to see the Lasting Memories Distress challenge this week. Though I have a long way to go, it is one of my favorite techniques. Maybe because it allows for hiding errors so well? Or maybe it is the core'dinations paper? Or maybe just because it is messy and fun!

Below is my example for this week's project. I had hoped to try some perfect pearls, but, I don't remember where I put them. I only have one set and seldom use them (due to lack of knowledge), but over at Lasting Memories there was a link on using them. Looked like fun! Maybe soon (once I remember where I put them) ROFL.

This layout will also go into the Use Your Stash Challenge over at www.ScrapbookingFun.Biz because all of the papers and elements used are over 6 months old. (Whoops, no it won't, the brown/red core'dinations is new - oh well, the rest of the elements are old - still used a lot of stash)

Distress Techniques used: Embossing by placing elements under the paper and sanding (along the bottom edge); stamping, embossing and sanding core'dinations papers; inking edges of photo; distressing the edge of cardstock (then inking some of them); using ink to edge around the inside of the clock; 'painting' a border with a cat's eye ink pad; using a mini-mister for a bit more copper on the background paper; doing a bit of sporadic sanding on the background paper as well.

Next shows the clock element. I used some of the core'dinations bling type paper (sorry, but I don't remember the actual name), stamped with brown stazon, added some more core'dinations paper behind and a flower. The stamp set with the clocks, hands and sayings is really nice however it is one of those stamp sets that drives me nuts. The acrylic doesn't seem strong enough for standard stamping, so it usually takes me approximately 3-4 tries with the text pieces to get one that is acceptable. I prefer my rubber stamps, but the acrylic are so much less expensive that I am trying some of these as well. I wish the learning curve was a bit shorter.

My vintage buttons are always fun to use as well. For this layout, they were kind of necessary - in the corner, above the head, was a really fun statue that looked like some sort of bizarre hat on the subject's head. I had to do something. Photos like this only come around every few years, it is the only one I have, so I am not going to toss it and don't have photo shop or anything like that, so vintage buttons to the rescue!

Make your own embossing folders!

This is not an original idea by me, but by a scrappy friend I met over at Sketches 4 All. You can read about her technique/how to and all in her blog. Below are some of my results.

First - using some chipboard pieces I had in my stash. I used my Big Kick and the rubber pad and it came out really nice:

Next, using a piece of grungeboard I had in my stash (already had shapes cut out for a different projects, but worked to try). It was a bit thick, so the paper wrinkled some. That is a good/bad thing - depends on what you are going for. The surprise - the texture of the grungeboard showed up lightly in the paper. Not sure why it surprised me, but it did.

Anyway - it was fun to try. If you have time, give it a shot.

PS - after re-reading her post, she got the idea here

Mosaic Layout and Continuing Contest

I am really enjoying the Lasting Memories Blog posts these days. I have found quite a few inspiring ideas that I cannot wait to incorporate into my future mini-albums!

This week, they have a challenge to use Mosaics. I love the look of mosaics, but always find them challenging to complete with photos. However, jumping outside my box, I decided to give it a try. Below is my result. I just couldn't bring myself to chop my subject's head into two pieces, so went with what you see. It took a minute to calculate sizes, but worked out ok. Not perfect (notice the corners), but satisfactory.

I kind of ended up with a mosaic inside another mosaic. Definitely fun. Thanks so much for the challenge!

Don't forget that Scrapbookingfun.biz has it's membership drive continuing for a few more months. If you really enjoy swaps, be sure to check it out. Just mention this blog post when registering (or drop me an email) and I will be sure that you end up with quick approval.

Happy Scrapping!

Finally some scrappy time!

to work on challenges!!! Whenever I just want to scrap, but no clear direction, I love to hit up sites with a lot of challenges or work on swaps. This morning - no kids, no hubby around - time to scrap! I managed to use (without any problem what-so-ever) 6 of my flowers from the Ephemera Flower swap over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz. The flowers from this swap totally rocked and work wonderfully with the older photos.

Started out over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz and worked on KMG's photo background challenge! Remember - there is a challenge going on over there right now, so if you join the site, I would love to have you mention (on the boards) that Scraprageous sent you!!! If you work on a swap and complete it - we both get additional entries!! Thanks

Here are my results. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, once I gave myself permission to use some not so hot photos that I kept (because they are all I had). I am kind of happy with the results. I am debating covering the black 1992 with silver metallic letters so they show better, but not sure if I will yet or not.

I also have a challenge listed over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz if you are interested - check out the Scrappy Challenges Section!

The next challenge site I hit, Sketches4All, run by Fia, has a lot of challenges going on. First, in Khristen's Challenges, I created the following for her July Challenge #1: 'round in circles. It required at least two circles, only one flower and the color red.

I used a core'dinations background - and went 'old school' by using my Fiskars Shape Boss embossing system to get the roosters and hearts (I love roosters, and they went with the 100+ year old house the photos were taken inside). Emboss, sand, and viola - love my background. Simple and easy. The red circles are all old scraps and the journal pocket contains the reason for the photos.

Next challenge - again over at Sketches4All, Jessica's Challenges - July ... Layout Journaling. Challenge was to journal directly onto your layout. Never really a problem for me, but I know it is for many. I also added a few bits of doodling here and there. I may add more, just haven't decided.



My final challenge that I completed for the morning, again at Sketches4All, was Stacy's June 26th Stash Challenge using a sketch (I love sketches) and a punch. I grabbed my favorite Martha punch (while I am not a huge fan of most of her product, her punch around the page punch sets are out of this world cool!!!), some Sassafrass lass papers I really like, some flowers from an ephemera swap over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz and was off to the races!

Love Swaps?

We have a really cool contest going on right now over at www.scrapbookingfun.biz. Simply become a member and participate in a swap to earn an entry into our postage giveaway!!!

The more swaps you participate (and complete), the more entries you earn. Stop over and check out the details!

Fun Mini Album

Created as a memory album for dd who is working away from home this summer. It is actually an accordion album - started out with a different purpose, but that is how the binding went. I added some ribbons through holes (love the big bite) and a ribbon book marker down the spine.

NOTE: after checking out some more links, this has an accordion style binding, but is not an actual accordion album. Love learning!

Cover (name and all covered up, so not a very interesting picture)

A few tags in a pocket on the page, plus, there are some larger tags for full size photos between the pages - they pull out. Overall, there are approximately 50 pictures included in this mini-album. Outer dimensions are 7" wide by 6" tall (not counting the inserted tags)
Showing how tags pull out with ribbons - plus some normal pages with photos. She wondered how all the baby animals were coming along. The Cat's Rule side is a flip set of pages so she can see close-ups of cats and kittens.
a big dust storm hit after she left - tag that says what hit lifts so the photos can be seen. On the right hand page (as looking at the photo) has a sort of waterfall thing going on with the photos - there are 4 on that page.


Above is one of her favorite baby lambs. The tags are in a fancier, heart shaped pocket. The heart is a die-cut that I received as a hostess gift from a swap. I hadn't planned on it becoming a pocket, but the photos worked great for tags, so it became a pocket.

The album was put together with a fun set of We R Memory Keepers Page Stacks - Inked mainly with green and some stickles included through-out. Kind of a just for fun album.

Also completed as a mini album for the Lasting Memories Blog as mini with a summer theme. It isn't a direct summer theme with bathing suits and all as most people see it, but more floral and baby animals growing after being born in the spring. 24 page album created. Not all pages are shown.

PS - If you like mini-albums, check out a few posts below for a Laura Dennison Inspired mini created for my MIL. Thanks also to Candy for sending me the link for creating!!!