Magazine Monday Week 60

Magazine Monday at Paper Crafter's Corner

features this inspiration this week:

When I saw those colorful umbrellas, I immediately thought of tropical drinks in a tropical paradise, and then I thought of this book I started several years ago.  It's all about tropical paradise and I never got past the front and back covers when I took the class from Rusty Pickle right before they closed.  So this week, I added my story and pictures and now have a fun coffee table book about one stop on our tropical adventure.

Las Hadas in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico

The cover has this little door that opens to reveal a tropical shack in paradise.  All the pages are made from heavy chipboard. 

 

  

 

 

 

As you can see, I kept it very simple, telling only one story of the many from that visit with Mom and Dad.  I pleated this pocket on the last inside page and it is big enough to hold copies of all of Mom's pictures that tell so much more like the construction worker hanging from the 4th story without scaffolding or ladder and a rope tied around his waist.  The best part... the rope was made of nylon and tied together in seven different places.  I'm guessing they don't have workman's comp telling them how dangerous this is.  

S C A R E Y!

I plan to add something fun to the back cover (like "It's 5:00 somewhere") but I want to wait to see what my Mom brings when she comes back here for the winter in October.

Thanks for looking and I hope you will visit Paper Crafters Corner and join the fun with their challenges.

2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt Update

Pure Joy

It's time for another round of photos for the 2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt.  I'm making pretty good headway finding many of the items listed.  To learn about the challenge and to see the list, go to Gallo Organico: 2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt.  It's not too late to join the fun.  Today I am posting number 3.  Birds on a Wire  13.  A Sunrise, and 15.  A Juggler (sort of).

#3.  Birds on a Wire (above).  These were both taken at the same time as the sunrise below.

#13.  A Sunrise.  This is a sunrise on a stormy day, taken from my back yard.  I used to watch the sunrise every day but then we added a small house for my parents, blocking the view.  I really enjoyed going out behind their house to watch the sunrise, but my favorite picture is this last one with the reflection off their awning, house, and the roof of a house in the background.

#15.  A Juggler.  When I first saw this list of photo opportunities, I thought, "Where am I going to find a juggler in the dessert heat in the summer?"  Then I realized the answer was simple, I would teach my neighbor to juggle.  He loves learning new things.  So we spent a few days working on it until he could actually toss and catch all three bags more than once.  I snapped a few pictures and realized that I can see what he is doing right in the pictures, so I started taken them in rapid sequence.  I was able to show him why he caught or dropped the balls.  He's not quite ready for me to say I have a picture of a juggler, but the joy on his face in this one is priceless, so I am posting it.

Thanks for looking and don't forget it is not too late to join the fun.  Just click on the link at the top of the page for the list and details.

I Love My Grandma

Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge

The sketch challenge for July includes using ribbon or trim. 

My Grandma loved bling, so I added rhinestones and pearls every where I could find a place for them.  I used a self adhesive ribbon for the first time and am not sure I like the transparent look or the way it picks up the layers.  If I can find something that compliments the layout and is smaller width, I may add another ribbon over the top of this one.
 
The sketch:

SOS has fun challenges and lots of inspiration from everyone participating.  I hope you will join in.

So Happy

Scrap Our Stash July Stash Challenge

I had so much fun with July's layout challenge at SOS.  The challenge is to shop at home in our own stash, selecting 5 items from a list of 21.  You can see the list and rules at Scrap our Stash - Challenge 16.

My layout is of our beloved dog, Billie.  She was always so happy and puppy like.  The journaling card reads, "What did you think you would be when you grew up?"  

Billie's answer, "HAPPY!"

I used:
1)  striped paper
2)  3 bone shaped paper clips (the ones at the top are just to hang the layout for a picture)
3)  1 journaling card
4)  a rub on (lower right corner of lower right photo)

Here is the shopping list:

Washi tape

Stars (3 or more)

Striped Paper (not lined)

Enamel Dots (3 or more)

Polaroid Frame

Buttons (3 or more)

Flag

Dimensional sticker

Paper Clip

Arrows (3 or more)

Wood Veneer

Journaling card

Sequins (3 or more)

Use (2) or more types of punches 

Die cut

Tags (2 or more)

Flair button

Rub On

Transparency

Flowers (3 or more)

Cork embellishment

- See more at: http://scrapourstash.blogspot.com/p/current-challenges.html#sthash.zsgICo6s.dpuf

5)  transparency (over the top picture)
I also used (at least 3) flowers, and cork embellishments for the title and the year.

I only had 2 papers, the flowers and the stripes, so I cut the center piece of the flower paper from the background piece (behind the stripe).  This particular paper was two sided with solid colors, so I used almost every scrap to add the trim and matting.  

So how about you?  Do you like to layer pattern papers from the same paper line? 

Here is the shopping list:

Washi tape

Stars (3 or more)

Striped Paper (not lined)

Enamel Dots (3 or more)

Polaroid Frame

Buttons (3 or more)

Flag

Dimensional sticker

Paper Clip

Arrows (3 or more)

Wood Veneer

Journaling card

Sequins (3 or more)

Use (2) or more types of punches 

Die cut

Tags (2 or more)

Flair button

Rub On

Transparency

Flowers (3 or more)

Cork embellishment

- See more at: http://scrapourstash.blogspot.com/p/current-challenges.html#sthash.zsgICo6s.dpuf

Colors of Your Country

Scor-Pal Challenge #6

Forgive me for the capital letters below.  It isn't typed in caps and it doesn't show caps in the editor mode, so I am clueless on how to fix it.  I even tried retyping.  Oh well...

July's "More Than One Score" challenge is titled 'Colors of Your Country/Patriotic'.  That certainly hits the spot for me since I love of all things nautical and red, white and blue are my country colors (USA).  I wanted to make a card for DH - Our anniversary is early August, but after going through all my patriotic or nautical red, white, and blue papers, I couldn't bring myself to break any of the sets.  I have plans for all of them.  Now, before you think I am just making up reasons to shop for more, you need to know that I have years worth of stories to tell living on my sailing boat as a cruiser and I buy matching sets to help me actually get those stories into layouts.  Then I saw it.  Tucked into one of my albums was a set of papers that has enough duplicates to squeeze a card out of a few sheets.  I kept it simple to suit my husbands style.

I scored both sides of the focal piece then cut the points and folded to the center (the reverse side is the red you see).  I mounted the card on 6"x6" folded base so I could have a large inside to decorate and write.  With that in mind, the front is a tri-fold design that does not open; I glued the wood medallion to both points.  That's three scores, but the best part is the new Scor-Pal Self Healing Mat that I won.  Not only does it have a grid, but it has lines drawn for 20, 45, and 60 degrees.  It was so helpful when cutting my pointed sides.  And if you haven't seen these mats yet, they are really nice.  It fits snugly with my Scor-Buddy and if I turn it over, I have a nice work mat with a special surface for easy cleaning.  Glues, tape, paint, ink, etc. all come off with just a swipe.  

 

Thanks Scor-Pal... You thought of everything.

My Mother, My Friend

Magazine Monday at Paper Crafter's Corner; Week 59, inspired me to work with a lot of bright color.  

 I dug through my sticker stash (I prefer to call this my layout starters) and found these brightly colored Mother themed stickers.  I love the colors and had no trouble at all finding pictures that tell the story, along with coordinating papers.  The sketch I chose might be from an older "project 12", but I am not sure.  I had only labeled it "favorite".  Here is the inspiration from PCC:

Thanks for looking.

2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt Update

#17. Lamp Posts and #7. Rural Landscape

Keeping my eyes open for any one of the 21 items on the 2014 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt has been quite a challenge.  I keep a list in the car and still drive right by one or two every time I go to town.  So this week, I mapped out my route just to see what I could find and here are two more...

#17 - A Lamp Post (I found two)

 

 This is one item I have consciously been watching for, but it has been very hard to find.  Our city has a lighting moratorium because of Kitt Peak Observatory, so almost every lamp post you find is commercially installed by the power company, or every house has the same one in the developments.  I was so happy when I looked over at this long established restaurant and saw these two unique posts.  I tried to frame them better but couldn't see a thing in the bright sunlight, so I'll be returning someday with my SLR.

#7. A Rural Landscape

This one seemed so easy since I live in the middle of farmland, but finding just the right shot was a little tricky.  That is until I saw this field...

Each picture is taken a couple of blocks apart and a couple of minutes apart.  Once again, I tried framing a good shot but the sun blinded me so I couldn't see the screen.  (Now I remember why I bought a manual SLR that doesn't have a screen).  The best part of this story is that the second and third pictures are both taken above my head with no idea what I might get.  I didn't realize how vibrant the clouds were, or how big of an impact they would have on these shots.  Normally, I would have cropped the last picture to offset the 1/2 land, 1/2 sky, but I like the slope of the land and the visual effect of the road, pulling your eye so you feel that you can see for miles.

I hope you have joined the fun.  You don't have to be good with the camera to enjoy exploring.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out the link at the top of this post, or see my original post here. 

Now if someone could just tell me how to put these pictures side by side.  I've done it before but I sure cannot remember how.

Bookmarks and Friends

Bookmarks, More Bookmarks, and Even More Bookmarks! 

The Grand Finale

I mentioned in my last post that yesterday (Monday), our Monthly craft group had plans to create bookmarks for the library where we meet.  We filled a shoebox and had soooooo much fun!  But let's go back to the beginning...

 

Our day started with these, and several more, already finished.  Sunday, I got together with my crop circle of friends and they wanted to help, so we made bookmarks Sunday too.   I'm sorry to say I did not take pictures of the group because I forgot.  As you can see, we were very serious about making our bookmarks.

Back to yesterday, with the Monthly group that I call the Lunch Club (we go to lunch after).  We had a great turn out and lots of ideas were flowing. 

 We don't plan to stop now.  

We voted to make this a regular project!  Yeah!!!

Paper Crafters Corner Week 57 Magazine Monday

It's down to the wire, but I finished my entry for Week 57, Magazine Monday over at Paper Crafters Corner.  Our inspiration this week is awesome:

And here are my bookmarks:

I chose to make bookmarks because Monday, our monthly craft group, is making bookmarks for our library.  That is where we meet and we want to give back.  I love red, white, and blue, and stars and stripes.  Who wouldn't like having a red, white, and blue bookmark?  We hope to create several hundred and I wanted to get some ideas made to see how long they would take and what supplies I will need.  I made one more patriotic one that is drying and six others for summer and little boys.  (I'll post pictures after we make more Monday).  Some have sayings on the back instead of the front.  The stars and borders are from my Fiskars punches and and all the bookmarks are two or three layers for durability.  So much fun.

I hope you all had a Great 4th of July!