Dear Carina

This is the first of my National Scrapbooking Day layouts.  I created it for a bunch of challenges:
- Big Picture Classes Challenge #5 - Create a layout about someone/something you love
- Echo Park Paper Challenge #2 - Layout of Love
- Creating Keepsakes - Use 10 or more embellishments
- Shimelle - Journaling in a Letter Format

I'm mostly using Echo Park's This and That collection, and I thought I would create a layout to hold a love letter for Carina.  I've been supremely bad about journaling for Carina since she turned one, which was oh, about a year and a half ago.  So I used one of my favorite photos of her from last summer and wrote her a little note about the things that I love about her and tucked it into that cute little Maya Road envelope.

And here's the list of embellishments that I used (10 plus one for extra measure):
1) October Afternoon Woodland Park Washi
2) Neat & Tangled Gold Sequins (I added some of these to the closure of the envelope to dress it up a bit too)
3) Maya Road Kraft Envelope
4) The Twinery - Gold Shimmer Twine
5) Echo Park This & That Chipboard Accents
6) Echo Park This & That Decorative Brads
7) October Afternoon Holiday Style Flower Sack flower
8) October Afternoon Woodland Park Tidbits
9) Webster's Pages Girl Land Mini Messages Sentiment Stickers
10) Amy Tangerine Muse Thickers
11) Machine Stitching

This was one of those layouts that I fussed with a bit more and took a bit more time with, but I'm so happy I did.  It was a labor of love, I'm so glad that I took the time to do this one!

Skateboard Girl

Another layout for BPC's Big Idea festival.

This one was for Day #11 - to create a bold layout.

I'm mostly using Amy Tangerine's skeetchbook collection. I thought of it immediately because there are such bright bold colors in the collection.

I also wanted to use some of my handcarved stamps (those black and white strips) because they fit so well with this collection, and I think it's adds a lot of boldness.

And a little bit of sparkle from the glitter tape and thickers.



Oh, and I just happen to love these photos. :)

Supplies Used
Paper/Cardstock: American Crafts - Amy Tangerine Sketchbook; CTMH - White Daisy cardstock
Stamps: American Crafts - Amy Tangerine Draft; Handcarved stamps by yours truly
Ink: Ranger Archival Jet Black
Other: American Crafts - Glitter Tape, Amy Tangerine Sketchbook Remarks stickers, Amy Tangerine Muse and Scene Thickers; Tombow - Mono Adhesive

11 Questions on the First Day of Kindergarten

I LOVED putting this layout together!

It's for BPC's Big Idea Festival challenge to scrap something that brought you joy in the last two weeks.

As most of you know, Ellie started Kindergarten two weeks ago. I did a little 'interview' with her before I dropped her off. It was supposed to be 10 questions, but I added one in on a whim when I was conducting the interview.

Ellie has been SO excited about kindergarten for so long. She was excited that day, but she was definitely feeling nervous about it too. I have several photos with worried looks from that morning (which you'll see soon).

I knew she was going to be fine though, and sure enough, her first words when I picked her up were "School is GREAT!"

She had also indicated (last question) that she wanted me to pray that she would find some new friends, and when I asked if she had made any friends, she said "Yes! So you don't have to pray about that anymore." Not to worry, I have assured her that it's something that we'll still pray about. :)

This layout uses mostly Echo Park's This & That Graceful collection, but I used a variety of alphas in the title. I really like the look of the varied alphas. The numbers were hand cut.



We had a great birthday celebration for Carina yesterday, I'll close with a couple photos.

This is actually an excited face (who knew), and Ellie was in charge of writing Carina's name on the cake.



And yes, she eats ice cream cake (along with everything else) with her hands....perhaps this will change by the time she is three...



Have a wonderful evening!

Supplies Used
Paper/Cardstock: Echo Park - This & That Graceful papers; CTMH - White Daisy cardstock
Other: Echo Park - This & That Graceful Brads and Chipboard and collection stickers; Tombow - Mono Adhesive; My Little Shoebox - Up in the Trees Cardstock Stickers; American Crafts - Thickers and Gardenia Remarks Sticker Book Oyster Font/Camilla; My Little Shoebox - Hello Spring Jewel Stickers; Pigma - Micron Pen