SOUS and TSM - Drive

Sometimes lyrics from a song tell the story more than anything I could write myself.

The day I'd made the decision that I wanted to quit my full time job to be home with my son more and to take a part time job at the scrapbook store, the song "Drive" by Incubus played on the radio. I already had liked that song very much but listening to the song lyrics that day really struck a chord (yep, a pun!) with me and I decided I wanted to incorporate it somehow into the page I wanted to make. I did not use all the lyrics straight from the song. Here's what my journaling says:

Fear kept me in a job I hated
I wanted to be home with my son

(lifted lyrics)
Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear
and I can't help but ask myself how much I let the fear
take the wheel and steer
It's driven me before
and it seems to be the way that everyone gets around
but lately I'm beginning to find that I
should be the one behind the wheel
So if I decide to waiver my chance to be one of the hive
will I choose water over wine
and hold my own and drive?

Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there
with open arms and open eyes

Hold the wheel and DRIVE

This layout was made using the sketch at Stuck On You Sketches and papers from The Story Matters July kit:

I used George to cut a square frame but set aside the square frame and used the negative as a mask for glimmermisting with Red Velvet glimmermist. Also used George to cut the circle frame from the red dot paper, and the circle mat from ledger paper. Used Bazzill circle stitching template so I could stitch a circle in there, and fussy cut some flowers from red flocked paper from MME Lush line.  The title is cut from double sided sheet of adhesive paper by Terrifically Tacky Tape from Provo Craft, using Ashlyn's Alphabet I think... Then glittered with Martha Stewart glitter.  I almost always write my own journaling but this time it seemed right to type it out, but I used a neat font that I downloaded called Old Stamper. I love that font!

Thank you for looking!

"Love" and "Cherish"

Hello my scrappy friends! I just finished this layout and thought I would share! No cricut on this one, for those of you who are cricut-y like me. Scrapaganza, the local store I work at just got in the new MME Lost & Found line of papers and embellishments, and I fell in love with the Union Square papers. Oh my my my! I knew as soon as I saw this "love" paper that I had to use it for one of our wedding photos! So I used two sheets of the printed papers. One of the sheets went to matting and making the spiral rose flowers. I also picked up a coordinating package of their brads which are sooo yummy! Some of the brads even come with coordinating flowers all ready to go! There is also one additional title tag which I used up at the top, as I really did consider that day to be perfect. The only thing on this layout that is not from this MME line is the pearly lace around the flowers. That came off the ribbon rack at the store. :)

This simple layout was so easy to put together but I really like how it turned out. The shaped paper and the border were cut with Scrapaganza's Accu-cut machine. The word "Cherish" was created on my gypsy using the Songbird cartridge, welded and cut on my cricut.  I also used light green glimmermist, Distress Fired Brick ink to stamp the flourishes, a red slick writer pen and a "Crafters Workshop" mask/doodle template to do the "stitched" circle. Prima flowers were stamped and misted, and I punched tiny flowers from the remains of the papers that had been cut into the background shapes. Bling for flower centers and some light green tulle finished off the embellishment.  This layout was created as a kit for the store.

Thanks for stopping by!

What's important

In our lives we're often given reminders - sometimes referred to as a 2x4 upside the head around here - of what is REALLY important.

This week I had one of those reminders. My daddy had to be blackmailed by his brother to get him into the hospital on Monday. It turned out that Dad had a brain tumor. He had surgery yesterday, and I am SO grateful that he came through that surgery okay. The word is that the tumor consisted of a variety of cancer that originated elsewhere. We don't know where yet, so we are thankful that he is now in capable hands and they will find the source of that cancer so it can be treated.

Our health is important, our families are important. I can see in my life where I don't always give those things the priority they require. I get lazy. TV or something unimportant sucks me in and even my creativity takes a back seat. It's so easy to take for granted the things that should be nourished.

I'm okay with not getting any more 2x4s upside the head! I thank my Divine that daddy is ok now, and will be getting his health looked after. and I am grateful for the reminder of what is important.

More with 7gypsies Avignon

This month's Scrappinista's Scrapbook Club kit at the LSS where I work, Scrapaganza, uses the 7gypsies Avignon line. My previous post of the 7 page layout used papers and chip letters from this kit, though I had to supplement the kit with additional cardstock for my background pages, and an extra sheet of the printed papers so I'd have enough of the map sheet for the pages.

The above layout was made using the music page from the line, spritzed with green maya mist. Tags from the line hold the title that I did in the line's chip letters. The two paperclips with numbers are also from the Avignon line. The kit included coordinating icey blue velvet ribbon, which I used on the title banner but I also sewed ribbon "flowers" in maya road style with that same ribbon. Zots glue dots in the flower centers are covered in MS Hematite glitter for a bit of bling. The big flower is cut on my cricut in several layers to resemble a "poinsettia". I used the 5 point flower from Accent Essentials.

Here is another layout from the same kit:

I used my threading water border punch to make the borders on this, as well as for the "flowers". I like this layout for it's simplicity because it really showcases my photos, and I was particularly pleased with those photos when I took them. :)  Oh, and glitter was my thing with this kit, and I used Terrifically Tacky Tape in the 1/4 inch size across the top of the punched borders and glittered the tape. The flower centers also have Zots glue dots that are glittered. The chip letters that went with this line look really nice on that tag. Overall I am pleased. 

Normally I don't buy chip or sticker letters but the kits from Scrapaganza's kit club always include a coordinating alpha, which is essential for folks that don't own a cricket. I was pleasantly surprised at the words I was able to get from box of letters, I got: Handsome, Xmas, Camp Out, Thank You and Believe.  I still have some letters but only one or two vowels so I'm not sure what else I can do. There was however a full run of numbers 0-9 which I have not used yet. I plan on making a total of 3 cards with my scraps, cards will be posted later!

Thanks for looking!

A 7 page layout?

Yes, I made a 7 page layout! How could this be a 7 page layout you ask? Let me tell you.

First off, I had a couple hundred pictures of this one event. I sorted down to about 31 photos and 2 postcards, plus an item of memorabilia, journaling and ideas for embellishment. NO WAY could I get all that I wanted onto just 2 pages. So I had this elaborate idea.

Starting with 4 pieces of base cardstock, I planned for the two pages above (page 1 and 2) to be the first pages you see when you come to this layout in my book. These pages are "hinged" with Tim Holtz jumprings on the outside edges to two more pages below them. The 3 brown "hinges" on the sides mark where the rings are. When you open these pages out, there are 4 pages inside then visible, making a total of 6 pages that are now embellished and picturefied. :)

These are the two pages to the left inside (page 3 and 4):

These are the pages to the right inside (page 5 and 6).

The 7th page is on the back of page 4. It is an ariel photo of the campground that I have noted the campground highlights. I don't have a picture of page 7, sorry!

So, I used the 7gypsies Avignon line of papers and chipboard letters. In addition I use my Cricut and the cartridges Storybook (hinges and frame), Blackletter (title and fleur de lis), and Heritage (scroll).

The hinges and frame were cut from chipboard and inked with Vintage Photo Distress ink and then covered with Crackle Accents.
The fleur de lis border on the bottom of pages 1 and 2 were cut from Terrifically Tacky Tape 6"x8" double sided sheet adhesive by ProvoCraft. After cutting the shapes, I removed one side of the adhesive cover and put them down on the pages. After finishing everything else on the pages, I then removed the protective covering on the tops of the fleur de lis and glittered them. Oh man do I love the effect! the cut adhesive shapes are so sharp, not at all like putting down glitter glue. I love it and can see that I will be cutting lots of shapes from these sheets of adhesive and using more glitter. It also seemed less messy than using glue and glitter...

And if you are curious, I am a participant in the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) which is an international club for people interested in researching and recreating the Middle Ages.  That's the long way of saying SCA folks like to play dress up and pretend. Similar in some ways to those folks who do Civil War reinactments. The pictures on this layout are from the SCA's largest annual event. :)

Thanks for looking!