Layout Share: Sketch Challenge

Sharing a layout I worked on at our last Just Scrappin' weekend crop. This was a sketch challenge and although I'm not eligible for the contest, I like to participate and attempt all the challenges that I put out for the girls. Sketch used for the challenge was a Pagemaps.com sketch...my favorite sketches btw.

I followed it almost to the T except I used pictures instead embellishments. Love how I can showcase EIGHT photos of my mother-in-law's visit with us in Sacramento. Yes those little munchkins in the photo are my boys circa 2004.

Layout Share

Trying to play catch up with layout shares from my personal albums. Here is a one page layout that I pulled together for a sketch challenge at our September Just Scrappin crop.

I flipped the sketch to make it fit my photos. I tried to cut out Humpty Dumpty on my silhouette and was unsuccessful so I printed him out (way easier), fussy cut and colored him in.  And if you're wondering, I am working on our 14 months in California album, 2004-2005...way back when the boys were little!!!

Nailed It!

Remember this sketch I posted on Friday?

Well I had 45minutes yesterday, I had finished one thing and there it was 45 minutes before I had to go to work. I could have folded laundry, picked up around the house or vacuumed, instead I decided to put a page together using the sketch. I found photos, it helps too if prepped kits ie photos plus supplies ready to go, and got down to it. With the music cranking, I got it done complete with a title and journaling.

 

I tweaked it a little, my photos are horizontal and instead of a tag, I used 3 cut up journaling spots. Just a little something to get started after a nice break. Let's see if I can crank out a few more in the next few days!!!

Project 12 Share: May 2010

Have you been following along with Project 12?  What's Project 12?  I blogged about it HERE but in a nutshell it's a easy monthly sketch challenge that will result in a complete “year in review” album at the end of the year. I've been working diligently on mine and have a bunch done but will be sharing them on a monthly basis.  Here is the sketch from the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog...

 And here is my May 2010 layout...
Have you been keeping up?  Share yours!

Hide & Seek

An all day crop, wi-fi and a sketch challenge...I love to scrapbook with a sketch and a challenge in hand.  This past Saturday was no different.  I had brought minimal supplies with me to an all day crop and was stumped.  I decided to search for a sketch online...one of the blog's I visited was Tiffany's blog.  There I found this sketch challenge from the blog Sketches in Thyme.

Here's my interpretation of it...

No quite happy with the journaling...strips are fine, it's the story-telling I'm not happy with.  It's easily remedied so I'll work on it later.  Check out the websites and take the challenge.  Leave me a comment if you do ;)

Spotlight: Get It Scrapped

Get it Scrapped is a "is a resource with lots of information about the creative AND practical aspects of memory keeping.  It’s like the Home Repair book my husband goes to when the ice maker breaks and he doesn’t want to pay someone to fix it. He also goes there when he decides to do a project to pretty up the place.  The thing is — Get It Scrapped! is not a static resource like that book of my husband’s. We’re continually adding to the information here–so it’s like a magazine on top of a how-to manual!"

I've been exploring this website for a bit and find the information/articles very eye opening.  On top of information, there are classes as well as sketches and a neat forum that I have yet to delve into.  Two articles on scrapbook design that I found interesting are "Tap the Power of Three" and "The 4 patterns that make mixing scrapbook papers a snap".

And this article on 2-page layouts led to this...

Spotlight: My Creative Classroom

My Creative Classroom is an "online arts and crafts learning center. Our interactive and in-depth courses are instructor led and filled with wonderful projects and techniques to help you get the most out of your supplies."  Head over and check it out. They have classes from beginner scrapbooking to how-to use your gypsy to copic coloring, etc. 

I've only heard good things of them and in fact, am just finishing up a course with them...Sketch Support with Allison Davis and had a great time.  Everything went smoothly, I got a ton of pages done and learned a LOT about sketches and how to get the most out of them as well as some great scrapbooking tips.  We were given a sketch at the beginning of every week along with a sample page by Allison.  She talks about what she did to change the sketch, the thought process, photos placement, embellishment choices, paper choices etc.  Each week was a different topic with an assignment and challenge.  Once we have finished our assigments, we shared in an online gallery and got feedback from her and everyone else in the class.  Sharing and finishing assignments wasn't compulsory.  Here's an example from week 4...learning how to embellish.

My interpretation of the sketch...assignment was to create a layout and adjust the title, journaling and/or embellishments to fit what you want to use. 

And here is my assignment challenge layout.  The challenge was to "create your own embellishments!"  I had a hard time with this and finally settled on stamping the turtle, cutting out a shell from patterned papers and making the turtle x-ing sign from an embellishment I had on hand.

Happy Scrappin!

Spotlight: Sketch Savvy Blog

     Another sketch related spotlight...Sketch Savvy.  Can you tell I love sketches?  This blog is maintained by Susan Stringfellow and looks like she posts a sketch plus sample layouts on a daily basis.  Occasionally there are also SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot) cut files that can be used with the cricut machine.  

I have been scrapping at home the last few weeks and am going to attempt a layout today using Sketch Savvy's sketch for today.  I'll share here once I get it done.  update:  layout done.  I managed to even dig through my stash and use some really old stuff I've been hanging on to for way too long!!!

Spotlight: Page Maps

The spotlight of this week is one my all time favorite sites to head to for sketches.  I have been reading/using the sketches from this site from way back when.  If you haven't heard of the website or blog, I'm sure you've seen their books.

Head on over to the Page Maps website and check out all of their cool free sketches.  They also have a Page Maps blog that has contests all year long.  Here is an excerpt from their welcome page...

Yo sketch dawgs! Welcome to PageMaps, a sketch resource for scrapbookers and page artists. We all hit a creative wall from time to time, staring at piles of photos, papers and embellishments, wondering how to put it all together. (For me, it's usually a double semi truck and I don't stand a chance.)

But with a click of the mouse, inspiration is yours to find among the many sketches found here at PageMaps—from graphic and shabby to linear and asymmetrical—there's sure to be a map that fits your style. And hey, if there isn't, just turn one of those suckers on its side or upside down! Cardmakers will also find a collection of designs just in time for that last-minute birthday card. After all, does Hallmark really need your hard-earned $3 bucks? Personally, I'd rather buy a latte (double shot, hold the foam, please).

PageMaps are free for you to download and print for your personal use, but please read the {yawn} Terms of Use to make sure I don't have to send one of my friends after you for map violations. I know this dude, Guido, and he's running a special on knee caps this month...