Done! {and a giveaway}

31 layouts in 31 days.

A layout everyday for the entire month of May!

Yippee!
And I think this is a good one to end on.

Supplies: Patterned paper, alpha stickers, die cut photo corner (My Little Shoebox), Buttons (Little Yellow Bicycle), Bling (Heidi Swapp for Advantus)

And now I am tired!

HA!!
But how about a giveaway for fun!??!

I've got a flat rate box packed full of stuff including a couple of idea books.

Leave me a comment telling me your favorite layout from this month & I will draw a winner in a couple of days!
___________________________________

On a different note, it's Memorial Day here in the good ole US of A.

Thank you to all the servicemen & woman who have fought to protect our freedom past & present.

This country would not be the same without them.

Thank you for all that you have done for us.

And thank you to all of their families who sacrifice so that we have live safely.

I don't know how you do it.

Yall are bigger persons than I.
_________________________________
OK I am going to step away from the scissors and patterned paper for just a little bit.

{but not for too long}
:)

gretchen

30 of 31

It's another 2-pager!

Supplies: Patterned paper (KI Memories, My Mind's Eye), Chipboard alphas (Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket), Chipboard pumpkins (KI Memories), Jeweled brads (My Mind's Eye)
This makes 30 down and 1 to go!
boo-yah!
This is progress people!

See you tomorrow!

{i might have to do a giveaway to celebrate}

:)

gretchen

KI Friday Focus On

Yesterday's Focus On over on the KI blog was the new lace cardstock.

The loopy, swirly lace cardstock is my all-time favorite.

It should be made in all colors and glitter!
:)

This pink lace paper here was new this spring.

{and here is a girly layout for a change!}

Supplies: Patterned paper, lace cardstock, glitter alphas, bling (all KI Memories)

Happy Saturday by the way.

YAY for a 3-day weekend!

:)

gretchen

8 1/2 x 11

Changing it up a bit here!

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts (My Little Shoebox); Brads (Basic Grey)

Supplies: Patterned paper, scalloped paper, chipboard alphas (My Little Shoebox); Buttons (Little Yellow Bicycle)

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts, transparencies (My Little Shoebox); Bling (KI Memories)

:)
That's 3 layouts in 1 day.

Thank you very much.

:)
gretchen

AC challenge

I'm taking a little break from layouts to do a card for the challenge on the American Crafts blog this week.

The challenge is to do a spring layout or card with 2 or more AC products.

Easy!

Supplies: Cardstock, patterned paper, rub-ons, flair (American Crafts), Flowers (Prima)

Anybody looking forward to a 3-day weekend??
ME!!
Have a great day!

Only 2 more work days until we get that weekend!

:)

gretchen

hump day

There is no need to spend alot of time on a layout when you already have cute pictures!

Supplies: Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye), Foam alphas (American Crafts), Glitter alphas (Making Memories), Bling (Me and My Big Ideas)

Super simple!
:)
Happy hump day!

gretchen

25 of 31

Clean and simple!

And oh so sweet.

Patterned paper, chipboard embellishment & "love" alphas (Little Yellow Bicycle); Chipboard alphas (Basic Grey); string

:)

gretchen

Thanksgiving in May??

Well of course!!

:)

Supplies: Patterned paper, chipboard embellishments (Cosmo Cricket); Chipboard alphas, brads (Basic Grey); Alphabet stickers (Doodlebug), string

I could go for some turkey & dressing, green bean casserole, and homemade rolls right about now!
:)
gretchen

23 of 31

Ah, summer!
My beach trip for this summer may not happen if the beach is covered in oil.

So I might as well scrap about someone else's good time!
{plus this new beach line from Little Yellow Bicycle is the coolest!}

Supplies: Patterned paper, border sticker, dimensional stickers (Little Yellow Bicycle Boardwalk), Jewels (KI Memories)

Are you impressed that I haven't missed a day yet??!

:)

gretchen

15-minute layout

It's crunch time people!

I have got to get this thing done and I do not have much time left!

{so you can probably assume that all layouts from here on out are 15-minute layouts}

:)

Supplies: Patterned papers (Cosmo Cricket), Chipboard heart (Heidi Swapp for Advantus), string

:)
gretchen

Scraplifting myself

Oh it is totally legal!
I just took the layout from this post and turned it into this one.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Scenic Route-background, Little Yellow Bicycle (all other), Alphabet stickers (Making Memories-blue, Doodlebug-red), Ribbon (Little Yellow Bicycle), Stickers & Die cuts (Little Yellow Bicycle), Bling (Heidi Swapp for Advantus)

Piece of cake!!
:)

gretchen

Same sketch, another layout

I liked the sketch {from yesterday} so much that I decided to make another layout with it!

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cuts, rub-ons, stickers (Little Yellow Bicycle Snugglebug line), Jewels (KI Memories)

________________________________________
I want to answer a couple of questions I have gotten recently...

1) Kirby asked about Kenner Road. Unfortunately there will be no more KR kits. Kerry Lynn decided to stop doing kits with Kenner Road but she will still be doing her digital stuff for 2peas!
2) Karine asked about getting involved in challenges. There are lots of places that do challenges regularly! My Mind's Eye does a challenge every month on their blog. KI Memories puts up a challenge on their blog every Monday. There are several blogs dedicated just to challenges. Scrapjacked and Scrapping the Music are a couple of fun ones that come to mind. Also Scrap Weekly 2010 is a new blog this year that puts up a cool challenge every week!

If anyone else knows of great challenge sites, chip in!

I hope that helps!

:)

gretchen

MME challenge

It is challenge time over on the My Mind's Eye blog again!
This one is based on a sketch and then anything goes after that (no specific theme or anything).
Check out the sketch & the rest of the details here.
And here is my take on the sketch...

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cut, chipboard alphas (My Mind's Eye), Brads (American Crafts), Glitter alphas (Making Memories)

The challenge is due tomorrow so get to scrapping if you want to play along!

:)
gretchen

18 of 31

I've got another layout in a special issue of CK.

This one is all about using paper!

{you can win a copy of this if you go here and leave a comment}

And Lee just looooooves it when he shows up in print without being notified first.

HA!

It is just sooooo hard being married to me!

:)

Supplies: Patterned paper (American Crafts, Jenni Bowlin, KI Memories, Cosmo Cricket), Cardstock (Prism, American Crafts), Die cut title (Quickutz Diesel font)

:)
Thanks for looking!
gretchen

the 17th one

I want to make sure there are at least a few good pages of just Lindsay with Bryson since she is already way too much behind the camera rather than in front of it! Supplies: Patterned paper (My Little Shoebox), Buttons (Little Yellow Bicycle)

Have a great day!!

:)
gretchen

16 down, 15 to go

What do you do when you are in a hurry and trying to get alot of pages done in a little amount of time??

Well you line all your pics up in a row & then decorate around them of course!

Notice this trend on many of these layouts??!!

ha!

Supplies: Patterned paper, stickers (Little Yellow Bicycle), Bling (Heidi Swapp for Advantus)
And I am knocking them out, 1 layout at a time!

:)

gretchen

Almost halfway there

Remember how I said that doing all these layouts has led to some funky experimenting on some pages??

This one is another example.

The color combo here is a little weird.

But it is growing on me more & more.

Supplies: Patterned paper (American Crafts, Sassafras), Die cuts (My Mind's Eye), Bling (Heidi Swapp for Advantus), misc (string & staples)

Anybody bored with this yet??
Because I've still got 16 more days to go!
:)
gretchen

Layout a day in May - Favorite

This is my favorite layout so far.

And it is so simple!

And took like 20 minutes to do.

I think those numbers are just really cool.

:)

Supplies: Background paper (Scenic Route), Chipboard numbers (Sassafras), Alpha stickers (Crate Paper), Banner stickers (Sassafras)

:)

gretchen

Challenge

Making all these layouts in a relatively short amount of time has led to some experimenting.

{like seeing how fast i can make a layout, playing with different colors that i don't normally use, trying new products, etc etc}

Well here is one of those experiments!

I made this one for this week's challenge over on the American Crafts blog.

{the challenge is to use 2 or more types of AC brads on a page. you know i have an infatuation with brads. i could not resist}

But the experimentation came when I tried to do kind of a white on white layout to create a "snowy" look.

Supplies: Chipboard alphas & embellishment (American Crafts), Jeweled brads & brown brads (American Crafts), Foam alphas (American Crafts), Lace cardstock (KI Memories), Paper snowflakes (Making Memories)
I am not exactly sure I like it yet.

But I think it is slowly growing on me.

Thanks for looking!
:)
gretchen

Bad hair day

OK taking a break from baby boy layouts to share this one.
It was published in the latest CK & it is my favorite layout of the moment.

And not because the design is anything spectacular but because it is funny.

Of all the fabulous stories that could be told about my wedding, this is the one that gets told the most.

Nobody talks of my pretty dress or the cool location or how I was crazy to do an outdoor wedding in December or the yummy German chocolate groom's cake or how I had to redo my make-up after Stuart sang before I walked down the aisle or any of the usual stuff you would talk about at a wedding.

Nope.

The story that is told the most is about my bad hair adventure.

Oh it is funny now.

7 years ago, not so much.

But! I was saved by the veil!
{and yes, i think i am very clever}

Supplies: Cardstock (Prism), Patterned paper (My Mind's Eye, KI Memories), Brads (Pink Paislee), Bling (Advantus), Chipboard (American Crafts), Alphabets (Basic Grey, Making Memories)

_________________________________________

I hope you have a great hair day!
:)
gretchen

Stop the presses

This deserves a 2nd post of the day!

Have you seen the Creating Keepsakes latest special issue?

Well, you need a copy of it for a couple of reasons.

1. It really does have a lot of great layout & album ideas from many different people.

And 2. Because I have a mini album in there.
:)

But the even cooler thing is that Lisa Bearnson featured my album on her blog yesterday!
She called it (and I quote) "one of my favorites".

Boo-yah!
Aaaaaand the cool thing for you is that she is giving away 3 copies of the special issue.

So go to her blog and leave a comment for a chance to win!

YAY!
OK back to regularly scheduled programming.
:)
gretchen

Two-fer

I'll call it Two-fer Tuesday!

1. It's a gift card holder that I made for the My Mind's Eye blog last month and forgot to post here!

Supplies: Patterned papers, ribbon (My Mind's Eye Lush), Scalloped punch (The Paper Studio)

2. It's a card with some of the new My Little Shoebox!

Supplies: Patterned paper, die cut, chipboard alphas (My Little Shoebox), Bling (My Mind's Eye)

Don't forget to get your My Little Shoebox design team submissions in by the 15th!!

:)

Happy Tuesday!
gretchen

10 of 31

Uh, I feel like I am stuck in a rut with my die cut papers.

I think this is the 1,000th time I have used a piece this same way.

Maybe nobody will notice.

:)

Supplies: Patterned paper (Little Yellow Bicycle, Bella Blvd), Die cut paper (Little Yellow Bicycle), Alpha stickers (Basic Grey), Chipboard alphas (American Crafts), Brads (American Crafts), Bling (My Mind's Eye)
______________________________________

Happy day!!
:)
gretchen

p.s. T minus 5 days to get your My Little Shoebox design team applications in!
Deadline is May 15th!

Happy Mother's Day

"She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and her praises her:
'Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.'

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."

Proverbs 31: 25-30

Happy Mother's Day to all you awesome P31 women that I know!

(and especially to my own mom!)

I hope you have a great one!

:)

Supplies: Cardstock (Coordinations), Patterned paper (KI Memories), Alpha stickers (Making Memories), Ribbon (KI Memories), Bling (Heidi Swapp for Advantus), Chipboard & brads (KI Memories)
Enjoy your day!
:)

gretchen

I love this

It's another 2-pager and another from a leftover class kit! Supplies: Patterned paper (Scenic Route-background, My Mind's Eye-striped), Brads (American Crafts), Alphabet stickers (Making Memories), corrugated cardboard & staples

:)
Have an awesome weekend!!
gretchen

Toadally cool

Day #7

I'm on a roll folks!

This Little Yellow Bicycle paper was just too perfect for these pictures!

Supplies: Patterned paper (Little Yellow Bicycle), Alphabet stickers (Doodlebug), Felt sticker & Chipboard circle (Little Yellow Bicycle), Flocked brads (Creative Cafe)

TGIF!
:)
gretchen

Day #6

This was a quickie!
I basically just took the design from
yesterday's 2-pager and made it into a single page.

Easy!

Supplies: Patterned paper (Bella Blvd), Flocked chipboard alphas (My Mind's Eye)
____________________________________

Don't forget that the My Little Shoebox design team call ends on May 15th.

Get those submissions in!!
:)

gretchen

Cinco de Mayo

It's a 2-pager today!

Supplies: Patterned paper & stickers (Bella Blvd), Bling (Heidi Swapp), Alphabet stickers (Studio Calico)
______________________________________

Don't forget to get your Mother's Day cards in the mail ASAP!!
:)

Mexican food tonight!
{and a 'rita}
:)
gretchen

Day #4

This was an easy one.

I used a leftover class kit that found while cleaning out my scraproom.
Voila!!

Cardstock (My Mind's Eye), Patterned paper (American Crafts), Thickers & brads (American Crafts), Border punch (Fiskars), Butterfly punch (Martha Stewart), Heart punch (McGill), Stars & photo corners (Sizzix)

I'll be back tomorrow!
:)
gretchen

Third day

Happy Monday!

I've got another one for ya!

Supplies: Patterned paper, chipboard embellishments (Little Yellow Bicycle Baby Safari), Alphabet stickers (Studio Calico-blue, October Afternoon-green), Brads (American Crafts)

Have a great day!!
:)
gretchen

A Layout A Day in May

I wonder if I can do it.

I need to do it.

I want to finish Lindsay's book by the
end of the month.

I am way behind on my 13.1 album.

And "a layout a day in May" is catchy.
:)
I posted layouts yesterday so I am off to a good start!

________________________________
The KI team did a round robin to be featured on the KI blog yesterday for National Scrapbook Day.
This was my layout.

Supplies: Patterned paper, bling, glitter letters (KI Memories), Star die cut (Making Memories Slice)
And there are many fabulous other layouts on this post over on the KI blog you should check out!
_________________________________

Happy Sunday!
:)

gretchen

disclaimer:
i might not actually be making a layout every day. i might work ahead. i might post layouts i have not shared here before but made a while ago. cards, mini albums, tags, and anything else paper crafty qualify as a layout. but i will post something every day this month. hehehe.

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!
{shouldn't there be gifts given on such a holiday?? i think so!}
For the occasion, I present to you a bunch of scrapbooking stuff to look at!

__________________________________________
This is Lee and his first dog {a looong time ago}.

Supplies: Patterned paper (Basic Grey, KI Memories), Foam alphas (My Little Shoebox), Stickers (KI Memories), Chipboard (Die Cuts with a View), Brads (KI Memories)
__________________________________________
And I think I am soooo funny with this one!
Supplies: Patterned paper (7gypsies, Fancy Pants, Jenni Bowlin), Die cut paper (Jenni Bowlin), Alpha stickers (Making Memories), Rub-ons (Hambly), Buttons (Jenni Bowlin), Border stickers (KI Memories), Felt heart (Jenni Bowlin)
__________________________________________
Here are a couple of cards I made for the My Mind's Eye blog.
I used the same basic design for both cards-one is a girly card & one is just a little more neutral.

Supplies: Patterned paper, Bling, Ribbon (My Mind's Eye Lush), Die cuts (My Mind's Eye Penny Lane & Quite Contrary)
________________________________________
And finally here are a couple layouts I made this month for My Little Shoebox.
I love the primary colors in this line!!

Supplies: Patterned paper, Chipboard alphas, Die cuts, tiny alpha stickers (My Little Shoebox), Brads (KI Memories)
__________________________________________
I hope you are having a great day on this holiday!
:)
Be sure to check out the KI blog for your chance to win a Silhouette!!
gretchen