Dance of the Bored

Now, I'm no dancer, but like most girls, I took my share of dance classes in my day.  And I still appreciate the art form.  So I jumped at the chance to go to see the Hungarian National Ballet while we were in Budapest, especially since Mark would be going to the ballet for the very first time.  I should have rethought my plans when I saw they would be performing "A Midsummer's Night's Dream," which isn't very much a traditional ballet like "Swan Lake."  Needless to say, I will be hard pressed to get Mark to another performance any time soon.

Just Beautiful

Supplies: 7 gypsies Olana; Scenic Route Paper; American Crafts cardstock; Art-C Silver glitter mist; Studio Calico Mr. Huey Calico Cream; Daisy D's Beautiful rubon; Elle's Studio Collected cutouts, red banners, little tags (Handmade); K & Co Juliene Vintage label diecuts; Recollections Transparency Embellishments; Jolee's boutique stickers

Incorporating Ephemera: Part II

So I guess I'm not done talking about ephemera in our scrapbooking.  I really like being able to keep business cards or brochures with the names of hotels, restaurants, and businesses that we visited on our trips, in case we want to go back to them in the future, or so I can recommend them to friends.  It's almost like having a gigantic Rolodex with photos and notes included!

Here I incorporated the business card from our Prague hotel into an embellishment cluster.  Even though the colors don't go with the layout too well, because its part of the embellishment it doesn't stand out too much on the layout.

Disclaimer: I know ephemera isn't acid free.  Because I'm using prints of digital photos, I'm not worried about the prints getting damaged over time.  The digital photos will persist.

We Slept Here

Sketch: Shimelle Laine

Supplies: Harmonie Rococo (Broderie Paisley); Hambly Studios Grandma's Wallpaper; Basic Grey Junebug (Crazy Quilt), rubons; Making Memories Noteworthy spiral journaling book; October Afternoon Word stickers Fly a Kite, Togetherness ready set chip, Thrift shop word stickers; Fancy Pants rubons, Little Yellow Bicycle Clothesline epoxy stickers, flower stick pin; K & Co Engraved Garden grand adhesions; Lilly bee letter stickers; American Crafts Thickers

Christmas in July

Last winter, my sister and I went to a photography workshop at the Christmas in Lights display at Bellingrath Gardens.  I din't want this page to look too Christmas-y, because it wasn't really a Christmas story.  I think the bright paper reflects the bright colored lights.

Photo Fun

The Girls Paperie On holiday (Travel Ticking, Travel Skirt), chipboard alphabet; Echo Park Dots and Stripes (Metropolitan Navy small dot); K & Co Smash Pad (Special occasions); EK Success punch; Bahama Blue Glimmer Mist; Jenni Bowlin Ink; Recollections flowers; Sassafrass Cherry Sweet Treats stickers

I Never Win Nothin'

Some people are lucky.  My husband can win $300 at a slot machine before I can get back from the bathroom. I don't bother to buy lottery tickets any more because my luck stinks.  On the rare occaison I do win something, it makes me even more grateful for it.  I won a cruise once.  My sister claims it because she actually filled out my ticket, but I'm the one who got the phone call.

Recently, though, I've been on a little streak. The folks at Lensbaby sent me this awesome book:

Yay!  Then, a couple of days later, I won one of the prizes during Ella Publishing's awesome Spring Training event, I won one of the daily prizes!  So not only did I get 2 week's worth of awesome scrap content, I also got a prize?  Who is this girl?

I won a $50 gift card to Ormolu.  I've been wanting to try this company for a while, and well, now I have.  It's great quality, beautiful stuff, and let me tell you, $50 will go a long way in her shop!  And Kaitlin provided fantastic customer service.  So here is everything I got:

Bungalow Fabric strips, Tag Sale fabric tag sheet, Bungalow snapshots

Fact or Fiction flappers and flair buttons, dots n spots, and fabric swatches

Isn't this camera flair so stinkin' cute?

Go negative package tags, Little Labels from Bungalow and Tag Sale

Of course I couldn't wait to break open those packages and use some labels and flair.  I just love the bright colors and the clean look, and I'm going to be placing more orders of Ormolu.

American Idol

Sketch: Sketches for Scrapbooking vol. 5


Supplies: Studio Calico 6x6 pad, Mister Huey Calico White, Wood Veneers, Badges; Basic Grey Sweet Threads (Must Have),  Hello Luscious stitched brads; Scenic Route cardstock; Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Stain, Tiny Attacher; Pink Paislee Expressions Cushies; American Crafts Remarks; K & Co Smash tabs; Martha Stewart for Avery labels; Elle's Studio cut outs; Jolee's Boutique French General stickers; Ormolu Fact or Fiction flappers, flair buttons, fabric swatches; Queen and Co twine; My Minds Eye Miss Caroline brads

Another Photo Collage Example

In my series on scrapbooking large events, I talked about how I like to use photo collages to get several pictures on one layout.  This layout is another example of how I do that.  Here, I fit 6 photos on a one page layout.  That's a lot of photos for one page, but it still feels simple and uncluttered. Not to mention how it saves space!

St. Stephen's Basilica

Sketch: Lisa Day 28 Days of Sketches

Supplies:  Crate Paper Portrait (Traditions, borders, Emma's Shop Phrases, Restoration Phrases); Pink Paislee Starlight (Bright); My Minds Eye Lost and Found (Madison Avenue Cherish Pintuck paper), Stella and Rose (Stella So Sweet Plait paper), Lost and Found 2 (Rosy Ordinary label stickers), Miss Caroline (Dolled Up Day stickers), ancient  Bohemia rub on; Lily Bee Catching Fall (Flannel Sheets); Bo Bunny Et Cetera brads, layered chipboard); Sassafras letter stickers (Wood Grain); Prima flocked run ons (Reflections); Little Yellow Bicycle Epoxy Chipboard buttons (Clothesline); K and Co Grand Adhesions (Engraved Garden); Tim Holtz Distress Ink; Martha Stewart punch, labels; Basic Grey trim stickers (Heritage), Wholy Cow rubons; DMC floss

It's Astronomical

Happy Memorial Day, readers!  I hope you are having a great long weekend.  I love how right now it seems that many of the scrapbooking lines, regardless of company, have similar color schemes.  It makes it really easy to mix and match lines.  For this layout I used some old (Echo Park For the Record and Life is Good) with newer (My Minds Eye Stella and Rose), and they just came together nicely.

I realize this layout doesn't have any journaling.  I put all of my notes on an insert in a divided protector that goes next to the page.  There were lots more photos than this that I wanted to include.

Astronomical Clock

Supplies: Crate Paper Portrait (Something Blue); Martha Stewart punch; Echo Park For the Record (Apron Strings, Newsprint, Element stickers), Life is Good (The Neighborhood); October Afternoon 5 and Dime (Wax Bottles); My Minds Eye Stella and Rose Gertie Friends Forever Layered Chipboard, Gertie Delightful decorative brads, Miss Caroline Dilly Dally title; Tim Holtz Distress Ink,  mini paper clips; Studio AE for Technique Tuesday (The Observant Traveler); Elle's Studio Handmade Layers card; 7 gypsies 97% complete; K & Co Handmade adhesive gems; Studio Calico stickers (State Fair); Basic Grey Label stickers ; Sassafrass alpha (Krafty); Pink Paislee foam letters (Cushy lemon)

A Scraplifted Layout

A few weeks ago Shimelle hosted an online crop on her blog.  I wasn't able to participate at the time, but a few of the challenges spoke to me.  One of which was to scrapbook a specific layout here.  I liked it and thought it would be great for these photos from last summer.

Since I've recently jumped on the Washi Tape bandwagon (with both feet AND my wallet!)  I'm trying to use it a bit more.  Here I covered some chipboard letters with the tape, and I love the way it looks.  

Hot Suff

Supplies:  The Girls' Paperie On Holiday (Pennants, Travel Ticking, Display letters chipboard alphabet, Elsie Mixed Brads); Echo Park Dots and Stripes Metropolitan (Navy Small Dot); Washi Tape from Freckled Fawn; Recollections fabric flowers; American Crafts bits (PeachyKeen, Love); Elle's Studio Red Pennants, Collected Cutouts, polka dot journaling card; Marcy Penner journailing cards; My Minds Eye Miss Caroline Dilly Dally diecut; Tim Holtz stamp, adornments; Versa Magic (Night Sky); Glitz Stickles; October Afternoon stickers (Farm Fresh); Pink Paislee canvas borders (Old School); K & Co Handmade adhesive gems; Martha Stewart Eyelet seals; Sassafrass Cherry Sweet Treat stickers

Old Town Square

We knew we would love Prague as soon as we set foot in the Old Town Square.  The word "charming" doesn't even begin to describe this town.  And there was street food!  Roasted ham and potatoes and sausage.  If you are looking for off the beaten track Europe, I can't recommend Prague highly enough.

I dug really deep into my stash for this layout.  I know I had those My Minds Eye papers when I was scrapbooking our first Europe trip in 2007!  Yep, if its been in the stash for 5 years, then its probably time to put it on a page!  I also used some of my new love: washi tape!  Oh yes, I've bought into this trend hook, line and sinker.  This particular tape is some that is sold at Target with the office supplies.


Old Town Square

Sketch:  Sketches for Scrapbooking 

Supplies:  American Crafts cardstock; Pink Paislee House of 3 Parisian Anthology (Beautiful Butterfly); My Minds Eye Tres Jolie (Mi Cherie Beauty Floral/ Creme), Bon Jour (Memories Floral Stripe/Turquoise); K and Co Smash Pad,  alpha stickers (Marcella by K), diecut (Juilianne Vintage); Creative Imaginations stickers (Marah Johnson Cowgirl ABC) ; 7 gypsies 97% complete stickers (Travel Voyage); Recollections glitter shapes; Tim Holtz Distress Stain, Distress Ink; Stickles; Target washi tape

Riding the Rails

Given all the methods of travel out there, Mark and I prefer train travel.  Generally, its fast, quiet, and efficient.  In some cases, like our trip from Prague to Budapest, the food is even really good.  We had some of the best goulash on that train that we had the entire trip.

PRG -- > BUD

Supplies:  Tim Holtz Kraft Resist, Distress Ink, mini paperclips, Distress Stain; The Girls Paperie On Holiday (Diecut Envelopes); Lily Bee Catching Fall (Flannel Sheets); K and Co Smash Pad; 7 gypsies 97% complete (Travel Voyage); My Minds Eye stickers; Elle's Studio Lil' Snippets (This Week); American Crafts Thickers (Subway Accents), Remarks Roosevelt

More Practice with Sketches

It's pretty obvious if you've followed my blog for any amount of time that I love sketches.  I'm just finishing up a class with Lisa Day over at Big Picture Classes called 28 Days of Sketches.  It's been fun, although I'm really just starting to put some of those sketches to work.

The Good Stuff

Sketch: Lisa Day 28 Days of Sketches

Supplies: American Crafts cardstock, Thickers;  Sassafrass Indie Girls (Pocahontas and me); Authentique letter stickers; K & Co Smash tape; The Girls Paperie diecuts (On Holiday); Cosmo Cricket stickers, lovely bits butterflies and doilies die cuts (Social Club); October Afternoon word stickers; Crate Paper border stickers; Echo Park stickers; My Minds Eye Lush brads; Elle's Studio vintage label; Martha Stewart twine; Ditto Glimmer Mist; Tim Holtz mini paper clips