Stamp Scrap Diva: Get Inspired Sketch #2

So Ronda over at Stamp Scrap Diva has decided to alternate her weekly Get Inspired Sketch between a scrapbook layout and a card.  So for her Sketch #2 it's a wonderful three photo layout that definitely inspired my creativity.  Of course, I remain behind the schedule of the Get Inspired Sketch's ... hopefully I will get caught up VERY soon!

The scrapbook page is of my sweet little grand-baby Caroline.  These photos were taken at the hospital and through a series of mistaken opportunities my daughter missed purchasing these gems.  I procured them with the aid of some questionable software which explains the watermark on the photos.  I have yet to meet this precious little girl but remain hopeful that I'll get to hold her soon and tell her just how much she is loved.

Welcome Caroline

Details
Paper: Making Memories Animal Crackers Ella
Cardstock: SU Pretty in Pink, Bazzill Chablis

Embellishments:  Various Making Memories Animal Crackers Ella 
Ribbon: Michaels White Organdy 1/8", Karen Foster Scrapper's Floss Pastel Pink

Punch:  Marvy Uchida Circle Punch 2"
Design:  Stamp Scrap Diva Get Inspired Sketch #2

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

Scrapbooking Pages

What follows are several pages that I created for NSM. Unfortunately, the pages did not turn out as I hoped through one reason or another. I am a horrible judge of my own work ... too much comparing. I wasn't going to show the pages but in the end decided that I needed to do it for myself, so here they are:

How vegetarian are YOU?

A dining experience from a Princess Cruise that we took two years ago.

I used the Sunshine Garden Simply Scrappin' Scrapbooking Kit on this page. I'm not really a sticker or self-adhesive diecut person and I think that shows on the page. But I sure gave it a good try and it has it moments.

Face Time

Celebrating just three of the many faces of my 2 year old nephew Jase who has been living with us for the past seven months.  I found the LO on a site called Choubox Scrapbook Design I was able to grab the sketch as a pdf file and refer back to it often as cutting sizes were included.

Being a new demonstrator creating samples can be challenging to say the least ... so here's another example of using cardstock exclusively on these pages.  I think using the background stamp from the Sweet Sampler stamp set turned out really nicely though.  Cardstock is the extremely like able Barely Banana and always faithful Bashful Blue.  Ink was the stand-alone Bashful Blue.  Unfortunately, I did have to veer into non-SU products for titling and fonts.  Fonts were downloaded over the Internet and were freeware.  Titling was completed using the Sure Cuts Alot software for the Cricut.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps!

About quality and cardstock

I just discovered something and had to share -- many of you may already know this but like I said I had to share!

Since I am still lamenting the soon retirement of the 2008-09 In Colors I have become incredibly Scrooge-like with cardstock.  This morning I am working on a two page scrapbook LO and decided to mount all the photos on Pacific Blue.  After I got over the shock at the sheer amount of cardstock that would be required for the photo mounting I arrived at the decision to brayer a couple of pages of white cardstock.  Still being Scrooge-like I pulled out an old stash of white cardstock and went to town.  For the second sheet I decided to try out my precious stash of Stampin' UP!  Whisper White cardstock.  I can't believe the difference - take a look for yourself.  Be warned I am not a brayer type stamper this is my first go at brayering so there's lots of lines but the truth is in the pudding.  

The amount of ink accepted by the Whisper White cardstock is amazing.  Now I have never been a cardstock snob (patterned paper yes) it took me quite some type to jump on that whole Bazzill bandwagon.  For me cardstock was for matting or often behind the patterned paper (don't ask!)  Stampin' UP! has high quality standards for all their products and it shows with this little unknowing experiment.  Take some unsolicited advice and get yourself a package of this paper you won't regret it!  Am I biased?  You bet, but my love of the products of Stampin' UP! is the reason I became a demo.

Don't forget that for the month of May all patterned paper and textured cardstock are buy 3 packages get 1 free.  By the way, that free package can be more expensive than the 3 you purchase.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.

the eyes of my child

A Christmas layout?  Yes, a Christmas layout.  A small one ... bear with me.  This LO was taken from the Stampalooza's Monthly Scrapbook Challenge on the SU Demo board on SCS.  When I started this project I had the date set as April 15, 2009 but it was actually 2008.  I was too far in to back so I pressed on.  The sketch was done as 12" x 12" and I wanted to do a 6" x 6" so I reworked it.  I think I kept most of the design elements but you take a look and judge.

As I look back on Christmas there was so much going on that I missed, but it's in their eyes, the fear (holidays were not exactly top priority in their previous situation) the excitement and the homesickness.  We tried to make it as much fun as we knew how.  However, it was our first Christmas with these little people.  Having never experienced a Turner & Baty holiday (tendency to go over the top) we of course overwhelmed them.  They did stop opening presents to go off and play!?!  Add to everything a sudden bout of flu the adults experienced on that morning and the photos will never make it into the hallowed walls of Olan Mills.

Thanks for looking and yes HE stamps.