Follow Your Heart LO

Here's one last layout from The Paper Element's Sugar line. I used the sepia photos from Punta Cana and Jamaica for this one. I dyed the chipboard arrows with Tim Holtz ink for a marbled look.

Dream Big LO

I thought that this photo of Payton looking into a snowglobe would be perfect for this title! Once again, the paper is from The Paper Element's Sugar line. I also used some grungeboard that I inked with the Tim Holtz ink. The great rub-ons are also part of the Sugar collection!!

All This and Brains Too! LO

These are the first glimpses of Payton's professional photos taken last week. The layout is designed from the Sugar line at The Paper Element. The cardstock sticker says it all!!

Find Your Own Way LO

This is from the Sugar line of The Paper Element. I love the paisleys, stripes, and flowers! The sayings on the cardstock stickers are so good that you don't even need a title! I thought this was a good one for Jason and Payton walking together.

BTW, we were able to recover the photos and other files from the crashed hard drive!! Yeah, I'm so relieved!

Dancer LO - The Paper Element

This layout features more of the Isadora collection from The Paper Element. The colors of it are so fun and versitle!! Payton started her second ballet class last week, so I hope you don't get sick of cute dance photos, as there will probably be a lot!

My computer died on me yesterday....looks like I'm going to be getting a new one! I just hope that Jason can recover all of the photos that we didn't have backed up (like our Jamaica trip last month - yikes!!)

Taking a Break LO

In this layout, I wanted to showcase the beautiful double sided Paper Element paper.

In the photo, Payton is taking a break from the hot sun on the beach in Jamaica.

Stop and Smell the Roses - The Paper Element

Here's another layout featuring the Isadora collection from The Paper Element. When I saw the cardstock sticker with this title, I immediately knew which photo I wanted to use. Payton is actually smelling tulips and daffodils, but close enough!! I did some random sewing on the top and bottom to accent the page border. I stamped the words: wishing you: friendship, love, joy, and happiness.

Sands of Time LO - The Paper Element

Here is my first layout for The Paper Element!! This is from the Isadora collection. The collection not only features some great paper, but also has cardstock stickers that have just the right sayings on them.

I sewed the ribbon onto the photo in random pleats. I also painted the chipboard with a combo of acrylic paints and finished it with crackle paint. The photo is of Payton on the beach in Jamaica, May 2008.

Backstroke LO

I went through my scrap pile and found these coordinating papers. I put some vellum over the photo and cut out the focal point for an added accent.

Kayak Fun LO

This is a photo of the three of us kayaking in Punta Cana. Payton and I had it pretty easy, while Jason had to do all the paddling! I just love the look of the soft blue with red. I have been wanting to do a layout with those colors, but didn't have the right photo until I found this one. The sketch is from Pencillines.

Pink Daffodils LO

I have a bunch of die cuts sitting around that I never use. I hoarded them when I first got into scrapbooking, but they just aren't the trendy thing to use on scrapbooks anymore. I saw a layout in a recent magazine that featured these daffodil die cuts, which I knew I had. So I made it a point to take a photo of my pink double daffodils just so I could do a layout!!

Girl Mix LO

I based this layout off of some fun stickers that I had. They show the "ingredients," "Nutrition facts," and "recipe" for being a girl! I thought they were so cute!

Modern Grid Technique Tutorial

Here's the finished product....my layout is titled: You Are One of a Kind. See below for the tutorial....

This tutorial shows how to design your own background paper using stamps and the modern grid technique. The advantage to making your own background paper is that you can choose your color scheme and stamps and customize to however you want it to look.

Supplies: 12" ruler, ink pads, stamps, cardstock, pen

1. Start with a plain piece of cardstock. Using a ruler, lightly mark (with pencil) at even intervals on the top and bottom of the cardstock. In this example, I put a mark every 1.5," but you can customize to your taste.

NOTE: it looks better if the interval number is easily divisible by the number of inches of paper you are using. (for 12" paper, it would work to have intervals of 1", 1.5", 2", but not 1.25")

2. Turn the paper 90 degrees and repeat step 1. You should now have pencil marks on the top, bottom and both sides of the paper at even intervals

3. Randomly stamp desired images in the desired colors onto the cardstock. 4. Starting on one side, line up the top and bottom pencil marks with the ruler. Using a coordinating pen, trace alongside the ruler from top to bottom, AVOIDING the stamped images. In other words, the pen is down only on the blank space and up when it encounters a stamped image.

5. Repeat step 4 for all of the marks until you have made a grid pattern. Erase the pencil marks and you are done!!

Just Another Day in Paradise LO

I used up the rest of my scraps from my June kit on this layout. The sketch is from the Sketch This blog, which I recently found and love!

Sand Crabs LO

Yup, still going strong on the June kit from the Coconut ScrapShop!! I took this photo of a sand crab in Jamaica...there were tons of them and if you sat still long enough they would come out of their holes and look at you. I was amused, since I had never seen a sand crab before! I got this sketch from the Sisterhood of Scrap.

Photo Booth LO

These photos are of Jason and Payton in a photo booth last year. This is yet another creation from my Coconut ScrapShop June kit. I randomly pleated the ribbon and sewed it onto the layout. I painted the butterflies with acrylic paint. The layout design is interrpreted from Scrapjacked.

Locks of Love LO

I thought that the colors of my sweater really looked good with this fabulous kit from Coconut ScrapShop. I painted the chipboard butterflies and then stamped them. The sketch is from Cherie's Sketches.

I've donated my hair twice to Locks of Love...once in Oct. 2003 and again in Oct. 2007.

Wish LO

What a great kit this is from the Coconut ScrapShop! Along with the Black Market Paper Society paper and die cuts, there are several chipboard pieces (including this crown), as well as some fun ticket stubs! The sketch is from Pencillines.

The photo is of Payton on her 3rd birthday in January.

Sandcastle Creator LO

This layout is made with the top secret Black Market Paper Society "Lucky N Love line" from my June Coconut ScrapShop kit! The paper itself has a wallpaper feel to it!! I made my own rhinestone swirl with the pack of rhinestones included in the kit. The sketch is from Creative Crafts and Stickers Blog.

The photos are of Payton making a sandcastle in Jamaica, May 2007. (yes, I'm trying to finish up these photos before starting on the May 2008 vacation to Jamaica!)

All By Myself LO

Payton is very independent! This past fall, I took photos of her dressing herself. Look closely at the last photo - her pants are on backwards!!! I used all Imagination Project for this two-pager.