Cool - the portrait of a 15YO

When we were on cruise last fall, we had the opportunity to get a professional photo shoot session.  This portait is of my 15 year old:

Papers: Sassafras Lass (Stripes), Lily Bee (blue flowers), SEI (grey), Lemon Owl (sand). Corrugated word: Jillibean Soup. Wood veeners: Freckled Fawn. Fabric Tag: Junkitz. Buttons & ribbon: unknown.
Overall design: The Nifty Pixels Sketch 38.2

Details:

I find bows perfect even for masculin layouts

I could not resist this (old) fabric tag when I found it in my LSS last summer

I have had this photo of DS15 laying on my desk for a while, not sure which color combo to go with it. When I saw the february color challenge at ARTastic Challenge blog, I knew it would be perfect for this photo.

Please return on Wednesday to find out how I used a completely different color scheme, for the portrait of DS 12. a photo with pretty much the same colors.

Launched (Creative Scrappers sketch #268)

Spring came early this year, and we had some lovely warm days in April. I live at the seaside, so it's often windy her, but we even had a week without wind and with sun.

DS11 decided it was time to get his boat back on water, but this particular afternoon I didn't have time to help him. But he had four strong buddies with him and they managed to pull the boat trailer by hand down to the sea front and launch the boat. Actually a car wouldn't have helped this early afternoon: we have a concrete ramp we use for launching boats, but this day the tide was so low, that a car would have had  to back all the way out on the sand bottom - and it would probably be stuck.

Here are DS11 and his brother on his way home:

Background paper: Webster's  Pages. Other papers: SEI, Sassafras Lass, LYB, Crate papers. Banner: Teresa Collins. Badges: The Paper Bakery. Wood pieces & epoxy stars: Freckled Fawn. Alpha: AC. Anchor: unknown

Details:

I found inspiration to this layout from Creative Scrappers sketch #268:

The six circles draw my attention, but I deciden to put my photo to the right of them. So I have streched the sketch to fit my needs, but I'm still happy with the result.


Have you had an early spring, too? or a nice fall if you are on the opposite part of the globe?

DYI Softgun Masks Dudes (CSI special file 365-5)

The CSI DT is excited to reveal our fifth special Case File created for our collaboration with Scrap365,UK's biggest and best scrapbooking magazine. 

This special Case File will be open for investigation for the entire month of April. We will have a new Scrap365 Case File every other month, with the publication of a new issue of the magazine. After this Case File closes, we will be selecting our five favorite layouts to feature, and those people will be invited as CSI Deputies (guest designers) for June. 

Here is this month's special Case File:

And here is my example for you:
(DS11 and his buddy got the idea they would make their own soft gun masks from plaster strips..)

Papers: Panduro (red stars), Lemon Owl (printed). Masks: The Paper Bakery. Stamp: Kaiserkraft. Cut outs: Panduro. Files/deviders: Chic Tags- Alphas: October Afternoon (grey stripy), Basic Grey (grey solid), AC/Amy Tangerine (grey trasperent), Simple Stories (red solid, yellow tiny type), Cosmo Cricket (red tiny type). Sassafrass Lass: Red large

How I solved the case:
*All colors used
*Evidence: Stripes, buttons, paint, string, circus themed products, triangles
*Testimony: Journaling as a circus ad

I hardly ever paint on my pages, but on this one I went far out of my comfort zone :-)

Now, head over to the CSI site to read all about this months fabolous prizes, to see the rest of the DT's wonderful examples and to play along! Remember, you have the rest of April to play along!

Got spikes!

Last Wednesday my youngest son broke his left arm while using his trick bike, and it was actually on flat asphalt. I was visiting my mum, who is in hospital with a nasty ankel fracture, when my husband called and told he would take the kid to the ER to check out the arm. I couldn't help bursting out laughing, as this was the absolute cherry on top: challenges have lined up for the last few months, and this one was so welcome. NOT.

Luckily this fracture was clean and neat, but the kid had to go through a minor surgery to have some spikes put temporarely - they will be taken out in for weeks.

Patterned papers & cut outs: Chic Tags' February kit. Arrows: Chic Tags. Alphas: Jillibean Soup (blue), Sassafras Lass (green). Woode stars: Studio Calico. Wood camera: Freckled Fawn

The kid is now doing fine, even with a plaster cast from above the elbove and down. I'm surprised to see how much he still csn do on his own - getting the socks on in the morning is one of the few chores he cannot do himslef :-)

Some close ups:

When I saw this fun sketch at Scrap365, I immidiately was inspired to create: I loved all the layers and the amount of white space:

The DT has come up with some lovely examples for you, so please visit the Scrap365 blog to see them :-)

Have a fabolous week!

How to make Christmas cards all year round

Some times I have too much scraps, and I find them perfect for making cards. For the past year I have had Christmas cards in mind while going through my pile of patterned papers - some of them make wonderful seasonal cards, even if they not are in traditional colors and patterns.

I have showed some of my non traditional reindeer cards earlier, today I'll give you ornament cards (all size 4"x8"):

 

Background paper: Basic Grey. Bulb paper: unknown.
Laces: Prima. Doilie: SEI. Bow: Freckled Fawn
Ribbon & Pearl: unknown

At the YouDo blog they are running  Crazy Christmas challenges. One of them is to use non traditional colors on Christmas cards. Here is a few other cards without green and red:




Background paper: unknown. Bulbe paper: Sassafras Lass
Lace: Prima & Websters Pages. Bow: Freckled Fawn
Ribbon & bling: unknown



Black/Brown background paper: Echo Park. B/W striped paper:
 Heidi Swapp. Bow: Freckled Fawn. Trim: Prima
Overlay: unknown



Background paper: October Afternoon. Bulbe paper: MME
Bow: Freckled Fawn. Trim, bling & twine: unknown

Background corrugated paper: Fancy Pants. Bulbe paper, burlap
& patterned paper: unkown. Alpha: Studio Calico

I have used a ornament die (Lifestyle Crafts) for all the bulbs, but you could use a circle cutter for the same purpose. I also use smaller dies if I want multiple ornaments on my card - they give me more flexibility when it comes to the design. As you see, I have pretty much repeated myself design vise on the cards above.

What do you think: is it a good idea to use non seasonal papers for Christmas cards?

Grow - OUAS July Challenge

Hi!

Do you have a a veggie garden?
I do, and I just love to see the development there during the summer season. Unfortenately, summer so far this year has been pretty cold and wet so the plants haven't grown as I hoped for. But summer isn't over yet, and as I am a true optimist, I haven't given up. But I admit I'm seriously considering buying a greenhouse to increase the chances of eating DYI vegetables.

The July journaling theme at OUAS is Grow, and you are of course free to interpret it as you wish. I chose to write about my veggie garden to be :-)

Patterned papers & cut outs: Lemon Owl. Clay carrots: MyLittleBitOfWhimsey. Alpha: Sassafras Lass

Did you notice how I made the signs for the plants? I have written on simple can lids, just like the one I have tucked behind the butterfly. Very cheap - very effective, and when fall comes, I just toss them in the bin for recycling metal...

Journaling: The one who give up is a loser: we try out again hoping summer will be warm enough to give us home grown vegetables like squash and chilli.

OUAS July Sketch:

Do you feel like playing with us?

Got Wheels (CSI Case File #71)

Earlier this spring my oldest son said he NEVER would buy a scooter - according to him scooters are dead boring. But his younger brother bought one, the oldest want tried it out - and now he wants one, too. What a shame he has spent all his savings on computer games....




Background paper: Lemon Owl. Other papers: Studio Calico, Kaiser Kraft. Washi: Teresa Collins.
 Chipboard: Memory Maze. Wood weeners: Studio Calico. Alpha: Webster Pages (grey), Sassafras Lass (red).
Pens: Zig. Flair: AC

 Some detail photos:

This layout is my take on CSI Case File#71:

How I solved the case:

All colors & sketch is used.
Evidence: Bicycle, doodling, bird (on flair)
Testimony: Add hearts to your journaling spot


Don't you love this challenge/case file??