Creative Inklings

Recollections

Sometimes it takes just the right story to scrap older photos. Recently I printed an older family photo from the day we brought Molly home from the hospital. I don't love the photo, but I realized it was our first "family" photo with the four of us, and I wanted to document that. I had fun doing some misting, masking and stitching to put this layout together. It's pretty simple, but I like it:

The numbers were cut with my Silhouette, and I used the shape as a mask for my white Mr. Huey. I then stiched around the big number four as part of my title:

My second layout is of a photo from my childhood. When I pulled this photo out, I laughed because I look so pleased to be holding a brand new doll on Christmas morning. The truth is, I never really liked dolls. The photo reminded me of that, so that's the story I told:

I come from a family of doll lovers. My mom and two older sisters LOVED dolls and everything to do with them  Imagine their disappointment when year after year, the dolls they would give me for Christmas sat untouched and unloved in my toy box., including the gorgeous hand-made clothes. Those dolls are in still in mint condition. I just never really liked dolls.

 

 

Lot's of hand-stitching, and die-cutting. Thanks for looking!

Playing catch up...

One down, six to go before I balance the layouts between Rowan and Molly. I think Molly has already overlooked it, so I slipped in a layout about my grandmother today. I'm so glad I got this one done. It wasn't something I was planning, but when I found this photo of her, it all just came to me right away. I incorporated lots of fabric scraps on this layout to make a quilt like backround, and used some of her vintage buttons that she lovingly saved for many years.  I also used bits and pieces from Crate Paper's "Restoration" line, that worked perfectly with the fabrics. This is a photo of her on her 100th birthday. She lived to be 102. My journalling is on both sides of the tag. Here's what I wote:

Gram was no spring chicken, as we used  to  call  her, when this photo of her was taken on her 100th birthday. She was born in Kingsport, Nova Scotia in 1895,  and lived to be the oldest in her family, when she died at 102.  She was the only grandparent I ever really knew, and I loved her and learned so much from her. Like how to make a good broth. Always plan your dessert early in the day.  Never throw away those bread tags. Don’t sit next to boys in a movie theatre, they may get “fresh”.  Never a end a sentence with a prepositional phrase.  The is no place like the cottage. You have to be a good camper. It’s never too early to press the panic button. She taught me how to play Solitaire and how to sew. She taught me how to help her when we would go for a walk. Most importantly, she taught me that I can be anything I set my mind to.

She loved hot tea and bran muffins.  Knew the importance of prunes in maintaining a “regular” diet. Was the biggest kid on Christmas morning you have ever seen, and believed wholeheartedly in the rip and tear method of opening.  Loved to laugh, and found humour in any situation. She was queen of the whoopie cushion.  She disliked dogs, but knew how to get them to like her (“does he want a chip”), listened to the stock market report daily, and loved to talk “money”. She loved Laura Secord French and Frosted mints.  Was always prepared with cookies and sandwiches on any outing, especially on her favourite trips to the Annapolis Valley.  She knew how to make do, and did it well. She opened her home and heart to anyone in need. She loved a good story, a good joke, and a good party.  She was thrify and would have loved that I am using buttons she lovingly saved from her old clothes to embellish this page about her.  I only wish I could have know her for longer, but I try to remember these things that she taught me, and how she lived, and know that in doing so, she is still part of me.

I love how this turned out, and I think she'd approve as well - except for maybe the grammar.

The next layout is one I did for a sketch challenge at Studio Calico. It was very different feel that the about layout! Much more modern and trendy. I loved the pose and expression I captured of Molly on our way to Centre Island this summer. This photo was taken with my iphone, and just worked better when printed in a small size. I used my Silhouette to cut many of the elements on this page.

5 Years

My baby turned five this past weekend! I guess this also marks my 5 year scrapaversary - since I started scrapping shortly after she was born. I got some great photos of her on the day. She is very into fashion these days, very cute, until it takes her half an hour to pick her outfit in the morning! She's only in Senior Kindergarten, so I can only imagine what the teen years will be like. This is a simple layout, using Studio Calico Documentary papers. I cut the butterfly from vellum using my Silhouette - love how it came out! The rose ribbon is American Crafts, and it has been calling out for me to use it for weeks!

I think I'm back!

Sorry for the long delay...I took a bit of a break :)

We've been loving our first summer in our new house, and the relaxed pace of life in the beach. Just one more week until the kids go back to school - and I get a little crafting time to myself! I've been spending the bulk of my non-existent spare time over the past few months training for this, and I can't wait! I was ready to do it two years ago but I injured my back, and had to pull out. Keeping my fingers crossed that I make it this time! I have a few layouts to post today, mostly created with amazing Studio Calico kits, and lot's more crafty goodness in the works! I'm off to pick up the newest QuicKutz releases today here. Can't wait to dig in!

she is.

Amidst the mayhem, I took this beautiful photo of Molly yesterday. We had gone out to buy some more bathroom tile (you can imagine how much the kids enjoy that). I let them have a little play in the park accross the street after, and I captured this shot of Molly that is just so her. Jacob and I did the words together, trying to think of all the words that describe her. The journalling is just simple words or phrases that is Molly right now, and likely will always be her.

determined. loving. hot tempered. passionate. generous. empathetic. crafty. creative. brave. sometimes not brave. fabulous. ragamuffin. principled. mischievous. persistent. demanding. emotional. focused. kind. caring. sensitive. a little bit princess. a little bit rock and roll. not quite little girl. not quite big girl. 

I used the Studio Calico Joyland kit, along with bits and pieces I have lying around. For the butterflies, I used old QuicKutz dies as masks using marshmallow, silver and graphite glimmer mists to create a half grunge/ half ethereal look, just like the photo. I also spritzed the chipboard for the banner with silver and marshmallow, and it turned out perfect. I added in the filmstrip bits that I die cut with my newest toy, a Tim Holtz filmstrip die (love it!). I made the flowers with some lace, and embellished them with various bits, including an antique button that came from my grandmothers tickle trunk. I'm off to paint more baseboards. Have a wonderful week!

My little dirt devil

What is it about little boys (and girls) and dirt? On a sunny day this past week, Rowan and Molly spent almost two hours in the backyard after school, digging a hole in the dirt. They actually dug a pretty big hole, big enough for them to sit in - which they did. Personally, I didn't mind the dirt, but I drew the line when they asked for water to turn it into a bathtub - I'm not that good a mom. Initially they were digging with shovels, but I guess they really got into it, and started digging with their hands. When Rowan came to the back door after he was finished he was grinning ear to ear with his deveilish grin, showing me his filthy little hands. If only I had had the hose set up. I used those photos for the layout today. I coupled them with an adorable, MUST HAVE Stamping BellaKing of the Wild Things, that I coloured in a recent class with Paula. I used some Basic Grey offbeat paper, Americal Crafts Abode, Crate paper and some bits from my stash. For the "Dirt" title, I die cut the letters using QuicKutz Teriyaki alphabet (one of my top faves). I then misted the page with brown glimmer mist, using the die cuts as a mask. When the page was finished, it seemed like it was missing something. SO, I spent an hour and half backstitching around the title. Now it's finished. Have a great day!

A New Layout with Dear Lizzie

So, at about 2:00 am last night my long lost MOJO finally came back! That's right - I was up scrapping at 2:00 am, working on an idea that popped into my head while suffering from a bit of insomnia (nasty sciatica!). I was stamping and cutting furiously until about 3:30 am, when I realized I may soon regret my late night (early morning) efforts. I had stamped dozens of buttons using the adorable Stamping Bella buttons, that worked perfectly with the new Dear Lizzie line of American Crafts paper. I also hand cut rows of banners from another sheet of Dear Lizzie paper, then left everything in a pile and headed to bed. I finished the design this morning, adding in my journalling, which is what this layout is about. Here's what my journaling says"

"Even though my heart has broken so many times this week, when you come home from school feeling rejected by your classmates….even though I cringe when I see you get too close to your friends to ask them to play….even though I get so stressed about your little differences, and worry that you’ll never fit in, that your strange way of talking will lead to your pears rejecting you, I still don’t want you to change. I want you to be yourself, because you are the most loving, gentle, sweet boy on the planet. Navigating the social scene in senior kindergarten is hardly bump on the road in the grand scheme of things. You have so many talents, that we’re so proud of. You can read, swim, ride a bike, know the entire subway system (by stop and subway tile design), know the human digestive system in more detail than most adults, adore babies, love life and that’s just naming a few things. You bring sunshine to our life, and fill our house with love and enthusiasm. You are simply the best son a mother could have."

And...here's the layout:

New Layout - New Product!

When I was doign a little shoppin' at Stamping Bella before Christmas (my prezzie to myself), I found a very cool new product by Tim Holtz, (who's stuff I always LOVE)  Film Strip Ribbon. I wasn't sure how I would use it when it first entered my stash, but I knew it fit with my style. I have other ideas of how I will use this, but LOVE how I was able to use it on my layout for today. This is a layout of a few photos I took of my daughter in December, after a triumphant battle of getting her hair in a classic ballet bun (my daughter was cooperative, her hair not so much). Molly loves to perform, and loves looking the part. I have a string of photos of Molly doing multiple poses showing off her "do" and her little ballet outfit - too funny. As soon as she's old enough for acting classes, that's where she'll be!

I'm really pleased with how this layout turned out. I started out with a smooth sheet of white cardstock, and stitched two circle patterns in two shades of pink with my sewing machine. I added the 5 by 7 photo, then used my Marvy Uchida Giga square punch to add two more smaller photos of Molly. I used the Tim Holtz film strip for the focal point of my title, which was cut with the CK Typist QuicKutz font (retired). I had to stitch the film strip in place as it was a little too stiff and curly for glue. To highlight the main photo, I cut the edges of the film strip and placed it under the photo, then stitched in white around the rest of it. The quote was printed on Claudine Hellmuth adhesive backed canvas, and stitched to the layout. I then used some cute crocheted flowers that my friend made me last Christmas, and tucked a couple heart pins in the bottom one - the perfect embellishment for the page.

Bellarific Saturday Layout!

Just a very quick post today, as we are getting ready to move very soon! Our house isn't ready yet, so this will be a bit of an adventure! Today's theme for the Stamping Bella challenge was "Baby".I scrapped some photos of my son from his first week. I've scrapped lot's from daughters early days, because that was when I first started scrapping, but of Rowan's layout's are from 18 months and on. I used the new scrappy stamps from Stamping bella, and just some paper scraps. A very simple layout to do, but I love how it turned out.

Earth Day Layout

I have piles of pictures from the past several months that I want to scrap, but I had to put them aside for this cute picture and quote from my daughter this week. She planted some seeds at her morning daycare this week for Earth Day, and was quite pleased with herself. We put them on the window sill in our kitchen. As I was making supper, she pulled up the stool, plunked herself down, and this is what she said.....

Luckily, I had my camera right there, and was able to capture the moment. I used a bunch of supplies from my past few Studio Calico kits (Thickers, pink paisley patterned paper, brads, Claudine Hellmuth paints), and some awesome Prima goodies that I got locally from Stamping Bella (Prima burlap, rubons, pebbles, buttons). I also used the new label die by QuicKutz to die cut the burlap - it worked! I wanted to leave my photos unmounted, since I loved the backround paper, so I stithed them on with the sewing machine instead of glueing them, to give them a bit of a boarder. Here's some close ups of the details...