Sketch #12 & new die storage

Well, I finally made a layout with Sketch #12 from Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook 4 workshop.... this means that I made a card & layout for all twelve sketches! I'm really glad that I signed up for this workshop-- there were some really great sketches that I'm sure I'll use again!

Sketch #12 worked really well for combining with this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: background patterns from patterned paper scraps (a challenge that's right up my alley!) Here's the layout I made, using scraps of The Girl's Paperie patterned paper:

I also used Papertrey Ink cardstock (harvest gold, raspberry fizz), felt (raspberry fizz), twine, stamps (Wonderful Words Additions) & dies (Script Alphabet, Heart Border, 3.5" limitless layers ovals, fillable frames #9). The blue decorative brad is MME and the larger one is an SU! build-a-brad.

Here's a close-up of the journaling (Sage recited the list to me at lunch time.)

A few weeks ago, inspired by a post I saw on the PTI forums, I headed to Staples to see if I could revamp my die storage system. I ended up buying a Martha Stewart 8.5x11" binder....

The binder had a pocket in the front, in which I store a sheet of Sizzex adhesive that I use mainly for my alphabet dies.

I purchased some Martha Stewart page protectors that have four pockets per page. However, my PTI border dies didn't fit in these, so I used a Tim Holtz stamp folder and a sheet of cardstock with two magnet strips adhered to it for these. I re-punched the holes in the folder so it would fit in the binder.

In the front, I decided to store my PTI alphabet dies and a set of Quickutz alphabet dies (Reuse). I haven't separted my alphabet dies, so these I just slide into a pocket. For the Reuse dies, they're separate, so I cut a magnetic sheet to fit the pocket and store the dies on that, before sliding them in.

On the next page protector, I have my new PTI script alphabet dies. Since these didn't fit in a pocket, I split them into two sections and store each one in their own pocket. For my Wonderful Words dies, I have them on a magnetic sheet.

After my alphabet/word dies, I have my frame dies. Most of these fit one per pocket. However, for my fillable frame dies, I decided to save space and store two per pocket. I cut a piece of white cardstock to fit the pocket and put adhered two magnets to the cardstock. This way, the dies stay in place as the binder gets handled.

For the sets that had four or more dies, I used a magnetic sheet in the pocket to stick the dies to. For three or less dies, I used a sheet of cardstock with magnets adhered to it.

After my frame/label dies, I have my flowers...

...and leaves. For my Rosie Posie dies, they didn't all fit in one pocket, so I store them in two pockets, side by side. I've also been storing extra diecuts in the pockets.

Then come my miscellaneous sets...

And in the last page protector, I have my Christmas dies.

Then I used a few more Tim Holtz folders to store my Woodgrain impression plate, Quatrefoil die, shim and embossing pads.

My Edgers #5 dies didn't fit in the pockets, so I used a Tim Holtz folder with magnetic strips on a piece of white cardstock for those...

... as well as for my Edger #3 dies and my Lunchbox Note die.

Then, at the back, I repunched hole in my Quickutz alphabet die folders and added them to my binder...

And that's it. It looks bulky, but it actually doesn't take up that much room and I'm finding it easier to keep everything in its place. I'm really happy with this system!

Thanks for looking!

Some masculine birthday cards, part 1

A woman at my church who likes my cards, recently asked me to make eight birthday cards for her. She wanted four feminine ones and four masculine ones. The feminine ones were easy-peasy. The masculine ones were a little more difficult...

Here's one of the cards I made here, using another one of Nichole's colour combinations for this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink.

It seemed like a good combo for a masculine card. ;)

I needed to tweak the combo slightly because I don't have any terracotta tile ink, so I substituted Canyon Clay. I hope this is okay!

I was inspired by the Sketchbook 4 #12 sketch to make this card:

I used Papertrey Ink cardstock (vintage cream, kraft, aqua mist), stamps (distressed stripes, tag sale #5, Movers & Shakers sentiments) & buttons.

Thanks for looking!

Five for Friday

1. On Sunday, we attended the Morden Festival of the Arts highlights concert, where Sage performed her French poem that she'd presented for Speech Arts. She was the only one to perform a French poem at the concert! And, both she and Jonah won awards for how well they'd performed their poems. I was so happy for them!

2. The other morning, when I woke up, I could hear Jonah & Sage talking softly. I got up to check and here's what I found:

Jonah had climbed into Sage's bed and was reading to her! It was so sweet, I had to grab my camera to take a picture!

3. They also got pretty creative this week and set up a sumo wrestling ring in the basement, stuffed some pillows in their clothes and played "Penner Sumo Wrestling":

4. Austin was honoured in taekwondo this week.... Master Braun called him to the front of the class to present him with this mini-target key-chain and spoke about the growth she'd noticed in him since becoming a poom belt... how she appreciated his volunteering for the whole day at the tournament, his willingness to work with the new students in class and how she sees him becoming a young leader in the club. I was super proud!

He's got a big day, today, too... This afternoon, he's working at the town library to raise money for their student council's work-a-thon and then tonight, we're having his birthday party (I cannot believe he's turning 13 next week!) He got to pick what we do for his party, so we're going to see The Avengers in the theatre tonight.

5. I got another layout and card done for Kelly Purkey's sketchbook class...I'm up to #11. Only one left and I've finished the workshop. :)

Here's my layout:

I used Echo Park patterned paper, Papertrey Ink cardstock (harvest gold), stamps (Simply You, Movers & Shakers Sentiments) and dies (Edger's #5). The decorative brads are all My Mind's Eye.

For the title, I used the "YOU" from Simply You and then modified the "You're all these things and more" stamp, by selectively inking the "re all these things and more" and then masking so I could stamp just the "A" at the front.

Because the layout was so full, I decided to include some hidden journaling behind the patterned paper, so with the Edger #5 dies. You pull it out to read it  -- some mushy stuff about how I love being his mom. ;)

And here's the card I made, using another one of Nichole's colour combinations for this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink.

I used PTI cardstock (aqua mist, fine linen, berry sorbet, simply chartreus & rustic white), stamps (rosie posie, happy day) & dies (rosie posie, happy day, quatrefoil plate). I used the quatrefoil plate as an impression plate instead of a die. I also stamped with the matching ink on the cardstock to create my flowers.

Thanks for looking!

Sketchbook 4 -- Sketch #10

I wanted to share the layout and card I made using Sketch #10 from Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook 4 workshop. For the layout, I decided to scrapbook some photos from our club's recent taekwondo tournament.

I used Fancy Pants & Lily Bee patterned paper, Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic white, pure poppy), stamps (movers & shakes sentiments, simply you) & dies (double-ended banner, journaling tabs, uppercase block alphabet) & a trio of My Mind's Eye decorative brads.

Here are a few close-ups:

I also created a tab that you pull out to reveal the journaling:

And here's the card I made with the sketch:

I used The Girl's Paperie patterned paper, Papertrey Ink cardstock (rustic cream), stamps (pretty peonies) & dies (mat stack 1, bloom builders #3) & the decorative brad is a SU! build-a-brad.

Thanks for looking!

Sketchbook 4-- Sketch #9

I got a little behind on scrapbooking this past week, but yesterday I was able to finish the layout I'd started for Sketch #9 of Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook 4 class. I also made a card for Austin for his birthday (coming up in a week & a half) using this sketch last night.

Here's the layout:

I used Papertrey ink cardstock (stamper's select white, classic kraft), stamps (Framed Out #3) and dies (Framed Out #3, alphabet block.) I also used SU! cardstock (island indigo) & My Mind's Eye patterned paper and decorative brads.

Here's a close-up of the photos:

And here's the card I made, inspired by the sketch:

I used Papertrey ink cardstock (rustic white), stamps (Label Basics, Movers & Shakers sentiments, Boy Basics: Game On, Grunge Me, Botanical Silhouettes) and dies (Label Basics).

Thanks for looking!

Welcome, baby

My friends, Beth & Greg, had a new baby boy in February (welcome, Baby Declan!) and I'm finally getting around to sending them a gift & a card. I konw, it's pretty sad, but this way, it stretches out the gift giving. ;)

We got him an adorable striped polo onesie and I made a card to coordinate with it. I decided to use this week's Make It Monday at Papertrey Ink: Step it up: Layering in making the two cards, as well as this week's Monday with Melis Challenge, which was to create a card using the following:

1. A new to you style.
2. A cupcake or something sweet (cherries, pie, cake, candy, etc.).
3. Buttons.
4. A background stamp.

For my "new to me style" I decided to go very CAS, with some masking & colouring with watercolour pencils (things I don't do very often.) Here's my card:

I used PTI cardstock (soft stone), stamps (tremendous treats: birthday, BB: Retro, BB: woodgrain, simple sentiments) & button. The watercolour pencils and blenders I used are SU!

So for my "step-it-up", I added some patterned paper, a few different colours & some dies & paper-piecing. I also used Sketch #7 from Sketchbook 4.

I used PTI cardstock (soft stone, harvest gold, rustic white), stamps (tremendous treats: birthday, simple sentiments) & dies (oval dies). The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye.

So, which one do you like better?
Thanks for looking!

Premier Championships 2012

I wanted to share a few photos from our tournament on Saturday...

After a competitor line up and an officials meeting, we started with patterns, beginning with the black belts. My group was suppose to be a group of four, but two competitors didn't show up, so we joined another group (the teenagers) and formed a group of six.

Then the colour belt & poom patterns...

Then we started with the black belt breaking (I only broke one board out of my three) and poom belt breaking (Austin broke his first board with an axe kick!)

And then we started sparring, beginning with the lower belts and moving up... Here are some photos of Sage (the only sparring competitor from our family-- so proud of her!)

Even though we all tried our best, Jonah was the only one from our family to bring home a medal... a bronze for patterns!

And I wanted to share a layout I made using Sketch #7 from Sketchbook 4 and some photos of Austin from the tournament...

I used AC cardstock (12x12), Echo Park patterned paper, Webster's letter stickers, My Mind's Eye, Pink Paislee & The Girl's Paperie decorative brads and PTI cardstock (aqua mist), impression plate (woodgrain), stamps (Grunge Me) & die (Seeing Stars).

Here's a close-up of the journaling, which explains the cryptic title...

Thanks for looking!