Why? ‘Cause! Layout

I made this layout before I was placed on bed rest, actually.  Just came across the pic and wanted to share.  It is, quite honestly, not the most meaningful layout. I had printed out pictures for a class mini-album a few years ago–one that we were supposed to be able to complete in class, but that didn’t remotely happen–and I never finished it.  I didn’t really like some of the supplies we were given for the mini-album, either, but I still enjoyed the pics I had taken of my stash.  So I made a fluff layout to use up my stash and record it for posterity’s sake, all at the same time.  ;-)

Nothing fancy, just paired some BG rub-ons with MME epoxy stickers and strips of MME (I think) pp.  Simple, quick, easy.  TFL!

OH, and real quick, an announcement–I have decided to discontinue YAWYK.  Not in the sense that I won’t continue to purge, because I have and I will.  But mostly because keeping track of all the items I am purging/using, just so I can list them on here, has become cumbersome, and I feel, pointless.  I’ve continued to downsize, a little bit with every project I undertake.  And I feel comfortable that I’ll definitely get rid of/use at least 2011 things this year.  But I also know if I don’t have time to write it all out now, no way will I have that time in a month or so.  ;-)  For those who are doing it, have fun and good luck!  I am to the point where I really enjoy the process of dumping old stash that I no longer love, and find it very natural, hope you do, too.

Random Sunday night purge…

I have been feeling blah all weekend.  I am not accomplishing most things on my to-do list, including calling my Grandmother.  (I’m sorry, Mom!)  I’m hopeful that a new week will kick everything back into gear–I guess it’s the winter doldrums?  Cabin fever?  Third trimester awkward/uncomfortableness kicking in?  Not sure.  Everything I put my hand to is difficult and messy and frustrating, and not resulting in anything…

So I had a bit of a fit (spurred by my husband’s own cleaning fit around 9 o’clock tonight) and cleaned out a set of drawers and a bin in my scrapbook room.  To add to my list…

YAWYK count:  158/2011

82-91) 10 mini-albums I’ll never make
92-107) 16 embellishments (I mostly counted 1 as a small group of embellies–like 1 counted for about 15 playing cards I’d prepped backgrounds on but had done nothing further…)
108-114) 7 random metal containers I had saved, thinking I would alter them someday into a mini-album…  Like gift card holders I’d received, or altoid tins, etc.
115-118) 4 alterables I’ll never get around to altering (letters, journals, etc.)
119-158) 40 pieces of memorabilia–from memories I’ve already scrapped, or just trash that I was calling ephemera, but would really never do anything with!

SO EMBARASSING.  How long has this junk been here?  How long have I kept it, and wasted time and energy on managing it?  Planning on selling or donating what I can, tossed/recycled what was unusable to anyone else.

Baby Mine

Had a minor scare with baby earlier this week.  I think I was jittery because of some measurements at my last check-up, the week before.  At any rate, everything is okay right now, and I am trying not to borrow trouble.  These pics are from our ultrasound on December 6–I love the “toes” one the most, but of course I think they’re all adorable.

For another Jenni Bowlin Inspiration Challenge.  This time, to use a grid in your layout design.  I squeaked out a partial grid, but I have to bust out of linear boxed-innedess, so I let the title and journaling do the honors.  I think that touch of asymmetry adds balance to a layout…

I digress.  Obviously, the ultrasound photos are my grid, and I used three JBS journaling cards to back the title and do the journaling.  I snuck in a stamp, too, in light blue chalk ink on the journaling tag beneath the title.  Otherwise, it looked too plain and empty.  And I am in love with this Bazzill Swiss Dot cardstock and will miss it when all the pieces are gone from my stash, which might be very soon!

Journaling reads, “Okay, so of course, you’re baby ours, but that’s not how the song goes!  xox ‘Baby mine, don’t you cry, Baby mine, dry your eyes, Rest your head, close to my heart, Never to part, baby of mine.  From your head to your toes, You’re not much, goodness knows, But you’re so precious to me, Cute as can be, baby of mine.’ “ (From Dumbo.  Geez, I can’t watch that clip without losing it.  Pregnancy hormones…  Right?  Argh.  I think that movie is why I really don’t like circuses.)

YAWYK Count: 81/2011

70) red cs (cut the center out of the blue KI paper to use on another layout sometime)
71-73) Silk and paper flowers
74) Glittered chipboard heart
75-77) Journaling tags
78) letter stickers

79-81) Sold three books on 2Peas’ For Sale or Trade board.  I have a bunch of Sizzix Sizzlits (Sidekick machine, 4 alphas, and a bunch of sets) listed over there, as well, feel free to check it out here—tell me you saw it here and I’ll do a 25% discount!

SO 2011 Count: 2

2) Stately flourish from Flourish 1

Layout: Bus Envy

I know, I’ve been cranking out the layouts.  I’ve been trying to take it easy the past few days, and have been really enjoying scrap challenges lately, so I’m striking while the iron is hot!  I made this layout for a Jenni Bowlin Inspiration challenge, and used some JBS paper, rub-ons, and tickets.  The pics are from our Wyoming trip from this summer.  This super cool historic park bus was on display at a hotel that we stopped at during our tour of Yellowstone–it was just gorgeous!

Technique-wise, I did some basic stamping on the yellow ticket next to the title–my first stamp to be used for Stampin’ Out 2011 (using all my image/sentiment stamps at least once this year–and if I don’t, out they go!)  Lots of ink blending to age a white journaling tag that I cut in half to back the title, with Old Paper, Scattered Straw, and Soot distress inks.  Otherwise, kept it simple, as I’m wont to do.

YAWYK Count: 69/2011

39-40) 2 sheets pp/cs
41) tickets
42) border rub-ons
43) letter stickers
44-45) photos

(not counting the journaling tag because I liked the finished product so much that I kept the other half and put it back in my stash for future use)

46-58) Purged embellishments from random embellishment tub
59-69) Purged sticker sheets from random embellishment tub

SO 2011 Count: 1

1) On the road  car stamp from Travel 2 CD (referencing my stamp organization system so I can keep track of what I’ve used!)

Lincoln Park Zoo

Yeah, so, I did the title “chicago zoo” before I had to look up some animal and figured out the zoo is actually called Lincoln Park Zoo.  LOL  OH WELL.  I’m not redoing it!

Cut the filmstrip frames with my Silhouette–modified a free image from Kerri Bradford.  Took some doing–a fair bit of measuring and problem-solving, but I was happy with how they turned out.  Backed the title with some of the cutout pieces from the filmstrips.  If I had it to do over, I’d not do frames–just a solid black down the middle, then crop and corner round the pics and stick them on top–would have been much easier!!!  Purple rhino is a tag I bought in the LPZ gift shop.

YAWYK Count:  39/2011

15-18) 4 sheets cardstock
19) rhino tag
20-21) letter stickers for title (counting as 2 since I used 2 fonts)
22-29) paper, silk, and felt flowers
30) screwtop snaps
31-39) 9 pieces of photo paper!

Lincoln Highway

Sorry for the cruddy picture, but it’s late, I want to post, and this was the best I could get without daylight.  Besides, I’m not totally enamored with this layout, so I’m not super concerned about getting it in the best light anyway.

Another challenge at ScrapJazz.  This time, we were to incorporate orange, yellow, flowers, ribbon, and brads.  My background piece is burnt orange patterned cardstock; The focal photo mat and a stamped flourish on the journaling block are my yellow touches; the tiny yellow flowers behind me in the pic are my flowers (yeah, I kinda’ cheated), then I added a knot of ribbon and some mini-brads around and about.  Some pen outlining and basic black distressing helped give the background piece a bit more definition…

And the whole reason I’m posting?  So I can count it towards YAWYK.

YAWYK:  15/2011

9-10) 2 sheets cardstock
11) letter tiles
12) journaling spot
13) mini-brads
14-16) photos (I’m counting pics I print at home that use my stash of ink and paper!)
16) ribbon

-16) red flourishy stickers at Big Lots for 50 cents…  couldn’t resist…  eek…!

The Reindeer Cha-Cha

I made this layout for a challenge at ScrapJazz.  I’d been wanting to make it for awhile, but had no plan for it, and the challenge was just what I needed to help me actually do it.  We were to use a holiday theme, journaling, chipboard, and buttons.  I love how this turned out!

The reindeer was paper pieced using my Silhouette.  You can get the free file here at the Quilling Patch.  I love how the BasicGrey paper goes with the red & pink text paper.  I used an exacto and glass mat to cut out part of the big blue flower from the background paper and let it overlap the frame for the journaling to give the title a home.  I used up some more Heidi Swapp chipboard letters (man I love those and I don’t think they exist anymore), and added a button as a hyphen.  I scattered some more buttons along the bottom inside the circle graphics, and touched up a lot of places with my clear glitter gel pen (love doing that).

The journaling reads, It was the highlight of my Christmas–feeling you move for the first time.  I think I had been feeling you swish around, but I was waiting for the big one.  Then, in my Primary group at Northwood, there you were!  It was a music day, and I taught them a little dance called the “Reindeer Cha-Cha.”  “Reindeer 4, Reindeer 5, let’s all do the reindeer jive!”  And then you wiggle your hips down to the floor and back up…  On the way back up, I felt a big “swish-thump,” and my heart jumped in my throat, racing.  There you were!!!  It was so amazing, and cute, and wonderful–I hope it means you like music and dancing!  Because, baby, we will do the reindeer jive next year.  :-) xoxox

YAWYK: 8/2011

I like how Becky is counting her small items like individual letters, etc., so I am going to do that, too!

1-3) 3 sheets patterned paper & cardstock
4) buttons
5-7) journaling spots
8) chipboard letters

Anyone else doing YAWYK this year?