2012 will be the year... {a scrapbook layout}

If you're coming over her from the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog, welcome!  For Challenge #1, we were asked to make a layout about our goals and resolutions for 2012.  I've never done anything like this.  Most of my layouts are about my daughter or family events.  So it was a challenge in itself to scrapbook (1) myself and (2) something that was forward thinking.  But what better time to do new things than in the new year, right?

So with my trusty January Counterfeit Kit in hand, this is the layout I created.

The design inspiration for this layout was this "Design is..." poster I found from pinterest. 

I loved how layered all those patterns looked.  It reminded me of a more modern and simple patchwork quilt.  So with that image in my head, I went out to start on my layout.

I started with kraft cardstock as my base and then just started cutting strips and pieces of my patterned paper out.  Once I figured out where to place my paper, I began to machine stitch everything.  This was my first adventure in machine stitching paper.  Although I royally messed up in some places, some purposfully placed pieces of washi tape fixed that all up!

I printed my journaling on a piece of vellum to maintain an overall soft feel to the layout.  However, because the patterned paper behind the vellum was still a bit too bold, I just swirled some white acrylic paint on the back side using my paint dauber.  I used this same tecnique when printing my photo - print on vellum then paint the backside with white acrylic paint.

I decided to call this layout...2012 will be the year I finally find balance.  Instead of making another long list of resolutions which I will inevitably break, I instead want to focus on finding balance in my life - whatever that may be any give month.  We'll see how 2012 goes but I'm super excited. 

And since this layout was about balance, I thought that it was especially appropriate that I made my layout a bit askew.

As always, thanks for stopping by and I hope that 2012 brings joy and happiness to all of you! 

Project 100 Update.  5 down.  95 to go.

The Take Twelve Team with Ella Publishing Company

I've been invited to the Take Twelve Team for Ella Publishing Co.'s new Take Twelve photography and scrapbooking challenge!  The team consists of twelve scrapbookers from around the world to help inspire and guide you through a year long challenge to take take 12 photos of your everyday life on the 12th of each month and create 12 awesome scrapbook pages that feature 12 photos each.  It's the perfect way to celebrate 2012!

I personally get so caught up in the big event layouts that I often forget to scrap the everyday and ordinary.  And as an amateur historian at heart, I know that these everyday moments make up the stories that truly reflect how we live.  So I am super excited to participate in such an amazing and inspiring challenge and hope that you'll want to play along too!  There are a ton of ways for you to participate!

• Get a free email reminder sent to you on the 11th of each month, so you'll never forget to take your photos.  Click here to sign up for the Take Twelve email list.
• Take 12 photos of your everyday life on or around the 12th of each month.  Need ideas for what things to photograph?  Get the Take Twelve Guided Inspiration Kit!  (And as an added bonus, it's 12% off through January 12!)
• Turn those 12 photos into a scrapbook page, using your own supplies and ideas—or get help from the sketches, journaling lists, printable titles, and mini calendar accents in the Take Twelve kit.
• Visit the Ella blog on the 12th and the 19th of each month to see Take Twelve layouts from the Take Twelve Team (that includes me!!) and from other readers too.
• Enter your layout into our linky party on the 19th of each month for a chance to win great prizes from Ella's awesome sponsors.
• Feel proud of yourself for making a commitment to preserving precious memories this year.

I personally can't wait to participate in the Take Twelve Challenge and see what awesomeness 2012 has in store!

The Golden Ticket

LABELS.  We use labels to describe ourselves.  We use them to describe others.  What labels are attached to me?  Who am I?  Mother, wife, sister, friend.  All pretty positive.  Attorney, blogger, photographer, baker.  Okay, for the most part, those are fine as well.  Scrapper.  Hmm...most of my friends chuckle when I use that label.  At first, I was a bit embarrassed.  Okay, I was really embarrassed.  But as I became more passionate about this hobby, I also become more proud of that label.  SCRAPPER.  Why should I be ashamed to be a scrapbooker?  Why?  Because I'm creating something beautiful and unique for my family?  Because I'm writing messages and letter for my daughter...which she hopefully will one day share with her children.  There is nothing to be ashamed of there.

A huge influence in my *growth* as a scrapbooker has been the daily sketches created by Kristy Lee at scrapbooksteals.com.  With each sketch, I embrace the challenge to make it my own and to create yet another page for Charlotte's first year scrapbook.  Below are my interpretations of sketches 41-50 (which officially makes me a member of the "Gold Club").  I am clearly hooked.

Sketch MWM #41 - Keeping Great Gran Busy.

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park (Country Drive);  Embellishments:  Martha Stewart Crafts (lady bug dimensional stickers), American Crafts (thickers, brads), Tattered Angels (glimmer mist).

Sketch MWM #42 - First Easter

Patterned Paper:  We Are Memory Keepers (Hippity Hop);  Embellishments:  We Are Memory Keepers (embroidery floss), American Crafts (thickers, brads), Prima (flowers), Martha Stewart Crafts (border punch, buttery punch), Making Memories (flower brad).

Sketch MWM #43 - ...after

Patterned Paper:  We Are Memory Keepers (Out and About);  Embellishments:  We Are Memory Keepers (brads, chipboard stickers), American Crafts (thickers), Studio Calico (wood heart), Lawn Fawn (stamps), Technique Tuesday (stamps).


Sketch MWM #44 - Hawaiian Adventure

Patterned Paper:  Me and My Big Ideas, Echo Park (Candy Shoppe);  Embellishments:  Me and My Big Ideas (chipboard stickers), Echo Park (label sticker), American Crafts (thickers).
 
Sketch MWM #45 - Three Months

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park (little girl)t;  Embellishments: Echo Park (stickers), My Minds Eye (journaling die cut), Marta Stewart Crafts (border punches), Unity Stamps (banner stamp)

Sketch MWM #46 - Go Navy, Beat Army

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (Lil' Robots), We Are Memory Keepers (Out and About);  Embellishments:  My Minds Eye (border strips, letter stickers), American Crafts (thickers), Unity Stamps (date and military stamps), Oriental Trading Company (brads), Fiskars (border punch), EK Success (border punch).

Sketch MWM #47 - Born in Flagstaff

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (Penny Lane);  Embellishments:  Sassafras (flower sticker), American Crafts (thickers, brads), Echo Park (letter stickers), My Minds Eye (stickers and die cuts).

Sketch MWM #48 - First Birthday

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (Hip Hip Hooray);  Embellishments:  Prima (flowers), American Crafts (thickers, brads), My Minds Eye (stickers), Oriental Trading Company (buttons, brads), Hampton Arts (owl stamp), Lawn Fawn (banner stamp), Unity Stamps (date stamp).

Sketch MWM #49 - Charlotte's Princess Party

Patterned Paper:  Imaginese (Enchanted);  Embellishments:  Imaginese (stickers, ribbon, die cuts), American Crafts (thickers), Oriental Trading Company (flowers, buttons), My Minds Eye (journaling die cut), Lawn Fawn (stamps).

Sketch MWM #50 - We Are Family

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (So Sophie);  Embellishments:  American Crafts (thickers), Making Memories (ribbon).