80th Cover page

  Well, my week went downhill after the last blog post, but I decided when I finally gave up on yesterday and went to bed that I would get up this morning and attack once again. So I started the next layout for Mom's book.... I figure if I can keep the 2 a week pace I will have it done for Mother's Day. I think I can I think I can I think I can.......

   Paper Issues  Has a challenge for January to use a big title. I decided to cut apart the banner I made for Mom's birthday party and use the 80 as part of my title. I am going to use this as the first page. Getting a picture of her was quite the challenge. She fought every picture taken but I did not give in so have a couple of them... This is cropped from a picture that was taken with her and all her children.
The sketch is from Let's Get Sketchy January Week 1.

And here is my take

 Still not thrilled with my layouts but for now I am just forcing myself to get them done. It has been so long since I had any mojo I just think if I keep plugging along it will come (at least I hope so lol)

Thanks for stopping by
My blessings are many!
Brenda

On the Way Back

 It has been so long since I have done a blog post I was unsure even how to get in to my blog..... yep.... last post was in May. Mom moved out at Thanksgiving time and with the holidays this is the first time I have even attempted to post. I have done a few random projects but have not even taken the time to enter a challenge. During this unplanned hiatus I have discovered that my Craft Cave, messy as it may be, is my happy place. I have felt scattered and discombobulated a lot during the last year and I am hoping that I can maintain a slower pace more often in 2017. Today I took a declared a pj day and am playing in the Cave!
   So the first challenge I have attempted is at Clique Kits    The challenge was to get inky. Right up my alley I love ink, spritz and paint! There also is a January sketch. It is optional to use it but I loved it so combined the two.
Here is the sketch

And here is my take.....

This is the first of the layouts for Moms book to document her 80th birthday party. It is pretty simple but I scrapped!!!! EEK    Thank you for the great challenge that got me moving!

 I used Heidi Swapp color shine in teal.
The circle and title were cut with MTC
 The snowflakes are from a Martha Stewart border punch.
The papers are from a Winter Collection that is Paper Studio or Hobby Lobby brand, as is the chipboard embellie.
Everything else is just scrounged from my stash.
Thank you so much for taking a minute to visit me as I dust off this neglected blog.

My blessings are many,
Brenda

Sketchy Friday at ScrapMuch

Well, once again  it has been awhile. Since I last checked in I have hauled my mother around  from place to place We have addressed all her medical needs and gotten a lot of it straightened out. We said hello to Grandchild number 8 and helped another daughter when her fairytale of another child did not go the way we had hoped. We have cried and rejoiced and just stayed super busy. It has taken 5 weeks to come up with a semblance of a plan for Mom so once we get through the middle of June... 3  more trips and VBS to go, then I am hoping that we can get a routine going and my craft cave will not be so neglected.. One certainly can hope....... I have soooooo many pictures to scrap!!!! And that is just the current ones!
  Well this is the only layout I have managed so far for the month of May! It using a sketch from ScrapMuch that I just love! There is still time for you to try it.

And here is my take

The second week Mom was here was the annual benefit golf tournament. Adrienne and her 3 boys were here for the day and the twins came with Jeremy. We had a wonderful chaotic day. Zade loved Grandma Frances and went to sit with her in the sun. Love this picture. So thankful to have my mother here to be an active part of these kids lives!!!
  This is a hodge podge of papers and embellies from my stash..
Really happy with the title I did it in MTC!

Thanks for stopping by. count your blessings!
Brenda

Built Boy Tough

 Another Let's Get Sketchy sketch to play with!!This was week 1 for April. And as always was super fun to play along.

And my layout

 This picture of Jeff and the boys showing off their hammers somehow surfaced on my table in the craft room recently. When this title popped up as the freebie of the day last week at Miss Kate Cuttables I knew that I was going to put the 2 together. I used a variety of different papers and embellies from my stash to get the colors that I wanted. Just love this picture and so glad to add it to my album.
  Thank you again for the fantastic sketch! If you haven't played along you should definitely check it out; you will have fun with this one!
Thanks you for stopping by!
Brenda

Lets Get Sketchy

  I am loving having my mother here with me. It has definitely changed the flow of my days but I know that it is a gift to have her here and I will be able to go back to my regularly schedule life soon enough.... so squeezing in time in the craft cave has become a premium. I am trying to just keep one layout in process and just plug along every chance I get. I got this one finished earlier this week and I really love the way it came out.
I always love the sketches at Lets Get Sketchy  and the month of April is no exception. This week 3 sketch was wonderful to work with.

And here is my layout.....

Isn't he a doll!!!!  This was all the Authentique Hope collection with some embellies from my stash. Thank you for the wonderful sketch to help me to document my blessed Easter Sunday!

I appreciate your time with me. I hope you find time to day to play with your memories!
Brenda

One last "procrastination week" layout

 I leave in the morning to do the hard thing and talk to Mom about the next chapter in her life. I have managed to get the office close to ready for her to stay in, but have also managed to really get lost in the craft cave some too. When I got sad while getting ready I would escape for awhile and get lost in my memories. What a blessing this hobby is for me.
   I used the April "Be Our Guest" sketch at the Scraproom. You must check out this months post as my scrappy friend Suzanne is the guest. Her layout is fabulous!!
  So here is the awesome sketch. A copy came along with my first ever kit this month and as soon as I saw it knew I would use it over and over.

And here is my first go at it.....

I am absolutely thrilled with the Bo Bunny Believe for Easter pictures. I love the bright colors instead of the traditional pastels. I used the Paper Smooches tag die for my tags and then a heart punch with some of the left overs, I just can't waste any of this wonderful collection! I tried stamping directly on the paper for the JOY title (Unity Stamps) but though I was able to stamp it perfectly on scrap 3 times, it was a hot mess on the layout ugh... chipboard and tag die to the rescue!! I actually like it better than the original plan. Pulled out the Pretty Pink Posh sequins and the Prima wire thread and a few other embellies from the recesses of my stash and it is done.
  I am going to try and get a plan figured out to take some photos and a kit with me as I anticipate some alone time in the hotel room this week end.  I am hoping that playing with my memories will keep me distracted.
  Thank you for stopping by! I really hope that you are able to have fun playing with your memories today!
Brenda

Scrappy Friends challenge

  I love this group of challenges and have not been able to do it in quite awhile. So happy to be feeling up to scrapping again! This month for the triple challenge Rochelle Spears challenge is to use a PL card or a journaling card.
GrandDiva's Creative Corner gives a choice of 3 sketches so you can choose how many photos you want to use. Here are the 3 fantastic sketches.

And Creative Paper and More  gave us this beautiful mood board to work with

I chose a journaling card, sketch with 1 photo and I was inspired by the paper with words and the range of colors of the mood board.
  I just got my first ever kit from the Scraproom. I have never purchased a kit as I was afraid it would be to limiting for me. I am getting ready to move my mother into my house so in anticipation of having MUCH less time to mull over layouts I am trying some different things to help to speed up my process. A friend of mine shared this kit with me and when I found that it had some Bo Bunny Believe in it I was sold. I have the 6x6 pad and was so excited to get some 12x12 to go with it. So here is my first layout using this fantastic kit.

     Don't you just love the colors! I dug through my stash and got some vellum.I backed the picture in it punched it embossed it and glittered it!! The flower die is a spellbinders, it was  the first one I ever bought and I have not used it in so long.

 The tags and butterflies are Paper Smooches dies. The ribbon is one of my favorites and I have had it forever.

The title is Heidi Swapp.This is truly a old and new layout.

 Here  is a shot that shows the journaling card. I used it for hidden journaling to write a note for Olivia.

 So here is my take away. Having a kit with paper and embellies as a jumping off spot truly did make this go together very quickly.The experiment was a success! I can't wait to use more of the kit. I am packing up some photos and more of the kit to take to work today (for my breaks)We will see how it goes!
Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a few minutes with me. I hope that you will check out the Scrappy Friends challenge and the Scraproom and find some inspiration.
Brenda