My Last Reveal with Sketchabilities

The Layout:
I can't believe this is my last reveal with Sketchabilities. I will always have a special place in my heart for my first design team. It was wonderful knowing everyone on the DT and I hope we will meet up again in the scrappin' world.

Here is my layout:

What a Tweet View

Here is Karan Gerber's sketch.

Sketchabilites sketch #50

Stop by Sketchabilities to see all the different layouts by the design team or to link your own version to the blog post. Who knows, you might be featured as the next guest designer on the blog.

The Story:

These are pictures from Kevin's spring break in April when we went to Santa Barbara. I turned in this assignment around that time, so these were my latest pictures at that point. This is the view from the top of the Santa Barbara Courthouse over looking the city. I took several pictures from the same point and I was going to use panoramic merge on Photoshop to stitch it into one continuous picture. After I went home, I realized my version was too old and didn't have this feature, so I just did it the old fashion way with scissors and glue, instead of with newfangled contraptions. 

My own panoramic merge

The three photos of the view are the three from the sketch but I linked them together instead of having them separated. Then I thought it looked a bit empty without some people in the layout, so I added one photo each of me and Kevin. The one he took of me is very artistic as he placed me between the arches and told me to gaze off into the distance. I was playing with the green color capture mode, so the one I took of him on the balcony rail makes him look sickly since only the green is apparent. Oh well, I admit Kevin takes better photos than me. Sorry babe, I did try, you can take the photos next time. I popped up our two photos along the two sides for some added depth. 

Kevin in green color capture mode

The columns are popped up for a 3-D effect

The Details:

I used papers and lace from Crate Paper's Neighborhood collection. It is a soft and subtle and sweet collection. 

Crate Paper's Neighborhood collection

I choose a cream colored background with a scalloped yellow border. I used the border as my inspiration piece for my embellishments. I took some yellow lace, pleated it and glued it in a scalloped pattern like the paper. 

Scalloped lace accent strip

I hand stitched two borders and two salmon colored bows, also replicating the bows in the design.

Hand stitched border and bow

My favorite part of the layout were the circular embellishment clusters. I punched out small details from my courthouse photos. In all, I used 10 photos in a single page layout that has a lot of negative space. I tend to want to put multiple photos onto a layout, the more the merrier right?

Photo embellishments

I'm writing this a week earlier from home in L.A., but on this post date I'm actually on a 6 hour drive from Branson, MO to Kevin's family's house in Wingo, KY. 

Hope y'all are doing well,

Fun with Shadows

The Layout:
Scrap it with a Song blog has a challenge to make a layout based on the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover.  Since I already made this, I decided to enter it.

This layout is based on Sketch #49 from Sketchabilities.

Fun with Shadows Layout

Here is Karan Gerber's sketch:

The Background:
You may be wondering about the photos in the layout... Jenn and I were at the same scrapbook convention as documented in my last Sketchabilities post. When we were walking between the hotel and the convention center, I saw the striped shadows cast from a pergola. I thought it would make interesting photos if we interacted with it. I mimicked the record cover of the Beatles' Abbey Road. I asked Jenn to use her Meisner training to act like a damsel in distress on railroad tracks. Then she wanted to climb up the sidewalk like in a Monty Python skit. So that is the kind of thing we do when we have time between events.

Damsel in Distress

Abbey Road

The Details:

I usually like fun and bold colors on my layout, but in my mind I've been envisioning a black and white one with lots of doodling. The shadow photos matched a black and white color palate so this is the one I decided to try it on. First I antiqued all the photos so it became a soft sepia hue. I printed them twice in slightly different sizes and grouped them together since there is an original object and a shadow.

I looked around my paper collections and pulled out all the black and white papers and embellishments. It ended up looking too stark and too plain so I added some colorful chipboard circles mixed with transparent stickers. I raised up the first and last word of my title which is in a glittery silver and had my middle word in a solid black in the back to create a shadow effect.

Fun with Shadow title

I wanted white lettering on my journaling, so I printed just the background using black and chose white letters which didn't print on white paper, to further play with a shadowy look. 

Journaling strips

That was my attempt to be more artistic, but it is still based on silly photos, so I guess that is just the kind of scrapper I am.

Thanks for stopping by. Look at the fun things you can do with a shadow.

Take care,

Lights, Camera, Action!

Sketchabilities Reveal Day:


It is time for the reveal of another beautiful sketch from Sketchabilities' site plus 20 interpretations of it for your viewing pleasure. This is me and Jenn the night before a scrapbooking convention showing our anticipation of the event. Actually Jenn likes to take jumping photos in front of places she visits, but her photo which I took was too blurry to scrap. Her photo of me jumping turned out okay so that is the action alluded to in the title.

My interpretation of sketch #48 from Sketchabilities

Here is the sketch itself:

Variations:

• I added an extra photo and lengthened the photo size. 

• I simplified the background die cut shapes into rectangles since there was a lot of other shapes and movement and I didn't want it to compete. 

• Instead of rhinestone flourishes, I hand stitched them with metallic thread. I moved the title along side the main flourish, and added journaling to its original place.

Title and main flourish

• I added an extra string of lanterns because it matched the first word of my title. I fussy cut them from a Jillibean Soup patterned paper, added some Glossy Accents and Stickles on them, and hand stitched a string across the top so they weren't floating in the air. I wanted them to be anchored so I added some decorative borders vertically.

String of lanterns

• Instead of flowers and hearts, I added a camera to match the second word of my title. I also fussy cut it from a JBS patterned paper. I added Glossy Accents on the lens and viewfinder to make it look more like glass. 

Close up of camera

• Above the horizontal scallop strip, I added an extra filmstrip paper. To continue the filmstrip design, I cut off the edges and added it to the photos to give those a filmstrip look too. 

Journaling

If you like this layout sketch, feel free to use it and load your creation into Sketchabilities' gallery. 

Thanks for looking,

Sketchabilities Reveal Day

Sketch #47 from Sketchabilitites' Blog:
It has been two weeks since the last Sketchabilities post, how time does fly. A guest designer was chosen from the members' gallery and her new layout is posted in today's blog along with the rest of the design team. If you want to play along with this week's sketch, you might be chosen to be the next guest designer. There is also a kit from WeScrap that will be a prize for one lucky participant.

Here is my take on today's sketch:

A layout of Jenn

Here is the original sketch:

Karan's current sketch

If you want to see 20 variations on the same sketch, take a look here.  If you want to join in, then post your layout in the members' gallery. If you want to be a part of the team, there is a call for designers for the a three month term beginning in July. The term goes by very quickly and the team is very supportive. Read about the call here if you are interested in applying.

The Layout:

I kept to the layout of the sketch this time, unlike last time where I changed it to a lemonade tag. I've been wanting to make a tree filled with butterflies with a few flying off, so when I saw the sketch I knew it would be perfect. I punched out a bunch of butterflies with a small Fiskars punch. I arranged them in a curvy flight path starting from the title, journeying through the photos, the tree and then off the page, to match the theme of having your dreams also taking flight.

My butterfly tree

The Background:

My sister, Jenn, has been taking acting classes the last two years and let me tell you about the latest scene she did in her acting class...sorry, I can't or she'd have a fit. Anyways, she took some head shots as recommended by her acting teacher and then posted them on Facebook. I downloaded them and scrapped them, hee hee, so be careful of what you post to cyberspace. I did ask her permission after the fact and she didn't care. So the photos, title and butterflies all work in conjunction to express an idea of striving towards your goals and isn't just to look pretty. Good luck kiddo and you can count of me to scrap your journey and provide plenty of color commentary along the way. 

Here is the only performance I've seen of Jenn. It was an improv soap opera as part of an acting workshop called, "Scandal Harbor". This layout was a make and take we both made at a Scrapbook Expo.

Jenn's Scandal Harbor performance

In case you don't know which one she is because she is wearing a wig and a Madonna outfit, here is an individual photo of her. 

Jenn's character

Of course, after the performance we all had to try on the wig. 

I know not to highlight my hair.

Kevin thinks the wig looks
like Bon Jovi hair. 

Surprisingly, this look
suits Dad the best.

Take care and thanks for reading,

Ex-Squeeze Me?

My Second Reveal Day at Sketchabilities
Hey everyone, it is another reveal day over at Sketchabilities. If you ever use one of the sketches from the site, just upload it to the gallery and you'll get lots of positive comments. We promise to be nice and play well with others. Here is Sketch #46, you have until May 10th if you want to play along. We also just chose a guest design team member from the last reveal day's sketch. Hop on over and see 20 variations on this layout from the DT or peruse the gallery to see members' contribution and gain some scrappy inspiration for your own projects.

For this current sketch, I saw that mine was the only one that didn't use photos while the others are gorgeous layouts. Oh well, if life hands you lemons, then make some lemonade.

First May sketch at Sketchabilities

My unfinished take on the sketch

The Background

Several years ago, Kevin and I planted three little dwarf citrus trees along our driveway. They were around one foot high which were housed in these little black plastic tubs. Now they are over 7 feet tall,  growing over the roofline and are finally offering some fruit. 

Dwarf pink lemonade tree

It seemed a shame to let the lemons just fall off the tree and rot, especially after watching them grow from tiny 1cm green lemons. The ones pictured are pink lemonade lemons which do have a slight pinkish hue inside, but not that bright artificial pink associated with the drink. People are disappointed when you they cut one open, so I wanted to prevent you from suffering a similar fate in the future. 

I had previously shared about my ice tea tags, which is in daily use if you ever come and visit. I wanted to make something similar in concept but different in design. When I saw the sketch, I knew I wanted to use it to make a lemonade tag.

Sunshine Seeds patterned paper

The Process

Berrylicious fresh phrase die cuts

I immediately thought that the little seed packet designs on Imaginisce's Berrylicious papers could be cut and used in place of the photos. My favorite part of the collection is the "squeeze me" sentiment, so I paired up the two.

I followed the sketch, adding ex to the squeeze me sentiment so it would be like the lemon grimacing, "Ex-squeeze me?" at the thought of being made into lemonade. It that too cruel to anthropomorphize patterned paper? I then laminated the version shown above, folded it in half, added string in between the fold before I glued it together with Fabric-tac. I then embellished the top with some buttons and Memory Thread so there was more dimension and some roving vines. I made a little 3 x 3" tag instead of a 12 x 12" layout from the sketch. So you can use sketches for more purposes than the intended use. 

Tag in use

Completed Tag

Here is lemonade tag with his friend ice tea tag. When they get together, it's like a golfing sensation.

Arnold Palmer anyone? 

Take care,

A Sketchy Reveal

A New Gallery:
This is the official start of my 3 month term over at Sketchabilities! Every two weeks there will be a new sketch posted on the site. The design team will reveal their takes on the sketch. You can play along and post your layout in the brand new gallery that is being debuted today, and get your work seen by scrappy people from around the world. If you are more interested in card making, stop by Cardabilities. You can also post your cards in the same gallery if you follow the card sketches.

My First Sketch:
Here is the sketch as designed by Karan Gerber, our fearless leader and founder of Sketchabilities.

Here is my take on the sketch:

I'd Always Pick You Layout

                                                                   Variations:

Embellishments and journaling

1. The main one was I changed the background circle into a rectangular fruit stand. There were tiny fruit stands on the patterned paper so I recreated it on a larger scale to house my photos. I outlined the awning and wood with a white pen. 

2. Instead of hearts and flowers, I fussy cut vegetables from the patterned paper. I popped some vegetables with foam adhesive for a 3-D effect. I curled some Memory Thread through the buttons to make vines instead of the leaves in the sketch. 

3. I always like to add a title and journaling to a layout. I made a sign that looked like it would hang from a fruit stand for the title. I spritzed everything for a more aged look. 

My Sign was the Title

The Background:

During the summer Kevin and I went to the Orange County Fair. There were a lot of rides, carnival food, games and a section on farming. That is where we took our photos.

But I have to admit the real reason we went to the country fair was to see one of the musical acts. There were different singers and bands each weekend. Here is the playlist:

I see Kevin was one of the musical acts

We actually went to see Weird Al perform. It was a very entertaining show and I'd highly recommend it. I found out, he can actually sing and not just clown around. I'd go again to his concert. It was a much better performance than another concert I went to starring a certain Beatle. Here are some costume changes he made:

Star Wars Saga

Amish Paradise

I can't believe I'm so white and nerdy. 

I hope you enjoyed my farm fresh take on the sketch. Hop on by to Sketchabilities to see the other DT members' beautiful layouts. 

I've been working on some really cute cards that I want to share with you all soon. So stay tuned for those. One of them even required the use of a blow torch. Hee hee. 

Take care and happy crafting,

Sketchabilities' New Design Team

The design team was revealed today on sketchabilities' blog, with 20 DT members from around the world. I still can't believe I was chosen. Here are the members:

Please give a warm welcome to our new Design Team 

I have to say how in awe i am of all the applications i received.

I wish i could chose you all to be on the team, but that isnt possible!

I feel so very blessed and privledged, that so many wanted to be a part of Sketchabilities!

Julie Comeau – CANADA -returning

Sue Sykes-CANADA

Sandi Smith - CANADA

Shona Keehn - CANADA

Issa Lucido- PHILIPPINES-returning

Svetlana Austin - SOUTH AFRICA

Stacy Rodrigues-USA-returning
Michelle McClure-USA

Mandy Starner-USA

Kimberly Arledge-USA

Krissy Clark-McKee-USA

Danielle Aubroeck-NETHERLANDS

Margreet Westerling - NETHERLANDS

Miranda Wedekind – NETHERLANDS

Nicola Childerhouse – UNITED KINGDOM

Amelia Wahab – MALAYSIA

Mazlina Yusoff –AUSTRAILIA

Kanako Sakurai - JAPAN

Teresa Dieguez -SPAIN
Petra Offrell - SWEDEN

You can click on the names to take a look at each member's blog. TFL!