Friday Fill-ins and a Layout

1. You get what you deserve.
2. You gotta fight for your right to party. (yep, vintage beastie boys proof my brain can be pretty random)
3. It's hammer time.
4. That my brain is thinking in musical answers is pretty ridiculous!
5. I feel more of the holiday spirit this year than the past few.
6. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a...goodnight! (ok a little early on that one)

7. And as for the weekend, I vegged Friday night, today my plans include breakfast with Houston and a little crafting and Sunday, I want to watch the Broncos hand it to the Chiefs!

And now for a little layout, pretty happy with the way this one turned out. So many times, I'm afraid to cute paper up, it's just too cute...That was the case with the blue gingham, the other side looks like a reading primer from the 50's...after being in the stash for a couple of months, I finally allowed myself to cut it, and I'm so glad I did.

everyday moments

DSC_0005
Originally uploaded by akchristyn

Another layout from November Studio Calico goodies...one of my favorite things about kits I that they stretch my creativity, determined to get the most out of each one, I use things I wouldn't normally buy for myself like the paper I cut the weekly tabs out of or the flower card from Sassafrass. In the end, I'm grateful for the stretch, the pages turn out so much cuter---having a cutie like this to scrap doesn't hurt either.
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey(Green), Studio Calico(Daily Tabs)
Flower Card: Sassafrass
Brad: Basic Grey
Alphas: AC (green), Crate Paper(Yellow)

Handmade w/Love

Patterned Paper:Hambly
Stamps: Studio Calico
Ribbon: AC
Brad and Journal Spot: Sassafrass



As soon as I saw the dress form paper from Hambly in an add-on kit from Studio Calico, it was a must have, that it came with fun stamps and other fab goodies was an added bonus. I couldn't thing of a better way to use it than a page about the dress I made for Sienna.

Ponder

Lots to Ponder...

How long will it take all of the snow to melt?

What happened to the Broncos?

When visiting friends why the dog jumps their fence and ends up in the neighbors yard, but won't jump back?

To take a nap or read a book for the last precious hours of a Sunday afternoon?

If I don't go to the grocery store today, will there be enough Halloween candy to sustain me for the night?

How did this girl get to be so cute?


I wish I could take credit for this page, but I lifted the combo from this layout by ArlaMo at Studio Calico.

9.9.09

while this date is not quite as cool as 9.9.99 (wonder what I was doing on that day), I thought it was still cool enough to merit a blog post...but what oh what dear friends to blog about, definitely a period of blahness happening around here...totally normal and expected as I come down off the rush of school starting, hard to believe a month has almost come and gone already.

Luckily for you I have a couple more layouts from the September Kraft Girl Kit to share with you. The kit is full of goodies that are perfect for back to school pics, so I thought I'd get into the spirit with a couple of school layouts of my own.

The first is about my typical school day from the admin side...the number of emails, phone calls and paper that crosses my desk...even my beloved water bottle makes an appearance...while I don't always remember to eat, I do drink a lot of water, a girl has to stay hydrated after all.
This one is a few pics of S at daycare, and if you're wondering to yourself 'did she go visit just so she could have pictures for this layout?' well the answer is absolutely, I have no shame, I've taken entire vacations just to have pictures to scrap. I had been meaning to go for months, so this was the perfect motivation...Special thanks to Houston for the alpha border...

Speaking of kraft girls...a shout out to some of the DT girls who's goodies appeared on the Jillibean Soup bloggie today

Just as yummy is the sale that's going on at the site right now...buy June, July, August or even the fab September kit and get November or December for only 5 bucks. I've been longing for the
November kit full of Scenic Route Sonoma goodness, I might just cave and get June July...oh no they're both great I can't decide...

Happy 9s day!

Kraft Girls Kits --- Reveal Day!

I feel like I've only scratched the surface with this kit, can't wait to get deeper in throughout the month...

I know if Sienna wasn't on this page, you might wonder if it was really a Christyn creation...I'm in the midst of a mist addiction (cheesy I know, but I couldn't resist the word play). Until this layout the mist had been contained to chipboard and flowers, but Houston challenged me to spray a whole layout and so I did, plus a little misted bubble wrap ala Rhonda.


This layout is all about 'mr. man's' visit to the vet after he caused a fight at doggie daycare. The report card is one of 6 that combine to make one super fun piece of paper.


I love so many things about this picture, it needed a special layout. I 'borrowed' Rhonda's idea and made flowers with the text paper from Jenni Bowlin included in this kit.


Finally one with a cute picture of my dad and Sienna 'driving the boat', I love the grin on his face.

August Leftovers

I had a little self conflict yesterday posting sneaks, knowing full well that I had several layouts done in August that I haven't posted, some of you who know me well know I am all about order and routine, so you understand the inner conflict. Certainly not all are post worthy, but there were a few that I absolutely loved and felt they needed a little room in the spotlight. So since there is one more day left in the month I thought I'd squeeze them in...

The first one was for the August sketch...contest ends TONIGHT, just in case you're incredibly motivated...


Playing around with scraps...look out...if something is standing still I might just hit it with some metallic mist as is what happened with the thickers and flowers in this layout...


The 'rule follower' in me says I should teach her now that slides aren't for going up and that's dangerous, but the 'embrace the cuteness' me trumped that voice...


Hard to believe it's been almost a year...

More Kraft Girls Fun

I have a couple more Kraft Girl Kit layouts to share with you...

A little hybrid action on this layout...I added the frames in PSE and then printed and cut out the frames and the 'memories' quote. As if that wasn't enough newness, how bout a little mist action on the birdy. The kit only comes with 2 birds, but 2 wasn't enough(ok really, I was planning on using the second bird here, but after it got a glitter bath it needed a project by itself) so I traced and cut another bird and then hit it with some Archival Mists. Then...I wanted a little more shimmer so I rubbed some liquid pearl on the wing and on the flowers. I distressed the tag too, just for fun, the white seemed a little too white.



No fancy techniques on this one, who doesn't love black and white polka dots?

Where oh where did my slick writer go?

Yay, I don't think there is a better feeling to finish with a project that has been in the works for a prolonged period of time. I started this little layout before my trip to Ak. I think I could have played it safe and mounted it on kraft or natural smooth and be done before I went to AK, but I really wanted to challenge myself to use a color background. Unfortunately the photos don't quite do it justice, so you may be saying 'she should have stuck with the kraft'...irl the cardstock is hot pink, super fun for summer.

This photo cracks me up, this is what Sienna's hair looks like post nap/pebbles styling when she manages to get the barrette or elastic out of her hair. I would journal all about it, if I could find my slick writer, off to buy a new one today, which is pretty much a guarantee I'll find my old one tomorrow. I have a couple of other 'favorite things' about this layout. First the butterfly, I used a spellbinder die to cut the butterfly and then dipped it in misted distress inks...want to do it yourself? Check out Jen McQuire's how-to video...careful it's addicting. Then I added glitter and sealed with super seal so the glitter would stay put. A little bling and some wire (salvaged from a bind it all project that went wrong) and this cutie comes to life. And just to show you how the ticket obsession is coming along, I layered the butterfly on top of a new SEI ticket that's glued to a Collage Press die cut ticket (it's a sickness, I tell you)


Speaking of things I can't get enough of...there's a Jenni Bowlin button in butterfly land, but was that enough...heck no! I cut three in half and used them along with small buttons to make a scallop border along the photo. Love how it turned out, no doubt this technique will show up on another layout at some point.


Supplies:
Patterned Paper: OA (stripe and polka dot), Studio Calico (Newsprint)
Embellies: Heidi Grace(pink journal square), SEI (bus ticket), Collage Press(blue ticket), Jenni Bowlin (buttons), AC (ribbon), Fancy Pants (colored buttons), Spellbinder(butterfly die cut), Kaiser (pink bling)

Hope your weekend was fantastic!

Let's pretend for a second that instead of the fabulous weather in Ak last week, it actually rained like I thought it would...I had planned to share these layouts, better late than never, right?

This one I did for Houston's birthday, I feel so blessed to have her as a friend.
Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Studio Calico, October Afternoon, Collage Press
Alphas: QK BeautyQueen, others hand cut from SC paper
Embellies: Making Memories, Collage Press, Jenni Bowlin


This layout is all about Sienna showing off her body parts...




Patterned Paper: Fancy Pants
Journaling Spot: Ali E brush from Designer Digitals printed on Kraft, Making Memories tiny alphas
Embellies: Fancy Pants Buttons, Bazzill Flower


She loves stuffed animals, so when I found these barrettes at a gift shop I knew they would be perfect, good thing I didn't expect them to stay in her hair very long...


Patterned Paper: Sassafrass
Alphas: American Crafts thickers
Journaling: Ali E. for Designer Digitals printed on kraft
Embellies: Tim Holtz tickets




This pic is actually from a few years ago, but it could have easily been last week, in fact if I hadn't done this layout right before I left I probably would have come home with an identical photo. More cosmo early bird, I love this paper, it makes me so happy every time I look at it, in this one I fussy cut the pinwheel paper to make it eyelet like.



Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket
Embellies: October Afternoon stickers, Making Memories frame and buttons, AC ribbon
Journaling Spot: Collage Press

Pretty Please with a Cherry on Top

What's not to love about a sticker with that phrase? I took the plunge and bought a Studio Calico kit this month...ok you caught me I bought 2 kits...the main and the Cherry Pop add on...I rationalized the second kit knowing the Houston really wanted it and fear that she didn't have internet access while in the wilds of Yosimite. I was prepared to give it all away and then...it came with it's bright cherry stickers and papers and well...we split the kit. Main kit is full of Cosmo goodness which I usually have a hard time cutting into, but since I had special ordered a full kit of just that I had now problem punching a few circles out of one of the papers...and the circles kept coming. This is one of those layouts that completely evolved as elements came together. It started with a polka dot background, color photo, a fussy cut flower, and punched circles. Polka dots got switched for kraft and I had polka dot letters but then the gingham ribbon practically jumped on the page by itself and I needed more red out with the chipboard letters and in with stamped letters...which didn't match the colors in the photo...finally at around 9 it all came together and I love it.
Patterned Paper:Cosmo Cricket
Alphas: AC Tickers (ooh peacock chip, yum!) OA stamps
Embellies: Jenni Bowlin(chipboard buttons), K&Co Bling, OA(Cherry, Polka stickers), QK (rings, leaves from re-use set)
Ribbon: Michaels

Hey Little Girl...

I honestly can't remember if I've shared this page or not, it's hard to believe that I haven't, it's become one of my favorites from the past couple of months. I love it so, because the photo so accurately portrays S for the fun, quirky, little girl she is quickly becoming. Often content to chatter away to herself, if no one else is listening.

Thickers, Thickers and More Thickers

while it's true my obsession with AC thickers doesn't run as deep as others, I couldn't pass up the challenge from the AC blog to use 3 or more different styles on a layout. Combine a challenge with a blizzard and voila a finished product. Added bonus, I designed the page to fit this week's journaler's challenge too. Give yourself a compliment, it really had me stumped and then...


it came to me...this is the chance to do what I've always wanted to do on page w/pics of my closet and fav items, if that doesn't say fashionista I don't know what does.


Patterned Paper: BG, Urban Prarie
Alpha: American Crafts' Thickers --- Vera(white), Rainboots (blue), Sprinkles (red and black)

Monday Quote

A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous. Coco Chanel

So true, so true...I think this is one of those quotes I might like on my headstone when the day comes.


Last week's journaling challenge was about Fame...I decided to do a page about my secret(well until now) dream to be a fashion designer. I used a brochure from my trip to New York and a visit to the Fashion Institute and a sketch of my own.

A layout laying around

I've had this one sitting in a stack to share for a while now...I think this layout may hold my record for the longest time to come together. I started the frames around New Year's and they sat until a couple of weeks ago when I put the rest of the pieces together. And looking at it here, I'm still not sure I'm happy with it, it is what it is at least until the next inspiration strikes...

Supplies:
Prism Cardstock
October Afternoon Patterned Paper
Scenic Route Chipboard frames, label stickers
American Crafts Ribbon and Alphabets

Monday Quote

The only reason for being alive is being fully alive.

- D.H. Lawrence

This is another page I finished this weekend with new papers from SEI, I loved the purples, greens and aquas in this line, so invigorating...if a scrapbook paper can be invigorating.

As I've said before, I love that I have smart friends who come up with crazy challenges to stretch us all creatively. This week's journaler's challenge was to journal with a diamante poem. If you already know what this is and you're not part of the challenge then you're a few steps ahead of me. Thankfully the internet comes to the rescue again.

I broke a few of the rules...go figure...but I'm happy with the result

A special poem about Sienna.

SHE

happy, small

smiling, laughing, chatting

baby girl casts spells

walking, playing, amusing

energetic, magical

SPRITE

Supplies:

Patterned Paper: SEI Bridgeport

Cardstock: Bazzil

Alphas: Quickutz Diesel, Making Memories, American Crafts

Embellishments: SEI and American Crafts

Catch Up Post #2

I always love the journaler's junction challenges in Pea Land almost as much as I love the girlies that host the challenge. I made a resolution to do all the challenges this year, so far I'm not off to a great start, but there's always time to catch up...and that's exactly what I did...this layout is from a challenge a couple of weeks ago 'Scrap your BFF'

I found this picture of Shelley and me at Disneyland circa 1981-ish. You can't really see in this layout photo, but my face is grumpy, grumpy, grumpy and look at Shelley so smug and happy, no doubt this pissed me off even more. Luckily the years heal many wounds. I'm so thankful for our adult relationship, even when one of us (usually me) acts like a one of these kids.

Yep, that's a stacked button on the flower. I can't stop myself.

Catch Up post #1

As I was once again cleaning my scraproom(sometimes it feels like I spend every Sunday cleaning up, the good news with my new organization I can clean up and move on to new projects faster, maybe someday I'll clean-up after finishing a project instead of when I want to start one) I realized that I've finished several projects that I haven't posted here...many haven't even been photographed, thank goodness I have tomorrow off!

Here's a layout that was at the store for quite some time, but I never posted here. I love seeing how much Sienna has grown from Labor Day until now.


Love the combo of my all-time fav AC ribbon and this OA paper, it's as if the paper was made for the ribbon.

Stay tuned the rest of the week as I continue to get caught up...speaking of catching up, if you didn't read yesterday's post please keep reading, I hope you'll love the story.

You Wanted Woodland Creatures...

ok so maybe it was just MK who wanted woodland creatures...

Speaking of MK, she said she needed a product barfer on the DT, I thought I can do that...I know you may find it hard to believe, but once upon a time I used to be a product barfer stylewise. Somewhere between retail spots I migrated into my current linear, layered style.

since it's been a few years, I started surfing to find inspiration and boy did I...to get back in the groove I decided to 'case' this layout I found at the imaginisce website. I'm pretty sure I used all of the a sides of the papers in the line and a few of the b sides, it's pretty much an exact copy with a few extra creatures thrown in.

what's sad to me is that the imaginisce website didn't give the designer credit...now that's not right...if you know who's work this is please let me know no I can give proper credit.

Happy Friday!

Super Sunday

How did it get to be February? Seriously! January is such a busy month it just flies by. Thankfully I did manage to get the Christmas tree down last weekend, saving me from decorating it for Valentine's Day (aka Thanks for Reminding Me I'm Single Day which would make for an interesting tree no doubt)

Certain members of the fam are jazzed about the Steelers being in the Superbowl today. It's nice to see them excited, as for me I'm ready to move on and see what the future holds for my beloved Broncos.

Here's a new layout I made with the new line from Imaginisce...what's not to love about a line called twitterpated. Really! Check out the tongue action on this niece of mine...I can't tell you how many Christmas photos I have where the tongue is the star, that will surely be a page topic soon. For now we have the present section of the 1st birthday. See the sketch for this layout on the store blog