Photo Friday- First Day of School

I meant to put these photos up last Friday but an unexpected trip to the doctor's office took away my blogging time.  I guess that's part of life when you are a mom of four boys.  Here are the boys on their first day of school.  My little guy started a few days after the older three so I had to take some more 'first' day shots with him added even though the older ones had been in school for a few days.  He was so excited to start school he could hardly stand it.  I choose to take first day of school photos at home because it's way less hectic.  I'll take some of them at school throughout the year but I love just getting them by themselves at home first.  Thanks for stopping!

 

Full Steam Ahead Layout

School has started and I'm trying to get adjusted to a few hours a week with no kids in the house!  If you have been a stay at home mom you know what I mean by adjusting.  I know that soon I will have a new 'schedule' that will involve cleaning, laundry, and volunteering at school.  I'm also going to take some time to really get cranking on my boys scrapbooks!  I'm so far behind it's not even funny (in scrapbook land it's 2006)!  In addition to getting more layouts and cards done I'm hoping to get back into getting more stuff up here on my blog.  Here is a layout that I photographed a long time ago and just never got around to posting.  Super simple and a great way to use some of that specialty paper and supplies that we all have. 

If your kids are anything like mine they have gone through phases with loving different toys or brands (think Thomas the Train, Hello Kitty, Lego, etc).  If you are anything like me you've bought up that brand/logo paper and supplies for those pictures you've taken or will take of them using those toys.  If you are also anything like me you don't have layouts and layouts to use these supplies on.  If you are lucky maybe you have one or two layouts, at most, to use a lot of patterned paper, stickers, rubons, and whatever other supplies you may have purchased on.  So pull out those papers and make a page of your child playing with that favorite toy and make sure you use up those supplies!

For this layout I tried to use as many patterns and rubons as I could to just use up some of those supplies.  I love using large pieces of patterned paper on both sides of a layout and rounding the corners.  It really helps tie the whole page together.    

Another great way to use up some of that patterned paper is to cut out  photo sized pieces and use them as photos mats by overlapping them and using them in the opposite orientation of your focal photo.  This also adds a little interest to your page and gets your eyes looking right where you want them.  Don't forget to look at that patterned paper for a possible title as well.  I had a whole sheet of phrases that would work great as a title.  I picked my favorite, cut it out, put it on dimensional adhesive, and had a great title that fit right with everything else on the page. 

I have tons of rubons for this Thomas paper and never use them!  I was determined to get a few on this layout.  One fun way I used them was right on a photo!  This is a great way to add some flair and cover a portion of a photo that might not be very exciting.  I also added some rubon trains and some more phrases around the layout to add more interest (and use up those supplies). 

I love lines on my paper, especially when I'm adding elements all in a row.  These rubons were the perfect addition to this page. 

I had these two journaling blocks and by tucking them under the patterned paper and the photo I filled up an empty space wisely.  I always love to have journaling on my page somewhere.  I might remember the details but I want to share those memories with my children and hopefully their children someday.  I won't be here forever but these books could be.  How fun would it be to look back on your grandparents photos of them playing with their favorite toys and have a story that went along with them!  That's why we do this, right?!  So future generations can have a peek into our lives.

I hope you enjoyed this simple layout and it gives you some ideas on how to use those kid themed supplies that are taking up precious room in your scrap room.  Thanks for stopping!

 Supplies:

• cardstock- misc
• patterned paper- Sandylion Sticker Designs (Thomas & Friends)
• rubons- Sandylion Sticker Designs (Thomas & Friends)
• ink- Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Fired Brick, Black Soot)
• tools- We R Memory Keepers (Corner Chomper 3/8")
• pen- American Crafts (Project Life Journaling Pen black 01)
• misc- pop dots, journaling card

Photo Friday- Splash of Summer

With school starting next week summer is officially over!  This summer has just been so fast!  It seems like school just got over last week.  So in honor of school starting and summer ending I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos from this summer that haven't yet made it to the blog.  I hope you enjoy this little splash of summer.  Thanks for stopping!

Photo Friday- Wheels, Wildflowers, and Fences

Wheels, Wildflowers, and Fences.  Gosh that sounds like a country song doesn't it?!  It's very fitting for this Photo Friday because all of these photographs were taken in South Dakota.  I love to go home and visit my parents and the laid back life in the country.  There is just something so peaceful about open prairie and the country life.  Here are a few photos I took on our trip this summer.  I had a little fun with Photoshop Elements on a couple.  I don't usually edit like this but I just couldn't resist making them feel even more rustic than they already were.  I hope you'll sit back and relax and enjoy the country.  I know I will.  Thanks for stopping!! 

This is one of my favorite prairie photos of all time and I took it with my iPhone!!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Birthday Card

'Heros in a half shell.  Turtle Power!!'  I still hear this in my head whenever I think about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  I had so much fun making my minion birthday card that when we got an invitation to another birthday and it was a TMNT theme I knew I wanted to use that to make a birthday card for that boy.  Here is what I came up with. 

I just love this card!!  It turned out exactly how I envisioned.  With only a few simple tools I bet you have on hand you too can make this card.  Let me show you how!

My first step was to punch out ovals and circles to make the faces.  I used a punch for the circles and the Creative Memories oval cutter for the ovals.  Once I got them cut I inked the edges with Distress Ink.  The Distress Ink adds just a little depth to these shapes and ties the whole card together.   

Now I needed to make the mask.  I got out some scrap paper in the four colors of the masks and punched out another circle like the one I used in the first step.  No need for a full circle on this step as you will be cutting only a portion of the circle to use.  I figured out how tall I wanted the mask to be and free hand cut a strip for the mask and used it as a pattern for the other three.  Super easy! 

Now it's time to assemble your turtle head.  I first put some adhesive on the mask and lightly adhered it to the circle lining up the edges.  Then I pushed the oval piece under the mask making sure the edges were hidden.  I added google eyes and a smile from a Tracerkins stencil.  See how simple this is!  The best part is the mask hides the edges so it looks like the head is only one piece!

Next I cut some squares slightly larger than my turtle heads and inked the edges in Distress Ink that coordinated with the masks.  This was just a fun way to use some more Distress Ink on this card.  I just love that stuff! 

I wanted the background of the card to look a little like a turtle shell with varying shades of green.  I smeared Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, and Mowed Lawn on my craft mat and spritzed it with water.  I then placed a piece of watercolor paper (cut slightly smaller than my card front) in the ink and smooshed it around.  I used my heat gun to speed up my drying time and then put the paper back in the ink to add some splotches.  I repeated this until I was happy with my result.  Then I used Forest Moss to ink the edges of the paper.  I love this technique and look!  It's so fun and easy to do and I am  always happy with the results.   

Next I stamped Happy Birthday on the front of the card in black ink.  Due to the green background it was a little lost so I got out my trusty white gel pen and outlined it in white.  I love the way it stands out now!  If you don't have a birthday stamp you could easily write Happy Birthday, use a sticker, or die cut one with a die cutting machine.  The possibilities are endless. 

I hope you enjoyed this little card.  I know I enjoyed making it.  Thanks for stopping!!

Supplies:

• cardstock- scraps
• tools- EK Success (1 1/4" circle punch), Creative Memories (oval cutter), Inkadinkado (Stamp-a-ma-jig)
• ink- Tim Holtz Distress Ink (Barn Door, Spiced Marmalade, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss, Mowed Lawn, Faded Jeans, Dusty Concord), Memories Dye Ink (Black)
• stamp- Stampin' Up!
• misc- watercolor paper, foam squares, glue dots, google eyes, EK Success (Tracerkins), Creative Memories (Fine-Tip pen black), Uniball (Signo Broad White)

Photo Friday- Boys and Bugs

My boys love bugs!  It seems like every summer they have a bug that catches their attention.  This summer is no exception.  Their bug of choice this year.  The cicada (or locust).  Every time we go outside (I mean EVERY time) they have to look for a cicada, check on a cicada, listen for a cicada, act like a cicada...  You get the point.  It has been great for them to observe these bugs.  They have watched them grow out of their skeleton and have noticed that they change color as they age (bright green turning darker as they age).  Even though my boys may love bugs, I do not.  I am, however, growing used to seeing these cicadas in their different stages (I still won't touch them and when they walk in their skeleton they freak me out!).  Needless to say I've been asked to take a few pictures of their favorite bug.  Here are a few of my favorite cicada photos from this summer all courtesy of my iPhone.  Thanks for stopping!