Year 3 comes to an end...

My little guy Sam turned 3 in the fall and I'm just getting to his birthday layouts now! Oh well, I guess 6 months behind isn't that bad!

I organize Sam's scrapbook albums by year of his life. His scrapbook (who am I kidding...scrapbook? More like scrapbooks!) for year 3 ends with his birthday layouts (just like year 1 and 2 did). These layouts are the last ones I have left before moving on to year 4...OMG! My kid is in the fourth year of his life! Where did the time go?! So, it was bitter-sweet to create these layouts.

Layout #1: Birthday Meal /  Diego

This first double-page layout is of Sam having his birthday meal and cake. My little guy isn't complicated: he likes chicken fingers and fries. I tried to sneak some veggies on his plate but he's too smart to fall for that. At the time of his birthday, he was obsessed with Diego. Consequently, I asked our local bake shop to make him a Diego cake.

I used Bazzill cardstock for the background. The wonderful pattern papers are from the Ad Lib line by Bo Bunny. Bo Bunny is one of my favourite scrapbook companies. I loved this line so much that I used every single paper and then bought a second pack!

My first page looks simple enough but the layering of different pattern papers took me forever! Everything except the cardstock is from the Ad Lib line. The colours go so well together!

I used two different border punches on this layout. I love border punches! I think I must have about 7 or 8 of them and that's no where near enough!

I try to use the letter stickers that come with the line. Bo Bunny always does such a good job with their embellishments, including stickers.

I used a lot of the same techniques on the second page, including using border punches, sanding the edges of the pictures and using embellishments from the line. I also added a twine detail along the paper border. On the first page, I used a journalling box included in the kit. I couldn't find one that I liked for this page so I created my own.

As a sidebar, I want to put a shout out there for journalling. I believe most pages need journalling to really qualify as 'scrapbooking'. Or else, to me at least, it's just a fancy photo album. Not every page needs it but I think it adds something to the page. Just my two cents.

By the way...the cake was DELICIOUS!

Layout #2: Presents

This double-layout features Sam unwrapping and then playing with his gifts.

One the first page, I cut four different pattern papers and distressed the edges of each square. I then created a grid with my pictures.

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I stitched around the edge of the cardstock using the Sew Easy system. I repeated the twine by wrapping it around brads in the centre of the page.





On page #2 of this layout, I used pictures of Sam playing with his gifts.

I used another one of my trusty border punches on this page! I also created my own journalling box on this layout by using a chipboard element and a scrap piece of paper from the kit.

Year 3 comes to an end! Time to start a new album for year #4. I'm excited to start scrapbooking another year in Sam's life. He's such a amazing little man and the best looking kid I've ever seen (not that I'm biased at all!) that it's so much fun to create these layouts.

Happy scrappin'!

Dixon's Corners - It's a wonder we've been invited back!

This past weekend, I went with my divas to Dixon's Corners to participate in an all-day crop. The event was a fundraiser and all the money raised goes to help build a school in Zambia. It's nice that the event was for a good cause but really, like I needed that as an excuse to have a scrapbooking day!
You might have guessed that the fundraiser was organized by a church group and was actually held in the church (well, in the room adjoined to the church). I have nothing against churches. They are usually nice places. But it's a small wonder that: 1) I don't get struck down by lighting when I walk in, and 2) The divas are invited back. A bunch of us had attended the Dixon's Corners crop in November...we were our normal selves and were still invited back...this time...not sure we'll be invited back a third time!

Evidence of our (mis)behaviour:



Devil horns in a church...

*shaking my head*

We did eventually get down to the business of scrapbooking. I managed to finished three double-page layouts, all Christmas themed (that's all I brought with me...I have dozens of Christmas layouts to do!).

Gifts from Diane
My first layout of the day was of pictures taken when my friend Diane and I exchange Christmas gifts. This layout is a bit out of my comfort zone. It's quite distressed for my liking. Honestly, this layout took way more time than I wanted it too! Here is the first page:

I started off by using an edge distresser to distress 3 sides of the my base cardstock. It's white core cardstock so it really shows when the edges are distressed. I found the green polka-dot paper, the orange stripped paper, the tag and the journalling tag in my personal stash. I used a border punch on the orange stripped paper.

I used a product that I had never used before on this layout: Tim Holtz Idea-ology Christmas collection. I inked it with Distress Ink.

Finally, I decided to try a technique that I saw my friend Nathalie (from The Creative Cellar) attempt: basically rip your paper and sew it back together. With the help of my friend Natalie (from My Two Left Hands) I selected a button to glue at the end of the stitching.

Here is the second page:



I used the same products and technique on the second page. I added the green ribbon, the brad and the small frame (which I inked with Distress Ink).

Here is the final product:

On to the next layout!

Out to Lunch
My second layout was of pictures taken during my work Christmas lunch. I wanted to use leftovers I had from the Bo Bunny Winter Frost collection I had bought last year. Here is my first page:

 It was challenging to put so many pictures on one page. I like the simplicity of the page. I added just a touch of bling with a Pearl Pen.



I put so many pictures on the first page because I knew that I want to do a single photo layout on the adjoining page. Here it is:



Again I used leftover from the Winter Frost collection. As Natalie says, I embrace white space. Yes I do and I'm proud of it! Here is the final product:

Tree/Family
My third and final layout of the day was of pictures taken when my family decorated the Christmas tree. Here is the first page:

Again, I really wanted to use leftovers I had from and Echo Park Christmas collection that I had in my stash - and I did. I even use brads from the Winter Frost collection I already mentioned. Other products used: Bazzill chipboard with Hula Hoop Glimmer Mist and Sew Easy.

Lastly, I decided to add some dimension to the page using pop up tap on the title.

Here is the second page:

As is my style, I repeated most of the same techniques and products from the first layout. I really like the Tim Holtz paper!

Here is the complete layout:

I had so much fun creating these layouts! Most of all though, I enjoyed the day with my friends. Thanks to the ladies who organized the crop. See you next time...if we're invited!