Sky High

I love the bright colours of this layout! When I bought this paper, it was one of those impulse buys to which I thought maybe someday we will go for a hot air balloon ride ... maybe. When I was hunting through my stash for paper to use with these photos I came across this and thought parasailing is probably the closet we will come so why not use it!

I really wanted to emphasis the background paper with the balloons so I started with it and built my entire layout around it going from the right side to the left side.  This might sound weird but most of the time I start on the left side and always work to the right.  It was different but I honestly can say I love how this one turned out!  I did struggle briefly with the journalling spot as I found it seemed to just be floating there but I put it on a mat which seemed to anchor it and the crisis was averted!

Supplies: Patterned Paper: My Minds Eye - Lime Twist Collection; Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts Thickers; Embellishments: Bakers Twine, October Afternoon - Fly A Kite Word Stickers, Buttons, Brads, Eyelets, My Minds Eye - Breaking Free Die Cut; Tools: EK Success - Embossed Curve Edger Punch.

Splash

Have you ever seen someone else's layout and loved it so much that you bought the materials to make your own version of it. That is the case with this layout.

I originally saw this layout which inspired me to go and buy this line by Echo Park, although if I am honest, I probably would of bought it anyways as I love most of Echo Park's collections.  I didn't deviate from Nancy's version very much except to accommodate my photos better.  I also added the water droplets but I think I might have gone overboard with them ... just a little bit though.

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Echo Park - Splash Collection; Cardstock: Bazzills; Embellishments: Echo Park Splash Stickers and Water Droplet Stickers; Tools: EK Success Open Scallop EdgerPunch.

Under the Sea

Every time I go snorkeling, the song Under the Sea from the Little Mermaid plays through my head so I only think it's appropriate that it finally made it as a title on one of my layouts. And if you are anything like me, the song is now stuck in your head ... your welcome for that!

One of my favorite photos from our trip to Jamaica is the one of my sister in law on the left side of the layout and hence why it is so big!  I love this paper line from Cosmo Cricket because it goes so well with this photos.  I often have a hard time finding paper that goes with water photos.  Who knew there are so many shades of blue in water photos?  And why is it that 9 times out of 10 I don't have a sheet of paper that goes with it?  Do you ever find that?  My solution is to now go with complimentary colours and try not to find the perfectly matched blue!  I think it works!

I found after placing my title that there was this vast white space at the top of my layout.  I know it's ok to have that and in fact a lot of people do it deliberately but for some reason it bugs me like mad!  So I broke out my good old stickles and did some doodling.  To me, now it looks done.

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Salt Air Collection; Cardstock: Bazzills Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts Thickers and really old red ones from my stash; Embellishments: Cosmo Cricket - Salt Air 12x12 Elements and Stickles; Sketch: Sketches for Scrapbooking Volume 1.

The Moment I Fell In Love With Jamaica

I hope you are ready for some layouts about our trip to Jamaica! We went to this beautiful country in January 2011 and then again this past January. So needless to say I have not one trip but two trips worth of photos to scrapbook. At least it's a break from Camping layouts for a little while!

There's not a lot on this page for journalling as I believe the picture and the title sum it up pretty good.  They really do have beautiful sunsets in Jamaica.  And there is nothing more idyllic than sitting under a palm leaf umbrella sipping a fruity drink and watching the sun dip below the horizon!  I don't think I could ever tire of it!

You can find a tutorial I did on how to make this yellow flower (or Rosette as some call them) in this post.

I love this Title.  Really I do!  Why you ask?  First of all I put it on the picture.  I don't do that very often because it seems wrong to me but for this layout it was perfect!  Secondly, it's a mixed matched title using different sets of fonts.  Different colours, sizes and textures just make it seem more fun which is what I was going for!  I have yet to be able to mix match letters in a single word ... that is still a challenge for me but mixing each word I can deal with!

Supplies: Patterned Paper: My Minds Eye - Lost and Found 2 Collection; Cardstock: ; Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts Thickers and Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type; Embellishments: My Minds Eye - Lost and Found 2 Layer Chipboard pieces, Ribbon, and DCWV Postcard Journalling Spot; Tools: Martha Stewart Scoring Board.

Wandering Elbow Falls

One of the reasons I love Sketch Support sketches is they use lots of strips of paper which is great for using up scraps. And we all have lots of scraps ... don't pretend that you don't because I know you do!  We all do!  I have a whole bin full of them ... I'll admit it!  Most of them I keep because I love the paper and can't part with it.  But to be honest most of the time I end up purging the drawer and giving them away to a friends daughter for crafts.  She loves them and I get more space.

Let's be honest, most manufacturers are getting redonkulous with amount of collections they put out every year and I just can't keep up anymore!  I never thought I would say that but it's true!  A collection now has 12 sheets of double sided paper with 3 sheets of stickers, rub-ons, and chipboard ... oh and don't forget the cutest embellishments!  It's gone from spending $10-20 to spend $50-60 for an entire collection!  And that is just one of the four collections they released this quarter!  So my scrappy resolution this year is to buy less and use more.  It's gonna be a tough one for me.  Unless I absolutely love a piece of paper/collection I used to only use it once.  I didn't want to use it on another layout (cards are an exception of course).  But why can't I?  Is there a rule that says I can't?  Nope, it was just my excuse to get rid of the leftovers so that I could buy more.  Silly really!  So brace yourselves ... you're going to see some repeating products on different layouts until I purge some of my leftovers.  Hope you don't mind!

Just look at all those little strips I got to use up on this layout!  I'll admit it takes a little more time to get going rummaging through the scraps but in the end I think the layout turned out great!  We'll see how I do!

Supplies: Patterned Paper: Crate Paper - Little Sprout Collection; Cardstock: Bazzills; Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts Thickers; Embellishments: October Afternoon Campfire Die Cuts and Stickers, Twine, Grommets, and Brads; Inks: Chalkbox; Sketch: Sketch Support Two Page Sketch #20.