Let's Get Sketchy June Week 4

Another Monday and another challenge is up at Let's Get Sketchy. Here's the fun sketch we had to work with...

And here's my take on it...

I used photos of my brother-in-law and nephew when they first met Santiago. I can't believe how big both of these boys are now...Santiago going into kindergarten and Junior in high school (and almost driving)! Speaking of "old"...I also dug into my stash and found this old paper line from Dream Street Papers, a bingo card from Jenni Bowlin and a metal corner from Daisy D's. Love getting to use up older product that I've been hoarding!

Please stop by the Let's Get Sketchy blog and check out what the rest of Team B came up with this week. Hope you will be inspired to join in too!

Let's Get Sketchy

Two weeks into summer break and I'm having fun playing with the kids...I've even allowed myself to "let go" the need to have a perfectly clean house to make more time for it. But I can't lie...I'm missing that sweet two hours every afternoon when Santiago was at school and Paolina was napping so I could do some scrapbooking. Yesterday I finally caught a break when Santiago went to a friend's house during Paolina's naptime, and Noé took our car for an oil change. I was in scrappy heaven and managed to get TWO pages completed. Of course, one is future design team work so you won't get to see that for a while, but I also decided to play with the Let's Get Sketchy's Team A sketch from this past week. And here is what I came up with...

I used all scraps for this page and even made my own background paper with a mask from Crafter's Workshop. Between that and having such a great sketch to work with, this layout came together in a snap! Wish the picture had come out a bit better...there's obnoxious glare on the photos of Santiago (and his chubbly little baby cheeks) but today was the last day to post for this challenge so I didn't have time to try and get a better shot. You still have a few hours left to play along yourself until a new challenge goes live tomorrow, so if you haven't already maybe you will join in too!

I'm moving...please follow me!

Happy Thursday everyone! So I heard a little rumor from one of my online scrappy friends that Google is taking away the "Followers" widget when they remove Google reader on our blogs. If you would like to keep following my blog you can now do it via Blog Lovin'. I know a lot of my fellow scrappy bloggers are also moving in this direction. Hope all of you will come along with me...I would miss you if you left! Just click the button below.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Colorful Creations Sketch a thon

I realize we're already into the second half of June, but yesterday I had a realization that I had never posted the rest of my submissions for the Colorful Creations Sketch a thon which took place throughout the month of May.  There were sketches posted each weekday...I wish I could have found time to use all of them but all together I was only able to complete a total of five (three of which I have already posted). And here are the other two...

Thanks for looking...better late than never??

June 15th Challenges

With the 15th falling on a Saturday (just like on June 1st) I once again have three different challenges to post on one day. First up is at About a Boy, where we have been asked to create a layout using circles. For my page I used a mask with broken circles, splatters of paint to create the effect of tiny dots, and several fussy-cut doilies. The pattern of the background paper isn't circles, however it is a scallop which is pretty much lines of half-circles so I felt it kept with the "round" feel of the other circle elements.

For this page I used photos of Santiago in the hospital when he was one & two days old. Can you tell he had jaundice?? His little face was as orange as an Oompa Loompa!

The next challenge is over at S.W.A.T. This week's drill is to create a page with a summer theme.

I used photos from 4th of July fireworks at Kirkwood Park when we had our family reunion in St. Louis in 2009. I thought Santiago, who was only 14 months old, would be frightened by the loud fireworks, but he really enjoyed them! He also loved getting treated to a popsicle to cool him off from the heat that evening. My poor California babies just aren't accustomed to high heat & humidity!

Last but not least is a challenge at Sketches with Color to use the below skecth and color palette...

For my layout I used photos of Paolina when she turned 6 months old. Thanks for looking and I hope you will be inspired to try one or all of these challenges yourself.

On a sidenote, these will be my final layouts as a Design Team member for both About a Boy and S.W.A.T. I have really enjoyed my time with each of these teams...but I've had it on my heart for several months now to be spending more time with my family. I realized that the best way to achieve that was to spend less time on deadlines and the other duties that go hand in hand with serving on a design team. Hopefully I will still be able to find the time to join in the occasional challenge with these sites as I always find so much inspiration at both!

The Paper Bakery Sketch #5

There's an awesome sketch challenge at The Paper Bakery right now. I really really loved the sketch!

And here's what I came up with...

I used photos of Paolina when she was about to turn 7 months old. She couldn't walk yet, but just loved cruising the furniture and pulling herself up in her crib. It always made her break out in a huge grin when she did!

I loved working with the animal print papers & chevron. Can you believe I found all of them at Hobby Lobby? And the glittery hearts came from Michaels.

Thanks for looking!

Let's Get Sketchy June Week 2

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had a good weekend. Our Saturday was a bit hectic but quite fun. First thing in the morning Santiago had his first ever soccer practice and game. Noé is coaching his team, so I know it's going to be some awesome father-son time for them on Saturdays this summer. Unfortunately I missed it because Paolina's third birthday party was later in the morning at our house. She requested a "girls only princess party". It was the sweetest thing! My best friend makes & sells the most amazing tutu skirts and dresses, and last year she made a beautiful green tutu skirt for Paolina's 2nd birthday (which had an "Underwater/Ariel" theme). This year she made yet another another gorgeous creation...a tutu dress done in "Cinderella" blue. It's even sparkly (which has unfortunately left glitter all over the ENTIRE house) but Paolina absolutely adores it, so when I see her dance and twirl in it with the most beautful smile on her face I can't help but not mind that our house is sparkly too.

Anyhow...on to the reason for today's post...another challenge from Let's Get Sketchy. Here is this week's sketch:

And my take on it:

At the company Noé used to work for, they had an annual shareholder's meeting that ended with a huge party for the employees and their spouses (or dates). Most years it was a themed costume party, and last year was a pirate theme. I'm thrilled that Noé is much happier with his current work situation, but oh man am I going to miss those parties!! Oh and are those photos PERFECT for this sketch or what?? Don't have photo strips? No worries...just go check out the Let's Get Sketchy blog and see our designer's interpretation of the sketch and i'm sure you'll be inspired to join in!

Combined Challenges

Ok so I don't want to turn this post into a diatribe for fear of offending anyone, but I just want to say I'm not a fan of combining a whole bunch of challenges to create a single layout. I mean, I totally understand combing a sketch challenge from one site with a recipe or color challenge from another site...but it's seriously ridiculous when people combine four or six challenges. Really?? I think they're just trying to get their name into as many prize pots as possible. Very unfair to people who are scrapbooking for the love of it (in my opinion). Anyhow, this is turning into the exact speech I was trying to avoid, and the whole reason I was even bringing it up is because I did something I normally tend to avoid...I combined challenges. But like I said, it seems more legit to me to combine sketch inspiration from one place with a list of requirements from another, which is exactly what I did. I used this fabulous sketch from Sketchabilities...

Coincidentally I was just asking my scrappy friends a few weeks ago for ideas as to how to use up those rarely-used letters & number Thickers that never seem to get used. I received some great suggestions from my friends, and then I saw this sketch...perfect!!

I combined the sketch with the current challenge at Scrap Our Stash which is to create a page about a male and to use 5 or more brads on the layout. And here is what I came up with...

I used photos of "my guys" when Santiago was 5 months old...now he's five years old! Thanks for looking.

Let's Get Sketchy

Happy Monday! And a Happy Birthday to my beautiful baby girl who turns 3 years old today. So I believe that it's appropriate that I post a layout for today's Let's Get Sketchy reveal that features photos of her at her one-year photo shoot.

Here's the sketch...

I flipped it and came up with this...

Thanks for looking!

June 1st Challenges

Because the first of the month fell on a Saturday I have lots of challenges to post today!

First up is About a Boy. The challenge is to create a layout of your boy's favorite summer or holiday activity. Hands down, Santiago loves swimming & playing in the water more than any outdoor summer activity. I don't think he realizes just yet that now that we have moved to Texas from Southern California, we won't be able to go to the beach at the drop of a hat. I'm sure he will be devastated once he does.

I used photos of Santiago from a trip to visit family in Des Moines the summer of 2009. He was just 14 months old at the time, and this was his first experience with a kiddie pool. He was hooked for sure!  I also used Fancy Pants Down by the Shore. This is such an awesome summer collection! On a sidenote I'm super proud of myself for not using a sketch...I completey winged this layout!

Next up is a challenge for S.W.A.T. which is to use the following color combo...

And this is what I came up with...

I used a photo of Santiago from the same trip to Des Moines (the flight back home to be exact).  And I used a sketch from Stuck Sketches. It was for their May 1st challenge, but because I couldn't reveal this layout until today, I was unfortunately unable to enter it in the challenge.

Last but not least is a challenge at Sketches With Color. Coincidentally the color palette is super similar to the one at S.W.A.T., which is fine by me as I love blue and yellow together! Here's the sketch...

Here's the color palette...

And here's the card I created with it...

Hopefully Noé will not be checking out my blog as this is going to be his Father's Day card!

Thanks for looking at all my projects...hope you will have time to join in with some or all of these challenges!