Hilo Botanical Garden

While in Hilo, we enjoyed a day-long excursion on which we toured Volcano National Park, the Thurston Lava Tube, the Mauna Loa macademia nut farm, and the Botanical Garden. I was enamored by the beautiful flowers and plants in the garden. This layout is but a small sampling of the many wonders of the garden.


Cardstock/Paper: TLC - Runway; Luxe - Simply Luxe
Misc: buttons; Michaels - flower; MM - big brad; Sizzix - alphabet; Luxe - adhesive tag; TLC - parens; Xyron; Zots

Mudbugging

There are quite a few layouts from our Hawaii album that I have not shown you. Slowly but surely I'm finishing up this album. Sad when it takes you two years to get the layouts done. LOL! For this layout, I used another one of Becky Higgins' sketches. A basic recipe sure makes pages come together more quickly!

While we were in Kona, we went mudbugging on the old sugar plantation. We had a blast "gettin' dirty" on the trails. It was beautiful country to drive through and we even recognized several of the vistas from movies like "Jurassic Park" and "Six Days Seven Nights."


Cardstock/Paper/Elements: TLC - Urban Threads; kraft

Ink: SU - chocolate chip (edge distressing)

Misc: TLC - brown distressed rub-ons; Sizzix - alpha; Luxe - travel words rub-ons; pop dots; Canon photopaper; Xyron 250

Incorporating a Template

One thing that's important to remember about templates is that they do not have to stand alone. In this case, the template I used was scaled as an 8.5 x 11. I only have one album that size, but my travel album is 12 x 12. So what do you do? Quite simply, you resize or you incorporate. 

And here's how I did it. First off, I start with my layout. I loosely based my two-page layout on a sketch by Becky Higgins. If you have her Best of Becky Higgins Sketches for Scrapbooking book, I used the sketch on page 172. See how the template formed the basis for the right-hand page? All I needed were some embellishments and *voila* a finished page. The beauty of sketches and templates is that you use them as guidelines. So what you end up with may not look anything like the sketch or template that inspired your layout. Isn't scrapbooking great?! Such flexibility!

The details

Base: TLC - Shapes Slumber Party textured pumpkin cardstock

Cardstock: TLC - Circles Slumber Party cherry blossoms; SU - pretty in pink

Misc: TLC - Shapes Slumber Party die cuts, travel rub ons, pink floss; SU - filigree brads, whisper white dress up ribbon, pretty in pink flower brad, whisper white latte collection button; MM - jewel brads; Luxe - red flower; Prima - aloha petals; Imagination Project - save the date white circles small; DCWV - rub ons; gems; misc. flower; Zips

Hawaii Layouts

Whoohoo! I finally have something to show for myself after several long weeks of nothing. In honor of National Scrapbooking Day, I spent Saturday afternoon in the craft room (instead of cleaning house...LOL). Here's a sampling of what I got done. All of these layouts are based on sketches by Becky Higgins - her formulas are so easy to adapt & use!

You may remember this layout from a previous post. I don't know if I mentioned it, but I was disappointed with some empty space on the left page. I couldn't think of anything to put to fill the void. I tried the flower, but it just didn't do it for me. Then I got my new Luxe prize pack & saw the stamps - perfect! The flower on the right page is not permanent; I can't decide if I like it or not. It's growing on me. (No pun intended)

All paper: TLC Runway - Tressie Circles
Ribbon: K&Co - Happy Trails
Rub-ons: TLC - Vacation
Dimensional stickers: K&Co
Sizzix: Circus

TLC Quicksand Kit
TLC Runway - Salt & Pepper Circles; Caroline Circles
Cardstock: olive & brown
Sizzix: Aphrodite & Sassy Serif
Misc: button, pop dots

Here are two layouts that are still in-progress. I opted to show only one page of the two-page spreads. They were the ones most finished/presentable.

Paper: TLC Runway - Salt & Pepper Circles
Cardstock: olive
Misc: green flower brads
Sizzix: Script

Paper: TLC Runway - Retro Shapes
Other paper: Luxe - Simple Dot Turquoise
Tag: Luxe - Simply Turquoise
Misc: brown buttons
All other elements from TLC kit

New Layouts

With two big summer trips planned, I'm trying to get caught up on all of the vacations we've taken thus far. Haha - yeah, I won't actually get caught up before the new trips, but I can get started anyway. I've still not mastered the art of taking pictures, but I think you'll get the idea. These are from our fall cruise to Hawaii. All designs are based on page formulas by Becky Higgins.

Day 1 layout
Most elements: TLC - Quicksand Vacation kit
* background cardstock
* all paper
* journaling box
* folder
* photo box
chipboard: K&Co Happy Trails - swim & surf; water fun; words
aqua & navy brads
font: Times New Roman


Luau Layout 1
Background cardstock: Luxe - classic black stripe, chick flick, lip gloss
Paper: TLC Runway Kit - Caroline circles
aqua ribbon
chipboard: K&Co Happy Trails - swim & surf
font: Arial


Luau Layout 2
Most elements: TLC Runway - Caroline circles
* background cardstock
* all paper
chipboard: K&Co Happy Trails - swim & surf; water fun
ribbon: K&Co Happy Trails
letters: Sizzix - Aphrodite
rub-ons: Luxe - Travel words
font: Papyrus

Layout 08/14/07

Background: Paper Company, Sand
Patterned paper: SEI, Patchwork Petals; SEI, Polka Party; Fancy Pants, Adorned; American Crafts, Sidewalk Chalk; EK Success, Harvest Circle Dots
Journaling: cream cardstock; Word font, Browalia New; Sizzix, Aphrodite
Embellishments: EK Success, Simply Seasonal border stickers; Making Memories, brads

Layouts 08/12/07

Background: SEI, Kiss Me Red
Patterned paper: 3Bugs, Maverick Cowboy; 3Bugs, French Country Bon Bons;
3Bugs, Maverick Bandana; EK Success, Harvest Circle Dots

Letters: Creative Imaginations, Spice Wash; Sizzlits, Sassy Serif

Cardstock: Cream

Font: Minya Nouvelle
Embellishments: Stampin' Up, photo turns & swirl

I finally finished two work-in-progress layouts, too.

Layouts 08/11/07

D.C.: Changing of the Guard
Background: MAMBI, CC-170
Mats: red cardstock, red textured zigzag cardstock
White cardstock
Font: Century


Work-in-progress
Background: Crate Paper, Red Boots
Cardstock: Red Boots; Crate Paper, Spurs; Crate Paper, Cowgirl crate band; EK Success, Harvest-Circle Dots

Layout 07/21/07

The first layout completed today. DC pages are well on their way. I really love Becky Higgins' sketches! The is one from Creative Sketches Vol. 2. If you don't have one of her books, I highly recommend getting one.