Birdseye View of Juneau

While we didn't get to mush huskies as we'd planned due to low cloud cover in the morning, we salvaged the day by taking a sea plane tour of the glacier fields. Stunning! I had tons of pictures and wanted to maximize the number of beautiful photos I planned to preserve for our album. So I chose a template that would highlight a particularly memorable photo while allowing lots of other photos from the day.

Program: AE 6.0; Template: JS Temp. 03; Paper: KH - beige; Scrapdish - JB postcards; SBA - Jan. 10 awolff solid 4; Apr. 09 solid 4 & solid 6; DD - KP traveler stamps day 4; Fonts: Title - Cracked; Journaling - Abadi MD Condensed Light

Ketchikan: The Salmon Capital

After we finished our tours in Ketchikan, we enjoyed a leisurely walk about town. We were actually in search of some good food (a story unto itself) but ended up just sightseeing instead. Once again, I used the ol' flip-it trick to tie the opposing pages together.

Program: Adobe Elements 6.0; Template: Designer Digitals - AAspnes Temp. 4; Paper: Songbird Ave. Dec. '09, awolff bg 7; Fonts: Title - Myriad Pro; Journaling - Arno Pro

Here, Fishie, Fishie, Fishie...

Anyone else remember that episode of Sesame Street where Bert & Ernie go fishing? Makes me laugh every time I think about it. I've worked on some more digital layouts for our Alaska album, and I'll be sharing those this week. Today's layout, we're taking a look at the guy's first fishing trip in Ketchikan. No fish hopping in the boat, but they still had a great time.

Program: Adobe Elements 6.0; Template: Designer Digitals - AAspen Template 4; Paper - Songbird Ave Dec. '09 Kit, awolff bg 7; Fonts: Title - Stencil & Franklin Gothic Medium; Journaling - Baskerville Old Face

Beach Bums in Maui

Ahhhh, beautiful Maui - also known as the sunbather's paradise. This was the only port of call in which we chose not to schedule a daytime tour. Two whole days of relaxation. This is the beach day (obv). Look at that beautiful blue water!


Cardstock/Paper: TLC - Runway; DCWV; SU - chocolate chip
Stamps/Ink: PTI - Simple Alphabet; SU - taken w/ teal
Misc: grossgrain ribbon; K&Co - chipboard, stickers; Sizzix - Sassy Serif; Zips; Xyron; pop dots

Kona Le'a Coffee

Our day in Kona was one of our most-anticipated. We chose to take the Explosion of Flavor tour on which we would visit the Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, Kona Le'a Coffee Plantation, and the Hawaiian Vanilla Company. We were certainly not disappointed - it was an "explosion of flavor" and then some!


Cardstock/Paper: TLC - Runway
Misc: Luxe - travel rub-ons; chipboard; Sizzix - Aphrodite; MM - rub-ons; pop dots

Pub Crawl!

One of the many things we really loved about our Hawaiian cruise was the fun ship-sponsored activities. We never found ourselves wanting for anything to do. On one such afternoon, we participated in a pub crawl where we got to sample a drink at each bar, play some games, and make some great friends. We laughed ourselves silly that day!


Cardstock/Paper: TLC - Slumber Party
Misc: chipboard; pink gems; Sizzix - Broadway Melody; Uniball - Signo white gel pen; DCWV - rub-ons; misc. satin ribbon; Zips; Zots; Xyron; pop dots

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

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge: Week 2

I'm still playing along with Dawn's color challenges, are you? They really do make me think outside the box! I particularly liked this week's color combo b/c it works perfectly for yet another Hawaii spread. Here's this week's palette:


And here's where I went with it:

Sometimes you have to punt in order to make things work. Notice the small tag on the right-hand page. If you look closely, you'll notice the smallest bit of pink peeking out from behind the white Prima flowers. Since that was the only element that brought pink to the layout, I thought it ultimately stuck out like a sore thumb - stealing attention from more important page elements. Like photos, hello! So I covered the pink flowers with the white primas. What do you think? Mission accomplished?

Page recipe
Base: TLC - Circles Meadow Brook textured aqua cardstock
Paper/Cardstock: TLC - Circles Meadow Brook tumble weed, Shapes Meadow Brook sunflower patch; SU - taken with teal, barely banana, certainly celery; Daisy D's - mini dot

Misc: SEI - Dill stitched ribbon; Primas - aloha petals; K&Co - Happy Trails flowers, brad, tags / Roam tags & rub-ons; SU - white brads, flower brads;WR Memory Keepers - eyelet & snap; TLC - Shapes Meadow Brook paren; Zips

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

Using a Template

After deciding on the photos I wanted to use in my collage, I set about placing them in the template. Pretty cool, huh? You don't have to use photos in every space. You could use digital paper if you wanted to. I chose to use photos in every space b/c I wanted to give as much of the experience on one page as I could. But we won't be stopping with the collage. Check back tomorrow to see how I used this collage in my two-page layout about the cacao farm we visited in Kona.

Raspberry Suite Color Challenge: Week 1

I'm definitely behind the eight-ball on Dawn McVey's color challenge, but I decided to play along anyway b/c it stretches my crafting wings in the color combo dept. Because I'm back in scrapping mode, I decided to apply the color challenge to a layout from our Hawaii trip. Honestly, I'm not sure I would have come up with this color combo without Dawn's challenge - so thanks, Dawn, for the inspiration!

So here's the Week 1 challenge:

And here's where I went with it based on what I had lying about (subbing black from brown):




Cardstock/Paper: TLC - black from Salt & Pepper Runway, lemon sherbet scoops; Luxe - Flamingo from Pashmina, Pink Elephant from Pashmina; MOD - orange p/p; misc. yellow p/p; misc. orange c/s

Elements: All My Memories - chipboard letters; Prima - Aloha Petals; SU - corduroy button & brad, yellow striped g/g, orange rickrack; misc. white flower; Zips; Zots; Sizzix - Metro Retro alpha; Xyron

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.

Layout in progress 08/02/07

One of the last layouts left from my DC trip several years ago. This is still a work-in-progress. I haven't decided how much, if any, journaling I will include on this page. (Gasp--never fear, I'm doing an entire layout dedicated to the details of the trip, so I don't worry too much about whether I include anything from page-to-page.) I'm still pondering a title too. But I think it looks good so far.

Cardstock: Flourish, Heidi Grace - Florabella Ringaround, Scrapworks - Always Artichoke, Stampin' Up
Embellishments: Travel eyelet, WeRMemoryKeepers - white satin ribbon

Digital Layouts 07/22/07

More fun with Adobe Elements. While I may do some paper layouts of this cruise (particularly since I've bought paper, etc.), I'm enjoying the digital ones. And since 100% of the photos from this trip are digital, it's even easier.

05 Cruise: Bar Harbor

Paper: World Traveler, Sande Krieger (TwoPeas)
Ribbon: Fall Splendor, Nancy R. Janitz (ScrapArtist)
Journaling box: Seventies, Tia Bennett (TwoPeas)















Halifax
Papers, ribbon, brads: Fall Splendor, Nancie R. Janitz (ScrapArtist)
Quote: Kim Hill
Photo corners: Travel, Rhonna Farrer (Two Peas)
Journaling box: Fall Splendor, Nancie R. Janitz (ScrapArtist)















Quebec
Papers, swirl: Fall In, Jen Lessinger
Buttons: Give Thanks, Jackie Eckels
Bows: Lisa Cohen (ScrapArtist)
Fleur de lis: World Traveler, Sandy Krieger
Ribbon & charm: Travel, Rhonna Farrer

Digital Layout 07/21/07

I really should be finishing my DC layouts, but they're all paper. And I wanted to play with the new computer. Wow--what a difference a bunch of RAM makes! It didn't hesitate, hiccup, or otherwise blink at anything. I had tons of files open in Elements, and it still ran lightning fast. (Man, mom, this would have made that layout on Thursday night a LOT faster to put together!)

This is the cover page for the layouts of the cruise we took to New England in '05. I think I may use this layout for all of my cover pages, using a representation of photos from the trip that may not otherwise appear on other layouts. We'll see. The beauty of digital is that I can change my mind with the click of a mouse!

05 Cruise



Digital kit: Fall Splendor (Nancy R. Janitz, ScrapArtist)

Afternoon Layouts 07/21/07

DC: Nat'l Cemetery

Baby page

Close-ups page elements

DC: Girls in the City