Inkadink Challenge #1

Here is my layout all about me for the Inkadink September Challenge.

Now go on over there and get this challenge done! They have an awesome RAK just waiting on you!

Ode to all My Scrappy Chicks!

This is the outside cover of an accordian album that I made about my scrappy friends in a class back last fall. I've yet to post it, but when I saw the first challenge over at The Pretty Committee, I knew this had to be the one! I love this little diddy because it shows all of our silliness when we get together to scrapbook! I love each and everyone of you guys! So, if you haven't seen this before, here you go:

Front Cover:
Inside pages:

These are the back pages turned vertical:
Now, you need to head over to The Pretty Committee. They are a new challenge blog and you have to check out the work of their awesome DT!

Layouts from Last Week and Some News!

We finished up Week 2 over at Nook University. I am in no way winning the challenge, but I am having such an awesome time and getting lots of layouts done! Before I show what I have done, I just want to add something. I have heard or read several people saying that they want to scrapbook, but they just can't seem to get themselves motivated to do so. Let me say, "I know the feeling". I was SO feeling the same way for most of this year. I did seem to do some when we would all get together to scrap, but hardly took time at home to scrap by myself. And then in August, Leah encouraged me to join her in the Dixie Pieces online crop. I completed maybe 4 or 5 of their challenges and came away with a year subscription to Scrapbooks, Etc. and a nice RAK. This got me inspired and I found other challenges to participate in and haven't stopped. It is so much fun and it keeps me motivated to do more. I may win some, but mostly I don't. My satisfaction comes in seeing how productive I have been. So if you are one of those who feel the same way as I did for most of 2008, jump in there and do a challenge and just see what happens! If you are like me, there won't be any stopping you after that!

Ok, on to some layouts. This first one was for an elective in Dance 101. The rules were to use a number #1-8 (because dance is based on 8 steps) and if you did it about dance you got extra credit. I used all 8 numbers and did mine about Annessa and her friends doing Libby Lu and then getting to perform their dance.This layout was for History and was a Core Class, meaning it had to be done in order to go on to the next week. We had to scrapbook about us, our heritage and use something old on the layout. The picture had to be at least 20 years old. I used a picture of me when I was about 4. I don't really like scrapping old pictures, but I was glad to do something a little different from my norm. My old something is a page from The World Book Encyclopedia from 1968....I used it to cut out flowers.Another Core Class was Chemistry. We had to scrap about someone whom we have chemistry with, about meeting them and why we like them. I did some pictures from our wedding. I love all that red in this layout.This layout was done for extra credit in History. We had to use a Michael Jackson song title. I used The Way You Love Me because it went so well with these pictures. The journaling says, "Little Miss Amelia, I absolutely love the way that you love me! I love you so very much that I could just eat you up. Obviously, you love me that much too! Love, Mamma."
This elective for Psychology/Socioloy was to scrap about a ritual or routine. I chose our yearly ritual of pumpkin carving to do.
This was an interesting assignment. Another core class...Economics. We were to use a sketch and do a layout specifically about what we love and what we hate to spend money on. I took pictures of different things and journaled around the picture why I loved/hated to spend money on it. The things I loved were kit clubs, clothing for the children, clothing for me, and things for the house. The things I hated to spend on were home repairs, copays, gas and taxes. This isn't a layout that fits into the albums I have, but I think that it will be neat to look back on.
For extra credit, we had to make a birthday card that had a place to hold money. I'm not a card-maker, but here is what I did.
That is all for Nook U. We have some interesting assignments this week to work on.

This is the layout I did for Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #109. Come on over and give us your interpretation to this awesome sketch. There are also 2 great challenges posted as well. Remember, for every layout you do, you get your name in the drawing this month for an awesome RAK from American Crafts. See the picture of all you get here!
And last, but most certainly not least, I've been asked to be the very first Guest Designer over on the new challenge site, Inkadink Designs. Please stop by and see all the work of the talented design team! Currently they are on Challenge #1 which is a great one. I will be working this week on it as well as the challenge Andrea has issued to me for next month.

Please Go Vote!

My new friend Pamela Young, who is the owner of Scrapbook Challenges where I am a DT, is in a contest over on Scrapbooks, Etc. She is one of the 10 finalists left competing for $2500! The last assignment was for them to complete a mini-album about themselves. You can see this mini on the Scrapbooks, Etc. site and even more of it on Pamela's blog. Please go HERE to vote for her. She's an awesome scrapper and deserves to win this one! BTW, you can go back everyday until the 20th, so bookmark it and go back daily to vote! THANKS!

Published!

I sent in a few layouts (15 to be exact) to an online scrapping magazine called Scrapbook News and Review in hopes that they may pick one of my layouts to put in their next issue. Well, much to my surprise, I received an email on Monday that they not only wanted one of my layouts but they chose 14 out of the 15 that I sent! I was blown away to say the least. The issue #6 releases tomorrow. The only problem is none of you will be able to see it unless you purchase a subscription. Ha! I guess you'll just have to take my word for it that the layouts are actually in there. Or you could pay the $4.99 a month and see for yourself. LOL

Back To School

Yep, that's right. Leah and I have started back to school. We are attending Nook University over at My Scrapbook Nook. This was our first week of assignments. There are 3 core classes that we must complete to stay enrolled in this contest. And then several extra credit challenges and elective challenges that can give us more points. Here are the layouts I completed this week.

Math Class: Do a layout using multiples of 3. I used 3 papers, 3 pictures, 3 word title with 12 letters total, 3 different styles of Thickers, 6 flowers, 3 stickers, 3 ribbons and 12 staples.English Class: The assignment was to do a layout with a picture of you reading a book. The journaling also had to have at least 50 words.

Art Class: The assignment was to find a piece of art and use it as inspiration in your layout. Here is the artwork I chose by Pablo Picasso, entitled Les Menines:

And my layout based upon it.

This next layout was for an extra credit math assignment. We were to use a number sentence in the layout and explain it. I think you can figure it out.

Another elective I did was Graphics & Computer Technology. The assignment was to do a layout meeting 3 out of 5 specified criteria. I chose to use an altered photograph, computer typed journaling, and a computer graphic printed out (the swirl).

And lastly, I did an elective for Physical Ed/Health. The layout had to be about something that moves. We are sitting on a hayride wagon at the pumpkin patch.There are 4 more challenges that were given this week that I may still try to participate in...if I can find the time. ;)

First Friday of the Month

....as you may know, is Scrap Night!! Woo Hoo! So, Leah and I decide that 6 hours just isn't enough, so we get there a couple hours early. We both had huge To-Do lists that we wanted to accomplish. So, 8 hours later, wanna guess how many layouts I got done? 15? 10? Nope! 5! I scrapped for 8 hours and only completed 5 layouts. That's like over an hour and a half per page! Crazy stuff. So here's what I did:This layout was done using Creative Scrappers Sketch #15. I almost didn't do it because the sketch had lots of circles where the flowers are and I just wasn't sure about that. I decided to do flowers instead and I love how this turned out. I think it is my favorite of the night. And don't you just love that Pink Paislee Pop Fashion paper!? All those materials were used from The Scrapping Spot's Sept. Kit (except for the primas and brads).
This one is another Creative Scrappers sketch. It is the sketch for the October GDT contest. I loved using this Jenny Bowlin paper. Also got some Cosmo Cricket chipboard in there and that's a Luxe journaling card. The red polka dot material is actually a velvet material. I wish you could feel it.
This layout was using Pink Sketches #3. I love the color combo here. I've been using mostly brights lately, so this seemed a little subdued. I like it though. Another JB die cut and that's Prima Marketing PP and flowers. Love those Thickers in Gold and in that Jewelry Box font.
This layout is for the Scrapbook Challenges sketch #107 that is revealed today over there! I haven't ever cut pictures up like that, but I really like how it turned out...pretty cool effect (except for poor Lilly's face that got all disconnected). I'll have to get better at that. This sketch also worked well for the Scrapjacked challenge going on now, so I'm going to link it over there today as well.
And last but not least, this one is for Pencil Lines 100th sketch! They are giving away all kinds of prizes for people who sent in layouts for this sketch. I hope I'm one of the lucky ones to win!