A Love Note to Shadow

Certainly not the most artistic layout or anything, but that wasn't really the point of it. It was just time. I know the journaling is almost impossible to read at this scale and level of compression, so I have it listed below with the credits as well.



A Love Note to Shadow

Font is Guttenberg MF

Everything except large swirl flourishes from Half Past Midnight by Misty Cato at Scrapbook Elements

Large swirl flourishes from Starting in Style by Misty Cato at Scrapbook-Bytes

Completed April 23, 2007

Journaling reads:

"A Love Note to Shadow

Dear Baby Girl,

We had no idea we would lose you so early. You were with us for almost 9 years, our faithful companion, The Good Kitty. We saved you from the pet store in September after we got married. You were sick, though we didn't know it, and it took $1000 worth of care to save you. Your sister was sadly not so fortunate. We still miss Gypsy. I can't imagine how long we will miss you. You slept on our pillows, you climbed the Christmas tree. You got lost in the shadows your first night with us, earning your name. You ate an entire Arby's roast beef sandwich all by yourself when you were just a kitten. You faithfully served as a fantasy baseball GM, Wall Spirit Shaman, Dragon Ninja, and President of the Kitty Financial Committee. You took on two new kittens in your domain with virtually no protest, and you all became fast friends, though there was no denying that you were Queen Bee of the house, keeping both "the kittens" and the new Orange Kitty in check. Without you, Bengal and Tigger would never have accepted Cleo as a member of the team. You also paved the way for The Red Kitty's acceptance. You worried about him and guarded him as an infant, and you generally tolerated him as a toddler, even after he snatched your tail right out of mid-air during a jump. You sure loved your milk and your Blizzards, and your mind powers were amazing, because just by staring, you knew you would get at least a sip or a bite. I had never heard the term "pastel tortoise shell calico" before we had you. All we knew was that you were beautiful. Your bright green eyes, your tiny head, your cute little black nose, and your too-long tail that wrapped around your paws as you sat.

Goodbye, Baby Girl. Thank you for being with us. We miss you terribly.

With love always,
Steve, Erin, Luke, Bengal, Tigger, and Cleo"

2006 Review

I really liked this sketch, so I decided to participate in this challenge this month.



2006 Review

Journaling: "2006: What a wild year! So much fun, so much new, so much unexpected. Luke slept at his grandparents' house without his parents. Jacob got his Ph.D. Luke discovered the playground. Steve and Erin turned 30, Luke turned 2. Erin rejoined the workforce, which meant Luke started daycare. Granny passed away. Mike got engaged. Erin visited Canada for the first time. Luke was diagnosed with a hearing problem. Joy, sadness, surprises, and fun, but most of all, full of family and love."

Font is Radaem

Everything from Life Is Good by Eva Kipler at Digital Freebies

Metal Clip Alpha by Misty Cato, a blog freebie

Sketch Template by Tracy Blankenship at Digital Freebies

Created for the January 2007 Part 1 Double Trouble Sketch Challenge at Digital Freebies

Completed January 8, 2007

Thoughtful

Thoughtful
Journaling: "Thoughtful - I love to watch you as you try and figure things out around you. I can see the wheels turning in your head. You study things in earnest, and you remember with ease. I hope this love for learning follows you forever."

Font is St. Charles

Everything except the inked edge on the photo from Absolutely by Lauren Grier at Elemental Scraps

Inked Edge from Edges Pack by Lauren Bavin at Digital Scrapbook Place

Scraplifted from Jumping in the Grass by serenasmom at Digital Freebies

Created for the Bannerwoman Weekly Scraplift Challenge for August 2006 Week 3 at Digital Freebies

Completed August 20, 2006

Erin Dislikes....

Someone made the observation that we often scrap about stuff we like, but almost never about stuff we don't, so that was this challenge. And before anyone gets really impressed, I did not make all those little strips. I just combined a plain cream paper with the joined circles on it with a paper that came with the strips and star circles. I was planning to use strips to hold each word anyway, and when I saw this paper, I figured I'd let it do the work for me!



Erin Dislikes....

Journaling: "Erin dislikes.... broccoli, high heels, rudeness, bugs, heartache, crude humor, lies, alochol, intolerance, horror movies, hate, make-up, spicy food, UGA, illness, walnuts, sweat, ham, bickering, skirts, acne, Dr. Pepper, surgery, ignorance, coffee, bigotry, aging, war"

Font is Blown Deadline

Everything from All Stars by Robin Cabana at Scrapdish

Created for the Journaling Challenge for Early August 2006 at Scrap Mommies

Completed August 14, 2006

Painted Tranquility

As soon as I saw the inspiration painting, I immediately started thinking about calm and peacefulness and tranquility. I thought it would be cool to incorporate the words into the brush strokes that feature so prominently in the original painting (5th one down), but I couldn't figure out how to do them. Then I stumbled across a painted brush strokes brush set this weekend, and I knew it was meant to be.



Painted Tranquility

Font is Amerika Sans

Painted Brush Strokes by Peppermint Creative

Brush strokes recolored with papers from To My Mother, For My Father, Blue Lavendar, and Honeydew Lemon, all by Peppermint Creative

Inspired by the painting Summer Lock by Frank Ettenberg (5th one down)

Created for the Inspiration Challenge for Early August 2006 at Scrap Mommies

Completed August 13, 2006

Glynn Academy

Two more Scrap Mommies challenges managed with this one layout, Scrap Therapy and Font. Five complete; still seven to go. The photos are of my beloved high school, one for each of the 9 buildings on campus, and one of the bell that sits out front. And yes, despite the name, this is a *public* high school.



Glynn Academy

Journaling: "That's me. Glynn Academy Class of 1994. Has it really been that long? Like everyone else, I certainly had my awful high school moments, but overall, I really liked it. I graduated 5th in my class. I had lots of friends, some of which I still know. I moved in many circles, though I was a band geek and proud of it. I had one boyfriend, but we won't talk about him! (That was probably the worst part of high school for me.) I was thin (well, after 9th grade) and proud and confident. I knew what I wanted and I went for it. I was, and am still, extremely proud to be a Glynn Academy Red Terror, just like my father. That may not seem amazing to some, but given that we had moved 8 times by then, to end up at the same high school as my father is pretty wild. I love the old buildings and the history; GA is the second oldest public school in Georgia, and most buildings date from the 1920s. It was just a great time for me. I enjoyed learning, I enjoyed the people, I enjoyed the experiences (well, most of them). I just enjoyed life. Long live the Red and White."

Fonts are Harrington and Inkburrow

Everything from A Fresh View - Flair by Trish Jones at Scrapbook-Bytes

Based on a sketch by Jen Caputo (I just used the idea, not the template)

Created for the Scrap Therapy and Font Challenges for Early August 2006 at Scrap Mommies

Completed August 10, 2006

Birthday Pout

Another for Scrap Mommies, but it is not a combined one, so that still leaves me 9 to go, and only six days. Not sure if I'll make it or not, but I'll sure try. This challenge was to scrap your child pouting. I actually don't have many pouting photos. When he was little, the pout was your "five second warning" that he was about to explode, so one was prone to drop the camera (figuratively) and run to comfort him!



Birthday Pout

Journaling: "Birthday Pout - Your very first birthday. What could be more fun than that? We worked hard, Nana made you a beautiful Nemo cake, and everyone was standing by with cameras to capture the classic "make a mess" cakephotos. But you were having none of it. You hated the feel of the icing on your fingers, and when I finally managed to get a little in your mouth, you still wouldn't eat any. You even threw the cake off your tray at one point. What a picutre to commemorate your first birthday cake!"

Fonts are Pea Leigh Leigh from Fonts for Peas and Delta Hey Max Nine

Everything from Oceanography by Roberta D'Achilee at Rendered Memories

Based on a sketch by Jen Caputo (I did not actually use the template, only the idea)

Created for the Baby Book Challenge for Early August 2006 at Scrap Mommies

Completed August 9, 2006

First Disney Vacation

One down, covering two challenges (Theme and Quote). Only 10 challenges left to cover. And yes, I realize I have used the Mouse Ears photo already, but I love it so!



First Disney Vacation

Quote: "Find what brings you joy and go there"

Journaling: "Disney 2005 - This was your first trip to Disney World. I was so excited to get to show you my most favorite place on Earth and to buy you your first set of Mouse Ears, with your name on the back, of course. Unfortunately, the trip did not go as well as I would have liked. No one slept very well at the hotel, least of all you. It rained the entire day, so you didn't spend much time in the stroller. Finally, the weather broke, with just two hours before park close. I've never done so much in so little time in my life! But you sure seemed to enjoy it, so that is ultimately the most important thing. I cannot wait for this year's trip!"

Fonts are Walter, Wild Ride, and Arial

Photos by Rita Warren and Erin Gaston

Blue Green Paper at lower left from Puzzled by Roberta D'Achille

Sketch Template by Jen Caputo

Created for both the Theme Challenge and the Quote Challenge at Scrap Mommies for Early August 2006

Completed August 8, 2006

First "Real" Halloween

First "Real" Halloween
Journaling reads: "First 'Real' Halloween - Because Luke was born in October, we didn't do much for his first Halloween since he was only 3 weeks old. 2005 was his first costume, his first trip trick or treating, and his first taste of chocolate. He also had his first kid's meal while we were there, from Chik-Fil-A."

Fonts are Pea Nancy from Fonts for Peas and Curlz MT

Everything from the Halloween Category at Free Digital Scrapbooking

Inspiration sketch by Jenn Olson

Created for the Synchronized Swimming Anniversary Challenge at Scrap Artist

Completed July 30, 2006

The Breakfast Club

Since my first 80s layout was so lame in the design department, I decided to do a second one. And it doesn't get much more 80s than this movie. Here is a link to a larger version (400K), if you are interested.

The Breakfast Club

Journaling:

Dear Mr. Vernon,

We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us...
is a brain...
and an athlete...
and a basket case...
a princess...
and a criminal...

Does that answer your question?

Sincerely yours,
The Breakfast Club

Fonts are Pea Bethany, Pea Sarahloo, Pea Melanie, Pea Sara Script, Pea Monica, from Fonts For Peas, and Paddington

All papers except the notebook paper from 80s Wham by Jeanine Beachtold (some recolored by me), a freebie from her blog

Notebook paper, paper fragment, and staple from Girl Notes by Lauren Grier, a Friday Freebie at Digital Freebies

A Dream Come True

A Dream Come True
Journaling: "A dream come true - For many many years, I watched The Boston Pops do their annual 4th of July concert on television. As a child, I always dreamed that one day, I would spend Independence Day on the Esplanade. When Steve and I set our wedding date for July 4, 1998, I told him then that one day, someday, we would spend our anniversary there. Someday came in 2003, for our 5th wedding anniversary. This trip was also a dream come true for my husand. He was finally able to see the Red Sox play at Fenway Park."

Fonts are Garton and ILS Script

Dark blue circle paper from Red, Bright, and Blue Paper Pack by Christine Nash at Scrap Outside the Box

Everything else from the June 2006 RAK Scraps Mega Kit, specifically:

Background paper by V. Kim Smith

Red Freedom paper by Jane A

Striped star paper by Cindy Wyckoff

Circular paper and metal bar (used for frame) by Mrs.Schmuck

Star ribbon and striped ribbon by Audra Little

Silver star rivet by Kim Jensen

4th of July star charm by Corinne Fragata

Inspiration sketch by Gina Miller

Created for the Scrapbook-Bytes Subscribers Only Sketch Challenge #16

Completed July 8, 2006

Outside

Outside

Journaling: "This was Luke's first real chance to play outside. We took him to a local soccer field and just turned him loose. He wasn't quite sure what to do at first, but he got the hang of it. He hated falling down because he didn't like touching the grass with his hands to get up. -October 2005"

Font is Stonehenge

Everything from Friday Freebie by Amanda Rockwell at Digital Freebies

Inspiration sketch by Gina Miller

Created for the Subscribers Only Sketch Challenge #14 at Scrapbook-Bytes

Completed June 14, 2006