Shrimp with Feta Cheese

Who know how good this combination could be?

The other day on a What’s for Supper thread at A Cherry on Top, a recipe was posted. Two ingredients caught my eye. It stayed with me and I know I would have to try those two ingredients together. I did and even scrapbooked it.

I found some old stash and followed a sketch from Sketch N Scrap. I also took an ACOT challenge to use reds and pinks from my stash in their Use Your Stash Challenge.

This is Sketch #170 from February. I pretty much kept the design, just added my own elements to fit my desire. I stamped an image from Hampton Arts G45 named “Cafe Parisiane 2”. The work on my pocket is also from this set. My title and journaing were done on the computer and printed. I added a FSJ die cut underneath.

Shrimp with Feta

Thanks for stopping in, hope you check out these challenge inspirations. Happy crafting!

Hugs, JA

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You’re Fabulous Greeting

Don’t you love when a project just comes together nice and easy?

Yesterday I decided to use it of pitch it – scraps of paper are taking over. I love pattern papers and I love all the colors I’ve collected. It’s so hard to throw away the pieces. But, alas, my bins are over stuffed and buying another bin is not the solution. So, I pulled out my scrap papers, picked a few stamp sets, and committed to making some greeting cards. My stash is getting low, well, maybe not! Now for inspiration I had this sketch in mind.

Sketch N Scrap #138

The patterned circle was in my “Circle” baggie. It made me happy with it’s cheery pattern. Finding this Fun Stampers Journey stamp – “Birdie Fest” worked. I stamped this happy bird with Rich Coral, fussy cut it out and used a pop dot over the circle die. how do you like what I did with the sentiment? It felt like a fun thing to do. And adding eyelets that I’ve had for many years was a plus for my stash reduction plan.

Do you ever use a color wheel? I was stuck with what color would look good for this bird stamp. Grabbing my very old Stampin’ Up color wheel I dialed in the color of the flower and it had green with it and this coral color was a close match. I like the combo. But, then, I really like colors that pop.

Hope you are having a colorful day! Thanks for popping in. Hugs, JA

From My View

Finishing this layout today made me happy. The weather is chilly and it has rained all day and is expected to again tomorrow. It is the kind of weather the doggies really hate. Even more than getting a bath.

So, this is for two challenges. I used a Sketch – N – Scrap sketch, #168.

My challenge from A Cherry on Top was to scrap photos that were taken from a different perspective. Here, we each snapped each other from different heights while at the zoo last March. The title was cut with Cricut Explore Air. Lots of rubber stamps here, some were in my baggie of already stamped, some cut, some I had to fussy cut. And, yes, I seem to still be in the gray and coral color pallet. Enjoy! Be safe! Get crafty!

Sketches of Her Day

Just an ordinary day in a mother’s routine, perhaps, but when I get glimpses of my precious loved ones, those moments shared with me are anything but ordinary. This little guy is always on the go, sometimes on his own but usually demanding mom’s attention, so when he finally settles for a nap, where ever he settles, it is a blessing.

My layout went live on the Sketches in Thyme blog today. Here is the sketch offered for your scrapping inspiration this week. Hope you can play along.

Sketch #358

Ribbon Close-up

This printed base paper is from the Photo Play “Paprika” collection, as are the word pieces. What fun I had putting together all the ribbons from my stash. Dug out a really old crimping tool to make the punched circle to hold the die cut piece over the bows.

Hope you found a bit of inspiration, and thanks for stopping by. Hugs and happiness to you today!

New Hair Style for Kris

Angelo is an amazing artist! Kris managed to get accepted by him through her friend, Sue. He has even changed how I look, and consequently, how I feel about myself! Here is my double page layout using the photos from my dear daughter’s last visit. She spotted a style in a magazine and, like magic, Angelo made it happen for her.

I used a PageMaps sketch from 2014. It was the challenge sketch on ACOT this month. I used my new pack from ACOT. It is the Magnolia collection from Fancy Pants. I did 3 distressing techniques: sanded the photo edges, inks some of the papers, and ran a distressing tool over the floral circle.

I made my own paper for the banner die cuts. Using a stamp from Altenew, Frosted Garden, I stamped a gray print from another Fancy Pants pad with Versamark and heat embossed with white powder. Some tied bits of floss to the banners and Nuvo Drops and I was done. This went together quickly since I also used elements from the cut out pack with the collection.

Just doing the layouts is working for me – not fretting over every single tiny choice.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you are creating today! Blessings and joy to you. Hugs, Joyce Ann

Sibling Bliss

Following a sketch I chose 3 shots of my great grands together in the summer of 2018. I was going for coral for a color challenge. Didn’t realize how few coral papers I have. Also my inspiration came for the challenge at “Lasting Memories” to use trim – I have used 3 ribbons.

This is our sketch challenge, with a bonus to use at least 10 sequins. I love to use sequins and used 20 here.

While trying to think of a good title, I always have difficulty with picking titles. I felt I wanted to acknowledge the idea of siblings being together. With them all being random activities one title about activities wouldn’t work. I’ve been reading a book by Julia Cameron – “Walking in This World”. This Joseph Campbell quote was on a recent page and it stuck with me as a message to my babies. So, the theme for my title and journaling was born.

The reason we scrap our photos, or at least for me, is to not just have the enjoyment of the playing creatively in the moment, but to leave an album of pages where the photos will be special for my family to look through in the future. I believe it is much more enjoyable than just flipping through a box of photos that have been printed. That is not to say each page needs to be a masterpiece. That is one thing I am teaching myself lately with my scrapbooking. Fussing over finding the best option is overrated! Does it really matter that I could have used at least 3 other papers for each of the ones I ended up with? I think not.

My process of late is to gather possibles, see which ones look the best in my eye and with the photos and go for it. I have way too many papers. It could, and have in the past, taken days to audition more choices; and that wouldn’t bring me any closer to believing I had made the perfect choice.

I’m doing my Morning Pages, have been for the past 2 mornings, and I like the focus it is bringing me. What brings you focus in your art? Any tips to help me improve are welcomed if you care to share.

In the mean time, have a blessed day, make it full of love and choose to be happy in what ever you must do. Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs, Joyce Ann

3 Cards from a Sketch

Sometimes, often actually, I like to use a sketch to create a card or scrapbook page. However, less often I come across a sketch that really attracts my attention and sparks the desire to create using it.

This recently happened to me. The sketch challenge posted on Splitcoaststampers.com this past Wednesday was one of those sketches.

Being the perfect opportunity to dig into my scrap paper bin I sorted through and grouped 3 sets from which to make cards. Each are unique, even from the same sketch.

Happy Birthday

To make this background I stamped the flowers and leaves on white card stock with embossing ink, then applied clear embossing powder and heat set it. Using Ranger Oxide inks I sponged on some color. The images were touched up with markers. My scrap pieces were border punched and pasted down. The heart was punched and popped up. The tag was embossed, sponged and added with a piece of floss.

Thank You

This one took less time but I’m pleased with it. After stamping the bird directly to the cream card base I added water color with pencils and die cut a frame to pop up over it. A little “Thank You” stamp seemed just right on the right. The individual pieces and the card were inked. My new challenge for myself this year is to finish the insides and I’m pleased to say I am.

Encouragement

My final card to share with you, and hopefully inspire you to make some cards, too, is also for a challenge on “A Cherry on Top” – January Encouragement Challenge. We should be aware of our ‘neighbor’ and be ready to offer encouragement when needed. I certainly plan to make more such cards to have on hand. This is by no means a free pass to not be there for someone in person, to say the least!

Thanks for stopping by. I hope something here has sparked some creative joy for you to try.

Blessings to you, and hugs!

JA

Birthday Gifts

I’d like to share a layout I did with some shots from my daughter’s birthday morning.

When I found the “Sketches in Thyme Blog post” with their latest sketch offering I had just printed the perfect photos!

Here is the sketch:

I used Craft Smith paper and not sure what else as it came from my scrap bin.  I used punches, dies and heat embossing powders. The title was cut with Cricut Explore Air.

Instead of the faux stitching around the outside border I did some heat embossing. The banner is heat embossed with a rubber stamp and white embossing powder then punched out and adhered to the twine.  I even used some of the ribbon from her gift.

Birthdays are always special.  Doing something special for someone  is nice any time of the year, but it’s also nice on that one special day that celebrates the day they were born.  I remember the day she was born very well!  Being her mother that statement isn’t hard to understand.  As I get older, I find my long term memory is still intact but the short term, not so much.  It is important to me to document these events with photos and layouts, not just because I love this hobby of mine, but, what a beautiful way to recall the days gone by.

A little story behind these shots I will tell you.  I think she is hard to buy for.  If she wants something, she goes and gets it!  When I mentioned that thought of mine to her she said, “Not true!”

“Okay”, I said, “tell me three things you want that you haven’t already gotten!”

The pure gold earrings were one.

As soon as I bought them, I went to Starbucks.  To buy a mug.  True, I bought myself a caramel macchiato with almond milk, too.

One of our fondest gift memories was from the year I had disguised a gift to her in an empty plastic bottle.  I had cut the bottom out, tucked in the tissue wrapped gift, and wrapped up the bottle.  She was totally perplexed and her opening it made for the best facial expression photos ever.

And, so, I decided to tuck the jewelry box inside the mug.  Sure enough, she thought she had just gotten the Starbucks mug, which she loves collecting.  Surprise!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fabulous rest of this year!  Make beautiful memories!

Hugs,

Joyce Ann

 

Layout Sketch Challenge in Gray

For these photos I was with my granddaughter and little Jovy to go to Leia’s school to pick her up.  Being with this one and a half year old is always a new adventure of discovery.  On every turn so much to see.  Mommy is ever ready for a sudden flight of fancy from her explorer.

Sketches in Thyme sketch #353 fit these photos well. 

There was no need to get too fancy with the great, basic flow of this design, so I went with it.  Scrappin’ Peeps offered a December color challenge earlier this month to use gray.  I was looking forward to finding gray in with my stash of pretty papers but came up short.  I did find the base print in a very old pack of Stampin’ Up! paper. Then, one scrap of this pretty print from Fun Stampers Journey to which I added a coordinating solid gray.  Because of the aqua in the pattern I used some Nuvo Embellishment Mousse over a Tim Holtz stencil for my cross flow on the base.  A title just didn’t seem important to me, so I used stickers from my very ageing supply.

What is really important is the taking of random photos of our loved ones.  Time is fleeting and even the tiny moments prove to make my heart happy.  That’s what is great about scrappbooking those photos.  It makes my heart happy to play and create with paper and other media, and all the while I am establishing a lock on a moment in time to be revisited again another day.

I really like this sketch.  I’ll likely find myself using it again.  Also, the gray.  Nice cool neutral that allows the photos to be noticed.

Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your valuable on-line time to stop in and read about my scrapping.  I wish you time to find your happy place with what ever art or creative play lifts your spirit.

Hugs,

Joyce Ann

Happy – Until the Mess

Jovy gets to paint the letter A.  His mommy gives him fun ways to visually recognize the letters.  It is all good!  For a while.  Then our baby boy discovers his hands have too much paint and nothing he does to remove it is helping.  He has always been adverse to messes all his walking-around life, short as it is. 

So, these are the photos I was inspired to scrap when Sketches in Thyme posted this sketch #351.  It impressed me from the beginning, the circle, the multi-media feel, and the basic design of it.

I used the Cricut Explore Air to cut the big blue circle.  Later cut the work “mess” to use as part of the title.

Using some Viva Decor Inka-Gold, the color gold, around the edge of the blue card stock.  With a rubber stamp from Fun Stampers Journey I stamped dots with some 3D-Stempel-Farbe from Viva Decor, color copper, around the white background.  The ring was created with a tiny brush and Dylusions paint. Finally, the smear of blue was done with the color Steelblue from Viva Decor Inka-Gold with added water.  The letter stickers are from Bo Bunny and Jilly Bee Design.  I added eyelets to a green strip that I punched with a EK border punch.

Also for a challenge at A Cherry on Top that challenged us to use our tools, my tools are the Cricut, border punch and eyelet setting tool kit.

With activity centered around our Christmas celebration, it took me a good while to finally finish this layout.

Thanks for stopping by! I wish you all the joy you can enjoy as we celebrate this day remembering the birth of the Savior – our Lord from whom all good comes.