Girly Pages and Manly pages from the Same Kit!

May's kits, My Favorite and the Sugar and Spice add-on really had a feminine feel to them.  However, not having lots of girlyness to scrap this month, I had to look past what I saw first to see that this is one super versatile kit!

The first layout I made was an anthology of this years nail polish colors and designs.  How much more girly can you get?!  I love how the soft pinks and yellows textureized by that awesome ribbon really allowed me to create a very feminine page.

Even the font I used for my title adds to the femininity of this project.

Now, on the flip side, I wanted to create a 'Random Facts' page about my hubby.  He's....uh, ......not so much about frills!  (and can you believe this is the first time I've done the random facts thing?!  Where have I been hiding anyway??)

The kit includes some wonderful pieces that complement masculinity very well.  The stars paper, for one, in blue and black created a perfect place to begin my page

I selectively cut a few of the pieces of tape from the Maggie Holmes Washi paper .  And those metal Basic Grey star studs were the perfect accent to my mainly project.

Even the Chipboard pieces which had a lot of feminine shapes and colors, found a place on my page via the small blue frame and the negative of the arrow image.

I colored the corrugated 'potty man' red by just a swipe of ink from my favorite red ink pad.

The lesson is that Scrapbook Circle kits always offer enough versatility to create whatever kind of layout you need them too. I hope you'll share with us some unexpected ways that you used supplies which initially had a specific feel to create a completely different look.  The place to share is our Facebook page.  Can't wait to see what you've created!

Shy Much??

And now for one final layout using the April Scrapbook Circle kits.  (have you seen the May kits yet?!  Gorgeous!)

The photos in the layout below were staged on a recent trip my DD and her hubby took, but they remind me of the beginnings of their relationship.  

The truth is, they danced around an interest in one another for several years before they finally told each other how they really felt.  That was good in reality, but it still makes me chuckle.  I am SO glad that they finally connected as they are a wonderful couple.

I have found myself using less and less paper lately and more and more of the embellishments in a kit.  I guess I just go through phases, but this page is a perfect example of that.  I loved the embellishments this month!  So many fun, transparent pieces and the colors are so very happy!

I ended up using the negative image of the heart and I love how that ends up looking.  If you have trouble with how to attach transparent pieces, sewing and stapling are two perfect options.

So how about you, do you have a 'shy' love story to share?

Happy Girl

Good morning! I've got one last layout to show you from Scrapbook Simple's January kits,  Only You and You and Me.  Somehow this one slipped through the cracks. Ooops

My efforts for this page were about creating a fun base on the left side of the page that takes advantage of the variety of tapes, garland and patterned papers in the kit.  I started by using the star mask from the Stars Were Gleaming December add-on. I then printed a polaroid style version of my photo.  Then it was a matter of layering strips and tapes together.  

I love that I'll be able to use the tapes included in the kits in the months to come, don't you!

Have you learned to layer and cover up what you put down first, so just a bit peeks out?  I've found that is one of the secrets to effective layering.  When I first began, I was loathe to cover up my favorite pieces, but I've since found that doing so is what makes a page intriguing.

What have you layered lately?  Do you enjoy layers, find them intimidating?  Tell me your layering experiences.

Hello Thursday -- Big Pictures

Hello friends!  I'm glad to see you today!  Just so you know.  Especially at this time of year when all of us are stinkin' busy, the fact that you'd take a moment to stop by and see what I have to do is such a blessing to me.

I got to do a family photo session with a very dear friend and her family a few weeks ago and I've chosen my favorite shot from the bunch to create the layout I'm sharing today.

I've found that when it comes to family photos, I often want to do a really BIG photo so that it gets properly showcased. So many good looking faces deserve lots of space, don't you agree?

I can't recall whether I've shared how I typically do this so I thought I'd give you a wee tip on how I accomplish big photos right in my home.

I have a box of 11x14 Matte Heavy photo paper on my shelf.  I pull a sheet, cut it down to 8.5 by 14 and run it through my printer.  I'll have sized the photo iteself in Photoshop to 8.5 x 12 or 8x12.  I then change the paper setting to legal sized and print it right out of my standard office ink jet printer.  Works like a charm.

There was a sort of distracting element in the lower right of the photo.  But no problem, I used the red striped bag from this months Scrapbook Circle kit, All is Bright, to cover up those elements.  Then I added some other goodies from Stars were Gleaming and All is Bright to complete the look. That's one of the things I like about large photos, you can add embellishments right on top of them.

I also wanted to have the Maya Road trim layer over the top edge of the photo but it needed something to finish the look.  So I scooted it down slightly and added a strip of the Crate Vellum underneath it to give it an edge and a bit of gleam.  I pretty much always sew trims down as it's the best way to get them to stick in my mind.

Do you scrap with extra large photos?  How do you come by them?  Print at home or send out for printing?

Hello Tuesday - Odds and Ends

Ooops, I missed a couple of days.  Always something to keep a girl busy around here.

I'm still struggling with an unruly back/neck/ and legs issue.  Not that I've been lying around, on the contrary, but it is still annoying.

This is heading my way! Via Shay's new shop, Forever Young & Crafty. Well, it will be when she gets it in that is. I'm pretty excited about it, doesn't it look delish!

I've got a new layout for Scrapbook Circle to share with you.  Lots of fun pieces in November's Harvest Moon kits.  I paired the Traditions Add-on with the main kit for this project.  I've also used some of the tape from Talk of the Town kit.

I've been quite enamoured with the Heidi Swapp color shine mists and you'll see them here, as well as some more gold embossing.  For that, I used the Pink Paislee stamps from the Bulletin Add-on from October, which is still available in the shop.

This little guy is Jacob, whom we raised from birth until he was two and a half, when he went permanantly to live with his bio-dad.  Our hearts broke giving him up, but in the end it is the best thing for him.  My mama's heart has a hard time with that, but I am so glad for the times we have shared with him.  We got to visit with him pretty regularly until recently and are glad for those opportunities as well.

Love you Jakey!

What's inspiring you today?