52 weeks of challenges....

Happy Monday! Sorry for the delay, blogger has been down since last night. Gotta love technology.

This week's challenge is a sketch to use as inspiration and make your own! I bring you a sketch by my new favourite sketch artist, Allison Davis. She is amazing and her sketches are awesome! She is based in the US and has her sketch books for sale through Scrapbook Generations. There are currently 5 books available with a 6th on the way in July. They also have a card sketch book.

Allison's sketches use a lot of 4x6 photos. She wants people to be able to grab a stack of photos they have printed, grab a sketch, grab paper and embellishments and get a layout completed. Even when there are smaller photos, she usually crops a 4x6 photo down to the correct size.

Each month, Allison does a Sketch Week on her blog (which happens to be this week!). She picks one of her sketches and then each day that week posts a layout or two based on that particular sketch and how she used it for inspiration. She lists the changes and similarities to the sketch for each layout. Simply amazing! Allison's sketch week was the stepping stone to my challenge for you this week. I am including the sketch as well as the two layouts I completed using it as inspiration. You can see the similarities as well as the fact that they are different enough.

Here is the sketch I picked for your challenge this week (click on it to make it larger):

Sketch copyright Allison Davis, Scrapbook Generations

Here is my 1st layout based on the sketch (click on the picture to make it larger):

Here is my 2nd layout based on the sketch (click on the picture to make it larger):

I hope you enjoy this challenge! I know I did.....I cant wait to get to my next sketch :) Please bring your layouts in to the store for Kari to take a picture of, or email a copy to the store. We will post it on the blog to show YOUR inspired layout from this sketch.

~~Melanie

June kit purchasers....

It was brought to my attention that some of the kits were sold over the past few days without your picking out your cardstock sheet to go with it!

If you purchased your kit this past week and did NOT pick out a sheet of cardstock to go with it, please contact Kari at the store to get that taken care of.

With the kit, you get to pick one sheet that will match your colour scheme - be it a wedding colour, grad dress colour, house colour or a colour you really like - to use as your accent with the black and white.

ps....they are going fast - only a couple of kits left already! Get yours right away. Dont miss out. They make an easy and beautiful gift :)

~~Melanie

I am so excited!

My friends are down to scrapbook this weekend. We are letting our creativity flow this weekend. We are getting down and dirty with the scrapbooking this weekend. One has a recipe book to finish up. I have some layouts of Kbear (shocking, I know!) I want to finish up. Another has a ton of 4x6 photos she wants to get through and Kari, well she is chatting it up hahahaha

Speaking of 4x6 photos, you want to be here Monday to see my challenge! I have found the most amazing thing to get through lots of 4x6 photos in a quick and easy amount of time.

See you then!
Until Monday, enjoy the sunny, warm, not windy (so far) weekend!
Be good, record your memories :)

~~Melanie

happy Friday!

See anything wrong with this layout? Besides it being a little bit crooked? Do you see where I had a little problem and needed to fix it?Maybe if I show you a different angle? See where it says "photographs"? Yah, that didn't turn out very well when I laid down the glue and tried to add glitter over it. And truth be told, the swirl on the n in Noteworthy didn't turn out so hot either. So to fix it, I was generous with the placement of some buttons and swirls, and if I didn't tell you, you'd not have known that that wasn't on purpose. And there's nothing wrong with this picture, I just wanted to show you another close up of the layout. Don't panic when layouts don't work out the way you had pictured in your head. Flaws make them a little more interesting, and most of the time they can be fixed. Besides, it's the memories that are the most important. There aren't any scrapping police (that I'm aware of) that are going to arrest you for having imperfect layouts. :)
Have a good weekend!
~RonniH

A reminder of a personal nature...

Ok I admit, this is not about scrapbooking, but it is for everyone's safety. This is a reminder with summer travel coming up. Give Emergency vehicles and operators room to work. Save yourself a HUGE fine! As a retired RCMP's kids, I have known about this for years. I have followed it for years. I have know people who have been killed doing their job. It shocks and amazes me how many people do not know this is law. Please be safe this summer, and keep others around you safe too.


The Give Us Room to Work campaign is supported by law enforcement, fire rescue, EMS, towing and other roadside assistance vehicle operators throughout the province. In 2005, the Alberta Traffic Safety Act was amended to include tow and utility vehicles working at roadside. The Act requires drivers to slow to 60 km/h, or less if the posted speed is lower, and move out of the lane adjacent to roadside workers when they see vehicle lights flashing. Drivers who fail to do this can expect fines ranging from $115 to $703 or more.

The sun is shining today!

Can I say just how good it is to see the sun shining when I got up this morning?? I don't mind the rain too much, but it gets a little gloomy after awhile. I woke up with sun on my face, and I think today my youngest is going to finally have soccer again!
I bet everyone is starting to get busy with end-of-the-year activities, and we're no exception. We've got grade 5 farewell, grad, soccer, my favourite aunt visiting from New Brunswick, and my own final exams are approaching fast too. But it's important to grab that camera and snap off a picture or two, cause time moves too fast. Even if you don't scrap them right away, make yourself some notes so the journalling is easier for when you do. Enjoy the sunshine, have a good day!
~RonniH.

June kit release

Well here it is the 1st day of June. I cant believe that this year is 6 months in. Here is my kit......hope you enjoy! Limited quantities available. It makes a great gift - not only for upcoming weddings and grads but also for a birthday, Christmas or just because.

This kit was inspired by upcoming weddings and graduations. Black and White are classic colours. Add a pop of colour and viola! An Instant classic gift. I wanted to make a quick and easy gift for friends and/or family. But, let me say that this kit is versatile and can be used for anyone at anytime – parents, grandparents, siblings, etc. It can be given as a shower gift, for a birthday or even Christmas. Don’t limit yourself!

This kit will allow you to follow the directions as provided, or to make it your own. Don’t feel like you have to use my ideas if you prefer to use a different paper or layout. I loved the “quieter” papers in the kit, but if you are making a gift for people who are bolder personalities, go for it.

With this kit, you will receive:
• Meadowlark Dawn paper kit (9 double sided papers as well as a diecut sheet)
• Pearls
• Tim Holtz swirls
• 1 pc of 12x12 cardstock (colour of your choice – add at time of purchase)
• 11x14 canvas

PLEASE NOTE - You will require a very strong adhesive like ATG gun, Pioneer double sided tape or Tombow adhesive (quick drying wet adhesive). This is not included in the kit.

Decorating a canvas is like working on a larger background. I layout my canvases as I would a layout. It makes it easier for my brain to wrap around the concept of working on a larger canvas. This one will have a 5x7 black and white wedding photo put on to it, but I am just waiting for one of the girls at work to bring it in for me :)

I had left over paper and pearls, so I threw together this little extra bonus in the kit. On this card I coloured the pearls with a sharpie marker. You could also use Tim Holtz/Ranger distress inks. Match it to the gift or the colours and viola, easy card to give.

Thanks for looking. Kits are available and ready at the store for you. Enjoy!

~~Melanie