Sketch Extravaganza - Prima Style

The LSS hosted a big sketch based crop. The participants got a new sketch every 2 hours. Shanel passed out a couple of sketches to each of us on the Design Team to work up before the event. I could use whatever I wanted and my instructions were to alter the sketches, but to make the sketch recognizable from the layout. One was a single page sketch, which I rarely do, with a single photo, which I'm fairly certain I've never done. Just one photo on a layout? Isn't that a crime of some sort? :) One photo quickly became three for me. I used some of the new yummy Prima YOUth papers. This is done with a combo of the 12x12 sheets, 6x6 pad and the matching flowers. The large flower is a Bazzill blossom, the rest are Prima. Brads are Bazzill as well. Title is American Crafts Thickers and BasicGrey Chipboard letters/numbers.

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The other layout was double page, multi-photo. I actually liked the original layout so I stared intently at it for a few days before I decided how to make it work. One technique I've learned from various classes is that my layouts are more cohesive when my subjects face in towards the center of the layout. That being the case, altering the sketch was as easy as mirroring it. My large photo and title are on the right hand side. My second twist was to do a Halloween layout using Christmas papers. Yep, those are Prima's gorgeous new Christmas papers, Christmas Fancy. The pinks and greens were perfect for my photos. Linsey loved being a fairy for Halloween.I did a few other tweaks to the general sketch and then I blinged the heck out of the layout. The bling flourishes are pink Say It With Crystals, again from Prima. I fussed with this layout for a while, trying to really get it to work for me. I had half a dozen or so flowers on it and just couldn't get it to flow. It was only when I pulled them off to swap them out with a different set of flowers that I realized the glitter asterisks (American Crafts Thickers) that I was using as flower centers didn't need the flowers after all! They were the perfect accent to pull the bling in line with the colors and the subject.

The title is the same American Crafts Thickers, ribbon is from Hobby Lobby, washer I believe is Making Memories. It's been in my stash for a while. It says "Believe"

Again, click for a larger view -

Quick Cards for Christmas

I love making cards, although I rarely do these days. When Shanel (my LSS owner) asked if I could make her some Christmas cards for her Holiday Open House coming up this weekend, I said "sure!". She needed the cards by Sunday, and knowing my timeline, I figured I had about an hour (maybe 2) to work on them and have them ready to bring in the next day. Knowing my limitations, I promised six cards. I only took pictures of 5 because the last one looked lame and unfinished. We did a bit of work on it when I got to the scrapbook store, but I didn't take my camera.

I've been dying to see the new Creative Cafe papers first hand. I keep seeing them in various spots around the web. Seeing them up close and personal, they are every bit as pretty! The kraft background behind the florals make them look so elegant and really dresses up the cards. I tried to keep my supplies limited for these so people didn't feel like they had to buy a bunch of stuff to accomplish great things.

Papers, buttons, base cards and scalloped velvet ribbon are Creative Cafe. Trust me when I say this ribbon is seriously yum-o! It's a bit expensive at 75 cents for a 1/2 yard, but well worth it. I usually buy it in yard lengths so I have it on hand when I want it. The blue is probably my favorite color, but I love it in brown and black as well. I'm nearly out and need to stock up! All of the flowers are Bazzill Blossoms. Again, love these! I have packs of them in various sizes and colors. They mix, match and layer very well. Glitter letters and remaining embellishments are all American Crafts. The glitter "spots" on the buttons are the dots that go over the J and I letters for that font. I never peel the suckers off when I'm using those letters, so I end up with them as spares. They make great flower sparkles.

And now for the cards (click for a large view)-