Sketchy Thursdays ...on a Sunday?

Boy oh boy am I a sucker for sketches.  I don't always end up a carbon copy of the template, but they help keep me on track!!  The August GDT sketch at Sketchy Thursdays was posted and it inspired me to pull out a layout I'd been avoiding.  I bought some Dora supplies at Michael's a few months ago because I thought they'd work well with a photo of my daughter riding her new Dora bike.  Only problem...they are all bright colors and busy prints and that is NOT something I usually feel comfortable with.  Not to mention struggling to fit all of that into an 8½x11 layout because that happened to be the size I was working on for this album.  This was more than a stretch from my comfort zone...I jumped right out of it and took off running the other way!

I had to stretch the sketch slightly because I am using a smaller page size than intended.  So I used a single photo and used the other photo spots for embellishment elements.  I also had to move my title to the top because it wasn't fitting anywhere else.  The circle is slightly higher too because I was trying to give the look of the sun in the scene (with ribbon rays).

Beyond following a sketch the other requirements were that you needed to use a summer theme; Riding a bike is very summery right?  Incorporate the colors red, orange or yellow; I used all three.  Lastly you needed to include a journaling spot; I used journaling strips to document who gave her the bike and just how much she loved it!

Just Kate

Why is it that when I start off following a sketch it always seems to take me forever to finish and be happy with a layout?  Maybe because it points out all the places an element is missing so I have to find just the right 'something' to go in each spot.  I always do end up liking the finished product 1000times better, so there is definitely something to it LOL!  Today's layout was inpired by the Stuck On U Sketch for this week.  I saw it and immediately knew I would be using it...probably many times.  It incorporated all of my very favorite elements.  I love using large circle elements, I love love love swirlies and a layout is never complete in my eyes without a littering of flowers (much to my son's dismay).

The solid cardstock is my very last piece of this gorgeous jewel tone red by Recollections.  I'm definitely going to have to make a trip to Michael's soon!!  The circle is cut from Sandylion-Poinsettia Swirl Foil, and the dotted paper is The Paper Comany-Deco White w/ gold dots.  The gold swirls are cut from the Sizzix die-Flourish out of metallic open stock 8x8 paper found at Joanns.  The flowers are all Prima.  The gems and pearls are all from the $1 section at Joanns.   The photo corners are by ScrapbookAdhesives and come in white...nothing a little Glimmer Mist in Starfish can't fix!!  Of course you need to let them TOTALLY dry before removing them from the backing or they shred into oblivion.  No need for all of us to learn that the hard way...hee hee.  The title is a mix of scraps.  The 'ME' is an epoxy sticker from a Mother's Day sheet by EK Success that I had leftover.  The 'Just' is cut from the Create-a-Critter cartridge on my cricut.  The sentiment actually says 'Just Chilllin' and goes with the penguin, but a little magic from my trust old scissors fixed it just perfect!

Once Upon A (Birthday) Sketch

I absolutely adore the sketches posted over at Once Upon a Sketch.  They always inspire me to sit and create at in my scrappy space!!  The current sketch is no exception.  There is one small catch (isn't there always LOL) you have a journaling prompt to follow in addition to the sketch.  I included 2 (or more) sentences detailing something about the birthday girl that I was scrapping.

The striped patterned paper is DCWV pink stripe.  The dotted and the floral paper is a double sided sheet by Bo Bunny called Crazy Love Fudge & Flowers.  The 3D FABULOUS cupcake embellie is by The Paper Studio brand La Petites, Valentines Day Cupcakes.  Flowers are all prima.  The title is cut from the Hannah Montana cart.  That is THE best cart I've purchased.  There are only a few Hannah designs.  Most are cool girly cuts and several awesome fonts.  The buttons are just from my stash.