Just in time...

Design Team April Kit Layout 
Designed by Amy Perkins

I can't believe it is the end of April, May is just around the corner, and soon the kids will be out for Summer break! 

Sometimes simple works!  This is becoming one of my "go to" layouts because it uses several pattern papers, and can be tittled and embellished in different ways to make the layout unique.  I'm not one for journaling, and usually I tell my story on the back, but this time I did pencil a little bit of journaling... one day I will make it permanent! 

I find it challenging to scrapbook 6 or more photos on a double layout.  With a bit of cropping and tilting some photos, I was able to get 8 photos on this one!  A matted photo, some tiny types, and a cluster of embellishments finish the page... and one day I will get to that journaling!

Tip:  Find random embellishment that otherwise would not go with the paper, and when you cluster them together you will be surprised how well they work together! 


The Royal Wedding

With regret I will not be attending the Royal Wedding in London!

I can't tell you how excited I am for the Royal Wedding of William & Kate.  My alarm is set, I have my DVR set to record two channels, and my tea pot is already on the stove!  Although I wont be in London for the wedding ... (seems like I didn't make the guest list, and Prince Henry didn't accept my offer to be his +1...) I still plan on scrapbooking my experience of the event.  I'm certain decades from now we will still be talking about this Wedding and what we remember about it, and so...  I can't pass up the opportunity to scrapbook it too!

Here are a few pictures I plan on taking to remember the moment!
*  My alarm clock and the time I got up
*  The TV as the wedding is taking place
*  My tea cup and maybe the finger sandwiches I hope to make
*  The kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace

There will also be plenty of pictures on the internet that I plan on printing and adding to my layout!l

Congratulations and best wishes to William & Kate!!

Will you be watching the Wedding?  What special plans do you have to celebrate the event?

2011 Scrappy Resolutions Update

BIG NEWS!!!! Heavy Breathing...I'm a ball of nerves!

Today, after a serious confidence booster from friends and my "scrubby" (a.k.a. husband of a scrapbooker, compliments of my new favorite utube videos by mocktv, I submitted my layouts to a magazine for publishing! EEEK! I have always wanted to but have been way too nervous and unworthy feeling! I have no clue when or if I will be selected  but sending them in was half the battle and totally worthy of checking off the list of Scrappy Resolutions for 2011!

The submission call was for a November issues so I sent them layouts of Fall 2009...sadly the most current fall layouts I have. Here are some pictures of what I submitted!

I will keep you posted to see if I made the mag! Hopes and fingers are high and crossed!

Thanks,
Randi

Baseball Season in Full Swing!

Here in my house we are living and loving baseball season! The oldest boy is in his second year of Little League and the youngest had his first T-ball Clinic last night! And most nights we can catch a Giants game on TV. Can't wait to make it to some games this summer!! I thought I would share some of my recent baseball layouts.

I really love the look of stitching on my layouts, especially baseball themed layouts! I used the sewing machine along the outer edge of the page but I didn't trust my skills on this title shape. SO I cheated and used my while gel pen. Super easy and looks the way I was hoping it would!

Oopsie, not the best exposure!

 I used the WRMK Sew Easy tool for this technique. It was really easy and gave the baseball seam effect I was looking for. Tip: I did learn that if you pull the tool towards you rather than pushing up the page you have more control of the tool and where the indention are actually landing on your layout.

Here I tested out my new Hero Arts stamps! As you can see I need WAY MORE practice with them! It was fun and a lot easier to do than I thought it would be.  It still looks better than my sloppy handwriting! Hehe!

I used the Old West Cricut Cartridge to cut out this title! It was close enough for me! And now my page is complete from layout, title and journaling!

We are ready for next season!!!

Springtime Pleasures

Springtime is not usually my favorite time of the year. Allergies are in full bloom, it is "Spring Forward" with the clocks which equates to losing an hour of sleep and I am not a big fan of bunnies. As a mom of boys all my pastel colored decorations have dirty little fingerprints on them and in our family it is Birthday Season so we are usually on cake OVERLOAD by Easter...ahh these are the joys of spring I really don't enjoy.

There is one thing I have always LOVED about Spring or Easter rather, coloring eggs! I love the whole process of boiling the eggs, laying out the newspaper, preparing the dyes and dipping the eggs! I love selecting which color to dye each egg and how much fun it is to do the two toned eggs! Coloring eggs always means that there will be an egg hunt and deviled eggs to eat!

Last year my Gramma and Uncle shared the egg coloring experience with my boys! It was a lot of fun and a tradition they will remember and love just as much as I still do!

Have a Happy Easter!!

Birthday Wishes...

Birthday wishes for the birthday girl!

I wanted to take a minute to give my very good friend and business partner Randi a quick shout out on her birthday!!  I have found a true friend in you and can't thank you enough for being such a creative influence in my life.  I hope your birthday is full of fun and laughter... and some scrapbook time too!

Best wishes,
Amy... and all the Scrap Again fans!

Do you dream of scrapbooking?

I was dreaming of scrapbooking last night!

Last night I was dreaming of scrapbooking... no really I was! Here is the sketch that was in my dream... I guess I am getting excited for our crop on Saturday April 16th!

This is definitely a 30 minute layout and with a few adjustments to some embellishments when turned 90 degrees, you have another fun layout!  I've been challenging myself to complete my layouts quicker without losing any of the detail. (Sometimes it takes me 2 hours or more to finish a layout.. and I will never get caught up at that rate!)  To complete more I've had to incorporate some time saving tips... and they are working!

TIME SAVING TIP: Try rotating the last layout you completed or one of your favorite layouts 90 or 180 degree for a fun new layout and save some time too!

Same layout rotated 90 degrees

Do you ever dream of scrapbooking?

(Register now for the April 16th crop... www.scrapagain.com)

Randi's April Kit Creation

I am crazy about PINK but in a house full of boys I don't get the opportunity to use it in my scrapbooks all that often.  So crazy that we made a kit with pink paper in it I know! When I saw this paper I knew I just had to make it mine!  I had fun using it and so glad I could make it work with pix from our New Year's party from last year.

I kept my layout simple and fancied it up with border punches! I am on a big border kick right now!! For the title I used a tag and Thickers. I dressed up the thickers with Stickles to give it that blingy look.

I wanted the focus for this layout to be on my pictures so I kept the embellies to a minimum. The diecut is from the Designer Calendar Cricut cartridge. A little ink and bling and a few buttons and ta-da... my layout is done in 30 minutes!!!

Send us pictures of your scraplifts to info@scrapagain.com and we will gladly post them! Happy Scrappin'

Scrap Again Easter Egg Hunt- Contest!!!

Join our Easter egg hunt...
you could win a free crop!

You could WIN a free crop when you participate in our Scrap Again Easter egg hunt contest.  We have hidden 4 Easter eggs (image shown above) on our webpage.  All you need to do is list on this blog post, or on our Facebook page post, named 'Scrap Again Easter Egg Hunt' where the 4 eggs are hidden, and if correct, you will be entered into a drawing to win a free crop for April 16th.  (We will also accept entries by e-mail at info@scrapagain.com).  
Have fun on the egg hunt! 

THE FINE PRINT!! Contest ends Monday 4/11/2011 8:00p PST.  All comments made on the blog or Facebook post titled “Scrap Again Easter egg hunt– Contest” or by e-mail will be entered into random drawing to win a crop for April 16th only.  “Use it or lose it!”  Non-transferable, not redeemable for cash, can not be applied to a previously purchased crop registration.

Mandie's April Creations

Mandie Pierce

Mandie and paper have an amazing relationship! There isn't a piece of paper that she can't handle!

This month she used all the paper in her kit..on the same layout! I really am jealous of how well she and paper get along! Check out all the fun things paper does for her...it border punches like a dream, cuts for a title and don't foget the cutesy little butterfly punch!

She even gets paper to play nice with tags and felt!!! There is magic in her scrapbooking!

Visit Mandie's blog to get see what she and paper have created lately!

Marcie's Cards

Marcie Morgan

We absolutely fell in love with Marcie and her truly AMAZING cards! Each month we just drool over how stunning they are! This month with the April Kit we were ooing and ahhing over her card yet again!

See what I mean?!! Simply lovely! I love the felt square, the color combo, the raffia bow with the flower button ...really what's not to love, right?!

What is even more great is that she makes pretty layouts too!

She really gave this layout the full treatment! Stitching, spray ink, layered shapes, buttons and flowers, oh my!!! Can't you just see this in a magazine?? I love the creative layering it Makes you want to keep looking at it and try to figure out what layer is where like a Tetris puzzle!  I love it Marcie...keep em' coming!

Want more of Marcie...visit her at her blog.  Her layouts and designs will continue to motivate you until you get your next Scrap Again fix from her!

April Design Team Creations

Taraleigh Gray

Taraleigh's fun and unique style always inspires me! Here is what she created with our April Kit! Oh love it!!! Her large white journaling circles  look like they popped right off the green polka dot paper! So clever!!!

 This month we challenged our Design Team to use buttons as a design element. She met her challenge to the max! Look at all those buttons!!! I would never think to make a long row of buttons but after seeing this I must try it!!! I absolutely adore all the buttons on this layout! Buttons are a simple embellishment that can make a BIG statement on your layouts and cards!

Speaking of cards...Thank you Taraleigh for this super cute Thank You card! Here is a great way to use up all that fun paper you love! Rather than hoarding those scraps in your stash make a card like Taraleigh did. And yep she added more of those oh-so-cute buttons! Who wouldn't be thankful to get this darling little card!

Want to be inspired by Taraleigh even more? Ever wonder where she gets those adorable stamps??? Visit her on her blog to get inspired by all that she creates! Taraleigh is an amazing person and her blog is no less than wonderful!

Playing Catch Up!

Designed by Amy Perkins

Better late than never right?! Here is Amy's creation with the March Kit and it is FABULOUS!!! I love that this layout is super simple and can be easily scraplifted! She used one photo and several large embellishments but I am sure you could squeeze in a few more photos if you wanted!

It's all in the details! Amy really went the distance to give her layout that finished look! I love how she put her burlap and dictionary page on a diagonal to make her picture POP off the busy pattern of the stripe paper. Her accordion fold on the strip of patterned paper is hot right now!!! (This technique can also be duplicated on ribbon too!)

AND... SHE STITCHED!!!  Amy used the We R Memory Keepers Sew Easy tool and stitched down the right side of the page...sew cute!!! She also completed the challenge of using floss on her page by finishing off her corrugated flower buttons.

Techniques Used:

• Tool: WRMK Sew Easy (It really is as easy as it's name suggests!)
• Scraps folded for a unique embellishment (super hot trend right now)
• Use of scraps: no pattern paper is larger than 6" x 12"
• Tag doubles as a tittle

April Designer Kit Sneak Peak

April's Scrap Again Designer Kit Sneak Peak is here!!

The April kit is filled with pattern paper in spring colors and fun embellishments! Pattern paper from Pebbles and October Afternoon, tags from Sassafras, letter stickers from SEI, and a few other scrappy items!