Disney Layout #1

Hi Everyone! Hey check out my first scrapbook layout for the year!! Whoohoo!! Actually, it's my first scrapbook in months!

I don't know. . .I'm a bit intimidated by scrapbooking. I'm not very good at it and I've read magazines, blog sites, and even a few books by scrapbooking gurus and honestly, I still don't get it. LOL!

I've decided to stop listening to my "pessimistic voice inside my head" and just throw stuff together and see what I come up with.

Anyway. . .I'll be creating layouts of our trip to Disneyland during the holidays. I bought a scrapbook album while we were at Disneyland and a scrapbook kit that came with a few Disney designer papers and stickers.

The photo is of my daughter and DH waiting in line for a ride. We had a wonderful time at Disneyland. . .I think this trip was the best one of the last 3 trips to Disneyland.

Don't be surprised if you see more Disney LOs in the next coming days and weeks!!

LO Details:

Paper: Disney, K&CO

Accessories: JoAnn Brads, Disney stickers, Button (?), Colorbok metal tag

Butterfly Template and Scrapbook Layout

Hi Everyone! I created this layout last night and everything about it was easy but when it came to the chipboard alpha. . . arggghh! It's the sort of chipboard that is raw . . .you know, non-decorated. I adhered the designer paper on to the chipboard but when it came to cutting the designer paper with a blade. . .okay, that's when the "issues" began. I could not cut it nicely with the craft knife. It took me forever to to cut them out. It just didn't look very smooth . . .I guess I'm not a very good craft knife cutter, LOL!!


Anyway, the picture is of my daughter with the wind blowing across her face; hence, the title "Blown Away"!! If you want to know how to create a "vintage" look to a photo, visit my blog site "Photo Inspirations". I posted a Photoshop tutorial on desaturation.

The Prima flowers on my layout is by Making Memories. The designer paper is by K&CO, brads by JoAnns, chipboard shape and alpha is by Colorbok, and the buttons are just regular sewing buttons that I found in the sewing department at JoAnns. The buttons in the sewing department is cheaper than the ones sold at the scrapbook section.


Okay. . . my layered butterfly is a butterfly that I drew on Adobe Illustrator and I created a template to share with y'all! You can use it as an embellishment for your scrapbook layouts or for your cards. The butterfly measures 4.5 x 4.5".

Try it out if you want!! My next project will be to use the butterfly template for a card project.

This template has the "center body". You can use it to paper piece the butterfly. Click on the image and you can print it directly from the Internet. I think if you print it directly from the Internet, the size will shrink by maybe 1/2"; you may need to adjust your printer to enlarge the images somewhat.

Actually, you can resize the images in any fashion you want by enlarging the percentage on your printer or photo editor.

This image is without the "center body". If you don't want the lines to show on your butterfly, you can use this template. This is the template I used for my scrapbook layout.

If you plan to use my templates and will be posting your project on your blog or website, all I ask is that you give me credit for the template by linking back to this post. Much Mahalo!!

Anyway. . .hope y'all are having a wonderful Sunday!!

Cousins Scrapbook Layout

Hi Everyone! I am proud to say that I made 2 layouts in one day! Yay! Check my other layout on my previous post. Why am I proud of it? Typically, I do 2 layouts a MONTH, therefore, creating 2 layouts in a day is quite an accomplishment! LOL!

Here is a little info on my scrapbook layout. . . .it was a little time consuming to create this layout because with all the scrapbook papers and cardstock I had, I could not find a red scrapbook paper or cardstock that had a similar tone. It would be either too orange, too pink, too burgundy. . .I am sadly lacking in red papers.

Well, after digging through a ton of scrapbook papers, I finally found 2 that were similar in tone. Actually, the red/white polka-dot band going across my layout came from a cardboard package. It was the backing of a package of scrapbook embellishments I had purchased. It matched my scrapbook papers really nicely. Hey. . .you gotta improvise! LOL! If it works, hey. . .why not!

The pictures are of my daughter and her cousin Melissa when they were little. They were best buddies back then and very close. They did everything together. Sadly, as they grew up and attended different middle school and high school, they barely talked to one another unless we got together for a family gathering. It was sort of awkward for them because we sort of expected them to be close but they were polar opposites in personality and interest. The picture is of the fun times they once had together.

Layout details:

Papers: Unknown

Accessories: Making Memories felt flower, paper flower, super large brad, buttons, and chipboard alphas, SU My Way Punch, EK Success Circle Cutter

Radiance Layout

Hi Everyone! I decided to create a layout rather than making a card today. I have a tendency to neglect creating a scrapbook layout because well, I'm a little layout challenged! LOL! It takes me a little longer to come up with a layout that I like. A lot of times, I don't have materials that match and I'm not good with the "hodge-podge" look. I have this problem with wanting to have everything sort of match which isn't quite necessary with scrapbooking. I need to get over that hump.

Anyway. . .just a few details about my layout. It's a photo of my daughter when she was about 4 years old. She has a radiance about her . . .you know, the saying "she lights up the room when she walks in". . .well, she has that aura about her. I wanted to create a layout about her "radiance".

I didn't do any special techniques with this layout. I did distress the paper and rubbed a little distressing ink to give it a shabby chic look. Other than that, not much else.

Layout details:

Papers: K&Co, SU Bordering blue, Regal Rose,

Accessories: Prima, Inc., SU Photo corner punch, Tim Holtz distressing ink, Heidi Swapp distressing tool, Craft Robo, Colorbok Memory Boutique, Joann Brad

Sistahs of the Traveling Tee and Scrapbook Layout

Hi Everyone! Before I discuss my layout, I wanted to tell you a little bit about a new blog site that me, Jen (Pieces of Me), and Ellie (Scrabookmama) decided to set up to help us on our weight loss journey called "Sistahs of the Traveling Tee". Stop by and check out the site!! Click on the title above or the button to the right ---------------------->


What is it about and why the title "Sistahs of the Traveling Tee"? Okay, the blog site is a team site in which those who want to participate post their weight loss journey. . .basically, we support one another and post our progress, our goals, and our tribulations! It's really difficult to lose weight when you don't have the support from others sorting of pushing you along.

Well. . .why the title? Well, did anyone watch the movie "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"? If you did, it's a similar concept but rather than passing a pair of jeans around, we decided to pass along a T-shirt because well, we all can't fit the same jeans! LOL! If you didn't see the movie, well it's about a group of friends who lived different lives in different parts of the world and they passed to one another a secondhand jeans. As the movie progress, it tells the story of each girls journey through life while they had possession of the jeans.

Right now, I have the T-shirt! Actually, I still need to buy it. We're still working on the logistics of the T-shirt but we plan to pass the T-shirt to one another and sign it with our name, the date, and our location as we go through our weight loss journey. Eventually, we would like to pass the t-shirt around to more than the 3 of us. . .so, if you are interested in walking this journey with us, let me, Jen, or Ellie know and we'll hook you up!! LOL!

****************************************

Now to my scrapbook layout! You're asking, "Whoa. . .what's going on with your hair, Maria"? LOL! Well, this picture was taken when I was 21 years old. Holy! That was a long time ago. Spiral perms were the jazz back then! I naturally have straight hair but when you have straight hair, you want have curly hair. Luckily, the trend right now is straight hair so I don't really have to do much to my hair! LOL! Back then it was all about applying gel to your hair to keep the spiral curls intact. I actually loved my hair back then! Now, I look at the photo . . . and I laugh!

The picture was taken while me and a few friends were at a bar! We were "party" girls back then! LOL! Not no more. I don't remember the last time I drank alcohol . ..I think several years. We had so much fun back then! My friend Charmayne (the girl on the left) went out every weekend. We were good girls but we knew how to have fun!!

I used the CTMH Whoops-A-Daisy Level 2 Paper Packet to create this layout! Nothing much else to the layout!

Anyway, be sure to check out our weight loss blog site "Sistahs of the Traveling Tee"! We would love to hear from all of you!!

Scrapbook Layout and Stitching Photos Together With Photoshop

Hi Everyone! I was working on a tutorial for my photo blog "Photo Inspirations" on how to stitch photos together on Photoshop. When I mean "stitch, I mean combine several photos together to create one photo. I found a basic tutorial and I created my own version of the tutorial. The tutorial I found did not have photos so I created to capture the pictures of each step of the process in my tutorial. Stop by my blog site "Photo Inspirations" for the tutorial.

As you can see above, all the photos are one piece rather than 3 separate pieces of photos. When you print the photo, it'll print as one piece. Actually, this process is the same process that you use for Panaromic Photos. The process is really easy. If you don't have Photoshop, your program probably has a Panaroramic or stitch feature. . .my tutorial is on how to do this on Photoshop.

Whenever I create scrapbook layouts, I use my printer program and print each photo individually then I'll arrange them together based on what I want my layout to look like. The problem is I found it cumbersome to cut and paste the photos together and I also wasted a lot of photo paper when I do this. Do you have that problem? Well, for the newbie scrapbookers or photographers, I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about.

Anyway, my layout with the stitched photo was printed as one piece and it was easy to lay it out on my scrapbook page.

Scrapbook Details:

Papers: Colorbok 12x12 Glamorous Girl Scrapbook Kit, SU Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Darice rhinestone

The photos are of my daughter and her friends. They are part of the Key Club and they attended the Key Club Fall Rally to benefit the Children's Hospital. I don't know the exact name of the foundation that they were raising funds for. They had a blast and it's an event that the kids love to attend every year at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Scrapbook Layout - True Blue Using CTMH Whoops-A-Daisy Paper

Here's a simple layout I created using Whoops-A-Daisy Level 2 Paper Kit by Close to My Heart. To create the flower overlay at the top. . .I cut part of the flower (the lower half) then slid the photo under it. It's an easy way to create a layer over a picture using the background paper that you used for your layout.

Rita is my friend that I met in college. We've been good friends since. We enjoyed eating at restaurants, hanging out at coffee shops, etc. while I was still living in Hawaii. She's still in Hawaii and I really miss hanging out with her. We call each other every few weeks to just to touch base and update one another on our lives.

When I typed out the journaling. . .only after I finished my layout, I realized I made several typos. Argggghh! When journaling, make sure you proofread it before pasting it on your layout! LOL!

Do you have a "True Blue Friend"? Maybe you should create a scrapbook layout of her/him.

Hope y'all have a wonderful day!!

Family Scrapbook Layout

Good Morning Everyone! This scrapbook layout was borrowed from my club blog site. All my scrapbooking layouts has been focused primarily for my club site and I don't have the time to create a layout for this blog site. I wish I could work faster but unfortunately, trying to create projects for 3 blog sites is a challenge!

Anyway, the theme of this layout is "family". I used CTMH "Serendipity Level 2 paper kit" and CTMH "Just Blooms Big Pinks" for the flowers at the top left corner. Using a craft blade, I cut parts of the images of the designer paper. I kept part of it intact and slid my photo under the cut images to frame it. I also used CTMH Bigger Brads for the center of the flowers.

The chipboards are from K&Co and the stone like alpha stickers are from EK Success. I used the "visual triangle" principle to create balance to my layout. The photo corner to the top right is what balances both the black and red colors of my layout which attempts to focus my photo as the center point.

The photo is a picture of me and my family taken a few years ago. I believe this was taken in 2004. This was the last "professional or studio" photo we took together.

I'm hoping to take a family "studio" photo soon. It seems as the kids grow older, the less we take family photos together. It's a big thing when the kids are little for some reason but less so when they're older.

Hope y'all have a wonderful day!!

Stamp and Scrapbooking Club April Enrollment

Hi Everyone! Sheesh, I haven't posted anything on this blog site for a while now. Sorry about that but I had a bit of medical problem for the past two weeks and what time I did have to craft, I concentrated on my "Stamp and Scrapbooking Club". I had to prioritize my time.

I'm feeling better now so I think I'll be back to my normal crafting and blogging. This scrapbook layout is a layout for a challenge on my club's blog site "Heartfelt Inspirations". Every 2 weeks, I post a challenge and give a prize to a winner. I also have a weekly card challenge for my club members. I am enrolling new members for April to June membership.

Email me at lbmcd66@hotmail.com if you are interested in the details of my club. I'll continue to take new members until April 15.

Scrapbook layout details:

Paper: CTMH Let's Get Together Level 2 Paper Packet
Accessories: CTMH Craft Buttons, Fiskar Cloud Scissors, Sakura Opaque pen, SU Photo Corner Punch

Hope you'll join!!

It's All About Me. . .Scrapbook Layout

Hi Everyone!! Okay. . .I'm sort of cheating. . .I made this layout for my stamp and scrapbooking blog site a few weeks ago because I don't have any new stuff to post on this blog site. LOL!

I hate the idea of neglecting this site because I haven't had the time to craft anything new.

For my stamp and scrapbooking club, this was the "scrapbook layout" challenge. . .what was the challenge? To create a "It's All About Me" 12 x 12 layout.

All of the materials used for this layout was created using Close to My Heart Products except for the ribbons: "Life's Delight Level 2 Paper Packet, Cocoa/Sweet Leaf/Blush cardstock, Just Blooms Big Pinks (paper flower), Craft Buttons in Key Lime, and Bigger Brads. You can find all of these products if you check out my Close To My Heart Website - the link is located on my right sidebar. Check it out!!


Anyway. . .I created this layout myself and this is the sketch if you want to try it out!!

This picture was taken about 2 1/2 years ago. . .when I was skinny. Add about 20 lbs and here I am today. . .LOL! I wish I was skinny again. It would be nice to fit my nice Banana Republic slacks. . .I love those slacks but I can no longer fit them. Whaa! One day. . .it'll happen!

Hope y'all have a wonderful Friday!!

Stamp and Scrapbooking Club - Enrolling for March

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to let you all know that I'm now taking new members for my "stamp and scrapbooking club" for March start up date. If you interested in the details, please email me at lbmcd66@hotmail.com I have a private blog site (Heartfelt Inspirations) for club members and this layout is one that I posted on the club blog site. I post tutorials, sketches, challenges, etc for club members as well as send out project, card, and scrappy kits. I provide the materials for free for club members.

This layout was created using CTMH Good Times Paper Packet and I used the "Leading Lady" sketch from the CTMH Imagine book. The pictures of my husband and son when he was little. I created a matching layout so when you open up the scrapbook, the layouts are side by side. I had posted the first layout a few weeks ago.

Anyway, let me know if you're interested in joining my club!

Scrapbook Layout #4 - Close - Good Times

Good Morning Everybody! Hey this is my 4th 12 x 12 layout I ever made. I'm rather proud of it because I think it turned out better than I expected. I've started scrapbooking recently (a few months) and I'm beginning to feel a little better about it. I've always been intimidated by scrapbooking 12 x 12 layouts because I just felt it took too much work and that I always thought "how the heck do I fill up such a large piece of paper?". LOL.

As I make more of them, I feel a little better and I'm actually faster in making them now. This only took me a little over an hour to create. Having a sketch really helped. The designer paper I used came from the Close to My Heart - My Reflections Scrapbook Kit -

Good Times. I love the pretty colors in this kit and the patterns are pretty cute.

I used that "visual triangle" rule for scrapbooking. Honestly, I never thought there were any rules for scrapbooking. See. . .that's how much I know about this stuff. I thought you could just put things together in any fashion that made you feel good. I still don't understand all these crazy scrapbooking rules . . .it just seem so technical if you ask me. Why can't you just slap things on? Isn't it more artistic to not follow any rules? You know . . .your own gut feeling, your own inspirations rather than following the "visual triangle", "the rule of threes", "setting the mood", and all of those other technical stuff that makes for a great scrapbook layout! Sheesh, I always thought that you just stuck embellishments where they look like they would fit nicely or where ever there's space and stuff like that!! LOL! Sometimes when I look at other people layouts. . .there seem to be no "rules" being followed. . .even the "pro" scrapbookers. . .they just look pretty randomly laid out to me.

Anyway. . .if you take a look at my layout and focus on the silver brads at the left corner, the silver brads at the lower right of my page and the mini tag at the upper right. . .well that's a visual triangle. This particular visual triangle suppose to bring my journaling into focus. I have at least 3 visual triangles. Can you spot them? Okay. . .for the scrapbookers out there in the know. . .is there a limit on the amount of visual triangles you are allowed to have on a page? Just curious if there was a limit.

Until later, folks!!!

Scrapbook Layout #2

Hi Everybody. . . this is my second layout for this year! I'm rather proud of this one because I actually came up with my own layout. Does the page look too simple? It looked fine in person but when I look at the picture, it looks sort of "plain". I don't know. . .I guess I'm accustomed to seeing all those layouts with lots of embellishments, sentiments, words, and stuff. Should I add like a little saying or verse somewhere or perhaps more stickers? Your honest opinion is appreciated.

Anyway. . .this picture is of my daughter when she was 5 years old. This picture was taken during Christmas and I took it at a courtyard where I worked. Considering I'm an amateur photographer and it was taken with a 35mm not a digital. I think the picture came out really well.

I scanned the photo and enlarged it on my computer. I then changed the color of the photo to "sepia". I wanted to create a "vintage" or "softer" look to the layout. This is one my favorite pictures of my daugther. I like a lot of pictures but I think this one looks natural. . .she's posing but not really posing. . .if you know what I mean.

Layout Recipe:

Papers: K& Co, SU Le Jardin, Autumn Leaves, DCWV Textured Cardstock

Accessories: K&Co Kurio Alpha, Target Large Prima, Prima, Inc. JoAnn Brads, Making Memories metal words., K&Co Tags to go, Organdy Ribbon, Satin printed ribbon, Tim Holtz distressing ink, Heidi Swapp distressing tool

Scrapbooking Here I Come!

Hey Everybody! Like I told you on previous posts, I really want do more scrapbooking because I have sooooooo many pictures and they are all hidden away in my computer for no one to see but my self.

I was inspired by a layout I saw on the Close to My Heart summer catalog. I just sort of flipped to a page and decided to try it out. It's not exactly like the layout. . .I just took a few ideas and created my own layout.

I really would like to learn more about scrapbooking. Right now, I can't come up with my own layout without looking at a book, magazine or blog. My goal is to come up with my own layouts one day.


The picture is a photo that my daughter took of herself. I thought it had a artsy look to it so I decided to use the photo. For those of you who don't know what a "poser" is. . .well, it's someone who is trying to act like someone they really are not. It's a teenage lingo that my kids use all the time to say that someone is being a "fake". LOL! Well, when I saw this photo. . .the first thing came to mind was that she was being a "poser".

Layout recipe:

Paper: Autumn Leaves designer paper, SU cardstock in black, creamy caramel, and cranberry crisp
Accessories: I don't know the brand of the big flowers (I threw away the label), JoAnn heart brads, Prima, Inc (small flowers), Verse sticker by Cloud Design (Fiskar), Metal date tags by JoAnn, Alpha Title created on the Craft Robo.

Daily Special - Scrapbook Layout - Yay, My First 12x12 Layout!!

Today's Daily Special is "Scrapbook Layout". This is my very first 12x12 layout! I know. . .it sounds rather unbelievable that I've never created a 12x12 layout ever. I've made mini albums and a few digital ones but not a regular scrapbook page. I don't know why I never did try it out.

Scrapbooking is so personal and it's easier for me to create a card for someone else than to create something for myself. With scrapbooking, I tend to fuss too much about it. I think that's the reason why I never jumped into the full scale scrapbooking thing. It's a permanent thing. With cards that I sell or give away, I don't see them again . . .well, only when I look back at my blogs. There's a sense of letting go. . .yah, know. You're like "huh?, why is she so philosophical about scrapbooking and card making". Yeah, I guess I'm too serious about this stuff.

What do you think of this layout? Funny because I was in love with the designer paper that I could not cover it up so I rearranged everything to show as much of the paper as I could.

What was I trying to achieve with this layout? Well, first of all I wanted to include the "postcard version" of the waterfall and wanted to show that we actually were there. The journaling has the date and I wrote about our visit to the Bridal Veil Waterfall in Telluride.

Because I'm new at this stuff. . .I need a little more practice. I've been looking at scrapbooking blogs, magazines, books, galleries, etc. . .just to get some idea of what other's do. There doesn't seem to be a set standard. Some layouts are simple, some very busy, some with minimal embellishments, some with lots of embellishments. . .

I do notice more layouts that are very simple than very crazy busy ones. I think the trend is to focus on the picture rather than the stuff to decorate the page. I'm not sure which I like better right now.

Right now I think I'll stick to simple and gradually work my way to more elaborately designed layouts. I need your critique of my layout. . .what do you think I should have done or not done. Is the design too simple? Be honest. I can't get better if I don't get honest inputs. I don't mind constructive criticism. What would you have done differently with this layout or design?

Page Details:

Paper: K&Co Happy Trails designer paper, DCWV textured 12x12 cardstock Fall Stack, SU Tempting Turquoise

Accessories: Title created with Craft Robo, Darice rhinestones, SU Brocade Blue, SU Slit Punch, Sakura Souffle Gel Pen