You Rock - He's a Champion!!!

This layout was a life-saver! I had some pretty bad photos - well, not bad - just oddly colored and off of facebook so they were already small and the quality was lousy. But this even was so special and important to my nephew, I just couldn't leave it out. I LOVE how this layout allowed me to use only a few pics (I only had a few) and they didn't have to be very big to fill in the space!

This photo had an unnatural blue tint to it because of the spot lights, but the multicolored "You Rock" design package blended the different variations of the photo colors perfectly. I also really liked how the stickease pieces could be layered - in this case - to allow me to point out that awesome drummer-boy!

By the way, have you noticed how the titles in the Studio J Online scrapbooking can go directly on the paper or even over pictures? It's like stamping (without smears) on transparency paper and without the glare! (I can't even FIND transparency paper anymore, let alone the glareless type!)

By the way, this layout shows pics from a special regional "Idol" competition, and YES, my nephews band won!!! He SO ROCKS!

As soon as I finish dumping Verizon internet, I'll upload this last picture. It is thoroughly ridiculous that I have to spend 5 hours downloading 5 pics! And customer service just keep telling me it all seems fine and I should just upgrade to their new high dollar program. I don't need a new program, I need the one I have to work the way it has for the last 7 years! So stay tuned until Tuesday when a new carrier will be configured!

You Rock Layout #4

This is the layout that is actually detailed as part of the workshop package. I haven't quite decided on the titles for these doubles, so I've left some room for those once I decide.

In the last posting, I mentioned a "river" of stamped images. I used it in this one and also in one of the other ones. The instruction brochure really inspired me. While I was able to fit all of my photos on the layout, it still lended itself to some really fun embellishment.

On the left hand side, I used the dot-line stamp that came with this set to accent the square photos. The "river" started on the left layout, just under the pictures and proceeded with a curved course onto the bottom of the right hand page. Not only did I use direct stamping onto the B&T paper (in Outdoor Denim) but I also used some star images that I cut out, some top coat swirls, buttons from the Outdoor Denim mini accents that came with the kit, and bitty sparkles to finish it off.

I also saved some paper with this set. Instead of using white as base pages and then also cutting white for the strips under the pictures and through the left page, I just used the white base page. In fact, to give an appearance of strips, I added brads from the mini-medley set on either end of the open space.

Also from the Outdoor Denim mini medley set, I added a little frame with a stamped sentiment from the stamp set.

The best news about this set is that the workshop kit is still available, but only for one more month. If you are inspired, let me know!

You Rock Layout #3

These workshops are so EASY! They come with a FULL paper pack, a matching stamp set - made specifically for the workshop, a package of accents, and a full-color instruction brochure that includes one double layout and some directions for a second one. This layout was the second one that it suggested. It is called, "Unified Whole" and is on page 68 of the Cherish program. I made some small changes to this layout, too, and I love how Jeannette's designs allow for that! In this one, the design calls for a large 8x8 photograph on the left page. When I used to see those designs, I would always steer clear of them, but this one ended up working easily into my idea for this layout by substituting some 4 x 4 pictures for the 8 x 8 one. I accented the corner with another one of those Top Coats - so fancy - and this time, the colorful paper has circles all over it. I called the first one Starburst, so this one is the Planet paper. LOL!
Anyway, I did some interesting embellishment on this page. First, I wrapped the ribbon that came in my accent kit around the corner of the page. But then I had this great Top Coat piece that was a guitar. Well, I don't really need a guitar for my family, but I liked the way it was in a circle of dots and such. So, I cut it out of the surroundings and used those in little swirley half-circles. I really liked the effect, and I have a buddy who has some need for an extra guitar picture!

I was inspired by the "river" of stamped images in some of the other layouts and made sure I included something of the same sort in this one. The right 3 x 3 cardstock was perfect for the technique. I only did 1 image (I had already stuck down the other elements before the inspiration set in!) but the bright yellow stars and the top coat piece makes it look like it all goes together. The bitty sparkles and the Outdoor Denim Bigger Brad just blended everything together. I even added an extra star and sparkles on another square. Also on this close-up picture, it looks like a couple of the pictures are mis-cut - just too small. What I actually did was use my edge distresser on the edges of the pictures, creating a rough white edge on both of them. It is a great accent on some pages, but I'm not sure it looks right here so I might just reprint the pictures and replace them.

You Rock - Layout #2

I love love love the way the starburst paper from the You Rock collections makes this layout pop!

This double design is called "Silver Screen" from the Cherish program on page 20. I have used this design again and again in my albums and it never looks the same. That is such a cool thing about Jeannette's awesome books! (If you want to learn more about Jeannette Lynton or her scrap-booking programs, visit her blog, posted on the left!)
So since this page is from her designs, I won't give the specks for cutting, but I do want to share
a few details on how I put it together and embellished it.

First the paper! It only uses one piece of the starburst and one of the polka-dot along with the Indian Corn Blue cardstock. The pattern called for a second piece of cardstock for the little squares at the bottom of the right page, and the rectangle at the top right corner of the left-hand page. In that corner, I used the polka-dots again. It blended nicely. And for the little squares (there are actually 3 of them, but I covered one up) I stuck with the Indian Corn Blue. There was plenty to complete the effect with it. You can see on the little strips and also on the wider, title strip that I've stamped a string of dots using Outdoor Denim. (The same dark blue that is my base cardstocks.) I also accented all these pieces with brads.

I haven't decided on the title yet - maybe "Family Fun"? I'm SURE not going to mention my own birthday, although the cake is right there. Yep, that's me in the pink with one of my twinkies.

Back to the accents. Do you see the little white swooshie thing hanging down from the cake picture? That is actually a new accent called a Top Coat. They are GREAT! I used them all through this workshop and had so much fun with them. They are printed transparancy pieces, and this set is MADE for the You Rock paper, matching it in both color and theme!

The picture with my twinking singing also shows how I stamped and accented the paper. I used the White Daisy pigment ink first. Then I went back and restamped the stars in yellow. (That's the lighter stars!) I also stamped the stars in Sunflower on regular cardstock and cut them out to add to my "Milky Way." As a final accent, I added the new "Bitty Sparkles."

You Rock Workshop - Layout 1

I so love this layout and am just amazed how well it turned out. I just got inspired last month when I surfed through several scrap-booking sites. This design came from a mixture of about 4 others and it goes perfectly with this paper set!

The cuts are very involved, but the general set up is a 9 1/2 inch tall rectangle (split between the 2 pages with 10 inches on the left and 6 inches on the right) with rounded corners and an 8-inch tall "band" that shows on either side of the rounded rectangle.


This is the right side side of the layout. The base is one of the blue distressed B&Ts (background and texture or design paper). The outside of the rectangle is the green B&T - actually the back, patterned side of an orange distressed page. On the green rectangle-half, I added 2 mattes that I originally cut to 6 x 5 1/2. Then, with the top matte overlapping the bottom one by about 2 inches, I cut a curvy pattern. Because I cut them both at the same time, the pattern matched perfectly. When I cut my pictures, I just "eye-balled" it, but it wouldn't be hard to use the matte as a template for the photos. The outside "band" on this page is an 8 x 6 rectangle of orange cardstock. I used a piece of "starburst" B&T on top of that. The starburst is 1/4 inch thinner than the cardstock and 1/2 inch shorter than the cardstock. I added the spirograph images from the Top Coat collection in the bottom of one picture - held by a brad, and a corner piece in the top of the page with a stamped star covering that. The star is in Sunflower ink and a button with natural hemp adorns the bottom right corner. Finally, I added a couple of small pictures and used the orange B&T (the front side of the green) as small mattes for them.

On the left side, the green rectangle was 9 1/2 x 10 and goes flush against the right edge of the paper. Next to it is a 2 x 8 inch piece of orange cardstock. The starburst B&T on it, like on the other side, is 1/4 inch thinner and 1/2 inch shorter than the cardstock. The mattes inside the green rectangle are 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 with a rounded corner. I used another spirograph and brad combo on the picture here, too, along with buttons and a corner top coat on the bottom. Also, I used the metal frame in the Outdoor Denim mini accents in the corner. I plan to add the date there, but haven't yet. Along the right edge, I used some more starburst B&T with 2 of the pieces being 2 x 4 and the 3rd piece measuring 5 x 4. Some of the gals at the retreat cut the center piece down a bit, but not much because inside the center piece, we applied a 4 1/2 diameter circle in the green design paper, with an orange 4 inch circle. The circle hangs off the right edge. Once you have applied your picture, you can cut the circle along the edge (in a straight cut) and then adhere the excess to the right side.

Upcoming workshop!

You can create 4 fully-embellished, double layouts in just a few hours and this month we're working with the You Rock paper pack and matching stamp set and embellishements. You can see another of the layouts on the front page of my website at marji.myctmh.com. I've had so much fun working with this set and I already know what event I'm going to highlight on these pages! Click this link to view the flyer and let me know right away if you want to join this workshop. There are only 3 spots open for it!