To use Sketches or Not?

that is the question. Well its mine for this week anyway. and my answer is yes, and why not, if they are available and give you the extra nudge in the right direction for your layout or project, then go ahead.

So to that note, I been either scraplifting or using sketches for my last couple of layouts. But when you come to think of it, I bet most peoples layouts have something no matter how small that you have seen on someones layout and it has inspired you to add that detail to your layouts.

So one of my scrapping plans for this year is to try and use more sketches, even if it only for a principle idea, the position of the photo, the quantity of photos, where to put the title, or embellishments to add.

At my Bromsgrove January Crop I produced 2 layouts using sketches which are on this post. So while scrapping this week and I decided to used the new PageMap2 book and produced this layout.

Supplies used:- Bazzill Cardstock; Studio Calico - Documentary (camera); Tim Holtz - film strip, ticket, mask, mini staples; Cosmo Cricket - Alphas, October Afternoon Mini Alphas, Stamps - Paperartsy - Splatt, Studio Calico - bird;

For my next layout which is a sketch challenge for my next crop, I did this one

This sketch is from here

I got the idea of using the Maya Road Bingo Numbers from a layout over at Scrapagogo and also from layout that Sam did at a recent crop.

Supplies used: Cosmo Cricket - Circa 1934 collection; Maya Road Bingo Numbers (Red); Tim Holtz Rosette die; Martha Stewart punch, Stamping up circle punches, EK Success border punch;

The photo is of James and Nana in 2000, they did and still do have such a close bond and this photo just shows the look of love and affection between the two. I would love to know what she was saying to him but it looks like they are deep in conversation and he is listening to her every word.

Nana is now too old to come on holiday anymore, so seeing photo of her on Holiday with us brings me both joy and sadness, joy that we do have some amazing memories, and sadness that she can't do the journey because of ill health. I've not added any journalling to the layout till after the crop,

I added the 2 on top of the rosette to represent that James was 2 at the time, and the 25 and 10 at the bottom of the page represent the date and month. Then I just used random numbers under the photo.

This one was just put together, using my Studio Calico January 2011, and a photo of my friends on their last visit to Birmingham

I even used a KI Memories mini pocket, that came in the kit and added a tag which I decorated and added my journalling to.

And a final one for today, using Cosmo Cricket - Togetherness collection, photo of the Birmingham girls at my last Scrapagogo Retreat.

Thanks again for stopping by ... I'll be back with some ...

Layouts, Studio Calico Goodies and Tim Holtz ...

Just a couple of layouts that I've done over the past few weeks, and not got around to taking photos and uploading.

The first is a simple one using October Afternoon - Seaside

Then one using Studio Calico December 2010 kit.

This is using the lovely KI Memories calendar sheet, studio Calico month stamps and some mini photos - these photos are the ones I used for my covering layouts in the Document 2010 layout. They were meant to be printed on to an A4 sheets, but I'd pressed the wrong button and they got printed out on a 6x4, then I realised that I could used them on a sheet like this one Beki did.

And last week I got my January Studio Calico kit -

Plus I thought I'd treat myself to a add-on Mary Jane - Add On

and low and behold two ended up in my cart, so heres Dear Abby Add-on

I've ohhed and ahhed over it but not had a play yet, mainly because I been suffering from a really bad cold and nasty cough and secondly my craft room is in such a mess I've lost my mojo, but I've got a crop on Sunday so hope I feel better an my mojo returns by then.

And finally, these bags are on there way over from the US and contain the workshop kits that Tim Holtz will be doing at the end of February.

I'm not sure what is in each bag, but I do know that these are to used with the class kits .. yummy tissue tapes

It looks like we are all going to be busy, busy, busy and come away with a great project on the day.

Anyway better get going, this coughing is driving me mad.

Thanks for stopping by..

KI Papers

A few people have been asking where I got the KI Calendar Papers from on my previous post, so here is the link.

It is a US store but they are reasonably price and quick delivery, it took about 2 weeks for my large box to come and that was over the Christmas holidays.

Happy shopping

I'll leave this post at the top of my blog for a week.

(stroll down for newest posts)

More layouts

Just two layouts that I did at the weekend, this one is following the 'Blueprint to Go' sketch from Scrapagogo. This uses a combination of Scrapagogo and Studio Calico (SC) December kits.

The photos were taken last year at the Scrapagogo October 2010 Retreat by Kirsty Wiseman.

I love this photo, it show a carefree me ... well as carefree as you can be sat on wet leaves and trying to find dry ones to throw up in the air - LOL.

It started as a Studio Calico layout, but I ended up using my stash and a small piece of SC patterned paper from SC December 2010 kit.

So supplied used : Music paper; Glitz Design hoopla paper layers & whatnot love nest; Tim Holtz 'love' tickets; 7 Gypsies tag; Prima tag (birdcage) and pebble; Martha Stewart bird & X-cut maple leaf punches; Mister Huey Mist - Classic Calico (over the leaves).

The remember tag at the right-hand side of the layout, has some hidden journalling on.

I'm in also started to prepare my Document 2011 album. After seeing Sheena Document 2010 album, with her vertical and horizontal page protectors, I decided to change my 2011 Album to use vertical page protectors.

So I got a set of these from A Trip Down Memory Lane

Then reading Laura blog, she had found these WeR Memory Keepers 9 square 4"x4" pocket page protectors, and I was again re-designing how I wanted my 2011 album to look.

And whilst on the web-site I saw these and had to have them, each page protector has 2 - 4x6, 2 - 7x5, 1 - 7x2 pockets

Each page protector has 1 - 6x 12, 8 - 3"x3" pockets

so who knows what my album will end up looking like this year, but one thing it will be different from last years - LOL

Thanks for stopping by ...

Tim Holtz New Goodies

WOW, WOW, WOW that is all that I'm saying. There is too much to add on my blog, so pop over and check them all out for yourself.

Tim Holtz

Just a few that I NEED

Which one do you like ...

More New Sneeks - Maya Road & Echo Park

A few month sneeks I've found whilst blog hopping

Maya Road check out the site for even more goodies here

The Echo Park has done it again, this pack will definiately be sitting in my craft room in the near future ...

Cosmo Cricket ....

Yah ... the new CHA Winter collection has just been released .... and its lush ... view the full range here. I love all three of these collection, which is not surprising I hear you say, but especially 'Social Club', what do you think?