The Beauty of Spring!

I love spring -- everything about it -- even the rain that comes and makes everything grow at lightning speed. I am always in a hurry in spring, in a hurry for everything to bloom and for the color in my yard to explode.  My dogwood tree is no exception.  It is the one thing in my yard that I wait all year to watch bloom.  The only difference is -- once it blooms, I want time to stop.  I want those gorgeous pink blossoms to brighten my yard for the whole summer. 

Products Used:

#1169 - Defining Prom
#1300 - Pigs
#1099 - Needing a Push
#1241 - Cross Country Game

Spring Flowers

Tulip Time.  That's always the first thing I think of when I think of spring.  My family is of Dutch heritage, so spring always meant a trip to Mom's hometown in northwest Iowa for it's annual Tulip Festival, wooden shoes, the cleaning of the streets, and the daily parade - what wonderful memories.  Unfortunately, I haven't been back for the festival in a number of years, but I still love tulips. 

Here's my take on a spring-y layout - Toby in the Tulips. 

The Scrappin' Sports and More Young & Active Seasons paper and stickers sure made this layout quick and easy do, with a lot of fun colors!  Hope you like it too.

Products used:
#1279 Defining Spring paper
#5522 Spring Cardstock Stickers
#1241 Cross Country Game Day paper
#1300 Down on the Farm - pigs paper

Springtime means Track Time

In years past if you asked me what we did during the Spring, I would say watch lots of soccer.  This year is a little different.  With only having one playing this Spring, it's not soccer that is taking up my time, but Spring Track.  I love that they can start the sport in 4th grade.  This will be the only year, all three of my children can particiate on the same team sport, so I thought I better document it.  So here is what I came up with for my Spring page.....

I just love the look of the Degining Running paper, the black track and the definitions go with any school color.  The stop watch paper is another neutral, which adds an excellent background. 

Scrappin' Sports Products Used:
#1266 Stop Watches (Name of the Game line)
#1033 Defining Running (Defining the Game)
#642 Track & Field Rub-ons

Baseball Baseball Baseball!

I love watching my son grow as an athlete - and I sure get a lot of time to do that with three practices and two games a week!  It seems as most of the chilly winter weather has moved out of Colorado and baseball is in full swing! 

I created this layout as a recap of last year's baseball season featuring our new On the Edge Papers!  These papers are quickly becoming a favorite of mine!  I love the baseballs and all of the swirls!   The baseball stickers and rub-ons easily completele the layout!

all star journaling:
Watching you grow as an athlete is simply amazing for me.
In your second year of baseball, you were strong on both
sides of the ball! You made a lot of big plays both at catcher
and third base as well as in the outfield. Your batting was
fantastic too, you had the second highest batting average,
the most runs scored and the most runs batted in on your
team during the season! Those are some pretty great stats!!
2009

Products used:
On the Edge Papers - Baseball #1304
Baseball Rub-ons #636
Baseball Cardstock Stickers #5501

Thanks for stoppin' by the Scrappin' Sports & More blog!!

~Carolyn

A Minor Adjustment!

Project 12 is a fabulous challenge and a great way to document a month in review. But, I have to admit that I struggle just a bit. There are months when I carry my camera everywhere and am able to capture on print the true highlights of the month. But, there are also months, that my crazy busy schedule keeps me from taking any pictures at all. So, what is the best way for me to utilize these great sketches and fun challenges?

I just made a minor adjustment for myself! And you know what? That is the beauty of the challenge. You can use that fabulous sketch in any way that works for you! You can use the sketch for any subject, document your month without the sketch or do any of the options in between! With that said -- here is my layout documenting an everyday moment using the right side of the 2page sketch for inspiration!



Products Used:
#1099 - Needing A Push
#1091 - Jump
#1302 - Tractors
#1022 - Golf
#1105 - Jungle Gym

Project 12 - Spring Break

Here's my layout for the March Project 12 sketch.  Hope you like it!  I focused on just one week of the month of March, the week we spent in Florida with our daughter watching her pitch for her college softball team.

Journaling reads:  "When March finally rolled around, we were ready.  The last few months had taken a toll - record snowfall, cold temps and gray skies..... FLORIDA here we come!
Micah was going to Orland with the Coe College softball team.  Leo and I were going too.  Gosh, a week in the sunny south sure would be a welcome change from the snowy tundra of Iowa.
Landing in Orlando with the sun shinning and blue skies - had we died and gone to heaven?  I think so.   We had a great time  (even though it rained the last couple of days of our trip).  Most of our time was spent at the softball field but we did get to spend a day full of fun at Universal Studios."

I loved using the teal colors in the Umbrella Stripes and Tiles paper - a perfect match with the shirt that my daughtere was wearing a couple of the pictures and with the shades of red to accent, the perfect 1-2 combination!  I'm loving doing these Project 12 sketches.

Thanks for looking!

Products used: 
# 1269 Mother/Mom paper
#1041 Umbrella Stripes and Tiles paper
#7521 Up & Down Rub On

Project 12 March Sketch...my turn!

Back from my messy scraproom to show you my take on the Project 12 March Sketch!  March was a fun month for us...Dr. Seuss' Birthday, my daughter's 14th birthday, St. Patrick's Day...but most of all...we enjoyed a family night at a basketball game.  March madness at it's finests!  So I really wanted to highlight that for the month.  And with so many choices for Basketball papers and embellishments, I really couldn't go wrong, could I?

SS&M Products Used:

#1101 Balancing Act Paper
#1256 Basketballs paper
#702 Basketball Cardstock Stickers

~Shannon

Vacation = Messy Scraproom!!

I am almost embarrassed to show you all my scrappy space, but to be completely honest, this is what it looks like most of the time.  What can I say?  Creativity is a messy process for me!  I was planning to clean it all up and fool you all into thinking I was a neat and organized woman...but then I went on vacation and well... here it is...the brutal truth! 

As you might have noticed by the breaker box, my scraproom is in the basement.  I share a space with my laundry room, which is sort of handy.  I can scrap AND do laundry at the same time.  And did you know that the top of a dryer makes a handy working space at times? 

When we moved into the house, the shelves were already built into this space and I knew I had to claim it for my own.  Over the years, the space had been filled with lots of different goodies...but of course my favorite is my drawers full of Scrappin Sports and More supplies!!!

So there you have it folks...the place where I create...relax...think and just call my own!!


~Shannon

Project 12: March Sketch

Wow - I cannot believe how fast this year is going and that we are already well into April!  These project 12 sketches are going to be great to look back at a 2010 recap!

Here is the fabulous PageMaps sketch for Project 12: March:

Here is my take on the sketch:

I had planned on using a lot of greens for this sketch, however none of photos really called for the green!  Luckily I had a lot of other papers and colors to pick from!

Journaling:

March 2010

Seth performed in his school's talent show with his speedstacks.  March was filled with snow and baseball - Seth is learning to pitch!  We painted our formal living and dining rooms -aka- my scraproom, office and Seth's game room. 

THEN I realized I forgot some journaling so I added it to the back:

We also found out one of Seth's best buddies, Peyton was moving to MN - Seth was devastated!  It was two weeks of sleep-overs and playdates!  Luckily, they are planning a visit back to CO in May and are hoping to be back in CO within a few years!

Products used:

Defining Dance Paper #1171

Baby Boy / Newborn Boy Paper #1268

Mother / Mom Paper #1269

Football Rub-ons Down on the Field #7506

Up & Down Rub-ons #7521

Thanks for stoppin' by the Scrappin' Sports & More blog and if you are doing the Project 12 sketches, be sure to link us up so we can check out your work!

Stay tuned for the rest of the DT's Project 12 sketch layouts! 

~Carolyn

My Art Loft!

Back in 2007 when we started talking about adding an addition on to our house, I never dreamed it would include my own scrap space. We were adding about 600 square feet of living space which included a family room and additional bathroom. But, after talking to the architect, it also included an art loft for my daughter & I! Turns out that the roof line had to be redesigned which would mean having tons of attic space. I was actually excited about that because our storage space is limited. But during that meeting, my husband (love him!) asked the architect if that space could be opened up and be a loft instead of an attic! I was on cloud 9! From that moment on, I began to create my space in my mind and collect ideas and stuff from garage sales and thrift stores. By the time the remodel was complete in 2008, I was ready for my space!

The stairs to the loft are right off the kitchen/dining room area so I am still right in the heart of my family while I create!  I just finished going through my space and purging supplies, so I still need to reorganize and put stuff in better spaces --- but that will have to wait!

Here you go -- mess and all!

View from the top of the stairs - the back wall of the loft:

View from the sofa looking at my work space and over the edge of the loft - brown wall goes all the way downstairs in to the entry way hall of the house:

One wall - this wall has a large tall art table on it with shelving above:

The other wall - this wall has most of my daughter's painting supplies on it along with her canvases:












My to do list --- with a love note from my daughter:




Baskets of mini books:




and the view of the wall from the stairs:

Ok, now it's my turn to show my little scrappin' haven.  It's very compact, but it's also in the heart of our home so I can always be in the action!

I work at the table, I store most of my paper in a drawer of the desk, most of my supplies are kept either in my XXL tote or my 3 drawer iris cart by the computer.  My favorite albums are stored on the self of the couch table along with layouts waiting to be put into albums.  On the easel stand is where I display favorite layouts (and sometimes in progress layouts that I need to think on for a while). 

My most used smaller supplies, pens, inks, rub-on letters, scissors, etc. are on the corner of the table, always within easy reach, along with my "scraps" trash can a friend gave me.

And last, but not least, my constant scrappin' companion, Toby.  He's usually laying on his blanket at my feet while I'm creating but today while I was taking these photos he just couldn't resist mugging for the camera.  He thinks he's a scrapper too (I'm not going to tell him he's just a dog).

Thanks for taking the time to look at my scrap space.  I know it's small.  I know I don't offer any great storage solutions, but I hope it helps show that whatever your space, wherever you scrap, if you're comfortable and it brings you joy that's all you need.

My Scrappin' Space :)

Happy Easter everyone!!  I hope you are all having a blessed day filled with lots of good food and family.  I know I will be spending the day very close to the Cadbury's chocolate, which I have not had since the beginning of the Lenten season :)

Like Carolyn, I too had reservations about sharing my creative space. My room is shared with the kids’ computer and the piano (or should I say dust magnet, since no one actually plays it!) It may not be something that shows up in a magazine, but it does have everything that I need. I have my computer, my TV and all my scrapping' items within a short reach. On my desk I keep a few essentials, my little green paisley box that houses my chalk inks, my Sizzix, sidekick and my cutter.

Off to the left of my desk is a wall of cubes that house all my punches, cardstock, paper and some easy to grab embellishments. The frames have been up on the wall for quite some time and probably should be changed out, but sometimes I like to see how far I have come :)

My back wall includes more goodies, lots of rub-ons, letter stickers, chipboard letters & best of all, my finished albums.  Unfortunately, I am still waiting for my last 3 black frames to make it to the wall :)  Maybe next week!!

At last but not least, the first altered item I made quite a few years ago. It was my first assignment on a Design Team at my local scrapbook store. I really didn't think I would be chosen and I was over the moon with this first assignment.

That's it...short & sweet.  Stayed tuned this week for the rest of the design teams' scrapping spaces. 

My Scrap Room!

That's right - in our upcoming posts, the Scrappin' Sports and More's Design Team Members are going to share their scrappin' spaces with you!

I will be honest, I was stressin' about sharing my scrap room with the public eye - lol!  I had way too much stuff and I was not using my space or my storage to the best of their abilities!  This blog post  kicked my butt into gear!  I cleaned, purged, painted, rearranged - whew - the end result is SO WORTH IT!  My room has needed this for quite some time now!

The green paint is new - isn't it lovely?  I was holding on to a piece of cardstock for a few years now and I found the exact color of paint from Martha Stewart Living -Oolong Tea!

My scrap room was the opposite, my scrap area and computer area were swapped.

My scrap room / office is our formal dining room, a big space shared with our formal living room, which is my son's game room. :)  The few views are standing in the formal living room looking into my scrap room:

I share both of these areas with my DS, he is very artsy and craft too - he loves to draw, so I love that both of my tables are big enough to share space with him:

This view is walking into my scrap room from our kitchen, you see now that I cleaned & purged I actually have empty shelves & drawers - whoooo-whooo:

The cheerleader stickers are very old - my son, then about 4, bought a sheet of stickers, used all of the sports guys and thought I would like the cheerleaders lol!  They have been on the drawers for about 4 -5 years now!

The largest part of this reorganization was convincing my DH that my shelves & MM boards needed to be moved from the wall my computer desk is now on to this wall, but I need to have this stuff within reach when scrapping:

and this stuff within reach LOL:

This wall hasn't changed in the past few years, occasionally I swap out the layouts, but I love having layouts on display!  These layouts are in album frames from Michael's:

There you have it!  This is where I create!  This is where I spend a lot of my free time!  I love that I am in the middle of the family happenings (I used to be upstairs in a spare bedroom!).  I don't have any new or great storage solutions ... only that I hope (and so does my DH!) that I can keep this place lookin' this good! :)

~Carolyn