Here is the final sketch of the year. I did this layout in probably March of 2007 when Alycia was about six months pregnant with Terrance. Isn't she cute? The chipboard elements are designed, and painted by me and totally original. I used bright colors and contrasted them with some light neutrals to make them pop. One of my favorite parts of this layout is having the title run over onto the photo. I also loved developing and making the elements for this layout. You should definitely try this at home.
*look at how long her hair is...I can't believe she cut it...I wish my hair was that long*

Here is the sketch for November! I love the vertical and horizontal lines and how the section up the layout. Pair the design with craft paper background and bright, bold, patterned paper sections and embellishments and you will love the results.

Here is Octobers sketch. I did this layout quite a while ago and when I revisited my layouts and saw it again I wanted to share it all with you. I love the contrasting colors, the involvement, but also it's simplicity in design. Try it out and see what you come up with.

Here is the latestest sketch. Don't you just love the linear feel to the layout. Don't be afraid to add embelishements where some of the photos would go or matte some of the pictures. Remember...a sketch is just an idea...a starting your creativity, so let it run wild and see what you can come up with.

Here is the Sketch for August. I have a couple really great ideas for this one and can't wait to get started on the layout.

Here is the layout that I have done for the sketch that I posted. I love the monochromatic theme and the fabric circles. Also the watercoloring I did on the paper is awesome. I haven't added a photo yet because I am waiting for a good belly picture...who knows when that will be. LOL.

As promised here is a sketch for this month. I have not made and example of it yet but my sister is working on one this month and will post it on her blog as soon as she is finished with it. You can see it at http://www.alyciasanders.typepad.com/ This sketch is good for both a layout with pictures and a layout without pictures. Challenge yourself with the circles and the idea of no photos and see what you can come up with.

First I want to apologize for not posting in so long but I have a few pieces of BIG news to share with you. The first is that I am pregnant...YEAH! I never imagined that I would be so busy once I got pregnant...there are so many things to think about, do, and take care of. Doctor's appointments once a month, prenatal vitamins every day, and not to mention that your baby seems to be the only thing you can think of all day every day. Somewhere in my incredibly naive mind I imagined pregnancy as this wonderful time of big changes, big feelings, and lots of rest and babying...by my husband of course...but in reality there are a million and a half things to do and think about everyday. I am "told" it will all be worth it in the end...just kidding, my husband and I are extremely happy, excited, nervous, and scared to death...all completely normal reactions I am sure. I am three months and am due on January 6th. The best thing is that I am going to be huge during the holidays so pass the mashed potatoes and the apple pie.
The second piece of BIG news is not good news. My computer died on Thursday...the motherboard had a degenerative disease and was in it's last few minutes of life...very sad. I was told that it was completely unsalvageable and I was immediately distraught. I was the most upset about loosing all my scrapbook photos and scans (I have them all backed up on CD...somewhere) that were on the computer. Now I have to go out and find them again, reload, and then resort everything. It was a lot of work the first time. Not to mention the classes that I had built for this site are lost as well...not the Word Up class...I have that burned so I can just reload it but the others that I was working on are gone. It is funny how in my state of shock at the time I could not comprehend the meaning of the word "gone". I kept thinking that they were still there. It was at this point when the shock was about to ware off and Dr. Jekyl was about to make his grand appearance that Adam looked at me and said, "order anything you like...I just want you to be happy!" What a life saver that was...not mine, but his...just kidding. So I ordered a new 17" laptop with a full 10 key pad and it will be here in about 7 days. I couldn't just order another laptop just like mine...I had to put in a few extras. I am about to die with the waiting. I am...until it arrives...using my PC that is 7 years old and grinds when it works but what am I complaining about...it still works.
To say the least my life has been a bit busy and my sister is working on taking up some of the slack...she is the other contributor on the site, Alycia Sanders. We will begin the posting again on July 1st and will post another sketch along with it. That will give me a chance to get acquainted with my new computer.

Here is the Next Sketch! A little late I know but here it is anyway. It is meant to be a simple but edgy design. The silhouetted photo really makes the layout extraordinary. I used this photo of my brother at one of his wrestling matches and wanted to document his record and weight that year. I used high contrasting colors to draw you into the photo and a vintage type face for the title. I also cut vintage 70's style arrows into the strips to create direction of flow for the layout. The result was quite pleasing and I am extremely happy with it.

A couple of announcements. First...the first class {Word Up} is now available to buy. YEAH!!!! Watch for some new up and comming classes (I think mini books are the next topic?) we will be updating you soon.

Second...we are now going to be posting a monthly sketch. Just a little bit of inspiration for when that create roadblock hits. This first sketch is one near and dear to my heart. I did this layout of my then brand new niece "Baby T" (Terrance Claire).

I wanted to find a way to highlight certain parts of the photo and really call your attention to them. You can move the circles around to make the important parts of your photo stand out. This graphing technique is actually one I found in my anatomy and physiology text book. Of all the places...I know! Anyway, it really worked out well, is very versatile, and has become one of my favorite techniques. Make sure you try it out and see if you {LOVE} it as much as me.

Word Up

We are excited to give a sneak peak at the first of our classes that will be available shortly...a class called Word Up!

This class is specifically designed to help teach you how to use Microsoft Word for journaling on you pages with limited formatting. This is the first class in a series of two. The next will teach you a lot about formatting and using Word for titles like the one you see on this page. For now we will focus on text boxes and simple formatting. This is almost an indispensable tool to have because you can do almost anything in almost any style. It is a way to really make the layout yours and add a personal touch.

This class is a great addition to your scrapbooking "tool belt"! It is becoming more and more important for us to be able to use the multitude of scrapbooking tools available out there to keep driving us to improve ourselves and our abilities. The scrapbooking world is never at a stand still and it is a daily challenge for us all to keep up. This class will help with that struggle.
Stay tuned for the official announcement of the classes availability!