KEEPING IT SIMPLE

If you are like me, you subscribe to at least one scrapbook magazine and cherish it from front to back. Sometimes I'm inspired by the contents of the magazine and sometimes I'm overwhelmed. Every time that I sit down to scrapbook, I'm in a different mood and so it reflects in my end product. There are times I will spent all day on one layout trying to make it worthy of a magazine. Then there are times I remember that I have boxes and boxes of pictures to scrap and so I keep things simple.

Summer is in full swing and the kids have the front door slammin' both ways, disrupting my every thought. Could you please excuse me ... sorry for the interruption. I had to make sure the water balloons stayed outside and not in the kitchen, or should I say, all over the kitchen.

In honor of those crazy days in our lives, I've devoted this months contents to Keeping It Simple. Don't become wrapped up with trying to created a masterpiece worthy of every magazine on the rack every time you create a layout. It is more important to get those pictures, thoughts, and special memories documented.

So get in the zone and begin creating ... try to ignore all those cries for you in the background, and Keep It Simple.

Layout 1: AJAX LAKE

Supplies:

• Leap Frog Creatable by Gina Jane Johnson
• Cardstock, green, yellow, white
• Vellum
• Brocade Blue square eyelets by Stampin' Up
• 3-D Dots by EK Success

Instructions:

1. Create a background by placing a 3 1/2" yellow border along the left edge of the green cardstock.
2. Mat photos and arrange on layout to determine space for graphics.
3. Journal on vellum and adhere to layout using eyelets overlaying a portion of a photo.
4. Copy and paste the Denim Frame from the Creatable to a workspace. Size the frames to fit as a title and to make small nuggets. Print onto white cardstock. Cut out and adhere to layout.
5. Size and print the frog graphics. I used Peeking Over for the title and Sitting, Fishing, and Jumping Frog for the nuggets. Size them to fit in the appropriate frames. Cut out and adhere to the nuggets using an adhesive and 3-D Dots to give them depth. Place dots on the spots that would be closest to you. For example, the Peeking Over Frog on the title has the Dots on his hands and nowhere else.
6. Create a title, print on vellum and adhere using eyelets.
7. Add a Dragonfly and adhere with Dots under its wings. Draw dashes behind the dragonfly to give it motion.
   

Layout 2: UNDER THE BIG TOP

Supplies:

• Just Clowning Around Creatable by Laurie Furnell
• Karen Foster Paper
• Tangerine
• Twilight
• Speckled Green White cardstock
• Scrapworks metal letters to spell BIG
• Assorted glitter
• facets jewels
• gold cord

Instructions:

1. Create a background on the tangerine paper by adding a 4 1/2" twilight border at the top and a 3" speckled green border at the bottom.
2. Copy and paste the Big Top graphic and size to use as a photo frame. Cut out and attach photo. Adhere to the layout.
3. Copy and paste the Elephant and Ringmaster. Size to fit onto layout. Cut out and embellish with glitter and faceted jewels. Adhere to layout. Attach the balloon to the elephants trunk using the cord cording.
4. Create a title on white cardstock. I used Beffle font, downloaded from the internet and used Scrapwork letters for the work BIG. Print out and add corner graphics embellished with glitter to the corners. Adhere to layout.
   

Layout 3: COTTON-EYED JOE

Supplies:

• Star Spangled Summer 2 by Laurie Furnell
• Red cardstock by Bazzill
• White cardstock
• 1/4" Terrifically Tacky Tape by Provo Craft
• Musical note punchies
• Poetry Dog Tags
• Go and Girl Raffia

Instructions:

1. Copy and paste the Hay background onto a work space. Size to 7 1/2"x10". Print onto white cardstock and trim off white edges. Adhere to the right side of the red cardstock.
2. Copy and paste the Rooster and Hens graphic along with the Rooster, and Check Frame graphic. Size to fit the layout and a photo. Cut out graphics and frame.
3. Place photo in check frame and adhere to layout along with the rooster graphics. Arrange the rooster graphics to create a straight line of hay across the page.
4. Place the Tacky tap across the hay part of the graphics. Snip small pieces of raffia and place onto the tape.
5. Place the musical note punchies above the crowing rooster.
6. Tie the Dog Tags together using raffia and adhere under the photo.
   

Layout 4: HUNTER SAFETY

Supplies:

• Backwoods Critters Creatable by Kerrie Fisher
• Green Camo paper by Creative Imagination
• Rust and Black cardstock from Bazzill
• White cardstock
• Cork sheet by Magic Scraps
• Versamark Watermark Stamp Pad by Tsukineko
• Clear Embossing Powder by Personal Stamp Exchange
• Heat Gun
• Jewelry rings
• 9" length leather cording

Instructions:

1. Place a 4 1/2" border of rust cardstock along the right edge of the green camo paper.
2. Tear a random cork border and place 3" from the bottom.
3. Copy and paste the Shotgun and From the Kitchen graphic to a workspace. Size the shotgun to 10" long and the Kitchen graphic 2 1/2"x3 1/2" and print onto white cardstock. Cut out.
4. Use From the Kitchen graphic for your journaling. Mat onto black cardstock and place at the top of the rust border.
5. Stamp the shotgun with the Versamark and emboss with the clear embossing powder. Repeat the process. Place the jewelry rings on the ends of the leather cord and attach to the shotgun to create a sling. Adhere the gun to the cork border.
6. Mat photo onto black cardstock and adhere to layout.