Then

Now that the month of December has started, it's only fitting that your Auntie Em's design team use Christmas-themed paper and embellishments for this month's challenge.

The collection used this month is Holly Jolly Christmas by Echo Park. It's from a few seasons ago but that just goes to show how you can find a use for past collections, even if you've past it many times in the store. Plus, it's Echo Park and how could that be bad? (It's no secret - I love Echo Park!)

Following the 2012 PageMaps calendar sketch for December, I decided to use one larger picture for this layout.

This picture brings back so many fantastic memories for me - and isn't that what scrapbooking is all about?! It was taken Christmas morning 2008 of my husband Matt holding our exactly 2-month old son Samuel. I just happened to be snapping a few pictures of papa and Sam when I saw it...Sam's first smile! Seriously. I managed to get a picture of Sam's first smile! How lucky was that??! It was such a special day to begin with but this made it even more special - my kid smiled for the first time. As any parent will tell you, this is an amazing moment that you'll never forget. Such a big moment obviously deserves it's own scrapbooking page!

I layered several patterned papers and matted the picture with the chevron pattern. I first used the Big Shot to emboss the paper with a snowflake pattern. To add some sparkle, I used Glimmer Glam in Chandelier. I also added a piece of brown trim to the bottom. Lastly, I distressed the edges of my picture and wrapped it with twine. My bow wasn't as perfect as I would have liked so I added a white brad.

The collection was accompanied by chipboard stickers and I used to the pendant in the top left of the page.

Journalling is always an important part of the scrapbooking process for me. I used the Big Shot to create my own journalling box.

Now that my husband and I are expecting our second child, I realize how fast time with Sam has gone by. It seems like yesterday that I was celebrating my first Christmas as a parent. Preserving memories through scrapbooking allows me to look back and remember these good times that fly by so quickly.

Happy scrappin'! I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas/holidays filled with family, friends, love and good food.

~Sarah



The April Mission

Auntie Em's design team mission for April (if I chose to accept it) was to add dimension to a layout based on the April sketch from the 2012 PageMaps calendar. Dimension is one of the many many MANY things I love about scrapbooking. Dimension, whether it be through the use of embellishments like flowers, brads, chipboard, etc., or the simple use of pop-up tape, makes a layout come alive.

Just like my fellow design team members, I used Basic Grey's Hello Luscious collection. You should check out the other ladies' blog entries because their layouts are fantastic! It still amazes me that the four of us can take the same collection and sketch and end up with completely different results.

Here is what I came up with:

These pictures were taken on Canada Day 2011. My husband Matt and I hosted a barbeque attended by some of our best friends. Matt barbequed A LOT of food!

I added dimension to the layout by using pop-up tape. I used it on the title piece (at the top of the page) and at the bottom of the page (paper border). I also used rope to add dimension:

I also clustered and layered embellishments on the side of a picture to add dimension:

Other techniques used:

- Two different border punches;

- Glimmer Glam (love this product!) in Espresso on two paper borders;

- Bazzill's In Stitch'z and We R Memory Keepers twine for the title;

- Sanding the edge of the pictures. 

I have to say that I wasn't a huge Basic Grey fan before this month's challenge. Seeing this layout come together has gone a long way to changing my mind! I even ended up getting more of this line to created additional pages!

Happy scrappin'!

~Sarah~