Generations - Start to Finish

Most of you know how much fun I am having in May Flaum's Curious Scrapbooker's Field Guide and this past week has been no exception! Our focus is now on paint and well...paint is just plain fun! 

And you also know what a fan of Shimelle's I am. So, when Two Peas announced her new workshop, A Hitchhiker's Guide to Scrapbooking, I could not pass that up! At $25 it is an absolute steal with the amount of content included! As soon as I hit "complete purchase," I dove right into the lessons. 

Lesson One focuses on picking a set of supplies and how to coordinate with a photo while not getting too matchy matchy. Shimelle challenged all of us to pick a set of supplies and photograph them. And then to photograph the finished LO. It has been super fun to see everyone's before and afters. So, I pulled out my supplies and set out to combine these classes and do a layout with paint and mists...

Let's get started, shall we? I have a sweet photo here of my 95 year old grandmother following 2 of my girls that are holding hands with my dad. Such a sweet moment between the generations. I have pulled mostly MME The Bright Side with a bit of Amy Tan, Authentique and Jillibean Soup. Oh yes, and of course a good strong cup of coffee!

I love the chevron pattern in the MME paper and want to echo that with the paint treatment. I have a scrap piece of cardboard that I bent, now let's stamp some white...

All stamped up, it's time to mist! I am not sure how this will work out, so let's try this first with something subtle like "Clay."

Well, that IS subtle! I can't even see it, can you?

Ok, time to get bold with some "clover."

Ah yes, that is fun. After adding some blue, I test the placement of the photo:

Time to layer up with all those fun supplies I picked out! I really love those little people. I so want them to work on this. They just don't. Too distracting. Oh well, they will on something else!

More layering and stacking...

Now, I have things all tucked in and am liking the direction of this. Time to commit, sort of. I have found that if I tack a big stack of goodies down with my Tiny Attacher, they will stay in place enough to work with but can be moved if needed. Think: Dating exclusively, but not ready to get engaged...

After futzing with that for a bit, I am ready to get engaged! Off to the sewing machine:

Love the texture that adds:

While I am merely engaged to this arrangement, its time to play with some more little bits and get this wedding planned...

Border strips? Yes please.

Coming along...

And some washi? Yes, of course! That black may be too strong...

What if we layer some brown over it? ooooh, yes!

I tuck that in the corner there...

A little more there...

Some splattering...

OK, title time. I have had these blue glitter Thickers for a little too long. I won them in a class prize pack. I just have trouble with them. Let's see if I can get them to work here:

Well, maybe that's fun? I kind of like the sparkly against the rustic wood...

Pulls in some colors from the photo nicely...

Oh, goodness. That is just too...something...

What if I break out the paint again and tone down the shine?

Oh, YUCK! These will just not work. Back in the package they go and I hand them off to my daughter. She is thrilled!

Ah yes...better!

Time to get married! The sewing machine seals the deal and everything is stuck together for life!

Let's go on the Honeymoon now :) Time to tuck in some more little details. Border strips:

I like the way that echoes the pattern in the stitching:

Twine? Yes, but maybe not this twine:

Ah, yes. Better:

The Doodle Twine finds it's way around the bottom of the photo:

And in a little cluster at the top:

And the best part of the hooneymoon...Journaling and pen lines!

Ah yes, I see a long happy life on this page:

It was great fun combining my two classes to scrap this sweet photo. I love how classes get me out of my comfort zone and push me to work in new ways! Are you taking any classes? What do you love most about them? Let us know below and remember, It's never too late to join me in The Hitchhiker's Guide!!!

* Layout Love Linky *

I have some layouts that are feeling neglected :( They did not have any photos taken of them while they were being created. They did not get their own blog post. They may have hung in my studio for a bit, but then they were piled in a stack awaiting their homes in albums. They are so sad. So, time to give them some LOVE!

Here are some recent layouts, in no particular order, for your viewing pleasure! And, did you know you can always click on soapHOUSE scraps over on the left there? That will take you over to my Two Peas Gallery. Just in case you are wondering what other layouts have been neglected :)

Ok, so I know this last one isn't a LO, but it's the first (real) card I have ever made! I just had to share :) 

Do you blog about every layout you create? Or, do you have some projects in need of a little love too? Share a link below from your online gallery to a layout that needs some attention. Or, post a little layout love of your own on your blog and link that up. I can't wait to visit all of your layouts! 

My Garden Grows - Start to Finish

Most of you already know that it's stamp week in the Curious Scrapbooker's Field Guide class. I have SO enjoyed exploring my stamps, some of which have never seen the likes of an ink pad! I have had the opportunity to share with you all why I love scrapbooking and my love of knitting. Now it's time for me to let you in on another love of mine, gardening! Time to document this on a scrapbook page!

To begin, I grab this floral stamp that has never been used, but that I have owned for too long to admit to. I am thinking it might be fun to make a bit of a background with it:

oooooh,yes - I like it!

Now for some photos from my garden, cropped roughly into squares. These might look nice in a clothesline effect:

Twine and brads at the ready:

Lets string it up:

Perhaps some birdies from my fun new punch:

Oh, this is coming together nice and quick. That is especially fun after my experience with my last layout! I have added some paper bits and stickers all from Crate's Random collection:

More patterned paper punchy fun:

ooooooh, I got this trim on sale and I am thrilled that it may just work on this LO:

And of course, some Washi:

Time for some miniature butterflies:

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We interupt our regular scheduled post, to bring you the following message:

Thanks to my friend Penny, I am proud to report that the Purple Mailbox has been given some love!

Some Liebster Love, to be exact!

The Liebster Award is given to insprational blogs with less than 200 followers.  Liebster is a German word meaning dearest or favorite. The tradition is that I would pass on the award to 5 other blogs that have encouraged, inspired, and motivated me.  

And those five are, in no particular order: Dining Table Scrapper, I Rock Paper and Scissors, Abstracts Mixed With Extracts, Curly Mosaics, My Analog Life.

These wonderful blogs bring a fresh perspective that I find consistently inspiring!

To accept the award here's what you have to do:
1. Thank the person who gave you the award on your blog.
2. Link back to that blogger from your blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Pass on the award to 5 of your most valued blogs, with less than 200 followers.
5. Leave a comment on those 5 blogs letting them know they were chosen.

Hooray for passing on inspiration!

We now resume our regularly scheduled post:

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I just love tucking in bits and pieces! And splattering!

More layering:

And the title! This is seeming too easy...But hey, I should not complain!

And there we have it! That was fun! Isn't it great when things just flow?

My Garden Grows....

Did you know you can click "soapHOUSE grows" over there in the top left to visit my gardening blog? I have been blogging about my adventures in the dirt for over 5 years now. It is so fun to look back - just like we do in our scrapbooks. 

It really is fun to scrap a hobby. It's a nice break from documenting a specific event or moment. I think this one may hang on the wall for a while :)

Are you a gardener? A lover of gardens? Do you scrap your hobbies? Let us know below: