Passover pictures and layout

This year Passover Eve was also the last day of school. We decided that kids can start their spring vacation one day earlier. On Tuesday we packed our new minivan and as soon as the girls came from school we left the house on our way to New Jersey. After 16 hours drive (I just don't know how Ofir is doing that!) we arrived to our friends Miri and Yuval. Just in time to celebrate the Seder together. It was a great trip with lot of playing time, some sightseeing and just a nice feeling of togetherness that only old friends can give you.

I have lots of pictures to go through and sort but here are some from the Passover Seder

Looking at the pictures I realized that I didn't scrap the last Passover. We celebrated with another friends here in WI. I made a simple page with a minimal journaling and let the pictures tell the story. I used Jenni Bowlin March 2008 kit. I like how the blue, cream and gold colors match the warm colors of the pictures and the plates. I really wanted to use the big orange flowers that came with the kit but I felt they were just too much. After trying different things I cut the flower in half and each half I rolled around itself and wrapped with a strip of patterned paper. Now it looked like a gentle spring flower and was just perfect for the layout.

For that Passover Seder I made the place cards and the menus. I will keep the menu in the separate 6x12 page protector between the pages.

I also used my new Fiskars Cameo Appearance squeeze punch and matching stamps.

Earth day projects

Earth Day Carnival at Craft Critique! Go check it! I saw some amazing ideas, like macrame from the old VHS tapes, recycled shoes and many others.
My Scraps post below is also there :)

Scraps!

I store my paper scraps in 12x12 drawers sorted by colors - white/cream/grey/black, pink/red/purple, yellow/orange/brown, blue/green, special paper, multicolor. I love my scrap drawers and use them all the time. Last month I did two projects with Ella using only the scraps. The projects were for the Fiskateer message board.

The first project is the corner bookmark. I first saw this idea in the kids craft book long time ago but recently it appeared again in the blog universe. After few hours of cutting, gluing and punching we had enough bookmarks for all our family members and friends.

Here is how to make a circle bookmark.

For the second project we made collage animals.

1. Print out animal shapes and find few scraps of pattern paper

2. Tear the paper into the small pieces

3. Use glue stick to cover the animal shape, don't worry about going outside the shape

4. Here is how the covered shape will look like

5. Flip the paper and cut out the shape. I did it just by holding the sheet of paper in my hand. You can use a light box to trace the shape on the back side or even trace the shape before you cover it.

6. Play with different shapes and textures.

To find the animal shapes I just googled for "animal silhouettes". Martha Stewart has great templates on her website. I used some from this website. http://karenswhimsy.com/animal-silhouettes.shtm

Because the shapes are solid it was easy to cut them out by just flipping the paper and holding it in hand. You can cut the shape before building the collage or you can trace the shape on the back of the paper.

We made 9 cats (my daughter made 3 and I made the rest). I bought a very inexpensive frame at Michaels, cut out the letters with my Revolution and made this poster. I will hang it in Eli's room (when he will have a room LOL)

Oh, and the most exciting thing? I finally used the scraps of the purple Chuck E. Cheese paper! I think it was one of the first patterned papers I ever bought LOL

2 layouts to share

Some time ago I took a free sketch class by super talanted Janna Wilson and Valerie Salmon. I didn't have time to use the sketches then but last week I was cleaning my scrap desk and found the printout. Instead of moving it to another pile I just picked few pictures from my storage albums and made 2 layouts. I followed the sketches very closely this time. Thanks Janna and Valerie for the awesome sketches!

Basic Grey papers here and Lil' Davis embelishments, MM stickers and cloud 9 raindots

Deers and rats

2 more layouts. I used the Inspired Blueprints sketch for the first one. This hand stitching took me so long! Next time I will use the sewing machine! LOL

The star of the second layout is the cute deer Ella made at school along with the baggie it came with. I just love her artwork :)

Mazel Tov!

I made this layout for the PageMaps contest. I thought it will be nice to take just few pictures from the Huppah that symbolize the ceremony - the wine and the blessings, the Ketubah, the ring and the glass breaking.

The paper is by Making Memories , Creative Imaginations and ChatterBox from the Jenni Bowlin December kit. The rubons are by Pink Paisley from the same kit. The journaling and the doves stamps are by Jenni Bowlin. Lettler - Heidi Swapp. I used the new Fiskars XL scalloped heart punch and the L heart punch with the matching stamps. I finished with some stickles on the paper swirls and dove wings.

Random thoughts

On our recent shopping trip Lila picked a dress from Children's Place. It looked strange until I realized that it is a maxi dress. Few days ago at the mall I noticed that practically all stores are full of maxi dresses. Unbelievable. I thought it's kind of funny to see this fashion comeback.

This is my last favorite lo. I used the sketch from the Coordinates Collections and one of the Jenni Bowlin kits. The butterflies are painted with the Glimmer Mist. You don't see the sparkle on the photograph but it turned out very pretty. If the journaling doesn't make sense you probably never watched the MasterCard commercials.

This simple layout is based on Fiskars March layout sketch. Lil' Davis chipboard, Cloud 9 raindots, Making Memories letters and the baby is mine :)

Last week post

It is warming up! Now that the spring is officially here we can hope that we will not see any more snow this year (maybe just once or twice LOL)

Last Sunday was nice and sunny but on the chilly side - notice the coats we are wearing below.

But Monday was much warmer and Tuesday was just awesome! No coats or soaks needed awesome!

Eli is 6 months old :) He started to show some interest in food. The two little pearls that are showing in his mouth make him chew on everything he can grab - toys, spoons, stroller, his and not only his shoes.

I tried to upload a video here, but my laptop really doesn't want to cooperate. Meanwhile 4 days past since I started this post so I will just hit publish and will work on my videos later.

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2 more layouts

I know, my post titles are super creative LOL

Pink Persimmon (what a cute name!) posted a Spring Fever Challenge on their blog. I started to think about how I miss spring and about the cute mushrooms stamps I ordered from them few weeks ago. I had a vision of a mushroom forest, I run to my files where I keep the scanned old negatives and found this adorable photo of Lila that was taken exactly 9 years ago. Here is my little pumpkin in her first Purim costume.

Cosmo Cricket, Scenic Route and Creative Cafe paper, Pink Persimmon stamps, Cloud 9 chipboard letters, the butterfly and the date tag are from one of the Jenni Bowlin kits. The top right corner is punched with Read Between the Vines corner border punch.

And because I don't like to waste photo paper I always print 5x7 photos by two. I picked this cute photo of Eli with his great aunt and used sketch #5 from 52 sketches 52 weeks

All products are from Jenni Bowlin July 08 kit. I only added the blue journaling stickers that are also by JB and the Kraiser Crafts pearl. The photo mat corners are done with Pearls of Wisdom Fiskars squeeze punch.

2 layouts

I found this cool website with sketches. It is called 52 sketches 52 weeks. There is a new sketch every week and I picked two that I really liked.

This layout is based on sketch #7. I used Basic Grey papers and Lil' Davis frosty letters and glitter chipboard. I also used Fiskars squeeze punches, Martha Stewart gems and some sparkling fibers.

This layout is based on sketch #4. Eli was deeply interested in the luggage tag attached to his car seat. I decided to keep it and use it to make a ruffle boarder for my layout. The journaling lines are stamped with a cardboard edge.

Heidi Swapp and Crate Paper pp, Basic Grey sticker letters, Making Memories rub-ons, stickers and metal clip. The cute dots are by Pebbles.