Stuck?! Sketches and Stairway to Heaven Challenge

I saw this great double challenge over at Stuck?! Sketches for November and decided to play along!

Here is the AWESOME Sketch from STUCK?!

As an added challenge, they are partnering up with "Scrap It With a Song" Blog - and they have selected the Led Zepplin Song - "Stairway To Heaven" as their inspiration.

(LOVE that song!)

I decided to use a photo of our first Portuguese Water Dog, Turnabout Princess Water Lily.  She passed away in 2011 and even though we have added 2 more PWD's to our family, who are both related to her great grandmother and grandfather, 

our Lily is missed everyday and will always hold a special place in our memories and hearts.

Here is my layout of our beautiful girl....

I used the first two lines of the song for my inspiration. 

"There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold

And she's buying a stairway to heaven."

I used GOLD accents and a GOLD title in the layout, and if I COULD, I WOULD buy a Stairway to Heaven, to see our girl again. 

Here are some close ups for you too...

Here are the items I used:

I thought that the BoBunny Star-Crossed Collection would be PERFECT for the theme of this layout.

I used the following 12x12 papers: Stripe, Washi, Altered, Love

and the following embellishments from the Collection too: Ephermera, Noteworthy, Layered Chipboard, Stamp Stickers

We R Memory Keepers Gold Sequin Stickers and Gold Foil Words

Distress Stain colors: Black Soot, Evergreen Bough, Tarnished Brass

Distress Ink: Black Soot

Stencil

Thanks for stopping by!  

((Hugs)) ~ Sherri

November's Scrap Our Stash Sketch Challenge "Get Away"

Hello my Scrappy Friends!!   Another FUN Sketch and Challenge from Scrap Our Stash is up on the SOS Blog and I can't wait to share it with you!!  Just take a look at this month's awesome Sketch along with the added BINGO Board Challenge below as we hope to kick it up a notch for you, and really get you to use your STASH this month!!

Just use the sketch as your guide, and ALSO select ONE Line of Elements, either up and down, side to side or diagonally, to include in your layout. Full details and PRIZE Info can be found on the  

SCRAP OUR STASH Blog!

I call my layout "Get Away"

For the Bingo Challenge, I selected the "G" Column for my layout - Wood, Sequins, Leaves, Kraft, and Flair ( I LOVE FLAIR!) I decided to flip the Sketch one turn towards the right, or clockwise. I'm not really sure why.... I just thought it would work better for the layout I had planned.  We were blessed to have had the chance to spend a week in Paradise - aka - Beaches -  Turks and Caicos Resort, with my husbands' brothers and sister-in-laws in October.  It was a well needed and true "Get Away" from it all - filled with sunshine, food, laughter and lots of frozen mojitos!

Here is my Design Team Inspiration layout for you:

I wanted to use up some of the DELICIOUS Simple Stories "Summer Vibes" Collection, that has been calling to me ever since I bought it at my Local Scrapbook Store www.shopthedoo.com ! 

Speaking of "KRAFT" paper....

This is how I started my base.  

I used a piece of Tim Holtz Kraft Resist paper, and inked the edges with Ranger Distress Stains, and a foam applicator - just around the edges. I used Peacock Feathers around the top, and Ripe Persimmon on the bottom, to match the Simple Stories base I was going to put on top of it after tearing.

Here you can see the torn, inked edges, with the inked kraft paper showing through. I LOVE this technique!  You can also see few of the "BINGO" embellishments in this photo too! ( Kraft, Sequins, Leaves and Wood )

I also had this AWESOME custom die cut, made by my good friend "Mama Doodle" from Scrap-a-Doodle Doo at www.shopthedoo.com  It has a kraft paper base.  I used Distress Stains, and Wink of Stella glitter brushes, in clear and white, to highlight and accent the details on the die cut title to give it a little more dimension.  You can also see the last item from the Bingo Challenge "Flair" in this photo as well.

Here are a few more close ups for you...

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will join us at Scrap Our Stash for this Sketch and Bingo Challenge!  Check out all the details and PRIZE Info on the SOS BLOG, and come get Scrappy with it!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Stash Items used:
Simple Stories Summer Vibes:
#6351 - Shine On
#6307 - #Selfie
#6304 - Just Beachy
#6308 - Pop Fizz
Bits and Pieces
Enamel Dots

Tim Holtz Kraft Resist Paper Stash
Fancy Pants Making Waves - Sunny Days "Flair"
Heidi Swapp Wood Veneer "Get Away"
Petaloo Flowers - Darjeeling Collection "Teastained Spice"
Ranger Distress Stains: Peacock Feathers / Ripe Persimmon / Fossilized Amber / Vintage Photo
Royal Coat Dimensional Magic
Wink of Stella - Clear and White Glitter Brush
Sequins / Wooden Hearts
Washi Tape
Turks and Caicos Custom Die Cut from www.shopthedoo.com

Challenge YOUrself #23 Tic Tac Toe Board ~ "BFF's"

Another FUN CHALLENGE is up on the Challenge YOUrself Blog!!  November brings a Tic Tac Toe board, for your "Scrapping Pleasure!"  Just pick a column or row - up and down, side to side, or diagonally, and include those elements in your layout - also being sure to include a PHOTO OF YOU too!  All Challenge Details and Prize info can be found on The Challenge YOUrself Blog!

Now let's play some Tic Tac Toe!  For my DT Inspiration Layout, I selected the middle column, because who doesn't LOVE "Friends" and "Bling!"

And here is my DT Inspiration Layout for you:

Where do I begin with this layout?  First, let me talk about the photo.  This is a picture of my good friend Janice and I.  We met in 2008, at a scrapbook weekend retreat, about 3 hours from our homes. We happened to sit at the same round table during a lunch break.  I noticed her last name on her name tag and asked her if she knew a plumber, named Joe with the same last name.  She said, "Yes, he is my husband!"  We've been great friends, scrapbook retreat roomies, and BFF's ever since!! :-)

I love this photo of the 2 of us!  When I saw this paper collection at my Local Scrapbook Store - Scrap-a-Doodle Doo,  www.shopthedoo.com, I fell in love with it, and knew right away that this would be the perfect collection for this photo!. The colors, along with the gold accents were just unique, and nothing like I had in my "STASH."  I asked the wonderful owner, Stephanie, to order "One of everything" for me, as I knew I just had to have it!


Here are some close ups of all the little details and the wonderful bits and pieces:

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope I've inspired you to play along with us at the Challenge YOUrself Blog this month!  This Tic Tac Toe Board was LOTS of FUN - go ahead, give it a try!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Supplies used:
My Mind's Eye "My Story" Collection
MYS108 - Heirloom Roses
MYS106 - Take Aim
MYS102 - Look at This
MYS101 - This Moment
Chipboard Elements / Mixed Bag / Decorative Brads
Teresa Collins Wanderlust Ephemera
Ranger Distress Stains - Ground Espresso / Abandoned Coral / Fossilized Amber / Picket Fence
Quick Quotes - Powder Puff Chalk - Pink Cheeks

November Scrap Our Stash WORD Challenge "ALBUMS" - "The Big Cheese"

It is time for Scrap-Our Stash's November word challenge - ALBUMS !!  I am sure you will have lots of creative fun with this one!! Give it a try - I hope you will play along with us!

And here is my Design Team Inspiration Layout for you:

I call this layout "The Big Cheese!" since Capt Mickey is in the center of the photo!  This was taken on our January 2014 Disney Fantasy Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean.  I love to try to use the big 8x10" photos that I have from some of our Disney Cruises on these word challenges.  Since the photos take up so much of the page, I find using the WORD CHALLENGE for the embellishments on my layout really works.   Here is what I ended up using:
A - Arrows / Anchor / Adirondack Alcohol Ink / Admission Ticket
L - Lined Simple Story Paper / Letters / Layers
B - Brads / Bazzill Cardstock / Banners
U - Letter "U" in CrUise
M - Metal Anchor / Metal Brads / Mickey Mouse Ears
S - Stickers / Stars / Simple Stories Say Cheese and Say Cheese 2

I really love these word challenges - they help to get my creative "Mojo" flowing, and help me to use up some of the "Stash" that I've been accumulating.  I hope you will play along with us at Scrap Our Stash this month!!

Here are some close ups of all the little elements on the layout - I really LOVE these 2 Simple Stories "Say Cheese" Lines - they are just so "DISNEY!"

This "Anchor" was originally silver - but I had some Ranger Gold Alcohol Ink, and I tarnished it a bit with it to make it blend in better.

Speaking of GOLD - I just LOVE the shiny GOLD accents in this paper line!

The "U" in ALBUMS, was really my only "Challenge" in this Challenge, but by using a CRUISE photo, I was able to use a "U" in the title of the Layout and make it work!

Here are a few more close ups for you:

Thanks for stopping by - I hope I've inspired you to play along with us at Scrap Our Stash - Check out all the details on the SOS Blog and see what this month's prize is too!!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

Items used from my STASH:
Simple Stories Say Cheese 1 - Snap Stickers / Decorative Brads
Simple Stories Say Cheese 2 -  Bradz/ Enamel Dots / Stickers / Bits and Pieces
Ranger Distress Stains - Black Soot / Tarnished Brass / Fossilized Amber
Adirondak Gold Alcohol Ink
EK Success - Mickey Alphabet Dimensional Stickers
Bazzill Cardstock

November "MIM" Sketch# 49 "Freezing @ Tracy Arm!"

Happy November!!!   I hope all of you out there in Bloggyland are well, and you are ready to get your "SKETCH on!"  The first sketch for this month @ The Memory Nest Blog is up and ready for you to join in!

Leslie has given us another FUN Challenge this month, with a little added "somethin' somethin'!"

I am sure you are able to replace the "@" sign with any other embellishment, but I thought it would be fun to incorporate it in my layout, and in the title.  Take a look at the sketch:

As a little "aside" for you - I did do a little research and found out that the "@" was originally used when listing and pricing items for example:  Qty (3) Chocolate Bars @ $1.00each = $3.00.
Sometimes it is also used in the place of the word "Approximately" or "Around" as well - ie: We should arrive @ 6:00pm. 
Since the invention of Email - it has become widely used as an email "Address" denoting what email service or provider is used for that person's email address.  - So now you know! LOL!

Now, onto my DT Inspiration Layout for you....

I decided to break into the pack of Disney Cruise Line ALASKA Scrapbook papers/stickers, that I purchased on our Disney Wonder Cruise this past June, along with some other papers from my "STASH!" I love the bright and dark blues that pick up the colors in the glacier, mixed with the black and red check, that picks up on our red rain jackets - I didn't think it would work - but somehow it does!

This is one of my favorite photos of us, standing at the bow of The Disney Wonder, right in front of the Sawyer Glacier, at the end of our trip up Tracy Arm Fjord.  We stood, freezing, in the cold, wet, rainy weather for about 2 hours, holding our "front row spot" as we traveled up the Fjord, approaching the glacier.

We sailed through incredible blue water, and around every bend there were breathtaking views of mountains and amazing waterfalls. As we got closer, there were icebergs and seals floating by too.  It was a trip of a lifetime, and a memory we will cherish always. This view was worth the wait, in the cold, wet, windy weather for sure!

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you will join us and play along at THE MEMORY NEST BLOG.  I can't wait to see what you will come up with!!

((HUGS)) ~ Sherri

List of Supplies:
Scrapbook Customs: Mr. Lumberjack / Alaskan Cruise
Disney Wonder Alaska 2015 Paper/Sticker pack
Theresa Collins Wanderlust Decorative Brads
My Mind's Eye Jubilee Rub-ons
Basic Grey Alpha Stickers
Glitter Dots / Mickey Eyelet