Shimelle's Cropping Weekend Challenge #9

Will blog more; I just need to upload right now.  This challenge during Shimelle's  Cropping Weekend was to use an outdated challenge.  I chose Shimelle's & Two Pea's 4x6 Photo Love from last year; specifically using four 4x6 pics on one layout.  There is a picture behind the title block. 

4x6 Photo Love: 2011 Review (Dec)

 This is the last monthly challenge for Two Peas 4x6 Photo Love with Shimelle Laine.  The challenge is to use 12 photos on one layout for the month of December.  This time each photo is on a separate pattern paper frame.  Each photo mat became a bit larger until the last picture is on the base cardstock.  I focused on a 2011 Review with each photo mat focused on each individual month of the year.  On the back of each month's photo mat is the journaling recapping the events of that particular month.  Each photo mat has an eyelet with baker's twine (brown & white) strung through it and all the string is stapled at the top of the base cardstock.  I added a few embellishments to the larger monthly photo mats and used rub ons for the monthly titles.  I used a numbers diecut as a mask on cream cardstock.  I used Tattered Angels red spray to create the mask.  It also left a little glitter on the page, making it sparkly.  All the photo mat pattern paper is Bo Bunny's Back to Basics including the 2011 number stickers.  The brown felt letters spelling REVIEW are old and I have no idea from what maker.  This layout was time consuming, but I am VERY happy with the results!  I am also very sad that 4x6 Photo Love is over.  Thanks to Shimelle & Two Peas for such a fabulous class!

4x6 Photo Love: Erie Canal

Left page

Right page

Close up of Title & Journaling

Well, I failed at the Christmas Journal, but I decided to accomplish Shimelle's 4x6 Photo Love in conjunction with Two Peas in a Bucket 4x6 monthly challenge.  November's challenge was to use 11 pictures on one layout.  This was accomplished by inserting a 6x12 photo insert into the middle of a two page layout.  My 6x12 insert did not arrive in time; so I used a 12x12 photo insert w/ 6: 4x6 inserts, which allows a total of 12 photos.  I folded over the right side in order to accomplish the challenge.  There are 4 horizontal 4x6 photos along the bottom of the two page spread, 3 4x6 vertical at the top and 4 4x6 photos in the insert w/ 2 journaling cards.  I always love these challenges because they are so interactive!  Here is my attempt at this month's challenge, which was issued on November 30 and Due today, December 29th.  Nothing like waiting to last moment.  These pictures are from our summer vacation to Buffalo, NY & Canada.  We took an Erie Canal boat ride to view the lock system in action!  It was incredible!  Gates would lock in front of you and open behind you and the water would either flood in or out depending which way you traveled on the Erie Canal!  It is a spectacular feat of engineering!  This was such a fun trip!  We were all amazed by the Erie Canal!

LOAD: Day 5 & Shimelle's 4x6 Love Camp Tara Wildlife

Opening the pages; left is back of 8x12; right is 12x12

8x12 is closed on top of the 12x12

       Today's LOAD challenge was to throw out the "usual" techniques and/or minimum requirements we adhere to when we create a layout.  For example, if you always create a 12x12 layout; make an 8x8 or other size layout, use hand journaling if you always use computerized, etc.

     Well, in order to meet today's LOAD prompt, I decided to tackle Shimelle's/Two Peas in a Bucket 4x6 Love August challenge.   The 4x6 challenge is to use 8 pictures; four on a 12x12 layout and 4 (2 on each side) of an 8x12.  Then you will sew or adhere the two page protectors together to create "One page".

       I have never scrapped on an 8x12 page before, nor do I typically use transparency to create the title of a layout, nor do I use the front and back of one sheet of paper (at the same time) to create a layout (8x12), nor do I use computer generated journalling.  All of which I did on this 4x6 LOVE/LOAD layout.  Here is my take on both challenges.

     I will need to decide if the page should open left or right.  Once I decide exactly where this "combo" layout will go in my son's album, I will use "tacky" tape to adhere the 8x12 page protector to the 12x12 page protector.  This will create the look and feel of one layout made of 2 pages.

Front 8x12 page

Back of 8x12 page

It amazes me that I only used 2 sheets of patterned cardstock.  One side was blue dots and the other solid blue.  The paper is 3+ years old and is We R Memory Keepers "Sky".  The envelope is Maya Road and the journal block is Bo Bunny. I used Summer Days banner from Pink Paislee's Hometown Summer collection.  This layout certainly took some time to create, but it was fun.  I will keep the idea in reserve.  This paper is some that I "saved" because I needed just the "right layout" to use it.   Three years later, I do think I found the right layout.  I plan to use the back of the 12x12 side to "quickly" layout two picks I have of Walker in the car on the ride home from camp.

    Tara Wildlife Camp is a five star camp located in Vicksburg, MS.  John Luther (Walker's cousin) and Walker shared a room (joined that day) by a friend Jacob Bomgarten.  This room was air conditioned, two double beds, only 2 boys per room, had its own shower and toilet, laundry service and 3 hot meals a day for one week.  Both boys received their hunter's education certification after taking the state test.  The pictures directly to the right are of the last day of camp. 1st: John & Walker in front of the life size deer in the hall of the cabins.  2nd pic: "Smurf" and Walker in the TV room of the camp.  Smurf was a 16 year old boy in Walker's "team/group" for the week.  Walker like any young 9 year old attached himself to "smurf" for the week.  I asked Walker what the boy's name was and he kept repeating "Smurf". Walker has no idea what this young man's Christian name is. Smurf received his nickname from a t-shirt he wore throughout camp!  Walker thoroughly enjoyed camp! Hunting, fishing, archery, riflery, duck call lessons, alligator management...a young hunter's dream!  Walker is already gearing up for next year!

4x6 Love: Niagra Falls + 7 pictures

Each month over at Two Peas in a Bucket, Shimelle Laine hosts a free class called 4x6 Love. Each month she demonstrates how to put a certain number of pictures on a layout. July was the 7th month in our year; hence you had to incorporate 7 pictures in your layout using the design she demonstrates! I love this class because many times she has "interactive" or "hidden" pictures! Below are examples of the layout I made using Shimelle's July design!

Front page

opening the hidden pictures

revealing the pictures below

and finally unveiling the rest of the pictures and the hidden journaling

Niagra: Shimelle's 4x6 LO

These are random pictures we took during our vacation to Niagra Falls & Canada! I used Shimelle's 4x6 LO from Two Peas. I need to journal but, I will eventually!