Finished just in time

After getting off to a great start for this month (April) I got really busy (you can read why at the end of this post) and have only just squeaked in to get all of my layouts done. But first here is one I made earlier...

Photos I Love - I realised I hadn't posted my layout for February, this is such a cute photo of Alyse's (then) new puppy who has grown so quickly since this photo was taken.

Family Stories - a 12x12 + a 6x12 full of journalling all about how our dog Toby was lost then found, these photos are from the early 1990's and I am so happy to have this story documented and to use up some of our older photos.

Holidays - yes you did see this same photo used previously but this layout is for TJ's album and of course uses different patterned papers.

Personality - I love seeing all those crazy funny faces (and even that rude gesture) on one double page layout and yes the two photos on the bottom row of the right side page are of TJ dressing up! hehehe

Photos I Love - this is April's favourite photo of Alyse and her b/f. I love how these eclectic patterns go together so well, (if you know what I mean). Every time I create one of these P.I.L layouts using all the scraps from the month I get more and more motivated to sew a new patchwork blanket for our bed. Watch this space.

Places - yes I have scrapped this place (and these photos) before, but this layout is using different (old) patterned papers and is for TJ's album. No I am not running out of photos to scrap but I am trying to get layouts done for each of the kids' albums.

Rituals - this is another one of those 'same photos' layouts this time for TJ's album, I find it easier to scrap duplicate designs and photos at the same time so made this page kit (and the Wishing Tree & Cray Bay ones) at the same time but finished them in different months, as part of the TWELVE class.

So that is another 12 layouts created + one PIL layout for April, and I already have twelve page kits ready for May's layouts. I am going to an ISD crop (International Scrapbooking Day) this Friday from 6pm-12pm and then head off to Sydney via Auckland the next morning, only to return home the following Friday morning before heading off to a weekend scrapping retreat that same afternoon, so I had to be very organised. Now I just need to get some meals made for the kids to eat whilst Ross and I are away. Mind you Alyse and my Mum are really good cooks so they won't starve.

Already over half way there for April

I have to be honest and admit I started most of these on the 31st of March but hey it's totally my call so I am going to say they can be counted towards my April tally for TWELVE.

Photos I Love (Crazy Coots) - this is my March photo using the scraps from my layouts for March. I have tried and tried to get a nice photo of Alyse and Ross all month but they just wouldn't cooperate, however this one has grown on me! LOL

Everyday Life - I have had this page kit in my folder for a very long time and even though I don't like it the story of the school uniform is now told and in the album. (I have used three daisy embellishments that I was given years ago at Duty Free, they are actually used for spraying Daisy perfume on for customers to sniff LOL, and there are swatches of the uniform on the layout too).

Inspiration - my layout is based on a colour combo from one of the triggers Stacy provided in March, I have blurred the faces of the three ladies for privacy reasons.

Me - I used a photo of me at work taken around the time of my 21st as this is where the surprise took place. I have added journalling on the back of the layout and will be recording the singing telegram on to a CD for my layout too (yes I have kept the old tape for all these years LOL). I think this layout was based on a pagemaps sketch.

People - The photos of Taylor Swift were downloaded from the net. I have blurred the photos of the other two girls for privacy reasons.

Seasons - a layout about saying goodbye to my Dad, I have had this layout in mind for a few years now and didn't want to use a photo of Dad so used this photo of one of the flowers off his casket. (I have this same image on my eft pos card too). As the journalling is private I have blurred it out for the net.

Things - some of my cropping buddies have laughed about how I used the prettiest paper in my stash for such an ugly photo but I decided I needed something nice instead of using motley/mouldy paper LOL. The photo is on hinges and the journalling is hidden, for no reason other than I didn't want to hide any more of the pretty paper.

Fun - Ross is so patient with me when it comes to teaching me how to surfcast. I have been practicing since this first time and can now get my line quite a way out into the water but still haven't had a bite.

Check back later in the month for the other six layouts (Personality, Rituals, Holidays, Places, Family Stories and the Photos I Love layout - photo yet to be taken) The page kits are made for all of them (except the PIL) but I need to make even more kits in readiness for a weekend retreat in May, thank goodness its the school holidays and we don't have much planned.