We are experiencing technical difficulties!

I'm not ignoring my blog, our computer is having an absolute COW everytime I try to work on the internet.  And to add to the fun, my husband injured his eye last week ... and I've been needed to help him and drive him to all of the doctors appointments, so there is simply no time to figure out the problem just now ... sorry.

I'm hoping that I'll find some time in the next few days is investigate the issue, and then I'll do some catch up ... OK, OK, lots of catch up.  PLUS, I've got some amazing news, I'm just busting!

Thanks!

Michele and Steve

A little difference of opinion.

I value my husbands opinion ... he's my biggest fan, and my harshest critic (well no one is too harsh).  For the Sketch Support Blog Hop, he thinks that I should have said that Two-Page Sketch # 10 was a better choice for my favorite layout.  Well, no ... I still like #8 ... but I did complete 5 layouts based on #10, so he has a good argument ... hum.

So, here are the layouts based on Two-Page Sketch #10, my almost favorite.

What do you think?

Blog Hop Winner

Well, that was so much fun.  I'd like to say a great big thank-you to everyone who commented on my blog ... I've been visiting some of your blogs as well ... so much talent out there!  I'm so honoured to have been selected to be on the SG Creative Team!  Did you see those layouts?  Oh yeah, sure you did, LOL ... I'm still laughing ... Pelt the Paster, that's too funny!

And now ... using my random number generator (aka my husband), the winner is ....

Nancy
OMGosh! I love the way you did your layouts--so striking :) the photos are so 'up front' --love it!

Nancy, please e-mail me at rufftucksyd@gmail.com.  I'll need your shipping info, and I'll be sure to have BOTH new sketch books out to you this week.  Congratulations.

Again, thanks for hopping!

Sketch Support Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog!  If you're starting the hop at my blog, head on over to Sketch Support to begin the HOP!  http://www.sketchsupport.com/  There's a fantastic grand prize up for grabs so be sure to leave a comment on everyone's blog to win. 


You should have arrived here from Suzanna's blog.  I'll be giving away a copy of Sketches for Scrapbooking - Travel Sketches AND One-Page Sketches Vol 2.  I'll pick a winner on Monday so be sure to check back then!


So this is the sketch we are all using for the hop ... it came right out of one of those sketch books you could win!

and here's my take on it.

HIKE the canyon

As you see, I used the sketch and created a two-page layout, it was easy to switch it up.  My style is clean and simple, letting the pictures take center stage.  BTW, these pictures were taken near Thunder Bay Ontario.

I was introduced to scrapbooking by my mother about 15 years ago.  I’ll admit that I was a hard sell at first … I wondered why anyone would want to put so much time, effort and money into something that would be put into a binder.  My mom made me a Christmas present of an album and a few scrapbook kits … and I was hooked!  As long as I can remember, I’ve always loved photography … and scrapbooking really lets me compliment my pictures and helps tell the story.  I love going back through my albums and remembering a time, a place, a feeling ...

When the weather is good, I love being outside, so I really only scrapbook when it’s raining, snowing or just too cold to be outside.  I’ve got an ancient kitchen table under a huge south facing window, but it’s an embarrassing mess.  When stuff begins to fall off the edges, I’ll organize, but it’s never enough … lol.  I prefer to scrap during the day, by 9 at night I’m done in … I’m not a night person at all!  I’m a seasonal scrapper … that is, I spend a lot of time at my desk during the winter (I AM Canadian, and I hate winter) and not much time during the summer because I’d much rather be out making those memories!  

Together with my husband, we have travelled Canada from sea to sea … we've watched the sun rise off Cape Spear in Newfoundland, and walked the endless beaches of the Pacific Rim.  We've stood in awe under the giant redwoods, got lost while hiking through the badlands, we've watched storm clouds fill the prairie sky, felt the salt spray on our faces atop the windswept cliffs along the Cabot Trail and even canoed through the wilderness during a snow storm.  We live in a beautiful world, but the northern wilderness of Ontario has my heart.

I always start my layouts with a sketch, ALWAYS!  Sketches are great time-savers, and the SG sketches are easy to adapt to my style and my pictures.  My favorite sketch is Two-Page Sketch #8.  I've based 3 layouts on it and just can't pick one to post! 

So remember,  leave a comment before you go for a chance to win and then HOP ... to Sue's blog!  http://suealthouse.blogspot.ca/

Card Sketch Week

Last week was card sketch week over at sketch support.  I just love what everyone did with the sketch!

Card Sketch #18

Aaaaaand this is what I did with it ...

 

"Fishing Below the Falls" by Michele EdwardsSupplies - Cardstock: American Crafts, Bazzill; Patterned paper: Scrapbook Walls; Fish brads: unknown; Embellishments: fly was made by my husband; Alphabets: Cricut (Plantin Schoolbook); Floss: DMC

Spring has sprung, and that means that the trout fishing season will soon be here! We love our visits to Sauble Falls. My husband spends hours fishing, while I watch, both him and the river. I'm always amazed when I see the trout leaping up the falls! I can never get a photo of THAT though, lol!

Variations

1. Instead of a card, I turned the sketch on its side to create a background for my two-page layout.

2. I made the strips wider, and punched a scalloped edge to further the water theme.

3. I stitched a scalloped wave pattern through some of the waves, and continued the stitching into the photographs.

Add-on Sketch Week

This week, the add on sketch was little flags ... I've only used them once before, but I knew instantly what I would do with them ... so here's the sketch ...

Add-on Sketch #15

And this is my layout ...

"Super Natural - Moraine Lake" by Michele Edwards
Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned paper: Basic Grey; Embellishments: Recollections (Brads); Ribbon: unknown; Alphabets: Cricut (Plantin Schoolbook and Calligraphy Collection); Markers: Copic; Floss: DMC; Sketch: Scrapbook Generation

I love this picture! I started with two-page sketch #25 and combined all the smaller photos into one breathtaking picture.

Variations

1. Instead of flags, I created sign posts to embellish this incredible two page picture of Moraine Lake (located in Banff National Park, Canada)

2. I enlarged the add-on to compliment the picture.

3. Using green floss and some white glue, I made grass to help ground the sign post.

This layout has some history.  I had originally planned to submit it for two-page sketch #25 ... but I wasn't happy with the picture ... I had it printed at Walmart, and the beautiful colour of Moraine Lake was subdued, muted, the mountains grey and flat.  I hated it.  Moraine Lake is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been ... the picture HAD to be perfect ... so the layout stalled.  And then, my husband suprised me with a new photo printer.  This was the first enlargement I printed ... the difference was night and day!  This picture is gorgeous.  When I saw the add-on sketch, well, I knew it would work for this layout!  I kept everything simple so that the picture would really pop!

Two-Page Sketch Week

Last week was two-page sketch week over at Sketch Support.  I loved this sketch, and I love it even more after seeing what the rest of the creative team came up with ... I can hardly wait to use it again!  Head on over and see the beautiful and inspiring layouts http://www.sketchsupport.com/2012/03/two-page-week-part-4.html

Lynette posted 2 gorgeous layouts, and once again Carolyn created the absolute most beautiful layout yet, but then I always love her stuff.  Anyway, here's mine, but first the sketch.

Two-page Sketch #26

It's so great, right?  And here's my layout ...

"On the Pup Deck" by Michele Edwards
Supplies - Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned paper: Authentique, Bella Blvd; Embellishments: Jolees (seagull, trees and pawprints), Kaisercraft (ticket), Susan Branch (mayflies); Alphabets: Cricut (Plantin Schoolbook); Floss: DMC; Beads: unknown

This is such an incredible sketch, I'll use it again and again. These pictures were taken from the deck of the HMS Chicheemaun as we crossed beautiful Georgian Bay.  Dogs were only permitted in this area, other than in vehicles locked in the parking deck.  No way were we leaving Ruff and Gem alone below deck, so we joined the other dog lovers, and their dogs on the "PUP DECK".

This layout is so me ... I loved that I could easily incorporate the panaramic picture of Georgian Bay, what an impact!

Variations

1. In this layout I stayed true to basic sketch, but combined all the photos across the middle of the layout into one long panoramic picture of Georgian Bay.

2. I used 3X4" photos in place of some of the rectangles across the top.

3. I stitched a double wave across the middle of the layout. I inserted blue glass beads randomly across the page to add sparkle to the waves.

4. I moved the title into one of the 3X4" rectangles.

Stop back next week, cause I'm in love with the next layout ...