A BONUS TAG SKETCH!

I love to sketch allllll sorts of scrappy things! Yup: I like to sketch library pockets, bookmarks, LOs... and one thing that is especially fun for me is sketching TAGS! 


Here is a Bonus Sketch... it's for a tag, and we also have some interpretations by our Design Team.

Bonus Tag  Sketch  #01-11 created by
 S:CY Team Leader Ali MacDonald



"Autumn" tag created by
S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine



"Love" tag created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine



 "4 U" tag created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Helen Hollinger



"Experience" tag created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Helen Hollinger

"This Day" tag created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Heather Getson



Thanks girls, for the beautiful creations! Loved posting them.

 Stay tuned for a Design Team Member Spotlight Feature later this week!!!

Sketch #3 by Charlotte!

Good day everyone! It's Friday!

Hope you're finding lots of time to scrap during these beautiful summer days.

This week we have another beautiful Sketch created by our Guest Sketch Artist, Charlotte AKA Suepup. 

The 12x12" Sketch Charlotte created for us here this week at Sketches: Creatively Yours provides an opportunity to create what COULD be a vintage style page, perhaps featuring some rub-ons, old-fashioned roses, crystals, and even some patterned paper with the addition of a few techniques like inking, paper rolling or tearing!

Sketch #3 by
 S:CY Guest Sketch Artist Charlotte

Isn't that a beautiful Sketch? Thanks Charlotte! Let's see what creations our S:CY Designers came up with!

"Sisters: Always" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Mandy Harrel 



"2006-07" layout created by
S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine



"Loving the Moment" layout created by
S:CY Design Team Member Jackie Primmer-Plank



"Flower Girl" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Heather Getson 



"What's in your Basket?" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Cheryl Casas
[Note: Cheryl used a Limited Edition Scraps of Darkness Kit  called "Over the Rainbow" to complete her LO.]

"My Grandmother and her sister" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Helen Hollinger



"Ella Grace" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Michelle Sheehan

[NOTE: "Ella Grace" is Michelle's first niece; her brother and sister-in-law's first baby. Michelle's pretty excited! *Smile* HUGE Congrats to the whole family!]



"Home Stories" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Heather BridgesTopich



"Vacation: What we'll remember" layout created by
 S:CY Senior Designer Ann Seleshanko

A big TY to each of the S:CY Designers who submitted their work this week: what a big batch of creativity we get to show off!

A warm and special "Thank You" to Charlotte AKA Suepup for being our Guest Designer here at S:CY and creating 3 STUNNING sketches for us during July! Readers and followers, please be sure to check out the charity that Charlotte recently brought to our attention: the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. They do fantastic work in helping and supporting children and families afflicted with (and affected by) a difficult situation. TY so much for considering this very worthy cause.


Stay tuned next week for another S:CY Sketch... be sure to pop on over and bring a friend! We'd love to see what you create so be sure to leave us a link to your page/card if you DO get the chance to get scrappy! We'll be by to visit.

Have a super weekend...
~

Ann's Card Sketch #4

Hi everyone!

Guess what?? It's a great day, because I get the share something scrappy & creative.

Yep:  I always love to share Ann's beautifully simple yet versatile card sketches with you all. So....let's get right to it!

Today's sketch offers a chance for placement of diagonal accents or patterned papers, a centrally placed image, stamp or sentiment and a horizontal element that could be ribbon, cardstock, or a border strip.

We have a relatively short post this AM... so let's hop to it!


Card Sketch #4 created by
 S:CY Senior Designer Ann Seleshanko 

 What did the S:CY Design Team Members come up with this week? How about we have a look-see!?

"Sending my Love" card created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine

"Crop til you Drop" card created by
S:CY Design Team Member  Jackie Primmer-Plank

...and our final inspiration of the day is from Ann!.



 Easter greeting card created by
 S:CY Senior Designer Ann Seleshanko


Short and sweet for today, as promised! Thanks Ann for yet another fun sketch and a beautiful card.

Special thanks to Jackie and Lindy for their work this week.

Gorgeous cards everyone!!

If you try the sketch, let us know so we can pop by your Blog or site and see your creation.

Have a really scrappy (and happy) week!

 ~

FEATURED DESIGNER: Sylvia Tomala

Today we're welcoming Sylvia Tomala as our Featured S:CY Designer!

S:CY Designer Sylvia Tomala 

When Sylvia Tomala heard that one of her LOs was chosen for publication by Scrapbook News and Review Magazine she emailed me in an absolutely thrilled state to let me know and said "I cannot contain my excitement!" This was followed by a row of  5 chubby smiling happy face icons.

Sylvia told me that "The layout is entitled 'Happy Claire.' My youngest daughter is featured and the 5X7" picture was taken when she was 10 months old, in January 1999. I used Crate and Creative Imaginations patterned papers." Some of the embellies that Sylvia chose to incorporate were items from All My Memories, American Crafts, Basic Grey and Prima.

Congrats Sylvia! The layout has been published, so be sure to check it out... it made it's debut on Sunday, June 12th, Volume # 4, Issue # 6.

Sylvia joined the S:CY Design Team in April, 2011. Her style is just plain HAPPY, easily making you want to smile (if you aren't already!) Sylvia's pages reveal a stylistic bent that can be described as "cheery and chipper."
Sylvia describes it as "bright, bold, clean, eclectic." Below is a LO that fits this description to perfection!

"Xmas Socks"  by Sylvia Tomala
[Notes:  This pic was taken in 2008 - My 3 teens! American Crafts "Junior" line, felt thickers, Bazzill cardstock, doodling, Glitz mini letters, Scenic Route arrow.]

An organizational routine that has helped Sylvia in her scrappin’ is "using ice cube trays to display small embellishments when working on a particular layout."  She recommends this as it helps her to prevent embellies from getting lost on her scrapbooking table, which she describes as "chaotic."


Scrappin' ruts happen to us all. When Sylvia encounters one of these dreaded spells in her artwork,  she  says she will "procrastinate, LOL, walk away....  (or) draw inspiration from online scrapbooking blogs of friends, or galleries, sketch sites."

Sylvia is a Mom, and her favourite subjects to scrap about are her family: three teens, Alyssa (16), Stefan (14) and Claire (13). In addition, Sylvia  has a step-grand-daughter, Zoe, who is 14 months old and is now often the subject of her layouts. Here is a LO of her daughter, Claire, from 2006.

"Natural Best  buds" by Sylvia Tomala
[Notes: This is Claire holding two crabs, P.E.I., summer 2006. No patterned paper used just decorative cardstock and attention to details. Items used: Bling, buttons, chipboard, felt, flowers, ribbon, rub-ons, tag, tokens]

Sylvia enjoys the process of mixing patterns from different manufacturers as she creates pages. Anything "Echo Park" really strikes her fancy! She has a collection of Ranger's Stickles and admits that "I must have a rainbow of colours!" Like many of us, Sylvia has a preferred style of scrapbook album: the  American Crafts 3 ring albums.  She scraps 12x12" layouts and says that she has about 15 of these albums in her collection to house her pages in.




"Stuck" by Sylvia Tomala
 [Notes: My son, Stefan let go of his Dad's balloons commerating the first
Father's Day without him - June 2010.
I love American Crafts everything!! I chose the big brads to mimic the colours of the balloons and I had balloon chipboard embellishments and ric rac to add detail to a simple picture. You may have noticed that I love colour!]

Syvia  told me some interesting biographical facts about her life.  As a child, she had the opportunity to live abroad. "I followed my parents to Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa where I grew up. She also says that the experience was a life lesson in itself: "I was fortunate enough to travel and see how people who live in poverty manage to smile and sing."

"A Spider" by Sylvia Tomala
[ Notes: I'm terrified of spiders!!!!! This photograph was taken of a spider on the Hawaiin island of Kauai, May 2008. I thought the patterned papers were perfect! Items used: Bazzill edger, Chatterbox buttons, Little Davis negative chipboard letters, Little Yellow Bicycle papers, ribbon.]

Sylvia points to garage sales as a definite fun spot for her. When I first asked her about whether she liked them, she grinned & said "Did you say "garage sales?" One of my weaknesses for certain. I have a bin at home with treasures collecting dust hoping to be touched by moi, ha, ha, ha!!!"

Aside from her penchant for combing garage sales, Sylvia loves to "bake, collect antique glassware, & entertain that special someone with wine pairings."

Intrigued about her baking, I asked Sylvia for more info. She laughingly replied: "You name it, I'll bake it!"

So... I asked for a couple of her fave recipes! Here's the first, with comments from the cook!! 

"Below is the best chocolate cake for flavour and moistness that I have ever tasted; sorry am biased! I'm always asked for the recipe!"


SYLVIA TOMALA'S CHOCOLATE CAKE


1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup hot strong coffee
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a 12 cup bundt pan. Dust with flour. Invert and shake out excess.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Add buttermilk, brown sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Whisk in hot coffee until completely incorporated. The batter will be quite thin.


Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar and enjoy!

The second recipe is posted on our FACEBOOK page. (YUM!!) Go check it out!!Sylvia also likes to create cards in her papercraft work. Here is a favourite:

"Let it Snow" Christmas card by Sylvia Tomala
[Notes: chipboard flourish here is adorned with stickles]

Thank You, Sylvia for sharing so much of yourself and your memory-keeping with us here at S:CY  today. It's been wonderful getting to  know you better!
Here is Sylvia's wonderful Blog, called Sylvia's Paper Passion. Enjoy!


~

Sketch #2 by Charlotte!

Here's another creative gem by our July 2011 Guest Sketch artist: Charlotte AKA Suepup!

 Sketch #2 by July's S:CY
 Guest Sketch Artist Charlotte AKA Suepup

Today's sketch,  apart from being a work of art in itself, invites a romantic "slant" on your photo. With square, circular and rectangular elements, Charlotte invites you, through her sketch, to incorporate several shapes and to add some patterned paper, swirls and even torn edges to embellish your art.

Let's see what our Team of  Sketches: Creatively Yours Designers came up with using this beautiful Sketch.     

Once again, we have layouts from eight Designers who incorporate a wide variety of stylistic angles, so let's check them out!


"Easter Joy" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Heather BridgesTopich



"Hawk Mtn" layout created by
S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine



"Happy Days" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Sylvia Tomala

"Flambe" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Patchi Moussatche
[A note from Patchi about her LO: "I went all girly, something I don't do very often ;)"]



"Silly Rabbits" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Renee Hagler



"What will you be?" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Maggi Harding



"Friendship is..." layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Jackie Primmer-Plank
(Some faces blurred for internet safety.)



"1910" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Helen Hollinger
[A note from Helen about the Sketch and her LO: "Loved it!! This is my Grandmother in about 1910."]



"Kyle" layout created by
S:CY Senior Designer Ann Seleshanko

[Photo Credit: Lisa McDonald]

And there you have it... a beautiful FREE SKETCH by Guest Sketch Artist, Charlotte, and a gorgeous set of interpretations from a DT that never ceases to generate smiles of appreciaton with their art.

Thank you Charlotte... :) YOU ROCK!
TY S:CY Design Team! YOU ROCK, too! LOL

Be on the alert for yet another Featured Designer Spotlight this coming week. Who will it  be? Please come and find out!

Become a "Follower" of the S:CY Blog and you'll be notified EVERY time a new post goes up. You can also sign up to receive these notifications via email- see area in the upper right sidebar.  

See you here 1) later this week for a Featured Designer Spotlight and
                        2) NEXT Friday when a new Sketch and interpretations are revealed.

Find us on Facebook HERE.  

Have a wonderful week everyone!
~

Sketch #1 by Charlotte!!!

Oh boy.... are you S:CY readers and "Followers" ever in for a treat today!

It is my pleasure to reveal to you the first of three July 2011 S:CY created by Sketches by gifted Guest Sketch Artist Charlotte, AKA Suepup!


Sketch #1 by S:CY July Guest Sketch Artist
Charlotte AKA Suepup

 And now, with Charlotte's beautiful Sketch fresh in your mind... please enjoy these interpretations by our talented Design Team Members!

"Adore" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Cheryl Casas
[Note: This LO was created with the June '11 Scraps of Darkness kit.]

"Rockin'" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Jackie Primmer-Plank



"Red Fox" layout created by
S:CY Design Team Member Maggi Harding



Layout featuring three portrait style pics created by
S:CY Design Team Member Mandy Harrell

"Kaitlyn" layout created by
S:CY Design Team Member Sylvia Tomala



"Christmas 2010" layout created by
S:CY Senior Designer Ann Seleshanko

 Thanks ever so much Charlotte! This was a beautiful Sketch and as you can see, the S:CY DT found it a joy to work with.

Thank You once again for being with us here at S:CY this month.

Have a wonderful week everyone! Be sure to leave us a link in the Comments section when you try the Sketch so that we can come visit and leave some love!

Guest Sketch Artist: Charlotte AKA Suepup!

We have a special S:CY Guest for you this month... a gifted Sketch Artist!

In the month of July, we're featuring THREE Sketches from the talented Charlotte, whom I am sure you are all familiar with, having seen her beautiful sketches and artwork around the web!



Charlotte AKA Suepup
our S:CY July Guest Sketch Artist

Charlotte sent me her bio to share with our readers...

I am Charlotte, AKA Suepup in the virtal world. I live in central Ohio, born and raised in the heart of an Appalachian coal mining town. I live with my husband, a Doberman Pincher, a Rottweiler and a Pharoah hound/Doberman mix. I am addicted to art and crafting! My current loves are scrapbooking, mixed media, photography and printmaking.


I guess my creative journey began as a young child, when I began oil painting, drawing with pastels and beading. As a child, and still do, love anything that is rusted, weathered and distressed. I find beauty in things most people find ugly or consider junk. I am fairly new to scrapbooking and had been very reluctant to try the "art". For many years, I thought scrapbooking was only a craft, and not art. I now laugh at that thought, I was so wrong. A couple years ago, one of my friends dared me to just scrap one page. Well I did, and now I addicted. I find scrapbooking is a way to create smaller pieces of mixed media artwork! I love Distressed, Steampunk, Shabby Chic and Grunge style scrapbooking. I consider myself an artist rather than a crafter.


While she's here with us, Charlotte would like to bring our attention to a cause near and dear to her heart: the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. "The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® (PBTF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating childhood brain tumors and providing support to families."

To learn more about their exceptional work for children with brain tumors and their families, you can go HERE. Thank you for checking them out.  

"Fight like a Girl" layout created by
 Charlotte (Suepup)

Charlotte was kind enough to send me some of her favourite projects to share with our DT and readers today. One is above, and two more follow. Enjoy!

Charlotte's Blog can be found HERE.

"Family Moments Everlasting" created by
 Charlotte (Suepup)

"Family stories make valuable heirlooms" created by
 Charlotte (Suepup) 

Charlotte, we're so happy to have you with us as our Guest Sketch Artist, sharing three of your amazing Sketches with us during the month of July!

WELCOME to S:CY!
~