Sketch 11-11

Today's Sketch has a bit of a Mommy-story behind it. It was created especially so that I could get a HUGE photo of Noah scrapbooked and out of the rather voluminous "Needs to be scrapbooked" pile!

I am not one who usually scrapbooks just one pic, but we had a few of these really big pics from WAY back that had never been hung up. You know the ones... part of those inexpensive "cannot leave it behind" photo packages from a department store chain in a town nearby.
So... we had these BIG pics! I needed a way to get these into an album, but they were HUGE! I got out my trusted trimmer... and cut the pic down to a more reasonable size. Then I created this sketch, and away we went. 


Sketch 11-11 created by
S:CY Team Leader Ali MacDonald

 

"You are such a joy to me" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Tammy Pyette
[Tammy notes that "This is my fav. page so far this year!"
Credits: Shabby princess backgrounds, Carrie-Stephens-SD-glass-dots, & GardenPartyFloralButterfly, however nothing is exactly as I found it. The colours & some textures were changed.]

"The Purrrrrfect Pet" layout created by
S:CY Design Team Member Tammy Pyette
[Credits: Shabby princess backgrounds, Carrie-Stephens-SD-glass-dots, & GardenPartyFloralButterfly, however nothing is exactly as I found it. The colours & some textures were changed.]

"NEW set of wheels" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Patchi Moussatche

"First reconciliation" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Heather Bridges Topich



"Christmas Joy 2008" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Sylvia Tomala



"Princess Diva" layout created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Renee Hagler
[Note: Renee's handwritten journaling reads: "Queen Lo" on her 18th Birthday with her crown painted on her car! Too Funny."]

"Relax- Las Vegas 2009"  layout created by
 S:CY Senior Designer Ann Seleshanko



"Treasure: Our Baby 2003" layout created by
 S:CY Team Leader Ali MacDonald

Thanks for coming by, everyone! Stay tuned later this week as we start a whole new month.... and for another Design Team Member Spotlight... we have a new one going up soon!
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Featured Designer: Lindy Rabenstine!

Today, the beam of our spotlight is placed on S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine.

S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine
and her little girl, Gracie

Lindy joined the Design eam here at S:CY in April 2011, and when asked to tell me a little bit about her style, jokingly replied "it would be called 'Lindy Style' ... I'm all over the place... I really don't have a style!" 

That said, Lindy definitely has an awareness of possessing a certain style, because she sent me the LO below, saying that she likes it because of the white space and simplicity of it, adding that "I normally don't do so LITTLE!"

"Deer Run" created by Lindy Rabenstine
[Lindy's notes about this camping trip: "It was HORRIBLE rain. We make all of our camping reservations at the beginning of the year. It just so happened when this was scheduled in September 2008... it was when Hurricane Hanna hit and came all the way up the coast... it rained the ENTIRE weekend; but we didn't care,  we still had fun."]

Lindy is inspired by several helpful things: "family, blogs, everyday life... (and) a good sketch or challenge." As a member of the Sisterhood of Scrap Forum, Lindy finds many of the inspirational challenges and sketches she craves at that friendly spot!!


New to blogging, Lindy has made it a routine to post links to some really wonderful challenges on her Blog, "Veni Vidi Scrappy"- for example, the Cool Colour challenge you can find right  HERE. 

One can see from her Blog that Lindy seems to have a knack for making cards, as evidenced by THIS sweet piece of card-making creativity featuring Echo Park patterned papers!! And... how  can we forget the card below card, created with Ann's recent card Sketch #3?  I love it!  

 "Sending my Love" card created by
 S:CY Design Team Member Lindy Rabenstine
[NOTE: created  for S:CY July 15th, 2011 Reveal using
Ann Seleshanko's Card Sketch #3]

A wife,  and Mom to a "very energetic" little girl,  Lindy told me that her fave subject to scrap was her family. In terms of the layout below, Lindy explains that this is a much loved LO of her daughter, Gracie.... as she says, "it is so much like her. She is always reading to her 'babies.' "


"Feeling a Little Dreamy" layout created by Lindy Rabenstine

Another favourite LO of Gracie includes a black and white portrait of her little girl:



"Innocence, Precious, Cherished " layout created by
 Lindy Rabenstine

Lindy  also shares her scrapbooking creativity with her extended family. For example, she recently created the LO below of her nephew Logan, using a photo from 1997. 

"Logan: '97" created by proud Aunt,  Lindy Rabenstine

In telling about this layout, Lindy said: "My nephew just turned 16. This is when he was two and the first photo I've ever scrapped of him. I just really like the way it turned out!"

Lindy's fave products include those created by Sassafras; SEI and Bo Bunny.
She is a crackerjack at being organized: her LOs are always sent in on time, and she is well ahead of deadlines with every one, whether card or LO. She told me that one of her organizational secrets is using "a binder that has tabs that I have organized by SOS, S:CY, Project 12, other misc challenges - things like that."

In terms of storage of her scrappy LOs, Lindy made me grin outright because I can SO relate to her every word on this issue! She says that she doesn't scrap chronologically, and like "Yours Truly," she prefers "the D Ring Binders by WRMK." She also reports that like many scrappers, she didn't come across these binders "until I had like four 12x12 boxes STUFFED with completed layouts... needless to say I now have 2 of those WRMK binders and 6 overstuffed boxes full of layouts!!"

Lindy's pastimes aside from scrappin’ include camping, reading, and going hiking or biking. Lindy says "mostly we camp locally in York/Lancaster County in PA. Most campgrounds we go to have hiking trails. Last summer we went to Blue Rock Campground and hiked Hawk Mountain and we had a BLAST. My daughter, who was 4 at the time so enjoyed it and wants to go back."

Lindy is also a proud sister to a US soldier, and her application LO for the DT here at S:CY was a LO that featured her soldier-brother, Chad. 

Lindy doesn't like to "cook" per se-- but she loves to bake. When I asked her about this, she said "I make a mean Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing all from scratch. It is always a HUGE request at family gatherings and my nephews, Dad, DH and DB's fight over it. LOL" She also told me about her fave food... "I LOVE seafood....and my DH makes me a FANTASTIC shrimp, crab and scallop pasta dish. Not sure how he does it and his sauce is always from scratch!"


"Dance Recital, Dec 2010" layout created by
  Lindy Rabenstine

The BEST scrappy-related “treat” or gift Lindy was ever given involved die- cutting. When I asked about this treat, she unhesitatingly replied that it was the "Big Shot Express my DH bought me for Christmas, ...it was right after I started scrapping and it was a HUGE surprise!" As far as a 'scrappy space' goes, Lindy says that she has a scrap space at home but normally scraps over her lunch break at work, or takes a tiny table in the livingroom so that she can be with her DH and DD when she scraps.


"Fall Beauty" layout created by
 Lindy Rabenstine

Lindy "attends two different 12 hour crops each year and a weekend crop - so three a year... they are a BLAST. So much inspiration and ideas and tutorials. You always learn something new."  She usually attends the February Crop with her SILs but other than that says that she scraps "mostly by myself. Once in a blue moon when time permits my SIL's and I will get together to scrap... normally when the guys go hunting."

When I asked her how she felt about the concept of 'being caught up" with her scrappin', Lindy replied: "I will never be caught up; is anyone ever caught up?!"

And to this, I am sure MANY of us are mentally replying...."True Lindy! Too True!" LOL!

Thanks for allowing us to spotlight you this week,  it's been a pleasure to get to know you a wee bit better and to be able to hear the happy "voice" you bring to S:CY through your creations, Lindy!

 Lindy's Blog can be found HERE.

~ 

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!
~