I can't stress enough how much I love Wordle.  I was first introduced to Wordle through Ali Edward's website in the Spring, and have since used it on two scrapbook layouts.  I just finished my 3rd Wordle for a Circle Journal entitled All About Me. 
Wordle is a website where you can type in various words and the website/program will randomly scramble the words  to look like what you see below.  It's so cool - you should give it a try.
Also, for those of you who are unaware on what a circle journal is, I will be doing a post later this week on my circle journal and thinking process.

For my 5th Sketch Challenge, I decided to create a card for my cousins baby shower.  She's having a little girl in November and I thought what better way then to capture this sketch in form of a card.  I think overall, the card came out pretty good.  Thank Heaven for Little Girls!!  LOL
Overall my Sketch Challenge has been very rewarding and has helped me to be able to create more layouts in less time.  I would encourage every scrapbooker to try this for at least a week and see how it works for you. 

I took a break this weekend to in remembrance of 9.11.01  I would like those who lost friends and family in the attach to know that us as Americans - as a Nation will never forget, we will continue to keep you all in our thoughts and prayers forever.

Over the weekend, while walking a early evening stroll around the neighborhood, I was able to capture this beautiful sunset.  Hope you enjoy!

So yes, it's time for another 2-page layout.  This time, I knew that I wanted to scrapbook my pictures from when my friend Sutton and I went to go see So You Think You Can Dance - back in 2007 (Season 3).  Yes, so long ago, but I'm glad I waited to scrapbook the show. 
With this layout, I knew that I had a lot of photos and I wanted to try to capture as many of those photos as possible, so I came up with this sketch.  In this sketch, I followed the first page of the layout basically to the t.  However on the second page, I hit a few snags and had to make a few adjustments.  For the most part, I stuck with the picture format at the top of the screen , but at the bottom, I threw in a couple of extras, by adding 3 more photos, and another journaling block which includes the Top 10 Contestants of the show.
The great thing about this sketch is that it was really easy and not many materials were needed.  The longest part was deciding where I wanted each photo go.  I believe this sketch took me all of 30 minutes.  Yea!!!  I really enjoyed creating this layout and have found that sketching really does make life a lot easier!  :)
Happy Scrapping!

So I subscribe to Jennifer McGuire's blog, and was excited when I saw her posting for yesterday entitled:  A challenge, a poll and a giveaway week.....and guess what she had.....a link to a sketch challenge from another blog - Scrapbook Challenges.  So for my Sketch #3, I decided to go with the sketch from Scrapbook Challenges.
So that's what you see below, my completed layout along with the sketch provided by Scrapbook Challenges.

Materials Used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Scenic Route - Background White Lined Paper; Taylor for daisyd's Gypsy Paisley - Indigo; The Old World Stack Textured Cardstock by DCWV; Bella Blvd Super Stud Carla Mediterranean Alpha Stickers; StazOn Jet Black Solvent Ink; Hampton Art Studio G Coffee Cup with Saucer Stamp; Fiskars scallop punch; EK Success scallop with holes punch; Marvy Uchida small circle punch; Starbucks cup warmer designs/Starbucks rewards card.

My thought process with this....when I first saw this sketch, I know immediately that I would scrapbook my love for Starbucks Coffee.  For a while there, I had to have my daily Starbucks fix.  Now, I don't drink it daily, but I still enjoy it as much as I did the very first time I tried it, back in 2001.  So anyway, back to the sketch, I decided to follow it pretty much to the t.  I love the way my layout came out and I hope that this will give future generations after me a glimpse into one of my many Simple Joys in Life.  LOL 

Happy Scrapping!

Materials Used:  Stampabilities - Pumpkin with Curly Stamp; Craftsmart Pumpkin Stamp; Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Spiced Marmalade; StazOn Solvent Ink Pad - Jet Black; Bazzill Basics Cardstock; The Paper Studio Sticky-Doos; Studio 18 Orange Rhinestones Strass; Jolee's Boutique - Pumpkin Picking 3-D embellishments; Recollections 3D Pumpkin Patch Phrases; Making Memories Spook Alley Glitter Alpha Stickers; Copic Markers - E15 Dark Suntan; YR04 Chrome Orange; YG09 Lettuce Green

For my second Sketch Challenge, I decided to do a 2-page Layout.  I've been wanting to scrapbook these photos for almost a year now, and what better way to welcome the upcoming fall season than by doing a fall layout. 
I didn't have too many problems implementing the sketch, however after completing the first page, I felt as though I needed to add a little something to the page, so I decided to add the pumpkins at the bottom of the page to add a little interest, but to completely bring the pages together.  It did take a little while for me to stamp/color the lighter pumpkins, and to stamp/color the darker pumpkins, but I think it was definitely worth it!  I hope you enjoy this 2-page Layout, as much as I enjoyed creating it. 
I hope to get my Sketch Challenge #3 up (the sketch at least) later on today or early tomorrow morning.  Until next time, Happy Scrapping!!!!

So, I've completed Mission #1.  I think overall, I did a great job!!!  Kudos to me!  :)  LOL
Anyway, changes I made include the fact that I added more photos - 2 to be exact and more journaling - 1 to be exact....and I added additional embellishments.  Doing this sketch was a very fun, eye opening experience for me.  I realized that a passion of mine is taking photographs that deal with nature.  Every time I have my camera and I’m outside, I have to capture the beauty that God has put before me.  I have a box full of "Nature Photos," so I'm sure this is just one of many layouts to come.
This layout/sketch challenge was also fun for me because this is my first time scrapping something to where there are NO photos of individuals, so this was something new to me.  I now know that it's fine to scrapbook the things you enjoy in life, without necessarily adding photos of individuals.
Having the sketch was great to have on hand, I did notice however that it took me a while to narrow it down to 6 photos.  But nonetheless, I had fun and if you joined in on the fun, I hope you enjoyed working on your layout as well.
Materials Used:  The Old World Stack - Textured Cardstock by DCWV; Recollections Rhinestone Stickers - Faux Perals; Studio 18 Red Rhinestones Strass; Bazzill Basics Cardstock; EK Success - Parcel Jolee's Boutique Dimensional Stickers - Glitter Newspaper Flowers/Vintage Wood Alphas; Prima Flowers; Silver Brads; various sheets of paper from stash

Now I know a lot of "professional" or well known scrapbookers will tell you and me both that creating sketches before you actually do a scrapbook layout is the way to go....and I find this statement very true, however, I also find it very difficult.  I'm not sure exactly why, but I do.  So I've challenged myself and you all are more than invited to join me for this journey....but I've challenged myself for the next 5 layouts that I do, to create a sketch and then try to mimic that sketch in my next 5 layouts. 
My Fears:
What if my layout looks completely different from my sketch?
What if I can't think of a sketch?
I could go on, and on.  But like I said before it is easier to first complete a sketch before moving forward with the layout, and the reason being is that it just makes life easier in the end - then you're not sitting at your desk/table staring at a blank 12x12 sheet of cardstock, with a series of photos wondering what's next.
So if you didn't figure it out already, yes, I tend to be a blank 12x12 cardstock scrapper or a scrapper who tends to make a sketch and then once the blank cardstock and photos are in front of me - I have a change of heart and do something completely different. 
So now I've challenged myself and to hold myself accountable, I'm going to create a sketch - which you see above.  And next I will create a layout based on that sketch and report how things went for me.
Remember, this is 1 of 5 sketch challenges for me.  So please join in on the fun, post comments about your recommendations on scrapbooking or how you think I'm doing.  If you're joining in on the challenge - Let's have fun.
Here I go - Wish me LucK!!!!!!!