More MMS Facebook challenges

It's been so long since I have posted so here is a double post. These were two different challenges on the MMS Facebook page.

The first was to make a monotone page. Here's what I came up with.




The second challenge was as follows:

1. Select four papers to use for your layout – no more, no less
2. Select one photo – do some kind of photo treatment on it
3. Frame your photo
4. Use at least three stit...chings somewhere on the layout (can be the same stitches or different)
5. Select at least five other embellishments
6. Repeat at least one of those embellishments at least three times in your layout
7. Make something hang off the edge of your layout
8. Use a tag someplace
9. Title with word art

HAVE FUN!
10. Date & journal (optional)

Here's the post for that one:

Black and White photos

Decided to post this one where I was playing around with black and white photos. My son wanted a page with relatives that we visited while in San Francisco. He loves to visit because he gets spoiled!

Sephia Photos

I've been playing around with my photos lately. This one I turned sephia to match the color in the paper strips. I think the change to sephia definitely helps when the colors in the picture compete with the colors in your page.

Simply Colorful

Use the colors in your layout for a super easy page. MMS has a wonderful color match tool that allows you to add mats, shapes and background papers in the same colors as in your photos. Just pull from the colors that are already on your page from your photos. It's a great way to make a super simple page!

Layout page

MMS had a challenge to use a photo template and we all chose our own and made pages. I made this easy page using a simple template with 4 pictures. The templates really help to create a super simple page.

Simple Picture Pages

Sometimes all you need is one picture on a page. This one shows off some of the fun papers that come in the kits on MMS. It's great because all the paper coordinates and works together on this one layout.

MMS Facebook Challenge

My Memories Suite (MMS) has a great Facebook page and on it, they hold a few fun challenges. Todays was to use one of the templates on MMS and create a page. I chose to document our 3rd baby. We didn't know if the baby was a boy or a girl and this shows the end result!

Simply Crafty

For a fun summer kids craft, we had a recycle-bot playdate. Several kids got together and brought their recycled household items that would be turned into fun robots. We started off with a pile of what some might look at and consider trash, but the kids looked at it and saw treasure! They each built their own robot with things such as cereal boxes, yogurt containers and egg cartons. Above is a page that my son designed - it was his first! He used the scrapbook kit "Fly Me To the Moon" by just so scrappy

simple tip tuesdays

One way that I have simplified my life is that I made the switch from traditional scrapbooking to digital scrapbooking. I have been an avid scrapbooker for years. Or maybe I should say that I was avid scrapbook supply buyer for years and a sometimes scrapbooker - that would be closer to the truth. I love all things crafty, but I love to buy supplies! This however, does not work well when one has 3 little ones roaming freely. A couple of years ago, I was up late feeding my daughter by tv light when an infomercial came on about a new scrapbooking software. I had seen some before, but never really thought the pages they made turned out as nicely as the ones I slaved away on with all my supplies spread before me. But something struck me as different about this one. The pages created looked really nice and it seemed fairly easy to do. I finished feeding my daughter and headed off to order it. I sat there thinking that I was either delirious from the lack of sleep, or I had turned into a crazy middle of the morning impulse buyer. Later when my My Memories Suite software by Poloroid arrived www.mymemoriessuite.com - I was more than happy. It is so addictive and helps me keep my mantra of Keep It Simple - it is super SIMPLE and there is no mess! I am so glad I made that late night impulse buy! I'll be posting even more of my pages here and you can see how great something so SIMPLE can be!

Simple Picture Pages

I love when I have a picture that needs very little to make a great page. This was one of those pictures that just is fun - the structure at the park provided a great frame. And, the colors at this Park were so much fun. Bold turquoise made for a super fun photo shoot and some great shots! Here is just one page from this fun shoot at Bill Berber Park in Irvine.

We all Scream for Ice Cream!

How fun is this page? I was going through pictures of my son and I thought the picture seemed familiar. Sure enough, I had similar picture with my grandma. What grandchild doesn't enjoy ice cream with their grandma! Super simple page using rounded corner to shape the pictures. I enlarged the older picture and used the opacity tool to make it look even older.

Simple Tip Tuesday

My house can get pretty hectic especially in the morning. One tip that helps mornings go a bit more smooth in my house is to put out my children's clothes for the week. I use a hanging organizer in the closet so my kids just go to the day and grab the clothes. It seems to really eliminate running around trying to find outfits that match as well as looking for socks etc.

Summer fun

A Fun Idea!

For my son's first year of preschool, I ended up with a huge stack of pictures and projects that I was afraid to throw out. I mean doesn't every parent want to keep their child's artwork? After their required 'time on the fridge', I needed to do something with them, but they just ended up in a stack. For the first couple of years, stacks would work just fine, but then multiply that by each grade level and 3 kids, we would be swimming in sponged snowmen and handprint turkeys! I decided to scan the artwork and now each child has their very own memory stick full of pictures and art projects. I decided that as practical as it was, it wasn't very fun. To make some of the pictures more fun, I used My Memories Suite (MMS) to make them into fun scrapbook pages and now each child will have an actual book with their artwork.

Simply Crafty Wednesdays - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

A very SIMPLE, yet elegant way to reuse baby bottles. This particular bottle is one for formula, but you could easily use one from baby food too. I cleaned out the bottle and then wrapped the lid with ribbon. I covered around the bottle with a decorative punched piece of chocolate chip brown paper and then added color with the melon mambo and certainly celery label. To add more interest I topped it with a paper flower made with layers of the modern label punch. All products Stampin' Up!

SIMPLY Crafty Wednesdays - Father's Day

Each Wednesday, I will try and post a SIMPLE craft item. It might be digital via My Memories Suite (MMS) or paper with my Stampin Up! supplies. Until I get the hang of this blogging thing, I'Il probably be a holiday behind. But, once I catch up I am hoping to give you ideas for your holidays. This past Father's Day, I needed something super quick to send to my grandpa for father's day. I put this quick page together in about 5 minutes using My Memories Suite (MMS). I think that just rounding corners using the photo shape tool adds a nice touch to photos because they look more finished.

Boy I am Glad I Did!

I have been an avid scrapbooker for years. Or maybe I should say that I was avid scrapbook supply buyer for years and a sometimes scrapbooker - that would be closer to the truth. I love all things crafty, but I love to buy supplies! This however, does not work well when one has 3 little ones roaming freely. A couple of years ago, I was up late feeding my daughter by tv light when an infomercial came on about a new scrapbooking software. I had seen some before, but never really thought the pages they made turned out as nicely as the ones I slaved away on with all my supplies spread before me. But something struck me as different about this one. The pages created looked really nice and it seemed fairly easy to do. I finished feeding my daughter and headed off to order it. I sat there thinking that I was either delirious from the lack of sleep, or I had turned into a crazy middle of the morning impulse buyer. Later when my My Memories Suite software by Poloroid arrived www.mymemoriessuite.com - I was more than happy. It is so addictive and helps me keep my mantra of Keep It Simple - it is super SIMPLE and there is no mess! I am so glad I made that late night impulse buy! I'll be posting my pages here and you can see how great something so SIMPLE can be!

And then there were 3

The decision to have 3 kids was a hard one. We had 1 boy and 1 girl - we were done right? Well, we decided to add to our family and I am so glad we did. We now have a houseful of love. Final score 2 boys and 1 girl. With 3 under 5 - life is hectic and I like to take short cuts - at least figure out the best way to get from point A to point B with all of the interruptions. Having worked in the 'corporate world' for what seemed too long, you learn to work smarter and not harder. Seems, well...simple, but it isn't always. So here is me trying to Keep It Simple, Sometimes.