Our Mediterranean Cruise

This layout is a Studio J® layout that I created from the Mediterranean cruise that my Cruisin' Buddy and I took back in 2008.  I earned the cruise from Close To My Heart and we had a blast!  It was a trip of a lifetime!

We arrived a three days ahead of the cruise.  In those three days, we went to London, took the Euro Star from London to Paris for a day, and then arrived in Barcelona for a full day before we boarded the ship.  In Barcelona the main street is called Las Rumblas.  It is full of street vendors and street people dressed to look like they are mannequins.  They stay perfectly still until you throw a coin in their can. Then they start to perform.  The photos in this layout are just a small sampling of all of them.  There were many more!

The paper used in the layout and all through our scrapping of the trip is called Vintage Travel.  It's been retired (and we bought a ton of it before it did! LOL).  It is available still in Studio J.  Thank goodness as I don't think we bought enough to finish our books.  You know how that is...you say you're only going to scrap a small percentage of the photos you take (I took 3000 and printed about 1000), then you keep seeing pictures that you just have to scrap.  LOL!  Be sure to click on the photo to enlarge it.

Some day we are going back!!

29 Layouts in 29 Days - Day 27

Today's layout gives a small overview of Pompeii.  It was one of the most amazing places I visited while on our European vacation.  It just boggles the mind to know that all of these ruins were buried under the molten ash for centuries, yet the paintings are still on the walls.  If you notice on the center bottom picture of the right page, you'll see an etched drawing into the stone.  This is actual graffiti from then!

 This page was created using the CTMH retired My Reflections kit called Vintage Travel.  We've been using this paper for our whole albums.

29 Layouts in 29 Days - Day 11

Day 11 of my 29 layouts in 29 days challenge. 

This layout was created using CTMH's retired Vintage Travel My Reflections Kit.  I'm so glad it's still available as my cruisin' buddy and I are still working on our layouts.  We both purchased a number of Level 1 and Level 2 kits, but, I'm not sure we'll have enough to finish.  Funny....when we first started scrapping we agreed that we wouldn't actually scrap every photo.  But, the more we scrap, the more we want to scrap.  LOL!!  At least when/if we run out of actual paper kits, we'll still be able to create more layouts.

For the month of February, purchase a 5-pack of Studio J layouts and get a 5 pack FREE!  No limit and no deadline to use your 5 packs.  What's a 5 pack?

Studio J® 5-packs offer you affordable gifting and savings off retail. Each pack includes:

• 5 two-page scrapbook layouts created online
• Custom printing
• 5 Memory Protectors®
• Free shipping and handling

Buy two—one for yourself and one to give away!  So, that's 10 double page layouts for only $55!  That's $2.75 a page!

Studio J Calendar

For Christmas this year, I wanted to give my Cruisin' Buddy something that she will treasure always. Here it is 2011 and we're still talking and scrapping our Mediterranean Cruise from 2008! When the project started, we thought we'd just scrap a few pictures from each of the wonderful places we visited and then put the rest in photo pages. Well, that's just not happening as we keep seeing more pictures that need to be scrapped. LOL!! Every time we sit to scrap we relive our days. So, for one of this year's gifts, I took some of our photos and scrapped them using CTMH's Studio J. Then I ordered the JPEG files for only $3 for each two page layout. Since each file comes through with both single files of each page and also the double page layouts, it gave me the opportunity to use each of the pages as a page in the calendar.

I then looked online to find one of the companies that would create a calendar with the 12x12 pages. Turns out that Snapfish was having an awesome special, buy 1 calendar, get 2 free! So, I was able to get a calendar for myself, and I also put together a simple calendar of photos of my husband and our grandson on all the different tractors and rideable (is that even a word? LOL) things that we have. We always joke that the grandson doesn't need to go to the amusement park as he has more rides here. LOL! Anyway, the calendar of my husband and grandson was the hit of Christmas and brought tears to our daughter's eyes. I just ordered another copy as a surprise for my husband. :)

Anyway...I digress! LOL! I opted for the black background on the 12x12 Snapfish calendar as the layouts also had black in them. Then it was just drag and drop of the layouts into the wells. I chose the "text only" option, and it allowed me to drop the whole page right into it and then there's a nice black frame around the layout. At the end of the year, my Cruisin' Buddy and I will be able to slip those 12x12 pages into page protectors and into our albums.

So, here's the layouts. I was trying to get them to link from Snapfish, but it doesn't actually show it as the calendar when you view my album. It's just the layouts. So, I made a slideshow of each of the pages instead. I hope you like it and it will give you some ideas for future gifts.

For more information about Studio J, be sure to click on the Studio J link.

How would you like to get a FREE 3 month Studio J membership? Simply enter for your chance to win a FREE 3 month subscription to Studio J.  It's Close To My Heart's quick and easy digital scrapbook program.  No software to purchase!  With a Studio J membership, you may choose to have CTMH print your layouts using their top quality printing services, or, you may order the JPEGs and have them printed at your printer of choice.

Please leave a comment and scroll down and click to Follow my Blog, and you will be entered in the drawing that will take place on Monday, January 9th, which was my Mom's birthday!

Studio J Mediterranean Cruise Layout

I've really enjoyed using Studio J to quickly do some of our layouts. While we have a ton (and I do mean a ton) of traditional layouts already done, it's fun to be able to create a layout in just a few moments, rather than a few hours. LOL! My Cruisin' Buddy and I take forever doing traditional layouts, but that's usually because we can't decide what pictures to use. Then, of course, it takes a while to decide on the layout itself.

Stop by Studio J any time in June and create a layout. Then order your FREE Studio J JPG file. I think you'll see just how quickly you get your pages created.

Not a traditional scrapper? Have fun playing in Studio J and you'll see how easy it is to create some cute birthday/holiday gifts!

Our Mediterranean Cruise layout

My Cruisin' Buddy and I are still working on our album from our Mediterranean Cruise in 2008. I'm not sure we'll ever actually finish and album, or two, or three....LOL!....as every time we go through our pictures we find more that we want to scrap. So, in order to quickly do some scrapping, we've been using Studio J also. These layouts look like real paper layouts unless you actually take them out of the page protectors to look. Here's another one we did recently.



We're still using the retired Vintage Travel My Reflections kit. Glad it's still available via Studio J as I don't think we bought enough actual paper kits to do all of our album(s). LOL!

Altered Canvas

Below is an altered canvas I did as part of a birthday present to my travelin' buddy. I painted the canvas first with Plaid Folk Art paint in the Linen color. Then I sponged the edges with CTMH Desert Sand ink. I also colored the chipboard letters with Desert Sand. Kim loved it!!

Suz Scrap Challenge #5

Here's this week's challenge. I'm still using Studio J and the Vintage Travel kit as I'm working on one page from each of the places that we visited. Each Studio J page will contain an overview of each port, where all of my other pages will be traditional scrapping and many photos from the same place. I figured this was a good introduction to each section.Below is Challenge #4. It's from the Imagine book and is called Stars Above, page 92. You'll need to use your Imagine book as this is not one of the layouts that we can share.I hope you're busy finishing up weeks one, two and three. If you're having trouble uploading to the Facebook Fan page, please let me know. Click on the layout and it will open larger for viewing.




Each Wednesday I will be posting a new scrapbook challenge using sketches from our Cherish, Imagine, and Reflections How-to books. If you don't already have these books, you can find them here. Each layout must be comprised of at least 75% Close To My Heart products. After you have created your layout, please share it in my Facebook Fan Scrapbook Challenge Album. You will need to "become a Fan" on my Facebook page. There is no time limit as to when you complete your layouts. This is week five, but you may upload your layouts at any time. Be sure to label your layout with your name. You may also leave comments here on my blog to let everybody know you've uploaded a layout.If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Be sure to check back every week for a new challenge. Ok, now, let's get those papers out and start creating! Just think how many layouts you'll have done by the end of the year!

Suz Scrap Challenge #4

I know! I missed a week. Life has been totally crazy here and the days just fly by!!
Anyway, here's this week's challenge. I'm still using Studio J and the Vintage Travel kit as I'm working on one page from each of the places that we visited. Each Studio J page will contain an overview of each port, where all of my other pages will be traditional scrapping and many photos from the same place. I figured this was a good introduction to each section.

Below is Challenge #4. It's from the Imagine book and is called Conclusion Combo, page 56. You'll need to use your Imagine book as this is not one of the layouts that we can share.I hope you're busy finishing up weeks one, two and three. If you're having trouble uploading to the Facebook Fan page, please let me know. Click on the layout and it will open larger for viewing.



Every Wednesday (I know...today is Thursday LOL) I will be posting a new scrapbook challenge using sketches from our Cherish, Imagine, and Reflections How-to books. If you don't already have these books, you can find them here. Each layout must be comprised of at least 75% Close To My Heart products. After you have created your layout, please share it in my Facebook Fan Scrapbook Challenge Album. You will need to "become a Fan" on my Facebook page. There is no time limit as to when you complete your layouts. This is week four, but you may upload your layouts at any time. Be sure to label your layout with your name. You may also leave comments here on my blog to let everybody know you've uploaded a layout.If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Be sure to check back every week for a new challenge. Ok, now, let's get those papers out and start creating! Just think how many layouts you'll have done by the end of the year!

Suz Scrap Challenge #3

I'm still busy trying to get a few more of our Mediterranean Cruise photos scrapped using Studio J. What a time saver it is!!

Below is Challenge #3. It's from the Imagine book and is called Ensemble Piece, page 40. You'll need to use your Imagine book as this is not one of the layouts that we can share.

I hope you're busy finishing up weeks one and two. If you're having trouble uploading to the Facebook Fan page, please let me know. I am absolutely loving Studio J! Click on the layout and it will open larger for viewing. I've used our retired Vintage Travel papers for this weeks layout.


Every Wednesday I will be posting a new scrapbook challenge using sketches from our Cherish, Imagine, and Reflections How-to books. If you don't already have these books, you can find them here. Each layout must be comprised of at least 75% Close To My Heart products. After you have created your layout, please share it in my Facebook Fan Scrapbook Challenge Album. You will need to "become a Fan" on my Facebook page. There is no time limit as to when you complete your layouts. This is week three, but you may upload your week one and two layouts at any time. Be sure to label your layout with your name. You may also leave comments here on my blog to let everybody know you've uploaded a layout.If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Be sure to check back every week for a new challenge. Ok, now, let's get those papers out and start creating! Just think how many layouts you'll have done by the end of the year!

Suz Scrap Challenge 2

It's week two of the scrap challenge! I hope you're busy finishing up week one. If you're having trouble uploading to the Facebook Fan page, please let me know. I am absolutely loving Studio J! I created this layout in less than 1/2 hour, and it took me that long because I was having a hard time deciding which Paris photos to use. LOL!! When I get to do a London Page, it will take me awhile as I took at least four times as many photos in London than Paris. Could even be more than that! LOL!!
Click on the layout and it will open larger for viewing. I've used our retired Vintage Travel papers for this weeks layout.

Every Wednesday ( I know..it's Thursday already. LOL!) I will be posting a new scrapbook challenge using sketches from our Cherish, Imagine, and Reflections How-to books. If you don't already have these books, you can find them here. For this week's challenge, we'll be using one of the patterns that CTMH has graciously allowed us to share. This pattern is the Sweet Symphony pattern from the Imagine book. Click HERE to view the pattern. Each layout must be comprised of at least 75% Close To My Heart products. After you have created your layout, please share it in my Facebook Fan Scrapbook Challenge Album. You will need to "become a Fan" on my Facebook page. There is no time limit as to when you complete your layouts. This is week two, but you may upload your week two layout at any time. Be sure to label your layout with your name. You may also leave comments here on my blog to let everybody know you've uploaded a layout.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Be sure to check back every week for a new challenge. Ok, now, let's get those papers out and start creating! Just think how many layouts you'll have done by the end of the year!

The Magic Fountain of Montjuic

Kim and I did some scrapping this week of our CTMH Mediterranean Cruise. The Magic Fountain in Barcelona was one of the most breathtaking things that we saw. We were tired that day (Saturday) as we had only gotten about 8 hrs. sleep since we left NY on Wednesday. We'd walked Las Ramblas on Saturday afternoon and had gone to see La Sagrada Familia church. We headed back to the hotel after seeing La Sagrada Familia to rest for a little bit. After sitting down it was all we could do to get going again. LOL! But, the Magic Fountain was within walking distance of the hotel, so off we went. What a beautiful sight! As the water danced in various colors, the music played. It was amazing, gorgeous, and every other adjective you could think of!

So today, when I should be cleaning house or stacking the firewood, I just had to take the time to do the journaling to finish our page and post it here for all to see. We must have taken well over 50 photos each of the fountain, so this is just a small representation of splendor.

Enjoy!

My European Vacation

Sounds like a Chevy Chase movie, huh? LOL! I finally got a chance to scrap some of my vacation photos. I used the Close To My Heart Vintage Travel Level 2 Papers for these pages, the Memory Keeper box and also the Acrylic Album.

I also did this CTMH Memory Keeper box to keep all of the keepsakes in that don't fit in an album.

I love how this acrylic album turned out! I can pop it in my purse to carry with me. It has a page for each of the different cities that we visited.