Stars and Stripes Mini Book

Last Friday night I took this absolutely adorable patriotic mini book class from Nicole Lysse. She used My Mind's Eye American Made papers and she just packed it full of really fun things, from rosettes to fire crackers. I worked diligently to finish it this weekend so I could share it with you here.
*Note - the picture mats were odd sizes so I had to print them at home and of course, I ran out of ink half-way through, so keep that in mind as you look at some of the pages, and don't let my poor photo quality deter you from admiring Nicole's creative genius.

The front pages open to reveal the backsides of the cover and the first full page. Here are some close-ups.


Then the back of the first page and the front of the second are displayed here with some close-ups below.

This back of the third page and the front of two half pages are then revealed.

We cut a little pocket from this paper to hold journaling and additional photos.

I LOVE this firework page!

The two half pages open to reveal pockets on the back sides and another full page.

The back of the last full page and the front of the back cover are so fun
and colorful with all the rosettes and pinwheels!

And she even included a Hidden Mickey for my patriotic Disneyland 4th of July pictures!

As you can see, we made so many fun embellishments for this album. Thanks Nicole for a fun class and a delightful mini book!

"And You Said He Was DEAD!"

This is my entry for the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #24. You had to do a layout using any MME product. I just looked at their blog entry and noticed that mine isn't all that different from other layouts. Oh well, at least I finally got this Disney memory scrapped and that's what matters! AND, this is also for Disney Challenge #6 on the Disney Scrappers Forum.

Here is the story that is on the hidden journaling tag behind the picture:

When I was 5 or 6, back in the early 70's, I saw a program on TV. Don't know the name or even the storyline, just that I was enthralled with President Lincoln. I told my parents how much I loved him and was so very glad he was our president. It took some convincing on their part, but they finally got me to understand that he was our president a looooooong time ago, before I was born and even before they were born, and that he wasn't alive anymore. As you can imagine, this was hard for me to believe since I had just seen him alive and well on TV, but I eventually accepted the sad, horrible truth that President Lincoln was indeed no longer our president and that sadly, he was dead. He remained my favorite president though, and one of my favorite songs became the "Battle Hymn of the Republic." I could belt that song out with the best of them!

Not long after, Mom and Dad decided to take us to Disneyland. Of course, one of our stops had to be at the Disneyland Opera House to see the Walt Disney Story and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. I had no idea what we were about to see, so I blindly followed my parents into the auditorium and waited for the show. As soon as the announcement was made...."And now ladies and gentlemen, it is time for us to spend a few great moments with Mr. Lincoln...." and the curtain started to rise, I was enthralled! It was my hero, standing there, in the flesh, speaking to us! I listened with rapt attention (quite a feat for a 5 or 6 year old) until the very end, when he had finished his speech, and the notes of my favorite song started to rise. It was just too much for me. I stood up on my seat, put my hands on my hips, looked disdainfully down at my parents and yelled over the music, "AND YOU SAID HE WAS DEAD!" And then I promptly started singing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" at the top of my lungs along with the choir.

I don't claim that I was an easy child to raise, that's for sure! But if nothing else, I was enthusiastic and patriotic! I kind of think, that if Walt had been around, and had wandered in to the Opera House during that performance, that he might have been slightly amused, but that he would have loved my reaction. His Lincoln animatronic convinced me that President Lincoln was talking to us! It was truly a GREAT moment with Mr. Lincoln for me! So thank you Walt! Your admiration for our favorite president is just one more thing I appreciate about you.

Barbarians Ride Free!

I had fun with this one too! Again, Cosmo Cricket's Salt Air line is so great! I love the blues, yellows and oranges in this line!


I followed Sketch #56 From Sketch Savvy. Please click the link to download a copy of this sketch and to see some wonderful example pages! As usual, I made it into a two page layout.

Side one has the title which is based on something King Triton said to Ariel in a conversation with her when he was ordering her never to have any interaction with humans. I put the conversation quotes on strips of paper in the corners of the layout . This corner is Ariel's response to him, which is "Daddy, they're not barbarians!"

The right side has my journaling and King Triton's part of the quote, which read, "Oh Ariel! How many times must we go through this? You could have been seen by one of those barbarians! Spineless, savage, harpooning fish eaters!"

My journaling reads, "Poor DH! I talked him into riding this just so I could make a page for the Disney Challenge!"

Which brings me to my last thing. If you are a Disney scrapper, and love all things Disney, head right over to Disney Scrappers and join! I am hosting Disney challenges again and that is the place to be! We have Challenge #1 and Challenge #2 for 2011 posted just this week and we would love to have you join us!

Part of Our World

On May 31, 2011, DCA had an early preview of The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure ride for Annual Passholders. In order to ride, you had to show your AP at least twice while in line and then you had to show it again in order to get in to the Ariel shop across the way to purchase limited edition Ariel's Under the Sea Adventure pins. It is a really, really cute ride, and you can read my review of it and see more pictures of it on my Disneyland blog.



For this layout I stretched this one-page Valentine's sketch from Sketch Savvy, into a two-pager. Please follow the link to download your own copy, and leave the very talented Susan Stringfellow some kudos while you're there. She deserves it for continually inspiring so many of us!


First, I used Cosmo Cricket's Salt Air paper for this layout. Page one uses some die cuts from SVG Cuts. I purchased them from their site. Easy and affordable!! The waves I cut using Creative Memories' Wavy 12" Cutter. I guess they no longer sell it. I put the paper in on the bottom edge for one cut and then moved it over and to the top for the second cut. That's why it looks like waves and not like ric rac. Then I trimmed one end to a point.


For the second page, I used an SVG label shape for the title and embellished it with Robin's Nest Dew Drops.


I love the bright orange of this paper and the soft pinks and blues too. It just goes perfectly with this ride!


And did you spot the Hidden Mickey? I didn't even have to make it! It just came with the paper!

Here is one video version of the ride. Visit my Disneyland Blog for more still shots and another video.