There are two sketch challenges that I’m involved in every month….one created by Lynette at The Urban Scrapbook and one designed by Jill Sarginson for Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine


First, here is the March sketch from Jill….

Play along and join  the Sketchy challenge over at Canadian Scrapbooker and you might get published!

How can you get so many photos on a single page?  Scrapbook a birthday, of course!  BabyOfTheFamily celebrated her 12th birthday last month (sniff).  She is going into Junior High in the fall (whimper).  I might not be able to call her “BabyOfTheFamily” anymore (tear rolling down cheek).


And here is the layout of the happy event….

TaDa Creative Studios papers and stickers (BFF collection) and Harmonie yellow ribbon and black alpha stickers.

Pretty bright, isn’t it?  Perfect for BOF, who lights up a room and has the sweetest personality 🙂


You’ll be seeing more of these title banners in my layouts ….I suddenly realized I’ve put them on the last 4 pages I’ve created….including my next design for Urban Scrapbook’s monthly staff challenge….

Jan at Urban Scrapbook put together an amazing kit with these fantastic October Afternoon papers and stickers and all these wonderful embellishments. Drop by the store…there still might be some kits left for sale. 

In the Urban monthly kit, you also get a Maya Road vintage ruler, twill ribbon, a piece of Tim Holtz Filmstrip Ribbon and a 7Gypsies antique pin.  The butterfly and “My Family” are stickers from a sticker sheet also included in the kit.
The Dusty Attic chicken wire chipboard is from my own stash.
I’ll never get tired of banners!

The mat behind the photos is just a crumpled and flattened piece of Tim Holtz Kraft Glassine paper.  I also cut a bit of the glassine to make leaves for my ribbon flower top left.


I have to tell you, I’m in love with these photos of my mother, which are from her scrapbook, handed down to me.  I think she’s about 18 years old, and to see her in the farmyard (the farm where she grew up) with the chickens and also playing with the dog, well, I am completely enchanted.  The last photo on the right is especially precious….because I’ve never seen  my mother run.  NEVER. 


When I grew up (here I go sounding OLD again), mothers didn’t exercise or play outside with kids.  My  mom spent all of her time looking after us, doing the traditional chores of laundry, housecleaning, groceries, shopping.  All our food was homemade and she did canning, bought whole chickens from the farm….bottom line:  we ate very very well and our underwear was ironed.  I remember the first time I had store bought pickles (or cookies or jam).  YUCK.  I was appalled. Couldn’t believe people paid for that stuff and ate it.  LOL!


Yes, I was blessed to have a stay-at-home mom and a dad who ran his own business and worked 24/7 so she could do so.


I think of myself as following in her footsteps, staying at home to raise my children (and not go insane)….but she is in a different league, from a different era and I can’t possibly compare my homemaking skills to hers. 


So I don’t make jam, and my daughter has taking over the baking responsibilities around here….but my mother did teach me how to make pickles….just like her mother made them 🙂

Three generations of picklers:  BabyOfTheFamily, my mother Sophie, and me (Summer 2009).


I still can’t keep up with my mother’s homemaking skills, but I know I can RUN faster than her 🙂

17 Comments on Monthly Sketches…and Pickles

  1. scrapbookertink
    March 14, 2012 at 11:58 am (12 years ago)

    LOL, Kelly loved your story about the pickles! Your farm layout is amazing, that glassine paper is amazing on the leaves, need to try that. Your daughter is a cutie, how quick they grow up mine are now 17 and 15! Take care, Doreen x

    Reply
  2. Miae
    March 14, 2012 at 12:34 pm (12 years ago)

    That’s a wonderful family photo of the girls! I wish I had photos of my mom as a girl back in the “old country”- Korea:) Your two pages are very different but so well done! Love the pink and fun of the first (cool banner by the way) and your second with it’s chippie and banner has modern heritage all over it! Beautiful takes on the sketches Kelly:)

    Reply
  3. Lee-Anne
    March 14, 2012 at 2:07 pm (12 years ago)

    Absolutely love your farm layout! Your family photo is awesome too. Nice story too!

    Reply
  4. Michelle
    March 14, 2012 at 2:34 pm (12 years ago)

    Gorgeous LOs Kelly! Great take on the sketch. Loved the story of the pickles …I hear ya…I’ll never be able to do all the stuff my mom did! I certainly don’t consider myself lazy but Mom can still run circles around me. { well NOT run per say haha…like your Mom ,I don’t remember ever seeing her run either!] Loooove the three generation photo..what a good looking bunch of girls! Hugs, Michelle
    PS I seem to be on a banner kick lately too. Are we channeling each other?????

    Reply
  5. Bellaidea
    March 14, 2012 at 5:14 pm (12 years ago)

    Great photo, nice story! I still make jam etc 🙂

    Reply
  6. Cindy Gay
    March 14, 2012 at 6:31 pm (12 years ago)

    Ahh! I love the picture of the 3 generations of lovely girls. Happy 12th to BOF!

    Reply
  7. Renee
    March 15, 2012 at 4:07 am (12 years ago)

    Great post Kelly, really beautiful, detailed LO’s and beautiful family picture!!!

    Reply
  8. Charlotte Brochu
    March 15, 2012 at 10:33 am (12 years ago)

    Wow, Kelly! Two such gorgeous layouts! My daughter just celebrated her 12th birthday too! It’s hard to see them grow up, isn’t it! Now, I have to ask you…where do you get chicken wire from? I love the look of it on layouts!

    Reply
  9. Shell
    March 16, 2012 at 4:25 am (12 years ago)

    Both gorgeous LO’s! The 2nd is my fav! I luv the banner (I am a bit addicted to banners too LOL!)

    Reply
  10. WillieburgScrapper
    March 17, 2012 at 10:15 am (12 years ago)

    I love the banner photos in the first page and the color but the second page is SPECTACULAR!!! The vintage photos, the detail and layering- the color- just amazing! If you don’t mind I will pin that second page to my chipboard pin board on Pinterest? I’t’s incredibly inspiring. Thank you so much for swinging by my blog today- that Echo Park collection is just so beautiful- I didn’t do it justice this time but I have many pages to go- it’s my favorite right now. 🙂

    Reply
  11. ingrid
    March 18, 2012 at 1:27 am (12 years ago)

    gorgeous pages!!!
    oh my….your baby is 12 already! moments like that makes me need a tissue too!LOL!
    really love your farm page…great design and use of colors and textures!
    what a lovely and precious family photo!
    Ingrid xxx

    Reply
  12. Sharon
    March 22, 2012 at 2:38 am (12 years ago)

    Both of your pages are totally amazing , Kelly!!!! And I love your sense of humor! I love how you named her BabyOfTheFamily!!!! And your three generations photo is so heartwarming! I am glad that you can still run faster than your mom, too!!! LOL! But I think she has you in the big hair department!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  13. Izzy Anderson
    March 22, 2012 at 8:02 am (12 years ago)

    These are both just beautiful. I absolutely adore the heritage page. I never knew I “needed” chicken wire chip but gosh if I don’t want some now! That’s such a sweet photo there at the end. Love your writing your posts are always a joy to discover.

    Reply
  14. misty
    March 23, 2012 at 1:36 pm (12 years ago)

    I’m with ingrid…I got a little teary eyed seeing the 3 generations of pickler’s pic! I love both of these pages and I’m always a fan of how you draw us in with your writing!

    Reply
  15. misty
    March 30, 2012 at 9:44 am (12 years ago)

    Came to see if you had an announcement to make??? Will go check the g45 blog

    Reply
  16. misty
    March 30, 2012 at 9:45 am (12 years ago)

    Came to see if you had an announcement to make??? Will go check the g45 blog

    Reply
  17. Connie Nichol
    April 2, 2012 at 10:38 am (12 years ago)

    what great layouts, Kelly. I especially love the heritage one with the photos of your mom. What a wonderful way to showcase those old pictures, really love the amazing texture you’ve added with the glassine and chicken wire. Thanks for the inspiration!!!

    Reply

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