Almost all my scrapbook projects start with a sketch. It’s usually one I’ve come up with myself and jotted down in my ever-present notebook, but I also enjoy a good sketch challenge to get me started.

Lately I’ve been into Studio Calico’s Sunday Sketch, so I was thrilled when they asked me to make a layout for their latest challenge! I picked the card sketch and made this page about our last hike of 2012 (trip report to follow, soonish):

I also made this tree-huntin’ page (yes, we finally ditched our plastic tree for a real one this Christmas!) for a Sunday Sketch in December…

…and this wildlife highlight page back in November. My layouts don’t usually end up looking anything like the sketch, but hey, whatever gets me scrapping makes me happy.

If you want to join the challenge this week, go to Studio Calico, let one of these two sketches inspire you, make your masterpiece, upload said masterpiece to the Studio Calico gallery, and then post your link in the comment section on the Studio Calico blog post. Happy scrapping!!

I’m just popping in to a) thank you guys so much for all the comments! You’re the best! and b) ask if there’s anyone else like me out there, because this is driving me crazy – I am only creative about ten minutes each day. I’m serious. And those ten minutes happen to be the ones right before I fall asleep. I’ll be dozing off and then suddenly *pop* I’ll get an idea…and if I don’t write it down immediately, it’s gone forever.

So I always have to keep a notebook on my nightstand where I can jot down whatever thoughts pop into my head. 98% of my ideas for sketches, layout themes, color combinations and journaling come from this book:

I think this is why I’m so unproductive at crops when I have to come up with ideas on the spot. I guess I should copy my sketches to a more portable notebook I can bring with me…

Anyway, I should go to bed now (and eagerly await my ten minutes of creativity), so I’ll finish with a layout about JK. Just because he’s been an extra good husband today :o)

(Note how I’ve stapled the flowers for added masculinity. Heh.)