Stuff

How about a random Wednesday post. I thought I'd share a photo from my Vegas trip. This was a shot I got of the strip once the sun went down. I snapped this photo on our way back from shopping on our first night.

Have you ever considered submitting your work for publication. Why not try your hand at some of the upcoming calls for winter issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today.

 
Scrapbook & Cards Today is pleased to announce its wonderful winter call. Scrapbook & Cards Today is a beautiful, seasonally inspired free publication that can be found in both Canadian and US independent scrapbook stores. It can also be downloaded internationally, in its entirety and for free, by visiting www.scrapbookandcards.com.

Scrapbook & Cards Today would love to see your artwork including layouts, cards, and altered projects with the following themes:

holiday celebrations
winter fun-both outdoors and in
when in doubt, add a touch of SPARKLE!
delicious, delectable food-photos, recipes, and more!
the perfect winter day

Scrapbook & Cards Today is also looking for:

winter cards
gift tags
holiday gifts
well-balanced, double page layouts
multi-photo layouts

organization
Are you perfectly organized or have you found a way that helps curb your messy ways? Share your tips and tricks with us so you can help others in the same situation. Photos as well as written submissions are welcome.

something special
We are always on the lookout for a special project to feature in our something special column. If you have created something outstanding, be sure to submit it for us to see.

Be a part of the fastest growing scrapbook publication! Submissions can be made at www.scrapbookandcards.com/submission1.htmlor at ideas@scrapbookandcards.com. Compensation includes a fabulous goodie box from our sponsors plus two copies of Scrapbook & Cards Today! Please include your name, address, phone number, email address and supply list. Please ensure that all files sent are under 500KB. Summer CHA artwork and projects will be considered. This call ends September 29, 2010. We look forward to seeing your work! 

Good Luck & Happy Scrapping :)  

 

Hey Hey it's Tuesday

Hi everyone I am back from my trip. I spent yesterday recovering. I guess that's what happens when you go to Vegas. I realized that the timing of my little escape couldn't have been any better. With about a week and a half of summer vacation left my kids have turned into what we affectionately call the "bicker-sons". They fight constantly and going back to school is just what they need. I suspect they would both disagree with me.

Needless to say I haven't been crafty is what seems like forever. I think since I was so swamped before I left it feels a little weird to me. So last week I did some guest work for Bella Blvd. I hope you had a chance to stop by their blog because the entireScrapbook & Cards Today design team guested. Here is one of my layouts ...

(Supplies Used: Cardstock Bazzill, patterned paper/alpha stickers/accent stickers Bella Blvd., misc. buttons, DMC Embroidery Floss, adhesive pearls from Kaiser Craft, kitchen skewer, and font Bohemian Typewriter downloaded from the internet)

When I saw the cute scarecrow I knew I just had to cut him out and use him on a layout. Check out what the paper originally looked like. Sorry for the smaller image but I couldn't find a larger resolution image, I figure you can get the point right? When I cut him out I left a small white outline of paper. When I decided to dress him up I had tons of ideas guess what not all of them ended up on my layout. In my need to make him a little more 3-D I added buttons, folded a little triangle of orange paper for his nose, hand stitched his mouth and then gave him pearl brown eyes. Some of my other ideas included making him a new pocket with real or faux sticthing, using a kitchen skewer for his stick and adding extra cardstock to make the straw more 3-D. I learned a long time ago to edit my ideas I am kind of a less is more kind of girl.

 
Happy scrapping :)

 

 
 
  
  

Bella Blvd.

Hi guys I thought I'd set up a post for you while I was away. I just wanted to remind you to head on over to Bella Blvd. The Scrapbook & Cards Today design spent the week showing off their wonderful new releases. Remember to leave a comment for your can to win some awesome papers. If you haven't seen my projects here is a little peek.

I will post full images of my projects next week. I hope you have a great weekend.

  

Taking off for a few days

Before I leave you for a few days I thought I'd share another layout from the spring issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today.  I am a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to posting some of my published layouts. I think with this one I am pretty current with my projects.

This layout was featured in the designer challenge where each designer is given a set of products and is asked to do a project (generally a layout). We used paper and brads from Pink Paislee, alphas from Jillibean Soup and Journaling cards from Jenni Bowlin.  We are also given coordinating Bazzill cardstock. So the idea is to use the set of products given without really adding much else. For me besides using my computer for journaling I used a couple of punches (border punch and circle punch from Stampin' Up) and some staples.

(Supplies Used: Cardstock Bazzill, Patterned Paper Pink Paislee, Jenni Bowlin journaling pad, Corrugated white alphas from Jillibean Soup, Brads from Pink Paislee, Punches from Stampin' Up and Font Traveling Typewriter downloaded from the internet)

The patterned papers from Pink Pasilee were from the Cupid Collection. I really wanted to go a little "out of the box" with the papers and not go "Valentine" with my layout. The red paper from the collection is my absolute favorite. I also knew I wasn't going the traditional route with the Jenni Bowlin journaling cards. Instead I lined them up and treated them as if they were a strip of patterned paper.

I am off to do some last minute packing. See you when I get back. Cheers!!

Before and After

A while back I made a few cards and decided to do a little before and after experiment. I wanted to show how adding a little sparkle can really transform any project.

 
  
 

(Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Patterned Paper American Crafts, Alphas Jillibean Soup, Eyelet JoAnn's, Ribbon Stampin Up, misc. corner rounder, rhinestones Creative Charms)

This card shows off how super simple it is to dress up your alphas with rhinestones. I like to group things in 3's and in this card I went a little tone on tone effect with the rhinestones.

 

(Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Alphas American Crafts, peace accent Little Yellow Bicycle, rhinestones Creative Charms)

In this card I simply went for a left to right sprinkling of rhinestones. This is a great design element that gives any card or layout direction. The rhinestones help lead your eye from the top left of the card to the bottom right.

(Supplies Used: Bazzill/Jillibean Soup Cardstock, Stamp Stampin Up, Ink VersaFine, Alphas American Crafts, misc corner rounder)

This idea is so easy. I simply topped off my stamped imaged with rhinestones. It's so easy even a caveman could do it.

So many companies are making self adhesive Rhinestones. If you are life me you have them in multiple colors and sizes. There are great little accents that can add a little pop you any project . Try looking back on your last few cards or layouts, could you have added a little spice? You could also dress up diecuts with rhinestones. Think of the possibilities.

Happy Wednesday!!!

 
 
 
 

Couldn't think of a title for my post today ...

Remember I mentioned I was taking the day off ... well not really. I have yet another confession today is my birthday. I decided to take the day off from posting a tutorial but not really scrapping. I have a few more deadlines to hit before I leave town again on Thursday for my B-day Vegas trip. I am taking a few days off with one of my gal pals who just had her birthday over the weekend. We plan on doing lots of shopping, sunning, gambling - who could ask for more.

So I promised you one more mini album. This one was a gift for my girlfriend who will be hitting the Vegas strip with my in just a few days. The photos are from a camping trip we took earlier this month. The mini album came from Punky Sprouts. It has layers of different materials from canvas to acrylic to chipboard in all sizes - pretty cool huh. I layered the title and had lots of fun playing with a unique mix of papers. I even made a pocket for some of the extra photos I didn't use.

 
 

 

 

 

(Supplies Used: Mini Album Punky Sprouts, Bazzill Cardstock, Patterned Paper Basic Grey, Piggy Tails, october Afternoon, Creative Imaginations, Pink Paislee, Butterflies/Stick Pins/Buttons Jenni Bowlin, Maya Road Mist, Beach Accents American Crafts, Scallop Punch Stampin Up, Sticker Alphas October Afternoon, Thickers American Crafts, SEI Ribbon, Rubons American Crafts/Little Yellow Bicycle, Marvy Circle Punch)

I think this mini album has moved up to the top of my list of favorite projects. I really got into the project mixing up lots of different products from my stash. This has been just one of my recent projects on my desk.

This week the Scrapbook & Cards Today design team is teaming up with Bella Blvd. Make sure you stop by their blog becaue they are doing tons of fun give aways all week long. Bella had some of my favorite releases at CHA so I was super excited to get to play with the new collections. Make sure you check their blog tomorrow cause that's when my stuff will go up and they are giving away one of my favorite collections.

Cheers!

Busy Busy Busy

My list of "to do's" is crazy insane right now. Really I am just a figment of your imagination because I am not even here right now. After being gone for a long weekend camping I am heading out of town again in a few days for some birthday girl time in Vegas. So I am going to do my best to try to set up some posts for you while I am gone.

Here's a card I did a while back using a few older goodies from my stash. There are some great design elements I love on this card. I have tried to copy them but it just never comes out with the same vibe ... what's up with that.

(Supplies Used: Cardstock Bazzill, Patterned Paper Basic Grey, Alphas Making Memories, Stamp from Jillibean Soup, ink VersaFine Black, Making Memories Stick Pins, Eyelets American Crafts, Ribbon from Jillibean Soup, misc Rhinestone, Fiskars decorative sscissors and corner rounder)

Come by tomorrow I have yet another mini album to share. I will be taking the day off from the Tuesday Tutorial. I think when you see the album you will forgive me for taking the day off ...

Happy Crafting :)

Recipe Mini Album

Can you stand another mini album? Well I hope not because that's what you are getting today. This was another project from my article from the summer issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today. The album is from Maya Road and was an awesome playground for my creativity.

(Supplies Used: Bazzill Cardstock, Patterned Papers/Chipboard/Stickers Cosmo Cricket, Brads Basic grey, Black Alphas Jillibean Soup, Chipboard Alphas Basic Grey, Twine/Ribbon Jillibean Soup, Buttons SEI and Font Bohemian Typewriter downloaded from the internet)

A few notes about this project. The canvas pockets house extra recipe cards. I misted for the first time on this project. I misted the canvas and let it dry over night. The dye/ink from the mist did rub off onto the papers. It seems the ink needed a lot of time to cure because now when I hold the album ink isn't rubbing off all over the place. The Basic Grey alphas I have are yellowing so I misted the letters and let them dry over night. The alphas soaked up the ink nicely and the overall look turned out super unique. I would most definitely try this again.

Have a happy weekend ... 

 

Out of order

Years ago I gave myself permission to scrapbook my photos out of order. This was kind of a big deal for me. Now I just scrapbook whatever inspires me. The downside is sometimes I skip photos and then forget about them. I'd like to think when I go back through my photos I find little treasures.

I did a layout for the Spring issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today. It's one of those layouts where I dug out some older photos I hadn't scrapbooked yet. I confess the photos really aren't the greatest and I suspect that is why I put them on the back burner.

 

(Supplies Used: Cardstock Bazzill, Patterned Paper KI Memories/October Afternoon/My Minds Eye, Chipboard Stars Scenic Route, Misc buttons & Eyelets, Font Arial used for title work cut with Wishblade, Font journaling Arial Narrow, Misc corner rounder, and Scallop punch from Stampin Up)  

Funny thing is my son is now 13 and heading into the 8th grade it's kind of fun to reminisce with these older photos. Holy cow when did I become a mom of a teenager. I think I am going to spend the rest of the day with my fingers in my ears singing "la la la" pretending my kids aren't getting so big.

Have a great day!!!

Monster Stew from Jillibean Soup

I know I was really bad about showing the sneaks of Jillibean Soup before the show. Can you forgive me if I share a new layout featuring Monster Stew one of 4 new releases. This line is super adorable. One of my favorite papers was the eyeballs it just made me laugh.

(Supplies Used: Cardstock Bazzill, Patterned Paper/Alphas/Journaling Sprouts/Shipping Tags/Twine/Buttons by Jillibean Soup, Fiskars border punch, Making Memories Metal tag rims and brads Basic Grey)

I confess I am kind of frustrated with my style lately so I have been playing a bit with tilting things like photos, titles and journaling blocks. Funny how everything else is stick straight. Sometimes I wonder if it's not best to just embrace my nature and run with it. I seem to gravitate to smaller photos all lined up in a row. Did I mention the photos are generally all the same size. It's kind of making me a little more neurotic than normal lately. So today I broke out the graph paper to start sketching more as a way to break up the monotony. I used to do this all the time wish me luck.

Tuesday Tutorial

Okay I admit this isn't really a tutorial but just a fun tip I thought I would share. I recently completed several mini albums for and article I did for the summer issue of Scrapbook & Cards Today. One thing I noticed when I craft a mini album is I like to have connecting elements throughout the entire album. The connecting element varies from album to album. It could be anything from product, to texture, to design or all of the above. In this album titled: Akumal Mexico I used a large scallop border as a connecting piece through out my album.

The scallop border on the cover is not patterned paper but a Badda Bing chipboard accent from Bella Blvd's All Inclusive Collection. I loved the element so much I wanted it on every page of my album but the chipboard set only came with one border. My solution was to use the leftover chipboard packaging as a template. I then traced the scallop border on other pieces of the patterned paper from the collection.

Here are more images of my mini album. Notice how I used the scalloped edge as the grounding piece for each page of the album. Since I am such a linear designer I like to have a grounding element when I work with something that isn't square like this mini album from Fancy Pants Designs.

 
(Supplies Used: Mini Album from Fancy Pants Designs, Cardstock Bazzill, Patterned Paper/Stickers/Stamp/Chipboard Bella Blvd., Shipping Tags/Canvas Flowers/Corrugated Alphas Jillibean Soup, Brads Basic Grey, Ink VersaFine, font Bohemian Typewriter downloaded from the internet)

Thanks for stopping by ... Happy crafting :)