Thoughts of Scrapbooking

Stitched Crate Paper Valentines Card

2012-02-10T10:53:00.001-05:00

I made this card for the creative inspirations love challenge, the simon says love is in the air challenge, the CRAFT valentines day challenge, the do you stack up love challenge, the paper play love letters challenge and the fussy and fancy love challenge.

I used mostly Crate paper papers and chipboard. I also used a My Mind's Eye doily stamp and embossed the watermark stamped images. The stickers are lily bee and sassafras lass and the ribbon is may arts.

Valentine's Card

2012-02-06T11:03:00.001-05:00

I don't make a lot of Valentine's cards because Seth and I don't celebrate and frankly, Im not much of a fan of the holiday. However, I got a call last night from a family member who wanted a really special card. So, I combined a few of my challenges that I had printed out and whipped up this beauty. I do have to say that I think it turned out just lovely!

This is for the CREATE magazine valentines card gallery challenge, the sassy valentine challenge and the do you stack up anything goes challenge.

webster's pages paper and journaling card and pin. Jenni bowlin pin. WRMK brooch, may arts ribbon, coredinations and bazzill cardstock.

Guest Designer for Imaginisce!

2012-02-02T09:22:00.001-05:00

I am so happy to announce that I am the guest designer for Imaginisce for the month of February!

I had such fun working with their new Sole Sisters line. Hop on over there and check it out!

Machine Sewing video tutorial ACOT reveal

2012-02-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

I bit the bullet and made another video tutorial as part of my reveal this month at A Cherry On Top. This is my second video tutorial. I kind of hate the sound of my voice so I don't really like making them. But it just seemed like the way to go here. So much easier to show than try to explain in words how to sew.

This article features some examples and tips on hand and faux sewing as well, but the focus in the video. In the video I show you some tips for machine sewing on paper.

Check it out HERE: http://www.acherryontop.com/articles/Stitching-on-your-projects---machine%2C-hand-and-faux-16492

Another fun announcement!

2012-02-01T10:28:00.002-05:00

I was selected as one of the Ruby Rock-It guest designers for this year! I have a while to wait, because my month is December, but I'm really excited! I have been loving the products that they are putting out.

Check out the announcement here: http://rubyrockit.typepad.com/ruby-rock-it/2012/01/drum-roll-please.html

and be sure to check out their new CHA releases. I am loving this Nostalgia line. Can't wait to get my hands on that!

A fun announcement and a new kind of position for me!

2012-01-31T16:29:00.001-05:00

I am excited to share that I got a position on the design team for a STAMP COMPANY! I am going to be working with Joy's Life Stamps. You should check them out because they are awesome, funny, punny sentiments! I just fell in love with them!

Here is the DT announcement post http://joyslife.com/joys-life-march-2011-may-2012-design-team/
can't wait to work with all of these wonderful ladies!

Hello Friend card

2012-01-24T10:37:00.001-05:00

For this card I was inspired by the inspiration challenge for this week at Ruby Rockit. I always love the way paper collections look when they are all laid out together. So I was inspired by the part of the image where the different papers are all together. I chose a collection that I had a bunch of scraps from and used a small square punch for the Create Magazine punch challenge - to cut squares from all of the coordinating papers, then I glued them down in a pattern.Finally I used my sewing machine to sew a zig zag pattern across them.

here is the Ruby Rock-It inspiration piece

The paper on my card is Crate Paper restoration (oh how I loved that line!) the stickers is SRM stickers, the pins are jillibean soup and little yellow bicycle. The trim is may arts.

Map Card

2012-01-23T09:52:00.000-05:00

I made this card for the Moxie Fab Map to your heart challenge.

I used an old map with a controlled tear on the edges. I cut the house with my cricut from the Jubilee cartridge. Then I sewed around the edges, stamped the sentiment and wrapped with twine before adhering it over the map with foam tape. The cardstock is Coredinations for a little bit of texture.

Hearts Card

2012-01-23T09:46:00.001-05:00

This card is for the Around the House Challenge in the Moxie Fab World.
For my around the house tool I used my sewing machine. Yes, I mostly use it for scrapbooking now, but it was something that was just around my house before I stole it for my paper crafting. I used it in a unique way by sewing layers of die cut hearts together.
I was also inspired by the Runway Inspired Challenge shown below

I kinda adore this card! I love rainbows! Something about them just makes me happy.

This is also for the Charisma Cardz clean and simple challenge.

To make this card I used my Cricut with the Jubilee cartridge to cut the hearts in various sizes. The papers are from Simple Stories, Jillibean Soup and Bella Blvd.

Pinterest Color inspiration

2012-01-21T09:57:00.001-05:00

I saw this on pinterest and loved the color scheme. I couldn't get it out of my head. So when we went to get our hair braided in key west, I chose colors for the thread and beads that mimic these colors. I think they were a good more 'grown up' choice compared to the purple and white that I had last year. (If hair braiding can be grown up.)

Source: flickr.com via Megan on Pinterest

Anyway, I am happy with how it turned out and proud to be sporting this, IMO, chic color scheme for the next month or so. Here is how it turned out, even if Im not particularly thrilled with this photo. Do I really look like that?! I am going to go with no! I'm going to blame it on the angle, the early morning, the lack of makeup, the photographer ;) basically anything really. But I still wanted to share. So check out that braid! It matches nicely with my hair color don't you think?

Card with rolled paper

2012-01-18T09:35:00.000-05:00

I made this card for the Create blog rolled paper challenge and for the Cas-ual fridays scallops challenge. I have used pretty much every last scrap of this Jillibean Soup paper, so I had to make the rolls shorter than I had hoped to get them to go the whole way across.

Also, sorry about the photo. It isn't the best because it was EARLY morning and dreary outside, but it's been a rough week with me being sick. You do what you can.

Valentine Card

2012-01-17T09:20:00.004-05:00

I created this card for Carrie's challenge over at the Ruby Rock-It blog - to use a banner, tag or pocket. I have had this My Mind's Eye banner garland for a while, but had not used it because I find banners difficult. This challenge inspired me to break it out and make something.

I combined this challenge with the Embossing & Debossing Challenge in the Moxie Fab World challenge. I used pre-embossed coredinations cardstock for the front and sanded it to show the embossing more. I also debossed the card itself for a little added texture.

Paper Crafts call creations

2012-01-13T10:07:00.002-05:00

I haven't been posting new stuff for the past couple of weeks because I was busy working on cards for Paper Crafts magazine's latest call. (and ok, I was just plain busy with holiday stuff too)
Anyway, I am happy to say that I got TWO - count em TWO cards picked up for publication in the July/Aug issue of paper crafts magazine. So... that means I can share the ones that didn't get picked.

So here are a couple:
Here is one that I created for the sketch challenge. I just adore this card, it's so bright and fun! Don't you think?

and here is one that I made for the back to school call. This one is so simple, but I love how crisp and clean it is.

7th Birthday card

2012-01-11T10:27:00.003-05:00

For this card I used the sketch from Ruby Rock-it. Check out their contests over on their blog! I used sketch #1.

To create this card I used Jillibean Soup papers and sticker, SRM sticker sentiment, my cricut to cut the 7, and some twinery twine.

I was also inspired by the Moxie Fab Tuesday trigger for this week. I was inspired by both the numbers and the quilting. I used my sewing machine to 'quilt' the 7, and add some sewn borders around the card panels.

Umbrella Digi Stamp

2012-01-09T10:02:00.001-05:00

One of my new year's resolutions is to share a free digi stamp on my blog once a month. I enjoy drawing and making digi stamps. I LOVE sharing them. But I don't always make it a priority, so I figured that once a month is a good goal. It isn't something that really NEEDS to be a priority, but it is something that I enjoy.

So here is the first for this year. It's simple, but useful I think.

I used it on a card here for a paper piecing. I also used some Lily bee papers and an SRM sticker sentiment.

Webster's Pages Vellum card in Create Gallery

2012-01-05T13:58:00.000-05:00

Here is a card that I made last weekend with some older Webster's Pages papers and vellum, and an SRM sticker. It's in the Cards magazine Create blog Vellum cards gallery this week.

I wanted to use the cherry blossoms but keep it simple, so I backed this gorgeous vellum with white cardstock and matted it with coordinating patterned paper. I used a less embellished part of the vellum for the sentiment sticker.

New issue of Scrapstreet is available!

2012-01-03T09:12:00.000-05:00

The new issue of Scrapstreet magazine is up and my first column is in it! Check it out!

You can see the whole magazine by clicking on the image above, but if you want to check out my article - Wall Street, you can go HERE.

And here is the call for my next column: Wall Street. Recycle! What better way to save money than to recycle something that was destined for the trash. It's good for your wallet AND good for the environment. Show me pages that recycle something - packaging, cardboard, even travel brochures. Anything that would have been thrown away is fair game.

I would love to see some of my blog readers submit!
You can check out all the other calls here.

2012 resolutions

2012-01-02T11:51:00.000-05:00

Scrap resolutions:
I think I am going to go for more of the same as last year. After all, that seemed to work out pretty well.
1. submit every month
2. work on my photography
3. remember what I love about this art

Personal resolutions - these are also the same as last year, but let's hope the results are better. Not that they were bad this year, but it could be improved.
1. run
2. skin care - I really need to take better care of my skin - not washing my face with hand soap, and moisturizing on a regular basis.
3. work on stressing less - yoga, meditation - whatever it takes.

Welcome 2012

2012-01-01T11:29:00.001-05:00

here are a few of my favorite layouts from 2011. In reverse chronological order. It's interesting to see how my style has changed I think.

2011 recap / best of

2011-12-31T10:02:00.000-05:00

Everyone seems to be posting their top 10 layouts from 2011. I love that idea and have done so in the past but this year I am feeling more grateful for the goals that I have achieved. (Plus a lot of my favorite creations are out for publication, so I can't share them.)

so here is a brief review of my 2011

Scrappy 2011
Goals: My scrap goals for 2011 were to submit more, work on my card making skills, work on my photography and get back to enjoying myself.
Result:

I submitted A LOT! I am proud to say that that new years resolution was a resounding success. I made myself submit something every month, and actually turned it into a habit. I also had a lot of success from it - getting my first ever print publication in the Fall issue of Scrapbook and Cards today, and a total of 13 - THIRTEEN projects picked up for publication, most of which will be coming out in the spring.
I also worked on my card making skills a lot. That was a resounding success also, combining with the first resolution to result in numerous card publications. Additionally, I have come to really ENJOY card making, possibly more than layouts at this point.
My photography skills improved, but that is still a work in progress. I took a class and learned a lot. I started working with manual mode and got a new camera for Christmas. So, I believe this will be a resolution for 2012 as well.
I have not totally left the politics and pressure behind, (lord knows there have been some rocky patches in those areas of scrapping in 2011) but I have gotten back to finding what I love about this art. To beat a dead horse, the card making seems to have helped with that. Card making allows me to play sometimes and not put too much pressure on myself about it. If I mess up a card, it's just one small card, not a big layout and accompanying photos.

Personal 2011

Goals: workout more, stress less, be happy

Result: not nearly as successful as the scrapping resolutions

Working out has been rocky. I succeeded in running a 10 mile race in the spring, but managed to hurt my ankle. Recovery took a while and when I started running again, I hurt my knee. It has been on again off again ever since. This will be a 2012 resolution as well.
Stressing less is REALLY hard for me. I have pretty much managed to conquer my road rage, which is a pretty big step since I drive a lot. However, the yoga, pilates and meditation have been on again off again with only marginal success. Again, I will continue working on this.
Being happy is closely related to the stress for me, and so this year has been rocky in that respect as well. However, the end has been looking up! I definitely feel that I am ending this year on a high note.

In other news this year:

Ellie learned to read
Seth started Pharmacy school

And now, because I can't resist, a few of my favorite creations from this year. I already shared the calendar. So here are my other favorite altered items:

Imaginisce Advent Calendar

Altered Dress Form

And here are a couple favorite cards:

I will be back with favorite layouts in the next day or so.

Smash book planner idea

2011-12-30T10:44:00.000-05:00

This month for my reveal at A Cherry On Top I got to work with the K and Company Smash book! It's sort of a review/idea/tutorial but I wanted to show everyone just how cool these books are. I love journals of all sorts and when the Smash books came out I was dying to get one, but I didn't know what I would do with it. I love collecting ideas but I didn't really want something else to carry around with me.

Then I came up with the idea to make it an 'everything' book. I made it into a planner / list keeper/ idea book. I keep my to-do lists, my idea lists, and my schedule in it. (I still keep a schedule online with google calendar where I keep details like times and addresses, and where my husband can see it)

Well, I don't want to re-type pretty much everything that I said in my article, so you will have to go over there to check it out - along with tons more photos.

Suffice it to say that I now carry this book EVERYWHERE I go, and I am LOVING having everything all together in one adorable package, even though it doesn't fit in my purse. (It's on my to do list to get a purse that is big enough to fit it, and preferably one that has a special slender pocket that I can dedicate to it!)

New Year's Card

2011-12-29T10:05:00.000-05:00

What are you doing for New Year's Eve? Me? Same thing as last year - staying in and relaxing, probably even going to bed before midnight. And you know what? I don't feel guilty or lame about it - it's what I want to do. For years I put pressure on myself to have an awesome new year's eve, and was almost always disappointed - having spent too much money and had not enough fun. A party would probably solve that problem - having all of my friends over usually does. But then, who wants all that prep and clean up right after the holidays? So, I've decided that I'm happy with a very low key new year's.

I'm not saying that it will always be this way, but at this point in my life, where things are constantly go, go, go - the real treat for me is time when I DON'T have to go, go, go. And on that note, here is a little low key New Year's card for you - featuring an SRM sticker and some My Mind's Eye papers.

This card was featured in the Cards magazine blog New Years Cards Gallery!

I know it's early, but I hope you have a happy new year, whatever way you choose to celebrate!

Hmm, and now that I am looking at this card, I'm thinking - wouldn't that make a great Hanukkah card? Blue and grey - I might have to try that color combo next year. Maybe I can break out of my bad Hanukkah card rut! That makes me want to run right into my scrap room and try it now - it's never too soon to start right?!

2011-12-27T14:29:00.001-05:00

As part of a recap/best of I want to share this calendar that I created using SRM Stickers, My Mind's Eye papers and twine from the Twinery. This was part of my guest design work for SRM stickers and one of my favorite projects from 2011, so I am really excited to finally get to start using it! It's a great project for this time of year though, for obvious reasons.

I created unity throughout the calendar by using the same paper set on all the pages. I also used 3 squares - a photo, a calendar and a space for notes - on each page. (except one).

I didn't want every page to be the same though, so I varied the design of each page by sketching out the designs ahead of time. Finally, I added a sticker sentiment and some twine and/or ribbon to each page.

The base of each page is just plain cardstock so that it was easy to place the finished pages into my Bind it All and punch the holes for the bindings.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T09:42:00.000-05:00

I don't know why, but I just adore this card! It seems so unexpected, I guess, with the pinks and oranges and blues. These papers (and the button and chipboard) are Crate Paper, mostly Random, and some Emma's Shoppe. I cut the card and the snowflake with my Cricut, using the Damask Decor cartridge. The snowflake is part of the card, then I layered a pink cut, an off white doily cut, and a transparency with silver script.

The sticker is SRM stickers.

'interesting' Key West recap day 1 & 2

2011-12-23T10:32:00.003-05:00

Don't worry I won't bore you with a full recap of every day, but these first couple days had some really interesting moments that I wanted to share.

weapon and bomb talk in the middle of airport security
I am sure that I'm not the only parent to experience this, but it's still kind of scary/funny. Ellie is very curious right now, asking questions about EVERYTHING. And of course she wanted to know why she had to take her shoes off at security. She asked that long before we got to the airport, and not being ones to hide things from her, Seth explained that it was because someone tried to blow up a plane using a bomb in his shoe. We discussed how dumb that was not to mention mean, bad etc. But then when we got to security and she was taking her shoes off, she says, "Mommy why would do kids have to take off their shoes, why would a KID want to blow up a plane?" I shushed her and told her they wouldn't and to talk about it later and we moved on.

Then Seth forgot to remove his multi-tool swiss army knife thing, so he had an extended secondary search where they took it from him. and as we walked away she asks, "Why did Daddy try to take a knife on the plane?" LOL! oh my!

fast forward past the running through the airport to make our connection which they were actually holding for us (and the other 8 people making the same connection). fast forward past the airline losing the GATE CHECKED car seat, and past the scare that Kenny and Phyllis had when their house sitter said that their heat was broken (with the dogs there) and on to Ellie reading the sign for the Half Shell raw bar that is supposed to have a slightly sexual connotation, as she says, "Why do they want you to eat it raw" LOL

other than that drama - here is what we've been seeing:

I don't know why, but I love this photo. I think it just really tells the story. She is so intent on swimming, so matter of fact. It's adorable. I also love the ocean in the background.

Here it's just her pure joy. Swimming swimming and more swimming!

and here is what I got from playing with the silhouette setting on my new camera. That is seth sitting oceanside reading, while I am sitting poolside watching Ellie and playing with my camera.

moving on to day 2.

Look Ellie an Egret! Don't look at the Egret Ellie!
Driving down the road we see an Egret on the side of the road, and happen to stop beside it at a light. "Look Ellie, Look! It's an egret, isn't it pretty?" and then the egret proceeds to grab a small lizard that REALLY closely resembles her beloved pet Queen Julia, and SLOWLY eat the wriggling creature. Ellie rolled down her window and screamed at the bird to no avail of course. I thought for sure she was going to start crying. Then we talked about the circle of life and how Queen Julia eats crickets.

Ellie meets her first inmates
We headed on to the Monroe County Correctional Facility to the Animal Rescue farm that they have there. A while ago they started collecting abused, abandoned or neglected animals and housing them in an area under the correctional facility (which is built up on concrete pylons to withstand hurricanes. They have all manner of livestock along with a python, emu, lemur, crocodile, ferrets, birds, rodents and a bunch of tortoises. (Im sure I forgot something) Ellie got to pet a galapagos tortoise, a ferret, a bunny, a pony, and hold a baby crocodile. She also got her face painted. The inmates were the ones holding the animals, so then of course we had to talk about what 'inmate' means - lol. It was interesting to say the least.

She looks less than happy here, but that's only because I made her slow down for a second so I could take her picture. She was LOVING petting this tortoise!

Nothing makes her hold back, the other kids were petting, but Ellie asked if she could HOLD the alligator (crocdile? Im not sure)

And here is the ferret. She was asking him all kinds of questions about it.

So far key west has been a definite learning experience for ellie!

Of course, face painting, for some unknown reason was the highlight. She breezed right past Santa - I don't even think she realized he was there. (which was ok because we had already seen Santa and I really kinda didn't want her coming up with something ELSE that she HAD to have from Santa - like the picture of his reindeer that she asked for the first time) Anyway, she breezed right past Santa, stopped briefly at a few animals and zeroed in on the face painting. I knew they had face painting, it was one of the selling points to me to take her there, but I didn't tell her ahead of time just in case. She waited patiently in line for what seemed like forever! The other kids were leaving their parents in line and looking at the nearby animals - not ellie! She refused to budge from the line. She was THAT intent on the face painting. And this is what she got - a polar bear. LOL! She really has the worst luck with face painting 'artists'this was the second try, because the first time the red from the hat dripped and it looks REALLY macabre. This one only looks like a skeleton - lol.

Hanukkah Cards

2011-12-21T09:22:00.001-05:00

Happy Hanukkah!

Why are Hanukkah Cards so hard for me? I honestly don't know! The only thing I can come up with is the blue and silver or blue and gold color scheme, but that doesn't really seem to cut it as an explanation.

Here's one that I made a couple weeks ago. I thought it would be fun to make the candles out of ribbon with gems on top as the flames. But there seemed to be enough going on after I created the menorah, so I left it at that. And now, it just looks kind of juvenile don't you think?

This one I actually kind of like - notice that it has blue, but the blue is paired with browns and greens.

On this one I tried to 'copy' my success with the blues and browns, but it didn't work as well. I think because the sentiment is a slightly different shade of blue.

This one, a big part of the problem is the photo - that is for sure! This is from when my camera was really on the fritz. But still, this card just makes me shudder. Again, here, I am blaming two different shades of blue - the ribbon and the paper.

So, yeah, seriously looking for some ideas here as to why I can't seem to make a decent Hanukkah card to save myself! I mean, I guess if I had to pick a type of card to stink at - Hanukkah isn't such a bad one since there are less of them than pretty much any other type. But still, it really kinda bugs me! This year I FORCED myself to make a couple but I dread it because I know they won't turn out right.

Hmmm, I wonder if that has something to do with it? Dreading working on something is bound to stop up the creative flow. But how do you get around that?

Playing with my Cricut

2011-12-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

I've had my Cricut for a while now, but I never really bothered to 'get to know' it. Then I went to a crop and met a friend who showed me how to set the pressure to make it not chew the paper, and I wanted to give it another try. I got a few new cartridges and have been playing around ever since.

I have found that it is sometimes difficult to marry the cricut with my style of scrapping, but not impossible. It's also a sort of new way of thinking about my paper crafting. There are so many options with the cricut, and I can make them all match!

Here is a Christmas card that I created with the Damask Decor cartridge and some Crate paper and My Mind's Eye papers, and My Mind's Eye chipboard. The sentiment is SRM stickers.

The card is cut from Crate paper Random paper, and then layered with another cut of blue denim Random paper and the green print Random paper. With this card I ran into a little bit of a photography problem. I'd love some ideas if you have any on how to fix this problem. It happens whenever I have a window, or cut out like this.

I created the card so that the tree rests over the red polka dot paper, but when I went to photograph it, it wouldn't lie flat enough so really show that. I took the shot above with the card laying flat. Then the one below with it standing up. But you can see with both of them that you don't really get the full effect. The front of the card is askew from the back because it is slightly open in both photos.

And on a side note, don't you LOVE those SRM stickers? I wanted to keep the card simple, and I wanted to use the ornament, so I decided that putting the sentiment on the ornament was the way to go. I had to trim the stickers a little bit, and overlap them, but that's the beauty of these clear stickers - they still look GREAT!

Nook Advent Calendar winner!

2011-12-14T15:22:00.003-05:00

Random.org picked a winner and the winner is lucky number 11 - Andrea Amu!!

email me your address and I will get your prize out in the mail! Although bummer that didn't remember this earlier because I was JUST at the post office this morning.

And thank you to everyone for the lovely comments!

Toot and a Moxie Fab Challenge card

2011-12-09T17:34:00.004-05:00

I just got an email that I am going to be published in Paper Crafts again! So excited!

In other news, here is a card that I created for the Get Inspired in the Kitchen Challenge in the Moxie Fab World This card features coredinations cardstock which I embossed with a sizzix folder and then sanded. I used my cricut to cut the diamonds. The sentiment is SRM Stickers.

here is the inspiration

Design Principles - Proportion tutorial at ACOT

2011-12-09T09:58:00.002-05:00

My latest tutorial over at A Cherry On Top is up. This month I discuss using the design principle of proportion effectively in your scrapbook pages. This is a follow-up to the class on Balance.

These are part of a 5 part series on using the main principles of design in your scrapbooking. However, next month I will be taking a break from the series to do something a little different.

Anyway, back to the current class. You can see the whole thing on the A Cherry on Top blog,

Here is one of the pages that I made for this reveal. I used Lily Bee's new Head Over Heels line. This page illustrates the proportion of color and the smaller embellishments paired with smaller photos.

You can see the article here.

You're the Sweetest Card

2011-12-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

This card is for the Moxie Fab World Pay it forward challenge. I used an SRM sentiment and delicious chocolate dipped strawberry sticker, along with some Jillibean soup and a Doodlebug card. I just love how bright and cheery this card is!

ACOT Challenges!

2011-12-07T04:36:00.000-05:00

The monthly challenges are up at A Cherry On Top! They are full of inspiration and the possibility of some prizes (ACOT points). This is my first month being in charge of writing the article. I made a little mistake but nothing catastrophic. So check it out here!

and here is my challenge Trends and Techniques, that I just realized I have been hosting since.... September of 2009!! Can you believe that? I can't.

Anyway, this month I challenge you to use fabric on your layouts. Here is my example layout - which features Clearsnap, Pink Paislee and Fancy Pants along with a bunch of fun techniques. Usually I try to make a new layout for my challenge example, but this month with all the craziness of the holidays, I decided to use one that I already had. This is from my guest designer work for Clearsnap and you can read more about it on my original blog post.

The Nook Advent Calendar Giveaway

2011-12-06T03:00:00.001-05:00

I'm so excited to share with you the Advent Calendar at My Scrapbook NookMyself and 24 other Nook friends are hosting a giveaway during the count down to Christmas. Every day untill Christmas one Nook girl will host a giveaway, so make sure you stop by and check out the Nook blog daily to see who is hosting a giveaway. And today is my day!

Here is a little bit of advent calendar inspiration for you. This is an advent calendar I created this year featuring Imaginisce Santa's Little Helper, SRM stickers, Twinery twine and a lot of felt and fabric glue.

Just a quick note about making this: it looks sewn together, but it's NOT! I sewed a border around the outside of the backing, just for some definition. I also stitched around the squares of patterned paper, but I adhered them to the squares of felt with fabric glue. The felt squares are also stuck to the backing with fabric glue. So, yes I can sew, but it was SO much easier to glue it together!

I die cut the scalloped circles, and used my cricut for the circles. I probably should have used the cricut for both - that would have saved time. Set it and forget it! I made the rosettes while I was watching tv.

Ok, now onto the part you are waiting for. Here is what I am giving away - 3 15yd bundles of Twinery twine, one Bo Bunny stamp pack, one WRMK stamp and one Imaginisce stamp. I reserve the right to throw a few more random things in there when I actually find an envelope and get it ready to mail. :)

For a chance to win this, simply leave a comment here before December 10th at midnight EST. I'll do a drawing and announce the winner next week. Make sure you also hop on over to Leah Killian's blog and get entered for the grand prize sometime between now and Christmas Morning. You could win a free subscription to the always inspiring Nook kits!

Season to be jolly card

2011-12-04T19:57:00.005-05:00

I have been thinking up cards for the Moxie Fab medallion challenge for a while now, and procrastinating. I guess it's lucky that I did, because I saw the new sketch challenge from My Mind's Eye and it was perfect!

Here is the card:

and here is the sketch.

I used the Holly Jolly papers from My Mind's Eye, some Twinery twine, an SRM sticker, American Crafts Cardstock and some favorite findings buttons. My camera has been acting up, so this picture isn't the greatest. Unfortunately I think I am going to have to take it into the shop tomorrow. Eek! hope that doesn't cost a small fortune. Anyway, the card is embossed with a sizzix embossing folder.

I haven't done this in a while, but I actually let myself have fun and play this weekend, so I indulged in a little old fashioned challenge combining...

This is also for the the CRAFT Christmas challenge, the simon says anything goes challenge, the ABC E is for embossing challenge, the pink elephant color inspiration challenge, the fussy and fancy image inspiration challenge, the color create red white and green challenge and the do you stack up anything tie-able challenge.

Shed Sweet Light is up at Scrapbooking.com

2011-12-02T09:31:00.003-05:00

my latest Scrapbooking.com article is up featuring a double page Hanukkah layout that I created last year.

Check it out HERE where you can see the full page in much better quality.

here is a little preview though - I just LOVE this photo!

Scrapbook Nook Advent Calendar Giveaway

2011-12-01T10:03:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited to share with you the Advent Calendar at My Scrapbook Nook. 24 Nook friends and I are hosting a giveaway during the count down to Christmas. Every day untill Christmas (starting today!!) 1 Nook girl will host a giveaway, so make sure you will check out the Nook blog daily to see who is hosting a giveaway. So have fun playing along! ps little hint: check back here on Dec 6 ;)

and here is a quick Christmas card for you. It's simple, but for some reason I just like it. This was one of the cards that I created in this year's ACOT crop Christmas card class. (Which I seem to be making a yearly thing of) It features some Prima North Country, and a SRM sticker.

A couple of fun little toots

2011-11-22T10:08:00.002-05:00

This week this from my Scrapdango October reveal, featuring Little Yellow Bicycle Hello Fall, and some Jillibean Soup accents, is featured as the Facebook Profile pic over at Creating Keepsakes Facebook page.

Also, I don't think I ever shared these pages that I created a couple months ago. They were published in Scrapbook News and Review, so I couldn't share them. But now I can! These feature the Happy Camper collection from Imaginisce. These pictures are from our camping trip to Assateague Island. That reminds me, I never scrapped the photos of the wild horses. Will have to add that to my to-do list!

Stamped Gift Set featuring Imaginisce and SRM

2011-11-19T19:36:00.003-05:00

A couple of days ago I shared a stamping tutorial and promised some more ways to use those techniques. Embossing, glossy accents, crackle accents, flock, glitter and stickles can be combined with stamps to add that extra special touch. In the tutorial I used the stamps on cards and can I just say - wow my card making has come a long way in a year! The techniques are still useful though and here I used them on tags, a gift box, wrapping paper and gift wrap.

The gift box is from a printable template from Wendy Bird Designs at A Cherry On Top. These templates are awesome because they are so easy to use. You don't need any special software, just print them on the back side of the paper that you want to use, cut them out and fold on the fold lines. You can also add digital papers and print them out hybrid. Here I printed on the back of the Imaginisce Jingle All the Way paper, then added some punched kraft paper, a layered sticker accent and some ribbon.

For the gift bag, I stamped a row of images with versamark ink. Then it wasnt dark enough for me, so I traced them with a fine brown pen. I colored in the one tree, just for interest, before adding the strip of papers and tying the top closed with a bow. The tag on this one has a reindeer with stickles on his nose and collar.

For the wrapping paper, I spread out the kraft wrapping paper and stamped the adorable little critters using versamark ink for a subtle effect. To make it easier, I arranged the 4 stamps on a large block, so I stamped all four at a time, and needed to repeat the pattern less often. Next I added some paper strips and a paper bow - who needs ribbon?! For the bow, I made a template for the loops, which you can see below. Then I copied it four times, and used glue dots to hold each loop together, and the two on each side to each other. Finally I used a strip of a contrasting paper to wrap around and hold all the loops together. The tails of the bow were just freehanded on some scrap paper. I used foam tape to adhere the bow to the package so that the bow didn't get too squished.

The penguin was stamped on white cardstock, then colored in. I then added stickles, glitter flock and glossy accents before fussy cutting it. I used more foam tape to adhere it to the tag. All the tags were cut with my Cricut. The letters are Lily Bee.

Last but not least, the tube is from SRM stickers. I filled it with layers of hot chocolate mix and crushed peppermint candies. I added some paper strips to the top, and stickers to the bottom and top. Then I added a candy cane and a ribbon, before tying on a tag. The tag features another SRM sticker, and a fussy cut Imaginisce stamped reindeer with a stickled nose and collar. Instructions are on the back of the tag.

Finally, here is the petal template for the bow. Yes, you can see the corner of a penguin stamp, this was a scrap that I had tested the stamp on, but all you really need is the outline.

Washi tape card in Create gallery

2011-11-17T12:55:00.004-05:00

I am featured in the Cards magazine Create blog challenge gallery this week. I love doing these challenges. Who am I kidding, I love doing pretty much all challenges. However, I was stumped for a while on this washi tape challenge, then last night an idea just came to me!

I covered some cardstock in strips of washi tape and then die cut it to form the base of the label.

For the background, I embossed the cardstock, then swiped a versamark watermark ink pad over the embossing. I think next time I will try the clearsnap stylus because it was tough to apply from the larger ink pad.

Patterned paper, and rose brad(but I pulled the brad part off): American Crafts

Cardstock: Bazzill

Sticker: SRM

Ribbon: May Arts

Leaves: Prima

Pink paislee artisan tape

Embossing folder: sizzix

Christmas card stamping tutorial redux

2011-11-17T09:42:00.005-05:00

I've been working on a set of holiday gift items - gift bag, SRM tube, small package, and tags - featuring some fun stamping techniques. I can't wait to share it with you! But in the mean time I thought it might be fun to pull up this Christmas card stamping class that I created last year. The embossing, glitter, glossy accents, crackly accents, flocking, coloring, and micro-bead techniques that I detailed in that class will come in handy when you see the tag and gift set that I created this year.

Here is just one of the images from the tutorial, showing how to use glossy accents and microbeads on this adorable gnome Santa's beard. I just love the effect, don't you? You can see the whole tutorial HERE. So, brush up on these techniques, because this weekend I will show you some 'off the card' ideas for them!

Scrapdango November Sugar Kit Reveal

2011-11-16T09:29:00.002-05:00

The DT kit reveals are up at Scrapdango. You can see the rest of my reveal HERE. You can find the rest of the team members reveals along with other kit info HERE. And last but certainly not least, check out all the new challenges in the challenge forum.

For this page I used the MME paper and some Glitz from the kit along with some SRM stickers that I had in my stash, and the Bella Blvd alphas from the kit, to make a simple, but stunning page. I love how the glitter compliments the glow from the candles in the photo.

graphic 45 and clearsnap card

2011-11-09T13:18:00.004-05:00

Today I posted on the scrapstreet blog about this card. If you want to read more about the techniques that I used on this card, check it out on the scrapstreet blog.I made this card using mostly Graphic 45 papers and clearsnap products - smooch spritz, cat eye inks, and design adhesives, for their respective challenges. This is also for the paper issues current issue - check it out HERE

Another Balance tutorial Layout that was Soup Spotted!

2011-11-02T08:22:00.002-04:00

This is a page that I created for the ACOT balance tutorial - showing radial balance. I used Jillibean Soup Sweet and Sour soup (LOVE this collection) and it was featured on the Jillibean Soup blog today as part of soup spotting!

Quick Halloween Recap

2011-11-01T09:04:00.002-04:00

Yes, Ive been doing more non scrappy posts lately - with Ellie's birthday and Halloween things have just been crazy busy! BUT I have been working on a few scrappy things, just can't share them yet. So, here is a quick halloween recap

Our street is usually pretty quiet. In the past it hasn't bothered me, she was little and I was happy to hit the few houses that give out candy on our street, talk to some neighbors and head home. But this year she was SO into Halloween that I wanted her to have a trick-or-treat experience similar to what I had as a kid - tons of candy, tons of houses, tons of kids.

Except, people just don't seem to into it anymore. We decided to head around the block and found that on the next street over, where the houses are closer together, it was more what I was looking for. She DID get a ton of candy. She takes her time though. She socializes, chooses her candy carefully, asks to pet dogs. So we ended up having to skip a lot of houses. and she was running from house to house and didnt want me to take her picture. So I only got a couple half decent ones.

Again, straight out of the camera.

Design Principles in Scrapbooking- Part 1 - Balance

2011-10-27T10:33:00.002-04:00

For my reveal at A Cherry on Top this month, I decided to do something a little different. I researched the classic design principle of balance and applied it to scrapbook pages, including a sketch.

From the article:

"The purpose of balance is to create a visual display that is pleasing to the eye, so you may find that a lot of these concepts are things that you have noticed naturally already. It helps though, to know what the concepts are, so that when you are looking at an unfinished page and thinking, “something seems off; this needs something, but what?”, you can review the design concepts and they will help you figure out what is missing, or off."

Here is one of the pages that I created for this reveal - showing symmetrical balance.

Head over to A Cherry on Top and check out the rest of the article. These principles are good for all of us to keep in mind.

Boo At the Zoo

2011-10-26T09:52:00.003-04:00

Still havent had time to edit these photos - these are straight from the camera. Ok, to be totally fair, I guess I COULD have done it while I watched TV last night, but I decided that I really needed some time to sit and do ONE THING at a time, since I literally couldnt remember the last time I had done that.

Ok, so on to the story! We made some time on Sunday morning for our annual trip to Boo at the Zoo at the Philadelphia Zoo. We go every year as a family and have a great time. It always seems that the weather is perfect and it's a family activity that I very much look forward to.

We had breakfast at the diner on the way there. And I just adore this photo! It was before Ellie had a chance to mess up her makeup! LOL

Yeah, I took the easy way out and bought her costume this year. She wanted to be a cat, and it just seemed silly to make it when I found this one at Walmart online for $9 and free shipping. Although, as of now, she wants to be a lizard next year. Oy! hope she changes her mind.

The cat pose, complete with meow noises (which of course you can't hear)

Awww - arent they sweet!

The cat walk!
The artiste! I had to keep telling myself that we were not in a hurry and I had plenty of time before the birthday party, because she wanted to do every craft, and she was meticulous! Her coloring was so detailed!

Cake Pop Eyeballs and the Family Party

2011-10-24T09:53:00.003-04:00

This weekend was a busy one! We had ballet, and a friend over on Saturday night and boo at the zoo and her family party aka her 12 grandparents and great grandparents, no room in our small house for cousins etc. So here are the eyeball cake pops that I made based on a recipe from bakerella.She used food dye pens for the black and red parts, but my food dye pens wouldn't write on the white chocolate. I think it has something to do with the wax content because it kept sort of building up on the pen. So I ended up using tubes of the same kind of meltable candy stuff for the red parts, and the leftover black icing from the cake. They still look pretty good but the black icing doesnt harden, so it made for slightly more messy.
For the pot that they are stuck in, I had a pot leftover from a floral arrangement that I got to take home from a wedding. I spray painted it with hammered black rustoleum, then tied the May Arts ribbon around it and embellished with some SRM stickers, Bella Blvd papers, Maya Road canvas tag and some Twinery Twine.

Seth helped me shove a piece of styrofoam into the pot. floral foam or something probably would have been better, but I had to make due with what I had. I glued the tissue paper to the styrofoam.

Ellie is really into Halloween this year, and I got the idea from a coworker to make a bundt pan cake and decorate it like a pumpkin - would have been sooooo easy. But Ellie wanted a spider. so I went to pinterest. bad idea! I came up with this cute idea to put the spider webs around the edges and the spider on top. Those webs took forever! I had to keep resting because my hand was cramping. Good thing my friend Alexis was over to keep me company.
And the tablecloth turned out pretty nice too. No, I didn't make it, but it is the result of a long and mostly fruitless search for a nice plain but not totally boring tablecloth. I wanted one that was beige with a sort of burlap look, which I ended up finding AFTER I already had this one, and Ellie loved this one, so it all worked out. I got the burlap one too - for fall/thanksgiving.

And this is really what it's all about.
"Look a unicorn!"

The Harry potter robe and accessories, including the wand that she was using this morning to 'open her dresser drawers looking for her clothes'

Hamming it up. oh yes, she is a ham

the money shot

Scrapdango October Reveal part 1

2011-10-19T14:34:00.004-04:00

I have to apologize for the photos of these layouts, now that summer is over, I leave the house when it's dark and I come home when it's dark, so I had to either take these inside using my makeshift light box (which is what I did) or wait until the weekend. I think I need more practice using my light box. Oh well, you get the idea, they arent TOO bad are they?

I will take new ones on the weekend when I have light.

First, here is the page that gave me so much trouble. I sewed the two halves together - covered up that mistake with the additional pink circle on the right side, then I sewed all the way around the kraft cardstock - which I wanted to leave unstitched in the middle, then I went to reprint two of the photos that I had sewn through and my printer hiccuped, then my computer crashed. it was like a comedy of errors! I kind of like how it turned out though.

Everything is from the Scrapdango October kit except the maya road canvas tags, the blue buttons, the twine, the kraft cardstock and the SRM stickers. HAHA - that sounds like a lot, but the canvas button, and circle die cut embellishments, along with the alphas and all the patterned papers were in the kit.

My challenge is up too. I am challenging you to try one of these double page layouts with two different background papers. Check it out HERE.

You can see the rest of my reveal HERE if you just can't wait. I will be sharing more later this week, hopefully after I retake the photos.

It's crop weekend!

2011-10-16T14:00:00.005-04:00

to create this card - I printed it at 5 inches, in black and white and cut it out, then traced it onto a folded paper, altering the stem a little to make it work with the fold, then I cut the larger oval, traced, repeat.

This is for the Simon Says Halloween Challenge, the Do you stack up Use your scraps challenge, the fussy and fancy halloween challenge and for the Paper issues Halloween challenge. - for you Cassie! thanks!

and there is still some time to play at A Cherry On Top - check out Sara and my challenge - make a pumpkin shaped card! She was nice enough to create some templates, and I used this one. There are more, along with her digi card, HERE.

Halloween Set

2011-10-13T11:36:00.003-04:00

I made this Halloween gift set not too long ago and can't believe that I totally forgot to share it! You know how sometimes you make something and just love it? Yep, that is me with this set. I love the elegant look of the wide satin ribbon (which you can't really see that well in this photo). I love the pleated banner - that took me at least 3 tries to get right.

I used Echo Park's Apothecary Emporium line, and some SRM stickers. This is my entry into the Paper Issues monthly challenge, so be sure to skip over there and check out the other gorgeous entries! I also saw a hint that the next paper crafts blog gallery challenge is going to be Halloween, so hopefully I will enter this in that also.

Now, Halloween is coming up, who should I give this to? I know that Ellie would love the candy filled tube, but I don't know if she would really appreciate the card, and I hate to break up the set.

Words on Wednesday

2011-10-05T10:24:00.005-04:00

Ok, so I havent done this in a while. Things have been super busy since school started. What have I been up to, you might ask?

Well, seth started his Pharmacy PhD program. Ellie, of course, went back to school and started her slew of activities. We really need to cut her back, but most of them are after school and are a substitution for after school care. I did add ballet on Saturdays though, because she is so into gymnastics and ice skating, and she just loves dance. So I thought it would be a good thing for her to have. She loves it!

I have to say though - don't buy ballet slippers at payless, they are WAY overpriced!

Me? I'm spending more time working out and watching what I eat and just trying to be more healthy in general. I'm also doing couponing and trying to cook more - so we can afford all those activities for ellie.

Today in my couponing I got 5 laundry detergents and a box of tissues for $15 + $10 back in cvs extra care bucks for next week.

Yesterday (or was it the day before) I got 4 dove shampoos and one dove deodorant for $1.75 and $8 extra care bucks (which I used on the laundry detergent today). Why did I do two trips instead of just doing two transactions? Because the coupons that I had brought for the detergent were expired. I am still too shy/embarrassed to bring my giant coupon binder into the store. Plus CVS is literally like a minute from my office, so it's no big deal to go back another day.

And in other news. I am going to try harder to spice up my blog. I hope to add some more free digital stamps - maybe make it a weekly thing - and some book reviews (hopefully biweekly). Those are the first two steps. A monthly tutorial is another idea, but I don't know how to schedule that yet. biweekly will be hard enough to remember. Heck who am I kidding, weekly is hard enough! but monthly I am bound to forget. We'll see. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to see.

New Scrapstreet mag is up!

2011-10-03T14:22:00.003-04:00

Did you see? The new issues of ScrapStreet and GingerScraps magazines are out! And my first article as a staff writer is in the GingerScraps mag! I wrote and have a page in the Bootiful You article. There is also an introduction of all the new staff members HERE.
Also be sure to check out all the new calls - due Oct 30th.
but especially check out the call for my new column:

Wall Street. Paper is cheap! When trying to save money, making your patterned paper go the extra mile can help you save big, but we all still want that dimension and/or texture that usually comes from the more expensive elements. Show me your pages where you have used patterned paper to create dimensional elements.

I will be looking for your submissions!

WCMD #3 cake card

2011-10-02T21:16:00.004-04:00

For this third card I wanted to focus on the party with cake! The papers, die cut, 3d sticker, and cardboard from the packaging is from pink paislee soiree. I used some clearsnap smooch to make the die cut pop. the sentiment sticker at the bottom is from SRM stickers.

This is for the pink paislee upcycle challenge, the ABC anything goes challenge, and the CRAFT inspiration photo.

WCMD #2 rainbow card

2011-10-02T21:08:00.003-04:00

I just love this card! The papers are Pink Paislee mistables, the trim is from Joann, the inks are clearsnap that I applied with the blending tool, and the sentiment sticker is SRM stickers.

This is for the pink paislee mixed media challenge, the simon says anything goes challenge, the fussy and fancy new technique challenge (the ink blending is a new technique for me), and for the pile it on do it for fun challenge - what is more fun that rainbows and birthdays?!

WCMD card #1

2011-10-02T20:56:00.004-04:00

This weekend was busy as usual - ballet, soccer in the rain, our local fair, and world card making day. I have been really into cards lately and you know how I love my challenges, so I couldnt help but play along. I also am totally out of birthday cards, so all of the cards I made this weekend are birthday cards. Here is the first card. this is for a few challenges

Oh and for the record, these photos are one of my first attempts at manual mode on my camera, after my class last week. Apparently, I overexposed them a little. :( oh well, try and try again.

for this card I used a tim holtz embossing folder on the american crafts white cardstock card. The papers, 3-d sticker and die cut are pink paislee. The sentiment sticker is from SRM stickers.

This card is for the pink paislee color challenge #1, the crafty creations clean and simple challenge, and the stamping royalty simple challenge.

WCMD challenge at Scrapdango

2011-10-01T10:34:00.002-04:00

I made this card for a bunch of challenges, but then I never got around to entering it. So, I thought it would be perfect for my challenge for Scrapdango's mini world cardmaking day crop!

My challenge is to make your card clean and simple. I have been really into that lately, so I thought it would be a perfect challenge.

guest post at clearsnap!

2011-09-30T11:01:00.003-04:00

my last guest post is up at clearsnap today. I had so much fun with this page. It was kind of funny because I wasn't feeling like scrapbooking, and was not at all inspired, until I grabbed the rollagraph and some circle stamps, then this page just flew together. Hop over to the clearsnap blog to check out a little tutorial that I created.

Card for a couple of challenges

2011-09-27T14:32:00.002-04:00

This past weekend was VERY busy! (hence the lack of activity on the blog so far this week) I only managed to create two cards and one page (which I can't show yet). And unfortunately, the photos leave a little to be desired too. BUT I took a photography class last night (and didn't get home until after midnight) so hopefully my photography skills will benefit from that!

Anyway, this card is for the Coredinations and Clearsnap color challenges. I just loved the clearsnap colors - green, blue and purple. And the coredinations challenge was to use part or all of the rainbow, and green blue and purple are the tail end of the rainbow.

Oh yes, I am getting WELL acquainted with the rainbow since Ellie is having a rainbow birthday party. I wish I had a little more time (and a little more coredinations cardstock) because I have a ton of FULL rainbow ideas rolling around in my head. But don't worry, you will all be seeing them sometime soon. At least, as soon as I come up for air! lol! I won't bore you with the details but suffice it to say that I must have walked out the front door of my house to run an errand at least 10 times this weekend. It was to the point where I was laughing. Grabbing my keys and running to the next appointment was like deja vu!

Ok and also the newest Cards blog challenge gallery topic was announced - use three border punches. So I alternated the punched strips, and also alternated sanding the wonderful coredinations cardstock, to give a subtle differentiation between the strips.

Coredinations cardstock, Clearsnap inks, MME stamps, SRM stickers sticker, Fiskars and Martha Stewart punches, the twinery twine.

Fall issue of Scrapbook Cards Today is up!

2011-09-23T08:50:00.002-04:00

and my page is in it! on page 45! Ellie (ok and me too) was so excited when it arrived at our house last night! She even read the text next to the page all by herself (ok with a little bit of help) and said - 'they said I'm adorable!' lol! it was so cute!

You can read the issue online - just click on the image below.

Sept Scrapdango Reveal and a Free Digi stamp

2011-09-21T10:30:00.004-04:00

The Scrapdango kit is available now - featuring Crate Paper's Farmhouse line! Oh, I just adored this line! Unfortunately I didnt have a lot of time, and what time I had, I was sick. So I didn't get as much done as I normally would have with this kit. But I can't wait to get back to it!

Check out the rest of my reveal HERE.

I made this card as part of the reveal. I was inspired by the Create Cards magazine challenge to make a card with a Fox. I didn't have a fox, and I wanted a cute/sexy kinda spunky one, so I drew it myself and made it into a digi stamp. Feel free to grab it, just give me credit if you use it please. It's a .png file, so there is a blank background.

Guest Designer post at Clearsnap

2011-09-20T08:07:00.002-04:00

I have another post up on the Clearsnap blog today. This time I made a scrapbook page using some fun products and techniques. Here is the page, pop on over to the clearsnap blog to find out how I made the yellow diamond background and the ruffled muslin border!

My Mind's Eye Sketch and Scrapdango Challenge

2011-09-16T01:17:00.000-04:00

Today it's my turn to post the Core Class for the School's In contest over at Scrapdango. I chose Science because I have always loved science. The requirements for this challenge are: Use green as a major color on your layout, use something botanical (like a flower) and use one or more hexagons (like bee hives or molecules).

I also happened to be working on the My Mind's Eye monthly sketch challenge, so I used that sketch and added in my challenge requirements to create this example.

The My Mind's Eye sketch featured lots of journaling, and a prompt of "Back to ____". I took this as a great opportunity to tell the story of how Ellie acts when I take her picture. Sometimes, if Im lucky, I get one decent picture, then it's right back to being silly! She has the most adorable poses, which is great, but sometimes I would like a more 'normal' picture. Oh, well. I guess this way the photos convey her personality more anyway.

I used Lime Twist papers, featuring a lot of green. For the hexagons, I used a honeycomb texture stamp to create a mat behind the photo. Then I added an American Crafts Details flower which I doodled a little bit on. I also added some leaves and a vine to the flower. Since I was using a lot of journaling, I broke out of my handwritten journaling rut, and used my computer to print out the journaling, which I then cut into strips as shown in the sketch.

Some awesome news!

2011-09-15T13:58:00.002-04:00

Check it out! I was featured on paper issues today! For this project that I created as part of my guest design team stint at clearsnap.

I also got some really awesome news that I am going to be published! Still can't believe this one!

What else is new? Hmm, it's just one thing after another isn't it? Don't get me wrong, I'm too much on cloud nine about the publication to be whining, but man - my list just keeps growing! Tonight after work, you will find me:

catching crickets to feed Queen Julia (ellie's lizard) - it's actually much easier than you would think to catch crickets as long as you have a net it would take me just as long and cost a lot more, to go buy them
making dinner - going to have to be plain pasta tonight since we have no food in the house and no time to cook anyway
taking the dog to the vet - she hopefully just has arthritis, but it has come on so fast that we are worried it might be lyme disease or something

This (thankfully three day) weekend I will be

waiting for the plumber
working on 6 scrapbook DT assignments (and hopefully some stuff for fun too)
probably catching more crickets
possibly picking apples
going out to dinner for a date night with DH for restaurant week on Sunday
going out with a girlfriend to see her brother's band play on Saturday night (no idea how I am going to stay up that late! I will probably be drinking coffee instead of beer or wine)
laundry laundry and more laundry
grocery shopping
cooking and dishes
taking ellie to soccer
paying bills/mailing things etc.

Im tired just thinking about it

ScrapStreet is turning 6 and having a celebration!

2011-09-15T08:47:00.003-04:00

With a GREAT BIG prize!

Hop on over to their blog and check it out.

And while you are at it, have a look at the current magazine

After all, there is a reason they made it to 6 - they are awesome! Be sure to check it out FOR FREE, and come back soon for the calls for the next issue! We - wow I just said that WE - are working on the new calls right now! And I am going to want to see submissions from all of you!

Acot reveal and Moxie Fab Sketch

2011-09-14T12:47:00.002-04:00

This month at A Cherry On Top, I got to work with the Ashtyn line from 3 Bugs in a Rug. I LOVE the colors in this line and the carousel and pinwheel motifs are so cute!

I used a fussy cut flower, along with some of the yellow paper and come blue cardstock to create a card using one of the Moxie Fab World sketches. The sticker is an SRM sentiment.

Check out the rest of my reveal HERE

Blog Candy Winner!

2011-09-13T10:32:00.002-04:00

The winner of the blog candy, chosen by random.org, is Ncokely!

ncokely said...

Very nice giveaway!!
I am a follower already!!
ncokely at ACOT

ncokely@hotmail.com

SEPTEMBER 1, 2011 12:17 PM

Thanks everyone for playing!

September 4x4 is here!

2011-09-07T06:00:00.003-04:00

The four products we used this month were Simple Stories' Hello Sunshine paper, Cosmo Cricket Scraps Paper, My Mind's Eye Soar Twine, and Webster's Pages Let's Celebrate Designer Threads.

This month Carrie is hosting - so be sure to hop over to her blog and check out all of the fabulous creations side by side. Jess and Chrissy played along this month also.

Here are “The Rules”:
We must use the same four products: two papers and two embellishments.
- We can only use one of each sheet of paper.
- We can use unlimited basics (card stock, ribbon, alphas, mists, etc.) as long as the four main products are the focus.
- We cannot share our finished pages with each other until we are all done so that we do not influence each others’ design choices.

This is my page for the 4x4

Imaginisce Winner!

2011-09-06T07:53:00.003-04:00

I'm so excited! I was chosen as the winner of the monthly sketch challenge at Imaginisce for this layout! Yay! now which two of their lovely collections am I going to pick?! Geek is Chic is a given, and ...

check it out, they have a new challenge up on their blog too.

Rainbow Cheesecake!

2011-09-05T20:16:00.004-04:00

I saw this recipe online and knew I had to make it for Ellie - she loves rainbows! The original plan was to make it and freeze it for her birthday but I decided that I should probably taste it first, plus, well, it looked so tempting! so we tried it. the colors seemed to get more intense while it baked. It is really good, a little too creamy but really good!

Thank you card

2011-09-03T18:56:00.004-04:00

I was inspired for this card by the colors and shapes in the moxie fab tues trigger, and by the horizontal card sketch by kim hughes. as shown below. I used some websters pages ladies and gents papers, and an srm sticker sentiment. this was also inspired by the fabulous felt challenge, but I didnt have any felt so this is actually fleece.

Staff Writer for Scrapstreet Magazine!!

2011-09-03T08:46:00.002-04:00

I'm excited to announced that I have been chosen as one of the new additions to the editorial staff at scrapstreet magazine! This is really exciting for me because not only is it scrappy, but it's also writing! I have been working on some writing projects lately and am looking to improve both my skills and my resume in that area. I can't wait to get started!! Just wanted to let you all know. You can see the announcement on their blog HERE. Congratulations to the other ladies too! Can't wait to start getting to know you all!

Blog Candy Celebration!

2011-09-01T10:16:00.002-04:00

I have been having a really good scrappy week - 2 guest design team positions and a spot on the my scrapbook nook fav 40, so I thought it was a great time to have a giveaway to share the love! Since I have been trying to be good and not buy too much scrappy stuff, I don't have much of a stash to giveaway right now, so I thought I gift certificate to my favorite scrapbook store would be perfect! That way you can pick whatever you like! Plus, since it is email, I can send it to anyone, anywhere!

A cherry on top is the best! they have a great selection, great sales, and GREAT fast shipping! (and I dont say this just because I am on the design team. I am on the design team because I have loved this store since day one of my scrapping!)

So, I am giving away a $15 instant gift card to acherryontop.com

All I will need from the winner is an email address to send it to. So this is open to everyone!

All you have to do is become a follower of my blog, and then leave a comment on this post.

If you want an extra entry, post about it on your blog or facebook, and leave a comment here with a link to your post.

Guest Designer at Clearsnap this month!

2011-09-01T08:20:00.005-04:00

I am so excited to be the guest designer at clearsnap for the month of September! My first project and introduction are up on the Clearsnap blog. I love the little cat eye ink pads from Clearsnap. I have practically every color. I also love the smooch and smooch spritz, but I didn't even know about the rolling stamps and the ruler guide!

Here is the project that I made for the blog today. I used the Rollagraph, rolling stamp with WordsWord and the black ink cartridge. It's really cool because the self inking handle makes sure that you can just keep rolling it and always have a perfect amount of ink for a perfect impression! They also sent me the ColorBox stamping guide, which is a really cool clear ruler with foam feet that keep it totally stable. The ruler makes the perfect guide for keeping your rolling stamp going straight. Of course I also used my favorite Black Cat eye ink pads to edge the papers. Also the background of the card is a polka dotted paper from the Fancy Pants collection, that I then stamped with some Paper Trunk stamps and some of the Stephanie Barnard ColorBox Dye Inkpad in Strawberry. Finally for a touch of shimmer, I used a little bit of green

apple smooch on the leaf of the apple (which was a free clipart that I printed out).

In other news. I was also chosen as one of the top 40 finalists for the design team at my scrapbook nook!! There is so much talent there and I am very honored to have been chosen!

Guest Designer at SRM!

2011-08-30T08:21:00.004-04:00

I am so excited to be a guest designer for SRM stickers today!

When Jenyfur contacted me to ask me to be a guest, I couldn't believe it! Now, I've been waiting patiently for weeks to be able to share this project with you.

I made a calendar and card set using SRM's Mini Calendar Months, 2012 year of memories, New Years Quick Card set and Life is Good stickers, along with my Bind It All and the August kit from My Scrapbook Nook, which features papers from My Mind's Eye's Lime Twist line.

I thought that a new year's card was perfect to go with a calendar for the new year. Of course this makes a great Christmas gift too. Here is the set:

And here are a couple of my favorite pages:

Check out the SRM blog today to see all of the pages.

Schools In

2011-08-24T14:23:00.003-04:00

The Design Team is busy putting together some amazing challenges, and the prize is AWESOME! Check out more info HERE.

a card and some peach picking photos

2011-08-24T10:26:00.003-04:00

Since I was in Niagara Falls last weekend, I didn't get a chance to scrap, but I thought I would share something that I made a couple of weeks ago, and never shared. This was for my American crafts DT application. Although, I ended up submitting a different one. The papers are American Crafts and the sticker is SRM stickers

And this morning Bubby took Ellie and Seth peach picking. Seth sent me a few photos.

The brief recap of our Niagara trip...

2011-08-22T14:14:00.002-04:00

We had a great, busy, trip to Niagara Falls this weekend. I left work at 3pm on Thursday, drove home to get them, loaded the car and were off by about 4:30. We got to Rochester around 11pm and crashed. Ellie woke us up like clockwork - do kids actually have alarm clocks inside them somehow - at 6:30, and after a fast tim hortons breakfast we were off.

We stopped at walmart, target then walmart again to get a waterproof camera, and some pillows since we forgot ours. We ended up splurging on a reusable waterproof camera and said it was for Ellie for her birthday. (yep, that's how you know you are a die hard scrapbooker - you spend $70 on a waterproof camera for your 5 yr old, just so you can be sure to get close ups of the falls. Although to be fair, she loves taking photos and is thrilled to have her own camera. The 'kids' ones are just too baby for her, so a waterproof one seemed a good option - less moving parts to break)

We stopped at Duff's on the outskirts of Buffalo for some wings. Apparently there are two bars that fight over the claim of the first/best Buffalo wings, Duffs and I forget the name of the other right now. But it seemed that the other was maybe a little more authentic, but it was also all the way downtown and Duff's was right off the highway. Win!

Then we continued on to the Maid of the Mist. We parked in a falling down parking garage, got our discovery passes - which cover all the US side state park attractions, and went on the observation deck and the maid of the mist boat ride. Here are ellie and seth on the observation deck - notice the yellow camera? I have tons of photos of HER taking photos. but I didn't want to bore you with that.

My photo from the observation deck. (I havent really had a chance to go through all 600+ photos from my camera let alone the ones from Ellie's, so these photos are just what I grabbed really quickly this morning.)

on the deck of the maid of the mist

After the maid of the mist and some wandering around the park on the American side - where we saw a couple get married - just them, the priest and a photographer - so romantic! We went to the campground to check in, get set up, and have a quick swim.

Then on to Canada, where we had a great meal at the Paris Creperie restaurant. I have THE BEST kid! She had some french version of lemonade - which was like make your own, they brought fresh squeezed lemon juice in a glass with ice, some water, and some sugar. When she asked if they had lemonade he seemed sorry and sad when he told use about that option, like no kid would want THAT, but she LOVED it! Come on, make your own?! Then we had a baked Camembert cheese appetizer. Ellie tried it with an apple slice, liked it, then had more and decided she didnt like it. She still was willing to dip her bread into the sweet broth that came with it though. I thought for sure once she decided that she didnt like it, it was going to be all over. Seth had beef bourgingon and ellie and I split the mussels with french fries. She loves mussels. Then we had TWO dessert crepes.

Next we moved on to the free concert, falls illumination and fireworks show in Queen Victoria park. Ellie danced, and danced and danced.

On Saturday we slept in, then went to the cave of the winds trail where we got REALLY wet, and which ellie totally LOVED. Then we went to have lunch at the top of the falls resturant and another observation area.

We then rode the trolley to the aquarium and the gorge discovery center, which were both pretty unimpressive. We were all tired, so we went back to camp and took a nap, before the obligatory hotdog and marshamallow roasting.

In the middle of the night we were awakened by a CRAZY storm, with thunder, lightening and torrential rains. The rain was so bad that it managed to seep THROUGH the fabric of the tent and make a big puddle. We packed up in the rain and headed home.

Reminisce Card Sketch

2011-08-22T14:08:00.003-04:00

I made this card for the Reminisce monthly sketch challenge. I kept it simple. Just some glitter paper, some christmas strip and a big red bow! The sentiment is SRM stickers.

Featured! (twice)

2011-08-18T13:26:00.003-04:00

I am featured today on the CARDS magazine blog today for this Birthday card that I created with my July Nook kit, featuring October Afternoon's Five and Dime (which I only JUST got the chance to play with), and a sticker from SRM Stickers.

I also used some Coredinations cardstock, some May Arts ribbon, a spellbinders die, a websters pages flower and some Maya Road pins. Oh, and the accordion flower is from Sassafras Lass paper.

In other news, my Imaginisce/Momenta 'He Reads' layout from this post, was also featured in the club CK summer camp 2011 wrap up.

August Scrapdango Reveal

2011-08-15T14:31:00.003-04:00

This month I worked with the Sugar kit, which included some gorgeous papers from Authentique along with some beautiful Primas and other embellishments. This kit was so much fun! The papers are a great quality - thick with a subtle almost watercolor paper texture, and of course double sided and gorgeous!

I started by thinking of what photos would work well with these papers. Since I tend to be pretty much up to date, I was looking at a lot of beach and pool pictures, that I didn't think would really work. So I started looking back and found that I had not scrapped easter and passover, and they are perfect for these colors!

Here are a couple of my creations:

I almost always start with the double page layout, that way I make sure that I have the duplicate papers from the kit available for use. Originally I was going to make the photos go in a straight line across the page. See how the tall photos are the same height as the two smaller ones put together? that was the plan put them all in a row. but then I couldnt figure out where to put my title... I like this arrangement more - it has more interest. You can't tell from this photo, but I used some glossy accents and a sprinkle of glitter on strategic spots of the floral circle, the tiny flower embellishments on the title and the 'leaves' of the prima flowers.

For this page I was just having fun. I wanted to try something different with the border. I ALWAYS have to have a border and it seems to usually be a solid quarter inch border and/or stitching. This one is different.

To see the rest of my creations check out the Scrapdango forums, and my reveal thread HERE.

Isnt she cute?!

2011-08-08T17:04:00.003-04:00

I love this photo of my daughter playing on the beach, and thought I would share this page for the Paper Issues make a splash challenge! This page was created with my July Scrapdango kit.

moxie fab botanical challenge

2011-08-07T19:44:00.002-04:00

I made this card for the Moxie Fab Botanical Challenge. I used my cricut to cut some flowers which I used as a mask, then I stamped some more flowers on top. I went with a monochromatic blue colors scheme. A double wrap of sheer blue ribbon and an SRM sticker sentiment adds the finishing touches.

Imaginisce pagemaps challenge and momenta alphas

2011-08-07T18:35:00.003-04:00

I created this page for the imaginisce monthly challenge, which this month was to use a special sketch provided by Becky Fleck of pagemaps. I love working with her sketches! And this Happy Camper line from imaginisce is also so easy to work with! I love the colors - the oranges and the browns. I was lucky enough to try these new create your own sticker alphas from Momenta, and used them for this layout. They were so easy to use, and I was able to customize them to match my layout. I chose the option to download the pdf file and edit it myself in photoshop in order to add some wood grain with colors that match the papers.

Pebbles, Inc ACOT reveal

2011-08-03T10:34:00.002-04:00

Pebbles, Inc has quickly become one of my favorites. I loved working with Floral Lane and Happy Go Lucky, and did you see the new releases - yum! So, yeah, you will be seeing more of Pebbles from me in the near future. Anyway, here are a few of the things I created for my ACOT reveal this month:

I have been stuck in a rut of always making white cards. I was inspired by some cards in paper crafts magazine to try a colored card and put the sentiment in the middle instead of off to the side. I played up the red and purple in this line and made the bouquet pop against a piece of white cardstock framed by the red card. For the leaves, I used a Unity stamp. Since I wanted some of the stems leaning left and some leaning right, I stamped on the front of the green paper with versamark ink, then stamped some others on the back of the paper with regular ink, so that when I cut them all out, you can't see the stamping. I used one of the really cool tear off edges above the sentiment, and glued the sentiment to some ribbon.

For this page, I had these sepia photos lying on my desk waiting for the perfect papers. The pretty soft peach paired with the floral browns of the Floral Lane Collection was perfect in an almost vintage way. These papers reminded me, in a good way, of grandmothers and sewn aprons and iced tea. Along those lines, I decided to add a bunch of sewing. I have all three kinds here - machine, hand and faux! I created a mini quilt using machine stitching. I cheated by using my scoring board to fold the edges where I wanted the stitching. Then I nipped the corners so they wouldnt cause problems when I tried to fold the edges down. I put a little adhesive in the center of each square (so my needle didn't run into the glue and get all gummed up) and glued them to a scrap paper. Then I stitched with a zig zag stitch along the inner seams and a straight stitch around the outer edges. For the scalloped edge, I punched circles and cut them in half before adhering them and finishing them with some faux stitching. The rest was easy! The photos are popped up on foam tape. I added some gesso underneath the top part of the title and a journaling spot under the bottom part. Finally, I finished it all off with some simple lollipop flowers with hand sewn stems. The lollipop flowers were so simple! I just hand cut circles of various size from white eyelet fabric and sewed them together with buttons.

Check out the rest of my creations in my article at a cherry on top.

my article is up at scrapbooking.com!

2011-08-02T12:32:00.001-04:00

My article for the august issue of scrapbooking.com is up now! Check it out HERE.

June 4x4 Winner and some news

2011-08-02T09:56:00.002-04:00

Since the newest 4x4 challenge went up yesterday, I chose the winner from last month. (it was a little more than a month since we switched from the end of the month to the beginning) Anyway, Random.org chose the winner, and the winner is....

Traci

Traci said...

Here's a link to my layout. I scraplifted Chrissy. All of the layouts were wonderful once again.

http://www.acherryontop.com/i/gallery2/217799-490.jpg

JULY 14, 2011 10:19 PM

Traci please email me with your contact information - I really just need your email address to send the GC to. you can find a link to my email on the left sidebar of my blog.

Thanks everyone for playing!

And in other news... Last night was a really good scrappy day for me. I won the CreaTV:Northridge Publishing summer facebook contest and a fabulous Fancy Pants prize. If you havent checked out their facebook page you really should because they have some great videos and fun contests.

Then, last but certainly not least, I had another layout picked up for publication- from Scrapbook and Cards Today magazine! That makes TWO for print publications! and both in the last month! I am so excited! Looks like all my hard work is finally paying off!

August 4x4

2011-08-01T11:35:00.004-04:00

We have switched the 4x4 challenge to start at the beginning of each month. (I will choose a winner for last month in the next day or so) In the mean time, here is the August challenge!

The four products we used this month were Echo Park's "Dots and Stripes",October Afternoon's "Rocket Age: Docking Maneuver",October Afternoon's "Rocket Age: Labels", and Jenny Bowlin's chipboard stars.We are back again with this month's installment of 4x4.
Here are “The Rules”:
We must use the same four products: two papers and two embellishments.
- We can only use one of each sheet of paper.
- We can use unlimited basics (card stock, ribbon, alphas, mists, etc.) as long as the four main products are the focus.
- We cannot share our finished pages with each other until we are all done so that we do not influence each others’ design choices.

Chrissy is hosting this month and you can see everyone's pages in one place on her blog. Be sure to check it out!

And without further ado, here is my page. I went with a slightly nautical theme, which is unusual for a page about love, but I think it's kind of fun. The journaling is hidden under the photo, which flips up. I added a lot of paint and white spray and just a touch of ribbon and twine.

An American Crafts and SRM stickers card

2011-07-28T09:59:00.002-04:00

This is one of the projects I was working on this past weekend for a design team application. However, this one didn't quite make the cut even though I do sort of adore it! I just love the bright colors from the American Crafts Margarita line, paired with some clean white, and a simple SRM sticker for the sentiment. I fussy cut the butterflies from one of the Margarita papers and then popped the smaller ones up on foam tape atop the larger ones of the same color.

Words on Wednesday

2011-07-27T13:50:00.002-04:00

Is it really only Wednesday? This week has been CRAZY! I came back from CHA and threw myself into working on a DT application. I felt a little guilty because after being gone for almost a week, I neglected my family even more by spending so much time scrapping. I think it was worth it though. I love what I created and will be sharing it in a little while. This week, I have been trying to catch up from being gone for a week AND finish my projects and the associated photography in the evenings. As if that wasnt enough, I had to drive up to the (not so) local Scrapbook Store that I used to do DT work for, and pick up all my projects because they are going out of business. :(

The good news about that is that the whole store was 80% off. I didn't think they would have anything that I wanted, because it had been on clearance for a week at 60%, and because I tend to be a little bit of a product snob - wanting the newest stuff, especially after just returning from CHA. But they had a ton of cool stuff left! I got a bunch of stamps and punches and some altered item type stuff. I even got one of those acrylic stamp roller things - that you stick your acrylic stamps to instead of a block. I haven't tried it yet and don't know if I will like it, but I figured at 80% off, I couldn't go wrong.

THEN on Friday I am going to dinner with some other A Cherry On Top Cherries because the CKC convention is in town. (They are going to be there all weekend. Im just stopping by for dinner on Friday.) On Saturday, I am going to the CKC convention to do make and takes for SRM stickers in the Red Bee booth! It is going to be so much fun!

ACOT Happy Camper Reveal

2011-07-25T14:40:00.003-04:00

This month I stepped out of my box and worked with Imaginisce's Happy Camper line. I thought this line would be perfect for our camping photos from Assateague Island.

The colors in this line are just gorgeous! I also love how the papers have enamel on some parts of them to add a little bit of a textural punch.

This is my favorite page from the reveal. I used a Pagemaps sketch here. Don't you love the adorable little birds!

I also really enjoy this card, which I created using some B sides and some WRMK stamps. I love how the colors are not just for camping, they work perfectly for a homey warm card! (or page)

To see the rest of my pages, check out my reveal over at A Cherry On Top.

Scrapdango July Reveal

2011-07-15T13:09:00.004-04:00

Today is the Scrapdango kit reveal day! This month's sugar kit features Simple Stories Summertime line and Little Yellow Bicycle's Sweet Summertime line.

Can I just say, "oh my, did I love this kit?!" Here are just two of the pages that I created with it. You can see the rest in my reveal thread. This first one was inspired by the sketch that was posted on the Simple Stories blog last week. I used an action on the photo to make the colors really pop, then added a little vignette around the edges. I took advantage of the cool Simple Stories journaling blocks, and used it as my title, just cutting it down a little to the black border so that it fit better with my large photo. The My Little Shoebox alphas that came in the kit, provide just the right touch of blue to accent the blue in the photo and on the title block. This one I created from a sketch that I drew for myself. I was inspired by the paper with all of the circles, and a couple of pages that I have recently seen in scrapbook magazines that used borders of circles. I added some yellow paint splatter to brighten the page up and echo the splashes in the photos. Some buttons and chipboard complete the page.

Out for Publication

Belated Words on Wednesday

2011-07-14T12:39:00.002-04:00

Wednesday was busy, and kinda crappy. Well actually, that kinda describes my whole week so far until today. Today is the turning point. I crossed several things off of my to-do list yesterday - chose a new company for our car and home insurance, bought a couple new shirts for my trip next week, finished catching up on my hours at work. So, those things were good, but the thing that really made it a turn around is that I got an email last night requesting one of my layouts for publication in an Australian magazine. I have been working very hard to get published and was starting to get pretty frustrated. Like my friend Chrissy said though - when you least expect it!

So, today the traffic still stunk, but I am in a better mood so I didnt let it bother me. I still have lots of things to do before I leave for Chicago next week and the CHA convention, but it doesn't seem so daunting. I also took some time last night to create a lanyard for myself. I had been meaning to do it for a while, since I wear one at work every day, but I just never got around to it. Last night I decided that it would help me relax and, well, it's just what I FELT like doing, so I did it! And now I can wear it to CHA too. Yeah, I admit it, that's what pushed me over the edge from thinking about it, to actually doing it.

I used a bunch of Making Memories Vintage Groove jewelry that I won a while ago. For the chain, I just combined two necklace chains. Then I added a little bit of bling for fun. It's simple, but that's how I like my jewelry. And I love it that it is more like jewelry than the boring fabric one with my company logo that I wore before.

Here is a really crappy cell phone picture of it. I am going to have to tweak it a little bit when I get home, shorten it a little and do something to make the bling ring face forward most of the time.

Scrapdango LOAD inspiration

2011-07-12T10:28:00.003-04:00

Scrapdango's Layout a Day (LOAD) contest is in full swing, but you still have plenty of time to enter if you like. You don't have to create the layout on the same day as the inspiration, you have until the end of the week, and you get one draw per layout completed. See the full rules HERE

It's my turn to offer inspiration this week and here is the first one.

Today's LOAD inspiration is about journaling - write your journaling directly on your page, by drawing lines with a pen and a ruler. (I dont measure the distance between my lines, just make sure they are straight)

a page and a plea

2011-07-11T12:58:00.005-04:00

I don't usually enter these kinds of contests, but I couldn't resist this one - with such a great prize, and I was working with the Margarita collection anyway. So I entered the American Crafts facebook challenge to create a summer themed layout and now the layout with the most 'likes' by the end of the week is the winner. If you are on Facebook, here is where you can go to like my page (I think you have to 'like' American Crafts too, but who wouldn't want to do that?! they are amazing and have a new contest every week, so maybe you can enter next time and I will be voting for you!) https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150252535044630&set=a.10150252534689630.343145.44105314629&type=1&theater

Here is the page that I entered,

Supplies: Cardstock, Patterned Papers, Stickers and alphas: American Crafts; Rub-ons: Cosmo Cricket; Chipboard:Maya Road; 'you' sticker: SRM stickers; ink:Clearsnap; stamp: Technique Tuesday; Also: Gesso, Ranger Glossy Accents, Ranger Crackle Accents, Copic Pen

In other news, I got a really cool email today asking me to be a guest designer for a manufacturer! Then I ran into health insurance crappiness and my day went downhill from there. However, I had a great time creating with my Scrapdango July kit this past weekend and can't wait to share that all with you on Friday, so stay tuned!

sympathy card

2011-07-10T21:42:00.003-04:00

This card was so simple and fun. I used the June kit from the Scrapbook Nook, featuring Lily Bee picket fence, with these gorgeous purple and reds. I added a touch of pink from Crate paper's Emma's Shoppe line. The twine is divine twine, the stickers are SRM. I used some clearsnap dye ink on the chipboard, which I can't remember the brand of (and it's driving me crazy!) - if you recognize it can you let me know? Im pretty sure it came from JoAnn, and I kinda think it was a special 'just for JoAnn' kind of discount line, but it could be something like DCWV or K and Co, or colorbok, there were other coordinating stuff that I didnt buy. What I did buy was a pack of chipboard circles and circle frames in red, green, pink and blue, with saying like 'sweet' and pictures of cheeries on them. They also all had this foil as accents, which you can see in the circles that are on the top of the one shown here. How can I remember so much about it and not what brand it is?! I even sorta remember the packaging - it was black I think, and like two hanging overlapping clear pouches.

Anyway, This is for the papertake weekly anything goes challenge, the spoonful of sugar sewing challenge, the simon says stitching challenge and the cute card thursday lace challenge.

Ellie's Moxie Fab Tues Trigger

2011-07-03T18:10:00.002-04:00

I don't normally do things like this, but I just had to share because I thought this was so cute. Every week I make a challenge spreadsheet (yeah Im a nerd, I admit it). Today my 5 yr old daughter and I were 'doing art' together, and she asked for one of my photos to use. So I thought maybe she would like to see a sketch to use for her own scrapbook page. She passed on all the sketches and settled on the Moxie Fab Tuesday Trigger. I explained to her that it was supposed to be inspiration for a card and she jumped right in. When she put the flower in the lower left, I said, "in the inspiration it's in the upper right, don't you want to move it?" and she said, "nope I like it here" so I said, "well that's what we call artistic license!" LOL! I explained that Merci means Thank you in French so she insisted on having her card be a thank you card. And she used her favorite rainbow stamp pad for it.

So here is her Tuesday Trigger card

And her is the tuesday trigger that she drew inspiration from.

Card for cards, moxie fab and clearsnap

2011-07-03T11:10:00.003-04:00

Here is a card that I created for the Create, cards blog challenge to use accordion flowers, and for the clearsnap color challenge, and I was also inspired by the moxie fab tues trigger. I just love this card! I used a Design Adhesive from Clearsnap, which is basically a glue rub-on that you can use to adhere glitter or embossing powder or whatever. I put clear embossing powder on it. Then I used the embossed design for a resist technique with the chalk ink.

my card:

Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill, Patterned Paper: October Afternoon, and Crate Paper, Ink: Clearsnap dye ink in Fireberry, Clearsnap Chalk Ink in Bisque, Other: Clearsnap Design Adhesives in Leaf Nouveau, machine stitching, EK success clear embossing powder

The moxie fab Tues Trigger, I was inspired by the colors, and the starburst flower and the horizontal strips, with the sentiment on the bottom.

The clearsnap color challenge:

2011-07-02T19:06:00.002-04:00

This card is for the Embellish Magazine rainbow challenge.

ACOT Challenges!

2011-07-01T10:02:00.003-04:00

The A Cherry On Top July challenges are up today! For my trends and techniques challenge this month I partnered with Chrissy - who is doing a distressing reveal. The challenge this month is to use one or more mediums on your page - ie. ink, paint, mist, etc. Chrissy will have a reveal later in the month showing how to use mediums for distressing, so if you have questions or are hesitant to try them you can put this challenge off until later and learn from Chrissy!

On this page I used paint mixed with a little water and splattered it.

Words on Wednesday

2011-06-29T17:27:00.002-04:00

Hmm, it has already been a bloggily eventful week, so I'm not really sure I have anything new to show you. Items of note for the last week:

1. Camping was good. We used an absurd amount of sunscreen and bug spray but we all came home with sunburns and bug bites. The horses were cool. The beach was nice. the bugs in the bathrooms at night were not so cool.

2. I started running again today, AGAIN. I feel pretty great!

3. I am still rereading and re-re-reading the Kate Daniels series from Ilona Andrews. It's just THAT good. I normally don't re-read books, but Ive already listened to them all twice and am working on actually reading the last one again. After that, I don't know what I am going to move on to, because I have to wait another YEAR for the next one!

4. True Blood started again and this season looks very promising!

5. On the scrappy front, I am starting to feel frustrated again with my lack of progress on the publication front. I go through these cycles, feel optimistic, feel pessimistic, swear it all off for about a day, start over. This time the optimism lasted longer and I don't see myself swearing it off, so I guess that's an improvement. Right now Im focusing on getting exposure and improving my photos - both of my layouts and in general.