Paper Smooches Sparks | Anything Goes Challenge

Good morning! Welcome to this week's Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes challenge. 

Fall is my favorite season and I love creating fall themed cards. For my card, I pulled out two die sets from Paper Smooches: Large Leaves Dies and Thanks. 

I die cut the leaves from white cardstock, then used my Copic and Spectrum Noir markers to color them in, blending several colors together until I liked the look. To create the multi-colored Thanks inlay, I die cut Thanks from a white cardstock panel. Then I cut three strips of yellow and orange cardstock, and lined them up on the back of a large sticky note, making sure all three strips were temporarily adhered to the sticky note. I placed my die over the strips and ran the whole thing through my die cut machine. I popped the die cut from the die, and carefully adhered the pieces to the white cardstock underneath the die cut white piece.

I wrapped some white thread around before adhering it to my card. After I adhered the leaves I added a wooden button that I've had in my stash forever... maybe 7 years? A few enamel dots finish it off.

I hope you can play along with us this week! Make sure to check out of the awesome creations by the rest of the design team:

Katie Gehring

Lynn Mangan

Lori Tecler

Alice Wertz

Erin Taylor

Jenny Mullens

Savannah O'Gwynn

Have a great week. :)

Retro Sketches | Challenge #130

This week's Retro Sketches challenge is to create a card using this sketch:

The sketch is based on one of my cards. I love it when my cards are up for a re-make.... I really have to think outside the box to come up with a fresh design! 

I decided to switch the orientation from vertical to horizontal, and use an aqua/teal/lime/gray color combo for a soothing thank you card. Papertrey Ink's Doodlie-do stamp set works beautifully with the multi-colored background. I stamped the flowers is Hawaiian Shores and Limeade Ice ink, then colored in a few of the open circles with my Copic markers. A few gems and enamel dots add the perfect finishing touch!

I hope you can join us this week for another awesome Retro Sketches challenge! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Chickaniddy | Design Team Announcement

Happy Friday, friends!

I have an exciting announcement to share today. I've been asked to join the Chickaniddy design team for the next year! I am thrilled to be working with an amazing group of women, creating cards (and probably a layout or two!). 

You can check out of the Chickaniddy blog to see the rest of the design team. 

I received my first box of goodies from Chickaniddy this week, and I'm anxious to get started! Their two new collections, Scrumptious & Jolly Good, are gorgeous and I know the next year is going to be a great one!

Turtle | Digital Layout

In June, Jack and I spent 10 days together while Evan was in Washington visiting my parents. Jack loves art projects, and we pulled out several unopened Kiwi Crate boxes to work on. 

One of his favorite projects involved using markers to color sea animals, then spritzing them with water so the ink bled, creating an awesome blended look. I took a ton of photos while Jack was creating his project, then created a layout using Scotty Girl Designs' Stitched Grid Templates.

My favorite element on this layout? The wood veneer "you" in the large photo. It looks so realistic! 

I combined both color and black and white photos on my page... something I love doing with digital pages. It adds a lot of interest and allows for imperfect photos to look great. 

Make sure to check back later this morning for a fun announcement. Thanks for stopping by and have a great Friday! 

 

Avery Elle | Sequins Challenge

I haven't played along with the Avery Elle AEI{heart}U challenge in a while, but this month's theme is sequins, and I love sequins! 

 

Sequins were popular in scrapbooking 6 or 7 years ago, and I have several containers full of sequins. For this card, I used Avery Elle's Rounded Diamonds stamp set and matching dies, Petals & Stems stamp set, plus clear sequins. I used ZOTS Minuscule glue dots to adhere each sequin... and it took forever! I watched the series finally of True Blood while I adhered sequins. :)

The sentiment, from Petals & Stems, is one of my most used Avery Elle stamps. The font is awesome! I used Ranger Jet Black Archival ink for the sentiment, and the enamel dots are from My Mind's Eye. 

This is my second post of the day. Please scroll down to see my CAS(E) this Sketch! card, or click here.

CAS(E) this Sketch! | Challenge #89

 Hello, hello! Today I have a card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! Challenge: 

Once again I pulled out my Country Fair Make it Market kit (LOVE this kit!), and used the big Ferris Wheel stamp and die as the focal point. The paisley/cherry/floral patterned paper and sentiment are also from Make it Market kit. The yellow patterned paper is from Papertrey Ink's Harvest Gold patterns pack.

I have been working like crazy in my office creating projects for the September Gossamer Blue release... and I can't wait to share them with you! Less than a week until the reveal! The September kits are gorgeous! 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week! 

Paper Smooches Sparks | Designer Drafts

Good morning! Welcome to this week's Paper Smooches Sparks Designer Drafts Challenge! Here is this week's sketch:

I used one stamp set for my card: Blossoming Buds. Isn't the flower cluster beautiful? And this set has some great sentiments, too.

I stamped the flower cluster with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, then colored it in with Copic markers. I added three enamel dots to the center, creating a fun visual triangle. I stamped the sentiment on Limeade Ice cardstock then trimmed it down to create the banner. 

I originally just adhered the green banner to the card, but after decided to add a layered pink patterned banner behind it, and I'm glad I did. The pink twine unifies the two elements (banner + flowers). The Tropical Teal striped patterned paper is one of my favorites for backgrounds.

You can check out the rest of the design team, and their awesome projects, here:

Alice

Angeline

Jenny

Savannah

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

Papertrey Ink | Make it Monday #177

Hi there! Today I have a card for this week's Papertrey Ink Make it Monday challenge: Using Cover Plate Negatives. I pulled out one of my favorite cover plates (and stamp sets!), Mighty Oak, for this technique.

I die cut the tree three times. The first from New Leaf, the second from Limeade Ice bitty dot patterned paper, and the third from Kraft cardstock.After I punched all the little pieces out, I placed the intact green die cut over white cardstock and carefully adhered all the pieces into place. Then I removed the original die. I used foam tape to adhere some of the leaf pieces and regular adhesive for the rest. 

I die cut a heart from red cardstock and covered it with glossy accents. I used Dark Chocolate ink for the sentiment. The white background paper was impressed with my woodgrain impression plate, also from Papertrey Ink. 

This challenge was so much fun! Cover plates are pricey, but worth the investment due to their versatility.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

RetroSketches | Challenge #128

**This is my second post of the day. Please scroll down or click here to see my card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge.

Hi there! This week's Retro Sketches sketch is another fun one, with lots of layers and elements.

I pulled out one of my older Studio Calico card kits for the patterned paper and star puffy stickers (love these!). The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink, and the button is from October Afternoon. The white background looked a little plain as-is, so I used my Linen and Canvas impression plate from Papertrey Ink to add texture.

That's it for me today! Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week.

CAS(E) this Sketch! | Challenge #88

Happy Sunday, friends! Is anyone else gearing up for the first day of school? Evan's first day is tomorrow and Jack starts kindergarten on Thursday. We've had a wonderful summer, but the past week has been a challenge... so. much. bickering! I can't wait for them to be in school! We need a little separation from each other. :)

Today I have a card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge: 

I combined products from several different companies for my card. The butterfly stamps and dies are from my favorite Hero Arts sets: Butterflies 3. I have used this set so many time... you can see my other cards using it here, here, and here. I colored each of the butterflies with Copic and Spectrum Noir markers, then applied wide double sided tape to the top of each butterfly. After I trimmed around the butterfly, I peeled the backing off the tape and applied some clear Martha Stewart glitter. I've found that this glitter works best for this technique. It is transparent enough for the ink and marker to show through, but it leaves a really great shine. 

The patterned vellum is from Studio Calico's South of Market collection, and I'm hoarding it like crazy. I love the pattern, and it works great on so many projects! 

 (Supplies - Stamps: (Hero Arts) Butterflies 3. (Papertrey Ink) Wonderful Words Additions. Dies: (Hero Arts) Butterflies 3. (Papertrey Ink) Wonderful Words. Ink: (Memento) Tuxedo Black. Cardstock: (Papertrey) White. Vellum: (Studio Calico) South of Market. Impression Plate: (Papertrey Ink) Linen and Canvas. Markers: Copic & Spectrum Noir. Gems: Hero Arts. Button: October Afternoon. Other: Twine.)

Check back soon for this week's RetroSketches challenge (and card!). 

Have a great week! 

The Cutting Edge | Challenge #7

Hello crafty friends! Today I have a card for this week's The Cutting Edge Challenge. The inspiration card is super cute and I was really drawn to the color combo: Hibiscus Burst, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Classic Kraft, and White.

 

I pulled out my Make It Market: Country Fair kit, plus some twine and enamel dots for my card. The top strip of paper is Hibiscus Burst bitty dot paper from Papertrey Ink that I die cut with my small scalloped edge die. 

The quilt square was so much fun to stamp. I used Hibiscus Burst, Harvest Gold, Classic Kraft, and Summer Sunrise ink to stamp the trapezoids, and a two-step flower in Hibiscus Burst and Summer Sunrise for the triangles. I love, love, love this Make It Market kit! I will definitely be using the ferris wheel next... it is such a cute image!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

CAS-ual Fridays | Challenge #134

I posted a sneak peek of this card on Instagram on Saturday, with the promise that the completed card would be on my blog yesterday. Well... that was before we made plans to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with some friends, then I had a coffee date with another friend, then dinner, then it was dark. Too dark to take decent pictures. Whoops! We picked up some Kenetic Sand for the boys at Michaels yesterday and they've been happily playing with it for the last two hours(!!), so I'm using the time to post here. 

The CAS-ual Fridays challenge this week is a tic tac toe board.... 3 across, 3 down, or 3 diagonally. I am working diagonally with sequins, white, and dots. 

Here is my card. The "dots" were stamped in Memento Luxe ink with Papertrey Ink's Polka Dot Basics 3 stamp set. The sequins are from my stash, and the white cardstock is Neenah Solar White. Other supplies - Twine: American Crafts. "Enjoy" die cut: (Papertrey Ink) Phrase Play #4. Plum cardstock: Stampin' Up!.

This Phrase Play die & stamp set is really fun to work with. I have a few more that I need to pull out and use... lots of possibilities with this collection!

That's it for me today. Have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

RetroSketches | Challenge #127

Hey guys! Today I am sharing a card for this week's RetroSketches Challenge. Here is the sketch:

Look at all the layers! My clean and simple side had a hard time with all. those. layers. So I took a few out and simplified it.... and I love the results! I used some paper from this month's Simon Says Stamp card kit, and Papertrey Ink's Summer Sweetness stamp set. The gorgeous ribbon is Daffodil Delight Seam Binding from Stampin' Up!. 

Make sure to check out the Retro Sketches blog for more inspiration and to play along! Have a great weekend. :)

Traditional Layout | Spring Storm

Today I'm sharing a layout that features some really fun patterned paper, a new set of thin chipboard alphas, and a cool photo I took in early June. 

Starting in May we can get some crazy thunder and lightning storms. And this year they have been almost daily. Usually it's beautiful (and hot!) in the morning and early afternoon, but around 3pm the dark gray clouds roll in and we get tons of rain, thunder, and lightning. I took this picture before running into the house... I didn't want to get completely soaked! 

(Supplies- Bottle Toss, Jubilee kits by Studio Calico.)

I think I need to reapply the "2014" stickers... they look slightly crooked now. That's what happens when I stay up until 2am working on a page! 

(The Pink Paislee Switchboard Alpha is even cuter in person & is the perfect shade of blue-green-gray.)

Thanks for stopping by! 

CAS(E) this Sketch! | Challenge #87

Hi there! Today I have a card for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge, which is actually a combined challenge with Tag You're It. I just picked up a pack of adorable tags from Crate Paper's Notes & Things collection, and one of the tags was perfect for a card. Here is the sketch for this week: 

I used some fun chevron arrow patterned paper from my stash and combined it with a tag from Crate Paper. The stamped sentiment, Congrats, is from Studio Calico's Antiquary card kit. I added some white and gold twine, sequins, and gold enamel dots to finish off my card. 

When I was initially adhering the tag to my card front, the twine was too bulky and the card looked a little off. I ended up using foam adhesive to attach the tag, which worked so much better. The "happy for you" was pre-printed on the tag and create the perfect sentiment for my card. 

The boys only have eight days of summer vacation left before school starts again. Evan is just starting to realize that daily trips to the pool, endless hours of xBox and Minecraft, and staying in our pajamas until noon is about to end. We are going school supply shopping on Thursday, and I'm ordering new backpacks for both boys this week. For the first time in 8.5 years I will have the house to myself for 7 hours each day. It is going to be so strange (and quiet!) with Jack and Evan in school full time. I am excited for the new adventures this school year will bring to them, but it's going to be an adjustment for all of us as we navigate new routines and expectations. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday! Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

Digital Layout | Jack & Cindy

As a scrapbooker, I love perusing online galleries, looking at beautiful layouts for inspiration. The Pixels & Company gallery is one of my favorites to look through... stunning layouts, a lot of variety, and great CAS pages. I looked at several layouts using this fabulous template set, called Stitched Down Templates Vol. 6 by Laura Passage, and I had to create my own page with the stitched hearts template.

I paired the template with Karla's newest collection, Hush, and a photo of Jack and my friend, Cindy, from 2012. I used almost all of the patterned papers from the collection, mixing the colors and textures. The title was created using Karla's Calipso alphabet, which is one of my favorite alphas ever. :)

I have a few links for you today. Just some fun places I like to visit, and a couple of places that I contribute to on a regular basis.

• Gallery Standouts | A great collection of new (and awesome!) layouts every week. I have been featured a couple of times (including this layout), and my peers at Pixels & Co. are often featured, too. 
• Scotty Girl Designs Blog | Shannon, the designer behind Scotty Girl Designs, has a wonderful blog that she updates regularly with digital project life layouts, tips & techniques, recipes, and layouts. Starting Wednesday I will be contributing a bi-monthly blog feature. Check it out if you are a digital scrapbooker!
• Pixels & Company | I have been on the P&Co. CT for a little over a year, and they are truly one of the best digital scrapbooking stores out there. Amazing designers, active message board, and tons of layouts in the gallery. 

I hope you will check out Shannon's blog on Wednesday. I have a new layout to share that highlights a fun new blog feature. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Paper Smooches Sparks | Anything Goes Challenge

Hello there! This week's Paper Smooches Sparks challenge is Anything Goes. I love these challenges!

I used my Paper Smooches My Peeps stamp set for the bird image and sentiment, and the Frame 1 die. I stamped the sentiment is Memento Luxe Gray Flannel ink, and the bird in Memento Tuxedo Black. I used both Copic and Spectrum Noir markers to color the bird. The enamel dots are from My Mind's Eye.

It's a little hard to tell in the picture, but the third strip of cardstock is actually aqua shimmer paper. The extra pop of shimmer is really fun in real life. This color scheme is one I've used before, but I like it a lot and keep pulling out my teal/aqua/chartreuse/gray cardstock and papers. Why reinvent the wheel, right?

Make sure to check out the rest of the design team to see their cards!

Alice

Angeline

Jenny

Savannah

 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week. 

Retro Sketches | Challenge #126

Good morning! My post is a tiny bit late today... I'm sorry about that. It's been one of those crazy, end of summer weeks and I've only had a few minutes here and there to pop into my studio. I'm ready for the kids to go back to school so we can get back on schedule!

Today I have a card for this week's Retro Sketches Challenge, based on this card:

I pulled out Papertrey Ink's Friendly Flowers stamp set, and three shades of pigment ink: (Memento Luxe) Rose Bud, (Avery Elle) Aquamarine, Lemon Grass. The black and white striped patterned paper is from Pebbles' Jen Hadfield Home + Made collection. I love this paper! The black and white paper makes the bright flower really pop. The resin flower is from Freckled Fawn and the enamel dot is from My Mind's Eye.

I hope you can play along with us this week! And I'll be back tomorrow with a card for next week's Paper Smooches Sparks Anything Goes challenge. Have a fabulous Saturday!