TIME - to Reflect...

We are having an on-line crop this weekend at Scrapbook Star and for my challenge (which will be posted later) is a reflective challenge. I just picked up these envelopes from Hero Arts and thought one of them would suit my layout, and tucked inside is an honest reflective note of where I am now, and where I was a decade ago, and a little about what I've learned along the way.

By the way - the stamps on this layout are new from Technique Tuesday (Ali Edwards) and I just love them. I think you'll be seeing a lot of them on my layouts and projects.

Below I am showing a sneak peek of my first project with PROJECT 52, the Bad Girls challenge blog. I kept on coming back to this piece, with fresh eyes every time, and I can tell you that what I originally envisioned, is not what resulted. HOWEVER, I am satisfied with the end piece. Hope you'll stop by Project 52 when all the team's projects are revealed on Monday.

Enjoy your Friday!

Getting Stampy! AGAIN.

When I used to design for Cornish Heritage Farms, I found many ways to stamp on my projects. It's been a while now that I have stopped using stamps on my layouts, BUT I have decided to dust off the ink pads and get back into it!

Here is a recent layout stamped with the 6x6 Vintage Text (CHF) and that lovely flower to dress up the background paper (kraft Bazzill Cardstock).


A recent Michael's find is that BEAUTY chipboard by Colorbok. I treated it with a craft adhesive spray, Doodlebug Inc glitter and then with Liquid Pearls by Ranger.

The dress form (Silhouette die cut) has been treated with Glossy Accents and pink Microbeads from Martha Stewart. And again, there is that lovely Maya Road Ric Rac ribbon I am obsessed with using. The flower and leaves are of course PRIMA> who does it better?

I hope this is the first of many more stampy projects. Thanks for stopping by! I will be flashing some sneaks of my upcoming FIRST project for PROJECT 52. The new challenge will be up Monday and you won't want to miss it!

Bad Girls Bleuprint and Scrap Your Crap

So Happy Together is a layout that captured 2 goals! One, was to play along with this week's Bleuprint at Bad Girls, and the other, to play along with the challenge at Scrap Your Crap.

I loved challenge #51 at Scrap Your Crap, because it actually allowed me to do just that! The challenge was to use 20 + letters in your title, and then an additional 10 embellishments. I pulled out old decorative tape from Heidi Swapp, old embellishments, such as the beach sticker, the blue gems, and the Maya Road chipboard (which is heat embossed with red - smells like Cinnamon). How about that! A Scratch n' Sniff layout! Now there's an idea. :)

Now, I couldn't have come up with this layout without being totally INSPIRED BY Anna's Bad Girls Bleuprint - see more on the Bad Girls Kits forum. See below the images that Anna provided to get the juices flowing. She also made that sketch to go along with the images. I was inspired by the colours, white background and white space, I pulled the black, red, and green from the Tommy picture, and the fabric idea from the photo (I made sure to use fabric-like ribbons). Of course, I used the sketch as inspiration as well.

Now it's your turn. I've left you with 2 challenges that should get your mojo going. GO - SCRAP - CREATE! Oh and have fun!

"So Happy Together" Supplies:
Patterned Paper: BoBunny Press, Graphic 45, Teresa Collins
Cardstock: Bazzill, Core'dinations
Flower: Prima
Ribbon: Michael's
Stamp: 7 Gypsies
Sticker Letters: KaiserCraft and Rose Moka
Die Cut: Silhouette (Bracket)
Decorative Tape: Heidi Swapp
Chipboard: Maya Road
Embossing Powder: Cornish Heritage Farms
Other: Envelope, Gems

Simplicity

I don't tend to do simple, but this card called for it! I just could not bring myself to add anything else, so here it is....

My most simple project ever. I love it. Maybe you will start seeing some more simple from me. It sure is quicker! :)

Supplies:

Flower: Prima
Stamp: CHF
Paper: We R Memory Keepers
Cardstock: Bazzill
Gem: KaiserCraft
Ink: Stewart Superior

Bad Girls - Project 52 Challenge Blog

Project 52 is a challenge blog and is part of the greater community of Bad Girls Kits. I have been given the opportunity to design for them starting TODAY! The challenges are focused on ART using all kinds of mediums, not just paper, stamps and ink (which I am very comfortable playing with). So this will be a challenge for me as well as to all who play along! I hope you check it out and play along with me, because I am almost certain we will all learn something.

They have put together a talented group of "out of the box" thinkers and what you see there will inspire you to try something new (which I am ALL about). Check out previous posts too, there is so much to peruse and fall in love with.
Bye for now!

My Favourite Layout - EVAH!

Up the Street Scrapbooking is a new kit club, and has it's very first contest going on, so I thought I would participate. Here are the details if you want to check it out for yourself or visit www.upthestreetscrapbooking.com.

I must say, I think this is my favourite layout of all time! I LOVE the cluster and the colours, and the picture, my new Silhouette flourishes, that Maya Road ric rac ribbon, and of course, all those Prima products I love so much. Those pins are also Maya Road and I'm glad I have a hew more in my stash. I got them .15 cents each at Scrapbook Star! If you're looking for an on-line store, you should check out Scrapbook Star - amazing prices and great customer service.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Black Line Chipboard Buttons - by Jenni Bowlin
Parlor Petals Violet - by Prima
Mulberry Rose Leaves - by Prima V
intage Black Pearl Trinket Pin - by Maya Road
SWAK Brads - by Bo Bunny Press
Shimmerz Spritz Eucalyptus and Purple Passion
Eli - Paper by Rose Moka (purple houndstooth)
Chipboard Letters: Basic Grey
Foam Letters: EK Success
Kraft Die Cut: Maya Road
Velvet Ribbon: Maya Road
Pearl Brad: Making Memories
Lace: Prima
Liquid Pearls: Ranger
Tools: Tim Holtz Paper Distresser, Silhouette SD

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Jewelry

I have many interests and you may not know this, but I love to play around with jewelry. I like to submit my projects to Bead Trends, and so far, have been pretty lucky to get some of my items pubbed! Here is a necklace that I just adore, using some crystals to dress it up a bit. I looped together the chain, and wired together those circular pieces. The earrings were made in much the same way.

If you have any questions about anything you see on my blog, drop me an email.

Thanks for stopping by!

Playing with my NEW Silhouette

I must admit, before my friend bought her Cricut and showed me what it could do, I ignored all the talk about the Silhouette and all other electronic die cutting machines. At Christmas, she showed me her new purchase and I thought - I NEED ONE OF THOSE! How could I have gone on so long without one! Don't get me wrong, I will still use my Cuttlebug and Spellbinders dies, but where else can you get the frame and border below for 99 cents a piece and use it whenever you want, cut it in big sizes, and change up the colour when you want?

I made the layout below for Silhouette's Winter Games they have going on (a contest to win $50 in downloads) and I WANT to win it! This layout was done under 1 hour (for the Speed Scrapping contest). Of course, you'll see lots of Prima on this page too, one of my fave companies.

I stickled almost everything on page once I was done, even that beautiful red Prima flower.

TIP: Using Core'dinations cardstock with your die cutting machine allows you to sand it and distress it after you've cut your shape.

Moxie Fab's Trigger Tuesday Challenge

I decided to play along this week with Moxie Fab for their Trigger Tuesday challenge. I loved this challenge, because for me, it WAS a challenge. I would not normally pair up these colours, but I love the end result. I used some American Crafts flair stickers and some lovely red gingham from my craft supply. I always have a healthy amount of gingham! This card was super easy and maybe so, because it's stampless (if that's a word!).

Thanks for popping by!

He Is Not Here - Prima's Build a Page for February

I am really getting into challenges again, and lately with all the Prima flowers I got from Scrapbook Star, I have to use them up. So what better way than to participate in Prima's sketch contest that they have monthly.

The picture below is from Israel and is an image of the door to the Garden Tomb.

Below, I used a Tim Holtz FRAGMENT acrylic piece to make this, and treated it with alcohol ink and paint before slapping on a good coat of Glossy Accents. The key hole is Melissa Frances.

Here, I treated the lace (from Prima) with matching coloured stickles (Ranger Industries).

Below, I used those little plastic gems to make my own flourish. Aren't those Prima flowers BEAUTIFUL! I especially love that big dark aqua blue one. The fence is a die cut from my new Silhouette machine! I am having so much fun playing with it.

Happy Monday!

2 Sketches 4 You

My friend Jen came over and we stamped and coloured some images, and this one happened to find it's way onto a card for this week's sketch over at 2 Sketches 4 You. The stamp is from Stamping Bella and the sentiment stamp from CHF (Cornish Heritage Farms).




TIP: If your white embossing powder gets on more than just your sentiment, take a black marker to it (if it's on black cardstock), and this will make those little white powder marks disappear!

Supplies:
Stamps: Stamping Bella and CHF
Ink: Memento Ink, VersaMark
Glitter: Stickles by Ranger (on heart)
Markers: Copic

Paper: We R Memory Keepers

Cardstock: Bazzill

Gem: KaiserCraft

Embossing Powder: CHF

Die Cut: Spellbinders Nestabilities

Brads: Doodlebug Inc

Change is Good

It seems like forever since this photo was taken, but it was only five years ago. Since then, we have added 2 more kiddos to the mix. For three years though, we were a quiet family of 3. I used that awesome Wood Grain from Hambley Studios, and I made that journal block myself! Lots of Prima on this page (mainly the ribbon and flowers). Ciao!

Kisses...Stamping Bella

I love it when stampy friends come over and bring their stamps for me to play with! This is a Stamping Bella stamp and the card was made with my new Silhouette! I am really getting into using the Silhouette and trying to include die cuts into my layouts and projects. I took out my trusty (and sad to say dusty) Copic markers for this one. They really are great markers.

Happy Wednesday!

Some Masculine Cards

A family member just received wonderful news about his surgery and recovery, so I sat down to make some masculine cards to go with the gift we bought him. I used Cornish Heritage Farms' scrapblock with all those wonderful newspaper ads for the background. Their 6x6 stamps are the bomb! Since I had out all the supplies, I decided to make 2 cards in one sitting, just slightly different. My husband liked the 2nd one better, so that is the card we gave away.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Sweet Valentine's Tags

These are simple tags to make for your Valentine's gifts! Picture these wrapped around chocolates, or roses, or homemade breads or cookies. The top tags are made by using a heart stamp (CHF) and applying glossy accents (plain, pink glitter, red flocking). The bottom tags were made using Flower Soft for some nice dimension.

Happy Valentine's Weekend!!

Back Porch Memories - February Kit Reveal

See the full Kit Contents HERE at Back Porch Memories. I used the Medley Kit and loved it! Here are some of the things I was able to create using the kit.

LITTLE BIRDIE CARD SET (American Crafts Letterbox Products - All cards have little birdies on the inside to tie in the theme).

FROSTY OUR SNOWMAN (Fancy Pants Products)

LITTLE MISS SOPHIE (Basic Grey Origins Products)

BE YOU (American Crafts Products)

Thanks for looking and please do check out this kit club

I Am Such a Proud Mamma!

I left Julie, my sister to look after Will while I was out and this is what she did while I was gone! Here is her awesome blog http://www.vineimages.ca/blog/. Leave some love for her if you can. :)

Live Love Bloom

I just got these Prima flowers and they just add that pop to a page. I love the colours! I have not been stamping as much as I used to these days, but I thought I would pull out the Penny Black stamp (bottom right) and do a heat emboss resist technique. The ink is Adirondack Lettuce (one of my all-time favourite colours).

Enjoy SUPERBOWL weekend! Is anyone else excited to see the commercial ads?

Back Porch Memories - February Kits

This kit club, Back Porch Memories is pretty cool! They have 2 kits available every month, that are so completely different. Being the Guest Designer for February, I was lucky enough to work with the Medley kit, which has 3 different paper lines, that are also totally different. It allows you to create 3 - 2 page layouts that are all so unique. Here is a layout I made using the Basic Grey Origins papers, a clip, and that pop-up birdie. The frame is American Crafts Letterbox, and there is a rub-on there too from American Crafts. At $24 US per kit, it is such a great value! I am loving this kit club! Kits ship on the 15th of each month.

Happy Wednesday!

February Brings a New Kit

I have really enjoyed playing with these Jenni Bowlin papers to create some projects with Scrapbook Star's February kit. The 4x4 papers were cut down into 2x2 and I made my own patterned paper of sorts. The Valentine's Box below is quite sturdy considering it's made out of paper! It should hold some gingersnap cookies that I plan on making for my husband to bring to work.

Enjoy the rest of you Monday!