Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Bella BLVD | New Year's Resolution...

It's Designer challenge time over at Bella BLVD again and Nicole and I have been assigned to share our New Year's Resolutions.  Kind of appropriate that I post today, right?! *grin*
 
"Hello Everyday"

products used: cs - American Crafts; pp - Bella BLVD (Molly, Lucky Starz); other - Bella BLVD (Treasures & Text, Candid Cards); tools - typewriter.


 
Anyway...! If you would like to learn more about the details, please visit here.  Thanks for joining me today..x
 


Monday, December 29, 2014

Scraptastic Club | Heartbeats...

Hello Everyone!  It is almost the end of the year and  today I want to share with you a little super fast inspiration, using the gorgeous December Heartbeats kit from Scraptastic Club.
 
 
December is a really busy month in my household, but it doesn't necessarily mean I stop being creative!  To keep myself from going a little nuts during the holiday season, I love to play with pretty paper and shiny things!! And the Heartbeats kit has plenty of both.  But remember that part where I said December is really busy?  To keep myself from stressing even more (by starting something I can't finish!) I often take inspiration from a layout, to also create a card.  It's a two for one deal!
 
 
I've kept my layout simple, highlighting my photo with embellishments and layers.

products used: Scraptastic Club Kit - Heartbeats; Add On - Heartbeats; Stamp Set - Heartbeats; Cut Aparts - Heartbeats; tools - hand stitching, typewriter.
 
The patterned paper guided my placement for the photo with it's vignette.  The darker grey around the outside edges, frames the photo.  Using a black and white photo takes away all the guess work when it comes to selecting a color palette.  I have chosen a complementary teal to work with the grey and then added bright pops of yellow for fun!
 
 
Hand stitching can sometimes be time consuming, but by using the Heartbeats clear stamps as a guide, I can quickly make the stamped image a feature.


 
I've finished my layout by journaling directly onto the Heartbeats cut aparts and mounting it onto foam dots for more dimension.
 
 
The clear stickers have been placed directly onto white cardstock and then embellished with puffy stickers from the kit.
 
 
After creating this layout, I had plenty of leftover supplies already sitting on my desk.  Instead of putting them away with my kit, I quickly used them to my creative advantage.
 

products used: Scraptastic Club Kit - Heartbeats; Add On - Heartbeats.
 
I've stayed true to the layout by using the same color palette and patterned papers.  But I've also adapted similar techniques, such as hand stitching, placing the clear stickers onto white cardstock and adding a triangle to the corner of the card. 
 

To create the hand stitched flourishes, simply draw some elegant swirls with a pencil and then pre-pierce the paper.

 
Thanks for joining me here today.  I hope I have managed to share a few simple ideas to keep you creative during this busy season..x

ps - all this information has just been repeated over at Scraptastic! Ha!  Word. For. Word.  I told you it was a busy, time consuming month and at the moment, I'm all for taking short cuts! *grin*  I hope you don't mind.
 
 


Sunday, December 28, 2014

Sassy Scrapper | Project Life Week 51...

Hi Everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!! Today I am popping in very briefly to share with you my Project Life | Week 51.  It went live over at Sassy Scrapper earlier last week.
 




 
Yep.  There's an eclectic mix of ideas, but all put together using the gorgeous December PL kit found here.  Thanks for visiting...x
 
 


Monday, December 22, 2014

Scraptastic Club | December sketch...

 Hi Friends!  Last week Scraptastic Club shared their December sketch.

 
And I decided to create a non Christmas themed page with it!  *gasp!!*
 
 
"Grin"

products used: Scraptastic Club Kit - Heartbeats; Add On - Heartbeats; Stamp Set - Heartbeats; tools - machine stitching, typewriter.


I really enjoyed playing with the triangles and the fun pops of yellow!  Head on over to Scraptastic to enter your version of the sketch.  Thanks for visiting..x

 


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Jillibean Soup | Make It Merry...

Hi Everyone!  Today I am sharing a layout created with Jillibean Soup's latest Christmas collection, Holly Berry Borscht.
"Make It Merry!"

products used: cs - American Crafts; pp - Jillibean Soup (Holly Berry Borscht); other - Jillibean Soup: Holly Berry Borscht pea pod parts, wood veneers; toothpick, embroidery floss, black paint; tools - machine stitching.
The super simple little triangular Christmas trees were cut from multiple Holly Berry Borscht patterned papers.  I've also included hidden journaling on the "hohoho" file card (Pea Pod Part).

The hand stitched lines across the trees add an extra touch of dimension and texture, without overwhelming the rest of the page.


Thanks for visiting...x


Sassy Scrapper | Project Life Week 50...

Head on over to the Sassy Scrappers blog today for more detail on how I put together my Project Life | Week 50 spread...
  

Another busy week but a pleasure to Document December with the Sassy Scrapper December PL kit.
 




 
Thanks for visiting...x
 
 


Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Sassy Scrapper | Project Life Week 49...

Hello Friends!  Project Life Monday has been moved to Project Life Tuesday over at the Sassy Scrappers blog this month!  I've temporarily skipped weeks 47 & 48 to start using my Sassy Scrapper December PL Kit.  Here's a little sneak peek of Week 49...
 




 
 
I hope you enjoy.  Thanks for visiting..x
 


Thursday, December 4, 2014

Jillibean Soup | Holday Hunt Surprise!

***NOW CLOSED***

Hello Friends!  I guess you've come to the right place if you are looking for a little holiday giveaway surprise!!
 
All week long we are hosting a Holiday Hunt over at Jillibean Soup.  There are some amazing prizes to be won.  Here is what is offer today...
 


 
 
Jillibean Soup
Mix the Media 10x10" Galvanized Metal Frame
Cork Embellishments - Click
Wooden Sprinkles -- Birthday
Stampables -- White Frames
 
 
Fantastic right?! Have a look at what can be created with all this goodness!
 
 
 
To win, all you have to do is leave a comment here on my blog post.  I will choose a winner Sunday night December 7, EST (Aussie friends, we are talking USA time here!) and their name will be announced on the Jillibean Soup blog Monday morning December 8.
 
Don't forget to keep visiting Jillibean Soup all week long, for a chance to win more prizes!! Good Luck and Happy Holidays!!!
 
 
 


Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Bella Blvd | Project Life...

Hi There!  I'm just popping in very briefly to share my latest Project Life project with Bella Blvd.  Up on the b log earlier this week, my PL Week 46 was featured here.
 

Bella Blvd Supplies:
 Tiny Tots: Treasures & Text; Christmas Cheer: Daily Details, Happy Hearts, Trinkets; Scattered Sprinkles: Just Write Journaling Stickers, Scattered Sprinkles McIntosh; Classic Calendars: Just Write Journaling Stickers; Max: Borders, Candid Cards; Molly: Trinkets; Family Forever: Trinkets, Paper Pieces; Lucky Starz: Pickle Juice Starz; Snapshots: Daily Details; Birthday Boy: Eat Cake, Cute Cuts, Alpha+Bits; High Five Alphabets: Gulf, Black-White.




 
This was a week of many celebrations!  And it was still during November!!! If you would like to see more details and learn how I put it all together, please head on over to the Bella Blvd blog.
 
Thanks for visiting..x
 
 
 


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Jillibean Soup | Thankful...

Hello Everyone!  I wanted to share with you today, a layout created for Jillibean Soup.  It's been a busy month during November and I've got an even busier month starting yesterday! So I took a moment to be thankful.  Thankful indeed, that these two boys got to play a glorious season of hockey and in their first season became members of the champion team.

"Thankful

products used: cs - American Crafts; pp - Jillibean Soup (Holly Berry Borscht, Cool as a Cucumber); alpha - Mix the Media stencil; other - Jillibean Soup: wood sprinkles, woodgrain stampables, note card, label sticker, wood veneer stars; white thread, yellow embroidery floss; tools - water colour paint, machine stitching.


I played around with watercolours this month.  The title and small die cut leaves were cut from normal cardstock after the water colours were applied. The title was traced from the Jillibean Soup Mix the Media "Thankful" stencil. Before I trimmed around the title, I hand stitched with coordinating embroidery floss.


The bright pops of orange against the wood plank patterned paper background really help highlight the texture on both the patterned paper and the die cut leaves.


The rest of the layout has layers of woodgrain, on woodgrain.  In the baggie I have included hidden journaling and the frame helps draw the eye to the collection of trinkets in the lower corner.

The larger leaves were traced from ones found in my garden and then carefully cut with a sharp knife.  I certainly had fun playing with a few simple techniques and no doubt will be trying them again sometime soon.  Thanks for visiting today...x



 
 


Monday, December 1, 2014

Sassy Scrappers Project Life | Week 45...

Hi Everyone! Up on the Sassy Scrapper blog today I am sharing my next instalment of Project Life Week 45, November 3 - 9.
 
This week I am playing with leftovers and focusing on all those stickers we have all been hoarding!
 




 
Head on over to Sassy Scrappers if you would like to see more detail.  Thanks for visiting..x
 


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Jillibean Soup | String Art...

Hello Friends!  Not long now until the silly season starts.. that is if it hasn't started for you already!!

Today I have a project up on the Jillibean Soup blog. It's a little bit retro and whole lot of fun!  Welcome to my attempt of string art!

"&"

products used:  Mix the Media  - 6x6 Wood Plank;
Image inspiration from Jillibean Soup Patterned Paper:  Cold Avocado Soup/Bite Size Bits; Other - embroidery floss, indoor nails; tools - hammer!

I have delved into the Mix the Media challenge this month and decided to try something a little out of my comfort zone.
 

 
I started out with freehand drawing an image I liked. This one came from the ampersand in the Cold Avocado collection.
 
 
Next I started to place nails around the outside image of the paper.
 
And then finally, using embroidery floss, started to wrap and weave about the nails to create an intricate pattern.
 


 
As simple as that!  In retrospect, I think I would have liked to use nails with a rounded head rather than a flat one, but I am still happy with the end result.

Don't forget to pop on over to Jillibean Soup to check out what the other DT Members have created with Mix the Media this month.  Thanks for visiting..x