Thursday, June 30, 2011

Cutest Pumpkin in the Patch

I created this pumpkin patch for the Imaginisce Happy Harvest release this week and I used this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch.  I just love it when they do 2-page sketches but you can choose do use just one side of the sketch! 

So this layout is from last year's trip to the pumpkin patch.  We had a great time walking through the fields looking for the perfect pumpkins.
Supplies: Imaginisce Happy Harvest collection; Bazzill Navel cardstock; misc. brown trim

Prize Giveaway
Check out what the Sketchy Thursdays design team did with this sketch and play along for your chance to win a great prize package from Inspired to Scrap!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Fall Projects...and Summer Just Began

Yes, I know that we just celebrated the first day of summer last week but Imaginisce just launched their Happy Harvest collection so I've been playing around with it.  I also think I am secretly hoping for cooler fall weather to cool down these 100+ degree days!

Here's a couple of the things I have made...make sure to look below to find out how you can win your very own Happy Harvest Sample pack.

Pumpkin Bowls
I plan to add some hershey's kisses in the fall colored wrappers when they come out!
I will post a tutorial for these so check back in a few days.  These are so easy peasy to make and you won't believe what I used to form them!
Imaginisce Happy Harvest Collection: Fall into Fun 12x12 Paper, Dancing Leaves 12x12 Paper, Autumn Splendor 12x12, Fall Friends Icon Die Cuts, Fall Phrases Word Die Cuts, Bazzill Navel Cardstock, green twine

 
Napkin Rings
I wrapped the napkins with 1.5 inch strips of paper and then I punched paper "flowers" with the i-top and added photo brads using the i-top large brad daddies.


Fruit Trio
Made from strips of Happy Harvest papers, mod podge and die cuts.  I found these fruit at Michael.  They are made from newspaper and were in the Michael's clearance bin for .50. I am definitely going back when I get home. The pumpkin is made from the apple mold so I tried to do the stripes up and down to look like a pumpkin and then did the apple with little bits and peices of paper.

I'll be posting a layout featuring this collection for tomorrow's Sketchy Thursdays DT reveal!

GIVEAWAY!

Head over to the Imaginisce blog to see how you can win your very own Happy Harvest Sample pack!  While you're there make sure to tell them what you think of these projects I posted here today. Thanks for looking,.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

24/7 Mommy

I have 2 jobs...one that pays with a check every two weeks and one that pays in hugs and kisses!  They both give me attitude but somehow the latter of the two is sooooooo much more rewarding and of course my #1 priority. This week's challenge over at The Studio is to do a layout about something you dislike about your job. 

I just couldn't bring myself to scrap about things I dislike about my paying job as Sr. VP of Marketing for a small business but I really didn't want a layout about that!  So I switched to my job as wife and mommy. I thought about doing it about disciplining my children but I decided otherwise. I though about Mt. Laundry and how it seems impossible to reach the top of that mountain but it wasn't thrilling me. I could have chosen my absolute detest for cleaning bathrooms but to tell you the truth my hubby steps in and does all the things I hate to do around the house (he's such a great man!). Instead I chose to focus on the demands of being a mommy and how it's a 24/7. So my layout isn't necessarily a dislike for my role as mommy but rather how I don't mind being "on" 24/7 for my girls versus how I would feel if my paying job demanded me 24/7.  Luckily I have the best of both worlds because I work from home so it's quite flexible and I can also be there for my kids at all their school activities, getting on and off the bus, etc!
Supplies: Crate Paper Portrait Collection: Pearls paper (both sides), Something Blue Paper (both sides and one sign misted from orange to pink), Bouquet paper, 6x12 Cardstock Stickers - Border stickers and Phrase stickers, Eclectic buttons, ruler, Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro, .05 black pen, black/white twine, CTMH Hollyhock ink.

Make sure to head over to The Studio to see what the other DT gals did and to play along with us!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Imagine the FUN over at Sketchy Thursdays

I'm so excited to tell you that two of my design teams have collided this week! Imaginisce is sponsoring this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch and we are giving away an i-top and a sampling of accessoriea!!!  Here's some of the projects I have made with my i-top. Make sure to head over and play along with Sketchy Thursdays this week and please leave some Sketchy Thursdays love on the Imaginisce Facebook page or blog.








The possibilities with the i-top are endless, from barettes to headbands, headbands, magnets and of course embellishments for your crafty projects.  

Want a chance to win your own i-top?  Head over to Sketchy Thursdays and play along with this week's sketch for your chance to win.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Fancy Girls

Now THIS week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch is soooo fun!!! This is the 2nd layout I got "done" when Audrey and I got together this past weekend. 

My girls got dressed up for my Mother's Day lunch, from their glammed up shoes to their tiaras and little purses.  It was so sweet. Check them out...
Supplies: Teresa Collins Timeless "Time Clocks"; H of 3 Soiree "Floral" paper and Mini Notes & Labels; Tattered Angels Chalkboard Mist in Charcoal; Pink Floss; square scallop punch; Sew Easy.

I just loved how versatile the House of Three mini notes are.  I punched them to little squares but they weren't popping on the paper, nor were my photos.  To help, I cut a circle and used the negative side to mask the background paper. Then I misted it with charcoal mist and hand stitched around it.  I used the Sew Easy tool, which I had heard wasn't worth the money but I disagree.  It saved me so much time and helped make sure my holes were evenly spaced. So that helped with the photos. I then outlined the squared with black ink and that really made them pop. Of course I couldn't have a layout without a bit of fussy cutting.

Now head over to Sketchy Thursdays to see what the other DT members did and play along with this amazing sketchy for your chance to win a great prize from EAD Designs.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Papa Bear Father's Day Card

We're celebrating Fathers today over at Imaginisce. Some of the design team made Father's Day Cards.  Since making the one a few weeks ago with the folded shirt tutorial I realized that my dad is now retired and my hubby works from home, so I really needed a different card for him.  Well the Happy Camper line was PERFECT, specifically the bear.  I combined the die-cut bear, some fussy cut elements and the Spellbinders Impressabilities and came up with this...

Front of Card - Papa Bear
I used the Impressabilities "Circles" template that Spellbinders sent me and misted over it to get that cool background behind the heart. I cut out a little heart and tucked it into Papa Bear's hand, then I used glossy accents and applied a tad bit of glitter. One end of the twine is tucked in his hand (which you can see better below) and the other comes from the side around the back to tie into a little bow to keep the card closed.

Inside of Card - with his 3 bears (3 kids)

I just love to do cards that have an inside and an outside.  It folds together and stays closed with the twine only to reveal the little bears and that cute little mama bird flying around watching them. It looks like they are standing in the grass flying a kite.

GIVEAWAY!
Make sure to head over to the Imaginisce blog and tell them how much you love my Papa Bear card.  Once there you have a chance to win your very own Happy Camper collection!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

My Busy Little Bee

I've been dying to scrap these photos I took of my busy little bee in this gorgeous littlw swim suit.  Isn't it the cutest??? These are pics from Miss Charlotte's birthday bash in May. You can see her peeking out in the background with my older daughter. The little bee just wanted to play with the buckets and the water. 

These photos were just too perfect for today's OIW (one item wonder) over at Scrapbook Circle.  I was assigned the filter flowers!  These are so cool.  They come in different shapes and sizes.

I decided to cut one in half and cut one of the halves again so that it made the shape of 2 hearts, which I then turned into bee wings. The filter flowers were originally white so I added a little yellow mist and then I outlined them with some Smooch.  I used the other half of the flower on the upper part of the layout.  To complete the layout I added some buzzing bee dashes here and there. 

On a side note, I never do monochromatic layouts but that's about to change.  I just love it!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Gold Digger

This weeks layout challenge at The Studio is to use up some of your die cuts. You can use ready made die cuts or cut your own with a cutting machine.


I made this fun little layout that my daughter will probably kill me for later in her teen years but I just couldn't resist it. She'd been digging for a few weeks now. Not constantly but enough to make you go "ewww". We tell her no but we laughed he first time so now she thinks it's funny.  And the fact that I whipped out my camera and took pics of her doing it only added to the fun for her. 

I had fun with paint on this layout and so did this cute little booger.  The paint strokes in this layout are mine and the gloops of paint are hers and I love the added touch she did. ;)
 
Come play along with us at The Studio for your chance to win some scrappy goodness!

I went scrapping for a few hours last night and got 3 projects "done" - 1 card and 2 layouts! That is according to Audrey's definition of "done". She got 8 layouts "done" but she started on hers in the morning and I started mine late afternoon. ;) SYTYCS

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Day at the Lake

I have been wanting to scrap these photos from our camping trip in 2009 since I took them. The camp site wasn't the greatest but we made the best of it. Our daughter had been talking about going fishing for a while so her daddy bought her a new pink rod. We spent an afternoon at the lake trying to catch something...anything but they weren't biting. We still had a blast and Rheagan learned how to cast and do all the other fun things you do when fishing.

Supplies: Imaginisce Happy Camper Collection - "Tree Hugger" (front/back), "Happy Camper", "Thermal Jammies", "Don't Feed the Bears", "Fireside Fun". "Gone Fishing" (front/back), "Fresh Air" papers; Great Outdoors Die-cuts; Camp Critter Die-cuts; Story Telling Sticker Stackers; White paper misted with homeade mist; i-top and large brad daddies; October Afternoon Red & Cream Mini Market Stickers; Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphas/phrases; CTMH re-inker colors.

I used this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch. It's a FUN one....

I had the vision for this layout but it just wasn't coming together and I had it sitting there with all the elements for 2 weeks while I noodled on it and worked on other projects. It finally dawned on me that I needed to find some teal-ish solid paper but it was late at night when the inspiration hit so I made the paper. Well, I colored some white paper. Of course I didn't have the right color mist so I figured I didn't have anything to lose except time so I pulled out some of the CTMH re-inker colors I had in my stash - Pear, Lagoon, Pacifica and chocolate and mixed it all together with water in a mini mister. The color came out perfect and I love the appearance. To make the sun, I punched the paper with the i-top 28mm large punch for the base and then I punched a 2nd one and covered a large brad daddy with it.

Check out what the other design team gals did with Sketchy Thursdays this week. They never cease to amaze me. Don't forget to play along for your chance to win a great prize from Scrap Bits. Have you seen their Etsy shop? I love their goodies!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Gift Tags Blog Hop with Imaginisce, Echo Park and Spellbinders

I sure do love a good little BLOG HOP!  You should have arrived here direct from the Imaginisce blog and I hope we teased you with our tags.  I was so excited when I got the generous gifts from Echo Park and Spellbinders! I just love doing swaps with other manufacturers. Thanks so much!

I have to admit that I didn't use my Spellbinders dies for this project because I couldn't find my CuttleBug at the time I was making my tags. Note to self: do not clean your scraproom because then you can't find anything.  LOL. Anyway, I have since found it and have already made a few projects with it that I will be revealing soon.  THANK YOU SPELLBINDERS!

So, when I started making my tags I actually decided I wanted to make "calling cards" for my daughter since it was the end of the school year and she wanted to make sure a few of her friends could call her for summer play dates.  I liked them so much that I decided to do another one but this time I planned to use it as an actual gift tag for a birthday party we had last weekend.  These might not be what you traditionally think of when we talk "tags" but they serve the same function. :) You can write a greeting and your name or your phone number in my daughter's case on the back.
Supplies: Imaginisce Enchanted, Animal Crackers and Happy Camper Collection; Echo Park Candy Shoppe Dots & Stripes Collection; Fonts - JoliScript, Cutie Pop, Starry Night; Imaginisce i-rock and glam rocks

I had a ton of fun with these, playing with different fonts that I downloaded from the Internet for free!  Then I just started stacking it all together, some popped up, some not, and I got my fine tip scissors out because every single little element (trees, flowers, carriage, birds, clouds, banner...) were fussy cut.

My daughter was so proud to hand these out to her friends at school and I have gotten so many compliments from the moms :blush: and Rheagan has a couple of play dates set up! 

Here's a picture of the tag on the gift bag.  I plan to make more of these for all our presents now, whether it's a gift bag or wrapped box. 


I have to tell you that the Echo Park Dots & Stripes paper that I got were great matches to the Imaginisce lines. It smells good too (don't ask).  THANK YOU Madison and all of ECHO PARK!!!

GIVEAWAY!!!

Make sure to head on over the talented Miss Frances' blog but BEFORE YOU GO, I'd love it if you'd leave me a comment and follow my blog so that you can have a chance to win a selection of Imaginisce Happy Camper Papers, a selection of Echo Park Papers and a set of Spellbinders Nestabilities. How's that for a FABULOUS prize?


When you have finished your blog hop go back to the Imaginisce blog and leave a message to say your finished and to be entered in todays give-away. Winner will be announced at the end of this week! THANKS!

Monday, June 6, 2011

Fight Like a Girl

It's lift time again at Scrapbook Circle and I got to scraplift what Yoshimi did with her sketch that I also did previously so it was a new twist to one of my recent posts.  I LOVED Yoshimi's take on it so I went pretty literally on it and it came together relatively quickly.

The pics are of my daughter and one of her BFF at Field Day. They are on these huge tubes trying to bump each other out of a circle drawn in dirt.  They had a ton of fun with this. 
Supplies from Scrapbook Circle Garden Party kit: Girls' Paperie "Hey Day" paper; House of 3 SIOREE "trellies" paper; My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose Gertie "You & Me" Numbers paper, My Mind's Eye Lovely Sticker Labels, My Mind's Eye Fancy Sticker Tags; Pink Paislee Hometown Summer "Summer Fun" paper; Jillibean Soup "Corn Kernels" paper; Maya Road green resin bloosoms; Basic Grey Woolies "Hello Luscious" felt stickers; Glitz teeny alphas ivory blocks. From previous Scrabook Circle kits: "jubilee" sticker market and "on holiday" travel text

Can you tell I used this background paper for another project? Yep, I loved the flip side of this paper and used it for a previous layout.  Before I started on that other layout, I did a little strategic planning.  I knew I wanted to use the grid side at some point (which is now today) so I cut out the center of the paper. I put an older scrap paper on the back of this to adhere the photos to in the center and none one will ever know, well except all of you.
Yoshimi's inspiring layout

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Read Me Layout and SILVER Lining Card

I think I say this every week but I just LOVE this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch AND the new Scrapbook Circle kit is WAY to fun to play with. This Thursday is even better than a normal Thursday because I was lucky enough to play with 2 Sketchy Thursdays sketches this week so check them out...

I had a great time creating this layout of little Miss Reese and her Big Daddy (my dad). These pictures were snapped while my mom was working on my Mother's Day gift to her, which was painting pottery with the girl's handprints. While she was painting the base colors on the pottery, Miss Reese asked her Big Daddy to "Read Me" and these are the photos I snapped. Aren't they the sweetest? She just adores him!
Supplies from the Scrapbook Circle Garden Party June kit: the girls' paperie "jubilee" Hey Day & Carousel,  Pink Paislee Hometown Summer "Summer Fun", Pink Paislee House of 3 Soiree "Music", jillibean soup corn kernels, Studio Calico Wood Veneer Butterflies, My Mind's Eye Stella & Rose "Lovely" Sticker Labels; Not in kit: Imaginisce i-rock and glam rocks; Bazzil cardstock, CTMH Twilight ink, misc. stamps.

I mentioned how fun this kit is...I love the wood veneer butterflies. I contemplated keeping them the wood color that they are naturally but they weren't popping on the colors on the paper so I stamped them and added a little decor. I also fussy cut the flowers and butterflies out of the Ho3 paper and popped them on the page. Oh and those "READ" letters were cut from the Pink Paislee Summer Fun paper and I cut them into banners to give them a little bit more kick. I hope you like this layout as much as I loved playing with the kit. 

Make sure to play along this week with this layout sketch below for your chance to win a June kit from The Sampler.

Don't go anywhere just yet...
The Sketchy Thursdays layout sketch that they did for Scrapbook Circle recently was so successful that we're doing another one.  This time, it's a card sketch. Here's my card, which is already en route to someone VERY special who deserves a little pepping up.
Supplies from the Scrapbook Circle Garden Party June kit: the girls' paperie "jubilee" Hey Day & Carousel, Pink Paislee House of 3 Soiree "Music", jillibean soup corn kernels, jillibean soup gruyere cheese; Not in kit: silver speckled felt, Imaginisce "Clouds" Snag 'em stamps (Happy Camper collection); CTMH Twilight ink; Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four Small; misc. ribbon.


I lined the sentiment with silver metallic ink and then I doodled on the paper cloud with the same silver metallic market. Can you see the specks of silver in the felt? I love the silver lining touch it gives to the clouds.

Here is the great sketch I based my card on. We hope you’ll join us and play along in this challenge over at Scrapbook Circle! Create a card based on the sketch, then post a photo of your creation on your blog, a gallery, or on our Facebook page.  Leave a link to your card in the comments on the Scrapbook Circle Challenge #9 Card Sketch blog post by Wednesday evening, June 15th for a chance to win a Crate Paper "Neighborhood" collection kit.