May 31, 2010

Monday and multiple patterned papers

Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the last moments of their three day weekend with friends and family. We had a nice time even though the weather is really heating up. We even got into the pool.

As for the ScrapTiffany challenge, today the challenge is to use 3 patterned papers on a layout. Easy one right? Especially easy when you stick with one manufacturer and even one collection. And I find the gallon, quart, pint theory really helpful when mixing patterns. I chose three October Afternoon patterned papers...






Go on over to ScrapTiffany and check out all the fun mixes of patterned paper. And if you take the challenge email it to Tiffany by Friday.

In other news, some sad business to share. Serendipity Scrapbooks is closing its doors this month. The announcement is HERE. I am super bummed I won't be working with the fun fabulous design team and Kristen's beautiful kits anymore, but I firmly believe that family must be everyone's priority and that Kristen must do what is best for hers at this time.

Well, I hope everyone has a great SHORT week!! I'll be back with more to share and then get ready for the ScrapTiffany recycled blog hop this weekend!!



May 26, 2010

Quick Hello

Just wanted to pop in and link you over to ScrapTiffany. My Tuesday tutorial was posted yesterday. Just some tips on using Copic markers to make your own embellies and color ribbons.

And speaking of Copics, check out the blog candy being given away at Passion For Crafts.
Holy Cow! The Copics alone would be a huge prize!!

Have a great week!

May 24, 2010

Monday Music

The ScrapTiffany challenge for today is all about music--specifically a LO based on a song title. I chose Billy Joel's Piano Man.



Little Miss got a little piano for Christmas, but it turns out our little guy has lounge act aspirations as well lol! When they play together he sits at the piano and she stands next to it and sings into the microphone. Not quite the Von Trapp family, but hilariously entertaining. 

Anyway, head on over to ScrapTiffany to see the other song title inspired projects. And if you take the challenge, email it to Tiffany by friday.

In other news, this past weekend was the Serendipity Show Crop. Lots of fun challenges based on old TV shows and it seemed like everyone had a fun time and got lots done. My Three's Company Challenge was to use three: photos, patterned papers, words in a title, lines of journaling, chipboard pieces, brads, stickers and different trims. I used the Cosmo Cricket De Lovely line for my example:
 
I am in love with De Lovely. The bright colors just scream summer to me and the blue and yellow are my favorites ever.

I'll be back tomorrow with a link back to ScrapTiffany because it is my turn to showcase a Tuesday tutorial on the ScrapTiffany blog this week. Have a great night!

May 17, 2010

Monday Musings

Another jam packed weekend around here. Saturday I went to a Sampler class at my LSS. Dinner was pizza and a movie at home. Sunday we went to a different pool. It had a slower lazy river and another zero depth pool. Home for late lunch and naps and then reheats and another movie. It has been too hot even in the evening to go outside. Last night it was 94 degrees after dinner. Fortunately we are supposed to  cool down about 10 degrees on Tuesday so we are not FULLY into the summer YET.

Well today is Monday, so that means the new ScrapTiffany challenge has been posted! This week is another fun one and pretty easy--the challenge is to use glitter and bling. I dont know many scrapbookers that dont like at least a little shine ;)

Here is my layout:


And here is a list of the shimmery items I used:

American Crafts glitter Thickers
Maya Road crystal pin
Pebbles: glitter candy dots
Stickles
My Little Whimsy buttons
American Crafts glitter buttons
Creative Charms gem flowers
Spica glitter marker
Recollections Pearl



If you take the challenge by Friday be sure to email it to Tiffany.

I also have a challenge posted on the 3 Scrappy Boys Forum. My product challenge is to use a B Side of a patterned paper with lines or grids and make it into a journaling spot. Here is my layout:



That layout was made with 100% goodies from the May Main Kit.  They are still available so go over and check it out if you like those bright colors.

Finally, just wanted to let you know that Serendipity Scrapbooks is having another FUN crop starting this friday! Well actually there are a few pre crop challenges up already! you can check them out HERE and HERE. Then come back on friday for the start of the crop--there are going to be lots of fun challenges and prizes all based on classic TV shows.



May 10, 2010

The Monday AFTER Mother's Day...

I didn't make it here yesterday to wish all you mothers a happy Mother's day...I hope your day was wonderful. We were busy with kid stuff this weekend. A birthday party at Peter Piper Pizza for a friend on Saturday and a visit to a community pool on Sunday. Some of you may wonder why we went to a town pool when we have our own pool in our backyard. Well, let me tell you...our pool is still COLD. Additionally the nice thing about these community pools is they have lots of options for little kids. This one had a zero depth pool--which is just fancy terminology for a wading pool. It also had a mini water slide and a fun climber in the middle with a big bucket that tipped and sprayed water everywhere. And they had a lazy river and a small splash pad. I took Little Miss in a double tube on the lazy river. I had to drag her in because she was afraid of the stairs (of all things) but once we got in she did not want to get out!! We are thinking of having her birthday party there.

Anyway, we made it to monday and that means we are ready for the new ScrapTiffany Challenge. This week the challenge is to scraplift another scrapper's layout. I saw this Maggie Holmes layout over at the Studio Calico blog and fell in love.

It is not my typical style, but I love how she effortlessly layers and adds so many fabulous details and how everything looks like it is in the exact place it is supposed to be. That process is SO not effortless for me, but I wanted to work outside my comfort zone so I gave it a whirl. Here is my take on her layout:

Yet again, no 2 designers scraplifted the same layout so you have to go over to ScrapTiffany and check out what everyone came up with. And if you take the challenge be sure to email your lift and who you are lifting to Tiffany by Friday.

In other news, the 3 Scrappy Boys newsletter is coming out very soon and I will have  a tutorial and 2 more layouts to share, but here are a couple more from the May Main Kit that I havent shared here yet.

It is hard to tell, but I just so happened to have the perfect yellow and blue threads to go with this kit, so I used both on this layout:

This was one of the last layouts I did. I literally had bits and pieces of patterned paper left and the white cardstock, so I cut the bits to similar widths and rounded all the corners to match the rounded corners of the acrylic piece. Speaking of the acrylic piece, I put some of the Studio Calico wood grain rub ons right on there. Then I trimmed the rest of that rub on down and rounded the corners and rubbed the rounded corner square for under the title word "he." The only thing here not in the kit is the Maya Mist (my latest obsession lol!)

And this one just cracks me up. Little Miss asks to take pictures with my camera a lot now. So I put the strap around the back of her neck and let her shoot a bit. She takes some very artsy shots lol! She does things like purposefully tilting the camera. I love it.
Ok, this post is getting long, but in addition to all this, I read a really good book lately. I read this very quickly and highly recommend it. The photographs included are also amazing.

Ok, my eyes are barely open, gotta get Scott to turn off the hockey and get some sleep :) Have a great week!

May 6, 2010

Serendipity May Altered Kit

There were promises of more to share...and then the week flew by. So before it is over completely I wanted to share some more of my creations with Serendipity Scrapbooks May Altered Kit. It is fabUlous! I mentioned the Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage. Did I mention the felt houndstooth? No? Ok check this one out then...

I took about a 2" strip, and folded it several times and put 2 mini staples in each fold. And did you notice the embossed cardstock under the title? A set of Cuttlebug borders embossing folders came in the kit! How cool is that?

Here is one with lots of stitching. See the cool Serendipity patterned paper with vintage images?



Simple and to the point in this one. Man, I love that blue cardstock and how it perfectly matches her eyes! And those Kaisercraft gems pack quite a punch of color too. I used a blue copic marker to add some color to the Pink Paislee soft swirl on the bottom right corner.

And finally, just so you wont think this kit is just for girls:


I added the American Crafts thickers from my stash, but everything else is from the kit! When I saw the dark blue paper I knew I had to do a nighttime layout. I just love putting this little guy to bed. Even if I have to sing a medley of 5-6 songs lol! He is snuggly and sweet and once we are done, he goes to bed. His head hits the pillow and he is out until the next morning. Unlike his sister who was been known to ask for a wet wash cloth, a different cup of water and even a slice of bread AFTER the lights are out.

Anyway, go on over to Serendipity Scrapbooks and check out the May Altered kit. The I Deserve it All kit is fabulous too and features Crate Paper's Brook collection.

I hope to be back in another day if we don't light speed ahead through the weekend! Happy Friday!

May 4, 2010

Quick Hello, BUT LOTS to share

The weather has been amazing. Over the weekend we were out, playing in the new Slip and Slide that Little Man earned for potty training. Then last night Scott was putting together the twin bed, the other potty training reward. So life has been busy. Now we are starting to heat up so I have some time to catch up and show off what I have been working on the last few weeks.

First up is the ScrapTiffany challenge for the week to re-do an old layout. I have never done this before, but it was really fun. Generally I like to allow the old layouts to speak for themselves. I like to see the progression in my skills. It is fun to see the old product. But it is also fun to play with older pictures and see what kind of layout you would come up with today. So, I am going to share the old layout I did. But you CAN NOT laugh. This was literally the EIGHTH layout I ever did--I counted!


Hee hee, remember when ribbon buckles were the BIG thing? And how about that technique....paint and glitter on the large chipboard letters? That was my big technique lol! Some things though have not changed and that is fun to see too. I still like to journal. I still like simple pages. I dont remember the last time I willingly did a two pages though lol! So here is the re-done page:

Is it just me or is product just SO much cooler now?


Take a look at all the other designers re-do's. I have to say everyone's "old" layouts are fab too. It is only when you look at your own that you cringe, I think. If you want to take the challenge, be sure to email it to Tiffany by Friday.

May 1st was a big day for kit releases and that is what has been keeping me busy the last few weeks.

Serendipity Scrapbooks released two amazing kits this month. I got to work with the gorgeous Altered kit which contained a K&Co Mini album, Pink Paislee papers and goodies and patterned papers exclusive to Serendipity Scrapbooks because they are created by owner Kristen Simmonds. And let me just tell you she is quite a designer. The papers are BEAUTIFUL. Here is  the mini book I made:
















It is an advice album for my girlie. I kept the design pretty simple. The Serendipity papers are so intricate and lush I kind of let them stand on their own. I did about 4 more pages and I still had so much kit left to make about 4 layouts and a card! Go on over to Serendipity Scrapbooks to check out the Altered Kit and the I Deserve it All kit.

Also on May 1st 3 Scrappy Boys released three kits. I had the pleasure of working with the main kit and it is FABULOUS. It features Lily Bee paper and chipboard embellies and American Crafts ribbon and Thickers. Lots of fun goodies and extras. I created down to the scraps so I have lots more to share, but for now here is a layout and a card I did. Go on over to 3 Scrappy Boys to check out the kit.





I'll be back in a day or two with lots more to share. Thanks for stopping by!