Special Moment, Layout #73

For this page I wanted to chronicle a special moment between my kids and my husband's uncle, whom they had just met for the first time about a month before. I used some papers and the stamp set from Close to My Heart's Felicity kit, a special edition kit that came out a while ago. I also used the Reflections page pattern (Front and Center-Blocks) that was illustrated in the brochure that came with the kit, and shamelessly scraplifted the swirls and flowers from the sample! The photo block was all my idea, though. The photo had a lot of distracting background stuff, so I just cut it out and made a living room scene with it. Doesn't the striped paper look like wallpaper? Then I stamped the Tim Holtz chandelier and swirl in the corner. I really like how it turned out!

Supplies (all CTMH): cardstock, patterned paper, and stamp set from Felicity kit, patterned paper from Grace Level 2 paper pack, Exclusive Inks stamp pads in Cocoa, Twilight, and Desert Sand, Exclusive Inks marker in Cocoa, Twinle Brads, Photo Hangers, Clear Sparkles

Other: Tim Holtz stamp set, Distress Ink, and Perfect Pearls, Tattered Angels Gimmer Mist, unknown ribbon

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Papercraft Star 19 and Make It Crafty

I made this card yesterday for the Papercraft Star challenge, which is to make something inspired by a Martha Stewart photo. The inspiration photo has lots of pale greens and light browns in it, which is what really drew my eye. I also used a sketch from Make It Crafty along with their theme, which is vintage. Every piece of paper used on this card was dyed using Tim Holtz Distress Inks, and I also used some Heirloom Gold Perfect Pearls on the bird and swirl to give it a nice patina. I had to take two photos, because the card looks really different depending on the angle you look at it. I showed it tomy daughter this morning and said, "Don't you just love the jeweled flowers?" and she said, "Oh yes! It gives it just the right touch!" She was dressed up as a princess for school, so she must've been practicing her princess talk!

Supplies: CTMH cardstock in Colonial White, Tim Holtz stamp set, Perfect Pearls, and Distress Inks in Shabby Shutters, Walnut Stain, and Tea Dye, Prima flower centers, unknown ribbon

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Layout #72

Another Brenna layout for ya today, using a sketch from My Little Sketch Blook for inspiration. The journaling is a page ripped out of a journal and it reads a bit like a letter to Brenna. I used papers and stickers from a kit I won from Scraptures (love this kit, it's from Little Yellow Bicycle). How do you like the mixed-media flowering tree: it's got paper, chipboard, and crocheted flowers, and the trunk is felt. Do you see the felt bird swooping down? I haven't stuck him down yet, because I have a question for you - do you think I should add some glitter to him, or leave him as is?

In totally unrelated news, my kids went to the mall with Daddy yesterday to do some Hallowe-en shopping. Nolan came home all excited about the "crap" paper they bought. Apparently, he asked the shopkeeper if she had any "crap" paper, as well! At first I thought he meant craft paper, and then I figured out he meant crepe paper. Too funny!

Supplies: patterned paper and stickers from LYB, felt tree trunk, crocheted flowers, flower brads, liquid glass and prismas glitter from CTMH, button brads fron K&Co., unknown ribbon, chipboard flowers and other flowers, and button

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Layout #71

I just love this page, if I do say so myself, not least of all because my baby's so gorgeous! I made it a while back for a design team application, but I wasn't chosen (boohoo! sob!) so I guess I can post it now. I did some fancy cutting with my craft knife because I didn't want to cover up all the beautiful swirls in the paper, and I made the flowers by basting the ribbon and then gathering it up into a circle (a lot of glue dots went into securing those puppies!) I didn't have matching paper for the journaling block, so I dyed some plain stuff with distress ink. Thanks for looking, everyone!

Supplies: Bo Bunny patterned paper, CTMH cardstock, American Crafts Thickers, MME acetate border strip, CTMH cardstock, Creative Memories pen, Tim Holtz distress ink, unknown ribbon and twill

P.S. - It's snowing here! Ack!

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A Hallowe'en Kaylee card!

So I'm gonna let everyone in on a little secret here, so SHHHH! I am not a Hallowe'en lover! I know, bah humbug! It's not so much the dress-up part, that part is kind of fun (although I just finished reading a book where the main character dressed her baby up and went trick-or-treating with her so the parents could get free candy, which I think is totally ridiculous!) I think part of my attitude comes from my parents, who are Australian, and I don't think they ever heard of Hallowe'en until they moved to Canada. And then they were so religious, I had to listen to my dad go on about it being a Pagan tradition, devil worship, and so on, then my mom would have to talk him into letting us kids go out and have fun. So I guess my Hallowe'en experience was always tainted with parental arguments. However, I think my real issue with Hallowe'en is the amount of CARAP that gets handed out!!! I mean, seriously, have you ever read the list of ingredients on some of that candy? I try to feed my kids healthily and teach them good habits all year long, and then Hallowe'en comes along and it's like, "Hey, let's pump our kids up full of chemicals and dyes and see how crazy they go!" What we've done the last few years is keep the candy out of reach and give them a piece or two a day, but the problem with that is Jason and I eat it! (We're total hypocrites, I know, but I only eat the chocolate at least, Jason will eat any of it!) So that's my rant for the day. Hope ya liked it, tee hee! If anyone has any ideas of what to do with the mountains of candy that nobody (especially my hips) really needs, I'd LOVE to hear it!!!

Anyhoo, that said, here is a card I made, and I think I'll give it to Ailis because she just loves this Some Odd Girl image called 50's Kaylee. I coloured most of her with Copics, and then paper pieced her dress and shoes. I used some patterned paper I won as blog candy a while back and the September Stamp of the Month from Close to My Heart called Thriller for the sentiment and swirls. I used a sketch from Mercy Kerrin, which unfortunately I missed the deadline for, and I used the colours for the Some Odd Girl challenge and Dutch Dare challenge. Thanks for looking!

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I'm Back with Layout #70!

Finally got the computer fixed, thank goodness! Seems like everything I do is online these days, from communication to banking, and when that's gone, it's like missing a limb or something. Not a very comfortable feeling. Anyway, I did get a lot of other stuff done, like scrapbooking and organizing a whole schwack of pages that have been in a stack on my shelf for a while. I've come to a conclusion that I need more albums to house the pages I've done in the last two years or so. I'm struggling with how to organize them, though. Does everyone out there prefer to scrap chronologically or in other ways?

I really love this page, and talk about recycling! The "life is good" tag is something I hoarded from a purse I bought in Alaska three years ago, and the mesh is from one of those 3-packs of garlic! I really went to town on the distressed edges, and I really like the shabby chic look. I also used a pattern from Reflections (CTMH page pattern book) which made the layout come together very simply.

Supplies (all CTMH): Topstitch Level 2 paper pack, ribbon from Chocolate Collection Ribbon Rounds, photo hangers, Cocoa Exclusive Inks marker

Other: tag, mesh, and embroidery floss

PS- I'm entering this page for Picture Perfect Creations #35

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Layout #69 and Creative Scrappers #125

My computer is infected with 24 viruses and I don't know how much longer I'll be here! I made this layout for Creative Scrappers sketch 125 (big celebration!), so hopefully I can get it linked up, but I don't know if it'll work, my computer is not letting me do ANYTHING!!! So if I don't get to visit your blogs, you know why. Amazing how much I've come to live in the virtual world. I feel like I'm going down on a sinking ship! Goodbye, all! It's been great...

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Layout #68

I just loved this sketch from Julie Bonner, so I printed it out and put it away for a bit, then found these photos that seemed to go well with it. Don't ya just loooooove this Cosmo Cricket paper? I had such a hard time choosing just two papers from this line, but I knew I had to limit myself! Some of the elements on this page are from blog candy prizes - gotta love that! And the title piece is embossed in clear powder, then misted with Glimmer Mist. Somehow, I managed to finish this page amidst the chaos of having the in-laws here for Thanksgiving. I had a hard time holding it together when I found that my FIL deposited his WET HAT on my craft table, INADVERTENTLY on my NEW PATTERNED PAPER!!! GGGGGRRRRRRRRR!!! Three deep breaths, (a beer would've helped only I'm off the hooch due to the nursing baby!) and a reminder that it was an accident (huh) and no tears were shed. How was your Thanksgiving?

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, Creative Memories pen, Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, CTMH Picture Perfect stamp set and Clear Detail embossing powder, Versamark ink, unknown ribbon, twill, journaling spot, and fussy cut flowers

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Early Christmas Card

Here's a card I whipped up for Papercraft Star #16 challenge, which is a sketch (I rotated it) and for Design Dollies elements challenge, which is a Christmas theme. I used a freebie image from Bugaboo stamps (I love her, she is SUCH a lush!!!), coloured her hair, skin, star, drink, and baggy panty hose with Copics, and the rest of the image with CTMH markers. Oh, shoot, I just realized I forgot to put gems on her earrings! Darn it, I'm going to do that right now... okay, so picture her with red gems for earrings, and red lips. Now she looks HOT, right? Inside, I wrote, "Blah, blah, blah!" because this is a card for a friend who doesn't really do Christmas, and she's a lush, too, heehee! Alrighty, the in-laws are coming for Thanksgiving, and I should be mopping the floor or something equally entertaining instead of blogging a half-finished card. Sigh. To all my lovelies out there in blog land have a great weekend, and hopefully I'll manage to get some crafty time to myself over the next few days, or I'll go maaaaaaad!

Suppies (all CTMH): White Daisy and Tulip cardstock, Jingle patterned paper, Exclusive Inks markers in Tulip, Juniper, and Black, Exclusive Inks stamp pad in Tulip, Petite Perks stamp set (sentiment), White Daisy organdy ribbon

Other: Bugaboo stamps image, Copic markers

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Easel Card!

This is my first easel card EVER, and I'm sooooo excited!!! I got to use a BRAND NEW image from Some Odd Girl, she's called 50's Kaylee, and I chose her especially because it's my mother-in-law's birthday on the 9th. It's totally her, she's always reminiscing about her childhood in the 50's. I didn't know what to put for a sentiment besides Happy Birthday, so I googled "popular sayings from the 50's" and "neat-o" was one that suited this card the best. When I showed Jason, he said, "Oh, she actually says that!" (Inside it says "It's Your Birthday!") I played with my Copics some more, and I think I managed to get her hair and skin to look pretty good. The dress and shoes are done with a watercolor pencil and blending pen. Thanks for looking!

Supplies: Some Odd Girl digi stamp, Cosmo Cricket patterned paper, CTMH and Bazzill cardstock, TLC stickers, CTMH watercolour pencil, unknown ribbon

Copics: skin - E000, E00, and R20
hair - Y23, YR23, and E35
dress - E21

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Double Whammy!

Yesterday, the Purolator guy showed up with my Close to My Heart order, then when I picked up my mail, my Copics were in my box!!! (Insert happy dance here!) So of course, I had to play right away, and this is what I came up with - my very first Copic creation! I used a coloring tutorial from Suzanne Dean to figure out how to do the skin and hair, and then I colored the puppy and Tobie's pants and shoes with my E35 marker. Then I just paper pieced his shirt and pants cuffs, trimmed him out and assembled the card. I used a Some Odd Girl image, and this card will go in for their monochromatic challenge this week (works out perfectly for me seeing I only have one real color of Copic!) I don't know, I'm pretty stoked with how he turned out! I know I need some work with these markers, but I'm really pleased with how he turned out! However, I am open to constructive criticism, if anybody has tips on how to make him better next time.

Supplies: Cardstock, (back of) patterned paper, hemp, Chocolate ink, and Say it in Style stamp set from Close to My Heart, Eooo, E00, E11, E21, E35, R20, Y23, and YR23 Copics, buttons from my stash, and My Mind's Eye patterned paper

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