True XOXO December Challenge

It's the 1st of the month again! Check out the True XoXo blog challenge. The design team was challenged to create a project using this photo as inspiration.

Now this isn't an image I would normally scrapbook so I was indeed challenged. I knew I liked the black and white pattern. Okay I have to admit that I knew I had similar paper in my stash. HA! The rest of the vintage type images/colors...well I initially thought of Webster's Pages. But then I looked down at my feet and stared at a class kit I got at Scrapbook Expo in Anaheim from a Prima class. It was perfect since all the papers were under 6" and great for stash busting.

The flowers and doily were sprayed with Glimmer Mist. The letters are wood from Pink Paislee. The small "embrace" block is from Melody Ross' GCD Studio line and came from one of the prize packs I won from the Spring contests they had earlier this year. This layout is a whole lot of layers and nothing complicated. No cutting because I really had cut it all in the class. I still don't know how I feel about the contrast of vintage and black and white....

Zombie Halloween Hybrid Layout

I don't know if the photo freaks you out but it sure does scare me...and I was there when Riley created this look for the haunted house at her dance school. I constructed most of the layout digitally. The photo is printed on photo paper to give it some extra texture. One thing I love about digital is how I can make so much of a 12" page but I does lack true texture. So that's when my over-embellishing fingers get to work. I pulled out Making Memories Halloween stash. The rubons and metal tags (which are so hard to see in the photo) are probably 2 years old. The flowers with skeleton heads are most likely a year old from Scrapbuck at the Scrapbook Expo. The digital kit comes from www.katehadfielddesigns.com and www.the-lilypad.com.

Back in black

The True XOXO challenge is back for the month of November and the theme is BLACK. I initially was going to go with a monochromatic black look but felt something needed color. I toyed around with an idea of a title with every letter a different color...but I was too lazy to diecut letters and have a ton of colored cardstock scrap.

I started off with a piece of Making Memories flocked cardstock. I don't know how long ago this line was created but I'd say at least 2 years old. I picked it up when we went to the MM warehouse sale two April's ago. You can see the original paper as the photo mat. Riley's guitar is really a bunch of blue, pink and purple but with the editing....looks a lot more grey. I brushed the entire sheet of cardstock with black PanPastels. I selected Prima black flowers from the 1 pound pillar containers and some black bling. Oh and I see I added some Making Memories stickers to it as well.

For my pop of color, I decided to use a rectangle of the original paper. I roughed up the edges of the paper (as well as the base sheet). I placed the rectangle in the spot where it matched the pattern in the background. Next I diecut glitter  DCWV cardstock and wrote in the rest of my title in silver ink. Pretty simple but sure was a lot of time pondering what to do with the challenge. I think I will try more monochromatic layouts. I'm thinking BRIGHT this time around.

Shadow box makeover

Today I gave a Making Memories wood shadow box a makeover. Here is the before.

And now my AFTER!

Initially I combined a red and pink acrylic paint to match the red in the Urban Lily paper. Then I added Delta's Crackle Medium. I can't say that it is a crackle. . . it's more of a true wood finish. But I thinned some black fluid acrylic paint with water and brushed it on while the crackle was a bit tacky and wiped it off almost immediately.

For the chipboard pieces, I wanted to use Melody Ross' Chip Art tools to create an embossed, colored leather feel that is worn. So I embossed the chipboard and then while still wet, I bent the pieces to create the leather texture. The edges are worn and separated. . . again like leather. Spring is here and so are the cherry blossoms so I made my little flowers pink. After I curled the chipboard, I dried them with a heat gun (of course, right?) and painted them with my finger. Next I rubbed my finger in Distress ink and rubbed it onto the chipboard. I got the look of a torn leather jacket and that was exactly what I was hoping for. To highlight the pieces, I added a bit of Liquitex acrylic ink and Twinkling H20s.

Bead caps, bling and glitter later. . . it was done! Lately I have been in a "kitchen sink" mode where I use just about anything in my stash. . .and really I am loving it! Hope you give it a try too.

XOXO Challege #15

This month's XOXO challenge has gone live. The sponsor is Sweet Peach Crop Shop who offers 3 different kits each month.

My layout for January consists of SEI's Bridgeport papers and a bunch of Prima and SEI flowers. There are elements from Creative Imaginations, chipboard stickers from Making Memories and pearls from KaiserCraft.  Letters are from American Craft. Also I used a Brother label maker to create the text. To pull it together, I inked the label with the blue color to match the layout. If you ink a label, let it dry for a few minutes before handling. Even if you are impatient like me, you actually won't pull a lot of ink onto your fingers while peeling off the backing. And if you do, just smudge a little around to cover up. It won't look like a mistake. . . I promise.

What's the deal?

I am seriously at a loss for words today. As you know and I've said many times, I build layouts and wait for the time when I actually print photos. I have one of the best printers on the market and I just hate to go through the motions of printing them. So I finally got off my end this morning and put photos on. You can tell I didn't make these layouts today because the photos aren't the sizes that I probably would have made them if I had.

Blue inspirations: Fancy Pants papers. I actually took a glitter class with my mom last week (merely there to drive and keep her company) but got sucked into the product BIG TIME! Anyhow I made the flowers. . .and yes there's glitter everywhere but I am in love with this glitter. You get full, even coverage and use very little of it.  Maybe I'll even show you some tips on coloring the glitter with Copic Markers. I also used Prima flower packaging.

Green inspiration: here I used Basic Grey, We R Memory Keepers, Urban Lily papers.  Then I  have Creative Imaginations butterfly brads, Prima flowers, Making Memories stickers


Anyhow, I hope I have given you some inspiration today to do a few layouts this weekend. I will see you after I come up for air from a six hour sewing class to learn how to use the new Janome machine my mommy bought me for Christmas and my birthday. Yes I've used it and we know that Christmas is weeks away and my birthday isn't until February!

Canvas cuff bracelet

Today I have a canvas cuff bracelet I made. It's not something I would usually wear. And honestly I probably won't wear it at all. My crafty-ness comes more out of keeping my mind busy than out of necessity. Although you cannot tell, I painted the bracelet with Making Memories pearlescent acrylic paint (actually picked that up for Riley at the warehouse sale in April). The Prima flowers were sprayed with three colors of Glimmer Mist. For this project, I sure was able to do a little bit of stash busting on trims in remnant bags  from a super expensive fabric store.

Plus here's a peek into where we've been hiding lately. Oh and by the way, my mom sewed the Alice costume. I started to make it but Simplicity patterns are truly my enemy. And she, the experienced one, even said this was the worst pattern she had ever sewn.

She's gone country!

I bought a Simplicity pattern a few months ago because I thought that Riley would look cute in one of the costumes. Actually I thought she would select the fairy version but she chose to be the cowgirl. I sewed the skirt and had my mom finish the top because I have issues reading the patterns from the company. I have no problem reading boutique or patterns from Amy Butler. My mom has issues reading those because she says they aren't written by pattern makers. Sorry but they are in English and I completely get what they are saying. This on the other hand. . .I have found that any pattern that comes with that brown tissue paper is hard to figure out. So now my mom has inherited the Dorothy costume as well.

Riley had to wear the costume yesterday to Musical Theater class. Here's how she looked.

I used Prima's pearlescent cardstock (base and balck) with Making Memories gingham, Martha Stewart bandana paper. I cut the title and cowgirl with the Pazzles. The pink letters are Colorbok and the epoxy embellishments are Creative Imaginations with Stickles. 

Back to scrapping!

Yeh! Now that the puppy is getting use to us and we're getting used to him, I've found out that he leaves my scrapbook supplies alone. So now I can have him lay in his bed I made him in the room and get back to what I love doing.

So to get back into the swing of things I did some quick layouts. I found this photo of Riley from when she was about 20 months old. I used Making Memories paper (got 25 sheets for $2 at the sale so I need to use a lot of it) and various embellishments from Colorbok, Oriental Trading and of course Distress Inks.

Here's a layout I did really about my stepping on these Littlest Pet Shoppe toys. We R Memory Keepers, Basic Grey, Maya Road and Sandy Lion.

And an ode to Buster. . . This I think is Prima, Making Memories, Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, and Creative Imaginations. He's had a hard week whether he knows it or not. We've contemplated keeping him and well think we've worked through Riley not being the only one getting attention in the house. So for now, he's here to stay. Don't worry though. . . if he goes, he will go to a friend with all the stuff we've spoiled him with. He went from living in dirt (although he still likes laying in it in the backyard) to being inside on his fluffy beds and sleeping bags.

Summer Inspiration

I completed this layout about a week and a half ago for the Challenge at ScrapbookingSuppliesRUs.com. I used the twill and Cosmo Cricket tags in the May Sampler kit. The other elements like the scrawberry brads and strawberry tag (hidden behind the photo; hidden journalling) were from Oriental Trading. I had cut some of the strawberries out (like in the lower, left corner) and the middle tag and popped them with a pop dot. The background sheet (gingham and scalloped) were from the Making Memories sale.

Here's an album I started last year from Basic Grey. I've had it sitting around for about nine months. To finish it off I grabbed random embellishments to de-stash.

Currently I'm on a mad dash to complete a lot of things to sell at a craft sale. I've known about it since December. I know bad of me, huh? I'm also working on a class for Urban Swank (Urban Lily products) and my June Sampler creations. I made the ScrapbookingSuppliesRUs design team!!! So we'll see what comes out of the mad workshop of a scrapbook room. Although there's not much room to maneuver right now. I think just about everything is covered in paint and vintage glass glitter.

More Sampler goodies

What did I do for Mother's Day? I stayed in and scrapped of course. Here's a layout I did with the 7gypsies fleur de lys paper that is in the May Sampler kit. Then with the remaining TPC Studios stickers I created the background mat for the photo. There are three border stickers which I cut apart. One contained flowers which I cut down and placed one in the middle of each Prima flower set. Then I cut out some butterflies and gave that a bit of a 3D effect by sticking down the middle and using a bit of powder to take the tackiness of the adhesive off the sides of the wings so they would not stick. I also popped the flower and butterfly on the "carefree" sticker as well. I left the Cosmo Cricket letters alone to go with the black Making Memories frame.

She sure doesn't look too happy in this shot. Once I got the settings correct she wasn't cooperating. I told Riley to sit by the window and she sat right up against it. Anyways, I took the American Crafts fabric paper again and tore them into 1-1/2" strips (x12"). Then I sprayed each with Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist. I put one aside. Then I sprayed the other two with Seafoam and placed one aside. And finally sprayed the last one with Patina. I dried them with the heat gun and could see it gave it a bit more curl. Next I did the twist and spiral. I first created a bit of a perfect rose center then did a carefree twist of the fabric and spiraled it around.  A bit of hot glue on the back held the roses together while I figured out what I was going to do with them. Then I just cut a small rectangle of the fabric, grabbed a headband. I glued the roses on then I placed some glue on the rectangle and sandwiched the headband in between. Riley really loves headbands so I just may have to go out and get more of the fabric paper because my fabric straps tend to be too busy for something like this.

I started this mini album for Riley's Musical Theater Summer Camp. I used Summer Song from My Mind's Eye. You'll only get to see the cover because I obviously haven't finished the album. On the cover is a really old My Mind's Eye Bohemia "Summer" rubon. I also used the letters to spell out "camp" from another set of Bohemia rubons. And I got the glittered musical notes and stars on Friday at the MeriMeri sale. I think it was $0.25 a pack. I finished off the cover with Cosmo Cricket tiny type letters in the Sampler kit and added ribbon and trim.

Lipstick Chicks design team

Last week prior to leaving for my trip to Utah, I found out I had been selected as one of the new designers @ XOXO. I came home to find out I was soon approaching the layout deadline. So here's the layout I produced. Plus before I forget, try lifting one of the pages from the design team to win a prize from this month's sponsor, Color Me Miki.

I used every item on the challenge list. Here is my supply rundown for "You Make My Heart Soar" layout:

12" square cut from my husband's old jeans
Spray starch
Making Memories Varnish Floral Findings CS (it's like an oil cloth finish)
My Mind's Eye Signature Life - Golden Locks CS
Pink Paislee Black letter rubons
Jenni Bowlin floral rubons
Stazon  Jet Black
Distress Ink
Glimmer Mist: Red Velvet, Peach Delight, Patina, Seafoam, Cosmos
Prima felt (bird/branch)
Oriental Trading copper brads
Making Memories Birds and Bees charms (used the bird w/ heart and two butterflies)
Glitz Girls Distress script stamp
Tim Holtz Tattered Florals die
Book pages from left over altered book project
Making Memories velvet die cut ribbon
Lace applique scrap
Creative Imaginations heart bling
Pazzles
House of 3 negative frame
Font: Dafont Vintage

I like to use my husband's jeans for layouts and have a stack of 12" squares ready to use. I keep the pockets as well. I starch the squares then iron them. I then sprayed a coat of Glimmer Mist Patina on the denim so that it would match the paper. Stamped the script with Stazon and placed on the bottom. I contemplated doing the entire thing but it would have really gotten lost in the design (although already light). The background brackets were cut with the Pazzles. I used a wet adhesive to put the paper on the denim.

The flowers were sprayed with the five colors of Glimmer Mist, dried with a heat gun then crumpled. Sprayed the applique scrap with Peach Delight. Layered the ribbons then placed the felt and cut the pieces so I wouldn't waste any under the photo. As for the picture, I used House of 3 Negative frame and added my title to the photo prior to printing; matching the font colors with the colors in the floral paper. Then I finished off the title with rubons.

Prepping for Utah!

I'm heading out to Utah for the Making Memories warehouse sale. I still haven't packed but making a mental note on things we should do. I'm kind of bummed that it's going to rain the entire time. Oh well. It'll rain here at home too. Anyways, I think I'm so excited to go that I'm not in the mood to scrap. I did manage to pull out one layout before we leave.

Since My Mind's Eye is right up the road from Making Memories, I pulled that out with wishful thinking of stopping by and they too having a sale. Random bits and pieces including tags from Riley's pair of Converse.

Destashing!

I have noticed that my fabric scraps have been taking over. The last layout I published was using the fabric from the skirt you had already seen when Riley and I went to sign up for kindergarten. I actually started this layout and realized that I didn't have a photo of her in the skirt. So I pushed it aside and made the other. I used Prism cardstock and the Heidi Grace (I think it was) fabric from the underskirt. Then I had random felt embellishments from Daiso, Maya Road, and Oriental Trading. I used a few shades of Glimmer Mist and Glimmer Screens as well as Distress Inks. Nothing complicated, just a bunch of glue dots.

This other layout is Making Memories, Maya Road, Little Davis, Sassafras, and We R Memory Keepers with a bit of Papyrus butterflies.

Tutus on my mind

I can't seem to get making tutus off my mind. The other day Riley and I went to Capezios and we purchased a fuchsia tutu. I had already figured out how to make it but knew my mom would tell me how I could do it better. So we bought it anyhow especially because Riley loved it. My next step is to make tutus for her in probably every possible color. I was told I should sell them at the dance school. 

They also said I could probably do some fund raising with making these canvas tutus. Now that I know how to make a "practice tutu" I think I might attempt it with the canvas. Here I used the Pazzles, Basic Grey papers along with SEI Chocolat stickers, rubons and diecuts. 

 

I have a boat load of Joann's coupons and I have not gone there in the past week. Yes, I let the rain stop me from going today. But I did manage to spin out two layouts. Here's the latest using a few scraps from Sassafras Lass and We R Memory Keepers. I used the Pazzles to cut the scallop circle out of sheets I really didn't like of DCWV. The background and metal slide letters are Making Memories. Butterflies were Papyrus and the white letters Basic Grey.

SEI Granny's Kitchen cupcake magnet

I made another magnet for SEI's challenge. I decided since the line was called Granny's Kitchen I would make a cupcake. I used the Pazzles to cut the cupcake. Two layers of Diamond Glaze on top of the "cherry." The calendar was done digitally. I added Stickles and Distress Ink. The chipboard is Maya Road and for that I used Broken China Distress Ink and then added Interference Blue UTEE. The small clip is most likely Making Memories.

ABC magnetic board

I used Girl Friday by Cosmo Cricket to make alphabet and number magnets for this Making Memories magnetic modular panel. Don't ask why I bought it. I have no clue. But now it is used to teach Riley to read and spell. Yesterday I spent a few ours having the Pazzles cut out 4" letters and numbers from the Cosmo Cricket cardstock and magnet sheets. I got the magnets while I worked at Yahoo and they wanted me to take more but I thought I 1) would never use them all and 2) they thought I was crazy for wanting them. They were heavy so I really only wanted the one box.

I was so tempted to decorate this 14" panel but it wouldn't leave much room for spelling, now would it? If you tell me yes, I'll keep going. Hahahaha! 

I also designed the flower in Illustrator and then used the Pazzles to cut each one out and do all the necessary cutting to make these roses. Sprayed them with a few shades of Glimmer Mist for a subtle look.