Scrap The Boys: Summer

Hello and welcome to 2019!!!!! I'm happy to say that I will be continuing my journey with Scrap The Boys for the next 6 months. Without further ado, here is the challenge.

Scrap The Boys is based out of Australia and right now it is experiencing summer. I was hugely inspired by "HeyElsie" work on her Instagram page.

The large sun in the background can be found at the Silhouette store. I made "summer" using SCAL4 and lots of cursing and yelling at my computer to "just do it". LOL . . . it's a learning curve.

I used a combination of Echo Park and Lori Whitlock paper (a few years old) for this layout.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!!

Scrap The Boys: Play in the Water

Today starts a new challenge for Scrap the Boys!

I've been in a summer mood lately and decided to scrap this gem tucked away in my photos. When it comes to scrapping rowdy boys, I like to either take the "loud and bold" approach or the mixed media "messy and masculine" approach.

I decided to play with this fun die cut provided by Paper Issues! I did add journaling along the bottom of the layout, but my logo is covering it up because I wrote names.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Supplies:

Paper:
Bella Blvd: Sand&Surf
Pebbles: Fun in the Sun
Echo Park: Summer Bliss

Embellishments:
Silhouette Cameo - die cut design and title from Paper Issues
Pretty Little Studio - Ain't Life Grand
Pebbles "Chips" - Fun in the Sun
Stitching

Scrap the Boys: Splash

Hello and welcome!! It's a brand-new month and time for a new challenge at Scrap The Boys.

This month we are teaming up with Cocoa Vanilla, which unfortunately I

do not have any of their products in my stash. So I decided to go completely bright

and colorful.

'Summer Fun' is a cut file I purchased from the Silhouette online store. I also offset the 

cut in the patterned pink to really make the frame pop.

I reached for several items from various places in my stash that seemed to all

have coordinating colors. The die cuts are from the Pebbles line.

I would consider this layout to be simple in design and execution. Some dots,

twine and die cuts and you have yourself a masterpiece!!

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

Supplies:

--Paper:

---Pebbles: Fun in the Sun 

---Echo Park: Summer Bliss

---Bella Blvd: Sand & Surf

Twine

Dots

Pebbles Die Cuts: Fun in the Sun

Silhouette Cameo

Studio Challenges: Fa La La (sketch challenge)

Hello there! Today is new challenge day at Studio Challenges.

I followed the clustering of photos and embellishments on the sketch.

I reached for some rather "old" paper by Echo Park's 'Dear Santa' line.

I also used up stickers from the Bella Blvd. line 'Holly Jolly Christmas'.

I didn't want to get complicated with this layout, but I did add stitching

for texture and affect.

I used a few embellishments found at Hobby Lobby several years

ago. They go great with bright layouts!

Close-up photo of the sticker embellishments.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

Give a Crafter a Cookie: Merry Christmas

New challenge up today at Give A Crafter a Cookie.

I decided to make this box card by SVGCuts using Echo Park's

Merry Christmas line.

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

PDE Linky Party: Witch's Boot Card

Hello there!! This week's challenge at PDE Linky Party is: Spooky Cute!!

Cute or not, I REALLY wanted to show off this boot card!!!

Purchased from the Silhouette Online store by Snapdragon Snippets

Thanks for stopping by today!!!!

Supplies:

Paper:

--I think this is Echo Park PP 😬

Pearls

Ribbon and "boo!" from Hobby Lobby

Pop Glue Dots!!

Studio Challenges: Siblings

Today's challenge at Studio Challenges is "Inspired by a book cover". I'm not ashamed to say that I cheated just a little bit. First I made a layout I wanted, then went and looked for a book cover. 😂

I am a huge fan of "For Better or For Worse" . . . so I didn't really cheat . . . much. The comic strip is all about family . . . mothers, fathers, children . . . SIBLINGS!!

This layout is really a "do-over" layout for me. I really couldn't tell you why I didn't like the original, just that it didn't feel like "mine". It's rare for me to want to make a 'do-over', as I believe my layouts are all part of the creative process. I've just learned to accept that I am not going to be in love with all of them.

I practically insisted on making this one 'harder'. It would have come together so quickly otherwise, that I just didn't feel right about it. So I added hand-stitching to the title. Figures!! But I really did enjoy reaching for a smorg-a-board of random stuff and forcing it to work. That felt right, as the three of us may have come from the same parents, but we are very different individuals. Also, we are a rather chaotic and loud family, so I felt like the layout needed to reflect that a bit.

My sister and I are moderately hearing impaired, so yeah, we be loud! (P.S. Drives my husband bonkers).

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

We are the 'Simmons' kids. Obviously my sister and I have

married last names now. My brother is the oldest, then me

on the right and my sister on the left.

I machine-stitched the arrows, but hand-stitched the title.

Just random stuff from my stash! 

The butterfly was part of a die-cut exchange.

Supplies:
--Paper:
----Studio Calico - Lemon Lush
----Echo Park - Sweet Day
----PinkPaislee - Solstice
----CratePaper - Click
Sewing Machine
Silhouette Cameo
Buttons, butterflies and stuff from . . . somewhere

Studio Challenges: Dream

Today's challenge over at Studio Challenges is to scrap lift a fellow team member.

I chose Rachel's layout from June 6th. We both have the same free file from Paper Issues

and I have been wanting to play with it for a while.

Several years ago we had family pictures done and I have yet to scrap

about them. I have been tackling those pictures recently and am loving 

the results!!

Thanks for stopping by today!

I have been playing a lot lately with making layouts that are not made with "squares".
All my cards are square, but I am loving getting away from it for my layouts.

Hand-stitched clouds for texture

Pretty Little Studio has a Woodland collection full
and adorable critters like this one. Too cute!

Supplies:

Pretty Little Studio - Woodland Collection

Paper Issues - Free Cloud File

Hand-Stitching

Echo Park - Spring (Beaming Butterflies) = background paper

Brads

Random wooden button

Studio Challenges: Baby Mine

Hello there! Today I have for you the newest challenge at Studio Challenges.

It's a sketch based off of one of my previous layouts. Thanks Anna, for

finding my layouts inspirational.

Without further ado . . .

For the layout, I decided to go playful and use negative shapes. That means

that I made a pattern of triangles, circles, etc using SCAL4. Then cut those

patterns out onto my background paper. 

I then cut those same shapes using various patterned paper. Finally, I added 

all the stitching . . . which took about 40 minutes.

The rest came together quickly after that.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

This photo is one of my favorites of my son at four months. Such a playful
and fun couple of months before teething and crawling began.
He was such a happy and chubby baby.

Love how all the stitching brings everything together. The buttons are
from the Japanese store, Daiso.

Supplies:

Doodle Bug Designs - Sunkissed

Bella Blvd. - Tiny Tots

Echo Park - Spring

Embroidery Floss - Pastel colors

Stickers - Bella Blvd. Tiny Tots

Buttons - Daiso

Random turtle from stash

Silhouette Cameo

SCAL4

Studio Challenges: Beautiful (me)

Hello! Today I'm up with a page about . . . me! *gasp* *choke*

It's all part of the new challenge at The Studio Challenges - make a page about you.

I went back . . . . way back . . . . to me 20 years ago. I started my career in animal medicine working with exotics. It's always been my first "love", although I didn't stay with exotics due to lack of making any money.

Here I am, young and slender with long curly locks, feeding a baby wallaby. 

I chose the mat with triangles and title from the Silhouette Design store. I decided the word "beautiful" needed to stick out more so I cut it out in a different color.

My "new" thing for 2017 is to step away from squares and rectangles . . . or at least try to. This way I still get to play with paper and not have to invest in a whole genre of mixed media.

Thanks for stopping by today!

I chose pink chipboard letter in the form of journaling for this. They
describe how I saw myself at twenty. (Or at least how I remember those days).

Cluster of fun goodies

Supplies:

Echo Park: Everyday Eclectic

Silhouette Design store - mat of triangles and title

A bunch of goodies from my stash!!

(Did you read this far?) *wink*

SaveSave

Give a Crafter a Cookie . . . Balloons

Hello and welcome! Today is a new challenge at "Give a Crafter a Cookie"!

Head on over there to see what our fabulous DT has for you as well as our sponsors.

Thank you for stopping by today!!

Supplies:

Echo Park - Dots and Stripes

Silhouette Online store (balloon card)

Bling from HL

Fuss is a Must!!!!

What's with the blog title you ask?!

There are times when a crafter just needs to make something "fast". Which is all good except the project looks like it was slapped together.

These Valentine cards were created for the "If You Give a Crafter a Cookie" and we are being sponsored by 'The Cutting Cafe' this week. She has some adorable Valentine cards and projects!!!!

It so easy to just have your machine cut it out, you glue it down and move on right?!!

Boring. The end.

Add something to your simple cards . . . it will really bring them life. A little fuss is definitely a must!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!

I used the Valentine Window Word set from the Cutting Cafe.

No fuss. Just glue and paper. BORING!

Supplies:

--EP - Double sided dots and stripes

Twine

Heart Punch

Cork

Paper Piercer and thread

SaveSave

Give a Crafter a Cookie Challenge: Cookies for Santa

We have a new challenge this week at "Give a Crafter a Cookie". 

Here is the image we are working with. Beautiful!

I wanted to do something fun and adorable for two sets of people. One being my husband's coworkers and the second being for SAS4Kids. I made enough of these gingerbread face cards for both! The best part was using up scraps and using Christmas/Winter embellishments that were trapped in a drawer somewhere. 

The face is two files combined from My Scrap Chick.  I used
the smile from a snowman face to brighten up the card. I didn't want to
send a "sad" face to kids in hospitals.

I did alter the smile and eyes by using the shadow feature on SCAL3.

Bigger eyes are easier to work with. Also, I cut the smile out once and

traced it with a black pen to save me the headache of working

with a thin cut (and using a bunch of extra black card stock).

Supplies:

-AC Brown Sugar Cardstock

-AC White Cardstock

-Various Winter and Christmas scrap paper

-EP Holidays solid paper

-Various Christmas embellishments from Hobby Lobby

-Twine

-Recollections Glitter Glue (on the white)

-Chalk

-White Gel Pen

-Charcoal Grey ink (I didn't want to shade with black = too harsh)

-Stamp from My Craft Spot

-Embossing powder (on the stamp)

Tools for the eyes - top secret!

Our sponsor for this week.

SaveSave