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!

Studio Challenges: Fall

Today is new challenge day at Studio Challenges. 

The challenge is - make your own background. It can be die cuts

or mixed media, or some variation.

Die cuts for the win!

File found at the Silhouette Online store.

Machine stitching of course

AC cardstock behind flower and leaves. Some little flowers from
my stash for extra dimension.

Using pop dots, I clustered stickers from the Carta Bella line.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!

Supplies:

--Paper:

--Carta Bella - Autumn paper and stickers

--Simple Stories - SN@P Basics

--AC Cardstock (behind flower and leaves)

Wooden embellishments

Machine Stitching

Prima Botanical mix flowers

Brads

Studio Challenges: XoXo

Hello there! Today is a new challenge for the next two weeks at Studio Challenges.

The theme is 'Mirror Image'.

I did use a bit of creative liberties as mine is not exactly a mirror image.

However, whatever I did on one side of the photo, I did on the other side.

Since it's also a mixed media layout, it's not 'spot-on' exact.

I'm having a lot of fun playing around with Gelatos, stamping and stenciling. Who knew,

as I have always avoided stamping in the past.

I also ended up making my own circle background on SCAL4. Everything I found from

different sources were not mirror images.

Thanks for stopping by today!!!

Some minor amount of clustering here using a mix of wooden
and Pretty Little Studio embellishments.

I'm still learning a lot about mixed media. The lettering is white
acrylic paint and maybe next time, I will use something (color)
that stands out a bit more.

Supplies:

Pretty Little Studio: Woodland paper and embellishments

Gelato: pastels

Background stamps and stencils

Machine Stitching

Wooden Embellishments

Studio Challenges: You Are My World

Hello there!! What a busy month, right?!

It's new challenge time at Studio Challenges. The challenge

for the next two weeks is this sketch.

This sketch is brilliant cause it's easy to make it as simple

or as complicated as you want.

I chose to go simple with a layout about my son's 11th birthday.

Or is it about his smile? Or maybe that he's my world?

So much going on in this one photo!!!!!

A few tips and tricks I learned about photographing kids. I picked up

most of these tricks from Click it Up a Notch.

#1. Kids are active . . . they don't want to stare directly at a camera.

#2. Some kids, like mine, resent "photo day". So I give plenty of 'warning'

and maybe, a little money for bribery. Forced pictures look like . . . forced pictures.

#3. This particular photo Daddy is standing rather close to him and pretending

to tickle our son. Have that camera "glued" to your face and just snap away.

I promise you, do these three things and you will love the results.

(Disclosure - I am not a professional photographer. 

Just a mom who took a few classes to learn about my camera and taking

photos I can be proud of.)

Hint: This one photo represents one of 460. So, it takes practice. Plus I have

shaky hands so tend to snap at least 3 photos of same pose.

Nearly everything on this layout is Doodlbug Designs 'Flea Market' line.

I added my own stash of wooden leaves and 'smile' for more texture.

I had to hand-stitch cause my sewing machine went on strike.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

Supplies:

Simple Stories - Sn@p Basics 'Elm/Cream Ledger' = background

Doodlebug Designs - 'Flea Market' line, including the sequins

Wooden Embellishments

Hand stitching

Studio Challenges: Love Fall

Time for a new challenge at Studio Challenges!!

It's a fall color palette.

This palette was a good excuse to dive into the Oakley Avenue

collection by Ashley Horton. You can get this collection at 

Pretty Little Studio.

The giant leaf pattern is from the Silhouette Online store.

I filled in the various leaves with the pattern paper. I also

machine stitched the stems for added interest.

The hashtag is from Creative Embellishments. The mason

jar is a punch using a thin cork board.

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY TODAY!!

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 Challeges: Beautiful Day

Today at Studio Challenges is a sketch!

I chose to flip the sketch and add a background wreath to it.

Photo was taken in the mountains in Germany. We were 

about 1 mile high, so it looked like we were up in the

clouds. Everything about the photo is real.

I think there was suppose to be another cloud here,

but it fell off (not glued down) before I realized it 

was missing.

The background is "today" from Ashley Horton.

I stitched all over and then added the extra zigzag

to make it look like "messy stitching".

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Supplies:

Paper:

---Elle's Studio "day to day" schedule - background

---Pretty Little Studio - Let's Go collection

Creative Embellishments wood pieces

Sewing machine

The Cut Shoppe

Studio Challenges: I've Got Big Dreams

Hello! Today is a new challenge theme at Studio Challenges: In Stitches.

 I recently bought some new goodies from 

Creative Embellishments and had FUN playing and stitching!! This page also fits

into their monthly challenge as well.

This photo of my son was taken at a car museum in Berlin, Germany during our vacation. My husband & son get excited about all these various car shows, and sometimes I get dragged along. With a big "sigh", I'll say, "Well, I guess I'll take pictures." That being said, it's the only time I can get a true photo of the essence and soul of my son. He has big dreams, and they all include cars!

I got the idea of a big stitched title from Missy Whidden and really, really 

wanted to play with it using a twist of words from the 

song "I like big butts and I cannot lie". 

One technique I struggle with is journaling. Mainly because I usually have a lot to say 

about the page and photo, and then end up writing nothing. This time I did journal, 

but it's attached to the back of the page.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!!!!

The title font is part of a package from "The Hungry JPEG". 

The various embellishments are a combo of Pretty Little Studio and
Creative Embellishments. The small tag reads "You must give everything to make
your life as beautiful as the dreams that dance in your imagination."

I cut out the title then hand-stitched all around it using regular thread.
I wanted to use thicker floss, but didn't have navy blue.

All the crazy background stamping is mostly from Creative Embellishments.
The chicken wire stamp is Tim Holtz. The ink is a combination of Tim Holtz
distress inks and chalk inks.

Supplies:

~Paper:

~~AC White Yardstick

~~Pretty Little Studio - Let's Go

~Embellishments:

~~Pretty Little Studio - Let's Go

~~Creative Embellishments - Lightbulb, background stamps, stars

Hand-stitching

Tim Holtz stamp and distress inks

SCAL4 - used Hungry JPEG font

Silhouette Cameo

Bazzil Circle Template

Thread

AC letters (I think)

Dymo Label

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

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: Dreaming With Eyes Wide Open

Hello there! Today is a new challenge at Studio Challenges. The challenge is 

"near and dear" to me as it's my idea: NOT TO BE SQUARED.

Basically, make your background anything but squares and rectangles. 

Reach for your cutting machines and mat files or reach for your 

punches. In this case, I reached for my triangle punch.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Supplies:

Pinkfresh - Dream On Collection

Hand-stitching

Flares and Enamel dots from somewhere

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 Challenge: Sun Sand & Sea

Hello there! Today I'm sharing with you my layout with newest Studio Challenges this week - a color palette! This could easily be Spring or Summer colors.

I had a lot of fun making this particular layout. I actually made it on NSD which had me thinking about my particular style a lot. I love using my Silhouette Cameo and I love stitching. Lately I've been really enjoying cutting background mats for my layouts. They come together like puzzle pieces and look so striking, at least I think so.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Combination of Prima flowers, die cut tropical leaves and shiny brads

Title is from Miss Kate Cuttables. Wooden leaf from Michael's

For a little extra effect, I added stitching (of course)

Supplies:

BoBunny - Beach Happy and Key Lime paper

Silhouette Cameo - heart, title, leaves and ampersand 

Miss Kate Cuttables - title

Paper Issues - free file heart and tropical leaves

Prima flowers by Anna Marie

Brads

Hand Stitching

Wooden leaf - Michael's

Beach embellishments - Michael's

Heidi Swap stamps (lower corner)

Studio Challenges: #Fave

Hello!! Welcome to my blog!

Today I'm sharing with you my interpretation of this week's challenge at Studio Challenges: Recipe Challenge.

Use a combination of the following: Paint, Hand sewing, Fussy cutting, A Frame, Buttons, Pink

I did everything except fussy cutting!! I did "cheat" and use my own interpretation of "Paint". I didn't actually use watercolors on this layout. The page is from the Altenew Reflection Kit in which the whole kit is a watercolor theme. Good enough for me!!!

I scrap-lifted this page from Ashley Horton's design.

This layout is about my family's time in Germany, specifically visiting Burg Elke (or castle). It was one of my favorite spots.

Thanks for stopping by today!!

Supplies:

Altenew Reflection Kit: Nearly everything on this layout is from the kit

Thickers: Title

Hand-stitching

Circle template

Twine