You Are A Cute Above the Rest Card

Scrapbook Steals celebrated their fourth birthday last week.  So on Thursday, they issued four challenges to help celebrate the occasion!  I have not had a ton of layout mojo lately, but I have been doing well with card making.  Most of the cards I have been making will go to Operation Write Home, which is giving me even more inspiration I think.  So, I thought I would share the card I made yesterday for the SS Birthday Challenge #4 - Washi Fever.  Our challenge was to use four different washis on a project.  When I saw that this week's Kiwi Lane DT Doodles was card sketches, I knew I was going to use one for this challenge.  I decided on the first sketch and picked out my ledger paper washi for the wave spot (using a Spooky Lane template).  Once I had decided on the "school" paper look, I went with my WRMK kit I won over at SS.  Since I don't have many shape templates, I went with the triangles to make sort of a star shape.  I used two different washis - one on each triangle - to add some color and interest.  The tag is also washi covered cardstock - this time with a blue stripe and then more of the ledger paper on top.  I finished it off with a sticker from WRMK.  I love how simple this card was to make!

Perfect Peridot

Amazingly I was able to get all 10 layouts done for the Peridot series.  All started out well with the first 6 done on time.  Then there was a week and a half of "vacation" followed by catching up from that and a sick kid.  Then it was a week long missions trip (with a sick kid) and another sick kid this weekend.  But, I made it.  Some still need journalling, but otherwise they are done :)

Peridot 1

Peridot 2

Peridot 3

Peridot 4

Peridot 5

Peridot 6

Peridot 7

Peridot 8

Peridot 9

Peridot 10

Share Everything Except Bad Ideas

So, I think I hit a challenge max with this one, but I LOVE how it turned out.  And since three of the challenges are "supposed" to be combined, I don't feel so bad about having 5 challenges complete with one layout.  It started with the sketch from ScrapbookSteals - Peridot 4.  When I saw the three photos in the sketch, I quickly decided on these photos of my kids sharing the tricycle.  All three of them get to enjoy playing with it at once - although probably in different positions than most would expect.  Then I thought about Kerys's challenge.  The layers were obvious in the sketch, so it was easy to add the stars and stamps. Since some of the papers I chose already had stars, it was even easier :)  Then it was time to think about the title, and Rochelle's word art challenge along with Scrap Your Story's font challenge worked perfectly together.  The Share Everything was just perfect, and of course with the five words, I would use 5 alphas probably anyways.  Last is Kristi's logo challenge.  I wasn't sure I was going to include it, but when I had the spot on the bottom left that need an embellishment, the Radio Flyer logo was a perfect fix.  

For the details:  Papers are all 6x6 from MME, WP, and CP.  I used stamps twice - for the stars (I think they are Imagenisce, but I am not 100% sure) that I fussy cut and the word cute (MME Collectable).  The alphas are Thickers, Silhouette cut, and MLS tiny alphas.  I finished off the pinwheel with a Oriental Trading button and some Twinery Twine.  I have decided I need a date stamp after this layout, and I will add that to the bottom left.

Use It Tuesday Design Team Call and a Layout

Use It Tuesday Design Team Call!

This will be Use It Tuesday's 5th Design Team call and we encourage people from all experience levels to apply.

Term: July 1 to December 31st, 2013

Requirements:
- have an online gallery and/or a blog
- if you have a blog, you need to be a follower of Use It Tuesday to apply  

- have a Facebook account or a willingness to make one
- be able to work with deadlines
- make and post 2 inspiration projects per month
- comment on players’ projects
- be a team player
- have a positive attitude

Interested? Please email the following completed application to UseItTuesday@gmail.com by May 30th.

1. Name
2. Links to your online galleries and/or blog
3. Your previous DT experience, if any.
4. Please tell us a little about yourself.
5. How did you hear about our DT Call?
6. Have you played with us previously?
7. Please tell us why you would like to be on our team.
8. Please share one fun fact about yourself.

I have REALLY enjoyed the two terms I have served on the Use It Tuesday design team.  It is definitely a great team to work with, and I recommend anyone with stash they want to use to apply!

And now for a layout!

 A friend on the Practical Scrappers design team let me know that they might need another project with water colors Monday (for a post on Tuesday).  So, I got to work on Peridot 2 over at ScrapbookSteals with the plans of using a lot of water colors.  The strips on the layout made it easy to use lots of techniques.  On the bottom strip, I lightly watercolored the paper and then stamped with numbers - something I love.  On the second layer, I used texture paste and then water colored on top of that.  I just used my kids' Crayola water colors, and it came out so fun!

 On the third layer, I doodled using my Stampin Up water color pencils.  I drew little clouds and then muted the drawing with my water pen.  On the "top" layer I used some more stamps and my water color pencils.  Since I had a little more room at the top, I finished it off with some blue paper and twine.

The theme of the layout is based off a challenge by a friend to scrap myself.  I had to use my favorite color(s) - which are blues and purple - and something I love - the numbers.  I haven't don't the journalling yet, but it will be on the black tag that can pull out.  I think I am going to journal about being content with here I am.

Her Bible

So, scrapping mojo has been slightly lacking around here lately.  I will blame it on being busy for sure!  But, I was able to squeeze out this week's MWM over at ScrapbookSteals and incorporate one of their challenges  for NSD (#1 - "5").  The papters are a mix of AC Amy Tangerine, MME, and Authentique (Uncommon).  For the 5 things:
Word areas - Paper, title, journalling, and two groups of word stickers
Patterned Paper - Pink wood grain (MME), Grey text (A), Paper dolls (AC), Hot pink grid (AC), and pink with text circles (A).
Embellishments - Die cuts, button, brad, wahi, and stickers

Here is the wonderful Peridot 1 sketch:

ScrapbookSteals Blog Hop!

Welcome to the last stop on the ScrapbookSteals May blog hop!  I am so happy to be asked by such an amazing company to help promote a steal.  ScrapbookSteals has been my go-to-place for products, inspiration, and all things paper-craft related for the last three years!  

Melodee asked us our color preferences, and I asked for navy or yellow.  You can only imagine how happy I was when I got a roll of blue AND yellow twine - in one - from Two Berry Creative!  I originally thought about doing a nautical theme, as these two colors are so nautical (and nautical is "in").  But, life got busy!  So, I decided to make a cute graduation card for my brother in law.  His college school colors are blue and yellow, so it was perfect!  

I used my SIlhouette to cut out this graduation hat and the phrase.  Then I used my Xyron X to cover some cardstock with adhesive (one piece for the hat and one for the sentiment).  I laid the twine on it, running it back and forth to completely cover the strips of cardstock.  To add a little dimension, I had removed the big portion of the tassel from the Silhouette image of the hat, and I made my own little tassel out of more twine.  It turns out the foam pop dots I had were the perfect thickness to pop the white cardstock and fit the twine behind.  

To continue in the National Scrapbook Day Celebration, play along with the challenges from ScrapbookSteals.com.  Here is thefourth challenge:  

Challenge #4 - Right Now
Create a project about Right Now.  It could be a layout about yourself, one of your kids, how much you love someone, or your hopes and dreams for the rest of the year.  Whatever inspires you about the words "Right Now"  

Check out all of the challenges here:  National Scrapbook Day Celebration

And in case you got lost along the way (or this is your first stop), here is the rest of the line-up.  Remember that one lucky commenter will win a gift certificate to ScrapbookSteals!!!!

1. ScrapbookSteals 
2. Memorable Scraps - Neela 
3. Want Less Create More - Judy 
4. Alison Day Designs
5. Scrappin' Chaos - Charity
6. Stephanie's Scrap World (You are here)

Ready to Roll - Amber 10

I used my MME Collectable (Notable) prize from MME on this super fun layout from ScrapbookSteals.  Other than the Collectable goodies, I used some Target washi around the outside, some Bazzil cardstock for the base, AC Thickers for the title, a random brad (most likely Hobby Lobby brand) and our label printer.I loved working on each of the blocks - making them their own item.

Here is the wonderful Amber 10 sketch by Melodee:

And here are the links to my other Amazing Amber layouts:
Amber 1:
Amber 2
Amber 3
Amber 4
Amber 5a
Amber 5b
Amber 6
Amber 7
Amber 8
Amber 9

{cousins}

This is my take on Amber 8 by Jessica L over at Scrapbook Steals.  The vertical and horizontal strips gave me the idea to pull out my hoarded scraps and make a rainbow weave with them.  (The current SWAT challenge is Dig Deep - using your hoarded items in a trendy way.)  The purple and orange are actually fairly new (Fall 2012 Nicki Silivis box), but that blue, green, and yellow are at least 2 years old (MME Hip Hooray and MLS Green and Simple Life .  The red if from last summer's MLS warehouse box (Sew Cute).  Then I pulled out my hoarded buttons and added some interest to where the papers cross.  Let's not talk about how many buttons I have in my stash!

The right side will get the journalling, but I don't want to post that online.  I might add something to the bottom right depending on how much I write.  I love how fast this layout came together - I put it together in less than 2 hours!

Here is the sketch:

Who Are You? (SS MWM Amber 7)

Here is a layout I did last week for ScrapbookSteals.  With the blog hop last weekend and then DT posts the last two days, I didn't get to blog it until today.

The photo is of my son and a friend the weekend they met.  This photo has such fun expressions on both boys' faces, that I thought it was perfect to scrap.  I used ME Alphabet Soup for this one, as I wanted some really "boy" papers, and the animals worked wellw ith the stuffed ones in the picture (and on their jammies).

I am entering this in the About a Boy challenge - Chevrons.

A Sticky Situation UIT Reveal!

The new challenge over at Use It Tuesday is to use something sticky - stickers, rubons, (wet) embossing, fancy adhesives, etc.  Well, I created two things.  The first is a card for a friend.  She has been going through a lot, so I wanted to make a fun card for her.  I used an almost 2 year old glubber to make the silver glitter circle.  Then I put an at least 1 year old sticker in the middle from Imaginese.  The design of the card is based off of this month's sketch over at Artful Delight.

 The second project is a fun little picture frame.  I bought a box of picture frames about a year and a half ago from Oriental Trading, mostly for y kids to decorate as gifts.  I pulled one out and covered it in Freckled Fawn washi.  Then I made a rosette using another hoarded glubber and some almost 3 yo ribbon and button from Doodle Bug.  The banner is made out of more Freckled Fawn washi and some Twinery Twine, and the alphas I think are over 3 years old - probably closer to 5!    I love how easy this was to make and yet so cute!  I am also entering this frame into ScrapbookSteals MCM #19 - Altered Item.

Now it is your turn!  Create something using some hoarded sticky items, and link up with us at UIT!  We can't wait to see what you make.

Puggle Parade - SS Amber 6

This is my take on the ScrapbookSteals Amber 6 MWM layout.  The pictures are missing since they contain so many kids in them.  I didn't want to post all of those kids' pictures on the web without their parents' permission.  The photos are of my son's AWANA Puggles class going on a musical parade one night.  When I add the photos, I am thinking about stitching or doodling some music notes along the left and right sides, mostly in the light yellow area.

Now that little Puggle guy - so easy yet so hard to make!  I decided to do a print and cut using a stock online photo and my Silhouette.  Designing and printing was super easy.  The hard part was the cut!  I only have an SD (not a Cameo), and the auto registration marks DO NOT work on the SD.  So, after trying a bazillion times, I emailed them and they helped me figure it out.  So, now I have a few extra copies of Puggle not cut out... But he is cute none the less, and I can hand cut them for other things probably (especially since I will have a Puggle next year too).

As for what I used on this layout - it is a mix for sure!  The light blue is AC Baby.  The light yellow is NS.  The dark blue and the arrow are out of MLS papers, and the other orangy yellow is MME.  The alphas are AC Thickers and HL Alphas.  And then there is Freckled Fawn, Target, and Walmart washi.  It was fun to mix so many things together for this one!

And here is the (last) mwm sketch by Kerys:

A Fun Tag Layout

One of my scrappy friends (Laurie) had a birthday sketch challenge on her blog.  She provided the sketch  and we were to use it as inspiration for a layout in honor of her birthday.  I barely got it done on Monday before the deadline!

The picture I chose to use is of my daughter and a cousin of her's playing with our toy firetruck.  I took inspiration from their jammies and the firetruck for the color scheme.  As for the papers I used, it is a huge mis!  I think there is EP, MME, CP, and LilyBee in there (plus the kraft).  And then there is some Freckled Fawn and MME washi, buttons, brads, and some scraps of ribbon and twine to finish it off.  It was a fun layout for sure!

I am also entering this into the ScrapbookSteals MCM #18- The Wonderful World of Washi.

And here is the sketch:

A Card and a Layout

I got two projects done this weekend.  I was going to post the layout yesterday, but it was SO windy here that I couldn't get a picture of it today.  And since I have DT projects to post tomorrow and Tuesday,  I decided to just post them together today since they are for a couple of challenges.

Let's start with the card.  This is for my husband's grandmother's birthday.  I took inspiration from the Paper Girls Challenge for the colors on this one.  And the design is based off of the current Unscripted Sketches sketch.  I Used MME Fun day  paper along with some solid cardstock, a MLS stamp, some WP trim, and a Stampin' Up stamp.  I colored the flower with Stampin Up colored pencils.  I am also entering it into the ScrapbookSteals MCM #16 - Stamp It.

As for the layout, this is based off of the Amber 5b sketch over at ScrapbookSteals by guest sketcher Michelle.  I used Authentique Loyal and Echo Park For the Record 2 for this cute layout of my son meeting one of his great grandma's.  Other than the base piece of kraft, all of the paper is scraps (for the About a Boy Challenge).  The colors worked perfectly for Rochelle's color challenge too (although my greens are a little darker).

Make Shift Drive In Movie

 Here is my most recent creation - a layout for both ScrapbookSteals MWM (Amber 4 from the sketch by Bev Code) and for About a Boy (Hoarders).

The photo is of my son watching SuperWhy over Christmas.  We were staying in a house that didn't have any working TVs, so my husband was able to turn a show on for him one afternoon on his phone so he could relax.  And he lined up his brand new Cars cars to watch with him.

The circle paper is from MMW Abbey Road that I have had for 2+ years.  The orange and green papers are scraps from AC Amy Tangerine that I have had for just over a year.  The blue and argyle papers are MME Fine and Dandy 6x6 (almost 2 years old).  The green washi is over a year old (Studio G), but the other two I got this year.

 As for the embellishments, all but the flair (Paper Play Studio) are over a year old.  The police car and frieght truck are buttons I got 2 years ago for Christmas.  The stars I got in a swap box over a year ago, and I think the green button is from a Christmas collection (FP) I bought 2 years ago (and if not, it is from another FP collection I bought over a year ago).

The alphas on the other hand are new.  I don't have a ton of alphas that I hoard really - well, not enough for these words at least!

And here is the sketch:

Too Good to Use a Little Spoon

Kerys had another fun sketch over at ScrapbookSteals this week - Amber 3.  This one I thought, and thought, and thought about!  At first, I "knew" I was going to mist and have it count for Kristi B's challenge.  But, then I second guessed myself because I only have three colors of mist, and I am not very good at it.  Then Saturday, I saw the new SWAT training using misting, and I knew I had to give it a go.  Two challenges asking for misting that I normally do is enough push to finally do it.  I used my Kiwi Lane scallop stencil and make some contact paper masks for my layout.  I then went to work misting the paper.  It got a little messy, but I figured out that if I cut out the scallop area (three colors connected still) and was careful with the photo placement, most of those "issues" were gone.  And the extra bit of green misting would work good at the top to help anchor it!  i then went to add the strips of paper like in the sketch, but I didn't like it.  But, I found there were good at the top, again for some balance.  Then I cut out some hexagons from some 6x6 paper I have.  I am not sure if the papers are OA or not, but there are from an Artful Delight kit that had OA papers in it (since the mists are OA, it is where I thought to start).  The title is a big mix of alphas - Thickers, EP, and A I think.

And as for the photos - they are of my youngest (about 17m old "here") using a wooden spoon to eat Chick Fil A sauce.  She grabbed it off the kitchen table and went to work when my back was turned to help her brother and sister.  Needless to say, she loves sauce!

Today Reading Tomorrow Leading - SS Amber 2

Time for another fun sketch over at Scrapbook Steals.  This week's Amber 2 by Kerys was so much fun to work with.  I started by picking the pictures and then digging through my die cut papers to see if I had any circle ones with the "right" colors.  And it turns out I had a piece of MLS Sew Easy worked perfectly.

 Then I dug through my turquoise paper (yes, it has its own drawer...), thinking I would find some more MLS paper that worked perfectly.  Well, I ended up with some MME Lush instead.  Then I went looking for a pink color.  Again, I thought I would end up with MLS, but I ended up with some A Uncommon.  I loved that it had the grey in it soo, as it gave me another color to work with.  I had thought about using ribbon or sewing, but the right colors just weren't there, and the Uncommon was just perfect.  From there I went to the washi at the bottom.  I ended up having the perfect colors - some Studio G (blue) and MME Indie Chic.

 For the embellishments, I just got the Sweet Stamp Shoppe wood grain stamps in the mail as I was workingo n this.  I decided the circles would be a great embellishment.  I found some blue and grey paper to use for thsoe and then paired it with some A Uncommon paper that I just punched to highlight the pattern.   Then I dug through my brad stash for a variety in the right colors.

 Then it was on to the title.  I searched for a quote about reading.  I found "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."  And then I went to print out reader to stitch it, and some how ended up with reading.  But, Today Reading Tomorrow Leading works almost as well :)  With the shorter title, I added some washi at the top for some balance.

Let's Get Sketchy Birthday Blog Hop!

Let’s Get Sketchy is turning ONE and to celebrate we are having a Birthday Bash Blog hop.  As you make your way along our hop to visit each of our DT blogs you will find lots of birthday inspired projects.   If you have arrived here from Bev's blog welcome to the LGS blog hop!! If you have stumbled across this by chance and want to play along then you can head back to the Let's Get Sketchy site to start at the beginning and to start collecting your Birthday challenge words. These words should be bolded on each DT member’s pages.

This year a committed to making a birthday card for everyone in my family plus those needed for birthday parties, etc. So, for the blog hop, I got two more made!

KLD DTDoodle 8.3 using Spooky Lane 2B

 This first one is for my daughter's friend who will be 6 this month.  I decided to go with a mix of papers, as she loves to color in rainbow.  I made rosettes out of a piece of FP Little Sprout and a piece of MME Hip Hooray (boy).  I also used these same papers for the strips on the left side.  I then added a little blue solid paper, some washi, and a couple of buttons to finish of this easy card.

Unscripted Sketches #199

The second card I originally planned for my husband (whose birthday is this month), but I might save it for someone else, as it is slightly girly.  It will probably depend on if I get better inspiration for a card for him in the next few weeks or not!  I used some yellow Crate Paper and some orange and green Amy Tangerine paper as well as the solid blue cardstock for this one.  The sun shape is from a KLD template (Nature 5T), and I topped it off with some washi flags and some twine.  The washi isn't wanting to stay perfectly, so I might have to add a little glue to those...

Birthday Bash Challenge- To create any birthday inspired project from examples you see on the DT pages and upload here at LGS.  If their project is a layout then do a lift of that page, if it’s a project of sorts then do that project.  You can pick from ANY DT member’s blog project for the hop.  The upload it to the Let's Get Sketchy blog when you are done! 

Also as you hop along the way you will find clue words on each of the design team blogs.  Once you have gathered all the words (you might want to put them in your SATCHEL)they will form a quote related to our birthday. Tell us that quote by emailing letsgetsketchy@gmail.com and get your name in the pot for an extra drawing.

The winner of the hop will be randomly selected and will win a nice bag of scrap goodies from Let's Get Sketchy.  As always there are rules for playing!

Here are the rules for playing and winning:

1. You MUST be a follower of each LGS team members blog and leave a comment on each blog and;

2. You MUST also be a follower of the LGS blog.

Please make sure you visit the entire team today as some members are hosting additional blog challenges during the hop and offering their own extra goodies for you so the more you play the more chances you win!

All blog hop entries are due by midnight, March 8th, 2013. CST.   

Now hop on over to Stacey's blog to see what she has in store for you!

Here is the lineup in case you get lost!

Line up:

Brenshevia http://brensheviapapermemories.blogspot.ca/2013/03/birthday-bash.html

Debbie http://www.dpiercey.blogspot.com/2013/02/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-bash-blog-hop.html

Stacia http://happyandscrappytoo.blogspot.ca/2013/03/birthday-bash-blog-hop-lets-get-sketchy.html

Laurie http://laurielariviere.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lets-get-sketchy-turns-one.html

Carla http://www.carlacreates.ca/2013/03/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop_1.html

Michelle http://chellesscrapola.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop.html

Lynn http://scrappyhappymom.blogspot.ca/2013/02/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop.html

Alison http://adayinthelifeor5.blogspot.ca/2013/02/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop-bash.html

Melinda http://www.melindagarner.blogspot.ca/2013/02/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-bash-blog-hop.html

Tracy http://scrappydaze2012.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop.html

Sherri http://www.faithandscraphappiness.blogspot.ca/2013/03/happy-birthday-lets-get-sketchy.html

Marit http://ettkreativtkaos.blogspot.se/2013/03/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop.html

Lanette http://stacksofscraps.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lgs-blog-hops.html

Bev http://beeceecreativity.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop.html

Stephanie http://sucw.blogspot.com/2013/02/lets-get-sketchy-birthday-blog-hop.html 

Stacey http://spaceystaceyscrappygoodness.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lgs-birthday-bash-blog-hop.html <----------- You Are HERE!

LGS http://letsgetsketchy.blogspot.ca/2013/03/birthday-bash-hop.html

(I am entering my cards in the Unscripted Sketches, ScrapbookSteals MCM #15 - Rosettes, The Paper Girls Challenge #26 (washi) and KLD challenges)

Some Cards and an Upcoming Blog Hop

I got two birthday cards done this weekend - one for a nephew turning 9 and one for my dad.  The first one i used the S.W.A.T. sketch.  The papers are solid cardstock and MME FunDay.  I used the You are... sentiment inspired by ScrapbookSteals MCM.

The second card I used the Practical Scrappers February card sketch and some MME Sweater Weather (6x6).  This is the one for my dad who loves to ski, etc.

And finally, this weekend is going to be an amazing blog hop!  Let's Get Sketchy is celebrating its' first birthday!  There will be lots of prizes and fun, so come back on Friday to see the fun!