Rock Climbers Layout

The design team challenge from Let's Scrap is to create a monochromatic layout with one added color. Since this layout is mostly neutrals with the pop of blue, does it qualify? Hmmm . . . My favorite part is the title; I cut out the letters on my Cricut, sponged them with grey ink to make them look like rock, and popped them up to give more dimension. For a closer look, click on the photo.

Recipe:
True Happiness & Journaling Jots stamp sets
Black, White Daisy & Sky cardstock
Grey Wool & Sky ink
Black marker
Paper-clip
3-D foam tape
Pattern: Let's Scrap 1-11-12 sketch
Cricut Artist cartridge: notepaper, title

For Always Soar Card

I've been busy creating cards for an upcoming workshop using the soon-to-be-released paper pack, For Always. It's a lovely black and white collection to which you can add any color that strikes your fancy. I decided to go with Smokey Plum so that I could play along with this week's Color My Heart challenge to use black and white with a pop of color. I used the current Mojo Monday sketch, but tweaked it a little as inspiration struck. Hope you like it!

The Sketch:

My Card:

Recipe:
Live Out Loud stamp set
For Always Level 2 papers
Smokey Plum, Black & White Daisy cardstock
Smokey Plum & Black ink
Color-Ready Seam Binding ribbon
Pearl Opaques
Pattern: Mojo Monday 277
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: shaped square
Cricut Artiste cartridge: butterfly

SCS Variety Challenge 182 - Paint by the Numbers

Can you believe it's already the 4th Wednesday of the month? That means another Variety Challenge for Splitcoast Stampers. Please visit SCS (using the link below) if you would like to play along.

SBVC182 Paint by the Numbers
When I was a kid, I loved those paint by the numbers pictures. Your challenge this week is to pull out the paints and do some painting on your layout. It could be edging your photos, creating a background using dots of paint, decorating a chipboard title, etc. And for the "by the numbers" part, make sure you have a number somewhere on your page.

I painted the title and around the edges of my layout. First, I traced the number and letters using an old set of stencils I had, and then I carefully filled them in using a fine-tip paint brush. Finally, I added some highlights using a white gel pen. The end result isn't as polished as stamping or using my Cricut, but the process was fun, and shouldn't that be a big part of what scrapbooking is all about?

Recipe:
Limited Edition & Cherish the Day stamp sets
Black, Kraft, Cashmere & Colonial White cardstock
Chocolate & Barn Red ink
Black marker
White gel pen (Marvy)
Raw Sienna acrylic paint (Golden Artist Colors, Inc.)
Black ribbon & brads (old Connections Club Reward)
3-D foam tape
ABC Tracers Alphabet Templates (EK Success)
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped circle, tickets, arrows
Pattern: Best of Becky Higgins Sketches p.111

Any Downton Abbey fans out there?

I just discovered Downton Abbey and am hooked. Actually, I am really sad that I have such a limited Netflix subscription (only 2 rentals a month) because it's going to take me a long time to get though the first two seasons, and then I'm going to have to wait for Season 3 to be released! Anyway, for all fans of Downton Abbey who also scrapbook, here's a cute quiz posted by fellow Close to My Heart consultant Mary Gunn. Enjoy!

Clementine Card Set Winner

And the winner is  . . . Kim! Please e-mail me your contact information, and I will get those cards in the mail to you ASAP! Enjoy.

Clementine Card - Love and Hugs

The Clementine paper packet ended up being so easy to work with. The colors were bright, but not too bright, and I loved the addition of some neutrals to create a nice balance. On this card, I added a bit of texture by using my Swiss Dot Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Don't forget, today is the last day to leave a comment and win a set of Clementine card for your very own. See my 500th blog post here for details.

Recipe:
Words of Comfort & Whoo's Your Valentine stamp sets
Clementine Level 2 papers
Creme Brulee, Saddle & Champagne cardstock
Saddle ink
Colonial White grosgrain ribbon
Colonial White metal tag & brad
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border
Pattern: Mojo Monday 267

Clementine Card - With Love

Another Clementine card, this time using the fun balloon die-cut from my Artiste cartridge. Don't forget about my 500th blog post prize. Get the details here!

Recipe:
Whoo's Your Valentine & For Every Occasion stamp sets
Clementine Level 2 papers
Twilight, Creme Brulee, Saddle, Champagne & Colonial White cardstock
Twilight, Creme Brulee & Sorbet ink
Black marker
Colonial White grosgrain ribbon
Cricut Artiste cartridge: sun & hot air balloon
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped square
Pattern: Mojo Monday 263

Clementine Card - A Little Birdie

Back with another card from my Clementine card workshop. This one was versatile because the ladies could chose to stamp "it's your birthday" or "it's your anniversary" on the inside, or they could just leave it blank.

***I just realized I hit my 500th post on my blog, so I'm giving out some eye candy! Please comment on this post to win a set of Clementine cards. I'll announce a winner on Thursday.***

Recipe:
Authentic & Life is Tweet stamp sets
Clementine Level 2 papers
Sorbet, Creme Brulee, Saddle & Colonial White cardstock
Sorbet, Saddle & Twilight ink
Twilight & Creme Brulee markers
Sorbet ribbon
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped circle
Pattern: Mojo Monday 257

Whoo's Your Valentine, Clementine?

I have been busy all week working on a card workshop using the Clementine papers. They were so fun to work with, and as a bonus, I used my new Whoo's Your Valentine stamp set on several of the cards. This card came in two variations, and everyone got to pick which design they wanted to use. Love that darling little owl, and I plan to give my hubby the Love U Lots one for Valentine's Day. It's not traditional Valentine's colors, but he has never been a fan of pink, so I think it will be okay! These sketches use the current Mojo Monday sketch (#275).

 

Recipe:

Whoo's Your Valentine stamp set

Clementine Level 2 papers

Champagne, Creme Brulee, Saddle, Twilight & Colonial White cardstock

Twilight & Saddle ink

Colonial White grosgrain ribbon

3-D foam tape

Art Philosophy cartridge: photo corner

SCS Variety Challenge 181 - Stamping Stampede

It's the 2nd Wednesday of the month, so that means another Variety Challenge for Splitcoast Stampers.Please visit SCS (using the link below) if you would like to play along.

SBVC181 Stamping Stampede

I have so many wonderful stamps, and I haven't been using them as much since I got my Cricut, so this week's challenge is to pull out those stamps and use them creatively. I would love to see a stampede of stamping techniques on your layouts. Show me what you can do with your stamps!

For my layout, I chose to use masking (the title), creating a background (the photo mat), and curving a stamp to create a different shape (the border for the circle).

For those who are wondering what I mean by masking, here's a quick tutorial from Splitcoast Stampers on how to do this: Reverse Masking Tutorial. It's so easy to combine multiple images to make one sentiment or design. I created my title using words from two different stamps. There are several other ways you can mask, and here's a fun video produced by the CTMH team that demonstrates a few of those methods.

Recipe:
My One and Only, Baroque Borders, Universal Backgrounds & Eclectic Edges stamp sets
Bella & Victory Level 2 papers
Whisper, Olive, Sky & Bamboo cardstock
Whisper, Olive, Sky, Cocoa & Smokey Plum ink
Burlap ribbon
Craft buttons
Milepost Shapes: stars
Pattern: Nuts About Sketches Week 242

The Light and Glory of Christmas Layout

I am almost done with scrapping the photos from a Christmas musical I directed and sang in way back in 2002 (can't believe it took 10 years to get around to these pictures!), so here is another layout. I wanted to incorporate the ball and jacks challenges from Child's Play into my layout, and the design on the green patterned paper reminded me of jacks, so I added red circles for the ball and a row of "jacks" next to the title. 4 Crafty Chicks wanted to see ribbons and bows on our projects, so I tied four cute little faux bows for their challenge.

Recipe:
This Way & Spot On Backgrounds stamp sets
Mistletoe Creative Basics and Level 2 papers
Cocoa, Cranberry, Bamboo, Desert Sand & Colonial White cardstock
Cranberry, Bamboo, Desert Sand & New England Ivy ink
Desert Sand marker
Cranberry grosgrain ribbon
Sparkles
3-D foam tape
Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge: scalloped border, title box
Pattern: Let's Scrap 8-3-11

Song of Glory, Star of Grace Layout

Super simple layout using just cardstock, ink, embossing powder, a marker, and gold brads! I tried doing my journaling using a gold Gelly Roll pen, but it's so old that the ink is very faint. There will be journaling in the center square, but I need to order the CTMH gold metallic pen and try using that instead.

Recipe:
Glory to God & Friendship Alphabet Small stamp sets
Black cardstock
Versamark ink
Versamarker
Gold Gelly Roll pen (Sakura)
Gold embossing powder
Gold brads
Pattern: Nuts About Sketches Week 167

Once Upon a Silent Night Layout

Let's Scrap is doing a Layout a Day (LOAD) challenge again, and even though I am too busy to do 31 layouts this month, I thought I'd at least start that challenge and see how many I can crank out. Here's #1! I was so excited that I remembered the O'Scrap die-cuts and stickers that I had purchased about 9 years ago that had been sitting in my stash ever since. I didn't use all of them, but I made a good dent!

Recipe:
Mayberry Level 2 papers
Smoothie, Honey, Olive, Cocoa & Colonial White cardstock
Smoothie, Honey, Olive & Cocoa ink
Cocoa marker
Manger Scene & O Holy Night Die-cuts (O'Scrap)
Peace on Earth Stickers (O'Scrap)
Scalloped border punch (Fiskars)
Wishblade: title using Berlin San Demi font
Pattern: Let's Scrap 11-21-12