Monkeying Around

I was looking through some photos the other night with my daughter, as I had the urge to scrap something fun.  Upon seeing these photos, my daughter started to sing the song she had created the day she got Billy Jean her sock monkey. The beginning line of her song would work wonderfully for a title too so I went with the sock monkey photos.

Over at Let's Get Sketchy, the challenge for this week was Anything Goes and decided to play along.  I chose a sketch from their blog's July sketch posts that fit with my two photos.





Supplies: patterned paper, cardstock stickers, and twine (MME), cardstock (Bazzill), chipboard (Simple Stories), glitter letter stickers (MLS), cardstock letter stickers & year sticker (Echo Park), corrugated letters (Jillibean Soup), gelatos (Faber-Castell), gesso (Golden), ink (CTMH), pen (Staedtler)

A little MME Lime Twist from my stash was the perfect accompaniment for these photos.  I added a little Cotton Candy coloured gelato gessoed bubble wrap stamping to the background page in place of patterned paper and got creative with my title typography.

Here is the Let's Get Sketchy sketch that I used:

A fun layout to commemorate a fun childhood memory!

TTFN,

A Mixed Media Colour Challenge #3

I was inspired by the new A Mixed Media Color Challenge site's colour challenge # 3 for July.  It is so gorgeous and one of my favourite home decorating colour combinations.

Supplies: patterned paper (House of 3/Pink Paislee), cardstock (CTMH), distress ink and blk ink (Ranger), stamp (Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous), flower trim, (Webster's Pages), burlap trim (MME), wood veneer stars and stencil (Studio Calico), glitter letter stickers (Reflections), molding paste (Golden), mirror butterfly (Dollarama), bubble wrap (misc.)

 I love all the textures that I used on this card.  At the top half with the molding paste, gesso and wood veneer stars...

and then the burlap and fabric trim at the bottom.

Here is the splendid AMMCC #3 colour board:

I was playing with molding paste for the first time and trying to get the hang of it.  I knew I wanted to make a stamped frame out of the paste but before I took on the frame on my card, experimented with it using a stamped blob attempt on a mini card. 

Supplies: cardstock and sentiment stamp (CTMH), chandelier stamp (Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous), distress inks and blk ink (Ranger), molding paste (Golden) glimmer mist (Tattered Angels), border punch (Fiskar), floss (Anchor), cheese cloth (misc.)

Love this one too! How darn cute is that?!

I have to say it was worth the effort as I learned lots on how to get just the right texture thinkness and dry time before stamping the paste with my five attempts at that chandelier. LOL!  Luckily it is easy to remove or add to the paste with each boo-boo and easily enough to re-stamp with a clear acrylic stamp.;)

If you haven't checked out the new AMMCC site, be sure to check it out.  All the projects created are such eye candy and so inspirational!

TTFN,

MME July Sketch Challenge

With lots of details and stamping, this month's MME sketch provided the inspiration for this layout:



Supplies: patterned papers, stamps, chipboard, chipboard letters, label, enamel dots, and washi tapes (MME), ink (Ranger), cardstock, alphabet stamps, and pen (CTMH), and thread (Aurifil Mako' ne)

Primarily using The Sweetest Thing collection, my take pretty much sticks directly with the sketch.  Why mess with it when it works so well?!:)

I added in some stitched circles, used some washi tapes from the Lost & Found 3 collection and stamped directly on the page as well as created embellishment pieces using oodles of different MME stamps (Miss Caroline and Indie Chic collections).

TTFN,

A Little Catch Up With Cards

I hadn't gotten around to sharing these cards that I had made over the last months so I am sharing them in one card catch up post.

First up... a birthday card for a friend.

Supplies:  Patterned paper (Fancy Pants), glittered chipboard pieces (DCWV), cardstock and sentiment stamp (CTMH), ink (StazOn), Baker's Twine (Maya Road), letter stickers (October Afternoon), boarder punch (Stampin' Up), jewels (Dollarama)

This one is unique in that I made the chevron strip with chipboard photo corners and edged two of the chipboard pieces with Maya Road baker's twine.  I really like the weight and thickness of this twine.  It shows really well on projects.

Second up... a birthday card for Dad.

Supplies: Stamps [bow ties, monticule and 'stache sentiment and sentiment stamp], chipboard and cork label (Magenta), wht cardstock and coloured inks (CTMH), black ink and Stickles(Ranger), paint (Plaid), blk cardstock (Bazzill), jewels (misc.)

This one was made using stamps and chipboard from the new Magenta Gentle-made collection. For how-to tutorial, head over to my post on the Magenta blog here.

Lastly,  a card for mom.



Supplies: Patterned paper and pink cardstock (DCWV), black and white cardstock (CTMH), border punch (Fiskars), letter stickers (Reflections), baker's twine (Jillibean Soup), jewels (Dollarama)

I love when you can take some scraps and create something pretty from them.

TTFN,

Magenta July Colour Challenge

Girly, fresh and flowery fun... that was my first impression when I saw Magenta's July Colour Challenge and it inspired me to create this layout...




Supplies: patterned papers, stamps, corrugated letters (Magenta), cardstock and marker (CTMH), fabric chipboard letters (American Crafts), ink (Ranger), punch (Stampin' Up), Glimmer Mists (Tattered Angels), baker's twine (Maya Road), jewel brads, tissue paper, flower confetti and flower petals (Dollarama), pen (Steadtler) and thread (Aurifil Mako' ne)

I remembered the preprinted 5x7 photo that I had of my niece's SK graduation sitting in my "photos to scrap" photo box and knew it would be the perfect colour complement for this challenge.

I used all 5 colours, a bit of sanding to tone down the dark purple paper, distressed edges, and some double chevron and boarder stitching.

Then came the embellis starting with the punched tie-dyed tissue paper flower that I had made previously from my experiment in tie-dying that you might remember from my Fly, Soar layout blog post. 

Baker's twine leaves, mini cut fabric flower petals and mini confetti flowers with title work, hand journaling and stamping complete the layout.

The chevron stamp and the Carpe Diem stamps are both new from the Magenta 2013 catalogue released in the June.

You have until later this month to complete this challenge so give it a go and be sure to link it to the challenge post for a chance to win Magenta product.

Speaking of catalogues, there is also a new releases catalogue up at Magenta.

I can't wait to play with some of the new stamps from this line.  The collection has some really pretty seasonal patterned papers that you should check out.  They are Winter & Christmas in theme but so versatile in design and colours, that they can be used for oodles of non Christmas/Winter related projects.  They will only be available by preorder request so sure to ask your local scrappy supply place to order them.

TTFN,

PageMaps Anniversary 1-2-3-4 Challenge Card

It has been a while but I am still here.  Another new job assignment leaves me with very little me time thus minimal scrap time.  I found myself really needing a mini crafting fix and decided to make a quick card.

My inspiration... PageMaps of course! LOL! I visited the sight and see that Becky has oodles of events going on for her site's 7th Anniversary.  I decided to do the 1-2-3-4 Challenge which encompasses 3 areas: a recipe, a colour scheme, and the use of a card sketch.

Here is what I came up with...

Supplies: Patterned papers and chipboard (Echo Park), baker's twine (Jillibean Soup), border punch (Fiskars), cardstock (Bazzill), brad (Making Memories)

 I used one of my favourite Echo Park lines-  the "This & That Graceful Collection". Perfect for the four colours of the recipe.  I have the 1 brad, 2 patterned papers, 3 layers and all four colours.  I used baker's twine to create the lollipop with doublw side tape on a circle punch shape.

This was the recipe card...



and the card sketch...






















TTFN,

A Little Bit of Spring

Happy spring everyone in the northern hemisphere! The first day of a new season means time to start using my spring siggie.  Welcome little nesters!:)

It might be the first day but it sure doesn't feel like it... or look like it for that matter.  Awfully cold with lots of white stuff and more to come.  At least the sun made an appearance today to lighten one's soul and make me yearn for above zero temperatures.

Can you believe that Easter is just around the corner?  It is an early one this year.  Today I am sharing my Easter egg layout that went up on the Magenta blog today.  Some of the Magenta DT gals and I did takes on Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine's It's a Sketchy Challenge for March.

Supplies: patterned papers, chipboard butterflies, chipboard letters (Magenta), cardstock (CTMH), acrylic letters (Heidi Swapp), glitter (Doodlebug Designs), embroidery floss (Loops and Threads), font: HelloChunky

For my take on the sketch, I turned it sideways to accommodate my photo and I went with a clean and simple style to highlight the photo. Some fun stitching pattern and shaped chipboard butterflies with glittered bodies provide touches of texture. I also matched the journaling text colour to the egg and the title.

Here is the March sketch created by Sue Sykes for Canadian Scrapbooker.

You have until the end of the month to post in their Sketchy gallery here.  Check out the wonderful inspirational layout on this month's sketch and others there too. 

TTFN,

MME March Die Cut Challenge

Oh the lengths we will sometimes go to get a photo. LOL! Not what I originally was going to start this post with but it is so true and I am sure there are many of you who know what I am taking about.  After over 4 days of overcast snowy/freezing rain skies and in the quest to get some decent natural lighting, I ventured outside between flurry clouds to prop my card against the fence because it was too windy to prop up otherwise (even with the fence it fell into the snow several times.. the upside... it is -8 degrees Celsius so the snow did not melt on the card, it was brush/blow off-able. LOL!)  I would so not try this with a layout because I would fear for the photographs. Some might wonder.. why not just use editing software? I do use a very simple one for the most part just to crop and sharpen but for me it all begins with a good shot.

Well I think it was worth it and I got a decent shot.  An added bonus... the fence colour works with the Indie Chic Ginger papers.  Who knew?

Supplies: patterned papers, die cut, garland, buttons, twine and packaging (MME), cardstock (Bazzill), doily (Today's Kitchen), letter stamps, hole reinforcement stamp and ink (CTMH), France Postage image stamp (Melissa Frances), butterfly punch (EK Success), tag die (Sizzix), jewels (Dollarama)

Sometimes things evolve in such a way as you go and it is a good thing.  That was the case in the creation of this card.  I started with the MME March Challenge task which was to use some MME die cuts.  When I first read the challenge, I had to laugh for just a few days before I had made a layout for the PageMaps sketch challenge that purposely used 3 die cuts from the Collectable line as both the title and journaling. You can see it in this post here.

After choosing which die cut and theme I wanted to use, I knew I wanted to add the garland and the strip of paper, a Bon Voyage stamped sentiment to go with the die cut theme, an arrow and butterflies.  From there it grew,  a doily to back the die cut, pop up dots to add dimension, oh a tag I had made but had abandon for a larger one on a previous MME layout... mmm...stamp a travel image... oh found a reinforcement stamp on an alphabet sheet... works...add some twine to the arrow... okay add some buttons... hey, I like the packaging image line...think it would make a cute thin arrow...works... ummm, I want some more grey... twine around the arrow, in the buttons... oh that single strip of pattern paper looks lonely... a little twine with that and oh don't forget just a bit on the tag. Call it done.  I really do love how a challenge and great products inspire me to play and create something good.


You can see all the bits in this closer look.

If you get a chance, check out some of the other wonderful creations entered into the challenge here.  Talk about eye candy!:)


TTFN,

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here's a bit of the luck of the Irish on this day of green in a quilted, distressed, sun-ray card made with some pretty green papers from Magenta.





Supplies: patterned papers and chipboard letters (Magenta), ink and stickles (Ranger), letter stamps (CTMH), heart die (Sizzix), doily die (Die-namics), jewels (Dollarama), thread (Aurifil Mako'ne)



I used a heart die cut and pieced the hearts together to create the four leaf shamrock and popped it up on a die cut mini doily.

Magenta products used:

                        

TTFN,

Clean and Simple Stamped Cards

I am up on the Magenta blog today with two clean and simple cards with touches of glitter that I made using some adorable Magenta image and sentiment stamps.



Supplies: image and sentiment stamps (Magenta), cardstock (Bazzill), blk ink and stickles (Ranger), blue watercolour gelato (Faber-Castell), watercolour pencil crayons (Reeves), blue ink (Studio G), pen (Creative Memories)

I had fun on this first one using a new medium to me... gelatos.  Wow, these have some vibrant colour but are a little tricky due to the chunky size of the crayon but love the effect. 



Supplies: patterned paper, image stamp and sentiment stamp (Magenta), cardstock (Bazzill), ink and stickles(Ranger), watercolour pencil crayons (Reeves)

You can read more about the techniques used here on the Magenta blog.

TTFN,