CAS-ual Fridays Release Day 2 - Dashing Stamps and Snow Fri-Dies!

Welcome to Day 2 of the CAS-ual Fridays Release!  Today we're showing off the new Dashing Stamp Set and Snow Fri-Dies.  I was all set to create a card for today but I've been thinking lately it's time I slapped some pics on a page and made a layout.  And when I thought of the sentiment Dashing Through The Snow, I remembered how every year when my kids were small we'd go on the Santa Express and what dashes through the snow better than a train?!  So this idea came to me!

I chose some papers from a leftover pack that I've had for quite a while in my stash.  When I planned the pages in my head my color scheme was different... mostly blues and white... but when I found the pictures I wanted to use there was a lot of red (I mean Santa, right??) so I was happy to find these papers easily.  I started by adding the two wide strips and then I splattered on some acrylic paints in white, blue, and black.

I chose a few of my favorite pics from the day to be on this layout.  This will be the first page of my layouts and the rest will be in photo pocket pages.  I started scrapping this way a few years ago... I took A LOT of pics every time we did something so I was finding it hard to scrapbook all of them.  And I love the look of a page with just a few photos on it so this method is perfect for me!  I can really go to town on the one or two layout(s) and plop the rest in pocket pages!  I'll decorate those just a bit so they coordinate with this page, but it will be quick and easy!

In this upper left corner, I stamped the "Dashing Through The" sentiment from the stamp set.  I fussy cut it out and then die cut the Dashing word from glitter paper and layered it over the stamped image. 

I love how it gave the Dashing word an outline to make it stand out!

And then the second part of my sentiment over in the bottom right hand corner of these top photos

That Snow word die... gorgeous, right??  

I finished decorating my page using the snowflakes from the Funky Flakes Fri-Dies cut from glitter paper and those beautiful borders from the Lovely Links Fri-Dies along with some embellishments, stickers, and sequins from my stash.

And then down here a few more photos... you know how old photos with a point and shoot camera are... they're perfect for cutting small photos to add almost as an embellishment to your pages.  Oh!  And those pretty glittery hearts?  A lovely by-product from my Lovely Links cuts... it's like a two-fer!

And this week is Anything Goes over at Double Trouble Challenges and until Wednesday at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday too!  I'm playing along with both!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Be sure to check out what everyone else has made using these awesome new stamps and dies!

Find all of the new products for this release.. already available in the shop here...orders placed during the release will begin shipping November 5th.   And here's a code for you to save some $$ should you decide to shop!

Cutting Cafe Inspiration-Anything Goes January 2018

Welcome to some Cutting Cafe Inspiration!  This time around it's Anything Goes!  Regina let us pick any file we wanted to work with and I chose the Polaroid and Camera Fun Template and Printable Set.

I decided although this is a layout from a Santa Train Ride, I wanted to use these Jack papers and complements... I mean ... Santa is kind of lumberjacky isn't he?...lol!  

I used the cutting files on this two page layout using pics from (so) long ago!  The cameras, the hearts, the flash and all of those black arrows, the filmstrips and the awesome polaroid frames that frame some of my favorite pics are all in the cutting file!

 Along with some ephemera I had, some extras on my desk from previous projects, and a few diecuts I love the way this layout came out.  When I decided to do a layout, I went to one of my favorite places for inspiration, Yvonne Yam's blog Do More With Less and one of the many gorgeous and fun layouts in this post here!  Can you tell which one?

I'm playing along with the Heart2Heart Challenge, Picture Perfect!  I'm also playing along with the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge to Add A Sentiment. 

Don't you just LOVE those cameras???  So cute cut from patterned paper.  There is also a polaroid camera in the cutting file and two larger ones that are shaped cards!  Not to mention a bunch of really cute printable sentiments.  That Happy die has been sitting on my desk for months... MONTHS!  It ended up being too big for the card I wanted to it for and I'm so happy because I love using it on this one!

So yeah... that's me with my two boys.. they are 28 and 23 now!!... and that smile of mine...lol... that's what you get when I try to smile for a picture and why most of the time I prefer to be behind the camera...lol!

I had originally cut the polaroid frames from white paper, but with all of the white in the background they got lost and then I came across this cool print in the paper pack and knew it would be awesome... I think I was right.  I layered them over the white ones because it made for a thicker frame.  Most of the snowflakes were leftovers and the cups of cocoa are from MFT.  And yes, I'm missing some journaling, but I'll add that before I put it away... maybe...lol!!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you'll try out this Polaroid and Camera fun file!  It did make for a lot of fun on this layout.  Also make sure if you haven't already, you head on over to Yvonne's blog and check it out!  Now be sure to get over to the Cutting Cafe Blog and comment there for a chance to win some free files and for links to all of my design teamies' projects for today... don't miss the awesome!

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #224

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #224!  Sharing another page from my mini album today!  This is a small one that is just a bit bigger than a 4x6 photo.  LOVE that lacy sticker I got a long time ago at the dollar store of all places!  The papers are old retired papers from Close to My Heart and I used various dies for the banners, flowers, and happy word.

Quick post today!  Hope you're enjoying my mini album progress and when I've gotten through all of the pages, I'll have a post that shows the whole thing finished.

Thanks so much for following along!  Hope you'll play with us over at Atlantic Hearts this week!

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #223

Welcome to this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge!  Today I used the sketch for another page in my mini album gift for my SIL.  Quite a while ago I had her bring me some of her favorite photos... I didn't tell her why... just told her... Do it!  And she obliged.. and was also very nice over the next couple years to not ask what the heck happened to her photos!...lol... I'm using all of the upcoming ASCH layouts to finish this album so that I can give it to her for her birthday.  I used some old retired CTMH papers and lots of dies...

I cut the heart using some CTMH dies and those flowers that you'll find scattered around on many layouts were a purchase of various flower dies from Peachy Cheap... I was very happy with that bunch that came in... the love die I borrowed from my mom.

I'm loving the Nuvo drops to add splatters here and there especially when I have a project I have to keep somewhat flat... and I got double duty from that doily diecut... 

Oh!  And I haven't forgotten about my 100 follower drawing!  Well, I did forget... and then I remembered... and then I forgot... and then I remembered again.. and so on... getting things in order after a long vacation so I'll be announcing the winner(s) soon!  Thanks for your patience!

Thanks for stopping by and I sure hope you'll play along with us this week!

Jeepers Creepers-Not Just For Halloween

So, if you've been following me you hear me say all the time that so many of the themed paper packs from Close To My Heart are very flexible and can be used for almost any kind of layout.  Jeepers Creepers Workshop was challenging because it's very Halloween themed.. that being said.. so many of the papers are not themed, but are very cute, fun and versatile!  Here, I started with a regular piece of white cardstock and splattered some various colors of watercolor paint on in the colors I was using from the paper pack (or close).. and of course I sprayed a few gold droplets on as well because... that's how I am!

These one page layouts are perfect for those random pics you take... the day to day.. playing on the playground... in the backyard... the kids are doing something adorable or look particularly cute that you just can't stand it and you need to capture it... this little guy is 22 now... yup.. I cut the Happy sentiment and hearts from glitter paper using the new dies and black glitter cardstock.  The stars and arrows came from the Complements that came with the workshop and are black glitter chipboard and I just used a few leftover papers, some washi tape (that also came with the workshop) and some shimmer trim in teal.

And then I mirrored all of the above down in the opposite corner.  For a final touch I added some sequins and some dots in various colors.  Next weekend one of my friends/customers is hosting a Jeepers Creepers workshop and along with all of the 2 page layouts in the workshop, we'll do this one page layout.  (I did cut them an extra word and a couple hearts).

Here are the layouts that are in the workshop:

This one is mostly as it is in the workshop as far as the layout and papers.

I'm a little short on Halloween pics as most of them are scrapbooked already, so I found some pics that were not Halloween and modified this one a little ... I love the way it came out... Double Trouble for sure!

And this one is mostly like the layout also, but I had to modify it because these pics are from way back when we had film and 3 1/2 x 5" prints...lol!  But I mostly cropped the extra space out of the photos and fit them within the mats cut from the workshop.  For mine I did add some extra purple because I goofed and cut my pics a little too small... it happens... but it was a happy accident!

Thanks for stopping and come back tomorrow for my Cutting Cafe/Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge mashup!

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challege #134

 

Welcome to Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #134!  When I saw this one, I immediately thought scrapbook page... and then I though White Pines PML and my many many pictures from last Christmas (really 2nd Christmas) when the boys came to celebrate the holidays with us in January.  My youngest is in the food industry and is unable to take time off during the holidays and so we celebrate via Skype on Christmas morning and then they both come out in January for a big in person celebration.    It was hard to take a picture of this one... the heart stencils are in a gold and shimmer which didn't come through in the picture as well as the spray that is on the background... looks kind of brownish... but it is much prettier in person.

 

Check out the shaker pocket below:

 

This is "part of" a group of layouts about us getting (trying to get) a big family pic on ugly sweater Christmas Night.  And trying to get the dogs to cooperate also (in later pages to come).  Anyway, PML cards and page protectors are gonna make it easy to get all of those pics scrapped quickly! 

The main layout is my sketch project and it was a really fun page to put together and I was able to use so many different elements.

Stop on over to Atlantic Hearts this week and take the challenge!

 

H2H Distressing Challenge

Here is another page for my son's school album.  He's graduating from High School this year.  The challenge this week for the Heart 2 Heart Challenge Blog is to use distressing... which... if you know me... really isn't a challenge at all...lol!  I used Vintage Type for the pennants, the washers, and the tag, and Playful Alpha for the title.  A couple of the pennants were run through my cuttlebug and then distressed with Outdoor Denim.  The papers are from You Rock, an oldie but a goodie.  I knew I wanted to use this paper for his album so I made sure I had enough before it went away.  Check out all the great projects at Heart 2 Heart and play along!

It's A Fantabulous 'Prom-enade'!

A few weeks ago I made the Top 5 at the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge and was asked to be a Guest Designer for this week's challenge which was to create something using a tux/dress or prom/dance theme.  For my project I made a layout for my son's senior prom picture and used all of the above.  I used Art Philosophy for the flowers and the word "Prom"; I used Gypsy Wanderings Font for the word "senior" and the year; I used Sweethearts for the tux and the tag; Fancy Frames for the flourishy frame; and Gypsy Wanderings for the dress.  The ribbon is CTMH's Color Ready Seam Binding Ribbon colored with Lagoon Ink.  I used up some old Ocean and Breeze papers along with Grey Wool, Colonial White and Black.  This page was a labor of love and I had a lot of fun making it.  I can't wait to put the pic on it!  Also, thanks to Beckie and the rest of the Fantabulous Cricut Design Team for allowing me to join them this week.  Check out the blog and my spotlight from Sunday, and play along this week!  I can't wait to see what everyone creates!

H2H Stitching Challenge

Last week's Heart2Heart Challenge was to use stitching, real or faux on your project.  I have been working on my son's school album since he's graduating this year and this is one of the portrait pages.  I did some hand stitching with baker's twine on the upper left hand side of the layout and used our acrylic ruler to punch the holes.  It took some time, but I like the look of it.  I've yet to try stitching with my sewing machine....maybe someday...lol.  The colors are Outdoor Denim, Goldrush, Indian Corn Blue.  The papers are from an old retired pack.

More Dotty Fun

This layout of my son playing Broomball a few years ago was done with one of the Dotty For You papers. It was perfect for the layout and the Superhero rub-ons worked perfectly with it as well. I used my Art Philosophy alpha to cut out Corey's team name and trimmed off some of the letters to make it look more like the font on the rub-ons.

Playing With 'Dotty For You' Papers

So my Dotty For You papers came in last week and I decided my first project with them would be an Easter layout of pictures from last Easter. The colors in this paper pack are so pretty and bright they are perfect for Easter and Spring projects as well as so many others.

I also used Cricut cuts from Art Philosophy and Give A Hoot. Stamp sets were My Peeps, Word Puzzle, Say It In Style. The butterflies are from Just Blooms. I'm entering the layout in the H2H Challenge for last week to create something for Easter or Spring and in the Fantabulous Cricut Challenge Me Monday #105 to create something with eggs. Please do visit both of these blogs to challenge yourself and have some fun!

Another Great Byrncliff Layout

Here is a layout from the challenge at Byrncliff that Brooke created. She did a great job including the CTMH products along with some other papers and Cricut cuts she had in her stash!

H2H Color Challenge

Last week's challenge at the Heart2Heart Challenge Blog was a color challenge. The colors to use were Sweet Leaf, Sunkiss Yellow, and Sky. My inspiration for this layout came from a layout in Cricut Magazine. The clusters in that one were flowers instead of butterflies. I used the stamp set Best Things. The butterflies are from the Art Philosophy cartridge and cut out of various paper packs and stamped papers. I used the spray pen to splash a little extra color on the background and the butterflies. I used liquid glass on some of the butterflies wings to help them lift a little.

Byrncliff Challenge

This is a page Denise Georger created with the items in the Challenge baggy at Byrncliff. Denise's papers were from the Magic paper pack... an oldie but a goody... great layout!

Heart2Heart Sketch Challenge

This week's challenge on the Heart2Heart Challenge Blog is a sketch challenge. We were to use the sketch above to inspire our artwork. I decided to make a scrapbook page for my album about me. I used the Stella paper pack and stickease and this layout came together pretty quick. I added some Opaques adhesive pearls and crocheted flowers and buttons from the Bohemian collection.

One Truly Original Girl

Here is a layout we made at a gathering yesterday. I used a layout from the Reflections how-to book. I did add a few things tonight. The paper pack I used is Florentine. The flourish, bracket and flower were cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge. The flower was stamped with the "Just For You" stamp set that coordinates with the cartridge. The title was stamped with "You Are", one of the future stamp of the months. To embellish I added plenty of bling, some Just Blooms butterflies, ribbon and liquid glass.
Also congratulations to Donna Davis! She won the color challenge for January. Donna will receive a gift from me. Don't forget about February's challenge to create something using the collage cubes and/or Rock the Block open to any of my customers who purchsed the Rock the Block set in December or January. Send me a pic to be entered into the drawing.