Monday, March 19, 2012

Rock 'n Roll

I finally found some time to scrap and got a new layout done tonight! This one came together really quickly, even though it is kind of outside my normal style. I used the Sassy Scrapper March Sketch for this layout and the new Bo Bunny On the Go collection (so cute and perfect for my little guy). I took the pictures earlier this week - we've had some amazing early Spring weather here in Southern Ontario, so we took advantage of the gorgeous day and went to the park (even though poor Will hasn't been feeling that great).
I followed the sketch pretty closely for this challenge - just making a couple of minor adjustments with the banner and the cluster of embellishments in the centre. All the papers, with the exception of the photo mats and journal card, are from the Bo Bunny On the Go collection. I lightly tool-distressed the edges of all the Bo Bunny papers and then inked them with Distress Ink in Walnut Stain. The photo mats are Core'dinations paper which I sanded to get the faded/distressed effect. I popped the photos up on the layout with 3D foam adhesive. I fussy cut the traffic signs and cogs from the Bo Bunny papers for the embellishment cluster in the centre of the layout and the three signs on the right side of the page and added dimension by adhering some of the cut-out elements with 3D foam adhesive.
I used a large chipboard gear from a Maya Road coaster album behind the horizontal photo and some Jenni Bowlin chipboard elements for the banner. I treated all the chipboard pieces with Distress Stain in Stormy Sky and then inked the edges with Distress Ink in Walnut Stain. I used a few nail-head brads to attach the twine for the banner. I used a double swag for the banner instead of the single swag on the sketch so that it would better frame the layout/photos.
I used a border strip from the Bo Bunny cut-outs sheet with some My Mind's Eye lined cardstock to create a journal card, which I tucked behind the horizontal photo. I'm trying to make myself journal more for my layouts - so hidden journalling is great because I don't usually like to mess-up my layouts with my (often) terrible handwriting.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Materials Used:
Patterned Paper - Bo Bunny "On the Go" collection - Combo StickersCut-outs, Gears, Roads, and Signs; My Mind's Eye "Lost and Found" collection - Market Street "Love" Demure Paper; Core'dinations Essentials Collection in Vienna Lake; Jenni Bowlin Chipboard Elements; Maya Road Chipboard Gear from Gear Coaster Album; Distress Stain in Stormy Sky; Distress Ink in Walnut Stain; Karen Foster Designs Scrapper's Spool Twine in Cobalt, Blue Gel Pen; Memory Tape Runner XL; Glue Dots Memory Book; Memory Makers 3D Foam Adhesive.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Are you a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

I've been so busy that I've hardly found time to scrap for over a week - but I finally finished the second layout that I had started on my all-day crop on March 3rd. This is another layout of me and my sister; this picture was taken about four years ago. It is my absolute favourite "grown up" picture of the two of us together. My sister and I both love the movie "The Wizard of Oz" and my sister teases me all the time that I am a witch and then I ask her where her flying monkeys are... Anyhow, inspired by our mutual teasing, here is my layout entitled Are you a Good Witch or a Bad Witch.
With the exception of some Black Core'dinations paper used as the photo mat, all the elements of this layout are from Graphic 45's "Wizard of Oz" paper collection. I tried to get a 'shadow-box' effect with this layout and cut the centre out of the Wicked! paper to frame the layout. I layered the frame on top of the Goblin Gazette paper using 3D Foam Adhesive. Here is a close-up of the layers/dimension in this layout.
I tool-distressed all the papers for the layout and did a lot of fussy cutting. I used an edge punch for a small strip of paper (the reverse side of the Goblin Gazette paper) that I placed inside the top edge of the frame. I used a collage of compasses that I fussy cut from the Wicked! paper as the background for the photo. I also cut the flying monkeys (gotta have flying monkeys!) from the Wicked! paper and used them as a 3D embellishment. The postage stamps are cut from the Parcel Post paper -- you'll notice that they are strategically placed to emphasize who the good witch is (me of course!) and who the bad witch is. I used some of the Emerald City paper and a paper doily that I inked with Distress Ink in Black Soot as layering and as the background for the title. I also added the Wicked Witch of the West square cut from the There's No Place Like Home paper. I assembled the layout intentionally placing all the elements so that the image of Glinda from the Goblin Gazette page at the base of the layout would still show.

For the title, I used a combination of Kaiser Craft tiny alphas in Raisin (for the words "Are you a .....or a...") and Thickers Foam Stickers from the Nightfall collection (for the words "Good Witch ...Bad Witch").

That's all for today! Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Materials Used:
Patterned Papers - Graphic 45 "The Wizard of Oz" - Emerald CityGoblin Gazette, Parcel Post, There's No Place Like Home, and Wicked!; Core'dinations Tim Holtz Distress Collection Black Soot; Kaiser Craft Tiny Alphas in Raisin; American Crafts Thickers Nighfall Collection in Black Elm; Paper Doily; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Black Soot; Memory Tape Runner XL; Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares

Monday, March 5, 2012

Sisters

I went to an all-day crop on Saturday and got TWO layouts done! (Well - really about one and three-quarters - I'm working on the final embellishing on my second layout.....) It was great to have a whole day with my scrappy friends and relax and have some crafty fun. I scrapped a photo of my sister and I from when I was a baby - I think the photo was taken c.1976. I used the March sketch from the C'est Magnifique blog and The Color Room Palette #100 for this layout.
I used Graphic 45's "ABC Primer" Collection and a little bit of DCWV (the butterfly paper) for this layout. The background page, polka dot, ruler, alphabet and addition papers are all from the G45 "ABC Primer" Collection. I added the DCWV butterfly paper to make the layout a little more girly and also to bring in some of the pink for the Color Room Palette. I distressed all the papers for this layout with a tool distresser (no ink this time). I used Core'dinations Cardstock for the light pink punched border (left side of layout) and I sanded and distressed brown and blue Core'dinations paper to use as matting for the photo. I love how the blue mat really helps the picture pop on the page.
The title is inside a Tim Holtz Ornate Plate with some sanded brown Core'dinations paper behind with Kaisercraft Tiny Alpha stickers for the title letters. I fussy cut some butterflies out of the DCWV papers and added some twine linking the path of butterflies up the right side of the layout.
I made the burlap ribbon flower using a Gluber and added a wooden button (kindly donated by my friend Kelly) with a twine bow as the flower centre. The key is from the bargain bin at Michael's and the wooden fob-watch is by Kaisercraft. The tags are fussy cut from the G45 paper. The journalling reads: "Even a baby sister can be a shoulder to lean on - always there for her big sister." My sister has been going through some difficult times lately and I've tried to be there for her as much as possible even though we live a fair distance apart.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog - and please leave a comment if you stopped by - I love to read them.
Materials Used:
Patterned Papers - Graphic 45 "ABC Primer" - Happy Go Lucky, Juming Jean, School Days, and One Two Buckle My Shoe; DCWV - Butterfly Paper; Core'dinations Cardstock in Rose Embroidery, Vienna Lake and Chocolate Mocha, Tim Holtz Ornate Plate; Kaisercraft Tiny Alphas in Rum; Cosmo Cricket Gluber; Burlap Ribbon, Twine and Wooden Button from Stash; Recollections Metal Key; Kaisercraft Wooden Flourish - Fob Watch; EK Success Border Punch; Glue Dots - Memory Book and Mini; Memory Tape Runner XL.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Cherish - The Paper Mixing Bowl Challenge #1

Welcome to my first reveal for The Paper Mixing Bowl Challenge Blog! I love participating in challenges and I am so excited to be kicking off my very own challenge blog with some great scrappy friends. I hope you enjoy this month's challenge and will hop on over to The Paper Mixing Bowl blog and play along! For my layout for this challenge, I scrapped one of my absolute favourite photos of my son....isn't he just the cutest baby ever?!?!?
Here is the recipe card for the challenge:
I have used the "main ingredient" - dark chocolate coloured paper - as the background page and in the flowers, paper ruffle and layering under the photo. I followed my sketch (i.e. the "measurements") fairly closely and I managed to use all six "utensils" on the layout too.  I used a combination of Pion Design, Fancy Pants Designs and My Mind's Eye papers for this layout. I've done lots of layering (in squares) and distressed the edges of all the papers. I also stitched a couple of the layers for a little extra detail. The title is a chipboard word by Dusty Attic that I treated with Distress Stain in Stormy Sky and Distress Stickles in Clear Rock Candy. The corner embellishments on the photo are also Dusty Attic and were treated with Distress Ink in Walnut Stain and Ranger Crackle Accents.

All the flowers for this layout are handmade and are based on a couple of tutorials you can find at Vicky Alberto's blog Simply Paper.
I also handmade the paper ruffle and added lace and a strip of distressed floral paper to complete the horizontal border on the layout. I think I might put together a quick tutorial of how I made this since I'm really pleased with how it turned out!
For my journalling, I used torn journal paper (or a close approximation using scrapbook paper) for a little handwritten letter to my son, which says: I love you more than the sun and the moon and the stars in the sky. You are my baby boy and I will cherish you always. I added some twine loops from the floral/journalling cluster to link the title and journalling visually.
Thank you so much for visiting my blog today! 
Materials Used:
Patterened Papers: Pion Design "Studio of Memories" Collection - Ornament, Anemone, Borders and Cut-out Sheet; My Mind's Eye "Lost and Found" Collection - Market St. Love Demure Paper, "29th St. Market" Collection - Mama's Curtain/Brunette Paper; Fancy Pants Designs "Lilac House" Collection - Weeping Willow and English Garden; Mulberry Paper (white flower); Dusty Attic Mini Corner #2 and Mini Word "Cherish"; Distress Ink in Walnut Stain; Distress Stain in Stormy Sky; Distress Stickles in Clear Rock Candy; Ranger Crackle Accents; Recollections Brads; Twine, Lace and Burlap leaves from stash; Glue Dots Memory Book and Mini; Memory Tape Runner XL; Terrifically Tacky Tape.