Love Always Layout

Hi guys! Today I'd like to tell you about a new challenge blog I found. I love these challenge blogs, not just because they do have GREAT prizes, but also because I get inspired by the projects the DT post...and the other bloggers who enter the challenges. It's very cool to see how many different ideas you can get from a simple theme like "Flowers" or "Sentiments only" , etc. I love it! :)
So on to the challenge blog. It's called "Unique Crafter's Challenges". The challenges last for a month...and then they have a draw for a great giveaway! :) Like wow!!! :)

This month the challenge is "Anything Goes". That's pretty simple, eh??? So basically all you have to do is link up your latest project....and you get entered to win the prize! Totally cool. You can enter up to THREE different projects.

Today I am entering a scrapbook layout that I made for an 8x8 album. It's very simple scrapbooking, but I've come to realize that pages can be over-stuffed with embellishments, pictures, etc. I tend to stick to simple pages that let the pictures do the talking...cause for me that's the whole idea of scrapbooking in the first place! :)
Here's my page. It's a two-page layout.

close ups:

Details: 

   ....I hand doodled the butterflie's path...

   ......the quote is a rub-on.......

....I used the Fiskars "In Stitches" border punch to create my own film strip. :)

used:
Colorbok Paper & embellishments
(not sure about the dotten paper)
Fiskars "In Stitches" border punch
rub on quote
Clear/White Bling! :)
As always, I love showcasing great giveaways I find on blogs I follow. It's a chance to win some FABULOUS crafting goodies -- for free -- and it's soo easy to join. All you have to do is go to their blog, and follow the "rules" they have set up for their giveaway. Simple. Easy. And you could be the lucky winner as they are all random draws! How cool is that! :) Here's what you could win:

Interested??? Head on over to The Crafter's Reference Blog and add your name to the linky :)

Embossing Blog Hop & a Card

Hi guys! I just finished a blog hop. I do a lot of blog hopping just to get inspired by the various DT and to get ideas of how to do techniques. This particular blog hop is all about embossing -- both heat embossing and dry embosssing. I got my own Cuttlebug last November and it's been one of the best gifts ever! I love love love the textures and the look it gives to a card. I do a lot of Clean & Simple card making (they're easily my favourites)...and the Cuttlebug folders just make those cards look so much more. :)

So here's a hop all about Cuttlebugging -- and new techniques to try with the folders. Whether it's just plain Cuttlebugging, adding ink to the folder or chalking up the Cuttlebug textures -- there's so many ideas! So hop on over to Carson's Creations blog...and get some inspiration and a bit of education (if you're new to the Cuttlebug like I am). Have fun! (there's lots of prizes to sign up for along the hop, just for an added bonus). :)

Anyways, I decided to make a card for the challenge of the hop. The challenge is this:

Create a new project (a card, layout, altered art, etc.) using either dry or heat embossing (or both) Let us know if you used a technique you learned from this hop and which one.

and of course there's a prize as well:

I decided to simply use the Cuttlebug to give an embellishment a "texture". This is a baby card I made. I love making these little carriages -- they're so simple, and they look adorable! :)

close up of the carriage:

I also added glue dots to the back to lift it a little...to give it extra dimension:

Thanks for dropping by...I love hearing what you have to say. :)

Oh wow!!!

Hi guys! I just want to give a big shoutout to everyone who participated in the blog hop. There were a LOT of bloggers participating -- it was fun to watch that's for sure! :) Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to leave a comment -- they made my day! :) :) And welcome to my new followers (wow! I've almost reached the 100 followers mark on Google Followers!!!) That's amazing! I'm gonna be doing a small giveaway once I do reach that number, so keep on the lookout! :)

Thanks again you all -- you truly make blogland an awesome and fun part of my crafting life :)

Fiskateer Spring Blog Hop

Hi guys! You ready for another blog hop??? I love them! I've participated in so many -- (won a few prizes here and there) and just altogether had a great time...and of course was inspired by the bloggers' creations. So hopefully this hop will do the same for you! :)

Welcome to the Fiskateers Spring Blog Hop

You should have come here from Michelle over at Scrapbooking SOS. If you are hopping into the middle of our blog hop and you are a Fiskateer, you can start here www.fiskateers.com.

 If you are thinking a “Fiskawhat?”, you should know that Fiskateers (www.fiskateers.com) is an online community of craftiness (paper crafts, sewing, gardening, etc.) all based around our love and appreciation of Fiskars (think orange-handled scissors to start).There is a blog, gallery, and message board led by four lovely Lead Fiskateers who along with the other Fiskateers are fabulous at getting creativity flowing via chats, challenges, on-line crops, and interviews with other crafty celebrities.If you would like to join in the inspiration of Fiskateers, or would like to learn more, simply go to www.fiskateers.com/join and join.Then, join in the fun at the beginning, www.kellystarsallthingscrafty.blogspot.com

We'll be hopping all weekend, March 24th and 25th to welcome spring! The blog hop officially ends on Sunday March 25th at 11pm CST. Some Fiskateers are offering sur-prizes...check their directions carefully to participate. If you get lost along the way, here is the complete list of the blog hop.

START www.fiskateers.com

Kelly 6446 (and PattyB 2262)www.kellystarsallthingscrafty.blogspot.com

Jennifer Ashley 6361 www.asecretvintage.blogspot.com

Judy 5798 www.bepresentbereal.blogspot.com

Tracy M 6773 www.fiskarscraft.typepad.com

Tara 4402 www.osirisandloki.blogspot.com

 Jean 7358 www.pagesintime.blogspot.com

Debby 2852 www.debbysdares.blogspot.com

Maya 351 www.mayadahan.blogspot.com

Tami 804 www.tamibayer.com

Michelle 7586 www.scrapbookingsos.blogspot.com

Divinity 6688 www.scrap-n-patch.blogspot.com

Cindy 4113 www.cindyderosier.com

Tifany 5942 www.inkblotsbytrd.blogspot.com

Sue 6150 www.sueinct.blogspot.com

Ladydoc Karen 2858 www.karenscorneroftheweb.blogspot.com

Stephenie 3 www.mycraftyadventures.com

Courtney 8459 (and Shelley 8356)www.youwillwontyou.blogspot.com

Betsy 2572www.aimhappy.blogspot.com

Tracie 8436www.tinymightstales.blogspot.com

Groovy Deb 2644 www.ifitsgroovy.blogspot.com

Pamela 8040 www.cottagebelow.com 

Donna 6036 www.scissorsstampsandscrapbooks.blogspot.com

Lizzie 5926 www.ohsnaplizzie.blogspot.com

Marianne 6701www.number1aunt.blogspot.com

Emily 7021 http://emily.kincke.com/fiskateer-spring-blog-hop-giveaway/ (this website is very secure because it is owner maintained, you can read the certificate then simply click continue/allow to head on over to my post)

Whew! That's quite a list of bloggers, eh??? Now on to my creation.

It's springtime! I love this time of the year! Despite all the rain and mud...it's one of my favorite seasons. I love the first spring shower....the feeling I get when I see the first rainbow of the year...or smell the freshness of the air. And of course, best of all, the flowers start to bud. That's enough to put a smile on anyone's face. :)

With that in mind, I put together a card that represents "springtime" to me.

Yes, there's lots and lots of layers! :)

This card was so much fun! I made the "pot" myself -- inked the edges to make them stand out more. Then used some very old pre-punched flowers (from the Dollarama, which is an awesome dollar store here in Canada). The leaves are punched with a Fiskars mini punch...which I hadn't really found a purpose for before. Glad to finally find a way to use it! :)

Of course I Cuttlebugged the background papers:

"Distressed Strips" folder for the white paper and the "Swirls" folder for the yellow).

The borders along the sides were punched with the Fiskars "Effervescence" border punch. And finally, the buttons and bling were in my stash. :)

So that's my "spring" card. Now hop on over to Cindy's Blog to see what wonderful project she has to show. Enjoy the rest of the hop. :)

Shades of Brown

hi guys. I'm back with some cards to show you. They're basically the same, with a few slight differences (you might have to look hard to find them!) :p

Anyways, I love shades of brown. It used to be an "ugly" color, but since I started scrapping and cardmaking, I have found that brown is one of my favourite colours to work with. Not only does it make a great combo colour for a lot of colours (pinks, greens, blues, reds. etc.) but it also looks great standing alone. :)

Whatch think of these cards??? I really didn't have a plan when I started them, but they came together nicely -- and turned out a lot better than I had planned :) That's always a nice surprise :)
Here's a close up of the second card -- love this embossing folder! and of course the bling! :)

Paper Playtime -- Card for the Guys including a Sentiment

Scrapalicious USA -- A Cut Above (the cross)

Creative Belle Blog -- Clean and Simple

The Stamping Boutique -- CAS (clean and simple)

Craft Room challenge -- Bling

And before I go, I just want to give a shout out to Really Reasonable Ribbons. Every month they put on a blog hop with their newest bunch of ribbons as the prize package. I've won this prize a year or so ago, and I absolutely LOVED the ribbons I received! They were beautiful, fun and just so classy! :) So when I see that they're having another blog hop, I usually take the time to check it out. Why not??? I can always find inspiration on different ideas for ribbons on my projects. :) And this month, I was the lucky winner!!! Whooo-hooo!!! This package is gonna be so much fun to use!! :) And yes!!! there's even lots of Baker's twine in there! I've been wanting to try my hands on that stuff! :)

If you're interested in winning a similar prize package -- go over to the Really Reasonable Ribbons blog and sign up to be a follower....and hop along on the next blog hop. You just might be the next winner -- and get tons of inspiration as well! Good luck! :)



more fab candy chances

hi guys...
just want to give you all a head's up:

candy over at Candy's Crafting Corner has a fabulous giveaway happening to celebrate 400 followers. Here's what you could win:

Isn't that just awesome?! I really love the look the spellbinders bring to projects -- and I definitely wouldn't mind winning a few sets :) So why not?? Head on over to her blog and sign up! It's all about the luck of the draw -- you could be the lucky winner! :)

Butterfly fly away

Hi guys! I'm back to showcase a new card I made this morning. It's a quick one -- using a template from before, that's quick and pretty. :) Plus, it combines my Cuttlebug, Fiskars border punches...and stamping! There's not really a whole lot that can go wrong with a card that includes that combination! :)

I won a clear stamp set from a blog candy about a month ago (sorry, I'm not sure what blog!). The stamp is a cArt-Us butterflies set! Like wow! I was sooo impressed! Give me butterflies -- anything! -- and I`m happy! There`s just something about butterflies that make me smile. :)

So today I used one of my new stamps to create this card. It turned out a little on the monocromatic side. Added a bit of pink along the sides, just to give it a little bit of color. whatcha think???

Supplies used:

Cuttlebug Swirls Folder
Fiskars 'Lace' border punch

Fiskars Black Pigment Ink Pad

cArt Us butterfly clear stamp

challenges I entered this card in:

Party Time Tuesday -- Monocromatic

Ladybug Crafts Ink -- Anything Goes

Crafy Sentiments -- Things with Wings

Deep Ocean Challenge -- Butterflies

Sweet Stamping -- Let's See Those Layers

Unique Crafters - Anything Goes

Whimsy Stamps -- Embossing

 

and before you go, I want to tell you about a great giveaway you can sign up for. It's at A Mermaid's Crafts -- an absolutely awesome and generous prize! So go sign up for her blog, and the giveaway. Remember: you can't win it,  if you don't try!!! :)

thanks for dropping by! have a crafty day! :)



Scrapping and Me

Hi guys. Do you ever sit back and look at all the "stuff' we have now (for card making and scrapbooking) and think about how much it has changed over the years? There's so many mixed medias out there today! So many great products! Some days I look at the scrapbooking isles in a store (seems they're in every store you walk in today) and I'm amazing at how the craft has exploded over the past few years! It's everywhere! The whole look. The idea. Every art form -- from pictures to frames to bilboard signs has a "scrappy look"!

So how have you evolved over the years???

I know I have -- BIG TIME! When I first started scrapbooking (I honestly can't remember what got me started), I didn't have much of anything! I know I was using construction papers, etc. and lots of Fiskars fancy-edged scissors!!! As I slowly got supplies and stuff...I took apart some of my ealier pages, just cause they were "ugly" and I didn't want to show them off to anyone! LOL Then I decided if I continued to do that, it would be a never-ending story! I'm constantly learning and constantly trying new ideas -- so my layouts and cards are ever-changing. Now I have great products -- quality papers, fancy cardstock and great lines of papers -- and of course lots of different embellishments and bling. Gotta love the bling! :)

Now I love looking thru my scrapbooks from time to time -- just to see how I've grown (craftily speaking). :p It's definitely cool! :)

Black & White Congrats

Hi guys! :) Is there anything more classy than a black & white card??? No matter for what occassion, black and white cards are always striking. I got one with a wedding gift, and despite how simple it was, it's a favourite. There's just something about that colour combination.

I have a feeling I'll be needing quite a lot of wedding cards once the wedding season gets started for this year. So when I have a moment or two to spare, I sit down and create wedding cards, just to have on hand.

Here's my latest card: (sorry about the bad photo -- lighting issues)

better view of the Cuttlebugging:

I used my Organic Borders folder to cuttlebug the borders. Then I stamped the flower image on the white paper...and added my stamped sentiment over top. Simple, yet striking.  :)

Whatcha think??? Leave me a comment letting me know -- I love hearing your thoughts. :)

Lothian Crafts -- 2 Main Colours
Paper Play challenges -- Something Old, Something New (old embossing folder, new stamps)
Little Claire's Designs -- Romance
That Craft Place -- Anything Goes