Trust in the Lord

Hi guys. I love scriptural or long quote stamps...although they seem to be hard to come by, unless you order them online. I'm still looking for a crafting store that sells them at a reasonable price. :p So when I found a word art designer who has a blog where she showcases her word arts...and allows you to download them for free (like wow!!!), I was totally impressed!!! That website was safely saved in my favourites tab in seconds!! LOL

"Are you intrigued??? Karen over at Papercraft Memories does just that. She designs word arts for Word Art Wednesday and recently started for Daydream Designs as well. Check out her blog...

Here's a recent card I made using one of her word art images.

I wanted the word art sentiment to be the main focus of the card. Using my Cuttlebug, I embossed two borders along the edge of the cardstock. Using some black bling, I accented the embossing a bit. Finally, I added a splash of colour behind the word art. It's very Clean and Simple, but I do love the way it turned out. :)

supplies used:

"Trust in the Lord" word art from Papercraft Memories

"Organic Flourish" Cuttlebug border folder

black bling from stash 

challenges:
Word Art Wednesday -- Anything Goes
Incy Wincy Designs -- Texture
My Grafico Crafts -- Anything Goes
Shelly's Images -- Neutral with a Splash of Colour




 

Quick Note Card

To go to my Candy Giveaway, click
>>>  HERE   <<<

Hi guys. I just have a quick note card I made today. Simon Says Stamp Challenge has a challenge to use one of your favourite crafting tools. For me, that is of course my Cuttlebug. :) Don't know what I did without it! :)

Here's my quick note card:

items used:
"Victorian" Cuttlebug Folders.
Stamped the image and then coloured with pencils.
Also used twine from Really Reasonable Ribbons. :)

challenges:
Simon Says Challenge Blog -- Use Favourite Tool
Anything Goes Challenge Blog 
Party Time Tuesdays -- Flowers
Stamp with Fun -- No Easter Card
The Cuttlebug Spot -- Sketch and Choose Your Own Theme
Word Art Wednesday -- Quote or Scripture
Just Keep on Creating -- Anything Goes


Also want to let you know about a giveaway you can enter. Sharon Callis Crafts has a huge giveaway for the month of April. Head on over to the blog and check it out :)

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 :)

Old Stamps, New Technique

 Oh yeah!!! The computer is up and running...and I have so much to show off!!! :p

I won a clear stamp set a year or so ago. Basically it was the same image -- one stamped the outline only, and the second stamped the whole image. I've used it a few times, but I was never really impressed. Yesterday I saw a card in a gallery using a similar stamp set...and I set out to try the technique. It's so simple, but it looks amazing! :) I used two different colours (recommended), and stamped first the outline and then the whole image -- kind of on top of each other. Let it dry...and your stamped paper is ready to use!!! And it looks really cool!!!

Here's a card I made using the new technique.

I'll be reaching for this stamp set a whole lot more in the future! TFL :)

Totally Stampalicious -- Anything Goes

It's a start

So yeah -- I've been having a blast playing with my grad pictures -- from way back when! :p LOL -- but at least they're finally going into a scrapbook already -- later is better than never.

Here's a look at my first page. I still have to buy embellishments and rub-ons for most of the pages, so you're gonna have to wait until I complete them 100%. This page is finished though. I used a sketch I found online over a year ago, so I have no idea where I got it from!!! If you recognize the sketch, let me know -- and I'll give you the credit! :) TFL

challenges:
http://mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/
--> I have jewels on the butterflies

Light Tomorrow

A friend of mine gave me a new stamp for Christmas. I love this quote -- "Light tomorrow with today!".

Today I used it for the first time -- the sketch I was following had two squares on it, and I thought why not use this stamp for one of them! It worked out nicely too -- after a lot of juggling around. Sometimes card are just SOOOOOOOOOO hard to create! I need some mojo these days!!!!

So what do you think of this??? Mojo or not -- it turned out okay. :) TFL.

Stamp Something: Anything Goes
Oldie But a Goodie: Bright and Cheerful
My Partner in Crime: Something New (used my new stamp)
Oh La La Creations: Bling it On

Chromatic Blue

Hi guys! No, I haven't forgotten about my blog. I've just been busy with sewing and other things around the house. Sometimes it's hard to find time to sit down and write a blog. :p

But here's a look-see at a card I made awhile ago. I found these wonderful sentiments online...and really wanted to try using them. This sketch seemed like the perfect time to do so. I started out sewing with the sewing machine, but I have yet to master that! It didn't look good -- it's soooooooooo challenging to sew on paper!!!! I don't get it!!! :( Any pointers, anyone???

I ended up starting over again -- and made faux stitches instead. It works, but I'm definitely gonna try working on getting the sewing machine to work with me! TFL :)

 

For My Little Sis

Hi there! One of my sisters was looking through my cards when she came across my first-ever side-stairs-step card. She loved the idea -- so I figured I'd make a card especially for her! What better reason could one have to make a card??? :)

Here's the card I made. Like the first one I made, it has a tag that you can remove. This time though I added a poem to the tag. TFL.

Shades of Blue

Do you have a favourite colour when crafting??? Honestly I love purple...but if you'd look through my scrapbooks you would never know it! LOL Instead the blues will pop out! I'm always short on shades of blue papers. :)

Which gets me to my latest creation -- my latest Shades of Blue page.

I've been wanting to create a layout with photos from this family vacation way back in 2000 for like forever! I've had them all lined up in a photo album...but it's not the same as a scrapbook layout. But sometimes I just can't make myself cut up photos!!! LOL Or maybe it just takes some time for the idea to grow...

But I finally decided to go for it! In fact, the first photo I cut up, I went like really fancy! :) The photo was taken looking through a railing...giving it a unique shape...which I figured would look interesting, especially when outlined by borders. I used my Fiskar "In Stitches" border punch to outline the photo as well...and just loved the look! From that moment on, cutting the rest of the photos I wanted to use in the layout was easy! :) No, I don't have 4x6 photos anymore, but the layout looks great! :)

I added some big "family" rubons I've had in my stash just waiting for this layout. Don't rubons rock!!! I love them -- especially when they're like phrases and stuff! It's so awesome to simply rub on the message/quote rather than writing or printing it out.

So there you have it -- TFL :)

A Blessing For You

It's been such a busy/crazy two weeks for me...and the work just isn't slowing down. Which means the time I have to craft most certainly is! :( But I'm still managing to get a few minutes in my scrap room from time to time. :)

I was determined to get my "card lifting" project finished before tomorrow...and yes, after about two hours I came up with something I could live with. Honestly sometimes a card that seems to have such an easy layout turns into such a challenge to lift!!! I had the basic idea of what I was trying to create from the beginning, but when I sat down to actually DO IT, it was frustrating!

I cut out all the layers, and then fell blank!!! I went on the computer to try to come up with a verse or image to put into the center of my frame, when I came across some word art I was working on last week. I love this particular verse -- it's just perfect for any occasion! I added the butterfly image...and coloured it all green to match with my purple/green card. But when I added it to the card, I sat there thinking, "This card is soooooooooooo flat! It's sooooooooo boring!!!"

I looked around my scrap table...and saw some pre-made daisy flowers. I added one to the corner just to see what it would look like...and loved it! :) I also used up some bling from my stash for the flower "leaves" and added some greeen peals to make the corners just a little more interesting! :)

It's definitely not the fanciest card I've ever made, but it's growing on me. :) All it takes is some imagination...and you never know where you'll end up! :)

challenges:
I Did It Creations -- Keep it Simple
The 3 Muses -- The Printed Word
Secret Crafter -- Anything Goes

Creative Edges

A friend of mine recently lost her brother in a tragic accident. I've been trying to come up with a card idea to make a sympathy card, but everytime I sit down at my craft table I'm stumped!!! I tried a few different ideas -- tried working with some "thinking of you" card ideas I've created in the past, but they never seemed good enough. Then I saw a few cards in the fiskateer gallery with some amazing sympathy messages on the front, and I was inspired to try out that idea.

Here's what I finally came up with:

I've worked with fiskars fancy edged scissors and used them on my cards in the past, but recently I moved on to other techniques. It was fun to come back to this look -- I love it -- and no matter how many or how few layers you add to the card, it always looks good!!! :)

Once I got started, I couldn't stop!!!! Here's another one I did with the same idea:

TFL :)

Craft Your Days Away -- With Wing
A Pocket Full of Posies -- Winged Things 

Working With a Kit

I won the new Cosmo Cricket Material Girl line last month, and I've been itching to use it! I've never worked with a kit before -- bought one once and then used it for cards, not scrapbooking. So this was totally different for me. Honestly, I think I'd rather buy papers and embellishments separately -- kits are definitely not my thing! There's too much stuff that I don't really like in them...

But here's what I came up with.

I used a few papers from my stash...and the rub-ons weren't a part of the kit either. But I'm pretty happy with how this turned out. It was the first time I used cardboard embellishments. Let's just say this layout was definitely interesting as far as creating goes. TFL :)

Special Moments

My grandmother passed away a year ago next month. It was a hard time for all of us...she was such a remarkable and wonderful woman. For the past year I've been working on creating a layout in remembrance of her. But it's been a challenge...

During the funeral, the minister read an eulogy written by family and friends. Basically it was compiled of various memories people had of my grandmother...through the years. I knew I definitely wanted that as part of the layout -- and of course there was the remembrance card. But other than that, I had no idea what I wanted.

I printed the eulogy out on two smaller sheets of paper...trying to get them to fit in my layout. But even then, I realized I'd have to create a two-page layout 'cause there wasn't enough space! That just complicated things even more!

Then there was the layout itself. It ha to be extra special -- I guess that's why it took a whole year to come up with anything! Every idea I had, "wasn't good enough!" and I didn't even know what I wanted the final layout to be like! It was frustrating...but slowly the ideas came...and I just added what I liked...and set it aside until I came up with the next thing! LOL Talk about a process!!!

I was trying to find some rub-ons -- some extra bigs ones -- with a "remember" or "memories" theme. No such luck! Then I found some smaller memories themed rub-ons in the Dollarama. They weren't exactly what I had in mind...I was thinking BIGGER...but I moved on.

I chose to spell out some words with letters I had in my stash...just to give the page some dimension instead of just having rub-ons.

I have this picture frame with the quote "Remember the moments...the laughter, the happiness, & good times." I've always loved the quote -- it made me think of my grandma -- especially this past year. She's gone...and we can't bring her back, but we can remember the moments! I have such wonderful memories of her.. they're what I hold on to. So I thought I'd add the quote -- 'cause that's what she would want us to do. To remember her...but not to give up living. Life goes on...and so will grandma's legacy!

So I guess this project is now over! TFL

Gotta think outside the box!

My printer is still out!!! UGH!!! And unfortunately there's not a whole lot I actually do without it!!! I'm constantly printing one thing or another for both my cards...and my layouts as well!!!

So I had to find other means...to get some scrappin' done!

My sister found a great stamp set while garage sale-ing last week. And yes, she bought it just for me -- sometimes it's really nice to be the only one in the family that actually scraps and stuff!!! LOL Everyone is constantly thinking of me when it comes to the good stuff!!! :)

So, my sister brings home a "Stampin' Up!" baby stamp set.  Man, was I impressed!!!

I've had a baby picture of my best friend's baby on my "to scrap" pile for a long time. And after trying to make the printer work for like 2 + hours this afternoon, I finally just gave up on it...and decided to try something new.


I stamped the "quote" from my new stamp set...and embossed it with gold embossing powder.

....then I copied and cut out some letters...and lifted them...to give them a 2D look...

I also bought some more fabulous rub-ons yesterday, and found a few that fit...



Finally I added some punched flowers I made with my Fiskars daisy punch...and some buttons I won in a blog candy. :) The layout is still missing the birthdate, weight and length...but that'll have to wait for the printere! I'm thinking of writing it in brown...along the left-side of the photo -- strip journaling style.

It's amazing what you can do without a printer!!! TFL :)

Dare To Dream

This layout is my second attempt at scrapbooking these photos. Talk about a challenge!!! Try creating a layout using two small photos -- when one is a portrait and one is landscape!!!!!!!!! I can't count how often I set out to try it -- and then just gave up! I looked through soooo many online galleries and sketches for inspiration -- but apparently nobody has ever attempted this! Yeah, it's either both photos are landscape or both are portrait! So I was basically on my own!

Yesterday I was reading through a book of my favourite quotes, when I ran across a quote I jotted down from the high school graduation episode from the tv series OTH:

"Now is the time for us to shine; the time when all our dreams are within reach, and possibilities, vast. Now is the time for you to become the people you always dreamed of being. This is your time. The world is waiting..."

And I thought -- this quote would be perfect for these photos. They are after all their high school senior photos -- so it all totally fit! I totally love it!!!!!!!!!! :)

The Details:
   >> I lifted the DREAM letters a bit...and the butterfly is also 3-d.

A quote I jotted down from a tv show: OTH. I changed it up a bit to fit...