PaperHaus June Sketch Challenge~!

Good morning, friends! 

I'm very excited because today I get to share my very first project for PaperHaus~! It's time to take a look at the sketch challenge for the month of June, through which you could win yourself the opportunity to be a guest designer in a future sketch challenge for PaperHaus. How cool is that?!

I had a wonderful time creating my sample for the June sketch...

"Model Looks"

My baby Gunner sure looks like his daddy- and he is incredibly handsome! I often joke about Gunner being model material (haha!), but how can I not when he is just so darn gorgeous?! (does that sound vain of me? well, who cares!) 

I captured this stunning photo of my little guy on Mother's Day. He's so good at the serious look, lol.

Here is the June Sketch from PaperHaus:

And a little closer of a look at my layout:

I liked the idea of layering my banners and decided to incorporate one of the "Page Chains" from Blue Fern Studios. Such a cool piece!

I've obviously used a ton of Prima on this one {as always} including papers from Divine, Lifetime, and Lyric, as well as a bunch of Winter 2013 CHA flowers {with the addition of an older but very loved Script Vine}, letter stickers, and a sweet trinket.

I sure hope you can play along with us this month! See what some of the other PaperHaus Contributers have created for this month's sketch HERE~!

Oh! And make sure you mark your calendars- PaperHaus will be having a 7-Day Blog Hop that runs from June 1st-7th to celebrate the release of their Summer publication! I hope you can join us- there will be LOTS of goodies to be won, so you do not want to miss out!

Thank-you for coming by my blog today :)~ I hope you are all doing well~!

C'est Magnifique: June Kit {Another Look}

Hello again :). It's time to take another look at the June Kit from C'est Magnifique! I couldn't help but indulge in another girly layout for my sweet baby Aspen :)

"20 Mos."

I've made a promise to myself to get back into the basics of scrapbooking and start doing more documenting! I used to do monthly pages for each of my kids, talking about what they are like at that time. But I've gotten away from that and so decided to record a little bit about my sweet daughter at 20 months.
I decided to use some of the pretty strips from the bottom of the papers that I normally tend to throw away. I've used them at the top of my layout, as well as to make the banner that runs vertically behind my photo. When papers such as these provide such lovely (yet generally disposed of) details- why not use them?

From the Flower Add-On:
Prima: Summer Carnation Vine: Thistle
Prima: : Merci: Pastel Mix
Petaloo: Mixed Blossoms: Soft Pink

From the Embellishment Add-On:
KaiserCraft: WoodenFlourishes: Borders
Petaloo: Sheer Butterflies: Blue/Pink/Yellow
BoBunny: C’est La Vie: Trinkets
Glitz: Teeny Alphas: White

The June Kit "Dream in Pastel" is currently available- but there are only a few left! Visit the June section of the store to grab one for yourself! There are some add-ons and individual items available as well :).

Thanks as always for coming by today! Be prepared for LOTS of upcoming posts in the next several days- I'm finding that the end of May and beginning of June are VERY busy for me- lots and lots of projects coming up :)~ so bear with me!

Thank-you :)

Webster's Pages 6"x6" Collection Pad Card Inspiration~!

Good morning! I have spent the last six days with my sister and her two girls visiting at my house and we have sure been busy with our houseful! We accomplished a lot over the holiday weekend and ate plenty of food, the kids made countless messes, got filthy dirty and sunburns, played hard, cried a good amount, but most importantly made some pretty special memories while we were at it :). I'm sad to see it end and as it always is when company leaves- it will seem all too quiet and normal. 

But I'm back to the swing of things today with 2 new cards that I created for Webster's Pages utilizing the 6"x6" Modern Romance Collection Pad. I love using this set of papers for smaller projects like cards and tags. 

Let's take a look at the first:

"Happiness" Card

Let me tell you, creating with Modern Romance equals happiness any day of the week for me! This card was a breeze to put together! I love layers, so I used a few different layers of papers, added some stamp work using the Doily Decor stamp, and then began building my embellishment stack starting with one of the gorgeous "Frame Accents: Pink" frames, a Blue Fern Studios Brigitte Butterfly, and then the Butterfly Charm.

Products Used:

{Papers}

Modern Romance 6"x6" Collection Pad

Modern Romance Sentiment Stickers

New Beginnings "Bless This Nest" Paper

 

{Embellishments}

Doily Decor Background Stamp

Frame Accents: Pink

Charm Bulk- Butterfly

{Trims}

In Love Trim Pack

Other Products Used:

Brigitte Butterfly Set

Here is my second card:

"Love" Card

I really had no idea where I would end up when I started this card with this gorgeous shoe image cut from the Girl Land collection. But slowly I worked at it and this is what resulted! I've combined the 6"x6" Modern Romance Collection Pad in there with the "Candlelight Dinner" paper from the 12x12 Collection Pack. 

Products Used:

{Papers}

Modern Romance Collection Pack

Modern Romance 6x6 Collection Pad

Modern Romance "Candlelight Dinner" Paper

Girl Land "Perfect Fit" Paper

Other Products Used:

Shabby Layered Frame

Thank-you so much for checking out my cards today! See you soon :)

It's Reveal Day at C'est Magnifique~!

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all the congrats and well-wishings on my PaperHaus DT announcement :)

Today I'm back again because it's reveal day at C'est Magnifique Kits and I've got some work to share with you, as well as a look at the main kit for June!

"Sip!"

I love it when papers provide a sheet of cut-outs like Maja Design has done with this collection. I decided to create a collage that spanned my layout just so I could use a bunch of these beautiful cut-out elements. I added in some random stamping, inking, misting, and masking to create this fun page of my daughter delightfully sipping away at her chocolate shake :).

This gorgeous purple Prima "Tatiana- Victorian" flower is from the main kit and are among my favorites of the Winter 2013 CHA releases from Prima! I love the "touched with gesso" look they have and how they're sprinkled with glitter. Gorgeous!

This is my first time using the Prima Wood Icons (also in the main kit). You can paint them or leave them as-is, like I've done here.

The Bo Bunny 12x12 sheet of adhesive chipboard is full of fun embellishments and a complete letter set. You will also get this with the main kit! 

A little closer look at my stamping/masking/misting combo. Sometimes you just have to get messy!

From the Flower Add-On:
Prima: : Merci: Pastel Mix
Prima: Giselle: Haze
Petaloo: Mixed Blossoms: Soft Pink

From the Embellishment Add-On:
Blue Fern Studios: Chipboard: Fancy Fob Watch

And here is our main kit for June!

"Dream in Pastel"

Patterned Paper

Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 1st of March
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 6th of March
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 11th of March
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 1st of April
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 4th of April
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 11th of April
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 1st of May
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: 6th of May
Maja Design: Vintage Spring Basics: Days to Remember

Kit Embellishments

BoBunny: C’est La Vie Chipboard
Prima: Shabby Chic Metal Treasures: Garden Gate and Mirror
Prima: Tatiana: Victorian
Prima: Ingvild Bolme: Chalk Fluid Edger: Pastel Pink
Prima: Wood Icons in a Box: Leaves and Mushrooms
Blue Fern Studios: Chipboard: Grand Balloon
May Arts: Ric Rac: Pink and Brown

These kits ALWAYS sell out fast- so if there are any left, you will find them in the C'est Magnifique store HERE. The only way to make sure you don't miss out on a kit is to subscribe- see all the info and how-to's HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping in! I will be back again soon with another June Kit project :)

Have a great holiday to those celebrating this weekend- and for the rest of you, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Design Team Member for PaperHaus~!!

Good morning everyone! It's the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend in my part of the world and my sister Kelly is up visiting with the kids so we are quite busy! However, I just had to come on and share with you all that I've been invited to join the PaperHaus Design Team~!

PaperHaus is a quarterly publication that is always packed full of inspiration, articles,and tutorials from all walks and styles of crafting from artists all over the world. Their blog offers daily posts for your viewing pleasure as well- so if you haven't yet been there, check them out!

A special thank-you to Frank Garcia and Trina McClune for the invite :)~ I cannot wait to get started :)~!

(See my introduction HERE on the blog, along with another new member and my dear friend Trudi Harrison!)

And thanks to you all for letting me share my news with you. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and you will see me again very shortly...

Guest Designer @ Scrap & Music~!

Hi there everybody :). I hope you all had/are having a great weekend! 

I'm happy to share with you that I was invited to guest design for the brand new sketch challenge site "Scrap & Music"~! They provide not only a fabulous sketch for your creative pleasure, but also feature a song from which you must derive your title. You can pick out any word/words from the entire song that reaches out to you. 

For Sketch Challenge #2, we are given the song "La Vie En Rose" (Édith Piaf):

Des yeux qui font baisser les miens,
Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,
Voilà le portrait sans retouche
De l'homme auquel j'appartiens
[Refrain]
Quand il me prend dans ses bras
Il me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.
Il me dit des mots d'amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ça me fait quelque chose.
Il est entré dans mon coeur
Une part de bonheur
Donc je connais la cause.
C'est lui pour moi,
Moi pour lui dans la vie,
Il me l'a dit, l'a juré
Pour la vie.
Et dès que je l'aperçois
Alors je sens en moi
Mon coeur qui bat
Des nuits d'amour à plus finir
Un grand bonheur qui prend sa place
Des ennuis des chagrins s'effacent
Heureux, heureux à mourir.
Quand il me prend dans ses bras
Il me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.
Il me dit des mots d'amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ça me fait quelque chose.
Il est entré dans mon coeur
Une part de bonheur
Donc je connais la cause.
C'est toi pour moi,
Moi pour toi dans la vie,
Il me l'a dit, l'a juré
Pour la vie.
Et dès que je l'aperçois
Alors je sens en moi
Mon coeur qui bat.

  For those of you who do not speak French (like myself)- Google Translate is a beautiful thing! And so is this song- gorgeous, gorgeous words. I decided to use the very last line in the song, which says "my heart beat" in English. Since the song is about love, I was going to do a layout about my husband. But as much as I love him to pieces- he is not the only one who makes up MY heart beat. And that is why I chose to scrap the 3 other most important people in my life :)

"My Heart Beat"

I don't even care that this is not a perfect photo- a little blurry, the kids not really paying attention (lol)...it's perfect to me because of who is in it :). They truly do make up the contents of my heart :).

Here is the sketch you get to work with:

Gorgeous, yes?? 

Here's a quick, closer look:

Lots of Prima layers going on...stamps, flowers, and embellishments :) I've used papers from the Fairy Belle, Lyric, and Fairy Rhymes collections, as well as paper from Pink Paislee's "Hope Chest" collection.

I'd love it if you'd show your support to this fun new challenge blog! Check them out HERE and add them to your list :) You have the next two weeks to complete this challenge.

Thanks for coming by and have a wonderful day~!

"I Won't"...a First Look @ the C'est Magnifique June Kit~!

Hello :)~! I say it every month, but it's ALREADY that time...time to take a first peek into the latest kit from C'est Magnifique Kits! For the month of June, we're giving you everything you need to get those springtime photos scrapped! For me, it was perfect timing as spring has only just recently happened upon us and I have plenty of pictures to put to paper :).

"I Won't"

My middle child Gunner is nearing 3 years of age and has never had his hair cut. For some reason, I cannot bear the thought of cutting his beautiful golden locks- and nearly everyone I know gives me a hard time about it (including my husband)! I'm just not ready for it- and neither is he .
These sweet photos were taken recently on one of our first spring days. The beautiful Maja papers were the perfect compliment to them, and I enjoyed piecing apart the Fancy Fob Watch chipboard piece from Blue Fern Studios to accent each part of my visual triangle.

 From the Flower Add-On:
Maya Road: Afternoon Tea Trim Pack: Milk (I used the tulle edging to create my bows)
Prima: Summer Carnation Vine: Thistle
Prima: Giselle: Haze
Petaloo: Mixed Textured Blossoms: Amber
Petaloo: Mixed Blossoms: Soft Pink

From the Embellishment Add-On:
Blue Fern Studios: Chipboard: Fancy Fob Watch
BoBunny: C’est La Vie: Trinkets
Glitz: Teeny Alphas: White

Now~ here's a look at the papers and add-ons with this month's kit:

Maja Design "Vintage Spring Basics"

Flower Add-On:

Embellishment Add-On:

To learn how to subscribe to C'est Magnifique Kits, see HERE. And we are always happy to see new faces in our Forums! We're a friendly, drama-free group who simply share the same passion, and we'd love to see you there- so don't be shy...come and say Hi!! :)

Take care and I hope you are having a great week so far!

How to Coordinate Your Blue Fern Studios Chipboard~!

Good morning friends! Another Monday in my part of the world, and I always love it when I can start out the week on my blog with a new post! I'm going to be showing 3 different Blue Fern Studios projects today (layout, card, and tag) and through them share with you how you can make your chipboard coordinate- no matter your style or project {type} preference. 

I remember when I was new to raw chipboard, I didn't know quite how I would make those pieces become a part of my project without standing out- in a bad way. So if you feel like that yourself- don't worry! If you haven't had much experience with working with chipboard, that is a completely normal reservation! But today I would like to encourage those with this fear to try out some of these simple techniques- and get yourself on your way to becoming a chipboard altering fool ;)!

"Walk"

I like that I almost have to guess myself which of the embellishments here are chipboard- because they blend so nicely with the rest of the layout. And all it takes is a little bit of recognition of the papers and other products with which you are working, and applying those features to your chipboard.

Take for example this Ironwork Accents piece. I simply used a rubber Prima stamp from my personal collection that complimented my Pink Paislee "Hope Chest" and Prima "Lyric" papers and used it to stamp my primed (w/gesso) chipboard. I then used it as a meeting place for the seam binding that stretches across the page, topping off its center with a bow. Super easy- ANYONE (with some stamps and ink, that is) can do this!

The exact same idea was repeated here. I cut this piece off of the bottom of the Garden Gate (You will find that I love to piece apart- and stretch the use of- my chipboard!)

Here I've taken a panel from the Lattice Fence and mimicked the look of the Ingvild Bolme {Prima} metal lamp post beside it. I've done this by using a stone-colored distress ink dabbed very lightly over top.

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Ironwork Accents

Garden Gate

Lattice Fence

Floral Clock (one of the hands)

Other Products Used:

Bubbly Background Stamp

"This Wonderful Life" {Card}

Here again I've made this gorgeous piece from the Brigitte Butterfly Set become a part of my project. 

I actually used a butterfly stamp with some brown distress ink to create the pattern on this piece. I felt this particular design was complimentary to my Prima "Fairy Belle" papers. After drying, I used my "Shabby Tote" Prima Chalk Fluid Edger Pad by Ingvild Bolme very lightly over top to tone down the white of the gesso (used to prime the piece before stamping). 

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Brigitte Butterfly Set

Other Products Used:

Modern Romance Sentiment Stickers

Dream Big Stamp Set

"You Make Life Beautiful" {Tag}

Finally, I have a tag to share. I chose to use one of the Petite Boutique Frames, which I simply primed with gesso before using blue embossing powder and setting it with a heat gun. I love the beautiful, glossy finish- and that this design was the perfect platform for the Webster's Pages Frame Accent resin piece I was to layer next.

Next came one of the Vintage Locks, which I decorated with some blue microbeads. Again, an altering idea that anyone can do!

Blue Fern Studios Products Used:

Petite Boutique Frames

Vintage Locks

Other Products Used:

New Beginnings 6x6 Collection Pad

Girl Land Sentiment Stickers

Bubbly Background Stamp

Thanks for coming by my blog today :)

Take care!