Challenge: Black, white and one color

April’s challenge at Scrap It Girl is to create a project using only black and white and one additional color.

I decided to stick with mostly white — using black and yellow as an accent — and play with texture. Here’s what I came up with ….

This is one of my new chickens, Emma, an Ameraucana hen. She’ll lay blue eggs when she grows up. Chickens grow so fast and change so quickly, I take lots of pictures and I thought this one would be perfect for this month’s challenge.

I started by ripping a piece of paper (Stampin’ Up), folded the corner, stapled it and then adhered it to white cardstock. Then I used Texture Paste and a Dylusions stencil to add to the background.

I triple matted the photo to make Emma really stand out and cut out a little tag for her name. I also added some white embossed chicken feet to the area under the tag, but they are hard to see.

I also added a few ribbons and some vintage buttons to the page.

Then I added a few fibers and some little pearls.

(I know there is a pink cast to my pages … it was the only way I could get all of the white layers to really show up in the photo).

Now it is your turn. Create a project using only the colors white, black and one other. A project can be anything … a card, scrapbook page, home decor, banner, altered art, mixed media …. whatever you choose. Then share it at Scrap It Girl before the end of April. You could win a great selection of prizes! Good luck!!

Ready for Summer?

This month’s challenge at Scrap It Girl is to create a project using arrows, numbers and the color blue.

I decided to make this tag …

I started with a plain office tag. I used a layer of Texture Paste and a stencil to create the background.

Once dry, I covered it with a few layers of Distress Ink and some water … blotting randomly. Then I edged the tag with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and got to decorating …

The papers are from Graphic 45. The bicycle was a gift from a friend. The numbers are from Tim Holtz and the arrow is a die cut using a Tim Holtz die. I added ribbon to the top, fibers at the bottom (another gift from another friend) and a little bit of bling.

Now it’s your turn … create a project — in can be a card, tag, ATC, scrapbook page, home-decor project or whatever else you want to do — using numbers, arrows and the color blue. Submit it to the Scrap It Girl website and you could win a great selection of prizes!

Embossing the Possibilities

This month’s challenge on Scrap It Girl is to use embossing folders … or, if you don’t have any, pre-embossed paper.

I wanted to show off a couple of techniques, so I made a card.

I started with Shimmer Sheetz in blue, red and silver.

For the background, I embossed blue Shimmer Sheetz with the Bouquet embossing folder from Elizabeth Craft Designs. Then, I sanded the top, which made parts of it clear. I mounted this to a white cardstock base.

Next, I cut flowers out of both silver and red Shimmer Sheetz using dies from Elizabeth Craft Designs and a metal adaptor plate.

I used the dotted folder (also from ECD) to emboss the silver flower. Then, I swiped a StazOn ink pad over the top to color the raised dots.

I added a little ribbon, and the card is done … simple, but detailed!

Now it is your turn. Create a project with embossing folders and share your link at Scrap It Girl. You could win some fabulous prizes!

Happy Birthday, Bianca

This month’s challenge at Scrap It Girl is a color challenge. The rules are simple. create something using navy, red, cream and kraft paper.

Since my cousin’s birthday is coming up, I thought I would make her a card in the Americana color scheme.

I used one of the doll stamps from Prima (Becky), but I only kept her bottom half. I love the way she looks hanging around in the top corner of the card. I colored her with Copic markers and then attached her with dimensional foam adhesive.

The paper is from Authentique.

I cut out the words, “Happy Birthday”, with an Elizabeth Craft Designs die.

As a final touch, I added some Glitter Flowers and Glitter Dots from Elizabeth Craft Designs.

Please join me in wishing Bianca a very happy birthday!

Now it’s your turn … grab some supplies and create a project using navy, red, cream and kraft paper and share it on Scrap It Girl. You could win an amazing array of prizes!

Chicken Tags

This month’s challenge at Scrap It Girl is to create a project using tags, bags or tags and bags.

I decided to create a card with a new stamp — well, new to me — that a friend gave me.

I used a tag die from QuicKutz to cut out the tags. I inked them and added sticker words (Elizabeth Craft Designs) to them. I attached them with dimensional foam to make them stand out a bit.

Now, it is your turn. Create a project using tags, bags or tags and bags. Take  a photo and post it here.

You could win this package of gifts …

Good luck!

Got Wood?

September is a special month at Scrap It Girl.

In addition to the back-to-school challenge, we are also having a wood challenge. And, to get your mojo going, each of the girls on the design team created a project using a wood book from Genuinely Jane Studios.

Prior to this challenge, I had not even heard of Genuinely Jane Studios, nor seen any little birch books, so I was eager to try it out.

This is the little mini book I received. It’s made in Missouri, a definite plus!

Anyhow, there were a few tiny chips around the edges, so I took my Tim Holtz sander and went around each edge, then wiped it with a microfiber towel to remove any dust. It was easy and only took me about 30 seconds per page.

I pulled out my Distress Stains to color the book. I wanted to give it the look of water, so I added a variety of blues and greens.

Then misted them with water and let them blend on their own.

I then dabbed off the excess water/stain and dried with a heat tool because I am always impatient.

Once I got the background how I wanted it, I added a bit of metallic stain to it and dabbed it around with a paper towel. It created a beautiful effect — much like frost on a window. Click on the photos for a larger picture to see the details.

I wanted the cover to resemble a port hole, so I coated it in Tarnished Brass Distress Crackle Paint and let it dry. (heat tools and crackle paint do not mix)

Once I had that part done, I got to decorating the cover and filling in the book.

I filled the book with inspirational quotes I found with a nautical theme. I added buttons, twine and stamps as well. (click on the pictures for a better view)

This is my favorite page … a ship on one side and a Michigan lighthouse on the other!

On the back page, I added a bit of fiber to soften it up a bit.

I added lots of little things on the cover … Dew Drops, metal and a tiny compass.

Here’s a look at the front again …

Now it’s your turn. You do not have to create an entire mini album. Just use a bit of wood on your scrapbook page, card or layout and post it here. One person will win an amazing prize package filled with woody goodies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready to head back to school?

It’s a new month and time for a new challenge at Scrap It Girl.

This month, we are saluting heading back to school by making a project that uses school supplies.

Since my house is low on school supplies — my “baby” is 20 and away at college — I decided to use school-type embellishments and create something that would make a perfect gift for a teacher.

I started with a little notebook that looks like a mini composition book. I found it at Staples, but I’ve seen them other places as well.

First, I covered the front and back with patterned paper from Graphic 45. Then, I used my Corner Chomper to round the edges so they match the original book. You can also use sandpaper to trim off the edges of the paper. (this is the back … I used grid paper on the front).

Then, I added a few strips of Washi Tape (from Tape Works and Studio G). I left the edges until I was finished and then cut them off so they are all the same size.

 

Next came a few staples using my Tiny Attacher and a little wooden ruler from Maya Road.

Then I cut out a few of the images from the paper I used on the back side and added them with Pop Dots for a little dimension.

Finally, I added some sticker letters from Authentique across the ruler.

So, what do you think? Have I inspired you? You can alter an item or make a card or back-to-school layout. Submit it to Scrap It Girl and you could win a great collection of prizes this month! I hope you win!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recording the Garden

It happens every spring when Matt and I head for the nursery to buy plants. We stand there surrounded by flats of tomatoes, squash and beans arguing over how many pepper plants we had the year before or which variety of eggplant we really liked last year. The experience turns what should be an exciting day — one we both look forward to each year — into a stressful, tiring one.

So this year, I decided to take measures into my own hands by making a mini album to keep track of the varieties, number of plants and locations, as well as showing off some of the fruits, or should I say, “vegetables,” of our labors.

I love making mini albums … they are a great way to use up leftover embellishments, stickers and bulky items you love but don’t want in your scrapbook album. I used bits of everything from multiple product lines and things I found in my stash. The pages are made by simply adhering two sheets of printed papers together. Then I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch holes and rings to bind it.

This particular album is restrained from my usual style. Normally the rings would be covered in ribbons and each page would be thick and bulky. However, this album is intended to grow right along with our garden, so I kept it flat and simple so it is easy to write in and add pages as we go along.

Many of the pages are not finished, since I am still adding things about this year’s experience.

 

I included photos of the new flower beds and trees we planted this year.

 

In some cases, I kept the tags from the flowers and tucked them in a little bag for future reference …

The chicken garden is still waiting for a photo (I’ve been waiting for the sunflowers to bloom) … this is a special garden I planted for the chickens with things they like to eat, like corn, sunflowers and lettuce, along with plenty of space for digging and scratching.

 

The “Garden ’13” page lists all of the varieties and quantities of plants we placed in the vegetable garden this year.

These pages show how the garden has grown over the summer …

And this page shows a rough map of where everything is planted so we can easily rotate our crops next year.

I have other pages reserved for the flowers in full bloom so in the middle of winter we can look back and remember how beautiful the yard looks in the summer.

I hope I have inspired you to make your own mini album — for the garden or any special event.

This month’s challenge at Scrap It Girl is to create a mini album and you will find more inspiration on the site from other designers.

Give it a try, then hop over to Scrap It Girl to post your creation. You could win an amazing collection of prizes!

And, if a reader from my blog wins, I’ll post your album on my site, too!

 

Pretty in Bling

The January challenge for Scrap It Girl is to use bling, glitter and other things that sparkle and shine.

I decided to add a bit of sparkle to the homecoming dance photos of my niece Kayla.

My niece is a bit of a tomboy … she lives for football and hates dolls, pink and dresses. So, you can imagine our surprise when her mom asked us to meet her at the park to take pictures of her in her homecoming dress! Half expecting her to be in a denim shirt dress, I was thrilled to see her so beautifully dressed in lace and heels.

I knew I wanted to do something special with the photos, so I have been sitting on them for several months. I decided a bling challenge was perfect! Here’s what I did …

The journaling tells the story of how her dad wanted her to pose like a model and how when she finally started goofing around, I got a photo that shows her as she really is … beautiful inside and out!

Play along at Scrap It Girl this month and you could win some great prizes. All you have to do is create something that sparkles and post it online. Hope to see your entry there, soon.

 

Decorative Christmas Candle & More

It’s been a busy few weeks and I have lots of news to share.

First, I was asked to be on the design team of Scrap It Girl! Scrap It Girl is a monthly challenge blog run by my online friend Kimberly Congdon … each month there is a theme and participants can create whatever we want based on the theme. The design team shows off what they did and then everyone is invited to submit their creations. At the end of the month, a winner is chosen to receive prizes!  I’ll join in the fun in December with a clock challenge.

Globecraft & Piccolo released some new products this week, so I have been busily updating the website. There are new colors of 3D Enamel Gels, snowflakes, leaves, a fireplace, a window and more. Follow the “shop now” link on the right of my page to check them out.

Then, I completed my Copic Intermediate training in Grand Rapids last week. So, in January, I’ll be offering advanced Copic classes including shading, hair and face tones, and more.

A few days ago, I was notified that I made the Mosaic Moments Design Team! It has not been publicly announced yet, so it should remain our little secret, but I am so excited I couldn’t wait any longer to share it! This is one design team I really wanted to be a part of. I have been making Mosaic Moments pages for years and I love how easy the system is to use and how amazing the results are. I have had the opportunity to interview Tami Potter, the owner of the company, and have met her husband and her daughter. They are wonderful people and I am so excited to be a part of their team! And, in January, I will start teaching classes using this system.

I am also participating in my very first blog hop Nov. 16-18. I’ll be posting my project on Nov. 17 — which I just finished at 10 p.m. last night! I hope you’ll stop by and check out all of the wonderful homemade creations for the holidays.

Finally, Friday and Saturday I will be helping Capture A Memory and Michigan Scrapbooker Magazine with their booths in Birch Run at the Deer Widows Weekend Scrapbooking and Stamping Show. There are lots of vendors participating in this show and it should be plenty of fun. Capture is selling Elizabeth Craft products. If you haven’t checked them out yet, you need to! They take minimal effort and provide maximum results. And, I believe we are the only store in Michigan to carry them. Stop by and say, “hi”.

On top of all of that, I am also working on holiday classes, including this decorative Christmas candle. The class is scheduled for Nov. 28 and is limited to 6, so sign-up quickly.

It uses the Copic Airbrush System, a stamp by Impression Obsession and a Piccolo key.

So you see, I have been working hard even though my blog has been a little quiet lately!  Good things are definitely happening!