Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Play Along with the Design Team!
Starting in July, the Design Team invites the customers of Scrapbooks Plus to play along in our new Monthly Challenge!!
The rules for this month's challenge are pretty simple:
1. Come by the store and pick up some supplies (the papers and products we used for this month will be available on the 1st at a special display in the Crop Room).
2. Create a layout (1 or 2 page) in which the majority of the materials used are from this month’s kit.
3. Complete and post your project by the 21st. (On the 1st of every month, the Designer of the Month has a post where she reveals the new kit. Leave a comment on that post, providing a link to where your project may be viewed online...OR...email your project to debbie@scrapbooks-plus.com)
4. The winning layout will be featured on our blog so check back on the last day of the month to see if you won! Won? Yes! A prize will be awarded – a gift certificate to Scrapbooks Plus!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Quick Tip: Picking Your Ink
My solution is simple... use the back! I use the back of my layout to test different colored pens and even to practice my stamping before putting it on the front of the layout. For this layout I auditioned almost every blue pen I had on the back....
...before choosing my blue-black for the title and journaling on the front.
Thanks for stopping by!
erin
**This layout is loosely based on a Becky Fleck sketch from her PageMaps book. Her sketches are a great go-to item when I have a lot of photos I want to include in my layout!
Are you ready for the Design Team's interactive surprise for the July kit? Tune in and find out tomorrow! Just 1 more day! .....
:)
Sunday, June 28, 2009
School's Out For The Summer! by Esther
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Bling, Sparkle, SPLASH!
Photos were cropped 3"x 3" and embellishments kept simple. Glittered letters mark the first initial of each child's first name. I hand wrote the child's first name on a small tag cut with a Martha Stewart punch.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Large Pictures, and strips of Paper...
For me the pictures are always more important then the papers or the embellies...sometimes I like to go overboard with papers and embellies (well most the time I do) but this time I just wanted it to be about the pictures...
The strips on this paper really worked for me ... I was able to pick two strips and make this large picture the center of the layout.
I love paper that is layout this way cause then I just save the rest of the strips and use them for another project...sometimes I can even make a layout out of the little scraps...or a card :)
thanks for looking and happy scrappin'...
Don't forget to check out what the Design Team has in store for you at the first of the month...will you be joining in on the fun and games that we have planned for you?...
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Summer Smiles
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Something Exciting...
"Fun in the Sun" Card
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To create this "Fun in the Sun" card, I simply trimmed out several strips, matted them on orange card stock, and arranged them to resemble the rays of the sun. I stamped the flip flops on cardstock, added a little bling for fun, and adhered them with red line tape, so that the one on the far right is actually holding the card closed.
The sentiment inside reads "Enjoy your summer - however you choose to spend it!"
Monday, June 22, 2009
Repeating a Theme
The next thing I grabbed were the Jenni Bowlin chipboard suns. Luckily I spotted these at Scrapbooks Plus when I stopped by for the kit. You get two suns in each package and the centers are removable which makes it easy to alter. The center is covered with more Flair paper but I decided to leave the rays white.
Next I placed a bit of the Best Creations paper underneath the sun -- polka dotted to keep with the circles. Below the sun I added a round journaling sticker from Basic Grey.
The Flair paper has this lovely swirl just off center of the paper. When putting the pieces together I took my exacto knife and cut around the swirl so I could slide my photo and paper underneath. I centered the chipboard sun in the middle of the swirl so that the whole swoosh leads you right to the sun and my title.
Working with a lots of circles = lots of sunshine!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Pinwheels
When I saw this paper I knew just how I was going to use it -- pinwheels. This double-sided paper is perfect because it has two distinctive patterns and has a nice weight so it's not too flimsy. It would be a nice centerpiece for a summer picnic or child's party.
I found a pattern here and printed it out the size I wanted. After cutting out my pieces I used a crop-a-dile to make the holes in each arm, as well as a hole in a straw. The pinwheel is held together by a brad. Although it won't easily turn, it sure is pretty!
I found this pail in the Target dollar aisle. The pinwheels are held in place by a bit of floral foam. I used some of the glitter paper to cover up the floral foam.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Paper Piecing with Stamps
First, you stamp your design onto as many pieces as there are parts to the stamp. This flower had 2 distinct parts... so I stamped it onto 2 pieces of paper. I stamped on the back for a couple of reasons. First, to elimate having to cut the parts out perfectly... since the lines are hidden, no one will know if I'm a little bit off. Second, one of my papers was glitter paper and it really wouldn't work well to stamp on. (And you'd go blind trying to cut it out!) Just be sure to be consistent with your stamping, and stamp all on the front or all on the back so that your pieces fit together properly.
My paper pieced flowers made their way onto a pair of summery cards. It would be nice to make a set of four, add stamped envelopes, and tie them up as a little thank you gift.
thanks for stopping by!
erin
Friday, June 19, 2009
Best Creations Paper
Even the small kite worked out well when cut out to embellish the title. (notice I added a strand of black thread to make a little tail for it!).
Thursday, June 18, 2009
June Fun
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Chantilly's Got Talent!
That's why I was blown away by all the amazing work on this month's wall. Indulge me while I gush over some of my favorites.
Check out how Deborah used the paper. She took advantage of the print to make it her title "the Sun" and also used the coordinating paper as part of her photo block. (I also love the way she used the circles to break up all the linear look of this! Notice the triangle!) LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! This layout!
Sharon's page made me stop and stare. I still can't figure out how she made these pieces flow so well into each other... and the photos move seamlessly with the print. It all creates a feeling of waves and movement. Notice how she carried through the circle with the candy dots.
So many great ideas to steal, I hardly know where to begin! Awesome Sharon!
And of course our "DOM" (Designer of the Month!)
Esther captured that same spirit of movement with her PinWheel layout... What a great idea for two sided paper.
If you haven't been by the store this week, make sure you stop in and check out these amazing designs...
If you're like me, you'll head home with a bag full of paper and your brain bulging with new ideas to try!
Thanks for the inspiration, Ladies!
Loretta
Monday, June 15, 2009
Altered Fun
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Let's go fly a kite!
I wanted to use the Lets Go Fly a Kite paper by Best Creations so I cut a piece of it to use as my title. I also used some of the Walking on Sunshine paper by Flair (which I have to say was my favorite paper in the group!), cut a thin strip of the glitter paper and stuck it all down. This was a really quick LO to put together. I knew when I had everything down that my LO needed something more so I cut the kite and the word kite with my Cricut. The word kite actually was done on white cardstock that I colored with Copic markers (which are my newest scrap addiction) and sprayed with some Glimmer Mist.
I took the Copic Marker class that Laura Petruso taught in May and learned so many new and exciting things about Copic markers. Laura is teaching more Copic marker classes at ScrapbooksPlus in June and July. If you have any interest in Copics you should definitely take Laura's class- it rocks! I also used the Copics to color in the flower stamp that came in the kit. so much fun!
Check out the ScrapbooksPlus website and see all the great classes that our teachers have to offer. it's a great way to learn a new technique!
Enjoy!
Lisa
Saturday, June 13, 2009
OBX - little surfer...
When I seen this paper I knew exactly what I was going to do with it...
We had plans to go to the OBX, so I did my layouts before we left, and while we were at the beach I just waited for the perfect times to shoot some pictures of my son...He was not happy that I was taking pictures instead of helping him catch his "surfboard".
The very top circle was not a planned circle...however sometimes scrapbooking layouts have to be modified...like when you throw your stuff in the back of your truck and don't really think about what else you throw in on top...Well I spilled oil on top of mine...so in order to cover up the spot. I just modified the layout and added an extra circle.
The arrows that I used they were some bazzill chipboards pieces that Scrapbooks Plus has...I thought they were kind of fun...and added a little bling...but unlike the card I made you do not need sunglasses to look at this layout...
Thanks for Looking and have a happy Saturday...
P.S. Start looking for mine and Susie's class next month. :)
Friday, June 12, 2009
Chomp, Chomp! by Esther
I "chomped" corners to my heart's content over into the night. It has a quarter inch & a half inch corners. The bits of paper from the corners are caught in the device. These are easily emptied when you are ready. This tool makes it easy to see that your corner is in place before cutting both lightweight and heavier weight corners. I tried it on cardstock , then chipboard. Next was the acrylic pieces. It is great!
The mini album shown is a product of my excessive use of the Chomper. This mini album is a way to show some of the summer photos, I look forward to taking soon.
You can cut the chipboard pieces to sizes desired at the store. Look under the DT Wall for the cutter. The summer & play themed papers are Flair & Best Creation. Glitter cardstock was easily cornered with the chomper. The paper & cardstock can be adhered to the chipboard and after it is dry, both are cornered for a smooth cut.
Get your hands on this tool & chomp, chomp!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Glitter!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Shaker Card!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
A Moment in Time...
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Wave Runner
I must admit that I do love Deborah's and Erin's clean graphic designs and how the "less is more" theory works for them...because it really does...for them. I look at their work and go "Wow! Why can't my pages look like that?" I have figured out the answer...because I just can't do "less is more". I've tried - really I have - but I just have to have "stuff" all over the page. My problem is deciding when "more" isn't "too much"!
On this layout of my nephew and my youngest son Nicky at the beach, I started with just cutting the yellow circle out of the Flair patterned paper to put in the center of the two blue background pages. Then I added different sized circles punched from cardstock...then the candy dots... then the waves from flourishes cut on the Accu-cut at Scrapbooks-Plus (you can use those punches any time you want BTW!). Then, that wasn't enough, so I added Glossy Accents to the circles, then to the waves, then to the white "bubbles" in the design of the blue Flair paper. Then I thought about stickles or some glitter and thought "maybe too much" so I stopped.
I'm sure there are other "stuff" addicts out there like me. I suppose the key is to find the style that suits you and the good sense to know when "enough is enough"!
Happy Summer Scrappin'
Sharon
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Cricut
PS, just as a side note, you do not have to use the deep cut to cut the glitter paper, I just use multi-cut and it cut it without an issue...smooth like butter :)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Working With the Theme
For this layout, I went with the "less is more" approach. I used smaller sections of the papers and balanced my photo/paper block with a wide neutral border. When you've got a bunch of photos and/or busy patterned paper, sometimes it really helps your layout to leave a lot of white space for the viewer's eye to rest.
Go Against the Theme
For example, our kit this month was full of spring and summer themed pieces... kites, beaches, sand, water... the works! One of the sheets of patterned paper was a sheet of 12-inch strip designs. I liked this curvy, orange strip the best and cut it out right away. I loved the color and the circles on it, and I knew I wanted to use it. The phrase on it was "Soak up the Sun".... but I wanted to use my early spring moss photo... so I just covered up the phrase with the matted photo. Since my photo isn't about summer or sunshine, but the colors and circles are just right for what I wanted, this was an easy fix. Yes, if you look really, really closely you can see a little bit of an "S" peeking out from the left and a little bit on an "N" peeking out on the right... but if you aren't looking for them, you'll never see them. The round design on the paper, the curve and the additional circles and buttons work perfectly with the water droplets in the photo.
The next time you see a piece of themed paper in the store or in your stash... look past the obvious and see if you can use it in a new and different way!
thanks for stopping by!
erin
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Soak up the sun!
This month's DT kit was so much fun to work with. It was full of summer colors and lots of glitter! When I saw the Summer Daze Pieces of Flair paper it made me think back to our vacation at Topsail,NC. I knew I wanted to use the Sky Blue glitter paper but when I cut my shape out from the Cricut machine at ScrapbooksPlus and put it on the background paper it got lost. So, I decided to put some orange cardstock behind it. It worked really well in creating the contrast I was looking for. I felt like I had the same problem with the picture I had used- so I picked out a lighter orange cardstock to mat the picture.
One of my "new" favorite products to use is actually something I have had in my scrapbook room for a while- it is Glossy Accents by Tim Holtz. I wanted "the Sun" to stand out more on the paper so I used the Glossy Accents to make it pop. It is hard to tell in this picture but when you go look at the DT wall you can tell.
Stop by ScrapbooksPlus and check out the DT Wall. The DT members out did themselves this month- the projects are fabulous!
Enjoy!
Lisa
PS- Make sure to check back to the blog later this month~ we have something in the works for our blog readers!