The Winner of the September DT Challenge...

...is Robin with this stunning layout using the "Ooh La La" papers from My Mind's Eye! Robin's combination of "fussy" cutting, layering, ribbon, rhinestones and that fabulous & inspiring quote is just perfect - and what a beautiful daughter! Congratulations Robin and thank you so much for playing along with the Design Team. Debbie has your prize ready for you - a Gift Certificate to Scrapbooks Plus!

Here is a little head's up to get your creative juices flowing for the October DT Challenge. Next month's challenge is a little different. We are asking you to use this page map (designed by our own Erin Saravia) to create your submission:

Everything else is still the same:

1. Select the papers and embellishments you want to use from the Design Team display area by "The Wall" in the classroom section of the store.

2. Create your layout in which the majority of the materials used are from the current month's kit.

3. Complete and post your layout by the 21st of the month, leaving a comment on the challenge post (always on the 1st of the month when the new kit is revealed) and include a link where we can view your submission online - OR - you can email your entry to debbie@scrapbooks-plus.com .

Check back tomorrow to see the October Kit...

I am anything but square...

He he he...finding titles for blog posts is always challenging for me but since the layout I am going to talk about is very symmetrical and has squares, I immediately thought that I was anything but square! Okay, so I digress but it made me chuckle!

This layout I happen to love the simplicity of it. It was very clean, straight lines but yet just came together so nicely. I simple used four same sized squares in the center as a "mat" of sorts, with four different patterned papers that nicely complimented each other. I was originally going to use a black and white photo, since the doggy seems to be such a beautiful doggy that complimented the paper nicely I chose to just leave this photo in full color.

Not all layouts need to be complex. Not all layouts have to have tons of photos. Sometimes less is more and you definitely have to find your design and your comfort zone.

Sometimes you just need to make your own title!

I was searching through my stash for the right font for this layout. I searched through thickers, and stickers, and rubons, and stamps... and nothing felt right. I wanted something simple and soft and a little romantic. We got a piece of velvet paper in the kit... and I decided to just make my own title with it instead. I got a piece of scratch paper and outlined the curve of the die-cut that I wanted to follow. Then I wrote out the title and started outlining the letters until they looked the right size. At this point, I'll cut it out with scissors, ignoring the inside cuts... the inside of the K and E, leave those intact. Then I it flip it upside-down on the back of my velvet paper and outline it in pencil. Once it's outlined, I redraw the inside portions by hand. Starting with those inside portions, use a craft knife and craft mat to cut them out. Then I take my really pointy, little scissors and carefully cut out the outsides. It takes a little extra care, but it's easier, faster, and more accurate for me than using a craft knife for the entire process. Flip it over and you have a custom title all you own! :)

thanks for stopping by!
erin

Pineapple Mini-book by Esther

Aloha!

When I think of Hawaii, I think pineapples. While vacationing there, we visited the Helemano Pineapple Plantation. My desire to use those photos led to the design of the pineapple book. The Oh LaLa papers were great for the subject. I started with a shape cut from chipboard using the trial & error method. Half of the 12' square looked like a good start in order to accomodate the 4"x6" photos & journaling with embellishments. The shapes were traced on the back side of the Bazzil gold cardstock. Next, I painstakingly cut each of the shapes (so they lined up) & inked the edges of the chipboard with a green marker. I glued the cardstock shapes to the chipboard and punched holes for the rings.

After the pages were ready for photos, I concentrated on decorating the cover. The cross-hatched diagonal lines were sketched with a brown marker on gold paper.

They were shaded with brown stamping ink. Orange Staz-on ink was used to give contrast.

The leaves were cut of green paper & shaded with markers & ink pads.

Overlapping them in layers gave a more realistic effect.

Of course, I had to add bling to the intersections of the pineapple diamonds. The rhinestones already had glue on back.

Because I put inks on the cardstock cover, some stones had to be glued on a second time. An attempt was made to color the silver rings using alcohol inks. The color is faint though.

The photos, embellishments & were added. Hand formed letters were used with markers & a calligraphy marker in green. Ribbons added that festive touch to the rings (see them on the display board).

This was a fun project that kept the creative juices flowing for a couple of weeks. Try shaping a book from the chipboard pieces you can get at Scrapbooks Plus.

Aloha!

Last Hurrah! of Summer

Have you ever been to a sea shell store? You know, those places along the beach that sell nothing but shells? If you are like me, you go into those places and buy all these shells and have no earthly idea what to do with them when you get home. We'll here's an idea...use them in your scrapbooking! Over spring break we traveled to the British Virgin Islands. My favorite spot was Anagada, a small flat island that is surrounding by a coral reef. It was remote and spectacular! I definitely wanted to make a mini album that captured all that beauty. When we were in St. Thomas, I had purchased this lion's paw shell at one of those shell shop places.

I had spotted on Two Peas how someone used the shell for a cover to a minibook, so I had to try it myself. The Anagada album seemed perfect. The hardest part was drilling those holes through the back of the shell for the rings. I had to reinforce my drilling with chip board strips and rubber cement because the shell itself wouldn't hold up.

Inside the shell, I used Basic Grey milk letters left over from my Beach book project (another project where I used a star fish). I embellished with left over strips of paper from My Mind's Eye and from Creative Imaginations embellishments.

The pages themselves were pieces of chipboard from my cat's wet food boxes (yes, I'm still saving those inserts!). I cut them out in the shape of the shell, painted them with acrylic paint, then covered them with My Mind's Eye Ohh La La paper. I made a template to cut the photos all identical to add consistency.

The finished project is on display at Scrapbooks-Plus. When we were in Key West for my birthday two weeks ago, I bought four more large flat shells to try my hand at making more of these cute little albums for Christmas. There is some terrific Heidi Swap island themed double sided paper at the store that will make beautiful minibooks for that last "Hurrah!" of summer.

And speaking of Hurrah! I designed the make and take for the Wednesday make-and-take with accompanying two-page layout this week. The project features Basic Grey's Indian Summer and gold leafing. One page is a single page Basic Grey design. I created the second page with the make and take. Come by the store this Wednesday early, because we're sure to sell out. The full layout is posted on my blog SharonVM.blogspot.com. Come check it out!

Wednesdays at Scrapbooks Plus

Have you had the chance to get to Scrapbooks Plus on a Wednesday?

You should get over there, the Design Team and the Staff at Scrapbooks-Plus have been working really hard to bring you a new page each Wednesday!

If you go every every Wednesday Scrapbooks-Plus gives you a page Element, and we design a page for you to copy. You even get directions. Bring your basic class kit and sit down and put your page together right there...Plus that is like 4 layouts a month done with no fuss or muss...we have done the work for you :)

Here is a sneak peak of an up and coming layout.....
...you are going to get the apron, and you even get to assemble it...This is a so cute if I do say so myself...the apron is so fun and is from the "from my kitchen" cartridge...Perfect for the upcoming holidays...or perhaps from holidays past!

This quick, simple mini-album was made with 6x6 chipboard, crop-a-dile, and binder rings. One hint, make sure all the holes in the chipboard line up before adding paper, etc. Punch the holes in the chipboard first, then adhere paper to one side. Punch the holes a 2nd time, then adhere paper to the other side and punch holes. If you punch holes at the very end, and they don't match, you may end up with a page like the 3rd picture, extra holes! Aren't you glad I try this out and work out all the kinks! :-) Have fun!!!