Creating Chaos...

Color Combos Galore #221

2012-03-06T14:35:00.000-05:00

"Already?" you say? Well, we are doing a bit of catching up seeing as things were put on hold for several weeks do to some very sad circumstances. You can read about the details here.

I am super excited about these colors...because it's not to often that I find the combos suitable for boy pages. This week's palate was perfect for a baby boy page.

This week's challenge from Color Combos Galore:

My page:

Hoo's Cute?

I bet you're thinking, "But, Kelly....you spelled 'hoo's' wrong!" Yes, yes I did...I was trying to be 'punny' ;)

I was playing off of the 'owls' theme. Speaking of which, I have a ton of those chipboard owls (very old Stampin' Up!), and I was so excited to use some of them finally!

Ok, here is the Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Cool Caribbean, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla)

stamp - All Night Media (wood grain)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Early Espresso, Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie)

patterned paper - Stampin Up! (green hounds-tooth, brown leaf); Simple Stories (brown gingham); My Mind's Eye (turquoise grid)

stickers - Crate Paper, Toybox Collection (diamond border, ledger tab)

letter stickers - LilyBee Design

other - Stampin' Up! (chipboard owls/branch, polka dot embossing folder, bakers twine)

unknown - button

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore 219

2012-03-04T19:53:00.000-05:00

It's been several weeks since our last reveal do to some unfortunate circumstances, but we're back this week with some gorgeous colors, and a pretty awesome Designer's Challenge to go with it.

This weeks challenge from Color Combos Galore:

My page:

Cute Hats

I used a doily to mat my twisted ribbon flower, and I also twisted some ribbon for my stem. I finished it off with a button center, and stapled on some leaves.

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette)

stamp - Stampin' Up!(All About U - 'cute')

ink - Stampin' Up! (Rose Romance)

patterned paper - Pink Paislee (Hometown Summer - gingham); Crate Paper (Portrait - lace)

stickers - 7Gypsies (journal strips, Femme Fatale, Let your light shine); October Afternnoon (Farmhouse - doily); American Crafts (frame)

letters - KI Memories (Alphabet Soup - Tortilla)

leaves - Recollections

baker's twine - Bloomerie (Etsy Shop)

journaler - Stampin' Up! (Rose Romance); Zig

unknown - ribbon, buttons

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #218 - Cards Week!

2012-02-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

Hello! February is National Mend a Broken Heart month, and what better way to mend a broken heart, than to sew it back together! With that golden nugget, I bring you this week's challenge from Color Combos Galore:

I probably took the most obvious route of combining 9 hearts and stitching, but it was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the challenge. I also used a strip of vellum, as inspired by the transparent look from the back of the tape.

My card:

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, vellum)

patterned paper - Heidi Grace Designs (pink stripe)

stamp - Heidi Swapp ( i Love you)

other - unknown (button, pink floss); Stampin' Up! (heart punch, Square Lattice embossing folder, rhinestones, border punch, label punch, baker's twine)

That's it.....
Thanks for looking!

The Play Date Cafe #117,Case Study #76; and CR84FN #47, Card Patterns #151

2012-02-06T14:25:00.001-05:00

I have 2 cards to share today. Yep, I'm on a roll ;)

This week's challenge from the Play Date Cafe:

Plus this challenge from CASE Study's February muse, Karola Witczak:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

Stamps - Stampin' Up! (Letters of Love, Congrats)

Cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Mauve Mist, Bashful Blue, Whisper White)

Ink - Stampin' Up! (Mauve Mist)

Dies - Stampin' Up! ( Butterflies Embosslits, heart); Cuttlebug (Stamp)

Ribbon - Ribbon Trends

Flower - Making Memories

Other - Stampin' Up! (Linen Thread, rhinestones, Perfect Polka dots embossing folder, 1/2 inch circle punch); unknown (button)

and....

These colors from CR84FN:

Plus this week's sketch from Card Patterns:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

Stamps - Stampin' Up! (Little Layers Plus, Whimsical Words)
Cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Basic Black, Bashful Blue, Whisper White)
Ink - Stampin' Up! (Basic Grey, Pretty in Pink, Riding Hood Red)
Other - Stampin' Up! (rhinestone, Linen Thread, Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder, scallop border punch); unknown (ribbon, button)

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #217!

2012-02-05T18:28:00.001-05:00

We are celebrating National Women's Heart week over at CCG by paying tribute to a very special female/s in your life.

This week's challenge from Color Combos Galore:

My page:

I of course chose my girls, because I scrap mainly about my kids. My girls are such a great help to me...it was perfect to do this very special layout for them :)

Here is what I used:

patterned paper - Fancy Pants

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Close to Cocoa)

chipboard letters - American Crafts

flowers - Prima

stickers - 7Gypsies

glitter glue - Ranger (Diamond Stickles)

other - Unknown (ric rac, button); Stampin' Up! (baker's twine, rhinstone, heart punch, Close to Cocoa journaler, heart dies, corner rounder)

Thanks for looking!

Blog Award

2012-02-02T13:05:00.001-05:00

My friend and TeamWorks Team Leader, Lacey, recognized me on her blog. Thanks Lacey! This is my second year on the team with her, she does a fantastic job, and I'm excited to get to know her better.

Now it’s my turn to pass the award along to 5 blogs.

1. Cathy - Cathy is my sis-in-law, she doesn't blog a lot, but when she does it is about her cute family, and things she makes. Mostly sewing, and crocheting.

2. Janet - Janet is the owner at Color Combos Galore, which is a super fun color challenge site for scrapbooking and card making. You can also see all of her awesome inspiration for CCG on her blog, along with her beautiful projects.

3. Lynn - Lynn is a fellow TeamWorks member, has an adorable paper crafting style, and I am excited to be working with her this year.

4. Shirelle - I worked with Shirelle on the 2011 Teamworks team. She is sweet, supportive, and very talented.

5. Amanda - Amanda is a mommy blogger, her blog is full of beautiful photos of her adorable kiddos.

In accepting the award, the recipient agrees to:

Thank the person who gave the award and link back to their blog (I just did that!)
Copy and paste the award to your blog (done!)
Reveal the 5 blogs you have chosen to award this honor and why, and then let those bloggers know they have been chosen by commenting on their blogs.
Hope they pay it forward by accepting and awarding it to bloggers they would like to honor.

Color Combos Galore #216 (cards week) with C&SS #172!

2012-01-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Plus this challenge from Clean & Simple Stamping:

Equals this card from me:

January 23rd was National Pie Day, although I didn't make anything to do with pie...I thought a cupcake was close enough :) I wanted to kind of match my card to last weeks layout, so I used the same patterned paper. It had this cute little cloud shape, which I thought was perfect for a cupcake top. I drew a little extra inspiration from the brown wrappers under the pie in the color story photo...hence the brown mat framing my cupcake.

Supply List:

Stamp - Stampin' Up! (Birthdays Count)

cardstock - Stampin' Up! - (Soft Sky, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, So Saffron, Early Espresso)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Early Espresso)

pattern paper - American Crafts (Letterbox)

embossing folders - Stampin' Up (perfect polka dots); Tim Holtz (damask)

border punches - Stampin' Up!

chipboard sticker - American Crafts

other - Stampin Up! (rhinestones, bakers twine);

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #215 with JAI #100!

2012-01-15T15:56:00.002-05:00

Happy National Hat Day! ...after you are done addressing and sending out all of your National Hat Day cards, I just know you will want to get in on this week's challenge at CCG :)

This week's challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Plus this week's challenge to 'just add crowns' from Just Add Ink:

Equals this page from me:

The patterned paper I used is from American Crafts, and matches the colors from this challenge perfectly. I used several different kinds of circle embellishments (buttons, brads, stickers) to mimic the hats in the inspiration photo. I also used crowns to go along with the 'hat' theme..crowns are royal hats, right? The photo and crowns were also perfect for the Just Add Ink challenge this week:) For the bonus challenge, I used white lace cardstock inspired by the doily under the hats.

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Whisper White); KI Memories (lace cardstock)

patterned paper - Fancy Pants (Wishful Thinking); American Crafts (Letterbox)

brads - American Crafts

banner button - American Crafts

stickers - 7Gypsies (Her Majesty, journal stickers); Heidi Swapp (rhinestone crown);Lilybee Design (brown letter stickers); Simple Stories ( '8' )

fiber - Stampin' Up! (linen thread, brown baker's twine)

buttons - unknown

January is also National Hobby Month, so be sure to fit this week's challenge in...you have 2 weeks to finish it:)

Thanks for Looking!

Sketchy Thursdays #1.12 , The Play Date Cafe #114

2012-01-14T16:45:00.000-05:00

This week's sketch from Sketchy Thursdays:

Plus these colors from the Play Date Cafe:

Equals this page from me:

I obviously didn't follow the sketch exactly, I flipped it...and made few other changes. I am usually a 8.5 x 11 pager, so I always feel a bit awkward doing larger pages. The only reason I ever do larger pages is for this:

I do an album for every year of my 5 kid's life. From birthday to birthday... that's a lot of albums. So, to cut cost down, I buy regular 3 ring albums and page protectors - which is why I scrap 8.5 x 11 :) Anyway, it's great because I get to decorate the album itself, as well.

supply list:

patterned paper - Prima ( purple and gold); October Afternoon (Kitchen Cupboard)

cardstock - Stampin' Up!(Cherry Cobbler)

flowers - Prima

ribbon - May Arts

rhinestones - Stampin' Up!

letter stickers - American Crafts (Honey puffy letter stickers)

other stickers - 7Gypsies

embossing folder - Cuttlebug

punch - Stampin' Up! (notebook edge)

jounaler - Zig

buttons - unknown

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore 214 - Cards week!

2012-01-09T15:44:00.002-05:00

Did you know January 8th was National Bubble Bath Day? I didn't either :) If that wasn't exciting enough, January is National Bath Safety Month...So, with that in mind: Please refrain from using your toaster whilst taking your baths.

This week's challenge from Color Combos Galore:

My card:

I had a hard time with this one, actually. I'm usually pretty literal when it comes to sketches, so it took me a little while to put it together in my head.

Supply List:

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Painted Posies)

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (So Saffron, Very Vanilla)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Crumb Cake, So Saffron)

patterned paper - My Mind's Eye (Lost and Found); Unknown (yellow polka dot)

metal frame and brads - WeRMemoryKeepers

twine - Bloomerie (Etsy Shop)

pearls - Stampin' Up!

Border - Crate Paper (Farmhouse Collection)

That's it...what's your tip for National Bath Safety Month?

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #213!

2012-01-01T21:55:00.000-05:00

Color Combos Galore is back...and just in time for the New Year! We've moved back to Blogger, check out the new location HERE.

New challenge schedule and format:

There will be two Color Combos a month, posted on the 1st and 15th of each month. On the 1st of each month, the first Color Combo and Designer's Challenge will be posted. This Challenge will be for Layouts, Mini-Albums, and Off the Page Projects ONLY. You will now have TWO WEEKS to complete it! YAY!!! The following week, on the 8th, the SAME Color Combo will be posted, but for CARDS and TAGS ONLY with a DIFFERENT Designer's Challenge. You will have ONE WEEK to complete it. So the deadline for BOTH Challenges will be the 14th. You cannot mix a Layout Week with a Card Week. In other words, you cannot post a card or tag with a Designer's Challenge from Layouts Week, or a Layout with the Designer's Challenge from Cards Week. Sounds confusing? I know, but here is the schedule:

Challenges will be posted on the 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd each month

One Color Combo posted every TWO WEEKS, twice each month, alternating layouts and cards each single week, using a different Inspiration Photo and Designer Challenge for each.
for example, EVERY MONTH ON....

- the 1st: Combo A - Layouts, tags, mini albums, off the page projects (this will run for two weeks)
- the 8th: Combo A - Cards week (same combo, different Inspiration Photo and Designer Challenge, for cards)

Both Combo A Challenges will close at the end of cards week (the 14th)

- the 15th: Combo B - Layouts week (same as above)
- the 22nd: Combo B - Cards week (same as above)

Both Combo B Challenges will close at the end of Cards week (the 28th)

So let's get started!!! It's New Year's Day, so we are celebrating with the following Challenge. Check out our new Inspiration Board!!! I hope you have fun with it this week!

My page

Document the Crazy:

supply list:

cardstock - American Crafts (vanilla); Stampin' Up! (Whisper White, So Saffron)

patterned paper - October Afternoon (Sunday Dinner); Simple Stories (Blue Newsprint)

Label Stickers - My Mind's Eye

letter stickers - Simple Stories (Destinations); Lily Bee Design (Harvest Market ABC)

other stickers - October Afternoon (Farmhouse Shape Stickers)

other - Stampin' Up! (twine, pearl, Square Lattice die)

Thanks for looking!

CASE Study #70, The Play Date Cafe #111

2011-12-19T14:07:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge at CASE Study from the December muse Amy Sheffer:

Plus this week's colors from The Play Date Cafe:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Small Script, Stamp of Authenticity)

cardstock - American Crafts (Shadow); Stampin' Up! (Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Taken with Teal)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Basic Grey, Taken with Teal)

patterned paper - Lilybee Design (This & That - teacup)

ribbon - Stampin' Up!(off white sheer); May Arts (gingham)

dies - Stampin' Up! (Lattice, Beautiful Butterflies, Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder)

template - Coluzzle (circle)

button - unknown

other - Stampin' Up (pearls, linen thread)

Thanks for looking!

December 2011 MemoryWorks Express kit projects

2011-12-11T21:01:00.001-05:00

Hey there! Just sharing my projects that I created from the December MemoryWorks Express kit. I love everything in this kit. The colors are gorgeous, and perfect for some pictures of my girls that I had taken this past June (Which I would have never expected from a December kit :) .

December 2011 MemoryWorks Express Kit Contains:

Patterned Paper

{1} 12x12 Sunday Dinner - Farmhouse (October Afternoon)

{1} 12x12 Clothesline - Farmhouse (October Afternoon)

{1} 12x12 Kitchen Cupboard - Farmhouse (October Afternoon)

{1} 12x12 Everywhere Correspond - Lost & Found 2 (My Minds Eye)

{1} 12x12 Lovely Plaid - Lost & Found 2 (My Minds Eye)

{1} 12x12 Blue Newsprint - Simple Basics (Simple Stories)

Solid Cardstock

{1} 12x12 Mustard (American Crafts)

{1} 12x 12 Coffee (American Crafts)

{1} 12x12 Surf (American Crafts)

{1} 12x12 Shadow (American Crafts)

{1} 12x12 Vanilla (American Crafts)

Embellishments

{1} 12x12 Farmhouse Shape Stickers (October Afternoon)

{1} 3x6 Lost & Found 2 Forever Label Stickers (My Minds Eye)

{1} 3x6 Stella Rose Remember Journal Card (My Minds Eye)

{1} Package Brown Calendar Journaling Sprouts (Jillibean Soup)

{3} Mini Wood Spools (Maya Road)

{1} Vintage Mini Wood Ruler (Maya Road)

{1} Die Cut Wood Doily - Assorted Styles (Maya Road)

{2} Velvet Resin Blossoms (Maya Road)

{3} Toggle Wood Buttons - Assorted Styles (Prima)

{1} Bonnet Blooms - Assorted Colors (Jenni Bowlin)

{1} ½ Yard Antique Gold Loop Edge Ribbon (May Arts)

{1} ½ Yard Brown & Cream Gingham Ribbon (May Arts)

{1} 12'" Cream Crochet Lace (May Arts)

Cards

{1} 6x6 Mustard (American Crafts)

{1} 6x6 Coffee (American Crafts)

{1} 6x6 Surf (American Crafts)

{1} 6x6 Shadow (American Crafts)

{1} 6x6 Vanilla (American Crafts)

My Favorite Girls:

I used one of the envelopes to kind of mat/ground the photos, and tucked some of the embellishments inside of it. Would be great for hidden journaling, too.

Best Friends:

I used an exacto knife to trace around the butterfly on the patterned paper from My Mind's Eye, and popped up the wings. Then I added some stickles to make it stand out a little more.

Happy Birthday:

This is probably my favorite project, I just love that butterfly. I used a half inch circle punch for my border along the bottom of the card. I added the rhinestones, which were not in the kit.

Wish:

This was one of the fastest/easiest of my projects. You don't need to add much when you have such an awesome focal point :) Again, I added the pearls, which were not in the kit.

Happy Hellos:

I popped up the little round thread sticker/embellishment so I could wrap some actual thread around it and add the heart tag - that I punched right out of the bottom of the card.

Just because I care:

This is another card that came together quickly/easily. It was also my last project...so I might have just been running out of steam :)

Flower Pin:

I just hot glued some leaves (which were not in the kit) to the back of this awesome flower, and then hot glued a round chipboard element to the back to make it a bit more sturdy/durable. Finally, I hot glued the pin that came with the kit to the chipboard. A very quick/cute accessory :)

Ok, that's all of my projects.......

Thanks for looking!

CASE Study #69, The Play Date Cafe #110 & Mojo Monday #218, Color Throwdown #171

2011-12-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

Two cards to show today :)

This weeks challenge from The December muse Amy Sheffer, over at CASE Study:

Plus this color combo from The Play Date Cafe:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Whisper White, Soft Sky, Real Red, Kiwi Kiss)

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Lots of Thoughts)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Brilliant Blue)

dies - Stampin' Up! (leaves, lattice{used negatives for flower petals};Spellbinders (bracket/labels)

punches - Stampin' Up!(designer label, 1/2 inch circle)

embossing folder - Ranger

brass elements - WeRMemoryKeepers

rhinestones - Stampin' Up!

glitter glue - Ranger (Diamond Stickles)

ribbon - unknown

This week's sketch from Mojo Monday:

Plus this color combo from the Color Throwdown:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up!(Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Bravo Burgundy)

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Lots of Thoughts)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Baroque Burgundy, Close to Cocoa, Crumb Cake)

patterned paper - Stampin' Up!

embossing folder - Stampin' Up! (Square Lattice)

die - Spellbinders (bracket/label)

other - Stampin' Up! (pearls, ribbon, thread)

button - Unknown

Thanks for looking!

CASE Study #68, The Shabby Tea Room #90

2011-12-03T13:35:00.000-05:00

This week's challenged from the December muse, Amy Sheffer, at CASE Study:

Plus this challenge from The Shabby Tea Room:

Equals this card from me:

Supply list:

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Lots of Thoughts)

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Whisper White, Basic Black, Very Vanilla)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Basic Black)

brads - American Crafts

glitter glue - Ranger (Silver Stickles)

decorative scissors - Fiskars (stamp)

ribbon - Jo-Ann Fabric

embossing folder - Ranger (Vintage Postcard)

other - Stampin' Up!(rhinestones, linen thread, felt snowflake); unknown (button, vinage sheet music)

Thanks for looking!

Mojo Monday #207, Color Throwdown #170

2011-12-01T14:21:00.000-05:00

This weeks sketch from Mojo Monday:

Plus this color combo from Color Throwdown:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps - Stampin' Up! (All About U)

cardstock - Stampin Up! (Whisper White, Real Red, Night of Navy); Bazzil Basics (Daisy)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Night of Navy, Summer Sun)

patterned paper - Stampin Up!(Designer Series paper)

ribbon - Jo-Ann Fabrics

other - Stampin' Up! (rhinestone, button, linen thread, Square Lattice embossing folder, Coluzzle circle template)

Thanks for looking!

CASE Study #67, Color Throwdown #169

2011-11-29T13:01:00.000-05:00

This week's challenge from CASE Study:

Plus this color challenge from Color Throwdown (which I didn't get done on time):

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Romantic Rose, It's Your Birthday)

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal)

ink - Stampin' Up! ( Baja Breeze, Taken with Teal, Real red)

glitter glue - Ranger (Diamond Stickles)

embossing folder - Stampin' Up! (Perfect Polka dots)

other - Stampin Up! (rhinestones, corner rounder, 1/2 inch circle punch)

Tip:

I inked up the Romtanic Rose stamp with Baja Breeze, then I used the Taken with Teal marker to ink up just the large rose to make it stand out a little. This technique works pretty well for colors that are similar...a little more tricky if you have contrasting colors.

Also, since my big stamp is so detailed...I thought it would make it much too busy to stamp polka dots across the bottom. So, instead I dry embossed some polka dots, and topped them with Stickles.

Thanks for looking!

The Frog Game....A layout, and a tip!

2011-10-17T14:54:00.000-04:00

The Frog Game:

While there are all kinds of paper flower tutorials going around, I'm not usually one to come up with these types of awesome techniques on my own. But, I do love to use die cuts, and am always looking for ways to use them creatively. This 'Square Lattice' die from Stampin' Up! is one of my favorites, I use it a lot. I also always save the negative pieces, although I've never used them for anything. When I started getting things around for this page, I knew I wanted a frog theme. So, I wanted to make lily pads and waterlilies. Right away, I thought about negative pieces from this die, but of course I didn't have any white ones saved :) So, I also incorporated the main part of the die onto my page as well.

This is the die shown with some of the negatives from it....

I ran a 1/2 inch yellow punched circle through a sticker maker, (I'm sure double stick tape, or any other adhesive would work fine, too.) and stuck on six of the 'petals'.

For each of my waterlilies, I made two of these, and stuck them together with some double stick foam tape. I then topped them off with a rhinestone, and stuck them to my 'lily pads'. The lily pads are two inch circles cut from green cardstock, with a small notch cut out of them. That's it, so simple. The full list of supplies I used on this page are:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Very Vanilla)

patterned paper - Pink Paislee (Hometown Summer: Green Acres, Fruit Stand, Summer Fun)

letter stickers - American Crafts (Patchwork Fabric Thickers); Sassafras (wood grain)

die - Stampin' Up! (Square Lattice)

pearls - Recollections

other - Stampin' up! (rhinestones, 1/2 inch circle punch); Coluzzle (2 inch circle template)

adhesive - Xyron (sticker maker), Scotch (double stick tape), Elmers (foam mounting tape)

Thanks for looking!

Memory Works Simple Stories Life's Celebrations Blog Hop

2011-10-06T09:16:00.000-04:00

Join the MemoryWorks TeamWorks team for an all new BLOG HOP! Our fabulous TeamWorks team members will be sharing projects using all four new Simple Stories lines. Join in the blog hop to see which of our four new lines our talented TeamWorks gals choose as their favorite! The hop starts at the MemoryWorks Blog and ends at the Simple Stories blog. Comment on one or ALL the blogs for a chance to win a Simple Stories kit of your very own!

Welcome to the Memory Works 'Life's Celebrations' Blog Hop sponsored by Simple Stories! A prize will be given to one lucky 'hopper', so be sure to leave a comment at every stop for a better chance to win. If you are just joining us, go back and start HERE. If you happen to get side tracked, there is a map of the blogs at the end of this post.

All of the projects I have posted are created with Simple Stories' "Happy Day" collection. I used this fabulous kit to get caught up on some of my girls' birthday photos from this year and last...

A couple of pages from my girls' 8th birthday:

Birthday Party Fun

I used some of the little dot stickers from the kit to make hole reinforcers for my tag-banners. I also used some of the larger ones topped with rhinestones to connect my banner.

Birthday Cake

I used a scalloped circle punch to make 'bites' out of the sides of the page.

A couple of pages from their 9th birthday this year:

Wish

I used a half inch circle punch to take a notch out of the top and bottom edges of this page. I love punching shapes out of my pages, I don't know why....

Nine Years

So many quick and cute card options! Both of my cards came together in just minutes:

It's Your Day!

Happy Happy Birthday

I hope you have enjoyed my projects! Now, you are off to visit Lacey's beautiful blog!

BLOG HOP MAP:

Memory Works -----> Start

Christy

Danielle

Jade -----> You were here

Kelly -----> You are HERE

Lacey -----> Go here next

Simple Stories -----> Finish

Thanks for hopping!

Color Combos Galore #210, Mojo Monday #207

2011-09-23T10:11:00.000-04:00

This weeks challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Plus this sketch from Mojo Monday:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps: Stampin' Up! (Happy Harmony)

cardstock : Stampin' Up! (Soft Suede, Very Vanilla); unknown (taupe)

ink: Stampin' Up! (Close to Cocoa + True Thyme)

patterned paper: Stampin' Up! (stripe); Crate Paper (orange); Pink Paislee (ledger)

embossing folder: Stampin' Up!(Square Lattice)

rub-on: K&Company (stitches)

button: unknown

other: Stampin' Up! (pearls, linen thread, ribbon)

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #209, Clean & Simple Stamping #157

2011-09-16T14:24:00.000-04:00

This week's Colors from Color Combo's Galore:

Plus this sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps: Stampin' Up! (Delightful Doodles, Everyday Flexible Phrases)

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Whisper White); Bazzill (Papaya Puree Dark)

patterned paper: My Mind's Eye (Stella & Rose - Silly Stripe); BoBunny (Forever Fall - Dusk); Crate

Paper (brown scallop border)

ink: Stampin' Up!( Early Espresso, Cameo Coral/Real Red)

border sticker: Crate Paper (Farmhouse)

other: Basic Grey (brad); Stampin' Up! (rhinestones, embossing folder)

fiber: unknown

Thanks for looking!

September 2011 Memory Works Express kit projects

2011-09-11T20:37:00.000-04:00

September 2011 MemoryWorks Express Kit Contains:

Patterned Paper

{1} 12x12 Countryside - Farmhouse (Crate Paper)

{1} 12x12 Cross Stitch - Farmhouse (Crate Paper)

{1} 12x12 Cupboard - Farmhouse (Crate Paper)

{1} 12x12 Memories - Lost & Found 2 (My Minds Eye)

{1} 12x12 Silly Stripe - Stella & Rose (My Minds Eye)

{1} 12x12 Dusk - Forever Fall (Bo Bunny)

Solid Cardstock

{1} 12x12 Papaya Puree Dark (Bazzill)

{1} 12x 12 Suede Brown Dark (Bazzill)

{1} 12x12 Sugar Cream (Bazzill)

{1} 12x12 Kraft (Bazzill)

Embellishments

{1} 6x12 Phrase Stickers - Farmhouse (Crate Paper)

{1} 6x12 Border Stickers - Farmhouse (Crate Paper)

{1} 6x12 Woodgrain Mini Alphas (Sassafras)

{3} 5x8 Ribbon Edge Chipboard Banners (Fancy Pants)

{2} Cream Notions Patterned Flowers (Studio Calico)

{6} Pyrus Glazed Brads - Assorted Styles & Sizes (BasicGrey)

{4} Memories Eclectic Buttons - Assorted Styles & Sizes (My Minds Eye)

{1} ½ Yard Timber & Cream Gingham Ribbon (Creative Impressions)

{1} ½ Yard Jumbo Mustard Rick Rack (Creative Impressions)

{1} ½ Yard Antique Ruler Twill (Creative Impressions)

{1} ½ Yard Natural Twine (Creative Impressions)

Cards

{1} 5.5 x 8.5 Papaya Puree Dark (Bazzill)

{1} 5.5 x 8.5 Suede Brown Dark (Bazzill)

{1} 5.5 x 8.5 Sugar Cream (Bazzill)

{1} 5.5 x 8.5 Spring Willow Medium (Bazzill)

{1} 5.5 x 8.5 Kraft (Bazzill)

{5} 5 3/4 X 4 3/8 Natural Envelopes

My projects:

Some layouts....

At the Apple Orchard

Pure Honey

Some cards....

So Thankful

Happy Birthday

Always

And, and altered project...

Schoolroom Banner:

I LOVED this kit, so many fun things to play with....so, hurry off and order this months Memory Works Express kit!

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #208, Card Patterns #131

2011-09-08T16:32:00.000-04:00

This weeks challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Plus this week's sketch from Card Patterns:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps - Verve (Delightful & Delicious); Stampin' Up! (Finest Flourishes)

cardstock - Stampin' Up! ( Crumb Cake, Whisper White)

patterned paper - My Mind's Eye (striped)

ribbon - Fancy Pants

ink - Stampin' Up! (Crumb Cake, Pale Plum, Rose Romance, Bordering Blue)

pearls - Recollections

embossing folder - Tim Holtz

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #207, Clean & Simple Stamping #155, and CAS-ual Fridays #17

2011-09-01T21:55:00.000-04:00

This week's colors from Color Combos Galore:

Plus a sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping:

Plus one more challenge from CAS-ual Fridays:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamp: Stampin' Up! (Define Your Life)

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Pale Plum, Very Vanilla, True Thyme)

ink: Stampin' Up! ( Soft Suede)

patterned paper: Stampin' Up! (Poppy Parade)

rub-ons: Stampin' Up! (flowers)

fiber: unknown

other: Stampin' Up (rhinestones, square lattice embossing folder)

I don't know WHY my 'Toast' color (Soft Suede) is looking so green in my picture...it is more brown in real life. Anyway...

Thanks for Looking!

Color Combos Galore #205, Clean and Simple Stamping #153, and CAS-ual Fridays #15

2011-08-17T22:43:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Plus a double up challenge from Clean and Simple Stamping and CAS-ual Fridays:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamps - Stampin' Up! (The Art of Life, Birthdays Count)

cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Rose Romance, Baja Breeze)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Cherry Cobbler, Rose Romance, Baja Breeze)

other - Stampin' Up! (pearls, Canvas Cuts)

embossing folder - Stampin' Up! (Square Lattice)

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #201, and a tutorial!

2011-07-22T23:04:00.000-04:00

This weeks colors from Color Combos Galore:

My page:

...and a card:

Here is how to make the scallop flowers:

(The top row is for a larger/fuller flower, the bottom row is for a smaller version - which is what I used in both of my projects.)

Punch/cut the scallops and circles, and ink the edges.

Crumple them all up, and with ink side down, roll up the edges.

Stack on top of each other, and stick a brad in the center - that's it! Super easy.

Thanks for checking it out!

100 Day of Summer Gift Card Tutorial

2011-07-21T10:15:00.000-04:00

I made these gift card holders for the June Marketing Kit for Memory Works, and had several people ask for the tutorial when I included the end product on the Simple Stories Blog Hop. It's so very easy...

Please excuse the Subway gift card, it's all that I had to demonstrate with.)These cute little gift cards are perfect for wedding and graduation gifts. This is what you start with:

1- 4x6 journal card, and a 2.5 x 4 piece of patterned paper.

Score the journal card on either side of your piece of patterned paper. You can center it if you want, but I used the vertical lines on the journal card to determine where to make my scores.

Tape the journal card closed, and decorate both sides as desired.

Stick the paper peice into the journal card envelope about a half an inch, and punch a hole through all of it. Thread some ribbon through the hole, and wrap it around the end of the patterned paper, and tie a bow. Then, you just slide the paper with the gift card back into the envelope. It slides easier with more narrow ribbon, but if you want to use wide ribbon, just punch a bigger hole.

Supply List with approximate cost:

1 4x6 journal card - .20

1 2.5 x 4 piece of patterned paper - .10

6 small letter stickers - .05

5 - 10 sticker embelishments - .15

12 inches ribbon from your stash - .25

Total Cost = .75

There you have it! Cheap, quick, easy, cute, and useful!

Thanks for checking it out!

Mojo Monday #200

2011-07-19T17:11:00.000-04:00

This week's Mojo Monday sketch:

Plus my own color combo :) -- equals this card from me:

This is probably one of my favorites to date...

Supply List:

pattern paper : Dream Street Papers (argyle, letters): My Mind's Eye (striped)

stamps: Verve Stamps LLC

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Crumb Cake, Soft Sky, Whisper White)

ink: Stampin' Up! (Early Espresso)

ribbon: Stampin Up! ( white grosgrain, bakers twine); Fancy Pants (pink lace)

button: unknown

Thanks for looking!

Butterfly Embellishment Winner!

2011-07-19T10:57:00.000-04:00

I want to thank everyone for their sweet comments on my projects, and for joining in on our Hop! The winner of the handmade butterflies is number 27 : Kiwi The Kreator...

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:27Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Kiwi The Kreator said:

"That beautiful baby just makes the page!!! LOVE the butterflies!"

Congratulations, and e-mail your address to kel.bel79@yahoo.com

*just a note: I did put in the numbers from 1-31, but it didn't save to my post that way*

Color Combos Galore 200th Anniversary Blog Hop

2011-07-17T10:16:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Color Combos Galore 200th "Anniversary" Blog Hop! We hope by visiting the CCG Design Team members' blogs, you will be able to pick up some fun tips and techniques. Many of the team members will be offering prizes, so you will want to visit all of the blogs to increase your chances of winning some fun scrappy stuff. We are also offering a chance at a Guest Designer spot for the month of August if you visit all of the blogs in our Blog Hop and participate in Challenge 200 by uploading your project to the CCG Gallery. It's so fun to get the colors before everyone else! Plus, who doesn't love to see their name in lights! The deadline for the chance to win these prizes is one week from today, Sunday, July 24, EST.

If this is your first stop at our Blog Hop, you'll want to start at Bente's blog, and follow the hop in order so you don't miss anyone. If you've been hopping in order, your next stop is Lilith's blog.

Once you have visited all the blogs and uploaded a project to the CCG Gallery using Challenge 200, please make sure you check in at the Blog Hop discussion in the Special Announcements Forum at CCG. We will choose our August Guest Designer from that thread. Individual DT members will be choosing winners for the prizes they are offering. Good luck, and we hope you'll enjoy our blog hop!

Hi! If you haven't seen this week's color combo, here it is:

Isn't it delicious?

I thought they were perfect baby boy colors, here is what I created:

Squirt:

There's no special tips, not any real 'technique' to this page. I used the whale fountain as my 'drip' for the designers challenge. I know it was suppose to be in the form of a technique...but I thought the whale was perfect for the theme. I do love the look of the staggered banner stickers, though. I love banner stickers, and am always trying to find unusual ways to use them,

Little Someone:

I added some dark brown to the palette in the card, I think it makes it even more baby boyish. For the designer's challenge, I just laid on the Stickles real thick to the sentiment block, until it started dripping.

That's it, I hope you have enjoyed my projects! Don't forget to leave a comment, and I will be using the random number generator to pick a winner for these:

You can find these handmade (by me!) butterfly embellishments published here:

So, if you love butterflies with lots of texture, be sure to leave a comment...and enjoy the rest of the Hop!

Blog Hop Map:

Bente Fagerberg <-----Start Here.

Cynthia Lloréns

Debbi Tehrani

Eva Pizarro
Fi Kenward

Karen Watson <-----You were here.

Kelly Holbrook <-----You are HERE.

Lilith Eeckels <-----Go here next.

Susan Stringfellow
Tanya Tahir
Tina Walker

Wendy Kwok <-----End here.

Case Study #48

2011-07-16T16:11:00.000-04:00

I couldn't pass up CASE-ing this card from Case Study's July muse, Dawn Woleslagle:

Here is my version:

I had the perfect stamp set for this card, and it was one I haven't used in a long time. I used the color Crumb Cake, instead of Sahara Sand...and I also embossed the background, just to give it a little something extra.

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! ( Crumb Cake, Whisper white)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Crumb Cake, VersaMark)

stamps - Stampin' Up! (Best Blossoms)

ribbon - Stampin' Up! (white grosgrain, white organdy)

other - Ranger (Perfect Pearls); Stampin' Up! (black embossing powder, pearls)

Thanks for looking!

Card Patterns #123, The Shabby Tea Room #70

2011-07-15T17:07:00.000-04:00

This week's sketch from over at Card Patterns:

Plus this challenge from The Shabby Tea Room:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

cardstock - Stampin' Up!(Basic Grey, Whisper White, Certainly Celery)

ink - Stampin' Up! (Basic Grey, Rose Romance)

stamps - Stampin' Up!(Romantic Rose, It's Your Birthday )

ribbon - Stampin' Up!(white organdy, white grosgrain)

pattern paper - The Paper Studio (striped); Stampin' Up! (green)

other - (lattice die, lattice embossing folder) - Stampin' Up!; button, floss

Thanks for Looking!

Memory Works Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer Blog Hop

2011-07-14T09:04:00.000-04:00

Join the MemoryWorks TeamWorks team today, July 14, 2011 for a BLOG HOP! The TeamWorks team will be sharing projects using the Simple Stories line - 100 Days of Summer. This talented group of gals will share ideas and projects using this fabulous kit!!! The hop starts at the MemoryWorks Blog and ends at the Simple Stories blog. Comment on one or ALL the blogs for a chance to win a Simple Stories kit of your very own!!

Welcome to the 100 Days of Summer blog hop! If you are just joining us, be sure to go back and start HERE. If you get lost or sidetracked, the line up of blogs is at the bottom of this post.

So, let's get started! I loved working with this line, it is so warm and cheerful...here is what I came up with:

Summer:

I cut some of the circled patterned paper to shape for the border on this LO, and I love how it turned out. I also cut some whole circle out for some of the embellishments.

I know that the mats/cards are designed for the divided page protectors, but they also work so well for an 8.5x11 page. I find it difficult a lot of times to cut the design on 12x12 paper to fit my page...but this way I can fit in the whole design by using the photo mats.

Backyard BBQ:

I punched the littlest circle from the striped pattern paper, but I also punched out some of the barcode with it...I thought it gave it an interesting touch.
Besides the letter stickers,there are also so many amazing simple title options.

Classic Summer Fun:

I also used some paper from Cosmo Cricket's 'Upcycle' line in this LO.

!00 Days of Summer gift card holders:

These gift card holders are made out of a scored, and embellished journal card, and a 2.5x4 piece of patterned paper. So easy, and quick...and perfect for any occasion.

That's it! I hope you enjoyed my projects. Don't forget to leave a comment, and now you are off to see Sharon!

BLOG HOP MAP:
MemoryWorks <---Start here.
Lacey Igo
Sheri Feypel
Susan Nichols
Jade Wilson
Sandy Zent
Lisa Harris <----You were here.
Kelly Holbrook <----You are HERE.
Sharon Hill <---Go here next.
Sarah Jimerson
Christy Musack
Simple Stories <----End here.

Color Combos Galore #198

2011-07-01T18:11:00.000-04:00

This weeks challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Which, was actually released last week for a design team call. I wasn't going to apply at first, but, I really liked the colors, so here is what I submitted:

Then, I was asked for a card submission, so this is what I came up with:

And, you know what? I made the 2011 Color Combos Galore design team! It's a six month term, from July to December...and I'm super excited about it! It just goes to show, that you never know until you try!

So, these are this weeks colors. If you like them, try it, it'll be fun to see what you come up with.

Thanks for stopping by!

CASE Study #45

2011-06-28T13:46:00.000-04:00

A card from the June muse, Jill Foster, over at CASE Study:

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamp sets: Stampin' Up! (Inspired by Nature, It's Your Birthday)

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze)

ink: Stampin' Up! (Not Quite Navy, Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie); Ranger (Tea Dye)

other: Stampin' Up! (pearls, twine, top note die, lattice embossing folder); Provo Craft (flower embossing folder)

I really liked the colors that Jill used on her card, so I didn't combine this with a color challenge. For the sun, I just punched out a circle, used both the positive and negative as masks, and used a blending tool. It was really fun to make.....

Thanks for looking!

Mojo Monday #196, The Play Date Cafe #87, Off The Wall Craftiness #56

2011-06-25T23:35:00.000-04:00

This week's Mojo Monday sketch:

Plus a color challenge from The Play Date Cafe:

and another color challenge from Off The Wall Craftiness (red, white, any shade of blue):

Equals this card from me:

Supply List:

stamp set: Stampin' Up! (Best Yet)

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Not Quite Navy, Whisper White)

ink: Stampin' Up! (Real Red, Not Quite Navy)

patterned paper: Stampin' Up! (6x6 designer paper pack : Basic Grey)

other: Stampin' Up!(embossing folder, linen thread)

embossing die: Spellbinders

unknown: mulberry paper, flower, brad, button, ribbon

Thanks for looking!

Clean & Simple #145, CR84FN #32, and CAS-ual Fridays #7

2011-06-20T16:31:00.000-04:00

A sketch from Clean & Simple Stamping:

Plus this color challenge from CR84FN:

Plus one more challenge from CAS-ual Fridays:

Equals this card for my niece's 16th birthday:

Supply list:

stamp sets: Stampin' Up! ( Seriously Sassy, Birthdays Count, Extreme Backgrounds)

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Cool Caribbean, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Whisper White, Basic Grey)

ink: Stampin' Up! (Cool Caribbean, Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Whisper White, Basic Grey)

misc: Stampin' Up! ( rhinestones, embossing folder)

number stickers: Simple Stories (100 Days of Summer)

other: unknown ( button, embroidery floss, ribbon)

That's it...Thanks for looking!

Papertake Weekly Challenge "Dads and Lads"

2011-06-19T22:24:00.000-04:00

I participated in a new challenge this week from Papertake Weekly Challenge. The challenge is "Dads and Lads"...make a Father's Day card, or just a card for a boy/man. Since I had to make several Father's Day cards anyway, I joined in. Here is my card:

Supply List:

stamp sets : Stampin' Up! (Sailed Away, Special Greetings)

ink: Stampin' Up! (Basic Grey, Buckaroo Blue)

cardstock: Stampin' Up! (Basic Grey, Crumb Cake, Buckaroo Blue, Whisper White)

patterned paper : Die Cuts with a View (striped, blue) ; unknown (text)

brad: American Crafts

twine: Stampin' Up! (Linen Thread)

other: 7Gypsies (compass stamp)

Thanks for Looking!

Card Patterns #119, The Play Date Cafe #85

2011-06-14T20:20:00.000-04:00

This weeks sketch from Card Patterns:

Plus a this color combo from the Play Date Cafe:

Equals this card from me:

Everything here is Stampin' Up! except for the ribbon, I think the purple ribbon is Fancy Pants. The stamp set is Fifth Avenue Floral. That is all....

Thanks for looking!

CASE Study #43, Just Add Ink #71, and CAS-ual Fridays #6

2011-06-13T17:03:00.000-04:00

This week's card from the June muse Jill Foster for CASE Study:

Plus a color challenge from Just Add Ink:

Plus this fun challenge from CAS-ual Fridays:

Equals this card from me:

I mixed it up a little this time, and threw another challenge in the pot :) The CAS-ual Fridays challenge is tic-tac-toe, and you're suppose to pick a row to incorporate onto your card. I picked the 'buttons/die or punch/emboss' row. I used both kinds of embossing (dry and heat), although I have to admit, I'm not that great at heat embossing...at least not with black powder :) It would probably help if I got an embossing buddy, I've been meaning to get one of those. And, the big scallop circle is the die. Everything is Stampin' Up! except for the embroidery floss and button. Anyway...

Thanks for looking!

Mojo Monday #194, Color Combos Galore #195

2011-06-08T22:51:00.000-04:00

This week's Mojo Monday sketch:

Plus this a color challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Equals this card from me:

Everything is Stampin' Up! except for the button, and the red paper - which is Cosmo Cricket. Not a whole lot to say about this one - it came together pretty quick, I really liked this sketch :)

Thanks for looking!

The Scrappiest #123

2011-06-07T17:41:00.000-04:00

The Scrappiest sketch #123 turned on the side:

My page:

The soccer ball stamp, and grey cardstock are from Stampin' Up! I can't remember where the burgundy graph paper came from, the brads are American Crafts, and everything else is from the Simple Stories Destinations line. That is all...

Thanks for looking!

Card Patterns #117, The Play Date Cafe #84

2011-06-03T20:12:00.000-04:00

This week's sketch from Card Patterns:

Plus a color challenge from the Play Date Cafe:

Equals this card from me:

Everything is Stampin' Up! except for the ribbon, and mulberry paper. I don't have a whole lot of products in these colors, so this was a challenging challenge :) I have a TON of mulberry scraps leftover from some wedding invitations I did quite a few years ago, and I'm always trying to find ways to use it up. That's all for now...

Thanks for looking!

Mojo Monday #193, Color Throwdown #144

2011-06-02T20:16:00.000-04:00

This weeks sketch from Mojo Monday :

Plus this weeks color combo from Color Throwdown :

Equals this card from me:

Everything here is Stampin' Up, except for the die (Spellbinders), embroidery floss, and buttons. I couldn't decide which shade of orange button I liked better - so I just used them both. That's how I come up with most of my best ideas: the inability to just decide something already :) The stamp is super old, but one I've always liked...it's from a set called 'longstemmed' from way back in 2000. Anyway....

TFSB!

Card Patterns #115, The Play Date Cafe #82

2011-05-20T16:39:00.000-04:00

This weeks sketch from Card Patterns:

Plus a color challenge from The Play Date Cafe:

Equals this card from me:

I have a scalloped die, but I didn't feel it was big enough for a card, so I had to trace and hand cut my scalloped card :) The the patterned paper for the banner and rick rack are both from Fancy Pants. The bakers twine is from an Etsy shop called Bloomerie. The embossing folder I used for the white cardstock, the stamp, eyelets, ink, and cardstock are all from Stampin' Up! The yellow patterned paper is something from my scraps, I don't remember the manufacturer, and the other fiber is from Micheal's. I think this makes a very cute baby card....

Thanks for looking!

CAS-ual Fridays #2, The Play Date Cafe #81

2011-05-17T15:39:00.000-04:00

My first CAS-ual Fridays challenge:

Plus this color challenge from The Play Date Cafe:

Equals this card from me:

I didn't get to join in the very first CAS-ual Fridays challenge, I was in Tennessee for the week. So, I am excited to play along this week. The stamp set is called 'The Art of Life', it and ink,cardstock, and rhinestones are all Stampin' Up! I just got that embossing die, it is from Spellbinders...took me a little while to figure out how to use it, but I think I got it :) The button is American Crafts, and I also used a little Diamond Stickles on the flower.

Thanks for looking!

Artist's Note:

This card earned me this badge from The Play Date Cafe:

Creative Scrappers #156

2011-05-15T20:49:00.000-04:00

This week's sketch from Creative Scrappers:

My page:

I used the Simple Stories Destinations kit for this page. I was actually able to use up a lot of paper scraps I had left over from my blog hop projects. I love doing pages that help me use up my scraps :) The banner stickers are from Jenni Bowlin Studio, the 'watch' sticker is Heidi Swapp, and the button is American Crafts. Thanks for looking!

MemoryWorks Simple Stories Destinations Blog Hop

2011-04-28T09:13:00.000-04:00

Come travel the MemoryWorks TeamWorks members blogs TODAY, Thursday, April 28, 2011 for a blog hop highlighting the Simple Stories: Destinations line! The team will display projects that will inspire you on your summer adventures and trips, as well as life adventures using this fabulous paper line! The hop starts at the MemoryWorks blog and ends at the Simple Stories blog. A prize, sponsored by Simple Stories will be given to one commenter. Lets get hoppin!

Welcome to the MemoryWorks Simple Stories Destinations Blog Hop! If you are just joining us, start at the beginning HERE. If you get lost, the line up of blogs is at the bottom of this post.

I love this line from Simple Stories. Even though it's theme is travel, it's masculine and versatile. So, I took the opportunity to catch up on some of my boy pages.

(8.5x11) It's the Journey:

I thought the journey quote was perfect to reflect the way my son, Owen was about playing T-ball. He didn't care where he ended up, just as long as he got to play :)

(2 page 8.5x11)Your Brand New Bike:

Even though there were no embellishments in the kit to really match the theme of this layout, I feel like the colors are perfect for it. And, the use of several of the patterned papers takes away the need for any more.

(2 page 8.5x11) At the Arcade:

This page is actually from a vacation, but I also thought bike was fitting for the Destinations theme. I embellished with some stamps to make the whole thing flow.

I hope you like my projects, and have a blast blog hopping! Don't forget to leave a comment, and head over to the cute blog of Sarah Crawford.

BLOG HOP MAP:

Memory Works Blog <------The Beginning.

Kelly Holbrook<------You are here.

Sarah Crawford<------Stop here next.

Sarah Jimerson

Sandy Zent

Simple Stories <------The End.

TFSB!

Color Throwdown # 138, Mojo Monday #187

2011-04-24T18:24:00.000-04:00

This week's Color Throwdown challenge :

Plus this week's Mojo Monday sketch:

Equals this card from me:

I used the Verve stamp set I won for Mojo Monday #185. It's the second time I have used them, and I really like them. The ink, cardstock, and patterned paper are all from Stampin' Up! I used a toilet paper roll to make the 'cup ring', I think it turned out pretty cute, anyway....

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore # 189, CASE Study # 37

2011-04-23T15:51:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from Color Combos Galore :

Plus this card from the April muse over at CASE Study, Silke Ledlow:

Equals this card from me:

Everything is Stampin' Up!, except for the button, embroidery floss, and butterfly stamp. The butterfly stamp is from Fancy Pants, and I also used diamond Stickles. The colors are So Saffron, Soft Sky, Blushing Bride, and Groovy Guava. Thanks for looking!

Card patterns # 111 , The Play Date Cafe # 78

2011-04-22T17:15:00.000-04:00

A sketch from over at Card Patterns :

Plus a color challenge from The Play Date Cafe :

Equals this card from me:

Everything here is Stampin' Up!, except for the embroidery floss. I used the colors Bashful Blue, Pink Pirouette, and Poppy Parade. Very quick and easy card, thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #188, Card Patterns # 110

2011-04-15T20:16:00.000-04:00

A Color challenge from Color Combos Galore:

Plus a sketch from Card Patterns:

Equals this card from me:

I made this card with my new Verve Stamps that I won from last weeks Mojo Monday challenge! The patterned paper is My Mind's Eye, and the ribbon, ink, and cardstock is Stampin' Up! The little pearls are Martha Stewart Crafts. That is all!

Thanks for looking!

The Play Date Cafe #77, Case Study #35

2011-04-15T14:31:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from The Play Date Cafe:

Plus this card from the April muse over at CASE Study, Silke Ledlow :

Equals this card from me:

I know only neutrals are to be added to the color challenge colors, but I couldn't resist putting a little red in the center of the 'pear blossoms' to make them look a little more authentic :) The stamps, cardstock, ink, die cut, and green pattern paper are all Stampin' Up! Everything else is just miscellaneous supplies from my stash. I also used a little bit of diamond stickles as accents on the pears and flowers.

Thanks for looking!

Just Add Ink #63, CASE Study #34

2011-04-07T18:49:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from Just Add Ink:

(It was actually draw your own inspiration, I chose the colors.)

Plus this gorgeous card from the April muse for CASE Study, Silke Ledlow:

Equals this card from me:

As usual, mostly Stampin' Up! products, except for the button, and the ribbon. It's not near as stunning as Silke's card, but it came together pretty easily. I don't have a whole lot to say about this one, sooo....

TFSB!

Color Throwdown #136, Mojo Monday #185

2011-04-07T12:00:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from the Color Throwdown blog:

Plus a sketch from the Mojo Monday blog:

Equals this card from me:

Most everything here is Stampin' Up! The twine I bought from a store on Etsy. The rickrack is from the Memory Works July Express kit, view their current kit HERE. The other fiber I got on clearance at Michaels, and those teeny tiny brads are from a company called Queen Co. This one was a lot of fun, and I love those colors....

Thanks for looking!

Artist's Note:

This was a winning card for the month of April at Mojo Monday!

Color Combos Galore #186, Card Patterns #109

2011-04-06T16:26:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from Color Combos Galore :

Plus a sketch from Card Patterns :

Equals a card from me:

I needed a birthday card for my niece, so I used these two challenges to make one for her :) Everything I used is from Stampin Up!, some of it is new stuff that I wanted to break in. Part of the color challenge was to use lots of layers, so I strayed from the sketch just a little. I did use all of the colors, but my gray/nude/white combo seems to look all white in the picture. Anyway....

Thanks for looking!

The Scrappiest #113

2011-04-03T20:33:00.000-04:00

This week's sketch from The Scrappiest :

My page:

I've found that when converting 12x12 to 8.5x11, it's easiest to just eliminate white space. Turning my 8.5x11 horizontal allowed me to do this quite easily. My page is very literally the sketch, except for I added some journaling strips. I'm not a huge journaler, but I usually like to have at least a little on all of my pages. That's it...

Thanks for looking!

Creative Scrappers #148

2011-03-26T16:09:00.000-04:00

A sketch from over at the Creative Scrappers blog:

My page:

I used up some VERY old Stampin' Up products this time arouond, it just seemed to work for the photos. I am loving rounded edges on my layouts lately, and reinforced holes, too. I wondered slightly from the sketch for my 8.5x11 size, and added some journaling strips to the top. That is all....

Thanks for looking!

The Scrappiest #112

2011-03-24T21:28:00.000-04:00

A sketch from over at The Scrappiest :

My page :

I mirrored the sketch to accommodate the arrow on the title sticker, and used 2 photos instead of 3 to better fit the 8.5x11 size. I got to use some of the products I won from Lucky Girl Crafts, again...they are the perfect boy colors:) After I had the paper all cut, I decided it would have looked better if I switched the green paper with the polka dots, but just went with it.

Thanks for checking it out!

Just Add Ink #60, Color Combos Galore #184

2011-03-21T23:44:00.000-04:00

A color challenge from over at the Just Add Ink blog:

My page (which, incidentally, I didn't add any ink to):

The paper and flowers are Prima, the canvas embellishments are from Stampin' Up!, and those cute little pearls are Martha Stewart Crafts.

Another challenge from over at Color Combos Galore :

My page:

This page just has a bunch of different stuff from my stash, most of it I don't even remember where it came from. But, I did die cut the butterflies out of vellum.

Thanks for looking!

Creative Scrappers #147, The Scrappiest #111

2011-03-16T22:58:00.000-04:00

I have a couple of sketches, this time. Creative Scrappers recently did a facebook draw, and I won! The prize was a $25 coupon code to Lucky Girl Crafts. One of the things that I got with it was their July kit...it was perfect for some summer pictures that I needed to get done. So, the first sketch is from Creative Scrappers :

Here is my page:

The next sketch is from The Scrappiest :

Here is that page:

That is all, thanks for looking!

Card Patterns #106, The Play Date Cafe #72

2011-03-13T20:15:00.000-04:00

A sketch from over at Card Patterns :

Plus a color challenge from over at The Play Date Cafe :

Equals a card from me:

This stamp set is 'Garden Collage' from Stampin' Up! (which I recently stole from my mother-in-law's stash). These are definitely colors that I never use, but I think they look great together. I used Stampin' Up! colors as well...More Mustard, Regal Rose, and Pacific Point. I had an issue with where to put the greeting, as the card already had a lot of layers in it...so I stamped it and cut it out, so it's a little hard to see. That is all, thanks for checking it out!

Mojo Monday sketch #181, Color Combos Galore #183

2011-03-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

A sketch from the Mojo Monday blog:

Plus a color challenge from Color Combos Galore :

Equals a card from me:

I am really loving the sketch/challenge process. I just don't have the time anymore to sit and think about ideas... it takes all of the work right out of it, so that I can get right to the fun :) I am getting a lot accomplished, and it also helps me to use up products that I have had for a very long time. That chipboard circle, and the white rub-on (both from Stampin' Up!) I have had for about 4 or 5 years, and I don't think that I have ever used that ribbon punch! Thanks for checking it out!

Creative Scrappers sketch #146

2011-03-11T18:22:00.000-05:00

A sketch from Creative Scrappers :

My Page:

I usually try to stay away from flowers and butterflies on my boy pages, but I liked the butterflies on the sketch so I put a few little ones on there. I also had to move my title to the bottom of the page, because it was too big to put on the top circle, but I think it looks ok there. Anyway....

Thanks for looking!

The Scrappiest sketch #110

2011-03-09T17:40:00.000-05:00

A sketch from over at The Scrappiest blog :

My page:

I'm trying to catch up on some of my older photos. It's hard, because they aren't as exciting as the newer stuff :) This sketch was a little tricky to convert from a 12x12 to 8 1/2x11, but taller pictures seemed to help (instead of square ones). That is all....

Thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #182, The Scrappiest #109

2011-03-07T00:07:00.000-05:00

This weeks color challenge from over at Color Combos Galore:

A sketch from over at The Scrappiest:

A scrapbook page this time:

I thought the colors this time were a little difficult, the page was looking a little washed out. But, once I put it all together, it turned out ok. I also got a chance to use up some products that I have had for a very long time.

That's it! Thanks for looking,

The Play Date Cafe Challenge #71; Unscripted Sketches #95

2011-03-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

This time I have combined two challenges, and it really did make things so easy. The first challenge was a sketch from over at Unscripted Sketches:

The second was a color challenge from over at The Play Date Cafe :

Here is my card:

The color challenge was suppose to be neutrals with just a splash of any color we wanted. I chose red, it's a color that I don't use too often, and I love this shade. It is 'Cherry Cobbler' from Stampin' Up. I used the 'Fifth Avenue Floral' and 'Whimsical Words' stamp sets, also both from Stampin' Up.

Thanks for looking!

Card Pattern #104

2011-03-01T18:16:00.000-05:00

This time I have a card sketch from over at Card Patterns. I decided that I would use the card sketches for a chance to use my stamps more. I have so many, and I rarely use them. Here is the sketch:

Here is my card:

I used some of my favorite colors on this one, with the 'Good Neighbors' stamp set from Stampin' Up. I should make things real easy for my self and combine a color challenge with a sketch...it would take almost all of the work out of it :)

That is all, thanks for looking!

Color Combos Galore #181

2011-02-28T20:01:00.000-05:00

This challenge was a little more difficult, and took me a lot longer. But, here is the challenge from Color Combos Galore:

And, here is my Layout:

This challenge was great because these are colors I don't usually use. Which means that I also do not have a whole lot of products in these colors. So, the page is mostly cardstock, and that is good, because I have a huge stash of it. I embossed and punched the cream background, and I also made the cream flower from cardstock using a technique from the most recent issue of Scrapbooks, Etc. Also, I made the banner from paper scraps. I just cut some 2 inch by 3/4 inch strips, folded them in half, cut a wedge out of them, and then taped them close together.

That's it, thanks for looking!

Creative Scrappers sketch #144

2011-02-26T20:52:00.000-05:00

I'm not usually big on challenges, or sketches, but I have come across a couple of interesting sites, and have decided to give both a try. One of those sites was actually a blog called Creative Scrappers and they have weekly sketches. Here is this weeks sketch:

Here is my interpretation of the sketch:

My problem with sketches is that I do follow them quite literally, and usually have a hard time 'making it my own'. But, it all did come together pretty quickly , and it was fun to do. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Anyway, check out the blog...they have a gallery with previous sketches, too.

TFSB,

Envelope Treat Bag

2011-02-11T14:45:00.000-05:00

So, I had to make an 'altered item' for one of my MW Express kit projects, and I figured what's more altered than making something out of something else? This is actually an 'oldie'...I was shown how to do this about 10 years ago, and I think they are perfect for Valentine's Day. Here is the finished product:

Start by sealing the envelope closed, and cutting of one of the sides with decorative scissors, or a border punch:

Measure in 1/2 inch, score and fold (in both directions) on remaining 3 sides:

Push in bottom folds, and shape into a bag:

Tape down the little triangle tabs:

And...that is how you make an envelope into a bag! Embellish as desired :)

TFSB!

My Favorite Pattern

2011-01-30T21:03:00.000-05:00

I've enjoyed this sweater pattern from the Spring/Summer 2006 issue of BHG's 'Knit It!' I've made it about 5 times now, starting with one for my niece in these exact colors:

I've made it in these colors a total of three times:

Between those two color combinations, I had enough scraps from both to make this one:

When I first started, I was very skeptical that these colors would look good together...but, by the time I was half way done with it, I was loving it. It reminds me of icecream.

I didn't even have to buy buttons for it, I had enough mismatched ones in my scrapbooking supply that matched the colors perfectly.

So, don't throw away those scraps...use them on your favorite pattern. It is fun to see what you come up with :)

TFSB!

Box Envelope

2011-01-28T16:14:00.000-05:00

Awhile back I made this card:

Find the original post here:
Handmade Flower Tutorial

It was a lot of fun to make, and very pretty to look at, but not very practical to send through the mail. But then, I came across this over at Split Coast Stampers, and it is just too perfect:

Here is my version:

(Tip - I made my horizontal scores at 2, 3, 7 1/4, and 8 1/4 so it would overlap)

All of your bulky card problems are solved :)

TFSB!

Unexpected Inspiration

2011-01-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

I recently completed this page:

Inspired by this baby blanket:

I love everything about this blanket...the colors especially. If you find a pattern or something that you really love, take that opportunity to try out some techniques, instead of focusing so much on design. The design of my page is pretty simple, I think, but it's colors, and texture that make it pop. I cut some circles and put them in a polka dot embossing folder, and colored the dots with a white paint pen...and it ended up mimicking the blanket perfectly. It's also a mostly cardstock LO, which I love, because I have a ton of it. So, if you are in a slump, take a moment to glance around, and see what inspires you.

TFSB,

Poinsettia Tutorial

2010-12-22T22:39:00.000-05:00

This isn't my original idea, I saw it somewhere else, but I honestly can't remember where I saw it. Anyway, I thought this paper poinsettia was really pretty, and so easy to make.

I started with a 1.5 inch paper strip:

Cut four pieces on the diagonal:

Pinch each diamond together in the center, you'll have to play with it a bit:

Hold them together and wrap the pinched part with wire:

I used Prima leaves, but if you don't have any, you can make some leaves the exact same way. Except for pinch the ends together instead of the middle, and clip off the end:

Add several small buttons, or one large one to the center, and it's done:

Just in time for some last minute holiday cards. Have fun!

DIY scarf tutorial

2010-09-14T15:35:00.001-04:00

I came across this DIY scarf in a magazine, and thought it was pretty awesome. Especially, since I was going to try to knit myself a grey scarf this fall, but really didn't see it happening, and this was a whole lot quicker. Here it is, you start with an old shirt:

Lay it flat and snip of the top of the shirt with one horizontal cut under the arm holes. Toss the top half.
Now create fringe along the unhemmed side of what's left by snipping every half inch.
Ta-da! Presto chang-o: shirt to cute scarf. (I think it's cute, anyway.) And it only took 5 minutes.
( Picture courtesy of my daughter, Leah. Didn't she do a good job?) It would look cute from a shirt with a pattern, too. But, I didn't have one.

Tropical flower tutorial

2010-09-03T18:20:00.000-04:00

I love tropical flowers, and instead of going bankrupt buying all kinds of embellishments, I found a way to make my own, here is a layout with an example:

It was pretty easy, let me show you how I did it. Please excuse the last three pictures, the battery in my good camera died half way through this process :) Anyway, here is what I started out with: 5 punched out labels, 2 small circles, and a die cut swirl.
I started by cutting the part of the swirl that I wanted to use for my center. Next, I cut the labels into kind of a heart shape, and then cut a very loopy heart out of their centers.
I taped all of the 'petal' ends together, and adhered a yellow circle on the top, and one on the bottom. Next, I taped the in the center.
I arranged the flower with a couple of leaves from Prima, and a tag. Here is the final result:
It came together pretty quick, I hope you can give it a try. Thanks for checking it out!