Beach Bonus

     So I promised a bonus item this week, and here it is!  I made a pop-up card from my Echo Park Paradise Beach sticker collection.  This card was a free download on their website.  If you sign up for an account they have tons of free project ideas for each collection.  The card took maybe five minutes in total to put together.  I'll tell you...that's my kind of project...instant gratification :-)

    Since several of the stickers go over top of the card I think I'm going to press the card to tissue paper ,and then cut each shape out so it's not sticky anymore.                         I haven't decided who will receive this yet, but I'm thinking it will be my nephew with a strip of photo booth photos of Michael on our beach vacation this year.  So much more fun than a postcard!

     That's for checking my bonus project out, and stay tuned as I'm working on two new scrappy video tutorials for you.  Hope you're all getting lots of scrap time in now that it's getting to hot to enjoy outside.  Well, it's to hot for me....I could send you all some of this 90 degree weather if you want it :-)

Beach Part Two

Today is beach layout part two!  For these layouts I used the Echo Park Paper collection called Paradise Beach.  I thought the colors were fun, but also cool enough to bring the brightness of the picture's down a notch.  I again used ribbon to enter into the 3 Girl Jam Challenge, and even though this is straight across the page, I liked the application much more than the last ribbon I used.  I think it's because of all the other patterns I used as well...it just seems to blend more.  The surf title was also attached with pop dots to give the page even more dimension.

    I took a close up picture of the side detail so you can see the little embellishment.  The paper collection had a ton of matching alphabets and I used two of them to make a little tag with the month and year the pictures were taken.

   I did the second page with the same collection, but used some of the more toned down colors so that the pages matched, but also contrasted nicely if that makes any sense.  I really liked knowing that everything I picked from the collection matched so I just needed to get creative.  I think Echo Park in my favorite company right now, and I wish more of their items were sold locally.

    What is your favorite paper company right now? Oh, and stay tuned for the bonus item I made with this collection...it came out really cute!

Beach Part One

     My next several posts will be beach related as I've been working on our son's seven month photos. I'll have two layout posts and then one bonus so make sure you're a follower to see all the updates!

     When we had M's pictures done each month, up to 1 year,  we tried to get some of him in a nice outfit and then some that themed around whatever new we did with him that month.  This month was his first trip to the beach.

    I scrapped these photos not only to match the beach theme, but with the inspiration of the ScrapStuffz "Inspired by" post.  I also completed the page using some matching ribbon for the 3 Girl Jam Challenge: Anything Goes with Ribbon. Ribbon is one of the products I've been challenging myself to use more often.  I'm having "trouble" using it in a way other then straight, but you have to start somewhere right!?
   The ribbons are much more turquoise in real life, and match the page colors perfectly.  The little fish also match the sharks in M's rash guard and remind me of his 2nd favorite movie of the moment...Finding Nemo.
     Please stop on by both challenge blogs and take a look at what they have to offer!  I'd also love to hear what products you have been challenging yourself to use more often. 

Washi Tape Layout

     I had never used washi tape before, and recently purchased some to try.  A friend then started a new challenge blog, and it paired perfectly with the new roll so I had an excuse to play with my new goodie.  Like we ever need an excuse though!
   Stacia's ScrapStuffz "Inspired By" Challenges blog had three images to use for inspiration. 
     1. The first image had circles. This inspired me to add circle buttons as the center of my star stickers.  I like the depth it added to my page.  The buttons are hard to see in the photos. 
     2. The second image was stars...hence the star stickers and the stars in the baby title.
     3.  The third image had diagonal stripes, and that's where my new washi tape came in.  I mounted it on white paper in the first picture to make it really pop and left it opaque in the second.  I liked using the two applications so that they matched, but weren't identical.
     I don't know what happened, but my phone photos have been really crappy lately. I didn't have this problem before...maybe it's time for an upgrade! If I can get better pictures I'll update the blog as these turned out really cute in person. 
    What new goodies or blogs have you been lovely lately?

Kiwi Lane Designs - Blog Hop Winner!

     I have to say I've had a pretty good scrappy week. First I won a Liebster Award and then I find out I won one of the prizes on the Kiwi Lane Designs blog hop. I had always wanted to try these, but was intimidated since I'm not always the greatest with multiple colors and patterns. Winning a set obviously gives me the perfect way to try them!

     Gail at GLOworm Designs had a drawing during the hop for a set of the bracket templates. The first winner didn't respond, but that was good for me :-)

     Gail mailed quickly, and well packaged in-case you ever need to do business with her. Also, be sure to check out her blog as she has some really cool things going on there, and great tutorials. She was actually one of the blogs I nominated for a Liebster Award when it was my turn.

    So as a kid with a new toy, I had to try them out right away.  I was working on my son's seven month pictures, and since we did 8x10's for the months it didn't leave a lot of room for add ons.  I decided to use them for journalling, and I have to say I'm very pleased with how they came out.  

     If I had to do it again I would have put the journalling on the left side of the vertical picture, but so be it.  If you can tell there is matching green glitter around the outside of each bracket.  This is how I add glitter without it being girly...I get that question a lot.

     I can also see brackets one and two being very useful with cards.  I think they'd make a great background on top of the card form.

     That leaves me with a question...Do you use Kiwi Lane templates, and how?  I guess that's really two questions :-)

    Stay tuned to see what I'm working on next.

Julep Maven Box

     I received my first cosmetics subscription box.  Have you ever done something like this (wish they did this for scrapbook projects at a reasonable cost) and what were you're thoughts?

My First Blog Award

     Oh my goodness - I can't believe I won my first blog award! C'est La-Vie Designs Unlimited, LLC nominated me for a Liebster Award.  I'm very honored.
    
     If you haven't heard of a Liebster Award, don't worry I hadn't either, it's where another blogger nominates you as an up and comer so to speak.  The blogs nominated have to have less than 200 followers.  They also need to be blogs you enjoy, and think others should watch.
   
     Once nominated you then should pay it forward and nominate five others.  So without further ado...
1.  Gail at GLOworm Designs - she does a wonderful job of explaining the techniques she's using
2. The Reluctant Scrapbook Blogger - Here's Basic Grey Album is so tastefully done - I can't wait to see what else she comes up with.
3. Stephanie Buice - My Bits of Sunshine - You can't find a sweeter blogger
4. Shannon Drake Edwards - Shannons Scrapbooks - Make sure to check our her awesome TP roll Album
5. Michele - JiroKen - Her projects are so attainable

Mother's Day - Part Two

     Welcome to Mother's Day Part Two!  This is less crafty, but just as special.  My hubby took our little one out shopping for Mom's Day and purchased me the Chamilia 2013 Mother's Day charm for my bracelet. I love it!  It was hard to get a picture of the detail since it's so tiny, but it's a hanging charm engraved with Mom on the front and pink bling (tastefully of course) on the back.   I love my charm bracelet as each bead/charm is for a special occasion picked out by my family just for me. 

     My hubby also did the cooking on Sunday...what a nice treat!  He made baked sweet potatoes, filet mignon and salad.  We then had a cake with my family from our favorite local bakery.  We actually come up with reasons to order cake it's so tasty!

     I do have one crafty thing to share...the wrapping of my Mom's present.  My brother and his wife have a little boy who just turned one...we went together and got a professional photo taken of the two grandsons.  I made a sleeve to "wrap" the picture and then decorated it using my cricut.  The paisley is from the Cindy Loo cartridge and I believe the lettering was Alphalicious.  I put stickles on the apostrophe and the pollen from the flower just to add a little something.  I was pleased with how it came out. 

 

     I hope you all had a relaxing Mother's Day.  Did you spend any time crafting or make any of your presents?

 

 

Morther's Day Part One - School Projects

     I'm lucky enough that Michael's school tries very hard to do special projects with them for big occasions.  I expect a picture or something, but was so thrilled to find many projects he had done for me.  

     The first was a cute visor.  I knew he had picked the embellishments out because of the ladybug.  it's the only bug we don't freak out at right now.  I had to wear it on Mother's Day...at least for awhile.  
     Here I am getting a big hug while wearing my visor.  We were at my Mom's for a visit.

    

 Up next he decorated a cup to hold the flower they planted for us.

     If that wasn't enough work for his teachers they were kind enough and used his handprints to make a painting of the flower. 

     Could the projects get any darn cuter!  Did your kiddos make anything at school for you?

     Up next the present my Hubby helped M pick out, and the  packaging I made for my Momma's gift.

Train Birthday Accessories

     If you watched my last video you saw that I purchased the Cricut Beep Beep cartridge with the idea of making some embellishments for my nephew's first birthday party.  

     The first thing I did was make a long train for his birthday package.  We bought him a sand and water table and the box was huge!  I wrapped it in plain blue wrapping paper and then attached the train as well as his birthday invite, which looked like a train ticket.  It worked perfectly.

     I don't often make cards, but I figured having the cartridge gave me the perfect excuse to try it out.  This was the single train on the cartridge and the directions made it very easy to cut out.  I added some alphas that I had for his name and a rub-on for the number.  

     For the inside I then used my Stampin' Up cup cake wheel on the side. I used the wheel guide my hubby bought me for Christmas, and I can see myself using wheels a ton more now that I have that.  I also some red stickles for the cherries on top of the cupcake because even a boy can have some fun!  

     Have you created anything for a theme birthday lately?

Ebay Circut Cartridge Haul

     I've been trying to keep a list of the Cricut cartridges that I think would be useful in my scrapbooking rather than buying and hoping I find a place to use it.  I recently found three of the ones on my list from the same seller at a great price.  They were all still new in package too...an added bonus when you use the Cricut Craft Room.  Have you had any good hauls recently?

National Scrapbook Day

     I did it!  I finally broke down and ordered myself a scraprack.  I've been looking at one for six months, or more, and with the free shipping...well...I caved.  
     I got the basic rack with three different types of pages.  I chose the double XL vertical, the fabulous four and the perfect five.  I assume that will get me started well since I already have everything sorted.  I obviously don't have any pictures yet, but I'll be sure to post some when I do.
     Hubby had to work today so I didn't get to do much scrapping, but I made an embellishment for my nephew's birthday package and his card.  I'll try to get a blog up tomorrow after the party so you can see.  I think they came out really cute.  
     I also have three new videos coming up for you too.  I just have to carve out some editing time.  Stay tuned!