Scrapbook Stamp Society Anything But a Square Blog Hop

Welcome to the Scrapbook Stamp Society "Anything But a Square blog hop" First we have a fun announcement.

***Special Giveaway Announcement!***

April is an exciting month here at Scrapbook Stamp Society. We have a fun giveaway. Would you like to win a Sizzix Texture Boutique? Throughout the month of April enter our Special challenge using Any stamp from Scrapbook Stamp Society purchased that month and be eligible to win. Enter up to 1 card or project per image. The more times you enter, the better your chances of winning.

The Dream team went outside of the box and created cards and projects not in the shape of a square...

I love this Urban Farm Diva CowGirl by Sherri Baldy. I use her all the time!

I used a cowboy boot cutting file from Silhouette. It had slits cut in the paper for the stitching detail on the boots, so I decided to sew it up using my Sew Easy needle and some embroidery floss. I used a gel pen on the spurs to give it some detail, and inked the whole she-bang with Walnut stain Distress Ink. Of course, my lil girl is colored with Copics

Hop along with us and be sure to see all the beautiful creations. Leave comments on each blog as well as this main one and become a follower on this blog.

Blog Candy- 3 digis of your choice from www.scrapbookstampsociety.com Want to win an extra one? Go to the store and pick your favorite one and let us know what it is in the comments below.




START HERE: Scrapbook Stamp Society- http://www.addicted-to-stamps.blogspot.com/
1.Sher - www.patternsbysher.blogspot.com
2. Jamie- http://thesassyprincess.blogspot.com
3. Lia- http://myscrapworks.blogspot.com
4. Lou- try this link
5.Tori- http://tfraildesigns.blogspot.com
6. GO HERE NEXT IF YOU CAME TO ME FROM LOU Bev- http://beeceecreativity.blogspot.com

Another pair of New Digis From Scrapbook Stamp Society

I have to say, I love being on the DT for Scrapbook Stamp Society. We get so many fun and cool images to play with. This week I got two of the new releases, Shades of Green by Morgan Fitzsimons, and Lotus Blossum by Sherri Baldy.

ALSO - we are now on Ning - come on over and share all your fabuloso cards and other projects with us, chat, join challenges, etc. Be sure to stop by the QOTD group so we can get to know you!

Here are my cards:

Lotus Blossom

Shades of Green

Everything I used is from the stash pretty much, including old Momenta St. Patty's papers, MME paisley, Momenta cardstock, DCWV cardstock.

Hope you enjoy, and head on over to the store to check out those images and more!

Let's Scrap Forum Challenge - Up Up and Away

In addition to showing off a fab new double pager sketch every week, Let's Scrap has tutorials and challenges in the forum too!

This month's challenge was to make a monochromatic layout with the sketch below.


In addition, we had the following criteria:

1. use the sketch provided for the month long challenge

2. make use of a monochromatic colour scheme

3. use your stash {no new papers and embellishments for this layout!}

4. use a LARGE TITLE on your layout

5. use a stamp

6. use a handmade embellishment {made by YOU} that matches a pattern or item on your layout

Truthfully, I don't like this sketch. Not at all. It could be great with the right photos, but I don't take the right kind of photos. I always zoom in so my subject fills as much of the frame as possible, so making itty bitty tall strips like that was not at all possible for me!

I decided only to use the left hand page and move things around a bit, adding a few more photos and such.

I used a paisley stamp in blue (Weathered Wood) around the photo, and hand made the airport wind sock.

Thanks for visiting!

2SF Christa's Monday Challenge, including Momenta

Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but sometimes, Christa is evil lol. She said for this challenge over at Two Scrapbook Friends that we had to use shapes other than squares, hearts, stars and circles.... which of course are everyone's go-tos.... but truly, they weren't mine. I just got a few shiny new punches so at first glance I thought, GREAT! I can use my fab new punches... which are stars and hearts! Darn.

Then I thought about this layout I started EONS ago and never finished. I made the RHS page photo collage a long time ago when I first got my Creative Memories blooming star template (its a flower. not a star lol) and then had no mojo left to finish the pages.

The patterned papers are more of my ancient Momenta stack that I love so much but can't even tell you what its called its so ripped up and beaten! (I bought it damaged and missing the "Summer" section :( )  The orangey cardstock is from DCWV, and then the blings and letters are stash items. I am thinking about going back in and adding some stickers to the second page now that I look at it closely, but I'm not sure.... any suggestions?

TUTORIAL: Customizing Momenta Cardstock and a Scrapbook Stamp Society Image

This week, I got this new release, Super Hero Zell & her Walker by Sherri Baldy from Scrapbook Stamp Society to play with.

I wanted to use my textured black Momenta cardstock but I wanted some way to bring out the texture more, and of course you can't just ink up the black cardstock straight.

I thought I would share with you how I did this.

What you need:
Cardstock cut to size (I used Momenta - any textured Momenta will work)
Sanding block of some sort
Ink

Here is my pre-cut cardstock card out of Momenta PA-2390 

A piece of 2x4 and some scrap sand paper is all I use!

Sand the paper. I used a wood block and a piece of sand paper, but you could a drywall sanding sponge or a commercially available paper sanding tool. I find with a linear pattern like this, you can highlight the pattern best by sanding along the lines.  Sand more heavily on the edges to really highlight the texture and the edges

Wipe/blow off as much of the sandings as you can from the paper. You don't want these to accumulate on your ink pad.

Rub down the surface and edges with the ink pad. I used Peeled Paint distress ink.

 

I also made my own multicolor twine, or at least thats what it looks like. I used two pieces of embroidery floss, and twisted them together between my fingers as I wrapped, using Scotch tape on the back to anchor it. Excuse the inky fingers... I am a pro at getting dirty :)

I colored the image with my Copic markers, and added the squiggles and the spider webs free hand with Stickles.

Here is a 12x12 page of raised stripes from the same Momenta pack I also sanded down.

Scrap the Girls - Celebrations

Scrap the Girls is a fun, girls-only challenge blog. It gives you an excuse to make a girls-only page for no reason at all! The theme this month is "Celebrations".

I decided to use photos of the girls dancing at my wedding... cuz you know there were no men on the dance floor!

I used the Bo Bunny line Jasmyne from 2010 since it had lots of glitter and glam going on, and wasn't overpowering. I added some sequins and Colorbok letters from the stacks set... and ta-da!

A Little Bit Country!

This week I got a cute new digi from Scrapbook Stamp Society - Lil Cowgirl by Sherri Baldy.

I used Momenta cardstock from PA-2390, the Black & White textured cardstock pack. I sanded it down, focusing on the raised edges, and then inked it with Wild Honey. The little girlie is colored with Copics, and wild honey added to give her the glow. I added some jute and a glittery sticker, and a circle of MME paisley paper... plus that random red trim that I got from Precocious Paper when I placed an order.

I plan to give her to Mom for her birthday I think, being all country and what have you :)

2SF - Jayne's 2nd Sketch - Me & PT

Jayne over at Two Scrapbook Friends has come up with another fabulous sketch:

And this is what I did with it!

All the papers are MME from a Paisley stack, other than the solids I used. The rest of the stuff is all randoms. I did this at the 2SF crop on the weekend, which is where I found the fab punches to use.

That's mini me and my fave teddy I got when I was 3 or 4... in my bed with my fave sheets! Those sheets were the best too! 

Paper Secrets March Sketch Challenge

Paper Secrets also has monthly challenges. Every month, one of these challenges is a sketch challenge.

I deviated from this sketch a fair bit, but maintained the photo area and moved it towards the side of the page.

I used some Fancy Pants paper, MME paisley paper, and DCWV textured paper, a bunch of flowers and brads, and a Making Memories sticker. Letters are Thickers and the small ones from Authentique.

The photo is the first time I stood up - Mom turned around and there I was! 



Sketches with a Twist - My Soldier

Sketches with a Twist brings fabulous monthly sketches and a little twist to the sketch. This month's sketch is below, and the twist was to use 3 identical embellishments (hard!)

The chevrons (which I love, but they take so long to make!) inspired me to use photos of my friend, a soldier in the Canadian Armed Forces, for this page. His face and his guest's are blacked out to protect their identities...

He'd just gotten back from Afganistan in I believe April before my wedding. His division had been hit by roadside bombs twice between Christmas and New Years that year, and two of his colleagues were killed, and he was hospitalized but OK. This was the first time I saw him since he had gotten back and was all tears to see him home safe and in one piece. 

The chevrons are all hand made. I truly don't think they look that uneven in real life!! I hope not or I have some ripping to get going on! I originally planned to use the three Bo Bunny Cambridge brads down the centre between the photos as my 3 identical... but then I realized, they aren't identical!

I made these mini ribbons like you would find on his jacket out of ribbon and bar staples. The ribbons are Fancy Pants (left) and Cosmo Cricket (right)

My three identical elements  are the itsy bitsy star brads holding the twine down the centre of my chevrons. There are actually 10 stars total included :)

Hope you enjoy... and no matter the cause, support our troops. Our brave men and women need all the love, admiration and support that they can get... and that's what they deserve!

xxx

CR84FN50 - Smile

Hola! Today I'm feeling like speaking Spanish. As a result, I think I might make tacos for dinner...

Annnnyyyyways... back to the task at hand!

Check out this gorgeous challenge palette from CR84FN....

Obviously I love it! Who wouldn't? All girly and stuff... Plus, with the weather being so unseasonably fabulous here in Southern Ontario (6C over the monthly avg! thats 12F! thats amazing!) It just felt so springy, happy and cheery... so that led me to some cheery baby photos!

The pink background is Fancy Pants, and the large sunflower (cut out of a 12x12 page) is from DCWV Photo Stack 2. Letters are stash, and the die cuts, butterfly, twine and organza all are too! The "Sweetie" sticker is Momenta vellum stickers.

The photos are just of me being a happy, smily baby one day. 

SYAO7

Having lots of fun as part of the Scrap Your Ass Off competition at Paper Secrets.

This week's challenge, and as a reminder I have to use 4 of the 8 elements and 1 of the 3 techniques:



Lace/Trim/Ribbon
3+buttons
3+flowers
rubons
chipboard
bling
staples
3+ patterned papers

TECHNIQUES
stitching (hand-machine or faux)
misting
distressing

I love this sketch and had lots of fun using it.

I used a ton of chipboard on this one, rick rack trim, flowers (chipboard and gem ones) and more than 3 patterned papers. My technique was distressing using Black Soot inks on the chipboard letters and the vellum, frame, and black papers.

Frosted Designs, Challenge Me Happy & 2SF sketch Challenge Combo

So I was over at Two Scrapbook Friends on the weekend for a crop, and DT member Jayne was working away on the LO she is using for her sketch challenge to be posted today. She mentioned that in passing, so I borrowed her LO, sketched it up, and went to work (I really love that LO!)

 

I will update this post with the sketch when I get it tomorrow off the forum.

 

In addition, I am also using this LO for two more challenges:

• Frosted Designs - use wings - the wings chipboard is from Bo Bunny Cambridge (2010)
• Challenge Me Happy - Make your own embellishments - I made two folded paper flowers that Jayne also had on hers, as I loved them and wanted to try them out!

 

This is the final project:

 

 

If there was a challenge for using as many manu's as possible, I would get it too! I used DCWV Photo Stack 2 for the background, Creative Memories Reminisce for the light orange flower and the scalloped strip thing, Cosmo Cricket EverAfter for the three circles other than the dark one. The dark one is Colorbok, the chipboard and two round brads are Bo Bunny Cambridge, the charm is My Mind's Eye, and the buttons and jute I will call 2SF brand since I got them loose in the store! Phew! Longest supply list ever!

 

Oh... and I used my Staedtler pens to write the title on the wings... those are the pens I always use and never remember to tell you all!

 

 

 

Both flowers are made the same way. Cut 5 circles, and fold 3 of them into quarters. Glue onto the 5th circle. For the bottom flower, I then folded the top layer of each folded circle back into an eighth size to give the added flair. I think you can go further by changing how you fold the 1/8 portion and placing them next to each other or alternating like I did. You do need a glue gun to get the button to stick though!

CYAO6, Craft Your Passion & Bunny Zoe's

Still going in the Paper Secrets Card Your Ass Off competion... and this is what I was up to this week.

The challenge:



Use 3 of the following products/techniques:
a doily
twine
distressing
chipboard element
washi tape
I didn't have any washi tape... or really even know what it was. So I googled (of course) and found out its just tissue tape... so off I went to Michaels to get some Tim Holtz tissue tape... and this card was born.

I used newsprint-style washi tape, licorice twine down the spine of the card, and distressing on my three patterned papers.

Hope you get some inspiration from this.... I'm thinking tissue tape is a ton of fun and can't wait to use it again (although that dispenser is still a little scary lol!)

I also entered this in the Craft Your Passion just sentiments challenge and the  Bunny Zoe's shabby chic challenge - I think this counts as shabby chic?

2SF Christa's sketch challenge

Every Wednesday, a brand new sketch by the DT is put up as a challenge on the Two Scrapbook Friends forum.

Christa gave us this gorgeous sketch:

I loved it... but didn't have any small photos to use... but this one is definitely going into the sketch book for future use again!

My stickers are Momenta ST-4490, and the black chipboards and flowers are from ST-3087. The papers are Recollections and Bazzill Bling, and the large chipboard plus the grey crazy looking flower are from Cosmo Cricket's EverAfter collection. I might add journalling... I'm not sure. I also need to make a facing page for this one, because I forgot to include my three little brothers in law on this page! Oops!

2SF - Recipe Challenge

Over at the Two Scrapbook Friends forum, Jayne issued a recipe challenge to use:

One border punch
Two of twine, ribbon and thread
Three patterned papers
Four buttons

Another girl did her layout of her cat, and I loved it so much I decided I too needed to do one of my little babies.

And this is what I came up with:

The paper is the brand new MME Miss Caroline, and the two patterned papers are MME from their 180 page "Paisley" stack. I am truly in love with that stack, its so crazy and great for adding non-specific papers.

Instead of using the whole strip of the border punch, I cut out two sections of it and used it for the two corner accents.

I used two colors of twine and ribbon, and four different colored buttons, in the same colors as the roses on the MME paper.

Here's a close-up of the bottom border punch corner accent, and I added some twine stitching as well.

Happy scrapping!!!

2SF Challenge - use a Mosaic

One of the challenges last month over at the Two Scrapbook Friends forum was to use a mosaic on a project. I used all scraps for my mosaic, all from the Cosmo Cricket EverAfter collection. Since I didn't have enough scraps to do a whole 12" strip, I added a note card from the same collection... Then I added some ribbon to define it more on the left. The chipboard "I love you" and both ribbons are from the same collection. The doves are Jolee's.

SYAO6

I am having lots of fun in the Scrap Your Ass off competition at Paper Secrets (I just wish the other competitors would drop off faster lol!)

Here is this week's challenge:



Lace/Trim/Ribbon
3+buttons
3+flowers
rubons
3+ photo corners or anchors
bling
staples
3+ patterned papers

TECHNIQUES
stitching (hand-machine or faux)
misting
distressing
One thing I've discovered... I need photo anchors. I have none and am so jealous of the girls who have all these cute ones, polka dots, bright colors... lol

Here is what I came up with flipping and rotating the sketch :)  (and manouvering and changing lol)

I used some 2010 BoBunny here - the Cambridge collection. I really liked it and saw it in a grab bag of old products at Scrapping Turtle so I picked it up... what a steal!!

I used 3 patterened papers - the shape and the two red papers, which are the reverse of each other (how sneaky!)

I also used rub ons for the title, a bunch of buttons, and staples (impossible to see, but trust me, they are there).

For my technique I used my brand new Sew Easy head... isn't it cute??? I was sooo excited!

Here's a close up of the Rub ons. They're from the dollar store, don't buy them. I got more rub on on me than I did on the page. But they did fit the feel.

Here's my stitiching (kinda sketch, but getting there) and a staple (can you see it?)

Thanks for visiting!
~T

Momenta D-Lite Feature

For my first D-Lite feature, I really wanted to focus on how easy it is to do a layout with Momenta because you have all the bits that coordinate in one set - stickers, papers etc. It took me less than 30 minutes to put this whole layout together, because everything coordinated so well. Whats great is that the cardstock stacks always have the colors of the season so its easy to find matching cardstock too! The photo is of me and my mom before we set out for my very first road trip. I was 8 months old, and we were going to Quebec to see my family there, including my great-grandmothers and great-great grandmother.

I used:
PK 2389 Pyramid Paper Pad - Vacation (all the patterned cardstock)
ST 4952 Vacation Sticker Kit
PA 1033 Textured Cardstock Pad - Vibrant (blue and green cardstock)

I added from the stash, some Jillibean Soup twine.

CYAO3, CYAO4 and CYAO 5!

As mentioned... waaaayyy behind in posting. Renos are coming along though... should have a kitchen for the first time since July 2010 by the end of MARCH!!! I am sooo excited.

Here is the challenge for CYAO3:



Use 3 of the following products/techniques:
3 different patterned papers
a die cut
sewing (can be hand, machine or faux)
stamping
glitter
ribbon

I really love this PageMaps sketch, its sooo gorgeous! Plan to use it again and again. This is my first crack at the sketch:

I used scraps of Cosmo Cricket EverAfter, ribbon from the same collection, and a stamp with Spiced Marmalade DI. Then I stickles-ed the heck out of the flowers on the stamp.

So I used... 3 different patterned papers, stamping, glitter, and ribbon. I was going to die cut and sew too, but then I decided that was a little over-achiever-ish lol!!

On to CYAO4: 

Use 3 of the following products/techniques:
3 different patterned papers
a die cut
sewing (can be hand, machine or faux)
stamping
glitter
ribbon

I had a hard time with this sketch... didn't really know what I wanted to do with it or where I was going, and with tons of reno-ing going on that weekend, I didn't have much time to fuss, so this is what I came up with:

I used a red DCWV card, and then embossed on the LHS, and then painted over it all with Flirty Glitter glaze to deepen the color. I also stamped Joy and the manger scene. I used a border punch and ribbon too....

So I used, stamping, glitter and ribbon :)

Finally to CYAO5:


http://pagemaps.com/images/2011/dec/cardmaps/dec11-6x6a.jpg

Use 3 of the following products/techniques:
Monochromatic tones
Felt
Rub-ons
something in the PaperSecrets store
Fussy cutting
Rhinestones

As you can see, they went a little tough on use with this one, with tricky criteria!!

The digi is Frida Fashionista by Heather Valentin from SSS. I blinged her up with some Stickles. She is colored with R32, R35, R39, R22, R24, R29 Copics, as well as a bit of T10.

The papers are Recollections and the DCWV glitter stack, and the bling is from Recollections.

So to meet the challenge, I used a mono tone image and a mono tone card, bling/rhinestones, and I fussy-cut Frida.

Hope you're gaining some inspiration!!

~T