Scrapbook Stamp Society Creepy Cuties Blog Hop

Welcome and thanks for hopping with Scrapbook Stamp Society this week!! Our theme is Creepy Cuties! There is a whole line of them in the store but I decided to feature another little gothie girl this week, who is both creepy and cute!!

If you have arrived here from the main blog then you are on the right track, if not, head back to the main blog and start there!

This week I used Heather Valentin's Kitty. I love her gothie look, and the kitten especially! For those who follow my blog, we held Caspie (the black kitten) for probably 20 minutes today, so making progress! For those who don't know, Caspie and Precious are feral kittens we caught and are taming, so thats lots of fun! The look this little cat is giving is one Caspie gives us when we pick her up...

This is totally a mixed-media card. I started with a red base. I painted it with about 4 colors of iridescent watercolors, two greys, white and a bit of purple. I then splattered with the purple and a goldish watercolor too. I let that dry and then added some gold Glimmer Glam for the moon, which I topped with some Stickles as well.

The girlie is colored with Copics, and I added some glossy accents to the eyes of both the girl and the cat to add some shine. Finally, I added some mushrooms cut from a Quickutz die and added black soot Stickles for the spots.

My plan for this is a birthday card or maybe just a hello card. I will wait til I use it to add the sentiment :)

Thanks for visiting me, and please keep hopping over to Bee!

Scrapbook Stamp Society Island Girls & Mermaids Blog Hop!

Good morning, today at the Scrapbook Stamp Society we are having a blog hop called Island Girls and Mermaids!! Time to get into the mood for summer, and all these cute little digis should get you all ready!!


If you have arrived here from Claire then you are on the right track to continue but if you have just arrived here from blogger land and would like to hop along with us then please start back at the SSS blog.

For today I made a little layout using a cute lil hula girl who will be showiing up in the store shortly, and a sketch from Let's Scrap.

Thanks for hopping and now please hop on over to Lynda

2SF and Paper Secrets NSD - Hexagons and Distressing

Paper Secrets asked us to use hexagons, and Two Scrapbook Friends distressing for NSD, so this is what I made.

This is the first time I used a checklist, what a fun way to journal!! Definitely on the list to use again!

I cut all the hexies with my Creative Memories cutters, which is why they have slightly rounded corners instead of hard ones. I actually love that look but wish I could cut smaller ones :)

Paper Secrets NSD - use a kite!

Another NSD challenge was to use a handmade kite from Paper Secrets, and so this is what I came up with. I also used trees, fitting in with a challenge from Two Scrapbook Friends!

I used both sides of the paper from Cosmo Cricket to make the kite, then embossed it through a dotted embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I used twine to make the cable and drew the swirls with Glossy accents first and stuck in the twine. All the rest of the papers are also Cosmo Cricket except for the trees which are Jillibean soup. Also used some shiny new Thickers <3

Should I go back in and add some mist or splatter to all that negative space? not sure I love it anymore...

Christa's Sketch #2 and Paper Secrets April Manu challenge

Christa gave us a cool and very quick sketch this month at Two Scrapbook Friends, which worked perfectly with the Authentique prize pack I won on her blog a while back!! Luckily, the Paper Secrets manu challenge was to use 75% Authentique, so I was truly in luck!

This is what I came up with:

I have to say, I have been converted to an Authentique lover. Look how gorgeous this page is, and here are my supplies:

1 ugly ass 12x12 cardstock in your most hated color you've had forever (you're covering it up anyways)

4 6x6 squares

4 photo corners from the same collection as the squares

Alphas (mini rounds) also from same collection

Random stickers

Random ribbon

and DIY thickers with pink flocking (or whatever color you need to match it up)

Literally it took me longer to pick my photos than it did to make the page!

So easy! Plus the quality of the paper is outstanding, and the colors are gorgeous! I am truly in love.

My other love - these DIY thickers. I need to order them all. I love that I can make them into whatever I want with my flocking, glitter and embossing powders. I have to get more bottled stuff like mini-beads to try those out as well!

So head out and get yourself some Authentique and some DIY thickers and have fun!!

~T

CYAO13 and NSD Embossing

I made this card both for the Paper Secrets Card Your Ass off and the Two Scrapbook Friends NSD embossing challenge.




Use 3 of the following products/techniques:
your favorite patterned paper
your favorite tool
a butterfly
finish the inside of your card
make a matching envelope

I used my favourite patterned paper from Momenta Endless Summer, my favourite tool (my Copics) and made a matching envelope.

The digi I used is from Scrapbook Stamp Society and is called Book Worm Gothie by Heather Valentin. LOVE HER! (Heather and this digi)

Paper Secrets April Card Sketch Challenge

Paper Secrets has a card sketch challenge every month to win $10 to their store. This is this month's sketch



I also decided to add in part of the National Scrapbook Day crop at 2SF - Joanne's challenge was to use washi tape, so instead of ribbon I used washi tape from Trendy tape.

The digi I used is Molly Fishing Fun by Heather Valentin.

Trying on Shabby Chic

Let's Scrap is really making me work this month, trying on different styles. This time I tried Shabby Chic. Although bling isn't necessarily part of the style, I decided to add some soft pink bling and double up on the challenge to add in the Frosted Designs Facebook challenge.

Here are the pointers for Shabby Chic, I had to cover at least 4 of these.

SHABBY CHIC STYLE

Clusters of embellishments

Muted (often pink, cream, or pastel) colors

Patterned (often floral) prints

Lace, ribbons, bows, flowers, pearls, doilies, butterflies

Vintage elements (buttons, keys, metal accents, crocheting)

Feminine feel

Fancy script or handwritten journaling

Tea-stained, distressed, inked, chalked or otherwise gently-aged elements

I used the Let's Scrap sketch 2-3-10 below,

And this is what I came up with:

I also entered this in the Big Picture Classes challenge which was to use a then and now theme.

So how did I do with the style?

- clustered embellishments

- muted colors like pink, beige and tan

- patterned prints, somewhat floral in nature

- flowers, tulle, bling and other girly accents

- feminine feel

- fancy script

Frosted Ad challenge - Groove!

OK, so Brenda B really made my step out on this challenge at Frosted Designs. It was to take inspiration from this ad:



OK - colors I never use, with black on them. So I made myself do this one more out of a test of my ability then because I was inspired, though once I got my idea it came together quickly.

I used a sketch from Big Picture classes as well, and used something old (the cardstock) to fulfill that challenge. 

Let's Scrap, Frosted Designs and Paper Secrets NSD Celebrations

Another combo challenge here.

Let's Scrap #7 - use only 5 photos and 5 patterned papers, with the sketch I chose below (9-14-11).


Paper Secrets - use stitching

Frosted Designs - check something off your to-do list (Facebook challenge)

This is what I made:

Can I tell you how much fun I had with this sketch? I loved it. It felt perfect right away both for the paper and photo challenge and I love machine stitching.

It also got something off my to-do list: the people dancing at the wedding. Those photos plague me and I don't want to scrap them ever but I do want them in the album. After this page I had one more page of dancers to do, which I did for another challenge by Frosted Designs (to be posted shortly). That wedding album is getting close :) 

NSD: Big Picture and Frosted Designs combine :)

I combined the Big Picture Classes challenge to use a pocket with the Frosted Designs use nothing new Facebook challenge, both for NSD.

I used NOTHING new on this one except for some adhesive. I bought the paper in Hawaii, I've had the pocket since forever, and all the "embellies" are cut out of brochures from Hawaii. I did use some new sparkle embossing powder I bought last week... but I already had it for this challenge so I don't think that counts!

The pocket holds the airline tickets which are a bit ugly. I misted it in blue and red (which all came out brownish), sparkle embossed over Festive berries distress ink, and splashed some orange Dylusions mist to make the splotches.

This page will serve as a mini title page for the Big Island part of our trip.

A Frosted Designs Recipe Challenge for NSD

I also played along with the recipe challenge at Frosted Designs to celebrate NSD.

Here is the recipe:

begin with1 piece of patterned paper as your recipe base

add some texture and character to your recipe with some distressing of any kind

add in 2 piece's of cardstock for good measure

everybody loves something sweet, add 1-2 photo's

add a secret ingredient (hidden journaling)

no need to measure just grab a handful of flowers to taste and toss them onto your recipe

spice it up with a little bling

stir in your choice(s) of lace, ribbon or a doilie or 2

before serving, top it off with a special title to make your creation extra memorable

let it set, and serve on our Frosted Designs blog in the correct challenge link up!!

 

 

I did follow the challenge word for word start to finish, other than that I picked the photos first, and here is the result.

 

This is the first time I used the Making Memories bling on a layout, they scared me a bit but were really easy to attach. I also altered the Thickers by painting them with Tattered Angels to darken the brown to the tone I wanted. The journalling is hidden behind the photo on a tag.

Hope you enjoy and had a great NSD!

 

Big Picture, 2SF, Frosted Designs and Paper Secrets all wrapped up in one

Another combo project - I really like doing these to combine different things. This one uses a sketch from Two Scrapbook Friends (by Shelby)



a twine technique from the Big Picture Classes NSD event (twine button centres),

a Frosted Designs NSD BINGO card challenge [circles, buttons, stitching, flowers],




and the Paper Secrets  NSD requirement to use Authentique.


And here it is.

So my circles, if you're looking for them, are also my twine button centres. I love this technique. I am half considering going home and covering all my buttons with twine centres. But that would be crazy!!

I used that flower-like corner punch from Creative Memories for the first time on this LO and I love it. Expect to see more of that too (I can't believe I've had it for a few months and not tried it til now!)



NSD Project for Let's Scrap, Frosted Designs and 2SF

I combined three challenges on this one... Let's Scrap style challenge, Christa's NSD challenge at Two Scrapbook Friends and the Frosted Designs Facebook Challenge.

The challenges:
Style: Whimsical

WHIMSICAL STYLE

Humorous, whimsical embellishments (kites, banners, pinwheels, trees, flowers, clouds)

Bright, bold, playful papers (often with a scene on them)

Playful patterns (polka dots, stripes, chevrons, checks)

Scenes often created on layouts

Photographs often worked into other elements on page

Tongue-in-cheek humor, whimsical feel

Fun fonts used in journaling & titles

Use of fanciful, often 3-D products

Christa's challenge: use mediums

Frosted Designs: use ink and mists

I used this sketch 8-3-11:

And here is what I made:

All the stickers and patterned papers, plus the white cardstock are Momenta's Endless summer collection.

My whimsical elements - sea embellies, bright papers with scenes, scene created on the layout, photo working into the page (as the journalling) and fun fonts.

Here is a closeup of the gesso, which was striped and then misted with Tattered Angels. The same mist was also used on the white cardstock.

Cutesy with Altered letters

I combined two NSD challenges on this one -  Paper Secrets wanted altered alphas, and Let's Scrap wanted you to try out new styles of scrapping. Frosted Designs just wanted some stickers!

I used this sketch 8-3-11:


And the style I focused on was Cutesy. You have to use at least 4 of the points about the style below:

CUTESY STYLE

Cute stickers, chipboard, die-cut or stamped & colored embellishments

Bright, fun-colored papers (often with a cute pattern)

Colorful flowers, ribbons, floss or twine

Images of cartoon characters

Colorful, fun photographs (often of pets or children)

Tug at-your-heartstrings feel (awww-factor)

Fun, whimsical titles & journaling

Playful (often hand-colored) images of cute animals or children

So this is what I came up with:

 I used some cute stickers from all throughout my stash of tubs, bubbles, bath accessories and a meow ribbon tag sticker, bright papers with cute patterns, colorful ribbon, fun photos of my kitties, an awwwwh factor and a fun title :)

Here is a close up of the inked up alphas.

SYAO14, 2SF Paper Piecing and Frosted Designs NSD Challenge #1

Keepin' on keepin' on over at Paper Secrets, with this week's Scrap Your Ass Off challenge:



PRODUCTS
fabric or felt
ribbon/twine
flags & or pennants
3+ flowers
Re-cycled item such as packaging or ?
3+ patterned papers
stick pins
metal embellishment/hardware


TECHNIQUES
punches (border/corner)
acrylic paint (stamped-brushed-stencil-etc. ...your choice of application)
distressing
embossing (dry or heat)

Since this sketch was so simple, I decided to combine it with the Frosted Designs National Scrapbook Day Challenge #1 - to use only patterned papers. I also added the Paper Piecing challenge for NSD from Two Scrapbook Friends.

This is what I came up with:

I used all patterned papers except for the paper pieced tractor, so I hope that counts!!

For Paper Secrets, I used fabric, twine, 3 pp, metal, pennants, and distressing as a technique.

Supplies:

Paper: Cosmo Cricket, DCWV

Brads: Recollections

Twine: Jillibean Soup

Pennants: Punky sprouts

Momenta & CYAO12

Paper Secrets sure is keeping me busy!! I love working with Momenta whenever I do a Paper Secrets card because there are so many matching patterns!

This is week 12 of CYAO...



Use 3 of the following products/techniques:
heat embossing on cardstock
a punch
jewels
something vintage (it can look vintage, be a vintage looking stamped image or even be something that you print that looks vintage)
a flourish (can be printed, stamped but something that looks like a flourish and if you don't know what a flouris is there its the embellishment on the sketch)

And here is what I made using heat embossing, jewels and a punch. The butterfly also looks kind of vintage, so that counts too I think!

My supplies:

Momenta Chloe's Garden Pyramid Pack PA-2384

Cosmo Cricket sentiment

Misc stamp

Misc bling

Momenta & SYAO13

I'm still working on the Scrap Your Ass Off Challenge at Paper Secrets. Its a last-woman standing competition, and I am still hanging in on week 13. Yet to figure out how I am going to stay in it while on vacation, but I'll figure it out :)

This weeks challenge:



PRODUCTS (pick 4)
fabric or felt
ribbon
photo corners/anchors
3+ flowers
chip-board
3+ patterned papers
transparency
metal embellishment/hardware


TECHNIQUES (pick 1)
punches (border/corner)
acrylic paint (stamped-brushed-stencil...your choice of application)
distressing
embossing (dry or heat)

I liked this sketch right away.... it uses more than one photo! I gotta be honest, I may die in this SYAO challenge not because I can't get the page done, but because most of them are one-photo sketches and I have about exhausted all my single photo page layouts I have for all the albums I'm working on... guess I'm going to have to start getting creative :)

What I came up with this week:

See how I snuck in that extra photo as the title? I love taking photos of the signs of places we visit. I always try to take a photo of the sign first It serves many functions:

1. Make sure you actually remember where those photos were taken
2. Breaks up the photos in your files easily and simply
3. Gives you the right spelling
4. Gives you the option of using a sign for a title! I do this quite a lot, but not always.

I also try to take photos of wordy signs when I want to remember all about something, and then I can use those as journalling. Likewise, keeping all the pamphlets is helpful in case you want to add something special to your page! I have something top secret planned for all my Hawaii pamphlets that I hope to reveal soon!!

How did I do on the challenge? Well, I used: fabric for the two flowers, ribbon, 3 flowers, a transparency (on the middle photo), 3 patterned papers and chipboard buttons. My technique was heat embossing, which I did using a Momenta stencil GS-165 to make the hibiscus flower. I also used Festive Berries and Wild Honey distress ink, and clear embossing powder.

Other supplies:

Momenta Endless Summer Paper Pack PA-1108

Momenta Vacation Pyramid Pack PA-2389

Creative Memories transparent sticker and journalling card
Precocious Paper flowers and ribbon

Paper Secrets April Sketch and the 2SF Easter Menu Challenge

Two Scrapbook Friends issued an Easter Brunch challenge. We had to select our menu first, and then we found out what the corresponding items or techniques were that we had to use.

This is my menu and techniques:
Eggs Benedict: USE A TAG
Peach Cream Pie: CREATE A FLOWER
agus with Hollandaise Sauce: USE FABRIC (NOT RIBBON)
Crepes with fruit: USE ATLEAST TWO BUTTONS
Broccoli and Ham Quiche: USE ATLEAST 3 DIFFERENT Manufacturers
Fresh Fruit Salad: USE SOMETHING YELLOW

I decided to pair it with the April sketch from Paper Secrets:

So without further discussion...

I used a combo of the Authentique Gathering papers and my old stand by Cosmo Cricket Ever After. My third manufacturer was We R MK or Ranger or Twinery or misc... whoever you want it to be really :)

The tag and all the alpha/word stickers are from Authentique as well. The chipboard flower from Cosmo cricket, and the leaves from Precocious Paper. I made both flowers by hand out of fabric, the top one being an organza "lollipop" style flower, and the other a twisted tulle and chiffon (I think) flower.

There are two buttons, one on the flower and one beside the other flower. Finally that Cosmo Cricket flower is very light yellow, *phew*. That was a lot of stuff to get in on one layout, but I love it!!