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

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 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.

2SF Chase Away the Winter Blues Online Crop

Over the past week, Two Scrapbook Friends have had an online crop going on in their forums. The theme was "Chasing Away the Winter Blues" and each member of the design team presented a different, summer themed challenge for us to try out.

Joann's challenge: color inspiration based on this photo (and colors specifically orange and teal)

So anyone who regularly follows me knows this is an easy one - the wedding paper I use is orange and teal! But I forced myself not to use it and this is what I came up with:

The teal cardstock is Momenta from PA-1033, and the background paper, mice and journalling card are all from the Deja Views Cat's Life pad.

I did a ton of scrapbooking this weekend, plus we worked on the renos, so Precious didn't get much Mommy time. I actually had to pin her to keep her out of the photos taken of the above LO! Luckily she was sleeping when I took the rest below! 

 


Carolyn's challenge: Your favourite summer activity

I had a hard time with this one... what is my favourite summer activity??? Finally I settled on going to the beach, because I had these photos lying out on my work table because I wanted to scrap them soooo bad!!

The title was stamped using Martha Stewart stamps and Memento black ink. The "Discover" card is a transparency sticker from Making Memories.

I used Momenta for the background paper and mats, all from the Travel Pyramid Paper Pack (love these!) PK-2389. The flip flop stickers are from the Endless Summer collection ST-2116. I love using the Endless Summer and the new release Vacation set together, they coordinate so well!



Jayne's challenge: Use a postcard or postage stamp

Well this one was a first for me. I didn't know I had postage stamp or postcard embellies, and it turns out I have a bunch!

I used Momenta Travel Pyramid Paper Pack PK-2389 again, and actually made this layout on the reverse side of the one above for Carolyn's challenge. The stickers and journalling tag are also from the Vacation collection (ST-4952). I think the title vellum may be DCWV but I have had it for so long that I have no idea!!

Christa's challenge: Crash your summer stash

Here is my confession - I have nothing summer themed! I have vacation and holiday and party, and even BBQ, but nothing distinctly summer. I decided 4th of July themed papers were close enough...

This layout is some of the photos from visiting the USS Missouri while we were at Pearl Harbor. There is no journalling, because I want the plaque from the ship to speak for itself. The Japanese surrender was signed on the Mighty Mo and the original document was on board.

I used white Recollections cardstock, papers from an ancient Momenta holiday/season themed pack, and stickers from a 2009 Sticker a day calendar. The alphas are new, Colorbok peel and stick stacks, and I inked them with my DIs in Festive Berries and Weathered Wood.

The sketch is the Let's Scrap 2-29-12 sketch.




Sharlene's challenge: Scrap summer outdoor attire

So I went for a wayback playback here... this is lil ol' me in 1986 on a hot afternoon lounging in my too cute polka dot swimmer. Instead of going cutesy, I decided to go with a grungy 80s look.

The papers are both from DCWV Photo Stack 3, a brand new one I just picked up last month from Zeller's. I was sooo excited to see the third installment to this huge stack because I love my Stack 2, but it is getting a little thin :)

The alphas are  Momenta ST-4490, another new release. Its a multipack of black and white alphas in different sizes and styles. I love multipacks!

Finally, the buttons are stash from a 1 lb button bag from Michael's, and the phrase under the top baby photo is from Making Memories and is a transparent sticker.




Shelby's Challenge: Let the SUNSHINE in (use a sun)

I have to admit, this one was tough. I don't have any sun embellies, I don't have any paper with suns on it... I was stuck.

Then I remembered this paper I screwed up in January - I was trying to make a sunset like color blend on it and it ended up ugly. I used a bunch of distress inks on it and didn't like how it turned out. So I cut it up and made the beautiful sun you see below!

The papers are all Recollections in black and an orange-yellow base to the blending. I used Festive Berries, Spiced Marmalade and Wild Honey inks (and maybe a touch of Antique linen) and some Perfect Pearls mist in pearl to give it a shine.

Then I tried to hand-write the title and hated it. So I used Thickers in red foam and Fancy Pants Kraft alphas in Red & Gold to cover it up... how crafty lol!

Now... you should all head over to 2SF and check out the forum for the fun weekly challenges and other special events going on!



Let's Scrap 1-11-12 The Groom

Unfortunately with all the travelling I did last month, I missed submitting this challenge on time to Let's Scrap based on the 1-11-12 sketch below.

I really didn't have enough vertical photos to make it work out, so I rotated the right page to allow for the use of some horizontals too.

I made my husband write the journalling card for this one... he stressed over it for days (another reason I missed the deadline) but it came out cute... with his little dig about being early. I ran behind all day because of a screw-up on my fake nails :)

Let's Scrap 1-4-12: Waikiki Sunset Cruise, and a guest appearance by Precious :)

Can I just say, I love two page sketches... and I love Let's Scrap.

This is the two pager of the week:

How fun! Except it has banners. I have to say, honestly, I think I hate banners. I never know what to do with them, and it does come out great in the end every time, but every time I see banners I stall, hence why I am posting this on 8:30 PM the night it is due!!

I really need to get over this anti-banner thing :)

So for this sketch... I essentially changed everything but you can still get the gist...

I used white cardstock and my very first bottle of glimmermist I just got in the mail yesterday to add the orange to the background. I wanted to use colors to go with the pastel Hawaii stickers I have because I avoid using those, and I thought with the soft colors of the photos it would all work fab.

The border papers are Recollections for the pink and Fancy Pants Little Sprout for the green and pink, which was punched with my Marvy Uchida border punch system.  

Here are the pages individually:

And here are some detail shots:

The letters are Creative Memories for the pink, and Thickers glitter for the teal. All the other stickers are Jolee's, all off one card except for the few flowers on the right page. I used all the stickers but one from the card on this page... a record for me... now I just have a palm tree left to use up! Way to stash bust!

Given that I hate banners, I had a brainwave first of replacing this banner with a photo, then I decided to change the photo into a banner, so I just cut it into three :)  The brads are Recollections and the bungee cord is Making Memories.

Hope you enjoyed this one, it is so different for me - no matting, new glimmermist, pastel colors (barf lol but it turned out pretty hot I think), banners.... way to make me feel uncomfortable Let's Scrap!!

Today I will leave you with some snapshots of Precious inspecting the quality of my work. I think she was satisfied, but its hard to tell!

Let's Scrap 12-28-11 - Kilauea

OK Ladies, y'all need to check out Let's Scrap.

Why?

Well... awesome sketches. Double pagers even (my fave!!)
Fun groups to join (more on that later)
Other fun and challenging challenges
Lots of inspiration
A great bunch of girls!

So back to the groups....

I joined 100 LOs in 2012 thinking it would be a challenge, however when I got down to doing the math...

I do 2 LOs on average in one sitting (estimate, probably more like 2.9)
I scrap at least twice a week
52 weeks in a year

2x2x52=208 LOs I should be able to do minimum in one year.

Does that make sense?

Well... in 2011, I only blogged October til December, and had 70 blog posts (71 actually, but lets make the numbers easy).

October to December is only 3 months or 1/4 of the year.

So in theory I could have made 280 LOs in a year, or about 5 a week.

I am going to need to revise my goal for sure, and I'm thinking 212 should be a good target (12 for 2012), but I'm a little concerned I'm going to run out of photos to scrap... so we will see!

So back to the sketch... here it is:

Note the whole opening door deal on the RHS... snazzy! Why did I never think of this? I have used a few doors before but just to hide one photo, not 6!! LOVE IT!

So then the issue was thinking of where I have a ton of photos I can use. And also the whole photos touching each other and the edges thing.... not so into that normally... but I decided to give it a go.

I thought this was a perfect fit for the photos we took in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 2009 on our honeymoon. I take a ton  of landscape photos and then never know what to do with them, and can never pick just one to represent the wonders of the world. So this was the perfect application to have a ton of them included with the very few photos of Will and I. I actually have enough to do one more page.

So my variation on the sketch was that I sort of rotated the left page, but kept the horizontal strip tying the two pages together. I also eliminated the middle elements under the journalling and used one Creative Memories Travel sticker there instead.

I also altered the photo door, adding a sticker and the "off" pieces of the border punch I used for the border on the left strip. That is a new border punch I got for Christmas, and I am loving it. Its a cartridge one so you change the cartridges and away you go. Similar to the Creative Memories one, but available at Michaels. There are a lot of different images available, all different than what the CM one has... so I think I want both lol. 

The alphas are Studio G, and the green, orange and burgundy papers plus the hibiscus papers are all DCWV, while the dark brown cardstock is Recollections and the light brown is from the stash :)

Here is the inside of the door on the layout, as you can see, I hid the landscape photos more inside, and added a little description next to each.

Here is the journalling/embellie spot. The sign at the bottom is a photo I took at the park.

The journalling says

Hiking in an active volcano area was incredible. It did not smell like sulphur, but the ground was black everywhere and amazing exotic tropicals grew in this seemingly inhospitable soil. We explored steam vents, lava tubes and walked around an extinct crater and the active Kilauea. Definitely unforgettable!

Let's Scrap Sketch Challenge

Found another sketch challenge website last week - Let's Scrap.

I found the sketch I was looking for to adapt for my Engagement Party photos.

The party itself was an epic-fail... there was a HUGE snowstorm and no one but the dedicated (or completely insane) made it down, so there aren't a lot of people in the photos, and we did not get photos of a few guests :(

The party was held at the Stampede Ranch in Guelph. Its a dirty college-town country bar (the best one there is!) It was mostly everyone's first time out there so we had a lot of fun.

I used a bunch of different textured papers and stitching. I used my Distress Inks everywhere. Literally. I used black soot, walnut stain, wild honey and fired brick.

The "leather" fringe at the bottom is 100% handmade. I started with cardstock the same as the "Stampede" at the right. Then I used distress inks on a craft mat and water to give the mottled look. Finally for added texture I dabbed the walnut stain and black soot pads on to give some spotting. Did all of this after the fringe was cut (by hand! I need me some fringe scissors!). Then I double stitched and added the tarnished gold brads like studs (unfortunately my sewing kit was out of real jean studs).

Hope you enjoy...

Sketch Support Design Team Entry

Well.... I've been submitting some Design Team entries. My super-duper long-shot was for Sketch Support. Didn't make the team, but wanted to show you the projects I created anyways!

For all the sketches please visit Sketch Support where you can get gorgeous print outs

The first sketch was Add-On Sketch #9. This is my first time using an add-on sketch.

This layout is of our photographer, Melanie, and Richard taking photos of someone. When I saw the camera add-on I knew that I could use it for this page.

The camera was made with grey cardstock, gold DCWV textured cardstock, black cardstock and black DCWV textured cardstock. I also used acetate for the lens and the flash. I added Stickles to the flash to add some more shine, and used more Stickles to make the line down the strip on the camera. 

Then there was Two-Page Sketch #21:

As you can see, I played around a bit, changing the photo sizes. I really enjoyed making the background and it was sooo easy! If you use a 12x12 patterned paper, you just cut it in half, then cut one of the halves in thirds and repeat!

Finally there was Card Sketch #11:

This one I wasn't sure what to do with, since I don't make too many cards, but I wanted to force myself. To see what I came up with, go here and see my blog post on that card as I am now entering it in a challenge :)