Superpower #2

Elephants are my favorite animal. Did I ever mention that? It's true. I love them. They're adorable and kind, intelligent and emotional. In my opinion, the best animals on the planet (aside from my kitten of course). They also have long memories. Which made them the perfect representation for one of my superpowers!

We all have superpowers. I have exactly two. Two things that I'm better at than the average person. And one of them is my memory. 

I was pulling out of a parking spot the other day, paying attention to my driving but otherwise zoning out. I must have been remembering something because it struck me as one of those "there you go again" moments. One of the times that something very old and totally random popped into my head. You see, my superpower even surprises me at times.

And I thought to myself, I need to make a page about that.

Here it is and I have to say I'm in love with my ellie! Isn't she gorgeous?!

As I was sitting there thinking about the page I would make, I knew that I wanted to have her pieced together from different patterned papers. Don't know why, but I knew that's how I would make her.

I purchased an elephant cut from the Silhouette store and edited & sliced it up into a bunch of pieces using the Silhouette software. I tried to make sure that most of the pieces were smaller than 2x2in so that it'd be easy to put down a bunch of 2x2in squares on the cutting mat.

I had just visited Archivers and grabbed a few sheets of the new Printshop line. So I was dying to cut into it. They have nothing to do with the theme of this page, and that's 100% ok with me. They're just so pretty all together!

I hand wrote my journaling directly on the page AND created my own custom cut with the help of my iPad and the Noteshelf app. This was the first time I had ever tried it and I love love LOVE how it turned out!

I opened up a blank sheet in the Noteshelf app, hand wrote "memory" a few times, saved and sent the photo to my e-mail, opened it up and traced it with the Silhouette, and then cut it out. It takes a few steps and is a bit more time consuming. But I think it's totally worth it. I'll never have to buy words again!

Let me know if its something you'd like me to create a tutorial for. Happy to do it!

And thus my love affair with the Silhouette continues. If you haven't bought one yet, you just might need to add it to your Christmas list!

cheers & besos,

Starting Points

I start pages a bunch of different ways.
Some times its because I want to scrap a particular photo.
Sometimes its because I want to play with fun product. (Or because I bought something and then felt guilty for not using it.)
Some times its for a challenge.
Some times its with a story in mind.

I started this one, because I wanted to use those awesome teepees on a page! It may have been why we made a teepee that day ;) But that page isn't about teepees. It's about Urijah and his play habits. With his autism, he tends to play alone, quietly in his own little world. It's part of what makes him, him.

I wanted to make a fun, colorful and playful page. The real jumping off point was that ombre washi. It's where I pulled the majority of my colors from and then I threw in some black and white. Loved the tribal look to that Glitz Design patterned paper. The background is very lightly stamped with one of their awesome rolling stamps. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to add more triangles.

What starts you down the road to making a page? Is it a story? A photo? Some fun product? I'd love to hear =)

cheers & besos,

Opera House

Officially done with scrapping Oslo photos! Here's the last page but it's not really about Oslo.

Ok ok, so the photos are from Oslo, in front of the Opera House, but the journaling is about missing these guys. "We took these photos in 2008. So as I scrapbook them in 2013, I love getting to see their sweet faces. I miss each of them so much. It was a fabulous part of my life, to be a part of their daily lives."

I thought this chevron was the perfect base for a page featuring that awesomely angled opera house. And the blues and grays were perfect for it as well. From pastels to primary, I guess I couldn't get enough of my straight color themes. But that's ok.

I sprinkled in some ribbons, washi tape, patterned papers, journaling cards and teeny bit of cardstock. And embellished with enamel dots, a chipboard star and some flair.

Since the background was so busy, I kept the design quite straight and even. Even thought I guessed at it, I pretty much split the page right down the middle.

And another country gets checked off my list. I'm thinking this summer, I'll start going back through some of the other countries I've "finished". Just for fun!

cheers & besos,

Playing with Pastels

Happy Monday yall! I hope you had a nice relaxing weekend. Myself? I packed up some stuff and went to scrap at Archiver's on Saturday. It was a so so experience. I was really hoping to socialize but the crop was so small and everyone else came in groups. So I tinkered away on my own.

I wasn't really motivated and lacked a bit of mojo. It's hard when you're use to scrapping on demand (i.e. my room is all set up to scrap whenever I feel like it and all of my tools are out and available at all times) to suddenly go, ok now you HAVE to scrap. But I powered through. Mainly because I was inspired by some of the new products I purchased on the day.

This was the last page I made at the crop. I went for it because I new the layout I wanted for the photos.

I love Melissa Stinson's tight & clean & photo and color driven style. If you look at her work, pretty much every layout is a sketch worthy page. For this layout specifically, I was inspired by her Snapshots from the Aquarium layout.

I placed my photos, journaling and patterned paper strips in the same way that Melissa did, but I roughed it up a bit by crinkling paper edges, dropping mist splatters and adding sketch lines.

Honestly, I don't know how the pastel color combo came to be, just that I picked up that sheet from the Atlantic collection and thought it went well with the yellow of the palace and blue of the sky. Then I shopped the aisles at Archivers and came back with some Amy Tangerine Yes, Please, an older Ready, Set, Go sheet, a Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm and a spool of ribbon.

I did just tiny bits of embellishing by adding some flair, a chipboard camera, a Thicker title, and when I got home, some white heat embossed words.

It's a little funny to have this guy trip forever immortalized with a pink page. But they'd be good sports about it I'm sure. And now, I'm just excited to have made a 12x12 double page! And to have all of Oslo scrapbooked now. I'll share the final page tomorrow. Until then...

cheers & besos,

NSD: Digital Elements

I can't believe my big little guy turned 4! It was a quiet birthday, just the 5 of us (and the puppy), a birthday cake and some balloons.

NSD Challenges: Shimelle's Spray Inks and Mists, Shimelle's Line up your Embellishments, Shimelle's Scrapbook with Square Photos, Studio Calico's By the Numbers, Studio Calico's Break out the Buttons, Studio Calico's Digital Elements.

Of course I forgot my camera! But thankfully my iPhone was there to capture our tiny celebration. I used a ton of different apps to achieve this look: PicTapGo--converted to black and white, Snapster--added the rainbow effect & PicFX--threw some bokeh on top. I could have used Over to add the words but just ended up adding them using PSE.

My mists did some heavy lifting, as I was trying to make the page as festive as can be!

I also used the Studio Calico free printable for decoration. Loved the circles & thought the sentiments were perfect for a birthday page! I also sprinkled in some "4" Thickers and buttons.

And finally, I used the Studio Calico date stamp to add a horizontal element to the bottom of the page.  Completely loving how it turned out!

cheers & besos,

Pop-up Giveaway!

Happy Friday all! I'm off today and in the midst of final PMP exam studying. Nearly there! But I interrupt my own studying (ahem procrastinating) to share a quick giveaway.

I've recently received some fun extra goodies that I'd like to give away to a good scrappy home. One item is a 6x6 paper pad from Simple Stories that Two Peas was kind enough to send my way as part of their buy something get a free product promo. It's cute but I have no need so I'd like to send it to one of you! Also up for grabs is an exclusive Studio Calico stamp set. If you ordered last year's December Daily you also received this stamp set. I mistakingly received two and wanted to give the second away. It's theme-y but not too theme-y. Most of it can be used time & again!

To enter, leave a comment below and I'll pick one winner. International entries are welcome, as long as you promise to send me a postcard ;) Giveaway is open until Sunday, 14 April at 11:59pm. I'll announce the winner Monday and get it sent off to you straight away!

cheers & besos,

Not just Special

Have you guys been watching the 2Peas videos? Man do they have some awesome content! I'm loving the daily uploads. 

If I wasn't on a procurement freeze, I'd totally spend all my money there. They just market their products so well! So buy from them since I'm not. They're awesome!

But anyway, this page was directly inspired by Kristina Nicolai-White's In the Mood to Scrap video. Her prompt was to use punched circles but I drew inspiration from other places.

I hand wrote my journaling and added some hand drawn lines.

I liked the look of her title and even though it isn't exactly the same as hers, it's still reminiscent.

And the backing paper for the cut title had a little confetti vibe to it. Too bad you can't see much of it. 

I used stars and even hand cut one for a more organic look, like Kristina did with her heart. 

And as to the journaling, I was inspired by Glitter Girl's latest adventure. This is a favorite photo from Urijah's birthday last year, but the journaling is about his special needs. It's the first time I've ever scrapbooked about his autism diagnosis. Obviously it's a big part of his life and I think it deserves to be documented in his scrapbook.

cheers & besos,

Sock Hop Thank You's

Thank you cards are always in season. Here's what I sent as my Christmas thank you's this year.

I put these together with my SC Sock Hop card kit. 

2Peas Challenge No. 08, the materials challenge, was my inspiration.

Here are my 8 materials: 

1. Stapled ticket

2. Twine

3. Patterned ticket

4. Jewels

5. Punched kraft "thank"

6. Stamped cardstock base

7. Washi tape

8. Vellum sentiment

I had fun mixing all of these textures! I also had fun making this design spill over from the cover to the inside. I wasn't so sure about that stamp set initially but I'm loving it now =)

Thank you for visiting. Have a happy Saturday yall!

cheers & besos,

Boy & Girl Cards

We celebrate two birthday's in my family this week. My Aunt on the 14th and her Papa, my Grandpa on the 16th. I made them each a card. I used my Block Party Card Kit and basically the same papers & supplies to make both a masculine and a feminine card.

I challenged myself to create a centered design. I feel like my designs are always off of a corner for some reason. This time, they're front and center.

For the lady version, I mixed patterned paper -- both strips and punched out shapes-- washi tape and a stamped sentiment. I added a glitter brad, used that beautiful flower stamp and finished off with some baker's twine.

For the manly version, I used some of those same patterned papers & my ticket and circle punches to punch out a few shapes. Which I again centered on the card base. After that I stamped my sentiment, using the numbers stamp from this collection and adhered it with foam adhesive.

For some reason, this reminds me of the front grill of a car. Perhaps it's why I think it looks manly :)

Both cards got splatters of silver mist.
Both use the same monochromatic color scheme with red thrown in!
Both were pretty quick and simple to make.

They've been sent off to San Antonio. I wish both of them a Happy Birthday & a wonderful year!

cheers & besos,

Farmhouse Fun

Ick Winter! Ours here in Houston are rainy and right now, very cold. I wish I could stay bundled up and warm here at home, but alas to work I must go.

Before I do that, I wanted to share another Block Party/2Ps CHA Challenge/Studio Calico CHA Challenge page. And also point out how crazy busy my Fall was. From a weekend in NYC to a weekend in the Hill Country, I was all over the place. Here's a separate page of our bachelorette weekend of fun.

We stayed at the cutest little farmhouse in Johnson City. (Seriously, if anyone needs a recommendation on a place to stay in the Hill Country, I would totally recommend this place.)

It was cute.

It was quaint.

It was red & turquoise!

And the Block Party kit had the best red & turquoise in it. I loved this patterned background paper and thought it went really well with a farmhouse theme. And of course that pocket was another perfect red & turquoise accent. 

I played around with F's for my 4 word title. It's not really a coherent string but still descriptive =)

There's not any journaling on the page, because honestly I didn't know where to put it. But I'm confident I'll make a coordinating 2nd page to talk about our weekend and all of the craziness and fun we had in this sweet little house.

Until later, I hope you're staying warm & dry!

cheers & besos

Friendship with No End

Hey yall! Happy Monday =)

I'm in such a good mood because I was a crafting beast this weekend. Basically, I did nothing but sit at my desk and play. 

It was wonderful. 

It was cathartic. 

It had been sorely missed.

It had been too long!

I made 1-20 page 6x6in minibook. And remembered why I don't make them...

I made 10-Christmas Thank You cards.

And I decorated 3-6x6in trays as gifts for my besties. (I must confess being sick all last week put my Christmas gift making on the back burner.)

Sharing them all in good time, but speaking of besties, I made this page with my 34th Street kit a few weeks back.

I had fun with this page. I've never painted directly onto a picture before! 

There were a few random things in the background and since I don't know photoshop well enough to crop them out, I just decided to go old school and paint them out. Plus, I wanted to highlight the three guys behind us, who were also posing together for a photo. Then I thought I would doodle on the white, since it was so stark. It's not perfect, but I think it looks fun!

I knew when I started this layout I wanted my title to stretch across the entire page. So I cut it out using my Cameo (which btw, I have a total love/hate relationship with that thing. It never cuts how I want it too!!!). I originally wanted the chevron paper to show through but it wasn't translating very well with the font that I chose, so I backed it with some of the leftover paper from my Hello/Goodbye page.

At one point I was criticizing myself for choosing so lame a title, but then I realized that "end" is written write there in the middle. And that's when I thought up "Friendship with no end". (I added the with after I photographed this.) I'd be lying if I said it was my intention all along, but I'm so glad my mind stumbled upon it. It's perfect for this page of me and my besties. Ours is a friendship without an end.

After that, I pulled out a bunch of red accents from the kit and added my journaling. Viola! My page was complete. 

Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check back later this week to see my projects from the weekend. Oh, and don't forget about the RAK! Comment on this post to win!

cheers & besos,

Baby Shower

More 34th Street funness to share today. This was surprisingly a quick page made easier with the help of my Silhouette machine.

I cut a bunch of ellipses, because I don't know how to do circles yet :P (I really need to read more about this thing!) And then I backed some of them with photos or paper and embellished just a few.

These photos are from Susie's baby shower. She had quite a few but I went to just the one. I loved this shot of Susie and Kim. They are truly BFFs. Their friendship is going on 20 years and it's still so strong!

And here's hulking me (seriously I need taller friends!) next to tiny Susie.

Thanks for dropping by! Be sure to check back tomorrow for a big announcement and a chance to win some goodies!

cheers & besos,

Top 12 of 2012

Hello friends! And happy almost New Year! Blogging today as I'm coming back from the dead. I caught a virus a few days before Christmas and am still suffering from it. It's frustrating, because all I've wanted to do with my days off is run errands and clean house, but I haven't had much energy for either of those things. I'm hoping to start feeling better soon though. Especially as my sweet boyfriend planned a lovely NYE dinner out and about.

I had a fairly productive year in scrapbooking terms. I made 120 layouts and 90 cards, 2 mini books and 6 altered art pieces. Not bad for a crazy busy year.

But seeing as we're at the end of 2012, I wanted to share my 12 favorite layouts from the year. Here are some stats on them:

There are five 12x12 layouts and seven 8 1/2 x 11. 

One is from Lisbon. 

One is from Bangkok. 

One is from Cambodia. 

One is from Japan. 

Three are for Urijah's album. 

Two feature Sketchbook sketches. 

Two are scraplifts.

Five instagram shots were used.

Seven were made using Studio Calico kits.

Matt made it into three.

Paint and mist were used on five layout each.

I stamped on nearly all of them.

But surprisingly washi was used on just a few.

I love each and every one of these, most especially because of their vibrant colors. This is my life, these are my loves =)

Without further adieu and in no particular order. Here are my 12 favorite layouts of 2012:

And that's all folks! Until next year, I hope you all have a sparkling night full of light and love.

cheers & besos,