Monthly Archives: June 2011

Hello Friend

Posted on June 30, 2011 | 6 comments

I’m always on the lookout for fun, easy to use images. How about this darling telephone from the latest Avocado Arts release?

July’s stamp set kit is called Hello Friend and I’m lovin’ it. So fun and versatile, I’ll be using it over and over again.

For this quick and fun card, I’ve paired up the images with some scavanged patterned paper. OK…it’s actually not patterned paper but a sheet pulled from an old phone book. You get a new one each year, right? Why not yank out a few sheets to have on hand before you put the old one into the recycling bin?

Supplies: white cardstock by Neenah, Hello Friend stamp set by Avocado Arts, Brushed Corduroy Distress Ink by Ranger, Jet Black Archival Ink by Ranger, Tangelo & Rosebud Memento Inks by Tsukineko, sewing machine, 6×6 paper pad by Lily Bee Design, phone book, buttons by Basic Grey

The Avocado Arts design team is sharing lots of great ideas for this set on their blogs today. Be sure to check them out…

Have a fabulous day and to all my Canadian friends…happy Canada Day tomorrow!

6 Comments

Posted in Avocado Arts, Card Designs, Lily Bee

3 in 30

Posted on June 29, 2011 | 9 comments

The events of the last week have left me, well, a little less organized than I’d like to be. To be honest, life today is more like a mad scramble to keep up. The tyranny of the urgent.

Suffice it to say that I was NOT pleased with myself when I awoke this morning, this last-day-of-school-morning, to realize that I hadn’t made the teachers’ thank you cards yet. That had me moving quickly! Eeeeek!

The clock told me I had under 30 minutes to make three cards so there was no time for pondering what I should use and how I should lay it all out. I grabbed an 8×8 paper pad of October Afternoon’s Schoolhouse that was on my shelf, the coordinating chipboard stickers and the scraps were flying.

This card is for one of the Kindergarten teachers. With full-day Kindergarten here, my son has two teachers and has had the most incredible year. I’m so thrilled with his progress and the program is so much fun, the kids don’t even realize that they are learning.

Another super quick card for the other Kindergarten teacher.

And finally, a card for the grade three teacher. The “3” wood bingo motif is a fun way to personalize it a little.

Quick Tip: When in a rush, keep it simple! Use coordinating product. Use tried and true card layouts so you don’t have to waste time coming up with something new.

Supplies: Schoolhouse 8×8 paper pad and Schoolhouse Chip ‘n Sticke chipboard stickers by October Afternoon, twine, Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz, Wood Bingo Numbers, Wood Bingo Motifs and Star Trinket Pins by Maya Road, Black Tiny Type by Cosmo Cricket

Whew! Now I need some coffee and then I’ll go clean up after the whirlwind.

Hoping your day is MUCH more relaxing!

9 Comments

Posted in Card Designs

life’s a party

Posted on June 28, 2011 | 7 comments

some days… life’s a party.

other days…not so much.

i’ve had a few of those days this past week. migraine. flooded basement…again. nothing quite like standing in ankle deep water in your craft room, is there?

thankfully, everything is drying out and my head is feeling better. mostly. sorry i’ve been mia for a few days to regroup.

so back to the party theme…

at 6, life is pretty much a party all the time but no time is better than your birthday. at 6, my baby is growing up way to quickly for my liking. he had a huge list of instructions on how his birthday was to proceed. he’s quite the boy.

this morning he crawled into bed for a snuggle. it’s rare now that i get one and i just held tight trying to freeze-frame the moment. it won’t be long until he’s too big for it. sigh.

today’s layout captures a few of his birthday party moments and uses the June “Lazy Days” Up the Street Scrapbooking kit. the fun stamps were even included. it may just b e my favorite kit yet!

enjoy your day!

7 Comments

Posted in Scrapbooking, Up the Street

Stencil Masking Possibilities

Posted on June 24, 2011 | 3 comments

Stencils are one of those great tools that rarely get much glory. They aren’t colorful, shiny, catch-your-eye products. They’re durable and they’re plastic. If you don’t know what to do with them, they are so easy to pass by.

Today I’m in the CLASSroom sharing three card designs I’ve created using a stencil as a mask for ink. I had lots of inky fun and well, I hope you’ll enjoy the results as much as I did. Join me here if you have the time.

Have an amazing weekend!

3 Comments

Posted in Card Designs, Ellen Hutson LLC projects

don’t worry…

Posted on June 23, 2011 | 6 comments

…be happy

It’s summertime!

Today’s card just screams summer. I love this sweet journaling card paper with the bathing suits. It reminds me of lazy beach days and swimsuits hanging on the line to dry. Wish I had a bathing suit that looked that cute!

Yesterday I shared a design that used a handmade flower embellishment and today, I’ve created my own rolled flowers for this card. I’m getting addicted to rolled flowers. They are so sweet.

Quick Tip: Add your sentiment over a specific element in the patterned paper to make it part of the design.

This card is another design I’ve created using the June Up the Street Scrapbooking Kit. Lazy Days is one rockin’ fun kit.

Happy creating!

6 Comments

Posted in Card Designs, Up the Street

floral design

Posted on June 22, 2011 | 5 comments

Everything is blooming these days.

I think June just may be my favorite time of year.  A summer of possibilities is on the horizon. My favorite perennials are blooming riotously. Beautiful!

Flowers in the house are beautiful but I have to tell you…I can’t arrange them to save my life. I can do an arrangement of one. Just one bloom.

Hey! It’s elegant that way, right?

So I’ll never be a floral designer but that’s OK. I’ll stick with arranging paper flowers. They are much more forgiving, they don’t wither and I can even create them myself.

How about a fun tissue paper flower on top of a little altered box? It’s created with the Tattered Florals Die and layers and layers of tissue paper. Mist with Glimmer Mist and then scrunch it up. Sweet & shabby.

Have you seen the latest Paper Crafts Magazine issue? The July/August 2011 issue. This project was published in it for the Creative Die Cuts feature. It’s a fabulous issue chock full of great ideas. If you like creating your own embellishments, you’ve GOT to check it out. Find it at your local craft store or bookstore or order direct on-line here.

Take time to smell the flowers…

5 Comments

Posted in Papercraft projects, published designs

i am 6

Posted on June 20, 2011 | 5 comments

Birthdays are those special milestones in life. A time for celebrating, a time for presents, a time for family. They are always a great  occasion to scrapbook, especially for children. They grow and learn so much each year. Journaling what is special, what they’ve accomplished and what they are thinking is a great way to document this.

This layout is another one I’ve created with June’s Up the Street Scrapbooking Kit. This particular kit is called “Lazy Days” and it’s bright summery look is so fun. This kit works for so many things but I especially love how perfect it is for boys. As I have four of them, boys that is, I’m always looking for great papers that aren’t florals but aren’t the same old blue and red color scheme.

Using a graphic style design is a great way to make a quick layout and also use up bits and pieces of special papers you have on hand.

Quick Tip: Take a fun birthday photograph by having the birthday boy or girl hold up fingers to show their age. Holding a cut out number also works great for this.

My favorite part of this layout is the journaling. The fabulous green journaling prompts is a rub-on included in the kit. You can cut it apart or use it all on one layout as I did. The black letter stickers I’ve filled in the details with is also part of the kit.

Thanks for stopping by!

5 Comments

Posted in Scrapbooking, Up the Street