A Heartfelt Tutorial and Layout

Hey there!  Ready to do a little forging?  I have a little something to show you.  Not anything earth shattering, but just a bit of inspiration to make one of the papers that was featured in this month's kit.

Let me pull up the photo...

See that watercolor heart paper under the doily?  You can make THAT!  So easy!

Just grab some plain cardstock and watercolors.  My scrapbestie, Leslie sent me some watercolor crayons, but I also used a good ol' Crayola paint box, too.  You can see I practiced a bit on some scrap cardstock.  I tried not to draw a heart with the brush and then fill in as that left a line around the outside (you can see that on the blue one below).  Instead, I tried to just swirl the brush around making the bumps of the heart and then extending down to the point.  I also kept my color pretty watery to get the same look as the inspiration.  

And here's my finished result. (Conversation Candy Hearts not included!)

While we are at it, I have a LOAD (Layout A Day) to complete for today, so let's make this easy by using my new kit and the paper I just made.

Hey!  There's the paper I made!

It's important to not be too critical of yourself when painting.  First of all, the original paper is pretty free form and second, if there's anything you feel is less than perfect, then just cut or hide that part!

And here's a close-up of how I trimmed it into a photo mat.

Hope this inspires you to get your watercolors out and make this paper or just play.  I have to admit...it's soooo relaxing!

Thanks for stopping by!

Making My Kit Work for Me

This month I am participating in Lain Ehmann's Layout A Day month long challenge.  It's a fast paced, inspiring filled month of scrapping.  Each day there's a new prompt in which you have about 24 hours to create a layout.  While you don't HAVE to follow the prompt, challenging yourself to do so broadens your creativity and scrapping horizons.  Using my Counterfeit Kit, "Love Birds" definitely helped my process today.  Pre-assembled product at the ready makes for fast and easy scrapping on this journey.  Here's the layout I created today...

Today's prompt was no journaling.  GASP!  While the story is usually so important, sometimes (just sometimes) the photo truly does speak a thousand words, as in this case.

Here are some close-ups...

Just a few strategically placed brads and a few other embellishments from my printer's tray and this layout is good to go.

Love, love, love these kids and when a layout comes together this easily.  I wouldn't recommend it for every layout, but go ahead and give yourself permission to let the photo tell the story.  

Thanks for stopping by!

CKC Challenge #1 - Behold the Ugly Sweater!

Our fearless Counterfeit Kit Challenge leader, Bethany always offers us beautiful and interesting inspiration for creating layouts.  This month she is pushing us a little out of our comfort zone.  Our inspiration isn't pretty or beautiful.  It is downright tacky.  The inspiration for Challenge #1 is to peruse her Ugly Sweater Pinterest Board and draw inspiration from it.  Huh?  Well, the saying, "Inspiration is Everywhere" certainly rings true this time around because while I wouldn't be caught dead in any of these, there are certain aspects of each one of these bedazzled "duds" that can be inspiring.

As I frantically scrolled down the pinterest page and nixed each one I saw, I was relieved when I spied this one...

Yes, I said relieved!  Compared to my other choices, I was relieved.  My family and I are huge fans of the movie, "A Christmas Story" and we just saw the musical on Broadway in New York City this past December.  BAM!  INSPIRED!

Here is my interpretation...

Not only does the layout follow the subject matter of the inspiration, but it also follows the same color scheme.  And it's a Hat trick (any hockey fans out there?) to have this "knit-inspired" paper by Authentique in my February Kit, "Love Birds".

Let's take a closer look...

So, give it a try!  Be inspired by something gaudy and ugly.  Keep an open mind and you are sure to end up with a unique and beautiful layout from a very unlikely source.

Be sure to share your creations over on Mr. Linky or better yet, save it for our readers' blog hop at the end of the month.  Find out more information about that here.

And if you were to wear that sweater, please do so carefully...it's FRAH-GEE-LAY!

Counterfeit Kit Challenge February Reveal Blog Hop

Welcome to another month of kitting and creating.  This month Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog has some wonderful inspiration for your papercrafting needs.  Check out Kits De Somni here to see all of their offerings.  The one I chose has a decidedly lovey-dovey feel.  Take a look:

Speaking of doves and love, take a bird's eye view of my kit for February, "Love Birds".

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Fly off your perch and let's soar over to the papers...

Maggie Holmes' products are soooo romantic!

Settle in to the nest where you will find stickers, chipboard and brads.

Lots of sweet embellishments fill my printer's tray this month.  Punches and stamps (which I often forget to add) found their way into my aviary themed kit.

Let's take one more look of the whole flock...

Hope you can find some inspiration to help you soar to new heights with your scrapping this month.  

Be sure to follow along the hop and say hello to all of the Master Forgers...especially one of our favorite former forgers (that's a tongue twister!) Susanne, who is our guest designer this month.  Good to have you with us this month, S!

Guest Designer Susanne: http://snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com
Jemma http://just-jimjams.blogspot.com/
Julene http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com.au/
Lesley G. http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk/
Lisa H. http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/
Leslie http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com/
Lynnette http://sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com/ you are here!
Millisa http://millermall.blogspot.com/ go see Millisa NEXT!
Stephanie http://skylinepaperie.blogspot.ca/

Enough of Jack Frost

Getting back on track after the holidays is always hard, but this year below-freezing temperatures and lots of snow has created a sporadic school schedule for the kids which equates to sporadic scrap time for Mom.

I managed to eke out 3 layouts from my January Kit, "Jack Frost" just before the end of the month.  One layout for Challenge #1 and that makes a total of 4 layouts for January.

First up is a layout about my kit USING my kit:

Next we have a layout that had its humble beginnings from my kit, but a B side paper and then I have to admit that I departed and used some other supplies from my stash.  I know, I know...not from my kit, but I am still stash-busting so it's all good!

The last layout I have to share is undoubtedly from my kit.  This one may be one of my all-time FAVES.

Ok...now Jack Frost my kit and Jack Frost, the bitter cold weather guy can be done doing their thing now.  

Counterfeit Kit Challenge #1: Subway Art

You've seen the canvas signs in your local home decor store?  You know, the over-sized ones with the graphic font and the litany of phrases ranging from anything Christmas to baseball.  Yes, those.  I bet you didn't know they had a name.  Well, they do.  Subway Art...it is all the rage and most like most trends, they have made their way into the scrapbook arena as well.

I really scored big that I was assigned this challenge as my scrapbestie and fellow master forger, Leslie, just recently sent me a box of scrappiness and it included the My Mind's Eye card that is featured on my layout.  Talk about made to order!  Take a look:

And if Subway Art wasn't trendy enough, throw in some chalkboard art for good measure!  I am totally in love!  And for the trifecta?  The subject of my layout.  My crafty and creative sister made this adorable interactive and whimsical skating box for my daughter which made the perfect subject matter for my layout.  Tiny Gracie skates around the interior of the Altoids box via a paper clip and magnet.  How sweet is that?   I just love when it all comes together!

I hope you are inspired by this trend and share your creation over on Mr. Linky on the Counterfeit Kit Challenge site.  I'd love to see your creation!

Counterfeit Kit Challenge January Reveal Blog Hop

Happy New Year!  2014 is here and it's time to ring in the new year with a new kit to counterfeit.  Check out the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog here to start off on the right foot if you are just stumbling in from a crazy night of New Year's celebrating!  This month's kit to copy comes to us from Hip Kit Club and their sold out December offering.  Take a look at the snowy, wintry feel of this kit:

My holidays have been jammed packed with food, family and fun and I'm not quite finished celebrating even as I put this kit together, so allow me to offer you a libation (I have virgin and non-virgin varieties!) to toast the New Year.  Hopefully, this inspiration will get you in the mood to create your own collection of creativity.

Raise your glasses (or your patterned paper, if that's more your speed) and let's toast the New Year with a Jack Frost Martini!  Jack Frost seemed like the perfect name for this snowy, icy kit.

Papers range from snowflake patterns to chevrons and music notes.  Plenty of wiggle room for winter and non-winter inspired layouts.

Couldn't resist adding this embellie to my jar of fire and ice!  It will also look great on the many hockey and figure skating layouts on my to-do list.

Silvery tinsel and a constellation circle (that mimics a paper in the inspiration kit) are just a few of the embellies that will "spike" my layouts.

Who can forget the Thickers in glittery gold and iridescent white?  Just the right amount of sparkle on the new fallen snow!

Let's take one more look at the "scrap bar"...

Now you had better get inside for a little cocktail and some scrapping before Jack starts nipping at your nose!

Here's to a year filled with creativity and scrappiness!

(Clink!  Clink!)

HAPPY 2014!

Here's the order of our hop.  Be sure to stop by each design team member's blog to soak up the creativity.

Welcome to Tara, this month's guest designer!  

Tara O.  http://kryptonite72-rambles.blogspot.com

Angela http://colestoucan.blogspot.co.uk/

Jemma http://just-jimjams.blogspot.com/

Julene  http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com.au/

Lesley G.  http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk/

Lisa H. http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/
Leslie  http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com/

Lynnette http://sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com/

Millisa http://millermall.blogspot.com/

Stephanie http://skylinepaperie.blogspot.ca/