Scrapbookaholic By Abby Challenge #2

Happy Monday Everyone! Welcome to another challenge with Scrapbookaholic By Abby. Challenge #2 is "Spring"! We had to design a project using "Spring" as the inspiration. I have had such Spring Fever lately... I have been Spring Cleaning and Organizing and spending lots of time outside.... I chose to make a project inspired by Spring Cleaning....

A Coupon Organizer!

I have started clipping coupons... it has always been half-hearted attempts in the past, but after seeing how much it can really save, I have put forth a little more effort. In all my Spring Cleaning I found my old day planner... I took out all the insides and made my own organizing system to put back in!

I have a pocket in front to put a calculator in or any other misc. items... and I made 12 dividers to help sort my different coupons. I have labeled most, but have some left blank to use later as my "system" evolves.

I cut regular notebook paper to size to put in my book to use for making my grocery list. This little book serves as a one stop for grocery shopping preparation! 

I found these fabulous little pockets at my local scrapbook store... they were perfect for holding my coupons in each divided section!

I hope that you have enjoyed my little project and make sure you go check out all of the other design team members projects! You can go HERE for the list of everyone's projects. You then can play along and post your project on to Abby's Blog!

Color Mixing with Different Mediums

I am so excited to be back as a featured guest on Ideas for Scrapbookers! Today I want to share some techniques on color mixing. I was thinking about how my scrapbooking budget has been decreased slowly over this past year and how I can make my supplies last longer and work for me more. I can’t always buy every color that a product comes in… even though I may want every color! So I started playing and discovered what neat effects you can create by mixing colors using different mediums.

Example:

Faded Jeans Distress Ink + Viva Pink Glimmer Mist = Purplish Stamped Image!

Below is a card that I did using the above combination. 

STEPS TO ACHIEVE THIS:

1. Rub your Distress Ink onto your craft mat.

2. Mist lightly with your Glimmer Mist.

3. Stamp your stamp into your mix like it was a stamp pad.

4. Stamp in desired place.

It is that easy!

I used Tim Holtz’s new stamp collections… (this is where my scrapping allowance went!), “Papillion” & “Reflections”. As soon as I saw the Reflections stamps the idea for this card came! I love that they are backwards in order to do reverse type techniques, but on my card I just stamped as is, which is backwards. It becomes a fun twist on a “Thinking about You” card.

I made my card a pocket so the “inside” of the card is actually a tag that slides out…

There are a lot more different ways you can mix colors. Here are a few my playing yielded:

(from the left)

The first is the combination that I did on my card. The second is actually three different mediums, which created a very pretty multi colored look. Some spots are the original colors and the others are where the colors blended. The third was really fun! I used the Snow Cap Paint Dabber to “ink” up my stamp. I then sprayed the Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist directly onto the paint and then stamped my image. The last is colored Gesso. I was able to get a very textured stamped image using Gesso and it doesn’t have to be white!

Think of the color possibilities using this technique! You can get so many colors from just using a handful of supplies! I urge you to play and see what fun color combos you can create!

*NOTE*

When using Paint or Gesso with your stamps you want to clean them immediately! You do not want these products drying onto your stamps. I used water and a stamp scrubby pad to clean mine.

If you have never checked out the Ideas for Scrapbookers Blog I really recommend it! It is a place full of inspiration and great techniques!

Have a great weekend!

(Finish It Friday will be back next week!)

Just Playing....

Hello! I am sorry I have been MIA for the last few days... I am officially diagnosing myself with Spring Fever! I have done it all... Bike Riding, Spending every second I can outside, working on getting a garden started, and... SPRING CLEANING! I love this time a year.... its a chance to come alive after being dormant all winter... Windows open, breezes blowing, flowers blooming! It is just invigorating!

This morning I went into my studio for a bit... I just had to play! I recently bought some Kraft Glassine Paper.... I have watched a video online of Tim Holtz demoing it at CHA... and I couldn't wait to play!

This is what it looks like before working with it: a smooth, crisp sheet...

 ...just waiting to be crinkled!

Then you smooth it out and this is what it looks like:

 just waiting to be inked!

I inked it up with Distress Inks, Distress Stain, Perfect Pearls Mist, & Paint Dabbers. I love it! The Paint Dabber is something I am going to play with some more.... I applied the paint and then wiped it off with a moist cloth... You see, above, how pretty the Distress Inks took to the Glassine. I can't wait to play with this some more and take it to my scrapbook pages and altered projects!

 I even stamped on it... the results are 50/50... really want to experiment more with this... here is what my playing yielded this morning!

Not bad considering it was before coffee!

Don't be afraid to go play with a new product... you can find lots of information online about different products and techniques... but don't be afraid to push your supplies to the next level... experiment! Have fun!

Hope you have a great day! Enjoy Spring and be creative!

Finish It Friday!

Oh Happy Friday! 

...and welcome to a new little "segment" on my blog! It's called,

"Finish It Friday"

I do not know about all of you, but I have quite the collection of unfinished layouts & projects! Below is my crate of unfinished layouts... (I know, I know...) I stopped counting at 30, but there were still at least 5 or 6 left to go! So, if you have unfinished projects, please play along! If we complete a project or two once a week... just think how quickly we will be finished!

 This is the layout I decided to finish this week. I had a small amount of time to scrapbook Thursday evening and I chose this layout because all that was left to do was journal! ...and I had actually taken pictures way back when (Nov. 27, 2010), as I did the layout, to use as a tutorial!

"Before"

I used a sheet of Natural Cardstock for my base and paper from Crate Paper's Restoration Line.

"After"

I added my journaling and I was finished! I had to think for a minute or two about what I wanted to say, but after that it was a breeze! ...and to think: this layout has been sitting for 3 and a half months!

Now for the details:

"Ticket Rosette"

I had two tickets from the concert. I took one and cut it in half horizontally and put them together and then made a Rosette using my Martha Stewart Scoreboard.

Here is a fun little technique to use on double sided paper...

The How To:

I took a strip of paper and cut a slit into it. You do not want to go all the way to the top. Just about a half to three-quarters way up.

I then took a triangle, (from my drafting days) and lined it up with the top of my slit. Using a bone folder I scored along the edge of the triangle to create a crease, which allowed me to get a pretty fold with my paper. I glued both sides down and then went back with a brad to add some bling. The last step is to take another sheet of paper and adhere to the back so it shows, as if it is peeping from behind the main sheet...

I hope you have enjoyed the first edition of "Finish It Friday".

Have a wonderful, creative weekend!

Hoarders - "The Scrapbooker's Edition"

Have you ever seen the show Hoarders? I have watched an episode or two... and that is all I could handle. All the stuff these people 'collect'. WOW! I am ashamed to say that recently, as I was looking around my studio... I came to a realization... I am a "Scrap Hoarder". I have the hardest time throwing away even the smallest piece of scrap paper... "because I might be able to use it..." Below is a picture of all my scrap paper!

...and the sad thing is, most of these containers are to the point that it is more of a waste of time to look through than it is helpful! From this realization came a mission:

"To go through and organize my scraps."

I started last night... I tackeled the blue container, (it has all the blue scraps in it, I am some what organized with all the scraps!) The garbage that I found in there amazed me! Pieces of paper that I couldn't even get an 1" square punch out of... Yes... I am a Scrap Hoarder.

First Step: Admitting... check.

Now I must fix my problem.... I sorted the scraps into piles:

Throw Away -This pile contains scraps... minus the 's' = crap!

Keep - I tried to make this pieces of paper that were at least 3" or so...

Give Away - Paper that I know I will never use again... I am going to give to a local Chairity that I teach paper crafting at....

Card Making Bag - Smaller than 3" but paper that I love and could use to make cards.

Then I got to thinking... (uh-oh! we know what that can cause...) There were several pieces of blue scraps from paper that I had just loved... not big enough to really do anything with, but enough for maybe a punch or two... so out came my 1" square punch!

...and this is what I did:

A mosiac like paint can! This is a pint size paint can that I bought at Home Depot a while back... It was a couple bucks and just sitting on the shelf begging to be altered! (I want to go get another one to use Alcohol Inks on...just a thought!) Everything on this can was made using paper scraps... the flowers, the squares... even the top...

I had enough to make a rosette and punch a 2.5" scallop circle!

...then these mini's came...

...all from scraps! The blue card was made with all of these:

yes... I had kept these for the past two years... once again..."because I might use them..."

So, my question to you is,

"Are you a Scrapbook Hoarder"

What do you hoard? I also would like to know how you store your scraps? Is there a better way than how I am storing them?

First Scrapbookaholic By Abby Challenge!

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I am so excited to share with you today the first Scrapbookaholic By Abby Challenge! There will be challenges every two weeks over at Scrapbookaholic By Abby. Come join the fun... it's easy and gets your creative juices going! Make a project following the theme and link it up with Mr. Linky... there are some great prizes that will be given away!

Now... for Challenge #1:

"Pick Your Own Holiday"

We had to pick a holiday in March to celebrate... There is a great list here of so many different fun days in March!

I chose to honor Dr. Seuss! His birthday is March 2, 1904. I love Dr. Seuss and all his books. I think we probably can all remember reading his books at some point in our childhood. In working on my project, I stumbled accross one of the coolest websites ever:

http://www.seussville.com/

It is so much fun! I really recommend going there and taking a peek!

There is a poem by Dr. Seuss that I love and it has inspired my project:

How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon.

December is here before its June.

My Goodness how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?

-Dr. Seuss

This is what it inspired:

I made this clock using paper from Cosmo Cricket's Circa 1934 line. For the numbers I used Numerals by Tim Holtz for the "12" & "1/2". The others are brads that I made using my

I-Top by Imaginisce and more paper from Circa 1934. I wanted it to be fun! I am so happy with how it turned out and it looks great in my living room! lol..

I first cut my circle out of pretty thick chipboard. Using Claudine Hellmuth's Multi-Medium in Matte, I adhered my paper to the chipboard. I also adhered the center circle and the circle with the D stamp with Multi-Medium. The circle with the quote was put on using Pop Dots. You can buy clock kits at your local craft store. It was very easy to put together.

Here it is hanging on my wall!

and a close up of the poem:

Now for a little bit of scrapbooking poetry inspired by Dr. Seuss. My friend Laurel Apling wrote this and I thought it would be perfect to share while celebrating his birthday!

"Dr. Seuss on Embossing Powder"

by: Laurel Appling

They poured their powder here and there.

They tripped and poured it in the air.

They poured it on the table, on the floor,

and on the Versamark some more!

They poured it directly on the stamp.

They mixed it with the glue so damp.

They poured it every-everywhere.

It's probably even in their underwear!

Make sure you go to Abby's blog for all the details of the challenge and to enter your project. She has a great prize from our sponser this week.... Cosmo Cricket!

Also, check out all the inspiration from the other Design Team Members!

I Love Lucy Blog Hop

Happy Weekend! Welcome to the I Love Lucy Blog Hop hosted by Abby over at Scrapbookaholic By Abby! If you have just come by to see me, thank you! You can go here to start the hop and see all the fantastic I Love Lucy projects! If you have been hopping along than you have just come from Jess' Blog... I am the last stop on your journey... You have, no doubt, seen from fabulous work during your hop, and I am hoping that my project ends your hop with a BANG! I had fun working on it and it just came together so well... So without further ado... my project:

We all were assigned an episode from the I Love Lucy show to use as inspiration for our project. The episode I had was, "The Charm School". It was quite humorous with such a great moral of the story... being that Ricky & Fred loved their wives just the way they were...

I decided to make a fun little mini book for our coffee table that shows my relationship with my husband and how he truly loves me for me...

I used Echo Park's Be Mine Collection... I antiqued all my papers using Distress Ink, Vintage Photo, and a fun little trick with my Multi-Medium from the Claudine Hellmuth Studio Line. I used my Multi-Medium to adhere all my paper to my chipboard book. What I did to get such a great aged look is that I tinted my Multi-Medium with some of my Studio Paints by Claudine Hellmuth. Here is how you can use your Multi-Medium for mini albums... I warn you, once you start playing with Multi-Medium... you never turn back!

I get to say now that I know someone who took a class from Tim Holtz... I got the above idea from his tag creations! Taking the Bird Cage Alterations die and cutting of the sides to make a skirt... just brilliant!

This is a fun spinner that I got a long time ago... It is made my Cosmo Cricket. I thought it was perfect for my book because know matter how I am at times... my husband loves me for me!

As I was creating my project I started to think about how a scrapbooker could really learn tried & true lessons from watching the I Love Lucy show... they are:

As Ricky Ricardo says, "Lucy, Splain Yourself!"

To a Scrapbooker this translates to...

You have got to journal!

When a mistake has been made call out"Ai Yi Yi Yi Yi!:

and when all else fails, through your hands to your side and cry out like Lucille Ball does so many times throughout the shows! lol...

I hope you have had fun hoping along... and have left a comment on everyone's blogs in order to be in the running for Abby's giveaways! Have a happy and fun filled weekend!

Just tear it!

So, last night I went into my studio to play...  I had so much fun and everything just fell into place! Here is my layout that I created...

I used paper from Bo Bunny's Gabrielle Collection. ...and I just ripped and tore to my little heart's content!

Details: 

To achieve this look I took my x-acto knife and sliced a diagonal slit into my paper... I then just ripped the paper back and stapled the pieces down with my Tiny Attacher... The flower on the bottom I made out of ribbon, I then hot glued a brad to the middle. The Flower, next to the key, I made using the Imaginisce Petal Roller... but the paper I used is all torn! I tore a circle out and then tore it in to a spiral, and then just rolled it up... now my flower has a real distressed & vintage vibe!

For my title, I cut my letters with my Cricut using the Stamped Cartridge. I then used a damask stamp to add a little flair to them...

I had a blast tearing and ripping and distressing! I really encourage you to try some of these techniques!

Making Primary Colors POP!

Good Morning Everyone! ...and Happy Fat Tuesday! I want to share a card that I created using Memory Box Stamps and Paper! (Have I mentioned how much I love this company???)

I started by taking the Orchid Branch Print stamp and stamped it several times on white cardstock. I then colored them with my Copics and Atyou-Spica pens, (Copic's Glitter Pen!).

The next stamp I used was the Birch Branch Print stamp. I inked it up with several different greens and then misted the inked stamp lightly with Ranger's Perfect Pearls Mist in Kiwi. When I stamped my image it allowed me to have a shimmery image without the area around being shimmered. I then cut out my flowers and arranged them onto the branches.

Then butterfly on the flower and on the tag...(it's there, look closer... I used Hero Arts Shadow Ink to stamp it....) is stamped with the Butterfly Collage stamp. The word Believe is actually stamped from a Christmas Stamp! Believe Poinsettia Collage Stamp.

The paper that I used as my background is from Memory Box's Minuet line.

I hope you check out their website and see how awesome they are!!!

Now... for some more exciting news....

I am honored to receive the Liebster Blog Award from Carley over at The Real iCarley. Thank you so much Carley... you are so sweet to think of me and my little o' blog.

The Liebster Award is designed to bring new blogs to light. This is designed for blogs that have less than 300 followers. It is a great way to share blogs that might not otherwise be seen, or blogs that you may want to share with others. I am here to honor these blogs and to bring awareness to other wonderful blogs.

As a recipient you must share the love and pay it forward by:

1-Creating a post where you blog about the Liebster award & reveal your 3 blog picks

2-Let them know you chose them

3-Copy & paste the blog award on your blog

4-Have faith that your followers will rally & show their crafty love back out to those you awarded

5-Have fun!

So here are some blogs that I enjoy reading... Please go stop by and give them some love too... That is what is so wonderful about crafters... we support each other!

1. Time for T You have to go see this blog... It is so inspirational. Tristan is an 8 year old boy who does some amazing work! It is so inspiring seeing him sharing his passion for the hobby.

2. Scrapbooking Filki her work is just so beautiful!

3. Scrap Faire More fabulous work!

Such EXCITING NEWS!!! ...and some winners

Below is a badge that I am going to be able to display on my blog from now on... and you want to know why...

I am so so so very excited to announce that I have made it on to

Scrapbookaholic By Abby's Design Team!!!!

Here is Abby:

This is going to be so much fun... challenges and blog hops oh boy! And I am on the team with some very talented designers too! I encourage you to go check out everyone's blog and be inspired by the variety of styles and projects that await you! Here they are:

Alina Colorado http://www.neverstopscrapping.blogspot.com/

Amber Holder http://www.stayingcrafty.blogspot.com/

Ashley Gray http://www.myscrappinpalace.blogspot.com/

Carley Carter http://www.the-real-icarley.blogspot.com/

Celeste Billman http://www.ccscards.blogspot.com/

Celeste Lombas http://www.touchedbyabutterfly.blogspot.com/

Erika Valdez http://www.cricutlove1.blogspot.com/

Karla Urea http://www.kalittlescrapcorner.blogspot.com/

Kristin Badeaux http://www.pinkldycrafter.blogspot.com/

Maria Elena http://mariaelenaworld.blogspot.com/

Meighen Montagnese http://www.scrappin3rdeeschik.blogspot.com/

Pam Bray http://www.pammejo-scrapbookflair.blogspot.com/

Raven Baca http://www.love4stamps.blogspot.com/

Sandra Rosario http://www.365daysofcricut.blogspot.com/

Zeni Pradel http://www.scrappyzeni.blogspot.com/

...and me!

Keeping coming back to see all that we have instored for you... Abby has gotten some fantastic sponsers and has some great challenges coming up!!!

P.S. To add more excitement to this wonderful day I want to annouce the winner from the Graphic 45 give away and from this past weekend's blog hop... so here they are:

The Graphic 45 winner is:
Sondra Krastins

and from Jennifer's Birthday Blog Hop:
Donna from Diary of a Scrapbook Addict

Please email me your addresses and I will get your prizes out to you ASAP!

What a fabulous way to start the week!!! Hope it is wonderful for you all!!!