Refurbish Your Cutting Mat For Your Cricut Or Silhouette Cameo

Just wanted to share this video about cleaning and refurbishing your Cricut or Silhouette Cameo Cutting Mat.  The video is a little cheesy, but it is still worth watching.

I shared this a while back, but now that there are a lot of crafters out there buying the Silhouette Cameo, I thought I would share this again.  Cutting mats are very expensive and as you will see in this video, you can use Crafter's Companion Sprays to spray 48 of the 12X12 size cutting mats.  I love these sprays and found them at my local scrapbook store (www.scrapbookersparadise.com).  It works like a charm and is saving me a ton of money on mats.  

I hope you enjoy this tip and let me know what you think if you try it.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Practical Scrappers Ten Things - Kraft

Today is Tuesday and that means Practical Scrappers is featuring different ways to use kraft paper.

I love kraft and use it as a background for my pages quite often.  I love that it goes with just about any colour.  It's a nice change from a black or white background, which is the most common backgrounds I tend to use for my layouts.

In this layout of my oldest son and his birthday cake, I chose to use kraft for my starburst border on the left side of the photo frame and also for underneath the word "awesome" and the sparkler shape.

Awesome Cool Cake

I used a lot of different techiques to create this layout and had some fun with it.  The arrows are made from a stencil and modeling paste, the clocks are from a cardstock that can be sanded to reveal the design, the starburst border and sparklers and some of the words are created with my Cameo.  I used a black pen to outline the journaling strips and a white pen to create faux stitching around the words and black background.

Please be sure to check out what the other ladies on the Practical Scrappers Ten Things Team created with kraft paper here.

Thanks for stopping by and happy scrapping!

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #329

Another Monday just got fantastic with the reveal of a very creative sketch by Scrapbook Challenges Sketch Artist Guru Chanell Rigterink.  I love Chanell's sketches!

Scrapbook Challenes Sketch #329

This was a fun one to work with.  I chose to turn the sketch 90 degrees and put the paper strips on the top so they point to the photos.

Gorgeous Beautiful Flowers

and here are some closeups

I got a little crazy with the stencils, inks, stamps and mists but it was a lot of fun to play and get messy.

I used the new Carta Bella Devoted Collection of patterned papers and some stickers.  I love the blue with the pink, grey, red and white.  Carta Bella has beautiful quality papers.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are inspired to create with the sketch.  Check out what some other ladies on the Scrapbook Challenges Sketch Crew created here.

My Art Journal

It's been over a year since I have pulled out my art journals.  I have quite a few of them and love to get messy with paints, inks, modeling paste and other mediums.

Here is a page I created for January from the Happier At Home Art Journal class by Lynn Thune.

If you haven't tried art journaling, give it a try.  It's like a little therapy session. Hahaha.  I love the freedom and the creativity that comes with getting your hands inky.

Have a happy Sunday!

Scrap It With A Song - Some Nights by Fun

The Rock Chicks are once again rocking it with some of the biggest hits of 2012 and today we are dancing to "Some Nights" by Fun.

For my layout, I chose to use the title "Fun".  My son definitely was having a great time riding an ATV.

Fun

Come see what my team created here.  If you play along with us this month you have a chance to win this prize of 12 spools of twine.  We can all use some more twine can't we?

Thanks for stopping by.  Have fun!

A Sneak Peek!

Sharing a sneak peek of the cover of Canadian Scrapbooker's Magazine Spring 2013 issue.

Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine Spring 2013

I am just a tad giddy because two of my layouts have been picked up in this wonderful magazine that is published quarterly.  I have been published in several online scrapbooking magazines, but this is the first time I have been published in a printed magazine other than a cooking magazine called "Light & Tasty".

It goes on sale around March 1 and you don't have to be Canadian to subscribe.  Subscriptions can be sent internationally as well.  Just go to www.canadianscrapbooker.ca and click on "subscribe" and soon you can be reading this magazine too.  There are always fresh new ideas and the staff are always coming up with new and creative ways to get your creative juices flowing.

Thanks for letting me share my excitement.  Have a great day!

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #328

Monday just got better because there is a new sketch revealed at Scrapbook Challenges designed by the very talented Chanell Rigterink.

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #328

I got a little crazy with the distress ink, a stencil, modeling paste and and my Silhouette Cameo, but it was fun!  I think the modeling paste and the distress ink gave the layout some more texture.

A Moment To Cherish

I used the Fancy Pants "Good Life" Collection for some of the papers and stickers and used my stamps and distress inks to stamp the hearts and the doilies and then cut them out to make some embellishments. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are inspired to create a layout from this awesome sketch.  Please check out what the Sketch Crew created and also be sure to upload your layout in the forum thread for Sketch #328 at Scrapbook Challenges

Have a great day!

A Valentine Layout To Share...

Happy Sunday!  Today I am sharing a layout I created just because I wanted to create.  This layout was a labour of love of my husband and I.  He is so good to me and I haven't met anyone as patient and as supportive as he is.  He works very hard and he totally supports my scrapbooking addiction.  I don't want to get too mushy, but he is my rock and I created this layout for him.

The Good Life
Fancy Pants Designs "The Good Life" Collection
American Crafts Cardstock
American Crafts Flair Adhesive Badges
Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Festive Berries, Black Soot, Mustard Seed)
Wood Rubber Stamps (Hampton Arts)
Adhesive (3L Adhesives, Scotch)
Corrugated White Flute Tiles (Canvas Corp)
Circle Punch (Marvy Uchida)
Pen (Marvy Uchida)
Silhouette Cameo
 

Close ups of the hearts I stamped with distress inks and cut out of white card stock and outlined with a pen

I used my Silhouette Cameo to create a heart background and patiently used my small circle punch to cut out different patterned papers and adhered them to the underside of the background.  I then outlined them with a black pen 

I used a white corrugated photo mat to give some dimension

I used some mini letter stickers and a diecut for the title

I cut out the bicycle and used some flair buttons from American Crafts

The collection I used was Fancy Pants "The Good Life" Collection.  I love the pops of red, black, yellow and pale blue against the white background.  I thought it would make it not so girly for a Valentine's Day layout.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and do something that you love to do today.

Practical Scrappers Ten Things - Tags

Another Tuesday with the Ten Things Team at Practical Scrappers and we are sharing our creations with tags.  I had fun creating some tags to place as embellishments on my layout.

Patterned Paper - Echo Park Country Drive
Cardstock - American Crafts
Letter Stickers - Echo Park
Twine - My Mind's Eye
Lace - Hero Arts
Flair Buttons - Evalicious
Brad - Making Memories
Clay Bird - My Little Bit Of Whimsy
Sewing Machine
Adhesive - Helmar 450, Scotch
Silhouette Cameo

I love photographing flowers and there was plenty to photograph at Butchart Gardens, which is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited.

 I hope you check out what the entire team created with tags and you will be inspired.  I guarantee it!

Thanks for stopping by and have fun!

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #327

There is one fantastic thing about Mondays and that is that Scrapbook Challenges has a new sketch to be inspired with.

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #327

This one was fun!

I wanted to create a layout with my favorite flower which is the sweet pea.  They smell so wonderful and I planted many in my backyard last summer.

Come play along with myself and the entire Scrapbook Challenges Sketch Crew and upload your creation at Scrapbook Challenges.

Now this makes Mondays a little less painful!  Happy scrapping!

A Layout To Share for LCOM Sketch #1

Sometimes it's nice to just take a break from design team work and have fun with some other sketches.  I found this wonderful sketch designed by Isabelle Doucette at Let's Capture Our Memories that I loved playing with it.

Here is my take on the sketch:

Bliss

Patterned Paper - Echo Park Country Drive
Stickers - Echo Park Country Drive
Cardstock - American Crafts
Twine - My Mind's Eye
Pearls - Prima
Flowers - Prima
Ladybug - My Little Bit Of Whimsy
Flair Button - Evalicious
Adhesive - Helmar 450, Scotch
Pen - Marvy Uchida
Sewing Machine Stitching
Silhouette Cameo

It was fun to just play this Sunday afternoon and use up some stash.  

Thanks for stopping by!

There's An App For Scrap!

Would you like to know a way to keep your scrap stash and your wish list all organized and in one place?  Well, there is an app for that.  If you have an Apple iPhone, iPod, or IPad, you can check out Scrappypedia.com

Here is a Youtube video explaining the new beta app:  

and here is a little more of a tutorial on how to use the barcode on products to add to your stash list and wish list:

I think I will have to give this a go.  Thanks to Kerri Yarus, my fellow design team member at Practical Scrappers for sharing this.   

Have a great Friday!

Scrap It With A Song - Rumour Has It

The Rock Chicks are at it again scrapping and dancing to "Rumour Has It" by Adele.

 Don't you just love Adele?  I always love to scrap to her music and was so excited to create a layout.

Rumour Has It...You Take The Cake

This was a fun layout to create of my youngest son and I thought it would be perfect for Valentine's Day.  I used my stamps and paint dabbers to stamp the edge of the white card stock and then machine stitched along the inside edge of the stamped dots.  I also used my music stamp to give it a musical feel to the page.  Again I used my black paint dabber to stamp the music notes.  If you notice the loopy felt flower and the grey and pink rose, I created those myself.  Lastly, I layered some stickers and die cuts with dimensional adhesive squares to give it some dimension.  I used a banner diecut and some sticker die cuts from Bo Bunny Love Letters Collection.  

I hope you are inspired to play along!  Thanks to the fabulous DT member Dana Tatar, there is a great prize for you this month too!  Add your project created for this or any of our January songs for your chance to win 12 spools of colored twine from American Crafts!

Link up your creations here in Scrap It With A Song's sidebar before January 31st for a chance to win or to be featured as one of our January favourites!

Have a wonderful, creative day!

Practical Scrappers Ten Things - Felt

Today at Practical Scrappers we are sharing ten things that you can do with felt.

On this layout I created the roses and the loopy flowers with some different colours of felt and put them on my layout:

The felt flowers tutorial is here and my layout was created with a sketch from Page Drafts.

I hope I have inspired you to take some inexpensive sheets of felt that you can easily purchase at any craft store and make your own felt flowers.

Stop by here and see what the rest of the Ten Things Team at Practical Scrappers have to share.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Scrapbook Challenges Term A Sketch Crew Member

I am excited to announce my third term with this great group of ladies over at Scrapbook Challenges.  There are lots of new sketches and challenges to come this year, so stay tuned and be inspired by the team:

SBC Sketch Crew

• Amanda
• Brynn Marie
• Cathy
• Chanell
• Charlene
• Emilia
• Janet
• Jowilna
• Karen
• Kristine
• Lee-Anne
• Mandi
• Melanie
• Melissa
• Mira
• Nanette
• Phillis
• Selena
• Tabitha
• Theresa
• Zoe

We all have different styles and we are from all over the world so it should be an exciting term!

Come join us every Monday for a new sketch and challenges throughout the month at Scrapbook Challenges!

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #326

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a great holiday and are all ready to get back to scrapbooking.

It's time to reveal the first sketch, sketch #326  at Scrapbook Challenges for 2013.  

I scrapped a layout of my son and his school photos.  Usually I am not happy with the school photos, but this year, we chose the colour background and I liked green.  The Echo Park Here & Now Collection of papers, diecuts and stickers was a good fit for this layout.

and here is the sketch I used

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #326 - Single

but wait, there is a double page layout sketch too!

Scrapbook Challenges Sketch #326 - Double

Come check out what the team created with these sketches here.

Thanks for stopping by.  Have fun with the sketch and be sure to check back often for lots of sketches and challenges at Scrapbook Challenges.

Practical Scrappers Design Team Sketch For January 2013

I am so humbled to be a part of the Practical Scrappers Design Team and this is the team's first sketch reveal for 2013.  The sketch was designed by Practical Scrappers own Liz Chidester.  Isn't she talented?

Here is my take on this sketch.  I chose to scrap a Christmas layout of my parents when they came for dinner on this past Christmas Eve.

Merry

I used the Nutcracker Sweet Collection by Graphic 45 and my Silhouette Cameo to cut the paper lace, and other die cuts.

Come see what the rest of the team created here.

Thanks for stopping by and have fun with the sketch!

Sketches In Thyme Sketch #98

Hello scrappy friends!  Today is the sketch reveal over at Sketches In Thyme.  Here is my take on Sketch #98

I enjoyed creating this layout of my kitty Asia who loves sitting under the tree.  It makes her feel safe.  Isn't she cute?  I used the Echo Park Winter Wishes Collection for the papers, letter stickers and some of the diecuts as well as my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the Christmas light borders and the "Decorating The Tree" title.  I then used Stickles in the colour "Chrystal" to add some sparkle to the bulbs and title.  Petaloo have these really cool little feathers that I added for a bit of interest and a crocheted flower and some brads, buttons  and bling from my stash.

Here is the sketch...

Sketches In Thyme Sketch #98

Come play along with us gals at Sketches In Thyme.  You can find all the team's creations here.

Have a great day!