Creative Embellishments January 2015 Challenge

Happy New Year! I hope this is your best year yet.  Today I wanted to kick off 2015 with some creativity.  This layout is for the January Challenge at Creative Embellishments.   I was inspired to create a winter layout and I had the perfect winter photo. The twist was to add some texture with some modelling paste, gesso, etc.

For my layout I applied gesso and modelling paste for texture and also wanted to use the colours gold and black on my layout and keep it rather soft and muted.

There are lots of goodies on this layout from Creative Embellishments.  I randomly stamped the Snowflakes Stamp on the background with some black distress ink and applied some modelling paste with a snowflake stencil on the background. Next, I heat embossed the chipboard Let It Snow Title with some gold and white embossing powder,  the chipboard Pine Trees I applied some clear gesso on them and then misted with black mist and heat embossed with gold embossing powder and snow embossing powder. The Reindeer chipboard piece was brushed with some clear gesso as well as misted with gold mist.  Finally, I added some Wood Snowflakes that I simply misted with some gold mist.  Below are some closeups of my project.

I added it to a shadow box frame and will hang it in my front hallway all winter.  It is difficult to get a good photo of it in the frame because of the glare but hope you get the idea. I am happy with the vintage look of this project.  It was exactly the look that I was going for.

For the January Challenge, you have a chance to win a $30 gift certificate from Creative Embellishments.  All the details are here so be sure and link up. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are inspired to start 2015 off with some artsy fun!

Supplies:

Chipboard - Let It Snow Title, Pine Trees, Reindeer - Creative Embellishments
Doily - Gold Doily - SRM Stickers
Embossing Powder - Recollections, Stampendous
Flair - A Flair For Buttons
Gesso - Clear Gesso - Liquitex
Ink - Black Soot - Tim Holtz
Lace - Prima
Mists - Heidi Swapp Color Shine Mists - Black Velvet, Gold
Modelling Paste - Liquitex
Patterned Paper - Authentique "Peaceful" Collection
Rubber Stamp - Snowflakes Stamp - Creative Embellishments
Sequins - unknown
Stencil - The Crafter's Workshop
Stickers - Authentique "Peaceful" Collection
Shadow Box Frame - Michaels
Wood - Snowflakes - Creative Embellishments

Top 14 Of 2014

Hello friends! Happy New Year's Eve!  It has been quite the year.  Personally, it has had it's good times and it's bad times.  The best part of this year was definitely the creative part of my life.  Some of my scrapbooking goals were achieved and some of my dreams came true for 2014 so for my last blog post for this year, I thought I would share fourteen of my favorite layouts.  Some of these layouts give me a warm and fuzzy feeling, some I enjoyed the creative process and some I was honored to be published in some scrapbooking magazines and scrapbook manufacturer's newsletters such as Bella Blvd. and Fancy Pants Designs.  So here they are:

T'is The Season To Be Jolly -Published in the 2014 Winter Issue of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine

Hello Summer

Lovely - Published in the Bella Buzz

Christmas - Published in the Paper Issues 2014 Christmas Release

Oh Deer, Oh Deer, Oh Deer

You Make My World Bright - October Sketch Challenge Winner - Fancy Pants Designs and also published in the November 2014 Fancy Pants Designs Newsletter

Winter Time Fun - Published in the Winter 2014 Issue of Scrapbook And Cards Today Magazine

Hello Handsome - Published in the Fancy Pants October Newsletter

All Boy

I Love You Mother 

Thankful

Amazing Dad - Published In The 2014 Summer Issue Of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine

Hawaii

Asia I Love You

There are many more layouts and projects that I created for design teams and just because I wanted to create for no reason at all.  They can be found on my gallery at Scrapbook.com.  I created approximately 140 layouts and projects this year and enjoyed the journey.  In 2015 I plan to create, take some classes and work on my photography skills.

Thanks for being part of 2014 with me and visiting my blog.  I wish the best to all my friends, family, scrapbooking friends and blog followers.  May 2015 be your best year yet!

Winter Subway Art

Happy Holidays! Have you enjoyed the season so far? It was a very quiet and sad one for myself.  My older children were away at their spouses families and my parents were away. Then to make it even worse, my husband had to get a flight Christmas Day to see his father in the hospital and the news is not good.  He wanted to spend a few days of quality time with him. It turned out that it was only my teenage son and I and we both were sick with bad colds.  A Christmas that I will never forget, but thankful to spend it with my son.  I cooked a turkey dinner Boxing Day and was glad that my husband, son and I were together Christmas Eve.

Now that Christmas is over, I am thinking about winter so I thought I would create a subway art print and frame it in a sparkly frame that I found at Michaels.  The subway art printable was a free download that I found at Simple Crafter.  I printed it on 8 1/2 X 11 inch matte finish photo paper.

So far there has only been one cold snap where I live and it was a "brown" Christmas. Usually we have snow for Christmas.  I know that it won't be long and there will be more.  I love photographing winter scenes and scrapbooking them.

I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas 2014 Edition Of Get Inspired Online Scrapbooking Magazine

Hello scrappy friends! I hope you had a good Christmas.

Today I wanted to let you know that the Christmas 2014 edition of Get Inspired Online Scrapbooking Magazine is now online!  I have one layout published in this amazing magazine. There is so much inspiration in 116 pages so be sure and check it out here. There are artists from all over the world.

This layout is of two of my kids opening gifts last Christmas. It was inspired by a sketch designed by Laura Whitaker. It can be found on Page 61.

I used an older Christmas collection (All Is Bright) of My Mind's Eye papers and some lace ribbon that can be cut into little doilies, some flair buttons and wood veneer snowflakes that I heat embossed.  I also used some Heidi Swapp Color Shine Mist in Mint Green and "painted" it on my page.

Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Subway Art

Hello friends! Just wanted to share another Christmas project, a Christmas Subway Art.

Yesterday I went over to the dollar store and bought some 8X10 frames for $2.00 and found this cute subway art printable online.  This was created by Jennifer Wilson (The Simple Scrapper) and was a freebie.  I used my printer and some satin finish photo paper and printed it and then framed it.  I really like how it turned out and will put it in my studio beside my mini pink Christmas tree.

Subway Art is everywhere and this would make a very inexpensive last minute Christmas gift.  Thanks for stopping by!

Be Bright Shadowbox

Hello friends!  I hope you are enjoying your weekend so far.  Today I wanted to share another Christmas project that I created with an  8X8 shadowbox frame, some vinyl, my Silhouette Cameo, a piece of 8x8 patterned paper and some mini ornaments.  The phrase was designed by Kerri Bradford.

I really enjoyed making this and it was my first time cutting vinyl on my Cameo.  I definitely will be making more of these for gifts.  My home resembles a timber frame style home and is quite rustic so I thought the plaid paper by October Afternoon's  "Holiday Style" Collection was perfect for this one.  I bought the 8X8 shadowbox frame at Michael's and also the ornaments being mindful not to buy too large of ornaments because the shadowbox was not very deep.  The "Be Bright" phrase was sized 6 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches long.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my project.  Have a great day!

Supplies

1 Black 8X8 Shadowbox Frame  - (Michael's Arts & Crafts)

1 8X8 piece of patterned paper - Holiday Style Collection (October Afternoon) 

Diecut Phrase - Kerri Bradford Studio

Mini Ornaments - (Michael's Arts & Crafts)

Vinyl - (Silhouette America)

Electronic Die Cutting Machine - (Silhouette Cameo)

The Joy Of Family Christmas Layout

Hello friends! Today I am sharing a Christmas layout for Creative Embellishments. This photo is of my three kiddos and their cousins at Christmas last year.  It is special to me because it has been at least ten years since my entire family have been able to spend Christmas together.

 

For this layout, I began with a white piece of card stock and also used the Christmas Cheer Collection of patterned papers and stickers from Echo Park Paper. I used a Creative Embellishments Star Bulb Ornament and didn't alter it at all.  I liked the raw look for this layout and wanted some contrast to give it a rustic look.  I also used the Creative Embellishments Peppermint Wood Veneers and kept them natural.

 

As you can see, I wanted to add a rustic homemade touch to this layout so I hand stitched with some red embroidery floss along the left border and also the circle underneath the Star Bulb Ornament.

 

Also, I cut a snowflake shape out of white card stock from the Silhouette Online Store with my Silhouette Cameo and adhered patterned papers to the back to make it look festive and also cut out the title.  I added some stickers, some ribbon and twine to the Creative Embellishments Star Bulb Ornament and journaled and hand stitched with some red embroidery floss on a piece of white card stock. Finally I added some enamel dots and there you have it.

Thanks so much for stopping by! All these and many more products are in the Creative Embellishments Store here.  Have a wonderful day!

Festive Ribbon Tree

Hello friends! I hope you are having a good week.  I have really enjoyed doing some Christmas crafts this week.  I made a ribbon tree for a friend.

These are very easy to make.  All you need is:

Scissors

A glue gun

glue sticks

A styrofoam cone

3 or 4 spools of ribbon about 7/8 inches wide and about 4 yards in length

A small Poinsettia pick for the top of tree

About two hours

1. I started at the bottom of the styrofoam cone and hot glued 4 inch strips of ribbon that were folded in half.  
2. Continue hot gluing strips of ribbon using a different color for each row.
3. Once you reach the top of the tree, add the Poinsettia pick in the center pushing the pick all the way down the top center of the cone.
4. Enjoy!

I usually buy ribbon when it goes on sale at Michael's to make these trees.  I have made several in different colour combinations.  Use your imagination!  I think my next ribbon tree that I make, I am going to add some sequins to the ribbon to give it some more sparkle.

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and are inspired to create a ribbon tree.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Tulle Wreath

Hello friends! Are you ready for Christmas? I can't believe it's only 10 days until the big day.  I wanted to take some time out of the busy Christmas preparations and create a wreath.

I was inspired by a wreath that I saw on Pinterest.  I didn't have any wreath forms, so I used a wooden embroidery hoop instead.  Actually, two wreaths can be made from the hoops once you separate them.

I bought the tulle at Michael's last year and didn't have a chance to make it until now.  I bought four different colours (white, baby blue, aqua, and silver) of tulle that comes in the rolls.  For the wreath, I measured out strips of 18 inches and then created the wreath by going around the hoop using four of each colour in a pattern.  I didn't knot the tulle, I just created a loop and slipped it through.  Once I was done (I used about 100 strips) I fluffed it up and gave it a haircut so the strips looked even.  I then flipped it over and took my glue gun and glued some snowflake ornaments and some little bell ornaments.

I made this for the Christmas Love Campaign and will be giving this to someone that I can not mention their name as they regularly read my blog.  You can read all about the Christmas Love Campaign here.

I really enjoyed making this wreath but I must warn you, the sparkles in the tulle come off and glitter is EVERYWHERE so I am off to vacuum my house now.  Have a wonderful day! Thanks for stopping by!

Stuck?! Sketches Team Up With Scrap Around The World

Hello friends!  Today is the December 15 Sketch and reveal at Stuck?! Sketches and for this sketch we are teaming up with the amazingly talented ladies over at Scrap Around The World.  Here is the fabulous sketch designed by Laura Whitaker that the design team created with:

and here is the Scrap Around The World Moodboard that was provided

I stayed very true to the sketch and pulled out some older papers from My Mind's Eye All Is Bright Collection for this challenge.  I was inspired by the colours and shapes of the mood board and thought this collection was perfect for the challenge.

Now for the fabulous giveaways.  If you uplink your layout based on the above sketch at Stuck?! Sketches AND ALSO link up to the challenge at Scrap Around The World, you are eligible to win a $30 gift certificate from Big Picture Classes and the winner can use the gift certificate for a class of their choice, but remember you have to enter both challenges.

If you link up your layout to Stuck?! Sketches only, you are edible for a $15 gift certificate from My Scraps And More

I hope you are inspired to take some time out of your busy holiday preparations and play along.  Have a great day!

Christmas Love Campaign And A Giveaway!

Hello friends! I hope you are having a good Monday.  Today I wanted to share a Ribbon Tree that I created for the Christmas Love Campaign.  This will be going to my dear friend and neighbour who shovels snow, waters our flowers and feeds our kitty when we go away on vacation.

To explain what the Christmas Love Campaign is about,  all the details are on my blog post here.  Below is a brief description:

I wanted to have my own little giveaway to get as many people worldwide to craft something for their friend, neighbour or stranger and spread the love!  Susan K. Weckesser is a dear friend of mine and I wanted to help her out by sharing this campaign.  She began this campaign because she wanted to do something kind for her father who battled cancer and now Susan is also fighting the battle.  Here are the things you need to do if you would like a chance to win this beautiful stamp set from Susan K. Weckesser Inc.

1. Follow Susan K. Weckesser's blog here.
2. Follow The Christmas Love Campaign on Facebook and post a photo of how you are crafting up love.
3. Make sure to use the hashtags #ChristmasLoveCampaign and #craftuplove
4. Come back here and comment on this post that you did this and I will select a winner on the first week of  January 2015.

 I am sure this would make Susan K. Weckesser's Christmas a whole lot brighter.  Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!  I can't wait to see what you create!  Good luck!

A Christmas Layout For The Christmas Love Campaign!

Happy Sunday! I hope you are having a good weekend so far.  Today I wanted to share a Christmas layout of a family friend's little guy.  I really miss when my own children were little at Christmas and love photos of children sitting on Santa's lap.  Alex is three years old in this photo from last year. 

This is from the Basic Grey Aspen Frost Collection which is about two years old.  I used some twine to make it look like hanging ornaments.

I really enjoy scrapbooking Christmas layouts and the holidays. I made this for the Christmas Love Campaign. A dear friend, Susan K. Weckesser organizes this campaign and my thoughts are prayers are with her as she has been diagnosed with cancer and this is what this campaign that she has organized for the past 6 years have ironically been about after her own dad passed away from cancer.  Here is Susan Weckesser's message:

I am SO excited to be starting the SIXTH ANNUAL Christmas Love Campaign! I LOVE sharing love with all though around me through art and creativity. I LOVE doing this campaign with YOU!

So, What is The Christmas Love Campaign?

The 'CLC' is a very dear event that I started six years ago shortly after losing my father to cancer.  My dad had lived a life of always doing kind things for ANYONE & EVERYONE. When he passed away suddenly I didn't know what I could do to continue spreading his kindness and love that he showed and gave everyone.. One day at a scrapbooking crop I noticed how kind scrapbookers can be to each other even though most of the time they are total strangers. I noticed that even happens on the internet. Crafters reaching out to other crafters with words of encouragement in hard times and in good times. After seeing this, I approached The Canadian Scrapbooker in the Fall of 2009 and I asked Katharina Doyle and Jackie Ludlage if I could write an article for their magazine on a topic that was very important to me, entitled 'Scrap Matters'. It talked about the awesome power of arts, crafts, and scrapbooking and I asked people how they brightened other peoples day by being creative?

'Simple Acts of Creative Kindness is an AWESOME TOOL!'

This year the CLC has touched my heart at a entirely new level! I am late at putting out the campaign because the last few months I haven’t felt to well. I thought it was my kidneys bothering me. I was also told in June that my jaw and teeth were softening , and that I would need reconstructive this year…a big surgery that meant having my teeth replaced with implants and bone graft in my jaw. So, I figured my feeling not good was all that and a LOT of nerves too. So last week I went into hospital for what I thought was a simple surgery to have some of my kidney stones removed however it turned into a bladder biopsy that totally surprised me. I tried not to think about it all week. However my doctor call last night to chat. I guess it turns out that I have Bladder Cancer. The word CANCER, still echoes in my ears. Never saw that coming. I didn't even know that there was such a thing. He said that he was really surprised because I am so young.  I will be going in for surgery to remove what they can and then they will decide what else should be done. They will also figure out if it has gone anywhere else.

NOW, I don't like talking about my health. But, I just wanted you to know what I am up to. I asked for my surgery to be after Christmas because I want to have a wonderful one with my kiddos! Right!? *smile* Plus, i know in my heart… my faith will carry me through. So, you have to smile! I am about to start a new journey…

This is where I need you! I want to create my little heart out because it is SO healing!!!! It really is! I want to create and I want to share some Christmas LOVE with as many people as I can! Please help me!!! PLEASE help me share some creative LOVE with neighbour , strangers, and the people around you!!!!

LET us SPREAD CREATIVE LOVE ALL AROUND THE WORLD!!!!

Let’s have an AWESOME 2014 Christmas Love Campaign!!!

You all mean the world to me! Let’s have some fun together!!! Invite everyone you know to join in with us!  xo

SO here is what you do….

You can find the Christmas Love Campaign Facebook page HERE

Come like the Susan K. Weckesser Inc. Facebook page too … HERE.

GRAB a BLINKIE for you blog!

Help spread the word and some love!

Thank-you for your continued LOVE and support! I cant tell you how much it means to me!!

BIG HUGE HUGS,

- See more at: http://mysweetearth.blogspot.ca/2014/12/christmas-love-campaign-new-journey.html#sthash.VVYJ7s8v.dpuf

Susan xoxo