Scrapping Our Stash 2016 February Blog Hop

Hello friends! I hope you are enjoying the Scrapping Our Stash Blog Hop so far. You are now at the end of the blog hop and probably have arrived here from Wendi's blog but if not, be sure and check out all the projects. Here is the blog hop list in case you get lost:

Katrina http://paperscissorsandglue.blogspot.com

Lyne http://lynnseverydayideas.blogspot.com

Alison  http://alisondaydesigns.com/

Brenda http://simplybrenhavingfun.blogspot.com/

Juliana http://www.17turtles.com/

Majken http://chocoscrapaholic.blogspot.com/

Monica http://scrapinspired.com

Suzanna http://lifestrivialities.typepad.com

Christine http://scrappingwithchristine.blogspot.com

Sandy http://itsafamilyaffairwithscrappynana.blogspot.ca/

Wendi http://scrappydayinparadise.blogspot.com/

Lee-Anne  http://lee-annelovethejourney.blogspot.com  (YOU ARE HERE)

Do you have a large stash of washi tape? I'm pretty sure I have a stash of washi tape that may last me a lifetime so instead of patterned paper, I created a layout using mostly washi tape from Bella Blvd., a title I cut out with my Silhouette Cameo on black cardstock, some sewing machine stitching, sequins, lots of product from Bella Blvd. such as a feather, crochet heart, enamel doodads, wood veneer stars and flair buttons from A Flair For Buttons.  

After placing the washi tape strips down on the 12X12 white cardstock background, I machine stitched over the washi tape to a make sure it was anchored to the page.

I found the title at the Silhouette America Online Store and cut it out with my Silhouette Cameo on black cardstock.  I really loved the font on the title.  If you follow my blog, you will notice I love flair buttons and am also on the A Flair For Buttons design team so I love to use flair on most of my layouts as well as sequins, wood veneers and paint splatters.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope I have inspired you to use older product and also your washi tape stash.  Thanks for hopping along and have a great weekend!

Gamer Layout

Hello friends! Today I am sharing a layout of my son over at A Flair For Buttons.

My son was two years old when he began using the computer and his generation really has grown up with technology.  Of course he loves when his older brother visits and they love to play video games for hours.

For this layout, I used the fun Gamer Flair from A Flair For Buttons.  I strategically placed the flair in a triangle around the page so the eyes would go around the entire page.

Gamer Flair Set

I also added some hand stitching to the page by stitching with assorted colors of embroidery floss on the  title.

I added some machine stitching around the outside edge of the layout as well as around the die cuts from Just Nick Digital Cut Files.  Wood veneer stars adds a little bit more whimsy to the page.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check out the A Flair For Buttons shop for these and hundreds more flair buttons.

Supplies Used On Layout

Adhesive - Dimensional Squares - 3L Adhesive, Scotch
Digital Cut Files - Just Nick Digital Cut Files (Gamer)
Electronic Diecut Machine - Silhouette Cameo
Embroidery Floss - DMC
Enamel Dots - Bella Blvd.
Flair Buttons - Gamer Flair - A Flair For Buttons
Machine Stitching - Kenmore
Patterned Paper - We R Memory Keepers (Cakes And Candles)
Pen - Marvy Uchida
Wood Veneers - Studio Calico

Gamer Cut Files And Freebie Cut File At Just Nick Digital Cut Files

Hello friends! Today I am on the Just Nick Digital Cut Files blog sharing a layout of my gamer son.

I used the Gamer Cut Files to create this layout.

Gamer

Here are some closeups of the cut files.  I decided to make the title stand out even more by adding some hand stitching with several colors of embroidery floss.

I just loved the robot cut file.  I added some enamel dots to the eyes and popped up the head and body with some dimensional adhesive squares and added my journaling to the body.

I also added some enamel dots to the gaming controller die cut and some sewing machine stitching.

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  Be sure to check out the Gamer cut files and hundreds more cut files in the Just Nick Digital Cut Files Shop.  Also, there is a freebie cut file to download while you are there.  Use the code SWAKFREE at checkout.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

A Little Blog Milestone

Hello blog followers! I am so grateful that you are here and that you take the time out of your busy life to visit my blog.  It really means a lot to me.  Today marks the day I have 1000 posts.

I remember when I began blogging back in 2010 it was about my creative journey and it still is.  My blog is my personal creative diary and it documents my creative journey.  I don't usually blog about my personal life, but of my passion, which is scrapbooking, paper crafting, photography and any other creative endeavours.  Mostly, it is scrapbooking.  Since August 2011, I made my very first design team and it was required to be a design team member, one must have a blog.

Now, almost five years later it is a part of my creative life and it's fun to look back and see where this journey has taken me.  It has been quite a ride and I enjoy it so much.

On my blog, you will find lots of information and it is also where I have my creative resume' and also my scrapbooking gallery of every project that I create.  I do not get any financial compensation for my blog, it truly is a labor of love.

I have noticed that most people do not comment on my blog, but that is ok.  I don't expect it.  I still blog because I love documenting memories and it is something that I can look at and see how my life and style has changed in just five years.

I appreciate your visits, but I do notice blog readership has gone down as life gets busier for everyone and Instagram is a new social media platform that has exploded in the past two years.

Blog hops used to be very popular, but have seen how they are phasing out as well.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope, if anything, I have inspired each and every one of you to be inspired to do something you love whether it is creating a scrapbook layout, or just pursuing your passion or hobby of your choosing.

Have a wonderful day and thanks again!

Easter Layout In Creative Scrapbooker Magazine

Hello friends! I hope you are all having a great day.  Today I thought I would share that the Spring 2016 issue of Creative Scrapbooker Magazine is being mailed to subscribers and contributors and I am excited to have a layout published on page 103 of this printed magazine.  It should be on newsstands by March 1.

Creative Scrapbooker (formerly named Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine) is expanding and will now be available to purchase in the United States, but has been available to subscribers worldwide for many years.  Recently, they celebrated their tenth anniversary and I'm pretty sure I have every issue on my studio shelf since the very beginning in the year 2005.   So far in my scrapbooking journey, I have been blessed to be published in this magazine 18 times with two of those being the alternate layouts to the front cover.

Creative Scrapbooker Magazine - Spring 2016

For my layout, I created an Easter themed layout with these two cuties.

I used the Half Shell Background cut file from Just Nick Digital Cut Files and cut it out on white card stock with my electronic cutting machine and then backed the egg shaped cut designs with patterned papers from the Simply Spring Collection by Bella Blvd. giving it more dimension by adding dimensional foam squares.  I added some chipboard shapes, stickers and some flair buttons (Hashtag Easter) from my favorite flair shop A Flair For Buttons.

Thanks for stopping by and have a creative day!

February Sketch At My Creative Sketches

Today there is a brand new sketch at My Creative Sketches, the sister website of My Creative Scrapbook.

Here is a layout I created with the sketch:

I used the February Main Kit at My Creative Scrapbook for my layout of my husband and I.

If you would like to create with the sketch to have a chance to win a sweet prize, be sure to link up your layout here with the above sketch for your chance to win this prize from My Creative Scrapbook.  The deadline is March 14, 2016 midnight EST U.S.

February Prize

Happy creating and good luck!

Coloring Wood Veneers With Gelatos

Hello friends! Today I wanted to share a quick tutorial on how to color your wood veneers with Gelatos.  This was a tutorial I created for design team work at My Creative Scrapbook using the February Main Kit.

Gelatos are wonderful, creamy tubes of artsy goodness, they are similar to a crayon and come in lipstick type tubes. They have a creamy texture and are water soluble. There are many colors and shades of Gelatos to choose from.  I purchased a small kit at my local arts and crafts store.

To begin:

Take your wood veneer embellishment that you would like to color and color the top and sides of your embellishment with the Gelato making sure it is completely covered.  There is no need to color the backside as it will not show when it is adhered to paper.

Please excuse my dirty craft mat.  It has seen better days.  To keep your workspace clean, I suggest using a scrap piece of paper, a craft mat or a paper towel.

With my finger, or a makeup sponge,  go around the wood veneer in a circular motion smudging and smearing the color around until it is completely covered and there is no raw wood showing through. You may do a second coat if you prefer.

Voila! There you have it.  A perfectly colored wood arrow to add to your project!  I love that there is no drying time.

I added this to one of my layouts and added an arrow sticker from the kit and adhered it on top.

 Here is the layout.

I also added a few more examples of wood veneers that I colored in the February Main Kit below.

For the wood veneer word "Love", I colored it in a light blue Gelato and then added some faux stitching with a fine black marker on top of the colored word to give it more texture and interest.

For the large heart wood veneer on the layout below, I colored it with a red gelato.



 Here is the layout.

For the layout below,  I created an ombre effect on the title wood veneer "Hello Love".  I began with the light pink Gelato and colored the top half of the letters and then took a bright pink Gelato and colored the bottom half of the letters.  I really like this fun technique.

Here is the layout.

For the wood veneer heart and tag, I colored the small heart with a light pink Gelato and the tag with a gold Gelato and added some stickers on top of the tag using a strong adhesive to hold the stickers in place.

I hope I have inspired you to try this technique on your wood veneer embellishments.  Thanks for stopping by and have fun!

The February 2016 Bella Buzz

Hello friends! Today Bella Blvd. has released a new newsletter for February named The Bella Buzz.

I was honored to be asked to have a layout included in this newsletter.  You can download the newsletter here:

http://www.bellablvd.net/docs/FEBRUARY%20BELLA%20BUZZ.pdf

Have a great day!

Cool Cat

Hello friends! Today I'm on the A Flair For Buttons  blog sharing a layout I created of my cat Sheldon.  He definitely is my shadow and I can't imagine not scrapbooking without him. Haha! He likes to walk over my keyboard.

For this layout I used a flair button from the Cute Kitty Flair set.  I added it on top of one of the patterned paper punched circles on the top lefthand side of my layout.  I like to cluster my embellishments. 

The Cute Kitty Flair set is in the A Flair For Buttons shop.  Be sure and check out all the flair button sets in the store.  There are hundreds to choose from and I'm sure you will find one that will be perfect for your particular scrapping needs.   I also used the Riley Collection of papers and stickers from Bella Blvd. which is perfect for cat layouts.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Flair Used On This Layout:

Cute Kitty Flair 

Love, Love, Love, All You Need Is Love

Hello friends! Today I am on the Just Nick Digital Cut Files blog sharing a love themed layout of my oldest son and daughter in law on their trip to Europe.  These lovebirds have done a lot of travelling in their 7 years of marriage.

For the background, I began with a 12X12 piece of white card stock and used the Mini Numbers Collage  6X6 Stencil by The Crafter's Workshop and added some modelling paste and let dry.  Then I used the Cubist 6X6 Stencil, also from The Crafter's Workshop and some Worn Lipstick Ranger Distress Ink. 

I love working with vellum and I had some Doodlebug Designs embossed red heart vellum in my stash that I thought would work perfectly for this layout  and of course some Just Nick Digital Cut Files.  I cut out the Hearts, Infinity Hearts Frames and Lots of Love cut files on my Silhouette Cameo.  The vellum cuts like butter on blade depth 3 on the Silhouette Cameo.  

To adhere the vellum, I machine stitched the cut designs in place so there was no adhesive showing through onto the right side.  I added some sequins, some red twine bows and a flair button from A Flair For Buttons to complete the embellishing.

I hope you are inspired to use vellum on your projects.  Check out all the designs, including the designs I used on this layout in the Just Nick shop here.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy creating!

Cut Files Used:

Hearts

Infinity Hearts Frames

Lots Of Love