Layout Sketch Challenge

Today at Practical Scrappers we used an amazing sketch to create layouts!  Go on over there to see the sketch and the other takes on it!

Here are some photos of the details!

Thanks for the sketch! I had a lot of fun creating with it!

My First Card Sketch

One of the ways scrappers come up with inspiration for projects is by taking a sketch designed by another scrapper and making it their own.  I have never attempted a sketch of my own until now.  I have always wondered how hard it would be to create a sketch for a layout or card and was surprised at how quickly it came together.  I used Microsoft PowerPoint and it was very simple.

Here is the card that I created using this sketch.

and some close ups of the details

We used this Sketch for a Post on the design team over at Practical Scrappers.  Make sure to check out what the other designers came up with!!  It was very exciting see my card translated into several different cards!  Beautiful job ladies!!

Gingerbread House Gift Box Photo Display

HI! Happy Holidays to all of you!!  I am here again to share an idea I came up with for an adorable personalized gingerbread house photo gift box.  I had this gift box kit with several unique shaped boxes included.  I began with a box with a top that looked like this because I thought this would work the best for a adding a roof.

I put the box together and created a roof with an extra piece of cardboard.

 

 I began adding embellishments and pictures to make it look more like a house.

The roof balances nicely on the top.  I intend to use it as a piece of holiday decor.  You could however fill it up and gift it to a Grandparent, Teacher, Aunt, Uncle, or Friend.

My girls were so excited to see themselves on their very own gingerbread house!

Have Fun!

Check out this feature over on Practical Scrappers!

Christmas Decorations as Embellishments

Over at Practical Scrappers today we were challenged to use Holiday decorations on our scrapbook layouts!  Here is what I came up with but be sure to stop by and see the other creative ladies' creations!

I used ornament hooks to create the heart. (I used Gloo to attach them)

I used a snowflake ornament to frame part of the photograph

And I used these candy cane covers as embellishments

It is always a lot of fun being challenged to use items I would not typically use on my pages!

Double Christmas Layout: Get those Pictures on the Page!

It is hard to come up with a layout that you love that includes more than one or two photos!  I know!  I created this versatile layout for 4 4X6 photos.  I hope to give you an idea for getting all your Christmas (or any other) photos out of their boxes and onto the pages of your scrapbooks for everyone to see!

I am guilty!!  I have several years worth of pictures to scrap and most of my pages have only one or two pictures on them.  At that rate, I will NEVER catch up!!  It was time to come up with a layout that will display more than one or two photos at a time.

I found that if I took four 4X6 photos and laid them out in a square formation like this they fit with a perfect one inch border.

I placed the word Christmas between the pages to bring the viewer's eye together to see this as one layout.

A few other embellishments really brought this layout together!

Have fun with it!  You could even use one box for journaling and use 7 pictures!  This layout can be used for any event that you have numerous photos for that you want to get out of their boxes and onto the page!!

Check out the feature over at Practical Scrappers!

 

Christmas Countdown or Advent Calendar

Are you super excited to celebrate each moment of this Holiday season? 

I know I am! 

Over at Practical Scrappers today I shared this idea for creating a Christmas Countdown Calendar and I wanted to share it here too!

As a child, everyday in December, I looked forward to opening the door on our Advent calendar to see what fun representation of the holiday season would present itself!  I wanted to create a calendar that my kids can open each day and that I can change out what is behind the doors for next year.  This is what I came up with: 

I used acrylic squares that were intended for an album and used my heavy duty Crop-A-Dile and punched holes so that I could place brads through the acrylic to hold both the front "door" and the back holiday item in place.  To create the snowlike numbers I used white paint on my stamp, immediately after stamping the number, I poured iridescent glitter over it.  When the paint dried, I simply shook off the excess glitter.  Each door got a little "snowy" edging with white paint too.  

Here are just a couple of examples of the goodies behind each door. 

You can use whatever holiday embellishments you happen to have.  I used a wide range of items including brads, stickers, letters, chipboard, 3-d embellies and rub-ons. Symbols of the season.     

I created a title with a pre-made Christmas title and green glitter letters.  

 

The last day on my countdown does not have a number but a gift that says "Do Not Open Until Christmas"

Hiding behind that gift is Santa and his sleigh and a message that says "Happy Birthday Jesus." 

  Next year, I just need to open the brads and replace the items on the back with fun, new holiday goodies! 

I hope this inspires you to create a calendar to countdown this magical season! 

Happy Holidays to all of our readers! 

So Thankful Wreath

Happy November Everyone!! 

 I am so excited to share a new tradition I hope to carry on in our family.  

We made a "Thankful Wreath" to remind us each day of this season of all of the good things we have and that we have so much to be thankful for.  

I started with a straw wreath I picked up at our local Creative reuse store and I wound a brown floral ribbon around it and tied a bow.  

I used my Slice machine to die cut a variety of leaves out of fall colored papers. 

Next, I used rub-ons, stamps, pens and stickers to add the things we are thankful for to the leaves.

I embossed some veins on the back side of the leaves to create a little bit of texture and make them look a little more life-like.   

I used straight pins to place the leaves around the wreath.  Some leaves got one pin, some got two, one in each end to give them a bit of dimension.  

 

This time of year it is so easy to get caught up in all that has to get done and all the things the little ones wish for.  It is a good time to step back and remind ourselves what we have already been blessed with.  

I intended to hang the wreath on the front door.  I changed my mind quickly though, when I realized we would see it better and more often if I hung it in the kitchen. 

Each time I look at it I am reminded that we have so much and although it does not always seem like enough, it is more than many others have.  

We are truly blessed and I hope that you are too! 

Happy November!

Happy Fall!

Happy Thanksgiving!

More Curly-Q Ribbon Inspiration

A while back I gave you a tutorial for how to create permanently curly ribbon.  I wanted to share some more ways I used this great new discovery for invitations that I made for my niece's birthday parties!

Lalaloopsy was perfect for this technique!!  I just love how adorable she came out!

I also used this technique for these super cute Minnie Mouse invitations

Love this idea and want to order you own?  Check them out in my ETSY store