Ella Bella Layout

Here is a pretty simple layout I created in about 30 minutes.  It has some cute elements and I love the color combo.

Share your creations with us in the comments!!

Valentine ideas!

Valentine's Day is right around the corner!! If you have not created a Valentine for your loves, here are some simple ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

When I find a color palette that I really liked working with for a layout, I find it super simple to create a series of cards with the leftovers!  These cards were created just like that!

Super simple, but pretty and sweet!

Cardabilities Sketch Challenge

I finished up my design team work super early this month and have decided to play along on some new challenges!  This challenge is from Cardabilities. They provided this sketch

And I created this:

I have never been a very confident card maker, but sketches have helped me to get the creative juices flowing!  Some close ups:

Why not play along with me!

Masculine Mustache Valentine

This year was a first for us.  My 5 year old got a male kindergarten teacher.  We were not sure what to expect at first but he has been amazing and we could not be happier with him as her teacher.  It is not that we were afraid that he would not be a good teacher or anything like that, we were concerned with how my very girly daughter would adapt to spending most of her day with a man other than Daddy.  She has blossomed into this smart, funny, kind little girl and we are more than impressed with her transformation....Let's just say she was a HANDFUL as a 3 and 4 year old:)

So we wanted to create an extra special Valentine for him but I was not sure what to do that was not too girly.  My daughter went to a birthday party and one of the favors was a sparkly mustache...It WAS PERFECT! 

I have heard lots of puns about mustache as of late and I started playing with the word in my mind to come up with an appropriate saying.  Here is what I came up with!

The postcard is hand drawn on the back and my daughter cannot wait to fill it out and give in to him on Valentine's Day!

Please share your Valentine's creations in the comments!  I would love to see your creations!

Coral, Navy, Kraft and White Color Combo

Happy New Year!!  With a new year comes new challenges!  We have started a new color scheme entry at Practical Scrappers and I challenge you to join in and create a project using these colors too!  Today we are using a really neat color combo:

Coral

Navy

Kraft

and

White!

Come on by and check out what the other designers came up with and check out my contribution below!

This layout is perfect for the Child's Play Challenge for paper snowflakes going on now! Come join the fun there too!

Whenever I am in a scrappin rut, I find searching out a color palette that I love at first glance, really helps to get those creative juices flowing!  Give it a try! We would love to see what you create!

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 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