NVS, DD, CSD, CM Challenges

I went crazy this weekend and decided to do one layout for 4 different challenges. 

C.S.D. - Candy Shoppe Designs - Use Lollipop Flowers on the layout - I made 4 (2 at the top, 1 for the "o" and the 4th for my journaling). I would LOVE to win the Magpie Club Blog Candy!

CM - Challenge Masters - Stamp on a Layout - the scalloped/lined journal was stamped as were the letters in "blond".

NVS - Nerdy Victorious Scrapbookers - Envious Inspiration.  The challenge was to use this image for inspriation.  It inspired me to do a layout on my baby who has blond hair like daddy, while all us other girls are brunettes.  The lollipops in the Inspiration image were a perfect fit for the CSD challenge too! The Chloe's Closet kit is TDF!

DD - Design Dollies - TRIFECTA!!! This means I participated in all 3 challenges (because I liked all the prize packages but I also liked each individual challenge).

1. Color Challenge - use KRAFT, WHITE, FUSCHIA:

2. Use this sketch for the layout.

3. Elements Challenge - use Lace, the color PINK, Stripes, a crown, TWO 3-d elements.

It took more thought and planning than usual to pull all these challenges into one layout but it was so much fun.  Here's the layout, called Blonde Beauty. 

Click Image to Enlarge

Pure Delight

I really enjoyed working on this layout.  As usual, I added a few handmade elements.  Here's the Nuts About You sketch, my take on it and a few close-ups. 

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Click to Enlarge

Want to make your own pinwheel flowers?  Here's a link to the tutorial.

Tutorial: Pinwheel Flowers

I am always trying to incorporate different types of flowers in my layouts.  I was scrapping about a day at the park and I thought pinwheels would be appropriate for beautiful summer days.  Here's how I did it and check back on Mnday to see the entire layout (I also made a lollipop flowers and a journal tree).

First I cut a 2" square and then I folded it in half and creased it in half so I could find the center easily. Notice the red ink mark. I purposely used some paper that had a flaw on it because I knew I could cover it up and I just couldn't let it go to waste.

Open the square back up and then I made marks 1/2" from the center on all 4 creases.

Cut along the creased line from the corner in to the pencil mark.

Fold one of the cut corners in to the center and adhere it with adhesive. I used a glue dot. Repeat on remaining 3 cuts. until pinwheel is formed.

And here is the pinwheel. Can you see the red ink mark?

Check back Monday to see how I used it on my layout.

Dumpster Diving!

Look What I Dug Out Of The Trash! Okay, maybe I wasn't digging in the dumpsters but I did turn other people's trash into my treasure.  We recently moved to a new building at work and I heard a co-worker ask someone else on her team if they needed a stamp that said Received.  No one took the bait so she chunked it.  I ran over and said I'd take it so she took it out of her trash.  As I looked at it I saw that it was a "Dial-A-Phrase Dater".  The dates only go up to 2000 but I can work the year into another area of my layout or I can just use the phrases. I was so happy with that find but the day got even better when my work (HP) hosted a moving celebration. It was a low cost way to welcome us to the new building and they offered light snacks and beverages. Since HP products were highlighted in Sex & the City 2 they gave away 3 sets of tickets.  They did the giveaway using old style ticket stubs.  Sadly I didn't win ( I was 1 number away) and ironically, only men won the tickets.  Regardless, after the drawing was over I wanted the used ticket stubs. I asked our Admin and she got them out of the trash! I just couldn't let them go to waste. I figure I can use them as is, paint them, mist them, the possibilities are endless. I've been re-purposing a lot of things recently, including a tissue box my mom was about to throw away 2 weeks ago.  I can't wait to play with all these goodies.  Check them out.

You Are Sooo CUTE!

I went on a somewhat spur of the moment crop at a LSS store with my sweet friend Audrey this weekend.  It was great to catch up with her but it wasn't long enough.  I did get a couple of pages done for the Nuts About Sketches Design Team.  I'm revealing one today and the other next Monday.  I had a lot of fun with this sketch and I got to play with the Noel Mignon Playdate kit I purchased last month that I hadn't had a chance to dabble with yet. The kit is unbelievable, there's so much in it.  I will definitely be checking into more kits, including 2 Audrey told me about, soon.  So here's the Nuts About Sketches sketch.

And here's my take on it. I blocked out portions of certain photos.

Click to Enlarge

From the kit I used: Dear lizzy crochet flowers, Quite Contrary "TOKEN" ticket, yellow ribbon, My Mind's Eye Jack & Jill "Cute" Paper, October Afternoon Title, Shimmerz Spritz "Bed of Roses" on the title and ticket. I added some CTMH tokens, photo corners, waxy flax and bling accents, Cloud 9 "Rain" Dots and a handmade journal raindrop and scallop frame.  Here's some close-ups. Click on any of them to enlarge.

Sketchy Thursday June Guest Design Team Challenge

Here's my submission for the Sketchy Thursday June Guest Design Team Challenge.  I had so much fun doing this layout.  I think what makes this layout so unique and cool is that I made my own background paper by adding Photoshop effects to the photo and then printing it on white cardstock. I really liked both of these photos but I didn't just want to so this side by side since they were so similar.  I think this really helps show them both off in their own cool way.  See my tutorial on Photoshop Effects: Poster Edges & Opacity to see how I did it. I also made my own pleated flowers.  I posted a tutorial on making pleated or accordian flowers yesterday. So here's my layout. 

Click to Enlarge

Here's some details. I stamped the date with brown StazOn and Sans Small Caps CTMH stamp set, cut the blue flower from some lace and added another flower on top.  The charm is from Close To My Heart.

Click to Enlarge

I made this next flower out of some wired blue loopy ribbon.  I have no idea how else to explain it.  Here's what it looked like before and then after, with a CTMH crocheted flower pretty pins and  a bit of bling.

Click to Enlarge

Lastly, here's the pleated flower as well as another flower I made with chiffon and some bling.

Click to Enlarge

Keep your fingers crossed that I make the cut!

Paper Accordian Flowers Tutorial

Today I am going to show you how to make this really cute accordian flower.  I really like this because you can easily coordinate it with the papers in your layout plus it adds so much dimension.

Find the paper you wish to make into a flower and cut a strip. Mine was about 7 inches long and 1/2" wide. Try different lengths and widths for whatever size flower you want. Take your strip and begin folding back and forth with your fingers to make pleats. You may also choose to score the pleats.  My strip is 1/2" wide and the pleats are approx. 1/4" (I wanted a smaller flower). Don't worry if the pleats don't line up exactly; close enough is good. You won't be able to tell once you make the flower.

Click to Enlarge Paper Strip

Click to Enlarge Folded Pleating

Click to Enlarge Pleating

Next, you'll want to run a needle and thread through one side of the pleats. I wasn't smart when I first did this and I had a heck of a time threading the needle through each paper pleat.  If you have a small hole punch, punch holes in the paper first and then run the thread through.  

Glue the first pleat over the last, form the flower, tie the thread and voila! You have an accordian flower.

You may also consider using a decorative border punch to add flair to the flower.  Just punch one edge of the strip prior to pleating and proceed from there. You can also just cut strips and pleat those and use them as a decorative border or faux ribbon instead of making a flower.

I'll be posting the layout for this later today or tomorrow at the latest.  I can't wait to show this one off!

BlueMoonScrapbooking.com Giveaway

Check out this yummy BlueMoonScrapbooking American Crafts Giveaway

Aquarium Life

Here's this week's Nuts About Sketches Sketch. This was a great layout to capture 9 photos on one spread and I had the perfect set of photos.

The sketch really made me challenge myself. I didn't want to add too many patterns since the pictures would make the layout busy enough as it was and since it left little room for embellishments I really had to think through this. Here's my layout. BTW, I have no idea why there are white tigers at the aquarium.

Click to Enlarge

Since I was focusing on our recent trip to the Downtown Houston Aquarium and I didn't want to make the layout too busy I decided to make waves.  This gave me a chance to use all that vellum I had stashed away that I never use anymore.  I used 3 different colors of vellum. I cut the waves out of the darkest color first, then I cut another set of waves to overlap in the empty spaces of the first set of waves and then I repeated with the 3rd piece of vellum.  To make it look like an ocean wave I drew white lines and dots on the edges and sporatically placed "whitecaps" at the top of some of the waves and on the dots of the i's, made of tiny irredescent pearly bits that were strung together like pearls. I also added them to other elements of the layout.

Click to Enlarge to See the Doodling & Beads

Lastly, I used two sets of ribbon as a border to the bottom photos.  I wanted to make the ribbon look like a wave so I ran the top ribbon like a loop, placing it down with a glue dot, then running it over my finger to make the loop and adhering it back down on another glue dot and repeated that many, many times. 

Click to Enlarge

Photoshop Effects: Poster Edges & Opacity - Tutorial

This week I'm going to show you how to add some Photoshop effects to your photos. I had two beautiful photos that were almost the exact same. I could have scrapped them together but I really wanted to do something outside of my usual box with them. Here's what I did.

First I opened the image I wanted to manipulate in Photoshop. 

Original Image (photo permission by Allison Avenue Photography)

Then I added a Filter.  To do this I clicked Filter --> Artistic --> Poster Edges.  I adjusted it until I got the look I liked and clicked OK.

Double click the Background Layer in the Layers panel (if its not already displayed on the right hand side of Photoshop, you'll find it under the Windows menu).

Adjust the Opacity in the Layers window that opens. You may see a checkerboard effect. I adjusted the opacity on this image by 60%.

Got to Layers --> Flatten Image to see the result.

Here's the final result. Undo it and adjust Opacity if its not to your liking. Click to enlarge so you can see the poster edges along with the opacity.

Image with Poster Edges and 60% transparency

Original Image

Save picture under a new name so that you preserve your original photo.  If you make a mistake and save over the original you can remove the layers in photoshop but I highly discourage overwriting original files.

Check back soon to see how I use this in my traditional scrapbooking. Let me know if you try this and post a link in the comments section. Oh, if you need a great photographer with great prices in the Houston or Dallas area, contact Allison and tell her you found her on Heather Leopard's blog).

Snobby Walrus His & Hers Giveaway Part2: HERS

Check out this super cute collection of girly scrapbooking goodies Snobby Walrus is giving away. I would SOOOO love to win this collection. It's so cute for all the projects I have on tap for my girls.