Quick Summer Mini Album and Gift Bag

Hello everyone.  Today is my big design team debut on the Pebbles blog.  I hope you'll pop over there and say hi!  

I'm super excited to show you a quick gift I made to give to my girls.  We love our  beach vacations and I thought it would be fun to give my girls a little care package to document all our summer activities.

The creative aspect of this care package includes the gift bag and mini album / journal.  These are relatively easy to make if you have a die cut machine or template you can follow.  The Fun in the Sun collection is perfect for this project.

To get started, I knew I needed to begin with the beach bags. The bags needed to be able to hold the album and other little goodies so I made it fairly large, measuring at 6" x 8".  Choosing a design that allowed for a 2 tone pattern gave it added interest.  Then it was time for the really fun part - decorating!

Each bag includes buttons where the straps attach to the bag, a fun sentiment and a coordinating embellishment or two. You could also hang a tag off one of the straps but I am letting my girls decide which ones they want.  Of course, I designed these with my girls' style and colors in mind so we'll see how it goes.

I designed the mini albums to be 4" x 6" to easily fit into the 6" x 8" beach gift bags. To create these, simply cut a 8" x 6" cover and several inside sheets measuring 3.5" x 5.5". I used 5 sheets for the inside to make 10 pages. Center the inside sheets so that there is an 1/4" border.

Then I stitched it together in the center. Once the mini album is together, it's time to decorate again!  I added a tone on tone background to cover the album and then I used the fun sentiments from the 3" x 4" cards pattern paper, framed it out and then added a dimensional sticker.

I can't wait to give these to my girls.  We're taking a road trip soon so I may even print out a few photos from the summer and put a little craft kit together to keep them busy on our way to the beach.

Supplies: Pebbles Fun in the Sun Summer Days (732850) Fun in the Sun Popsicle (732859) Fun in the Sun 6x6 Paper Pad (732862) Fun in the Sun Shaped Cards / Popsicles (732832) Fun in the Sun Puffy Phrase Stickers (732833) Fun in the Sun Layered Stickers (732836) Bazzill Cardstock (309026) American Crafts Cardstock Primaries   

AC Spotlight: She Sells Seashells By the Sea Shore

Hi there! I thought I'd share a couple of layouts I made for my 1st spotlight on the American Crafts blog! I received a delicious package of Amy Tan Sketchbook, Dear Lizzy Neapolitan and Shoreline in my first design team box shipment. Yay, it was so fun to open up that package!

We recently came back from a trip to the beach so I choose to tackle the Shoreline collection they gave me to create with first! My daughter had a blast searching for seashells. She probably spent a good 45 minutes just walking up and down the beach collecting as many as she could and naturally, I snapped a few photos.

Supplies - American Crafts Shoreline collection: Solana Paper (35738) – Shoreline, Carpinteria Paper (35721) – Shoreline, Coronado Paper (35728) – Shoreline, Ventura (35731) – Shoreline, Santa Monica Paper (35723) – Shoreline, Edgewater Paper (35739) – Shoreline, Sea Isle Paper (35732) – Shoreline, Neptune Paper (35729) – Shoreline, Pacific Beach Paper (35737) – Shoreline, Black (53360) – Thickers, Flamingo (42249) – Remarks Book Accent & Phrase Stickers, Surfboard (85584) – Delights Paper Flowers, American Crafts Knockout Punch Set

Journaling reads: This handful of seashells was just the start of the many you collected in your bucket.

Creative How to: I started both these pages with one thing in mind - the title! I wanted to use She Sells Seashells by the Sea Shore. I was going to put it all on one page but I decided to break it up so I could of course showcase the photos but also get a bit creative with the title. For the first page, I cut the word "Seashells" out of the yellow & white background paper using my CAMEO and tossed the letters but keeping the negative space. I then added the blue & white paper, which I think resembles shells, behind the negative space so that it shows through the paper. I could have just cur the letters from the blue paper but it actually looks nice and "negative-like" in person. Then I added the Thickers for the rest of the title.

For the rest of the 1st page, I simply layered a variety of distressed, punched and even wonky cut papers and then added stickers and other elements behind it, adding a bit of doodling and faux stitching. I finished it off by adding the paper flowers.

That page can be viewed as a standalone page or together with this one.

Supplies - American Crafts Shoreline collection: Oceanside Paper (35727) – Shoreline, Coronado Paper (35728) – Shoreline, Ventura (35731) – Shoreline, Edgewater Paper (35739) – Shoreline, Pacific Beach Paper (35737) – Shoreline, Neptune Paper (35729) – Shoreline, Carpinteria Paper (35721) – Shoreline, Vero Paper (35719) – Shoreline, Malibu Paper (35722) – Shoreline, Sea Isle Paper (35732) – Shoreline, Black (53360) – Thickers, Flamingo (42249) – Remarks Book Accent & Phrase Stickers, Surfboard (85584) – Delights Paper Flowers, Solid Adhesive Runner (61719) – This to That, Foam Dots (61709) – This to That, Black (62311) – Precision Pen 03.

Journaling reads: You were on a mission to gather all the shells you could find.

Creative How-to: Just like the page before, I cut the title from the background paper revealing the negative space. I then added the rest of the title. I usually do this step last but I wanted to make sure it all worked out as I envisioned it. Then, to show the magnitude of my daughter’s quest to find as many shells as she could, I made little mini scenes on the page by layering the photos, paper and embellishments. 

This page can be seen as a standalone page but when you put the two pages together, like in an album, you see the entire story. And I love that the background papers aren't the same. I think it adds zest!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Holy moly, I'm on the American Crafts design team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beat the Heat Again

It's so hot in Texas, I'm hoping that by reposting this layout that I enhanced today will help cool it down.  Unrealistic Optimist? There's another reason too...

Please "Like" Me...Okay, I'm not really that desperate but I am in the running over on the American Crafts Facebook page to win a complete collection of my choice plus $50 of AC cardstock.  The layout that is featured is the one I posted Sunday - Beat the Summer Heat.  In order for me to win I must have the most "LIKES" on my layout by 7/15 at 9 am.  If you are crafty and do not already follow American Crafts on Facebook, now's a good time...lotsa good inspiration over there!

After seeing the layout online I just had to go back to it and work on it a little more.  It just didn't feel complete.  Do you ever have layouts like that?  So, I added some white caps, like those I used to see growing up on Canyon Lake, I doodled with white around the aqua cardstock, I added more stitching to better hold the journaling tags and I moved the upper right flowers around.  NOW I am loving it!  Here's the revised layout, which unfortunately is not the one on the AC Facebook page but I'd love it if you'd Like it anyway!

Supplies: Kraft Cardstock, Mr. Huey Mist Orchard, American Crafts Margarita Collection - Empanadas Glitter Finish 35429, Horchata Varnish Finish 35432, Aruba Glitter Finish 35425, Santo Domingo 35430, Merengue 35438, Printed Long Variety Tags, Variety Buttons Elements, Paradise Remarks Dimensional Stickers, Signo White Pen, Misc Orange Embroidery Floss

GIVEAWAY!

If you can take like two minutes and "Like" my photo I would REALLY appreciate it.  Wait, that literally just made me think of something...I will pay forward the chance to win someting with you.  I think I'll put a little prize package together for everyone who "Likes" my layout over there and comments here about my layout as well.  What will it be? Definitely something made by American Crafts!!! So, you have until 7/15 at 9 am CT to participate.  And thanks for the many of you who already voted for me.  I will make sure you are included in the giveaway. Also, don't forget to play along with the Lazy Days of Summer challenge over at The Studio!

Here's some close-up shots that I didn't include in my precious post...

So Happy Together

I usually try to work with my current photos so that I don't get behind on the current year but sometimes I try to play catch-up for the years when I wasn't scrapping as much. This is one of those times.

I love these pics of Rheagan and David walking on the beach on a very warm Texas Winter December in 2007. I figured with older pics that it would be okay to use last year's line from Lilybee that had all the right elements I was looking for - great die cuts, bright colors, multiple patterns. I also used this week's sketch from Sketchy Thursdays. It's the last reveal for the current team and I am sad to see that some are departing but I am soo excited to work with the new gals!

Supplies: Lilybee Designs Hello Sunshine Collection: Savannah, Blueberry Pie, Fly a Kit and Twirl papers, die-cut frames (circle scallop, square scallop, brackets). American Crafts Dear Lizzy Puffy Letter Stickers - Berry; AdornIt Tiny Whoopsy Red & Multi Reds Tiny Alphas; Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer Mist Peacock; Homeade Red Mist.

Here are a few close-ups. I just love the die-cut frames...I even cut the multi-colored flowery scalloped one up and used it as a scallop border instead. I decided to use pop dots to adhere my photos over the ruffles and layers of the scallops so that the photos wouldn't look lumpy and I really like how it looks on the page IRL.

Here's the sketch I used. Take a peek over at what the rest of the design team did with this Sketchy Thursdays sketch and play along for your chance to win an April kit, Hello Sunshine, from Scrapbook Circle. I'm on the that DT as well and I've been playing with April's kit, which is AMAZING!!! Make sure to play along or head to the Scrapbook Circle blog to get your hands on one!

Here's a peek at the Hello Sunshine kit that's up for grabs!

They Say You Can't Choose Your Family but...

...my daughter said otherwise.  I'll get to that story in just a sec.  The Crop Suey December challenge is to use the word "family" on your project.  I've been wanting to scrap this story about something my daughter said to me about 2 months before she turned 3.  It's the most wonderful thing I think I've ever heard.  She saw another mommy walking in the neighborhood pushing her little girl in a stroller. She said "I didn't get that mommy.  I picked THIS mommy." OMG, talk about melting my heart.  Something about this challenge was perfect for this LO that's been waiting 4+ years to be scrapped.

Supplies: October Afternoon Fly a Kit Line - Ice Cream, Sprinklers pattern paper; October Afternoon Mini Market Alpha Stickers; Kraft paper; Tattered Angels Mists - Spring Rain and Brick, Thickers; Cosmo Cricket Tiny Alphas.

I choose a pic of her and I together around the time she said what she said. I could have not used a pic at all but I really wanted to include one that shows how much we adore each other. I used Kraft paper as the background and frame to represent the sand color and then I misted selectively around the distressed cream paper.  I cut a handmade wave pattern out of the October Afternoon paper. Oh and I love how the OA paper looks like shells. The green, yellow and blue flower was made from the portions of the OA paper that I cut for the waves (using the reverse side of the paper).  After I cut the edges out I realized they made little petals. The other flower is made from grossgrain ric rac ribbon. I hope you like it.

Now, head on over to the Crop Suey blog to see the rest of the design team creations and check out the yummy giveaway from December's sponsor, Pretty Little Studio.

Making Waves Wherever You Go

This layout, based on this week's Nuts About Sketches sketch, is more than what you see.  It represents a little girl's passion for the sea life in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of the devastating oil spill.  Rheagan was sad when we told her the water may have oil in it and we wouldn't be able to swim but her attention quickly turned to all the sea life and who would help them.  Once we got to the beach, we were happy to see that the beach and Gulf didn't have any tar. We had a great day at the beach. 

Check out my tutorial on how I made the seashells.

Nuts About Sketches Sketch:

Flock of Seagulls

I took a little more liberty with this Nuts About Sketches sketch than usual. I had a couple of events that had multiple photos but just couldn't get them to work the way I envisioned so I went with a recent trip to the beach that had fewer photos. There are 4; can you spot photo #4? As you look at the sketch, hopefully you can see that I did the left side of the spread using the top 3 photos, the title on the left, I turned the 6x5 photo into a background for the 3 photos and added the border at the bottom third.  As I was thinking about journaling options I went to a few of my favorite blogs for inspiration and remembered a layout that my IRL friend did a while back that I loved. I don't know if I scraplifted it subliminally or what but as I looked at the background patterned paper and border, it's almost identical so what the heck, I did a similar journal spot and titling. I was going to angle the photos where they would overlap a little bit but I really liked how Audrey did hers. Thanks for the inspiration, Audrey.

BTW, I am going to go back and scrap one more photo I took during this feeding frenzy moment, which was of Reese's daddy holding a cracker up with his hand while a seagull swooped in and ate it.  This was after Reese had attracted him so I didn't want it to take away from Reese's seagull moment therefor I didn't want to include it on the layout above. Reese was standing next to him so it will tie in nicely.  I think I will use the right side of the sketch for that.