Cambridge (The T)

When I grabbed a few things from the last huge Paper Issues sale in July, I snagged a few of the Kelly Purkey Basic Grey papers. I really liked their city-gritty vibe, and knew that it would pair well with a few of my Boston/Cambridge photos from my recent trip back East.

I really wanted to use the camera "card" from the Lake View paper, and even used Glossy Accents to push the glass effect. I used a few more of the cards to add some pops of color and text, and then created a title using my new Lawn Fawn Finley's ABC dies that I also snagged on sale. The background paper is the Roscoe Village paper, which almost looks like the train tracks running under Boston. It was just too perfect.

Supplies Used: Basic Grey (Kelly Purkey-Second City line), Glossy Accents, Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (Finley's ABCs) Pin It

Paper Issues: Sketchy Saturday-July 2015 Edition

Here is my version of July's fun Sketchy Saturday from Paper Issues. I really wanted to create a bold statement with this layout, so used a lot of black and white on this. I also used quite a few older patterned paper scraps and some of the new Illustrated Faith alphas from Bella Blvd. that I had just gotten.

Love this picture. And I really love how the layout mirrors a lot of the same colors. Such a sweet memory. Pin It

Quick Cards from Gossamer Blue Kits

EEK! Sometimes I seriously just take the last little bits of a kit and toss it with some cardstock and card bases to see how many different cards I can make. This set was made using the Gossamer Blue March Main Kit waaaaaaay back from March 2014. I've been hanging onto these beautiful leftover bits since then.

How do you use your scraps? Leave me a link and I'll come check them out!! Pin It

Finally Back to Creating... (MWM Tulip #9)

I lost my mojo for awhile. I kept on creating. Kind of. But there have been a couple of things that have gotten in the way of being able to spend time in my studio. I think my family and I have found a new groove, and we are on the path of getting there. So, here is my ScrapbookSteals.com's Mid-Week Mojo Tulip #9 sketch layout.

I used a bunch of stuff that I got earlier last week or so from Paper Issues. Kind of love them when I'm in a "don't want things to be from the same kit" kinda mood. I'll blog later this week (I promise!) about the kit that I created from the PI Store and a couple of things from my stash. It was a total rainbow theme.

If you want to play along, make sure that you check out the ScrapbookSteals MWM links!! Pin It

Shop Your Stash Kit - November 2014

I know I may be a little late in showing this month's Shop Your Stash kit that I created... But it's been a busy (and exciting!) month! I have a few layouts that I will share later that go more into this.

Here's my fun (and super warm-toned) kit. I didn't really have a direction with this, but really wanted to play with some warmer and darker tones than I may normally use. I pulled some dark, warm browns, reds, and teals to add some more color. I didn't want to create something super warm-toned, but wanted to enhance the Fall-esque nature of some of the items that have been kicking around my stash for too long.

Paper Top Row L-R:
Daily Details (Hello Autumn) – Bella Blvd.

Worldwide (Vintage Chic) – Heidi Swapp

Victorian (Random Collection) – Crate Paper

Oh Joy (Jolly by Golly) – Cosmo Cricket

Crisp (Suave Collection) – Authentique

Paper Bottom Row L-R:

You & Me (Gertie-Stella & Rose) – My Mind’s Eye

Accent Cuts (Random Collection) – Crate Paper

Bridesmaids (Portrait Collection) – Crate Paper

In Print (Kraft Funday) – My Mind’s Eye

Flour Sack (Nook & Pantry) – Basic Grey

Partial Pieces

Pioneer (Thankful Collection) – Authentique

Storytime Street (5^th & Frolic) – American Crafts

Sycamore (Into the woods) – Lawn Fawn

Vellum

Cardstock
orange – Core’dinations
kraft - American Crafts

brown - American Crafts

forest green - Core’dinations

Embellishments:

Everyday Fun (Kraft Funday) – My Mind's Eye

Vintage Mini Memories Cameras – Maya Road

Chipboard Heart Mini Album – Maya Road

Flowers – Heidi Swapp & Petaloo

In a Stitch Blooms (kraft) – Sassafras Lass

Mini Envelopes – SMASH

Various die cuts – My Minds Eye

Border Stickers (Acorn Avenue) – Crate Paper

Hexagon Confetti – Um Wow Studio

Thickers (burlap, Hello) – American Crafts

Alpha Stickers (Woodland Park) – October Afternoon

A is for Autumn (Sweater Weather) – Simple Stories

Badges – Studio Calico

Ribbon – May Arts

Sticky Keys (Ghoul Green) – October Afternoon
Buttons (The Sweetest Thing) – My Mind’s Eye

Polaroid frames - Maya Road

I also included a few pocket page cards that I printed so round out my pocket scrapbooking this month. The six cards to the left are from Paper Issues, and the Fall card is a printable that I sized down from Studio Calico. I also am including, but they aren't pictured a couple of Elle's Studio Die Cuts... 

 

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UPDATED: September Shop Your Stash Kit

UPDATE: Check out THIS PAGE on how to "Shop Your Stash"!! 

I'm on month two... Or at least "Kit Two" of my personal challenge. Nothing official or anything... I just have SO much stuff, and really want to just use it and buy things I really want, or that are multi-use (stamps, tools, etc.) I also have a ton of things that I love... But am hiding away for some obscene reason. No more hoarding pretty things!!

This month's kit was inspired by this picture of the lovely kit from Noel Mignon. (FYI, at this current moment... It's not been released, so this is just a sneak of the Tea for Two Kit). I really loved the colors, the woodgrain (of course!) and the deer. Seriously, the deer. I am going to make a custom deer stamp using some of my Silhouette stamp material, and already have the shape chosen!!

And... This color inspiration. I found the link on Pinterest, but am posting the original link here.

Here's my "kit". Once again, I've not packed a ton of paper into it, but will attempt to use it all... But it is pretty embellishment heavy. My goal, once I've completed quite a few layouts is to use it as a card kit. I love card kits, as all of the pieces go together, and the embellishments are fun.

Paper Top Row L-R:
Parfait (Madeline Collection) - Prima Marketing
Chocolate & Kraft Ribbon Stripe - Canvas Corp.
April Showers (Simply Spring) - WeRMK
Dishes (Nook & Pantry) - Basic Grey
Beaters (Nook & Pantry) - Basic Grey
Living Proof (So Sophie) - My Mind's Eye

Paper Bottom Row L-R:
Lots O' Luck (Hog Heaven) - Sassafras Lass
Beaming (Sunshine Broadcast) - Sassafras Lass
Cinnamon (Nutmeg) - Cosmo Cricket
Lunch Break (Ready Set Go) - American Crafts
Love Letters (Fawnd of You Too) - Sassafras Lass

Cardstock
kraft - American Crafts
darker teal - Bazzill
light teal - American Crafts
butter yellow - American Crafts  

Embellishments:
Some additional scraps of fun wood patterned paper...
Alphabet Stickers (Life of the Party) - Basic Grey
Yellow Tiny Type - Cosmo Cricket
Label Stickers (Lost & Found Two) - My Mind's Eye
Tiny Tags (Serendipity) - Elle's Studio
Chipboard Hearts - Um Wow Studio
Die Cut Kraft Doilies - Maya Road
Rose Ribbon - American Crafts
Stickers (Fawnd of You) - Sassafras Lass
Tickets... ??
Doo-Dads (Woodland Park) - October Afternoon
Vintage Brooch (Soft Pink) - Sassafras Lass
Metal Tabs (Carte Postal) - Basic Grey
Button Market - Bella Blvd
Tags - Martha Stewart
Chipboard Die Cuts - Sassafras Lass
Badges - Studio Calico
Canvas Pieces - Basic Grey
Wood Veneer Butterflies - Studio Calico
Fabric Brads - Basic Grey
Woodgrain Stamp - Hero Arts
Twine - ??

PS. If you're not too big on making everything all matchy-matchy, make sure to check out places like Tuesday Morning, TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshall's, and the clearance racks of places. Quite a few of the items that are here were from those places too! Pin It

Gossamer Blue Life Pages (January 6-12)

This was a fun week. Mostly. We got back into the routine of non-Christmas vacation. Had a bit of 12th Man fever. GO SEAHAWKS! Miss I was able to go to TinkerTopia (and be on local TV!) and I figured out how to comb those My Little Pony dolls from Build-a-Bear (wig brush, warm water and detangler).

In the midst of the January Gossamer Blue kit, I mixed in some of my Elle's Studio stash, and whatever letter stickers I could find. This month uses some Fancy Pants chipboard, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type and Basic Grey stickers.

If you are in the greater South Sound area, I suggest checking out TinkerTopia. It's a "Creative Reuse Center" that blends recycling and art. It's pretty darn fun!

I loved the sweet pics from this week. I love capturing honest, wonderful moments of pure joy. Pin It

August Gossamer Blue Layouts!! (The Non-Travel Edition)

I will admit, when I saw Gossamer Blue's August kit, I was stumped. We had no real trips planned, and I was getting caught up on the subject of the papers, rather than simply embrace the wonderful colors that were available to me. Once I made this layout, I felt that I had captured the spirit of the papers even though I hadn't really gone on vacation.

This fun (and bright!) layout was created to display the airplane that my oldest was able to see. I loved all of the travel/airplane elements in the October Afternoon paper and Basic Grey elements. I was even able to use the Elle's Studio stamp! The cut is from the GB kit, but it got a little "weathered" in the making of it, so I just went with it and distressed it even further. Happy Accidents!

I loved this picture of my oldest (and her two friends). Mainly because I felt it was the worst space/alien/robot costume ever. I totally forgot about making her costume and it was the last week of school. Hence the box with tin foil. And markers. I'll do better this next year, I promise! I have no idea what the song they sung was, and Google is no help lately, but the title comes from one of the lines.

I absolutely loved this sketch, and am in love with this layout. It is a direct translation of this Silhouette Blog Sketch. I adore sketches. Most of the time, when I have creators block, I turn to a sketch. Sometimes I completely lift the idea, sometimes I totally change and alter it. During the beginning of this layout, I was not in a creative space, and once finished... Had found my mojo once again!

This is one of my favorite non-kid photos. It's a Instagram of the Murray Morgan Bridge in Tacoma. It's this crazy moving bridge that is a local landmark. It seems like the city has been working on it forever, but that's only because someone messed up the construction at some point. I love how the sun's rays just made this amazing. Plus, it gave me another way to use the fun BG location papers.

I hope you enjoyed this month's layouts! Pin It

Pretty Little Studio & Peridot 10

I love color challenges. As in, simply adore them. I often scour Pinterest for color palettes and wish that I could just zap my magic wand and make things in my house match them. But then again... It's probably for the best that I can't.

 

When I saw this lovely color collaboration from Pretty Little Studio, it got me thinking about how I could pull some of my older stuff from my stash and use away. Which was a great idea, because I had some amazing papers that were needing to be used up: Cosmo Cricket, Kaisercraft, Basic Grey, American Crafts. I really loved how the fabric paper frayed, and how I was able to make the black chalkboard paper look like a chalkboard with a little bit of ImagineCrafts chalk ink. Just 'dirty' it up, and buff it out.

I even used the Peridot Sketch 10 from Scrapbooksteals.com. And of course, I had to change it up a bit. I only used the left side, swapped out the squares for feathers (made sense with the colors), rotated the pics, and moved the title to the other side. LOVE IT!

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MWAH! - Scrapbook Steals MWM Peridot 4

I am loving this month's Gossamer Blue box. And my May Elle's Studio kit... SWOON!!!! Seriously. The two combined are even better. In love. I cannot wait to see what is available next month!!!

In this layout, I wanted to use bright colors. I loved the Echo Park woodgrain. I had to use it for my "solid" background. In love!! The Fancy Pants Down By the Shore anchors were adorable. And that Jillibean Soup green pattern was fantastic. All of the embellishments were just too fun.

I loved the "Book Report" journaling tag. It's going to be quite awhile before Isla is actually reading, so I just used it for my journaling.

I used the ScrapbookSteals.com Mid-Week Mojo for the sketch. I love using sketches!! Melodee's are pretty darn fun too!! Check them out every Wednesday at 9 am MST. Pin It

I Love Long (Productive) Weekends!!

It's Memorial Day weekend. Yeah!! This means, a four day weekend spent hanging with family and friends, crafting, having a few beverages, and generally preparing for summer. I spent some time crafting with my wonderful Gossamer Blue May kit. I really loved all of the bright colors. And I have to admit... I seriously considered getting my girls matching sailor type outfits to go with the anchors. I looked... Then walked away.

The first layout is a cute sketch that was on the Elle's Studio blog. I really loved the triangles, and wanted to use my Silhouette to cut out the triangles out of the main paper. This way, they would be perfectly spaced out. I'm such a Seattle girl. I love me some Starbucks. And sadly, they coffee co. plays a part in quite a few of my layouts... This one is focused on the new Clover Machine. If you haven't had a Clover coffee, you really need to try. It is the most perfectly brewed cup of coffee ever. They brew them singly. AMAZING!
As you can see, I used quite a few things from my ever-growing stash of Elle's Studio products. Love local (they are a Washington company!!)

For the second, I was inspired by this blog post on the Gossamer Blue blog. Unfortunately, my layout sat unfinished for over a week. I finally had enough time to finish it. I also really wanted to put a song phrase as my title. I kind of love this one. The little BG envelope has some hidden journalling. And those enamel dots... SWOON!

Lastly, I really liked this paper. It's Echo Park from their new line All About a Boy. I really wanted to focus on the color, as it is Miss I's favorite. And it also matched the wonderful quilt that my aunt made for me. And again... Elle's Studio and enamel dots. LOVE!

I don't think I'm done crafting. Seriously... I have a few more things up my sleeve :) Pin It

MWM Amber 7 & Gossamer Blue's March Kit

I've been pretty lame on the MWM front this term. There is no possible way that I would remotely finish all of the Amber sketches... I do have a few that I actually did finish. Here, I used the Amber 7 MWM by the wonderful Melodee Cloud.

I loved this photo from Easter. There was so much pink loveliness. I also snagged some cute sequins from Michael's in rainbow colors. They just HAD to be glued to the rainbow hearts on the fantastic Glitz paper that was in Gossamer Blue's March kit. It really was an amazing kit; full of bright colors and fun patterns. Pin It

10 Minute Craft Dash... Creating Cards in No Time at All!

WOW. I have scrapped in 10 minutes before, and I thought that was hard. Making a card in 10 minutes that I actually wanted to use was even harder. You really don't want to see the first one I did. It had banners and fussy cutting, and marker. Not pretty. Created in under 10 minutes, but a total trainwreck. So... I went and looked at the challenge examples again (at PrettyPinkPosh) and kept it simple.

To make sure that I could stay within my 10 minutes, I first set out all of my supplies. Keeping everything close to hand made it easy to create without having to make too many decisions. 

See all of that stuff? Nope. Didn't use everything. I'm okay with that. Having it out gave me options. I went with what felt natural instead of forcing something that wasn't to be.

And just in case you were wondering... Here is my time left out of the 10 minutes. Seriously... It didn't even take 5 minutes!!! I can only credit that to a pre-folded card base, stamping directly onto the paper (a risk since I'm NOT a stamper... I credit some great stamping advice a few friends have given me lately), washi tape and embellishments that already have adhesive on them. The faux stitching was the most difficult and time consuming thing for the whole card.

Seriously FUN challenge. Really. I think I'm going to try it again. :) Pin It

Scraplifting with Gossamer Blue and Elle's Studio

I have blogged before about both Gossamer Blue and Elle's Studio. I L-O-V-E both companies. Gossamer Blue's kits are always so amazing and beautiful. And Elle's Studio has wonderful little tags and extras that are perfect for Project Life and Project12. (And they are LOCAL!! to me anyway!)

The two companies were having a fantastic scraplift challenge. Here is what I came up with. I used mainly pieces from my March Gossamer Blue kit, with a few additional patterned paper from the August GB kit, and some Summer Lovin' Elle's Studio pieces that I had in my stash. I also used a few of my OA Sprinklers and some Stickles glitter (I really only like glitter in liquid form!).

I combined some of the other My Mind's Eye buttons that I had, as well as a few more of their enamel dots. Lastly, I added some Cath Kidston washi tape. For all of the scalloped parts, I used my Kiwi Lane Designs Templates in Scallops.

Here is Magda Mizera's FANTASTIC layout. I just love her work. You can check out her blog HERE. She has some MAD photoshop skills. One day...

I did a pretty blatant scraplift. And I challenged myself to use yellow, which isn't my normal go-to color. I figured since it was a complimentary color to Miss R's onesie, it would make an interesting mix. Pin It

I Love How Much You Love Her (GB February)

I love when my girls get along. Really, it is the most perfect thing to see. Miss I wants to read SOOOO badly. So, until this summer comes about, she "reads" to Ro. Which is pretty amazing to see. Both of the girls had no clue that I was snapping photos until Miss Ro checked me out. I was being pretty sly for about a second. 

This layout pretty much fell together using February's Gossamer Blue kit. I double matted the photos. They were originally going to be separate, but I really didn't like how that looked, so matted them again in pink. I used one of the title pieces from the Carta Bella paper. Then used the Carta Bella, Crate Paper and some Basic Grey letters I had to complete the title. Lastly, I embellished using a combination of Pink Paislee hearts, My Mind's Eye enamel dots and a Studio Calico heart.

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February's Project 12 with Gossamer Blue

Last month was a little bit of a pain-in-the-butt. Mainly because we all got sick. All of us. At random times, and not always the most convenient at that. And, my printer ran out of ink. So there isn't journaling... yet.

Anyway... I used my February Gossamer Blue kit for this. I did add a few bits of Elle's Studio. They had a fantastic sale in February, and I was feeling a little down... So did a bit of retail therapy. In doing so, I found out they were local (north of Seattle!!). I L-O-V-E supporting local, so definitely will be purchasing again from them directly.

Here are a few of the details... A little Macklemore (again, LOCAL!!!), a beautiful walk, sicky babies, a beautiful and sunny Northwest day, and more!

Like my "Journaling will go here" Photoshopped title?? Me neither, but I'm outta ink, and have a plan. A few more neat photos, including one of irises that were growing on the other side of my fence. Who knew?!?!?! Okay... So I really don't "do" plants. But I did Google, and found out that after they bloom I can transplant some somewhere else. I think.

I took quite a few sweet photos this month, so even added those in a separate holder with six pics. Of course, I forgot the snap the other side. That's how it's going today. Pin It

Could You Be Any Cuter?? (GB February)

I just loved making this layout. Seriously... It just came together wonderfully. I really enjoyed seeing the pinks and greys that were in February's Gossamer Blue box. The Pink Paislee flowered paper, against the Carta Bella So Loved paper was just too perfect. I added a Silhouette sentiment, an October Afternoon tag that had been lying around from the Cakewalk collection and OA sprinkles, and some AC washi tape from Dear Lizzy and Dear Lizzy Christmas.

Lastly, a couple of Basic Grey embellishments to finish it off. Such a sweet little layout of my cutest 8 month old.

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Scraplift with Crate Paper's Fourteen...

I was playing around this weekend with my February Gossamer Blue kit and ran into a challenge... How to use the Sparks paper from Crate Paper's Fourteen line. It's a pretty fantastic chevron-ish paper. Super bold, super pretty, but kind of hard to use.

I knew that I had already pinned a fantastic layout using this paper, so found it and scraplifted away!! Here is the original image from one of Crate Paper's Design Team members, Katie Ehmann. I loved how she used vellum and her Cameo to create a background design.

I decided to use a fun background that I had not used yet, Chevron Stripes from the Silhouette Online Store. I didn't want the entire square, but wanted all of the fun pattern, so squished it into a 4x11" rectangle. The vellum was from a Studio Calico kit awhile back, and had feathers on it, but since the pattern was pretty complicated you cannot even tell.

Rather than all of the patterned papers, I simplified the color scheme to mainly grays, and used pops of red and fuchsia from my GB kit.  I also used just one photo of my biggest, Miss I. She's one of my absolute favorite people in the world. I just love her spunky nature and all of the funny things she says. Pin It

Three More Layouts, Two Kits, & One Sketch

I cannot believe that I haven't blogged for almost two weeks!! I have a couple of layouts that I have had laying around for awhile... The first two are using Gossamer Blue's fabulous December Kit. I snagged GB's first kit during their fantastic Black Friday special, and also grabbed November's Main Kit Add-On. It's super pretty, but with all of the holiday craziness... I haven't even cracked into it!

Anyway, here is my 3rd layout using my December kit. I loved how easy this came together. I just positioned my photo to allow for the date to show, circled it, placed arrows that pointed in the direction I wanted, added the mat and photo... A few embellishments and BOOM! DONE! I especially love all of the Sn@p! alphas. Using all of those colors was just too fun!

This one took a little more time and effort. I wanted a pieced heart, but hate when the pieces come up, so the pieced part is really behind the heart, which is cut with my Cameo. I used bits and pieces from random pieces that I had used throughout my three other layouts, and just made them all fit. Glued those down onto a piece of cardstock that I then glued and sewed to the background piece. Draped the fun garland on the heart, stitched that in... Then stuck the photo down, added washi, and a title. I really do love sewing, but it does take some time. Good thing I'm not a perfectionist with the stitch lenth :)

This was a super quick layout also! I used Studio Calico's Sock Hop Kit for this, with my lovely friend Venetia's Mid-Wid Mojo Guest Sketch. I love her ideas. She's also pretty darn fantastic at most crafty and artsy things.

Hope you liked the layouts! I have some more cards that I created using all of these kits too!! Pin It

Gossamer Blue... How I Love Thee!

I decided that when we moved, I was going to cancel my subscription to Studio Calico. I had decided that it just wasn't for me. I still wanted to play with lovely new items though, and a few of my good scrappy friends were getting these great kits from Gossamer Blue. I convinced T to let me use my budget each month on the gorgeous GB kits. As you may remember, I got to play with one right after I had signed up with SC. And I LOVED it.

Not only did I get the December Kit (which is AMAZING!), because I signed up in November, I received the November Add-On kit. I cannot wait to find the perfect photo for that map paper. And to play with some of those Polish Soda papers... SWOON!

Here is my first subber layout. I really loved this photo of my little bunny. I cannot believe how fantastic the photo works against the Crate Paper floral pattern. I also used my Silhouette to cut out a doily frame and title. I also used one of the doilies and a Sn@p! sticker.

This lovely layout uses one of my cute iPhone pics of Miss I during her ballet class. She is learning how to skip, hop, freeze, twirl, as well as the basic ballet positions. She's also learning how to listen and behave herself in class. Huge lessons!! For this layout, I used the back of one of the Sn@p! cardstock sheets, with a couple stickers, some Crate Paper, and a Silhouette cut title. I also grabbed a tag and a Basic Grey chipboard piece from my stash. Also, I used October Afternoon mists. Simple, but I love it!

From the gorgeousness that was December's kit, I cannot wait to see what Lori has in store for next month!!

PS. There was a mixup in shipping, and I have to say that Lori has amazing customer service. If you were on the fence before... Don't be. I'm super impressed! Pin It