ScrapbookSteals Mid-Week Mojo: The Lilac Series

Sometimes I actually get to play for fun. And for myself. I usually use the ScrapbookSteals' Mid-Week Mojo sketches for my personal scrapping. These are all from the Lilac Series.

Lilac #1

(Crate Paper - The Pier, Party Day) 

Lilac #2

 

(Crate Paper - The Pier; Webster's Pages - Recorded) 

Lilac #3

 

(Authentique Paper - Infused Collection)

Lilac #4

(Crate Paper: scraps, Chipboard and embellishments; American Crafts - scraps; enamel dots)

Lilac #5

 

(October Afternoon - Summertime; American Crafts - Thickers, Elle's Studio - die cuts, Authentique - stickers;  enamel dots)

Lilac #6

 (October Afternoon - Summertime; Crate Paper - Notes and Things; American Crafts - Thickers; enamel dots)

Lilac #7

 

 (Crate Paper - Confetti; Fancy Pants - Office Suite; enamel dots)

Lilac #8

 (Sassafras Lass - flowers and embellishments; BoBunny Lemonade Stand)

Lilac #9B

 

 (October Afternoon - Summertime; Crate Paper - Open Book; American Crafts - Thickers; enamel dots)

Lilac #10

 (Crate Paper - Open Book, Notes and Things; American Crafts - patterned paper; Webster's Pages - patterned paper; October Afternoon - tags; enamel dots)

Make sure to check out the ScrapbookSteals Blog page on Wednesdays for your chance to play along! 

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Turning Advertisements into Layouts

Often advertisements in print magazines have some amazing graphic design work. This layout was actually inspired by a Behr Marquee paint advertisement.

I really loved that graphic painted wall, and had just purchased a few pieces of Crate Paper (Schedule, 3x5) and a few other items during a fantastic Paper Issues sale. I chose the triangular shaped papers to mimic the painted wall, and the gray chevron striped paper to mimic the flooring. The couch became the photograph, and the enamel dots and tags were inspired by the paint cans and the chandelier.

To make this inspiration a scrapbook layout, I created this sketch.

Supplies Used: Crate Paper patterned papers, enamel dots (My Mind's Eye & Freckled Fawn), Amy Tangerine Alphas, Martha Stewart Punch

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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

Totally Tulip!! (ScrapbookSteals Mid-Week Mojo)

I finally finished a Mid-Week Mojo Series! Tulip to be exact! I have kept the layouts that I've already shared small, and enlarged the ones that I haven't shared at some point. Each is in order, with the sketch link below. I had quite a few that I had created throughout the ten weeks and just hadn't shared, one or two that I think I lost somewhere in my house (or I'm going crazy and imagined creating them!?!?!), and a few that I knocked out during a marathon create-session with the kiddos in my studio. However they happened (or got lost...) I finished! I'm TOTALLY TULIP!

Tulip #1 Sketch - Uses Authentique Playful Collection

Tulip #2 Sketch - Uses Webster's Pages Ocean Melody

Tulip #3 Sketch - Uses My June 2015 Shop Your Stash Kit

Tulip #4 Sketch - Uses a modpodge of Crate Paper, Pebbles, Authentique, My Mind's Eye, Webster's Pages and some other random stuff...

Tulip #5 Sketch - Uses Sassafras Lass Nerdy Bird

Tulip #6 Sketch - Uses My June 2015 Shop Your Stash Kit

Tulip #7 Sketch - Uses My June 2015 Shop Your Stash Kit

 Tulip #8 Sketch - Uses Echo Park Sweet Girl

 

Tulip #9 Sketch - From THIS LINK

 

Tulip #10 Sketch - Uses My June 2015 Shop Your Stash Kit

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Sketchy Saturdays with Paper Issues (June 6th Edition)

Now that I've found some scrapbooking mojo to actually sit down create (and blog the many things I did make...) I have grabbed some of the fun sketches to get some memories jotted down. This fun layout was inspired from Paper Issues' Sketchy Saturday. I started with some fun Crate Paper patterned paper and October Afternoon die cuts that I had purchased from PI the month before, adding in some enamel dots and sequins that I snagged a couple of weeks back.

The title is actually from a Pebbles 12x12 paper that has 12 3x4 cards with gold foil. LOVE! Anyway, here's the great sketch inspired from Sasha Farina for October Afternoon. Some of the additional die cuts are from the Gossamer Blue kit printables.

 I also created a fun card using the Paper Issues Card sketch. 

I love using up those fun Sassafras Lass papers whenever I can. I also added a few Elle's Studio pieces and some Studio Calico sequins.

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Shop Your Stash (kind of...) June 2015 Edition

This Shop Your Stash was mainly inspired by a little online shopping spree at Paper Issues. I was having a gloomy day... Partially caused by the end of the school year blues (i.e. grades, grading, kids not quite ready for summer) and the rest caused by some family health stuff. The rainbow items were probably my subconscious trying to brighten my mood. I added to the patterned paper, enamel dots, Thickers, sequins and doilies with a bunch of stuff from my stash. I tried to choose some bright colors that would look great with black & white pictures.

I even snuck in a stamp in this kit!

Paper Top Row L-R:
Lemon & Ginger (True Stories) – Shimelle for American Crafts

Weekend Wonders (365) – Chickaniddy Crafts

Swim Lessons (Poolside) – Crate Paper

Pink Dot Kraft (Baxter) – Studio Calico

You're Invited (Birthday Wishes Eat Cake Celebrate) – Pebbles

Paper Bottom Row L-R:

Green Tea (True Stories) – Shimelle for American Crafts

Pool Time (Poolside) – Crate Paper

Mocha (True Stories) – Shimelle for American Crafts

Citrus (Citrus Bliss) – Pink Paislee

Partial Pieces

cardstock from Core'dinations
various Crate Paper pieces

Cardstock
white – American Crafts

leaf green - American Crafts

dark aqua - American Crafts

navy- American Crafts

Embellishments:

Rainbow Prismatic Thickers (Fun in the Sun) - Pebbles

Mini Paper Doilies 48 piece Sampler Pack - Doodlebug

Enamel Dots (Fun in the Sun) - Pebbles
Surprise Me Sequins Pack - Paper Issues
Color My World Clear Stamps - Lawn Fawn
Tidbits (Woodland Park) - October Afternoon
Stickers - Freckled Fawn
Resin Bobby Pins (Flea Market) - Crate Paper
Tiny Tags (Penelope) - Elle's Studio
Buttons - American Crafts 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

(NBCT) Seriously SO Awesome (November Shop Your Stash Kit)

Okay, so the road to becoming a Nationally Board Certified Teacher has been a long a bumpy one. The road to finding out that I became Certified was far more hilarious. The short version: one of my friends and I and our oldest kids went to our HS football game, where on the way back I checked my phone "just in case" they released scores early... Where I said a loud word (I won't repeat it!), and made some funny noise and started giggling. Pretty exciting.

I know the layout is simple... But Man, that was a lot of work :)

Supplies are all from the November Shop Your Stash Kit. Pin It

You Both Mean the World To Me (November Shop Your Stash Kit)

This is just a fun memory of the girls and I going for a cute donut date while Daddy went to a Seahawks game. These two are just too darn cute!

Supplies are all from my November Shop Your Stash Kit!

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Pocket Letters, Sending a Little Bit of Happy Mail

A few of my crafty friends and I have started a chain of Happy Mail called Pocket Letters. Pocket Letters are a fun way to share some crafty goodness, a cup of tea, some fun new embellishments, washi tape, and some details about yourself. Janette Lane created them as a way to send some love, in a way that doesn't cost a whole heck of a lot (most of mine I throw 2 stamps on and be done with it!).I grabbed these pockets from Amazon.

This first two, I created using mainly Authentique's Radiant Collection. I cut down some of the 6x6 Bundle and a few of the Authentic Life Cards to fit each pocket.

I finally found a use for a set of Pebbles Party Mermaid stickers that I grabbed somewhere for $2. Pocket Letters are a great way to use up scraps, and those fantastic deals that you find. My embellishments that I included were all various washi samples, and printables that I hand cut.

My third Pocket Letter was going to a lovely friend who loves orange. I included a bunch of various scraps and pieces from older Studio Calico kits, and some random Sassafras Lass pieces. The embellishments I included were some Elle's Studio tags and My Mind's Eye stickers.

Today's last Pocket Letter is for a lovely lady who packed up her family and moved to a new adventure. I wanted the colors and elements to celebrate her new adventure. I used a few of the October Afternoon Travel Girl stickers, some lovely washi, sequins and other bits and pieces. I HAD to include some Amy Tangerine puffy stickers as well. The cars and houses were just too perfect!

I also used the fantastic Mason Row Pegz stamps in Sorry We're Closed that were featured on HSN a bit ago. Mason Row has some amazing stamps. Want more information on Pocket Letters... Check out Janette's Blog, and her amazing FAQ's. Pin It

It Hurts... Photographing and Scrapbooking Unhappy Events

How do you photograph a situation that you really don't want to? Photograph a beautiful detail. One small, probably insignificant element that can sum up the entire story without oversharing. I really feel that this photo, with the journaling does just that. Papers and elements are from my October Shop Your Stash kit.

I altered the PageMaps November 2014 sketch HERE and changed up a few things. I really wanted to focus on the one photograph, print the journaling with my Silhouette, and then really play with a few Silhouette cuts.

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Return to Bloggerland...

I'll admit, I've been a horrible blogger. I haven't shared much since the year started. Sorry! Life has gotten in the way. I actually have been creating, but have been doing so in kind of a vacuum.  I just haven't been sharing. So, I've actually snapped pics of the ten (so far!) layouts that I have created since last November/December... And I'm going to share them about three or four a week. Once they are all shared, I'm going to go through my stash and do a giveaway. Just for fun. So, here's my return to sharing once again. For this first project, I used my November Shop Your Stash Kit (list of contents on the original post).

This was actually a really great sketch by my friend Brenda Smith for ScrapbookSteals' Mid-Week Mojo's. She's pretty fantastic. You should really check her out. I kind of love this picture. It's my classroom on the last day of school. I had actually vowed not to return until September started... And for once in my life, actually kept that vow. I really needed summer. So did my girls. Here's the sketch if you'd like. Enjoy!

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December Pocket Pages Kit and Covered Christmas Notebook using Xyron Products

For thirty days, the Xyron Design Team is creating and sharing various tutorials focused on the holidays. Today, I have two projects: my December Pocket Pages kit that I created to document the holiday season, and a Christmas notebook that I can use to keep myself organized throughout the season. Make sure that you keep checking back on the Xyron Facebook page daily for more inspiration.

To start today's post, I want to share my December Pocket Pages kit that I created. I love all of those fantastic kits that are all around, but really wanted to create my own. I had a few pieces of amazing Christmas paper from the Gossamer Blue Get Happy line, and a great mini kit from Paper Issues.  

The kit is pretty basic. I really wanted to have something that I could take with  me, so kept everything fairly easy to work with and portable. If we do something great over the holiday, I wanted to be able to write about it in the moment. This means that I also kept my Xyron products portable as well. The Iris 12x12 Portable Project Case was a great holder for everything. From my Xyron items, I included  my Xyron Mega Runner, Xyron Double-Sided High Tack Tape, Xyron 3" Sticker Maker, and Xyron Wedge Shaped Glue Stick. 

I also found some great things in the Target $1 Spot that I could add to my kit. I LOVE the gold!

 And some fun, bright papers!

So to make this fun cover, I pulled out my Xyron 9" Creative Station and got to work. The thing that I really love about Xyron products, is that because the adhesives are edge-to-edge, they completely cover vellum, without seeing any of the adhesive. So that gorgeous gold vellum is in perfect condition.

I manual die cut the circles, then ran those through my Xyron 9" Creative Station.

Then I stacked those and adhered them to the Simple Stories 8x6 Sn@p Binder. 

To add some interest, I then took the die cut from the Merry Memories Limited Edition Swag Bag and ran that through my Xyron 3" Sticker Maker. This way, it wouldn't peel off of the cover.

Those $1 Spot stickers aren't the greatest sticking stickers, so I took a strip of Xyron Double-Sided High Tack Tape and placed it on a piece of striped paper. Then I adhered the stickers to the Xyron Double-Sided High Tack Tape, and cut it out and adhered it to the cover with some more Xyron Double-Sided High Tack Tape.

Add a quick die cut, some Thickers and a red nose (Liquid Pearls) on the reindeer, and there's my cover!

And of course it needed a title, so to make sure that the little title stuck in place, I made sure that it wouldn't move or shift by adding some Xyron Double-Sided High Tack Tape to the back of the die cut.

I also wanted to share my fun way to keep organized throughout the Christmas season. I love small Moleskine cahiers, as they have enough pages for a larger event, but not too much that I don't use most of the pages. Plus, if I see something I really like, I can always sketch something out.

These are super easy and quick to cover and decorate. I started by running a piece of paper through my Xyron 9" Creative Station. Once that was sticky, I adhered it to the journal, making sure that it would still open easily and lay flat.

Once it was positioned correctly, I trimmed the edges with a kraft knife. If you overcut, just scrape the knife around the edges to rough them up and hide any imperfections.

To start decorating the book, I cut a strip of paper, ran it through my Xyron 3" Sticker Maker, and attached it to the book. 

To add some decoration, and again play with some non-traditional papers, I ran a die cut and a piece of glassine envelope through my Xyron 9" Creative Station. Just like the vellum, the glassine can be difficult to work with as most other adhesives you would notice. 

Once that was attached to the book, I tied it off with some Lawn Fawn (Lawn Trimmings-Gold Sparkle Single Cord) and stamped a sentiment using the Catslife Press stamp (1185B). 

Thank you for stopping by to see today's tutorial. Make sure that you check out all of the Xyron's Design Team member's blogs (links are to your right), and the Xyron Facebook page regularly this season to see all 30 Days of Holiday!

Supplies Used:

December Pocket Pages Kit

Xyron 9" Creative Station, Xyron Mega Runner, Xyron Double-Sided High Tack Tape, Xyron 3" Sticker Maker, We R Memory Keepers Nesting Circles Die Set, Memento Tuxedo Black Ink, Target $1 Spot (tags, striped tags, mini gold alphas), American Crafts (Shimelle-Haynes, Daiquiri gold Thickers), Elle's Studio (Good Cheer paper), Crate Paper (Notes and Things-So Simple; Maggie Holmes-Openbook), My Mind's Eye (Necessities-Metallic Stripe), Gossamer Blue (Get Happy papers and envelopes), Liquid Pearls (Rouge), Catslife Press stamp (1185B), Paper Issues (Merry Memories Limited Edition Swag Bag), Iris 12x12 Portable Project Case, Simple Stories 8x6 Sn@p Binder

Covered Christmas Notebook

Xyron 9" Creative Station, Crate Paper-Sleigh Ride (papers and chipboard), glassine envelope, Catslife Press stamp (1185B), Lawn Fawn (Lawn Trimmings-Gold Sparkle Single Cord), Moleskine cahier

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