Paper Girls Challenge Blog: Labor Day

Happy Labor Day everyone! Since I'm a teacher, Labor Day has a special significance in my career. It signifies that the school year has started, and summer is now over. In my little house, we have a new school-ager, and we once again have our favorite kindergarten teacher. This card is for her.

I used a fantastic little owl card by Jennifer Rush. I really loved how cute she was. And the apple!!!! I used a combination of scraps from my scrap bin, and a few bits and pieces of the Bountiful Collection from Authentique. I know that there are little bits of pieces from Elle's Studio and Studio Calico, but I've no idea what line anymore. The stamp is also from Studio Calico.

Make sure that you check out the Paper Girls Challenge Blog and participate in your own version of our Labor Day Challenge! Pin It

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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Just a Fun Layout

Just a fun layout showcasing some Maya Road products and some Fancy Pants papers. With a little Elle's Studio thrown in.

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March Paper Issues Crop Sketch

One of my favorite things right now is creating layouts using sketches. I go through waves of time where I love them, and then don't. This is from the Paper Issues Crop Layout sketch below. I used quite a few different papers including some from Heidi Swapp, Webster's Pages and Elle's Studio.

I can't get the pic for the sketch to load, but here is the LINK. It's the CROP sketch. 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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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

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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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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