Adding some color to a kit...BOAF...

Here are a few more projects with the April kit from Birds of a Feather.

I wanted to bring in some other colors to go along with the beautiful pinks and cream and black in the April kit.  For me the easiest way to to that is paint or mist, but you could also using cardstock, markers, thread, buttons, or any other myriad of emebellishments!  On my black flowers I added some bright blue gem brads from my stash.

We went to a birthday party a few weeks ago that was batman-themed.  The cupcakes had yellow frosting with black sugar bats.  Charlotte ate the bats and the frosting, and left the cupcake!  :0  That's OK cause I ate the rest!

I misted some of the papers with different shades of greens and blues and then punched the strips with some border punches.

 I splattered some more mists on my background and used some "confetti" that was just the excess from one of the punches.

I think adding these bits of color really added to the playful/celebratory feeling of my page!

And finally, I thought I'd share two cards that I made with this kit, too.  These papers are just perfect for some frilly Mother's Day cards, so I created one for my mom and one for my MIL!

A hodge podge of stuff...

Well I have a few things to share today from some current kits and some past kits that I have been working with.

First up is a page that I did using my Cosmo Cricket 2wenty Thr3e line last month at Memorable Seasons.  I just love love the colors in this line.

 Whenever Charlotte gets in trouble, I make my "angry" face and she knows it.  After we talk about why she is in trouble, she asks me "Are you happy now, mommy?"  Well on day we were talking about our "happy" faces and "angry" faces and we started making all kinds of faces!  It was quite entertaining.

I splattered the background with a bit of white paint.  The light pink doilies are actually from a piece of MME paper.  I also added some dark pinking stitching here and there.  The photo strips I just printed at a set size on my printer and cut them out like that.

Next up for Memorable Seasons is my kit from this month featuring Crate Paper Story Teller.  I LOVE this line! For my challenge today on the board, you have to create a round card with a cream colored base with something that "grows".   I cut these leaves with my Cricut using the Stretch Your Imagination cartridge.

I really need to build up my birthday card stash.  I have been enjoying making cards lately because they go so much faster for me than layouts do!  :)

And lastly is a page I made with my April kit from Birds of a Feather. It is a very vintage inspired kit, and I don't have any vintage photos available right now, but that didn't stop me!  We just recently visited the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory in Brenham, Texas where they have been making ice cream for over 100 years!  I took lots of photos, of course, and to make them look vintage, I just added a sepia color cast to the photos and played with the setting s bit.  The backdrop of the old ice cream truck worked perfectly to give this an old-time-photo type of feel.

I painted the cardstock with a bit of white Distress Stain (my new favorite stuff to use), and then just layered a bunch of the papers.  I love how the colors of this page really remind me of the colors of ice cream!

The Paper Cut and A Sweet Life

It's here!!!  The first issue of the new GCD Studios magazine called The Paper Cut.


You are going to be so so inspired by all of the contents inside this magazine.  It is so crisp and clear, with fantastic projects and directions. (Click on the image of the magazine to view it).

Inside the front cover, you will notice a layout by Yours Truly!!!!   This is my very first LO for GCD and I was so excited to do it!  There is a feature in the magazine about flipping and altering sketches.  The layout below was based on this sketch by Pam Callaghan.

I altered the sketch a bit by shrinking it down and pushing it to one side of the page.

Believe it or not, I used ELEVEN different sheets of patterned papers from FOUR different lines to create this page!  :)
Charlotte has a new favorite treat and it's ice cream sandwiches.  I made the rectangular photo mats to look like ice cream sammies...brown border with white on the inside.

For the banner on top, I stitched with some blue thread and then stitched the banner pieces and added them on top of the blue lines with pop dots.

I fussy cut some flowers and this title block, and even used some brads for my flower centers!!!

So please go check out the magazine and leave on comment on the GCD Studios blog to let the girls know what you think!

Something Else

Kyler was a pretty fussy baby....nothing compared to what Charlotte was like (she never cried!).  This guy would howl the moment you set him down.  I swear we couldn't put him down for 5 minutes without a wail.  Then there was the whole issue of him not taking a bottle at 3 months (i had been exclusively nursing).  I mean we tried everything...feeding him in the car set and th bouncy chair, 4 or 5 different types of nipples, letting different people try while I was gone...nothing...

Anyways, whenever he would display one of these traits and we were at our wits' end, we would say "Kyler, your something else..." and so it became his nickname...Something Else.  We joked that we would change his name to Something Else.  When people asked what we would change it to, we'd say "Something Else", and they'd say, "Like What?"  And we'd say, "No, Something Else".  It was a "Who's on First?" type of argument.

Anyways, I am playing with the new Crate Paper Story Teller line this month at Memorable Seasons and I have just one word: LOVE!  I ordered it all and Pretty Party, too!!!!
These next two weeks are also Chevron weeks at Paper Issues, so go link up your chevron projects, too!

So I wanted to try to create a chevron type of pattern on my page with some diamond shapes. I cut 2" square and then cut them diagonal to create the triangles.  I layered the triangles and stitched down the middle. At first this page started out with totally different photos of Charlotte and had some pink in it, but it wan't working.  When I switched the photos and removed the pink and put in woodgrain, I was please with the result.

Miss Charlotte actually took these photos with HER own camera.  Santa had brought her one of those Discovery cameras. It is fun to look through and see what things she has taken pictures of.  And these ones of Kyler weren't that bad!  The expressions on his face in these photos just scream "Something Else".

One of my new favorite things is Distress Stain, which I used here in Antique Linen, and it just ever-so-lightly stains the background. I misted the background, too, with a light grey mist and used my chevron mask from Crafter's Workshop.  Then I splattered a bit of paint.

Things WERE starting to get a lot better, but he just started crawling about 4 weeks ago, and today he pulled himself up on the bottom step....we are in so much trouble.  He sure is Something Else......

Scrapp'n Savvy Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Scrapp'n Savvy Blog Hop! During this hop, you will learn about each teachers classes at the store and be eligible to win FREE class sessions. To enter, you must leave a comment on EACH teachers' blog and then return to the Scrapp'n Savvy blog and leave a comment that you have completed the hop. We will also be sharing with you information about our classes and techniques and tips that we used to create our "HOME" banners!

I teach a regular monthly class at Scrapp'n Savvy called Everday Layouts.  In class we complete two single page  layouts and one double page layout.  I provide tips and ideas for coordinating pages.  We do lots of different and fun techniques including painting, misting, sewing, distressing, and much more!  The pages I create are general in theme so that you could use them for a bunch of different types of photos.  I tend to scrap "moments" rather than "events".  Here are some pages that we have created in class in the past few months:

I will also be teaching a SPECIAL technique class in May called "Misting Magic".  I will be discussing different types of mists, and we will be creating three pages with a bunch of different mist techniques.  You will learn a LOT about this medium and also get a bottle of mist in your class kit!

Now onto my banner:
I decided to go with a bright color palette that would be perfect for year round and that could brighten up my space.  I went with a bright sunshine yellow, teal blue, and moss green.  Then I added some pops of red with paper and paint on the hearts.  On each tag, i typed up some quotes about "home" and glued them in strips.

I covered each letter with paper, inked the edges and outlines the letters with a black pen.  Then I added some crackle medium here and there for some texture.
For the muslin flower, I stamped with with a texture stamp with black StazOn ink (so it would run when I misted it) and then misted it with yellow mist.  I also wrapped each letter in some areas with black embroidery thread.

This felt bird I misted with green mist and covered the wings with paper.

On the acrylic bird, I stamped with with StazOn and painted the wings blue.  Both of the birds came from a Basically Bare pack of bird embellies.

More tags and detail of the crackle on the letter.

And finally the twine butterfly...

Thanks for stopping by my blog today.  Be sure to comment on each of the blogs listed below for your chance to win a free class!  Winners will be chosen April 4th.

Scrappn’ Savvy Blog- http://www.razzilldazzilltime.blogspot.com/

Millie Jones- http://generationswithmillie.blogspot.com/

Audrey Yeager- http://www.audreysreflection.blogspot.com/

Heather Leopard- http://www.thespottedleopard.blogspot.com/

Terri Burnette- http://thepaperassylum.blogspot.com/

Leslie Parlette- http://designsdessertdisasters.blogspot.com/

Too Shabby?

For my class this month at Scrapp'n Savvy, I decided to do something different for me!  Last month I used the American Crafts Chap line and did some boy pages. This month I decided to go all girl and do a few "shabby" pages using the Bazzill line Vintage Market Place, by Margie Romney-Aslett.  I just loved the piece of paper that had the large chevron prints alternating newsprint and girly colors.  So I cut the whole piece of paper into the chevron strips and made two pages with it.

While working with these colors, I couldn't stop thinking about Charlotte's birthday last year, so I decided to use some photos that I hadn't scrapped yet.  We made this birthday hat together and also the cupcakes, so nothing was really a surprise for her.

I cut some circles out of some of the patterned paper and folded and stitched them to make this banner.  The flags, die cuts, and sequins all came from some old Girl's Paperie stuff that I had...it matches perfectly with the Bazzill line (of course b/c it is the same designer!)

On the chevron strips, I machine stitched down the middle to show off the zig-zags a bit more.  I splattered the background with green mist and then threw some pink sequins on the page.

So on this next page, I used the newsprint pieces of the chevron paper to create the layered piece below.  On Saturday, Charlotte attended her first birthday party (for a friend).  It was a batman theme party (whom she doesn't really know), but wanted to get all dolled up with her glasses and bracelettes.  We had a great time!

In keeping with my "shabby" style, I added some lace under the chevron pieces. I fussy cut some roses from the paper and added them peeking out from the chevron and at other places on the page, too.

And finally, we always do one 2-pager in my class, and I decided to work with the MME Miss Caroline collection.  I loved the soft pastel colors and thought it would be perfect for a page about Easter.  These are photos from about a year ago (look at how much Charlotte's hair has grown from this page below to the previous layout!).   I have so many photos of Easter activities from last year that I MUST get done before this Easter!  :)  This was an Easter Egg hunt that we did with our Mom's Group in a local park.  Charlotte was so serious about going around finding as many eggs as she could!  :)

After I laid out all the papers and photos on my white cardstock, I decided that my background needed a bit more texture.  SO, I bought some lace by the yard at the craft store and just stitched it onto the white cardstock.  I love the texture that it adds to the page!

I fussy cut a LOT of papers, including the scalloped borders and these flower-shaped things.  Other than that, the layout is pretty simple!

I am really in love with these pages, and overall, I think they are "Not Too Shabby".  (Get it?)

I have THREE of these kits left for creating the three layouts above.  If you are interested, let me know! Thanks for stopping by today!

Book Paper Inspriration with GLITZ

Hello Glitz fans!!!  Today I get to share with you my interpretation of this months challenge to use BOOK PAPER on your project.

There is a sheet of paper in the Beautiful Dreamer line that works perfectly for this challenge!  It is covered in book text.  Unfortunately, I hardly have any of it left, so I had to use some scraps, so this page is all about the scraps!  I think I have used 5 or 6 different collections on this one page.

I framed my photos with some What Nots and then cut out some little black frames on my Cricut.  I backed each frame with some patterned paper.  Three of the frames have the book paper on them and to make them stand out a bit more I popped them off the page.

One of the frames is a Glitzer sticker, so to add some more GLITZ I added some small rhinestones to my oval photo frames.

Next up I wanted to use the Dance in the Sunshine collection for these photos of my little girl playing outside.  The purple in her shirt and the sunshine behind her were a perfect fit for these pages.

I cut a large frame out of white cardstock, stamped it lightly, and then distressed the edges.  I then used a stitch stamp and wrote my journaling around the edge.  I also added in some Paper Layers on this page that had book print on them, too!

And I have a confession to make!  (It's always good to share the mix ups with the good, too, right?)  After I had stamped my stitched lines on my white frame I decided they would be awesome for journaling.  But after I photographed my layout, I realized that I had already used a sticker to the left of my photos as a spot for journaling!!  So right now it is blank, but I will dress it up with some type of embellishment!!!  Oops!!  But the funny thing is, I am still very happy with the way my page turned out!  :)

Thanks for stopping by today!

Friends On Parade:
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Floral
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Birds
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Stripe
Glitz Designs: Beautiful Dreamer
Other papers from Glitz Designs Collections: Hoopla, Afternoon Muse, Laced with Grace
Gllitz Designs Dance in the Sunshine Stickers
Glitz Designs Dance in the Sunshine Glitzers
Glitz Designs Beautiful Dreamer What Nots
Other stickers from Laced with Grace

Bucket of Fun:
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Raindrops
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Damask
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Stripe
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Epoxy Stickers
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Glitzers
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine Paper Layers
Glitz Designs: Dance In the Sunshine What Nots

Win some Dear Lizzy Neapolitan!!!!

Are you ready for a GIVEAWAY??  You could win this little mini kit from Paper Issues!  It features products from the new Dear Lizzy Neapolitan line and also has some twine and seam binding.  Read through to the end to find out how to win!

Paper Issues is an inspirational blog that has a new "issue" every few weeks.  You can link up your project for the current theme, and it might be featured, and you will probably get some blog love, too!  :)  The next couple weeks the theme is "Candy Shoppe", and this Dear Lizzy line is a perfect  fit!

I had some Easter photos from last year that have been on my to do list for a while.  I used this months kit from Scrapbook Circle.

When I started this page, I couldn't get the idea of using something to represent eggs out of my head.  I was going to make a little Easter egg garland, or just cut some out, but it just wasn't working.  But then I remembered I had this awesome new stencil from  The Crafter's Workshop.  So I actually painted the stencil and used it kinda like a stamp.

I misted some of the Jenni Bowlin perforated tickets that came in the kit and then punched some holes in them, too.  And I gave the wooden butterfly a little bit of a whitewash and backed it with some patterned paper.

OK, now for the giveaway!  There are 4 of us on the Paper Issues team who are participating in this giveaway!  All you have to do is visit all 4 blogs, AND the Paper Issues blog and leave a comment.  You must also be a follower of the PI blog and "like" PI on Facebook!

Marlene Gomez

Lori Hairston

Bethany Crowell

Paper Issues Blog

In addition, YOU REALLY should check out the PI store!  There are a ton of new releases there from Cosmo, Fancy Pants, October Afternoon, Crate Paper, The Crafter's Workshop, and of course some Dear Lizzy stuff!!  AND, for your shopping convenience, enter the word AUDREY at checkout and receive 20% off your purchase!