Scrapping out Loud

I made this first layout for the challenge over at Scrapping out Loud. The challenge was to use a rub on directly on your photograph. It's a technique that I've loved to do for a long time. I just love what it adds to the photograph. And "Who is that adorable child?", you may ask? Why. me of course! This is a layout of my childhood trip to Germany to visit my maternal grandparents. This layout I made for Vintage Plum last week. The paper for both of these layout is Prima's Nursery Tales. I really adore the paper, but find it really hard to work with. You know when you get in that magical zone when the layouts just make themselves practically? Well, this paper doesn't do it for me. I think I just really love dramatic contrasts and this is just more ...not contrasting. LOL Thanks so much for looking! Have a super sweet day!

These Beautiful Days

Here is a layout I made for the Paper Posies crop. I saw a beautiful layout while I was blog hopping and I forgot where it was, but I followed the sketch of her layout. The beautiful lolipop flowers were made by Pauline. The paper I used is by Prima, and the trim was from the craft store. I made the flourishes with black stickles. The letter stickers are Rebecca Sower, I believe. ***ETA I refound the bolg I scraplifted from! it's simplyabundant.typepad.com. Her layouts are beyond amazing and worth a look, for sure!***

Fussy Cut Layout for Vintage Plum Star Search

I fell in love with Prima's Mommy and Me line. It was just sooooooooo cute. I ordered some online from A Cherry On Top with my gift certificate that I won. And, when I first read the challenge on Vintage Plum, I knew these would be the perfect papers to use. I fussy cut all of the little animals out. Some are on pop dots, and some I altere by cutting out different bodies to go with the heads. Isn't the little froggie ADORABLE??? And I had to add some Hedgehogs from Sassafras Lass. I did some hand stitching with embroidery floss. Let me tell ya, that took forever, but I think it is worth the extra effort. I don't really feel like stitching anything by hand for a while though! I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture, but the trees are glittered. I used DCVV's Boy Nursery collection, Making Memories Noteworth Notebook from the Chole's Closet collection . The ticket is from Melissa Frances. Thanks for looking, and have a beautiful day!

Man in a Uniform...

Here is a layout I did following this weeks 52 sketches 52 weeks. The sketch is really cute. I love the clean line look, but I can only get it when I follow a sketch and try really really really hard not to go overboard. Who, me? Overboard? The papers are from Sassafras Lass (who else?) and the submarine paper and the green circle is from K&Co's DayDreams collection. I used embroidery floss to stitch around the circle and some Weathered Wood Distress Ink to give some definition to the layering. The flowers are from Prima and the Glazed Brads are Basic Grey. I used some really really awful chipboard letters. I covered them in ink and diamond glaze to get a look that I liked :) Thanks for looking and have a super sweet day!

I Never Knew What Love is Until Ewe

Well, it's been a little while. I need to post more often, but this project took a crazy amount of time, I made this layout with the intention of selling it on ebay, or at least attempting too... But I probably won't post it on there until next weekend. Although it took forever to make I think it was worth it. And if it doesn't sell I have two beautiful nieces, so I'm sure the layout won't be 'wasted', LOL It's nice to do something girly for a change.

This is the two layouts together. I used Bazzil Bling for the backround. The photo mat on the far right has a pull out tag that is big enough for more pictures or journalling. I used Plantin Schoolbook to cut out the stars and hand stitched them.

I used a ton of Prima flowers and Say it in Crystals. I machine stitched all of the photo mats. I used inking and some chalking for a little more dimension. I used my cricut for the fences and grass (Paper Doll Dress Up) and the sheep (Animal Kingdom). The title is cut with the Calligraphy cartridge.

All of the ribbons are Making Memories and the little hearts are K&Co stickers.

I spent hours on these sheep to get them perfect. My son was unusually demanding last week and I was only able to scrap in bursts LOL, so these did take forever! I had so many mess ups! But I flocked all of the sheep twice to give them more texture. Then I added a little bit of chalk to make the texture really show up. This layout is full of little details like that. I think it makes it really unique.

So, if anyone was wondering what I've been up to... here she is! Thanks so much for reading. Have a super sweet day!

Pen Holder & Blog Candy Alert

Here is a project I made for an altered art challenge that Morag has set up over at the AllyScraps.com forum. I needed a container to hold my outrageous number of pens, markers and paintbrushes, so I made a pen holder. I made one of these in first grade, but this one is a little nicer. If you want to do a similar project, use a smaller can! This one is about 13 inches around, which was a PAIN! The tomatoes were quite delicious though. I covered the can with brown paper from Prima and used some heavier My Mind's Eye glittered paper in the center. I used the square bracket-y thing (one day I will find out what the heck it is called for real) from the Calligraphy cricut cartridge. I really wish that they would have given the capapbility to have a blackout out image! I end up glueing the frame part to the paper I want inside and cut it out with scissors (thus making owning a die cutter more complicated). The shape is actually the same off white Prima paper. I inked the outline with Distress Ink, then I stamped the part that ws going to be the inside with Distess Ink and my new handy dandy script backround stamp. The swirly things are from the calligraphy cartridge as well. On my last trip to Michaels I picked up some Say it in Crystals by Prima that they just started to carry. So that is what all that bling is about. Flowers are by Prima as well. The angel is from some stickers that my mother brought back from Germany 10 years or so ago. They have an ugly white outline around them, so I just trimmed it off.

~*~BLOG CANDY ALERT~*~

Be sure to check out Irene's blog for some adorable blog candy! Fat free, calorie free (for my girlies on a diet) and guilt free! Irene has the most fantastic blog. She is so inspirational to me. Well, I'm done rambling for today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful day.

My Friend Shemaine told me about a really neat site called Inspired Blueprints. I made this layout based on one of their sketches. It's pretty basic, but I love the patterned papers on this one. They are from Prima and My Mind's Eye. I used the Calligraphy and the Plaintin Schoolbook Cricut Cartridges.