May Scrap Our Stash Blog Hop

Happy Friday - I am so glad you are hopping along with us to get the weekend kick-started!  You should have arrived here from CHERYL'S BLOG.  If you are just stopping by and want to start at the beginning of the hop, head over to PRACTICAL SCRAPPERS.

I have two confessions to make to you while you are here.  The first is, today is my birthday!  And I think that being involved in a blog hop with my good friends is the perfect start to the beginning of my *cough mumble mumble cough* year.  LOL!

My second confession involves my layout, which is really, really (really) bright; however, after several days of heavy downpours and dark gray skies, I needed some bright sun, even if it only came from my paper stash:

You may be saying, "Krissy, this is a new(ish) summer collection by AMERICAN CRAFTS.  How could you possibly consider this to be scrapping your stash, which is kind of the point of the whole blog hop?"  Okay...time for confession two.  You see, through a stroke of sheer luck, I managed to score these papers way back during CHA in January.  Then, well, life happened (in ways that I would have preferred it not to have done) any my scrapbooking goodies got shoved in a bag under a table, where they sat alone and neglected.  Do I have older stash?  Oh, yes.  But I am positive I don't have anything brighter and more sunshiny than these papers!

To get started, I used this sketch by CREATIVE SCRAPPERS:

As you can see, I stayed pretty true to the sketch.  Here are a few close-ups (go ahead, put on your sunglasses if you need to):

As you can see, I was one layering crazy woman!  But what can I say?  I wanted to use all my bright pretty papers.  And then I found some cool transparancies that I HAD to use; and the same with the cute stickers; and, gosh, how could I NOT use the adorable wood veneer shapes?  

And, of course, I had to include a little flair.  And include tiny type stickers to add a little visual interest to my title.  And sew.  And fussy cut.  And cut fringes...

But - my stash is just a little more scrapped now, and my work here is done.  Or at least my layout is done...you know what I mean...

Next up on the blog hop is WENDI.  I am sure you are going to love her project!  

Have a great weekend and happy hopping!

Be You

The Huntress - she's got her own style.  It's quirky, it is definitely anime-inspired, (these days it is often a little pouty-faced), and it's all her own.  Some days she is a rock star, and other days she is the ultimate teenage drama queen.  There may be a lot she still has to figure out in life, but she knows who she is, and that is a huuuggge start!  

I took her out to do a fun little photo shoot recently, and I got a memory card full of photos that capture her in all her pouty rocker/anime glory perfectly.  I knew I needed papers that captured the love, optimism, and hope I have for her - so I went digging through my stash for my HEIDI SWAPP stuff, which turned out to fit the bill perfectly.  I primarily used the Mixed Company line, which had the clean, simple graphics I wanted.  

To help me get my mojo kick-started, I also used the SKETCHABILITIES SKETCH #115.  I know a lot of ladies on the Sketchablities design team take a more vintage, mixed media approach to the sketches.  However, I think they work well for any style!

I love the way my layout turned out!  I was a little worried, since I haven't scrapbooked in so long, that I had forgotten how to glue together two pieces of paper, much less create a complete layout.  But, I guess it is just like that old saying about riding a bicycle...(thank goodness).

Here are a couple of close-ups:

A lot of layering and some symbolism, too...

My girl is a superstar to me, so of course I had to include a star and then, for good measure, layer it with another star.  I guess that makes her a super superstar...

Here are a few other photos from our little shoot that I imagine I will be creating layouts around in the near future:

A Few Favorites

Still playing catch-up and wanted to quickly share these layouts - all made with MY SCRAPS AND MORE SKETCHES.  Tammi makes some sketches that, apparently, really work well with my way of scrapping because each layout came together effortlessly and quickly, and I love the results!  I used CRATE PAPER'S STYLEBOARD COLLECTION to create this first layout, which features a photo of the Huntress who is just full of all kinds of attitude but still just as sweet as she can be.

My next layout:

I used an oldy but goody FANCY PANTS collection - Trendsetter - which coordinated perfectly with this photo of Little Lula who, at age 4, is already a little trendsetter with her own style and buckets of personality!

Finally, another of Lula and one of her Lala Loopsy dolls going beddy-bye:

I used my February PAPER BAKERY KIT and some random bits and pieces sitting out on my work table to create this fun layout.

That's it for me today.  Hope your Saturday is full of happiness and spent doing the things you enjoy doing most!  Until next time...

Today Was Golden - My Scraps and More Sketches

Today we are playing along with a new sketch over at MY SCRAPS AND MORE SKETCHES.  Head over to blog to see what other design team members have done with Sketch #76, then play along and link up your take on it!

This is what Sketch 76 looks like:

And here are a couple of close-ups of my layout:

This was an Instagram picture that I took of the Golden Gate Bridge during a recent trip with the Hubster to San Francisco.  We were walking along trails around the Presidio and there were several spots, such as this one, that provided the perfect vantage point to take pictures of the iconic bridge.  I loved the way it turned out and knew I wanted to use it in a layout.  I used a mixture of BELLA BLVD papers from the Snapshots and Freestyle Sophisticates Collections.  I always love it when different collections "play nice" with each other!  I haven't used Bella Blvd in quite a while, but these papers seemed to work perfectly for my layout.

I had a LOT of fun creating the title for this layout.  Often, my title is an afterthought for me, but not this time!

That's it for me today.  Be sure to stop by tomorrow as I continue my catch-up and post a few more layouts that I think you are really going to like.  I know I do! (snicker-snort)

I Am Back - with Pretty Little Studio!

I am back with PRETTY LITTLE STUDIO, and I can't think of a better layout to lead with than this one featuring Lou, one of my beautiful daughters, taken during one of the happiest days of her (and my) life - her wedding.  I created this for PLS using the NEAPOLITAN, BABY JACK, and BIRTHDAY CAKE collections - some of the happiest collections I can think of!

Very quickly, let me apologize for not dazzling you with my brilliant scrapbooking abilities for the last month (insert laugh track here).  I had some serious family issues that took awhile to be resolved, and then I have spent the past few weeks playing catch-up with the rest of life that didn't want to stand still and wait for me while I was trying to get my "shiz-nit" together - pretty rude of life, if you ask me!  But I am back in the saddle, so to speak, and want to catch up - so grab some coffee and stay a little while.

Here are a couple of close-ups:

And - playing catch up, here are several other layouts that I created for Pretty Little Studio recently.  I have truly loved the way each and every one has turned out!

My Always layout (packed full of symbolism):

Two fun cards that I absolutely adore.  A little bit of whimsy always brightens my day:

This layout  - featuring a spring photo I took of The Huntress - and more of those fun Pretty Little Studio paper ribbons that I adore so much!

I had a lot of fun with the layering of this one:

And - finally - these two layouts that I have affectionately dubbed "twinsies" - why?  Because even though I created them weeks apart, they ended up looking almost exactly the same!  Clearly my brain likes something about this design!

Twin 1, or Smaty Pants:

I love this layout and have to share a few close-ups:

And...Twin 2 a/k/a This Girl.  Also notice how I have used the same "this moment" journaling card for my selfie layout.  Yep, I like that particular journaling card a lot.  Quite frankly, I have an obsession with ALL of the Pretty Little Studio journaling tags and cards.  

A couple of close-ups:

Whew!  I feel like I just ran a marathon!  Did you make it to the end with me?  Well, if you did, pat yourself on the back and enjoy the rest of your Wednesday!  And thank you - thank you so much for sticking with me!

Pebbles Garden Party Guest Design!!!

Today's the day - it's finally here!  Is it Christmas again already? Not exactly - although that is what it feels like for me!  Today is the reveal day for Garden Party on the PEBBLES BLOG, and guess who the featured guest designer is?  Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-!!!!!!!!!!!  I've got to tell you, that is the best way to start off a Monday - ever!

Now, I'm not going to do a lot of talking in this post (because I have three projects to show you), except to tell you that the GARDEN PARTY COLLECTION is every bit as fresh and bright and pretty as it sounds!  The Pebbles patterns always mix and match well, making layering (and layering and more layering) easy-breezy, and Garden Party is no exception.  The hardest part of each project for me was choosing which papers I was going to use because they ALL look perfect together!  

Without further ado, here are my Pebbles Garden Party projects:

First is my layout - spring flowers aren't the only things blooming around here!  My 13 year old daughter is suddenly starting to look like a young woman, so this spring collection was just what I needed to create a layout about her.

Yep, I layered my little heart out!  I love adding bits of symbolism to my layouts, and the self-adhesive BUTTERFLY and "tweet" bird were perfect!  And I have to tell you, the glittery foam THICKERS that I used for my title are some of the prettiest I have seen yet.

Here are a few close-ups:

For my second project, I chose to do a Project Life layout.  I have just discovered Project Life and am really loving it now that I have things somewhat figured out.  Pebbles creates wonderful journaling cards, but I wanted to show that you can also cut up your regular papers and use them for Project Life spreads, too!  

Of course, I've got that little layering obsession so lots of things seem to end up attached to the tops of my pockets rather than in them!  Repeat after me - there is no wrong way to scrapbook.  And the journaling POCKETS WITH INSERTS and MINI ENVELOPES  were so unbelievably adorable (and functional) that I couldn't resist!  Just look at how cute these are:

So....what do you do when you have one extra pocket left over with nothing to put in it?  Well, if you are me, you fill that space with several pretty vellum and adhesive FLOWERS.  Why?  Because they are pretty.  And I like pretty things. *smile*

Did I machine stitch over that pocket so that the back side cannot be used?  Um, yes.  Yes I did.

Finally, my third project, which was created with the help of my handy-dandy Silhouette Cameo.  I made a spring purse with packets full of sweet treats to give away to little ones at a recent party.  Seriously, is this not the cutest way to bring little treat bags to a party?!

I created my treat bags by starting with this PEONY PAPER, which I cut up and sewed to my other patterned papers.  The Garden Party PHRASE AND ACCENT STICKERS and MINI-CLOTHESPINS dressed my little bags up beautifully!

Have I mentioned how much I love layering?  I have, haven't I???

Whew!  That's it for me.  I hope you have enjoyed these projects and, if you have, let the ladies over at the Pebbles BLOG know what you think!

GIVING BACK SOME LOVE

This morning I wanted to quickly share a layout I worked on, off and on (well, more off than on) over the weekend.  I used Elle's Studio Love You More Collection that I got during a recent fantastic sale at the My Scraps and More Online STORE.  I also used a gold doily and a heart punch to make my gold hearts that are scattered across my layout.  Now, I gotta tell you, I am new to the Elle's Studio party.  My interest was piqued when I saw my friend HEATHER playing with this very line at our last ever Archiver's crop (still crying over the loss of that store).  But, in playing with these papers and all the coordinating journaling cards and strips that I can fussy cut to my heart's content and then use however I want - well, call me a fish because I am hooked!  This Elle's Studio collection is some awfully sweet bait, though!!!

Can you tell I had a lot of fun layering?  Repeat after me: layers are our friends...

Now, you are probably saying, "Yes yes your layout is pretty but who won the sweet Pretty Little Studio gift certificate?"  Using my fabulous random method of asking my youngest daughter to pick a number between 1-18, THE WINNER OF THE GIFT CERTIFICATE IS SUE DOWNEY!  Sue, I will order your gift certificate today and email the code to you once I receive it!

Thank you to everyone who played along and who left some love and kind words, not only for me but for others!  Words of kindness leave such an incredibly large impact on our lives.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I hope you have a happy crafty week ahead of you.  And if YOU have created something you would like for ME to see and comment on, leave a link in the comment section.  I would love to leave YOU some love, too!!!

The Paper Bakery Sketch #20 Reveal

Happy Sunday folks!  I am up on The Paper Bakery's BLOG today showing my take on the latest sketch, by the wonderfully talented Juliana Michaels!  This is what the sketch looks like:

Sketches make me so happy!  They allow me to just sit down and get started without having to think overly long about a design.  They are invaluable and allow me to actually have time to get crafty, despite having children, cleaning, work, animals, cooking, and a husband all vying for my attention!  

As you can see, I stayed very true to Sketch 20, only changing a few minor things.  I really like this sketch and could see myself using it several times!

All my papers as well as my bits and pieces came from a couple of older Paper Bakery Kits that I purchased when they were having a huge sale at their SHOP.  I just put everything in a big pile on my desk and started crafting!  Here are a couple of close-ups:

Would you like to play along?  Just head to the PAPER BAKERY BLOG and link up your take on Sketch #20.  We would love to see you use Paper Bakery Kits, but it is not necessary.  And, if you are chosen as our random winner, you get a $10 gift certificate to the shop!  The deadline is March 1st at midnight!

Happy crafting!