I started with a 7 Gypsies shipping tag in bright white. These tags take inking incredibly well. Then, I used my distress ink blending tool and two distress mini inks. I used the colors Candied Apple and Carved Pumpkin. These bright and vibrant colors blended effortlessly. I used a couple of water droplets to create some more texture. I blotted them off with a paper towel.


Next, I placed my tag inside the Hampton Arts Stamping Tool. I started with stamping the little clam from Lawn Fawn in Staz On black ink. I proceeded to stamp the rest of them using my stamping tool. It helps get better precision and better impressions. To finish the stamped images, I used my Wink of Stella glitter pen to add shimmer to my little clam.


Lastly, I used some Kat Scrappiness sequins from the Trix Mix pack. I also added some silver and white twine from Spritz in a small bow on top. This tag was so much fun to create. I loved getting to use some new goodies. I hope you enjoyed this fun little birthday tag. It would be perfect as part of a card or on top of a gift! Thanks for stopping by and I'll catch you next time!

Supplies:
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Distress Ink Mini Kit #15

Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad MINI KIT 15 TDPK46752
from: Simon Says Stamp

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad - Candied Apple
from: Blitsy

Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Mini Ink Pad - Carved Pumpkin
from: Blitsy

Lawn Fawn YEAR SIX Clear Stamps LF1050
from: Simon Says Stamp

Lawn Fawn Stamps - Year Six
from: Blitsy

Kat Scrappiness Sequins - Trix Mix

1) Organize and find a place for my photo albums

This goal has not made any more progress than it did last month. However, we are closer to buying a new entertainment unit. If you remember from last month I mentioned that I wanted to keep some of my albums in our new entertainment center in the living room.

2) Complete 2 travel albums

I did make some progress on this goal. I have created quite a few pages for my Pittsburgh travel album. I'll be sharing the latest ones for this month over on my YouTube channel for my monthly wrap up. So, if you would like to take a glimpse come on over and check them out! That video will be up a few days after this post goes live. As for my other album, haven't touched it. I'm not going to lie it does overwhelm me. Mainly because we'll be going on another vacation soon and I won't have a single album done for 2016's trips. Oh well, I'll keep traveling faster than I can scrapbook it I suppose, haha.

3) Follow at least 2 spending freezes

To be quite honest, I'm not sure this goal will be able to be complete since I am on a design team currently and need to buy products to showcase. However, I have limited my spending immensely. So, I'm making progress, and although I can't quit cold turkey yet, maybe one day!

4) Create more cards and have an organizational system for them

Ah, yes, one of my favorite crafty goals. Make more cards! It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Well, I have made quite a few cards in February since Valentine's Day was here and now gone. This goal lives on to still inspire me to keep creating and sending cards. I'm slowly coming up with new ideas for who to send cards to like my grandpa who just got a new dog! The perfect occasion to send a little snail mail. The organization part has made absolutely no progress, but since I'm at school I will have to let that goal slide a little bit.

That's the summary of my goal update for this month! I hope you enjoyed reading about my struggles and successes. It's always fun to look back upon too! If you would like to see what I created this month watch my YouTube channel for a wrap up video. Thanks for stopping by!

My first tip before even beginning this type of project is picking out a color scheme. I went for a classic red, white, and blue, but you could use all one color or maybe some pastels. It's all up to you. Next tip, be aware that putting all of the letters down is what will take you the longest time. I am not kidding you this coordination of letters (I know, it's a masterpiece) took me at least 20 minutes. Once this section of the layout was done it was all smooth sailing. If you guys would like other ideas on how to use up those leftover letters let me know! I have a full process video below and some up close photos.



In the video, you can see that I sped up the letter laying section up a bit so it went by faster, but it did take me a long time. I was meticulous with my placement though, I didn't want the same letters next to each other and it to look sort of random. There are plenty of other versions of layouts like this on the internet for your inspiration as well!


I used three alphabet sets to do this fun method. One was a Thicker set from American Crafts, another from KI Memories and the blue set is from somewhere I can't remember, haha. After I laid all of the letters down, I took to some paint! I used white acrylic paint as an additional layer behind where my photo will go. I also watered down the white paint to put some splatters around the page. The splatters add contrast against the otherwise bland kraft background paper.



I created an embellishment cluster to the bottom left of my photo starting with a Tim Holtz label sticker. I also added an Elle's Studio star sticker, an ampersand from the leftover alphabet sticker sheet, and a heavy metal arrow from Michael's. This cluster ended up coming together so effortlessly. Do you ever get the feeling that you set yourself up for success by accident? What I really mean by that question is do you think that having a messy desk promotes creativity? Just kidding! (Although I'm sure it probably does for some people).


I titled this layout "Cat Nap?" because I swear my dog thinks he is a cat. He loves our cats and definitely wishes he could follow them in to the tight places around the house including under coffee tables and couches. He also particularly likes their treats. I knew this story would have a lot of journaling, so I included a pocket from Hobby Lobby's Paper Studio line to keep a tag in.


Lastly, I finished off this quirky layout with a couple of navy buttons. I really like how they add yer another textural element to the alphabet cluster. That sums up this layout guys! I hope you enjoyed the video tutorial and try it yourselves soon! Thanks for stopping by!

First, I started with a background of DCWV paper that is a wood grain pattern with lace details. Then, I used a piece of trimmed down white cardstock to do some mixed media on! I used the packaging technique to create this mixed media look. Basically, I took a blue dye ink and pushed it on to some clear plastic. I also watered down the color using my spray bottle. To add more texture, I used some black watercolor to splatter some dots.


The layers behind my photo are all using DCWV papers. Most of these were scrap pieces that happened to just fall together. I love this color scheme together. I have a tag to the left of the photo to have hidden journaling. This layout captures her personality well. My cat is very prissy at times and I wanted to document that.


The layers behind my photo include a Freckled Fawn square doily. They are so dainty and lovely! I also used a glitter chipboard hashtag from Heidi Swapp to add a little bling. My photo is mounted on white cardstock to add contrast against the other layers.


The cluster to the right of the photo is based on two tags. The top tag is from Pretty Little Studio and the bottom tag is from Studio Calico. I also used a W Plus 9 stamp to make this little kitten. I also included a Recollections heart puffy sticker.


Lastly, I had to put on the title! Title placement was kind of difficult for this layout, but I made it work. I used two different types of Thickers from American Crafts. Now, I had to finish this layout with a few stamps! I used a stamp set from Basic Grey called Hello to add little details and the date. That finishes up this layout! Thank you so much for stopping by!

This layout started with a really old piece of Stampin' Up paper with green and white stripes. I used an old-fashioned print bag that I cut and used as a border. Then, I used washi tape from Scotch and ribbon on the side of it as well. I layered my photo on some Crate Paper patterned paper to add contrast.


My favorite part of this layout is the title cluster. I have been hoarding these wood veneer scissors for far too long and I'm glad I finally got some use out of them! I also used a clipboard cut out from Crate Paper, a Heidi Swapp glasses stamp, and a Pretty Little Studio label to complete the cluster. The title is a little bit wonky, but the first set of stickers are from Joann's and the second set are from Jolee's.


This fun cluster to the left of the photo is simple, but it's where I plan on journaling. I used a cork speech bubble sticker from Oriental Trading and a Paper & Spool flair. I think that the flair perfectly captures my cat's emotions, haha! I wasn't quite sure what to write in his speech bubble yet, but I'll fill it in.


Last, but not least is the cluster to the right of the photos. I loved this banner sticker from Freckled Fawn and paired it with a faux stamp sticker, and a burlap heart from Simple Stories. This is another one of my simple layouts, but it was still fun to make and bash my stash. I hope you enjoyed, thanks for stopping by!

Hello everyone! Welcome back to my blog! I'm sharing a video tutorial today on another example of how to bash those 6x6 paper pads we have. This technique requires a lot of cutting, but it's definitely worth it. This is also probably my favorite layout (or one of my favorite layouts) this year thus far! I hope you enjoy the tutorial and the tips down below!



This layout features a paper from Echo Park's Reflection Collection designed by Lori Whitlock. I wanted to stay with natural tones to keep with the theme of the photo. This photo was taken when my boyfriend and I went to a nature center on a lake. It was a great time and this is the first photo from that day that I've scrapbooked! I'm glad to finally have one in the album. I hope you enjoy the tutorial below and if you have any questions let me know!



I used my new Amy Tangerine stitching set to pierce the holes for all of the letters. Then, I used some black embroidery floss to stitch them to life. This giant title was really fun to complete. I have a secret love for typography and it's fun to play with so many fonts. I used a set of Webster's Pages Painted Passport block letter stickers for the small words, Freckled Fawn's puffy white alphabet stickers for the second set of words and lastly, I used a set of American Craft thickers to finish it off. Whenever you're mixing fonts you'll want to be aware of color, size, and type of font.


These rub ons are so adorable! They add just a touch of shine which this layout desperately needed. They are Project Life brand and they may not be available anymore because they were a gift to me. I scattered several different rub ons all over my layout and even one directly on top of my photo! The photo above is also a great close up shot of the triangles that I cut. I just mixed and matched the patterns so that they flowed nicely. All of the squares measure 1 3/4" x 1 3/4".


I should have called this the quilting technique, but it isn't a true quilt pattern either. This technique however is very flexible for any page size, not just 12 x 12. Plus, you could put the squares diagonally or vertically for a couple of more unique layouts. Overall, this is one of the easiest 6 x 6 bashing ideas yet!


I created a small cluster in the bottom left to help balance out the photo and title. I used a stamp from the Scraptastic Club on some of the same patterned paper. I put that on fun foam and layered two Pretty Little Studio labels behind it. To complete this cluster, I used some Bo Bunny jewels from the Modern Miss collection. I really liked the softness that this metallic green added.



My photo is mounted on the same patterned papers that I used on my layout and I managed to sneak a piece of fun foam in there too for more dimension. I wanted a journaling spot on this layout so I used a Pretty Little Studio label and put it next to my photo. I paired that with a flair that reads today, again to bring some of the black over to this side. I wanted even more contrast, so I grabbed my Tim Holtz phrase stickers and picked a few out.


Again, this is one of my most favorite layouts that I have ever created! Plus, it is about one of my favorite moments! I hope you enjoyed this fun tutorial and if you try it let me know how it turns out! Thanks for watching and I'll catch you guys next time!

To start off with, I chose this Dear Lizzy patterned paper from the Day Dreamer collection as my background. Next, I wanted to play with my new stitching template set from Amy Tangerine. I decided that I would stitch part of my title. As fair warning, if you buy this set be sure to buy more embroidery floss to go with it. I did not have enough to complete this section of my title and supplemented with black thread instead. You can kinda tell now that I told you, but it doesn't really bother me. So, once I had that all stitched out, I decided that I needed some bright and fun letters to go with the harshness of the stitched letters. I pulled out these American Crafts teal glitter thickers in the font Fitzgerald. They're my fave!



I used this photo of myself while I was on lunch at my first full time job. I mounted the photo on to white cardstock, some teal patterned paper from My Mind's Eye, and  then a thin layer of black cardstock so it would pop. I had a 4x4 transparency from Pink Paislee's Citrus Bliss collection that had pink metallic triangles on it. I decided to cut it up and slip it under the top right and bottoms left sides of my photo to add more interest. I also created a pocket underneath my photo to keep this tag for some hidden journaling.


The middle of the layout was getting heavy with all of the black accents, so I wanted to add more. I took some of my Ikea plain black washi tape and ran pieces down the lengths of my page. This not only provides additional contrast, but also keeps the layout contained and by that I mean keeps the viewers eyes on the page. The top left cluster has some teal washi tape from Michael's to incorporate more teal like the font. I used a We R Memory Keepers label and a Paper & Spool flair. I added a few more details using some Michael's enamel triangles and a Project Life wood veneer asterisk.


The largest cluster features a wood veneer flower cluster from Michael's. I layered some Pebbles leaf die cuts and a Recollections butterfly. I included a few puffy stickers from Heidi Swapp on the layout as well. I hope you enjoyed my first layout featuring stitching! I'm sure there will be many more in the future. Do you use stitching on your layouts? Thanks for stopping by!

With thoughts of chocolate and love in the air, I wanted to give a little bit to my lovely roommates. I mean who doesn't love chocolate and a cute hedgehog?! These tags began when I opened up my new distress ink mini kit #15. I knew I wanted to play with the beautiful red in the set and Valentine's Day was the perfect excuse to get a bit inky! I used my ink blender tool on some 7 Gypsies tags to get an ombre effect.


Once I had a solid red ombre I moved on to a little bit of stamping. I wanted a subtle pattern on the background of the tag without adding a lot of texture. I decided to use one of my Studio G stamps that said XOXO on it. I stamped this in the same distress ink I used on the background. My stamping adventure continues on these tags and I use the Lawn Fawn set called Hedgehugs. A super cute mini set that is definitely a need! I stamped all of these stamps in Memento black ink.


To give my tag a little more dimension, I stamped the sentiment on some white cardstock. I put it up on foam to give dimension and added some flag endings. At first, I didn't like the way the sentiments stuck out at the ends, but it's growing on me. Even with this dimension, the tags still felt a little bit flat. To finish them off, I added a couple clear sequins from Darice to add shine and pizzazz.


 I also wanted to add some softer textures. I dug through my stash and found this Halloween pom pom trim and thought it was perfect! I added a small strand of this to the bottoms of each tag. It adds just the right amount of frill to the tags.


To bring it all together, I packaged up a couple of lip shaped chocolates into some plain ole lunch bags. Of course, I couldn't just leave them plain, so I stapled my tags and a doily on top for the perfect Valentine's day gift! I hope you enjoyed this fun DIY tag/gift! Thanks for stopping by!

Hello everyone and welcome back! I have a lot of exciting things to share with you over this weekend and this is just the start! I am sharing another component of my Incorporating Memorabilia series today and tomorrow I'll have an additional two process videos up! One is for my new role as a Design Team member for Wild Whisper Designs and the other is for a fun YouTube hop! If you want to see those as soon as they go live, be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel! Let's jump right into today's process.


This is actually a two page process video. I have an insert and a full sized pocket page. While the memorabilia is very small on this one, it still counts (in my book anyway)! I used Simple Stories SNAP page protectors for these two. I hope you enjoy my process video!



I have found that I like to keep my pocket pages simple. I don't know why, but too much stuff all over the place is too much for me. When working with such a small canvas, I like to have a balance between photos and filler/title cards. On this layout, I have two (kinda) title cards and one filler card, but I also embellish on some of my photos.


On the pocket page insert, I included one title card and one photo. The title card starts off with a base of blue DCWV cardstock cut to 3x4. Next, I pulled out a floral washi tape from Freckled Fawn and added a strip. I sifted through an October Afternoon die cut set and found this breakfast themed top note shape. I thought that the blank space on it between the "good morning" and the eggs and bacon was a perfect spot for a small title. I used a set of Heidi Swapp stickers to create it. To complete the insert, I slipped a photo of the menu into the second pocket.


For the main 6x8 page, I decided it would ideally feature the food we ordered. Since this page was 4 -3x4 pockets, I had to cut my 4x6 photo in half. I know this can sometimes bother some people, but it is perfectly fine with me. Since there was so much negative space on the photo, I used another October Afternoon die cut in the top left with some enamel dots. To balance that, I used an Elle's Studio die cut in the bottom right of the photo. As a side note, the pancakes there are awesome!


By far my favorite piece of this layout, besides the pancakes was this filler card. It came together so nicely in the end! I started with an Elle's Studio 3x4 card from their Let's Eat collection. I added some gray floral washi and a strip of DCWV mustard cardstock to add a pop of color. Then, I layered a Doodlebug doily and an Elle's Studio tag on top of that! I didn't have the perfect colored twine to go through the tag hole at the time, but I plan on adding something there later.


My incorporation of memorabilia on this layout was simple, but makes it more authentic feeling. I had this guest check die cut piece from October Afternoon and had to use it on this diner page. Of course, I couldn't just slip it in a pocket and be done, I had to add part of our own receipt on to it! So with careful cutting, I added out little receipt tab on to the fake receipt. It's a cute and small memento that will probably fade over time, but again, it's about the authenticity. I plan on writing what we actually ordered on to the guest check as well.


I am still really loving this 6x8 size. It's fun and simple to work with. I hope you enjoyed this episode in my Incorporating Memorabilia series! I will have more videos coming soon! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
*Purchasing through these links is part of an affiliate program and I will receive a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you*
Shop through Blitsy! http://blitsy.com/ref/z3m57
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Doodlebug Mini Doilies (75 Pack), Swimming Pool

All of the patterned papers I used for this layout are from the DCWV Spring Stack. It has loads of colorful designs that can be used for all types of stories. I wanted to capture the whimsical and light feel of these two playing in the yard, so I kept it simple. I cut two of the photos to 4x4 and then left the other as 4x6. To give some depth to the page I added foam adhesive under the center photo. This layout would be great for photos you take in a consecutive manner.


I used some really old Heidi Swapp orange home themed stickers to bring in more pops of color. These help the background paper's tiny bit of orange pop as well. The title uses one of those stickers as well as some Recollections acrylic letters to write out "fun".


I always like to use tags to create hidden journaling spots. The tag is from Recollections' spring collection. This layout is clean and simple, but was easy and goes along with the story perfectly. I hope you enjoyed and thank you so much for stopping by!

I started with a cardstock base that is cut and scored to be 4 1/4" x 5 1/2". I'm using some Darice 110 lb. cardstock to make sure that it is sturdy. Once that was cut and scored, I decided to pick out my patterned paper. After looking through my 6x6 stash, I decided to use my Doodlebug Designs Patriotic paper pad. This really cute heart collage paper was the perfect pop of color to use behind my stamped panel. I cut this piece to 4" x 5 1/4", so that there would be a white border along the edges.


The stamp set that I am featuring on my card is one that I received for Christmas. It is Kitty's Favorite Things  by Neat & Tangled. It's important that we support all of the small designers and shops instead of just the big box stores. There are plenty of other stamps included in this set besides what I had used today. I decided that I would use my Hampton Arts Precision Stamping Tool to get dark images for my watercolored pieces. I stamped the cat and the banner using Staz-on ink in Jet Black to ensure that it would be waterproof. Once those elements were dry, I mixed up some water colors and splashed them on. I let those dry and then used my Whisper dye ink pads in a few varying shades of blue and red. Then, I used my Colorbox cloud gray ink pad to stamp the milk bottle images.


I put it all together once everything had dried. Ta-da! A very cute and another non-traditional Valentine's Day card! As you can see in the last photo, there was a tiny mishap with an ink pad and there are now gray streaks along my card front. Let's face it, I'm a messy stamper, but at least the card is unique! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed!

My goal for this layout was to create shaker windows that worked with the entire layout. Little did I know, that this would be quite difficult! I decided that since punches are the easiest way for me to create shaker windows, that it would be nice to share it with you! So, grab your favorite punches, some foam sheets, and your sequins! Let's jump right in!



I hope that video tutorial made sense. It's easier to watch the technique sometimes over reading about it and then attempting to replicate it. I started this layout by picking out my background paper. I have had this DCWV polka dot paper for at least five years, it was time it finally stopped collecting dust! I used it's color scheme to help select my photos and then the rest of the elements I eventually used. My dark green patterned paper is from Kathy Davis' Journey 6x6 paper pad. Originally, this was going to be a 6x6 Fix series layout, but it took a different direction.


My second favorite portion of this layout (only because the shaker windows are my absolute favorite) is the title cluster! The whimsical feeling of the title die cut mixed with the Wilton doily, the teal tag from Recollections, and the frame die cut from Pink Paislee's Citrus Bliss is so perfect! I added a few more details including a wood veneer star from Studio Calico and some Tim Holtz tiny phrase stickers. If I was going to change anything about this layout, it would probably be to add a few sequins around the title area for a touch more pizzazz.


There were quite a few blemishes on the shaker window area (that you can see in the video) that needed some covering up. I covered the seam between the two piece of paper by using a Pretty Little Studio die cut word and another Studio Calico wood veneer. The die cut is perfect because it helps bring the navy from the title piece over to the other side of the layout, creating a balance.


Here are a couple tips that could help your shaker windows go a little more smoothly. One, make more pencil marks! I wish I would've been more careful and lighter with my markings, but I definitely didn't have enough because everything turned out a touch wonky. However, it wasn't ruined. Be lenient with yourself. If it isn't perfectly straight (like mine) use something to cover it up instead of throwing all of your hard work away. Two, get thicker foam, but be warned. A few of my punches could barely cut the cheap foam I had, let alone if I had a thicker piece of it. Use thicker foam if you can so you can add more shaker bits, otherwise you can always double it up!


My shaker bits are from a variety of places. I used some Kat Scrappiness, Darice, and DoCraft to create a custom sequin mixture! In some of my photos (like the one above) you'll be able to see that the foam peaks out. To remedy this, you could use white foam, so it is less noticeable, or use a foam that closely matches the color of your top patterned paper. I choose something that was in my color scheme at the very least.


This layout was so much fun to make! I hope you enjoyed watching my struggle with shaker bits, but these windows make the whole layout pop! If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know! Thanks for stopping by!

Supplies:
*Purchasing through these links is part of an affiliate program and I will receive a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you*
Shop through Blitsy! http://blitsy.com/ref/z3m57
Shop through Tupelo Designs LLC! http://i.refs.cc/H3vCMoVA