Scrap Your Stash : Practical Scrappers Blog Hop

Good morning and welcome to the Practical Scrappers Blog Hop! You should have found your way here from Erin's blog. Thanks for hopping along. In case you get lost, or want to start at the very beginning, visit the Practical Scrappers Blog. 

CHA is in full swing and that means the industry is showing off some amazing new product that I can't wait to get my hands on! Who's with me?! In order to make room for all the new stuff I'm sure to pick up, we're kicking off our monthly Scrapping Our Stash Series with a Blog Hop!

I looked through my papers and embellishments for some papers I had been hoarding and immediately came across this 'you are awesome' paper. It is awesome, and it was time to be used. I paired it with a few Studio Calico papers from past scrapbooking kits and beauty photos. My sister-in-law Elle asked me to be a model last year for her final portfolio. She cut and dyed my hair, styled the outfit, and created nothing but beauty. I wanted to document the experience and journal about how proud we are of her accomplishment! 

I also looked at my Silhouette designs that I've purchased the last year and found so many I haven't used yet! This was the perfect opportunity to cut that adorable scissors. I cut the beauty script with the Silhouette as well, forming the 'Create Beauty' title. 

As a thank you for hopping along with us today, there's a prize up for grabs from Kiwi Lane Designs. You can do any or all of the following for up to three entries: 

• Become a follower of Practical Scrappers
• Become a fan of the Practical Scrappers Facebook Page
• Become a fan of the Kiwi Lane Facebook Page and make sure to tell them we sent you!

So much fun digging into my stash! Now head over to Krissy's blog to see her amazing project!

Project Life Update: Labor Day Weekend

My 2013 Project Life album is almost completed. The photos and journaling cards were all placed in the pocket pages; however, I hadn't finished them completely. This week I had time to go back, add journaling where needed and added a couple of embellishments. 

Here's a close up of the left side of the page. This spread is actually all from a single day, Labor Day spent at our family's cabin. All of the photos were taken with my cell phone. I even included a screenshot of the weather and a show we rushed home to watch. The 4x6 title card is from the Jade Core Kit while the other journaling cards are from various Studio Calico Project Life Kits, primarily Valley High. 

How adorable are those mistable trees? I chose not to add any color to them. The two staples were added to keep the (2) 3x4 cards together. 

The stamps that come with the kits are perfect for decorating the journaling cards. This house was stamped with black ink and decorated with a few enamel dots. Can we take a moment to talk about how cute my nephew is? He started sitting up all on his own this weekend, and the milestone needed to be documented. 

SUPPLIES :: Jade Core Kit / Studio Calico Project Life Kits, Trees & Houses Mistables / Theresa Collins Enamel Dots

TOOLS :: American Crafts Pocket Page Protector / Project Life .03 Journaling Pen / Typewriter / Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher / StazOn Jet Black Ink

Card Making Monday : Jane Austen Love

Happy Monday Everyone! It's freezing outside, so I spent the day inside crafting up a few cards. I couldn't help but share one of my favorites.... 

I recently picked up this stamp set from Sweet Stamp Shop full of Jane Austen quotes. LOVE! I stamped the lace border down the left side, added a few paper scraps, and stamped away! So quick and easy. Rather than use cream layering swatches on a black card base, I made the cream cardstock the base and adhered it to a larger piece of black cardstock. It's harder to photograph, but the card style is one of my favorites to send. 

Thanks for stopping by today. Enjoy your week!

SUPPLIES :: Paper Cut Cardstock, We R Memory Keepers Antique Chic Collection, Sweet Stamp Shop Austen Obsessed Set, Memento Tuxedo Black, Studio Calico Hearts Wood Veneers

*If you're near Green Bay, Wisconsin, I'd love for you to stop into Creations Galore to create this card as a Make N Take. For more information, visit us here.

Drill #23 Word & Goals for the New Year

Good morning! Are you ready for the very first SWAT (Scrap Warriors Advanced Training) Drill of the new year? At first, I didn't think I was. The last two months of 2013 were the most emotionally draining days of my life. Things that were too hard to even put into words. I opened up to my fellow SWAT Design Team members that I was completely uncertain about a resolutions page for today's challenge. I was uncertain about anything. 

I spent hours pouring over what to leave behind and what to press onward with. God really has sustained me, showering me with His never-ending mercy and blessings. Now it's time to let go. And man, IT FEELS GOOD. I invite you to join SWAT this month in coming up with your own Resolutions, New Year Goals, or Word of the Year. Scrapbooking has really turned into my therapy, and creating this page was part of the process! 

Here's a look at the front and back of the project I created for this Drill. It will slip into a 6x12 Becky Higgins page protector and end up between the pages of my Project Life Week One spread. I'm so excited for what this year will hold, to focus on this word, to welcome change, and document it all! 

Discipline is something I really have always lacked. I have grand ideas, but horrible follow through. But rather than beat myself up over another year of missed opportunities, Im going to turn what feels like difficult chores into daily habits. I wrote on this and included an outlook of goals for the new year. In the coming months I'll look at those specific goals, creating an action plan. 

I'm encouraged to finally write all my fears and hopes down on paper. It's a great release. Of course, I couldn't just write. I had to make it pretty. I cut two pieces of 6x12 patterned paper and adhered them together to fit in the page protector. I also added layered paper, a doily, and some vellum to highlight my word. The word was cut from patterned paper using my Silhouette Cameo. I love that thing! I dressed it up with some wood veneers and ink splatters and stamped the year using Studio Calico Project Life Stamps. A single stitched line holds it all together. 

Now it's your turn! You don't have to come up with an insert like I did... Head over to the SWAT blog to gather lots of inspiration from my fellow Design Team members. They've created wall hangings and scrapbook layouts. No matter what you turn this Drill into, I hope you'll take a moment to reflect on the new year. Do you have goals, resolutions, or a word you'd like to focus on. Use this fun hobby as a bit of therapy. Then share your project on the SWAT blog. There's even a great prize for one lucky participant. 

SUPPLIES :: Studio Calico (Amsterdam Add On Stamp, Star Wood Veneers), Carta Bella Wildflower Collection Pack, Glimmer Mist, Paper Cut Vellum

TOOLS :: Silhouette Cameo, Brother Sewing Machine, StazOn Jet Black Ink, Project Life Journaling Pen

Project Life 2014 : Title Page

Happy New Year! Last year I used a combination of pocket pages and traditional 12x12 layouts in the same album to create a custom 2013 album. I didn't pay to much attention to creating title pages or cards highlighting which week it was in Project Life style. I enjoyed the freedom, but also found I craved the structure that comes from weekly spreads. I never was one to make up my mind... 

We'll see what this year holds, but I'm setting out to create weekly Project Life spreads in a 12x12 album. Oh big intentions... We'll talk about that more tomorrow when I reveal my word for the year, along with some goals! That all said, here's a look at my 2014 album title page:

I scooped up the Wildflower Carta Bella collection and have been hoarding it ever since. It's absolutely beautiful! I'd love to decorate my home in it's rich colors and patterns, but I'll settle for this year's title page! I simply cut the 12x12 patterned papers down to the appropriate 3x4 or 4x6 sizes. I also included one of the journaling cards that fit well as an album opener.

The Silhouette Cameo came in handy, allowing me to add in a few die cuts using American Crafts Dark Cardstock. Both cuts are from Studio Calico. I added a few stitches, wood veneers, and sequins to decorate them. 

I'm so excited to embark on 2014 and thank you for coming along with!

SUPPLIES :: Carta Bella Wildflower Collection Pack, American Crafts Dark Kraft Cardstock, Studio Calico Star Wood Veneers, A Muse Studio Gold Sequins

TOOLS :: American Crafts 12x12 Page Protector, Brother Sewing Machine, Silhouette Cameo, Studio Calico Blue Note & Day By Day Cut Files, Ranger Glossy Accents