Drill #18 : Sketchy Saturday

Good morning! I'm here today with a new drill from S.W.A.T and it's one exciting sketch! There's just a little obstacle - You must also use wood embellishments. 

If you're anything like me, you've got a stash of wood veneers. Pull those out, and get to work! I recently picked up the main scrapbooking kit and add-on from Studio Calico which contained gorgeous heart wood veneers. The rest of the kit matched the colors of my photo, and this layout was born. 

I started with this great wood background and a few layers behind my photo. To recreate the circles in the sketch, I used the Silhouette Cameo to create several sizes from patterned paper. The fun part was arranging them on the background with die cuts, wood veneers, and ink splatters. 

The Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz continues to be one of my favorite tools. It's so easy to attach vellum and die cuts or just add a decorative element. The camera 'die cut' was actually cut from a 12x12 Dear Lizzy paper. 

After adding the stitch marks from the sketch with a black gel pen, the bottom left corner was still "needing something." To recreate the vertical lines in the sketch, I added a piece of BasicGrey washi tape. 

Thank you so much for looking at today's challenge. I'm so excited to see how you take on the Drill. Don't forget to go to S.W.A.T and check out my fellow Design Team Members and link up your own creation. As always, there's a great prize up for grabs! This month Creative Embellishments is our sponsor. 

SUPPLIES :: Studio Calico (Antiquary Scrapbook Kit, Amsterdam Add-On, Mister Huey's Sherbet)  

TOOLS :: Tim Holtz Tiny Attacher, Silhouette Cameo, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, CTMH Paper Distresser, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares

Use It Tuesday :: Friendship

Hello there! It's time for another challenge with Use It Tuesday! Today we're celebrating friendship!

That's right, FRIENDSHIP! Grab all of your hoarded supplies, and create a layout, card, or other project with a friend theme. For the challenge, I created this fun card using random items found on my craft table. I layered a doily, tag, ribbon scraps, and lots of bling! The hoarded items for this challenge? All of them! Can you believe it?!

Now it's your turn! Link up your project to the Use It Tuesday blog by Friday, September 20th for a chance to be a featured guest designer in an upcoming challenge. I can't wait to see what you create! Make sure to let us know the hoarded item(s) you're using this week.

SUPPLIES :: A Muse Studio (Onyx Chevron Ribbon, Latte Pearls, Sugar & Seattle Cardstock), Heidi Swaap Gold Color Shine, StazOn Jet Black Ink, Studio Calico Marks & Co Stamp, Stampin' Up Vintage Verses Stamp, American Crafts Dear Lizzy (5th & Frolic Brads & Large Tags)

TOOLS :: A Muse Studio Acrylic Block, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares, Martha Stewart Score Board

Use It Tuesday :: Trends

Happy Tuesday, Paper Crafters! Today, Use It Tuesday is celebrating the hottest trends right now. Let's all admit it, when an item becomes popular, we need lots and lots of them! We want you to look at your stash and use up all of those hoarded items that you picked up because everyone else did!

Make sure to link up your project to the Use It Tuesday blog by noon EST on Friday, September 6th and let us know what hoarded supplies you used! As always, one lucky participant will be randomly chosen to be a featured guest designer in an upcoming challenge. 

Now, let's take a look at the project I came up with for this week's challenge:

Hot trend: Triangles. Must have product: Thickers. Exciting technique: Paper strips on the top or bottom of your layout. 

These are the trends that I decided to incorporate into my layout. I had been hoarding this Dear Lizzy triangle paper for quite a while. I used scraps to add layers and strips to the page. The most hoarded item from this layout is the round dimensional embellishments from Pebbles. I've had them for a few years and just loved looking at them! Ridiculous, right?! The layout really came together after adding a title and a bit of journaling. 

Now it's your turn! Dig into your stash, and USE IT! 

SUPPLIES :: American Crafts (White Puffy Vinyl Thickers, Dear Lizzy Bowtie Boulevard), Pebbles Hip Hip Hooray Stitched Dimensional Stickers, Glitz Design Color Me Happy 8x8 Paper Pad

TOOLS :: Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Close To My Heart Paper Distresser, Bic Mark-It Ultra Fine Black 

Be You :: Sequins & Splatter

Hello! I'm back today with another card using this gorgeous butterfly stamp from Unity Stamp Company!

Before adding the butterfly, I misted the background and added a few strips of patterned paper scraps. The card base is American Crafts cream cardstock. The sentiment was stamped on the same cardstock and adhered to the card with foam risers. The butterfly was stamped on patterned paper and cut out. To create additional dimension, adhesive was added only to the center fold of the butterfly.

I instantly fell in love with the variety pack of sequins included in this month's Project Life kit from Studio Calico. They were added to the card for additional color and movement!

Thanks for looking!

SUPPLIES ::  Memento Tuxedo Black ink, American Crafts (cardstock, Dear Lizzy Noteworthy paper), My Mind's Eye Perfect paper, Crate Paper Found paper, Unity Stamp Co Be You stamp set, Studio Calico (Mister Huey's Dewey & First Kiss spray inks, Sequins from the Marks & Co Project Life Kit)

TOOLS :: Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Paper Trimmer, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares, A Muse Studio Acrylic Block, Close To My Heart Paper Distresser

Drill #14 :: Stickers

If you're looking for the Unscripted Sketches Flashback post, please keep scrolling. Thanks for checking out the blog! 

It's time for a brand new drill from the S.W.A.T blog. Are you ready? Drill #14 asks you to use the sketch below for inspiration AND include stickers in your layout. Now, we're not talking about Thickers, so dig around in that stash and get to work! 

Here's a look at the layout I created for the challenge. I apologize for the super white background... It blends in a bit with the blog background. As you can see, I rotated the sketch to the left (90 degrees counterclockwise) and changed up some of the elements. This is why I love sketches so much. It doesn't look too much like the original sketch by our very own Jennifer, but it truly was inspired by it. Sketches are always a starting point for creativity!

I used a combination of sticker letters and chipboard stickers on this layout. As you can see below, I had to do a little improvising to create an additional "B" for the title. When flipping through the scrapbook, you can't even tell! Rather than a single scalloped border behind the photos, I opted for three strips of patterned paper to really anchor the three photos together. 

I liked how the sketch had two clusters of objects in opposite corners. Therefore, I layered die cuts, chipboard, and bling in opposite corners of my layout. The yellow die cuts were cut from white cardstock using the Silhouette Cameo and then colored with watercolor paints. I backed the arrow sentiment with white scrap paper and added a little doodling to highlight the sentiment. It fit so perfectly with the theme of this page!

My dad was mimicking my nephew's chubby cheeks in this classic photo below. It became the center point for the layout. I wrote a few sentences on paper scraps and added them to the top right corner as journaling. 

Head over to the S.W.A.T blog for more sketch and sticker inspiration. And don't forget to link up your own project by August 28th! To get you motivated, we're giving away a $10 gift card to 3 Scrappy Boys and a Guest Designer spot! I can't wait to see what you create. 

SUPPLIES :: American Crafts (White Cardstock, Dear Lizzy 5th & Frolic Mini Alpha Tiles & Chipboard Shapes, Ormolu Made Pennants, Studio Calico (Dew, Fancy Free, Gable), October Afternoon Sunday Dishes, A Muse Studio Winter Sky Mist

TOOLS :: Silhouette Cameo, Circle Hearts Cut File, Chic Tags Arrows Cut File, Fiskars Scrapbooking Rotary Cutter, MyStik Permanent Adhesive, Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares, 0.5 Black Copic Multiliner

On Trend :: Metallic Gold

Hello paper crafters! It's time for the On Trend Team of Practical Scrappers to bring you a new trendy technique for you to try. Today it's GOLD, baby! I love this current trend to add pops of metallic and shine to projects! 

I created the above layout, first laying down a background of gold paint splatters with Heidi Swapp Color Shine. The Color Shine was also used to color the cardstock arrows that were cut with the Silhouette Cameo. You can add just a hint of metallic in this way, coloring a title, paper flower, or other mistable embellishment.

For my title, I added a Dear Lizzy sticker. It was a little large for the space. So I folded each edge twice to create a dimensional banner. While searching for stickers and accents to layer on the page, I came across this gorgeous gold frame from Crate Paper. It added a third splash of gold without overwhelming the design. 

Thanks for stopping by. Head over to the Practical Scrappers blog to check out more GORGEOUS GOLD inspiration from the rest of our On Trend Team!

LAYOUT SUPPLIES
Cardstock: American Crafts (White), A Muse Studio (Sugar)
Embellishments: American Crafts (Dear Lizzy Neapolitan Sticker Sheet), Crate Paper (The Pier Ephemera Pack)
Ink: Heidi Swapp (Gold Color Shine), ZIG Writer (Black)

Use It Tuesday :: Bring on the Sunshine

Hey there hoarders! It's time for a new Use It Tuesday challenge. This week we're celebrating that bright star that warms our days with a challenge we call... BRING ON THE SUNSHINE! 

Remember, all of our challenges call for you to use your hoarded supplies, so dig into your stash, make something bright and sunny, and proudly tell us what you used! You have until Noon EST on Friday, July 5th to link up your creation to the Use It Tuesday blog. As always, one lucky participant will be randomly chosen to be a featured guest designer!

For my sunshine-filled project, I created the above card. I started with this great patterned paper from Dear Lizzy and used watercolors to add orange, pink, and yellow to the background. Unfortunately, I didn't wait long enough for the watercolors to dry when I added the ink. Therefore, the bicycle image is a little faded. Note my mistake and learn, right ladies?! 

The card seemed a little plain -- I'm quickly learning that the idea of negative space just isn't my style -- so I added some splatters of Mister Huey's mists in bright colors as well. I've had the glitter stars in my stash for quite a while. They were on clearance, so I juuuuust haaaaaad to buy them. This challenge's theme was the perfect time to get them out. A pearl was placed on each sequin and added around the stars to complete the embellishing. I'll also add that the stamp was un-inked in my stash. Thanks Use It Tuesday for challenging me to USE IT! 

Thanks for checking out my take on this challenge... Make sure to head to the Use It Tuesday blog to check out my fellow Design Team Members and link up a bright and sunny project of your own! 

CARD SUPPLIES
Cardstock: A Muse Studio (Apricot, Onyx, Sugar)
Patterned Paper: American Crafts (Dear Lizzy Carwheel Court)
Stamps: Unity Stamp Co (Basket Full of Wishes)
Inks: StazOn (Jet Black), Mister Huey's (Sherbet, Leaf Green)
Embellishments: A Muse Studio (White Pearls)
Tools: Close To My Heart (Paper Distresser)

It's Drill Time :: Cool Colors

I've been all over the place the last few weeks - far, far away from my craft room. So it felt really great to get a night in this past week to catch up on some design team projects and just be creative. Today's post was inspired by the newest drill from S.W.A.T. 

Drill #9 challenges us to use the cool color combo above. And here's the layout I created:

You'll see I added just a hint of red into the layout to coordinate with my scarf. These pictures were taken when my nephew was just one hour old. Can you believe it?! So small, tiny, and perfect. The photos are not the greatest quality and have a slight blue cast on them. 

I used a variety of alphas, doilies, and epoxy embellishments that I had laying around to complete the page. The yellow hearts scattered among the layout where cut out of the same Dear Lizzy patterned paper that was used as a layer.

Please head over to S.W.A.T. to link up your own project. There's a great prize up for grabs (see below). I can't wait to see what you create!

Drill #8 :: Sketchy Saturday

Happy Saturday friends. I'm here this morning bringing you the newest Drill from SWAT - A fantastic sketch from our very own Becci! Take a look:

How fun is that?! There's a great prize up for grabs too. So don't forget to link up your own creation on the SWAT blog by May 28th!

Here is my take on the sketch! I had already printed my photos for this layout. Therefore, I clustered the larger photos in a similar way as the sketch. That's the best part of sketches - They're only a starting point for your creativity!

I just loved the stars scattered all over the sketch. I tried sequins, wood veneers, and die cuts, but I liked the look of spray ink splatters best. I placed a combination of A Muse Studio Splash and Heidi Swapp Color Shine to create the look.

Rather than a large pennent on my page, I used an Amy Tangerine sticker to create a large circle and extended the title to the right of the page. I added a 6x6 piece of patterned paper in replace of the cluster of tags in the sketch and plan to add some journalling in its place. 

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week - I can't wait to see your take on the sketch!

SUPPLIES
Spray Ink: A Muse Studio Splash (Winter Sky), Heidi Swapp Color Shine (Gold)
Patterned Paper: Pebbles (Content), Echo Park (Sunshine), Dear Lizzy (5th & Frolic 6x6 Paper Pad)
Stickers: Tim Holtz (Label Letters), Amy Tangerine (Goodness Thickers, Organize), Dear Lizzy (5th & Frolic Accent & Phrase Stickers)
Supplies: Tim Holtz (Distressing Tool)