Cheese!

Happy Thursday!! I decided to post a quick page I created that focuses on some prints from a photo booth. We went to our first Bar Mitzvah last year and this was one of the souvenirs that we came home with. It was so fun!!

I started this page by stenciling the brown circle design on the kraft background. I then used a toilet paper roll and ink to create the larger circles. The red paper was created by using different colored ink and some stamps. I tore the left edge, adhered it to the page and then used three kinds of tape and a white paper frill border. The camera, title and round sentiment sticker were adhered last.

I hesitated to even post this because I am actually in the photo. I am not a big fan of photos of myself!! However, I loved how this page came out and I think the design enhances the photos.

Thank you for stopping by!!

Nora

National Scrapbook Day Pages

This past Saturday was National Scrapbook Day. I hosted the challenges at Scrapjazz.com and it was so much fun!! I was not able to create scrapbook pages for each challenge but I was able to finish two. I am such a slow scrapbooker so two pages was good for me.

The first challenge was to pick an article from Scrapjazz.com and create a layout or card that was inspired by that particular article. I had a really hard time choosing but finally settled on a sketch article that featured travel layouts from Prague by Amy Sotolongo. Here was my take on the sketch:

I had extra fun creating this page because I dug through all my drawers and used so many products on this page. Chipboard, die cuts, felt flowers-it is all there. I plan to use this layout design again on a canvas I want to make for my entryway.

The second challenge I finished was another sketch challenge. I created the sketch below in Photoshop pretty much copied it exactly.

I had a lot of fun creating the layers and using conversation balloons for my journaling. Again, I pulled a lot of things out from my stash to layer on here.

I know NSD is over but if you need some inspiration, come on over to the Scrapjazz SJ Challenge Central board every month to complete new challenges and win some prizes. The next challenges will be posted on the first of June.

I hope you enjoyed your time here today. Happy Thursday!!

Nora

Winter Layouts and Cards from a Sketch

I write articles for Scrapjazz.com occasionally and this month I created a sketch. I cannot post the sketch but I wanted to post what I created using it as a guide.

The first page I created was of my daughter in the snow.  I pretty much used the sketch as is. I inked the heck out of my embellishments and used some of my plethora of punches for the snowflakes. I also used glitter glue to make the snowflakes shine. We haven't had snow like this in two years and I hope I don't see that type of winter ever again!!

Don't these photos look so peaceful? This is part of the complex where my father and step mother bought their condo. I flipped the sketch to the right to create this page. The brown spatters are on purpose. I used a mist spray to get the look I wanted. I am looking forward for a return to that weather!!

The next two projects I created were cards. One was a birthday card for my niece, Sydney and the second a holiday card. Syd is a little fashionista and the circle embellishment was perfect for a card!! I used a lace stamp from "Cutie Pie" from My Mind's Eye. This is one of my all time favorite sets. I cannot tell you how much I have used it. It works for layouts and any card theme you can think of.

I created a ribbon poinsettia for my second card-not a technique I would try again!! I think it came out all right but unless I was sitting down and making them like an assembly line, this flower was too labor intensive. Perhaps it was the satin ribbon but it took too long for me to make it to want to give this card away.

Thank you for looking. I hope you come over to Scrapjazz and browse the many articles they have over there. If you do, introduce yourself on the message board. We would love to have you!!

Nora

A Couple Scrapbook Pages

I am back!! Wow!! This must be a record for me in the amount of posts I have written in one month!!

Today I am sharing a couple scrapbook pages I created. Last February we drove to Florida (crazy!) during February vacation to see my father. On this visit, we went to Kilwin's Ice Cream in Stuart, FL at LEAST three times. The ice cream was the BEST I have ever tasted in my life. As you can see, Charlotte enjoyed it too!!

I had fun creating the photo frames on this page. I die cut them with my Silhouette machine and then stamped them with "Cutie Pie" stamps from My Mind's Eye. I love how it came out!!

The second page I created is about the animal park we visited on the same trip. We didn't have high hopes for it but it wound up being pretty fun. The lions were behind a fenced in area, of course, but they had trees by the fences so they were up close and personal. I don't think I have ever been as close to this type of animal before. Most zoos I have been to the trees are in the distance and the big cats tend to be far away. It was a treat to have them this close to the public. A ton of other animals we were close enough to touch, though we followed the rules and kept the windows up. I need to find the time to scrap those photos though. There were a ton!!

I had fun using Washi tape on this page and another stamp from the "Cutie Pie" stamp set. I think my favorite part is the title. I like the effect of the different letters.

The last think I am posting is a card I created using My Mind's Eye papers and a phone die cut from Ellison. (The tag and circle die cuts are from Paper Trey Ink.) I really wish I had one of these "vintage"phones. I guess I shouldn't say that they are vintage because we had one of these when we were growing up. Does that make me old?

That is all for today!! Thanks for stopping by!!

Nora

Happy Friday!!

Phew!! This week went by fast. I like these 3 day weeks!! I hope everyone had a good week. 

This is just a quick post with a few scrap book pages. I am having the girls over for dinner and so I only have a few moments to post. Again, I am posting Christmasy kind of pages. Sorry. I am always a day late and a dollar short!! In fact, these photos are from our 2011 Christmas. I am in no way caught up in scrapbooking and just create with the photos that inspire me. 

The first page is of Charlotte with my niece and nephew at their house on Christmas day. I had fun misting and using tape on this page. Not so Christmasy in colors either.

Supplies: Paper-White cardstock, Basic Grey Aspen Frost "Open Sleigh," and Aspen Frost 6" by 6" paper pad, Simple Stories "Color Vibe" 6" by 6" paper pad, Simple Stories "Snappy Thoughts" cards, Pink Paislee Parcel Tags, Tape-Queen and Company Vertical Pink Stripes and Polka Dot Red; Stickers-My Minds Eye "All is Bright" Stickers, My Little Shoe Box Alphabet; Spray mist

Below is a layout that was based on a quilt I saw on Pinterest. This is Charlotte and my father. I am so happy to have these photos. I try to get as many as I can when we are with him. I had fun cutting up strips of paper for the border.

Supplies: Paper-White Cardstock, Basic Grey Aspen Frost, Echo Park, Jillibean Soup, Lilly Bee Design, Aspen Frost Flair; Ink-black and Vintage Photo Ink, Pink Paislee Ephemera Pack, Silhouette Machine, Stickers-Basic Grey Green Alphabet and Prima

The last page is just a quick one with Charlotte and her cousin. I love her silly face so I just had scrap it!! Like the first, I had fun misting, stamping and layering with paper.

Supplies: Paper-Simple Stories, Doodlebug design, white card stock, Echo Park "Kraft Doily"; My Mind's Eye "Cutie Pie" stamps; Stickles-turquiose, glam pink and diamond; Tape-Queen and Company, Stickers-Doodlebug Design, Lily Bee Design and My Little Shoebox; Silhouette Machine; Pink Paislee Parcel Tags; mist spray and gray ink.

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!!!

Nora

A Pillow and some Scrapbook Pages

Happy Friday!! I cannot believe it is August and my summer is almost over. I still haven't done everything I planned for this summer but here are a few projects that I created the last few weeks.

My first project is a sewing project. I made a 16" pillow and created this without a pattern. I am NOT a sewer and though this looks like a piece of cake, it took me a long time to make. I wasn't sure how to much extra to cut out to make the seams and the envelope pocket was not in the middle on the back. I have a larger pillow to make and will doing it a bit different when I sew that one.

Here is the pillow with my bedding. The lighting in my bedroom is horrific so please forgive me.

This is a more accurate photo of the colors.

I had so much fun scrapping this photo of Charlotte and my friend Jil's son Noah. It was taken last year at our annual get together in Wickham park. I used Nostalgia die cuts by My Mind's Eye and used spray mist on the background paper. 

I LOVE these photos of Charlotte. Don't they just shout Pre-Teen? A very simple page using die cuts and spray mist.

Have a great weekend!! I hope you all get some time to do something creative!!

Nora

Thank You Card and Other Stuff!!

Once again I have dropped the ball on my blog. It is such a shame because I have been making a ton of projects but the photographing and putting blogging about them is extremely time consuming. I will get there, though.

For my first card, I created a thank you for my Aunt who LOVES smiley faces. I used my Silhouette to cut out the smiley and had fun with the colors. I think I will make a few more of these using some scraps and tuck them away for later.

I created my second card for my nephew's birthday this weekend. I really didn't know what I wanted to keep the top of the cupcake simple so I just used some number stickers.

I used my Silhouette machine to cut out the ticket and a Paper Trey Ink stamp for the cup cake. I wish I photographed the card a little better, though. The 13 is NOT crooked in real life!!

This third card I created for a friend that just had a baby. Isn't it sweet? I had stamped the bear and colored it in ages ago. I just cut it out using a Paper Trey Ink tag die to make it complete. I actually created multiple baby cards on this day, all using a similar design but die cut. I will post those on a future date, though!!

My last post today was done for Scrapjazz.com in March. The challenge was to pick a photo and create a layout on what you don't see in the photo. The journaling was about the horrific day we had with my dog Zach whom I nicknamed Stinky. I created the banners behind the photo with some Queen and Company tape and some pretty patterned paper.

I hope you enjoyed my post. See you soon!!

Nora

Happy Sunday!!

We finally got some snow and thankfully it was on a weekend so we won't be missing any school. I am hoping that we don't get much more for the rest of the winter because I don't want to make up any more days then we have. The fall was bad enough and we deserve a mild winter!!

In honor of the snow, I thought I would post a few scrapbook layouts, one being a "winter themed" page with photos taken from last year. I created this page using Echo Park and Lily Bee Design patterned papers. The accents I cut using my Silhouette die cut machine. It is a very simple page but I love how it came out. 

The second page I am sharing is about a trip we took in August to NYC. We didn't do a ton of stuff but just walked around and showed my teenage niece the sites as she was a NYC virgin. I don't think my daughter wants to ever go back. She was traumatized by the 2 hours we spent at Macy's!! I used some fun My Mind's Eye borders on this and Crate Paper Christmas paper to accent the photos.

The last page I am posting is all about how much I have always loved Barbie. I HATE this photo of me but I am really trying to accept myself for who I am. I also made a huge change in December and hopefully I won't hate future photos of myself!!

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my pages today. Have a great week!!!

Nora

Another Long Hot Day!!!

I cannot wait for this weather to break. As my husband will tell you, I am AWFUL in the heat. I get ugly and complain a lot. Don't hate me but I really prefer the cold. I very rarely complain about winter, unless we have TOO MUCH snow. It sure beats being hot in my book!

Today I am  uploading some layouts that I have created over the last few months. There is not particular rhyme or reason to them. I just create what photos strike me at the moment.

The first page is a rare 8 1/2" by 11" creation for my "Book of Me." My mother LOVED butterflies so every time I see one, I think of her. Charlotte and I scout butterflies out and she says "Grandma Mary Ann is watching out for us today" when we do see one. This photo was taken at Wickham Park in Manchester last year.

Supplies: Paper-Basic Grey Lauderdale-Rose Colored Glasses and Clam Bake, and Basic Grey Gypsy Collection (background Green), Bazzill Brown Cardstock Punches-Matha Stewart 3-in-1 Classic Butterfly and Fiskars Apron Lace Border, Stickers-Basic Grey LilyKate Alphabet Stickers, Font-Lucida Handwriting, Other-Jillibean Soup Journal Spots 


The next page I created is all about Charlotte's "rivalry" with our dog Zack. They literally fight over me. It can be funny but it usually winds up with the dog being yelled at and Charlotte running to her room crying. I guess I should have had another child and then maybe this wouldn't happen!!

Supplies: Paper-Bazzil Frosted Yellow Cardstock, Basic Grey Lauderdale Collection-Wavelength, SPF, Bikini Time, Coastline and Clear Water, Punches-Fiskars Scallop Sentiment Border,  Paper Shaper Medium Circle Punch, and EK Success Bracket Edger Punch, Stickers- Basic Grey Lauderdale Alphabet and My Little Shoebox Mini Alphabet-Indigo, Die Cuts-Jillibean Soup Dutch Mustard Soup Die Cut Pieces, Christmas Red Stickles, Stamp-Unity Stamp Bella Blvd Collection Family Tree, Zig Pen and various colored inks.


The next layout is Charlotte swinging at the park last summer. I had fun distressing the edges of all the papers on this page and then "messed it up" using Stickles like a paint to "splatter" in strategic areas on the layout. It was an experiment that I will be repeating because it was so fun.

Supplies: Paper-Bazzill White, Basic Grey Lauderdale-Bikini Time, Coastline and Cut Offs, Die Cuts-Jillibean Soup Blossom Soup Die Cut Pieces, Stickers-Basic Grey Lauderdale Alphabet Stickers,  My Little Shoebox Mini Alphabet-Sky and Glitter Alphabet, Sassafras Lass Cherry Delicious Collection Alphabet Stickers, Fontwerks Label, Punches-Martha Stewart Heart Confetti and Large Monarch Butterfly, Stickles-True Blue and Orange Peel, Zutter Distress It All Machine, Stamps-Stampin Up! Chicken Wire Stamp and Paper Trey Ink's Basic Label Die and Stamp, Black Zig Writer and Memento Orange Ink.


The last page I created is going to be framed for my friend. I caught her son dancing on film when we went to the park one day last year. I used spray mists on this to get the effects I wanted. I had never used them before and had a lot of fun!!

Supplies: Paper-Bazzill Smooth White, Doodlebug Design and Bo Bunny Press, Mist Sprays-Tattered Angels Sweet Clover, Jazz Blue and Electric Blue, Punches-Paper Shaper Small Circle and 7/8" nesting punch, Silhouette Die Cut Machine.

I hope you enjoyed my pages and are keeping cool!!

Nora

Some new layouts!!

     I am taking a break from posting cards today to show you some of the layouts I have been creating. Lately I have been trying to stretch my creativity by buying supplies I wouldn't normally buy and using techniques that I haven't tried before. I have to admit that sometimes it can be a trial and error method of creating. I also do not love all the pages I have made by using some of the products I have chosen. However, it has put the fun back into scrapbooking again-something it has been sorely lacking.

     The first page I created by using mist sprays and layering paper. I started with the lightest color and sprayed in stages, letting it dry in between each mist. I really like how it came out and I think it enhanced this photo of Charlotte and her cousins.

Supplies: Paper-Bazzill-Red Devil, Aqua Fourz and Wedding Butterfly, Echo Park-Gingham Gabby, Sally Stitches, Cindy Circles Mist Sprays-Tattered Angels Marmalade, Jazz Blue and Lavender Fields Punches-Martha Stewart Himalayan Snowflake and Glacial Snowflake, Fiskars Apron Lace and EK Success Donut Chain Ink-Inkadinkadoo Red and Pink Chalk Ink Stickles-Lavender Stamps-Basic Grey Basic Notes, Letter Stickers-American Crafts


     My next layout I experimented with using a kit. I tend to buy papers and embellishments by the same company but I rarely buy kits because I don't tend to love all the papers that come with it. Echo Park's Little Girl Collection was an exception. I loved all the papers that came with it and so I decided to try using only products that came in the kit, with the exception of cardstock and some punches. I have to admit that this isn't my favorite page because of the bright colors but the colors went with the photos.

Supplies: Paper-Echo Park Cupcake Casey, Gingham Gabby, Cindy Circles. Journaling Cards, Bazzill Precious (Pink) and Wedding White Punches-Fiskars Scallop Sentiment and EK Success Small Corner Rounder, Scallop Circle Punch Stickers-Echo Park Little Girl Element Stickers and Little Girl Alphabet Markers-Zig Writers

     The last page in this post was also created with the Echo Park Little Girl Collection. The only thing I   added to the kit was cardstock, the use of a circle punch and ink, and journal strips. I cannot believe how young Charlotte looks in these photos!!

Supplies: Paper-Bazzill Iced Pink and White, Echo Park Betty Bird and Madison Plaid Stickers-Echo Park Element Stickers  Punches-Paper Shapers Photo Labels and Marvy Uchida 2" Circle Ink-Vintage Photo Ink by Ranger Ink

     I hope you enjoy my creations and they inspire you to challenge yourself to use techniques you never thought you would try.

Nora