Practical Scrappers Friday sketch 1/29/10 (an update)

Yikes! In my rush to post my sketch layout this morning, I completely forgot about the title letters that I had stickled last night and needed to wait to dry before I added them to the shadow letters already adhered on the LO (oops!). Being the dork-head that I am and the late hour, I had attempted to help the drying process for the stickles along by using my heat gun - only I overlooked the fact that the heat gun would melt my cricut mat... d'oh!

Here is what the completed layout looks:

And here is a closeup of the stickled title letters:

I also took a closeup photo of the border I created using the bubbles corner adorner by EK Success:

I really DO like the way it came out :)

Thanks for looking and...

Happy crafting,

Barb!

Practical Scrappers Friday sketch 1/29/10 (an update)

Here's this weekend's sketch from Practical Scrappers:


And here's my layout using the sketch:


I used DCWV striped paper from the "Spring Stack" for the background paper and mats. I ran the blue photo mat through my Cuttlebug using the "Tiny Bubbles" embossing folder then lightly sanded it to bring out the white core in the paper. I really like how it actually looks like bubbles when sanded!


The title letters were cut on my Cricut using Tear Drop cart, which just may be my newest favorite font cartridge due to it's whimsical playful appearance. "Bubbles" was also run through the Cuttlebug and lightly sanded to reveal the white core.

If you look closely right above the polka dot ribbon that runs across the page, there is a scalloped border. I created this by using an EK Success Corner Adorner "bubbles" punch, removing the corner guide and aligning the punch holes to create a border. By using DCWV adhesive matstack paper, the inside cuts created by the corner punch adhered flat and blended enough so they are barely seen. I'll have to experiment with my other corner adorners now to see how they look as borders.

A scattering of EK Success vellum bubbles completed the layout.



Thanks for looking and...


Happy crafting,
Barb!

My Craft Studio

Welcome to my studio! This is where I come to be creative. Yep, it's also my oldest daughter Ashley's bedroom (when she comes home for a visit) so I decided to leave the walls the color she painted it, until I know she's not moving back home, LOL.


The picture above is my pegboard which keeps all my stash in semi-clear sight. My goal for 2010 is to use up as much of this as possible... wish me luck!

This is a shot of most of my paper, my laptop that is always hooked up to my Cricut Expression (bottom right corner) and in the lower left is the corner of my work table, which houses my YourStory and Cuttlebug, as well as assorted scrapping tools.

Above is an old bureau that I am using to store my bigger supplies: Chipboard & Grungeboard, rubber stamps, paper scraps, Reminisce products, polymer clay tools and supplies, and completed Cricut cuts and paper pieces.


Above is my Cricut collection - all the carts released through December 2009. The Solution carts are in the baskets in the top left corner of the photo. The shelf in the top of the picture holds some of my completed projects.

I think the BEST part of my craft studio is that during the nice weather, I can open the sliders and work outside. The photo below is my view when I work poolside


Thanks for visiting and...

Happy crafting,
Barb!

What a Hoot!

Reminisce Papers make me happy! I don't know what it is about them, but they never disappoint me. I love their colors, textures and designs. In this 2-page spread starring my boy Zac, I used 3 different patterned papers and a bunch of coordinating stickers (owls, branch, leaves), tore some core'dination cardstock to give the tags a rustic outdoorsy look, and used a lot of 3D-Dots behind the little leave stickers to give the impression that they are falling.

As usual, I cut my title letters with my Cricut using my oh-so-favorite font cartridge "Alphalicious" - it's just SO playful and fun!


Because we don't have a REAL Autumn here in southwest Florida using these papers (which I knew I HAD to have!) created a small challenge. While they begged to have photos of piles of fallen leaves and vivid New England fall landscapes, I couldn't find any photos from back "home" that would work. The pictures I chose to use were taken at a local restaurant during a visit with family from New Hampshire (Love you Meghan and Rhonda!). We all went to see my boyfriend Tequila Tom perform that night and Zac was just being a goofball all night and making everyone laugh. Looking through my pile of unscrapped photos these just seemed perfect!

Thanks for looking and...

Happy crafting,
Barb!

I was selected as a Design Team Member!

Short and sweet announcement...

I received an email yesterday to let me know that I was one of 8 crafters selected to be on the Design Team for Practical Scrappers! My submissions will appear on Wednesdays, which will also feature Cricut / Cuttlebug projects from 5 other talented design team members.

Be sure to check us out and become a follower!

Happy crafting,
Barb!

My entry for Cricut "Cropping with the Stars" contest

Family Recipes Book

I created this book as a birthday gift for my oldest daughter who will be turning 20 on January 19. She also moved 1,500 miles away this month, from Florida back to Massachusetts. I wanted her to bring a little bit of us with her, and remembering how often I called my mom after moving out to ask her how to cook EVERYTHING, I thought I would help her out.

The book was created using just the "From my Kitchen" Cricut cartridge, with some of the additional lettering done with "Simply Sweet" and "Hannah Montana" cartridges. Because the contest rules stated the project had to use cartridges released in 2009 ONLY, I could not use my "George and Basic Shapes" or "Plantin Schoolbook" cartridges as I normally do to create the base pages. Instead I turned to the "hide contour" feature in Design Studio and used the shift/tabs feature with the fish platter index tab on page 68 of the handbook, hiding the inside rectangle.

Each page was created welding the shadow of the selected image to the shift/tabs , cutting them out from heavy white cardstock and then adhering the image onto the cut pages.

The book was held together with 2-piece steel fasteners (compressor and base, 1 inch capacity – available at office supply stores), and I used ordinary 4" x 6" index cards for the recipes. By using the steel fasteners, additional pages can be added behind each section divider page.

Sections include: Soup and Sauces, Pasta, Beef, Pork, Poultry, Seafood, Cookies, and the last section has the phone image (pg 28 in handbook) followed by a pocket page to hold take-out menus - I'm sure she'll use this section the most :).

On the inside front cover I adhered a measurement conversion chart and on the inside back cover I cut out "I'm only a phone call away" using my "Simply Sweet" cartridge.

She loved the book and now I just have to put all the recipes in it and mail it to her.

Thanks for looking and...

Happy crafting,
Barb!

12/09 Scrapbooking Goodies' DT Challenge: create a layout using a Fairytale Creations chalking template

This month's DT challenge was to use a Fairytale Creations chalking template on a layout using any medium or technique of your choice. Although I like chalk to add details to paper-piecings and diecuts, I much prefer to use these templates to create paper-pieced embellies!

I chose the "Snow Day" template to use for skiing pictures from a trip to Gunstock NH back in 2003.

Using Core'dinations cs, I paperpieced the skis, snowman, mittens, and scarf, inked the edges with a black Stazon and added detail with a Zig Millenium marker. I created the snowflakes using an EK Success light blue colored pencil to trace the shape, then applyied "waterfall" stickles to make them sparkle and shine! The title letters were cut from core'dinations cs in design studio using Winter Woodland cartridge. I used "Frosty Dots" from the Reminisce Holiday Leftovers Collection papers for my photo mats. Adding scans of ski-tags and Gunstock map helped me to complete the layout without buying more supplies... bonus!

Next month's SG Design Team Challenge: "Create a theme layout of your choice".

Happy crafting,
Barb!

11/09 Scrapbooking Goodies' DT Challenge: create an "About Me" layout

This was such a fun challenge and something that I have wanted to do for a very long time!

I chose to do a spinner page for the left page and tags tucked in to a pocket for the right page. I am a HUGE fan of hidden journaling, so these 2 techniques had to be included in an "all about me" layout :)

I created the spinner element in Cricut Design Studio (CDS) using George and Basic Shapes and Accent Essentials cartridges, but I hand cut the pie shaped spinner opening. The title letters were welded in CDS using Alphalicious and shadow feature, then layering the base letters after they were cut. I used my CuttleBug and the Swiss Dots folder to emboss the center circle. The paper flowers were ones that I had in my stash that I just had to use!

The pocket page was also created in CDS using Alphalicious for the letters, Everyday Paper Dolls for the pocket (it's actually a road on the cart!) and Tags, Bags, Boxes and more for the tags and flowers on the top of each, but then more paper flowers from my stash were attached to the top using brads. I handstitched the edge of the pocket and in between the tag sections using embroidery floss (more stash that I need to use up!).

I love these Doodlebug Design Inc. papers and use them (in all of the color combinations) in a lot of my layouts and projects! I also used a lot of Core'dinations cs in this layout.

Next month's SG Design Team Challenge: create a layout using a Fairytale Creations Chalking Template.

Happy crafting,
Barb!

10/09 Scrapbooking Goodies' DT Challenge: Using Core'dinations Cardstock

This was my Scrapbooking Goodies (SG) Design Team submission for October 2009.

The challenge was to use a non-scrapbooking tool to distress or alter Core'dinations Cardstock. I used one of my son Zac's lego blocks under the cardstock and sanded the surface, leaving a very cool checkered design.

I welded the title words in Design Studio using the Alphalicious cartridge and shadow feature, then layered the base letters on the welded shadow. I love that cartridge... it's just so fun and playful! The circles and triangle in the corners were the negative pieces left after cutting the "o"s and "4" - I love to use my scraps!

Next month's SG Design Team Challenge: an "About Me" layout.

Thanks for stopping by and...

Happy crafting,
Barb!

I'm a Grand Prize Winner!!!

(originally posted December 1, 2009)

WOW! I won the Grand Prize for the Cricut + YourStory Design Challenge - a fully loaded Gypsy (and ALL the Cricut Cartridges to go with it!!!)

You can find the details about my winning entry, the Disney shape book pictured above, here: http://www.cricut.com/yourstory/

I can't wait to get my Gypsy and start creating some cool paper crafts and scrapbook layouts!!!

Happy crafting,
Barb!

My first REAL Blog!

This is all VERY new to me but I figured I better get a blog going or nobody will ever find me (hehehehe!).

I have a few old posts from a family blog to add to this because they contain important information - if you want to know about me that is... Please bear with me until I get this up and running. I completely expect to have some AMAZING things to share with other paper crafters within the next few weeks and hope to continue for a long time to come!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy crafting,
Barb!

I'm a Certified SDU Instructor!!!

(Originally posted in April, 2009)

It’s official... I am certified to be an instructor for E.K. Success Brand’s “Scrapbook Design and You®” Course. SDU is the industry leader in innovative education. The curriculum taught incorporates theory, technique and technology with a goal of cultivating life-long paper crafting hobbyists and family historians.

Scrapbook Design & You® teaches beginner through advanced scrapbookers the essential scrapbook theories and principles of design. SDU will dramatically enhance the skills of any scrapbooker to create dynamic scrapbook pages.

The core SDU Curriculum provides each student with:

• A 4-part education series for every skill level.

• A chance to get acquainted with the tools of the trade.

• The opportunity to learn successful color selection & layout design theory.

• An appreciation for the importance of journaling, hand lettering and titles in design.

• New techniques for matting photos, getting stickers out of the collections, and giving new life to punches.

• A certificate of completion upon finishing the entire course.

I will be teaching SDU at 2 AC Moore locations: Pine Island Road in Cape Coral and Ben C. Pratt Parkway/6 Mile Cypress Parkway in Fort Myers. The June classes will be held on Saturdays from 1 - 3pm in the Cape Coral store and Thursdays from 5 - 7pm in Fort Myers. The cost for the 4-week course at either location is just $45 which includes the course manual (a $10 value). Pre-registration is required and must be paid at the time of registration, at least 3 days PRIOR to the class start date. I am also teaching SDU at Scrapbooking Goodies (1110 Del Prado Blvd., South, Cape Coral at various times throughout the month... check out their schedule to see when the next class begins at scrapbookinggoodies.com

In addition to the SDU curriculum, each week I will also demonstrate or show examples of other techniques and share tips that apply to the course material being taught that week. Expect to test out various tools before you buy them (Curvy Cutter, Powder Tool, Cutterpede, Herma Vario, Zig Memory System pens and markers, Centering Ruler, 3D-Dots foam adhesive, Chalklets, Paper Shaper, Edger and CornerAdorner Punches, eyelet setters, embossing styluses and more)

I look forward to sharing my passion of paper crafting with you!

Have a creative day,

Barb!