Sketchabilities #82

Hello! Today I am excited to share my second layout for Sketchabilities. I am loving all of Karan's sketches! They are so fun to work with!  Be sure to check the blog for lots of inspiration and ideas!!

Here is Sketch 82! I love the big pennant in the middle!

And here is my take on the sketch! I used Fancy Pants' The Good Life collection for my layout. And since New Years is right around the corner, I used pictures from last NYE of our daughter.  

I love the colors of this line, as well as the package of chipboard buttons, stars, and hearts. Plus color coordinating buttons!  I wanted to layer as much as I could around my photo.  

For my title, I used American Craft Thickers, as well as letter stickers from Sassafras Lass (I bought as much as I could at The Scrapbooking Studio up in Moline after Sassafrass announced they were no more. Sad!)  

Check out the blog today for other designers' layouts!  Thanks for reading! -Jen

2012 Top Ten + giveaway!!

I cannot believe 2012 is coming to a close. Where did the year go??  

As a fun way to kick off the new year with the design team at Practical Scrappers, we are doing a Top Ten blog hop!

10.  T Ball T Bow:  A cute picture of my boy (who used to call t-ball "t-ball t-bo") using Jillibean Soup's Game Day Chili line. Believe it or not (ha!) this was my 3rd attempt of doing this layout.  

9. Authentique's Glory canvas mini:  Love how this one turned out! My first attempt at a canvas book. 

8. Country Pumpkin Chowder:  I heart Jillibean Soup! One of my top three favorite paper companies!

7. Sweet Afternoon:  LOVE LOVE LOVE Teresa Collins!  This is one of my all time favorite lines.

6. Trick or Treat! Smell My Feet!:  This is one of the projects I did for the Clear Scraps DT. I love Authentique. I love Halloween.  And I love making my own acrylic shapes!  

5.  Max the Pug:  I created this layout for my submission for the Sketchabilities DT. I absolutely love Pink Paislee's Portfolio line!  The colors are awesome! And I love my puggie!

4.My Mind's Eye All is Bright mini book: I created this Maya Road canvas book for The Scrapbooking Studio DT.  All is Bright is one of my most favorite Christmas lines this year!  

3. Vintage Finds Memory Binder: Again, LOVE Teresa!  Vintage Finds was so fun to work with!  There are so many great embellishments!

2.  I Am Thankful:  This is one of the new Clear Scrap products: the recipe holder. But, you can use it as a mini book! Love it!  I used Simple Stories' Harvest Lane.

1.  October Afternoon Midway mini book:  I used the Here and Now book that comes with the collection. The bright patterns and cute embellishments really made this book fun to create!  

Now, leave a comment before midnight December 31st and tell me your favorite memory of 2012!  A random winner will win My Mind's Eye's Winter Wonderland collection!

Lastly, keep hopping and visit the very talented Kerri Yarus's blog!  

Thanks for reading! -Jen

Hello?

Ok, ok..I know I've been neglecting my blog again. Seriously though there is not much I can even show. Everything I've been working on has been for new products for Clear Scraps.  And I'm so excited to show you them!! Hopefully by CHA Winter (which is in a few weeks!), I can reveal.  I am looking forward to heading to Anaheim with my good friend, Malika Kelly.  Mal is on the Bella Blvd DT and we are both excited to have our own samples in booths this year!  

I've been having a tough time even working on my projects..between the holidays and filling in at offices, I'm pooped. I worked today and work tomorrow as well.  And just the day to day stuff like kids, dog, husband, house..etc, I am feeling overwhelmed. Hello, I am also supposed to be hitting the gym every day!  

Anyone feel like this? Anyone listening??   

Anyway, I will be back very soon for my next Sketchabilities layout with sketch #82!  

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!  

Let It Snow

Ok, seriously I have been neglecting my blog.  I have been busy with trying to get CHA samples done for Clear Scraps. Mostly though I have been subbing for hygiene this week. I worked Monday through today (although yesterday and today I had long lunches).  Anyway, I am absolutely eager to sit and work on my projects!!!  I hate to say no when an office asks me to sub..plus the money is good!  

Anyway, we are supposed to get our first snow today.  Only 1-3 inches (unlike west of us which is forecasted for much more) but I'll take it. I need more snow pictures! I've been using the same three events for the past couple of years! LOL

Today I am sharing a mini album I did for the Clear Scraps design team. We are doing a cross promotion/blog hop with Authentique Paper (one of my absolute favorites!). I received the "Peaceful" collection to use.  For my album, I used the Scalloped Tab Album. I absolutely love making acrylic mini albums!  

I wanted my cover to be fairly simple. I am loving Tim Holtz's new Snowflake Rosette die!  So I decided to use it and top it with one of the cardstock stickers that come with the Peaceful collection. I sprayed the wooden veneer Studio Calico mini letters with Mr. Huey spray ink in Bookworm (plus, added some messy drops as well).  With a few buttons from my stash, as well as a star decorative pin from Maya Road that completed my cover. And I can't forget the American Crafts silver glitter ribbon! 

On the inside of my cover, I again used the wooden veneer numbers. The stamp is from the Technique Tuesday Ali Edwards December Daily set from last year.  As you can see, I love to use my sewing machine too!  

Here, I sprayed a doily with Ranger Perfect Pearls Mist then added another cute cardstock sticker, some glitter ribbon, and a wooden veneer snowflake from Studio Calico. Can you tell I love those as well? I use them a lot in my projects! You can also spy a wooden veneer tree :)  

For this page, I incorporated more Clear Scraps! I had the birdcage left over from a past project. And since it fit the sentiment, I decided it would be perfect! I used Ranger Alcohol ink in Pesto for the acrylic birdcage. I used a Stampin Up punch for my bird. I added some Diamond Stickles to him as well.  

I made this "frame" simply by cutting a 4x4 square and using a punch to cut out the center.  The stamped sentiment is from Studio Calico.  

I used the corner tab stickers to create the three "arrows" in the top left corner and then stitched through. 

Love the little sentiments from the 12x12 cardstock sticker sheet!  

Here, I wrapped some grey baker's twine from Whisker Graphics around the stamp sticker, then added a mini paper clip from Tim Holtz's Ideology line. 

Here, I created a flap to hide a picture and sentiment. On the outside, I used one of the cardstock stickers and placed it on a black cardstock scalloped circle.  

I love using kraft paper for my projects as well...here I not only used it for journaling but also used a tag punch and my Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers Mini Snowflakes die to create a reverse image. I placed patterned paper behind it and finished with some bakers twine and a small rhinestone. 

Love Catslife Press! One of their many fun stamps!  

Hope you enjoyed this mini and maybe you will take some pictures of the snow today and create something?

Thanks for reading! -Jen

Sketchabilities #81 reveal

Hello! I'm happy to share my first layout for the Sketchabilities design team!   Sketch #81 is the first of two reveals this month.

And here is my layout! I used My Mind Eye's All is Bright collection.  For my trees, I cut 2, 3, and 4 inch triangles on my Cricut (see it still has a use! LOL).  I pieced each triangle together and added a scalloped border. I then stitched through each tree with my sewing machine.

I used Pink Paislee's Portfolio Alphabet Stickers for my title. I love how small and shiny they are!

Here, I used the new Tim Holtz Snowflake Rosette die.  Love this!  Below, I affixed a few of the Studio Calico wooden veneer stars. 

For my "flourishes", I used bakers twine that comes with the All is Bright collection. I then added some wooden veneer snowflakes from Studio Calico, as well as All is Bright chipboard buttons. 

I love the sketches that are coming up! So be sure to check back every 15th and 30th of the month for a new sketch!

Thanks for reading! -Jen

Clear Scraps 6x6 Bookstand

Hello! Today I am happy to share a fun project I did for the Clear Scraps/SEI cross promo this week!  I used the Clear Scraps 6x6 Bookstand and SEI's Homestead paper collection.   You can punch holes into the bookstand to display a mini book, but I decided to use it to display a layout.

I first inked the edges of the bookstand with Rust Alcohol ink from Ranger. I next used my Tim Holtz paper distresser on all of the edges before adhering them to the bookstand. 

Next, I created these paper rosettes simply by using different size circle punches. They are very easy and fun to make!

Last, I added a Clearly Accent Dress Embellishment to my layout. I again used Rust Alcohol ink and added some pink tulle trim from Maya Road.  

Be sure to check out both Clear Scraps and SEI's blogs for lots of great inspiration! Thanks for reading!

Clear Scraps Send It Clear Christmas Tree card

I'm back again to share another fun project I did for the Clear Scraps design team!  Today I'm sharing one of the Send It Clear Christmas Tree cards. Now, if you haven't created with one of these, you need to try it! All the cards come in three pieces and they are very easy to assemble!  

I first inked the three pieces (after removing the protective film) with Ranger Pesto alcohol ink.  This is an easy way to add color to your acrylic.  

Next, I added my patterned paper just on the Christmas tree portion.  This takes a little bit of measuring and lining up, but I promise you if I can do it, you can!  

I used Simple Stories' Handmade Holiday line for my card, adding some of the coordinating cardstock stickers and bakers twine from Whisker Graphics!

Be sure to check out the shop at Clear Scraps to purchase this card and many more!

Thanks for reading! Jen

Clear Scraps Holiday Expression Clear Word Title Layout

Hello everyone! Sorry for my absence. I have been celebrating pretty much all week, as I turned the big 4-0 yesterday! My husband even threw me a surprise party this past weekend.  

Today I am sharing a layout I did for the Clear Scraps design team.  I used a few different pieces of acrylic for my layout!  The Christmas line I used is Simple Stories' Handmade Holiday. One of my favorites!  Then again, Simple Stories never disappoints!

I colored the Holiday Expression Clear WordTitle, part of a Scalloped Circle Frame, and the 25 from the Tim Holtz Mover and Shapers Mini Reindeer and 25 die.  

A close up of the tag:  I used a doily that I inked with Fired Brick Distress Ink and added patterned paper. I stitched around the edges then added my acrylic 25 and a rusted heart that I had found last year at the Red Lead store in Webster Groves, MO. 

Here is the Holiday Expressions Title. In addition to the red alcohol ink, I added a bit of Pesto (green) alcohol ink. 

A piece of the Scalloped Circle Frame. It's very easy to cut these apart and situate them around your photos or other embellishments.  I also added a gold pin star...another treasure found at Red Lead!

I hope this inspires you to do some Christmas creating of your own!  I'm spending the rest of the day in my scrap room!  Thanks for reading! Jen