Stump Reading - DCWV Stack a Holic April Challenge

I'm back with another scrapbook page which, from the looks of it was the last thing I posted.  Eh, what can I say, I work on whatever I'm moved by.  This page is for this month's DCWV Stack-a-holic Challenge.  I've been playing for about four or five months now and I have to say it's quickly become one of my favorite challenges.  I have quite a few of these stacks, many I've never used so it's a good opportunity to put that paper to use.  Plus, these are always sketch challenges and I love a good sketch.  Erin is now using sketches from a new site called Got Sketch.  The sketch artist is Valerie Salmon.  I hadn't discovered this site before now, and I've looked high and low for sketch sites, but  no matter - I have it now!  There are a lot of great sketches that are easily modified to suit your purposes.  

I think I mentioned some time ago that I have started working out my pages using the Silhouette Studio software.  The fact that I can import the sketch and pictures that I am using right into the software really helps me get a sense of what I want to do and get the sizing of elements right the first time.  I am a totally visual person.  I need to be able to see it, otherwise I have to go back and fix, and change, and fix, and change, and well, you get the idea.   Here is the page in the Silhouette Studio:

And here is the finished page

I used DCWV's "The Guy Stack" for this challenge, with just a small addition of orange cardstock from their Dots, Stripes & Plaids stack.  The journaling label is a Silhouette print and cut.  I just printed it on cardstock from the stack cut down to fit into my printer.  The grass as the bottom is actually a Cricut cut.  I tried it in my Cameo, but this paper is textured and has some sort of enamel top that the Cameo just wouldn't cut through.  My Cricut, however, handled it with no problem.  If there are any drawbacks to my Cameo, this is it.  I really wish it could handle thicker paper.  But I still love her!  I also used my new Wide Format Printer to print out the photograph - yes I printed that myself!  The photograph measures 5 x 9 1/2 inches and I absolutely LOVE that I can size photos to any size I want now. 

Recipe:
Paper:  DCWV The Guy Stack, Dots, Stripes & Plaids
Silhouette:  All shapes, dragonfly, journaling tag, title
Cricut:  Grass (Zoobaloo)
Embellishments:  The knit flowers are Recollection, the others are from my stash, as well as the brad and the bling

Thanks for stopping by!

Father & Sons

Last fall my husband's grandmother was in town with her new husband (sweetest story ever and I will have to remember to post about it sometime) and we gathered the troops and headed off to dinner at the most allergen friendly restaurant we could find - THANK YOU Outback Steakhouse in Roswell GA - you completely GET gluten and casein free.  Anyway, someone (other than me) snapped these photos while we were there and I just love them!  All of my guys looks so happy and full of love.  So of course they were going to end up on a scrapbook page. I used one of the sketches from my new favorite sketch blog, Little Sketch Book, and I am pretty happy with the results.  I will warn you - this not my best sewing ever.  Not even close.  And I thought about adding some more embellishments but, eh.  I still like it.  We can't hit it out of the park every time now can we?

Recipe:

Paper:  My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart, American Crafts Campy Trails

Silhouette:  borders, P&C journaling tag, title (&)

Cricut:  Flower Shoppe flowers

Bling:  My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas

Misc:  Thickers (title) and "Love" sentiment - my stash

Thanks so much for stopping by!

DCWV Top Ten again!

I just found out that one my my scrapbook pages made the Top Ten at DCWV Stack a Holic template challenge.  Starting this day off right don't you think?  For those wondering which one - it's this page I made a few weeks ago.

Thanks to Erin over at DCWV for the great honor!  I love playing along with this challenge!

Card Patterns No. 158

I have like an hour to get this card posted!  I haven't crafted in forever.  No big excuses, just life and Spring.  It's hard to be indoors.  I haven't played at Card Patterns for a while but I ADORE this sketch.  Just so you all know, this particular fat lady was colored by my dear friend Kymberlee from The Paper Midwife.  When we had our big craft retreat back in February, Kymberlee was kind enough to give everyone a Copics lesson.  It was easier and harder than I thought and if I had more time I might consider taking them up.  But since I don't, I asked her to color some images for me but to make them people of color. I love the look of Copics but I really want to see more of *me* in some of these beautiful images.  There are some out there, but few and far in between most of the time.  So guess what I got in the mail this week?  An entire package of images that are just about the prettiest thing I have ever seen!  This particular fat lady is just one of many and I am in heaven.  I can't wait to have some real time to start making some cards with these images they are just so lovely.  So THANK YOU Kymberlee!

Recipe:
Paper:  DCWV Citrus 8x8 stack, Coordinations, flocked Silhouette vinyl
Silhouette:  all images
Flower:  Recollections
Font (Receipts):  Bradley Hand MT

Thanks for stopping by!

Something New!

Ta Da!  At the beginning of the year I decided I wanted a new look for my blog.  I went back to the folks who did such a fabulous job the first time, Designer Blogs, and asked for an upgrade.  I wanted a stripped down and more clean style this time around and did they deliver?  Wow!  I am totally in love with my look and I want to thank Lindsey for working so hard over the past few weeks to get us here!  If any of you are considering making a change make sure you check out Designer Blogs.  They are they best!

Things I Love About You

Guess what?  I found a new source of sketch inspiration!  Thank you Pinterest!  The artist is Liz Qualman and you can click Little Sketch Book to find her blog and also here for her gallery of sketches.  I feel like a kid at Christmas.  I found her blog around 9:00 p.m. last night and like a nut stayed up until I finished this page. 

Liz's  Sketch:

My take on the sketch:

I really love the soft colors of this My Mind's Eye collection.  And any chance I can use some of my favofrite things like flowers and doilies with pictures of my boys it's a plus. I really like this page, it makes me happy. 

Recipe:

Paper:  My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart, American Crafts Campy Trails, Coordinations GemTones

Silhouette:  All shapes & title, journaling block

Embellishments:  My Mind's Eye Follow Your Heart buttons and banners, Soft Suede Stampin' Up Ink, Martha Stewart baker's twine

Thanks for stopping by!

A New Journey

Good morning everyone and welcome to your almost weekend!  Today is my day to post at the Paper Craft Weekend Challenge blog.  I have a vinyl project to share with you today!  In keeping with this baby shower my sister is putting soon, she forwarded a few pregnancy pictures of the expecting Mom and asked me to work some magic with them.  I decided to customize a frame with vinyl.  First, I have to tell you that I printed the photos using my new wide format printer and I am in LOVE with it. Epson Artisan 1430 for those of you in the market for one - you won't be disappointed.

I used my Silhouette Cameo and studio software to design the frame.  One thing that I learned recently about the software is that you can import images into your work space mat and size and tweak them like you would any other image.  Having the actual picture on the work space goes a long way in helping me decide if I do or don't like an element, it's placement etc.  I get to see how everything will look when it's done before I make a single cut.  I have been doing this more and more and I have been amazed at how much time I am saving by laying the entire sketch out in the design program first.  Here is what my file looks like after I completed the design.  You will note that none of words or flourishes are reversed or mirrored.  That's because I used a floating frame for this project.  If was using a regular frame I would have had to mirror or reverse the images so they would appear correctly.  Floating frames are an easy way around that problem and especially nice to use if you want more space to work with.

And here is the finished frame.  I really love how this project turned out!

Recipe:
Silhouette Cameo:  Baby Boy & Flourishes
Paper:  Echo Park's Happy Days
Font (A New Journey) - AL Hurried Note
Vinyl:  Silhouette flocked black vinyl

Thanks for stopping by!

Momma's Main Man Diaper Bicycle

My sister is hosting a baby shower in a few weeks and I thought I would come up with a few unusual items for her to use.  I have been wanting to make one of these baby diaper bicycles for some time now.  I couldn't believe how absolutely easy it is, and well, there wasn't a whole lot else for me to do other than add the baby supplies.  I did add a few ribbons on the handlebars, but that's it.  First time NOT using my Cameo in a long time - go figure!  I think it turned out very cute and I am hope the Mom to be loves it.

Supplies Needed:
Size 1 Diapers - there are approximately 60 of them here
2 bibs, 2 receiving blakets
1 stuffed animal
1 bottle or sippy cup.

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!

I'm Pinch Proof Money Books

My sister's first day at her new job was uneventful in a good way.  She made decent tips and the money book worked out for the most part. I have had the tweak the design though (not surprising, I figured this would happen) because the perforated sides made it a little too easy to tear.  So I have worked up a few more books, including a St. Patrick's themed one for her to use today.  Who doesn't want to be pinch proof?

 

The DCWV Currant stack is one of my sister's favorites.  It's what she used when she tried to fashion her own crude little creation the first time out.  I decided I would use it because clearly she likes the paper and the designs really are gorgeous.  I wish I could photograph the flocked vinyl so that my readers could see the true effect.  It is so absolutely gorgeous and it feels awesome -it's like running your hands over velvet.  Anyway, that's it for today folks.  I hope to have something super cute to share with you tomorrow!

Recipe:

Paper:  Silhouette Studio shamrock pattern paper, DCWV Black Currant Stack

Silhouette:  Printed Pattern paper, all images

Vinyl:  Silhouette flocked vinyl

Font:  KG Skinny Latte

 Thanks for stopping by!

She Stood . . .The Return of Saturday Morning Musings

She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her away, and surely it has not, she adjusted her sails.  ~ Elizabeth Edwards

This one moved me this past week when I read it.  Does it remind you of anyone in your life?

Call Me Girl!

I put together this super quick, non terribly creative card a few nights ago.  The idea was really that I wanted to use my new wide format printer to print some paper and hello? I am in love!  I picked up this lovely lady - an Epson Artisan 1430 directly from Epson (there is an $80 rebate if you order directly from them) and I am more than impressed by the quality of prints not only for paper, but for photographs. To be able to print a photograph in any size I choose, ah, it's so liberating. I have so many ideas, ideas, ideas.  So, what you are seeing here is just me playing around happy that I printed a piece of pattern paper successfully.  The argyle pattern is one I found in the Silhouette store and have actually used a time or two with Project Life.  Ah, the possibilities.  Anyway, it's a cute little card and I plan on sending it to a girlfriend who lives out of state who I haven't talked to in a while.

Recipe:
Paper:  Silhouette Studio Pattern, JoAnn's Kraft paper, WASAU white cardstock
Silhouette:  P&C shapes, pattern paper
Ribbon:  My Stash
Stamp:  Unity Stamps  - Call Me
Spellbinders:  reverse wonky rectangles

Thanks for stopping by!

Joy & Love

It's been a while since I made a scrapbook page, and for some reason I got the urge to start one at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Sunday).  I managed to actually finish it within a few hours which is pretty impressive for me.  The sketch is from my favorite sketch blogs - Sherry Stringfield's Sketch Savvy.  The sketch is one of her older ones, but it is the featured sketch this month for DCWV Template stack challenge.  I have tons of great photos to choose from, thanks to Project Life.  I picked a few of my favorites from my boys' recent trip to the World of Coke last month with my sister.

The sketch:

And here is my page:

Recipe:

Paper:  DCWV Dots, Stripes & Plaids (One of my all time favorites!)

Silhouette: borders, hearts, sunburst, &

Twine:  The Twinery

Title:  Thickers - Marquise 

Spellbinders:  beaded & crown circles

Thanks for stopping by!