Page 2 Earth Day

As promised here's page 2. Not too bad for a first layout. Now to submit it to Let's Scrap.

You know you have a problem when....

You're up all night with visions of scrapbook layouts in your head. I couldn't fall asleep last night because I had so many great ideas in my head. I should have gotten up and sketched them or wrote them down. I came home from my MDS class bursting with excitement to try out all the new things I learned. I have my first ever digital layout to share with you. It is page 1 of a two page layout I am going to submit to Let's Scrap this week so it coordinates with their sketch. I also learned to blur the adorable faces of my kiddos using Photoshop Elements! So no more silly white circles over their faces.  Of course I didn't go easy on myself just cause it was my first layout. There's lots of layering and using punches to masks parts of stamps I didn't want. That whole tree was made from the stamp of one branch that I flipped, stretched, turned, and covered with punches. The second page of this layout will follow later.

Bear with me while I attempt to change the look of my blog.

I learned some cool new tricks for using the My Digital Studio software from SU tonight from my friend Jessica. I came home and tried them out and created a cute little header for my blog. Well as you can see it's too big. I swear I did everything just as she said and I went back and checked the dimensions and it is the 2"x7" I intended. I am going to leave it for now and try to figure out where I went wrong later.

April SU swaps

I had a hard time figuring out what I was going to do for swaps this month. The reason? Believe it or not I had difficulty finding enough paper. I know some of you are gasping and wondering how could that be. Especially those of you that have seen my stash. But to qualify it has to be enough paper to make 13 of the same card and it has to be current SU. So that's where I ran into trouble especially the current part. So the only card-stock I had on hand in enough to make 13 cards was the In-Color Poppy Parade. Fortunately I had lots of scraps of the Pawsitively Prints designer paper to match. I am sure you have all seen versions of this punch bunny card so I won't bore you with the details, but I wanted to just point out his tail. Can you see it? I used an SU pearl and I love it! Also aside from the card base I used all scraps in  the making of this card so I'm happy I was able to use up some of what I had. OK back to the grind 3 done 10 more to go.

P.S. I am going to toot my own horn here but looking at this photo I am pleased to see that my skills at photographing my work have vastly improved.

Tag using Creative Memories Cheerful Seasons cartridge

My friend Tanya asked me to do a Cricut class at her crop today and feature one of the Creative Memories exclusive Cricut cartridges. I looked over Cheerful Seasons and right away thought this bird and birdhouse were perfect for spring. I cut the birdhouse and layers at 4.5". The bird believe it or not was cut at just 1.5" I used a package of SU designer paper that I think was a Sale-A-Bration freebie probably two years ago! I used my iRock to adhere the birds eye and centers to the fabric flowers. The sentiment is from the SU Bold Blossom stamp set that is in the current mini catalog. I stamped it with VersaMark and white embossing powder and then embossed with a little So Saffron ink. The group of ladies who made it today did a great job. I think they'll find it very east to add to a card, use as a gift tag or put on a scrapbook page.

Chick Easter Basket

I have been saving these little green baskets that strawberries and tomatoes come in at my farmers market since last year. These little altered baskets were all the rave on splitcoast last year. I made mine by weaving 3/4" strips of pawsitively prints SU paper through the slats in the basket. I embellished with the Chick from the Simply Charmed cricut cartridge, grass pieces from Create-A-Critter, and eggs from the Doodlecharms cartridge. I adhered fabric flowers that I embellished with my iRock. I simply tied a ribbon the sides of the basket to use as a handle. I then covered the knot I made with another fabric flower.

Welcome and thanks

I wanted to extended a big thank you to all my new followers out there. I am also thankful to Momo for allowing us to link up to her page <3's, so sweet! I hope to have something new to show you all tomorrow and soon I'll be posting my take on a sketch that I am submitting to a design team call!

Regional Swap Card

Here is the card I created for regional swaps.  I used Stampin Ups bugs and kisses stamp set and colored it with a Tempting Turquoise marker and a Versamarker. Then I embossed the wings with Iridescent Ice. The paper is Tempting Turquoise card-stock and designer series paper. What I like most about this card is that I was able to create something elegant from a stamp set that is traditionally for kids. It also reminds me of a jewel box from Tiffany's

A LO I love and one not so much

This layout was made using the sketch for 3/9/11 at Let's Scrap. I really really love how it came out. I cut the snowflakes with my Winter Lace Cricut cartridge and embellished them with white applique, stickles and rhinestones. I stitched the silver scalloped border and added snowflake brads. I used some rub-ons from my stash to add some titles. I think this was a really great sketch that made the whole layout just come together so easily.

This layout I really really struggled with. It is also based on a Let's Scrap sketch from 2/24/11 but I never completed it in time. I used this grid paper because I have seen so many layouts where people have used it and I really liked it. I had a hard time with it though. I cut my fossils from the Dinosaur tracks cartridge and embossed them with a cuttlebug folder. I found the stickers used in the title on clearance at Hobby Lobby. They are DCWV safari kids collection. The dinosaur border is cut from a paper pack I picked up from Me and My big Ideas. It's really kind of simple but it took me forever!

St. patrick's Day bags of gold

I have been busy crafting these past few weeks but haven't posted anything. I worked for the better part of two weeks on a layout that I am still not finished with. It's a style that is not my typical style and I have really struggled with it. I promise not to start another layout until it's finished though. I made these darling treat bags for St. Patty's Day. The little leprechaun is from the Simply Charmed cartridge as well as the pot of gold I cut into the treat bags. The bags themselves are from tags, bags, boxes and more. I used the gypsy to get the pot cut into the bag. I used window sheets on the inside of the bag so my goodies wouldn't fall out. The bags were cut from retired Stampin Up designer paper in certainly celery. I filled the bags with "gold" in the form of Werthers originals, hershey's nuggets, and hershey kisses with almonds. I was supposed to bring some of them to may parents for brunch today but I forgot them at home. I don't think they'll survive the mail without spilling and getting squashed. Ah well I am sure it won't be hard to find someone to give them to.

I also have been very busy crafting swaps for the Hartford Regional Stampin Up meeting. I took photos tonight and was ready to post them and decided maybe I should wait until regionals are over. I don't mind if others copy my work but I'd hate to see someone make the same card for regionals so those will be up next week.