Saturday's Haul of Fame!

So...went shoppin' yesterday...I HAD to!  There were coupons to use...and voids that I had to fill...Sigh...

Okay, mom and I went shopping to use those special 40% off coupons that you get get online or through email...they are tempting and really the only way to go sometimes.  I had a wish list in one hand and 7 coupons in the other hand.  I am a big fan of Jennifer McGuire and I follow her blog regularly.  She designs for Hero Arts and contributes to Creating Keepsakes magazine.  She "specializes" on how to use the fabulous tools out there and then shows you how to use them.  She's brilliant!  She posts these awesome how-to videos on her blog.  I have been inspired by her to try many techniques and to do that, I need tools. 

So, I had a few tools that she recommends on my list...but of course somehow things not on my list somehow end up in the shopping cart.  Some of this is mom's too.

Here's a picture of the entire haul from 3 different stores...see it's not too bad!  A lot of things were on clearance too.  Got some clear stamps, ink, some brads, Cinch rings, K&Company Que Sera Sera die cuts, rub-ons, chipboard, leaf punch...

Here is what Jennifer recommended:

~Tim Holtz Ink Blending Tool and Pads

~Distress Inks
~Ranger Craft Sheet
~Glossy Accents
~Hero Arts Friends Definition Cling Stamp
~Tim Holtz Tonic Scissors
~Fiskars Portable Trimmer (this is the small on, still need the big one)
~Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Supplies (with Jennifer McGuire) and she's on the cover

You can also find all of this stuff featured somewhere on her blog jennifermcguireink.

Now...it is time to go play with my new toys!  Have a happy Sunday!

Steph

Birthday Cards with Cute Asian Dolls

I have already posted these on my other blog, Lollipop Jubilee, but wanted to show them here as well.  I saw these Hero Arts Four dolls stamps and fell in love with them.  I made these for family birthdays, but was really hesitant to give them away.  I know that is the whole point of cards, right?

For this one, I used DCWV Summer Dreams paper.  I don't know of you have seen that collection, but it is FABULOUS!  I really, really stocked up at Joann's.  They had the paper stacks for $6.00 at one point.  Their website may still have some left.  Anyway, it is amazing paper.  You'll be seeing more of it in my cards and layouts in the future.

I used Oriental Trading Company Far East Paper for the next one.  I really love the muted pinks and greens and soft prints.  The Happy Birthday and flower stamps are also from OTC, as is the green sticky ribbon.  And of course the doll is Hero Arts.  I used the Provo Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder on the green strip of paper. 

Jamaica Tropical Fun

Ahhhh!  Summertime!  This is the third layout from my Jamaica scrapbook.  We were hanging out on the beach, sipping on some Jamaican rum and groovin' to some reggae music.  Pretty relaxing, huh?  The paper is, once again, DCWV Citrus with a few scraps of On the Beach from Paper Studio.

The chipboard embellishments are K & Company.  Other stickers are from Me & My Big Ideas and JoAnn Essentials.  I used We R Memory Keepers eyelets and the Crop-a-Dile II Big Bite, then threaded ribbon through the eyelets.  This created a framing effect. 

The blue border is Fiskars Threading Water border punch, which I thought was appropriate.  The pink paper accent background was cut from the Cricut Storybook cartridge.  I used one of the Marquees from the cart and cut in half lengthwise.  I just love the colors on this layout.  It is soooo summery!  Hope you like it!

Clip It Up!

I WANT THIS!!!  I NEEEEED THIS!!!  I really, really need the Simply Renee Clip It Up Storage System for my stickers and embellishments!  Right now they are crammed in several of those plastic Rubbermaid storage container thingies and I would love to have them all organized and hanging on this cool rack.

Maybe I should get the extender too.  That way I can put the smaller items on the top. 

But this what I have...actually, I have more, but it is not photographed.

So, I'm thinking...what I really need is THIS...

The 3-tiered FLOOR MODEL!  With 15-inch adjustable arms it stands over 6 feet tall...sigh...they sure know what a girl wants...

On the Way to the Beach! Jamaica Style!

This is a 2-page layout of the travels to Beaches Resort in Negril, Jamaica.  I wanted the pages to blend, but to stand alone, if needed.  Not that I can think of a reason why they would be separated.  I used DCWV Citrus paper again, but went BOLD with the design.  I figured, what the heck, it's my first scrapbook, go crazy!  I also wanted to try using the gromlets that I got (really cheap at TJ MAXX) and the Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite.  You can see them lining the bottom of the blue circle on the first page.  Speaking of the circle, I actually traced a luncheon plate and hand-cut it out.  My mother laughed and said, "Why don't you use the Cricut?"  Well, there is something to be said about hand-cutting.  I feel like I'm really crafting...old-school.  Plus sometimes it just seems faster.  Especially for a big circle like this.

I did use the Cricut Expression to cut out the lettering and the scalloped frames.  The letters were a combo of Lyrical Letters fonts and Life is a Beach--I used the graphic with the swim trunks that were attached to the word "BEACH"--then cut off the trunks.  I wanted the letters to be connected (no, I don't have a Gypsy).  The scalloped frames were from the Winter Woodland cartridge--I think they were a background for a snowflake.  Perfect for what I needed!

I stuck some paper flowers together with some brads and played around with the layout for a while.  I was pretty happy with how it turned out.  It is vibrant, fun and colorful.  This layout took some time, well, most of my layouts do.  I am not a fast scrapper AT ALL!  I have to rearrange at least 5 or 6 times...then I take a break from it, sometimes for several days.  Then it all seems to come together in the end.  I don't commit with adhesives unless I am really sure I like it.  It drives my mother CRAZY!!  Ha!

Jamaican Me Crazy!

First scrapbook layout ever! Earlier in the summer, I started a scrapbook of the Jamaica trip I took with some friends several years back. It was fun to go through them again and to relive the memories of the trip. I used DCWV Citrus paper for this one. I wanted it to have a bright tropical summer feel.
I also used Cricut Life is a Beach cartridge to cut out "Jamaica Mon". The paper is a sand print from DCWV Travel paper stack. The round embellishments were stamped and handcut. Other miscellaneous embellishments are Colorbok and Me & My Big Ideas.

This is the first page of the book. Tomorrow I will post pages 2 & 3, a two-page layout.

TTFN,

Stephanie

Scrap! It's finally here!

Welcome to my new blog! This is the sister blog of Lollipop Jubilee, which has thus far been a mish mash of posts about things I like, including card making and scrapbooking. Since scrappin' has become such a major part of my life, I decided to create a blog designated mainly to scrapbooking, stamping, card making and crafting in general. Please feel free to toggle between the blogs...I have added links to help you do this easily. Also, please click on "follow me" on the right-hand column of the page! I need followers!

For my first post, it is only appropriate to show you the first card I made. It was for a co-worker's baby shower and I wanted to give her something handmade. I decided to jump right in and use my mother's Cricut Expression and Cuddlebug for the first time too. Way to ease into it! (Read the "about me" section to see how my scrapbooking adventure began).

For this little card, I used the Potpourri Basket cartridge for the lettering and Zoobaloo for the birds. I even embossed with Swiss Dots and Just My Type Cuddlebug folders. The paper was from Die Cuts With A View Spring Glitter Stack.


Looking back, I see many things that I would have done differently, like chalk the birds and the frame...maybe add more bling, but overall I thought it turned out pretty cute! I have progressed since way back then (ha! it was just this past April that I made this). I am using new techniques, materials and styles now. Cards are so fun because you can make them fairly quickly with great satisfaction.

More to come! Thanks for visiting!
Stephanie