Xyron and Imaginisce - Hello Cupcake

There is something just so fun and joyful about the products that Imaginisce manufacturers and their brand new Hello Cupcake collection is no exception.  

1.  Happy Birthday Cards.  The papers made these super cute and simple birthday cards a breeze to put together.

Supplies:  Patterned Paper and Stickers (Imaginisce); Ribbon (Colorbox); Punches and Tools (Marvy Uchida, We R Memory Keepers Sew Ribbon); Adhesives (Homemade Foam Tape; Xyron Mega Runner); Uni-ball Signo Broad White Gel Pen.

Supplies:  Patterned Paper (Imaginisce); Cardstock (Neena); Stamp (Imaginisce, Lawn Fawn); Inks and Markers (Memento; Copics, American Crafts); Adhesives (Homemade Foam Tape; Xyron Mega Runner, Xyron 1.5" Create-a-Sticker); Martha Stewart Scoring Board).

2.  Vivi Turns Four {a scrapbook layout}.  The Hello Cupcake Collection was also perfect for scrapbooking photos from my niece's fourth birthday party!

Supplies:  Patterned Paper and Stickers (Imaginisce); Cardstock (American Crafts, Martha Stewart Crafts); Stamps (Imaginisce, Lawn Fawn, American Crafts); Markers and Ink (American Crafts, Memento, Uni-ball, Tim Holtz Distress Ink by Ranger); Letter Stickers (American Crafts); Punch (Martha Stewart Crafts); Embossing (Xyron Creatopia); Adhesive (Xyron Mega Runner; Xyron 5" Creative Station, Homemade Foam Tape).

I paper pieced the balloon snag em' stamp and layered a few in the top corner for some added interest.

I used the collage function in Picassa to make this photo collage for the layout.  I find that just one 4x6 photo is rarely enough for me.  

And in this photo, you can see how I embossed the entire white background stamp using the Xyron Creatopia.  I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this machine is!!!!

And since I had such a great time playing with the new Imaginisce products, it inspired me to pull out some of my older Imaginisce supplies to make something new!

3.  Custom Dinosaur Book Plates.  Here are some book plates I designed using digital products by Crystal Wilkerson (available at JessicaSprague.com).  I then print and cut them on adhesive sticker paper using my Silhouette Cameo.  The border strips from the Imaginisce Dino Roar Collection were perfect to finish off the packaging!  I paired these custom book plates with a dinosaur hardback book as a birthday present.

Supplies:  Cardstock (American Crafts); Stamps (Lawn Fawn); Border Stickers (Imaginisce); Adhesive (Xyron Mega Runner); Digital Files (Crystal Wilkerson); Photostop CS5; Silhouette Cameo; Adhesive Sticker Paper.

4.  Potty Chart.  And finally, here is a Potty Chart that I made for Charlotte.  This is our Labor Day Weekend project.  :)  I used papers and elements from the Enchanted Collection, which was one of my first scrapbooking purchases a few years ago.  Hopefully this will help motivate Charlotte to use the potty!  I'll have to blog about the details on my Potty Boot Camp another time!

Supplies:  Patterned Paper (Imaginisce); Cardstock (American Crafts); Stickers (Imaginisce); Stamps (Lawn Fawn); Ink and Pens (Memento); Punches (Marvy Uchida, We R Memory Keepers); Eyelets (Oriental Trading Company); Twine (Twinery); Adhesives (Homemade Foam Tape, Xyron Mega Runner; Xyron 2.5" Create-a-Sticker); Digital Files and Fonts (Samantha Walker, Lettering Delights); Silhouette Cameo.

For more great ideas using products from Imaginisce from the Xyron Design Team, please visit their Facebook Page.  As always, thanks for stopping by!

Gifting Scrapbook Pages

As you know, I love to scrapbook.  With each page I make, it's another memory for our family's album.  It's an intensely personal and intimate exercise to choose the title, journal the memories, and select the perfect photos. So when I decided to make a framed scrapbook page for a friend, it definitely felt outside of my comfort zone. However, with some of Scrapbook Steals fantastic Mid Week Mojo sketches as my guide, I was able to put something together that I'm really proud of.  

1.  Lilly Reese {a scrapbook layout}.

The starting point for this layout was a Mid Week Mojo (Amethyst 5) by Kristy Lee.  

And here are some closeups of the little details.  I personally love the look of some twine wrapped around the photo mat.

I made these 3D flower embellishments using my Silhouette Cameo, some American Crafts brads and Stickles by Ranger.

To finish off the page, I stamped some little hearts along the side and covered them in Stickles.  Lilly is definitely a girl that appreciates some bling.  :)

Supplies:  Echo Park (Patterned Paper, Stickers); American Crafts (Letter Stickers, Brads); Twine by Twinery; Stamps by Paper Smooches; Stickles by Ranger; Silhouette Cameo.

2.  John Joseph {a scrapbook layout}.

For this layout, I started with a Mid Week Mojo Sketch (Amethyst 7) by the talented Kyla Norris.

I placed some train stickers on dimensional stickers along the bottom with stars coming out like steam.  

To incorporate some more fun colors and patterns, I incorporated some paper banner strips behind the title block.  

Supplies:  Echo Park (Patterned Paper, Stickers, Letter Stickers).

And here are both layouts all warm and cozy in their shadow box frames ready to wrap and gift.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by!

Crafting with my November Counterfeit Kit (Part III)

I know that it's officially December.  And there are lots of holiday (and birthday) things to plan this month.  But I wanted to share the last of my projects using my November Counterfeit Kit.

1.  Happy Thanksgiving {a scrapbook layout}

I actually made a coloring page/ placemat for Charlotte using my Cricut, svg cuts from Lettering Delights and the Cricut sketch pens.  I think they turned out wonderfully and was the perfect distraction for Charlotte during dinner.  Since I wanted to somehow preserve the coloring page,  I used it as my background paper for this Thanksgiving layout.  I also loosely based this layout on the Opal #8 sketch by Kristy Lee over at Scrapbook Steals.

Here are some closeups.

2.  You Are My Hero {a card}

And here is a quick card I made using some Studio Calico paper scraps, American Crafts mix tape, Pebbles candy dots, and some Amuse stamps.  It's actually for a family member that was recently honored as a "hometown hero" which is why I used the non-traditional colors.  

Anyways, HAPPY DECEMBER to everyone!!!!!  And as always, thanks for stopping by!

Crafting with my November Counterfeit Kit (Part II)

I've managed to create two more layouts and a card using my November Counterfeit Kit.  I think that I might be able to eek out a few more cards before the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog releases the December inspiration kit.  Anyways, without further ado, here are the creations...

1.  Even After All These Years {a scrapbook layout}

The starting point for this sketch was another Scrapbook Steals sketch by Kristy Lee (Opal #4).  

For my layout, I just used one page of the sketch to scrap out a lovely visit from Danny and Brock back in March.  Justin was enlisted in the Navy with these boys oh so long ago and, even after all these years, the three of them are all such close friends.  Here is a close up of the title.

The page is pretty simple but it feels good to slowly eat away my long to do list of 2011 pages.

2.  April 2011 {a scrapbook layout}

Here is another month page.  This time, I started with an amazing sketch by Cathryn Hansen, the November guest designer for Scrapbook Steals (Opal #5).  Here is her amazing sketch.

I love how she included some little photos along the bottom.  And here is a close up of those lovely Sassafras blooms and stitches that I'm so in love with.

3.  Thinking of You {a card}

And finally, here is a card I made with some paper scraps.  The Studio Calico Cow paper just makes me smile.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Guest Designer at Scrapbook Steals

I was this month's guest designer over at Scrapbook Steals.  It really was quite the honor and surprise to be asked given how relatively new I am to scrapbooking.  In explaining this to Justin, I told him it was like being asked to drive the boat in a race.  He was only slightly impressed.

Using primarily products from the "Hello Sunshine" collection by American Crafts, here are the projects I made. 

And here a close-up:

Here is the second layout I made using the "Hello Sunshine" collection.

And here is a close-up of the lanterns along the top.

And finally, this is a card I also made for the blog post. 

More details on these projects can be found on my post over at Scrapbook Steals.  

As always, thanks for stopping by!

The Golden Ticket

LABELS.  We use labels to describe ourselves.  We use them to describe others.  What labels are attached to me?  Who am I?  Mother, wife, sister, friend.  All pretty positive.  Attorney, blogger, photographer, baker.  Okay, for the most part, those are fine as well.  Scrapper.  Hmm...most of my friends chuckle when I use that label.  At first, I was a bit embarrassed.  Okay, I was really embarrassed.  But as I became more passionate about this hobby, I also become more proud of that label.  SCRAPPER.  Why should I be ashamed to be a scrapbooker?  Why?  Because I'm creating something beautiful and unique for my family?  Because I'm writing messages and letter for my daughter...which she hopefully will one day share with her children.  There is nothing to be ashamed of there.

A huge influence in my *growth* as a scrapbooker has been the daily sketches created by Kristy Lee at scrapbooksteals.com.  With each sketch, I embrace the challenge to make it my own and to create yet another page for Charlotte's first year scrapbook.  Below are my interpretations of sketches 41-50 (which officially makes me a member of the "Gold Club").  I am clearly hooked.

Sketch MWM #41 - Keeping Great Gran Busy.

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park (Country Drive);  Embellishments:  Martha Stewart Crafts (lady bug dimensional stickers), American Crafts (thickers, brads), Tattered Angels (glimmer mist).

Sketch MWM #42 - First Easter

Patterned Paper:  We Are Memory Keepers (Hippity Hop);  Embellishments:  We Are Memory Keepers (embroidery floss), American Crafts (thickers, brads), Prima (flowers), Martha Stewart Crafts (border punch, buttery punch), Making Memories (flower brad).

Sketch MWM #43 - ...after

Patterned Paper:  We Are Memory Keepers (Out and About);  Embellishments:  We Are Memory Keepers (brads, chipboard stickers), American Crafts (thickers), Studio Calico (wood heart), Lawn Fawn (stamps), Technique Tuesday (stamps).


Sketch MWM #44 - Hawaiian Adventure

Patterned Paper:  Me and My Big Ideas, Echo Park (Candy Shoppe);  Embellishments:  Me and My Big Ideas (chipboard stickers), Echo Park (label sticker), American Crafts (thickers).
 
Sketch MWM #45 - Three Months

Patterned Paper:  Echo Park (little girl)t;  Embellishments: Echo Park (stickers), My Minds Eye (journaling die cut), Marta Stewart Crafts (border punches), Unity Stamps (banner stamp)

Sketch MWM #46 - Go Navy, Beat Army

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (Lil' Robots), We Are Memory Keepers (Out and About);  Embellishments:  My Minds Eye (border strips, letter stickers), American Crafts (thickers), Unity Stamps (date and military stamps), Oriental Trading Company (brads), Fiskars (border punch), EK Success (border punch).

Sketch MWM #47 - Born in Flagstaff

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (Penny Lane);  Embellishments:  Sassafras (flower sticker), American Crafts (thickers, brads), Echo Park (letter stickers), My Minds Eye (stickers and die cuts).

Sketch MWM #48 - First Birthday

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (Hip Hip Hooray);  Embellishments:  Prima (flowers), American Crafts (thickers, brads), My Minds Eye (stickers), Oriental Trading Company (buttons, brads), Hampton Arts (owl stamp), Lawn Fawn (banner stamp), Unity Stamps (date stamp).

Sketch MWM #49 - Charlotte's Princess Party

Patterned Paper:  Imaginese (Enchanted);  Embellishments:  Imaginese (stickers, ribbon, die cuts), American Crafts (thickers), Oriental Trading Company (flowers, buttons), My Minds Eye (journaling die cut), Lawn Fawn (stamps).

Sketch MWM #50 - We Are Family

Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (So Sophie);  Embellishments:  American Crafts (thickers), Making Memories (ribbon).