As local as it gets.

I created this layout for the most recent Basic Grey sketch challenge. Susan Stringfellow created one amazing sketch and I loved working with it. I was also inspired by Wendy's challenge over at Memorable Seasons to create a layout with a quilt pattern. Well, awhile back Davinie Fiero had posted a tutorial for making a cathedral quilt pattern on a layout and I have been wanting to try it for awhile. Wendy's challenge combined with my June Bug papers seemed the perfect excuse to give the technique a try. The choice of topic was inspired by this month's OLW challenge over at Club CK to scrap about something that has made you the happiest and/or healthiest. So I decided to scrap about our first garden that we planted this past summer. Finally, the little signs were inspired by Ann's challenge over at My Sketch World to use an item found in the kitchen on your layout. So I included some popsicle sticks!

(Supplies: Basic Grey papers, rub-ons, alpha die-cuts and alpha/numeric stickers; Bazzill cardstock; October Afternoon flashcard; popsicle sticks from around the house; StazOn ink; Sakura pen; Glue Arts, Thermoweb, Tombow, Helmar and 3M adhesives.)

Play Hard. (It's Tie-Dye Fabric!)

This was a fun layout to create! First off, I started with Let's Capture These Sketches #154. The large amount of white space made me think that using a bold, busy background may work well with this sketch, if I kept the rest of the embellishing to a minimum. 

So then I thought that it was finally time to complete my last and long overdue challenge from Memorable Seasons Members Challenge Us Crop. Susan issued a fabric challenge to us back during the crop in August. The catch was we had to use three different fabrics that weren't made specifically for scrapbooking. Well, since I don't sew and just had made a recent run to Goodwill with old clothes, spare fabric was hard to come by. But, I swore up and down I would finish every challenge from this crop. So I managed to gather up three fabrics. The first is the tie-dye background. It's a fabric gift bag that I cut up and adhered to a piece of 12x12 chipboard. Then there are the yellow and purple flower embellishments. I received a box of hand-me-downs for Liam and found two random, lone socks in it - one was a yellow terrycloth hospital bootie and the other was a scalloped lace trimmed lavender little girl sock. They turned into great fabric flowers once crowned with buttons!

Finally, there is the My Sketch World odd-sized photo challenge. The requirement was just to use any photo size other than 4x6 but I decided to go even a little more creative going with three 2x4 photos. Love the way they look on this page!

(Supplies: tie-dye, yellow terrycloth and lavender fabrics from around the house; American Crafts Thickers; Lawn Fawn, Queen & Co and Bella Blvd washi tape; Doodlebug Designs paper trims and multi-colored button; unknown teal button; Cloud9 epoxy circles; Bazzill red cardstock; DMC embroidery floss; Fiskars scallop border punch; date stamp; black StazOn ink; Glue Arts, Thermoweb, Helmar and 3M adhesives.)

Loungin' on the grass.

I love these photos of Liam. Probably my favorite series of photos I've taken of him to date. I just love how curious he is about the grass. And how he seems to just be chilling out, taking it all in, especially in that last shot. This was the very first time he experienced grass and I was surprised at how well he handled it. So, where did I turn for the insiraption for this new favorite layout?

Several places! First, I used sketch #153 from Let's Capture These Sketches. I was especially inspired by LCTS Designer Jody Rogers take on the sketch. She flipped the sketch and then I flipped it back but used a lot of the same design elements she did. Then, I was also inspired by Carol's challenge at Memorable Seasons to use a sketch. Hence, I went to Let's Capture These Sketches. Then, it was time to decide what supplies to use and Erika's Issue Challenge #6 on the Club CK forum was to use your favorite manufacturer on a layout. Well, lately I've been having a love affair with Fancy Pants, so I decided to pull out the beloved Childish Things collection for this layout. The background stamping originated from Stacy's challenge over at Inspired to Scrap to use a new (or long-neglected) stamp several times on a layout. I had a set of brand new Lawn Fawn background stamps that I had yet to use, so I christened one of them with some embossing ink and sky blue embossing powder. Finally, as I was getting to the embellishing stage of creating, ScrapFit's Warm-up Challenge #32 called for using buttons and/or bows. Well, I had the Childish Things buttons pulled out along with my Jillibean Soup twine, so decided to go ahead and use both buttons and bows on my layout!

(Supplies: Bazzill cardstock; Fancy Pants Designs papers, letter stickers, border stickers, glitter transparencies, buttons and rub-ons; American Crafts Thickers; Lawn Fawn washi tape and background stamp; Jillibean Soup twine; Basic Grey mini-brads; Inkadinkado embossing powder; StazOn ink; date stamp; Glue Arts, Thermoweb, Tombow and 3M adhesives.)

World Card Making Day at Let's Capture These Sketches!

I didn't get the chance to make any cards on World Card Making Day, so I was super excited to see that Let's Capture These Sketches kept the deadline for their world card making challenges open for a whole week! I got a chance to complete each challenge...

Challenge #1 was to lift one of two cards by LCTS designer Shirl. I lifted the first card. Instead of using a cute little guy in the center of my card, I used a few butterflies. I also used twine instead of ribbon, but the general design of the card is still there. I also made this card for two other challenges - this week's Two Peas Finally Friday card challenge to use white ink on kraft paper (I used white embossing powder though because my white ink was barely showing on the kraft cardstock) and My Sketch World's World Card Making Day crop challenge #4 to use at least four layers on your card.

(Supplies: Bazzill cardstock; Jillibean Soup papers & twine; Karen Foster sticker sentiment; Hero Arts grid background stamp; Inkadinkado white embossing powder; Ranger embossing ink; Glue Arts, Helmar, Tombow and 3M adhesives).

Challenge #2 was to use a card sketch and here's what I came up with. I also created this card for My Sketch World's World Card Making Day crop challenge #8 to use a quote on your card.

(Supplies: Jillibean Soup papers; Chatterbox quote sentiment; unknown ribbon; Glue Arts, Helmar, Thermoweb, 3M adhesives.)

Challenge #3 was to use mist or paints. I used some of my Bubblegum pink Glimmer Mist on the background of this card. I also made this card for Kimber's 10/13/12 Saturday Card Sketch challenge over at Two Peas.

(Supplies: Pink Paislee papers; Joann's cardstock & sentiment embellishment; EK Success heart punch; Tattered Angels glimmer mist; Glue Arts and Helmar adhesives.)

Challenge #4 was to create a card with a handmade flower on it. I created a handmade lollipop flower for this card. I also made this card for My Sketch World's World Card Making Day crop challenge #6 which was to use at least six patterned papers on a card.

 (Supplies: Bo Bunny papers & stickers; unknown sentiment sticker; Basic Grey brad; Creative Memories circle cutting system and punches; Glue Arts and Thermoweb adhesives.)

Challenge #5 was to create a card with something colored on it. I pulled out these cute printables I got from CK's 2012 Summer Camp that I never used and then colored one of the banners and the flag/pinwheel cluster with my Zig Writers. It was fun! I also made this card for My Sketch World's World Card Making Day crop challenge #7 which was to lift a card made by MSW card designer Lisa M.

 (Supplies: Me And My Big Ideas and Fancy Pants papers; Bazzill cardstock; CK printables; EK Success Zig Writer markers; Karen Foster sentiment stickers; Jillibean Soup twine; Glue Arts, Tombow, Helmar adhesives.)

Challenge #6 was to create a card with something shiny on it. Not only is there five pieces of bling on this card, but (it's hard to see) there is glitter on the polka dots of the chipboard purse. I also created this card for My Sketch World's World Card Making Day crop challenge #9 which was to create a card using all pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month.

(Supplies: Joann's and DCWV cardstock; DCWV and Dream Street papers; Crate Paper chipboard embellishment and stickers; Kaiser Craft rhinestones; Glue Arts adhesive.)

Crop Addict's Closing Up Shop - Big Sale!

I am sad to say that one of my first online scrappy homes, Crop Addict, is closing up shop at the end of October. I have been an active member of Crop Addict for over four years and have served several terms on their design team and was also the design team coordinator for awhile as well. So needless to say, I was shocked and saddened when I read on Crop Addict's blog that they were shutting their doors.

But, I wanted to let everyone know that Crop Addict is having a huge closeout sale. Everything in the store is 85% off. Yep, you heard right. 85% off! A lot of what is left is older product but it's still good stuff. There's still a bunch of embellishments, cardstock, alphabets and papers for sale! So stop by the Crop Addict shop and stock up. Use the code CLOSEOUT at checkout to apply the 85% discount. Also, Debbie is offering free shipping on any orders over $100 (after the discount). You have until October 31st to place your order!

I wish you best of luck Debbie in all your future endeavors!

Cherish

So this layout was dually inspired from different challenge sites. First was Creative Scrappers sketch #227 and then there was Scrapfit Workout #76 which challenged you to used navy blue, white and gray on your layout. This series of photos of Liam and my mother-in-law worked perfectly for both of these challenges. I am so happy with how this turned out!

(Supplies: Bazzill cardstock and envelope; Bella Blvd, GCD Studios, Me and My Big Ideas papers; K and Company chipboard title sentiment; Heidi Swapp silk flowers and acrylic heart; My Minds Eye crocheted flower; Jenni Bowlin felt bird; Bella Blvd sentiment stickers; SEI tag; Scenic Route die-cut arrow; 7 Gypsies brads; EK Success epoxy squares; unknown sentiment rub-ons; Divine Twine; miscellaneous date stamp; StazOn and Close to my Heart ink; Glue Arts, Thermoweb and 3M adhesives; staples.)