Scrappin' Daisy

Creative Scrappers Sketch #186

2011-12-19T23:57:00.000-05:00

Time to show off another awesome sketch - this one from Creative Scrappers! I had a great time with this sketch. It was perfect for using up the strips of scraps I had from this Dream Street collection. And this collection was perfect for the very pink & red heavy Christmas photos. Here's the sketch....

And here's my layout...

Sketchy Thursday 12/15/11 Sketch

2011-12-19T01:24:00.000-05:00

I had a lot of fun with this week's Sketchy Thursdays sketch. It was perfect for scrapping these adorable photos for Alexis' album - a reenactment of the a scene from Star Wars Empire Strikes Back. Here's the sketch...

And here's my take on it...

Sketchabilities Sketch #60

2011-12-13T22:52:00.003-05:00

I had so much fun with this sketch from Sketchabilities!

I used the sketch to once again complete a page for Alexis' first year album. I need to get it done by Christmas and I still have 12 layouts to go! Yikes! But this sketch was great for these super cute pictures of Alexis and her brother Jack paying tribute to Run DMC. I also went stash diving again and used up some old Dream Street Papers (wish they were still around), some Scenic Route chipboard stars (wish they were still manufacturing too) and a total blast from the past that I still love - eyelets! I am really happy with the way this layout turned out!

My October Project 12 Layout!

2011-11-29T00:59:00.002-05:00

FInished my October Project 12 layout tonight, just under the wire. It was nice to take a break from Alexis' album and scrap a layout for my own album. For this layout, I wanted a Fall/Halloween theme but didn't want it to overtake the page because the month was about so much more than Halloween. So I went with browns, oranges, black and green for the color scheme. I used neutral patterned papers and used only one Halloween embellishment. I am really happy with the way it turned out!

Cards Galore!

2011-11-28T02:04:00.006-05:00

So I have been scrapping - not as much as I'd like but some. Recent projects include finishing Alexis' first year album by Christmas (over halfway there), our Orlando 2007 trip, various layouts for photos I have already printed and cards! Why cards? Well, National Cardmaking Day was last month and I have to desperately clean out my scrap paper file because it is ready to explode. I find making cards out of my scraps is the best way to purge that pile without just throwing everything away. So here are some cards I've made recently...

Last month at Memorable Seasons, we had a card swap. I received the following card from Sally...

...and part of the swap was to lift the card we received....

I used a sketch provided by Audrey at Memorable Seasons to create my first ever sympathy card...

And this was also created from a sketch provided over at Memorable Seasons...

For a Dixie Pieces challenge last month (create a card with numbers on it)...

And another Dixie Pieces challenge to create a card with four buttons on it...

And here's the card I made for Laura during the Memorable Seasons card swap...

Sketchabilities Sketch #59

2011-11-28T01:57:00.005-05:00

I had so much fun with this sketch from Sketchabilities! It was the perfect inspiration for completing this page for Alexis' first year album. It also felt really good to use up some old Bo Bunny papers I had in my scrap pile! And the papers coordinated perfectly with the Karen Foster Baptism stickers I had.

Here's my layout...

And the sketch...

Project 12: August 2011 Layout & Catch-Up Time!

2011-09-20T00:16:00.005-04:00

So with all the craziness this summer, I fell behind with Project 12. Well, this weekend I not only completed my August layout well before the deadline, but I also caught up and completed the three months I missed! If you aren't participating in Project 12, it's never too late to start - just click here.

Here's my August layout. I stayed pretty true to the sketch but because it only called for three photos, I took one of the 6x4 photos and replaced it with three 2.5x4 photos just so I could fit more pictures on the layout while maintaining the integrity of the sketch. I also used up a lot of old supplies in creating this layout which felt really good!

And here are my three catch-up layouts for April, June & July. To see the rest of my Project 12 layouts for this year, click here!

My new scraproom!

2011-09-17T14:52:00.004-04:00

Well, I have taken a bit of a scrapbooking hiatus with everything that has happened this past summer but I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. I thought I'd start by updating my very neglected scrapbooking blog with some photos of my new scraproom.

This room is actually the third bedroom in our 1921 bungalow and is the first floor bedroom. It is right off the kitchen and is also attached to the first floor bathroom (which also has an entry to it off the hallway). In the first photo, the closed door to the far left is a closet (which Andrew uses for clothes since we have very little closet space upstairs), the open door is to the bathroom and the closed door on the right leads to the kitchen. The second photo was taken from the doorway to the kitchen. I didn't have to purchase anything new for the room and just made everything I already had fit into the space.

I actually had to reorganize a bit because I lost the white bureau I had in my previous room - there was just no space for it in this room. I needed to make sure I kept the center if this room open so that the futon could be used easily for guests. I really love my new room - especially the fact that it gets so much natural light and I have hardwood floors for easy cleanup.

“Fireworks” by Megan Smith

2011-07-27T00:34:00.003-04:00

1. Gather your supplies: Crop Addict July 2011 Monthly Kit, Crop Addict July 2011 Monthly Kit Option, four photos (one 4”x6”, one 3”x6”, one 3”x3”, one 1¾” x 1¾”), a thin-tipped orange marker, date stamp, black StazOn ink and various adhesives.

2. Use the yellow cardstock as your base. Use the orange thin-tipped marker to draw a thin border around the edge of your layout, approximately ¼” in from the edge.

3. Adhere your photos in a grid fashion starting with the 4”x6” photo so it’s 2½” from the bottom edge of your layout and 1½” from the left edge of your layout. Then, adhere the 3”x6” photo directly to the right of the first photo. Then, adhere the 3”x3” photo directly to the right of that photo and in line with its bottom edge. Next, adhere the small black frame to the smallest square photo and adhere it above the 3”x3” square photo so the frame edges are flush against the other two photos.

4. Add the “Boom” sticker to the bottom of the frame.

5. Add three strips to the bottom of your layout – one that’s the blue paper, one with the decorative grid tape and one with the navy blue border strip. They should all be varying lengths to add visual interest and one should touch the right edge of your layout.

6. Choose five fireworks stickers and adhere them to the blue paper. Fussy-cut them out. Adhere two near the upper left of your photo grid, one overlapping the upper right corner of your frame and two near the lower left center of your layout overlapping the decorative tape. Use dimensional adhesive on three of the fireworks for added visual interest.

7. Use the alpha stickers to add your title above the photos.

8. Take the small blue rectangle label and add your date to it using the date stamp and StazOn ink. Adhere in the lower right corner of your layout over the decorative grid tape.

9. Embellish your fireworks with yellow and orange eyelets and blue mini-brads.

“Smiles” by Megan Smith

2011-07-27T00:08:00.003-04:00

1. Gather your supplies: Crop Addict July 2011 Monthly Kit, Crop Addict July 2011 Monthly Kit Option, one 4”x6” photo, extra sheet of cardstock in any color, four border punches, a black journaling pen, circle cutter and various adhesives (including dimensional adhesive).

2. Adhere the patterned paper with the bike to the spare piece of cardstock for extra support. This is your base.

3. Cut a piece of the brown with blue polka dot paper to 11”x1½”. Cut a piece of the green on green circle patterned paper to 6 ¾”x 1½”. Use your circle cutter to cut a 4¾” diameter circle from the blue paper.

4. Take the three just-cut pieces of paper and one of the border die-cuts and layer them in the center of your layout, taking care not to cover the bike or polka dots on the background paper.

5. Adhere your photo over these layers.

6. Take four different My Minds Eye Papers and punch a different border strip from each one, each strip being about ¼” wide. Add one border strip to each side of the photo, trimming the overhanging edges to create a frame around your photo.

7. Embellish the upper left corner of the photo with a die-cut and title block. Use dimensional adhesive on the title block and add two red clips to it for extra detail.

8. Embellish the lower right corner of the photo with three die-cuts using dimension adhesive on at least one of the die-cuts.

9. For added detail, glue several of the metal rings to the polka dots on the background paper.

10. Add your photo caption to your layout using the black journaling pen.

Check out the fun July Crop Addict Kit!

2011-07-14T02:29:00.004-04:00

The Crop Addict July Rockets Red Glare monthly scrapbook kit features papers collections from My Mind's Eye and Basic Grey. Six coordinating sheets of Bazzill Cardstock are included. We've also added Making Memories Velvet alphabet stickers, a mini alphabet set, chipboard stars, acrylic stars, die cuts, rhinestone bling, chipboard frames, ribbon, Heidi Swapp slide clips, brads, and so much more!

July 2011 Crop Addict Kit

All of this can be yours for only $50. View the full list of supplies and order yours here! An awesome coordinating kit option is also available here for only $14.

July 2011 Crop Addict Kit Option

Here are the projects I created with this month's kit...five layouts (including 2 double-page spreads), a card and I still have plenty of supplies left over for more!

Visit the Crop Addict gallery to see the rest of the Design Team's pages and projects.

Project 12: May 2011 Layout

2011-06-29T00:11:00.004-04:00

I'm back on track for Project 12. After missing the April deadline, I managed to get my May layout done in the nick of time. I adapted this sketch to fit the majority of vertical photos I had. I also chose to use a mini Bingo card as my title block rather than a circle. I love the line of flowers in the lower right corner on the sketch so I made sure to keep that element as is. Since my photos had a variety of your basic reds, blues and greens, I used this trio of colors throughout my layout. Now it's time to backtrack and complete my April layout before I move on to June. If you aren't participating in Project 12, check it out here! It's never too late to start.

Katie's Bridesmaid Mini-Album

2011-06-07T02:16:00.002-04:00

So I made this mini-album two years ago for my best friend Katie as a present from all her bridesmaids before she got married. I neglected to take photos of it then, so when we were back in town this past month, I had a chance to snap some photos of it. Better late than never right? TFL!

The All Boy Crop Addict June 2011 Kit is here!

2011-06-06T14:48:00.008-04:00

The Crop Addict June Boys and Their Toys monthly scrapbook kit is chock full of some amazing all-boy products. This kit features papers from Carolee's Creations Adornit Father, Rumble, Motorcycle, and DIrt Biking Collections and Dream Street Papers Jack Collection. It also include a round die-cut sheet of paper from My Little Shoebox, a sheet of die-cut Bazzill cardstock and four more sheets of coordinating Bazzill cardstock. Embellishments include Alphabet Cardstock Stickers, Square Cardstock Stickers, Heidi Swapp Chipboard Theme Set, Coaster Photo Corners, Piggy Tales Taglets, Making Memories Velvet Sayings, Heidi Swapp Rubons, Making Memories Rubon Wordage, Die Cuts With a View Chipboard Stickers, Hampton Arts Studio G Clear Stamp, Hampton Arts Studio G Clear Stamp, die-cut tags, three feet of fiber and a Zutter Mini Album! All of this can be yours for only $50! Order yours now from the Crop Addict Store!

A fabulous kit option is also available that coordinates perfectly with the June Kit. This add-on option includes an outlined chipboard alphabet, Bo Bunny iCandy Brads and clear gear accents. This add-on is only $14. Get yours while supplies last!

I had so much fun with all the masculine-themed products in this kit. I created five very different layouts with this kit - one about a crazy Red Bull dare devil event, one about an adorable baby boy, one about an unexpected visit with my brother-in-law, one about a pair of competitive cousins and one about a baby girl and her daddy (yes, this kit can even work for girl-themed pages!) I also had plenty of leftovers to create a set of Father's Day cards ready to mail out this upcoming week. Check out all these projects below!

Also, be sure to check out what the rest of the Crop Addict Design Team created in the Crop Addict Gallery!

Check out the uber-girly Crop Addict May kit!

2011-05-01T01:00:00.001-04:00

The Crop Addict May Thank Heaven for Little Girls monthly scrapbook kit features adorable double-sided papers from The Girls' Paperie (Girl Collection) and the Crate Paper (Paper Doll Collection). You'll also receive six coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock, a Making Memories Puffy Alphabet, Die Cuts With a View Rub-on Ink Effects, Crate Paper Stickers, Making Memories Velvet Sayings, Scenic Route Chipboard Buttons, Making Memories Rubons, Maya Road Ruffle Blossoms, Heidi Swapp Florals, Making Memories Embossed Stickers, Bazzill Library Pockets, Making Memories Velvet Brads, Maya Road Medallion Flowers, Maya Road Sheers, a Hampton Arts Studio G clear stamp set and Carolee Creations Adornit Mini Alphabet Stickers. All of this can be yours for only $48! Order yours now from the Crop Addict Store!

A fabulous kit option is also available that coordinates perfectly with the May Kit. This add-on option includes Crate Paper Sparkle Chips, Crate Paper Chipboard Accents (1/2 sheet), Creative Imaginations Fabrix and a Poly Flower Piece. This add-on is only $14. Get yours while supplies last!

I had such a blast creating with this kit. I made four all-girl layouts for my cousin-in-law's daughter's first year album; this was the prefect kit for completing those baby girl layouts. I also created a layout about another trip to the Rose Garden and a set of Mother's Day cards - so I am all set for when Mother's Day rolls around. Check out all these projects below!

Also, be sure to check out what the rest of the Crop Addict Design Team created in the Crop Addict Gallery!

"Brotherly Love"

2011-04-11T23:05:00.002-04:00

1. Crop Addict April 2011 Monthly Kit, Crop Addict April 2011 Monthly Kit Option, three photos (all 3”x3”), black thin marker, light blue & white baker’s twine, blue embroidery floss, red mist, dry embossing tool/template, a border punch, a 1½” circle punch, stapler/staples and various adhesives.

2. Use the green cardstock as your base. Use a black thin marker and ruler to add a simple thin-lined border all the way around the edge of layout, leaving about ¼” of space between the border and layout edges.

3. Trim a piece of the striped Dream Street paper to 12”x4¼”; make sure the stripes run vertically. Use a border punch to create a decorative edge along one 12” side. Adhere this piece of paper horizontally along your layout so it’s 4” from the bottom edge and the decorative edge is at the top. Add a border sticker running horizontally along your layout about 1/16” below this sheet of paper.

4. Adhere one of the bingo cards to your layout so it’s 2” from the top edge and 2” from the right edge. Cover the title of the bingo card with a 4½”x1-1/16” piece of the light blue grid paper so you can create your own custom title (see step #11).

5. Trim a piece of the red Dream Street paper to 12”x3¼”. Adhere this piece horizontally along your layout and directly on top of the striped paper so there is about a ¼” of the striped paper showing at the bottom and 5/8” showing at the top.

6. Cut a 2-3/8”x3” piece of light yellow lined paper from one of the small bonus sheets of paper to create a journaling block. Add a small sticker to the lower right corner of the journaling block. Adhere this journaling block and the three photos to the red paper, leaving an 1/8” of space between and above and below each photo/journaling block; adhere in the following order – photo, photo, journaling block, photo.

7. Cut off the blank part of one of the labels and set aside for future use (see step #11).

8. Take the stitched part of the label and use it, two of the journaling die-cuts and three stickers to create an embellishment cluster near the lower left corner of the bingo card. For added interest, add a piece of baker’s twine to one element in your cluster, add a couple staples and use some foam adhesive for dimension.

9. Punch a circle from the flowered Dream Street paper and adhere it to the upper left corner of your layout so it hangs off the edge; trim off the excess hanging off. Cut a heart freehand from the red Dream Street paper and run it through your embossing template. Adhere it with foam adhesive near the circle and add a sticker to complete the embellishment cluster.

10. Stitch a 9¼” horizontal line running across your layout, about 2¼” from the top of your layout and starting about 1¾” from the left edge of your layout.

11. Add your title to the top of the bingo card using a combo of the Scenic Route square alpha stickers and the Dream Street chipboard alphas. Back one letter in your title with a red-misted fabric heart that you cut from the blank part of the fabric label.

12. Add a green plastic paper clip to the upper right corner of the far right photo.

13. Ink three small chipboard dots with the orange ink and adhere in a horizontal line above the far left photo, within the striped paper.

14. Add your journaling to the journaling block. (I omitted this step because this layout is for a gift album and I want the recipient to add their own journaling.)

"Rose Garden"

2011-04-11T20:54:00.003-04:00

1. Gather your supplies: Crop Addict April 2011 Monthly Kit, Crop Addict April 2011 Monthly Kit Option, five photos (one 6”x4½”, four 2”x2”), journaling pen, two colors of paint, two border punches, 1¼” circle punch, green, yellow & brown chalk inks and various adhesives.

2. Choose two chipboard flowers and paint them each a different color with paint. Set aside to dry.

3. Use the light blue cardstock as your base.

4. Cut a 2”x12” piece of the diamond-patterned brown Jillibean paper and adhere it vertically along the left side of your layout. Cut a ¾”x12” piece from the green Jillibean paper and then use a border punch to create a decorative edge along one of the 12” edges. Adhere this directly over the right edge of the brown paper, with the decorative edge facing left.

5. Trim a piece of the blue flowered-patterned Jillibean paper to 2”x10”. Take the second border punch and punch a decorative edge along one of the 10”-long sides. Adhere this piece of paper horizontally along your layout, decorative edge facing down so it’s 6½” from the top edge of your layout.

6. Mat your large focal photo on a 6¼”x 4¾” piece of the blue crisscross-patterned Jillibean paper. Mat your four small square photos each on a piece of 2¼”x2¼” text-patterned Jillibean paper. Ink all the edges of the photo mats with the brown chalk ink. Adhere your focal photo so it’s 1¾” from the left edge and 1½” from the top edge of your layout. Adhere your four small photos in a horizontal line below the focal photo; the top edges of these photos should be about 5 ½” from the top edge of your layout (they will overlap your focal photo). The farthest right photo should be 1/8” from the right edge of your layout and then space all the rest of the photos about 1/8” apart.

7. Adhere your two chipboard painted flowers near the lower left corner of your photos. Add a punched 1¼” green patterned paper circle, topped with the circle of bling, to the center of the larger flower. Attach a brad to the center of the smaller flower.

8. Use your journaling pen to draw journaling lines to the right of the chipboard flowers and below the patterned paper. Next, add your journaling.

9. Use the black alphabet stickers to add your title above the focal photo.

10. Fussy-cut the pink bouquet of flowers from the one sheet of bonus paper and use foam adhesive to adhere it in the upper-right corner of your focal photo.

11. Fussy-cut three birdhouses out of the Jillbean paper and adhere them in a line in the lower right corner of your layout. Use the green & yellow ink and your stamp set to embellish them.

I have a layout featured in the April 2011 Page Maps newsletter!

2011-04-05T02:10:00.005-04:00

Yep! That's right! I finally got the email from Becky Fleck inviting me to create the sample layout for one of her sketches to be featured in the April 2011 Page Maps newsletter. I cannot begin to tell you how super excited I was. So I received this awesome sketch below to work with...

...and created the following layout. I broke into the new Echo Park papers I received for Christmas and dove into the photos from our November trip to Kauai. I had yet to scrap any photos from this vacation and this sketch gave me the perfect reason to start!

If you haven't ever seen Becky's sketches, then be sure to check out her site, Page Maps. She has sketches for layouts of all sizes including double-pagers, round pages and mini-pages. She also features new card sketches once a quarter. Not only does she have awesome sketches on Page Maps, she also has a couple books out with even more sketches and designs the layouts for Scrapbook & Cards Today magazine and their Project 12 yearly challenge. If you are a fan of sketches, then be sure to check these all out!

The fun Crop Addict April Kit is here!

2011-04-05T01:54:00.004-04:00

I had such a blast working with the Crop Addict April kit! This kit is chock full of awesome supplies including beautiful double sided papers from Jillibean Soup, Carolee's Creations Adornit, and Dream Street. It also contains six coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock, including one sheet each of dotted Swiss and bling cardstock. A Maya Road strawberry mini-album, set of diecut alphabet letters, KI Memories glitter lace cardstock, journaling cards, Prima canvas tabs, file folders, brads, an ink pad, a clear stamp set, and a other miscellaneous goodies have also been included. You'll enjoy creating with this kit. All of this can be yours for only $48...but order fast because supplies won't last. Order now!

A fabulous April kit add-on is also available. It includes Carolee's Creations Adornit clear stickers and cardstock stickers, a Scenic Route square alphabet and a pack of Fancy Pants Big Board Chipboard. This kit option can be yours for only $14. Order it now too!

I created six fun layouts with this kit including a kareoke birthday layout, two layouts for a first year baby album, a layout about moving away from home, a Happy Hour layout and a layout about a trip to the International Rose test garden. Check out all these layouts below. I am saving the mini-album for a rainy day!

You can also check out what the rest of the Crop Addict Design Team did with this kit here in the Crop Addict gallery!

Reminder to all Crop Addict Blog Hop Participants...

2011-03-29T16:17:00.002-04:00

Thank you for participating in Crop Addict's Social Media Blog Hop Event earlier this month.

We have a $5 electronic gift certificate waiting for you for participating. In order for you to receive the gift certificate you need to create a shop login, please follow this link to create your shop login so we can send your gift certificate.

Thanks!

Project 12: March 2011 Layout

2011-03-29T04:23:00.004-04:00

Already got my March layout done even though the month isn't over yet. But, I knew this upcoming week was going to be pretty uneventful - other than scrapping every night! I pretty much copied this layout exactly...from the overall design down to the little tree and kite. I thought the whole concept of this sketch was fantastic and decided to utilize every bit. This was the first time I paper-pieced a kite for a layout, used my Sheltering Tree Gel-a-Tins stamp set and sanded freehand on Coredinations cardstock. I also like how the orange birds tie into the orange bowling balls in the focal photo. If you want to get involved in the Project 12 challenge, check it out here!

Project 12: February 2011 Layout

2011-03-28T20:54:00.005-04:00

Another month of Project 12. I am having so much fun with this challenge and I have decided that I am definitely going back to complete this project at least back to 2008. I had fun with this month's sketch. At first I wasn't quite sure how to adapt the sketch to work with my photos but I think I still managed to keep the layout well-composed and follow the sketch even with a horizontal focal photo. I knew I wanted to use red as a primary color for February because of Valentine's Day but of course not one photo is actually from Valentine's Day. So I threw in some brown, green and variety of other colors to create this upbeat layout. If you aren't participating in Project 12, check it out here! It's never too late to start.

Go Green with Eco-Friendly Scrapbooking Products!

2011-03-05T13:30:00.000-05:00

There are so many ways to "go green" and conserve in your scrapbooking - use your scraps, use found items from around the house, use packaging on your pages, etc. But did you know there are scrapbooking companies that are also getting into to the eco-friendly cause by producing papers from recycled materials? And Crop Addict has an entire section in the store devoted soley to these green papers! There's a variety of papers from manufacturers like Die Cuts With A View, Jillibean Soup and Sonburn Designs. Check out some of the layouts that I've created with some of these eco-friendly papers!

Need A Creative Boost?

2011-03-05T04:00:00.001-05:00

So when you are stuck in a creative rut, what do you do? Some of us browse online galleries, flip through scrappy magazines or study sketches to inspire us. Well, have you ever thought of trying a new technique? Expanding your creative horizons by trying something new is a great way to get the mojo flowing. So, if you are looking for a new technique to try, check out the Crop Addict Totally Technique Forum. It is chock full of various techniques to try - from DIY flowers, to simple ways to add a finishing detail to your layout, to fun altered art projects, to photo editing tips. And to help you navigate the forum, we even have a technique index (updated monthly) for reference. Here are just a few of my favorite techniques you can find in the Totally Technique Forum...

Colorizing Parts of a Photo using Photoshop Elements (courtesy of croppycatter)

Paint Splatter Technique (courtesy of brandyseitz)

Fabric Flowers (courtesy of buzzkiss)

String Art (courtesy of "Yours Truly" aka daisymeh)

Have fun exploring the Totally Technique forum! Hopefully you'll find some new techniques to try or rediscover some old ones you haven't used in awhile. If you try one of the techniques in the forum, be sure to share your layout here, on the Crop Addict FaceBook page or in the Crop Addict gallery!

Check out the bright and cheery March Crop Addict kit!

2011-03-05T01:57:00.004-05:00

Do you need a dose of Spring before the winter weather has officially ended? Well, pick up a Crop Addict March kit; it is such to brighten even the dreariest of days! The March Memorie smonthly scrapbook kit features bright, playful double sided papers from My Little Shoebox and Dream Street. It's ideal for Spring, kids, happy occasions, or just about any photo you have. Perfectly coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock come with this kit,including a sheet of dotted Swiss (embossed dots). A set of American Crafts Thickers, Carolee's Creations mini alphabet, monogram stickers, Prima Bloom, and goodies from Jenny Bowlin and Bella Blvd are just a few of the fun items in this kit. Flowers, jotters, photo corners, a clear stamp and ribbon have also been added. This whole kit can be your for only $41! Get yours from the Crop Addict Store now while supplies last!

A super fun kit add-on is also available! It includes two sets of My Little Shoebox overlays, a set of jumbo square snaps and enameled charms and sentiments from Making Memories. This added punch of cheer to the kit can be yours for only $14! Pick yours up in the Crop Addict Store today!

I had such a blast working with this kit. I was able to create seven layouts from this kit, kit option and a few sheets of extra cardstock - and five of the seven layouts are double-page spreads! I created three layouts highlighting special moments from last summer's Vegas vacation, a layout about an 80s-themed birthday party, a layout about a double-date over mojitos, a layout about seeing the Blue Man Group perform and a layout about a friend's bachelorette party. Check them all out below!

Crop Addict 5th Anniversary Blog Hop and Social Media Party!

2011-03-04T06:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the Crop Addict 5th Anniversary Blog Hop and Social Media Party! To celebrate, we will be sharing lots of inspiration on our blogs, the FaceBook page, Twitter and our forum throughout the weekend. That’s right – the party starts at 6am PST on Friday, March 4th and goes through midnight PST on Sunday, March 6th. We hope you’ll join the fun all weekend long!

So here are the rules to our party. First, there is no limit to the number of entries you can receive into the prize drawing. Therefore, the more you visit all of our sites throughout the weekend and post comments, the more chances you have to win. But, only comments and posts made between 6am PST on Friday, March 4th and midnight PST on Sunday, March 6th count.

So here’s how you earn entries into the prize drawing…

1. Visit the Crop Addict blog and earn one entry for each comment you post there.
2. Visit our Design Team Member’s blogs and earn one entry for each Crop Addict-related blog post you comment on.

3. Earn one entry if you become a fan of Crop Addict on FaceBook and post on our FaceBook page that you became a fan.
4. Get one additional entry each time you post on the Facebook Page.
5. Earn one entry if you start following us on Twitter.
6. Get one entry each time you tweet back on Twitter.
7. Get one more entry if you join the Crop Addict forum . To log in follow this link.
8. Get one more entry for each new topic you post on the Crop Addict forum.
9. Earn one entry for every product review in the Crop Addict shop. To log into the shop, follow this link. Please note that the shop has a separate log-in from the forum.
10. Earn one entry if you refer a friend to Crop Addict and they post in the refer-a-friend thread on the Crop Addict forum.

And the amazing prizes are as follows:

A $5 gift certificate for everyone who plays. In order to receive the electronic gift certificate, you must setup a Crop Addict store account.
Grand Prize - $100 worth of goodies (international winner will receive a $100 gift certificate)
Second Prize - $50 worth of goodies (international winner will receive a $50 gift certificate)
Third Prize - $25 worth of goodies (international winner will receive a $25 gift certificate)

Blog Hop and Social Media Party This Weekend!!

2011-02-28T21:54:00.005-05:00

Please join us for a Blog Hop and Social Media Party in honor of our 5th Anniversary! To celebrate, we will be sharing lots of inspiration on our blogs, the FaceBook page, Twitter and our forum throughout the weekend. That’s right – the party starts at 6am PST on Friday, March 4th and goes through midnight PST on Sunday, March 6th. We hope you’ll join the fun all weekend long!

We have some awesome prizes to give away...

A $5 gift certificate for everyone who plays. [i]In order to receive the electronic gift certificate, you must set up a Crop Addict store account.
Grand Prize - $100 worth of goodies (international winner will receive a $100 gift certificate)
Second Prize - $50 worth of goodies (international winner will receive a $50 gift certificate)
Third Prize - $25 worth of goodies (international winner will receive a $25 gift certificate)

And just so you know, there is no limit to the number of entries you can receive into the prize drawing! Therefore, the more you visit all of our sites throughout the weekend and post comments, the more chances you have to win. But, only comments and posts made between 6am PST on Friday, March 4th and midnight PST on Sunday, March 6th count.

In preparation for the party, you'll want to register for the Crop Addict forum and store if you aren't already.

Also, you may want to bookmark the following sites to make your hopping easier!

The gorgeous February Crop Addict kit is here!

2011-02-01T04:00:00.005-05:00

Okay everyone...get ready for some serious eye candy! The February 2011 Crop Addict kit is full of amazing scrappy goodness. This kit contains over $40 worth of supplies, including double-sided papers from Bella Blvd's Estate Sale collection and Dream Street Papers' Rue collection, a few bonus paper sheets from the Basic Grey Sugared collection, six coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock, Paper Loft alpha/number stickers, a Die Cuts With A View rub-on alphabet, a 8-pack of blank scalloped edge cards with envelopes, Making Memories flocking kit, Kaiser Kraft felt, Scenic Route chipboard hearts, a Prima crystal swirl and a Madrigal blossom, two Bazzill modern buttons, Heidi Swapp acrylic shapes, Maya Road calendar sheers, a set of date coasters, and a small dark red ink pad. All of this can be yours for only $32. So be sure and pick yours up here today while supplies last!

As always, there is also a beautiful kit option with even more coordinating scrappy fun. This month's kit option includes Bella Blvd Alpha+Bits and Bella Blvd Blurbs from the Estate Sale collection, Creative Imaginations Epoxy Stickers, a K & Co Metal Art Saying & a Metal Art Gold Quote Plate and coordinating coaster squares. Pick up this kit option for only $14.

This kit and kit option have such a variety of supplies that they can be used for almost any sort of project. I used the kit to create two wedding layouts (one of which took me back to 1976), a blast from the past layout about my BFF, two year in review layouts (one being a yearly recap and the other a baby's first year), a baby shower layout and a set of greeting cards. Check out these projects below and also be sure to check out what the rest of the Crop Addict Design Team did with the kit here!

Project 12: January 2011 Layout

2011-01-31T01:15:00.004-05:00

This is my first year participating in the Project 12 Challenge and I was so excited to get my first layout done! Here it is - a recap of this past month. Yes, I know the month isn't officially over until tomorrow, but I had all the photos I needed to complete it. I know the paper isn't really Winter-themed but as the majority of the photos weren't Winter-themed, I didn't feel the need to go heavy on that theme. Instead, I subtly mixed it in by using some snowflake stamps. I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I am already looking forward to February's sketch!

My January 2011 layout!

And the January 2011 sketch!

Enter for your chance to win a new, unreleased Core'dinations cardstock pack!

2011-01-21T02:21:00.003-05:00

Hey there scrapbooking friends! Core'dinations is releasing several new packs of Core Impressions cardstock - all which coordinate with a favorite scrappy manufacturer's products. And they are giving you the opportunity to win one of these awesome new packs...before they are even released. Click here for your chance to win!

Sneaky peek!

2011-01-18T02:09:00.003-05:00

I finished up my projects for the Crop Addict February kit reveal. I cannot believe I finished them this early - I think it's a record! But, this kit is amazing and it was hard to not just tear right into it - which is exactly what I did. So, to tide you over until reveal night, here are some sneak peeks. Enjoy!

Congratulations to the new Crop Addict Design Team!

2011-01-02T16:47:00.003-05:00

January means more than the start of a new year - it also means it's time for a new Design Team at Crop Addict. I am very fortunate that Debbie has asked me to come back for another term as the Design Team Coordinator - super excited! Without further ado, please welcome the new team....

Sophia Allison
Sandi Johnson
Monique Liedtke (returning for a second term)
Debbie Schroeder (store owner)
Lisa Spiegel

Congratulations ladies! I am looking forward to working with you over the next six months! And to the outgoing team - it has been wonderful working with you. Good luck in all your future scrapbooking endeavors and I hope to see you around the boards!

Top 10 of 2010

2011-01-02T16:21:00.005-05:00

It's that time of year again. To reflect of the past year and look forward to what the future year brings. As I reflect back on my 2010 year in scrapbooking, I successfully preserved many fond memories and enjoyed the creative outlet in the process. I even completed two gift albums - an 88-page 2-volume scrapbook for my baby cousin Cece (which I began in April 2008) and my cousin Peter's high school sports album. Below are ten of my favorite layouts I created in the past year. They should all look familiar!

Start the new year off right with the January Crop Addict kit!

2011-01-02T16:06:00.002-05:00

Did you make any scrappy resolutions for the new year? Well, start those resolutions off on the right foot with the Crop Addict January kit! This kit is chock-full of amazing double-sided heavy-weight papers from Fancy Pants and Bo Bunny and six coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock. Embellishments include American Crafts Thickers, AdornIt alpha stickers, Basic Grey rub-ons, Scenic Route chipboard hearts, a bunch of Luxe Designs jotters, epoxy teardrops and more! Get your kit here for only $32!

Be sure to check out the coordinating kit option too! It includes coordinating Bo Bunny stickers, coordinating Fancy Pants rub-ons and a set of chipboard sentiments from Creative Imaginations. Pick one up here for only $14!

This kit is great for all sorts of layouts - I used mine for a layout about my scraproom, a wedding layout, a generic love layout, a baby album layout, a set of greeting cards and a wedding mini-album. Check out my creations below and also be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team did with the kit here in the Crop Addict gallery.

Peter's High School Sports Album Was A Success!

2011-01-02T15:22:00.002-05:00

Back at Christmastime 2008, my aunt Nora bid on a custom-made scrapbook that I had offered up for our biannual Haas charity auction. She asked that I create an album for my cousin Peter that documented his four years as a three-season athlete at Walsh Jesuit High School. Giving him this album on this past Christmas Day was a memorable experience. My aunt cried and the smile on Peter's face the whole time he flipped through it was priceless. This is why I scrap.

P.S. If you are looking for supplies for ANY sport, check out Scrappin' Sports Stuff. They have it all! If I hadn't found their site, I wouldn't have been able to get this album together as quickly as I did - all the sports-themed supplies were purchased there.

Cece's Album is FINISHED!!

2010-12-08T15:49:00.002-05:00

30 months, 88 pages, two thick albums, hundreds of photos and mementos and countless hours later and it's done. Completely done! I am thrilled with these albums. It was a lot of work but so worth it. I miss my baby cousin who is no longer a baby but a little woman. We moved to Oregon just a few weeks after she was born and it was tough to leave her. I haven't been able to watch her grow up in person but I did from distance through making this album. I am so excited to see her over Christmas and present her parents with these albums. I hope they love them as much as I do!

Stuck?! December 1st Sketch

2010-12-05T18:44:00.005-05:00

So I have looked at the Stuck?! sketch blog before and am on a Design Team with Stuck?! Creative Team Member Amanda Winchester, but had yet to try one of their sketches...until today. The December 1st sketch was exactly what I was looking for to scrap a non-photo layout. Here's the sketch...

And here is my take on it. I am working on scrapping my little cousin's first year album and I had these footprints of hers sitting on my desk for ages. I find memoriablia without any sort of accompanying photo so hard to scrap. But, this sketch, rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, was just what I needed to get the mojo flowing and get these footprints scrapped!

Get in the holiday spirit with the December Crop Addict Kit!

2010-12-04T02:25:00.004-05:00

Crop Addict's December Blessings of the Season monthly scrapbook kit features double sided papers from Little Yellow Bicycle and Dream Street that capture the holiday and winter season. Coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock, including two sheets of embossed cardstock, are included along with a set of alphabet Thickers, 8 cards and envelopes to get a jump start on those Christmas cards, Heidi Swapp rubons, Basic Grey finished chipboard, Crossed Path sentiment stickers, Bazzill chipboard tags & large cardstock tag, Heidi Swapp glitter florals, a Basic Grey journaling card, Making Memories velvet brads and 7 Gypsies 97% Complete journaling cards. Pick up your kit here for only $32 before they are all gone! (Unfortunately, the amazing kit option that came with this kit is already sold out.)

I used this kit to create several Christmas layouts for my baby cousin Cece's first year album. There was so much supplies in this kit that I was able to create seven layouts (including two double-pagers) and a card - with plenty of supplies left over! Check out my creations below and also be sure to visit the Crop Addict gallery to see what the rest of the Design Team did with the kit.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Check out the delicious, family-friendly Crop Addict November Kit!

2010-11-04T23:10:00.005-04:00

Tis the season for fall festivities, baking goodness and being thankful for family. And the Crop Addict November Kit has all the supplies you need to create fabulous layouts and projects centered around these themes. So pull together all those photos from your fall outings, family get-togethers and successful (or not so successful) baking sessions - and scrap away!

This is kit is filled with a fun combination of double sided and single sided papers from My Little Shoebox's Just Add Butter Collection, Bella Blvd's Family Tree Collection and Dream Street Papers' Cookies-n-Cream Collection. These fall colored papers are perfect for the change of seasons, Thanksgiving, and holiday baking. As always we've included coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock. Kit embellishments include a set of alphas, a Blossom Ruffle Flower from Maya Road, fun rubons from Die Cuts With a View, stickers, ribbon, buttons, trinkets, brads, and a complete mini alphabet stamp set.

You can get your kit for only $32 by clicking here. Also be sure to check out the awesome coordinating kit option for only $14 more. Check out the layouts I created using this kit below and be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's work in the Crop Addict gallery!

The fabulous Crop Addict October kit is here!

2010-10-03T01:40:00.008-04:00

Trick or Treat? With the October Crop Addict Kit, it is definitely a TREAT! This kit is fabulous - chock full of papers, cardstock and supplies for creating a bunch of Halloween and On The Road layouts. So you can scrap all those photos from this past summer's road trips and have supplies for all those adorable Halloween photos you'll be taking later on this month.

This is kit is filled with awesome travel-themed papers from Jillibean Soup and My Little Shoebox. But, for me personally, an extra special treat was getting a bunch of papers from the now discontinued Dream Street Papers Superstition collection. I fell in love with this collection and wasn't able to get my hands on it last year. When I heard Dream Street Papers was closing its doors, I thought I wouldn't ever have the chance to get my hands on this amazing collection. Not so now that I got this kit! Besides the fantastic papers and Bazzill cardstock, your kit comes with Bella Blvd alpha stickers, Creative Imaginations Narratives by Karen Russell stickers, brads and eyelets from American Crafts & We R Memory Keepers, Kaiser Kraft felt & rhinestones, Heidi Grace flocked chipboard, May Arts ribbons and more!

Happy World Card Making Day!

2010-10-02T22:25:00.002-04:00

Hope you all got some great cards made! Here are a couple cards I made earlier this week. Thanks for looking!

Capture the Moment with the September Crop Addict Kit!

2010-09-01T20:58:00.002-04:00

The Crop Addict September Capturing The Moment kit is amazing! This monthly scrapbook kit features playful double sided papers from BoBunny's Mammarazzi Collection and Dream Street Papers' Everyday Celebrations which are perfect for Back to School, Birthdays and so much more. Also included are coordinating sheets of Bazzill cardstock, including a sheet of Bling and a double sided, two-colored cardstock. Kit embellishments include a set of American Crafts Thickers, rubons, stickers, chipboard, fun metals from Tim Holtz and WeR Memory Keepers and Prima flowers.

Get all this for only $32 by clicking here. An awesome kit option add-on is also available for $14.

Check out the layouts I created using this kit below. I had a blast using it for all types of layouts including birthdays, a Baptism and nights out with friends & family. You can also check out what the rest of the Crop Addict Design Team created by clicking here!

New Scraproom!

2010-08-29T13:00:00.004-04:00

Well, a new apartment means what else but a new scraproom! We are finally settled into our new place and my scraproom is organized in a way that I am pretty sure is going to work very well for me. I've adapted some of the same organization I had in my old scraproom, but also tried some new stuff too. So without further ado, welcome to my new scraproom!

Here's my desk area. Now that I am sharing it with Andrew (he is working from home two days a week) I am trying to keep the top clean and relatively clear for his sake. Desktop has my computer, lamp, tool turnabout with all my essentials and a step file for notepads, file folders for work in progress or to dos and my color wheel. To the left of the chair is my plastic drawer set which houses all go-to adhesives & tools that don't fit in the tool turnabout, my inks, my mists and markers. Behind the set of drawers, I hid our shredder. To the right of my chair I have the Budweiser crate I inherited from my grandma and that holds all the heritage photos I need to scrap. The crate also serves as the perfect perch for my printer. Behind the crate & printer sits my acrylic trays that hold all my cardstock. On top of the acrylic trays sit my glass mat, 18" metal ruler and Cutterpede trimmer. (See Chase on his bed under the desk? He LOVES his new hideout.)

Here's the other side of the room. We finally have a space big enough to hold a futon so the scraproom can double as a guest room too!

Here's my shelving unit. Just one of those plastic cheapies from Home Depot but it works. The top two shelves hold my hardware drawers for small embellishments, pasta jars with my small Prima flowers, wooden utensil holder that holds my favorite bling, and my old childhood Easter basket that now is full of Ziploc bags with all my other flowers in them. The third shelf down holds my Crop Hopper vertical files with all my patterned paper. The bottom shelf is for albums. (The rest of my albums are under the bed and dresser in the bedroom.)

Next I have my two Cubicals units. This one is the home for my Cricut, Cuttlebug & Xyron (when not in use), photo boxes full of more supplies & tools, accordion files of mementos & other inspiration, my Close To My Heart carrier for small embellishments and magazine files for photo paper, letter-size specialty paper and regular computer paper. All the canvas drawers are used for housing more supplies & tools - the three in this unit are for paint, spare adhesive and buttons.

Cubical unit #2! The small green chest of drawers on top is for ribbon. The basket holds lots more embellishments. The center cubes hold all my idea books and scrappy magazines. These canvas drawers are for miscellaneous tools and supplies, office supplies, embossing tools & supplies and my foam stamps.

Here is my favorite new addition to my scraproom. I finally purchased four 12x12 shadow boxes for displaying some of my favorite layouts. I totally love them and cannot believe I didn't have any before.

My white bureau. It used to house clothes, but now with a walk-in closet I can use it to store more scrappy supplies! Top drawer is punches. Second drawer is acrylic stamps. Third drawer is chipboard. Fourth drawer is random supplies like Stickers, die-cuts, alchohol inks, beads, glitter and more. Bottom drawer is embroidery floss, fibers and wood-mounted stamps.

And here are my stackable J-Max cubes! The set of three long drawers is for more chipboard (I have a lot of chipboard). The four small drawers hold alphas, embellishments & Thickers! The unit with the four shelves is where I keep finished layouts to file, page in progress pockets, cutting mats & Cricut mats. The white basket holds a bunch of Crop Hopper sticker pockets where I store stickers, rub-ons and flatter embellishments organized by theme. The three Container Store tote bags on the floor hold all my kits I still need to work through. On the windowsill is a margarita glass with all the extra blades for my Cutterpede and a wooden utensil box holding journaling spots.

Thanks for taking a tour of my new space! I hope you like it!

Tissue Paper Flowers

2010-08-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

Gather your supplies: tissue paper, spray mist, circle punches, buttons & embroidery floss.
Cut your tissue paper into strips wide enough to punch circles in.
Punch circles of varying sizes in the strips of tissue paper.
Layer several tissue paper circles, with the smaller circles on top, add a button to the center of the top circle and attach the button and layers of tissue paper together using embroidery floss.
Spray the flowers with the spray mist. Set aside to dry.
Once dry, the flowers should have a crinkly look to them.
Use your flowers on a project.

Welcome to the new Crop Addict Design Team!

2010-08-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

I have some great news! I get to return for a third term as Design Team Coordinator at Crop Addict! Now I have the opportunity to stay on the team for another six month term and design with Debbie's awesome kits, work with a bundle of supplies from various manufacturers and I also get to lead a whole new team of awesome designers. A big congrats to the new team...

Crop Addict's "The Places We Go" August 2010 Kit!

2010-08-01T23:58:00.006-04:00

You will absolutely love the Crop Addict August 2010 Kit! The August "The Places We Go" monthly scrapbook kit features fun, colorful double sided papers from Bella Blvd's All Inclusive Collection and Carolee's Creations (Adornit) Destination Collection. Six sheets of Bazzill cardstock are also included. Kit embellishments include a American Crafts Thickers, rubons, stickers, and fun goodies from Bella Blvd and Making Memories. An awesome coordinating kit option is also available.

This kit is perfect for all those fun travel photos and documenting all you summertime memories. Be sure to check out the layouts I created with this kit below and you can also check out what the rest of the Design Team did with the kit in the Crop Addict August 2010 Kit Gallery!

I am the August Featured Design Team Member at Crop Addict

2010-08-01T23:58:00.005-04:00

Be sure to visit the Crop Addict forum this month because I am the August Featured Design Team Member! I have already posted a monthly challenge for you and every Monday, I will also be posting a weekly challenge for you. So be sure to stop by and take part in the challenges. While your there, check out the rest of the forum and the awesome Crop Addict store too!

PDX Pals Mini Album

2010-08-01T23:14:00.002-04:00

I created this mini album for our friends Ashley & Justin who just moved back to Kansas last week. Over the past couple years, we grew very close to them and were very sad to see them go. It was important to me to create something for them to remember us and this mini documents many of the adventures the four of us have had over the past couple years. I used Basic Grey's Origins collection to create the album.

Check out the fun and vibrant Crop Addict July kit!

2010-06-30T19:37:00.004-04:00

The Crop Addict July Having Fun monthly scrapbook kit features playful double sided papers from Pink Paislee's 365 Degrees Collection and Little Yellow Bicycle's Zach's Life Collection. Six sheets of Bazzill cardstock is included. Kit embellishments include a chipboard alphabet set, a sheet of sheer delights speciality paper, rubons, chipboard stars, Bazzill button, acrylic star, die cut cardstock stickers, two sets of clear stamps and ribbon.

These products are perfect for creating those fun summer projects or Fourth of July pages! Be sure to check out the layouts I created with the kit (below) or check out the Crop Addict gallery to see what the rest of the Design Team created with the kit.

You get all of this for only $32.00! A fabulous kit add-on option is also available. So get your kit now before they are all gone!

I have a layout in this month's Scrapstreet Magazine!

2010-06-11T17:53:00.008-04:00

I am so excited to have my first layout featured in Scrapstreet online magazine. My layout My Top Ten Favorite Things About Christmas is featured in my scrappy buddy Aymee Gandy's first article for Scrapstreet. She wrote an awesome article called "Tag, You're It" about how to use an old scrapbooking staple - tags! Be sure to check it out!

Have fun with the Crop Addict June 2010 Monthly Kit!

2010-06-03T01:04:00.004-04:00

Wow! There is just so much fun stuff in this month's Crop Addict Kit. This kit comes with all brand new papers from 7 Gypsies, Creative Imaginations and Webster Pages as well as six sheets of coordinating Bazzill cardstock and a ton of embellishments from a variety of manufacturers. This kit is perfect for scrapping those tributes to Dad, summer fun photos and vacation memories. Below are the projects I created with this kit. You can also check out what the rest of the Design Team created with the kit by clicking here!

Be sure to pick up your kit now because the retail value is $48 but you can get you kit for only $32! So be sure to pick yours up today before they're gone. Also, check out the super fun coordinating kit option too, available for only $14.

Crop Addict June 2010 Monthly Kit

Crop Addict June 2010 Monthly Kit Option

The Gorgeous Crop Addict May Kit is here!

2010-05-21T23:32:00.003-04:00

Yes, I am late posting this seeing May is almost over. But, that is no reason to miss the beautiful May Happy Memories Kit from Crop Addict. This kit is perfect for wedding photos, and with wedding season right around the corner, we all need to stock up on wedding scrapbooking supplies. This kit features gorgeous brand new double sided papers from Iron Orchid Designs for Creative Imaginations and Teresa Collin's Mr. & Mrs. Collection. 6 sheets of coordinating Bazzill cardstock are included. Kit embellishments include an alphabet set, Prima flowers including a Trellis Rose, Maya Road Kraft Library card, metal word stickers, beautiful May Arts ribbon and more! Also included are bonus items including bright and cheery Fancy Pants papers and a 7 Gypsies alphabet stamp set! Be sure to get your kit while supplies last - only $32.00!

I submitted to the Glitz Designs DT Call!

2010-04-16T20:45:00.006-04:00

Wow! I have been waiting for this opportunity for awhile now! I fell in love with Glitz Designs when they first showed up on the scene a few years back. Their papers are so fun, the bling is awesome (I have the border in every color I think) and their rub-ons I feel are some of the best on the market (they go on like butta'). So you can't imagine how pumped I was to find out they were having a Design Team call. So I went ahead and submitted - hit the "send" button tonight. Wish me luck!

Here are my top three favorite Glitz layouts to date...

This one won second place in a Glitz Designs contest at Scrap 4 Life (site now closed). I had fun with this one using Glitz papers, mesh, bling & rub-ons!

I love this Glitz Design paper - it says so much on it's own, the layout didn't need much more. Just add some foam adhesive to the paper for dimension and accent with Stickles & you're good to go!

Had fun playing with more Glitz papers, bling & the awesome grid rub-on!

Check out the mini album I made with the Crop Addict April Kit!

2010-04-12T14:09:00.002-04:00

To be honest, I never really used to be a big fan of mini-albums. But they are definitely growing on me for sure! I mean, how could you not love this cute elephant mini from Maya Road?

With this mini and the addition of bright, fun papers from American Crafts, Jillibean Soup & Scenic Route (plus a ton of coordinating embellishments) I was able to make this mini to give my best friend. She just gave birth to her second daughter, Cecilia Marie, on March 2nd!

I am so proud to say...I won the Treasured Scrapbooking We Love Our Member Contest!

2010-04-07T00:20:00.011-04:00

Every Spring, Treasured Scrapbooking hosts their We Love Our Members Contest. It's four weeks with a layout challenge each week. This year Erin really challenged all of us by taking what she's been learning in her art classes and having us apply various design principles in our layouts. Man, it was tough but I learned a lot!

Here are the four layouts I created for each week of the contest. I am happy to say they are now four of my favorite layouts ever!

Week #1 Challenge:

Create a layout where the focal point follows the rule of thirds.
Include ONE photo, also using the rule of thirds.
Include an example of hierarchy - embelly cluster, paper layering, the way you do your alpha, etc.
Unify with color, either a palette, monochrome, complementary, etc.
Keep those eyes moving! Create visual movement.

Week #2 Challenge:

Pay attention to negative space.
Unify through color.
Add something to your photo- whether it is journaling, your title, an embelly, overlapping cluster, etc.
Get a little distressed - use some sort of distressing on your layout, scissors, ink, tearing, painting, sanding, whatever you choose!

Week #3 Challenge:

Play with symmetry & give a description of what type of symmetry you used.
Play with complementary color pairs (doesn't have to be the primary version of the color, can be any shade, tint or tone): Red/Green, Blue/Orange, Yellow/Purple. Choose one grouping and have those be your dominant colors, but other colors are allowed also.
Keep it balanced!! Focus on the overall balance on your layout. Make sure that what you think is important about it shows as what is important!

Week #4 Challenge:

Use what you've learned from the prior weeks and include a description of what you used/learned.
Include ONE photo.
Get a little distressed.
Keep it all balanced.
Include at least one thing that is hand made by you. It can be ANYTHING at all.

And, it was just icing on the cake when I found out...I WON THE GRAND PRIZE!! I received my prize package today which included a Treasured Scrapbooking March card kit, a bunch of fun embellishments and a $25 gift certificate to the Treasured Scrapbooking store which I immediately spent on a ton of new Helmar adhesives. I can't wait to play with my new goodies!

It's Cheery Spring With The Crop Addict April Kit!

2010-04-07T00:20:00.010-04:00

Spring is in the air with the Crop Addict April Kit! The Spring Surprise monthly scrapbook kit features bright and exciting brand NEW double sided papers from American Crafts' Dear Lizzy Collection and Jillibean Soup's Egg Drop Soup Collection. Six sheets of coordinating Bazzill cardstock are included. Kit embellishments include American Crafts Thickers, a Maya Road mini-album, Basic Grey rubons, Maya Road butterflies, and goodies from Heidi Swapp, Luxe, ZVA, Making Memories, We R Memory Keepers and Queen and Co.

BONUS EXTRAS include a Creative Imaginations Transparency, Making Memories stickers, Scenic Route stickers, papers from American Crafts and Scenic Route and ribbon from May Arts.

Value of this kit is $48.00; our price is only $32.00!

Also available is a fun April Kit Option. This kit add-on package includes Polar Bear Press Cardstock Alphabet and Numbers, Queen & Co Alpha Betty and a Making Memories Flocking Kit - all which coordinate with the April Kit! Pick up your kit option now for only $14 while supplies last!

Below are the layouts & cards I created with the kit, but be sure to check out the April kit gallery to see what the rest of the design team did with the kit!

Need to chase away the April Showers? Pick up your kit today!

Crop Addict Birthday Blog Hop!

2010-02-26T15:00:00.000-05:00

Happy 4th Birthday Crop Addict! To celebrate Crop Addict's birthday we are having our Spring Cyber Crop beginning next Friday and from now until then, we are also celebrating with Crop Addict's first ever blog hop! If you are doing the hop in order, then here you you should have come here from Tonya's blog.

The rules of the blog hop are simple: The hop starts Friday, February 26th at 6PM EST and ends at the start of the Cyber Crop on Friday, March 5th at 6PM EST. We have an extra special prize for the winner of the blog hop! For a chance to win, all you need to do is post a comment on each DT member's blog and also one on the Crop Addict blog.

To earn a second entry into the prize drawing, post about the crop (details below) on your own blog and let us know you did so by posting a comment on the Crop Addict blog.

And you have an opportunity to earn even more entires into the prize drawing. For each friend you bring to the crop, you earn another entry into the drawing. There will be a special thread in the Crop forum where you friend can post who invited them!

At the end of the Crop, we will draw for a Blog Hop Winner!

The crop will begin at 6pm EST on Friday, March 5th and continue through the weekend until 6pm EST on Sunday, March 7th. There will be lots of challenges, games and of course, prizes. And new to this crop be on the lookout for drive-by, on-a-whim freebies, prizes and discounts! It's going to be a ton of fun. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

So you need to post a comment here before moving on! The next blog you should visit is the Crop Addict blog!

And in case you are hopping along and get sidetracked, here is the blog hop order to put you back on track...

The Crop Addict March Kit is AMAZING!

2010-02-26T01:29:00.002-05:00

From the moment I opened this kit, I was in love with all the bright, cheery papers and embellishments. This kit is chock full of awesome products from Shabby Green Door, We R Memory Keepers, Imagination Project, Jenni Bowlin, Heidi Swapp and more. Also, you have to check out the awesome kit option add-on. I picked one up and I'm happy I did. Check out what I created with my kit below!

Crop Addict's Biannual Cyber Crop is here!

2010-02-08T02:10:00.005-05:00

Join us Friday, March 5th through Sunday, March 7th at Crop Addict for a weekend full of challenges, games & awesome prizes! The Crop Addict design team has been working hard to create an awesome weekend full of scrappy fun for you. And Debbie has pulled together some fabulous prizes. So be sure to mark your calendars. We can't wait to see you there!

Fall in Love with the February Crop Addict Kit!

2010-02-08T02:00:00.004-05:00

Celebrate winter with many of the winter themed products in this month's Crop Addict kit. Besides gorgeous hues of blue snowflake patterned paper, you'll find Valentine themed products (of course) and some amazing Spring-themed products (in case you are wishing the groundhog hadn't seen his shadow). With papers from Bo Bunny, Heidi Grace & Little Yellow Bicycle and a variety of coordinating embellishments, this kit is sure to chase away those winter blues! And best yet...the BRAND NEW FEBRUARY KIT IS 33% OFF! Check out the layouts and cards I created with this kit below.

Congrats to the new Crop Addict design team!!

2010-02-03T23:58:00.001-05:00

I have some great news! I get to return for a second term as Design Team Coordinator at Crop Addict! Now I have the opportunity to stay on the team for another six month term and design with Debbie's awesome kits, work with a bundle of supplies from various manufacturers and I also get to lead a whole new team of awesome designers. A big congrats to the new team...

Carolyn Lontin

Lady Grace "LG" Belarmino

Tonya Manglona

Brandy Seitz

Treasured Scrapbooking Blog Hop!

2010-02-03T23:41:00.002-05:00

Treasured Scrapbooking is hosting their first ever blog hop! Click here to visit the Treasured Scrapbooking blog to begin the hop. You'll need to post a comment there first and then you'll find the blog roll call to continue the hop - have fun!

One random participant will receive a Gift Certificate to the TS store! Also, share this same info on your blog and post back to let us know that you have for an extra entry! Send a friend, have them say that you sent them and you get another entry! Also, you'll find challenges along the way, every challenge you complete before the end of the week will earn you an entry into another RAK drawing! You need to post your challenge layout on TreasuredScrapbooking.com in the Challenge Forum to get your entry!

Every design team member will be giving away a gift certificate to the TS store on their blog! You have until the 5th to complete the hop, and until the 7th to get your challenge page posted! Be sure to post a comment on each DT member's blog, and also be sure to post your challenge pages in the TS Challenge forum and the TS Gallery!

Also, you can find the February Kit here. There are limited quantities, and you won't want to miss out!

And while you're at it...check out the March Guest Designer Contest here. Entries are due by the 10th!

Bottle Caps & Pop Tabs Weekly Challenge

2010-02-03T23:08:00.008-05:00

Here's this week's challenge over at Crop Addict!

As I said below, this month our challenges are going to focus on repurposing items found in our supply stash and around the house. By using items like this, you are saving money by reusing these items and not having to buy more scrapping supplies. You are also being environmentally friendly by recycling these items that would have otherwise been thrown away.

For this week, your challenge is to use bottle caps or soda can tabs on your layout. You must use a minimum of five bottle caps or soda can tabs on your layout.

On my example, I used five bottle caps in various ways. To flatten my bottle caps (so my layout wasn’t too bulky), I ran them through my Cuttlebug. If you don’t have a Cuttlebug or Sizzix, an old-fashioned hammer and self healing mat will work!

Upload your layout by midnight PST on 2/8/10 to the February 1st weekly challenge gallery and link it back to this thread to have a chance to win a prize!

Check out the challenges over at Crop Addict!

2010-02-03T22:47:00.007-05:00

As the February Featured Design Team Member for Crop Addict, I have the chance to pose a monthly challenge as well as several weekly challenges for the month.

This month, the challenges are going to focus on repurposing items found in our supply stash and around the house. By using items like this, you are saving money by reusing these items and not having to buy more scrapping supplies. You are also being environmentally friendly by recycling these items that would have otherwise been thrown away.

For the Crop Addict monthly challenge, let’s see you create some beautiful handmade flowers from supplies in your stash. The only requirement for this challenge is that your layout must include a minimum of one handmade flower of some sort.

Here are a few examples of handmade flowers. Also, check out the Crop Addict totally techniques index for step-by-steps on how to make a variety of handmade flowers.

Create lollipop flowers from scraps of patterned paper and some circle punches…

Take transparency circles, dye them with alcohol inks, warp them with a heat gun & stack them to create these glass-blown, “Bellagio-style” flowers…

Use a die-cutting machine to cut several flower shapes from patterned paper and layer them to create a dimensional flower…

Use a length of ribbon to create the petals of a flower…

Upload your layout by midnight PST on 2/28/10 to the February monthly challenge gallery and link it back to this thread to have a chance to win a prize!

How to make lollipop flowers!

2010-02-01T11:32:00.007-05:00

Gather your supplies: Several scraps of coordinating paper, circle punches and/or cutting system, ink and something to use for flower centers (such as buttons or brads).

Cut several circles of various sizes from your scraps of paper. When cutting, keep in mind that each flower created will use two to five circles of different sizes and patterns.

Distress your circles by crumpling each one and then inking the edges.

Stack your layers so that the largest circle is on the bottom and working your way up so the smallest circle is on the top.

Add your flower center to the flower.

Now you have some cute lollipop flowers.

Use them on your project!

Top 9 of 2009!

2010-01-04T17:26:00.007-05:00

So, starting last year I posted a list of my favorite layouts from the past year. So without further ado, here is my personal top 9 of 2009...

Start your scrapping this year with the January Crop Addict Kit!

2010-01-04T17:22:00.002-05:00

I had such fun working with this fabulous kit! Full of awesome patterned papers from Pink Paislee and Prima and fun coordinating embellishments, this kit is sure to get your creative juices flowing! This kits contains the perfect supplies for several Valentine or Love-themed layouts as well as some grungy teen or youth-themed layouts! A fabulous kit add-on option is also available. I was able to create a variety of layouts and still had supplies to spare to create a set of Valentines cards. Check it out below!

How to use crackle paint on chipboard.

2010-01-04T15:00:00.004-05:00

Gather your supplies: Chipboard, acrylic paint, crackle paint, chalk ink.
Paint your chipboard thoroughly with the acrylic paint. Set aside to dry.
Once dry, coat your chipboard thoroughly with a medium to thick coat of crackle paint. Set aside to dry.
Once dry, you will see cracks appear on the chipboard. You can stop here if you’d like or move onto step 5.
Lightly ink the chipboard to enhance the cracks.

Now you have beautifully antiqued, crackled chipboard pieces.

Use them on your project!

I finished Jack's Album!

2010-01-04T14:40:00.002-05:00

For the past two years, I have been working on completing Jack's album. Jack is Andrew's cousin's son and on Christmas Eve 2007 during the family charity auction, Kevin & Cassie bid on this album for me to create for their son. I presented the book to them this past Christmas when we were back in Milwaukee and they loved it! I hope you do too!

I LOVE the Crop Addict December Kit!

2009-12-06T15:21:00.005-05:00

This kit is simply outstanding! It is definitely one of my favorites ever. Full of awesome patterned papers from Pink Paislee and Bo Bunny and fun coordinating embellishments, this kit is sure to put you in holiday spirit! This kits contains the perfect supplies for several Christmas layouts and even includes the supplies and instructions to create an awesome Basic Grey star ornament! A fabulous kit add-on option is also available. Check out the projects I created with the kit and kit option below.

Ribbon Flower Technique!

2009-12-06T15:21:00.003-05:00

I had seen this technique various places before and decided to give it a try myself!

1. Gather your supplies: 6” length of ribbon, thread, sewing needle and something for the center of your flower.

2. Along one side of the ribbon, stitch the thread in a standard alternating fashion. Leave a length of thread loose at your starting end of the ribbon.

3. Once you have stitched along the whole side of the ribbon, take your ribbon and bunch it up on the thread.

4. Take both loose ends of your thread and tie them together so that the ribbon forms a bunched up circle.

5. Cut the loose ends of thread.

6. Now you have your “petals.”

7. Adhere your petals to your layout and then adhere your flower center.

8. Now you have a pretty ribbon flower!

And here is the layout I created with my ribbon flowers!

Lovin' the Crop Addict November Kit!

2009-10-31T22:53:00.004-04:00

I had so much fun with this kit! It has such a variety of supplies that you can create so many different projects with it. It features papers from the Pink Paislee Twilight Collection and Dream Street Papers Urban Ink collection. And with a variety of Fall, Halloween and urban-themed embellishments from Making Memories, Heidi Swapp and Scenic Route you are sure to get a variety of pages out of this kit. Check out the seven layouts I created below!

Painted Journaling Block Technique!

2009-10-31T22:52:00.002-04:00

Another scrappy friend posted this technique and I thought it was too cool not to share so here is my take on it!

1. Gather your supplies: Two colors of paint, brushes, small scrap piece of cardstock, and cardstock/patterned paper where your journaling block will go.

2. Using one color of paint and a brush, paint a block of paint onto your layout.3. Add your second color of paint to the edge of the piece of spare cardstock.

4. Push the painted edge of the cardstock down onto your painted block to create journaling lines.5. Allow your paint to dry.
6. Add your journaling with a pen or marker.

Crop Addict Manufacturer of the Month: Dream Street Papers

2009-10-31T22:48:00.006-04:00

This month Crop Addict is featuring Dream Street Papers - one of my personal favorites! I had the opportunity to work with the Sam Collection which is such a fun twist on the traditional Autumn-themed supplies. With multiple designs of thick double-sided paper, chipboard alphas and embellishments and awesome rub-ons, this collection is perfect for all those Fall projects!

Stamping With Real Flowers Technique!

2009-10-31T22:48:00.005-04:00

1. Gather your supplies: Flower (free of debris), acrylic paint, foam brush and non-textured cardstock.
2. Paint your flower with a thin layer of paint. Stamp on some scratch paper first to test how much paint you want on your flower to achieve your desired result.
3. Stamp your image onto the cardstock.
4. Now you have stamped flowers!
NOTE: Leaves also would be good for this technique!

Love the Crop Addict October Kit!

2009-09-26T22:52:00.003-04:00

Debbie, you did it again. What a fantastic kit you put together this month! Full of cute patterned papers from Paper Trunk and Crate Paper and fun coordinating embellishments, this kit is sure to brighten your day! Although perfect for those all girly girl pages that I created for my baby cousin Cece's album, I used the kit to also create pages about a baseball outing, my scraproom and an All About Me reflection. I also got a cute greeting card out of it. Be sure to get your kit soon, because I have a feeling they will go fast!

The next Crop Addict cyber crop is coming up soon!

2009-09-14T13:25:00.006-04:00

Join us Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th for a weekend jam-packed of awesome challenges, fun games and amazing prizes! Every two hours a new game and challenge will be posted so you'll want to make sure to check back often throughout the weekend. All the action can be found here on the Crop Addict forum. The fun begins at 6PM Eastern so get ready to scrap the weekend away for your chance to win one of the many prizes.

String Art Technique!

2009-09-07T21:46:00.005-04:00

1. Gather your supplies: cardstock (or layout/card) where you want to place your string art, paper piercer, round brads, embroidery floss (divided into strings) or thread, pencil, scissors and shape template (if desired).

2. Using your pencil (and template), trace a star onto your cardstock.

3. Use your paper piercer to create holes at the points of your star.

4. Erase the tracing of the star.

5. Insert your brads in the holes at the points of your star and secure them loosely to the project.

6. Take a piece of floss and tie it around the bottom part of a brad.

7. Begin to wrap your thread between the brads to create your star shape. Vary which side of the brad you are wrapping to and from to give each line a slightly different path.

8. Secure the end of your floss by wrapping it a couple times around one of the brads.

9. Cut off the loose strands of floss.

10. Secure your brads tighter to your layout.

11. Now you have a cool String Art Star!

NOTE: Stars lend themselves well to this technique, but you can also try diamonds, rectangles, circles, arrows or even letters!

The Crop Addict September Kit is so much fun!

2009-09-05T14:43:00.003-04:00

You have to check out the September Kit from Crop Addict. This kit is prefect for those travel photos, especially those focused around the modes of transportation we use to travel. The kit is full of vintage-style travel products including amazing papers from Graphic 45 and some pretty Pink Paislee papers as well. Check out the layouts I created using this kit below and you can see more great work from the rest of the Crop Addict design team in the September 2009 Kit Gallery.

Pink Paislee: Crop Addict Manufacturer of the Month!

2009-09-05T14:32:00.003-04:00

I love Pink Paislee - plain & simple. And what's a better excuse to use their products then for a contest? So be sure to head over to Crop Addict and check out the manufacturer of the month contest for September. All you need to do is create a layout using 70% Pink Paislee products and upload it into the Crop Addict Pink Paislee gallery. Here are some layouts I created using the Pink Paislee Fascinating Collection.

My Treasured Hunt Round #4 Layout.

2009-08-31T23:09:00.004-04:00

So I made it to round #4! I am so excited to have made it this far and the challenges just keep getting harder. This round the requirements were to create a one or two page paper (no digital) layout with one photo only, real stitching (no faux), at least three leaves, some sort of recycled packaging and the phrase "I am not willing to..." in the journaling.

Here is my take on the challenge...

My Treasured Hunt Round #3 Layout.

2009-08-24T12:28:00.002-04:00

So here it is...my entry for Round #3 and I think it's my favorite so far. This week's challenge was to create a one-page paper (no digital) layout with one or two photos (no more, no less), paint, ric-rac, at least one handmade flower made by you and the phrase "I'd rather..." somewhere in the journaling. I really enjoyed this one and I think it's my favorite of the three so far. Hope you like it!

This week's Crop Addict challenge: Back To School!

2009-08-24T03:19:00.002-04:00

It’s that time of year again! So let’s see those layouts all about going back to school. And, if you don’t have children, such as myself, think outside the box and create a layout about yourself when you were in school or a layout about higher education. My example is all about my husband going back to school to earn his MBA:

Upload your layout into the August 24th - 31st Challenge Gallery by midnight PST on August 31st and post a link here in the forum.

My Treasured Hunt Round #2 Layout.

2009-08-17T21:51:00.003-04:00

Well, I made it past round #1 and had the opportunity to work on round #2 for the Treasured Hunt. The challenge requirements for this challenge were to create a one-page paper (no digital) layout with at least three photos, 2 colors of cardstock (no more, no less), 4 different patterned papers (no more, no less), at least one arrow, buttons or beads and somewhere in the journaling you had to have the phrase "if I were honest with myself." Here is my take...

Shape It Up Layout Contest at Serendipity Scrapbooks!

2009-08-11T00:40:00.004-04:00

Check out the monthly contest over at Serendipity Scrapbooks (sponsored by Core'dinations Cardstock)! The grand prize is your choice of one of Serendipity Scrapbooks awesome kits plus a package of Core'dinations Cardstock (Value $75). The runner up prize is a Core'dinations Cardstock pack (Value $40). The requirements for this contest are simple...

Create a layout using shaped die cut paper as the background.
There must be a clear title.
There also must be some cut work and some height by using dimensional adhesive.
Must include either hand or machine stitching.

Your layout can be any subject you like. The contest ends August 31st, 2009 at midnight. Only 1 layout per person. Read the rest of the rules here.

My Treasured Hunt Round #1 Layout.

2009-08-10T21:25:00.006-04:00

Well, the Treasured Hunt (Treasured Scrapbooking's big yearly contest) is in full force and I have completed my first round layout. The requirements were to create a one-page paper layout with only one photo, at least one circle larger than 3", torn paper and the words "I wish someone had told me that..." somewhere in the journaling. Here's my take on it...

Now time to wait until those moving on are announced tomorrow - wish me luck!

And while your at it, check out the Crop Addict Monthly Challenge!

2009-08-10T21:22:00.000-04:00

I am honored to be the featured DT member for August and I have a fun monthly challenge for you!

Have you checked out the Totally Technique forum at Crop Addict? If not, click here! The Design Team posts lots of fun scrappy techniques in this forum on a weekly basis and the inspiration is amazing! So my challenge for you this month is to create a layout using one of the techniques found in the Totally Technique forum. When you link your layout back to the monthly challenge thread, be sure to tell us which technique you used! Here’s my example using the Bellagio Flowers technique I posted a couple months ago.

Upload your layout into the August DT challenge gallery by midnight PST on August 31st and post a link in the August DT challenge forum also.

Have fun!

This week's Crop Addict challenge: Fussy Cutting!

2009-08-10T21:21:00.001-04:00

There are so many awesome papers out there on the market that are begging to be cut up and used as prominent parts of gorgeous layouts. So for this week’s challenge, let’s see some fussy cutting. You must include at least three fussy-cut pieces of paper on your layout and you have to use foam adhesive to give these pieces of paper some dimension! Here’s my example:

Upload your layout into the August 10th-17th Challenge Gallery by midnight PST on August 10th and post a link in the August 10th - 17th weekly challenge forum also.

Masking With Stamps

2009-08-04T01:44:00.003-04:00

It's technique time again. This time I'll be reviewing how to mask with stamps!

1. Gather your supplies: Stamp(s) to mask, stamp(s) to use in your background, cardstock to create the design on, inks (two colors), spare piece of cardstock, micro-tip scissors, repositionable adhesive.

2. Stamp the design you want to mask on the spare cardstock. Don’t worry about the image being perfectly stamped – it’s going to serve as your mask.

3. Cut out your mask(s) using your micro-tip scissors. Be precise!

4. Adhere your masks to your cardstock with the repositionable adhesive. Proceed to stamp your background image over your mask(s).

5. Remove your masks carefully and then stamp the same image you used to create your mask in the negative space left by the mask.

6. Now you’ve got a masked image over a background stamp without the two overlapping!

7. Use your stamped design on a project!

The Crop Addict August Kit Is A Must Have!

2009-08-01T18:57:00.002-04:00

Debbie put together another awesome Crop Addict kit this month. If you have some vacation or road trip photos that need scrapped, then this is the kit for you! Chock full of travel-themed embellishments and fabulous papers from Basic Grey and Little Yellow Bicycle, this kit is the perfect accompaniment for those travel photos. Half kits and kit options are also available. Check out what I did with this kit below!

Save the Date - It's Crop Time!

2009-08-01T18:53:00.004-04:00

Our next crop at Serendipity Scrapbooks in scheduled for the weekend of August 21st! Be sure to mark your calendars because it's going to be a great one. And if you are wondering as to the theme, here is a small clue for you (it's my avatar over at the Serendipity Scrapbooks board).

American Crafts Galore!

2009-08-01T18:43:00.003-04:00

My last (sniff, sniff) review projects at Serendipity Scrapbooks featured bright, bold colors and lots of funky and cool embellishments and patterns. I had the chance to work with the Amplified collection papers, some awesome chipboard Thickers, Flair badges and mini-marks rub-ons - all from American Crafts. My projects are below and you can read my full review here!

Toot! Toot!

2009-07-25T13:17:00.008-04:00

I have some exciting news! I am very honored to say that I am the new Design Team Coordinator at Crop Addict! Not only do I have the opportunity to stay on the team for another six month term and design with Debbie's awesome kits and work with a bundle of supplies from various manufacturers but Crop Addict is going to be introducing a whole bunch of page kits (all the supplies you need to make a quick two-page layout) and I am spearheading this effort. How cool! Plus, I get the opportunity to lead a whole new team of awesome designers. A big congrats to the new team...

Wanna Peek?

2009-07-25T11:22:00.004-04:00

I had the chance to work with some awesome products that are available for in the Serendipity Scrapbooks store. On Monday, I will post my full reveals of some fun projects and you'll get to read my take on each of the wonderful products that I had the opportunity to work with. Until then, all you get is the peeks below but you can spend some time surfing the new and improved Serendipity Scrapbooks forum this weekend!

Core'dinations Cardstock Dymo Labeler Journaling Strips!

2009-07-24T22:20:00.006-04:00

I posted this technique on Serendipity Scrapbooks this week and thought I would post it here. For this example, I used Core'dinations Black Magic cardstock in Mantra and this technique is also featured here on the Core'dinations blog! I hope you enjoy it and if you don't have a Dymo Labeler, I just gave you a reason to get one!

1. Gather your supplies: cardstock with a white or colored core, Dymo label maker, trimmer and sanding tool.

2. Trim strips of cardstock to 3/8” wide and load a strip into your Dymo label maker.

3. Punch out your desired text onto the cardstock strip. Hold down each punch for a second to apply enough force for the letter to show on your cardstock.

4. Sand your letters lightly to allow more of the core color to show through.

5. Apply your journaling strips to your project!

WOW! One of the best Crop Addict kits yet!

2009-07-01T03:24:00.003-04:00

I didn't know if Debbie could top the May kit, but all I could say when I received my Crop Addict July Kit was...WOW! Loaded with fun and bright papers from Basic Grey (did anyone say Lime Rickey?) and Fancy Pants and a variety of awesome embellishments, this kit is perfect for all those summer and vacation photos. If you feel like splurging like I did, pick up the kit option also so you get some extra embellies including Basic Grey glazed brads. Here are my layouts that I created using this awesome kit! So get your kit now because I have a feeling they will go fast!

DCWV Green Collection and lots of Maya Road over at Serendipity Scrapbooks!

2009-07-01T03:23:00.005-04:00

The Green Woodland Stack from Die Cuts With A View is so much fun to work with. Cute patterns, ultra-thick paper and the fact that it's made from 70% recycled paper make this collection a new favorite of mine. I also had the chance to work with several fabulous Maya Road porducts like chipboard flowers and leaves, mini sheer bird embellies and a cute apple-shaped chipboard coaster album. Throw in some felt Thickers and some finished chipboard from Pink Paislee and you know I had a blast working with this round of review items for Serendipity Scrapbooks! The spunky nature patterns and embellies led me to do projects on a variety of topics ranging from a Disney, to a walk in the park and cute babies. Read my full review here and check out my projects below!

Bellagio Flowers!

2009-06-22T19:14:00.003-04:00

I call these “Bellagio Flowers” because they remind me of the gorgeous glass flower ceiling in the Bellagio lobby in Las Vegas. If you haven’t seen them, you must the next time you are in Las Vegas!

1. Gather your supplies: standard office transparency, alcohol inks, glitter glue, rhinestones, glue dots, circle cutters and/or punches, and a heat gun.

2. Dye your office transparency with alcohol inks. Saturation of color is your preference.

3. Cut varying size circles from your dyed transparency. For each flower you want to create, you will want three to five varying sizes of circles.

4. Warp each circle using your heat gun.

5. Stack your flower layers with the largest on the bottom and decreasing in size with each layer, leaving you with the smallest layer on top. Adhere each layer together with glue dots.

6. If desired, color your rhinestone with alcohol ink.

7. Add your rhinestone to the center of your flower.

8. Use your flower on a project!

Last Serendipity Scrapper Standing Contest!

2009-06-16T17:44:00.008-04:00

LSSS has started! Wahoo! We have 32 people signed up so far and you have until the end of the first challenge to sign up b/c no one will be eliminated during this challenge! So 1 DAY left.

We have AMAZING prizes. First Prize will consist of a package worth $75-$100; Second Prize will be $50-$75 and Third Prize will be a value of $35-$50 So far the prize packages will include Glitz, Hambly, Kaisercraft, Moxxie and SEI!!!

We also have RAKs for those of you who are scrapping their hearts out but find themselves eliminated...or those who feel like playing along (at any point) just for fun. Also Jennifer, our hostess, has some random challenges designated as "saves". That means if you do that challenge there may be a chance you are saved. But you gotta click here to sign up!

Farmer's Market Recipes Mini-Album

2009-06-08T21:44:00.004-04:00

I created this mini-album for my precrop challenge posted over at Serendipity Scrapbooks for the Stay-cation crop. My challenge was to go on an outing to a local farmer's market or u-pick farm and create a summer fresh recipe album that uses the local ingredients you found on your adventure.

For my album, I took photos of one of the main ingredients in its raw stage to include on each recipe page (except the meats - those are finished food photos for the most part). My album has 3 sections - fruits, veggies, meats - and each recipe uses at least one ingredient I can buy at the PSU farmer's market. In each recipe, I italicized and bolded the ingredients that can be bought at the market. Each spread can be seen below!