It's been awhile since I posted a weekend update. Not that weekends change a whole lot around here. Island living is pretty quiet. I anticipated an early start to this weekend and took the opportunity to challenge myself a bit. Despite the hubbub of back to school, things are quieting down around here. This means time for creative play. I know many of you will be scrapbooking this weekend. If you are looking for something that's fun, easy, and gets you to the heart of your story then you will want to check out the challenge archive over at DocumentLife.com.
The first challenge I undertook involved making more use out of my kits. I get monthly scrapbook kits from JBS Mercantile and Studio Calico. Over the summer, I used little bits of those kits, but mostly, they just occupied space near my feet. Both of the layouts I will be sharing today use supplies from those kits. I have also set myself the goal of re-kitting some older supplies and reorganizing my desk space to make some unused embellishments more visible.
Why Did the Ducks Cross the Road by Christy Strickler Supplies| Patterned Paper: Echo Park, LilyBee Designs; Button, Jewel, Stencil, foil ducks: JBS Mercantile; Pen: Sakura; Ink: Ranger
This was the perfect opportunity to capture a recent conversation with my son. We were out walking in the rain when some ducks crossed the road to walk along the sidewalk ahead of my son. It prompted my son to crack a series of " why did the ducks cross the road" jokes.
I Love Our Morning Routine by Christy Strickler Supplies| Patterned Paper, Die Cut Card: Studio Calico, My Mind's Eye; Stencil: Heidi Swapp; Modeling Paste: Liquitex; Letters: Basic Grey, American Crafts; Other: Paint
I decided to take on the most current challenge at Document Life- " What I Like About You." The challenge is fairly pen to interpretation. I initially wanted to document what I like about each of our cats. Instead, I chose to document how our cats spend part of the morning with us. I know these are not the best photos. They are the first shots I ever took with my new Fuji Instax 8. I am learning a bit about the camera's capabilities. Never the less, they capture something I love.
The weekend is officially here for most of us. It's time to grab some unused supplies and some inspiration. I hope you enjoy some awesome time with friends and loved ones while still finding some time in your creative space.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Tales of a Craft Class Junkie: Grids and Blocks with Masterful Scrapbook Design
Today I shared a layout over at the JBS Mercantile blog. This month's projects feature all of the new product releases from Jenni Bowlin. One of the ways I am able to incorporate the classes I take is to work on some of the class assignments in conjunction with my design team work. Some classes work better than others for this. Masterful Scrapbook Design is one that allows me to incorporate the topic into whichever style I choose to work with and whatever design team assignment I may currently have. I have been a student since the class began and have always loved the way Debbie Hodge teaches design. It's one of the reasons I chose to apply for the Get It Scrapped design team last year.
Now, is my observation correct? I'm not 100% sure. I plan to submit this layout for analysis during office hours next week. Office hours are an opportunity to submit your layouts for critique. No worries though. The critique is always done in a very constructive manner. It's a great way to learn about what others perceive in your style as well as opportunities for you to tweak your future work. Perhaps I will see some of you in an upcoming session.
Meanwhile, it's time for me to go practice some more grids and blocks.
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Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Get It Scrapped: Pinwheels and Random Thoughts
In Chinese culture, a pinwheel symbolizes turning your luck around. You could definitely say our new kitten had turned her luck around when she came to live with us. We found her and her siblings abandoned in a local park. My son became one of her best friends. He loved to introduce her to new things all around the house.
Hello: I will Share my World with You by Christy Strickler |Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Letters, Paper Tape, Stamp,Stencil: Jenni Bowlin; Tags: Elle’s Studio; Punch: Fiskars; Embossing Powder: Ranger; Stickers: American Crafts; Modeling Paste: Liquitex; Other: Sequins.cellophane bag, Jewels; created for Get It Scrapped
Hello: I will Share my World with You by Christy Strickler |Supplies Cardstock: Colorbok; Letters, Paper Tape, Stamp,Stencil: Jenni Bowlin; Tags: Elle’s Studio; Punch: Fiskars; Embossing Powder: Ranger; Stickers: American Crafts; Modeling Paste: Liquitex; Other: Sequins.cellophane bag, Jewels; created for Get It Scrapped
Creating the pinwheels was pretty easy. I used my JBS Mercantile pinwheel punch with some scrap pieces of cardstock. I covered each side with a different washi tape, trimmed any excess away, then folded the pinwheel. I used a liquid adhesive to secure the folded pinwheel and added a jewel to the center.
The supplies are from my April JBS Mercantile kits. I really adored the kit and was being as frugal as possible with it.It came with some tags from Elle's Studio. I loved the design on the tag packaging( it's the large pink matte). I cut away the Elle's Studio label and placed part of a journal tag in it's place. ( I was surprised to see there are a few April kits left.)
I did use a lot of sequins on this layout. We've been talking about how you can achieve that perfect random sprinkled look over at the Get It Scrapped forum. I think I might be bordering a bit on sequin sneeze on this layout. In my opinion, the key to achieving a random look is to just practice. Try to cluster a few groups of sequins or confetti, let them overlap and adhere them with a fast drying liquid glue.
Yes, today's post is a bit random. What everything mentioned today has in common is a bit of frugality. My pinwheel punch is an awesome tool. I can customize my own pinwheel embellishments for nay layout. Paying attention to the packaging your supplies come in offers you the opportunity to upcycle it for additional embellishments. Sequins are inexpensive and can be a lot of fun on your scrapbook layouts.
If you have any random thoughts about pinwheels, sequins or anything scrapbook related, pop on over to the Get It Scrapped forum to share.
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