Still creating...

Lately I'm creating some layouts (thank you Karen and Rene with Crop N Time!) but much of my creative energy has been spent designing classes including a class to create a desk gift box (just in time for end of the school year gifts) and a class about creative ways to add color to your stamping. Check out both classes!

Fabulous Fabrics

I must admit I was excited when I saw the new textiles in the Spring/Summer CTMH idea book. I loved the patterns. I loved the idea of fabric on my pages. I ordered them right away. And then they sat in my craft area. I was excited about them, but I wasn't sure how to use them.

I've played with them a bit and created some fun effects on my pages. In fact, my make-n-take project at CropNTime this weekend uses some of the textiles.

If you can't wait until this weekend, or if you aren't able to attend the crop, check out this video for a couple of suggestions for using fabric.

I can't wait to see what you create!

Ten Pages in Ten Days - Part 2

I'm still sharing pages I created on my recent spring break. This one was inspired by the April 1 challenge at Sketches with Color. I love creating with sketches. Isn't this one pretty?

I had to stretch myself to include the colors from the challenge as well.
 
Here is what I came up with:

 

What first was it you ask? The first photo I took with my smartphone! In the journaling I tried to capture both how I felt about the phone when I first got it (I didn't think I needed it.) and how integrated it has become into my life since that day.

Here are some details:

 

The papers are CTMH, mostly from Chantilly. The embellishments are a mishmash of old and new CTMH. The color challenge encouraged me to accentuate the Twilight color in the pattern paper and I liked the way it turned out.

Thanks for the challenge, Sketch with Color!

Ten Pages in Ten Days - Part 1

I had spring break from my day job a few weeks ago, and I used much of my time to create. In fact when the dust had settled at the end of the break I discovered that I had created ten pages in ten days. (I was especially proud of this spurt of crafting since we were also doing other spring break activities like day trips and play dates as a family.)

Now school is back in full swing and my latest round of grades are submitted so I have time to share some of the pages I created. (A few are being saved for later reveal dates.) So, without further ado, the first of the ten pages in ten days:

Here are some details:

The paper and embellishments are a mix of older items from a couple of different companies.

I love creating layouts about these kind of everyday topics. This is one that I started long ago, but it has been languishing in my "to-be-finished" pages pile. (Do you have a stash like that?) I was finally inspired to finish when I had the right tools at my disposal and since I count pages when I finish them, it is one of the ten in ten!

I choose - a sunburst!

I’m not always a trend follower, but there are some trends I really like in paper crafting right now. The sunburst is one of them! I’ve seen bursts created with paper, ribbon, buttons, confetti, you name it! I’ve seen sunbursts behind photos, journaling, titles, on the edge of pages, even in pattern paper!

I was inspired to create my page by some triangular shaped scraps from another project. My triangles weren’t all the same size - they weren’t even similar (same angles, but different size). The irregular sunburst they created added the perfect energy to my small photo for this page.

 

 
Rather than focus on one word for the year, for 2013 I am focusing on choosing goals and priorities each month. The energy and focus this is giving me is captured perfectly in the sunburst and small journaling spots.










I double stamped the title in two different inks slightly offset to give the effect of depth. For the year, I attached number stickers, sponged in over them and then removed the stickers to create the negative effect.












 

I love this Chantilly paper from CTMH. The color combination is really working for me. Believe it or not, the pearl flourishes were left over from the same project as the triangles of paper. I just couldn't let either one go to waste!

Paper Trail Blog Hop - Claire

Welcome to the Paper Trail Blog Hop. This month we are featuring the Claire paper packet. If you've arrived here from Lynne's  blog, welcome! If this is your first stop, grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage and enjoy the art work!

I must confess, the Clair paper was the one that first drew me in when I saw the Spring/Summer idea book.The colors and patterns reminded me immediately of my mom. I couldn't wait to create something. It also doesn't hurt that Outdoor Denim is my favorite color!

As I have been doing a lot lately, I created two single page layouts that can also function as a double page spread. I find this design very flexible especially when I am working with three photos. Three 4X6 photos seem too much to put on one 12X12 page, but tricky to design on a 12X24. I have much better luck working on a 12X12 canvas with one photo and another 12X12 canvas with two photos.


My first layout (or the left-hand page if you think in 12X24) features one photo. I wanted to draw attention to the photo and the Main Frame - Details pattern from Reflections made it easy. I embellished with Outdoor Denim Chevron Ribbon - another product that caught my attention early in this idea book - and a perfect complement for this paper!





I also created some of my own embellishments by stamping words and images from Sightseer and then cutting them out to imitate the look of die cuts or stickers. (I love the versatility of stamps!)








The second of my layouts using this Bottom Border - Base pattern from Reflections features only paper, ink and adhesive:

I used Hooray Bouquet to add a subtle flower pattern on the geometric Sunset paper. The title is the largest font on the Trinity alphabet. The border beneath the title is from In The Background. The arrow accentuating the title is from my current favorite set, Sightseer.  I also added a few text elements as embellishments using retired stamp sets.



Thanks for stopping by! Now, head on over to Betsy's blog to see what she has created using this fun paper! Check back here on Thursday to see a fun layout using Chantilly and the trendy sunburst design.