Paper Trail Blog Hop - Wonderland

Welcome to the January Paper Trail blog hop featuring the the blues, browns and greys of Wonderland. Thanks for stopping by! If you've arrived here from Lynne's blog, Fields Finery, you're on the right track. (If this is your first stop, don't worry, this hop is circular!)

Brown and blue is one of my favorite color combinations. Between the colors and the winter theme (we get a lot of snow in my neck of the woods) this paper pack was a true favorite of mine. I made Christmas gifts and cards before I got to making a layout. When I found these snow pictures I knew they were a perfect fit!

This layout uses scraps from my previous projects to form the quilt-like strips on each page. I liked that I was able to use a bit of each pattern without overwhelming my photos. I also liked that I was working with bits of paper that might otherwise be consigned to my scrap bin indefinitely.  
  
I cut the B&T scraps into 1 1/2 inch squares and then played with them until I liked the look. It took a bit of time, but I really like the result.

The paper quilt added inexpensive dimension to my page and I found I didn't need much more. I added a few sparkles and a few stamps and called it a day!

Now hop on over to Pam's blog, p-inks, to see what she created. 
I hope you enjoy your own Wonderland this winter!

Six pages in one night!

I don't know about you, but I didn't get much scrapbooking time in December. I had creative time, to be sure, but it was used making gifts, cards or sweet treats.

I'm feeling ready to get my papers out and get moving on some pages. I have so many ideas floating around in my head it is crazy (not to mention so many photos on my desk, my computer, my camera etc.) I'm not in the mood for some average scrap night. I'm ready for a marathon session. Since a whole weekend crop isn't on my horizon in the near future, I'm imagining a different kind of marathon - 6 pages (3 layouts) in one evening! We'll use the Elemental paper pack, neutral cardstock and fun embellishments. Six may seem like a lot of pages, but I know it is possible if we use our supplies and tools wisely. (I also know it is possible because a few of us did it in November with a different paper pack!)

If you're in my neighborhood, I would love for you to join me on January 25 at 7PM. The cost for this workshop - including all supplies - is just $20. If you can't make it because of a conflict or if you are not in the neighborhood I would be happy to put together a workshop kit for you with supplies and instructions.

Please let me know today if you are interested.

I can't wait to see what we can create!

Hand crafted holiday

It seems every year I try a different sort of craft project to give as a gift. When my little one was a baby I did mini albums. Last year I ventured into wall hangings. Here's a look at four gifts I created this year.

Project one
A desk box with note pads and pen - patterned after design by Linda Taylor.

This is the same card box I used to create my project for last week's Paper Thrills challenge!



CTMH Supplies used: card box, Wonderland paper packet, chocolate card stock, Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge, liquid glass.



Project two
Personalized coffee mugs.

These mugs were so simple to create using the Pebeo Porcelaine 150 paint marker. I ordered the marker online from an art supply store. I found the mugs at a dollar store. The paint marker was easy to use. It dries in about one day and then cures in the oven to a dishwasher safe finish. I was very happy with the bang for my buck (and my time) on this project.


I actually created coasters as a part of this gift, too, but I wasn't as happy with the way they turned out. If anybody has had success with coasters, let me know.


Project three
Embellished photo album.

This was a fun project to create. The album was an inexpensive one from Target, but I really liked it because it had ring bound pages so that the recipient (my mom) could add more photo pages if she wanted. It was easy to jazz up with some chipboard, die cut letters and paper flowers.




 
Project four
Framed quote

I purchased this frame with photo mat at a craft store with a coupon. I removed the glass and then returned the mat to the frame so that my embellishment space would not be limited. I used both sides of a piece of double sided paper to embellish the mat and the space behind the vellum quote. I further embellished the mat using grungeboard, paper flowers and a few pearls and gems.




I love giving hand crafted items because they are unique. Some of these items - the photo album and the frame - required very few supplies outside of my current stash. Some of these items - the desk boxes, the photo album and the frame - were very much in my papercrafting comfort zone. The mugs took me the furthest from my comfort zone, but I love the result (and the bang for my buck.) So, I love giving hand crafted items because they are unique, but also because I get to craft a bit of love into each project. The time I spend envisioning the gift, gathering the supplies and creating it are a part of my gift, too.

What about you, what did you craft this holiday season?

Paper Thrills challenge 35 - Ad Challenge

The new challenge is up over at Paper Thrills. In honor of all of the shopping that has been advertised in the last week, it is an ad challenge. Normally I'm kind of intimidated by ad challenges. I have a hard time making my style, photos, products etc. work with the things I see in magazines and store circulars. This time, however, I went with an ad of a different sort and I love the way it turned out!

I found this ad in Ms. magazine last month:

I was totally inspired by the row of small photos near the top, and I set out to replicate it. Here is what I came up with:

I took some elements from the ad in addition to the row of small photos and their mat.
      I placed my title on the photo mat - although mine is on the right and only on the top.
      I included a larger element on the bottom left of the design - although mine is up a bit higher.
      I used text along the bottom of the design - although mine is focused on the right hand side.

I'm so glad I took this challenge. I'm not convinced it's going to change my mind about ad challenges in general, but I certainly like the way this one turned out.

Have you ever been inspired by an ad?You should take the challenge. If not, it isn't too late to start. Either way, head on over to Paper Thrills to check out the other design team members' work. While you're there, why not play along?

I can't wait to see what you create!

Paper Trail Blog Hop - Roxie

Welcome to the December edition of the Paper Trail blog hop. If you have arrived here from Terri's blog you are on the right track. (If not, don't worry. This hop is circular so you can start anywhere.) I'm loving the pinks and blacks in this paper pack!

I started out with a layout using a fun technique my friend Linda showed me to draw attention to a small portion of a photo: crop the significant part and then mat it and place it over the hole in the photo to emphasize one portion on the whole photo.

I was nervous when I attempted this technique, but I love the way it draws attention to the tulip leaves to that they don't get lost in the snow. This layout is out of the ordinary for me in that it doesn't include any journaling, but I think the other elements - photos, title, butterflies and colors - work together to tell the story.

On my layout I also used hemp and the Just Blooms Flutter Paper Shapes.


I loved the Roxy paper so much that I decided to use it to create some cards for a young girl's birthday and a baby girl's baptism.

This template worked well for both cards. The Art Philosophy cartridge and the Cricut made it quick and easy. I really like the ready made zip strip border on these papers! I used some small sparkles and hemp on these cards as well.

Are you ready for some more Roxy fun? Hop on over to Linda's blog to see what she has created!

Thanks, again

Finally I'm sharing the next installment of my daily thanks.

9 - I'm thankful for daylight and seasonal decorations.
10 - Thanks for alone time and family members who do food shopping.
11 - I'm thankful for our zoo membership - especially on cold snowy days.
       I'm also thankful for the highways that are near our house.
12 - I'm ever so thankful for people who have listening ears, ask hard questions
       and really understand.
13 - Thanks be for food other people have prepared!
14 - I'm thankful for individuals - like one student - who think of others and take
       time to check in.
15 - Thanks be for reprieves and teachers with a sense of humor.
16 - I'm thankful for babies and a clean toilet.
17 - Thanks for time to catch up and painted finger nails.
18 - I'm thankful for those organizing moods when I am able to purge and for
        many ways to recycle.
19 - I'm thankful for movie popcorn, locally grown and home prepared food and
       new recipes that work out well.
20 - Thanks for found time and inspirational conversations - especially those that
        actually encourage me to make a change!



I'm still working out some details for my album. I think I'll include some photo-free pages (why, not, right?)

Are you keeping track of your thanks this month? What are you discovering? Do you have a plan to record these thanks?

I would love to hear about your month of thanks. I can't wait to see what you create!

Paper Thrills challenge 34 - The Sweater

The new challenge is up over at Paper Thrills. This week the challenge is to use items you would find on a sweater. Here is my sweater layout about my little crafter:

This layout was fun to create. I dry embossed the light blue cardstock and then sanded to reveal the white core. The patterns said sweater to me as much as the buttons and fibers.

Head on over to Paper Thrills to check out what the other design team members created. While you're there, why not create a layout and play along? While you're there, check out the guest design team challenge!