Celebrate Summer with new Moxxie and Karen Foster Designs

The new line of papers from Moxxiee here just in time for the upcoming Independence Day! The layout and cards I made here don't do the line justice. I made really really simple layouts here...anyone can do this. Each of the papers is double sided in gorgeous dark red/crimson, blue, and tan colors. And don't forget to add your prized embellishment....I used stickles and Glossy Accents of course! And, while I used this paper for a 4th of July layout, I'm heading back to the store to get more for other purposes...the paper is just so beautiful!

After fireworks and BBQs with friends, our favorite summer activities involve hot days and water. I had so much fun remembering one of Harrison's first times at the Hamilton Lowe Aquatic Center. He has never been afraid of water, and even a spray in the face couldn't keep him from the frog slide!

Can you spot my favorite embellishments and techniques in this layout??

My daughter and her friend got in on the water balloon fight and sprinkler action in our front yard with all the neighborhood boys. Aren't they adorable? In this simple layout, you might be thinking the turquoise dots (sets of 3) are brads. Nope. Stickles. Tricky, huh?

Prized Product

There are several prized products I will swear by, but probably hands down I would have to say that Diamond glaze takes the cake.

Diamond glaze is a water based clear (non-yellowing) glaze. I apply it straight from the bottle, usually onto chipboard. You could use it on paper but its sometimes too heavy for the paper to hold. What I love is the easy clean up, because when I create I make a huge huge mess. It's like cleaning off Elmer's glue, peels right off your skin, and almost any surface or washes off with warm water!

I use Diamond glaze almost daily, they are the protective, shiny coating I put on my buttons. It makes them look like hard candy. I've tried every other glaze out there and this has proved to be the best! Hope you try it too!

Prized Product: Stickles!

* photo courtesy of ginger blue/chel*

Hello, world! I'm Heather and I. Love. Stickles! I currently own 6 colors: pink, purple, orange, green, brown and red. I can use any of those colors on any given layout, and believe me, I do. A lot. Examples:

I like the dimension and texture it gives my layouts and cards, and plus, it's just pretty. In actuality, I could use any layout I've done since I've started scrapbooking and you would see Stickles. Or some sort of glitter. It's kind of embarassing. :-)

Promote Your Prized Product!

PICK the PAPER PALS PRODUCT that you PRIZE the most and PROMOTE it here PASSIONATELY with a Design Team Blog POST!

(okay, DTers... just share with us one of your favorite paper crafting supplies that you can't live without these days...)

Mine is Liquid Pearls. You can find it at the store near the Stickles.
I've been using White Opal to jazz up a few of the layouts you've seen from me. I think the extra shine it produces just finishes the pages off perfectly. Especially on vintage pages. Here's a couple of photos of spots where I used the product.(a border around the photo and outlining a few letters in my title "remembering")
(on the butterfly wings and the ampersand)

The product says that it can be used on fabric, too. I've been working on a couple of sewing projects recently... I guess I'll have to try my Liquid Pearls there too!

Have you used Liquid Pearls? What's your favorite use for it?

S to the T to the A-S-H! Challenge

Here's my contrib to Anita's great challenge: my JOY layout.

I started with my sketch stash... I mark pages in magazines or blog posts of the layouts I like, and "stash" them to scraplift someday.

The layout I did above was inspired by this (quite closely, you see): Emilie Ahern's layout on The Scrap Review blog (where they review scrapbooking products and give away lots of prizes).

I liked her layout so much (plus it was close to Mother's Day)that I jumped right on the project and found everything I needed within my stash. I used all the papers and embellishments from what I already had (even used a wrapper from a chocolate easter egg-- it was a sacrifice to get rid of the chocolate held inside the foil).

Even the photos were just sitting in my "stash" on the computer and I printed them at home (not my typical mode of operation).

I like this plan. I'll start doing more layouts and cards to use up my stash. No buying anything new. That is, if Paper Pals would just quit selling such inspiring/cute/creative stuff...

Stash Challege - Brads and Snaps

It's been fun to see the responses to the stash challenge: Ikea placemats & ribbon, paint and an old cassette tape. I have more eyelets, brads, and snaps than I think I'll ever use, unless...I start creating layouts like this one more often!

Enjoy!

Anita

NEW Doodlebug Design & Jillibean Soup...

Doodlebug Designs has always been one of my very favorite companies, their papers and accessories suit my style perfectly!!! I had fun with the "Cherries Jubilee" and "Nature's Garden" papers on this layout with my new birthday pictures of Kate. The cardstock stickers have some BLING...just perfect for that little girl in your life! The Jillibean Soup line was new to me! I LOVE this cute double-sided cardstock printed paper in the "frog theme!" The colors and design were perfect for these pictures of Landen!

It was SOOOO much fun to spend some time "creating!" I have really missed being able to sit down and scrapbook. Needless to say, I'm getting way behind, better make it a productive summer!! :0)

Use Your Stash Challenge

Whew--what a fun challenge! I really enjoyed getting to use a backlogged component of my stash (and make room for MORE!).

I took a place mat I purchased at Ikea a few months ago and turned it into wall decor, which is something I don't have much of. Or, I don't have much GOOD wall decor. It's a Solig place mat, and while you can't see it too closely in the photo, it's a thick, clear place mat with a green floral design. I loved them when I saw them, and loved them even more when I saw the price.

When Anita posted her challenge, I knew exactly what I was going to be using. The one item I have tons and tons of in my stash is ribbon. I'm not sure what it is about ribbon that I find so appealing, but I do know that it's really hard for me to leave Paper Pals without scouring the ribbon remnant jar in the pantry. I stapled my ribbon on to the place mat with some colored staples, figuring that would work better than using a ton of Glue Dots.

I've been holding on to the photos Brandon and I attempted to take of ourselves during our vacation in Hawaii a few years ago, but didn't have the right paper, or embellishments, or frame of mind to do anything with them. But, a little ribbon, a little paint, one awesome place mat and wham--it turned out well. The place mats come 4 to a pack, so I think I might do two more and do a grouping of some kind.

Stash challenge expanded!!!!

This is not just using my stash...the paper is new. But as I was putting this kit together for my etsy shop I was inspired by old/found elements and thought I would expand on Anita's challenge a little. You may not think of cassette tapes as part of your "stash" but I totally do! this one, on the cover of my 4X4 mini, is actually an old answering machine tape. Who doesn't have something like this laying around...right? A little nail polish remover took the label right off...then I used double stick tape to glue the cassette to some of the leftover Hambly heavy overlays I had and I added some spraypaint and acrylic paint. As you de-stash..try to incorporate some sort of non-traditional item! Good luck!

Use your stash...design team challenge!

Hello ladies,
I have a challenge for you...inspired by my recent efforts to clean up and organize my scrapbook space.

Create a layout, card, project, whatever you want and use ALOT of a particular item from your stash (such as brads, eyelets, buttons, flowers, ribbon, etc.).

Have fun!
Anita

New from My Mind's Eye - Pretty Please line

Have you ever seen a new paper line and began your love affair with it at first sight? Come on, be honest, you have, haven't you? That is exactly how I felt when I first saw the new Pretty Please line from My Mind's Eye. I knew instantly I had to find some photos of my pretty girl, Camryn, to use for these pages.

Right...you may not think of pink flowered paper and robin's egg blue accents when you hear "piano recital". That is...unless your piano student wore a pink dress to her recital. Ta-da...this worked perfectly! This page came together quickly using the matching embellishments page, the super cute and sparkly sticker letters, some bling, and of course some Glossy Accents.

I rarely create layouts with a "ginormous" photo like this, but my friend Heather (yes, of PPDT "fame") took Camryn to Sunshine Flowers (u-pick flowers near Pullman) a few years ago and I had never scrapbooked the photos (gasp!). I'm so glad I hadn't...because this just made me happy to look back at photos from 3 years ago. Don't forget to dig out your EK Success 3-D dots to add dimension to your embellishments.

Think outside the box...yes...add black velvet ribbon to a card that is "springy". Yes...add Glossy Accents whenever and wherever you can. Yes, mix the pattern of ribbon with the pattern on the paper...it works!

Enjoy!