8 Months - Already?

Each month I enjoy getting out the "month" sticker for Bo's picture just because I like to see what color combination they came up with!  This month was gray, red, and black....a different one for scrapping a layout!

I used a lot of Little Yellow Bicycle on this one...the "Just Because" line has great gray and red combos in it. All I added to that were some black and gray washi tapes, some enamel dots, and some AC Thickers and it came together quick and cute.  I really love these Thickers and bonus - they come in a variety of colors!  I think now I have gotten his 8 month layout done and his 2 month layout....time to start filling in the rest huh!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle

Stickers: Little Yellow Bicycle, American Crafts

Washi Tape: My Minds Eye, Queen & Co

Enamel Dots: Bo Bunny

Playing with Hot Glue!

I was so blessed today to receive an email from Paper Crafts Magazine today saying that they were picking up three of my cards this month!  That on top of five from CARDS earlier this month and to put it mildly I am flying pretty high!  I put a lot of time into working on submissions and really really enjoy doing it!  

The topic for Paper Crafts was Supply Savvy and it is going to have all different categories on using your supplies in clever ways.  I pride myself on finding random, frugal items to use on cards.  I love not having to worry about them being acid free and doing something just plain nutty!  The cards I got picked up used some pretty oddball stuff!  Today I thought I'd share two cards that didn't get picked up that I used hot glue on.

When I saw hot glue mentioned in the supply ideas I got some ideas rolling around and decided to just play! Here's the two I came up with!

 For this first one I doodled a heart using hot glue.  Once it dried I sprayed it down with mist.  Once that dried I pulled the glue up slowly leaving a distressed looking heart.

For this second card I did a similar concept.  I set out to doodle clouds with the hot glue.  Then misted but this time I didn't pull the glue up.  Once dry I laid the scallop circles on it and realized it looked like flowery doodles too and I kind of enjoyed that.  So I created a big flower and topped it off with some flair!

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper: GCD Studios & American Crafts

Flair: American Crafts

Washi Tape: Bella Blvd

Mist: Heidi Swapp

Twine: The Twinery

Canvas Scallops: Little Yellow Bicycle

I had a lot of fun creating these cards and enjoyed thinking out of the box!  Have you ever used hot glue on a project for something besides adhesive?

"Just Because" Little Yellow Bicycle Card Class

I am so excited that my February card class at The Scrapbooking Studio has sold out!  So now it's time to start sharing my March card class.  I designed this one using pieces from the "Just Because" line from Little Yellow Bicycle.  Once again they have hit a homerun with this line!  It took me less than two hours to design the class because it goes together soooooo nicely!  Here's the four cards for the class.

After I took the cards into the store as samples I had to pick up some more pieces from the line because I knew I wasn't done playing yet...Stay tuned :)

December CARDS Magazine Publications

It's always fun to finally share these with you!  Here's the two cards I had featured in the December issue.

 This one was for Rub-Ons.  It uses a lot of different product from Piggy Tales, Amy Tan, Momenta, and Bella Blvd!  I knew as soon as I got done with I loved it!  Lots of vibrant colors and edgy design make me happy!

This one was for punches.  Those little tiny hearts up top are punched out from Amy Tan patterned paper!  I cam e up with that idea way late one night when I couldn't sleep.  Everything on here is from Amy Tan except the sentiment (Little Yellow Bicycle)

I checked these ones out in print and they did an amazing (as always) job of photographing them!

Little Yellow Bicycle Winterings Class

On January 12th I am teaching a class at The Scrapbooking Studio!  Here is the layout and the cards I will be teaching.  All three projects feature Little Yellow Bicycle's Winterings.  It is full of gorgeous blues, grays, and browns and I have adored it from the moment I saw it!

I had forgotten how much I love creating double layouts!  I created another one at the same time as this and you can look for that one in an upcoming special edition of Creating Keepsakes!  This layout is full of all kinds of great embellishments from Little Yellow Bicycle which means those who attend the class will come home with all the leftover goodies!

 Couldn't resist layering some of the fabulous chipboard embellishments and playing up the blues and grays!

I created some of my own ruffles on this one and then added clear transparency pieces for the top.  Of everything that Little Yellow bicycle makes, I believe the transparencies are my favorite!

If you live anywhere near Bloomington, I'd love to have you along for the class...Just head over to The Scrapbooking Studio website for more info!

Little Yellow Bicycle "Once Upon a Christmas Cards"

Once I got thru with my "Cycling Team" gig, I decided to play a little more with the "Once Upon a Christmas" line and came up with a few more cards.   

 I did a whole bunch of layering on this one using the paper poinsettia & star tags.

I am always on the lookout for how I can create ruffles on a card...this patterned paper worked perfectly for it!  I did lots of fussy cutting to create the ruffles but I think it was well worth it!

Little Yellow Bicycle did an amazing job with this line and I am so glad I had the chance to do lots of playing with it!

Strange color combo = Fun card!

Today I have a card to share that was made just for fun!  What I mean by that is I didn't make it with anything in mind...just plain old experimenting!  I was trying out my scoring board for a medallion, I was trying out the bold color combo with the soft blue, I was trying out the horizontal banners.  I like how it turned out considering all the playing I did!  I can't imagine the whole card without the soft blue background. Hope your weekend has started off fabulously!

Supplies Used:

Paper by Momenta & American Crafts

Pins by Little Yellow Bicycle

Letters by Momenta

Sweet and Simple

I've got a sweet and simple little card to share with you today.  I love the Paradise collection from Little Yellow Bicycle and that's where this sweet little bird comes from!  I used my Martha Stewart fringe scissors to give the bird some grass to stand on.  Add in a blinged up cloud and and some bright pink zebra paper and you can't go wrong.  

Supplies Used:  Patterned Paper by Momenta

Cardstock by Quick Quotes

Stickers by Little Yellow Bicycle and American Crafts

Twine by The Twinery

Splash!!!

I'm a pretty big fan of winter...but the last week I have been ready for it to be spring!  You'll see that reflected in some of my projects that I share with you this week!  First up is a fun and funky layout!

I got a little crazy playing with supplies on this one!  I splattered orange mist like crazy and strung bakers twine in various colors to simulate a splash.  I like it mostly cause it's just different and makes me smile!

Supplies Used: Patterned Paper from Momenta and Little Yellow Bicycle, Stickers from Momenta, Bella Blvd, and Crate Paper, Bakers Twine from The Twinery

Inspired by....

Today at Practical Scrappers we are trying to set an example on how to "Link with Love."  It is easy in this industry to pick up ideas here and there, but when you are directly using someone's idea and you know you are doing it...show them the love they've earned!  On this layout I attempted to make a background like this one created by Nicole Wise.  I failed miserably (at the technique...the layout I love :)) and ended up not even using close to the same technique...but the idea was hers and I wanted to give her a shout out for that.

Authentique Genuine

I've been desperately needing some fresh inspiration, let's just say the mojo has not been flowing.  Over the weekend I was able to head up to an Archiver's and there was enough new CHA releases there to get me excited!  I picked up some goodies from Authentique, American Crafts, and Little Yellow Bicycle.  I've been using most of them to work on magazine submissions....but made myself sit down and do a layout just for fun today!

 

 I based the whole thing on this sketch from Liz Qulaman.

I knew no mojo time was not a time to be reinventing the wheel...so a great sketch was ideal.

 

Supplies Used:

Patterned Paper by Authentique, Crate Paper

Stickers by Bella Blvd, Authentique, KI Memories

Twine: The Twinery

Flower: Little Yellow Bicycle

Sparklers Fun

Totally off with my seasons, but I'm trying to catch up on some old pictures...so here's a 4th of July layout :)

I used a sketch from Liz Qualman for my inspiration (I never use sketches so this is huge!).  I used something from several my favorite companies on this - Paper from Jillibean Soup, Bella Blvd, Pebbles, Momenta, and Simple Stories. Pins and stickers from Little Yellow Bicycle, Bella Blvd,  and Momenta.  I know that's a big list of favorites...but I have probably 10 companies that I Love!

I enjoy her layouts a lot so when I discovered she does a sketch each week I was excited.  Although I'm not a big sketch user, every once in awhile it gets your mojo going!

Winter Twig Layout

Back with another Little Yellow Bicycle project - I'm gonna have to make a run for more of their stuff here before too long :)

I picked up some of the little clothespins to play with, they add a fun dimension to the layout don't they?  For my chevrons I cut down the paper that was plaid to begin with and created my own chevrons.  It was a fun puzzle to try to put together :)  I also splatter painted - this was actually a first for me!  I wanted it white like snow so I had to go with paint.  A lot ended up on me but I was happy with the end result!

Supplies Used:  All paper & snowflakes: Little Yellow Bicycle

Letters: Momenta

Bakers Twine: The Twinery

Winter Twig Card

I love the Winter Twig line from Little Yellow Bicycle!  I decided to play with it and make a layout (I'll show ya that later) and a card.  I first punched out silver glittered circles and made a grid with them.  Then I added some snowflakes and circles from the Make a Snowflake kit they have.  I used a couple extra circle snowflake stickers (don't) know where those are from.  Lastly I added a sentiment and outlined it with a turquoise gel pen.  I love how it just feels sparkly and bright like a fresh snow!

Supplies used:

Sentiment - SRM stickers

Gems - Creative Charms

Everything else is Little Yellow Bicycle or just my stash :)

Using up some Christmas Stash

We just had a feature at Practical Scrappers using up leftover Christmas stuff.  I decided to pull out some tinsel and see what I could do with it.  I had absolutely no idea if it work.  I used the Glue Arts Perma Tac cartridge and covered the heart with it.  The tinsel stuck real easy!  I then trimmed around it and trimmed more where it was just unruly.  Topped it off with a banner and voila!  I think that experiment turned out pretty great!

I decided I would layer it at the bottom of a card and see what happened with that.  Not loving that nearly as much...but here's the result anyway :)

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Supplies Used: 

Jillibean Soup: letters & Patterned Paper

Little Yellow Bicycle: Flower, Tag, Patterned Paper

Be Merry, Be Jolly...

I was totally inspired by my fellow Practical Scrapper Audrey's work with the Little Yellow Bicycle Christmas line that I got some myself to play with.  It's very rare that I am that inspired by a specific line...but when I saw what she had done I really wanted to try some of it!  Here's the layout I created.  I love their line of flowers that come with some assembly required, but not too much!  I also absolutely adore those corrugated elements...especially in bright pretty Christmas green!  

Supplies Used: Cardstock is Momenta, Sentiment stickers Momenta, twine is Jillibean Soup,  everything else consumable is Little Yellow Bicycle, Fiskars Border punch

Just a nice, simple layout that I created using the Burlap and Buttercups kit.  Most of the detail was already in the paper so I didn't have to do too much :)

Supplies Used: Fancy pants paper, Little Yellow Bicycle canvas stickers, Bella Blvd letter stickers, Simple Stories stickers