ScrapThat! July Blog Hop

Welcome to ScrapThat! July Kit Reveal and Blog Hop

ScrapThat! is delighted to introduce to you our July Kit featuring Fabscrap's Beautiful Organic Collection!!

This month we have a special treat for you, mark your calenders July 6th - July 8th

ScrapThat!'s Design Team will be hosting our

"Summer Garden Crop Party"

Crop will include: challenges, games, prizes, as well as live chat!!

Hope to see you'll join us for a weekend of fun!

http://scrapthat.ning.com/forum/categories/summer-garden-party-crop/listForCategory

Without further ado we are pleased to bring you our July Kit

"Summer In My Garden"

This Kit is chock full of yummy goodies such as Fabscrap's Organic Collection papers, lace, pearls, chipboard, Ingvild Bolme Ink, an array of flowers as we as much much more!!!

Main Kit $39.99

1 sheet each

Organic Herbs

Organic Herbs Two

Organic Tree

Organic Garden

Organic Kitchen

Organic Lace

Organic Strawberries

Organic Script

Bazzil Cardstock

Tan

Green

Purple

FabScraps Chipboard Word – Organic

2 wooden clothes pins

1 Melissa Francis pearls

1 recipe card

4 green picket fence post

2” craft sticks

10 I AM ROSES – Cherry Blossom flowers - white

4 leaves

1 2” piece of burlap

1 Ingvild Bolme – old road, chalk ink

3 yrds white cotton lace trim

1 pkg ZVA 1- blue & white flower 1-two tone green flower

1 EK Success alphabet sheets – green chocolate

NOTE: The Main Kit cost for non-members is $44.99

Embellishment Add On $14.99

1 pkg Prima 3 resin window frames

1 pkg Prima 2 crystal palace vines

1 pkg Petaloo 6 wild roses

NOTE: The Embellishment Add-On cost for non-members is $17.99)

Flower Add On $12.99

(only 12 of these kits are available each month and sold on a first come first serve basis)

1 pkg Pinkpaislee 2 Muslin Flowers

1 pkg Prima 6 Prima flowers

1 Pkg Prima 2 Sun Kiss vines

Paper Add On $9.99

1 sheet each

Organic Herbs

Organic Herbs Two

Organic Tree

Organic Garden

Organic Kitchen

Organic Lace

Organic Strawberries

Organic Script

Bazzil Cardstock – 1 sheet each

Tan

Green

Purple

NOTE: The Ppaer Add-On cost for non-members is $12.99

We are currently accepting new Kit Club Members

for more info please email friends@scrapthat.ca

Our Blog Hop Features 9 Fantastic blogs

To Qaulify for this month's Blog Hop prize you must complete the following:

1. Visit each blog listed on the hop to see what each Designer has created using this month's kit and sketch (comments are very much appreciated)

2. Each Designer's blog hop post will feature a word, to make up a secret sentence, collect these words along the way and follow the directions provided in ScrapThat!'s forum when you are all finished.

3. You must become a FOLLOWER of each blog along the way and LIKE us on our Facebook Page!

4. Post the ScrapThat! Blinkie on your blog

5. The last stop on our Blog Hop is our Forum, follow the link provided and complete the remainder of the Blog Hop instructions

Hop end July 1st 12 am CST

Prize must be claimed within 3 days of announcment that will be made on ScrapThat!'s blog July .....

If left unclaimed a NEW winner will be chosen!

Please Note: for anything larger than an envelope, winner will be responsible for the cost of shipping.

Next Hop Over To Sandi Smith's Blog

Should you loose your way, come back here for the blog hop sequence

ScrapThat! - http://www.scrapthatchat.blogspot.ca/

Jenifer Evans - http://heldscraptive.blogspot.ca

Sandi Smith - http://sandi-smith.blogspot.ca

Keren Tamir - http://kerentamir.blogspot.ca

Alissa Wells - http://willrunforstamps.blogspot.com/

ScrapThat! Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/ScrapThat-Kit-Club/111009852256498

Amarilys Doria - http://amadrian8.blogspot.com/

Marilyn Rivera - http://marilynrivera.blogspot.com/

Helen Tilbury - http://helentilbury.blogspot.com/

Sandi Clarkson - http://softsideofsandi.blogspot.com/

ScrapThat! Forum - http://scrapthat.ning.com/forum/categories/kit-reveal-and-blog-hop/...

Please Join Our July Sketch Challenge HERE

Everyone is welcome to participate, all entried due by July 15th

Here is my take on this month's sketch:

THE SIMPLE LIFE

ORGANIC

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW

SECRET WORD: US

ScrapThat! July Sneak Peeks

So I don't know about you, but I am SUPER EXCITED for this month's

ScrapThat! July Kit Reveal!

This kit is honestly my favorite so far! I was so inspired and I cannot wait to show you my full reveal! But for now, you'll have to settle for these beautiful sneak peeks from our Design Team Members!!

I hope you all love this kit as much as I do! 

Bo Bunny Card Sketch

Hi everyone, I have a card to share with you today!

I don't believe I have ever used one of the Bo Bunny Card Sketches before, but I sure had fun creating my first one. Like I said yesterday I have not been abale to get enough sketches lately, I am just lovin them these days...not that I didn't before, it just seems an addiction these days!

Check out Bo Bunny's FABULOUS June Card Sketch

I saw ths sketch and the wheels atrted turning! So many options....I think I might actually even use this sketch a few more times flipped and flopped! It's to cute not to sqeeze every bit of use out of it that I possibly can!
Here's what I came upo with.....and I sure the recipient will love it if I do say so myself!

Ok overall I am pleased with this card, but I do have a few flaws that irritate me......but I finally had to tell myself it is what it is and it is lovely so quite fretting!!

I used Bo Bunny's Country Garden Collection for this card, I have had a stack of it for a while just waiting to be used and this was my perfect oopotunity!!! I really love the soft muted color tones of this collection and the country feel to it, which suits me to perfection!

I used my brand new Martha Stewart border punch on the front of the card after I chopped it down about an inch shorter. I then started chopping and distressing away until I was satisfied!

This is a close up of the butterfly, I wanted you to see the detail of the burlap and cheesecloth I placed behind it, that I whitewashed with white acrylic paint....you may notice  did that to a few things as well as the butterfly here!

Last but not least, this is a close up of the upper right corner, I decided to add a small half a piece of doilie with some more burlap and cheesecloth, topped off with a flowers and leaves! Thes items were also white washed with the acrylic paint, as I have been doing over anything on my pages that would stand still!

Now I don't know who I will give this card to yet, but I am almost positive they will love it!

Thanks for stopping by, your support, encouragment and comments mean so much!
Happy Scrapping!

My Creative Sketches

Yay more scrappy things to share today!!!! I have just been so motivated lately!!
My creative juices feel like they are on on scrap overload, can't seem to keep up with them.....ok not that I'm complaining, I hate when my mojo leaves the building!

I love and cherish my time with my family and friends, but I gotta tell ya.....come their bed times, I am also loving the time I have been able to spend in my scrap room lately......speaking of which....I'm not sure my scrap room is returning the love at the moment....I'm not sure I've ever seen such a mess in my life.......but hey I guess if it's clean and tidy I must not be having fun right?!?! But really I must get it cleaned, wish there was a scrap fairy for that.....

I have been thouroughly enjoying participating along in as many sketch challenges as I can this month!! I really look forward to a handful full eachmonth, but unfortunately don't always have the time to play along. But like I said I've been waiting until the kids are in bed each night and just really going at it lately.

My Creative Sketches
always had beautiful sketches to work with each month and this month was no different! I really loved getting my hands messy with this one!

Check out this month's sketch

Really promising right?!?!
Here is my take

Pure Princess

This is a photo is my youngest daughter who is such a little princess, I look forward to those kisses and cudles and that messy lil face just makes my heart go pitty patty.....

Such sweet innocence!

I used a combination of

Graphic 45's Little Darling Collection

along with some

My Minds Eye Sweet Caroline Collection!

I think it paired really well together!

As usual I distressed the edges using my new Invild Bolme Distress Tool , which I love by the way! I also did lots and lots of layering, with all my distressed papers, I really love the look of this! I also felt the pink paper from the Sweet Caroline Collection was a bit to pink once I got my page all together so I gently white washed it with some white acrylic pint using my finger and very very very small amounts at a time. It worked well and gave me the muted color I was looking for!

I also used the white paint for some spill spots at the top and center of my page, which I am completely addicted to by the way!  To achieve this look I simply placed the opening of my acrylic paint where I'd like my drip to begin and poured a generous spot, careful to use enough but not to much, then I stood my layout up on it's side a for a few minutes to allow the paint to drip down the paper. When I was sure the dripping process was done I laid it back down flat and allowed it to dry before I did anything further to the page, so that I did not make smears and mess up my drip!

 



I wanted to show you a close up of my picket fence and flower clusters! I am really pleased how they turned out and especially love that Martha Stewart scalloped journaling doily! Look at how those flowers frame it to perfection! Like my last few layout's I also white washed the flowers and anything that would stand still really using white acrylic paint. It gave everything this beautifuly toned down shabby look! I even attacked my ribbon with the paint, I am considering purchasing some molding paste for things like this so it doesn't have swuch a smeared look but more of a textured dimensional look!

Thanks for stopping by, your support means so much to me! I hope you enjoyed my work and are inspired to get messy with some wet mediums yourself!

Happy Scrapping

So summer is in full swing, the kids are on Summer Vacation from school, the weather is beautiful and my yard is packed with neighborhood kids......that can only mean one thing.....

SUMMER!

Although I love all of the things above, they do tend to interfere with my scrappy time and I have been aching to create....I must admit having the kids home makes it almost impossible, so I have been staying up late at night, and scrapping once everyone is tucked away in bed lost in their sweet dreams.

I have been thouroughly enjoying my time in my scrap room again and my creative juices have been flowing like crazy!

Here is a layout I create using a sketch from

Once Upon A Sketch

 

Beautiful, right!!! How could I not be inspired to scrap with this sketch?!?!?!

I couldn't wait to get started, when I saw this month's sketch challenge over at

Once Upon A Sketch

This month's theme and journaling prompt is "birthdays"

Since I hate scrapping event's I must admit I had to think about this for a bit....then it dawned on me....

My life's biggest accomplishment...the birth of my children, which is also their "birth day"

I choose a photo of me and my youngest daughter, when she was placed on my tummy the second she was born. All you mother's out there know eactly what I mean when I say I was overcome with emotions and surreal joy with each of my children during that moment. Looking my newborn's in the face for the first time is one of the most emotional, meaningful experiences I've ever had in my life. I love each and everyone with every fiber in my being, and the sketch and journal prompt from the challenge over at

Once Upon A Sketch

was the perfect excuse to scrap my feelings of my youngest daughter's birth!

HER BIRTH

Like I mentioned above this is a layout of my youngest child's birth, whom is no longer a baby now, but I sure do miss those days.

What other paper would work beter for this layout than Graphic 45's Little Darling Collection??? It was the perfect collection and soft color palette for this page. It just left everything looking so soft and sweet and allowed my photo to really stand out as center of attention.

As usual I distressed the edges of my paper, but instead of using my usual scissor method I have been having a hay day using my new Prima Invild Bolme Distressing Tool. It's Amazing, a must have for all you distressers out there, I feel I waited way to long to get mine, if you have not purchased your own yet, don't walk, RUN....out and get your own now, they are FABULOUS!!!

I tried something different this time and definately see it coming up over and over again in mt futyure layout's....I used twine as a border instead of my usual stitching.....Then I just lightly dry brush white acryluc paint over the top!!! Woo Hoo love the look!

 This is a close up of the lower left corner, as you can see, I white washed it and grunged it up using some geso and white acrylic paint. I used some Prima Flowers layered over some shredded burlap pieces, which also took a healthy coating of paint! I used some floral pics on each side of the flowers, did I mention that I love love love those? I found myself using them alot last year and just kinda faded off this year, but I seem to have rekindled my relationship with them again and am back for a second chance of scrappy romance! I placed my ribbon over a few paint drips, which is another new fav technique of mine and I have this feeling that I will need to stock up on lots and lots of white acrylic paints!

This is a close up of my title, I know, I know a bit unoriginal , but the layout speaks for itself...I feel it didn't need to hide behind a fancy title!!! My emotion and tenderness of the moment is written all over my face as I looking into her eyes for the very first time!

The title is some small Authentique alphas and thickers. I drew polka dots in coodinationg colors on the thickers and decided I hated them so I used a wet cutip to blend them in a bit and also white washed them with white acrylic paint, before I gently outlined the edges with the tip of my paintbrush in white paint as well.

 

This is a close up of the lower right corner which is alot of the same as the left side except that I have a journaling spot on this side, which reads:

" mother's love when her child is born is undescribable"

This is a close up of the chipboard piece above my photo, It's Disty Attic and I altered it a bit with some wire cutters and gesso. I honesty didn't like the shape it was at first and needed it smaller anyway so I clipped it down with my wire cutters, before I lightly dry brushed it with gesso.


Thanks for stopping by, I hope you loved my layout and are inspired to create as well!!!
Happy Scrapping!!!

A quick shout out to all those wonderful Dad's out there!

My kiddo's are so lucky to have such an AMAZING DADDY!

I count my blessings daily, for the wonderful life I have with him, and for the extraordinary father he is to our children.



Hope all you Amazing Dad's

have a great Father's Day!!

We Will Always Cherish You **FWAB**

I am SERIOUSLY excited to be sharing this layout with you all today, it just might be one of my FAV's I've ever made!!

For a while now I have adored layouts pouring into galleries using wet mediums! Although I adored them, at the same time they scared the jeepers outta me.....really I'm not even sure why? I tried to tell myself it was because I didn't want to ruin the layout I was working on......this was before I finally told myself to quit being stupid and just try it, it's not like I don't have enough paper to last me more than a lifetime.....worse case scenario I use another sheet right?!?!?!

So I got busy and VERY messy, lol!! By the time I was done, my socks, face and hands were covered in acrylic paint......don't even ask me how it got onto my socks my husband has long since dubbed me as the messiest painter in the world when we were repainting out home....all I can say is thank goodness for drop clothes right??? Or else my white carpet would have been ruined!

Once I began playing with the paint, I instantly became addicted and filled my online shopping cart up with gesso and molding paste! I just cannot seem to get enough.....I can't share with you now, but I have a few Design Team layouts coming up at the end of the month, that took their que from the page below! And I must say I am just as excited to share those as I am this one! So be sure you check back, to take a look!



Ok, enough blabing and on to the good stuff!

So I forgot to ention above that my layout is based on Prima's June BAP (Build A Page)
The sketch was super fun to work with.....it seems like I always say that, lol....what can I say I love sketches!

We Will Always Cherish You

This is a layout of my youngest daughter on her Preschool Graduation Day! She was happy as could be and I could not have been more proud, I was the total doting mother!! I took this photo of her before we left on my front porch and it quickly became a treasure that I will always cherish just like her!

I used Prima's Nature Garden Papers here left over from my ScrapThat! May Kit which I distressed using my brand new Prima Invild Bolme Distress Tool......
those of you who follow my blog on a regular basis know that I have ALWAYS used the scissor technique, but I instantly fell in love with this tool....I must admit I was skeptical as to whether I would like it or not due to the fact that the scissor technique really grunges up the paper and I had my doubts that the distress tool would work as well.......I am happy to say I was definately wrong....it works amazingly well, every bit as good as the scissor technique and I am just sorry I hadn't bought one months ago!


 

So I wanted to share this close up with you, so that you could see the design of the GORGEOUS Flourish With A Bling Grace Pearls!!! As most of you know I recently made their Design Team and I HONESTLY LOVE their products! The flourishes are super pretty and super durable! I used the Plum colored Grace Pearl for this page, which you if you look closely you will notice I also attacked them with my acrlic paint!!! I gently swiped my dry brush over their tops and it gave it a beautiful white washed look that I am just in love with! I also did this with the twine bow, flowers and cheescloth......oh heck...I did it to everything gthat would stand still on this page!

I love how the small amount of paint, tones everything down and gives it all a softer look!

More close up details of the paint on my emabellishments! But here in this close up photo I also wanted to share with you my dripping paint. I simply placed my bottle of paint at the top of my layout and poured enough to allow it to drip down the page without making a super huge mess! I found that holding my layout verticle a few a few minutes after I poured the paint worked well!

On my layout I used an abundance of layers so I wanted to get a few close up's of these to show you how they look at a side view.

Thank you so much for stopping by to take a look at my layouts as well as listen to me ramble, your support is greatly appreciated!

Happy Scrapping!!

XXXX

JUST A QUICK HEAD'S UP

My friend Erin Blegan has started a brand new blog, you may know her from around the Scrapping World. She used to share a blog with her talented sister Kelly Foster, but now has branched off on her own! I am so happy for Erin, as I have been a follower of hers for some time now, and cannot wait to continue viewing her lovely work, on her new blog!

Anyhow I just wanted to share her link with you all as she is celebrating her newly created blog with some AMAZING giveaways!

For some brilliant inspiration as well as a chance for some scrappy goodies stop by Erin's new blog

Erin Blegan's Scrap Cottage

http://erinblegen.blogspot.com/

Enjoy and good luck!

Ribbon Tutorial

Today, after many many request I am going to share with you how I create the bows on my scrapbook pages that I am known for!

It's really so easy, you'll be surprised what little effort it takes!

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED:

* ribbon to make a bow with a decent amount of tails

* a good pair of scissors, that will not fray your delicate ribbon

* a hot glue gun and glue stick

* a pretty button or bling piece to accent the center of your ribbon

STEP 1:

Before you get started, it's a good idea to make sure your ribbon is beautifully striaght, without crinkles or creases. An easy way to straighten your ribbon is to use your hair straightening iron or your regular iron if you do not have the one for hair! If you are going to use the hair iron, make sure the ceramic is clean first, by wiping it down while it's warm with a damp rag.

STEP 2:
Tie a pretty bow, making sure both sides are even and straight. You may have to fuss with it a bit to achieve this, but the end result is worth it. I also really hate it when you tie a bow and the tails do not match....meaning one side may be shiny like the front side of the ribbon and the other tail dull because it's got flipped to the back side of the ribbon during the bow process, even worse when one side is printed and the other is not......you get what I mean, lol....
To fix this problem simply twist the flipped tail at the edge of the knot, this also may take some fussing with, but if you work with it, you will be able to turn it the correct way, so that both tails match beautifully!


STEP 3:
Now that you have a perfect bow, your ready to adhere it to your project!! Choose a perfect spot for your ribbon, I personally like to butt it up against an exsisting embellishment such as flowers, it's nice just to mix the box right in, plus it gives the bow the extra dimension it needs resting on something else to give it that pretty lifted look. When your ready to adhere and you think you've found the perfect spot, just use a bit of hot glue to adhere it trying not to stick it flat to the page, but slightly upward just a bit.

STEP 4:
Once you've adhered your perfect bow in your perfect spot, it's time to create perfect tails!!!  Before try to do this, play with your tails for a moment by trying them in different areas, shaped different ways.  For instance crinckle them to the left a bit, maybe try them to the right, or having them go different ways......this step is just a matter of preference and there is really no right or worng way to do it. Once you've found the perfect spot, it's time to adhere! So crinkle your first tail slightly and put a very very very small dab of hot glue down at the end of your first crinkle, reapeat with the rest of the tail as well as the second tail!

STEP 5:
Now that you have a perfect bow, it's time to finish it off with the perfect accent piece, for my page I choose a pretty pearl! All you need to do is adhere it over the center of the bow with some hot glue and let it dry!

Once your all done, you will have a pretty bow like mine below!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed my ribbon tutorial!

Hi There

Hope you are all well and enjoying your summer!

I thought I'd better make a quick post, so that you all didn't think I'd forgotten about my blog, lol.

I have had a super busy month so far and am preparing a monster sized garage sale at the moment as most of you know I'm a mother to 5 kiddo's, so it's a tremendous task!

I will hopefully be back soon by the end of the week, with lots of goodies to share with you!



May - Ounce Upon A Sketch

I just love Nadia Canzizo sketches, and was fortunate enough to have time to play along in her May sketch sketch challenge.

As always the sketch is insanley beautiful!



Here is my take on this gorgeous sketch

This month's theme was "Mom"

So I did a layout of myself, not sure that I love this page, but you know how it is, you can be your own worst critics.

I did some scissor distressing and stitching to give my page some character and dimension. I layered 2 of the same photo's for a bit of a different elemant to my page. This is technique I never really use, but love the look of it.

The flowers are a mixture of Prima, Petaloo and Kaisercraft, I haven't decided if I really love the addition of the brown, but it seemed to be missing something without it as well.

I used some layers of cheesecloth underneath the flowers for a bit more interesting textures. I really love the look of this and it's such a frugal page additive.

The clock on the top left corner is actually cut from a Prima Flower Package, it seemed to work really well with the half doily, and I always save mine, they are just super cool on your projects I think.

 Last, but not least my journaling reads:

Being a mommy

is my life's

happiness.

I hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by

My Creative Sketches

My Creative Sketches Challenge

I am loving the opportunity I've had over the last week to play along in so many online challenges, I'd forgotten how much I love a great sketch! The sketch below is from My Creative Sketches, and I absolutely adore it! I really had a good time playing with it!

  

SHARE YOUR HAPPINESS

This is a photo of my oldest daughter! I have had alot of interest at Scrapbook.com on the wings.....that was super easy, all I did was print 2 of the same photo's of my daughter and cut one ou. I cut a butterfly in half and adhered the inside edges to the backside outer edges of my daughters cut out photo.  I then layered the altered photo slightly over the other photo that I left un-cut.

The paper is from Fabscraps Rustic Collection. I used the scissor method I love so much to distress the edges, to give them a rough grungy look.  I water distressed and pulled back a piece of the edge on the center right side, before using my Just Imagine Kreaxion Punch #903 on a coordinating scrap of paper, which I layered underneath so that it would peek out just slightly.

The lace is from Green Tara and I LOVE the scalloped femme edges it has, it just might become my new favorite lace.  The printed ribbon above the lace is some vinateg goodies from my great Aunt Dee (THANK YOU AUNT DEE)

The flowers are a mix of Michaels brand and Kaisercraft, which I carefully layered over the top of a piece of cheese clothe. Th resin birdbath is by Prima and the prtty lil birdie is from K&co!

Sorry I didn't add close up's, hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by to take a look!