Elle's Studio MAY DT Gallery Reveal #2!

** If you are looking for the Love My Tapes/Pretty Little Studio Blog Hop click HERE! **

And then come back for some retro love, Serendipity style! :)

A couple Sundays ago, my father-in-law brought out the most fabulous photos from some 

35+ years ago!  There will be many that I scrapbook, I am sure!  They are awesome...

Not only are they Polaroids, but cool retro pics and hello!?  Is my mother-in-law not a hottie??

I love this photo, mostly because it was from my in-laws Honeymoon,

and the date is on the side to prove it! ;)  And this was in Pensacola in September, 

which in the South is the fourth month of summer, and her hair is PERFECT!

Seriously, coiffed to perfection!  Edward Cullen would be so proud :)

I wanted to make a "watery" kind of background instead of my typical  ink splatters, 

so I added huge drops of watercolor paint in blue, pink & orange in a diagonal 

pattern down the page and some blue washes behind the photo.

I am not a super flowery person, but these flowers on the Serendipity patterned paper

were a perfect fit for the feel I wanted...so, I fussy cut them out, added the dots, 

more layers and this gorgeous vellum with the pink hearts!  I really didn't want

to waste that vellum on just anything ;), but I figured a page about the future mother

of my husband would be acceptable!  ( Kidding! )  

I used almost all Serendipity from Elle's Studio along with a couple other products,

this fabric frame from Maggie Holmes for Crate Paper, the enamel dots from 

My Mind's Eye as the center of the flowers & the pink flair badge from The Paper Bakery!

So, that is the 'TRUE STORY', thanks for checking it out!  

You can see all, or most of these products, the Elle's Studio ones HERE.

And be sure to see the rest of the DT Gallery for May HERE!

Love My Tapes - Wednesday Post!

** If you are looking for the Love My Tapes/Pretty Little Studio Blog Hop click HERE! **

Ok, I realize it is almost NOT Wednesday, but being the first of the month there

are lots of posts, and happenings and NSD this weekend AND the
Love My Tapes/Pretty Little Studio Blog Hop (still going on btw, see above!)

One of the new fabric tapes at Love My Tapes is this gorgeous yellow, 

grey & white chevron tape.  I love the colors, and it is chevron, AND it reminded

me of this patterned paper in the Studio Calico Snippets collection!

I started  by cutting a background with my Silhouette out of white card stock.

I loved the variation of some corners being rounded and some not.  

It was inspired from the photo of my son swinging in our very rigid square of gravel, 

but the swing that curves around whatever size little person sits there! ;)  

Along that same curved line the geo tag and astrology chart were inspired...

I love highlighting a negative cut out with patterned paper or in this case, 

the red star washi that was a perfect match, to my son's shirt, to the yellow swing 

seat & card stock I cut it from, to the stars in the astrology paper!  

I used each cut out piece from the frame background, and cut it a little smaller 

to have a black border underneath.  I layered the fabric tape onto that 

card stock and rounded the corners!  I love that it "goes" but doesn't match exactly.

It just looks like more patterned paper!  

I finished off the background taping it with some of my favorite grey & white

 dot washi from LMT at the corners onto this 12x12 map print. 

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

I hope this inspired you to use washi or fabric tapes in a new way!

Check out the LMT BLOG for all the innovative ideas from the other DT girls!

AND, check out Love My Tapes on Pinterest....
I am constantly amazed at how versatile these products really can be!

Elle's Studio MAY DT Gallery Reveal #1!

** If you are looking for the Love My Tapes/Pretty Little Studio Blog Hop click HERE!**

And then come back for the milk shake ;)

Happy May & HELLO! MILK SHAKE

This is one of the layouts I did for the DT Gallery at Elle's Studio.

Mostly consisting of the Serendipity collection and one or two other bits & pieces.

I can't think of better colors that these to go with a picture of a pink milkshake!

You can check out all the beautiful pieces of the Serendipity collection as

well as all the rest of the cool stuff HERE!  

Also, be sure to check out the other DT members projects, there are so many 

fun happy colors in the Gallery, it is bound to inspire or make you smile:)

I am still hoarding the ES vellum and so I use a couple pieces sparingly!

I loved the turquoise blue vellum over that hot pink polka dot paper.

It looked almost lavender and all the polka dots make me include that cool flair piece from 

The Paper Bakery, which matches the colors perfectly and inspired the gold splattered tag!

Had to include a doily and some scalloped edges since the page was about a milk shake.  

 We told my daughter for her birthday she could choose anywhere she wanted to go 

eat a birthday lunch...She picked Johnny Rockets.  Not for the burger or sweet potato 

fries, (uh,Yum!) but because she wanted a milk shake as basically her appetizer.

 Very Cherry is her favorite...needless to say, we had lots of to-go boxes since she 

and my son had so much milk shake, they couldn't eat their actual meal! :)

Sounds like a pretty good birthday to me!

This is one of many posts I need to do over the next couple days!

Lots to cover at the beginning of the month!

*BLOG HOP!* Love My Tapes + Pretty Little Studio (& Giveaways!)

Love My Tapes + Pretty Little Studio 

BLOG HOP!

Hello and welcome to the Pretty Little Studio and Love My Tapes Blog Hop! 

We thought it would be fun to combine forces and share with you projects 
highlighting Pretty Little Studio whimsical goodness paired 

with the versatility and trendiness of Love My Tapes. 

During the Blog Hop, you will be visiting blogs from both Pretty Little Studio 

and Love My Tapes Design Team members. 

We promise to bring you a hop FULL of inspiration and creativity. 

And what’s a Blog Hop without giveaways? (Seriously, come on...!)

Be sure to visit all the blogs,  including the Pretty Little Studio and Love My Tapes 

blogs for a chance to win some PLS and LMT goodies! 

When visiting the Design Team member’s blogs, be sure and leave comments as 
many of the Design Team members will also be hosting their own Blog Hop giveaways. 

The Hop will start on the Pretty Little Studio blog & end on the Love My Tapes blog,
so head on over to the Pretty Little Studio blog if you are just joining in! 

We will announce the winners of the PLS and LMT giveaways on May 3rd, 

so be sure to be watching for the announcements. If you get lost along the way,
just check below where you are to get you hopping in the right direction.

So let’s get hopping!

Now, you should have just arrived here from Janice's blog. 

For my contribution to the blog I made a set of five cards to give as a gift for a friend!
I started with just a couple cards and then it just kind of snowballed into a set...:)

I tried to come up with a simple formula where I chose one of the biggest die cuts 
from the set, some matching patterned paper, one phrase stamp and highlighted 
each card with either washi, fabric tape & lace tape or a combination!

Below is the photo of the entire set & then I have a photo of each individual card.
After the hop links at the bottom, I included some details photos as well.  I didn't want 
to make this SO long that you end up  falling asleep on your computer instead of hopping! 

I used the pink fabric tape that has circles on it as the background on some cardstock

and rounded the edges as a mat for my die cut.  There is also a piece of tan lace tape peeking 

out of the bottom.  This was my daughter's favorite one, only because of the milkshake! :) 

I taped some red washi on vellum and folded it onto itself to make the border piece

at the bottom, thinking of the little girl's skirt...and added the lace tape above it!
I also used a couple pieces of a chevron washi as tiny banners on the stick pins.

Such a sweet image, love those colors!!  I used some of the ivory lace tape at 

the bottom between punched edges of paper.  Then I made a little banner out 

of the pink and tan lace tapes by cutting along the scallops in the tape pattern.

This is the card I started with because I LOVED the little cake that

looked like colored crayons.  I took the red chevron washi tape and rolled 

it around itself to highlight the candles and give them dimension.

I used the red star washi, one of my favorites, under my sentiment

The last card I actually used two die cuts, one large and one of the tiny cakes.

I embossed the sentiment onto vellum and then layered it over one of the

darker washi tapes that is dark forest green that has a tiny zigzag pattern on it.

I picked the green washi and the patterned paper inspired by the little boys striped shirt.

SO, that is the set...I tied them up with some twine and the matching envelopes!

Below the links are the close ups so you can see more in detail.

Thank you so much for hopping onto my blog!  

Next stop on the Hop is with the really talented Krissy McKee!

Check the link list below to make sure you are hopping along in the right direction!

Have a great day and happy hoppage! :)

Pretty Little Studio Blog:  http://prettylittlestudio.com/blog/

Aimee Maddern:  http://aimeesarmoire.typepad.com/
Annette Allen:  http://myclevercreations.blogspot.com/
Annette Witherspoon:  http://www.aspoonfullofsugarcrafts.blogspot.com/
Ashley Horton:  http://www.ashleyhortondesigns.com/
Candice Elliott:  http://truedivinehand.blogspot.com/
Christina Collins:  http://dontworry-bescrappy.blogspot.com/
Heather Adams:  http://craftyscrapbooker.blogspot.com/
Janice Whiting:  http://www.janiceaileen.blogspot.com/
Jenni Calma:  http://www.papercardinal.blogspot.com/ -------you are here
Krissy McKee:  http://krissyclarkmckee.blogspot.com/
Lisa Spiegel:  http://lisaspiegel.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Lisa Wilkinson:  http://www.createfor7.blogspot.com/
Mary Ann Jenkins:  http://www.maryannjenkins.com/
Missy Whidden:  http://littlenuggetcreations.blogspot.com/
Tina Walker:  http://adogslife-thirteen.blogspot.com/

Love My Tapes Blog:  http://lovemytapes.blogspot.com/

Packaged set

 

 Thanks again for stopping by!
I am planning on having my own GIVEAWAY to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
next week (May 5th)...In college, we celebrated with margaritas &
now at 40, I am celebrating giving away some new fun products...and margaritas ;)!
** Details for my giveaway will be posted on the 3rd, same day as this hops's winners! **
Come back to check it out!!

spread the love about...and a little personal Scrapbook analysis!

Polka dot, polka dot, polka dot!

Thought I would take a cue from the bongos and incorporate 

as many polka dots and circles as possible!  

I love this photo of my son on the kitchen floor (after a bath, ahem...) just drumming a beat!

My husband is a drummer and we have lots of drums and guitars  and music always playing...

and if it isn't being played then Sofia is humming, completely unaware that she does it ALL the time.

And Sam is constantly drumming on something.  I think it is pretty fabulous, 

(sometimes, to be honest, it is annoying and I have to ask for the silent game)

but, most of the time I think it is cool...and they are usually in sync (heh...in sync)

Anyway, here is Bongo Boy, as he was dubbed by Daddy.

I literally just grabbed a bunch of stuff that was blue, kraft and green & thought it 

was just going to come together in one of those great scrapbook moments where it 

magically falls into place in 20 minutes...and instead it just sat on my desk for 3 days, 

which is a long time lately...it wanted something, needed something. 

I wish I could say I figured it out, but I didn't...

 

I did figure out that making myself a little "kit" to work with is really a great way 

to keep myself from becoming overwhelmed by the possibilities of using all this 

product surrounding me...I love going "shoppping" in my stash for the perfect

embellishment or little piece I think is missing, but I can't start out that way 

or I would never get anything but a scrapanxiety attack ;)

I also figured out, mostly by editing my own process videos, that aside from 

hearing my Southern accent over and over, which always sounds kinda cool 

in my inner monologue, that I have developed a style.  

It is evolving and will continue to do so, but there are certain things that I am 

pretty predictable about doing over and over.  And I am ok with that....

for one thing, looking back at albums it won't be too much of a drastic change.  

I think the time is reflected in trending styles and products, but I don't want to 

scrap like someone I am not...and it is kind of nice to take a step back 

and look at my own work, instead of the constant comparison 

that I think happens a lot with designers today.

I could be completely mistaken, in which case, this post may count as therapy?!

But, I do think it is important to remind myself that while I want to make pretty 

pages and beautiful things to inspire, share and evoke a response,I started doing 

this for the love of crafting and keeping memories.  I don't mind that I don't 

always journal, or maybe my journaling is hidden like a little note for my 

kids or whomever later, I just don't want to get too caught up in keeping 

the memories that I forget to enjoy the ones I am or could be making...

Whew...that was a mouthful!  I feel better!  

If you feel the same way or differently, please comment...I'd love to hear it!  

If not, then that's ok too...thanks for sticking to the end, if only to see if there was an end!  ;)

  {  I think it is kind of ironic that the flair button above says "try new things"...

but that is sort of the message to my son! ;)  }

**HUGE Exciting New Collections from Elle's Studio!!**

This is so exciting, it has made me smile through a post-migraine hangover haze.

 Elle's Studio has stepped it up a notch AGAIN!

Not only are there new paper collection! Cameron (all boy) & Saltwater (take a guess ;))
 More vellum (Yay!) and new die-cut frames, but they will have their first Alphabet Stamp Set!

And it is SUCH a cool font! ( I am a picky font person.. )

This is a sample teaser of the new die-cuts in the Saltwater collection!

AND, there is a GIVEAWAY!
Go to the link below and see all the new fun stuff and
the details on being one of 4 winners of one entire collection!

Check it all out HERE! Go, now, really...go!

I LOVE YOU TO THE STAR AND BACK...& New Video!

I will always remember reading the book, Love You to the Moon and Back
to my children.  There are several books that we read to them over and over,
especially, if I got to pick and that on was right at the top.
I know this is To The Stars (not Moon) and Back, and it seems to be everywhere,
but I don't care.  I will never get tired of hearing it or seeing it.


You can check out my Start to Finish Video below:


I wanted to try out this 3D stamp paint I bought for mixed media projects,
 but hadn't opened yet...It was so fun to work with and not only is
it dimensional, but dried incredibly fast!

You will be seeing it again, as well as this POW paper from American Crafts.
It is so cool, and I have had it on my pile of new things to use, just couldn't
find the right place for it.  It one of those papers to me that can be
overwhelming used a a whole unless is is done just right, we'll see.
But here I chose to just highlight the die-cut title.

I am loving all the navy that is showing up in the collections and especially with this mint color.
I glittered the wood veneer stars and hung them from the cloud and the number 5 for my son's age.
The photo was from a photo shoot I did of them last fall that I got some amazing photos from.
This was one I was trying to get a Not Posed Pose, if that makes sense...
With his sister behind me making silly faces and distracting me, it was difficult.
I finally got right right before he broke into a fit of giggles.  And I liked that he was looking up...

Thanks for checking it out!
  I would love you to see the process video if you can handle 20 minutes of southern accent.
Well, maybe 5 minutes of accent and 15 minutes of groovy muzac!
Feel free to comment or ask questions...

Happy Monday!