Scrapnextras

Playing in Paradise Sketch Challenge!

  
Hi there stampers!  I had a chance to Play in Paradise this week, it's a sketch challenge and you know I love me my sketches!  I pulled out a stamp that I just love, it's a wood mounted single by Penny Black called Mixed Media.  I've used this stamp three times, which given the number of stamps I have makes it one of my favorites.  It's just so pretty!

I started with a kraft base, 5 1/4" square, and I embossed it with Swiss Dots and edged it with Tattered Rose distress ink.  I stamped the image twice on a sheet of faux watercoloured Basic Grey designer paper from my long forgotton "Porcelain" pack, and coloured the flowers with Copic Markers (R81, R85, R89, YG17)and then cut them out of the second sheet to pop them up for a little more focus and dimension.  I inked the edges with Tattered Rose as well.  The frame is Spellbinder's Lacey Square...I just love how dainty it is!The sketch called for embelllishments along the right, and I tried a number of things before settling on this gorgeous Prima pearl florish...aren't those little tiny roses adorable???  The pink gingham paper is from My Minds Eye Lost and Found "Blush" paper pack and it's edged with EK's large dotted scallop punch.  The sentiment is from Flourishes Mixin' Mugs...love all the versatile little sentiments in that set!  I added an SEI butterfly to the sentiment circle, which started out white until I spritzed it with Starfish Glimmer Mist and that's about all she wrote!

 
OK...that's my take on the sketch...I can't wait to see yours.  You'll find all the details here!  Have a fabulous day!

Grand Butterfly Celebration!

 
Here's a clean and simple card in both design and execution!  In fact it was so easy, I did this as our make and take demonstrating that some of the Grand Nestablities work in the Cuttlebug.  For this card I used the Grand Nestabilities 4, of which only the largest is too big for the Cuttlebug.  But the second largest, which I used for this card, is sized perfectly for a standard card, being (folded) 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" exactly! 

 
I cut the card from turquoise using the 2nd largest of the Grand Labels 4.  I folded the card first and positioned it in the die and sent it through.  You could send it through without being folded using the extended cutting pads...but I am too lazy to pull them out!  The ivory card front is the 3rd largest and it can be cut normally in the Cuttlebug and then I cut it at the centre point.

The vine is one of Martha Stewart's punches which qualifies it for Scrapbooker's Paradise Playing in Paradise Punch Challenge!  I often just cut off a few leaves to tuck in behind a flower, and it bends really easily to create a more fluid look.  The butterflies are from the Spellbinders Butterfly Shapeability...it cut's them both at once so I layered them for a flutterby look.  The sentiment is Hero Art's Find Joy and we blinged it up at the make and take...which I'm sure you can imagine added a whole lot of fab to this simple little card!

OK...that's all I have today!  Hope your's is wonderful and thanks for stopping by!

Spellbinder Embossed Frames tutorial

 
It's my turn to share a quick tutorial over at Scrapbooker's Paradise's blog.  I love this simple technique, and while it's not new, I've had many questions on how to do this at the store, that I thought there might be a few who haven't seen it.  Hop over an have a peek if you have a minute!

Lunch Luv!

It's Showcase Monday on Scrapbooker's Paradise's blog and our showcase theme is "Wonderful, whimsical kids".  OK...who has those...'cus I will trade!  I suppose I can alter my perspective since my Wonderful, Whimsical kids are going back to school shortly.  OK, I admit, I am still a little sore that they have invaded my time, space and peace all summer.  But alas, they are back to school in 2 weeks and I'm going to (help them) celebrate!

 
A while back my youngest dd asked me why I stopped sending her cards in her lunch.  I guess I just got busy, and I didn't think they really needed or wanted them.  How silly of me?  We all need and want luv, so that's what I created...a little "Lunch Luv"! I worked with Imaginisce's Geek is Chic collection...oh, it is so cute, it makes me want to go back to school!  I created a set of 3"x3" Lunch notes to get them through that difficult first month.  I thought if I could give them a smile on that first day, their first exam and school picture day, hopefully it will ease their pain and give them a great start to a new school year.  You can click on any photo for a larger version.

 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Products Used

Geek is Chic School Days designer paper - Imaginisce

Geek is Chic Favorite Subject designer paper - Imaginisce

Geek is Chic Study Buddies canvas stickers - Imaginisce

Geek is Chic U Rule stamp - Imaginisce

Geek is Chic Speech Bubble stamp - Imaginisce

Geek is Chic Geek is Chic stamp - Imaginisce

Memento Tuxedo Black ink - Tsukineko

Crimson ink - Versafine

Mini Clip - Tim Holtz

Buttons

Heart chipboard

Mels Diner and Jazz Blue Glimmer Mists - Tattered Angels

White string - American Crafts

 Lipstick Spica Glitter pen- Copic Atyou 

 

I had a lot of fun creating each one. You probably know I don't like mass production, for me the entire creating process is what drives me, so there is no gratification in making the same card over and over.  I would rather create something new with each canvas which is good since I only have 2 kids!  I added some chipboard hearts that I spritzed with Glimmer Mist to make them match the colour scheme.  A few buttons and gems and a Tim Holtz mini clip (how perfect is that!!).  I pulled out my Lipstick Spica Glitter pen and added some shine to the words.  Here's a close up.

Just like the commercial says, it's the most wonderful time of the year!

You can get all your Back to School Supplies at Scrapbooker's Paradise, and with free shipping* on Canadian orders over $50, you'll even have enough to get their supplies!

Happy Back to School!

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Thinking of You

 
I have a confession to make.  I'm a rub on hoarder.  I mean I buy them and lock them away in a secret place..you know, in case I run out?  Actually the truth is I hoard them because they're consumable.  Unlike a stamp which theoretically "could" be used over and over ("could" being the operative word here), rub on's are a one time only show.  So I hoard them.  However, I came to a stark realization that so many of the stamps that I have to have only get used once, and I have way too many that haven't touched ink at all...that I rub on's might actually be the more economical choice.  So you know what?  I bought both LOL! 

Products used:

Out of Print 6x6 Designer papers Basic Grey

Out of Print Olio Rub On book Basic Grey

Glazed Brad Basic Grey

Text print designer paper Authentique

Find Joy stamp set  Hero Arts

Flowers Prima

Black Soot Distress Ink Ranger

I'm in a distressing phase lately, and it seems everything I touch begs to be distressed and inked with Black Soot.  So is the case here.  I distressed each panel and inked in Black Soot.  I used the postage rub ons from the Out of Print Olio book.  I have to say I love how "present" rub on's are, and how vibrant the colours.  I used a couple of the little envelope rub ons, which I cut out and tucked into the flower.  The flowers came from my tub of wayward flowers.  You know, the ones that float around your table looking for their home?  I was thrilled to grab three from the tub and use 'em up!   

Here's a close up of the rub ons.

So just imagine the conflict of emotions I am up against by actually using my rub ons!  I so thought I was over the hoarding thing...I almost always use my goodies as soon as I get them, and I can even throw paper scraps away...well some anyway.  I know it's crazy...but I also know I'm in good company. 

What do you hoard?

Don't forget to pick up an extra Versamark pad at Scrapbooker's Paradise while they're our Featured Product!  Shipping is FREE on Canadian orders over $50.00!

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Bring Back Beautiful...the Beauty of Clean and Simple!

 
The Beauty of CAS.  Many of us like to add bows, lace and lots of embellishments.  This month we are asking you to leave all that off and create a CAS card.  Link up your Bringing Back Beautiful Challenge creation here to enter. If you upload to SCS, please use the keyword BBB13. You have until August 31st to enter! As we unveil our challenge for next month, we'll share our True Beauties; those card makers who wowed us with this challenge! Winners will be featured on the Flourishes Blog and will receive a True Beauty blog button to display proudly on their blog!

Clean and Simple is one of the hardest for me...because I usually keep adding things until it gets to be what I like.  So unless a card starts out being something great (before I start adding things), the chances of it remaining clean and simple are pretty slim.  My card today was somewhere in between LOL!  I would have added a lot more...defeating the purpose of the challenge, but I sure would have liked to switch it with my last month's card, which was clean and simple even when it didn't have to be LOL!   Anyway here goes:

 Stamps:  Strawberries (Flourishes)
Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, DP (EK Success)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Accessories: Copic Markers: Poppy Collection, Evergreen Collection, Cotton ribbon, Scalloped Border punch, Labels 14 (Spellbinders), Labels 14 bling (Want to Scrap), Embossing folder (Cuttlebug)

Really, this card was pretty simple.  I started with the Strawberries stamp set and originally stamped it on a white card with the bling around it to make a one layer white card, but I am not Silke, and I just couldn't make it work! In the end, I used a classic fall to layout and tried to keep it fairly simple...I just don't know if I really made it work.

However, there is more Clean and Simple inspiration just around the corner!  Check out what the rest of the Bring Back Beautiful team created and then give a try yourself!

Cindy
Heather
Kathy
Yvonne
Iwona
Mona

OK, now it's all up to you!  Create your Beautiful Clean and Simple design and play along with us here!