I scrap, too

I want to start posting more of my layouts. I've noticed that since entering into card challenges, I've made my LOs simpler and quicker to finish. I don't necessarily want that, so I'm challenging myself to share more of my scrappings. Click on the photo to see the details.

(And I gotta get better at photographing LOs. They don't stand on their own like cards do.)

The first thing you should know is that I refuse to create a LO with one photo. It just seems like such a waste to me unless you're gonna frame it and hang it on your wall. That makes sense. Yes, the one photo LOs look cleaner and are more publishable, but they're just not practical when you've got a kajillion photos of this cutie-patootie.

Anyhoo..... this is one sheet of patterned paper (DCWV). I cut around the "overlapping" pieces with an exacto knife and tucked the photos underneath. So in love with that look. I also added a few gem brads to give the LO some dimension and more shine.

Whatcha think? Are you a one-photo scrapper? I love you anyway.

Then and Now

The challenge this week over at ScrapTiffany is Then and Now. Since I'm not that great of a scrapbooker, this was gonna be a tough one for me to do as a card. But, I just so happened to be finishing up a book of birthday wishes for my dear friend, Cindy and I thought, "This could fit the challenge." Cindy just turned 40 and we threw her a surprise party last night. I asked her friends and family to send me messages of birthday wishes for Cindy; I typed them up and scrapped them in a cute book. How does it fit the Then and Now challenge? Well, the messages shared great memories from her family and friends from decades ago and some memories from newer friends. It works..... right?

This was my very first mini album (of sorts) and I loved loved loved making it. It was so easy because it was only 6x6, but the best part was that I was using up supplies left and right..... some old, some new, some won, some purchased. It was an incredible feeling.

Here is every page of it. After I sent some pictures of the mini-album to ScrapTiffany, I was thinking that I should give Cindy and her message writers some privacy. So please forgive the blurry centers of each photo. I wasn't sure how else to keep her messages from being seen. Hope you like what you see anyway. If you do, would you mind taking an extra minute to leave a comment. I'd love you forever.

Copics Giveaway

Here's a really fab giveaway with some Copics glitter markers and delicious embellishments. Give it a try. You've got nothing to lose except 5 minutes of your time TOPS.
Epiphany Art Gallery

Feeling Lucky?

Here's some giveaways for all you leprechauns out there.

Making Memories has a big green goodie box for somebody. Ends at midnight so hurry hurry.

Bo Bunny has some fun stuff up for grabs, but it ends soon. Hurry.

Make and Love It has an awesome camera strap to give away. Love these things!

Creating Keepsakes wants to give away that highly desired Luck Me collection from LYB.

My Mind's Eye has two cool books to share.

Just found this blog today, Patchwork Pages. Cute giveaway.

LUCKY

The challenge this week over at ScrapTiffany is LUCK. Lots of great projects from the DT. Check them out and then play long yourself. You'll be glad you did.
My BF from HS is having a birthday this week, so I thought she'd love this card.

(Sorry for the poor photos. It's been cloudy and rainy here all weekend.)

That shamrock was made using one of my most favorite supplies: Tacky Tape. You've probably seen or own strips of the tacky tape, but did you know it comes in sheets? Send a sheet through your Cricut and now you have a custom die cut that's sticky on both sides. Stick one side to your card and put flock, glitter or beads on the other side. Love it!!

When I use glitter on the tacky tape, I like to use 2 or 3 colors together to give a gradient effect. It looks really cool in person.

This card also fits the Corrosive Challenge #55, the Just Buggin Challenge and the Raise the Bar Challenge.

Another Top 5!!

Another one of my cards made the Top 5 over at Get Sketchy!! I'm thrilled because there were 45 entries in this challenge. Woo hoo!

Yellow and Black...

... that's the challenge over at ScrapTiffany today. Should be easy enough, right? So, why don't you play along? You've got all week to leave a link to your card in the comments over at ScrapTiffany. You've got nothing to lose and a whole bunch of sweet comments to gain. 

I made this card for my sister (obviously). We call each other Duh. Long story. But I do have to tell you how awesome she is. She's a strong, independent woman who has fought through enough crap and still manages to smell pretty nice. When we're together, we always have a blast and can't stop laughing. Even though we are pretty different, we are still so much alike. And I crave spending time with my Duh.

Supplies: card base (Hero Arts); patterned paper (Tinkering Ink); rub-ons and ribbon (Cosmo Cricket); bling (GCD Studios)

Giveaways:

Kelli Crowe

Moxie Fab World

Courtney Lane Designs

Paper Crafts Mag

All Scrapbook Steals

A New Scrapbox!

They're doing it again!!! The Original Scrapbox company has a new piece and they're giving one away for free. It's called The Office Box; isn't it cute? 

And to top off this amazing prize, they are celebrating the release of Rachelle J. Christensen's suspense novel,Wrong Number, with a chance to win an autographed copy! Here's the trailer for it.

Want your chance to win one? Start here.

CPS #156

I'm cutting this one close. I've got 9 minutes to post before the deadline. So, here's my take on CPS #156.

Not wild about it, but the winner is drawn randomly so I have a chance.

I made Top 5!

Looky, looky... I made the Top 5 over at Hand Stamped Sentiments for this card. WOO HOO! And I get a super cute blinkie to put on my blog, too. See it over there on the right?

BUTTONS!

ScrapTiffany's challenge this week was Buttons! I was surprised when I struggled with this because buttons are the perfect embellishment. It would have been easy for me to go to PTI's Everyday Button Bits set and whip out a card (like I did in my last card post), but I wanted to challenge myself a little more. I came up with two cards, and I'm letting Tiffany decide which one to use. So click on over to her blog to see which one made the cut.

This one uses the current sketch (#27) from Get Sketchy.

My "buttons" are chipboard buttons from Scenic Route which I painted. I chose to do a lot of stamping so it could also be entered into Moxie Fab World's Olympics of Stamping. That's why this picture was shot from a wonky angle... so you could see the heat embossing.

Supplies: premade card (Hero Arts), patterned paper (DCWV), chipboard buttons (Scenic Route), ribbon (Cosmo Cricket), stamps (Hero Arts: I Care Frames) (Stampin' Up!: Little Pieces), clear embossing powder and versamark

My second "buttons" card was this really amazing idea I had in my head. HOWEVER, in real life.... I'm not sold.

I embossed the card with my Cuttlebug and decided to place my brightest buttons in place of each star on the design. It's kinda random, but simple and colorful. It's growing on me! What do you think? What project have you done lately that was awesome in your head, but on paper... not so much?

So, are buttons easy for you? Try the challenge this week at ScrapTiffany.

**Here's some giveaways for you:
Maya Road
Obsessed with Scrapbooking