Friend - Etsy Inspired Challenge #94

Yesterday we had a wonderful time catching up with friends and this upcoming week we will be spending more time with friends that we didn't get to see much during the school year. So it wasn't a surprise when I was working on my Etsy Inspired project this week that I was inspired to create a card for a friend.

Our featured Etsy shop is Sand Box Studio which is filled with lots of fun tote bags. I immediately fell in love with the colors on this little gift card holder and couldn't wait to translate them into a card. I also used Limelight's current sketch challenge for the layout of my card. You know how I love my BoBunny Double Dot papers...perfect for every occasion! :) And aren't those glittered letters by American Crafts gorgeous?! I thought they added the perfect touch and flair to this card.

Now it's your turn to play along! Simply visit Sand Box Studio and find an item that inspires you. Create your own project and link it up to the Etsy Inspired Blog by Friday at noon for your chance to win a bag from Sand Box Studio or a $25 credit to Tyggereye Art. Tyggereye Art is our sponsor this week and they have fabulous hand carved stamps so be sure to check them out!

Be sure to visit the rest of the team's creations too!

• Alex (June Guest Designer)
• Ashley
• De
• Emily
• Joy
• Kerry
• Shannon

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Friday!

My oldest son's last day of school was Monday and we have been enjoying time together this week. We have friends coming over to play today which should be a lot of fun! I thought I would share how I finished off my shine layout from last week. I realized that I didn't really need to add much because I already liked the basic feel of the layout and didn't want to take away from it. So I just added a few circles which I thought added a nice little rainbow accent between the sun and rain sections and then finished it off with some journaling.


I just love my boys so much and am glad I found scrapbooking...it's such a wonderful way to document extra special photos and memories!

And being a proud mom, I just had to share the card that my son made for his teacher. I gave him lots of paper, ribbon, and buttons to work with, left him on his own for a few minutes, he grabbed his pens and came up with this.

Do you think I'm rubbing off on him? I thought this was so creative! I just might have to create a button scene of my own! :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day! I will be back tomorrow with my Etsy Inspired project!

Shine - Etsy Inspired Challenge #93

School is almost out, the sun is shining...summer must finally be here! And in honor of summer's arrival, I have a nice sunshiny layout to share with you all today!

Saturday = Etsy Inspired Challenge day here on my blog. This week's featured Etsy shop is White Birch Designs, which is filled with beautiful wire and beaded jewelry. Here is what I was inspired to create.

I was inspired by the beautiful turquoise color on this necklace with the bits of bright yellow/orange...such a stunning combination. Yesterday as I began working on my project, I first thought that I would create a card but then I got this sunshine/rays idea and knew I had to get to work on a layout. However, I am a bit of a slow scrapbooker...usually I take a few days to figure out my design, picture placement, and journaling so this layout isn't quite complete. But I do love the colors and feel of the layout so far and I absolutely adore that picture of my little guy. I took that photo in our backyard on Mother's Day. Can you tell that my photography skills are improving? :)

Okay, now for the details of the challenge! Simply visit White Birch Designs to find a piece that inspires you, create your own project, and link it up to the Etsy Inspired Blog by Friday at noon. You could win a wonderful prize from White Birch Designs or a gift voucher plus free shipping from our sponsor this week, One Stop Card Crafts. One Stop Card Crafts is also offering 10% off for everyone this week...so be sure to pop on by to see what goodies they have in store and mention EIC when you place your order. (Discount does not apply to shipping)

Be sure to visit the rest of the team too! And if you would like to be a part of our team, we are currently having a Design Team call...check out the deets HERE.

• Alex (June Guest Designer)
• Ashley
• De
• Emily
• Joy
• Kerry
• Shannon

Enjoy your weekend!

CK & Me!

Yesterday I received an email from Megan Hoeppner, the creative editor of Creating Keepsakes, letting me know that they would be featuring one of my layouts on their blog today. Needless to say I am through the roof excited! You can check it out HERE.

Disneyland!!!

Well, I haven't been to Disneyland since I was in High School but when I was applying to be on the Design Team for my local scrapbook store they gave me a packet full of Disney themed paper and embellishments and challenged me to make a mini album. I gladly took on the challenge and was really happy with how my album turned out, even though it is currently without photos. With the closing of the store, I just recently got my album back and thought I would share a few of my favorite pages with you all!

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For this album I used fun papers and embellishments from Creative Imaginations Magic Disney collection. I really love the transparency overlay with all the words on it and the glitter yellow cardstock that I used for the front of the mini album. This line really captures the magic of Disneyland, don't you think?! So if your headed for a trip to see Mickey this summer make sure to take some great pictures and consider creating a mini album to capture all your memories!

I hope you're having a great day! I am heading to the zoo on Thursday with my son's first grade class...should be fun! This afternoon we are enjoying a bit of sunshine after a wet and rainy morning.

Bring on the Sunshine!

Today was absolutely gorgeous here in Washington! It was great to finally have some sunshine and play outside all day with my boys. It has been busy, busy around here with the end of soccer season and end of school drawing near...so many events to attend and help out with! :)

My card for the Etsy Inspired Challenge this week fits in perfectly with this lovely day, my sunny mood, and our featured Etsy shop this week, My Zoetrope!




For this card I used Limelight's Sketch and one of my favorite new collections for the summer, Echo Park's Sweet Summertime.

I was inspired by all the beautiful colors in My Zoetrope's shop...I especially loved this butterfly painting. And here is a closeup of my card. I added some rhinestones (Taylored Expressions tiny twinkles) to the butterfly and pinwheel and folded the butterfly's wings up a bit for some added dimension.

I'm sure you will find lots of inspiration from My Zoetrope's shop too! If you play along in the challenge you will have a chance to win one of her prints or some fabulous pens from our sponsor this week, Sakura of America. Check out the Etsy Inspired Blog for all the details!

Pay a visit to the rest of the Design Team to see their Etsy Inspired projects!

Alex (June Guest Designer)
Ashley
De
Emily
Joy
Shannon

I have a mini album and scrapbook layout to share over the next few days so stay tuned! :) Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Everlasting Cupcake - Etsy Inspired Challenge #91

It's Saturday!!! I have lots to do today to get ready for tomorrow...my parents are going to watch the boys so that hubby and I can get some painting and major yard work done. I am thinking that I might feel like staying in our house once we get it in tip top selling shape! :)

Okay, onto this week's Etsy Inspired Challenge! I am so excited to share my project this week! And I'm sure you are going to be excited about the prizes you might win if you play along! :) I know I have been drooling over our sponsor's shop this week. Pretty Tape carries tons of fabulous decorative masking tapes and they will be giving one of our winners this week a $35 gift certificate...LUCKY!!! :) And I'm sure you will easily find something to be inspired by from our featured Etsy shop, How Beadyful, because there are plenty of great fabric covered buttons to choose from as well as a few other handmade goodies too. And How Beadyful is also generously giving a pretty set of fabric covered buttons to one winner this week.

Now, for my project...



I loved these colorful and fun Gears fabric covered buttons from How Beadyful's shop. I was inspired by the colors and all the circles. I am really proud of my cupcake! I think I have seen something similar before...maybe a fabulous CHA project someone created. But I came up with the design for mine all on my own...no template or anything, just a bit of imagination and trial & error. :)

For those interested in creating an everlasting cupcake of their own, here are the details:
1. punch out lots of circles from a great patterned paper (like the Creative Imaginations Studio 101 birthday paper I chose)
2. create a cupcake liner with a die cut or the hard way like me :) - take a strip of paper (or two) and fan fold it, then tightly wrap it around a styrofoam ball and attach it with adhesive or some straight pins
3. use straight pins to attach the circles (icing) to the top of the styrofoam ball, overlapping the circles to hid the pins and cover the ball fully
4. wrap ribbon around the cupcake liner and add a little tag for extra detail
5. create a little hole up top for the birthday candle...the final touch!

To participate in the Etsy Inspired Challenge all you need to do is visit How Beadyful's shop, find an item that inspires you, and create a new project of your own! Then link it up to the Etsy Inspired blog for your chance to win!

And for more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Design Team!

• Alex (June Guest Designer)
• Ashley
• De
• Emily
• Jackie
• Joy
• Kerry
• Shannon

Have a wonderful weekend!

I {heart} U - 2S4Y

Hi all! I have been busy organizing my craft space but I took a little time yesterday to create a card using Laura's sketch this week for 2 Sketches 4 You.


Here is the sketch that was the inspiration for this card. I knew I wanted to do some stitching along the top and bottom of the card but played around a little until I settled on this kind of wavy and random double line stitching. The letters are from Cosmo Cricket's Girl Friday collection...such a great line! I created my felt heart by cutting two petals off of a Creative Cafe felt flower and then embellishing it with a tiny button. Then I finished off the card with two more Basic Grey buttons...now it's all ready to give to a special someone! :)

Okay, I'm off to bed for the night! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Merci

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! We did a lot of spring cleaning...slowly trying to get ready for putting our house on the market. We want to make sure our house shows well so we are really going through everything and donating things we don't need or use anymore, reorganizing our closets and the boys rooms, plus just general detailed cleaning and small home improvement projects.

I wanted to share the two other thank you cards that I created for Paper Crafts Gallery Idol auditions. I didn't make the cut for the top 20 but there are a ton of talented ladies who did so make sure to go vote and support them next week!

Here is one of my favorites that I made for this call.

I just love this Hero Arts stamp and the soft, natural colors and twine (May Arts). I stamped the image in brown on both white and kraft cardstock and then cut out the sentiment from the kraft image and popped it up on foam squares on the white image. All of the paper and the Ocean Tides button is Papertrey Ink. The border punch is Martha Stewart.

Next is a card that is a little different than my normal style I think. It's a little more romantic...kind of french wedding thank you note feel maybe? You be the judge! :)

The pretty blue paper and pearl accents are from MME Lush collection. The pink accents are from KI Memories (Lace Hearts), Making Memories (rose brad), and American Crafts (letters).

I'm off to do some more cleaning and purging...gotta start on my craft space! :)