Feeling Funky...

If you've been following me for a while, you know that I used Pinterest frequently to find inspiration when I am making a layout of creating a card.  I thought I'd show you all a layout I created recently using a pretty funky sketch I pinned. (And I use the term "funky" loosely - it's funky to me because this novice brain wouldn't ever think to use a sketch like this.)

Here is the sketch, which comes from colorconspiracy.typepad.com:

And here is the layout I created:

I absolutely LOVE how this layout turned out.  It's so fun and different and yet still kinda me.  :)  I used Echo Park's Everyday Eclectic collection with a mix of various embelishments that I had lying around.

If you look in my stash, these are the colors that I have the most of.  :)  The pink flower was originally white, but I sprayed it with a couple different colors of Glimmer Mist to match my color scheme.  My newest obsession favorite embellishments are flair buttons.  So fun!

I love this cute little pennant.  :)  The canvass flag is from Maya Road, but I switched out the grommets to match my color scheme.  The stamp I used is from Studio Calico's exclusive Lawn Fawn set that was in their debut Card Kit.

Thank you for stopping by again today!  I hope this sketch/layout inspires you to venture outside of your comfortable scrappy zone.  Good stuff can happen if you do.  :)

Until next time...

Feeling Challenged...

Hello, all!  I know my posts are few and far between lately, but I usually show up with good stuff, so hopefully you don't mind.  :)  Today I am back with something I created for this weeks Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge.  This week's theme is

When I saw that the challenge was typography or subway art, I immediately knew I wanted to try and create a layout using Paper Smooches stamps.  Their sentiment stamps are PERFECT for this!

Here is the layout I created:

Here is a close-up of the burlap flower I made.  The pink flower was white until I sprayed it with some Mr. Huey's in Pretty Pink.  

I came to the realization recently that I have a "style" when I create cards and/or layouts of late.  For the most part, my style is shabby chic.  I think this layout does a good job of showcasing that.  I used MME's Nostalgia collection and created the burlap flower to go with it.  The muted colors go well with the colors in the picture.

I hope you enjoyed my latest creation!  Until next time...

Thankful

Since today is November 1st, I thought I'd start this month of giving thanks with a card I made at the Scrapbooksteals.com retreat.  You may have seen this card used as an example for Monday Card Madness on their blog a couple weeks ago, as well.

I used a BUNCH of different Paper Smooches stamp sets that all have a "thanks" stamp of some sort and created a background with them.  I thought this was a fun card to give to one of my daughters' teachers.

Thanks for stopping by today!  Until next time...

Showing some Paper Smooches love...

I recently stated that Paper Smooches stamps were solely responsible for reigniting my love of card creating.  I reach for their sentiment stamps for almost every card I make lately.  The Paper Smooches SPARKS Challenge Blog is looking for new design team members, so I thought I would throw my hat in the ring.

I created this first card on Tuesday for my daughter's birthday using the challenge from May 28th (and some Pinterest inspiration):



Here are some cards I've created from some past challenges:

 

Here are a few more cards that I recently created while attending the Scrapbook Steals retreat this past weekend:

And, because I am on a roll, how about a few more that I've created:

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I don't have much of a creative brain.  Heck, I don't have much of a brain left period after talking to short peeps all day for the last six years.  :)  I do much better when I have a sketch or some sort of inspiration to follow.  That is why the SPARKS Challenge Blog is right up my alley.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my cards as much as I've enjoyed creating them!  

Cards to share...

Wow, I have been on a card making ROLL as of late!  I hate to sound incredibly corny, but Paper Smooches stamps really inspire me to make cards.  (And no, I am not being paid to say that.)  Their sentiments just work for everything under the moon and their other stamps can be used for every occasion as well. Here are a couple cards I made today:

I used Circle of Honor to create this card:

This card was made with Smarty Pants:

And this card was made with a Pebbles flower stamp and a sentiment from Lawn Fawn Sophie's Sentiments.

Sorry this post is so short and sweet, but I hear my girls tearing up the house and I should probably reclaim my post as Queen.  :)  Thanks for stopping by!

Until next time...

It's Reveal Time!

 Before I show you my new and MUCH improved scrap room, let me just remind you of the third-world conditions in which I used to create:

That's right.  It was a closet.  An un-ventilated, completely cramped space.  Comparing it to what I have now, I have NO IDEA how I was able to feel creative in that tiny workspace. 

So, what does my new workspace look like?  Let me show you!!

This is my crafty corner and I am in LOVE with it!!  I have lots more to show you, so grab a drink and get comfy.  :)

I made these shelves to 1) do the obvious and hold stuff on top of, but also 2) to hold things UNDERNEATH!  As you can see, I have what you might call a slight washi tap addiction.  This shelf originally had one bar attached, but that would have been full before I even painted the thing, so I added the second bar behind it.  That one is almost full, too, and now I am on a STRICT no-washi-buying diet!  The small shelf at the top left holds all of my glitter glues and the longer shelf next to it holds all of my smaller, lighter twine and ribbon spools.  I have to tell you, adding those rods is the best thing I could have ever come up with!  Saves me extra trips to search in a bin for my washi/twine and I can see each and every color right from my comfy chair.  I'm a genious!  (If I do say so myself.)  :)

These cabinets are just closet organizers from Target.  They were both supposed to have a shoe shelf on top of them, but if I had done that I wouldn't have been able to flip the light switch, so I compromised.  My spice rack holds all of my Twinery twine sampler packs (which I wrapped around cut cardboard from a dry clean pants hanger).  The two binders to the left hold all of the stamps that I use frequently.  Mostly Paper Smooches, Lawn Fawn, Market Street Stamps, among others.  The baskets on the shelves hold various ribbon, twine, seam binding, WRMK tools (corner chompers, etc) and flowers.  This is also where I keep my loose cardstock and my 12 x 12 paper pads.  Here is a close-up of where I keep some of my 6 x 6 paper pads:

I found this wooden box at Michaels.  I had found a pin on Pinterest which showed how to crackle finish wood using regular Elmer's glue and decided to give it a try.  The results were hit and miss (mostly because where I "missed," I didn't use thick enough glue), but I am in love with the results!  It looks weathered and distressed all in one.  And it's a super convenient place to keep some of my 6 x 6 pads (yes, some...I guess you could say I have 6 x 6 issues as well).  :)

This is what it looks like inside of the cabinets.  The binders on the top left shelf hold more (yes, MORE) stamps.  The bin next to them hold all of my punches.  Below are all of my Scrapbooks Etc, Creating Keepsakes and Scrapbook Trends/Cards magazines.  Along with some sketch/inspiration books.  In the other cabinet, I have my ink bin, my wooden stamp bin, bigger tools (embossing machine and sticker maker) and storage for cards I've made and die cuts.

Back over by my desk, this is how I am using the table that I showed you all yesterday.  It works perfectly for holding my spinning storage thingie (I need to trademark that) and I don't have to worry about any drawers getting stuck from the weight.  Now all I need to worry about is keeping small hands away from all of the things that will stain the heck out of the carpet in there. 

Here is a close-up picture of some of the decor in my room.  I thought it would be fun to display some of my favorite cards that I've made, as well as some cute Michaels finds.  All of the turquoise colored items that I've used in this room seem to go better in person than they do in pictures, but I wasn't trying to go all matchy-matchy, either. 

One of the BEST things about getting my own craft space is that I was able to pull my neglected sewing machine out of the box and set it up so I could actually use it.  Getting it out of the box and dragging that heavy thing around the house is what kept me from using it very much.  Now that I have it set up, I've hemmed curtains, created an easier way to make my girls' beds (sewing one side of the flat sheet to the fitted sheet, so I don't have to worry about the wall side of the sheets coming untucked all the time - again, GENIUS!!), and sewn on a couple layouts.  I'm so excited to have this out of storage!

Below is another decor picture, but this is on the opposite side of the window from where the other decor picture was taken.  Yes, I have empty frames, but I just got them a couple days ago, so no pointing fingers.  :)  The chevron frame used to be painted pink to match the nursery, but I painted it turquoise and used my chevron Mr. Huey's mask again to make it go with my room better.  (Side note:  I got the frame on the wall to hang over my light switch cover, but it was just slightly too small.  Wouldn't that have looked cute, though?)

Below is the wall opposite from my workspace.  This is why my husband won't call this the "craft room" but rather the "hobby room."  (He enjoys playing computer games.)  In the blank space on the wall above the desk, I am either going to create some vinyl artwork to hang up or create some canvases to decorate the space with.  Either way, it will have turquoise accents.  :)

Well, that is my new scrap room!  I hope you enjoyed seeing it as much as I enjoyed putting it together!  Here's to hoping this new space renews my crafty soul and I start cranking out new projects soon!  :)

Until next time...

A few upgrades...

Before I do the big scrapbook room re-do reveal, I wanted to show you a couple upcycling projects I did.

If you've been a follower of my blog for a while, you'll recall this post in which I turned an old in-the-garage-sale-pile spice rack and turned it into a twine holder.

In the back of my head, I kind of knew I would paint it someday and getting my own, color-coordinated scrap room inspired me to do so.

This is what it looks like now:

I used leftover paint from my shelf project (you'll see those tomorrow) to paint the wood part of the rack, then used a Mr. Huey's mask to sponge some turquoise chevrons onto the top of it.  It looks MUCH better and doesn't stand out quite as much anymore.

My second project was kind of a last minute deal.  (I came up with it literally last night.)  I recently purchased a spinning storage thingie (for lack of a better term) from Harbor Freight {yes, THAT one.  :)} and had it stationed on top of one of my drawer storage thingies (blame it on the early mornings that are causing me to be constantly brain dead).  The weight of the spinning thingie was making it hard for me to open and close my drawers, so I had to come up with a more sturdy solution.  I went down to the basement to bring another TV tray up (you'll see one in my post tomorrow) when I found an old outdoor table just collecting cobwebs (in the above-mentioned garage sale pile).  I just so happened to have a can of turquoise spray paint that I had purchased to use on another project and never ended up using, so I figured transforming this ugly table was *REALLY* the reason I bought the spray paint.  :)

Here's the ugly before:

And here is the much better after:

The table was so weathered from being outdoors forever that the spray paint didn't completely cover the cracked wood grain, but I like the way it turned out.  It makes the table look like it was retro or something. 

I'm excited to show you my new scraproom tomorrow so you can see these items in action!  Stay tuned!

Until then...