Monday, April 30, 2012

Fairy Tales

Hi everyone!  Sorry I am a bit late today...Monday and all.  If you are looking for the Sampler blog hop, scroll down a bit.  Today I want to share with you a project I just made using some of my yummy goodies from the Your Memories Here store with some beautiful trims from Hydrangea Hippo.

This is an old photo from a few years back when we visited Disney Land.

 I love the beautiful, soft colors in the Almanac collection from Prima.  They are just a dream to work with.
 And the trim from Hydrangea Hippo suited this project perfectly.
Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

Friday, April 27, 2012

The Sampler - Blog Hop

Hi everyone!  Today is the day!!!  The Sampler blog hop!  Woo hoo!!!!!

If you just got here from Amy Coose's blog you are in the right space.  If not, you may want to go back to The Sampler and start at the beginning as I am the last stop today before you head back to The Sampler!  Each and every one of our stops today has a prize package valued between $25 and $35, and is a sample of The Sampler!

The gorgeous April kit from The Sampler has plenty of brads to play with, as well as great colors and textures.  Yep, still in love with this kit!  lol  Oh, and did you notice the gorgeous fabric tape?  Yep...that's in the kit as well.
Be sure and stop by each designer's blog today and see how they used their brads.  And become a follower and leave me a comment here for a chance to win my prize.  I will pick a winner next Friday!

And, in case you missed someone.....

The Sampler Kit Club
{experience life wisely}
ɯoɔ˙ǝıʞsooɹɐuunɐɥs
The Country Scrapper
Abstracts Mixed with Extracts
my day-to-day life
You are here!  Home's Cool
The Sampler Kit Club

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to become a follower and leave a comment for your chance to win my prize!

Hugs.

Nancy




Thursday, April 26, 2012

Ugggh

Let's just say that this day has not started well. sigh  But, we are going to try and turn it around and share a two page layout I did for just myself!  What a change...huh!  lol

Ainsley on Easter...hunting and playing with eggs.  Using some of my older Prima goodies and a sketch from Pagemaps as well as some fabulous Pink Paislee wood alphas.
 I tore apart a single vine and added a few additional flowers.
And you know I can't resist a bit of paint splatter on my craft background.  hee hee

The trims came from the Hydrangea Hippo etsy shop.

Ok, well...would love to stay and chat, but....

Don't forget about the Sampler Blog Hop tomorrow!  Lots of great prizes to be won.

Hugs.

Nancy

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Shrinky Dinks and Distress Inks

oh!  That rhymes!!!  lol  Anyway....Hi!  Today I wanted to share with you a little tutorial on using Distress Stains with shrink plastic.  Ainsley has a bunch of shrink plastic lying around and has been making some super cute jewelry.  Well, I saw some scraps lying on my desk and thought, hmmmmmm.  So I cut the plastic with my Tim Holtz Sizzix Gear die and....

You will need your Distress Stains, heat gun, craft sheet and your shrink plastic.
 First, lay out some Distress stain onto a craft mat.
 Drag your cut outs through the distress stains.  You will get a variety of colors onto the shrink plastic.
 After heating with your heat gun (which I find much quicker and easier than using the oven, gotta love that).
You end up with a super cute embellishment.

I will be back next Wednesday to show you what I did with these, but until then......

Hugs.

Nancy

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Cruising with The Sampler

Hi everyone!   I hope you are having a great day!  I can't believe how fast time is flying these days.  School is almost over and I am planning our summer vacation.  What?  I haven't even come close to scrapping all of last years summer vacation.  lol  Like that will ever happen.

Anyway.....Today I wanted to share with you a layout I did using the April kit from The Sampler.  I know, I keep going on about how much I love this kit, and I do.  It has been so versatile.  A Book of Me page, pictures of Ainsley and Lili playing in the yard, and today....

The view of Ketchikan, Alaska from aboard the Disney Wonder.  It was quite an overcast day, but the town was beautiful none the less.  And these papers from the April Sampler kit worked just perfectly.  Lots of different textures and soft colors.....sigh.  And you know how much I love the resins and trinkets.

This Friday The Sampler is hosting a blog hop...a little sampler of The Sampler.  So be sure to check in here.  I will have a great prize to give away (as will all the designer's on the hop).  So, be sure to check us out at our new blog.

Well, back to work...

Hugs.

Nancy


Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday, Monday

Hi everyone!  Sorry I am a bit late posting today but it has, once again, been a crazy Monday.  My husband got back late last night/early this morning and so today was the first time we have been able to talk in a few days...on top of that we of course have school....well.....enough excuses.

Today I want to share with you a project I made for my good friend Heather.  She makes some of the best sketches and always lets me play along.
Isn't that cute?  She has mad sketching skills...as well as digi skills.

Here is my take.  This is before we began hunting for the eggs.  It kinda does double duty because these are some of the first photos since our backyard redo.
I used some of my new Pink Paislee Spring Jubilee papers with lots of ribbons and trims as well as a few blooms and stick pins from the Hydrangea Hippo etsy store.  She has got some amazing stuff.  You certainly should check it out.

Well, off to swim lessons with Ainsley.

Thanks for dropping by.  Hugs.

Nancy

Friday, April 20, 2012

The Sampler - Sketch Challenge

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you the layout I made using the April kit from The Sampler and this month's sketch from the sketch challenge.  

And here is my take...

I love, love, love the great textures in this month's Sampler kit.  Tape, burlap, lace...oh my! and I know you will to.  Be sure and stop by the Sampler Blog and check out the card and sketch challenge and see what the other girls did as well as seeing how you can win a fabulous group of goodies from The Sampler.  You don't need to have a Sampler kit.  Just play along for fun and a chance to win!  How easy is that?



Hugs.

Nancy

Thursday, April 19, 2012

A Quicky?

Hi everyone!  Oh goodness...so much going on and so little time.  I have had plenty of paper ideas swimming in my head, but nothing yet I am ready so share.  I even have a few finished projects waiting to be posted...but again, not yet.

So, I thought I would just stop in today for a quick.  Back in February I took a Gilded Valentine's class over at Christy Tomlinson's site.  Tons of fun.  One of the projects we did was a sweet little heart pillow.  In then end, I made three.  One pillow didn't get stuffed but became a purse for my darling niece, Lili.  One shabby pillow is hanging here in my scrap space....

And this one, these lovely bits of lace and trim....it is for Ainsley.

We cut and dyed and used gobs of fabri-tac.  Oh what messy fun.  Ainsley of course has plans for her American Girl dolls to sleep on this.  I am not so sure how comfy a shabby pillow really is to rest your head, but.....

OK, well....back to the grindstone.

Hugs.

Nancy

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Mini Wednesday


Hi everyone, I hope your day is going well.  It is bright and sunny here and as soon as we are done with school I have to decide whether to create, or to lie on the hammock and read.  Oh decisions, decisions.  Before I do tho, I am here to share with you a fun project I made using the gorgeous products from Your Memories Here.

You may remember the suitcase I made last week using some many Prima products I got from Your Memories Here.  Well, I promised to tell you what I had put inside....was it a gift card?  photos?  small gift?  jewelry?  Nope!  It was a teeny tiny mini album.  This album is about 4 inches by 3 inches.  Just perfect for those teeny photos.

I used all kinds of yummy Prima papers from an A4 pad of the Almanac collection on this mini made of manilla file folders.  Little bits of flowerstrinkets and bling as well.

For the inner pages I cut more of the Almanac papers
and used some old book pages that I misted and then stamped with glimmer mist...adding a bit of Distress Ink along the edges to shabby it up a bit.
 How cute is this teeny file folder I cut using my Sizzix?
Of course, I bound it with my Bind it All.  Which is just perfect for mini albums like this.  Whether 12 inches, 6 inches, or in this case 4 inches; the holes and wires fit perfectly.
I really love making these cute little minis...and think I am going to need to make another soon as my youngest has already taken off with this one.

Hugs.

Nancy

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Tuesday's with the Sampler

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to share with you a project I made using the April kit from The Sampler.  I love the beautiful teals, creams and blues in this months kit, and the bits of burlap, canvas and lace make me so happy.  And the Prima resin flowers and trinkets....swoon.  I think this has to be my favorite kit yet (and yes...I know I say that every month).
Here we have my youngest and my niece playing on a blanket in the yard.  They are so cute together...the seven year age difference means absolutely nothing to them.  lol
I used a mask with a bit of red mist on the canvas that was included in the Sampler kit to bring some red to my layout...since the girls were playing with the red blanket.  This kit has such great neutrals it can go with everything!  (wait till you see what else I made.  **big grin**)
 Look at that lace...and those gorgeous resins....
And baker's twine!  Oh my!!!!  How I love this kit from the Sampler.

Well, it is back to work around here.  Be sure and swing by the new Sampler blog here.  We have lots of goodies planned in the works.

Hope you are having a great day.

Hugs.

Nancy

Friday, April 13, 2012

She Art...

Hi everyone!  Happy Friday the 13th.  Are you superstitious?

Today, I have a canvas to share with you.  There is a woman at my stylists who always has the funkiest 40's vibe.  Her style is just fabulous, lots of fun hair do's, super cute, vintage looking clothes;  she is just awesome!  Last time I was in to have my hair done she looked so fabulous I had to take her photo to make a canvas.

 I tried to model her hairstyle, but it just didn't happen so she kinda ended up with a snow white 'do.
 I used puff paints for her hair.  You can't really see it here, but there is such great texture.
 Erin always has the cutest shoes....very fun and funky...these are nothing like those.  lol
I used lots of Kaiser rub ons and bits of lace from the Hydrangea Hippo store as well as some of the new tissue paper from Pink Paislee.  I think my favorite though has to be the doily mask from Pink Paislee.

Well, back to work around here.  Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs.

Nancy

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Failed Promises

Hi everyone!  Well, I realized today that I have been so busy I had neglected to come back and share the things I made with the gorgeous Diva Princess kit from the Hydrangea Hippo etsy store.   You can see the complete reveal on the Hydrangea Hippo blog here.  


I had so much fun working with this kit.  The combination of pink, black, and white with gorgeous bits of trims were just perfectly suited for this girlie girl.   I am just sorry it took me so long to come back to share.

Well, lots to do, so, back to work.

Hugs.

Nancy

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Your Memories Wednesday

Hi everyone!  Today I wanted to stop by and share with you a project I made for Your Memories Here using a fun new die I had Kristina special order for me (remember....she will make special orders for you to!  just ask) and some gorgeous Prima products.

 
I saw this little suitcase die and just fell in love.  The finished project measures 4x3 so is the perfect size for small gifts, gift cards, or....well, I will show you next week.
I covered the chipboard with some Annalee paper before running it through my die cut machine, making assembly very easy.  I then embellished the suitcase with lots of yummy Prima flowers, tiles, chipboard, bling and even bits of Prima packaging.
I dyed some seam binding using a number of different mediums to get a slightly variegated look, including Ranger Distress Stain and Glimmer Mists.

OK, well, back to work for me.

Hugs.

Nancy


Monday, April 9, 2012

Very Very ....

late today!  Yeah, I know....but I was waiting to be able to share some news before I posted and now I can!

I have been keeping a secret from you all and now that it is official.....

I am a Zutter Zister!  Yep, I am on the new team for the Zutter Bind it All.

You can see the full announcement on the Bind it All blog and learn more about all the crazy talent on the team.  I am just in awe of these women I get to work with.

Be back tomorrow with some goodies from the Sampler.

Hugs.

Nancy

Friday, April 6, 2012

Good Friday

Hi everyone, and happy Friday.  If you are celebrating Good Friday, Passover, or just that it is almost the weekend, I hope it is fabulous!

I wanted to stop in today and share with you a couple of projects I made with the new Dear Lizzy Neopolitan.  I love the fun, bright colors in this collection.

The first one is based on a Pagemaps sketch, Ainsley's 10th birthday.  When I got busy adding pages into albums (which has stopped for some unknown reason...need to get back to it), I realized I had never scrapbooked her birthday party.

 I love the fun, new Flutterbys, although I have to admit they are not as easy to get off the sheet as I would have liked.
 
Sorry about the color here, but you can see the layering (lots of foam dots used) and the bits of stickles I added to the butterflies.
I have a new found love for these resin roses.  I think they are just too perfect.  hee hee

And here is more Ainsley, this time at one of our many swim meets.  This was lifted directly from the back of the Flutterbys packaging.  I love that there are so many ideas on the packaging these days.  It really made the project come together quickly.
 The little rosette is the perfect embellishment for this swim page.

Well, another full day here.  I hope you enjoy your holiday weekend, whatever holiday you observe.

Hugs.

Nancy

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Better Late....

Hi everyone!  Sorry I am a bit late today, but sometimes....life just gets in the way.

I wanted to share a layout I made using the new Prima Almanac line I received from Your Memories Here.  The papers, flowers, and chipboards are just beautiful.

Phil and I just celebrated our 19th anniversary and truly are, always together.  I don't have many photos of the two of us as I am always the one behind the camera, but.....
 I really love my Prima Distressing tool.  It made quick work of the paper edges.
 I also used a bit of Distress Stain mixed with some Multi-Medium to fill my mask for added texture.
I added in a bit of lace I received from Hydrangea Hippo.  It fit this layout beautifully.

Playing with all these fun Prima goodies from the Your Memories Here store just makes me want all the more to attend the upcoming Sweet Retreat.

There is still time to sign up if you would love a chance to work with some exclusive kits and talented designers from Prima.  I know I am still hoping for some last minute nearly free airfare.  hee hee

Well, back to my busy day.

Hugs.

Nancy

Tuesdays with The Sampler.....

and a tutorial.

Hi everyone!  I hope you are having a great day!  I know I am.  I am totally in love with this month's kit from The Sampler.  When I first got my kit I was so happy to see it contained two sheets of the Creative Imaginations polka dot felt.  I knew I wanted to make lots of yummy flowers.

First, here is my project...
Sorry about the color/lighting...but it has been raining for a while and I just can't seem to get good photos.

Here is how I made the fun flower.
You will need, a fabric glue, a chipboard circle, your felt, a flower center (I used the flair that came in the kit), and four circles of the same size.  I used a die to cut my circles, but I am sure you could use scissors as well.
You can see here I have cut four circles of the same size and folded each in half.  Don't worry if they don't stay folded...they will.
 For the first circle, fold in half and place glue only on one quarter.
  Glue to your chipboard circle with the fold in the middle.
 Place glue on the second half circle and place perpendicular to the first, again with the fold in the middle.
Then following the same technique place the third circle
The fourth circle is a little tricky.  You will need to place half of it on top of one quarter of the third circle and the other half under the first circle. (this is a little like how you may fold and seal a box if you don't have tape.)
Finally add your center.

And here is the final flower on my layout.  So fun and such great dimension.  I hope you have fun with your felt.  And be sure and pop over to The Sampler blog for more great ideas, the sketch and card challenges and your chance to win an extra bonus prize!

Hugs.

Nancy