With Help from my Little Green Cricut

For our last challenge in the BPS Jenni Bowlin class, we were asked to use the catalogs or websites for Anthropologie or J. Crew as inspiration.

I loved the set up of the Anthropologie website pages:

Loved the photos with the distressed tags under them.  I was going to do a very literal lift of this, but got a little distracted . . . but here's my layout:

I was having so much trouble with creating an interesting background - then I pulled out my Cricut and used the Mini Monograms cartridge to create a bunch of scalloped circles in different sizes. Put some under vellum and some on top.  Thank you little green bug!

All patterned paper is Jenni Bowlin Studios - LOVE this line.  Buttons and sequins are flea market stuff! The smallest scallop is a punch.

And don't forget the Cricut Promotion running NOW:

Be sure to check out the latest Cricut Promotion, The Great Gypsy Escape! Purchase one of 4 new Cricut catridges for a chance to win a new Gyspy (handheld design studio for Cricut), $2,000 travel vouchers and even a $30,000 trip to one of 5 fabulous locations!

thanks for stopping by - have a great week! - betsy

I Love Blurry Pictures

Sometimes, you just can't throw those blurry photos out. Sometimes the blurry-ness tells the story. And sometimes, even if the head is cut off, there's just enough of everything else that you

just.can't.throw.that.photo.out.

Like in this photo - there's just enough of her smile, and her Hawaiian skirt and lei. And the blurriness, well, sometimes that's all I can get of her, and it tells the story of her growing too fast.

(patterned paper, brads are all American Crafts, Scrapworks fabric tag, and Cricut cut flowers)

Great Deals and a Giveaway:

I love a great scrapbooking sale and scrapbook.com is having a clearance on some AC stuff - great prices! Just put "American Crafts clearance" in their search box, or click on the AC clearance banner.

Did you see this giveaway? Product Pizzazz  201 Giveaway .  This class is taught by Doris Sander. Amazing, amazing scrapper.

Have a great week! - betsy

A Challenge and a Studio Hillary Template

I love the sketches on this site: scrapandstampsaturday.blogspot.com .

This week we had to use this sketch:

with everyday photos and at least one stamp. I saw the clouds and thought of talk bubbles. The talk bubbles made me think of ds#1   years ago and his 'questioning phase'. Pulled out my Cricut and created this hybrid:

digi patterned paper by Kellie Mize (wearestorytellers) and M Martin (sweetshoppedesigns)

Bazzill cardstock and Basic Grey chipboard letters

Art Warehouse stamp (notebook journaling lines) - yes  the bubbles are stamped! just hard to see!

misc buttons

Cricut george cartridge

And speaking of hybrid - here's another using a Studio Hillary Template White Space #3:

Creative Cafe patterned paper, tags, and buttons. Kate Pertiet digi stamp, Cricut leaf cut to look like a feather.

That's ds#2 with Rambo, the duck he rescued, and we raised until he was old enough to fly off on his own. He was a feisty one - hence the name Rambo.  Now Danny, the other duck he rescued, well that's another story, and another layout that I really should make . . .

thanks for stopping by! - betsy

My Son Should Be a Scrapbooker

Son#2 has been a great help with my scrapbooking - he's got quite an eye for design and i ask for his advice often. Sometimes he knows right away what might be wrong with a layout, and sometimes he has to cover his eyes, get up real close, and then open his eyes real quick to really "get the picture". His advice is always right:

"It needs more red."

"It's off balance."

"Move the photo to the side."

"Mom, what are you . . . in KINDERGARTEN?"

That last comment was on a layout where I tried being cool and funky. He was so right. I cannot do cool and funky.

Here's an example. I was working on a layout for the Jenni Bowlin BPS class I'm taking. ds wasn't too keen on my all white title and told me to add some blue to it. He was right:

much better!
(Jenni Bowlin patterned paper and sun chipboard, Technique Tuesday star chipboard, Heidi Swapp letters)

And I happened upon this very cool website: Scraphd.net
I can't WAIT for this to go live. It looks like they are offering digital/hybrid scrapping with a whole new concept: subscription based. No more buying this and buying that - you've got it all with one subscription. And the BEST part? GREAT companies are going to have their papers and embellishments on board - like American Crafts and Jenni Bowlin.  YES - great companies going digital!

Right now they are looking for people to play around with the site as beta testers. It's fun. It's addicting. And they're offering an unbelievable prize if you try it out. Check out their blog post here.  Hey - you can win - I won a free year subscription last week. yes!

thanks for stopping by! - betsy

Look What My Cropadile Did!

Aren't those gazillion little savings cards that you have to carry around with you everywhere ANNOYING?!!! My Cropadile helped me out and now I have this ring of cards in my bag and all I do is flip through them when needed. So.much.easier.

And here's more template love! I used Studio Hillary's Photo Cluster template on this layout:

 

I created the photo cluster and journaling using the template, printed them out, and then used my "real stash" to finish it off: Heidi Swapp butterflies, American Crafts patterned paper, flea market buttons (and a BG Lime Rickey thrown in), and flea market ric rac. 

thanks for stopping by and have a great week! - betsy

Glitter Challenge

Jenni Bowlin's class at BPS is at week nine! This past week we saw a flip photo of Jenni's studio. Thud. Unbelievable really.

I was a little late getting the latest challenge posted, but we were challenged to use the German glass glitter we were sent when the class started. And we were asked to try and use it in a non-layout type project.

I'm soooo NOT a glitter girl, I think that's why it took me so long to create something. But in organizing my space a bit, I came up with an idea and I now I love my little Junk Jar:



Soon to be filled with all the little Junk I have (jewelry parts, etc).

Used Making Memories flowers, grandma's buttons, Heidi Swapp chipboard letters, Basic Grey chipboard piece, Jenni Bowlin patterned paper, key charm, and wire.

And Hillary's newest templates are up at her store here: Studio Hillary 
LOVE templates!


Thanks for looking today - have a great week!

betsy