Christmas in June

I've been rather lost in a muddle of scrapper's block. Not really creating much at all, other than a few cards. I haven't made a scrapbook page that I was really proud of it quite some time.

Well....Thursday night, inspiration struck! I had a sketch and some Basic Grey paper that I've had for years. I'm proud to say that I used what I had in my stash!! Yay me! Now I can buy some new stuff...hahaha.

The striped paper was wrinkled and distressed with TH inks, then tucked and folded into a circle shape around the middle circles and also used along the border on the left side. It really gives the paper a fabric appearance. I cut the circles, the scroll and the Santa face with my Cricut. The paper, tag and letter stickers were Basic Grey-Fruitcake. The scroll will be for my journaling. I also used CTMH stamps to add "December" and "Wish".

I'm pleased with this layout and hope the slump is over!

Tryscrapbooking,

Lara

Christmas Thank you cards

Tonight's project was to get those Christmas Thank You cards completed....well, started AND completed :)

Simple card design--standard card size, tent-fold. Patterned paper is from 8x8 CK Scrap Pad (purchased from Big Lots for $2!!) and white CS. The green border strip was edged with my perforator tool on my Cutterpede trimmer. WRMK Corner Chomper at 1/2" for the bottom corners. I used my Cricut to cut out the snowflakes. The red shiny bling are some flat-backed buttons from Walmart. Thank you stamp and SU Basic Black ink.

Now to get them written and mailed. Have you sent your thank you cards yet? Within 2 weeks after Christmas is considered proper etiquette--that's this Friday!!

Tryscrapbooking,
Lara

Snowflake Card Trio

I know I wanted this blog to be about scrapbooking, but we're in the Christmas season and I've been inspired to make Christmas cards!! My inspiration for this card was found on Jan Tink's blog. I loved her card so much, I just had to break out of my rut and make one...I mean three!!

This is the first card I created using Jan's as inspiration. I used kraft CS as the base. I stamped the background with SU's Paisley background in Ranger's Distress Ink-Frayed Burlap, then sprayed with Gold Maya Mist to give it some shimmer. I matted that layer with CM's gold metallic paper. The layers are notched at the corner with SU's corner ticket punch (a favorite of mine!) For the snowflake, I cut that out with my favorite scrapbooking tool, my Cricut Expression-Winter Woodland cart, snowflake 4 (I used real dial size/layers option).

Next, the center design was created using:
SU's scallop circle punch-gold paper,
SU's 1 3/8 in circle punch-cream CS,
CM 1 1/4 in circle punch-gold paper,
CM 1 in-cream CS(stamped image is from SU Party Punch, same ink as above)

The bottom trim was cut 1 in wide, then punch with Fiskars Threading Water punch, wrapped with cream ribbon. I pop dotted both the snowflake and the center scallop.

After talking with some fellow crafters (Beck and Suzie), I just had to experiment with some different colors of metallic paper. I thought a pink snowflake card would be pretty and I'm pretty happy with the results. This card was made with the same basic design, with a few changes. The pink metallic paper came from a paper pack I bought at Walmart and white CS. The dotted background is actually CS from the Co'oredinations Whitewash collection, embossed using the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder, sanded slightly to bring out the pink color. (Co'oredinations CS is fun to use. I really liked the results on this card.) The center was created the same as the above card, but using CTMH Blush ink to stamp the image. The snowflake was sprayed with Elmer's Spray Adhesive, then sprinkled with Crystal Coarse (MS Frosty Gingerbread Glitter pack). OMG!! It's so sparkly IRL!! The picture just doesn't do it justice. Finished off with white satin ribbon.

I think the blue snowflake card is my favorite, although I think that whenever I look at each card! Same basic design as the first two, but this time the background was created using SU glossy CS and an alcohol ink technique. I have a few alcohol inks, but not a large variety of colors, so I borrowed a neat trick I learned from Juli P. and soaked my felt in rubbing alcohol and added a few drops of SU reinkers-Bashful Blue, Soft Sky and Night of Navy, mixed with a drop of TH Metallic Silver mixative. Randomly stamped on the glossy CS, the "alcohol inks" slowly bled together creating a marbled stone look. This time, the snowflake was stamped with Versamark ink and embossed with glittery, embossing powder!! Looovvve it!! Center image was stamped with Night of Navy. Finished with silver ribbon.

So, that's it. There are the 3 Christmas cards I've made. Guess I have some work ahead of me because I don't want to give these away! I've told you my favorite, now tell me which one you like!

Till next time!

TryScrapbooking,

Lara

SNOW time like the PRESENT!!

For those of you who have been patiently waiting for the next blog entry....I've decided to post 2 projects today! My computer is now up and running top speed!!-thanks to the tech-y husband.

SNOW TIME.....

I created this layout for a swap. It was a simple design  meant to use your 4x6 photos, no cropping required! I cut strips from a DCWV paper pack (can't remember exactly which one). The main technique I want to focus on for this page is the title. I cut the letters out in vellum using my Cricut- Mickey Font. I used Liquid Applique on each letter. **If you've never used this before, you should try it. It has a tip so you can really place it where you'd like and then get that heat gun out!! The Liquid Applique PUFFS up!! So cool. I've gotten more compliments on this layout just for that technique. When I was adding the photos to the layout, I thought it still needed something, so I used a white marker to draw a stitched outline on each of the letters. I thought it made them pop more. Be careful when heating....vellum is VERY easy to burn and it will turn brown. The pink rectangle is supposed to be the journaling box (notice the "blankness"). Hope you like it!

...THE PRESENT!!!

I signed up for a Christmas Thank You card swap in Dec. 2007. I had to create a card using "The 3 Wise Men" as my inspiration. So I thought a little pull-out insert would be cute. It was pretty simple to make. I used Basic Grey's Blitzen paper. A little stamped sentiment and Voila!! (BTW, tooting my own horn here....I was voted the best card! A total shock to me since there were some beautiful entries. Thanks, MW!)

Have fun, tell your friends!

Tryscrapbooking,

Lara