Fall cards

Here are some fall cards I recently created. I had two birthdays and an anniversary in October, so I got to use 2 of my favorite stamp sets-Lovely as a Tree (SU) and Nature's Vein (CTMH).

The anniversary card was made using Lovely as a Tree (SU). I inked up the leaf part with distress inks in three colors, then added clear embossing powder while the ink was still wet and heat embossed. The trunks were inked with a brown dye ink marker. That ink dried as soon as it touched the paper and didn't get any powder. I Cuttlebugged the card base and layered a darker orange scrap with distressed edges. The stamped image was matted with brown cardstock. Tied a brown satin ribbon over the corner and presto!! a beautiful card. The card design was cased from http://www.kerinstamps.com/stampin_with_kerin/2009/09/lovely-as-a-tree.html

The second card was used as a Fall birthday card. I used Nature's Vein (CTMH) and did the rock and roll technique to get 2 colors of ink on the stamp. The background on this card has also been Cuttlebugged, but I added ink over the raised design. The twill was already distressed, from my stash. This card was cased from: http://didyoustamptoday.blogspot.com/2010/10/vintage-autumn-with-brayering.html

Hope you like these fall cards. They were both pretty quick and easy to make.

Tryscrapbooking,
Lara

So Peyton

Here's another layout I did recently. I've had it 95% completed for a LOOONNNGGG time. I recently found my inspiration picture and decided to finish it off. I used my Cricut (Gypsy and 5 fonts) to create the subtitles.

So...dust off a layout that you've had sitting around and get to work!!

Tryscrapbooking,
Lara

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

Weddings

I was asked to make 2 cards for some co-workers that will be getting married soon. I didn't know any wedding details, so I did what I could. In a way, that was freeing and in another, very nerve wracking! Both cards fit in standard, A2 envelopes.

For the 1st card--I used SU Bella Blue DP. I cut 2 card bases and stacked them. I needed to make sure that everyone at work had room to sign the card. The inner pages were border punched with the SU Scallop punch. The front panel was cut out and vellum sandwiched between the layers. The church was cut using the Cricut. I added Prima flowers and pearl centers. Each page was stamped with a flourish corner, with another Prima flower.  I used some brown, polka dot ribbon to tie all the pages together. Ok, so here are the pics.....

For the next card, my inspiration was the CTMH Butterfly paper from the Life Delights pack. Then I cut butterflies using my Cricut and painted them with CTMH Shimmer paint!! Again, I had to make enough pages that people could sign, so this time I went with an accordian design. I cut bracket corners with the Cricut and put those on the corners. Here it is....

 

I'll try to get some actual scrapbooking on here next time....since my goal was to have a scrapbooking blog!!

Tryscrapbooking,

Lara

Flower Swap

Recently, I created some paper flowers for a swap I joined. The deadline is this Friday, so I haven't gotten my swaps back. (I'll share them as soon as they arrive.) Anyway, I thought I'd share the flowers I created. The rules were:

• 3 layers--one must be patterned paper
• must have a center (jewel, brad, button, etc.)

It was on the Memory Works consultant board, so I used as many MW products as I could. Here's what I came up with: {the photos just don't do the colors justice :( }

Memory Works products are in italics.

I cut the leaves, bottom layer and top layer with my Cricut. The middle layer was punched with a SU scallop circle punch.
For the leaves, I painted them with Tim Holtz Crackle Paint-Peeled Paint.
For the bottom layer, I tapped my TH Distress Inks-Frayed Burlap, Spiced Marmalade, Scattered Straw-on my nonstick craft mat. Used my Mini Mister and spritzed with water, patted my paper into this, blending all the colors, until the paper was covered. Let dry, spritz lightly with water again to create water droplet effect and cut with Cricut.
For the middle layer, I punched out the scallop circles and misted with Bronze Maya Mist. Let dry, then crumpled up and flattened out.
For the top layer, I cut another flower shape using my Cricut out of patterened paper from TLC.
For the brad, I used the big brads from American Crafts-yellow and inked them with Versamark ink and covered with Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Powder-Vintage Photo. Set with heat gun, let cool.
Poked a hole with paper piercer and layered all flowers together with brad. Used Tombow adhesive to attach leaves.

Hope you like them!!
Lara

April Fools!!

We're April Fools every year! We started this tradition when Kenna was 3 years old. I found the idea in a magazine. I liked the idea of playing an April Fools' Day trick, without being mean. So, I made a "cake" out of meatloaf and "hamburgers" out of cookies. My daughter thought this was a great way to trick Daddy. We've been doing it every year since.

Under the close-ups of the "cake" and "cookies" is a tab that you can lift up to reveal your family's recipe. This is so easy to make! Having small children in the house, it's dinner you can make it steps, so you're not in the kitchen for very long spots of time.

Hope you had a Happy April Fools' Day!!
Tryscrapbooking,
Lara

More titles to share...

Found some more examples of titles. Just pictures of different ways to use your fonts.

This title was cut using a Sizzix machine. It was one of those "happy accidents." I only had a small scrap of the cranberry CS to cut my letters. Anyway, while cutting the letters, my inexperience with the machine, I guess produced some cuts that didn't produce a clean cut. Trying to salvage my paper, I had to use my scissors to cut the letters. But to cut the letters out, I needed to be able to get into some tight areas, so I trimmed the letters that didn't cut so well into odd shapes. When I finally got the letters out, I liked the negative even better, so I went with that. This is actually the left page of a 2-page layout. The pictures were taken by holding the camera up and grabbing each daughter to capture a close up. Some of my favorite pictures.

This title was cut with my Cricut. I mixed upper and lowercase letters for a "random" look. I also cut out the shadow layer using solid pink cardstock and off-set the base letter, cut in Metallic pink paper. When you use the shadow layer, don't always line it up in the center, off-set it for a 3-D look.

This title was cut using the Coluzzle system. I used a light blue CS as the base, tore a strip of med. blue CS and adhered that to the lt. blue. Finally, tore a dk. blue CS and adhered that to the med. blue on the bottom third of the letter. I wanted an "ocean" feel to the title, since I was journaling about my in-laws reaching the other side of the country on their first cross-country trip.

Ruth, I wished I had taken a picture of the title you created on Saturday's New Year crop! She ran her die cut letters through her Cuttlebug embossing folder and then inked them!! Another fun way to get a new look out of your fonts!

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

What's in a name?

What to do when you only have one or two fonts for your favorite die-cut machine? Alter them!!
When I first started out, I used the Coluzzle system-plastic templates used to handcut your paper using a special swivel blade. A time-consuming process, but it was cheaper than a Sizzix. (**You can use these tips on any title you create, using any method to cut out your titles.)

This first sample is just a simple title that is using the base letter (yellow) and shadowed or matted (white).

2nd example uses the same font as the first one, I just emphasized the bubble theme by first punching a strip of blue CS with the CM bubble punch, then cutting out my letters. I tried to place bubbles near the natural letter openings so you could still read the letter, finally shadowed in white CS.

3rd example-again using the exact same font as the first two. This time, I took a cue from the photos. I wanted the title to look like what I was photographing. I used various colors of CS as the base letter, shadowed in yellow CS. Each letter was then "sprinkled" with the confetti from several small punches.

(Sorry for the rotated pictures, can't figure out why?)

4th example-once again, using the same font--I handcut a drippy icicle shape out of strip of white CS and ran it through my X-sticker maker. Then I layered the sticky white icicle strip on strips of CS (orange, green and pink) and cut out each letter, so that I got some of the colored CS and the wavy white. I wanted it to look snow-tipped on the top.

All simple techniques to alter a font. Using these suggestions, you can use the same font over and over in your scrapbooks and no one will be the wiser.

Tryscrapbooking,

Lara