We've done it again!!!!

Well, we've done it again...it's National Stamping Month once again this year and Close To My Heart has created another fantastic DOUBLE stamp set this year!

If you've arrived here from Lisa's Stamp Happy Blog, then you are on the right track!

Doesn't this example from our team at Close To My Heart remind you of the Project Life pages...try this technique using our Horizontal and Vertical Photo Storage Pages for a fun alternative to telling your story!

When you place a minumum $35.00 order from our CTMH catalogs, from August 15th - September 30th you can purchase this stamp set for only $5.00!!!

I've used Goldrush ink to stamp this solid butterfly and as you can see, all of the background strips have been stamped with this fantastic set!

I've simply layered my butterfly stamped images and used my trusty sewing machine to attach them to my layout...this stamp set is AWESOME!!!

I used the polka dot stamp to stamp the backside of the butterfly...and this 'hello life' circle makes the perfect title...they don't always need to be HUGE to be the perfect choice :)

Now here's the final layout, my Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge circle, cut in the 'layer' mode framed these photos beautifully...this will be a perfect 'page 2' for my daughters' Sweet Sixteen birthday layouts...stay tuned for more artwork from me with this great set, but in the meantime, head on over to Jody's Cre8n' Memories Blog to see what greatness she's created with this set!!!

Kick up your Heels

Good Morning, I'm back from Dallas, Texas !!! Did you miss me?!!!

It's Wednesday and that means I've got another sketch for you from  Let's Scrap...this one is our card sketch but you know how I'm not really as excited about cards as I am with layouts so I decided to do this sketch for some more of Olivia's Convocation photos :)

I asked the girls to do something fun instead of always standing perfectly infront of the camera...I told them that one of the photos I remember of my Grad was with my gal pals and our legs being kicked up can-can style...this is what they did:

Now I know that all of you have some kind of die cut paper that you bought because it looks so cool...I have about 30 I think maybe more...anyways ;) this sketch is perfect to get using those sheets that might (if you are anything like me) be just sitting there in your craft room!!!??

I am using just one paper pack from SEI, their Field Notes collection, for all of Olivia's Convocation photos.  I've told you in some recent posts that I spent some time cutting out each of these butterflies from a sheet of paper...these frames were also cut from a sheet of paper...

Now I also wanted these girls to kick up their heels because my daughter Olivia was on the hunt for the 'PERFECT' pair of heels that would 'Make Just The Right Statement' when she was on stage...like as if everyone would be specifically looking at her shoes...? I told her that the only ones to notice would be her...she thought I was insane ;) 

Olivia is second from the left in her chunky wood and leather heels...

These photos were also the perfect way to show off those carefully thought out purchases :)

You might have noticed in this last photo the stitching, this is some heavy duty thread that I've used in my sewing machine and followed the curve in the patterned die cut...I am finding that this thread is perfect for layouts as it really shows up well!

So glad you've popped in here today, thanks for visiting!

By the Numbers Challenge

I thought I'd share a layout with you today that I did last week for one of the June Challenges over at Scrapbook Challenges...this one was called 'By the Number's' and our challenge was to create a layout using only two sheets of patterned paper, one of them had to have numbers on it...the other rule was to use an actual number in the title!

This photo was taken at our friend's house, Olivia was pretending to play this guitar...my kids all love to pose for the camera...one of the best things they've learnt from their mother :)

It was definitely a challenge for me to only use two different sheets of patterned paper...I took that rule literally and used the back of one of the sheets...I also was able to use some border stickers to help embellish as well as my stash of misc. flowers, buttons and punches...

Layering up different pieces from your stash can result in some very unique embellishments...remember to have fun in the end, playing with challenges can really get you creating and maybe even doing some work that you wouldn't naturally do on your own!

Thanks for stopping in today and I really hope you check out some of the new challenges this July at the SC site...they are due at the end of this month and usually come with RAK from the host of each challenge :) Have fun!!!

time to soar

Well as most of you already know, my May and June have been jammed packed with activities, one of which was my eldest daughters Grade 12 Graduation and Prom.

In my effort to complete some pages for her and to reach my goal of actually having her school album and graduation/prom completed before she's started her University life in September...here's one of many layouts to come !!!

I've used page one of the sketch at Let's Scrap and coincidentally, I'm using some SEI papers from their new Field Notes Collection...which happens to be the sponsor (SEI) for this week's sketch prize at Let's Scrap!!! Make sure to head over there to check out what SEI has for you if you are lucky enough to be randomly picked this week!!!!

I hope you can see the shimmer that's in this paper...sometimes I don't care for papers that have this already incorporated but in this case I am loving it!

Now these butterflies were all fussy cut! Took me an entire episode of Rookie Blue and into the Dolphin Tale movie...but it was well worth the time and trouble I think!

Here's the sheet and I cut all of the butterflies out for use with this paper collection. I am so glad you popped in today and perhaps you'll get using this weeks sketch and even post it in the gallery over at Let's Scrap for your chance to win the prize of the week!