:: the get to work book ::

Today I am sharing one of my new favorite things: the Get To Work Book designed by Elise Blaha Cripe. I haven't shared much in the way of a planner on this blog.  I'm just getting started.  I'm just beginning to experiment.  I love it. I've caught the bug.  I've tried a couple planners, and this is my current favorite.  It's beautifully simple and leaves a perfect backdrop for anything I want to add. Love. Simple. Neutral. Useful. Beautiful.  In the photo below, do you see that strip of floral patterned paper?  For the August Monthly spread, I took all of my inspiration from that little strip.  (Webster's Pages: Hall Pass)

I've had the Get To Work Book for about a month. This planner (sold out, boo!) goes from July 2015-June 2016.  The good news: There will be preorders for a 2016 planner coming soon.  It sounds like she is taking in all of the feedback she has received and making a few minor changes -- but I think the basic planner, with it's perfect-ness, will stay mostly the same.  More good news.  

My June pages were, OK.  I'm started to get in the groove and ready to share a bit more.  Here is August's monthly spread:

See the glare?  ;-)  It is so difficult to photograph a transparency!  I created the "today" book mark from some flamingo transparency paper (because. flamingos.). Most of the strips of color that you see aren't washi (there is some in there, but not most of it).  Most of it is from this vellum 12x12 sheet that is part of the WP Hall Pass collection and still available in the store.  This is the first time I've tried that, and I like the way it looks.  Don't worry, I haven't abandoned my washi. The books you see on the first day of school, and the other flower paper are both cut out from patterned paper in the same collection.

One of the things that I have done on many of my pages is use a mask with some ink to fill up larger spaces with color.  For this August spread I stuck with the whole back-to-school idea, and added alphas along the left side of the page using this technique.  First I downloaded and cut this free cut file from the Paper Issues store. Then I used my blending tool along with the Pink to Red ombre ink from Hero Arts to create the background of letters for "August 2015" to sit on! I'm super happy with the way it turned out!

I used some Snarky Stamps to stamp the word 'happy' and 'day'.  B.'s name is stamped, colored, cut out, and glued back in.  I love the texture this adds!

One of the things that I've discovered is part of my jam when it comes to planners is using water color! I doodled these little flowers, and then added some watercolor.

You might think, "Aren't you worried that the pages will crinkle or warp a bit?".  Nope.  I was worried about it…and then I accidentally set my planner in some water.  Just a little -- only enough to cause issues for about 2-3 weeks of calendar. But it also gave me permission.  :-)  It was no longer "perfect",  and so now I can play.  ;-) I love the paper in this planner -- it does lose it's shape a little with the water colors, but not enough to bother me.  

Several other Design Team members are sharing their love of planners, and the planner bits that they get from the Paper Issues store to help them make pretty things. Check out the post here.

As always, if you are looking to add to your scrapbooking, or planner-ing stash…don't forget to use the code orangegearle when checking out from the Paper Issues Store.  It'll save you 20%

See you soon!

:: chip off the old block ::

It's New Issue Monday over on the Paper Issues Blog!  This issue, sponsored by Paper Issues, is called  Chip Off the Old Block. I grabbed some Crate Paper Confetti and created something to link up for the issue!

For the "chipboard" I used alphas words and arrows from the Confetti collection (You don't have to use chipboard -- check out the bottom of this post for other ideas for this issue)!



And just for fun I used a bunch of the little bits found in the Ephemera Hardware Pack from the same collection.

Stop by the blog to see what the other ladies have created for this issue!  There is still some Crate Paper Confetti in the shop -- along with a bunch of other goodies.  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

Some ideas for this issue:

• Use chipboard on your project. You could even use blocks, as in squares of paper, a grid design, etc.
• Create a project around the words "board" or "bored" — activities that keeps kids from saying, "Mom, I'm bored", board games, a cruise vacation (because you're on "board" a ship), add in a surf board, etc.
• Show us a project that has to do with family traits, because they're a "chip off the old block". 
• Download July's free printable, Color My World or August's free printable, The Beach is Calling, from the Paper Issues store and use one or more of the cards on your project.
• Download the free printable, Chip Off the Old Block, our very own Danielle designed for this issue, and use one or more of the cards on your project.

:: swagbag spotlight ::

Today I'm up on the Paper Issues blog sharing a layout that was created with cards and little bits from several past Swag Bags, as well as the current June Swag Bag.

I love finding all the little bits to add to the page.  The Swag Bags are always full of the best little bits. As I "finish" using up most of the papers and things, I always store the little leftover pieces (like gold stars, wood veneer pieces, flags, etc.) in a little bowl that I have dedicated to my swag bag goodies. Then, when I am ready to do a layout or project that requires some of those little bits, it's ready for me!

There are so many fun things packed into that little package each month. The June Swag Bags are still in stock (at least they are as I write this), and I am pretty sure there is one with your name on it!  Pick up your Swag Bag here. 

Don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' to receive 20% off your entire purchase at the Paper Issues store!

:: jumpin' puddles ::

Hello friends!  Today I'm here with a layout that created using mostly Pink Paislee : Citrus Bliss, and AC Dear Lizzy : Fine & Dandy.  These collections go together beautifully and I love the springy-summery feel of them!

The right side of my layout is actually a scrap lift! More on that below! Our B. had been playing in all the puddles in our back yard and we captured a zillion photos (in fact, enough that there will probably be another layout in the future that contains a separate part of today's story). There were so many good ones, that I almost immediately printed them off, grabbed some new(er) patterned papers and got busy!

The hearts are from the Dear Lizzy Fine & Dandy collection.  There was a whole sheet of them! I cut out what I needed for this project, but I've used more of that paper in other projects.  I love it!   In fact, the "b" side of that paper is the polka dot paper you see on the bottom half of this page!

To tie the two pages together I did a few things; I took the hearts all across the second page, the patterned papers from the left side are on the very edge of the right side too, and those little bright strips of paper are on both sides.  I am really digging how this one turned out!

The right page is actually a scrap lift of a layout that fellow Paper Issues DT member, .Jana McCarthy  did.  It was the layout that all of the awesome people in the Paper Issues Friends and Family group (PIFF) on Facebook scrap-lifted a couple of weeks ago.  Are you part of the PIFF group?  If you are on Facebook, you should join us, we are a ton of fun!  (click link above)   :-)

Here are a couple of close ups of my LO.

Thanks for stopping by and see you soon!

:: wander :: July PINspire Me Monday

Looking for some inspiration?  How about some PINspiration?  It's PINspire Me Monday at Paper Issues!  Design team member Leah found this to inspire you:

There is so much here that I love. The colors are fab, the window, and…because flamingo. As soon as I saw this, though, I remembered a photo that we took of B. wandering down a path, spring flowers blooming and everything just beginning to 'green up'. So I used Leah's PinSpiration to scrap that photo! Here is what I came up with:

I also let the colors inspire me a bit, but certainly not exact. I have to admit, I am not super happy with the end result. I love the idea of this one. I don't completely hate it, but it pales in comparison to the inspiration piece. :-/  Does that ever happen to you?

The good news:  some of the other DT members created projects too.  You can find them here.

More good news: love it or not, I will always remember this day when I flip to this layout in my album. Story Documented.

See you soon!

:: soaking up the sun and relaxing ::

It's Cut-It-Out Saturday over on the Paper Issues blog.  Do you know what that means?  It means FREE cut files and a LINK party!!  Can I get a woo-hoo?!?!

I love all these, don't you?!  Perfect for summer! For my layout, I stuck with the "soaking' up the sun" because it totally fit my photo.  :-)

Soakin' up the sun must be followed up with relaxing.  ;-)

Charlie captured this photo of Bea and I totally love it.

I used mostly Crate Paper Poolside for this layout, along with a bit of October Afternoon's Summertime collection,  Visit  The  Paper Issues Store to grab some of these goodies for yourself.  There are also a bunch of new items hitting the store often!  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle to receive 20% off your order!

Thanks for stopping by.  Make sure you check out the Paper Issues Blog for more inspiration and a chance to win! 

:: Frozen : Summer Style ::

Hi!  I'm up on the Paper Issues blog today with a layout using the Summer Vibes collection by Simple Stories.  This collection has completely knocked my socks off!

Does the design look familiar?  I used the Sketchy Saturday Sketch (the same one I used for this card).  Don't worry there is still time to play along and win!

Pretty much everything you see here is from the Summer Vibes collection, with the exception of the big  title alphas.  I used the frames to highlight the photos so they wouldn't be upstaged by the beautiful papers. The triangles are part of the 6x6 paper page, and I used the small letter stickers and the phrase stickers from the collection as well.

Check out the Summer Vibes Product Spotlight over on the blog -- the Design Time has left you some awesome inspiration!

While you are over at the blog, you can click through to the shop and pick up some Simple Stories (there are a couple new SS collections, too) and anything else you might need!  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

Thanks for stopping by! See you soon!

:: New Issue Monday at Paper Issues ::

I've said it before, and I will likely say it again -- New Issue Monday's make me giddy. Always. For this current issue the Paper Issues Girls received product from Color Cast Designs to play with. I got to play with the Embellish Me (Neutral) set and here is what I came up with!

When I initially laid out all the product, I did so in a grid.  So I went with it! I love the black, white, grey and wood veneer combo.  I ended up sticking with the black and white -- and I grabbed the Just Add Color collection from Bella Blvd. I did exactly as I was told -- I just added color. :-) I grabbed my watercolors and painted some flowers and a border. When all was said and done, I thought the painted flower paper took a bit too much away from the photos, so I sewed some vellum over the top!

Check out what Jana, Jennifer, Tarrah, Becky and Lisa made and the prize you could win by participating here.

Check out all the new goodies in the Paper Issues Store!  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase (also, did you know that if you spend $60, there are no shipping costs??)!

:: Sketchy Saturday : Summer Vibes ::

It's Sketchy Saturday over on the Paper Issues blog!  This month Stephanie Buice's True Friends Layout for Doodlebug Design caught our eye!

It's it fab?  You can see why the PI ladies just had to lift it!  Here is the sketch created based on the layout.

I used this sketch as inspiration for a card!  (I KNOW!  I can't believe it!  Maybe I'm a card girl after all?)?!

You can see what the rest of the ladies created based on Stephanie's lovely inspiration piece by visiting the Paper Issues Blog.

I am simply loving the Simple Stories Summer Vibe Collection! I made another layout using this collection (and the sketch as inspiration).  I will be sharing that here soon!

Don't forget to use the code orangegearle if you want to grab Simple Stories Summer Vibe collection, or anything else at the Paper Issues Store!.