:: end of an era ::

It's product spotlight time on the Paper Issues blog! Today design team members are showing off Dear Lizzy's Documentary collection.

I started with white card stock and used papers mostly from the 6x6 paper pad for this layout. I got a little messy with a few paint spatters and some messy stitching. I added some of the puffy stickers and little wooden bits from the collection as well.  I love the yellow and pink pastel-ish colors with that black contrast!

The story is all about our neighborhood kids playing together on A's last night in the neighborhood (she's moved to a new house)! In this particular photo they were picking who was "it" by saying the "bubble gum, bubble gum, in a dish" rhyme. So I scribbled that rhyme around the outside of the stitching over and over. 

I also used the roller stamp that came in the Dear Lizzy collection -- this one says "follow your heart". Love it!

Cassie is adding new things to the store all the time -- I've seen fall collections and Christmas collections and all kinds of other new yumminess -- check it out here. And don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your entire purchase!

..:: PaperPOPs : what's in my planner ::..

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a new addiction.

See that cute flamingo in my planner -- it's called a PaperPOP and it's awesomely cute.  There are tons of different styles and they are made by Jen Chesnick of Parker On the Porch, and they are in the Paper Issues Store, here.  I used glue dots to put a paper clip on this one to use in my planner. 

This is how that cute little flamingo looks in my planner this week:

This is my labor day week spread in my Get To Work Book (that I am loving). I used papers and die cuts from Amy Tangerines latest collection Finders Keepers, and, of course, some water colors.

I used two different sized flat brushes to go all around the outside of the page with pink and orange (inspired by Amy Tan's papers). Then I painted the three squares along the side where my major tasks go and the days of the week along the top (I pretty much do something like that each week). I added two more squares above and below using patterned papers from the Finders Keepers Collection. To unify them a bit, I mimicked stitches using a black pen around the edges (to be transparent, I go this idea from one of the Amy Tan's papers, too)! 

This is my labor day week spread, and even though it was a three day weekend, it was a busy one, so as I was creating, I was looking forward to some time at home. I grabbed a new date stamp by Dear Lizzy and stamped pretty please several times on Saturday's day. Added a die cut of a house, and wrote 'let's stay home' with the typewriter and watercolors.

Check out this blogpost at Paper Issues for more inspiration.  Gotta grab some PaperPOPs or Amy tangerine papers, or jus about anything else?  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your order!

:: rad friends. addicted gamerz. ::

It's time to get inspired with Sketchy Saturday over on the Paper Issues blog!  Here is the inspiration piece by Lisa Dickinson for Elle's Studio, and the Paper Issues sketch.

And here is my take on the sketch using Simple Stories So Rad collection:

You can play along with us! Share your project using this sketch as inspiration in our Challenge Album located in our Paper Issues {Friends and Fans} group for the chance to win a Paper Issues Gift Card!

Looking for the So Rad collection?  We have it!  Looking for the new Bella?  Amy Tan? Dear Lizzy? We have it.  And oh so much more. Check it all out here, and don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your order.

:: on target for kindergarten ::

It's new issue Monday on the Paper Issues Blog! I love me a new issue, and I absolutely loved working with Shimelle's True Stories collection.

The new issue, called You Rule The School, was perfect for this photo of my daughter when we went back to school shopping!

All the primary colors in this collection were perfect.  I used the heart vellum and my Silhouette Cameo to cut out an envelope for behind the photo and card.  See that little piece of yellow? If you pull that out, B.'s school supply list, and the receipt from our adventure are attached and years down the road we should be able to see how much everything cost. Which is cool, yo!

Some other ideas for the You Rule the School issue: School supply shopping, first day of school school portraits; use a ruler, book patterned papers or embellishments; tells us about school related awards or achievements; use the issue title as the title of your project; use a free printable from the Paper Issues store!

Carpe Diem, folks!  See you soon!

:: live in the moment ::

Pinspire me Monday over on the Paper Issues Blog!  Here's the inspiration:

And here is my take on it:

I'm using Shimelle's True Stories collection.



The colors in the collection were perfect for the (P)inspiration. Don't you love those alphas?



I also used a couple of die cuts and the wooden buttons from the collection. I cut one of the patterned papers (english breakfast) -- tons of stripes -- and placed it over the yellow patterned paper.  Then I machine stitched through each strip -- this is inspired by stripes on the quote part of the (p)inspiration piece.

And the story. The story is all about B. singing and dancing and jumping "in the rain" with her umbrella (I chose this story and photo because of the cutie with the umbrella in the (p)inspiration piece).


This was a fun one to make!  Want to play along?  Get the details here.

Pick up Shimelle's latest collection or just about anything else you can think of at the Paper Issues Store.  Use the code orangegearle and get 20% off your entire purchase!

See you soon!

:: a splash of fun ::

Hi friends! I'm up on the Paper Issues blog today with a layout created with products from October Afternoon!

Check out the Paper Issues blog today to see more inspiration from the design team.


I super loved working with this product!! There's still some in the store, along with a bunch of newer stuff as well!  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

:: 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.

:: 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!

:: 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!.

:: Our Adventure : a mini book ::

Hi! I am up on the Paper Issues Blog today sharing a mini book that I made about our adventures to the Indiana Sand Dunes. For this project I used mostly Crate Paper's Journey Collection.

I repurposed a very small clipboard for this mini by taking off the original clamp and replacing it with a Tim Horton two ring binder piece. I cut my papers and printed my photos in a variety of sizes (mostly the same width but varying lengths) to create a bit of extra texture and interest.

I worked on this project over a period of time.  In order to make it as easy as possible I stuck with one basic collection, pulled items that matched the collection and/or theme from my stash, and then placed everything in a tray (from Target).  This was so helpful. I was able to work on this project just about anywhere because I put everything together and I could just grab the tray and go (to another house, another place within our home, etc).

I simply love all of the gold and transparent pieces in this collection!

Sometimes I chose to print a photo or two (usually a favorite) a bit larger and let it just be a page on it's own (with a few embellishments -- digital and/or traditional).

One of my favorite things about creating mini books is including the ephemera that is part of the story.  An example: I created a few pages with "pockets" in them and included all the ephemera (like the room key, or a receipt).  I did most of my journaling on tags that I was able to place in pockets throughout the book, shorter stories were handwritten on journal cards or labels.

 

I had a blast creating this mini book!

If you would like to purchase the Crate Paper Journey collection, or all the things, click on the links and head over to the Paper Issues store!  Make sure you use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!

:: Printable Sunday : July Goals ::

I am up on the blog today using a FREE printable from Paper Issues (available here). This printable, design by the great Becky Monmaney and Jana McCarthy, is a black and white dream, just waiting to be colored.

I added some color.  :-)

I colored it up and put it in my planner with my July goals (more on my goals next week).

I grabbed this patterned paper from Amy Tangerine's Rise and Shine collection and fussy cut the labels.  I also grabbed some other Amy Tangerine from my stash and added some circle cutouts just for fun.

The alphas are from Webester's pages (all supplies linked below). I stitched the alphas to a label before I glued it down so that the stitching didn't go through to the other side of my planner page.

It was super fun to work with these printables. Check out what a few other DT members have created with them here.

Grab any supplies you need from the Paper Issues Store - but don't forget to use my code orangegearle to receive 20% off your entire purchase!

Paper Issues Free Printable
Black and White Alphas - Webster's Pages These are the Days
Patterned paper from Amy Tangerine Rise & Shine


I am using Elise Cripe's Get to Work Book as my planner base. Update on my goal setting and planner thoughts coming soon!

:: hello you ::

Believe it or not, I have another card for you today!  I know, right?

While I was working on this layout that I shared earlier this week for Paper Issues using Fancy Pants Designs Summer Sun Collection, I made this card, too! I used both the front and back sides of that yellow paper, and then I punched out circles from various patterned papers in the collection and placed them along the seam. A little misting and a Lawn Fawn stamp and it was done!  Simple and already given to a sweet friend!

I'm linking this one up to our current issue at Paper Issues.  Link up your old or new images that fit the theme "Mist-er Fix-It" for a chance to win! A few suggestions might be:  Father's Day, misting, tools (scrapbooking and otherwise), home repairs and home improvements, masculine pages, use Fancy Pants products, summer, use June printables.

If you want to grab some Fancy Pants (or anything else) from the shop, don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase!