:: project life : title page ::

Hello!  I kind of did this backwards.  I was working on my title page and my first week of PL at the same time, and I am sharing them backwards. Please forgive me! ;-)

I decided that this year I would use a 6x12 page for my intro.  I actually took a regular 12x12 "a" style page, and just cut it in half on my paper cutter!

This is what it looks like over week one's LO.



And here it is "open" so you can see the back:



I worked on week one and the title page at the same time, so I was able to use a few things in both to tie them together. I thought this was important because I was only using a 6x12 for the title page, and because I knew the back side of the title page would be seen when looking at Week 1. So, I brought the gold into week one and I used Elle's Studio cork on both the title page and Week 1!  As a result of that last part I am linking this up to the Current Issue at Paper Issues -- Popping the cork.

A few close-ups:



I typed on vellum and then stapled it to the card.  Added the "us" from the Open Book collection, and a 3x4 card.

Pretty much gold is everywhere, eh? So I went with it! These cards are from Theresa Collins WRMK edition. I cut two 4x6 cards to about 4x4 (above and below).  Then I grabbed a couple of the clear photo overlays from the Desktop PL (Becky Higgins) edition. I machine stitched the cards to the overlays and added some sequins on either side.

 I didn't use any photos on my title page! That may seem strange, but I kinda like how it turned out!

See you soon!

:: bea you ::

Hi!  I had so much fun with the Pink Paislee Bella Rouge collection, I had to make another layout with it  -- and with a little bit of sparkle! 

The "Don't let anyone ever dull your sparkle" card and this photo of my daughter being silly were the inspiration for this LO. I decided the card needed a little extra sparkle so I added some silver glitter embossing powder.

The 3x4 cards in a grid layout came together quickly…add a little stitching and bling and another story is in the books!

If you want to grab some of this fab collection, stop by the Paper Issues Store and use the code orangegearle for 20% off your entire purchase.  There are new things arriving all the time!!!

Thanks for stopping by! 

..:: new issue @ paper issues ::..

There is a new issue up at Paper Issues and it's all about one of my favorite things -- FALL.

I took this photo with my iPhone on the way to work one morning.  The colors were lovely and there was a bit of mist, and I couldn't resist trying to capture it.  It was much more beautiful than the photo could capture, but I still love the photo, and thought it was perfect for this issue.  No fall leaves, but man does it look like fall in Iowa!

The issue is officially called "Woodn't You Know, it's Fall.  Some suggestions are to use wood veneer, fall papers, woodgrain paper, etc.  I used fall colors (which are pretty much my favorite), and I thought this bit of flair was perfect for the theme, and the whole idea of this layout.  Also, my alphas are kinda woodgrain-y if you look closely below!

This issue is sponsored by Pinkfresh Studio.  And Oh. Em. Gee, I totally love these new Wood Drop Chevron stickers!  They are perfection, if you ask me! They also completely fit the 'wood' part of the theme, of course!

I always have a difficult time deciding how to adhere those plastic letters!  I love them, but what it the world do you do to make them stick, without being able to see the adhesive??  Well, this time, I think I totally figured it out.  I put them where I wanted them and used a bit of washi tape across the top of the letters.  Then I sewed one line with the sewing machine, took off the washi (carefully) and sewed the second line.  It was easy and totally worked.

Check out the latest issue at Paper Issues and link up!!  Don't forget to link back to PI to be eligible for the awesome prize from Pinkfresh Studio!  And while you are at the PI blog, click on over to the store ( you probably need something). Don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your order!

See you again soon!

:: too hot for blading ::

Today is my last post as a Guest Designer at Scrapbook Circle.  If you are a follower of my blog you know how much I love these kits!  I am so honored that I was asked to be on the GDT this month, and, as always, I have really enjoyed working with this kit!  Each month I am amazed at how beautifully Lisa (et. al) pulls together these papers and embellies to make a perfect kit!

This month a two pager was born!  (I haven't done these for a while, but I have done a few lately)! We celebrated my daughter's birthday (the second celebration) with my extended family on the hottest weekend of the summer!  B. got some great gifts; among them, roller blades!  We practiced a bit at Grandma and Grandpa's house (they are the ones that purchased the skates) and then after returning home, she practiced a bit more!  IT WAS SO HOT!  We even had to have a clothing change in between skating because there was a bunch of water play in between!

The challenge at Scrapbook Circle was all about stitching!  So. Awesome. that I was asked to do that!  I love stitching, as you know. So I got out my machine and stitched all around the page.

But, to live up the challenge I also did a bit of hand stitching!  Here are a few more close ups (and they include a lot of GOLD; I am so loving this trend)!

I would like to thank Lisa and Tessa at Scrapbook Circle for welcoming me in to the Scrapbook Circle Family this month!  I had a great time!!!!

Until next time!  :-) O.G.

:: stitched : the dark knight ::

I am currently taking an online class through Studio Calico called "Stitched".  If you follow my blog much you probably already know that I love stitching on my layouts! You may also know that I purchased my sewing machine just for scrapbooking, meaning, I do not sew! It was quite the fiasco the first time I tried to thread my so-called self-threading machine. 

I thought I might just benefit from taking a class specifically about stitching on layouts. As always, this class is fun and I have gotten quite a few ideas from it. For this layout, I used both hand stitching and machine stitching.

The circles are a cut file that came with the class (one of the things I always love about classes are the "free" things that come with it like printables or cut files)! I cut it with the Silhouette Cameo and then found various patterned papers to back several of the circles. I also used Gelatos and a water brush to paint a few of the circles, stars, and wood veneer pieces.

I used this Ali Edwards (technique tuesday) stamp set to stamp a few sentiments. (I love her stuff. Always.)

FInally, I journaled around the outside of the layout as a border. I love how this one turned out!

Thanks for stopping by!

:: hello princess rock & roll ::

'Ello Kiddies (sorry, I am still singing Cheap Trick songs from our trip earlier this month)! Back with my second layout from this month's Scrapbook Circle Kit!

For this layout I used this awesome sketch by Diana Fisher for the July Sketch Challenge at Scrapbook Circle. I pretty much always enjoy working with Diana's sketches! Instead of three photos, I used two and placed the journaling where the third photo would go, other than that, I stayed fairly true to the sketch. Since I only used two photos, I scaled down the size of the patterned papers, too. I absolutely love the colors in this kit. Everything you see here (except for the "hello" and "rock & roll" alphas) came from the kit and I still have tons more to work with. I'm telling you, the kits that are put together by the Scrapbook Circle gang, are totally fab. They just keep getting better and better. I love opening the kit when it arrives because usually I will have several ideas right away. What I don't like is getting the kit and having no time to use it! July is the exception - no meetings, and basically off work. Whew! :-)

I love these pics of B. dancing to her daddy's guitar playing. We had to put on the tutu (right over her PJs) and a flashing tiara, all rock and roll princesses need those things, right?

Here are a couple of close ups!

Don't forget: my blogaversary is coming up (it's Sunday)!!! I will be doing a special giveaway on my blog -- check back later this week for the details.

:: b & a ::

I don't know about you but I love kraft and white together. I also love Ali Edwards. I think that she is a genius when it comes to telling stories, documenting life, and making it beautiful; artful; all at the same time. That's why, when I saw this layout on her blog November 2012, I pinned it with the idea that I would use it as inspiration at some point. What I didn't know is how little I would change the basic design. Why mess with perfection, right?

I used the July Scrapbook Circle Kit and Ali Edwards stamps for this layout. In fact, I got the stamps in the mail the same day I took the photos of this tea party. As soon as the stamps arrived, I thought I'd try them out with my new frost white ColorBox pigment ink. When I stamped it, I loved the sentiments and the softness of the white on kraft. It reminded me of the Ali layout I had pinned, so I got to work!

At the same time I had been working with this awesome Studio Calico Mister Huey's Mask that I'd gotten in the Scrapbook Circle July Embellishment add-on kit. I tried the mask with Mister Huey mist, then stamps, then paint, but none of them really gave me what I wanted. So, I tried the absolutely magnificent White Signo Pen (an aside: I was about halfway finished making this background paper when the mail arrive with the Ali Edwards stamps.....). Here's a close up of the mask + pen:

Remember me saying that I like the softness of the white ink on the kraft? Well, the signo pen, while usually perfection, is very.....WHITE. Not soft. So I covered the whole background with vellum. Love! It brought the focus back to the photos (another aside: the photos were taken right after I stamped the stamps for the first time....I added the softness to them in Photoshop, because I knew I would use the photos, with the stamps).

I added a bit of tiny circle stamping (from an Ali Edwards December Daily stamp set that I can't seem to find to link up)! 

And pretty much nothing is complete these days without a bit of stitching! :-)

Thank you to my friend Kirsten for taking my scrapbooking emergency text while I was creating this LO. (I couldn't decide on b&w or color photos)!

I will have another LO to share with you tomorrow, using the same Scrapbook Circle Kit.  Here's a sneak:

Did you know that my blogaversary is coming up (it's Sunday)!!??! I will be doing a special giveaway on my blog -- don't forget to check back later this week for the details.

It's not too late to play with Scrap Your Story and the great sketch this week! Check it out here!

Scrap Your Story :: Hello Cheap Trick

It's FRIDAY!  You know what that means, a great challenge @ the Scrap Your Story Challenge Blog! This week we are working with an awesome sketch!   The sketch (as seen on the right), was a fun one to work with! Two photos, a giant circle,and both a vertical and horizontal line. I stayed fairly true to the sketch, but remember, you can flip, rotate, tweak, whatever you need! I hope to see you play along with us this week!  I grabbed my June Kit from Scrapbook Circle, a few scraps from my scrap box and this is what I came up with :

This past weekend the three of us attended a concert at the zoo in Apple Valley, MN. We had front row seats at this outdoor, all-ages show.  It was Bea's first concert! You will see more photos from this trip at some point; I am currently working on a mini book all about it!

I took the main background paper (Basic Grey :: Bow Ties :: kick the can) and cut a big circle on my Silhouette, then placed another piece of patterned paper (Farmhouse Paper Company :: where ideas take root) behind it. I machine stitched around the circle to define it a bit more, and then added a few stitches in other locations (can never have enough stitches!).  The bright orange arrows are all from the kit as well, they are fuzzy rub-ons (part of the Hipster collection by Basic Grey). I also added some wood veneer shapes that I tinted with orange ink. The "hello" is also from the Hipster Collection, and the "cheap trick" is from Recollections. This was a fun layout to make!

Check out Scrap Your Story and play along this week! I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Scrap Your Story :: a picnic for SUPERS

It's FRIDAY! And we are having a great time this week at Scrap Your Story! Embrace the sunburst!

That awesome sunburst paper is from American Crafts, Shoreline collection. I got it in a Scrapbook Circle kit (I think last summer?).   I used my sewing machine to stitch a bunch of circles and lines on the paper to make it even more sunburst-y (it's a word, really).

The banners are stamps from Ali Edwards.  First I misted some plain white card stock with orange and yellow Mister Huey, then I used orange ink and clear embossing powder to heat emboss them.  After cutting them out, I popped them on with some pop dots for a bit of dimension. For the title I added some DIY Thickers (that I misted with orange Mister Huey) to the picnic tag from Elle's Studio.

This was a fun layout.  I will likely add some journaling to the page, but I haven't decided exactly what or where, and I hate to rush these things!  However, I did print and scrap these photos the same day that I took them!  The girls were having such a good time eating a picnic in their super hero costumes.

Hope you link up over at Scrap Your Story! It's the perfect time of year to embrace that sunburst!

PS, I am counting down the days to when my summer begins.  I cannot wait to have more scrappy time one week from now!

:: my mother's hands ::

So, yesterday morning I ran across this photo, and that prompted me to write this blog post. Then I spent the day with my mother, older daughter, then my MIL, and then back home for a movie and popcorn with my family. After everyone went to bed, I grabbed the goodies that I just got in the mail on Friday from Paper Issues, (all from Crate Paper's :: The Pier collection) and I made this:

I used yesterday's blog post for my journaling (which is hidden in the vellum envelope behind the photo)

This was my favorite part! I used my exacto knife to cut one of the chevrons out and replaced it with a little homemade confetti! The stitching serves two purposes -- that finishing touch, and it holds all the confetti in the pocket!

 Amy Tangerine alphas that I inked with a bit of yellow ink.

Several layers and scraps, enamel dots, washi tape, and Mister Huey's spray to finish it off!  This was a fun one to make, and I love how it turned out!

:: strawberries ::

I'm having a great time participating in LOAD 513. I really don't plan on posting each layout that I do -- I just don't have that kind of time -- but I'm awake, so I might as well.  :-)

I took this photo -- and then I stamped the date on!  You can see that below

If you recall, our theme for the month is "Get a Clue" (from the Clue game). So each day our prompt has something to do with the game. Day two's prompt was "the knife".  So we were to "take a stab at" something, and/or interpret as we wish.  :-)  I used machine stitching, some distressing, and then in the close-ups you will see that I pierced the paper in three locations, 2 brads, and then a stick pin.  I thought the stick pin met the prompt!

These photos were from nearly two years ago -- she was so little!  Her hair was so much shorter!  Wow!

No time for listing supplies this time! Please just ask in the comments if you want to know where something came from! Thanks!

Scrap Your Story :: growing love

UPDATE:  I'm linking this up to Paper Issues Feb. 7, 2015 Issue Hip to Be Square (I used square photos and some {aflairforbuttons} flair.

It's FRIDAY -- and you know what that means -- another challenge at Scrap Your Story Challenge blog! Ready to play along? This is a "theme" week -- and the theme is "favorite(s)".  You can interpret that anyway you wish, as long in your journaling or title we can see that you are sharing something that is a favorite!

I have the word "favorite" a couple of places on this layout.  First I used an Amy Tangerine stamp that I got at Target and stamped "You are my fave" all over a piece of patterned paper.  Then I used one of Amy Tangerine's templates to make a speech bubble with a heart in the middle.  The second place, also involved stamping.  This time it was an Ali Edwards stamp "SUPER favorite" that I stamped over some Elle's studio tags (all supplies are linked below). Most of the rest of the supplies came from the Lucky You Scrapbook Kit by paperissues available here. And of course there is flair from {a flair for buttons}!

This photo was taken on the anniversary of Mikaela's death. It was a difficult day for us all. My daughter Hollyanne came over just to be with us for a while, and I was ever so thankful. I journaled a bit about that, but also about how B. was obsessed with her baby belly! Either way, I wanted the journaling to be hidden. I'm really happy with how this one turned out!  Love that green/yellow combo! Hope you play along with us this week at Scrap Your Story Challenges!


Supplies
Crate Paper :: Party Day :: Happy
My Minds Eye :: Collectable :: Remarkable Smile Grin
American Crafts :: Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm :: 6x6 paper pad
American Crafts :: Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm :: Wild Hearts
Studio Calico :: Here & There :: woodgrain thickers
Glitz :: Color Me Happy :: 6x6 paper pad
Glitz :: Color Me Happy :: woodgrain paper
Glitz :: woodgrain washi tape
Jillibean Soup :: Sunshine Resin Sugar Picks
Studio Calico :: Sundrifter :: flowers and leave wood veneer
My Minds Eye :: Collectable :: Remarkable Day Decorative Buttons
My Minds Eye :: The Sweetest Thing :: enamel dots
a flair for buttons :: arrow 1 flair
a flair for buttons :: lovely words flair
TCW :: Minivine mask
Elle's Studio :: Day to Day tidbits
American Crafts :: Amy Tangerine :: stencils
American Crafts :: Amy Tangerine :: authentic phrase stamp
Technique Tuesday :: Studeio AE :: super fantastic
Heidi Swapp :: Color Shine :: Mustard
Heidi Swapp :: Color Shine :: Mint Green

Scrap Your Story Challenge :: you are my favorite color

It all started with an idea and some white card stock. 

And it's probably one of my favorite LOs ever.  I love it when my vision actually turns out exactly like (or even better than ) I expected!

This week at Scrap Your Story, we are all about STITCHING.  This was not difficult for me, since I am obsessed with machine stitching!  This week I machine stitched, but I also hand stitched (something I don't do quite as often).

First I added some chalk...next some machine stitching. Let me tell ya, it was SO MUCH FUN to add the stitching.  I matted my photo with some Amy Tangerine vellum (purchased at Michael's -- Recollections "Signature" pack), and some regular vellum.  I used more of the Amy Tangerine vellum for my title, then traced around it with a pink Sharpie.  I actually did the trick again where I wrote "favorite color" with my finger on my iPad, and then used my Silhouette Cameo to cut it out. "You Are My" is April's Studio AE stamp set from Ali Edwards.

I actually did a practice page with this one before starting. I didn't want that page to go to waste, so I used it for several items on this LO. First I used Amy Tangerine's Yes, Please template and hand stitched a flower (totally fun, right)? I cut it out and popped it off the page with pop dots. I also used some of the practice page to write my journaling on (cut it and hid it behind the pic -- just pull the yellow washi tab).  There is a stamp set with the same Amy Tangerine collection, and I used the flower stamp on that practice page, cut it out and added a little colored pencil to it before gluing it on. Added some washi tape and sequins and I was finished. I cannot tell you how much fun this was to pull together!

Here are a few closeups!

"You Are My" is a new Ali Edwards stamp!

I also linking this up with Paper Issues.  Their current issue is all about using instagram photos! You have until April 20th to link up!

I'm headed to my friend's wedding this weekend!  It's local....it's outside....and it's been raining hard for what seems like weeks and weeks.  Cross your fingers!