..:: family commute ::..

It's time for the March Issue over at Paper Issues. This month it's ANYTHING GOES. Check out the blog for details on how you can play along.

Here's my take on the issue:

I went to snap a selfie of myself one morning on my way to work. My intent was to send it to my team to let them know that I would probably spill coffee on my light clothing before I got to school.  But I had a great photo bomber -- so, I had to scrap it! 😂 The journaling talks about how lucky I am that I get to carpool each morning with My One True Love and B. 

I used a combination of Pinkfresh Studio bits and bobs from their latest collections as well as items from Fancy Pants Joy Parade.  I started with green and orange and it became a blast of colorful confetti. 

Hope you play along this month!

:: snow shenanigans ::

It's a new issue over at Paper Issues and I got to play along this month!  The theme is Going Cold Turkey in Snowvember. I love it! I chose to go with the snow idea, and used the new collection from Crate Paper called Snow and Cocoa.

The photos are from January. It was such a fun day, and Bea enjoyed exploring the new neighborhood and play in the snow. She also got a little silly. She found these giant snow balls in the play yard of the school across the street.  These photos were perfect for this collection!

Thread and layers for the win. ;-)

Lots of water colors in the background, and I love all the gold pops throughout this collection.

I used the wood veneers in the collection, but I wanted some gold -- so I embossed half of each letter. Then I added 'shenanigans' using a cut file that I created, backing each letter with patterned papers. 

I loved working with this collection! I would love if you would play along with us -- details on how to do that are here.

Grab some Crate Paper or anything else you need at The Paper Issues Store and use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your purchase!

:: my true north ::

It's a new issue on the Paper Issues blog -- and I got to play along!

The issue, Let's Get Knot-ical. is a great theme for this time of year.  Some suggested theme ideas: anything you can do on the water; use a compass on your project, ship's wheel, sailboat or ocean creatures as embellishments; add knots to your project; beach vacation, Father's Day, etc.  

I used a compass to fit the theme. This layout is all about my One True Love, my True North.

I used products from Pink Fresh Studios for most of my layout, along with some Tim Holtz phrase stickers and watercolors, of course!

SaveSave

:: follow your heart :: new issue at paper issues

Each month Paper Issues has a new "issue" posted and the Design Team gets to play along. This month I got to participate! The theme is "Into the Woods", and here's my take on the theme:

I cut and glued papers from Webster's Pages Painted Passport collection. I chose a photo of my daughter riding her bike "into the woods" for this theme. I also played on the theme by using both woodgrain paper (find that here and here) as well as a bunch of random wood veneer pieces from my stash.  This was fun!  

I fussy cut a flower out of some of the patterned papers. I also used gelato to paint a few of the wood veneer shapes and add a bit of splatter behind the title.

Here are some more ways to play along with us this month: use wood veneer embellishments, wood grain papers or woodgrain stamps, camping, enjoying the outdoors, add woodland animals like owls, deer, foxes, etc., use the April printables.

Grab Webster's Pages or whatever your paper needs from the Paper Issues Store, and use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your purchase!  

:: christmas wishes ::

It's round two for the Owl I Want For Christmas issue on the Paper Issues Blog -- and I'm super excited to participate! 

This layout includes photos from B.'s letter writing and drawing for Santa this year! The whole story is housed in my December Daily, but these photos were extra cute and needs a layout devoted to them!

I used circles and triangles cut from Fancy Pant's Wish Season collection. I added several little puffy stickers from the same collection and some Heidi Swapp Color Shine for the win. Those little curved banners are from the die cuts that come with the collection as well.  I'm pretty sure that red and white striped paper is my fave (I've used it on several projects, and I may have to buy more)!

So what is Owl I Want for Christmas all about? Here are a few ideas to get you started (use one or use them all). Feel free to use any product you'd like.

• Show us your projects about December holidays and/or your holiday traditions.
• Share a project with an owl on it.
• What's on your holiday wish list?
• Has a child in your life lost any teeth (that may be all they want for Christmas)? Show us those cute toothless smiles or projects about the Tooth Fairy. 
• Download the Remember December free printable from the Paper Issues store and use one or more of the cards on your project.

Check out what the other DT members have created -- and link up with us to win!

What do you want for Christmas? There are quite a few new items in the Paper Issues Store -- don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your entire purchase!

:: happy fall y'all ::

Good Morning! I'm up on the Paper Issues Blog today with a project for the latest issue Fan-actics!  Around here we are big fans of fall.

Most of my papers are from the Simple Stories Pumpkin Spice collection, which I have just loved working with!  The colors are unbelievably rich and completely fall! I believe that orange paper is from Crate Paper's After Dark Collection, which I will highlight in an upcoming post!

Here are a couple of close ups!

I wrote a quote around the outside of the leaf "Every leaf speaks bliss to me, Fluttering from the autumn tree." - Bronte

Here are a few ideas if you'd like to play along for a chance to win a gift certificate to The Paper Issues Store!

• Tell us what or who you're a fan of, whether it be a sports team (or a particular player), TV show (or a particular actor), an activity, a guilty pleasure, something you collect, a scrapbooking manufacturer, etc.
• Show us your Halloween projects.
• Download the Favorite Time of the Year free printable from the Paper Issues store and use one or more of the cards on your project.

Grab yourself some Pumpkin Spice -- Christmas is in the store, too!  Use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your entire purchase!

:: 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!

:: wonderful, brave, & happy spirit :: new issue monday

It's New Issue Monday on the Paper Issues Blog!  This issue is All About that Face! I'm linking up this layout for sure!

I couldn't resist this photo of our sweet B. That face! She was so excited about the first day of swimming lessons!

And what about that Crate Paper??  Holy smokes!  I am in love with the Crate Paper Wonder collection, and it was perfect for these photos. There are tons of new products in the store. Grab some Crate Paper or anything else and don't forget to use the code orangegearle for 20% off your purchase!

More details on the issue: As you can probably guess, this is all about photos. Whether they include faces or not, we want to see macro photos/close ups, portraits, team photos, selfies, funny face photos, "bad" photos, vintage photos, group photos, Instagram photos...You get the idea, right?  Download August's free printable, The Beach is Calling, from the Paper Issues store and use one or more of the cards on your project.

Link up your projects for a chance to win a $20 gift card to the Paper Issues Store!


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.

:: 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??)!