:: mad hatter ::

It's Pinspire Me Monday on the Paper Issues blog and I love this challenge! Here's my take:

This photo shows off my daughters crazy personality. She's reading her assigned reading (which isn't always her favorite thing). She spiced it up a bit on this night -- she came out with two hats on, sunglasses, and a cape! Love these moments captured. 

Here is the Pinspiration that Leah came up with to inspire us this month.

Don't you love it!  I saw all that black and white with pops of aqua and red, and then boom!

Here are a couple of close ups:



I started with papers from Pink Paislee's Memorandum collection, added in some Crate Paper's After Dark.  Of course I used some watered down gelato in the back ground. :-)

These days a layout isn't complete without at least one (or two, or three) flair buttons from {a flair for buttons}.

Click here for a free cut file.

:: just spokin' ::

I'm up on the Paper Issues Blog with a product spotlight!

When I took this photo of my daughter, I knew the After Dark collection from Crate Paper would be the perfect papers to help tell this story.

I started by adding some watered down, orange, gelatos to add a splash of color to the background paper.  Just for fun I added some peach Heidi Swapp Color Shine.

I loved the bats from the ephemera pack, so I designed a cut file of bats to add as my next layer.

I backed some of the bats with patterned paper from the 6x6 paper pad, and others I left open to let the orange shine through.  I also used the 6x6 paper pad and a few pieces from the ephemera pack to create layers behind my photo.

I stitched everything down with black thread, including the little strips of paper at the top and bottom of the layout.

I wanted to tell the story and I needed a place to put it that wouldn’t take away from the design of the layout, so I hid it behind the photo in a vellum envelope that I cut with my Silhouette Cameo. I added a couple of other tags to the envelope, just because! Pop dots pop that photo right off the page to help keep the focus on the photo, even with all the other stuff going on around it. I also think it adds a bit more texture.

To finish this one off, I grabbed some cards, tags, and vellum shapes, also from the After Dark collection.  I added a couple of flair pieces from {a flair for buttons} and placed the title (and subtitle).

Don't forget to stop by the Paper Issues Store and grab some awesome from the store!  While you're at it, use the code 'orangegearle' and get 20% off your order!

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you have a fun, safe, and spooky Halloween!    

:: 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!

:: love this ::

Each Sunday in the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} Facebook group we feature a layout and encourage you to Scrap Lift it!  This is my take on the most recent ScrapLiftSunday layout by Aleksandra Gadji.

I used a bunch of Pink Paislee's Cedar Lane collection -- they were perfect for this sunset layout!

Grab Cedar Lane and anything else you may need for your paper obsession at the Paper Issues Store and use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your entire purchase!

:: today and everyday is a blessing ::

I absolutely love product spotlights on the Paper Issues blog!  This spotlight is no exception.  We grabbed Pink Paislee's Cedar Lane collection and got busy!

From the Cedar Lane collection, I grabbed a couple of patterned papers, the ephemera pack, and the 6x6 pad.  I also grabbed some bits from the September Swag Bag, and created this layout about the perfect marshmallow roasting with family! 

Seriously, this PaperPOP (available here) by Parker on the Porch is perfect for this LO!  (Don't tell anyone, but I may have had this particular little guy in mind when I took the photo)!

Be sure to check out the other projects on the blog!  There are new items in the Paper Issues Store -- so many beautiful things -- check them out, grab what you need and use the code 'orangegearle' to save 20% off your entire order!

See you soon!

:: what a BEAuty ::

Fun. Colorful. Used a lot of stuff.  Got to play.  #winning.

What a BEAuty (<<< see what I did there?).  Quite a bit of Amy Tangerine Finder's Keepers made it on to this layout. Amy Tan's stuff always matches that water color look, which I happen to completely dig. 

Lots of layers, which mostly came from cards in SWAG bags, and I added a flair from {a flair for buttons} that matched perfectly (and reminds me to breathe, which is helpful). 

The story is simple. It's about a girl, dressed like her favorite fairy, watching Batman (and sometimes, she is Batman -- mostly on the weekends).

A splash of color all over the background -- made by me, using gelatos. I love me some gelatos. 

I'm sharing this one with the ladies over in the Paper Issues {friends & fans} Facebook group. They are really a fun group of peeps. Each month there are tons of challenges and ways to play along (and possibly win a gift card to the Paper Issues Store). I based this layout on the Scrap Lift Sunday challenge. Each Sunday a layout is posted, and we get to lift it! This past week's layout was create by PI girl Mary-Ann Maldonado.

Pop in and check out all the goings on! If your looking to purchase some of the new goodies in the Paper Issues Store -- don't forget to use the code 'orangegearle' for 20% off your purchase!

:: 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!

:: be awesome ::

Have I mentioned how much I love Crate Paper?  Have I shared my love for their Wonder collection? Yes, Yes, I have, but I'm sharing again. This time as part of a Product Spotlight over on the Paper Issues Blog.

I also used a Scraplift Sunday Layout by Jen Boumis as design inspiration.  

You can participate in ScrapLift Sunday, Card Sketch challenges, Sketchy Saturday sketches, PinSpire Me Mondays, Lets Plan On It challenges, and oh so much more on FaceBook, in the Paper Issues {Friends & Fans} group.  If you aren't a member - why aren't you????  

Grab some Crate Paper or just about anything else at Paper Issues Store, use the code for 20% off.

:: 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!