:: 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!  

:: 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!

:: 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!

:: june ::

Hello June. I am so happy you are finally here.

:: sibling smooches :: with a sketch

Good Morning!

Some of the PI girls are playing with a sketch today over on the Paper Issues blog!  I was all sneaky and grabbed this photo of my grandson and his big sister from my daughter's Facebook page so I could do this layout!  I love this photo!

I'm using a lot of "Dream in Color" by Webster's Pages on this layout!  I totally love this combination of colors and designs! Brandin O'Neal hit this collection out of the ballpark.  It's available in the Paper Issues Store here.

The sketch is used was inspired by layout we spied on the Fancy Pants blog by Nicole Nowosad.

And here's the sketch:

I absolutely love all those circles (I changed a few circles to circles inside squares just to mix it up a bit).

As usual, lots of stitching all over, and I added a few layers under the photo.

This was a fun one!  And it came together quickly with all these awesome papers and a great sketch!

Check out the Paper Issues blog if you'd like to play along with Sketchy Saturday!  And check out the store here if you'd like some of the yummy goodness by Webster's Pages (or anything else)!  Don't forget to use the code orangegearle at check out for 20% off your order!

:: around here ::

around here | I've caught the planner bug. I've always been and planner and list maker -- and now I get to be creative in the process.  In October I preordered a Color Crush Planner from Webster's Pages.  It arrived last week and I love it.  I will be sharing more throughout the year.

around here | I found the best weather app ever!

around here | The first snowstorm of 2015 has arrived.

around here | I purchased several toe separators from The Dollar Tree -- everything's a dollar.  In fact, they came 2 for a dollar!  Never did they (or will they) touch a toe, however! I've used them to store my bobbins.  It keeps them secure, and you can see just enough of the color when you look at it from the top that it's perfect!

around here |  organizing, organizing, organizing.

around here | Everyone is coming out with new releases for CHA. I keep buying all the things!

around here |  Making lots of things!  Gelli printing, mini book making, and oh, so much to share.

around here |  Grandma B. had a milestone birthday this week.

around here | New year, new goals, new OLW, new start to a 365, and did I mention organizing?