:: a layout about me ::

I am loving playing along at CSI : Color, Stories, Inspiration! One of the things I love about the place is that a new case is introduced on Friday, and then you have over a week to complete it -- which means, two weekends, which I often need! This week was no exception. As soon as I saw this case last Friday (March 22), I knew I wanted to participate. The colors are fantastic! I even knew which photo I was going to use. If you are interested in playing along with this case, you have until midnight, and the new case (no due until next Sunday) has already been introduced, here. I think you will find the colors and inspiration equally yummy. Check it out! 

I also used the March sketch it out challenge (club CK) sketch from the great Ashley Horton!  So, here's my layout, and boy did I have fun!

After printing my photo, I realized it was too...ummm...white, had too much contrast, something, it just didn't look right! So, I reprinted, this time on vellum -- umm, yeah, way better and a fun change. I had gathered a bunch of papers together before beginning, and I did start with them, but I quickly decided I wanted to get my hands dirty. So, I grabbed a few 4x6 photo papers, and another neutral patterned paper with some words on it, then I grabbed some spray inks and made my own paper. Also VERY fun (they are the ones peeking out from behind the photo)! 

I used some more vellum and stamped a bunch of words on it...also used a wood veneer camera as a stamp, and stamped on the vellum! (see why I had so much fun with this one?) I used a stencil to cut out the word, "ME" and then put the vellum behind it. This was after trying several other things first, but I'm glad it lead me to this final product.

You'll notice that I used some orange, which isn't included in the lovely color scheme provided by CSI. But, how could I do a layout about ORANGE GEARLE, without using orange?!?!

Hope you had a great {holiday, if you celebrate it} weekend!

Scrap Your Story :: let's go fly a kite

It's Friday, which means another reveal day at Scrap Your Story Challenge Blog!  It has been so exciting to see what everyone has be linking up!  Hope you link up this week!

This week the challenge is to use some cork on your layout!  I used cork letters for "fly a KITE", and I also punch a circle out of cork (it's behind the "B" ormolu flair).

I stepped out of my comfort zone a bit this week and did some hand stitching on my layout. I've done (and am addicted to) machine sewing -- but I've never used a pattern, poked holes, used a needle, the whole shebang! In a Scrapbook Circle Add on kit I got this awesome stitching kit from Amy Tangerine's Yes, Please line.  So, I used 'em! Then I dry brush painted a little bit of spray ink to add a little more color and show off that stitching a bit (it was a little lost with all that lovely chevron).

Lovin' me some flair from A Flair for Buttons!  I also added a spot for hidden journaling.  I used some washi tape to add some color -- the actual journaling spot is kraft. Then I used an Ali Edwards stamp "Tell the Story", which comes from the March Studio AE stamp set "This Story" available at Technique Tuesday.

Some layers, more AE stamping, and Amy Tangerine stitching.  :-) 

Did you know that Scrap Your Story has a facebook page??  Check it out here.

I'm also linking this layout up at Paper Issues :: Up In The Clouds! 

Scrap Your Story Challenge #4 :: iCousins

It's Friday which means a new challenge is up at Scrap Your Story Challenge Blog! It has been so fun to participate in these challenges over the last month. If you haven't checked out the challenges yet, you should give it a looksy. As a reminder the challenges go like this...

Week 1: Use it
Week 2: Theme
Week 3: Sketch
Week 4: Technique

This week's challenge is to do some embossing somewhere on your layout...dry...heat...doesn't matter, whatever works for you, just give this technique a try!

Here's my reveal:

And here's the sketch I used:

I flipped it a bit.  This sketch is the March Sketch over at Scrap Happy, a community of scrappers that are....well, happy :-).  And welcoming.  And fun. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I recently joined the Scrap Happy community. I will likely mention them again, since so far so good with the happiness! LOL

The close-ups :

I incorporated the challenge (embossing) in two ways. First of all I heat embossed the three vellum circles. I used a mask and VersaMark embossing ink, and then white Zing! embossing powder (and my heat gun).  (By the way...I totally stole this idea from an Ashley Horton sneak that I saw on Instagram! I'll link to her layout when it goes live later this month)!

The second way was on the journaling spot. I used both white Zing! and some clear embossing powder around the edges, and then the clear only for my journaling lines. I like this look and I'll probably do it again!

Almost everything else I used came from the Scrapbook Circle February Kit! I really enjoyed working with the Glitz Color Me Happy line included in this kit. It's so bright, colorful and...well....happy. I also ordered the two add-on kits, one of which included the awesome blue card stock used in this layout! The awesome circle cut behind the main photo is from the Silhouette store (background lace circle by Karla Dudley). The letters are fabric Thickers, that I misted with peach Heidi Swapp Color Shine. And the flair, oh the flair....you guessed it A Flair for Buttons!