:: make pretty things ::

I love it when things just work! That often happens when I start with a good sketch or when I start with inspiring papers. Today I was lucky enough to have both!

This LO is based on a sketch that I got from this fun community that I am a part of called Scrap Happy!

For this layout I used squares from the 6x6 paper pad by Amy Tangerine; her Plus One collection. I purchased the paper pad and quite a few 12x12 papers also part of the Plus One collection from Paper Issues.  I added some washi from my stash and the enamel dots are some that I made with perler beads.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cute the title out of black card stock (Bebas font). I also use my Cameo for "pretty" -- this was a file by Loni Stevens that I downloaded from the Silhouette store. I decided to use the reverse image for "things". I used my gelatos, scrap of white card stock, and a water pen for the background of "things". I wanted to mimic the water color look in so many of the Amy Tangerine papers!

I used my Cameo to cut out these two tags as well.  One tag is just orange paper for my journaling, the other tag was cut from another piece of the 6x6 Plus One paper pad.  The original is b&w, so I added a little bit of color with a yellow gelato and water pen. I used the same papers and technique for the arrow that points to the word "Make" (I cut the arrow with my Cameo, too, using this file.

I love that I got this little "short" story in the books.  I extra love when Bea decides that she would like to make stuff like Mommy.

I am gearing up for LayOut A Day in May (LOAD514). So exciting! I've talked about LOAD in several previous posts, and shared some of the layouts that I have made. Are you interested in joining me for LOAD in May?  It's not too late to sign up!   Click here to view more details about LOAD514 and how to sign up.

Thanks for stopping by!

:: 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!

44 by forty-four

A few weeks ago I ran across this post about de-cluttering. Woah, do I need this!  It's Spring. It got me thinking…

I'm almost forty-four. When am I going to be a grown up and get rid of the crap? ;-) The time is now.

So I've set a goal. Between now and my forty-fourth birthday in October, I will de-clutter by getting rid of at least 44 bags of "stuff".

I'm taking Elise's lead, and documenting it here…and I'm not going to lie…a mini book may be in order by the end of this ordeal.

This past weekend I gave it my first go. One of the bags in the photo above will be headed for Good Will, the other is in the trash. I'm not going to tell you which one is full of (mostly) SOCKS.  Yep, socks. Socks without matches (where do they go, exactly?), socks with holes, socks so stained that I would never wear them in public again (so why do I still have them??)!  I am not even going to mention that some of these socks just may have been left over from the sock addiction that I had in the 80s. And they were still in my possession.

Socks were sort of a random way to start, but I had been staring at them for years, and I was just done. 

I have some specific ideas of how to tackle this project over the next 190 days or so. I hope to share those ideas along with my progress throughout this adventure.

This is what I know now. I know that I am tired of the clutter. I know that my One True Love is also ready for it to go! I know that I will need to break this huge goal down into small parts in order to actually accomplish it. This week it was socks, next week another small, doable, step will be tackled.

Wanna join me?