Jar of Hearts Photo Frame

It's almost the big day!  Yes, I love Valentine's Day.  I find I make lots of projects for this special occasion, and today I'm going to share a photo frame I altered.

I really like this pic of BabyOfTheFamily, taken last Fall. I actually designed this frame for display in the Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L booth at CHA. 

All the heart embellishments are made with Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L designer shapes called  3D Foam Hearts.  

I used BoBunny's paper collection "Head Over Heels"

Today my photo frame is being featured on the Crafty Power Blog, along with my tutorial on how I created that jar of hearts.  Click HERE to see tutorial. 

Here is another Valentine project I created that was also on display at CHA last month: a Valentine card.

That cute clear pocket of sequins and glitter is Keepsake Envelope, another product I love from Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L.  The light pink/black stripes across the top and bottom are actually E-Z Squares tape runner that I heat embossed!  

Thanks for coming by! I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day tomorrow!

New Brother ScanNCut Tutorial

I've been playing with the new Brother ScanNCut electronic cutting machine and designed this fun polaroid frame.

This is one of my goofy iPhone photos of BabyOfTheFamily and I taking a selfie while shopping. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! ha!

I chose a pretty pink card stock from the new "Pastels" Core'dinations Colorcore pad.  I'm desperate for some spring colours these days…aren't you?  

Here is a video I made that shows the full tutorial of how I designed this polaroid frame, all using cut files from the ScanNCut library.

If you would like to watch more of my YouTube videos, click HERE.  You can subscribe to my channel and find more crafty tutorials.

Head Over Heels with BoBunny

There are few Valentines collections that I design with, but when I saw the Bo Bunny "Head Over Heels" release, I wanted to have it!

This is one of my projects that was on display in the Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L booth at the CHA tradeshow a few weeks ago.  

Today my layout is being featured on the Crafty Power blog, so click HERE to visit and see more close-ups.

This photo of my daughters is from 10 (gulp) years ago.  It is definitely one of my fave photos of them of all time.

Actually, I created a layout 10 years ago called "Sisters" with a timeline of photos. Here is the right page of the double layout (Don't laugh)

Their relationship has changed and evolved just like they have.  Sometimes they seem distant from one another.

And sometimes I can see how close they really are.

I've always wanted a sister, but I do have a pretty fantastic brother who means the world to me!

I've witnessed my mom's close relationship with her sister, and they don't live in the same city but talk on the phone every day.

They try hard to get together to celebrate birthdays and understand that their time together now is precious.

I hope my daughters will cherish each other like this in their twilight years.

For now, they cherish their iPhones and friends, but I'm confident that will change.

January Sketchy Challenge

Once again I'm squeaking in my January Sketchy challenge layout.  Hmmm.  Maybe I should make a resolution about getting that done on time!

Here is Sue Sykes' awesome sketch, which I rotated 90 degrees counter clockwise:

Winter layouts are almost becoming a thing of the past for me.  That's because my teenagers don't really go outside much in the winter anymore.  If they do, it's only to take a bunch of goofy selfies. ha ha! Luckily, BabyOfTheFamily agreed to some pics a couple months ago.  I LOVE winter photos!

For my frosty layouts, I often use Bo Bunny, and each winter I'm excited about seeing their new papers.  I just love the colours and patterns in the Woodland Winter collection:

I put baby powder on the backs of my snowflake stickers so the edges would lift off my background.

BoBunny's matching embellishments and stickers always make designing so easy.  I must admit, I'm kind of a matchy-matchy type of girl :)

The navy twine is May Arts.

Every season I say how much I don't like winter, but I love creating winter layouts! 

I hope you have a chance to design a layout for Canadian Scrapbooker's Sketchy Challenge!  In a few more days, the February sketch will be posted.  Click HERE to visit the Sketchy Gallery and be inspired!

Stay warm...

Nordic Pines from Bazzill Basics Paper

I have come across a winter collection that I really love…. Nordic Pines by Bazzill Basics Paper… and was inspired to design a layout for Canadian Scrapbooker's December Sketchy Challenge.

BabyOfTheFamily and her sweet friend surprised me by asking for photos outside during a blizzard! What?  I don't have to beg? Ha. 

Here is Sue Sykes' wonderful sketch:

I sure don't like winter, but strangely I always enjoy creating winter layouts! I think I was also inspired by the amazing landscape at the scrapbook retreat where I was working on this layout.

Isn't the Nordic Pines colour palette awesome? 

The Bazzill package of paper snowflakes worked perfectly as embellishments, along with the Kraft "Edge" card stock strips:

There were 3 different snowflake shapes:

I outlined the title with my American Crafts white Galaxy marker to make it stand out more on this cool piece of chalkboard patterned paper and added some stitching with red embroidery thread.

 My Stampin' Up! paper piercing set helped with all my stitching:

I also did some cross-stitching to enhance the homespun patterns and the tiny cross-stitched stag heads:

I stamped and cut out this stag using a Sizzix stamp/die set.

I just love that Bazzill pleated paper ribbon!  Just pull it out of the package, and you have a really pretty embellishment.  Easy!

At this busy time of year, it's so nice to use a collection that helps your layouts come together quickly and easily.  

If you need some inspiration with your designs, click HERE to visit the Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Gallery.

My New Double the Fun Sketch

I am hesitant to announce this, but I have a new Double the Fun layout sketch up on the Canadian Scrapbooker website….for SUMMER 2014! Ha ha.  That is how the magazine industry rolls.  Everything is planned waaaaay ahead.  While working on my Christmas cards and crafts, my creative mind is also thinking about Spring and Summer.  

Here is my new sample layout…

 After weeks of harassing my teenagers, I finally wrangled them together for our annual fall photo shoot.  Ok, so the picture snapping only lasted 4 minutes just before our Thanksgiving dinner last month, but this is better than nothing! 

Here is my new sketch, which I hope you'll try using for one of your layouts…

I used the gorgeous DCWV "Industrial Chic" Stack which is full of deep, rich patterns and colours, perfect for fall, vintage, masculine and so on.

Plus, the larger photo in the centre has a burlap mat, from the DCWV Burlap Stack.  I love the texture that it brings to the layout.

Some close-ups…

The small black type alphabet stickers are Glitz Design and the heart and 'ticket' and key are all cut from the patterned DCWV papers.  

The hearts are just cut freehand from that red paper, and I inked the edges with Clearsnap black chalk ink.

My journaling tag is cut from the DCWV paper as well.  Then I punched two holes at the top corners and wrapped my twine through.

The bottom border of the layout has a May Arts twill ribbon running across.  

I hope you enjoy this new sketch…and you have LOTS of time to submit your layout before the deadline: February 15, 2014!

Simple Stories Meets The Sketchy Challenge

Is it okay to post a Back To School layout at the end of October?  Of course it is!

BabyOfTheFamily first day of school Grade 8

This design is based on Sue Sykes' Sketch for October over at the Canadian Scrapbooker magazine Sketchy Gallery.

I've been itching to use these wonderful Simple Stories papers as soon as I saw them.  I mean, who can resist a collection called "Smarty Pants" ?  Not me...especially because this term describes BabyOfTheFamily perfectly.

The layered stickers are from the Simple Stories 'I heart Summer" collection...

That's what I love about Simple Stories....I can often combine collections and everything works so well together.



This fun title is cut out from one of the patterned papers.

I added stitching to the edges of my banners to make them pop a bit.

Not only am I happy to get a Back To School layout done, I'm happy that BabyOfTheFamily will still agree to pose for one! 

Back To School !

It's that time of the year when all parents are kicking up their heels because it's Back to School! This summer I did enjoy not rushing around in the morning, worrying about missing the bus, forgetting books and lunches and telling the girls, "No, you can't wear  THAT to school!" ha ha

But routine is good for us, too, and now I will have more of a routine time to blog and scrapbook.

Here is a layout I designed for the Create & Connect trade show in Vegas, and it's up on The Crafty Power blog. I used 4 of the 3D foam Designer Shapes:  wings, stars, heart, and rectangle/frame:

I have a simple tutorial on how I made those red stars....so click HERE to visit their blog and check it out.  The papers are FancyPants Designs and the stamps are Stampin' Up! and Graphic 45 (alphabet). The silver glitter is EK Success/Martha Stewart.

Confession:  The photo is from last year's first day of school.  Here is this year's pics from last week:

BabyOfTheFamily is in Grade 8

DramaQueen is in Grade 11

BoyGenius heads off to University

Oh well, two out of three isn't bad. Ha!