The Studio "S" Challenge

Morning, y'all!  Just popping in with our second September challenge over in The Studio.  We're asking you to include as many things as you can that begin with the letter s on your pages this go around.  I dove into my September Twin Falls Citrus Twist kit for this challenge and included the following twelve things that begin with the letter s: sequins, stitching, stamping, Silhouette, splatters, staples, stars, fabric swatch, sun, sky blue, September, and string.

 

I started this page by adding a little gesso, to the black and white, starry, patterned paper, base page, behind where my photo would lie.  Once it was dry, I added sky blue and yellow, watercolor puddles to it and splattered the entire page with those same shades of watercolor, as well as green and red watercolors and Titanium White acrylic paint.  Once again, I set it aside to dry, while I used my Silhouette to cut a large, black, cardstock star which was anchored to the page with gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching.  It was then topped with several color-coordinating, patterned prints, anchored with more gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching, as well as folded, fabric swatch and my photo which was matted with white cardstock.  The photo itself was then sandwiched between a "YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS" die cut, popped up with foam tape, and "SHINE ON" sun which was die-cut from a cut-apart sheet...

as well as a cut-apart and stapled, "LOVE THIS" tab, on the right...

and an "EYES ON THE STARS", cut-apart, journaling card, secured with a couple more staples, on the left.  My journaling reads, Off you go, with your daddy, to your 2nd year of Awana Truth & Training.  A manila tag, laced with Baker's Twine string, was tucked behind the journaling...

and a gold-foil, butterfly die cut tops it.

The entire design was then grounded with a 1" x 12" "SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IS ON THE HORIZON", cut-apart strip, topped with "SOUL ON FIRE" and blue label cut-aparts.  A stamped, in Jet Black and Brilliant Blue inks respectively, "this is Real" sentiment and frame, the latter of which was used to house my hand-written, Sept. 6, 2012, date, and scattering of hand-cut from patterned paper, die-cut, and cork stars, not to mention a healthy dose of sequins, complete the look.

 

Further inspiration for this page came from Sketches in Thyme's Sketch #294.

 

Be sure to stop by the challenge link above to see what my talented teammies have cooked up just for your viewing pleasure.  Then, you have until Sunday, October 8, 2017, to link up your takes, on this "S" Challenge and/or our previous, September Book Cover Challenge, in the right-hand column of The Studio blog.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a blessed week, friends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: frame & "this is Real" (Citrus Twist) Paper: white (Paper Studio); textured black (Bazzill); black & white star (Maggie Holmes); blue, black, & green stars & green designer (Paige Evans); blue diamonds (Citrus Twist); mustard triangles (Crate Paper) Ink: Jet Black (Ranger); Brilliant Blue (SU!); Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: gold thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); Nicole Nowosad November cut file (Hip Kit Club); Cameo (Silhouette); gesso (O'Leary Paints); watercolors (Kuretake); Titanium White acrylic paint (FolkArt); Clear Cut Stackers: Circles die (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); "SOUL ON FIRE", blue label, & "LOVE THIS" tab cut-aparts, sequins, fabric swatch, & cork stars (Citrus Twist); Escape the Ordinary ephemera & "SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IS ON THE HORIZON" & "EYES ON THE STARS" cut-aparts (Pinkfresh); manila tag (Paper Studio); Baker's twine (Clean Country Paper Supplies); staples & stapler (office supply store)

Pretty Little Studio: Dare to Dream

Morning, y'all!  I'm up on the Pretty Little Studio blog today, sharing a page inspired by one of our newest collections, Tales & Dreams, designed by Zinia Amoiridou; and I'd love to share it with you all here, too.  I just love all the fabulous, jewel-tone colors in this collection!  Enjoy!

I started this page by securing a quartet of 5-1/4" triangle prints, fitted side by side in the bottom right corner of the 12" x 12" watercolor paper, base page, with teal-threaded, straight, machine stitches.  I then sealed them with a little gesso before adding purple, blue, and teal watercolor puddles and splatters behind where my photos, which were matted with white cardstock, would eventually lie.  I then rubbed Pumice Stone Distress Ink through a floral stencil for a subtle pop of interest and splattered everything once again but this time with Pure Black and Titanium White, acrylic paints.  All that deliciousness was then topped with a large snippet of cheesecloth for texture, before my photos were adhered in a grid design over everything.  The top right corner of that grid was filled in with a Dreamy Days 3x4 Pocket Card, topped with a Dreams Shipping Tag, laced with white string, tied in a bow, and grounded with a Blooming Dreams Flair Button, backed with a tangle of teal thread.

The top of that tag was embellished with a duo of Floral Dreams Die Cuts, the smaller of which was popped up with foam tape, as well as a trio of Greenery Die Cuts; die-cut, white cardstock, mistletoe branches; and stamped, in Jet Black ink, on watercolor paper, hand-cut, and watercolored leaves.  I also snuck in lots of button blossoms, laced with white string, and punched, vellum flowers, studded with single, black pearls.

Daily Dreams Die Cut Words to say "fun moment" and a couple of "REMEMBER THOSE MOMENTS" and "EVERYDAY MAGIC" Stories & Tales Word Stickers ground the design...

and a secondary, floral cluster, surrounding another Floral Dreams Die Cut and consisting of a punched, vellum flower, studded with a black pearl; button blossom, laced with white string; "DON'T GROW UP" Always Fun Word Flag; and "THIS HAPPENED" Make It Happen Wood Veneer word bubble, offsets the larger one.

A scattering of Crystal 8mm and 4mm Sequins and a little journaling complete the look.  My journaling reads, I could've watched you, playing with the Build & Grow car that you just finished making, for hrs.  You were in your own little, dream world & happy as could be.  July 27, 2012.

Before I run, I also wanted to share September's gorgeous, exclusive freebies.  They're designed by Maryam Perez and available with any $25 or more purchase.  Go get yours today!

Thanks so much for humbling me with a visit!  Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Ever After (Wplus9) Paper: white & vellum (Paper Studio); watercolor (Master's Touch); Tales & Dreams: Stargazer 8x8, Cotton Candy 8x8, Dare to Dream 8x8, & Sweet Dreams 8x8 (PLS) Ink: Pumice Stone Distress Ink (Ranger); Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: teal thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); cheesecloth (Dritz); watercolors (Kuretake); gesso (O'Leary Paints); floral stencil (Jenni Bowlin); Pure Black & Titanium White acrylic paints (FolkArt); Petite Petals punch & button blossoms (SU!); black pearls (Want 2 Scrap); white string (Hobby Lobby); Under the Mistletoe die (Wplus9); Big Shot (Sizzix); Tales & Dreams: Blooming Dreams Flair Button, Stories & Tales Word Stickers, Always Fun Word Flag, Dreams Shipping Tag, Dreamy Days 3x4 Pocket Card, Floral Dreams Die Cuts, Daily Dreams Die Cut Words, & Make It Happen Wood Veneer; Beautiful Day: Greenery Die Cuts, & Summer Vibes: Crystal 4mm & 8mm Sequins (PLS)

August Recognition

Morning, y'all!  I really didn't mean to make this such a quiet month.  I just haven't had an overwhelming number of papercrafted projects to work on, so I've been trying to get caught up in several other areas of my life on top of keeping up with all of my family's fall activities.  I do have a couple of new pages to share over the weekend, but I realized that I never shared three layouts that received honors in and around blogland last month and would like to do that today.  They were actually all created in July but weren't honored until August.  Without further adieu, this sunny layout...

 

as well as this cutie patootie, made me the July Winner at Colorful Creations...

 

and this page was named the July 9th Sketch Challenge Winner over at Citrus Twist.

Thanks so much to all those who had a hand in such!  I'm beyond blessed and truly so thankful for the never-ending sources of inspiration and encouragement each and every one of you are to me!  I hope that one day I can return the favor.  And thanks so much to all my faithful followers for being such!  I'm humbled by your continued visits to my little ol' blog.  XOXO

PLS: Love You to the Moon and Back

Evening, y'all!  I'm up on the Pretty Little Studio blog today, sharing a sweet page of my littles reading together; and I'd love to share it here, too.  Enjoy!

I started this page by adding puddles and splatters of purple and green watercolors to the 12" x 12" watercolor paper, base page.  After adding a mix of Clear Flower Crown and To the Moon & Back star stickers to my background, I splattered everything once again but this time with Titanium White acrylic paint.  I then anchored a number of coordinating, horizontal strips from our Dream Big and With All My Heart collections, as well as some older prints that are no longer available in the store, with soft-purple-threaded, straight, machine stitching.  My photo itself was matted with white cardstock and backed with folded sheets of Confetti Vellum and Maybe Baby Vellum, not to mention a snippet of cheesecloth for texture and a Beautiful Bookmark Journaling Card, embellished with a stapled bit of white lace and white string, tied in a bow.  It was then sandwiched between a Winter Mini Word and duo of I Heart You Die Cuts on the right...

and the Wendy & Quinn Vintage Die Cut, popped up with foam tape and topped with a Beautiful Bookmark Journaling Card butterfly, on the left.

A Rainbow Label, etched with the April 27, 2016, date crowns the design...

and To the Moon & Back Stickers, which I used to create the "love you to the [moon] and back" title, and a trio of white, cardstock, journaling strips, popped up with foam tape, ground it.

My journaling strips continue the title itself and read, ...to infinity and beyond, forever and ever and always.  [heart], Mom.  A trio of color-coordinating, flower buttons from my stash, laced with white string and scattered throughout the design, complete the look.

Further inspiration for this page came from Stuck?! Sketches' September 1st Challenge.

Thanks so much for humbling me with a visit!  Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Paper: white (Paper Studio); watercolor (Master's Touch); Here Comes the Sun: Confetti Vellum 8x8; Dream Big: Shine from Within 8x8, Perfect Dream 8x8, & Dream Big 8x8; With All My Heart: You & Me 8x8; Ain't Life Grand: Maybe Baby Vellum 8x8; & purple floral, purple houndstooth, & mint leafy (PLS) Ink: Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: purple thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); staples & stapler (office supply store); watercolors (Kuretake); Titanium White acrylic paint (FolkArt); lace & yellow button (JoAnn Fabrics); white string (Hobby Lobby); purple button (SU!); aqua button (Buttons Galore & More); Here Comes the Sun: To the Moon & Back Stickers & Rainbow Label; Blooming Hearts: I Heart You Die Cuts; Summer Vibes: Flower Crown Clear Stickers; Dream Big: Beautiful Bookmark Journaling Cards; Wonderland: Winter Mini Word; & Wendy & Quinn Vintage Die Cut (PLS)

The Studio Book Cover Challenge

Morning, y'all!  Just popping in with our first September Challenge in The Studio.  We're asking you to take inspiration for your page(s) from the cover of a book of your choosing.  I was inspired to use Maggie Holmes' new Carousel Collection on my page by an old, Walt Disney Little Golden Book.  It happens to be Mary Poppins: A Jolly Holiday, but I wasn't inspired by the book content as much as I was by it's overall cover theme and color.  Enjoy!

 

I started this page by smudging and splattering Cherry Glimmer Mist and Sky Mr. Huey's onto the woodgrain, patterned paper, base page.  Additionally, I splattered it with Pure Black and Titanium White acrylic paints, as well.

 

Once it was dry, I anchored a number of prints, with gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching, behind where my photos, which were matted with white cardstock, would lie.  Floral, BINGO, and Polaroid die cuts were then tucked under the top edge of the largest photo...

and a ticket and tag, laced with ivory lace and white string, tied in a bow, under its right side.  Both a "DAY TO REMEMBER" cut-apart, popped up with foam tape, and "IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS" phrase sticker...

turn our attention to the "ON TOP OF THE world" cut-apart, which I used as my title.  It was topped with a gorgeous, gold-glittered, die-cut bloom, as well as a "Filled with Joy" heart die cut, both of which were popped up with foam tape, and sandwiched between the smaller photograph on the left and my journaling on the right.

The journaling reads, Ezekiel had his last homeschool program of the year @ the zoo.  So, Adina & I bundled up, met the Rydens & Ginns, & enjoyed the morning visiting our favorite, furry friends.  4.10.13.

That smaller photograph was then backed  with both a glittered, Polaroid die cut and a snippet of cheesecloth.  A carousel zebra, popped up with foam tape...

hand-cut, from patterned paper, kite, which was also popped up with foam tape; and scattering of acrylic and gold, sequin stars, not to mention a single, black and white, striped button, laced with white string, complete the look.

Be sure to stop by the challenge link above to see what my talented teammies have cooked up just for your viewing pleasure.  Then, you have until Sunday, October 8, 2017, to link up your takes in the right-hand column of The Studio blog.  Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a blessed week, friends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Paper: white (Paper Studio); woodgrain (Pink Paislee); pink designer, polka dot, carnival, & kite (Maggie Holmes) Ink: Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: gold thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); Cherry Glimmer Mist (Tattered Angels); Sky Mr. Huey's (Studio Calico); Pure Black & Titanium White acrylic paints (FolkArt); cheesecloth (Dritz); white string (Hobby Lobby); lace, "DAY TO REMEMBER" cut-apart, phrase sticker, & acrylic stars (Citrus Twist); die cuts, Polaroids, tag, "ON TOP OF THE world" cut-apart, gold star sequins, & button (Maggie Holmes)

PLS Pinterest Inspired: Life Is Good

Hey, y'all!  I trust you had a wonderful weekend.  We took advantage of the long, Labor Day weekend here in the good ole' USA to get a house in Tulsa, Oklahoma with my sister-in-law and her family up from Dallas, Texas, and spent the weekend just having a ball together.  My hubby took off the next couple of days now that we're home, too, to give us a little more time to reconnect.  We've got homeschool band, horse camp, and baseball practice today; but tomorrow we're heading up to Schweizer Orchards in St. Joseph, Missouri.  It's apple butter making time again.  Woohoo!  All that said, I'm so glad that I got this page, that's up on the Pretty Little Studio blog today, made last week when things were a little less hectic.  It was inspired by the primary palette and circular umbrellas in the Pinterest photo below which was picked with the new Wish You Were Here Collection in mind.  I'm still waiting on my Wish You Were Here goodies to arrive, however; so I put today's share together using eleven different, fabulous collections.  Yes, I said ELEVEN.  Check it out!

I started this page by adding puddles and splatters of teal and yellow watercolors to the 12" x 12" watercolor paper, base page.  I then rubbed Tumbled Glass, Barn Door, Faded Jeans, and Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks through a pie stencil and outlined each section with a black artist pen.  A couple of Cedar Clear Stamps pies were stamped in Jet Black ink before everything was splattered once again, but this time with Pure Black and Titanium White, acrylic paints.

 

That set the foundation for a mix of Cameo-cut, patterned paper, pie slices which were cut in three different sizes and placed strategically throughout the design.  I then created a bed of patterned prints, some of which were anchored with black-threaded, straight, machine stitching and one of which came from our Figgy Pudding 4x6 Journaling Card pack, for my photos.  The photos themselves were matted with white cardstock, backed with a snippet of cheesecloth, and popped up with foam tape.  The bottom photo was additionally backed with a folded sheet of our Sun Tan Vellum.

A Mixed Bag Die-Cut arrow was joined by a Life Noted Flair Button; Beautiful Bookmark butterfly; and length of Baker's Twine, tied in a bow, to create the cluster to the left center of my photos.

A Rose Bush Tab, etched with the June 5, 2016, date, tops the photo stack...

and a "collecting happy moments" I Heart you Die Cut, along with a "love this photo" Remember Banner Sticker, backed with white cardstock and popped up with foam tape, rounds out its right center.

I then used a "Life Is Good" Love Life Word Die Cut to create my title; topped it with a GeoTag Sticker, popped up with foam tape; grounded it with a "friends" Bonjour Die Cut; and filled the space to the right of it with a little journaling to complete the look.  The journaling reads, Hanging out, @ Chatlain Park, with families from our Sun. school class is exactly what we needed to connect with the community @ Lenexa Baptist.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, friends!  Be blessed!

{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: Oakley Avenue: Cedar Clear Stamps (PLS) Paper: white (Paper Studio); watercolor (Master's Touch); Summer Vibes: Sun Tan Vellum 8x8; Let's Go: Paris 8x8; Dream Big: Perfect Dream 8x8, Shine from Within 8x8, & Start Today 8x8; Marigold: Dahlia 8x8; Ain't Life Grand: Take Note 8x8 & You & Me 8x8; red houndstooth (PLS) Ink: Barn Door, Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass, & Squeezed Lemonade Distress Inks & Jet Black (Ranger); Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: black thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); watercolors (Kuretake); Pure Black & Titanium White acrylic paints (FolkArt); pie stencil (Jenni Bowlin); Inner Circle cut file (The Cut Shoppe); Cameo (Silhouette); Tinsel Town: Figgy Pudding 4x6 Journaling Card; Holly Jolly: Remember Banner Sticker, Here + There: Bonjour Die Cut; Let's Go: GeoTag Sticker; Ain't Life Grand: Love Life Word Die Cut, Life Noted Flair Button, & Mixed Bag Die Cut; Blooming Hearts: I Heart You Die Cut, Dream Big: Beautiful Bookmark Journaling Cards; & Woodland: Rose Bush Tab (PLS)

Pretty Little Studio: HB2U

Welcome to the weekend, y'all!  I'm up on the Pretty Little Studio blog this evening, sharing a birthday card I made for my sister-in-law.  It utilizes lots of goodies from our Blooming Hearts Collection and a number of glorious, gold accents from With All My Heart and Here Comes the Sun.  Love!

 

I started this card by securing a couple strips of Cherish Vellum Tape, just left of vertical center, to a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Dream Big's Shine patterned print and, in turn, anchoring the patterned paper, to the white, cardstock, card face, with gold-threaded, straight, machine stitching.  A Picture Perfect Die Cut Polaroid frame, backed with an Our Story Journaling Card, cut to size, as well as a snippet of cheesecloth for texture, and popped up with foam tape, forms the foundation for my "HB2U" sentiment which was created from Gold Metallic A to Z Die Cuts and a single Gold Metallic Number Die Cut and popped up with more foam tape.  A "live in the moment" I Heart You Die Cut was hand-cut into a pennant and tucked between the lettering.

 

The top half of the Polaroid die cut was crowned with a Picture Perfect wreath, dressed up with a number of Blooming Die Cuts; hand-cut, from With All My Heart's Metallic Gold Lovely print, flowers; and a scrumptious, double, white, seam binding ribbon bow, studded with a single, white pearl.

A sprinkling of Snowcone Sequins bring out a touch more of that soft peach color and complete the look.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

{Supplies & Tools}
Paper: white (Paper Studio); Dream Big: Shine 8x8 & With All My Heart: Metallic Gold Lovely 8x8 (PLS) Other: gold thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); white seam binding ribbon (Zipper Stop); pearl (Paper Studio); cheesecloth (Dritz); Blooming Hearts: Picture Perfect Die Cuts, Blooming Die Cuts, I Heart You Die Cut, Our Story Journaling Card, & Cherish Vellum Tape; Beautiful Day: Snowcone Sequins; & Here Comes the Sun: Gold Metallic A to Z Die Cuts & Gold Metallic Number Die Cut (PLS)