Hey there! I'm on The Cut Shoppe  blog  and I'm so excited to show you my project today! I made a DIY fall decor piece that I've been wanting to do for a while.

I used three different cut files. Fall Wreath and Finally Fall were cut with vinyl for the front of the glass block.  The wreath was easy. I made it small enough to fit on the block, then cut the vinyl.

Getting 'fall' cut was a bit tricky. I used the knife tool in the silhouette software to slice the 'feeling' off of 'feeling fallish'. Once that was done, I was able to cut just 'fall' to add to the center of the wreath.

Now on to the paper part! I cut several leaves from Leaf It to Me, backing them with patterned paper from the Simple Stories Forever Fall collection to add color, pattern and yes, strength! I layered them on each side, on the top of the block. It looks so pretty siting on my table!

Surprise! I put twinkle lights inside the block! This is what it looks like all lit up. I love the lights through the cut files!

Thanks for taking a look at my creative view today! Im looking forward to sharing more with you so come back again soon. 

Little Things

Hey there and good morning! I'm on the Paper Issues blog again today sharing this project featuring our FREE cut files. 

You know, there are so many great cut files in the shop! Sometimes I'm overwhelmed and have no idea where to start. Other times, like today, I have an idea in my head and can't wait to get started. 

Oh, so that idea? Well, leaves. Layered leaves. I mean it's fall after all right? So I cut a bunch of leaves from the November Tags, October Daily Tags, Collecting Leaves and Fall is My Favorite cut files using  Pink Paislee Auburn Lane. Yeah, now the fun part. What to do with them! After moving them around the Newsprint page for a while, they landed in the corners. I like them there. They frame the photo nicely. But then I had space to fill. I don't like a lot of wasted space. So I filled it with a wood frame and some ephemera. Voila! This is a simple page really but these cut files make it special.

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Ive got a few things up my sleeve before the end of the month so come back again soon. you can get  Auburn Lane and many other things in the Paper Issues shop. Use DEVRA at checkout for 20% off your purchase. 

Who We Are Now

Hello there! I'm back already! I have a layout to share today for today's Get It Scrapped blog article, inspired by OOTD and also  A Flair for Buttons.

OOTD is a current trend. There are Facebook groups, bloggers all kinds of places to see who's wearing what. But have you created a scrapbook page inspired by an outfit? That's what we did today.

The inspiration outfit is one of my very favorites from my own wardrobe. It's easy, comfortable and I always feel good when I wear it. The top is loose and flowy but still shapely. The watercolor of the stripes give it a softer organic effect Jeans are a staple for me. They coordinate with everything, like a neutral. The shoes are also neutral, in color but not style. I love the roping around the wedge, and that they go with everything.

I chose to take most of my inspiration from the neutral and organic aspects of my OOTD. The colors, woodgrain patterned paper and stitching on it represent the texture of my shoes, the organic nature of leather and rope as well. The Vicki Boutin embellishments have a watercolor effect to them which also comes from the stripes in my shirt. The butterflies are not only part of my story, but the design of the leather on my shoe has always made me think of butterflies. The marble flair  and lovely words 7 flair I added are really there to add some dimension and tie all the colors together.

This was a thoughtfully cretive way to draw inspiration from OOTD and I would definitely use this approach again.

Our son recently started college, My husband and I are transitioning to our new parental roles.

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. I promise I'll be back again soon with more to share.

Supplies: Patterned Paper-Webster's Pages, Vicki Boutin, Diecuts, Chipboard stickers, -Vicki Boutin, Flair-A Flair for Buttons, Alpha-American Crafts, mist-Nuvo, Dylusions, pen & adhesive-EK Success, thread-DMC

Celebrate 18

Hey there! It's been a bit of an unexpected crazy month so not a very crafty one! Boo. Anyway, I'm on the Paper Issues Blog today sharing this page I made for the Let's Party challenge. Did someone say party? Yes please. We had a big birthday to celebrate this year. I think this photo fits this challenge don't you?

I'm all about quick, easy and what makes you happy these days. You know what? That's why I'm so happy Paper Issues is offering monthly kits now!  I still love everything about the Blue Ain't Your Color kit. Yes, I know it's from August but who cares?!?! It's fantastic. I think this is the 4th project I've made with it and I still can make a few more.  Seriously, everything on this page is from this kit and the Sept  Swag Bag.

Well, back to my layout. This isn't any old birthday page. 18 is a BIG deal and I wanted it to be BIG on my page.  One of my favorite things to do with scrappy products is to use them in different ways. That's what I did with the Stitching 2018  cut file. I deleted part of it, using only the 18. It gave me the exact look I was going for. I also used the 4th of July cut file for the word celebrate.

This gave me a chance to cross this photo off my list. Celebrating birthdays is always a big deal in my family. 18 is a really big deal. I cant believe how quickly this happened. I feel like he was little just a few weeks ago. 

So when I said easy, I meant easy. I highly recommend trying either or both the monthly kits and Swag Bags.  They will simplify your paper crafting and make it so much fun!  Use DEVRA at checkout for 20% off your purchase. Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Come back again soon, I will have more to share. 

Shine

Hey there and good morning! Ask me how excited I am to be sharing my first project and blog post for The Cut Shoppe! Wheeee! These cut files are so much fun and I couldn't wait to get started. I've been eyeing the Piece of the Pie cut file for a while now, so I decided this was the perfect time to use it.  Just look at all those spaces just asking for beautiful paper to be placed in them! So that's exactly what I did!

 Piece of the Pie

I've had the entire Amy Tangerine Shine On collection staring me in the face. What you see here are 10 different papers in each of the triangles. Yep. That's right, 10! And look how beautiful they look set in that black paper I used for the cut file? This was super easy to put together. If you haven't tried backing a cut file with patterned paper, this is a great one to use as a first try!

Here are a few close ups that include how I used embellishments. When I back a cut file with paper, I find I don't need much else. I used some die cuts, stickers and A Flair for Buttons flair for some dimension!  

That's all I have for you today! Thanks for stopping by my creative view! I cant wait to share more The Cut Shoppe  projects with you.

Supplies: Patterned Paper, stickers, die cuts-Amy Tangerine, Piece of the Pie cut file, Cardstock-Bazzill, A Flair for Buttons

Fun Announcement!

Hey there! Just poppin' in really quick today to say Hooray! I've been asked to join The Cut Shoppe Design Team! I've super excited to be a part of this team and cant wait to play with the cut files!

Who Let the Dogs Out?!?

Hello there! I'm up on the Paper Issues blog today with this layout for the Alphabet Soup challenge. This challenge has so many possibilities! Use alphas in a creative way? Yes please I'm in! 

I had so many ideas, but at the same time, I didn't have the foggiest idea what I wanted to do. Then I remembered the August Kit! While I was looking through it again, some of the brighter papers jumped out at me. Can I say that I love the variety in this months kit?!?!?  Anyway, those papers plus this photo and the ideas were rolling! 

The Dog Gone Cute cut file quickly became a colorful paw print. Little bits and pieces of papers and embellishments added even more color.  But wait. This is about the Alphabet! Oh right! I used 3 different black Thickers in 3 different fonts combined with the cut file in the title! Boom!

As you know SnapChat filters are all the rage right now. If you don't, well you should. It's not easy to get my son positioned right in front of the camera, but I got it right this time! This photo puts a smile on my face every time I look at it.

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Its been a crazy month for me. Stick around, I promise I have more to share!  Remember you can get 20% off your purchases in the Paper Issues shop using DEVRA at checkout.

The Best Family

Hey there and good morning! I'm up on the Paper Issues blog today with this layout created for the This or That  challenge. Have you played along with this one yet?  Shhhh... It's a secret fav of mine. I always look at the list and think, 'no problem'. But you know what happens when I get started? BAM. I always get stuck on something! First, let me show you the list and what I used:

Pink  or Red 

Circles  or Stars

Twine or Ribbon 

Brads or Flair

Cut File or punch

Stripes or Dots 

Scallops or Straight Edged Layers

Tab or tag

Want to know another secret? I've never thought of myself as someone who would be a kit person. But holy moly! The August Kit-Blue aint your color is fantastic! I got so many ideas just looking through my package when it arrived, I couldn't wait to get started! And boy, did this kit make this page super easy to complete!  

 This background paper was really talking to me. It said 'make me fancy'. So I did by layering some of the beautiful Vicki Boutin Ephemera pieces over flowers from the NSD 2017 cut file scattered over the page. Did you see those chipboard Thickers? I threw on several of the sentiments as well. I'm not done yet! There's more. I have another secret...I mixed pieces of the September Swag Bag in here too! They create those straight edged layers under my photo.   And you know how much I love flair right? A Flair for Buttons makes the best flair! I loved being able to used them for this challenge!

Like I said, this kit really is easy to work with. I may be a kit person after all! 

I really do have a great family. It's too bad we don't live closer to each other. It's always nice to be together, especially for happy occasions. 

Thanks for stopping by my creative view today. I have a lot going on this month, so come back again soon!

16 Things

Hey there and good morning! Not sure about you, but when I journal on my pages, it usually in a small space that doesn't disrupt the design.  Today on the Get It Scrapped blog, we are sharing ways to make those stories the focal point of your pages. 

Birthdays with my son are special. Every year I write a Facebook post about how far he has come, of how he has changed. This year I wrote something different, in a list form, sharing who he is, with anecdotes and details so that others can see that his disability doesnt define him, or me.

I typed up the story which I dont usually do. I handwrite all my journaling. I placed it on a dark colored matte so it would stand out. The photo and embellishments are small and are there to support the story. You cant tell a story about him with out having a visual...

This particular story was easy to tell and easy to feature. I would use this approach for other easy stories again.

I wanted a happy festive feel to the page, but a design that would focus on the story. I used Simple Stories Li'l Dude whose stripes, dots and sentiments matched not only the feel, but sentiments in my story. This also gave me a chance to play along at Paper Issues with the Listful Thinking challenge. 

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. I have a lot going on this month, so come back again soon.

Supplies: cardstock-American Crafts, Paper, stickers, chipboard, die cuts-Simple Stories, Printer-Epson

Cruising' Adventure

Hey there, good morning and hello September! What a way to kick off the month! Paper Issues is the featured parter for PageMaps this month! We were asked to create a layout with the September sketches. Here is the sketch I used and the page I created with it.

Since this is a feature, I didn't want to stray too far from the sketch. I kept the embellishment in the same places, changing mostly their size and shape. But I did move the title. I had these photos in mind, thinking the new Fancy Pants On Our Way  would be great with them. I love the colors, especially the green Travelogue paper. The yellow dot border you see? I fussy cut some strips from the Navigator paper. The rest I put together with pieces of the Ephemera die cuts ,  tags & labels. The Flair&buttons pack added some fun dimension and oh my those puffy alphas are fantastic!

This was a great sketch that has many possibilities for adaptation. Don't have 3 photos? Make one a journaling spot. See I just gave you an idea.

We usually go to the movies on my son's birthday, but this year there really wasn't a new movie to see. We know he likes going on boat rides so we took him on a harbor cruise on Lake Washington. Unfortunately, he wasn't his usual excited self, but we spent a beautiful day on the water and really had a lovely afternoon. 

Thanks for stopping by my creative view today. Please checkout PageMaps today to see the entire Paper Issues team showcase these sketches with incredible layouts. Then head to the Paper Issues store to get some Fancy Pants, the new September Kit or a Swag Bag. Use DEVRA at checkout for 20% off your purchase!

Today is the Day

Good morning! I have a 3 for 1 layout today! I'm sharing this page on the Get It Scrapped and A Flair for Buttons blog. This page also is for the Take 5 challenge at Paper Issues. I used stripes, die cuts, flair, mist and blue.  At Get It Scrapped, we are talking about using sparkle on your scrapbook pages to enhance certain elements, add dimension, or a touch of glam. 

I started with some bright colored papers from Dear Lizzy. I wanted this page to feel happy and celebratory. The sentiments I chose on the stickers, and die cuts all speak to this theme. The Smash Phrases flair are so perfect too! I was even able to use Graduation Flair .

Since this page is about a celebration, I used some glitter filled epoxy stars. They add both dimension and shine, and are part of the theme of the page. They are slightly outside the block which draws attention to them as well. The sentiment stickers happend to be gold foiled, which also added to the celbratory theme. The gold spray splatters coordinate with the stars and are fun.

Sparkle is a great way to draw attention to elements on the page. In one particular place or to moce the eye around the page.

My son just graduated from High School and will be leaving soon for college. This was a great day for him and our family, I cant wait to see what he does next!

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. I hope you plan on coming back. Have lots more to share.

Supplies: Paper-Amy Tangerine, Derl lizzy, stickers & chipboard-Dear Lizzy, stars-Freckled Fawn, flair-A Flair for Buttons, mist-Heidi Swapp, pen and adhesive-EK Success

Heart and Soul

Hey there and good morning! I'm on the Paper Issues Blog today sharing this page featuring our FREE cut files. Do you have an electronic die cut machine? Have you used our cut files? Well, I'm showing you today exactly why you should!

I used 2 cut files today on my page. Yep. 2. Can you see them?  First is the Perfect Pair cut file. No, It's not cut out anywhere. I shrunk it down, copied it, then used pens to sketch it out. See it now? It's the background!   I filled in all the little hearts with stickers and enamel shapes from PinkFresh and my stash.

The second cut file I used is Beat of my Heart. I cut out one of the hearts to frame my photo, as well as one of the 'heart beats'. Both of those are layered over a bunch of PinkFresh fussy cut hearts. The truth is, these cut files really are the star of this page. I didn't need to add much more. Not even a title. I let the little bit of ephemera I used do that for me.

My husband and I don't get a chance to go out much, but we did make the time to go out and celebrate our anniversary. It's nice to go out and a good reminder we need to do it more often!

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. I appreciate you being here. Head over to the Paper Issues shop to get yourself some new goodies. They are always 20% off when you use DEVRA at checkout.  See you again soon!

Hotel California

Good morning! It's Scrapift Sunday at Paper Issues . Guess who we are lifting this week? Me! I originally created this layout for a July challenge, On the Edge. 

So I kind of had to play along don't you think? I changed it up a bit by flipping the page from side by side to top and bottom, which gave me more room for this title.  I didn't realize it until just now but I also used PinkFresh for this page as well.  Today it's A Case of the Blahs, with its funny sarcastic sentiments that were perfect for my silly photo. The finishing pieces for me are the flair. They also have some great sentiments that I used to further the humor on my page.

A couple of years ago we went to Knott's Berry Farm. We did everything while there, including, yes, the prison photos. Why not?

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Check out all the August challenges in our Facebook group. Always Use DEVRA at checkout to receive 20% off your purchase in the Paper Issues shop!

Here We Go

Hey there and good morning!  Our days are busy, so I've been spending some of my evenings crafting! Yay for me time. And Yay for completing the Pop, Lock and Drop it Challenge at Paper Issues.   This challenge is all about making things pop on your project. Make them 3D!  So easy for me. I do this all the time. 

I started with a sketch from PageMaps and some Crate Paper Here & There a. I needed a little extra mojo and this sketch was exactly the jump start I needed. Moving on, I grabbed ALL my embellishments, laid them out on my table and made a pile of what I thought wanted to use. that pile was massive. Oops. I pared it down to what you see here. A mix of stickers, ephemera, and chipboard. Oh, I cant forget the A Flair for Buttons Flair too!  I pushed everything around until I had everything tucked and layered in all the right places. What you see is what you get!

Traveling with my family is not always easy. It takes a lot of effort. It's always worth it once we get there though! This summer trip was no exception!

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Come back again soon, I have more projects to share. Shop the Paper Issues store for new product and so much more. Use DEVRA at checkout for  20% off your purchase!

A Record Day

Hey there! Welcome to August. Wow. Where did June and July go? Well, it's a new month so that means there are a slew of new challenges at Paper Issues. Speaking of that, I'm on the Paper Issues blog today with this project for the new Oh $@#&% challenge!

Now don't worry, we aren't asking you to use foul language on you're projects. Well, you can if you want to. The idea is to use punctuation in a creative way on your projects. How fun is that.

I've already done a few pages with @$!# in my title and wanted to do something different. I also didn't want to throw a # in there and call it a day. No, no, no. I'm all about trying something new! I already knew I was using Crate Paper Wild Heart, which is bold and wacky. I also had already chosen a kraft background which can be dull and drab on its own. so, how do I work these little punctuation characters in...  I wound up taking a subtle approach to this challenge. I created a border for the page by doodling with a black pen, then adding asterisks, plus signs and exclamation points to the corners, mixing in some Nuvo drops, linking it all together. Ha! I love the way the page is framed, giving the background some fun details!

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. I have lots to share this month so come again soon. 

Well, now it's your turn. We want to see what you create with punctuation on your projects. You can find this and all of our challenges in the August Challenge album in our Facebook group. New stuff is always arriving in the Paper Issues store.  Shop using DEVRA at checkout for 20% off your purchase. 

Golden

Hey there! I'm on the Paper Issues blog today with this little number for our Getting Chippy challenge. 

I know, I know, chipboard. What's the big deal. It's been around for-ever. We all buy it right? But how much do you actually use? One or two pieces, maybe a few more, then the rest of sheet sits around sadly never being used again. I'm so right aren't I? 

Not today! I grabbed my Crate Paper Wild Heart. I had yet to tackle the chipboard sheet. Well, I'd only used one or two pieces...See. I told you so.  I challenged myself to use as many as I could on one page. I used the Electric paper as my background, mixing in some of the Roar paper as well. You can see all of my usual tucked and layered bits behind the photos. 

Now for the chipboard. I was drawn to that large camera. I was determined to use it! Front and center it went! This sheet also has lots of little banner pieces. I did not want to create a traditional banner. Nope. I decided to flip them on their sides. Using them and several other stickers and pieces of chipboard created a fun line or shelf across the page, with the camera featured exactly I wanted. Oh. And I used 9 pieces of chipboard. Yep. 9.

My husband had a big birthday last year but didn't really want to celebrate. He mentioned this concert in conversation one day. That's all it took. Ding! Ding! Ding! Happy Birthday Dude! He took our son so he could experience music from the Golden Age of Hip Hop. A Golden gift indeed!

Thanks so much for stopping my my creative view today. Head over to our Facebook group to find this and all of our July Challenges. Join the fun! We want to see what you create! You have until August 5 to play along this month.   Remember to shop using DEVRA at checkout for 20% off your purchase.

Red White & Blue

Hey there! I have a fun, silly project on the A Flair for Buttons blog today. 

The giant title says it all!  It's the FREE 4th of July cut file from Paper Issues.

I used flair from 3 different sets to complement each color.

What a perfect pair, The Selfie flair from the Comic Words 1 set sits right next to, you guessed it, our selfie. Tucked next to the white like a fireworks burst is a piece from the Noted Flair 1set. Lastly, next to the bottom photo I had to use a piece from the Stars & Stripes set. It has all three colors tying them all together.

I used  Pebbles Land that I Love because it's, well, Red, White & Blue! I cut the words from some of the patterned papers. I chose the fireworks and flower stickers to keep it light and colorful.

A co-worker and I came to work in almost identical outfits. Of course we had to take a photo. So then of course I had to scrapbook the photos!

Thanks for taking a look at my creative view today. Come back again soon I'll have more to share. You can get all of these flair and more in the A Flair for Buttons  Etsy shop. 

Candidly Speaking

Hey there! I have a layout in today's article on the Get It Scrapped blog. We are talking about unique ways to scrapbook pages about Parties.  Not only the photos, but the stories and the products used to enhance the stories. I had fun with this one. 

Whenever we have a family party, my Dad and sister manage to capture the best candid photos. Each of our expresssions are unique to our personality and are eveident in each photo.

I used Echo Park Good Day Sunshine for it's bright summery colors, with icons that indicate summer as well as photos such as the camera, the banner and sunglasses. These all indicate the season, as well as the candid nature of the photos.

I scraplifted with Paper Issues which really worked in my favor for this project. It's a simple design so I could get all the photos on the page with out them getting lost or overwhelmed by product. 

My son graduated High School last week. We celebrated with a very casual brunch party. This is a big life changing event for him as well as us and it is an event to always remember.

Thanks for stoping by my creative view today. Come back again soon, I have more to share.

Supplies: cardstock & alpha-American Crafts, Patterned paper, stickers, die cuts and chipboard-Echo Park, Flair-A Flair for Buttons, pen-Tombow

Sweet Dreams

Hey there! I'm playing along with the Tic Tac Toe challenge at Paper Issues today. Here is the board.

I wound up using the bottom row: Stitching, Patterned Paper and Enamel Dots. I came across these two photos and thought the new PinkFresh Simple & Sweet would be a fantastic choice. The colors are soft, the patterns fairly simple, the sentiments spot on. I started with the Fresh Air paper as the background. I used frames as the base of the embellished squares, adding on chipboard pieces & die cuts. I finished off the page with a little bit of stitching to balance the color, and enamel dots to so the same. Easy pest this one was!

My two guys were so funny about what they had to have in  bed with them in order to fall asleep. My older one just needed his blanket. My younger one had to have ALL THE THINGS in bed with him. So many that sometimes I couldn't find him buried beneath them all.  

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. Come back again soon. I will have more to share.   In the mean time. Shop the Paper Issues store using DEVRA at checkout for 20% off your purchase.

Lean on Me

Hey there and good morning on this lovely Independence Day! I hope you are enjoying your day, however you choose to celebrate! Today I am sharing a project for the new On the Edge  challenge at Paper Issues . Basically, the focal point of your project should be on one edge of your page. 

So I'm thinking this really isn't going to be that hard. I have new PinkFresh Simple & Sweet siting in from of me. It's so pretty. I was so wrong. I had no problem lining everything up on one side along the edge. I used a frame around my photo,  then set that open some patterned papers. I thought the straws gave it some fun, and after all, there are champagne glasses in the photo too! That really was easy. It was leaving that alone that was so hard. The rest of the page looks so sad and lonely though. So I added a couple of small strips of paper and a chipboard piece along the opposite edge. The focal point is still the right side of the page but now it feels balanced!

Here we are at the Grad party brunch. It was a small gathering, with family and friends that are like family. Children leaving home is a life changing event for everyone. I'm glad we have each other to lean on as we go through this process! 

Thanks so much for stopping by my creative view today. I have lots to share so come back again soon! In the meantime, you better get some of this PinkFresh while you still can! Its 20% off when you use DEVRA at checkout.