A Dabble into Scrapbooking!

Hello, sweet friends! I am posting on the My Craft Spot blog today. It's a first for me... a double layout for scrapbooking! :o) This took quite a bit of time, especially since slowed with my arm injury, but I am just thankful to be able to do some crafting at a snail's pace. I miss my Copics, but hope to return soon.

I've had it on my sappy heart to squeeze in some time for preserving special memories. It was hard for me (the challenge of NEW), but I had such a blast and it was fun incorporating Kimberly's goodies into such a large design.

Note: I promise my layouts are both 12x12 and even! I did not realize I had the camera angled. Lesson learned! :o)

My first scrapbooking project is for the memories my sweetheart and I will make this upcoming holiday season, so I was guided by my whimsical side.

This album starts with a wintry backdrop, with touches of Christmas cheer sprinkled throughout. (Decorated trees, red and green lollipops, festive sentiment, etc.)

My little village scene, comprised of the cafe, two cutie pies, and title, are cut files from Treasure Box Designs. This Cocoa Cafe cut file came with a blank regular sign, which to me means tiny doily fun instead! :o) The "Friendship Warms the Heart" sentiment is from Stamping All Around Christmas. I cut it out and layered with the coordinating Tiny Doilies and Tiny Doilies 2 metal dies. The snow and whipped cream are embossed, but sadly is washed out in the pictures. (We agreed we want to live in this sweet cafe!)

I forgot to take one particular picture! I adhered these photo mats as pockets, with two journaling tags nestled behind them. The 'pulls' for my tags were created with the Ornate Labels metal dies. The stamped border and sentiments are from Ornate Labels-Christmas, as is the heat-embossed scrolling snowflake border.

Doesn't she just melt your heart? I love that she has a cookie wafer in her hot cocoa... it's one of the sweetest accents in this entire cut file! I love all of their appearances. For personality, I used my favorite set of Peachy Keen face stamps: In the Garden.

The other side has a larger mat for an extra special photograph. To pair with the sweetness of the Cocoa Cafe, I fussy-cut lollipops and used one of my favorite of Kimberly's products: the Jar Basics metal dies!

I made a mason jar filled with holiday treats. :o) My sentiment is from Tiny Tags 3, which is cut out with the coordinating Tiny Tags metal dies. I used the same beautiful traditional twine throughout my double layout.

The sweet reindeer is also from Treasure Box Designs. (Bobble Buddies- Reindeer.) He's so precious!

Lastly, the sappy title and adorable photo mat border. :o) Tons of dimension and embossing throughout the entire layout, which angled pictures would have shown, but I was rushed. My papers are from Recollections' The Ballet, which I've already stated is a favorite. I bought two stacks two years ago because I love so much of it and am down to one sheet of my beloved purple snowflakes! The hanging snowflakes are Memory Box Precious Snowflakes, while all of the individual snowflakes are from Cheery Lynn Designs. :o)

Thank you for fluttering on by! I wish you a blessed day! :o)

Challenges entered:

 *613 Avenue Create~ Anything Goes (Optional: Party)

 *Craft Your Passion~ Christmas in July

 *Craftin Desert Divas~ Christmas in July

 *Crafting for all Seasons~ Christmas in July

 *Crafting From the Heart~ Anything Goes

 *Die Cuttin' Divas~ Christmas in July

 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ July Linky Party (Anything Goes)

 *Papertake Weekly~ It's a Jolly Holiday

 *Pause, Dream, Enjoy~ 3 or More Patterned Papers

 *Simon Says Stamp~ Emboss It (all of the snow, whipped cream, and snowflake flourishes are embossed. So sorry I didn't take angular shots to better show most of them!)

 *Through the Craft Room Door~ Anything Goes

 *Word Art Wednesday~ Encouraging/Uplifting Sentiment

Anything Goes at 7 Kids College Fund!

Hello, my dear friends! Unfortunately I have been MIA the past couple of weeks due to an immensely painful arm/shoulder injury. I am attempting to return to craftiness, although it is a very slow process. Expect simplicity from me for a while as it heals. I just can't do very much right now due to pain. :( I can start typing again every day or two, so I will be around to say hi later today!

On a happier note, a new challenge begins today at the 7 Kids Challenge Blog! The Design Team added a twist to our inspiration: Tag It! We would love to see you add the optional twist when you play along with us by either creating a tag or including a tag on your project. :o)

I made a sweet little mason jar tag for a special kiddo. Courtesy of several adorable papers from Doodlebug Designs' Springtime paper pad, I'm sending her a jar of happiness. :o) It is for the July recipient of the I Feel the Love Project, where we are sending love and sunshine to victims of domestic violence and their children.

Isn't this paper precious? It just lights up the heart! Beneath the mason jar lid I added a tiny lacy border trim from the Tattered Lace Beloved Borders die set. The jar itself is embossed in gold for extra sunshiny warmth.

The gorgeous butterfly is one of the new metal die releases from Wild Rose Studio: Little Butterfly! I love that it's two pieces, as it enabled me to use sunny paper for the body and rainbow stripes for the wings. The wings are covered in Star Dust for sparkle. A few Doodlebug Spring Sprinkles enamel dots accent the corner for fun texture. :o)

I also used some My Craft Spot goodies! The mason jar stamp that I used for my tag base is from the Jar Basics stamp set. The sentiment is from Tiny Tags 3, which is cut out with the coordinating Tiny Tags Metal Dies. The bright jute string is Parrot Green, which matches the bright papers so beautifully.

Zip on over to the Challenge Blog to see the lovely work from my teamies and join in the fun! I look forward to seeing what you create. :o) Have a blessed day!

Products from 7 Kids College Fund Store:

Doodlebug Designs: Springtime Paper Pad

Doodlebug Designs: Spring Sprinkles Enamel Dots

Tattered Lace: Beloved Borders Dies

Wild Rose Studio: Little Butterfly Die

Memento Ink: Tuxedo Black

Ranger Stickles: Star Dust

Challenges entered:
 *613 Avenue Create~ Anything Goes
 *Crafting From the Heart~ Anything Goes
 *Love to Create~ 3 or More DP papers (the yellow is actually a bunch of suns, but you may need to enlarge it to see!)
 *Papertake Weekly~ Anything Goes
 *Through the Craft Room Door~ Anything Goes

Berry Sweet Mason Jar Tag!

Happy Friday, crafty friends! I hope you've had a lovely week! :o) I'm posting at My Craft Spot today and am sharing my project here, as well!

I'm planning to make a sweet little set of mason jar-shaped tags for a gift and this is my first one. The mason jar is from the Jar Basics stamp set, which I heat-embossed a deep shade of blue and cut out with the coordinating Jar Basics metal die set.

I chose gorgeous papers from a Susan Winget K and Company collection for my fruit-filled jar. This glossy-fruit design is one of the main reasons I bought the pad! (Don't ask me why I didn't stamp the lid... I cannot believe I missed that part! So upset about that.) 

The sentiment is one of my favorites from Kimberly's Tasty Treats stamp set, which is heat-embossed to match the jar. I was delighted to discover it fits nicely within the Tiny Doilies 2 metal dies! I accented it with pearls to match my pearl-centered Denim crinkle ribbon. The lacy trim beneath the lid is from Wild Orchid Crafts, as is the scalloped pearl.

Precious butterflies...

You know my love of butterflies! I love them as much as I love sparkles. :o) I colored two butterflies from the Jar Full of Flowers stamp set with my Copic markers, fussy-cut them out, and covered them in Star Dust.

I love the fun dimension you can give these butterfly stamps of Kimberly's!

Thank you for visiting and I wish you a blessed and sunshiny weekend! :o)

Challenges entered:

 *613 Avenue Create~ Anything Goes (Optional: Bling)

 *Card Mania~ Emboss It (sentiment and jar outline are heat-embossed)

 *Crafting From the Heart~ Anything Goes

 *One Stitch at a Time~ Ribbon or Lace

 *Papertake Weekly~ Anything Goes

 *The Paper Girls~ Mason Jars

 *Through the Craft Room Door~ Anything Goes

 *Through the Purple Haze~ Anything but Square

My Craft Spot Stamp Release Party- Day 4!

Hello, my treasured friends! Are you ready for more fun?! :o)

Welcome to Day 4 of the My Craft Spot Stamp Release Party! All week long we're sharing sneak peek projects using FIVE new stamp sets and THREE new metal die sets! The celebration ends with a fantastic blog hop on Saturday, with prizes at every stop! :o) Kimberly is also offering daily giveaways at the My Craft Spot blog!

Today we are showcasing the new Jar Full of Flowers stamp set, which coordinates with Kimberly's amazing Jar Basics stamp set and metal dies. I was so excited to see a new addition to her popular 'Jar' series... and let me tell you, this one is gorgeous!

My card is for this month's I Feel the Love Project, where we are making projects for the Pediatric Floor at UCLA Hospital in Santa Monica. Not only does this stamp set have sweet flowers, but it also has butterflies!

Color me sparkly! You know my adoration of butterflies. After coloring them with Copics, I layered the two sizes of 'overhead' views and also doubled up the side-view stamp... I wanted it to look like they're in flight, fluttering off of the card. :o)

They are covered in Star Dust for a sparkling rainbow of healing love. The twinkly patterned paper is from Kaisercraft's Magic Happens collection. Isn't the flower beautiful? I doubled it up for extra dimension, with foam tape between the layers. The sweet sentiment is also from this new set. My jar is from Jar Basics, which is heat-embossed in silver. Zva Creative flourishes burst forth in delight, encouraging the butterflies (and recipient) to rise up, look up, and believe their rainbow is coming.

The lovely shape for my card base is an accent element from a St. Patrick's Day card cut file. I knew I'd want to enlarge it to use as a base shape, as the eyelet trim is just so pretty. I replaced the tiny holes in the design with crystals, which I colored with Copics to match the butterflies. A delicate rainbow trim seemed appropriate. :o) The stunning lace is from The Ribbon Girl.

It was hard to use a completely white card base, but I wanted these new butterfly stamps to pop. I pray this brings hope and joy to the battling child, enticing a smile amidst the pain. There's nothing sweeter than a child's smile and I'll do all I can to encourage one. :o)

Pirouette on over to My Craft Spot to see the incredible work by the entire Design Team! Leave a comment on Kimberly's post to be entered to win today's daily prize: Tiny Tags Metal Dies! (One of my favorite MCS products!)

Thank you for fluttering on by! Have a beautiful day and I will see you back here tomorrow for Day 5! :o)

Challenges entered:

 *Card Mania~ Use a Sentiment

 *Creative Fingers~ Anything Goes

 *Divas by Design~ Make it Sparkle

 *DL.Art Thankful Thursday~ February Linky Party (Anything Goes)

 *Make It Monday~ Anything Goes

 *Pile It On~ Thinking of You

 *Word Art Wednesday~ Uplifting/Encouraging Sentiment