Nature Boy

Hi there!

This is my second post of the day, if yo are looking for my Made Especially for you post, please scroll down.

Monday's bring great new sketches over at Let's Get Sketchy!  And as this is a brand new month you have a fresh start at your chance to win a prize.  all yo have to do for your chance to win is play along with at least 2 of this month's sketches!

Here is the first sketch for this month....

And this is my take on it......

 I took these pictures of my little guy a few years back, but I didn't even seem to have the right papers or embellishments to scrap them... this sketch really got me in to mood to finally stick them to paper.  Papers are MME.

This little twig is from CTMH and the star I hand cut form a pair of old jeans.

The wooden disk / button is also from CTMH with a older MME rub on to create the monogram.

  More MME rub ons on a hand made woodgrain tag and a little Maya Road bird.

I love adding cork to my layouts it gives such nice texture.  I also messy stitched around the layout.  Chipboard alphas complete the title and some hemp always helps set the mood for a rustic layout.

Hop on over to Let's Get Sketchy to see what the rest of the Design Team has come up with, and while you are at it why don't you play along wfor your chance at a great prize!

Thanks for visiting!
Laura
xoxo

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Made Especially for You Reveal - Dad's Day with chipboard

Hi all and happy Monday to you!

I am sharing this card created for the Made Especially for You "Dad's Day with chipboard" challenge.

I chose to use large scale chipboard alphas as my focal point and wrap them with washi tape.  a little bow tie and 3 little gems give it a faux shirt look.  The washi is American Crafts and the paper is Authentique.

Why don't you play along, pop on over to Made Especially for You to see what the rest of the design team has created and enter for you chance to win some digital stamps from

Thanks for popping in and good luck to you!
Laura
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Baby Gift

Hi there!

I am heading off to a baby shower for a sweet friend and thought I'd share the little gift I made for her.

I crocheted this blanket ......

I kept the colour neutral so it would coordinate with wherever my friend would like to use it, crib, stroller, car seat.  However, I added a scalloped edging to make it a little more feminine.

The nursery has an owl theme is sweet girly colours so I created this little stuffed owl to go along with the blanket.  It is silly, but fun to make... and it's the thought, right?

While still on a roll I crocheted this little owl purse for the new big sister!  

Thanks for visiting!
Laura
xoxo



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Published in Canadian Scrapbooker !

Hi there!

I just wanted to pop in and share a personal thrill.  I was recently published in Canadian Scrapbooker's June issue!  This is a first for me, and I sure hope it won't be the last!

Check out this beautiful magazine......

Here is my layout page ......

And here is a better shot of my layout....

 

As an added bonus several scrappy people I admire were also in this issue; Carolyn Wolff, Joanne Burton, Christa Uttley and Jodi Wilton.

Thanks for popping in and letting me share my good news!

Laura

xoxo

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Fairy Hello

Hi thee,

I am back with one more card to share with you today.  This one incorporates this sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.....

 And this is my take on it.....

This sweet digi came free from Polly Craft Designs.    If you want to get into digital stamps  or just want to check out a few before you commit to buying some ( I really recommend them as you can resize them to fit almost any need, and most have a pre coloured option as well for those of you that are not into colouring.) anyway, sign up for a newsletter at Free Digital Stamps, they will send you daily emails to let you know where the freebies are at each day.  There are so many styles so you are bound to find some you like.

Anyway, with this card I am also playing in the All That Scraps photo inspiration challenge.  have a peek at the photo....

...love the soft but bright colours.

And the Paper Playtime friendship sentiment challenge.

Thanks for visiting!
Laura
xoxo Pin It

Tickled Pink

Hi there,

I have a little card to share with you.  I used this sketch from Card Patterns.....

... which happens to be due today, nothing like leaving things until the last  minute ;)  well truth be told despite a lot of things on my scrappy to do list, I seemed to have lost my mojo for a bit this week.  Today I made myself get it back by playing along with some fun challenges and great sketches.

This is my take on the sketch.....

I got this cute digi free from here .... however I did modify it a bit.  It was originally a boy and I removed the moon and stars from his pj's and added a heart.  I also added a little clipart bow to his / her head.  Being fairly new to digis, I am hoping that this is allowed, though I am thinking it is if I still give  credit to the artist or site it came from.

Thanks for visiting!
Laura
xoxo


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Sketch-y Friday

Hi all!

Happy Friday to you!  I hope you are having a great week and have some fun things planned for the weekend!  I am fortunate to be having a girls night out on Saturday night and will also be going to a baby shower on Sunday!  And you know I will want to squeeze in some scrappy time too!

As always I have a new sketch for you to play with ....

This was created for ScrapMuch?, it is a double as I have had some requests for them.  However you could use either side if you aren't into the doubles.

Don't forget  this is a brad new month and  ScrapMuch? is now offering a prize by random draw for the sketch challenges.  Pop over to their blog to checkout all of the details.

Thanks for visiting!
Laura
xoxo


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Made Especailly for You - Thursday Craft n Chat

Hi there!

As part of our DT duties over at Made Especially For You, we take turns posting a Thursday Craft n Chat.  This can be a tutorial or some other scrappy informative piece.  I chose to talk about using the Cuttlebug for my turn., as it is one of my favourite go to tools.

 So, for fear of sounding too basic, this is a Cuttlebug.  It is a hand cranked die cutting and embossing tool crated by the same company as the Cricut.  I do not feel that these tools necessarily do away with one another as they both have their merits and benefits.  Though, I personally do run to my Cuttlebug more often than my Cricut.

You'll notice I glammed mine up a little with some gliterry laptop stickers.

Both the front and back flaps fold down flat to create your 'runway' for using the tool.

These 'plates' an A, a C and two B's come with.  You will use them in a variety of combinations depending on the dies/folders you choose to work with.

First let's talk about embossing.  There are a variety of dry embossing folders on the market made by Cuttlebug and other companies and almost all are compatible with this tool

This is why they are called folders, they open up to accept your paper to be sandwiched in the middle.  One side is embossed and the other debossed to imprint the design into your paper.

I am using a scrap piece of paper for this example, these folders generally accept A4 sized papers (4.25 x 5.5) or smaller.

Now you will place your A plate, a B plate and your folder onto you Cuttlebug 'runway' and then top it off with another B plate.

And roll the whole thing through the machine (it rolls easily enough), I like to go once forward and then once backward towards me.

And this is what you would end up with, a beautifully embossed piece of cardstock to do with what you will!

Now let's talk about die cutting.  There are an enormous amount of die manufacturers on the market, and again almost all work with the Cuttlebug.  Some are thin metal dies and others are chunky like Tim Holtz dies.  Some create flowers, other create shapes and others create borders.  Your options are as endless as your pocketbook!

To die cut, you will start with the A plate, add a C plate, then add your paper, die and top it off with a B plate. (note - this is the formula for the most common thin metal dies.) And again roll it through the machine and back again.

You will end up with a nice clean die cut.

While this tool is not as flexible as the Cricut for size, it is much more flexible in terms of what it can cut.  I love working with chipboard, cork, fabric, denim, burlap, felt and vellum and this tool can accommodate it all, you may have to roll thicker materials through the machine a few times but it is worth it for the variety of textures you can add to your projects.

Thank you for checking in with me today!
Laura
xoxo

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Technique Wednesday - Tag Tutorial

hi there!

I cerated this tutorial for ScrapMuch? but of course, you know I want to share it here too!  This little tip is for those of us that need a little gift tag when giving a gift... maybe with or without a card.  Sometimes we have a need for one or the other, and sometimes both.

The other day my Mom came for lunch,  I had picked her up an Orchid and needed a little tag to go along with.

Then I thought, hmmmm, I should really show everyone how easy it is to make these!  So here goes.....

 First gather your supplies, I have kept this very 'tool basic' for those of us that may not have a lot of tools.  A trimmer, any border punch, a hole punch and a corner rounder are all that you will need.

 Starting with a 2.5" piece of cardstock (you will notice I am using a scrap) punch along one end using your border punch.

Now trim it down to 4 inches tall.

Add a punched hole in the center of the non border punched edge and round the corners at the top only.   Now you have your basic tag piece done.

I keep a stash of scraps ( I will tell you how I decided which ones to keep and how I organize them one day, remind me... my memory is suffering lately!) on hand, this way when the need arises I go straight to this bin to pull out what suits me at the time.

 Now decorate the the tag with whatever pattern paper you chose.

 I also have a little bin that I keep 'off cuts' of my die cuts in.  For example, if I am using the Cricut to cut out a shape, but maybe it is too small or too large... I throw it in here.

 Then when I have a quick project to make like this tag, or if I am looking for that extra little embellishment to  add to a project, I grab this bin and start sifting.

The finished project!  These sentiment rub-ons from ScrapMuch? even make the job that much easier!

Thanks for checking in!
Laura
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