Arcade Action

I pulled out some Amy Tangerine 'Sketchbook' to make this fun layout.  I used the current sketch over at The Paper Bakery (you have until July 13th to link up!).

And since this paper collection has this great neon color scheme, I'm linking up with the S.W.A.T. Challenge Blog (entries due at the end of July).

Here's my layout. The great thing about taking a 3-year old to the arcade is that she doesn't really know that you have to put money in to really 'drive' the car. She just wants to sit down, press some buttons and turn that steering wheel. Love it!!

Here's another picture so you can see those awesome sequins up close!

Thanks for stopping by!
-Michele

SWAT Drill #10 - Summertime

I'm a day late with this post, it's been super busy around here. I feel like I'm behind on everything - blogging, craft projects, housework, even my day job. Yikes!

The challenge this time at S.W.A.T. is to create a project with a summertime theme.

I used a tag that I had previously made, and wanted to add it to a card. To make the card background, I misted it with some Mr. Huey's Bonny Blue. Then added a sun sticker and some yellow chevron washi tape. The tag is popped up with foam adhesive for a little dimension. And that's it! Here's my post where I made the tags originally for a Sweet Stamp Shop project.

Remember to link your project up at S.W.A.T. by June 28th! Thanks for playing along this month!

S.W.A.T. Drill #9

For Drill #9 we are doing a Color Challenge! Here's the color palette to work with:

I ended up doing a simple card for this challenge, layering up some stickers, paper and a die cut.

Patterned paper: American Crafts, Amy Tangerine

Stickers: Amy Tangerine

Die cut: Amy Tangerine

Washi tape: My Mind's Eye 

Be sure to link up your project at S.W.A.T. by June 28th for your chance to win a prize, and a chance to be our next featured S.W.A.T. artist!

Also, S.W.A.T. is looking for some new Design Team members. You have until June 10th to apply, but the call may close early once the slots are filled, so apply ASAP!. Please check out all the Design Team Details!

 

S.W.A.T. Drill #8 - Sketch by Becci Manies

We've got another sketch for you up at S.W.A.T. this month! This one is by Becci Manies. At first I was a little scared to try it, but it turned out to be one of my favorite layouts.

Here's the sketch:

Here's my layout. I used chipboard speech bubbles in place of the smaller photos in the sketch, and I kind of used stickers to show what was going on so decided it didn't need any journaling. Everything but the washi was from my Studio Calico Kits.

 Thanks for stopping by, and remember to link up at S.W.A.T. by May 28th for a chance to win this prize!

S.W.A.T. Drill #7

We have a tic-tac-toe challenge for you at S.W.A.T. this month.  You need to choose a row that goes across, down or diagonal, and incorporate those elements on your project.

I used the 3rd row across:

1. 3 manufacturers (or more!) - See my list of supplies below, I think I used 9 of them!
2. Mist/Paint - I used some Mr. Huey's where I placed embelishments. I first spritzed it on, then wanted to add some larger drops. Well, that's where I had a happy accident. The top was leaking a little, so I ended up with big drops all over the place! That's ok, it looks perfectly imperfect, as one of my scrappy friends would say.
3. Chipboard -I've got a few chipboard stickers on there.

The layout is based on a sketch over at Scrapbook.com, check out their monthly kit challenges if you haven't yet!

Patterned paper: Crate Paper, American Crafts, Simple Stories

Chipboard stickers: Crate Paper

Wood veneer: Studio Calico

Vellum arrows: Studio Calico

Buttons: Bella Blvd

Washi tape: from my stash

Label sticker: My Mind's Eye

Cutout "Hanging out and relaxing": Authentique

Small letter stickers: Authentique

Large letter stickers: Cosmo Cricket

Mist: Studio Calico

You have until May 28th to link up your entry. Hope you have as much fun with the challenge as I did!

S.W.A.T. Drill #6 - 2 Page sketch

S.W.A.T. Drill #6 is to use this 2 page sketch for your next layout (sketch by Jenessa Franco).

OK, I don't do 2 pagers. But that's the point, right? To stretch yourself.
Given my discomfort with 2 pagers, I thought I'd better stick pretty close to the sketch.
 

My strategy worked! And I'm quite happy with how it turned out. It was a nice way to summarize the whole Christmas season with a single layout.

Patterned papers: Lawn Fawn
Stickers: Lawn Fawn, My Mind's Eye
Enamel dots: My Mind's Eye
Washi tape: Glitz, Bella Blvd.
Letter stickers: Lawn Fawn, Jillibean Soup

Link up your project here by April 25th for your chance to win this prize!

S.W.A.T. Drill #5 - Scrap Your Stash

The S.W.A.T. challenge this week is to Scrap Your Stash. Go through your stash and pull out those old papers and make them look new!

This was a fun challenge. I dabbled in scrapbooking about 12 years ago, then completely stopped. I hung on to my supplies, always thinking I'd come back to it, and what a surprise to start scrapping again in 2011 and find out how much everything had changed!

I pulled out a couple sheets of patterned paper as my starting point. These are the old single-sided, thin pieces of paper that were readily available in 2001. When did they start making patterned cardstock? I seriously missed a lot in 12 years. Anyways, I still like the patterns of these papers, but if it weren't for this challenge I probably would not have used them, just because the paper is so thin.

The first thing I did to keep the layout looking new, was to use a Kraft carstock base since Kraft is so trendy right now. I then mixed in newer patterned papers, diecuts, brads, and washi tape to complete this layout:

Some close ups:

Supplies:
Kraft cardstock: American Crafts
Patterned paper: EK Success, Carta Bella, MME
Diecuts: American Crafts
Brads: MME
Washi tape: WRMK
Letter stickers: Cosmo Cricket, American Crafts

    So, how did I do? Did I make these old papers look new? 
Remember to link up your layout by April 25th!

 

 

S.W.A.T. - Circus Card

Today is the 5th Saturday of the month, so we've got an extra challenge at S.W.A.T. The challenge is to make a circus-themed card, following the theme of Charity's beautiful circus tent album that she showed us last week. 

There is a prize for this challenge, an RAK of scrappy goodness, so be sure to play along! You have until April 4th at midnight eastern to link up your project.

Charity's tent project reminded me that I also own a bunch of MME Lost & Found 2 paper which would work beautifully for a circus-themed card. I have always admired my scrappy friends that color beautiful images with markers or pencils and then go on to create some beautiful and elaborate 6x6 cards with lots of layers. Truly stunning creations! Well, since these MME papers are so beautiful and elaborate on their own, I thought I might be able to do some layering and create something nice. I'm really happy with how it turned out, and it was very simple to make, a few paper layers, a chipboard sticker for the sentiment, and then some black i-rock gems in the corners. That's it!

 

Thanks for stopping by, have a great weekend! 

S.W.A.T. Drill #4 - Color Challenge

 S.W.A.T. Drill #4 - It's a color challenge!

Use this gorgeous color combo to create a project.

Here's my take, I used some Sweet Stamp Shop stamps (something of a theme for me this week, isn't it??) and some patterned papers to make this colorful and fun card.

 Patterned paper: Dear Lizzy 5th and Frolic
Stamps: Sweet Stamp Shop
Ink: Memento
Washi tape: My Mind's Eye
Brads: BasicGrey
Cardstock Base: Bazzill

You have until March 25th to complete your project using these colors and link it up at S.W.A.T.

The prize you are playing for this time is a $10 gift card to 3 Scrappy Boys!

Can't wait to see what you create!

S.W.A.T. Drill #3 - 4 photos on one page

*Note: If you are looking for the ScrapbookSteals.com March Blog Hop, please see this post.



The next drill on the S.W.A.T. blog is to create a single page layout using 4 photos. 

This time, one lucky entry will win a $20 gift card to 3 Scrappy Boys!

Here's my layout:

I've had these American Crafts 'Garden Cafe' papers and embellies in my stash for awhile, I'm glad to finally get some good use out of them!

Create your layout and link it up at S.W.A.T. by March 25th. 

I can't wait to see what you make, 4 photos on a single page was a challenge for me!

Have a fantastic, crafty weekend everyone!

S.W.A.T. Drill #2 - Sketch

ATTENTION!

Time for S.W.A.T. Drill #2!  This time we have a sketch by our very own Jenessa Franco.

 I thought I'd try the sketch out on a card, instead of a layout.  I pulled out these cute coffee cup stamps in my stash and realized they'd work great in place of the photos on the sketch.  I stamped the coffee cups on patterned papers and cut the images out, then popped them up with foam squares on top of the card base.  A little bit of plum seam binding tied in a bow, and a button finish it off.


 
Patterned papers: AC Dear Lizzy
Cardstock base: Bazzill
Stamps: Unity Stamp Company
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Seam binding and jute twine: May Art
Button: My Mind's Eye

You have until February 25th to complete your project and link it up at S.W.A.T.

Check out the prize you are playing for this time:

Thanks for stopping by today!

S.W.A.T. Drill #1 - All About You!

We are starting our very first challenge today over at S.W.A.T! Create a layout that's "All About You". Easy peasy! Won't you join us and become a Scrap Warrior? You have until February 25th to complete and link up your layout here.

Now, I know I said this was an easy challenge, but it was actually really hard for me. Every single one of my scrapbook layouts is about my daughter. I didn't even know where to begin with a layout about myself. I thought it over, and I noticed that lots of people were doing layouts at the start of the year about their 2013 goals. I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but decided to make some scrappy goals and then document them on a layout.

All products are from the Studio Calico 34th Street Scrapbook Kit and add-on kits.

I especially love these Heidi Swapp Color Magic numbers, I just inked them up with some Colorbox chalk ink to match my color scheme.

Love the vellum arrows that were in the kit too!

Want to hear more about my goals?

1. Use my paper stash - Oh, how I love me some pretty paper! I've got a ton of it, though, so I'm going to make it through 2013 without buying any paper. Notice that I didn't commit to no embellies or no tools, however. It's gotta be an achievable goal.
2. Take 2 online classes - I'm currently taking this wonderful class: Clean and Simple Card Making 2.
3. Blog once a week - This blog is brand new for me, so I want to make sure I keep up with it.
4. Create layouts without using sketches - I'm still using plenty of sketches, just trying to branch out more and find my own layout style. Happy to report that today's layout is my own design.
5. Take more photos - I especially need more photos of my whole family together.

Now, get going on your own layouts so I can start getting to know you all!

 

S.W.A.T. - New Challenge Blog starts Feb 2nd

I am so excited to announce that I'll be designing for S.W.A.T., a brand new challenge blog starting up on February 2nd! S.W.A.T. stands for Scrap Warriors Advanced Training - fun name, huh? Here's the link, and you can start following right now!

Here is what you can expect from S.W.A.T.:

Drills:

We have 2 Drills (challenges) per month. With each drill there will a prize that has been has donated by an amazing sponsor!

Drills are issued on the first and third Saturday of each month and you will have until the 25th of each month to add your project to each drill using the Mr. Linky! A winner will be selected from both drills at the end of the month. If you participate in both challenges you double your chances of being a winner!

Basic Training:

Our Lieutenant will take you through your Basic Training the second Saturday every month. This training is to build up your skills and show you some new tips and tricks. With each training session we will challenge you to use your new skills for the chance at becoming our Featured SWAT Girl, which will be chosen from all the participants. Projects must be linked up to Mr Linky by the end of each month to be considered.

Special Ops Training:

Our Captain will push your skills to new limits with Special Ops Training on the fourth Saturday of every month. Be pepared to go "off the page" with altered items, 3-Dimensional projects, and step-by-step tutorials. You won't believe it until you see it so make sure you stop in!