Chopped Week Three

I've been participating in the "Chopped" Challenge over at Challenge Masters and this week, I think I created my new FAVORTIE layout!! Our recipe for this week was to use white, cardboard, and stitching. As soon as I saw the recipe I knew exactly which photo I wanted to use. I had a photo of sweet little Kari, back when she one and a half or two years old, all dressed in white, sitting on a white carousel horse. I also knew what technique I wanted to use. I took 4 or 5 different border punches and punches strips of white cardstock. Then I placed them on a sheet of vanilla cardstock and sewed each one down. Here's a closeup:



As for the cardboard, I used my Big Shot to die cut 3 small butterflies. Then I pulled off one layer, painted them white, and added some coarse glitter. Here's a look at them:



Before I show you the finished layout, I have to give some credit to my biggest inspiration. Several years ago I started scrapping with some wonderful gals over at Scrappin Mojo. It was there that I met Niki Willaert. I immediately felt myself drawn to her feminine, nostalgic layouts and projects. I found myself oohing and aahing at everything she posted. The whole time that I was working on this layout I found myself thinking, "What would Niki do??" No joke.... I think I actually tried to channel her creativity into my work....LOL! I would love for you to get to see some of her work too. Visit her blog to see some of her beautiful inspiration! http://petalstopolkadots.blogspot.com/

Now for my finished layout.... Before I show it to you, let me say that it is much prettier in person.



This is truly my favorite layout, I think. I love the way all of the little touches blended together to create a frilly, lacy, girly page! Thanks Niki for your inspiration and Thanks Challenge Masters for the recipe!

Experimenting Can be FUN!

I'm so used to doing things the same old way. I've always been a firm believer in the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" BUT.....

Every now and then it's fun to break out of your routine and try something new. For this layout I pulled out a bottle of Glossy Accents. I had NEVER used them, but decided a while back that I ought to buy a bottle and have them on hand, just in case the opportunity presented itself. Today was that opportunity.

I had these pics of Kari spashing around in the swimming pool on vacation and decided that Glossy Accents might make the water "droplets" look more like real water. They do! You can't really tell it on the computer, but in person, the little droplets of Glossy Accents reflect the light just like water! I will definitely try this again!

Just Doodling.........

I took a nap today after I got in from school, a long, luxurious 2 hour nap. I really needed it! This week has been a wild one and I just needed some recovery time. Kari and I actually lay down on the couch together and both of us snoozed. Glenn joked that he had thought about getting the camera and snapping a pic, but he was afraid that I would get mad.

After the nap, my energy came back and I came up to get some creative time. I finished this layout for a couple of challenges on Mojo and Challenge Masters.



This one was a bit of a stretch for me. The challenge over at Challenge Masters asked us to scrap a photo of someone laughing; I wasn't sure I had one, but when I went searching I found this one of Keenan. He almost NEVER laughs! The Mojo challenge asked us to use red, yellow, blue, and green.

Once I found the photo I knew that I needed something "fun", so I decided to go with a rebus title. (What can I say? I LOVE word puzzles!!)

What reallymade it fun though, was the doodling. I NEVER doodle, but somehow it just seemed to fit this page.

Finally....

I finally got some scrap time tonight! My photos that I had ordered finally arrived and I jumped right in.



This layout is for week 2 of the "Chopped" Contest over at Challenge Masters. The recipe for this week asked us to use yellow, scallops, and dimensional flowers. When I first began thinking about my page for this week's entry I had visions of piles and piles of blossoms, but as I got started on the page I really didn't feel like it needed too many flowers. I created these fabric yo-yo flowers from scraps of fabric. Then I added a stacked felt flower and a couple of chipboard leaves.

I don't normally use yellow much, but I LOVE this paper. It is one sheet from the DCWV Cotton Bloom Stack. It has luscious, sparkly glitter dots all over it! Can't wait to cut into some of the other pages in that stack. They are all simply beautiful!

Still Tired.........

I'm still feeling pretty run down.
To give you an idea of what "tired" means.... we ate supper, I did the dishes, and I lay down on the couch around 6:00. The next thing I knew it was 8:15 and I was lieing there in the dark....

I am physically exhausted. Glenn is wondering if maybe there is something like low iron bothering me. I'm not really sure; I just know that I DON'T like being this way.

I haven't even had creative juices this week.

I did manage to finish one layout for the "Chopped" Challenge over at Challenge Masters. They posted a recipe that required the use of the following: lime green, circles, and paint.

Here's my resulting layout:



Kari snapped this photo of herself, reflected in the mirror on the sunvisor of my car. I knew it needed a fun layout. LOVED the lime green paper that I found tucked away in my stash! I painted the white photo mat and added some painted fuschia and apricot circles, punched paper circles that I embellished, and a title cut with my Cricut. LOVE IT!

Needing an Energy Boost....

Boy, am I wiped out!

This has been a draining week. I don't know if I have done anyone any good at school. It feels like I'm just not reaching my students at all right now, no matter what I try.

I'm so tired and drained that I don't even feel like scrapping.... (And that says A LOT!!)

I did want to share a layout I finished yesterday. I combined a couple of challenges: a Book of Me challenge from Challenge Masters and a sketch challenge from Scrappin Mojo. The pic is an older one from a few years back of my mom and me.

Feeling Lucky....

A few weeks back I posted about Terri, over at Challenge Masters, asking me to be a Diva. Well, the time has come. Today I posted my first challenge.

I'm doing the "One Little Word" challenge and the word I chose for this month is LUCK. What other word would work for March???

Here's my sample layout:



I stamped the title with a stamp I discovered in the dollar bin at Michael's. I snapped it up because I saw lots of different opportunities to use it.

To create the shaded effect of the colors, I just chose 4 different shades of green ink. I started at the bottom and stamped the first image with the darkest shade and then restamped without reinking just a bit farther up the strip of paper. I repeated this with lighter shades of green ink, moving up the strip until the strip was full. I LOVE the effect that it gives!

Now it's your turn. Get out your supplies and create a layout or card using the word LUCK or one of its forms. Come on over to Challenge Masters and post it. (There's a link on the right side of the page. Just click on my Challenge Masters Diva badge.) I'm offering an RAK for someone who is lucky enough to complete the challenge and get her name pulled from the basket. While you're there be sure to check out the other challenges posted this week. There are some great ones!

Are You Feeling Lucky??

If you are, then I've got a GREAT opportunity for you!

I was just doing my weekly stroll through some of my favorite blogs when I came across a GREAT giveaway over at Creating From the Heart. Melissa is doing a FANTASTIC giveaway for those of you who like to sew.

Someone is going to be lucky enough to win a computerized sewing machine, a WRMK Sew Easy, the Sew Easy mat, and Sew Easy threads to get you started. I'm posting a link so you can get in on the fun too. Hurry over and check it out!

http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/