Looking Out At The World

I have had this Fancy Pants paper waiting to be used. I thought it worked well with this story of Ryan in the Summer of 2013. He would longingly watch his siblings from the deck at the lake, so badly wanting to be big!

I added a cut file Hello from Paper Issues store and little alpha stickers from October Afternoon.

I added rows of stitching to the top and bottom as well as over some of the alpha stickers.

It was fun to play along with Paper Issues Facebook group's Scrap And Chat.

#Smitten

I loved these pictures of Ryan kissing Princess Sofia at Hollywood Studios Disney Junior meet and greet.

The cut file was from Studio Calico. I did the sketch pen first and cut it next with several papers.

The Thickers are Amy Tangerine and washi tape from A Beautiful Mess.

Little sticker sayings are by Elle's Studio. Lots of color works for Disney pages!

Thanks for looking!

Tropical Smoothie Love

Each vacation we take to warm locations, the kids can't wait to order special fruit smoothies. The pineapple stamp from the Studio Calico Far Far Away Card Kit was begging to become patterned paper! 

First I stamped and used embossing powder in pastel yellow to help keep the watercolors in check and minimize paper warping.

Next, I watercolored the yellow, added the gold, and used two greens for depth.

I added the mega title and SC cut file love. I am definitely seeing more pineapple projects in my future!

#1 Fan

Since it is the start of the MLB season, I figured it was the perfect time to pull out a baseball themed picture!  The Pinspired Board on Paper Issues Facebook group, gave me the extra inspiration to get it done.

The cut file, Dancing Circles, by 17 Turtles, had the overlapping circles which I added details to two of them to mimic the baseball look.

The "all about that Base" printable card can be found in Paper Issues store in the free files section.

The "right now" and # sign stamp are from Elle's Studio and the numbered paper is from the Odyssey kit from Studio Calico.

Batter Up!  Hope you are able to catch a game this season with your loved ones.  I love going for the beautiful outdoor weather and the delicious food (...baseball, too.)

Alligator Adventures

Fancy Pants Designs True Friend Collection was a fun fit with our Spring Break pictures from Florida.  We went on an airboat tour and got to hold small alligators as well as see them in their habitat on and next to the lake.

I paired the True Friend paper and Brag Cards with Evalicious alphabet and little bits stickers.  I inked the edges of the cards and used the sketch from the Paper Issues Online Crop.  Jen Chapin had challenged us to use up 3 x 4 cards to create this horizontal line up.

Take good care, and remember, never pet an alligator on the head.  My three year old remembers that tip best of all the things we learned that day!

Oh, the Places You'll Go

The sketch 007 at Paper Issues blog was the perfect reason to use this world cut file from The Cut Shoppe.

Here's the sketch:Find it and lots of inspiration on the Paper Issues blog .

After sewing the cut file to the cardstock, I added white acrylic paint with Heidi Swapp Magic Medium to soften the layers and make it more cloudy/water-like on the globe. I used various bits to add to the travel theme.

The travel wood veneer are from Chic Tags. I used several Kelly Purkey stickers and labels to add to the Studio Calico geotag paper colors.

Dream On

I loved this sweet baby picture of Ryan and the new star cut file Falling Stars at Paper Issues looked dreamy enough to create a page for his album!

I watercolored right on the mat after I cut it. I just painted the outline of the star (or tried to!)  Need to switch out my blade! 

I added stitching, incorporated some of the painted stars on the layers, added the Amy Tangerine Thickers, and called it done!

Be sure to check out the free cut file 006 Falling Stars and link up your creation on the Paper Issues blog before April 10.

Light It Up Blue

April is autism awareness month and today is World Autism Awareness Day. Autism Speaks has Light It Up Blue Day to bring light to this event each year on April 2nd.

When I saw The Cut Shoppe had light bulb cut files, I knew I had to make a page about Light It Up Blue. See the blue acrylic script love word? You can find them in the Paper Issues online store or from Color Cast Designs online shop. It adds such fun dimension!

Heidi Swapp's September Skies collection has perfect light bulb paper and bits that tied into my light themed page.

 I watercolored some shades of blue to add a layer and interest to balance the large photo. The drops of blue mist and poked holes add final details to the shining bulb. Thanks for raising autism awareness!

I'm linking this up to Paper Issues new issue sponsored by Color Cast Designs!

Love: Merry & Bright

Elle's Studio holiday collection Good Cheer has great papers for Christmas photos like I used the red script patterned paper, but also fun colors like pink, teal, woodgrain, and gray for other projects. I also used a stamp from this collection, along with little die cut bits and  paper tear strips for the top band.

The love script cut file is by Lisa Dickinson for Basic Grey and can be found for free here:Love  I used the negative space to back it with the Elle's Studio paper.

I stitched around the circles with red, white, and black thread to tie in the colors. Thanks for looking!

You are my Sunshine

Brooklyn picked out this colorful hat while visiting the beach in Naples, FL for Spring Break.  It was perfect against the citron chairs at the resort later in the week.  I loved this cut file found free from the Paper Issues store:You Are My Sunshine

I used a variety of papers from Studio Calico, Webster's Pages,  and Dear Lizzy.  The wood veneer pieces are from Chic Tags Cloud 9 Bloom .  

The yellow washi tape is from the Studio Calico March Odyssey kit.  After photographing the page, I stitched it down in place!

I typed up the additional lyrics to the song using the same font and made it into a flag.

May the weather cooperate and continue to shine this spring!

Check out the link up at Paper Issues blog here.

Life @2

Here's a favorite of Ryan wearing the fun two. shirt from Old Navy. 

I added text details on some alpha letters. I love circles and polka dots--easy to spy on this page!

I completed this page for the Paper Issues Crop. This Alphabet Soup cut file can be found in The Cut Shoppe etsy store.

Oh Sweet B!

This page was inspired by Elle's Studio Happy paper from the Sycamore Lane Collection.  I used my negative cut from the Sweet Hearts cut file from The Cut Shoppe to frame the Happy paper.  I watercolored the edges of the heart and then stitched around in several rainbow colors to add texture and interest.

I painted several circles around one inch size and then punched them out.  I cut them in half and started to mimic the background of the Happy paper.  I stitched them down and added the title details.  I finished by adding a few stamps from the Cienna collection by Elle's Studio.  A few enamel dots, journaling, and a bit of india ink splotches to complete the page.  I worked on this LO for the Paper Issues crop and the altered die cut challenge.  This will work for the newest issue of Paper Issues as well, Eggs-cellent Add-ventures.

Sunset Splendor

String art is popping up everywhere, so it was fun to get this cut file from The Cut Shoppe Sweet Hearts and try it out (the sewing machine version!)

To soften the background, I added some white acrylic paint mixed with some blue shimmer mist.  The anchor veneer button was from Studio Calico's Office Hours kit.  The anchor vellum piece to mat my photo was from a Gossamer Blue kit. The Glitz Design Felicity paper pad was the key to the sunset coordinating paper pieces for the heart.  I stitched them down and used the mini anchor punch from Studio Calico to add details to the title.  Fun and done!  This was made for the Paper Issues Online Crop.  I completed this for the patterned paper challenge.

The new issue at Paper Issues is all about linking up cut files and more.  Check it out here Paper Issues Eggs-cellent Add-ventures.