Scraplift Sunday: Love These Days

Today on the Paper Issues Blog we are lifting the talented Michelle Gallant as she created a stunning patriotic Canada Day layout.  I love the overlapping elements at the mid-line.  I just got the new collections from American Crafts in the mail from Paper Issues and I couldn't wait to use something new.  This is from Creekside by one canoe two.  This collection has so many pretty designs it was hard to pick.  I loved the row of flowers on this patterned paper.  I cut it in half and moved it to the top half.  Check out the long roller stamp as well.  I love the row of leaves and so many more.

I loved this picture of Brooklyn with the peonies--because--peonies!!  No really, she loves to be in the pictures and was happy to pose with the gorgeous blooms at Grandma's house. The gelatos and watercolors were used to give splatters along the midline among the flowers.  I used flair from my stash and popped some elements up with foam dots.  The little stickers were fun to layer under the photo as mini banners.

The Creekside 6x12 stickers and ephemera pieces worked so well together for layering.

Scraplift Sunday is such a fun challenge to join in on!  Check out Michelle's design on the PI blog and lift it.  I can't wait to see your take on this one!

 Save 20% on all new 1 canoe 2 and everything else in stock in the Paper Issues Store.

20% off code: Stacie 

Free File Friday: Summer Adventures at Magnolia Market

Today on the Paper Issues blog, it is all about documenting your summer adventures or travels with Paper Issues cut files. 

 I used the butterfly cut file as a stencil with acrylic paint to get a patterned yellow background. It's ok to be messy! I love the imperfect look as it is just an added texture to the background and you can usually cover up spots that you are not fond of with layering or more embellishments! 

I thought the butterflies were a good choice for documenting my trip to Waco, Texas to see Magnolia Market and the Seed Supply gardens.  Since this photo was of me standing in the gardens I was able to use up lots of the SS Summer Days florals and sun icons as it was over 90 degrees!  I used Simple Stories Summer Days and added two cut file arrows from the Magical cut file set.  Arrows are always a fun idea when documenting a travel excursion or local road trip. 

Project Life style pocket cards work great as titles, layers, and to fussy cut around.  I used several Simple Stories cards in this grouping.

I love these Dear Lizzy Thickers that were part of her last collection.  The colors coordinated well with Simple Stories.

It was a fun day in Waco, TX stopping at a bucket list location for me!  I love all design shows especially watching Chip and Joanna Gaines.  It's a definite 'worth the trip' location! The people were so helpful and kind.  It made our visit so very pleasant.  More of the close up of cut file mixed media background.

Thanks for stopping by for Free File Friday!  I sure hope you will join us and try out your cutting machine with one of the fun designs from PI! Tag us on social media if you use a cut file.  I can't wait to see what you make!

Don't forget to load up on free file downloads and buy all the new things in stock now!  

Save 20% off of all of your order using: Stacie 

Swag Bag July: E Monogram

Hello!  It's a fun day at Paper Issues.  We have the new swag bag in the shop for July and we are spotlighting lots of ways to use a swag bag on the blog!  I went with creating a monogram letter for my son Ethan using June's swag bag kit.

Here's how I started the monogram:

Step one: print a large block style letter on your printer on regular printer paper.  Trim away the extra paper.  Cut swag bag cards into strips of varying length.  I kept the width all the same.

After all of the monogram is filled with paper pieces.  Stitch in place.  I stitched mine separately from the background as I knew I wanted to add mixed media on the background and use foam dots behind the letter.

 
I embellished with stars included in the swag bag, a geotag, and mini alpha stickers included in the kit!  I love all of the small bits that Cassie includes in her month swag bag kits.

 For the photo layers/mats, I added strips of leftover cards and pieces I didn't use on the monogram.  It adds depth and colors against the busy blue mixed media.

I hope you will Swag Bag with us!  These kits are perfect to try out and fall in love with!  Each month is new and unique.  The kits can also be mixed together.  I used just the June kit for this LO and I still have soooo much left to use.  This is my second time using the kit on a LO!  I love that these can be used in so many ways--think traveler's notebook, pocket pages, cards, and scrapbook layouts or off the page paper projects!

Here's the July kit:

Save 20% on this kit with my code: Stacie

Try it and LOVE it!

Let's "Taco" About It! New Driver in the Fam

The July Issue at Paper Issues is all about talking or Tacos...and all things in between!  "Let's Taco 'bout It" is the theme.  I went with using a speech bubble and lots of expressions I experienced having my oldest start driving!

I  love the new Stitch Happy sewing machine and put it to work sewing strips of paper horizontally to play off of the driving theme and create roads (Check out the stones Doodlebug paper for dirt roads!) like the one Ethan is driving on to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

I used a mix of Simple Stories #Whatever paper collection, Emoji and Doodlebug Design Dragon Tales papers. I love the Simple Stories small word strips that come in their 4x6 sticker sets. The Doodlebug Dragon Tales sticker sheets have fun words, stars, and speech bubbles.

I love the Doodlebug clouds paper at the top.  The overlapping clouds are such a fun print for an outdoor adventure.

 Thanks for stopping by my blog!

We can't wait to see how you use this new issue theme for July.  

Play along and post your project on the Paper Issues Friends & Fans group on Facebook.

If you have boys or need to document your teenager driving, check out the supplies I linked above!

Save 20% off of everything you buy at Paper Issues.

Try It Tues: Summer Best Day Ever

It's Try It Tuesday at Paper Issues and Amanda has a fun technique to try out!  Get out your acrylic paints and a scraper to blend the dots of paint to create a custom background or layer for your photo!

I went with fun blues and created a larger background to mimic the water for my summer picture at the lake.

First I started with dots of acrylic paint in varying shades. Then I used an old gift card to do my scraping.

Messy threads on a water design is all kinds of texture and fun.  I love the stitching border I used.  I was going to frame it with patterned paper, but the background is so bold and colorful it was better to create texture and lines with multiple rows of machine stitching.

I love the watery and movement this background creates with the paint scraping technique.  I hope you will give it a try and show us your creative take.

Scraplift Sunday: H2O Fun

Today it's a super fun day to play!  Join us at Paper Issues for Scraplift Sunday!  

Today we are lifting my multi-photo LO that I originally made for the Swag Bag Spotlight.

I mixed it up a bit and did layers of distressed/curled up strips of paper from the beautiful

 Pink Paislee Summer Lights collection for the cool summer pics of the kids 

playing with the sprinklers and slip n' slide.

The pink foam puffy holographic alpha Thickers add a fun element to this collection. Stickers and ephemera worked perfectly to layer and over lap on the paper strips.

Splashes of white acrylic paint, messy threads, and overlapping photos to create a triangle of watery elements to add movement to the layout.

 The chipboard Thickers have the holographic shimmer to accentuate the water vibe in the photos.

Hope you are having a wonderful summery weekend.  I hope you are inspired to play along at Paper Issues and try this scraplift out!  It was fun to switch up from my original and take on a new look with similar elements!  Save 20% on Pink Paislee Summer Lights at PI with my code:

Project Pocket: 4th of July

Today we are playing with Pocket Pages and showing you a few holidays we've documented on the PI Blog.  I used lots of new Photo Play Paper to document last year's fourth of July.
Any holiday photos will work for this month's pocket challenge!

 Flair, sequins, stickers, and paper scraps are great to use up on pockets!

Pink Paislee Sweet Freedom stickers worked with these photos. The star vellum adds a transparent layer that is fun when doing pocket pages.

Have a great weekend!  Hope you'll try a pocket page project and add it to the Facebook album for July challenges!

Get shopping the last few days of the 50% sale at Paper Issues.

The sale goes through July 9th.

Free File Friday: Stars

July is here and it is all about the stars for Paper Issues Free File Friday.  It's fun to see how many different cut files are offered in the store that incorporate stars.  Check out the PI blog for more inspiration from the design team!

I used Pink Paislee Sweet Freedom for my son's football LO.  I love how the blue ombre paper looks behind the cut file. I layered the star stitching background and used the starring you cut file over Evan's photo.

I hope you'll play along at Paper Issues with any of the star cut files between now and Aug 1. Here are just a few of them.

As always shop the PI store use the code: Stacie for 20% off.  If you shop soon (now through July 9th) you can save 50% off in the store.  Go get it all!

Take 5 July: Vacation Vibes

Happy 4th of July to those of you in the United States! We have a fun post up on the Paper Issues blog for the Take 5 Challenge.  Go check it out and be inspired to add 5 things from the prompts to your next project!
I used: 3. pink 4. stickers 8. layers 9. paint (pink on the cut file) 10. patterned paper 11. enamel dots 13. stitching.

I love the fun rainbow paper number 8 from Pink Paislee Summer Lights.  It was perfect for my daughter's colorful butterfly dress in Hawaii.

A few close up pictures to show details:

I used ephemera included in the PI travelers notebook kit. Alpha stickers from MME Palm Beach.

 Pink Paislee Summer Lights was perfect for layers of frames, chipboard stickers, and papers.  Yes, I totally did messy stitching on the PI butterfly cut file.  I had painted multiple layers -yellows and then pink acrylic on the free PI cut file.

I added some of the stickers from Pebbles Sunshiny Day collection. I love the tropical vibes in that collection!

Don't forget to keep shopping the 50% off sale going on at Paper Issues now thru July 9th.  Grab all of the things that I used and more in the store!

Happy 4th of July!

SS July: Hashtag Happy

It's July!  Summer is seriously flying by!  Today there's a new sketch by Amy up on the PI blog.  It was such a fun sketch to create with!  I used Pebbles Girl Squad for my take on the sketch.

My daughter loves being a tween and getting gift cards to shop and go to Starbucks with me! She would love if we could go each day.  The Girl Squad papers are perfect for documenting this fun memories.  The foam Thickers from Girl Squad are definitely a fave of mine this summer.

 I mixed in some of Maggie Holmes Chasing Dreams and Simple Stories Whatever collection stickers to coordinate with the Girl Squad papers and sketch details.

Have a great weekend and we are excited to show you more July challenges in the next few days!

Don't forget you can still complete June challenges today too!

Get shopping at Paper Issues for 50% off everything in stock.  It is an amazing sale to stock up.  

I checked and you can still get lots of the same Pebbles Girl Squad papers that I used here.  The side B papers are perfect for layers and to mix with other collections you may have!

Happy half off shopping at PI now through July 9th! (All orders will ship July 10.)