Soak up the Sun

Today I am up on the Paper Issues blog with a Working with Water Colors post. 

I used the Sun and Fun free cut file and turned it into a stitching cut file. 

The water colors are the focal point of the sun center and the background, 

as well as a way to add a vintage look to the title word strips.

Here are a few close ups of the layout: If you have never turned cut lines into stitching marks for your needle, check out my cut file stitching tutorial post here to show you more!

The foam adhesive keeps the layers separated and casts slight shadows to create depth above the water color background.  Water colors are also a focal point of the center of the sun cut file. I love how my children's beach sunset photo worked so well with this sunny cut file and water color splash background.

Adding watercolors is easy by using the packaging technique. Here's how it looked under the cut file and photo. It is important to layer the colors and dry the area in between the layers. I use a hair dryer to dry the paper quickly and this minimizes paper warping.

Here's another background showing the packaging watercolor process.  I cut a scrap of plastic packaging and add water color to it. It naturally beads up/pools on the plastic.  Press it onto the paper where you'd like the color layered.

When it is sufficient, I stop and dry the area with a heat device such as a heat gun or hair dryer.

On this example, next I moved onto a golden yellow stripe. You can see slight variations of yellow and gold I layered in varying places before drying it.

I added the light blue-green color after setting the yellow stripe. You can see the small scrap of plastic used for this.

Here's the final tutorial picture of this now dried watercolor packaging technique! Pretty cool look to build a layout design on!

I am excited to see your water color magic! 

 Post your projects on Paper Issues July challenge album 

and have a chance to win gift cards this month.

As always there's a SALE at Paper Issues!  

Grab all of your favorite swag bag kits, 

Christmas in July kit, or collecion favorites for 20% off!

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Free File Friday: Boo! It's Halloween!

It's time for a Free File Friday at Paper Issues.  

It's all about the Boo factor!  

Show us your Halloween designs and projects or a festive fall page

using a Paper Issues free file.

Here's my take using new Fancy Pants Designs Spellbound and the web background cut file.

I love the scripty ephemera titles included in Spellbound and how the thin black lines mimic the lines on the spider web cut file background. I love the pops of orange in the pumpkins and in the polka dots which coordinate with the bricks.  The bats and Doodlebug Booville spiders are the perfect spooktacular little bits to add to the design.

The webs background cut file was cut in black cardstock are stuck down in just a few spots to give it dimension.

Join us online on the Facebook Paper Issues Friends and Fans group. Share your projects using free cut files, especially Halloween or Fall projects!  This month your challenge is to use leaf cut files or Halloween or Fall designs.
Save 20% using code: Stacie on all things in stock at Paper Issues.  As always, cut files are all in stock and FREE.  Download one, a few, or ten! Hope you are inspired to play along!

Pinspire Me: Adventure Awaits

Hello!  Today on the Paper Issues blog you can catch the latest moodboard for Pinspire Me. 

 I was inspired by the globe and the saying Adventure Awaits along with the inspirational quote.

 I played along with Fancy Pants Designs Dream Big.  It is a perfect collection to inspire and carry the sentiment I wanted to leave for my littlest. I love this scripty text  Daydream Believer paper. The light gray color works well as a muted background.

A few more looks:

I used texture paste and scraped black acrylic paint behind my photo. You can find the cut file title in the Free Files section of the Paper Issues store.

The Dream Big ephemera, puffy sticker phrases, and star stickers worked well with the colors in the fall photo.

Fall photos with golden light filtering in are some of my favorites!

I hope you are inspired (Pinspired!) to join us on the Facebook Paper Issues group to post your entries into this challenge and more! Don't forget to check out the free files section of the Paper Issues store for more cut files for your projects.

Free File Friday::First Day of Preschool

Hello!  It was my back to school week here in Minnesota, so this is all about getting those school related photos scrapped with a fun free PI cut file.  Check out the Paper Issues blog for more inspiration from the Design Team.

 Here are a few close ups of the cut files I used (Love you to the Moon and Back - stars and the new School and Sports words cut file that's being released today.)

I used lots of Amy Tangerine Hustle & Heart from papers to stickers to tags and cut aparts.

 The School and Sports cut file words were so helpful in spelling out the title. The Hustle and Heart clear sticker booklet always has things to use on each design.  Loved the pen and pencil stickers for this school design.

 The coolest backpack from the Pebbles Girl Squad ephemera.  Stars cut file from the Love you to the Moon....

Amy Tangerine Hustle & Heart ephemera with gold foil and Fancy Pants tags from Family and Co.

 Hustle and Heart layered chipboard stickers.  I love that I was able to reposition these layers to make the sticker work for my design.

Have a wonderful start to your weekend.  I hope you are inspired to play along and download some free Paper Issues cut files.  They are free--download as many as you need!

Free File Friday: Cut File Background

It's time for another round of Free File Friday at Paper Issues.  This month we are challenging you to use a cut file background.  I went with the sunburst background as one of my layers.  I painted and smooshed (packaging technique) the sun cut file with gelatos to match the Fancy Pants Hello Sunshine collection.

Close ups of the design:

I stitched a frame of Fancy Pants Hello Sunshine black floral paper on top of the background cut file.  The banners were stitched on next in the upper corner.

The cut file has a layer of gelatos over parts of it from the center outward.  I layered it over the water color blue paper. I love the shimmer of gold on some of the ephemera pieces from Fancy Pants. I used foam adhesive to pop up parts of the ephemera around the photo.

 The rubber paper clips are definitely a favorite with this collection. I love the texture it adds to the layering.

Get the sunburst cut file and 100s more for free at Paper Issues in the Free Files tab. We are excited to see which background you select to use in your crafting this month. Play along now through September 2nd and post your projects in the PIFF August album for Free File Friday.

Use my code: Stacie to save 20% on all of your purchases at Paper Issues online shop.

Summer Adventure

Today's new challenge at Paper Issues is hosted by Amanda and she is challenging us to work our title!  This month she wants us to use the word SUMMER in our title along with other words!  This was so much fun to look over my stash and the free cut files in the store to create a vertical and horizontal mix title.

A closer look at the mixed media using Shimmerz paints and the beautiful Fancy Pants summer collection, Hello Sunshine to go with my Caribbean cruise pic. The cut file words are found in two different cut file sets.

 Loving the gold details on the Fancy Pants Hello Sunshine ephemera pieces.

Take 5 Tuesday May Edition

   It's time for Take 5 Tuesday at Paper Issues with all new prompts to get you motivated and inspired! Mary Ann always has a great list to jump start a LO design!

Here are the May prompts:

I used:  blue(paint through a stencil), cardstock, Lawn Fawn patterned paper, rainbow paint splatters, thread, diamond, stickers (AC alphabets), & enamel dots.

 I went with a rainbow confetti vibe background to add to the magical feel!  This birthday event for Ryan at the resort was all kinds of special touches!  Creating a Build-a-Bear style stuffed animal on vacay was just perfect for him!

A closer look at details:

I love the clear alpha stickers included in past Amy Tangerine collections.  

The enamel dots partnered with groupings of Fancy Pants Designs puffy stickers completed the rainbow sprinkles.

The unicorn cut file was included in the Spring Crop cut file grouping for PI.

A stencil was used with the teal blue paint.  Rainbow paint splatters were added at the end.

 I used Crate Paper Cute Girl sticker words for the secondary titles closest to to the photo. Cocoa Vanilla Studio flair was the perfect match and saying for this design.

I can't wait to see what you create. 

 Use any five of the list items to make your LO design complete!

Save with my code each time you shop:  Stacie  This code saves you 20% off your entire bill.

Family & Co: Play

I adore this spotlight for Fancy Pants Designs called Family & Co.  Check out the Paper Issues blog for so many great projects using this new collection.

I loved the wonky star paper and was inspired to back little pieces of Family & Co. paper in this fun cut file free in the Paper Issues store. 

 I bought all of the things with this collection because it is so versatile for family life and all sorts of events!  

This star tag was begging to be layered with this design!  I loved the ephemera pieces and chipboard stickers that I scattered throughout.  The puffy stickers by Fancy Pants are always so easy to use in each layout.

  The chipboard alphabet stickers are so awesome.  Marquee style light alphabet letters make this a super fun touch!

The patterned paper has subtle patterns yet is so interchangeable with each double sided paper. I love that the colors truly blended with each other.

Pick up all of this gorgeous collection in the shop at Paper Issues. Save 20% with my code: Stacie

Roll the Dice: Grad

Today on the Paper Issues blog it's an all new Roll the Dice for April hosted by Rachel.  This month it's 2 tags and 6 (or more) stickers.
I used the new Fancy Pants Designs Family & Co. for my take.  I had a graduation picture that I wanted to document. I was all in with the star paper mixed with the lined paper as it seemed academic!

A few more peeks:

Loving the shape tags and big chipboard alpha!

 A bit of gold mist splatters, puffy stickers, and chipboard to finish off the graduation design.  Simple and documented for the books.

Get ALL the new things--Cassie has the store loaded with new items this week!!  Save 20% with code: Stacie

Roll the Dice February: State Fair Time

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you are off to a sweet start on your day!  We are Rolling the Dice at Paper Issues today and Rachel rolled 5 photos and 3 circles.

I went with Sweet Nothings by Fancy Pants Designs to celebrate this day of LOVE!  This page documents a trip to the MN State Fair.  We love the fair food and the Super Slide!

I went with a banner style layout design to incorporate 5 little pictures in a way different than I normally do--use a photo collage print!  The scraps and strips of Fancy Pants Sweet Nothings paper came in handy to cut at a diagonal and layer!  I added pop dots under them to add dimension above the bold stripe FP paper!

 I played by the original roll and only used three circles!  The rest were the awesome puffy sticker hearts that I absolutely love!  They are so much fun to sprinkle all over!  The black puffy alpha stickers are a classic font that is so pretty!

I added a few bits of ephemera and sprinkled India ink all around the background.  It's the fair--it better have  a fun vibe to it!

We are looking forward to your creative ways to sneak in 5 photos and 3 or more circles.  I hope you play along with Rachel and Roll the Dice!  Post your new projects between now and March 5th to have an entry at the PI gift cards.

 Don't forget Friday, Feb 17th is another edition of Scrap n Chat on Facebook!  We are excited to see you online!  Make plans to chat it up, play the game and complete the challenge!

Have you checked out all of the new bliss in the PI store?  I am loving all of the new things that Cassie has in stock!

Save 20% with my code:

Stacie

Happy Valentine's Day!  Happy Galentine's Day!  Happy Friendship Day!  Enjoy!