Remember December: SANTA

Merry Christmas, friends!

I am up on the Paper Issues blog with some Remember December inspiration.

A trip to the mall with Ryan to visit Santa was fitting for today's post!
He is always so excited to see Santa and tell him his Christmas list
and to talk about the Gopher football team. 
Santa sure seems to know a lot about MN sports!

I used the December scrapbook kit. The kit is sold out, but many items can be purchased separately in the store or found in the December Swag Bag kit. I love the background of the mall's snowflake cut outs behind Santa, and used the light blue as my first color to bring out in the watercolors. 
(Grab similar flair buttons here from Pretty Little Studio.)
I used glittery snowflakes from an older Pink Paislee collection,
but even a cut file of snowflakes could be used in your design!

The Elle's Studio puffy titles and mini label stickers were the perfect little touches to layer and add the pops of color I needed in the horizontal grouping.  The Pink Paislee Together for Christmas paper number 9 plaid made a beautiful background border!

I love that the Together for Christmas ephemera from Pink Paislee also coordinated with Elle's Studio stickers and Pretty Little Studio Glitter and Ice trees. With little bits of foam adhesive squares, the little bits were easy to layer against the watercolor background. The iridescent acrylic paint added little snowy dots that were scattered over the watercolor layer.

I hope you are inspired to carve out some creative time
 over the next few days to join in the December challenges at Paper Issues!!
Tag us on social media when you complete a challenge.

Post your creative additions to the December challenge album on Facebook
in the Friends and Fans group now through January 5th!

If you missed out on the Pink Paislee Together for Christmas or need a
December Swag Bag (with the Elle's Studio mini labels I used today),
be sure to grab yours today!

Save 20% with my code: Stacie

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Thanks for stopping by!

To the Moon and Back: Ad-spiration Challenge

I am up on the Paper Issues blog today to show you how this Ad-spiration challenge came together!

The dark background was a fun depature into space and away from the normal light or white cardstock base!

Here's the stunning ad for the October challenge:

I love that you could also be inspired by the books, 

stars, reading quote, night sky, latern light,  and colors!

 I took in the night sky vibe and went with it! 

 I layered mix media swirls on the background, splattered paints, and then topped it off with gold thread machine stitching!

So many swirls of stitching! 

 My machine did not like the tacky surface of the paint and

 I ended up re-threading the machine so many times! 

But, in the end, I think the effect of golden circles was worth the extra effort!

 If you haven't tried using a dark background recently, 

I challenge you to try this out-of-this-world background with an outer space vibe!

Thank you for stopping by the PI blog and playing along in the Facebook group with this month's challenges.  The Monster Bash Fall Crop is this week-- are you joining in on the fun?

Crop details here in the Facebook Group

Save 20% in the Paper Issues store on all.the.things!!

Use code: Stacie

Grab the new October kit while you are shopping!

You Color My World

Hello! Brian and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary yesterday and it was the perfect inspiration to document a picture of the two of us last summer!  Today I am up on the Paper Issues blog with my take on this month's ad to inspire- Ad-spiration challenge.
I was so inspired when I saw the McDonalds ad with the paint strips.  My Jillibean Soup stash was immediately put to use!

The print ad from McDonald's that  I was inspired by:

I kept close to the main design elements including using the "golden arch color" for my border!

I started with the cloudy paper by Pretty Little Studio that is included in the July Kit. 

The color matching with acrylic paints was a fun Netflix watching activity! Anyone else like to mix up paint colors until it's almost perfectly matching?!  

Easier way--just buy the Jillibean paints that are in the PI store!

Then I stitched on the "paint strip" papers and layered my photo and title.

 I love all of Jillibean's foam letter/phase stickers! We even have these black foam phrases in the shop! Grab some before they're gone! I love that Jillibean coordinates their colors so collections are mixable!

I love adding dimension to my photo layers and background elements with foam dot adhesive or foam sheets from the kid's craft section.

Thanks for stopping by today!

I hope you are inspired to join in the July challenges!

 There is still time to play along! 

Try out Ad-spiration and show me your interpretation of the ad.

July Challenges are posted in the Facebook group right here!

As always save 20%  on all of your purchases at Paper Issues!

Code to save: Stacie

Free File Friday:Sailing

Hello!  Happy Memorial Day long weekend for those of you celebrating! It's almost summer vacay here, so naturally my focus was past summer trips!  I am up on the Paper Issues blog today with a fun way to layer your cut files as a texture and design element!

The Vicki Boutin Color Kaleidoscope paper pad had this

 blue toned water color background that was perfect for my base.

  I added more watercolor drops and splatters from other colors

 to add more splashes in the background. 

I sewed on the free cut file:

 Sailing into Summer waves and splattered some more!

My little dude showing his shaka sign- hang loose, especially when you're sailing in Hawaii!

Add sewing machine to stitching lines for more movement and texture to the background.

I can't wait for you to try a cut file in a new way. 

Maybe it is taking a smaller cut file like these waves

 and altering them by welding them together to create a longer strip of waves.

  Another idea would be to use a cut file in a repetitive way

in your background. Try painting or stenciling a background

 with a cut file or altering it with mixed media. 

Cut the cut file out of colored cardstock.

Try backing it or paper piecing a cut file!

Hope you are playing along with the May challenges 

that are posted in Paper Issues Friends and Fans!  

Save 20% on all the things you need from the Paper Issues store!  

There are so many new collections, free cut files,  and PI kits to try out!

What's App? Living that Starbs Venti Life

Hello and What's App?  I'm here today on the Paper Issues blog!  It's no shocker that I love coffee and of course, if you would ask me list my top 10 apps, my fave coffee apps would be on it!  The new Vicki Boutin Color Kaleidoscope mixed media paper pad had the perfect colors to document my Starbucks pic, gift card, and gold title details. I love a big circle swirl of paints!

I kept the photo full 4x6 size, for the sake of the purpose of this page, I wanted to show that the "starbs app life" is so convenient, as I can order ahead and pick it up at the drive thru! Simple as order ahead and instant bliss is waiting for you in winter or on all the days ending in y!! Coffee is life.

To balance all of the pops of gold, I added wood veneer embellishments-the Elle's Studio coffee cup, Shimelle wooden buttons, and mini hearts from a past swag bag kit. The gold Heidi Shine mist drops covered parts of my journaling, but you can still kind of read it. The ephemera is from Vicki Boutin's past collection and her current Color Kaleidoscope collection.

The cool cat clip just fit the colors and needed to be the focus of the upper cluster of embellishments. I love how it clips the layers together and brings the perfect burst of pink.  Layers and layers of VB Color Kaleidoscope papers from the March kit and available by the sheet in the store!

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

I hope you will play along with all of the April challenges that are posted at Paper Issues!

Join us in the Facebook group for fun and inspiring daily posts!

Save 20% on all the things at Paper Issues online shop!

Get all the new things before they are gone.

code: Stacie

This or That: Pretty Great Spring Break

I am blogging today with a fun choice challenge hosted at Paper Issues for March called This or That.

Check out the Paper Issues blog today to see more!

Check out the March challenge list on Facebook in PI Friends and Fans.

 Here's what I selected:

I started with the white cardstock background and added gesso. 

 I then used mist to layer using the packaging technique 

to bring out colors in the sunsets from the pictures.

The free PI cut file heart is from Stuck Like Glue and it was the perfect layer to add to the central focus sunset photos of the layout.

I brought my scrap supplies- (Hello, easy packing with Paper Issues monthly kits!!) along during Spring Break and this was the view when I was snapping pics!

I used ephemera, Pink Paislee alpha stickers, and papers from the Paper Issues January kit: She's a Rainbow.  I adore the colors and who doesn't love a good rainbow vibe?!  If you like to create with kits, be sure to grab them as soon as they are posted in the store each month.  They are amazing and include so much! It made this layout come together so quickly!

I doodled repeated lines for the border of the page for the last element of the this or that list.

Thanks for stopping by the blog today.

Hope you have time to play along with the challenges this weekend

and are inspired to try THIS or THAT after seeing how easy it can be!

Have you seen all of the new items in the Paper Issues store this week?

Stop by and shop- while you save 20%

Use code: Stacie

 Post all of your completed March challenges in the Paper Issues Facebook group!

Don't forget to tag us online when you use PI Cut Files!

 #picutfile #paperissues

Thanks for stopping by today!

Puppy Pals: Kali and Ryan

Hello! I'm on the Paper Issues blog with the Secret Life of Pets
 is always a fun challenge to capture the cuteness!

My seven year old absolutely adores spending time with our friend's

 mini-petite golden doodle.  They definitely enjoy

 each other's company and all the extra attention that comes along with it!

The Carta Bella Our House woodgrain heart paper was the perfect color to coordinate with the focal point of a pet page--the puppy!  I also love that Carta Bella is such a thick textured paper that I could rough up the edges because what puppy doesn't like to tear stuff up! The rough stitched layered edges also bring in more texture and dimension to the page besides the heart cut file in the center!

If you haven't gotten a Paper Issues swag bag, be sure to check them out each month.

Be warned- they sell out quickly once they hit the shop!

  It made coordinating this page design come together soooo quickly. 

 I adore these monthly kits that are so full of items to use immediately! 

I used the February swag bag kit for the photo paper layers and the embellishments. 

The hearts in the Love You Hearts cut file were watercolored

 to match the variated striped Heidi Swapp Color Fresh paper border.

 I add watercolor, dry it with a heat tool, then reapply lighter

 and darker colors in various spots immediately drying

 to minimize warping. The final step was flicking water onto the paint

 and letting that do its magic of taking away color in those spots.

Have you tried it?  If not, get out those paints and play!!

  It adds such cool colorations and subtle design within the cut file. 

 Next, I used white cardstock that was painted using the packaging technique

 and then backed the cut file with it. I popped the whole cut file with foam dots.

I adore that I could tuck two 3x4 pics on this page and they fit right into the cut file hearts!

I love that the sweet wooden Pinkfresh alphas that are in the

  December Hard Candy PI scrapbook kit, and how they worked so well

 with this design.  I added some white acrylic paint splatters to

 the background and called this design done! 

I think it speaks to the sweetness of these two!

Thanks for stopping by!

I hope you're inspired to get creating!

Stop by the Paper Issues Facebook group to play along with the

 Secret Life of Pets and all of the other March challenges!

While you are browsing the Paper Issues store, 

grab all of the new items that were just added and save 20% with code: Stacie

Free File Friday Together

Hello, I am on the Paper Issues blog today with a new cut file design! 

I grabbed the new February PI kit and the Love You Hearts cut file to create this lovey-design! 
 I love that this cut file can stand out, but it isn't the entire background!

For this cut file, I wanted the mixed media colors to peek through the vellum layer on the cut file and be a splatter of colors around the edges.  I found acrylic paints that matched the Crate Paper background colors and watered them down to use the packaging technique. I couldn't resist and also added some gold Heidi Shine mist drops!  Gold makes everything sparkly and fun!

Hello, rose gold mini Pink Paislee alpha included in the February kit!!  I love how these can be used in small spaces such as on top of a cut file as a fun mini title or added dimension to your project!

Pop up your cut file off your background with foam dots.  This helps it to standout from a patterned paper background and adds a shadow effect that adds interest to a simple design! 

Have you checked out all of the new free downloads at Paper Issues??

 This new free PI cut file is Love You Hearts.

Grab this free cut file or any of the 100s of other ones from the Paper Issues store

 and hopefully you have this amazing February kit!! 

It is so easy to pull together a layout or project when you have all you need

 gathered up in one package!

 If you haven't tried a PI scrapbook kit or swag bag, you need them in your craft room!

 I can't wait for March's kit--it is going to be a beautiful blast of color! 

Have an amazing weekend! 

 Share what you create in our Paper Issues Facebook group or on social media!

 Tag our cut files with #PIcutfile and #PaperIssues so we can find you!!

As a thank you for stopping by the blog---

save when you shop!!

Together

Hi! I am up on the Paper Issues Blog today for the first scraplift Sunday challenge! 

 Stop by and check it out! 

 I was so inspired by Jen's colorful layered scallops design!

 Here's my take on the beautiful design:

Here's Jennifer's fabulous original design using Fancy Pants Yellow Door Collection:

I used lots of bits and pieces from Paper Issues Swag Bags and the January Scrapbook kit to embellish and create my titles.

I love adding stitching to my background to lift items up to create dimension in the layers. 

I went crazy with the acrylic paint splatters to bring in lots of the colors from the hearts. I mean why not make a party of paint splatters on your page every once in awhile?!

Happy heart month and happy scraplifting!! 

Post your challenge entries to our Friends & Fans Facebook group

 and tag Paper Issues on social media.

Grab the scrapbook kits each month in the store, 

just like I did to help your designs come together quickly! 

Save 20% your order with code: Stacie