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.

Pawsitively Pets November

Today we are up on the Paper Issues blog with Melissa's Pawsitively Pets Challenge.  This month it's all about using three or more patterned papers and adding mist or paint.

I love the Simple Stories, Hello Fall collection with the rich color tones and fun patterns.  I used the Falling for You woodgrain, Sweater Weather plaid, and leaves print for the main three pattern papers.  The other pops of color are all layered stickers from the 4x6 sticker pack.   I  love all of the die cut pieces and used the larger leaves and feathers from it for the corners.

I started with the background and stitched down the leaf paper frame.  Next, I added mist to the white gesso to get a tan color for a photo mat.  Then I added blue distress ink for an added color.

I added several stickers from the Hello Fall 4x6 pack.  I love that these stickers look the the papers so you can added them wherever you need them.  It worked great to add color behind the photo against the plaid and cover up ink splatters gone wild!

I used the letter stickers included in the sticker pack and the ephemera leaves, feathers and word phrase.  The Bradz or metal clips are a great way to add shine and weight to anchor a cluster of bits and pieces.

I love that sweet Maxie-boy and can't wait to give this layout to my sister for her family's memory book of their beloved pup.

I hope you will join us in documenting any of your pets, animals, zoo, or similar creature related adventures in our Pawsitively Pets Challenge for November.  You have until December 5 to post your design to the PIFF Facebook Group.

Save 20% at Paper Issues using my code: Stacie

Join us in PIFF this weekend, November 11-13 for our fantastic FALL CROP!  We are so excited to see all that you create!  

November Sketchy Saturday: Wonder Fall

Today is a new sketch for the month at Paper Issues.  Check out this fun sketch by Amy Coose:

Here's my take using Echo Park Fall Is In The Air:

I love this background wood grain paper with the collection. 

The acorn paper prompted me to get the acorn cut file that I bought last year from The Cut Shoppe and put it to use in the embellishment spots on the sketch.  I also used the leaves from The Cut Shoppe and watercolored and misted them. 

I added photo mat papers from the same Echo Park collection.  I backed the acorn cut files with the rich brown patterned paper which is the side B to the acorn patterned paper.

I stitched around the patterned papers before I layered them to add texture

 and interest to the design.

I scanned in my handwriting for the title

 and turned it into a cut file for this "wonderful" leaf page.

The background wood planks paper is such a fave of mine with fall pictures!  I hope you join us in using the sketch for November and post it in our Facebook group for a chance to win!

Save 20% off everything you buy at Paper Issues!  My code to share with you to save: Stacie

Love You to the Moon

This page was inspired by Paige Evans Make it Big class at Studio Calico. 

It started from this sketch:

After cutting the wavy strips apart, I cut the letters from the sketch on top of scraps from SC kits as a cutting guide. Here's how it looked before pictures and stitching.

A close up of the fun moon flair from a SC kit and other puffy stickers.

And another view:

I had wanted to do a hand cut lettering page, so this was the perfect class to inspire me to make a layout. I changed out the V after sewing the grid one down as it appeared navy instead of black! 

Here's a link to Paige's blog for more lengthy hand cut lettering quotes :

http://www.paigeandchris.com/2015/06/the-one-with-make-it-big-scraplifts.html?m=1

She's even featured my page as one from our student gallery. I'm pretty honored that she added me to her blog post!

Thanks for looking!

#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 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.

Grow, Bloom, & Thrive

Love these pocket scrapbook cut files by Lisa Dickinson that I purchased on Two Peas last summer before they closed. 

I backed two of the squares with Maggie Holmes paper. Two of the die cuts I watercolored. I added an Elle's Studio stamp, little woodgrain sequins, and enamel dots. Loved the beautiful roses from my friend's yard. The photo layered with a doily finished the center. The top and bottom were stitched scallop paper strips from Studio Calico's Kit.

You Fill My Heart

I love these heart pie chart cut files from The Cut Shoppe called Pie Hearts . 

The bold polka dot paper is from the Beautiful Chic from Webster's Pages and the stripes are from the We R Memory Keepers line called Love Notes.

The alphabet stickers are from American Crafts Amy Tangerine Plus One. I sprinkled mist dots in pink, sea foam, and white. I also had a crafty fail (huge mess) with the pink mist. *see below

I added the yellow vellum behind the photo to make it stand out in the bold background. The colors and textures are loud and fun, just like my four children! 

Behind the scenes:

Here's the mess as I tipped over the pink, kind of Pepto looking!

Modern art via my kitchen floor canvas!

Disney on Ice

I was excited to use Dear Lizzy's newest line Serendipity by American Crafts. This worked well with Dear Lizzy's Alpha Thickers from previous collections.

We enjoyed this fun Disney night out last year with our youngest two. I hid the journaling on the little tab stamped with Dear Lizzy's roller stamp for this collection placed right above the title. 

The sparkle Thickers work to enhance that icy/frozen feel I was looking for!

I had to include a hidden Mickey made with one of my punches. It was fun to use teal thread to sew on the paper triangle and hello card! I love the added texture it brings to the layout. 

I finished it off with some of Heidi Swapp's Color Shine in amethyst and teal.

  

You are Here in my Heart Always

I was inspired scrolling through Instagram by all of the posts linking to Jot Magazine's February mood board. Using black and white stripes, red, pink, and mint. I also sewed the stack of hearts as pictured in the mood board. I love the pop of dimension it adds to the page. 

I also was inspired by Paper Issues Sketchy Saturday post as it used a circle element and stacked journaling.

I sewed the large circle in black thread multiple times for texture. I then watercolored the area to make the die cut title pop.

I blended watercolors and used some spray ink in a shimmery mint color.

For fun, here's the same picture enlarged and in color from our summer day trip to Minnehaha Falls in MN.

We had a random nice person take our photo. It was a bummer to look at them later to see the falls are only a slight splash on the right side!  Good times!

Quick cards

What a Sweet Pear! This mini envelope from Allison Kreft for Webster's Pages doubles as a gift card holder.

awesome!  By taking a Mister Huey's mask and using it as an embossing plate with my Sizzix Big Shot, I was able to create a chevron background. The awesome die cut is by Wilna Furstenberg. Add some quick twine from The Twinery and pop up some Studio Calico stickers. Done!

I love this sentiment stamp tag from Shanna Noel for Studio Calico. Studio Calico Lemon Lush paper and mint washi tape from Freckled Fawn.

Bloom. Card using Elle's Studio stamp sentiment and flower by Bella Blvd. Dear Lizzy Fifth and Frolic paper and border punch with watercolor details.

Live Creatively! Die cut frame from Plus One collection by Amy Tangerine. Stamp and PrintShop washi tape by Studio Calico.

Choose Happy papers by South of Market by Studio Calico. Fabric brad by Crate Paper. Enamel dots by Studio Calico.

Hello Love

Basketball pictures might not be the first thought for Pink Paislee's Bella Rouge collection, but it worked well in this page to celebrate my daughter's effort and basketball season.  It helped that her uniform was gold.  

Pink Paislee's Bella Rouge collection called for threading the sewing machine in a golden yellow shade for the stitching around the die cuts.

Hello Love your smiles, Hello Love my favorite girl, Hello Love you, basketball girl!

Pink Paislee Bella Rouge has such fun pinks and golden yellows which coordinated perfectly with my daughter's uniform color.  The scripty words: your and you are from Jen Kinkade for Shimelle's class: Inspired By.  Several embellishment stickers are from Pink Paislee's Merry and Bright collection.  The fun typewriter paper is from Studio Calico kit for January- Far Far Away.

I used yellow thread which is a bit tricky to see in these photos to stitch around each LOVE and backed the negative space with the Bella Rouge papers.  The Love cut file can be found in Paper Issues store for Free.  I took the basic file of the Love with the rectangular box and copied it to create this stacked design.  Have fun using the negative parts of your cut files to create fun paper piecing pages!